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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>If that had occurred, the consequences for our planet would have been dramatic. </p>



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



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



<p>That small difference between theoretical predictions and observational reality has puzzled researchers for decades.</p>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>By identifying carbon as the critical player, scientists can narrow down these timelines. </p>



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



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



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



<p>-----</p>



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

Far beneath our feet, beyond the Earth's rocky mantle and molten outer core, lies a dense, solid sphere of iron and other elements like carbon. This inner core is Earth’s deepest secret, shaping the magnetic field that shields our planet. Yet, scientists still puzzle over how it first formed and what ingredients allowed it to crystallize. A new study by researchers from the University of Leeds, University of Oxford, and University College London provides fresh insight. Their findings reveal that carbon may have been the key element...

<p>When the Webb telescope launched, astronomers expected new surprises. But few predicted the discovery of something as striking as Zhúlóng - a massive, elegant spiral galaxy that had already formed just one billion years after the Big Bang.</p>



<p>In a cosmos that should still have been chaotic and unstructured at that time, this galaxy stands out as an anomaly. Not only is it huge and distant, but it also resembles modern spirals like our own Milky Way, which were long believed to be latecomers in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-galaxies-discovery-would-upend-current-understanding-of-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmic history</a>.</p>



<p>The discovery, detailed in a new study from the PANORAMIC Survey team, is shaking up long-held ideas about how galaxies grow and evolve. Using <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>’s cutting-edge imaging, astronomers spotted Zhúlóng nestled in the ancient Universe. </p>



<p>At a redshift of z ∼ 5.2, meaning that the light has been travelling from this galaxy for 12.5 billion years, Zhúlóng is now the most distant spiral galaxy known - a record-breaker and a puzzle rolled into one.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zhulong-the-torch-dragon">Zhúlóng: The "Torch Dragon"</h2>



<p>‘‘We named this galaxy Zhúlóng, meaning ‘Torch Dragon’ in Chinese mythology," explained Dr. Mengyuan Xiao, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Astronomy at the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Geneva</a>, and lead author of the study. </p>



<p>"In the myth, Zhúlóng is a powerful red solar dragon that creates day and night by opening and closing its eyes, symbolizing light and cosmic time.’’ </p>



<p>Zhúlóng is massive, red, and shockingly mature considering that it formed at a very early time in cosmic history. It sports a well-defined classical bulge and a sweeping disk with spiral arms that stretch across 62,000 light-years.</p>



<p>This structure is not common among galaxies formed in the early universe, which usually appear clumpy and irregular in deep space images.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.unige.ch/sciences/astro/cosmicdawn/jwst-surveys/panoramic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The PANORAMIC Survey</a> that uncovered Zhúlóng used JWST’s “pure parallel mode,” a method that allows one camera to collect additional images while another conducts its primary task. This clever approach captured extra slices of the early universe, increasing the chances of turning up rare finds.</p>



<p>“Wide-area surveys are necessary to discover rare, massive galaxies. We were hoping to discover massive and bright galaxies across the earliest epochs of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strange-signals-from-the-center-of-our-galaxy-hint-at-a-new-kind-of-dark-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe</a> to understand how massive galaxies form and evolve, which helps to interpret the later epochs of their evolution that will be observed with the LSST,” noted Christina Williams, co-leader of the study.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zhulong-looks-like-a-modern-galaxy">Zhúlóng looks like a modern galaxy</h2>



<p>Zhúlóng looks nothing like the galaxies typically found at this redshift. Most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxy-found-in-the-early-universe-that-shouldnt-exist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> formed in early epochs are distorted, compact, or undergoing chaotic starbursts. Instead, this one features a calm, balanced structure - a red, quiescent core surrounded by a vast disk filled with young stars.</p>



<p>Using JWST’s deep infrared data, astronomers revealed a stellar mass of about 10¹¹ solar masses. That places it on par with the Milky Way. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zhulong_torch-galaxy_JWST_NoirLab_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zhulong_torch-galaxy_JWST_NoirLab_1s.webp" alt="This image of Zhúlóng, the most distant spiral galaxy discovered to date, shows its remarkably well-defined spiral arms, a central old bulge, and a large star-forming disk, resembling the structure of the Milky Way. Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/NASA/CSA/ESA" class="wp-image-1966137"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This image of Zhúlóng, the most distant spiral galaxy discovered to date, shows its remarkably well-defined spiral arms, a central old bulge, and a large star-forming disk, resembling the structure of the Milky Way. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/NASA/CSA/ESA</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The galaxy has already transitioned its core into a quiet state that no longer forms stars. Surrounding this core, however, the disk still supports some ongoing star formation, albeit at a relatively modest rate of around 66 solar masses per year.</p>



<p>Zhúlóng’s specific star formation rate is surprisingly low for a galaxy formed so early in the history of the universe. </p>



<p>This suggests the galaxy is entering a transitional phase - moving from active formation into cosmic retirement, long before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-found-something-strange-at-core-of-milky-way-galaxy-webb-meerkat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most galaxies</a> of its kind.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mature-spiral-born-in-chaos">Mature spiral born in chaos</h2>



<p>The elegance of Zhúlóng’s spiral arms has drawn intense attention. These arms are not faint or broken but stretch cleanly from the central bulge outward, resembling the structure of well-formed spirals like the Milky Way.</p>



<p>For decades, theorists believed such arms required many billions of years to develop, as they rely on organized disk dynamics and stable conditions.</p>



<p>Yet Zhúlóng contradicts this. </p>



<p>“It is really exciting that this galaxy resembles a grand-design spiral galaxy like our Milky Way,” says Williams. </p>



<p>“It is generally thought that it takes billions of years for this structure to form in galaxies, but Zhúlóng shows that this could also happen in only one billion years.”</p>



<p>What’s more, the arms appear in residual maps after subtracting the galaxy’s main light components, which confirms their reality. The spiral pattern extends across an unusually large face-on disk that is nearly 20 kiloparsecs wide.</p>



<p>Its half-light radius reaches up to 3.9 kiloparsecs, and when using a non-parametric method, 80% of its stellar light spreads out to nearly 10 kiloparsecs. This is immense by any standard, let alone for a galaxy so early in cosmic history.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-find-or-tip-of-the-iceberg">Rare find or tip of the iceberg?</h2>



<p>Could Zhúlóng be unique, or is it the first of many such ancient spirals? The answer may lie in future wide-area JWST surveys and improved models of galaxy formation. </p>



<p>So far, only a handful of spiral-like galaxies have been identified at redshift z &gt; 3. Zhúlóng stands as the most distant example.</p>



<p>Its large disk, mature bulge, and red spiral arms all point to a level of organization that is rarely expected in the early cosmos. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://storage.noirlab.edu/media/archives/images/publicationjpg/noirlab2516a.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zhulong_torch-galaxy_PANORAMIC-survey_JWST_NoirLab_1s.webp" alt="Zhúlóng was discovered as part of the PANORAMIC Survey — a wide-area imaging survey being conducted with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). . Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/NASA/CSA/ESA" class="wp-image-1966138"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Zhúlóng was discovered as part of the PANORAMIC Survey — a wide-area imaging survey being conducted with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Click image to enlarge. Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/NASA/CSA/ESA</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The galaxy also avoids heavy dust obscuration, unlike some other massive galaxies discovered with submillimeter telescopes. Instead, it offers a clear view into the dynamics of early disk galaxies.</p>



<p>The rarity of spiral arms in early epochs could mean they are short-lived. In the high-density, merger-rich universe of that time, such delicate structures might often be destroyed before reaching our telescopes. Zhúlóng may represent a fleeting moment of cosmic symmetry.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-zhulong-matter">Why does Zhúlóng matter?</h2>



<p>Zhúlóng challenges the narrative of slow galaxy growth. It suggests that some massive galaxies, perhaps under specific conditions, can grow their bulges and disks rapidly. </p>



<p>It also reinforces that the classic Hubble sequence - with spirals, ellipticals, and bulge-disk galaxies - may have begun forming far earlier than once thought.</p>



<p>In comparing Zhúlóng to the Milky Way, the similarities become startling. The size, mass, and structure closely match our home galaxy, but Zhúlóng achieved this structure in only a tenth of the time. </p>



<p>This forces a reevaluation of the timing and mechanics behind spiral galaxy formation.</p>



<p>Despite the turbulent environment of the early universe, some galaxies found a path to order and elegance. Zhúlóng is one such case - not just a cosmic oddity but a glimpse into what the first billion years could produce when conditions aligned.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



<p>Zhúlóng’s discovery opens the door to a new class of early galaxies. </p>



<p>As the Webb telescope continues scanning the deep universe and surveys like COSMOS-Web expand, more such spirals may emerge. If they do, astronomers will need to refine their theories about when - and how - galaxies become mature.</p>



<p>This galaxy is a striking example of cosmic maturity arriving far earlier than theory allows. Its red bulge, youthful arms, low star formation rate, and ultra-massive profile defy expectations. </p>



<p>But it is only one data point. Future spectroscopy and deep imaging from JWST and <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/alma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a> will help decode its origin story.</p>



<p>For now, Zhúlóng stands as a dragon in the deep, carrying light, time, and mystery from an age we are only just beginning to understand.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.aanda.org/component/article?access=doi&amp;doi=10.1051/0004-6361/202453487" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy and Astrophysics</a>.</em></p>



<p>Image Credit: <a href="https://noirlab.edu/public/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOIRLab</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aura-astronomy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AURA</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CSA</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, M. Xiao (<a href="https://www.unige.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Geneva</a>), G. Brammer (<a href="https://nbi.ku.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Niels Bohr Institute</a>), D. de Martin &amp; M. Zamani (<a href="https://noirlab.edu/public/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF NOIRLab</a>)</p>



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Meet Zhúlóng: The oldest known spiral galaxy in the universe

When the Webb telescope launched, astronomers expected new surprises. But...

