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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits. https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3 Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination. Researchers Smriti Gaur...

How did life on Earth begin? People have been asking that for ages. The answers remain scattered across rocks, oceans, and ancient landscapes. One clue hides in an essential ingredient for life - phosphorus.



Phosphorus is everywhere in living things. It holds together DNA and RNA. It forms the framework of cell membranes. No life can grow or function without it. 



Yet, phosphorus mostly stays trapped in rocks. It hides inside phosphate minerals, which barely dissolve in water. That raises an old and puzzling question: how did early Earth get enough phosphorus to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-one-simple-rule-that-explains-all-life-on-earth-bioregions/">spark</a> life?



Yuya Tsukamoto and Takeshi Kakegawa from <a href="https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tohoku University</a> took that question seriously. They decided to look where most people wouldn’t - deep under the sea, in rocks that are billions of years old.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-element-for-life-on-earth">Key element for life on Earth</h2>



The researchers focused on the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia, which holds some of the oldest known seafloor rocks. 



The rocks are an astonishing 3.455 billion years old. The team's discovery wasn’t subtle. It jumped out from the data.



"We analyzed 3.455-billion-year-old basaltic seafloor rocks in drill core samples recovered from the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia, discovering that P was significantly leached from the hydrothermally altered rocks compared to the least altered rocks," explained Tsukamoto.



He noted that further mineralogical analyses indicated that phosphate minerals had undergone dissolution in rocks where P was depleted. 



Simply put, hot fluids moved through these rocks and pulled phosphorus out. That phosphorus didn’t just disappear. It entered the surrounding seawater, turning parts of the ocean into phosphorus-rich zones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-the-source-of-phosphorus">Tracking the source of phosphorus </h2>



The rocks alone didn’t tell the whole story. The team wanted to understand what made this phosphorus release possible. They uncovered two kinds of hydrothermal fluids that shaped this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/third-state-of-existence-beyond-life-and-death-confirmed-by-scientists/">process</a>.



One type was hot, rich in sulfur, and capable of breaking down minerals quickly. The other was more surprising - mildly acidic to alkaline fluids at lower temperatures. 



These fluids were common in the Archean era because Earth’s atmosphere back then was filled with carbon dioxide. That unique atmosphere made these fluids react in unexpected ways with the rocks.



The result? Massive amounts of dissolved phosphate in the water. The numbers were shocking. These fluids could carry up to 2 millimolar phosphate - nearly 1,000 times higher than what’s found in modern seawater.



Suddenly, early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/luca-last-universal-common-ancestor-progenitor-all-life-on-earth/">Earth</a> wasn’t a barren place. Its oceans were filled with phosphorus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-oceans-held-elements-for-life">Earth’s oceans held elements for life</h2>



This wasn’t just a chemistry experiment. The results changed how scientists think about early Earth. The researchers calculated how much phosphorus these underwater systems could release. 



The findings were stunning. The amount of phosphorus released into the oceans by these hydrothermal systems could match, or even exceed, the amount entering modern oceans through rivers and weathering of land rocks.



"Importantly, this study provides direct evidence that submarine hydrothermal activity leached P from seafloor basaltic rocks and quantifies the potential P flux from these hydrothermal systems to the early ocean," adds Tsukamoto.



Imagine ancient oceans filled with nutrients. These phosphorus-rich waters may have supported some of Earth’s earliest microbial life. 



The ancient communities didn’t need a vast, lush <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rocks-reveal-the-turning-point-when-oxygen-changed-earth-forever/">planet</a>. It only needed these hidden underwater environments to get started.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-springs-and-hidden-worlds-on-land">Hot springs and hidden worlds on land</h2>



The study also pointed to something beyond the oceans - hot springs on land. Hydrothermal systems aren’t just found under the sea. They exist on land too, in places like hot springs.



These environments might have also released phosphorus on early Earth. That means life’s building blocks weren’t limited to deep-sea vents. They could have existed in steaming pools on land.



This opens the door for more discoveries. Scientists now plan to study how phosphate behaves in rocks across different periods of Earth’s history. By tracing phosphorus through time, they hope to unlock new chapters of Earth’s story.



The message is clear: Life’s ingredients may have come from places on Earth we’ve only just begun to explore. Deep beneath the waves, within rocks touched by ancient fluids, the story of life may have quietly begun.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016703725003266?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta</a>.



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Earth may have always held the key ingredients for life

How did life on Earth begin? People have been asking...

cinco-microhabitos-neurociencia-aprender-mas-rapido-recordar-mej

Varicose veins bulge and twist across the calves of up to 30 percent of adults, a reminder that blood sometimes pools instead of flowing home to the heart. When sluggish blood flow lingers, clots can form and, in rare cases, travel to the lungs or brain.



Centuries ago physicians in China brewed teas from <a href="https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=z990" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ginkgo biloba</a> leaves to sharpen memory. Today researchers wonder whether the same ginkgo leaves might support weary leg veins and cut the risk of small, yet dangerous, blood clots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-circulation-can-falter">Why circulation can falter</h2>



Blood rising from the feet must fight gravity, and faulty valves can leave veins stretched and valves leaky. The lingering pressure distends vein walls, encourages <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fasting-helps-the-body-fight-inflammation-and-chronic-diseases/">inflammation</a>, and slows platelet aggregation, the first step toward clotting.



Slow venous return creates the setting for deep‑vein thrombosis as well as the aching, throbbing symptoms many patients feel after a day of standing. 



That overlap has pushed vascular specialists toward plant‑based compounds that might tone the vein wall and limit sticky platelets.



