<p>In Uganda’s Kibale National Park, scientists have spent years doing the slow, unglamorous work of catching tiny wasps. The payoff is big: a clearer map of “dark biodiversity” - the vast share of species that are poorly known or not yet described - and practical clues for how to protect it before it disappears.</p>



<p>Most of Earth’s species have never been formally documented, making them easy to overlook in conservation plans. Biologists call these overlooked lineages “dark taxa.” They are especially abundant in tropical forests, where species, habitats, and ecological roles remain thinly studied.</p>



<p>The Biodiversity Unit at the <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Turku</a> has made a specialty of unveiling this hidden diversity, describing new species each year, and building tools to slow global biodiversity loss.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-living-lab-for-biodiversity">A living lab for biodiversity</h2>



<p>Kibale National Park offers a mosaic of habitats. These include tracts of largely undisturbed forest, areas recovering from past logging, and nearby farmland. That patchwork allowed researchers to ask a simple but powerful question: where, exactly, is the unknown diversity concentrated?</p>



<p>The team focused on ichneumonid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-parasitic-wasps-quietly-crossed-oceans-now-thriving-in-u-s-oak-trees/">wasps</a> - one of the most diverse animal groups on the planet - and, within it, the subfamily Pimplinae.</p>



<p>These wasps don’t just buzz around flowers. They regulate other species by parasitizing the immature stages of insects and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-with-spiders-brain-suggests-arachnids-originated-in-the-sea/">spiders</a>, linking them tightly to the health of entire food webs.</p>



<p>“Ichneumonids are a very poorly known taxon in Africa - we estimate that over half of the species we found are new to science,” said doctoral researcher Emil Österman. </p>



<p>With so little baseline knowledge for tropical ichneumonids, the team used long-term, standardized sampling to see how Pimplinae diversity is distributed across Kibale’s different habitats.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wasps-link-species-and-ecosystems">Wasps link species and ecosystems</h2>



<p>Because parasitoid wasps sit high in food webs, they are sensitive to disruptions below them. If the insects and spiders they rely on decline, parasitoids tend to follow. </p>



<p>That sensitivity makes Pimplinae useful indicators: shifts in their richness and abundance often mirror broader changes in biodiversity. The new work confirms what many ecologists have suspected but struggled to quantify in tropical Africa. </p>



<p>“Many of our finds weren't unexpected, but we didn't have data based on long-term collecting in the field," said Tapani Hopkins, a researcher with the Biodiversity Unit. </p>



<p>"Now we can tell in greater detail how many more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-owl-species-discovered-in-africa/">species</a> there are in natural forest, and to what extent disturbed or logged tropical forest can harbor species.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farmland-cannot-match-forest-life">Farmland cannot match forest life</h2>



<p>The headline result is encouraging for conservation: intact forest in Kibale harbors especially rich Pimplinae communities. Secondary forest that is regrowing after logging also supports far more species than adjacent farmland.</p>



<p>In other words, protecting remaining forest is essential, and letting disturbed forest recover pays real biodiversity dividends.</p>



<p>“Our results clearly show that African forest, including forest that is recovering from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rainforests-replanted-seedlings-after-logging-do-not-recover-well/">logging</a>, maintains a species-rich Pimplinae fauna compared to, say, nearby farmland," Österman said. "Species-rich habitats can be considered especially valuable in conserving unknown dark biodiversity.” </p>



<p>That matters for policy and on-the-ground management. If you want to safeguard the most unknown species, prioritize forests - and don’t write off recovering stands. They’re already doing important work.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-forests-store-hidden-diversity">Global forests store hidden diversity</h2>



<p>The team also asked a bigger biogeographic question: how does African tropical diversity stack up against the New World? </p>



<p>Drawing on their parallel long-term collections in western Amazonia and Brazil’s coastal forests, the researchers found hints that South American rainforests may host even higher Pimplinae richness than Africa. However, African forests still harbor a rich fauna.</p>



<p>“Conserving dark taxa effectively requires a detailed knowledge of how biodiversity is distributed, both locally and at a global scale,” said Professor Ilari E. Sääksjärvi, who leads the Biodiversity Unit.</p>



<p>The comparison underscores a simple lesson: tropical forests on multiple continents are irreplaceable reservoirs of poorly known life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forest-biodiversity-loss-accelerates">Forest biodiversity loss accelerates</h2>



<p>Parasitoid wasps are only one window into dark biodiversity. But they tell a familiar story: clearing or simplifying forests causes losses to ripple upward. Protecting or allowing forests to recover lets complex communities rebound - including species we haven’t named yet.</p>



<p>The Kibale study shows <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-leaks-conservation-efforts-may-shift-harm-elsewhere/">conservation</a> can succeed despite limited taxonomy: protect habitats that concentrate hidden diversity. It also highlights the value of patient, long-term fieldwork in places where biodiversity is vanishing fastest.</p>



<p>“We will continue our field studies at different tropical forest sites, because that is where biodiversity is disappearing especially quickly. It is a fight against time. When a rainforest is destroyed, we lose countless species which we know nothing about,” Sääksjärvi concluded.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/icad.70017" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Insect Conservation and Diversity</em></a><em>.</em></p>



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



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Wasps shine a light on 'dark biodiversity' in rainforests

In Uganda’s Kibale National Park, scientists have spent years doing the slow, unglamorous work of catching tiny wasps. The payoff is big: a clearer map of “dark biodiversity” - the vast share of species that are poorly known or not yet described - and practical clues for how to protect it before it disappears. Most of Earth’s species have never been formally documented, making them easy to overlook in conservation plans. Biologists call these overlooked lineages “dark taxa.” They are especially abundant in tropical forests, where species,...

<p>The path and odds of asteroid 99942 Apophis striking Earth are higher than we previously thought. This is the conclusion of astrophysicist Paul Wiegert.</p>



<p>It was back in 2004 when astronomers first observed an asteroid that received a notorious title - Apophis.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-apophis-on-the-impact-hazard-scale">Apophis on the impact hazard scale</h2>



<p>The asteroid grabbed attention, not for its name that resonates with an ancient Egyptian 'god of chaos,' but due to its high placement on the Torino impact hazard scale.</p>



<p>Upon assessing its size and trajectory, researchers rated Apophis as a 4, making it the highest-rated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-large-asteroids-will-pass-near-earth-this-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">asteroid</a> yet.</p>



<p>But, this rating was still low enough to discard the possibility of Apophis striking Earth. Labeled "one to watch," Apophis is set for close encounters with our planet in 2029, 2036, and 2068.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-of-earth-s-asteroid-collisions">History of Earth's asteroid collisions</h2>



<p>Earth’s history has seen its fair share of asteroid collisions, which have really shaped its surface and influenced the evolution of life.</p>



<p>Scientists think one of the biggest impacts happened about 66 million years ago when a massive asteroid hit the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.</p>



<p>This event, known as the Chicxulub impact, was key to the mass extinction of the dinosaurs.</p>



<p>The collision unleashed a huge amount of energy, causing wildfires, tsunamis, and a “nuclear winter” effect that drastically changed the planet’s climate.</p>



<p>Throughout history, smaller asteroid strikes have also made their mark. Take the Tunguska event in 1908, for instance; it flattened over 800 square miles of forest in Siberia, likely from an asteroid or comet exploding in the atmosphere.</p>



<p>More recently, in 2013, a meteor blew up over Chelyabinsk, Russia, injuring people and damaging buildings.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-the-odds-of-a-collision-course">Exploring the odds of a collision course </h2>



<p>In a recently published study in <em>The Planetary Science Journal</em>, Wiegert, from the <a href="https://www.uwo.ca/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Western Ontario</a>, explores a new dimension of odds -- the chance of a smaller <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-would-happen-small-asteroid-hit-earth-nasa-ai-simulation-found-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">object</a> striking Apophis and altering its course to an Earth-collision path.</p>



