<p>Inside our bodies, countless decisions play out silently at the cellular level. Some cells divide, some die, and others are forced out when they no longer serve their purpose. </p>



<p>A study from <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">King’s College London</a> and the <a href="https://www.crick.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Francis Crick Institute</a> reveals that epithelial cells use electricity to spot weak neighbors and remove them. This breakthrough offers fresh insight into how diseases like cancer and stroke arise when energy balance within cells is disturbed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cells-renew-constantly">Cells renew constantly</h2>



<p>Epithelial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hemifusome-newly-discovered-organelle-inside-human-cells-with-immense-potential/">cells</a> form the barrier that lines organs, renewing rapidly to stay protective. Their balance depends on extrusion, the process of ejecting damaged or excess cells. This keeps tissues tightly packed and efficient. </p>



<p>If extrusion falters, cell numbers become chaotic, creating openings for disease. Without this constant regulation, unhealthy cells may linger, disrupt organ integrity, and interfere with critical signaling pathways. </p>



<p>Over time, these disturbances can weaken the protective barrier, encourage unchecked growth, and increase vulnerability to conditions such as cancer, chronic inflammation, or infections that compromise overall tissue health and resilience.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-electricity-targets-weak-cells">Electricity targets weak cells</h2>



<p>Earlier work showed that overcrowding forces some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-the-first-cells-life-form-on-earth-scientists-think-they-finally-figured-it-out/">cells</a> to be squeezed out mechanically. The latest discovery goes further. It shows that extrusion is not random but targets energy-poor cells. Crowding pushes sodium into cells through specialized ion channels, altering their electrical signals. </p>



<p>Healthy cells restore balance, but weak ones cannot, triggering shrinkage and eventual extrusion. This reveals a precise surveillance system where tissues actively monitor cellular energy, ensuring only the strongest cells remain. </p>



<p>Such control preserves organ stability, while defects in this mechanism may promote disease progression and unchecked cellular growth.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cells-sense-crowding-with-electricity">Cells sense crowding with electricity</h2>



<p>The researchers noticed a striking prelude to extrusion: cells briefly shrank before being expelled. This stage, termed homeostatic early shrinkage, reflects water leaving the cell. </p>



<p>Roughly 70 percent of extruding cells undergo this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cells-vomit-waste-to-speed-up-healing-in-our-body/">shrinkage</a>. It is not caused by contractile forces but by ion channels regulating water movement. Key players include the potassium channels Kv1.1 and Kv1.2, and the chloride channel SWELL1.</p>



<p>The study revealed that an epithelial sodium channel, ENaC, senses crowding. It acts as a tension detector, letting sodium rush in when cells press against one another.</p>



<p>If a cell has enough ATP, it pumps sodium back out and stabilizes. If not, depolarization occurs, potassium and chloride exit, water follows, and the cell shrinks, crossing the threshold that triggers extrusion.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-low-energy-as-a-trigger">Low energy as a trigger</h2>



<p>Time-lapse experiments revealed that cells destined for extrusion show falling ATP levels before they depolarize and shrink. When ATP levels were artificially lowered, extrusion increased. </p>



<p>This shows energy deficiency directly selects <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-space-changes-our-cells-insights-from-the-iss/">cells</a> for removal. In essence, epithelial tissue runs a built-in fitness test: cells unable to maintain their electrical balance are expelled.</p>



<p>"We see this sodium channel acting as a sensor, exposing cells with the least amount of energy and targeting those cells for death," noted study lead author Dr. Saranne Mitchell. </p>



<p>"This mechanism gives epithelia a constant surveillance system to rapidly detect weak cells and remove them. It's like an electrical quality-control check, keeping tissues robust and functional."</p>



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



<p>The study highlights how epithelial tissues are not passive layers but dynamic communities constantly testing their members. By identifying weaker cells early, they can preserve strength and protect organ function.</p>



<p>"By revealing that cells with low energy are targeted for extrusion, our work also adds a new layer into how metabolism can impact many diseases," said Professor Jody Rosenblatt.</p>



<p>"This new insight could suggest how overconsumption, through eating more and consuming more calories, might override this 'low energy trigger' for extrusion and prevent the elimination of defective cells, allowing them to accumulate into cancers." </p>



<p>"It might also reveal how energy deprivation following a stroke, caused by impacted blood supply, could lead to excess extrusion and organ damage."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cells-use-electricity-effectively">Cells use electricity effectively</h2>



<p>This model highlights energy sufficiency as a deciding factor in cell survival. Much like how mitochondria regulate apoptosis, epithelial extrusion uses energy balance as a checkpoint. </p>



<p>The findings also connect to conditions like cystic fibrosis and cancer, where ion channel malfunctions are common. By linking ion flow, energy, and crowding, this study reframes how tissues maintain integrity.</p>



<p>The discovery paints epithelia as more than static barriers. They are dynamic, electrically sensitive tissues constantly probing their members for weakness. </p>



<p>Cells that cannot meet the energy demands are removed for the greater good of the tissue. Even the faintest electrical flicker within these cellular communities can tip the balance between health and disease.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09514-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a>.</p>



<p>Image Credit: CC0 Public Domain</p>



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Body tissues use electricity to expel weak cells

Inside our bodies, countless decisions play out silently at the cellular level. Some cells divide, some die, and others are forced out when they no longer serve their purpose. A study from King’s College London and the Francis Crick Institute reveals that epithelial cells use electricity to spot weak neighbors and remove them. This breakthrough offers fresh insight into how diseases like cancer and stroke arise when energy balance within cells is disturbed. Cells renew constantly Epithelial cells form the barrier that lines organs, renewing rapidly to...

<p>Plastic may not always float where we expect it. The ocean’s surface might look clean in some places, but far beneath the waves, a different story is unfolding. </p>



<p>In the southeastern Mediterranean, the deep seafloor is turning into a massive storage ground for plastic packaging, especially bags. A new study shows how this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-retailers-are-replacing-plastic-bags-with-eco-friendly-paper-bags/">waste</a> ends up thousands of feet below the surface, and the answer isn’t as simple as trash just “sinking.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-in-the-deep-sea">Plastic in the deep sea</h2>



<p>Plastic debris has entered every corner of the ocean, but previously, most of the research has concentrated on floating plastic or beach trash. That changed with this latest study, which took a closer look at what is occurring on the ocean floor. </p>



<p>Scientists discovered that the Levant Basin - a deep section of the eastern <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/two-continents-meet-along-the-mediterranean-coastline/">Mediterranean</a> off the coasts of Israel, Egypt, and Turkey - is among the world's most contaminated deep-sea areas.</p>



<p>“We used trawls to survey the seafloor and we mainly found plastic bags and packaging that dominate the debris,” said Xing-Yu Li from the <a href="https://www.haifa.ac.il/?lang=en">University of Haifa</a>, the study’s lead author.</p>



<p>This raised a question: how does something so light - something meant to float - end up nearly a mile underwater?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-forensic-approach-to-trash">A forensic approach to trash</h2>



<p>To answer that, the team decided to treat each plastic item like a crime scene. Every piece of debris was carefully examined using a method called multi-marker analysis. </p>



<p>This approach looks at everything about the plastic - size, shape, color, material, surface features, and even what kinds of things are stuck to it, like tar or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-organisms-may-adapt-to-climate-change-but-with-hidden-costs/">marine organisms</a>.</p>



<p>“In the multi-marker approach anything that is found on a piece of plastic is an evidence,” said Xing-yu. “We extracted as many evidence as possible from every piece of waste, more than many previous studies, to build a fuller, more detailed view of the bottom waste.”</p>



<p>Instead of just counting how much trash was found, this method helped researchers understand how it got there, why it sank, and where it might have come from.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-some-plastic-doesn-t-sink">Why some plastic doesn’t sink</h2>



<p>Most of the plastics found were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-kitchen-tool-that-could-be-leaching-toxins-into-your-food-polypropylene-cutting-board/">polyethylene</a> - the same material used in grocery bags. Normally, this kind of plastic floats. But when additives like calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) are mixed in during manufacturing, the plastic becomes heavier. </p>



<p>Those with CaCO₃ sank closer to the shore. Others, without these additives, drifted farther out before eventually settling on the seafloor.</p>



<p>The study also revealed that the deep basin at over 3,000 feet deep acts like a trap. Pressure and fine sediments help keep the plastic down. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biofilms-could-change-the-way-we-track-plastic-pollution/">Biofilms</a>, which are slimy layers formed by microbes, usually help weigh plastics down too, but they don’t grow well in this part of the sea. Instead, things like tar, sand, and tiny shells helped plastics stay put.</p>



<p>The scientists noted that these plastic films - while thin and lightweight - are ending up where they can do the most long-term damage. </p>



