<p>Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a stunning reflection nebula known as GN 04.32.8 in the constellation Taurus.</p>



<p>Reflection nebulae are cosmic clouds of fine dust that become visible not by producing their own light, but by reflecting the light of nearby stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Unlike emission <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebulae</a>, which glow due to ionized gases radiating light, reflection nebulae shine more subtly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The light from nearby stars strikes the dust particles within the cloud and scatters in many directions - especially shorter, bluer wavelengths. This scattering effect, similar to the way Earth’s sky appears blue, often gives reflection nebulae their characteristic bluish hue.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-taurus-molecular-cloud">The Taurus Molecular Cloud</h2>



<p>“GN 04.32.8 is a small part of the stellar nursery known as the Taurus Molecular Cloud. At only roughly 480 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus, it's one of the best locations for studying newly forming stars,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>The Taurus Molecular Cloud is one of the closest and most extensively studied regions for low-mass star formation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Unlike larger star-forming regions like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/">Orion</a> that produce many high-mass stars, the Taurus Molecular Cloud is dominated by the formation of Sun-like and smaller stars, making it a prime analog for understanding the conditions that led to the birth of our own solar system.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energetic-stars-in-the-constellation-taurus-nbsp">Energetic stars in the constellation Taurus&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“This reflection nebula is illuminated by the system of three bright stars in the center of this image, mainly the variable star V1025 Tauri in the very center," ESA noted. </p>



<p>“One of those stars overlaps with part of the nebula: this is another variable star that is named HP Tauri, but is classified as a T Tauri star, for its similarity to yet <em>another</em> variable star elsewhere in the Taurus Molecular Complex.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>T Tauri stars are young, energetic stars in the earliest stages of stellar evolution, just beginning their journey toward becoming stable main sequence stars like our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-sun-like-stars-with-secret-companions/">Sun</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These stars are highly variable, often exhibiting strong stellar winds and flares as they settle into equilibrium. </p>



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



<p>In this case, the trio of T Tauri stars - named HP Tau, HP Tau G2, and HP Tau G3 - are believed to be gravitationally bound, forming a dynamic triple star system.</p>



<p>“Eagle-eyed viewers might notice the small, squashed, orange spot, just left of center below the clouds of the nebula, that’s crossed by a dark line. This is a newly-formed protostar, hidden in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">protoplanetary disc</a> that obstructs some of its light,” explained ESA.</p>



<p>“Because the disc is edge-on to us, it’s an ideal candidate for study. Astronomers are using Hubble here to examine it closely, seeking to learn about the kinds of exoplanets that might be formed in discs like it.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-light-of-hot-young-stars">The light of hot, young stars</h2>



<p>Reflection nebulae are usually found in regions where new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-billion-white-dwarf-stars-in-milky-way-galaxy-might-have-habitable-planets/">stars</a> are forming, often near or within dense molecular clouds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Some reflection nebulae can span light-years across and serve as markers of stellar nurseries - places where future generations of stars are taking shape.</p>



<p>Reflection nebulae offer astronomers a valuable glimpse into the structure and composition of the interstellar medium and help trace the life cycles of stars from birth to maturity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examples-of-reflection-nebulae-nbsp">Examples of reflection nebulae&nbsp;</h2>



<p>One well-known example is the reflection nebula surrounding the Pleiades star cluster, also called the Seven Sisters.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Iris Nebula, located in the constellation Cepheus about 1,300 light-years from Earth, is a striking reflection nebula illuminated by the young star SAO 19158.</p>



<p>This nebula is a popular target for astrophotographers due to its vivid colors and intricate structure.</p>



<p>Found about 1,600 light-years away, M78 is the brightest reflection nebula in the Orion constellation and one of the easiest to observe with amateur telescopes. It’s illuminated by two young stars, HD 38563A and HD 38563B.&nbsp;</p>



<p>M78 is part of a larger complex of gas and dust that includes many other star-forming regions within the Orion Molecular Cloud.</p>



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



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Radiant young stars illuminate the constellation Taurus 

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 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 Space Agency features an incredible phenomenon that was captured on the far outskirts of the Milky Way.</p>



<p>A young, massive star has announced its arrival with a dramatic display. It has fired off twin <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-captures-a-young-stars-jet-colliding-with-space-dust/">jets</a> of gas so powerful they stretch across eight light-years - about twice the distance from our Sun to the Alpha Centauri system.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These streams are confined to narrow beams by the star’s magnetic fields and launched along its spin axis.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-jets-of-a-young-star">The jets of a young star</h2>



<p>The James Webb Space Telescope captured the event in exquisite infrared detail, showing the jets carving their way through interstellar gas and dust.</p>



<p>The stellar outburst belongs to a rare class of cosmic displays known as Herbig-Haro objects. They form when material falling onto a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-star-wsb-52-fires-an-explosive-jet-that-crashed-back-into-its-own-planetary-disk/">newborn star</a> is shot back out into space at incredible speeds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The star at the heart of this spectacle lies in a cluster about 15,000 light-years away. The star has a mass that is already ten times greater than the Sun’s.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The outflow is hurtling through space at hundreds of thousands of miles per hour, leaving behind a trail that astronomers can now study as a record of the star’s growth.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unexpected-discovery">An unexpected discovery</h2>



<p>The discovery took astronomers by surprise, including Yu Cheng of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (<a href="https://www.nao.ac.jp/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NAOJ</a>). </p>



<p>“We didn’t really know there was a massive star with this kind of super-jet out there before the observation. Such a spectacular outflow of molecular hydrogen from a massive star is rare in other regions of our galaxy,” said Cheng.&nbsp;</p>



<p>More than 300 Herbig-Haro objects are known, but most of them come from stars much smaller than this one. Webb’s sharp images reveal not just the scale but also the delicate structure of this jet, including knots, shocks, and filaments where the stream slams into surrounding material.</p>



<p>“I was really surprised at the order, symmetry, and size of the jet when we first looked at it,” said Jonathan Tan of the <a href="https://www.virginia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Virginia</a>.</p>



<p>The perfect alignment of the opposite streams suggests the process fueling this star’s growth has been steady for more than 100,000 years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mystery-of-massive-star-formation-nbsp">Mystery of massive star formation&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The new <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/09/Immense_stellar_jet_in_Milky_Way_outskirts#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=0ad1e29a-3bb6-4b03-99c0-1f5c2ba20000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">observation</a> has reopened one of the longest-running debates in astronomy: how do massive stars form? For decades, scientists have been split between two main ideas. </p>



<p>One theory suggests that stars this large form through a steady process called core accretion, where gas builds up in a stable disk and launches outflows in predictable directions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The other theory, known as competitive accretion, involves a chaotic tug-of-war in which streams of gas fall in from all sides, twisting the orientation of the jets.</p>



<p>The Webb data now tilt the balance toward the first explanation. The opposing jets are nearly 180 degrees apart, showing that the central disk has remained steady throughout the star’s lifetime.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“What we’ve seen here, because we’ve got the whole history - a tapestry of the story - is that the opposite sides of the jets are nearly 180 degrees apart from each other. That tells us that this central disc is held steady and validates a prediction of the core accretion theory,” said Tan.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conditions-of-the-early-universe-nbsp">Conditions of the early universe&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The star’s home lies in a cluster called Sharpless 2-284, a relatively pristine region on the galaxy’s periphery. Because it is far from the Milky Way’s busy center, its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-universes-first-molecule-helped-ignite-the-stars/">stars formed</a> in an environment low in heavy elements.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Astronomers call this property metallicity, and it mirrors the conditions of the early universe, before multiple generations of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-discovery-twin-stars-with-parallel-disks-and-jets/">stars</a> had enriched space with the products of nuclear fusion.</p>



<p>“Webb’s exquisite data have also shown us that relatively more stars seem to form at lower masses in Sh2-284 than in closer, more metal-rich clusters. This cluster is an excellent region to help us understand star formation throughout the Universe,” said Morten Andersen of the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Southern Observatory</a>.</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA</p>



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Young star lights up the Milky Way with colossal jets

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

<p>Today’s Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a dramatic view of dust sweeping across the Tarim Basin in western China - one of the dustiest places on Earth. </p>



<p>Spring and summer usually grab the headlines for dust activity, but that doesn’t mean the skies clear in the other months. <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154772/dust-in-the-eye-of-the-tarim-basin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Satellite data</a> and ground observations show that autumn brings its share of haze too. </p>



