<p>A new study reports microbial DNA preserved inside woolly and steppe mammoth remains that are older than one million years. The team shows that some bacteria were living with these animals while they were alive, not just invading after death.</p>



<p>Researchers analyzed DNA from 483 specimens and sequenced 440 of them for the first time. From a steppe mammoth that lived about 1.1 million years ago, they even pieced together parts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-buried-for-millions-of-years-may-guide-search-for-alien-life/">bacterial</a> genomes that once infected or inhabited the animal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-microbes-in-mammoths">Ancient microbes in mammoths</h2>



<p>The work was led by Benjamin Guinet, a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm (<a href="https://palaeogenetics.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CPG</a>). The Centre is a collaboration between Stockholm University and the Swedish Museum of Natural History (<a href="https://www.nrm.se/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NRM</a>).</p>



<p>"Our results push the study of microbial DNA back beyond a million years, opening up new possibilities to explore how host-associated microbes evolved in parallel with their hosts," said Guinet. </p>



<p>The project involved an international team of experts working across multiple collections and labs.</p>



<p>The researchers used strict lab protocols, computational filters, and DNA damage checks to separate life stage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-found-alive-sealed-inside-rock-after-2-billion-years/">microbes</a> from postmortem contaminants. That approach helped them focus on organisms that were likely part of the mammoth’s own internal community.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-mammoth-dna">Inside mammoth DNA</h2>



<p>The scientists kept finding the same six types of bacteria in mammoth remains from different times and places, including close relatives of <em>Actinobacillus</em>, <em>Pasteurella</em>, <em>Streptococcus</em>, and <em>Erysipelothrix</em>. </p>



<p>This pattern suggests that these microbes had a long history with mammoths, sticking with them through environmental changes and population shifts.</p>



<p>The scientists distinguished host-associated microbes, meaning those living in or on a host while it was alive, from environmental bacteria that entered after burial. </p>



<p>They used metagenomics, a method that reads all DNA in a sample at once, then identified ancient damage patterns to authenticate the oldest material.</p>



<p>From the 1.1 million year steppe mammoth, the team reconstructed partial genomes of <em>Erysipelothrix</em> that likely came from an infection during life. This is the oldest authenticated host-associated microbial DNA ever reported, and it extends the range for studying ancient host <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-aquificales-discovered-in-hot-springs-breathe-oxygen-and-sulfur-at-same-time/">microbe</a> interactions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-ancient-microbes-matter">Why ancient microbes matter</h2>



<p>This result builds on earlier work that recovered genome scale data from mammoth teeth more than one million years old, demonstrating that DNA can survive when conditions are right. </p>



<p>The previous <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03224-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> established methods and expectations for data quality at this extreme age.</p>



<p>Ancient DNA is fragile and breaks into tiny pieces, and chemical changes accumulate over time. By tracking these signatures, scientists can tell ancient sequences from modern contamination and avoid false signals.</p>



<p>"As microbes evolve fast, obtaining reliable DNA data across more than a million years was like following a trail that kept rewriting itself," said study senior author Tom van der Valk.</p>



<p>"Our findings show that ancient remains can preserve biological insights far beyond the host genome, offering us perspectives on how microbes influenced adaptation, disease, and extinction in Pleistocene ecosystems."</p>



<p>The Pleistocene was a period from about 2.6 million years ago to 11,700 years ago that included repeated ice ages.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbes-linked-to-mammoth-health">Microbes linked to mammoth health</h2>



<p>One bacterium in the dataset is closely related to a <em>Pasteurella</em> species implicated in lethal outbreaks among African elephants. That connection is supported by a 2023 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37880229/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a> that identified a Pasteurella relative as the likely cause of fatal septicemia in elephants in Zimbabwe.</p>



<p>The new study reports several putative <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2646308/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">virulence factors</a>, which are gene features tied to disease-causing ability, in some clades. The authors are careful about cause and effect because ancient DNA is incomplete and infections leave mixed traces.</p>



<p><em>Erysipelothrix</em> is also known to sicken Arctic wildlife today, including muskoxen during unusual mortality events. That pattern has been documented in a Canadian Veterinary <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4431149/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal</a> that found <em>Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae</em> associated with widespread deaths in the Canadian Arctic.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mammoth-survival-and-microbes">Mammoth survival and microbes</h2>



<p>Microbes that stayed with mammoths for hundreds of thousands of years hint at stable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breathing-without-oxygen-how-ancient-microbes-powered-early-life/">relationships</a> shaped by diet, climate, and social behavior. The persistence of these lineages across far flung regions points to deep coevolution.</p>



<p>The last woolly mammoths survived on Wrangel Island until about 4,000 years ago, long after mainland populations vanished. Genetic work on that relict group links their late survival to small population size and accumulating harmful mutations.</p>



<p>"This work opens a new chapter in understanding the biology of extinct species. Not only can we study the genomes of mammoths themselves, but we can now begin to explore the microbial communities that lived inside them," said Love Dalén, professor of evolutionary genomics at the CPG. </p>



<p>Ultimately, the data help connect health, ecology, and extinction risks in a single picture.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-this-research-can-go-next">Where this research can go next</h2>



<p>Reconstructing ancient microbiomes can help set baselines for living elephant microbiomes. That matters because health, diet, and stress are all reflected in the microbiome, the community of microbes that live in and on an organism.</p>



<p>Ancient pathogen signals can also clarify whether outbreaks played a role in population declines. Learning which bacteria carried disease associated genes in the past could inform surveillance and treatment strategies for modern elephants.</p>



<p>Finally, the same tools can be applied to other Ice Age species to test whether long-lived microbial partners were the rule rather than the exception. Careful sampling, clean labs, and independent checks will keep new claims on firm ground.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(25)00917-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Cell</em></a>.</p>



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



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Million year-old mammoth microbes reveal new clues about disease

A new study reports microbial DNA preserved inside woolly and steppe mammoth remains that are older than one million years. The team shows that some bacteria were living with these animals while they were alive, not just invading after death. Researchers analyzed DNA from 483 specimens and sequenced 440 of them for the first time. From a steppe mammoth that lived about 1.1 million years ago, they even pieced together parts of bacterial genomes that once infected or inhabited the animal. Ancient microbes in mammoths The work...

<p>An international team of scientists, with significant contributions from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy (<a href="https://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IfA</a>), has unveiled a new catalog of 120 confirmed and six candidate exoplanets.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-telescopes-involved-in-the-discovery">Telescopes involved in the discovery</h2>



<p>These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-exoplanet-glows-with-red-hot-molten-lava/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">celestial</a> discoveries were made using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaii.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transiting-exoplanet-survey-satellite-tess">Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)</h3>



<p>NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) was launched in April 2018. Its primary mission is to search for exoplanets - planets outside our solar system. TESS uses the transit method to detect these planets.</p>



<p>This method involves observing the slight dimming of a star's light when a planet passes in front of it. TESS monitors large swaths of the sky, focusing on bright, nearby stars. This approach allows TESS to discover a diverse array of exoplanets, from Earth-sized rocky worlds to large gas giants.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-w-m-keck-observatory">W. M. Keck Observatory</h3>



<p>The W. M. Keck Observatory is home to two of the world's largest optical and infrared telescopes. Each telescope has a 10-meter mirror, which provides exceptional sensitivity and resolution. Established in 1993, the observatory has contributed to numerous discoveries in astronomy. </p>



<p>The high elevation and stable atmospheric conditions on Maunakea make it an ideal location for observing the universe. Keck Observatory plays a crucial role in follow-up observations of exoplanets discovered by TESS. </p>



<p>By measuring the radial velocities of stars, Keck helps determine the masses of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-found-in-the-habitable-zone-of-a-binary-star-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planets</a>, providing vital information about their composition and potential habitability. Together, TESS and Keck Observatory form a powerful partnership in the search for and study of exoplanets.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detailed-database-for-studying-exoplanets">Detailed database for studying exoplanets</h2>



<p>The TESS-Keck Survey's Mass Catalog offers astronomers a detailed database to study the latest worlds found by TESS. </p>



<p>This new resource paves the way for in-depth exploration of these exoplanets' properties and environments, especially those that might <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-identified-85-new-exoplanets-that-could-harbor-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">harbor life</a>.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.hawaii.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hawaii</a> (UH) played a major role in this survey, which includes thousands of radial velocity (RV) observations.</p>



<p>These observations measure a star’s reflex motion caused by an orbiting planet’s gravity, revealing a diverse range of planet types beyond our solar system, from extreme environments to potentially <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitable-worlds-new-strategy-to-identify-planets-that-may-host-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitable worlds</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ground-based-observations">Ground-based observations</h2>