<p>Even more troubling, the team found that some of this plastic could become buoyant again if disturbed, but because of how the deep sea works, that rarely happens. Once the plastic settles, it stays.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-trash-is-coming-from">Where the trash is coming from</h2>



<p>The plastic pollution isn’t only from local beaches. According to the research, land-based sources from Egypt, Israel, and Turkey are a big part of the problem. </p>



<p>Shipping also plays a role, especially in deeper waters. Surprisingly, fishing was not a major contributor - possibly due to strict Israeli regulations.</p>



<p>For years, scientists noticed high levels of plastic at the seafloor, but they didn’t fully understand why. </p>



<p>“For years in our monitoring reports we have reported a high concentration of plastic debris in this area. It was an unsolved mystery as we know that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-floor-harbors-up-to-11-million-tons-of-plastic-debris/">plastic debris</a> should remain floating on the sea surface. Now we have a deep understanding of how it happens,” said Dr. Yael Segal from Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR). </p>



<p>“The Eastern Mediterranean is the most polluted area in the world, and we must take action for the sake of the next generation.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-risks-to-marine-life">Long-term risks to marine life</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grapevines-could-offer-a-breakthrough-alternative-to-plastic-packaging/">Plastic packaging</a> is cheap, easy to produce, and used globally - but it doesn’t go away. It breaks into smaller pieces and can remain in the environment for hundreds of years. </p>



<p>Deep-sea habitats are already fragile, and adding plastic into the mix could disrupt food webs, introduce toxins, and harm species that haven’t even been fully studied yet.</p>



<p>“As the head of the national monitoring program, I see firsthand how plastic pollution is impacting the entire sea environment: beaches, water, sea bottom, and even local turtle populations,” said Dr. Segal.</p>



<p>Professor Revital Bookman said that the discovery is fascinating in the worst possible way. </p>



<p>"The eastern Mediterranean is quietly turning into a deep-sea landfill. Plastics that we use for only a few minutes are ending up trapped for centuries, threatening deep marine ecosystems we barely understand," noted Professor Bookman. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-needs-to-happen-next">What needs to happen next</h2>



<p>According to the researchers, this study changes how we should think about ocean pollution. Plastic doesn’t just float around until it hits a beach. It travels far, interacts with other pollutants like tar, and ends up in hidden places. </p>



<p>“This previously overlooked dynamic necessitates a broader perspective on pollution processes in marine environments,” said Professor Bookman. </p>



<p>“Without systematic deep-sea accounting, we risk underestimating the true environmental footprint of plastic pollution and misallocating mitigation efforts by neglecting offshore and deep-sea sinks.”</p>



<p>To deal with this, the experts call for coordinated efforts across the region. Countries that share the sea need to work together on monitoring, cleanup, and prevention. </p>



<p>Without a shared strategy, plastics will continue piling up, silently choking one of the planet’s most mysterious ecosystems.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X25009671?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Pollution Bulletin</a></em>.</p>



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Hidden plastic graveyard uncovered in the deep Mediterranean Sea

Plastic may not always float where we expect it. The...

<p>Blood clots cause strokes, heart attacks, and lung damage, and they remain a leading cause of preventable hospital deaths in the United States, according to federal <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/blood-clots/data-research/facts-stats/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a>. A new line of research points to a simple lever that might lower risk - the color of light reaching our eyes.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.jthjournal.org/article/S1538-7836(24)00543-9/abstract">work</a> explores how specific wavelengths shape biology through the body’s daily timing system. </p>



<p>Scientists call this the circadian clock, a network that tunes hormones, blood pressure, and blood vessel tone across the 24 hour day, as shown in a comprehensive <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5983320/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a>.</p>



<p>Lead author <a href="https://providers.upmc.com/provider/elizabeth-ann-andraska/3013812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elizabeth Andraska, M.D</a>., of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (<a href="https://www.medschool.pitt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UPMC</a>), and her colleagues asked a basic question. Does the spectrum of visible light change the way blood forms clots in living organisms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-light-color-on-blood-clots">Testing light color on blood clots</h2>



<p>In a peer reviewed study, the team exposed mice to red, blue, or white light for 12 hours a day over 3 days, then used standard models to trigger clots. </p>



<p>Red light before the challenge led to nearly five times fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-blood-cells-found-to-squeeze-clots-tight-using-physical-force/">clots</a> than blue or white light.</p>



<p>The same study reported no benefit in genetically blind mice, and shining light directly on blood outside the body did not change clotting. That pattern points to an eye to brain pathway rather than a direct effect on blood.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-clots-and-red-light">Blood clots and red light</h2>



<p>The researchers focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blood-platelets-play-a-critically-important-role-in-the-body-that-was-unknown-until-now/">blood platelets</a> - the small cell fragments that stick together to stop bleeding and can spark harmful clots.</p>



<p>Red light exposure was linked to lower platelet aggregation and activation, signaling a less reactive clotting profile.</p>



<p>They also tracked neutrophil extracellular traps (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nri.2017.105" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NETs</a>), which are sticky webs released by white blood cells to capture microbes but also snag platelets. </p>



<p>Mice given red light formed fewer NETs in clots and brain tissue after an induced stroke.</p>



<p>The researchers noticed that platelets in the red light group had more healthy fats, including oleic and linoleic acid.</p>



<p>These fats are known to make platelets less likely to stick together, which matched the reduced clotting activity they observed.</p>



<p>Finally, the scientists examined <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4369169/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">megakaryocytes</a>, the bone marrow cells that make platelets. </p>



<p>Single cell data suggested changes in pathways tied to inflammation, stress responses, and cytoskeletal control, all of which relate to how platelets activate and aggregate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hints-from-human-patients">Hints from human patients</h2>



<p>The investigators went a step further and reviewed outcomes in more than 10,000 adults who had cataract surgery with either standard lenses or lenses that filter a slice of blue light. </p>



<p>Among people with cancer, who face about a ninefold higher clot risk than the general population according to a recent open access <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12001707/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a>, those with blue light filtering lenses had a lower lifetime risk of venous clots.</p>



<p>That retrospective signal does not prove cause and effect. It does align with the mouse findings and with prior evidence that clotting biology tracks daily timing cues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-means-for-you">What it means for you</h2>



<p>This research does not replace proven prevention like movement during long trips, anticoagulants when prescribed, or hospital safety protocols. It does raise a precise, testable idea about light and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ginkgo-biloba-plant-may-be-key-to-preventing-blood-clots-vericose-veins/">clot</a> biology that clinical trials can evaluate.</p>



<p>Light is not acting as a drug in the bloodstream. It seems to work through the optic system and brain timing networks, which then influence immune cells and platelets.</p>



<p>The animal benefit appeared when red light came before the clotting challenge, not after it. That timing suggests a preventive window and warns against over reading the result.</p>



<p>Human biology is more complex than lab models. The lens analysis was observational, so unmeasured variables could explain the signal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-think-about-light-in-daily-life">How to think about light in daily life</h2>



<p>Clotting problems remain common and deadly, especially after hospitalization and in major illnesses. Even small, safe reductions in risk could help many people if confirmed by trials.</p>



<p>Cancer amplifies <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-harness-soundwaves-vibrations-to-strengthen-tissues-and-heal-wounds-blood-clots/">clot</a> risk for biological reasons that include tumor driven inflammation and pro coagulation signals. Any non drug intervention that safely trims that risk would be worth careful testing.</p>



<p>Most modern environments flood us with short wavelength light from screens and overhead fixtures. The new study suggests wavelength balance might matter, along with timing and duration.</p>



<p>Morning light helps set healthy rhythms, while circadian disruption raises cardiovascular strain. That makes lighting a public health question as much as a lab topic.</p>



<p>Expect controlled human studies that standardize wavelength, intensity, timing, and duration. Devices that deliver known doses through the eyes would allow rigorous testing of dose and response.</p>



<p>Researchers will also map how retinal signals talk to the brain and then to bone marrow and immune cells. Those pathways could reveal new drug targets alongside any light based strategies.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <a href="https://www.jthjournal.org/article/S1538-7836(24)00543-9/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis</em></a>.</p>



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How the color of light could save you from a heart attack or stroke

Blood clots cause strokes, heart attacks, and lung damage, and...

