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For centuries, humans have gazed into the night sky, wondering what lies beyond the planets we know. Each new discovery in the Solar System reshapes our sense of place in the cosmos.



Now, astronomers are once again pointing to the possibility of an unseen world - one that may be orbiting far beyond Neptune. This hypothetical body has been given the tentative name "Planet Y."



The idea of hidden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-captured-in-true-color-like-youve-never-seen-the-red-planet-before/">planets</a> is not new. Astronomers once speculated about Planet X, which was believed to be seven times Earth’s mass and orbiting 50 times farther from the Sun than Earth.



That idea was mostly debunked. Later came Planet Nine, a still-viable candidate about 10 times Earth’s mass, at least 300 times farther from the Sun. Now, evidence is mounting for yet another contender.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warped-orbits-suggest-hidden-planet">Warped orbits suggest hidden planet</h2>



Amir Siraj at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Princeton University</a> and his colleagues suggest a new possibility. They noticed a warping effect in the orbits of some Kuiper belt objects, a distant region filled with icy remnants, including Pluto. 



“If that warp is real, the simplest explanation is an undiscovered inclined planet,” Siraj said.



This <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-earth-like-planet-may-be-hiding-just-beyond-neptune/">potential world</a> would be smaller than Earth but larger than Mercury, orbiting 100 to 200 times farther from the Sun than Earth does. Its gravity seems to nudge nearby objects about 15 degrees out of the solar system’s flat plane, like ripples disturbing a lake’s surface.



“Our signal is modest, but credible,” Siraj said, estimating just a two to four percent chance of being a fluke. Early evidence for Planet Nine carried similar odds, though the signatures differ. 



Planet Nine would tug objects toward it, while this “Planet Y” appears to tilt orbits out of alignment. In theory, both worlds could exist at once.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexplained-kuiper-belt-tilt">Unexplained Kuiper belt tilt</h2>



The new research shows that if no hidden planets exist, the average plane of the Kuiper belt should align with the invariable plane of the solar system.



 However, astronomers now detect a clear warp between 80 and 200 astronomical units (AU).



This tilt is unlikely to be primordial, since natural orbital precession would erase it in less than 100 million years. For the warp to persist, something must be maintaining it - such as the gravity of a hidden planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-possible-planet-y-scenarios">Possible Planet Y scenarios</h2>



Jonti Horner at the <a href="https://www.unisq.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southern Queensland</a> in Australia sees this as possible.



“It plays into the fact that we simply don’t know what’s out there. It’s only in the last couple of decades that we’ve really started to explore the space beyond Neptune,” he said.



Astronomers believe such planets might not have formed so far from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/widest-high-resolution-photo-of-the-sun-ever-captured-solar-orbiter/">Sun</a>. Instead, they could have been scattered outward early in the Solar System’s history. “Scattering seems more likely,” Horner said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-models-support-planet-y-theory">Models support Planet Y theory</h2>



Numerical experiments suggest that a planet with a mass between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-there-life-on-mercury-possibly-in-the-planets-craters-study-reveals/">Mercury</a> and Earth, an orbit of roughly 100 to 200 AU, and an inclination greater than 10 degrees could maintain the observed warp.



Lower-mass bodies like Pluto could contribute, but far less effectively. Planets more massive than Earth would cause distortions in nearer regions, making them poor fits for the data.



The proposed Planet Y differs from Planet Nine in both location and influence. Planet Nine, if real, is thought to explain the clustering of orbital paths at great distances. Planet Y, by contrast, would explain why the Kuiper belt’s average plane is warped.



“The signature is different,” Siraj said, emphasizing that both ideas could coexist without contradiction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-search-for-hidden-worlds-continues">Search for hidden worlds continues</h2>



The outer solar system is one of astronomy’s greatest frontiers, and the next decade promises breakthroughs. 



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-images-from-the-vera-c-rubin-observatory-are-breathtaking/">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a> will soon begin its 10-year survey, mapping the night sky in unprecedented detail. This facility could spot Planet Y directly or confirm indirect signs of its influence.



“Rubin will rapidly expand the catalog of well-measured trans-Neptunian objects,” Siraj said. If Planet Y exists, “within the survey’s first few years” we may either see it or gather stronger proof of its gravitational effects.



For now, Planet Y remains hypothetical, a hint drawn from subtle orbital patterns. But history shows that careful attention to small irregularities can reveal great discoveries. 



From Neptune’s prediction in the 19th century to Pluto’s identification in the 20th, the search for hidden worlds has always reshaped our cosmic understanding. If Planet Y is real, it may soon step from speculation into fact.



The study is published in <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.14156" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arXiv</a>.



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Planet Y: Signs of a world hiding in our Solar System

For centuries, humans have gazed into the night sky, wondering...

Most people think of fat as what they can see in the mirror. Yet hidden fat stored deep inside the body tells a different story. Scientists are uncovering its surprising role in how quickly our hearts age, and the findings reveal a complex picture of health that extends beyond weight alone.



Aging is the strongest risk factor for heart disease. However scientists have long puzzled over why some people’s hearts age faster than others. 



New research highlights visceral fat, the fat wrapped around organs, as a key player. Unlike fat under the skin, this invisible type can accelerate wear and tear on the heart and blood vessels.



Scientists from the Medical Research Council (<a href="https://www.ukri.org/councils/mrc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MRC</a>) Laboratory of Medical Sciences in London analyzed data from over 21,000 participants in the UK Biobank. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-organ-fat-ages-hearts">Organ fat ages hearts</h2>



Using whole-body imaging and artificial intelligence, researchers compared organ scans to track how fat distribution related to heart aging. Each participant was assigned a “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tool-that-determines-your-heart-age-as-compared-to-your-actual-age/">heart age</a>” to show how their cardiovascular system compared with their actual age.



The findings were clear. People with more visceral adipose tissue showed signs of faster heart aging. This fat surrounds organs like the stomach, intestines, and liver, often hidden even in people who look slim.



Blood tests also revealed a link with higher inflammation, which is closely tied to premature aging. The study also showed that infiltration of fat into muscle tissue and excess liver fat added to the risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-apple-vs-pear-risk">Apple vs. pear risk</h2>



The research also found that sex and body shape play a role. Men with belly fat, often described as an “apple” shape, showed stronger signs of early heart aging. Women, however, displayed a different pattern.



A “pear” shape, with fat on the hips and thighs, seemed protective against heart aging. Genetic analysis also suggested that gluteofemoral fat in women may causally reduce cardiovascular aging. Higher estrogen levels in premenopausal women added further protection, reinforcing the role of hormones.



“We have known about the apple and pear distinction in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-term-exercise-can-make-belly-fat-healthy/">body fat</a>, but it hasn't been clear how it leads to poor health outcomes," said Professor Declan O’Regan, who led the study. "Our research shows that "bad" fat, hidden deep around the organs, accelerates aging of the heart."



"Some types of fat could protect against aging - specifically fat around the hips and thighs in women."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bmi-misses-hidden-heart-risks">BMI misses hidden heart risks</h2>



One striking finding was that body mass index (BMI) is not a reliable measure of heart aging. People in the same BMI category often had very different fat distributions. 



For example, some higher-weight individuals carried fat in safer areas, while others had high levels of visceral fat despite appearing healthy. 



This weak link between BMI and biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tool-that-determines-your-heart-age-as-compared-to-your-actual-age/">aging</a> stresses the importance of advanced imaging or improved surrogate tools to identify hidden risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-therapies-for-heart-aging">Therapies for heart aging</h2>



The study suggests a new way to think about heart health. Being fit and active helps, but visceral fat still poses hidden risks. 



“The goal of our research is to find ways to increase healthy lifespan,” said O’Regan. “While being active is important, we found that hidden fat could still be harmful even in fit people.”



“In the future, we plan to investigate how drug therapies, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weight-loss-drug-ozempic-may-help-protect-the-brain-from-stroke/">GLP-1 inhibitors</a> (e.g., Ozempic), could improve not just diabetes and obesity but also target the aging effects of hidden visceral fat.”



The uploaded study also highlighted how hormones shape fat distribution. Estradiol in premenopausal women was linked to slower cardiovascular aging. 



Scientists propose that this hormone may drive fat storage to the hips and thighs, offering protective benefits. These findings support the idea that hormone replacement therapies could play a role in managing cardiovascular aging in women.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hormones-and-health">Hormones and health</h2>



The British Heart Foundation, which supported the study alongside the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, emphasized the findings.



“We already know excess visceral fat around the heart and liver can lead to increased blood pressure and high cholesterol,” said Professor Bryan Williams, OBE. “It is concerning that it could also help speed up aging of the heart and blood vessels.”



“As the pattern of fat distribution typically seen in women’s bodies is linked to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-health-after-menopause-what-every-woman-should-know/">estrogen</a>, that hormone may be key to future therapies developed to tackle heart aging. Eating a healthier diet and becoming more active can help reduce visceral fat levels.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-lessons-on-heart-and-age">Key lessons on heart and age</h2>



This research highlights that not all fat is equal. While some fat types can help protect the heart, hidden visceral fat acts like a silent threat. 



By mapping its role in aging, scientists hope to open new pathways for treatment and prevention. For now, understanding where fat is stored may be just as important as knowing how much there is.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf553/8237967" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Heart Journal</a>.



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Hidden fat inside the body is secretly aging your heart

Most people think of fat as what they can see...

Bacteria,,Human,Microbiome,,Normal,Microflora,Of,Human,Body,,3d,Illustration

Most of us have heard that the gut is full of bacteria that help with digestion, immunity, and even mood. What you eat and drink shapes that microbial community.



Dairy sits in the middle of the conversation because it provides nutrients and, sometimes, live cultures, yet researchers don’t always agree on its effects. A careful study that sampled the colon lining directly adds useful clues.



Diet studies often rely on stool samples. That’s helpful, but it doesn’t always reflect the bacteria that stick to the gut wall. 



This project looked at those <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-microbes-have-an-unexpected-link-to-anxiety/">wall-attached microbes</a>, which sit directly against our tissues. The goal was straightforward: see whether everyday dairy habits show up in that community of bacteria.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-microbiome">Understanding the microbiome</h2>



Think of your gut microbiome as a bustling neighborhood of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-microbiome-trillions-of-bacteria-unique-like-fingerprints/">trillions of microbes</a> - mostly bacteria, plus some fungi and viruses - that live mainly in your large intestine. 