<p>The sunshine we see every day might look the same, but research shows the amount of light hitting our planet can change over long time spans. These changes occur in patterns that can affect climate, energy production, and day-to-day life for many people.</p>



<p>Scientists report that these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dirty-power-the-hidden-climate-cost-of-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">patterns</a> include periods of less sunlight, or "dimming," and times of rebound, referred to as "brightening."</p>



<p>Martin Wild of the <a href="https://iac.ethz.ch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science</a>, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich) is one of the researchers examining why these phases happen and how they may impact human life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sunlight-changes-over-decades">Sunlight changes over decades</h2>



<p>Some of the changes come from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Aerosols" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aerosols</a>, which are tiny particles in the air that can scatter or block sunlight. When pollution levels get higher, those particles can intercept more sunlight before it reaches the surface. This leads to lower light levels in many regions.</p>



<p>"The amount of sunlight - which is solar radiative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/swirling-electrons-could-power-future-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy</a> - we receive at the Earth’s surface is not necessarily stable over the years but can undergo substantial decadal variations," said Wild.</p>



<p>Cutting pollution has led to increasing sunlight in some places, but the degree of recovery is not the same everywhere.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sunlight-recovery-and-energy-production">Sunlight recovery and energy production</h2>



<p>Scientists have paid extra attention to China. Reduced pollution can restore past sunshine levels and possibly boost <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/solar/photovoltaics-and-electricity.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photovoltaic</a> power generation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"If China fully recovers from the dimming phase and reverts to the clean atmosphere levels of the 1960s, the country could make substantial gains in solar power production," said Wild. This matters because more light hitting panels can mean more energy for millions of homes and businesses.</p>



<p>Observations point to shifts in energy coming from the sun over spans of ten years or more, also called <a href="https://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/data/el-nino-la-nina-watch-and-pdo/pacific-decadal-oscillation-pdo/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decadal cycles</a>. Such findings are drawn from surface-based measurements and satellite data, though each set of data comes with its own challenges.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sunlight-affects-weather-and-energy">Sunlight affects weather and energy</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature04504" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Light changes</a> influence crops, temperature levels, and water evaporation. Some regions might see cooler days if pollution shades them, while others may notice shifts in rainfall patterns. A single percentage point dip in solar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-warnings-fossil-fuels-are-causing-climate-health-and-biodiversity-crises/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy</a> could affect how farmers plan their growing seasons.</p>



<p>"These decadal changes of dimming and brightening in the available solar energy are not only crucial for various aspects of climate and environmental change, but are also of significant importance for resource assessments in the rapidly growing sector of solar power production," said Wild.</p>



<p>People might also face rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-methanol-the-next-green-power-player-clean-energy-source/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy</a> costs or lower crop yields when light levels decline.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-need-for-solutions">Urgent need for solutions</h2>



<p>Some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266679242300029X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientists</a> use advanced computer models to fill gaps in places where sunlight measurements are not recorded. Others monitor chemical emissions that can cut sunlight on its way down. </p>



<p>More collaboration could refine data collection so that researchers can give clearer predictions to policymakers and industries.</p>



<p>Insights from these studies hint that <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ad5371" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cutting air pollution</a> and tracking how nature itself affects clouds hold promise for stabilizing future light levels. Further sunlight monitoring, paired with data on emissions, is seen as a crucial step for protecting and expanding solar energy options.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-sunlight-helps-climate-planning">Tracking sunlight helps climate planning</h2>



<p><a href="https://angeo.copernicus.org/articles/35/839/2017/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Efforts</a> to gather accurate data over many years help us see when light levels drop or rise. That information is especially valuable for people who build large-scale solar plants, since they rely on a steady supply of sunlight. </p>



<p>Industries need reliable expectations of how much power they can produce in any given year, and local communities want to know if weather patterns might shift.</p>



<p>Better measuring equipment, placed in more locations, could build a deeper understanding of how sunlight changes over time. Having these records is key for everyone from electric grid planners to local farmers. It can guide decisions about investing in new technologies or adjusting cropping schedules.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clean-air-sunlight-and-energy-costs">Clean air, sunlight, and energy costs</h2>



<p>These shifting light levels do not always make headlines, but they underscore the careful balance between air quality and the sun’s energy at ground level. </p>



<p>Researchers continue refining their data, looking for signals to warn if light dips are around the corner. Work is ongoing to see what happens under different pollution scenarios.</p>



<p>The potential for healthier air and better solar power output is significant. As more nations adopt cleaner energy sources, these sunlight changes carry bigger economic weight. Reducing aerosol emissions could unlock added benefits for power grids and agriculture, which may be vital to thriving cities and rural areas.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00376-025-4534-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Advances in Atmospheric Sciences</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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Dirty sky, less sunlight: How pollution steals our energy

The sunshine we see every day might look the same,...

<p>The diversity of rocks along the rim of Jezero Crater is offering an extraordinary peek into the deep past of Mars.</p>



<p>NASA’s Perseverance rover has been exploring this rugged Martian terrain and recently hit its fastest science-gathering streak since first touching down on the Red Planet, more than four years ago.</p>



<p>In just a few months, the rover has drilled into five rocks, sealed samples from three, and analyzed dozens more - all in an effort to understand Mars’s geological evolution better, and the potential it may once have had to support life.</p>



<p>The research team from <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> in Southern California has been guiding the rover as it scales the Crater’s western wall.</p>



<p>After a three-and-a-half month climb, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-perseverance-rover-now-uses-ai-search-minerals-life-on-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perseverance</a> reached the rim of the Crater on December 12, 2024, and is now exploring a 445-foot (135-meter) slope known as Witch Hazel Hill.</p>



<p>What the rover found there surprised even seasoned scientists.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jezero-crater-s-rocky-tapestry">Jezero Crater’s rocky tapestry</h2>



<p>“During previous science campaigns in Jezero, it could take several months to find a rock that was significantly different from the last rock we sampled and scientifically unique enough for sampling,” said Perseverance’s project scientist, Katie Stack Morgan of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.</p>



<p>“But up here on the crater rim, there are new and intriguing rocks everywhere the rover turns. It has been all we had hoped for and more.”</p>



<p>The rocks on the crater rim tell a story of violent impacts and ancient geological processes. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-perseverance-mars-rover-studies-trove-of-rocks-on-crater-rim/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/mars_perseverance-rover_jezero-crater_panoramic-mosaic_NASA_1s1.webp" alt="This mosaic showing the Martian surface outside of Jezero Crater was taken by NASA’s Perseverance on Dec. 25, 2024, at the site where the rover cored a sample dubbed “Silver Mountain” from a rock likely formed during Mars’ earliest geologic period. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS" class="wp-image-1965653"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This mosaic showing the Martian surface outside of Jezero Crater was taken by NASA’s Perseverance on Dec. 25, 2024, at the site where the rover cored a sample dubbed “Silver Mountain” from a rock likely formed during Mars’ earliest geologic period. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Many of them are once-molten boulders blasted out from deep below the Martian surface, possibly during the very impact that created Jezero Crater. Others are layered formations that solidified in place, billions of years ago.</p>



<p>In some areas, rocks that were changed by water sit right next to rocks that probably remained dry for their entire history - a mix that gives scientists a lot to work with.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digging-into-mars-s-early-history">Digging into Mars’s early history</h2>



<p>Perseverance began its crater-rim sampling campaign on January 28 with a rock dubbed “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-collects-26th-rock-sample-on-mars-plans-to-bring-them-all-to-earth-for-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Silver Mountain</a>,” that was taken from an outcrop called “Shallow Bay.”</p>



<p>This rock likely formed at least 3.9 billion years ago, during Mars’s earliest geological period, known as the Noachian. </p>



<p>The rock may have been broken up and re-formed by an ancient meteor impact, preserving clues about a chaotic time in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-evidence-found-for-life-on-mars-where-ancient-rivers-once-flowed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet’s past</a>.</p>



<p>Not far from there - about 360 feet (110 meters) away - the rover encountered an outcrop containing igneous minerals that had crystallized from magma deep within the Martian crust. However, that rock crumbled during two separate coring attempts. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-rock-named-tablelands-at-jezero-crater">A rock named "Tablelands" at Jezero Crater</h2>



<p>So the rover traveled about 520 feet (158 meters) northwest to a different target - a rock named “Tablelands.”</p>



<p>Tablelands turned out to be a rich find. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/mars_perseverance-rover_tablelands-rock-sample_jezero-crater_NASA_1s.webp" alt="Sealing the “Green Gardens” sample — collected by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover from a rock dubbed “Tablelands” along the rim of Jezero Crater on Feb. 16, 2025 — presented an engineering challenge. The sample was finally sealed on March 2. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS" class="wp-image-1965650"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Sealing the “Green Gardens” sample — collected by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover from a rock dubbed “Tablelands” along the rim of Jezero Crater on Feb. 16, 2025 — presented an engineering challenge. The sample was finally sealed on March 2. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Data from the rover’s instruments showed that this rock is made almost entirely of serpentine minerals. These form when water interacts with iron- and magnesium-rich rocks in a chemical process called serpentinization.</p>



<p>This reaction often causes the rock to fracture and expand. It can also produce hydrogen gas and methane - both of which are important when considering the planet's ability to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/perseverance-rover-finds-best-evidence-yet-life-on-mars-cheyava-falls-rock/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sustain life</a>.</p>



<p>On Earth, similar rocks support entire microbial communities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-sealing-challenge-for-perseverance">A sealing challenge for Perseverance</h2>



<p>Coring Tablelands went well for the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Perseverance rover</a>, but sealing the sample turned into a frustrating challenge. Powdered rock collected at the top of the sample tube interfered with the seal.</p>



<p>“This happened once before, when there was enough powdered rock at the top of the tube that it interfered with getting a perfect seal,” said Kyle Kaplan, a robotics engineer at JPL. </p>



<p>“For Tablelands, we pulled out all the stops. Over 13 sols,” or Martian days, “we used a tool to brush out the top of the tube 33 times and made eight sealing attempts. We even flicked it a second time.”</p>



<p>The “flick” is a unique maneuver. It involves the rover’s internal sample-handling arm pushing the tube against an internal wall, then quickly pulling back to shake loose debris. After multiple flicks and brushings, the team finally sealed and stored the sample on March 2.</p>



<p>Eight days later, Perseverance collected and sealed another sample, from a rock called “Main River,” without any trouble.</p>



<p>The alternating bright and dark bands on that rock stood out as something completely new to the team.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-on-jezero-crater-s-rim">What’s next on Jezero Crater’s rim?</h2>



<p>Since collecting the Main River sample, Perseverance has moved on to investigate more outcrops at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/perseverance-rover-made-an-epic-climb-up-the-side-of-a-crater/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Witch Hazel Hill</a> - including Sally’s Cove, Dennis Pond, and Mount Pearl. The science team believes there’s still much more to learn from this area.</p>



<p>“The last four months have been a whirlwind for the science team, and we still feel that Witch Hazel Hill has more to tell us,” said Stack. </p>



<p>“We’ll use all the rover data gathered recently to decide if and where to collect the next sample from the crater rim. Crater rims - you gotta love ’em.”</p>



<p>As the mission continues, the rocks of Jezero Crater’s rim may hold some clues about the oldest and most revealing chapters in Mars’s long and complex history.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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Perseverance rover drills into a Mars rock "treasure trove"

The diversity of rocks along the rim of Jezero Crater...

