<p>Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features IRAS 04302, a young star wrapped in a massive planet-forming disc about 525 light-years away in the Taurus star-forming region.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The young star sits deep in a dark cloud, hidden behind a veil of dusty gas. The material around it is raw fuel for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-formation-new-insights-mechanics-physics/">planet formation</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The birth of planets is not something we can watch unfold in real time. It takes millions of years for the ingredients of a solar system to come together.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Still, astronomers can get snapshots of these processes by turning powerful telescopes toward stellar nurseries. This <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">image</a> from the James Webb Space Telescope offers an intimate look at one of the most striking planet-forming discs ever seen.</p>



<p>What Webb shows us is not only beautiful, but also a clue to how our own Solar System may have looked some 4.5 billion years ago.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-protostar-wrapped-in-dust">A protostar wrapped in dust</h2>



<p>At the heart of the IRAS 04302 system lies a protostar - a star still in the process of gathering mass. Around it is a giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">protoplanetary disc</a> that Webb has measured at about 65 billion miles across, several times wider than the Solar System we know.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is the environment where planets might be taking shape, as dust grains collide, stick together, and gradually grow into larger bodies.</p>



<p>From Webb’s vantage point, the disc is tilted edge-on. That angle creates a dark band across the image, blocking light from the star itself.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The shadow is not empty space. It is packed with dust and gas, the very material that could eventually give rise to planets. Scientists can use this perspective to study the vertical structure of the disc, including how efficiently dust settles toward its midplane - a process essential for building worlds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-butterfly-star">The Butterfly Star</h2>



<p>The striking appearance of IRAS 04302 has earned it a nickname: the Butterfly Star. The dense streak of dust bisects the view, while two glowing wings stretch above and below.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These wings are reflection <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebulas</a>, lit up by starlight bouncing off surrounding clouds. They provide a softer glow that contrasts with the sharp dark lane running through the middle.</p>



<p>Seen from a different angle, protoplanetary discs often reveal features such as rings, gaps, or spirals. These patterns may point to baby planets carving out paths, or to other processes like gravitational instabilities.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The edge-on view here does not highlight those structures, but instead gives a rare look at the thickness of the disc itself.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stellar-system-in-transition-nbsp">Stellar system in transition&nbsp;</h2>



<p>To capture this image, astronomers combined data from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera and Mid-Infrared Instrument with optical observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. Each tool adds its own piece of the puzzle.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/">Webb</a> is especially sensitive to the distribution of fine dust grains and the scattering of infrared light over great distances. Hubble, meanwhile, picks out sharp details in the dust lane and reveals clumps and streaks that hint at jets and outflows still erupting from the star.</p>



<p>Together, these telescopes show a stellar system in transition. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gas-streamers-may-help-high-mass-stars-grow-despite-strong-radiation/">protostar</a> is still feeding on its surroundings, but it is also shaping them with energy and motion. That push and pull is part of how young stars mature and carve out the conditions for planets to emerge.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-first-steps-of-planet-formation">The first steps of planet formation</h2>



<p>IRAS 04302 is one of four discs studied as part of Webb’s General Observer program #2562. The program focuses on discs oriented edge-on, since those views allow scientists to measure how dust grains evolve over time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Dust growth is believed to be a crucial early step toward making planets. By watching how particles settle into dense midplanes, researchers can begin to reconstruct the timeline of planetary birth.</p>



<p>The Taurus region is a well-known nursery where dozens of young stars are found. Observing IRAS 04302 in such detail adds to our understanding of how stars and planets are connected.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Every glimpse like this one helps astronomers piece together the story of how ordinary gas and dust can turn into complex systems of worlds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-back-to-our-own-beginnings">Looking back to our own beginnings</h2>



<p>Although IRAS 04302 is hundreds of light-years away, it offers a mirror to our past. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-our-sun-is-unusually-calm-and-what-that-means-for-earth/">Sun</a> once sat inside its own cloud of dust, pulling in material while planets assembled around it.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Seeing another star at a similar stage helps remind us that solar systems are not accidents. They are natural outcomes of star formation, happening again and again across the galaxy.</p>



<p>The Butterfly Star is still in its infancy, and any planets taking shape there are far from complete. Yet in its shadowed disc and glowing wings, we catch a glimpse of the processes that once shaped Earth.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, M. Villenave et al.</p>



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Butterfly Star shows off its planet-forming disc

Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features IRAS 04302, a young star wrapped in a massive planet-forming disc about 525 light-years away in the Taurus star-forming region.&nbsp; The young star sits deep in a dark cloud, hidden behind a veil of dusty gas. The material around it is raw fuel for planet formation.&nbsp; The birth of planets is not something we can watch unfold in real time. It takes millions of years for the ingredients of a solar system...

<p>Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Butterfly Nebula, located about 3,400 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It’s what astronomers call a planetary nebula - the brief phase when a dying star sheds its outer layers into space.</p>



<p>Despite the name, planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets. Early astronomers thought these glowing shells looked round, like distant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">worlds</a> seen through primitive telescopes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The name stuck, even though many nebulae are anything but round. The Butterfly Nebula, with its outstretched “wings” of gas and dust, is a perfect example.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-butterfly-with-a-hidden-heart">Butterfly with a hidden heart</h2>



<p>At the center of this spectacular cloud lies the remnant of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sun-like-stars-release-massive-superflares-every-100-years/">Sun-like star</a>. It has burned through its fuel and shed most of its mass, leaving behind a blazing hot core.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The star energizes the nebula, making it glow across the spectrum. Yet until recently, the star itself remained hidden.</p>



<p>A dark band of dust and gas cuts through the nebula like the “body” of the butterfly. This band is actually a torus, a doughnut-shaped structure that blocks visible light.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The torus shapes the nebula by forcing gas outward in two opposite directions, creating the iconic bipolar wings. It also conceals the central star from optical view.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-telescope-brings-clarity">Webb telescope brings clarity</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a> has now pierced the dust with its Mid-Infrared Instrument, offering the sharpest view yet of the nebula’s core. </p>



<p>By working in “integral field unit mode,” Webb captured <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb/Webb_investigates_complex_heart_of_a_cosmic_butterfly" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">images</a> and spectra at multiple wavelengths simultaneously. The result is a detailed portrait of how the nebula looks in different slices of light.</p>



<p>The team also added data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile, which revealed colder gas and dust.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Together, these instruments exposed a structure of extraordinary complexity, with nearly 200 spectral lines tracing atoms and molecules woven into layered shells.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-central-star-revealed">The central star revealed</h2>



<p>The Webb observations finally pinned down the location of the nebula’s hidden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-stars-shape-planetary-systems-like-ours-with-ultraviolet-radiation/">star</a>. Its surrounding dust cloud glows brightly in mid-infrared light, betraying its position for the first time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With a scorching temperature of 220,000 Kelvin - around 400,000 degrees Fahrenheit - this is one of the hottest known central stars in a planetary nebula.</p>



<p>That heat drives the nebula’s glow, but its power doesn’t escape evenly. The dense torus channels the outflow, creating the striking wings that stretch across space.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Webb data show that the torus contains crystalline silicates such as quartz, along with irregular grains about a millionth of a meter across. For cosmic dust, that’s relatively large, suggesting the particles have been accumulating for a long time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jets-layers-and-chemical-signatures">Jets, layers, and chemical signatures</h2>



<p>Outside the torus, the nebula displays a multilayered design. Atoms that need the most energy to ionize cluster near the center. Those requiring less energy appear farther out.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Among the highlights are iron and nickel, which mark out two jets blasting away from the star in opposite directions. These fast-moving streams help sculpt the overall shape of the nebula.</p>



<p>The team also found evidence of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On Earth, PAHs are common in soot from fires, exhaust fumes, and even burnt toast. In the Butterfly Nebula, they appear to form when bursts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tracing-solar-wind-directly-to-its-source-for-the-first-time/">stellar wind</a> collide with the surrounding gas.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This could be the first time PAHs have been spotted forming in an oxygen-rich planetary nebula, offering a rare window into the chemistry of dying stars.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fleeting-beauty-of-the-butterfly-nebula">Fleeting beauty of the Butterfly Nebula</h2>



<p>The entire spectacle will not last long by cosmic standards. The planetary nebula stage endures only about 20,000 years - a brief flicker compared to a star’s lifetime of billions of years.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Butterfly Nebula is a reminder of how short-lived and yet astonishingly beautiful the final chapters of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-star-redefines-our-understanding-of-stellar-evolution/">stellar evolution</a> can be.</p>



<p>The results of this study are <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/542/2/1287/8241385" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in the <em>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</em>. </p>



