<p>Rising temperatures are reshaping life in ways that go far beyond melting ice or shifting habitats. They are reaching into the most intimate biological process of all - how genes are shuffled and passed to the next generation.</p>



<p>New research shows that heat and cold can alter the genetic machinery that produces sperm and eggs in reptiles, even tilting the odds of embryos developing as one sex or the other. These subtle shifts strike at the foundation of fertility and evolutionary change.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-temperature-tests-reptile-fertility">Temperature tests reptile fertility</h2>



<p>A team from the <a href="https://www.uab.cat/en/ibb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona</a> (UAB) tested the effect in a small Madagascan lizard, the Guibé’s ground gecko. The experts tracked recombination - the exchange of DNA between paired chromosomes that fuels genetic diversity.</p>



<p>To measure this, the researchers analyzed 1,169 sperm cells from 12 male geckos kept at six different temperatures for a week. The results revealed a U-shaped response: recombination events rose at both cooler (68°F) and warmer (86°F) conditions compared to a mid-range 82°F.</p>



<p>"Our findings show the presence of hyper-CO spermatocytes in individuals exposed to both high and low temperatures," said Laura González Rodelas, lead author of the study. </p>



<p>The study also noted shorter chromosome axes and more lingering double-strand breaks at the extremes.</p>



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



<p>Crossover events are needed for chromosomes to separate cleanly during meiosis. Too few, or too many in the wrong places, can reduce fertility or alter which gene combinations survive.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/three-new-gecko-species-discovered-after-eight-years-of-searching/">gecko</a> study found that long chromosomes soaked up most of the extra crossovers at hot and cold settings. </p>



<p>It also detected weaker crossover interference, the spacing rule that normally keeps events apart along the synaptonemal complex.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-flips-reptile-chromosomes">Heat flips reptile chromosomes</h2>



<p>Some reptiles go a step further, pairing sex chromosomes with heat and cold cues, which can cause temperature-induced sex reversal under hot incubation.</p>



<p>"This is the first report of reptile sex reversal in the wild," said geneticist Clare Holleley. Her fieldwork on the Australian central bearded dragon reported male to female sex reversal in the wild at high egg temperatures.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Understanding that switch needs high quality genomes that resolve both Z and W sex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/y-chromosome-is-disappearing-may-already-be-causing-problems-for-men/">chromosomes</a>. One study delivered a near telomere to telomere assembly from a female ZW bearded dragon.</p>



<p>Researchers created a complete, high-quality map of the bearded dragon’s genome, covering both of its sex chromosomes. </p>



<p>The team found that the genome contains about 1.75 billion DNA bases, and they were able to piece together the Z and W chromosomes in full, giving scientists a clearer view of how sex is determined in this species.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-reptile-sex-genes">Mapping reptile sex genes</h2>



<p>Having a full <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genome-mapping-completed-for-dozens-of-common-animals/">genome map</a> lets researchers track genes linked to reproduction, growth, and disease. It also provides a baseline for comparing different reptiles and understanding how sex chromosomes evolve over time. </p>



<p>These insights can help identify which genes respond to environmental stress and which ones remain stable. For conservation, this kind of data can guide breeding programs and population management. </p>



<p>By knowing the genetic makeup of males and females, scientists can predict how changes in temperature might affect sex ratios in the wild, an issue that becomes more urgent as global warming accelerates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geckos-echo-plant-findings">Geckos echo plant findings</h2>



<p>A plant genetics study showed the same U-shaped recombination response in <em>Arabidopsis</em>, from a low point near 64°F to higher rates at cooler and warmer settings. </p>



<p>The pattern suggests organisms often keep recombination low in comfortable conditions, then shift upward under stress.</p>



<p>Mechanisms are still being worked out. A yeast paper connects temperature, DNA supercoiling, and weaker interference, offering one plausible route for how heat can ripple through meiotic structure.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetics-under-climate-strain">Genetics under climate strain</h2>



<p>These changes land where evolution does its work. When environments move quickly, extra recombination can speed the shuffle of gene combinations that selection can test.</p>



<p>There is a tradeoff. If crossover placement and interference are distorted for long periods, fertility and chromosome stability could suffer in some lineages.</p>



<p>For reptiles that already face <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/top-marine-predators-may-suffer-massive-habitat-loss-by-2100/">habitat loss</a> and pollution, this genetic sensitivity adds a quiet risk.  Protecting reptile nesting sites from extreme heat, shading exposed sand, and buffering water temperatures can safeguard early development.</p>



<p>Captive breeding programs can monitor incubation ranges that avoid persistent sex bias. They can also track genetic health when recombination patterns drift from physiological norms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-maps-and-temperature">Genes, maps, and temperature</h2>



<p>The gecko result is not a vague <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-behavior-productivity-being-directly-impacted-by-climate-change/">climate</a> story. It rests on direct cell counts, such as the increase in crossover markers at 68°F and 86°F relative to 82°F.</p>



<p>The bearded dragon work is not only about embryos. It gives a map of the Z and W regions, including candidate sex genes, which anchors future tests of how temperature interacts with sequence.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1011772" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>PLOS Genetics</em></a>.</p>



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Extreme heat is scrambling reptile reproduction

Rising temperatures are reshaping life in ways that go far beyond melting ice or shifting habitats. They are reaching into the most intimate biological process of all - how genes are shuffled and passed to the next generation. New research shows that heat and cold can alter the genetic machinery that produces sperm and eggs in reptiles, even tilting the odds of embryos developing as one sex or the other. These subtle shifts strike at the foundation of fertility and evolutionary change. Temperature tests reptile fertility A...

<p>A new study pushes the date of a Scottish meteorite impact from the often cited 1.2 billion years to about 990 million years. That single change reshapes a key chapter in Earth history and reframes when complex life began to spread beyond the oceans.</p>



<p>The evidence sits inside a rugged slice of rock in northwest Scotland called the Stac Fada Member. Hidden within it are tiny timekeepers that can lock in the story of an impact with remarkable precision.</p>



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



<p>This project was led by <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TWMunPkAAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chris Kirkland</a> of <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curtin University</a>, with collaborators across several institutions including NASA’s Johnson Space Center (<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/johnson/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JSC</a>). The team combined field observations with high precision lab work to build a coherent timeline.</p>



<p>“These microscopic crystals recorded the exact moment of impact, with some even transforming into an incredibly rare mineral called reidite,” said Prof. Kirkland. </p>



<p>That physical record allows researchers to move beyond guesswork and anchor the event in time.</p>



<p>Most known terrestrial impact craters still lack precise ages, which limits what we can test about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-life-and-environment-co-evolved-over-500-million-years/">life and climate</a>. A 2022 review tallied 188 craters worldwide and found only 37 had precise dates.</p>



<p>This work adds one more firm timestamp to that sparse calendar. It also links the impact horizon to a period when life was changing fast on land.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rocks-recorded-the-scottish-impact">Rocks recorded the Scottish impact</h2>



<p>The key witness is zircon, a hard mineral that resists heat, erosion, and chemical attack. Zircon crystals can trap uranium atoms when they form and later show how much of that uranium decayed to lead, which is the basis of the clock.</p>



<p>Another clue is reidite, a high pressure version of zircon that forms only during intense shocks. </p>



<p>Prior <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/43/10/899/131727/Precambrian-reidite-discovered-in-shocked-zircon">work</a> on the same Scottish unit reported reidite preserved as narrow lamellae in shocked zircon, confirming extreme pressures consistent with an impact.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/abs/10.1144/jgs2020-056" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stac Fada Member</a> is an ejecta deposit, a mix of shattered rock, spherules, and altered melt that fell back to Earth after the blast. </p>



<p>Its texture shows reworking by water and gravity, which complicates dating but also preserves a rich record of what happened next.</p>



<p>The zircon clock runs on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/zircon-u-pb-dating" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U-Pb dating</a>, which reads the ratios of uranium to lead isotopes. Shock can partially reset that clock, but careful modeling can back out the timing of the disturbance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dating-the-rocks">Dating the rocks</h2>



<p>The researchers targeted shocked zircon and its recrystallized zones, which formed during post shock heating. Those zones hold the cleanest record of when the clock last reset.</p>



<p>They then compared disturbed and undisturbed zircon populations from layers above and below the ejecta. That side by side approach tested whether the reset signal was unique to the ejecta, not a later overprint.</p>



<p>“When a meteorite hits, it partially resets the atomic clocks inside the zircon crystals,” said Prof. Kirkland. The team used that partial reset to isolate the moment of impact and recover a precise date.</p>



<p>The result moves the Stac Fada event into the early Neoproterozoic. That is a time marked by changing continents, evolving atmospheres, and a push by complex cells into new habitats.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-new-age-changes">What the new age changes</h2>



<p>An earlier dating of minerals lining degassing cavities in the same unit yielded 1,177 million years, which became the common reference. </p>



<p>The new zircon based work points to a later episode, and it explains why that older method may have sampled detrital or altered minerals rather than true impact products.</p>



<p>The timing now lines up with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21490597/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> for early freshwater eukaryotes in nearby rocks. Those are complex cells, the group that includes plants, animals, and fungi, showing a foothold outside the sea around one billion years ago.</p>