<p>A large new study followed 407,618 adults in six European countries for about 11 years and tracked the incidence of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. </p>



<p>The researchers examined how closely people stuck to a healthful, plant-based diet and how that related to developing more than one of the health conditions.</p>



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



<p>The project was led by Reynalda Córdova, a nutritional epidemiologist at the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a>, working with colleagues across Europe. </p>



<p>Their team centered the analysis on real-world eating patterns and combined two major datasets to see long term effects.</p>



<p>Chronic diseases often show up in pairs or more. When someone has two or more at the same time, clinicians call it <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556462/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multimorbidity</a>. Reducing the odds of multiple serious conditions can ease pressure on families and health systems.</p>



<p>In public health, preventing even a modest share of new cases matters because risk compounds when illnesses cluster. </p>



<p>The analysis used the term “cardiometabolic” to group heart and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-extracts-may-help-treat-metabolic-syndrome/">metabolic</a> problems that often intersect with cancer risk. </p>



<p>By treating the co-occurrence of conditions as the outcome, the study focused on how disease accumulates over time rather than on single diagnoses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-based-diets-were-rewarded">Plant-based diets were rewarded</h2>



<p>Participants came from the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12639222/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPIC</a> study, and the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001779" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.K. Biobank</a> (a national research resource that invites adults to share health data for science). These two large cohort projects collect data that connects lifestyle and health records.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Diet quality was scored using a healthful, plant-based diet <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">index</a> that rewards vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and coffee. </p>



<p>Dietary intake of refined grains, sweets, and animal products, on the other hand, reversed the points.</p>



<p>A companion unhealthful, plant-based diet index scores higher for refined plant foods and sugary drinks, reflecting differences in plant food quality.</p>



<p>The models estimated <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/hazard-ratio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hazard ratio</a>, which expresses how much risk changes with each 10-point rise in the score. This was calculated after accounting for age, sex, smoking, activity, and alcohol use. </p>



<p>Events were counted and sequenced to see whether a first diagnosis was followed by another, which mirrors how disease accumulates in life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-based-diet-and-multimorbitity">Plant-based diet and multimorbitity</h2>



<p>Across the combined cohorts, 6,604 people developed two of the three illnesses during follow up. </p>



<p>A 10-point increase on the healthy <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666756825000613" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant diet score</a> was linked to 11 percent lower risk in EPIC and 19 percent lower risk in UK Biobank data.</p>



<p>In adults younger than 60, the hazard ratio was 0.71, and in those of 60 or older it was 0.86. This shows a stronger association in midlife. </p>



<p>The pattern for the unhealthful plant score was positive in UK Biobank data, and null in EPIC, underscoring that not all plant-rich eating is the same.</p>



<p>“A healthy plant-based diet might <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-diet-shifts-the-hidden-costs-of-what-we-eat/">reduce</a> the burden of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases among middle-aged and older adults,” concluded Córdova.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-healthful-plant-based-diet-defined">Healthful plant-based diet defined</h2>



<p>Scores for the healthy pattern rise with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, and coffee. Less reliance on refined carbs, sweets, and red or processed meat helps keep the score high.</p>



<p>The unhealthful score climbs with sodas, sweets, white bread, and other refined items. Those choices can crowd out fiber-rich foods that support steady energy and metabolic health.</p>



<p>Separating the healthful and unhealthful versions explains why a plant-based diet can help or harm, depending on the mix. Quality matters more than labels, and the scale captures that difference.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-diet-quality-might-matter">Why diet quality might matter</h2>



<p>A Lancet <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2818%2931809-9/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> linked higher fiber intake with lower risk of several noncommunicable diseases and better glycemic control. </p>



<p>Fiber also feeds gut microbes that produce short chain fatty acids. These organic substances support metabolic and immune balance.</p>



<p>Other prospective evidence ties plant-based eating patterns to lower type 2 diabetes risk across populations. </p>



<p>A comprehensive <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2738784" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meta-analysis</a> reported that greater adherence to plant-based diets, especially those rich in healthful plant foods, was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.</p>



<p>These mechanisms align with the new results, where lower weight, lower inflammation, and better insulin sensitivity likely explain part of the link. Diet is not a cure, but quality changes can tilt the odds toward healthier aging.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-interpret-this-safely">How to interpret this safely</h2>



<p>Self-reported diet is imperfect, and people may change how they eat after a diagnosis, which can blunt associations. </p>



<p>Differences that are not measured can also shift estimates, so the authors tested many scenarios to check robustness.</p>



<p>The inconsistency for the unhealthful score between EPIC and UK Biobank suggests that context and measurement matter. Food culture, recall frequency, and how outcomes are captured can all influence results.</p>



<p>Even with caveats, the direction and size of the associations fit prior <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-thrived-on-plant-based-diets-not-meat-alone-780000-years-ago/">literature</a> on plant-rich patterns and long term health. That consistency adds confidence without assuming what a single study proves in every setting.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-shifts-in-everyday-choices">Small shifts in everyday choices</h2>



<p>The findings do not require strict rules or total exclusion of animal products. They point to a pattern where plants take the lead while animal products and refined items take a back seat.</p>



<p>Small shifts that raise the healthful plant score are realistic and sustainable. Those shifts also track with widely recommended approaches to lifelong health.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(25)00061-3/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Lancet Healthy Longevity</em></a>.</p>



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Big health study shows how a plant-based diet protects against disease

A large new study followed 407,618 adults in six European...

<p>Teens are known for breaking rules. They often sneak out, lie, and take dangerous risks. Most parents respond the same way: warnings, punishments, threats of losing privileges. But here’s the big question - do those warnings actually work?</p>



<p>A new study looked at what really makes teens stop risky behavior. Turns out, it’s not the threats or punishments that matter most. What matters is how teens feel about their parents when they’re being warned - and whether those parents are living the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/peoples-moral-values-literally-change-with-the-weather/">values</a> they preach.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teens-notice-parents-actions">Teens notice parents' actions</h2>



<p>Teens don’t just hear what parents say. They watch what parents do. A warning about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/harder-lie-convincingly/">lying</a> or drinking means a lot more when it comes from someone who’s consistent, respectful, and acts with integrity. </p>



<p>If a parent says “honesty matters” but lies to others or bends the rules themselves, teens pick up on that.</p>



<p>That’s what a team of U.S. and Israeli researchers discovered when they asked teens how they reacted to their parents’ warnings. Teens were more likely to accept a warning - not just get defensive - if they saw their parents as living by the values they talk about.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-value-of-walking-the-walk">The value of walking the walk</h2>



<p>The study surveyed 105 teenagers in Israel, with an average age of 15, who had all admitted to doing something risky or rule-breaking in the past month. These included things like skipping school, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-moderate-drinking-severely-harms-health-despite-past-studies/">drinking</a>, or staying out past curfew. </p>



<p>The researchers wanted to know what happened next - how did their parents respond, and how did the teens feel about it?</p>



<p>The teens rated their parents on how much they lived according to their own values. Did their actions match their words? Did they seem satisfied and energized while doing things they said were important - like being kind, staying responsible, or helping others?</p>



<p>When teens saw their parents as truly practicing what they preached, the warnings felt less like control and more like protection. Even if the consequences were strict, like losing privileges, teens were less likely to rebel.</p>



<p>“Parents really have to ‘walk the walk’ and act on their values if they want their teens to behave responsibly,” said Judith Smetana, a <a href="https://www.rochester.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Rochester</a> psychologist with decades of work studying parent-teen relationships.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-being-a-good-example-isn-t-enough">Being a good example isn’t enough</h2>



<p>Even when parents were seen as role models, some teens still felt frustrated by the warnings. Why? Because those warnings often missed one key ingredient: empathy.</p>



<p>“We were surprised to learn that even children who perceived their parents as demonstrating their values in their everyday <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-moms-meddle-friend-disapproval-worsens-teen-behavior/">behavior</a> experienced their parents’ warnings as frustrating and insensitive to their basic psychological needs,” said Dr. Avi Assor, a professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/good-listening-is-not-persuasive-in-arguments-does-not-change-minds/">Listening</a> is what really worked. The team found that the only thing that actually led teens to stop risky behavior was when parents took the time to understand their child’s point of view. </p>



<p>Not just enforcing rules - but asking questions. Trying to see the situation through their child’s eyes. That kind of empathy made teens feel supported, not controlled.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-teens-really-need">What teens really need</h2>



<p>The study draws from a well-known theory in psychology called self-determination theory. It says people are motivated when three key needs are met: autonomy (feeling in control of your own choices), competence (feeling capable), and relatedness (feeling respected and connected to others).</p>



<p>When parents respect these needs - especially autonomy - teens feel understood and are more likely to cooperate. When parents ignore or block these needs, teens feel pushed, powerless, or disconnected. That’s when defiance kicks in.</p>



<p>This isn’t about letting kids run wild. It’s about how rules are communicated. A warning that says, “You messed up and here’s why I’m upset, but I want to understand you” lands very differently than one that says, “You broke the rules, so now you lose your phone.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-key-to-changing-teen-behavior">The key to changing teen behavior</h2>



<p>So what actually works when teens cross the line? <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-treat-their-children-differently-but-do-they-have-a-favorite/">Parents</a> need to live the values they’re trying to teach. Their actions should match their words, showing consistency and authenticity. </p>



<p>Warnings should come from a place of support, not control. And most importantly, instead of jumping straight to punishment, parents should try to understand their teen’s perspective and take the time to listen.</p>



<p>When teens feel heard and respected, they’re more likely to reflect - and possibly change. It’s not easy, but it’s far more effective than lectures or punishment alone. </p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10964-025-02196-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Youth and Adolescence</a></em>.</p>



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Why some teens rebel - and how to stop risky behavior

Teens are known for breaking rules. They often sneak out,...

