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Rainbow,Lorikeets

North America’s birds are disappearing, and they're vanishing at the fastest rate in the places they dominate. A new study using nearly two decades of data from citizen scientists reveals that birds are declining where they should be thriving.



The findings spotlight an ecological emergency but also highlight recovery potential. 



The analysis, conducted by researchers at the <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>, tracked 495 bird species between 2007 and 2021 using over 36 million observations submitted to the <a href="https://ebird.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eBird</a> platform.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-declining-across-north-america">Birds declining across North America</h2>



The researchers sought to build a detailed picture of population trends across North America. The result was sobering: in 83% of species, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-might-repeat-evolution-under-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> declines were steepest in areas where the birds were most abundant.



“We're not just seeing small shifts happening, we're documenting populations declining where they were once really abundant," said Alison Johnston, one of the researchers. 



"Locations that once provided ideal habitat and climate for these species are no longer suitable. I think this is indicative of more major shifts happening for the nature that's around us." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-decline-most-where-they-once-thrived">Birds decline most where they once thrived</h2>



Previous studies warned us about overall losses. Since 1970, North America has lost more than 25% of its breeding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/big-brains-and-wide-ranges-cant-save-birds-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>. But knowing where declines are happening is crucial to respond effectively. 



Until now, efforts to pinpoint local declines faced a major hurdle: lack of fine-scale, consistent data across species' ranges.



Johnston’s team tackled this with a machine learning model that could handle vast and varied data inputs. It accounted for human observation behavior, which often distorts raw counts. 



The model separated real population changes from observer differences, enabling a clearer picture of regional trends.



The result: a high-resolution map of shifting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-living-in-cities-are-usually-more-colorful-and-less-brown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird populations</a>, not just across North America, but also Central America and the Caribbean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-even-thriving-birds-face-local-losses">Even thriving birds face local losses</h2>



While the big picture shows 75% of bird species are in decline - with 65% declining significantly - the local view is more complex.



Nearly every species (97%) shows areas of both gain and loss. That’s a hopeful sign. It suggests some areas offer refuge, while others face stress from climate change and habitat degradation.



“This is the first time we’ve had fine scale information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-americas-birds-scientists-declare-a-full-on-emergency-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> changes across such broad spatial extents and across entire ranges of species. And that provides us a better lens to understand the changes that are happening with bird populations,” said Amanda Rodewald, co-author of the study.



Even birds considered stable at a regional level may be struggling in their core areas. And species in low-density zones sometimes fare better. 



These patterns suggest strongholds are now vulnerable, and previously marginal areas may serve as safe havens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-habitat-climate-and-human-action">Role of habitat, climate, and human action</h2>



Birds that breed in grasslands and drylands face the sharpest declines. These ecosystems are especially sensitive to habitat disruption and climate shifts. 



The findings suggest abundance itself doesn’t guarantee resilience. In fact, pressure may concentrate in places with high population density, degrading quality faster.



Not all regions show loss. The Appalachians and western mountain ranges host stable or growing populations. These areas might offer clues for restoration efforts elsewhere.



“Areas where species are increasing where they're at low abundance may be places where conservation has been successful and populations are recovering, or they may point to locations where there may be potential for recovery,” said Johnston.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-scale-of-bird-decline">The scale of bird decline</h2>



“We employed causal machine learning models and novel statistical methodologies that allowed us to estimate changes in populations with high spatial resolution while also accounting for biases that come from changes in how and where people go birding,” said Daniel Fink.



The study ran over 500,000 simulations, requiring more than 6 million hours of computing. That equates to about 85 years of work on a standard laptop. This technical effort was matched by the public’s commitment to citizen science.



“Knowledge is power. Because of the volunteers that engage in programs like eBird, because of their enthusiasm and engagement, and generosity of time, we now know more about bird populations and more about the environment than we ever have before,” said Rodewald.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-conservation-starts-here">Smarter conservation starts here</h2>



The study's maps and methods help policymakers make sharper choices. 



“It’s this kind of small-scale information across broad geographies that has been lacking and it’s exactly what we need to make smart conservation decisions,” said Rodewald.



By seeing exactly where birds are declining or doing well, conservation groups can act with more precision. The insights allow them to focus on recovery where it’s most needed - and most possible.



The message is clear: North America’s birds are in crisis, even in their safest places. But with detailed insight and active stewardship, recovery is within reach.



This research was supported by foundations, <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF grants</a>, and supercomputing resources from <a href="https://www.psc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center</a> and <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a>. Together, they’ve made a detailed, actionable map for the future of bird conservation.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn4381" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Birds are declining fastest where they were once common

North America’s birds are disappearing, and they're vanishing at the...

Auckland,-,July,18,2017:small,Girl,(naomi,Ben-ari,Age,03)

Over the years, food habits have shifted in surprising ways. Many people now rely on quick, ultraprocessed, factory-made food products that promise a convenient fix for busy lives.



A new study led by Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson from Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (<a href="https://fiocruz.br" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fiocruz</a>), explores how certain eating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breaking-free-from-ultra-processed-foods-the-surprising-health-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">patterns</a> might drive health issues often mistaken as purely genetic or inevitable with age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-impacts-of-ultraprocessed-foods">Health impacts of ultraprocessed foods</h2>



Ultraprocessed foods typically contain synthetic additives and other laboratory-based ingredients instead of fresh items.



They are often higher in sugar and trans fats and sometimes include artificial colors and flavor enhancers. Many researchers say these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-ultra-processed-foods-makes-your-muscles-weaker-and-more-fragile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">products</a> are slowly displacing traditional diets in every corner of the globe.



"UPFs affect health beyond the individual impact of high content of critical nutrients (sodium, trans fats, and sugar) because of the changes in the foods during industrial processing and the use of artificial ingredients, including colorants, artificial flavors and sweeteners, emulsifiers, and many other additives and processing aids," said Dr. Nilson.&nbsp;



"So assessing deaths from all causes associated with UPF <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/health-risks-of-ultra-processed-foods-revealed-in-30-year-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consumption</a> allows an overall estimate of the effect of industrial food processing on health."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-junk-food-and-premature-death-risk">Junk food and premature death risk </h2>



The <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(25)00072-8/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> found that a 10% uptick in daily ultraprocessed food consumption was linked to a 3% higher risk of premature death. This is particularly unsettling when you think about how common these products are in supermarkets.



High consumption of junk food that promotes cardiovascular disease has been associated with 32 different ailments, including obesity, diabetes, some types of cancer, and depression.



Such a broad impact on well-being has sparked concerns among doctors and policy makers who worry about a potential surge in avoidable health <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ultra-processed-foods-are-harmful-to-nearly-every-part-of-the-body/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complications</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ultraprocessed-foods-take-over">Ultraprocessed foods take over</h2>



Countries with strong traditions of fresh foods are noticing changes in their markets. Although the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ultra-processed-foods-make-our-bodies-age-faster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">problem</a> is more visible in wealthier countries, growing economies are catching up. That shift is altering the way people eat, no matter their resources or background.



“It is concerning that while UPF consumption is high but stable in wealthy countries, it’s rising fast in low- and middle-income ones. This highlights the urgent need for global policies that reduce UPF intake and support traditional diets made with fresh, local foods,” said Dr. Nilson.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-need-for-better-labels-and-regulations">Need for better labels and regulations</h2>



Experts from health organizations worldwide recommend reviewing existing guidelines to include information about the dangers of ultraprocessed food.



Some argue that labels should include clearer warnings. Others say taxes and tighter marketing rules might help curb overconsumption.



Nations where a large part of the diet relies on <a href="https://ecuphysicians.ecu.edu/wp-content/pv-uploads/sites/78/2021/07/NOVA-Classification-Reference-Sheet.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nova classified</a> processed products may consider adjustments, such as restricting certain advertising and supporting farms that supply fresh produce to schools.



Policymakers note that any new approach must respect economic realities and culture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-issues-on-the-fast-track">Health issues on the fast track</h2>



These findings remind people to watch their food choices. The additives in ultraprocessed options may harm the body in ways that go beyond sugar or fat content alone. 



Many consumers expect health problems only after a certain age. Yet these data hint that certain products might fast-track issues that people never see coming.



Even small changes in daily eating patterns might improve long-term health outcomes. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and home-cooked meals could go a long way in reducing exposure to industrial additives. Reducing salty snacks or sugary drinks may help cut the risk of preventable complications later.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ultraprocessed-foods-harm-children-most">Ultraprocessed foods harm children most</h2>



Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to ultraprocessed foods. In many countries, this age group consumes a higher percentage of calories from these products than adults do.



This early exposure may increase their lifetime risk for obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Many of these foods are aggressively marketed to young people, often in schools or during programming aimed at kids.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat-less-live-more">Eat less, live more</h2>



Nutritionists across many countries have pushed for updated labels and better consumer education. Some recommend focusing on whole foods rather than counting calories. 



As a global community, adopting balanced habits that limit synthetic additives could make a substantial difference in quality of life.



Small individual steps like reading ingredient labels can help families decide which products to cut back on. Public health campaigns that center on cultural foods and homemade recipes might also nudge people toward better choices.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(25)00072-8/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Journal of Preventive Medicine</a>.



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Ultraprocessed foods pose major health risks - especially for kids

Over the years, food habits have shifted in surprising ways....

When the Webb Telescope began sending back its first deep‑field images, astronomers expected a gentle trickle of faint, infant galaxies. Instead, they found massive, bright "red monster" galaxies shining barely 500 million to one billion years after the Big Bang.



That early cosmic boom of redshifted galaxies surprised even seasoned researchers who thought they had a solid grip on how galaxies grow.



Those jumbo galaxies - some as hefty as today’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-found-something-strange-at-core-of-milky-way-galaxy-webb-meerkat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> - seemed to upend the standard <a href="https://lambda.gsfc.nasa.gov/education/graphic_history/univ_evol.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lambda Cold Dark Matter (ΛCDM) framework</a>. After all, if giants showed up so soon, maybe the textbook timeline for star formation needed a fresh look. 



To pin down what Webb had really seen, an international team dug into the telescope’s FRESCO survey, which pairs crisp imaging with spectroscopic measurements that reveal a galaxy’s exact distance and age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sky-full-of-red-galaxies">Sky full of 'red' galaxies</h2>



Using <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/525/2/2864/7243412" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FRESCO</a>, the team sifted through 36 dust‑shrouded galaxies. Precise redshifts confirmed that most of them fit neatly within ΛCDM expectations. 



Three objects, however, refused to play by the usual rules. Each one boasts a stellar mass greater than 10¹¹ times that of the Sun - impressive for any epoch, but absolutely astounding for the universe’s first billion years. 