<p>The research shows that even well-studied objects like the Butterfly Nebula can surprise us when viewed with fresh eyes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Webb’s infrared vision has revealed not only the hidden star at the heart of the butterfly, but also the intricate chemistry that surrounds it - from crystalline dust to unexpected organic molecules.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, J. Kastner, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)</p>



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Secrets of the Butterfly Nebula uncovered by Webb

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

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features the Cat's Paw Nebula - a massive, active star-forming region in the constellation Scorpius. Also known as NGC 6334, the nebula is located about 4,000 light-years away from Earth.</p>



<p>The nebula’s name comes from its appearance. When viewed in visible or infrared light, it resembles a cat’s paw with bright lobes that look like giant toe beans.</p>



<p>“To celebrate the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s third year of highly productive science, astronomers used the telescope to scratch beyond the surface of the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a massive, local star-forming region,” said <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“This area is of great interest to scientists, having been subject to previous study by NASA/ESA’s Hubble and retired NASA Spitzer Space telescopes, as they seek to understand the multiple steps required for a turbulent molecular cloud to transition to stars.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-activity-in-the-cat-s-paw-nebula-nbsp">Activity in the Cat’s Paw Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Cat’s Paw Nebula is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/80-million-pixels-reveal-the-brilliance-of-a-star-cluster/">stellar nursery</a>, teeming with young, hot stars that are still forming from clouds of gas and dust. It spans roughly 50 light-years across and glows red, primarily due to the presence of ionized hydrogen gas illuminated by ultraviolet radiation from the newborn stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Much of the star formation remains hidden in visible light because of dense dust clouds, but observations in infrared and radio wavelengths have revealed an incredible amount of ongoing activity beneath the surface.</p>



<p>NGC 6334 is particularly rich in massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">stars</a>, including some that are over ten times the mass of the Sun.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Because of this, it's often used by astronomers to study the early stages of high-mass star formation, which are less understood than the processes that form lower-mass stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The region is also home to a number of protostars and clusters still wrapped in dusty cocoons, making it a dynamic and evolving part of our galaxy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-details-in-the-cat-s-paw-nebula-nbsp">New details in the Cat’s Paw Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“With its near-infrared capabilities and sharp resolution, the telescope 'clawed' back a portion of a singular 'toe bean,' revealing a subset of mini toe bean-reminiscent structures composed of gas, dust, and young stars,” noted ESA.</p>



<p>“Webb’s view reveals a chaotic scene still in development: massive young stars are carving away at nearby gas and dust, while their bright starlight is producing a bright nebulous glow represented in blue.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>Although only recently recognized in modern astronomy, the Cat’s Paw Nebula has become iconic - not just for its curious shape, but also for the insight it offers into how massive stars form in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-thin-disk-is-billions-of-years-older-than-we-thought/">Milky Way</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-constellation-scorpius-nbsp">The constellation Scorpius&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Scorpius is one of the most striking constellations in the night sky, especially visible during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere and lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Its shape is unusually recognizable, forming a long, curving line that resembles a scorpion with a curled tail and extended claws.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In mythology, Scorpius is often associated with the story of Orion, the great hunter. According to one version of the myth, Orion boasted that he could kill all the animals on Earth, which angered the goddess Artemis. To punish him, she sent a giant scorpion to defeat him.&nbsp;</p>



<p>After a fierce battle, both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-solar-system-once-drifted-through-orions-star-forming-region/">Orion</a> and the scorpion were placed among the stars on opposite sides of the sky. To this day, Orion sets as Scorpius rises, as if the hunter is still fleeing from the celestial scorpion.</p>



<p>Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, is a red supergiant whose name means "rival of Mars" due to its reddish hue and brightness. Antares serves as the scorpion's heart and is one of the most prominent stars in the night sky.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Because Scorpius lies along the plane of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-map-reveals-that-the-milky-ways-dust-has-very-unusual-properties/">Milky Way</a>, it is filled with dense star fields and deep-sky objects. This part of the sky is exceptionally rich in detail, offering a glimpse into the crowded heart of our galaxy.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA</p>



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Webb reveals the Cat's Paw Nebula in stunning detail

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features the massive iceberg A-23A and its offspring near South Georgia, a remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The natural-color <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154625/antarctic-iceberg-downsizes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">image</a> was captured by NASA’s Aqua satellite on July 22, 2025, as sunlight returned to Antarctica after months of polar night.</p>



<p>By this time, the main <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-a23a-undergoing-major-erosion/">iceberg</a> still covered an impressive 969 square miles, while the smaller iceberg fragments measured 62 and 28 square miles.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-journey-of-iceberg-a-23a-nbsp">The journey of iceberg A-23A&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A-23A has been on a long journey since breaking away from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf nearly four decades ago. Now drifting about 1,500 miles north of where it started, the iceberg is showing its age.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Once a giant of the southern ocean, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-a23a-breaks-free-from-ocean-cyclone/">A-23A</a> is steadily losing large chunks of ice as it moves through the warmer waters near South Georgia.</p>



<p>Icebergs born in the frigid waters around Antarctica usually spend years drifting on the cold currents. But once they move north toward warmer seas, they face a tough fight against melting caused by higher temperatures, rough waves, and seasonal weather changes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These natural forces slowly chip away at the ice, shrinking these floating giants over time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-iceberg-s-slow-breakup">The iceberg’s slow breakup</h2>



<p>Around March 1, 2025, A-23A became lodged on the shallow continental shelf near <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-may-crash-into-a-wildlife-sanctuary/">South Georgia</a>.</p>



<p>This stopover wasn’t permanent. By late May, the iceberg had broken free from the shelf, continuing its drift eastward along currents that also carried the famous A-68A iceberg in 2020.</p>



<p>The winter months in the southern hemisphere brought harsher conditions. The iceberg endured rough seas and freezing air, causing more ice to break off its edges.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Two of these newly formed icebergs were large enough to earn their own names and tracking status: A-23D and A-23E.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-radar-technology-nbsp">The role of radar technology&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Radar technology played a key role in spotting and tracking these pieces. Jan Lieser from Australia’s <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bureau of Meteorology</a> first spotted the new icebergs using radar data from NovaSAR-1. </p>



<p>These observations were later confirmed by the U.S. National Ice Center with radar images from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 satellite.</p>



<p>“Radar satellites can take images of the Earth at polar night and through all weather conditions, including heavy clouds and even smoke,” noted Lieser.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-cycle-and-climate-impact">Life cycle and climate impact</h2>



<p>Even after losing significant ice, A-23A remains the largest free-floating iceberg in the world’s oceans. Another iceberg, D-15A, is larger but grounded off East Antarctica’s Amery Sea.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As longer daylight hours brighten the South Atlantic, scientists expect A-23A to lose even more ice while it travels farther north.</p>



<p>Icebergs like A-23A serve as floating records of Antarctica’s changing climate. Their journeys help scientists learn how ocean currents and temperatures influence iceberg lifespans.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/measuring-marine-environment-near-melting-mega-iceberg-a-68a-for-first-time/">icebergs</a> drift into warmer waters, melting accelerates, contributing freshwater to the ocean. This influx can affect local marine ecosystems and even influence global ocean circulation patterns.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cascading-effects-of-icebergs">Cascading effects of icebergs</h2>



<p>The breakup of large icebergs also releases nutrients trapped in the ice, feeding marine life and sometimes causing bursts of plankton growth.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These blooms can have cascading effects through the food chain, supporting fish and other wildlife around remote islands like South Georgia.</p>



<p>Tracking icebergs has become more precise thanks to advancements in satellite technology. Radar satellites provide consistent monitoring, unaffected by darkness or bad weather.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Visible light sensors complement these efforts during clear conditions. Together, they give scientists a clearer picture of iceberg movements and breakups.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iceberg-tracking-in-a-changing-world">Iceberg tracking in a changing world</h2>



<p>The story of A-23A is more than just the tale of a drifting iceberg. It reflects broader changes happening in polar regions due to climate shifts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ice shelves in Antarctica are breaking off more frequently, and giant icebergs are becoming common visitors to subantarctic waters.</p>



<p>Monitoring these icebergs helps researchers understand how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-icebergs-are-not-the-main-threat-to-antarcticas-stability/">warming oceans</a> affect ice melt and the resulting impacts on sea levels and ecosystems. This knowledge is vital for predicting future changes and preparing for their consequences.</p>



<p>In the end, A-23A is a powerful reminder of nature’s slow but relentless changes. From its breakaway in Antarctica to its current fate in the South Atlantic, this iceberg’s path tells a story about time, climate, and the forces shaping our planet.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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Decades adrift: The slow decay of iceberg A-23a

