Bitter Honey Review: New Scientist’s Eye-Opening Report on the Impact of Bee Farming

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Bees transport pollen balls in corbicula on their hind legs.

Jenny Durant

Bitter Honey
Jenny Durant

Princeton University Press (US, May 26; UK, July 28)

Industrial farming often invokes grim scenarios of livestock crammed in warehouse-like settings, recipient of antibiotics, and suffering neglect. However, the plight of bees has now risen to similar levels of concern.

In Bitter Honey: Big Ag’s Threat to Honeybees and the Fight to Save Them, environmental writer and social scientist Jenny Durant uncovers the industrialization of honeybee colonies in the U.S., revealing their harsh realities—such as being stored in cold storage and fed sugar syrup and protein bars. Each year, around 3 million bee colonies travel the country on rented trucks for crop pollination, many teetering on the brink of collapse and necessitating frequent replacements. This alarming trend poses significant risks to our food systems, but Durant emphasizes that there is still hope.

Humans have managed honeybees for over 8,000 years. Ancient Spanish cave paintings depict the act of honey collection, while Indigenous peoples noted that honeybees often preceded settlers, referring to them as “white man’s flies.”

Presently, honeybees in the U.S. are emerging as competitors to native bee species, potentially increasing their populations fiftyfold without the competition for nectar and pollen.

Beekeepers prepare honeybees to be transported across the U.S. as key pollinators.

Jenny Durant

With the advent of artificial hives in the 19th century, bees have been transformed into domesticated creatures. Yet, a combination of excessive pesticide use, monocrop farming, and various pathogens has led to the loss of over a third of U.S. honeybee colonies since the mid-2000s. Instead of addressing these core issues, beekeepers became “pesticide springboards,” as Durant describes, further exacerbating the plight of these colonies.

Durant contends that beekeepers should not shoulder all the blame. The influx of cheap and adulterated honey from abroad during the 1990s forced many beekeepers to pivot toward offering pollination services for survival. Drawing from her extensive fieldwork with commercial beekeepers, Durant provides a unique insight into their lives and the challenges they face.

Many of these families have operated in this field for generations, demonstrating a deep care for the bees. For instance, one beekeeper would traverse miles searching for lost hives and could discern the health of a hive just by the sounds its inhabitants make. It was heartbreaking to learn of one individual who lost half his hive to a toxic pesticide application conducted by his farm’s pest management advisor.

The principal challenge facing the honeybee population, according to Durant, originates from the almond farming sector. With honey prices becoming unviable, beekeepers shifted their focus to California’s lucrative almond industry, which boasts a staggering annual export value of $4 billion. Each February, approximately 99% of U.S. honeybees are transported to California to pollinate almond trees. Yet, like previous industrialized crops, this monoculture system prioritizes yield and profit over biodiversity and ecological health.

Moreover, the fossil fuels powering the global food system further strain bee populations. Strategies like storing bees in massive refrigeration units are merely temporary fixes to counter unpredictable weather patterns and seasonal variations.

While Durant presents a rather grim outlook, she also provides potential solutions in the latter portion of her book. These include innovative tree planting initiatives, regenerative agricultural practices, and rewilding efforts. There exists space for wildflower growth beneath long stretches of almond trees or solar panels, and employing managed burns grounded in Native American land management traditions can help restore grasslands. Such measures could significantly bolster the chances for bees and their native counterparts.

Nevertheless, the successful implementation of these strategies relies heavily on government investment and overcoming the economic constraints faced by farmers. At times, Durant delves into intricate state-level environmental policies, providing insight into the complex and frustrating nature of reforming harmful practices.

Numerous environmental issues, such as climate change and water scarcity, possess straightforward remedies. Yet, these solutions often struggle to gain traction due to outdated economic systems. Many share in this predicament, much like how I currently have a pack of cheap almonds—grown in the U.S., processed in Germany, and sold in the UK—on my desk. Durant advocates for a reconnection with nature among gardeners and farmers, yet does not appear intent on vehemently challenging the status quo.

One “rebel gardener,” introduced by Durant, transformed a barren lawn into a thriving ecosystem. This anecdote illustrates that individual efforts can contribute to biodiversity, even in the face of opposition from neighbors adhering strictly to monoculture. Such personal spaces foster new relationships with living organisms, revealing their shared existence with humans.

Observing how bees choose which flowers to visit and pass on crucial knowledge to fellow hive members accentuates their intrinsic value—not merely as pollinators, but as living beings. This kinship fosters a stronger motivation for action than the distressing statistics of bee die-offs that often go unheeded. When combined with Durant’s inquiries about the ideal future of our landscapes and food systems, the need for change becomes undeniable.

She states, “Let’s plant flowers. Let’s minimize pesticides. Let’s share the land.” “Let’s nurture relationships with living beings,” she adds.

3 More Must-Read Books on Nature and Conservation

The Mind of a Bee
By Lars Chitka

Are bees intelligent and capable of basic emotions and consciousness? Whether you agree or disagree with Chitka’s findings, he prompts readers to reconsider how bees perceive their reality and the remarkable complexity of hive life.

Staying with the Trouble
Written by Donna J. Haraway

Donna Haraway presents a balanced view of our environmental challenges, urging readers not to succumb to despair or blind optimism. Instead, she advocates for nurturing complex relationships with all life forms.

The Book of Wilding
Written by Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell

The inspiring narrative of how the Knepp Estate in southern England transformed from barren land to a vibrant ecosystem provides valuable insights. While not everyone has vast land holdings, this book is rich in practical advice.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Understanding the Mystery of Rising Women’s Body Temperature from Ages 18 to 42

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Although hot flashes are linked to menopause, studies indicate women experience a gradual increase in body temperature from early adulthood through midlife.

Dmitry Marchenko/Alamy

Understanding Women's Body Temperature Changes — Although hot flashes are linked to menopause, studies indicate women experience a gradual increase in body temperature from early adulthood through midlife.

Dmitry Marchenko/Alamy

A woman’s resting body temperature gradually increases year-by-year from age 18 to 42, though the exact reasons remain uncertain. This finding suggests potential applications for temperature-sensing wearables to monitor aging, peri-menopause, and related health conditions.

“Temperature signals may hold critical insights about health,” says Marie Gombert-Labedens from SRI International, a California-based research institute. “Our aim is to stimulate further studies to uncover new health markers that could provide unexplored health insights.”

In their 1990s study, researchers investigated over 750 women aged 18 to 42 who recorded their oral or rectal temperature daily upon waking.

The results revealed that participants typically had lower body temperatures during the first half of their menstrual cycle and higher temperatures in the second half around ovulation. Many fertility tracking apps capitalize on this temperature spike to help identify a user’s fertile window.

The research team further analyzed the data to assess the impact of age on body temperature across different menstrual phases. They discovered an average yearly temperature rise from ages 18 to 42. Consequently, women over 35 recorded temperatures approximately 0.05°C higher than their younger peers throughout both halves of their cycles.

This suggests that the skin temperature monitored by smart rings indicates women aged 42 to 55 are generally warmer than those between 18 and 35.

Although more studies are necessary to clarify the reasons behind this temperature increase, Gombert-Labedens suggests it may be linked to hormonal shifts as women approach their reproductive twilight years. As perimenopause starts, body temperature may surge, causing hot flashes and night sweats, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

The initial study only included women not on hormonal contraception and without hormonal disorders like PMOS (previously termed PCOS), leaving unknown factors that could influence body temperature changes over time.

Previous research indicates that post-menopause, women’s body temperatures often rise, although they tend to return to more stable levels similar to men’s. Enduring lower temperature levels and alignment with male averages.

Gombert-Labedens noted that the midlife increase in temperature may account for why some women report feeling warmer than their younger selves. “We hypothesize that higher body temperatures in middle-aged women could alter their thermal perception and reactions to the environment,” she adds.

With the rise of smart rings and temperature-sensing devices, identifying individual temperature variations could help predict approaching menopause, assess biological aging rates, and uncover early signs of ovarian cancer among other conditions, says Gombert-Labedens.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Understanding Why Women’s Body Temperature Increases from Ages 18 to 42

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Although hot flashes are associated with menopause, women actually become progressively hotter from early adulthood through middle age.

Dmitry Marchenko/Alamy

Women's Body Temperature Changes — Although hot flashes are associated with menopause, women actually become progressively hotter from early adulthood through middle age.

Dmitry Marchenko/Alamy

A woman’s resting body temperature gradually increases from age 18 to 42, though the cause remains unclear. This significant finding suggests that temperature-sensing wearables might be utilized for tracking aging, identifying perimenopause, and detecting possible health issues.

“We believe that temperature signals hold valuable health information,” states Marie Gombert-Labedens from SRI International, a California-based research institute. “We aspire to inspire research that identifies new health markers, using this data as a previously untapped resource.”

In 1990s research, Gombert-Labedens and her team studied over 750 women aged 18 to 42 who measured their oral or rectal temperature daily upon waking.

The analysis revealed that participants had lower body temperatures during the initial half of their menstrual cycle and higher temperatures during the latter half when ovulation occurred. This temperature increase is commonly used by many fertility tracking apps to predict the fertile window.

Upon further examination of age-related body temperature fluctuations during various menstrual stages, the researchers discovered that on average, participants’ temperatures increased slightly each year from ages 18 to 42. Notably, women over 35 recorded temperatures approximately 0.05°C higher than younger counterparts across both phases of the menstrual cycle.

Subsequently, the finger skin temperature continuously recorded by smart rings indicates that women aged 42 to 55 exhibit higher temperatures compared to those aged 18 to 35.

Further research is essential to clarify the reasons behind this increase in body temperature, with Gombert-Labedens suggesting it could be linked to hormonal changes, particularly as reproductive years close. During perimenopause, rapid body temperature rises can lead to hot flashes and night sweats; however, the exact mechanisms remain uncertain.

The study only included women not using hormonal contraception and those without hormonal disorders like PMOS (previously known as PCOS), leaving the impact of these variables on long-term body temperature yet to be determined.

Additional studies suggest that post-menopause, women’s body temperatures tend to normalize to levels similar to men.

Gombert-Labedens mentions that this midlife temperature increase may explain why many women in this age group report feeling less cold than they did earlier in life. “We hypothesize that the elevated body temperatures of middle-aged women may affect their environmental temperature perception,” she elaborates.

As smart rings and other temperature-sensing wearables gain popularity, it’s possible to pinpoint patterns and deviations in temperature trends that signal impending menopause, assess biological aging rates, and identify early signs of ovarian cancer and other conditions, according to Gombert-Labedens.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

How Your Handwriting Can Indicate Your Risk of Dementia

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

The speed and complexity of handwriting may serve as indicators of brain health, according to findings from recent research by a leading research institute.

This revelation emerged when scientists observed a group of older adults completing a variety of writing tasks with differing levels of difficulty.

In the most intricate task—writing from dictation—scientists found a significant correlation between handwriting speed and style and the presence of cognitive impairment.

“Writing transcends mere motor skill; it acts as a window into cognitive processes,” states Dr. Ana Rita Mathias, an Assistant Professor at the University of Évora, Portugal.

“Our research revealed that older adults with cognitive impairments exhibited distinct patterns in the timing and organization of their handwriting movements.”

Handwriting encompasses various cognitive functions, such as motor control, sensory interpretation—whether auditory or visual—and spatial organization on paper.

Given its cognitive demands, experts like Mathias propose that handwriting may serve as a valuable marker for age-related cognitive decline.

Handwriting may act as a crucial window into brain health, potentially enabling early detection of cognitive decline – Credit: Getty

“The timing and structure of handwriting strokes are closely tied to brain functions like action planning and execution, which depend on working memory and executive control,” added Mathias.

“As these cognitive abilities decline, handwriting tends to become slower, more fragmented, and less coordinated.”

The study included 58 care home residents aged between 62 and 92, with 38 participants diagnosed with some degree of cognitive impairment.

Participants performed two distinct tasks using a digital pen and tablet: a simple pen control task involving 20 seconds to draw ten horizontal lines or dots, which revealed minimal correlation with cognitive impairment due to their simplistic nature.

However, a noticeable difference emerged during tasks that required copying sentences and writing more complex sentences dictated to them.

In the analysis, three key factors stood out: the vertical size of the letters, the initiation of writing, and the time taken to complete the tasks.

“Dictation tasks are particularly intricate as they require simultaneous cognitive functions like listening, language processing, converting speech into text, and coordinating movements,” explained Mathias.

Additionally, the complexity of what participants were writing mattered. Mathias noted, “Long, unpredictable, or linguistically demanding sentences impose greater strain on cognitive resources.”

The research team aspires for these writing tasks to become a practical, economical, and non-invasive approach for detecting cognitive decline.

Nonetheless, further studies are necessary, especially long-term investigations involving larger, diverse populations, before implementation in clinical practice.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

How a Violent Collision May Have Annihilated the Milky Way’s First Stellar Disk

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Groundbreaking simulation reveals that a cataclysmic collision 11 billion years ago transformed our galaxy and sparked an explosion of star formation.

The Gemini North telescope captured this stunning image of interacting spiral galaxies, NGC 4568 (bottom) and NGC 4567 (top). Image credits: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / TA Chancellor, University of Alaska Anchorage and NSF’s NOIRLab / J. Miller, Gemini Observatory and NSF’s NOIRLab / M. Zamani, NSF’s NOIRLab / D. de Martin, NSF’s NOIRLab.

The Milky Way’s disk is an extensive, rotating structure shaped like a cosmic pancake, featuring luminous spiral arms extending outward from its core.

Most stars in our galaxy, including our Sun, reside within this disk, which rotates at speeds exceeding 220 kilometers per second.

For decades, astronomers have sought to pinpoint the origins of this immense rotating structure.

“Key insights lie in the motion and age of the stars. At some stage in the galaxy’s early history, stars began moving in a consistent rotational pattern, which scientists term the galaxy’s ‘spin-up’ time,” explained Dr. Matthew Orkney from the University of Barcelona and Catalunya Space Institute, along with Dr. Chervin Laporte from CNRS.

“However, the Milky Way did not form in isolation.”

“For years, researchers have theorized that violent collisions with smaller galaxies significantly contributed to the formation of our present-day Milky Way.”

This hypothesis gained traction in 2018, when data from ESA’s Gaia mission unveiled a substantial population of stars whose unusual motions could only be attributed to a gigantic merger approximately 10 billion years ago.”

“This event is now referred to as the Gaia Sausage Enceladus (GSE) merger.”

To better understand how rotating galactic disks develop and evolve, Orkney and Laporte conducted simulations of galaxies akin to the Milky Way under various cosmic scenarios.

Their model allowed them to examine how galaxies like ours would react to ancient collisions with smaller companion galaxies.

They discovered that the rotating stellar disk may have formed much earlier in the galaxy’s timeline than previously believed.

However, the simulations also indicated that large-scale galactic collisions could significantly disrupt, or completely annihilate, these disks.

This suggests that the transition of the Milky Way’s disk into a stable rotation may not mark the moment of its birth but rather a phase of rebuilding following a catastrophic merger.

From their simulations, the researchers posited that the collision between the Milky Way and the GSE galaxy likely occurred around 11 billion years ago, earlier than many earlier estimates.

This proposed timeframe aligns with a remarkable surge in star cluster formation within the Milky Way.

These bursts of star birth are a natural aftermath of galactic collisions, compressing vast clouds of gas and igniting monumental waves of star formation.

