A glacier on Mont Blanc holds something remarkable: a frozen archive stretching back more than 12,000 years. This discovery offers an unusually detailed record of Earth’s changing climate and atmosphere that is preserved in layers of ice.



The glacier, located on the Dôme du Goûter in the French Alps, contains the oldest known glacier ice in the region.



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.dri.edu/">Desert Research Institute</a> (DRI) in Nevada, in collaboration with researchers from France and Germany, studied a 40-meter-long ice core originally collected in 1999. 



The results of the analysis show that the glacier has remained intact since the end of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disastrous-climate-changes-of-the-last-ice-age-could-happen-again/">last Ice Age</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extensive-record-of-aerosols">Extensive record of aerosols </h2>



The team applied <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radiocarbon-could-be-key-in-predicting-earths-future/">radiocarbon dating</a> to determine the age of the ice layers within the core. The analysis revealed a continuous archive of aerosols preserved through time. 



The aerosols included microscopic particles and droplets such as dust, soot, sea salt, volcanic sulfur, and human-made pollutants. These samples are essential for reconstructing both regional and global climate patterns.



"For the first time, we have a fairly complete Alpine record of atmospheric and precipitation chemistry going all the way back to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-age-hunter-gatherers-had-a-very-organized-domestic-life/">Mesolithic Period</a>," said Joe McConnell, Director of DRI’s Ice Core Lab. 



"And that’s a big deal, because you have two major climate states - glacial and interglacial - and to get a record of atmospheric precipitation chemistry across that huge climate change tells you the most extreme natural aerosol concentrations that you’d expect."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-europe-s-climate-history-in-an-ice-core">Europe’s climate history in an ice core</h2>



According to McConnell, the ice core also captures evidence from a time when humans transitioned from small, low-density hunter-gatherer groups to developing agriculture, domesticating animals, engaging in mining, and eventually clearing large areas of land.



"All of that is happening around this ice core site. It spans the full range of natural and anthropogenic change, and it’s right in the center of Europe - where much of Western civilization evolved," said McConnell. 



The location in the Alps is crucial. It gives researchers a close-up look at Europe’s climate history without relying on Arctic records, which are farther from pollution sources.



"Ice cores collected from glaciers and ice sheets can provide such information, but since these droplets and particles stay in the air only for a few days to maybe a week, records developed from glaciers close to the sources often are the most informative," explained study lead author Michel Legrand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-long-awaited-analysis">A long-awaited analysis</h2>



Although the ice core was collected more than two decades ago, it remained frozen in France until recently. 



The ice was then transported to DRI’s lab in Reno, where advanced techniques like continuous flow analysis were used to melt and measure the chemistry of each layer.



"Determining what year or period of time a layer in the ice represents can be challenging, so here we used a unique combination of radiometric methods to establish the chronology in the ice," said study co-author Werner Aeschbach.



"We were relieved to find that even under the unusually warm climate of the 20th century, the cold temperatures at over 14,000 feet near Mont Blanc’s peak had preserved the glacier so that the ice record hadn’t yet been impacted by melting," said co-author Nathan Chellman.



The depth of the ice core told its own story. While the Dôme du Goûter ice contained ancient layers more than 12,000 years old, a nearby glacier less than 100 meters away held ice only about a century old. The difference likely comes from stronger wind patterns at the Dôme site.



"It's exciting to find the first ice core from the European Alps containing an intact record of climate that extends back through the current ten-thousand-year warm period and into the very different climate of the last ice age," noted study co-author Susanne Preunkert.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-core-reveals-climate-changes">Ice core reveals climate changes</h2>



By studying the chemistry preserved in the ice, researchers identified a shift of about 3 degrees Celsius between the last Ice Age and the present <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/holocene-vs-anthropocene-debate/">Holocene Epoch</a>. 



Pollen data showed that summer temperatures during the Ice Age were about 2 degrees cooler in western Europe and 3.5 degrees cooler in the Alps.



Phosphorous levels in the ice also gave insights into vegetation changes. Levels were low during the Ice Age, rose sharply during the early Holocene as forests spread, and then declined again with modern agriculture and industrial land-clearing.



Sea salt concentrations helped the team track wind patterns. Higher sea salt levels during the Ice Age suggest stronger westerly winds across western Europe. Since sea salt affects cloud formation and solar radiation, it plays a direct role in climate dynamics.



Dust aerosols told a more intense story. During the Ice Age, dust concentrations were eight times higher than in the Holocene. That’s a much bigger difference than current climate models predict, which usually suggest just a doubling. 



The discrepancy might be due to Saharan dust reaching Europe more frequently during colder, drier periods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-to-come-from-the-ice">More to come from the ice</h2>



This study marks just the beginning. With a firm timeline now established, researchers plan to analyze the ice for signs of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-activities-are-weakening-earths-air-circulation/">human activity</a> across the centuries.



"Now we can start to interpret all these other records that we have of lead and arsenic and other things like that, in terms of human history," said McConnell.



Beyond the historical context, the ice core also helps scientists improve climate models. McConnell said that if you’re really going to go back and examine all possible climate states - past and future - you need a model that captures true climate variability.



"It’s a laudable goal, but to evaluate how good the models are, you’ve got to be able to compare them to observations, right? And that’s where the ice cores come in."



As the team continues their work, this ancient glacier may reveal even more about how natural forces and human activity have shaped Europe's past - and how they might shape its future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/6/pgaf186/8157585">PNAS Nexus</a>.



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Europe’s oldest ice core reveals 12,000 years of climate change

A glacier on Mont Blanc holds something remarkable: a frozen archive stretching back more than 12,000 years. This discovery offers an unusually detailed record of Earth’s changing climate and atmosphere that is preserved in layers of ice. The glacier, located on the Dôme du Goûter in the French Alps, contains the oldest known glacier ice in the region. Scientists from the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Nevada, in collaboration with researchers from France and Germany, studied a 40-meter-long ice core originally collected in 1999. The results of...

Two hikers on a winter walk in northeastern Czechia stumbled onto a stash that turned out to be one of the country’s most unusual modern treasures.



Dates on the coins spanned the years 1808 to 1915. Specialists say the hoard was probably buried after 1921 because several pieces carry tiny <a href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/feac2.html?srsltid=AfmBOorkq0D7IoG7qaVwtsj_Z9MkxhOieUdDG4ag8I4e1coezZZxxFo4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">countermarks</a>, official stamps added to coins after minting in the former Yugoslavia during the 1920s and 1930s. The hoard was dominated by French issues and there were no coins from Germany or Czechoslovakia, a pattern that already raises fresh historical questions. 



The investigation is being led by Miroslav Novák at the <a href="https://www.muzeumhk.cz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Museum</a> of East Bohemia in Hradec Králové. His team includes a museum numismatist, an expert who studies coins and currency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-was-found">What was found</h2>



The hoard sat in two containers tucked into a man made stone wall on the southwest slope of Zvičina Hill. The aluminum jar and a nearby metal box were separated by about 3 feet (0.9 meters). 



Inside, were 598 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-300-year-old-sunken-pirate-shipwreck-left-archaeologists-speechless/">gold</a> coins arranged in stacks and wrapped in black fabric. There were also sixteen snuff or cigarette cases, ten bracelets, a fine wire mesh purse, a comb, a chain with a key, and a powder compact. 



Curators estimate the total weight at roughly 15 pounds (7 kilograms), with the coins alone making up about 8 pounds (3.75 kilograms) of gold. The museum has placed the assemblage under controlled conditions while technicians document each object.



Finders turned everything over in February 2025 during routine fieldwork by staff. The museum later presented the hoard to journalists, but the emphasis remains on careful study rather than spectacle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-coins-get-stashed-away">Why coins get stashed away</h2>



Modern hoards are not just curiosities. They are time stamped records of stress, wealth, and movement.



“The list of potential reasons for which it was likely buried is fairly clear,” said Novák.&nbsp;



Across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/archaeologists-have-unearthed-a-stone-coffin-hidden-underground-for-1500-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">archaeology</a>, deliberate burial of valuables shows up from prehistory into recent centuries. Scholars now use hoards to probe how people responded to upheaval. A recent <a href="https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/120474/1/ai-3290-bradley.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> considers the reasons for deliberately hiding valuables and covers finds from the Mesolithic through the twentieth century. It highlights the role of ritual acts, crisis events, and private safekeeping in different eras. 



In twentieth century Central Europe, reasons could include pre-war tension, wartime flight, or later monetary reforms. This case fits that broader picture, but the exact story will depend on archival research and the technical study that is now underway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-in-the-coin-markings">Clues in the coin markings</h2>



Those small countermarks are the first major clue. They indicate that some coins circulated in the Balkans after World War I, before the hoard was concealed.



“It was deliberately hidden because it was precious metal,” said Vojtěch Brádle, numismatist at the Museum of East Bohemia.



The composition is striking, with most pieces being French and the rest largely Austro-Hungarian, Belgian, and Ottoman. Specialists note the total absence of German and Czechoslovak issues, which is atypical for finds in Czechia of similar age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-scientists-will-study-the-hoard">How scientists will study the hoard</h2>



First comes documentation, then non-destructive testing. For the yellow metal items that are not coins, Czech authorities will determine alloy composition to guide conservation. 



A core tool is X-ray fluorescence <a href="https://www.spectroscopyonline.com/view/xrf-analysis-cultural-heritage-materials" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spectroscopy</a>, a non-invasive technique that reveals an object’s elemental makeup without sampling. Conservation scientists rely on this method to analyze metals, jewelry, and other cultural materials in situ, often with handheld instruments. 