After logging stroke cases at Xuanwu Hospital in Beijing, neurologist <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Xiangqian-Huang-2265510495" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Xiangqian Huang</a> of <a href="https://ccmu.cucas.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Capital Medical University</a> began probing ginkgo’s effects on clot behavior in the brain, work that now informs leg‑vein research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ginkgo-leaves-and-blood-flow">Ginkgo leaves and blood flow</h2>



Ginkgo extract made <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-from-plastic-bottles-linked-to-high-blood-pressure-and-heart-problems/">blood platelets</a> less sticky when triggered by one type of chemical but didn’t have much effect when triggered by another. 



Dr. Xiangqian Huang and the team also noticed that blood took slightly longer to clot after treatment with the extract.



The leaf contains natural compounds that seem to interact with enzymes responsible for forming clots. 



In a 2025 animal <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40462336/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>, researchers found that ginkgo reduced damage inside blood vessels in rats with clotting problems and slightly increased the time it took for their blood to clot. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-from-a-beijing-stroke-ward">Insights from a Beijing stroke ward</h2>



Huang’s real‑world study followed 99 patients for five days. Among stroke survivors who received ginkgo plus baby <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/daily-aspirin-use-strongly-tied-to-colorectal-cancer-prevention/">aspirin</a>, arachidonic‑acid platelet aggregation fell more than in peers on aspirin alone, while major bleeding did not rise.



Minor nose or gum bleeds surfaced in four of thirty‑three combination patients, a signal that enhanced anticoagulation deserves monitoring. No severe hemorrhages occurred, suggesting short‑term safety when doses stay low.



The design also enrolled participants with internal jugular venous stenosis, a group whose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-sweetener-erythritol-sugar-substitute-linked-to-blood-clots-heart-disease/">clots</a> mirror those in leg veins. 



In that arm ginkgo alone curbed blood platelet stickiness within 24 hours, and the effect held steady through day five.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aspirin-ginkgo-and-blood-clots">Aspirin, ginkgo, and blood clots</h2>



A team of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17982321/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientists</a> led by <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/christopher-gardner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christopher Gardner</a> from <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford Department of Medicine</a> examined the potential adverse effects of concomitant aspirin and Ginkgo biloba on blood platelet function after giving the duo to older adults for four weeks. The worry was that the herbs might blunt or boost common drugs. 



Gardner and colleagues detected no dangerous bleeding, yet laboratory tests showed additive platelet inhibition, suggesting that low‑dose pairings could protect high‑risk patients who cannot tolerate stronger pharmaceuticals. 



Doctors, however, should adjust regimens around surgeries or when other blood thinners enter the mix.



Because the leaf targets arachidonic‑acid pathways that aspirin already touches, the partnership makes pharmacologic sense. 



Still, anyone taking nonsteroidal anti‑inflammatory drugs should discuss timing and dosage to avoid stacking identical mechanisms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helping-legs-feel-lighter">Helping legs feel lighter</h2>



Deep veins are not the only place where endothelial cells detach under strain. 



In a classic double‑blind trial, scientists found that a capsule combining ginkgo, troxerutin, and heptaminol cut circulating endothelial cell counts by 14.5 percent in patients with chronic varicose veins, placebo achieved only 8.4 percent.



<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26848/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Endothelial cells</a> are early barometers of vein injury, so their decline hints at real structural healing. 



Participants also reported reduced ankle swelling and night cramps, benefits echoed by later Russian and Italian studies that tracked leg circumference.



Modern <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/phl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phlebology</a> still relies on compression stockings and laser ablation, yet many sufferers ask for gentler first steps. 



A standardized ginkgo formula, already licensed for vascular disorders in parts of Europe, may slot neatly between lifestyle changes and invasive procedures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-clot-prevention-with-ginkgo">Blood clot prevention with ginkgo</h2>



Yang’s rat data showed lighter <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cause-of-strokes-cervical-artery-dissection-has-increased-400-percent-since-2005/">clots</a>, higher nitric‑oxide levels, and longer clotting times after gavage with 60 milligrams per kilogram of extract. 



Nitric oxide relaxes vessel walls and counters platelet stickiness, aligning with human data from stroke and vein clinics.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26030402/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Network‑pharmacology</a> maps place AKT1, ALB, and TNF at the center of ginkgo’s target web. Those same genes regulate inflammation, suggesting that the tree’s reach extends beyond platelets to the very lining of our veins.



Because oxidative stress weakens venous valves, the antioxidant side of the extract warrants equal attention. 



Flavonols scavenge free radicals, potentially slowing the progressive dilation that makes early spider veins blossom into rope‑like cords.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-talking-with-your-doctor">Talking with your doctor</h2>



Ginkgo supplements crowd store shelves, yet extracts used in clinical trials are highly standardized. Look for<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12757407/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> EGb 761</a> or products specifying at least 24 percent flavonol glycosides and 6 percent terpene lactones.



Patients on warfarin, <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.120.017559" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">direct oral anticoagulants</a>, or upcoming dental work should alert their clinicians before starting any form of ginkgo. 



Health professionals may stagger doses, check clotting labs, or advise pausing the herb to keep bleeding risk low.



For those with aching calves and a family history of clots, discussing ginkgo as an adjunct to compression or low‑intensity exercise could make sense. 



Evidence remains preliminary, yet the plant’s dual action on platelets and vein walls is steadily moving from bench to bedside.



Future multicenter trials ought to track long‑term safety and measure quality‑of‑life changes such as heaviness, itch, and nightly restlessness. If findings stay positive, an ancient tree might soon earn a modern role in vascular medicine.



The study is published in <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11803947/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thrombosis Journal</a>.



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Leaves from this popular tree may improve circulation and prevent blood clots

Varicose veins bulge and twist across the calves of up...

Astronomers poring over new data from the James Webb Space Telescope have reported the most compelling hints yet that “dark stars,” cosmic behemoths fed by dark matter, really existed. 



A new <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2505.06101" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> of five ultra‑distant objects shows spectra and shapes that match simulations of dark <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-star-giant-gas-planet-toi-6894b-breaks-current-planetary-formation-rules/">stars</a> rather than ordinary fusion‑powered suns.



