Zach Fitzner studied biology in college. His love for animals, the outdoors and adventure has taken him all over the world as a volunteer, traveler and biology technician. Originally from Colorado, Zach is often found outdoors travelling or working as a fossil preparator. He has written for numerous environmental sites and contributes original content for Earth.com. You can follow along with Zach's adventures on his <a href="https://zachofjungle.com/">blog</a>.

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Intricate geological formations such as star-shaped dunes and sandstone arches are somewhat mysterious; they appear almost designed but are shaped by somewhat random natural forces. A new study conducted by researchers at <a href="https://www.aalto.fi/en">Aalto University</a> sought to recreate the formation of geological features created by wind and water.



The researchers arranged 100 tiny metal balls on a vibrating silicone plate and used a camera and smart algorithm to watch and manipulate the balls.



“We used the camera to determine the location of the particles, and the algorithm selected the most appropriate vibration frequency to move the particles in the desired direction," explained study lead author Quan Zhou.



"The particles move across the plate in a particular direction depending on the vibration frequency, and the same frequency can cause very different directions of movement in different parts of the plate.”



The scientists were surprised to see how well the algorithm was able to control the shapes that were formed by the tiny balls.&nbsp;



"The movement of the particle swarm is similar to natural phenomena in which natural materials are shaped by the power of wind and water. The method should work at both smaller and larger scales, and could have many future applications where using hands or tools is difficult," said doctoral candidate Artur Koptica.



The researchers hope that this new technique of manipulating matter could be used in manufacturing products in the near future by replacing skilled artisan workers or molds with an algorithm.&nbsp;



A question that still needs to be answered is how many of these metal balls can be manipulated at one time and thus to what scale can the process be used. The research team previously looked at the use of vibrating plates to manipulate matter, but using them to form shapes is new, uncharted territory.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Recreating the power of wind and water to manipulate materials

Intricate geological formations such as star-shaped dunes and sandstone arches...

Cooperative breeding in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cyclones-are-killing-thousands-of-seabirds-each-year/">birds</a> has long fascinated evolutionary scientists. This reproductive strategy involves a single breeding pair that lay eggs and are then assisted in chick rearing by a number of helpers. The helpers forgo the opportunity to reproduce in favor of helping raise their siblings.&nbsp;



A recent study of white-browed sparrow weavers in the Kalahari Desert casts new light on the possible evolutionary origins of this apparently selfless behavior. White-browed sparrow weavers occur in the semi-arid regions of southern Africa where rainfall is unpredictable. They form family groups of up to 12 individuals and each group builds a number of scruffy nests in a single tree. One nest will be used by the breeding pair while the other nests are used by the “helpers” for roosting. 



The research is based on 12 years of field work conducted in the Tswalu Kalahari Reserve by scientists from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>. The findings show that families with larger numbers of helpers manage to raise more chicks than families with fewer helpers, but only during dry conditions when rainfall is poor. During wet conditions, families with more helpers actually fare worse in terms of reproductive success.&nbsp;



This means that cooperative breeding does not improve overall reproductive success but may protect birds from total reproductive failure when weather conditions are more severe. "We were really surprised – our findings suggest that the birds co-operate to cope with the unpredictability of their environment," said&nbsp;<a href="https://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/staff/profile/index.php?web_id=andrew_young">Dr Andrew Young</a>, of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/cornwall/research/facilitiesandcentres/cec/">Centre for Ecology and Conservation</a>&nbsp;on Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.



"This is an exciting discovery, because other studies have found that cooperative behaviour among birds is associated with unpredictable environments worldwide, especially those with variable rainfall.”



For most animal species, genes are passed on to future generations through reproduction. However, in cases where some individuals do not breed but help to raise the offspring of relatives, they may still be passing on a significant proportion of their own genes.&nbsp;



In white-browed sparrow weaver families, the helpers are offspring of the breeding pair, which means that they are improving the survival rate of their younger siblings. On average, animals share 50 percent of their genes with their siblings, just as a parent shares 50 percent of its genes with an offspring. Therefore, by helping siblings to survive, white-browed sparrow weaver helpers are also ensuring that copies of their genes are passed on. This process is known as “kin selection.”



