<p>For a long time, the Stone Age has been painted in narrow strokes. Men hunted with stone tools, women cooked and children watched. This idea shaped research, museum displays, even the way skeletons were identified. But the ground in Latvia is telling a very different story.</p>



<p>At Zvejnieki, one of Europe’s largest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tool-flint-discovery-challenges-theory-of-human-cultural-evolution/">Stone Age</a> cemeteries, archaeologists have found that tools buried with the dead were not just men’s possessions. Women had them too, so did children. </p>



<p>The way these objects were placed in graves shows they carried meaning far beyond daily work.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-graves-and-stone-tools">Ancient graves and stone tools</h2>



<p>Zvejnieki sits near Lake Burtnieks. The site has more than 330 graves, spanning over 5,000 years. Excavations began in the 1960s and continued for decades. </p>



<p>Thousands of ornaments made from animal teeth and amber came out of the ground. Red ochre stained the soil around many skeletons. These details have been studied again and again.</p>



<p>But stone tools? They were mostly ignored. Archaeologists thought of them as practical. Not decorative or symbolic. Just leftovers of everyday survival. </p>



<p>That view collapsed once Dr. Aimée Little and her team returned with new tools of their own.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-closer-at-stone">Looking closer at stone</h2>



<p>The Stone Dead Project used microscopes to search for tiny traces on the artifacts. The team studied how each tool was made, used, and finally placed in graves. </p>



<p>The results surprised everyone. Some scrapers showed wear from working animal hides. </p>



<p>Others looked fresh, almost untouched, as if they had been created only for burial. And many were broken on purpose before being laid to rest.</p>



<p>These details reveal that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-traveled-long-distances-to-find-colorful-stones-for-tools/">stone</a> tools were not only about survival. They were part of rituals. Part of how people said goodbye. Part of how they thought about life and death.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-in-all-graves">Tools in all graves</h2>



<p>The discoveries challenged long-standing ideas about gender. Women were just as likely, sometimes even more likely, to be buried with stone artifacts. Children and older adults received them too. </p>



<p>That makes the picture clear: these objects were not reserved for hunters. They belonged to everyone.</p>



<p>“Our findings overturn the old stereotype of ‘Man the Hunter’ which has been a dominant theme in Stone Age studies, and has even influenced, on occasion, how some infants have even been sexed, on the basis that they were given lithic tools,” noted Dr. Little.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-traditions-over-time">Changing traditions over time</h2>



<p>Burial practices at Zvejnieki shifted. In earlier centuries, tools were rare in graves. Later, by the 4th millennium BC, deposits grew larger. Some people were buried with dozens of flint artefacts. Many had never been used. Their role was clearly symbolic.</p>



<p>This change matched wider cultural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tools-flint-created-400000-years-show-technological-advancement-of-early-humans/">shifts</a> across the Baltic. Communities began to use more red ochre. They buried people collectively. Clay death masks appeared. The inclusion of flint tools fit into this wider move toward more elaborate rituals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-tools-reveal">What the tools reveal</h2>



<p>Micro-wear analysis showed patterns that mattered. Scrapers often carried traces of hide working, suggesting that preparing skins was a valued activity even in death. </p>



<p>Bone and butchery marks appeared on some pieces. Mineral traces, connected to ochre, turned up only in female burials. That detail hints at gender-specific ritual roles.</p>



<p>Bifacial points - long seen as hunting weapons - often showed no use at all. They were made, broken, and buried. Their meaning was symbolic, not practical. Destroying them may have been part of letting go, part of a shared tradition that stretched beyond one community.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-special-graves-with-stone-tools">Special graves with stone tools</h2>



<p>Some graves stood out. An older child was buried with more than 40 tools, many unused, alongside ornaments of amber and animal teeth.</p>



<p>Another grave, belonging to a young woman, contained primary deposits with her body and additional offerings at her feet. These were not random choices. They were deliberate acts, full of meaning for the people who stood around the grave.</p>



<p>These burials show that women and children were not peripheral. They stood at the center of ritual traditions. Their graves carried messages for the living.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breaking-old-assumptions">Breaking old assumptions</h2>



<p>The implications are clear. Tools in Stone Age burials were not simply for men. They were symbols for everyone - men, women, children, and elders. They carried social meaning and were part of rituals that bound communities together in the face of loss.</p>



<p>“This research demonstrates that we cannot make these gendered assumptions and that lithic grave goods played an important role in the mourning rituals of children and women, as well as men,” noted Dr. Anđa Petrović, from the <a href="https://www.bg.ac.rs/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Belgrade</a>.</p>



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



<p>What might look like simple flint flakes turn out to be keys to identity, memory, and ritual. They tell us that Stone Age communities valued more than hunting. They cared about symbolism. They cared about honoring all their members.</p>



<p>“The study highlights how much more there is to learn about the lives - and deaths - of Europe’s earliest communities, and why even the seemingly simplest objects can unlock insights about our shared human past and how people responded to death,” said Dr. Little.</p>



<p>The study shows that re-examining overlooked artifacts can transform our understanding of the past. At Zvejnieki, stone tools are no longer just tools. They are stories carved in flint, carrying the voices of communities that lived, grieved, and remembered.</p>



<p>The research is published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0330623" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a></em>.</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



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



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

Stone Age women and children were respected members of their societies

For a long time, the Stone Age has been painted in narrow strokes. Men hunted with stone tools, women cooked and children watched. This idea shaped research, museum displays, even the way skeletons were identified. But the ground in Latvia is telling a very different story. At Zvejnieki, one of Europe’s largest Stone Age cemeteries, archaeologists have found that tools buried with the dead were not just men’s possessions. Women had them too, so did children. The way these objects were placed in graves shows they carried...

<p>A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has revealed notable differences in brain structures between adolescents who initiated substance use before the age of 15 and those who did not.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The findings suggest that some of these structural differences may exist even before any substance use, pointing to their potential role in influencing the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/child-maltreatment-triples-the-risk-of-substance-use/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">substance initiation</a> later in life. </p>



<p>This interplay between brain structure, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors provides fresh insights into understanding substance use and addiction.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-substance-use-and-brain-structure">Substance use and brain structure</h2>



<p>The study analyzed nearly 10,000 adolescents as part of the <a href="https://abcdstudy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study</a> (ABCD Study), the largest longitudinal research effort examining brain development in U.S. youth.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Researchers from <a href="https://washu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington University in St. Louis</a> used MRI scans of children aged 9 to 11 and tracked them over three years, assessing their substance use patterns, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-has-a-hidden-impact-on-heart-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alcohol</a>, nicotine, cannabis, and other illicit substances.</p>



<p>Of the 9,804 participants, 3,460 reported initiating substance use before age 15, with alcohol being the most common substance (90.2%), followed by nicotine and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-cannabis-use-affect-brain-structure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Brain imaging revealed five significant structural differences at a global level between early users and non-users, including greater total brain volume and subcortical volume in those who initiated substance use.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Additionally, 39 regional structural differences were identified, over half of which involved cortical thickness. Some of these variations appeared specific to the type of substance used.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evidence-of-pre-existing-brain-differences">Evidence of pre-existing brain differences</h2>



<p>A key finding of the study was that many of these brain differences were evident in baseline MRIs taken before any reported substance use.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A secondary analysis excluded participants with substance use experience at the time of their initial MRI, focusing on a subgroup of 1,203 individuals. Even in this restricted comparison, many of the structural differences persisted, suggesting that these features might precede substance exposure.</p>



<p>The findings challenge the assumption that such differences are solely caused by the use of substances, indicating instead that they may reflect inherent vulnerabilities. </p>



<p>This highlights the need for further research into how these pre-existing brain structures interact with other factors to influence substance use behavior.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-structure-differences-and-behavior">Brain structure differences and behavior</h2>



<p>The study linked some of the observed brain structural differences to regions associated with sensation-seeking and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sufficient-sleep-can-prevent-impulsive-behavior-in-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impulsivity</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, the researchers noted that additional investigation is needed to determine how these structural variations impact brain function or behavior.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study emphasizes the complex interplay between genetic predisposition, environmental influences, prenatal conditions, and brain development in shaping substance use patterns.</p>



<p>For example, another recent <a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencedirect.com%2Fscience%2Farticle%2Fpii%2FS245190222400301X&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cjuwon.song%40nih.gov%7C3ae52944065e430c101908dd098ade56%7C14b77578977342d58507251ca2dc2b06%7C0%7C0%7C638677214233526614%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=2f6TsU15kj1Ejs95wOOlFQ05T6a9fF3qTT1sOsSTTvo%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> from the ABCD study conducted by the University of Michigan found that patterns of brain connectivity in early adolescence could predict the initiation of drug use. </p>



<p>This research also highlighted the role of environmental factors, such as pollution exposure, in shaping these trajectories.</p>



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



<p>Understanding the relationship between brain structure and substance use initiation could have significant implications for prevention strategies.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While the study underscores that brain structure alone cannot predict substance use, integrating these findings with data on genetics, environmental exposures, and behavioral patterns could inform more targeted interventions.</p>



<p>Future research will explore how these structural differences evolve as adolescents age and whether they are influenced by continued drug use or the development of substance use disorders. This work aims to refine models of addiction and improve strategies for early intervention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-step-toward-better-models-of-addiction">A step toward better models of addiction</h2>



<p>The study, published in the journal <em>JAMA Network Open</em>, underscores the value of longitudinal data from the ABCD study in advancing our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zapping-the-brain-with-ultrasound-waves-may-cure-drug-addiction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">addiction</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Researchers hope this growing body of evidence will reshape how substance use disorders are conceptualized and inform more accurate and effective prevention models.</p>



<p>“The hope is that these types of studies, in conjunction with other data on environmental exposures and genetic risk, could help change how we think about the development of substance use disorders,” said Alex Miller, the study’s corresponding author.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By illuminating the bidirectional relationship between brain structure and substance use, this research offers a promising path forward in tackling the complex issue of addiction.</p>



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Early substance use in adolescents linked to brain structure 

A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health...

