Genetic,Brain,Disorders,,Conceptual,3d,Illustration.,Mutations,In,The,Dna

When folks picture Neanderthals, the image often involves heavy brows, furry pelts, and stone tools. Yet pieces of their DNA are still part of the modern human genome. Recent research suggests that some of these genetic variants inherited from Neanderthals could be linked to autism spectrum disorder.



About 50,000-60,000 years ago, small groups of modern humans trekked out of Africa into Eurasia. They met Neanderthals, exchanged tools, and also exchanged genes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-analysis-reveals-most-recent-modern-human-to-interbreed-with-neanderthals/">through interbreeding</a>. 



It has been estimated that Eurasian-derived populations have approximately <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq3010" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2% Neanderthal DNA</a>, which was acquired during introgression events occurring shortly after anatomically modern humans migrated out of Africa.



Later, some descendants journeyed back to Africa, sprinkling a much thinner dusting of Neanderthal genes across the continent. 



That genetic shuffling means nearly everyone on Earth carries at least a trace of <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/the-neanderthal-in-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal ancestry</a>, though the amount varies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-fragments-big-questions">Small fragments, big questions</h2>



Genetic leftovers can be helpful. Certain <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-06587-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal alleles</a> boost immune responses or aid survival at high altitudes. 



Many others never meshed well with our biology and were slowly weeded out by natural selection. Brain-related genes are especially unforgiving; even minor glitches can prove disruptive. 



With the recent sequencing of multiple <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867424001168" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">archaic human genomes</a>, there has been growing interest concerning the influence of archaic human-derived alleles on modern health.



Yet some Neanderthal variants slipped past that filter. They linger in regions tied to perception, memory, and social understanding, sparking curiosity about their subtle effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-autism-clues-in-neanderthal-dna">Autism clues in Neanderthal DNA</h2>



The study linking autism to Neanderthal DNA was led by researchers from <a href="https://www.clemson.edu/">Clemson University</a> and <a href="https://www.luc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Loyola University</a>.



The authors compared whole-genome data from autistic people, their unaffected siblings, and unrelated controls across diverse ethnic backgrounds. 



They saw that both rare and common Neanderthal-derived variants appeared more often in autistic participants. 



The pattern wasn’t about carrying more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-inject-40000-year-old-neanderthal-dna-gli3-gene-into-mice-with-incredible-results/">Neanderthal DNA</a> overall; it hinged on possessing particular snippets.



One striking theme involved genes that guide how distant brain regions talk to each other. 



Visual-processing circuits appeared to run hotter, while the so-called default mode network, linked to daydreaming and social reflection, ran cooler. 



Those connectivity signatures match traits many autistic individuals report - keen pattern recognition alongside social fatigue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-the-world-in-sharp-focus">Seeing the world in sharp focus</h2>



Functional MRI scans from the same project confirmed this pattern. People who carried a higher load of the identified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/inner-ears-of-neanderthals-reveals-catastrophic-population-event-during-their-evolution/">Neanderthal variants</a> - whether autistic or not - showed stronger signaling in visual areas. 



Meanwhile, pathways that normally hum during casual conversation or idle thought stayed quieter. 



The result hints that these ancient genes might sculpt a cognitive profile tuned for intense observation and precise motor planning.



Archaeologists note a similar nuance in Neanderthal craftsmanship and stone tool making skills. 



Their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levallois_technique" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Levallois technique</a> required stepwise planning, spatial reasoning, and sustained focus - skills that resonate with strengths many autistic thinkers display today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-evolutionary-twist">An evolutionary twist</h2>



Why would such variants stick around? One idea points to the small, tight-knit bands <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-neanderthals-species-face-structure-evolved-differently/">Neanderthals</a> likely formed. In that setting, visual scouting for game, shelter, or stone resources could outweigh complex social juggling. 



When Homo sapiens groups interbred with them, those advantageous perceptual talents may have proved useful enough to persist.



The study does not argue that Neanderthal DNA “causes” autism. Instead, it suggests that a handful of inherited tweaks can raise the odds of certain traits emerging along a spectrum. 



Those traits might have offered benefits in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-theory-explains-why-neanderthals-vanished-and-homo-sapiens-are-alive-today/">ancestral environments</a> - and still do in fields that prize logic, detail, and pattern spotting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neanderthal-contributions-to-autism">Neanderthal contributions to autism</h2>



Researchers stress that genetics is only part of the autism puzzle. Environment, early development, and countless other genes interact in ways science is still charting. 



Even so, identifying concrete Neanderthal contributions helps explain why autism exists worldwide, independent of culture or upbringing. 



It also reframes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/placenta-hormones-may-have-driven-human-brain-evolution/">neurodiversity</a> as a legacy of humanity’s mixed heritage rather than a modern anomaly.



Many families notice clusters of analytical talent - mathematicians, engineers, visual artists - scattered among autistic and non-autistic relatives alike. The new findings offer a biological thread connecting those shared gifts.



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



“We hope this research will lead to further investigation into the ongoing influences of ancient hybridization between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-and-humans-had-multiple-waves-of-contact/">Homo sapiens and Neanderthals</a> in brain development, human intelligence, and overall human health, as well as spur work into additional clinical resources for this complex population,” the research team wrote.



Future projects will likely probe other neurodevelopmental conditions, explore how Neanderthal variants interact with modern lifestyles, and refine personalized supports. 



As we continue to discover, the story of human evolution didn't stop with one lineage replacing another. It wove their strengths together, leaving fingerprints that guide our thoughts, perceptions, and innovations in modern humans to this day.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-024-02593-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Psychiatry</a>.



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Scientists link autism to Neanderthal DNA found in modern humans

When folks picture Neanderthals, the image often involves heavy brows, furry pelts, and stone tools. Yet pieces of their DNA are still part of the modern human genome. Recent research suggests that some of these genetic variants inherited from Neanderthals could be linked to autism spectrum disorder. About 50,000-60,000 years ago, small groups of modern humans trekked out of Africa into Eurasia. They met Neanderthals, exchanged tools, and also exchanged genes through interbreeding. It has been estimated that Eurasian-derived populations have approximately 2% Neanderthal DNA, which was...

Astronomers have spotted a giant exoplanet, named TOI-6894b, that's bigger than Saturn and circling a red dwarf star only one-fifth the mass of the Sun.



This finding rewrites expectations about where massive planets can form and hints that such worlds may be common around the smallest stars. The discovery emerged from a survey of Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (<a href="https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/tess/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TESS</a>) data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-star-hosts-a-giant-toi-6894b">Tiny star hosts a giant TOI-6894b</h2>



TOI-6894 is a cool <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planets-orbiting-red-dwarf-stars-may-not-be-habitable-ultraviolet-uv-radiation/">red dwarf</a> that shines with far less light than the Sun. Yet its companion, TOI-6894b, is a puffed-up gas world whose radius exceeds Saturn’s while its mass is only half as large.



“I was very excited by this discovery. I originally searched through TESS observations of more than 91,000 low-mass red dwarf stars looking for giant planets,” said lead author Edward Bryant, an astronomer at University College London (<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL</a>).



“Then, using observations taken with one of the world’s largest telescopes, <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESO’s VLT</a>, I discovered TOI-6894b, a giant planet transiting the lowest-mass star known to date to host such a planet.



“We did not expect planets like TOI-6894b to be able to form around stars this low-mass. This discovery will be a cornerstone for understanding the extremes of giant planet formation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-and-planet-mismatch">Star and planet mismatch</h2>



The host star is 60 percent smaller than the next-tiniest star known to harbor a transiting gas giant. That fact alone forces astronomers to rethink estimates of planetary populations.



“Most stars in our galaxy are actually small stars exactly like this, with low masses and previously thought to not be able to host gas giant planets," said co-author Daniel Bayliss, an astrophysicist at the <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Warwick</a>.



"So, the fact that this star hosts a giant planet has big implications for the total number of giant planets in our Galaxy.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toi-6894b-is-a-mystery">TOI-6894b is a mystery</h2>



Standard core-accretion theory struggles to explain the new object. Low-mass stars should possess thin disks that cannot build hefty planetary cores before the gas disperses.



“It’s an intriguing discovery. We don’t really understand how a star with so little mass can form such a massive planet!” said co-author Vincent Van Eylen, an expert in exoplanets at UCL.



“This is one of the goals of the search for more exoplanets. By finding planetary systems different from our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiral-structure-discovered-at-the-edge-of-our-solar-system-oort-cloud/">solar </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiral-structure-discovered-at-the-edge-of-our-solar-system-oort-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">s</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spiral-structure-discovered-at-the-edge-of-our-solar-system-oort-cloud/">ystem</a>, we can test our models and better understand how our own solar system formed.”



The team explored two alternate routes. “Given the mass of the planet TOI-6894b could have formed through an intermediate core-accretion process,” Bryant said.



Alternatively, the planet could have formed when a gravitationally unstable disc fragmented under its own gravity, leading gas and dust to collapse into a planet. However, neither scenario fits the present data perfectly, keeping the planet’s origin open.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gas-giant-details-emerge">Gas giant details emerge</h2>



TOI-6894b orbits at a distance that leaves its atmosphere chilly by exoplanet standards. The estimated equilibrium temperature is only 420 Kelvin.