Since the presence of helpers in white-browed sparrow weaver families does not increase the overall reproductive success of the breeding pair, however, cooperative breeding in this species cannot be explained simply by classical evolutionary theory. Instead, it appears that co-operation helps the birds to cope with the unpredictability of their environment. 



"Bet-hedging strategies like this are all about reducing the risk of total failure when you can’t predict what is going to happen,” explained <a href="https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/bahcm/staff/pablocapillalasheras/">Dr. Pablo Capilla-Lasheras</a>. "Our findings suggest that co-operation may serve that purpose – it allows sparrow weaver families to enjoy some breeding success whatever rainfall conditions they experience."



Interestingly, it was the number of female helpers that correlated in particular with enhanced reproductive success during dry conditions. Females, rather than males, were the ones that fed the chicks most often. "It is specifically the number of female helpers that affects a family’s ability to cope with unpredictable rainfall conditions; the number of male helpers is less important," Dr Young said.



"This observation allows us to be more confident that having more helpers – rather than simply living in bigger groups – is the cause of the effects we witnessed."



The authors conclude that, as global climate change leads to more unpredictable and extreme weather patterns in the future, species with co-operative breeding systems may be better placed to cope.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cooperative breeding protects desert birds from reproductive failure

Cooperative breeding in birds has long fascinated evolutionary scientists. This...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.rush.edu/">Rush University Medical Center</a> found that the MIND diet, a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets, significantly slows <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colorful-foods-can-prevent-cognitive-decline/">cognitive</a> decline in older adults and improves their cognitive functioning. 



The MIND diet includes at least three servings of whole grains, a green leafy vegetable, and another vegetable of choice per day, washed away with a glass of wine, together with frequent nut snacks. It should also include regular consumption of beans (every two days), poultry and berries (twice per week), and fish (once per week.) A person following the MIND diet should significantly limit items such as butter, sweets, pastries, whole fat cheese, and fried or fast foods.



<a href="https://www.rush.edu/news/new-mind-diet-may-significantly-protect-against-alzheimers-disease">Previous studies</a> have already suggested that following a MIND diet can significantly protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. According to the new research, which is published in the <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad210107">Journal&nbsp;of Alzheimer’s Disease</a>, participants in a longitudinal study who moderately followed the MIND diet had increased cognitive functioning later in life.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Some people have enough plaques and tangles in their brains to have a postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but they do not develop clinical dementia in their lifetime,” said study&nbsp;lead author Klodian Dhana, an assistant professor in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rushu.rush.edu/research/departmental-research/internal-medicine-research/geriatrics-gerontology-and-palliative-medicine-research">Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine</a> at&nbsp;Rush Medical College.&nbsp;



“Some have the ability to maintain cognitive function despite the accumulation of these pathologies in the brain, and our study suggests that the MIND diet is associated with better cognitive functions independently of brain pathologies related to Alzheimer’s disease.”



Participants from the&nbsp;ongoing <a href="https://www.rushu.rush.edu/research/departmental-research/memory-and-aging-project">Memory and Aging Project</a>, which has begun in 1997, were given a score according to how closely they followed the MIND diet and undertook annual evaluations and cognitive tests. The scientists found that participants with higher MIND diet scores performed significantly better at cognitive tests and showed less signs of cognitive decline as they grew older.&nbsp;



“We found that a higher MIND diet score was associated with better memory and thinking skills independently of Alzheimer's disease pathology and other common age-related brain pathologies. The diet seemed to have a protective capacity and may contribute to cognitive resilience in the elderly,” explained Professor Dhana.



“Diet changes can impact cognitive functioning and risk of dementia, for better or worse. There are fairly simple diet and lifestyle changes a person could make that may help to slow cognitive decline with aging, and contribute to brain health."



