Today's Image of the Day from the James Webb Space Telescope features the planetary nebula NGC 6072, located about 3,200 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius.&nbsp;



The nebula was formed from the outer layers of a dying star and shaped by complex interactions that likely involved a hidden companion star.



When stars like our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/widest-high-resolution-photo-of-the-sun-ever-captured-solar-orbiter/">Sun</a> reach the end of their lives, they don’t go quietly. They erupt - slowly, over thousands of years - shedding their outer layers into space and creating glowing shells of gas and dust called planetary nebulae.&nbsp;



These dramatic displays are not only visually striking but also packed with information about how stars live and die. Thanks to NASA’s <a href="https://webbtelescope.org/contents/news-releases/2025/news-2025-124.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a>, astronomers are now getting a much closer look at stellar life cycles in remarkable detail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-your-typical-nebula">Not your typical nebula</h2>



NGC 6072 doesn’t look like the neat, symmetrical nebula that many might imagine. Instead, Webb’s image shows what looks like a cosmic splatter painting: a tangled web of gas, dust, and glowing rings shooting out in different directions.



While some planetary nebulae are spherical or have two clear lobes - what astronomers call "bipolar" shapes - this one breaks the mold. Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) reveals that NGC 6072 is “multi-polar,” with at least three separate lobes extending in different directions.&nbsp;



One pair stretches from roughly 11 o’clock to 5 o’clock, another from 1 to 7, and possibly a third from 12 to 6. It’s like watching a fountain spew in several directions all at once.



These lobes likely didn’t form by chance. Instead, astronomers think they’re being sculpted by the powerful influence of a second star orbiting the one that’s dying.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-partner-in-the-chaos">A partner in the chaos</h2>



The idea of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-has-a-companion-finally-found-after-100-years/">companion star</a> adds a layer of complexity to the story. The star at the center of NGC 6072 is nearing the final stages of its life and shedding its outer layers - a common fate for low- to intermediate-mass stars like the Sun. But when there’s a second star nearby, things can get messy.



Astronomers believe that this companion is interacting with the main star’s ejecta, shaping the outflows and possibly compressing material into a disk that appears perpendicular to the lobes. Webb’s high-resolution data suggests this dynamic duo is responsible for NGC 6072’s odd shape.



The central area has a light blue glow in near-infrared light, showing the hot core that remains. Dark orange wisps of gas and dust curve around it, interrupted by deep blue openings.&nbsp;



These shapes may have been carved out by fast stellar winds blowing through the earlier, slower-moving halo of gas the star expelled long ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mysterious-rings-of-ngc-6072">Mysterious rings of NGC 6072</h2>



In the mid-infrared view from Webb’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/mid-infrared-instrument-miri/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIRI instrument</a>, the picture becomes even more intriguing. One tiny pinkish-white dot, likely the main star, sits at the center, surrounded by a faint bullseye of concentric rings. These rings hint at a story that spans thousands of years.



One explanation is that the orbiting companion star may have carved out these rings as it passed through the outer layers of the primary star’s expanding envelope, leaving behind a pattern much like ripples in a pond.&nbsp;



Another possibility is that the main star itself may have gone through pulsations, shedding material in evenly spaced intervals, each separated by millennia.



The red areas in the near-infrared and blue areas in the mid-infrared both highlight cold molecular gas - most likely molecular hydrogen.&nbsp;



Closer to the center, astronomers see hot, ionized gas glowing brightly. This layered combination of temperatures and gases offers insight into how the star has evolved over time and what forces are at work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cycle-of-life">The cycle of life</h2>



Eventually, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebula</a> will fade. The hot central core will cool and shrink into a white dwarf, and the glowing gas will disperse into the interstellar medium. But it doesn’t just vanish. That material - now enriched with heavier elements forged inside the star - will go on to seed future <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/hubble-captures-a-stunning-stellar-nursery/">stars</a>, planets, and maybe even life.



This is part of a larger cosmic cycle, and NGC 6072 is helping scientists understand it better. The fact that it doesn’t follow a simple, symmetrical pattern is actually a big deal.&nbsp;



The more astronomers study these oddly shaped nebulae, the more they can learn about the role of companion stars, stellar winds, and other forces in shaping the final acts of stellar life.



Astronomers studying NGC 6072 with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-galaxies-revealed-in-a-single-webb-image/">Webb</a> want to learn more about the full life cycle of stars and how they impact their surrounding environments. That includes understanding how stars lose up to 80 percent of their mass in these final stages and how that material gets recycled into the universe.