<p>Known for its unusual eye-like shape, the Tarim Basin is surrounded by mountains that often trap dust inside. This natural barrier keeps the fine particles from traveling far beyond the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/">desert</a> floor, creating persistent hazy conditions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-landscape-shaped-by-tectonic-power">A landscape shaped by tectonic power</h2>



<p>Look north and the “eyebrow” of the Tarim reveals striking ridges running east to west. These aren’t ordinary hills but part of the Kuqa fold-and-thrust belt.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Millions of years of tectonic forces pushed the Tarim Basin against its mountainous neighbors to the north, squeezing rock layers until they buckled and folded. The result is a series of wave-like formations called anticlines and synclines.</p>



<p>Over time, erosion has carved into these ridges, peeling back layers of red and green sandstones and pale limestones. From above, these colorful stripes stand out sharply against the muted tones of the desert around them.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154126/a-curtain-of-dust-over-the-tarim-basin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Landsat images</a> have captured the intricate detail of this fractured geology, offering a glimpse into the dynamic forces that continue to shape the region.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-counting-the-dusty-days">Counting the dusty days</h2>



<p>Scientists studied more than 30 years of satellite records and found that the Tarim Basin averaged 60 dusty days a year. The month of September typically saw seven.&nbsp;</p>



<p>About 85 percent of those days fell into a category called “floating dust.” On such days, winds were light but visibility dropped below six miles as particles lingered in the air.</p>



<p>The rest of the time, conditions were harsher. On “blowing dust” days, moderate winds reduced visibility to less than three miles. The most extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-storms-are-a-surprising-source-of-deadly-air-pollution/">dust storms</a> cut visibility to under half a mile, carried by powerful gusts that scoured the landscape.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-size-tells-a-seasonal-story">Dust size tells a seasonal story</h2>



<p>Not all dust is the same. By comparing seasons, researchers found that larger particles show up most often in spring, fall, and winter.&nbsp;</p>



<p>NASA’s Terra satellite, using its Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer, provided the detail. These coarse grains likely lift when strong horizontal winds sweep across the desert.</p>



<p>Summer is different. Rising heat drives localized convection, creating dust whirls - sometimes called dust devils - that pull smaller, finer grains into the air.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These swirling columns may look less threatening than a full storm, but they can still loft material high into the atmosphere.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The seasonal contrast shows how different forces, from heat to wind, work together to keep the basin’s air loaded with dust.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-from-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Dust from the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Dust from the Tarim Basin doesn’t just linger over western China. Depending on weather patterns, it can drift across Asia, impacting air quality in major cities. In extreme cases, it may even cross <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/atmospheric-dust-plays-surprisingly-crucial-role-in-stabilizing-ocean-ecosystems/">oceans</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These particles influence more than visibility. They affect climate by reflecting sunlight or trapping heat, and they alter ecosystems when they settle far from their source.</p>



<p>Understanding when and how dust moves is key for both health and climate research. The Tarim Basin offers a natural laboratory where scientists can track these processes in detail, thanks to decades of satellite coverage and on-the-ground measurements.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-reminder-of-nature-s-reach">A reminder of nature’s reach</h2>



<p>The desert may seem remote, but its restless skies have a global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-is-an-understudied-contributor-to-climate-change/">footprint</a>. What satellites recorded in early September was just one episode in a cycle that repeats year after year.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Tectonic history, seasonal winds, and rising heat all converge in this basin to keep the air in motion.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For scientists, the Tarim continues to show how landscapes that appear still and silent are, in fact, alive with change.</p>



<p>The image was captured on September 1, 2025 by the NOAA-20 satellite.&nbsp;</p>



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



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China’s Tarim Basin: A desert that never sleeps

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

<p>Today’s Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features Hurricane Kiko, spinning west across the Pacific Ocean toward the Hawaiian Islands.</p>



<p>Hurricane Kiko began as a tropical depression on August 31 in the eastern Pacific. Within days, it rapidly gained strength and climbed into major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-amplified-hurricane-strength/">hurricane</a> status. By early September, it was heading west with Hawaii in its path - raising concerns about what the islands might face.</p>



<p>The storm’s approach forced Hawaii to prepare for high surf, rip currents, and shifting forecasts. While the cyclone weakened as it neared land, the ocean did not quiet down, and warnings were issued for dangerous conditions along east-facing shores.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calm-beginnings-to-furious-winds">Calm beginnings to furious winds</h2>



<p>Kiko’s early days followed the typical pattern of many Pacific hurricanes. Warm waters and unstable atmospheric conditions fueled its rise from depression to named storm, and then to hurricane.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At its peak, Kiko wavered between Category 3 and Category 4 strength. On September 4, its sustained winds reached 145 miles per hour, enough to rank it among the most powerful storms of the season.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-kiko-from-space">Observing Kiko from space</h2>



<p>On September 7 at about 1:30 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, satellites offered a clear view of the storm.</p>



<p>Today’s featured <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154769/hurricane-kiko-nears-hawaii" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">image</a> reveals a vast spiral with a defined center. At this time, it was a Category 2 system with winds of 110 miles per hour. </p>



<p>The photo was captured by instruments aboard the Suomi NPP satellite when Hurricane Kiko was about 600 miles east of Hilo. </p>



<p>These satellite snapshots are crucial for monitoring storm size, cloud structure, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-causes-the-rapid-intensification-of-hurricanes/">intensity</a>. They help forecasters understand how the cyclone is evolving as it moves across the ocean.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-storm-weakened">Why the storm weakened</h2>



<p>Hurricanes thrive on warm water and favorable atmospheric conditions. But Kiko encountered hurdles that sapped its energy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The National Hurricane Center noted that cooler water played a role in its decline. In addition, moderate vertical wind shear - the shifting of wind direction and speed with altitude - disrupted the storm’s internal structure. A dry surrounding environment further limited the fuel supply.</p>



<p>All of these factors caused Kiko to lose some of its punch as it pushed closer to Hawaii. Even so, the system remained large enough to stir up trouble in the seas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hurricane-kiko-forecasts">Hurricane Kiko forecasts</h2>



<p>As of September 8, meteorologists expected Kiko to veer northwest, weaken to a tropical storm, and pass north of the Hawaiian Islands on September 9 and 10.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That track suggested the islands might avoid damaging winds and widespread heavy rainfall. But not every hazard depends on direct landfall.</p>



<p>The National Hurricane Center warned that east-facing coastal areas could see dangerous surf and rip currents. These hazards often linger long after the storm’s eye has passed, and they pose risks to swimmers, boaters, and anyone near the shoreline.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hawaii-s-storm-history">Hawaii’s storm history</h2>



<p>Hawaii sits in the middle of the Pacific, far from continental landmasses but not immune to tropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-weak-storms-are-deadly-for-infants-in-developing-nations/">cyclones</a>. While direct hits are rare, the islands have experienced damaging storms in the past.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Hurricane Iniki in 1992 was the strongest to strike Hawaii in recorded history, causing widespread destruction on Kauai. More recently, storms like Lane in 2018 and Douglas in 2020 skirted the islands but still produced heavy rains and flooding.</p>



<p>Kiko fits into this long-running narrative: powerful systems often threaten Hawaii, and even near misses bring serious impacts. For residents and visitors alike, the warnings serve as reminders of the Pacific’s power.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-the-next-storm">Preparing for the next storm</h2>



<p>Forecasting has improved in recent decades thanks to satellite technology, advanced computer models, and constant monitoring by meteorologists.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These tools give island communities more time to prepare for changing conditions. Emergency managers urge residents to take <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-hurricane-warnings-fail-to-convey-the-real-danger/">warnings</a> seriously, even if the storm’s center never crosses land.</p>



<p>High surf alone can be life-threatening, and rip currents claim lives every year. For island states like Hawaii, where the ocean defines daily life, respecting these warnings is vital.</p>



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



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Hurricane Kiko spins toward Hawaii 

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency showcases the striking beauty of the planetary nebula NGC 2899, which resembles a moth in flight. The photo was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.</p>



<p>“The planetary nebula NGC 2899 is shaped like a single macaroni noodle, with its edges pointed up, but its edge-on central torus is semi-transparent in the middle,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“The top and bottom edges are thick and orange. The center is semi-transparent blue and green. The wider central region looks roughly like a moth, also filled with semi-transparent blue and green.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-defining-features-of-the-planetary-nebula">Defining features of the planetary nebula</h2>