Together the galaxies may have fueled about 17 percent of all star formation between redshifts 5 and 6, when the cosmos was just under a billion years old.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peering-back-13-billion-years">Peering back 13 billion years</h2>



“Our findings are reshaping our understanding of galaxy formation in the early universe,” says Dr. Mengyuan Xiao, lead author of the study from the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Geneva</a>. 



The trio’s extreme efficiency stands out: they appear to have turned roughly half of the normal matter available inside their dark‑matter halos into stars, two to three times the rate seen in later epochs. 



Typical galaxies manage no more than 20 percent. Yet the emission from these early behemoths is spread across each system, hinting that a ravenous central black hole is not the main driver.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-red-monster-galaxies-emerge">"Red monster" galaxies emerge</h2>



High dust content reddens these galaxies in the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Webb Telescope</a>’s near‑infrared view, earning them the nickname "red monsters." 



"The massive properties of these ‘red monsters’ had hardly been determined before JWST because they are optically invisible owing to dust attenuation,” explained Dr. David Elbaz of <a href="https://www.cea.fr/english/Pages/Welcome.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CEA Paris‑Saclay</a>. 



That veil once hid their true size from earlier telescopes that relied on ultraviolet light, which dust readily absorbs.



<a href="https://jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-near-infrared-camera/nircam-instrumentation/nircam-grisms#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Webb’s NIRCam/grism</a> setup changes the game, catching the faint glow of star‑forming regions even when soot‑like grains block shorter wavelengths. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/red-monsters_very-early-galaxies_JWST-discovery_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/red-monsters_very-early-galaxies_JWST-discovery_NASA_1s.webp" alt="Image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. The three red monsters represent the core findings of this work — extremely massive and dusty galaxies in the first billion years after the Big Bang, indicating that the Universe is forming stars more efficiently than we expected. Credits: NASA/CSA/ESA" class="wp-image-1968072"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. The three red monsters represent the core findings of this work — extremely massive and dusty galaxies in the first billion years after the Big Bang, indicating that the Universe is forming stars more efficiently than we expected. Click image to enlarge. Credits: NASA/CSA/ESA</figcaption></figure>



“Our findings highlight the remarkable power of NIRCam/grism spectroscopy,” explains Pascal Oesch, principal investigator of the program. 



“The instrument on board the space telescope allows us to identify and study the growth of galaxies over time and to obtain a clearer picture of how stellar mass accumulates over the course of cosmic history.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-rules-for-the-early-universe">New rules for the early universe</h2>



The ΛCDM model says dark‑matter halos act as cosmic scaffolding, snagging gas that later cools and condenses into stars. Over billions of years, most galaxies never convert more than a fifth of that gas. 



The red monsters push that limit hard. Forming stars nearly twice as efficiently as smaller systems of the same era, they hint that early conditions - higher gas densities, faster cooling, or more frequent mergers - offered shortcuts to rapid growth.



“These results indicate that galaxies in the early universe could form stars with unexpected efficiency,” Dr. Xiao concludes. 



“As we study these galaxies in more depth, they will offer new insights into the conditions that shaped the universe's earliest epochs. The red monsters are just the beginning of a new era in our exploration of the early universe.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-do-red-monster-galaxies-matter">Why do red monster galaxies matter?</h2>



Because light takes time to travel, Webb’s mirrors act like a time machine. Looking 13 billion light‑years away means seeing the cosmos as it was <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newly-discovered-stars-milky-way-are-old-as-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">13 billion years ago</a>. 



Catching massive galaxies so soon after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/if-the-big-bang-theory-is-correct-what-exactly-happened/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Bang</a> forces theorists to revisit the ingredients in their simulations. 



Did early gas clouds cool faster? Did primordial stars explode in ways that seeded galaxies with heavy elements sooner than thought? Or do current models underestimate how quickly halos pull matter together at high redshift?



While the latest measurements leave ΛCDM standing, they shrink its wiggle room. Galaxy‑formation codes must now reproduce both the typical dust‑rich galaxies and these overachievers without breaking other well‑tested predictions, such as the distribution of the cosmic microwave background.



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



Future Webb programs will broaden the census of early massive systems, while the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (<a href="https://public.nrao.edu/telescopes/alma/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a>) maps cold gas and dust in finer detail. 



Together they can show whether the red monsters are rare oddities or signposts of a busier‑than‑expected era. 



If more turn up, theorists may need to refine how feedback from newborn stars and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evidence-of-massive-early-universe-black-hole-stuns-astronomers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nascent black holes</a> regulates star formation when the universe is young, dense, and eager to shine.



For now, the trio of red monsters stands as a reminder that the cosmos still holds plenty of secrets. Webb’s sharp eyes and spectroscopic tools have opened a fresh window on those first luminous giants. 



As astronomers peel back more layers, they’re likely to find that the universe’s childhood was livelier - and more efficient - than anyone guessed.



-----



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08094-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



Featured Image Credit: NASA / CSA / ESA / M. Xiao &amp; P. A. Oesch / G. Brammer / Dawn JWST Archive



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Three 'Red Monsters' discovered as Webb Telescope team declares "beginning of a new era"

When the Webb Telescope began sending back its first deep‑field...

Smoking and cannabis use are common across the United States, raising growing concerns about their impact on heart health.



Nearly one in four Americans aged 12 or older reports recent tobacco use. And about 13% say they’ve used cannabis in the past month. But new data presented at a recent medical conference show just how serious the health toll of these habits may become.



Researchers from Trinity Health Oakland, <a href="https://wayne.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wayne State University</a>, and the Sinai Hospital of Baltimore have shared results that show a sharp increase in heart-related smoking deaths. They also reveal a concerning link between cannabis use disorder and serious heart problems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoking-s-deadly-link-to-heart-disease">Smoking's deadly link to heart disease</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/work-stress-and-social-strain-raise-risk-of-heart-disease-in-women/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coronary heart disease</a>, caused by narrowed or blocked arteries, continues to be one of the top killers in the U.S. This condition is closely tied to tobacco use. To understand how bad things are getting, scientists analyzed data from the CDC spanning from 1999 to 2020.



Back in 1999, there were 4,669 deaths related to ischemic heart disease and tobacco use. By 2020, that number jumped more than 14 times to 56,367 deaths. 



If this trend continues, researchers expect that number could reach over 80,000 by 2030. That’s a projected 43.7% increase in deaths within a decade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unequal-smoking-death-rates">Unequal smoking death rates</h2>



Men and women are affected differently. While deaths among women declined slightly around 2005 and 2015, men saw a steep rise before 2005 and continued to experience <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-in-the-us-now-live-6-years-longer-than-men-as-life-expectancy-gap-widens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">higher death rates</a>. 



Racial disparities are also evident. Black Americans, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Asian/Pacific Islanders all experienced sharp increases in early years, with average annual increases above 10 percent.



Black women had one of the most alarming trends, with an average yearly rise in deaths of 10.39%. For white men, it was even higher at 12.01 percent.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“Tobacco-related ischemic heart disease is not just a problem of the past. It is still a major cause of death today," said Dr. Roopeessh Vempati.



"Our analysis found that risks are not evenly distributed, as Black women experienced the higher annual increases in mortality compared to white women. If we hope to design more targeted interventions, it’s vital for clinicians to recognize that certain racial and geographic groups are disproportionately affected,” 
</blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
Dr. Vempati noted that stronger, more targeted action through preventative cardiology and public health strategies are needed to reverse these trends and protect the most vulnerable.
</blockquote>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-risks-of-cannabis-use">Hidden risks of cannabis use</h2>



Cannabis use disorder (CUD) happens when people experience ongoing problems from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-cannabis-use-disorder-risk-varies-among-young-adults/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis use</a>, interfering with daily life. A separate study looked at how this disorder affects patients already suffering from heart failure.



Using national hospital data from 2016 to 2020, researchers identified 1.37 million patients admitted for heart failure. Of these, 19,445 also had CUD. 



The results are concerning. People with both heart failure and CUD were found to be 27% more likely to go into cardiogenic shock. They were also 50% more likely to suffer a heart attack and 48% more likely to experience arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fewer-deaths-more-complications">Fewer deaths, more complications</h2>



Surprisingly, they were 50% less likely to die and 75% less likely to experience respiratory failure during their hospital stay compared to heart failure patients without CUD.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“We were surprised to discover individuals with cannabis use disorder and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/loneliness-can-lead-to-heart-failure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heart failure</a> are at a lower risk of mortality than those without the disorder,” said Dr. Syed Ishaq.
</blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">
“However, despite a lower chance of death, they are at significantly greater odds of developing other related cardiovascular conditions like heart attack or irregular heartbeat. This understanding is necessary for doctors and public health professionals to warn individuals of the potential side effects of consistent cannabis use from the start, even before heart failure occurs.”
</blockquote>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-health-policy-challenges">Heart health policy challenges</h2>



Both studies highlight a growing problem. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tobacco-bans-could-help-prevent-1-2-million-lung-cancer-deaths/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smoking-related deaths</a> are still climbing, particularly among certain racial and gender groups. Meanwhile, cannabis use disorder - though it may not immediately increase death risk - poses significant cardiovascular dangers, especially in people already at risk.



Doctors, researchers, and public health leaders face a clear challenge. These findings suggest that a more focused, community-aware approach is needed to reduce the burden on the healthcare system and protect people before their conditions worsen.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2772930325006209" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JSCAI</a>.



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Smoking-related deaths will surge by 2030

Smoking and cannabis use are common across the United States,...

A flash of intense radiation from a magnetar has upended long-held ideas about how some of our heaviest metals emerge. Scientists have found that such a flare can pump out vast amounts of <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021RvMP...93a5002C/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">r-process elements</a> in mere seconds, revealing a surprising origin for valuables like gold and platinum.



Brian Metzger from the Flatiron Institute’s <a href="https://www.simonsfoundation.org/flatiron/center-for-computational-astrophysics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Center for Computational Astrophysics</a> in New York City is one of the researchers behind this discovery.



Metzger and his colleagues worked to show how these unusually powerful star <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-magnetar-has-unknown-origins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outbursts</a> can forge precious metals at unimaginable scales.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enormous-magnetar-energy-creates-metals">Enormous magnetar energy creates metals</h2>



A magnetar is a type of neutron star bound by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/huge-outbursts-from-quiet-magnetars-have-a-surprising-source/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetic fields</a> so strong they can be trillions of times beyond anything on Earth. 



During a phenomenon called a <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2025/02/aa52268-24/aa52268-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">giant flare</a>, the star unleashes bursts of energy that eclipse the sun’s output over hundreds of thousands of years. One recent flare analysis suggests that as much as two million billion billion kilograms of heavy atoms formed in a single event.



Researchers have now determined that flares of this sort could explain up to 10 percent of our galaxy’s gold, platinum, and similar metals. 