Stars,Of,A,Planet,And,Galaxy,In,A,Free,Space

<p>A new idea about&nbsp;cosmic expansion has emerged that might remove the need for dark matter and dark energy altogether.</p>



<p>Experts have long debated exotic solutions to explain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monster-in-the-shadows-giant-black-hole-emerges-from-cosmic-dust/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmic</a> acceleration. Now, an alternate approach proposes a scenario in which more than one burst of creation took place, rather than a singular event.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6382/adbed1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> originates from Dr. Richard Lieu, a physics professor at <a href="https://www.ua.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Alabama</a> in Huntsville. He suggests an ongoing series of events that shape galactic structure in real and unexpected ways.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sudden-bursts-drive-cosmic-expansion">Sudden bursts drive cosmic expansion</h2>



<p>These repeated bursts, called "<a href="https://opg.optica.org/ol/abstract.cfm?uri=ol-46-15-3789" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transient temporal singularities</a>," may happen so fast that observers never witness them. </p>



<p>The universe, according to this view, gains its expanded form from multiple sudden shifts instead of a single grand explosion.</p>



<p>"This new paper proposes an improved version of the earlier model, which is also radically different," said Dr. Lieu. He emphasized that these bursts "uniformly affect all space to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">replace conventional dark matter and dark energy</a>."</p>



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



<p>According to commonly accepted theory, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-true-nature-of-dark-matter-may-be-revealed-in-a-supernova/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-energy-could-explain-the-rapid-expansion-of-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark energy</a> drive cosmic expansion and compose roughly 95% of the Universe. The problem is, neither of these things have been definitively proven to exist.</p>



<p>For now, cosmology assumes that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-big-bang-theory-attempts-to-explain-origin-of-dark-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a> acts like an invisible glue, holding galaxies together. It doesn’t emit light or energy, so we can’t see it directly, but we know it’s there because galaxies spin way too fast for visible matter alone to keep them from flying apart. </p>



<p>Without dark matter, the structure of the universe would look totally different - more chaotic, less organized. It's like the scaffolding that lets cosmic architecture take form.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-dark-energy-changing-the-mystery-of-cosmic-expansion-deepens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dark energy</a>, on the other hand, is a bit more mysterious and a lot more powerful. It’s the force behind the accelerating expansion of the universe. </p>



<p>Instead of gravity pulling everything back together, dark energy pushes space itself outward - faster and faster as time goes on. </p>



<p>Imagine stretching a balloon, and then suddenly that balloon starts inflating on its own at breakneck speed. That’s what dark energy is doing to the cosmos.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-matter-appears-and-vanishes-briefly">Matter appears and vanishes briefly</h2>



<p>The theory sidesteps any reliance on <a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20200000366/downloads/20200000366.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">negative mass</a> or negative density. It outlines a process in which matter appears and disappears, providing the momentum needed for cosmic growth.</p>



<p>Researchers following this path acknowledge that there is still a place for known physics. Yet they note that <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/spacetime-singularities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">singularities</a> do not violate conservation laws if they happen in short, abrupt flashes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-model-builds-on-steady-state-theory">Model builds on steady state theory</h2>



<p>"Sir Fred Hoyle opposed Big Bang cosmology and postulated a steady state model of the universe," said Dr. Lieu. </p>



<p>Hoyle's <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/108/5/372/2601825" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">view</a> relied on a continual source of matter, though it clashed with known conservation rules.</p>



<p>Dr. Lieu's model tries to resolve that conflict with carefully timed bursts that obey energy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-space-cosmic-rays-from-supernova-sparked-rapid-earth-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">constraints</a>. The notion recalls steady state logic but introduces a different mechanism to maintain total balance.</p>



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



<p>Older theories proposed <a href="https://blog.ashcroft.com/what-is-negative-pressure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">negative pressure</a> to describe the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-cosmic-explosion-changes-what-we-know-about-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe's</a> acceleration. This occurs when certain forms of energy push outward, creating an effect that counters gravity.</p>



<p>Einstein proposed a similar <a href="https://adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1917SPAW.......142E" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">concept</a> in 1917 to explain how the cosmos might hold itself steady. This fresh approach weaves that idea into singularities that appear, then vanish without leaving direct traces.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-expansion-without-dark-matter">Cosmic expansion without dark matter</h2>



<p>The model hints that galaxies can form and remain bound without unseen particles. One brief surge might seed structures, and subsequent surges keep the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/january-2025-stargazing-a-parade-of-bright-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe</a> expanding in steps.</p>



<p>Observation remains key. If these bursts are real, they might explain why direct searches for missing matter or unusual energy have yet to confirm anything conclusive.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-telescopes-can-confirm-bursts">How telescopes can confirm bursts</h2>



<p>Dr. Lieu points to Earth-based telescopes as a potential way to check for these cosmic jumps. Slicing data by redshift could reveal subtle irregularities in how distance scales with time.</p>



<p>He suggests that a high-resolution approach might spot discontinuities in the "<a href="https://skyserver.sdss.org/dr1/en/proj/advanced/hubble/">Hubble diagram</a>," an established method of gauging cosmic distances. </p>



<p>Catching a slight break in data trends might confirm that cosmic expansion does not happen smoothly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-to-the-big-bang-story">Challenges to the Big Bang story</h2>



<p>The standard view relies on a single creation event at the start of time. Alternative perspectives do not necessarily overthrow that story but raise the idea of multiple surges of matter and energy.</p>



<p>This approach challenges assumptions about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/march-2025-stargazing-a-red-moon-and-a-vanishing-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmos</a> having only one moment of birth. If more bursts took place, they might stretch, shape, or energize space in irregular yet calculable steps.</p>



<p>These ideas link naturally to instruments like the <a href="https://keckobservatory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Keck Observatory</a> in Hawaii and the <a href="https://www.ing.iac.es/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes</a> in Spain. </p>



<p>Focusing on different redshift ranges over billions of light-years could gather the evidence necessary to distinguish between single-surge expansion and repeated bursts.</p>



<p>Some remain cautious, noting that past attempts to replace dark energy have faced strict challenges. Yet the possibility of verifying this model with improved detectors and broader data sets remains open.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-clues-in-cosmic-expansion">Future clues in cosmic expansion</h2>



<p>Astronomers may seek patterns left by short-lived cosmic shifts. If matter indeed pops in and out of existence on fleeting timescales, it would explain why conventional searches for missing mass have so far been fruitless.</p>



<p>This line of research also revisits how cosmic expansion fits within fundamental physics. Each singular burst must respect mass-energy conservation, implying a deeper interplay between space, time, and matter.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6382/adbed1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Classical and Quantum Gravity</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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Multiple "Big Bangs" drive cosmic expansion, not dark matter or energy, study says

A new idea about&nbsp;cosmic expansion has emerged that might remove...

Close-up,Of,A,Bitter,Bracket,Fungus,At,The,Veluwe

<p>Most of us experience bitterness as a simple taste - something triggered by a vegetable that makes us wrinkle our noses and push a plate away.</p>



<p>But there’s more going on behind the scenes. The molecules that cause bitterness can vary wildly in shape and source, and scientists are still piecing together how our bodies recognize and react to them. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mystery-of-a-bitter-mushroom">The mystery of a bitter mushroom</h2>



<p>A recent study has taken that search into lesser-known territory, using a forest mushroom with an extremely bitter flavor to find out more.</p>



<p>In a collaborative effort, scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the <a href="https://www.tum.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Munich</a> and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry in Halle (Saale) set out to explore the bitter properties of <em>Amaropostia stiptica</em>, commonly called the bitter bracket mushroom.</p>



<p>This fungus can be found growing on the trunks and branches of dead trees. It has a shelf-like fruiting body that juts out from the wood and, although not harmful, it is known for its intensely bitter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/taste-buds-are-the-first-line-of-defense-against-eating-too-much-and-too-fast/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taste</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-amaropostia-stiptica">Understanding <em>Amaropostia stiptica</em></h2>



<p><em>Amaropostia stiptica</em> is a crust fungus that hangs out mostly on decaying wood, especially in tropical and subtropical forests. </p>



<p>You’ll spot it forming thin, resiny patches on dead hardwood, often with a waxy or slightly sticky texture. Its surface tends to look smooth to slightly bumpy, and it usually has a pale color - think creamy beige to light yellow. </p>



<p>Even though it's not flashy, it plays a crucial role in breaking down tough plant material, recycling nutrients back into the forest floor.</p>



<p>While it’s not edible or medicinal, this fungus still earns respect for doing the gritty work of decomposition in ecosystems where that kind of job is essential.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-know-about-bitter-compounds">What we know about bitter compounds</h2>



<p>Most of what we know about bitter compounds comes from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tree-of-life-created-for-flowering-plants-using-400-million-specimens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flowering plants</a> or synthetic chemicals. </p>



<p>In fact, the BitterDB database - the main catalog of known bitter molecules - currently lists over 2,400 entries. For around 800 of them, researchers have matched at least one specific human bitter taste receptor. </p>



<p>But animal, bacterial, and fungal sources of bitter compounds are still a mystery. This makes mushrooms an ideal place to look for new insights.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-all-bitter-compounds-are-toxic">Not all bitter compounds are toxic</h2>



<p>Our bodies rely on bitter receptors, called TAS2Rs, to warn us against potentially dangerous substances. But there’s a twist: not all bitter compounds are toxic, and not all toxins taste bitter.</p>



<p>The infamous death cap mushroom, for example, contains toxins that don’t taste bitter at all. Clearly, something more complex is happening.</p>



<p>Adding to the mystery, bitter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-tongue-now-has-six-basic-taste-receptors-instead-of-just-five/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">taste receptors</a> aren’t only found on the tongue. They also show up in the stomach, intestines, heart, lungs, and even on some blood cells. </p>



<p>These receptors aren’t used for tasting in the traditional sense, so scientists wonder what role they’re playing in the rest of the body.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-new-bitter-compounds">Identifying new bitter compounds</h2>



<p>"Comprehensive data collections on bitter compounds and their receptors could help us to find answers to these open questions," said Maik Behrens, who heads a research group at the <a href="https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/institute/leibniz-institute-alle-listen" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leibniz Institute</a> in Freising.</p>



<p>"The more well-founded data we have on the various bitter compound classes, taste receptor types and variants, the better we can develop predictive models using systems biology methods to identify new bitter compounds and predict bitter taste receptor-mediated effects." </p>



<p>This applies to both food constituents and endogenous substances that activate extraoral bitter taste receptors.</p>



<p>To support this effort, the team focused on finding new, underrepresented sources of bitterness. Their latest work adds rare fungal-derived compounds to the growing database of known bitter substances.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mushroom-with-three-bitter-compounds">Mushroom with three bitter compounds </h2>



<p>Using advanced analytical techniques, the team identified three new bitter compounds from <em>Amaropostia stiptica</em> and mapped out their chemical structures. </p>



<p>When tested in cell-based systems, all three compounds triggered at least one of the human bitter taste receptors.</p>



<p>The standout discovery, however, was a molecule called oligoporin D. This substance activates the TAS2R46 receptor at extremely low concentrations - about 63 micrograms per liter.</p>



<p>To put it in perspective, that’s like dissolving a single gram of the compound into more than 100 bathtubs of water. One gram is about the same as the tip of a knife full of baking soda.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bitterness-as-a-clue-to-better-health">Bitterness as a clue to better health</h2>



<p>"Our results contribute to expanding our knowledge of the molecular diversity and mode of action of natural bitter compounds," explained Behrens.</p>



<p>"In the long term, insights in this area could enable new applications in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-region-that-influences-our-food-preferences-can-be-manipulated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food</a> and health research, for example in the development of sensorially appealing foods that positively influence digestion and satiety."</p>



<p>The discovery of new bitter molecules from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-all-fungi-matter-not-just-mushrooms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungi</a> shows just how much is left to learn. Bitterness isn't just a taste - it’s a signal, a potential tool, and possibly even a pathway to better health.</p>



<p>With each new entry into the bitter compound database, researchers come one step closer to understanding how taste shapes our bodies in ways we’re only just beginning to grasp.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the <em><a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.4c12651" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry</a></em>.</p>



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Most bitter tasting substance on Earth identified by scientists

Most of us experience bitterness as a simple taste -...

