Look out over the desert east of Aswan in southern Egypt, and it might seem like there’s nothing but rocks and sand - no sign of the kings who once ruled here. But look closer, and the walls start talking.



Thousands of years ago, long before the famous pharaohs ruled from pyramids, kings carved their power into stone.



These carvings weren’t just decorations. They were public declarations of who was in charge. And they’ve finally gotten the attention they deserve.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lost-rulers-carved-into-stone">Lost rulers carved into stone</h2>



More than 5,000 years ago, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-eclipse-may-have-changed-the-architecture-of-ancient-egypt-forever/">Egypt</a> was on the edge of something big. Small local rulers had started forming a more connected and controlled territory. 



The place we now call Egypt was becoming the world’s first territorial state. It stretched about 500 miles from north to south. That’s not small for a place that had no highways or phones - just boats, legs, and grit.



In the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/850-paleolithic-artifacts-discovered-with-the-naked-eye-in-a-desert/">desert</a> valleys like Wadi el Malik and Wadi Abu Subeira, rulers made their presence known with carvings. One of the most fascinating figures from this time was a ruler called Scorpion. 



His name appears in rock inscriptions along with a few other symbols, including one that marks it as a place name.



That particular place-name sign is believed to be the oldest one ever found. That discovery made international headlines a few years back. Now, there’s more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-egypt-s-lineup-of-early-kings">Egypt's lineup of early kings</h2>



Scorpion wasn’t alone. The rocks tell the story of other rulers too. There’s King Bull, who came before him, and Horus-Falcon, who may have been the first in this royal line. 



Some of their names reference dangerous animals - <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/centipede/">centipedes</a>, falcons, bulls - creatures that symbolized strength and fear.



This lineup of names and animal symbols is what researchers call a "royal rock art tableau." It's not just a list - it’s a way to show power, legacy, and control over a tough, rugged landscape. These kings wanted people in Egypt to know: This land is ours. We rule here.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ancient-egypt_rock-art_ruler-godlike-powers_credit-Johann-Thiele_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ancient-egypt_rock-art_ruler-godlike-powers_credit-Johann-Thiele_1s.webp" alt="The ruler tramples a man (lying). The two round circular areas behind this are not balls, but rather decapitated heads. Credit: Johann Thiele" class="wp-image-1983776"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The ruler tramples a man (lying). The two round circular areas behind this are not balls, but rather decapitated heads. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Johann Thiele</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-violence-and-power-on-display">Violence and power on display</h2>



These carvings didn’t shy away from violence. One scene shows a ruler standing over a fallen enemy. In the background, two decapitated heads leave no doubt about the message. These weren’t peaceful monuments - they were warnings.



“The most extreme scene is the one showing the ruler trampling an enemy, with two decapitated heads visible in the background,” said Egyptologist Professor Dr. Ludwig Morenz from the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bonn</a>, who has been studying these carvings with his colleague Mohamed Abdelhay Abu Bakr.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kings-carved-ties-to-egypt-s-gods">Kings carved ties to Egypt's gods</h2>



The kings from this period didn’t call themselves gods. But they made it clear they were close. 



They aligned themselves with two powerful deities from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-human-highways-revealed-beneath-the-sea/">Nile Valley</a> - Bat, a celestial cow often shown with a star-covered face, and Min, a hunting god tied to the deserts and outer regions.



“They formed a divine couple, with Bat associated with the fertile land along the Nile and Min with the peripheral regions as a kind of hunting god,” Morenz said.



The connection to these gods helped build something called “pharaoh-fashioning.” This was how early rulers shaped their image - as chosen leaders backed by divine power. They didn’t inherit power quietly. They carved it in stone.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ancient-egypt_rock-art_ruler-defeating-enemies_credit-Johann-Thiele_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ancient-egypt_rock-art_ruler-defeating-enemies_credit-Johann-Thiele_1s.webp" alt="Combined with the motif of defeating enemies. Credit: Johann Thiele/ Matthias Lang edited with GigaMesh" class="wp-image-1983774"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Combined with the motif of defeating enemies. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Johann Thiele/ Matthias Lang edited with GigaMesh</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trade-and-faith-carved-together">Trade and faith carved together</h2>



At the time, this region was more than desert. It had resources, water, and wildlife. People passed through on hunting trips or mineral expeditions. That made it valuable - and contested. It also made it the perfect spot to mark territory.



“It is actually all about a grandiose presentation of the claim to sovereignty,” Morenz said.



And part of that grand display included religion. One large carving shows a "boat of the gods" being hauled by 25 men. This likely represents a sacred procession that tied the desert valley to the better-known Nile Valley.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ancient-egypt_rock-art_ruler-godlike-powers_credit-Ludwig-Morenz_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ancient-egypt_rock-art_ruler-godlike-powers_credit-Ludwig-Morenz_1s.webp" alt="The inscription of King &quot;Bull&quot; is on the top, the one with the placename in front. Credit: Photo: Ludwig Morenz" class="wp-image-1983778"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The inscription of King "Bull" is on the top, the one with the placename in front. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Photo: Ludwig Morenz</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-desert-valleys-served-as-crossroads">Desert valleys served as crossroads</h2>



These carvings aren’t easy to see with the naked eye. Thousands of years of wind and sand have taken their toll. But new digital tools have made a difference. 



Researchers used high-powered photo analysis to reveal carvings that would otherwise go unnoticed.



“This is an important region when it comes to our understanding of the emergence of the state at the sociocultural periphery in the late fourth millennium,” Morenz said.



It’s clear there's more to learn here. Compared to central Egypt, this area has barely been studied. But it played a major role in shaping one of the most influential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-calendar-discovery-could-rewrite-history-of-civilization/">civilizations</a> in history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-scans-revived-ancient-history">Modern scans revived ancient history</h2>



Morenz hopes this area will get the attention it deserves. That means more research, bigger projects, and maybe even making the site accessible to visitors.



“I consider this so important that this hot spot should also be made accessible to interested parties with tours and a visitor center,” he said.



What was once forgotten desert might soon become one of Egypt’s most important historical windows. Not just because of what’s carved in stone - but because of what it shows about the earliest rulers who helped create a state that would shape human history.



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Early Egyptian king named "Scorpion" told his blood-thirsty tales in ancient rock art

Look out over the desert east of Aswan in southern Egypt, and it might seem like there’s nothing but rocks and sand - no sign of the kings who once ruled here. But look closer, and the walls start talking. Thousands of years ago, long before the famous pharaohs ruled from pyramids, kings carved their power into stone. These carvings weren’t just decorations. They were public declarations of who was in charge. And they’ve finally gotten the attention they deserve. Lost rulers carved into stone More than...

A growing body of research points to a deceptively simple prescription for healthy aging: eat Mediterranean-style, move a bit more, and get structured support. 



Two major studies released this year - one a six-year clinical trial in Spain, the other a decades-long U.S. cohort analysis - reach the same conclusion from different angles.&nbsp;



The first, published in the journal <a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-00388" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annals of Internal Medicine</a>, shows that a calorie-smart Mediterranean plan with moderate exercise and coaching can cut new cases of type 2 diabetes by nearly a third.&nbsp;



The second, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03891-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Medicine</a>, links a Mediterranean diet to lower dementia risk and slower cognitive decline, with the biggest brain benefits in people at the highest inherited risk for Alzheimer’s disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-win-for-metabolic-health">A win for metabolic health</h2>



The <a href="https://www.predimedplus.com/en/project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PREDIMED-Plus trial</a>, the largest nutrition study ever run in Europe, followed 4,746 adults aged 55–75 with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-is-much-more-complicated-than-we-thought-manifesting-in-11-different-forms/">obesity</a> and metabolic syndrome, but no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-type-of-diabetes-type-5-is-now-officially-recognized-linked-to-nutritional-deficiencies/">diabetes</a> or cardiovascular disease. 



The trial was conducted across more than 100 primary-care centers in Spain.&nbsp;Participants were split into two groups.



One followed a traditional Mediterranean diet without calorie limits or exercise advice. The other adopted an “optimized” version that cut about 600 calories a day, added moderate activity like brisk walking and strength training, and included ongoing professional support.



After six years, the optimized group saw a 31% relative reduction in incident type 2 diabetes compared with controls. They also lost more weight and shrank their waistlines more.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preventing-new-diabetes-cases">Preventing new diabetes cases </h2>



In population terms, that prevented roughly three new diabetes diagnoses for every 100 participants - a meaningful public-health gain in a world where type 2 diabetes already affects more than 530 million people.



“Diabetes is the first solid clinical outcome for which we have shown&nbsp; - using the strongest available evidence&nbsp; - that the Mediterranean diet with calorie reduction, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fitness-focused-medicine-physical-activity-reduces-chronic-disease-risk/">physical activity</a>, and weight loss is a highly effective preventive tool,” said Miguel Ángel Martínez-González,&nbsp; a professor of preventive medicine and public health at the <a href="https://en.unav.edu/inicio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Navarra</a>.



“Applied at scale in at-risk populations, these modest and sustained lifestyle changes could prevent thousands of new diagnoses every year.”



Mechanistically, the pattern’s emphasis on extra-virgin <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/olive-oil-can-boost-brain-health-and-fight-off-alzheimers-disease/">olive oil</a>, nuts, legumes, whole grains, fish, fruits, and vegetables is thought to improve insulin sensitivity and tamp down chronic inflammation - effects magnified by weight loss and movement.&nbsp;



“The Mediterranean diet acts synergistically to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. With PREDIMED-Plus, we demonstrate that combining calorie control and physical activity enhances these benefits,” said Miguel Ruiz-Canela, the chair of preventive medicine and public health at the University of Navarra.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mediterranean-diet-and-dementia-nbsp">Mediterranean diet and dementia&nbsp;</h2>



A complementary study led by <a href="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mass General Brigham</a> followed 4,215 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (validated in 1,490 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study) from the late 1980s and 1990s through 2023.&nbsp;



The researchers assessed long-term dietary patterns with food-frequency questionnaires, profiled blood metabolites, genotyped participants to estimate inherited <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-blood-test-can-track-the-progression-of-alzheimers/">Alzheimer’s risk</a>, and tracked new dementia diagnoses. A subset of 1,037 women also completed regular telephone-based cognitive testing.



People adhering more closely to a Mediterranean-style diet had a lower risk of developing dementia and showed slower cognitive decline.&nbsp;



Crucially, the protective association was strongest among individuals with two copies of APOE4 - the most powerful common genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease - suggesting that diet may help offset inherited vulnerability.