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

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features a dazzling view of the globular cluster NGC 1786, which was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Unlike open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trio-of-star-clusters-may-be-the-same-system-at-different-ages/">clusters</a>, which are younger and more loosely arranged, globular clusters are tightly concentrated and typically located in a galaxy’s halo.</p>



<p>The globular cluster NGC 1786 is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way about 160,000 light-years from Earth.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“NGC 1786 itself is in the constellation Dorado. It was discovered in the year 1835 by John Herschel,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">ESA</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-globular-clusters-nbsp">Observing globular clusters&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Globular clusters are densely packed, spherical groups of stars that orbit the cores of galaxies like satellites.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Each cluster can contain tens of thousands to millions of stars, all bound tightly together by gravity. These stars are generally very old - often over 10 billion years - making globular clusters some of the oldest known structures in the universe.</p>



<p>The image of NGC 1786 is part of a broader observing program aimed at comparing old globular clusters in nearby dwarf galaxies with those found in the <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>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Our galaxy contains over 150 of these old, spherical collections of tightly-bound stars, which have been studied in depth - especially with Hubble Space Telescope images like this one, which show them in previously-unattainable detail,” said ESA.</p>



<p>“Being very stable and long-lived, they act as galactic time capsules, preserving stars from the earliest stages of a galaxy’s formation.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stars-in-globular-clusters">Stars in globular clusters</h2>



<p>For many years, astronomers believed that the stars in globular clusters all formed at roughly the same time. However, studies of Milky Way clusters have revealed multiple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zhulong-spiral-galaxy-like-milky-way-discovered-at-edge-of-universe-should-not-exist/">stellar populations</a> of different ages.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To better understand how globular clusters form - and how they can be used to trace galactic evolution - researchers are now investigating whether clusters like NGC 1786 in external galaxies also show signs of multiple stellar generations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This research sheds light on the origins and development of the Large Magellanic Cloud. It also helps scientists study the formation history of the Milky Way itself.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-magellanic-cloud-nbsp">Large Magellanic Cloud&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is one of the most prominent and intriguing galaxies in our cosmic neighborhood. It is the largest satellite galaxy of the Milky Way and is visible to the naked eye from the Southern Hemisphere.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dozens-of-ghost-galaxies-may-be-orbiting-the-milky-way/">satellite galaxy</a> is a smaller galaxy that orbits a larger one due to gravitational attraction. Just as the Moon orbits the Earth, satellite galaxies are bound to larger galaxies and can slowly orbit them over billions of years. </p>



<p>These satellites can range in size from relatively massive dwarf galaxies to tiny, faint collections of stars.</p>



<p>Though classified as a dwarf galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud spans roughly 14,000 light-years across and contains billions of stars, nebulae, and star clusters.&nbsp;</p>



<p>One of its most famous features is the Tarantula Nebula - the most active star-forming region in the entire Local Group of galaxies. This stellar nursery is so intense that it's forming some of the most massive stars ever observed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamic-interaction-with-the-milky-way-nbsp">Dynamic interaction with the Milky Way&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Large Magellanic Cloud is also of great interest to astronomers because of its dynamic relationship with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-solar-systems-journey-through-the-milky-way-may-have-altered-earths-climate/">Milky Way</a>. It’s not just a passive companion - it’s interacting gravitationally with both the Milky Way and the Small Magellanic Cloud, another nearby dwarf galaxy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These interactions have created long streams of gas, such as the Magellanic Stream, that arc across the sky. In fact, recent studies suggest the Large Magellanic Cloud may be on its first infall into the Milky Way’s halo, rather than orbiting it for billions of years as once thought.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This motion could have significant effects on the structure of our galaxy, possibly even perturbing the Milky Way’s dark matter halo.</p>



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



<p>The detailed observations of NGC 1786 not only showcase the stunning capabilities of the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/">Hubble Space Telescope</a> but also deepen our understanding of how galaxies like the Milky Way and the LMC evolve over time.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By examining ancient globular clusters in both the Milky Way and its neighboring galaxies, astronomers are uncovering vital clues about star formation and the processes that shaped our universe.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;</p>



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Glittering time capsule: Hubble peers into a galaxy's past

<p>Today's Image of the Day from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) features a stunning view of the Sculptor Galaxy, one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible from Earth.</p>



<p>The ultra-detailed image, which was captured using ESO’s Very Large Telescope, reveals features in the Sculptor Galaxy that have never been seen before.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.eso.org/public/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESO</a> researcher Enrico Congiu led a new study on the Sculptor Galaxy that is published in the journal <em>Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</em>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-galaxy-wide-view-of-sculptor-nbsp">A galaxy-wide view of Sculptor&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The team observed the galaxy in thousands of wavelengths at once, collecting an immense amount of data from every point across its structure. This allowed them to build a comprehensive, galaxy-wide view of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/">stars</a> live and evolve within Sculptor.</p>



<p>"Galaxies are incredibly complex systems that we are still struggling to understand," said Congiu.</p>



<p>“The Sculptor Galaxy is in a sweet spot. It is close enough that we can resolve its internal structure and study its building blocks with incredible detail, but at the same time, big enough that we can still see it as a whole system.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thousands-of-distinct-colors-nbsp">Thousands of distinct colors&nbsp;</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxygen-detected-in-the-most-distant-and-primitive-galaxy-ever-analyzed/">Galaxies</a> span hundreds of thousands of light-years, yet their evolution is shaped by processes unfolding on much smaller scales.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The fundamental components of a galaxy - stars, gas, and dust - each emit light in distinct colors. The more shades of color captured in an image, the deeper the insight into a galaxy’s internal structure.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Traditional images typically contain only a few colors, but the new map of the Sculptor Galaxy includes thousands.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This rich spectrum provides astronomers with detailed information about the galaxy’s stars, gas, and dust - from their ages and chemical makeup to how they’re moving through space.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-sculptor-galaxy-nbsp">Mapping the Sculptor Galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The research team spent more than 50 hours observing the Sculptor Galaxy using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the Very Large Telescope.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To capture the full view - spanning roughly 65,000 light-years - they combined over 100 separate exposures into a single, detailed mosaic.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to study co-author Kathryn Kreckel from Heidelberg University, this makes the map a powerful tool. </p>



<p>“We can zoom in to study individual regions where stars form at nearly the scale of individual stars, but we can also zoom out to study the galaxy as a whole,” said Kreckel.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hundreds-of-planetary-nebulae-nbsp">Hundreds of planetary nebulae&nbsp;</h2>



<p>In their initial analysis of the data, the team identified around 500 planetary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/">nebulae</a> scattered throughout the Sculptor Galaxy.</p>



<p>Study co-author Fabian Scheuermann, a doctoral student at Heidelberg University, emphasized the significance of the discovery.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Scheuermann noted that when astronomers study galaxies outside of our own cosmic neighborhood, they normally detect fewer than 100 planetary nebulae in each one.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-galaxy-of-extremes">A galaxy of extremes</h2>



<p>The Sculptor Galaxy, also known as NGC 253, is located about 11.4 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor. It’s classified as a starburst galaxy, meaning it’s undergoing an exceptionally high rate of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">star formation</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This vigorous star-making activity is especially intense in its central regions, where dense clouds of gas and dust feed the birth of new stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The galaxy is tilted at a steep angle from our perspective, which gives it a striking, elongated appearance when viewed through telescopes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-notable-features-of-the-sculptor-galaxy-nbsp">Notable features of the Sculptor Galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Discovered in 1783 by Caroline Herschel, the Sculptor Galaxy has become a popular target for both professional astronomers and amateur skywatchers due to its brightness and relative proximity.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It’s part of the Sculptor Group, one of the nearest groups of galaxies to our Local Group. Despite being rich in star-forming regions, much of its inner structure is veiled by thick dust lanes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, infrared and X-ray observations have helped scientists peer through the material to study the galaxy’s core, revealing a wealth of activity including supernova remnants and a possible central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-ultramassive-black-hole-ever-seen-cosmic-horseshoe-lrg-3-757/">black hole</a>.</p>



<p>The Sculptor Galaxy is also notable for its extended halo of stars and gas, which suggests past interactions or mergers with smaller galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This halo, along with its active central region, makes NGC 253 a valuable subject for understanding how galaxies evolve, form stars, and recycle gas over time.</p>



<p>Image Credit: European Southern Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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Thousands of colors in the Sculptor Galaxy

Today's Image of the Day from the European Southern Observatory...