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI



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What we can learn from dying stars and their stunning light shows

Today's Image of the Day from the James Webb Space...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1559, located around 35 million light-years away in the southern constellation Reticulum. The image was captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.&nbsp;



"The data featured in this portrait make use of two of Webb’s instruments: the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) and Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam)," noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



"Here MIRI captures the glow of interstellar dust grains, which trace out the interstellar medium, the fuel for future star formation. NIRCam shows the light from stars, even young stars hidden behind prodigious amounts of dust. NIRCam also captures emission from ionized nebulae around young stars."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-reveals-galaxies-in-new-light">Webb reveals galaxies in new light</h2>



The data was collected by the <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/phangs/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PHANGS team</a> as part of a program in which Webb will observe 55 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/james-webb-captures-galaxies-that-are-too-old-to-exist/">galaxies</a> that have also been mapped by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. 



ESA said that by combining Webb’s unprecedented view of the dust and stars with data from these other facilities, the team aims to obtain a new, highly detailed view of how stars are born, live, and die in galaxies across the Universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ngc-1559-a-loner-in-space">NGC 1559: A loner in space</h2>



Although NGC 1559 appears to sit close to one of our nearest neighbors in the sky - the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - this is just a trick of perspective, noted ESA.



While it is part of the Reticulum constellation, NGC 1559 is not part of the Local Group of galaxies but instead resides in a more distant region of space.



"In reality, NGC 1559 is physically nowhere near the LMC in space; in fact it truly is a loner, lacking the company of any nearby galaxies or membership of any galaxy cluster," said ESA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-formation-in-ngc-1559">Star formation in NGC 1559</h2>



NGC 1559 is notable for its active star formation and strong magnetic fields. It has also been the site of several <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernovae</a>, making it of particular interest to astronomers who study the life cycle of stars.



The structure of NGC 1559 includes well-defined spiral arms that contain young, hot stars and regions of ionized gas, indicative of ongoing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-is-starving-its-host-galaxy-of-star-forming-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-extragalactic-wonder">An extragalactic wonder</h2>



Despite being relatively small compared to larger galaxies like the Milky Way, NGC 1559 is an important object for understanding how barred spiral galaxies evolve and the processes that trigger supernovae.



The galaxy’s remote location and active nature make it a fascinating subject of study in the field of extragalactic astronomy. 



The isolation of NGC 1559 allows for a clearer view of its structure without much interference from neighboring galaxies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-barred-spiral-galaxies">Barred spiral galaxies</h2>



Barred spiral galaxies are a type of spiral galaxy characterized by a central bar-shaped structure composed of stars. This bar extends out from the core and connects to the galaxy's spiral arms, which swirl outward in a graceful pattern.



Scientists believe that the bar plays a crucial role in the evolution of the galaxy, funneling gas towards the core and potentially triggering star formation or feeding a central black hole. 



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newly-discovered-stars-milky-way-are-old-as-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>, our own galaxy, is an example of a barred spiral. These galaxies are quite common in the universe, making up about two-thirds of all observed spiral galaxies.



The bar itself is thought to be a temporary feature, developing as the galaxy matures and possibly disappearing over time as the dynamics of the stars change. 



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



Reticulum is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name means "the reticle" in Latin, which refers to the crosshairs in an eyepiece of a telescope.



The constellation was named in the 18th century by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille to honor the reticle he used in his scientific instruments. It is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union.



Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, A. Leroy, J. Lee and the PHANGS Team



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Spiral galaxy glows with young stars and interstellar dust

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

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a stunning transformation across the western Barents Sea on August 5, 2025. 



Tiny, plant-like organisms known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-phytoplankton-that-feed-ocean-life-are-rapidly-disappearing/">phytoplankton</a> surged near the ocean’s surface, forming a colorful bloom visible from space.&nbsp;



Captured by NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite, the bloom swirled around Bear Island, part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. 



Bear Island lies roughly halfway between Spitsbergen, the archipelago’s largest island, and mainland Norway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phytoplankton-s-seasonal-rhythm">Phytoplankton’s seasonal rhythm</h2>



Phytoplankton, though microscopic, play a major role in the marine ecosystem. Their seasonal blooms support countless species of fish and zooplankton.



Phytoplankton also contribute to the global carbon cycle and produce a significant portion of the oxygen we breathe. These tiny organisms are vital for both local and planetary health.



The Barents Sea experiences two main phytoplankton bloom seasons each year. Diatoms, which are a type of single-celled algae with silica shells, appear first in May and June.&nbsp;



Later, in August, coccolithophores emerge. These organisms thrive as nutrients are depleted and the surface waters warm and stratify.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forces-behind-phytoplankton-blooms">Forces behind phytoplankton blooms</h2>



The striking turquoise color of the recent bloom likely comes from coccolithophores, specifically Gephyrocapsa huxleyi. These organisms are encased in calcium carbonate plates, which reflect sunlight and give the water its distinctive color. 