“One reason we wanted to study the Mediterranean diet is because it is the only dietary pattern that has been causally linked to cognitive benefits in a randomized trial,” said first author Yuxi Liu, a research fellow at Bingham and Women’s Hospital.



“We wanted to see whether this benefit might be different in people with varying genetic backgrounds, and to examine the role of blood metabolites, the small molecules that reflect how the body processes food and carries out normal functions.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dietary-strategies-for-healthy-aging">Dietary strategies for healthy aging</h2>



According to Liu, the findings suggest that dietary strategies, specifically the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-a-delicious-way-to-manage-stress/">Mediterranean diet</a>, could help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and stave off dementia by broadly influencing key metabolic pathways.



“This recommendation applies broadly, but it may be even more important for individuals at a higher genetic risk, such as those carrying two copies of the APOE4 genetic variant,” said Liu.



The authors acknowledge limits - participants were predominantly well-educated and of European ancestry, and most people don’t know their APOE status - but the signal is consistent with prior trials and mechanistic work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-diabetes-and-dementia-risks">Reducing diabetes and dementia risks</h2>



No single diet cures all ills. But two high-quality studies in top journals now show that a Mediterranean-style pattern - especially when paired with modest calorie reduction, regular activity, and support - can meaningfully reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.&nbsp;



At the same time, long-term adherence also tracks with lower <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-you-live-may-affect-your-dementia-risk/">dementia risk</a> and slower cognitive decline, most notably among people with the highest genetic risk. 



In an era of expensive new drugs, these findings are a reminder that small, sustained lifestyle shifts still deliver large, compounding dividends - for body and brain alike.



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These simple life changes can prevent diabetes and dementia

A growing body of research points to a deceptively simple...

Giraffatitan was a huge sauropod dinosaur, but its tail was not a stiff anchor bolted to the hips. New digital models show a tail that lifted, bent, and twisted with control, helping the animal move and stay stable.



The study was led by Dr. Verónica Díez-Díaz from the <a href="https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Museum of Naturkunde</a> in Berlin. Her team worked from a well preserved section of the tail, including 18 vertebrae and 14 associated bones beneath them. Their goal was to map how each joint could move, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-ate-tough-plants-and-changed-the-world-forever/">bone</a> against bone, without guessing about soft tissues.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giraffatitan-s-tail-movement">Giraffatitan’s tail movement</h2>



The researchers built precise 3D joints and rotated each vertebra until the bones would either separate or collide. That produced upper limits on bending upward, downward, sideways, and twisting, all based on what the skeleton itself allows.



They anchored the work in a specimen labeled MB.R.2921 from Tanzania’s Late Jurassic rocks. The researchers identified a mechanical observation: changing the location of each joint’s center of rotation altered the amount of safe motion.



They also compared several possible joint centers to see which ones produced the highest or most realistic ranges. That sensitivity test matters because in living <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stone-tools-flint-created-400000-years-show-technological-advancement-of-early-humans/">animals</a> the true center can shift slightly as forces change during motion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-special-tail-bones-limited-downward-bend">Special tail bones limited downward bend</h2>



Many sauropod dinosaurs have special tail bones called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/veterinary-science-and-veterinary-medicine/haemal-arch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hemal arches</a>. These are thin, V shaped bones that hang under each tail vertebra and protect blood vessels while anchoring parts of the tail’s underside muscles.



“Our results highlight the importance of considering haemal arches as functional units and osteological constraints in ventroflexion of the tail,” wrote Díez-Díaz. Hemal arches acted like hard stops that limited how far the tail could bend downward.&nbsp;



That is not just a small tweak to a model. It changes how we picture tail posture in life, because downward bend is the motion that hemal arches most resist.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tail-helped-movement-and-lift">Tail helped movement and lift</h2>



The tail’s upper bend was strongest in the middle section and weaker close to the hips. That pattern fits the shape of the joints and the tall spines on the front vertebrae, which act like built-in stops.



Lateral bend and small amounts of twist were also possible, though both were capped by the facet joints called <a href="https://www.imaios.com/en/e-anatomy/anatomical-structures/zygapophyseal-joints-1160108#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">zygapophyses</a> that interlock neighboring vertebrae. Those same joints are nature’s guardrails that keep the spine aligned when the animal moves.



Earlier work by this team mapped the big tail muscles on Giraffatitan, including the powerful <a href="https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/meeting-minds/2014/poster-pres/37/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">caudofemoralis longus</a> that helps pull the hind legs back. That <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/earth-science/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.00160/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reconstruction</a> showed where muscles attached and how they could have powered the base of the tail.



Put together, the current ranges of motion and the earlier muscle map point to a tail that stayed off the ground, stabilized the hips, and contributed to smooth strides. It was a moving part of the animal’s gait, not a dead weight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giraffatitan-s-tail-made-walking-efficient">Giraffatitan's tail made walking efficient</h2>



The baseline model suggested that the tails can even set the rhythm for efficient walking, at roughly 2.9 miles per hour (4.7 kilometers per hour) which would have been a comfortable walking pace.



The method uses the tail’s natural frequency to find the speed that costs the least energy, which emphasizes why tail mechanics matter beyond simple posture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-myths-versus-real-giraffatitan-limits">Myths versus real Giraffatitan limits</h2>



Popular media often implies thunderclap tail whips that break the sound barrier. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-21633-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Testing</a> of a diplodocid style tail found a top speed near 108 feet per second (33 meters per second), which is far below the speed of sound in air.



That converts to about 74 miles per hour (119 kilometers per hour) at the tip, which is fast but not supersonic. For Giraffatitan, the new joint limits suggest controlled, useful movement, not fragile, boom producing snaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-flexible-tails-matter">Why flexible tails matter</h2>



Across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-early-homo-species-discovered-lived-with-australopithecus-challenges-human-evolution-theory/">animals</a>, tails serve for balance, maneuvering, signaling, swimming, and more. A broad integrative <a href="https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/61/2/352/6298228" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> points out that tails are multifunctional tools that have drawn less attention than limbs, even though they often do as much work.



Applying that mindset to sauropods helps explain why a flexible, lifted tail makes sense. It frees the hips to conserve energy, keeps the body stable on uneven ground, and gives room for small course corrections during turns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-joints-changed-flexibility">How joints changed flexibility</h2>



The study shows that picking a joint’s centres of rotation is not a throwaway choice. Move the center a little, and the calculated range can grow or shrink, especially for upward bending and twisting.



By reporting several reasonable choices, the team made it easier for future studies to compare apples to apples. It also makes the results more transparent, so modelers can reproduce the work and test new ideas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-museum-models-show-lifted-tails">Museum models show lifted tails</h2>



Museum mounts that let the tail float, not drag, are on the right track. The new limits match that look and give animators and exhibit designers numbers they can defend.



There is still more to learn. Soft tissues like cartilage, ligaments, and muscle bulks will trim these skeletal limits in life, but the bone based cap is a solid place to start.



When we picture how a giant moves, we change how we think about its world. A tail that can lift and steer alters group spacing, defense options, and even how tracks form in wet ground.



It also shows how science works on long-extinct animals. Careful modeling of real bones, step by step, beats catchy myths every time.



The study is published in <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.250851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Giraffatitan's tail contributed to its stability and locomotion

Giraffatitan was a huge sauropod dinosaur, but its tail was...

Sleep touches every part of our lives. It influences how we think, feel, and even how long we live. Science has long measured sleep in hours and activity in minutes, but consistency is becoming just as important. Patterns matter as much as total duration, and their role in health is gaining more attention.



Recent research shows that people with regular sleep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/">schedules</a> enjoy stronger hearts, longer lives, and lower risks of dementia. 



Yet, one question remained unclear. Do these benefits also apply to individuals already experiencing subtle memory problems, early cognitive decline, or the very first signs of Alzheimer’s disease in daily life?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-sleep-patterns">Tracking sleep patterns</h2>



To investigate the link, researchers recruited 458 adults between the ages of 45 and 89. Everyone in the group reported having problems with sleep, memory, or both. 



Each person wore a small wrist device called a three-axis accelerometer for seven days straight. This device recorded every movement and period of rest, giving researchers a precise picture of each person’s daily <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">sleep</a>-wake rhythm.



Besides tracking sleep, the participants also took tests that measured how well they could focus, remember things, and solve problems. These tests gave the researchers a clear idea of each person’s thinking abilities. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-a-key-marker-of-brain-health">Testing a key marker of brain health</h2>



Many participants also gave blood samples, which were checked for levels of a protein called BDNF. This protein is crucial for brain health because it helps brain cells grow, form new connections, and adjust to changes.



"Day-to-day sleep patterns have been hypothesized to influence cognitive health and Alzheimer's disease," wrote the study authors. 



"However, it remains unclear whether sleep irregularity is associated with cognitive function and its key marker, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), especially in individuals with subjective concerns about cognition and sleep but who are otherwise relatively healthy."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-sleep-on-the-brain">Impact of sleep on the brain</h2>



The study showed that people with consistent sleep schedules did better on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-may-have-just-solved-the-mystery-of-sleep/">memory</a> and thinking tests. Their minds worked more sharply when they went to bed and woke up around the same time each day.



But when the researchers measured levels of BDNF, the results didn’t follow the same straight line. Instead, they found what’s called an inverse U-shaped curve. This means BDNF was highest in people whose sleep was moderately regular - not too loose, not too rigid.



People with irregular sleep had lower BDNF, which makes sense since disrupted patterns can harm the brain. But here’s the surprising part: those who kept extremely rigid sleep schedules also had lower BDNF. That suggests the brain may need a bit of flexibility in daily rhythms to stay adaptable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strict-vs-irregular-sleep-timing">Strict vs. irregular sleep timing</h2>



The findings show that being too strict with sleep isn’t always good. Irregular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-night-of-lost-sleep-can-trigger-hidden-health-issues/">patterns</a> clearly hurt memory and thinking, but going to bed and waking up at exactly the same time every single day may also cause problems. 



The brain seems to work best when there’s some consistency, but also a little room for flexibility.



This balance matters when thinking about ways to lower dementia risk. Instead of telling people to stick to a rigid bedtime, future strategies may focus on building routines that are steady but not extreme. 



Living with a routine that is steady but not overly strict may be the healthiest choice. Having some structure helps the brain, but leaving room for flexibility keeps it adaptable. 



This mix can protect thinking skills and resilience, even for people who are starting to notice memory issues or who may be at higher risk of decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-and-brain-resilience">Sleep and brain resilience</h2>



These findings point to new ways of thinking about daily habits. Instead of only counting hours, we may need to measure how patterns shift day to day and recognize their impact on long-term brain resilience and overall health. 



Sleep regularity could soon become an important marker in preventing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.