<p>“The TESS-Keck Survey demonstrates the very important role of ground-based observations for advancing our understanding of the Universe and, in this case, planets outside our system,” said Dan Huber, an associate astronomer at IfA, co-author of the paper, and co-principal investigator of the TESS-Keck Survey. </p>



<p>“Space telescopes like TESS can tell us about the sizes of planets, but follow-up observations such as those obtained with Keck provide mass measurements that are required to learn about what these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitable-exoplanet-gliese-12-b-only-40-light-years-away-earth-like-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planets</a> are made of.”</p>



<p>Huber, along with IfA astronomer Fei Dai and IfA alumna Ashley Chontos, collaborated with a global team to develop the new exoplanet catalog.</p>



<p>This effort involved analyzing 9,204 RV measurements, with over half taken during 301 observing nights using Keck Observatory’s planet-hunting spectrometer.</p>



<p>The team used the University of California Observatories’ Automated Planet Finder at Lick Observatory for additional radial velocities. Combined, these measurements allowed the calculation of masses for 120 confirmed and six candidate exoplanets.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detailed-database-for-studying-exoplanets-0">Detailed database for studying exoplanets</h2>



<p>The TESS-Keck Survey unveiled a vast diversity of exotic worlds. UH astronomers focused on planets orbiting subgiant stars - future versions of the Sun.</p>



<p>“The Sun will eventually expand into a <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/the-luminous-galaxy-ngc-3783-and-a-blue-giant-star/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">giant star</a> after it has fused all hydrogen in its core,” explained Chontos, now a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton. </p>



<p>“We have some ideas for what might happen to the planets in our solar system, but by directly observing these more evolved systems, we can begin to put together the puzzle pieces and tie the observations to the theory.”</p>



<p>The findings could help predict the fate of our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-glory-lights-effect-seen-exoplanet-wasp-76b-baffling-astronomers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet</a> when the Sun eventually swells and possibly engulfs the Earth.</p>



<p>By studying these evolved systems, researchers can better understand the processes that allow some exoplanets to survive this stage or remain in the process of being engulfed by their expanding stars.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovering-extreme-worlds">Discovering extreme worlds</h2>



<p>In another notable discovery, Dai and <a href="https://www.caltech.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Caltech</a> student Ryan Rubenzahl found the largest rocky planet ever recorded (TOI-1347 b). </p>



<p>The research suggests that rocky planets like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trappist-1-has-seven-earth-like-planets-that-may-support-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a> cannot have masses much more than 10 times that of Earth. Larger planets would likely accrete thick envelopes of lighter gases, becoming more similar to icy or gas giants in our solar system.</p>



<p>The TESS-Keck Survey’s discoveries highlight the critical role of combining space-based observations with ground-based follow-up. </p>



<p>This approach not only enhances our understanding of exoplanets but also provides insights into the potential for life beyond Earth.</p>



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



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Exotic worlds: TESS unveils 126 new exoplanets

An international team of scientists, with significant contributions from the...

<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turn-stress-productive-energy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stress</a> is known to negatively impact the human body, but a new study from the <a href="https://ki.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karolinska Institutet</a> reveals its significant danger to the brain. The research shows that stress can erode cognitive defenses, increasing dementia risk.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-is-a-cognitive-thief-nbsp">Stress is a cognitive thief<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>The experts explored how daily activities and cognitive health are interconnected. Engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as education, complex jobs, physical exercise, and social interactions, builds a “cognitive reserve,” which acts as a buffer against dementia symptoms.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, the researchers add a critical twist: stress can undermine these benefits. High or persistent stress levels act as a cognitive thief, reducing the mental resilience built through these activities.</p>



<p>“Different stress management strategies could be a good complement to existing lifestyle interventions in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medical-breakthrough-new-vaccine-may-prevent-alzheimers-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s</a> prevention,” said lead author Manasa Shanta Yerramalla, a researcher at Karolinska.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-experiences-build-a-cognitive-reserve-nbsp">Life experiences build a cognitive reserve<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>The discovery process began in the late 1980s when researchers noticed that some individuals showed no symptoms of dementia despite having brain changes consistent with Alzheimer’s.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This led to the concept of “cognitive reserve,” suggesting that certain life experiences and behaviors build a mental resilience that protects against cognitive decline.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Each mentally stimulating activity adds a layer of protection, helping maintain normal cognitive function even as Alzheimer's disease progresses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-impact-of-stress">Measuring the impact of stress</h2>



<p>The researchers enrolled 113 participants from a memory clinic to study the relationship between cognitive reserve, cognition, and Alzheimer’s biomarkers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>They also examined the impact of stress, measuring physiological stress (cortisol levels in saliva) and psychological stress (self-reported stress). Cortisol, often called the “stress hormone,” rises under pressure and acts as the body's alarm system.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-weakens-our-brain-s-defenses">Stress weakens our brain's defenses<strong> </strong></h2>



<p>The study revealed that while greater cognitive reserve improved cognition, higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cortisol-indicate-stressed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cortisol</a> levels weakened this beneficial relationship, indicating that stress erodes the protective layers of the mental fortress.</p>



<p>This discovery suggests that stress-reducing techniques like mindfulness exercises and meditation, which lower cortisol levels, could be powerful additions to existing lifestyle interventions. Building cognitive reserve through mental activities and managing stress could maintain brain defenses.</p>



<p>“These results might have clinical implications as an expanding body of research suggests that mindfulness exercises and meditation may reduce cortisol levels and improve cognition,” Yerramalla said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connection-between-sleep-and-cognitive-reserve-nbsp">Connection between sleep and cognitive reserve<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>The researchers also considered the impact of stress on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/getting-high-quality-sleep-helps-prevent-depression-and-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>, which affects cognition. Although the study factored in sleep medications, more research is needed to understand how poor sleep damages cognitive reserve.</p>



<p>The study opens new avenues for Alzheimer’s prevention by integrating stress management with lifestyle interventions. Understanding how stress affects cognition can lead to better strategies for maintaining cognitive health and preventing dementia.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The scientists plan to continue studying the association between stress, sleep disorders, and cognitive reserve in memory clinic patients to develop effective interventions for Alzheimer's prevention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-of-stress-on-the-brain">Impacts of stress on the brain</h2>



<p>Stress can significantly impact the brain, affecting both its structure and function in multiple ways.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-shrinkage-nbsp">Brain shrinkage<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chronic-stress-causes-the-brain-to-crave-comfort-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chronic stress</a> can lead to the shrinkage of the hippocampus, the part of the brain crucial for memory and learning, while also enlarging the amygdala, which can make the brain more receptive to stress.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This change not only affects memory but also increases emotional reactions and anxiety.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neurochemical-effects">Neurochemical effects</h3>



<p>Neurochemically, stress elevates levels of the hormone cortisol, which can disrupt synapse regulation, leading to a decrease in the brain's ability to process information and cope with stress in the future.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It also hampers the production of new neurons and can contribute to mental health disorders like depression and anxiety over time.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-connectivity-nbsp">Brain connectivity<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>Furthermore, stress affects the brain’s connectivity; it can weaken the connections between neurons in areas responsible for decision making and self-control, making it more difficult to make rational decisions and manage impulses.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This condition underscores the importance of managing stress through strategies such as mindfulness, exercise, and adequate sleep, which can help mitigate these negative effects on the brain.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/alz.13866" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Alzheimer's &amp; Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association</em></a>,&nbsp;</p>



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Stress ‘eats away’ our brain’s cognitive defenses

Stress is known to negatively impact the human body, but...

Earth,Continents,Painted,On,Face,Skin,,Concept,Save,The,Planet.