<p>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;</p>



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



<p>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;</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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;</p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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;</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI</p>



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Webb captures a star's chaotic farewell

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

<p>Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a pair of interacting spiral galaxies known as the Antennae Galaxies. </p>



<p>The colliding galaxies are located approximately 45 million light-years away in the constellation Corvus. They are famous for their dramatic, sweeping tails of stars and gas, which resemble insect antennae</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antennae-galaxies-in-a-deadly-embrace">Antennae Galaxies in a deadly embrace </h2>



<p>“The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has snapped the best ever image of the Antennae Galaxies. Hubble has released images of these stunning galaxies twice before, once using observations from its Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) in 1997, and again in 2006 from the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS),” noted <a href="https://esahubble.org/images/potw1345a/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“The galaxies - also known as NGC 4038 and NGC 4039 - are locked in a deadly embrace. Once normal, sedate spiral galaxies like the Milky Way, the pair have spent the past few hundred million years sparring with one another.”</p>



<p>According to ESA, the clash of the Antennae Galaxies is so intense that stars have been pulled from their original <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxy-collision-2-million-mph-stephans-quintet-captured-unprecedented-detail/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>, forming long tidal streams that arc between the two systems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intense-bursts-of-star-formation-nbsp">Intense bursts of star formation&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The collision has triggered intense bursts of star formation, making the Antennae Galaxies one of the nearest and most dramatic examples of a starburst galaxy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Many of the newly formed stars are concentrated in massive star clusters, some of which are expected to evolve into globular clusters over millions of years.</p>



<p>“This new image of the Antennae Galaxies shows obvious signs of chaos. Clouds of gas are seen in bright pink and red, surrounding the bright flashes of blue star-forming regions - some of which are partially obscured by dark patches of dust,” explained ESA.</p>



<p>“The rate of star formation is so high that the Antennae Galaxies are said to be in a state of starburst, a period in which all of the gas within the galaxies is being used to form stars.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>“This cannot last forever and neither can the separate galaxies; eventually the nuclei will coalesce, and the galaxies will begin their retirement together as one large elliptical galaxy.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-antennae-galaxies">Significance of the Antennae Galaxies</h2>



<p>The Antennae Galaxies are one of the most well-studied examples of galaxy collisions - offering insight into the processes that shape galaxies over time.</p>



<p>Astronomers study the Antennae Galaxies using a range of telescopes across different wavelengths, including visible light, infrared, and X-rays.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Observations in X-rays have revealed evidence of supernovae and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-may-talk-to-galaxies-through-energetic-winds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a>, while infrared studies highlight regions of dust and star formation.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-milky-way-s-collision-course-nbsp">The Milky Way's collision course&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Antennae Galaxies provide a glimpse into the future of our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/uma3-u1-faintest-star-system-found-orbiting-milky-way-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>, which is expected to eventually merge with the Andromeda Galaxy - our closest spiral galaxy neighbor.</p>



<p>The cosmic collision course of the Milky Way and Andromeda will reshape both galaxies over billions of years.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This event is expected to occur in about 4.5 billion years. Both galaxies are part of the Local Group, a cluster of galaxies bound together by gravity. Their mutual gravitational pull is drawing them closer at a speed of approximately 110 kilometers per second.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-birth-of-an-elliptical-galaxy-nbsp">The birth of an elliptical galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



<p>When the two galaxies collide, their individual stars will largely avoid direct collisions due to the vast distances between them. However, the gravitational forces involved will create dramatic effects.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These forces will distort the galaxies' <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shapes-of-one-million-galaxies-hint-at-the-universes-origins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shapes</a>, triggering intense bursts of star formation as gas clouds collide and compress. Over time, the galaxies will settle into a new, larger elliptical galaxy often referred to as "Milkomeda" or "Milkdromeda" by astronomers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxy-merger-and-the-solar-system">Galaxy merger and the solar system</h2>



<p>Despite the seemingly destructive nature of the collision, the solar system is unlikely to face direct harm. Our Sun may find itself flung into a new orbit within the merged galaxy or even cast into intergalactic space.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The merger will also significantly alter the night sky, with the Andromeda Galaxy becoming increasingly prominent before blending into the unified structure.</p>



<p>This event is part of the natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-are-much-bigger-than-we-originally-believed-gas-clouds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolution of galaxies</a> and serves as a fascinating reminder of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the universe. </p>



<p>While the collision is still billions of years away, studying it helps astronomers understand galactic interactions and the long-term future of our cosmic neighborhood.</p>



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



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Antennae Galaxies are locked in a 'deadly embrace'

<p><br>Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features Hurricane Erin, the first major storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Hurricane Erin tore across the ocean, intensifying from a modest Category 1 storm into a ferocious Category 5 system in just over a day.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-thousand-years-extreme-storms-are-becoming-much-more-frequent/">storm</a> stayed offshore, but its power rippled across the Caribbean and along the Eastern Seaboard, bringing dangerous weather to millions of people.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-erin-s-massive-wind-field">Erin’s massive wind field</h2>



<p>At its peak, Hurricane Erin grew into a truly massive storm - not just because of its strength, but due to how far its winds spread. </p>



<p>The National Hurricane Center reported that hurricane-force winds extended roughly 575 miles from the storm’s center. That meant the storm’s reach was enormous, touching wide stretches of ocean and coastal regions even without making landfall.</p>



<p>Coastal regions braced as Erin sent pounding surf, intense rain, and strong winds to Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, and U.S. states from Florida to New York.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rapid-intensification-of-hurricane-erin">Rapid intensification of Hurricane Erin</h2>



<p>Erin reached hurricane strength on August 15 and then stunned forecasters with a rapid intensification rarely seen. </p>



<p>By the following day, it had exploded into a Category 5 monster, with sustained winds topping out at 160 miles per hour northeast of Puerto Rico. That speed put it among the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic.</p>



<p>“Several environmental factors facilitated Erin’s rapid intensification, including light wind shear and a compact storm structure, according to a blog post by meteorologist Bob Henson,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154694/hurricane-erin-roils-in-the-atlantic">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>Warm waters across the Atlantic served as fuel, and the storm’s swift pace over the ocean meant it didn’t churn away its own heat source. The combination gave Erin the perfect environment to gain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-amplified-hurricane-strength/">strength</a> almost overnight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-rare-and-early-event">A rare and early event</h2>



<p>Erin joined a small group of storms in history. Since official records began in 1851, only 43 Atlantic hurricanes have reached Category 5.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Erin also stood out as the earliest storm of this intensity in its part of the basin. For scientists who track weather extremes, it was another reminder of how unusual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-causes-the-rapid-intensification-of-hurricanes/">conditions</a> can line up to create powerful storms.</p>



<p>As the hurricane continued westward, it went through eyewall replacement cycles. This process often weakens peak wind speeds but spreads the force over a broader area.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By August 18, satellite images from NASA’s Terra spacecraft captured a strikingly clear eye, a hallmark of its strength even as it began to lose some intensity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-islands-feel-the-outer-bands">Islands feel the outer bands</h2>



<p>Though Erin never came ashore, outer bands from the storm slammed into nearby islands. Puerto Rico endured heavy rain and high winds on August 17, leaving more than 147,000 customers without power.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas faced tropical storm conditions, with coastal flooding and strong wind gusts persisting into August 19.</p>



<p>These impacts showed how storms hundreds of miles offshore can still disrupt daily life, from flooded streets to downed power lines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-u-s-east-coast-on-alert">U.S. East Coast on alert</h2>



<p>Forecasts projected Erin would curve northward and run parallel to the U.S. coast as a Category 2 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-hurricanes-help-oceans-fight-climate-change/">hurricane</a>, with warnings stretching from Florida to Canada.</p>



<p>Officials across the region acted quickly. North Carolina’s Outer Banks came under an evacuation order, and the state declared a state of emergency.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In New York and New Jersey, authorities urged people to stay out of the ocean as conditions grew increasingly dangerous.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-2025-hurricane-season">The 2025 hurricane season</h2>



<p>Hurricane Erin may be the first of 2025, but experts expect more storms before the season ends.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-hurricanes-are-intensifying-faster-due-to-climate-change/">Warmer waters</a> and shifting weather patterns continue to set the stage for powerful hurricanes that could impact communities from the Caribbean to the Atlantic.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Erin’s sudden growth highlights the challenge of predicting storm behavior and the importance of staying prepared, even when landfall seems unlikely.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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Hurricane Erin explodes into first Category 5 storm of 2025

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features smoke plumes stretching across the Iberian Peninsula, as wildfires suddenly intensified across Spain and Portugal.</p>