<p>This overlap does not claim cause and effect. It does open testable questions about how impacts may have stirred lakes, soils, and air in ways that mattered to early ecosystems.</p>



<p>No one has pinned down the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-impact-crater-may-be-linked-to-the-origins-of-life/">crater</a> that produced the Stac Fada ejecta. The deposit shows clear impact fingerprints, yet the source structure remains elusive.</p>



<p>Geophysical surveys, refined mapping, and careful sampling may narrow the search. The new date guides where to look by constraining which rocks are even candidates.</p>



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



<p>Better dates let scientists compare impacts to biological and environmental events without hand waving. With a secure age, we can check whether shifts in sediments, chemistry, or fossils cluster around impact horizons.</p>



<p>This is especially important for the rise of complex life on land. Independent fossil evidence shows freshwater and marginal terrestrial habitats hosted diverse eukaryotes by about one billion years ago, and that context now matches the Scottish impact window.</p>



<p>Tracking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-chaos-how-an-asteroid-strike-would-change-life-on-earth/">impact</a> timing also helps calibrate how Earth processes recover after large disturbances. That matters for everything from climate models to the long view of planetary habitability.</p>



<p>Teams can revisit nearby fossil bearing rocks and ask sharper questions about community structure, nutrients, and environmental stress. Lab groups can test how shock and heat alter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologists-found-the-oldest-rock-in-the-us-dating-back-4-billion-years-zircon-crystals/">zircon</a> in controlled ways to refine the methods.</p>



<p>The hunt for the crater will continue with better tools and a tighter clock. Each new constraint adds clarity to a once blurry slice of deep time.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/53/8/621/653703/A-one-billion-year-old-Scottish-meteorite-impact" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Geology</em></a>.</p>



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Meteorite impact one billion years ago may have changed the evolution of life on Earth

A new study pushes the date of a Scottish meteorite...

<p>Shorter, warmer winters are one of climate change’s most visible fingerprints. For lakes, that means later freeze-ups, earlier thaws, and thinner ice.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A new study argues that the shifts won’t land evenly: high-latitude <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-in-arctic-lakes-are-fueling-a-large-methane-surge/">lakes</a> stand to change the most, with boreal waters next in line and temperate lakes least sensitive.</p>



<p>“The ecology of ice-covered lakes is a bit of a black box for lake scientists,” said lead author Ted Ozersky from the <a href="https://d.umn.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Minnesota Duluth</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“For a long time, we assumed that nothing interesting happened under the ice, so few studies looked at what goes on in frozen lakes.” That assumption is rapidly giving way as ice cover declines and winter ecology moves to center stage.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-arctic-is-uniquely-vulnerable">Why the Arctic is uniquely vulnerable</h2>



<p>The team, spanning the U.S., Norway, and Canada, traced the outsized northern response to a simple timing mismatch: where and when sunlight shows up.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At high latitudes, a surprisingly large portion of the year’s solar energy arrives while lakes are still under ice and snow. Near 75°N, more than half of annual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dirty-sky-less-sunlight-how-pollution-steals-our-energy/">sunlight</a> reaches the surface during the ice-covered season; around 45°N, it’s roughly a quarter.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When so much light coincides with the frozen months, even modest changes in ice duration, snow depth, or ice clarity can drastically alter how much light penetrates the water column.</p>



<p>“Here in northern Norway and in other Arctic regions, many lakes are still frozen well-into the midnight sun period, experiencing 24-hours of daylight,” said co-author Amanda Poste from the <a href="https://www.nina.no/english/Home">Norwegian Institute for Nature Research</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“In these Arctic lakes, under-ice production can contribute substantially to lake food webs, which could be threatened by predicted increases in snow cover in some regions. On the other hand, loss of ice during a period with around-the-clock daylight could lead to increased open water productivity.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-meets-warmth-and-biology-responds">Light meets warmth - and biology responds</h2>



<p>To move beyond anecdotes, the researchers paired models of incoming sunlight with realistic ice and snow scenarios across a sweep of latitudes, then asked how light interacts with temperature inside lakes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Those two drivers - illumination and heat - set the tempo for everything from algal growth to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zooplankton-poop-can-be-used-to-store-carbon-in-the-deep-ocean/">zooplankton</a> grazing and fish foraging.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As winters shorten, the seasonal overlap between bright conditions and hospitable temperatures grows, especially in the north. This overlap primes lakes for earlier and often stronger pulses of biological activity.</p>



<p>The upshot: light availability in high-latitude lakes is dramatically more sensitive to ice and snow changes than in temperate waters. A few extra centimeters of snow can dim an already light-limited under-ice habitat during weeks of 24-hour sun, suppressing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/key-to-life-on-earth-photosynthesis-begins-on-the-quantum-level-with-a-single-photon/">photosynthesis</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Shave a few days off ice cover during that same period and suddenly the lake is bathed in uninterrupted light, which can turbo-charge open-water productivity. Small physical tweaks, big biological consequences.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-of-shorter-winters">Impacts of shorter winters</h2>



<p>Expect shifts in productivity (how much carbon the lake turns over), food-web structure (who eats whom, and when), and the timing of seasonal events - spring blooms, zooplankton hatches, fish feeding - especially at the highest latitudes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Because light and temperature co-vary differently with latitude, the exact trajectory won’t be uniform. Boreal lakes may see stronger, earlier spring peaks; temperate lakes will change too, but the biological “gain” on winter conditions is lower because less of their annual sunlight arrives during the ice season.</p>



<p>Crucially, not every change points in the same direction. Heavier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/despite-record-snowpack-in-the-west-early-melting-could-lead-to-water-scarcity/">snowpacks</a> in some Arctic regions could darken under-ice habitats despite longer days, muting wintertime productivity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Elsewhere, less ice during endless daylight could flip the system toward higher open-water production. Either way, the calendar of growth and grazing - and the match between predators and prey - may slip out of sync.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-northern-lakes-in-warm-winters">Northern lakes in warm winters</h2>



<p>One reason this study stands out is its scope. Many winter-lake projects zoom in on a single landscape. This team stitched together perspectives from Minnesota to boreal Québec to the high Arctic.</p>



<p>The research reveals a consistent latitude-dependent pattern: the farther north you go, the greater the ecological leverage of winter change. From that pattern, the experts lay out testable predictions for how lake ecosystems should respond as ice and snow evolve.</p>



<p>The team is now stress-testing those predictions with boots-on-ice measurements. The group is working with dozens of research teams to collect standardized observations - light profiles, snow and ice thickness, temperatures, and biological activity - across diverse frozen lakes worldwide.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The goal is to refine models, catch regional surprises, and translate forecasts into guidance for lake managers and northern communities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-winter-isn-t-an-off-season">Winter isn’t an off-season</h2>



<p>The big takeaway is easy to overlook: winter doesn’t pause lake life; it shapes it. What happens under ice sets the stage for the rest of the year, and at high latitudes, small shifts in ice and snow can have outsized effects because they coincide with so much of the annual sunlight.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As Ozersky put it, those frozen months are no longer a “black box” - and in a warming world, paying attention to what unfolds there will be essential for protecting northern lakes and the people and wildlife that depend on them.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.70200" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Ecology Letters</em></a>.</p>



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Northern lakes face the greatest risk from warmer winters

Shorter, warmer winters are one of climate change’s most visible...

<p>Experts have discovered a young star whose planet-forming disk is packed with carbon dioxide and barely a trace of water. That mix flips a common expectation about what the inner zones of these disks usually hold.</p>



<p>The star is located in NGC 6357, a busy nursery roughly 32 quadrillion miles from Earth. Its disk does not just look unusual, it behaves in ways that push scientists to reconsider how chemistry unfolds where rocky <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-formation-new-insights-mechanics-physics/">worlds</a> may arise.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-is-barely-detectable">Water is barely detectable</h2>



<p>Jenny Frediani at Stockholm University led the analysis within the <a href="https://maclaramirez.github.io//XUE_MCRT.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eXtreme Ultraviolet Environments</a> program. The study was focused on XUE 10, a bright F-type star surrounded by a warm, compact gas and dust disk.</p>



<p>“Unlike most nearby planet-forming disks, where water vapor dominates the inner regions, this disk is surprisingly rich in carbon dioxide. In fact, water is so scarce in this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-planet-forming-disks-lose-gas-faster-than-expected/">system</a> that it’s barely detectable,” said Frediani.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Other disks often show strong water vapor near the star, as recent <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/acf5ec" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">observations</a> demonstrate. That makes XUE 10’s chemistry stand out.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-reveals-carbon-dioxide">Webb reveals carbon dioxide</h2>



<p>Webb's MIRI instrument splits the mid-infrared light to reveal fingerprints of molecules in warm gas. </p>



<p>In XUE 10, those fingerprints show four distinct forms of carbon dioxide called isotopologues that contain rare versions of oxygen or carbon atoms.</p>



<p>The team measured gas temperatures around 300 to 370 Kelvin in the CO2-emitting region and set a strict upper limit on water vapor. Carbon monoxide shows up faintly, while a hydrogen line called Pfund alpha is clearly present.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ultraviolet-light-destroys-water">Ultraviolet light destroys water</h2>