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The MIND diet slows cognitive decline

Researchers at the Rush University Medical Center found that the...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/">University of Georgia</a> have discovered that a gout medicine already approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (<a href="https://www.fda.gov/">FDA</a>) in 1979 could also help combat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-one-third-of-americans-had-covid-19-by-the-end-of-2020/">COVID-19</a>. 



Probenicid, generally used to treat the joint tenderness and pain caused by gout, may prove effective against SARS-CoV-2 by preventing the virus from taking over a person’s cells and using them to replicate. Thus, prebencid may successfully stop the virus from spreading throughout the body and causing severe illness.



Scientists believe that gout medicine can also work in the fight against other respiratory illnesses, including the common flu, which doesn’t have a clear therapeutic path either. “There's really nothing out there to safely fight these viruses,” said lead author Dr. Ralph Tripp, a professor in the <a href="https://vet.uga.edu/education/academic-departments/infectious-diseases/">Department of Infectious Diseases</a> at the University of Georgia.



“This antiviral works for all RNA respiratory viruses we tested, including SARS-CoV-2. RSV, coronavirus and flu all circulate in the same season. Bottom line is you can potentially reduce infection and disease using this one oral drug.”



Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many drugs have been used in the hope that they will manage to cure the disease, including monoclonal antibodies. However, these drugs are expensive, not very widely available, and they are mostly used when patients already reach a critical condition and they are hospitalized.



“These treatments have seen some effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2, but they're very expensive and very hard to come by,” explained Professor Tripp.&nbsp;“In reality, there are only a handful of options that can actually be used because of the cost, restricted IV usage, and lack of access. That's not very useful to the world.”



On the other hand, Probencid can be cheaply produced and distributed around the world, which creates an opportunity for low income nations to easily access these potentially helpful treatments. &nbsp;



“SARS-CoV-2, RSV and flu have a huge impact on health systems throughout the world. Probenecid has a potent antiviral effect against these viruses, and it works safely,” concluded Professor Tripp.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-97658-w?utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=3_nsn6445_deeplink_PID100032693&amp;utm_content=deeplink">Nature Communications</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gout medicine found to be effective against COVID-19

Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered that a...

The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is an extremely common research animal for biologists. Thus, it may not be much of a surprise that scientists know a lot about the humble little worm’s sensory abilities. Shawn Xu’s research lab has been working with C. elegans for years and found some interesting things.&nbsp;



The worm was discovered to react to light, without eyes. Now, in a study published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/home">Neuron</a>, the scientists have established that the worm can hear without ears.&nbsp;



"There was just one more primary sense missing - auditory sensation, or hearing," said Xu. "But hearing is unlike other senses, which are found widely across other animal phyla. It's really only been discovered in vertebrates and some arthropods. And the vast majority of invertebrate species are thus believed to be sound insensitive."



The researchers showed that when a noise was played for the worms, the little creatures moved away from it, showing that they could hear and discern where the sound was coming from. The research has important implications in our understanding of other animals.



"Our study shows that we cannot just assume that organisms that lack ears cannot sense sound," said Xu.



After the researchers confirmed that the worms were responding to air borne sounds, not vibrations in the substrate they were resting on, they discovered hearing neurons attached to the worms’ skin. This points to the difference in how these worms hear compared to both vertebrates and arthropods, suggesting that each evolved the sense of hearing separately.&nbsp;



"Based on these differences, which exist down to the molecular level, we believe the sense of hearing has probably evolved independently, multiple times across different animal phyla," said Xu. "We knew that hearing looks very different between vertebrates and arthropods."



"Now, with C. elegans, we have found yet another different pathway for this sensory function, indicating convergent evolution. This stands in sharp contrast to the evolution of vision, which, as proposed by Charles Darwin, occurred quite early and probably only once with a common ancestor."



As exciting as this discovery is, Xu expects that it will lead to more research and more interesting conclusions about sensory biology.&nbsp;



"This opens a whole new field for studying auditory sensation, and mechanosensation as a whole. With this new addition of auditory sensation, we have now fully established that all primary senses are found in C. elegans, making them an exceptional model system for studying sensory biology."



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Worms without ears can hear through their skin

The roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans is an extremely common research animal...

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