The candidates sit more than 13 billion light‑years away, meaning their light left them when the universe was only a few hundred million years old. 



The dark star <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/0705.0521" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">concept</a> was first introduced in 2007 by Katherine Freese and colleagues at the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Texas at Austin</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-matter-powering-giant-stars">Dark matter powering giant stars</h2>



Dark matter accounts for about 85 percent of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">universe</a>’s mass but reveals itself only through gravity. Two decades of underground detectors have yet to capture a single dark‑matter particle, yet its invisible pull sculpts galaxies and galaxy clusters.



Freese proposed that in the first halos of gas, self‑annihilating dark‑matter particles could generate heat faster than the gas could cool, inflating stars that grow to millions of solar masses without ever igniting fusion. 



Once the local dark‑matter reservoir ran out, the stars would collapse, possibly forming black holes hefty enough to seed the earliest quasars.



Webb's infrared vision extends far enough redward to catch such ancient, swollen <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-new-super-earth-kepler-725c-found-in-habitable-zone-around-its-star/">stars</a>, and its sensors have already revealed dozens of unexpectedly bright objects in the epoch known as Cosmic Dawn.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-spotted-strange-ancient-stars">Webb spotted strange ancient stars</h2>



Freese’s team studied <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasas-webb-sees-galaxy-mysteriously-clearing-fog-of-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JADES‑GS‑z11‑0, JADES‑GS‑z13‑0</a> and three even more distant specks, finding that each could be explained by a single dark star rather than a whole infant galaxy.



“If it’s real, then I don’t know how else you’d explain it other than with a dark star,” said Freese. A second clue comes from a tentative absorption dip at rest‑frame <a href="https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Sept15/Johnson/Johnson4.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1,640 Å</a>, the signature of <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1110.6202" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">He II</a>, that appears in one spectrum and is predicted only for dark‑star atmospheres.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-doubt-the-dark-star-idea">Some doubt the dark star idea</h2>



Daniel Whalen of the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a> studies massive stars forming without dark matter. He is not convinced about the existence of dark stars.



"They ignore an entire body of literature on the formation of supermassive primordial stars, some of which could give signatures very similar to the signatures that they show,” said Whalen. 



Whalen argues that rapid gas accretion alone can inflate stars to a million suns, and that Webb’s photometry cannot yet distinguish between such hot leviathans and Freese’s cooler, puffier dark stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-stars-may-explain-early-black-holes">Dark stars may explain early black holes</h2>



The debate matters because JWST and Chandra recently found a black hole in <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/missions/chandra/nasa-telescopes-discover-record-breaking-black-hole/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy UHZ‑1</a> whose mass approaches ten billion Suns just 500 million years after the big bang. Traditional growth models struggle to build such giants so fast. 



A dark star collapsing after millions of years would supply a head start that ordinary <a href="https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/*/Population+III" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Population III stars</a> cannot match.



Supermassive primordial stars could also create big seeds, but they rely on rare <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-direct-image-cosmic-web-filaments-hidden-highways-universe-framework/">conditions</a> - pristine gas streams and intense ultraviolet fields - that may not occur often enough to explain the abundance of early quasars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-signals-may-prove-dark-stars">Light signals may prove dark stars</h2>



The dark star candidates give off light that’s much cooler and puffier than expected from galaxies or fusion‑based suns, which means their spectral energy distribution should look unique. 



One telltale feature would be an absorption dip caused by <a href="https://physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData/Handbook/Tables/heliumtable4.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">singly ionized helium</a>, known as He II, at 1,640 Å. If confirmed, this dip could act like a fingerprint. In the Webb spectrum of <a href="https://esawebb.org/images/jades4/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JADES‑GS‑z14‑0</a>, researchers spotted a faint signal that lines up with where the He II dip should appear.



However, the signal‑to‑noise ratio was just 2.4, which is barely above the threshold of what’s considered statistically meaningful. That makes it too early to declare the case closed. 



On top of that, observations from <a href="https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a> spotted oxygen nearby, which shouldn't be present in pure dark stars. This could mean the dark star is part of a system with other stars, or something more complex is going on.



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



One wrinkle is that ALMA detects oxygen in one candidate’s vicinity, implying metal‑rich companions that classic dark‑star theory does not expect. 



Future deep spectra will need to confirm whether the He II feature is genuine and whether metals truly permeate the system.



Webb keeps adding targets, and the <a href="https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roman Space Telescope</a> will survey wider areas, potentially catching hundreds of dark‑star‑like objects at redshifts beyond 14. 



For now, dark stars remain an intriguing, if unproven, explanation for several mysteries in the early universe.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://arxiv.org/html/2505.06101v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



Image Credit: Pierluigi Rinaldi / Rafael Navarro-Carrera / Pablo G. Pérez-González



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Signs of 'dark stars' discovered in the early universe

Astronomers poring over new data from the James Webb Space...

Pregnancy is one of nature’s most intricate achievements. At its core lies a delicate exchange between mother and fetus, where two genetically distinct bodies maintain close contact and constant communication. 



This connection happens at the fetal-maternal interface - the meeting point between a baby’s placenta and the mother’s uterus - and it plays a critical role in allowing pregnancies to last long enough for full fetal development.



A new study by researchers from the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> explores how this unique interface came to be. 



The research sheds new light on how cellular communication and cooperation evolved over millions of years to support successful pregnancies in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-mammals-bulked-up-to-deal-with-drastic-changes/">placental mammals</a>, including humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-mammals-teach-us-about-pregnancy">What mammals teach us about pregnancy</h2>



The team examined single-cell transcriptomes - snapshots of active genes in individual cells - across six mammalian species. 