<p>Pondering over the odds might seem like an exercise in gloom, but in the realm of astrophysics, every possibility demands serious contemplation.</p>



<p>To investigate the chances of Apophis being pushed into Earth's path, Wiegert began by considering that objects moving at varying speeds and of different sizes result in different courses.</p>



<p>The results of his study suggest that an object as small as 0.6 meters across could potentially nudge the asteroid onto a collision trajectory post-2029. </p>



<p>Astonishingly, an object just 3.4 meters across could strike with enough force to set Apophis on an Earth-collision path by 2029.</p>



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="IdTuOffP37-3857917-12187" type="single"]</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assessing-the-impact-risk">Assessing the impact risk</h2>



<p>The complex nature of assessing and predicting the risk of celestial impacts involves more than merely calculating probabilities. </p>



<p>The work of researchers like Wiegert provides invaluable insights into the mechanics of potential disasters, where even the minutest variables can tip the scales in unforeseen directions. </p>



<p>Through the use of advanced simulation techniques and observation technologies, scientists can predict with greater accuracy the interactions between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-dart-spacecraft-images-reveal-more-about-near-earth-binary-asteroids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmic objects</a> like Apophis and their potential paths. </p>



<p>This knowledge not only advances our understanding but also underscores the importance of preparedness, offering humanity an opportunity to develop possible mitigation strategies well ahead of time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monitoring-apophis-and-other-asteroids">Monitoring Apophis and other asteroids</h2>



<p>Technological advances have revolutionized our capability to monitor asteroids like Apophis. High-resolution telescopes and sophisticated space missions deliver real-time data, empowering astronomers to track the positions and velocities of asteroids with unprecedented precision. </p>



<p>The development of systems such as the Near-Earth Object Observations program and proposed initiatives like the space-based infrared telescope further enrich our toolbox for managing cosmic threats. </p>



<p>With these technologies, the scientific community aims to not only enhance the precision of impact predictions but also enable prompt response strategies, ensuring that potential threats are effectively neutralized before any encounter with Earth.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-probability-of-an-encounter-with-apophis">Probability of an encounter with Apophis </h2>



<p>After establishing the size of objects that could potentially change the course of Adophis, Wiegert set out to estimate the number of objects that could cause such a catastrophic change.</p>



<p>For this, he utilized the yearly count of 3.4 meter-sized objects striking Earth as a reasonable guide. Using this reference, he calculated the odds of such an object striking Apophis.</p>



<p>Wiegert found that the probability of an impact that could significantly displace Apophis (compared to its miss distance in 2029) is less than one in 10<sup>9</sup>, which is quite low.</p>



<p>Yet, we must remember that a collision, no matter how powerful, must strike at just the right angle to propel Apophis towards Earth. </p>



<p>Weigert suggests that the odds of a perfect hit are around 1 in 2 billion. And the likelihood of such an impact resulting in a later catastrophe? That stands at 1 in 1 million.</p>



<p>As humans, we're notoriously bad at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-test-simulation-shows-earth-not-prepared-prevent-large-asteroid-strike/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interpreting probabilities</a>, but this is not just about playing with cosmic odds. It's about understanding the unpredictable nature of our universe and staying prepared. After all, as the saying goes, "forewarned is forearmed."</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ad644d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Planetary Science Journal</em>. </a></p>



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



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'God of Chaos' asteroid could be pushed into a collision course with Earth

The path and odds of asteroid 99942 Apophis striking Earth...

Big,Bang,Universe

<p>The Big Bang theory has long been regarded as the primary explanation for the origin of the universe. However, could it be that we are viewing the cosmos through an imperfect lens?</p>



<p>Professor Lior Shamir's recent study challenges this prevailing notion, suggesting that an alternative, less widely recognized theory may illuminate our understanding of the universe just as effectively, if not more so.</p>



<p>Shamir's research, published in the journal <em>Particles</em>, provides fresh evidence supporting the "tired light" theory.</p>



<p>This concept, introduced nearly a century ago, offers a different perspective on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visible-matter-dark-matter-evolved-together-big-bang/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expansion of the universe</a> -- or the lack thereof.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-tired-light-theory">Understanding the "Tired Light" theory</h2>



<p>Back in the 1920s, astronomers Edwin Hubble and George Lemaitre noticed something interesting: galaxies that are farther away from Earth seemed to be zooming away faster.</p>



<p>This led to the idea of the Big Bang theory, which suggests that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/origins-of-matter-discovered-by-recreating-the-big-bang/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe began expanding</a> from a single point about 13.8 billion years ago. But not everyone was on board with this theory.</p>



<p>Around the same time, Fritz Zwicky, a well-known astronomer, came up with a different idea. </p>



<p>He proposed that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-study-claims-our-universe-is-27-billion-years-old-double-the-current-age-estimate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">redshift we see in distant galaxies</a> -- basically a shift in the light spectrum towards red -- might not be because those galaxies are speeding away.</p>



<p>Instead, he thought that the light photons from these galaxies could be losing energy, or "tiring out," as they travel through space.</p>



<p>This energy loss could make it look like the farther galaxies are moving away from us faster than they actually are.</p>



<p>“The tired light theory was largely neglected, as astronomers adopted the Big Bang theory as the consensus model of the universe,” says Shamir. </p>



<p>“But the confidence of some astronomers in the Big Bang theory started to weaken when the powerful James Webb Space Telescope (<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>) saw first light.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fresh-look-through-the-webb-telescope">Fresh look through the Webb telescope</h2>



<p>The launch of the JWST has opened a new window into the universe, providing clearer and deeper images than ever before. </p>



<p>Scientists anticipated these images to show a young, developing universe, as the Big Bang theory would suggest. </p>



<p>But what they found instead were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-shaped-the-universe-before-galaxies-existed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mature galaxies</a> -- galaxies that appear older than the universe itself if we adhere strictly to Big Bang timelines.</p>



<p>“The JWST provided deep images of the very early universe, but instead of showing an infant early universe as astronomers expected, it showed large and mature galaxies,” Shamir notes. </p>



<p>“If the Big Bang happened as scientists initially believed, these galaxies are older than the universe itself.”</p>



<p>This unexpected discovery by <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kansas State University</a> engineers has led to <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/what-are-the-theories-of-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">renewed interest in alternative theories</a>, including the "tired light" concept. </p>



<p>Could it be that our understanding of the universe's expansion is based on assumptions that might need revisiting?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-weight-to-the-tired-light-theory">Adding weight to the "Tired Light" theory</h2>



<p>Shamir's study involved measuring the redshift of over 30,000 galaxies using imaging from three different telescopes. </p>



<p>The goal was to determine how this redshift changed based on the galaxies' distance from Earth and their movement relative to our planet. The findings were intriguing.</p>



<p>“The results showed that galaxies that rotate in the opposite direction relative to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newly-discovered-stars-milky-way-are-old-as-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> have lower redshift compared to galaxies that rotate in the same direction relative to the Milky Way,” explains Shamir. </p>



<p>This difference reflects the motion of the Earth as it rotates with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stars-at-the-edge-of-our-milky-way-galaxy-travel-more-slowly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>. But what was more significant was that the difference in redshift increased with the distance of the galaxies from Earth.</p>



<p>“Because the rotational velocity of the Earth relative to the galaxies is constant, the reason for the difference can be the distance of the galaxies from Earth," Shamir points out.</p>



<p>"That shows that the redshift of galaxies changes with the distance, which is what Zwicky predicted in his Tired Light theory.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-how-the-universe-began">Rethinking how the universe began</h2>



