<p>A recent analysis of the Sapphire Canyon mudstone core, drilled by NASA’s Perseverance rover in July 2024, adds new and convincing evidence to the ongoing search for life on Mars.</p>



<p>The study describes minerals and textures that - on Earth - are often linked to microbial activity. At the same time, the authors stress that some unknown, nonbiological chemistry could also explain the signals.</p>



<p>“This finding by Perseverance is the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars. The identification of a potential biosignature on the Red Planet is a groundbreaking discovery, and one that will advance our understanding of Mars,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. </p>



<p>“NASA’s commitment to conducting Gold Standard Science will continue as we pursue our goal of putting American boots on Mars’ rocky soil.”</p>



<p>The core was taken from a rock named "<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/perseverance-rover-finds-best-evidence-yet-life-on-mars-cheyava-falls-rock/">Chevaya Falls</a>" in Neretva Vallis, an ancient river channel about a quarter mile wide that once fed Jezero Crater’s lake. </p>



<p>After drilling, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/perseverance-rover-captures-a-surprise-dust-devil-while-taking-high-resolution-selfie-on-mars/">Perseverance</a> sealed the sample for possible return to Earth, where laboratory instruments can perform tests far beyond the rover’s onboard capabilities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-the-martian-mudstone">Inside the Martian mudstone</h2>



<p>Lead author Joel A. Hurowitz of <a href="https://www.stonybrook.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stony Brook University</a> (SBU) reports a fine-grained mudstone with circular reaction fronts informally called leopard spots, plus small nodules embedded in layered sediments.</p>



<p>Perseverance’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/jpl/the-detective-aboard-nasas-perseverance-rover/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SHERLOC</a> and <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/heres-how-ai-is-changing-nasas-mars-rover-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PIXL</a> instruments mapped organic carbon with phosphate, iron, and sulfur arranged in distinct, repeating patterns.</p>



<p>Two minerals stand out: vivianite and greigite. Vivianite is an iron phosphate, while greigite is an iron sulfide associated with iron and sulfur cycling in oxygen-poor settings.</p>



<p>These features show up in rocks that settled from<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wave-ripples-discovered-mars-surface-indicate-liquid-water-present-4-billion-years-ago/"> water</a>, not in lavas. The site on Mars lies along Bright Angel, a set of outcrops that preserve layers and veins consistent with slow changes after the mud was laid down.</p>



<p>Textures and chemistry point to low temperature reactions that reorganized elements already present in the mud. </p>



<p>That detail matters because low temperatures fit environments that life can handle, while very hot conditions tend to erase delicate signals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-microbes-leave-similar-traces">Earth microbes leave similar traces</h2>



<p>On Earth, vivianite often forms where microbes reduce iron in water-rich sediments and trap phosphorus in blue-green nodules. </p>



<p>Laboratory and field work document biologically mediated vivianite through extracellular electron transfer.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/greigite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greigite</a> frequently appears where sulfate reducing bacteria drive chemistry in anoxic muds. In controlled experiments, greigite was detected only in live biotic setups after months of incubation.</p>



<p>The Martian rock shows rims rich in vivianite surrounding small cores enriched in greigite. That bullseye pattern matches a sequence of electron transfer reactions seen in some Earth sediments.</p>



<p>None of this proves metabolism happened in Bright Angel mud, but it shows the chemistry is right for it. That is a subtle point, and it is the reason scientists keep the language cautious.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evidence-of-life-on-mars">Evidence of life on Mars</h2>



<p>A potential biosignature is a feature that might have a biological origin but still needs more data to rule out nonbiological sources. </p>



<p>NASA points mission teams and the public to the Confidence of Life Detection, or CoLD scale, which encourages staged claims and independent checks.</p>



<p>The CoLD mindset is simple in practice. First detect a signal, then exclude contamination, then tackle alternatives, and only then talk about life on Mars with high confidence.</p>



<p>The Bright Angel work sits early on that ladder. It clears several necessary steps but leaves demanding tests for the lab.</p>



<p>Organic compounds can also arrive by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-meteorites-tell-us-about-their-birthplace-in-space/">meteorites</a> or form without biology. The authors note those routes and describe how future analyses could tell paths apart.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-organic-signals-but-no-certainty">Organic signals, but no certainty</h2>



<p>The Mars rover detected organic carbon in several targets within Bright Angel. Reaction fronts rimmed with vivianite surround cores richer in greigite, a pairing consistent with iron and sulfur cycling recorded in the paper.</p>



<p>Mineral veins include calcium sulfate, while the mudstone remains fine-grained and low in magnesium and manganese. There is no sign of intense heating that would reset the rock or scramble tiny textures.</p>



<p>The outcrop sits within layered sediments deposited by water flowing through Neretva Vallis. That channel spans roughly a quarter mile across, which implies sustained flow into Jezero’s ancient lake.</p>



<p>Low temperature context favors life-compatible chemistry, but it does not require life. Abiotic organics and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mineral-discovery-sheds-light-on-mars-fiery-past/">mineral</a> reactions can sometimes copy the same shapes and signals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-proof-but-potential-life-on-mars">Not proof, but potential life on Mars</h2>



<p>“It’s not life itself,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, stressing that this is a potential biosignature, not proof of life. The lead author echoed that caution.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We cannot claim this is more than a potential biosignature,” said Hurowitz. Other officials also underscored the stakes and the limits.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“[But] this very well could be the clearest sign of life that we’ve ever found on Mars,” said Sean Duffy, acting NASA administrator. </p>



<p>Caution is not hedging for its own sake. It is how science avoids false alarms when the question is this important.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mars-life_olivine_leopard-spot_Cheyava-Falls_Perseverance-rover_NASA_1big.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mars-life_olivine_leopard-spot_Cheyava-Falls_Perseverance-rover_NASA_1s.webp" alt="NASA’s Perseverance rover discovered leopard spots on a reddish rock nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” in Mars’ Jezero Crater in July 2024. Scientists think the spots may indicate that, billions of years ago, the chemical reactions in this rock could have supported microbial life; other explanations are being considered. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS" class="wp-image-1985874"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>NASA’s Perseverance rover discovered leopard spots on a reddish rock nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” in Mars’ Jezero Crater in July 2024. Scientists think the spots may indicate that, billions of years ago, the chemical reactions in this rock could have supported microbial life; other explanations are being considered. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS</em></figcaption></figure>



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



<p>If the vivianite and greigite formed through microbe-like metabolisms, then <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/perseverance-rover-begins-steep-climb-up-martian-crater-rim-jezero-crater/">Bright Angel</a> captures a period when surface waters supported the same chemical strategies some cells use for energy today. </p>



<p>That would extend Mars's habitability into a window when this part of Jezero was still wet.</p>



<p>If abiotic paths made the same pattern, the rock still records redox organization of iron, sulfur, and phosphorus in Martian mud. That is a window into how the planet cycles key elements without biology.</p>



<p>Either outcome matters for the bigger story. Mars did not just dry out, it changed its chemistry over time, and these samples let researchers track that change layer by layer.</p>



<p>The work also flags what to measure next. Isotopes, microtextures, and the exact structure of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-atoms-in-your-body-took-a-400000-light-year-journey-through-space/">carbon</a> in the core can separate metabolic signatures from chemical lookalikes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-search-for-life-on-mars-moves-forward">Search for life on Mars moves forward</h2>



<p>The authors lay out lab experiments and field analogs on Earth to test whether nonbiological reactions can reproduce these textures and mineral pairings. </p>



<p>They also point to analyses that require the sample in a clean Earth lab, including isotope ratios that biology tends to skew.</p>



<p>Sample return planning will shape how fast those tests happen. Meanwhile, the rover can keep mapping where these features cluster and how they relate to other rock units nearby.</p>



<p>PIXL and SHERLOC have shown enough sensitivity to guide that search. The pairing of elemental maps and Raman detections gives a consistent picture that can be applied to other outcrops.</p>



<p>As new targets are logged, the CoLD framework will help communicate progress without getting ahead of the data. That is how a potential biosignature becomes a result people can trust.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/ieJKWW8sp2A
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This animation depicts water disappearing over time in the Martian river valley Neretva Vallis, where NASA's Perseverance Mars takes the rock sample named “Sapphire Canyon” from a rock called “Cheyava Falls,” which was found in the “Bright Angel” formation. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09413-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a>.</p>



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NASA announces discovery of life on Mars with high degree of confidence

A recent analysis of the Sapphire Canyon mudstone core, drilled by NASA’s Perseverance rover in July 2024, adds new and convincing evidence to the ongoing search for life on Mars. The study describes minerals and textures that - on Earth - are often linked to microbial activity. At the same time, the authors stress that some unknown, nonbiological chemistry could also explain the signals. “This finding by Perseverance is the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars. The identification of a potential biosignature on...