Each flare is like an elemental factory, hot enough and dense enough for neutrons to ram into lighter elements and create heavier, neutron-rich <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unusual-activity-detected-from-earths-closest-magnetar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">materials</a> in a matter of minutes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetar-flares-make-gold-and-uranium">Magnetar flares make gold and uranium</h2>



“This is really just the second time we've ever directly seen proof of where these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fastest-spinning-magnetar-reveals-secrets-of-neutron-stars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">elements</a> form. It’s a substantial leap in our understanding of heavy elements production,” said Metzger.



That confirmation, along with the latest finding, helps clarify how the universe stocks its cupboards with metals far heavier than iron.



Beyond gold and platinum, other materials like uranium can also appear through this r-process. It takes extraordinary places to host so many free neutrons. Flares from magnetars happen to create just the right conditions, letting nuclei snatch up these stray particles and jump up the elemental ladder.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-novel-insight-on-stardust">Novel insight on stardust</h2>



Historically, scientists believed most heavy elements took shape in supernova explosions or during neutron star mergers. 



While those events remain important, magnetar flares add another piece of the cosmic puzzle. Their high-energy jets can toss newly formed metals out into surrounding space, seeding future star systems and even rocky planets.



Observations of a magnetar flare in <a href="https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/xte/Greatest_Hits/sgr_bell.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">December 2004</a> first hinted at this possibility. By piecing together data from space telescopes, researchers noticed an unexplained pulse of gamma-ray light roughly minutes after the initial blast. 



That signal, experts argue, was the radioactive glow of freshly minted heavy nuclei cooling off.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eruptions-eject-vast-amounts-of-matter">Eruptions eject vast amounts of matter</h2>



Magnetars have long fascinated astronomers because of their intense fields and sudden outbursts. 



Each flare involves an extreme rearrangement of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-has-a-dent-and-nasa-is-watching-closely/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetic</a> lines, generating shock waves that knock matter from the star’s surface. The ejected material experiences a runaway chain of nuclear reactions, which can lead to entire mountains of precious metals.



Such flares are rare, which complicates efforts to catch them at the exact moment they happen. Even so, astronomers remain hopeful that future telescopes will detect more evidence. 



Missions like <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.12362" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Compton Spectrometer and Imager</a>, expected to launch in 2027, may be able to track these fleeting signals in greater detail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetar-flares-and-early-metals">Magnetar flares and early metals</h2>



Astronomers say these discoveries reshape how we understand metal formation in young galaxies. 



Because magnetars can flare at earlier epochs than some other events, their blasts might add heavy elements earlier in a galaxy’s life cycle. This could explain why certain <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/529487" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metal signatures</a> appear sooner than expected in distant stars.



On Earth, these metals underlie countless technologies. It’s remarkable to think a phone’s circuit board may hold atoms brewed inside a magnetar’s angry outburst. 



The new findings also put magnetars on par with neutron star collisions, highlighting them as a real contender in fueling the cosmic supply of r-process elements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-waiting-for-the-next-magnetar-eruption">Waiting for the next magnetar eruption</h2>



Looking ahead, the team anticipates more data from modern observatories as soon as another magnetar decides to erupt. 



Detecting its high-energy afterglow would offer an unmatched peek at nuclear reactions in real time. That fleeting flash of gamma rays encodes signatures of newly formed isotopes, letting scientists chart how matter evolves.



Once a flare is caught in action, researchers plan to spin telescopes around fast enough to observe the after-effects. That could confirm whether the same pattern holds for multiple flares or if the 2004 event was a standout case. 



Either way, the odds of future catches rise as instruments become more sensitive across multiple wavelengths.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adc9b0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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Magnetar flares create gold and platinum in seconds

A flash of intense radiation from a magnetar has upended...

Heat and cold are claiming more lives across India as extreme temperatures become an increasingly deadly threat.



A 19-year analysis has found that nearly 20,000 people have died from heatstroke and over 15,000 from cold exposure since the early 2000s. These numbers tell only part of the story - many deaths go unreported, and the risks are growing each year.



The findings come from scientists at <a href="https://jgu.edu.in/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">O.P. Jindal Global University</a> (JGU) in Sonipat, India. The research focuses on the intersection of climate change, public health, and social systems, revealing a concerning upward trend in deaths from both heatstroke and hypothermia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-temperatures-in-developing-nations">Extreme temperatures in developing nations</h2>



Unlike many previous studies that focused on developed countries or isolated weather events, this work takes a long-term view of the dangers facing people in low- and middle-income nations like India, where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-extremes-could-lead-to-critical-blood-supply-shortages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate extremes</a> are becoming more frequent and intense.



Using official data from 2001 to 2019, the researchers identified 19,693 deaths caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeling-the-heat-rising-temperatures-push-the-limits-of-the-human-body/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatstroke</a> and 15,197 from cold exposure. 



These figures likely underestimate the true scale of the crisis, as not all temperature-related deaths are formally recorded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-h-eatstroke-and-cold-exposure">Heatstroke and cold exposure </h2>



The worst year was 2015, when 1,907 people died from heatstroke and 1,147 from the cold. "Deaths due to heatstroke is more significant, compared to deaths due to cold exposure, albeit recording an upward trend," said Professor Pradeep Guin, the study's lead author.



While it may be surprising that cold remains such a threat in a country known for scorching summers, cold-related deaths continue to occur - even as average winter temperatures rise. Some areas are experiencing record lows, and many are unprepared.



“While the average winter temperature is increasing, some parts of India are experiencing new lows,” said Professor Guin. “These states are not used to cold temperatures and so likely don’t have measures in place to deal with them, which could explain why the number of deaths from the cold is rising.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-temperature-risk-among-men">Extreme temperature risk among men</h2>



The data revealed that adult men are most likely to die from temperature extremes. In fact, men were three to five times more likely to die from heatstroke and four to seven times more likely to die from cold exposure compared to women. 



The most affected age group was 45–60 years, followed by the elderly and people aged 30–45. Why are men more vulnerable? 



“The higher death toll from heatstroke in working-age men may reflect the fact that men are more likely to work outdoors than women,” said Professor Guin. 



“Even with improvements in the female labour force participation rate in India in the recent years, there are more men working outside in the open environment to meet their household needs.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-outdoor-work-and-poverty">Outdoor work and poverty</h2>



This increased vulnerability isn’t just biological - it’s deeply tied to the nature of outdoor work and the economic pressures many men face.



“Physically demanding outdoor work, such as construction work, should be halted during heatwaves, and those with other outdoor jobs, such as auto-rickshaw drivers and gig economy workers, should be provided with adequate relief measures such as shaded parking areas with provisions for drinking water and toilets," noted Professor Guin.



"Essentially, those who are working outside are more exposed to extreme heat, thereby the more vulnerable gender to death."



There’s also an economic dimension to the risk. Many outdoor workers live hand to mouth. 



“We believe that the government should consider offering some form of social support to outdoor workers, particularly low-income workers and those on a daily wage, who may feel they have no option but to turn up to work, whatever the temperature.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deadliest-temperature-extremes">Deadliest temperature extremes</h2>



The team also analyzed data at the state level. For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-than-70000-deaths-in-europe-were-heat-related-in-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heat-related deaths</a>, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab top the list. For cold-related deaths, the worst-affected states were Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Bihar.



Interestingly, the deadliest temperature extremes aren’t happening in India’s hottest or coldest states. 



“Should it be surprising that most deaths due to extreme temperatures are not being reported from traditionally either the hottest or coldest regions in India? This is likely due to higher adaptative mechanisms that help residents survive the harshest of temperature," said Professor Guin.



"On the other hand, states which recorded more extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/temperature-related-deaths-could-rise-exponentially/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">temperature-related deaths</a> are likely to have lower adaptive mechanisms and need greater infrastructural and social safety-net support.”



The research shows that where there is more investment in healthcare and social programs - particularly in large urban areas - there tend to be fewer deaths from extreme temperatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-india-s-extreme-temperatures">Preparing for India's extreme temperatures</h2>



India has already taken some steps to address these risks. Some states have created heat action plans, and others are expanding efforts to prepare for cold waves. But more is needed.



“Several states in India are developing heat action plans that can provide relief through innovative built environment initiatives, and these need study as well as scale-up, including expanding cold action plans across more vulnerable states,” said Professor Nandita Bhan of the Jindal School of Public Health and Human Development at JGU.



Solutions don’t have to be complex. Bus stops and walkways can be shaded. Public awareness campaigns can use simple, local language. 



More night shelters and better living conditions for homeless people can save lives. Health systems also need to be trained to respond to temperature-related emergencies.



“With an intense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-century-heatwave-may-soon-happen-every-other-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwave</a> forecast to hit most of the country this summer and extreme weather events becoming more frequent around the globe as the world warms, there is no time to be lost in raising awareness about the dangers of extreme temperatures and putting in place measures to reduce their impact. Support systems exist, but more needs to be done,” said Professor Guin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-data-to-save-lives">Using data to save lives</h2>



The study also shows how important local data is for planning effective interventions. The team hopes their work can lead to more local-level planning in the future.



“In the future, further research and analytics at sub-national levels, including districts will be able to guide district authorities to make localized intervention plans, including improved early warning systems and enhanced welfare programs,” said co-author Keshav Sethi, a doctoral candidate at the Jindal School of Government and Public Policy.



The researchers acknowledge the challenges in gathering accurate temperature and mortality data across a country as vast as India, but also the value that such data holds.



“Collecting and collating data on temperature and mortality for a country the size and scale of India is challenging, and initiatives of state agencies to maintain these data archives is commendable. It allowed researchers like us to test our hypotheses and can lead to evidence-informed policy,” concluded Professor Bhan.



“We are hopeful that our work will lead to a further momentum of collaborations to understand the global and national impacts of climate change on human health.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23328940.2025.2475420" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Temperature</a>.



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Extreme temperatures are killing thousands across India

Heat and cold are claiming more lives across India as...

While eating fish is a healthy choice for many, it can also expose people to methylmercury - a toxic form of mercury that builds up in the body and can harm the brain, liver, and developing babies in the womb. Now, scientists may have found a way to help the body eliminate it.



In a collaborative effort, scientists from the <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Los Angeles</a> (UCLA) and the University of California, San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography created a specialized gut bacterium designed to neutralize <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/steller-sea-lions-threatened-by-rising-mercury-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">methylmercury</a> before it spreads through the body. 



This tiny engineered microbe, once ingested, reduced the amount of mercury reaching the brain, liver, and even fetuses in pregnant mice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-probiotic-for-fish-consumption">Probiotic for fish consumption </h2>



The research team used Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a bacterium already living in the human gut, and enhanced it with DNA from a mercury-resistant soil microbe.



This inserted DNA encodes enzymes that can detoxify methylmercury. First, they tested the bacteria in lab dishes. Then, they introduced it into the digestive systems of mice whose natural gut microbes had been removed. 