Makemake,Dwarf,Planet,,Oil,Painting,Style,Image,Rendered.

<p>Makemake, one of the brightest icy bodies beyond Neptune, just joined an exclusive club. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, experts have detected gas above its surface.</p>



<p>This is the second confirmed case of a trans-Neptunian object with gaseous material after Pluto. The culprit is methane, the same molecule that dominates Makemake’s frozen surface.</p>



<p>Study lead author Sylvia Protopapa  is a principal scientist at the Southwest Research Institute (<a href="https://www.swri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SwRI</a>).</p>



<p>“Makemake is one of the largest and brightest icy worlds beyond Neptune, and its surface is dominated by frozen methane,” said Protopapa. "Methane is also present in the gas phase above the surface."</p>



<p>The findings show that Makemake is not an inactive remnant of the outer solar system, but a dynamic body where methane ice is still evolving.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methane-seen-in-new-light">Methane seen in new light</h2>



<p>At roughly 890 miles across - about two-thirds the size of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pluto-may-not-be-real-planet-but-has-real-big-ocean/">Pluto</a> - Makemake was long thought to lack a substantial global atmosphere. </p>



<p>Stellar occultations (brief events when the dwarf planet passes in front of a star) pointed to no more than a wisp of air.</p>



<p>Webb’s infrared spectra now add an important twist: the team sees methane in emission, excited by sunlight and re-emitted as a faint glow known as fluorescence.</p>



<p>That signal is key. Rather than seeing methane by the light it blocks - as in traditional transmission measurements - Webb picked up methane molecules that absorbed sunlight. </p>



<p>The molecules then re-radiated it at characteristic wavelengths. In the frigid outer solar system, that kind of fluorescent “whisper” is subtle - and squarely in Webb’s wheelhouse.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-thin-pluto-like-atmosphere">A thin, Pluto-like atmosphere</h2>



<p>What’s producing the methane glow? The data allow for two very different, but physically reasonable, scenarios.</p>



<p>One possibility is a wisp-thin, Pluto-like atmosphere in equilibrium with surface ices. As seasonal sunlight warms bright methane frost, a trickle of gas sublimates into the sky, drifting until cold patches on the surface refreeze it.</p>



<p>“This discovery raises the possibility that Makemake has a very tenuous atmosphere sustained by methane sublimation,” said Emmanuel Lellouch of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paris Observatory</a>.</p>



<p>Models point to gas temperatures around 40 Kelvin (–233 °C/–387 °F) and surface pressures of about 10 picobars - roughly 100 billion times lower than Earth’s sea-level pressure, and a million times more tenuous than Pluto’s.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explosive-plumes-from-below">Explosive plumes from below</h2>



<p>The other option is more dramatic: localized outgassing. “Another possibility is that the methane is being released in plume-like outbursts,” Protopapa noted.</p>



<p>In this picture, methane vents from hot spots or fractures at a rate of a few hundred kilograms per second - comparable to the water-rich plumes at Saturn’s moon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/if-alien-life-exists-on-enceladus-scientists-have-unambiguous-proof-they-will-find-it/">Enceladus</a> and far more vigorous than the faint vapor seen at Ceres.</p>



<p>Such activity would dovetail with earlier hints from thermal observations that some patches on Makemake’s surface are warmer or texturally unusual, potentially due to fresh deposits, rough terrain, or buried heat sources.</p>



<p>“While the temptation to link Makemake’s various spectral and thermal anomalies is strong, establishing the mechanism driving the volatile activity remains a necessary step toward interpreting these observations within a unified framework,” said Ian Wong from the <a href="https://www.stsci.edu/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Space Telescope Science Institute</a>.</p>



<p>“Future Webb observations at higher spectral resolution will help determine whether the methane arises from a thin bound atmosphere or from plume-like outgassing.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-methane-cycles-reshape-makemake">Methane cycles reshape Makemake</h2>



<p>Whichever source proves correct, methane gas on Makemake is very significant. </p>



<p>It suggests that surface-atmosphere exchanges - processes that cycle ices into vapor and back again - are still active today far beyond <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-object-is-moving-in-sync-with-neptune/">Neptune</a>. Pluto has been the standout example, but Makemake now looks poised to join it.</p>



<p>The research also tightens the link between chemistry and climate on distant dwarf planets. </p>



<p>Methane ice can brighten or darken surfaces depending on grain size and mixing. It can also alter thermal behavior. And when it vaporizes, it transports heat and material from one region to another.</p>



<p>Even a vanishingly thin atmosphere can smear frost from sunlit areas to shadowed ones, slowly repainting a world over seasonal timescales. </p>



<p>If plumes are involved, they could dust the surface with fresh, fine-grained frost, refresh colors, and even build subtle landforms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-complex-dwarf-planet-revealed">A complex dwarf planet revealed</h2>



<p>Makemake’s story has always hinted at complexity. Discovered in 2005 and notable for its high albedo and reddish tint (likely due to radiation-processed organics called tholins), it later surprised astronomers with the discovery of a small, dark moon.</p>



<p>Occultations suggested no thick blanket of air, yet infrared data - including Webb’s - have pointed to puzzling thermal anomalies and unusual characteristics of its methane ice. </p>



<p>The new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-methane-emissions-threaten-earths-habitability/">methane</a> fluorescence doesn’t settle every debate, but it provides a missing piece: gas is present, at least sometimes.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/makemake_dwarf-planet_gas-emissions-overlay_NASA_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/makemake_dwarf-planet_gas-emissions-overlay_NASA_1s.webp" alt="An SwRI-led team used Webb telescope observations (white) to detect methane gas on the distant dwarf planet Makemake. Sharp emission peaks near 3.3 microns reveal methane in the gas phase above Makemake’s surface. A continuum model (cyan) is overlaid for comparison; the gas emission peaks are identified where the observed spectrum rises above the continuum. An artistic rendering of Makemake’s surface is shown in the background. Credit: S. Protopapa, I. Wong/SwRI/STScI/NASA/ESA/CSA" class="wp-image-1985573"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>An SwRI-led team used Webb telescope observations (white) to detect methane gas on the distant dwarf planet Makemake. Sharp emission peaks near 3.3 microns reveal methane in the gas phase above Makemake’s surface. A continuum model (cyan) is overlaid for comparison; the gas emission peaks are identified where the observed spectrum rises above the continuum. An artistic rendering of Makemake’s surface is shown in the background. Click image to enlarge. Credit: S. Protopapa, I. Wong/SwRI/STScI/NASA/ESA/CSA</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-makemake-research">Next steps for Makemake research</h2>



<p>Webb detected the methane using its ultra-sensitive infrared spectrograph. It was able to tease out faint signatures of the gas against the dim, icy backdrop nearly 40–50 astronomical units from the Sun.</p>



<p>The team’s ability to detect fluorescence highlights both the telescope’s power and the lofting of methane molecules above the surface.</p>



<p>To pin down the source, higher-resolution spectra will be crucial. If Makemake hosts a bound atmosphere, Webb can look for telltale line shapes and ratios that betray gas temperature and pressure, and perhaps the presence (or absence) of other volatiles like nitrogen or carbon monoxide.</p>



<p>If plumes are the source, repeated observations might catch variability - brief brightenings as vents turn on, or regional differences tied to specific terrains. </p>



<p>“Future Webb observations at higher spectral resolution will help determine whether the methane arises from a thin bound atmosphere or from plume-like outgassing,” Wong said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-makemake-isn-t-frozen-after-all">Makemake isn’t frozen after all</h2>



<p>Either outcome will sharpen our picture of Makemake’s volatile cycle and, by extension, the behavior of other methane-rich worlds that orbit in the deep freeze beyond Neptune.</p>



<p>For a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/building-blocks-of-life-found-on-the-dwarf-planet-ceres/">dwarf planet</a> once pegged as a quiet, frozen leftover, Makemake is suddenly looking lively&nbsp; - and that’s good news. </p>



<p>It means the outer solar system is not just a museum of icy planets, but a place where sunlight, chemistry, and geology still conspire to keep tiny worlds active.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.06772" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Astrophysical Journal Letters</em></a>.</p>



<p>Image credit: NASA Visualization Technology Applications and Development</p>



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Activity and gases detected on dwarf planet Makemake, once thought to be a frozen wasteland

Makemake, one of the brightest icy bodies beyond Neptune, just...

