<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3783, which is located about 130 million light-years away in the constellation Centaurus. </p>



<p>NGC 3783 is also the most prominent of a galaxy group (by the same name) that contains 47 galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



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



<p>“Like galaxy clusters, galaxy groups are aggregates of gravitationally bound galaxies. Galaxy groups, however, are less massive and contain fewer members than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/titanic-galaxy-cluster-collision-defies-all-current-understanding-of-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy clusters</a> do: where galaxy clusters can contain hundreds or even thousands of constituent galaxies, galaxy groups do not typically include more than 50,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“The Milky Way is actually part of a galaxy group, known as the Local Group, which contains two other large galaxies (Andromeda and the Triangulum galaxy), as well as several dozen satellite and dwarf galaxies.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-blue-giant-star">A blue giant star</h2>



<p>The bright object that appears to the right of the galaxy is the star HD 101274. “The perspective in this image makes the star and the galaxy look like close companions, but this is an illusion. HD 101274 lies only about 1,530 light-years from Earth, meaning it is about 85 thousand times closer than NGC 3783,” explained ESA.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The star is part of the NGC 3766 cluster, sometimes referred to as the Pearl Cluster, which is known for its richness in bright stars and its relatively young age.</p>



<p>Characterized by its high temperature and luminosity, HD 101274 is categorized as a blue giant star.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-blue-giants">Significance of blue giants</h2>



<p>Blue giants are massive stars that have left the main sequence phase of stellar evolution and are burning helium or heavier elements in their cores. These stars are known for their short lifespans relative to smaller stars due to their rapid consumption of nuclear fuel.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-stars-scientists-discover-a-new-type-of-star-powered-by-dark-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stars</a> like HD 101274 are important for astronomers because they help in studying the properties of stellar populations in clusters and the dynamics of stellar evolution in different environments. </p>



<p>Observations of blue giant stars can provide valuable insights into the characteristics of their atmospheres, internal structures, and the processes occurring within and around them.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-active-galactic-nucleus-of-ngc-3783">Active galactic nucleus of NGC 3783</h2>



<p>One of the most interesting aspects of NGC 3783 is that it harbors an active galactic nucleus. This means that its central region is exceptionally luminous, likely due to the presence of a supermassive black hole. </p>



<p>The black hole is actively accreting material, which emits a substantial amount of radiation as it spirals inward and heats up.</p>



<p>The galaxy has been studied extensively in the ultraviolet and X-ray light spectra to understand better the properties of the accretion disk around the black hole and the complex dynamics of the material surrounding it. </p>



<p>These studies are crucial for understanding the physics of active galactic nuclei and the role they play in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-like-our-own-milky-way-are-not-unique/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy evolution</a>.</p>



<p>According to ESA, NGC 3783 is a&nbsp;Type I Seyfert galaxy. “In this image it is recorded by Hubble in incredible detail, from its glowing central bar to its narrow, winding arms and the dust threaded through them, thanks to five separate images taken in different wavelengths of light," noted ESA.</p>



<p>“In fact, the galactic center is bright enough to Hubble that it exhibits diffraction spikes, normally only seen on stars such as HD 101274.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-massive-collection-of-galaxy-clusters">Massive collection of galaxy clusters</h2>



<p>The NGC 3783 group is part of the larger Hydra-Centaurus Supercluster, which itself is a massive collection of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shapes-of-one-million-galaxies-hint-at-the-universes-origins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> and galaxy clusters located primarily in the constellations of Hydra and Centaurus.</p>



<p>The NGC 3783 group consists of several galaxies that are gravitationally bound and interact with each other. These interactions can influence the galaxies' evolution through mechanisms like tidal forces and merger events, which can trigger star formation, fuel central black holes, and reshape the galaxies' structures.</p>



<p>Studying the NGC 3783 group helps astronomers understand how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ceers-2112-ancient-galaxy-looks-strikingly-similar-to-ours/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> evolve together in a common gravitational environment, offering insights into the dynamics and evolution of structures on cosmic scales.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA</p>



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Luminous spiral galaxy and a blue giant star

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features the star-forming region NGC 604. The nebula is located 2.73 million light-years away from Earth in the Triangulum Galaxy (M33). </p>



<p>By studying regions like NGC 604, astronomers can gain insights into the complex interactions between stars and the interstellar medium, as well as the conditions that lead to the birth of stars. </p>



<p>This, in turn, helps us understand the evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-like-our-own-milky-way-are-not-unique/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> and the universe as a whole.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-massive-stars-of-ngc-604">Massive stars of NGC 604</h2>



<p>"Sheltered among NGC 604’s dusty envelopes of gas are more than 200 of the hottest, most massive kinds of stars, all in the early stages of their lives," said <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>"These types of stars are known as B-types and O-types, the latter of which can be more than 100 times the mass of our own Sun. It’s quite rare to find this concentration of them in the nearby universe. In fact, there’s no similar region within our own Milky Way galaxy."</p>



<p>According to ESA, this concentration of massive stars, combined with its relatively close distance, means that NGC 604 gives astronomers an opportunity to study these objects at a fascinating time early in their life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gigantic-region-of-ionized-hydrogen">Gigantic region of ionized hydrogen</h2>