“GSE merger models indicate that galactic fireworks were expected post-collision, enhancing star formation, and promoting the emergence of globular clusters. This is the first instance of this connection being demonstrated,” said Dr. Laporte.

“This research underscores critical relationships between galactic structure and ancient collisions, which must be considered holistically to grasp the history of galaxies,” added Dr. Orkney.

For more details on these findings, refer to the Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.

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Matthew DA Orkney & Chervin FP Laporte. 2026. Disk formation and survival: From numerical models of galaxy formation to the Milky Way. MNRAS 548 (4): staf2154; doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf2154

Source: www.sci.news

Fermi Uncovers Hidden Engine Driving Superluminous Supernovae

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Recent gamma-ray observations from NASA’s Fermi Space Telescope indicate that supermagnetic neutron stars, known as magnetars, could be responsible for superluminous supernovae—rare stellar explosions that shine with a peak luminosity 10 to 100 times greater than conventional nuclear collapse supernovae.

The superluminous supernova SN 2017egm was identified by ESA’s Gaia mission on May 23, 2017. It erupted within the giant barred spiral galaxy NGC 3191. The image on the right, captured on July 1, 2017, shows the supernova illuminating the entire galaxy. Image credit: SDSS / PS1 / NOT+ALFSOC / Bose et al.

A nuclear collapse supernova occurs when the energy-producing core of a massive star runs out of fuel, collapses under its own gravity, and subsequently explodes.

During this collapse, city-sized neutron stars and potentially smaller black holes may form.

The resulting blast wave ejects the remaining star material, expanding rapidly as a cloud of hot, ionized gas.

Over the past few decades, nearly 400 remarkable nuclear collapse supernovae have been cataloged.

These events, termed hyperluminous supernovae, emit over ten times the visible light typically observed from standard supernovae.

A 2026 research paper suggests that Fermi’s large-area telescope has detected gamma rays from the superluminous supernova SN 2017egm.

This phenomenon occurred in the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3191, located approximately 440 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

Dr. Guillem Martí Debesa, a researcher at the Institute of Space Sciences in Barcelona, Spain, commented, “We searched for gamma rays from the six nearest superluminous supernovae observed during the first 16 years of Fermi’s mission.” He added, “Only SN 2017egm exhibits gamma-ray evidence, reinforcing earlier indications that certain supernovae can be as luminous in gamma rays as they are in visible light.”

This discovery unlocks new avenues for studying these fascinating astrophysical events.

The explosive energy sources driving these powerful explosions have been a matter of theoretical debate.

The formation of magnetars—neutron stars with unparalleled magnetic fields, 1,000 times stronger than typical neutron stars—is a leading candidate.

Astronomers conducted an in-depth analysis of the optical and gamma-ray characteristics of SN 2017egm, comparing different theoretical models to evaluate their accuracy.

Their model tracked how light and particles produced by the nascent magnetar interacted with the expanding supernova debris.

They anticipate that the newly formed magnetar will rotate hundreds of times per second, producing a powerful outflow of antimatter equivalents of electrons and positrons, thereby creating a substantial cloud of energetic particles.

This cloud, referred to as the magnetar wind nebula, drives various interactions responsible for both gamma-ray production and absorption.

For instance, an electron and a positron may annihilate, producing a pair of gamma-ray photons, or two gamma rays may collide, resulting in particle formation.

Through these mechanisms, gamma rays interact with the remnants of the supernova, becoming reprocessed into lower-energy visible light, thereby enhancing the supernova’s brightness.

Dr. Fabio Acero from the University of Paris-Saclay and CNRS stated, “Around three months after the collapse, as the supernova debris expands and cools, gamma rays may start to escape.” He went on to say, “This magnetar model most accurately models the supernova’s brightness and gamma-ray arrival timings during the initial months, but we believe there is potential for refinement in the later phases when visible light fades erratically.”

“Additional mechanisms may have had an impact during the prolonged decay phase of SN 2017egm,” he added.

Factors such as debris interaction with the magnetar and blast waves emitted over centuries could contribute to these observations.

The study team’s research paper is published in the latest issue of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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F. Acero et al. 2026. Gamma-ray signatures of ultraluminous supernovae: Fermi-LAT GeV detection of SN 2017egm and evidence for a central engine. A&A 709, A229; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202558547

Source: www.sci.news

How Ancient Crater Lakes Fostered Ideal Conditions for Earth’s Earliest Oxygen-Breathing Life

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Groundbreaking research has unveiled the presence of stromatolites—layered structures created by microbial communities—within a 42,000-year-old asteroid crater in South Korea. This significant finding suggests that an ancient post-impact lake acted as an “oxygen oasis,” providing a vital habitat for early life.

A detailed analysis of stromatolites and lake sediments at the Hapcheon impact crater indicates that these formations may represent the oldest fossilized evidence of oxygen-producing microbial life on early Earth. Image credit: Lim et al., doi: 10.1038/s43247-026-03206-7.

“Stromatolites, which are layered organic sedimentary structures, have been identified as some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth, dating back approximately 3.5 billion years to the early Archean era,” stated lead author Dr. Jaesoo Lim and colleagues from the Korea Institute of Earth Science and Mineral Resources.

These layered structures form through the trapping and binding of sediment particles by microbial activity or through mineral precipitation triggered by microbial metabolic processes.

In the northwestern section of Hapcheon Crater, the research team discovered numerous stromatolites, each measuring between 10 to 20 centimeters in diameter.

“Geochemical analysis of the stromatolites unveiled crucial features, including traces of extraterrestrial materials and surrounding rock, as well as indications of alteration due to hydrothermal activity,” the researchers explained.

The inner layer exhibits a stronger hydrothermal signal, suggesting formation during an earlier, hotter phase.

“These findings collectively support the idea that stromatolites evolved in hydrothermal lakes that gradually decreased in temperature after the impact event,” they added.

Analysis indicates that the Hapcheon collision occurred roughly 42,300 years ago.

This discovery sheds light on the Great Oxidation Event, a significant period around 2.4 billion years ago when Earth’s atmospheric oxygen levels surged,” the scientists noted.

The impact-induced hydrothermal lake likely provided a unique habitat for oxygen-producing microorganisms to flourish.

Such environments have been referred to by the research team as “oxygen oases.”

The study also raises the prospect of similar habitats existing on early Mars.

Since Mars is believed to have had water-filled impact craters in its early history, these cratered environments could serve as promising sites in the search for signs of past life.

“This research presents the first comprehensive evidence that stromatolites can form in hydrothermal lakes generated by asteroid impacts,” Lim remarked.

“Such conditions may have favored the development of early microbial ecosystems.”

For more details, refer to the study published in the Journal, Communication Earth and Environment, on April 16, 2026.

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J. Lim et al. 2026. Discovery of stromatolite formation in post-impact hydrothermal lake environments and its significance for early Earth. Communication Earth and Environment 7, 334; doi: 10.1038/s43247-026-03206-7

Source: www.sci.news

Impact of Wildfires on Lead Contamination in Los Angeles Soil: Current Debates and Findings

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assures residents that most properties cleared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers show no dangerous levels of lead. This conclusion comes after soil testing was conducted on approximately 1% of homes affected by the Eaton Fire. However, skepticism remains from an independent scientist.

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The Eaton Fire of January 2025 resulted in significant destruction, impacting approximately 9,400 homes in the Altadena area and releasing harmful substances like lead, arsenic, and asbestos into the air. Lead exposure is particularly concerning due to its neurotoxic effects and potential developmental risks for children.

Post-inspection of 100 randomly selected residences by the EPA revealed that only five homes exceeded established lead safety standards. However, 17 parcels reported levels above California’s stricter regulations. The EPA report indicated that the median lead concentrations across all assessed sites remained well below both state and federal safety thresholds. The EPA news release was issued Tuesday.

This data should instill confidence in residents regarding the remediation efforts by the Corps to manage fire-related contaminants, especially lead, noted Michael Montgomery, director of EPA’s Region 9 Superfund and Emergency Management Division. “The Corps effectively removed ash, debris, and the contaminated soil beneath these materials,” he added.

Montgomery expressed belief that the findings are representative of the entire affected burn zone.

“I am 95% confident that the areas addressed in Altadena and Pasadena are below both California and federal lead inspection thresholds,” he affirmed.

The trauma of contamination fears loomed large over Altadena, where many lots were blanketed in soot and ash from the Eaton Fire, particularly concerning given the older homes — many constructed before lead was eliminated from building materials. While the Army Corps removed about two-thirds of the debris from affected sites, soil testing was not conducted as part of the cleanup effort, raising concerns among residents about lingering contamination risks.

Since soil testing was not mandated during cleanup efforts, academic scientists from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health have initiated their own testing in the area, resulting in concerns due to mixed results.

Andrew Welton, a professor specializing in civil, environmental, and ecological engineering at Purdue University, has critiqued the EPA’s assessment as inconclusive. He noted that the methodology employed was aimed at measuring average risks, not pinpointing higher-risk areas.

Welton emphasized, “The results they obtained are not representative of the Eaton fire area,” adding that the sample collection methods were not aligned with existing data that Californians and businesses expect regarding property safety.

Critics have raised alarms about the debris removal process, where the Army Corps was reported to have inconsistently and hastily removed debris, with whistleblowers suggesting the quantity of leftover debris was higher compared to past wildfire responses. Concerns remain regarding the ongoing risk of contamination for residents.

“It’s so incomplete,” one whistleblower remarked.

Montgomery shared that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requested the EPA to perform testing in light of the concerns voiced by residents and officials, a protocol not typically followed in past wildfire incidents.

The EPA’s study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of contamination levels throughout the Eaton burn area. Properties were selected randomly, and inspections were conducted at accessible locations with resident consent.

For each site, soil samples were collected from two distinct depths at 30 specified locations within the “ash footprint” designated for debris removal.

These samples were then pooled to form two composite samples—one at ground level and another six inches below.

The findings revealed that median lead concentrations in surface soils measured at 31 milligrams per kilogram, significantly below the California threshold of 80 mg/kg and the EPA’s level of 200 mg/kg. The below-surface concentration averaged 43 mg/kg.

EPA findings indicated that five surface samples surpassed the federal testing standards, with one sample showing a lead concentration of 705 mg/kg.

Welton expressed concerns that the EPA’s approach of pooling samples could obscure contamination hotspots at specific locations within the impacted area.

Based on prior evidence in California, “hotspots” often occur post-debris removal, where contractors may have left ash and debris intact. Even properties that pass this average test might still harbor lead levels that exceed state guidelines.

Welton also noted that the EPA’s testing was limited to the volcanic ash footprint and did not account for unassessed areas of the property.

He pointed out that the most contaminated sites, averaging 705 mg/kg of lead, raise significant concerns, as levels above 1,000 mg/kg are classified as hazardous and necessitate disposal in specialized landfills.

“That means the entire property is warmer,” Welton concluded. “There could be areas with even higher contamination levels.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Generating Hydrogen from Rocks: A Sustainable Solution for CO2 Storage

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Carbfix Facility in Iceland

Oksana Valiukevicien/Alamy

To tackle climate change, the demand for clean hydrogen is rising, especially for sectors that renewable electricity cannot power. Innovative methods may enable us to extract substantial hydrogen from deep underground rocks while simultaneously capturing carbon dioxide.

Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have demonstrated the viability of this process with common rock types in controlled lab settings and are seeking partnerships for practical demonstration projects.

“Our goal is to provide evidence that hydrogen can be produced economically alongside CO2 sequestration,” explains Orsolya Gerensel. Additionally, this approach could generate geothermal energy.

Burning hydrogen solely emits water vapor, eliminating contributions to global warming. Thus, hydrogen has the potential to significantly help achieve net-zero targets by decarbonizing critical industrial processes, such as fertilizer manufacturing and steel production.

Currently, hydrogen is predominantly derived from fossil fuels, which release substantial CO2 emissions during production. A sustainable method involves using renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, to electrolyze water, yielding hydrogen and oxygen.

While this practice is emerging, hydrogen produced via these methods remains costlier and requires significant renewable energy resources—often limiting alternatives for shifting away from coal power.

This increasing need for natural or geological hydrogen has led to renewed interest. Several processes allow for hydrogen production within rocks, and under optimal conditions, the gas can be harnessed similarly to natural gas. This could be a cleaner and cheaper source, although the extent of accessible natural hydrogen remains uncertain. While some experts predict vast reserves, others, including Gerensel, caution that natural hydrogen resources may be finite.

Currently, nearly pure natural hydrogen is extracted in the small village of Bourakebugou in Mali. However, it is produced on a minimal scale.

“This is a unique scenario,” Gerensel states. Due to the typically low hydrogen production rates and the small size of its molecules, suitable overlying rock formations rarely hold hydrogen effectively, she adds.

Hence, numerous teams worldwide are investigating ways to facilitate hydrogen production from rocks directly, a method known as stimulated hydrogen generation, with various trials already in progress.

One approach involves pumping groundwater to react with certain rock types, initiating serpentinization to produce hydrogen—potentially a substantial natural hydrogen source. More water can accelerate this reaction.

Gerensel and her team posited that introducing carbon dioxide into the water will react with rocks, mineralizing into carbonates. The company Carbfix is pioneering this concept in Iceland, where they mineralize CO2 by injecting it into water pumped underground near geothermal energy plants.

Through laboratory tests using iron-rich volcanic rock, Gerensel’s team simulated deep conditions, heating samples and assessing reactions with either CO2-enriched water or inert argon. Results indicated that CO2-laden water produced significantly more hydrogen, likely due to carbonic acid formation which aids rock dissolution and enhances water interaction. The presence of nickel chloride as a catalyst may further boost hydrogen production, as shared at a recent European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna.

Theoretically, the reaction between water and rock could release approximately 0.5% of the hydrogen. Achieving a 1% efficiency threshold is crucial for practicality, and exploring deeper areas with higher temperatures may facilitate this, albeit at increased costs. However, these higher temperatures could also benefit geothermal energy generation.

There are vast amounts of iron-rich rock globally, and even at a 1% efficiency, the potential hydrogen yield could far surpass the current global production of 100 million tons.

Barbara Sherwood Lollar from the University of Toronto remarks on the growing interest in these innovative methods. “A collaborative approach that combines stimulated geological hydrogen production with CO2 mineralization shows great promise,” notes Aliaksey Patnia from the University of Oxford. “Numerous startups and research groups are exploring variations of this concept.”

If projects can successfully trap CO2, like Carbfix does, additional revenue could decrease risks, enhancing attractiveness to investors, Patonia explains. However, the viability of these strategies remains to be determined.

Sherwood Lollar urges an exploration of stimulated hydrogen production beyond the limited known natural hydrogen sources. Her team’s findings indicate that a mine in Timmins, Ontario, emits around 140 tons of hydrogen annually, presenting opportunities for local exploitation.

“There isn’t a single solution,” she emphasizes. “All these promising approaches can and should play a role, and we must address them promptly.”

Topics:

Source: www.newscientist.com

The Surprising Reasons Women Experience Increased Attraction from Ages 18 to 42

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Although hot flashes are linked to menopause, research indicates that women gradually experience a rise in body temperature from early adulthood through middle age.

Dmitry Marchenko/Alamy

A fascinating study reveals that a woman’s resting body temperature incrementally increases each year from age 18 to 42. The underlying reasons for this phenomenon remain largely unexplored, paving the way for innovative solutions like temperature-sensing wearables to monitor aging and detect perimenopause alongside other health issues.