<p>The fossilized remains of a giant "terror bird," recently discovered in the sandy landscapes of South America's Tatacoa Desert, tells the story of a formidable predator from the <em>Phorusrhacid</em> family.</p>



<p>A new study focuses on these giant, meat-eating predators, providing remarkable insights into the diverse wildlife that roamed the world in very ancient times.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-phorusrhacid-s">What are <em>Phorusrhacid</em>s?</h2>



<p><em>Phorusrhacid</em> birds, better known as "terror birds," were some of the most impressive predators to ever walk the Earth. These flightless birds lived in South America from about 60 million to 2 million years ago. </p>



<p>Standing up to 10 feet tall, they had massive, hooked beaks and really strong legs built for running, Basically, they were the top predators of their time.</p>



<p>Terror birds dominated their environment by hunting small to medium-sized animals. They could sprint at high speeds to chase down prey, using their powerful beaks to deliver lethal strikes. </p>



<p>Some scientists believe they might have even hunted in packs, although that's still up for debate. Their reign lasted for millions of years, filling the gap left by the dinosaurs' extinction.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leg-bone-of-an-ancient-phorusrhacid">Leg bone of an ancient <em>Phorusrhacid</em></h2>



<p>At the center of this fascinating narrative is a leg bone. This relic from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-site-in-australia-indicates-abundant-life-during-the-miocene/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Miocene</a> epoch, a period dating back around 12 million years, holds within it stories about the ancient birds of prey that roamed the continent.</p>



<p>Dr. Siobhán Cooke is an associate professor of functional anatomy and evolution at the <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> School of Medicine. </p>



<p>He noted that the size of the bone indicates that this terror bird may be the largest known member of the species identified to date, approximately 5 to 20 percent larger than known <em>Phorusrhacids</em>.</p>



<p>The bone's physical attributes provide an intriguing subplot. It contains deep pits peculiar to <em>Phorusrhacids</em> and potential teeth marks of a prehistoric caiman, <em>Purussaurus</em>.</p>



<p>The physical evidence seems to point to a fatal altercation with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/differences-in-the-mammalian-and-reptilian-brain-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reptilian</a> adversary. </p>



<p>"We suspect that the terror bird would have died as a result of its injuries given the size of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-remains-shed-new-light-on-crocodilian-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crocodilians</a> 12 million years ago," said Dr. Cooke.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distribution-of-phorusrhacid-terror-birds">Distribution of <em>Phorusrhacid</em> terror birds</h2>



<p>The unearthed fossil, found as far north as Colombia, expands our understanding of the geography of terror birds, which have been primarily associated with Argentina and Uruguay.</p>



<p>The research hints at a diverse and thriving ecosystem, markedly different from the landscapes we see now.</p>



<p>This ancient environment, now a desert, was home to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/primates-face-an-uncertain-future-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primates</a>, hoofed mammals, gigantic ground sloths, glyptodonts (essentially, gigantic armadillos the size of cars), and terror birds.</p>



<p>The seriema, a modern long-legged bird native to South America, is considered a distant relative of Phorusrhacids.</p>



<p>"It’s a different kind of ecosystem than we see today or in other parts of the world during a period before South and North America were connected," noted Dr. Cooke.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-phorusrhacid-terror-birds">Studying <em>Phorusrhacid</em> terror birds</h2>



<p>The discovery opens a window of possibility that additional fossils of terror birds may lie unidentified in museum archives.</p>



<p>"It’s possible there are fossils in existing collections that haven’t been recognized yet as terror birds because the bones are less diagnostic than the lower leg bone we found," said Dr. Cooke.</p>



<p>The fossil also prompts us to envision an environment now lost to time, populated by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elusive-bird-night-parrot-pezoporus-occidentalis-thought-to-be-long-extinct-rediscovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-extinct</a> creatures that once dominated the fauna. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/terror-bird_Phorusrhacid_leg-bone_tibiotarsus_credit-Degrange_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/terror-bird_Phorusrhacid_leg-bone_tibiotarsus_credit-Degrange_1s.webp" alt="The end of a terror bird's left tibiotarsus, a lower leg bone in birds equivalent to that of a human tibia or shin bone, dates back to the Miocene epoch around 12 million years ago. Credit: Degrange et al." class="wp-image-1949728"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>The end of a terror bird's left tibiotarsus, a lower leg bone in birds equivalent to that of a human tibia or shin bone, dates back to the Miocene epoch around 12 million years ago. Credit: Degrange et al.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>"It would have been a fascinating place to walk around and see all of these now extinct animals," noted Dr. Cooke.</p>



<p>This remarkable find, the first of its kind from the site, is a tribute to the rich biodiversity that once adorned our planet. </p>



<p>It nudges us to view the past through a lens of awe and curiosity, and to appreciate the diversity and beauty of the life forms that populated Earth millions of years ago.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-terror-bird-s-legacy">The terror bird’s legacy</h2>



<p>The discovery of this massive terror bird sheds light not only on ancient ecosystems but also on the evolutionary story of apex predators. </p>



<p>The physical characteristics of this bird - its powerful leg bones and sharp beak -- highlight the specialized adaptations that allowed it to thrive in its environment.</p>



<p>These adaptations may have provided the terror bird with the speed and agility to hunt effectively, filling a predatory role in the food chain much like large cats or raptors do today. </p>



<p>By understanding the terror bird’s evolution, researchers hope to uncover insights into how apex predators adapt to environmental shifts, contributing valuable knowledge to evolutionary biology.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-discoveries-on-the-horizon">Fossil discoveries on the horizon</h2>



<p>This fossil, potentially one of the largest known of its kind, also serves as a reminder that more discoveries await in the Tatacoa Desert and beyond.</p>



<p>While Colombia is not typically recognized as a hotbed of fossil discovery compared to regions like Argentina or North America, recent findings like this highlight its hidden potential.</p>



<p>Paleontologists are hopeful that ongoing exploration of South American sites will yield further specimens, expanding our understanding of Miocene-era ecosystems. </p>



<p>This research, along with improved fossil identification techniques, may pave the way for unearthing additional terror bird remains, helping scientists reconstruct the behaviors, habitats, and interactions of these ancient predators.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/spp2.1601" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palaeontology</a></em>.</p>



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"Terror birds" ate meat and dominated the planet long ago

The fossilized remains of a giant "terror bird," recently discovered...

<p>It's known as the "boring billion," a murky period in Earth's history between 1.8 billion and 800 million years ago, when life's complexity didn't extend much beyond single-celled organisms.</p>



<p>Apart from the occasional multicellular life form, most of the living species during that time period were simple, unicellular organisms that had minimal requirements for life. </p>



<p>But don't mistake "boring" for insignificant. This epoch of evolution laid the foundation for the drama of complex multicellularity that would eventually lead to us.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-fuel-for-evolution">Energy: Fuel for evolution</h2>



<p>The boring billion period appears to mark a time when the evolution of complex life was delayed and conditions were so stable as to border on stagnant. </p>



<p>Scientists state that oxygen levels at this time were drastically decreased and conditions were fairly harsh for most forms of life.</p>



<p>A new study by Michael Lynch of <a href="https://www.asu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arizona State University</a> has revealed that the transition from unicellular to multicellular life forms would have come at a cost.</p>



<p>Using the water flea,<em> Daphnia</em>, as a model organism, the study shows that multicellular organisms require more than a tenfold increase in energy compared with the simpler, unicellular organisms characteristic of the boring billion period.</p>



<p>"No one doubts that multicellularity can bring substantial advantages to the table, but the privilege of attaining such benefits comes at a steep investment cost," said Lynch, who directs the <a href="https://biodesign.asu.edu/mechanisms-of-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution</a> at ASU.</p>



<p>The study emphasizes the importance of respiration and other metabolic processes in navigating the transition to more complex life forms. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cost-of-complexity">Cost of complexity </h2>



<p>Every organism, from the smallest bacterium to a human, is driven by energy. Having an entire body made of only one cell reduces the need for energy and nutrients to grow and reproduce. </p>



<p>But multicellular organisms, like plants, animals, and fungi, have to maintain a multitude of cells in complex tissues, organs and structures. And this places a far higher energy demand on the organism.</p>



<p>As the cell count increases in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-life-and-environment-co-evolved-over-500-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multicellular organism</a>, so does the demand on ATP synthase, the molecular machinery in cells that manufactures ATP, the universal energy currency. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/multicelled-organisms_metazoan-daphnia_credit-Marek-Mis_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/multicelled-organisms_metazoan-daphnia_credit-Marek-Mis_1s.webp" alt="A new study shows that multicelled organisms like the metazoan daphnia (pictured) require a tenfold increase in energy compared with protists for their growth, maintenance and survival. The high cost of multicellular existence is offset by the many evolutionary advantages afforded to advanced organisms, from simpler forms like daphnia all the way up to vertebrate species, including humans. Credit: Marek Miś" class="wp-image-1950209"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>A new study shows that multicelled organisms like the metazoan daphnia (pictured) require a tenfold increase in energy compared with protists for their growth, maintenance and survival. The high cost of multicellular existence is offset by the many evolutionary advantages afforded to advanced organisms, from simpler forms like daphnia all the way up to vertebrate species, including humans. Credit: Marek Miś</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Each new cell in a multicellular body is another mouth to feed in terms of energy, and the cost increases with the number of cells.</p>