<p>Who would have thought something as simple as causing a molecule to vibrate could potentially save lives? But that's exactly what a team of scientists has discovered: a creative way to destroy cancer cells.</p>



<p>Aminocyanine molecules, when stimulated with near-infrared light, vibrate in synchrony to the extent that they can tear apart cancer cell membranes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-aminocyanine-molecules-work">How aminocyanine molecules work</h2>



<p>Aminocyanine molecules are synthetic dyes widely used in bioimaging for detecting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microscopic-discovery-reveals-how-cancer-cells-grow-faster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a>. These molecules are highly stable in water, which makes them reliable for medical applications. </p>



<p>Because aminocyanine molecules naturally attach to cell membranes, they are excellent candidates for targeted cancer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/molecular-fingerprints-could-be-key-to-early-cancer-detection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">therapies</a>. </p>



<p>When exposed to near-infrared light, these molecules begin to vibrate in unison. This synchronized movement generates mechanical forces strong enough to break apart the membranes of cancer cells.</p>



<p>Acting like tiny molecular jackhammers, they effectively destroy cancer cells without affecting surrounding tissues, which makes this method both precise and powerful.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-era-of-molecular-machines">New era of molecular machines</h2>



<p>The research team, composed of scientists from <a href="https://www.rice.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rice University</a>, <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas A&amp;M University</a>, and the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas</a>, described this development as a significant leap forward. This method outperforms earlier molecular machines like Feringa-type motors, which also targeted cell structures.</p>



<p>"It is a whole new generation of molecular machines that we call molecular jackhammers," said chemist James Tour from Rice University.</p>



<p>"They are more than one million times faster in their mechanical motion than the former Feringa-type motors, and they can be activated with near-infrared light rather than visible light."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-near-infrared-light-matters">Why near-infrared light matters</h2>



<p>Near-infrared light (a form of electromagnetic radiation) is essential for this method because it can penetrate deeper into body tissues than can visible light.</p>



<p>This capability allows scientists to target tumors in difficult-to-reach areas, such as within bones or deep in internal organs, without the need for invasive procedures. </p>



<p>By using this technology, cancerous growths that would typically require surgery to access could now be treated externally, thus reducing risks, recovery time, and the need for complex operations.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-success-in-cultured-cancer-cells">Early success in cultured cancer cells</h2>



<p>This new method has shown exceptional potential in early testing. When tested on cultured cancer cells in the lab, the molecular jackhammer destroyed 99% of the cells. Further trials on mice with melanoma tumors were equally promising, with 50% of the mice becoming cancer-free.</p>



<p>The effectiveness of this approach comes from the unique structure and properties of aminocyanine molecules. </p>



<p>When these molecules are exposed to near-infrared light, the electrons within them form collective vibrations known as "plasmons." In this case, plasmons synchronize across the entire molecule.</p>



<p>These synchronized vibrations generate enough mechanical force to physically break apart the membranes of cancer cells, effectively destroying them without affecting healthy tissues. This precise mechanism offers a powerful, non-invasive way to target <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ketogenic-diet-may-help-the-body-kill-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a> cells.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-harnessing-molecular-plasmons">Harnessing molecular plasmons</h2>



<p>"What needs to be highlighted is that we've discovered another explanation for how these molecules can work," said chemist Ciceron Ayala-Orozco from Rice University.</p>



<p>"This is the first time a molecular plasmon is utilized in this way to excite the whole molecule and to actually produce mechanical action used to achieve a particular goal – in this case, tearing apart cancer cells' membrane."</p>



<p>The plasmons’ movements include an arm-like structure that connects to cancer cell membranes. The vibrations then deliver repeated blows, which effectively dismantles the cells.</p>



<p>Cancer cells would be unlikely to ever develop resistance to this mechanical approach, implying that it could provide a long-term treatment advantage. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-targeted-research-on-cancer-cells">Targeted research on cancer cells</h2>



<p>While this research is still in its early stages, the findings suggest a potential paradigm shift in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caterpillar-fungus-slows-down-growth-of-cancer-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a> treatment. The team plans to explore other molecules that might work similarly, thus broadening the scope of this technique.</p>



<p>"This study is about a different way to treat cancer using mechanical forces at the molecular scale," said Ayala-Orozco.</p>



<p>If future studies validate these findings, molecular jackhammers could revolutionize cancer treatment. This approach represents a breakthrough by offering a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-is-the-next-frontier-in-cancer-treatment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">non-invasive way</a> to target and eliminate cancer cells with remarkable accuracy. </p>



<p>Unlike traditional methods that may harm surrounding healthy tissues or require invasive procedures, this technique uses infrared-activated vibrations to specifically destroy cancer cells.</p>



<p>Its precision and ability to treat deep-seated tumors without surgery could transform how cancer is managed, providing a more effective and less traumatic treatment option for patients.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-023-01383-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Chemistry</em></a>.</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Light-activated molecules kill cancer cells with precision

Who would have thought something as simple as causing a...

<p>The words we choose matter. They are not merely a string of symbols put together, they carry weight and shape our perception of the world around us.</p>



<p>Each word is selected with a frame in mind that subtly influences how a message is received and perceived by its audience.</p>



<p>One of the fascinating sectors of study that has come into focus is research on framing effects. This is an interdisciplinary exploration of when, how, and why language affects the way we perceive a message, and the ripple effects these variables have on our responses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-language-framing-in-our-daily-lives">Language framing in our daily lives</h2>



<p>An intriguing highlight in this area of research comes from <a href="https://www.vassar.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vassar College</a>, where a team led by Stephen Flusberg has investigated the power of framing and its impact on the larger society.</p>



<p>The team has presented a comprehensive review of previous studies on framing effects. The researchers have also designed a well-defined classification of linguistic framing techniques.</p>



<p>“The focus on linguistic control in popular media may reflect a deeper concern - and fascination - with the force of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-language-is-specially-stored-in-the-brain-for-easy-access/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">language</a> in our daily lives," the authors mentioned in their study. "We routinely use words to try to influence what other people are thinking, feeling, and doing.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metaphors-shape-our-beliefs">Metaphors shape our beliefs</h2>



<p>A striking example of the team's discovery is the use of war metaphors. For instance, the term "battle," when used to describe an issue, can heighten the sense of urgency around it. Moreover, it can shape our beliefs about the subject in question.</p>



<p>The researchers highlighted a study which illustrated the stark difference in the perception of a cancer diagnosis when the framing words used were "battle" versus "journey."</p>



<p>"Metaphors are especially effective for shaping beliefs about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breathtaking-nasa-photo-of-the-malaspina-glacier-resembles-an-abstract-painting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">abstract</a> and complex issues like cancer because they leverage what you know - your cognitive frames - about more concrete, familiar domains like battles and journeys," the authors explained.</p>



<p>The research team also included Kevin Holmes from Reed College, Paul Thibodeau from Oberlin College, Robin Nabi from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Teenie Matlock from the University of California, Merced.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-psychology-of-language-framing">The psychology of language framing</h2>



<p>The paper concluded with insightful recommendations on how to use framing effectively, along with an invitation to ponder over the role of framing in our society.</p>



<p>“A deeper understanding of the psychology of framing can enhance not only our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neurons-coordinate-group-activities-for-language-processing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">communication skills</a> and ability to navigate our linguistic environments, but also our prospects for getting things done," the team advised. </p>



<p>"The research we have reviewed serves as a reminder to be mindful of both the words and phrases we use ourselves and the ones that grab our attention or generate a strong emotional response.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-powerful-effects-of-words">The powerful effects of words</h2>



<p>Accompanying the paper was a commentary from James Walsh of The Agency Fund, where he articulated that framing is not just about mental shortcuts. It also plays a foundational role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-provide-insight-into-human-cognition-and-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cognition</a>. </p>



<p>Notably, the research on framing is not limited to psychology. It extends to areas such as economics and government policy.</p>



<p>“Flusberg et al. show that we have come a long way in our understanding of frames in the last 100 years," wrote Walsh. "Emerging evidence suggests that we're only just beginning to leverage their full potential, though. The coming 100 years promises to be even more exciting.”</p>



<p>Language and its framing effects have far-reaching implications. The words we choose not only influence our communication but also shape our perception. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-being-intentional-with-language">Being intentional with language </h2>



<p>Framing effects are not limited to academic research or media; they permeate everyday <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-enjoy-deep-conversations-with-strangers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conversations</a> and decisions. </p>



<p>The choice of words can subtly guide thoughts, from how we describe a friend's situation to the language we use in workplace communication. </p>



<p>For example, calling a challenge an "opportunity" instead of a "problem" can shift perspectives and encourage proactive solutions. </p>



<p>This highlights the importance of being intentional with language, as the words we choose can influence not only how others perceive a message but also how they act upon it.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15291006241246966" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psychological Science in the Public Interest</a></em>.</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Power of words: How language framing shapes our perception

The words we choose matter. They are not merely a...