<p>While Shamir's findings do not outright refute the Big Bang theory, they prompt significant inquiry. </p>



<p>If the observed redshift in distant galaxies is not solely due to their velocity moving away from us, we may need to reevaluate the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-like-galaxies-were-present-in-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">foundational premises</a> of the Big Bang theory.</p>



<p>Additionally, the "tired light" theory presents intriguing possibilities for phenomena that challenge the Big Bang model.</p>



<p>For example, why do we see <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-faint-glow-of-the-universe-is-slowly-dimming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies that appear older</a> than the universe itself? Could it be that the light we observe has simply lost energy over time, instead of the universe expanding at an accelerating pace?</p>



<p>To sum it all up, Shamir's work suggests we should look beyond established models to get a better grasp of our universe. He encourages other scientists to rethink the long-held assumptions that have shaped their research for decades.</p>



<p>While the "tired light" theory isn't close to replacing the Big Bang in mainstream science, it’s clear that our understanding of the cosmos is still a work in progress.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2571-712X/7/3/41" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Particles</a></em>.</p>



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Study: Big Bang theory of the universe is refuted by Webb telescope observations

The Big Bang theory has long been regarded as the...

<p>When we think of therapy dogs, we usually picture these furry companions offering comfort to patients in hospitals. But what if these four-legged friends could also provide emotional support to the very people who take care of those patients - our health care providers?</p>



<p>In a fascinating new study, this concept has proven to be more than plausible. The results reveal the surprisingly positive effects of Buckeye Paws, a therapy dog program that health care workers say helps reduce emotional exhaustion and boosts their work engagement.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-buckeye-paws-program">Buckeye Paws program</h2>



<p>For those who might not know, the Buckeye Paws program involves engaging health care workers with highly trained dog-handler teams. </p>



<p>The program was part of a pilot study involving 64 participants across a range of health care services. </p>



<p>The health care workers included physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, rehabilitation therapists, and unit clerks in two intensive care units and two medical surgical units.</p>



<p>The handlers in this study were all hospital employees who volunteered their time with seven certified therapy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-and-their-humans-often-share-similar-personalities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dogs</a> to offer this unique intervention thrice a week over eight weeks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-work-stress-mood-and-therapy-dogs">Work stress, mood, and therapy dogs</h2>



<p>The study, led by researchers at&nbsp;The Ohio State University <a href="https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wexner Medical Center</a>, evaluated the effect of animal-assisted activity on healthcare worker stress, burnout, work engagement, and mood.</p>



<p>“There was free interaction with the dogs that people could spend as much or as little time as they wanted with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/interacting-with-dogs-can-ease-physical-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dogs</a>. Prior to their interactions, we asked them to fill out a basic one to 10 mood scale. And then, after the interaction, they did that again,” explained Dr. Beth Steinberg, principal investigator of the study.</p>



<p>The researchers found that the positive mood self-reported by the health care workers nearly doubled when they engaged with the Buckeye Paws program.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-animal-assisted-therapy">Impact of animal-assisted therapy</h2>



<p><a href="https://medicine.osu.edu/departments/psychiatry-and-behavioral-health/buckeye-paws" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Buckeye Paws</a>&nbsp;was launched in March 2020, right before the pandemic hit. As the program grew, the Ohio State team set out to measure its impact. </p>



<p>Dr. Steinberg co-founded Buckeye Paws with Mary Justice, chief administrative officer in Ohio State’s College of Nursing. Steinberg noted how easy it was to recruit participants for the program.</p>



<p>"The recruitment for this study was incredibly easy because as soon as you said, ‘We're going to do a study assessing your response to therapy dog interaction,’ people were like, ‘I'm in!’” </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dog-interactions-with-staff">Dog interactions with staff</h2>



<p>Dr. Steinberg takes rounds on the hospital floors with her yellow labrador retriever Brienne, while Justice visits staff with her English cream golden retriever Shiloh.</p>



<p>Although these interactions with staff are often brief, just a few minutes at a time, they seem to leave a big impact on the healthcare workers. Many study participants reported an immediate decrease in perceived stress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and burnout.</p>



<p>“We brought the dogs to the units and many times we had staff in tears sitting with the dogs, telling them about their day,” said Dr. Steinberg.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-therapy-dog-programs">Future of therapy dog programs</h2>



<p>With national concerns about physician and nursing shortages, a program like this could significantly improve workplace satisfaction and retention.</p>



<p>“For the most part, people have an affinity to a non-judgmental, warm, furry animal that can come and just sit with them and listen. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-learn-better-with-praise-and-petting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogs</a> don't care what you look like, how you're feeling that day; they just know that when you need them, they're there,” said Dr. Steinberg.</p>



<p>Due to the program's success, Buckeye Paws expanded in March 2022 to offer therapy dog assistance to students, faculty and staff of The Ohio State University. </p>



<p>There are now 29 dog-handler teams in the program, with additional teams on-boarding and more gearing up to begin the process.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-therapy-dogs-and-healthcare">Therapy dogs and healthcare</h2>



<p>Program manager Aimee Mitchell noted that dog-handler teams must pass basic and advanced obedience training.</p>



<p>The handlers must also earn the Canine Good Citizenship certification from the American Kennel Club, and be certified by a national therapy dog organization, said Mitchell. </p>



<p>The future looks bright for the intersection of therapy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-imitate-human-actions-from-2d-videos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dogs</a> and healthcare providers. This research has already inspired the launch of a similar program at a hospital system in Fort Wayne, Indiana.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <em><a href="https://medcraveonline.com/IJCAM/IJCAM-17-00701.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Journal of Complementary &amp; Alternative Medicine</a>.</em></p>



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Therapy dogs reduce emotional exhaustion and work burnout

When we think of therapy dogs, we usually picture these...

<p>Astronomers have discovered an enormous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-discovery-nasa-identifies-over-5500-distant-worlds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exoplanet</a> in the Great Bear constellation. The newly identified planet is referred to as a “super-Jupiter” because it has a mass that is many times greater than the gas giant Jupiter.</p>



<p>The discovery was made by  experts at the <a href="https://www.umk.pl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NCU Institute of Astronomy</a> in collaboration with researchers from Spain and the United States.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-truly-extraordinary-exoplanet">A truly extraordinary exoplanet</h2>



<p>The new exoplanet is extraordinary. It is 11 times more massive than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jupiters-great-red-spot-may-not-be-as-old-as-we-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jupiter</a>, the largest planet in our solar system. </p>



<p>According to the researchers, the planet orbits its host star in 14 years and maintains a temperature no higher than minus 100 degrees Celsius.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The giant world is situated six astronomical units (AU) away. To put this into perspective, an AU is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun - approximately 150 million kilometers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-super-jupiter-has-not-been-observed-directly">Super-Jupiter has not been observed directly</h2>



<p>Gracjan Maciejewski, leader of the NCU research group, noted that while the team cannot see the planet itself, they can spot the star around which it orbits.</p>



<p>“The star's physical parameters are similar to those of the Sun. The data indicate that it is 20 percent more massive and twice as large as the Sun,” said Maciejewski.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Interestingly, it has already completed the stage of evolution that the Sun is currently in; it has five billion years behind it. We can therefore estimate that this is also the age of the entire planetary system.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giant-star-with-a-massive-companion-nbsp">Giant star with a massive companion&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Maciejewski explained that the planet is located on the northern side of the sky in the Great Bear constellation and bears the designation HD 118203, because it was first listed in Henry Draper's stellar catalog under this number.</p>



<p>“The telescope used to make the observations for this catalog more than a century ago is now located in our observatory in Piwnice, near Toruń,” said Maciejewski.</p>