They help break down parts of food you can’t digest on your own, especially fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids like butyrate that feed your colon cells and help keep inflammation in check. 



These microbes also train your immune system, make certain vitamins, and interact with your nervous system through chemical signals. That's where we get the term "gut feeling." 



Everyone’s microbiome is a little different, shaped by birth, diet, environment, sleep, stress, and medicines like antibiotics. 



Diversity tends to be a good sign: a wider variety of species usually means a more stable, resilient community.



There’s no single “perfect” microbiome, but you can nudge yours in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-link-between-obesity-anxiety-and-gut-microbiome-changes/">healthy direction</a> with balanced meals, regular movement, enough sleep, and cautious antibiotic use when medically needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-how-dairy-shapes-gut-bacteria">Learning how dairy shapes gut bacteria</h2>



Adults undergoing routine colonoscopies at a veterans’ hospital in Houston participated. Their colons appeared normal, and none had <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-helps-fight-cancer-by-changing-gut-microbes/">major conditions</a> that could confound the results. 



During the procedure, doctors collected pinhead-sized biopsies from the colon lining for lab analysis.



In total, the team analyzed 97 biopsies from 34 people. Beforehand, participants completed a food questionnaire that covered the past year, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-americans-dont-know-the-dangers-of-raw-milk-and-bird-flu/">milk, cheese, yogurt</a>, and total dairy intake. 



In the lab, the group used 16S rRNA sequencing to identify which bacteria were present and in what amounts.



Two basic yardsticks apply. “Alpha diversity” refers to how many kinds of bacteria are in a single sample. “Beta diversity” compares how different two people’s communities are.



The analysis adjusted for age, body size, smoking, alcohol use, health conditions, overall diet quality, and which part of the colon the sample came from. That helps separate signals that are likely true associations from those created by other factors.



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



People who drank more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-makes-dairy-cows-produce-less-milk/">milk</a> - and those who consumed more total dairy - tended to have higher alpha diversity in the bacteria attached to the colon lining. 



Beta diversity also differed between higher and lower consumers of total dairy, milk, cheese, and yogurt, indicating that intake patterns were associated with broader shifts in community structure.



Two familiar bacteria stood out. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/faecalibacterium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Faecalibacterium</a> is often considered beneficial because it makes butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that fuels colon cells and can calm inflammation. People who consumed more total dairy and more milk had more Faecalibacterium on the colon lining. 



<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41575-022-00631-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Akkermansia</a>, frequently linked to a strong gut barrier and better metabolic markers, also appeared at higher levels with milk intake.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dairy-products-and-bacteria">Dairy products and bacteria</h2>



When the team accounted for dietary lactose, the milk-microbe links weakened. That points to lactose as a possible <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/boost-your-gut-health-top-five-prebiotic-rich-foods-revealed/">prebiotic</a> - food for specific bacteria - that may help certain microbes grow. 



It also fits a simple nutrition fact: milk contains lactose, while many hard cheeses have very little.



Cheese didn’t follow milk’s pattern. Higher cheese intake was associated with lower amounts of certain bacteria in adjusted models, including <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2176045/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bacteroides</a> and Subdoligranulum. 



Scientists don’t treat Bacteroides as purely good or bad; it depends on the species and context. 



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1075996404000071">Subdoligranulum</a> can produce butyrate, which is usually beneficial, so seeing lower levels with higher cheese intake raises questions about which cheese components might shift the balance. Turning milk into cheese changes nutrients in ways that could matter.



Yogurt intake here was very low on average - approximately a few sips per day - so the study couldn’t draw firm conclusions. 



The researchers didn’t see clear links between yogurt and diversity, and classic yogurt cultures like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-cheese-discovered-alongside-ancient-mummies/">Lactobacillus</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mothers-gut-health-shapes-the-brain-development-of-her-baby/">Bifidobacterium</a> appeared at very low levels on the colon lining in these samples.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-colon-lining-yields-clues">Colon lining yields clues</h2>



Most data we see come from stool samples, which reflect what exits the body. The mucosa - the gut’s surface - can look different. 



Studying the wall-attached community gives a closer view of the microbes that interact with the gut barrier and immune cells. It reflects the mucosal surface rather than only what is present in stool.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gut-bacteria-dairy-and-health">Gut bacteria, dairy, and health</h2>



If you tolerate dairy and already drink milk, your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/move-over-microbiome-its-time-for-the-human-guts-virome-to-shine/">gut’s surface community</a> may be more diverse. 



If cheese is your main dairy, the effects likely depend on the type of cheese, your overall diet - especially fiber - and your individual microbiome. 



If you don’t tolerate lactose well, prebiotic fibers from beans, oats, bananas, onions, and asparagus can nourish beneficial bacteria by another route.



Different dairy foods appear to influence the gut’s wall-attached community in distinct ways. 



Larger, longer studies in more diverse groups will help test which dairy components do what, and for whom. For now, what goes in your glass and on your plate shows up in your gut in measurable ways.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/3/567" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nutrients</a>.



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Milk, cheese, and other dairy products are both good and bad for your gut health

Most of us have heard that the gut is full...

Bowhead whales can live more than 200 years. Tiny shrews barely make it a year. Some sea sponge species are over 15,000 years old. That gap raises a straightforward question: what’s different at the biological level? 



Instead of hunting for a single “longevity gene,” researchers looked for patterns across sets of related genes that might scale up in species with long lives.



Biologists call these sets “<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1762380/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene families</a>.” Over evolutionary time, genes sometimes duplicate. Extra copies can shift how strongly a function shows up in the body - a higher “dose” - or create room for small tweaks that help cells respond more flexibly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-lifespan-potential">Studying lifespan potential</h2>



Dr. Benjamin Padilla-Morales, from the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/research-centres/milner-centre-for-evolution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milner Center for Evolution</a> and the University of Bath's Department of Life Sciences, was the first author. 



The study compared 46 mammalian species with high-quality, well-curated genomes. 



For each species, the team used maximum lifespan potential (MLSP), defined as the longest confirmed age any individual of that species has reached, and matched it to the sizes of thousands of gene families. 



They also accounted for traits that often track with lifespan, including body size, brain size relative to body size, how <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10634735/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long pregnancy lasts</a>, and when animals first reproduce.



This design allowed them to ask a clear question: across mammals, do certain families get larger in species that live longer, and if so, which ones?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-immune-system-and-lifespan-potential">Immune system and lifespan potential</h2>



The strongest signal centered on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-immune-systems-have-a-fountain-of-youth-and-scientists-are-trying-to-activate-it/">immune system</a>. The gene families that tended to be larger in long-lived mammals were involved in immune surveillance and clearance.



These functions help detect threats and clear cellular debris that accumulates with age.



The immune system does more than fight infections. It also removes damaged or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/system-that-identifies-and-kills-dying-cells-before-they-harm-you-has-huge-anti-aging-potential/">“senescent” cells</a> that stop dividing and release stress signals, and it helps identify early cancer cells before they grow out of control.



As an animal ages, those jobs matter more. Expanding the families that handle them can help tissues maintain stability over many decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-size-link-plays-a-role">Brain size link plays a role</h2>



Across mammals, species with bigger brains for their body size often live longer. In this study, many of the same gene families that grow with lifespan also grow with relative brain size. 



A large brain uses substantial energy and oxygen and produces more metabolic byproducts. Extra immune and housekeeping capacity supports this load and helps keep neural tissue stable.



The link implies a shared genetic background: immune-related expansions may support both long life and the demands of a large, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fueling-the-mind-new-map-reveals-where-the-brain-gets-its-energy/">energy-hungry brain</a>.



Padilla-Morales explained that scientists have long known relative brain size is linked to longevity. He said the two traits share an evolutionary path, with larger brains offering potential behavioral advantages.



He also noted that bigger-brained species don’t just live longer because of ecological factors. Their genomes show parallel expansions in genes tied to survival and maintenance. 



“This shows that brain size and immune resilience seem to have walked hand-in-hand in the evolutionary journey toward longer lives,” Padilla-Morales explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lifespan-potential-what-doesn-t-matter">Lifespan potential - what doesn't matter</h2>



Body mass itself - big versus small - did not account for the gene-family trends once other factors were included. 



Life-history timings such as gestation length and age at first reproduction didn’t drive the expansions either. 



Those traits do correlate with lifespan in general, but they weren’t behind which gene families got larger in this analysis.



The team checked a basic concern: maybe long-lived species just carry more genes overall. They do not. The pattern wasn’t a blanket “more genes everywhere.” It was specific to certain families tied to maintenance and defense.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/animals_lifespan_chart-infographic_maximum-lifespan-potential_MLSP_Scientific-Reports_1m.webp"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/animals_lifespan_chart-infographic_maximum-lifespan-potential_MLSP_1s.webp" alt="Phylogenetic distribution of life history and morphological traits (maximum lifespan potential, relative brain size, body mass, gestation time and age at sexual maturity) in mammals. A phylogenetic tree for 46 mammal species with fully sequenced genomes is shown. Bars show the relative value of each variable, including log10 values of maximum lifespan potential (MLSP, green), relative brain size (orange), body mass (purple), gestation time (pink), and age at sexual maturity (blue). See Supplementary Table 1 for raw data and silhouette species names. Credit: Scientific Reports" class="wp-image-1983103"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Phylogenetic distribution of life history and morphological traits (maximum lifespan potential, relative brain size, body mass, gestation time and age at sexual maturity) in mammals. A phylogenetic tree for 46 mammal species with fully sequenced genomes is shown. Bars show the relative value of each variable, including log10 values of maximum lifespan potential (MLSP, green), relative brain size (orange), body mass (purple), gestation time (pink), and age at sexual maturity (blue). See Supplementary Table 1 for raw data and silhouette species names. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Scientific Reports</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-and-longevity-genes">Humans and longevity genes</h2>



The researchers looked at how these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-transfer-longevity-gene-hoping-to-extend-human-lifespan/">longevity-linked genes</a> behave in people. Human versions tend to be more active and produce more transcript variants - different “edits” of the same gene that yield slightly different proteins.



That diversity gives cells more ways to fine-tune responses, which fits the idea of a vigilant, flexible maintenance system.



The team compared their gene lists with earlier aging databases. The overlap wasn’t perfect, which is common, but the functions aligned. 