Other shades visible in the bloom may come from floating sediment and different phytoplankton <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/">species</a>. Diatoms, for example, often tint the water green.



Researchers have long studied how environmental factors influence phytoplankton blooms. Water flowing in from North Atlantic currents plays a major role in shaping the location and extent of G. huxleyi blooms in this area. 



According to <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154651/bloom-time-in-the-barents-sea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, scientists are particularly interested in how “Atlantification” - the warming and changing circulation of Arctic waters - could alter the marine food web and biogeochemical cycles of the region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-base-of-the-food-web-nbsp">The base of the food web&nbsp;</h2>



Coccolithophores and other phytoplankton form the base of the marine food web, supporting small zooplankton that are themselves a key food source for fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.&nbsp;



In the Barents Sea, this web is the lifeline for commercial fisheries and species such as cod, capelin, and herring. Any change in phytoplankton abundance or composition can ripple through the ecosystem, affecting species from the tiniest shrimp to large predatory fish.



Beyond their role as a food source, coccolithophores contribute to carbon cycling. When they die, their calcium carbonate shells sink to the ocean floor, sequestering carbon in deep waters.&nbsp;



This natural process helps regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide, linking Arctic phytoplankton <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/">blooms</a> to broader climate systems. They also produce oxygen through photosynthesis, reinforcing the ocean’s role as a life-support system for Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-blooms-from-space">Tracking blooms from space</h2>



The August 2025 bloom highlights how modern technology allows scientists to monitor marine ecosystems in near real-time.&nbsp;



MODIS, the sensor aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite, detects the color and extent of phytoplankton blooms from orbit, providing crucial data for understanding seasonal patterns and ecological shifts.&nbsp;



Satellite observations, combined with in-water measurements, provide a comprehensive picture of how phytoplankton respond to environmental changes.



Experts emphasize that phytoplankton are not just passive indicators of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-marine-heatwaves-impact-ocean-health/">ocean health</a>. Their blooms reflect the underlying dynamics of water movement, temperature, and nutrient availability. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-of-atlantification">Impacts of Atlantification</h2>



As Arctic waters continue to warm and Atlantic currents penetrate further north, the region’s marine ecosystems may experience significant shifts.&nbsp;



Coccolithophore blooms, for example, could become more frequent or widespread, altering food web dynamics and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-weaker-ocean-will-release-more-carbon-into-the-atmosphere/">carbon cycling</a>.&nbsp;



Scientists are closely monitoring these trends to predict how fisheries, nutrient distribution, and ecosystem health might change in coming decades.



For now, the August 2025 bloom serves as a vivid reminder of the Arctic Ocean’s intricate web of life.&nbsp;



From microscopic algae to commercial fish stocks, these seasonal blooms shape the rhythms of life in one of Earth’s most extreme environments. They are both a signal of ecological change and a testament to the delicate balance of life in Arctic waters.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Phytoplankton bloom transforms the Barents Sea 

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a stunning view of the spiral galaxy NGC 1309 captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. 



The galaxy, located about 100 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Eridanus, shines with bluish stars and trails of dusty gas.



The real fascination lies not just in how NGC 1309 looks - it’s what happened there that keeps astronomers coming back.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-galaxies-revealed-in-a-single-webb-image/">galaxy</a> has been a familiar subject for Hubble, appearing in images released in both 2006 and 2014. That continued interest isn’t just because it’s photogenic.&nbsp;



NGC 1309 is a site of rare astronomical events that have helped researchers understand what happens when stars die, and in one case, what happens when they don't quite finish the job.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hundreds-of-galaxies-surround-ngc-1309">Hundreds of galaxies surround NGC 1309</h2>



Hubble’s newest look at NGC 1309 captures more than just one galaxy. As ESA noted, countless distant galaxies are visible in the background of the image.&nbsp;



But one sharp point of light stands out near the top of the frame. It’s not a galaxy, but a nearby star from our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-galaxy-may-be-inside-a-giant-void-in-the-universe-explains-hubble-tension/">Milky Way</a>, just a few thousand light-years away.



“This stunning Hubble image encompasses NGC 1309’s bluish stars, dark brown gas clouds and pearly white centre, as well as hundreds of distant background galaxies,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/08/A_supernova-rich_spiral#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=8d9474de-58be-45fd-9fca-2f9985620200" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“Nearly every smudge, streak and blob of light in this image is an individual galaxy. The only exception to the extragalactic ensemble is a star, which can be identified near the top of the frame by its diffraction spikes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-unusual-story-of-ngc-1309">The unusual story of NGC 1309</h2>



Even though the view is crowded, all eyes are on NGC 1309. This galaxy gained attention after two significant explosions lit it up in the past few decades. The first, a textbook Type Ia supernova named SN 2002fk, occurred in 2002.&nbsp;



These types of supernovae are known for being reliable “standard candles” that help astronomers measure cosmic distances. They happen when a white dwarf - the leftover core of a dead star - gets pushed past its limit and explodes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supernova-that-left-something-behind">Supernova that left something behind</h2>



In 2012, Hubble detected a second <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernovae-explosions-seem-to-have-altered-earths-climate-in-the-past-and-could-do-so-again-at-any-time/">supernova</a> in NGC 1309 - SN 2012Z. This one threw scientists a curveball. On the surface, it looked like another Type Ia event, but its brightness didn’t quite measure up. It turned out to be part of a lesser-known category called Type Iax supernovae.