Results will steer how conservators stabilize each object. If the bracelets and snuff cases are not all <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mineral-exploration-project-discovers-20-metric-tons-of-gold-deposits-odisha-india/">gold</a>, different cleaning and storage protocols will apply, to prevent corrosion or stress cracking.



Technical data also sharpen the historical picture. Specific fineness standards and trace element signatures can narrow down where and when an item was made or modified.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-law-ownership-and-rewards">Law, ownership, and rewards</h2>



Czech <a href="https://www.arub.cz/wp-content/uploads/Act-20-1987-col.-zakon-o-statni-pamatkove_eng_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">law</a> treats finds like this as archaeological heritage. Finders must report them, and authorities decide on custody and study which, in this case, sits with the regional museum.



Under the law on the protection of monuments, rewards can be granted to finders up to the material price for precious metal finds or up to ten percent of the cultural historical value for others, a law that balances private incentive with public stewardship.&nbsp;



Any future display will follow conservation, cataloging, and provenance checks. That keeps the focus on information as much as on spectacle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-hidden-treasure-can-teach">What the hidden treasure can teach</h2>



Coins can tell us about exchange rates, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/archaeologists-discover-141-ancient-gold-coins-some-from-a-little-known-roman-emperor/">trade routes</a>, and savings habits in a way few other sources can. They track how gold moved across borders even when official currencies changed.



The Yugoslav countermarks connect this trove to a specific post-war monetary story. That link invites targeted searches in shipping manifests, bank records, and local registries.



Small details matter. A chain link style, a purse weave, or a bracelet clasp can tie objects to a maker or a city, and that narrows the range of owners and motives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-modern-treasure-with-human-stakes">A modern treasure with human stakes</h2>



The site sits in a borderland region with layered twentieth century histories. People there lived through quick political shifts that often forced rushed choices about family assets.



Museums do not guess. They test, compare, and follow the paperwork where it exists. That takes time, but it is how conjecture becomes evidence.



Whatever the final backstory, this hoard already shows how modern deposits can be as revealing as ancient ones. It also shows why careful reporting by finders helps everyone learn more, faster.



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Hikers find a hidden treasure of gold coins dating from 1808 to 1915 in a stone wall

Two hikers on a winter walk in northeastern Czechia stumbled...

Far beneath our feet, beyond the Earth's rocky mantle and molten outer core, lies a dense, solid sphere of iron and other elements like carbon. 



This inner core is Earth’s deepest secret, shaping the magnetic field that shields our planet. Yet, scientists still puzzle over how it first formed and what ingredients allowed it to crystallize.



A new study by researchers from the University of Leeds, University of Oxford, and <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College London</a> provides fresh insight. 



Their findings reveal that carbon may have been the key element that enabled the inner core to solidify billions of years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-earth-s-core-composition-matters">Why Earth's core composition matters</h2>



The makeup of Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-proven-to-be-rapidly-changing-and-now-rotating-backwards/">core</a> determines not only its density but also its thermal and magnetic behavior. 



Seismology shows that the core is less dense than pure iron, meaning lighter elements must be present. Candidates like silicon, sulphur, oxygen, and carbon have all been considered.



The latest simulations show that carbon, in particular, may have been essential. Without it, the inner core’s crystallization would have required impossible conditions, making its very existence a mystery.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/earth-inner-core_hidden-chemistry_illustration_credit-Alfred-Wilson_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/earth-inner-core_hidden-chemistry_illustration_credit-Alfred-Wilson_1s.webp" alt="Drawing of Earth with cutaway showing the mantle and inner and outer core. Magnetic field lines produced by the geodynamo extend into space and interact with the solar wind. The iron-rich core at Earth's center is slowly freezing from the inside out. Credit: Dr. Alfred Wilson" class="wp-image-1984775"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Drawing of Earth with cutaway showing the mantle and inner and outer core. Magnetic field lines produced by the geodynamo extend into space and interact with the solar wind. The iron-rich core at Earth's center is slowly freezing from the inside out. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Dr. Alfred Wilson</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-supercooling-paradox">The supercooling paradox</h2>



Liquids rarely freeze solid the instant they cool past their <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/melting-point" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">melting point</a>. Instead, they must be supercooled, chilled further before crystals can form. 



For molten iron alone, estimates suggested that a massive 800 to 1000 °C (1472 to 1832 °F) of supercooling would be needed.



If that had occurred, the consequences for our planet would have been dramatic. 



The inner core would have grown far too quickly, disrupting the delicate balance of heat flow inside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-is-not-solid-it-is-shape-shifting-time-for-textbooks-to-be-rewritten/">Earth</a> and destabilizing the magnetic field that protects life from harmful solar and cosmic radiation.



Scientists know this did not happen. Geophysical evidence points instead to a modest level of supercooling, limited to about 250 °C (482 °F). 



That small difference between theoretical predictions and observational reality has puzzled researchers for decades.



This contradiction, known as the inner core nucleation paradox, continues to inspire debate, experiments, and advanced simulations aimed at uncovering the true chemistry of Earth’s deepest layers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simulating-the-impossible">Simulating the impossible</h2>



To resolve the paradox, the research team ran atomic-scale simulations of iron mixed with different light elements. 



They tested silicon, sulfur, oxygen, and carbon, and watched how each affected the first step of freezing: nucleation.



“Each of these elements exists in the overlying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-an-ocean-of-fire-shaped-early-earths-core-according-to-a-new-study/">mantle</a> and could therefore have been dissolved into the core during Earth’s history,” explained co-author Associate Professor Andrew Walker from the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



“As a result, these could explain why we have a solid inner core with relatively little supercooling at this depth. The presence of one or more of these elements could also rationalize why the core is less dense than pure iron, a key observation from seismology.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/earth-inner-core_cross-section_convection_credit-Alfred-Wilson_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/earth-inner-core_cross-section_convection_credit-Alfred-Wilson_1s.webp" alt="Cross section of the Earth showing the mantle, outer core and inner core. Convection in the outer core produces Earth's geomagnetic field. The properties of Earth's iron-rich core are key to understanding our planet's deep interior, from its temperature to the way it generates the global magnetic field. The core's exact chemistry remains unknown. Credit: Dr. Alfred Wilson" class="wp-image-1984773"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cross section of the Earth showing the mantle, outer core and inner core. Convection in the outer core produces Earth's geomagnetic field. The properties of Earth's iron-rich core are key to understanding our planet's deep interior, from its temperature to the way it generates the global magnetic field. The core's exact chemistry remains unknown. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Dr. Alfred Wilson</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-drives-earth-s-core-freezing">Carbon drives Earth's core freezing</h2>



The simulations revealed that silicon and sulfur actually hindered freezing, which would have increased the supercooling requirement. Carbon, however, had the opposite effect.



With 2.4 % carbon, the required supercooling dropped to about 420 °C (788 °F). Still too high, but much closer to reality. 



Extrapolating further, a carbon content of 3.8 % reduced the figure to 266 °C (511 °F), which is consistent with geological evidence.



This makes carbon the only element so far shown to both enable nucleation and align with seismic observations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-seeds-needed">No seeds needed</h2>



Unlike hail forming around dust in clouds, Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-how-gold-reaches-earths-surface-from-the-mantle/">core</a> appears to have frozen without “nucleation seeds.” 



Tests of possible seed materials, like oxides or metals, show they would melt or dissolve before reaching the center. That leaves chemistry itself, specifically the presence of carbon, as the driver of solidification.



“It is exciting to see how atomic scale processes control the fundamental structure and dynamics of our planet," said lead author Dr. Alfred Wilson from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leeds</a>. 



"By studying how Earth’s inner core formed, we are not just learning about our planet’s past. We’re getting a rare glimpse into the chemistry of a region we can never hope to reach directly and learning about how it could change in the future.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/earth-inner-core_iron-carbon-atoms-nucleating_credit-Alfred-Wilson_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/earth-inner-core_iron-carbon-atoms-nucleating_credit-Alfred-Wilson_1s.webp" alt="Drawing of iron and carbon atoms nucleating to form solids which could initiate growth of Earth's solid inner core. The study used atomic scale simulations to identify solids nucleating in supercooled liquids. Carbon atoms can accelerate this process, perhaps enough to trigger the freezing of Earth's solid inner core. Credit: Dr. Alfred Wilson" class="wp-image-1984777"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Drawing of iron and carbon atoms nucleating to form solids which could initiate growth of Earth's solid inner core. The study used atomic scale simulations to identify solids nucleating in supercooled liquids. Carbon atoms can accelerate this process, perhaps enough to trigger the freezing of Earth's solid inner core. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Dr. Alfred Wilson</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-s-role-in-earth-s-core">Carbon's role in Earth’s core</h2>



The research also helps refine estimates of when the inner core formed. Some argue it began crystallizing over two billion years ago, while others suggest it happened less than half a billion years ago. 



By identifying carbon as the critical player, scientists can narrow down these timelines. 



This enables a better understanding of how Earth’s deep engine has evolved to influence the magnetic field, surface conditions, and even the long-term habitability of our planet.



The message is clear: carbon is more than a surface element of life. It may also be the hidden architect of Earth’s inner heart, shaping its stability across geological time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62841-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Scientists have changed their minds again about the composition of Earth's core

Far beneath our feet, beyond the Earth's rocky mantle and...

Four bronze discs modeled as lion faces turned up in a cist tomb, a stone lined grave, at Khirbat Ibreika in central Israel, along with four detached rings and a dozen glass vessels.



The find dates to the first or second century A.D. and was uncovered during a salvage excavation ahead of new railroad work. Elie Haddad and Elisheva Zwiebel of <a href="https://www.iaa.org.il/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Israel Antiquities Authority</a> excavated the unusual finds.