According to Marie Gombert-Labedens from SRI International, a renowned research institute in California, “We believe temperature signals provide substantial insights into health.” She hopes this research will uncover new health markers that could serve as invaluable tools for maintaining our well-being.

In studies from the 1990s, over 750 women aged 18 to 42 tracked their oral or rectal temperatures daily upon waking. Findings indicated that women generally recorded lower body temperatures during the first half of their menstrual cycle, rising during ovulation. This temperature shift is frequently utilized by fertility tracking applications to determine fertile phases.

Upon further analyzing this data, Gombert-Labedens and her team discovered a slight annual increase in body temperature correlated with age, noting that women over 35 had temperatures about 0.05°C higher than their younger counterparts during both phases of the menstrual cycle.

This data suggests that continuous finger skin temperature monitoring via smart rings shows women aged 42 to 55 are, on average, warmer than those aged 18 to 35.

While more research is needed to elucidate this temperature increase, it may be linked to hormonal changes, particularly leading into the later reproductive years. The onset of perimenopause accompanies a rapid rise in body temperature, commonly resulting in hot flashes and night sweats, although the exact mechanisms still require clarification.

The study focused on women who were not utilizing hormonal contraception and did not have hormonal disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), leaving questions about how these elements might influence long-term body temperature changes.

Further investigation has shown that after menopause, women’s body temperatures generally return to lower levels, similar to men’s. This shift can normalize temperature dynamics among genders.

Gombert-Labedens posits that the increase in body temperature around midlife may offer insights into why some women report feeling warmer as they age. “We speculate that the elevated body temperatures in middle-aged women could alter their sensitivity and reactions to environmental temperatures,” she states.

As advanced temperature-sensing devices and smart rings become integral in health monitoring, they could potentially reveal crucial patterns and anomalies in individual temperature trends, signaling the approach of menopause, estimating biological aging rates, and even detecting early signs of conditions like ovarian cancer, according to Gombert-Labedens.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Rodent-Like Mammals Thrived in the Ancient Arctic Before Dinosaur Extinction

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have identified three new species of multituberculate mammals: Camurodon, Kayaku Gluk Peregrinus, and Crab Cosmodon Polaris. These fascinating creatures thrived in the polar forests around 73 million years ago. Notably, Kayaku Gluk Peregrinus shows a strong connection to Mongolian species, providing the earliest direct evidence of polytuberculates migrating from Asia to North America. This discovery challenges the long-held belief that the Arctic was evolutionarily isolated.

Reconstruction of the Late Cretaceous paleoenvironment of Alaska. Image credit: James Havens.

These species ranged in size between a mouse and a rat. Multituberculates are notable for being the longest-surviving group of mammals in Earth’s history, existing for over 100 million years from the Jurassic period until the end of the Eocene epoch, about 35 million years ago.

Remarkably, they survived the Chicxulub impact that led to the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

Scientists have been intrigued by the longevity of multituberculates, and the discovery of these three new Arctic species may hold vital clues.

Dr. Sarah Shelley, a paleontologist at the University of Lincoln, stated, “Although polar regions lack the biodiversity of tropical areas, they have been vibrant habitats where life has thrived for eons.”

Fossil teeth from Camurodon, Kayaku Gluk Peregrinus, and Crab Cosmodon Polaris were found in a deposit dating back 73 million years in the Prince Creek Formation, located in the Arctic Circle.

These ancient creatures thrived even in a harsh environment marked by long winters, freezing temperatures, and potential food shortages.

“These three new mammal species bolster evidence that this ancient Arctic region was a habitat for unique polar-adapted species,” noted Dr. Patrick Druckenmiller, a paleontologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The research revealed significant variations in tooth shape among the three species, implying that they likely had diverse diets.

Camurodon exhibited herbivorous teeth, while Kayaku Gluk Peregrinus displayed characteristics of an omnivore, likely consuming both insects and plants.

Crab Cosmodon Polaris also seems to have been omnivorous, with a possible diet primarily consisting of plants.

In environments with limited food sources, the ability to adapt and diversify diets may have been key to the coexistence of various multituberculate species.

“Such adaptability may have also enabled them to survive the asteroid impact,” Dr. Shelley observed.

Researchers found that Kayaku Gluk Peregrinus is closely related to species native to modern-day Mongolia, indicating that these ancestors migrated from Asia to North America.

This migration is estimated to have occurred around 92 million years ago, marking one of the earliest known instances of mammals crossing continents.

“This finding implies that there was a land route between Asia and North America that facilitated movement for these small mammals,” said Professor Jerin Eberle, curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History.

“This land bridge was already active around 90 million years ago.”

This discovery adds to the understanding of how species have migrated across continents, reshaping ecosystems throughout history.

“This challenges our perspective on native species,” Dr. Shelley remarked.

“Deep moments like these remind us that a place isn’t merely a dot on a map, but a tapestry of overlapping histories related to its landscape and inhabitants.”

The findings are detailed in a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Sarah L. Sherry et al. 2026. Arctic ecosystems influenced the dispersal and diversification of mammals prior to the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. PNAS 123 (22): e2601794123; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2601794123

Source: www.sci.news

Exploring Oliver Sacks’s ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat’: Insights After Recent Revelations

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Exploring the Revelations Surrounding Oliver Sacks’ The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

Often, popular science books become dated as new research debunks their key theories or presents outdated concepts. Sometimes, however, explosive revelations transform the narrative entirely.

In the case of Oliver Sacks, it’s the latter with The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. This groundbreaking work has influenced countless psychology students and researchers, including myself. Yet, its reputation has been shaken by startling disclosures about Sacks’ commitment to factual accuracy. Is there anything redeemable amidst the wreckage?

I first read The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat—referred to as hat here—around 25 years ago as an undergraduate psychology student. It’s a collection of case studies featuring individuals with neuropsychiatric conditions, primarily drawn from Sacks’ own patients. He immerses readers into the lives of those battling memory loss, neurosyphilis, Tourette syndrome, and more, examining not just their challenges in daily life but the neurological foundations of their conditions and their implications for understanding the human mind.

On a recent reread, I noticed some elements that raise concerns. Originally published in 1985, the book includes language that is no longer acceptable, particularly concerning individuals with developmental delays. Moreover, Sacks occasionally reflects on the profound meanings his patients derive from their cognitive challenges.

Yet overall, revisiting it reminded me of the compelling storytelling that captivated me initially. Sacks is often viewed as the empathetic “grandpa” of psychology, which explains why this book resonates with so many.

In Chapter 3, “The Disembodied Woman,” Sacks recounts the story of “Christina,” a woman who suffered severe neurological damage and lost her sense of proprioception—the awareness of one’s body in space. For Christina, even actions as simple as riding the bus became Herculean tasks, as her awkward movements led others to mistakenly assume she was intoxicated.

By sharing these narratives, Sacks advocates for greater societal acceptance of individuals who have experienced brain injuries or who possess atypical neurological wiring. Although he never employs the contemporary term “neurodiversity,” the idea is very much present in hat.

The central issue with this book lies in its veracity; one cannot ascertain the authenticity of many accounts. Investigative journalist Rachel Aviv gained access to Sacks’ correspondence and personal diary through the Oliver Sacks Foundation, revealing Sacks’ “guilt” over “my lies” and “falsifications.” hat.

Aviv has uncovered that several stories within the book may be at least partially fabricated. For instance, Sacks narrates a patient named Rebecca, depicted as unable to “confidently open a door with a key,” yet flourishing in a theater company, a transformation unsupported by evidence in Sacks’ records. Similarly, he describes identical twins with severe disabilities allegedly capable of identifying six-digit prime numbers, an extraordinary claim unverified by any other source.

In conclusion, it remains ambiguous how much of hat can be trusted. Most case studies go unpublished in scientific journals, leaving no room for independent validation. What we have are the words of Oliver Sacks; however, his diary confesses to deception. While I hesitate to endorse remarkable claims like the twins’ prime number identification, many narratives—such as that of Christina—align better with verified accounts.

Aviv’s investigation highlights that Sacks grappled with his internal struggles. He didn’t publicly embrace his identity as a gay man until later in life and lived with feelings of guilt and self-loathing due to societal homophobia, a struggle that deeply impacted both his personal life and professional work. This narrative is profoundly tragic and underscores the intersections of identity and mental health.

The most significant concern is that hat Sacks presented this work as nonfiction, yet its most remarkable achievement lies within the realm of fiction: transporting readers into the minds of those whose experiences and perceptions diverge dramatically from the norm. While it may not serve as a reliable source of neuropsychiatric facts, approaching it with this understanding reveals enduring truths.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Mystery Behind Tyrannosaurus Rex’s Tiny Arms: New Insights Revealed

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists from University College London and the University of Cambridge have unveiled that the small arms of large predatory dinosaurs evolved in tandem with their massive heads and powerful bone-crushing jaws. This evolutionary shift indicates that ancient predators increasingly relied on biting rather than grasping their prey.

Reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus macraiensis. Image credit: Sergey Krasovskiy.

“While everyone recognizes Tyrannosaurus rex, other giant theropod dinosaurs also featured small arms, indicating a trend towards reduced forelimb size,” stated Charlie Roger Scherer, a PhD student at University College London.

“For instance, Carnotaurus showcases surprisingly small arms, even in comparison to Tyrannosaurus rex.”

“We aimed to understand the driving factors behind this evolution and discovered a strong correlation between shorter arms and the development of larger, more robust heads.”

In their comprehensive study, Scherer and colleagues analyzed data from 82 species of carnivorous theropod dinosaurs.

They determined that reductions in forelimb size occurred across five key lineages: abelisaurids, carcharodontosaurids, ceratosaurids, megalosaurids, and tyrannosaurids.

The evidence suggests that smaller arms are directly linked to the evolution of a larger, more powerful skull and jaw, rather than simply being a consequence of overall body size increases.

Torbosaurus gurneyi. Image credit: © Sergey Krasovskiy.

The researchers propose that the increased size of prey, including giant sauropods and other large herbivores, may have driven theropods to rely more on their jaws and heads instead of their claws for hunting.

This shift in attack strategy highlights the evolutionary principle of “use it or lose it,” as the arms gradually became less useful and diminished in size.

“While our study illustrates a correlation, we cannot definitively establish causation; however, it strongly suggests that theropods developed more solidly built skulls in conjunction with shorter forelimbs,” Scherer explained.

“It is unlikely that these predators would have abandoned their effective methods of attack without developing alternatives.”

Ecosystem reconstruction of the Late Jurassic Dry Mesa dinosaur quarry, roughly 150 million years ago in Colorado, USA. Image credit: Sergey Krasovskiy / Pedro Salas.

For their research, the paleontologists developed a novel method to quantify skull robustness, evaluating factors such as bone connectivity, skull dimensions (with compact shapes being superior in strength), and bite force.

Among the species studied, Tyrannosaurus rex achieved the highest score for skull robustness, followed closely by Tyrannotitan, another significant theropod that existed in present-day Argentina over 30 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period.

“The enormous size of prey may have instigated an evolutionary arms race, prompting theropods to evolve more powerful skulls and jaws to subdue increasingly gigantic prey,” the researchers concluded.

Read their full paper, published today in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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Charlie Roger Scherer et al. 2026. Driving forces and mechanisms of convergent forelimb reduction in non-avian theropod dinosaurs. Proc Biol Sci 293 (2071): 20260528;doi: 10.1098/rspb.2026.0528

Source: www.sci.news

Discover the Secrets: Inside the Black Hole – A Must-Read New Book

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Giant Firestorm: The Escalating Crisis

Climate change is driving unprecedented wildfires, threatening our safety and ecosystems. The situation is expected to worsen if immediate action isn’t taken.

The Need for Human Connection

Recent studies highlight the vital role of physical touch in maintaining health and well-being, revealing interesting implications for pet owners and their bonds.

Dangers of Ultra-Processed Foods

It’s not merely your willpower—“Big Food” leverages ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to create cravings that are hard to resist, posing significant health risks.

Making Better Choices: A Mindful Approach

Have you examined your thought processes? Understanding how you think can enhance decision-making abilities. This isn’t procrastination; it’s growth.

Plus

World Cup Fever: Will the innovative aerodynamic properties of this year’s soccer ball influence the championship outcome?
America Underwater: New revelations indicate that coastal disasters could strike the U.S. shores sooner than anticipated.
Q&A: This month, we’re tackling your queries about narcissistic behaviors, what constitutes pee, why insects flock to light, the ideal laundry temperature, histamine reactions, and even why your cat acts wild during a full moon. Plus, should you reconsider your hot dog consumption?

Issue No. 433 Releases on May 20, 2026

Don’t forget, BBC Science Focus is accessible on all major digital platforms. Download the magazine on Android, Kindle Fire, and iOS for an all-device experience.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

BBC Science Focus Crossword #433 Answers and Solutions

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Holly is a dedicated staff writer for BBC Science Focus, where she expertly manages the highly engaging Q&A section. She possesses a prestigious MSc (Special Award) in Earth Sciences (Space and Climate Physics) from UCL, with a specialization in Astronomy and Earth Sciences. Prior to her role at Our Media, Holly gained valuable experience as a geo-environmental consultant and engineer, dedicating her free time to the exciting search for exoplanets while providing critical information on ground risk and remediation in northern England.

In addition to her writing, she has served as a regional editor for a well-known theater website for nine years, showcasing her ability to curate and develop compelling content for the digital realm. Holly is also a talented artist and illustrator, frequently contributing to the craft website Gathered. Her impressive portfolio includes collaborations with renowned brands such as RSPB, English Heritage, Disney, Pilot, Brother, as well as publications like BBC Good Food Magazine, Home Style Magazine, and Papercraft Inspiration Magazine. Alongside her creative endeavors, she enjoys photography and has a keen interest in antiques.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New Jurassic Pterosaur Species Discovered in Germany: Insights into Ancient Flying Reptiles

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of early monophenestratan pterosaur has been identified by paleontologists, based on a nearly complete and exceptionally preserved fossil skeleton found in Bavaria, Germany.

Holotype specimen of Laueropterus vitriolus viewed under natural light. Image credit: DWE Hone, doi: 10.7717/peerj.21204.

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight, appearing roughly 210 million years ago and evolving from small birds to colossal creatures with wingspans comparable to small airplanes.

The newly described species, named Laueropterus vitriolus, belongs to a group of early pterosaurs known as monophenestratans. With a wingspan measuring approximately 1 meter (3.3 feet), it ranks among the largest members of this migratory group ever found.

“Early monofenestratans represent a relatively recent discovery in pterosaur evolution, first identified in 2010,” stated study author Dr. David Horne, a zoology reader at Queen Mary University of London.

“Through various analyses, these taxa were classified as both a clade and grade existing between non-monophenestratans and pterodactyls.”

“Some of the most advanced taxa have been designated as pterodactyls, representing derived monofenestratan and pterodactyl clades.”

The fossilized skeleton of Laueropterus vitriolus was unearthed in the Schaudyberg quarry around 2007, from the Mornsheim Formation.

This fossil dates back 150 to 143 million years (late Jurassic period), and includes the skull, jaw, spinal column, and most of the wings.

“The specimen is preserved on a sizable limestone slab measuring approximately 60 cm x 45 cm (2 feet x 1.5 feet),” Dr. Horne explained.