<p>The image was captured on August 15 by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor on NASA’s Terra satellite.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-record-breaking-fire-season-nbsp">Record-breaking fire season&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Hot, dry conditions pushed fire risk to extreme levels, leaving vast landscapes scorched. The fires aren’t just dramatic visuals - they are shaping the year’s record-breaking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fire-weather-seasons-are-overlapping-more-than-ever-before/">fire season</a>.</p>



<p>“As of August 19, fires in Spain had scorched more than 382,000 hectares (944,000 acres) since the start of the year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS),” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154691/smoke-blankets-the-iberian-peninsula" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>This exceeds any previous yearly total in the EFFIS records, which date back to 2006. Firefighters were stretched thin, tackling roughly 20 major blazes nationwide, with a particularly severe cluster near Ourense.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fire-devastation-in-portugal">Fire devastation in Portugal</h2>



<p>Portugal faced a similarly devastating season. By mid-August, more than 347,000 hectares (857,000 acres) had been consumed by fire.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre reported 10 large fires burning across the country at that time. The largest fire, near Trancoso, alone had already scorched over 39,000 hectares.</p>



<p>The blazes forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. Essential services were disrupted, including the high-speed rail line between Madrid and Galicia, which had been closed for nearly a week.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Firefighters worked tirelessly under extreme conditions, navigating both flames and smoke to protect people and property.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-pollution-and-far-reaching-effects">Smoke, pollution, and far-reaching effects</h2>



<p>The fires didn’t stay local. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-delivers-a-double-hit-to-air-quality/">Smoke</a> from the Iberian Peninsula carried high into the atmosphere, drifting across France, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It even mixed with smoke from wildfires in Canada, creating hazy skies across parts of Europe. Carbon emissions from these fires hit record levels in Spain and near-record levels in Portugal, according to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.</p>



<p>Black carbon, a component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) released by wildfires, poses serious health risks. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, potentially aggravating respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Residents in affected regions were warned to limit outdoor activity and monitor air quality as smoke lingered.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfires-in-spain-and-portugal">Wildfires in Spain and Portugal </h2>



<p>Spain and Portugal are no strangers to wildfires, but the 2025 season is unusual for its speed and scale.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Heatwaves have become more frequent in southern Europe, with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/state-of-the-climate-2024-record-heat-and-rising-seas/">rising temperatures</a> and prolonged droughts creating tinderbox conditions for forests and grasslands.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Experts link this increase to ongoing climate change, which has amplified the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events in the region.</p>



<p>The EFFIS database shows that Spain’s burned area this year surpassed previous records, while Portugal’s figures ranked second only to the catastrophic fires of 2017. These trends highlight the growing challenge of managing wildfires in a warming climate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-human-toll-of-wildfires-nbsp">The human toll of wildfires&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Beyond environmental impacts, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-are-changing-the-quality-of-our-air/">wildfires</a> take a heavy toll on communities. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced, and homes, farms, and critical infrastructure have suffered extensive damage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Emergency services scrambled to coordinate evacuations and protect residents, while volunteers and local authorities provided support on the ground.</p>



<p>Firefighters faced particularly difficult conditions, battling flames under record heat and through thick <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">smoke</a>. The work was physically demanding and dangerous.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellite-technology-and-firefighting">Satellite technology and firefighting</h2>



<p>NASA’s Terra satellite and the MODIS sensor provide crucial monitoring for wildfire activity. These tools allow authorities to track the spread of fires in near-real time, identify hotspots, and deploy resources more efficiently.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The data feeds into systems like EFFIS and the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), offering a broader picture of wildfire patterns and trends across Europe.</p>



<p>This combination of satellite monitoring, on-the-ground firefighting, and coordination among emergency services is vital for managing the ongoing crisis. As wildfires continue to grow in frequency and intensity, technology can help limit damage and protect communities.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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Wildfires scorch Spain and Portugal amid extreme heat

Technician,Placing,Blood,Tubes,In,The,Laboratory,Centrifuge

<p>Memory problems are scary, and getting clear answers often takes a long time. For years, the dependable ways to check patients for Alzheimer’s disease have been PET scans or spinal taps, no blood tests involved.</p>



<p>Both can be effective. Both can also be expensive, invasive, or hard to get. That leaves many people waiting, worrying, and bouncing between appointments.</p>



<p>A new blood test aims to change that first step in care. It looks for the same biological signals that define Alzheimer’s disease and turns them into a single score - how likely it is that Alzheimer’s biology is present. </p>



<p>This breakthrough gives doctors a faster, simpler way to decide what should happen next.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alzheimer-s-blood-test-is-huge">Alzheimer's blood test is huge</h2>



<p>Most people with early memory concerns start in primary care. Those clinics are busy and don’t have advanced imaging on hand. </p>



<p>A reliable blood test would help sort patients sooner. Some could be <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/targeting-the-gut-might-be-key-in-preventing-alzheimers-disease/">referred to a specialist</a> right away.</p>



<p>Others could be monitored while doctors check for sleep issues, depression, thyroid problems, medication effects, or other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/">common causes</a> of cognitive symptoms.</p>



<p>That kind of triage saves time, cuts costs, and reduces unnecessary procedures. It also helps families move from uncertainty to a plan. Not months from now, but much sooner.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-it-works">How it works</h2>



<p>Alzheimer’s has two key features in the brain: abnormal amyloid and tau proteins. The new blood test examines a form of tau called p-tau217 and the ratio of two amyloid fragments: <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3716832/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aβ42 to Aβ40</a>. </p>



<p>Together, these numbers capture the core biology doctors care about. The result is a probability score that indicates how closely a person’s blood pattern matches Alzheimer’s changes.</p>



<p>Using both markers strengthens the signal. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-024-03084-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">P-tau217</a> tracks Alzheimer’s-type changes, and the amyloid ratio helps keep false positives in check. </p>



<p>When combined, the result becomes clearer - either likely Alzheimer’s biology or not.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-blood-for-alzheimer-s-anywhere">Testing blood for Alzheimer's anywhere</h2>



<p>To see how the test would perform in everyday practice - not just in labs - researchers enrolled more than a thousand people in Sweden who came in with memory or thinking concerns. </p>



<p>Some were evaluated in primary care. Others were seen in specialty memory clinics. Everyone received the usual clinical evaluations provided in those settings.</p>



<p>Blood samples were handled the way a hospital lab would: in batches, on a set schedule. That detail matters because it tests reliability under normal conditions, not just under perfect, hands-on supervision.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-comparing-test-methods">Comparing test methods</h2>



<p>In straightforward terms, the blood test matched more definitive <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-causes-and-risk-factors/what-happens-brain-alzheimers-disease" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">measures of Alzheimer’s biology</a> approximately nine times out of ten. Its performance held up in both primary care and specialty clinics, which is exactly where it needs to work.</p>



<p>"Primary care doctors' accuracy in identifying Alzheimer's disease was 61 percent, while specialist physicians were correct 73 percent of the time," explained <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lund University</a> neurologist Sebastian Palmqvist. </p>



<p>"This underscores the lack of good, cost-effective diagnostic tools, particularly in primary care, and indicates the potential improvement in diagnosis with the adoption of this blood test in healthcare settings."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fixed-thresholds-were-used">Fixed thresholds were used</h2>



<p>The team set the Alzheimer's blood test thresholds ahead of time and kept them fixed. That’s how a real diagnostic would be used in practice. </p>



<p>No tuning after reviewing the results. No custom cutoffs for each clinic. A fixed cutoff increases the chance that the same test will work the same way in other places.</p>



<p>That approach adds confidence for doctors who <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-may-not-be-brain-disorder-important-data-was-fabricated/">need predictable tools</a>. Consistency across settings is the difference between a research project and something a health system can actually roll out.</p>



<p>When standard evaluations were used alone, clinicians did well. With blood test information added, decisions became more precise. </p>



<p>A negative result in someone with mild, vague memory complaints gives doctors support to forgo invasive tests and monitor for changes over time.</p>



<p>As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-disruptions-could-signal-the-onset-of-alzheimers/">symptoms progress</a> to mild cognitive impairment or dementia, a positive result supports referrals for confirmatory testing and, when appropriate, treatments that target Alzheimer’s biology. </p>



<p>The blood test does not replace PET scans or spinal fluid analysis. It helps focus those tools where they are most useful.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-public-should-know">What the public should know</h2>



<p>This isn’t a casual screening for people without symptoms. It’s a first-line tool when memory concerns are real and doctors need to decide what to do next. </p>



<p>Used appropriately, it can shorten the path to answers for those who need a deeper look and spare others from procedures they don’t need.</p>