“Based on the stellar irradiation of TOI-6894b, we expect the atmosphere is dominated by methane chemistry, which is exceedingly rare to identify,” said co-author Amaury Triaud, an astrophysicist at the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Birmingham</a>.



Temperatures could allow <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-about-jupiters-clouds-not-ammonia-ice-leaves-astronomers-astonished/">ammonia</a> to be detected in an exoplanet atmosphere for the first time.



“TOI-6894b likely presents a benchmark exoplanet for the study of methane-dominated atmospheres and the best ‘laboratory’ to study a planetary atmosphere containing carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen outside the Solar System,” he said. 



Such promise has already earned the planet a place in the James Webb Space Telescope (<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>) observing queue. Spectra next year may reveal the gas balance and cloud depth, shedding light on the planet’s formation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toi-6894b-opens-new-star-search-lanes">TOI-6894b opens new star search lanes</h2>



“This system provides a new challenge for models of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-formation-new-insights-mechanics-physics/">planet formation</a>," said co-author Andrés Jordán, an astrophysicist at the <a href="https://pure.uai.cl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University Adolfo Ibáñez</a>. "It offers a very interesting target for follow-up observations to characterize its atmosphere."



“Our efforts have allowed us to contribute significantly to a better understanding of how often small stars can form giant planets, and we are providing prime targets for follow-up with space-based platforms.”



Every sentence of data from TOI-6894b will sharpen those statistics. If many dim red dwarfs host similar planets, the Milky Way could have more gas giants than expected.



For now, the new world stands as a reminder that planet formation remains flexible - and sometimes spectacularly bold - no matter how modest the parent star.



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The study was led by researchers at the <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Warwick</a>, University College London's (UCL) <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/mssl/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mullard Space Science Laboratory</a>, the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Birmingham</a>, and other partners.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02552-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>.



Image credit: University of Warwick/Mark Garlick



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Astronomers discover a tiny star with a giant planet that should not exist

Astronomers have spotted a giant exoplanet, named TOI-6894b, that's bigger...

Hidden beneath the thick crust and scorching layers deep inside our Earth lies an immense stash of precious metals. Scientists have long believed these riches, which include gold and ruthenium, remain stuck near the core-mantle boundary, a zone that is about 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) underground.



Yet new findings indicate some of these metals are edging upward through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-exoplanet-glows-with-red-hot-molten-lava/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volcanic</a> eruptions on islands like Hawaii. Observations show traces of ruthenium in Hawaiian lava that hint at a slow leak from Earth’s deepest interior. 



Many of these insights come from the work of Dr. Nils Messling from the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Göttingen</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-core-metals-leak-into-earth-s-mantle">Core metals leak into Earth's mantle</h2>



“When the first results came in, we realized that we had literally struck gold! Our data confirmed that material from the core, including gold and other precious metals, is leaking into the Earth’s mantle above,” Dr. Messling enthused.



He and other researchers found chemical signatures in lava that suggest metals can migrate from the core to the surface.&nbsp;



This work aligns with earlier <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aal4179" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> indicating distinct isotopes of tungsten in certain volcanic rocks. By comparing precise <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/isotopic-ratio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">isotope ratios</a>, researchers noted anomalies that could only be explained by a hidden source deep within the planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-molten-rock-helps-metals-travel-from-core">Molten rock helps metals travel from core</h2>



“Our findings not only show that the Earth’s core is not as isolated as previously assumed," explained <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/prof.+dr.+matthias+willbold/555303.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Matthias Willbold</a>, who is also from the University of Göttingen. 



"We can now also prove that huge volumes of super-heated mantle <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/harrat-khaybar-an-active-lava-field-in-saudi-arabia/">material</a>, several hundreds of quadrillion metric tons of rock, originate at the core-mantle boundary and rise to the Earth’s surface to form ocean islands like Hawaii,” 



Much of this evidence turned up in the melted rock that feeds Hawaii’s volcanoes.&nbsp;



These details offer a glimpse into how metals bound in the core could ride streams of <a href="https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781501508950-009/html?lang=en&amp;srsltid=AfmBOoqhuNQgWi4iHVPVUUcWu9n3wzjB2gLCgtxcXgkbiZ4n9hkZXkAc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">igneous fluids</a> into shallower regions. 



The transport is slow by human standards, yet even a tiny upward trickle over millions of years can transfer notable amounts of valuable elements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leaked-metals-may-explain-surface-deposits">Leaked metals may explain surface deposits</h2>



Some gold and related metals used in modern technology may have once sat near the center of Earth. Precious metals are essential in fields like renewable energy, electronics, and medical devices.



The exact scale of this movement is still under investigation, but the possibility raises new questions about how mineral deposits form.



Experts also note that gold’s scarcity on the surface drove its historic status and monetary role. Understanding that traces of it seep into the mantle from far below may shift how scientists think about metal distribution and planetary evolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-inner-layers-exchange-materials">Earth’s inner layers exchange materials </h2>



Geologists once imagined the core as an isolated reservoir, shut off by thousands of miles of dense rock. Recent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012825219302636" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a> challenge that notion and point to a slow but steady exchange of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-used-lava-tubes-for-homes-middle-east-saudi-arabia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">materials</a>.



Whether these interactions have been ongoing since Earth’s earliest history remains an active research question.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09003-0/figures/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/gold_precious-metals_core-to-surface_chemical-details_credit-Nature_1s.webp" alt="Ru values of OIBs, picrites and peridotites from the modern and Archean upper mantle. Credit: Nature" class="wp-image-1971419"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ru values of OIBs, picrites and peridotites from the modern and Archean upper mantle. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Nature</figcaption></figure>



Researchers emphasize that the current metal flow from the core is too small to spark any gold rush. They view it instead as a geological phenomenon that reveals how Earth’s inner processes keep shaping its surface in unexpected ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-precious-metals-from-earth-s-earliest-days">Precious metals from Earth’s earliest days</h2>



The movement of ruthenium isotopes also hints at the types of material from which Earth originally formed. 



Researchers believe the core retains the chemical fingerprint of ancient planetary building blocks, which are distinct from what was added subsequently during <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0019103524002033" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">late accretion</a>.



This means some of the metals rising through volcanic plumes today could be leftovers from the earliest days of Earth’s formation, which would offer rare insight into events that happened more than 4.5 billion years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metal-flow-shows-earth-s-core-changes">Metal flow shows Earth's core changes</h2>



“Whether these processes that we observe today have also been operating in the past remains to be proven. Our findings open up an entirely new perspective on the evolution of the inner dynamics of our home planet,” remarked Dr. Messling.



Some scientists suspect that rock plumes carrying metals might have spurred geochemical differences in the oceans and atmosphere over long periods. 



They also consider how these plumes might influence volcanic island chains and the distribution of certain mineral deposits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-does-all-of-this-mean">What does all of this mean?</h2>



These findings don’t just matter to geologists. The presence of core-derived materials near the surface may affect how scientists model Earth’s heat flow, magnetic field generation, and deep mantle convection.



Beyond academic curiosity, the confirmation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-sunken-oceans-discovered-between-earth-core-and-mantle/">core-mantle exchange</a> might one day influence how we locate and assess mineral resources, especially in volcanic regions that were previously overlooked.



The next steps involve pinpointing the rate at which metals flow from the core and how they rise through the Earth's mantle. 



Isotope measurements of other elements could provide even more clues about the composition of our planet’s inner zones.



These measurements will help researchers unravel deeper questions about planetary formation, ongoing exchange among layers, and the origins of metals that power crucial technologies. 



This knowledge might reshape long-held ideas and reveal new facets of Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/iceland-eruption-blasted-lava-into-the-sky/">complexity</a>.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09003-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Volcanic gold discovered in Hawaii may have come directly from Earth's core

Hidden beneath the thick crust and scorching layers deep inside...

Preschool can change more than just how kids learn to read. A long-term study shows that a focused preschool program can help students better handle emotional and behavioral challenges even in high school.



The REDI program, short for Research-based, Developmentally Informed, was designed to improve social-emotional skills and language abilities in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/todays-children-will-face-more-climate-extremes-than-ever-before/">children</a> from low-income families. This intervention has now shown benefits that span over a decade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preschool-program-taught-emotions">Preschool program taught emotions</h2>



REDI was integrated into 22 Head Start classrooms across three counties in Pennsylvania. Teachers received weekly support and training.



The curriculum was based on Preschool PATHS, which targeted emotion understanding, impulse control, and social interaction.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-have-the-brainpower-to-navigate-maps-at-a-very-young-age/">Lessons</a> were reinforced through interactive reading, sound games, and print activities. Parents also got handouts and DVDs to continue the learning at home.



“We wanted to work with Head Start and look at whether there were ways to strengthen the programming by incorporating more up-to-date research on what we knew about social-emotional development,” said Karen Bierman, the lead researcher from <a href="https://www.psu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Pennsylvania State University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preschool-kids-behaved-better">Preschool kids behaved better</h2>



In preschool, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mobile-addiction-harms-kids-mental-health-more-than-screen-time/">children</a> who received REDI showed higher emotion knowledge and social competence. These early gains prepared them to navigate relationships and school challenges more effectively in later years.



Teachers noted better cooperation and emotional regulation by the time students reached elementary school.