This work was supported by the COI STREAM initiative launched in 2013 by <a href="https://www.mext.go.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MEXT</a>, as well as the COI-NEXT initiative launched in 2020 by MEXT.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945725003636?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sleep Medicine</a>.



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Being too strict with sleep times can actually hurt brain health

Sleep touches every part of our lives. It influences how...

The world already grows more food than we need. In 2020, global croplands produced enough calories to feed 15 billion people. Yet only half of those calories actually reached people’s plates. The rest vanished into animal feed, fuel tanks, or other uses.



The issue isn’t about having more land - it’s about how we use it. A new analysis finds that while total food production has risen quickly, the calories actually available for people have grown much more slowly.



Between 2010 and 2020, total calories from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vicious-cycle-food-systems-both-suffer-from-and-cause-emissions/">crops</a> rose nearly 24 percent. But calories people could actually eat rose only 16 percent.



The biggest culprit is meat, especially beef. It takes 33 calories of feed to make one calorie of beef. Chicken, eggs, and milk are far more efficient. 



Researchers estimate that if wealthier countries cut back on beef and ate more chicken instead, the calories saved could feed around 850 million people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-fuel-cuts-into-food-supply">Growing fuel cuts into food supply</h2>



In 2020, more than five percent of the world’s cropland calories went into ethanol and biodiesel. Palm oil and maize dominated this shift. 



Biofuels help with energy goals, but they cut into the food supply. Land that could grow meals for families instead grows fuel for cars.



The problem is bigger than it looks. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-waste-is-a-growing-climate-threat-can-composting-help/">Crops</a> used for feed at least give some calories back through meat, milk, or eggs. Biofuels give nothing back. 



Once a crop becomes fuel, it’s gone from the food system completely. That means fewer calories on plates and more pressure on farmland.



With global hunger still widespread, using cropland to grow fuel creates a direct conflict between energy security and food security. 



It forces a tough question: should fertile land grow food for people’s stomachs or fuel for engines? The answer will shape how we balance climate goals with the urgent need to feed billions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-countries-use-food-differently">Countries use food differently</h2>



How calories are used looks very different depending on where you live. In the United States, only about 23 percent of cropland calories ended up as food. Brazil fared only slightly better, at 29 percent.



In India, nearly 80 percent went directly into diets, much of it through grains and dairy. India’s efficiency comes partly because milk has a higher feed-to-food return than beef.



Globally, croplands produce enough calories to feed 12 people per hectare. After losses, that number drops to six. The gap is striking: we are growing enough food, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-devastate-global-food-production/">choices</a> about meat, fuel, and trade decide who gets fed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-environmental-cost">The environmental cost</h2>



Calories lost to feed and fuel aren’t just a food problem, they’re an environmental one too. Growing food already drives deforestation, drains freshwater supplies, and produces nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gases.



Beef sits at the center of this issue. It wastes the most calories and creates the most carbon. In comparison, chicken, eggs, and dairy use fewer resources and return more calories to people. 



Even small dietary changes matter. Replacing some beef with other proteins could lower emissions and make more food available at the same time. That means fewer forests cleared, less water consumed, and fewer tons of carbon in the atmosphere.



It’s not about eliminating meat entirely but about shifting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-waste-has-a-surprising-impact-on-climate-change/">choices</a>. The data shows that changing what’s on our plates can directly reduce environmental damage while improving food security. What we eat shapes not only our health, but the planet’s future too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-security-grows-from-choices">Food security grows from choices</h2>



“It is an important reminder that the problems we face in feeding 8 billion people today - and even in the future with a few billion more - are not about biophysical limits; it’s not that we can’t produce enough calories,” said Hannah Ritchie of the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>. “It’s about distribution and human choices on what we do with them.”



Calories alone don’t tell the whole story. Nutrition depends on proteins and micronutrients too. But the numbers already reveal how much potential is lost in the way crops are used.



Global data from the <a href="https://www.fao.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food and Agriculture Organization</a> of the United Nations continues to track these trends. And healthy diet frameworks like the EAT–Lancet Commission show how eating differently can feed more people and ease pressure on the planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://eartharxiv.org/repository/view/9713/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthArXiv</a>.



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We already grow enough food, but much of it never reaches people

The world already grows more food than we need. In...

A recent announcement has confirmed that 30 Tauros cattle will be released into Saksfjed Wilderness in Lolland, Denmark. The release area covers about 800 hectares, roughly 2,000 acres, and aims to restore natural grazing at a meaningful scale.



Aurochs, known scientifically as Bos primigenius, once roamed Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The last recorded animal died in 1627. 



Genetic <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/hdy201679" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> has traced cattle domestication to the Near East about 10,000 years ago and found signs that wild aurochs mixed with early European herds. That research was led by Jens-Christian Svenning of <a href="https://www.au.dk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aarhus University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-aurochs-matter-today">Why aurochs matter today</h2>



Large herbivores can suppress woody growth, change plant communities, and reshape landscapes when they reach sufficient densities, according to an ecological framework.



The presence of large herbivores can influence fire patterns, nutrient cycling, and habitat structure in ways that many smaller species cannot match.



Conservationists call these animals keystone species because their actions support many others. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/livestock-grazing-is-changing-soil-plants-and-insect-populations/">Grazing</a>, trampling, and browsing create bare ground, short grass, and mixed patches that benefit plants, insects, birds, and fungi.



This Danish effort focuses less on individual animals and more on the processes they trigger. The question on the table is simple, and important for Europe: can free-ranging cattle analogs keep landscapes open without constant human mowing or machines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-tauros-cattle">What are Tauros cattle?</h2>



Tauros are not cloned or engineered: they are produced by backbreeding. This means that hardy heritage cattle, chosen for traits that resemble aurochs, are crossed and then offspring that show those traits are selected over generations.



The result is a large, athletic bovine built for year-round life outdoors, with minimal inputs. Bulls can stand about 6 feet (1.8 meters) at the shoulder and weigh more than 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms). Their horns can top 3 feet (0.9 meters).



The herd headed to Lolland comes from Southern and Eastern European lines with robust frames and strong survival instincts. Those lines retained behaviors and body plans that modern dairy and beef breeds often lost under intensive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-grazing-halos-and-parrotfish-reveal-about-coral-reef-health/">farming</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-from-tauros-cattle">Learning from Tauros cattle</h2>



"The Tauros is not only a spectacular animal, but also an important key to understanding how large herbivores can enhance the effect of rewilding and promote biodiversity," said Jens-Christian Svenning. 



"The research program will provide us with important knowledge about large herbivores in today's ecosystems and lay the foundation for future nature management," he added. Aarhus University researchers will monitor ecological effects and animal behavior over multiple years.&nbsp;



Thor Hjarsen is a biologist and project lead for the Hempel Foundation’s biodiversity portfolio in Denmark. He noted that large herbivores such as wild cattle and similar wild animals have played a crucial role in nature for hundreds of thousands of years. 



"They are referred to as 'keystone species' because their impact is so important to other species," said Hjarsen.



Animal health checks preceded the move of the Tauros cattle, including screening for diseases of concern to European cattle. Field teams will continue welfare monitoring alongside vegetation and wildlife surveys. The site will also track costs and practicality for scaling up.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-ancient-dna-reveals">What ancient DNA reveals</h2>



Sequencing the DNA of a 6,750-year-old British aurochs documented gene flow into ancestors of British and Irish breeds. This strengthens the case that wild bulls occasionally bred into domestic herds. 



That <a href="https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-015-0790-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> also mapped how selection for behavior, growth, and immunity shaped modern cattle.



Ancient DNA from Iberia adds a wider view. Researchers report repeated interbreeding between domestic cattle and local aurochs since the Neolithic, with wild ancestry stabilizing around 20 percent over the past 4,000 years.



These findings help explain why some traditional European breeds still carry traits that fit living with rough forage and open range. They also support the logic behind choosing old, hardy lineages for a backbreeding program.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-grazing-restores-habitats">When grazing restores habitats</h2>



Ecologists expect to see more structural diversity, with short turf patches, tussock islands, and scrub shaved back in places. In other regions, controlled experiments suggest large <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grazing-animals-have-an-unexpected-role-in-climate-change/">herbivores</a> can slow plant community change and help check diversity loss.



If Tauros cattle maintain open habitats, ground-nesting birds and sun-loving insects should benefit. Over time, managers will look for fewer mowing passes, lower brush cutting costs, and stronger natural regeneration where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seaweed-supplements-reduce-methane-in-grazing-cattle/">grazing</a> patterns create safe microsites for seedlings.



The work will not answer every question about rewilding in one go. It can, however, deliver clear, measurable data that helps Denmark decide where big grazers fit into future nature policy.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/hdy201679" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heredity</a>.



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Tauros cattle released in Denmark to restore wild grazing habitats

A recent announcement has confirmed that 30 Tauros cattle will...

A small benchtop reactor just nudged deuterium fusion along by roughly 15 percent, according to a recent study. 



The setup uses a beam of charged deuterium and a metal target, then adds an electrochemical step to pack more fuel into that target.



The result does not make electricity for your home, and it does not revive the old cold <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chinas-artificial-sun-reactor-sets-new-record-for-fusion-power-generation/">fusion</a> claims. It does give researchers a reproducible way to tune fusion reaction rates and compare ideas on common ground.



Curtis P. Berlinguette at the University of British Columbia (<a href="https://www.ubc.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UBC</a>) led the team and guided the work from concept to publication. His lab built a compact particle accelerator that fits on a bench and ties directly to an electrochemistry cell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-boosting-fusion-rates">Boosting fusion rates</h2>



The reactor fires a beam of deuterons into palladium, a metal that soaks up deuterium atoms at high concentrations. As the target fills with fuel, some incoming and embedded deuterons undergo D-D (deuterium-deuterium) reactions that produce neutrons, which are counted outside the chamber.



After the beam alone reached a steady neutron count, the team turned on the electrochemical cell filled with heavy water and increased the deuterium content inside the metal. 



Neutron counts rose further and stabilized at a higher rate, consistent with a higher fusion rate under otherwise unchanged <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-designs-nuclear-fission-reactor-to-provide-electricity-on-the-moon-and-mars/">conditions</a>.



“The goal is to increase fuel density and the probability of deuterium-deuterium collisions, and as a result, fusion events,” said Berlinguette. 



The approach controls target fuel loading with a low voltage while the beam provides the energetic collisions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-is-different-from-cold-fusion">This is different from cold fusion</h2>



U.S. Department of Energy <a href="https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/FileContent.aspx?FileID=50d48a6a-22a4-411b-9a78-c92de1bef5b9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reviews</a> in 1989 and 2004 found that evidence for so-called cold fusion did not support claims of nuclear energy production from tabletop electrolysis. 