Unlike typical Type Ia explosions, SN 2012Z didn’t tear the white dwarf completely apart. What was left behind surprised astronomers: a “zombie star.”&nbsp;



Instead of fading into the background, the star remained - and it actually became brighter after the explosion. That’s not something astronomers were expecting to see.



This discovery made NGC 1309 the site of something that had never been captured before: the exact white dwarf that triggered a supernova, seen in images taken before the explosion.&nbsp;



Usually, supernovae are identified after the fact, based on the light they release. But in this case, the star was already in Hubble’s earlier images of the galaxy. That allowed scientists to link the before-and-after views in a way they’d never been able to do.



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



Studying supernovae helps astronomers learn about the life cycles of stars, and how the elements created in those explosions spread through galaxies.&nbsp;



Type Ia supernovae, in particular, have been crucial for measuring how fast the universe is expanding. But Type Iax <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-travels-back-in-time-to-better-understand-supernovae-science/">events</a> like SN 2012Z add a wrinkle to that story.



These smaller explosions don’t follow the usual rules. They’re dimmer, take longer to unfold, and - as SN 2012Z revealed - they might not mark the end of a star’s life. 



Ultimately, weaker explosions are less reliable for measuring distances in space. But they offer something different: a look at what could happen when a supernova doesn’t finish the job.



Observing a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hungry-white-dwarf-stars-eat-heavy-metals/">white dwarf</a> that somehow survives its own explosion gives scientists a chance to rethink their models. Maybe some stars don’t die as completely as once thought. Maybe there’s a middle ground between a full explosion and a quiet fade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-s-long-memory-pays-off">Hubble’s long memory pays off</h2>



Thanks to its sharp vision and longevity, the Hubble Space Telescope has been able to watch NGC 1309 across decades. The long record made it possible to notice changes and connect the dots between past and present.&nbsp;



Even though newer telescopes like the <a href="https://webbtelescope.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a> are joining the game, Hubble still has a key role.&nbsp;



Hubble's deep image of NGC 1309 is a map of astronomical history - and in this case, a rare chance to catch a supernova before and after its big moment.



Image Credit: ESA



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Hubble captures a star that survived its own explosion 

Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a persistent algae bloom along the coastline of South Australia near Adelaide. For more than five months, the waters have been marked by the unusual phenomenon. 



A bloom of microscopic organisms, almost invisible to the naked eye, has painted the sea with hints of yellow-green, signaling an ecological shift that scientists have been watching closely.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-persistent-bloom-near-australia">Persistent bloom near Australia </h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-ocean-turning-green-thanks-to-climate-change-algae-blooms/">bloom</a> began in mid-March around the Fleurieu Peninsula and has yet to fade away. Its persistence has raised alarms for both marine ecosystems and people living along the coast.



The culprit behind this event is a dinoflagellate called Karenia mikimotoi. Although this algae is not classified as toxic to humans, it can still cause skin and eye irritation, along with respiratory discomfort for those who spend time near the shore.&nbsp;



For marine animals, however, the impact is far more serious. The bloom can damage fish gills, suffocating entire populations and threatening local fisheries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heatwaves-and-unstable-seas">Heatwaves and unstable seas</h2>



The Government of South Australia has linked the prolonged bloom to an equally persistent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">marine heatwave</a>. Since September 2024, southern waters have been unusually warm, setting the stage for algal growth on an unprecedented scale.&nbsp;



Warm conditions, paired with calm and nutrient-rich waters, create an ideal environment for Karenia mikimotoi to thrive.



The species flourishes in stratified waters. When the ocean layers remain stable, sunlight penetrates the surface while nutrients accumulate in the shallows.&nbsp;



That balance, while favorable for algae, disrupts the natural cycles that coastal ecosystems depend on. Once blooms like this take hold, they can be extremely difficult to break.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-closer-look-from-space">A closer look from space</h2>



While the bloom has unfolded along South Australia’s coast, the story is being told from far above.&nbsp;



Satellites orbiting Earth now act as essential sentinels, offering wide-ranging views that scientists on the ground could never achieve alone.&nbsp;



The Copernicus <a href="https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sentinel-3</a> mission, equipped with its Ocean and Land Colour Instrument, has been tracking this bloom with remarkable precision. By measuring chlorophyll-a, which is a pigment that signals the presence of algae, researchers have been able to map the bloom’s reach and intensity.