Prior work points to DNA damage responses, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fasting-helps-the-body-fight-inflammation-and-chronic-diseases/">inflammation control</a>, and programmed cell death (apoptosis). The expanded families in this study cluster within the same biological pathways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maximum-lifespan-potential-limitations">Maximum lifespan potential limitations</h2>



This is not “the cure for aging.” The results show correlations, not causes. Evolution is complicated, and a gene family can expand for one reason and later take on another role. 



Maximum lifespan potential is a record-holder measure, not an average, and records can reflect limited data or unusual individuals.



Even with those limits, the same immune-related signal shows up across dozens of species, and that deserves attention. It shifts the focus from a single switch to scaled-up maintenance.



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



Overall, the findings point to systems-level resilience. Long-lived mammals don’t rely on a magic change in metabolism. 



They tend to carry more copies of genes that help detect problems early, remove damaged cells, and keep tissues - especially the brain - stable for many years.



For anyone thinking about healthy aging, this suggests a practical target. Immune surveillance and cellular housekeeping may be as important as tweaking metabolism or chasing one-off genetic fixes. 



It’s a reminder that evolution didn’t grant immortality. It boosted the systems that prevent small problems from turning into big ones, and it did so in ways we can measure - across 46 species, using maximum lifespan potential, and with clear links to brain size and immune function.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-98786-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Why do some animals live just days while others live thousands of years? Scientists think they know

Bowhead whales can live more than 200 years. Tiny shrews...

For centuries, wolves and humans have lived in a kind of uneasy balance. Wolves roam, and ranchers try to keep their livestock safe. But over the last few decades, that balance has gotten shakier. 



As wolf populations rebound across parts of the U.S., the question keeps coming up: should hunting wolves be part of the solution?



A new study puts some numbers behind the heated debate. The research team found that while wolf hunting has some effect on livestock losses, the results are spotty at best. In fact, killing wolves barely moves the needle when it comes to protecting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cattle-farming-expansion-could-expose-more-than-a-billion-cows-to-heat-stress/">cattle</a> or sheep.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-modern-return-of-the-wolves">A modern return of the wolves</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gray-wolves-are-a-crucial-component-of-the-american-west/">Gray wolves</a> were once nearly wiped out in the lower 48 states. But thanks to the Endangered Species Act and major reintroduction efforts in the 1990s, especially in the Northern Rockies, wolves have made a comeback. 



Some states, like Idaho and Montana, now have healthy-enough populations that wolf hunting is legal under state laws.



But this comeback has also led to more wolf-livestock run-ins. When a rancher wakes up to find a dead calf or dozens of sheep gone overnight, it’s a serious blow. This is why many ranchers push for hunting as a way to control wolf numbers.



What this study shows, though, is that hunting doesn’t really do what people hope it does - at least not very well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-wolves-doesn-t-help-livestock">Hunting wolves doesn't help livestock</h2>



On average, for every wolf hunted, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/livestock-grazing-is-changing-soil-plants-and-insect-populations/">livestock</a> loss drops by two percent. That might sound like progress, but it’s a pretty weak effect. In real numbers, that works out to protecting less than one-tenth of one animal - just 0.07 livestock - for each wolf killed.



And in counties where wolves live, ranchers typically lose 3 to 4 animals per year to predation. So that bump is not exactly a game-changer.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunting-can-help-stabilize-wildlife-populations/">Hunting</a>, on the whole, is not removing negative impacts associated with wolves. It does have some effect on rates of livestock loss, but the effect is not particularly consistent, widespread or strong,” the authors note.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-wolves-and-livestock">Tracking wolves and livestock</h2>



This research was led by a team at the <a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a>, supported by various institutions. They pulled data from four states between 2005 and 2021 - Idaho and Montana (where hunting is legal) and Oregon and Washington (where it’s mostly not).



The researchers compared counties with and without hunting and looked at changes before and after hunting became legal. 



They also analyzed whether hunting influenced “lethal removals” - government-led efforts to take out wolves after serious attacks. The data showed no reduction in lethal removals due to hunting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ranchers-face-losses">Ranchers face losses</h2>



Even though the average livestock loss is just a few animals a year, that number can jump dramatically. One Idaho rancher reportedly lost 65 sheep in a single night. That’s devastating - not just financially, but emotionally.



“The cost can be really high to an individual rancher, even over very short time periods,” said lead author&nbsp;Leandra Merz, assistant professor at San Diego State University. “We don’t want to minimize that.”



“We're not necessarily saying that we shouldn't be hunting and I want to be clear about that, because there are other motivations for hunting. But if the goal is to reduce livestock predation and we're using hunting for that, it's not as effective as we would like.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else-can-be-done">What else can be done?</h2>



Some nonlethal tools are showing promise. Things like “fladry” - wavy flags on fences that can be electrified - can keep wolves out. So can drones, increased human activity, and even unusual sounds. These ideas might sound strange, but they’ve worked in field tests.



However, nonlethal methods cost money, and those costs often fall on the ranchers. Hunting, by contrast, costs ranchers nothing.



That’s part of the puzzle. “We just need to be a little bit more creative in how we redistribute some of the costs and benefits,” Merz said. “I think outside of managing wildlife, we do that a lot in society.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-debate-on-wolf-management">Debate on wolf management</h2>



The wolf issue isn’t just a science problem - it’s a political and emotional one. Lawsuits about wolf protections are constantly being filed and overturned. 



In 2020, wolves lost federal protection. In 2022, a court order reversed that. The back-and-forth continues.



“There are timely things happening related to wolf management, both domestically and internationally,” said Professor Neil Carter, the study's senior author. 



“Stakeholders involved in wolf management are bringing up the topic of hunting wolves and it's an imminent conversation we'll be having.”



At the center of that conversation is a key takeaway from this study: if we want to stop wolves from killing livestock, we need to question our assumptions. 



Hunting might be part of the picture, but it’s far from a fix-all. There are no easy answers - but there is room for smarter, more creative ones.



The research was supported by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. National Science Foundation</a>.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adu8945" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>



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Hunting wolves to protect livestock: Does it really work?

For centuries, wolves and humans have lived in a kind...

Miners in China reported a major gold discovery. The volume of the deposit, if confirmed, would be the largest ever recorded on Earth. 



The conservative estimate given thus far is 1,100 short tons (about 998 metric tons), valued at approximately US$83 billion. 



The discovery occurred in Hunan Province, and the reported figures have drawn intense interest across the mining industry. 



Large new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/golds-glow-luminescence-caused-quantum-realm-effects/">gold discoveries</a> are increasingly rare, and most near-surface, high-grade targets were exhausted years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wangu-gold-field">Wangu gold field</h2>



Consider this: 40 separate gold-bearing veins in solid rock about 1.2 miles underground. If you have never seen a gold vein, imagine streaks running through marble cake - the “streaks” are gold within ancient rock. 



The Wangu gold field was initially estimated at about 300 metric tons. New assessments suggest that estimate was far too low. Chen Rulin, a prospector with the <a href="https://www.nature.com/nature-index/institution-outputs/china/hunan-geological-bureau/6108fcff175c0849ad05417d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geological Bureau of Hunan Province</a>, has examined rock samples. 



“Many drilled rock cores showed visible gold,” he said. 



Visible gold in core samples typically indicates a high-grade deposit. Notably, computer models indicate there may be additional mineralization deeper, around 1.9 miles down.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-record-breaking-discovery">Record-breaking discovery</h2>



Most gold ore grades are low. Miners consider 8 grams of gold per metric ton a strong grade. That's roughly a paperclip’s mass of gold in a small car’s mass of rock. 



By contrast, this deposit is reported at 138 grams per ton. That is nearly 5 ounces - approximately the weight of a baseball. 



South Africa’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Deep_mine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South Deep mine</a> has about 900 metric tons of gold; this new find appears to surpass it. China already produces about 10 percent of the world’s gold; this discovery would add substantially to that base.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/supergiant-gold-deposit_Wangu-gold-field_technicians-inspecting_Xinhua_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/supergiant-gold-deposit_Wangu-gold-field_technicians-inspecting_Xinhua_1s.webp" alt="Technicians of Hunan Province Geological Disaster Survey and Monitoring Institute check rock samples at the Wangu gold field in Pingjiang County, central China's Hunan Province. Credit: Xinhua/Su Xiaozhou" class="wp-image-1983098"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Technicians of Hunan Province Geological Disaster Survey and Monitoring Institute check rock samples at the Wangu gold field in Pingjiang County, central China's Hunan Province. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Xinhua/Su Xiaozhou</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fewer-places-to-explore">Fewer places to explore</h2>



To date, humans have extracted about 53,000 metric tons of gold. Scientists estimate there may be another 50,000 metric tons left to discover. 



The challenge is that it is buried deep, dispersed in other rocks, or located in areas that are costly to access. 



Mining was once simpler: find an ore-rich mountain, blast it, and extract the gold. Today, environmental regulations restrict practices that pollute rivers or destroy forests. 



Moreover, most easy-to-access deposits are depleted; what remains requires significant capital and technology. 



Some analysts suggest we are approaching “peak gold” - a decline in new discoveries - while others argue that finds like this indicate substantial resources may remain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-gold-pockets-form">How gold pockets form</h2>



Gold does not appear in rocks by chance; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-how-gold-reaches-earths-surface-from-the-mantle/">geological processes</a> concentrate it. For years, the prevailing model held that hot, gold-bearing fluids flowed through rock fractures and, as the fluids cooled, gold precipitated along quartz veins. 



However, the picture is more complex. Chris Voisey, a geologist at <a href="https://www.monash.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monash University</a>, points out a problem.



“While this theory is widely accepted, it doesn't fully explain the formation of large gold nuggets, especially considering that the concentration of gold in these fluids is extremely low," Voisey explained.



Researchers from Monash University, <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CSIRO</a>, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (<a href="https://www.ansto.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ANSTO</a>) propose that earthquakes may play a role. 



They published research in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01514-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a> suggesting that seismic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologists-discover-that-earthquakes-play-a-role-in-whats-called-the-gold-nugget-paradox/">shaking and pressure</a> changes can concentrate gold into pockets. 



Scientists find this plausible because earthquakes fracture rocks and rapidly change pressure, potentially causing dissolved gold to precipitate quickly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wangu-gold-and-goldene">Wangu gold and "goldene"</h2>



While miners pursue conventional ore, scientists are exploring unusual properties of gold in laboratories. In April 2024, researchers produced a one-atom-thick form of gold known as “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01118-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">goldene</a>,” which behaves differently from bulk gold. 