<p>NGC 604 is one of the largest known regions of ionized hydrogen, also known as an H II region. This nebula is significantly larger than the Orion Nebula, which is one of the most well-known H II regions in our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-amount-of-dark-matter-may-be-missing-from-the-milky-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way galaxy</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>NGC 604 spans about 1,500 light-years across, making it one of the largest H II regions in the Local Group of galaxies. This group includes the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, and about 54 other smaller galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ngc-604-starburst-phenomenon">NGC 604 starburst phenomenon </h2>



<p>Within NGC 604, there are hundreds of young, hot, massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stars-at-the-edge-of-our-milky-way-galaxy-travel-more-slowly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>. These stars have ionized the surrounding gas, causing it to glow and creating the nebula. </p>



<p>The region is a prime example of a starburst phenomenon, where stars form at a much higher rate than in typical galactic conditions.</p>



<p>“The bright orange streaks in this image signify the presence of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs," explained ESA.</p>



<p>"As you travel further from the immediate cavities of dust where the star is forming, the deeper red signifies molecular hydrogen. This cooler gas is a prime environment for star formation. Ionized hydrogen from ultraviolet radiation appears as a white and blue ghostly glow."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-star-formation">More about star formation </h2>



<p>Star formation is crucial for the evolution of galaxies and the synthesis of heavy elements. In the cores of stars, elements heavier than helium are created.</p>



<p>The elements are spread throughout the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-stars-shakti-shiva-shaped-milky-way-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy</a> when stars reach the end of their lives and expel their material - either gently through winds or violently via supernova explosions. </p>



<p>This enriching process allows for the formation of new stars and planets, and ultimately, the potential for life.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Cloud collapse</h3>



<p>The process begins when part of a molecular cloud becomes unstable and starts to collapse under its own gravity. This can be triggered by events like shock waves from nearby <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernovae</a>, galactic collisions, or the influence of other massive stars.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Formation of a protostar</h3>



<p>As the cloud collapses, it fragments into smaller clumps. Each clump will eventually form one or more stars. </p>



<p>The material within these clumps continues to fall inward, heating up as it does so, eventually forming a warm core called a protostar. At this stage, the protostar is not yet hot enough for nuclear fusion (the process that powers stars) to occur.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Accretion disk</h3>



<p>Around the protostar, material from the surrounding cloud continues to fall inward, forming a rotating disk. This material slowly accretes onto the protostar, increasing its mass.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Nuclear fusion begins</h3>



<p>Once the core of the protostar reaches a high enough temperature and pressure, hydrogen atoms begin to fuse into helium, releasing energy in the process. This marks the transition from a protostar to a main sequence star, like our sun.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Main sequence and beyond</h3>



<p>The star will spend the majority of its life in the main sequence stage, where it balances the gravitational forces trying to collapse it and the outward pressure from nuclear fusion. </p>



<p>Eventually, the star will exhaust its hydrogen fuel. Its subsequent evolution will depend on its initial mass, leading to various end stages such as red giants, supernovae, neutron stars, or black holes.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope</p>



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Young, massive stars in the Triangulum Galaxy

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features Abell S1063, a massive galaxy cluster located about 4.5 billion light-years from Earth. The galaxy cluster was captured by the Webb telescope in stunning detail.</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/05/Webb_glimpses_the_distant_past" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, the image is what’s known as a deep field - a long exposure of a single area of the sky, collecting as much light as possible to draw out the most faint and distant galaxies that don’t appear in ordinary images.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxies-of-the-early-universe">Galaxies of the early universe </h2>



<p>Composed of nine separate snapshots taken at different near-infrared wavelengths over roughly 120 hours, this image represents Webb’s most detailed and deepest view of a single target so far.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Thanks to the gravitational lensing effect of Abell S1063, astronomers can peer deeper into the past than ever before - possibly viewing some of the universe’s very <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-galaxies-formed-from-the-earliest-elements-in-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">first galaxies</a>.</p>



<p>“The eye is first drawn, in this new NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope Picture of the Month, to the central mega-monster that is galaxy cluster Abell S1063. This behemoth collection of galaxies, lying 4.5 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Grus (the Crane), dominates the scene,” noted ESA.</p>



<p>“Looking more closely, this dense collection of heavy galaxies is surrounded by glowing streaks of light, and these warped arcs are the true object of scientists’ interest: faint galaxies from the universe’s distant past.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-galaxy-cluster">What is a galaxy cluster?</h2>



<p>Galaxy clusters are the largest known gravitationally bound systems and include not just galaxies, but also vast amounts of hot, X-ray-emitting gas and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-true-nature-of-dark-matter-may-be-revealed-in-a-supernova/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The galaxies within a cluster move through this hot intracluster medium, and their interactions can lead to phenomena like galaxy mergers or the stripping of gas from galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Galaxy clusters are important for studying the large-scale structure of the universe, the behavior of dark matter, and the evolution of galaxies over cosmic time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hundreds-of-galaxies-bound-together-nbsp">Hundreds of galaxies bound together&nbsp;</h2>



