AMOC brings warm water north from the tropical region near the surface and takes cold water in opposite directions of the deep sea
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Important ocean currents will rarely close by the end of this century, according to new findings that undermine the end of the impending catastrophic collapse.
The Atlantic Meridian Surrounding Circulation (AMOC) transports warm water from the tropical north and helps maintain temperatures in Northern Europe. The temperature and the influx of cold water from the Arctic ice weakens the current temperature, and scientists fear it can stop it completely. This will disrupt marine ecosystems and cool the European climate a few degrees faster.
Some researchers say that the irreversible closure of AMOC could be in the century. But I say this worst-case scenario is unlikely Jonathan Baker At the Met Office in the UK.
To investigate whether a complete AMOC collapse of this century is possible, Baker and his colleagues used 34 climate models to simulate changes in AMOC under extreme climate change, and greenhouse gas levels trained overnight from today's levels. The team also modeled a large amount of freshwater entering the North Atlantic at many times the rate of ice melting now.
They found that although AMOC is significantly weakened in these two scenarios, ocean currents continue in their weakened state, supported by deep-sea upwellings in the North Atlantic, driven by southern sea winds. “The Southern Ocean winds continue to blow, and this brings deep waters up to the surface. This works like a powerful pump,” Baker says. “This keeps AMOC running on models of this century.”
This finding helps explain why climate models generally simulate more stable AMOCs in the warming world compared to studies that rely on statistical methods. This tends to suggest that AMOC is more vulnerable.
Niklas Bore The Potsdam Climate Impact Institute in Germany said the findings are “good news” for those worried about the imminent collapse of the AMOC. “I agree that all cutting-edge climate models will not show a complete AMOC collapse within the 21st century.
However, the model does not predict a complete collapse of AMOC, but shows that quaternary reddish CO2 concentrations lead to a 20-81% reduction in the current intensity.
With AMOC weaker by about 50%, the impact on climate will become important, Baker says it will be important due to marine ecosystem disruption, sea level rise on the North Atlantic coastline, and changes in global rainfall patterns that affect crop harvests around the world. However, this type of weakening does not bring rapid cooling to Europe, he says.
In comparison, Bohr emphasizes that AMOC, which is 80% less than today, will have a devastating effect. “Of course, it's a nearly blocked AMOC,” he says. “It has all the impact on Europe's cooling and changing patterns of tropical monsoon, and all the things we are concerned about.”
Stephen RahmstoefHe is also at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact in Germany, and agrees that under the extreme warming of this century, there may be a weak and shallow AMOC trend left in the world. Some studies even define AMOC disintegration as this type of substantial weakening, he says. “A new study is investigating the remaining wind-driven covers [current] In more detail, this is a valuable contribution to the scientific literature,” he says. “However, in response to human-induced global warming, we will not change our assessment of the risks and impacts of future AMOC changes.”
Computer threads woven with metal and textile yarn to make potential clothing
Hamilton Osoi, IFM
An elastic computer on threads sewn onto clothing can be used to record whole-body data that most medical sensors cannot pick up.
Wearable technologies such as smartwatches monitor body signals, such as heart rate and temperature, but usually only from a single location. This gives you an incomplete picture of how your body works.
now, Yoel Fink The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his colleagues developed a computer that could be sewn into clothing made from chips connected with copper and elastic fiber threads.
This thread has 256 kilobytes of onboard memory around that of a simple calculator, and sensors that can detect temperature, heart rate, and body movement. There is also Bluetooth to allow various threads to communicate.
This means that location-specific data can be collected collectively on the body. It says that it is theoretically used by artificial intelligence to allow for more accurate monitoring of human health. “We're starting to write apps for fabrics, monitor our health and, frankly, we're very close to the point where we can do all sorts of things that our phones can't.”
To create individual threads, Fink and his team folded the chips into conductive boxes and connected them to copper wire. The wire was then wrapped in a protective plastic casing and pulled into a thin tube that could be covered with fabrics such as cotton or synthetic Kevlar.
To test them, four fibers were sewn onto the feet and arms of human clothes. Researchers found that they could identify various movements a person has made, such as lunges, squats, and arm circles.
The team is currently testing thread-computer-made clothing on an Arctic expedition as part of Operation Nanook, an annual military exercise led by the Canadian Army. Clothes record temperature and data from various parts of the body. Fink says it could one day help protect people in extreme circumstances.
Threads are being tested by Army personnel during training
US Army Cold Area Research & Engineering Lab
Not only does it record, but it says this could help vulnerable people detect dangerous falls. Theo Hughes-Riley At Nottingham Trent University, England.
Without the need to wire the sensors together, the design becomes much simpler than other electronic fabrics, he says. Researchers also demonstrated that the thread can be washed, but only water was used, not detergent. Therefore, durability in everyday use must be proven before it is widely adopted, says Hughes Riley.
Dr. Ross Young at the University of Adelaide and colleagues at the QCDSF collaboration are investigating the structure of the subatomic problem, which seeks to provide further insight into the powers that underpin the natural world. Their results are perhaps the smallest force field map ever produced in nature.
Distribution of the Colour Lorenz forces acting on the unpolarized quarks of the lateral plane (indicated by vector fields) superimposed on the upper Quark density distribution in the impact parameter space of the unpolarized protons. Image credits: Crawford et al. , doi: 10.1103/physrevlett.134.071901.
“We used a powerful computational technique called lattice quantum chromodynamics to map the forces acting within protons,” Dr. Young said.
“This approach allows us to decompose space and time into fine grids and simulate how strong forces (the fundamental interaction that links quarks to protons and neutrons) change in different regions within the proton. I'll do it.”
“Our findings show that even on these tiny scales, the forces involved reach immeasurable, up to 500,000 Newtons, equivalent to about 10 elephants, in spaces much smaller than the nucleus. It has become clear that it is being compressed,” said the University of Adelaide. D. Student Joshua Crawford.
These force maps provide a new way to understand the complex internal dynamics of protons, and why it works in experiments investigating the basic structure of high-energy collisions and materials such as CERN's large hadron criders. It helps to explain.
“Edison didn't invent the light bulb by studying bright candles. He was built on a generation of scientists who studied how light interacts with matter,” Young said. The doctor said.
“Like almost the same, modern research, such as our recent research, behaves how the basic building blocks of matter are struck by light, and at its most basic level of understanding nature at its most basic level. It makes clear that we will deepen the
“As researchers continue to unravel the inner structure of protons, greater insights could help improve the way protons are used in cutting-edge technologies.
“One of the most notable examples is proton therapy, which uses high-energy protons to accurately target tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.”
“Just as early breakthroughs in understanding light paved the way for modern lasers and imaging, advances in knowledge of proton structures can shape the next generation of applications in science and medicine.”