After giving these mice a large dose of methylmercury, they saw a noticeable drop in intestinal mercury levels in just three hours. Levels continued to fall for four days.



Next, the scientists fed the mice a diet rich in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mercury-levels-in-bluefin-tuna-reveal-patterns-of-ocean-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bluefin tuna</a> - one of the fish highest in methylmercury. Even with this regular dietary exposure, the engineered bacteria kept working. Mercury levels dropped not only in the intestines but also in the brain and liver.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protective-effect-against-mercury">Protective effect against mercury </h2>



The team then moved on to pregnant mice. The results were promising. Methylmercury levels were lower in both the mothers and their developing fetuses. There were also fewer signs of damage in the fetal brains.



“By reducing dietary methylmercury in the intestine, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-have-very-clever-ways-of-supporting-human-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut bacteria</a> helped to eliminate it from the body before it could enter the maternal bloodstream and access the developing offspring,” said first author and UCLA research scientist Kristie Yu.



According to UCLA researcher Franciscus Chandra, the lowered signs of toxicity in the fetal brain showed that the bacterium works at levels that are biologically meaningful.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-probiotic-offsets-risks-of-eating-fish">Probiotic offsets risks of eating fish</h2>



The team also tested the bacteria with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salmon-virus-has-spread-from-the-atlantic-to-the-pacific/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">salmon</a>, a fish that has less methylmercury than tuna, and the probiotic still worked effectively.



Finally, the researchers gave the probiotic to mice that still had their normal gut microbes intact. These mice, fed the same bluefin tuna diet, also showed significantly reduced mercury in their tissues. This confirmed that the probiotic could work without replacing the natural gut microbiome.



“We envision the possibility that people could take a probiotic to offset the risk of consuming too much methylmercury, especially when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/knowing-which-fish-to-eat-during-pregnancy-is-very-important/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pregnant</a>,” said Elaine Hsiao, director of the UCLA Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mercury-and-the-food-chain">Mercury and the food chain</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mercury-pollution-rules-reinstated-under-president-biden/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mercury pollution</a> comes mainly from human activities like coal burning, gold mining, and industrial waste. 



In the ocean, it turns into methylmercury - a form that is especially toxic and accumulates in the food chain. That means top predators like tuna - and the humans who eat them - end up with the highest concentrations.



Amina Schartup is the co-senior author of the study and a Scripps associate professor of marine biogeochemistry.



“Despite global efforts to reduce mercury emissions and its accumulation in fish, methylmercury levels in seafood are not expected to decline anytime soon," said Schartup.



"Fish remains a major and culturally important part of the diet for many people around the world and we hope it continues to be."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-step-closer-to-consumer-probiotics">A step closer to consumer probiotics</h2>



The scientists are now working to make the probiotic even more effective. They’re also preparing for the long road toward making it available for humans. 



Continued funding will be crucial to move this idea from mouse models to real-world solutions.



The research was supported by federal and private organizations, including the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and several foundations.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/abstract/S1931-3128(25)00142-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cell Host &amp; Microbe</a>.



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New probiotic could make it safer to eat seafood

While eating fish is a healthy choice for many, it...

Deep beneath the clear, blue surface of the Gulf of Aqaba, the seafloor holds pockets of water so salty they behave more like dense syrup than seawater. These hidden lakes are called brine pools. 



These anomalies resist mixing with the surrounding ocean, lock out oxygen, and create chemical stews that would knock out most marine life. 



An <a href="https://oceanx.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OceanX</a> research mission, using a remotely operated underwater vehicle on the research vessel <a href="https://oceanx.org/oceanxplorer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OceanXplorer</a>, stumbled onto a set of these pools barely an hour’s sail from the Saudi coast.



The find reshapes ideas about where brine pools can form and what they can teach us. Until now, most known pools lay far offshore in the central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stromatolites-algae-found-saudi-arabia-red-sea-new-clues-earliest-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Sea</a>, Mediterranean, or Gulf of Mexico. 



Discovering a group barely 1.2 miles from land, more than 5,800 feet below the waves, opens a front‑row seat on both ancient disasters and present‑day survival tricks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-pools-of-brine-and-zero-oxygen">Hidden pools of brine and zero oxygen</h2>



Brine pools form when salt deposits buried beneath the seabed dissolve and seep upward, collecting in natural basins. Because the brine is heavier than normal seawater, it sits in place like oil in a pan, creating underwater shorelines and currents of its own. 



The steep chemical gradient - high salinity, zero oxygen, exotic metals - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lost-city-reveals-chemical-pathways-that-could-explain-the-origin-of-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supports microbes</a> that tolerate conditions much harsher than those in ordinary seas.



Sam Purkis and colleagues at the University of Miami’s <a href="https://www.earth.miami.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rosenstiel School</a> of Marine and Atmospheric Science first spotted the main pool, roughly the size of a soccer field, on the eastern wall of the Aragonese Deep. 



Three smaller pools were clustered nearby. Faults in the seabed had stretched the crust, leaving a depression that trapped the leaking brine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-close-range-discovery">Close‑range discovery</h2>



The fact that these pools lie only about 1.2 miles from shore was a surprise because earlier brine pools discovered sat far out on the continental slope. 



Their proximity means material flushed off land by flash floods, earthquakes, or tsunamis can tumble straight in. That makes these basins natural catchers’ mitts for regional history.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_OceanX-expedition_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_OceanX-expedition_1s.webp" alt="a Brine surface in the foreground onlaps the “beach” which is characterized by a rich microbial community (orange-to-gray in color). In b, at a water depth of 1770 m, a Sea-Bird CTD system is lowered through the brine-seawater interface, a stark transition in density which is especially visible via injection of biodegradable dye (c). d A small (10 m2) brine pool situated 50 m to the west of the main pool and associated with boulders shed from the nearby foreslope. As for the main pool, the microbial community also stains the beach surrounding this small pool. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX" class="wp-image-1968041"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">a) Brine surface in the foreground onlaps the “beach” which is characterized by a rich microbial community (orange-to-gray in color). In b, at a water depth of 1770 m, a Sea-Bird CTD system is lowered through the brine-seawater interface, a stark transition in density which is especially visible via injection of biodegradable dye (c). d A small (10 m2) brine pool situated 50 m to the west of the main pool and associated with boulders shed from the nearby foreslope. As for the main pool, the microbial community also stains the beach surrounding this small pool. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX</figcaption></figure>



"We were very lucky," Purkis enthused. "The discovery came in the last five minutes of the ten‑hour ROV dive that we could dedicate to this project." 



The ROV’s sensors had just enough battery left to hover over the shimmering interface where brine met seawater and collect jars of water and mud for laboratory study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-historical-record-written-in-mud">Historical record written in mud</h2>



Inside the big pool, researchers cored more than 10 feet into the sticky gray sediment. Each layer told a story: coarse grains dumped by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underwater-volcanic-eruptions-are-more-harmful-than-previously-believed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">submarine landslides</a>, charcoal washed in during desert flash floods, even a band left by a tsunami‑driven surge. 



Together the layers stretch back at least 1,200 years, offering one of the Gulf of Aqaba’s most detailed geologic archives.



One layer stood out - a jumbled mix that matched debris from a submarine slump dated to about 500 years ago. 



That slide likely kicked up a sizable wave along both Egyptian and Saudi coasts, an event local folklore hints at but modern hazard planners rarely include in risk maps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extreme-life-in-a-brine-pool">Extreme life in a brine pool</h2>



Despite the chemical gauntlet, the edges of the pools bristle with life. 



Shrimp swarm in clouds at the halocline, snagging prey stunned by the salt shock. Eels dart down to snatch cramp‑stricken fish, then retreat to oxygenated water to recover. 



<a href="https://youtu.be/GZ6_6Mta4Xc?si=k-I4DQFyqNafZGPU" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Video from the ROV</a> even caught a deep‑sea dogfish patrolling the brine’s shimmering boundary like a sentry on a patrol line.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_extremophile-life-discovered_OceanX-expedition_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NEOM-Brine-Pools_Red-Sea_extremophile-life-discovered_OceanX-expedition_1s.webp" alt="In a, an eel, possibly Ariosoma mauritianum, swims over the periphery of the main pool in the vicinity of a ubiquitously present bigeye houndshark Iago omanensis (b). c As yet unidentified flat fish, possibly a sharpnose tonguesole Cynoglossus acutirostris, collected while it was encountered skimming the brine surface. d A common component of the pool’s megafauna, the shrimp Plesionika sp. (Pandalidae), a species which congregates abundantly atop topographic highs overlooking the pools (e). Red light illumination allows the natural behavior of this species to be observed (f). Here, a Plesionika sp. is encountered &gt;30 m from the edge of the main brine pool, just above the brine surface. Observed behavior consistent with scavenging—this individual and others were recorded retrieving metazoans shocked or killed by the brine. The bivalve Apachecorbula muriatica pervasively inhabits a 20-cm-thick zone above the brine-seawater interface. In g, this narrow zone falls on a slope-sourced breccia block. h Sampled A. muriatica in close-up. Note abundant production of byssus thread with multiple split terminations—a characteristic of this species. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX" class="wp-image-1968039"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">In a, an eel, possibly Ariosoma mauritianum, swims over the periphery of the main pool in the vicinity of a ubiquitously present bigeye houndshark Iago omanensis (b). c As yet unidentified flat fish, possibly a sharpnose tonguesole Cynoglossus acutirostris. (Pandalidae), a species which congregates abundantly atop topographic highs overlooking the pools (e). Red light illumination allows the natural behavior of this species to be observed (f). Here, a Plesionika sp. is encountered >30 m from the edge of the main brine pool, just above the brine surface. In g, this narrow zone falls on a slope-sourced breccia block. h Sampled A. muriatica in close-up. Click image to enlarge. Credit: OceanX</figcaption></figure>



Microbiologists are eyeing the mud for unfamiliar microbes. Similar brine pools in the Red Sea have yielded molecules that show promise against certain cancers. 



Extreme chemistry pushes microbes to invent proteins and enzymes not seen elsewhere - potential treasure for future medicine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brine-pools-and-extraterrestrial-life">Brine pools and extraterrestrial life</h2>



"Until we understand the limits of life on Earth, it will be difficult to determine if alien planets can host any living beings," Purkis noted. 



The newly sampled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diverse-life-snails-tubeworms-living-beneath-seafloor-hydrothermal-vents/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes thrive</a> without oxygen, under crushing pressure, and bathed in salt levels four to eight times higher than the open sea. 



Conditions on icy moons such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/europa-clipper-will-search-for-signs-of-life-on-jupiters-icy-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Europa</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extraterrestrial-life-moons-planets-detected-single-grain-ice-floating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Enceladus</a> may echo those extremes, making Aqaba’s pools a handy stand‑in for testing ideas about extraterrestrial habitability.