<p>The young star XUE 10 lives in a harsh light bath where the far ultraviolet flux is about a thousand times stronger than what we experience near the Sun.</p>



<p>Ultraviolet light can break apart molecules such as water and carbon dioxide, and that destruction frees fragments that feed other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newborn-planet-captured-in-the-early-stages-after-birth/">chemical reactions</a>.</p>



<p>The process can push the chemistry toward more CO2 if water is split faster than it can reform. In disks around hotter stars, water lines sometimes look weak for this reason, so the environment matters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-dioxide-isotopes-shift">Carbon dioxide isotopes shift </h2>



<p>The team also sees signs that oxygen isotopes in CO2 do not match the usual interstellar ratios. </p>



<p>This effect, called isotope selective photodissociation, happens when rare isotopic molecules absorb different ultraviolet lines less effectively than the common ones, so they get split more often.</p>



<p>The liberated oxygen atoms can end up inside new CO2 molecules. If transport moves that material inward fast enough, the inner disk inherits an isotope twist that could echo what we find in some meteorites.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/star-forming-region_NGC-6357_XUE-10_JWST_MPIA_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/star-forming-region_NGC-6357_XUE-10_JWST_MPIA_1s.webp" alt="An image of the star-forming region NGC 6357 with the young star XUE 10. Observations with JWST/MIRI reveal a planet-forming disk whose spectrum shows clear detections of four distinct forms of carbon dioxide (CO2), but only little water, providing new insights into the chemical environment where planets are taking shape. Photo credit: Stockholm University (SU) and María Claudia Ramírez-Tannus, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA)." class="wp-image-1984391"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>An image of the star-forming region NGC 6357 with the young star XUE 10. Observations with JWST/MIRI reveal a planet-forming disk whose spectrum shows clear detections of four distinct forms of carbon dioxide (CO2), but only little water, providing new insights into the chemical environment where planets are taking shape. Click image to enlarge. Photo credit: Stockholm University (SU) and María Claudia Ramírez-Tannus, Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA).</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-water-is-missing">Why the water is missing</h2>



<p>The physics inside disks is not just about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marsquakes-reveal-history-how-the-red-planet-was-formed-mars-mantle-debris/">chemistry</a> - it’s also about traffic. Dust pebbles drift inward, releasing ices as they cross the water and carbon dioxide snow lines. </p>



<p>At times, dust can pile up inside the water snow line, masking the water signatures beneath a bright continuum.</p>



<p>In other systems, Webb has already detected CO2-rich spectra and shifts in the water-to-CO2 balance, as seen previously in the GW Lup disk.</p>



<p>XUE 10 raises the stakes. Here, CO2 lines are not just present, they dominate, while water remains barely detectable. </p>



<p>This hints at either very efficient water removal, very efficient CO2 production, stronger ultraviolet processing, or a combination of these.</p>



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



<p>Planets inherit gas and solids from their birthplaces. If a disk starts inner life rich in CO2 and poor in water vapor, the first atmospheres of rocky worlds could begin with different carbon to oxygen balances than we expect from other systems.</p>



<p>“It reveals how extreme radiation environments can alter the building blocks of planets,” said Maria Claudia Ramirez Tannus, lead of the XUE collaboration at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (<a href="https://www.mpia.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPIA</a>). </p>



<p>Since most stars and many planets form in such regions, that shift may be common rather than rare.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disk-chemistry-creates-more-carbon-dioxide">Disk chemistry creates more carbon dioxide</h2>



<p>The carbon dioxide detected includes both the common form and some rarer versions that contain slightly different kinds of carbon and oxygen atoms. </p>



<p>These signals are clear enough for scientists to figure out the temperature and amount of gas, showing that the inner part of the disk is warm and filled with carbon dioxide while water is almost absent.</p>



<p>The process likely unfolds as follows: strong ultraviolet light from nearby stars destroys water faster than it destroys carbon dioxide. </p>



<p>The leftover fragments then react with carbon monoxide to create even more carbon dioxide, while the way dust moves in the disk limits how much fresh water ice can drift inward.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-questions-remain">Many questions remain </h2>



<p>There are still open questions. Scientists want to know how quickly water and carbon dioxide can rebuild themselves compared to the pace of mixing and movement inside a bright young disk like this one. </p>



<p>Experts must also determine how much dust lies above the gas layers and blocks or changes the signals.</p>



<p>To answer these questions, researchers will need to compare data across different wavelengths and use models that connect chemistry with the way material flows. </p>



<p>Future observations that measure the full size and mass of the outer disk will also show how much material is still available to feed the inner regions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-webb-detected-the-molecules">How Webb detected the molecules</h2>



<p>Webb’s MIRI instrument looks at light between 5 and 28 microns, a range where many molecules leave sharp, recognizable features. These features rise above the glow of warm dust, making them easier to detect.</p>



<p>That sensitivity is why astronomers were able to see four different versions of carbon dioxide in this disk. It also confirms that the weak signal for water is likely real, not just a limit of the telescope’s sensitivity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-beyond-a-single-star">Significance beyond a single star</h2>



<p>Comparisons are important. In some young disks around <a href="https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/*/T+Tauri+Stars" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">T Tauri stars</a>, water dominates the inner regions. In others, carbon dioxide is stronger, and in a few cases both show up together. </p>



<p>The case of XUE 10 shows that in a crowded and high-radiation environment, the balance can shift heavily toward carbon dioxide.</p>



<p>Taking that diversity seriously helps us predict exoplanet atmospheres with fewer wrong assumptions. It also connects disk chemistry with the odd isotope signatures scientists have puzzled over in meteorites for decades.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/09/aa55718-25/aa55718-25.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</em></a>.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA/CXC/PSU/L. Townsley et al; UKIRT; JPL-Caltech</p>



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Young star's planet nursery bubbles with carbon dioxide, challenging planet formation models

Experts have discovered a young star whose planet-forming disk is...

<p>Romans loved garum, a salty fish sauce that showed up on tables from Spain to Syria. A new study spells out which fish actually went into it by reading DNA from tiny bones buried in an ancient salting vat.  </p>



<p>The team worked at Adro Vello, a Roman era fish processing site on Spain’s northwest coast. </p>



<p>They pulled fragments from the bottom of a vat and extracted <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/ancient-dna" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient DNA</a>, which is genetic material preserved in old remains, to identify the species and peek at past fish populations.  </p>



<p><a href="https://www.ciimar.up.pt/members/paula-campos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paula F. Campos</a>, CIIMAR at the University of Porto, is the corresponding author who helped lead the genetic work.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-romans-and-their-sauces">Romans and their sauces</h2>



<p>Roman cooks made <a href="https://fermentology.pubpub.org/pub/h0khkmbv/release/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish sauces</a> and pastes in large stone vats along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. </p>



<p>Workers salted, crushed, and left small fish under controlled fermentation, which broke down tissues and created a savory liquid that seasoned everything from vegetables to meat.  </p>



<p>That process destroyed the usual features scientists use to tell one fish from another. </p>



<p>Bones were shattered, and acids from fermentation damaged the DNA inside them, which makes species identification tough without genetics.  </p>



<p>Even so, the Adro Vello bones held enough information to test a clear question. Did <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mass-grave-vienna-discovery-tells-the-story-of-a-forgotten-defeat-by-the-roman-empire/">Romans</a> really pack these vats with sardines, as some earlier visual identifications hinted.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reading-the-recipe">Reading the recipe</h2>



<p>Researchers sampled the residue at the bottom of a single vat and cleaned the tiny vertebrae and scales. They then built DNA libraries and compared overlapping sequences against the reference genome of European sardine.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>From those fragments, they assembled the full <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/mitochondrial-genome" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mitochondrial genome</a> of multiple fish, which is a small circular chromosome inside the cell’s energy factories that helps track maternal lineages. Depth of coverage varied across samples, but it was sufficient to confirm identity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>They also used <a href="https://news.uchicago.edu/explainer/what-is-carbon-14-dating" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiocarbon dating</a>, a technique that estimates age by measuring the decay of carbon isotopes, to anchor the material to the early third century AD. That timeline lines up with the period when this coastal factory was active.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-found-in-the-roman-sauce">DNA found in the Roman sauce</h2>



<p>The sauce makers at Adro Vello were using European sardine. Genetic signatures placed the ancient fish with present day sardines from the central Atlantic Iberian region, which signals continuity across nearly two thousand years.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Population analyses showed less admixture, meaning less mixing between distant sardine groups, than we see in many modern samples. </p>



<p>That result hints at lower connectivity among stocks in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-roman-concrete-offers-lessons-for-sustainable-building/">Roman</a> times, likely due to different fishing pressure and maritime movement.  </p>



<p>These insights do more than satisfy culinary curiosity. They add data points for how human activity and environment shape marine populations over long periods.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dna-survives-fermentation">How DNA survives fermentation</h2>



<p>“In this study, we demonstrate that usable DNA can survive in fermentation environments, such as the brines used by the Romans to make garum,” concluded Dr. Campos.</p>



<p>That is not a trivial point, since acids and microbial enzymes can chop DNA into pieces too small to read. </p>