“By making the invisible forces within protons visible for the first time, this study bridges the gap between theory and experiment, which reveals the secrets of light to change the modern world. It bridges the same way that we did it.”
a paper Explaining the team's results was published in the journal Physical Review Letter.
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Ja Crawford et al. 2025. Lateral force distribution of protons from lattice QCD. Phys. Pastor Rett 134, 071901; doi:10.1103/physrevlett.134.071901
Technology may be falsely blamed for lack of sleep
Cavan Images/Getty Images
Unlike our ancestors who lived in technologically advanced times, there is much written about how modern lifestyles mean that we no longer get enough sleep. However, an analysis of 54 sleep studies conducted around the world has shown that people in small, non-industrial societies actually sleep less than people in industrialized communities.
“Everyone I talk about in Canada and the US are talking about how bad their sleep is.” Leela Mackinnon At Toronto Mississauga University, Canada. “The numbers don't show that.”
It is often assumed that the rise of gadgets like big screen televisions and smartphones means that people today are less sleepy than in the recent past.
However, many studies reporting sleep declines over the past few decades are based on asking people how long they spend sleep. This is an unreliable measure. Even using this method, The results are mixedmany studies have found that there is no change or even an increase in sleep duration.
Studies based on more reliable measurements, such as using physical activity monitors and electrodes to monitor brain waves, have not declined over the last few decades. For example, we found a 2016 review of 168 studies. There is no decline Sleep period for the past 50 years.
However, these studies have been conducted in developed countries and reveal the question of whether people had more sleep before industrialisation. Wrist-based activity monitors are now available, making it easier to study sleep in a non-industrial society.
Such studies have revealed an incredible short period of sleep. For example, among hunter-gatherers, Sun sleeps on average 6.7 hours per night, Hatza sleeps 6.2 hours, and Bayaka sleeps 5.9 hours per night. The shortest time ever found is 5.5 hours of sleep in the HIMBA community in Namibia, a herdsman of nomadic livestock.
McKinnon and her colleagues David SamsonUniversity of Toronto, University of Mississauga, is also involved in several such research. They now compare sleep habits in industrialized societies, including the US, Australia and Sri Lanka, with people from small, non-industrial communities, including the Amazon, Madagascar and the Pacific indigenous people.
Overall, the analysis is based on 54 studies that include direct measures of sleep in people over 18 years of age without serious health conditions. In total, only 866 people are involved in these studies, but the dataset is the most comprehensive to date, says Samson. “It's the best now.”
Overall, these individuals slept on average 6.8 hours, while in non-industrial societies the average was 6.4 hours, while in industrial societies it was 7.1 hours.
The two also found that people from the industrial world were asleep for 74% of their time in bed.
McKinnon and Samson also evaluated the regularity of people's circadian rhythms using a measure called the circadian function index, where the score of 1 is perfect. In non-industrialized communities, the average was 0.7 compared to 0.63 in industrial societies.
Samson attributes the higher period of sleep and increased sleep efficiency in industrialized societies to conditions that encourage sleep more. “We see that we have some real benefits from the safety and security of our sleep scene,” he says. “There's no need to dodge the night or predators with rival human groups.”
Conversely, people in industrial areas are less exposed to clues that help to maintain a circadian rhythm, such as low night temperatures and bright daylight exposure. Although they did not appreciate this, both MacKinnon and Samson said that a low normal circadian rhythm would have a negative effect explaining why many people perceive their sleep as poor. I doubt there is a possibility of giving it.
What is not clear from the paper says that individuals in these 54 studies are representatives of the overall population. Nathaniel Marshall At Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. “Special sampling is required to make a statement about epidemiological prevalence,” he says.
Samson said he looked into whether large sample sizes could change results, and concluded that there was no significant difference.
New genus and species of Titanosaurus have been identified from fossilized sites found in the Hayeg Basin, Transylvania, western Romania.
The artist's impression of the lithotrothian dinosaur herd (right). Image credit: Abelov/CC by 3.0.
The newly identified species was alive Haeg IslandA large subtropical land located in the Thetis Sea about 70 million years ago (Cretaceous).
dubbing uriash kadicithe animals belong to Lithostrotiaa group of titanosaurus dinosaurs containing many armored species.
“The sauropod dinosaurs on Titanosaurus include the largest animal walking on land, with a huge species of over 60 tons,” says Paleoliths at the Museum of Fool Naturkunde, a Livenitz Installation Fool Evolution. said Dr. Veronica Dees Diaz, a scholar. colleague.
“By the late Cretaceous, Titanosaurus had achieved almost global distribution.
“Despite the rich and global fossil record, the evolutionary relationships of Titanosaurus are less known, limiting our understanding with this diverse megaharbibaud (the only group of sauropods is , the only group to survive the latest Cretaceous period).
“European giants in particular have been largely ignored in phylogenetic analysis,” they said.
“This neglect comes mainly from the historical advantages of the Gondwana species and the rarity and imperfection of Laurasian artefacts, particularly from Europe.”
“However, this began to change with the combination of reassessment of existing species and specimens and the discovery of new sites with distinct partial skeletons.”
“As a result, the fossil records of the most recent Cretaceous European sauropods are increasingly important for biogeographical scenarios, and rich evolutionary history is increasingly recognized for increasing incorporation into phylogenetic analysis. It is beginning to make clear.
Holotype of uriash kadici It was discovered in the formation of density in the Hayeg Basin, Romania.
Dinosaurs are estimated to weigh between 5 to 8 tons and their body length is close to 12 m.
“uriash kadici It is the largest titanosaurus species known from the Ha eg basin, exceeding the maximum reached by most other late Cretaceous European Titanosaurus. Abitosaurus (Estimated at 14 tons and 17.5 m long)”, the paleontologist said.
The existence of large giants such as ” uriash kadici It is worth noting and requires explanation as it appears to contradict, or at least weaken, the supposed behavior of “island domination” over these faunas. ”
uriash kadici It coexists with three other Titanosaurus species. Majarosaurus Dax, PaluditiTan nalatzensis and Petrustitan Hungarian.
The diversity was probably even higher, as evidenced by the substantial amounts of fossils involved.
“Our phylogenetic analysis shows that these Transylvanian titanosaurus exhibit particularly close relationships with Gondwana species. Majarosaurus Retrieved as a member or relative of the Saltasauria family. Palditian Affinity with lognkosauria and the Spanish Titanosaurus that were almost the same era Lohuecotitan; Petrustitan It is most closely related to early branched eutitanosaurian species in South America. and Uriash We share a unique feature with Gondwanan Titanosaurs,” they said.
“These analyses also reinforce the paleobiogeographic hypothesis that the latest Cretaceous European giants were members of the Gondwana lineage that invaded the old regions during the ages of Valemia and Albia.”