<p>Most people know sauerkraut as a tart, crunchy topping for bratwurst or hot dogs. But this humble fermented cabbage could be doing much more than adding flavor. </p>



<p>New research from the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Davis</a>, shows that sauerkraut may help protect and strengthen your intestinal barrier. </p>



<p>The study focuses on the way fermentation transforms cabbage - and how those changes may improve gut health.</p>



<p>Fermented foods are not new. Humans have been fermenting vegetables for thousands of years. In many cultures, cabbage is transformed into regionally loved dishes: sauerkraut in Europe, suan cai in China, and curtido in Latin America. </p>



<p>But while these foods have long been praised for taste and preservation, modern science is now catching up. Researchers are investigating what’s happening on a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-microbes-have-an-unexpected-link-to-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cellular level</a> when we consume these fermented foods, and why they could be so beneficial for the human body.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fermentation-transforms-more-than-flavor">Fermentation transforms more than flavor</h2>



<p>In the new study, Professor Maria Marco and postdoctoral researcher Lei Wei examined how sauerkraut differs from raw cabbage in its chemical makeup. They wanted to see whether the transformation brought about during fermentation had any measurable effect on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-health-may-be-the-key-to-anxiety-relief/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut health</a>. </p>



<p>To do this, they analyzed hundreds of metabolites - small molecules formed through the breakdown of food and by microbial action.</p>



<p>The researchers compared raw cabbage, homemade sauerkraut, and commercial, store-bought sauerkraut. They also tested the leftover brine to see whether it carried any beneficial effects on its own.</p>



<p>Using Caco-2 cells, a well-established model of human intestinal epithelium, they exposed the cells to inflammatory cytokines to simulate gut stress.</p>



<p>They found that fermented cabbage helped protect the intestinal barrier, preventing the kind of damage typically caused by inflammation. Raw cabbage and the fermentation brine did not provide the same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/targeting-the-gut-might-be-key-in-preventing-alzheimers-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">benefit</a>.</p>



<p>“It doesn't matter, in a way, if we make sauerkraut at home or we buy it from the store; both kinds of sauerkraut seemed to protect gut function,” Marco said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-gut-barrier-matters">Why the gut barrier matters</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-have-very-clever-ways-of-supporting-human-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut</a> lining is more than just a digestive surface. It forms a tight barrier that keeps harmful pathogens out while letting nutrients in. </p>



<p>When this barrier breaks down, it can lead to inflammation, infection, and chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. Inflammation also plays a key role in the progression of metabolic diseases.</p>



<p>The study showed that sauerkraut maintains trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TER), a measurement that reflects how well the gut barrier holds together. </p>



<p>It also reduced paracellular permeability, meaning fewer unwanted substances passed through the gut wall. These effects were observed for both lab-fermented and store-bought samples.</p>



<p>“Some of the metabolites we find in the sauerkraut are the same kind of metabolites we're finding to be made by the gut <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tool-detects-changes-in-gut-health-to-help-prevent-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbiome</a>, so that gives us a little more confidence that this connection we found between the metabolites in sauerkraut and good gut health makes sense,” Marco said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sauerkraut-has-unique-helpful-molecules">Sauerkraut has unique helpful molecules</h2>



<p>What’s going on inside sauerkraut that gives it these powers? The UC Davis team analyzed over 500 metabolites using two high-resolution techniques: gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. </p>



<p>Compared to raw cabbage, fermented versions had increased levels of beneficial compounds like D-phenyl-lactate (D-PLA), indole-3-lactate (ILA), and lactic acid.</p>



<p>These are not random byproducts. These metabolites are also made by beneficial gut microbes and are known to support the immune system and strengthen the gut lining. Some even help with antioxidant activity and metabolic regulation.</p>



<p>In particular, ferments that included the probiotic strain <em>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</em> LP8826R produced a metabolite profile closer to commercial sauerkraut. These samples had more sugar alcohols like sorbitol and mannitol, and higher acidity, which helps prevent spoilage and supports beneficial bacteria.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whole-sauerkraut-works-better">Whole sauerkraut works better</h2>



<p>The researchers didn’t stop at identifying these compounds. They isolated D-PLA, ILA, and lactate to test their effect on gut cells. While these molecules reduced permeability, they didn’t fully protect the gut barrier on their own. </p>



<p>In contrast, the whole sauerkraut preparation worked much better, suggesting that the full spectrum of fermentation byproducts works together to support gut health.</p>



<p>This synergy reinforces the idea that whole fermented foods often outperform isolated compounds. The food matrix and microbial complexity likely play important roles that can’t be captured by a single supplement.</p>



<p>“A little bit of sauerkraut could go a long way,” Marco said. “We should be thinking about including these fermented foods in our regular diets and not just as a side on our hot dogs.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sauerkraut-and-gut-inflammation">Sauerkraut and gut inflammation</h2>



<p>Interestingly, the team also measured levels of IL-8, a key marker of inflammation. Sauerkraut didn’t reduce IL-8 in every sample, especially not in the lab-fermented versions. </p>



<p>However, the intestinal barrier still stayed intact. This suggests that fermented cabbage may act through a different pathway than previously assumed. It might not block inflammatory signals, but instead may prevent those signals from damaging the gut.</p>



<p>The study also looked at gene expression tied to gut integrity. Only the lab ferments with added <em>L. plantarum</em> restored normal levels of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), a gene involved in regulating tight junctions between intestinal cells.</p>



<p>“Along with eating more fiber and fresh fruits and vegetables, even if we have just a regular serving of sauerkraut, maybe putting these things more into our diet, we'll find that can help us in the long run against inflammation, for example, and make our digestive tract more resilient when we have a disturbance,” Marco said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fermentation-gives-cabbage-protective-powers">Fermentation gives cabbage protective powers</h2>



<p>With rising interest in gut health, fermented foods are becoming more popular. But not all ferments are created equal, and most benefits are anecdotal. This study provides a clearer picture. It shows how cabbage fermentation creates a consistent core of protective metabolites.</p>



<p>Commercial sauerkraut also had higher levels of putrescine and tyramine - compounds that increase during storage. Though these didn’t appear harmful, their presence highlights how storage conditions may influence health effects. </p>



<p>The probiotic-added lab ferments mimicked commercial samples more closely, suggesting that starter cultures might offer ways to tailor health benefits.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-from-cells-to-humans">Next steps: From cells to humans</h2>



<p>This study was done using cell models, not people. Human trials will be the real test. Future research should look at how long fermented cabbage metabolites stay active in the body and what quantity is beneficial. </p>



<p>It will also be important to see how sauerkraut interacts with the diverse microbial communities in actual human guts.</p>



<p>Still, the results are promising. Fermented cabbage consistently protected intestinal cells from damage. Its effect was not tied to one specific brand, strain, or fermentation setup. This points to a resilient and adaptable health benefit - one that might fit easily into many diets around the world.</p>



<p>Whether you ferment your own cabbage or pick it up at the store, that tangy forkful might be doing your gut a favor. And that makes sauerkraut more than just a topping - it makes it a potential ally in maintaining everyday health.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.asm.org/doi/epub/10.1128/aem.02234-24" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Applied and Environmental Microbiology</a>.</em></p>



<p>-----</p>



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Potential new superfood proves incredibly beneficial for gut health

Most people know sauerkraut as a tart, crunchy topping for...

<p>Night sky watchers across the United States are in for another surprise tonight. A fresh blast of charged particles from the Sun - a G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm - is currently sweeping past our planet, with colorful auroras expected as far south as Alabama.</p>



<p>The Sun, currently in a busy phase of its 11‑year cycle, has been hurling coronal mass ejections (CMEs) toward Earth at a brisk pace this week. </p>



<p>One of those eruptions has already sparked moderate geomagnetic storms and could strengthen after dusk on April 16, possibly drifting into April 18, setting the stage for a vivid show.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-g4-severe-geomagnetic-storm-alert">G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm alert</h2>



<p>The NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (<a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SWPC</a>) has issued a G4 - or severe - geomagnetic storm conditions were observed at 5:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time on April 16, 2025, with the updated alert stretching into April 17-18, 2025.</p>



<p>A coronal mass ejection, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-severe-solar-storm-expected-to-reach-earth-tomorrow-october-10-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CME</a>, has bombarded Earth with solar particles throughout the day, and forecasters are still deciding whether the heightened solar wind comes from a second burst or a single, combined front. </p>



<p>Geomagnetic activity can climb quickly when the CME’s magnetic field points south, opposite Earth’s field, but if it aims north, the response is usually mild.</p>



<p>“The strength of the light show will depend on how Earth’s magnetic field interacts with the solar bursts,” said Shawn Dahl at the SWPC. </p>



<p>Because the current CME pushed solar wind speeds to roughly 375 miles per second - up from about 250 miles per second earlier this week - experts consider conditions ripe for vigorous auroras if the magnetic orientation tilts the right way.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-geomagnetic-storms-impact-earth">How geomagnetic storms impact Earth</h2>



<p>During strong events the area of greatest impact sits poleward of about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude, but mid‑latitude regions can feel the ripple. </p>



<p>Power companies may notice voltage swings and an uptick in false alarms from protective equipment. </p>



<p>Satellites in low Earth orbit can encounter extra drag; their instruments may experience surface charging; and attitude‑control systems sometimes struggle until the storm passes.</p>



<p>Navigation signals can wander, leading to intermittent GPS loss‑of‑lock and bigger range errors, while high‑frequency radio reception may fade in and out. </p>



<p>Severe storms are even capable of scrambling radio and GPS communications altogether, a reminder of why operators pay attention. </p>



<p>History offers cautionary tales: in 1859, a violent outburst lit Hawaiian skies and set telegraph lines ablaze, and in 1972 another storm is thought to have detonated magnetic U.S. sea mines off Vietnam.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geomagnetic-storm-auroras-and-the-south">Geomagnetic storm, auroras, and the South</h2>