<p>The team still recovered enough high quality sequences to assemble full mitochondrial genomes and validate species calls with phylogenetic tests. </p>



<p>They also reported calendar dates consistent with the site’s archaeological layers. Those dates, along with clean damage patterns typical of truly ancient molecules, strengthen the case that the DNA is original to the vat and not modern contamination.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-roman-sauce-matters">Why Roman sauce matters</h2>



<p>Foodways reveal trade, labor, and taste. Because garum production plants ringed the coasts, matching species to specific factories helps map supply chains and regional preferences across the empire.</p>



<p>Knowing that Adro Vello used sardines fits finds from other Atlantic facilities. It suggests local fleets targeted schooling fish that could be processed quickly into sauces and pastes for shipment.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Linking ancient and modern sardine genomes also provides a baseline for long term change. </p>



<p>Fisheries managers can compare today’s gene flow and stock structure with a historical snapshot that predates industrial fleets.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-roman-vats-to-present-management">From Roman vats to present management</h2>



<p>Iberian sardines remain central to coastal economies, and managers in Portugal and Spain use a multi-year <a href="https://www.dgrm.pt/documents/20143/46478/PGSARDINHA2021-2026.pdf/d36a1df9-7353-32a4-a06e-c72852e73cb0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plan</a> to set cautious catch limits and seasonal closures. </p>



<p>Those measures follow scientific advice and aim to stabilize biomass through variable recruitment years. </p>



<p>Ancient data will not decide quotas, but it can refine assumptions about how populations connect and change. When models rest on sound baselines, policies stand on firmer ground.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The approach used here can travel well beyond Spain. Similar vats exist across the former <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/317-skeletons-from-the-roman-empire-found-beneath-an-old-shopping-center/">Roman</a> world, which means there are many chances to test whether other regions leaned on sardine, anchovy, or mixed catches.</p>



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



<p>The authors plan to sample other sites to see how recipes varied from Africa to the western Mediterranean. </p>



<p>With more genomes in hand, they can test whether regional fleets drew on distinct stocks or tapped a shared pool of fish. </p>



<p>Better reference genomes will only improve the resolution of species calls and population tests. As methods advance, even more degraded residues may yield clear answers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>History often hides in scraps. Here, scraps of bone preserved a record of taste, trade, and the lives of fish that fed an empire.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/roman-atlantic-garum-dna-confirms-sardine-use-and-population-continuity-in-northwestern-iberia/9487347327F3724D1D2C4F72266DAEF3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Antiquity</em></a>.</p>



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DNA identifies ingredients of the 'ketchup' used on food by the Roman Empire

Romans loved garum, a salty fish sauce that showed up...

<p>American cities are heating up in ways that go beyond sweaty afternoons or hazy skies. Scientists say something more dangerous is unfolding. When heat waves collide with polluted air, the effects are multiplied. </p>



<p>These synergistic incidents, known as “compound <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-exposed-to-deadly-heat-from-deforestation/">events</a>,” are showing up more often in cities across the country.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-is-the-killer">Heat is the killer</h2>



<p>According to the National Weather Service, heat kills more Americans every year than floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes. Cities make the danger worse. Buildings, roads, and traffic trap heat and churn out pollution.</p>



<p>Chenghao Wang, a professor at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ou.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oklahoma</a>, has been studying how these threats overlap. He leads the&nbsp;Sustainable Urban Futures Lab (SURF), and his research points to one conclusion: cities face a growing health crisis.</p>



<p>“Compound heat and air pollution episodes occur when extreme heat and high levels of pollution happen at the same time. They are an increasing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humid-heat-days-are-a-growing-threat-to-public-health/">threat</a> to public health, especially for urban populations,” said Wang.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cities-face-worse-heat-and-pollution">Cities face worse heat and pollution</h2>



<p>Wang’s team compared what happens in cities and rural areas. Urban heat waves, they found, last longer and burn hotter. Rural places, however, often record higher ozone levels. </p>



<p>Both settings carry risk, but when heat and ozone spike together, cities take the bigger hit. In fact, almost 89 percent of U.S. cities recorded higher combined intensities than nearby rural areas.</p>



<p>The researchers didn’t just study a few years of data. They pulled together 23 years of records on heat and fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5. That long view allowed them to track patterns that short studies might miss.</p>



<p>“Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is small enough in size that it can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and enter the bloodstream, and exposure is associated with adverse <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-leaving-older-adults-dangerously-unprepared/">health outcomes</a> such as respiratory infections and cardiovascular diseases,” said Jessica Leffel, a master’s student at OU and the lead author of this work.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-heat-and-pollution-meet">When heat and pollution meet</h2>



<p>Nearly every city in the dataset (about 98 percent) showed more frequent and intense overlaps of heat and PM2.5. More than half also endured longer episodes. </p>



<p>These findings make one thing clear: it is not only the heat or the pollution that matters, but the two together.</p>



<p>The study also revealed something striking about western cities. Wildfires are now a major driver of PM2.5 pollution. That smoke drifts into cities and makes compound <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-and-humidity-sharply-raise-heart-risks/">events</a> worse. Yet health assessments often leave wildfire smoke out of the picture.</p>



<p>“Wildfire-related PM2.5 is often excluded from air quality assessments under the EPA’s Exceptional Events Rule, which can hide the true health burden of these episodes,” said Leffel. “Integrating wildfire-related PM2.5 into air quality evaluations could better align policy with public health risks.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-cities-stay-hotter">Why cities stay hotter</h2>



<p>The urban heat island effect explains much of the problem. Concrete and asphalt soak up heat during the day and release it at night. Rural areas cool off, but cities stay hot long after sunset. </p>



<p>Add tailpipes, factories, and energy demand, and you have a recipe for heat and pollution to reinforce each other.</p>



<p>Researchers say the solutions must be local. Cities may benefit from planting more trees, installing green roofs, or using reflective building materials. </p>



<p>Rural regions, where pavement plays a smaller role, may need different tools. There is no single answer, but without targeted action, the risks will keep climbing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-and-pollution-crisis-is-worsening">Heat and pollution crisis is worsening</h2>



<p>Taken together, these studies send a clear signal. U.S. cities are not only hotter than before but also more polluted during those hot spells. The overlap makes life riskier for millions of people, especially the most vulnerable. </p>



<p>Without better planning, compound events will shape the future of urban living, straining health systems, increasing economic costs, and challenging city planners to rethink infrastructure, public health strategies, and long-term climate resilience measures. </p>



<p>If cities continue to grow without adapting to these dual threats, the consequences could include more hospital visits, reduced worker productivity, and even population shifts as people seek safer environments.</p>



<p>The researchers emphasize that solutions must come quickly and be tailored to each region, because the combined pressures of heat and air pollution will only intensify as the climate continues to change.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935125017608?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Research</a>.</em></p>



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Double threat: Heat and pollution amplify health risks in American cities

American cities are heating up in ways that go beyond...

<p>Ice does not usually show up in conversations about electricity. A new study reports that ordinary frozen water generates electric charge when it bends, and the measured response is on the same order as benchmark electroceramics such as titanium dioxide and strontium titanate.</p>



<p>The research also links this behavior to how storms build up charge, offering a fresh way to think about why lightning starts inside clouds. It adds a surface twist at extremely low temperatures that could matter in special <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heat-meets-light-a-new-way-to-supercharge-solar-power/">environments</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-and-flexo-electricity">Ice and flexo-electricity</h2>



<p>Scientists call this effect flexo-electricity, the coupling between electric polarization and strain gradients in an insulator. A comprehensive <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-matsci-071312-121634" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a>&nbsp;explains why any solid can show some flexoelectric response when it is bent unevenly or shaped with strong curvature.</p>



<p>This is not the same as being piezoelectric, which requires a crystal structure that lacks inversion symmetry and creates charge directly under uniform compression or tension. Flexo-electricity does not need that symmetry break, so it can appear in materials that fail the piezoelectric test.</p>



<p>Dr. Xin Wen of the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (<a href="https://icn2.cat/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICN2</a>), located on the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona campus, helped lead the experiments and modeling. The team combined precise bending tests with theory to tie the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electric-vehicles-cant-help-the-planet-without-a-smarter-power-grid/">electrical</a> signal to the mechanical shape of the ice.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-a-slab-of-ice">Testing a slab of ice</h2>



<p>The researchers shaped an ice slab, placed it between metal plates, then bent it in a controlled way while monitoring the voltage that appeared. The signal tracked how strongly the slab curved, which is exactly what flexo-electricity predicts.</p>



<p>"We discovered that ice generates electric charge in response to mechanical stress at all temperatures," said Dr. Wen.</p>



<p>The tests showed that ice keeps producing a strong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-electric-field-discovered-surrounding-earth-nasa-says-its-as-crucial-as-gravity/">electrical</a> signal across the whole range of temperatures where it stays solid, right up until it melts. That puts frozen water in the same league as some engineered materials, like certain oxides, that are commonly used in electronic sensors and capacitors.</p>



<p>At extremely low temperatures, the researchers also noticed a very thin surface layer of ice that could flip its electrical orientation when an outside electric field was applied. This layer acts like a ferroelectric, but only on the surface and not throughout the entire block of ice. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-interacting-with-its-environment">Ice interacting with its environment </h2>