“Since the first discovery, Majarosaurus Dax The island's dwarfs have been identified as star sauropods, proposed as explanations for the small size of this species and other dinosaurs on Hayeg Island. ”
“on the other hand Palditian and Petrustitan It is also a small body sauropod. Uriash It is several orders of magnitude heavier and represents one of the largest Titanosaurus species found in the Late Cretaceous period of Europe. ”
“We have shown that the existence of this body size disparity is ecologically excluded from body size reduction due to competition with small-body titanosaurus, or as evidence that some lineages and small We interpret it as evidence that it occurred early in stratigraphically among the giants of the body. Hayeg Island has descendants of existing dwarf ancestors.”
“In contrast to some previous studies, signs of titanosaurus leaving the body size, including swapping the War star species for larger-sized species during the top Cretaceous period of the Transylvanian region. I can't see it.”
Discovery of uriash kadici Reported in a paper It was released this month Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.
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Veronica Dies Dias et al. 2025. The Romanian sauropod dinosaur revision reveals high titanosaurus diversity and body size disparities on Hayeg Island of Titanosaurus, affecting the biogeography of Titanosaurus. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 23(1): 2441516; doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2441516
The scientist is White Oak (Quercus alba), a rich forest tree species in eastern North America of ecological, cultural and economic importance.
Quercus alba Individual sequences of genome assemblies growing at Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky, USA. Image credit: D. Larson.
“The Oaks are an important member of many ecosystems around the world,” said a researcher at the University of Tennessee. Meg Staton And a colleague.
“In eastern North America, white oak is a keystone species and is one of the most abundant forest trees across its range.”
“In addition to its ecological and cultural importance, white oak has a very economic importance, including many high value material applications and the main species used in barrel styles for the aging of distilled spirits. It's there.”
“However, few studies have addressed the diversity of white oak genomes. The lack of available genetic and genomic resources now creates barriers to fostering understanding of white oak biology and evolutionary history. It's presenting it.”
In their study, the authors sequenced individual genomes of white oak from a forest near Loretto, Kentucky, USA.
They found that this oak species has a high genetic diversity, many of which preceded divergence from other oaks, and likely could affect divergence time estimates .
“The White Oak genome represents a major new resource for studying genome diversity and evolution. Quercus” said Dr. Staton.
“Also, unbiased gene annotations are key to accurately assessing the evolution of R (disease-resistant) genes. Quercus. ”
“Our paper addresses the degree of genetic diversity and population differentiation in white oaks and how gene content and disease resistance genes evolved. Quercus Related species. ”
The authors say that the amount of standing genetic variation and the degree to which the population is regionally adapted will affect the response of white oaks and other oak species to increasingly common heat and drought stress. It points out.
“The details are interesting for those who are invested in the sustainability of White Oak, across economic, ecological and cultural boundaries,” they said.
Drew A. Larson et al. Haplotype-degradated reference genomes Quercus alba It sheds light on the history of orc evolution. New BotanistPublished online on February 11th, 2025. doi: 10.1111/nph.20463
Use data collected by China’s Zhurong Roverplanetary researchers have identified hidden layers of rocks beneath the Martian surface, which strongly suggests the existence of the ancient North Sea.
Panoramic photograph taken by China’s Zhurong rover on Mars. Image credit: National Astronomer.
“We’re finding locations on Mars that looked like ancient beaches and deltas of ancient rivers,” said Pennsylvania researcher Benjamin Cardenas, who co-authored the study.
“We found evidence of a lack of wind, waves and sand. It’s a proper vacation style beach.”
The now inactive Zhurong Rover landed on Mars in 2021 in an area known as Utopia Planitia and was open for a year between May 2021 and May 2022.
From the time when Mars had a thicker atmosphere and warmer climate, it traveled about 1.9 km (1.2 miles) to cliffs that are considered ancient coastlines from the time period.
Along its path, the rover probed up to 80 m (260 feet) under the surface using ground penetration radar.
This radar is used to detect not only underground objects such as pipes and utilities, but also irregular features.
The radar image shows thick layers of material along the entire path, all facing upwards towards the estimated shoreline at an angle of about 15 degrees, roughly the same as the angle of beach sediments on Earth.
This thickness of sediment on Earth would have taken millions of years to form. It suggests that Mars had long-lived water with the effect of waves to distribute sediments along the sloped coastline.
Radar also allowed to determine the size of the particles in these layers and matched the particles of sand.
However, the deposits do not resemble the ancient wind-blowed dunes common on Mars.
“This quickly stood out to us because it suggested there were waves. That means there was a dynamic interface between air and water,” Dr. Cardenas said. I did.
“Looking back at the places where the earliest life on Earth developed, it was in the interaction between the ocean and the land, which paints an ancient habitable environment, and conditions for microbial life. You can embrace the
“Comparing Mars data with radar images of coastal sediments on Earth, we found impressive similarities.”
“The dip angle observed on Mars fell within the range seen in coastal sedimentary deposits on Earth.”
“We see the coastline of this body of water has evolved over time,” Dr. Cardenas said.
“We tend to think of Mars as a static snapshot of a planet, but it was evolving. The rivers were flowing, the sediments were moving, the land was constructed and eroded. This type of sedimentary geology tells us how landscapes look and how they evolved. And, importantly, identifying where you want to look for your past life. It will help you.”
“The discoveries show that Mars was a much damper location than it used to be today, further supporting the hypothesis of the past oceans that covers most of the planet’s North Pole.”
The study also provides new information on the evolution of Mars’ environment, suggesting that life-friendly warm, wet periods can potentially last tens of millions of years.
“The power of Zhurong Rover allowed us to understand the geological history of the planet in a whole new way,” said the University of California, a professor of Michael Manga at Berkeley.
“That underground intrusion radar gives us an underground view of the planet.
“These incredible advances in technology have made it possible to realize basic science that uncovers a new mountain of information about Mars.”
result It was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Jianhui Li et al. 2025. Ancient sea coastal deposits imaged on Mars. pnas 122 (9): E2422213122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2422213122
As our solar system orbits the Milky Way, we encounter a variety of environments, including dense regions of interstellar media. These encounters can increase the flow of interstellar dust into the solar system and the Earth's atmosphere, exposing parts of the solar system to interstellar mediums. The discovery of new galactic structures, such as the Radcliffe waves over the 9,000 Wright years, raises the question of whether the Sun encountered any of them. New research shows that the solar system trajectories intersected with the waves of Radcliffe in the Orion star-forming region 15 to 12 million years ago (Miocene era). In particular, this period coincides with the mid-Miocene climate transition on Earth, providing an interdisciplinary connection with paleoclimatology.
When the solar system brings the Milky Way into orbit, we encounter a variety of galactic environments with different interstellar densities, including hot voids, fronts of supernova blasts, and cold gas clouds.
The passage of the sun through dense regions of interstellar media can affect the solar system in several ways.