The team’s report, published in Communications Earth &amp; Environment, adds that the pools' chemistry resembles fluids locked inside ancient salt layers drilled from the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. 



By comparing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Aqaba" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gulf of Aqaba</a> samples with drill‑core data, geochemists hope to refine models of how Earth’s oceans evolved from primordial brines to the oxygen‑rich waters that support today’s sprawling food webs.



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



Seismic faults slice right beneath coastal resorts and ports in both Egypt and Saudi Arabia. By logging every underwater landslide or flood signature, the brine‑pool cores give planners a long‑term scorecard of past shocks. 



That information can sharpen building codes and emergency plans in a region now racing to expand tourism and infrastructure.



The NEOM brine pools also sit in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/great-continental-rift-african-splitting-landmass-creating-ocean-basin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Sea</a> within the footprint of the massive <a href="https://www.neom.com/en-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NEOM development</a> zone, a large-scale, futuristic development project in northwestern Saudi Arabia. 



Understanding how sediments move in and out of the Aragonese Deep will help engineers place pipelines, cables, and seafloor installations where they won’t be buried - or exposed - by the next big slide.



Future cruises aims to lower experiments into the brine itself, watching how microbes handle sudden changes in temperature and pressure. 



Every vial hauled back to the deck may tighten the boundary on where life can exist, both on this planet and on worlds still waiting for a first visit.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00482-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Earth and Environment</a>.



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'Extreme life' that shouldn’t exist discovered at the very bottom of the Red Sea

Deep beneath the clear, blue surface of the Gulf of Aqaba,...

Cute,Smart,Little,7s,Girl,Child,Sit,At,Table,At

The practice of handwriting still plays a vital role in today’s classrooms, even as digital tools become more common in early education. From tablets to computer programs, children are growing up clicking buttons more often than they’re picking up pencils. 



But when it comes to learning to read and write, does typing really help young learners the same way writing by hand does? A recent study from the <a href="https://www.ehu.eus/en/en-home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Basque Country</a> (UPV/EHU) put this question to the test. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-manual-writing-versus-keyboards">Manual writing versus keyboards </h2>



The researchers wanted to understand how using hands to form letters compares to tapping them out on a keyboard.



“As children write less and less by hand, we wanted to explore the impact of this on alphabetic and orthographic skills," noted study co-author Joana Acha.



"In other words, we wanted to see whether the ability to learn letters and to assimilate and remember word structure develops differently through manual training or the use of keyboards. We concluded that the children who used their hands obtained the best results. "



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-putting-handwriting-practice-to-the-test">Putting handwriting practice to the test</h2>



The research team worked with a group of 5- to 6-year-old children. This age was chosen because it’s the ideal time for developing early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/students-struggle-in-basic-math-and-reading-after-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reading</a> and writing skills. 



The team designed an experiment where 50 children were introduced to unfamiliar letters and words. Specifically, they learned nine letters from the Georgian and Armenian alphabets, as well as sixteen made-up “pseudowords.”



“The aim was to use letters and words that were completely new to the children to make sure they were learning from scratch," explained Acha.



"In fact, the studies carried out so far used the alphabets in the children’s culture, so it is not so easy to find out the extent to which they did not know the symbols presented."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-copying-letters-and-writing-by-hand">Copying letters and writing by hand</h2>



All of the children were taught the same content, but not in the same way. Half learned by copying the letters with a pencil. The other half typed them on a keyboard. 



This design allowed the researchers to compare the role of what’s called the graphomotor function - how the physical act of writing shapes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/handwriting-increases-brain-connectivity-and-promotes-learning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">learning</a>.



When children type, they don’t trace or shape the letters. Instead, they press a button and the letter appears. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/writing-by-hand-boosts-learning-and-memory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Writing by hand</a>, however, requires a more active involvement with the form of each letter. Practicing handwriting requires a physical effort which seems to make a difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-children-s-literacy-skills">Testing the children’s literacy skills</h2>



“Once we had taught each group of children the new letters and words and trained them using one method, we submitted them to three tests to assess the knowledge acquired," explained Acha. 



"We measured their ability to identify, write and pronounce both the letters and the pseudowords, and the results clearly indicated that those who had practiced manually developed greater skill."



"In particular, the difference was clear with the pseudowords; almost everyone who had learned on computer did not complete the exercises on letter sequences correctly. So our work confirms that the graphomotor function is essential in memorizing letters and word structures."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-variety-during-handwriting-practice">Variety during handwriting practice </h2>



The study didn’t just look at handwriting versus typing. The researchers also examined how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-it-comes-to-practice-and-learning-variety-is-key/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">variety during practice</a> affects handwriting and learning. Children in both the pencil and keyboard groups were split further.



In the handwriting group, one subgroup traced letters using dotted lines. The other copied freely without any guide. In the typing group, some children used the same font every time, while others worked with multiple fonts. 



These differences allowed the researchers to study how consistent or varied visual and motor tasks shape learning outcomes. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pencil-or-keyboard-handwriting-prevails">Pencil or keyboard? Handwriting prevails</h2>



The results were telling. Handwriting always came out on top, regardless of tracing or freeform. But those who wrote freely performed even better than those who traced.



“So we concluded that while it helps children to have to trace in order to practice at first, once they’re able to make more or less small, precise movements, it’s advisable to move on to free writing," noted Acha.



"However, what is most clear is the need to prioritize manual practice in the learning processes. They learn best from hand movements and so technological devices should only be used in a complementary way."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-the-classroom">What this means for the classroom</h2>



The takeaway is simple but important: children learn letters and word structures better when they use their hands. While typing has its place, it shouldn’t replace handwriting - especially early on.



Letting kids trace letters at first can help them get started. But giving them room to write freely without constraints may lead to even better outcomes. 



The goal isn’t to remove <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-top-concerns-of-parents-as-kids-return-to-school/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">technology</a> from classrooms, but to be more intentional about when and how it's used. Writing by hand should still be the first step in learning to read and write.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022096525000013" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Experimental Child Psychology</a>.



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Handwriting practice leads to better literacy development

The practice of handwriting still plays a vital role in...

Can a sea lion really feel the beat like we do? That question has fascinated scientists exploring biomusicality - how different species respond to rhythm and music.



One famous sea lion is helping provide surprising answers. Ronan, the rhythm-savvy sea lion who once bobbed her head to pop tunes, is back in the spotlight. And according to new research, her sense of rhythm is not only real - it may be sharper than most humans’.



Ronan the sea lion lives at the Long Marine Laboratory, part of the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Santa Cruz</a>. In 2013, she gained global attention when researchers showed that she could synchronize her head bobs to music, even unfamiliar songs with new tempos. 



Now, a new study confirms that Ronan has kept her skills sharp over the years - and her rhythmic timing might just outperform ours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dancing-sea-lion-surprises-scientists">Dancing sea lion surprises scientists</h2>



In the latest experiment, scientists set out to test Ronan’s timing accuracy. They designed a beat-keeping task that closely matched how she naturally responds - through head bobbing.



To compare her abilities with humans, the team asked 10 UC Santa Cruz undergraduates to move one arm up and down in sync with a simple metronome <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-are-born-with-the-ability-to-recognize-the-beat-in-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat</a>. Three tempos were used: 112, 120, and 128 beats per minute. 



Ronan had only been trained at 120 bpm, so the other two were new to the sea lion. Even so, she didn’t miss a beat. At her practiced tempo of 120 bpm, she was incredibly precise, hitting the beat within just 15 milliseconds on average. That’s roughly a tenth the duration of a human blink.



“She is incredibly precise, with variability of only about a tenth of an eyeblink from cycle to cycle,” said Peter Cook, one of the study's authors. “Sometimes, she might hit the beat five milliseconds early, sometimes she might hit it 10 milliseconds late. But she's basically hitting the rhythmic bullseye over and over and over again.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ronan-volunteers-for-rhythm-training">Ronan volunteers for rhythm training</h2>



The researchers are quick to point out that Ronan chooses to take part in these sessions. She’s never forced or deprived of food. 



If she doesn’t feel like working, she’s free to swim off. Before each session, she climbs onto a special ramp where she waits calmly. When she’s ready, she signals the team, and the experiment begins.



Ronan’s rhythm training spans over a decade. Since joining the lab in 2010, she’s completed about 2,000 short rhythm tasks - each just 10 to 15 seconds long. There were even years when she didn’t practice at all. That’s not a lot compared to a typical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-prefer-listening-to-live-music-than-to-a-recording-of-the-same-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">child’s exposure to music</a>.



“She definitely wasn’t overtrained,” Cook said. “Realistically, if you added up the amount of rhythmic exposure Ronan has had since she’s been with us, it is probably dwarfed by what a typical 1 year old kid has heard.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dancing-her-way-to-fame">Dancing her way to fame</h2>



Ronan’s path to stardom began with hardship. Born in the wild in 2008, she stranded repeatedly due to malnutrition and was eventually deemed non-releasable. 



UC Santa Cruz took her in and made her part of their Pinniped Lab, where researchers explore the cognitive and sensory abilities of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-mammals-in-the-us-are-highly-vulnerable-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine mammals</a>. The lab uses positive reinforcement to encourage cooperation. 



Ronan has participated in a wide range of projects, from rhythm and memory to diving physiology. And she’s still going strong. At 16 years old and 170 pounds, she’s considered to be in her prime.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewriting-the-rules-of-rhythm">Rewriting the rules of rhythm</h2>



The original 2013 study on Ronan challenged a leading theory in biomusicality. That theory said only vocal mimics - such as humans and some birds - could synchronize to music because their brains are wired for vocal learning. 



Ronan, however, isn’t known to learn new vocalizations. The sea lion's ability to keep time raised new questions.Despite early praise, some researchers doubted Ronan’s rhythm <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seals-can-perceive-rhythm-early-in-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skills</a>. 



They argued that her performance wasn’t as consistent as human timing. This led to the new study, which set out to compare Ronan’s beat-keeping abilities directly with humans using the same test conditions. The results were clear. 



Ronan wasn’t just keeping up - she was outpacing her human peers. She showed greater precision and less variability at every tested tempo. To further confirm this, the researchers used student data to model the theoretical performance of 10,000 humans. Ronan placed in the 99th percentile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-talent-it-s-a-choice">More than talent - it's a choice</h2>



The team that works with Ronan has built a strong bond with her over the years. They know her moods, her enthusiasm, and her intelligence. They also know she performs best when she’s motivated.



“One of the most important outcomes of the study is the fact that maturation and experience matter,” said Colleen Reichmuth, a lead researcher at the lab. “It's not just a test of rhythmic performance. It reflects her cognitive behavior and her ability to remember and refine it over time.”