REDI students showed fewer behavior problems in high school with an effect size of 0.27 and fewer emotional symptoms with an effect size of 0.41, based on teacher, parent, and self-reports. These effects appeared more than ten years after the intervention ended.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-lasting-emotional-skills">Building lasting emotional skills</h2>



Academic skills acquired in preschool often fade if not supported. But social-emotional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-now-the-reality-for-nearly-half-a-billion-children/">skills</a> can persist. They help children form strong relationships, manage feelings, and stay focused. This improves school experiences year after year.



“The preschool intervention had built a protective capacity for kids to better manage the social pressures and emotional demands of adolescence,” Bierman said.



The REDI study followed participants from age 4 to 18. It showed how early emotional learning helped children stay steady through the transitions of school and adolescence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotional-gains-linked-to-school-success">Emotional gains linked to school success</h2>



The preschool program did not directly raise grades or on-time graduation rates. But it helped in indirect ways. Students with better emotional control did well in school and graduated on time. These gains began with behavior and adjustment in grade school.



The study revealed six clear paths that linked REDI to better GPA and another six to graduation on time. These involved improvements in emotion knowledge, social competence, parent involvement, and behavior management.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-parents-and-teachers">Role of parents and teachers</h2>



Parent involvement played a central role. One major path to fewer emotional symptoms in teens began with parents engaging more with school. REDI supported this through weekly take-home tools and DVDs for families.



Teachers observed that REDI children adjusted better and built stronger classroom relationships. These qualities helped them avoid negative peer influence and handle stress throughout school.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preschool-programs-after-the-pandemic">Preschool programs after the pandemic</h2>



After the pandemic, many children face wider gaps in education and emotional well-being. Programs like REDI offer a model for support that starts early and continues to matter later. The program cost only $191 per child, making it a cost-effective approach.



These results suggest that early efforts in emotional development have lasting impact. They shape school behavior and support success in life.



“Our findings suggest that when you boost early social-emotional skills, the big payoff is going to be sustained improvements in social-emotional and behavioral adjustment,” said Bierman.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-follows-kids-into-adulthood">Study follows kids into adulthood</h2>



Researchers continue to follow students from the preschool program into their twenties. They are studying how early learning affects college, work, and personal life. 



The goal is to see how the preschool program shapes success in adulthood. Many families have remained in the study for over 14 years. 



"They’ve been really willing to hang in there with us,” said Bierman. The commitment of these families could help build stronger programs for future generations.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.14235" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Child Development</a>.



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Early preschool program helps teens behave better in high school

Preschool can change more than just how kids learn to...

People who live in the Rocky Mountains and across the high deserts of the West often think the water gushing from roadside springs started its journey only months earlier in the snowfields above. 



Fresh data say otherwise, showing that a big share of the clear, cold flow first seeped into the ground more than a decade ago.



Paul Brooks and colleagues at the <a href="https://www.utah.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Utah</a> traced that hidden journey using <a href="https://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclide-basics-tritium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tritium</a>, a rare form of hydrogen whose slow radioactive decay works like a stopwatch for groundwater. 



Their sampling campaign covered 42 headwater catchments from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_Range" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Front Range of Colorado</a> to the Sierra Nevada, providing the tightest age map yet for water emerging during both mid‑winter base flow and the dramatic pulse of spring melt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-the-groundwater-clock">Tracing the groundwater clock</h2>



Tritium has a <a href="https://www.cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca/eng/resources/fact-sheets/tritium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">half‑life</a> of about 12.3 years, so every atom lost helps scientists calculate how long water has been out of touch with the atmosphere. 



By counting those atoms, the team found that the typical snowflake spends 5.7 years underground before re‑appearing in a creek, and in some sandy basins the delay stretches past 15 years.



“This means most of the runoff we see each April is actually old <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-giant-underground-sponge-capable-of-supplying-water-to-rivers-and-cities/">water</a>,” said Brooks. 



That surprise upends long‑standing water‑supply models that assumed only a thin soil layer stored snowmelt before it slipped downslope.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mountains-hiding-a-giant-reserve">Mountains hiding a giant reserve</h2>



Hydrologists once pictured mountain bedrock as a tight lid, yet the new isotope evidence says otherwise. 



Sedimentary and clastic layers act like vast sponges, holding volumes of water equal to eight times a year’s worth of precipitation, while hard granite or shale offers barely one‑third of that capacity.



Because the slower, thicker reservoirs damp swings in wet and dry years, they also mask early signals of drought. <a href="https://profiles.faculty.utah.edu/u1322101" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sara Warix</a>, a co‑author on the project, warned that “inputs to our systems are changing,” and managers who ignore subsurface stores risk big forecasting errors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geology-and-groundwater-connection">Geology and groundwater connection</h2>



In porous formations, older groundwater mixes smoothly with fresh snowmelt, yielding streams that keep flowing long after anemic winters. 



<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11041790/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hard‑rock catchments</a>, by contrast, shed water quickly, making them more vulnerable to multi‑year dry spells and stressing forests that rely on deep moisture during late‑summer heat waves.



The age gap shows up in chemistry as well: deeper flow paths leach minerals, giving creeks a distinct signature that simple rain‑runoff formulas miss. 



That chemical flag has already helped ecologists explain why some alpine trees survive back‑to‑back droughts while others wilt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-western-water-forecasts">Rethinking western water forecasts</h2>



For decades, agencies leaned on the <a href="https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reports/UpdateReport.html;jsessionid=zTUDPbIC6bodX5Zeo2iqL0lpgGfZh1fEMfD6jHAq.nrcsprd0382?report=Oregon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SNOTEL snowpack network</a> to predict reservoir inflows. 



When those gauges lost skill after 2000, modelers blamed warmer air and shifting storms, but Brooks’s isotope record points to an overlooked culprit - multi‑year groundwater storage that smears the link between today’s snow and next summer’s streams 



By adding a twice‑yearly tritium test, once in deep winter and again at peak melt, managers could watch subsurface stores refill or drain in near real time. 



Such early warnings would have flagged 2022, a year when average mountain snow hid record‑low groundwater and produced shockingly weak runoff.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Urban water utilities that rely on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alaskas-groundwater-releases-a-huge-amount-of-carbon-into-the-ocean/">surface runoff</a> need to revisit how they plan for storage and drought response. 



With a large share of streamflow made up of years-old groundwater, short-term snowpack levels alone don’t predict what will flow into treatment plants and reservoirs.



Agricultural users may also need to adjust irrigation planning. Fields downstream from sedimentary basins might keep receiving steady water even during light winters, while farms near hard rock zones could face sharp shortages unless deeper reserves are considered.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-with-a-time-shifted-tap">Living with a time‑shifted tap</h2>



The discovery does not mean less water is available, but it does change when that water shows up. Communities that bank on quick melt pulses might need to rethink reservoir rules to account for the slower, older flow that will keep coming even after a lean snow season.



It also suggests that restoring beaver ponds or protecting meadow wetlands could lengthen underground residence times further, adding natural “interest” to the regional water budget. 



Conversely, clear‑cut logging or high‑intensity wildfires on hard‑rock slopes may speed the clock, flushing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saltwater-intrusion-threatens-coastal-groundwater-supplies-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">precious stores</a> before they can be sequestered for dry years.



Brooks sees opportunity in the new numbers, not just warnings. “By tracking groundwater age, we can cut forecast uncertainty in half months before the first shoots of grass appear,” he said.



Western water law, rooted in 19th‑century concepts of surface flow, rarely accounts for decades‑old groundwater that still fuels rivers. 



Updating those statutes will be contentious, yet the isotope record now makes the invisible reservoir impossible to ignore.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02303-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Water flowing from springs and rivers is much older than believed

People who live in the Rocky Mountains and across the...

Cancer doesn’t just attack the body - it can erode joy, purpose, and the will to keep going. But a new study offers a powerful glimmer of hope.



Researchers have found that a one-time 25‑milligram capsule of psilocybin, when paired with <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/types-of-talking-therapies/">talk therapy</a>, can significantly ease the emotional burden that often accompanies cancer.



This finding comes from a <a href="https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.35889">phase 2</a> study led by Dr. Manish Agrawal of <a href="https://www.sunstonetherapies.com/">Sunstone Therapies</a>, which indicates the benefits may last for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-depression-needs-better-treatment">Cancer depression needs better treatment</h2>



Roughly one in four U.S. adults with cancer meets the criteria for clinical depression. That rate is several times higher than what's seen in the general public, according to a 2024 <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11000226/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meta‑analysis</a> of 24 studies.



Depression amplifies pain, erodes treatment adherence, and shortens survival; tackling it is therefore as critical as shrinking tumors.



<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559078/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Major depressive disorder</a>, or MDD, is diagnosed when low mood, loss of pleasure, sleep disruption, and other symptoms persist most days for at least two weeks and cause clear <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walking-each-day-at-any-speed-lowers-the-risk-of-cancer/">distress</a>. 



Standard antidepressants can take six weeks to work, interact with chemotherapy, and help only about one‑third of patients.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psilocybin-eased-cancer-depression">Psilocybin eased cancer depression </h2>



The new trial enrolled 28 adults who had both cancer and major depressive disorder (MDD). Each participant completed several preparatory therapy sessions before receiving a single 25-milligram psilocybin capsule in a closely monitored room.