<p>For nearly 20 years, astronomers have known that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bubbling-surface-of-distant-star-r-doradus-captured-amazing-video-alma-telescope/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star</a> HD 118203 has a fairly massive planetary companion. In 2006, the first gas giant was discovered orbiting the star, with a mass of two Jupiters, and it completed its orbit in just six days.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-mysterious-planetary-system">A mysterious planetary system</h2>



<p>“Doppler observations, however, indicated that this was not the end of the story, that there might be another planet out there. Therefore, we immediately included this system in our observational programs,” said study co-author Andrzej Niedzielski.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“At first, as part of the Toruń-Pennsylvania exoplanet research program, conducted in collaboration with professor Aleksander Wolszczan, we tracked the object with one of the largest optical instruments on Earth, the nine-meter Hobby-Eberly Telescope in Texas.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-persistent-research-pays-off">Persistent research pays off</h2>



<p>The promising early results encouraged the team to continue their observations, this time in the Canary Islands using the Italian Galileo telescope, which was equipped with advanced instrumentation designed for planet detection.</p>



<p>However, eight years of research did not provide an answer as to what type of an object was being detected.</p>



<p>It took another seven years for the astronomers in Toruń to gather undeniable evidence that they had indeed found a planet.</p>



<p>“Patience pays off,” said Maciejewski. “The new observations collected in March 2023 proved crucial in determining the planet's orbital parameters.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Moreover, because it takes a planet several years to orbit its star, we were able to combine our Doppler observations with available astrometric measurements to unambiguously determine its mass. This allowed us to build a complete model of this planetary system and study its dynamical behavior.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-confirming-the-existence-of-the-super-jupiter-nbsp">Confirming the existence of the super-Jupiter&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Before fully confirming the discovery of the super-Jupiter, the team had to ensure that there were no other large planets in the system. This task was undertaken by Julia Sierzputowska, a student of astronomy.</p>



<p>“I analyzed photometric observations obtained with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite space telescope, showing that there were no other planets around HD 118203 larger than twice the size of Earth, and therefore not massive enough to be relevant for studying the dynamics of the system,” said Sierzputowska.</p>



<p>Krzysztof Goździewski, who conducted detailed numerical studies of the system's dynamics, noted that the system HD 118203 hosts a hierarchical planetary system.</p>



<p>“It is a peculiar configuration in which one planet forms a tight pair with its star, and a second planet orbits the pair in an orbit wide enough to, as it were, form another pair with the first one,” explained Goździewski.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-general-theory-of-relativity-nbsp">General theory of relativity&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Both planets are large and follow elliptical orbits, but despite their gravitational interactions, the system remains stable over millions of years.</p>



<p>“We have shown that this is due to effects arising from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-glitch-in-gravity-expands-the-theory-of-general-relativity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">general theory of relativity</a>. If it were not for these effects, the planets would behave like jittery springs, constantly changing the shape of their orbits and their orientation in space,” Goździewski added.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-planetary-systems">Evolution of planetary systems</h2>



<p>The discovery of this hierarchical planetary system adds a new piece to the puzzle of how planetary systems, particularly those with massive planets, form and evolve. Such systems allow astronomers to refine their understanding of planetary dynamics.</p>



<p>“An interesting question is about the paths of development of such planetary configurations,” said Maciejewski.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Although from our point of view - inhabitants of the Solar System - they are quite 'exotic,’ learning about systems with massive gaseous planets seems important so that we can get to know our nearest, astronomical backyard.”</p>



<p>According to Niedzielski, the team is still conducting observations and analyzing data, as there are chances for further planetary discoveries. “It is gratifying that we manage to involve students and doctoral students in this interesting and important research.”</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451084" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Astronomy and Astrophysics</em></a>. </p>



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



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

'Super-Jupiter' discovered in the Great Bear constellation

Astronomers have discovered an enormous exoplanet in the Great Bear...

<p>Many people might cringe at the mention of electric eels, but what is it that makes these creatures such a shocking presence in the animal kingdom? </p>



<p>Are they truly electric, and do they possess the power to deliver a jolt strong enough to stop you in your tracks? The science behind these aquatic hunters is truly fascinating. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anatomy-of-electric-eels">Anatomy of electric eels</h2>



<p>Electric eels are not actually "true" eels as those found in the order Anguilliformes, which includes well-known species like the Moray eel. Instead, these creatures belong to the Gymnotiformes order, also known as knifefishes.</p>



<p>Despite the name of electric eels, their lineage diverges from what we typically imagine when we think of these slippery, elongated fish.</p>



<p>In terms of physical attributes, electric eels bear a closer resemblance to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/controlling-invasive-carp-with-sound-waves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carp</a> and catfish, with their elongated, slender bodies and tapered tails designed for swift movement through the waters. This sleek form aids their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-hunting-behavior-observed-among-electric-eels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hunting</a> and survival in the dynamic river ecosystems of South America.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unique-evolution-of-electric-eels">Unique evolution of electric eels </h2>



<p>A fully grown electric eel, native to the murky rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basin, can reach an impressive length of 2.5 meters (8 feet) and weigh up to 20 kilograms (45 pounds), making them formidable predators in their environment.</p>



<p>Unlike their marine cousins, which rely on gills for oxygen, electric eels are primarily air breathers, deriving around 80% of their oxygen needs by gulping air into their mouths. </p>



<p>This fascinating adaptation allows them to thrive in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/as-oceans-warm-up-smaller-species-of-fish-will-dominate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxygen-poor waters</a>, giving them an edge in environments where other species might struggle.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-generators-of-electricity">Living generators of electricity</h2>



<p>Delving deeper into their anatomy, three unique organs nested within electric eels give them the incredible <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electric-eels-can-genetically-modify-other-creatures-by-shocking-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ability to generate electricity</a>. </p>



<p>Referred to as the main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sach's organ, each of these marvels of biology is packed with around 6,000 specific cells called electrolytes. </p>



<p>The function of these electrocytes? They simultaneously discharge power when the eel feels threatened or when it launches an attack on potential prey.</p>



<p>"Electric eels are like living batteries. They have stacks of modified muscle cells called electrocytes, which have both a positive and a negative side," noted Dr. Rupert Collins, Senior Curator of Fishes at the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum, London</a>.</p>



<p>"When the cells are triggered, they discharge an electrical impulse into the surrounding water, making electric eels living, breathing generators of electricity."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-shocking-survival-mechanism">The shocking survival mechanism</h2>



<p>One might wonder how an electric eel manages to generate such potent electric shocks without zapping itself in the process. The exact mechanism still eludes scientists.</p>



<p>However, the predominant theory suggests that the water surrounding the eel likely absorbs most of the electrical current.</p>



<p>Given that each electric discharge lasts only for approximately 2 milliseconds, it's plausible that the shock isn't long enough to harm the eel itself.</p>



<p>Typically, the eels generate around 600 volts of electricity, but there have been instances of eels creating a stunning 860 volts, according to one study.</p>



<p>While fatalities from electric eel shocks are exceedingly rare, multiple shocks can trigger severe respiratory difficulties, even causing your heart to stop. </p>



<p>Coupled with the possibility of drowning, coming face-to-face with an electric eel in open water could yield deadly results. If the eel doesn't get you first, the water might grasp you in its deadly embrace thereafter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecological-role-of-electric-eels">Ecological role of electric eels </h2>



<p>Electric eels are not just powerful predators; they also play a crucial role in maintaining the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-ecosystems-constantly-share-energy-to-achieve-balance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">balance of their ecosystems</a>. </p>



<p>As top predators in the waters of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, they help control populations of fish and other aquatic creatures. </p>



<p>By hunting with their electric discharges, they can stun multiple prey at once, efficiently capturing food while maintaining the equilibrium of the food chain.</p>



<p>In recent studies, researchers have observed that electric eels may even influence their surroundings beyond hunting. </p>



<p>The electrical fields generated by these creatures could play a role in deterring other predators or even communicating with each other in the murky waters they inhabit.</p>



<p>This interaction emphasizes their importance as not just predators but as essential contributors to their aquatic ecosystems.</p>



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



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Electric eels have a secret weapon to generate electricity

Many people might cringe at the mention of electric eels,...