<p>It also fits into normal workflows. A routine draw, a lab run on schedule, and a clear, interpretable score. That kind of practicality is what busy clinics need to act quickly and confidently.</p>



<p>"The test is already available in the USA and is likely to become available in many other countries soon," says senior researcher <a href="https://portal.research.lu.se/en/persons/oskar-hansson" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oskar Hansson</a>, a neurologist at Lund University. </p>



<p>"Initially, it will mainly be used in specialist memory clinics, and it may take approximately one to two years to implement guidelines and training in primary care."</p>



<p>As availability grows, expect specialist clinics to lead the way. Primary care will follow as training, protocols, and reimbursement catch up. That staged rollout is typical when new diagnostics enter real-world care.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-alzheimer-s-blood-tests">What's next for Alzheimer's blood tests</h2>



<p>To sum it all up, this new blood test that reads the biology of Alzheimer’s gives primary care doctors something they’ve never really had: a quick, evidence-based signal that is correct 90 percent of the time to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stopping-alzheimers-before-it-starts-early-treatment-shows-potential/">guide next steps</a>. </p>



<p>It won’t cure the disease. It will bring clearer direction, earlier in the process, for the people who need it most.</p>



<p>For families, that means fewer dead ends and faster referrals when appropriate. For clinicians, it means a practical tool that strengthens decisions. </p>



<p>For health systems, it means aiming advanced testing where it can make the biggest difference. That’s progress measured not just in lab values, but in how care actually feels - faster, calmer, and more to the point.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the <em><a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2821669?resultclick=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the American Medical Association</a></em>.</p>



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New blood test identifies early-stage Alzheimer's with 90% accuracy

Memory problems are scary, and getting clear answers often takes...

<p>Ask yourself this: when was the last time you felt truly at peace, not just amused or entertained, but deeply rooted in who you are? A new study suggests that spending more time in nature may play a bigger role in that feeling than we assume.</p>



<p>That deeper layer has a name in psychology - <a href="https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_929" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eudaimonic well-being</a>. It is about purpose, self-acceptance, growth, and relationships. It sticks.</p>



<p>Does nature help with that? The short answer is a resounding "yes." Not only can nature boost your mood for an hour; it can also give you a clearer sense of self that lasts. </p>



<p>This study examined that question and returned with an answer that feels both refreshing and practical.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-time-and-eudaimonic-well-being">Nature time and eudaimonic well-being</h2>



<p>Researchers invited people in Turku, Finland, to share how the outdoors shows up in their real lives. </p>



<p>First, 158 residents answered questions about time in nature and how their lives felt in terms of purpose, self-acceptance, growth, relationships, autonomy, and life management. </p>



<p>Then, 20 people joined creative writing workshops to describe, in their own words, how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-forest-bathing-fresh-breath-for-teen-mental-health/">natural world shapes them</a>. The team paired numbers with stories to capture both patterns and personal depth.</p>



<p>“We wanted to explore how nature supports people's self-acceptance, purpose of life, positive relationships, autonomy, personal growth and agency, as well as life management," explains Joha Järekari, Doctoral Researcher at the <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Turku</a>.</p>



<p>"This is called eudaimonic well-being and it can be considered in contrast to <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hedonism/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hedonism</a>: whereas hedonism focuses on short-term pleasures, eudaimonia delves into longer and deeper well-being.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-time-evokes-deep-feelings">Nature time evokes deep feelings</h2>



<p>The study focused on two groups: ages 15 to 24 and adults over 60. Different life stages bring different needs. </p>



<p>Yet a clear theme showed up in both: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/virtual-forest-bathing-can-reduce-stress-and-improve-mood/">nature felt nonjudgmental</a>. Trees do not judge. Water does not grade them. That sense of relief made room for honesty.</p>



<p>“Although there were some differences between the different age groups in how they spent time in nature and in what kinds of places, they also had many shared experiences," Järekari noted.</p>



<p>"What both age groups had in common was, among other things, a feeling that nature does not judge or criticize, which had a positive effect on the participants' self-acceptance."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choices-and-belonging">Choices and belonging</h2>



<p>Participants described two kinds of connection. One was inward. Time outside - on a trail, beside water, in a garden - made it easier to hear their own values and act on them. </p>



<p>The other was outward. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natures-scents-linked-to-improved-health-and-well-being/">Being outdoors</a> helped people feel closer to friends and family, and also widened their sense of community to include birds, trees, and other living things. </p>



<p>That broader bond pointed toward meaning, not just good moods.</p>



<p>“Spending time and being active in nature brought to the surface what was really important to the participants in their lives," Järekari describes.</p>



<p>"This increased people's agency and autonomy and had a positive impact on personal growth. The participants reported that it was easier to get in touch with oneself, with other people, and with other species."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-factoring-in-age-and-experience">Factoring in age and experience</h2>



<p>Older adults often talked about shared moments with grandchildren and unhurried walks, the kind that leave room for quiet. </p>



<p>Some mentioned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/religious-leaders-tried-psilocybin-and-it-changed-their-lives/">moments of spirituality</a>, a quiet awareness of being part of something larger than themselves. </p>



<p>Younger people leaned on the outdoors for healthy solitude. They could be alone without feeling lonely, or with friends without filling every second with conversation. Different routes, same endpoint: a more authentic self.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-worry-creeps-in">When worry creeps in</h2>



<p>The picture was not perfect. Many participants, especially younger ones, felt the weight of environmental damage. </p>



<p>Worry about climate change often chipped away at that comfort. Shame showed up too, a feeling of being part of the problem just by being human.</p>



<p>“However, this feeling grew stronger when participants noticed the visible effects of the ecological crisis on their surroundings," Järekari continued.</p>



<p>"Many young people also described a sense of shame about being part of the problem, so to speak, by being part of humanity, which challenged their self-acceptance."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-time-goes-deep">Nature time goes deep</h2>



<p>Plenty of research shows that green space can lower stress and help attention bounce back. This work points to something deeper: <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0329411" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">identity-level effects</a> that unfold over time. </p>



<p>It suggests that nature is not just a reset button. It is a steady setting where people practice being who they want to be.</p>



<p>“Our research unlocks the impact of nature on people's well-being on a deeper level than stress relief or positive emotions," Järekari emphasizes.</p>



<p>"Connection to nature is important to us on an identity level and often shapes our lives in ways that aren’t immediately obvious, but become clearer over time."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eudaimonic-well-being-in-society">Eudaimonic well-being in society</h2>



<p>Design choices of public spaces matter. If we judge parks only by how many joggers they attract, we miss a big part of their value. </p>



<p>People need quiet corners, meandering paths, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-environment-day-the-critical-role-of-nature-in-human-well-being/">benches under trees</a>. Those places support reflection, relationships, and responsibility - features, not extras.</p>



<p>“It is important to encourage a deeper public discussion about the meaning of nature in people’s lives," adds Salla Eilola, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Turku. </p>



<p>"Consequently, these issues could also be taken into account in decision-making and, for example, in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn3028" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban planning</a>, where nature still often unfortunately has to give way to built environment," </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-steps-lasting-benefits">Small steps, lasting benefits</h2>



<p>You do not need a dramatic plan to make this real. Pick a nearby spot and go there on a regular day, not just on the best day. Let your mind settle and see what values bubble up. </p>



<p>If you spend time with kids or elders, choose slow routes that welcome pauses. Put phones aside. Short, steady moments count.</p>



<p>None of this turns a park into a productivity tool. It simply gives you space to notice what matters and act on it. </p>



<p>That's the heart of eudaimonic well-being, and nature offers a simple doorway - whether it is a patch of grass, a line of trees, or a stretch of water.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pan3.70104" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">People and Nature</a></em>.</p>



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Walking through a forest can reshape who you are and bring inner peace, according to science

Ask yourself this: when was the last time you felt...