The discs were lying in a neat pile at the narrow end of the grave. Archaeologists immediately ruled out random movement because everything else in the tomb stayed put.



Haddad’s team also recovered a single iron nail that still carried slivers of decayed wood. That nail showed a wooden coffin once occupied the chamber.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wooden-coffins-and-bronze-lions">Wooden coffins and bronze lions</h2>



Most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/archaeologists-discover-141-ancient-gold-coins-some-from-a-little-known-roman-emperor/">Roman</a> lion head discs hold their ring in the animal’s mouth. At Ibreika, the ring sat on top of the mane, which is an unusual engineering choice.



Placement mattered because a ring above the head could swing freely, while a mouth ring stayed fixed. That difference hints at a job beyond decoration.



The Ibreika rings’ freedom of movement matches wear patterns on handles from <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/jj.14638136.8?seq=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">other graves</a> found in the Roman province of Syria-Palestina that once guided carrying poles.



Wooden coffins were costly, and iron nails strong enough to pierce them were rarer still. Four big bronze handles would let mourners thread two poles, lift the box, and lower it smoothly.



“If the discs were coffin handles, why were they stacked in what seems to have been a deliberate pile on one side of the tomb?” the team wrote, puzzling over why the rings in this grave were removed and stacked.&nbsp;



Their own answer is cautious: perhaps the handles served in a procession, were ritually detached, and buried beside, rather than on, the coffin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-lions-meant-to-romans">What lions meant to Romans</h2>



Roman artists used the lion as shorthand for strength, vigilance, and guardianship. Stone sarcophagi from mainland Italy often show paired felines flanking the lid to watch over the soul.



In art from Persia to Greece, a lion at a doorway marked a threshold only the worthy might cross. Tomb builders borrowed that idea for the final doorway, death itself.



Persian iconologists note the animal’s link to royal power and seasonal heat, viewing the beast as a solar creature that patrols the borders between worlds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-the-empire-s-borders">Beyond the empire’s borders</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-bronze-cannon-oldest-known-firearm-discovered-in-arizona/">Bronze</a> lion heads almost identical in size to the Israeli set have surfaced in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Thomas Weber’s survey mapped at least seven regional production clusters, each with small stylistic quirks.



The Ibreika carvings form an eighth group distinguished by a flattened nose, deeply incised whiskers, and a raised brow ridge. Those signatures suggest the existence of a local workshop that served coastal communities.



Nearby <a href="https://en.parks.org.il/reserve-park/teldor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tel Dor</a> yielded another full quartet of lion discs in 2021, supporting the idea of a coastal style tied to maritime trade and adapted fashions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-and-bronze-lion-crowns">Time and bronze lion crowns</h2>



Some scholars see a connection to the cult of Mithras that was popular with soldiers across the empire. Mithraic temples often display a leontocephaline statue, a nude human body with a lion head, serpent coils, and a wheel or key.



<a href="https://archive.org/details/TheReligionOfTheMithrasCultInTheRomanEmpire" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roger Beck</a> argues that the figure embodies cosmic time, binding seasons and stars in endless return. A ring set above a bronze lion’s crown could echo that celestial wheel.



The Ibreika rings’ placement, therefore, might carry a double function: a handle for practical chores and a nod to the cycle of life, death, and renewal treasured by initiates.



Three other Israeli burials, Ramat Efrayim, Ben ‘Ami, and Tel Dor, also held lion discs, but only one grave in each cemetery used them. The pattern hints at personal status, special belief, or both.



Most neighboring tombs belonged to Samaritan communities that generally avoided graven images. A decorated coffin would stand out, marking the occupant as someone comfortable with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mass-grave-vienna-discovery-tells-the-story-of-a-forgotten-defeat-by-the-roman-empire/">Roman</a> art or foreign rites.



Samarian silver <a href="https://www.academia.edu/9216977/The_Coinage_Imagery_of_Samaria_and_Judah_in_the_Late_Persian_Period" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coins</a> of the Persian period sometimes show a Persian king facing a lion, blending imperial power with local identity, and proving the motif already circulated in regional visual language.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-status-and-identity-in-bronze">Status and identity in bronze</h2>



Each disc weighs more than one pound and contains a high lead-tin alloy that would shine like gold when polished. Such lavish metalwork signals wealth.



Stacking the hardware may have been a statement: the deceased no longer needed earthly symbols of might, yet they were close enough to claim in the afterlife.



Lion guardians could also warn grave robbers. A pile of snarling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/3800-year-old-hexagonal-pyramid-discovered-possibly-a-royal-tomb/">bronze</a> faces staring upward from the dark would have looked unsettling to anyone opening the lid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-for-the-next-dig">Questions for the next dig</h2>



Haddad and Zwiebel’s study closes by admitting that the most basic question, why only one grave got the bronze lions, remains open. Future chemical analyses might trace ore sources and workshop links.



Ancient DNA from the bones, if preserved, could reveal whether the buried individual was a local notable, a traveling merchant, or even a retired legionary who carried Mithraic ideas eastward.



For now the bronze lions keep their secret, reminding researchers that a small change in handle placement can unlock wide stories about belief, trade, and identity across the Roman frontier.



The study is published in <a href="https://publications.iaa.org.il/atiqot/vol117/iss1/9/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atiqot</a>.



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Archaeologists find mysterious Roman lion heads in Israeli tombs

Four bronze discs modeled as lion faces turned up in...

On August 13, the world turns its gaze to one of nature’s most misunderstood creatures - the wolf. For centuries, wolves have been hunted, feared, and driven from their lands.



However, wolves are not just <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-move-pups-across-mountains-to-adapt-to-climate-pressure/">predators</a> - they play a crucial role in balancing and maintaining ecosystems. In the mid-90s, wolves <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-are-rebuilding-forests-and-restoring-ecosystem-balance-in-yellowstone/">returned to Yellowstone</a>. Elk numbers decreased, grazing pressure was reduced, and vegetation began to recover.



A 20-year study at 25 streamside sites shows just how dramatic the change has been - willow crown volume increased by 1,500 percent. “Our findings emphasize the power of predators as ecosystem architects,” said William Ripple of <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a>.



With fewer elk browsing, willows, aspens, and berry shrubs flourished. Birds, beavers, and insects benefited. This chain reaction is called a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000290">trophic cascade</a>, and the one at Yellowstone is among the strongest recorded anywhere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-wolves-disappear">When wolves disappear</h2>



By the early 1930s, wolves had been wiped out across most of the American West. Hunting, trapping, and government predator-control programs had removed wolves from the landscapes they had shaped for thousands of years.



Without wolves to keep herbivore numbers in check, elk herds grew quickly and stayed in one place for longer. They grazed young plants relentlessly, stripping away willows, aspens, and other vegetation along rivers and streams.



These riparian zones - the green ribbons of life beside waterways - began to shrink and lose diversity. Without healthy plants to anchor the soil, banks eroded. Insects, birds, and mammals that depended on that habitat declined. 



Forest edges also suffered. Young trees couldn’t survive heavy browsing and, over time, forests became thinner and less able to support <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-no-those-are-definitely-not-resurrected-dire-wolves-grey-wolf-genes/">wildlife</a>.



Robert Beschta of Oregon State University calls this a “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gray-wolves-are-a-crucial-component-of-the-american-west/">shifting baseline</a>.” It happens when we forget, or never knew, what a healthy ecosystem once looked like. Each generation grows up seeing a degraded landscape and assumes it’s normal. 



That false sense of normal can mislead conservation planning, because decisions are made without understanding the richness that has already been lost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-pressures-on-wolves">Human pressures on wolves</h2>



Even in protected areas, wolves face human threats. They cross park boundaries and enter hunting zones.



A recent study examined decades of data from five U.S. parks. When a human killed one wolf, the chance that the pack survived the year dropped by 27 percent. Reproduction fell by 22 percent. Losing a pack leader hit even harder - survival odds dropped <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolf-packs-are-less-likely-to-stick-together-after-human-impacts/">73 percent</a>, reproduction nearly halved.



In Voyageurs National Park, half of all wolf deaths are human-caused, often by poaching. Packs here spend more time outside park limits, which increases risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-global-picture">The global picture</h2>



The <a href="https://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/ethiopian-wolf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethiopian wolf</a> is now one of the rarest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gray-wolves-are-a-crucial-component-of-the-american-west/">carnivores</a> in the world, with only about 500 individuals remaining in the wild. 



The wolves survive in small, isolated pockets high in the mountains of Ethiopia, where they depend on rodents for food. These habitats are shrinking as farmland expands. Diseases carried by domestic dogs, such as rabies and distemper, also threaten entire packs in a single outbreak.



<a href="https://wolf.org/wolf-info/factsvsfiction/theindianwolf/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indian wolves</a> are in a slightly better position but still face serious risks. Their numbers are estimated between 2,000 and 3,000, and most live outside official wildlife reserves. This means they share the land with farmers and herders, which often leads to conflict when livestock are taken. Retaliatory killings remain common.



For both species, habitat loss, direct persecution, and weak legal protection keep populations small and fragmented. Without stronger safeguards, better disease control, and community involvement in conservation, these wolves could slip even closer to extinction.



International Wolf Day is not just symbolic. It’s a reminder that predator loss affects forests and rivers, and every species that depends on them. 



Protecting wolves means healthier ecosystems. The science is clear. When wolves return, balance returns with them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-action-on-international-wolf-day">Action on International Wolf Day </h2>



There are many ways to make a difference for wolves, no matter where you live. You can support conservation groups through donations, symbolic wolf adoptions, or volunteering your skills. Share accurate information online and in your community to challenge old myths that paint wolves as dangerous pests.