<p>Have you ever paused mid-cleaning and wondered why disinfectants promise to kill 99.9% of germs but not 100%? In a world where science has achieved the extraordinary, why hasn’t anyone invented a disinfectant that wipes out all germs? </p>



<p>In a <a href="https://phys.org/news/2024-12-disinfectants-germs-science.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> written for <em>The Conservation</em>, Hassan Vally explains that the answer lies in a fascinating blend of microbiology and mathematics.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-exactly-is-a-germ-killing-disinfectant">What exactly is a germ-killing disinfectant?</h2>



<p>Disinfectants are substances designed to kill or inactivate bacteria, viruses, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/washing-your-hands-you-may-want-to-consider-cleaning-your-sink/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">other microbes</a> on inanimate surfaces. </p>



<p>Our homes are filled with millions of microbes. While that might sound alarming, most microbes are harmless, and some are even beneficial. However, a small fraction can cause illness, making disinfectants a vital tool for reducing microbial risks.</p>



<p>Chemical disinfectants, such as those containing alcohols, chlorine, or hydrogen peroxide, work by targeting essential components of microbes, effectively killing or inactivating them. </p>



<p>While physical methods like UV light or heat can also disinfect, chemicals are what we commonly use at home.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-germ-elimination-by-disinfectants">Germ elimination by disinfectants</h2>



<p>To understand why disinfectants don't promise 100% germ elimination, let's break down the math behind microbial reduction.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-pathogen-is-resistant-to-hospital-disinfectant-cleaners/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microbial populations</a> can grow rapidly, as seen with exponential growth. For example, a bacterial colony doubling every hour can grow from 100 cells to over 1.5 billion in 24 hours.</p>



<p>Microbial killing, however, follows&nbsp;logarithmic decay, which works oppositely. Instead of accelerating growth, it gradually reduces the population in steps:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>If a disinfectant kills 90% of bacteria in one minute, 10% of the bacteria survive.</li>



<li>In the next minute, 90% of the remaining 10% are killed, leaving just 1% of the original population.</li>
</ul>



<p>This reduction pattern continues, but no matter how long the process,&nbsp;absolute zero is unattainable. Scientifically, you can only claim to reduce the microbial load by a certain proportion, such as 99.9%, but not entirely eradicate it.</p>



<p>This explains why disinfectants advertise 99.9% effectiveness - they dramatically reduce germs but cannot claim complete elimination due to this mathematical limitation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-germ-characteristics-vs-disinfectants">Germ characteristics vs. disinfectants</h2>



<p>Laboratory settings can demonstrate a disinfectant’s effectiveness, but real-world conditions introduce complexities. </p>



<p>The following factors influence how well a disinfectant performs:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Initial microbial load</strong><br>The starting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/city-microbes-are-finding-surprising-new-ways-to-survive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">number of microbes</a> affects the outcome. If a surface begins with just 100 microbes, reducing the population by 99.9% could mean nearly total sterilization. However, starting with billions of microbes might leave millions still present, even after a 99.9% reduction.</li>



<li><strong>Contact time</strong><br>Longer exposure increases a disinfectant’s effectiveness. Many disinfectant labels recommend leaving the product on the surface for a specified time before wiping.</li>



<li><strong>Environmental factors</strong><br>Conditions like temperature, humidity, and surface type play crucial roles. For example, disinfectants may perform differently on porous surfaces compared to smooth ones.</li>



<li><strong>Microbial sensitivity</strong><br>In the real world, some microbes might be more resistant to disinfection than those tested in laboratories.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-strategy-for-infection-control">Broader strategy for infection control</h2>



<p>Disinfectants, despite not being 100% effective, play a vital role in reducing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/harmful-microbes-persist-on-hospital-surfaces-after-disinfection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">harmful pathogens</a>. Their inability to eliminate all microbes doesn’t make them any less important. </p>



<p>They significantly lower the risk of infection when used correctly and in combination with other hygiene practices like regular handwashing.</p>



<p>Product labels often include specific instructions, such as how long to leave the disinfectant on a surface for optimal results. Following these guidelines enhances their effectiveness. </p>



<p>However, disinfectants work best as part of a broader strategy for infection control. They complement other measures rather than replacing them, ensuring a multi-layered defense against the spread of illnesses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methods-to-kill-germs-beyond-disinfectants">Methods to kill germs beyond disinfectants </h2>



<p>While chemical disinfectants are a popular choice for eliminating germs, several alternative methods can also effectively reduce or kill harmful microbes. These methods are particularly useful in specific settings or when combined with chemical disinfectants for enhanced infection control.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-treatment">Heat treatment</h3>



<p>Heat is a powerful and natural way to kill germs. Boiling water can destroy most bacteria, viruses, and spores, making it ideal for sterilizing kitchen tools, baby bottles, and medical equipment. </p>



<p>Steam cleaning, commonly used for household cleaning, effectively kills microbes on surfaces, including carpets and upholstery, without chemicals.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ultraviolet-uv-light">Ultraviolet (UV) light</h3>



<p>Ultraviolet-C (UVC) light is widely used in hospitals, laboratories, and air purification systems to kill germs. UVC disrupts the DNA and RNA of microbes, preventing them from replicating. </p>



<p>Portable UVC devices are also available for sanitizing small items like phones and keys.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alcohol-based-solutions">Alcohol-based solutions</h3>



<p>Solutions containing 70-90% alcohol are highly effective in killing germs by denaturing their proteins and disrupting their membranes. </p>



<p>Hand sanitizers and disinfectant wipes often use alcohol for quick and efficient germ elimination, especially when soap and water are unavailable.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bleach-and-hydrogen-peroxide">Bleach and hydrogen peroxide</h3>



<p>Bleach and hydrogen peroxide are potent disinfectants commonly used in households and healthcare settings. They break down the structural components of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, effectively disinfecting surfaces. </p>



<p>However, they should be used carefully to avoid damage to surfaces or health hazards.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-natural-solutions">Natural solutions</h3>



<p>Natural alternatives, such as vinegar and baking soda, can reduce microbial presence, although they may not be as effective against certain pathogens. </p>



<p>These solutions are best suited for mild cleaning tasks and environmentally friendly cleaning routines.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-soap-and-water">Soap and water</h3>



<p>One of the simplest and most effective ways to kill germs is through thorough handwashing with soap and water. </p>



<p>Soap breaks down the lipid layers of microbes, effectively washing them away. This method is especially crucial for personal hygiene and food safety.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-high-pressure-pasteurization">High-pressure pasteurization</h3>



<p>Used primarily in the food industry, high-pressure pasteurization kills germs in products like milk, juice, and packaged foods. The method uses high pressure to eliminate pathogens without altering the product’s taste or quality.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antimicrobial-surfaces">Antimicrobial surfaces</h3>



<p>Certain materials, such as copper and silver, naturally inhibit microbial growth. These antimicrobial surfaces are used in healthcare facilities, kitchens, and public spaces to reduce the spread of pathogens.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-essential-oils">Essential oils</h3>



<p>Essential oils like tea tree and eucalyptus have natural antimicrobial properties. They can be used for cleaning surfaces or added to diffusers for air purification. However, they are not as effective as chemical disinfectants and should be used cautiously.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proper-air-filtration">Proper air filtration</h3>



<p>High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters remove airborne pathogens and allergens from indoor spaces. These filters are especially useful in hospitals, airplanes, and homes with allergy-sensitive individuals.</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Why disinfectants kill 99.9% of germs, not 100%

Have you ever paused mid-cleaning and wondered why disinfectants promise...

<p>Surveillance has a peculiar effect on the human mind, evoking a unique and unsettling sensation of being watched. </p>



<p>Whether it’s a video camera in a shop or an overzealous co-worker tracking our every move, this feeling isn’t just imagined.</p>



<p>This sensation has a psychological basis, priming our brains to become more alert and aware of others' gaze. Intriguingly, this heightened state often occurs without us even realizing it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-psychology-of-surveillance">The psychology of surveillance</h2>



<p>A team of researchers at the <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Technology Sydney</a> (UTS) conducted a study to explore this phenomenon further.</p>



<p>The goal was to investigate the impact of surveillance on a crucial facet of human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emotions-sensory-perception-brain-fascinating-interplay/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sensory perception</a> - the ability to detect when someone else is looking at us.</p>



<p>Study lead author Kiley Seymour, an associate professor of neuroscience and behavior, explained the intrinsic nature of this effect.</p>



<p>"We know CCTV changes our behavior, and that's the main driver for retailers and others wanting to deploy such technology to prevent unwanted behavior," said Seymour. </p>



<p>"However, we show it’s not only overt behavior that changes - our brain changes the way it processes information. We found direct evidence that being conspicuously monitored via CCTV markedly impacts a hardwired and involuntary function of human sensory perception."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-super-sensing-to-survival-instincts">From super-sensing to survival instincts</h2>



<p>The ability to detect another person's gaze is a survival mechanism. It's an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/primal-instincts-kick-in-when-a-threat-appears-too-close/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">instinct</a> that evolved to help us spot potential threats in our environment, such as predators.</p>



<p>When we're being watched by surveillance cameras, that innate sense appears to go into overdrive. </p>



<p>Participants in the UTS study who were under surveillance demonstrated a heightened sensitivity to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-can-decipher-every-possible-facial-expression-outperforming-therapists/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">facial detection</a>.</p>



<p>They became aware of faces almost a second quicker than those in the control group, showing an impressive enhancement of their perceptual abilities. The most fascinating part? This occurred without the participants even realizing it.</p>



<p>This finding has profound implications, not just for our understanding of human psychology, but also for current debates about privacy and the widespread nature of surveillance in today's society.</p>



<p>The research highlights the need for a closer examination of the effects of surveillance on mental processes and public health.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surveillance-subconscious-and-societal-implications">Surveillance, subconscious, and societal implications</h2>



<p>Despite the participants not expressing significant concern about being under surveillance, the researchers found that its effect on social processing was pronounced and imperceptible to them.</p>



<p>The rapid detection of faces is critical to human social interactions. We rely on facial cues, like gaze direction, to predict others' behaviors and inform our social responses. </p>



<p>This study shows the way surveillance can heighten this sensitivity, raising questions about its possible implications for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/using-apps-to-practice-mindfulness-improves-mental-health-of-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental health</a>.</p>



<p>A similar hyper-sensitivity to eye gaze is observed in certain mental health conditions, such as social anxiety disorder and psychosis. In these cases, individuals often harbor strong and irrational fears of being watched.</p>