“If you make a material extremely thin, something extraordinary happens - as with graphene,” says Shun Kashiwaya from <a href="https://liu.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Linköping University</a> in Sweden. 



“The same thing happens with gold. As you know, gold is usually a metal, but if single-atom-layer thick, the gold can become a semiconductor instead.” 



This suggests ultra-thin gold could have novel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invention-turns-toxic-e-waste-into-22-carat-gold-nuggets-instead-of-trash/">electronic applications</a>. However, that topic is separate from mining.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-the-wangu-gold-field">Next steps for the Wangu gold field</h2>



China holds more than 2,000 tons of gold reserves, and this discovery would greatly strengthen that position. Gold prices rose when news of the discovery broke. However, the resource still requires verification. 



The Hunan government says drilling is well underway: 55 holes totaling about 65 km, with several deep hits. They’re aiming to add roughly 55 tons of gold resources by the end of 2025 and more than 110 tons during the current five-year plan. 



A newly merged state group, Hunan Mineral Resources Group, is running an “integrated exploration” program. These are targets, not certified reserves.



A discovery of this scale raises questions about what remains undiscovered. Perhaps “peak gold” is farther off than some expect - or perhaps this is one of the last major finds. 



Core samples from the periphery suggest the deposit may extend beyond initial boundaries; if so, it could exceed current estimates. 



Either way, if these figures are confirmed, this could be the largest gold discovery in recorded history. Such events are exceptionally rare.



The initial report was published by the <a href="https://english.news.cn/20241121/cc54468169bb4c8c9db21c08885dc2a5/c.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese State Media</a>.



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Geologists found a 'supergiant' high-grade gold deposit that may be the largest on Earth

Miners in China reported a major gold discovery. The volume...

Few animals inspire as much fear as the black mamba, one of Africa’s most notorious snakes. But behind its deadly reputation lies a story that challenges our assumptions - and reveals the snake’s surprising role in science and conservation.



Known as Africa’s fastest and most dangerous snake, its name alone is frightening. But researchers have discovered something surprising: black mambas might be one of our best allies for tracking pollution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scales-reveal-signs-of-pollution">Scales reveal signs of pollution</h2>



Scientists recently found that black mambas carry a hidden record of pollution in their bodies - specifically, in their scales. Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/elevated-mercury-levels-discovered-in-dolphins/">mercury</a>, and cadmium build up in their tissues over time.



This happens as the snakes eat prey - such as birds and rodents - that have already absorbed these metals from their environment.



Graham Alexander is a professor and herpetologist at the <a href="https://www.wits.ac.za/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Witwatersrand</a> in Johannesburg, South Africa. 



“Black mambas are common in the Durban area, and individuals often live in the same refuge for years,” said Professor Alexander. “If the body tissue of individuals contain high levels of heavy metals, it is a strong sign that the local environment is under threat.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-green-spaces-protect-snakes">City green spaces protect snakes</h2>



The study was led by environmental chemist Professor Marc Humphries. The team collected scale samples from live snakes relocated from homes, businesses, and factories by local snake expert Nick Evans. 



The researchers also used tissue samples from snakes that had died due to road accidents or human conflict. They found a clear connection between land use and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dragonflies-reveal-mercury-pollution-levels-in-national-parks/">pollution levels</a>.



“We found a clear association between land use and heavy metal exposure in black mambas," said Humphries. 



"Snakes living in connected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-mental-health-benefits-of-living-near-green-spaces/">green spaces</a> around the city generally had significantly lower heavy metal concentrations in their scales compared to those in more industrial and commercial areas.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simple-test-on-black-mambas">Simple test on black mambas</h2>



Professor Humphries said it's exciting that a quick, harmless scale clipping is all that's needed to test for pollutants. "It’s safe for the snake and could be used in cities across Africa where snakes are already being relocated from homes and businesses.”



The findings suggest that cities with more green space not only help wildlife survive - but also help protect them from pollutants. 



With snakes like the black mamba acting as environmental indicators, researchers can better track toxic exposure without hurting animals or disturbing natural ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-mambas-help-ecosystems">Black mambas help ecosystems</h2>



A second study revealed something else: black mambas aren’t just top predators. They shape the ecosystems around them. 



These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snakes-use-invisible-colors-to-outsmart-predators/">snakes</a> often return to the same hideouts for years - places like termite mounds, hollow trees, and old buildings. By staying in one area, they create stability in the local food chain.



They also help control <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chicagos-rodents-are-evolving-with-the-city/">rodent</a> populations and even aid in the control of Rock Hyrax numbers. That is significant because rodents and hyraxes can damage crops and spread diseases.



By keeping their populations in check, black mambas contribute to public health and food security - without anyone really noticing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mamba-sightings-on-the-rise">Mamba sightings on the rise</h2>



Over the past few decades, there’s been a steady rise in mamba sightings across Durban. Nick Evans, who works with KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, receives between 100 and 120 calls each year for black mambas across the eThekwini Municipality.



“Humans often make their properties appealing to mambas by dumping rubbish over their fences, in their gardens, or by having messy sheds or garages that create rat-breeding grounds,” said Evans.



“Durban also has high numbers of feral cats, and mambas feed on their kittens. So there is suitable habitat and an abundance of food.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experts-urge-caution-not-killing">Experts urge caution, not killing</h2>



Despite their reputation, unprovoked bites are extremely rare. Evans estimates only three to five bites happen each year, and most are not fatal. “Almost all patients survive, unless they do not go to hospital. Some of the bites are dry bites, warning bites where no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cobra-venom-just-became-less-deadly-thanks-to-a-common-drug/">venom</a> is injected.”



Experts believe that changing how we see these snakes could help shift public attitudes from fear to understanding.



“People are understandably scared of mambas, as they are one of Africa’s most dangerous snakes, but if we treat them correctly, they can be a valuable tool to assess pollution levels,” said Professor Alexander. 



“Snakes in general can play a valuable role as biomarkers for environmental health, and should preferably be left to live in peace in their natural environments.”



Evans urges residents not to take matters into their own hands. “Attempting to kill or capture a black mamba puts you at higher risk of being bitten. Black mambas are animals that just want to be left alone, in which case, they actually pose very little risk to humans.”



He also advises <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/do-pet-owners-care-more-for-dogs-than-cats/">pet owners</a> to stay alert. “Please keep dogs away from all snakes, especially black mambas, should you see the snake before your dog does.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-s-overlooked-allies">Nature’s overlooked allies</h2>



This research is part of a growing understanding that snakes - especially big ones like the black mamba - aren’t just part of the environment. They’re essential to it. 



Ultimately, snakes serve as powerful ecological indicators. When black mambas carry high levels of heavy metals in their scales, it’s a warning sign that the environments we share with them are under threat.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749125011030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Pollution</a>.



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Black mambas carry a record of pollution in their scales

Few animals inspire as much fear as the black mamba,...

Silhouette,Business,People,Discussion,Communication,Meeting,Concept

Body posture sends steady social signals. Long before anyone speaks, the way a person naturally stands can hint at how they see status, power, and the people around them. Not just in heated moments - your baseline stance matters.



Most research on posture looks at quick shifts tied to mood. This current study asked a different question: Are there trait-level differences in posture that stick over time and actually tell us something <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychologists-claim-the-7-38-55-rule-is-secret-to-exceptional-eq-emotional-intelligence/">about personality</a>?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-posture-to-social-personality">Linking posture to social personality</h2>



The research tested whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-men-and-women-react-differently-to-stress/">individual differences</a> in everyday, natural posture relate to individual differences in personality. 



In a large sample, the team tracked posture in neutral settings and linked those measures with attitudes toward competition, power, and social hierarchy.



The work was led by Soren Wanio-Theberge and Jorge Armony at <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McGill University</a>, who have argued that body language connects directly to emotions; these studies put that idea in a more precise frame.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-mood-and-posture">Social mood and posture</h2>



The relationship the authors describe reflects individual differences in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36048034/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">postural dominance</a> and submission. 



People vary in how “open” or “closed” they tend to hold themselves at rest, and those patterns align with how they think about social rank. 



The work suggests that postural signaling of social rank occurs not only in brief displays but as a stable individual trait with consequences for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/social-processing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">socioaffective processing</a>.



To ensure the posture measure was sound, the researchers validated it against physiological data from relevant musculature and showed that it remained stable over a one-month interval.



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



Across the five studies, four relied on photos participants submitted of themselves standing in a natural pose. One brought participants to the lab for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-felt-emotions-in-unusual-body-parts/">physiological measurements</a>. 



In total, there were 608 young adult participants. Postural ratings across time tended to be stable, which supports the idea that baseline stance is more than a passing mood.



In one experiment, participants were instructed to pose in a dominant or submissive way. 



In the submissive stance, they adopted a stooped, bent-forward posture. When instructed to appear dominant, they stood upright, with hips forward and torso leaning backward. 



This might remind you of the “power pose” idea, but there was no indication in this particular study that an altered posture produced an altered state of mind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neck-flexion-and-positioning">Neck flexion and positioning</h2>



The most informative feature was how much the head tilts down or up - <a href="https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/lifestyle-medicine/movement/resources/neck" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neck flexion</a>. The scientists focused on the angle that captures chin-down vs. chin-up - i.e., how much the head is tilted forward relative to the neck/torso. 



The team extracted body keypoints from simple front/side photos, then computed posture angles - including a neck-flexion angle - from those keypoints.



The position of your neck, combined with your body posture and stance, correlated to personality: more-upright individuals tended, on average, to endorse more dominance-oriented views and scored higher on some manipulative/antisocial trait measures. 



To clarify, people who naturally held their head higher (less flexion; more “chin up”) tended, on average, to score higher on dominance-related and some antisocial/manipulative traits (e.g., social dominance orientation, primary psychopathy, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/machiavellianism" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Machiavellianism</a>). They also scored lower on empathy and anger control.



Crucially, neck flexion was a group-level correlation, not a diagnosis, and the pattern held when participants returned about a month later, suggesting a stable trait rather than just a passing mood.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-posture-and-social-cues">Posture and social cues</h2>



Some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-language-expresses-emotions-across-cultures/">body-emotion links</a> are well known: raising the fists (anger), moving the torso backward (fear), curving the lower back or “lordotic” posture (sexual receptiveness in female mammals), and arching the back (rats and other four-legged animals). 