<p>Stem cells in humans and animals have garnered significant attention for their ability to repair and regenerate damaged tissues. </p>



<p>From treating degenerative diseases to enabling advanced therapies, these cells have revolutionized medical research. However, stem cells are not exclusive to the animal kingdom.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-stem-cells">Plant stem cells</h2>



<p>Plants, too, possess their own remarkable stem cells, quietly driving growth and regeneration beneath their roots and shoots. </p>



<p>While plant stem cells have not received the same spotlight, they hold immense potential for advancing agriculture and food sustainability.</p>



<p>According to Huanzhong Wang, professor of plant molecular biology at the <a href="https://cahnr.uconn.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources</a> (CAHNR), plant stem cells have significant potential to support human development - especially through enhancing food supply resilience.</p>



<p>“It’s not just humans and animals,” said Professor Wang. “Plants have stem cells too, and we should be paying attention to them.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stem-cells-and-plant-development">Stem cells and plant development </h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-capture-plant-communication-on-video/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Plants</a> owe their growth and longevity to a variety of stem cells that govern cell division and differentiation. These cells, embedded deep within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/autophagy-what-makes-plant-roots-grow-faster-stronger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roots</a>, shoots, and the vascular system of plants, are critical to the plant's ability to develop.</p>



<p>Professor Wang noted that this intricate network of stem cells ensures that plants can grow both upwards and downwards, forming thicker stems or trunks when necessary.</p>



<p>“Plants can grow for many, many years because different types of stem cells basically ensure they can grow up in the air and deep into the ground,” said Wang. “To grow a thicker stem or trunk, they need another type of stem cell.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-critical-role-of-the-hva-gene">Critical role of the HVA gene</h2>



<p>While plant stem cells haven’t attracted as much attention as their biomedical counterparts, they hold incredible potential for bolstering our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-breaking-heat-is-threatening-wheat-and-the-global-food-supply/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food supply</a>. </p>



<p>Professor Wang's research highlights how understanding these cells can lead to stronger, more resilient crops. His lab recently published a study in <em>New Phytologist</em> that describes the role of a transcription factor gene called HVA.</p>



<p>The HVA gene controls cell division in vascular stem cells, which are responsible for producing the vascular bundles that transport water and nutrients throughout the plant.</p>



<p>Overexpressing this gene dramatically increases the number of vascular bundles, boosting the plant's structural resilience.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enhancing-agricultural-resilience">Enhancing agricultural resilience</h2>



<p>“In plants without HVA gene overexpression, we observed around five to eight vascular bundles,” said Professor Wang. “In contrast, plants with one copy of the overexpressed gene had over 20, and those with two copies had more than 50 bundles.”</p>



<p>The implications for agriculture are clear. Taller, slender crops like corn could benefit from enhanced wind resistance with the aid of additional vascular bundles.</p>



<p>“When plants grow taller, there is a risk that they could topple over,” said Wang. “Having more vascular bundles ensures the plant can stand still and resist those conditions.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-research-beyond-mustard-plants">Expanding research beyond mustard plants</h2>



<p>Though the research was conducted using a mustard family model organism, the HVA gene is present in various <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-plant-species-remain-unphotographed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant species</a>, suggesting broad applicability. </p>



<p>Wang’s team plans to investigate other transcription factors in the same gene family to further unravel the mysteries of plant vascular development.</p>



<p>“We are interested in studying other closely related genes to find out their function,” noted Wang. “It will be interesting to study further how this gene family affects vascular development.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-stem-cells-and-sustainable-agriculture">Plant stem cells and sustainable agriculture</h2>



<p>As the global population continues to rise, the demand for sustainable and resilient food sources becomes increasingly urgent. </p>



<p>Plant stem cells, with their unique ability to drive growth and regeneration, could play a pivotal role in this effort. </p>



<p>By harnessing the regenerative power of these cells, scientists can develop crops that not only grow faster but also exhibit greater resilience to environmental stressors like drought, pests, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-how-plants-adapt-to-changing-climates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">changing climate</a> conditions.</p>



<p>Research into plant stem cells also opens up the possibility of reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. </p>



<p>With more robust crops, farmers could see increased yields while minimizing environmental damage. This aligns with the broader movement toward sustainable farming and reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.19970" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Phytologist</a></em>.</p>



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How plant stem cells could support human growth

Stem cells in humans and animals have garnered significant attention...

<p>Spending almost five decades in deep space has not been easy on NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft. Age-related issues are cropping up, including a recent clogging problem in its thrusters. </p>



<p>Now is not the time for a space probe to get 'constipated.' It's got a job to do. But not to worry, NASA engineers have stepped in to resolve the situation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-voyager-1-s-thrusters-price-of-time">Voyager 1's thrusters price of time</h2>



<p>Voyager 1's thrusters have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/voyager-spacecraft-fighting-survival-cosmic-threats-outside-our-solar-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">been active for 47 years</a>, during which they've gathered a byproduct of age: silicon dioxide.</p>



<p>This resultant from a rubber diaphragm in the spacecraft's fuel tank has had the audacity to clog the fuel tubes in the thrusters, impacting their efficiency. But the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/voyager/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">team at NASA</a> was not about to be defeated by some clogged tubes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-efficiency-of-voyager-1-s-thrusters">Efficiency of Voyager 1's thrusters</h2>



<p>The thrusters operate on liquid hydrazine that, once turned into gas, is released in short puffs to direct the spacecraft's antenna towards Earth. </p>



<p>If the Voyager 1's thrusters were in prime condition, about 40 of these puffs would be enough to do the job in a day. </p>



<p>They are vital, you might say, for the spacecraft to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/voyager-1-resumes-sending-data-to-earth-from-interstellar-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interact with Earth</a> -- to receive commands, send engineering data, and unload the precious scientific data it has been collecting in its journey.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choices-ahead-with-voyager-1-thrusters">Choices ahead with Voyager 1 thrusters</h2>



<p>Voyager 1 is endowed with three sets of thrusters, two being attitude propulsion thrusters and one set being trajectory correction maneuver thrusters. In its younger years, during planetary flybys, all types were actively used. </p>



<p>But now, as Voyager 1 boldly goes where no human-made object has gone before -- out of our solar system -- the needs are simpler. Any thruster can be used to pivot the craft towards Earth.</p>



<p>In 2002, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPL</a>) noticed clogging in the fuel tubes in use for pointing the spacecraft towards our home planet.</p>



<p>The solution was to switch to the second branch of attitude thrusters. Sixteen years later, in 2018, they had to switch again as the second branch also showed signs of clogging. </p>



<p>The choice? The trajectory correction maneuver thrusters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dilemma-of-cold-and-power">Dilemma of cold and power</h2>



<p>Switching Voyager 1's thrusters isn’t as simple as it used to be in the spacecraft due to the advanced age of the spacecraft and the resultant decrease in its power supply. </p>



<p>Along those lines, non-essential systems have been deactivated to conserve power, including some heaters, leading to the spacecraft getting colder. Operating the cold thrusters could risk damaging them beyond repair.</p>



<p>The solution? Turning on non-essential heaters to warm up the thrusters. But there's a catch. </p>



<p>Power is so limited that turning on these heaters would require shutting off something else, and everything currently in operation is essential.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-power-puzzle-of-voyager-1-s-thrusters">Power puzzle of Voyager 1's thrusters </h2>