<p>As one of the most densely populated clusters known, Abell S1063 contains hundreds of galaxies bound together by gravity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Its immense mass makes it an excellent example of a gravitational lens - a cosmic phenomenon where the cluster’s gravity bends and magnifies the light from galaxies far behind it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This effect allows astronomers to observe incredibly faint and distant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-like-galaxies-were-present-in-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> that would otherwise be beyond our detection limits.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-galaxy-evolution">Studying galaxy evolution</h2>



<p>The cluster has been the focus of several major observational campaigns. It was prominently featured in the Hubble Space Telescope’s Frontier Fields program, which used its gravitational lensing power to study the early universe.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“The new imagery from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) takes this quest even further back in time,” said ESA.</p>



<p>“This image showcases an incredible forest of lensing arcs around Abell S1063, which reveal distorted background galaxies at a range of cosmic distances, along with a multitude of faint galaxies and previously unseen features.”</p>



<p>These observations are helping scientists probe the Cosmic Dawn era - the period shortly after the Big Bang.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-the-cosmic-dawn-nbsp">Exploring the Cosmic Dawn&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Cosmic Dawn refers to a time in the history of the universe when the first stars and galaxies began to form and shine. This pivotal era occurred roughly between 100 million and 1 billion years after the Big Bang.&nbsp;</p>



<p>During the Dark Ages, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fastest-feeding-black-hole-found-in-the-early-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe</a> had cooled enough for neutral hydrogen to form, but no luminous objects yet existed to light it up.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The birth of the first stars - often massive and short-lived - marked the beginning of the Cosmic Dawn. These stars emitted intense ultraviolet radiation, which gradually ionized the surrounding hydrogen gas in a process known as reionization.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This transformed the universe from a cold, opaque environment into one that was transparent to light, enabling the large-scale structure of the cosmos to take shape.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-constellation-grus">The constellation Grus</h2>



<p>Grus is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-jupiter-discovered-in-the-great-bear-constellation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">constellation</a> in the southern sky, its name derived from the Latin word for "crane," a type of large, graceful bird.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It was introduced in the late 16th century by the Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, during an era of celestial charting tied to European exploration of the southern hemisphere.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Grus is part of a group of constellations known as the "Southern Birds," which also includes Phoenix, Tucana, and Pavo.</p>



<p>This constellation lies near the celestial south pole and is best seen from the Southern Hemisphere during the months of August through October.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, H. Atek, M. Zamani</p>



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Hundreds of galaxies illuminate the early universe 

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features a Copernicus map of scorching summer temperatures across southern Europe.</p>



<p>“A powerful heatwave has been gripping large parts of southern Europe and North Africa, pushing air temperatures beyond seasonal norms and triggering widespread health and wildfire alerts. Among the hardest-hit countries are Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Algeria,” said <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/07/Southern_Europe_s_land_and_sea_sizzles">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“This image, a mosaic from five overlapping orbital passes in the morning of 29 June 2025, was captured by the <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-3">Copernicus Sentinel-3</a> mission’s Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer.”&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-land-surface-temperatures-nbsp">Tracking land surface temperatures&nbsp;</h2>



<p>According to ESA, the image reveals the temperature of the land surface - not air temperature.</p>



<p>Tracking land surface temperature is essential for predicting weather and climate patterns, assessing wildfire risk, helping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-threaten-the-future-of-banana-farming/">farmers</a> plan irrigation, and informing urban design strategies to reduce heat.</p>



<p>“Unlike measurements of air temperature, this satellite instrument measures the actual thermal energy emitted from Earth’s surface, which typically registers higher than air temperatures.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-dome-over-western-europe-nbsp">Heat dome over Western Europe&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The image includes information from the Copernicus Marine Service, which shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">surface temperatures</a> are also hot across the Mediterranean Sea.</p>



<p>The ongoing heatwave is fueled by a high-pressure system stalled over Western Europe, known as a “heat dome.” This system traps hot, dry air beneath it, causing temperatures to rise steadily.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As it moves eastward, the dome pulls in even more hot air from North Africa, intensifying the extreme heat across the region.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-dome-over-the-united-states-nbsp">Heat dome over the United States&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In June 2025, a heat dome developed over the central and eastern United States. It began forming around June 20 and persisted through the week.</p>



<p>The heat dome covered a large part of the country - from the Great Plains through the Midwest, Upper Midwest, Ohio and Tennessee River Valleys - and extended into the Mid‑Atlantic and Northeast regions.</p>



<p>More than 280 daily high-temperature records were shattered across the U.S., affecting some 130 million people under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-impacts-our-daily-routines-and-transportation/">heat warnings</a> or advisories.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Cities like New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, Newark, Providence, and Raleigh saw triple-digit highs - some reaching more than 105 degrees.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-public-health-concerns">Public health concerns</h2>



<p>The heat dome not only caused dangerous daytime highs but also oppressive night-time warmth, with low temperatures often staying above 80 °F due to trapped heat. </p>



<p>This persistent warmth strained power grids, led to emergency declarations, and triggered significant public health concerns.</p>