The species included humans, macaques, mice, guinea pigs, the tenrec (an early placental mammal), and the opossum (a marsupial whose evolutionary path diverged before complex placentas emerged). 



The goal was to understand how the different cells at the fetal-maternal interface evolved and how their communication systems work.



The experts focused on two major players: placenta cells from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-battle-of-the-sexes-begins-in-the-womb/">fetus</a> that invade maternal tissue, and uterine stromal cells from the mother that respond to this invasion. These interactions need to be tightly controlled. 



If the connection is too weak, the fetus may not get the nutrients it needs. But if it's too strong, the mother's immune system might recognize the fetus as foreign and attack it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-genetic-memory-behind-pregnancy">The genetic memory behind pregnancy</h2>



Using powerful molecular tools, the team uncovered genetic signatures tied to specific cell types and their unique functions. 



One striking discovery was a shared genetic signature linked to the invasive behavior of fetal placenta cells - and this signature has remained in place for over 100 million years.



This challenges the long-held idea that these invasive cells are unique to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-development-has-a-pause-button/">humans</a>. Instead, they appear to be a deeply rooted feature of mammalian biology. 



Meanwhile, maternal cells weren’t standing still either. In placental mammals (but not in marsupials), new forms of hormone production emerged. 



These hormonal innovations likely played a key role in extending pregnancy durations, giving developing babies more time in the womb. It also suggests that the evolution of pregnancy might have been shaped by a give-and-take between mother and fetus.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooperation-or-conflict">Cooperation or conflict?</h2>



To understand the tug-of-war - or possible teamwork - between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moms-pass-a-unique-set-of-breast-milk-antibodies-to-her-baby/">mother</a> and fetus, the researchers tested two evolutionary theories.



The first theory, called the “disambiguation hypothesis,” proposes that over time, certain hormonal signals became clearly assigned to either the mother or the fetus. This helps prevent confusion or manipulation between the two. 



The results backed this theory up: hormones like WNT proteins, immune signals, and steroid hormones could be clearly traced to one source or the other.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coordination-between-mother-and-fetus">Coordination between mother and fetus</h2>



The second theory, known as the “escalation hypothesis,” sees pregnancy as an arms race. Here, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pregnancy-stress-may-have-lasting-effects-on-fetal-development/">fetus</a> might ramp up growth signals while the mother tries to keep them in check.



Some evidence supported this theory, especially with genes like IGF2 that control growth. But overall, the data pointed more toward cooperation than conflict.



“These findings suggest that evolution may have favored more coordination between mother and fetus than previously assumed,” said Daniel J. Stadtmauer, lead author of the study. 



“The so-called mother-fetus power struggle appears to be limited to specific genetic regions. Rather than asking whether pregnancy as a whole is conflict or cooperation, a more useful question may be: where is the conflict?”



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



The real breakthrough came from combining two techniques: single-cell transcriptomics and evolutionary modeling. 



This allowed the team to compare gene activity in different<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-hidden-struggles-of-pregnant-humpback-whales/"> species</a> and even make predictions about what those interactions looked like in long-extinct ancestors.



“Our approach opens a new window into the evolution of complex biological systems - from individual cells to entire tissues,” said Silvia Basanta, co–first author of the study. 



The research not only offers insights into how pregnancy evolved, but it could also help us better understand - and perhaps one day improve - how we treat complications during pregnancy.



By zooming in on the cellular scale, the team has given us a clearer picture of the deep evolutionary roots of one of life's most remarkable biological collaborations.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02748-x">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Ancient secrets of a modern miracle: How pregnancy evolved

Pregnancy is one of nature’s most intricate achievements. At its...

Drones deliver packages, inspect bridges, and shoot video, but their high‑pitched whine still irritates neighbors and wildlife. Engineers want rotor shapes that hush the noise without draining batteries.



One possible design comes from a 15th‑century notebook by <a href="https://www.leonardodavinci.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leonardo da Vinci,</a> a continuous spiral rotor he called an “aerial screw." New simulations suggest that it can lift a modern drone while saving power.



Rajat Mittal of <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> led a study that puts the Renaissance sketch to the test.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-da-vinci-s-drone-idea">Da Vinci’s drone idea</h2>



Leonardo da Vinci pursued flight long before airplanes - sketching wings, parachutes, and the spiral screw that inspired the helicopter dream. His notebooks show careful airflow doodles even though the science of lift would not be formalized for centuries.



The spiral looks like an overgrown <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Archimedes-screw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Archimedes' screw</a>, a water‑lifting helix from ancient Greece, except it twists upward to push air downward. Historians note that da Vinci often borrowed proven mechanical ideas for new purposes.



Human muscle could never spin the heavy canvas screw fast enough, so the contraption stayed on paper. Lightweight electric <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earthcares-first-year-surprising-climate-clues-unveiled-from-space/">motors</a> and carbon‑fiber skins finally give the old idea a chance to rise. 



A small <a href="https://vfs.umd.edu/assets/downloads/2020_elico.pdf">prototype</a> built at the University of Maryland in 2020 confirmed the screw can generate lift, though efficiency data were thin. The new work attacks that gap with supercomputer fidelity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-spiral-rotor">Testing the spiral rotor</h2>



Mittal’s team rebuilt the rotor in code and ran direct numerical simulations. The model tracked every swirl of air around the spiral as it hovered. 



The exercise probed aerodynamics and aeroacoustics at several Reynolds number values - a parameter that links size, speed, and viscosity. Matching those numbers to typical small drones let the results translate to real rotors.



“We were surprised,” said Mittal. The screw needed roughly 20 percent less mechanical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cloud-engineering-can-temporarily-cool-our-planet/">power</a> than a two‑blade prop to hold the same weight. 