<p>According to ESA, the nebula features a bipolar, cylindrical outflow of gas extending diagonally. The gas is driven by intense radiation and stellar winds from a central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-planets-are-more-habitable-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white dwarf</a> with a scorching temperature of nearly 22,000 degrees Celsius. </p>



<p>“In fact, there may be two companion stars that are interacting and sculpting the nebula, which is pinched in the middle by a fragmented ring or torus - looking like a half-eaten donut,” said ESA.</p>



<p>Streams of gaseous “pillars” extend outward, all pointing back toward the central source of energy. The vibrant colors in the image come from glowing hydrogen and oxygen gases.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovery-and-significance-of-ngc-2899">Discovery and significance of NGC 2899</h2>



<p>NGC 2899 was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on March 2, 1835, during his survey of the southern skies from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. </p>



<p>Herschel cataloged many deep-sky objects in the southern hemisphere, contributing significantly to the New General Catalogue (NGC) compiled later by John Louis Emil Dreyer.</p>



<p>NGC 2899 is located approximately 4,500 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Vela, which is part of the larger Vela-Puppis-Carina region of the Milky Way known for its rich <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star-forming activity</a> and remnants of past stellar explosions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Vela, whose name means "sails" in Latin, represents the sails of the ancient Greek mythological ship Argo Navis. This region of the sky is particularly abundant in nebulae, star clusters, and other deep-sky objects, making it a focal point for astronomical observations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The nebula’s distance places it well within our galaxy, offering astronomers a valuable glimpse into the later stages of stellar evolution and the processes that sculpt and illuminate planetary nebulae.</p>



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



<p>Nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust in space, often serving as the birthplaces or remnants of stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>They come in various types, including emission nebulae that glow due to ionized gases energized by nearby stars, reflection nebulae that shine by scattering starlight, and dark nebulae that obscure light from background <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/runaway-star-may-be-dragging-a-planet-along-with-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Planetary nebulae form when dying stars shed their outer layers, creating colorful, often symmetrical shapes. Nebulae can span light-years across and are key to understanding the life cycles of stars and the structure of galaxies.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-fate-of-dying-stars">The fate of dying stars</h2>



<p>Not all dying stars become planetary nebulae. In fact, stars much more massive than the Sun follow a very different and far more violent path.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These massive stars end their lives in dramatic supernova explosions, releasing tremendous energy and scattering heavy elements into space, which enriches the interstellar medium.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What remains after the explosion depends on the star’s mass. The collapsed core can form a neutron star - an incredibly dense object composed mostly of neutrons. Or, if the star was even more massive, it may create a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-confirm-lone-black-hole-wandering-through-our-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a>, where gravity is so intense that not even light can escape.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examples-of-winged-nebulae-nbsp">Examples of “winged” nebulae&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Several well-known nebulae are noted for their "winged" or symmetrical, wing-like appearances, often earning them evocative nicknames.&nbsp;</p>



<p>One of the most famous is the Butterfly Nebula, located in the constellation Scorpius. This planetary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dragons-egg-nebula-is-a-truly-stunning-sight-to-behold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nebula</a> displays two expansive lobes that resemble butterfly wings, shaped by fast stellar winds from a dying star.</p>



<p>The Omega Nebula (also known as the Swan Nebula) in the constellation Sagittarius is a bright star-forming region that has been said to resemble a swan in flight. It has broad, glowing "wings" formed by clouds of ionized hydrogen gas.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Similarly, the Eagle Nebula has an overall shape reminiscent of a bird with outstretched wings, which inspired its name. It is located in the constellation Serpens and home to the iconic "Pillars of Creation."</p>



<p>Image Credit: ESA</p>



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Planetary nebula with ethereal wings captured by Hubble

<p>Bee hives in the desert are always underground or in rock crevices. This large hive took residence in an old ant bear hole underground. Photo Credit: Whensilencefindsme</p>

Desert Bee Hive

<p>If you’re a male gray frog trying to find a mate, you’d better have a fast and steady call. That’s what female treefrogs usually go for. But when the crowd gets loud and chaotic, things change. The males that don’t sound all that great? They suddenly have a shot.</p>



<p>In quiet situations where females only hear two males at once, their preferences are clear. They go for the one with the sharper, more rhythmic call. </p>



<p>But when four or even eight males are calling at once, things get messy. Female choices become unpredictable. This isn’t just a frog issue - it ties into a broader idea that scientists call “choice overload.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-frogs-face-chaos-in-the-chorus">Frogs face chaos in the chorus</h2>



<p>In nature, frogs gather in large, noisy groups called choruses. Picture a shallow pond in spring, with dozens of males calling out at the same time. It’s the frog equivalent of a dating scene in a packed nightclub.</p>



<p>The researchers found that the crowded conditions of these choruses might be too overwhelming for females to reliably pick the best mate. It’s not that they stop caring - it’s that they can’t tell who’s who.</p>



<p>Professor Jessie Tanner of the <a href="https://www.utk.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tennessee, Knoxville</a>, led a team studying how choice overload affects evolution.</p>



<p>“Because female mate choice can drive evolution, our results suggest that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unraveling-the-story-of-early-animal-evolution/">evolution</a> might happen more slowly than we thought before,” she said. </p>



<p>“Some males that are fairly unattractive could still mate, especially if they take advantage of crowded spaces where females might be less able to discriminate between attractive and unattractive males.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-when-choices-are-too-hard">What happens when choices are too hard?</h2>



<p>The idea of choice overload is pretty common in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/science-behind-predicting-and-changing-human-behavior/">human behavior</a>. You walk into a store to buy toothpaste and face 50 brands. You either freeze, grab something random, or walk away. Same goes for dating apps with endless swiping.</p>



<p>“We wanted to understand how having to make mating decisions in crowded environments, where choice overload could be a problem, might drive the evolution of calls,” Tanner explained. </p>



<p>“Since males that are chosen by females pass on their genes to the next generation, this mate choice can cause the population to change over time.”</p>



<p>When animals, like people, face too many options, their decision-making can break down. That opens up a chance for less attractive mates to get picked - not because they became more appealing, but because the chooser got overwhelmed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choice-overload-in-other-animals">Choice overload in other animals</h2>



<p>This isn’t just about frogs. Scientists are now looking at how this effect shows up in other animals. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-increasingly-stressed-over-the-past-century/">Bumblebees</a>, for instance, are on the list. So are wood roaches.</p>



<p>“Our lab is working to understand how choice overload and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frogs-have-lungs-that-cancel-out-background-noise/">noise</a> may each contribute to the difficulty female treefrogs face in making mating decisions,” Tanner said. </p>



<p>“We are also working to understand whether this choice overload is something that occurs generally in many different kinds of animals or is more specific to individual species.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simultaneous-cricket-songs">Simultaneous cricket songs </h2>



<p>Tanner, who has a background in both psychology and biology, first got into animal behavior while studying mate choice as an undergrad. She later became interested in sound - especially how it plays into animal communication.</p>



<p>That led to earlier work on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-male-crickets-go-silent-how-females-adapt-and-respond/">crickets</a>. Like treefrogs, male crickets use sound to attract mates. A study on cricket mating showed that noisy environments might either block females from hearing calls or make them too confused to pick. It was hard to tell which was causing the problem.</p>



<p>“During that study, it became clear that our work was consistent with both the possibility that many simultaneous cricket songs created noise that made it hard for females to hear, and the possibility that the females were experiencing choice overload,” Tanner said. “Our current work looks to disentangle those ideas.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-average-becomes-good-enough">When average becomes good enough</h2>



<p>The research adds a new layer to how scientists think about evolution. Normally, stronger signals - like a faster frog call - are expected to win out and spread through the population over time. </p>



<p>But if crowded conditions keep females from consistently picking the top performers, evolution slows down. Mediocre traits stick around longer.</p>



<p>That changes the math for survival. In nature, being the best isn’t always enough - and sometimes, being just okay is good enough, especially if the crowd’s loud and the choices are many.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2025.0585" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a></em>.</p>



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Frogs settle for average mates when dating gets too noisy

If you’re a male gray frog trying to find a...