<p>Thanks to <a href="https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geomagnetic K-index of 8 (G4)</a> alert issued minutes ago, auroras may be seen tonight as far south as Alabama and northern California.</p>



<p>Clear, dark skies away from city glare remain the key. </p>



<p>NASA’s Kelly Korreck suggests heading to a local or national park and snapping a quick photo with a smartphone because the sensor can reveal faint colors invisible to the eye. </p>



<p>“Enjoy it,” said Korreck. “It’s this great show … from the sun to you.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-end-of-this-11-year-solar-cycle">End of this 11-year solar cycle</h2>



<p>Every 11 years, the Sun’s magnetic poles trade places, twisting the star’s field lines and fueling flares and CMEs. The current surge is expected to last at least through the end of 2025, though scientists will not pinpoint the precise peak until months afterward, according to <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> and <a href="https://www.noaa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA</a>. </p>



<p>That sustained activity explains why colorful auroras have already reached Germany, the United Kingdom, New England, and New York City.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-prepares-impact-three-cme-events-solar-storms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Last spring</a> brought the strongest geomagnetic storm in two decades, and skygazers can expect more sporadic shows as the cycle rolls on. </p>



<p>While no one can forecast these storms months ahead, the Space Weather Prediction Center issues watches in the days before impact so utilities, satellite operators, and curious night owls can prepare.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digging-into-the-data">Digging into the data</h2>



<p>Solar activity over the past&nbsp;24&nbsp;hours has been moderate. Region&nbsp;4055 unleashed an&nbsp;M1.3 flare at&nbsp;2:13&nbsp;p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on&nbsp;April&nbsp;15 and a smaller&nbsp;C8.1 flare at&nbsp;12:39&nbsp;a.m. on&nbsp;April&nbsp;16 before rotating out of direct view. </p>



<p>With its departure, the chance of additional&nbsp;M‑class flares has slipped from about&nbsp;75&nbsp;percent to&nbsp;50&nbsp;percent through&nbsp;April&nbsp;18, while the odds of the more powerful&nbsp;X‑class events remain low. </p>



<p>GOES‑19 registered electrons above&nbsp;2&nbsp;million electron volts, peaking at&nbsp;2,380&nbsp;particles per square centimeter per second per steradian around&nbsp;12:20&nbsp;p.m. on&nbsp;April&nbsp;15; proton levels have stayed quiet.</p>



<p>A shockwave from a&nbsp;CME that left the Sun on&nbsp;April&nbsp;13 arrived near Earth at&nbsp;12:37&nbsp;p.m.&nbsp;Eastern&nbsp;on&nbsp;April&nbsp;15. </p>



<p>Magnetometer readings spiked to&nbsp;28&nbsp;nanoteslas just after&nbsp;2:20&nbsp;p.m. and later eased to between&nbsp;12&nbsp;and&nbsp;18&nbsp;nanoteslas. </p>



<p>The crucial north–south component, known as Bz, dipped to –20 nanoteslas, a value capable of stirring strong geomagnetic activity. </p>



<p>These effects are expected to linger into early April 17 before weakening, though a coronal hole is likely to keep the solar wind elevated into April 18.</p>



<p>As a result, G2&nbsp;storms flared on the evening of&nbsp;April&nbsp;15; G1 to G2&nbsp;levels are likely throughout&nbsp;April&nbsp;16, with a chance for G3&nbsp;periods; and minor disturbances could persist on&nbsp;April&nbsp;17 before conditions gradually settle.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next">What happens next?</h2>



<p>With <a href="https://kauai.ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/DONKI/view/CME/38300/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Region 4055</a> gone, the spotlight now shifts to Region 4060, which has shown only mild growth, and to freshly arriving Region 4062, whose magnetic structure remains unclear. </p>



<p>Unless one of those areas unexpectedly flares, electron levels should hover in the normal to moderate range and proton counts should stay quiet.</p>



<p>Forecast models suggest the current storm will weaken late on April 17, but magnetospheric conditions may stay unsettled until the high‑speed stream from the coronal hole passes sometime on April 18. </p>



<p>Keep an eye on the Space Weather Prediction Center’s aurora map or your favorite alert app; step outside if skies cooperate; and you just might catch nature’s neon headline.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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"Severe" solar storm alert issued, auroras expected farther south

Night sky watchers across the United States are in for...

<p>What makes us who we are? Is it our DNA, our childhood, or a mix of both? For decades, scientists and philosophers have debated how much early life shapes adult personality. A new study suggests that something as simple as maternal affection may quietly steer our path.</p>



<p>Affectionate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mothers-start-bonding-with-their-baby-before-delivery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mothering</a> in childhood may do more than bring comfort - it may influence traits that shape success in school, relationships, and health. This insight comes from a rigorous study published in <em>American Psychologist</em>, led by Professor Jasmin Wertz of the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Edinburgh</a>. </p>



<p>By analyzing how children were parented and how they turned out at 18, the team shed new light on the subtle power of early care.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-mother-s-affection-shapes-personality">How mother’s affection shapes personality </h2>



<p>Personality traits like openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness matter. These traits don’t just determine whether someone is polite or curious - they predict major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-paternity-leave-changes-parenting-dynamics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">life outcomes</a>. Research has shown they link to academic achievement, job performance, mental health, and even physical health.</p>



<p>That’s why researchers have taken a growing interest in personality not as something fixed, but as something that can evolve with experience. While past studies hinted at parenting’s influence on personality, few could separate it from genetics or broader family context.</p>



<p>“Personality traits are strong predictors of important life outcomes, from academic and career success to health and well-being,” said Dr. Jasmin Wertz, a professor of psychology at the University of Edinburgh and the study's lead author.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parenting-s-impact-on-personality">Parenting’s impact on personality</h2>



<p>To truly isolate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-treat-their-children-differently-but-do-they-have-a-favorite/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parenting’s effects</a>, Dr. Wertz and colleagues studied 2,232 British twins, including many identical (monozygotic) pairs.</p>



<p>These twins share 100% of their DNA and grew up in the same households. That makes them ideal for teasing apart the role of environment - especially the differences in how each twin was parented.</p>



<p>Between ages 5 and 10, mothers participated in structured interviews where they were asked to talk about each child for five minutes. The interviews captured spontaneous expressions of warmth and dissatisfaction. Coders rated the tone and content to assess how affectionate each mother was toward each twin.</p>



<p>Later, when the twins turned 18, trained observers and family members rated their personalities using the Big Five framework: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mother-s-affection-linked-to-openness">Mother’s affection linked to openness</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parenting-may-help-keep-the-brain-younger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Children</a> who received more maternal affection were more likely to become open, conscientious, and agreeable by age 18. These effects were small but statistically significant - even after adjusting for maltreatment, childhood behavior, and family support at 18.</p>



<p>Twins with more affectionate treatment than their co-twin scored higher on the three traits that support learning, cooperation, and long-term success.</p>



<p>“Our findings suggest that fostering positive parenting environments in early childhood could have a small but significant and lasting impact on the development of these crucial personality traits,” said Dr. Wertz.</p>



<p>These results held not just in the full sample but even within identical twin pairs. That means the differences can’t be explained by shared genes or family setting - they reflect parenting alone.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-conscientiousness-matters-most">Why conscientiousness matters most</h2>



<p>Among the three traits, conscientiousness stands out for its long-term value. People high in this trait tend to be organized, responsible, and reliable. They do better in school, avoid health risks, and thrive in the workplace.</p>



<p>Because of this, even modest increases in conscientiousness could improve public health and economic outcomes at a national scale. Affectionate parenting may thus play an important role in shaping not just individuals but society as a whole.</p>



<p>The study’s authors suggest that policies promoting supportive parenting could have long-reaching benefits. These might include income support, mental health treatment for parents, and programs that help families strengthen emotional bonds.</p>



<p>“There are many proven ways to support parents, such as policies that improve a family’s financial situation; access to treatment for parents who struggle with mental health problems such as depression; and parenting programs that help parents <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parent-children-relationships-are-key-to-lifelong-well-being/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">build stronger relationships</a> with their children,” said Dr. Wertz.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-personality-traits-and-mother-s-affection">Personality traits and mother's affection</h2>



<p>The study also explored extraversion and neuroticism. In the broader sample, mother's affection seemed to relate to these personality traits. But when genetic and environmental confounds were removed by comparing identical twins, the effects disappeared.</p>



<p>This suggests that parenting may not have a strong or lasting impact on how outgoing or emotionally sensitive someone becomes. Instead, other influences - such as peers, later life experiences, or even therapy - might play a bigger role.</p>



<p>The authors note that neuroticism, despite being tied to early mental health issues, may not respond to affectionate parenting alone. However, interventions later in life can still help.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-rules-out-other-causes">Study rules out other causes</h2>



<p>One strength of the study lies in its cautious, thorough approach. The researchers tested whether other factors could explain the results. They controlled for child behavior at age five to rule out the possibility that more agreeable children simply receive better parenting.</p>



<p>The experts also looked at the impact of childhood maltreatment and support from family at age 18. None of these factors changed the main outcome. Maternal affection remained linked to stronger personality traits.</p>



<p>“This research provides valuable evidence for the potential of parenting programs to influence critical aspects of personality development,” said Dr. Wertz.</p>



<p>“However, it also highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of how different factors, including genetics, parenting and life experiences, interact to shape who we are.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-subtle-yet-powerful-influence">A subtle yet powerful influence</h2>



<p>While the effects of affectionate parenting on personality are not huge, they are consistent. And they come from a study design that few can match in terms of clarity.</p>



<p>Even small shifts in personality can lead to noticeable gains when seen across an entire population. This is especially true for traits that boost health, learning, and cooperation.</p>



<p>“By targeting parenting practices that promote positive traits in childhood, it may be possible to reduce disparities in life outcomes associated with socioeconomic background, family dynamics and other environmental factors,” said Dr. Wertz.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-care-lifelong-consequences">Early care, lifelong consequences</h2>



<p>The link between personality traits and mother's affection reminds us that the small things we do for children may echo for years. A kind word, a warm tone, a moment of encouragement - they do not just comfort in the moment. They can shape who a child becomes.</p>



<p>In a world searching for effective, scalable ways to improve lives, these findings bring attention back to one of the oldest tools we have: love and attention in early childhood. </p>



<p>Affection, though simple, may be one of the most powerful investments a society can make.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-amp0001508.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Psychologist</a>.</em></p>



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Mother’s affection shapes a child's personality into adulthood

What makes us who we are? Is it our DNA,...