Satellite data has become more than just a monitoring tool. It provides decision-makers with early warnings and helps governments respond faster to environmental changes that might otherwise go unnoticed. 



In this case, the <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extended bloom</a> highlights the importance of pairing ground-based studies with large-scale observations from orbit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-long-algae-blooms-matter">Why long algae blooms matter</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-have-caused-toxic-algae-blooms-since-the-bronze-age/">Algal blooms</a> are not unusual in coastal waters, but their duration and scale often dictate their impact. Short-lived blooms may come and go without causing much disruption.&nbsp;



Extended events like the one unfolding near Adelaide are different. They alter food webs, reduce oxygen levels, and can trigger cascading effects across entire marine ecosystems.



Fisheries are among the first sectors to feel the strain. When fish die in large numbers, not only do local communities face economic losses, but the region’s biodiversity also suffers. Recovery can take years, especially when multiple species are affected.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-uncertain-future">An uncertain future</h2>



The South Australian bloom is part of a larger story unfolding worldwide. As oceans warm and marine heatwaves become more frequent, conditions that favor harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/algae-that-thrives-on-ice-plays-an-unexpected-role-in-glacier-melting/">algae</a> are expected to expand.&nbsp;



Blooms that once occurred sporadically may become seasonal features. For coastal communities, this means preparing for more frequent disruptions to fisheries, tourism, and public health.



Even as scientists work to understand the mechanics of Karenia mikimotoi blooms, the bigger picture points to climate change as a driving force.&nbsp;



Marine systems are highly dynamic, and shifts in temperature, currents, and nutrient flow create openings for species that thrive in disturbance.&nbsp;



The bloom near Adelaide may be a local event, but it represents global challenges that are becoming harder to ignore.



Image Credit: Copernicus Sentinel data (2025), processed by ESA



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Algae bloom lingers for months off Australia 

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

Modern society runs on metals, from skyscrapers to smartphones. Among them, aluminum stands out as both lightweight and energy-intensive to produce.



Recycling aluminum saves enormous amounts of energy compared to mining it, yet the auto industry faces a looming crisis. As the world races toward electric vehicles, the way we recycle car scrap may no longer work.



Cars have long provided a steady flow of aluminum to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-scientists-are-using-air-to-recycle-plastic/">recycling</a> chain. For decades, most of that material returned as engine blocks in new combustion engines. But what happens when those engines disappear?



Without an outlet, millions of tons of aluminum scrap could pile up, creating waste mountains and forcing industries to mine more virgin aluminum. That path would undo decades of progress in reducing emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aluminum-recycling-problem">Aluminum recycling problem</h2>



The problem is pressing. Electric cars require fewer traditional engine parts, which once served as the main destination for recycled aluminum.



Stefan Pogatscher at the <a href="https://www.unileoben.ac.at/en/technical-university-of-leoben/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leoben</a> noted that if the engine blocks go away because of electrification, there is currently no sink for the scrap, and it cannot be used any more.



The global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/">impact</a> is massive. Europe alone generates between 7 and 9 million tons of aluminum waste from cars each year. 



Without a solution, this scrap risks being discarded or down-cycled, while the industry continues producing carbon-heavy aluminum for new electric vehicle components.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-recycling-method">New recycling method</h2>



Pogatscher and his colleagues believe they have a solution. Instead of separating aluminum into multiple recycling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/disturbingly-small-amount-of-plastic-recycling-done-around-the-world/">streams</a>, their method involves melting all scrap alloys together in one process.



Modern cars can contain up to 40 different aluminum alloys, and traditional recycling depends on sorting them. The new process accepts everything at once, impurities included, and melts it down in bulk.



Initially, this produces a brittle slab - one that Pogatscher describes as more like a ceramic than like a metal. 



At first glance, the material looks unusable. But his team discovered that reheating the slab to about 500°C (932°F) for 24 hours transforms its internal structure. The once fragile alloy becomes stronger, ductile, and surprisingly versatile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recycled-material-with-added-strength">Recycled material with added strength </h2>



The transformation impressed the researchers. Pogatscher said that in some cases, you end up with mechanical properties that are better than what is out there for primary-made wrought alloys.



This means that the recycled material not only matches but sometimes exceeds the strength of freshly mined aluminum.



Such alloys could serve in structural parts of cars, including chassis and frames. Better yet, the process is compatible with existing industrial equipment. This compatibility could make scaling up far easier than previous attempts at advanced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/">recycling</a>.