<p>Infrastructure suffered too: roads buckled in Missouri and softened asphalt sank vehicles in New York City, while a Baltimore Amtrak train stalled in a tunnel from the heat. </p>



<p>Emergency measures included power reductions, heat shelters, and utility advisories in several states.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-domes-and-climate-change">Heat domes and climate change</h2>



<p>Climate scientists emphasize that heat domes are fueled by anthropogenic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-earth-energy-imbalance-temperature-rise/">climate change</a>. These high-pressure patterns are occurring more frequently and enduring longer due to warming oceans, Arctic amplification, and altered jet stream behavior.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere can hold more moisture and energy, which intensifies heatwaves and makes them more persistent.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In particular, the weakened and meandering jet stream - a result of a warming Arctic - is allowing systems like heat domes to stall over regions for days or even weeks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adapting-to-a-hotter-future">Adapting to a hotter future</h2>



<p>Recent climate models show that events like the June 2025 heat dome (once considered rare), are becoming increasingly common.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What used to be a one-in-100-year heat event in many U.S. cities may now occur once a decade or even more often. This shift has serious implications not just for human health, but also for infrastructure, agriculture, and energy systems.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Power grids are pushed to their limits, roads and railways buckle under extreme heat, and crops suffer from both high temperatures and water stress.</p>



<p>Public health officials are especially concerned about the cumulative toll of prolonged <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/">extreme heat</a>. </p>



<p>Nights that remain hot offer little relief and are particularly dangerous for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, young children, and people with chronic health conditions. </p>



<p>Without sustained adaptation efforts - such as redesigning cities to reduce heat retention, expanding access to cooling centers, and modernizing energy infrastructure - the human and economic cost of extreme heat is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA</p>



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Heat dome scorches Southern Europe 

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features the Eagle Nebula, also known as Messier 16, which is located about 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens.</p>



<p>The Eagle Nebula is one of the most iconic star-forming regions in our galaxy. It’s a vast cloud of gas and dust stretching roughly 70 light-years across. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillars-of-creation-nbsp">Pillars of Creation&nbsp;</h2>



<p>What makes it especially famous is a portion of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebula</a> captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 - an area called the "Pillars of Creation."&nbsp;</p>



<p>Some of these towering columns of gas are several light-years tall. The towers resemble sculpted fingers reaching out into space. Inside these pillars, new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/serpens-nebula-image-reveals-how-stars-are-born/">stars</a> are being born as gravity pulls material together into dense cores that eventually ignite nuclear fusion.</p>



<p>The Pillars of Creation are often cited as a poetic example of the cosmic cycle of birth and destruction - where new stars are born even as the surrounding material is slowly destroyed by radiation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-image-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Hubble image of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“This towering structure of billowing gas and dark, obscuring dust might only be a small portion of the Eagle Nebula, but it is no less majestic in appearance for it,” said <a href="https://esahubble.org/images/heic2507a/">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“The new Hubble image is part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations. The cosmic cloud shown here is made of cold hydrogen gas, like the rest of the Eagle Nebula. In such regions of space new stars are born among the collapsing clouds.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>The hot, energetic stars emit intense ultraviolet light and powerful stellar winds that erode and sculpt the surrounding gas. The result is the creation of fantastical structures - like the narrow pillar with a blossoming head featured in the new image.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-and-shadow-in-the-eagle-nebula">Light and shadow in the Eagle Nebula</h2>



<p>The thick material in the pillar blocks most light, appearing dark and heavy against the backdrop. However, its edges glow where light from the more distant nebula shines through.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The striking colors reflect the chemistry and physics at play: blues signal ionized oxygen, reds indicate glowing hydrogen, and orange shows where starlight has managed to pierce the dust.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-structure-under-siege">A structure under siege</h2>



<p>Just out of frame lie the very stars responsible for shaping this dramatic pillar. Their radiation and winds continue to batter the cloud, compressing the gas and potentially triggering the birth of even more stars within.</p>



<p>For now, the pillar holds firm, but this stability is temporary. Over time, the relentless energy from newly formed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">stars</a> will eventually erode the entire structure.</p>



<p>“While the starry pillar has withstood these forces well so far, cutting an impressive shape against the background, eventually it will be totally eroded by the multitude of new stars that form in the Eagle Nebula,” explained ESA.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-cycle-of-the-milky-way">Life cycle of the Milky Way</h2>



<p>The nebula’s location in the Sagittarius Arm - one of the Milky Way’s major spiral arms - places it in a zone bustling with similar star-forming regions. This highlights the role of the Eagle Nebula in shaping the structure and the future of our galaxy.</p>



<p>Studies of the Eagle Nebula have revealed that the region is rich in young, hot stars - some of which are only a few million years old. These stars are in various stages of development, providing a natural laboratory for astronomers to study stellar life cycles.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Evolution of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Within the Eagle Nebula, there is a variety of stellar processes occurring in close proximity. Some stars are still forming within dense clouds of gas, while others have already matured and begun to emit powerful ultraviolet radiation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The ongoing interaction between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/">young stars</a> and their environment drives the evolution of the nebula itself.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As newly formed stars heat and disperse the gas and dust around them, they trigger further waves of star formation - or in some cases, halt it altogether.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This feedback loop not only influences the pace of star birth in the Eagle Nebula but also contributes to the broader life cycle of matter within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-collision-may-change-everything-we-know-about-our-galaxy/">Milky Way</a>, enriching the galaxy with heavier elements forged in stellar cores.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA, K. Noll</p>