<p>A new image of the planetary nebula NGC 1514 reveals a chaotic scene: rings of a dying star with tangled clouds of gas and dust.</p>



<p>The James Webb Space Telescope captured the stunning image, revealing the intricate structures of a stellar remnant located over 1,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus.</p>



<p>The observations were made by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who played a key role in managing the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the Webb telescope during its launch.</p>



<p>The data paints a dramatically detailed picture of a dying star’s final outbursts, bringing clarity to a scene that’s been forming for roughly 4,000 years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-rings-form-around-dying-stars">Why rings form around dying stars</h2>



<p>At the heart of NGC 1514 is a star that once shone several times brighter and larger than our Sun. Over time, it ballooned outward, expelling layers of gas and dust in a slow, dense stellar wind. </p>



<p>This process created what we now see as glowing rings of material. After shedding its outer layers, only a small, hot core remained - a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white dwarf</a>. As this core continued to eject material at higher speeds, it sculpted the expanding gas into complex shells and cavities.</p>



<p>“Before Webb, we weren’t able to detect most of this material, let alone observe it so clearly,” said Mike Ressler, a researcher and project scientist for Webb’s MIRI at <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>.</p>



<p>Ressler initially discovered the rings around NGC 1514 in 2010 using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE).</p>



<p>“With MIRI’s data, we can now comprehensively examine the turbulent nature of this nebula,” he said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nebula-rings-form-an-hourglass-shape">Nebula rings form an hourglass shape</h2>



<p>The new image shows what appears to be two bright stars at the nebula’s center. These stars are part of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/binary-systems-with-living-and-dead-stars-reveal-stellar-secrets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">binary system</a>, locked in a tight, elongated orbit that lasts about nine years.</p>



<p>Webb’s observation displays them as a single source surrounded by bright diffraction spikes. An arc of orange dust is draped across the scene.</p>



<p>The nebula’s overall shape appears tilted at about 60 degrees. That gives it a poured-from-a-can appearance, but it’s more likely shaped like an hourglass with its ends cut off. This is especially visible near the top left and bottom right edges of the image. This is where orange dust appears to drift into V-shaped forms.</p>



<p>David Jones is a senior scientist at the Institute of Astrophysics on the Canary Islands, who confirmed the binary system at the center of NGC 1514 in 2017.</p>



<p>“When this star was at its peak of losing material, the companion could have gotten very, very close,” said Jones. "That interaction can lead to shapes that you wouldn’t expect. Instead of producing a sphere, this interaction might have formed these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-telescope-directly-observes-carbon-factories-milky-way-galaxy-wolf-rayet-140/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rings</a>.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fuzzy-rings-and-translucent-dust-clouds">Fuzzy rings and translucent dust clouds</h2>



<p>In addition to the rings of a dying star, there’s a faint web of translucent dust clouds in the space between them. These soft orange filaments produce a three-dimensional feel.</p>



<p>The rings themselves aren’t smooth. Instead, they appear fuzzy and irregular in Webb’s infrared view.</p>



<p>“We think the rings are primarily made up of very small dust grains,” said Ressler. “When those grains are hit by ultraviolet light from the white dwarf star, they heat up ever so slightly, which we think makes them just warm enough to be detected by Webb in mid-infrared light.”</p>



<p>At the nebula’s center, Webb also detected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-known-galaxy-contains-surprising-oxygen-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxygen</a>. This area is highlighted in pink tones, especially around the edges of bubble-like structures and holes where fast-moving material broke through.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lack-of-carbon-and-complex-molecules">Lack of carbon and complex molecules </h2>



<p>What’s most surprising is what the team didn’t find, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-finds-largest-amount-of-carbon-ever-seen-in-a-planet-forming-disk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon</a> and more complex carbon-based molecules like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These substances are commonly seen in similar planetary nebulae.</p>



<p>One reason could be the orbital interaction between the two central stars, which might have stirred up the expelled matter too quickly for such molecules to form. </p>



<p>With less complex material blocking the way, light from the stars travels farther, making the faint cloud-like nebula rings easier to observe.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-rings-of-a-dying-star">Unique rings of a dying star</h2>



<p>NGC 1514 has puzzled astronomers since the 18th century. William Herschel made an important observation with his telescope in 1790. </p>



<p>Herschel noted that that the nebula looked like a true cloud. This structure was unlike the star clusters he was accustomed to studying. For over 200 years, scientists lacked the tools to observe the unique rings of a dying star.</p>



<p>Thanks to the Webb Space Telescope’s infrared capabilities, NGC 1514 is finally giving up its secrets.</p>



<p>And while the nebula may appear serene in images, its appearance is anything but static. The dynamic interactions between its stars, dust, and gas will continue to reshape the scene for thousands of years.</p>



<p>One final detail in the image catches the eye: a bright blue star at the bottom left. Although it seems part of the action, it’s just a bystander. That star lies much closer to Earth and has nothing to do with the drama unfolding in the dying embers of NGC 1514.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Michael Ressler (NASA-JPL), Dave Jones (IAC)</p>



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Webb telescope reveals the ghostly rings of a dying star

A new image of the planetary nebula NGC 1514 reveals...

<p>If you've ever watched songbirds squabble at a backyard feeder, you've seen a small glimpse of the competition animals face for limited resources. </p>



<p>While some species seem to be constantly at odds, others - even those that appear quite similar - manage to coexist in surprising harmony.</p>



<p>For decades, a classic theory from the field of ecology has suggested that forest-dwelling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-genes-are-responsible-for-the-rapid-diversification-of-warblers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warblers</a> share trees by using different parts of them. </p>



<p>Now, a new study adds a modern twist to that idea and shows it may be more complicated than it seems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revisiting-a-classic-idea">Revisiting a classic idea </h2>



<p>The research, conducted by scientists at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn State</a> and the American Bird Conservancy, revisits an influential idea that was first proposed by ecologist Robert MacArthur in the 1950s.</p>



<p>MacArthur observed that several species of warblers could live in the same tree without crowding each other out, simply by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-social-networks-greatly-influence-their-food-choices/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">foraging</a> in different zones - some near the trunk, others at the tips of branches, and at varying heights.</p>



<p>This concept has been a staple in biology textbooks ever since. But thanks to DNA analysis and decades of fieldwork, the new study suggests that the story goes deeper.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-close-look-at-species-interactions">A close look at species interactions </h2>



<p>Study co-author David Toews is the Louis Martarano Career Development Professor of Biology in the Penn State Eberly College of Science.</p>



<p>“MacArthur suggested that we needed to look more closely at species interactions. We wanted to revisit this idea with modern technology, using molecular methods and an evolutionary perspective that weren’t available in MacArthur’s time," explained Professor Toews.</p>



<p>"This allowed us to not only directly quantify their diet, but also better understand how warblers are partitioning their habitat and how what we see today may have been shaped by competition over the warbler’s evolutionary history.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-analyzing-bird-competition">Analyzing bird competition </h2>



<p>The team observed 13 warbler species that nest in northeastern New York forests during the summer. </p>



<p>Over 20 years, the researchers tracked where in the trees each bird preferred to forage - how high up they searched, how dense the foliage was, and how close they stayed to the trunk.</p>



<p>The experts also collected fecal samples during five breeding seasons to analyze what the birds were eating.</p>



<p>Using a technique called fecal meta-barcoding, they could extract insect DNA to identify prey species. Alongside this, they studied the physical traits of each bird, including size and beak shape, using public databases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-songbird-foraging-behaviors">Songbird foraging behaviors </h2>



<p>The findings showed that each bird species did indeed forage in slightly different ways. "The implication from MacArthur’s study is that, if the birds are foraging in different areas of the tree, then they are eating different things,” said Professor Toews.</p>



<p>“MacArthur tried to test this using data from his colleagues, who attempted to analyze fragments of insects from stomach contents, but this was biased toward fragments that weren’t digested, and they were extremely difficult to identify."</p>



<p>"Now, we can extract DNA from fecal samples and use a technique called fecal meta-barcoding to see which insect species have been eaten by birds.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pressures-over-evolutionary-timescales">Pressures over evolutionary timescales </h2>



<p>While the birds' movements and strategies differed clearly - smaller species tended to hover more, and those with longer legs stayed closer to the ground - their diets were surprisingly similar.</p>



<p>Eliot Miller, BirdsPlus Index Manager at the American Bird Conservancy, noted that a bird's and shape are products of many pressures operating over evolutionary timescales.</p>



<p>“But numerous studies, including our own, show that chief amongst these pressures is foraging behavior,” said Miller.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subtle-differences-in-songbird-diets">Subtle differences in songbird diets</h2>



<p>The DNA analysis revealed that although the warblers fed on thousands of insect and spider species, there was a great deal of overlap in their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-plantations-limit-native-birds-diets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diets</a>.</p>



<p>“The birds we studied collectively consumed thousands of arthropod species, and there was a considerable amount of overlap in their diets,” said Professor Toews.</p>



<p>“The differences in diet were quite subtle, and we found that closely related species had more similar diets. This suggests that MacArthur’s emphasis on diet may have been partially misplaced, though the general idea of portioning their resources by foraging in different parts of the trees is sound.”</p>



<p>Many birds were simply taking advantage of what was available. Professor Toews noted that more than 75% of fecal samples contained the most common insect in the area, a snipefly, and more than half of the samples contained a common, invasive leaf weevil.</p>



<p>This kind of opportunistic feeding may suggest that while <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/competition-limits-the-ranges-of-tropical-mountain-birds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">competition</a> shaped the songbirds’ physical traits and foraging strategies, diet may not have played as strong a role in pushing species apart.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bird-migration-and-competition">Bird migration and competition </h2>



<p>“Because of the notable differences in foraging behavior, we believe that competition has shaped how these species forage today, as well as how they evolved to forage over evolutionary time,” Miller said. </p>



<p>“But we don’t see many differences in diet, so it’s likely that other forces may have more directly influenced warbler evolution. It is worth noting that these birds migrate to Central and South America over the winter, so competition for resources in those locations as well as the stress of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/songbirds-benefit-from-social-networks-during-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migration</a> may also shape the traits we see today.”</p>



<p>The researchers are planning future studies to look more closely at what warblers eat during their time in the tropics and how the nutritional value of their food might vary. </p>



<p>This could offer deeper insight into how competition and migration shape these songbirds beyond their breeding grounds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-more-nuanced-view-of-coexistence">A more nuanced view of coexistence</h2>



<p>“MacArthur was right in that these warblers are partitioning their habitat in fine ways, but it’s a little more complex than he originally thought,” said Professor Toews.</p>



<p>“People often observe competitive interactions between species at their bird feeders, and studies like this show how these kinds of interactions that happened hundreds or thousands of years ago can shape the species we see today.”</p>



<p>The takeaway? Even birds that seem to get along may be playing out a long, slow competition - one that stretches across trees, continents, and generations.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2025.0001" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biology Letters</a></em>.</p>



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Bird competition: How warblers share trees without fighting

If you've ever watched songbirds squabble at a backyard feeder,...

