Rising carbon dioxide high above Earth is expected to change how geomagnetic storms disturb the upper atmosphere. Peak densities during storms may be lower than they are today, yet the swing from calm to storm could be greater.



That shift matters for satellite drag, orbital lifetimes, and how operators plan for space weather.



A team led by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s <a href="https://ncar.ucar.edu/">National Center for Atmospheric Research</a> (NSF NCAR) modeled these changes in collaboration with <a href="https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kyushu University</a>. 



The work links long-term atmospheric cooling and thinning to the way future geomagnetic storms will play out aloft.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-reaches-space">Climate change reaches space</h2>



In the lower atmosphere, added carbon dioxide traps heat. Far above, where molecules are sparse, carbon dioxide sheds heat to space. The result is a colder, less dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-gold-mission-unexpectedly-finds-x-shaped-structures-in-earths-upper-atmosphere/">upper atmosphere</a>.



A lower baseline density has been expected for decades. The question now is how a powerful storm will lift that thinner air during the event itself.



“The way energy from the Sun affects the atmosphere will change in the future because the background density of the atmosphere is different and that creates a different response,” said NSF NCAR scientist Nicolas Pedatella, the study’s lead author.



“For the satellite industry, this is an especially important question because of the need to design satellites for specific atmospheric conditions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geomagnetic-storms-across-decades">Geomagnetic storms across decades</h2>



The researchers used the May 10 to 11, 2024, geomagnetic superstorm as their test case. They asked how an identical storm would have perturbed the upper atmosphere in 2016 and how it might do so near future solar minima in 2040, 2061, and 2084.



They ran the Community Earth System Model-Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with a thermosphere-ionosphere extension.



The system spans from the surface to the upper thermosphere, roughly 310 to 435 miles above Earth. That range allows greenhouse gas-driven changes in the lower atmosphere to extend into the satellite-flying zone.



The simulations were executed on the Derecho supercomputer at the <a href="https://www.cisl.ucar.edu/ncar-wyoming-supercomputing-center" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF NCAR–Wyoming Supercomputing Center</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-storms-show-sharper-jumps">Future storms show sharper jumps</h2>



Later this century, at the height of a storm comparable to May 2024, parts of the upper atmosphere are projected to be 20 to 50 percent less dense than at the peak of a similar storm today. That is the absolute picture.



The relative picture looks different. Because the calm-time density will be lower, the same storm will produce a larger proportional jump. 



A storm that now more than doubles density at the peak may nearly triple it in the future. The atmosphere will not get as dense in absolute terms, but the surge from baseline to peak will be sharper.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-weather-alters-satellite-plans">Space weather alters satellite plans</h2>



Drag depends on both density and speed. In a thinner average atmosphere, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellites-capture-dramatic-shifts-in-earths-forests/">satellites</a> tend to last longer before reentry. 



But sharp, multiday spikes in drag during big storms can scramble orbits, accelerate decay, and complicate collision avoidance.



Designers and operators will have to plan for a world where the calm is calmer and the jolts are more abrupt. This could affect fuel margins, attitude control, and the cadence of orbit maintenance. It may also influence how constellations prepare for severe space weather events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dependence-on-the-upper-atmosphere">Dependence on the upper atmosphere</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-is-shifting-and-putting-navigation-at-risk/">Navigation</a>, communications, Earth observation, and national security all rely on satellites traversing the thermosphere. 



As launch costs fall and constellations multiply, small changes in drag statistics can cascade into large operational impacts.



The findings add to prior estimates of long-term atmospheric thinning by focusing on the storm-time response. The signal is clear: background change reshapes the storm itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-geomagnetic-storm-modeling">Future of geomagnetic storm modeling</h2>



Pedatella stressed the need to explore different storm types and timings across the 11-year solar cycle. Background density varies with solar activity, which may further modulate the effect.



“We now have the capability with our models to explore the very complex interconnections between the lower and upper atmosphere,” he said. “It’s critical to know how these changes will occur because they have profound ramifications for our atmosphere.”



Future studies will test other drivers, cross-check with satellite drag observations, and refine forecasts that tie climate trends to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electron-activity-in-auroras-will-help-us-understand-space-weather/">space weather</a> risk. 



For the satellite industry, the message is practical. Account for long-term cooling aloft, and expect future storms to deliver bigger relative jolts, even as the air grows thinner on average.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025GL116445" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory 



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Climate change may amplify the impacts of geomagnetic storms

Rising carbon dioxide high above Earth is expected to change how geomagnetic storms disturb the upper atmosphere. Peak densities during storms may be lower than they are today, yet the swing from calm to storm could be greater. That shift matters for satellite drag, orbital lifetimes, and how operators plan for space weather. A team led by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF NCAR) modeled these changes in collaboration with Kyushu University. The work links long-term atmospheric cooling and thinning to the...

Nature can still surprise us, even in places we think we know well. Europe’s wildlife has been studied for centuries, yet some species have managed to hide in plain sight. One of them is Carcina ingridmariae, a bright, colorful moth.



For more than 100 years, this moth species has been misidentified. Its true identity has now been revealed, thanks to a mix of sharp observation and modern genetic tools.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carcina-ingridmariae-found-after-100-years">Carcina ingridmariae found after 100 years</h2>



Dr. Peter Huemer from the <a href="https://www.tiroler-landesmuseen.at/en/tyrolean-state-museums/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum</a> in Innsbruck, Austria, led a team that described the new species.



For over a century, it was thought to be oak carcina, Carcina quercana, a moth that was first described in 1775. The two look almost identical, sharing vivid pink and yellow tones. That resemblance kept the new species hidden in collections and field <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-rising-co2-levels-threaten-insect-reproduction/">sightings</a> for decades.



C. quercana has always been seen as easy to recognize, even making it onto the cover of an identification book. 



Its classification history is more tangled, moving through several families before most scientists agreed to place it in the family Peleopodidae. That agreement didn’t stop surprises from turning up, as this discovery shows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-confirms-the-new-moth-species">DNA confirms the new moth species</h2>



The first clues came from DNA barcoding in Greek moth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-farming-is-causing-many-insect-species-to-collapse/">surveys</a>. Tests showed over 6.5% genetic difference between C. ingridmariae and C. quercana - far beyond what’s expected within a single species. 



When the team took a closer look, the differences were clear. Male C. ingridmariae often have paler orange-brown wings with fewer markings. Their genital structures are distinct, with a more slender gnathos and a different cucullus shape. 



Females show an obvious difference in having a broad, tubular antrum. These features match the genetic split and confirm the species is new.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-areas-to-mountain-slopes">Coastal areas to mountain slopes</h2>



Researchers think the larvae feed on several oak species, including Quercus trojana, Q. coccifera, and Q. ilex. Records from north Cyprus show the moth occurs in areas without oaks, suggesting its larval host may be more flexible than previously thought.



The caterpillars probably make flat, silvery-white silk webs on the underside of leaves, just like C. quercana. Pupation likely happens between two spun leaves. 



Adults appear in many habitats, from coastal areas to mountain slopes up to 1,500 meters (4,920 feet). They fly in two main periods: early May to late June, and mid-August to early October.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-the-moth-s-range">Tracking the moth's range</h2>



Confirmed populations of Carcina ingridmariae have been recorded in several eastern Mediterranean countries, including Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, and Türkiye. 



In addition to these verified locations, there are strong indications that the species also occurs in Lebanon, Israel, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, based on regional records and specimen analysis.



The geographical range of this moth overlaps with that of <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/205221-Carcina-quercana" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carcina quercana</a>, a species that is widely distributed throughout Europe and also found in parts of North Africa. 



Because the two <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urbanization-causes-massive-decline-in-insect-pollinators/">species</a> are so similar in appearance, distinguishing between them in areas where their ranges meet cannot be done by sight alone.



In such cases, researchers must rely on DNA analysis or a detailed examination of anatomical features, particularly the structure of the genitalia, to confirm the correct identification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-personal-name-for-a-rare-find">A personal name for a rare find</h2>



Dr. Huemer decided to honor his wife when naming the species. “It is without doubt the prettiest species I have encountered in my long scientific career, even though it is still unnamed.” For him, it was “obvious” the new moth should bear her name. 



He announced the dedication on their 42nd wedding anniversary, giving the discovery a personal and lasting touch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-familiar-landscapes-with-unknown-species">Familiar landscapes with unknown species</h2>



Finding C. ingridmariae shows that even colorful, distinctive species can go unnoticed without the right tools. 



DNA barcoding has uncovered many new moth species in Europe, but most are small and dull-colored. Discovering a vivid new species hiding among individuals of a different, but well-known species, is unusual.



The case proves that wide genetic surveys, paired with traditional anatomy, can change how we see biodiversity. As Dr. Huemer’s work shows, even familiar landscapes may hold species we’ve been overlooking for generations.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://alpineentomology.pensoft.net/article/158239/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alpine Entomology</a>.



Image credit: P. Huemer/Ferdinandeum



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New moth species revealed after a century of mistaken identity

Nature can still surprise us, even in places we think...

At dawn in the deep waters off North Maluku, Indonesia, a team of technical divers raised their camera lights and found themselves face to face with a creature once known only from stone. 



The brown spotted coelacanth, an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (<a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/sarco/sarcopterygii.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sarcopterygii</a>) in the class Actinistia, famous for vanishing before the last dinosaur fell, a survivor of a lineage stretching back more than 400 million years, hovered calmly 475 feet below the surface.



The encounter, recorded in October 2024, was led by underwater explorer <a href="https://www.expeditions.com/about/expedition-team/alexis-chappuis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alexis Chappuis</a> of <a href="https://unseen-expeditions.com/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNSEEN</a> Expedition, whose lenses delivered the first photographs of Latimeria menadoensis in its natural Indonesian home.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latimeria-menadoensis">Latimeria menadoensis</h2>



Modern science met an ancient rumor in 1938 when museum curator Marjorie Courtenay Latimer pulled the first living specimen of <a href="https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/discovery-living-fossil" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Latimeria chalumnae</a> from a South African net, shocking paleontologists who thought the group had died out 70 million years earlier. 



The discovery turned a textbook extinction into a living case study and launched a global hunt for other populations.