Attend local talks, school programs, or online events that mark International Wolf Day. These events often raise funds, recruit supporters, and connect people who care about wildlife. Contact policymakers to push for stronger laws that protect wolves from hunting, trapping, and habitat destruction.



If you live near wolf habitats, support coexistence programs that help farmers and herders protect livestock without killing predators.



Simple measures like guard animals, fencing, and better herding practices reduce conflict. Every action - big or small - helps keep wolf populations stable and the ecosystems they support healthy.



Details of the study were published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000290" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Ecology and Conservation</a>.



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International Wolf Day 2025: Honoring the vital role of predators

On August 13, the world turns its gaze to one...

Earlier this month, astronomers studying the young star V883 Orionis reported spotting complex organic molecules floating in its dusty disk that's in the process of forming planets. 



The discovery hints that life’s chemical toolbox gets stocked well before rocky worlds are even stirred together.



Among the 17 molecular species identified were ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile, both considered stepping stones toward sugars and amino acids.



The <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adec6e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">project</a> was led by <a href="https://www.mpia.de/person/131029/6218661" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abubakar Fadul</a> at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (<a href="https://www.mpia.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPIA</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-young-star-named-v883-orionis">Young star named V883 Orionis</h2>



V883 Orionis, which is 1,300 light-years away in Orion, is flaring as it gorges on infalling gas, briefly raising parts of its protoplanetary disk above the water-ice line. 



That extra warmth liberates chemicals that were frozen onto dust grains, which sends tell-tale radio signals toward Earth.



Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile (<a href="https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a>), Fadul’s team mapped radiation frequencies between 348 and 366 GHz, isolating 15 emission lines from ethylene glycol and six from glycolonitrile.



The hotter molecule traces gas around 570°F (300°C), while its cooler cousin prefers about 190°F (88°C).



“Our finding points to a straight line of chemical enrichment and increasing complexity between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-collided-with-an-interstellar-cloud-millions-of-years-ago/">interstellar clouds</a> and fully evolved planetary systems,” said Fadul.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-molecules-freed-from-ice">Life molecules freed from ice</h2>



Comet observations show that ethylene glycol easily slips from ice when sunlight or mild heat lofts it into space. V883 Orionis supplies the same gentle oven, but on a grander, disk-wide scale.



Glycolonitrile has been detected in dense clouds near the galactic center, proving it can form and survive in harsh stellar nurseries. Its presence in V883 Orionis suggests that survival continues right into the planet-building zone.



In space, ethylene glycol can oxidize into glycolaldehyde, a simple, two-carbon sugar. That sugar was spotted around a young solar-type protostar in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-found-orbiting-the-closest-star-to-our-sun-barnards-star/">Ophiuchus</a> nine years ago.



Laboratory experiments show that glycolonitrile reacts with ammonia to yield glycine, the simplest amino acid, and joins with other nitriles to make adenine, one of DNA’s four bases.



Finding both precursors in the same disk raises the possibility that sugars, acids, and nascent genetic material can migrate together onto pebbles that will seed future planets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-s-chemistry-in-v883-orionis-dust">Life’s chemistry in V883 Orionis' dust</h2>



Many researchers believed outbursts and radiation destroyed inherited molecules, requiring disks to completely rebuild their chemistry from scratch. The new observation tilts the debate back toward inheritance.



Spectral surveys of massive, star-forming cores already list more than two hundred organic species, including ethylene glycol and relatives.



Chemical models show methanol, once locked in ice, endures for millions of years in disk midplanes, later feeding bigger molecules such as ethylene glycol.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/complex-organic-molecules_star-V883-Orionis_life-origin-space_credit-ESO_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/complex-organic-molecules_star-V883-Orionis_life-origin-space_credit-ESO_1s.webp" alt="This artist's impression shows the planet-forming disk around the star V883 Orionis. In the outermost part of the disk, volatile gases are frozen out as ice, which contains complex organic molecules. The inset image shows the chemical structure of complex organic molecules detected and presumed in the protoplanetary disk (from left to right): propionitrile (ethyl cyanide), glycolonitrile, alanine, glycine, ethylene glycol, and acetonitrile (methyl cyanide). Credit: ESO/MPIA/HdA" class="wp-image-1979639"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This artist's impression shows the planet-forming disk around the star V883 Orionis. In the outermost part of the disk, volatile gases are frozen out as ice, which contains complex organic molecules. The inset image shows the chemical structure of complex organic molecules detected and presumed in the protoplanetary disk (from left to right): propionitrile (ethyl cyanide), glycolonitrile, alanine, glycine, ethylene glycol, and acetonitrile (methyl cyanide). Click image to enlarge. Credit: ESO/MPIA/HdA</figcaption></figure>



Because the outburst heats a wide area of the disk, astronomers can track the chemistry across different regions. 



These regions will eventually become asteroid belts, icy rings, and zones where giant planets form - offering a preview of the chemical layout in developing planetary systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-ice-holds-life-clues">Ancient ice holds life clues</h2>



Rosetta’s <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta/ROSINA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ROSINA instrument</a> sniffed glycine venting from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-molecules-found-throughout-the-universe-hint-that-life-began-in-deep-space/">comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko</a> in 2016. That find proved that amino acid building blocks can hitch rides on icy bodies that eventually rain down on young planets.



Ethylene glycol has turned up in the tails of comets like Lemmon and Lovejoy, underscoring the match between solar system leftovers and V883 Orionis chemistry.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seven-new-dark-comets-discovered-in-our-solar-system/">Comets</a> act as time capsules, preserving the Sun’s protoplanetary ice for 4.5 billion years.



Each molecular match between those relics and faraway disks strengthens the argument that the delivery of life-building organics to young planets is a standard step, not a quirk of our history



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gaps-the-models-must-close">Gaps the models must close</h2>



Current disk simulations underproduce glycolonitrile, indicating that additional surface pathways, such as UV-driven reactions between formaldehyde, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-about-jupiters-clouds-not-ammonia-ice-leaves-astronomers-astonished/">ammonia</a>, and hydrogen cyanide, are still missing.



Adding these energetic routes may also explain why the molecule pops into the gas so readily during stellar flares.



Laboratory studies on cold-grain chemistry continue to improve our understanding of reaction networks. 



However, these networks often leave out the latest radiation experiments, forcing scientists to estimate reaction rates that are still poorly measured.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-still-remain">Questions still remain</h2>



The ALMA spectra show almost no sign of glycolaldehyde, even though the molecule readily converts to ethylene glycol in laboratory ice studies. 



Researchers wonder whether rapid hydrogenation or destruction by hydroxyl radicals keeps the sugar’s signature too faint to see.



Better spectral resolution and follow-up at other wavelengths will help disentangle blended lines and perhaps reveal even heftier organics, from simple peptides to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/phospholipid-synthesis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phospholipid precursors</a>.



Scientists still don’t know whether the chemical levels change across the disk or follow patterns called snow lines for each molecule. Answering that question would take sharper images than ALMA can currently provide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-v883-orionis">Next steps for V883 Orionis</h2>



The team plans to revisit V883 Orionis once the outburst subsides, so that they can compare hot and cold chemistry in the same system. Such time-lapse snapshots could show which molecules linger and which vanish as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">disk</a> cools.



Meanwhile, other groups are targeting similar flare-up stars of different ages, aiming to chart a timeline of organic complexity across the journey from interstellar cloud to comet.



Future disk surveys with the upcoming <a href="https://ngvla.nrao.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ngVLA</a> will be ten times more sensitive. This could help detect sugars, peptides, and key cell-forming molecules in many star-forming regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planets-may-start-life-ready">Planets may start life-ready</h2>



If most disks start with a rich stockpile of prebiotic molecules, nascent planets everywhere may inherit a chemical head start on life. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-meteorites-can-be-traced-to-three-asteroid-families/">Meteorites</a> that fall to Earth have been found to contain the building blocks of genetic material, like cytosine and uracil.&nbsp;



Scientists already simulate how comet impacts on young planets like Earth could have delivered the building blocks of life. 



Now, they’re extending those simulations to distant star systems like V883 Orionis to see if young planets there could receive similar amounts.



The new ALMA data suggest that delivery service begins well before meteorites form, boosting the odds that rocky worlds across the galaxy begin their stories with similar ingredients.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adec6e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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Complex molecules found orbiting a young star strongly point to the origins of life

Earlier this month, astronomers studying the young star V883 Orionis...

The discovery of 693 stone artifacts inside Dargan Shelter, a high-elevation cave in Australia’s Blue Mountains, rewrites what we know about life during the last Ice Age.



First Nations community members worked side by side with archaeologists to reveal a story of repeated visits to this shelter, even when the landscape above the tree line lay frozen and treeless.



The research team included scientists from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> and the Australian National University, together with staff from the Australian Museum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-home-in-the-highlands">A home in the highlands</h2>



Dargan Shelter sits 1,073 metres (3,500 feet) above sea level. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radiocarbon-could-be-key-in-predicting-earths-future/">Radiocarbon dating</a> shows that people first used the cave about 20,000 years ago, making it the oldest known occupied high-altitude site in Australia.



Dr. Amy Mosig Way, one of the lead researchers on the project, explained the broader significance of the findings. “This new evidence aligns Australia with global data that shows glacial landscapes were not necessarily natural barriers to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-age-climate-shifts-changed-early-human-migration-patterns/">early human movement</a> and occupation,” she said.