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Eagle Nebula: Carving light from darkness

<p>In the United States, about 32 percent of adults now have at least one tattoo. Despite their widespread presence across all walks of life, tattoos still trigger snap judgments about an individual's personality, values, or lifestyle.</p>



<p>A new study from <a href="https://msu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michigan State University</a> questions those snap judgments. The study revealed that observers frequently misinterpret personality traits based on tattoo content, style, and appearance</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tattoos-are-common-but-still-judged">Tattoos are common but still judged</h2>



<p>Ink has become a common part of daily life, from teachers' forearms to politicians' ankles. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/SR_23.08.15_Tattoos_topline.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eight in ten Americans</a> say their communities are now more accepting of body art compared to 20 years ago.</p>



<p>Even so, a deep undercurrent of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28934022/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tattoo stigma</a> survives. Earlier research found that tattooed adults were viewed as more deviant, less conscientious, and more promiscuous than their un‑inked peers. </p>



<p>Children as young as six linked tattoos to delinquent behavior in a classic 2000 <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1348/135532500168065" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> by Durkin and Houghton.</p>



<p>Studies also show <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/head-games/201809/are-people-with-tattoos-stigmatized" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gender effects</a>. Women with visible ink are often judged more harshly than men, especially in hospitality and healthcare settings.</p>



<p>Modern workplaces try to project inclusivity, yet hiring managers still admit that visible <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wireless-e-tattoo-detects-when-your-brain-gets-overloaded/">ink</a> can hurt an applicant. Simmering bias fuels a market for makeup that covers sleeves during interviews.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tattoo-and-personality-links">Tattoo and personality links</h2>



<p>William Chopik and Brooke Soulliere, both psychologists at Michigan State University, photographed 375 tattoos from 274 volunteers. The volunteers completed a full <a href="https://www.truity.com/test/big-five-personality-test" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Five personality traits</a> inventory before rolling down their sleeves.</p>



<p>“We found that people did tend to rate the personalities of tattooed people consistently,” explained Chopik. </p>



<p>A separate panel looked only at each image and guessed the wearer’s personality. Observers saw the ink but not the person’s face, clothing, or setting. That design isolated the tattoo as the single visible cue, mimicking quick judgments made on a sidewalk or social feed.</p>



<p>Soulliere added that the study covered 18 features, from size to color to placement. Testing each cue against personality scores allowed the team to see which visual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tattoos-increase-the-risk-of-developing-lymphoma/">hints</a>, if any, were worth trusting.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tattoos-rarely-show-true-personality">Tattoos rarely show true personality</h2>



<p>The results showed agreement among raters, meaning most viewers made the same assumptions. Agreement, however, is not accuracy. </p>



<p>Traits such as agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism were wrongly assigned. The raters’ confidence did not rescue their guesses.</p>



<p>Psychologists describe this pattern with the <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9103609/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lens model</a>, which says people read surface cues to infer hidden qualities. Tattoos act as one such lens, but the view they provide can be cloudy. Studies over the past decade linked skulls, guns, or prison motifs to criminal stereotypes among jurors.</p>



<p>Sticker‑covered <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656621001239" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">laptops</a> tell a parallel story. Raters accurately judged an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tattoo-ink-travels-through-the-body-and-may-cause-long-term-risks/">owner</a>’s openness and extraversion by glancing at personalized decals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tattoo-meaning-and-personality-often-clash">Tattoo meaning and personality often clash</h2>



<p>Getting tattooed often involves what psychologists call identity claims. A self‑directed claim might memorialize a child’s birthdate, while an other‑directed claim signals allegiance to a military unit or sports team. </p>



<p>The problem arises when outsiders guess the message without context. A snake entwined with roses could honor recovery from illness, yet many will see danger or rebellion.</p>



<p>Anthropologists note that body art has held meaning across cultures for millennia, from Polynesian rite‑of‑passage marks to Japanese <em>irezumi</em>. Western viewers unfamiliar with these traditions may project their own narratives instead.</p>



<p>Social media accelerates the misreading. A single viral image can lock a stranger into a public persona built on nothing more than a wrist tattoo glimpsed under café lights.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tattoos-link-to-openness-only">Tattoos link to openness only</h2>



<p>The Michigan State team uncovered one sliver of accuracy. Viewers who saw a tattoo described as quirky, goofy, or simply odd tended to peg the owner as high in openness to experience. </p>



<p>“When people see a wacky or goofy tattoo, they assume that person is open to experience, and they’re correct about it,” noted Soulliere.</p>



<p>Openness tracks curiosity, creativity, and a hunger for novelty. A full sleeve of abstract color or a playful cartoon can hint at those traits more faithfully than a skull wrapped around a dagger. </p>



<p>Many open‑minded folks choose minimalist ink, and some conventional thinkers pick bold designs on a dare.</p>