For example, pressure enhancement compresses the heliosphere and exposes parts of the solar system to cold, dense interstellar media.
Furthermore, the amount of interstellar dust mounted on the Earth's atmosphere can increase, potentially enhancing the delivery of radioactive isotopes such as iron-60 through dust grains.
Radcliffe's waves are narrow sinusoidal gas structures and consist of many known star-forming cloud complexes, including CMA, Orion, Taurus, Perseus, Cephaus, North American Nebula, and Cygnus.
With an estimated mass of 3 million people, this gas structure appears to vibrate consistently like a moving wave and is thought to be part of the Milky Way spiral structure.
Dr. Efrem Macconi, a doctoral student at the University of Vienna, said:
“Our Sun encountered a higher gas density region as it passed through the waves of Radcliffe in the Orion constellation.”
Using data from ESA's Gaia mission and spectroscopic observations, Dr. Maconi and his colleagues identified the passage of the solar system through the Radcliffe Wave in the Orion area.
“The findings are based on previous works identifying Radcliffe's waves,” said Professor Joanne Albes of the University of Vienna.
“We passed the Orion area as well as famous star clusters like NGC 1977, NGC 1980 and NGC 1981.”
“The area is easily visible in the winter sky in the Northern Hemisphere and in the summer in the Southern Hemisphere.”
“Look for Orion Constellation and Orion Nebula (Messier 42) – our solar system has come from that direction!”
“The increased dust from this galaxy encounter may have had some effects.”
“It could potentially leave traces of radioactive elements from supernovas in the geological record that permeate the Earth's atmosphere.”
“Current technologies may not be sensitive enough to detect these traces, but future detectors may make it possible.”
This study shows that the solar system passing through the Orion region occurred around 18.2 to 11.5 million years ago, with the most likely time between 148 and 12.4 million years ago.
This time frame is in good agreement with the mid-Miocene climate transition, and is a major shift from warm variable climate to cool climates, leading to the establishment of a continental-scale prototype Antarctic ice sheet composition.
This study raises the possibility of a link between past crossings of the solar system through galaxy neighbours and Earth's climate through interstellar dust, but the authors need further investigation of the causal relationship. It emphasizes that there is.
“The basic processes responsible for the mid-Miocene climate transition have not been fully identified, but available reconstructions are most likely to be long-term reductions in atmospheric greenhouse gas carbon dioxide concentrations. It suggests that it is a high explanation.
“However, our research highlights that interstellar dust associated with the crossing of Radcliffe's waves has affected the Earth's climate and may have played a potential role during this climate change. Masu.”
“To change the Earth's climate, the amount of extraterrestrial dust on Earth needs to be much larger than what previous data suggests.”
“Future research explores the importance of this contribution. This past climate change and current climate change is comparable as this past climate change is unfolding over a timescale of hundreds of thousands of years. It is important to note that we do not do that.”
“In contrast, the evolution of global warming today has been happening at an unprecedented rate for decades to centuries due to human activity.”
study Published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
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E. Machoni et al. 2025. Passing through the solar system through the waves of Radcliffe in the mid-Miocene. A&A 694, A167; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202452061
This iron mineral, called ferihydrite, formed under oxidative conditions during cold, humid periods on early Mars, continuing its transition to the current overheating environment.
This image of Mars Express's high-resolution stereo camera shows Mars glove set on a dark background. The planet's disc has patches of yellow, orange, blue and green, all with a muted gray hue throughout, representing the various compositions of the surface. Image credits: ESA/DLR/FU BERLIN/G. MICHAEL/CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.
Mars is easily identified in the night sky due to its prominent red tint.
Thanks to a fleet of spacecrafts that have been studying planets over the past decades, this red colour is known to be due to rusty iron minerals in the dust.
In other words, iron bound to the rocks of Mars reacted at one point with water and oxygen in the air, just as how rust on Earth formed.
For more than billions of years, this rusty material, iron oxide — has been broken down into dust around the planet by the wind, a process that continues today.
However, iron oxide has a lot of flavour and the precise chemistry of Mars' rust is heavily debated as it is a window into the environmental conditions of Earth at the time.
And what's closely linked to it is the question of whether Mars has been habitable to date.
Previous studies of the iron oxide components of Martian dust based solely on spacecraft observations found no evidence of water contained within it.
Therefore, planetary researchers say that this particular type of iron oxide is formed under hematite, which is formed under dry surface conditions through reaction with the Martian atmosphere for billions of years after an early wet period on Mars. I had concluded that it had to be.
However, new analysis of spacecraft observations combined with new laboratory techniques shows that Mars' red colour is better matched by iron oxides containing water known as ferihydrite.
Felihydrite usually forms quickly in the presence of cold water, so it must have been formed when Mars was still water on the surface.
The minerals hold a watery signature to this day, despite their spreading down to the ground.
Dr. Adomas Valantinas, a researcher at Brown University, said:
“Ferihydrite, mixed with volcanic rock basalt, has proven to be the most suitable for the minerals found in Martian spacecraft.”
“Mars is still a red planet. It's not only about understanding why Mars is red, but it also means that our understanding has changed.”
“The main meaning is that Mars was rusting faster than before, as ferrihydrite could only form when water was still on the surface.”
“In addition, under current conditions on Mars, ferrihydrite remains stable.”
Mars has acquired its iconic color from the combination of rust and erosion over its 4.6 billion years of history. Image credits: ESA/ATG Europe/Valantinas et al. , doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-56970-z.
Other studies have also suggested that ferrihydrite may be present in Mars' dust, but the current study has been the first comprehensive study through a unique combination of space mission data and new laboratory experiments. Provide evidence.
The authors used an advanced grinder machine to create replica Mars dust, achieving realistic dust grain sizes equivalent to 1/100th of human hair.
To make a direct comparison, the samples were then analyzed using the same technology as the spacecraft orbiting the spacecraft, and ultimately identified ferrihydrite as the best match.
“This study is the result of a complementary dataset from a fleet of international missions exploring Mars at orbital and ground levels,” says Dr. Colin Wilson, PhD, Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) from ESA and Mars Express Project Scientist. said.
Mars Express's dust mineralogy analysis helped to show that even the highly dusty regions of the planet contain water-rich minerals.
Also, thanks to TGO's unique trajectory, you can see the same area at different lighting conditions and angles. Researchers can unravel the particle size and composition essential to replicate the correct dust size in the lab.
Data from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and ground-based measurements from NASA's Mars Rovers Curiosity, Pathfinder and opportunity also helped to assert ferrihydrite.
“We are eagerly awaiting the results of our upcoming missions, including ESA's Rosalind Franklin Rover and sample returns from NASA/ESA Mars.
“Some of the samples that have already been collected by NASA's Perseverance Rover and are waiting for their return to Earth contain dust. Putting these precious samples into the lab will result in dust. You can accurately measure the amount of ferihydrite contained and what this means to understand the history of water and the potential for life on Mars.”