A second species, the <a href="https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/coelacanth/coelacanth1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indonesian coelacanth</a> Latimeria menadoensis, surfaced in a Sulawesi fish market in 1997, yet no diver had ever photographed it alive until now. 



Remote submersibles had glimpsed shapes in dark caves, but human eyes at depth remained unconfirmed.



Both species mature slowly, reach about six feet in length, and can live nearly a century according to scale ring studies of their African cousin. 



Long lives come with late puberty, around 40 years, and pregnancies that last roughly five years, leaving populations fragile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-maluku-moment">The Maluku moment</h2>



Chappuis and teammate <a href="https://certificate.iantdbenelux.com/List/Instructors?filterNaam=leblond" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Julien Leblond</a> descended with closed circuit rebreathers and a helium rich trimix gas blend to keep their brains clear at pressures four times those at the surface. 



They landed on a steep volcanic slope at 410 feet, where temperature dropped to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and visibility stretched beyond 100 feet.



A white spotted silhouette emerged, dorsal fin erect, drifting over sponge covered rock. The divers kept a respectful distance, gathering five minutes of video before beginning a decompression ascent that would last more than three hours.



Two days later they returned, found the same individual Latimeria menadoensis fish swimming 30 feet shallower, and logged eight more minutes of observation.



Photo analysis confirmed the match by its unique lateral spot pattern, evidence that individual recognition is possible without tags.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-coelacanths-matter">Why coelacanths matter</h2>



Lobe finned fishes like Latimeria are closer on the tree of life to land vertebrates than to tuna or trout, so every heartbeat they take informs questions about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/500-million-year-old-fish-armor-may-be-the-reason-your-teeth-hurt/">fish evolution</a> and how fins first evolved toward limbs. 



Genomic work has already revealed gene clusters linked to limb development that are shared with humans.



Their conservation status, however, is precarious. <a href="https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Latimeria-menadoensis.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FishBase</a> lists L. menadoensis as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and its African cousin as “Critically Endangered.”



With fewer than a thousand West Indian Ocean individuals estimated and only a handful of documented Sulawesi Latimeria menadoensis fish, accidental capture, deep water oil development, and plastic pollution threaten to erase a lineage older than trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latimeria-menadoensis-in-the-mesophotic">Latimeria menadoensis in the mesophotic</h2>



The coelacanth’s preferred address lies within the mesophotic zone, a twilight band from roughly 200 to 500 feet where sunlight dwindles but still fuels sparse coral growth. 



Temperatures hover around 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit, creating a cold refuge below Indonesia’s warm surface waters.



Steep cliffs, cracks, and overhangs offer caves for daytime rest and hunting posts at night, a pattern confirmed in African populations and now filmed in Asia. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Coelacanth-Latimeria-chalumnae_indonesia-waters_credit-Alexis-Chappuis_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Coelacanth-Latimeria-chalumnae_indonesia-waters_credit-Alexis-Chappuis_1s.webp" alt="Deep diver about a meter behind the Sulawesi Coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) discovered at a depth of -144 m in North Maluku, Indonesia. Credit: Alexis Chappuis" class="wp-image-1981879"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Deep diver about a meter behind the Sulawesi Coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) discovered at a depth of -144 m in North Maluku, Indonesia. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Alexis Chappuis</figcaption></figure>



The Maluku slope matched every habitat clue, turning prediction into proof when they encountered Latimeria menadoensis.



Researchers measured steady thermoclines that rarely exceed 72 degrees, conditions that slow metabolism so much that coelacanths burn calories at a fraction of the rate seen in shallow water predators. 



That sluggish physiology explains why the fish can hover motionless for minutes without beating their tail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-deep-exploration">Challenges of deep exploration</h2>



Reaching such depths safely demands meticulous gas planning because a single error can cause nitrogen narcosis or oxygen toxicity. 



After only minutes on the bottom, the team staged upwards in 10 foot increments, breathing progressively richer oxygen mixes to flush inert gases.



During those long stops, swell and current can sweep divers across open ocean, so support crews tracked bubble markers and maintained redundant lift bags. 



Every successful descent expands the frontier for non-invasive research like environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-human-dna-ever-found-tells-story-of-lost-branch-on-human-neanderthal-family-tree/">DNA</a> sampling.



Decompression itself is a grueling vigil, the pair spent over two hours at 20 feet, alternating between breathing loops while oceanic swells rocked them like pendulums. 



Every extra minute adds risk of hypothermia, yet leaving early would invite dangerous bubbles in blood and bone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-latimeria-menadoensis">Saving Latimeria menadoensis</h2>



“This is good news for the conservation of this highly vulnerable vertebrate and supports the hypothesis that Indonesian coelacanths might present a more extensive distribution range than initially thought,” wrote Chappuis. 



He urged authorities to shield deep reef ecosystems before tourism or mining can intrude, which would surely result in extinction for Latimeria menadoensis.



Because the fish’s slow life history limits its ability to rebound, even small increases in mortality can cascade into extinction risk. Protecting a single slope in Maluku could safeguard an entire regional population.



Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs is drafting protected zones for deep reef slopes, but enforcement will hinge on funding and local partnership. 



Citizen science programs that report accidental catches could supply vital population data while building community pride in stewardship.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-science">Next steps for science</h2>



The team plans to return in 2026 with a slim line remotely operated sampler that can swab mucus from passing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-fish-coelacanth-presumed-extinct-for-60-million-years-before-rediscovery/">fish</a> without tethers. 



DNA will reveal kinship among Maluku, Sulawesi, and Papua individuals, testing whether the region houses one gene pool or several.



Such insights could refine protected area boundaries and show whether migration corridors exist along Indonesia’s complex seafloor ridges. 



Clear answers will help decide if tourism limits or seasonal fishing closures are the wiser guardrails to protect Latimeria menadoensis and other coelacanths.



Future missions aim to collect water samples for DNA without touching the animals, map additional habitats, and support local enforcement against destructive fishing. 



The return of this so-called living fossil is not a curiosity, it is a reminder that deep seas still hold stories we are only beginning to read.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-90287-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Scientists capture photos of a prehistoric fish thought to be extinct for 70 million years

At dawn in the deep waters off North Maluku, Indonesia,...

Regularly helping others - whether through formal volunteering or informal assistance - can slow age-related cognitive decline by as much as 15 to 20 percent, according to a new study of more than 30,000 U.S. adults. 



The effect was strongest for those who spent about two to four hours each week helping outside the home.



The research, led by the <a href="https://www.umb.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas at Austin</a> (UT), tracked participants for over two decades using data from the national Health and Retirement Study.



The results show that helping produces cumulative and long-lasting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-benefits-of-the-mediterranean-diet-can-be-boosted-with-more-greens/">brain benefits</a>, whether through structured volunteering or casual support for neighbors, friends, or relatives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cognitive-benefits-of-helping-others">Cognitive benefits of helping others</h2>



“Everyday acts of support - whether organized or personal - can have lasting cognitive impact,” said lead author Sae Hwang Han, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at UT.



“What stood out was that the cognitive benefits of helping others weren’t just short-term boosts but cumulative over time," he said. "In addition to that, moderate engagement of just two to four hours was consistently linked to robust benefits.”



The study examined two main types of helping. Formal volunteering includes scheduled activities with organizations. Informal helping covers tasks like giving someone a ride to a medical appointment, caring for children, doing yard work, or helping with taxes.



While only about one-third of older Americans take part in formal volunteering, more than half provide informal help on a regular basis.



“Informal helping is sometimes assumed to offer fewer health benefits due to its lack of social recognition,” Han said. “It was a pleasant surprise to find that it provides cognitive benefits comparable to formal volunteering.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-slows-decline-for-years">Helping slows decline for years</h2>



Using records dating back to 1998, the team controlled for variables such as wealth, education, and physical and mental health. The analysis found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/doctors-say-this-lifestyle-factor-smoking-is-biggest-contributor-to-cognitive-decline/">cognitive decline</a> slowed once participants began helping others and continued to slow with sustained engagement year after year.



The data also revealed a clear risk from stopping entirely. “Conversely, our data show that completely withdrawing from helping is associated with worse cognitive function,” Han said.



“This suggests the importance of keeping older adults engaged in some form of helping for as long as possible, with appropriate support and accommodations in place.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-as-brain-medicine">Helping as brain medicine</h2>



The authors argue that the findings strengthen the case for viewing volunteerism and helping through a public health lens. The prevalence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-drug-shows-potential-to-treat-alzheimers/">Alzheimer’s</a> and other forms of dementia in later life makes this especially important.



Encouraging older adults to remain engaged in acts of support could be a low-cost, widely accessible way to help preserve cognitive function.



Another recent study led by Han found that volunteering can also protect brain health by buffering the negative effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chronic-stress-disrupts-gut-bacteria-and-fuels-cancer-progression/">chronic stress</a> on systemic inflammation - a biological process linked to dementia. People with higher inflammation levels showed this protective effect most strongly.



Together, the results from both studies suggest multiple pathways by which helping others may preserve brain function. These include reducing the physiological wear and tear caused by stress and strengthening the psychological, emotional, and cognitive benefits of meaningful social connections.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-for-all-involved">Benefits for all involved</h2>



The findings come at a time when aging populations and rising rates of loneliness are pressing concerns worldwide. They also challenge the assumption that people in poor health have little to contribute to others - or that they cannot benefit from doing so.



“Many older adults in suboptimal health often continue to make valuable contributions to those around them, and they also may be the ones to especially benefit from being provided with opportunities to help,” Han explained.



Even for those already experiencing cognitive decline, the study suggests that maintaining some form of regular helping - with the right accommodations - may still yield benefits. 



That could mean light <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-traits-linked-to-willingness-to-volunteer-or-donate/">volunteer</a> tasks with flexible hours, or simply continuing to offer support to family and friends. Building helping behaviors into weekly routines can sharpen minds, strengthen communities, and foster deeper connections.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953625007968?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Social Science &amp; Medicine</a>.



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Helping others can slow age-related cognitive decline

Regularly helping others - whether through formal volunteering or informal...

Scientists have long struggled to figure out the tricky dynamics of fault slip during a major earthquake. Now, for the first time, they have observed the exact moment the Earth split, in real-time.&nbsp;



Using <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OeLRK0rkCE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CCTV footage</a> from the March 28, 2025, Myanmar earthquake, researchers captured the fault slip, the movement of rock masses on either side of a fault plane, as it happened. 