And she wants to succeed. Every time she climbs the ramp and signals she’s ready, it’s because she chooses to. “She's motivated. To her, it's a game she knows how to win,” Reichmuth said, “and she likes the fish that come with it.”



Ronan’s contribution to science goes far beyond her head bobs. Her work is helping researchers rethink which species are capable of perceiving and producing rhythm. 



Since her debut, follow-up studies have explored rhythm in birds, primates, elephants, and more. She’s sparked new discussions in the scientific community and shifted how we view <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-and-possibly-even-insects-have-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal cognition</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-just-a-party-trick">Not just a party trick</h2>



The researchers stress that this isn’t about teaching animals cute tricks. It’s about understanding the evolution of intelligence. 



Rhythm and pattern recognition are key parts of how brains process information. And these traits may be more widespread in the animal kingdom than we thought.



Cook often gets asked why dogs don’t dance. His answer: maybe no one’s tried. "If you're going to say dogs can't dance, you have to empirically assess that - really give the dog many opportunities to receive very precise feedback on rhythmic movement and see how they do,” he said. 



“I would be very surprised if you couldn't get a border collie to do something like what Ronan does if you spend enough time on it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-lion-changed-the-beat-forever">Sea lion changed the beat forever</h2>



This new study reinforces what her team already knew - Ronan is extraordinary. But her story also carries a broader message. Intelligence comes in many forms. 



With the right training, environment, and support, animals like Ronan can reveal abilities we once thought were uniquely human.



“Ronan’s new study highlights the importance of experience, maturity, and really fine-grained training in a controlled laboratory setting to assess these questions,” Cook concluded.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-95279-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



Image Credit: Photo by Colleen Reichmuth; NMFS 23554



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Can animals feel the beat? Ronan the sea lion might just prove it

Can a sea lion really feel the beat like we...

The ground is moving underfoot across large swaths Africa, even when the weather is calm. Over the past few decades, engineers have had to mend warped highways, farmers have felt hot springs pop up in old fields, and GPS receivers reveal that the land itself is stretching. 



These shifts trace a long, snaking scar known as the East African Rift, which now runs about 2,000 miles from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-the-shores-of-the-red-sea-turn-pink-every-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Sea</a> to central Mozambique.



The latest three‑dimensional seismic models show that the split is anything but tidy. 



Beneath certain valleys, the crust is already threadbare, while nearby blocks of rock remain thick and stubborn. Deep magma rises to exploit every weakness, pushing from below while gravity pulls from above.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-african-rift-stretches-2-000-miles">African rift stretches 2,000 miles</h2>



"What we do not know is if this rifting will continue on its present pace to eventually open up an ocean basin, like the Red Sea, and then later to something much larger, like a small version of the Atlantic Ocean," said Ken Macdonald, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (<a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCSB</a>). 



"Or might it speed up and get there more quickly? Or it might stall out, as the Atlantic did before it commenced to true seafloor spreading? At the present rate, a sea about the size of the current Red Sea might form in about 20‑30 million years.”



According to a February 2025 study published in the scientific journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2024JB030417" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGR Solid Earth</a>, the northern branch, called the Main Ethiopian Rift, narrows to a canyon flanked by steep faults that slip in bursts. 



Farther south, the valley widens; seismic waves lose energy there faster than expected, marking pockets of molten rock that prop the crust open from below.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcanic-processes-at-work">Volcanic processes at work</h2>



About 22 million years ago, the Somali and Nubian plates began to creep apart. A recent simulation argues that a rising plume of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mantle-heat-shaped-earths-crust-3-billion-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">super‑heated mantle</a> thins the overlying plate “like taffy left on a dashboard,” according to researchers. 



“We confirmed previous ideas that lithospheric buoyancy forces are driving the rift, but we’re bringing new insight that anomalous deformation can happen in East Africa,” said Tahiry Rajaonarison of <a href="https://nmt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Mexico Tech</a>.



At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial.



Now, scientists from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/visualizing-the-seasons-of-central-ethiopia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethiopian rift</a> are nearly identical to those at the bottom of the world’s oceans, and the rift is indeed likely the beginning of a new sea. 



Another study published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019GL085598" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>, suggests that the highly active volcanic boundaries along the edges of tectonic ocean plates may suddenly break apart in large sections, instead of little by little as has been predominantly believed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-african-rift-cracks-in-real-time">African rift cracks in real time</h2>



The first vivid and obvious clue to what was happening arrived in September 2005, when a 35‑mile fissure up to 25 feet wide ripped open in Ethiopia in just 10 days. 



“Eventually this will drift apart,” Dr. James Hammond of the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a> told the BBC World Service. “The sea will flood in and will start to create this new ocean.” 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_map-graph_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_map-graph_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1s.webp" alt="(a) Structural map of our interest region, showing the location and extent of the Archean cratons, Tertiary volcanism and EARS main structures. Red triangles are volcanoes (modified from Global Volcanism Program (2013)). Structures are from Globig et al. (2016). (b) Map of the EARS showing the main rifts and volcanic provinces. Abbreviations: KVVP Kivu Virunga Volcanic Province, KQVP Kenya Quaternary Volcanic Province, RVP Rungwe Volcanic Province, MER Main Ethiopian Rift." class="wp-image-1967992"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(a) Structural map of our interest region, showing the location and extent of the Archean cratons, Tertiary volcanism and EARS main structures. Red triangles are volcanoes (modified from Global Volcanism Program (2013)). Structures are from Globig et al. (2016). (b) Map of the EARS showing the main rifts and volcanic provinces. Abbreviations: KVVP Kivu Virunga Volcanic Province, KQVP Kenya Quaternary Volcanic Province, RVP Rungwe Volcanic Province, MER Main Ethiopian Rift. Click image to enlarge. Credit: JGR</figcaption></figure>



“It will pull apart, sink down deeper and deeper, and eventually…parts of southern Ethiopia, Somalia will drift off, create a new island, and we’ll have a smaller Africa and a very big island that floats out into the Indian Ocean.”



Heavy rain in 2018 exposed a similar crack in Kenya, forcing road closures and startling residents. Geologist David Adede, from the <a href="https://www.uonbi.ac.ke/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nairobi</a>, linked the event to the region‑wide tug‑of‑war between the two plates, showing that even everyday weather can uncover tectonic scars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-model-predicts-a-slowly-forming-ocean">Model predicts a slowly-forming ocean</h2>



Computer models at <a href="https://www.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a> lend weight to the plume‑driven theory. 



“If you hit Silly Putty with a hammer, it can actually crack and break. But if you slowly pull it apart, the Silly Putty stretches. So on different time scales, Earth’s lithosphere behaves in different ways," explained Virginia Tech's <a href="https://geos.vt.edu/people/Everyone/Sarah-Stamps.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">D. Sarah Stamps</a>.



Her team’s work points toward a future ocean spreading along the current rift line. Africa will not tear completely for at least another five million years, but the groundwork is happening fast enough for satellites to watch.



“This work is a breakthrough in our understanding of continental rifting leading to the creation of new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-same-process-that-is-raising-sea-levels-today-sank-them-millions-of-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean basins</a>. For the first time they demonstrate that activity on one rift segment can trigger a major episode of magma injection and associated deformation on a neighboring segment," noted Ken Macdonald of UCSB.



"Careful study of the 2005 mega‑dike intrusion and its aftermath will continue to provide extraordinary opportunities for learning about continental rifts and mid‑ocean ridges," Macdonald concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-current-hazards-caused-by-the-african-rift">Current hazards caused by the African rift</h2>



“In addition, such sudden large-scale events on land pose a much more serious hazard to populations living near the rift than several smaller events would," said Cindy Ebinger, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the <a href="https://www.rochester.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Rochester</a>.



Rapid injections of magma can shove the surface upward, fracture highways, and rattle towns with earthquakes.



Another threat lurks in the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Afar-triangle-a-depressed-area-surrounded-by-the-Nubian-Yemen-and-Somalian_fig1_345985550" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Afar Depression</a>, parts of which already lie below sea level. Only a 65‑foot‑high ridge in Eritrea blocks the Red Sea. If that barrier fails, seawater will surge inland long before full‑fledged seafloor spreading begins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-laboratory-above-ground">Ocean laboratory above ground</h2>



The Afar region and Iceland are the planet’s only places where a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/megastructure-ancient-buried-seafloor-dinosaur-age-found-under-pacific-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mid‑ocean‑ridge system</a> stands above water. 



“The whole point of this study is to learn whether what is happening in Ethiopia is like what is happening at the bottom of the ocean where it’s almost impossible for us to go,” said Ebinger.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_global-map_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_global-map_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1s.webp" alt="Regional and global datasets. Stations from global data set are shown in red (Ekström, 2011), stations from regional data set are shown in green. Regional stations are mainly located along eastern Africa, with a particularly dense coverage over the Afar rift (Ethiopia)." class="wp-image-1967989"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Regional and global datasets. Stations from global data set are shown in red (Ekström, 2011), stations from regional data set are shown in green. Regional stations are mainly located along eastern Africa, with a particularly dense coverage over the Afar rift (Ethiopia). Click image to open. Credit: JGR</figcaption></figure>



“We knew that if we could establish that, then Ethiopia would essentially be a unique and superb ocean‑ridge laboratory for us. Because of the unprecedented cross‑border collaboration behind this research, we now know that the answer is yes, it is analogous."



Instruments now blanket the desert, logging every shuffle of the ground and every whisper of magma. The data will refine forecasts for future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-forces-discovered-cause-earths-continents-to-rise-great-escarpment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">continental breakups</a> and help geologists understand how today’s oceans first opened.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-impact-of-the-african-rift-system">Global impact of the African Rift System</h2>



To sum it all up, geologic change does move at such a slow pace it makes skyscraper construction seem fleeting, yet the sum of tiny annual motions adds up. It causes hazards that can be felt and seen during our lifetimes, while also redrawing maps. 



Rarely do we get to see geological processes in action, but in this instance, we are the lucky ones. From the sudden 2005 fissure to today’s steady one‑inch‑per‑year drift, the African Rift System offers a rare front‑row seat to continental breakup in action.



Whether this continental rip stalls, accelerates, or marches on unchanged, one fact remains: the ground beneath East Africa is restless, and each year of careful observation brings scientists one step closer to explaining how whole oceans are born.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2024JB030417" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGR Solid Earth</a>.



An earlier study with images was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021JB023570" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGR Solid Earth</a> (Images of the rift found here).



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Entire continent is splitting open and forming 'an ocean basin' like the Red Sea

The ground is moving underfoot across large swaths Africa, even...

Animal,And,Technology.,Curious,Fluffy,Labrador,Lying,On,Floor,At

Dogs have been at our side for centuries, and many of us believe they catch on to much of what we say. Some animal lovers have turned to special devices that supposedly help dogs “speak.” Yet, recent scientific findings hint that these gadgets might not work as well as people hope.