<p>Researchers suspect the accuracy stems from selection rather than signal. People high in openness may be drawn to unusual images, so the art style predicts the trait.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tattoo-and-personality-bias-affects-life">Tattoo and personality bias affects life</h2>



<p>Snap judgments about tattoos happen in classrooms, clinics, courtrooms, and dating apps. Mistaking agreeableness or conscientiousness can nudge decisions on trust, hiring, or even sentencing. </p>



<p>Bias also works inward. People who know the stereotypes may edit their ink choices to avoid certain images, limiting self‑expression in subtle ways.</p>



<p>Future research may test whether adding context - such as the story behind a tattoo - improves accuracy. For now, experts urge caution before reading too much into a rose, a dragon, or a pop‑culture tribute.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-tattoo-and-personality-bias">Reducing tattoo and personality bias</h2>



<p>The first step is awareness, and studies like this one give people an evidence‑based reason to pause before leaping to conclusions. </p>



<p>Training programs in customer service and law enforcement already include modules on implicit bias, but tattoos rarely appear in those slides.</p>



<p>Organizations could add quick reminders that body art alone predicts little besides a taste for ink. A supervisor who knows that fact is less likely to equate a forearm phoenix with poor reliability. </p>



<p>Small actions add up. Asking an employee about their new tattoo, rather than assuming its meaning, turns a potential bias trap into a conversation starter.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656625000613?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Journal of Research in Personality</em></a>.</p>



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Tattoos lead to mistaken assumptions about personality and values

In the United States, about 32 percent of adults now...

<p>Tiny bits of plastic no wider than a human hair have turned up in some unexpected places, including the human bloodstream. </p>



<p>Now, data presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology meeting shows that these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-spread-deep-into-the-ocean-far-below-the-surface/">fragments</a> have breached the fluids that surround eggs and travel with sperm.</p>



<p>The research team led by Dr. Emilio Gómez‑Sánchez of Next Fertility Murcia in Spain scanned <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/follicular-fluid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">follicular fluid</a> from 29 women and seminal fluid from 22 men.</p>



<p>The experts found microplastics in 69 percent of the women and 55 percent of the men they studied. According to Dr. Gómez‑Sánchez, the team was surprised to find that the particles were so widespread.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastics-in-human-reproductive-fluids">Plastics in human reproductive fluids</h2>



<p>The study detected polymers such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/polytetrafluoroethylene" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polytetrafluoroethylene</a> and <a href="https://adrecoplastics.co.uk/polypropylene-uses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polypropylene</a>, materials better known for slick frying pans and food packaging. Seeing them next to human eggs turns a theoretical hazard into a measurable one.</p>



<p>Back in 2021, Italian obstetricians spotted twelve plastic fragments in every placenta they examined, confirming that particles smaller than five millimeters can cross the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33395930/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maternal‑fetal boundary</a>.</p>



<p>Similarly sized particles have been uncovered deep in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35364151/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lung tissue</a> removed during surgery, proving that inhalation is a realistic delivery route for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simple-way-to-remove-microplastics-from-tap-water-home-faucet/">plastic</a> dust.</p>



<p>Researchers in the Netherlands have even measured plastic mass circulating in human blood samples, an <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35367073/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">observation</a> that explains how fragments migrate to distant tissues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-plastics-enter-the-human-body">How plastics enter the human body</h2>



<p>Most people take in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-in-human-brains-may-affect-mental-health/">plastic</a> flecks by eating, drinking, or breathing, because everyday products shed invisible dust whenever they are heated, abraded, or exposed to sunlight. </p>



<p>Once swallowed or inhaled, particles small enough can slip through the gut wall or the thin air‑blood membrane in the lungs.</p>



<p>Animal studies suggest that fragments under one micrometer can enter cells directly, whereas larger shards get trapped in tissue and spark local irritation. Either way, they bypass the body’s usual waste filters.</p>



<p>Laboratory work on mice shows that digestive uptake rises when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/airborne-microplastics-where-they-come-from-and-where-they-go/">microplastics</a> hitchhike on fats, a detail that matters for fertility research because reproductive hormones ride on similar lipid highways. </p>



<p>The overlap raises worry that plastics may act as endocrine mimics or carriers for other chemicals.</p>



<p>Dr. Gómez‑Sánchez’s team avoided laboratory contamination by collecting every human sample in glass vials and verifying the absence of background plastic. This means the polymers they found were genuine residents, not stray lab dust.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-harms-fertility">Plastic harms fertility</h2>



<p>Mice exposed to polystyrene fragments shed sperm with damaged DNA and sluggish movement, effects traced to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31896473/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxidative stress</a> that overwhelms antioxidant defenses.</p>



<p>Separate <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36948006/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> on rodent Leydig cells shows shriveled mitochondria after nanoplastic exposure, which throttles testosterone production and shrinks litter sizes.</p>



<p>Reviews published in 2024 concluded that microplastics can disrupt the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38750730/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hypothalamic‑pituitary‑gonadal axis</a>, leading to hormonal imbalances and faulty egg maturation.</p>