What they observed was different from what they had expected to happen. The movement path of the ground was not straight, but instead curved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capturing-the-moment-the-earth-ruptured">Capturing the moment the Earth ruptured</h2>



It was a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that began 12.4 miles (20 kilometers) west of Mandalay at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers). It struck along the Sagaing Fault, the major <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-a-fault-and-what-are-different-types" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fault line</a> in Myanmar that moves sideways when two tectonic plates slide past each other.&nbsp;



Lasting around 90 seconds, it spread to both north and south along the fault. The entire <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/87552930231205871" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rupture</a>, the portion of the fault that slipped, was 249 miles (400 kilometers) in length.&nbsp;



The fracture on the Earth's crust, where the rock blocks slide past each other, known as surface <a href="https://earthhow.com/types-of-faults/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strike-slip</a>, exceeded 6 meters (19.6 feet). This disaster caused severe destruction and took 3,600 lives.&nbsp;



By chance, a CCTV camera was positioned approximately 20 meters (65 feet) from the Sagaing Fault and 74.5 miles (120 kilometers) from the starting point of the quake. That camera, meant to monitor the fault, became an unexpected scientific goldmine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-scientists-decoded-the-earth-split">How scientists decoded the Earth split</h2>



In the footage, researchers saw that the western side of the fault slid northwards in about two seconds. It formed a 1 to 2 meter (3 to 6.5 foot) wide mole track, which is a ridge-like feature that forms long <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cracked-rocks-power-life-deep-on-earth-and-possibly-other-planets/">cracks</a>.&nbsp;



They analyzed each video frame to see how tiny details of the Earth split shifted over time using a method called <a href="https://bmcbioinformatics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12859-024-05675-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pixel cross‐correlation</a>. They studied motion on both the near and far sides of the fault.&nbsp;



For this, they considered objects with known size and position, like fence posts. They corrected for distortion and viewing angle to get accurate results.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cctv-for-earthquake-tracking">CCTV for earthquake tracking</h2>



Traditionally, scientists rely on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191814124002438" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">slickenlines</a>, which are curved scratch marks that appear on the fault lines due to the movement of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-confirm-that-solid-rock-flows-1700-miles-beneath-our-feet-earth-mantle/">rocks</a> during an earthquake. Their shape hints at rupture direction and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underwater-saltwater-brine-deposits-transform-faults-may-solve-earthquake-mystery/">earthquake history</a>.



However, these only record a fraction of the slip, resulting in incomplete records or overlaps with multiple scratches. 



Additionally, geologists often observe these records days after the event, providing inaccurate data on how the rupture unfolds in real-time.



In another approach, they use instruments like strong‐motion seismometers or high‐rate Global Navigation Satellite Systems, which can measure the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/agricultural-soil-is-now-the-worlds-biggest-plastic-dumping-ground/">ground</a> motions within a few kilometers from where the fault breaks.



Since these instruments are not right on the fault, their readings can be inaccurate. Plus, they are usually placed on just one side of the fault, making it tricky to piece together how both sides of the Earth split moved relative to each other.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-new-footage-revealed">What the new footage revealed</h2>



At a given point on the fault, the main slip was completed in just 1.3 seconds, moving faster than 3 meters per second. This was a "pulse-like" rupture, a burst of movement followed by a sudden pause.&nbsp;



Scientists have observed similar movement before in large earthquakes, but the mechanism of its sudden arrest is yet to be confirmed.



One theory suggests that the pause begins from the base of the fault during long, sideways‐moving ruptures, the same phenomenon observed in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-detect-a-rare-slow-motion-earthquake-along-japans-tsunami-fault/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Myanmar</a> earthquake. Further studies using computer model simulations can bring more insight into this topic.



This time, researchers found real-time and direct evidence that proved that curved slickenlines can form during the earthquake itself. 



The geometry of these curves was consistent and matched the one seen in the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake in New Zealand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earthquake-insights-for-a-safer-future">Earthquake insights for a safer future</h2>



In the New Zealand earthquake, the slip started at an angle and then gradually curved to become mostly sideways. In the Myanmar earthquake, the slip rapidly curved as it sped up and then straightened as it slowed down.&nbsp;



Dynamic rupture models have predicted a similar pattern. The models suggest that the curvature comes from dynamic stress, which depends on the direction of rupture propagation.



In this case, the rupture propagated south past the CCTV camera, and the east side of the fault shifted both south and upward.&nbsp;



The study measured both the on-fault slip velocity and the off-fault ground velocity during the same earthquake. 



They compared this to measure how far the fault moves before friction drops to its minimum, known as the slip-weakening distance.



The results showed that data from stations near a fault can stand in for direct fault measurements, even though they produce slightly noisier data.



All of this will help make future earthquake models more accurate and give scientists a clearer picture of what controls fast fault movement in big quakes.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/_OeLRK0rkCE?si=Ei0GN5wCJF4xahNq
</div></figure>



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/tsr/article/5/3/260/659444/The-28-March-2025-Mw-7-8-Myanmar-Earthquake" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Seismic Record</a>.



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Exact moment when the Earth split wide open, caught on CCTV video

Scientists have long struggled to figure out the tricky dynamics...

Space can surprise even those who spend their lives studying it. People often think of our solar system as just a few planets and a bunch of empty space. 



Yet new observations suggest we have been living inside a hot, less dense region, and that there may even be a strange cosmic channel connecting us to distant stars.



After years of careful mapping, a new analysis reveals what appears to be a channel of hot, low-density plasma stretching out from our solar system toward distant constellations. Astronomers from the <a href="https://www.mpg.de/institutes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute</a> recently confirmed it using data from the <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2021/03/aa39313-20/aa39313-20.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eRosita instrument</a>. Dr. L. L. Sala, lead researcher, and colleagues shared these findings in a paper published in the journal <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2024/10/aa51045-24/aa51045-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-the-familiar">Looking beyond the familiar</h2>



For a long time, scientists have known that our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-space-station-observes-something-unknown-55-miles-above-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar system</a> sits within a peculiar region of space called the <a href="https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11550" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Local Hot Bubble</a>. 



This area, estimated to be <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-astro-081710-102613" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">about 300 light years across</a>, formed as a result of powerful stellar explosions called supernovas. They heated the surrounding gas, producing a low-density, high-temperature environment. Traces of these distant events still linger as wispy distributions of hot plasma. “We find the temperature of the LHB exhibits a north-south dichotomy at high latitudes,” stated Dr. L. L. Sala, lead author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-cosmic-x-ray-explorer">A cosmic X-ray explorer</h2>



To better understand this environment, scientists turned to eRosita. This X-ray observatory, launched as part of the <a href="https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/srg/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma mission</a>, scoured the sky to capture soft X-ray emissions. One of eRosita’s goals is to chart hot gas in space, learn about supernova remnants, and investigate the surroundings of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-anticipated-comet-of-2024-returns-this-weekend-after-80000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our neighborhood</a>.



By combining these results with older data from <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/rosat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ROSAT</a>, another X-ray survey, astronomers have pieced together a more detailed picture of our local region. They took on the challenging <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2013/10/aa22221-13/aa22221-13.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">task</a> of dividing the sky into thousands of bins, extracting subtle signals of warm gas, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/502/4/5779/6131844" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dust cavities</a>, and interstellar structures. This painstaking approach helped isolate the faint glow of the surrounding plasma.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-puzzling-cosmic-channel">Puzzling cosmic channel</h2>



What stands out is the detection of a channel, or “tunnel,” that appears to stretch toward the Centaurus constellation.



This feature seems to punch through the hot material, connecting our neighborhood to distant star systems.&nbsp;



Another such pathway appears to link toward the vicinity of Canis Major. Data hints these might be just one part of a larger, branching network of channels that run between star-forming regions and pockets of heated gas.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/milky-way_local-hot-bubble_eRosita_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/milky-way_local-hot-bubble_eRosita_1s.webp" alt="3D map of the Milky Way’s Local Hot Bubble (LHB) created from eROSITA data reveals a low-density region around the solar system, heated by ancient supernovas. The bubble shows temperature gradients and an interstellar “tunnel” toward Centaurus, likely formed by young stars’ winds. This bubble may connect to other superbubbles, shaping the Milky Way’s structure. The solar system entered the LHB a few million years ago, adding to our understanding of its cosmic neighborhood. Credit: Max Planck Institute" class="wp-image-1953925"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">3D map of the Milky Way’s Local Hot Bubble (LHB) created from eROSITA data reveals a low-density region around the solar system, heated by ancient supernovas. The bubble shows temperature gradients and an interstellar “tunnel” toward Centaurus, likely formed by young stars’ winds. This bubble may connect to other superbubbles, shaping the Milky Way’s structure. The solar system entered the LHB a few million years ago, adding to our understanding of its cosmic neighborhood. Credit: Max Planck Institute</figcaption></figure>



Each route may represent a kind of interstellar backroad, a path carved out by dynamic processes and influenced by the long-ago actions of exploding stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-theories-on-cosmic-channels">Old theories on cosmic channels</h2>



Ideas about a network of hot, low-density channels are not new. 



Decades ago, some <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/381679E86154865FF68FE884DA62F1D4/S0074180900089348a.pdf/div-class-title-the-structure-of-the-interstellar-medium-div.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">researchers</a> speculated that the space around us could hold labyrinths of connected cavities. But there was never enough data to be sure. Instruments like eRosita have now provided that clarity. By showing tunnels and pockets filled with hot plasma, the findings confirm at least one piece of these older theories.



The presence of dust cavities packed with hot gas supports the notion that supernova events shaped a connected patchwork of interstellar matter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-just-empty-space">Not just empty space</h2>



It is tempting to think of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biggest-known-space-cloud-of-life-building-complex-chemicals-discovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">space</a> as nothingness, but that is misleading. 



Even the void between stars contains various materials. The Local Hot Bubble is one example of how dramatic events can sculpt gas into unexpected forms.



Supernovas push out matter and energy that heat and churn the interstellar medium. Over millions of years, these actions create differences in density, temperature, and composition. 