<p>The sight of a whale shark, the largest fish alive today, leaves most people humbled. Its slow, graceful movements and gentle nature often make them symbols of the ocean’s mystery. Yet behind this serene image lies a struggle for survival.</p>



<p>Populations have fallen sharply, and their biology makes recovery slow. The findings of a new study from Indonesian waters not only reveal the scale of human impacts but also highlight why protecting whale sharks is vital for ocean health.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whale-shark-decline-accelerates">Whale shark decline accelerates</h2>



<p>Over the last 75 years, global whale shark numbers have dropped by more than half. In the Indo-Pacific, declines are even steeper. </p>



<p>Hunting, habitat disruption, and entanglements push whale sharks closer to extinction. Because they take up to 30 years to mature, populations rebound very slowly. </p>



<p>Large-bodied species like whale sharks face unique risks in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-invasion-how-microplastics-are-disrupting-land-ecosystems/">ecosystems</a> since they grow slowly, reproduce late, and invest heavily in fewer offspring. </p>



<p>The researchers noted that the disappearance of such giants can ripple through marine systems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-injuries-trace-back-to-people">Injuries trace back to people</h2>



<p>In the Bird’s Head Seascape of West Papua, the research team found 62 percent of whale sharks bore scars or wounds, mostly from human actions.</p>



<p>“We found that scars and injuries were mainly from anthropogenic causes, such as collisions with ‘bagans’ - traditional fishing platforms with lift nets - and whale shark-watching tour boats,” said Dr. Edy Setyawan of the <a href="https://www.elasmobranchinstitute.id" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elasmobranch Institute Indonesia</a>.</p>



<p>“Relatively harmless minor abrasions were the most common. Serious injuries from natural causes such as predator attacks, or from boat propellers were much less common."</p>



<p>Patterns in ecology show that when human activities concentrate near feeding or breeding grounds, injury rates increase significantly. </p>



<p>According to the study, direct human pressures such as vessel strikes and fishing gear interactions remain among the greatest global threats to megafauna. Whale sharks are no exception.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-following-the-gentle-giants">Following the gentle giants</h2>



<p>Between 2010 and 2023, the scientists tracked whale sharks across Cenderawasih Bay, Kaimana, Raja Ampat, and Fakfak. This biodiversity hotspot hosts 26 marine protected areas. Using the distinctive spot patterns of each shark, the researchers identified 268 individuals.</p>



<p>Nearly all sightings occurred near bagans, where whale sharks fed on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-threatens-the-global-fish-supply/">baitfish</a> like anchovies and sprats. Most were juvenile males, four to five meters long. More than half were resighted, including one young male recorded 34 times over three years.</p>



<p>From an ecological lens, these observations support a classic theory: young individuals often use coastal waters rich in food, while adults migrate offshore into deeper, less accessible habitats.</p>



<p>Such ontogenetic shifts are common across marine megafauna and are essential for population survival.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-injuries-reshape-populations">Injuries reshape populations</h2>



<p>Of 206 sharks with scars, over 80 percent carried human-caused injuries. Serious wounds, including lacerations and blunt trauma, were rare but concerning. More often, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whale-sharks-move-into-dangerous-territory-as-the-climate-warms/">sharks</a> bore superficial abrasions from rubbing against fishing gear and boats.</p>



<p>Studies across marine ecology emphasize that while minor wounds may not kill, cumulative injuries reduce overall fitness.</p>



<p>Injured animals often change behavior, avoid key feeding zones, or expend more energy healing. Over time, this shapes population dynamics.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-female-whale-sharks-live-in-deep-seas">Female whale sharks live in deep seas</h2>



<p>A lingering question is the absence of females and older individuals, since previous studies show that adult whale sharks - especially females - prefer the deep ocean where they feed on prey like krill and schooling fish.</p>



<p>By contrast, younger males remain near shore in shallow, plankton-rich waters that help them grow quickly.</p>



<p>“Our own satellite tracking data also show that females and adults frequently use deep sea features such as canyons and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seamounts-are-gathering-hubs-for-ocean-predators/">seamounts</a>,” said study co-author Mochamad Iqbal Herwata Putra.</p>



<p>Ecological theory explains this pattern: sexual segregation often arises in large marine vertebrates, with males and females exploiting different ecological niches to reduce competition and improve survival chances. This strategy is a driver of population resilience across species.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tourism-brings-dangers-to-whale-sharks">Tourism brings dangers to whale sharks</h2>



<p>Staying near coasts, whale sharks offer strong potential for ecotourism. </p>



<p>“Whale sharks in Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay (Kaimana) had high rates of residency and resighting, indicating that they should be viewed as valuable tourism assets for local communities and governments,” said Dr. Mark Erdmann of Rewild.</p>



<p>However, unmanaged <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-change-their-daily-schedules-when-tourists-are-watching/">wildlife tourism</a> can create a risky cycle: attraction leads to proximity, which heightens disturbance and injury risk.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-changes-big-impact">Small changes, big impact</h2>



<p>The researchers recommend small but effective changes, such as modifying fishing platforms to remove sharp edges.</p>



<p>“We aim to work with the management authorities of the marine protected areas to develop regulations to require slight modifications to the bagans, including the removal of any sharp edges from boat outriggers and net frames," said Erdmann. "We believe those changes will greatly reduce scarring of whale sharks in the region."</p>



<p>Ecological models highlight that even minor adjustments in human practices can dramatically reduce stress on threatened populations. </p>



<p>Protecting whale sharks is more than conserving one species. It safeguards a keystone component of marine food webs, maintains ecosystem balance, and secures benefits for communities who depend on healthy seas.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1607027/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.</em></p>



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Whale sharks are literally scarred by human activity

The sight of a whale shark, the largest fish alive...

<p>A new mouse study tested what happens when food is prepared on plastic cutting boards and the resulting microplastics end up in the diet. The team chopped on polyethylene and polypropylene boards, mixed the released particles into feed, and watched how the gut responded over weeks.</p>



<p>These tiny particles, called microplastics, are fragments of plastic smaller than 0.2 inches that can carry additives and hitchhiking chemicals. The results did not look the same for each plastic, which matters for everyday kitchens.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-the-cutting-board-study">Inside the cutting board study</h2>



<p>The team, led by Hai-Jun Gan from the School of Environment at <a href="https://hjxy.nju.edu.cn/English/HOME/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nanjing University</a>, used two common plastics, polypropylene and polyethylene - then prepared mouse diets on these boards for four and 12 weeks. </p>



<p>Polypropylene particles averaged about 10 micrometers, while polyethylene pieces averaged about 27 micrometers, which means the polypropylene feed contained many more particles for the same mass.</p>



<p>By week 12, the diets prepared on plastic carried roughly a milligram of microplastics per gram of feed, and the number rose with repeated chopping cycles. </p>



<p>Independent laboratory work reported that a single cut on a new polypropylene board can release on the order of 100 to 300 particles, which helps explain why older boards tend to shed more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-plastics-different-effects">Different plastics, different effects</h2>



<p>Polypropylene did not just ride through the gut. Mice eating polypropylene board <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dishwashers-release-nearly-a-million-plastic-particles-per-cycle/">particles</a> showed higher blood markers that track inflammation and gut barrier stress.</p>



<p>The markers included lipopolysaccharide and <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/c-reactive-protein-test/about/pac-20385228" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">C-reactive protein</a>, and lower expression of tight junction genes that help seal the intestinal wall.</p>



<p>Polyethylene told a different story. The mice did not show clear signs of inflammation, but their gut microbiota shifted after 12 weeks, with a lower share of <em>Firmicutes</em> and a higher share of <em>Desulfobacterota</em> in the cecum. </p>



<p>That shift lined up with distinct changes in fecal and liver metabolites, especially bile-acid related compounds.</p>



<p>The contrast matters. It points to particle size, count, surface chemistry, and additives as separate levers of harm, instead of a single “plastic effect.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-polypropylene-boards-and-microplastics">Polypropylene boards and microplastics</h2>



<p>Plastic cutting boards are not the only source of microplastics in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-packaging-is-leaking-harmful-chemicals-into-meals/">food</a>, but they are close to the action. </p>



<p>An analysis estimating real-world chopping suggested that people could ingest 7.4 to 50.7 grams per year from polyethylene boards and about 49.5 grams from polypropylene boards, depending on use.</p>



<p>Those numbers track with the lab result that repeated chopping increases particle release as surfaces become scarred.</p>



<p>Microplastics are not limited to kitchens. They have been <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glass-bottles-contain-more-microplastics-than-plastic-containers/">measured in human blood</a>, which tells us that particles are bioavailable and can circulate to different tissues.</p>



<p>Clinical researchers have also detected plastics in carotid artery plaques and linked their presence to higher rates of heart attack, stroke, or death over nearly three years in a 304 patient cohort.</p>



<p>Those findings do not prove that plastic cutting boards cause disease. They show that human exposure is real, widespread, and worth reducing where it is sensible.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gut-response-to-different-plastics">Gut response to different plastics</h2>



<p>The gut barrier is more than a wall. It is a dynamic system that includes mucus, tight junctions, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/daylight-boosts-the-immune-systems-ability-to-fight-infections/">immune</a> signals, and bacterial metabolites. </p>



<p>Polypropylene particles in this experiment lined up with lower expression of genes that help seal that barrier and higher activity of myosin light chain kinase, a protein that can loosen junctions and permit lipopolysaccharide to enter the bloodstream.</p>