<p>Every year, across the vast grasslands of East Africa, over a million wildebeest are believed to thunder across the Serengeti and Masai Mara in what’s long been called the world’s greatest wildlife migration. That number just changed. And it changed a lot.</p>



<p>A new study has revealed that the actual number of wildebeest in this legendary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grazing-succession-animal-herbivore-mass-migration-serengeti/">migration</a> may be less than half of what we thought. Instead of 1.3 million, the new count shows fewer than 600,000 animals. So where are the missing wildebeest?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-way-to-count-wildebeest">A new way to count wildebeest</h2>



<p>Until now, scientists have used airplanes to count the herds from above. They flew along set lines, photographed the animals below, and used math models to estimate how many were in the areas they didn’t see directly. It was the best method available, but not perfect. </p>



<p>Wildebeest are constantly on the move. If a group shifted from one spot to another, they could be counted twice - or missed altogether. That’s where satellites come in.</p>



<p>Researchers turned to high-resolution satellite imagery that can snap photos covering hundreds of thousands of square miles in one shot. These images don’t scare the animals and don’t require dangerous low-flying planes. </p>



<p>But there’s a catch: there are way too many images for humans to sift through and count animals by hand. So, the team turned to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-intelligence-protect-elephants/">artificial intelligence</a>. Two powerful deep-learning models were trained to recognize the tiny shapes of wildebeest from space. </p>



<p>The shapes appear as blobs just 6 - 12 pixels wide, which is barely visible even when zoomed in. The models, called U-Net and YOLOv8, were trained on over 70,000 examples of labeled wildebeest and reached high accuracy scores of up to 0.83, which is considered excellent for this kind of work.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-ai-found">What the AI found</h2>



<p>Once trained, the AI models got to work analyzing satellite photos taken in August 2022 and 2023 over the Masai Mara region of Kenya and Tanzania. The results came as a surprise. </p>



<p>In 2022, the models counted between 324,202 and 337,926 wildebeest. In 2023, they found between 502,917 and 533,137. That’s a huge gap compared to the long-standing estimate of 1.3 million wildebeest - a number that’s been around since the 1970s.</p>



<p>The models were created and run by a team that included researchers from Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit. They believe the new counts are more reliable because satellite images don’t require any guesswork about where the animals might be.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-did-the-wildebeest-go">Where did the wildebeest go?</h2>



<p>There’s no clear answer yet about what happened to the “missing” wildebeest. The study was led by Dr. Isla Duporge from the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.</p>



<p>“The sheer difference between traditional estimates and our new results raises questions about where the ‘missing’ wildebeest might be," said Dr. Duporge.</p>



<p>"Based on data from GPS tracking surveys, we are confident that most of the herd were contained within the surveyed area. And whilst some individuals may have been obscured by tree cover, it seems unlikely that such a large number - on the order of half a million - would have been concealed in this way,” </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-possible-changes-in-migration">Possible changes in migration</h2>



<p>It’s possible that wildebeest aren’t vanishing - they may just be moving differently than before. Changes in rainfall due to climate change could be shifting where the best grazing areas are. </p>



<p>Human activities like farming, roads, and fences are also blocking traditional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildebeest-suffer-genetically-from-blocked-migration-routes/">migration</a> paths. If the herds are splitting or rerouting, they may be harder to spot in one place.</p>



<p>Also, current satellite images can’t easily tell a wildebeest apart from other similar animals like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-the-zebra-got-its-stripes-to-dazzle-horseflies/">zebra</a> or eland. So the count might actually be slightly higher than it should be, not lower.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-accurate-data">Importance of accurate data</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grazing-succession-animal-herbivore-mass-migration-serengeti/">Great Migration</a> doesn’t just involve wildebeest. Lions, crocodiles, hyenas, and other predators rely on this moving buffet for survival. The migration also draws visitors from all over the world and brings in millions of dollars to local communities in Kenya and Tanzania through tourism.</p>



<p>If the herds really are shrinking, it could ripple through the entire ecosystem. That’s why having accurate data is so important.</p>



<p>“The field of wildlife conservation relies on having accurate data on wildlife population numbers," said Dr. Duporge.</p>



<p>"Combining earth observation satellite data with deep learning, this study has revolutionized our understanding of migratory wildebeest numbers, and could open the floodgates for surveying other species using this method.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else-can-ai-spot-from-space">What else can AI spot from space?</h2>



<p>This isn’t the first time AI and satellites have teamed up for conservation. The same research team had earlier trained a model to spot elephants from space. But this new wildebeest study is the first to count individual animals in a large, spread-out population.</p>



<p>According to the team, the same technology could soon be used to track other herd animals like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-reindeer-populations-are-declining-faster-than-ever-before/">reindeer</a>, camels, and zebra. They’re even working on a new method to detect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-than-half-of-africas-rhinos-have-private-owners/">African rhinos</a> - one of the most endangered animals on the planet.</p>



<p>Professor David Macdonald, a co-author of the study, noted that the most basic fact to know as a foundation for conserving any species is how many of them there are. </p>



<p>"The technological breakthrough of our study - satellite-based wildlife monitoring, powered by AI - potentially revolutionises the answer for wildebeest, besides opening up incredible possibilities for monitoring other large species," said Professor MacDonald.</p>



<p>This new way of counting animals could change how we protect wildlife. But for now, it leaves us with a big, unsettling question: what happened to hundreds of thousands of wildebeest that we thought were there? We may need to rethink what we know about one of the planet’s most iconic migrations.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/9/pgaf264/8249339" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS Nexus</a></em>.</p>



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Missing wildebeest? AI survey sparks a migration mystery

Every year, across the vast grasslands of East Africa, over...

<p>There is gold in the ocean. The catch is that it is present at levels so tiny that ordinary tools cannot grab it. People have dreamed of scooping treasure from seawater for more than a century. The chemistry and the math tell a cooler story.</p>



<p><a href="https://ceoas.oregonstate.edu/directory/kelly-falkner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kelly Falkner</a> helped set the baseline for what is actually in the water. Her team’s measurements and the work they inspired gave scientists numbers they could trust.</p>



<p>Gold enters seawater from rivers, aeolian dust, and hydrothermal vents along the seafloor. It also binds to particles and forms dissolved complexes with chloride, which keeps most of it spread thin.</p>



<p>A famous <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0012821X9090060B" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> reported that typical dissolved concentrations in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific of about 50 to 150 femtomoles per liter. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-gold-levels-in-seawater">Measuring gold levels in seawater</h2>



<p>When levels sit at parts per trillion (ppt), clean techniques matter. Researchers collect water with trace metal clean bottles and process samples in filtered air to avoid stray dust.</p>



<p>Before today’s mass spectrometers, an older but useful <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/publications/gold-natural-water-a-method-determination-solvent-extraction-and-electrothermal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">article</a> described a solvent extraction and atomic absorption approach that pushed detection into the nanogram range.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Gold’s behavior also makes fieldwork slow. It sticks to particles and container walls, so scientists condition bottles and run blanks to track contamination.</p>



<p>At typical open ocean levels, each liter of seawater holds only a few trillionths of a gram of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-100-tons-of-gold-discovered-in-a-once-hidden-mine-doropo-ivory-coast/">gold</a>. One widely cited <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/gold.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimate</a> for the Atlantic and North Pacific is about 1 gram of gold per 100 million metric tons of seawater.</p>



<p>That might sound like a lot when you think about the size of the ocean. It is not when you try to pull it out of the water one bucket at a time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold-on-the-seafloor-in-some-areas">Gold on the seafloor in some areas</h2>



<p>There is undissolved <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-how-gold-reaches-earths-surface-from-the-mantle/">gold</a> on the seafloor as part of sulfide minerals and crusts, but most deposits sit a mile or two down. When you get there, the metal is locked in rock that needs drilling, cutting, and hauling.</p>



<p>Explorers sometimes send a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to map and sample those sites. A ROV can work where humans cannot, but its video feed does not show golden nuggets scattered across mud.</p>



<p>Hydrothermal vents can enrich nearby minerals with gold. Even then, the surrounding water column remains lean.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mining-seawater-for-gold-doesn-t-work">Mining seawater for gold doesn't work</h2>