The interplay of dust, plasma, radiation, and magnetic fields leads to an environment with far more complexity than a simple vacuum. The Max Planck Institute’s recent <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2024/10/aa51045-24/aa51045-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> argues that the average thermal pressure in this bubble is lower than expected, indicating that it might be open in some directions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-channels-the-evidence">Cosmic channels: The evidence</h2>



While researchers have mapped parts of this hot region and uncovered these unusual passages, not every aspect is understood. 



Some star lines seem supported by a series of linked cavities. Other regions appear more blocked. The complexity of these patterns requires more sensitive data and further analysis. With time, better models may explain how these structures formed and how they continue to evolve.



Space’s calm appearance is deceiving. Over the past millions of years, our solar system drifted into the Local Hot Bubble. 



At roughly the same time, supernovas occurred nearby. The timing is not a coincidence. Those <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-astro-081710-102613" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient blasts</a> likely shaped the conditions we find today. The fact that our Sun now sits near the bubble’s center is simply chance, but it makes for an interesting perspective. It is as if we arrived late to a party, only to find a lingering aftermath of dramatic events that took place long before humans even existed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peering-inside-a-hidden-structure">Peering inside a hidden structure</h2>



Continuing to explore these cosmic channels will require increasingly sensitive instruments. New X-ray missions, deeper surveys, and refined models of hot gas distribution will improve our understanding. Over time, astronomers hope to fill in more of this cosmic map and explain how these tunnels affect everything from local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-source-of-cosmic-rays-found-after-a-century-long-search/">cosmic rays</a> to dust flow patterns and stellar wind dynamics.



The discovery of these hidden routes and temperature differences offers a reminder that even our own cosmic backyard holds surprises. 



These channels challenge old assumptions and add complexity to the picture of what lies between our Sun and the nearest stars.&nbsp;



As technology advances and new methods improve, these discoveries are bound to raise even more questions. 



Every new piece of evidence will bring us closer to understanding both the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/curvature-propulsion-warp-drive-krasnikov-tube-future-intergalactic-space-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">space</a> we inhabit today and the ancient events that shaped it.



What once seemed distant and unknowable may soon reveal connections that redefine our place in the cosmos.



The full study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2024/10/aa51045-24/aa51045-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>.



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Astronomers discover an 'interstellar tunnel' that connects our solar system to other stars

Space can surprise even those who spend their lives studying...

Late nights, alcohol, and smoking on weekends may be doing more than ruining Monday mornings. Researchers from Flinders University warn that these habits could trigger a newly identified sleep issue called "social apnea."



Published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the study describes social apnea as a weekend spike in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity caused by lifestyle changes and irregular sleep patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-apnea-is-underestimated">Sleep apnea is underestimated </h2>



The research analyzed data from over 70,000 people worldwide using a validated under-mattress <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/">sleep</a> sensor. This device, which is FDA-cleared, accurately measures the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and sleep timing.



“Sleep apnea is already a major public health issue, but our findings suggest its true impact may be underestimated,” said lead author Dr. Lucia Pinilla.



“Most clinical diagnostic testing is done on a single night, typically a weeknight, missing the weekend effect we’re now calling social apnea.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-weekend-habits-and-social-apnea">Weekend habits and social apnea</h2>



Dr. Pinilla explains that the weekend surge in sleep-disordered breathing could raise risks for heart disease, depression, dementia, and fatigue-related accidents.



Participants were 18% more likely to have moderate to severe OSA on Saturdays compared to Wednesdays. Men had a 21% higher risk, while women had a 9% increase. Younger adults under 60 faced a 24% higher risk, compared to 7% in those over 60.



Weekend catch-up <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">sleep</a> of at least 45 minutes increased weekend OSA odds by 47%, while social jetlag of 60 minutes or more raised it by 38 percent.



Danny Eckert, a professor at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a>, says this study is the first time researchers have found proof that OSA gets worse on weekends compared to weekdays. 



“We don’t yet know exactly why, but alcohol use, lighter sleep, and less consistent use of OSA therapies likely play a role.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seasons-can-make-symptoms-worse">Seasons can make symptoms worse</h2>



Dr. Bastien Lechat, lead author of a related study published in Communications Medicine, says seasonal changes may trigger similar OSA fluctuations.



“OSA tends to be worse during summer and winter, with severity increasing by 8-19% compared to spring and autumn,” said Dr. Lechat.



“This seasonal spike is partly explained by higher temperatures, which disrupt <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/going-to-sleep-at-random-times-could-be-harming-your-health/">sleep</a> and lead to lighter sleep stages which is associated with worse OSA. In winter, longer sleep and later wake up times, increase time spent in REM sleep, which is also linked to more frequent apnea events.”



These findings mirror the weekend pattern and highlight that both social and environmental factors influence obstructive sleep apnea.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-weekend-changes-matter">Why weekend changes matter</h2>



The study revealed that apnea-hypopnea index levels were on average 6% higher on weekends, equivalent to nearly one more apnea event per hour at the group level.



Irregular sleep patterns were strongly linked to this effect. Those with consistent sleep schedules showed no significant weekend increase. 



Since OSA is often worse during REM sleep, weekend sleep-ins may extend REM stages, intensifying symptoms.



Such patterns could carry major public health costs. Even small increases in OSA severity may significantly impact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-may-have-just-solved-the-mystery-of-sleep/">wellbeing</a> and healthcare expenses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tests-may-miss-social-apnea">Tests may miss social apnea</h2>



Professor Eckert warns that relying on a single-night sleep study may lead to underdiagnosis or misclassification. OSA testing usually happens on weeknights, overlooking weekend variability.



Historically, OSA treatment adherence has been measured over five nights a week, allowing for lower weekend use. The findings suggest that inconsistent weekend therapy use could be a key driver of social apnea.



To reduce weekend spikes, Professor Eckert advises maintaining a steady sleep schedule. "Try to keep the same sleep schedule throughout the week and weekend, ensuring that you get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night."



“Keeping a fixed wake-up time and using your prescribed OSA therapy, even on weekends, and going to bed when you feel sleepy will help ensure you frequently get enough restorative sleep which can help combat the weekend spike in OSA.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-osa-and-its-impact">Understanding OSA and its impact</h2>



OSA affects about one billion people worldwide and is caused by repeated airway collapse during sleep. Untreated, it raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, depression, and even death.



People concerned about their sleep should consult their doctor for assessment. The study confirms that social apnea is a global phenomenon, with consistent weekend increases in OSA severity across different countries and climates.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202505-1184RL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine</a>.



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Social events on weekends can worsen sleep apnea

Late nights, alcohol, and smoking on weekends may be doing...

Erythrocyte,3d,Illustration.,Red,Blood,Cells,Transport,Oxygen,Throughout,The

Think of your red blood cells as tiny delivery trucks racing through your bloodstream, dropping off oxygen everywhere. On the outside of each truck are little name tags called antigens. 



Hospitals check these tags to make sure donated blood won't hurt the person receiving it.



We all know a little about basic blood types - like A, B, O, and positive or negative. But there are dozens more tags on your blood cells. Some are so common that only a handful of people on Earth don't have them. 



One super-rare tag called AnWj has puzzled scientists for over fifty years. They could test for it, but they had no idea what carried it or <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29956848/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">where it came from</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anwj-blood-group-system">AnWj blood group system</h2>



A new study just solved the mystery. The AnWj tag sits on a protein called Mal, made by a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/4118" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene named MAL</a>. When the MAL gene breaks in a specific way, cells can't make Mal protein. Without Mal, the AnWj tag vanishes from red blood cells.



"The genetic background of AnWj has been a mystery for more than 50 years, and one which I personally have been trying to resolve for almost 20 years of my career," explained Dr. Louise Tilley, Senior Research Scientist at NHS Blood and Transplant's <a href="https://ibgrl.blood.co.uk/services/red-cell-reference/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Cell Reference lab</a>.



The mystery started decades ago when doctors found a pregnant woman whose blood didn't have AnWj. Since then, doctors have found a few more people without it. Some very sick patients also lose AnWj temporarily during certain blood disorders or cancers.



Researchers focused on families where people were born without AnWj. They compared DNA between family members with and without the antigen. 



They found the smoking gun: people who inherit AnWj-negativity share a huge deletion in their MAL gene. This deletion wipes out important sections called exons. Without those sections, the body can't build Mal protein.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-anwj-blood-discovery">Importance of AnWj blood discovery</h2>



"It's really exciting we were able to use our ability to manipulate gene expression in the developing blood cells to help confirm the identity of the AnWj blood group, which has been an outstanding puzzle for half a century," said Professor Ashley Toye from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>.



The team ran clever experiments to confirm their discovery. When they looked for Mal protein on red blood cells, people with normal AnWj had it. 



People with the deletion didn't. The researchers also showed that antibodies targeting AnWj blocked antibodies meant for Mal. When two antibodies fight for the same spot, they're after the same molecule.



This discovery can save lives. When someone lacking AnWj receives regular donor blood, their immune system attacks the transfused cells. These reactions happen fast and can be deadly.



Now hospitals can create better tests to find people who truly lack AnWj because their MAL gene is broken. They can distinguish them from patients who lose AnWj temporarily during illness. 



Someone with a genetic loss always needs AnWj-negative blood. Someone with temporary loss might get AnWj back after recovery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explaining-temporary-disappearance">Explaining temporary disappearance</h2>



Why does AnWj disappear temporarily? Even if the MAL gene works fine, certain diseases can switch it off or turn it down - like using a dimmer switch. When MAL activity drops, Mal protein fades from cells, and AnWj fades with it.



The study proved these temporary cases don't have the MAL deletion. One mutation damages the blueprint permanently. 



The other just hides the instructions temporarily. Understanding both helps doctors choose the safest blood in emergencies.



"Mal is a very small protein with some interesting properties which made it difficult to identify and meant we needed to pursue multiple lines of investigation to accumulate the proof we needed to establish this blood group system," said Dr. Tim Satchwell at <a href="https://www.uwe.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UWE Bristol</a>.



The work cleared up old confusion too. Scientists once thought other proteins like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9111868/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CD44</a> might carry AnWj. But cells without CD44 that still had Mal kept their AnWj. CD44 might influence the neighborhood, but Mal is the actual tag holder.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inheritance-pattern">Inheritance pattern</h2>



The genetics follow a recessive pattern. People lacking AnWj because of the MAL deletion got two broken copies - one from each parent. 