At <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eötvös Loránd University</a> in Budapest, researchers in the Department of Ethology set out to see whether certain recorded words truly register in a dog’s mind. Dr. Tamás Farago explained that these study results highlight how audio fidelity plays a key role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-understand-words-even-in-monotone-speech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine</a> word recognition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-hear-more-speech-frequencies">Dogs hear more speech frequencies</h2>



Dogs hear a wider band of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-human-speech-changes-when-we-talk-to-dogs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frequencies</a> than humans do. Their range starts near 65 Hz and stretches to around 45,000 Hz, while people typically only reach about 20,000 Hz. 



This difference means that when we play recorded speech to dogs, equipment quality matters. If important sonic details go missing, dogs may seem confused or unresponsive.



Many devices are built for humans. They often focus on our usual speech range, between 300 Hz and 3,400 Hz, without going too high. That might help with phone calls or podcasts, but it leaves out some of what dogs may need to pick up on words.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-struggle-to-hear-poor-audio">Dogs struggle to hear poor audio</h2>



Researchers tested different ways of delivering recorded words, comparing common tools like phone-linked speakers and “talking” buttons. Their study revealed that poor sound quality from certain devices undercuts a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/talking-slower-helps-dogs-understand-what-humans-are-saying/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dog</a>’s ability to act on those recorded commands. 



“The frequency analysis showed that the loudspeaker preserves most sound frequencies of the human speech, the AIC button loses frequencies that would be necessary to convey human speech to dogs,” explained Dr. Farago.



When live speech was used, the dogs almost never missed the mark. But once the words came through lower-grade electronics, many of them struggled. That suggests a dog recognizes a speaker’s real voice more easily than hollow, tinny recordings with missing frequencies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-speech-clarity-even-affects-smart-dogs">Speech clarity even affects smart dogs</h2>



Some dogs are labeled <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2024.0208" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gifted Word Learner canines</a>. They build an extra-large vocabulary and can link multiple words with specific actions or objects. 



Even so, the research found their success drops when they hear certain audio distortions. While these bright pups remain better at identifying words than other dogs, they still slip up if the playback is missing key frequency signals.



In one segment of the research, owners taught new names for toys by using a recorded voice. After a set period, the same owners tried requesting these toys either with the same recorded track or with regular speech. 



The results showed that when the new words came straight from the person’s mouth, dogs picked them out more often.



This ability to transfer knowledge suggests that real-time <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-speech-speed-can-signal-brain-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vocal cues</a> may help dogs latch onto words more effectively, perhaps because the live voice contains subtle frequencies that matter to them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-popular-talking-buttons-often-confuse-dogs">Popular talking buttons often confuse dogs</h2>



“Initially, I was genuinely surprised to see dogs looking puzzled and struggling to respond,” said lead author <a href="https://www.pada-icofa.com/about/fumi-higaki" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fumi Higaki</a>. 



<a href="https://fluent.pet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Button devices</a> got a lot of buzz on social media, thanks to videos where dogs seemingly press buttons to “say” words. But these gadgets often compress sounds in ways that strip away the lower or higher parts of speech. When the dogs in the study heard such heavily degraded cues, their performance sank.&nbsp;



“We hope our research will help improve methodologies in canine research that utilize recorded human speech,” noted project leader Dr. Claudia Fugazza. That doesn’t mean dogs never connect the dots. But it does suggest that a direct human voice might be more reliable for training, especially if you’re teaching brand-new vocabulary. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-respond-best-to-live-speech">Dogs respond best to live speech</h2>



For everyday folks trying to communicate better with their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-recognize-familiar-human-voices-even-in-recordings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine</a> friends, live voice cues might be the more reliable method. 



Owners who rely on recorded tools may find that their dogs don’t respond as expected. Such outcomes are not because the dogs are clueless; it’s that the essential audio frequencies simply aren’t there.



Anyone eager to teach commands with digital devices should be aware that an inexpensive mic and speaker may fail to reproduce the exact vocal signals a dog needs. 



If you still want to experiment with dog “speech” tools, keep an eye on audio quality. Speaking directly may bring greater clarity for your pup, even if it seems old-fashioned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-canine-communication">Future of canine communication</h2>



This work shows that sound fidelity is not a minor detail. It might shape a dog’s entire experience of human speech. 



Manufacturers who sell “talking” buttons might need to rethink their design to keep more of the original voice frequencies. That might help dogs pick up words more consistently.



Researchers also hope this exploration spurs new technologies that consider how dogs hear. The findings suggest that with the right equipment and plenty of live interaction, dogs could keep expanding their ability to understand us. 



Each step brings owners closer to forging meaningful communication across the species divide.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96824-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Speech gadgets for dogs aren’t always reliable or clear

Dogs have been at our side for centuries, and many...

Close-up,Image,Featuring,A,Row,Of,White,,Oval-shaped,Pills,Scattered

For people struggling with opioid addiction, the ability to enjoy life’s simple pleasures - such as the sound of laughter, the warmth of the sun, or the sight of a smiling baby - can slowly fade. Cravings for opioids can be eased due to a new form of therapy. 



This emotional numbness is one of addiction’s cruelest effects, often pushing people deeper into dependence in a desperate attempt to feel something again. But now, there’s a new kind of therapy that appears to help.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opioid-recovery-boosted-by-new-therapy">Opioid recovery boosted by new therapy</h2>



In a new study, researchers from the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California San Diego</a> explored a treatment called Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement, or MORE. This therapy is designed to change how the brain processes pleasure. 



The team found that it not only improves mood and emotional awareness, but also helps reduce opioid cravings. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, add to growing evidence that MORE may be an effective tool in the fight against opioid use disorder (OUD).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-pain-treatment-fuels-opioid-use">How pain treatment fuels opioid use</h2>



Every year, millions of people are prescribed opioids to help manage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-chronic-pain-have-high-rates-of-depression-and-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chronic pain</a>. But for some, what begins as a treatment can spiral into dependency. 



As the body builds tolerance, individuals often need higher doses to feel the same relief. Over time, their ability to feel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pets-increase-life-satisfaction-as-much-as-marriage-or-close-friendships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">joy in everyday life</a> begins to disappear. This emotional flattening becomes a powerful driver of addiction.



The researchers explain that MORE offers a different approach. Developed by a professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine, this therapy blends mindfulness training, cognitive behavioral techniques, and positive psychology. 



The goal is to help people better manage their cravings, reduce their pain, and, perhaps most importantly, rediscover joy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opioids-reshape-brain-activity-patterns">Opioids reshape brain activity patterns</h2>



In the study, 160 participants with chronic pain - some with OUD and some without - were enrolled from primary care and pain clinics. They were asked to complete a task designed to measure their emotional response to positive imagery. 



These included pictures of things such as sunsets, puppies, or happy faces. They also filled out surveys tracking their cravings and emotional states.



For a subset of these participants who were at risk of misusing opioids, the researchers randomly assigned them to one of two groups. 



One group received eight weeks of one-on-one MORE therapy. The other participated in a standard supportive group therapy. Afterward, all of the participants repeated the emotional task and filled out follow-up surveys for up to three months.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restoring-the-capacity-to-feel-pleasure">Restoring the capacity to feel pleasure </h2>



The results were telling. People with OUD showed a much weaker response in the brain when looking at pleasant images. This blunted reaction was directly tied to stronger opioid cravings. 



However, those who went through the MORE program experienced a shift. Their brains responded more strongly to positive stimuli - and their cravings were cut in half compared to those in standard therapy.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-discovery-offers-hope-for-tackling-opioid-addiction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Opioid addiction</a> decreases the brain’s ability to experience natural healthy pleasure, driving increased cravings for the drug,” said Eric Garland, the study’s lead author. “Our research shows that MORE helps restore this capacity, reducing cravings and potentially preventing opioid misuse.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-one-on-one-therapy">The power of one-on-one therapy </h2>



This isn’t the first time the therapy has shown promise. Over the past two decades, MORE has been tested in more than 10 randomized clinical trials, involving over 1,000 participants. 



In a 2022 study of 250 patients, the therapy reduced opioid misuse by 45% at a nine-month follow-up - almost three times more effective than group therapy alone. Half of the patients also reported less chronic pain.



In 2023, another study found that when MORE was added to standard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxytocin-cuddle-hormone-fosters-love-boosts-memory-and-may-cure-addiction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">addiction</a> care, the relapse rate dropped by 42%, and treatment dropout was 59% lower compared to standard care alone.



The therapy has also gained attention for its potential economic impact. Backed by the National Institutes of Health, Garland’s research estimates that for every dollar spent on MORE, there’s an estimated $798 in cost savings. 



These savings come from fewer fatal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiktok-videos-provide-a-lifeline-to-prevent-opioid-overdoses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overdoses</a>, lower healthcare expenses, less criminal justice involvement, and improved work productivity. Over a lifetime, the benefit per person treated is projected to exceed $320,000.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-therapy-helps-alleviate-opioid-cravings">MORE therapy helps alleviate opioid cravings</h2>



While the findings are promising, the researchers say more work is needed. “This study is a crucial step, but we need more large-scale and long-term research to fully understand how treatments like MORE can help heal the brain to enhance recovery from opioid addiction,” noted Garland.



“Multiple rigorous, well-controlled clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of the MORE therapy. It is now the right moment to partner with policymakers, healthcare organizations and administrators of the opioid legal settlement to disseminate this evidence-based treatment nationwide to help alleviate the opioid crisis.”



As the opioid epidemic continues to affect families across the country, therapies like MORE offer a fresh and much-needed approach - one that doesn’t just target the symptoms, but helps people reconnect with the joy of living.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2833307" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA</a>.



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Finding joy again: New therapy eases opioid cravings

For people struggling with opioid addiction, the ability to enjoy...

The concept of karma has deep roots across cultures and religions. It promises that moral actions will eventually bring fitting consequences - good deeds yield rewards, and bad ones lead to punishment.



For many, this belief adds meaning and structure to life’s random events. When fortune smiles or tragedy strikes, karma offers an explanation that feels fair and satisfying.



But beneath this comforting idea lies a curious paradox. While people often believe in karma as a universal law of justice, they don’t apply it equally to themselves and to others. 



Instead, they use it in ways that serve different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/acts-of-kindness-social-brains-are-wired-to-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychological</a> needs - self-esteem on the one hand, and a sense of justice on the other.