<p>Polyethylene pushed on metabolism and community structure instead. Bile acids, the detergents our livers make to manage fat and signal to the gut, dropped in the liver.</p>



<p>On top of that, specific microbially shaped bile acids in the gut also shifted. That pattern fits a gut liver axis response, not a classic inflammatory spike.</p>



<p>One plastic leaned toward barrier injury. The other leaned toward ecosystem drift. Neither path is good news.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wood-is-not-a-perfect-solution">Wood is not a perfect solution</h2>



<p>People switch to wood to avoid plastic shedding. That can reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-escaping-from-water-treatment-plants/">microplastic</a> ingestion, but any swap needs basic hygiene. </p>



<p>Knife scars, moisture, and fat can trap microbes on any surface, and regulators have wrestled with these tradeoffs for years.</p>



<p>Food safety guidance has long noted that wooden boards behave differently from scarred plastics and can be harder or easier to sanitize depending on use and cleaning. </p>



<p>The key is routine cleaning, separation of raw and ready-to-eat foods, and timely replacement of boards that are deeply grooved.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-weigh-plastic-risks">How to weigh plastic risks</h2>



<p>“Based on the limited evidence available, chemicals and biofilms associated with microplastics in drinking-water pose a low concern for human health,” according to the World Health Organization (<a href="https://www.who.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHO</a>).</p>



<p>But that is drinking water, not food, and it reflects what we know today, not a permanent verdict.</p>



<p>This is where kitchen practice and common sense meet science. Replace old plastic boards more often. </p>



<p>Avoid harsh scraping that chews up surfaces. Keep raw meat, seafood, and produce on separate boards, and clean thoroughly with hot water and detergent after each use.</p>



<p>There is also a bigger picture. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-from-plastic-bottles-linked-to-high-blood-pressure-and-heart-problems/">Plastics</a> differ by polymer and additives, and they age in different ways. Real exposure rarely involves clean, single-polymer spheres.</p>



<p>Results in people may hinge on mixtures, particle sizes, and how the gut is already primed by diet, stress, medications, and infections.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-directions-in-cutting-board-studies">Future directions in cutting board studies</h2>



<p>The mouse study used realistic chopping, not pristine pellets, which is why it stands out. Next steps include human exposure tracking that can pair biomarkers with what people actually do in their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-kitchen-utensils-may-leach-toxic-chemicals-in-food/">kitchens</a>. </p>



<p>Researchers also plan to compare particle counts and sizes from new, moderately used, and heavily scarred boards across brands. </p>



<p>They are also working to standardize sampling and detection from tap water to tissue so estimates line up.</p>



<p>That will help translate animal data into sharper human guidance, without overstating confidence or downplaying potential trouble.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP15472" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Environmental Health Perspectives</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

This everyday kitchen tool could be leaching toxins into your food

A new mouse study tested what happens when food is...

<p>When you think about Earth’s building blocks, your mind probably doesn’t jump to a giant space butterfly 3,400 light-years away. But scientists studying one of the galaxy’s most dramatic nebulae - the Butterfly Nebula - say it might offer real answers about how rocky planets like ours came to be.</p>



<p>Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers got the clearest look yet inside this strange, fiery structure. What they found were signs of dust - the kind that helped form Earth itself.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-spots-building-blocks-of-planets">Webb spots building blocks of planets</h2>



<p>Cosmic dust consists of minute mineral and organic debris suspended in space. It contains ingredients that probably took part in the beginning of life. Scientists weren’t entirely certain how it develops until now.</p>



<p>The Webb Telescope directed its keen eyes toward the dense center of the Butterfly Nebula, an incredible wing-like cloud of gas and dust in the constellation <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/dark-wolf-nebula-in-the-constellation-scorpius/">Scorpius</a>, far beyond Earth. Instead of seeing just one type of dust, scientists found two. </p>



<p>“We were able to see both cool gemstones formed in calm, long-lasting zones and fiery grime created in violent, fast-moving parts of space, all within a single object,” said lead researcher Dr. Mikako Matsuura of <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cardiff University</a>.</p>



<p>Most dust in space is messy and disorganized, like soot. But some forms perfect crystals - much more structured, like tiny gems. The nebula contains both, all in one place. This suggests that different kinds of cosmic environments can create very different types of dust, even right next to each other.</p>



<p>“This discovery is a big step forward in understanding how the basic materials of planets, come together," said Dr. Matsuura.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-star-hiding-in-plain-sight">A star hiding in plain sight</h2>



<p>The Butterfly Nebula’s bright, complex glow comes from a white-hot central star - one of the hottest of its kind, blazing at around 220,000 Kelvin (over 395,000°F). </p>



<p>But the star itself has been hard to spot. It’s buried inside a thick, dusty ring of gas shaped like a doughnut, called a torus. That doughnut blocks visible light, making it impossible to see with regular telescopes.</p>



<p>Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) employs a camera and a spectrograph that are capable of seeing through the dust. Using this technology, the researchers discovered the obscured star by identifying a glowing cloud of dust surrounding it, radiating in infrared wavelengths.</p>



<p>This dusty torus is made of crystalline silicates like quartz, plus irregular grains about a millionth of a meter across - surprisingly large for cosmic dust. Their size and shape suggest they’ve been growing steadily for a long time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fiery-jets-carve-a-cosmic-butterfly">Fiery jets carve a cosmic butterfly</h2>



<p>Past the torus, things get more chaotic. The nebula’s shape is bipolar, meaning it has two giant lobes stretching in opposite directions like wings. A pair of high-speed jets shoot out from the center, traced by elements like iron and nickel.</p>



<p>The new observations also uncovered layered shells of different atoms. Elements that need more energy to form cluster closer to the hot star, while others settle farther out. This paints a picture of a very organized - yet wild - environment.</p>



<p>Another surprise came in the form of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/building-blocks-of-life-found-in-asteroids-were-formed-in-cold-regions-of-space/">polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons</a> (PAHs). These carbon-based molecules are built like tiny rings and are found on Earth in things like car exhaust, smoke from campfires, and even burnt toast.</p>



<p>The PAHs showed up in a place no one expected - inside an oxygen-rich planetary nebula. Usually, these kinds of molecules form in carbon-rich environments. Their presence here hints at a unique type of chemical reaction happening as fast winds from the central star slam into surrounding gas.</p>



<p>The team suspects this may be the first evidence of PAHs forming under these conditions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nebula-chemistry-reshapes-rocky-worlds">Nebula chemistry reshapes rocky worlds</h2>



<p>Planetary nebulae - despite the name - are the final stages of medium-sized stars like our Sun. They form when those stars puff off their outer layers before cooling down into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/">white dwarfs</a>.</p>



<p>That’s where many of the raw materials for future stars and planets are made. These nebulae might last only around 20,000 years - a blink in cosmic time - but during that period, they shape the chemistry of the galaxy.</p>



<p>The Butterfly Nebula is one of the best-studied examples, previously imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. But the James Webb Space Telescope goes deeper, letting scientists explore not just the shape of the nebula, but its internal chemistry.</p>



<p>Using Webb’s detailed imaging along with radio data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, researchers found nearly 200 spectral lines - signals from different atoms and molecules. These signals showed how different chemicals are arranged in layers - revealing complex, nested structures.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-butterfly-nebula-reveals-planet-recipes">Butterfly Nebula reveals planet recipes</h2>



<p>The Butterfly Nebula’s beauty is just the surface. Underneath its glow lies a complicated process that turns dying stars into factories for dust and molecules - the very kind that can help form planets.</p>



<p>"For years, scientists have debated how cosmic dust forms in space. But now, with the help of the powerful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-telescope-reveals-climate-never-before-seen-in-our-solar-system-pluto-haze/">James Webb Space Telescope</a>, we may finally have a clearer picture," said Dr. Matsuura.</p>



<p>With each new discovery, the question of how rocky worlds like Earth form becomes a little less mysterious - and a lot more exciting.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/542/2/1287/8241385" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</a></em>.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, M. Matsuura, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), N. Hirano, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)</p>



<p>-----</p>



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Butterfly Nebula may hold new clues to Earth’s origins

When you think about Earth’s building blocks, your mind probably...

<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>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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"><em>Nature Communications</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

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>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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<p></p>

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>



<p>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>.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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.</p>



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



<p>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>.<br>This research offers renewed hope against cancer, and it can potentially open a door to more effective cancer therapies for most cancer patients worldwide.</p>



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<p>-----</p>

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...

Butterfly Star shows off its planet-forming disc

News coming your way