Those assessments also recommended that proposals on deuterated metals be evaluated under normal peer review rather than as a special program.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/molten-salt-could-reshape-the-future-of-nuclear-energy/">new</a> reactor does not claim fusion from electrolysis alone or excess heat from chemistry. Its beam energy is in the kilo electron volt range, which is the terrain where well known nuclear reactions happen when particles collide in solids.



“While we didn’t achieve net energy gain, the approach boosted fusion rates in a way other researchers can reproduce and build on,” said Berlinguette. 



The emphasis is on reproducible neutron measurements, not on thermal anomalies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physics-explains-the-higher-fusion-rates">Physics explains the higher fusion rates</h2>



Fusion performance depends on the balance of density, temperature, and confinement time, a relationship known as the <a href="https://irfm.cea.fr/en/physics-of-fusion/what-do-we-want-to-achieve-a-well-confined-hot-dense-plasma/b-the-lawson-criterion/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lawson criterion</a>. 



In a metal lattice, the density term can be very high because hydrogen isotopes sit in interstitial sites at near atomic spacing.



A metal loaded with deuterium can therefore offer many potential collision partners in a small region. That is exactly the parameter this experiment tuned, without changing the beam energy or geometry.



In 1934, Mark Oliphant reported laboratory D-D reactions by accelerating deuterons into targets. Beam target fusion in solids is a known path to D-D reactions, and the current benchtop system adds an electrochemical knob to adjust target fuel density during operation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deuterium-reactor-vs-big-projects">Deuterium reactor vs big projects</h2>



Massive fusion projects like <a href="https://www.iter.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ITER</a> in France and the National Ignition Facility (<a href="https://lasers.llnl.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NIF</a>) in the United States focus on achieving net energy gain with giant machines and enormous budgets. 



The projects pursue magnetic or inertial confinement at scales that only governments and major consortia can afford.



By contrast, the Thunderbird reactor costs a fraction of those systems and runs on a lab bench. 



While it does not aim to power the grid, it opens the door for smaller research teams to contribute and test ideas quickly, complementing the big projects rather than competing with them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-uses-of-deuterium-reactor">Future uses of deuterium reactor</h2>



The authors estimate that the neutron yield of their reactor corresponds to about a billionth of a watt while the instruments draw roughly 15 watts. 



That is orders of magnitude from net power, but it is exactly the kind of metric that lets teams iterate designs in a fair and transparent way.



Different target metals, surface textures, and geometries could further raise the local deuterium concentration or change how deuterons slow down and stop. 



Materials such as niobium or titanium are natural candidates when the goal is to store more fuel in a stable lattice at room temperature.



There is also a practical materials angle outside energy. Hydrogen rich hydrides <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08895-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">show</a> very high superconducting transition temperatures under pressure, and electrochemical routes can form similar metal hydrides at far lower energy cost than giant presses. 



Methods that pack hydrogen efficiently into metals could help test promising compounds at scale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-careful-next-steps">Careful next steps</h2>



The study uses neutron spectra and pulse shape discrimination to separate signals from background radiation. That choice avoids the ambiguity of heat measurements and gives a clear, cross checkable signature of nuclear events.



“We hope this work helps bring fusion science out of the giant national labs and onto the lab bench,” said Berlinguette. 



An accessible, table-sized platform makes it easier for many groups to probe the same questions and compare notes.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09042-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Deuterium fusion rates improved with innovative benchtop reactor

A small benchtop reactor just nudged deuterium fusion along by...

DNA bends, loops, and crosses itself in cramped cells, and those 'knots' can help or hinder life. Scientists have long taught the neat ladder-like twist, but spent years wrestling with the messier truth.



Researchers have now developed a rapid method to visualize DNA crossings and determine, at the level of single molecules, which strand passes over or under the other.



The method pairs high-resolution imaging with smart software and quickly delivers answers that used to take a lot of time. The research was led by Alice Pyne, a professor of biophysics at the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sheffield</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-dna-s-hidden-knots">Mapping DNA’s hidden knots</h2>



The group imaged DNA using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and then traced each molecule’s path with a deep-learning pipeline that identifies every crossing and labels it as over or under. 



The team demonstrated that they can recover the topology, the length, and the local shape of single DNA circles and their tangles with sub-molecular detail.



Unlike light-based microscopes, atomic force microscopy feels the surface with a nanoscale probe, which makes it well suited to single molecule work in fluid. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-atomic-force-microscopy">The role of atomic force microscopy</h2>



A previous study showed that atomic force microscopy can map DNA, without staining, under near-cellular conditions.



The Sheffield pipeline advances this by measuring the height profile at each strand crossing and applying a full-width-at-half-maximum comparison to identify which DNA <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/junk-dna-found-to-play-a-powerful-role-in-the-human-body/">strand</a> passes over. This method increases accuracy, especially when crossings occur in close proximity.



The software then outputs a topological class for the whole molecule, so researchers do not have to infer knot types by gel position or by eye.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-knots-and-disease">DNA knots and disease</h2>



Cells rely on DNA topology to manage access to genes and to keep the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-human-genome-map-could-transform-medicine/">genome</a> intact. When the balance tips, damage builds up and repair systems struggle.



A comprehensive review explains how each human topoisomerase family member cuts and rejoins DNA to manage supercoiling and catenation. It also shows how these enzymes serve as important targets for antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs.



Those links are not abstract. Mismanaged crossings and twists during replication or transcription trigger breaks, stalled forks, altered gene expression, and increased disease risk.



A method that cleanly reads which strand sits on top at each crossing can show when and where the cell’s topological control slips, and it can reveal how drug candidates change those patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-ai-tool-s-accuracy">Testing the AI tool’s accuracy</h2>



To show the software works beyond simple plasmids, the authors tested it on replication intermediates formed in Xenopus egg extracts. This well-established system mimics DNA synthesis outside a living cell.



Protocols for these extracts show they contain all the factors needed to license and copy DNA, which lets scientists pause forks and capture real intermediates.



They also created specific DNA knots and links using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-gut-bacteria-behave-like-vampires-to-target-human-blood/">E. coli proteins</a> and then tested whether the system could correctly identify them. 



The team demonstrated that the method could measure the size of simple DNA circles with about one percent accuracy. It also distinguished between two similar five-crossing knot types by tracking how the strands crossed over or under each other.



“We have done that by developing advanced new image-analysis tools that can do in a matter of seconds that before may have taken hours,” said Pyne.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-telling-strands-apart">Telling strands apart</h2>



The hardest part of visualizing a tangle is not seeing that two segments cross - it is telling which one is on top. The authors solved this problem by using the small but measurable height difference at each crossing. 



The researchers then trained a model to follow the DNA paths without losing track at tight junctions.



“DNA is a really long molecule," said study co-author Dr. Sean Colloms from the School of Molecular Bioscience at the University of <a href="https://www.gla.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Glasgow</a>. "Just like any long piece of string, the DNA in our cells gets tangled and knotted."



"At each DNA crossing, we can see which piece of DNA goes over which and this even allows us to tell the difference between one knot and its mirror image, which is important in our studies.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-knots-guide-new-drugs">DNA knots guide new drugs</h2>



The ability to classify tangles on single molecules gives drug hunters a readout for compounds that alter replication, transcription, or decatenation. 



It can also guide design in DNA <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-nanotechnology-is-fighting-microplastic-pollution/">nanotechnology</a>, where loops and crossings are part of the scaffold rather than a nuisance. 



Previous studies have already used atomic force microscopy to see how supercoiling changes groove width and local recognition. This work suggests that shape cues may help guide protein binding.



“By developing advanced models, we can generate thousands of molecular structures to train future AI frameworks, bringing us closer to visualizing and understanding topology of complex DNA assemblies,” said Dušan Račko of the Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (<a href="https://polymer.sav.sk/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SAS</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-mapping-is-not-easy">DNA mapping is not easy</h2>



Every method has trade-offs. Atomic force microscopy requires attaching DNA to a surface and pushing gently with a tip, so adsorption and imaging forces can change conformation if conditions are not tuned well. 



A 2021 AFM review shows how cations, polymers, and scan settings shape mica results, stressing consistency.



Even so, the Sheffield pipeline reduces observer bias and scales analysis so that tricky cases can be flagged by their confidence scores instead of quietly misread. 



It also makes replication biology more concrete by turning fork junctions, gaps, and reversed forks into numbers rather than sketches. That shift from impression to measurement is what lets the field ask sharper questions.



There is room to grow. The same tracing approach should extend to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rna-world-unraveling-mysteries-life-origin/">RNA</a>, to protein-nucleic acid complexes, and to engineered lattices. 



Adding live imaging and selective chemistries could link topological snapshots to time and to specific proteins, which could refine readouts for topoisomerase drugs and beyond.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60559-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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AI tool untangles DNA knots to help predict health impacts

DNA bends, loops, and crosses itself in cramped cells, and...

A brief flare lit up Saturn during a home telescope recording session in Hampton, Virginia a few weeks ago. The flash appeared between 9:00 and 9:15 UTC. If it marks a real strike, it would be the first time anyone has captured an impact on Saturn on video.



The moment is unconfirmed, and that uncertainty matters. A single bright frame can come from sensor noise, a satellite crossing the field, or an artifact of processing, so independent recordings are essential. 



The Planetary Virtual Observatory and Laboratory (<a href="http://pvol2.ehu.eus/pvol2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PVOL</a>) team issued a public call for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/january-2025-stargazing-a-parade-of-bright-planets/">observers</a> who filmed Saturn that morning to share their footage for cross checks.



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



The recording was made by Mario Rana of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/langley/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA Langley Research Center</a> in Hampton, Virginia, who is an experienced astrophotographer and frequently contributes to community imaging projects.&nbsp;



However, one detection does not make a case. Confirming an impact requires the same flash in separate videos, ideally from widely spaced locations, or the presence of a short lived atmospheric mark that rotates with the planet.



Volunteers often use <a href="http://www.astrosurf.com/planetessaf/doc/project_detect.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DeTeCt</a>, a free tool developed within the planetary imaging community, to scan video for transient flashes on the giant planets. 



This has flagged several Jupiter impacts for follow up since 2010. Cross validation is the guardrail against fooling ourselves with a once-off blip.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-estimating-saturn-s-impact-size">Estimating Saturn's impact size</h2>



Large objects are rare visitors. A 2025 analysis that combined outer solar system dynamics with observed small body populations estimated Saturn’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-impact-carved-massive-canyons-on-the-moon-in-minutes/">impact rate</a> by objects at least 1 kilometer across at about 3.2 × 10−3 per year. That is roughly one event every 3,125 years. 