“Until now, we thought the Australian high country was too difficult to occupy during the last Ice Age. Yet, despite the harsh conditions, our research demonstrates people were moving in and through this high elevation landscape, which is approximately 400 m (1,300 feet) above the tree line.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-well-preserved-ice-age-record">A well-preserved Ice Age record</h2>



Archaeologists found signs of daily life dating back to Ice Age times, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-were-much-better-at-harnessing-fire-ice-age-than-believed/">hearths and tools</a>, preserved in layers that clearly mark different periods of use.



“It was the excellent state of preservation that enabled us to construct such a robust chronology for Dargan Shelter spanning the last 20,000 years,” said Professor Philip Piper, second author of the paper.



These physical traces of Ice Age life in the mountains are matched by cultural connections that continue today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-indigenous-knowledge-carried-forward">Indigenous knowledge carried forward</h2>



The study began when Gomeroi knowledge holder Wayne Brennan invited scientists to join First Nations custodians in exploring the region’s cultural history.



“Our people have walked, lived and thrived in the Blue Mountains for thousands of years and we knew the cave was there," said Leanne Watson Redpath.



"It is not only a tangible connection to our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-age-teens-romito-2-went-through-puberty-grew-up-like-modern-teens/">ancestors</a> who used it as a meeting place for sharing, storytelling and survival, but is a part of our cultural identity. We need to respect and protect our heritage for the benefit of all Australians."



It is not possible to identify which groups accessed the mountain retreat in the Ice Age times, but it is likely that multiple groups were connected to the Blue Mountain environment. 



"Today, Dargan Shelter is considered by local custodians to represent a family space of high cultural significance,” said Erin Wilkins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-passing-the-torch-to-new-scholars">Passing the torch to new scholars</h2>



“The Blue Mountains [are] a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site for the protection of flora and fauna but there are no safeguards for our cultural heritage," said Brennan.



"We hope that by combining our traditional knowledge with scientific research, we can protect these invaluable storehouses of our history for generations to come."



The project also trained undergraduate students from both universities. Fieldwork formed part of the University of Sydney’s “Archaeology in the Field” unit, giving future researchers hands-on experience while deepening respect for First Nations culture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-ice-age-evidence-is-hard-to-find">Why Ice Age evidence is hard to find</h2>



Finding clear evidence of human life during the Ice Age is not easy. Many of the places where people may have lived thousands of years ago have changed dramatically.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-last-ice-age-shows-how-rising-sea-levels-will-transform-coastal-habitats/">Rising sea levels</a> since the end of the Ice Age have flooded ancient coastal sites, while erosion, vegetation growth, and human development have altered or buried others.



In cold, high-altitude areas like the Blue Mountains, preservation is another challenge. Organic materials like food, clothing, or wooden tools decay quickly unless conditions are just right.



Freeze-thaw cycles, rockfalls, and soil movement can disturb archaeological layers, making it difficult to tell how long a site was used or what kind of activities took place there. 



That’s what makes Dargan Shelter so remarkable. Its protection from the elements and long record of use offer a rare window into a time and place long assumed uninhabitable. 



The shelter doesn't just hold artifacts - it holds a story of endurance, ingenuity, and deep connection to country that echoes through the layers of Earth and ice.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-025-02180-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.



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Traces of a thriving Ice Age culture found in the Blue Mountains

The discovery of 693 stone artifacts inside Dargan Shelter, a...

Watching babies babble, play, or interact with others may offer surprising insights into how their thinking skills will develop and function decades later.



That’s the central finding of a study showing that even at 7 months old, some of a baby's cognitive behaviors can hint at their thinking skills as 30-year-old adults. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-infancy-shapes-thinking-skills-for-life">Infancy shapes thinking skills for life</h2>



Scientists at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> studied more than 1,000 twins over the span of 30 years. Their research shows that early-life assessments of cognitive function can help predict performance on cognitive tests at age 30. 



The findings also suggest that an infant’s environment plays a more important role in shaping life-long thinking ability than previously believed. According to the researchers, it could even affect a person’s risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/risk-of-dementia-is-much-higher-than-previously-thought/">dementia</a> later in life.



“Our findings highlight the enduring consequences of the very early childhood environment on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lifestyle-choices-in-young-adulthood-impact-cognitive-ability-in-midlife/">cognitive ability</a> and suggest that early life is a critical developmental period that we should be paying attention to,” said Daniel Gustavson, assistant research professor at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics (IBG).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-few-studies-of-infant-thinking-skills">Few studies of infant thinking skills</h2>



General cognitive ability, or GCA, is a broad measure of a person’s ability to learn, reason, understand, and solve problems. It’s similar to the more familiar term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-hormones-during-pregnancy-may-affect-child-iq/">IQ</a>, though GCA is a composite of several cognitive factors.



Previous research has shown that a large portion of GCA is already set during childhood. For instance, if you test an 8-year-old’s cognitive skills, the result will likely resemble their score at age 30. 



In fact, intelligence scores at age 20 are highly correlated with scores at age 62. IQ doesn’t change much between ages 11 and 90.



But until now, very few studies have explored whether signals from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caregiver-speech-shapes-infant-language-development/">infancy</a> - long before school starts - can tell us anything meaningful about future thinking ability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assessments-of-thinking-skills-began-early">Assessments of thinking skills began early</h2>



To answer this question, Gustavson and senior author Chandra Reynolds analyzed data from 1,098 individuals enrolled in the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study. 



The IBG began the project in 1985 by enrolling baby twins from Colorado’s Front Range to study how genetic and environmental factors influence development over time.



Since then, researchers have collected large amounts of data through lab samples, home visits, interviews, surveys, and behavioral testing.



“We have co-authors on this paper who have been involved since the start and watched these twins grow up,” said Gustavson.



At 7 months old, each infant completed assessments of seven cognitive skills. These included vocalization, task persistence, and what researchers called “novelty preference” - whether the baby chose a new toy over a familiar one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-twin-studies-continue-for-decades">Twin studies continue for decades</h2>



So far, participants have completed cognitive testing at five different ages throughout their lives.



The study found that early thinking skills could explain about 13% of the variation in cognitive performance at age 30. Two infant traits, namely task orientation and novelty preference, were especially strong predictors. Though modest, the researchers found this link notable.



“We certainly do not want to imply that cognition is somehow fixed by seven months old,” Gustavson said. “But the idea that a very simple test in infancy can help predict the results of a very complicated cognitive test taken 30 years later is exciting.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thinking-skills-affected-by-nature-and-nurture">Thinking skills affected by nature and nurture</h2>



To understand the extent to which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lifespan-is-influenced-more-by-lifestyle-than-genetics/">genetics</a> (nature) and environment (nurture) each contribute to cognition, the researchers looked at differences in GCA scores between identical twins, who share all of their genes, and fraternal twins, who share about half. 



When identical twins show more similar outcomes than fraternal twins, this points to a stronger genetic influence. The team also examined DNA samples collected from blood or saliva.



As expected, genetics played a significant role. By age 7, inherited traits accounted for roughly half of the variation in cognitive scores measured at age 30. Still, environmental factors in early life also left a meaningful and lasting mark.



"One of the most exciting findings was that 10% of the variability in adult cognitive ability was explained by environmental influences before year one or two,” elaborated Gustavson. “This suggests that even the pre-preschool environment matters," he added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-baby-years-matter-for-cognitive-ability">Baby years matter for cognitive ability</h2>



Chandra Reynolds, a co-author of the research paper who studies dementia risk, sees a bigger picture.



“Cognitive aging is a life-long process, not just something that begins in mid-life,” said Reynolds. 



“It could be that certain interventions, like strong educational foundations in early life could help maximize what people are capable of and help them keep that cognitive gas in the tank for as long as possible.”



Good childcare, stimulating play, and stable living conditions might help preserve brain power into old age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-genes-impact-thinking-skills">Many genes impact thinking skills</h2>



The study also showed that polygenic scores are a valuable tool for estimating cognitive ability.



These scores combine the effects of many individual genetic variants into a single number, offering an estimate of a person’s genetic likelihood for a trait - such as intelligence.



“There are thousands of genes that influence intelligence, so you are never going to find an ‘intelligence gene,' but we have found many with tiny effects that, when put together, can have an impact,” Gustavson said.



“Studies like ours show us that both family-based and genomic-based datasets are valuable in answering questions about how genetic and environmental influences change across the lifespan"



Together, these findings reinforce the idea that what happens in babyhood doesn’t just fade - it shapes thinking for a lifetime.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2426531122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Adult thinking skills may be forged during our early infancy

Watching babies babble, play, or interact with others may offer...

The universe keeps hiding most of its mass, yet it leaves telltale fingerprints. Astronomers are about to read them with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, slated to launch in 2027. 



Roman’s survey camera will sweep the sky for more than 160,000 distorted galaxy images, which act as natural zoom lenses forged by gravity. 



Lead author <a href="https://physics.wustl.edu/people/bryce-wedig" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bryce Wedig</a> of Washington University in St. Louis said the haul will “let us measure the small‑scale structure of the cosmos in ways that were impossible before.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-dark-matter-the-basics">Understanding dark matter - the basics</h2>



According to commonly accepted theory, dark matter is an invisible form of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it undetectable through conventional electromagnetic observations. Yet, it exerts a significant gravitational influence on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visible-matter-dark-matter-evolved-together-big-bang/">visible matter</a> in the universe. 



Scientists first inferred its existence by noticing discrepancies in the rotation speeds of galaxies. Stars at the outer edges of galaxies move much faster than expected based on the observable mass alone. 



To account for this anomaly, astronomers proposed the presence of an unseen mass - dark matter - that makes up approximately 85% of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/theory-gravity-exists-without-mass-so-dark-matter-does-not-exist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">total matter</a> in the universe.