<p>With the increasing level of surveillance in our society, it's imperative to understand its potential effects on our mental well-being and social interactions.</p>



<p>Overall, this study is not just about surveillance; it's about how we perceive and navigate the world around us. </p>



<p>It opens up new avenues for exploring the impact of surveillance on broader mental processes, emphasizing the need to revisit our views on privacy and mental health.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-changes-in-social-norms">Long-term changes in social norms</h2>



<p>The findings from the UTS study raise critical questions about how pervasive surveillance might shape <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxytocin-is-crucial-beyond-its-role-as-the-love-hormone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">societal behaviors</a> in the long term. </p>



<p>As people become increasingly aware of being monitored - whether by cameras in public spaces or algorithms tracking their online interactions - social norms are subtly but significantly shifting.</p>



<p>Researchers suggest that this heightened awareness may lead to a phenomenon called "performance surveillance," where individuals unconsciously adjust their behavior to align with perceived societal expectations.</p>



<p>This shift could have far-reaching consequences. For instance, in public spaces like schools, workplaces, or urban environments, constant monitoring might cultivate a culture of conformity, stifling creativity and spontaneity. </p>



<p>Conversely, it could enhance accountability and deter anti-social behavior, which is one of the reasons surveillance systems are widely adopted.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-burden-of-widespread-surveillance">Psychological burden of widespread surveillance </h2>



<p>However, the psychological burden of constant monitoring cannot be overlooked. Studies have shown that prolonged exposure to surveillance may contribute to heightened stress and decreased trust in others. </p>



<p>These effects are particularly concerning in communities where surveillance is disproportionately concentrated, raising ethical questions about privacy, equity, and the balance of power in society.</p>



<p>As surveillance technology becomes more sophisticated and ubiquitous, understanding its influence on human psychology and social interactions will be vital. </p>



<p>The insights from this study may ultimately serve as a stepping stone for future research exploring how surveillance not only changes our brains but also reshapes the social fabric of our world.</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Psychological impact of surveillance: How being watched changes your brain

Surveillance has a peculiar effect on the human mind, evoking...

Denali,(also,Known,As,Mount,Mckinley,,Its,Former,Official,Name)

<p>The rugged landscape of Alaska often leaves people spellbound with its soaring peaks and dramatic valleys. </p>



<p>Many geologists believe that these mountains and valleys are more than scenic wonders. Interestingly, the Denali Fault plays a critical role in shaping this awe-inspiring Alaskan terrain.<br><br>Recent work has given a fresh perspective on how entire land masses may have drifted, collided, and fused, over long stretches of time, to form what we recognize today as the North American landscape.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-denali-fault-in-alaska">The Denali Fault in Alaska</h2>



<p>Scientists have debated how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parker-solar-probe-will-fly-through-suns-atmosphere-tomorrow-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient fragments</a> of the western margin of North America joined together. The Denali Fault, a <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/denali" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">massive feature</a> that slices through Alaska, has been at the center of many investigations.</p>



<p>New <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article-abstract/52/12/933/649182/Orogen-scale-inverted-metamorphism-during?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> suggest that three, seemingly separate geologic sites, spread along roughly 620 miles (1,000 kilometers), were once a smaller unit that signaled the final bonding of far-flung pieces of Earth's crust.</p>



<p>Geologists propose that these linked sites were torn apart again over millions of years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unraveling-tectonic-mysteries">Unraveling tectonic mysteries</h2>



<p>Experts have long focused on the northern <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329259890_The_Dynamic_History_of_220_Million_Years_of_Subduction_Below_Mexico_A_Correlation_Between_Slab_Geometry_and_Overriding_Plate_Deformation_Based_on_Geology_Paleomagnetism_and_Seismic_Tomography" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North American Cordilleran margin</a>, which has been tectonically active for <a href="https://www.uvic.ca/science/seos/assets/docs/afgreadings13.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">over 200 million years</a>.<br><br>Large fragments, known as exotic terranes, are present along the margin. They were once separate pieces of crust that occurred in locations far from the site where they now rest. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240674082_Wrangellia-A_displaced_terrane_in_northwestern_North_America" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wrangellia</a> is among the biggest of these terranes; it was an oceanic plate that formed far away before docking with North America, tens of millions of years ago.<br><br>Over time, complex strike-slip faults like the Denali Fault have shifted and displaced these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-crust-is-dripping-under-turkey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bits of crust</a>, masking the full story of how they first fused to the continent.</p>



<p>“We’re starting to recognize those primary features involved in the stitching, or the suturing, of once-distant land masses to the North American plate,” said <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Lrz_LL8AAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Regan</a>, an associate professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' <a href="https://www.gi.alaska.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Institute</a> and the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics (<a href="https://www.uaf.edu/cnsm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNSM</a>). </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shared-tectonic-history-of-alaska-and-yukon">Shared tectonic history of Alaska and Yukon</h2>



<p>A major clue in these findings is something called inverted metamorphism. </p>



<p>Typically, deeper rocks show higher temperatures and pressures, while shallower rocks show lower ones. Sometimes the order reverses, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mantle-heat-shaped-earths-crust-3-billion-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rocks</a> formed in hotter conditions appear above the cooler layers.</p>



<p>According to researchers, this phenomenon appears in the Clearwater Mountains of Southcentral Alaska, the Kluane Lake area of Canada’s southwestern Yukon, and the Coast Mountains near Juneau. </p>



<p>It became clear that all three of these independent, inverted metamorphic belts formed at the same time under similar conditions.<br><br>Inverted metamorphic belts often point to <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70012246" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">intense thrusting events</a>, where layers of rock get shoved over one another in ways that defy the usual temperature and pressure patterns.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-denali-fault-shook-things-up">How the Denali Fault shook things up</h2>



<p>Before this <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article-abstract/52/12/933/649182/Orogen-scale-inverted-metamorphism-during?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>, some geologists suspected that each region had its own separate story. </p>



<p>Regan’s analysis indicates that the three sites were once part of a single zone where the final merging of an ancient oceanic plate and the North American continent took place <a href="https://dggs.alaska.gov/pubs/id/29785" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">between 72 million and 56 million years ago</a>.</p>



<p>The Denali Fault came into play when post-collision shifting rearranged these pieces, scattering what had been one geologic feature across hundreds of miles. </p>



<p>Researchers suggest that analyzing the movement along the fault reveals how these fractured pieces still fit together.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monazite-holds-the-key">Monazite holds the key</h2>



<p>Monazite is at the core of identifying the shared history of these three sites. This mineral contains lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, and sometimes yttrium.<br><br>“It is just the most special little mineral; it can participate in a lot of reactions, so we can use it as a way to track the mineralogical evolution of a rock,” explained Sean Regan. </p>



<p>Specialists measure slight changes in <a href="https://pure.port.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/4085484/In_situ_LA_ICP_MS_dating_of_monazite_from_aluminous_gneisses_insights.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">monazite’s composition</a> to determine the timing and conditions of its formation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-denali-fault-and-earth-s-tectonic-activity">Denali Fault and Earth’s tectonic activity</h2>



<p>Beyond their technical significance, these discoveries remind us that Earth’s surface is far from static. </p>



<p>North America’s western margin has lived through episodes of oceanic plates, volcanic arcs, and shifted terrains that continue to shape the mountains and valleys seen today.<br><br>Researchers see the Denali Fault as a record of long-distance transport of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/claim-earth-has-six-continents-not-seven-north-america-europe-connected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crustal fragments</a>, revealing the final act in the complicated docking of the Wrangellia Composite Terrane.</p>



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



<p>Many wonder how these findings will inform geological models of Alaska and Western Canada in future.</p>



<p>Geologists stress that further fieldwork, improved dating methods, and more collaborations are necessary to verify the timing and extent of major tectonic shifts.</p>



<p>Some plan to re-examine old mapping data or look at newly exposed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-swot-satellite-mission-maps-earths-ocean-floors-from-space-in-stunning-detail/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rocks</a> for additional clues. Even small details, like determining a rock’s age down to the nearest million years, may one day yield a clearer history of ancient movements.</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Scientists have finally learned how America's tallest mountain formed

The rugged landscape of Alaska often leaves people spellbound with...

<p>Astronomers have identified a remarkable water reservoir hidden in a corner of the cosmos, circling a quasar more than 12 billion light-years away.</p>



<p>At that distance, the light we see today began its journey not too long after the universe itself formed. </p>



<p>The water supply in this distant place is huge, containing the equivalent of about 140 trillion times all the water in Earth’s oceans combined.</p>



<p>This supply is sitting near a supermassive black hole that is about 20 billion times more massive than our sun. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-black-hole-ever-discovered-dates-back-to-the-dawn-of-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The black hole</a> is surrounded by a quasar named APM 08279+5255, which pumps out as much energy as a thousand trillion suns. </p>



<p>This quasar, according to astronomers, holds the farthest and largest known reservoir of water anywhere in the universe.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quasar-apm-08279-5255-and-its-water">Quasar APM 08279+5255 and its water</h2>



<p>Matt Bradford, a scientist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> in Pasadena, Calif., leads one of the teams involved in the observations.</p>



<p>“The environment around this quasar is very unique in that it’s producing this huge mass of water,” said Matt Bradford. “It’s another demonstration that water is pervasive throughout the universe, even at the very earliest times.”</p>



<p>Both Bradford’s group and a separate team of astronomers studied APM 08279+5255 and its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-black-hole-is-seen-taking-a-nap-after-eating-too-much/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a>, which sits at the center and draws matter inward. </p>



<p>As it does, it warms the surrounding gas and dust, forming an area filled with molecules that have never before been detected at such an immense distance.</p>



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



<p>Quasars were first noticed more than half a century ago when telescopes revealed puzzling sources of intense brightness in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hubble-took-the-closest-ever-image-of-a-quasar-and-captured-some-weird-things/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distant areas of space</a>. </p>