In social situations, an open, erect, and expanded stance often reads as dominant. A slumped, closed posture tends to read as submissive.



These visible patterns form a practical “menu” of cues people use, especially with strangers. Any one of them, or a mix, can help you <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39311863/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">figure out what someone may be signaling</a> without saying a word.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-personality-links-that-showed-up">Personality links that showed up</h2>



Early in the series, people with more erect postures scored higher on personality traits associated with psychopathic tendencies. Later work broadened the view. 



The final study assessed psychopathy, manipulativeness, competitiveness, and belief in the existence of social hierarchies. 



In the authors’ words, this range of attributes reflects “the use of intimidation in order to improve one’s access to resources in the environment at the expense of others."



The authors reasoned that for some dominant individuals, “the experience of being at the bottom of the heap can be intolerable." 



A feedback loop can follow: standing tall and straight takes effort and often draws deferential treatment. That social response can reinforce a dominant posture over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-everyone-stands-the-same">Not everyone stands the same</h2>



People who scored lower on these dominance-related traits showed a wider range of stances rather than sticking to one “strong” look. 



Flexibility in posture - opening up in some moments, settling into neutral in others - fits with lower endorsement of competitive, top-down views of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/having-an-active-social-life-helps-the-brain-make-better-sense-of-the-world/">social life</a>.



The big picture here is that natural posture, captured in everyday conditions, carries information about personality and social attitudes. It wasn’t just a flash in the pan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-underlying-issues">Underlying issues</h2>



There are limits. The sample leaned heavily toward female undergraduates, and the methods were correlational. Culture also shapes how people use space and stance. 



As people age, normal changes in muscle and body mass can affect posture, no matter their personality. Those realities matter when you apply these findings to new groups or settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-this-into-the-real-world">Bringing this into the real world</h2>



When you meet someone new, you take in many cues at once - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/facial-expressions-arent-enough-to-understand-human-emotions/">face</a>, voice, handshake, movement. Posture is one cue among many, and it’s a useful one. 



A person standing up straight can come across as confident and trustworthy. However, in special circumstances, a consistently erect, expanded stance was associated with stronger endorsement of social dominance and related traits. 



On the flip side, a person who slumps isn’t automatically timid; context matters.



The study closes with a practical note: a person who appears to use their body to intimidate you - even if they do not fully succeed - is someone to avoid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-you-should-take-from-this-study">What you should take from this study</h2>



Trait-level posture exists - that isn't up for debate. It links directly to how people think about rank and competition. The measure was checked against muscle activity and held steady over one month. 



Briefly adopting a pose - dominant or submissive - didn’t seem to change people’s mindset in this set of studies. 



And while posture can inform first impressions, it should sit alongside other signals before you decide how to engage.



That’s the takeaway: pay attention, stay thoughtful, and use posture as one clear piece of the larger social puzzle.



The full studies were published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fpspp0000515" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</a>.



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How a person stands will quickly reveal their personality type and traits

Body posture sends steady social signals. Long before anyone speaks,...

For a long time, the story of evolution has centered on chance - mutations arrive without a plan, and natural selection keeps the winners. That view isn’t wrong, but it’s incomplete.



A recent study shows that parts of evolution look orderly. Not every genetic outcome is a coin toss. Some genes tend to show up together while others stay separate. 



Those tendencies add structure to how genomes change over time, making evolution predictable to a certain extent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deciphering-the-pangenome">Deciphering the pangenome</h2>



Bacterial species carry two kinds of genes: a core set shared by all members and an accessory set that changes from strain to strain. The full collection is called a pangenome.



Accessory genes matter because bacteria can exchange them through horizontal gene transfer. That process spreads useful traits quickly, including resistance to antibiotics, new ways to use nutrients, and tools to handle stress.



The study was led by Professor James McInerney and Dr. Alan Beavan from the School of Life Sciences at the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/life-sciences/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nottingham</a>, and Dr. Maria Rosa Domingo-Sananes from <a href="https://www.ntu.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nottingham Trent University</a>.



"The implications of this research are nothing short of revolutionary," enthused Professor McInerney, the lead author of the study. 



"By demonstrating that evolution is not as random as we once thought, we've opened the door to an array of possibilities in synthetic biology, medicine, and environmental science."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-ai-to-make-gene-predictions">Using AI to make gene predictions</h2>



The researchers compiled thousands of E. coli genomes and recorded which accessory genes each strain carries. They turned this into a large presence-absence matrix, with rows for strains and columns for genes.



They trained a machine-learning method called a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/random-forest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">random forest</a> to predict whether a gene is present based on the rest of a genome’s accessory gene profile. They trained and tested the model many times to guard against chance splits.



The model succeeded for a substantial portion of the accessory genome. It could reliably predict the presence or absence of many genes based on the broader gene pattern. 



Some genes tend to co-occur, likely because they work on connected steps of the same task. Others seldom appear together, often because they overlap in function or interfere with one another.



"We found that some gene families never turned up in a genome when a particular other gene family was already there, and on other occasions, some genes were very much dependent on a different gene family being present," explained Dr. Domingo-Sananes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-interactions-and-evolution">Gene interactions and evolution</h2>



The study does not claim that every gene is predictable. Many accessory genes still look erratic, either because local history matters or because there isn’t yet enough data to capture their rules. 



A correct forecast does not imply fate. It points to structure - constraints and tendencies - inside which change still happens.



The patterns held across different parts of the species’ family tree, supporting the idea that selection and gene-gene interactions - not just shared ancestry - shape these outcomes. 



"These interactions between genes make aspects of evolution somewhat predictable, and furthermore, we now have a tool that allows us to make those predictions," added Dr. Domingo-Sananes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-genes-and-healthcare">Evolution, genes, and healthcare</h2>



Public health teams track antibiotic resistance genes to stay ahead of infections. If certain accessory genes tend to accompany a resistance gene, tests can scan for that supporting set. 



That approach can flag trouble earlier, because partner genes may appear before the main gene becomes common.



In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/applied-microbiology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">applied microbiology</a>, teams build strains that make medicines, recycle waste, or capture pollutants. Knowing which gene combinations tend to work well together - and which combinations tend to clash - saves time and money. 



"From this work, we can begin to explore which genes 'support' an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-fueling-antibiotic-resistance-in-our-soils/">antibiotic resistance</a> gene, for example. If we are trying to eliminate antibiotic resistance, we can target not just the focal gene but also its supporting genes," Dr. Beaven concluded.



"This approach can help synthesize new genetic constructs that may lead to new drugs or vaccines. Knowing what we now know has opened the door to many other discoveries."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-read-results">How to read results</h2>



Across many genomes, some genes keep showing up together. That’s co-occurrence, and it usually means the genes work on the same job.



Other pairs almost never share a genome. That’s mutual exclusion. They likely clash or do duplicate work. These patterns leave a fingerprint across the whole pangenome, and a computer model can learn that fingerprint.



Methods matter. Scientists group related genes into families and adjust for how closely strains are related.



They also test distant branches of the E. coli family tree. When the patterns still hold, it points to selection and real gene interactions - not just inheritance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-evolution-and-future-studies">Genes, evolution, and future studies</h2>



Practical tools can build on this framework. Diagnostic panels can add partner genes that often travel with targets of concern. 



Surveillance can watch for early warning signs in hospital isolates and wastewater. Engineering teams can map friendly and unfriendly gene pairings before they build strains.



The broader takeaway remains consistent. In bacteria, a significant slice of the accessory genome behaves in patterned ways. 



Those patterns reflect how genes interact and how selection keeps useful partnerships while avoiding costly overlaps. Evolution still surprises, but it also leaves tracks that careful analysis can read.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2304934120" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Study shows evolution isn't random and can be predicted: 'nothing short of revolutionary'

For a long time, the story of evolution has centered...

Exoplanets used to be fringe objects in astronomy. Now, they are popular subjects for testing ideas about the composition of the universe.



A new study proposes that some gas <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-theory-suggests-dark-matter-came-from-a-hidden-mirror-worlds/">giants</a> might steadily collect dark matter in their cores until the buildup tips into a collapse that forms a tiny black hole.



Mehrdad Phoroutan-Mehr, a graduate researcher at the University of California, Riverside (<a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCR</a>), led the work with postdoctoral researcher Tara Fetherolf.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planets-help-detect-dark-matter">Planets help detect dark matter</h2>



Astronomers now have thousands of worlds to work with across many ages, sizes, and orbits. NASA’s exoplanet <a href="https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">archive</a> lists nearly 6,000 confirmed planets as of mid 2025.



Gas giants are especially handy for this kind of test. They have huge volumes and cold interiors compared with stars, which makes any extra energy source easier to notice.



The team modeled how heavy, non-annihilating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dark-matter-come-from-the-answer-may-be-surprisingly-simple/">dark matter</a> would move through a Jupiter-like world. The particles would gradually lose speed, settle into the center, and pile up.



Once that central clump passes a critical mass, gravity wins. The clump collapses into a black hole that either begins to feed on the surrounding gas or evaporates if it is small enough.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-planets-may-form-black-holes">How planets may form black holes</h2>



The researchers focused on the superheavy, non-annihilating case scenario because captured particles never remove themselves by destroying each other. That makes the buildup relentless.



Under those conditions, the core can collapse on observable timescales in some planets. The possibility extends to multiple collapses throughout a single planet’s lifetime if capture continues.



In plain language, if the parameters line up, a Jupiter-mass world could quietly become a Jupiter-mass black hole. The object would keep the planet’s mass but lose the planet’s bulk.



“As the central concentration of dark matter grows in gaseous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-if-it-exists-has-a-strictly-limited-lifetime-new-study-says/">planets</a>, a black hole may form and then accrete the surrounding material. Discovering a black hole with the mass of a planet would be a major breakthrough,” noted Phoroutan-Mehr.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signs-of-planet-black-holes">Signs of planet black holes</h2>



A planet that turns into a black hole would still tug its star in the same way, so radial-velocity and astrometric signals would persist. Transit dips, however, could vanish because the body shrinks far below a star-crossing silhouette.



That mismatch creates a check. If we see stellar wobbles that imply a giant planet but repeated photometry no longer shows transits, the system deserves a closer look.