Family studies confirm this: relatives with one working copy still show AnWj, while those with two deleted copies don't.



There's also a master regulator called KLF1 that controls many red cell genes. If KLF1 affects MAL activity, that could explain why certain blood conditions weaken AnWj even when the MAL gene looks normal. 



KLF1 acts like a sound engineer - if it turns the MAL channel down, the Mal protein gets quieter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anwj-blood-and-human-health">AnWj blood and human health</h2>



This discovery shows how solving rare puzzles improves everyday medicine. Blood compatibility goes beyond ABO and Rh types. 



It's an intricate system with many parts. Finding compatible donors becomes easier, reducing the risk of dangerous reactions.



"It represents a huge achievement, and the culmination of a long team effort, to finally establish this new blood group system and be able to offer the best care to rare, but important, patients," Dr. Tilley summed up.



MAL now officially defines a recognized blood group system. This standardizes the language hospitals use and how results get shared worldwide.



Here's the simple version: Scientists proved the AnWj blood antigen rides on Mal protein made by the MAL gene. Break MAL and AnWj disappears forever. Turn MAL down and AnWj fades temporarily. 



This clarity gives doctors a better guide for avoiding dangerous transfusion reactions and caring for people whose blood works differently.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/144/26/2688/534610/An-uncommon-MALady-is-the-AnWj-puzzle-complete" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blood</a>.



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New human blood group discovered is found to be caused by a rare genetic mutation, ending a 50-year mystery

Think of your red blood cells as tiny delivery trucks...

In social media, not all feelings travel the same way. A new peer-reviewed study finds that anxiety, love, and surprise tend to carry posts farther, while anger, sadness, and even joy can slow things down.



The team analyzed 387,486 articles shared by more than 6 million users on WeChat, then tracked how each article spread through the network using a dictionary of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teenagers-with-anxiety-or-depression-spend-more-time-on-social-media-according-to-experts/">emotion</a> words tied to eight distinct feelings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotions-and-social-media-posts">Emotions and social media posts</h2>



The research was led by Yifan Yu, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin <a href="https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McCombs</a> School of Business. 



The paper helps resolve the long-standing debate over whether simply classifying something as positive or negative is sufficient to explain sharing.



"Expressions of anxiety exhibit the most positive impact on online content diffusion," wrote Yu and colleagues. 



The authors worked with eight discrete <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-pressure-is-straining-teen-friendships/">emotions</a>: anxiety, sadness, anger, disgust, love, joy, surprise, and anticipation. They detected these emotions using a custom lexicon built and validated for large-scale text analysis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-social-media-spread">Tracking social media spread</h2>



The researchers reconstructed each article’s diffusion cascade, then measured size, depth, maximum breadth, and a property known as structural virality. 



Those metrics capture how many people a post reaches and the shape of its spread through different layers of reshares.



The new study reports that anxiety, love, and surprise push cascades to reach more people and spread more deeply and broadly. Anger, sadness, and joy correlate with smaller or shallower cascades in this dataset.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-online-sharing-and-emotional-arousal">Online sharing and emotional arousal </h2>



Patterns also differed by audience. Older users were more likely to share articles steeped in anger or anxiety, while younger users were more drawn to disgust-laden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gen-ai-and-social-media-divert-peoples-attention-from-climate-crisis/">content</a>.



Network position mattered. Users with many friends tended to share articles showing love, anxiety, anticipation, or disgust, while users with fewer friends were more likely to pass along anger or surprise.



Ties shaped the path as well. Anger and anxiety spread more through strong ties, and articles marked by sadness drew less participation from female users than from male users in this sample.



Where earlier work highlighted the power of emotional arousal, the new results show that arousal is not the whole story. 



Even when emotions share the same valence and arousal, their specific effects can diverge. Broader research on emotion and decision-making shows that particular emotions shape judgment and behavior in distinct ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-changes-social-media-emotions">Culture changes social media emotions</h2>



Language and culture shape how emotions are expressed and understood online. On the Chinese platform WeChat, communication often blends text with stickers, voice notes, and short videos.



Emotional cues may be interpreted differently on WeChat compared to Western social networks. This makes cultural context a key factor in understanding why certain emotions may boost or hinder sharing.



Studies have shown that cultural norms influence not only which emotions are acceptable to express publicly, but also how strongly those emotions are conveyed. 



These norms can alter the meaning and perceived appropriateness of emotional language, potentially amplifying or muting a post’s viral potential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-emotions-in-social-media">Using emotions in social media</h2>



Writers and editors can treat emotion as a design choice, not a blunt instrument. Anxiety and love often motivate people to connect, support, or warn, which can translate into sharing when handled with care and useful context.



Platforms could develop tools to gauge the emotional intensity of rapidly spreading content and flag unusually charged streams for policy review. This may help prevent harmful content without unfairly punishing people for having negative feelings.



Responsible use matters. Emotion can inform and mobilize, but it can also overwhelm and mislead if it becomes the message rather than the signal for what to do next.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-social-media-posts-matter">Why social media posts matter</h2>



Previous research on structural virality shows that even when two posts reach the same number of people, they can spread in very different patterns - and those patterns reveal insights about influence and how resistant content is to moderation.



Interest in how emotions shape online sharing keeps growing. A recent review of research on sentiment diffusion shows that emotions affect not just how fast information spreads, but also how widely it reaches. 



The main takeaway is simple: if you want people to share something, the specific emotion you trigger matters just as much as whether it is positive or negative.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/isre.2022.0611" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Information Systems Research</a>.



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Emotions shape what goes viral on social media

In social media, not all feelings travel the same way....

Abstract,System,Of,Quantum,Computing,,The,Future,Supercomputer,Technology,,3d

Quantum computers promise speed, but they still struggle with reliability. Qubits are sensitive, and small disturbances can scramble a calculation before it finishes.



One way to address that fragility is through topological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/escaping-dead-zones-in-the-barren-plateau-of-quantum-computing/">quantum computing</a>, where information resides in the nonlocal properties of anyons. 



<a href="https://www.cs.tufts.edu/comp/150QC/Report2MichaelJ.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">In that setup</a>, Ising anyon braiding alone generates only Clifford gates, which are insufficient for a general-purpose machine.



A new study points to a simple addition that changes the picture. The authors show that adding a single extra anyon type inside a broader mathematical framework makes braiding alone computationally complete.



They describe an α-type particle that was overlooked in older models and show how it fits into a multiqubit encoding. The result is universality using braids, with no ancillary measurements or magic states.



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



In quantum computing, braiding is a way of performing computations by literally moving special particles - called anyons - around each other in space. 



When you swap the positions of these anyons in a particular sequence, their combined <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_state" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum state</a> changes in a predictable but nontrivial way. 



The magic here is that the computation depends only on the path the anyons take around each other, not on the exact timing or speed of their motion. 



This property makes braiding inherently resistant to many forms of noise and error, which is one of the biggest challenges in building a reliable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computer-defeats-a-supercomputer-in-crucial-annealing-optimization-task/">quantum computer</a>.



Think of it like tying an intricate knot in an invisible rope: the knot’s shape stays the same even if you jiggle or stretch the rope, as long as you don’t actually untie it. 



In the same way, the “knot” formed by braiding anyons encodes information that’s stable against small disturbances.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quantum-computing-universality">Quantum computing universality</h2>



<a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/aaron-lauda/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aaron D. Lauda</a>, professor of mathematics, physics, and astronomy at the <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Dornsife</a> College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, led the team. 



He and his co-authors show that a nontraditional theory can extend the Ising toolkit enough to achieve universality.



“By adding just one new anyon type, universal quantum computation can be achieved through braiding alone,” wrote Lauda and colleagues.



The analysis treats the extra<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/higgs-boson-god-particle-still-remains-quantum-mystery-after-12-years/"> particle</a> as fixed while the Ising anyons move around it to execute gates. That stationary role keeps the hardware demands modest and keeps the focus on braids that experimentalists already study.



The work also identifies which braids act as single-qubit gates and which create entanglement with minimal leakage, all within a well-defined computational subspace. 



Those details matter because the model’s full Hilbert space includes sectors that should be avoided during a calculation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ising-anyon-basics">Ising anyon basics</h2>



Ising anyons likely appear in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-oddity-points-to-new-class-of-subatomic-particles-fractional-charges-excitons/">fractional quantum Hall</a> effect at a filling factor of 5/2, where theory and numerical simulations point to the Moore-Read, or Pfaffian, state as a leading description



They have fusion rules that allow nontrivial state spaces for groups of particles, which is why people use them to encode qubits.



Braiding those anyons is robust against many local errors, but the allowed gates sit inside the Clifford group. That restriction blocks universality unless you add something like a special phase gate or a non-topological step.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-mathematical-framework">New mathematical framework</h2>



The new approach leans on non-semisimple topological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radical-new-theory-finally-unites-gravity-spacetime-and-the-quantum-realm/">quantum field theories</a>. 



In plain terms, this keeps mathematical objects that standard, semisimple models throw away, and it does so with a consistent inner-product structure tied to a modified trace.



These theories connect naturally with logarithmic conformal field theory, which has become a serious tool for describing certain low-energy phases. 



That link helps make sense of where an α-type anyon could arise in a condensed-matter system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safe-quantum-subspace">Safe quantum subspace</h2>



Non-semisimple models bring up unitarity questions because some sectors have indefinite norms. 



The authors avoid trouble by choosing an encoding whose computational subspace is positive definite, then confining the indefinite behavior to states the algorithm never uses.



Entangling gates still risk leakage, so the team adapts an iterative construction that shrinks off-diagonal terms on a chosen basis. 



Earlier work showed how carefully designed braids can suppress leakage while tolerating small phase errors, which fits the spirit of this strategy.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experimental-outlook-for-neglectons">Experimental outlook for neglectons</h2>



The next step for bringing neglectons from <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394445149_Title_Neglected_No_More_Theoretical_Foundations_and_Quantum_Computational_Implications_of_the_Neglecton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">theory to hardware</a> will be identifying real materials that can host them. 



Candidate platforms include fractional quantum Hall states under carefully tuned conditions, as well as engineered defects in topological superconductors.



In both cases, the challenge is not only detecting the extra anyon but also confirming its stationary nature during braiding operations.