<p>Have you ever wondered how many humans have lived and died on planet Earth throughout history? This question has captivated the minds of demographers, researchers, and curious individuals alike. </p>



<p>Estimating the total number of humans who have ever existed is a complex task that requires making educated guesses about population sizes, birth rates, and mortality rates over the vast expanse of human history.</p>



<p>The most widely cited estimate, provided by the Population Reference Bureau (<a href="https://www.prb.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PRB</a>), suggests that approximately 108 billion people have called Earth home. Let's explore the methodology and reasoning behind this fascinating figure.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-setting-the-stage-dawn-of-modern-humans">Setting the stage: Dawn of modern humans</h2>



<p>To begin our journey, we need to establish a starting point for when modern humans (<em>Homo sapiens</em>) first appeared. Most anthropologists agree that modern <em>Homo sapiens</em> emerged around <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earliest-human-footprints-ever-found-are-believed-to-be-300000-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">300,000 years ago</a>. </p>



<p>However, for the purposes of demographic estimation, researchers often consider a more conservative starting point of around 50,000 years ago, when humans began to exhibit behaviorally modern traits, such as creating art and using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-age-humans-used-tools-to-make-timber-for-woodworking/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tools</a>.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-and-humans-lived-side-by-side-45000-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Upper Paleolithic</a> period, which began around 40,000 years ago, witnessed the emergence of increasingly complex tools and technologies. The advancements made by these "modern humans" included the use of bone needles, fishhooks, harpoons, woodworking, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-glue-created-and-used-underestimated-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glue</a>. </p>



<p>These sophisticated tools allowed for more efficient hunting, fishing, and the creation of intricate clothing and other objects. </p>



<p>Moreover, the Upper Paleolithic era is notable for the earliest known examples of artistic expression, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spanish-cave-was-used-for-art-and-burials-for-50000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cave paintings</a> and carved figurines, which provide a glimpse into the cognitive and creative abilities of our ancestors.</p>



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



<p>Estimating the population size of early humans is a challenging task due to the lack of written records and limited archaeological evidence. Researchers rely on various indirect methods to make informed guesses. </p>



<p>They examine the carrying capacity of ancient environments and study genetic diversity to gain insights into early population dynamics.</p>



<p>During the majority of human history, our ancestors lived as hunter-gatherers. Estimates suggest that the global population during this period was relatively small, likely ranging from 1 to 10 million individuals. </p>



<p>Population growth was slow due to high mortality rates and limited resources. However, around 10,000 BCE, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tool-discovery-challenges-entire-theory-of-human-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">agricultural revolution</a> significantly changed the course of human society and population dynamics. </p>



<p>With the ability to produce surplus food, human populations began to grow more rapidly. By the year 1 CE, estimates place the global population at approximately 300 million.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-estimating-populations-and-birth-rates">Estimating populations and birth rates</h2>



<p>Understanding historical birth rates is crucial in estimating the total number of humans who have ever lived. Birth rates are influenced by a multitude of factors, including cultural practices, economic conditions, and mortality rates.</p>



<p>In pre-industrial societies, birth rates were high, often exceeding 40 births per 1,000 individuals annually. However, high infant and child mortality rates meant that many of these births did not result in long-term population growth. </p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychological-impact-industrial-revolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">industrial revolution</a> brought about significant changes, including improvements in medicine, sanitation, and food production. These advancements led to lower mortality rates and sustained population growth. </p>



<p>As a result, the global population grew from about 1 billion in 1800 to over 7 billion in the early 21st century.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-historical-periods-of-humans-on-earth">Historical periods of humans on Earth</h2>



<p>To arrive at the total number of humans who have ever lived, demographers follow a systematic approach. They divide human history into different periods based on major technological, cultural, and societal changes. </p>



<p>Each period has different population sizes and birth rates. Researchers estimate the average population size for each period and calculate the total number of births by multiplying the average population size by the birth rate and the length of the period. </p>



<p>This calculation accounts for the fact that populations were not static and grew over time. Finally, researchers sum the number of births across all periods to arrive at the grand total.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crunching-the-numbers">Crunching the numbers</h2>



<p>Let's consider a simplified example to illustrate this process. For the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-hunter-gatherer-ancestors-did-much-more-gathering-than-hunting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hunter-gatherer</a> period (50,000 BCE - 10,000 BCE), with an average population of 5 million, a birth rate of 40 per 1,000 annually, and a period length of 40,000 years, the estimated births would be 8 billion. </p>



<p>Similarly, for the agricultural revolution period (10,000 BCE - 1 CE), with an average population of 100 million, a birth rate of 30 per 1,000 annually, and a period length of 10,000 years, the estimated births would be 30 billion. </p>



<p>For the modern era (1 CE - 2024 CE), with a weighted average population of 1 billion, a birth rate of 20 per 1,000 annually, and a period length of 2,024 years, the estimated births would be approximately 40.48 billion.</p>



<p>Summing these estimates gives a total of around 78.48 billion births. Adjustments and more refined estimates, such as those from the PRB, typically result in a widely cited figure: <strong>approximately 108 billion people</strong> have lived, walked, and died on Earth since the dawn of humanity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-has-been-home-to-108-billion-humans">Earth has been home to 108 billion humans</h2>



<p>Estimating the total number of humans who have ever lived is a testament to the complex interplay of demographic factors, historical data, and educated assumptions. </p>



<p>While the figure of 108 billion is an estimate, it provides a captivating glimpse into the immense scale of human existence on Earth. </p>



<p>This number reminds us of the long and diverse <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-humans-almost-went-extinct-as-population-declined-to-1280-individuals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">history of our species</a> and the countless lives that have shaped the human story.</p>



<p>In summary, as we ponder this staggering figure, we are reminded of the shared experiences, struggles, and triumphs that have defined human existence throughout the ages. </p>



<p>Each individual life, whether lived in the distant past or in the present, has contributed to the tapestry of humanity. </p>



<p>The next time you find yourself wondering about the vastness of human history, remember that you are part of a lineage that spans over 100 billion lives, each leaving its mark on the world we inhabit today.</p>



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



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How many humans have lived and died on Earth? It's a complex question and a very big number

Have you ever wondered how many humans have lived and...

<p>Our understanding of the Milky Way might be facing a cosmic shakeup. A recent study by researchers from the <a href="https://www.rpi.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute</a> suggests that our Milky Way experienced a major collision much more recently than previously thought.</p>



<p>This discovery challenges long-held beliefs and offers a fresh perspective on the Milky Way’s formation and evolution.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mystery-of-milky-way-s-collision">Mystery of Milky Way's collision</h2>



<p>Scientists have believed for years that the Milky Way’s last significant merger happened between eight and eleven billion years ago. </p>



<p>Known as the Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus (GSE) event, this collision was thought to have shaped much of the galaxy we see today.</p>



<p>However, new research reveals that a significant merger might have occurred just one to two billion years ago. <a href="https://youtu.be/rySJiLjXr2I" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This recent collision</a> would place it well after the formation of Earth.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wrinkles-in-the-milky-way-due-to-collision">"Wrinkles" in the Milky Way due to collision</h2>



<p>Researchers Heidi Jo Newberg and Tom Donlon spearheaded this study, focusing on the "wrinkles" in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/uma3-u1-faintest-star-system-found-orbiting-milky-way-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our galaxy</a>. These wrinkles form when other galaxies smash into the Milky Way. </p>



<p>“We get wrinklier as we age, but our work reveals that the opposite is true for the Milky Way. It’s a sort of cosmic Benjamin Button, getting less wrinkly over time,” noted Donlon.</p>



<p>By studying how these wrinkles dissipate, the team traced the timeline of the last big collision.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pinpointing-the-milky-way-s-last-merger">Pinpointing the Milky Way's last merger</h2>



<p>The study's innovative approach used a semi-analytical model to relate the number of “caustics” (wrinkles in the phase-space distribution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newly-discovered-stars-milky-way-are-old-as-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>) to the time since a merger event. </p>



<p>Analyzing data from the Gaia space observatory, the researchers identified several caustics in the local stellar halo. They compared these findings with a state-of-the-art cosmological simulation, part of the FIRE-2 Latte suite, to determine the timeline of the collision.</p>



<p>“For the wrinkles of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stars-at-the-edge-of-our-milky-way-galaxy-travel-more-slowly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a> to be as obvious as they appear in Gaia data, they must have joined us no less than three billion years ago – at least five billion years later than was previously thought,” said Newberg.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-metric-for-milky-way-collision">New metric for Milky Way collision</h2>



<p>The team introduced a novel metric called “causticality,” which measures the unevenness in the phase-space distribution of stars. </p>



<p>A high causticality value indicates a more recent collision, where the stars have not yet fully phase-mixed. Comparing their observations with simulated data, the researchers found a match at a timeline roughly one to two billion years ago.</p>



<p>The widely accepted GSE scenario, suggesting a merger eight to eleven billion years ago, contrasts sharply with these new findings. </p>



<p>The observed high causticality in the Gaia data points to a much more recent merger. This discrepancy raises questions about the previously understood formation history of our galaxy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limitations-and-challenges">Limitations and challenges</h2>



<p>Despite the compelling evidence, the study acknowledges several limitations. One key challenge is the reliance on a single cosmological simulation, which may not capture all of the complexities of the Milky Way’s history.</p>



<p>Additionally, the observed data is limited to the local stellar halo within 16,000 light-years of the Sun. The phase-space distribution of stars at larger distances could potentially reveal a different picture.</p>



<p>Moreover, the up-sampling process used to increase the resolution of the simulated data could introduce biases or underestimations in the degree of phase-mixing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-formation-of-the-milky-way">Formation of the Milky Way</h2>