“The slab is predominantly gray, featuring thick white bars arranged at right angles that intersect at various points.”

“Pterosaur fossils are often exceptionally well-preserved and undistorted, allowing for clear outlines of thin elements such as the sternal plate.”

Laueropterus vitriolus exhibits a combination of both primitive and advanced features, including a large skull with a single opening that integrates the nostril and antorbital fenestra, characteristic of monophenestratan pterosaurs, alongside relatively short wing bones typical of earlier forms.

“Laueropterus vitriolus marks the fourth non-pterodactyl monophenestratan pterosaur discovered in Mülheim, alongside Skifosora, macrodactylus, and Rhamphodactylus,” Dr. Horne noted.

“This discovery represents the only other record of this grade in the region, with Proterodactylus found in much older deposits, highlighting that non-pterodactyl monophenestratans are significantly more common here.”

“Hundreds of pterosaur fossils have been excavated from the renowned Solnhofen Formation, yet fewer than a dozen non-pterodactyl monophenestratans have been documented in Mülheim, making this find exceptionally notable.”

The research findings were published online on May 11th in PeerJ.

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DWE Horne. 2026. A new, early monophenestratan pterosaur discovered from the Mornsheim Formation in southern Germany. PeerJ 14: e21204; doi: 10.7717/peerj.21204

Source: www.sci.news

Taiwan’s Offshore Solar Power Plants Surpass Onshore Solar Energy Production

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Innovative Floating Solar Power Project by Chenya Energy

Getty Images/iStockphoto

The ocean presents a groundbreaking opportunity for the rapidly expanding solar energy sector. Recent studies reveal that floating solar farms off the coast of Taiwan outperform land-based solar farms in terms of electricity generation and profitability.

Taiwan, comparable in size to the Netherlands, has limited open land due to its mountainous terrain and a population of 5 million. To address this, Chenya Energy developed a 181 MW offshore floating photovoltaic (OFPV) project, utilizing 1.8 square kilometers of water in a protected bay within an industrial park.

A year earlier, Taiwan Power Company had established a 100-megawatt land-based solar photovoltaic (LPV) project on 1.4 square kilometers nearby, providing an excellent comparison for researchers, excluding the additional 81 megawatts from the floating solar farm.

According to the research, floating solar technology generates 12% more electricity compared to traditional land-based systems. Although operating and maintenance costs are somewhat elevated, the net returns stand at 11% for OFPV versus 8% for LPV.

Lead author Qingfeng Chen from the National Taipei University of Technology notes, “While installing solar systems at sea is more complex than on land, the carbon and emissions reductions from OFPV make it a superior choice compared to LPV.”

To date, over 1,100 floating solar setups have been launched, predominantly in lakes and reservoirs across China and other densely populated Asian countries. The primary benefit is that it does not compete with land that could be used for agriculture or development, while also achieving up to 20% more energy than land-based systems—though results can vary significantly by location.

This enhanced performance is attributed to the cooler temperatures—typically 2-3 °C lower on water than on land— which help mitigate efficiency losses in solar panels. The strong winds over large bodies of water further contribute to this cooling effect.

Chen states, “Heat is the main enemy.” Even in oceanic environments—which are cooler than lakes and reservoirs—floating solar generation continues to provide substantial electricity outputs. However, construction remains challenging, and only a limited number of projects have been implemented.

The largest such project is in China, comprising a 1-gigawatt system in shallow waters off Shandong province. Floating solar platforms are anchored to the seabed, and in Taiwan, cells are directly placed on the ocean floor during low tide.

Installation costs for floating systems can be approximately 30% higher than land-based setups, as they have to endure moisture, rust, salt, and wave action. Additional maintenance is required to mitigate salt and debris buildup, with employees needing to clean the solar panels and remove any debris.

Despite these challenges, the higher power output significantly offsets the initial investment over the project’s lifespan. Chen’s study did not factor in long-term wear from waves and storms, which may pose increased risks for offshore wind farms, which seek to integrate floating solar for energy production when wind currents weaken.

Research published last year indicated that adequately covering just 1% of ocean surfaces with wind and solar systems could satisfy nearly 30% of global electricity demands by 2050.

In recent years, German and Dutch companies have tested offshore solar projects around 12 kilometers from the Netherlands’ coastline. A pilot project survived waves reaching up to 10 meters since 2019. However, another floating solar installation near the Hollandse Kust Noord wind farm faced operational issues due to a faulty electrical connector, prompting immediate action from Shell and Eneko to remove it last year.

Another consideration is the ecological impact of floating PV systems, which can reduce oxygen and light in the water, potentially affecting aquatic organisms like phytoplankton and seaweed. Vincent Bax, a researcher at HZ University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, cautions that while offshore deployment could face challenges from waves and weather, the proximity to shore may negatively impact biodiversity.

Nevertheless, he asserts that “Considering its lower impact on terrestrial ecosystems, this technology has significant potential.”

Given the technical difficulties involved in offshore solar energy production, Chen predicts a strong focus in growth toward sun-rich islands with limited offshore wind resources, including Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, and nations in the Caribbean.

“Strategic location is pivotal,” he concludes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Unraveling the Mystery: Why Tyrannosaurus and Other Dinosaurs Evolved Small Arms

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Tyrannosaurus Rex: The Predatory Dinosaur with Unique Arm Traits

Roger Harris/Getty Images/Science Photo Library

Who needs large arms when equipped with a formidable jaw? Recent research indicates that dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus rex, developed smaller forelimbs as their powerful heads evolved into the primary tool for capturing substantial prey. This evolutionary adaptation was observed in five separate lineages of large theropod dinosaurs.

Researchers have noted a trend among large predatory theropods towards increased size, featuring larger heads alongside smaller, shorter arms. However, the reasons behind this recurring pattern across various dinosaur families, which evolved millions of years apart, remained a mystery. According to Charlie Scherer from University College London, there was limited understanding of how the anatomical structure of their robust skulls changed in proportion to their smaller forelimbs.

“This paper addresses one of the major evolutionary questions in theropod dinosaurs,” stated Andre Rowe from the University of Bristol, who was not involved in the study.

Scherer and colleagues meticulously gathered data on forelimb-to-skull ratios and body weight measurements for 85 theropod species. This research facilitated a calculation of the skull-to-arm dimension ratios, quantifying the comparably small size of forelimbs relative to heads. They further compared these ratios with other body metrics and skull strength measurements based on parameters like bite force and skull rigidity.

The study revealed that enhanced skull durability correlates with reduced arm size, regardless of a species’ position on the theropod evolutionary tree. “If it’s a predatory theropod boasting a robust skull, its forelimbs are likely to be notably small,” Scherer noted.

Notably, the research uncovered that this head-to-arm evolution occurred independently across five theropod groups: tyrannosaurids, short-nosed abelisaurids, knife-toothed carcharodontosaurids, ceratosaurids, and megalosaurids. This study marks the first observation of such evolutionary patterns in the latter two groups. Fionn Weism Ma, a professor at The University of Hong Kong, emphasized how quantifying traits in this manner can unveil unseen evolutionary insights.

This discovery provides critical insights into the reasons behind the continual shrinking of dinosaur arms. The growth in skull strength and body size among these predators coincides with an increase in the mass of their prey. Theropods developed strong, robust skulls to effectively manage large, challenging prey. Their heads seem to undertake most of the work, which diminishes the necessity for substantial arm strength, according to Scherer.

“Nature prefers not to overload all features at once,” he emphasized. Maintaining a large, powerful head alongside strong forelimbs requires substantial energy.

This creates a functional trade-off between jaws and claws. While other theropods, such as megaraptors and spinosaurs, are also known as large predators, they adopted a different evolutionary path. Tyrannosaurus exhibits long arms paired with a narrow skull.

Lowe is particularly interested in understanding the mechanical function of the theropod arm, even in its reduced form. “Yes, Tyrannosaurus rex had small vestigial arms, but that doesn’t necessarily indicate they were entirely ineffective,” he noted.

He emphasized that the study underscores the evolutionary diversity within dinosaurs. “This serves as a reminder of why I became fascinated by dinosaurs in the first place—they represent some of the most innovative and successful creatures to ever exist.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

American Doctor Infected with Ebola Evacuates to Germany with Family; Under Surveillance in Congo

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

An American surgeon, Dr. Peter Stafford, contracted Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was in critical condition and struggled to stand when flown to Germany for urgent medical care on Tuesday, according to leaders of the Christian missionary organization known as Serge.

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Dr. Scott Maile, the East and Central Africa regional director for Serge, discussed the scene as Dr. Stafford was transported.

“There were personnel donned in personal protective equipment (PPE), and he was barely able to walk, relying on them for support,” Maile recounted. “He appeared extremely fatigued and ill.”

Dr. Stafford was serving at Nyankunde Hospital in the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province. Maile noted that just days before the outbreak was confirmed by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Stafford had operated on a 33-year-old patient with severe abdominal pain, initially suspected to have a gallbladder infection.

“[Stafford] performed an abdominal procedure, confirming the gallbladder was normal, but unfortunately, the patient passed away the following day,” Maile explained.

Shortly after, it was discovered that the patient, who had been buried prior to testing, likely succumbed to Ebola. Stafford exhibited symptoms over the weekend and tested positive for the virus on Sunday, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“He is an extremely diligent professional, always wearing sterile attire, gloves, a hat, and glasses during surgeries,” Maile remarked. “However, this alone does not suffice to prevent Ebola transmission.”

Rebecca Stafford, Dr. Stafford’s wife, is also a physician and has treated the same patients. Maile mentioned that she and their four young children are still in the Democratic Republic of Congo and are under monitoring. Another doctor, Dr. Patrick Larochelle, is also believed to be infected by the second patient and is currently being observed, although no one is showing symptoms.

“While childhood Ebola cases are rare, we remain hopeful that this will not be the case here,” Maile expressed.

Maile added that Stafford self-isolated as soon as he noticed symptoms, which included chills, fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and nausea.

For his flight to Germany, Stafford was placed on a cylindrical plastic bed resembling a coffin to prevent infection risks amongst the crew.

The World Health Organization states that the Ebola virus has an incubation period of up to 21 days, and its leaders have expressed grave concern over the outbreak’s scale and spread.

It is suspected that the virus had been circulating for several weeks before confirmation. The rising death toll has surpassed 131, with 531 confirmed infections reported across Central Africa.

This outbreak is fueled by a rarer variant known as Bundibugyo, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment. Previously, Bundibugyo outbreaks have had fatality rates ranging from 30% to 50%, according to the WHO.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

MAVEN Discovers Unique Atmospheric Influences on Mars: Insights into the Red Planet’s Climate

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Exciting new findings from NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft indicate that the Zwan-Wolf effect—where charged particles are expelled through magnetic structures known as flux tubes—is also influencing Mars’ upper atmosphere. This phenomenon was previously believed to be exclusive to Earth’s magnetosphere.

An artistic rendering of the Zwan-Wolf effect on Mars observed by NASA’s MAVEN mission. Image credit: LASP/CU Boulder.

“While analyzing MAVEN data, we discovered a remarkable change,” said Dr. Christopher Fowler, a researcher at West Virginia University.

“We never anticipated this effect because it had not been documented in any planet’s atmosphere before.”

The Zwan-Wolf effect was first identified in 1976 and had only been recorded within planetary magnetospheres until now.

In contrast to Earth, Mars lacks a global magnetic field, which significantly impacts how it interacts with solar wind and space weather.

The MAVEN spacecraft detected the Zwan-Wolf effect within Mars’ ionosphere—less than 200 km above the surface—where a notable number of charged particles reside.

Mars has an induced magnetosphere, produced by solar wind interacting with its ionosphere, but this field’s size and form can vary dramatically due to large solar wind and space weather events.

This variability is what Dr. Fowler and his team observed in MAVEN data during a massive solar storm on Mars.

The team suspects that the Zwan-Wolf effect could be constantly occurring in Mars’ ionosphere but at levels undetectable by MAVEN’s instruments.

Currently, space weather phenomena appear to have intensified, allowing researchers to observe it in their findings.

Initially, the authors noticed intriguing fluctuations in the magnetic field as the spacecraft traversed the Martian atmosphere.

To clarify these observations, they conducted a more detailed analysis using multiple MAVEN instruments, including charged particle measurement capabilities in the ionosphere.

Further analysis revealed additional fascinating features within the data.

After eliminating other possibilities, they identified the Zwan-Wolf effect as the reason for the observations.

“No one anticipated this effect in the atmosphere,” Dr. Fowler remarked.

“This discovery is thrilling; it introduces complexities in physics that remain unexplored and sheds light on new ways solar and space weather can influence Mars’ atmospheric dynamics.”

“Understanding the Zwan-Wolf effect on Mars enhances our knowledge of space weather’s impact and offers fresh insights into similar phenomena on non-magnetic celestial bodies like Venus and Saturn’s moon Titan.”

“These observations underscore the need to comprehend how large-scale space weather fluctuations can lead to environmental changes on Mars, potentially affecting assets both on the planet and in its vicinity.”

“Understanding space weather’s interactions with Mars is vital,” stated Dr. Shannon Currie, a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Institute for Atmospheric and Space Physics and MAVEN’s principal investigator.

“The MAVEN team continues to analyze our dataset for new discoveries and connections between our Sun and Mars.”

For a detailed look at this research, see the study published in this week’s edition of Nature Communications.

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C.M. Fowler et al. 2026. The Zwan-Wolf effect is detected in the ionosphere of Mars. Nat Commun, 17, 4224; doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-72251-9

Source: www.sci.news

5 Daily Habits to Boost Long-Term Health and Wellness

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Living a long, fulfilling life isn’t solely about avoiding diseases or sticking to daily HIIT workouts. As technology advances, researchers are increasingly focused on how our bodies evolve over time. The emphasis has shifted from simply extending lifespan to enhancing healthy life expectancy: living longer and better.

Here are 5 insights extracted from millions of WHOOP wearables that highlight everyday factors influencing the aging process.

1. Fitness is closely linked to longevity

Physical fitness significantly impacts how our bodies age, particularly concerning cardiovascular health. Metrics such as VO₂ max, which measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen, are often linked to a healthier long-term health profile.

2. Sleep consistency matters more than you think

Data from WHOOP indicates that regular sleep duration and a consistent sleep schedule are vital for a healthy aging profile.

3. Strength training is key to healthy aging

Regular weight lifting can extend lifespan. Research indicates that 30 to 60 minutes of strength training weekly may reduce mortality risk by 10 to 30 percent.

4. Daily habits accumulate in meaningful ways

Regular training can significantly boost your health span. In 2025, WHOOP users logged a whopping 1.2 billion minutes in steady heart-rate zones like walking and daily activities, underscoring that consistent movement promotes longevity.

5. Stress and recovery impact your biological aging

WHOOP data reveals that even moderate drinking can have detrimental health effects, impacting your recovery score. Studies show that just one night of drinking can hinder recovery for up to four to five days. Research conducted among university athletes supports this. Over time, the combination of stress and inadequate recovery can accelerate the aging process, highlighting the need for restorative activities in long-term health.

The Big Picture

Collectively, these insights illustrate that consistent, small actions, rather than drastic lifestyle changes, can profoundly influence our health over time. Factors such as fitness, sleep, and strength training are crucial for a longer, healthier life. It’s essential to cultivate small, positive habits daily.