Ankylosaurus,In,Nature.,This,Is,A,3d,Render,Illustration

<p>Dinosaur fossils often steal the spotlight, but sometimes, tracks and footprints can tell an even deeper story. Ancient ankylosaur tracks, recently discovered in Canada, have rewritten a chapter of dinosaur history.</p>



<p>These newly discovered tracks belong to a group of armored dinosaurs known for their tail clubs called ankylosaurids. Yet, no one had ever seen their footprints before.</p>



<p>Researchers working in British Columbia and Alberta uncovered the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-extinction-theories-are-challenged-by-new-research/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossilized</a> prints in mid-Cretaceous rock formations. The discovery includes multiple trackways of a new ichnospecies, <em>Ruopodosaurus clava</em>.</p>



<p>This finding offers long-sought confirmation that ankylosaurid dinosaurs, known for their weaponized tails, roamed North America far earlier than previously recorded.</p>



<p>The research, published in the <em>Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology</em>, highlights just how much a footprint can reveal. From foot structure to group behavior, and even evolutionary timelines, these impressions bridge gaps in the fossil record and expand our understanding of dinosaur diversity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-armored-ankylosaur-dinosaur-tracks">Armored ankylosaur dinosaur tracks</h2>



<p>Ankylosaurs are famous for their tank-like bodies and low-slung frames. They fall into two main groups: nodosaurids and ankylosaurids. </p>



<p>Nodosaurids had four toes and flexible tails. Ankylosaurids, however, carried club-like tails and walked on three-toed feet.</p>



<p>Until now, paleontologists had only found four-toed ankylosaur tracks in North America. These belonged to <em>Tetrapodosaurus borealis</em>, a widely documented ichnospecies linked to nodosaurid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dinosaurs-come-from-missing-fossils-hold-the-secret/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dinosaurs</a>. </p>



<p>The discovery of three-toed tracks with associated five-fingered forelimb impressions was new – and important.</p>



<p>The name <em>Ruopodosaurus clava</em> means “tumbled-down lizard with a club,” which is a nod to both its clubbed tail and the mountainous terrain of Tumbler Ridge. </p>



<p>The armored dinosaur tracks date back around 100 million years to the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous. They came from two formations – the Dunvegan and the basal Kaskapau. Both represent wet deltaic environments that supported lush vegetation and slow-moving waterways.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-well-preserved-dinosaur-footprints">Well-preserved dinosaur footprints </h2>



<p>The most complete specimen, TRMF 2023.09.002, was found beside the Wolverine River. It preserves a left manus and a pair of feet, with all digits clearly impressed.</p>



<p>Other tracks were recovered from sites like Bullmoose Creek and Everlasting Creek - each offering a unique snapshot of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-fossils-reveal-hollow-bones-just-like-modern-birds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals</a>' movements.</p>



<p>The prints differ sharply from other dinosaur tracks. The three toes of the hindfoot are wide, blunt, and either triangular or U-shaped.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/dinosaur_Ruopodosaurus_footprints_spiked-tail_credit-Arbour_-1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/dinosaur_Ruopodosaurus_footprints_spiked-tail_credit-Arbour_1s.webp" alt="Ruopodosaurus hand and footprints from Tumbler Ridge: Ruopodosaurus footprints from Tumbler Ridge. Credit: V. Arbour/C. Helm." class="wp-image-1965970"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Ruopodosaurus hand and footprints from Tumbler Ridge: Ruopodosaurus footprints from Tumbler Ridge. Click image to enlarge. Credit: V. Arbour/C. Helm.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The forefoot shows five spread-out digits in a crescent shape. The stride patterns, toe shapes, and narrow walking stance support the identification of ankylosaurids.</p>



<p><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“While we don’t know exactly what the dinosaur that made&nbsp;<em>Ruopodosaurus</em>&nbsp;footprints looked like, we know that it would have be</span>en about 5–6 meters long, spiky and armored, and with a stiff tail or a full tail club,” said Victoria M. Arbour, a vertebrate palaeontologist at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uvic.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Victoria</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-fossil-record-in-north-america">Dinosaur fossil record in North America</h2>



<p>These footprints bridge a long-standing gap in the North American <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammals-ground-dwellers-survived-the-asteroid-impact-that-killed-the-dinosaurs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil</a> record. No ankylosaurid bones have been found in this region between 100 and 84 million years ago. </p>



<p>For decades, researchers thought ankylosaurids had disappeared from the continent during this time, only to return later from Asia.</p>



<p>But the tracks tell a different story. They show that ankylosaurids were very much present in mid-Cretaceous ecosystems. They coexisted with nodosaurids, as both <em>Ruopodosaurus</em> and <em>Tetrapodosaurus</em> prints appear in the same rock layers.</p>



<p>Dr. Charles Helm, who co-authored the study, had observed these unusual three-toed tracks near Tumbler Ridge for years. </p>



<p>He eventually brought Arbour into the project to confirm their significance. This collaboration paid off with the identification of a new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-americas-oldest-dinosaur-is-completely-rewriting-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> and the rewriting of an evolutionary timeline.</p>



<p>“Ever since two young boys discovered an ankylosaur trackway close to Tumbler Ridge in 2000, ankylosaurs and Tumbler Ridge have been synonymous," Helm enthused. </p>



<p>"It is really exciting to know through this research that there are two types of ankylosaurs that called this region home and that <em>Ruopodosaurus</em> has only been identified in this part of Canada."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revealing-3d-models-and-skin-prints">Revealing 3D models and skin prints</h2>



<p>Beyond visual observations, the researchers used photogrammetry to create detailed 3D models of the dinosaur tracks. These helped confirm the unique features of <em>Ruopodosaurus</em>. Some track surfaces also revealed faint skin impressions, providing rare textural data on ankylosaur feet.</p>



<p>Trackway measurements showed consistent stride lengths, narrow gait, and outward toe rotation. This matched well with ankylosaurid hip and limb anatomy. </p>



<p>Although these dinosaurs had wide bodies, their legs were positioned more vertically, resulting in a surprisingly narrow trackway.</p>



<p>Comparative studies ruled out other possible candidates. Stegosaurs, ceratopsians, and iguanodonts either lacked the right foot shape or had different forelimb anatomy. Only ankylosaurids possessed the correct combination of a three-toed foot and a five-digit hand.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bone-and-stone-evidence">Bone and stone evidence</h2>



<p>While skeletal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-predatory-dinosaur-species-identified-in-lost-photos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remains</a> from this time are rare, a few bone fragments support the presence of ankylosaurids. </p>



<p>Vertebrae and ossicles found in the same formations share more in common with ankylosaurids than nodosaurids. These hints, paired with the new tracks, paint a clearer picture of mid-Cretaceous dinosaur diversity.</p>



<p>“This study also highlights how important the Peace Region of northeastern BC is for understanding the evolution of dinosaurs in North America - there’s still lots more to be discovered,” said Arbour.</p>



<p>The size of the prints suggests the animals were about 120 cm tall at the hip. That’s slightly smaller than some nodosaurids, whose prints measure up to 50 cm. This difference hints at niche separation or varied ecological roles among the armored dinosaurs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-region-rich-in-dinosaur-tracks">A region rich in dinosaur tracks</h2>



<p>The Peace Region continues to be a goldmine for track-based discoveries. Past finds include tyrannosaurid trails, giant crocodylian traces, and even the largest bird footprints from the Mesozoic in North America. </p>



<p><em>Ruopodosaurus</em> joins this growing list, adding a new dimension to our understanding of dinosaur evolution.</p>



<p>These armored dinosaur tracks, formed in mud and preserved by time, offer more than just direction. They tell us who walked here, how they moved, and how long they remained. In a land where bones are rare, the ground carries the memory of ancient giants.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <em><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2025.2451319" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology</a>. </em></p>



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Footprints of armored dinosaurs with clubbed tails found for the first time

Dinosaur fossils often steal the spotlight, but sometimes, tracks and...

<p>For centuries, humans believed they held a monopoly on geometric intuition. The ability to recognize structure in a&nbsp;shape - its right angles, symmetry, and parallel lines - was seen as a mark of human cognition. But a new study suggests that this mathematical sense may not be ours alone. </p>



<p>Carrion crows, long admired for their cleverness, have now demonstrated the ability to detect geometric regularity in shapes. </p>



<p>This discovery, led by researchers at the <a href="https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tübingen</a>, opens a surprising chapter in the story of animal intelligence.</p>



<p>The research does more than showcase the brainpower of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-flightless-birds-are-more-intelligent-than-we-realized/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>. It questions whether our deepest ways of understanding space and form might be shared with other species - and perhaps even rooted in evolution itself.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-geometry-helps-crows">How geometry helps crows</h2>



<p>Geometry isn't just about math classes or architectural blueprints. At its core, it reflects the brain’s ability to process structure. </p>



<p>In humans, even those without schooling or exposure to formal mathematics can recognize simple geometric rules. Symmetry stands out. So do parallel lines and equal sides. We notice when something is off.</p>



<p>Until now, this perception seemed absent in other animals. Many can navigate, estimate quantities, or even use tools, but they appeared blind to the subtler rules that define shapes. </p>



<p>Previous research with baboons, our close evolutionary cousins, found they could not consistently recognize regular quadrilaterals. That led some scientists to believe geometric insight might be uniquely human.</p>



<p>But carrion crows, members of the corvid family known for problem-solving, proved otherwise with their surprising geometric shape recognition <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-brain-study-will-shed-new-light-on-avian-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">abilities</a>.</p>



<p>"Claiming that it is specific to us humans, that only humans can detect geometric regularity, is now falsified," said Andreas Nieder, the study’s lead researcher. "Because we have at least the crow."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-crows-geometry-skills">Testing crows' geometry skills </h2>



<p>Nieder and his team worked with two male carrion crows, both over ten years old, and trained to interact with a touchscreen. These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-living-in-cities-are-usually-more-colorful-and-less-brown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> had previously shown the ability to count, and now they faced a new kind of challenge. </p>



<p>They were presented with an array of six shapes. Five were similar, one was not. Their task? Pick the odd one out.</p>



<p>Initially, the birds encountered easy trials - five stars and a crescent moon, for example. They quickly learned that pecking the unique shape earned them a tasty reward: mealworms. </p>



<p>After they consistently succeeded with simple patterns, researchers introduced more complex ones. The new shapes were all quadrilaterals - four-sided figures - carefully adjusted to vary in geometric regularity.</p>



<p>Here’s where things got interesting. These quadrilaterals weren't easy to distinguish. The researchers made only subtle changes: shifting a single corner to distort the shape’s symmetry or right angles. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unambiguous-test-results">Unambiguous test results</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-brains-fossil-reveals-roots-of-avian-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> had never seen these quadrilateral comparisons before, and yet, when tested, they performed far above chance.</p>



<p>On their very first try with the quadrilateral shapes, the crows performed strikingly well. Crow 1 correctly picked the outlier in 50% of the trials, while crow 2 managed 60%. Since there were six options, random guessing would result in a success rate of just 16.7%.</p>