<p>After ruling out switching off an operating science instrument, the engineers decided to temporarily turn off one of the spacecraft's main heaters to provide enough electricity for the non-essential heater. And it worked. </p>



<p>The thrusters returned to action, as confirmed on Aug. 27, successfully guiding Voyager 1 towards Earth.</p>



<p>"All the decisions we will have to make going forward are going to require a lot more analysis and caution than they once did," confessed Suzanne Dodd, Voyager's project manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-resilience-of-voyager-1-s-legacy">Resilience of Voyager 1's legacy</h2>



<p>Voyager 1's journey has not only been a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/voyager-1-resumes-messages-to-earth-from-15-billion-miles-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">testament to the scientific and engineering prowess</a> of the late 20th century but also a marvel of the resilience embedded in legacy technology. </p>



<p>Constructed with materials and systems that predate modern advancements, Voyager 1 continues to function beyond expectations. </p>



<p>Its durability demonstrates the foresight of its initial design, which has allowed it to withstand the harsh conditions of space for decades.</p>



<p>This legacy technology, while appearing antiquated by today's standards, showcases a robustness that modern systems strive to emulate. </p>



<p>The mission's success is a reminder of the value of meticulous engineering and the enduring quest for exploration.</p>



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



<p>As Voyager 1 and its thrusters continue its solitary voyage through interstellar space, it carries with it the hopes and aspirations of humanity. </p>



<p>The data it transmits back to Earth provides invaluable insights into the universe's broader realms and conditions far beyond our solar system. </p>



<p>With each <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-lost-contact-with-voyager-2-spacecraft-12-billion-miles-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transmission</a>, scientists gain a deeper understanding of cosmic phenomena, feeding curiosity and inspiration across generations.</p>



<p>Although the spacecraft's operational future is limited by its diminishing power supply, the legacy of its mission will influence future endeavors. </p>



<p>Lessons learned from Voyager 1 fuel the ambition to explore deeper into space, forever pushing the boundaries of what is possible.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treading-the-uncharted-voyager-1-s-thrusters">Treading the uncharted Voyager 1's thrusters</h2>



<p>Voyager 1 is now in the realm of interstellar space, far beyond the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields created by our sun – it's uncharted territory. </p>



<p>The mission isn't over yet. The team aims to keep Voyager going as long as possible, continuing to reveal the mysteries of the interstellar environment. </p>



<p>How will it fare? Only time will tell. The universe is watching and so are we.</p>



<p>On the path of continuous discovery, the Voyager 1's and its thrusters journey stands as an epitome of the resolute human spirit, overcoming challenges and advancing knowledge in pursuit of the unfathomable cosmos. It truly is a remarkable journey.</p>



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Voyager 1 team accomplishes tricky thruster swap from 15 billion miles away

Spending almost five decades in deep space has not been...

<p>On World Ozone Day, we celebrate global efforts to protect and restore the ozone layer, a vital shield that protects life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>World Ozone Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994. This occasion highlights the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decline-in-ozone-depleting-chemicals-is-an-encouraging-trend/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">success</a> of the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty adopted in 1987, which has been instrumental in phasing out the production and use of ozone-depleting substances.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-action-on-world-ozone-day-nbsp">Climate action on World Ozone Day&nbsp;</h2>



<p>World Ozone Day is an important reminder of the link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-threaten-the-recovery-of-the-ozone-layer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ozone protection</a> and climate action. The phasing out of ozone-depleting chemicals has greatly contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming.</p>



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="iO1Qd1FFM1-3858489-12187" type="single"]</div>



<p>“The theme for this year's World Ozone Day (WOD) is Montreal Protocol: Advancing Climate Action. This theme underscores the critical role the Montreal Protocol plays in not only restoring the stratospheric ozone layer but also in mitigating climate change,” noted James Curlin, head of the <a href="https://www.unep.org/node" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNEP</a> Law Division’s OzonAction Branch.</p>



<p>“It serves as a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to continue and intensify our efforts to fight climate change through any means possible, be it through the phase out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and other ozone depleting substances, or through the phase down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).”&nbsp;</p>



<p>“By doing so, we can significantly reduce both the direct and indirect emissions of gases that heat our planet, contribute to the broader goals of climate action, and build a sustainable future for all.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-ozone-depletion"><strong>What is ozone depletion?</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/burning-up-of-satellites-severely-harms-ozone-recovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ozone depletion</a> refers to the gradual thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer in the stratosphere. This phenomenon is primarily caused by the release of ozone-depleting chemicals containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industrial and consumer products.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contributing-factors"><strong>Contributing factors</strong></h3>



<p>The most significant contributors are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, and other related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monsoons-launch-ozone-depleting-substances-into-the-stratosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">substances</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When these chemicals are released into the atmosphere, they eventually reach the stratosphere, where ultraviolet (UV) radiation breaks them down, releasing chlorine and bromine atoms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These atoms then react with ozone (O3) molecules, causing the ozone to break apart into oxygen molecules (O2) and single oxygen atoms, thus depleting the ozone layer.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-of-ozone-depletion"><strong>Impacts of ozone depletion</strong></h3>



<p>The depletion of the ozone layer has significant environmental and health impacts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A thinner ozone layer allows more harmful UV-B radiation to reach the Earth’s surface, which can lead to an increase in skin cancers, cataracts, and other health issues.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ozone depletion also affects ecosystems, particularly marine life, as increased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ozone-hole-exposes-wildlife-to-harmful-uv-radiation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UV radiation</a> can harm phytoplankton, the base of the marine food web.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-success-of-the-montreal-protocol-nbsp">Success of the Montreal Protocol&nbsp;</h2>



<p>As we celebrate the success of the Montreal Protocol, we must recognize the need to address ongoing environmental threats.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are chemicals that were introduced as replacements for ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).</p>



<p>However, despite their ozone-friendly nature, HFCs have a global warming potential (GWP) that can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Recognizing this issue, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, adopted in 2016, was created to phase down the production and use of HFCs. This amendment aims to reduce the use of HFCs and minimize their impact on global warming, while maintaining the protection of the ozone layer.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-international-cooperation-on-world-ozone-day-nbsp">International cooperation on World Ozone Day&nbsp;</h2>



<p>World Ozone Day is also a celebration of international cooperation, as nations across the globe have united to tackle a major environmental threat.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The progress in healing the ozone layer shows how collective action can address global challenges.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“At a time when multilateralism is under severe strain, the Montreal Protocol to help protect the ozone layer stands out as a powerful symbol of hope.&nbsp; It is a reminder that when countries show political resolve for the common good, change is possible,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.</p>



<p>“In uniting the world to phase out the consumption and production of different ozone depleting substances, the Protocol has also contributed to shielding carbon sinks, protecting humanity’s health and avoiding economic losses.”</p>



<p>“On this World Ozone Day, let’s commit to making peace with our planet. Let’s commit to build on the success of the Montreal Protocol to show what international cooperation at its best can achieve.”</p>



<p>Video Credit: Ozone Secretariat</p>



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



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World Ozone Day 2024: Advancing climate action

On World Ozone Day, we celebrate global efforts to protect...