<p>The economics of seawater extraction hinge on concentration, energy, and selectivity. A broad <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2017/ew/c6ew00268d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> of seawater mineral recovery methods concluded that today’s approaches struggle to be viable for trace constituents like gold.</p>



<p>Engineering clever sorbents is an active area, yet scaling them to handle vast flows at penny per ton costs is the sticking point. </p>



<p>That is why proposals to pair desalination plants with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supergiant-gold-deposit-discovery-wangu-field-might-be-largest-ever-found-on-earth/">gold</a> harvesters have not moved beyond lab or pilot studies.</p>



<p>Even at the seafloor, the story is similar. The deposits with higher grades sit deep, patchy, and tied to fragile vent ecosystems that require careful study before any talk of mining.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-questions-need-answers">More questions need answers</h2>



<p>Researchers track how much gold the ocean holds and how quickly it cycles through rivers, vents, and sediments. </p>



<p>A recent <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1147843/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> estimates a global dissolved inventory near 1.4 times 10 to the 7 kilograms and a residence time around 220 years.</p>



<p>That work also suggests that only a tiny fraction of the gold delivered by vents gets trapped near the source. Most of it spreads into the deep ocean interior and eventually settles with fine particles.</p>



<p>The next steps are practical and patient. Better time series, improved particle chemistry, and smarter sensors will tighten budgets and reveal how hot spots wax and wane.</p>



<p>Stories that promise ocean gold riches overlook dilution and logistics. The numbers above, based on field measurements, show why treasure hunters have struck out.</p>



<p>The science side is not a letdown. It is a win for careful sampling, tough instruments, and honest accounting of uncertainty.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0012821X9090060B" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Earth and Planetary Science Letters</em></a>.</p>



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Water in Earth's oceans contains gold that is often visible with the naked eye

There is gold in the ocean. The catch is that...

<p>Think about sipping a sugar-free drink that still tastes sweet. Many of us have puzzled over this illusion. Now scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden reveal how our brains transform smell into taste.</p>



<p>The research, published in <em>Nature Communications</em>, shows that the brain encodes certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-dna-may-explain-why-you-love-or-hate-certain-smells/">aromas</a> as if they were flavors themselves.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-flavor-and-smell-form">How flavor and smell form</h2>



<p>Flavor is more than taste. It comes from a combination of gustatory signals and retronasal odors, those aromas drifting from the mouth to the nose. </p>



<p>The insula, known as the taste cortex, was found to integrate these signals earlier than expected. This means the brain does not wait for higher regions to combine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-your-brain-decides-what-smells-good-or-bad/">taste</a> and smell but merges them immediately into one experience.</p>



<p>Study lead author Putu Agus Khorisantono is a researcher in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at <a href="https://ki.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karolinska Institutet</a>. </p>



<p>“We saw that the taste cortex reacts to taste-associated aromas as if they were real tastes,” explained Khorisantono. "The finding provides a possible explanation for why we sometimes experience taste from smell alone, for example in flavored waters." </p>



<p>"This underscores how strongly odors and tastes work together to make food pleasurable, potentially inducing craving and encouraging overeating of certain foods.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-brain-links-flavor-and-smell">How the brain links flavor and smell</h2>



<p>The researchers tested 25 adults. First, participants learned to identify sweet and savory flavors through combinations of taste and smell. </p>



<p>Later, inside a scanner, they received either tasteless odors or odorless tastes. Algorithms trained on brain responses to actual tastes were then tested on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radio-waves-can-boost-our-sense-of-smell-without-contact/">odors</a> alone. The surprising outcome was that odours mimicked the brain’s taste responses.</p>



<p>The study revealed that sweet or savory odors activated the same neural patterns as the corresponding tastes.</p>



<p>This overlap was strongest in the ventral anterior insula, a region connected to olfactory areas. Importantly, the researchers ruled out simple pleasure ratings as the cause. Instead, the brain genuinely encoded odors in a way that matched taste perception.</p>



<p>“This shows that the brain does not process taste and smell separately, but rather creates a joint representation of the flavor experience in the taste cortex,” said senior researcher Janina Seubert. </p>



<p>“This mechanism may be relevant for how our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-sense-of-smell-and-different-odors-can-influence-how-we-see-colors/">taste</a> preferences and eating habits are formed and influenced.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-flavor-and-smell-matter">Why flavor and smell matter</h2>



<p>The findings highlight the insula as a hub for flavor integration. They also reveal that taste representations can drift over time. Neural patterns of taste identity were less stable across days, echoing results seen in rodent studies. </p>



<p>This suggests that our flavor experiences are dynamic, adapting with exposure, context, and internal states such as hunger, mood, or attention. </p>



<p>A flavor that feels vivid and distinct one day may blur or even shift the next, depending on what the brain has recently learned or anticipated.</p>



<p>This fluid quality points to a system designed not for rigid coding but for flexibility, helping us adjust to changing diets, environments, and cultural influences on taste.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flavor-identity-and-reward-value">Flavor identity and reward value</h2>



<p>The study also observed cross-modal decoding in other regions, such as the orbitofrontal cortex, which is known to encode the value of food. </p>



<p>The researchers propose that the insula forms a shared flavor identity, while the orbitofrontal cortex evaluates its reward value. This dual process could explain why certain odors make foods irresistible and shape long-term eating habits.</p>



<p>The team now wants to test external smells, or orthonasal odors. These are the scents we encounter before eating, like walking past bread or pastries.</p>



<p>“We want to find out whether the activation pattern in the brain’s taste cortex changes from salty to sweet when we walk from the cheese aisle to the pastries in the supermarket,” said Khorisantono. “If so, this could have a significant impact on the foods we choose to consume.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-flavor-and-smell-affect-health">How flavor and smell affect health</h2>



<p>This research reframes flavor as a deeply integrated brain process. Smell and taste are not separate streams but overlapping codes that can trick the brain into tasting without tasting.</p>



<p>Beyond solving everyday mysteries like sweet-tasting flavored water, the work raises questions about cravings, overeating, and how our diets are shaped by environments filled with powerful aromas. </p>



<p>The research also suggests that everyday exposure to food-related smells in supermarkets, restaurants, offices, and even advertising spaces may influence us more than we realize.</p>



<p>These aromas may prime the brain to expect certain tastes, creating a loop where scent alone can nudge us toward food choices we might not otherwise make. </p>



<p>Over time, this subtle influence could shape eating habits, nutritional patterns, and even health outcomes, revealing how deeply our sensory world directs behavior long before conscious decisions take place.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63803-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.</em></p>



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How smell tricks the brain into tasting flavors

Think about sipping a sugar-free drink that still tastes sweet....

<p>Minerals might look like small players in our meals, yet they can leave lasting marks in our DNA. A large global analysis now shows that shortages and surpluses of these micronutrients shaped human biology in ways that still influence health today.</p>



<p>A new study examined 276 genes tied to 13 minerals across 40 populations and found clear signs that natural selection responded to local diets and soils. The signals span <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/5700-year-old-piece-of-gum-reveals-the-complete-dna-of-a-prehistoric-woman/">minerals</a> such as iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-minerals-shaped-human-dna">How minerals shaped human DNA</h2>



<p>The research was led by Jasmin Rees during his PhD studies at University College London (<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL</a>). The team searched human genomes for footprints of positive selection, a process where helpful genetic changes spread because they improve survival or reproduction.</p>



<p>They looked for two types of evidence and found both local and wider patterns. Some gene changes were shared across many regions, while others were tightly linked to one place and a specific nutrient challenge.</p>



<p>“Different human populations lived in different environments, so they had to adapt to different kinds of environmental pressures, such as disease and diet, that over time can drive trait differences. This is the first study that looks at micronutrient-driven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preserving-earths-genetic-future-before-its-too-late/">adaptation</a> on a global scale and across this many micronutrients,” said Rees.</p>



<p>Micronutrient availability depends on <a href="https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/e5c7124b-cdc4-4bc1-b910-b14f5e6965e4/content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil</a>, which can vary a lot even over short distances. Plants take up minerals from the ground, animals eat the plants, and we eat both, so geology quietly shapes what ends up on our plates.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/WHO-WFP-UNICEF-statement-micronutrients-deficiencies-emergency" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Deficiencies</a> remain common, affecting roughly 2 billion people worldwide. Before modern supplements and fortification, those gaps were even larger and more prolonged.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-adaptations-to-minerals">Genetic adaptations to minerals</h2>



<p>The analysis highlighted iodine related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-dna-holds-the-hidden-history-of-human-language/">genes</a> in some Central American Maya communities that live on iodine poor soils. Iodine shortage can lead to <a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">goiter</a>, an enlarged thyroid that signals low thyroid hormone production.</p>