<p>The findings of the <em>Daphnia</em> study show that metazoans - the group that includes multicellular creatures - need a lot more ATP synthase complexes in each cell than their simpler, unicellular counterparts.</p>



<p>In fact, for every increment in body mass, these organisms require 30 to 50 times more oxygen than simpler, unicellular creatures. This additional oxygen supports the complex needs for metabolism, cellular communication, and tissue maintenance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-size-comes-at-a-price">Size comes at a price</h2>



<p>Growth isn't cheap, particularly for multicellular organisms. </p>



<p>While larger, unicellular organisms, like some amoebas, become more efficient as they grow, multicellular organisms face unique challenges that require extra energy to sustain their larger sizes and more complex structures.</p>



<p>Given this steep energy price, why did multicellularity evolve at all? </p>



<p>The answer seems to be that multicellular life offers evolutionary advantages, such as being able to consume unicellular organisms <em>en masse,</em> evade predators, and live in various environments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-overcoming-energy-barriers">Overcoming energy barriers</h2>



<p>To surmount the energetic challenges presented by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/past-snowball-earth-conditions-drove-evolution-complex-multicellular-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multicellularity</a>, organisms have developed remarkable adaptations to utilize their resources efficiently. </p>



<p>One key adaptation is the division of labor between specialized cells, tissues, and organs; this specialization allows for optimized energy usage where cells perform distinct functions more efficiently than they would if they had to carry out all the different life activities.</p>



<p>For example, mitochondria within eukaryotic cells have evolved highly efficient pathways to generate ATP, thus maximizing the energy harvested from different substrates.</p>



<p>Furthermore, the development of vascular systems in plants and circulatory systems in animals allows for the effective distribution of energy resources, and ensures that all cells have access to the oxygen and nutrients necessary to produce energy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-of-the-boring-billion">Implications of the "boring billion"</h2>



<p>Understanding the evolutionary narrative of the "boring billion" holds powerful implications for modern scientific research. </p>



<p>This era not only reflects the energy-centric challenges of the past but also informs the fields of synthetic biology, evolutionary biology, and bioengineering.</p>



<p>By studying the metabolic pathways and energy efficiencies developed during this period, researchers can potentially design bio-inspired systems and organisms with enhanced functionalities and sustainability.</p>



<p>Furthermore, insights gained from this epoch's evolutionary innovations could pioneer future advancements in medical therapies, agriculture, and ecosystem management. </p>



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



<p>This study primarily focuses on aerobic, animal-like organisms. But there's a vast and varied spectrum of life out there, including plants and fungi, and the researchers plan to extend their investigations to these life forms. </p>



<p>Future insights could shed light on why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biggest-known-space-cloud-of-life-building-complex-chemicals-discovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multicellular life forms</a> took a considerable time to appear and diversify on our planet.</p>



<p>Multicellular life has high energy demands and this study suggests that the constraints of bioenergy could be a universal phenomenon that is applicable to any carbon-based, oxygen-breathing life, no matter where it exists in the universe.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2414742121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a></em>.</p>



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'Boring billion' wasn’t a dull period, it fueled a shift to complex life

It's known as the "boring billion," a murky period in...

<p>They say all good things come to an end. And this week, we will witness the last supermoon of 2024. This dazzling celestial pattern will take center stage for the fourth time this year, illuminating our night skies with an intensity that we won't see again until 2025.</p>



<p>"Skywatchers can see the next full moon, the Beaver Moon, on November 15, starting at 4:29 p.m. EST. This moon is extra special as it’s the final supermoon of 2024, meaning the moon will appear bigger and brighter than usual," noted <a href="https://search.app?link=https%3A%2F%2Fblogs.nasa.gov%2FWatch_the_Skies%2F2024%2F11%2F12%2Fyou-woodnt-want-to-miss-the-beaver-moon-last-supermoon-of-2024%2F&amp;utm_campaign=aga&amp;utm_source=agsadl2%2Csh%2Fx%2Fgs%2Fm2%2F4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-beaver-moon">The Beaver Moon </h2>



<p>November's full moon is traditionally known as the Beaver Moon. This name comes from Native American and colonial times when beavers were actively preparing for winter, and it was the time to set beaver traps before the water froze. </p>



<p>The full moon's timing helped trappers work late into the evening by the moonlight, making it an essential time for both hunting and survival preparations.</p>



<p>The Beaver Moon is usually the last full moon before the winter solstice, marking the shift into colder weather in the Northern Hemisphere. For skywatchers, it’s an ideal time to view a bright, clear full moon since November nights are often crisp and clear.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-brighter-closer">Bigger, brighter, closer</h2>



<p>The Beaver Moon will look more impressive than usual as it swings by Earth at a distance of about 225,000 miles on Thursday, just before reaching its full luminary peak on Friday.</p>



<p>The supermoon is no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunters-supermoon-prepares-to-illuminate-the-october-skies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one-act wonder</a>, having kicked off its tour in August. Last month, it dazzled us at a distance that was 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) closer than the position of the upcoming Beaver Moon.</p>



<p>The grand finale of the 2024 supermoons will arrive just after the peak of the Taurid meteor shower and just before the Leonids are most active.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supermoons-of-2024">Supermoons of 2024</h2>



<p>This year has kept us <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/full-moon-trifecta-september-2024-harvest-moon-supermoon-and-partial-eclipse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">moonstruck</a> four times over. August's supermoon was 224,917 miles away, which was outdone by September's full moon at a distance of 222,131 miles away.</p>



<p>September's supermoon was punctuated by a partial lunar eclipse, reminiscent of a small bite. The Earth's shadow cloaked the moon, and this sight was visible across much of the Americas, Africa, and Europe.</p>



<p>October's supermoon was the closest of 2024 at a distance of 222,055 miles from Earth.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supermoon-s-close-approach-to-earth">Supermoon's close approach to Earth</h2>



<p>When it comes to a supermoon, it's not just the size, but the brightness that counts. It can outshine its regular luminosity by up to 30 percent. While a supermoon appears up to 14 percent larger than a regular full moon, it is not physically bigger.</p>



<p>This effect happens because a supermoon occurs when the full moon coincides with its closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, known as perigee. </p>



<p>When a full moon occurs at this closer point, it appears larger and reflects more sunlight, making it look especially luminous.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supermoon-2024-legends-and-myths">Supermoon 2024: Legends and myths</h2>



<p>Throughout history, the supermoon has captivated human imagination, inspiring countless myths, legends, and cultural interpretations across diverse civilizations. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heightened-emotions-and-behavior">Heightened emotions and behavior </h3>



<p>In many cultures, the supermoon is believed to amplify emotions and influence human behavior. </p>



<p>This idea might stem from longstanding associations between the moon and tides, leading to beliefs that the moon similarly affects human emotions. Some people believe it heightens feelings of love, passion, or even aggression.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiritual-energy">Spiritual energy</h3>



<p>Many spiritual traditions consider a supermoon event as a powerful time for reflection, healing, and new beginnings. Some believe the supermoon enhances intuition, making it an ideal time for meditation, setting intentions, or letting go of old energies.</p>



<p>Supermoons are sometimes celebrated with rituals, like burning sage or journaling, to harness its "supercharged" energy.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bad-omens-and-superstition">Bad omens and superstition </h3>



<p>In some cultures, a larger-than-usual moon was seen as a bad omen, linked to natural disasters like earthquakes or storms. </p>



<p>This belief, while without scientific basis, persists in popular culture, with people associating supermoons with strange happenings or increased accidents.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supermoon-in-scientific-endeavors">Supermoon in scientific endeavors</h2>



<p>Beyond its visual spectacle, the supermoon serves as a significant tool in scientific research, providing an exceptional opportunity for astronomers and researchers to gather valuable data. </p>



<p>By illuminating lunar features with unmatched clarity, it assists in refining understanding of the lunar surface, contributing to ongoing studies in geology and potential resource utilization. Moreover, the increased brightness and proximity facilitate educational and outreach initiatives. </p>



<p>Public engagement activities during a supermoon can ignite interest in astronomy and the broader sciences, empowering future generations with a passion for celestial sciences. </p>



<p>As explorations extend beyond Earth, the supermoon remains integral to both artistic and scientific pursuits, bridging the gap between beauty and knowledge.</p>



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Last supermoon of 2024, the Beaver Moon, will rise this week

They say all good things come to an end. And...