Still, Pogatscher admits that persuading a cautious industry to adopt a new material will take time. The team is already in talks with manufacturers, hoping to prove that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-doubts-related-to-aluminum-recycling">Doubts related to aluminum recycling</h2>



The research has caught attention, though experts remain cautious. Geoffrey Scamans at <a href="https://www.brunel.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brunel University of London</a> described the work as “very interesting” but emphasized the need for rigorous testing. 



Car body parts face strict performance standards, and recycled alloys must pass every measure before entering production.



Scamans raised another concern about consistency. Since vehicles are scrapped at random, each batch of material could vary significantly. This unpredictability may complicate efforts to deliver reliable, high-grade alloys at scale.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-control">Challenges in control</h2>



Mark Schlesinger from the <a href="https://www.mst.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Missouri University of Science and Technology</a> highlighted another obstacle. He noted that while melting scrap together sounds efficient, chemistry cannot be left unchecked.



Schlesinger said that simply throwing scrap into a furnace at random and melting it down will not produce an acceptable product. Manufacturers will still need to identify and regulate alloy content, which could increase costs.



This requirement adds complexity to a process meant to simplify recycling. Careful monitoring, perhaps through new sorting technologies or chemical tracking systems, may be essential. 



Without such measures, the recycled alloys could fall short of industry expectations and stall adoption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-waste-and-emissions">Reducing waste and emissions</h2>



Despite these hurdles, the potential impact remains significant. Producing virgin aluminum is one of the most energy-intensive industrial processes, responsible for substantial carbon emissions worldwide.



Redirecting millions of tons of car scrap into high-performance alloys would reduce both waste and emissions.



In Europe, the numbers alone are compelling. Preventing 7 to 9 million tons of scrap from being wasted each year could reshape the environmental footprint of the auto industry. 



If the process proves scalable, it may inspire similar systems across other industries that depend heavily on aluminum.



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



Pogatscher’s team has shown what is possible when recycling is reimagined. Their method could offer the car industry a lifeline, turning waste into a resource for the next generation of vehicles. 



Yet challenges remain, from maintaining consistency to convincing manufacturers to trust a new material.



The coming years will determine whether this breakthrough reshapes aluminum recycling or remains a promising experiment.



What is clear is that the stakes are high. Finding a way to keep scrap aluminum in circulation could prevent vast emissions and help the auto industry transition into a cleaner, more sustainable future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-7059967/v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research Square</a>.



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New recycling method turns scrap cars into high-grade aluminum to build new electric cars

Modern society runs on metals, from skyscrapers to smartphones. Among...

Fossils sometimes rewrite the rules of history. In Staffordshire’s Carboniferous rocks, scientists discovered a 310-million-year-old ray-finned fish that carried extra teeth deep inside its mouth. 



The fossil, Platysomus parvulus, reveals one of the earliest examples of a tongue bite mechanism - a feeding innovation that allowed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-fish-bones-reveal-clues-about-the-evolution-of-eating/">fish</a> to process prey in entirely new ways.



Platysomus parvulus used a specialized set of teeth on the floor and roof of its mouth to crush hard prey such as shells and insects. 



Unlike most fish that rely on jaws, this ancient species supplemented its bite with opposing tooth plates, creating a powerful second chewing surface.



Today, similar mechanisms exist in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/photos-of-prehistoric-latimeria-menadoensis-coelacanth-fish-thought-extinct-for-70-million-years/">groups</a> like bonefish and trout, but Platysomus pushes the origin of this strategy back over 150 million years, showing early experimentation in feeding methods that shaped evolutionary success.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-the-bite-mechanism">Evolution of the bite mechanism </h2>



The fossil shows a lower tooth plate made of multiple pieces opposing a narrow upper plate. Both carried a single layer of pointed teeth, suggesting a primitive stage in tongue bite <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-fish-had-flexible-joints-like-humans/">evolution</a>. 



These early arrangements were less efficient than the later crushing plates but reveal the first stages of experimentation with prey processing.



By relying on pointed cusps arranged in rows, Platysomus could grip and pierce softer shells or insect cuticles, though it lacked the durability of thicker, layered structures. 



This demonstrates how evolutionary progress often began with modest modifications that opened the door to more powerful innovations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steps-of-feeding-system-specialization">Steps of feeding system specialization</h2>



Later fish such as bobasatraniids developed consolidated plates with multiple tooth generations, forming advanced crushing tools ideal for hard food. 



Their dense, layered arrangements allowed them to grind down even the toughest prey, including mollusks and heavily armored crustaceans.



The stepwise assembly highlights how feeding systems gradually grew more specialized, shifting from simple gripping mechanisms to elaborate crushing complexes. 