Early-stage experiments could focus on spectroscopic signatures or interferometry patterns that differ from standard Ising anyon setups. 



These measurements would help confirm whether a neglecton-like particle is present and behaving as predicted, without yet requiring a full <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-material-chiral-superconductor-shows-great-potential-quantum-computing/">quantum computation</a>. 



Success at this stage would provide a concrete path toward integrating neglectons into practical devices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-could-mean-in-the-lab">What it could mean in the lab</h2>



The most promising hunting ground remains two-dimensional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shape-of-electrons-revealed-first-time-through-big-advance-in-quantum-physics/">electron</a> systems exhibiting the 5/2 state, along with platforms based on topological superconductivity.



Reviews have long flagged these as promising venues for non-Abelian physics that could support fault-tolerant operations.



The paper also provides detailed Hilbert-space bookkeeping, including a two-qubit sector of dimension six, where they demonstrate controlled operations with minimal, quantifiable leakage. 



That specificity gives experimentalists a target for how many excitations and braids to control in initial tests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neglectons-ising-anyons-and-the-future">Neglectons, ising anyons, and the future</h2>



Two tracks stand out. On the math side, the authors call for extending the parameter ranges where the construction guarantees both density of single-qubit gates and efficient entangling gates within the protected space.



On the hardware side, there is growing evidence that braided operations can be realized in controllable devices, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/superconductivity-achieved-at-room-temperature-with-new-materials/">superconducting circuits</a> that emulate Ising-anyon rules. 



Progress there strengthens the case that a stationary α-type defect could be integrated into quantum computing as a design feature rather than a theoretical curiosity.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61342-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Particles once considered 'garbage' may finally unlock universal quantum computing

Quantum computers promise speed, but they still struggle with reliability....

A new wave of mental health research may come from an unexpected source - tiny pond-dwelling worms. While they lack the complexity of mammalian brains, these creatures share surprising similarities in how they respond to certain drugs.



Scientists are now exploring whether these simple animals could take on a big role in developing treatments for serious <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-simplest-organisms-like-worms-have-unique-personalities/">mental illnesses</a>, all while sparing countless mice and rats from laboratory testing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-worms-aid-mental-health-research">Worms aid mental health research</h2>



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a> have discovered that harmless flatworms called planaria could help develop treatments for conditions like schizophrenia. 



These small creatures respond to psychiatric medicines in ways similar to mice and rats. When given haloperidol, a drug used for mental health conditions, the worms became far less active, much like rodents do.



Past research has used planaria to explore epilepsy treatments and drug addiction, as they can show withdrawal symptoms. 



The new study suggests the worms could be used to test medicines for schizophrenia and hallucinations. A <a href="https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2024/11/26/researchers-warn-360000-patients-in-the-uk-risk-being-trapped-on-antipsychotics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 study</a> found that one in 69 UK adults uses anti-psychotic medication long-term.



"This finding adds to growing evidence that tiny flatworms like planaria could play a valuable role in how we study the brain. They display certain responses to psychiatric drugs that resemble those seen in mammals, but using them involves far fewer ethical concerns," noted Professor Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, who led the study.



"Close to a million mice and rats are used in UK research each year, but using planaria instead could potentially cut those numbers and still give us the answers we need to develop better treatments for people with serious <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-health-crisis-half-of-the-worlds-population-will-be-affected-by-age-75/">mental health</a> conditions. It's good for science and it’s good for animal welfare."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-replacing-lab-rodents">Replacing lab rodents</h2>



Haloperidol works by calming overactive brain activity in people whose thoughts are racing or confused. Scientists often use animals, but now also study worms, to see how this drug affects the brain and to design better mental health treatments. 



UK government data shows that in 2023, 882,000 mice and 144,060 rats were used in research. A 2016 study found that rodent use in neuroscience had increased from 20% in the 1980s to over 50% by the 2010s. 



Even with growing efforts to make research more ethical, rodents remain the main test subjects. Planaria could reduce their numbers significantly.



The research explored how cyclodextrins - ring-shaped sugar molecules - can change the way haloperidol behaves in water. Types like hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and methyl-β-cyclodextrin boosted haloperidol’s solubility up to nearly 20 times compared to its natural level. 



This works because cyclodextrins can trap haloperidol molecules inside their cavities. However, when trapped, the drug entered the worms less easily, showing that strong binding can limit delivery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sugars-change-drug-behavior">Sugars change drug behavior</h2>



Analyses confirmed that haloperidol and these cyclodextrins form stable 1:1 inclusion complexes in worms. 



Advanced methods like nuclear magnetic resonance and thermal studies revealed that one aromatic ring of haloperidol sits inside the sugar ring’s cavity, offering insights for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-to-maximize-the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise/">mental health</a> research.



These complexes exist in an amorphous state, meaning the drug loses its crystal form. While this can help with dissolving the drug, it may also affect how quickly it becomes available in living systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-on-mobility-tests">Impact on mobility tests</h2>



The study measured how the worms moved in different solutions. Pure haloperidol reduced their mobility in a dose-dependent way, mimicking the catalepsy seen in mammals. 



Cyclodextrin complexes caused a smaller drop in movement, likely because the drug was held too tightly. Interestingly, pure cyclodextrins also slowed the worms slightly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-worms-teach-mental-health-science">Worms teach mental health science</h2>



The findings from this research have already made their way into the classroom at the University of Reading, influencing how future scientists are trained. 



In undergraduate pharmacology courses, students are now introduced to the effects of haloperidol on planaria as part of their practical learning.



By observing how these simple organisms respond to the drug, students gain a deeper understanding of both the medicine’s action and the broader principles of neuropharmacology.



This early exposure to innovative and ethical research methods offers more than just technical knowledge. It encourages young scientists to think critically about alternatives to traditional animal testing, showing them that valuable results can come from models that reduce harm to higher animals. 



Such hands-on experience not only builds practical skills but also shapes attitudes, potentially inspiring the next generation to develop humane, efficient, and impactful approaches to studying treatments for mental health <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-reduces-depression-and-anxiety-in-children-and-teens-with-mental-health-issues/">conditions</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11095-025-03909-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pharmaceutical Research</a>.



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Tiny worms could change how we test mental health drugs

A new wave of mental health research may come from...

A cave stalagmite has captured a season-by-season record of rain shortfalls during the final centuries of the Classic Maya. The stone’s chemical layers show eight wet-season droughts between 871 and 1021 CE, including one that dragged on for 13 consecutive years.



The pattern aligns with the era’s political turmoil and the halt of monument building at key cities.



Led by the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a>, a new study examined a cave in Mexico’s Yucatán, and managed to isolate rainfall in individual wet and dry seasons across the Terminal Classic period. 



This research adds a precise climate timeline to the historical and archaeological evidence for the Maya collapse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rainfall-recorded-in-rock">Rainfall recorded in rock</h2>



Stalagmites grow as mineral-rich water drips from cave ceilings and hardens on the floor. Each layer traps a chemical snapshot of the conditions outside. In this case, oxygen isotope ratios record how much rain fell when a given layer formed.



Earlier work measured lake sediments to gauge <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-and-extreme-weather-events-are-escalating/">drought</a> severity. Those cores are powerful, but they blur events across longer spans. 



This stalagmite is different. Its annual layers are relatively thick, about one millimeter, allowing the team to pull apart the rainy and dry seasons year by year.



“It hasn’t been possible to directly compare the history of individual Maya sites with what we previously knew about the<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-destroying-a-valuable-record-of-earths-climate/"> climate record</a>,” said lead author Daniel James, who conducted the research while a Ph.D. student in Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences.



“Lake sediment is great when you want to look at the big picture, but stalagmites allow us to access the fine-grained detail that we’ve been missing.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crops-and-cities-under-strain">Crops and cities under strain</h2>



For farmers, annual averages can be misleading. What matters is the rainy season. If those months fail, harvests fail. The new record therefore tracks wet-season drought directly, identifying&nbsp;differences between subsistence and scarcity.



“Knowing the annual average <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-changing-rainfall-patterns-impact-plants-worldwide/">rainfall</a> doesn’t tell you as much as knowing what each individual wet season was like,” James said. 



“Being able to isolate the wet season allows us to accurately track the duration of wet season drought, which is what determines if crops succeed or fail.”



Between 871 and 1021 CE, the stalagmite registered eight wet-season droughts that lasted at least three years. The longest persisted for 13 years. Even with reservoirs, canals, and cisterns, a deficit that long would strain food stores, trade, and social order.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-s-mark-on-maya-politics">Climate’s mark on Maya politics</h2>



The Terminal Classic saw southern lowland cities emptied and dynasties ended. Power shifted north, and monument programs faltered. The new drought timeline overlaps those disruptions.



“This period in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mayan-civilization-may-have-been-shaped-by-ingenious-fisheries/">Maya history</a> has been a cause of fascination for centuries," James said. "There have been multiple theories as to what caused the collapse, such as changing trade routes, war, or severe drought, based on the archaeological evidence the Maya left behind.” 



“But in the past few decades, we’ve started to learn quite a lot about what happened to the Maya and why by combining the archaeological data with quantifiable climate evidence.”



At major northern sites, including Chichén Itzá, the carving of dated inscriptions stopped during severe, prolonged droughts. While that does not prove abandonment, it certainly marks a pivot in priorities.



“This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Maya abandoned Chichén Itzá during these periods of severe drought, but it’s likely that they had more immediate things to worry about than constructing monuments, such as whether the crops they relied on would succeed or not,” James said. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seasonal-view-of-the-maya-collapse">Seasonal view of the Maya collapse</h2>



Starting in the 1990s, researchers linked a series of droughts to the Maya collapse by comparing regional climate proxies with the dates on monuments.



The new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-americas-13000-years/">stalagmite record</a> builds on that foundation. It delivers the fine-grained detail that bridges climate processes and human decisions at specific places and times.



Researchers noted that earlier studies based on lake sediments offered a broad regional view, but lacked the resolution to pinpoint changes within specific years or seasons. Stalagmites, by contrast, allow researchers to match climate shifts to historical events more precisely.