<p>A recent study has revealed the extraordinary capacity for reverse development in the ctenophore, or comb jelly, specifically in the species <em>Mnemiopsis leidyi</em>.&nbsp;Comb jellies seem to use the strategy of aging in reverse as a survival strategy when they are under pressure.</p>



<p>This surprising discovery, led by the University of Bergen, has added fresh perspectives to the field of developmental biology, suggesting that life cycle plasticity might be more prevalent in the animal kingdom than previously assumed.</p>



<p>Traditionally, animal life cycles follow a well-established sequence: birth, growth, reproduction, and death. </p>



<p>Only a few exceptions defy this pattern, such as the “immortal jellyfish” <em>Turritopsis dohrnii</em>, known for its ability to revert from an adult medusa to a polyp stage. </p>



<p>Now, this remarkable club of life-cycle-reversing organisms includes the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-comb-jellies-survive-crushing-pressure-in-the-deep-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">comb jelly</a> <em>Mnemiopsis leidyi</em>, adding a new chapter to what is understood about animal regeneration and development.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-comb-jellies">What are comb jellies?</h2>



<p>Comb jellies, also known as ctenophores, are fascinating marine creatures that often get mistaken for jellyfish. Unlike true jellyfish, comb jellies don’t sting.</p>



<p>Instead, they move gracefully through the water using rows of tiny, hair-like cilia that shimmer in the light, creating beautiful, rainbow-like reflections. </p>



<p>These cilia beat in coordinated waves, propelling the comb jellies forward and making them look like they're dancing through the ocean.</p>



<p>Inside their transparent bodies, comb jellies have a simple yet effective setup. They sport sticky cells called colloblasts, which they use to capture tiny plankton and other small prey. </p>



<p>Some species even have a rudimentary nerve net and complex eyes, allowing them to navigate their environment and hunt more efficiently.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-cycle-plasticity-and-rejuvenation">Life cycle plasticity and rejuvenation</h2>



<p>The discovery happened by chance during routine laboratory observations. Joan J. Soto-Angel, a postdoctoral fellow at the <a href="https://www.uib.no/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bergen</a>, first noticed an adult <em>Mnemiopsis</em> that seemingly morphed into a larval form. </p>



<p>“The work challenges our understanding of early animal development and body plans, opening new avenues for the study of life cycle plasticity and rejuvenation,” he said. </p>



<p>“Witnessing how they slowly transition to a typical cydippid larva as if they were going back in time, was simply fascinating.”</p>



<p>Intrigued by this unexpected transformation, Soto-Angel, together with Pawel Burkhardt from the Michael Sars Center at the University of Bergen, conducted controlled experiments to test whether this reversion could be consistently triggered.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comb-jellies-aging-in-reverse">Comb jellies aging in reverse</h2>



<p>Under conditions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-eats-away-our-brains-cognitive-defenses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress</a>, such as starvation and physical injury, the <em>Mnemiopsis</em> displayed an ability to revert from its lobate adult form to a juvenile-like cydippid stage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Over several weeks, the specimens not only shifted their physical characteristics but also adopted feeding behaviors typical of the larval stage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This ability to transform fundamentally alters the way scientists understand life cycle stages and development in early animal lineages.</p>



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



<p>The implications of these findings reach beyond ctenophores themselves. </p>



<p>“The fact that we have found a new species that uses this peculiar 'time-travel machine' raises fascinating questions about how widespread this capacity is across the animal tree of life,” Soto-Angel noted. </p>



<p>Ctenophores are among the earliest diverging animal lineages, so this newly discovered plasticity could represent an ancestral trait retained from early evolutionary history.</p>



<p>“This fascinating finding will open the door for many important discoveries,” Burkhardt added. </p>



<p>“It will be interesting to reveal the molecular mechanism driving reverse development, and what happens to the animal’s nerve net during this process.” </p>



<p>Understanding how nerve structures adapt or are preserved during such drastic transitions could provide insights relevant to neurobiology and regenerative medicine.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-in-reverse-for-survival">Aging in reverse for survival</h2>



<p>Reverse development might have evolved as an adaptive survival strategy, allowing organisms to respond to environmental challenges by resetting to a simpler developmental stage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The reversion observed in <em>Mnemiopsis leidyi</em> under stressful conditions could be an evolved mechanism to increase resilience, conserving resources until conditions improve.</p>



<p>The new evidence prompts questions regarding how these mechanisms are regulated and whether similar processes could be found in other species, particularly in more complex organisms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The ability of comb jellies to revert to a juvenile form could carry implications for how scientists approach the study of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-reversed-aging-in-mice-by-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a>, cellular repair, and tissue regeneration.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-horizons-in-developmental-biology">New horizons in developmental biology</h2>



<p>The discovery paves the way for future research into developmental flexibility and regeneration. Revealing the molecular mechanisms that facilitate this reverse development will be key to understanding not just ctenophores but potentially broader biological processes.</p>



<p>The findings challenge previously held notions that complex life cycles are irreversible, showing that under certain conditions, some species can alter their developmental trajectory.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This opens new questions about how widespread such capabilities may be and whether they exist, undiscovered, in other branches of the animal kingdom.</p>



<p>In conclusion, this breakthrough in studying <em>Mnemiopsis leidyi</em> has added a significant piece to the puzzle of evolutionary biology, demonstrating that the potential for life cycle reversal and developmental plasticity could be more common than once believed.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The research not only provides new insights into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unraveling-the-story-of-early-animal-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">early animal evolution</a> but also presents exciting opportunities for studying regeneration, aging, and cellular processes in broader biological contexts.</p>



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Comb jellies can age in reverse and may hold secrets to immortality

A recent study has revealed the extraordinary capacity for reverse...

<p>Plants captivate us as they grow not only upward but also in width, expanding their girth. Imagine a pencil-thin tree growing taller without becoming sturdy - hardly stable, right?</p>



<p>Our perception of plants reveals a simple truth: they must grow outwards as well as upwards. Yet, most research focuses on the tips of shoots, where a plant's height increases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plants-grow-stronger">How plants grow stronger</h2>



<p>"Plants can’t grow endlessly in height. They also need to grow in thickness, or they would simply fall over," noted biologist Kirsten Ten Tusscher from <a href="https://www.uu.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Utrecht University</a>.</p>



<p>So, while examining the increase in a tree’s height makes sense, understanding how they get "broader" is just as crucial.</p>



<p>We've all marveled at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/older-trees-help-the-endangered-wolf-lichen-survive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">older trees</a> growing visibly thicker and more robust over time. This outward growth, especially in trees, is necessary for structural strength.</p>



<p>What's the key to this increase in width over time? It's all in the cambium layer's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plant-stem-cells-could-support-human-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stem cells</a>.</p>



<p>These crucial cells are the ones calling the shots, producing wood to support the tree's structure as it grows. However, until now, the genetic mechanisms behind the activation of these stem cells has remained a mystery.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-processes-in-plants">Growing processes in plants</h2>



<p>In collaboration with colleagues from the University of Helsinki, Durham University, and the University of California, Ten Tusscher and her team set out to solve this mystery. The researchers designed and developed a computer model that played a central role in the study.</p>



<p>The model provided invaluable insights and made significant predictions while supporting the laboratory results of the team members.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-replicating-the-magic">Replicating the magic</h2>



<p>Where the scientific community had studied <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aspen-trees-change-their-genetic-structure-to-adapt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genes</a> for growth in height before, increase in width was uncharted territory. Until now, it was unclear which genes enable these cambium&nbsp;<a href="https://phys.org/tags/stem+cells/">stem cells</a>&nbsp;to become active and how this is controlled.</p>



<p>Ten Tusscher's model tackled the genes controlling thickness growth and shed light on the activation processes. The model's results were astonishing.</p>



<p>The output from the model indicated that growth in thickness is controlled by specific chemical signals within the cambium layer. Gradients in these chemical signals intersect to form a precise zone where stem cells are "switched on."</p>



<p>This subsequently guides the cells to produce woody tissue, thereby ensuring the continuous formation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genetically-engineered-wood-poplar-cottonwood-trees-store-more-carbon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wood</a> throughout the plant’s life. The steady process guarantees the strength and stability a plant needs in order to support its upwards growth.</p>



<p>The model centered on the small plant, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-adjust-roots-to-reach-their-preferred-form-of-nitrogen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Arabidopsis</em></a>, a popular choice with biologists worldwide who study plant growth.</p>



<p>It demonstrated how cambium stem cells are activated and sustained, facilitating continuous thickness growth throughout a plant's life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-scientific-triumphs">Beyond scientific triumphs</h2>



<p>Unraveling the mystery of growth in thickness isn't just a scientific triumph; it has practical implications in forestry and climate action.</p>



<p>"If you fully understand plant growth, and develop a tree that grows twice as fast in thickness, it's a great benefit for more sustainable timber industry," noted Ten Tusscher.</p>