<p>If confirmed, these findings could significantly impact our understanding of the Milky Way’s formation and the role of mergers in shaping galaxies. </p>



<p>The study also provides a compelling alternative to the GSE scenario, which has faced increasing scrutiny. Some researchers argue that the chemical and kinematic signatures attributed to the GSE could be explained by other processes, such as secular evolution or multiple smaller mergers.</p>



<p>“Through this study, Doctors Newberg and Donlon have made a startling discovery about the history of the Milky Way galaxy,” noted Dr. Curt Breneman, dean of Rensselaer’s <a href="https://science.rpi.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Science</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-milky-way-s-collision-history">The Milky Way's collision history </h2>



<p>The study opens a new chapter in our understanding of the Milky Way and its collision history. The possibility of a significant collision occurring just one to two billion years ago reshapes our perspective on galactic evolution.</p>



<p>As researchers continue to explore the cosmos, we can expect more surprising revelations that challenge our understanding of the universe and our place within it.</p>



<p>In the grand timeline of the universe, a few billion years might seem like a blink of an eye. Yet, for us on Earth, these discoveries provide a profound connection to the vast, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-galaxy-is-surrounded-by-massive-magnetic-fields/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dynamic galaxy</a> we call home.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <em><a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/531/1/1422/7675507?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a></em>.</p>



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



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Milky Way collision may change everything we know about our galaxy

Our understanding of the Milky Way might be facing a...

<p>Each spring, as the warming Arctic sun pierces the long winter darkness, a flurry of life emerges, including the awakening of giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/viruses-influence-methane-production-across-various-ecosystems/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">viruses</a>. Polar bears leave their dens, Arctic terns return from their migrations, and musk oxen traverse northward.</p>



<p>Alongside these familiar sights, a less visible but equally significant awakening occurs on the Greenland ice sheet. </p>



<p>As the ice starts to melt, dark patches begin to appear, a phenomenon caused by blooming algae. These algae absorb sunlight, accelerating the ice melt and contributing to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/highest-points-of-greenland-are-now-affected-by-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global warming</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giant-viruses-on-ice">Giant viruses on ice</h2>



<p>In this bleak scenario of global warming, a ray of hope shines through in the form of an unexpected ally: giant viruses.</p>



<p>Postdoctoral researcher Laura Perini and her team at the Department of Environmental Science at <a href="https://envs.au.dk/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aarhus University</a> have made a groundbreaking discovery.</p>



<p>Nestled within the icy expanse, where algae proliferate, giant viruses lie in wait. </p>



<p>Unlike their microscopic counterparts, these viruses are formidable in size, comparable to bacteria, and could potentially serve as natural regulators of algae growth.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giants-among-microbes">Giants among microbes</h2>



<p>Giant viruses, first identified in 1981, defy the typical characteristics of their kin. Measuring about 2.5 micrometers, they are not just physically larger; their genomes are also expansive, containing millions of genetic letters.</p>



<p>This allows them a level of autonomy uncommon among <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-are-1-5-billion-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">viruses</a>, enabling them to replicate and transcribe DNA without a host's cellular machinery.</p>



<p>Such capabilities make them fascinating subjects of study and potentially crucial players in ecological balance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-viruses-in-the-warming-world">Viruses in the warming world</h2>



<p>This discovery on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shock-discovery-greenland-ice-sheet-is-teeming-with-microorganisms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland ice sheet</a> marks a significant first. "We analyzed samples from various forms of ice and found active giant viruses in areas dominated by pigmented microalgae," noted Perini.</p>



<p>This revelation sheds light on a vibrant, albeit microscopic, ecosystem that thrives in conditions previously thought to be barren.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/greenland-ice_covered-viruses_blackened-algae_credit-Shunan-Feng_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/greenland-ice_covered-viruses_blackened-algae_credit-Shunan-Feng_1s.jpg" alt="Algae blackens the Greenland ice. Credit: Laura Perini" class="wp-image-1936070"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Algae blackens the Greenland ice. Credit: Laura Perini</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The ecosystem includes bacteria, fungi, and protists - all centered around the algae, with giant viruses perhaps playing a pivotal role in moderating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-algal-blooms-will-become-more-frequent-off-the-u-s-west-coast/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">algal blooms</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-presence-of-mrna">Presence of mRNA</h2>



<p>Despite their size, these viruses elude the naked eye and even conventional microscopes. </p>



<p>"Our discovery was made by analyzing DNA from collected samples. We sifted through massive datasets to find markers indicative of giant viruses," said Perini.</p>



<p>The presence of mRNA, which decays rapidly unless actively produced by living organisms, further confirmed the activity of these viruses on the ice.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncertain-role-of-giant-viruses">Uncertain role of giant viruses</h2>



<p>While the potential of these giant viruses to control algae and mitigate ice melt from global warming is promising, much remains unknown.</p>



<p>"Their exact hosts and mechanisms are still unclear. Some may target protists, others the algae directly," noted Perini. Her ongoing research aims to delve deeper into these interactions, with more findings expected to be published later in the year.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giant-viruses-and-global-warming">Giant viruses and global warming</h2>



<p>The study of these giant viruses not only broadens our understanding of viral biology but also opens new avenues in environmental science. </p>



<p>By exploring these organisms further, scientists like Perini hope to unlock natural solutions to some of the challenges posed by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-unleashing-ancient-zombie-viruses/">climate change</a>.</p>



<p>As the Arctic continues to evolve under the pressures of global warming, the role of these viruses could be more significant than ever.</p>



<p>The study represents a crucial step toward understanding the complex interplay of life in one of Earth's most extreme environments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-critical-roles-of-giant-viruses">Other critical roles of giant viruses</h2>



<p>Beyond regulating algae on Greenland ice, giant viruses play several critical roles. Their large genomes allow them to perform complex functions, often independent of host cells, which sets them apart from typical viruses. </p>



<p>In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-based-viruses-discovered-that-trap-carbon-and-combat-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine environments</a>, they can control the population of harmful algal blooms, protecting marine life and fisheries. Giant viruses also influence microbial diversity and nutrient cycles, crucial for ecosystem health.</p>



<p>In biomedical research, their unique genetic makeup provides insights into virus evolution and the origins of life. Studying giant viruses can reveal new aspects of gene regulation and viral replication, potentially leading to breakthroughs in antiviral therapies. </p>



<p>Additionally, these viruses might help in biotechnology, such as gene editing and synthetic biology, due to their large and versatile genomes.</p>



<p>Overall, giant viruses hold promise in various fields, from environmental science to medical research, offering new tools and perspectives for addressing global challenges.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-024-01796-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microbiome</a></em>.</p>



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



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Giant viruses found on Arctic ice may help fight global warming

Each spring, as the warming Arctic sun pierces the long...

This,Is,A,3d,Illustration,Of,Three,Merging,Supermassive,Black

<p>In the vast expanse of the cosmos, there is much more than meets the eye. For every kilogram of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visible-matter-dark-matter-evolved-together-big-bang/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">visible matter</a> in the universe, from the computer on your desk to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-galaxies-formed-from-the-earliest-elements-in-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distant stars and galaxies</a>, there are 5 kilograms of invisible "dark matter" that permeate our surroundings. </p>



<p>This enigmatic dark matter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-may-reveal-the-origin-of-magnetic-fields/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evades direct observation</a> yet exerts its invisible pull on the visible objects around us.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stephen-hawking-and-primordial-black-holes">Stephen Hawking and primordial black holes</h2>



<p>Fifty years ago, renowned physicist <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/stephenhawking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stephen Hawking</a> proposed a fascinating idea about the nature of dark matter. He suggested that it might consist of a population of black holes that formed in the early stages of the universe, mere moments after the Big Bang. </p>



<p>These "primordial" black holes would not have been the colossal entities we detect today, but rather microscopic regions of ultradense matter. </p>



<p>According to Hawking's theory, these primordial black holes would have formed in the first quintillionth of a second <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visible-matter-dark-matter-evolved-together-big-bang/">following the</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visible-matter-dark-matter-evolved-together-big-bang/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visible-matter-dark-matter-evolved-together-big-bang/">Big Bang</a>, collapsed, and scattered across the cosmos, influencing the surrounding space-time in ways that could explain the dark matter we observe today.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-super-charged-black-holes">Super-charged black holes</h2>



<p>Now, physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.mit.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>) have made a mind-bending discovery that sheds new light on Hawking's idea. </p>



<p>David Kaiser, the Germeshausen Professor of the History of Science and professor of physics at MIT, and his graduate student Elba Alonso-Monsalve, found that the primordial process described by Hawking would have also produced some unexpected companions: even smaller black holes with unprecedented amounts of a nuclear-physics property known as "color charge."</p>