<p>Scientists have recently discovered an important control circuit involved in swallowing food. The study has shown that fly larvae have special receptors in their esophagus which are triggered as the insect swallows something.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This leads to the release of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/serotonin-expedite-learning-process/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">serotonin</a>, a messenger substance that is frequently referred to as the “feel-good hormone.” The release of serotonin ensures that the larva continues to eat. </p>



<p>Although the study focused on flies, the experts argue that humans may also have a similar control circuit.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-swallowing-food-makes-you-want-more-nbsp">Swallowing food makes you want more&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Imagine you're sitting in a restaurant, feeling hungry, with a delicious pizza in front of you. Its irresistible aroma fills the air.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You take a bite, savor the flavor as you chew, and the moment you swallow, a wave of satisfaction hits you: Wow, that was amazing! Without hesitation, you reach for another slice and eagerly take another bite.</p>



<p>While the pizza’s smell and taste motivate you to begin eating, it is the pleasurable feeling you have after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cane-toads-swallow-their-tongue-when-they-eat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">swallowing</a> which is responsible for you continuing to eat. </p>



<p>“But how exactly does this process work? Which neural circuits are responsible? Our study has provided an answer to these questions,” said Michael Pankratz, an expert in life and medical sciences at the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bonn</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neurons-communicate-with-the-digestive-system-nbsp">Neurons communicate with the digestive system&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The study was focused on the larvae of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-fly-smell/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fruit fly</a> <em>Drosophila</em>, which have from 10,000 to 15,000 nerve cells - a manageable number compared to the 100 billion nerve cells in the human brain. </p>



<p>However, these 15,000 nerve cells form a highly complex network, with every neuron having branching projections through which it contacts dozens or even hundreds of other neurons.</p>



<p>“We wanted to gain a detailed understanding of how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-humans-have-shockingly-different-digestive-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">digestive system</a> communicates with the brain when consuming food,” Pankratz said. </p>



<p>“In order to do this, we had to understand which neurons are involved in this flow of information and how they are triggered.”&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-activated-network-of-neurons">An activated network of neurons</h2>



<p>The scientists investigated not just the paths of all of the nerve fibers in the fruit fly larvae but also the connections between neurons.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To do this, they cut a larva into thousands of very thin slices and photographed them under an electron microscope.</p>



<p>“We used a high-performance computer to create three-dimensional images from these photographs,” Pankratz explained.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Next, project assistants Andreas Schoofs and Anton Miroschnikow analyzed how all these nerve cells are connected to one another.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-food-quality-while-swallowing-nbsp">Detecting food quality while swallowing&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The investigation helped the researchers identify what they called a “stretch receptor” in the esophagus that is wired to a cluster of six neurons in the larva’s brain which can produce serotonin, the “feel-good hormone” ensuring that we feel rewarded for certain actions.</p>



<p>The serotonin-releasing neurons receive new information about what the fly has just swallowed.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“They can detect whether it is food or not and also evaluate its quality,” Schoofs explained. “They only produce serotonin if good quality food is detected, which in turn ensures that the larva continues to eat.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study-nbsp">Broader implications of the study&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The scientists believe that this fundamental mechanism most likely also exists in humans, and, when defective, it could lead to eating disorders such as anorexia or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/binge-eating-linked-to-a-specific-set-of-brain-cells/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">binge eating</a>. </p>



<p>Thus, the results of this study might also have implications for the treatment of such disorders.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“But we don’t know enough at this stage about how the control circuit in humans actually works.There is still years of research required in this area,” Pankratz cautioned.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-swallowing-in-mammals">Food swallowing in mammals</h2>



<p>The study authors noted that serotonin signaling has been implicated in motor function in the mammalian esophagus as well.</p>



<p>“The human esophagus also has distinct regions, with a proximal striated muscle region that is mainly controlled by motor neurons in the brainstem and a distal smooth muscle region that is controlled by central neurons in the medulla oblongata and peripheral neurons of the myenteric plexus.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>The researchers concluded that, despite the differences in the number of cell types as compared with the fly, it would be interesting to see if serotonin also monitors the completion of a biologically meaningful action such as swallowing or other vital activities in mammals.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Current Biology</em></a><em>.</em></p>



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



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Swallowing food triggers ‘feel-good hormones’

Scientists have recently discovered an important control circuit involved in...

<p>Have you ever thought about the role your home and office heating and cooling systems play during climate change? If your answer is no, you are not alone. Most of us don't. </p>



<p>We are amusingly oblivious that the warm air we so much enjoy during winters and the cool breeze we desire in hot summers have a tiny part to contribute to the global climate. </p>



<p>It's time to focus on urban microclimates -- a fascinating yet overlooked aspect of climate change. The mundane <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-sea-levels-threaten-groundwater-global-cities-underground-infrastructure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">city infrastructure</a> we interact with daily can significantly alter local climates and eventually our beloved globe.</p>



<p>It's like throwing a tiny stone in a pond. The ripples may start small, but they grow larger, affecting a much wider area than the stone's initial impact.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heating-and-cooling-systems-in-cities">Heating and cooling systems in cities</h2>



<p>Leading the pack in this research is the <a href="https://illinois.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a>. Under the stewardship of civil and environmental engineering professor Lei Zhao, the team has been investigating the effects of city-level waste heat from our beloved residential and commercial buildings.</p>



<p>“The heat generated from heating and cooling systems is a substantial part of the total heat generated within urban areas,” Zhao said. </p>



<p>“These systems generate a lot of heat that is released into the atmosphere within cities, making them hotter and further increasing the demand for indoor cooling systems, which feeds even more heat into local climates.”</p>



<p>Think of these systems as the culprits that release a lot of heat into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2024-is-likely-the-hottest-year-in-recorded-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">city's atmosphere</a>, making it uncomfortably hot and thereby increasing everyone's demand for cooling systems.</p>



<p>That, my friends, is a classic example of a positive physical feedback loop. As we insist on cooling our spaces, we inadvertently feed more and more heat into local climates. Isn't that a bit counterproductive?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-negative-loops-to-polarized-demand">Negative loops to polarized demand</h2>



<p>However, the plot thickens. Zhao and his team also discovered an antagonist to this boiling story -- the negative feedback loop.</p>



<p>With rising temperatures under climate change, it's plausible that people would require less heating during winter months. </p>



<p>Translated to city scales, less heating use would mean less heat being released into the city atmosphere, leading to less <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scorching-summer-of-2024-could-make-it-the-hottest-year-on-record/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warming</a>.</p>



<p>But don't get too comfy just yet. "This process forms a negative physical feedback loop that may dampen the heating demand decrease. But it does not by any means cancel out the positive feedback loop effect," Zhao warns. </p>



<p>The team's model hints at a potential polarization of seasonal electricity demand that could unravel a unique set of challenges requiring careful planning.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feedback-loops-of-heating-and-cooling-systems">Feedback loops of heating and cooling systems</h2>



<p>The team, led by Zhao, includes experts from various fields. Zhao is part of the <a href="https://sustainability.illinois.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment</a>. He also works with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and the <a href="https://giesbusiness.illinois.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gies College of Business</a> at Illinois.</p>



<p>The team used a hybrid modeling framework to study global urban heating and cooling energy demand. This framework combines dynamic Earth system modeling with machine learning techniques. Their research addresses the effects of climate change, considering variability and uncertainties.</p>



<p>Their mission? To integrate the effects of positive and negative physical feedback loops into energy projections and ultimately lay the groundwork for more comprehensive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate impact assessment</a>, science-based policymaking and coordination on climate-sensitive energy planning.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moving-forward">Moving forward </h2>



<p>Supported by the National Science Foundation (<a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF</a>) and iSEE at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the team is embarking on another exciting journey. </p>



<p>They plan on introducing variables like humidity, building materials, and future climate-mitigating efforts into their models to refine energy-demand projections further.</p>



<p>As we move forward, the importance of such research becomes more evident. The in-depth understanding it provides will play a crucial role in shaping our sustainable energy planning for the future.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-heating-and-cooling-systems">Using heating and cooling systems</h2>



<p>If there's one thing to take away from this deep dive, it's this -- every action matters. The way we cool or heat our spaces today might seem insignificant in the larger picture of climate change, but remember the ripples.</p>



<p>Unseen to the eye, these ripples are expanding in the form of local microclimates. The way we plan our cities, consume energy, and mitigate climate impacts can either create ripples of problems or waves of sustainable solutions.</p>



<p>The choice, as always, is ours.</p>



<p>So next time you adjust your thermostat on the heating or cooling systems, take a moment to think - "What ripple am I creating?".</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02108-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.</em></p>



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Indoor heating and cooling systems affect city temperatures

Have you ever thought about the role your home and...