<p>"It's also advantageous for climate efforts, as faster-growing trees can store more CO₂. Perhaps, it could even help researchers tune thickness growth in crops for better agricultural yield." </p>



<p>This study, therefore, not only quenches a scientific curiosity but could also lead to a greener, healthier planet. Furthermore, it has profound implications for our environment and economy. </p>



<p>Plants' hidden growth secret, it turns out, is a secret no more!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-study">Significance of the study</h2>



<p>With climate change at the forefront of global challenges, the knowledge gained from this study could transform approaches to reforestation and sustainable timber production in future.</p>



<p>Enhanced growth in tree thickness means greater carbon storage capacity, which plays a critical role in carbon sequestration efforts.</p>



<p>Moreover, unlocking the secrets of cambium-driven growth can guide innovations in crop breeding to optimize plants that produce higher yields and withstand environmental stresses.</p>



<p>By harnessing this newfound understanding, scientists can develop plants that not only meet timber and agricultural demands but also contribute to climate resilience.</p>



<p>The findings of the study pave the way for practical applications that could lead to a greener, more sustainable future, where plants not only reach sky-high but also play an even larger role in supporting life on Earth.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adj8752" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a></em>.</p>



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Scientists uncover how plants grow wider, not just taller

Plants captivate us as they grow not only upward but...

<p>Crows are more than just black-feathered figures cawing from treetops; they are masters of memory and grudges, with cognitive abilities that defy our expectations. </p>



<p>While we often admire birds for their bright plumage and lilting songs, there is a deeper layer to their behavior that remains unseen. </p>



<p>Birds are more intelligent than most people realize, especially when it comes to recalling those who pose a threat.</p>



<p>Recent research has illuminated this startling dimension of avian behavior, revealing that crows -- members of the avian elite -- can hold grudges for up to 17 years.</p>



<p>This discovery showcases the profound capacity of the crows' memories. The study also sheds light on the social transmission of knowledge about threats within bird communities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-crows-and-grudges">Studying crows and grudges</h2>



<p>The research project, led by experts at the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a>, was launched in 2006. </p>



<p>Professor John Marzluff, an environmental scientist, initiated the study by donning a fearsome mask and temporarily trapping seven crows. He identified them with leg rings before their safe release.</p>



<p>In subsequent years, the professor and his assistants sporadically wore the same mask -- strolling the university campus while feeding the resident crows.</p>



<p>Marzluff recalled an incident while wearing the mask when 47 out of 53 crows he encountered vehemently scolded him.</p>



<p>This was a substantial increase from the original seven crows that were captured, suggesting that these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-birds-dream-of-flying-scientists-say-they-now-know-the-answer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> could recognize threatening humans and pass on this knowledge to their kin.</p>



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



<p>The climax of this fascinating study came in 2013 when the number of aggressive caws reached their peak, only to gradually decrease. </p>



<p>By September 2023 -- 17 years since the experiment began -- not a single scolding crow was heard on one of Marzluff's masked walks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-behind-the-mask">Seeing behind the mask</h2>



<p>Another intriguing facet of the study involved the use of a "neutral" mask, bearing the likeness of Dick Cheney, who was the vice president of the United States at the time.</p>



<p>Those sporting the Cheney mask fed the crows without causing them any <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-years-fireworks-send-millions-of-birds-on-erratic-flights/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distress</a>, and were subsequently spared of avian wrath.</p>



<p>As the research progressed, unknowing volunteers were roped in to wearing the masks, ignorant of the "dangerous" or "neutral" categorization by the crows.</p>



<p>One such volunteer found himself at the center of an avian uproar, confirming the crows' skill in discerning and remembering threats.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dive-bombing-attacks-by-crows">Dive-bombing attacks by crows</h2>



<p>A report published in Mail Online shares some  other instances of crows with a grudge. In Dulwich, a posh London suburb, residents reported instances of crows executing dive-bombing attacks.</p>



<p>One resident, Alison Frean, shared her harrowing experience, revealing that she had been targeted by crows on three separate occasions when trying to exit her car.</p>



<p>This had a profound impact on the residents, as they chose to stay indoors, attempting to avoid any crow confrontations.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intelligence-of-crows">Intelligence of crows</h2>



<p>Crows never cease to amaze with their incredible intelligence, and it isn't confined to recognizing threats and holding grudges. </p>



<p>Prior research indicates that crows possess the talent to devise tools and even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crows-count-out-loud-just-like-toddlers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">count</a>.</p>



<p>Stories abound of crows dropping nuts onto busy roads, waiting for cars to crack them open, and then retrieving the food once the traffic stops. </p>



<p>Some crows have even figured out how to use sticks to extract insects from tree bark or fashion hooks from twigs to fish out food from hard-to-reach places.</p>



<p>The study from the University of Washington undeniably contributes to affirming the crows' place in the intelligence hierarchy among birds. </p>



<p>Crows, it appears, are creatures of memory, holding on to grudges and recalling threats even after a lengthy span of 17 years. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-dynamics-of-crow-behavior">Social dynamics of crow behavior</h2>



<p>Beyond their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountain-chickadees-have-an-extraordinary-memory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impressive memory</a> and intelligence, crows exhibit complex social structures that further highlight their cognitive sophistication. </p>



<p>They live in tight-knit family groups and exhibit behaviors that suggest complex emotional lives. </p>



<p>For instance, they've been observed holding what appear to be "funerals" for deceased members of their flock. </p>



<p>Their communication is sophisticated, involving a range of vocalizations and even regional dialects. </p>



<p>This communication is not limited to warnings about potential threats; crows have been observed sharing information about food sources and even forming alliances to fend off predators.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animals-and-cultural-transmission">Animals and cultural transmission </h2>



<p>One of the most remarkable aspects of crow behavior is their ability to teach one another. </p>



<p>When a crow learns to associate a specific individual or object with danger, it can relay this information to others in its community, spreading awareness rapidly.</p>



<p>Communal learning helps ensure that knowledge of potential threats is preserved and passed down, allowing even young crows to recognize dangers without firsthand experience.</p>



<p>This intricate network of social interactions places crows among the few non-human animals capable of cultural transmission -- passing knowledge from one generation to the next.</p>



<p>It is no surprise that these birds are revered in many cultures, often viewed as symbols of intelligence and adaptability.</p>



<p>The full study was published in <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2011/06/20/rspb.2011.0957" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the <em>Proceedings of the Royal Society B</em></a><em>. </em></p>



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Crows hold grudges against individual humans, often attacking, for up to 17 years

Crows are more than just black-feathered figures cawing from treetops;...

<p>Parents, take note - your child's inconsistent bedtime routine could be the troublemaker behind their erratic emotions and behavior. And no, it doesn't have to do so much with the quality or duration of their sleep, but more about the regularity of their sleep schedule. </p>



<p>This is according to the latest research paper published by the Grand team at Penn State College of Health and Human Development and Penn State College of Medicine.</p>



<p>The research shows that children who stick to a regular bedtime, falling asleep and waking up at the same time each day, have better control over their behavior and emotions, particularly during stressful situations or while collaborating with others.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-and-behavior-patterns-in-children">Sleep and behavior patterns in children</h2>



<p>The research was led by Adwoa Dadzie, a doctoral student, and her adviser Professor Orfeu Buxton. The team analyzed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-who-watch-screens-in-bed-have-the-most-disrupted-sleep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a> and behavior data from 143 six-year-old children.</p>



<p>The information was extracted from the Penn State Intervention Nurses Start Infants Growing on Healthy Trajectories (INSIGHT) study. </p>



<p>When these kids were just newborns, their mothers received training in responsive parenting from the <a href="https://www.psu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn State</a> researchers. So, this study is longitudinal, which means the experts have been tracking the development of these kids for quite some time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-training-mothers-in-responsive-parenting">Training mothers in responsive parenting</h2>



<p>Responsive parenting, in simple terms, means answering to a child’s emotional and physical needs in a warm, timely, and consistent way. </p>



<p>Earlier research found that training mothers in responsive parenting during their infant's early years promotes healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-sleep-day-2024-the-quest-for-a-well-rested-society/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep habits</a> and reduces childhood obesity. </p>



<p>Now, the latest analysis from the same study provides even more compelling proof of the benefits of regular sleep timing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bedtimes-behavior-and-emotions">Bedtimes, behavior, and emotions</h2>



<p>"Children who had consistent bedtimes were generally able to regulate their behavior and emotions," explained Dadzie. "On the contrary, children whose bedtimes and sleep times were erratic showed more impulsivity and less control."</p>



<p>The child's sleep pattern was tracked using a monitor they wore on their wrist for seven days. The device kept a check on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-habits-may-age-the-brain-faster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">various sleep aspects</a>. The data was then cross-checked with the child’s reaction to a frustrating task.</p>