<p>In parts of South Asia, soils carry very high magnesium. The researchers detected signs near genes linked to magnesium handling and proposed that these shifts could have reduced the risk of magnesium overload in those settings.</p>



<p>Zinc stood out for how widespread the signals were across non-African groups. Several zinc transporter genes showed signs of selection, which fits with the importance of zinc in immune function, growth, and metabolism.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-on-health-today">Impact on health today</h2>



<p>These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unlocking-the-hidden-half-of-plants-with-dna/">patterns</a> help explain why the same diet can affect people differently. If a community has many variants that conserve a scarce mineral, moving to a region or diet with plenty could change risk in ways doctors should anticipate.</p>



<p>Climate pressures add another layer. Rising carbon dioxide has been <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13179" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shown</a> to reduce zinc and iron in key crops, which could tighten already narrow nutritional margins for many families.</p>



<p>Public health steps like iodized salt, biofortified staples, and targeted screening remain crucial. Genetic context does not replace nutrition programs, it can help fine tune them.</p>



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



<p>Some nutrient-related genes show concentrated selection at a few points in the genome, a pattern called <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10550320/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oligogenic adaptation</a>. Others show weaker, dispersed signals across many genes, a pattern often called <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41576-020-0250-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polygenic adaptation</a>.</p>



<p>The study also estimated when some of these shifts likely happened. Many appear to cluster around migrations into new environments, which tracks with changes in soils and foods rather than any single recent cultural shift.</p>



<p>“Micronutrient deficiencies have likely shaped worldwide human evolution more directly than previously appreciated. This paper is a first step in understanding which populations might be most at risk,” said Rees.</p>



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



<p>Genome scans show where selection likely acted, but they do not prove the exact biological effect of each DNA change. Lab studies are needed to measure how a variant alters transport, storage, or enzyme activity.</p>



<p>Diet data and environmental maps can sharpen the picture. One recent <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(24)00276-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> synthesized national intake surveys to estimate inadequate micronutrient intake across countries, pointing to where diet gaps are largest.</p>



<p>Better soil maps would also help, since farmers can fix plant deficiencies that matter for yield, but not always those that matter mainly for human health. That difference matters for elements like iodine and selenium, which are vital for us but not always for the crop.</p>



<p>Population level findings do not define any person. Your health depends on diet, environment, and many genes working together.</p>



<p>These discoveries are tools to make prevention smarter. They can help target fortification, guide supplementation policies, and focus screening where biology and environment intersect.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/ajhg/fulltext/S0002-9297(25)00315-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The American Journal of Human Genetics</em></a>.</p>



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Minerals shaped human DNA in surprising ways

Minerals might look like small players in our meals, yet...

<p>Peacock feathers are famous for vivid iridescent colors, yet a new study shows they can also emit laser light after being soaked with a common dye and excited by a green pulse. </p>



<p>Two narrow emission lines appear at 574 and 583 nanometers, a clear sign of true lasing rather than ordinary glow.</p>



<p>The team wetted and dried the feathers several times with rhodamine 6G, then pumped them with 532 nanometer light to trigger the effect. </p>



<p>The green parts of the eyespot produced the strongest signal, while the same two laser lines also showed up in yellow and brown zones.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lasers-from-peacock-feathers">Lasers from peacock feathers?</h2>



<p>“I always like to think that for many technological achievements that benefit humans, some organism somewhere has already developed it through some evolutionary process,” said <a href="https://floridapoly.edu/directory/faculty/nathan-dawson.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nathan J. Dawson</a> of Florida Polytechnic University (<a href="https://floridapoly.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FPU</a>).</p>



<p>These results point to new ways to probe small, regular structures hidden inside complex biological materials. They also hint at future light sources that work safely with living tissue for sensing and imaging.</p>



<p>A biolaser is a laser that uses biological material as part of the device. It still needs a gain material, a feedback structure, and enough pump energy to cross the <a href="https://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevA.50.1675" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lasing threshold</a>.</p>



<p>Here the gain came from the dye, and the feedback appears to arise from tiny structures inside the feather. </p>



<p>The authors ruled out the usual mirror based cavities and found that something within the feather acts as a resonator.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-peacock-colors-are-special">Why peacock colors are special</h2>



<p>The eyespot colors do not come from paint like pigments alone. In peacocks, a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC240659/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photonic</a> crystal of melanin rods embedded in keratin inside each barbule sets the hue by reflecting specific wavelengths.</p>



<p>Those nanostructures are common across birds, and their evolution is well <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/71179" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">documented</a>. Across species, thinning melanin layers expands the palette of iridescent colors.</p>



<p>That structural heritage explains the feather’s strong color, but the new laser action needed an added dye and repeated wetting and drying. </p>



<p>The cycling likely helps the dye and solvent diffuse into the barbules and slightly loosen protein fibrils.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-build-a-feather-laser">How to build a feather laser</h2>



<p>Researchers trimmed decorative peacock <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chicken-embryos-reveal-secrets-of-early-feather-development/">feathers</a> and mounted the eyespot region on an absorptive base. </p>



<p>They soaked the surface with rhodamine 6G in a water and ethanol mix, dried it, and repeated this step several times.</p>



<p>During the final cycle, they pumped the still wet sample with 532 nanometer pulses and captured the emitted spectrum. The procedure produced sharp lines only after multiple wet and dry cycles, not after a single stain.</p>



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



<p>Two tight peaks emerged in the yellow orange region, centered at 574 and 583 nanometers. The team saw the same wavelengths from different colored areas of the eyespot.</p>



<p>“The dye infused barbules were prepared by repeatedly wetting the eyespot with dye solution and allowing it to dry," Dawson explained. </p>



<p>"While wet, and after wet and dry cycling, across multiple parts of the same feather as well as across different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vulture-fossil-reveals-that-volcanic-rock-can-preserve-feathers/">feather</a> samples, a highly conserved set of laser wavelengths was observed."</p>



<p>The thresholds measured for the 583 nanometer line were about 380 microjoules per square millimeter in the brown region and about 290 microjoules per square millimeter in the yellow region.</p>



<p>The green region delivered the strongest emission relative to the broad fluorescence background. That behavior tracks the dye’s absorption and emission bands and the local structure of the feather.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-this-differs-from-random-lasers">How this differs from random lasers</h2>



<p>In many biological samples, lasing can occur without a well defined cavity. A random laser uses many scattering paths in a disordered medium for feedback, and its spectrum is very sensitive to small changes. </p>



<p>Random lasing in dyed human tissues has been demonstrated with diagnostic implications.</p>



<p>“The system is found to emit laser light that cannot be random laser emission,” wrote Dawson. </p>



<p>The peacock feather behaves differently. The same two wavelengths repeat across different feather regions and across samples, which is not typical of random systems.</p>



<p>Prior <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7843591/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> has shown lasers from bird feathers in other ways. Parrot feathers produced random lasing when feathers and dye were sandwiched between plastic films. </p>



<p>The new peacock result maps consistent laser modes inside the natural structure after dye infusion and cycling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peacock-feather-laser-cavity">Peacock feather laser cavity</h2>



<p>The authors did not find evidence that the color setting photonic lattice itself provides the feedback. Whispering gallery modes need round structures of a specific size, which do not appear in the barbules.</p>



<p>They point instead to small, repeated features that form many low quality resonators with similar optical lengths. </p>



<p>Those hidden building blocks could be protein granules, dye nano crystals, or other mesoscale elements created or revealed by the stain cycles.</p>



<p>Using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/penny-sized-ultrafast-laser-could-help-self-driving-cars-see-better-measure-gravitational-waves/">laser emission</a> as a probe can reveal subtle order in complex tissue. Stable spectral lines that repeat across a sample suggest recurring microstructures that are hard to spot by imaging alone.</p>



<p>That kind of optical fingerprinting could help characterize biocompatible materials, and one day inform sensors or imaging tools that work with minimal power in living systems. </p>



<p>Further work will need to identify the exact structures and understand how processing steps tune them.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-04039-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Scientific Reports</em></a>.</p>



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Scientists get peacock feathers to emit laser beams - but why would they want to?

Peacock feathers are famous for vivid iridescent colors, yet a...