<p>These smallest, "super-charged" black holes would have been an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-does-not-exist-universe-27-billion-years-old-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">entirely new state</a> of matter, likely evaporating a fraction of a second after their formation. </p>



<p>Despite their brief existence, they could have influenced a crucial cosmological transition: the time when the first <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strong-magnetic-fields-leave-marks-on-nuclear-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atomic nuclei</a> were forged.</p>



<p>"Even though these short-lived, exotic creatures are not around today, they could have affected cosmic history in ways that could show up in subtle signals today," explains Kaiser. "Within the idea that all dark matter could be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/existence-of-dark-matter-confirmed-by-new-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accounted for by black holes</a>, this gives us new things to look for."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ultradense-matter-in-the-early-universe">Ultradense matter in the early universe</h2>



<p>Unlike the black holes we know and detect today, which are the product of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-collapse-black-hole-instead-of-supernova-vanish-from-sky/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stellar collapse</a>, primordial black holes are thought to have formed in a time before stars existed. </p>



<p>In the early universe, before even the basic elements had formed, pockets of ultradense, primordial matter could have accumulated and collapsed to form microscopic black holes. </p>



<p>These black holes could have been so dense as to squeeze the mass of an asteroid into a region as small as a single atom. </p>



<p>The gravitational pull from these tiny, invisible objects scattered throughout the universe could explain the dark matter that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neutron-stars-may-hold-the-key-to-understanding-dark-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">we can't see today</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-very-fleeting-existence">Very fleeting existence</h2>



<p>Kaiser and Alonso-Monsalve set out to investigate the composition of these primordial black holes. They looked at existing theories for the likely distribution of black hole masses as they were first forming in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-lighthouses-emanated-earliest-starlight-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">early universe</a>.</p>



<p>"Our realization was, there's a direct correlation between when a primordial black hole forms and what mass it forms with," says Alonso-Monsalve. "And that window of time is absurdly early."</p>



<p>The researchers calculated that primordial black holes must have formed within the first quintillionth of a second <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-shaped-the-universe-before-galaxies-existed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following the Big Bang</a>. </p>



<p>This brief flash of time would have produced "typical" microscopic black holes with masses ranging from an asteroid to an atom. </p>



<p>It would have also yielded a small fraction of exponentially smaller black holes, with the mass of a rhino and a size much smaller than a single proton.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-quantum-chromodynamics-qcd">Understanding quantum chromodynamics (QCD)</h2>



<p>To determine the composition of these primordial black holes, Kaiser and Alonso-Monsalve turned to studies exploring the composition of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-telescope-discovers-what-powered-the-reionization-of-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">early universe</a>, specifically focusing on the theory of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). </p>



<p>QCD describes how quarks and gluons, the fundamental building blocks of protons and neutrons, interact.</p>



<p>Immediately following the Big Bang, physicists estimate that the universe was an immensely hot plasma of quarks and gluons that quickly cooled and combined to produce protons and neutrons. </p>



<p>The researchers found that within the first quintillionth of a second, the universe would still have been a soup of free <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gluons-quarks-and-mystery-what-makes-proton-spin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quarks and gluons</a> that had yet to combine. </p>



<p>Any black holes forming during this time would have swallowed up these untethered particles, along with an exotic property known as "color charge" - a state of charge that only uncombined quarks and gluons carry.</p>



<p>"Once we figured out that these black holes form in a quark-gluon plasma, the most important thing we had to figure out was, how much color charge is contained in the blob of matter that will end up in a primordial black hole?" explains Alonso-Monsalve.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exotic-color-charge-properties">Exotic color charge properties</h2>



<p>Using QCD theory, Kaiser and Alonso-Monsalve worked out the distribution of color charge that should have existed throughout the hot, early plasma. </p>



<p>They then compared that to the size of a region that would collapse to form a black hole in the first quintillionth of a second.</p>



<p>Interestingly, they found that most typical black holes at the time wouldn't have contained much color charge, as they would have formed by absorbing a huge number of regions with a mix of charges, ultimately adding up to a "neutral" charge.</p>



<p>However, the smallest black holes would have been packed with color charge. In fact, they would have contained the maximum amount of any type of charge allowed for a black hole, according to the fundamental laws of physics. </p>



<p>These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-shaped-the-universe-before-galaxies-existed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">"extremal" black holes</a>, although hypothesized for decades, had never been linked to a realistic formation process in our universe until now.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-searching-for-signs-in-the-form-of-imprints">Searching for signs in the form of imprints</h2>



<p>The super-charged black holes would have quickly evaporated, but possibly only after the time when the first atomic nuclei began to form, around one second after the Big Bang. </p>



<p>This would have given the extremal black holes ample time to disrupt the equilibrium conditions that would have prevailed when the first nuclei <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-black-holes-were-too-scarce-to-explain-the-unseen-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">began to form</a>.</p>



<p>"These objects might have left some exciting observational imprints," muses Alonso-Monsalve. "They could have changed the balance of this versus that, and that's the kind of thing that one can begin to wonder about."</p>



<p>Such disturbances could potentially affect how those earliest nuclei formed, in ways that might someday be observed by astronomers with future measurements. </p>



<p>If such observations are made, they would point convincingly to primordial black holes as the root of all dark matter in the universe today.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-matter-the-universe-and-the-fabric-of-reality">Dark matter, the universe, and the fabric of reality</h2>



<p>In summary, this important study by Kaiser and Alonso-Monsalve opens up a new frontier in our understanding of the early universe and the nature of dark matter. </p>



<p>By exploring the formation and composition of primordial black holes, the researchers highlight a fascinating possibility that could revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos.</p>



<p>As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the universe, studies like this remind us of the incredible complexity and beauty that lies hidden in the fabric of reality. </p>



<p>The quest to understand dark matter and the origins of the universe is an ongoing journey, and with each new discovery, we inch closer to unlocking the secrets of the cosmos.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.231402" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Letters</a></em>.</p>



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



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Microscopic black holes may explain all dark matter in the universe

In the vast expanse of the cosmos, there is much...

<p>A team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.helmholtz-munich.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Helmholtz Munich</a> has recently explored the impact of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-fathers-diet-impacts-the-health-of-his-future-children/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paternal diet</a> on children's health, focusing on the influence of a father's diet before conception. </p>



<p>The experts examined the role of special small RNA molecules in sperm, known as mitochondrial tRNA fragments (mt-tsRNAs), which are crucial for gene expression regulation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-material-in-sperm">Genetic material in sperm</h2>



<p>Fathers pass their genetic material to their unborn children, specifically through their sperm. Each sperm cell carries one set of 23 chromosomes, which includes genes that contribute to various traits and characteristics of the child.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This genetic information combines with the genetic material from the mother's egg, which also contains 23 chromosomes, to form a new set of 46 chromosomes in the child.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The combined genetic&nbsp; material influences everything from physical traits like eye color and height to genetic predispositions and certain health conditions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-impacts-of-a-father-s-diet-nbsp">Future impacts of a father's diet<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2>



<p>The study utilized data from the <a href="https://home.uni-leipzig.de/lifechild/research-profile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LIFE Child cohort</a>, which includes over 3,000 families. Analyses revealed that a father's body weight influences the weight and metabolic disease susceptibility of their children, independent of maternal weight, parental genetics, or environmental factors.</p>



<p>To confirm their findings, the team conducted experiments with mice fed a high-fat diet. This diet affected the animals' reproductive organs, including the epididymis, where sperm matures.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Our study shows that sperm exposed to a high-fat diet in the mouse epididymis led to offspring with an increased tendency to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cavefish-may-provide-therapeutic-insights-for-metabolic-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metabolic diseases</a>,” said senior author Raffaele Teperino, head of the Environmental Epigenetics research group at Helmholtz. This indicates that a father's diet can have significant implications for his offspring's health.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lifelong-effects-of-father-s-diet">Lifelong effects of father's diet</h2>



<p>Further laboratory studies revealed that mt-tsRNAs from sperm influenced gene expression in early embryos. This supports the hypothesis that acquired traits can be transmitted epigenetically across generations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Our hypothesis that acquired phenotypes over the course of life, such as diabetes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-sugar-sources-are-key-to-preventing-childhood-obesity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity</a>, are transmitted via epigenetic mechanisms across generations, is reinforced by this study,” explained co-author Martin Hrabě de Angelis, Research Director at Helmholtz Munich.</p>