Interviewers who were blind to baseline scores found that 15 participants - 53.6 percent - still showed a clinically meaningful reduction in depression two years later. Half of all participants had achieved full remission by that time.



“One dose of psilocybin with psychological support to treat depression has a long‑term positive impact on relieving depression for as much as 2 years for a substantial portion of patients,” said Agrawal at the end of the follow‑up visit. 



Anxiety also eased for 12 people, or 42.9 percent, suggesting overlapping benefits for cancer‑related worry.



Animal imaging <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7830000/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> hints that the psychedelic increases synaptic‑vesicle protein 2A, a proxy for new neural connections, within hours. 



The drug activates the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1853/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">serotonin 5‑HT2A receptor</a>, temporarily loosening rigid thought loops and allowing therapy to reshape outlook.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giving-cancer-patients-peace-and-clarity">Giving cancer patients peace and clarity</h2>



Participants often described their psilocybin sessions as emotionally intense, but many said it helped them reframe their diagnosis and feel more connected to loved ones and life itself. 



Some reported a sense of peace or release that persisted long after the psychedelic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-the-next-frontier-in-cancer-treatment/">effects</a> wore off.



These effects weren’t just passive. Guided therapy helped patients process their experience and integrate insights into daily life. 



Researchers emphasize that the medicine and the therapeutic environment work together to produce change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-path-for-emotional-care">A new path for emotional care</h2>



Many clinicians are cautiously optimistic. Some oncologists say it could transform end-of-life mental health care without adding a new daily medication.



Therapists report that the emotional clarity some patients experience can accelerate grief processing, spiritual reflection, and personal growth. These areas are often underserved in traditional cancer treatment plans.



A 2024 systematic <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00048674241289024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> of 25 trials found that serious adverse events were rare when psilocybin was given with trained guides and preparatory counseling. 



Participants lay on a couch with eyeshades and music, supported by two therapists - an approach now considered best practice.



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



“The most interesting finding is that a single dose of psilocybin, which lasts four to six hours, produced enduring decreases in depression and anxiety symptoms,” said Dr. Roland Griffiths, professor of behavioral biology at Johns Hopkins.



Back in 2016 Johns Hopkins scientists <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0269881116675513" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> that about 80 percent of 51 cancer patients kept mood gains six months after a single dose.&nbsp;



A 2023 umbrella <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10811389/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> covering 23 clinical studies concluded that psilocybin consistently outperformed placebo for depressive symptoms with few side effects. 



Together these data sets are shifting expert opinion on how aggressively psychedelic‑assisted therapy should be pursued for hard‑to‑treat mood disorders.



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



Unlike daily antidepressants, psilocybin works in a single session and doesn’t require long-term use or ongoing dose adjustments. 



That appeals to many patients already managing complex cancer regimens with multiple medications.



Its effects also seem to emerge quickly. In earlier studies, mood improvement began within one day of dosing, far faster than typical selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (<a href="https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/medicines-and-psychiatry/ssri-antidepressants/overview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SSRIs</a>), which can take weeks to build up in the body.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ongoing-psilocybin-and-cancer-trials">Ongoing psilocybin and cancer trials </h2>



Agrawal’s team is now running a double-blind study testing up to two active doses versus placebo to improve remission rates.



Separately, the <a href="https://med.uth.edu/psychiatry/2024/06/03/fda-grants-breakthrough-therapy-designation-to-cyb003-a-deuterated-psilocybin-analog-being-investigated-as-an-adjunctive-treatment-for-major-depressive-disorder-mdd/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food and Drug Administration</a> granted Breakthrough Therapy status in 2024 to CYB003, a deuterated psilocybin analogue, accelerating regulatory review for major depression.



If positive findings continue, cancer centers may eventually offer a brief psilocybin session instead of months of pills, saving both time and side‑effect burden. 



Insurance coverage and legal scheduling remain major hurdles. Still, advocates argue that with proper screening, skilled guides, and careful follow-up, the treatment may usher in a new era of mental health care for people facing life-threatening illness.



The study is <a href="https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.35889">published</a> in the journal Cancer.



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Single psilocybin dose helps cancer patients beat depression

Cancer doesn’t just attack the body - it can erode...

The summer solstice isn't just a date on the calendar - it's an event that marks a turning point in our planet's journey around the sun.&nbsp;



For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere,&nbsp;it signifies the official start of summer,&nbsp;the longest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-rotation-is-slowing-down-making/">day</a> of the year,&nbsp;and a time steeped in tradition and celebration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-summer-solstice">What is the summer solstice?</h2>



During the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sun-blasts-biggest-x-class-solar-flare-nineteen-years/">sun</a> at its maximum angle. This direct sunlight leads to the longest day and the shortest night of the year. 



"The Northern Hemisphere's tilt toward the Sun is greatest on this day. This means the Sun travels its longest, highest arc across the sky all year for those north of the equator," noted <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/whats-up-june-2025-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/">NASA</a>.



The exact date of the solstice can vary between June 20th,&nbsp;21st,&nbsp;or 22nd,&nbsp;depending on the year and your time zone.&nbsp;



The solstice marks the astronomical start of summer - not to be confused with the meteorological start - which is always June 1st for convenience in weather tracking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-moment-frozen-in-time">A moment frozen in time</h2>



During the summer solstice,&nbsp;the sun reaches its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere.&nbsp;



For a brief period,&nbsp;the sun seems to pause at this peak before it gradually begins its descent, signifying the days will start to get shorter.&nbsp;



This apparent pause is where the term "solstice" comes from,&nbsp;derived from the Latin words "sol" (sun) and "sistere" (to stand still).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-celebrating-the-summer-solstice">Celebrating the summer solstice </h2>



For thousands of years, cultures around the world have celebrated the summer solstice as a time of joy, abundance, and new beginnings. 



Ancient civilizations recognized the significance of this celestial event, incorporating it into their spiritual practices and even their architecture.



The Egyptians,&nbsp;for instance, constructed their pyramids so that the sun would align perfectly with specific chambers and passages during the solstices.&nbsp;



The Mayans,&nbsp;known for their advanced astronomical knowledge,&nbsp;built observatories to track the sun's movements,&nbsp;and their temples were often aligned to the rising or setting sun on the solstices.



Stonehenge,&nbsp;the prehistoric monument in England,&nbsp;stands as a testament to humanity's enduring fascination with the solstice.&nbsp;On the morning of the summer solstice,&nbsp;the sun rises precisely over the Heel Stone,&nbsp;a marker outside the main circle of standing stones.&nbsp;



This alignment is thought to have held profound meaning for the people who built Stonehenge, possibly connected to fertility rites or agricultural cycles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-festivities-to-mark-the-solstice">Festivities to mark the solstice</h2>



Different cultures have their own ways of celebrating the summer solstice. In Scandinavian countries, Midsummer is one of the most important holidays, marked by joyful festivities, time-honored traditions, and community gatherings that honor the height of summer.



Bonfires are a central element of Midsummer celebrations. They symbolize the sun and its life-giving energy. Communities gather around these fires, enjoying their warmth and light. 



Wearing flower crowns is a beloved Midsummer tradition. Children and young adults make crowns from fresh flowers and greenery. These crowns represent the beauty and abundance of nature at its peak. 



Dancing is a key part of Midsummer festivities. Traditional dances, often performed around a decorated maypole, bring people together in joyous movement. 



Feasting is another important aspect, with families and friends sharing meals that include seasonal foods like new potatoes, pickled herring, and strawberries. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sunrise-at-stonehenge">Sunrise at Stonehenge </h2>



Each year, thousands of people gather at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-lunar-standstill-will-illuminate-stonehenge-this-week/">Stonehenge</a> to witness the sun rising on the summer solstice. This ancient stone circle in England is aligned with the solstice sunrise, making it a significant site for this event.



For many, the gathering at Stonehenge is a spiritual experience. The solstice sunrise, framed by the ancient stones, creates a profound sense of connection to the past and the rhythms of the earth. 



Stonehenge’s connection to the solstice has captivated people for generations. Built thousands of years ago, the monument reflects its creators’ remarkable grasp of astronomy. 



Today’s solstice gatherings offer a powerful link to that ancient wisdom and the people who once gathered there under the same sky.



The gathering at Stonehenge is more than a chance to watch the sunrise - it’s a powerful communal experience. People of all backgrounds and beliefs come together to honor the occasion. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-science-behind-the-summer-solstice">Science behind the summer solstice</h2>



While the summer solstice is a time of celebration,&nbsp;it's also a captivating display of our planet's celestial mechanics.&nbsp;



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-gravity-pulls-earth-closer-to-the-sun-warming-our-climate-scientists-say/">Earth</a> doesn't spin upright like a top; it's tilted on its axis at approximately 23.5 degrees.&nbsp;This tilt,&nbsp;combined with Earth's year-long journey around the sun,&nbsp;is the driving force behind our changing seasons.



During the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere,&nbsp;this tilt positions us to receive the most direct sunlight,&nbsp;leading to longer days and warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



However,&nbsp;Earth's orbit is a continuous cycle.&nbsp;As we move past the solstice,&nbsp;our planet's tilt gradually starts to shift the Northern Hemisphere away from the sun's direct rays.