Despite its abundance, dark matter remains one of the most elusive components in cosmology. Astronomers hope that the Roman Space Telescope will put an end to the search.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bending-light-unmasks-dark-matter">Bending light unmasks dark matter</h2>



The first trick for the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/nasas-roman-to-peer-into-cosmic-lenses-to-better-define-dark-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roman telescope</a> involves <a href="https://esawebb.org/wordbank/gravitational-lensing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gravitational lensing</a>. This is Einstein’s idea that mass curves space so much that it warps passing light. 



When a hefty foreground galaxy lines up with a more distant, fainter one, the background glow stretches into arcs, crescents, or even full rings.



Physicists already know that visible stars and gas account for only about one‑sixth of a galaxy’s pull. 



The missing piece is dark <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-024-01087-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">matter</a>, an unseen substance with a gravitational pull that corrals galaxies and keeps <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/">clusters</a> intact.



Roman’s lenses act like laboratory scales. By comparing the brightness and positions of multiple images of the same galaxy, astronomers can infer how much invisible mass is sprinkled through the foreground system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-roman-will-detect-tiny-dark-matter-clumps">Roman will detect tiny dark matter clumps</h2>



Dark <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/533/2/1687/7721636" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">matter</a> is not expected to sit smoothly. Simulations predict countless clumps - some as light as a million Suns, orbiting larger halos like cosmic goose bumps.



Tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dark-matter-come-from-the-answer-may-be-surprisingly-simple/">clumps</a> create milliarcsecond kinks in the stretched background arcs, a pattern called substructure. 



Spotting enough of those kinks across Roman’s sample lets researchers test whether dark matter is made of sluggish “cold” particles or warmer, faster ones that would erase the smallest clumps.



Wedig’s team estimates that Roman will deliver roughly 500 “gold‑standard” lenses that are bright and sharp enough to weigh individual clumps down to about 108 solar masses. 



That is an order of magnitude <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.13881?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">finer</a> than what the Hubble Space Telescope managed with a few dozen prime systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wide-views-with-sharp-resolution">Wide views with sharp resolution</h2>



Each Roman frame covers 0.28 square degrees, about 200 Hubble fields stitched together, yet keeps Hubble‑class resolution. The wide‑field instrument achieves this by packing 18 infrared detectors into a honeycomb the size of a door.



During its High‑Latitude Wide‑Area <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/high-latitude-wide-area-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Survey</a>, Roman will take single 146‑second snapshots through four infrared filters. 



Simulations show an average of 27 strong lenses hiding in every exposure, enough to amass the 160,000‑lens trove in under two years of sky time.



Wedig’s team also notes that hundreds of the lenses will be perfect for deep follow‑up: stronger distortions, cleaner arcs, and higher signal‑to‑noise. 



These choice targets will let scientists trace clumps at even smaller mass scales, tightening the leash on competing dark‑<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-if-it-exists-has-a-strictly-limited-lifetime-new-study-says/">matter</a> models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-surveys-found-fewer-and-blurrier-lenses">Past surveys found fewer and blurrier lenses</h2>



Hubble and ground‑based surveys such as <a href="https://web.physics.utah.edu/~bolton/slacs/What_is_SLACS.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SLACS</a> and BOSS Emission-Line Lens Survey (<a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012ApJ...744...41B/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BELLS</a>) uncovered about 1,500 strong lenses over two decades. 



Those programs proved the method but lacked volume: only a handful of systems were pristine enough to reveal a lone subhalo.



“Roman will not only significantly increase our sample size, its sharp, high‑resolution images will also allow us to discover gravitational lenses that appear smaller on the sky,” said <a href="https://physics.wustl.edu/people/tansu-daylan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tansu Daylan</a>, a co‑author of the new study and faculty fellow at <a href="https://washu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington University</a>. 



Better statistics mean astronomers can move from anecdotal detections to population studies, comparing the number of subhalos with the predictions of various particle candidates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teaming-up-with-other-telescopes">Teaming up with other telescopes</h2>



Europe’s <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid</a> mission, launched in 2023, is already mapping dark matter over a third of the sky at optical wavelengths. 



Roman’s deeper infrared reach will pair with Euclid’s breadth, giving each lens a color baseline that sharpens distance estimates for both source and lens.



Closer to home, the <a href="https://rubinobservatory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a> will add nightly optical alerts from the ground, flagging any variable sources like supernovae that pop up inside the arcs. 



Those time‑delay measurements can pin down Hubble’s constant while also checking mass models derived from lensing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-roman-must-tame">Challenges Roman must tame</h2>



Roman’s huge <a href="https://news.yale.edu/2025/06/12/study-roman-telescope-may-be-transformative-better-defining-dark-matter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">focal plane</a> comes with quirks. Wave‑front errors, detector sensitivity shifts, and varying point‑spread functions can masquerade as, or mask, the faint substructure signal.



Wedig’s group built a new pipeline, <a href="https://github.com/AstroMusers/mejiro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MEJIRO</a>, to inject realistic telescope noise into synthetic images and test detection algorithms. 



They found that ignoring field‑dependent blurring could sway the inferred mass of the smallest clumps by 5 %, which is small but critical when chasing subtle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-does-not-exist-universe-27-billion-years-old-study/">physics</a>. 



Another hurdle is <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10133563" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">line‑of‑sight clutter</a>: unrelated galaxies between lens and Earth also bend light. 



Accounting for those extra tugs requires combining Roman infrared data with ground‑based redshift surveys to map intervening structures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-dark-matter-clues-will-show">What dark matter clues will show</h2>



If Roman counts as many low‑mass clumps as cold‑dark‑matter theory expects, the prevailing model gains a decisive win. 



Should the census come up short, physicists might favor warmer particles or even entirely new forces acting in the dark sector.



Either way, every curved smudge that Roman records is a new piece of evidence. “We won’t see dark matter in the images - it’s invisible - but we can measure its effects,” Wedig noted.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adc24f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal</a>.



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NASA's Roman telescope hopes to solve the dark matter mystery

The universe keeps hiding most of its mass, yet it...

There have been endless whispers about unidentified flying objects. Some people have tried to push these whispers aside, but the recent attention from public agencies, politicians, and scientists is getting harder to ignore.



The topic is no longer just the domain of enthusiasts lurking in chat rooms. Instead, it has tiptoed into the halls of Congress and the offices of well-respected aerospace experts. 



A few officials acknowledge confusion, while others say there is a need to be patient and practical.



After the second week of careful examination, the details stack up. There are official inquiries, old photos, radar data, and hushed hallway discussions. 



Unexplained shapes appear on military pilots’ screens, then vanish. Lawmakers hold hearings. Eyewitnesses keep coming forward.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-program-new-curiosity">Old program, new curiosity</h2>



It was not long ago that reports surfaced about a quiet Pentagon endeavor. According to one source, there were funds tucked away in the Defense Department budget that supported something many never thought possible.



"In the $600 billion annual Defense Department budgets, the $22 million spent on the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagon-program-ufo-harry-reid.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program</a> was almost impossible to find.” (The New York Times, 12/16/2017).



The idea that a highly organized system might have funded efforts to investigate unusual aerial incidents stirred both amazement and a bit of suspicion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nasa-steps-in">NASA steps in</h2>



The world’s favorite space agency also took a careful look earlier last year claiming, "<a href="https://smd-cms.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uap-independent-study-team-final-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The NASA independent study team did not find any evidence that UAP have an extraterrestrial origin.</a>" (NASA, 2023).



The search for answers does not mean jumping to wild conclusions. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> has always tried to separate facts from fantasies.



Its experts run experiments, analyze data, and present findings plainly. One might say <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-receives-deep-space-laser-message-psyche-mission-140-million-miles-away/">NASA’s</a> presence in this debate encourages patience. 



At the same time, some inside these circles admit that data quality is uneven. "Some NASA employees have privately raised concerns about the reliability of available data." (Shellenberger, 2024).



This, from last month’s congressional hearing where Michael Shellenberger submitted over 200 heavily redacted pages to accompany his testimony at the "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Written-Testimony-Shellenberger.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth</a>" congressional hearing on November 13th. 



Shellenberger asserted: “The United States Department Of Defense and the intelligence community are withholding information about anomalous phenomena from Congress.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-military-voices-sound-off">Military voices sound off</h2>



Pilots have always been a special breed. They do not scare easily, nor do they tend to share tall tales. That is why first-hand accounts from military pilots ring with an unusual tone. 



"<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/David-Fravor-Statement-for-House-Oversight-Committee.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">I observed an object that accelerated like nothing I have ever seen.</a>" (Fravor, 2023). Such words come from a seasoned individual known for level-headed judgment.



Others point out that current technology is not fully equipped to handle this. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ryan-HOC-Testimony.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pilot witnesses are credible and they deserve better data collection tools.</a>" (Ryan, 2023).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-need-for-open-minds">A need for open minds</h2>



Some see this as a moment to admit that science is never finished. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Updated-Testimony-Gallaudet.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We must remain open to new data and evidence that challenges our assumptions.</a>" (Gallaudet, 2024).



Skeptics say that looking at odd lights in the sky is a fool’s errand, but others say it is wise to keep an open mind. Scientists know how often knowledge evolves.



Each decade brings tools that let us measure, record, and interpret more accurately than before. This steady change in methods may help settle questions that once seemed impossible to answer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-capabilities">Strange capabilities</h2>



For those who have seen these objects, the standard rules of flight seem to shatter. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Written-Testimony-Elizondo.pdf">These objects demonstrate capabilities that defy our current understanding of aerodynamics.</a>" (Elizondo, 2024). 