The progression also shows that functional changes in the mouth and gill skeleton did not appear all at once but emerged through a sequence of refinements, each offering a survival advantage in ecosystems filled with competition and changing food resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-how-fish-evolved">Understanding how fish evolved</h2>



Study lead author Professor Sam Giles is a&nbsp;professor of palaeobiology the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Birmingham</a>.



“Our discovery helps us understand how fish evolved after the End-Devonian Mass Extinction, which wiped out many species. After this extinction event, fish started to change and develop new body shapes and ways of feeding,” noted Professor Giles. 



“Tongue bites have evolved many times in different fish groups - including in modern ones such as trout and bonefish, demonstrating that it is a useful tool that helps fish eat a wider variety of food and survive in different environments.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unusual-traits-of-platysomus-parvulus">Unusual traits of Platysomus parvulus</h2>



Unlike later <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-fish-coelacanth-presumed-extinct-for-60-million-years-before-rediscovery/">species</a> that abandoned their jaws, Platysomus still used them alongside its tongue bite. Researchers suggest this dual system was an evolutionary bridge between simple jawed fish and later specialists that relied entirely on the tongue bite.



The preserved skull also shows unusual traits, such as an enclosed spiracular canal, linking Platysomus to bobasatraniids while keeping its own primitive features.



“Later fish, like the Bobasatrania group, had more advanced tongue bites and did not use their jaws at all, relying on their tongue bite to crush hard food," noted study co-author Dr Matthew Kolmann from the&nbsp;<a href="https://louisville.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Louisville</a>.



"Platysomus parvulus is like a missing link between simple jawed fish and more advanced tongue-biters." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-feeding-strategies">Fish feeding strategies</h2>



The Carboniferous period marked a burst of anatomical experimentation among ray-finned fishes. Platysomus arrived after other lineages had already evolved traits for eating hard prey, including beak-like jaws and dense dental plates. 



Its delayed but distinct tongue bite adds to the evidence that feeding strategies diversified over millions of years rather than in a single burst.



“Tongue bites are just one of many feeding innovations that emerged during this time. This fish represents a key evolutionary step and helps us understand how ancient ecosystems functioned and how modern fish lineages came to be,” said co-author Professor Matt Friedman from the&nbsp;<a href="https://umich.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Michigan</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tongue-bite-evolution-in-fish">Tongue bite evolution in fish</h2>



The study supports the long-fuse model of diversification, where changes unfolded gradually after the End-Devonian extinction. Platysomus parvulus captures an early experiment in prey processing, one that set the stage for later groups. 



Its mix of primitive jaws and developing tongue bite illustrates how survival often depended on combining old tools with new innovations, highlighting that evolutionary progress was not sudden but built through steady adaptations that prepared species for shifting ecosystems and long-term survival challenges. 



This discovery also suggests that ancient fishes were experimenting with different feeding strategies far earlier than once believed, proving that the ecological pressures of the time sparked a wave of gradual but transformative change. 



By linking primitive traits with emerging specializations, Platysomus parvulus shows how evolution often works as a stepwise process, bridging the gap between survival after mass extinction and the flourishing of complex ecosystems millions of years later.



The study is published in the journal Biology Letters and <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.10.653277v1.full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bioRxiv</a>..



Image Credit: Joschua Knüppe



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Fossil reveals earliest-known "tongue bite" eating style in a fish that lived 310 million years ago

Fossils sometimes rewrite the rules of history. In Staffordshire’s Carboniferous...

Solar flares are the Sun at full volume - sudden bursts of magnetic energy that can supercharge Earth’s upper atmosphere, disrupt radio signals, and threaten satellites and astronauts. 



For decades, physicists have known that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-high-resolution-solar-flare-images-reveal-the-suns-hidden-magnetic-forces/">flare plasma</a> gets incredibly hot, but exactly how different particles heat up - and why certain spectral fingerprints look “too wide” to explain - has remained a nagging mystery since the 1970s.



A new study led by Alexander Russell at the <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of St Andrews</a> offers a clean, intuitive answer: during key phases of a flare, the ions are far hotter than the electrons. 



Not just a little hotter - about 6.5 times hotter, with ion temperatures likely exceeding 60 million degrees Kelvin.



The team argues that this simple shift in perspective neatly explains why many flare emission lines appear broader than expected, without needing to invoke large, persistent turbulence.



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



Solar plasma is a soup of charged particles - lightweight, negatively charged electrons and much heavier, positively charged ions (think iron, calcium, and other elements stripped of electrons).



Historically, many solar models assumed that electrons and ions quickly share energy and settle to a common temperature. That assumption made the math tidy, but it may not reflect reality during a flare’s most dynamic moments.