Microlensing adds a different angle. A compact lens and a puffier planet of the same mass bend light nearly the same way in simple events, so single light curves will not easily separate them.



Population statistics can help. If many high-mass “planets” near the galactic center lack transits yet show dynamical signals, that pattern would be hard to blame on chance alone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-telescopes-can-check">How telescopes can check</h2>



The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/galactic-bulge-time-domain-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survey</a> will capture tens of thousands of micro-lensing events in fields rich in dark matter. That is exactly where this model expects stronger capture and faster collapses.



Roman’s microlensing plus precise astrometry can flag planetary-mass compact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-does-not-exist-universe-27-billion-years-old-study/">objects</a> and map their distribution. If planet-mass black holes cluster where the dark matter density is higher, that would lift this idea above speculation.



There is also a thermal route. Independent work showed that dark matter annihilation could heat exoplanets, raising their infrared glow beyond what cooling alone predicts.



Small black holes could also evaporate by Hawking radiation, dumping high-energy particles into the planet or, if the particles escape, into space. Either outcome offers a potential signal, though today’s instruments lack the sensitivity to chase the faintest cases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-of-the-idea">Limits of the idea</h2>



This is not a blanket prediction that all gas giants are doomed. Many parameters must align, from the particle mass to the scattering cross section and the local dark matter density.



The absence of planet-mass black holes would be informative as well. If Jupiter-like worlds remain intact in regions where the model expects collapses, that would carve away at the allowed properties of dark matter.



The researchers also noted that multiple observational methods must be combined. No single transit, lens, or velocity signal will settle the question in isolation.



There are limitations in the physics too. Capture and drift times depend on interior temperature and density profiles, which are still debated for many planets, and even modest changes can shift the thresholds.



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



The research could turn an ordinary planetary survey into a particle-physics experiment. We already collect the data while hunting for new worlds.



A confirmed planet-mass black hole would point straight at a non-annihilating, very heavy particle candidate. That would push the conversation about dark matter beyond the ranges probed by common terrestrial detectors.



Even a null result tightens the net. If transit catalogs remain full and consistent with radial-velocity and astrometric counts, those absences pin down cross sections that would have produced collapses.



The framework invites new cross-checks as the exoplanet census grows. Roman’s catalogs, plus follow-up from ground observatories and future direct-imaging missions, set the stage for a decisive test.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/qkwt-kd9q" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review D</a>.



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Dark matter may turn planets into black holes

Exoplanets used to be fringe objects in astronomy. Now, they...

Aging is not equal for everyone. Some people stay healthier for longer, while others decline faster. A team from USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology has uncovered one reason why: education. 



Their study shows that Americans with less schooling are aging more quickly than those with college degrees. And the gap between the two groups has almost doubled in just three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biological-age-is-different-from-years">Biological age is different from years</h2>



Counting birthdays only tells us how much time has gone by, but it doesn’t reveal how healthy someone truly is. Biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-puberty-linked-to-higher-long-term-aging-risks/">age</a> fills that gap by looking inside the body. 



It measures how organs work, how resilient systems remain, and how much stress or damage has built up over time. Doctors and researchers use indicators like blood pressure, kidney function, cholesterol, inflammation, and other markers to estimate it. 



This is why two people who are both 65 can look very different biologically. One may show the profile of a 55-year-old with strong organs and low disease risk, while another may resemble someone 75, with higher vulnerability to illness and disability. 



Unlike the number of years that a person has lived, biological age tells us how well or poorly a body is actually <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/womens-egg-cells-shield-dna-from-the-effects-of-aging/">aging</a>.



“Biological age gives us a clearer picture of health than chronological age,” said <a href="https://www.usc.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC University</a> Professor Eileen Crimmins, the study’s senior author. “It helps us understand who is likely to stay healthy longer and who may be at higher risk for disease and disability.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-education-gap-in-aging-grows">Education gap in aging grows</h2>



The researchers studied adults aged 50 to 79 across two time spans: the late 1980s and early 1990s, and then 2015 through 2018. They found improvement in everyone. But the well-educated gained the most ground.



In the early years, the biological age difference between those without a high school diploma and college graduates was about one year. By the recent period, that difference reached nearly two years.



“This means that people with more education have slower biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-experimenting-with-new-approach-to-fight-and-stop-human-aging-necrosis/">aging</a> than everyone else,” said Mateo Farina, assistant professor at the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas at Austin</a>. “The improvements we see in population health are not being shared equally.”



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



Schooling sets the stage for the rest of life. It affects jobs, income, neighborhoods, and even which doctors people can see. It also ties to behavior. People with more education smoke less and exercise more.



The researchers tested whether smoking, obesity, or medication use could explain the widening gap - but education itself remained the main driver.



“Education shapes opportunities and risks throughout life,” Crimmins explained. “It’s a powerful social determinant of health, and it is leaving a mark on how fast or slow our bodies age.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-less-education-leads-to-faster-aging">Less education leads to faster aging</h2>



The study warns that those with less schooling will not only die sooner but also spend more years living with disease and disability. That means extra strain on families, communities, and healthcare systems.



“This isn’t just a matter of individual choice; it’s a social issue,” Farina said. “If we want to reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-can-slow-aging-right-down-to-your-dna/">health</a> disparities, we need to think about education as a public health investment.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inequality-in-aging-will-keep-growing">Inequality in aging will keep growing</h2>



Even though every group studied showed some improvement in biological aging, the rate of progress was not the same. People with college degrees benefited the most, which means the advantages were not shared equally. 



Those with less education improved too, but the gains were smaller, leaving them further behind.



At the same time, obesity rates are climbing across all groups. This rise could weaken or even reverse the improvements in aging that researchers observed. 



New medical treatments and technologies may help, but if only the more educated or wealthier groups have better access to them, the gap will become even larger.



The research makes one clear point: aging is not only about individual habits or inherited genes. It is also about education and the chances that come with it - or the barriers that limit people. 



Without policies or actions that address these differences, the divide in how Americans age will continue to expand, creating an even bigger split between groups based on education.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/demography/article/doi/10.1215/00703370-12175545/402044/Increasing-Educational-Inequality-in-Biological" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Demography</a>.



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Why education matters for healthy aging and longevity

Aging is not equal for everyone. Some people stay healthier...

For centuries, humanity relied on coastal landmarks and tide gauges to understand sea levels. But satellites changed everything. Since the early 1990s, orbiting instruments have provided precise, global records of ocean surface height. 



These data revealed not only how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctica-is-near-irreversible-climate-tipping-point/">seas</a> are rising but also how predictions from decades ago were impressively accurate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-changed-sea-level-tracking">Satellites changed sea-level tracking</h2>



Study lead author Torbjörn Törnqvist is a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at <a href="https://tulane.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tulane University</a>.



“The ultimate test of climate projections is to compare them with what has played out since they were made, but this requires patience - it takes decades of observations,” said Törnqvist.



He noted that the team was quite amazed at how good those early projections were, especially considering how crude the models were back then, compared to what is available now.



"For anyone who questions the role of humans in changing our climate, here is some of the best proof that we have understood for decades what is really happening, and that we can make credible <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-levels-have-been-rising-longer-and-faster-than-we-realized/">projections</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-level-rise-differs-across-regions">Sea-level rise differs across regions</h2>



Professor Sönke Dangendorf emphasized the importance of translating global patterns into regional forecasts.



“Sea level doesn’t rise uniformly - it varies widely. Our recent study of this regional variability and the processes behind it relies heavily on data from NASA’s satellite missions and <a href="https://www.noaa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA</a>’s ocean monitoring programs,” he said. 



“Continuing these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/state-of-the-climate-2024-record-heat-and-rising-seas/">efforts</a> is more important than ever, and essential for informed decision-making to benefit the people living along the coast.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellites-confirm-acceleration">Satellites confirm acceleration</h2>



When satellites first began tracking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-model-reveals-dramatic-swings-in-ancient-sea-levels/">sea</a> levels in the early 1990s, they showed an average increase of about one eighth of an inch per year. It was only later that scientists confirmed this pace was speeding up. 



By October 2024, NASA researchers announced that the rate of rise had doubled over three decades. That moment offered the perfect opportunity to compare real-world changes against projections made nearly thirty years earlier.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-close-call-with-predictions">Close call with predictions</h2>



In 1996, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its assessment report, just as satellite monitoring began. 



The report projected about 8 centimeters of sea-level rise over 30 years. The actual outcome was 9 centimeters, nearly identical.



However, the models underestimated melting ice sheets by over 2 centimeters. Back then, the destabilizing effects of warming ocean waters on Antarctic ice were poorly understood. Greenland’s ice was also flowing into the ocean faster than anticipated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-components-of-sea-level-rise">Components of sea-level rise</h2>



The study shows that thermal expansion of seawater and melting of smaller glaciers were predicted fairly well. But contributions from Greenland and Antarctica were treated as negligible. 



In reality, these ice sheets accounted for nearly a quarter of observed sea-level rise. Another overlooked factor was groundwater depletion, which transferred more water to oceans than expected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ignoring-ice-sheets-caused-errors">Ignoring ice-sheets caused errors</h2>



Early IPCC reports assumed that the dynamic behavior of ice sheets could be ignored for decades. This assumption proved incorrect. Later assessments that excluded dynamic ice flow produced unrealistically low projections. 



Once dynamic ice loss was included, estimates increased significantly. Modern assessments now highlight the “deep uncertainty” surrounding possible ice-sheet disintegration, which could drive sea levels far higher than expected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-models-were-surprisingly-accurate">Past models were surprisingly accurate </h2>



Thermal expansion was slightly overestimated, which balanced out the underestimated role of ice sheets. 



This created projections that, by chance, matched reality more closely than their flawed assumptions should have allowed.



Still, the overall accuracy offers confidence in today’s more advanced models, especially since early reports successfully predicted atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-climate-projections">Future climate projections</h2>



Predictions made in the 1990s have proven largely accurate, but the greatest challenges still lie ahead. 



Ongoing uncertainty about ice sheets and human emissions makes continuous monitoring vital for helping coastal societies prepare for what lies ahead.



"Given the advances in both resolution and process understanding since the 1990s, the early success of the IPCC-SAR projection gives considerable confidence to climate projections for the future," wrote the researchers.



"Meanwhile, the importance of continued monitoring of all relevant components of the climate system by key agencies cannot be understated."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025EF006533" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth's Future</a>.