<p>The task involved placing a toy the child chose in a transparent, locked box. The child was given a set of keys - none of which could unlock the box. Following this, the researchers kept an eye on how the child reacted and whether they displayed regulated or unregulated behavior.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-varying-bedtimes-and-children-s-emotions">Varying bedtimes and children's emotions</h2>



<p>Observing their behavior while decorating a picture frame with their parents was another important step of the study.</p>



<p>The findings? The more a child’s bedtime varied each night, the worse they regulated their behavior and emotions.</p>



<p>"Parenting matters. When parents create clear routines and respond timely and appropriately to their child’s needs, children show better outcomes in behavior regulation and even weight control," said Professor Buxton.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-control-over-behavior-and-emotions">Control over behavior and emotions</h2>



<p>Between the year 2012 and 2014, the INSIGHT study set up an experiment on preventing childhood obesity. </p>



<p>The researchers engaged families with newborns and grouped them into two - a control group that was informed about child safety, and an intervention group that was educated on responsive parenting techniques.</p>



<p>Parents in the intervention group were taught how to respond during different infant behavior states like fussiness, alertness, drowsiness, and sleeping.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bedtime-and-regulation-of-emotions">Bedtime and regulation of emotions</h2>



<p>By the time these children turned three, they had lower body mass indices (BMIs) than the kids in the control group! </p>



<p>The targeted program did not focus solely on weight. It provided training on recognizing hunger and satiety signs in children, allowing the child to decide when they are full, and the establishment of routines and expectations around food, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-is-essential-for-memory-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>, and behavior regulation.</p>



<p>When these children turned six and returned to the College of Medicine for evaluation, this current study on bedtime and behavior used data from their visit.</p>



<p>"The results clearly indicated that sleep regularity is crucial for fostering prosocial and age-appropriate behavior in children," said Dadzie.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-responsive-parenting-matters">Responsive parenting matters</h2>



<p>Remember, parents: you hold the key to your child's healthy development. Even if you have hectic schedules that don't allow for a consistent bedtime routine, you can still act responsively. </p>



<p>Set clear standards and bedtime routines, and respond promptly and suitably to your children's needs, helping them regulate their emotions effectively.</p>



<p>With eight years of research on the INSIGHT project, the proof is all there: When parents are responsive, they raise healthier children.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <em><a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1064350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Developmental &amp; Behavioral Pediatrics</a>. </em></p>



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



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

Irregular bedtimes disrupt the well-being and behavior of children

Parents, take note - your child's inconsistent bedtime routine could...

<p>A new study focused on the complex mechanics of octopus arms is bringing "cyberoctopus" ability a step closer to reality.</p>



<p>The octopus, a marvel of nature, has been a curiosity to scientists since the 80s. Its unique distributed neural system allows each of its eight arms to operate independently, making it an interesting model to explore. </p>



<p>This study, led by a team of skilled researchers, made a significant leap in not just understanding the octopus arms' intricate workings, but also using that knowledge to inspire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dancing-robots-the-future-of-human-robot-interactions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advanced robotic systems</a>.</p>



<p>The research team includes PhD candidate Arman Tekinalp, fellow graduate student Seung Hyun Kim, Professor Prashant Mehta, and Professor Mattia Gazzola, all from the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the <a href="https://illinois.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capabilities-of-the-octopus-arm">Capabilities of the octopus arm</h2>



<p>The primary drive for this research, as Professor Gazzola noted, is to discover how to control a complex system with countless degrees of freedom without resorting to pricey computations. To achieve this feat, the team turned to an unlikely muse - an octopus.</p>



<p>What followed was a combination of creative scientific methods and the fascinating world of cephalopods, culminating in a "cyberoctopus" capability.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-live-animals">Lessons from live animals</h2>



<p>“The general motivation is to figure out how to control a complex system with many degrees of freedom and find an alternative to running expensive computations,” Gazzola said. “The octopus is an interesting animal model that has been studied since the 1980s. [Researchers] want to know the ‘secret’ to its abilities.”</p>



<p>“I find it very interesting to learn from live animals and translate some of the insights into ideas for soft robotic design,” said Tekinalp.</p>



<p>The researchers ventured into new territories by examining a live octopus in action. They observed as the octopus reached for and manipulated an object through a hole in a Plexiglas sheet - an experience Gazzola likened to working with a child.</p>



<p>By capturing these movements, the experts were able to extract precious motion data that played a pivotal role in shaping their computational model.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-secrets-of-octopus-arms">Secrets of octopus arms</h2>



<p>The researchers developed simple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robots-that-sense-the-world-through-sound-are-more-human-like/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">muscle activation</a> templates capable of executing complex 3D motions.</p>



<p>Using topology and differential geometry, they described the arm's shape and controlled it using muscle activation.</p>



<p>This resulted in a high-fidelity computational model that successfully replicated the complex motions of the octopus's arm. The model significantly reduces the degree of freedom, making computation less complicated.</p>



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



<p>The study's findings go beyond pure science. As Professor Mehta pointed out, the computational model serves as a practical testing ground for roboticists to examine their algorithms. </p>



<p>This research not only aids in understanding the octopus's capabilities but also presents promising prospects for the engineering world.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mimicking-the-control-of-octopus-arms">Mimicking the control of octopus arms </h2>



<p>The implications of the study transcend academic interest, offering concrete pathways toward revolutionizing robotic design and functions. </p>



<p>By mimicking the octopus arm's unparalleled flexibility and control, roboticists can develop machines with unprecedented maneuverability and adaptability.</p>



<p>These advancements could significantly impact fields such as underwater exploration and medical procedures, where precision and adaptability are paramount. </p>



<p>The potential to create more efficient and versatile robots could transform industries, making many tasks safer, faster, and more efficient.</p>



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



<p>Despite these groundbreaking discoveries, the journey toward a fully functional "cyberoctopus" is not without challenges. The integration of this new technology into existing frameworks poses logistical and technical hurdles. </p>



<p>Moreover, ethical considerations surrounding the use of biologically inspired systems in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/digital-deception-how-do-humans-respond-to-lying-robots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">robotics</a> must be addressed. Nevertheless, the prospects remain exceedingly promising.</p>



<p>As researchers continue to draw inspiration from the natural world, the fusion of art and science promises to unlock new frontiers in understanding and applying complex biological systems to real-world challenges.</p>



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



<p>The study embodies the spirit of genuine collaboration, reflected in the close cooperation between students from different research groups. </p>



<p>With Tekinalp moving on to a postdoctoral position at the <a href="https://umd.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland</a>, the team's configuration continues to evolve. </p>



<p>But the journey isn't over. The team is excited about expanding their techniques to control all eight octopus arms simultaneously - an ambitious step towards realizing the "cyberoctopus."</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2318769121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.</em></p>



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



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

Octopus arms inspire more human-like robots

A new study focused on the complex mechanics of octopus...

<p>Experts at the University of Sydney have identified a cannabis compound called cannabinol (CBN) that appears to significantly enhance sleep quality, marking an important breakthrough in the search for natural sleep aids.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41386-024-02018-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Neuropsychopharmacology</em></a><em>,</em> the study provides objective evidence that CBN improves sleep by altering sleep architecture, the structure of sleep phases over the night. </p>



<p>Conducted by scientists at the University of Sydney's<a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/lambert/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics</a>, the research shows CBN’s potential to offer a non-intoxicating sleep aid, similar to yet distinct from conventional sleep medications.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-enhancing-effects-of-cannabinol">Sleep-enhancing effects of cannabinol</h2>



<p>“For decades, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-users-seem-to-sleep-better-than-most-other-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> folklore has suggested that aged cannabis makes consumers sleepy via the buildup of CBN, but there was no convincing evidence for this,” explained lead author Jonathon Arnold, the Director of Preclinical Research at the Lambert Initiative. </p>



<p>“Our study provides the first objective evidence that CBN increases <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/getting-high-quality-sleep-helps-prevent-depression-and-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>, at least in rats, by modifying the architecture of sleep in a beneficial way.”</p>



<p>Cannabinol forms as the primary intoxicating compound in cannabis, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), breaks down over time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As cannabis ages, THC gradually converts to CBN, which means older cannabis typically contains higher levels of this compound. Some cannabis users have noted that older cannabis seems to produce a sleepier “high,” which has led to CBN products being marketed as sleep aids.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In the U.S., highly purified cannabinol products are increasingly available as natural sleep aids, though scientific research on their effectiveness has been limited until now.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabinol-compared-to-traditional-sleep-aids">Cannabinol compared to traditional sleep aids</h2>



<p>The study compared CBN’s effects on sleep with those of zolpidem, a widely used sleep drug, by measuring sleep patterns in rats.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Using high-tech monitoring, the researchers observed significant improvements in sleep architecture with CBN, including increases in both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.&nbsp;</p>