Recent research from <a href="https://www.yorku.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York University</a>, published by the American Psychological Association, explores this phenomenon in depth. The study reveals how karma becomes a mirror for self-worth and a judgment tool for others’ misfortunes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-karma-for-me-justice-for-you">Karma for me, justice for you</h2>



A research team led by Cindel White conducted three large studies with more than 2,000 participants across the United States, India, and Singapore. They examined how people described karmic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-increases-feelings-of-hope-happiness-and-gratitude/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a> in their lives compared to those in others’ lives.



The results pointed to a consistent psychological pattern: when people think about karma in their own life, they recall positive experiences that feel earned. When thinking about others, they tend to describe misfortunes and punishments.



In the first study, 86 percent of participants wrote about events in their own lives. Most of these events were positive and interpreted as rewards for good actions. 



However, when participants chose to write about others, 92 percent focused on negative outcomes. This contrast wasn’t subtle - it showed up in their language, emotional tone, and evaluations of who deserved what.



“We found very similar patterns across multiple cultural contexts, including Western samples, where we know people often think about themselves in exaggeratedly positive ways, and samples from Asian countries where people are more likely to be self-critical,” said White.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-needs-shape-karma-thinking">Psychological needs shape karma thinking</h2>



The divide makes sense when viewed through the lens of psychological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/who-is-happier-being-single-men-or-women/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">motivation</a>. People want to see themselves as good, competent, and deserving of success.



This is known as self-enhancement. When something good happens, attributing it to karmic merit boosts one’s self-image. The thinking is simple: I must have done something right.



But when bad things happen to others, a different motive comes into play. People also want to believe the world is fair. The belief in a just world helps explain suffering and reduces the discomfort of seeing innocent people in pain. 



In that context, karma becomes a convenient explanation for misfortune - those people must have done something wrong.



“Thinking about karma allows people to take personal credit and feel pride in good things that happen to them even when it isn’t clear exactly what they did to create the good <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/facial-expressions-arent-enough-to-understand-human-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outcome</a>, but it also allows people to see other people’s suffering as justified retribution,” White explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-background-matters">Cultural background matters</h2>



The researchers didn’t stop at general trends. They wanted to know whether this self-other gap in karma interpretation varied across cultures. Study participants came from religiously diverse backgrounds: American Christians, nonreligious people, Indian Hindus, and Singaporean Buddhists.



As expected, the bias was strongest among Americans. Seventy-one percent described their own karma-related experiences as positive, while only 18 percent saw others’ experiences that way. In contrast, Indian and Singaporean participants were less likely to frame their own experiences so positively. 



In Singapore, only 52 percent did so. This aligns with previous research showing that self-enhancement is more common in individualistic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coping-with-eco-anxiety-turning-climate-worry-into-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultures</a> like the U.S., and less so in collectivist cultures that value modesty and self-criticism.



Still, the same general pattern held everywhere. Even in cultures with deep-rooted karmic traditions, people were more likely to think of others’ misfortunes as punishment and their own blessings as earned rewards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotion-memory-and-power-of-narrative">Emotion, memory, and power of narrative</h2>



The research team used both human coders and computer sentiment analysis to examine how people described karmic events. The emotional tone of the stories was strikingly different depending on who the story was about. 



Descriptions of self-related karma were more upbeat, containing more positive words and emotional language. In contrast, stories about others were often colder, more negative, and less nuanced.



In Study 3, participants were also asked to rate how they felt about these events. Those recalling their own karmic experiences reported more pride, optimism, and contentment. 



They also felt stronger emotions overall. This suggests that thinking about karma can do more than explain events - it can reinforce identity, shape memory, and even regulate feelings.



Importantly, even participants who denied believing in karma showed similar patterns. This points to an implicit bias in how people interpret life events, suggesting that karma functions as more than a religious belief - it acts as a psychological framework, deeply woven into how people make sense of the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-the-good-in-ourselves">Seeing the good in ourselves</h2>



These studies add to a broader body of work on self-serving attributions. People tend to explain their own successes as a result of internal qualities like talent or effort, while attributing failures to outside forces. When it comes to karma, this self-protective tendency shows up as an overemphasis on personal virtue.



At the same time, people are more willing to blame others for their misfortunes. This may stem from a desire to protect the belief that the world is fair. If others suffer due to bad karma, then justice has been served. This logic, while comforting, can also lead to victim-blaming and moral disengagement.



The research also found that people viewed themselves as more moral than others, saw their own karmic outcomes as more deserved, and were quicker to attribute negative karma to others’ actions than to their own. 



This confirms that belief in karma, while seemingly spiritual and impartial, can be used in biased, self-protective ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-life-meaning-through-karma">Finding life meaning through karma </h2>



While the idea of karma has ancient roots, its modern function appears more psychological than theological. 



Karma gives people a way to interpret good and bad events when other explanations fail. It offers a path to take credit, protect self-esteem, and explain injustice without confronting randomness or chance.



“This satisfies various personal motives - to see oneself as good and deserving of good fortune, and to see justice in other people’s suffering - and supernatural beliefs like karma might be especially good at satisfying these motives when other, more secular explanations fail,” noted White.



Even in an age of science and reason, these findings show that people still lean on supernatural thinking to make sense of their world. Karma remains powerful, not just because it explains things, but because it does so in a way that protects the self and affirms a moral universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-beliefs-shape-reality">When beliefs shape reality</h2>



The researchers caution that while most participants believe karma applies equally to everyone, their actual thinking shows otherwise. 



Positive experiences are more quickly linked to one’s own past virtues. Negative events are often assigned to others’ misdeeds. This pattern has consequences beyond personal comfort. It shapes how we judge others, form opinions, and decide who is worthy of help or blame.



These findings raise important questions about how beliefs shape perception. Karma, like many supernatural concepts, doesn’t just sit passively in the background. It actively colors how people interpret events, make moral judgments, and understand themselves in relation to others.



While karma may claim to be impartial, the way people invoke it is anything but. Its moral logic bends to the needs of the believer - rewarding the self and punishing the other.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/rel-rel0000565.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psychology of Religion and Spirituality</a>.



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Most people believe they deserve good karma more than others

The concept of karma has deep roots across cultures and...

Memory shapes our understanding of everything around us. It helps us learn, holds our treasured stories, and forms the bedrock of our daily decisions. Scientists have long recognized how sleep deepens the lessons of the day, yet many wondered whether it also readies the mind for brand-new knowledge. 



The answer to that puzzle has recently been pursued by a team in Japan. Professor Kaoru Inokuchi from the <a href="https://www.u-toyama.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Toyama</a> led this effort. The research is shedding light on how the sleeping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-night-of-lost-sleep-can-trigger-hidden-health-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a> protects recent memories yet frees up space for future experiences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-brain-stores-memories">How the brain stores memories</h2>



In the study, researchers used advanced tools to watch the brain activity of mice before and after they learned new tasks. They focused on a subset of cells known as <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7577560/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">engram cells</a>, which hold the imprint of specific experiences.



By tracking these cells across sleep and wake, they observed how certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">patterns</a> reappeared once the mice drifted off. This quiet reactivation served to keep newly formed memories stable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-gets-brains-ready-to-learn">Sleep gets brains ready to learn</h2>



The experts noticed another population that would eventually handle upcoming events. According to one finding, these “engram-to-be cells” showed mounting signs of coordination during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-can-boost-memory-in-a-surprising-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rest</a>.



“Engram-to-be cells exhibited increased coactivity with existing engram cells during sleep, suggesting that this interaction helps shape new memory networks,” explained Professor Inokuchi. This pattern hints at how the brain readies itself to learn something fresh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-poor-sleep-blocks-new-learning">Poor sleep blocks new learning</h2>



The researchers ran simulations where they turned off key changes that normally happen during sleep. When these <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/1301559" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">synaptic plasticity mechanisms</a> were disabled, the brain failed to prepare new cells for future learning.



Without these changes, memory networks became rigid. The same cells kept replaying old information, while potential new learning paths were lost. 



It’s a reminder that when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleeping-smarter-just-15-extra-minutes-can-boost-adolescent-brains/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a> is cut short or disturbed, the brain doesn’t just lose rest — it may lose readiness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-helps-build-learning-capacity">Sleep helps build learning capacity</h2>



The researchers crafted computer models to explore why some cells lose strength while others gain influence during rest. When they blocked certain changes in these models, new learning never took hold.



This shows that post-learning sleep is not just a time for replay. It also primes certain cells so they can capture fresh details without erasing older ones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-links-old-and-new-memories">Sleep links old and new memories</h2>



The study also revealed that not all brain cells play the same role. Some existing memory cells - called <a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(15)00677-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">common engram cells</a> - seem to serve as bridges, connecting past knowledge with what's coming next. 



The cells showed stronger links with the engram-to-be cells than others did, but only during sleep. This suggests that something unique is happening at night that clears space in the brain’s wiring. Without it, new learning might struggle to stick.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-decides-which-memories-survive">Sleep decides which memories survive</h2>



The researchers found that only about half of memory-related cell groups remained stable over time. Others dropped out or were replaced by new ones, depending on how the brain reshaped itself during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-brain-literally-changes-based-on-daily-activities-and-lifestyle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>.



This could explain why we remember certain experiences clearly but forget others. If sleep doesn’t give those memories a chance to stabilize or make room for new ones, they may quietly disappear.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-can-boost-memory-and-learning">Sleep can boost memory and learning</h2>



“We believe that manipulating brain activity during sleep or sleep patterns may uncover methods to enhance memory by unlocking the brain’s latent potential,” said Professor Inokuchi. Individuals who get enough <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/physrev.00032.2012" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rest</a> often recall details more reliably.&nbsp;



This direction opens possibilities for educational strategies and interventions. It also points to methods that might help those coping with memory difficulties.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-research-may-aid-brain-disorders">Sleep research may aid brain disorders</h2>



Researchers believe this discovery could change how we think about treating memory-related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. If sleep can be used to guide the brain’s ability to store and prepare for learning, it might open up new ways to protect cognitive health.



Future studies will likely explore how different stages of sleep-like non-rapid eye movement (<a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep/nrem-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NREM</a>) sleep and rapid eye movement (<a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep/rem-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">REM</a>) sleep - play separate roles in tuning the brain for memory updates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-shapes-how-we-remember-and-learn">Sleep shapes how we remember and learn</h2>



“We want people to understand that sleep is not just about rest - it plays a crucial role in how the brain processes information. With that in mind, we hope everyone will begin to value sleep more and use it as a way to improve their overall quality of life,” concluded Professor Inokuchi.



Experts suggest that restless nights may disrupt the brain’s readiness to learn new information.



The study reveals that sleep looks both backward and forward. It fortifies yesterday’s lessons while preparing space for tomorrow’s challenges.



Ultimately, these findings may change our approach to sleep. The research could also pave the way toward the development of therapies for people struggling with cognitive setbacks.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58860-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Sleep prepares the brain for the future while protecting memories of the past

Memory shapes our understanding of everything around us. It helps...

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