“This research is an opening opportunity for the door,” said Dr. Jack Mustard, a planetary scientist at Brown University.
“It gives us a better opportunity to apply the principles of mineral formation and conditions and tap time.”
“More importantly, the return of samples from Mars, which are currently being collected through patience.”
Survey results It will be displayed in the journal Natural Communication.
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A. Valantinas et al. 2025. Detection of ferrihydrite in the red dust of Mars records ancient cold and wet conditions on Mars. Nut commune 16, 1712; doi:10.1038/s41467-025-56970-z
Paleontologists have discovered 4.9 million (Early Pliocene) fossilized ruins of an extinct flying squirrel Myopetaulista Webbi Tennessee, USA. Generation of the genus Myopetaulista Eastern North America is bewildered because it is separated from the known geographical range of the genus and the extent of organisms of its sister species. Petaurista. Researchers assume that Myopetaulista which is linked to a warm forest environment and was dispersed across North America through the Beringland Bridge during the warm phase of the early Pliocene.
The lifespan of a flying fossil squirrel Miopetaurista neogrivensis It indicates that the animal is ready to land on a tree branch. Image credit: Oscasani Sidro / ICP.
Myopetaulista Webbi It jumps over the sky in what is now southern Appalachia, sliding over rhinoceros, mastodons and red pandas.
New materials of this kind have been discovered in Grey Fossil Site In Tennessee.
“discovery Myopetaulista In North America, this genus was very unexpected because it is known only from Eurasia,” said Dr. Isaac Casanovas Bilar, paleontologist at Mikel Crusafont of paleontology at the University of Barcelona. .
“There have been some uncertain reports from Florida, but new specimens from the grey fossil site provide new information, with these giant flying squirrels coming together alongside other mammals around five million years ago. It helped me to make sure I crossed the bridge.”
According to paleontologists, Myopetaulista Webbi Probably closely related Myopetaulista Tarelionly known Pliocene Eurasian species.
“The Appalachians today may try to think of these ancient creatures as closely related to the squirrels that regularly see them,” the researchers said.
“However, their closest relatives are giant flying squirrels from Japan, China, and Indonesia.”
“These giant flying squirrels have a lightweight build, weighing around three pounds, and were pretty agile on the treetop.”
“When they arrived in Tennessee now, the world was much warmer than it is now.”
“Its warm climate allows squirrel ancestors to travel across North America and could slip through dense, damp forests like those preserved in the fossil records of grey sites millions of years ago.”
The new specimen is Myopetaulista A genus of North America.
“As the climate cooled over time, Pleistocene ice age led to the isolation of these giant flying squirrels in warm shelters like Florida, and ultimately contributed to their extinction.” Miquel Crusafont from the University of Barcelona.
“The Last American Myopetaulista It has lived for millions of years since the species of Eurasian of this genus disappeared.
Team's work It was published in Journal of Mammalian Evolution.
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M. Grau-Camats et al. 2025. Intercontinental Sliding: A Review of the North American Records of Giant Flying Squirrels Myopetaulista (Rodentia, Sciuridae) Description of new materials for the grey fossil site (Tennessee). J Mammal Evol 32, 8; doi:10.1007/s10914-025-09751-w
As children grow, they grow in many ways. Children make mental progress in how they feel, think and act – what scientists call them Cognitive Control. Researchers view creativity, fluid inference, and academic achievement as part of human cognitive control. They found that people with good cognitive control also improve mental health. However, scientists still don't know the best type of training to help children develop cognitive control.
Previous researchers found that training can improve cognitive functions such as working memory in children. However, they have not decided whether the same training improves the child's associated function or overall cognitive control. Therefore, an international team of researchers recently investigated whether improving one cognitive function helped improve overall cognitive control in children.
They focus on specific cognitive functions that have not been studied more thoroughly than others; Response inhibition. Response suppression is the ability of a person to stop himself from responding to a previously responded queue. They wanted to test how long it took to suppress training responses to affect other cognitive functions in children, such as creativity and reasoning.
The researchers explained that previous researchers studying cognitive control in children found conflicting results. Some found that training children with response suppression increased overall cognitive control, while others found that training skills only improved. The team proposed that the methodological problems of previous researchers had contradictory results. Therefore, they sought to address these issues by clearly defining how children train, making training schedules unpredictable and attractive, and testing larger groups of children than in previous studies.
The researchers studied 235 children aged 6 to 13 from the Great London region of England. They divided the children into two groups, 119 and 116. They introduced both groups of children to a series of seven different computer games that they attended over eight weeks.
During the video game, the children sailed around the island picking up coins. Their goal was to win as many coins as possible. The first group of 119 children received training in response suppression. This means that you have received the coin after you have stopped performing the requested action. The other 116 children served as control groups. This means that you've been in the same game.
To determine how children's cognitive skills change throughout the experiment, researchers collect self-reports from children, perform standardized skill tests, and take neuroimaging of the brain to physiology. We have confirmed the changes. These data were collected before, immediately after the experiment, and 1 year later.
Researchers found that trained children had better response suppression than non-sex children, but they found that overall cognitive control was not good. For example, they found that trained children did not have test results to show that their academic performance improved over their children in the control group. They also found that brain imaging showed no physiological differences between the two children's groups. The researchers interpreted these results as meaning that response inhibition training did not improve overall cognitive control in children.
Researchers concluded that training children with a single cognitive skill does not improve overall cognitive control. However, they acknowledged that the sample of children participating in this study was from families with above average socioeconomic status and thus may not be representative of lower social classes. Ta. Anyway, they recommended that future researchers look for alternative ways to promote the development of cognitive control in children.
Members of the Namibian HIMBA community get an average of 5.5 hours of sleep at night
Nick Fox/Aramie
Unlike our ancestors who lived in technologically advanced times, there is much written about how modern lifestyles mean that we no longer get enough sleep. However, an analysis of 54 sleep studies conducted around the world has shown that people in small, non-industrial societies actually sleep less than people in industrialized communities.
“Everyone I talk about in Canada and the US are talking about how bad their sleep is.” Leela Mackinnon At Toronto Mississauga University, Canada. “The numbers don’t show that.”
It is often assumed that the rise of gadgets like big screen televisions and smartphones means that people today are less sleepy than in the recent past.
However, many studies reporting sleep declines over the past few decades are based on asking people how long they spend sleep. This is an unreliable measure. Even using this method, The results are mixedmany studies have found that there is no change or even an increase in sleep duration.
Studies based on more reliable measurements, such as using physical activity monitors and electrodes to monitor brain waves, have not declined over the last few decades. For example, we found a 2016 review of 168 studies. There is no decline Sleep period for the past 50 years.