<p>Tomatoes do not just grow faster on a whim. They speed up when a tiny spelling mistake in their DNA gets corrected with precise tools.</p>



<p>A Swiss team did exactly that in a domesticated tomato line, altering SSP2, and the plants shifted into fruiting earlier while staying compact. </p>



<p>In a new study, the researchers show that fixing a single harmful mutation can tune the plant’s growth schedule in a predictable way.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-genetic-alterations">Making genetic alterations</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-italian-secret-to-sweeter-tomato-plants-and-greater-economic-efficiency/">The tomato</a> carried a small <a href="https://www.yeastgenome.org/locus/S000005768">change in a gene</a> called SSP2, which helps switch growing tips from making leaves to making flowers. </p>



<p>That switch sets the pace for fruiting, so repairing the harmful version of SSP2 nudged plants to set fruit sooner without ballooning in size.</p>



<p>This work comes from assistant professor <a href="https://www.unil.ch/dbmv/en/home/menuinst/research/recherche/prof-sebastian-soyk.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sebastian Soyk</a> at the University of Lausanne (<a href="https://www.unil.ch/unil/fr/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNIL</a>), whose group focuses on the genetics of flowering and plant architecture.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Our work shows how deleterious variants have sensitized modern genotypes for phenotypic tuning and illustrates how repairing deleterious mutations with genome editing may allow predictable crop improvement,” wrote Soyk in the report.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-the-tomato-s-ssp2-gene">Changing the tomato's SSP2 gene</h2>



<p>During domestication, people selected traits like bigger fruit and determinate growth. That selection also dragged along unwanted DNA changes, a pattern called the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28992310/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cost of domestication</a>. </p>



<p>A 2018 review explains how such mutations accumulate and can subtly reduce performance.</p>



<p>The Swiss group identified a single letter change in SSP2 that weakened the protein’s grip on DNA. </p>



<p>They also showed that SSP2 normally backs up a related paralog called SSP, and that redundancy eroded in domesticated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ripening-tomatoes-may-hold-clues-to-delay-human-aging/">tomatoes</a> over time.</p>



<p>Flowering in-tomato is powered by florigen, a mobile signal encoded by the gene SINGLE FLOWER TRUSS (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14504922/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SFT</a>). </p>



<p>Classic work showed how SFT shapes yield by balancing vegetative growth and flower production, including heterosis effects in hybrids, in a landmark <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.550" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a>.</p>



<p>SSP and SSP2 are transcription factor partners that help florigen trigger the flower program. When SSP2 is compromised, the switch gets sluggish, shoots elongate more before flowering, and early fruit set slips.</p>



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



<p>Once the harmful letter in SSP2 was corrected, plants produced an earlier tranche of ripe fruit under controlled conditions. </p>



<p>The repaired line showed compact growth and fewer flowers per truss, which channeled development toward earlier maturity.</p>



<p>At harvest, the repaired plants had an 8 percent higher share of fully red fruit compared with siblings carrying the uncorrected allele, and they showed an 11 percent lower sugar content by Brix. </p>



<p>The team scaled up measurements to make that conclusion, then reported the full trait set in the study already cited.</p>



<p>Domestication often narrows genetic diversity and can fix slightly harmful variants that hitchhike with useful ones. Over centuries of selection and inbreeding, those background changes can linger and affect traits in small ways.</p>



<p>With precise editing, breeders can now remove a specific deleterious variant without undoing the useful alleles it sits near. </p>



<p>That approach complements classical breeding and reduces guesswork that usually follows random <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-crop-pest-evolution-to-develop-biocontrol-strategies/">mutagenesis</a> or long cycles of recombination, as noted by the broader literature on domestication’s genetic footprints in the same 2018 review linked above.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ssp2-tomatoes-and-health-concerns">SSP2 tomatoes and health concerns</h2>



<p>Switzerland has maintained a moratorium on growing genetically modified crops since 2005, and lawmakers voted in June 2025 to extend it. </p>



<p>Swiss <a href="https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/various/parliament-wants-to-extend-genetic-engineering-moratorium-by-five-years/89467765" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lawmakers</a> backed a continuation through 2030, while also debating tailored rules for new gene editing methods.</p>



<p>That policy context matters because base edited plants, including those created by precise letter swaps, may fall under different legal definitions depending on jurisdiction. </p>



<p>The debate centers on whether an edit that could occur naturally should be regulated like older transgenic approaches that insert foreign DNA.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-could-mean-next-season">What this could mean next season</h2>



<p>Earlier yield can be valuable for growers in short seasons, high latitude regions, or indoor systems where turn time is money. </p>



<p>Compact plants with predictable flowering can be spaced and pruned more efficiently, which helps planning.</p>



<p>There is a tradeoff to watch, since lower Brix means less sweetness. Breeders can mitigate that by stacking the SSP2 repair with sugar related alleles or by targeting edits to environments where early red fruit is worth more than peak sweetness.</p>



<p>The SFT pathway is a central timing circuit in tomato, and tuning it has a long track record in yield optimization. </p>



<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20348958/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heterozygosity</a> at SFT can boost yield markedly in hybrids, showing how small shifts in flowering control ripple into fruit set and harvest timing, as shown in the 2010 paper cited above.</p>



<p>The SSP and SSP2 pair acts just upstream of these outcomes, guiding meristems to switch from leafy growth to flower clusters on schedule. </p>



<p>Repairing SSP2 did not raise total fruit number in this experiment, but it pulled ripening forward and tightened the plant’s form, which is a clear lever for scheduling.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-024-02026-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Genetics</em></a>.</p>



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This Swiss trick makes tomatoes bear fruit much faster

Tomatoes do not just grow faster on a whim. They...

Ryugu_aqueous-evolution_en

<p>Large amounts of liquid water once flowed inside asteroid Ryugu. A new study shows that this did not happen only in the first few million years of the solar system, but more than a billion years later.</p>



<p>Japan’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hayabusa-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hayabusa2</a> mission brought pieces of Ryugu back to Earth in December 2020. The reentry <a href="https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2020/12/20201214-1_e.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">capsule</a> was recovered in Australia, and work began to open it and distribute samples to labs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ryugu-s-water-record">Ryugu’s water record</h2>



<p>The team studied the ratio of isotopes in the returned grains and found a clear fingerprint of liquid water moving through rock long after the asteroid formed. </p>



<p>That late flow was strong enough to carry certain elements out of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-that-once-threatened-earth-may-target-the-moon/">rock</a> and into fractures.</p>



<p>This work was led by <a href="https://secure.eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/member/index.php?_urid=3394&amp;_lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tsuyoshi Iizuka</a> at the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tokyo</a>. The group reports that Ryugu’s parent body likely held between 20 and 30 percent water by mass.</p>



<p>In addition, the contribution of such bodies to Earth’s water may need to be revised upward by a factor of two to three.</p>



<p>Hayabusa2 collected a total of 5.4 grams from two sites, including material excavated from about 3.3 feet below the surface. The mission <a href="https://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sas/hayabusa2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">project</a> confirms the returned mass and notes that the goal had been only 0.1 gram.</p>



<p>“We found that Ryugu preserved a pristine record of water activity, evidence that fluids moved through its rocks far later than we expected,” said Associate Professor Iizuka.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-clock-ran-fast">Why the clock ran fast</h2>



<p>The team used <a href="https://evolution.berkeley.edu/radiometric-dating/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiometric dating</a> based on the decay of one element (lutetium 176) into another (hafnium 176) over time to figure out when key events happened inside the asteroid. </p>



<p>Those clocks are reliable when elements stay put, but they can be thrown off if fluids move them around.</p>



<p>Some tiny grains looked older than the solar system, which is impossible. </p>



<p>The only sensible reason is that liquid water flowed through parts of the rock and carried away a small amount of lutetium, which made the age calculation appear too old.</p>



<p>The method is powerful because lutetium and hafnium behave differently during water rock interactions. Lutetium dissolves more readily under certain alkaline conditions, while hafnium tends to stay locked in solid phases.</p>



<p>That contrast let the researchers map the movement of water, not by seeing the water itself but by measuring the chemical wake it left behind. </p>



<p>They found evidence for at least several percent loss of lutetium in affected spots, which is enough to skew the apparent ages.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-water-flowed-through-ryugu">How water flowed through Ryugu</h2>



<p>Early in solar system history, short-lived radioactive heat can melt ices inside small worlds. Later on, that heat is gone, so you need another source to melt ice and set fluids moving.</p>