Curious if your aging process is on track?

Tools like WHOOP band help you better understand how your daily habits influence your long-term health.

Track the habits that shape your long-term health with WHOOP

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Unlocking the Mystery of the ‘Third Eye’: Scientists Discover Its Purpose Hidden in Our Skull

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

When observing a tuatara, a unique lizard-like creature native to New Zealand, you might be intrigued to discover a fascinating feature: a functioning third eye on the top of its head.

Like its prominent lateral eyes, the parietal eye contains a lens, retina, and neural connections to the brain. This sophisticated eye structure in vertebrates, closely related to us on the evolutionary tree, is surprising—but humans possess a similar feature.

The pineal gland, located deep within our brains, plays a crucial role in how we respond to light and darkness, even though it is shielded from direct sunlight.

A groundbreaking new hypothesis published in Current Biology explores the origins of this gland, suggesting that our third eye traces back to some of our earliest ancestors, potentially unlocking one of the deepest mysteries in the evolution of vision.

Vertebrate Eye Problems

Many animals, from flies to octopuses, follow a consistent evolutionary plan for eye structure. Their lateral eyes use an ancient family of striated photoreceptors, while a second group known as ciliary photoreceptors usually performs non-visual tasks in the brain, such as tracking light levels.

For vertebrates—which include fish, reptiles, birds, and humans—this model is more complex. Our eyes incorporate ciliary photoreceptors at the input end and neurons of striated origin at the output, a rare configuration in the animal kingdom.

Juvenile tuatara are born with a visible third eye, which becomes covered with scales in adulthood – Photo credit: Getty

Research shows that this complex eye structure demands an explanation: “What was the original solution to vision, and how have species adapted it?” questions Professor Thomas Baden, a neuroscientist at the University of Sussex and co-author of the study.

Ancestor of the Cyclops

To investigate these questions, Baden and his team examined the evolutionary history stretching back 575 million years. Our ancestors during this time were likely simple, maggot-like creatures with dual lateral eyes for navigation and a central eye for light tracking.

As these early vertebrates buried themselves in sediment, their navigation needs evolved. The lateral eyes—now energetically costly—became obsolete, leaving behind a central sensor for determining orientation, day and night.

Approximately 560 million years ago, our ancestors began burrowing, leading to the loss of lateral eyes – Photo credit: Thomas Baden

Baden notes that even after losing the side eyes, the central sensor remained vital. “You still need to track time and know your orientation,” he states.

One Eye Becomes Three

Eventually, some ancestors resurfaced, transitioning back into an aquatic environment where navigation re-emerged as a necessity. This led to a slow evolution of the central eye into a complex structure with a cup-shaped extension sensitive to incoming light direction.

As the eye evolved, it migrated to the side of the head, allowing for directional vision and improved navigation. Remarkably, the original central eye did not vanish; it persists as the pineal gland, found in virtually all vertebrates—from lions to lizards.

In tuataras and certain reptiles, this gland functions similarly to a complete eye, while in fish it remains a basic light sensor. In mammals, we’ve lost this direct light-detecting capability; instead, we interpret light via signals relayed from our eyes.

Some reptiles, such as the silkback bearded dragon shown here, have a pineal gland located on their head – Credit: Getty

Eyes in Front of Me

This evolutionary narrative has unexpected implications. For the retina—the sheet of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye—a primitive version likely existed first in the median eye, influencing the development of our own eyes.

However, Baden adds, referring to the median eye as a “real eye” might be misleading. “What you see on your head is more accurately a collection of sensors, like a patch of photoreceptors,” he clarifies.

New research published in Nature suggests our ancestors may have initially possessed four eyes, all equipped with lenses and retinas. The complexity of reconstructing 500 million years of evolutionary history is no small feat, yet Baden is optimistic about uncovering more answers.

“With adequate funding and time, I believe we can test the core aspects of our proposal and possibly arrive at a definitive answer,” he affirms.

Ultimately, one fact remains clear: at the top of our skull, buried and shielded from light, lies a network of cells that once gazed toward the sky—a testament to our fascinating evolutionary journey.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Understanding Why Women Are 60% More Likely to Suffer Injuries in Car Accidents Compared to Men

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

According to recent research from Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in Austria, women are more likely to sustain injuries in car accidents than men.

The study indicates that women involved in the same crash as men are 60% more likely to be injured.

“Our analysis shows that women are disproportionately injured, particularly in the chest, spine, arms, and legs,” stated project coordinator Dr. Corina Krug.

Dr. Klug and her team analyzed data from approximately 2,000 traffic accidents in Austria between 2012 and 2024.

Using advanced virtual human models and computer simulations, they reconstructed individual accidents to compare the effects on male and female bodies during crashes.

The findings revealed that women over 50 are at a heightened risk of injury.

Moreover, women are more than twice as likely as men to suffer serious injuries or fatal outcomes in low-speed accidents.

“In our study, women and men were involved in identical crashes and in the same vehicle, so the differences weren’t due to vehicle type, crash speed, or crash mode,” Klug stated in an interview with BBC Science Focus.

“While the presence of more female passengers contributes to the discrepancy, it does not entirely explain it.”

The increased risk seems to arise from differences in body proportions and weight distribution between genders, she noted.

This highlights a critical issue in vehicle safety design, which has historically favored male body types.

Manufacturers typically use crash test dummies modeled after average American males from the 1970s: 175 cm tall and 78 kg.

While some female models are used, they often represent smaller versions of male dummies, failing to adequately reflect the anatomy of most women.

“Women are not little men,” Klug emphasized. “Standard petite female models often cannot accurately replicate accident scenarios.”

As a result, although vehicle designs prioritize safety for male bodies, women continue to face significant risks.

Women seated in the passenger side of a car are at a higher risk of injury compared to the driver, especially in accidents – Credit: Getty

To address this issue, researchers recommend developing female crash test dummies that better reflect average female anatomy, including a wider pelvis and larger chest.

They also advocate for using virtual crash models to enhance vehicle safety assessments based on various body sizes and seating positions.

In the meantime, there are several ways car users can improve their safety. It all starts with proper seating positioning.

“We’ve all seen passenger seats pushed too far back or reclined,” Klug explains. “However, airbags and seat belts may not perform effectively in these non-standard positions.”

Research shows that passengers are at greater risk in a car compared to drivers, especially if the seat is inclined excessively.

Co-author Dr. Felix Lessi, also from Graz University of Technology, advises: “Adjust your seat belt properly. The lap belt should rest over your pelvis while the shoulder belt sits over your sternum and aligns with your collarbone center.”

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

How a High-Sugar Diet Can Lead to Long-Term Memory Issues—Even After Dietary Changes

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

A comprehensive analysis of 27 animal studies reveals that adopting a healthier diet significantly enhances memory function, though the impact diminishes after consuming a sugary diet.

Lane et al. conducted an extensive review and meta-analysis of dietary reversal effects on cognition and behavior in rodent models. Image credit: Steve Buissinne.

Dr. Simone Lane from the University of Technology Sydney states, “Our research indicates that enhancing diet quality positively affects memory.”

“Nevertheless, the improvements remain partial; even after weeks on a healthy diet, memory levels failed to match those of animals that never consumed an unhealthy diet.”

Dr. Rehn and colleagues executed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 27 preclinical studies, uncovering consistent patterns across various experiments.

The research focused primarily on memory but also examined behaviors such as anxiety, depression, activity levels, and eating motivation.

Throughout the study, animals that transitioned to a healthy diet demonstrated superior performance on memory tasks compared to those that continued unhealthy eating habits.

However, the extent of memory recovery depended substantially on the dietary composition; while high-fat meal studies indicated recovery, those involving high-sugar or combined high-fat and high-carbohydrate diets did not yield similar results.

No significant enhancements were observed in anxiety, activity, or eating motivation, implying that the effects were limited to memory rather than overall behavior.

“By replacing high-fat options with healthier foods, we observed more marked improvements in memory,” remarked Dr. Lane.

“However, evidence of recovery was minimal with sugar-laden diets that included meals high in both fat and sugar.”

“This suggests that sugar could be a key factor hindering memory recovery.”

The memory tasks assessed in the study reflect the hippocampus’s function, a crucial brain area for learning and memory, also linked to appetite regulation and food intake.

“Animal models have been vital for understanding the brain’s dietary impacts,” commented Dr. Mike Kendig, also from the University of Technology Sydney.

“In humans, dietary changes often coincide with adjustments in exercise, mood, and daily activities, making it challenging to isolate diet’s effects on brain function.”

“There’s a widespread belief that the adverse impacts of an unhealthy diet are easily reversible.”

“Our findings indicate that the reality is more nuanced, particularly concerning memory, especially with sugar-rich diets.”

“Improving diet quality holds value, but safeguarding brain health may also require limiting long-term exposure to unhealthy diets, rather than assuming all effects are easily reversible.”

For more information, refer to the review paper published in the Journal on May 17, 2026, in Nutritional Neuroscience.

_____

Simone Lane et al. Cognitive and behavioral effects of reversing high-fat, high-sugar diets: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies. Nutritional Neuroscience, published online on May 17, 2026. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2026.2664635

Source: www.sci.news

Wind-Assisted Cargo Ships: Slash Emissions by Over 50%

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

The Canopée: A Sail-Driven Cargo Ship

Jodi Amiette/AFP via Getty Images

Canopée Cargo Ship — The Canopée: A Sail-Driven Cargo Ship

Jodi Amiette/AFP via Getty Images

The shipping industry is responsible for approximately 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and these emissions are on the rise . However, by integrating high-tech sailing equipment into cargo ships and optimizing wind-friendly routes, we could reduce the number of cargo vessels needed by over 50%.

Shipping companies are increasingly exploring wind power as a viable solution to cut fuel costs. Various strategies are being implemented, with some companies constructing entirely new vessels equipped with traditional sails, while others are retrofitting existing ships with modern self-sailing technologies.

Innovative technologies being adopted include: hard sails that mimic the design of airplane wings, Flettner rotors made from rotating cylinders, and suction sails that enhance lift by drawing in air, alongside a giant kite similar to those used in kitesurfing.

According to Gavin Allwright from the International Windship Association, “There are many types of wind propulsion vessels, ranging from those utilizing minimal wind power to ships that derive over half of their energy solely from wind.”

Despite some wind-assisted ships still adhering to conventional operating methods—maintaining fixed speeds and direct routes—Torben Schwedt and colleagues at the German Aerospace Center are innovating by analyzing how altering the route and speed can enhance wind utilization without extending travel times. While it may seem feasible to sail purely on wind energy, he notes that most cargo must meet specific delivery schedules, with fewer trips potentially translating to reduced revenue for ship operators.

The research team envisions a future where ships can generate and store hydrogen. This emerging technology, currently implemented in a limited number of vessels, entails using excess energy from strong winds to produce hydrogen via onboard turbines. This hydrogen could then fuel the ship’s engine during times of low wind.

Utilizing restored historical weather data, the research modeled a yearlong Atlantic crossing via an optimal route, discovering that ships following these ideal paths consumed an average of 75% less energy compared to those on direct courses. Schwedt shared these findings at the recent European Geosciences Union conference in Vienna.

“The most significant savings occur when routes are completely optimized, allowing for substantial detours that may initially seem impractical,” Schwedt explains. “With this approach, we have achieved energy savings ranging from 50% to 100%.” The team aspires to demonstrate that this route optimization can also apply to predictive modeling.

Guillaume Le Grand from TOWT, a French organization specializing in sailing cargo vessels, believes in the validity of these expectations: “That’s precisely what TOWT’s sailing cargo ships have accomplished.”

Tristan Smith from University College London notes, “The notion of optimizing routes for enhancing the performance of wind-powered ships is not new and is indeed sensible.” He adds that yacht racers often select seemingly convoluted routes for this reason.

“Achieving 75-100% energy savings is theoretically feasible, but it greatly depends on the target average voyage speed, which is ultimately dictated by the economics of the vessel’s operation and its cargo,” Smith states. “In our experience, actual savings for most ocean-going vessels tend to be significantly lower.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Discovery of the Legendary ‘White Jaguar’: Lost Mayan City Found at Last!

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

A team of expert archaeologists has unearthed compelling evidence that a remote ruin in the Mexican jungle could be the long-lost Mayan city of Sac Balam. Historically, Sac Balam served as the last stronghold of the Maya following the Spanish conquest.

This significant discovery was unveiled at a recent conference, where the Society for American Archaeology’s team shared insights that might provide a remarkable glimpse into the decline of the Maya civilization.

Professor Yuko Shiratori, an archaeologist at Japan’s Rissho University and the study’s lead researcher, stated in an interview with BBC Science Focus: “Life in Sakkubaram was undoubtedly challenging.” According to historical documents, more than 100 houses were recorded in the year 1694.

The name Sac Balam, translating to “white jaguar” in the Mayan language, was established in 1586 by the Lacandon Chol people as a sanctuary following the Spanish destruction of the regional capital, Lakum Tun.

Mayan culture thrived in this region for over 100 years, ultimately succumbing to Spanish rule in 1695. By 1712, the city fell into abandonment.

One of the most convincing pieces of evidence affirming this as a lost settlement is a wall measuring 16 meters (52 feet) long and 1 meter (3 feet) high. This structure aligns with historical Spanish accounts describing significant communal buildings in Sakbaram that would have hosted public events and gatherings.

Stone walls at the Sol y Paraiso ruins in Chiapas, Mexico. Archaeologists believe these may be remnants of the lost Mayan city of Sac Balam – Photo credit: Yuko Shiratori

Additionally, the archaeological team discovered pottery shards and monkey figurines that date back to the era of Sak Balam.

However, uncertainties remain about the authenticity of this site as a lost refuge. “We need to ascertain whether the 16-meter wall can support the notion of a building’s foundation,” said Shiratori. “To achieve this, we seek to employ AMS carbon dating to identify associated artifacts such as ceramics and charcoal, with a focus on incense burners.”

Spanish historical records indicate that Sakbaram was torched during the conquest. Consequently, a layer of ash beneath the soil could potentially validate whether this is genuinely a lost city.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Experts Warn: Devastating Weather Event Predicted to Strike the U.S. in 2026

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists are closely monitoring the Pacific Ocean as one of the most significant climate changes in recorded history rapidly unfolds beneath its surface.

Latest predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicate a 61 percent chance of an El Niño event—the periodic warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean known for altering global weather patterns—developing by July.

While El Niño occurs every few years, this instance could be unprecedented. NOAA reports a 1 in 4 chance that it will reach “very strong” intensity, potentially categorizing it as a “super” El Niño. Such powerful events have historically led to droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures across various continents.

Furthermore, researchers warn that the combination of these phenomena with human-caused climate change might create impacts unlike anything previously experienced.

“Currently, I estimate a 50 percent chance that this event could be the strongest in history,” stated Paul Roundy, a professor of atmospheric science at the University at Albany. BBC Science Focus. “Just weeks ago, my estimate was closer to 20 percent.”

What is El Niño? Why is this Different?

El Niño describes a recurring climate cycle driven by the warming of the surface waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Every few years, normal trade winds that typically push warm water westward weaken or reverse, allowing the heat to disperse eastward along the equator.

A Super El Niño is characterized by a rise in sea surface temperatures exceeding 2°C (3.6°F) above normal in central Pacific regions. Historically, only three such significant instances have occurred: in 1982/1983, 1997/98, and 2015/16.