This shift causes the days to gradually shorten and the nights to lengthen.&nbsp;The sun's path across the sky appears lower,&nbsp;and its energy becomes less intense,&nbsp;ushering in the cooler temperatures of autumn.&nbsp;



This progression eventually leads us to the autumn equinox,&nbsp;where day and night are of equal length,&nbsp;and ultimately to the winter solstice,&nbsp;the shortest day of the year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-starting-point-for-new-beginnings">A starting point for new beginnings </h2>



Witnessing the sun at its highest point in the sky can be a truly awe-inspiring experience. Find a comfortable spot with a clear view of the horizon to watch the sunrise or sunset. 



The solstice can be a symbolic starting point for new beginnings. Use this time to start a new project or set personal goals. 



Whether it's a creative endeavor, a fitness routine, or a professional objective, the solstice can mark the beginning of your journey. Embracing new challenges and aspirations can bring a sense of purpose and direction.



The summer solstice is more than just a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysteries-of-the-summer-solstice-the-longest-day-of-the-year/">scientific event</a>; it's a reminder of our connection to the natural world and the cycles of the Earth. It's a time to celebrate light, life, and the endless possibilities that each new day brings.



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Summer solstice 2025: A celebration of light and life

The summer solstice isn't just a date on the calendar...

A,Business,Man,Is,Presenting,An,Ai,Model,On,The

Humans glance at a scene and instantly know what action to take - stroll, pedal, or dive. Artificial intelligence (AI), despite headline‑grabbing advances, still struggles with that snap judgment.



PhD student <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en/profile/b/a/c.g.bartnik/c.g.bartnik.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clemens Bartnik</a> of the University of Amsterdam and colleagues used brain‑scanning to show why the gap remains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-see-action-in-still-scenes">Humans see action in still scenes</h2>



In 1979, psychologist James Gibson coined the term affordances, describing how objects invite action. The new Amsterdam work places that idea squarely in the living human brain.



Participants lay in a scanner and viewed snapshots of shorelines, staircases, and alleyways. They pressed a button to pick walking, cycling, driving, swimming, boating, or climbing while the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-shows-better-emotional-intelligence-than-humans/">machine</a> tracked blood flow in visual areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-reads-action-options-first">Brain reads action options first</h2>



“These action possibilities are therefore processed automatically,” said lead scientist <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=N3Q_SukRUg8C&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Iris Groen</a>. Activity patterns in the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482504/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">visual cortex</a> changed not just with what was visible but with what the body could do.&nbsp;



The signature appeared even when volunteers made no explicit choice about movement. That means the brain tags potential actions as part of its basic image pipeline, well before conscious deliberation.



Earlier <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21715625/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> hinted at such fast coding for grasping tools, yet locomotion is broader and demands constant spatial updating. 



By isolating the signal in higher‑order scene regions, the team showed a dedicated circuit rather than a by‑product of object recognition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-link-vision-and-action-from-birth">Humans link vision and action from birth</h2>



Even in early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-helps-humans-have-20-minute-conversation-with-humpback-whale-named-twain/">development</a>, humans link sight with movement. Babies crawl toward open spaces and avoid drop-offs not because they understand height, but because their bodies learn consequences through trial and error.



This tight loop between action and feedback trains the brain to anticipate what a space allows. By the time we're adults, these patterns run automatically, helping us judge what’s possible in a split second.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-misreads-human-action-possibilities">AI misreads human action possibilities</h2>



Vision systems built on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/deep-neural-network" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deep neural networks</a> excel at labeling objects or entire scenes. But when the researchers fed the same photos to leading models, the machines mis‑guessed feasible actions about one‑quarter of the time.



“Even the best AI models don’t give exactly the same answers as humans,” Groen noted. Even large language‑vision hybrids such as <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.08774" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GPT‑4</a> improve only after extra training on affordance labels.



Analysis of the networks’ hidden layers revealed weak alignment with the fMRI patterns. The difference suggests current architectures ignore geometric and bodily constraints that matter to humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-brain-s-edge-builds-from-experience">How the brain’s edge builds from experience</h2>



What makes the human edge even sharper is that we’ve spent our entire lives testing these environments. The <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC164311/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sensorimotor system</a> doesn't just interpret images, it overlays them with memories of movement, pain, balance, and success.



AI models don't grow up in a world of slippery floors, steep curbs, or off‑trail adventures. They haven’t fallen on ice or scrambled over rocks, and that limits their ability to map pictures to possible actions with the same nuance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-shortcut-to-smarter-greener-ai">A shortcut to smarter, greener AI</h2>



Training gargantuan <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1906.02243" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">models</a> consumes megawatt‑hours and tons of carbon. If engineers can borrow the brain’s lean affordance code, future systems might reach better decisions with fewer parameters.



Robots navigating rubble, drones flying through forests, and wheelchairs plotting ramps all need that frugal insight. Instead of photographing every walkway on Earth, designers could hard‑wire a few spatial heuristics and learn the rest on‑site.



Energy savings translate to slimmer batteries and wider access outside big tech campuses. Hospitals, schools, and small‑town emergency crews stand to gain from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-are-falling-in-love-with-ai-companions-and-it-could-be-dangerous/">models</a> that think more like the people they serve.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-comes-next-for-robotics-and-rehab">What comes next for robotics and rehab</h2>



Disaster‑response robots already use <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-lidar-data-and-where-can-i-download-it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lidar</a> and stereo cameras, yet they fail when smoke or dust hides surfaces. A cortex‑inspired layer could fill gaps by inferring where treads may grip or where water flows.



Virtual‑reality therapists also watch the project. Stroke patients relearn walking faster when simulations adjust paths to match perceived affordances, not textbook dimensions.



Self‑driving cars face the nuance of a bike lane merging with a crosswalk at dusk. Embedding affordance sensors might cut false positives and avoid abrupt braking that unnerves riders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-still-don-t-know">What we still don’t know</h2>



Researchers still debate whether affordance maps arise from vision alone or feed back from motor plans. Future experiments will likely combine <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/25034-functional-mri-fmri" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fMRI</a> with muscle recordings to trace the loop.



Another unknown is how culture tweaks perception. A skateboarder and a hiker read the same staircase differently, and algorithms may need similar flexibility.



The findings remind us that seeing is inseparable from doing. Our eyes deliver a running forecast of possible moves, shaping intuition long before words enter the chat box.



Acknowledging that layered wisdom could steer AI toward tools that extend rather than replace <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-humans-and-ai-work-better-together/">human</a> ability. Nature’s shortcut may yet teach silicon to tread lightly while thinking ahead.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2414005122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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How the human brain thinks differently than AI

Humans glance at a scene and instantly know what action...

You can’t see it, yet it tugs on every star in the sky. Astronomers call this hidden glue dark matter, and for nearly a century they have struggled to learn what it is and how it shapes the Milky Way.



The newest clue comes from a Hollywood‑scale digital stunt double of our own galaxy called the COZMIC suite. 



Led by USC cosmologist <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/vera-gluscevic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera Gluscevic</a>, the project runs on a supercomputer that rewinds cosmic history and plays it back under different laws of physics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cozmic-clones-of-the-milky-way">COZMIC clones of the Milky Way</h2>



Each COZMIC (COZMIC I, COZMIC II, and COZMIC III) run starts with the same early‑<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dark-matter-come-from-the-answer-may-be-surprisingly-simple/">universe</a> snapshot but tweaks the way invisible particles behave. 



Instead of a single answer, the team produced 72 high‑resolution twins, letting them grow for 13.8 billion years until they matched the size of today’s Milky Way.



The calculations run on hundreds of graphics processing units, each crunching trillions of math operations per second. 



Over several weeks the code follows billions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/">dark particles</a> and millions of star‑forming gas parcels, storing snapshots that would fill a stack of laptops.



“With COZMIC, for the first time, we're able to simulate galaxies like our own under radically different physical laws, and test those laws against real astronomical observations,” said Gluscevic, in the first installment of the project, <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adceef" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COZMIC I</a>. 



Those digital galaxies contain familiar spiral arms plus a halo of invisible mass.



Yet their satellite populations differ in striking ways that reveal how the unseen particles may collide, stream, or even quantum‑wiggle through space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-3-dark-matter-behaviors-in-cozmic">3 dark matter behaviors in COZMIC</h2>



One set of simulations treats dark matter like billiard balls that smack into protons when the universe is young. Those early hits smooth out small clumps and erase many dwarf satellites that astronomers usually expect to see.



A second family mixes interactive and aloof particles, a hybrid that leaves some satellites intact while thinning others. 



This “fractional” model appears in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adce83" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COZMIC II</a> and maps out thresholds where warm‑style particles compose 50 percent or more of the cosmic budget.



The third scenario adds <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjs/s11734-024-01121-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">self‑interacting dark matter</a>, letting invisible particles bump into one another as well as normal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-if-it-exists-has-a-strictly-limited-lifetime-new-study-says/">matter</a>. That option, explored in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adce82" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COZMIC III</a>, softens the dense cores of dwarf galaxies and delays their collapse.



“Our simulations reveal that observations of the smallest galaxies can be used to distinguish dark matter models,” noted <a href="https://eonadler.github.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethan Nadler</a>, assistant professor at <a href="https://www.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC San Diego</a>, in the second paper. 