<p>The study points to impacts that warmed the interior and cracked open pathways for liquid to travel. </p>



<p>Sunlight alone cannot do the job deep below the surface, since it can only warm material down to about 16 inches, while some of the analyzed material came from about 3.3 feet.</p>



<p>These late fluids were not a steady flood. The mineral record shows limited flow along fractures, followed by loss of water as vapor that escaped to space through pores near the surface.</p>



<p>That pattern fits the chemistry that the team measured. Certain minerals show corrosion where water passed by, and complementary products formed when the water later cooled and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/citizen-astronomers-captured-a-possible-impact-on-saturn-for-the-first-time-ever/">minerals</a> precipitated.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/asteroid-ryugu_water-flowing_billions-years_illustration_Kyoto-U_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/asteroid-ryugu_water-flowing_billions-years_illustration_Kyoto-U_1s.webp" alt="Evolution of alkaline brines through the history of Ryugu samples. Credit: Kyoto University" class="wp-image-1985845"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Evolution of alkaline brines through the history of Ryugu samples. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Kyoto University</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ryugu-s-impact-on-earth">Ryugu’s impact on Earth</h2>



<p>If Ryugu’s parent body retained a large store of ice and liquid for so long, similar <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/carbonaceous-meteorite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbonaceous asteroids</a> could have delivered more water to the inner planets than many models assumed. That matters for the story of Earth’s oceans.</p>



<p>CI type meteorites, known as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/carbonaceous-chondrite" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CI chondrites</a>, have long been used as a benchmark for primitive, water rich material. </p>



<p>Ryugu’s chemistry is close to that group, and the new data suggest that past estimates of how much water such bodies can deliver were too low.</p>



<p>The authors note that early water rock interaction on these bodies happened at mild temperatures and alkaline pH, then slowed as the rock cooled. </p>



<p>Later impacts briefly restarted the system, sending pulses of fluid through the interior.</p>



<p>Independent <a href="https://www.osti.gov/pages/biblio/1959483" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> of Ryugu carbonates supports this picture of early low temperature alteration within the first few million years. The new work extends the timeline and shows that water stayed available much later.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ryugu-lessons-for-worlds">Ryugu lessons for worlds</h2>



<p>Hayabusa2 did not just scrape the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-bennu-carries-stardust-older-than-the-solar-system/">surface</a>. It created an artificial crater, collected subsurface material, and returned a finely curated set of grains to Earth for careful study.</p>



<p>Those grains let scientists test ideas about <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016703721000363" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aqueous alteration</a> without guessing from telescope data alone. They also help calibrate the isotope clocks that date rocks around the solar system.</p>



<p>The results hint that small bodies can hold on to ice and liquid longer than expected. That increases the odds that collisions early in Earth’s history could deliver large water loads.</p>



<p>Finally, the work underscores the value of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-chaos-how-an-asteroid-strike-would-change-life-on-earth/">sample</a> return missions. A few grams of unweathered material can answer questions that remote sensing might never settle.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="http://nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09483-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a>.</p>



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Asteroid Ryugu still had large amounts of liquid water inside over one billion years after it formed

Large amounts of liquid water once flowed inside asteroid Ryugu....

<p>Earlier this year, astronomers watched a burst of high-energy light that kept roaring back for nearly a full day. Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are usually sorted into short and long events, and they generally last from milliseconds to a few minutes.</p>



<p>In a new study, researchers describe a signal named GRB 250702B that fired three distinct times over a few hours, with soft X-rays flaring even earlier. The team also reported evidence that the source lies beyond our galaxy.</p>



<p>Lead researchers Antonio Martin-Carrillo of <a href="https://www.ucd.ie/">University College Dublin</a> (UCD) and Andrew J. Levan of <a href="https://www.ru.nl/en">Radboud University</a> (RU) directed the effort. </p>



<p>Their teams combined rapid-response alerts from NASA’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/fermi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fermi satellite</a>, China’s Einstein Probe, and follow-up observations with the Very Large Telescope (<a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VLT</a>) and the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble Space Telescope</a>.</p>



<p>Martin-Carrillo called it "unlike any other seen in 50 years of GRB observations. This is 100 to 1,000 times longer than most GRBs. More importantly, gamma-ray bursts never repeat since the event that produces them is catastrophic."&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-grb-250702b-so-strange">What makes GRB 250702B so strange</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-pinpoints-location-farthest-gamma-ray-bursts-in-universe/">GRBs</a> don't typically don't happen twice, much less three or more times. Here, Fermi saw three distinct outbursts separated by thousands of seconds, while the Einstein Probe caught earlier<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-x-ray-radiation-that-spews-out-of-black-holes-surroundings/"> X-ray</a> activity that started many hours before.</p>



<p>The timing was not random. The third outburst arrived at roughly an integer multiple of the gap between the first two. This pattern suggests at a repeating process inside the source rather than a single one-off blast.</p>



<p>The overall energy in gamma rays is in the same ballpark as other GRBs at similar distances, yet the pattern of activity is different. </p>



<p>Standard relations that link a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brightest-gamma-ray-burst-ever-recorded-had-a-rare-energy-peak/">burst’s peak energy</a> to its total output do not align cleanly for each of the three pulses.</p>



<p>The fading afterglow across X-ray, infrared, and radio bands looks normal for a jet from a compact central engine. The near-infrared signal was unusual in one respect: it was extremely red, which suggests heavy dust near the site.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-locating-a-cosmic-mystery">Locating a cosmic mystery</h2>



<p>"Before these observations, the general feeling in the community was that this gamma-ray burst must have originated from within our galaxy," said Levan. "The VLT fundamentally changed that paradigm."  </p>



<p>VLT’s HAWK-I camera picked up an extremely red point of light that faded over days.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hubble-spots-a-white-dwarf-created-in-a-violent-star-collision/">Hubble</a> went a step further and resolved a galaxy at the same spot. That finding places the source in an extragalactic system, likely several billion light-years away. The engine must be extremely powerful to be visible at all.</p>



<p>VLT’s X-shooter spectrograph covered visible to infrared wavelengths and saw a very faint, red continuum, consistent with heavy dust. </p>



<p>While the exact redshift is still being refined, the data point to a relatively nearby cosmic distance compared with many GRBs, which helps explain the sharp view of the host galaxy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-black-hole-link">Potential black hole link</h2>



<p>One explanation for GRB 250702B points to a jetted tidal disruption event, in which a black hole tears apart a passing star and feeds on the debris. </p>



<p>Astronomers have observed such jets firing erratically in events like Swift J1644+57, described in a paper that modeled how a powerful magnetic field around the black hole could drive on-off behavior.</p>



<p>Another possibility fits the unusual timing. The authors consider a compact <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/">white dwarf star</a> passing close to an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evidence-found-suggesting-new-space-objects-called-intermediate-mass-black-holes/">intermediate-mass black hole</a>. </p>



<p>This class of black holes is heavier than stellar-mass ones but lighter than the giants in galaxy centers, with masses around 100 to 100,000 times that of the Sun.</p>



<p>In this scenario, the star could be partially stripped during each close pass, feeding the jet in bursts spaced according to the star’s orbit.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-doesn-t-fit-the-mold">Doesn't fit the mold</h2>



<p>A more familiar GRB engine, a collapsing massive star, is not off the table. </p>



<p>The problem is explaining how such a collapse would produce multiple widely spaced pulses over many hours rather than one sustained episode lasting seconds to minutes.</p>



<p>Lensing by a foreground galaxy can also repeat a transient by splitting light paths, but the pulse shapes here differ from one another. The color and afterglow behavior also point away from that lensing explanation.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/gamma-ray-burst_GRB-250702B_long_repeating_image-sequence_ESO_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/gamma-ray-burst_GRB-250702B_long_repeating_image-sequence_ESO_1s.webp" alt="This sequence of images shows the evolution over several days of the gamma-ray burst GRB 250702B. The first five images shown here were taken with the VLT’s HAWK-I infrared camera. The explosion, marked here with circles, appears to be nested within an elongated galaxy. An image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on 15 July, bottom right, confirmed this. The galaxy appears to be seen edge-on, with a dark dust-lane crossing it. Credit: ESO/A. Levan, A. Martin-Carrillo et al./NASA/ESA " class="wp-image-1985820"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>This sequence of images shows the evolution over several days of the gamma-ray burst GRB 250702B. The first five images shown here were taken with the VLT’s HAWK-I infrared camera. The explosion, marked here with circles, appears to be nested within an elongated galaxy. An image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on 15 July, bottom right, confirmed this. The galaxy appears to be seen edge-on, with a dark dust-lane crossing it. Click image to enlarge. Credit: ESO/A. Levan, A. Martin-Carrillo et al./NASA/ESA </em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-patterns-from-grb-250702b">Light patterns from GRB 250702B</h2>