This number highlights why patient, distributed watching is needed to catch even a single confirmed strike.



“These new results imply the current-day impact rates for small particles at Saturn are about the same as those at Earth,” said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>.



Smaller projectiles are far more common, and Saturn’s rings have acted like an enormous detector for them.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-saturn-tricky">What makes Saturn tricky</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturns-rings-beautiful-iconic-will-disappear-this-weekend-ring-plane-crossing/">Saturn</a> is a gas giant with no solid surface to scar. Its upper layers are mostly hydrogen and helium that can swallow energy without leaving long lasting marks. 



That makes a fleeting flash, or subtle changes in cloud texture, the most likely signs of a hit.



A flash near the planetary limb is even harder to confirm because of contrast, limb darkening, and edge processing artifacts. 



Without second and third recordings, the community will treat it as an intriguing candidate and nothing more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-impacts-on-saturn-matter">Why impacts on Saturn matter</h2>



Studying collisions on gas giants helps scientists estimate how often stray objects move through the outer Solar System. 



Each confirmed flash provides a real data point to compare against computer models, tightening estimates of how frequently Saturn, Jupiter, and even Earth get struck.



These events also give insight into the composition and behavior of the impactors themselves. By measuring the brightness and duration of a flash, researchers can approximate the size, speed, and structure of the object. 



This adds detail to our understanding of the populations of comets and asteroids that share space with the giant planets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-citizen-scientists-to-the-rescue">Citizen scientists to the rescue</h2>



Amateur observers hold much of the leverage here. Videos recorded that morning using modest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ground-based-telescopes-detect-light-from-the-cosmic-dawn/">telescopes</a> and planetary cameras can carry the precise frames needed to confirm or rule out an impact.



If you captured Saturn that day, keep the original videos and processing logs, and check PVOL’s news feed for submission instructions and contact details for Delcroix, who aggregates potential witnesses for coordinated analysis. 



Time stamps in universal time, the exact observing location, and the optical setup are crucial context for any evaluation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-from-jupiter">Learning from Jupiter</h2>



Jupiter has been the training ground for this kind of citizen science. 



In 2010, a small meteoroid, about 8 to 13 meters (26 to 43 feet) in diameter, produced a two second flash that was caught independently by two observers and later analyzed with professional facilities.



Most confirmed Jovian flashes leave no obvious aftermath, a pattern <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2018/09/aa32689-18/aa32689-18.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">documented</a> in professional and citizen science studies that calibrated light curves to estimate impact energies and sizes. 



That record explains why a lack of visible debris on Saturn would not, by itself, disprove a strike.



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



As the videos trickle in, coordinated teams check for the same flash at the same time and location on Saturn’s disk. They also look for telltale processing artifacts that could mimic a pulse of light.



There is already an important update from the DeTeCt project. After scanning additional submissions, the team reported no corroborating detections and concluded there was no impact on Saturn from the July 5th observation. 



Even a null result sharpens methods, improves software, and strengthens the network that will catch the next real event.



The study is published in <a href="http://pvol2.ehu.eus/pvol2/news/view?id=53" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>.



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Citizen astronomers captured a possible impact on Saturn for the first time ever

A brief flare lit up Saturn during a home telescope...

For millions of years, dinosaurs have left their bones behind, waiting to be discovered in the rocks and cliffs of Earth. One of the latest to grab attention is a flashy new dinosaur, Istiorachis, found on England’s Isle of Wight. 



This isn’t just any dinosaur - it’s a bold-looking plant-eater with a huge sail stretching down its back and tail.



It lived about 125 million years ago. The dinosaur's sail wasn’t for swimming or flying - it was likely all about appearance. Think fashion statement, not function.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-istiorachis-dinosaur-in-plain-sight">Istiorachis dinosaur in plain sight</h2>



For years, this dinosaur’s bones sat quietly at the Dinosaur Isle Museum. They had been labeled as part of a known species. But then, someone took a closer look. 



Jeremy Lockwood is a retired doctor who is now conducting Ph.D. work with the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a> and the Natural History Museum in London. He spent time examining old fossils and noticed something odd about one skeleton’s spine.



“While the skeleton wasn’t as complete as some of the others that have been found, no one had really taken a close look at these bones before,” Lockwood said. 



“It was thought to be just another specimen of one of the existing species, but this one had particularly long neural spines, which was very unusual.”



The more he studied the bones, the clearer it became: this dinosaur was different. The tall spine bones suggested a large sail on its back - far taller than what’s seen in most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-dinosaur-species-identified-on-the-isle-of-wight/">iguanodontian</a> dinosaurs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-istiorachis-was-built-to-impress">Istiorachis was built to impress</h2>



The tall spines stretched over the animal’s back and tail, forming a sail-like structure. But what was it for? Cooling the body? Storing fat? Probably not.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unraveling-the-story-of-early-animal-evolution/">Evolution</a> sometimes seems to favor the extravagant over the practical,” Lockwood said. “While the exact purpose of such features has long been debated, researchers believe that the most likely explanation in this case is visual signaling, possibly as part of a sexual display.”



“In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reptiles-provide-new-clues-about-the-diets-of-extinct-animals/">modern reptiles</a>, sail structures often show up more prominently in males, suggesting that these attributes evolved to impress mates or intimidate rivals. We think Istiorachis may have been doing much the same.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-sail-evolution-in-dinosaurs">Tracing sail evolution in dinosaurs</h2>



To test their theory, the researchers didn’t just stop at eyeballing the fossils. They created a massive database of dinosaur spine bones - photos, illustrations, and direct measurements. 



Then they built a family tree of iguanodontians to see how spine size changed over time.



“These methods let us move beyond simply describing the fossil and actually test hypotheses about its function,” Lockwood said. 



“We showed that Istiorachis’s spines weren’t just tall - they were more exaggerated than is usual in Iguanodon-like dinosaurs, which is exactly the kind of trait you'd expect to evolve through sexual selection.”



The new dinosaur got a name too: Istiorachis macarthurae. “Istiorachis” means “sail spine.” The second part, “macarthurae,” honors Dame Ellen MacArthur, a famous solo sailor from the Isle of Wight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-busy-fossil-neighborhood">A busy fossil neighborhood</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-species-of-ankylosaur-discovered-on-the-isle-of-wight/">Isle of Wight</a> has been turning up one dinosaur after another. It’s been the site of discoveries like Brighstoneus, Comptonatus, and the fierce predators Riparovenator and Ceratosuchops. 



All of this tells scientists that the island was once a lively, crowded place full of different dinosaurs living together.



According to the researchers, Istiorachis adds more color to that picture. It also hints at a larger trend in dinosaur evolution. 



The stretching of backbones - called neural spine elongation - started in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/australia-had-huge-predatory-dinosaurs-during-the-late-jurassic/">Late Jurassic</a>. But this level of stretching, called hyper-elongation (where the spine is four times taller than the vertebra), was still pretty rare.



Still, there’s a clear connection between what Istiorachis had and what some lizards today use for showing off. 



“Istiorachis is a deep-time example of the same evolutionary pressures we see shaping display structures in modern animals,” Lockwood said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dusty-bones-tell-a-new-story">Dusty bones tell a new story</h2>



This discovery wasn’t made in the field. It came from looking again at fossils sitting in a museum.



“Jeremy’s careful study of fossils that have been in museum collections for several years has brought to life the iguandontian dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight," said paleontologist Susannah Maidment.



"Over the past five years, Jeremy has single-handedly quadrupled the known diversity of the smaller iguanodontians on the Isle of Wight, and Istiorachis demonstrates we still have much to learn about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colossal-new-dinosaur-was-hidden-in-spains-early-cretaceous-fossils/">Early Cretaceous</a> ecosystems in the UK.” 



These fossils come from the Wessex Formation, one of the richest deposits of ancient land animals from the Early Cretaceous anywhere in the world. 



This was a turning point in dinosaur history. Iguanodontians went from being relatively unknown in the Jurassic to becoming the rulers of the plant-eating world later in the Cretaceous.



For now, Istiorachis macarthurae stands tall - not just because of its sail, but because it shows how even fossils collecting dust can still surprise us.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spp2.70034" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Papers in Palaeontology</a>.



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Large and 'ornate sail' on dinosaur's head may have been used for mating

For millions of years, dinosaurs have left their bones behind,...

Macro,Stone,Metal,Metal,Copper,In,Rock,On,Black,Background

A fresh round of trenching in southern Peru has uncovered a new copper-rich zone that’s drawing attention. The discovery comes from Camino Minerals’ Los Chapitos project in the central Andes, adding another find to a district that continues to deliver copper.



The new mineralization sits in the Mirador zone along the Diva trend, where <a href="https://caminocorp.com/news/camino-commences-copper-discovery-exploration-drilling-at-the-los-chapitos-project-in-peru/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Camino Minerals</a> reports copper paired with silver and the copper sulfide mineral bornite. 



Known as a copper-iron sulfide, bornite often shows up in some of the world’s highest-grade copper systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-copper-discovery-sits">Where the copper discovery sits</h2>



Los Chapitos is located near the coastal city of Chala in Peru’s Arequipa region. It lies on a belt where iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) deposits and manto occurrences are documented in the project’s public technical files.



The district geology includes the volcanic Chocolate Formation and intrusive bodies, with copper mineralization mapped in both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-volcanic-eruptions-cooled-the-planet-800-years-ago/">volcanic</a> units and intrusions.



The British Geological Survey classifies monzodiorite as a coarse-grained intrusive rock that lies compositionally between monzonite and diorite.



Manto refers to flat-lying, stratabound mineralization in volcanic successions, and U.S. Geological Survey literature describes it as a blanket-style orebody geometry rather than a deposit class on its own.



Regional IOCG systems in Peru include deposits such as Mina Justa, which belongs to the precalcic iron oxide copper-gold family.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-numbers-from-mirador">Numbers from Mirador</h2>



Channel sampling is a standard early-stage method used in outcrop to test continuity. The CIM best practice guidelines outline how to collect such data and ensure proper quality assurance and quality control.



At Mirador, the reported channel returned 295 feet at 1.07 percent copper with 20.98 parts per million <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-silver-and-gold-discovery-morena-confirmed-to-be-extraordinarily-high-grade-deposits/">silver</a>. 



Highlights include 13 feet at 3.05 percent copper and 23 feet at 2.05 percent copper. Additional intervals returned 26 feet at 1.53 percent copper and 62 feet at 1.26 percent copper.