His point underscores why astronomers chase faint dwarfs with telescopes from Chile to Hawaii.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-galaxies-help-reveal-dark-matter-clues">Small galaxies help reveal dark matter clues</h2>



A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/dwarf-galaxy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dwarf galaxy</a> can pack only a few thousand stars, but its motion betrays a hefty halo of dark mass. Because these halos cooled first, they hold a memory of particle physics that larger systems have forgotten.



The team counted every <a href="https://kipac.stanford.edu/highlights/dark-matter-subhalo-disruption-insights-simulations-and-machine-learning" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subhalo</a> (a dark clump orbiting the Milky Way twin) and built curves called the <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2008MNRAS.386.2135G/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subhalo mass function</a>. 



Changing the interaction rules tilts that curve, offering an honest‑to‑goodness laboratory test once real counts from the <a href="https://rubinobservatory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a> arrive.



Statisticians then compare the simulated subhalo catalog to real counts using Bayesian models, treating every faint satellite as a vote for or against a particular particle mass. The approach turns the night sky into a polling booth for fundamental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-does-not-exist-universe-27-billion-years-old-study/">physics</a>.



Some types of dark matter are already ruled out by these simulations. Particles that are too light or too fuzzy don’t match what astronomers see. And if the particles interact too strongly, they erase too many small galaxies.



“While many previous simulation suites have explored the effects of dark matter mass or self‑interactions, until now, none have simulated dark matter interactions with normal matter,” added <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/bio/dr-andrew-benson" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andrew Benson</a>, staff scientist at <a href="https://carnegiescience.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carnegie Observatories</a>, in the third paper. 



Benson’s colleagues find that mixing both effects nearly eliminates the core‑collapse problem that once plagued self‑interacting models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-ideas-against-the-night-sky">Testing ideas against the night sky</h2>



Digital predictions will soon crash into data from <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Gaia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gaia</a>, <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble</a>, and the <a href="https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope</a>. 



By matching satellite counts, stellar motions, and halo shapes, observers can rule out candidates with the stroke of a spectrograph.



The method recalls Swiss astronomer <a href="https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/cosmic-horizons-book/fritz-zwicky" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fritz Zwicky</a>, who in 1933 spotted missing mass in the <a href="https://esahubble.org/images/heic0813a/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coma Cluster</a>. Back then he had only pencil and paper; today’s teams wield petaflop machines and terabytes of star catalogs.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/milky-way_dm-density-maps_credit-Astrophysical-Journal_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/milky-way_dm-density-maps_credit-Astrophysical-Journal_1s.webp" alt="Projected DM density maps at z = 0 for a subset of the high-resolution beyond-CDM simulations of an MW-like system (Halo004). For each simulation, the visualization is centered on the host halo and spans 1.5 times its virial radius. The half-mode scale is the same for every model within each column, except for the IDM models in the left column, which correspond to envelope cross sections for mIDM = 10−2 GeV with n = 2 (third row) and n = 4 (fourth row). Credit: The Astrophysical Journal (2025)" class="wp-image-1974602"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Projected DM density maps at z = 0 for a subset of the high-resolution beyond-CDM simulations of an MW-like system (Halo004). For each simulation, the visualization is centered on the host halo and spans 1.5 times its virial radius. The half-mode scale is the same for every model within each column, except for the IDM models in the left column, which correspond to envelope cross sections for mIDM = 10−2 GeV with n = 2 (third row) and n = 4 (fourth row). Click image to enlarge. Credit: The Astrophysical Journal (2025)</figcaption></figure>



Each COZMIC twin keeps track of where dark matter went and how long structures took to form. 



Those growth histories leave signatures in the ages of the oldest stars, the thickness of gaseous disks, and the timing of satellite mergers.



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



Gluscevic’s group plans to stitch their virtual halos onto telescope images one field at a time. By ranking which simulation best reproduces reality, they can close in on the true behavior of the hidden particles.



“We're finally able to ask, 'Which version of the universe looks most like ours?'" Gluscevic said. The answer could narrow the menu of dark‑matter candidates or even tip the scales toward a brand‑new sector of physics.



Fresh runs are already queued on national supercomputers, with higher resolution and more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-category-of-particles-discovered-in-the-subatomic-realm-paraparticles/">exotic particle recipes</a>. Meanwhile, observers are cataloging hundreds of ultra‑faint dwarfs that will serve as the ultimate judges.



Cracking the mystery will not happen overnight, but the Milky Way’s twin has handed researchers a cosmic magnifying glass. 



Every tiny galaxy that turns up in the next sky survey will tighten the screws on theories that have survived for decades.



The studies are published in The Astrophysical Journal: <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adceef" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COZMIC I</a>, <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adce83" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COZMIC II</a> and <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adce82" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COZMIC III</a>



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Digital clones of our Milky Way created using strange physics laws to study 'alternate' versions of the universe

You can’t see it, yet it tugs on every star...

Diseño sin título - 1

Mitochondria are tiny, membrane‑bound organelles that act as the power stations of brain cells. The energy they produce is critical in the brain as this organ consumes roughly <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8364152/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">20 percent</a> of the body’s resting energy budget.



Until now, no one had measured how these organelles are arranged across the brain in three dimensions, which left a gap between the knowledge of cellular biology and the understanding of mental feats that rise or fall with age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-energy-from-brain-mitochondria-matters">Why energy from brain mitochondria matters</h2>



“The biology of the brain, we know now, is deeply intertwined with the energetics of the brain,” said <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia University</a> psychobiologist <a href="https://www.neurology.columbia.edu/profile/martin-picard-phd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martin Picard</a>, a co‑author of the new work.



Picard and an international team built the <a href="http://humanmitobrainmap.bcblab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MitoBrainMap</a> from 703 match‑head‑sized samples taken from the donated brain of a 54‑year‑old man who died of a heart attack. 



The scientists profiled <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553192/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxidative phosphorylation</a> capacity, mitochondrial DNA copies, and organelle volume in every cube, then trained a model that predicts energy traits for the rest of the brain with MRI‑level resolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cutting-the-brain-into-cubes">Cutting the brain into cubes</h2>



Each 0.12‑inch (3 millimeter) cube matched the smallest unit a hospital scanner can currently resolve, thereby bridging lab assays with clinical images. 



Handling nearly seven hundred samples demanded robotic slicing, automated biochemistry, and hefty computing power, yet the approach preserved regional context that test‑tube studies lose.



Once trained, the model reconstructed a whole‑<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-brains-use-storage-trick-to-keep-your-memories-in-sequential-order/">brain</a> atlas that can overlay standard neuroimages, letting clinicians see where energy shortfalls align with symptoms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-brain-regions-had-fewest-mitochondria">Old brain regions had fewest mitochondria </h2>



Evolutionarily ancient areas such as the brainstem and basal ganglia showed the sparsest mitochondrial coverage, indicating the lowest production of energy for brain cells. More recently evolved cortical folds, in comparison, brimmed with high‑output organelles. 



German neuroscientist <a href="https://valentinriedl.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Valentin Riedl</a>, who was not involved in the project, called the feat “technically impressive and conceptually groundbreaking.”



The gradient matches behavioral observations: functions like balance and breathing endure late into life, whereas problem‑solving and working memory (tasks seated in newer cortical regions) fade first when energy falters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-changes-in-brain-mitochondria-functions">Evolutionary changes in brain mitochondria functions </h2>



The study’s findings align with evolutionary <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7617105/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">theories</a> suggesting that more recently developed brain regions evolved to support complex tasks like language, planning, and abstract thinking. 



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-brain-is-constantly-making-predictions-about-the-world-and-your-place-in-reality/">functions </a>require more energy, which explains why newer cortical areas are packed with higher-density and more efficient mitochondria.



In contrast, older brain structures responsible for survival functions like breathing or heart rate regulation operate on lower energy demands. This evolutionary layering may help explain why certain cognitive abilities are more vulnerable to aging and disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-gray-and-white-matter">Lessons from gray and white matter</h2>



<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553239/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gray matter</a> in the brain packed about fifty percent more mitochondria than <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abf3736" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white matter</a>, and those mitochondria also generated energy with greater efficiency. That finding echoes earlier <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11024075/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> showing that the density of mitochondrial complex I correlates with IQ and processing speed.



Because gray matter handles local computation while white matter relays long‑range signals, the split hints that thinking depends not just on how many mitochondria exist but also on how well they convert fuel into <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31985968/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ATP</a>, the cell's energy currency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-energy-to-mental-performance">Linking energy to mental performance</h2>



Past <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10526226/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> have shown that mitochondrial health strongly influences learning, attention, and emotional regulation. These traits rely on fast, flexible neural circuits that are especially sensitive to energy shortfalls.



Regions like the prefrontal cortex, essential for decision-making and working memory, demand high levels of ATP to function properly. When mitochondria falter in these areas, even minor deficits can ripple outward into daily thinking and behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signals-for-aging-brains">Signals for aging brains</h2>



The dysfunction of brain mitochondria is increasingly viewed as a driver of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39877373/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neurodegenerative disorders</a>; recent reviews tie impaired organelle dynamics to amyloid and tau build‑up in Alzheimer’s disease.



Other <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2317673121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> from Picard’s lab links psychosocial stress to shifts in the biology of brain mitochondria, suggesting lifestyle and environment may tweak the energetic landscape long before plaques appear.