<p>The first detections were in soft X-rays, then came the brightest gamma-ray flash hours later. That order flips the usual script for GRBs, where the strongest gamma rays typically arrive first and fade quickly.</p>



<p>Infrared light faded quickly, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-telescope-array-is-joining-the-hunt-for-alien-life/">radio telescopes</a> detected a faint source consistent with a standard jet interacting with surrounding gas. </p>



<p>Those observations match the afterglow physics well, even if the prompt high-energy behavior does not fit neatly into existing categories.</p>



<p>The host galaxy is not a nuclear site, which weakens ideas that require a supermassive black hole sitting at the center. If the burst is a disruption event, an off-center intermediate-mass black hole is a better match for the position.</p>



<p>The red color likely comes from dust lanes in the host galaxy that absorb blue light. That dust also lines up with the strong X-ray absorption measured from the same line of sight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-for-a-supernova">Watching for a supernova</h2>



<p>In jet-driven tidal disruption events, X-ray light can plummet once the jet shuts off, while radio emission can rise for months as the blast wave expands. </p>



<p>Continued X-ray and radio monitoring will test whether this source follows that playbook.</p>



<p>If a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-true-nature-of-dark-matter-may-be-revealed-in-a-supernova/">supernova</a> is involved, it would glow in the infrared a few weeks after the collapse. Dust makes that search harder, but large, sensitive telescopes can still look for the telltale rise and fall.</p>



<p>Spectroscopy can also help determine the distance and characterize the environment around the source. </p>



<p>A firm redshift would establish the energy budget and sharpen the comparison to known gamma-ray bursts and disruption events.</p>



<p>"We are still not sure what produced this, but with this research we have made a huge step forward towards understanding this extremely unusual and exciting object," said Martin-Carrillo.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adf8e1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>The Astrophysical Journal Letters</em></a>.</p>



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Unusually long and repeating gamma-ray burst, 'unlike any other seen,' baffles astronomers

Earlier this year, astronomers watched a burst of high-energy light...

<p>A new study recorded brain activity from 621,733 neurons in 139 mice as they made decisions, building the first activity map of a mammal’s entire brain at single-cell resolution. </p>



<p>The team saw where signals for seeing, choosing, moving, and getting feedback show up and how they unfold together.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09235-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> goes beyond the usual hunt for a single decision center and shows a coordinated, brain-wide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-our-brains-build-mental-maps-of-the-world/">pattern</a>. It also tests a simple idea about how past experience shapes a new choice without us noticing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-map-of-activity">Brain map of activity</h2>



<p>One of the researchers, <a href="https://neurocenter-unige.ch/research-groups/alexandre-pouget/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alexandre Pouget</a> of the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Geneva</a>, helped lead an international group that trained mice to turn a small wheel to center a striped target for a reward. When the target was faint or absent, the mice leaned on their recent history to guess.</p>



<p>Across 12 labs, the group inserted 699 probes and sampled 279 brain areas while the same task ran everywhere. </p>



<p>They used <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature24636" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neuropixels</a> to record spikes from hundreds of neurons per probe with millisecond precision, which made a fine-grained map possible.</p>



<p>“This is the first time anyone has produced a full, brain-wide map of the activity of single neurons during decision-making,” explained Pouget.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-activity-and-decisions-in-the-brain">Activity and decisions in the brain</h2>



<p>Vision <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-map-of-the-brains-mitochondria-may-explain-cognitive-decline/">signals</a> appeared first in classical visual areas, then spread into midbrain and hindbrain regions that also carried choice information.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Earlier <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1787-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> in mice had already hinted that choice, action, and engagement are distributed, not isolated in one cortical spot. The new map strengthens that view with coverage of hundreds of regions and clear timing.</p>



<p>Feedback mattered, too. When trials were correct and reward was delivered, wide swaths of the brain lit up together, reflecting both the liquid reward and the licking movements that came with it.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mouse-brain-map_75-thousand-neurons_decision-making-process_Princeton_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mouse-brain-map_75-thousand-neurons_decision-making-process_Princeton_1s.webp" alt="Visualization of 75,000 neurons (colored dots) active across the brain of an adult mouse across different stages of a decision-making task. Dot size reflects a cell’s average firing rate, such that larger dots indicate more active neurons. The color of each dot represents a different grouping of related brain regions. Data collected as part of the International Brain Laboratory’s effort to create a whole-brain map of behavior. Credit: Dan Birman (University of Washington/Allen Institute)" class="wp-image-1985838"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Visualization of 75,000 neurons (colored dots) active across the brain of an adult mouse across different stages of a decision-making task. Dot size reflects a cell’s average firing rate, such that larger dots indicate more active neurons. The color of each dot represents a different grouping of related brain regions. Data collected as part of the International Brain Laboratory’s effort to create a whole-brain map of behavior. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Dan Birman (University of Washington/Allen Institute)</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-expectations-shape-perception">Expectations shape perception</h2>



<p>A companion <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09226-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a> tested how prior expectations, built from recent trials, are encoded. Mice estimated the block’s left-right probabilities and performed better when the stimulus was weak, including zero-contrast trials.</p>



<p>The authors decoded signals for this subjective prior in 20 percent to 30 percent of recorded regions spanning early sensory areas like the thalamus, motor areas, and higher cortex.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Crucially, prior signals were present even before a new stimulus appeared and were detectable very early after it arrived. </p>



<p>That result explains how expectations can nudge perception without crossing into conscious awareness.</p>



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



<p>Across the project, the team analyzed 75,708 well-isolated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-brain-learns-study-reveals-an-unexpected-twist/">neurons</a> with the highest quality metrics. </p>



<p>Just before a movement began, about 4 percent of neurons had activity correlated with the direction of the upcoming choice after controlling for stimulus and block.</p>



<p>Movement variables were strong predictors of activity, and reward delivery was one of the largest contributors to explained variance. </p>



<p>Those patterns tell us that action and outcome signals are broadly shared, while basic sensory signals stay more localized and brief.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-brain-activity-map-matters">Why the brain activity map matters</h2>



<p>The map shows that decision-making is not a handoff <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-mapping-research-mouse-neurons-revolutionary-advance/">from sense to thought to action</a>. It looks more like many regions voting together, each carrying partial information that becomes aligned near movement and feedback.</p>



<p>That layout matters for medicine and technology. If priors and choices are distributed, measuring or modulating a single region may miss the story or cause side effects elsewhere.</p>



<p>The data come from head-fixed mice in a specific visual task, so the conclusions are about how mouse brains act under those conditions. </p>



<p>The authors also note that licking and other movements explain a large share of the variance during reward, which means the hedonic piece is tangled with motor signals.</p>



<p>The map is correlational, not causal. It shows where information is present, not which sites are required for a decision, and it sets up future causal tests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reading-the-technical-terms">Reading the technical terms</h2>



<p>Neuropixels are high-density silicon electrodes that record spikes from hundreds of neurons along a thin shank. They offer single-spike timing, which is needed to separate fast sensory and motor events.</p>



<p>The thalamus is a relay hub that routes sensory <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-complete-map-of-every-neuron-in-the-brain-revealed/">signals</a> to the cortex and receives strong feedback from the cortex. </p>



<p>Seeing prior signals there tells us that expectations are changing the initial formatting of incoming inputs, not only the later decision layers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-brain-activity-in-humans">Mapping brain activity in humans</h2>



<p>The dataset is public, and the analysis code is standardized. That enables other labs to check the findings, try new models, and test questions about learning, attention, and internal states.</p>



<p>A natural next step is to combine this map with targeted perturbations and to follow priors as they update in different contexts. </p>



<p>If the same network rules hold across tasks, that will sharpen theories of how brains implement probabilistic inference.</p>



<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://youtu.be/RSBDnDD2Efo
</div></figure>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09235-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a>.</p>



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First-ever brain activity map captures the decision-making process

A new study recorded brain activity from 621,733 neurons in...