<p>NREM sleep is known to promote physical recovery and memory consolidation, while REM sleep is associated with processing emotions and dreaming.</p>



<p>The findings show that CBN improved total sleep time in a way comparable to zolpidem, suggesting that CBN may have similar efficacy to traditional sleep aids.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“CBN was found to increase both NREM and REM sleep, leading to increased total sleep time, with a comparable effect to the known sleep drug zolpidem,” Arnold said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These results may point to CBN as a viable natural alternative for those seeking sleep enhancement without the side effects that can accompany standard sleep medications.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-for-a-broader-range-of-users">Potential for a broader range of users</h2>



<p>CBN also appears to offer sleep benefits without the intoxicating effects commonly associated with THC. While THC binds strongly to CB1 receptors in the brain, leading to its psychoactive effects, CBN does so only weakly, which likely accounts for its minimal intoxicating impact.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To the researchers' surprise, they found that a metabolite of CBN, called 11-OH CBN, had more substantial effects on CB1 receptors and seemed to impact sleep architecture. This insight suggests that CBN’s breakdown products might play an important role in its overall sleep-enhancing properties.</p>



<p>“This provides the first evidence that CBN indeed increases sleep using objective sleep measures,” Arnold said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It was a surprise that CBN metabolism in the body can yield a much greater effect on cannabinoid CB1 receptors than the parent molecule CBN, which has much more limited activity.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>He notes that while these findings are promising, further studies in humans are necessary to confirm whether the benefits observed in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-have-a-very-complex-social-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rats</a> will translate to human sleep patterns.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-human-trials-show-promise">Early human trials show promise</h2>



<p>Building on these findings, a parallel human trial was conducted by Iain McGregor, Director of Clinical Research at the Lambert Initiative, with insomnia patients.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Led by PhD student Isobel Lavender and renowned sleep researcher Camilla Hoyos from the <a href="https://www.woolcock.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woolcock Institute of Medical Research</a>, the human study was structured as a placebo-controlled randomized trial, revealing promising preliminary results that were presented at recent scientific conferences.</p>



<p>“Our research encourages further basic and clinical research on CBN as a new treatment strategy for sleep disorders, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-link-between-insomnia-and-hypertension-in-women/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">insomnia</a>,” McGregor said. </p>



<p>“Our clinical study only administered CBN on a single occasion. A trial on a larger scale, with repeated dosing, is the logical next step.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Larger studies over extended periods may reveal even more about CBN’s effects, helping researchers understand its role as a possible long-term solution for sleep issues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-in-cannabinol-research">Next steps in cannabinol research</h2>



<p>Professor Arnold and his team are now exploring ways to amplify CBN’s sleep-promoting effects, including combining it with other compounds found in cannabis or with conventional sleep aids such as melatonin.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The team has now commenced a preclinical drug discovery program around CBN, as well as observing whether the pro-sleep effects of CBN can be further amplified by other molecules found in cannabis, or by conventional sleep aids, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melatonin-receptor-is-a-new-target-for-treating-sleep-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">melatonin</a>,” Arnold said.</p>



<p>Given the study's promising findings, future research could open up a new realm of sleep therapeutics that leverage non-intoxicating cannabinoids for improved sleep quality.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With sleep disorders impacting millions worldwide, a natural, non-addictive option like CBN could offer an alternative to those seeking help for sleep disturbances without the potential drawbacks of traditional medications.</p>



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

Nature's sleep aid: Cannabinol shows promise as a safe sedative

Experts at the University of Sydney have identified a cannabis...

<p>The corpse flower is infamous for its rare blooms and its signature odor, which mimics the stench of rotting flesh, drawing crowds to greenhouses worldwide. The plant’s blooms are infrequent and short-lived, making it difficult for scientists to study.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Alongside its unusual scent, the corpse flower, or titan arum, possesses a rare ability among plants: it heats itself up just before blooming, a process called thermogenesis.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Now, a study led by <a href="https://home.dartmouth.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dartmouth College</a> delves into the molecular workings behind the corpse flower’s odor and heat production.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-source-of-the-corpse-flower-s-odor">Source of the corpse flower’s odor</h2>



<p>The study, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae492" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>PNAS Nexus</em></a>, was led by G. Eric Schaller, a Dartmouth professor specializing in plant biology, who, with his team, used blooms from Morphy, a 21-year-old corpse flower at Dartmouth’s Life Sciences Greenhouse, to analyze the plant’s unique biological processes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This study not only revealed how the plant warms itself but also uncovered a new component of its distinctive odor: putrescine, a compound often found in decaying animal tissue.</p>



<p>“The blooms are rare and also short-lived, so we only get a small window to study these phenomena,” Schaller said, explaining the challenges of studying such an elusive plant.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structure-and-blooming-cycle-nbsp">Structure and blooming cycle&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-corpse-flower-smelliest-flower-on-earth-is-at-grave-risk-of-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">titan arum</a> bloom structure isn’t a single flower but a cluster of small flowers hidden within a massive spadix - the central spike-like structure that can grow up to 12 feet tall. </p>



<p>The spathe, a frilly petal-like layer at the base of the spadix, unfurls to reveal a deep red interior. As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flowers-blooming-92-days-earlier-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blooming</a> begins, the spadix heats up significantly, sometimes reaching up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the surrounding temperature, while releasing its pungent scent.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This unique “carrion cologne” attracts pollinators like flies and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-will-climate-impact-the-beetles-that-protect-our-crops/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beetles</a>, which are drawn to the sulfur-based compounds emitted by the spadix.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-pathways-of-the-corpse-flower-nbsp">Genetic pathways of the corpse flower&nbsp;</h2>



<p>To investigate how the titan arum generates both heat and odor, the research team collected tissue samples from Morphy during a 2016 bloom, focusing on various areas of the spathe and spadix over three nights.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By extracting high-quality RNA from the tissues, exchange scholar Alveena Zulfiqar enabled the team to analyze RNA sequences and determine which genes were active during the plant’s heating phase.</p>



<p>“This helps us see what genes are being expressed and to see which ones are specifically active when the appendix heats up and sends out odor,” Schaller explained.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The RNA analysis revealed that genes linked to sulfur transport, metabolism, and a plant protein known as alternative oxidase - essential to heat production - were especially active in the appendix area during flowering.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-amino-acids">The role of amino acids</h2>



<p>The team turned to mass spectrometry to measure different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-the-building-blocks-of-life-form/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amino acids</a> within the plant’s tissues, working with collaborators from the <a href="https://missouri.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Missouri</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The analysis confirmed high levels of methionine, a sulfur-based amino acid, in tissues collected as flowering began.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Methionine, known for vaporizing when heated, contributes to the corpse flower’s sulfurous smell. Levels of methionine dropped quickly in tissues collected just hours later, supporting its role in the plant’s initial odor production.</p>



<p>Unexpectedly, the researchers also detected elevated levels of another amino acid in the spathe tissues: a precursor for putrescine, a compound common in decaying animals.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What came as a surprise, Schaller noted, was finding putrescine - which adds an authentic element to the corpse flower’s cadaver-like scent.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thermogenesis-in-plants"><strong>Thermogenesis in plants</strong></h2>



<p>Thermogenesis, or heat production, is common in animals but rare among plants. In animals, this process involves uncoupling proteins that release energy as heat instead of storing it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In the titan arum, the plant counterparts of these proteins - alternative oxidases - play a similar role in heating. By examining the unique ways these proteins function in the corpse flower, the researchers shed light on the mechanisms plants can use to generate heat.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unanswered-questions-about-the-corpse-flower-nbsp">Unanswered questions about the corpse flower&nbsp;</h2>



<p>While the team’s findings reveal much about the corpse flower’s odor and heat production, Schaller and his colleagues are still investigating other mysteries.&nbsp;</p>



<p>One area of interest is understanding the triggers that prompt flowering and exploring whether multiple corpse flowers could synchronize their blooms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Schaller suggests that synchronized blooming could amplify the plant’s scent, potentially increasing the attraction of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollinators</a>.</p>



<p>With this study, scientists have taken a significant step in understanding the molecular processes behind the corpse flower’s unique traits.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Future research may further reveal how these mechanisms contribute to the plant’s survival and its interactions with the environment, providing valuable insights into the unusual adaptations of this giant, mysterious bloom.</p>



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Why does the corpse flower smell like rotting flesh?

The corpse flower is infamous for its rare blooms and...