Because the spiral presents more surface but turns slower, the simulation predicted a weaker pressure pulse and therefore a quieter signature. Earlier modeling of large‑area insect‑inspired rotors hinted at the same trend.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiral-rotors-can-reduce-drone-noise">Spiral rotors can reduce drone noise</h2>



Community annoyance rises sharply when drone flights repeat every few minutes, a NASA laboratory <a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20240001863/downloads/Vaughn_2024_03_ATWG_05_ASA_v3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> found last year. People rated even modest noise harsher when it came in clusters. 



Complaints back that up; the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/noise/inquiries/noise-complaint-inquiry-policy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Federal Aviation Administration</a> logged 8,746 aircraft noise reports in the first quarter of 2025, with just 60 residents submitting 72 percent of them. Drones are included in the totals for many cities.



“It doesn’t have to be the da Vinci design to achieve this, but it is nice that da Vinci’s does,” said <a href="https://www.bu.edu/eng/profile/sheryl-grace-ph-d/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sheryl Grace</a> of Boston University. 



A rotor that spins 1,500 revolutions per minute slower cuts broadband noise roughly in half, according to the new simulation. That drop matters more than raw loudness because the whine often falls in the most sensitive range of human hearing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-da-vinci-s-design-for-drone-deliveries">Da Vinci’s design for drone deliveries</h2>



Drone couriers face strict <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-consciousness-is-a-quantum-process-connecting-us-all-to-the-entire-universe/">noise</a> limits near hospitals, schools, and wildlife preserves. A built‑in silencer would lighten regulatory burdens without adding extra shrouds or foam. 



The spiral also trims energy burn, extending range or freeing capacity for heavier batteries. Efficiency gains remain welcome while lithium prices climb.



Challenges persist: forward flight introduces side loads the screw has not yet faced, and the spiral adds mass compared with thin blades. Structural tests will need to prove the membrane can survive sudden gusts. 



Even so, quieter fleets could reduce the buffer zones that push drone depots to industrial parks and away from customers, shrinking the road miles trucks must still cover.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-plans-for-spiral-rotors">Future plans for spiral rotors</h2>



Mittal’s group plans to tweak pitch, taper, and turn count to squeeze more lift per square inch while keeping the low hum. The same code that vetted the classic shape can rank new variants in days instead of months. 



Lab prototypes will follow, spun by off‑the‑shelf hobby motors to compare thrust and decibels against standard props. Microphones will map the sound field in three‑dimensional space.



If the results stay promising, an industry partner could bolt a spiral onto a quadcopter for outdoor trials under current <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-107" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Part 107 rules</a>. City officials watching Amazon’s recent delivery setbacks know neighbors care more about noise than novelty. 



Leonardo da Vinci never flew, yet his spiral might help future drones coexist with people and birds in crowded skies.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://arxiv.org/html/2506.10223v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arXiv</a>.



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Leonardo da Vinci design solves modern drone noise problems

Drones deliver packages, inspect bridges, and shoot video, but their...

Greenland sharks cruise the North Atlantic at a pace slower than most people walk, yet some were already adults when the United States was founded. 



Their astonishing lifespan has turned this elusive fish into a living time capsule, capturing the imagination of biologists and longevity researchers alike.



Julius Nielsen of the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Copenhagen</a> leads many of the modern expeditions that tag, scan, and sometimes briefly corral these giants in the icy dark.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-greenland-sharks-live-so-long">Why Greenland sharks live so long</h2>



<a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaf1703" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eye‑lens radiocarbon dating</a> shows females can live at least 272 years, with one specimen estimated at 392 ± 120 years. The method pinpoints birth dates because the lens proteins stop exchanging carbon after a shark pup forms in utero.



“This is the longest living vertebrate that we know of,” said Nielsen, who helped age the record fish. He and colleagues calculate that females do not reach sexual maturity until roughly 150 years, a timetable unheard of in other sharks.



Slow annual growth, barely half an inch, means injuries heal gradually but bones and organs escape the cumulative cellular wear seen in faster‑growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shark-skeletons-could-lead-to-technological-innovations/">animals</a>. 



Researchers suspect a combination of frigid water, low oxygen demand, and genes that police DNA damage all contribute, yet no single “silver bullet” for longevity has appeared.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greenland-sharks-have-slow-heartbeats">Greenland sharks have slow heartbeats</h2>



Greenland sharks have resting <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/221/19/jeb186957/33812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heart rates</a> of about 10 beats per minute and unusually low blood pressure. That’s much lower than what you’d find in other large sharks, and it may help protect their blood vessels from long-term damage like heart attacks or strokes.



Even with such a slow heartbeat, each pump moves a lot of blood, keeping their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/different-shark-species-seen-scavenge-feeding-together-in-rare-event/">bodies</a> fueled during slow swimming under Arctic ice. 



Doctors are paying attention, hoping this natural “strong pump, gentle pressure” system could offer ideas for treating high blood pressure in people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-slow-bodies-save-energy">Slow bodies save energy</h2>



These sharks burn energy very slowly. In fact, their oxygen use is among the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-76371-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lowest ever recorded</a> for a fish their size. That kind of slow metabolism may reduce cell damage over time and help them survive long gaps between meals. 



A 280-pound shark might get through the day on fewer calories than a cheeseburger, making a single big meal last for months.



Because the deep Arctic is so cold, they digest food slowly too. Instead of burning energy for speed or growth, they stretch it out for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-sharks-face-growing-threats-despite-conservation-efforts/">survival</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-they-are-toxic-top-predators">Why they are toxic top predators</h2>



Greenland shark meat is laced with <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5127123/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trimethylamine N‑oxide</a>, a compound that stabilizes proteins under high pressure yet renders the raw flesh neurotoxic to mammals.



Icelanders neutralize it through months of fermentation to create the ceremonial dish kæstur hákarl, but few tourists finish more than a nibble.



The species ranks as an apex predator; evidence shows adults seizing fish, squid, and the occasional sleeping seal. 