<p>Plastic may not always float where we expect it. The ocean’s surface might look clean in some places, but far beneath the waves, a different story is unfolding. </p>



<p>In the southeastern Mediterranean, the deep seafloor is turning into a massive storage ground for plastic packaging, especially bags. A new study shows how this <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-retailers-are-replacing-plastic-bags-with-eco-friendly-paper-bags/">waste</a> ends up thousands of feet below the surface, and the answer isn’t as simple as trash just “sinking.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-in-the-deep-sea">Plastic in the deep sea</h2>



<p>Plastic debris has entered every corner of the ocean, but previously, most of the research has concentrated on floating plastic or beach trash. That changed with this latest study, which took a closer look at what is occurring on the ocean floor. </p>



<p>Scientists discovered that the Levant Basin - a deep section of the eastern <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/two-continents-meet-along-the-mediterranean-coastline/">Mediterranean</a> off the coasts of Israel, Egypt, and Turkey - is among the world's most contaminated deep-sea areas.</p>



<p>“We used trawls to survey the seafloor and we mainly found plastic bags and packaging that dominate the debris,” said Xing-Yu Li from the <a href="https://www.haifa.ac.il/?lang=en">University of Haifa</a>, the study’s lead author.</p>



<p>This raised a question: how does something so light - something meant to float - end up nearly a mile underwater?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-forensic-approach-to-trash">A forensic approach to trash</h2>



<p>To answer that, the team decided to treat each plastic item like a crime scene. Every piece of debris was carefully examined using a method called multi-marker analysis. </p>



<p>This approach looks at everything about the plastic - size, shape, color, material, surface features, and even what kinds of things are stuck to it, like tar or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-organisms-may-adapt-to-climate-change-but-with-hidden-costs/">marine organisms</a>.</p>



<p>“In the multi-marker approach anything that is found on a piece of plastic is an evidence,” said Xing-yu. “We extracted as many evidence as possible from every piece of waste, more than many previous studies, to build a fuller, more detailed view of the bottom waste.”</p>



<p>Instead of just counting how much trash was found, this method helped researchers understand how it got there, why it sank, and where it might have come from.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-some-plastic-doesn-t-sink">Why some plastic doesn’t sink</h2>



<p>Most of the plastics found were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/everyday-kitchen-tool-that-could-be-leaching-toxins-into-your-food-polypropylene-cutting-board/">polyethylene</a> - the same material used in grocery bags. Normally, this kind of plastic floats. But when additives like calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) are mixed in during manufacturing, the plastic becomes heavier. </p>



<p>Those with CaCO₃ sank closer to the shore. Others, without these additives, drifted farther out before eventually settling on the seafloor.</p>



<p>The study also revealed that the deep basin at over 3,000 feet deep acts like a trap. Pressure and fine sediments help keep the plastic down. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/biofilms-could-change-the-way-we-track-plastic-pollution/">Biofilms</a>, which are slimy layers formed by microbes, usually help weigh plastics down too, but they don’t grow well in this part of the sea. Instead, things like tar, sand, and tiny shells helped plastics stay put.</p>



<p>The scientists noted that these plastic films - while thin and lightweight - are ending up where they can do the most long-term damage. </p>



<p>Even more troubling, the team found that some of this plastic could become buoyant again if disturbed, but because of how the deep sea works, that rarely happens. Once the plastic settles, it stays.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-trash-is-coming-from">Where the trash is coming from</h2>



<p>The plastic pollution isn’t only from local beaches. According to the research, land-based sources from Egypt, Israel, and Turkey are a big part of the problem. </p>



<p>Shipping also plays a role, especially in deeper waters. Surprisingly, fishing was not a major contributor - possibly due to strict Israeli regulations.</p>



<p>For years, scientists noticed high levels of plastic at the seafloor, but they didn’t fully understand why. </p>



<p>“For years in our monitoring reports we have reported a high concentration of plastic debris in this area. It was an unsolved mystery as we know that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-floor-harbors-up-to-11-million-tons-of-plastic-debris/">plastic debris</a> should remain floating on the sea surface. Now we have a deep understanding of how it happens,” said Dr. Yael Segal from Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR). </p>



<p>“The Eastern Mediterranean is the most polluted area in the world, and we must take action for the sake of the next generation.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-term-risks-to-marine-life">Long-term risks to marine life</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grapevines-could-offer-a-breakthrough-alternative-to-plastic-packaging/">Plastic packaging</a> is cheap, easy to produce, and used globally - but it doesn’t go away. It breaks into smaller pieces and can remain in the environment for hundreds of years. </p>



<p>Deep-sea habitats are already fragile, and adding plastic into the mix could disrupt food webs, introduce toxins, and harm species that haven’t even been fully studied yet.</p>



<p>“As the head of the national monitoring program, I see firsthand how plastic pollution is impacting the entire sea environment: beaches, water, sea bottom, and even local turtle populations,” said Dr. Segal.</p>



<p>Professor Revital Bookman said that the discovery is fascinating in the worst possible way. </p>



<p>"The eastern Mediterranean is quietly turning into a deep-sea landfill. Plastics that we use for only a few minutes are ending up trapped for centuries, threatening deep marine ecosystems we barely understand," noted Professor Bookman. </p>



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



<p>According to the researchers, this study changes how we should think about ocean pollution. Plastic doesn’t just float around until it hits a beach. It travels far, interacts with other pollutants like tar, and ends up in hidden places. </p>



<p>“This previously overlooked dynamic necessitates a broader perspective on pollution processes in marine environments,” said Professor Bookman. </p>



<p>“Without systematic deep-sea accounting, we risk underestimating the true environmental footprint of plastic pollution and misallocating mitigation efforts by neglecting offshore and deep-sea sinks.”</p>



<p>To deal with this, the experts call for coordinated efforts across the region. Countries that share the sea need to work together on monitoring, cleanup, and prevention. </p>



<p>Without a shared strategy, plastics will continue piling up, silently choking one of the planet’s most mysterious ecosystems.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X25009671?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Pollution Bulletin</a></em>.</p>



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Hidden plastic graveyard uncovered in the deep Mediterranean Sea

Plastic may not always float where we expect it. The...

<p>Blood clots cause strokes, heart attacks, and lung damage, and they remain a leading cause of preventable hospital deaths in the United States, according to federal <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/blood-clots/data-research/facts-stats/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data</a>. A new line of research points to a simple lever that might lower risk - the color of light reaching our eyes.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.jthjournal.org/article/S1538-7836(24)00543-9/abstract">work</a> explores how specific wavelengths shape biology through the body’s daily timing system. </p>



<p>Scientists call this the circadian clock, a network that tunes hormones, blood pressure, and blood vessel tone across the 24 hour day, as shown in a comprehensive <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5983320/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a>.</p>



<p>Lead author <a href="https://providers.upmc.com/provider/elizabeth-ann-andraska/3013812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elizabeth Andraska, M.D</a>., of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (<a href="https://www.medschool.pitt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UPMC</a>), and her colleagues asked a basic question. Does the spectrum of visible light change the way blood forms clots in living organisms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-light-color-on-blood-clots">Testing light color on blood clots</h2>



<p>In a peer reviewed study, the team exposed mice to red, blue, or white light for 12 hours a day over 3 days, then used standard models to trigger clots. </p>



<p>Red light before the challenge led to nearly five times fewer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-blood-cells-found-to-squeeze-clots-tight-using-physical-force/">clots</a> than blue or white light.</p>



<p>The same study reported no benefit in genetically blind mice, and shining light directly on blood outside the body did not change clotting. That pattern points to an eye to brain pathway rather than a direct effect on blood.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-clots-and-red-light">Blood clots and red light</h2>



<p>The researchers focused on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blood-platelets-play-a-critically-important-role-in-the-body-that-was-unknown-until-now/">blood platelets</a> - the small cell fragments that stick together to stop bleeding and can spark harmful clots.</p>



<p>Red light exposure was linked to lower platelet aggregation and activation, signaling a less reactive clotting profile.</p>



<p>They also tracked neutrophil extracellular traps (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nri.2017.105" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NETs</a>), which are sticky webs released by white blood cells to capture microbes but also snag platelets. </p>