<p>We've moved on from the turbulent times of 2020, but some effects linger. If you think we're drinking more since COVID-19, you're right. Alcohol consumption in the U.S. rose significantly during the pandemic's peak.</p>



<p>But here's the latest revelation - it stayed high even after the pandemic wound down. The collective preference for alcohol didn't wane as we emerged from our isolated haunts back into the sunlit world of human interaction.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tale-of-two-pandemics">Tale of two pandemics</h2>



<p>Researchers from Keck Medicine of USC published a study that painted a stark picture of our nation’s alcohol use patterns over the past several years, comparing the pre-pandemic bliss of 2018, to the peak of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-the-covid-pandemic-influence-the-seasonal-flu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crisis</a> in 2020, and the "new normal" of 2022.</p>



<p>The numbers are both surprising and concerning. In the years 2018 to 2020, heavy alcohol use among Americans shot up by a staggering 20 percent, while any alcohol use increased by 4 percent.</p>



<p>But here's the kicker: in 2022, these increases were not just maintained - they had become the norm.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alcohol-intake-during-pandemic">Alcohol intake during pandemic</h2>



<p>Who was indulging more in the "liquid courage"? Well, the study showed the surge in drinking cut across all age groups, genders, races, and regions. </p>



<p>The only exceptions were Native Americans and Asian Americans. However, adults in the age bracket of 40-49 led the pack, logging the highest uptick in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-has-a-hidden-impact-on-heart-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heavy alcohol use</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-health-consequences">Potential health consequences</h2>



<p>Dr. Brian P. Lee is a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist with Keck Medicine of USC and principal investigator of the study.</p>



<p>"These numbers reflect an alarming public health issue that could result in severe health consequences for far too many people,” said Dr. Lee. "Our results suggest men and women under 50 are at special risk.”</p>



<p>He paints a grim picture. Excessive alcohol use is a top preventable cause of illness and death in the U.S, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. </p>



<p>Half of all liver-related deaths are caused by alcohol. According to Dr. Lee, alcohol-related cirrhosis now tops the list of reasons for liver transplants.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-following-the-facts">Following the facts</h2>



<p>The study on alcohol consumption during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/did-the-pandemic-change-our-transportation-habits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pandemic</a> revolved around data from the National Health Interview Survey. This is one of the largest and most comprehensive health research tools in the country.</p>



<p>The survey stacked up alcohol use information, demographic, and socioeconomic data for more than 24,000 adults aged 18 or older. They then compared the numbers from 2018 with those from 2020 and 2022.</p>



<p>The end of the pandemic was officially marked by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in May 2023, but the study marked 2022 as the post-pandemic year, based on observed behavioral shifts that marked a return to some semblance of normalcy.</p>



<p>Alcohol use was classified as any use of alcohol, or heavy use within a year of the survey.</p>



<p>Heavy drinking means knocking back more than five drinks a day or over 15 a week for men, and over four drinks a day or eight per week for women.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pandemic-s-effect-on-alcohol-use">Pandemic's effect on alcohol use</h2>



<p>What's triggered this national uptick in booze consumption from 2018 to 2022? While the study did not explore the "whys," Dr. Lee has a theory.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/staying-home-is-the-new-going-out-after-the-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stresses of the pandemic</a> may have normalized drinking as a coping mechanism. He further speculates that the pandemic's effects, like disruptions to schools and workplaces, might have been the catalysts for the rise in alcohol use, especially among the 40-49 age group.</p>



<p>Through this study, Dr. Lee and his team hope to create greater awareness about this growing issue. “We encourage health care providers to up the ante on screenings for harmful drinking, and offer interventions for those at risk," he said.</p>



<p>Helping Dr. Lee crunch the numbers was a distinguished team of researchers. Study lead author Dr. Divya Ayyala-Somayajula is an expert at <a href="https://www.jefferson.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thomas Jefferson University</a> in Philadelphia.</p>



<p>The researchers have dissected the data, and now it is time to reflect. What can we, as a society, do to turn the tide of excess alcohol intake post-pandemic? Are we ready and willing to face this challenge head-on? Only time will tell.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-24-02157" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annals of Internal Medicine</a>.</em></p>



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



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

Spike in alcohol use during the pandemic continues today

We've moved on from the turbulent times of 2020, but...

<p>African elephants are majestic creatures that have roamed the Earth for thousands of years. However, the past few decades have not been kind to these gentle giants. Recent findings revealed a drastic drop in African elephants population over a vast span of 53 years due to habitat loss and poaching.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-point-for-elephants">Turning point for elephants</h2>



<p>The substantial study on elephants and their habitats incorporated population survey data from 1964 to 2016. The data collated survey results from a whopping 475 sites across 37 countries - the most all-encompassing assessment of African elephants ever done.</p>



<p>The conclusions were grim: forest elephant numbers decreased by an astonishing 90% while savanna <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-elephant-day-2024-saving-the-gentle-giants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">elephant populations</a> fell by an average of 70%. Perhaps most shocking of all, the combined elephant population plunged by 77% on average.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-wins">Conservation wins</h2>



<p>But, it isn't all doom and gloom. The study also showcased a silver lining amidst the crisis. Not all populations were lost. Some even flourished, offering valuable lessons for future conservation efforts.</p>



<p>This study was led by George Wittemyer, a professor at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colorado State University</a>, who doubles as the chair of the scientific board of Save the Elephants. </p>



<p>"The context and the solutions at different sites can be quite different, but there are examples where people are effectively managing and protecting these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elephant-movement-is-influenced-by-habitat-suitability/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a>,” Wittemyer said. </p>



<p>“It helps to have a contextually relevant model for elephant conservation, and we've got that in a lot of different places.”&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-elephant-density">Elephant density</h2>



<p>The study used a different approach. Instead of counting the raw numbers of elephants, the researchers analyzed elephant density in their habitats. </p>



<p>This was mainly due to the inconsistency in survey areas over time at majority of the sites. The results showed a clear trend towards smaller <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/african-savannah-elephants-need-connected-habitats-for-stability/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a>.</p>



<p>“This paper shows the scale of the declines and how widespread they are across the continent," said Wittemyer.</p>



<p>He said the research underscores how even creatures as prominent and conspicuous as elephants can rapidly vanish into thin air.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-challenge-of-counting-elephants">The challenge of counting elephants</h2>



<p>Counting elephants in their habitats may seem like a simple task: they’re big, right? But the reality is far from it. It's a challenging and resource-intensive process. </p>



<p>For instance, the spotters have to count savanna elephants from an airplane, while forest elephants need to be counted on foot. </p>



<p>Can we use drones to count elephants? That’s not an option either. They lack the required battery life to cover the necessary long flights over remote areas. Also, processing drone imagery consumes a lot of resources.</p>



<p>Africa is huge - over three times the size of the United States - and each African country has individual wildlife management policies and political systems. Some places carry out regular surveys, while others don't. </p>



<p>The authors of the study had to use places with solid information to estimate population changes for nearby regions with less data.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-elephants-and-their-habitats">Elephants and their habitats</h2>



<p>“The strength of our approach is that we were able to infer these trends, even in places where the data were extremely poor, in a way that allowed the results from each survey site to be compared," said co-author Charles Edwards, a research scientist with CEscape consultancy services. </p>



<p>“Understanding how and where trends are different across the range of a species is arguably more important for their conservation than an overall change in abundance, which may only reflect change in the largest populations."&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-elephant-decline-across-regions">Elephant decline across regions</h2>



<p>The study also looked at how the elephants fared by species and region. In the Sahel region of northern Africa, which has been ravaged by warfare, the elephant populations have been <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/african-elephants-will-soon-become-extinct-without-immediate-international-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nearly wiped out</a>. </p>



<p>Eastern and central Africa also experienced declines due to ivory poaching and encroachment of human habitats pushing out the elephants.</p>



<p>However, some places in southern Africa, especially Botswana, offered rays of hope where the elephants are thriving. These populations have been well-protected and managed sustainably.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preserving-elephants-and-their-habitats">Preserving elephants and their habitats</h2>



<p>Wittemyer underlined the broader story of decline but emphasized the need to focus on ensuring the long-term stability of elephant species. He noted that this could be achievable in several places, although unfortunately not everywhere.</p>



<p>The study titled “Survey based inference of continental African elephant decline,” also included Kathleen Gobush (<a href="https://www.washington.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a>), Fiona Maisels (Wildlife Conservation Society and <a href="https://www.stir.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Stirling</a>), Dave Balfour (<a href="https://www.mandela.ac.za" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nelson Mandela University</a>), and Russell Taylor (WWF Namibia) as co-authors.</p>



<p>The study's extensive assessment of African elephants' plight offers crucial insights for management decisions like prioritizing funding and resources to best protect habitats of these magnificent animals. </p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2403816121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.</em></p>



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

African elephants have drastically declined in the last 50 years

African elephants are majestic creatures that have roamed the Earth...

<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>



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<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>



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<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>



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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>



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p></p>

Social modeling affects our food choices

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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<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>



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Scientists discover we age in bursts

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals secret mission to create working time travel device.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>"It turns out that black holes can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained.</p>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p></p>



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Retired professor claims he solved time travel

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

<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>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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<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

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



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



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



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



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<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

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



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



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



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



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



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<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

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



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



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



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



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<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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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<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

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