<p>“Our results suggest that preventive health care for men wishing to become fathers should receive more attention and that programs should be developed for this purpose, especially with regard to diet,” Teperino concluded.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-background-on-mt-tsrnas">Background on mt-tsRNAs</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mitochondria-cells-batteries-leaking-causes-inflammation-diseases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mitochondria</a> are often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell, containing their own DNA separate from the cell nucleus. Traditionally, it was believed that mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA) is inherited only from mothers. </p>



<p>However, recent research, including this study, shows that sperm carry fragments of mt-RNA into the egg during fertilization. These mt-tsRNAs play a significant role in epigenetics by regulating gene expression in the early embryo.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This means fathers have an indirect but important influence on the genetic imprinting of mitochondria and, consequently, on the energy metabolism of their children. This discovery highlights a new layer of complexity in how paternal factors can affect offspring health.</p>



<p>“Our study supports the importance of paternal health at conception for offspring metabolism; shows that mt-tRNAs are diet-induced and sperm-borne; and demonstrates, in a physiological setting, father-to-offspring transfer of sperm mitochondrial RNAs at fertilization,” wrote the study authors.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-influence-of-material-diet-on-children">Influence of material diet on children</h2>



<p>The maternal diet plays a critical role in shaping the health and development of an unborn child.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-blocks-of-development-nbsp">Building blocks of development<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>Nutrients and other dietary components consumed by the mother provide the foundational building blocks for the child's growth and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-mothers-stress-shapes-her-firstborn-daughters-development/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">development</a>. </p>



<p>For example, essential nutrients like folic acid, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids directly support the development of the fetal brain, bones, and vital organs.&nbsp;</p>



<p>An adequate intake of these nutrients can significantly reduce the risk of developmental abnormalities and chronic health issues in the child.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lack-of-nutrients-nbsp">Lack of nutrients<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>On the other hand, a diet lacking in these vital nutrients or one that is unbalanced can lead to complications.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Insufficient folic acid, for example, increases the risk of neural tube defects, while inadequate calcium can affect the skeletal development of the fetus.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unhealthy-diet">Unhealthy diet</h3>



<p>Moreover, excessive consumption of harmful elements like sugar and unhealthy fats can predispose the child to obesity, diabetes, and even cardiovascular diseases later in life.</p>



<p>The impact of the maternal diet isn't confined only to physical health; it can also affect the child’s cognitive development and immune function.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07472-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a><em>.</em></p>



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Father's diet impacts the health of his future children

A team of researchers led by Helmholtz Munich has recently...

3d,Illustration,Of,A,Spaceship,,Engine,Compartment,.,3d,Render.

Curvature propulsion and the future of intergalactic space travel

If you are a fan of reading or watching science...

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<p>Dinosaurs might get all the press, but let's not forget their high-flying cousins, the pterosaurs. These weren't birds, but rather reptiles that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-species-of-jurassic-pterosaur-found-on-the-isle-of-skye/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ruled the skies</a> long before feathered friends took flight. Now, the discovery of a new pterosaur species, named Abfab, is rewriting what we thought we knew about these ancient aviators.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digging-up-abfab-the-pterosaur">Digging up Abfab the pterosaur</h2>



<p>In an unassuming gravel pit near Abingdon-on-Thames,&nbsp;an unexpected discovery unfolded.&nbsp;Geologist Dr.&nbsp;James Etienne, initially searching for fossilized remains of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiktaalik-fossil-discovery-sheds-light-on-how-fish-walked-onto-land/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine creatures</a>,&nbsp;unearthed a remarkable specimen:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Low-Res_Bone.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a large bone fragment</a> belonging to a pterosaur,&nbsp;an ancient flying reptile.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This was no ordinary pterosaur. It's estimated wingspan exceeded three meters, a measurement equivalent to approximately ten feet. </p>



<p>To grasp the enormity of this creature, imagine its outstretched wings stretching as wide as a compact car, dominating the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-pterosaur-bones-found-in-australia-date-back-107-million-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prehistoric skies</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jurassic-heavyweight-champion">Jurassic heavyweight champion</h2>



<p>"When the bone was discovered, it was certainly notable for its size," says Professor David Martill from the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a>, one of the lead researchers on the project.</p>



<p> After careful analysis, they concluded that this winged wonder belonged to a group of pterosaurs called ctenochasmatoids, known for their slender wings, long jaws, and bristle-like teeth.</p>



<p>What makes this discovery so remarkable? Well, pterosaurs from the Jurassic Period (think 200 to 145 million years ago) were typically much smaller, with wingspans averaging between 1.5 and 2 meters. </p>



<p>This new specimen, nicknamed "Abfab" by the researchers, <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/jurassic-pterosaur-wingspans_illustration_UPortsmouth_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blows those figures out of the water</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-abfab-game-changer-for-pterosaur-evolution">Abfab: Game-changer for pterosaur evolution</h2>



<p>Abfab's impressive size challenges the prevailing idea that pterosaurs only reached their gargantuan proportions in the later <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-shed-new-light-on-europes-enigmatic-dinosaurs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cretaceous Period</a>. </p>



<p>"This specimen is now one of the largest known pterosaurs from the Jurassic period worldwide, surpassed only by a specimen in Switzerland with an estimated wingspan of up to five meters," Professor Martill notes.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pterodactylus-kochi_credit-dino-frey_1s.jpg" alt="Pterodactylus kochi. Artwork by Dino Frey" class="wp-image-1935983"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Pterodactylus kochi. Artwork by Dino Frey</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>This discovery is a clue that the evolution of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-extinct-species-of-flying-reptile-nicknamed-elvis-is-officially-named-petrodactyle-wellnhoferi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">flying reptiles</a> might have been more complex and diverse than previously thought.</p>



<p>“Abfab, our nickname for the Abingdon pterosaur, shows that pterodactyloids, advanced pterosaurs that completely dominated the Cretaceous, achieved spectacularly large sizes almost immediately after they first appeared in the Middle Jurassic right about the time the dinosaurian ancestors of birds were taking to the air,” explains Dr. Dave Unwin from the <a href="https://le.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-did-abfab-eat-with-those-wings">What did Abfab eat with those wings?</h2>



<p>Although a complete skeletal reconstruction of the pterosaur is not available,&nbsp;scientists can infer certain aspects of its behavior and diet based on its close relatives.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-had-good-parenting-skills-but-only-the-larger-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ctenochas</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-had-good-parenting-skills-but-only-the-larger-species/">matoids</a>, the group to which Abfab belongs, are thought to have employed their elongated jaws and bristle-like teeth to filter food from the water, much like modern-day flamingos. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pterodactylus-kochi_credit-Hamzah-Imran_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pterodactylus-kochi_credit-Hamzah-Imran_1s.jpg" alt="Pterodactylus kochi. Artwork by Hamzah Imran" class="wp-image-1935985"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Pterodactylus kochi. Artwork by Hamzah Imran</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>This suggests that Abfab likely soared above ancient Jurassic lagoons,&nbsp;skillfully skimming the water's surface to capture small aquatic organisms for sustenance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossil-treasure-trove">Fossil treasure trove</h2>



<p>The Oxfordshire gravel pit where Abfab was discovered proved to be a rich source of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-had-good-parenting-skills-but-only-the-larger-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paleontological finds</a>. </p>



<p>In addition to the pterosaur, the site yielded a diverse array of Jurassic marine fossils, showcasing the abundance of prehistoric life that once thrived in the region. </p>



<p>Among the notable discoveries were the remains of ichthyosaurs, dolphin-like marine reptiles, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plesiosaur-fossils-are-the-first-evidence-of-jurassic-vertebrates-in-texas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plesiosaurs</a>, large marine reptiles with long necks. </p>



<p>The site also yielded numerous ammonites, extinct cephalopods with coiled shells, as well as fossils of ancient sharks. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-still-much-to-learn-about-prehistoric-creatures">Still much to learn about prehistoric creatures</h2>



<p>This remarkable collection of fossils indicates that the area served as a thriving ecosystem for a wide variety of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-reveals-the-first-ancestors-of-scorpions-and-spiders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prehistoric creatures</a>,&nbsp;inhabiting both the skies and the waters.</p>



<p>This unexpected discovery of a giant pterosaur reminds us that the fossil record still holds many secrets. What other surprises are waiting to be unearthed? </p>



<p>One thing's for sure: Abfab has earned its place in the pterosaur hall of fame, and it's given scientists a whole new perspective on the evolution of these magnificent creatures.</p>



<p>So, the next time you think of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/koleken-inakayali-dinosaur-arms-smaller-than-t-rex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dinosaurs</a>, spare a thought for the pterosaurs. They were the aerial aces of their time, and Abfab proves they were capable of reaching truly impressive sizes much earlier than we thought.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016787824000191?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Geologists Association</a></em>.</p>



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New Pterosaur species named 'Abfab' had wings as wide as a car

Dinosaurs might get all the press, but let's not forget...