Aeronautical experts scratch their heads when objects move without visible propulsion. Yet, no one wants to jump to any wild explanations. Cooler heads say that nature is tricky, people misunderstand what they see, and sensors can fail.



Others say it would be careless to shrug off these reports. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Written-Testimony-Gold.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Understanding UAP may require new thinking.</a>" (Gold, 2024).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifts-in-approach">Shifts in approach</h2>



No one agency or organization is expected to solve all of this. Different groups contribute what they can. 



Policymakers consider guidelines that might encourage transparent reporting. Scientists refine collection methods. Analysts look for patterns in the chaos.



Some voices say a nudge toward serious academic study could help. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Dave_G_HOC_Speech_FINAL_For_Trans.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We must encourage more rigorous scientific inquiry into UAP.</a>" (Dave G., 2023).



When researchers approach this with calm curiosity, the public may feel less tension. If more data is gathered with proper standards, maybe the mysteries will shrink, or at least be categorized in a sensible way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-topic-that-refuses-to-fade">A topic that refuses to fade</h2>



There are no perfect answers yet. Some find that frustrating. Others sense an opportunity to push knowledge a tiny step forward. 



Watching the slow, but steady spotlight on unidentified objects suggests that the truth is not known by any single person.



In time, it might become an ordinary subject instead of a hush-hush conversation. Officials and experts have started asking new questions. That alone is a small shift. One thing is certain: the subject is not going anywhere, anytime soon.



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NASA shows new interest in UFOs and hidden government files

There have been endless whispers about unidentified flying objects. Some...

In a remarkable discovery, researchers have pinpointed a specific group of neurons that appear to drive compulsive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ditch-the-diet-trends-for-a-healthier-relationship-with-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eating</a> behaviors (binge eating), even in the absence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/being-overweight-makes-it-harder-for-brain-to-resist-unhealthy-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hunger</a>.



This finding could significantly advance our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunger-hormones-in-the-gut-can-change-our-eating-behavior/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eating disorders</a> and offer new targets for treatment.



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



Binge eating, also known as compulsive eating, is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-disorders-can-be-contagious-among-teens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disorder</a> characterized by frequent episodes of consuming large amounts of food, often rapidly and to the point of discomfort. 



Unlike regular overeating, binge eating is driven by an overwhelming urge to eat, even when not hungry. People experiencing this disorder often feel a lack of control during these episodes and may eat in secret due to feelings of shame or guilt.



This behavior can lead to various physical health problems, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-now-affects-more-than-a-billion-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity</a>, diabetes, and heart disease. It also significantly impacts mental health, often associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.



The exact cause of binge eating is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors.



Treatment typically involves therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and sometimes medication to address underlying psychological issues. Early intervention is crucial for better management and recovery outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neural-link-to-binge-eating">Neural link to binge eating</h2>



Located in the periaqueductal gray area of the midbrain - a region already associated with a variety of bodily functions such as mood regulation, sleep, and stress response - these neurons are identified as vesicular GABA transporter cells, or VGAT cells. They utilize the neurotransmitter GABA, which is pivotal in controlling neuronal activity.



Despite the known functions of VGAT cells in various <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-region-that-influences-our-food-preferences-can-be-manipulated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain regions</a>, their relationship with feeding behaviors was previously unclear. This link was unveiled quite unexpectedly by researchers focusing on anxiety, not feeding.



"Our initial hypothesis centered on VGAT cells reducing fear and panic. Instead, activating them caused mice to frantically search for food," noted Brazilian neuroscientist Fernando Reis, first and corresponding author of the article, and a postdoctoral fellow at <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCLA</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-behaviors-in-lab-mice">Surprising behaviors in lab mice</h2>



Further experimentation revealed intriguing results related to binge eating: well-fed mice exhibited an intense foraging behavior upon activation of these cells, consuming more than usual.



Conversely, when the VGAT neurons were inhibited, even food-deprived mice showed reduced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-behavior-is-influenced-by-the-unconscious-mind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eating behavior</a>.



The experiments also demonstrated that the mice enjoyed the stimulation, spending more time where their VGAT cells were activated, suggesting that the activation not only spurred eating but also triggered feelings of pleasure and reward. 



Remarkably, the mice were even willing to endure discomfort, such as mild electric shocks, to satisfy their induced cravings, indicating a strong drive to eat that overpowered other aversive sensations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advanced-techniques-and-implications">Advanced techniques and implications</h2>



The research employed the cutting-edge technique of optogenetics, which enables precise control over specific neurons using light. 



This method was implemented by introducing a genetically modified virus that carries a light-sensitive protein derived from green algae into the mice. 



As a result, only the targeted VGAT cells within the periaqueductal gray were selectively activated or inhibited.



This precise neural manipulation not only affected the periaqueductal gray but also influenced deeper brain structures, such as the zona incerta. 



"We observed an increase in neural activity in this area when the mice were approaching food," said Juliane Ikebara, a co-author of the study. 



This observation underscores the broad impact of VGAT cell activation on the brain's neural circuits involved in feeding behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-compulsive-eating">Understanding compulsive eating</h2>



The study raises intriguing questions about the potential parallels in humans, given that humans also possess VGAT cells in similar brain regions. 



Although direct experimentation in humans is not currently feasible, the researchers are hopeful. 



"Our findings can't be directly tested in humans right now, but future studies may show whether activation of these cells in monkeys triggers a search for food, suggesting something similar might happen in humans," noted Avishek Adhikari, the team's senior researcher.



Moving forward, the team plans to investigate whether stimulating these neurons influences cravings for specific types of food like proteins or sugars, noting a distinct preference in mice for high-calorie foods over vegetables.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treating-compulsive-eating-disorders">Treating compulsive eating disorders</h2>



This discovery opens up potential new avenues for understanding and treating conditions such as binge eating and anorexia. 



By identifying the neural circuits involved in compulsive eating, researchers can explore innovative strategies to modulate these behaviors, offering hope for those battling eating disorders.



The research not only highlights the complex interplay between brain regions and binge eating behaviors but also underscores the potential for targeted neural interventions in addressing compulsive eating.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-46430-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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'Binge eating' linked to a specific group of neurons in the brain

In a remarkable discovery, researchers have pinpointed a specific group...

Rivers are not just pathways for water; they are dynamic forces that reshape the landscapes they traverse. Meandering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-look-to-mars-to-help-clarify-how-river-paths-change-over-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rivers</a> carve intricate patterns into the Earth as they journey from mountainous regions to the sea, forming valleys, canyons, floodplains, and deltas. 



Researchers from <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Santa Barbara</a> have delved into the factors that influence how meandering rivers migrate across landscapes. The findings challenge some established theories and provide new insights into river behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Focus of the study</h2>



“Meandering rivers move gradually across the floodplains, and this river movement presents socioeconomic risks along river corridors and regulates terrestrial biogeochemical cycles. Experimental and field studies suggest that fluvial sediment supply can exert a primary control on lateral migration rates of rivers,” wrote the researchers.



“However, we lack an understanding of the relative importance of environmental boundary conditions, such as floodplain vegetation and sediment supply, in setting the pace of river meandering across different environmental settings.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-forces-shaping-meandering-rivers">The forces shaping meandering rivers</h2>



The study was focused on two primary forces that affect the bends in meandering rivers: "bar push" and "bank pull."



Bar push occurs when sediment deposits inside a bend, pushing the river outward. Conversely, bank pull involves erosion on the opposite bank, which further exaggerates the bend. 



Interestingly, the research suggests that sediment load - the amount of debris and minerals carried by rivers - plays a more significant role in this outward push than previously thought.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-trend-in-meandering-rivers">Global trend in meandering rivers </h2>



Evan Greenberg, the lead researcher and a doctoral geography student, along with his advisor Professor Vamsi Ganti, compiled a comprehensive dataset covering 139 <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/the-lena-river-delta-from-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meandering</a> rivers worldwide. The team analyzed satellite imagery to observe how the paths of these rivers have shifted over time. 



"We find a global-scale trend between the amount of sediment that rivers carry and how quickly they’re migrating, across all variables," explained Greenberg.



The analysis revealed that rivers laden with more sediment tend to migrate faster, a significant finding given that many of the world’s major waterways are meandering types. 



These river migration patterns are crucial for effective environmental management and urban planning, especially as these waterways affect millions of people living in nearby floodplains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vegetation-s-role-in-stabilizing-rivers">Vegetation's role in stabilizing rivers</h2>



Contrary to earlier studies that emphasized the stabilizing effects of vegetation, this new research shows that while vegetation does slow <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/river-profiles-climates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">river</a> migration, its impact is less significant than previously estimated.



Unvegetated rivers with higher sediment loads were found to migrate up to four times faster than those with similar dimensions but more vegetation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dynamics-of-meandering-river-patterns">The dynamics of meandering river patterns</h2>



The interaction of bar push and bank pull creates the characteristic meandering pattern of these rivers. 



"You can’t have one dominate the other in a meandering river," said Professor Ganti. He further noted the importance of a balanced interaction between these forces to prevent the transformation of meandering rivers into braided rivers, which can happen if the sediment supply is insufficient.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dams-and-river-migration-a-unique-case-study">Dams and river migration: A unique case study</h2>



The examination of rivers near <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-have-caused-unprecedented-changes-to-rivers/">dams</a> provided an interesting case study within the research. Dams trap sediment but don't usually affect the vegetation, providing unique conditions to study how sediment load influences river migration. 



The observations showed that downstream from dams, where rivers are sediment-starved, migration rates decrease notably.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-changes-and-managing-risks">Predicting changes and managing risks</h2>



Looking ahead, the researchers plan to extend their analysis to more rivers and varied river types. The goal is to develop a model that predicts river migration through different landscapes, from their sources to their mouths. 