Sightings in the Gulf of Mexico and off Spain reveal a wider range than once believed, hinting at deep‑water corridors that connect polar and temperate seas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greenland-sharks-are-at-risk">Greenland sharks are at risk</h2>



Commercial trawlers unintentionally haul up about 3,500 Greenland <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissacristinamarquez/2022/11/07/greenland-shark-finally-gets-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sharks</a> each year as bycatch. Because breeding may not begin for a century and a half, losing even sub‑adults chips away at population recovery.



The <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60213/3112909" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Union for Conservation of Nature</a> lists the species as “Vulnerable,” citing low fecundity and expanding deep‑sea fisheries. 



Simple changes, switching to LED‑lit nets that deter sharks, banning deep set gill nets in nursery zones, and funding release‑training for crews, can cut mortality without shrinking catches of cod or halibut.



Scientists also urge Arctic nations to establish no‑take refuges around known mating aggregations once those secret sites are found. Protecting a fish that may still be swimming in 2425 demands policies that look far beyond typical political horizons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-search-for-hidden-nursery-grounds">The search for hidden nursery grounds</h2>



No one has ever observed Greenland sharks mating or giving birth in the wild. Only one pregnant female has been studied, and her embryos suggest the species may be <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/sharpen-your-shark-facts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aplacental viviparous</a>, meaning the young develop inside eggs that hatch within the mother’s body.



Females seem to carry up to 10 pups at a time, but the <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/five-wild-facts-about-shark-reproduction" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gestation period</a> could last several years. Without regular breeding or nursery sightings, it's hard to estimate how often they reproduce or whether their range shifts during these vulnerable periods.



This gap in knowledge makes population modeling difficult. Without better data, scientists can't say how quickly these sharks could recover if current bycatch trends continue. 



Tagging mature females may help reveal mating routes or hidden nursery grounds. Learning how and where they reproduce could play a key role in designing effective marine protected areas.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaf1703" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



Image Credit: Julius Nielsen



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Longest-living vertebrates on Earth survive for centuries in icy waters

Greenland sharks cruise the North Atlantic at a pace slower...

A crew clearing ground for a championship golf course near Inverness expected to see nothing more dramatic than sand and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sun-stones-and-sacrifice-how-ancient-farmers-faced-climate-chaos/">stones</a>. Instead, they uncovered a complete iron tire that once clamped around a wooden wheel, quietly waiting underground for roughly 2,200 years.



They soon called in Andy Young of <a href="https://avonarch.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Avon Archaeology Highland</a>, who led the rescue excavation and confirmed that the rim belonged to a ceremonial Iron Age chariot.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iron-wheels-in-the-highlands">Iron wheels in the highlands</h2>



The discovery sits within a <a href="https://scarf.scot/regional/higharf/iron-age/7-3-settlement-evidence/7-3-2-palisaded-enclosures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">palisade circle</a>, a type of prehistoric enclosure marked by concentric ditches and timber fencing. Only one other Iron Age chariot burial has been excavated in <a href="https://headlandarchaeology.com/the-newbridge-chariot-burial-a-winters-tale-of-an-unexpected-and-unique-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scotland</a>, near Newbridge in 2001.



“They are such a rare thing. We were a bit bemused,” said Young. 



Researchers lifted the 55‑inch‑diameter rim in two curved pieces, its inner lips still showing the slight bevel that once locked against a wooden felloe. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-an-iron-wheel-ceremonial">What makes an iron wheel ceremonial</h2>



The wheel lay beside cremated bone, coarse pottery, and animal fragments, a cluster that signals a high‑status burial rather than a junk heap. 



The tire's iron would have demanded substantial ore, charcoal, and smithing skill, suggesting that the individual interred nearby ranked as a local leader.



In Iron Age Scotland, <a href="https://www.engr.psu.edu/mtah/articles/techniques_blacksmith.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metalwork</a> signaled power because workable ore was patchy and smelting required large fuel loads. 



A single one‑inch‑thick rim could consume an oak tree’s worth of charcoal during forging, according to traditional blacksmithing estimates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iron-craftsmanship-and-technology">Iron craftsmanship and technology</h2>



To create such rims, smiths first forge‑welded short bars into a hoop, heated it until fiery red, then hammered it onto the wooden wheel, quenching the iron so it shrank tight. 



The faint weld lines and hammer scars on the Inverness tire match that description, hinting at a travelling workshop able to serve elite clients.



The archaeological team also retrieved a slag bloom, waste from smelting, inside the outer trench, implying that secondary metalworking may have occurred on site. 



Such evidence feeds debates on whether Highland communities imported finished objects or ran local forges during 500 BCE–500 CE, the conventional Scottish <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/iron-age-societies-were-more-progressive-than-most-women-central-role/">Iron Age</a> span.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-window-onto-iron-age-society">A window onto Iron Age society</h2>



Two concentric ditches ring the tire's pit, forming a penannular enclosure about 65 feet across. 



Postholes flanking a southeast entrance held six‑inch‑wide timbers, probably gateway uprights that heightened the spectacle of any funeral procession.



Inside, archaeologists mapped three empty pits aligned with the inner ditch. They might once have supported stone stelae or tall posts, turning the space into an open‑air shrine visible from <a href="https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/moray-firth-p2570111" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moray Firth</a> a mile away.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-tree-rings-help-predict-extreme-solar-storms/">Radiocarbon</a> samples from charred plant remains are now in the lab, but field stratigraphy hints at a single‑stage construction. 



That differs from lowland Yorkshire sites where chariot burials reused older mounds, indicating regional diversity in mortuary customs.



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



Though Iron Age cart burials are well-documented in continental Europe, particularly in Gaul and northern Italy, they remain extremely rare in Britain, and even more so in Scotland. 