“The high-grade Mirador target has nice showings of bornite, adding to its high-grade results of 90 m at 1.07 percent Cu, including grades over 3 percent Cu," said Jose Bassan, consulting geologist for Camino Minerals. 



"The mineralization is within intrusives, which could be the source mineralizing rock for all the copper at Los Chapitos.”



ALS Geochemistry in Lima analyzes copper samples by ICP-MS, a common instrumental technique used for multi element suites in exploration labs.



A strong copper-silver pairing in early results is consistent with patterns seen in published reviews of iron oxide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-of-the-worlds-largest-copper-gold-and-silver-deposits-discovered-at-very-high-altitude/">copper gold systems</a>. Those system-scale syntheses help explain why geologists track both metals together in screening data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-geology-lines-up">How the geology lines up</h2>



The Mirador trench sits on the Diva trend, a fault-aligned corridor that also hosts the Adriana and Katty zones along strike. Prior work has already demonstrated copper along this structural path. 



Regional interest intensified when Rio Tinto staked claims near Los Chapitos in 2024, signaling that major companies are watching the area.



Nittetsu Mining can earn a 35 percent interest by investing C$10 million, according to the company’s public news.



The combination of intrusive-hosted copper and overlying volcanic cover creates a stacked target scenario. Andean IOCG studies document this pattern, which can repeat along faults.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-it-matters-beyond-one-trench">Why it matters beyond one trench</h2>



The grade and continuity at surface help rank targets, but drilling will ultimately define geometry and scale. Camino plans to begin the campaign in September 2025.



“We expect to provide more results in the coming weeks leading up to our next <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/who-is-drilling-a-hole-more-than-30000-feet-deep-in-the-earths-crust-and-why/">drilling</a> campaign, planned to start in September 2025,” said Jay Chmelauskas, CEO of Camino Minerals.&nbsp;



Quality control and chain of custody are critical for determining whether early results hold up. Labs such as ALS describe their analytical workflows openly to support professional scrutiny. 



CIM standards state exploration targets aren’t mineral resources until enough drilling and estimation confirm them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-upcoming-mineral-exploration-plans">Upcoming mineral exploration plans</h2>



Camino plans additional sampling and trenching at Mirador and will drill at zones such as Katty, Lourdes, and Diana.



Another target, Sombrero Blanco on the La Estancia trend, is awaiting permits before drilling can begin. 



At the same time, the company is mapping and testing along larger corridors such as Diva, La Estancia, and Atajo. The goal is to assess how copper mineralization continues at depth.



As fieldwork advances, the team continues to flag bornite in outcrop as a positive indicator, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologists-discover-three-new-mineral-specimens-in-southwestern-us/">mineral data</a> resources catalog its properties for context.



The host rock described as monzodiorite fits familiar Andean intrusive suites, and the British Geological Survey (BGS) provides a concise formal definition of the rock name.



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High-grade copper discovered in a promising new mineralized zone

A fresh round of trenching in southern Peru has uncovered...

The universe often demands inventions that balance elegance with function. Engineers design spacecraft parts to be compact during launch yet expansive when deployed. Surprisingly, inspiration for this comes from origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. 



A new class of origami patterns, called bloom patterns, could provide solutions for the design of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-telescope-strikes-again-finding-a-new-moon-orbiting-uranus-s-2025-u1/">space</a> telescopes, antennas, and solar arrays.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origami-bloom-patterns-and-engineering">Origami bloom patterns and engineering</h2>



Traditional origami patterns are valued in engineering for their ability to fold into tight packages. Yet they are often difficult to unfold reliably. A single error can cause an entire structure to fail. 



This makes deployment risky, especially in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earthcares-first-year-surprising-climate-clues-unveiled-from-space/">space</a> where repairs are nearly impossible to conduct.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bloom-pattern-breakthrough">Bloom pattern breakthrough</h2>



Larry Howell and colleagues at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.byu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brigham Young University</a>&nbsp;introduced bloom patterns, which unfold smoothly into flower-like bowls. 



“We’re able to make new things that have never been done before, but then, at the same time, we’re creating these beautiful shapes,” said Howell. 



Unlike many earlier origami patterns, blooms expand without step-by-step sequences, reducing the risk of failure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-defining-bloom-patterns">Defining bloom patterns</h2>



Researchers created two definitions of bloom patterns: generalized and standardized. The generalized form captures the broadest set of characteristics, ensuring that future discoveries can be included. 



The standardized form narrows the criteria, requiring bloom patterns to be flat-foldable, developable, and radially constructed around a polygonal center. This framework allows systematic study and reliable construction of these shapes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wedges-and-symmetry">Wedges and symmetry</h2>



At the heart of bloom patterns lie wedges - repeated segments cut from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-extraordinary-event-photo-storms-red-sprites-from-iss/">tessellations</a>. These wedges radiate around a central polygon, resembling the blades of an aperture. 



Their rotational symmetry ensures smooth folding and unfolding. Unlike earlier designs, bloom patterns often combine rotational symmetry, flat-foldability, and developability all at once, which is a rare trio in origami engineering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mathematical-order-of-patterns">Mathematical order of patterns </h2>



Bloom patterns can be classified by geometry, symmetry, and partitioning of wedges. Each bloom’s complexity can be measured by a “complexity index,” tied to how the wedges are arranged.



Lower complexity often means more symmetry and simpler unfolding. This mathematical system allows engineers to predict how a bloom will behave before building it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-helical-model">The helical model</h2>



One challenge in origami design is proving whether a fold is truly flat-foldable. The helical model provides that proof for bloom patterns. 



It ensures that wedges do not overlap improperly when folded. By mapping wedges onto helical surfaces, researchers confirm that blooms can fold injectively, avoiding self-intersections. This theory strengthens confidence that blooms will deploy correctly in real systems.



“Everything has to go right. If there’s a weak link in the chain, the whole thing fails. When I watch these [bloom patterns] unfold, you can see that it doesn’t necessarily have to do one thing after another for it to reach its maximum deployment,” added Michael Bartlett at&nbsp;<a href="https://vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-categories-of-bloom-patterns">Categories of bloom patterns</h2>



Bloom patterns can be symmetric or asymmetric, cyclic or non-cyclic, regular or irregular. Some are inscribed, where their boundaries match the central polygon, while others extend outward. 



They can also be homogeneous - made of repeating identical facets - or hybrids that combine different tessellations. 



This classification not only enriches mathematical theory but also guides practical design choices for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-first-lunar-earth-flyby-gave-juice-spacecraft-successful-gravity-boost-to-jupiter/">space</a> applications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-ready-advantages">Space-ready advantages</h2>



Telescopes in orbit usually rely on flat mirrors, but bloom patterns could create curved dishes that are similar to ground-based observatories, thus improving image precision. Their smooth unfolding also minimizes deployment risks.



“You can make a better prediction of what a potential invention could look like, or if it’s worth it, or if you should go in a different direction,” added Jamie Paik from the&nbsp;Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (<a href="https://www.epfl.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPFL</a>).



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



The theory extends beyond telescopes. Rigid foldability and bistability studies suggest bloom patterns could be used for antennas, solar collectors, or even expandable domes. 



Their ability to be stacked makes them attractive for modular spacecraft or compact satellites, like&nbsp;<a href="https://aerospace.org/article/disksat" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DiskSat</a>&nbsp;that is being developed by&nbsp;<a href="https://aerospace.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Aerospace Corporation</a>&nbsp;with support from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>. In constrained forms, they may even serve as lightweight fluid containers.



Bloom patterns bring together geometry, art, and engineering. They are radially expansive, mathematically predictable, and mechanically reliable. 



Their flower-like unfolding may one day shape the future of space structures, proving that elegance and utility can bloom together in orbit.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspa.2025.0299" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences</a>.



Image credit: <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspa.2025.0299">Wang, Lang &amp; Howell</a>, Royal Society Publishing.



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Origami-inspired bloom patterns improve spacecraft design

The universe often demands inventions that balance elegance with function....

Volcanoes can bring catastrophic consequences, and reliable warnings can make the difference between a close call and a tragedy. 



A new study on Japan’s Ontake Volcano identifies a signal, in the form of a subtle change in earthquake waves, that could sharpen those warnings.



Researchers compared two eruptions of Ontake and focused on a detail in the waves that ripple through stressed rock. 



The study was led by Professor Mike Kendall of the Department of Earth Sciences at the <a href="https://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-volcano-signal-shows">What the volcano signal shows</h2>



Scientists track a pattern in earthquake waves called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcano-eruptions-alerts-shear-wave-signals-discovered-that-could-transform-early-warning-systems/">shear-wave splitting</a>, which appears when the same wave separates into a fast twin and a slow twin as it passes through cracked, stressed rock.



The effect is a form of <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1063463" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seismic anisotropy</a>, and changes in the timing of that effect have been documented around eruptions at different volcanoes for decades.



Because cracks tend to align with local stress, tracking the split and the direction of the fast wave shows how stress <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-a-volcano-be-stopped-before-it-erupts-to-give-ample-warning-to-citizens/">changes underground</a>. That makes the signal a practical way to watch a volcano’s plumbing without digging a hole.



Mapping these changes does not replace other tools - it complements them. It can bring clarity when other signals are messy or missing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tale-of-two-volcanic-eruptions">Tale of two volcanic eruptions</h2>



<a href="https://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40623-016-0548-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mount</a> Ontake erupted on September 27, 2014, killing at least 58 hikers and marking Japan’s deadliest volcanic disaster since 1926. A smaller <a href="https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=283040" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">event</a> in late March, 2007, produced far less impact and activity.



Steam driven blasts, known as a <a href="https://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40623-024-02013-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phreatic eruption</a>, can start fast and with few surface clues, which explains why Ontake 2014 surprised so many people.



In the weeks leading up to 2014, seismologists detected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-we-detect-major-earthquakes-months-in-advance/">small quakes</a> beneath the summit, but other classic signs were muted. That context makes a clean, measurable stress signal especially valuable to public safety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcano-signals-change">Volcano signals change</h2>



The Ontake team found that <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/391253440_Changes_in_seismic_anisotropy_at_Ontake_volcano_a_tale_of_two_eruptions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">readings</a> from 12 monitoring stations showed a sudden shift when the 2014 eruption began. 



Small delays in the seismic waves nearly doubled, and the signal strength jumped from about 3 percent to 20 percent, with the main direction of stress in the rock also shifting.



These changes suggest that cracks in the volcano’s system of hot water and steam opened quickly as pressure built up, forcing the rock to break in new ways. Nothing similar showed up during the 2007 activity, which stayed mild.



The study also points out the big difference in eruption size: a very small event in 2007 compared with a much larger one in 2014, which matched the stronger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-rotation-is-slowing-down-making/">seismic</a> signal.