This model could prove essential in predicting changes in river behavior due to environmental changes, such as sea-level rise, increased extreme weather events, and shifts in land use, which might lead to increased sediment loads.



In conclusion, understanding how meandering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-action-for-rivers-lifelines-of-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rivers</a> move is more than an academic pursuit— it's crucial for managing the risks associated with riverbank migration. 



"More sediment means that rivers can do more stuff," said Professor Ganti, highlighting the dynamic and ever-changing nature of these fascinating systems. 



This ongoing research into river dynamics will aid in the development of strategies to cope with future changes in these mighty rivers.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X24001079" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth and Planetary Science Letters</a>.



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Study reveals new insights into the dynamics of meandering rivers

Rivers are not just pathways for water; they are dynamic...

Can you imagine going back in time to visit a lost loved one? This heartwrenching desire is what propelled astrophysicist Professor Ron Mallett on a lifelong quest to build a time machine. After years of research, Professor Mallett claims to have finally developed the revolutionary equation for time travel. 



The idea of bending time to our will – revisiting the past, altering history, or glimpsing into the future – has been a staple of science fiction for over a century. But could it move from fantasy to reality?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-inspiration-a-father-s-love-and-a-classic-novel">The inspiration: A father's love and a classic novel</h2>



Professor Mallett's obsession with time travel and its equation has its roots in a shattering childhood experience. When he was just ten years old, his father, a television repairman who fostered his son's love of science, tragically passed away from a heart attack. 



Devastated, the young Mallett sought solace in books. It was H.G. Wells' The Time Machine that sparked a lifelong fascination. 



Wells' opening lines became his mantra: "Scientific people know very well that Time is only a kind of Space. And why cannot we move in Time as we move about in the other dimensions of Space?"



This profound question ignited Mallett's scientific journey. He dedicated himself to understanding the nature of time, determined to find a way to revisit the past and see his beloved father once more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-travel-equation-in-the-hospital">Time travel equation in the hospital</h2>



Decades of research into black holes and Einstein's theories of relativity led to the time travel equation. 



While hospitalized for a heart condition, Mallett had a revelation. "It turns out that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermassive-binary-black-holes-secrets-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a> can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained. 



Imagine the fabric of spacetime as a river. While time usually flows in one direction, Mallett theorizes that the immense gravity of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monster-black-hole-is-spinning-in-the-nearby-galaxy-m87-study-confurms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spinning black hole</a> can create whirlpools, where time twists back on itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-time-machine-blueprint">The time machine blueprint</h2>



Mallett's vision for a time machine centers on what he calls "an intense and continuous rotating beam of light" to manipulate gravity. His device would use a ring of lasers to mimic the spacetime-distorting effects of a black hole. 



"Let's say you have a cup of coffee in front of you. Start stirring the coffee with the spoon. It started to spin, right? That's what a spinning black hole does," explained Mallett.



"In Einstein's theory, space and time are related to each other. That's why it's called space-time. So when the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-energy-is-created-and-contained-in-black-holes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a> spins, it will actually cause time to shift."



"Eventually, a rotating beam of laser lights can be used as a kind of time machine and cause a time warp that will allow us to go back to the past," said Mallett. Perhaps, what began as a son's wish to see his father one last time might one day transform our understanding of time itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-and-limitations">Challenges and limitations</h2>



The obstacles on the path from time travel equation to machine are immense. Mallett acknowledges the "galactic amounts of energy" needed to power such a device – energy levels far beyond our current capabilities. 



The sheer size of a theoretical time machine is also unknown. While Mallett optimistically states, "I figured out how to do it. In theory, it is possible," the reality is that he may not live to see the machine built.



Furthermore, Mallett's theory comes with a significant constraint. "You can send information back, but you can only send it back to the point where you started operating the device." 



In this sense, the time machine is like a one-way message service to the past. You can't travel to a point before the machine existed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mallet-s-lifetime-of-dedication-to-time-travel">Mallet's lifetime of dedication to time travel</h2>



Despite the daunting challenges, Mallett's remarkable journey is a testament to the human spirit. Alongside his time travel research, he's led a distinguished academic career, teaching physics at the <a href="https://uconn.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Connecticut</a>. 



Now in his seventies, his work has been propelled by an unwavering belief in the possibility of the seemingly impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-equation-vs-reality-of-time-travel">Equation vs. reality of time travel</h2>



Whether Mallett's time machine will ever transcend the realm of theory is uncertain. Skeptics point to the vast technological hurdles and potential paradoxes raised by tampering with time. 



Yet, the mere possibility that science might one day unlock the secrets of temporal travel is enough to ignite the imagination. Could we rewrite our regrets, learn from past mistakes, or witness historical events firsthand?



Perhaps Professor Mallett's greatest legacy won't be a time travel equation itself, but the inspiration he provides – a reminder that audacious dreams and unrelenting curiosity have the power to push the boundaries of what we believe is possible.



Read more about Professor Mallett's work <a href="https://www.phys.uconn.edu/~mallett/main/main.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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



As discussed above, space-time, a concept that feels as vast and complex as the universe itself, forms the backbone of our cosmic understanding. 



At its core, it blends the dimensions of space and time into a single four-dimensional continuum, challenging our perceptions of reality. This intertwined nature of space and time underpins everything from the motion of planets to the flow of time itself.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-einstein-s-groundbreaking-contribution">Einstein's groundbreaking contribution</h3>



Albert Einstein, with his theory of relativity, revolutionized our understanding of space-time. He posited that space and time are not separate entities but are connected in a dynamic relationship affected by mass and energy. 



This relationship implies that the presence of a massive object, like a planet or a star, can warp the fabric of space-time around it. It's a concept that turns the notion of a flat, unchanging universe on its head, suggesting that the very structure of the cosmos is malleable.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-warp-and-weft-of-the-cosmos">The warp and weft of the cosmos</h3>



Imagine space-time as a vast sheet of fabric. When a heavy object sits on this fabric, it creates a dip or curve. This curvature is what we perceive as gravity. 



Planets orbit stars not because they are being "pulled" in a straight line towards them, but because they are following the curved space-time geometry that these massive objects create. 



This curvature of space-time is not just a theoretical concept; it's observable and measurable, especially in the presence of extremely massive and dense objects, like black holes.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gravitational-waves-echoes-of-cosmic-events">Gravitational waves: Echoes of cosmic events</h3>



One of the most compelling pieces of evidence for the theory of relativity and the dynamic nature of space-time comes from the detection of gravitational waves. 



These waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time, generated by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the universe, such as colliding black holes. 



Their discovery not only confirmed Einstein's predictions but also opened a new window into observing cosmic events that were previously invisible to us.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-impact-of-space-time">Practical impact of space-time</h3>



While these concepts might seem distant from daily life, they have real-world applications, particularly in technology. The Global Positioning System (GPS), a technology integral to modern navigation, relies on an understanding of space-time. 



Satellites orbiting Earth need to account for the effects of gravitational time dilation -- a consequence of the curvature of space-time -- to provide accurate location data to users on the ground.



In summary, space-time is a framework that shapes our understanding of the universe. From guiding the planets in their orbits to enabling precise navigation on Earth, its effects are both profoundly cosmic and surprisingly practical. 



As we continue to explore and understand the intricacies of space-time, we edge closer to unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, one gravitational wave at a time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-black-holes-are-linked-to-time-travel">How black holes are linked to time travel</h2>



Playing a major role in Dr. Mallett's time machine, black holes exert a gravitational pull so immense that not even light can escape their grasp. This intense gravity fundamentally alters the fabric of space-time around the black hole. 



The stronger the gravity, the more pronounced these effects become, leading to what scientists call gravitational time dilation -- a phenomenon where time itself warps, slowing down relative to an observer far from the gravitational pull.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Time dilation explained</h3>



At the heart of this phenomenon lies Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity, which posits that gravity is the result of masses warping the space-time around them. 



In the vicinity of a black hole, this warping becomes so extreme that it significantly affects the flow of time. 



An observer standing at a safe distance would perceive time to pass much slower for someone closer to the black hole. 



This effect intensifies as one approaches the event horizon, the point of no return beyond which the gravitational pull becomes inescapable.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Boundary between time zones</h3>



The event horizon of a black hole marks a stark boundary in the universe, where time as we understand it undergoes a dramatic transformation. 



To an external observer, objects approaching the event horizon appear to slow down and almost freeze in time, never quite crossing the threshold. 



This illusion results from the light from those objects taking longer and longer to reach the observer as the objects move closer to the event horizon, due to the extreme gravitational pull affecting the light's path.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Theoretical implications and observations</h3>



This warping of time around black holes is not just a theoretical curiosity. As Dr. Mallett explained previously in this article, it has practical implications for our understanding of the universe. For instance, it plays a crucial role in the behavior of binary systems where one star orbits a black hole. 



Moreover, advancements in technology, such as precise atomic clocks and observations from space telescopes, have allowed scientists to measure these effects, further confirming the predictions of General Relativity.



In summary, black holes serve as natural laboratories for testing the limits of our understanding of physics, offering insights into the complex interplay between gravity and the fabric of space-time. 



The phenomenon of time dilation near these cosmic behemoths challenges our notions of time and space, inviting us to explore beyond the boundaries of our current knowledge. 



As we continue to observe and study these fascinating objects, we inch closer to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.



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Astrophysicist says he has cracked the code for time travel

Can you imagine going back in time to visit a...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-astrobiology">Implications for astrobiology</h2>



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" 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> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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.

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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.

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&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> Staff Writer 



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.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&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.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ 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



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.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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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.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; 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



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.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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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.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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