In 1876, a Super El Niño caused a global famine and is believed to have resulted in the deaths of as many as 50 million people.

This satellite data reveals the development of the 2015 Super El Niño as warm water accumulated in the Pacific Ocean. This year could see similar strength, but under a warmer global climate – Photo credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison

Roundy explained that this year, a series of unusually robust westerly winds in the Pacific are pushing accumulated warm water eastward.

The phenomenon mirrors the early 1997 wind event that precipitated what is considered the strongest El Niño of the 20th century.

“Currently, the warm water east of the westerly winds is about half a degree warmer than during the same timeframe in 1997,” Roundy observed. “We have the momentum needed to increase the intensity of this event beyond what was achieved then.”

The ultimate outcome remains uncertain; future wind shifts may partially mitigate the ongoing phenomenon.

“Drawing from historical trade wind patterns, it would require significant surges in severe trade winds to prevent this El Niño from becoming extremely intense,” Roundy added.

In essence, a very strong El Niño is highly likely, but whether it will set new records is still uncertain.

What Does Super El Niño Actually Cause?

The impact of El Niño is felt globally, from declining fish stocks off the coast of Peru to reduced monsoons and rainfall in India, China, and much of Southeast Asia.

“Typically, wet regions dry up and wildfires ensue, while dry areas become saturated,” Roundy explained.

The United States may experience the effects of the ongoing El Niño this summer, with increased rainfall in the Midwest and West, while dry conditions could persist from the Gulf Coast to the East Coast.

As El Niño establishes itself during winter, a strengthened southern storm track will likely result in heavy rain from California to the East Coast.

Roundy recalled that both 1982 and 1997 were “notorious flood years” in the U.S., while the northern parts experienced warmer winters.

A potential advantage of a strong El Niño is its capacity to suppress the Atlantic hurricane season, as increased wind shear inhibits storm formation.

During El Niño winters, the Pacific jet stream is redirected, bringing increased moisture to the typically dry southern U.S. This could bolster reservoir levels but poses flooding risks – Photo credit: NOAA

Into Unknown Territory

Assessing this situation is not straightforward in any year, but 2026 is particularly complex. Global temperatures have already surged more than 1.4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and a strong El Niño integrated with this elevated baseline could push the climate system into uncharted territory for modern humanity.

“The world has never encountered a strong or very strong El Niño event coupled with such elevated baseline temperatures,” stated Dr. Daniel Swain from the University of California College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR). “Thus, unprecedented global impacts related to extreme flooding, droughts, and wildfires could emerge late in 2026 and extend into 2027.”

“There’s a significant likelihood that a new global temperature record will be established in either 2026, 2027, or potentially both years.”

With such elevated temperatures, the risk of wildfires looms large. A Super El Niño “could amplify the risk of extensive or unusually intense fires in humid regions where they typically do not occur, particularly given the rise in reference temperatures,” Swain specified, highlighting regions like the Amazon and Oceania, where peatlands “can smolder for months.”

A December 2025 study published in Nature Communications underscores these concerns. Analyzing prior Super El Niños alongside climate model predictions, it suggests that such significant events may markedly heighten the risk of “climate regime change,” causing abrupt and persistent shifts in temperature, sea level, and soil moisture for years or even decades following the El Niño.

This implies that the repercussions of Super El Niño in 2026 may not simply disappear even if Pacific temperatures return to normal; some alterations might become permanent.

However, Roundy cautioned against overestimating this conclusion. With only three Super El Niños historically documented, predicting future events remains precarious.

“Scientists should exercise caution when extrapolating future outcomes from a limited pool of past events,” Roundy cautioned.

Ultimately, the extraordinary scale and trajectory of developments in the Pacific are underway during a climate phase hotter than any in the post-industrial age.

“Ecosystems have adapted to El Niño dynamics for millions of years, and such extreme events play a crucial role in ecosystem rejuvenation,” Roundy noted. “However, they significantly impact human societies and life overall.”

What remains uncertain is the extent to which the effects will be severe, harmful, or long-lasting.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Unlocking the Secrets of Laos’ Ancient Giant Stone Jars: Recent Discoveries Revealed

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Stone jars in Laos — Laos Pot Plains

Alvov/Shutterstock

Recent discoveries at the Plain of Jars in Laos have challenged our understanding of this ancient site, where at least 37 bodies have been unearthed from gigantic stone jars.

Spanning the remote Xieng Khouang Plateau, these enormous stone pots, some reaching heights of 3 meters and weighing several tons, have long been suspected to be linked to ancient burial practices.

Historical legends suggest that these jars were created for giants who brewed rice wine, according to Nick Skopal from James Cook University, Australia.

Findings from the 1930s hinted at a connection to the Iron Age (circa 500 B.C. to 500 A.D.), proposing that the jars may have played a role in cremation or the disposal of human remains. More recent studies have uncovered glass beads, burial artifacts, and cremated remains.

Recently, Skopal and his team excavated a jar measuring over 1.3 meters high and 2 meters wide near the town of Phonsavan, revealing the bones of 19 individuals, with teeth belonging to 37 people.

Radiocarbon dating indicates the remains date from the 9th to the 12th century AD, suggesting multiple burial events.

The arrangement of the bones indicates careful packing, with larger bones organized at the ends and many smaller bones likely missing due to decomposition.

This breakthrough is a key finding, as noted by Nigel Chan, also from James Cook University, who was not involved in the study. “This is the first investigation showing a definitive link to mortuary practices over the past century,” he stated.

Close to the larger jar were several smaller pots containing glass beads, suggesting a two-step burial process: initial storage in smaller jars followed by a transfer to the larger jars post-decomposition.

“Could these stone pots be part of rituals to honor ancestors or release their souls?” Skopal inquires. “DNA testing on the remains will reveal familial connections among these individuals.”

While the samples indicate when the jars were used, they do not ascertain the age of the jars themselves.

“Evidence indicates a significant activity around this site during the latter half of the first millennium AD,” Chan adds, while speculating that the jars may actually date back over 2000 years.

Although determining the jars’ age is challenging, Skopal noted their artifact dating aligns with the remains, supporting the theory that the jars were used for multiple generations. “The shift from an Iron Age context to a medieval cultural practice is becoming evident,” he states.

Excavated Stone Jar with Human Remains

Dr. Nicholas Skopal

According to Skopal, this practice has deep roots in ancestor worship, passed down through generations. However, variations exist among Laotian stone jars, with different customs observed across regions, such as upright jars in some areas and flat ones in others.

“It’s likely these jars were utilized by various cultural groups over extended periods,” suggests Tiatoshi Jamil of Nagaland University, India.

The excavation team also uncovered iron tools, pottery, copper bells, and glass beads inside the jars, revealing trade connections as far as southern India and Mesopotamia.

This is not surprising, as around 1000 AD was a flourishing time in East and Southeast Asia, highlighted by the Song Dynasty, Khmer Empire, and the pagan kingdoms of present-day Myanmar.

Marco Mitri is investigating similar stone jars at North Eastern Hill University in India. Archaeological findings in Northeast India indicate diverse cultural practices that resonate with these traditions.

Mitri theorizes that various Austro-Asian communities have practiced these funerary rituals for centuries, with modern parallels seen in groups like the Khasis in India, who still use stone boxes called cysts for bone deposits following cremation.

Discovery Tour: Archaeology and Paleontology

New Scientist regularly highlights incredible archaeological sites worldwide that reshape our understanding of civilization’s early days. Explore these fascinating locations!

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Ultimate Weight Loss Hack Nutrition Scientists Recommend for Effortless Results

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

When you gather at the dinner table, do you taking just a few bites, burp, and quickly finish your meal, or do you savor every bite with small nibbles?

While we often know our eating speed instinctively, the pace at which you chew significantly affects digestion, weight management, and overall health.

“Research indicates that simply slowing down your eating rate can substantially decrease your energy intake,” says Professor Sarah Berry, a nutritionist at King’s College London.

Research shows that reducing your eating speed by just one-fifth can result in a significant 11% to 15% calorie reduction.

Conversely, those who eat quickly are at a higher risk for obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes compared to slower eaters.

Eating slowly with smaller portions can enhance digestion – Credit: Getty

Taking your time at meals can lead to less food intake, weight loss, and better digestion—all without feelings of hunger.

“If there’s one thing I’d change about tonight’s meal, it’s to slow down,” Berry advises.

The Benefits of Eating Slowly

Unlike calorie counting or carb restrictions, eating slowly is a natural weight loss strategy that reduces the desire to overeat.

Simply put, it’s the act of chewing that signals fullness, not just the digestion process. Chewing causes your stomach to stretch and triggers your intestines to release satiety hormones—chemical signals that inform your brain when you’re satisfied.

However, these mechanisms don’t respond immediately.

“These natural processes take time,” notes Professor Ciaran Forde at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, whose research focuses on how sensory input affects eating behavior. “There’s often a delay between eating and when your brain receives fullness signals.”

This lag can create a disconnect between consumption and perceived satiety. Eating too quickly can lead to overconsumption of calories before the brain registers fullness.

“These signals may reach your brain well after you’ve indulged in that 18th cookie, leaving you uncomfortably full,” Forde explains. “By then, it’s too late.”

While we can’t speed up these biological signals, we can create space for them by slowing down our eating pace.

Using chopsticks may encourage smaller bites and slower eating – Credit: Getty

A significant hormone involved in satiety is GLP-1, which is mimicked in popular weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wigovy, signaling your brain that you’re full.

Research from Waseda University in Japan found that participants released more GLP-1 when chewing shredded cabbage compared to swallowing pureed cabbage.

It’s effective in curbing appetite, allowing for less food intake without additional effort. Furthermore, in a 2021 study, Forde’s team discovered that slow eaters not only felt fuller but also exhibited a stronger insulin response to meals, improving their ability to process sugars.

“The initial stage of digestion happens behind the lips, not in the stomach,” Forde explains. “The way you chew can influence how your metabolism functions and your feeling of fullness post-meal, as your body prepares to digest nutrients.”

Read More:

Tips for Eating More Slowly

Eating slowly enhances feelings of fullness and optimizes your body’s metabolism. Yet, changing ingrained habits can be challenging.

For Berry, the key is mindfulness. “I often find myself distracted by the TV, which leads me to eat too quickly,” she admits. “We miss out on the family dining experience where we put down our utensils and engage in conversation.”

Eating in front of the TV can distract you from recognizing when you’re full – Credit: Getty

A simple approach is to turn off screens and enjoy meals with family. Engaging in pleasant conversation rather than focusing solely on your plate can create natural pauses in chewing.

Berry also suggests putting down your utensils between bites to help pace yourself.

Additionally, a study revealed that using chopsticks encourages smaller bites, better chewing, and overall slower eating.

Modify Your Diet

Turn off the screen, enjoy family meals, and employ chopsticks—these tactics can significantly improve your chewing habits.

Additionally, focus on making smart food choices that promote slower eating. Opting for chewier foods can naturally extend meal duration and reduce your appetite.

Forde’s research emphasizes this approach, as detailed in a popular study involving 41 healthy adults who participated in two distinct diets for two weeks.

Participants were free to eat as much as they wished, with meals designed for nutrition and taste, differing only in texture.

“We engineered the texture of these meals so that one required slower eating and the other was consumed quickly,” Forde explains.

“To our surprise, when participants weren’t given specific instructions, simply changing their meals to textured foods led them to consume an average of 370 fewer calories per day.” [with more textured food] “When they consumed soft foods, they collectively ingested around 5,200 extra calories over the two weeks. In contrast, the slow-eating diet resulted in adults losing nearly half a kilogram (1 pound) of body fat weekly.”

“These findings are significant, and we achieved this without issuing directives,” Forde states. “There were no labels or public health warnings—only the foods themselves drove the results.”

Soft, creamy, and sugary foods can lead to excessive calorie consumption – Credit: Getty

This means prioritizing crunchy meals over softer options, such as selecting crunchy rolls instead of soft buns, crispy roasted veggies over steamed ones, and grilled chicken instead of nuggets.

Forde emphasizes avoiding energy-dense, soft-textured foods and sugary drinks that you can consume quickly.

“Using excessive oil or sauce makes dishes easier to eat rapidly,” he warns. “High-fat, sweet, and creamy options can be inhaled effortlessly, leading to overconsumption. Before you know it, you’ve devoured three marshmallow tea cakes!”

Read More:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Hubble Space Telescope Explores Galaxy After Starburst Event

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

NGC 1266 is a fascinating cosmic object frozen between two identities, offering astronomers insights into the cessation of star formation.

This Hubble image illustrates lenticular galaxy NGC 1266, showcasing reddish-brown dust clumps that obscure its surface while distant galaxies radiate red, blue, and orange light. Image credits: NASA/ESA/K. Alatalo, STScI/G. Kober, NASA, and The Catholic University of America.

Located approximately 100 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus, NGC 1266 is a distinguished lenticular galaxy.

Astronomers classify NGC 1266 as a transitional galaxy, serving as an evolutionary bridge between spiral and elliptical galaxies.

“The lenticular shape features a bright central bulge with a spiral-like disk, yet lacks spiral arms and minimal elliptical star formation,” Hubble experts explained.

“While its structure and classification are intriguing, they are not the galaxy’s most remarkable attributes.”

“NGC 1266 is identified as a rare post-starburst galaxy, positioned in the transition between galaxies that have experienced significant star formation and quieter elliptical galaxies,” the researchers noted.

Post-starburst galaxies, which comprise about 1% of the local galaxy population, boast young stars but few active star-forming regions.

Approximately 500 million years ago, NGC 1266 experienced a minor merger with another galaxy.

“This merger triggered new star formation and injected gas into the supermassive black hole, thus augmenting the mass of the galaxy’s central bulge,” astronomers reported.

“The influx of material heightened the activity of the black hole, leading to the formation of an active galactic nucleus.”

“This increased black hole activity likely generated powerful winds and jets of gas along its rotation axis.”

Over time, the explosive formation of new stars and the black hole’s powerful jets depleted the galaxy’s star-forming gas, while turbulence from these processes impeded further star formation.

Through observations from Hubble and other telescopes, astronomers discovered strong gas outflows from NGC 1266 and significant disturbances in its interstellar space.

Their findings revealed that star nurseries are concentrated in the galaxy’s center, with little to no star formation occurring beyond that region.

“These observations imply that supermassive black holes at galaxy centers may inhibit star birth by stripping or ejecting star-forming gas,” the researchers concluded.

“The shock waves produced by this activity generate turbulence that disrupts the interstellar gas and dust, preventing the remaining material from condensing into new stars.”

Source: www.sci.news

New Study Reveals Benefits of Regular Grape Consumption for Healthy Skin

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Consuming grapes may enhance the skin’s protective barrier against environmental damage by altering gene activity, according to a groundbreaking study conducted by Western New England University.

Grape phytochemicals interact with the microbiome, influencing gene expression and promoting skin health. Image credit: Nicky Pe.

Grapes are rich in a variety of natural compounds known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them a valuable addition to your diet.

Key components include quercetin, anthocyanins, and the well-known resveratrol.

Clinical research has linked regular grape consumption to various health benefits, including enhanced cardiovascular health, reduced inflammation, improved bowel function, and better cognitive performance in older adults.

“We are increasingly confident that grapes serve as a superfood, mediating nutritional genomic responses in humans,” stated Professor John Pezzuto, the study’s lead author from Western New England University.