By aligning wet-season failures with changes in building, ritual, and rule, scholars can test how drought pressure unfolded, how cities adapted, and when systems failed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-drought-in-the-record">Beyond drought in the record</h2>



The team, which includes collaborators in the UK, U.S., and Mexico, argues that stalagmites from this and other Yucatán caves can do more. They could capture the fingerprints of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-tropical-thunderstorms-are-radioactive/">tropical storms</a> as well as drought, widening the environmental context for Maya history.



“In addition to what stalagmites can tell us about this period in Maya history, they might also be able to tell us about the frequency and severity of tropical storms, for instance,” James said.



“As a case study for fine-grained comparisons between climate and historical data, it’s exciting being able to apply methods usually associated with the deeper past to relatively recent history.”



James, now a postdoctoral researcher at <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College London</a>, said the next step is to expand the cave network and tighten links to site-by-site archaeology. The goal is a shared chronology that can help bring into focus the full sequence of droughts, decisions, and decline.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adw7661" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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What caused the Maya collapse? The answer was hidden in a cave

A cave stalagmite has captured a season-by-season record of rain...

A submarine fiber-optic cable has revealed how glacier calving stirs fjords long after the splash. The measurements capture surface tsunamis and towering internal waves triggered by glaciers that mix warm and cold layers.



The result is faster underwater melting and a powerful feedback loop that helps glaciers shed ice.



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a> and partner institutions recorded calving across South Greenland’s Eqalorutsit Kangilliit Sermiat by laying a sensing cable along the fjord floor. The work shows how to quantify a process that is accelerating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emergency-meeting-reveals-the-alarming-extent-of-antarcticas-ice-loss/">ice loss</a> and affecting ocean circulation and ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remote-view-of-glacier-edge">Remote view of glacier edge</h2>



The front of a glacier is no place to linger. Ice blocks the size of buildings break free and hurl into the sea. Traditional instruments cannot safely sit in the impact zone.



“We took the fiber to a glacier and we measured this calving multiplier effect that we never could have seen with simpler technology,” said co-author Brad Lipovsky, a geophysicist at the University of Washington. “It’s the kind of thing we’ve just never been able to quantify before.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-tracks-waves-from-glaciers">Light tracks waves from glaciers</h2>



The team used Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). A 10-kilometer cable was unspooled from a boat near the glacier’s mouth. A compact receiver pulsed light and read tiny changes as the cable strained. 



Those optical backscatter patterns recorded ground motion and temperature at thousands of points along the line, for three weeks.



The setup turned the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-fjords-show-signs-of-struggle-in-a-warming-world/">fjord</a> into an instrument. It registered the instant of impact when ice hit the water and followed the wake as icebergs sped past - some as big as stadiums and moving 15 to 20 miles per hour. It also captured what the eye cannot see.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glaciers-waves-and-warm-water">Glaciers, waves, and warm water</h2>



Calving first launches a surface surge. These calving-induced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/20-years-later-remembering-the-worlds-deadliest-tsunami/">tsunamis</a> rake the fjord’s top layers. Then the surface calms. The cable, however, kept shaking. Beneath the still water, internal gravity waves rolled between density layers.



“When icebergs break off, they excite all sorts of waves,” said lead author Dominik Gräff, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington.



The internal waves were as tall as skyscrapers and lasted longer than the surface swell. They mixed the water column, lifting warmth upward and pushing cold water downward. That sustained stirring renewed contact between the glacier face and warmer water at depth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feedback-loop-accelerates-melt">Feedback loop accelerates melt</h2>



Glaciers are top-heavy where they meet the ocean, while most of their mass hides below the surface. Warm water erodes the submerged ice and hollows the base. 



Afterward, calving sheds the overhanging top. The splash does more than make noise. It stirs the fjord like a spoon in a drink.



Gräff used a simple image. Around an ice cube, still water turns cool and forms a thin insulating layer. Stirring strips that layer away, making the cube melt faster. 



In the fjord, calving does the stirring, and the boundary layer at the ice front is disrupted again and again. The researchers observed a large event every few hours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-it-matters-well-beyond-one-fjord"><a></a>Why it matters well beyond one fjord</h2>



The Greenland ice sheet is shrinking. It is a frozen cap roughly three times the size of Texas. If it melted, sea levels would rise by about 25 feet, inundating coasts and displacing millions. 



Scientists also worry about the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/polar-warming-could-reduce-ocean-currents-amoc-and-cause-massive-flooding-in-the-us/">AMOC</a>), which moves heat and nutrients around the globe since ice loss and freshwater inputs can weaken that system.



“Our whole Earth system depends, at least in part, on these ice sheets,” Gräff said. “It’s a fragile system, and if you disturb it even just a little bit, it could collapse."



"We need to understand the turning points, and this requires deep, process-based knowledge of glacial mass loss.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-models-and-warning-systems">Improving models and warning systems </h2>



Before this expedition, no one had attempted to capture calving with a submarine fiber-optic array.



“We didn’t know if this was going to work,” Lipovsky said. “But now we have data to support something that was only an idea before.”



The cable recorded internal waves not only from the splash but also from glaciers as they cruised down the fjord. Earlier studies relied on isolated bottom sensors and strings of thermometers, which offered only snapshots.



The fiber delivered a movie, with both space and time resolved along the entire line. That level of detail can improve models and inform warning systems for calving-induced tsunamis in narrow fjords.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fiber-optics-in-glacial-science">Fiber optics in glacial science</h2>



“There is a fiber-sensing revolution going on right now,” Lipovsky said. “It’s become much more accessible in the past decade, and we can use this technology in these amazing settings.”



The approach is scalable. Cables can be redeployed, linked, and left in place. They can watch a fjord through seasons, storms, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-made-heatwaves-more-deadly/">heatwaves</a> and can record the subtle shifts that push a glacier toward a tipping point.



The lesson is clear: watch the waves you cannot see, and you will learn how glaciers vanish. With that knowledge, scientists can better forecast sea-level rise and its cascading effects - from coastlines to currents to communities.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09347-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Glaciers are melting from hidden underwater waves

A submarine fiber-optic cable has revealed how glacier calving stirs...

<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=Veg4HmmRVZY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-map-exact-ages-when-your-body-rapidly-ages">Scientists Map Exact Ages When Your Body Rapidly Ages</h2>



Scientists have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/#google_vignette">discovered that aging</a> isn't the gradual, steady process many assume it to be. Instead, researchers from Stanford Medicine have found that our bodies undergo dramatic molecular changes at two specific ages: 44 and 60. This research, published in Nature Aging, reveals that aging happens in sudden bursts rather than smooth transitions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-waves-of-rapid-aging">Two waves of rapid aging</h2>



The Stanford study tracked over 135,000 different molecules and microbes in 108 participants aged 25 to 75 over several years. Results showed that 81% of all molecules studied exhibited non-linear changes, meaning they shifted dramatically at certain ages rather than changing gradually over time.



Michael Snyder, chair of genetics at Stanford School of Medicine and the study's senior author, noted significant findings. "We're not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes. It turns out the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s. And that's true no matter what class of molecules you look at."



The first wave of changes occurs around age 44, affecting molecules related to alcohol metabolism, caffeine processing, lipid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-related-changes-in-metabolism-dont-match-our-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metabolism</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-remains-the-leading-cause-of-death-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular disease</a>, and skin and muscle function. The second wave hits around age 60, involving changes in carbohydrate metabolism, immune regulation, kidney function, and again cardiovascular and muscle health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-during-these-aging-bursts">What happens during these aging bursts</h2>



During the mid-40s transformation, researchers observed significant changes in how the body processes alcohol and fats. This period often coincides with increased stress levels in many people's lives, potentially contributing to lifestyle factors that accelerate these molecular shifts.



"It's possible some of these changes could be tied to lifestyle or behavioral factors that cluster at these age groups, rather than being driven by biological factors," Snyder explained. For instance, alcohol metabolism dysfunction might result from increased consumption during the typically stressful mid-40s period.



The changes at age 60 are perhaps less surprising, as this is when many age-related diseases begin to manifest more prominently. The molecular shifts affect immune function and kidney health, both critical for maintaining overall wellness as we enter our senior years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latest-research-confirms-aging-patterns">Latest research confirms aging patterns</h2>



Recent 2025 studies have validated these findings. Research examining tissue samples from 76 people found similar aging patterns, noting an "inflection point" between ages 45 and 55.



Scientists discovered that blood vessels, particularly the aorta, age fastest among all body tissues. This vascular aging may drive aging in other body parts, highlighting cardiovascular health's central role in the aging process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cellular-changes-and-microbiome-shifts">Cellular changes and microbiome shifts</h2>



The Stanford research revealed that these aging bursts affect our microbiome – the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in and on our bodies. These microbial communities undergo substantial shifts during both aging periods, potentially affecting everything from digestion to immune function.



Additionally, researchers found that protein production and gene expression begin to fall out of sync as we age. This breakdown in cellular communication becomes especially pronounced during the two aging waves, contributing to the accumulation of damaged proteins associated with diseases such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-may-not-be-brain-disorder-important-data-was-fabricated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer's</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-implications-and-longevity-considerations">Health implications and longevity considerations</h2>



Understanding these aging patterns has important implications for healthcare strategies. Research suggests that people should pay particular attention to their health during their 40s and 60s, when these dramatic molecular changes occur.



Snyder emphasized the importance of proactive health measures. "I'm a big believer that we should try to adjust our lifestyles while we're still healthy," he noted. This might include increasing exercise to protect heart health and maintain muscle mass, or reducing alcohol consumption in the 40s as the body's ability to metabolize it declines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-approaches-to-anti-aging-treatment">New approaches to anti-aging treatment</h2>



Aging research has seen notable advances in 2025. Harvard Medical School scientists developed chemical cocktails that reverse cellular aging without genetic modification. These six combinations restored aged cells to youthfulness in under a week, offering safer alternatives to gene therapy.



Researchers identified new biomarkers like "InflammAge," a saliva-based test measuring chronic inflammation associated with aging. This non-invasive approach could change how we monitor aging and intervention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-directions-in-aging-research">Future directions in aging research</h2>



Emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, cellular reprogramming, and senolytic therapies, are opening new possibilities for extending healthspan. Companies develop treatments targeting aging's fundamental mechanisms rather than just managing age-related diseases.



The Stanford findings provide a roadmap for implementing preventive measures. Rather than waiting for symptoms, people can prepare for and potentially mitigate these predictable aging waves.