<p>Surface structure can dramatically change how ice interacts with its surroundings. In thunderclouds, tiny ice crystals crash into soft hailstones known as graupel, and those collisions shift electric charge from one particle to another. </p>



<p><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2007JD009720" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> in the lab and in real storms have shown that these encounters separate charge in ways that depend on temperature, building up the electric fields that allow lightning to form.</p>



<p>Flexo-electricity offers an additional microphysical pathway for those particles to charge up during bouncy, irregular impacts that bend and twist their surfaces. The new measurements match the scale of charge transfers inferred for real collisions, which helps knit lab physics to storm electrification without requiring piezoelectricity.</p>



<p>A clear <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/jetstream/lightning/how-lightning-is-created" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overview</a> from NOAA outlines how separate charge regions form in a storm, build an electric field, and finally trigger a lightning discharge. The present work slides a mechanical bending effect into that picture, adding a way for collisions to do electrical work when particles deform unevenly.</p>



<p>This matters most in the mixed phase region of a storm where supercooled droplets coat graupel and ice crystals ricochet through updrafts. Nonuniform stresses there are normal, so a bending driven mechanism is a natural candidate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ice-powers-new-electricity-tech">Ice powers new electricity tech</h2>



<p>Ice is cheap to make, it molds into shapes easily, and it is abundant in cold places. Flexoelectric transduction could let engineers build simple sensors or pressure to voltage converters in situ, using water and metal contacts without high temperature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amount-of-copper-needed-to-power-tech-and-develop-the-world-is-astonishing-not-enough/">processing</a> or rare elements.</p>



<p>Devices would not be limited to extreme cold, since the flexoelectric response persists up to the melting point. Designs would focus on geometry, because stronger curvature and sharper gradients usually drive larger signals in flexoelectric systems.</p>



<p>The ferroelectric surface layer at about -171°F raises interesting options for switching behavior in deep cold. It could enable memory-like responses in polar regions or high altitude labs, where a modest electric field flips the surface polarization while the interior remains nonpolar.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-electricity-lessons-from-ice">Electricity lessons from ice</h2>



<p>Flexo-electricity turns uneven bending into electrical charge, even in a material long treated as electromechanically quiet under uniform pressure. </p>



<p>Ice now joins the small set of everyday materials proven to convert mechanical shape changes into measurable voltage. In storm physics, it emerges as a credible new factor working alongside well-known non-inductive charging processes. </p>



<p>Charge generated by bending fits naturally with the chaotic collisions of particles, linking lab findings to the electric dynamics of real clouds.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-02995-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Physics</em></a>.</p>



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Ordinary ice generates electricity when bent or twisted

Ice does not usually show up in conversations about electricity....

<p>In India, snakebites kill more people than anywhere else in the world. Estimates range between 46,000 and 60,000 deaths each year. Most victims live in villages, far from hospitals, and work outdoors in fields. For them, a bite often turns fatal before help arrives.</p>



<p>Now, scientists say this danger is likely to spread. A study led by Imon Abedin from the Dibru-Saikhowa Conservation Society in Tinsukia shows how climate change could shift where snakes live. </p>



<p>Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns may push <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/man-is-bitten-over-100-times-by-cobras-and-mambas-leading-to-the-creation-of-a-universal-antidote/">venomous species</a> into new regions, exposing communities that have little experience with snakebites.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-threats-from-venomous-snakes">New threats from venomous snakes</h2>



<p>Four species cause most serious bites in India. Farmers and doctors know them well: the spectacled cobra, common krait, Russell’s viper, and saw-scaled viper. </p>



<p>Together, they are called the Big Four. Their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-snake-day-2025-protecting-natures-silent-guardians/">venom</a> is deadly, and their wide reach makes them responsible for the bulk of human cases. These snakes thrive in varied environments, from crowded villages to farmlands and forests, increasing the chance of human encounters almost everywhere.</p>



<p>Researchers wanted to know what happens when the climate reshapes where these snakes can survive. They built models to predict future ranges and combined them with social data, like poverty levels and access to hospitals. </p>



<p>The outcome is a risk index that shows which districts could face higher dangers in the coming decades, highlighting how environmental shifts and human vulnerability together create new threats.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-is-pushing-snakes-north">Climate change is pushing snakes north</h2>



<p>The models suggest a major shift. Northern and Northeastern states may see more of the Big Four in the future. </p>



<p>Central and southern areas may see less, but that doesn’t mean the problem disappears. Dense populations and weak healthcare still keep risk high there.</p>



<p>“Climate change is altering snake species' geographic ranges, resulting in expansions, contractions, or shifting ranges. Such changes may increase human-<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/universal-antivenom-to-heal-all-snakebites-is-closer-to-reality/">snake</a> interactions across rural and urban areas, presenting new challenges for public health and medical management,” the authors note.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-risk-of-snakebites">Rising risk of snakebites</h2>



<p>The study points to Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh as likely trouble spots. These regions already face challenges like poverty, large rural populations, and limited medical facilities. </p>



<p>If snakes expand into new areas here, deaths could climb sharply. Even a small rise in bites becomes deadly when hospitals lack antivenom or trained staff.</p>



<p>This overlap of biology and social weakness creates hotspots. It’s not only about where snakes go. It’s about how well people can respond once they arrive.</p>



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



<p>The researchers acknowledge that their predictions aren’t perfect. Data on snake sightings is patchy, especially in remote rural areas. </p>



<p>Land use changes, deforestation, and growing cities add more uncertainty. All of this makes it hard to predict exact future ranges.</p>



<p>Still, the warning stands. Climate is shifting, and with it, the likelihood of humans and snakes crossing paths. For rural families, this means a danger they already know too well could spread further.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snakebites-as-public-health-crisis">Snakebites as public health crisis</h2>



<p>Snakebites are already listed as a neglected tropical disease, and the new findings show why the problem cannot stay ignored.</p>



<p>“This is the first study in India to integrate climate-based species distribution models with socioeconomic vulnerability and healthcare capacity,” the authors said. “It shows that climate change is not just an environmental crisis but it’s also a looming public health crisis.”</p>



<p>The researchers argue that preparation must begin now. India needs more reliable antivenom, better supply chains, and stronger rural healthcare. </p>



<p>Education can also help farmers avoid dangerous encounters. Training health workers, improving local clinics, and spreading awareness through schools and communities are equally important.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snakebites-in-a-changing-climate">Snakebites in a changing climate</h2>



<p>Quick access to treatment can save lives, but only if hospitals are equipped and medicine is available. Rural regions, where most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cobra-venom-just-became-less-deadly-thanks-to-a-common-drug/">bites</a> occur, need special attention because distance and poverty often delay treatment. </p>



<p>Without such steps, climate change could turn an existing crisis into something far worse.</p>



<p>The lesson is clear: snakebites are not just about snakes. They are about people who farm, children who play outside, and families who live close to fields and forests. They are about poverty that limits options and health systems already stretched thin. </p>



<p>As the climate changes, those cracks will only widen, leaving millions more exposed to needless suffering unless action is taken quickly and decisively.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0013464" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</a>.</em></p>



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Climate change is pushing venomous snakes into new regions

In India, snakebites kill more people than anywhere else in...

<p>For years, one rule in chemistry class seemed simple: certain high-energy carbon species, like vitamin B1, fall apart in water. That’s why many reactions take place in specialized organic solvents instead of the most common solvent on Earth. </p>



<p>A new study puts a crack in that rule. It shows that a reactive carbon species can persist in water long enough to be directly observed and clearly described.</p>



<p>Water is common, safe, cheap, and central to life. If reactive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/100-year-old-chemistry-rule-bredts-rule-proven-false-updating-textbooks-comes-next/">carbon chemistry</a> can run in water, we get a clearer picture of how some enzymes might work inside cells and a cleaner path for industry to make useful molecules.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vitamin-b1-debate-began-in-1958">Vitamin B1 debate began in 1958</h2>



<p>Back in 1958, a bold idea suggested that vitamin B1 could form a short-lived, carbene-like species inside cells. </p>



<p>The concept clashed with the old view that water destroys carbenes almost instantly. The debate simmered for decades as tools improved and chemists searched for direct proof.</p>



<p>That proof has now arrived with a made-to-measure molecule that shields the reactive center well enough to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-molecule-discovery-will-force-textbooks-to-be-rewritten/">persist in liquid water</a>. </p>



<p>The team didn’t just propose it. They produced it and documented it with measurements that settle the case.</p>



<p>"This is the first time anyone has been able to observe a stable carbene in water," said Vincent Lavallo, a professor of chemistry at <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Riverside</a> and corresponding author of the paper. </p>



<p>"People thought this was a crazy idea. But it turns out, Breslow was right."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-carbenes-and-complications">Water, carbenes, and complications</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/carbene" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A carbene</a> is a carbon atom with two open spots for bonding. Carbon usually prefers a full set of electrons. </p>



<p>With fewer electrons than usual, it becomes reactive quickly. That reactivity is useful in many lab and industrial reactions because it can rearrange bonds efficiently.</p>