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Sea levels are rising as predicted - with bigger risks ahead

For centuries, humanity relied on coastal landmarks and tide gauges...

Our noses do a quiet job. Every day they flag danger, color our meals, and tie memories to places. A research team in Seoul now reports a straightforward method to temporarily dial up the sense of smell.



The study was led by Yongwoo Jang of <a href="https://www.hanyang.ac.kr/web/eng" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hanyang University</a> with collaborators in South Korea.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-radio-waves-on-the-smell-nerve">Radio waves on the smell nerve</h2>



The group focused on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-your-brain-decides-what-smells-good-or-bad/">olfactory</a> nerve - the cable that carries odor signals from the top of the nasal cavity into the brain. 



Instead of chemicals or implanted electrodes, the researchers used radiofrequency energy at 2.45 GHz to stimulate the pathway for five minutes.



Volunteers sat still while a patch antenna, about 2 inches across, rested roughly 4 inches in front of the forehead. The antenna did not touch skin, and the output ranged from 10 to 20 watts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smell-boost-after-short-radio-waves">Smell boost after short radio waves</h2>



Before and after stimulation, participants took a standard odor threshold test that uses pen like odor sticks and the solvent n butanol. This is the threshold component of the widely used Sniffin' Sticks battery procedure.



Scores rose markedly after one session and stayed higher for about a week. In healthy participants, the average threshold improved from typical baseline values around 9 to near the top of the 16 point scale after stimulation.



The team did not test people with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-dna-may-explain-why-you-love-or-hate-certain-smells/">smell</a> loss yet. The next step is to move into patient groups with measurable impairment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-radio-waves-boost-smell">Why radio waves boost smell</h2>



Odor detection begins when receptors in the nose send impulses to the olfactory bulb, then onward to higher brain regions. The skull blunts surface currents, so typical electrical stimulation does not easily reach this deep circuit.



Radio signals can pass through tissue and bone without contact and deposit small amounts of energy. 



In the lab recordings, the experts saw stronger electrical activity in the 30 to 100 Hz band during and after exposure, a pattern that fits enhanced responsiveness in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-odor-may-subconsciously-change-how-people-interact/">olfactory</a> pathway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safe-but-short-term-effect">Safe but short term effect</h2>



The team noted that the antenna does not heat the skin during a short session. The exposure stayed within a narrow window and the device sat off the body.



“This study represents the first time that a person’s sense of smell has been improved using radio waves without any physical contact or chemicals, and the first attempt to explore radio frequency stimulation as a potential therapy for neurological conditions," said Jang. 



"This will help us determine whether the treatment can truly benefit those who need it most."



Two limitations of the study stand out. The sample included only healthy adults, and the benefit faded after roughly a week without retreatment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-smell-deserves-more-attention">Why smell deserves more attention</h2>



Smell problems are common in respiratory infections and were a striking feature of the early COVID 19 waves. 



A 2024 review summarizes how olfactory loss can linger and affect daily life for many patients, even as overall risk has fallen since 2020.



Loss of smell also acts as an early flag in neurodegenerative disease. Robust evidence shows that olfactory dysfunction is prevalent in the first stages of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease - often years before motor or memory symptoms surface.



The current treatments for restoring smell are limited. Olfactory training with selected scents can help some people gradually over months, but it seldom leads to an immediate recovery.



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



If future trials in patients mirror the early pattern in healthy adults, smell clinics could incorporate a short radio wave session. The potential applications range from post-viral anosmia to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/helping-others-can-slow-age-related-cognitive-decline/">age-related decline</a>.



Professionals who rely on fine discrimination, from roasters to perfumers, may also be interested in time limited sensitivity boosts for training and calibration. 



These applications will need careful boundaries and clear safety data before moving beyond the lab.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recovering-smell-with-radio-signals">Recovering smell with radio signals</h2>



The early human data suggest that a brief, contact free radio signal can nudge the olfactory system into a more sensitive state for several days. It is simple, fast, and based on hardware that is easy to standardize.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/losing-your-sense-of-smell-is-linked-to-over-100-diseases/">Loss of smell</a> affects safety, diet, mood, and even memory. Providing clinicians with another safe option for treatment would be valuable, especially for the many people who don’t recover on their own after an infection or injury.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubs.aip.org/aip/apb/article/9/3/036112/3359455/Non-contact-radiofrequency-stimulation-to-the" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">APL Bioengineering</a>.



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Radio waves can boost our sense of smell without contact

Our noses do a quiet job. Every day they flag...

Some of the first Americans carried more than tools and traditions, they also brought a small but powerful piece of DNA. That genetic fragment, inherited from an extinct hominin, appears to have helped early people cope with new diseases, foods, and landscapes.



In a new study, a team of scientists led by the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Colorado Boulder</a> (CU Boulder), with collaborators including <a href="https://www.brown.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brown University</a>, traced a Denisovan-derived variant of a gene called MUC19 that is unusually common in people with Indigenous American ancestry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-incredible-leap-written-in-dna">An incredible leap written in DNA</h2>



“In terms of evolution, this is an incredible leap,” said Fernando Villanea, an assistant professor in the Anthropology department at CU Boulder and a lead author of the study. “It shows an amount of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-most-diverse-forests-are-failing-to-adapt-to-climate-change/">adaptation</a> and resilience within a population that is simply amazing.”



The result ties a deep past event to a much later journey. Long before humans crossed the Bering Strait ice corridors, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-denisovan-species-humans-lived-undisturbed-tibetan-plateau-160000-years/">Denisovans</a> and Neanderthals interbred. 



Later, Neanderthals and humans did the same. Along that chain, a Denisovan version of MUC19 made its way into some human populations. Natural selection then favored it in the Americas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extinct-cousins-left-their-mark">Extinct cousins left their mark</h2>



Denisovans were close cousins of both humans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-analysis-reveals-most-recent-modern-human-to-interbreed-with-neanderthals/">Neanderthals</a>. They ranged from Siberia south toward Oceania and west onto the Tibetan Plateau. Fossil traces are sparse, and the first recognized Denisovan was identified only 15 years ago through DNA in a bone fragment.



“We know more about their genomes and how their body chemistry behaves than we do about what they looked like,” Villanea said.



Like Neanderthals, Denisovans may have had prominent brow ridges and lacked chins. What we know best is their genetic legacy. They left DNA behind in many modern people, shaping biology from immunity to altitude tolerance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mucus-dna-improved-health">Mucus DNA improved health</h2>



MUC19 sits in a family of 22 mucin genes in mammals. These genes help build mucus, a frontline barrier that protects tissues and traps pathogens. “It seems like MUC19 has a lot of functional consequences for health, but we’re only starting to understand these genes,” said Villanea.



Earlier work showed Denisovans carried a distinctive MUC19 sequence. Some modern humans inherited it. That kind of admixture was common in the ancient world. 



Most people today carry some Neanderthal DNA. Denisovan DNA can reach about 5 percent in people from Papua New Guinea.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-reveals-american-adaptation">DNA reveals American adaptation</h2>



Villanea and co-lead author David Peede examined already published <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-genome-size-impact-evolutionary-success/">genomes</a> from people in Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Colombia. They asked a simple question with big implications: Where is the Denisovan MUC19 variant most common?



The answer pointed to the Americas. Roughly one in three people of Mexican ancestry carries a copy of the Denisovan MUC19 variant. 



The signal is strongest on genomic segments that reflect Indigenous American heritage. In contrast, only about 1 percent of people with Central European ancestry carry it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-denisovan-core-neanderthal-shell">Denisovan core, Neanderthal shell</h2>



The team found another twist. The Denisovan segment sits inside a larger stretch of Neanderthal-derived DNA. “This DNA is like an Oreo, with a Denisovan center and Neanderthal cookies,” Villanea said.



That sandwich points to the path this gene likely took. Denisovans first passed MUC19 to Neanderthals. Later, Neanderthals passed that package to humans.



It is the first clear case of Denisovan DNA reaching humans through Neanderthals and not only through direct Denisovan–human mixing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-boosted-first-americans">DNA boosted first Americans</h2>



After humans reached the Americas, selection seems to have boosted the Denisovan MUC19. Why here and not elsewhere? The first Americans faced environments unlike any their ancestors had known. New pathogens, new foods, new seasons and new terrains. 



A mucus-related gene that improved barrier defenses or mucosal health may have offered an edge.



“All of a sudden, people had to find new ways to hunt, new ways to farm, and they developed really cool technology in response to those challenges,” noted Villanea. “But over 20,000 years, their bodies were also adapting at a biological level.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-genes-met-new-worlds">Ancient genes met new worlds</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-superhighways-through-eurasia-recreated-with-supercomputers/">migration</a> story spans ice, coastlines, and time. Early people moved from a shared ancestral population around the Bering Strait into a continent that contains rainforests, deserts, high mountains, and grasslands.



“What Indigenous American populations did was really incredible,” Villanea said. “They went from a common ancestor living around the Bering Strait to adapting biologically and culturally to this new continent that has every single type of biome in the world.”



Genes like MUC19 offer a record of that adaptation. They capture how ancient encounters with cousins like Denisovans left tools that descendants later used.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connecting-past-dna-to-health">Connecting past DNA to health</h2>



The team now wants to test what different versions of MUC19 do in living people. Does the Denisovan variant change mucus properties in the mouth, gut, or airways? Does it alter infection risk or inflammation? Those answers would connect a striking evolutionary story to present-day health.



For now, the lesson is broad. Human evolution is not a straight line. It is a braided river with tributaries from Neanderthals and Denisovans. Some of those tributaries carried genes that mattered when humans stepped into a new world. 



The first Americans adapted with ingenuity, culture, and technology - and, as this study shows, with a little help from very ancient DNA.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0882%C3%B9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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DNA from our extinct cousins helped the first Americans survive

Some of the first Americans carried more than tools and...

We drain urine away daily without even thinking about it. But what if that waste could be used to produce food, provide power, and provide cleaner sanitation? Engineers have created a new system to do just that - and it's powered by sunlight.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-waste-could-be-used-as-sustainable-fertilizer/">Fertilizers</a> are costly in much of the world, electricity is unreliable, and clean water is scarce. At the same time, most wastewater goes untreated, leading to severe health and environmental issues.