This new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/archaeologists-find-2300-year-old-celtic-swords-adorned-with-gems-and-ancient-symbols/">discovery</a> adds weight to the argument that Highland communities had broader connections to pan-European elite traditions than previously believed.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/iron-tire-wheel_ceremonial_iron-age-scotland_credit-Avon-Archaeology_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/iron-tire-wheel_ceremonial_iron-age-scotland_credit-Avon-Archaeology_1s.webp" alt="Vertical photograph showing the Palisade Enclosure as excavated. Credit: Avon Archaeology Highland" class="wp-image-1976549"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Vertical photograph showing the Palisade Enclosure as excavated. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Avon Archaeology Highland</figcaption></figure>



Archaeologists from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Edinburgh</a> and the <a href="https://www.nms.ac.uk/national-museum-of-scotland" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Museum of Scotland</a> have already expressed interest in further investigating the site. 



They believe this could reshape how scholars understand social stratification and ritual practices in northern Scotland during the first millennium BCE.



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



One puzzle is whether the burial originally included two wheels. Young believes that a modern plow may have destroyed or displaced the second one, a possibility supported by disturbed soil patterns near the site. 



If true, this would suggest a complete cart or chariot was once interred there, in line with known Iron Age funerary rites.



Another mystery is the identity of the person buried. The cremated remains were fragmentary, making it difficult to determine age, sex, or status. 



Still, the presence of a forged iron tire and careful burial design points to someone with significant social influence likely a tribal leader or high-ranking warrior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-the-past">Protecting the past</h2>



“This has been a remarkable journey from prehistoric times to the present, right here on our doorstep,” said <a href="https://golfweek.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/courses/2025/05/03/cabot-highlands-golf-course-site-nets-prehistoric-findings/83428084007/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stuart McColm</a>, vice‑president of golf development at <a href="https://cabothighlands.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cabot Highlands</a>. 



Developers re‑buried the enclosure beneath the geotextile and reshaped the fairway so stray golf balls will fly well clear.&nbsp;



The golf resort also pledged the associated pottery, flint, and Bronze Age urn to local museums in Inverness and Edinburgh, allowing future researchers to revisit the assemblage with fresh techniques.



“We were pretty amazed,” Young added, reflecting on a career that had never before produced a complete tire from the turf. 



Young’s team plans a full <a href="https://www.stat.cmu.edu/~brian/701/notes/paper-structure.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Data Structure Report</a> and radiocarbon program, hoping to pin down whether the wheel arrived new for the burial or was retired after years of use.&nbsp;



The study is published in the <a href="https://her.highland.gov.uk/api/LibraryLink5WebServiceProxy/FetchResourceFromStub/1-3-0-3-7-0_40c99a2d006336c-130370_14c10cc87e29a0a.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Avon Archaeology Highland Data Structure Report</a>.



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Rare ceremonial wheel from the Iron Age accidentally discovered by scientists

A crew clearing ground for a championship golf course near...

DNA from a man buried in a hillside tomb in Egypt nearly five millennia ago is now rewriting part of ancient history. 



No one knew his name. His body was placed inside a ceramic pot and laid to rest long before mummification became standard. For thousands of years, the man's story sat in silence - until now.



Researchers have extracted and sequenced his DNA, making it the oldest known Egyptian genome ever decoded. He lived between 4,500 and 4,800 years ago, during a time of massive cultural and political change - the early days of pyramid construction.



The study, led by scientists from the <a href="https://www.crick.ac.uk/">Francis Crick Institute</a> and Liverpool John Moores University, is the first to successfully sequence a complete genome from ancient Egypt. 



The findings open a window into human movement and ancestry during the early dynastic period.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-confirms-cross-regional-mixing">DNA confirms cross-regional mixing</h2>



At the time this man lived, Egypt had emerging trade links with parts of West Asia, particularly the Fertile Crescent - a region that includes today’s Iraq, Iran, and Jordan. 



Archaeologists have found artifacts and symbols suggesting cultural exchanges. But until now, genetic proof of these human connections was missing.



The team analyzed the man’s DNA, extracted from a tooth, and discovered that while most of his ancestry traces back to ancient North Africa, about 20% comes from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-bread-wheat-gave-rise-to-civilization/">Fertile Crescent</a> - specifically Mesopotamia. That’s modern-day Iraq.



This supports the idea that people from West Asia weren’t just sending goods. They were moving to Egypt and mixing with local communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-story-preserved-in-bone-and-clay">A story preserved in bone and clay</h2>



The remains came from a burial site in Nuwayrat, a village 265 kilometers south of Cairo. The skeleton had been excavated in 1902 and eventually housed at World Museum Liverpool. 



The man's tomb had survived war and time - even the bombings of World War II that destroyed most of the museum’s human remains.



He was buried between the Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom periods - on the edge of one era becoming another. His body was placed inside a clay pot and buried before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mummification-processes-in-europe-are-older-than-expected/">mummification</a> became common. That likely helped preserve his DNA.



Clues from his bones and teeth painted a more personal picture. Chemical signals showed he had grown up in Egypt. The shape and wear of his skeleton suggested the kind of physical work he likely performed.



Study co-author Joel Irish is a professor of anthropology and archaeology at Liverpool John Moores University.



“The markings on the skeleton are clues to the individual’s life and lifestyle - his seat bones are expanded in size, his arms showed evidence of extensive movement back and forth, and there’s substantial arthritis in just the right foot," noted Irish. 



He explained that the clues point towards pottery, including use of a pottery wheel, which arrived in Egypt around the same time. 



"That said, his higher-class burial is not expected for a potter, who would not normally receive such treatment. Perhaps he was exceptionally skilled or successful to advance his <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moving-up-social-status-can-lower-dementia-risk/">social status</a>."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-years-of-dna-extraction-failures">Years of DNA extraction failures</h2>



This breakthrough builds on decades of failed attempts to retrieve usable DNA from ancient Egyptian remains. Heat and humidity usually destroy DNA over time, making preservation in Egypt extremely rare. 