<p>What’s more, their ability didn’t depend on familiarity. The shapes were randomly rotated and scaled. The irregular shape, called the “intruder,” changed position every trial. Yet both crows maintained impressive accuracy. Their detection rate remained well above chance across 60 initial tests.</p>



<p>Statistical analysis confirmed the results. Performance differences also matched the degree of geometric regularity. The birds identified intruders more easily when the base shapes followed stronger geometric rules - parallel sides, right angles, equal lengths.</p>



<p>These effects emerged immediately. The birds showed no need for additional training or repeated exposure. The researchers tested whether results improved over time. They found slight learning effects, but the core skill was present from the beginning.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-like-cognition-yet-bird-brained">Human-like cognition, yet bird-brained</h2>



<p>To probe deeper, the researchers compared the birds' <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagulls-birds-more-intelligent-than-believed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">success</a> with the types of quadrilaterals shown. These included squares, rhombuses, trapezoids, and more irregular shapes. Both birds performed better on the most regular shapes and struggled more as irregularity increased.</p>



<p>In some cases, their struggles mirrored those seen in humans. The rhombus, despite being highly regular, tripped up both the crows and people in earlier studies. </p>



<p>This suggests a shared perceptual bias - a tendency to overlook certain features or prioritize others when judging shape.</p>



<p>"The evidence is actually quite convincing," said Mathias Sablé-Meyer, a cognitive neuroscientist who worked on the earlier baboon study.</p>



<p>"I have to accept the result and think, you know, that's pretty cool! And then the question is, where does that even come from?"</p>



<p>The answer may lie in the way animals process embedded features - nested shapes, equal angles, and structured lines. Crows, like humans, seem capable of recognizing these shape relationships, even without formal instruction or language.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-excel-in-shape-recognition-nbsp">Birds excel in shape recognition&nbsp;</h2>



<p>If baboons can’t do it, but crows can, what does this say about intelligence? Not all cognition follows the same evolutionary paths. Birds and primates diverged long ago, yet both have evolved complex cognitive abilities.</p>



<p>The crows' success in shape recognition may stem from a broader sensitivity to visual detail. Unlike the baboons, which failed to reach consistent accuracy even after training, the crows met high performance standards across multiple sessions. </p>



<p>They also faced more exaggerated shape deviations - one vertex of each intruder was shifted by 75% of the average edge length, a bolder change than in the baboon experiments.</p>



<p>But that alone may not explain their success. Birds such as pigeons and chickens have shown sensitivity to symmetry in patterns and mate selection. Some use regularity in spatial cues for navigation. What this new study reveals is something more abstract: an ability to detect structure in shape for its own sake.</p>



<p>"I hope that my colleagues are looking into other species," said Nieder. "I'm pretty sure they may find that other intelligent animals can also do this."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geometry-crows-and-evolution">Geometry, crows, and evolution</h2>



<p>This study challenges the idea that geometry emerged solely with human civilization. Instead, it suggests that the roots of this ability run deeper - into the biological foundations of perception.</p>



<p>Carrion crows did not learn geometry in classrooms. They did not measure angles or discuss theorems. Yet they saw order in shape. They recognized what fit and what did not. That’s the very heart of geometric intuition.</p>



<p>By watching these birds peck at a screen, researchers have unearthed something remarkable. The way we understand space may be less of a cultural invention and more of a shared instinct - one that humans, birds, and perhaps many other creatures carry within.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/epdf/10.1126/sciadv.adt3718" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.</em></p>



<p>-----</p>



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Crows understand shapes and use geometry in everyday life

For centuries, humans believed they held a monopoly on geometric...

<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=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



<p>Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



<p>The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.</p>



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



<p>Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.</p>



<p>The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



<p>This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.</p>



<p>The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.</p>



<p>The full study was recently published in <em><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a></em>.</p>



<p>—–</p>



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<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=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



<p>Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



<p>A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.</p>



<p>Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.</p>



<p>Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents".  In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively.   MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.</p>



<p>MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization.  The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



<p>Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.</p>



<p>Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



<p>The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



<p>Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.</p>



<p>This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



<p>The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.</p>



<p>PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



<p>AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.</p>



<p>In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



<p>The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.</p>



<p>As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.</p>



<p>The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.</p>



<p>For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.</p>



<p>The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.</p>



<p id="block-9bd989d6-2fd3-4580-957f-6cacce134f08">-----</p>



<p id="block-eff5dea3-a9bb-40b5-a923-e5a9978bc0e2">Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.</p>



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<p id="block-1f9a227a-ec37-4140-81b8-ffa4a7cc6689">-----</p>



<p>MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a></p>



<p>Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a></p>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<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=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



<p>The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



<p>Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.</p>



<p>The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.</p>



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



<p>The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



<p>While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



<p>As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Communications</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

<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=kVywlgRJXsc
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Some children read facial expressions when making food choices.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-people-s-reactions-influence-children-s-eating-habits">Other people's reactions influence children's eating habits</h2>



<p>Many children are finicky eaters, but research explains how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-learned-why-so-many-kids-dislike-vegetables/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watching others eat and social modeling</a> influence the eating habits of children.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Study Methodology Demonstrates Social Learning Impact</h2>



<p>Researchers at <a href="https://www.aston.ac.uk/hls/school-of-psychology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aston University School of Psychology</a> have published findings in Frontiers in Psychology that illuminate the neurobiological foundations of food preference development through observational learning. The investigation employed controlled video stimuli featuring adults consuming raw broccoli while displaying systematically varied facial expressions to measure participant responses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asymmetrical Response Patterns Identified</h2>



<p>The research, conducted with 204 female participants, revealed a pronounced asymmetry in social modeling effects. Negative facial expressions during vegetable consumption significantly diminished observer food preference ratings, while positive expressions failed to produce corresponding increases in vegetable appeal. This finding challenges conventional assumptions about the bidirectional nature of social influence in dietary behavior formation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Evolutionary Psychology Framework Applied</h2>



<p>Dr. Katie Edwards and her research team propose that these results reflect adaptive mechanisms developed through evolutionary processes. The heightened sensitivity to disgust expressions likely functions as a protective system, enabling individuals to identify potentially harmful foods through social cues without direct risk exposure.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clinical and Educational Implications</h2>



<p>These findings carry substantial implications for pediatric nutrition interventions and family meal dynamics. The research suggests that parental expressions of distaste during vegetable consumption may inadvertently reinforce children's existing food aversions through unconscious social transmission pathways.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Future Research Directions</h2>



<p>The study establishes a foundation for expanded investigation into real-time social modeling effects and cross-demographic applicability. Researchers emphasize the necessity for longitudinal studies examining actual consumption behaviors rather than preference ratings alone, particularly within family contexts where social learning occurs most frequently.</p>



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<p>-----</p>



<p></p>

Social modeling affects our food choices

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc Some children read facial expressions when making food choices....

<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=JynHpMaNO8A
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-causing-protein-bound-and-blocked">Cancer-causing protein bound and blocked</h2>



<p>In a discovery that can one day revolutionize cancer treatment, researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside</a> have successfully developed a means of controlling MYC, a notoriously slippery protein that causes approximately <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chaotic-protein-that-fuels-75-of-cancers-can-be-controlled/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">75% of all cancers in humans</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-myc-different">What makes MYC different</h2>



<p>MYC presents a unique challenge when studying cancer. Normally, this protein plays a vital role in healthy cells. It carefully controls transcription - the process that converts genetic information from DNA and RNA into proteins.</p>



<p>However, cancer changes everything. In cancer cells, MYC becomes a destructive force. It operates in overdrive mode with no regulation whatsoever.</p>



<p>Professor Min Xue, who led the research team, explains it simply: "MYC is less like food for cancer cells and more like a steroid. It drives cancer's aggressive growth." This superactive behavior makes MYC involved in three out of every four cancer cases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-myc-is-hard-to-target">Why MYC is hard to target</h2>



<p>Despite its clear role in cancer, targeting MYC has been one of medicine's biggest challenges. The main problem lies in MYC's unusual structure - or rather, its complete lack of structure.</p>



<p>Professor Xue describes the protein as "basically a glob of randomness." This means conventional drug discovery methods don't work. These traditional approaches rely on sharply defined protein structures. MYC simply doesn't have one.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A New Approach to Fighting MYC</h2>



<p>The UCR research team developed a clever solution. They designed a special peptide molecule that could selectively bind to MYC. More importantly, this peptide could block MYC's destructive activity.</p>



<p>The key was fine-tuning two specific features: the peptide's stiffness and its shape. Through careful adjustments, researchers achieved something remarkable. They reached "sub-micro-molar affinity" - meaning their peptide binds as strongly as antibodies do.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-results">Breakthrough results</h2>



<p>This accomplishment represents a major leap beyond previous attempts. The researchers enhanced their peptide's binding strength by two orders of magnitude. This dramatic improvement brings the work significantly closer to practical drug development goals.</p>



<p>The research opens new possibilities for treating the vast majority of cancers where MYC plays a destructive role.</p>



<p>The researchers are presently optimizing peptide-delivery systems based on lipid nanoparticles that deliver the peptide effectively into cancer cells. The<a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> National Institutes of Health</a> and the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Department of Defense</a> funded the study, which appeared in the Journal of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Chemical Society</a>.<br>This research offers renewed hope against cancer, and it can potentially open a door to more effective cancer therapies for most cancer patients worldwide.</p>



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The protein that fuels 3 out of 4 cancers has been controlled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery...

<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>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

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>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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."</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified <em>Eospermatopteris</em>, 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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em>Current Biology</em>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

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>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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>.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

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>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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 <em>Neuron</em></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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p>Dr. Konstantina Kilteni's 2025 research, published in <em><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt0350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a></em>, 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.</p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

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>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>That solace came through H.G. Wells' <em>The Time Machine</em>. 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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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."</p>



<p>"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.</p>



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



<p>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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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 <em>This American Life</em></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 <em>Today Show</em></a>. The widespread interest reflects both his compelling personal story and rigorous scientific approach.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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."</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p></p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Retired professor claims he solved time travel

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

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



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



<p>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?</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>Sources:</strong> <em>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.</em></p>



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



<p><strong>1. Is acid rain completely gone?</strong> 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.</p>



<p><strong>2. How long did solving take?</strong> 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.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>5. Could acid rain return?</strong> 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.</p>



<p><strong>6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"?</strong> 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></p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

<p>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. </p>



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



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



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



<p>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. </p>



<p>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).</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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>.</p>

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

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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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p><em>Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

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



<p>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;</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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. </p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

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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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>“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. </p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>“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;</p>



<p>“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.”</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

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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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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?</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: ACS Reactions</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

How does salt makes things taste better?

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



<p>'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)."</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



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



<p>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.</p>

Santiago, Chile in South America

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