“This was particularly evident in the body’s largest organ, the skin.”

“Notably, we observed changes in gene expression that indicated improved skin health.”

“Furthermore, grape consumption likely influences gene expression in other vital organs, such as the liver, muscles, kidneys, and even the brain.”

“This research enriches our understanding of how whole foods, like grapes, impact overall health.”

“It’s thrilling to be part of a post-genomics era, where we can visualize the complex matrices that illustrate nutritional genomic responses.”

The study involved human volunteers who consumed the equivalent of three servings of whole grapes daily for two weeks.

Gene expression in the skin was measured both before and after grape ingestion, with and without exposure to low-dose ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

The findings displayed variations in gene expression between individuals, indicating unique responses to both grape consumption and UV exposure.

More significant changes were observed when UV exposure coincided with grape consumption.

Thus, while individual responses varied, all participants experienced notable changes in gene expression after eating grapes.

By identifying functional similarities in gene expression changes post-grape consumption, researchers noted increased keratinization of the skin, a process that forms a protective barrier against environmental harm.

This conclusion was further reinforced by exposing the skin to low doses of UV radiation and measuring malondialdehyde, an oxidative stress marker, which decreased with grape consumption.

“Our results, primarily based on transcriptomic data and theoretical protein-protein interactions, support the conclusion that grape consumption benefits skin health,” the researchers confirmed.

“Of course, other factors such as non-coding RNA and epigenetics also play a role and require further exploration.”

For more details, refer to their published paper in ACS Nutrition.

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Asim Dave et al. Inter- and intra-individual variation in gene expression in human skin after grape consumption and/or exposure to ultraviolet radiation. ACS Nutritional Science, published online on May 13, 2026. doi: 10.1021/acsnutrsci.6c00003

Source: www.sci.news

New Study Suggests Insects Experience Pain: Key Findings and Implications

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

The antenna of House cricket (Acheta domesticus) exhibits fascinating behavior when contacted with a heated probe. Insects show heightened attention to the burned area, grooming it much more significantly than if there were either innocuous contact or no contact at all. This phenomenon, observed by entomologists from the University of Sydney, may provide evidence for a condition akin to pain in insects, a topic that has sparked considerable scientific debate.

Manzi et al. explored house crickets (Acheta domesticus), a key species in insect farming, emphasizing the importance of flexible, site-specific self-defense as a pain-related behavioral feature. Image credit: Matthew Lindsey / CC BY 2.0.

“Once thought to possess brains too simple for complex experiences, insects are now recognized for their ability to perform intricate tasks like associative learning and situational decision-making,” said Dr. Thomas White, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Sydney.

“Recent studies have pinpointed brain regions such as the mushroom body and central complex that seem to facilitate evaluative processing similar to mechanisms found in vertebrates.”

“However, understanding pain in insects cannot be resolved solely by examining neural structures.”

“Considering the variety of nervous systems across different species, behavioral observation remains the clearest path to inferring subjective experiences.”

“Thus, rather than questioning whether insects share the same neural structures, it is more pertinent to investigate whether they display similar behaviors under comparable conditions.”

In their research, the authors assessed 80 adult house crickets under strictly controlled experimental conditions designed to dismiss simple reflex actions.

Each cricket underwent exposure to three specific conditions: the tip of a soldering iron heated to 65 degrees Celsius (149 degrees Fahrenheit) was briefly applied to one antenna, followed by a non-heated probe application, alongside a no-contact scenario.

Cameras recorded the crickets’ movements for ten minutes, while three observers, blinded to the treatment each insect underwent, analyzed the grooming behavior frame by frame.

Results showed that crickets exposed to heat stimulation were significantly more prone to groom the affected antennae, dedicating considerably more time to this behavior—about four times longer than their counterparts in the no-contact group.

On average, the duration of grooming for damaged antennae reached approximately 13 seconds post-exposure, contrasted with around 3 seconds in the control condition.

“The increased grooming intensity in crickets followed a clear temporal pattern; those subjected to noxious heat displayed a heightened and sustained response, which later declined. This behavior mirrors findings in bees and rodents,” the researchers noted.

What makes this discovery particularly significant is not merely that the crickets responded, but how they did so.

Reflexes—often automatic responses that even the simplest nervous systems exhibit—typically cease once the stimulus is removed.

In contrast, the crickets continued returning to the impacted area long after the heated probe was taken away, indicating they were likely tracking an internal signal of damage.

“Pain represents one of the most enigmatic and crucial aspects of animal cognition, positioning insects as a challenging case study,” the authors remarked.

“Behavioral indicators, particularly flexible and localized responses to harm, offer the most straightforward method to deduce pain-like states in these creatures.”

“Our findings showcase such a response in a crucial organism: Acheta domesticus. Crickets exhibited more frequent grooming, prolonged duration, and a distinct temporal profile in response to noxious stimulation compared to tactile or non-contact controls.”

“These responses were specific to the injury site and persistent, indicating that crickets monitor the vicinity of the harm and adjust their behavior beyond mere reflex actions.”

Findings are detailed in a study published this month in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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Oscar Manzi et al. 2026. Flexible self-defense as evidence of a pain-like state in house crickets. Proc Biol Sci 293 (2070): 20260609; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2026.0609

Source: www.sci.news

Study Reveals Formicin Ants’ Hidden Arsenal of Toxic Peptides

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Recent studies by entomologists reveal that the carpenter ant, the largest genus in the subfamily Halinaciinae of Formicidae, produces a variety of previously unknown venomous peptides with potent antifungal properties. This discovery challenges the long-standing belief that older ants depend solely on formic acid for their defense mechanisms.

Analysis of Camponotus nicobarensis venom. Image credit: Koch et al., doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aed4078.

The Formicinae subfamily is renowned for its diverse ant species and ecological success, primarily known for producing toxins rich in formic acid, sometimes comprising up to 70% of their chemical defenses.

Interestingly, unlike many ant species, Gyricin ants lack stingers. They deliver venom through an acidopore located at the tip of their abdomen, which allows them to smear it on predators, spray it from a distance, or apply it to areas afflicted by bites.

Research has established that these venoms serve a multitude of functions beyond mere combat. Formicinae ants utilize their venom as an external immune defense, distributing it throughout their colonies to acidify their guts and create beneficial microbial communities, as well as for alarm signals and recruitment.

Traditionally, scientists attributed most of these functions to formic acid, believed to constitute the majority of the venom’s composition.

However, earlier studies suggested the existence of unexplored peptide compounds within the venom.

“We revisited some lesser-known publications from decades ago,” stated Professor Timo Niedermayer from the Free University of Berlin.

The earlier paper pointed out that these venoms contained peptidic compounds.

“Our investigation of the venoms from eight geographically distinct carpenter ant species revealed 35 peptides, known as formicytoxins, derived from two gene families.”

“While the specific formicytoxin profile varied among species, we found that its presence was widespread.”

“This indicates that carpenter ant venom is far more complex than previously thought.”

For this study, researchers employed cross-disciplinary methods, integrating biology, chemistry, and pharmacy.

By utilizing proteotranscriptomic techniques, they analyzed protein and RNA data from the venom and related tissues to identify distinct peptides and their corresponding gene sequences.

They also performed chemical analyses, conducted bioactivity tests, and synthesized formicytoxin in laboratory environments.

The findings suggest that these peptides play a crucial role in maintaining hygiene within ant colonies.

As ants distribute this toxin within their nests, the researchers theorized that formicytoxin may enhance and sustain external immune defenses long after the immediate antibacterial properties of formic acid have lessened.

“Certain peptides exhibit significant antifungal characteristics,” explained Dr. Simon Tragast, a researcher at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.

This is particularly pertinent given the threats posed by environmental microorganisms and pathogens to social insects like ants, as well as the escalating issue of microbial resistance affecting human health.

The Formicinae subfamily comprises over 3,700 species, indicating a significant potential for uncovering more bioactive compounds.

Explore the full study published in the journal Science Advances.

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Lucas Koch et al., 2026. Beyond formic acid: Peptides in carpenter ant venom help protect against disease. Science Advances 12(20); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aed4078

Source: www.sci.news

Newly Discovered Asteroid to Pass Closer to Earth than Moon This Monday

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Discover the fascinating world of asteroids with the Virtual Telescope Project, operated by Italy’s Bellatrix Observatory. This platform is live-streaming stunning views of asteroids, including exciting flybys.

While many smaller asteroids zoom past Earth unobserved, some create spectacular displays, streaking through our atmosphere as bright fireballs.

The Chelyabinsk meteor, which impacted Russia in 2013, is the largest known space rock to enter Earth’s atmosphere. Its explosion caused significant damage, shattering windows and affecting the Chelyabinsk region.

The tremendous energy of the explosion was equivalent to 30 times that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, according to NASA. The Chelyabinsk meteor weighed around 11,000 tons and had a diameter of roughly 59 feet, making it slightly smaller than asteroid 2026 JH2, though the latter’s precise dimensions are still being determined.

Astronomers leverage a network of ground and space-based telescopes to keep tabs on asteroids and comets that may approach Earth. NASA’s Near Earth Observation Program plays a key role in identifying potentially hazardous asteroids and analyzing their orbits to assess any risks.

One asteroid currently under close scrutiny is Apophis, anticipated to approach Earth even more closely than asteroid 2026 JH2 in the years ahead.

Spanning approximately 1,200 feet in diameter, asteroid Apophis is projected to come within 20,000 miles of Earth on April 13, 2029.

NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft is set to rendezvous with Apophis in June 2029 to investigate how Earth’s gravitational influence affects the orbits and physical characteristics of such space rocks. This mission follows the groundbreaking OSIRIS-REx mission, which returned the first-ever asteroid samples to Earth in 2023.

Having been in space since its launch in 2016, the OSIRIS-APEX mission faces potential budget cuts under the fiscal year 2027 proposal from the Trump administration. If these cuts proceed, OSIRIS-APEX could be among over 50 NASA missions slated for cancellation.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Is Europa’s Water Column Real? New Research Revives the Debate

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study conducted by planetary scientists at the Southwest Research Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology has raised questions about the evidence of steam emissions from Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa.

Artist’s impression of a steam geyser on Europa. Image credit: University of Cologne.

“The evidence for a water vapor plume on Europa is not as robust as previously believed,” stated Dr. Kurt Retherford, a researcher at the Southwest Research Institute and co-author of the original 2014 study.

In this new research, Dr. Retherford and his team examined data gathered by the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrometer (HST/STIS) aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope from 1999 to 2012-2020.

Their focus was on Europa’s Lyman-alpha radiation, a specific wavelength of ultraviolet light emitted and scattered by hydrogen atoms.

“A key challenge in interpreting the data at the time was accurately positioning Europa within that context,” said Dr. Retherford.

“Due to Hubble’s operational method, there remained some uncertainty about the alignment relative to the center of the image.”

“If Europa’s alignment is off by even a pixel or two, it can significantly impact our data interpretation.”

This uncertainty could mean that what researchers initially perceived as evidence of a water vapor plume might simply be random statistical noise.

“Our reanalysis has downgraded the initial confidence level of the plume’s existence from 99.9% to below 90%,” explained Dr. Lorenz Ross, a researcher at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

“This is insufficient evidence to uphold the claims we made previously.”

“While current data does not rule out the possibility of water vapor plumes as described in the 2014 paper, it no longer offers solid evidence for their existence,” Dr. Retherford noted.

“The interpretations of previous phenomena no longer apply as they once did.”

“These new findings have prompted us to reassess our earlier paper’s conclusions regarding the presence of water vapor plumes.”

“Additionally, recent analyses provide enhanced insights into the neutral hydrogen atomic content of Europa’s atmosphere escaping from its water ice surface.”

“We remain hopeful of discovering a plume of water vapor escaping from Europa.”

“Similar water vapor plumes have been detected on Saturn’s moon Enceladus, and another of Jupiter’s moons, Io, also has plumes of sulfur dioxide venting into space.”

The team’s new paper was published in the May 5th edition of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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L. Ross et al., 2026. Lyman alpha emission from Europa observed by HST/STIS. A&A 709, A59; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202659406

Source: www.sci.news

Exploring the Characteristics of Galaxies During Cosmic Noon – Sciworthy

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

The universe is approximately 14 billion years old, but during the initial few hundred million years, a phase known as the dark ages of the universe is theorized to have occurred when no stars were formed. Following this era, scientists speculate that the period marking the beginning of star formation is referred to as the dawn of the universe. This phase saw the earliest galaxies begin to emerge from vast clouds of gas and plasma.

As these galaxies began to merge and more materials became available, star formation rates significantly increased. Between two to three billion years post-Big Bang, galaxies entered a phase of rapid growth, yielding stars at an unprecedented rate in cosmic history, aptly termed the noon of the universe.

Recently, Dutch researchers focused on three distant galaxies whose light started its journey to Earth during cosmic noon. They selected these galaxies from a pool of ancient star-forming galaxies identified through the ALMA program, aimed at advancing kinematic analysis, such as the ALMA Alpaca project. The galaxies under study were designated ID1, ID3, and ID13.

The team utilized two sets of data to create a comprehensive profile of these galaxies. They first gathered information from the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array, a massive 66-antenna telescope located in Chile, known as the ALMA telescope. By employing ALMA, researchers detected radio emissions from carbon monoxide and elemental carbon present in these galaxies. They posited that understanding these chemicals could provide insights into the dynamics of free-floating gas clouds in distant galaxies.

Additionally, they used publicly available data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) near-infrared camera, or NIRCam, to assess the starlight emitted from these galaxies. By analyzing these midday galaxies through multiple methodologies, the researchers sought to quantify their mass and assess the contributions of both normal and dark matter.

They utilized computer programs developed by other astronomers to interpret the JWST data into a series of maps, displaying the star distribution within each galaxy. This emission data was instrumental in estimating the overall mass of stars in these galaxies. Subsequently, they developed their own program to delineate gas distribution using ALMA data, resulting in plots known as rotation curves, which depict the orbital speed of particles around each galaxy’s center relative to their distance from that center.

Astronomers employed these rotation curves to estimate the dark matter content within each galaxy. This method is effective since dark matter is undetectable yet still exerts gravitational forces. Consequently, visible matter such as stars and gas located at the outskirts of galaxies is observed to move faster in dark matter-rich galaxies.

The findings revealed that these galaxies have masses ranging from 39 billion to 80 billion times that of our Sun, known in astrophysics as solar mass. They contained free-floating gas equivalent to between 4 billion and nearly 16 billion solar masses, in addition to dark matter amounts estimated at between 1 trillion and 31 trillion solar masses.

However, upon comparing the luminosity data with the rotation curves, a discrepancy emerged. Typically, dark matter is expected to dwell within a halo surrounding the galaxy, primarily influencing the outer regions. Normally, astronomers can calculate the mass of central matter based solely on the stellar and gas content found there. Yet, in the centers of these galaxies, the mass derived from emissions was found to be lower than that estimated from the rotation curves.

The researchers proposed several explanations for this anomaly. They hypothesized that the shape of the dark matter halo might not accurately represent its distribution in all galaxies, suggesting that the noon era galaxies may contain dark matter closer to their centers. Alternatively, they posited that densely packed stars within these galactic centers might impede each other’s emissions. Additionally, galaxy ID1 hosts a supermassive black hole comprising approximately 1.5% of its total stellar mass.