<p>Mice given red light formed fewer NETs in clots and brain tissue after an induced stroke.</p>



<p>The researchers noticed that platelets in the red light group had more healthy fats, including oleic and linoleic acid.</p>



<p>These fats are known to make platelets less likely to stick together, which matched the reduced clotting activity they observed.</p>



<p>Finally, the scientists examined <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4369169/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">megakaryocytes</a>, the bone marrow cells that make platelets. </p>



<p>Single cell data suggested changes in pathways tied to inflammation, stress responses, and cytoskeletal control, all of which relate to how platelets activate and aggregate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hints-from-human-patients">Hints from human patients</h2>



<p>The investigators went a step further and reviewed outcomes in more than 10,000 adults who had cataract surgery with either standard lenses or lenses that filter a slice of blue light. </p>



<p>Among people with cancer, who face about a ninefold higher clot risk than the general population according to a recent open access <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12001707/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a>, those with blue light filtering lenses had a lower lifetime risk of venous clots.</p>



<p>That retrospective signal does not prove cause and effect. It does align with the mouse findings and with prior evidence that clotting biology tracks daily timing cues.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-means-for-you">What it means for you</h2>



<p>This research does not replace proven prevention like movement during long trips, anticoagulants when prescribed, or hospital safety protocols. It does raise a precise, testable idea about light and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ginkgo-biloba-plant-may-be-key-to-preventing-blood-clots-vericose-veins/">clot</a> biology that clinical trials can evaluate.</p>



<p>Light is not acting as a drug in the bloodstream. It seems to work through the optic system and brain timing networks, which then influence immune cells and platelets.</p>



<p>The animal benefit appeared when red light came before the clotting challenge, not after it. That timing suggests a preventive window and warns against over reading the result.</p>



<p>Human biology is more complex than lab models. The lens analysis was observational, so unmeasured variables could explain the signal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-think-about-light-in-daily-life">How to think about light in daily life</h2>



<p>Clotting problems remain common and deadly, especially after hospitalization and in major illnesses. Even small, safe reductions in risk could help many people if confirmed by trials.</p>



<p>Cancer amplifies <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-harness-soundwaves-vibrations-to-strengthen-tissues-and-heal-wounds-blood-clots/">clot</a> risk for biological reasons that include tumor driven inflammation and pro coagulation signals. Any non drug intervention that safely trims that risk would be worth careful testing.</p>



<p>Most modern environments flood us with short wavelength light from screens and overhead fixtures. The new study suggests wavelength balance might matter, along with timing and duration.</p>



<p>Morning light helps set healthy rhythms, while circadian disruption raises cardiovascular strain. That makes lighting a public health question as much as a lab topic.</p>



<p>Expect controlled human studies that standardize wavelength, intensity, timing, and duration. Devices that deliver known doses through the eyes would allow rigorous testing of dose and response.</p>



<p>Researchers will also map how retinal signals talk to the brain and then to bone marrow and immune cells. Those pathways could reveal new drug targets alongside any light based strategies.</p>



<p>The study is published in the <a href="https://www.jthjournal.org/article/S1538-7836(24)00543-9/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis</em></a>.</p>



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How the color of light could save you from a heart attack or stroke

Blood clots cause strokes, heart attacks, and lung damage, and...

<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=lHHxOej4QfE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic pollution.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invisible-threat-in-urban-air"><strong>Invisible threat in urban air</strong></h2>



<p>City dwellers face an unseen danger with every breath. New findings from Emory University researchers suggest that fine particulate matter from <a href="http://earth.com/news/traffic-related-air-pollution-might-increase-alzheimers-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vehicle emissions may significantly elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease</a>. The study examined brain tissue samples from 224 individuals who had confirmed diagnoses and volunteered their brains for scientific research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-disturbing-connections-emerge"><strong>Disturbing connections emerge</strong></h2>



<p>Scientists analyzed neuritic plaques — protein clusters that characterize Alzheimer's — while mapping each participant's exposure to PM2.5 particles based on residential location and surrounding traffic density. The correlation proved more alarming than anticipated. Individuals experiencing higher pollution exposure showed nearly double the likelihood of elevated plaque accumulation in brain tissue.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-matters"><strong>Timing matters</strong></h2>



<p>The research team discovered that pollution exposure during the final year before death demonstrated the strongest association with brain changes. This timeline suggests relatively rapid impacts from environmental toxins on neural health. The connection remained robust even after accounting for various demographic and health factors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-vulnerability-patterns"><strong>Genetic vulnerability patterns</strong></h2>



<p>Perhaps most concerning, people lacking the APOE gene—which naturally predisposes individuals to Alzheimer's — exhibited more than twice the susceptibility to pollution-related brain damage. Study author Dr. Anke Huels noted this indicates environmental elements like air contamination could trigger the disease in cases where hereditary factors don't explain.</p>



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



<p>These findings, published in <em><a href="https://www.neurology.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neurology</a></em>, underscore the critical importance of air quality regulations in urban planning. The research suggests that implementing stricter emission controls and promoting alternative transportation could serve as powerful tools in Alzheimer's prevention.</p>



<p>As cities worldwide grapple with growing traffic congestion and aging populations, this study highlights an urgent need for comprehensive approaches to environmental health that protect both our lungs and our minds.</p>



<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>

Traffic fumes may trigger Alzheimer's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHHxOej4QfE Researchers found a correlation between Alzheimer's disease and traffic...

<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=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



<p>Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



<p>The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



<p>At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.</p>



<p>"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.</p>



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



<p>The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.</p>



<p>The research, published in <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a></em> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.</p>



<p>—–</p>



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<p>—–</p>

Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<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=K0DuSr87SHY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-earth-became-a-frozen-wasteland">When Earth became a frozen wasteland</h2>



<p>Imagine Earth as a giant snowball, frozen solid from the North Pole to the equator. This wasn't the plot of a science fiction movie – it was our planet's reality 700 million years ago during an extreme ice age that has puzzled scientists for decades.</p>



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



<p>Australian researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> have finally cracked one of geology's greatest mysteries: what caused the Sturtian glaciation and why it persisted for an unprecedented 57 million years. This period occurred long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, when no complex plants or multicellular animals existed.</p>



<p>Dr. Adriana Dutkiewicz, the study's lead author, describes a world completely unlike today's climate. "Imagine the Earth almost completely frozen over," she explained. "The planet was blanketed in ice from poles to equator, and temperatures plunged."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-combination-of-climate-factors">The combination of climate factors</h2>



<p>The research team discovered that this massive freeze resulted from a "double whammy" of geological events. First, plate tectonic activity reduced volcanic carbon dioxide emissions to historically low levels. Volcanic activity typically releases CO2 into the atmosphere, creating a greenhouse effect that keeps Earth warm.</p>



<p>Simultaneously, weathering of volcanic rocks in what is now Canada actively absorbed atmospheric CO2, further reducing greenhouse gas concentrations. When atmospheric carbon dioxide levels dropped below 200 parts per million – less than half of today's levels – glaciation engulfed the entire planet.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-climate-implications">Modern climate implications</h2>



<p>Published in the journal <em><a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geology</a></em>, this research provides crucial insights into Earth's climate system. While geological climate changes occur over millions of years, the study emphasizes that human-induced climate change is happening at a pace ten times faster than previously observed natural changes, highlighting the urgent need to understand our planet's delicate climate balance.</p>



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<p>—–</p>

What caused the planet's longest ice age

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0DuSr87SHY 57 million-year ice age mystery solved by Australian scientists....

<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=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



<p>Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



<p>The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.</p>



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



<p>Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.</p>



<p>The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



<p>This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.</p>



<p>The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.</p>



<p>The full study was recently published in <em><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a></em>.</p>



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<p>—–</p>

Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<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=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



<p>Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



<p>A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.</p>



<p>Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.</p>



<p>Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents".  In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively.   MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.</p>



<p>MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization.  The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



<p>Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.</p>



<p>Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



<p>The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



<p>Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.</p>



<p>This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



<p>The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.</p>



<p>PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



<p>AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.</p>



<p>In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



<p>The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.</p>



<p>As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.</p>



<p>The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.</p>



<p>For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.</p>



<p>The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.</p>



<p id="block-9bd989d6-2fd3-4580-957f-6cacce134f08">-----</p>



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<p>MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a></p>



<p>Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a></p>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<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>



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

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


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