<p>Water molecules are quick to react with electron-hungry species. For most carbenes, that means a fast end to the reaction you wanted to study. </p>



<p>That’s the core reason many chemists long believed carbenes couldn’t play a role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-secrets-of-water-molecules-discovered-in-the-lab-through-spectroscopy/">watery environments</a> like cells.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-they-proved-it">How they proved it</h2>



<p>The researchers protected the carbene by surrounding it with bulky groups that hinder attack by water.</p>



<p>By crowding the space near the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-ocean-holds-carbon-hidden-mechanisms-revealed/">reactive carbon</a>, they reduced unwanted side reactions while keeping the carbon center active.</p>



<p>They generated the carbene in water and captured its signature using <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_magnetic_resonance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)</a> spectroscopy. That experiment gave a clear, solution-phase fingerprint. </p>



<p>They then obtained a single-crystal X-ray structure that fixed the positions of the atoms in space. Together, those tools moved the result from “likely” to “certain.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vitamin-b1-connection">Vitamin B1 connection</h2>



<p>Vitamin B1, also known as <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002401.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thiamine</a>, becomes an active cofactor in the body. In that form, it helps enzymes break and form carbon-carbon bonds during metabolism. </p>



<p>The 1958 proposal suggested that, under the right conditions, a carbene-like state forms long enough to assist those bond changes. </p>



<p>Over the years, chemists gathered indirect support, such as the “<a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/sc/d1sc01910d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Breslow intermediate</a>,” but critics could still argue that real carbenes can’t exist in water. </p>



<p>This work removes that roadblock by showing that a true carbene can persist in water when designed correctly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cleaner-chemistry-impact">Cleaner chemistry impact</h2>



<p>"Water is the ideal solvent - it's abundant, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly," said first author Varun Raviprolu, who completed the research as a graduate student at UCR and is now a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA. </p>



<p>"If we can get these powerful catalysts to work in water, that's a big step toward greener chemistry."</p>



<p>A large share of chemical manufacturing still depends on organic solvents that pose fire and health hazards. </p>



<p>If more carbene chemistry can run in water, production lines for some medicines and materials could become safer and easier to manage. Water won’t replace every solvent, but even a partial shift would help.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vitamin-b1-is-just-the-first-step">Vitamin B1 is just the first step</h2>



<p>"There are other reactive intermediates we've never been able to isolate, just like this one," Lavallo said. "Using protective strategies like ours, we may finally be able to see them, and learn from them."</p>



<p>That outlook matters. Many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-step-closer-to-mimicking-natures-mastery-of-chemistry/">useful reactions</a> rely on short-lived species we seldom catch in the act. With smarter protection and sharper tools, more of those species can move from theory to clear evidence.</p>



<p>Vincent Lavallo put it this way: "Just 30 years ago, people thought these molecules couldn't even be made," he said. "Now we can bottle them in water. What Breslow said all those years ago - he was right."</p>



<p>Science often works like this. An idea arrives before the tools exist to test it. Over time, methods improve, and designs get better. When the right experiment finally lands, the field shifts from debate to result.</p>



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



<p>This finding does not claim to show vitamin B1 forming a carbene inside a living cell directly on camera. It shows that water doesn’t automatically rule out carbene chemistry. </p>



<p>The result aligns with a classic proposal about vitamin B1, clears away a key objection, and points to cleaner ways to run powerful reactions in the safest solvent we have. </p>



<p>With good <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/no-electron-dancing-allowed-new-molecular-design-rules/">molecular design</a>, a carbene can endure in water and still do its job. That makes the original idea from 1958 chemically realistic and strengthens modern views of how thiamine-dependent enzymes might carry out their work.</p>



<p>"We were making these reactive molecules to explore their chemistry, not chasing a historical theory. But it turns out our work ended up confirming exactly what Breslow proposed all those years ago," Raviprolu concluded.</p>



<p>It’s a careful piece of chemistry with practical upside - and a reminder that good ideas can wait a long time before the right evidence arrives.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr9681" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a></em>.</p>



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



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Vitamin B1 theory from 1958 is finally proven by scientists after being called "crazy"

For years, one rule in chemistry class seemed simple: certain...

<p>A new gold deposit in Doropo, northeastern Côte d’Ivoire, is set to move from rumor to reality. The company behind it says the mine has a production capacity of more than 100 tons. </p>



<p>The plan on the table is a two-year build that starts in early 2026, and is backed by billions in investment funds.</p>



<p>Officials expect first production in 2028, with thousands of direct jobs tied to operations. </p>



<p>The story matters beyond any single pit because it signals how Côte d’Ivoire is positioning itself in West Africa’s crowded gold sector.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-doropo-gold-find-means">What the Doropo gold find means</h2>



<p>The headline figure, more than 100 tons, is a broad statement about potential scale. It tells the public that this is not a small <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/copper-and-gold-deposit-found-near-canadas-golden-triangle-just-59-feet-below-the-surface/">deposit</a> and that the government views the resource as nationally important.</p>



<p>Known numbers from earlier technical <a href="https://www.juniorminingnetwork.com/junior-miner-news/press-releases/1041-tsx/cee/164349-centamin-plc-announces-positive-doropo-gold-project-dfs.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> offer a concrete baseline for readers who want specifics. A 2024 definitive feasibility study estimated average annual production of 167,000 ounces over ten years.</p>



<p>In addition, they predict an all-in sustaining cost of 1,047 dollars per ounce, which anchors expectations to real engineering and cost models from prior owners.</p>



<p>Those figures come from a formal study that tested mine design, plant throughput, recoveries, and operating costs. </p>



<p>They do not lock in the final outcome because operators can optimize plans as permits and market conditions evolve.</p>



<p>The discovery also arrives in a mining belt that already produces at scale. That context matters because infrastructure, suppliers, and skilled labor are easier to mobilize when the region has an existing mining ecosystem.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moving-from-plan-to-production">Moving from plan to production</h2>



<p>Project development follows a standard sequence that protects both investors and communities. </p>



<p>Environmental and social impact work is reviewed by regulators, a mining license is issued, financing is secured, and then long-lead equipment is ordered.</p>



<p>Doropo has already cleared key steps. The environmental <a href="https://www.rml.com.au/assets/doropo-cote-divoire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">permit</a> was awarded in June 2024 and the mining license process is underway.</p>



<p>If the exploitation permit arrives on schedule, the construction start in early 2026 becomes plausible. A two-year build is typical for an open pit mine with a conventional processing plant.</p>



<p>Construction jobs peak during earthworks and plant erection, then taper into operating roles as commissioning finishes. Training and safety programs begin well before ore hits the mill so that local hires can step into skilled positions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-costs-and-grades-of-doropo-gold">Costs and grades of Doropo gold</h2>



<p>Mining lives and dies on cost discipline. The gold sector uses a standard metric called all-in sustaining cost that rolls together the ongoing costs of mining and processing along with sustaining capital needed to keep the mine running, as defined by the World Gold Council’s <a href="https://www.gold.org/about-gold/gold-supply/responsible-gold/all-in-costs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">guidance</a>.</p>



<p>Doropo’s last published study put that cost at 1,047 dollars per ounce over the modeled life. That number lets readers compare Doropo gold with other mines and with the gold price, and it appears alongside projected annual production of 167,000 ounces.</p>



<p>Another important term is the “definitive feasibility study.” That refers to the detailed engineering and economic assessment used to make a final investment decision, typically including mine plan, processing flowsheet, reserves, capital costs, and operating costs.</p>



<p>Grades and recoveries influence both revenue and cost per ounce. Higher grades mean more gold per ton of ore, while recovery is the percent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-copper-gold-and-silver-deposits-discovered-at-very-high-altitude/">gold</a> that the plant actually captures from the ore.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-local-impact-foreseen">Local impact foreseen</h2>



<p>“The entry into production of the first phase will allow the country to collect almost 300 billion FCFA in tax revenues,” announced Chris Eger, CEO of Resolute Mining.</p>



<p>New mines bring cash flow to host regions, and Doropo’s first phase is expected to generate significant tax receipts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The number is a forecast, not a guarantee. Actual revenue depends on gold prices, production rates, and how well the mine controls costs.</p>



<p>The currency figure is in CFA franc, the regional currency used in several West African countries. For readers tracking budgets, companies often present both CFA and U.S. dollar figures to aid comparisons.</p>



<p>Local leaders often press for roads, clinics, and schools to be prioritized. Those outcomes require binding commitments in community development plans, transparent reporting, and regular audits that show what was promised and what was delivered.</p>



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



<p>Keep an eye on permits and land acquisition milestones. These steps are pacing items for any construction start date and will signal whether early 2026 remains realistic, based on the company’s project <a href="https://www.rml.com.au/assets/doropo-cote-divoire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">page</a>.</p>



<p>Follow updated reserve and cost figures as the new owner re-optimizes the mine plan. If grades, throughput, or recoveries change, production and unit costs will move with them, and that will shape jobs and tax numbers.</p>



<p>Researchers are also mapping the Doropo area to refine how faults, rock units, and structures control where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supergiant-gold-deposit-discovery-wangu-field-might-be-largest-ever-found-on-earth/">gold</a> sits in the ground. </p>



<p>A recent peer reviewed <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/27669645.2025.2465074" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a> on the Doropo region helps explain why exploration geologists keep finding targets there.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1464343X22002321" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Journal of African Earth Sciences</em></a>.</p>



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



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

Over 100 tons of gold discovered in a once-hidden mine

A new gold deposit in Doropo, northeastern Côte d’Ivoire, is...