<p>Because human oocytes develop over months, chronic exposure could matter more than a short spike. That makes the repeated detection of PTFE in both eggs and sperm especially noteworthy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-levels-in-eggs-and-sperm">Plastic levels in eggs and sperm</h2>



<p>In the current data set, PTFE appeared in 31 percent of sampled egg fluid and 41 percent of semen. PP ranked second among women and <a href="https://www.chemicalsafetyfacts.org/chemicals/polystyrene/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polystyrene</a> second among men, with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/polyethylene-terephthalate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polyethylene terephthalate</a> also present but in smaller numbers.</p>



<p>Annual plastic output has climbed from under two million tons in 1950 to about 460 million in 2019, a 230‑fold jump documented by the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36969097/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Minderoo‑Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health</a>.</p>



<p>Each uptick in production increases litter, weathering, and fragment release, tightening the feedback loop between plastics and people. Reproductive cells, delicate by design, stand on the front line.</p>



<p>Gómez‑Sánchez reported that most reproductive samples contained only one or two plastic particles, amounts considered low compared with overall debris in the fluids. Yet fertility specialists note that even trace metals can derail embryo development, so particle counts alone may not predict risk.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-fertility-research-must-include-plastics">Human fertility research must include plastics</h2>



<p>“They should be considered an additional argument in favor of avoiding the generalized use of plastics in our daily lives,” said Professor Carlos Calhaz‑Jorge of the University of Lisbon. He also noted that further research is needed to prove causation.</p>



<p>The research team will now study hundreds of patients and link particle loads to embryo quality during <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22457-ivf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in vitro fertilization cycles</a>. Those correlations could supply the first direct human evidence beyond laboratory rodents.</p>



<p>They plan lifestyle questionnaires to test whether habits such as heavy bottled‑water use or microwaving food in plastic correlate with higher particle counts. The approach could convert abstract exposure theory into personal advice.</p>



<p>“Microplastics are just one variable in a complex equation,” said Dr. Gómez‑Sánchez. He urges moderation of plastic use rather than alarm. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simple-habits-to-lower-exposure">Simple habits to lower exposure</h2>



<p>Switching from plastic bottles to glass or stainless steel lowers ingestion because heat and time no longer leach particles from container walls. Replacing scratched nonstick pans can cut PTFE flakes in the diet.</p>



<p>Researchers advise skipping plastic cutting boards and using ceramic or bamboo instead, because knife action liberates shavings that cling to food. Letting take‑out cool before transferring it from polystyrene boxes also helps.</p>



<p>Air purifiers with HEPA filters capture airborne fibers shed by synthetic textiles, a step especially useful for nurseries. Regular vacuuming with a sealed system keeps particles from resuspending.</p>



<p>These tweaks are not foolproof, yet they come with side benefits like removing chemical additives that ride on plastic dust. They buy time while science sorts out the clinical stakes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-efforts-to-cut-human-plastics-pollution">Efforts to cut human plastics pollution</h2>



<p>Public‑health researchers argue that personal choices alone cannot outrun a supply chain making more than a billion pounds of new plastic every day. </p>



<p>Negotiators at the United Nations are hammering out a global treaty that could cap production and streamline recycling.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/morrissey/departments/biology/people/faculty-directory/Phil-Landrigan.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Philip Landrigan</a> of Boston College calls the treaty a once‑in‑a‑generation chance to protect human health, because curbing output remains the only sure way to slow microplastic fallout. He points to the emerging fertility data as evidence that time is short.</p>



<p>Whether lawmakers act or not, the science of sub‑visible plastic is moving fast thanks to sharper imaging tools and nanomechanical sensors. Studies that once took months now finish in days, filling the literature with fresh clues.</p>



<p>Every new dataset sharpens the same picture: plastics weather into dust, the dust goes everywhere, and living tissue keeps no closed doors. Eggs and sperm, it turns out, are no exception.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humrep#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Human Reproduction</em></a>.</p>



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Tiny plastic particles found in human egg and sperm fluids

Tiny bits of plastic no wider than a human hair...

<p>The sea spider, those spindly marine oddities that seem composed almost entirely of legs and claws, just given up their genetic secrets.</p>



<p>An international effort led by the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> and the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin–Madison</a> has delivered the first chromosome-level genome for <em>Pycnogonum litorale</em>, a species common in North Atlantic tide pools.</p>



<p>Stretching across 57 pseudo-chromosomes and paired with extensive developmental transcriptomes, the assembly offers an unprecedented look at how an arthropod can evolve such an extreme body plan. This includes a nearly vanishing abdomen and internal organs that spill far into its limbs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-sea-spider-genome">Mapping the sea spider genome</h2>



<p>To achieve a genome this contiguous, the team combined long-read sequencing with Hi-C proximity data. Long reads captured tens of thousands of DNA bases at a stretch. This helped bridge the repetitive regions that routinely break short-read assemblies.</p>



<p>Hi-C, which measures how DNA folds inside the nucleus, then provided a “scaffolding” map that placed those long contigs into chromosomal order.</p>



<p>“The genomes of many non-canonical laboratory organisms are challenging to assemble, and <em>Pycnogonum</em> is no exception," said first author Nikolaos Papadopoulos, a zoologist at the University of Vienna. </p>