By pinpointing where energy production runs thin, the new map could steer drug and behavioral trials toward the regions most likely to benefit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toward-personalized-energy-profiles">Toward personalized energy profiles</h2>



Early data hint that individual lifestyles (diet, sleep patterns, exercise) may leave distinct marks on each person’s brain energy map. Tracking those differences could guide tailored interventions long before clinical symptoms appear.



Combining the MitoBrainMap with wearable health trackers may reveal how daily habits shift brain mitochondrial performance in real time. That fusion of lab-grade <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-mapping-research-mouse-neurons-revolutionary-advance/">precision</a> and personal monitoring opens the door to truly preventive brain care.



The team has already begun cataloging nine key regions in 500 additional brains to gauge variation across sex, ancestry, and disease history. If the patterns hold, future MRI scans may include an energy overlay that predicts who is at risk for memory lapses, years before they first arise.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08740-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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First map of the brain's mitochondria may explain cognitive decline

Mitochondria are tiny, membrane‑bound organelles that act as the power...

For countless generations, every spring night in Australia has carried the faint whisper of wings. Billions of Bogong moths rise from the dry inland plains. Their destination is a handful of icy caves high in the Snowy Mountains, up to 600 miles away.



How these brief-lived insects - each one making the journey only once - find their way across such vast, feature-poor landscapes has long been one of biology’s quiet mysteries.



Now, an international research team has discovered the key: Bogong moths navigate by reading the constellations and the Milky Way, switching to Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-has-a-dent-and-nasa-is-watching-closely/">magnetic field</a> when clouds blot out the stars.



The findings make the species the first known invertebrate to use a stellar compass for long-distance migration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unseen-nightly-moth-migration">An unseen nightly moth migration</h2>



Bogong moths (Agrotis infusa) hatch on parched farmland and grasslands across southeastern Australia. Triggered by spring warmth, each insect embarks on a marathon flight toward cool alpine refuges.



When they arrive - sometimes only weeks after leaving birth sites - they wedge themselves into narrow rock cracks. There, they lower their body temperature and remain torpid through the scorching summer months.



Come autumn, they reverse course, return to the lowlands, breed once and die, leaving offspring to repeat the cycle.



Although the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-behaviors-are-shaped-by-experience/">migrat</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-behaviors-are-shaped-by-experience/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">i</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-behaviors-are-shaped-by-experience/">on</a> is centuries old, its navigational underpinning has been elusive. Earlier work hinted that moths might sense Earth’s magnetic field. But that alone seemed too crude to guide them to specific caves occupying only a few square miles in the vast Australian Alps.



The new study shows the insects wield a two-part navigation toolkit every bit as sophisticated as that of migratory birds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moths-use-celestial-landmarks">Moths use celestial landmarks </h2>



Led by Professor Eric Warrant of <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a>, the research team built a custom flight simulator: a circular arena whose inner surface could project a perfectly realistic night sky, complete with Zodiac constellations and the luminous smear of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-like-galaxies-were-present-in-the-early-universe/">Milky Way</a>.



By rotating or scrambling the projection, the team could test what cues the moths use. They also enclosed the device in coils that canceled Earth’s magnetic field, allowing independent manipulation of magnetic and visual information.



When moths collected during spring migrations were placed in the simulator under a natural star map, they reliably flew south-southeast - the direction to the Snowy Mountains from their capture location.



Autumn migrants, tested months later, flew north-northwest toward their breeding grounds. Rotating the star map 180 degrees caused the insects instantly to flip their direction of flight. 



Scrambling the star pattern left them disoriented, proving they were not just chasing the brightest point but reading specific celestial landmarks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moths-have-a-backup-migration-plan">Moths have a backup migration plan</h2>



Night skies are not always clear. The researchers next obscured the stars while reintroducing a controlled magnetic field.



Deprived of visual cues, the moths still flew along the correct migratory bearing, guided only by magnetism. When both stars and magnetic information were eliminated, the moths lost orientation entirely.



The results reveal a dual-compass strategy: starlight when available, magnetism when not. Such redundancy ensures reliability amid Australia’s famously changeable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollen-alters-cloud-formation-and-changes-weather-patterns/">spring weather</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brains-tuned-to-stars">Brains tuned to stars</h2>



The team also ventured inside the moth’s brain. Using microelectrodes thinner than a human hair, they recorded from neurons in the central complex - an insect brain hub for spatial processing.



Certain neurons fired maximally when the simulated starry sky aligned with the migratory heading. Rotating the sky shifted each cell’s peak activity by an equivalent angle, confirming that these neurons encode celestial direction.



That sophisticated computation, packed into a brain weighing a fraction of a gram, rivals the navigational circuitry found in far larger animals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-moths-to-machines">From moths to machines</h2>



The discovery joins earlier breakthroughs revealing that South African <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dung-beetles-share-their-workload-with-their-mates/">dung beetles</a> use the Milky Way to roll dung balls in straight lines.



Study co-author Javaan Chahl, a remote-sensing engineer at the University of South Australia, has already translated beetle astronomy into an AI sensor that allows robots to orient in low light.



He believes Bogong moths could inspire next-generation <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drones-reveal-hidden-biodiversity-in-rainforest-canopies/">drones</a> capable of navigating long distances at night without GPS.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moth-migration-needs-dark-skies">Moth migration needs dark skies</h2>



Bogong moth numbers have crashed due to drought, pesticides, land use changes, and climate-driven shifts in vegetation. The species is now listed as vulnerable.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-pollution-skyglow-fuels-toxic-algae-and-alters-carbon-cycle-in-lakes/">Light pollution</a> compounds the threat by washing out the night-sky cues the moths rely on. Losing dark skies could push the migratory system past a point of no return. 



This would trigger ripple effects across alpine ecosystems that rely on the moths as a seasonal food bonanza for birds and mammals.



“This is not just about a moth,” said Warrant, who also holds appointments at the <a href="https://www.anu.edu.au/">Australian National University</a> and the <a href="https://online.unisa.edu.au/">University of South Australia</a>.



The findings help recognize that the night sky is a public commons, critical for countless species - humans included - that have used it to orient, to tell time, to wonder.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-navigation-by-starlight">Navigation by starlight</h2>



For millennia, Polynesian navigators steered canoes by starlight, and mariners followed the Southern Cross across oceans. 



Now we know that a creature no larger than a paper clip can do the same, threading a path across an entire continent by reading the celestial vault.



Safeguarding the Bogong moth’s migration means protecting the dark, starlit corridors overhead - an essential step if we are to keep both the insect’s ancient journey and our shared cosmic heritage alive.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09135-3">Nature</a>.



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Moths read the stars to complete an epic migration

For countless generations, every spring night in Australia has carried...

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float in and out of our airways without leaving a trace. Yet some of those spores belong to molds that don't respect boundaries.



Many fungus species will infect lungs, spoil crops, and disrupt ecosystems all at the same time. In short, they can wreak massive havoc and leave death in their wake.



Most molds and fungi are helpful, but some fungus and mold will jump from hospital wards to honeybee hives, and the line between helpful recycler and harmful invader grows blurrier each year.



Most of the time, healthy immune systems swat away dangerous spores and fight off infection. Trouble arises when weakened defenses, rising temperatures, and heavy fungicide use tip the scales. 



Suddenly, the same fungus that quietly decomposes the fallen leaves in your yard can trigger relentless coughs, damage corn silos, and shrug off medicines that once kept it in check.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aspergillus-fungus-easily-adapts">Aspergillus fungus easily adapts</h2>



After studying fungal threats for years, Dr. Norman van Rhijn and colleagues at <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Manchester</a> mapped how three notorious Aspergillus species - A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and A. niger - might spread through the end of the century. 



They fed climate change scenarios into global models and watched the virtual spores drift. One scenario (SSP585), which assumes a fossil-fuel-dependent future, paints an unsettling picture: habitats across Europe become markedly friendlier to these pathogens.



Aspergillus fungus thrives because its genome bends easily to new pressures. It lives on soil, grains, animal feathers, even coral skeletons. Out in the wild, it recycles nutrients, but on farms and in clinics, the story shifts. 



Farmers spray <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-fungus-is-among-us-drug-resistant-fungi-is-thriving-in-every-corner-of-the-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">azole fungicides</a> to protect wheat and peanuts; doctors use nearly identical azole drugs to save patients with lung infections. That overlap nudges Aspergillus toward drug resistance - similar to bacteria evolving against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-rivers-are-highly-saturated-with-human-antibiotics-helping-bacteria-develop-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antibiotics</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-reshapes-global-mold-map">Climate reshapes global mold map</h2>



Temperature, humidity, and extreme weather events dictate where spores settle. 



“Changes in environmental factors, such as humidity and extreme weather events, will change habitats and drive fungal adaptation and spread,” said Dr. van Rhijn. 



“We’ve already seen the emergence of the fungus <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-microbes-aerosols-can-travel-thousands-of-miles-through-the-air/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Candida auris</a> due to rising temperatures, but, until now, we had little information on how other fungi might respond to this change in the environment.” 



He added that fungi remain “relatively under-researched compared to viruses and parasites,” yet the new maps show they will likely reach “most areas of the world in the future.”