"The focal mechanisms of volcano-tectonic earthquakes changed drastically before and after the 2014 eruption," said Professor Toshiko Terakawa of Nagoya University. 



"Integrating data from shear-wave splitting and earthquake focal mechanisms could provide deeper insights into conditions required for an eruption to occur," she added. 



The analyses of focal mechanisms, which describe how faults move during quakes, added another layer of evidence. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-eruptions-saves-lives">Predicting eruptions saves lives</h2>



A parameter that jumps when stress crosses a threshold is the kind of signal that can build confidence. It is clear, it has a size, and it ties directly to physics in the rock.



"The records around two eruptions on Ontake volcano in Japan have been able to show that the method can not only show changes before eruptions, but that they can potentially help to predict the size of an eruption," said Professor Martha Savage of Victoria University of Wellington (<a href="https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VUW</a>).



Emergency managers care about false alarms because trust erodes when communities evacuate for nothing. A detectable change in how cracks line up can reduce risk by pointing to real shifts in pressure inside the volcano.



Local monitoring teams can add this volcano signal tool to networks that already track ground tilt, gas, and tremor. It slots into existing workflows and draws on the same earthquakes that many stations already record.



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



Every volcano has its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-and-trees-predict-volcano-eruptions-when-viewed-from-space-satellites/">own structure and history</a>, so thresholds will need local calibration. That work takes time, but it is a straightforward path that builds on current instrumentation.



Results from other volcanoes have shown that splitting can track stress through time, which sets the stage for operations that watch for sudden increases rather than subtle drifts. That change in approach can matter when decisions must be made quickly.



"We expect to see these effects at other volcanoes across the globe, not just at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcano-eruptions-alerts-shear-wave-signals-discovered-that-could-transform-early-warning-systems/">Ontake</a> Volcano," said Dr. Tom Kettlety of the University of Oxford. The team expects broader use beyond Ontake as more stations apply the method.&nbsp;



As with all warning tools, clarity begins with solid evidence and honest communication. Splitting, used alongside other lines of data, can help alerts land with the weight they deserve.



The study is published in <a href="https://seismica.library.mcgill.ca/article/view/1101" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Seismica</a>.



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Volcano alert: The signal that could transform disaster prevention

Volcanoes can bring catastrophic consequences, and reliable warnings can make...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.



The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-food-security">Implications for global food security</h2>



The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Some children read facial expressions when making food choices.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-people-s-reactions-influence-children-s-eating-habits">Other people's reactions influence children's eating habits</h2>



Many children are finicky eaters, but research explains how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-learned-why-so-many-kids-dislike-vegetables/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watching others eat and social modeling</a> influence the eating habits of children.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Study Methodology Demonstrates Social Learning Impact</h2>



Researchers at <a href="https://www.aston.ac.uk/hls/school-of-psychology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aston University School of Psychology</a> have published findings in Frontiers in Psychology that illuminate the neurobiological foundations of food preference development through observational learning. The investigation employed controlled video stimuli featuring adults consuming raw broccoli while displaying systematically varied facial expressions to measure participant responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asymmetrical Response Patterns Identified</h2>



The research, conducted with 204 female participants, revealed a pronounced asymmetry in social modeling effects. Negative facial expressions during vegetable consumption significantly diminished observer food preference ratings, while positive expressions failed to produce corresponding increases in vegetable appeal. This finding challenges conventional assumptions about the bidirectional nature of social influence in dietary behavior formation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Evolutionary Psychology Framework Applied</h2>



Dr. Katie Edwards and her research team propose that these results reflect adaptive mechanisms developed through evolutionary processes. The heightened sensitivity to disgust expressions likely functions as a protective system, enabling individuals to identify potentially harmful foods through social cues without direct risk exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clinical and Educational Implications</h2>



These findings carry substantial implications for pediatric nutrition interventions and family meal dynamics. The research suggests that parental expressions of distaste during vegetable consumption may inadvertently reinforce children's existing food aversions through unconscious social transmission pathways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Future Research Directions</h2>



The study establishes a foundation for expanded investigation into real-time social modeling effects and cross-demographic applicability. Researchers emphasize the necessity for longitudinal studies examining actual consumption behaviors rather than preference ratings alone, particularly within family contexts where social learning occurs most frequently.



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Social modeling affects our food choices

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc Some children read facial expressions when making food choices....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-causing-protein-bound-and-blocked">Cancer-causing protein bound and blocked</h2>



In a discovery that can one day revolutionize cancer treatment, researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside</a> have successfully developed a means of controlling MYC, a notoriously slippery protein that causes approximately <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chaotic-protein-that-fuels-75-of-cancers-can-be-controlled/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">75% of all cancers in humans</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-myc-different">What makes MYC different</h2>



MYC presents a unique challenge when studying cancer. Normally, this protein plays a vital role in healthy cells. It carefully controls transcription - the process that converts genetic information from DNA and RNA into proteins.



However, cancer changes everything. In cancer cells, MYC becomes a destructive force. It operates in overdrive mode with no regulation whatsoever.



Professor Min Xue, who led the research team, explains it simply: "MYC is less like food for cancer cells and more like a steroid. It drives cancer's aggressive growth." This superactive behavior makes MYC involved in three out of every four cancer cases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-myc-is-hard-to-target">Why MYC is hard to target</h2>



Despite its clear role in cancer, targeting MYC has been one of medicine's biggest challenges. The main problem lies in MYC's unusual structure - or rather, its complete lack of structure.



Professor Xue describes the protein as "basically a glob of randomness." This means conventional drug discovery methods don't work. These traditional approaches rely on sharply defined protein structures. MYC simply doesn't have one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A New Approach to Fighting MYC</h2>



The UCR research team developed a clever solution. They designed a special peptide molecule that could selectively bind to MYC. More importantly, this peptide could block MYC's destructive activity.



The key was fine-tuning two specific features: the peptide's stiffness and its shape. Through careful adjustments, researchers achieved something remarkable. They reached "sub-micro-molar affinity" - meaning their peptide binds as strongly as antibodies do.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-results">Breakthrough results</h2>



This accomplishment represents a major leap beyond previous attempts. The researchers enhanced their peptide's binding strength by two orders of magnitude. This dramatic improvement brings the work significantly closer to practical drug development goals.



The research opens new possibilities for treating the vast majority of cancers where MYC plays a destructive role.



The researchers are presently optimizing peptide-delivery systems based on lipid nanoparticles that deliver the peptide effectively into cancer cells. The<a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> National Institutes of Health</a> and the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Department of Defense</a> funded the study, which appeared in the Journal of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Chemical Society</a>. This research offers renewed hope against cancer, and it can potentially open a door to more effective cancer therapies for most cancer patients worldwide.



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The protein that fuels 3 out of 4 cancers has been controlled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-map-exact-ages-when-your-body-rapidly-ages">Scientists Map Exact Ages When Your Body Rapidly Ages</h2>



Scientists have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/#google_vignette">discovered that aging</a> isn't the gradual, steady process many assume it to be. Instead, researchers from Stanford Medicine have found that our bodies undergo dramatic molecular changes at two specific ages: 44 and 60. This research, published in Nature Aging, reveals that aging happens in sudden bursts rather than smooth transitions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-waves-of-rapid-aging">Two waves of rapid aging</h2>



The Stanford study tracked over 135,000 different molecules and microbes in 108 participants aged 25 to 75 over several years. Results showed that 81% of all molecules studied exhibited non-linear changes, meaning they shifted dramatically at certain ages rather than changing gradually over time.



Michael Snyder, chair of genetics at Stanford School of Medicine and the study's senior author, noted significant findings. "We're not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes. It turns out the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s. And that's true no matter what class of molecules you look at."



The first wave of changes occurs around age 44, affecting molecules related to alcohol metabolism, caffeine processing, lipid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-related-changes-in-metabolism-dont-match-our-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metabolism</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-remains-the-leading-cause-of-death-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular disease</a>, and skin and muscle function. The second wave hits around age 60, involving changes in carbohydrate metabolism, immune regulation, kidney function, and again cardiovascular and muscle health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-during-these-aging-bursts">What happens during these aging bursts</h2>



During the mid-40s transformation, researchers observed significant changes in how the body processes alcohol and fats. This period often coincides with increased stress levels in many people's lives, potentially contributing to lifestyle factors that accelerate these molecular shifts.



"It's possible some of these changes could be tied to lifestyle or behavioral factors that cluster at these age groups, rather than being driven by biological factors," Snyder explained. For instance, alcohol metabolism dysfunction might result from increased consumption during the typically stressful mid-40s period.



The changes at age 60 are perhaps less surprising, as this is when many age-related diseases begin to manifest more prominently. The molecular shifts affect immune function and kidney health, both critical for maintaining overall wellness as we enter our senior years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latest-research-confirms-aging-patterns">Latest research confirms aging patterns</h2>



Recent 2025 studies have validated these findings. Research examining tissue samples from 76 people found similar aging patterns, noting an "inflection point" between ages 45 and 55.



Scientists discovered that blood vessels, particularly the aorta, age fastest among all body tissues. This vascular aging may drive aging in other body parts, highlighting cardiovascular health's central role in the aging process.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cellular-changes-and-microbiome-shifts">Cellular changes and microbiome shifts</h2>



The Stanford research revealed that these aging bursts affect our microbiome – the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in and on our bodies. These microbial communities undergo substantial shifts during both aging periods, potentially affecting everything from digestion to immune function.



Additionally, researchers found that protein production and gene expression begin to fall out of sync as we age. This breakdown in cellular communication becomes especially pronounced during the two aging waves, contributing to the accumulation of damaged proteins associated with diseases such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-may-not-be-brain-disorder-important-data-was-fabricated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer's</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-implications-and-longevity-considerations">Health implications and longevity considerations</h2>



Understanding these aging patterns has important implications for healthcare strategies. Research suggests that people should pay particular attention to their health during their 40s and 60s, when these dramatic molecular changes occur.



Snyder emphasized the importance of proactive health measures. "I'm a big believer that we should try to adjust our lifestyles while we're still healthy," he noted. This might include increasing exercise to protect heart health and maintain muscle mass, or reducing alcohol consumption in the 40s as the body's ability to metabolize it declines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-approaches-to-anti-aging-treatment">New approaches to anti-aging treatment</h2>



Aging research has seen notable advances in 2025. Harvard Medical School scientists developed chemical cocktails that reverse cellular aging without genetic modification. These six combinations restored aged cells to youthfulness in under a week, offering safer alternatives to gene therapy.