<p>Cancer research often reveals unexpected ways to fight disease by rethinking the cell’s environment. A new approach from the University of Cambridge suggests halting glioblastoma, the deadliest brain cancer, by freezing the very molecules that enable its spread.</p>



<p>Instead of killing cells outright, this strategy changes the conditions around them, turning aggressive invaders into quiet neighbors.</p>



<p>Glioblastoma is the most common brain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-shows-this-simple-daily-activity-can-reduce-cancer-risk-by-up-to-16-percent/">cancer</a> and one of the hardest to treat. Patients often survive less than 15 months after diagnosis, with only 15 percent living beyond five years. Surgery and radiotherapy can slow progress but rarely prevent recurrence.</p>



<p>Cancer cells left behind infiltrate healthy brain tissue, spreading silently through microscopic channels. Current drugs also struggle to penetrate the dense tumor mass, leaving few effective options.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-uses-hyaluronic-acid">Cancer uses hyaluronic acid</h2>



<p>At the heart of this discovery is hyaluronic acid (HA), a sugar-like polymer that shapes much of the brain’s supporting structure. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/walking-each-day-at-any-speed-lowers-the-risk-of-cancer/">Cancer</a> cells rely on HA’s flexibility to latch onto surface receptors, especially CD44, which drives their movement. By chemically locking HA in place, scientists stripped away its flexibility. This effectively reprogrammed glioblastoma cells into dormancy, preventing them from invading new tissue.</p>



<p>Study co-author Melinda Duer is a professor in the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a>.</p>



<p>“Fundamentally, hyaluronic acid molecules need to be flexible to bind to cancer cell receptors,” said Professor Duer.</p>



<p>“If you can stop hyaluronic acid being flexible, you can stop cancer cells from spreading. The remarkable thing is that we didn’t have to kill the cells - we simply changed their environment, and they gave up trying to escape and invade neighbouring tissue.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freezing-flexibility-stops-cancer">Freezing flexibility stops cancer</h2>



<p>The Cambridge study confirmed that HA’s behavior is not just about molecular size but about motion. High-molecular-weight HA, usually linked with healthy tissue, can still promote <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cancer-cells-create-power-waves-to-fuel-invasion/">cancer</a> invasion when diluted. </p>



<p>At lower concentrations, HA molecules move freely, adopting shapes that fit tightly into CD44 binding sites. This triggers powerful invasion signals. </p>



<p>At higher concentrations, HA molecules entangle with each other, limiting flexibility and dampening those signals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-molecular-motion-and-signals">Molecular motion and signals</h2>



<p>Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that HA’s ability to twist into specific conformations within nanoseconds determines whether it binds strongly to CD44. </p>



<p>When flexible, HA activates pathways that push cells to migrate. When immobilized, HA blocks these signals. </p>



<p>This explains why swelling in the brain after surgery, which dilutes HA, can encourage cancer to return at the surgical site.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protein-responses-to-hyaluronic-acid">Protein responses to hyaluronic acid</h2>



<p>Proteomic analysis of glioblastoma cells highlighted how HA concentration reshapes their internal machinery. </p>



<p>In flexible environments, cells developed star-shaped structures and invasive protrusions, supported by actin-bundling proteins and enzymes that degrade tissue.</p>



<p>In stiffer environments, those invasive proteins disappeared. Instead, cells activated survival pathways, entered a dormant state, and upregulated proteins linked to quiescence, including Notch-2. </p>



<p>This switch showed how extracellular conditions can push cancer cells either into attack mode or into stillness.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freezing-molecules-stops-cancer">Freezing molecules stops cancer</h2>



<p>Researchers tested this idea further by creating a chemically modified HA that crosslinks tightly into the extracellular matrix. This version lost flexibility and, when added to cell cultures, completely stopped invasion. </p>



<p>Cells responded in the same way as in dense HA conditions, showing altered protein expression and increased dormancy signals. This provided strong evidence that flexibility itself, not size, is the decisive factor in driving cancer spread.</p>



<p>The findings give a new explanation for glioblastoma’s notorious tendency to regrow after surgery. Fluid build-up, or oedema, dilutes HA at the surgical site, making it more flexible and more capable of binding CD44. </p>



<p>This diluted environment inadvertently encourages cancer cells to invade again. By freezing HA in place, scientists hope to counteract this effect and stop recurrence before it starts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-freezing-may-help-treat-cancer">Freezing may help treat cancer </h2>



<p>“This could be a real opportunity to slow glioblastoma progression,” said Duer. "And because our approach doesn’t require drugs to enter every single cancer cell, it could in principle work for many solid tumours where the surrounding matrix drives invasion. </p>



<p>"Cancer cells behave the way they do in part because of their environment. If you change their environment, you can change the cells.”</p>



<p>The work now moves into animal testing before any patient trials. Still, the implications extend beyond brain cancer. Many tumors rely on signals from their surrounding environment to spread. </p>



<p>By targeting flexibility in key molecules like HA, researchers may uncover a new class of treatments that turn cancer’s supportive scaffolding into a trap. Instead of chasing runaway cells, this method locks the very ground beneath them.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.251036" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.</em></p>



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Freezing molecules could halt the spread of brain cancer

Cancer research often reveals unexpected ways to fight disease by...

Ou0new

<p>Doritos have been a favorite snack around the world for decades. One of the dyes that gives the chips their bright pop just did something unexpected in a lab: it helped make mouse skin temporarily transparent, creating "see-through" mice. </p>



<p>That dye is tartrazine, a vivid yellow-orange additive you’ll also find in some foods, medicines, and cosmetics. </p>



<p>Mix a small amount with water, apply it to the skin, and for a short time, cameras tuned to certain wavelengths can see through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skins-secret-strength-shields-against-puncture-damage/">the top layers</a>.</p>



<p>For people who study living systems, being able to look inside the body without cutting it open is important. </p>



<p>Light usually scatters in tissue, so images blur before you reach anything useful. A simple, safe topical mixture that sharpens the view - even briefly - can open doors for research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tartrazine-and-invisible-skin">Tartrazine and invisible skin</h2>



<p>Researchers at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a> described the method in the journal <em>Science</em>. </p>



<p>The approach uses basic optics to reduce scatter and clarify what cameras pick up from living tissue. The idea hinges on changing how water bends light so that it better matches nearby fats in the skin.</p>



<p>“For those who understand the fundamental physics behind this, it makes sense; but if you aren’t familiar with it, it looks like a magic trick,” said <a href="https://profiles.utdallas.edu/zihao.ou" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zihao Ou</a>, the lead author of the study who is now an assistant professor of physics at <a href="https://www.utdallas.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Texas at Dallas</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-tissue-normally-looks-cloudy">Living tissue normally looks cloudy</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-c-promotes-skin-renewal-and-anti-aging-at-the-genetic-level-dna-demethylation/">Skin, fat, and muscle</a> aren’t uniform. They’re built from many tiny parts that bend light by different amounts. When light hits those differences, it scatters in many directions. That’s why images fade fast with depth. </p>



<p>Scientists describe how much a material bends light using a value called the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/refractivity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">refractive index</a>. Water in tissue has a refractive index around 1.33. Lipids sit higher, roughly in the 1.45 to 1.48 range. That gap creates a lot of scatter.</p>



<p>Close that gap, and the path straightens. Less scatter means sharper images and a deeper reach for the same camera and light source.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-tartrazine-changes-light-waves">How tartrazine changes light waves</h2>



<p>Tartrazine absorbs blue and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9077139/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">near-ultraviolet light</a>. A principle of optics links absorption at one set of wavelengths to changes in refractive index at other wavelengths. </p>



<p>Add a dye that soaks up blue, and you can nudge water’s refractive index upward in the red and near-infrared - the wavelengths that already go deeper into tissue. </p>



<p>Water begins to act a little more like the fats around it, so the light scatters less and the image gets clearer.</p>



<p>The team first checked this in gels and thin tissue slices. The pattern held: there was less scatter where it mattered. Then they moved to live mice and applied a diluted solution to the skin. </p>



<p>To the naked eye, the area looked darker because the dye absorbs blue light. To a camera set for red or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near-infrared_spectroscopy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">near-infrared</a>, the patch turned more transparent for a short time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-see-through-tartrazine-mice">"See-through" tartrazine mice</h2>



<p>That window was long enough to watch organs move beneath the abdomen. They could follow the gut’s rhythm as it pushed food along. </p>



<p>On the head, they mapped surface blood vessels without shaving to the skull or placing a surgical window. </p>



<p>In a hind limb, they resolved the banded patterns inside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-fat-hidden-in-muscles-weakens-strength-and-healing/">muscle fibers</a> - details that usually hide behind layers of scatter. They didn’t cut the skin or implant anything.</p>



<p>Once researchers washed off the dye, the mice lost their translucency, and the dye was excreted in urine, according to the research team. </p>