However, these studies have been conducted in developed countries and reveal the question of whether people had more sleep before industrialisation. Wrist-based activity monitors are now available, making it easier to study sleep in a non-industrial society.
Such studies have revealed an incredible short period of sleep. For example, among hunter-gatherers, Sun sleeps on average 6.7 hours per night, Hatza sleeps 6.2 hours, and Bayaka sleeps 5.9 hours per night. The shortest time ever found is 5.5 hours of sleep in the HIMBA community in Namibia, a herdsman of nomadic livestock.
McKinnon and her colleagues David SamsonUniversity of Toronto, University of Mississauga, is also involved in several such research. They now compare sleep habits in industrialized societies, including the US, Australia and Sri Lanka, with people from small, non-industrial communities, including the Amazon, Madagascar and the Pacific indigenous people.
Overall, the analysis is based on 54 studies that include direct measures of sleep in people over 18 years of age without serious health conditions. In total, only 866 people are involved in these studies, but the dataset is the most comprehensive to date, says Samson. “It’s the best now.”
Overall, these individuals slept on average 6.8 hours, while in non-industrial societies the average was 6.4 hours, while in industrial societies it was 7.1 hours.
The two also found that people from the industrial world were asleep for 74% of their time in bed.
McKinnon and Samson also evaluated the regularity of people’s circadian rhythms using a measure called the circadian function index, where the score of 1 is perfect. In non-industrialized communities, the average was 0.7 compared to 0.63 in industrial societies.
Samson attributes the higher period of sleep and increased sleep efficiency in industrialized societies to conditions that encourage sleep more. “We see that we have some real benefits from the safety and security of our sleep scene,” he says. “There’s no need to dodge the night or predators with rival human groups.”
Conversely, people in industrial areas are less exposed to clues that help to maintain a circadian rhythm, such as low night temperatures and bright daylight exposure. Although they did not appreciate this, both MacKinnon and Samson said that a low normal circadian rhythm would have a negative effect explaining why many people perceive their sleep as poor. I doubt there is a possibility of giving it.
What is not clear from the paper says that individuals in these 54 studies are representatives of the overall population. Nathaniel Marshall At Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. “Special sampling is required to make a statement about epidemiological prevalence,” he says.
Samson said he looked into whether large sample sizes could change results, and concluded that there was no significant difference.
Norwegian researchers have connected the dots from 2,000 years ago, suggesting that a woman could have engraved her name on the oldest dated runestone ever discovered in Norway.
The inscription starts with the word “I” in the Lunic script, hinting that it might be the author’s name. The runestone was unearthed in the Hall cemetery, a small town in southern Norway, towards the east of the capital.
“The text essentially indicates that it is the name of the Rune attendee,” Christel Zilmer, one of the study’s co-authors, told NBC News over the phone. He shared that the script was found by a Rune attendee.
Rune stones appear to be part of the excavation. Museum of Cultural History
Experts believe that the Germanic alphabet script drew inspiration from the Roman alphabet, with Runes serving as key components in early Scandanavian communication. This form of communication was prevalent in the region until the late Middle Ages.
Rune inscriptions have been identified on items like Danish bone knives, iron knives, and combs, estimated to be around 700 Guangxi around 150 AD, correlating with other runestones discovered by archeologists.
These inscriptions often carried messages involving spells for the deceased and enchanting words.
However, the evolution of Runes over time remains a mystery, and deciphering them without an archaeological context can pose significant challenges.
The reconstruction and accompanying illustrations reveal the rune inscription. Christel Zilmer
Recent research indicates that the fragments uncovered in 2021 belonged to a single slab, aiding scientists in understanding language evolution and the significance of such stones.
Two years later, additional fragments were discovered, and it appears that the inscriptions span across all fragments, suggesting they are part of a single stone.
“By finding two additional pieces that fit perfectly into the existing inscription, it has almost completed the inscription,” Zilmer remarked.
Due to the stone’s deterioration and weathered state, deciphering the exact text containing the names of the attendees poses some challenges, but it is noted that the inscription ends with a “-u”, which peaked researchers’ interest.
Excavation was found at the Swingyad Site, west of Oslo, Norway. Museum of Cultural History
If confirmed as a woman’s name in ancient runes, it could be the earliest known record of female Runes inscription.
The fragments buried alongside cremated human remains in the pit allow scientists to use radiocarbon dating, tracing the fragments back to a period between 50 BC to 275 AD, providing valuable context.
“There could be a series of interconnected events here involving different individuals. It’s possible that the stone served multiple purposes,” Zilmer commented.
While much of the research is still underway, there remains a conspicuous gap in our understanding, as Zilmer noted.
“It’s akin to a puzzle with missing pieces, but exploring how these individual fragments, some inscribed, could potentially connect is an intriguing prospect,” she added.
Asteroids flying near Earth in 2032 are expected to safely pass through the planet, with a shock chance of just 0.004%. NASA said Monday.
This is a significant downgrade to the risk from the record highs the space agency gave earlier last week.
The asteroid known as the 2024 YR4 is between 130 and 300 feet wide and is large enough to cause local damage if it hits Earth. However, the exact odds of the event have been an impressive target since the space rock was first detected about two months ago.
The extremely slim chances NASA estimated on Monday were even smaller than the 0.28% chance it gave late last week. Just a few days ago, the agency had the chance to 1.5% and 3.1% before that.
With the short odds exceeded 3%, the first object officially classified as Level 3 of 10 out of 10 in a measurement known as the Torino Scale became the space rock.Richard Binzel first proposed it nearly 30 years ago.
Level 3 classification means that objects are worthy of attention by astronomers, and pose a threat of “close encounters.”
Named after an Italian city officially adopted by astronomersIn 1999, the Turin Impact Hazard Scale is a way to communicate to the public the risks posed by asteroids and other space objects near Earth to planets.
The scale is color-coded, with categories ranging from 0 (white without risk) to 10 (red for a particular collision). With a 3.1% chance of colliding with the Earth, 024-year-old 4 was temporarily placed in the mid-yellow zone of the scale.
The gusts of news reports about the asteroids have attracted more attention than ever on Turin's scale. Binzel said this type of situation was exactly why he created the system in the first place.
“The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has made it a great opportunity to learn about the world,” said Bindel, a professor of planetary science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “But it's like being between a rock and a difficult place because we want to report what we know to maintain the trust of our people, but we don't want to raise unnecessary anxiety. Because.”
The challenges of walking that thin line are revealed in Asteroid 2024 YR4.
According to NASA, the reason for the recent decline in impact probability is The ground telescope was able to get a better look Based on these observations, on the Space Lock on February 19th and 20th, astronomers were able to improve models of asteroid orbits, allowing them to estimate the Space Lock trajectory more accurately. This will help scientists to more reliably predict where 2024 YR4 will be on December 22, 2032, where asteroids are likely to encounter closely with Earth.