<p>"Only the combination of modern high-throughput data sources made a high-quality genome possible. This can now serve as a stepping stone for further research.”</p>



<p>Because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-breeding-behaviors-of-giant-sea-spiders-revealed/">sea spiders</a> are not standard lab animals, researchers collected specimens by hand, often prying them from kelp during low tide. They then rushed them back to the lab for nucleic acid extraction.</p>



<p>The payoff is a reference genome that joins spider, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-reveals-the-first-ancestors-of-scorpions-and-spiders/">scorpion</a>, mite, and horseshoe crab assemblies on public databases. Yet it lacks the duplications that mark other arachnid genomes, making it a vital baseline for evolutionary comparisons.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vanished-gene-vanished-abdomen">Vanished gene, vanished abdomen</h2>



<p>The analysis focused on Hox genes, key developmental regulators shared by animals from fruit flies to humans. One gene turned up missing: abdominal-A (abd-A).</p>



<p>In most arthropods, abd-A helps establish the rear-body segments that carry guts and reproductive organs. Sea spiders, with their virtually absent abdomens, appear to have dispensed with both the physical structure and its genetic architect.</p>



<p>“In arthropods, Hox genes play a central role in the correct specification of the different body segments, explained co-author Andreas Wanninger, who co-led the Vienna team. "In many other animal groups they are essential ‘master controllers’ during body plan development.” </p>



<p>The disappearance of abd-A mirrors patterns seen in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-mites-survived-without-sex-for-millions-of-years/">mites</a> and barnacles, two other arthropod groups that have independently shrunk or lost their hind segments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-spiders-skipped-genome-doubling">Sea spiders skipped genome doubling</h2>



<p>Spiders and scorpions carry extra copies of almost every gene, relics of an ancient whole-genome duplication that likely fueled innovations such as silk glands and complex venom cocktails.</p>



<p><em>P. litorale</em> shows no sign of that event. Because sea spiders sit at the very base of the chelicerate lineage, the simplest explanation is that the duplication occurred later. It likely arose within the spider-scorpion branch, rather than in the common ancestor of all chelicerates.</p>



<p>That finding reshapes timelines for when gene families expanded and may help researchers pinpoint which duplications underlie spider-specific traits.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-for-growth-and-repair">Tools for growth and repair</h2>



<p>Beyond raw sequence, the consortium generated RNA profiles from embryos and juveniles, capturing when each gene flicks on and off as new body segments form.</p>



<p>Those developmental datasets make the sea spider a promising model for studies of ancestral arthropod development, limb regeneration, and physiological resilience in cold, nutrient-poor seas.</p>



<p>Georg Brenneis, an expert in arthropod development at the University of Vienna, is a senior author of the study.</p>



<p>“From an evolutionary developmental perspective, sea spiders are very interesting: their mode of development may be ancestral for arthropods, but at the same time they boast multiple body plan innovations unique to themselves. Beyond this, they also possess remarkable regenerative abilities.”  </p>



<p>“Now that we have the genome and comprehensive datasets on gene activities during development, we can systematically study all of these aspects on the molecular level,” he said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-editing-limbs-and-trunk">Editing limbs and trunk</h2>



<p>With <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crispr-used-to-remove-extra-chromosomes-in-down-syndrome-and-restore-cell-function/">CRISPR</a> editing becoming feasible in marine invertebrates, investigators can now ask how the remaining sea spider Hox genes choreograph eight elongated walking legs and a tubular trunk. They can also explore how the animals quickly regrow lost appendages.</p>



<p>Comparative physiologists might search the genome for stress-response genes that let sea spiders thrive in icy fjords, while ecological genomics teams could examine how gene flow operates across their wide geographic ranges.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-ancient-sea-spider-cousins">Tracing ancient sea spider cousins</h2>



<p>Without the duplication, shared sea spider genes likely existed as single copies in the last common chelicerate ancestor.</p>



<p>Aligning those sequences will clarify where new venom toxins arose, when silk machinery evolved, and how immune genes diversified.</p>



<p>The genome also lets scientists investigate regulatory DNA - enhancers, promoters, and non-coding RNAs. These elements rewired a conventional arthropod blueprint into the minimalist sea spider form.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expanding-the-genomic-catalog">Expanding the genomic catalog</h2>



<p>The authors envision expanding the catalog to additional sea spider species to test whether abd-A loss is universal. They also aim to map gains and losses of other developmental genes across the group’s 1,300 known species.</p>



<p>Such work could uncover genetic shortcuts to extreme morphological change - insights that extend far beyond any single marine arthropod.</p>



<p>For now, the P. litorale genome stands as a milestone: the first high-quality reference for the world’s most enigmatic chelicerates. It’s also a reminder that even life’s strangest branches follow molecular rules that genomics can finally reveal.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-025-02276-x"><em>BMC Biology</em></a>.</p>



<p>Image Credit: Richard Lord/ <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/legalcode.en">CC BY-NC-SA 4.0</a></p>



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All legs, no guts: Sea spider genome stuns scientists

The sea spider, those spindly marine oddities that seem composed...


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