<p>These objects are unlike any ordinary star. They shine brightly from the center of distant galaxies, outshining all their galaxy’s stars combined.</p>



<p>At their heart sit supermassive black holes, millions or billions of times heavier than our sun. As gas and dust spiral in toward one of these black holes, the swirling material heats up and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-jet-crashes-into-an-unidentified-object/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">releases energy</a>. </p>



<p>This energy blasts out across all kinds of wavelengths, making quasars some of the brightest, most energetic phenomena ever seen.</p>



<p>Observing quasars helps astronomers understand what the universe looked like long ago, since the light we see now began its journey billions of years in the past. </p>



<p>Quasars can show how galaxies formed, how matter spread out, and how the earliest structures in the cosmos came together.</p>



<p>They can even help map the distribution of matter between galaxies, shining light on the regions that would otherwise remain unseen. </p>



<p>Some quasars also launch <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-jets-are-like-million-light-year-long-jedi-lightsabers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">huge jets of high-speed particles</a> that stretch across enormous distances. These jets can affect how stars form, influencing entire neighborhoods of cosmic material.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-place-to-find-water">Strange place to find water</h2>



<p>Astronomers observed that water vapor is present in this quasar’s environment. It occupies a region spanning hundreds of light-years, with one light-year at around six trillion miles. </p>



<p>Although the gas is thin by Earth standards, it is surprisingly warm and dense compared to what is typical in places like our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-black-hole-formed-through-a-merger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>.</p>



<p>The temperature hovers around minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit, and the gas is roughly 300 trillion times less dense than Earth’s atmosphere. </p>



<p>Still, it is about five times hotter and tens to hundreds of times denser than the gas seen in normal galaxies. With its unusual conditions, this region stands out as an unexpected find.</p>



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



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-of-water-vapor-may-be-involved-in-planet-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Water vapor</a> is not just a molecule. Its presence here suggests that the quasar is bathing its environment in radiation that keeps the gas relatively warm. </p>



<p>Astronomers also spotted other molecules, like carbon monoxide, hinting that there is an abundance of raw material that can feed the black hole as it continues to grow.</p>



<p>They estimate that there is enough gas for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-map-of-supermassive-black-holes-unveiled/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a> to increase in size by about six times, although what actually happens next is not certain. </p>



<p>Some of this gas may form new stars, while some might be thrown out into space instead. Either way, these measurements open a window into what conditions were like when the universe was still young.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quasars-water-and-life-s-building-blocks">Quasars, water, and life's building blocks</h2>



<p>Detecting water vapor in such a distant quasar expands our knowledge of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/did-the-building-blocks-of-life-replicate-on-their-own/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">building blocks</a> appear across vast stretches of time and space. </p>



<p>Water is essential for life as we know it, and its presence billions of years ago suggests that the elements needed for life have been around for a very long time.</p>



<p>Beyond that, water plays a key role in shaping how stars and galaxies evolve. When gas clouds cool, water helps by allowing those clouds to collapse more easily, leading to star birth. </p>



<p>By spotting it this far back, astronomers get new clues about how galaxies changed as the universe aged and matured.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-they-found-the-water-quasar">How they found the water quasar</h2>



<p>Bradford’s team began collecting data in 2008 with an instrument called Z-Spec at the California Institute of Technology’s Submillimeter Observatory (<a href="https://www.cso.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CSO</a>). </p>



<p>This 33-foot telescope sits near the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. They later confirmed their findings using the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (<a href="https://www.mmarray.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CARMA</a>), a set of radio dishes located high in the Inyo Mountains of Southern California.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, another group led by Dariusz Lis, senior research associate in physics at Caltech and deputy director of the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, used the Plateau de Bure Interferometer in the French Alps. </p>



<p>In 2010, Lis’s team found hints of water in this quasar by detecting a single signature, while Bradford’s team uncovered multiple signals that revealed the massive amount of water present.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-do-we-go-from-here">Where do we go from here?</h2>



<p>To sum it all up, this discovery shows that even at a time when the universe was young, water formed and gathered in places we never would have guessed. </p>



<p>Instead of seeing just cold, empty darkness out there, astronomers have spotted a real treasure -- an enormous reservoir of water swirling around a quasar more than 12 billion light-years away. </p>



<p>This water vapor, along with the intense radiation from the black hole at the quasar’s center, paints a picture of an environment that is far denser, warmer, and more active than ordinary parts of the cosmos.</p>



<p>By studying this distant quasar, scientists can learn how the earliest galaxies came together and evolved. They can see how matter spread out, how black holes grew, and how even tiny molecules like water played a role in shaping the universe. </p>



<p>Every new detail uncovered by these long-ago signals traveling through time and space helps make sense of the vast cosmic story we are all a part of.</p>



<p>***</p>



<p>Other authors on the Bradford paper, "The water vapor spectrum of APM 08279+5255," include Hien Nguyen, Jamie Bock, Jonas Zmuidzinas and Bret Naylor of JPL; Alberto Bolatto of the University of Maryland, College Park; Phillip Maloney, Jason Glenn and Julia Kamenetzky of the University of Colorado, Boulder; James Aguirre, Roxana Lupu and Kimberly Scott of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; Hideo Matsuhara of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan; and Eric Murphy of the Carnegie Institute of Science, Pasadena.<br><br>Funding for Z-Spec was provided by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Foundation</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, the Research Corporation and the partner institutions.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the <em><a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2041-8205/738/1/L6/meta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astrophysical Journal Letters</a></em>.</p>



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Enough water to fill trillions of Earth-size oceans found circling a black hole

Astronomers have identified a remarkable water reservoir hidden in a...

<p>Have you ever wondered about the magic behind the formation of raindrops or picturesque snowflakes? Or maybe about the creation of the otherworldly rings surrounding Saturn? These processes are all tied to the intricate dance of aggregating particles in fluid dynamics.</p>



<p>Now, researchers from Skoltech are adding a new chapter to the understanding of this cosmic dance. The team has proposed  innovative mathematical equations that promise to push the frontiers of both our natural and technological worlds.</p>



<p>This advancement addresses natural and engineered phenomena, ranging from rain and snow formation to the creation of planetary rings and industrial fluid flows.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simplified-approach-to-fluid-dynamics">Simplified approach to fluid dynamics </h2>



<p>Fluid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quasiparticle-is-seen-for-the-first-time-and-only-has-mass-moving-in-one-direction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aggregation</a> is a critical process observed in both natural and technological systems. </p>



<p>In nature, water droplets come together to form rain, ice crystals merge into snowflakes, and particles orbiting planets coalesce into structures like Saturn's rings. These processes demonstrate how particles in fluids aggregate to create larger entities.</p>



<p>In technology, fluid aggregation plays a significant role in activities like aerosol painting (where particles form a smooth layer), powder transport in industries, and controlled explosions that rely on particle behaviors.</p>



<p>Understanding and predicting these phenomena are essential for improving various applications.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-models-of-aggregating-particles">Models of aggregating particles</h2>



<p>Physicist Marian Smoluchowski’s equations, developed in the early 20th century, were a major step in understanding how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/particles-are-forming-in-the-atmosphere-in-an-unexpected-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">particles</a> combine in fluids. </p>



<p>For example, these equations could describe how small droplets in a mist merge to form larger drops, or how tiny ice crystals in clouds come together to create snowflakes. The equations calculated the rate at which particles of different sizes combined, providing insights into the overall aggregation process.</p>



<p>However, these equations assumed that the environment was uniform - meaning that there were no changes in temperature, pressure, or fluid movement.</p>



<p>For instance, the equations worked well in theoretical situations like a calm, evenly distributed mist but failed to account for real-world <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strange-high-energy-cosmic-rays-did-something-outside-our-galaxy-send-them-here/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complexities</a>, such as turbulent winds in a storm cloud or uneven temperature distributions in the atmosphere.</p>



<p>To address these shortcomings, the research team tried combining Smoluchowski's equations with models of fluid dynamics like the&nbsp;Euler equations&nbsp;(for ideal fluids) and the&nbsp;Navier-Stokes equations&nbsp;(which include viscosity and other forces).</p>



<p>For example, in atmospheric science,&nbsp;they might use Smoluchowski’s equations to predict how raindrops grow while using the Navier-Stokes equations to simulate airflows in a storm cloud.</p>



<p>In industrial processes, they could use these models together to simulate how fine powder particles mix and aggregate in a turbulent airflow inside a factory.</p>



<p>The challenge, however, was that these two sets of equations were developed for entirely different purposes and mathematical frameworks. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limitations-of-past-models">Limitations of past models</h2>



<p>Smoluchowski’s equations focus on particle merging rates, while the Navier-Stokes equations focus on fluid movement. Merging them without a unified foundation sometimes caused errors. </p>



<p>For example, in air pollution studies, combining the equations might incorrectly predict how soot particles cluster in turbulent air.</p>



<p>In planetary science, using these hybrid models could lead to inaccurate predictions about how particles form rings around planets like Saturn.</p>



<p>The root problem was that the mathematical assumptions of these two frameworks were not compatible, leading to unreliable results in complex scenarios.</p>



<p>For example, in a turbulent environment where particle sizes and motion vary significantly, the models could miscalculate aggregation rates or fail to predict certain behaviors, limiting their usefulness in both research and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tire-particles-must-be-recognized-as-a-distinct-environmental-threat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">practical applications</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-skoltech-solution-hydrodynamic-equations">The Skoltech solution: Hydrodynamic equations</h2>



<p>Skoltech researchers <a href="https://crei.skoltech.ru/ai/people/alexanderosinsky" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alexander Osinsky</a> and Professor <a href="https://faculty.skoltech.ru/people/nikolaybrilliantov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nikolay Brilliantov</a> addressed these challenges by developing new hydrodynamic equations. </p>