<p>We all love a neatly manicured lawn. But what if frequently mowing the yard in our quest for tidiness is inadvertently creating a legion of superweeds? </p>



<p>A recent study on the seemingly innocuous silverleaf nightshade (<em><a href="https://earthpedia.earth.com/plant-encyclopedia/angiosperms/solanaceae/solanum-elaeagnifolium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solanum elaeagnifolium</a></em>) has revealed a startling truth. </p>



<p>This unassuming weed, along with dandelions and many others, is a master of adaptation, evolving into a tougher, more resilient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/boosting-crop-colors-with-gene-editing-can-improve-weed-control/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">version of itself</a> when faced with frequent mowing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-superweeds-like-mowing">Why superweeds like mowing</h2>



<p>Superweeds are wild plants that develop resistance to herbicides. This resistance often results from the repeated use of the same herbicide, like glyphosate, on crops. </p>



<p>As a consequence, these weeds can survive treatments meant to eliminate them, making them harder to control.</p>



<p>Genetically modified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/boosting-crop-colors-with-gene-editing-can-improve-weed-control/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(GM) crops</a>, designed to withstand herbicides, inadvertently contribute to the rise of superweeds. When these herbicides kill off non-resistant weeds, resistant ones thrive and spread.</p>



<p>Superweeds pose a significant threat to agriculture. They compete with crops for resources, leading to lower yields and higher costs for farmers. </p>



<p>Controlling these weeds often requires stronger, more expensive herbicides or alternative management strategies, which can further harm the environment.</p>



<p>As superweeds continue to evolve, sustainable <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/weeds-are-becoming-increasingly-resistant-to-herbicides/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weed management</a> practices and diversified farming techniques become crucial in mitigating their impact.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unassuming-purple-weed-spreading-rapidly">Unassuming purple weed spreading rapidly</h2>



<p>Silverleaf nightshade may not be a household name,&nbsp;but this pervasive weed is found from the sun-soaked fields of south Texas to the ancient landscapes of South Africa and Greece.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With its delicate purple flowers (sometimes white or light purple), prickly spines, and toxic berries, it's not a plant you want to mess with. </p>



<p>Interestingly, it shares a family tree with some of our favorite crops, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tomatoes-acylsugars-parallel-universe-plant-kingdom-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tomatoes</a>, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants.</p>



<p>Rupesh Kariyat, an associate professor of entomology and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bioengineered-super-plant-acts-as-natural-indoor-air-purifier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant pathology</a>, has been studying this unassuming weed for over a decade. </p>



<p>His research, which began at the <a href="https://www.utrgv.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas Rio Grande Valley</a>, has revealed some fascinating insights into the plant's response to frequent mowing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mowing-launches-survival-of-the-fittest-contest">Mowing launches "survival of the fittest" contest</h2>



<p>Kariyat's research has found that frequent mowing doesn't just trim the silverleaf nightshade; it triggers a series of remarkable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-capture-plant-communication-on-video/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defense mechanisms</a>. </p>



<p>"You are trying to mow these plants so that the plants are getting eliminated," Kariyat explains,&nbsp;"But what you are actually doing here,&nbsp;you are making them much worse,&nbsp;much stronger."</p>



<p>Under the pressure of frequent mowing, the plant's taproot burrows deeper into the soil, reaching depths of nearly 5 feet to access water and nutrients. </p>



<p>More spikes sprout on its stem to deter hungry caterpillars, and the flowers themselves become more toxic, reducing the threat from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grazing-sheep-can-reduce-stress-on-college-campuses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural predators</a>.</p>



<p>The plant even employs a clever strategy for seed germination, producing some that sprout quickly and others that lie dormant, like time bombs. </p>



<p>This "staggered" germination ensures the plant's survival over the long haul, even in the face of repeated mowing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-superweeds-spawn-from-mowing-ripple-effect">Superweeds spawn from mowing ripple effect</h2>



<p>While Kariyat's research focused specifically on silverleaf nightshade, its findings have far-reaching implications. </p>



<p>Other weeds, even close relatives of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/is-deadly-nightshade-really-deadly-misnomers-of-the-botanical-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nightshade</a>, may react similarly to frequent mowing, potentially creating a whole army of superweeds.</p>



<p>"This should be something that we consider when we make management plans," Kariyat warns.&nbsp;"Management practices need to be better understood using the ecology and biology of the species and the other species which interact with them."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adaptation-of-silverleaf-nightshade">Adaptation of silverleaf nightshade</h2>



<p>The silverleaf nightshade's response to mowing is a fascinating example of adaptation in action.&nbsp;It demonstrates the incredible resilience of nature and the unintended consequences of human intervention.</p>



<p>The plant's ability to evolve in response to environmental pressures is a testament to its tenacity and adaptability.&nbsp;It's a reminder that even the most unassuming organisms can possess remarkable survival skills.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mowing-superweeds-requires-caution">Mowing superweeds requires caution</h2>



<p>So, what does this mean for our manicured lawns? Should we abandon our mowers altogether? Not necessarily. </p>



<p>Kariyat's research does suggest that we should approach mowing with a bit more caution and consider alternative weed management strategies.</p>



<p>For instance,&nbsp;tilling areas infested with silverleaf nightshade can actually worsen the problem by spreading the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/measuring-plant-root-health-scanning-leaves-xray-device/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant</a>'s rhizomic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-rooted-crops-can-significantly-improve-soil-carbon-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roots</a>,&nbsp;which can propagate asexually.</p>



<p>"As scientists, we want our research to be accessible and applicable to anyone, and mowing is a concept the world at large can understand," says Alejandro Vasquez, the lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student at the <a href="https://www.uark.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arkansas</a>.</p>



<p>So, from now when you fire up your mower,&nbsp;spare a thought for the unassuming superweeds lurking in your lawn.&nbsp;They may be small,&nbsp;but they're far more resilient than you think.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-58672-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a></em>.</p>



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Mowing your yard too often may create unstoppable 'superweeds'

We all love a neatly manicured lawn. But what if...

<p>The turbulent storms in Jupiter’s polar regions are driven by processes familiar to physicists studying Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. </p>



<p>This is the conclusion of new research led by Lia Siegelman, a physical oceanographer at UC San Diego’s <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a>.</p>



<p>Siegelman first observed the connection in 2018, noting the similarity between images of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-use-exoplanet-hunter-to-study-jupiters-winds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jupiter’s cyclones</a> and the ocean turbulence she studied on Earth. </p>



<p>Since air and water are both fluids, it isn’t so far-fetched to apply ocean physics to Jupiter. “Jupiter is basically an ocean of gas,” explained Siegelman.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-convection-helps-sustain-jupiter-s-storms">Convection helps sustain Jupiter’s storms</h2>



<p>This observation led to a 2022 study published in <a href="https://rdcu.be/dwJMT" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Physics</em></a>, which analyzed high-resolution infrared images of Jupiter’s cyclones taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study revealed that convection, similar to that seen on Earth, helps sustain Jupiter’s massive storms, which can be thousands of miles wide and last for years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-filaments-in-jupiter-s-storms">Role of filaments in Jupiter’s storms</h2>



<p>The 2022 study focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amalthea-jupiter-tiny-moon-captured-juno-spacecraft/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jupiter’s cyclones</a>, but Siegelman also noted the presence of filaments, or wispy tendrils, between the vortices. </p>



<p>These filaments appeared analogous to phenomena on Earth, prompting further investigation using Juno’s detailed imagery to explore whether this similarity was merely superficial.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/jupiter-cloud-system_northern-hemisphere_closeup_juno_nasa_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/jupiter-cloud-system_northern-hemisphere_closeup_juno_nasa_1s.jpg" alt="Cloud system in Jupiter's northern hemisphere imaged by Juno spacecraft. Photo: NASA" class="wp-image-1935977"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Cloud system in Jupiter's northern hemisphere imaged by Juno spacecraft. Photo: NASA</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>The current study has uncovered additional similarities between the processes driving Jupiter’s cyclones and those on Earth, revealing that the filaments between Jupiter’s cyclones work in tandem with convection to sustain the planet’s giant storms. </p>



<p>Specifically, these filaments act in ways resembling <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/striking-seawater-colored-by-phytoplankton-blooms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fronts on Earth</a>, which are boundaries between gas or liquid masses with different densities, often leading to strong vertical velocities that create winds or currents.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-temperatures-and-wind-speeds-on-jupiter">Temperatures and wind speeds on Jupiter</h2>