Study co-senior author Pontus Skoglund is the group leader of the Ancient Genomics Laboratory at the Crick.



Skoglund noted that 40 years have passed since the early pioneering attempts to retrieve DNA from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cocaine-use-detected-in-the-brains-of-17th-century-mummies/">mummies</a> without successful sequencing of an ancient Egyptian genome.



"Ancient Egypt is a place of extraordinary written history and archaeology, but challenging DNA preservation has meant that no genomic record of ancestry in early Egypt has been available for comparison," Skoglund said. 



"Building on this past research, new and powerful genetic techniques have allowed us to cross these technical boundaries and rule out contaminating DNA, providing the first genetic evidence for potential movements of people in Egypt at this time."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-bones-and-genes">More than bones and genes</h2>



This was more than just a genetic scan. The scientists used every available clue - from isotopes in the man’s teeth to the shape of his bones - to reconstruct a picture of who he was and where he came from.



“Piecing together all the clues from this individual’s DNA, bones and teeth have allowed us to build a comprehensive picture," said study first author Adeline Morez Jacobs. 



"We hope that future DNA samples from ancient Egypt can expand on when precisely this movement from West Asia started."



The researchers aim to collaborate further with Egyptian scientists to collect more ancient samples. Each one could add another piece to the puzzle of how people moved, lived, and changed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-eclipse-may-have-changed-the-architecture-of-ancient-egypt-forever/">Egypt</a> during one of its most iconic eras.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09195-5">Nature</a>.



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Ancient Egypt’s oldest genome reveals surprising ancestry mix

DNA from a man buried in a hillside tomb in...

Bumble bees, like humans, sometimes eat the wrong things. A new study shows they may pick foods that don’t meet their nutritional needs - and those choices might actually harm their health.



In research conducted at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State University</a>, scientists found that when bumble bees were offered diets enriched with varying levels of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, their eating habits didn’t lead to better health. 



The study raises new questions about how bees choose what to eat - and whether those choices are good for them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bumble-bees-don-t-choose-healthy-options">Bumble bees don't choose healthy options</h2>



The researchers designed a controlled study where bumble bees were split into groups and given specific diets. Some groups received <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bee-survival-depends-on-more-than-just-pollen-abundance/">pollen</a> with added protein or fat. Others got nectar-like sugar solutions with different sugar levels. 



A control group was allowed to eat a standard diet of wild pollen and a 60% sugar solution. All the bees were the same age and housed in small groups to keep testing conditions consistent. 



What happened next surprised the researchers. The bumble bees didn't go for the food options that were healthy. 



The bees ate more when protein levels in pollen were higher, less when fat levels were higher, and they over-consumed sugar when the nectar was watered down. 



None of the eating patterns benefited the physical health of the bumble bees. Egg-laying declined. Body weight stayed the same or dropped. Nothing the bees chose to eat led to better outcomes than the control group.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bumble-bees-make-bad-food-choices">Bumble bees make bad food choices</h2>



The results challenge the long-standing assumption that bees instinctively know what to eat to stay healthy.



Etya Amsalem is an associate professor of entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and lead author of the study. She noted that bee preferences are unlikely to reflect true needs and more likely result from evolutionary constraints.



“For instance, bees may under-consume lipids not because high-lipid diets are harmful, but because their physiology is not well-suited for digesting or storing large amounts of lipids," said Professor Amsalem.



“Bees may over-consume proteins because they have evolved to seek them out whenever they’re available, even though excess protein can be detrimental because it affects how efficiently bees can eliminate nitrogen from their bodies."



This mismatch - between what bees eat and what actually helps them - may be putting more strain on already vulnerable bee populations.



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



Bumble bees are under serious stress worldwide. Habitat loss, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-attack-bees-in-multiple-ways-throughout-the-body/">pesticide</a> exposure, climate change, and industrial farming have drastically reduced the variety and quality of flowers bees depend on. 



In many areas, rich, diverse meadows have been replaced by monocultures or urban development. That leaves bees with fewer options - and often with subpar food sources.



This drop in floral diversity doesn’t just mean less food overall - it means less nutritionally balanced food. Even when bees find enough to eat, the quality of that food may not support key functions like reproduction, colony growth, or immune strength.



Nutrition plays a big role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-farming-and-flower-strips-improve-honey-bee-health/">bee health</a>. But if bees can’t always tell what’s good for them, that complicates conservation efforts.



“It’s an odd assumption when you think about it - my toddler prefers chocolate over broccoli, but I wouldn’t conclude from that that chocolate is healthier for her,” said Professor Amsalem. 



“So, why do we assume bees are different? Understanding potential mismatches between consumption and fitness outcomes is important, as most conservation and management strategies assume bees can self-regulate their diets for optimal health.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-bumble-bee-health">Rethinking bumble bee health</h2>



The results suggest that preference alone isn’t a reliable guide for diet planning - not for bees, and likely not for conservation strategies either. 



Instead of assuming bees will naturally eat what’s best for them, the researchers say we need a deeper understanding of how diet affects their health at a physiological level. According to Professor Amsalem, future research needs to dig deeper.



“Future research could investigate why bees fail to optimize diet - for example, metabolic limitations, gustatory biases or ecological tradeoffs - and may explore nonmacronutrient components like vitamins and minerals that may explain fitness discrepancies,” she said.



For conservation groups, farmers, and scientists trying to support healthy bee populations, this study is a clear reminder: what bees choose to eat may not be what’s best for them. And that makes understanding their real nutritional needs more urgent than ever.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022191025000769">Journal of Insect Physiology</a>.



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How bumble bees are sabotaging their own health

Bumble bees, like humans, sometimes eat the wrong things. A...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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