In conclusion, while the researchers successfully delineated the mass distribution of these midday galaxies, the underlying reason for the central mass discrepancy remains unresolved. They inferred a complex interrelationship between dark matter halos and the remaining matter within these galaxies and encouraged future astronomers to apply similar methods to explore the matter distribution in the ALMA Alpaca and other distant galaxies highlighted in upcoming surveys.

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Source: sciworthy.com

Floating Tanks Introduced to Combat PTSD Following Catastrophic Wildfires

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Floatation Tanks: A Promising Solution for PTSD Relief

Image Credit: Dave Stamboulis / Alamy

A mobile unit containing three floatation tanks is en route to Maui, Hawaii, in response to the mental health crisis ignited by the catastrophic wildfires, which were the deadliest in U.S. history. Floatation therapy, often found in upscale spas, is emerging as a viable treatment for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If this initiative proves successful, similar units could be deployed in disaster-stricken areas worldwide.

In August 2023, devastating wildfires erupted in Maui, resulting in the tragic loss of 102 lives and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. Following these events, the risk of depression and anxiety has surged by over 50%, highlighting the urgent need for PTSD interventions.

“Maui lacks the infrastructure to manage a mental health crisis of this scale,” states Justin Feinstein, a clinical neuropsychologist and founder of a nonprofit organization, the Float Research Collective. “People are resorting to self-medication. Alcohol consumption is rising, and rates of suicide and PTSD are increasing.”

On May 2nd, Feinstein announced the Embodied Mind Summit in Los Angeles, where free floatation therapy sessions will be provided for first responders and wildfire survivors, while simultaneously gathering long-term data on float therapy’s efficacy for mental health treatment.

Float therapy, also referred to as environmental stimulus reduction therapy, entails lying in a shallow pool saturated with Epsom salt, allowing the body to float effortlessly. The pool’s water and the surrounding air are maintained at body temperature, with earplugs minimizing noise and the lights turned off to create an environment free of sensory distractions.

This innovative tank design originated with neuroscientists in the 1950s to explore whether the brain would deactivate without external stimulation. Surprisingly, participants remained conscious but reported heightened relaxation.

Feinstein has dedicated more than a decade to researching the treatments and the mental and physical effects of float therapy. His studies indicate significant reductions in anxiety for both healthy individuals and those with various mental health disorders, such as depression and PTSD. Feinstein notes that the effects can be almost as impactful as benzodiazepines, a common sedative.

While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, floatation therapy appears to alleviate external sensory input and reduce bodily movement, thereby inducing a state of tranquility in both the body and mind. Research indicates that shortly after floating, breathing and heart rates decrease, along with blood pressure, and brain activity shifts from self-referential thoughts and emotional processing to states resembling restorative sleep.

Residing in Maui since 2020, Feinstein collaborated with the UK-based company Floataway to develop a cost-effective, modular float pod that can be assembled rapidly in various locations, unlike traditional tanks. The Maui Calm Project aims to introduce these tanks in the region and begin data collection this summer. If successful, the initiative seeks to establish a fleet of portable tanks for deployment in disaster areas to combat PTSD.

According to Sarah Garfinkel, a professor at University College London studying the physical basis of PTSD, prioritizing body-calming techniques represents a crucial evolution in the treatment of this condition. “Hyperarousal is a core feature of PTSD, leading to heightened reactive physiological responses,” she explains. “It seems that floating could offer a sense of internal safety, which may transform our understanding and management of PTSD. I’m eager to see the results of this research.”

If you or someone you know needs support, please contact the British Samaritans at 116123 (samaritans.org); or the U.S. Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 (988lifeline.org). For services in other countries, visit bit.ly/SuicideHelplines.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

How Seasonal Rhythms of the Body Clock Influence Vaccine Effectiveness

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Timing of Children’s Polio Vaccination Affects Immune Strength.

Bilawal Arbab/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Understanding Seasonal Immune Response — Timing of Children’s Polio Vaccination Affects Immune Strength.

Bilawal Arbab/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Many individuals notice fluctuations in their health correlating with seasons. Recent studies reveal that vaccine responses—and, broadly, our physiological characteristics—vary throughout the year.

While humans are not generally categorized as seasonal beings, many plants and animals adhere to biological calendars that dictate behaviors such as flowering, reproduction, migration, and hibernation. Over the last decade, research has unveiled that humans experience subtle seasonal changes in immune activation, hormone levels, and gene expression.

“The most intriguing discovery from this research isn’t just about vaccines, but rather human immune function. It varies by season,” states Kathy Wyse from the University of Edinburgh, who did not participate in the study. “This indicates that humans may possess an inherent seasonal timing mechanism, akin to that observed in animals and birds.”

Research indicates that the response to influenza vaccines adheres to a 24-hour circadian rhythm. Laura Valero Guevara and her team at New York University explored the implications of seasonality on vaccine effectiveness.

The team analyzed data from 96 randomized controlled trials involving approximately 48,000 children vaccinated against 14 infectious diseases, including measles, polio, and chickenpox. These studies, held in various countries at different times of the year, allowed for a comprehensive comparison of seasonal and geographic differences in immunogenicity—the immune response strength provoked by vaccination.

“We indeed observed a seasonal immune response,” Valero-Guevara shared. “What’s particularly exciting is the latitudinal gradient we noticed. In temperate zones, both in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, stronger immune responses occurred in the winter, likely influenced by seasonal variations in light exposure.”

As proximity to the equator increased, the immune responses appeared to follow a less predictable seasonal pattern. There remained significant annual fluctuations in vaccine reactions within tropical regions; while some vaccines, like rotavirus and polio, showed marked seasonal variations. However, unlike the consistent winter peaks seen in temperate areas, tropical peak responses varied depending on the specific vaccine.

The researchers excluded any children with pre-existing antibodies against the pathogens prior to vaccination, indicating that recent exposure to infections is unlikely to account for these findings.

However, the underlying causes of these variations remain elusive. “Initially, we posited that seasonal circadian rhythms prompted by changes in light exposure drive these variations. This would imply that the amplitude of seasonality should be less pronounced in tropical areas compared to temperate regions,” said Mathieu Domenech de Sel from the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin. “But that’s not what we found, so other factors, or a combination of light exposure and other influences, might be at play.”

Past research has suggested seasonal patterns in immune activity. In 2020, Wyse and her colleagues reported seasonal variations in inflammatory markers, revealing different immune cell types peak at varied times—some in winter, others in spring.

Additionally, Manuel Ilima and his team at the Genome Control Center in Barcelona identified seasonal patterns in gene expression across multiple human tissues, including hormone-regulating areas of the brain and testes, along with numerous immune-related genes. “While we still lack a clear understanding of the mechanisms, the new findings could be tied to our observations,” suggests Iruma.

Weiss posits that humans may possess an inborn seasonal timing system influenced by variations in daylight. “This mechanism is also revered in animals, birds, and fish, even if we haven’t conclusively demonstrated it in humans yet,” he explains.

Thought to be located in the hypothalamus—which houses the suprachiasmatic nucleus that regulates circadian rhythms—this timing system adapts differently in equatorial animals, where day length stability weakens annual cycles, redirecting ecological reliance towards environmental factors like food availability or rainy seasons.

Evidence suggesting seasonal patterns in humans could extend beyond the immune realm. Earlier this year, Timothy Hearn at the University of Cambridge with David Whitmore of University College London reported that births in Britain exhibited a notable seasonal rhythm, peaking during spring throughout much of the 20th century, until a significant change in the 1970s due to widespread contraceptive access.

Professor Hahn emphasizes that dismissing evidence of seasonal biology in humans is becoming increasingly challenging, but disentangling whether these rhythms represent an inherent biological calendar is complex. “The term ‘season’ encompasses a range of interconnected environmental interactions, along with related shifts in disease exposure, diet, activity, sleep, and social behaviors.”

If the seasonal variations identified by Valero-Guevara and her team are validated, it may prompt considerations around optimizing vaccination schedules based on seasonal health patterns.

Nonetheless, Professor Weiss cautions that differences in antibody responses may not directly translate to significant variances in vaccine efficacy, implying that delaying vaccinations for potential immune improvements could pose greater risks. “Postponing vaccination for a month to target winter could be more hazardous than anticipated,” she states. “Current evidence does not substantiate such an approach.”

“Ultimately, time will determine if there are clinical advantages in scheduling vaccinations seasonally,” she adds. “Presently, the evidence is insufficient to support this.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Exploring the Meaning of Love: Can We Ever Find an Answer?

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

What is love? This enduring question has mystified philosophers for centuries, and even today, scientists are still searching for answers.

Niall McDiarmid/Millennium Images, UK

Understanding Love: A Scientific Perspective — What is love? This enduring question has mystified philosophers for centuries, and even today, scientists are still searching for answers.

Niall McDiarmid/Millennium Images, UK

In the vibrant hotel lobby, I walk past a couple sharing an intimate kiss as I head towards a softly lit conference room buzzing with the excitement of new connections. I am here to participate in “Love: Practical and Theoretical,” a groundbreaking conference sponsored by the Royal Society in Edinburgh, UK. As a romantic at heart, I hope this event sheds light on one of life’s greatest mysteries: what is love?

Over the next two days, I absorbed insights from numerous experts, including evolutionary biologists, neuroscientists, and psychologists, all sharing their perspectives on this instinctive yet elusive concept we call love, with a particular focus on romantic relationships.

This event was a historic meeting, providing many key researchers in love studies their first opportunity to convene. “This is a significant challenge for love science. It brings tears to my eyes,” remarked Adam Bode, a professor from the University of Melbourne, during a poignant moment at the conference.

Romance research has often struggled for funding, perceived as a “soft” science, according to Bode. “Initially, I felt that the science of love was not taken seriously,” he expressed. “The very fact that the world’s oldest and most prestigious scientific institution now supports discussions on love lends it a legitimacy that has been lacking.”

Defining love is a challenging yet essential first step in studying it. “As scholars, we have not yet agreed on a clear definition of love,” stated Marta Kowal from the University of Wrocław, Poland.

Some view love merely as an emotion, similar to joy or sadness—subjective experiences that vary widely among individuals. “My fascination with love sparked when I found myself deeply in love with someone I didn’t intend to,” Bode remarked.

However, the consensus among many researchers is that romantic love encompasses more than mere feelings. Some suggest it serves as a motivational state, driving us to maintain close relationships and ensuring the continuation of our species.

This assertion is supported by brain imaging studies showing that love activates reward pathways deep within the brainstem, influencing our fundamental urges. “Like hunger and thirst, love is integral to our survival,” explained Lucy Brown from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Other scientists prefer to analyze love through established psychological frameworks. Robert Sternberg at Cornell University proposes that love is built on three fundamental elements: intimacy, passion, and commitment. Intimacy involves an emotional connection, passion encompasses physical attraction, and commitment signifies the intention to sustain a relationship.

Sternberg shared that his theory stemmed from personal experiences. “I developed a strong bond with Mary and a deep passion for Julia. Yet there was Eren, who had a scheduled meeting with me,” he elaborated.

A point of agreement among researchers is that romantic love evolves through distinct stages. Initially, the honeymoon stage is marked by intense desire and typically lasts one to two years, followed by a more pragmatic, lasting love. “This next phase is ‘more practical than poetic,’ and it represents a continuum rather than a clear cut transition,” Kowal noted.

The attachment experienced in passionate love can form part of this definition. According to Bode, individuals in love devote about half their waking hours contemplating their partner. “I suspect anyone newly in love shouldn’t be granted a driver’s license; I’m even considering a research grant to investigate this,” he joked.

In the conference’s final discussion, researchers outlined plans to explore various definitions of love in forthcoming scientific papers. Although we may never fully unravel the mystery of love, the pursuit remains invaluable, as many of us find our lives driven by love itself.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Top 3 Expert Insights on Protein You Need to Know

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Diverse Protein Sources for a Balanced Diet

Tatiana Bralnina/Alamy

Diverse Protein Sources for a Balanced Diet

Tatiana Bralnina/Alamy

From protein powders to protein-fortified snacks like popcorn and pancakes, supermarket aisles are brimming with options. But what fuels this booming trend in protein consumption? Donald Layman, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has contributed significantly to this field, having conducted over 100 studies. His research predominantly focuses on leucine, a vital amino acid linked to muscle growth and repair. This makes protein an essential nutrient for both young individuals aiming for a defined physique and older adults looking to combat age-related muscle loss. According to New Scientist, here are the three crucial insights you need about protein.

1. The Protein Craze: Is It Overhyped?

If you’re taking the time to read about protein, you’re likely already mindful of your diet and aiming to avoid protein deficiency. The latest U.S. dietary guidelines recommend consuming between 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight daily. Achieving this is simple with a well-rounded, omnivorous diet low in ultra-processed foods.

While there’s no strong evidence indicating that excessive protein intake is detrimental, the benefits don’t continually increase with higher consumption. In fact, protein intake beyond 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight may not lead to significantly greater muscle gains.

If you find protein labels on unexpected foods like popcorn, it may indicate an unhealthy trend. The additional protein from fortified products does little to enhance overall dietary health. Simply slapping the word “protein” on packaging does not inherently make a food healthier.

2. Decoding Protein Intake

When calculating your protein needs, remember to distinguish between the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight daily and the dietary guidelines aimed at optimal health. The RDA serves as the minimum requirement to avoid deficiency, while dietary guidelines recommend higher intakes for overall well-being.

Increased consumption of ultra-processed foods has resulted in a decline in dietary quality. According to recent findings, half of U.S. adults fall below the recommended protein intake outlined in dietary guidelines. The goal is to achieve 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.

However, athletes and bodybuilders may choose to consume more than the standard recommendations. Your individual protein requirements will depend on factors such as age, activity level, body composition, and the type of protein consumed.

Understanding your optimal protein needs can be tricky. Start by examining the protein content of the foods you regularly consume. For instance, 100 grams of chicken breast provides about 32 grams of protein, while an egg contributes 6 grams. This can give you a rough estimate of whether you’re meeting your protein requirements. A healthy woman in her 30s who exercises moderately might aim for about 70 to 90 grams per day. Starting the day with a boiled egg and enjoying a chicken sandwich for lunch can help achieve this target.

3. Prioritizing Protein Sources

It’s entirely feasible for vegetarians and vegans to meet their protein needs, but it requires careful meal planning. Meat, fish, dairy, and eggs are generally more protein-rich than plant sources. For instance, to match the protein content of 100 grams of chicken breast, one would need to consume 3 cups of cooked beans or over 200 almonds.

Additionally, protein from plants is often less bioavailable. For example, nearly 100% of chicken protein is absorbed by the body, whereas absorption rates are about 75% for beans and less than 60% for almonds.

Protein deficiency may not manifest for 1 to 2 weeks, but many people adopt vegetarian or vegan diets in their 20s or 30s. While moderating protein can be manageable at that age, challenges may arise in the 40s, leading to fatigue and weaker hair and nails. Those following low-calorie diets while taking appetite-suppressing medications, like GLP-1 weight loss drugs including semaglutide, might face further risks.

I typically advise vegans and older adults to consider protein shakes. As we age, our appetite tends to decrease and protein utilization efficiency drops. Consequently, older adults losing muscle mass may have an increased risk of hip fractures from falls. Incorporating a protein shake into your daily routine can serve as a useful safeguard.

As narrated by Alexandra Thompson

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Source: www.newscientist.com