<p>Instead of merging incompatible systems, they derived a unified framework from fundamental principles. Their novel equations incorporate coefficients that account for both reaction rates and fluid transport - essentially blending the best aspects of traditional approaches.</p>



<p>"Surprisingly, these are neither the reaction-rate, nor the transport coefficients familiar from the Navier-Stokes equations, but a combination of both in the form of kinetic coefficients of a new nature," explained Professor Brilliantov.</p>



<p>"They are as fundamental for aggregating fluids as viscosity and thermal conductivity are for ordinary fluids."</p>



<p>"Using extensive computer simulations, we have shown the accuracy and relevance of our novel Smoluchowski-Euler hydrodynamic equations with the new coefficients for some of the technologically important aggregating fluids."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-and-industrial-applications">Scientific and industrial applications</h2>



<p>This breakthrough has implications for both natural systems and human technologies. By enhancing the precision of fluid aggregation models, the new equations will improve predictions in the areas listed below.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Air pollution analysis: </strong>To understand how solid particles aggregate and disperse in the atmosphere.</li>



<li><strong>Granular flow dynamics</strong>: To optimize processes involving powders and other granular materials.</li>



<li><strong>Powder technology</strong>: To develop more efficient methods for handling and transporting powders.</li>



<li><strong>Aircraft and automotive design</strong>: To refine fluid dynamics for better performance and safety.</li>
</ul>



<p>The researchers validated their equations through extensive computer simulations, demonstrating their applicability to real-world systems. This unified approach eliminates the errors introduced by previous hybrid models, paving the way for more reliable analyses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-step-forward-in-fluid-dynamics">A step forward in fluid dynamics</h2>



<p>The new equations represent a fundamental shift in how scientists model aggregation in fluids. By addressing long-standing limitations, Skoltech researchers have provided a tool that bridges gaps between theory and application. </p>



<p>As Brilliantov noted, these kinetic coefficients hold the same significance for aggregating fluids as traditional properties like viscosity do for ordinary fluids.</p>



<p>This advance not only deepens our understanding of natural processes but also enhances engineering capabilities. Whether analyzing atmospheric phenomena, improving industrial processes, or designing vehicles, the implications are vast and far-reaching.</p>



<p>The unified framework developed by Skoltech promises to revolutionize fields where fluid aggregation plays a critical role.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.217201" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Letters</a></em>.</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

From rain to Saturn’s rings: New equations push the boundaries of fluid dynamics

Have you ever wondered about the magic behind the formation...

<p>For nearly 10 years, California’s offshore seafloors have been missing a once-abundant, vividly colored predator: the sunflower sea star. </p>



<p>This large starfish - capable of stretching over 3 feet wide - cruises the ocean floor in hues of orange, yellow, or purple, gliding swiftly on thousands of tube feet. Its multiple arms, which can number up to 24, allow for remarkable mobility.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restoring-sunflower-sea-stars">Restoring sunflower sea stars</h2>



<p>When a mysterious disease almost wiped out sunflower sea stars in 2013, a domino effect ensued. A large number of purple sea urchins devoured nearly all of Northern California's iconic kelp forests. </p>



<p>Now, however, scientists are hopeful that the sunflower sea star might soon reclaim its place in the region’s marine environment. </p>



<p>Several pioneering labs, including ones in the Bay Area and Monterey County, are successfully growing these starfish with the goal of bolstering the species and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunflower-sea-stars-could-help-save-kelp-forests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">restoring balance</a> to local ecosystems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sunflower-sea-stars-raised-in-tubs">Sunflower sea stars raised in tubs</h2>



<p>At the <a href="https://www.calacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Academy of Sciences</a> in San Francisco, behind a closed exhibit and through a locked door, biologist Riah Evin has been overseeing 137 sunflower sea stars raised in saltwater jars and tubs. In these containers, the starfish are fed bits of herring to sustain their growth.</p>



<p>These juvenile stars are among the remnants of 11 million embryos that Evin began working with in February. "These are the survivors,” said Evin. “That's way better than I had hoped for.”</p>



<p>Eventually, many of them will be displayed at the Academy of Sciences, giving the public a rare glimpse of a starfish that has all but disappeared from California’s coastal waters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-value-and-conservation-goals">Scientific value and conservation goals</h2>



<p>More importantly, these sunflower stars are crucial to research. By raising them from infancy, Evin and other scientists are contributing to an international conservation effort to better understand the species and protect it from future crises.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Named critically endangered in 2020, sunflower sea stars were the subject of a conservation roadmap in 2022 that called on labs to breed and study them.</p>



<p>If scientists manage to decode the genetics behind their resistance (or susceptibility) to the disease that nearly eradicated them, they may eventually release healthy individuals back into the Pacific Ocean.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The hope is that reintroduced sunflower sea stars could help control the region’s exploding purple urchin populations, paving the way for devastated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-otters-have-protected-california-kelp-forests-for-a-century/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kelp forests</a> to regrow.</p>



<p>“There's a lot of promise in where the research will head,” said Andrew Kim, a research scientist at <a href="https://mlml.sjsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moss Landing Marine Laboratories</a> on Monterey Bay, who is also growing sunflower sea stars. “I'm very hopeful.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-species-on-the-brink-of-extinction">A species on the brink of extinction</h2>



<p>The statistics are sobering: since 2013, an estimated six billion sunflower sea stars have died from Baja California to Alaska because of an ailment known as sea star wasting disease.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With this critical predator absent, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gray-whales-struggle-as-purple-sea-urchins-destroy-kelp-forests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">purple sea urchins</a> have proliferated, ravaging entire undersea forests of bull kelp. Scientists say 96% of Northern California’s kelp forests have disappeared over that period.</p>



<p>Kelp forests are essential habitats for numerous marine creatures - from fish and abalone to sea otters. Otters, found south of the Bay, play a protective role by feeding on urchins, but their range does not extend far enough to rescue Northern California’s compromised kelp.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reintroducing-natural-predators">Reintroducing natural predators </h2>



<p>While volunteers have tried “seeding” kelp and removing urchins by hand in select coves, experts believe that reintroducing natural predators like sunflower sea stars (and possibly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-otters-use-tools-to-access-larger-prey-and-protect-their-teeth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea otters</a>) would be more sustainable and far-reaching. </p>



<p>Sunflower sea stars are exceptionally effective hunters, moving quickly across the seabed to overtake urchins before extending their stomachs to digest the prey externally. Afterward, only a clean shell remains.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maximizing-survival-and-preventing-cannabilism">Maximizing survival and preventing cannabilism </h2>



<p>Yet researchers like Evin remain unsure of exactly how to keep these starfish flourishing. Scientists still do not fully understand the disease that decimated them, despite working on the puzzle for over a decade. In labs across the state, only six adult sunflower stars exist, and breeding techniques remain experimental.</p>



<p>“There's a little bit of a 'Thunderdome' going on,” Evin joked while describing the fiercely competitive environment in which younger stars can devour each other if food is scarce. One particularly aggressive individual managed to consume hundreds of its siblings.</p>



<p>Evin is also investigating what diet optimally sustains these stars, testing everything from urchins to prawns. This feeding research aims to maximize survival, preventing the cannibalism that can occur if the starfish lack adequate nutrition.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-with-sunflower-sea-star-larvae">Challenges with sunflower sea star larvae </h2>



<p>Back in February, Evin traveled to <a href="https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Birch Aquarium</a> in San Diego, where she helped spawn an adult male and female sunflower sea star using a hormone injection. The pair produced billions of eggs and sperm, which fused into embryos. </p>



<p>Those offspring, divvied up among institutions like the Academy of Sciences and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, are the foundation for current breeding trials.</p>



<p>Maintaining healthy conditions for tiny sea star larvae proved challenging - until Evin discovered they thrived in jars of saltwater spun by automated stirrers purchased from kitchen supply stores. </p>



<p>The larvae eventually sprouted five arms, but many soon turned on each other, forcing Evin to fine-tune her feeding strategies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-mysterious-wasting-disease">Understanding the mysterious wasting disease </h2>



<p>Scientists are also eager to analyze the starfish’s DNA to gain insights into the genetics behind the wasting disease. </p>



<p>Before any reintroduction to the wild can happen, they must ensure they are not inadvertently reintroducing the pathogen into marine environments. Regulatory agencies want a clearer picture of the disease’s causes and transmission pathways.</p>



<p>“What we don’t want to do is reintroduce (the disease) to recovered sea star populations,” said Ian Kelmartin, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “To get a handle on that, we need to understand what the disease is.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-glimpse-of-hope-in-the-lab">A glimpse of hope in the lab</h2>



<p>Until more is known, the starfish remain confined to facilities like Evin’s. Ashley Kidd, a project manager with the Sunflower Star Lab in Moss Landing, sees these labs as living arks - safe havens for a species on the brink.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Zoos and aquariums are living arks,” she said. “It is tragic in a way, but very useful if you can use it in time.”</p>



<p>By nurturing sunflower sea stars in captivity, researchers aim to one day restore a key predator to the Pacific Ocean, where it can help rein in purple urchins and nurture the revival of kelp forests.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Whether that vision comes to fruition depends on cracking the mystery of sea star wasting disease and ensuring enough of these starfish can survive - and thrive - back in their underwater realm.</p>



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Sunflower sea stars are nearly extinct, but scientists are growing them

For nearly 10 years, California’s offshore seafloors have been missing...