<p>There’s a heat-driven health crisis creeping in - not with coughing or fevers in a doctor’s office, but with buzzing mosquitoes.</p>



<p>Dengue fever, a disease that used to stick mostly to tropical zones, is breaking borders and heading toward cities and countries that never had to worry about it before. The reason? It’s getting warmer.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquito-borne-diseases-are-a-growing-threat-in-a-warming-world/">Dengue</a> is far more than a nuisance. The illness often starts with high fever, headaches, and body aches. In some cases, it spirals into internal bleeding, organ failure, and death.</p>



<p>Once mostly seen in places like Brazil and the Philippines, it’s now on track to affect millions more across both Asia and the Americas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-temperature-and-dengue-transmission">Temperature and dengue transmission </h2>



<p>Until now, scientists had a pretty good hunch that heat played a role in dengue’s spread. What this new study makes clear is just how big that role is - and how dangerous the trend could become.</p>



<p>The analysis looked at 1.4 million records of dengue across 21 countries, mainly in Central and South America, plus Southeast and South Asia. The research shows that even small increases in average temperature are already making dengue infections worse and more widespread.</p>



<p>“The effects of temperature were much larger than I expected,” said Marissa Childs, the lead author from the <a href="https://www.summer.uw.edu/">University of Washington</a>. “Even small shifts in temperature can have a big impact for dengue transmission, and we’re already seeing the fingerprint of climate warming.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-mosquito-s-sweet-spot">The mosquito’s sweet spot</h2>



<p>Dengue doesn’t spread well in just any heat. It thrives in a narrow band of temperatures. The peak danger zone? Around 82°F. That’s the sweet spot where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-use-thermal-infrared-vision-to-track-and-bite-humans/">mosquitoes</a> are most active and the dengue virus replicates fast.</p>



<p>This means that as previously cooler cities and regions warm up, they’re becoming perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry dengue. This includes major population centers in Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. Many are just now reaching that danger zone, and that’s where the biggest spikes are expected.</p>



<p>The study found that hotter areas already above this optimal temperature might actually see slight dips in dengue spread. But those declines don’t come close to canceling out the massive increases elsewhere. The total global impact is still a steep rise in infections.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millions-of-infections-linked-to-heat">Millions of infections linked to heat</h2>



<p>Between 1995 and 2014, warmer temperatures were responsible for 18% of dengue infections across the 21 countries studied. That’s not a future estimate - it’s already happened. </p>



<p>Based on current rates, over 4.6 million extra dengue cases have been caused by climate-driven warming every year.</p>



<p>Looking ahead, things could get worse, and fast. Depending on how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-reach-another-all-time-high/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> rise, cases could jump another 49% to 76% by 2050. That means more than double the current number of dengue infections in places that are already home to over 260 million people.</p>



<p>“Many studies have linked temperature and dengue transmission,” said Erin Mordecai, senior author of the study. “What’s unique about this work is that we are able to separate warming from all the other factors that influence dengue - mobility, land use change, population dynamics - to estimate its effect on the real-world dengue burden." </p>



<p>"This is not just hypothetical future change but a large amount of human suffering that has already happened because of warming-driven dengue transmission.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-places-new-risks">New places, new risks</h2>



<p>The numbers in the study might actually be lower than the real totals. The research didn’t include places where data is unreliable or hard to get - such as large parts of India and Africa. </p>



<p>The analysis also doesn’t fully cover areas where dengue is still emerging, like parts of the United States and Europe.</p>



<p>But signs are showing up. Dengue cases have already been reported in California, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, and even southern parts of Europe. As people move, cities grow, and the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-variables-can-predict-future-mosquito-activity/">virus</a> evolves, the risks are rising.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-slow-the-spread">How to slow the spread</h2>



<p>The study points to two ways forward: prevention and preparation. On the prevention side, aggressive action to cut carbon emissions would slow down global warming and reduce heat-driven spread of dengue. </p>



<p>This strategy would require more investment in clean energy and fewer emissions from fossil fuels.</p>



<p>But even with strong prevention efforts, adaptation is critical. Health systems need to be ready. Mosquito control programs have to expand. And access to new vaccines will matter more than ever.</p>



<p>“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cities-are-largely-unprepared-for-the-effects-of-climate-change/">Climate change</a> is not just affecting the weather - it has cascading consequences for human health, including fueling disease transmission by mosquitoes,” Mordecai said.</p>



<p>"Even as the U.S. federal government moves away from investing in climate mitigation and climate and health research, this work is more crucial than ever for anticipating and mitigating the human suffering caused by fossil fuel emissions.”</p>



<p>What this study shows isn’t just that dengue is spreading. It proves that climate change is already making people sick in ways that were once hard to measure. The suffering isn’t tomorrow’s problem - it’s today’s reality. And unless big changes happen fast, that reality is only going to get worse.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em>Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</em>.</p>



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Rising heat is supercharging dengue and spreading it into new regions

There’s a heat-driven health crisis creeping in - not with...

<p>A restless night can leave you groggy the next day. But when sleeplessness becomes chronic, the toll extends beyond fatigue. A new study suggests that insomnia may influence how quickly the brain ages, reshaping memory and thinking over time.</p>



<p>The researchers found that chronic insomnia increases the risk of cognitive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-identify-a-turning-point-when-your-body-starts-aging-faster-proteins-key/">decline</a>. People who struggled with sleep at least three nights a week for three months or more had a 40% higher chance of developing mild cognitive impairment or dementia. </p>



<p>This translates to the effect of adding 3.5 years of brain aging. The researchers emphasize that the study reveals an association, not direct causation.</p>



<p>“Insomnia doesn’t just affect how you feel the next day - it may also impact your brain health over time,” said Dr. Diego Z. Carvalho of the Mayo Clinic, who is a member of the <a href="https://www.aan.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Academy of Neurology</a>.</p>



<p>“We saw faster decline in thinking skills and changes in the brain that suggest chronic insomnia could be an early warning sign or even a contributor to future cognitive problems.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insomnia-and-brain-aging">Insomnia and brain aging</h2>



<p>The research team followed 2,750 older adults, with an average age of 70, for more than five years. Of these participants, about 16% struggled with chronic insomnia. At the beginning, everyone answered questions about whether their sleep had changed in the past two weeks.</p>



<p>The participants also took yearly tests designed to measure memory, attention, and other thinking skills.</p>



<p>A smaller group had detailed brain scans to look for warning signs, including white matter damage from small vessel disease and amyloid plaques, the sticky protein often linked to Alzheimer’s.</p>



<p>As the years passed, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/defying-time-three-ways-to-slow-biological-aging/">patterns</a> began to emerge. People with chronic insomnia were more likely to see their thinking and memory decline. Fourteen percent of them developed mild cognitive impairment or dementia, compared with just 10% of those who slept normally. </p>



<p>That difference may sound small, but when applied to thousands of people, it becomes significant. Even after researchers adjusted for other health factors like age, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and use of sleep medications, the insomnia group still carried a 40% higher risk.</p>



<p>This finding suggests that the effects of poor sleep cannot be fully explained by other medical conditions. Instead, insomnia itself may be playing a more direct role in how the brain ages.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-losing-sleep-impacts-the-brain">Losing sleep impacts the brain</h2>



<p>The researchers compared two groups: people sleeping less than usual and those sleeping more. The contrast was clear. Those getting less sleep scored lower on memory and thinking tests, as if their brains had aged four extra years.</p>



<p>Brain scans confirmed the findings. People with less sleep had more brain damage and more amyloid plaques, the proteins tied to Alzheimer’s. </p>



<p>The buildup looked like what is seen in people with a dementia risk gene. This suggests that losing sleep often can make the brain age faster and become weaker.</p>



<p>For those sleeping more, the outlook was brighter. Their brain scans showed less damage, hinting that extra rest might help recovery, even if scientists don’t yet know how.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-link-between-insomnia-and-aging">The link between insomnia and aging</h2>



<p>Certain groups proved especially vulnerable. Participants with the APOE ε4 gene experienced sharper declines in memory and thinking. This finding highlights how insomnia may interact with genetic risks to accelerate cognitive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-purpose-the-secret-ingredient-for-healthy-aging/">problems</a>.</p>



<p>“Our results suggest that insomnia may affect the brain in different ways, involving not only amyloid plaques, but also small vessels supplying blood to the brain,” said Dr. Carvalho.</p>



<p>“This reinforces the importance of treating chronic insomnia - not just to improve sleep quality but potentially to protect brain health as we age. Our results also add to a growing body of evidence that sleep isn’t just about rest - it’s also about brain resilience.”</p>



<p>The study used medical records to find people with insomnia. This means some cases might have been missed, or the seriousness of symptoms not fully recorded. </p>



<p>Even so, the results show how harmful poor sleep can be over time. They highlight the need to check sleep problems more carefully, treat them sooner, and teach people why sleep is important for healthy aging.</p>



<p>The research was funded in part by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Institutes of Health</a>.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000214155" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Neurology</em></a>.</p>



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Chronic insomnia linked to faster brain aging and dementia risk

A restless night can leave you groggy the next day....

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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<p>—–</p>

Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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<p>—–</p>

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What caused the planet's longest ice age

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p></p>

Social modeling affects our food choices

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<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>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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