<p>Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island or Te Pito o Te Henua (the navel of the world), is one of the most remote inhabited locations on Earth, situated over 1,900 km from the nearest Polynesian island and 3,700 km from South America.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biggest-mysteries-of-easter-island-nbsp">Biggest mysteries of Easter Island&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Despite extensive study by archaeologists, anthropologists, and geneticists, two central aspects of Rapa Nui’s history remain controversial.</p>



<p>The first contentious topic is the theory of Easter Island's population collapse due to “ecocide” or environmental mismanagement.</p>



<p>The second debate centers around whether the Polynesian ancestors of the Rapanui people had contact with Indigenous Americans before European arrival in 1722.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-clues-in-easter-island-remains">New clues in Easter Island remains</h2>



<p>A new study published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07881-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a> examines the genomes of 15 Rapanui individuals who lived between 1670 and 1950.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The remains from Easter Island, housed in the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, were analyzed by an international team of scientists, including assistant professor Víctor Moreno-Mayar from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Copenhagen</a> and researchers from institutions across Europe, the U.S., Chile, and Rapa Nui itself.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study sheds light on both the ecocide theory and the possibility of transpacific contact.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-cautionary-tale">A cautionary tale</h2>



<p>For many years, the story of Rapa Nui has been used as a cautionary tale of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biodiversity-loss-can-lead-to-total-ecosystem-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecological collapse</a>. After the island was settled by Polynesians around 1250, its landscape dramatically transformed.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The famous moai statues were constructed, and the once-lush forests, particularly palm trees, disappeared by the 1600s.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to the “ecocide” hypothesis, the environmental changes were triggered by a growing population of over 15,000 people, leading to resource depletion, warfare, famine, and even cannibalism, which ultimately caused a catastrophic population collapse.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-easter-island-population-was-surprisingly-stable">Easter Island population was surprisingly stable</h2>



<p>However, the new genetic study challenges this narrative. The researchers expected to find signs of a sudden population decline in the genomes of ancient Rapanui individuals, but their analysis showed no such genetic evidence.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Study co-author Bárbara Sousa da Mota is a researcher at the <a href="https://www.unil.ch/central/en/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Lausanne</a>.</p>



<p>“Our genetic analysis shows a stably growing population from the 13th century through to European contact in the 18th century. This stability is critical because it directly contradicts the idea of a dramatic pre-contact population collapse,” said Sousa da Mota.</p>



<p>The study illustrates the resilience of the Rapanui population in adapting to environmental changes, suggesting that the real disruptions came with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blue-antelope-hippotragus-leucophaeus-extinction-caused-european-colonization/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European colonial activity</a> after 1722.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-settling-a-long-debate">Settling a long debate</h2>



<p>Another long-debated topic is whether the Polynesian ancestors of the Rapanui reached the Americas before European arrival.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Despite previous studies rejecting the possibility of such contact, the new research paints a different picture.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By generating high-quality ancient genomes, the researchers discovered that around ten percent of the Rapanui gene pool has Indigenous American origins.&nbsp;</p>



<p>More importantly, the team found that this contact likely occurred before European arrival.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distribution-of-ancient-dna">Distribution of ancient DNA</h2>



<p>Study lead author Víctor Moreno-Mayar is an assistant professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Globe Institute.</p>



<p>“We looked into how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-american-civilization-cahokia-50000-people-vanished-600-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Indigenous American</a> DNA was distributed across the Polynesian genetic background of the Rapanui. This distribution is consistent with a contact occurring between the 13th and the 15th centuries,” explained Moreno-Mayar.</p>



<p>While the study cannot pinpoint where this contact took place, the findings suggest that the ancestors of the Rapanui may have reached the Americas before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vikings-landed-in-the-americas-500-years-before-columbus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbus</a>. This could mean that Polynesians undertook even more formidable voyages than previously thought.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenging-the-narratives-of-easter-island-nbsp">Challenging the narratives of Easter Island&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The new findings challenge longstanding narratives about Easter Island and the potential collapse of its population.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Personally, I believe the idea of the ecocide is part of a colonial narrative,” said Moreno-Mayar. “The notion that these supposedly primitive people could not manage their resources and almost destroyed themselves is not supported by the genetic evidence.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>“While we must acknowledge that human arrival dramatically altered the ecosystem, there is no evidence of a population collapse before Europeans came. So we can put those ideas to rest now.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-formidable-voyages-across-the-pacific-nbsp">Formidable voyages across the Pacific&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Likewise, the study debunks the idea that Indigenous American genetic ancestry in modern-day Rapanui is solely due to European colonial activity. Instead, it points to earlier interactions between Rapanui and Indigenous American populations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We believe this means that Rapanui were capable of even more formidable voyages across the Pacific than previously established,” noted Sousa da Mota.</p>



<p>The research team engaged directly with the Rapanui community, including the “Comisión Asesora de Monumentos Nacionales” (CAMN), to ensure the study addressed questions of interest to both scientists and the islanders.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-revelations-nbsp">Genetic revelations&nbsp;</h2>



<p>One key outcome of these discussions was confirmation that the ancient Rapanui individuals studied are most closely related to the modern-day population of Rapa Nui.</p>



<p>“We have seen that museum archives contain mistakes and mislabels. Now that we have established that these 15 individuals were in fact Rapanui, we know they belong back on the island,” said Moana Gorman Edmunds, an archaeologist from Rapa Nui and co-author of the study.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



<p>Th study offers significant new insights into Rapa Nui’s history, refuting the ecocide theory and providing evidence of pre-European contact between Rapanui and Indigenous Americans.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Moreover, it opens the door to discussions about repatriating the remains of Rapanui ancestors and preserving their legacy for future generations.</p>



<p>The Rapanui community, through CAMN, will also retain control over who has access to the genetic data of their ancestors and how it is used.</p>



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



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Easter Island DNA proves the population did not collapse 

Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island or Te Pito...

NOAA Warning: "Strong" solar storms and auroras expected today

Update -- September 16, 2024, 09:06 AM Eastern Time 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=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>—–</p>



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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>



<p>—–</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>



<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>

What caused the planet's longest ice age

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>

Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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>



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

Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Scientists discover we age in bursts

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p></p>



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



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

Retired professor claims he solved time travel

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

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



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



<p>Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?</p>



<p>The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.</p>



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



<p>Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.</p>



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



<p>Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.</p>



<p>While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.</p>



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



<p>During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.</p>



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



<p>The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.</p>



<p>By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.</p>



<p>Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.</p>



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



<p>Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.</p>



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



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



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



<p>The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.</p>



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



<p>Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.</p>



<p>The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.</p>



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



<p>Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.</p>



<p>The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.</p>



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



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



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



<p>There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.</p>



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



<p>The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.</p>



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



<p>The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.</p>



<p>EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.</p>



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



<p>The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.</p>



<p>Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.</p>



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



<p>Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.</p>



<p>Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.</p>



<p>This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>Sources:</strong> <em>This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.</em></p>



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



<p><strong>1. Is acid rain completely gone?</strong> No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.</p>



<p><strong>2. How long did solving take?</strong> Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.</p>



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



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



<p><strong>5. Could acid rain return?</strong> Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.</p>



<p><strong>6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"?</strong> The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a></p>



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



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

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



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



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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