<p>Geoffroy’s spider monkeys live high in the rainforest canopy, and are difficult to observe. Their shy behavior makes it challenging for scientists to track and protect them effectively. To address this, biologist Jenna Lawson implemented an innovative solution in 2021.</p>



<p>Lawson strategically placed 350 audio monitors across the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. </p>



<p>The devices captured the sounds of the forest, allowing her to study the monkeys without disturbing them. This approach provided valuable insights into their movements and behavior.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-era-of-conservation-technology">New era of conservation technology</h2>



<p>The devices recorded forest sounds for a week, amassing vast data. By feeding this data into artificial intelligence (AI) systems trained to identify spider monkey calls, researchers gained insights that would otherwise take years to uncover.</p>



<p>This AI-driven initiative became one of the largest acoustic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deforestation-changes-social-behavior-in-monkeys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife studies</a> globally, and revealed troubling signs about the health of the habitats in which these animals live.</p>



<p>"They're the most sensitive of the primates that we have here," said Lawson. "The spider monkey would be the first animal to leave when there's signs of trouble. They would be the last animal to come back once forests are restored because they need mature, secondary and primary forest to be able to survive."</p>



<p>The monkeys avoid human-altered areas and rely on mature forests, making them sensitive indicators of environmental health.</p>



<p>The findings revealed that the monkeys avoid paved roads and plantations, which indicates that there are flaws in the government wildlife corridors which were designed to expand their range.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-monitoring-and-spider-monkey-conservation">AI monitoring and spider monkey conservation</h2>



<p>Lawson’s work exemplifies how AI can support biodiversity efforts. Previous research has emphasized the potential of machine-learning techniques to manage vast datasets, which would enable faster, cheaper, and more precise ecological studies.</p>



<p>However, technical hurdles like humidity-damaged devices and accidental destruction by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-reveal-the-lifestyle-of-an-extinct-caribbean-monkey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animals</a> remain.</p>



<p>To tackle these challenges, Microsoft’s <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/ai-for-good-research-lab/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI for Good Lab</a> introduced “Sparrow” - Solar-Powered Acoustic and Remote Recording Observation Watch. This energy-efficient device, designed to function autonomously for years, transmits data via low-Earth orbit satellites.</p>



<p>“Those remote places are also the most important places on the Earth from a biodiversity perspective,” said Juan Lavista Ferres, Microsoft’s chief data scientist.</p>



<p>Sparrow’s first test will monitor jaguars, birds, and spider monkeys along Colombia’s Magdalena River. </p>



<p>By 2025, the project aims to deploy these devices on all continents and make the data accessible to researchers while protecting sensitive location information in order to avoid alerting potential poachers and animal traders.</p>



<p>“What we don’t want is these devices to ever be used for poachers to understand where the animals are,” Lavista Ferres said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-implications-for-conservation">Global implications for conservation</h2>



<p>AI-powered acoustic monitoring has applications beyond studying rainforests. For instance, it could help sailors detect whale sounds in shipping lanes, thus reducing the risk of collisions.</p>



<p>This technology is transformative because it allows scientists to study wildlife without physically intruding on their habitats, which minimizes human influence on animal behavior. </p>



<p>"We’re reducing our influence on their behavior. And also - they don’t want us here," Lawson explained.</p>



<p>However, challenges remain. Deploying such systems requires overcoming technical issues like equipment durability and environmental conditions. </p>



<p>Equally important is collaboration with local communities. Lawson’s work around Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park highlights this need. Landowner support was critical for placing audio monitors outside protected areas to enable a broader understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marmosets-call-each-other-by-names-with-distinct-vocalizations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal</a> behavior.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-conservation-efforts-for-spider-monkeys">Future conservation efforts for spider monkeys</h2>



<p>Projects like Jenna Lawson’s and Microsoft’s Sparrow demonstrate how AI can revolutionize conservation efforts. </p>



<p>These initiatives show that AI-powered tools can collect and analyze vast quantities of data, offering insights into animal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-conservation-day-2024-saving-species-from-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behavior</a> and habitat health that would be difficult to obtain otherwise.</p>



<p>However, realizing their full potential requires overcoming technical challenges, such as maintaining equipment in harsh environments, securing adequate funding, and addressing ethical concerns - including the safe and responsible use of collected data.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-assisted-wildlife-monitoring">AI-assisted wildlife monitoring</h2>



<p>With 28% of plant and animal species currently at risk of extinction, AI-assisted wildlife monitoring offers a promising way to tackle biodiversity loss. </p>



<p>By combining advanced technology with community-driven conservation efforts, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of ecosystems and implement effective protection strategies.</p>



<p>Endangered species like Geoffrey’s spider monkeys highlight the urgency of these efforts. Their unique role in the ecosystem and their vulnerability to habitat changes emphasize both the challenges of conservation and the hope that innovative solutions can bring. </p>



<p>These remarkable creatures remind us of the biodiversity we stand to lose - and inspire action to preserve what can still be saved.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <em><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2022.2473">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a></em>. </p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

AI will monitor, track, and protect endangered species around the world

Geoffroy’s spider monkeys live high in the rainforest canopy, and...

<p>You’ve likely heard of the Great Wall of China, that stone and brick marvel of fortifications that stretches vast distances across the historical border of northern China. But have you heard of the Great Green Wall of China?</p>



<p>Unlike its ancient counterpart, this is a living, breathing wall of greenery -- a massive tree-planting initiative aimed at combating desertification on the edge of the Gobi Desert.</p>



<p>Recently, the Great Green Wall reached a pivotal milestone, marking over four decades of relentless effort to transform arid landscapes into thriving ecosystems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-great-green-wall-encircles-the-desert">Great Green Wall encircles the desert</h2>



<p>Late last year, dedicated workers in the northwest autonomous region of Xinjiang triumphantly finished a roughly 2,000-mile "green belt" that encircles the infamous Taklimakan Desert.</p>



<p>Often referred to as the "Sea of Death," the Taklimakan is the nation's largest desert, and this initiative is a component of the bigger Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program -- also known as the Great Green Wall of China.</p>



<p>Since its inception in 1978, this effort symbolizes one of the globe's most comprehensive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-trees-is-important-but-reforestation-can-help-too/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planting</a> missions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-taklimakan-desert-the-basics">Understanding the Taklimakan Desert -- the basics</h2>



<p>The Taklimakan Desert sits in the Tarim Basin in northwest China, and it’s often called one of the largest shifting-sand deserts in the world. This place is enormous, covering over 130,000 square miles. </p>



<p>Most of its surface is made up of constantly moving sand dunes, which can sometimes reach heights of several hundred feet. </p>



<p>The region gets very little rain, so it’s incredibly dry, but it can still experience temperature swings with scorching summers and chilly winters.</p>



<p>You’ll find a handful of oases around the desert’s edges. These oases historically served as crucial pit stops for traders passing through on the ancient Silk Road. Because the desert’s interior is so harsh, people stuck to the perimeter. </p>



<p>As a result, communities sprang up where water was more accessible and trade routes were established. Those settlements often became hubs of cultural exchange, bringing in traders from distant lands.</p>



<p>Wind plays a big role in shaping the Taklimakan’s sand dunes. Strong gusts blow the sand from one place to another, which means the dunes are constantly rearranging themselves. </p>



<p>On top of that, the overall dryness makes it tough for vegetation to grow, so there isn’t much stopping the sand’s movement... until the Great Green Wall was built.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-china-s-great-green-wall-expansion">China's Great Green Wall expansion</h2>



<p>China's verdant endeavor is on track to span 13 provinces, covering a whopping 1.5 million square miles (3.9 million square kilometers) and a hefty 42% of the country's land area by mid-century, according to government resources.</p>



<p>The program's aspirations include protecting China from the northern sandstorms and halting the encroachment of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floods-are-becoming-more-deadly-in-the-desert/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deserts</a> such as the one in Xinjiang.</p>



<p>Upon completion of the Taklimakan section, an impressive 116,000 square miles (300,000 square kilometers) of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-struggling-to-breathe-store-co2-hotter-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> had been planted, significantly boosting China's forest coverage from a mere 10% in 1949 to an expected 25% by 2023. Particularly in Xinjiang, forest coverage has leaped from 1% to 5% in 40 years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-economic-stability">Improving economic stability </h2>



<p>Distinct from the similarly ambitious <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/africas-great-green-wall-is-economically-worthwhile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Green Wall in Africa</a>, China's program has already gained considerable success, with government sources stating that it is "improving ecological stability and supporting the local communities."</p>



<p>Farmers in the dry northern regions have reaped visible benefits. Wang Yinji, a farmer in the northwest Gansu province, has seen significant improvements since 1999 when the tree-planting efforts escalated.</p>



<p>"Our corn grew taller. The sand that used to blow in from the east and northeast was stopped," said Wang.</p>



<p>Through the years, the campaign has skilfully rallied workers and volunteers. The project has also explored the plant species best suited to desert conditions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-the-great-green-wall">Challenges of the Great Green Wall</h2>



<p>However, the initiative isn't without its critics. Some have argued that the program hasn't curtailed sandstorms in Beijing, and others have scrutinized the low survival rates of the planted trees.</p>



<p>Critics have also argued that the planted trees compete with agricultural activities for the use of water and land. Yet, many believe in the value of tree-planting amidst increasing global warming and erratic weather patterns.</p>



<p>"The completion of the Taklimakan Desert control project is not an end to desert control but a new beginning," said Jiang Donghui, an official in Xinjiang. "We will continue to expand the green belt … to ensure sustainable development through desert control."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-blueprint-for-global-reforestation-efforts">A blueprint for global reforestation efforts</h2>



<p>The success and challenges of the Great Green Wall of China offer valuable insights for other nations grappling with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oases-grow-by-human-effort-but-face-threats-from-desertification/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">desertification</a>. </p>



<p>Similar initiatives, such as Africa’s Great Green Wall project, have drawn inspiration from China's approach, emphasizing the importance of tailored strategies for local ecosystems.</p>



<p>China’s program demonstrates the significance of combining scientific research with community involvement to achieve long-term environmental sustainability. </p>



<p>The use of drought-resistant tree species, soil stabilization techniques, and advanced irrigation systems have been key to transforming barren landscapes into fertile ecosystems.</p>



<p>As global climate change continues to exacerbate desertification and land degradation, the Great Green Wall serves as a reminder of the transformative power of reforestation - when backed by innovation, collaboration, and persistence.</p>



<p>The information for this article was published in <em><a href="https://english.news.cn/20241213/0073ff86fa9a4412860504c0c74f7b23/c.html">Xinhua</a></em>, the official news agency of the People's Republic of China</p>



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



<p>Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

China’s Great Green Wall has reached a new milestone

You’ve likely heard of the Great Wall of China, that...