<p>“It’s important that the dye is biocompatible - it’s safe for living organisms,” Ou said. “In addition, it’s very inexpensive and efficient; we don’t need very much of it to work.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mice_see-through-skin_doritos-chemical_-Kramers-Kronig-relations_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mice_see-through-skin_doritos-chemical_-Kramers-Kronig-relations_1s.webp" alt="Strongly absorbing molecules dissolved in water can modify the RI of the aqueous medium through the Kramers-Kronig relations to match that of lipids. This approach can render various samples transparent, including scattering phantoms, chicken breast tissue, and live mouse body for visualizing a wide range of deep-seated structures and activities. Scale bars, 5 mm. Credit: The schematic was prepared using BioRender.com" class="wp-image-1984331"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Strongly absorbing molecules dissolved in water can modify the RI of the aqueous medium through the Kramers-Kronig relations to match that of lipids. This approach can render various samples transparent, including scattering phantoms, chicken breast tissue, and live mouse body for visualizing a wide range of deep-seated structures and activities. Scale bars, 5 mm. Click image to enlarge. Credit: The schematic was prepared using BioRender.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neat-trick-but-why-does-it-matter">Neat trick, but why does it matter?</h2>



<p>Most methods that clear tissue for imaging work on dead samples. They often dehydrate the tissue, replace fats, or fix it chemically. Those steps can create beautiful static pictures, but they destroy the live dynamics. </p>



<p>This dye-based method <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/molecules-found-in-young-human-blood-shown-to-reverse-signs-of-aging-on-skin/">leaves tissue alive</a> and flexible. It quiets the optical mismatch just long enough to capture the action. That makes a difference for everyday lab work. </p>



<p>Researchers can track surface blood flow, watch organ motion without surgery, study how nerves in the gut coordinate with muscle contractions, and test new imaging tools with fewer invasive procedures. </p>



<p>Students can learn from live systems while avoiding harsher interventions.</p>



<p>“Optical equipment, like the microscope, is not directly used to study live humans or animals because light can’t go through living tissue," Ou said. </p>



<p>"But now that we can make tissue transparent, it will allow us to look at more detailed dynamics. It will completely revolutionize existing optical research in biology.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tartrazine-and-future-human-health">Tartrazine and future human health</h2>



<p>Because the physics ties absorption to refractive index, this strategy isn’t limited to tartrazine. The principle points to a family of agents tuned to the exact wavelengths a microscope uses. </p>



<p>Researchers plan to explore other substances that could outperform tartrazine. The goal is the same: reduce scatter, sharpen images, and do it with materials that are safe, affordable, and easy to apply.</p>



<p>A small change in a fundamental property of water - how it bends light at certain wavelengths - turned cloudy tissue into a temporary window. The method showed live, moving structures in mice. </p>



<p>The immediate win for this study is to provide better, kinder live-animal imaging for biology. </p>



<p>The longer-term promise is a new class of simple add-ons that could help future optical devices “see” a bit deeper at the body’s surface - if safety and performance hold up.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adm6869" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a></em>.</p>



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



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Ingredient used in Doritos helps scientists create mice with 'see-through' skin

Doritos have been a favorite snack around the world for...

<p>The race to replace fossil fuels has inspired researchers to explore many unconventional potential sources. Among these, natural hydrogen, which is found deep underground, is gaining attention. </p>



<p>It is seen as a possible building block for a cleaner energy future. Yet, it remains difficult to predict where this hidden hydrogen lies.</p>



<p>A recent study from the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a> suggests that mysterious features on Earth’s surface, called fairy circles, could reveal the presence of these underground reserves. </p>



<p>The round patches, where vegetation is damaged or absent, may point the way to a sustainable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/clean-hydrogen-source-could-power-earth-for-170000-years/">energy</a> source.</p>



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



<p>Across many parts of the world, unusual circular patterns appear on the landscape, drawing attention from scientists and local communities alike. </p>



<p>These formations, known as fairy circles, can be found in regions as distant and varied as Russia, Namibia, Brazil, and <a href="https://research.csiro.au/hydrogenfsp/australian-fairy-circles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australia</a>.</p>



<p>They often stand out sharply from the surrounding environment due to the presence of vast rings or depressions with sparse or no vegetation. </p>



<p>Despite their size - sometimes hundreds of meters across - the depressions themselves are relatively shallow, sinking only a few meters into the ground.</p>



<p>For decades, these circles remained a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-catalyst-precatalyst-improves-clean-hydrogen-production-to-99-9-efficiency/">geological</a> and ecological mystery. Researchers speculated about many possible explanations, ranging from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-fairy-circles-are-likely-caused-by-termite-activity/">termite</a> activity to natural gas seepage. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-still-remain">Questions still remain</h2>



<p>However, no single theory could fully account for their global presence. It wasn’t until roughly ten years ago that a significant breakthrough emerged.</p>



<p>Scientists discovered that these fairy circles were not just barren patches of land but active sites where natural hydrogen escapes from reservoirs deep underground. </p>



<p>This finding revealed a surprising connection to one of the cleanest potential energy sources known.</p>



<p>Still, even with this discovery, questions persisted. </p>



<p>The mechanisms that shaped these depressions, and the reasons their size might vary depending on the depth and pressure of hydrogen, remained largely unknown. This left both geologists and the energy sector eager for clearer answers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-hydrogen-and-fairy-circles">Linking hydrogen and fairy circles</h2>



<p>This information is critical for the energy industry. Natural hydrogen carries a negligible carbon footprint, making it an attractive sustainable option.</p>



<p>"But before expensive drilling can be carried out, we need to understand how fairy circles form, how large the deposits might be and how deep we need to drill," explained Martin Schöpfer from the University of Vienna and NiMBUC Geoscience.</p>



<p>A study supported by OMV and led by Schöpfer used geomechanical computer simulations to show why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-hydrogen-reserves-discovered-beneath-earths-mountains/">hydrogen</a>-emitting fairy circles sink. </p>



<p>The simulations revealed that interactions between gas, water flow, and soil create a two-step process that leads to surface collapse.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-souffle-effect-explained">Soufflé effect explained</h2>



<p>The team compared the phenomenon to a soufflé. Loose sediments, like sand or clay, sit above solid rock. </p>



<p>When hydrogen enters the sediment, it pushes water upward, uplifting the surface. Plants suffer from the altered gas mixture and die, leaving bare patches.</p>



<p>"You could say that the sediment rises like a soufflé, but here geomechanical processes are at work, whereas with a soufflé it is chemical processes," explained Schöpfer. When the hydrogen flow stops, pressure drops and the sediment compacts.</p>



<p>"The soil compresses and subsides, similar to a collapsing soufflé," he added.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-matching-nature-and-models">Matching nature and models</h2>



<p>Simulations aligned closely with real fairy circles found in Russia, Brazil, and Australia. The research showed a clear pattern: larger circles indicate deeper and higher-pressure hydrogen sources underground.</p>



<p>"These findings are a real breakthrough," emphasizes Bernhard Grasemann, deputy head of the Department of Geology. </p>



<p>"Fairy circles could thus serve as natural signposts in the future for finding underground hydrogen sources - a potentially inexhaustible and environmentally friendly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-natural-hydrogen-deposit-discovery-is-worth-a-staggering-184-billion/">energy</a> source."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hydrogen-from-fairy-circles-matters">Hydrogen from fairy circles matters</h2>



<p>The energy sector is closely watching these developments. </p>



<p>"The energy sector's interest in natural hydrogen as a potential new energy source with a negligible carbon footprint is growing, especially in comparison to all other types of artificially produced hydrogen," noted Gabor Tari, chief geologist at OMV.</p>



<p>He pointed out that natural, or white and golden hydrogen, along with orange hydrogen, may become cheaper and more profitable than traditional forms, such as black, gray, blue, pink, or green hydrogen. </p>



<p>This is why OMV supports basic research that explores hydrogen’s future role in energy transitions.</p>



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



<p>Although promising, many questions remain. Schöpfer stresses the need for additional studies. </p>



<p>These may include testing different soil types, simulating pulsing gas emissions, and conducting field research to examine chemical reactions that could further influence subsidence.</p>



<p>If fairy circles do serve as natural guides to underground hydrogen, they could reshape global energy strategies. Unlocking this hidden source may bring the world one step closer to a truly sustainable energy system. </p>



<p>This could drive innovation across industries, reduce global reliance on carbon-heavy fuels, and open opportunities for affordable, clean energy.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article-abstract/53/9/712/654903/The-mechanical-genesis-of-fairy-circle-depressions?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a></em>.</p>



<p><em>Featured image: A new study by the University of Vienna explains why "fairy circles" - circular areas where vegetation is damaged, as seen here in the São Francisco Basin in Brazil - subside and how their diameter is related to the depth of the hydrogen source. Credit: Alain Prinzhofer/University of Vienna</em></p>



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Fairy circles may point to underground sources of clean energy from natural hydrogen reserves

The race to replace fossil fuels has inspired researchers 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=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>



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



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



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



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

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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>



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<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...

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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>



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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...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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<p>Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. </p>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



<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

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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>



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



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



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



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



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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