As aging understanding evolves, one thing becomes clear: aging isn't inevitable decline, but specific biological events we may learn to prevent or reverse. The key is recognizing when these transitions occur and taking proactive health steps during vulnerable periods.



The study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nataging" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Aging</a>.



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Scientists discover we age in bursts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages....

<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=PqlF0XKzHY4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The hidden science behind tickling.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-discover-the-brain-s-tickling-command-center">Scientists discover the brain's 'tickling command center'</h2>



Researchers have finally solved one of humanity's most enduring mysteries: why we can't <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/after-centuries-of-debate-we-still-dont-know-how-tickling-works/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tickle</a> ourselves and what makes some people incredibly ticklish while others barely react? Recent scientific discoveries are revolutionizing our understanding of this peculiar human behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-discovery-in-the-brain">Breakthrough discovery in the brain</h2>



In 2023, Dr. Michael Brecht's team at <a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humboldt University</a>-<a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berlin</a> made a major discovery published in the <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(22)01991-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journal Neuron</a>. They identified the brain's actual "tickling command center" – specific neurons in a region called the periaqueductal gray that control both tickling responses and play behavior.



When researchers used cutting-edge optogenetic technology to shut down these neurons in laboratory rats, something remarkable happened. The animals completely lost their ability to be tickled or engage in playful behavior.



"We found that global blockade of the rat periaqueductal gray with either muscimol or lidocaine interfered with ticklishness and play," the research team reported in their study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-types-of-tickling-revealed">Two types of tickling revealed</h2>



What we call "tickling" is two completely different phenomena, according to the latest research. Light tickling – that feathery sensation that makes you want to scratch – is essentially your body's sophisticated bug detection system. This alerts you to potential insects or parasites on your skin.



Deep tickling – the kind that makes you laugh uncontrollably – involves complex brain circuits and is fundamentally social. You literally cannot tickle yourself with this type of stimulation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-self-tickling-is-impossible">Why self-tickling is impossible</h2>



Your cerebellum acts like a prediction machine, recent findings show. When you move your own hand to touch yourself, your brain generates precise predictions about what you will feel and then cancels out the tickling sensation through neural inhibition.



When someone else tickles you, your brain can't predict their movements, so the full tickling response activates. It's like your brain's way of distinguishing between self and others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-differences-explained">Individual differences explained</h2>



Individual differences in ticklishness depend on genetics, psychology, and even trust. Dr. Xinzhong Dong at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> notes that people with denser nerve endings tend to be more sensitive.



Psychological factors matter just as much. You respond more strongly when tickled by people you trust, and anxiety completely shuts down tickling responses. This explains why the same physical stimulus can produce completely different reactions depending on who's doing the tickling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-your-ticklishness">Controlling your ticklishness</h2>



Science offers answers for controlling your ticklishness. You can reduce tickling sensitivity through systematic desensitization – gradual exposure in controlled settings.



Dr. Konstantina Kilteni's 2025 research, published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt0350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>, reveals another technique: place your hand on the tickler's hand. This allows your brain to partially predict the sensations, reducing the tickling response by up to 90 percent.



"Your brain is essentially learning to override its own reflexes," Kilteni explained in her review of tickling research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-purpose-discovered">Evolutionary purpose discovered</h2>



From an evolutionary perspective, tickling serves vital functions according to <a href="https://www.umd.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland</a> researcher Dr. Robert Provine's extensive studies. It trains our defense reflexes for vulnerable body areas and facilitates social bonding between family members.



Tickling-induced laughter is actually one of the first forms of communication between infants and caregivers. "Tickle involves a neurological self/nonself discrimination, providing the most primitive social scenario," Provine noted in his research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clinical-applications-emerge">Clinical applications emerge</h2>



Research shows people with autism spectrum disorder perceive touches as more ticklish than people without the condition. Investigating this difference could provide insight into brain differences and help advance autism research.



People with schizophrenia tend to experience self-touches similarly to external tickles, allowing them to essentially tickle themselves. This suggests altered sensory prediction mechanisms in the condition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-research-reveals-universal-nature">Animal research reveals universal nature</h2>



Scientists have discovered that many species beyond humans are ticklish. Rats emit ultrasonic "laughs" when tickled, while chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans all respond to tickling stimulation.



This widespread occurrence across species suggests that tickling serves fundamental biological and social functions that evolved long before humans developed complex language and culture.



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



Dr. Kilteni argues that tickling research deserves more scientific attention. "It is a complex interplay of motor, social, neurological, developmental, and evolutionary aspects," she stated in her recent review.



New haptic technologies and advanced research methodologies now permit scientists to investigate tickle sensation with unprecedented precision. Standardized experimental methods using mechanical tickling devices ensure consistent results across studies.



Recent findings published in Science Advances show that tickling research is opening new doors in neuroscience, potentially leading to a better understanding of social behavior, sensory processing, and neurological conditions.



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-----

Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4 The hidden science behind tickling. Scientists discover the brain's...

<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=elr4948_uOU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals secret mission to create working time travel device.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-an-equation-truly-bend-time-a-physicist-s-decades-long-quest-to-rewrite-reality">Could an equation truly bend time? A physicist's decades-long quest to rewrite reality</h2>



Imagine the impossible: stepping back through time in a time machine, not in fantasy, but through a scientific endeavor driven by profound personal loss. For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astrophysicist-says-hes-cracked-the-equation-for-time-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Ronald Mallett</a>, a distinguished astrophysicist and professor emeritus at the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut</a>, this deeply human longing has fueled a lifelong mission. He claims to have discovered the equation that could unlock temporal displacement, pushing boundaries once deemed purely science fiction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-profound-grief-that-forged-a-vision">A profound grief that forged a vision</h2>



Mallett's extraordinary pursuit began with devastating tragedy in 1955. At merely 10 years old, he endured his father Boyd's sudden death—a television repairman whose passion for science had ignited a similar spark in his young son. Boyd Mallett, only 33, succumbed to a heart attack, leaving behind a grief-stricken child searching for solace.



That solace came through H.G. Wells' The Time Machine. Within its pages, Mallett found a captivating concept: "Time is only a kind of Space." These words transformed from a literary phrase into a guiding principle, becoming the driving force behind his unwavering commitment to unraveling time's fundamental mysteries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-humble-beginnings-to-academic-heights">From humble beginnings to academic heights</h2>



Mallett's journey was far from straightforward. After serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War era, he utilized the GI Bill for higher education, earning his Ph.D. in physics from Pennsylvania State University in 1973 at the age of 28.



In 1975, he made history as the first African American professor in the University of Connecticut's physics department, achieving full professorship in 1987 before retiring in 2024 as professor emeritus.



Throughout these successful academic years, Mallett harbored his radical ambition as a closely guarded secret. "I kept my time travel goal a secret," he confessed. "I worried people would think I was nuts." His public research centered on black holes, serving as a "cover story" while he quietly developed his revolutionary time travel theory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-breakthrough-moment">The breakthrough moment</h2>



His pivotal insight arrived while hospitalized for a heart condition—a profound irony given his father's heart attack started this journey. The breakthrough was elegantly simple yet revolutionary: "If gravity can bend time, and light can create gravity, then light can bend time."



"It turns out that black holes 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.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-blueprint-for-a-temporal-vortex">The blueprint for a temporal vortex</h2>



Mallett's vision for a functioning time machine replicates spacetime-warping phenomena around black holes. He offers a compelling analogy: "Picture a cup of coffee. Stir it with a spoon, and the coffee swirls. A spinning black hole does the same to spacetime."



In Einstein's general relativity, the universe is a dynamic fabric woven from space and time. Massive objects like black holes warp this fabric—an effect we perceive as gravity. Mallett theorizes that an intense, continuous, circulating beam of light from a ring of powerful lasers could replicate this gravitational torsion, effectively twisting time into a loop.



This "time loop" would theoretically allow information—or perhaps matter—to travel backward in time. He detailed this mathematical concept in his 2006 autobiography, Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-published-research-and-recognition">Published research and recognition</h2>



His work, published in respected journals including <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/physics-letters-a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physics Letters A</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/10701" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Foundations of Physics</a>, suggests circulating laser light could generate gravitational fields potent enough to create closed timelike curves, enabling time travel for data.



Mallett's research has gained worldwide media attention, featured on <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Public Radio's This American Life</a>, the <a href="https://www.history.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">History Channel</a>, and <a href="https://www.today.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBC's Today Show</a>. The widespread interest reflects both his compelling personal story and rigorous scientific approach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-galactic-hurdles-and-persistent-skepticism">The galactic hurdles and persistent skepticism</h2>



While Mallett's equations captivate imagination, the path to reality faces immense obstacles. The energy requirement is staggering—Mallett acknowledges needing "galactic amounts of energy," far beyond current technological capabilities.



There's also a poignant limitation: even if realized, his machine could only send information back to when it was first activated, meaning it couldn't transport him to 1955 to prevent his father's death.



The scientific community remains skeptical. Physicists Ken Olum and Allen Everett argue that Mallett's proposed laser ring would need to be larger than the observable universe to achieve the necessary spacetime distortion. They invoke Stephen Hawking's chronology protection conjecture, suggesting physics may prevent macroscopic time travel.



Astrophysicist Paul Sutter has voiced doubts about Mallett's underlying mathematics, while science writer Brian Clegg finds the concept intriguing enough to warrant experimental investigation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-legacy-that-transcends-time">A legacy that transcends time</h2>



Now approaching 80, Dr. Mallett remains steadfast. "I believe my work will show time travel is possible," he asserts. "Future generations will build on it in ways we can't yet imagine."



His equations, though yet to physically bend time, have bent our collective imagination. Ongoing public interest, evidenced by his continued media appearances and Spike Lee's film adaptation of his memoir, underscores his ideas' profound impact.



More than a scientific pursuit, Mallett's story testifies to human resilience, intellectual courage, and hope's enduring power. Whether his theoretical time machine ever materializes, his legacy is immeasurable—inspiring countless individuals to challenge conventional limits and perceive time not as an unyielding barrier, but as a boundless frontier awaiting exploration.







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Retired professor claims he solved time travel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals...

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</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...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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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?

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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



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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.

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;



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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.

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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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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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.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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