Russell’s team revisited basic heating physics in flares and drew on a growing body of evidence from space plasmas closer to home.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-ions-and-solar-flares">Hot ions and solar flares</h2>



Across the solar wind and near-Earth space, a process called magnetic reconnection - where stressed magnetic field lines snap and rapidly rejoin - has been observed to heat ions far more than electrons, following a surprisingly consistent ratio.&nbsp;



“We were excited by recent discoveries that a process called magnetic reconnection heats ions 6.5 times as much as electrons," Russell explained.



"This appears to be a universal law, and it has been confirmed in near-Earth space, the solar wind and computer simulations. However, nobody had previously connected work in those fields to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-high-resolution-solar-flare-images-reveal-the-suns-hidden-magnetic-forces/">solar flares</a>.



Carry that rule of thumb to the Sun and you get a dramatic, testable prediction: early in a flare and high above the bright loop of hot plasma it creates, the ion temperature can soar past 60 million K, remaining much higher than the electron temperature for tens of minutes.&nbsp;



That temperature split matters because it changes how we interpret what telescopes see. Spectral lines - bright features at specific ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths - get wider when the particles emitting them are hotter and moving faster. 



For nearly 50 years, those “too-wide” lines were usually blamed on unresolved turbulent motions. The new work suggests super-hot ions could be responsible for a big share of that extra width.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solving-an-astrophysics-mystery">Solving an astrophysics mystery</h2>



If ions are smoking-hot, they jiggle more rapidly, and the light they emit spreads over a wider range of wavelengths. 



That broadening can look exactly like turbulence, which led to decades of debate about what, physically, was stirring flare plasma so vigorously. 



Russell’s team lays out why ion-heavy heating at the onset of flares - and in the above-the-loop-top region where reconnection outflows crash into denser plasma - naturally produces the observed line widths.&nbsp;



“What’s more, the new ion temperature fits well with the width of flare spectral lines, potentially solving an astrophysics mystery that has stood for nearly half a century," noted Russell. 



A key enabler of this explanation is timescale. In the dense, cooling loops that form after a flare brightens, ions and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-pinpoint-how-the-sun-unleashes-electron-storms/">electrons</a> collide often enough to share energy and equalize temperatures relatively quickly.&nbsp;



But higher up, where densities are lower, collisions are rarer. That means the ion-electron temperature gap can persist long enough to leave a clear imprint on the flare’s spectrum.&nbsp;



The paper argues that past estimates of equilibration were often based on the dense loop conditions - not the more rarefied, earlier or higher regions where reconnection does its fiercest work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-and-future-observations">Past and future observations</h2>



The elegance of the proposal is that it doesn’t require radical new physics. It borrows a well-supported heating ratio from reconnection studies in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-storms-experts-identify-the-mysterious-source-of-solar-wind/">solar wind</a> and Earth’s magnetosphere and simply applies it where reconnection is strongest on the Sun.&nbsp;



The result is a unified picture: reconnection preferentially energizes ions; low densities up high let that temperature advantage survive; and hot ions inflate spectral lines that have long looked “non-thermal.”



If correct, the idea reshapes how researchers interpret past observations and plan future ones. Instruments that separate lines from different ions (and compare them with electron-sensitive diagnostics) could directly test whether line widths track the higher ion temperature rather than turbulence.



This new concept also encourages modelers to let ions and electrons evolve separately in the crucial early minutes of a flare, instead of forcing them to share a single temperature from the start.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-weather-made-a-bit-clearer">Space weather, made a bit clearer</h2>



This is more than a bookkeeping fix. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/electron-activity-in-auroras-will-help-us-understand-space-weather/">Space weather</a> forecasts depend on how quickly and how hot flare plasmas get, because the resulting radiation and particle storms determine how much they can disturb Earth’s ionosphere and threaten spacecraft.



If ions get the lion’s share of heat at first, that affects energy transport, shock formation, and particle acceleration - the seeds of the most disruptive events.



The study also suggests new observational sweet spots. Look early, when the flare is just switching on. Look above the bright loop tops, where reconnection outflows crash and churn. 



Furthermore, look at line widths from multiple ions, comparing them with electron-temperature diagnostics. If the widths line up with a ~6.5:1 ion-to-electron temperature split, that’s a powerful fingerprint.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-look-at-solar-flares">A new look at solar flares</h2>



Solar physics has long assumed that ions and electrons quickly come to the same temperature in flares. 



Russell and colleagues show that dropping that assumption - especially during the flare onset and in the high, thin plasma above the loops - solves a stubborn spectral riddle with one straightforward, physically motivated change: ions are simply much hotter.&nbsp;



It’s a tidy answer that ties the Sun’s fiercest moments to a “universal” reconnection rule measured throughout near-Earth space, and it gives observers and modelers a clear roadmap for cracking open one of heliophysics’ longest-running mysteries.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adf74a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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Solar flares are hotter than we ever thought possible

Solar flares are the Sun at full volume - sudden...

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