Researchers identified new biomarkers like "InflammAge," a saliva-based test measuring chronic inflammation associated with aging. This non-invasive approach could change how we monitor aging and intervention.



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



Emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, cellular reprogramming, and senolytic therapies, are opening new possibilities for extending healthspan. Companies develop treatments targeting aging's fundamental mechanisms rather than just managing age-related diseases.



The Stanford findings provide a roadmap for implementing preventive measures. Rather than waiting for symptoms, people can prepare for and potentially mitigate these predictable aging waves.



As aging understanding evolves, one thing becomes clear: aging isn't inevitable decline, but specific biological events we may learn to prevent or reverse. The key is recognizing when these transitions occur and taking proactive health steps during vulnerable periods.



The study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nataging" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Aging</a>.



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Scientists discover we age in bursts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The hidden science behind tickling.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-discover-the-brain-s-tickling-command-center">Scientists discover the brain's 'tickling command center'</h2>



Researchers have finally solved one of humanity's most enduring mysteries: why we can't <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/after-centuries-of-debate-we-still-dont-know-how-tickling-works/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tickle</a> ourselves and what makes some people incredibly ticklish while others barely react? Recent scientific discoveries are revolutionizing our understanding of this peculiar human behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-discovery-in-the-brain">Breakthrough discovery in the brain</h2>



In 2023, Dr. Michael Brecht's team at <a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humboldt University</a>-<a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berlin</a> made a major discovery published in the <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(22)01991-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journal Neuron</a>. They identified the brain's actual "tickling command center" – specific neurons in a region called the periaqueductal gray that control both tickling responses and play behavior.



When researchers used cutting-edge optogenetic technology to shut down these neurons in laboratory rats, something remarkable happened. The animals completely lost their ability to be tickled or engage in playful behavior.



"We found that global blockade of the rat periaqueductal gray with either muscimol or lidocaine interfered with ticklishness and play," the research team reported in their study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-types-of-tickling-revealed">Two types of tickling revealed</h2>



What we call "tickling" is two completely different phenomena, according to the latest research. Light tickling – that feathery sensation that makes you want to scratch – is essentially your body's sophisticated bug detection system. This alerts you to potential insects or parasites on your skin.



Deep tickling – the kind that makes you laugh uncontrollably – involves complex brain circuits and is fundamentally social. You literally cannot tickle yourself with this type of stimulation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-self-tickling-is-impossible">Why self-tickling is impossible</h2>



Your cerebellum acts like a prediction machine, recent findings show. When you move your own hand to touch yourself, your brain generates precise predictions about what you will feel and then cancels out the tickling sensation through neural inhibition.



When someone else tickles you, your brain can't predict their movements, so the full tickling response activates. It's like your brain's way of distinguishing between self and others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-differences-explained">Individual differences explained</h2>



Individual differences in ticklishness depend on genetics, psychology, and even trust. Dr. Xinzhong Dong at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> notes that people with denser nerve endings tend to be more sensitive.



Psychological factors matter just as much. You respond more strongly when tickled by people you trust, and anxiety completely shuts down tickling responses. This explains why the same physical stimulus can produce completely different reactions depending on who's doing the tickling.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-your-ticklishness">Controlling your ticklishness</h2>



Science offers answers for controlling your ticklishness. You can reduce tickling sensitivity through systematic desensitization – gradual exposure in controlled settings.



Dr. Konstantina Kilteni's 2025 research, published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt0350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>, reveals another technique: place your hand on the tickler's hand. This allows your brain to partially predict the sensations, reducing the tickling response by up to 90 percent.



"Your brain is essentially learning to override its own reflexes," Kilteni explained in her review of tickling research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-purpose-discovered">Evolutionary purpose discovered</h2>



From an evolutionary perspective, tickling serves vital functions according to <a href="https://www.umd.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland</a> researcher Dr. Robert Provine's extensive studies. It trains our defense reflexes for vulnerable body areas and facilitates social bonding between family members.



Tickling-induced laughter is actually one of the first forms of communication between infants and caregivers. "Tickle involves a neurological self/nonself discrimination, providing the most primitive social scenario," Provine noted in his research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clinical-applications-emerge">Clinical applications emerge</h2>



Research shows people with autism spectrum disorder perceive touches as more ticklish than people without the condition. Investigating this difference could provide insight into brain differences and help advance autism research.



People with schizophrenia tend to experience self-touches similarly to external tickles, allowing them to essentially tickle themselves. This suggests altered sensory prediction mechanisms in the condition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-research-reveals-universal-nature">Animal research reveals universal nature</h2>



Scientists have discovered that many species beyond humans are ticklish. Rats emit ultrasonic "laughs" when tickled, while chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans all respond to tickling stimulation.



This widespread occurrence across species suggests that tickling serves fundamental biological and social functions that evolved long before humans developed complex language and culture.



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



Dr. Kilteni argues that tickling research deserves more scientific attention. "It is a complex interplay of motor, social, neurological, developmental, and evolutionary aspects," she stated in her recent review.



New haptic technologies and advanced research methodologies now permit scientists to investigate tickle sensation with unprecedented precision. Standardized experimental methods using mechanical tickling devices ensure consistent results across studies.



Recent findings published in Science Advances show that tickling research is opening new doors in neuroscience, potentially leading to a better understanding of social behavior, sensory processing, and neurological conditions.



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Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4 The hidden science behind tickling. Scientists discover the brain's...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals secret mission to create working time travel device.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-an-equation-truly-bend-time-a-physicist-s-decades-long-quest-to-rewrite-reality">Could an equation truly bend time? A physicist's decades-long quest to rewrite reality</h2>



Imagine the impossible: stepping back through time in a time machine, not in fantasy, but through a scientific endeavor driven by profound personal loss. For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astrophysicist-says-hes-cracked-the-equation-for-time-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Ronald Mallett</a>, a distinguished astrophysicist and professor emeritus at the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut</a>, this deeply human longing has fueled a lifelong mission. He claims to have discovered the equation that could unlock temporal displacement, pushing boundaries once deemed purely science fiction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-profound-grief-that-forged-a-vision">A profound grief that forged a vision</h2>



Mallett's extraordinary pursuit began with devastating tragedy in 1955. At merely 10 years old, he endured his father Boyd's sudden death—a television repairman whose passion for science had ignited a similar spark in his young son. Boyd Mallett, only 33, succumbed to a heart attack, leaving behind a grief-stricken child searching for solace.



That solace came through H.G. Wells' The Time Machine. Within its pages, Mallett found a captivating concept: "Time is only a kind of Space." These words transformed from a literary phrase into a guiding principle, becoming the driving force behind his unwavering commitment to unraveling time's fundamental mysteries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-humble-beginnings-to-academic-heights">From humble beginnings to academic heights</h2>



Mallett's journey was far from straightforward. After serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War era, he utilized the GI Bill for higher education, earning his Ph.D. in physics from Pennsylvania State University in 1973 at the age of 28.



In 1975, he made history as the first African American professor in the University of Connecticut's physics department, achieving full professorship in 1987 before retiring in 2024 as professor emeritus.



Throughout these successful academic years, Mallett harbored his radical ambition as a closely guarded secret. "I kept my time travel goal a secret," he confessed. "I worried people would think I was nuts." His public research centered on black holes, serving as a "cover story" while he quietly developed his revolutionary time travel theory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-breakthrough-moment">The breakthrough moment</h2>



His pivotal insight arrived while hospitalized for a heart condition—a profound irony given his father's heart attack started this journey. The breakthrough was elegantly simple yet revolutionary: "If gravity can bend time, and light can create gravity, then light can bend time."



"It turns out that black holes can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-blueprint-for-a-temporal-vortex">The blueprint for a temporal vortex</h2>



Mallett's vision for a functioning time machine replicates spacetime-warping phenomena around black holes. He offers a compelling analogy: "Picture a cup of coffee. Stir it with a spoon, and the coffee swirls. A spinning black hole does the same to spacetime."



In Einstein's general relativity, the universe is a dynamic fabric woven from space and time. Massive objects like black holes warp this fabric—an effect we perceive as gravity. Mallett theorizes that an intense, continuous, circulating beam of light from a ring of powerful lasers could replicate this gravitational torsion, effectively twisting time into a loop.



This "time loop" would theoretically allow information—or perhaps matter—to travel backward in time. He detailed this mathematical concept in his 2006 autobiography, Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-published-research-and-recognition">Published research and recognition</h2>



His work, published in respected journals including <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/physics-letters-a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physics Letters A</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/10701" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Foundations of Physics</a>, suggests circulating laser light could generate gravitational fields potent enough to create closed timelike curves, enabling time travel for data.



Mallett's research has gained worldwide media attention, featured on <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Public Radio's This American Life</a>, the <a href="https://www.history.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">History Channel</a>, and <a href="https://www.today.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBC's Today Show</a>. The widespread interest reflects both his compelling personal story and rigorous scientific approach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-galactic-hurdles-and-persistent-skepticism">The galactic hurdles and persistent skepticism</h2>



While Mallett's equations captivate imagination, the path to reality faces immense obstacles. The energy requirement is staggering—Mallett acknowledges needing "galactic amounts of energy," far beyond current technological capabilities.



There's also a poignant limitation: even if realized, his machine could only send information back to when it was first activated, meaning it couldn't transport him to 1955 to prevent his father's death.



The scientific community remains skeptical. Physicists Ken Olum and Allen Everett argue that Mallett's proposed laser ring would need to be larger than the observable universe to achieve the necessary spacetime distortion. They invoke Stephen Hawking's chronology protection conjecture, suggesting physics may prevent macroscopic time travel.



Astrophysicist Paul Sutter has voiced doubts about Mallett's underlying mathematics, while science writer Brian Clegg finds the concept intriguing enough to warrant experimental investigation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-legacy-that-transcends-time">A legacy that transcends time</h2>



Now approaching 80, Dr. Mallett remains steadfast. "I believe my work will show time travel is possible," he asserts. "Future generations will build on it in ways we can't yet imagine."



His equations, though yet to physically bend time, have bent our collective imagination. Ongoing public interest, evidenced by his continued media appearances and Spike Lee's film adaptation of his memoir, underscores his ideas' profound impact.



More than a scientific pursuit, Mallett's story testifies to human resilience, intellectual courage, and hope's enduring power. Whether his theoretical time machine ever materializes, his legacy is immeasurable—inspiring countless individuals to challenge conventional limits and perceive time not as an unyielding barrier, but as a boundless frontier awaiting exploration.







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Retired professor claims he solved time travel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

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
</div></figure>



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...

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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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" 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.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



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.

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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" 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.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



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.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" 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 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



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.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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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



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.

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" 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 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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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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



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.

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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