The shifting probability is somewhat dizzy, but according to Bindsel, the possibility that such a close-Earth asteroid could dance like this is completely normal.
The Asteroid 2024 YR4 is thought to measure up to 300 feet in diameter.Atlas
When Binzel debuted the Turin scale in the astronomical community decades ago, his goal was to promote greater public awareness of shock risk. According to him, the idea was to implement something similar to the Richter scale, which measures the magnitude of an earthquake, or the Saffir Simpson scale, which assigns categories to hurricanes based on wind speed.
But when he first presented the system at the 1997 UN conference, it wasn’t well received, he said. According to Biinsel, some astronomers were skeptical that it would help the public.
In the same year, scientists discovered an asteroid called XF11 in 1997. We thought this could hit Earth in 2028. It didn’t take long for astronomers to eliminate potential conflicts, but the ending story expanded in news reports, followed by subsequent denunciations. Something that was perceived as a major mistake.
“It ended up being a bit of embarrassment,” Binzel said. “Astronomers did not make any errors, but there was no good way to convey uncertainty. So this classifies objects that cannot be immediately ruled out over centuries of Earth. This motivated me to propose a simple system for
Binzel once again presented the scale in Turin at a conference held in Turin in 1999, attended by representatives from the NASA and the European Space Agency. In that workshop, the system was ultimately adopted by the International Astronomical Union, a non-governmental organization made up of professional astronomers who act like the governing body of the astronomical community.
In addition to using colours and numbers to accommodate different risk levels, the scale includes explanations of potential outcomes, the possibility of changing risk assessments, and actions that the government or the public should take.
For example, the level 6 threat in the orange zone explains the possibility of close shaving by “large objects pose a serious and uncertain threat of a global catastrophe.”
Astronomers recommend giving this object “critical attention” to know if a collision occurs. “If the encounter is less than 30 years, the government's emergency plan could be guaranteed,” the scale states.
On the other hand, Level 3 threat, according to the scale explanation, means that “current calculations provide more than 1% chance of a collision that can be locally destructive.” “Perhaps observations of the new telescope lead to reallocation to level 0. Attention by civil servants is valuable if the encounter is within ten years.”
Naturally, Binzel was correctly suspected when asteroid 2024 YR4 was considered to be the 3 that would eventually be downgraded.
Meanwhile, however, the 2024 YR4 hit an unpleasant milestone. It is the only known astide with a classification above level 1, and set the record to reach the highest impact probability and spend the longest time with the probability above 1%. According to the European Space Agency.
The higher classification of similar or larger sized asteroids on the Turin scale is in 2004, when asteroid Apophis was temporarily ranked as Level 4, with an estimated 2.7% chance of hitting Earth There was a possibility.
Vincell said he was pleased to witness the scale feature in real time, but he is pleased to be modest about his connection to it.
“At the end of the day, if Turin scale helps, there's a great deal of satisfaction. It really makes my day,” he said. “But it's nice to hide my name behind where the scale was adopted. It helps to keep my phone from ringing too much.”
Scheduled to appear in space this week, the Robot Moonlander is set to mark the second moon mission of a company that made history last year by becoming the first private company to successfully land on the moon’s surface.
The spacecraft, named Athena, was built by Intuitive Machines, a company based in Texas. It is equipped with a drill and various instruments to analyze the chemical composition of rocks and soil beneath the lunar surface.
The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Moon Payload Services Program, which aims to assist private companies in developing Moonlanders. The anticipated landing site is the plateau of the lunar Antarctic region, specifically a flat mountain known as Monsmouton.
NASA is particularly interested in the Antarctic region of the Moon due to the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters. The presence of water could be crucial for establishing permanent bases on the moon, and Athena’s mission will focus on searching for groundwater.
Athena is scheduled to launch on top of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday at 7:17pm from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The same rocket will also launch a lunar mapping satellite developed by NASA, called the Lunar Trailblazer.
In addition to these missions, NASA plans to send the Spherex Space Observatory into orbit on Thursday to study the origins of the universe. SpaceX’s Starship Megarocke is set for its eighth test flight on Friday, and another robot Moonlander developed by Firefly Aerospace will attempt to land on the moon over the weekend.
Following its release, the Athena Lander is expected to travel for about a week before landing, potentially as early as March 6th. The mission will also test a 4G communications system developed by Nokia on the moon’s surface.
During the mission, Athena Lander will deploy a drone named Grace to explore the landing site through a series of hops. The company aims to replicate their historic moon landing success from February 2024 near Marapart A crater in the Antarctic region of the Moon.
The goal is for Athena Lander to successfully land and fulfill its mission objectives, paving the way for future lunar exploration and potentially aiding in establishing human presence on the moon.
Pere Santamaria was 15 years old when she developed myasthenia. This autoimmune condition can cause extreme muscle weakness and sometimes lead to difficulty breathing. In Santa Maria's case, it affected the muscles in the eye that controlled his vision, causing him to look double.
“It personally had a huge impact on me,” he says. “I was in adolescence and suddenly I couldn't play sports and couldn't live a normal life. I had to take very high doses of corticosteroids, so I was able to have balloons. It's inflated like that.”
Worse, these drugs simply attenuate the body's general immune response, rather than addressing the causes of autoimmune. In other words, Santa Maria did not expect that taking them would cure his condition.
As years went by, Santa Maria developed an additional autoimmune state. “I just wanted to understand the disease and mechanisms, and hopefully I can help others in the end,” he says.
He is now progressing towards that goal. He works as an immunologist at the University of Calgary, Canada. Santa Maria It is at the forefront of pushing to reprogram the immune system and develop new therapies to encourage the human body to end a destructive war against its own organization.
As these treatments move to clinical trials, there are signs of promise. Certainly, some are very effective, so with a single dose, in some cases, people have been symptomatically gone for years. So, is the end of an autoimmune state visible now?
Innate and Adaptive Immunity Systems
Our bodies have several lines of defense against pathogens. …
African elephants have extra copies of genes that help resist cancer
Neil Aldridge/Nature Picture Library/Aramie
Larger animals live longer and have more cells, and are expected to be at a higher risk of developing cancer. A comprehensive analysis of 263 species suggests that this is true, but also finds that some large animals have evolved ways of reducing risk.
“We provide the first empirical evidence that there is a link between body size and cancer prevalence, meaning that larger species increase cancer than smaller species. “I say it. George Butler University College London.
To gain a broader view, Butler and his colleagues analyzed data on the size and cancer rates of 79 bird species, 90 mammal species, 63 reptiles and 31 amphibians. The data comes from previous studies by other researchers who sifted through autopsy records that record whether a breeding animal stored in a place like Zoos or an aquarium had cancer when it died. .