The new model provides a workable solution, converting a steady stream of waste into something valuable: power and fertilizer, all while treating wastewater to make it safer.



This system uses solar panels to recover nitrogen from urine - without needing a power grid, chemical plants, or fancy equipment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-urine-to-crop-nutrients">From urine to crop nutrients</h2>



At the heart of the system is a clever trick: pulling ammonia - a form of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-was-plentiful-for-early-life-on-earth/">nitrogen</a> - out of urine and turning it into ammonium sulfate, a type of fertilizer. It does this with a series of chambers and specialized membranes. Solar energy drives ions through the system, separating and capturing ammonia in the process.



Solar panels do more than generate electricity. They also generate heat - typically wasted - that this system captures and uses.



Copper tubing draws heat from the back of the panels and uses it to warm the system. That heat accelerates the process of separation, allowing the gas to become fertilizer more quickly.



There’s an added benefit: when solar panels are cool, they actually generate more electricity. By capturing the heat and putting it to work, the system not only functions at a higher speed - it also produces more energy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-nitrogen-in-urine">The power of nitrogen in urine</h2>



“This project is about turning a waste problem into a resource opportunity,” said William Tarpeh, assistant professor of chemical engineering at the <a href="https://engineering.stanford.edu/">Stanford School of </a><a href="https://engineering.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Engineering</a>.



“With this system, we’re capturing nutrients that would otherwise be flushed away or cause environmental damage and turning them into something valuable - fertilizer for crops.”



Why does that matter? Because nitrogen is essential for growing food. It’s the main ingredient in most fertilizers. But producing nitrogen fertilizers the traditional way uses a lot of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-from-fossil-fuels-kills-5-million-people-each-year/">fossil fuels</a>. It's also centralized in wealthier countries, making it expensive and harder to access in lower-income areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-producing-fertilizer-where-it-s-needed">Producing fertilizer where it's needed</h2>



Globally, the nitrogen in human urine equals about 14 percent of annual fertilizer demand. That’s a massive, mostly untapped resource.



“Each person produces enough nitrogen in their urine to fertilize a garden, but much of the world is reliant on expensive imported fertilizers instead,” said Orisa Coombs, the study’s lead author and a Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering. 



“You don’t need a giant chemical plant or even a wall socket. With enough sunshine, you can produce fertilizer right where it’s needed, and potentially even store or sell excess electricity.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-better-results-with-solar-heat">Better results with solar heat</h2>



In testing, the updated prototype showed significant improvements over earlier designs. By combining solar power and waste heat, power generation increased by nearly 60 percent. Ammonia recovery also became more efficient - up by more than 20 percent.



That’s because about 80 percent of the energy from the sun that strikes<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-panels-are-1000-times-more-powerful-with-new-tech-breakthrough/"> solar panels</a> typically gets wasted as heat. This system harnesses that heat, preventing panels from overheating and turning what was once a drawback into part of the solution.



The scientists also constructed a simulation to observe how the system would behave in varrying conditions - changing sunlight, temperature, and electrical configurations. 



In places like Uganda, where fertilizer is costly and energy is limited, the system could generate up to $4.13 per kilogram of nitrogen recovered. That’s more than twice the potential earnings in the U.S.



The next step is to build a larger prototype with three times the capacity. It will process more urine, produce fertilizer more quickly, and operate more effectively under strong sunlight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clean-energy-cleaner-water">Clean energy, cleaner water</h2>



This technology could also be a major step forward for sanitation. Right now, more than 80 percent of the world’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-wastewater-is-a-hidden-solution-to-the-climate-crisis/">wastewater</a> isn’t treated. That means nitrogen and other waste ends up in rivers, lakes, and groundwater, harming the environment and public health.



By removing nitrogen from urine before it enters the water system, the device makes what’s left behind safer to discharge or even reuse for things like irrigation. 



And it can do that without needing to be plugged in - perfect for communities without access to sewage systems or reliable power.



“We often think of water, food, and energy as completely separate systems, but this is one of those rare cases where engineering innovation can help solve multiple problems at once,” said Coombs. “It’s clean, it’s scalable, and it’s literally powered by the sun.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44221-025-00477-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Water</a>.



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How solar power can transform urine into fertilizer

We drain urine away daily without even thinking about it....

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The "All-American" is the best among home pressure canners. With proper care it will last a lifetime. Made in the USA since 1930. Read more Overview Only All-American Pressure Cookers/Canner feature an exclusive, precision machined "metal-to-metal" sealing system. Positive action clamping locks align the cover to the base, forming a steam-tight seal. At the same time, this metal-to-metal seal automatically permits venting under unusual pressure conditions, providing an extra margin of safety over conventional rubber or composition gasket cookers. The All-American Pressure Cooker/Canner is, first and foremost, a canner. It is large and heavy-cast for processing larger quantities of food per load. The USDA recommends pressure canning as the only safe way to can meat, fish, poultry and vegetables. "Pressure cookers" are not recommended for canning because a fully loaded canner takes a longer time for heating and cooling. This time is taken into account when determining processing times in standard canning timetables. Features & Benefits: Crafted of the finest hand cast aluminum Stay-cool bakelite top handle Geared steam gauge Pressure regulator weight with settings of 5, 10 and 15 psi Smooth, easy to clean satin finish Exclusive metal-to-metal seal - no gaskets to crack, burn, replace or clean Double thickness edges for additional protection on points of heaviest wear Automatic overpressure release Includes canning rack, instructions & recipe book Available in 6 sizes Made in the USA since 1930 Specifications for Model 910: Capacity - 10.5 Quarts (Liquid), 4 Quart Jars, 7 Pint Jars* Inside diameter - 10 1/4 inches Inside Height - 7 3/4 inches Overall Height - 12 inches Weight - 11.5 pounds Includes 1 rack *Jar capacities based on standard Mason jar sizes All-American Pressure Cooker/Canners are intended for home use applications. Models 910, 915, 921 and 925 are suitable for use on newer glass/flat top ranges. We recommend verifying weight restrictions with your stove manufacturer. Larger models 930 and 941 are heavy and not suitable for glass top ranges. "We bought an All-American Pressure Canner (Model 921) over 30 years ago, and have used it exclusively for all our canning. It is still as good as new." Greg Seaman, Founder, Eartheasy.com

All-American Pressure Canner/Cooker - 10.5 quart

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The "All-American" is the best among home food production pressure canners. With proper care it will last a lifetime. Made in the USA since 1930. Read more Overview Only All-American Pressure Cookers/Canner feature an exclusive, precision machined "metal-to-metal" sealing system. Positive action clamping locks align the cover to the base, forming a steam-tight seal. At the same time, this metal-to-metal seal automatically permits venting under unusual pressure conditions, providing an extra margin of safety over conventional rubber or composition gasket cookers. The All-American Pressure Cooker/Canner is, first and foremost, a canner. It is large and heavy-cast for processing larger quantities of food per load. The USDA recommends pressure canning as the only safe way to can meat, fish, poultry and vegetables. "Pressure cookers" are not recommended for canning because a fully loaded canner takes a longer time for heating and cooling. This time is taken into account when determining processing times in standard canning timetables. Features & Benefits: Crafted of the finest hand cast aluminum Stay-cool bakelite top handle Geared steam gauge Pressure regulator weight with settings of 5, 10 and 15 psi Smooth, easy to clean satin finish Exclusive metal-to-metal seal - no gaskets to crack, burn, replace or clean Double thickness edges for additional protection on points of heaviest wear Automatic overpressure release Includes canning rack and instructions Available in 6 sizes Made in the USA since 1930 Specifications for Model 915: Capacity - 15 1/2 Quarts (Liquid), 7 Quart Jars, 10 Pint Jars* Inside diameter - 12 5/8 inches Inside Height - 7 3/4 inches Overall Height - 12.5 inches Weight - 15 pounds Includes 1 rack *Jar capacities based on standard Mason jar sizes. All-American Pressure Cooker/Canners are intended for home use applications. Models 910, 915, 921 and 925 are suitable for use on newer glass/flat top ranges. We recommend verifying weight restrictions with your stove manufacturer. Larger models 930 and 941 are heavy and not suitable for glass top ranges. "We bought an All-American Pressure Canner (Model 921) over 30 years ago, and have used it exclusively for all our canning. It is still as good as new." Greg Seaman, Founder, Eartheasy.com

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All-American Pressure Canner/Cooker - 21.5 quart

The "All-American" is the best among home food production pressure canners. With proper care it will last a lifetime. Made in the USA since 1930. Read more Overview Only All-American Pressure Cookers/Canner feature an exclusive, precision machined "metal-to-metal" sealing system. Positive action clamping locks align the cover to the base, forming a steam-tight seal. At the same time, this metal-to-metal seal automatically permits venting under unusual pressure conditions, providing an extra margin of safety over conventional rubber or composition gasket cookers. The All-American Pressure Cooker/Canner is, first and foremost, a canner. It is large and heavy-cast for processing larger quantities of food per load. The USDA recommends pressure canning as the only safe way to can meat, fish, poultry and vegetables. "Pressure cookers" are not recommended for canning because a fully loaded canner takes a longer time for heating and cooling. This time is taken into account when determining processing times in standard canning timetables. Features & Benefits: Crafted of the finest hand cast aluminum Stay-cool bakelite top handle Geared steam gauge Pressure regulator weight with settings of 5, 10 and 15 psi Smooth, easy to clean satin finish Exclusive metal-to-metal seal - no gaskets to crack, burn, replace or clean Double thickness edges for additional protection on points of heaviest wear Automatic overpressure release Includes canning racks and instructions Available in 6 sizes Made in the USA since 1930 Specifications for Model 925: Capacity - 25 Quarts (Liquid), 7 Quart Jars, 19 Pint Jars Inside diameter - 12 5/8 inches Inside Height - 12 1/4 inches Overall Height - 16 3/4 inches Weight - 18.25 pounds Includes 2 racks *Jar capacities based on standard Mason jar sizes. All-American Pressure Cooker/Canners are intended for home use applications. Models 910, 915, 921 and 925 are suitable for use on newer glass/flat top ranges. We recommend verifying weight restrictions with your stove manufacturer. Larger models 930 and 941 are heavy and not suitable for glass top ranges. "We bought an All-American Pressure Canner (Model 921) over 30 years ago, and have used it exclusively for all our canning. It is still as good as new." Greg Seaman, Founder, Eartheasy.com