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aspergillus_global-distributions_map_credit-MaxENT_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aspergillus_global-distributions_map_credit-MaxENT_1s.webp" alt="MaxENT model accurate described Aspergillus global distributions. Credit: University of Manchester" class="wp-image-1973600"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">MaxENT model accurate described Aspergillus global distributions. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Manchester</figcaption></figure>



Those maps point to striking numbers. Under the high-emissions pathway, the range of A. flavus in Europe could jump about 16 percent, potentially putting another one million people at risk of infection. 



A. fumigatus - the chief culprit behind invasive aspergillosis - could expand its European footprint by 77.5 percent, threatening up to nine million more residents. 



In Africa, paradoxically, parts of the continent may become too hot for some fungi to survive, hinting at complex regional trade-offs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasting-aspergillus-fungus-spread">Forecasting Aspergillus fungus spread</h2>



Forecasting pathogens decades ahead may sound speculative, but it builds on earlier warnings. Hospitals already grapple with Aspergillus fungus outbreaks after building renovations or severe dust storms. 



Meanwhile, intensive-care units report stubborn cases in patients recovering from influenza or COVID-19. 



Rising outdoor spore loads could translate to more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-deadly-molds-attack-the-immune-system-of-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hospital admissions</a> and costlier treatments, especially because diagnostics for fungal infections lag far behind those for bacteria or viruses.



Mycotoxin contamination adds another layer. A single year of heavy Aspergillus growth can saddle the U.S. corn industry with losses topping $1 billion. 



Increased heat and humidity extend the window for mold growth in silos and fields, forcing farmers to discard grain or blend batches to dilute toxins - strategies that still carry economic and health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-current-drugs-don-t-work">Current drugs don't work</h2>



Azole resistance has climbed steadily in Europe and Asia. Patients with resistant Aspergillus fungus infections face mortality rates exceeding 50 percent, partly because alternative drugs can damage the kidneys or liver. 



Each hectare treated with agricultural azoles raises the odds that environmental spores will carry resistance genes into hospitals. 



Public-health agencies now track these genes in soil and compost piles, hoping to spot trouble before it reaches intensive care.



Fungicide demand is also changing. As some African regions exceed the thermal limits for certain molds, farmers elsewhere may spray more to protect lengthening growing seasons.



That feedback loop - more fungicide, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-plays-an-overlooked-role-in-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stronger resistance</a> - complicates food security and patient care alike.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farms-food-and-rising-bills">Farms, food, and rising bills</h2>



Aspergillus isn’t the lone shapeshifter. Fusarium, which devastates wheat and oat fields, and Cryptococcus, an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients, also respond to warming climates. 



“Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse," explains Viv Goosens of <a href="https://wellcome.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wellcome</a>.



"To address these challenges, we must fill important research gaps. By using models and maps to track the spread of fungi, we can better direct resources and prepare for the future.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aspergillus-fungus-and-human-health">Aspergillus fungus and human health</h2>



Fungi account for an estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million species, yet fewer than 10 percent carry official descriptions, and only a sliver have sequenced genomes. 



The scarcity of basic data hinders vaccine development and slows the hunt for safer drug targets. 



Recognizing this blind spot, the <a href="https://www.who.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization</a> added Aspergillus fungus and Candida species to its priority list for emerging threats in 2022.



Researchers now call for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-of-food-safety-ai-can-detect-contamination-early/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coordinated monitoring</a> - combining air quality sensors, agricultural sampling, and hospital surveillance - to trace spore movement in near-real time. 



Such efforts could flag hotspots, guide fungicide regulations, and spark investment in rapid diagnostics. Without them, today’s manageable mold may evolve into tomorrow’s silent pandemic.



No single fix will erase the risk. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions limits the environmental changes that favor Aspergillus fungus. 



Smarter fungicide policies slow resistance on farms. Better ventilation in buildings reduces indoor spore counts, while new antifungal classes extend doctors’ toolkits. 



Piece by piece, these steps can keep an ancient decomposer from becoming an outsized menace in a warming world.



The study has been published on preprint platform Research Square, available <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-6545782/v1%20[researchsquare.com]%C2%A0;%20DOI:%20https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6545782/v1%20[doi.org]" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



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Deadly fungus that can "eat you from the inside out" is quickly spreading around the world

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float...

What makes us human? Most would say our minds. The ability to think, empathize, and build complex societies sets us apart from every other species on Earth. But where did this begin? 



A new hypothesis from researchers at Cambridge and Oxford suggests a surprising factor in human brain evolution: the placenta. 



This temporary organ that nurtures unborn babies may have driven the development of our large, social human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-brains-solve-complex-problems-with-simple-tricks/">brains</a>.



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



The placenta is a dynamic, intelligent system that nurtures and safeguards new life from conception to delivery. It attaches to the lining of the uterus and connects to the fetus through the umbilical cord, acting as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pregnancy-stress-may-have-lasting-effects-on-fetal-development/">a vital lifeline</a>. 



Through this connection, the placenta delivers oxygen and nutrients from the mother’s bloodstream to the fetus while removing carbon dioxide and waste products. 



It also produces hormones - such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sperm-have-a-heat-activated-switch-that-may-be-key-to-fertility/">progesterone</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/germ-cells-play-a-crucial-role-in-aging-and-lifespan/">estrogen</a>, and human chorionic gonadotropin - that help maintain the pregnancy and support fetal development.



Beyond its physiological functions, the placenta serves as a protective barrier, filtering out many harmful substances, though not all. 



Certain viruses, bacteria, and drugs can still cross into fetal circulation, which underscores the importance of maternal health and prenatal care. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hormones-and-social-traits">Hormones and social traits</h2>



Dr. Alex Tsompanidis, senior researcher at Cambridge’s <a href="https://www.autismresearchcentre.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Autism Research Centre</a>, is the study's lead author.



“Small variations in the prenatal levels of steroid hormones, like testosterone and oestrogen, can predict the rate of social and cognitive learning in infants and even the likelihood of conditions such as autism. This prompted us to consider their relevance for human evolution,” noted Dr. Tsompanidis. 



He and his co-authors argue that these hormones influenced not just individuals but helped shape human social traits across millennia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-brain-and-its-origins">Human brain and its origins</h2>



“We’ve known for a long time that living in larger, more complex social groups is associated with increases in the size of the brain. But we still don’t know what mechanisms may link these behavioral and physical adaptations in humans," said Professor Robin Dunbar.



This study suggests the missing piece may be sex steroid hormones like testosterone and oestrogens. These affect brain structure and connectivity even before birth.



To explore this, the researchers used “mini-brains” grown from stem cells in petri dishes. These clusters allowed them to observe how hormones shape developing neurons. 



The team found that testosterone increases brain volume, while oestrogens enhance <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-brain-literally-changes-based-on-daily-activities-and-lifestyle/">neural</a> connectivity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-brain-size-and-the-placenta">Human brain size and the placenta</h2>



Humans and great apes share a powerful hormonal connection between mother and fetus via the placenta. But humans seem to have a unique advantage. 



“The placenta regulates the duration of the pregnancy and the supply of nutrients to the fetus, both of which are crucial for the development of our species’ characteristically large brains. But the advantage of human placentas over those of other primates has been less clear,” noted Professor Graham Burton.



That advantage may lie in hormone levels. Studies show that oestrogen levels in pregnant humans are higher than in other primates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hormones-supported-social-living">Hormones supported social living </h2>



One human hallmark is our ability to maintain very large, stable groups. To manage this, our ancestors had to evolve both high fertility and reduced male competition. Sex steroid hormones may have supported both changes.



Hormones like testosterone drive male-like traits such as strength and competitiveness. In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-has-a-meal-memory-that-controls-hunger/">humans</a>, these traits exist but appear less extreme than in our close relatives or extinct cousins like Neanderthals. 



In contrast, traits linked to oestrogens, like reduced body hair and certain finger ratios, became more common.



Why? Possibly because the placenta helps convert testosterone into oestrogens using an enzyme called aromatase. Humans have more of this enzyme than other primates, and interestingly, males may have slightly more than females.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-placenta-influenced-human-brain-evolution">Placenta influenced human brain evolution</h2>



By combining all these pieces, the researchers argue that stronger placental function and elevated prenatal hormone levels together expanded brain size and connectivity. 



A lower ratio of testosterone to oestrogen could have reduced male aggression and boosted fertility in females. This allowed humans to live together in larger, more cooperative groups.



“We have been studying the effects of prenatal sex steroids on neurodevelopment for the past 20 years. This has led to the discovery that prenatal sex steroids are important for neurodiversity in human populations," said Professor Simon Baron-Cohen.



"This new hypothesis takes this further in arguing that these hormones may have also shaped the evolution of the human brain."



According to Dr. Tsompanidis, the team's hypothesis puts pregnancy at the heart of our story as a species. "The human brain is remarkable and unique, but it does not develop in a vacuum."



"Adaptations in the placenta and the way it produces sex steroid hormones may have been crucial for our brain’s evolution, and for the emergence of the cognitive and social traits that make us human,” Dr. Tsompanidis concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/evan.70003" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evolutionary Anthropology Issues News and Reviews</a>.



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Hormones produced in the placenta may have driven human brain evolution

What makes us human? Most would say our minds. The...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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