<p>To understand the role of the filaments visible in Juno’s images, Siegelman and her co-author, Patrice Klein, analyzed a series of infrared images of Jupiter’s north polar region taken in 30-second intervals.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The infrared images allowed the researchers to determine temperatures, with bright areas indicating warmer regions and dark areas indicating cooler regions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-jupiters-magnetosphere-will-help-us-predict-space-weather/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jupiter</a>, warmer areas correspond to thin clouds, while cooler areas represent thick cloud cover, blocking more heat from the planet’s super-heated core. </p>



<p>By tracking the movement of clouds and filaments, the researchers calculated horizontal wind speeds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-from-jupiter-s-interior">Heat from Jupiter’s interior </h2>



<p>Combining these measurements with methods from ocean and atmospheric science, Siegelman and Klein calculated the vertical wind speeds that corresponded to the derived temperatures and horizontal wind speeds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The findings confirmed that Jupiter’s filaments behaved like Earth’s fronts, playing a significant role in transporting energy in the form of heat from Jupiter’s hot interior to its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jupiters-turbulent-atmosphere-includes-a-high-speed-jet-stream/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">upper atmosphere</a>, thereby fueling the giant cyclones. </p>



<p>While convection is the primary driver, the fronts contribute to a quarter of the total kinetic energy and forty percent of the vertical heat transport powering Jupiter’s cyclones.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-filaments-with-a-big-impact">Small filaments with a big impact</h2>



<p>“These cyclones on Jupiter’s poles have persisted since they were first observed in 2016,” Siegelman said. “These filaments in between the large vortices are relatively small but they are an important mechanism for sustaining the cyclones.”</p>



<p>“It’s fascinating that fronts and convection are present and influential on Earth and Jupiter - it suggests that these processes may also be present on other turbulent fluid bodies in the universe.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-mechanisms-on-far-away-planets-nbsp">Earth's mechanisms on far-away planets&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Siegelman emphasized that Jupiter’s vast scale and Juno’s high-resolution imagery offer a clearer visualization of how smaller-scale phenomena like fronts connect to larger systems like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-moving-tropical-cyclones-are-becoming-more-powerful/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cyclones</a> and the atmosphere at large.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These connections are often challenging to observe on Earth due to their smaller and more ephemeral nature. However, a new satellite known as SWOT might make observing these ocean phenomena much easier.</p>



<p>“There is some cosmic beauty in finding out that these physical mechanisms on Earth exist on other far-away planets,” Siegelman concluded.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-jupiter-s-storms-nbsp">More about Jupiter’s storms&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Jupiter is known for its magnificent and turbulent weather systems, including some of the most colossal and enduring storms in the solar system.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-great-red-spot-nbsp">Great Red Spot&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The most famous of these is the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smaller-storms-feed-jupiters-great-red-spot/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Red Spot</a>, a giant storm larger than Earth that has been raging for at least 350 years.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This storm is a high-pressure anticyclone, characterized by swirling clouds of reddish hues, and it stands out against the rest of the planet's mostly white and ochre atmosphere.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jupiter-s-rapid-rotation-nbsp">Jupiter's rapid rotation&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The dynamics of Jupiter’s storms are driven by the planet's rapid rotation, which is the fastest of all the solar system’s planets, completing a rotation roughly every 10 hours.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This rapid rotation contributes to strong jet streams that divide the clouds of the upper atmosphere into dark belts and bright zones.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Storms often form along the boundaries of these belts and zones, where the atmosphere exhibits dramatic shifts in composition and temperature.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-varied-appearance-and-duration">Varied appearance and duration</h3>



<p>Besides the Great Red Spot, Jupiter is home to many other storms, some appearing as smaller red spots, white ovals, or even brown splotches.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These storms can last for varying lengths of time - some persisting for years and others dissipating much more quickly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41567-024-02516-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Physics</em></a><em>.</em></p>



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



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

Jupiter’s iconic storms can last for centuries, but what fuels them?

The turbulent storms in Jupiter’s polar regions are driven by...

<p>A recent investigation reveals a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollution-is-a-greater-health-threat-than-we-ever-imagined/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">concerning forecast</a> for ozone pollution levels across the United States by 2050, indicating potential non-compliance with air quality standards and increased public health risks.</p>



<p>This study paints a detailed picture of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monsoons-launch-ozone-depleting-substances-into-the-stratosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate-induced changes</a> could intensify ground-level ozone, a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms.</p>



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



<p>Ozone pollution, also known as ground-level ozone, refers to the presence of ozone gas (O₃) in the Earth's lower atmosphere. Unlike the protective ozone layer in the stratosphere, ground-level ozone is a harmful pollutant. </p>



<p>It forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in the presence of sunlight. Common sources of these pollutants include vehicle emissions, industrial facilities, and chemical solvents.</p>



<p>Ozone <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/short-term-pollution-claims-more-than-one-million-lives-per-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pollution</a> poses significant health risks. It can cause respiratory problems, aggravate asthma, reduce lung function, and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. </p>



<p>Long-term exposure can lead to chronic respiratory diseases and even premature death. Additionally, ground-level ozone can harm ecosystems, damaging crops, forests, and wildlife.</p>



<p>Climate change exacerbates ozone pollution by increasing temperatures, which accelerates the chemical reactions that produce ozone. Efforts to control ozone levels focus on reducing NOx and VOC emissions through regulatory measures and technological advancements.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ozone-pollution-on-the-rise">Ozone pollution on the rise</h2>



<p>Ground-level ozone isn't just a minor irritant; it's a major health hazard, linked to reduced lung function and airway inflammation, contributing to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually.</p>



<p>Study lead author James East, a former PhD student at <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Carolina State University</a>, is now a researcher at <a href="https://www.harvard.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard University</a>.</p>



<p>"Climate change influences ozone formation through a myriad of factors. Predominantly, warmer temperatures correlate with ozone increases in already polluted areas. Furthermore, expected rises in naturally occurring VOC emissions, particularly in regions like the Southeast U.S., could worsen the situation," explained East.</p>



<p>The study, "Projecting Changes in the Frequency and Magnitude of Ozone Pollution Events Under Uncertain Climate Sensitivity," navigates through these complexities.</p>



<p>The research extends beyond mere predictions, incorporating various models and statistical tools to gauge future ozone pollution landscapes. In particular, the study explores how often (and by how much) ozone levels might exceed public health standards by mid-century.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-air-quality-thresholds">Air quality thresholds</h2>



<p>The results of the study are presented as a range, acknowledging the ongoing debates among climate scientists about how drastically the climate reacts to greenhouse gas concentrations. </p>



<p>"The best-case scenario, with low climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide, suggests an average increase in peak ozone levels by less than 0.3 parts per billion (ppb)," noted East. "This increase might still keep many areas within safe air quality thresholds."</p>



<p>However, East warns of a less optimistic outcome where the climate shows high sensitivity to carbon dioxide. </p>



<p>Here, peak ozone levels could rise by more than 2.3 ppb on average, leading to a significant increase in days where ozone levels surpass <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-gets-an-unpredictable-boost-from-air-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air quality</a> norms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-public-health-and-policy">Implications for public health and policy</h2>



<p>The practical implications of these findings are stark. "Our study estimates that between 5 million and 13 million additional people could be exposed to dangerously high ozone levels by 2050," said East.</p>



<p>This projection is crucial for policymakers, especially those involved in the Environmental Protection Agency's ongoing review of the ozone <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-air-pollution-levels-have-dropped-but-not-for-everyone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">air quality standards</a>.</p>



<p>Fernando Garcia Menendez, the study's corresponding author and an associate professor of environmental engineering at NC State, emphasized the broader significance of these insights.</p>



<p>"While state and federal governments strive to control ozone levels through emissions reductions, our findings suggest these efforts might be less effective in the future, particularly in areas already struggling to meet air quality standards," said Menendez.</p>



<p>"This research not only deepens our understanding of climate change's impact on air quality but also aids in refining the cost-benefit analyses of climate regulations and related technological advances."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strategic-responses-to-ozone-challenges">Strategic responses to ozone challenges</h2>



<p>This work underscores the need for a proactive approach in reviewing and possibly revising air quality standards to better protect public health in the face of evolving climate conditions.</p>



<p>By offering a clearer picture of the potential scenarios, the research arms policymakers with vital data to make informed decisions, potentially leading to more robust strategies to mitigate the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ozone-hole-exposes-wildlife-to-harmful-uv-radiation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adverse effects</a> of ozone pollution.</p>



<p>As climate patterns continue to shift, such studies will be pivotal in guiding effective responses to safeguard environmental and public health.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023EF003941" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a></em>.</p>



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



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Ozone pollution will harm tens of millions of people at current pace

A recent investigation reveals a concerning forecast for ozone pollution...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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