<p>To a leaf, the impact of a raindrop is equivalent to a person being struck by a falling bowling ball. Despite this seemingly catastrophic force, leaves endure, and new research offers insights into the physics that make this possible.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These findings, detailed in a recent study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prfluids/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.123605" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Physical Review Fluids</em></a>, could have applications in agriculture, environmental science, and renewable energy technologies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamics-of-raindrops-and-plant-leaves">Dynamics of raindrops and plant leaves</h2>



<p>The study, titled “Resonance and Damping in Drop-Cantilever Interactions,” used high-speed photography to closely examine what happens when a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-turbulence-clouds-makes-tiny-water-droplets-turn-into-rain-showers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water droplet</a> hits a flexible plastic beam.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The researchers observed not only the deformation of the droplet but also how the beam vibrates in response to the impact. This setup mimics the interaction between raindrops and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-aging-discovered-in-plant-leaves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant leaves</a>.</p>



<p>“In this study, we investigated the dynamics of a droplet impacting and oscillating a polycarbonate cantilever beam of nine varying lengths,” noted the researchers.</p>



<p>“We analyzed the cantilever's damping and vibration frequency in relation to a resonance length, where the frequencies of the droplet and the cantilever are equal.”</p>



<p>Sunghwan Jung, a professor of biological and environmental engineering at <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell University</a>, likened the beam to a springboard. </p>



<p>When the droplet strikes the beam, it triggers a dynamic interplay: the beam bends downward as the droplet stretches upward, and vice versa. </p>



<p>Professor Jung explained that this opposing motion creates a “strong damping effect,” meaning the vibrations dissipate quickly. For plants, this rapid damping reduces stress on their structures, potentially prolonging their lifespan.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-raindrop-impacts-and-plant-recovery-nbsp">Raindrop impacts and plant recovery&nbsp;</h2>



<p>One key discovery in the study was the role of resonance. Lead author Crystal Fowler, a doctoral student in biological engineering, noted an intriguing pattern.</p>



<p>When the natural frequency of the beam aligned with that of the droplet, the droplet moved significantly more, and the beam’s oscillations diminished more quickly.</p>



<p>This phenomenon, previously observed but not fully understood, revealed that synchronization between the frequencies of the beam and the droplet amplifies the droplet's motion, leading to enhanced damping.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The result is a quicker return to stability for the beam. For plants, this means they can recover more efficiently after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-increases-as-a-direct-result-of-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a>, reducing mechanical strain and promoting longevity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-damping-effect-of-raindrop-impacts-nbsp">The damping effect of raindrop impacts&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“Upon reaching the resonance length, the frequencies of both the droplet and the cantilever align, and the cantilever is out of phase with the oscillation of the droplet's apex. This leads to increased damping rates,” noted the researchers.</p>



<p>“At this resonance length, the droplet's force and the direction of the cantilever oppose each other. When the cantilever length exceeds the resonance length, it synchronizes more with the droplet apex. This alignment allows the droplet force and the cantilever to work in phase.”</p>



<p>According to the researchers, the findings provide fundamental insights into the damping effect of droplet impacts on elastic surfaces around resonance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-for-science-and-technology">Broader implications for science and technology</h2>



<p>Understanding the dynamics of raindrop impact on leaves has implications beyond botany. This research sheds light on how rain moves through forest canopies and could inform studies of plant evolution and morphology.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For instance, Jung's lab has also explored how rain disperses spores and how plant vibrations could indicate hydration levels.</p>



<p>The findings also open doors to innovations in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-natural-power-of-plants-for-renewable-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">renewable energy</a>. By replacing the plastic beam with a piezoelectric material - one that generates electricity when subjected to pressure - rainfall could become a source of power.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Professor Jung envisions a system where beams resembling plant structures harness energy from rain, creating a fusion of nature and technology.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-personal-milestone-in-discovery">A personal milestone in discovery</h2>



<p>The study marks Fowler’s first publication and reflects her lifelong fascination with understanding the natural world.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Growing up in the Navajo Nation, surrounded by plants and gardens, Fowler developed an early interest in exploration and discovery. </p>



<p>Her work in biological engineering now allows her to uncover the mechanisms that govern life’s resilience and adapt those principles for practical use.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-inspired-energy-solutions-nbsp">Nature-inspired energy solutions&nbsp;</h2>



<p>This research highlights the remarkable adaptations of plants to withstand environmental challenges and points to potential human applications inspired by nature.&nbsp;</p>



<p>From better understanding plant ecosystems to creating energy-harvesting technologies, the study demonstrates how curiosity-driven science can lead to innovative solutions for modern challenges.</p>



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-ralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Nature-inspired energy: Lessons from leaves and raindrops

To a leaf, the impact of a raindrop is equivalent...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-threat-in-urban-air"><strong>Invisible threat in urban air</strong></h2>



<p>City dwellers face an unseen danger with every breath. New findings from Emory University researchers suggest that fine particulate matter from <a href="http://earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicle emissions may significantly elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease</a>. The study examined brain tissue samples from 224 individuals who had confirmed diagnoses and volunteered their brains for scientific research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-connections-emerge"><strong>Disturbing connections emerge</strong></h2>



<p>Scientists analyzed neuritic plaques — protein clusters that characterize Alzheimer's — while mapping each participant's exposure to PM2.5 particles based on residential location and surrounding traffic density. The correlation proved more alarming than anticipated. Individuals experiencing higher pollution exposure showed nearly double the likelihood of elevated plaque accumulation in brain tissue.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-matters"><strong>Timing matters</strong></h2>



<p>The research team discovered that pollution exposure during the final year before death demonstrated the strongest association with brain changes. This timeline suggests relatively rapid impacts from environmental toxins on neural health. The connection remained robust even after accounting for various demographic and health factors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-vulnerability-patterns"><strong>Genetic vulnerability patterns</strong></h2>



<p>Perhaps most concerning, people lacking the APOE gene—which naturally predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's — exhibited more than twice the susceptibility to pollution-related brain damage. Study author Dr. Anke Huels noted this indicates environmental elements like air contamination could trigger the disease in cases where hereditary factors don't explain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-implications"><strong>Public health implications</strong></h2>



<p>These findings, published in <em><a href="https://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neurology</a></em>, underscore the critical importance of air quality regulations in urban planning. The research suggests that implementing stricter emission controls and promoting alternative transportation could serve as powerful tools in Alzheimer's prevention.</p>



<p>As cities worldwide grapple with growing traffic congestion and aging populations, this study highlights an urgent need for comprehensive approaches to environmental health that protect both our lungs and our minds.</p>



<p>—–</p>



<p>Like what you saw and read?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a>&nbsp;for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.</p>



<p>—–</p>



<p>Check us out on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.</p>



<p>—–</p>

Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>—–</p>



<p>Like what you saw and read?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a>&nbsp;for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.</p>



<p>—–</p>



<p>Check us out on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.</p>



<p>—–</p>

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-earth-became-a-frozen-wasteland">When Earth became a frozen wasteland</h2>



<p>Imagine Earth as a giant snowball, frozen solid from the North Pole to the equator. This wasn't the plot of a science fiction movie – it was our planet's reality 700 million years ago during an extreme ice age that has puzzled scientists for decades.</p>



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



<p>Australian researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have finally cracked one of geology's greatest mysteries: what caused the Sturtian glaciation and why it persisted for an unprecedented 57 million years. This period occurred long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, when no complex plants or multicellular animals existed.</p>



<p>Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, the study's lead author, describes a world completely unlike today's climate. "Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over," she explained. "The planet was blanketed in ice from poles to equator, and temperatures plunged."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-combination-of-climate-factors">The combination of climate factors</h2>



<p>The research team discovered that this massive freeze resulted from a "double whammy" of geological events. First, plate tectonic activity reduced volcanic carbon dioxide emissions to historically low levels. Volcanic activity typically releases CO2 into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that keeps Earth warm.</p>



<p>Simultaneously, weathering of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada actively absorbed atmospheric CO2, further reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. When atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped below 200 parts per million – less than half of today's levels – glaciation engulfed the entire planet.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-climate-implications">Modern climate implications</h2>



<p>Published in the journal <em><a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a></em>, this research provides crucial insights into Earth's climate system. While geological climate changes occur over millions of years, the study emphasizes that human-induced climate change is happening at a pace ten times faster than previously observed natural changes, highlighting the urgent need to understand our planet's delicate climate balance.</p>



<p>—–</p>



<p>Like what you saw and read?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a>&nbsp;for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.</p>



<p>—–</p>



<p>Check us out on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.</p>



<p>—–</p>

What caused the planet's longest ice age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY 57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>—–</p>



<p>Like what you saw and read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.</p>



<p>—–</p>



<p>Check us out on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth.com</a>.</p>



<p>—–</p>

Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p id="block-43e218f4-0391-477c-8396-eb777c8c80a3">Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Some children read facial expressions when making food choices.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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



<p></p>

Social modeling affects our food choices

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Scientists discover we age in bursts

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The hidden science behind tickling.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals secret mission to create working time travel device.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>"It turns out that black holes can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained.</p>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p></p>



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

Retired professor claims he solved time travel

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.</p>



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

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

News coming your way