The team found that smaller animals were slightly more likely to have cancer than fewer animals at the time of death. Each 1% increase in body weight was associated with an average increase of 0.1% in cancer rates between birds and mammals. Because body mass data were not available in reptiles and amphibians, the team used body length and found that it was associated with an average increase in cancer rate of 0.003% for every 1% increase.
Butler and his team say their discoveries will challenge a long-standing idea known as the Pete Paradox. on the other hand, Veragolbunova At the University of Rochester in New York, the weak correlation still needs explanation.
“The increased risk they see is very, very minor and not proportional to their body size,” she says. “If you take small animals like mice and humans are 100 times larger, or elephants are 100 times larger, the difference in cancer rates is not 100 times higher in humans and 1000 times higher in elephants.”
It suggests that larger species have evolved more ways to protect themselves, Golbunova says.
Indeed, by using evolutionary trees to infer evolutionary rates of animal body size, the team said that if the size increases more rapidly during evolution, birds and mammal species of similar sizes can be We found it to provide better protection against cancer.
Previous studies have identified genetic adaptations in elephants and whales, protecting against cancer by improving DNA repair and preventing broken cells from dividing.
A deeper understanding of how some animals resist cancer can lead to new treatments for people, says Golbunova. “In these cancer-resistant animals, there are specific biological pathways of different fine-tuning, for example, targeting these pathways and then killing cancer cells more efficiently, or perhaps killing cancer cells. You can even prevent cancer from occurring,” she says.
“As these mechanisms have been tested over millions of years in the course of evolution, they are likely to become highly promising drugs,” she says.
Illustrations of two types of traboa, or sledge, which may be used by ancient people in North America
Gabriel Uguet
Drugmarks and human footprints, composed up to 22,000 years ago, have been found at several sites in White Sands National Park in New Mexico. These are thought to have been made by people pulling long pieces of wood stacked with goods, and are the earliest evidence of such activities.
This type of primitive vehicle is known as the trabore. “It’s basically a wheelless wheel.” Matthew Bennett He is a member of a team studying track at Bournemouth University in the UK.
They were widely used all over the world, but this is the oldest evidence of their use, says Bennett. “Nothing is this old.”
There are many ancient animal footprints in the ancient arid lake of White Sands, but in 2017, human footprints were discovered. In 2019, the team found a long drug mark in connection with human footprints.
“They happen in many different regions, so it was widespread,” Bennett says. “It’s not just an original family using travois.”
Some of the drag marks are made up of a single row. The team believes this was made by a trabore made up of two long wood joined in the form of a triangle. One end of each piece is held in one hand, but there is only a single point of contact on the ground.
The other drag marks consist of two parallel lines. These were probably the result of a trabore where two wood intersected in an x-shape, providing two handles and two ground contact points, which would have been more stable.
Drugmarks often pass through the footsteps of people who are supposed to be pulling a travoy, as expected. In some cases, there are parallel tracks with footprints (often children’s footprints), indicating that others are walking together.
Drag marks created by ancient vehicles in White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Bournemouth University
Elsewhere in the world, Trabois was often pulled by dogs and horses, says Bennett, but there is no evidence that white sand people used animals.
Footprint dates, Announced in 2021 challenging the traditional idea that humans did not move to America until the ice sheet began retreating about 15,000 years ago.
“The people in the US debate are very controversial, but we’re pretty confident about the date,” says Bennett. “The traditional story is that the ice sheets have parted ways and they have come, but you can go through before the door closes.” Another recent discovery is that humans have 33,000 years ago. It suggests that they may have reached the Americas.
Bennett says it’s very likely that there are tracks around the world that are not aware of what they are. In fact, he says his team has already discovered similar markings elsewhere in the US.
Artist's impression of the moon's Athena spaceship
NASA
This week, a private space mission was launched on the moon, aiming to reach the southernmost point we've ever visited on the moon. The Athena spacecraft, built by an intuitive US-based machine, will be released from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at 12:17am on February 27th (7:17pm on February 26th). It will be installed on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Also, several other missions hitch on the same rocket, including expeditions that mine asteroids.
The intuitive machine became the first private company to succeed on the moon last year when Odysseus' spacecraft landed near the moon's Antarctica. The spacecraft's instruments remained in operation, but Odysseus made a troublesome landing, flipped over, limiting the amount of data the equipment could collect, and shortening the mission.
The company hopes for a cleaner landing as Athena begins its descent towards the end of March. The planned landing site is near the highest mountain on the moon, the lunar mewton, about 60 kilometers from Antarctica, and Athena's attempts have become the most southern approach to date. If the ship is successful, it will start a moon night and operate for several weeks on par with the moon in a day before it loses power.
Athena carries over 10 musical instruments and missions from both NASA and other private companies. That's not all. The Falcon 9, the same one that fires Athena at the moon, also carries three unrelated spacecraft. These are asteroid-controlled spacecraft from space company Astroforge, and the first mission of this kind will investigate potential minable metal space rocks later this year. You can also map water to the moon along with NASA's lunar satellite aboard, looking for future landing sites. The third spacecraft, built by epic aerospace, is designed to help other satellites move between orbits.
Once Athena lands, NASA instruments will excavate up to 1 meter into the lunar soil to sample it, then look at water sediments and other chemicals. NASA would like to know if these will be present in sufficient quantities for future astronauts to be used as part of the Artemis Moon Landing, which is planned for the agency to be released in 2027. It's there.
Several small rovers will also be released near the landing site, including the plant pot-sized Yaokirovers of Japanese company Dimon. The heavier 10kg mobile autonomous exploration platform (MAPP), built by Space Company Lunar Outspost, explores and creates 3D maps of landing sites, testing how the 4G phone network built by Nokia works in a Lunar environment. Masu. Sitting on a mapp will be a much smaller, ant-sized robot built by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The intuitive machine deploys a suitcase-sized hopping robot called Grace. Grace runs a series of four hops, jumping into the air up to 100 meters, travelling a distance of about 200 meters until it lands in a deep, permanently shaded crater. Scientists have seen evidence that these areas do not get warmer than -170°C (-274°F), but have never been visited in person. Grace scans the bottom of this crater. This crater is scanned for about 45 minutes, about 20 meters below, before popping out again.
Biologists discovered a new species of the tree frog genus and redescribed another Litrea Living on the Australian continent.
Swirling wooden frog (Litrea Reverata). Image credit: Stephen Mahony.
Litrea The large genus of tree frogs native to Australia, including the Bismarck Islands, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, the Lesser Sunda Islands and the Moluccan Islands.
This genus contains approximately 100 species and belongs to the monomorphic subfamily liriinae within the family Perodridae family.
A newly discovered species named Eungella Whirring Frog (Litoria eungellensis) and lives only 20km2 The cool Montertaine temperature forests in Queensland's Enguera Mountains are above 900 m above sea level.
This frog is separated by several hundred km from its nearest relative.Litrea Kolbeni).
These two species survive only in isolated, cool, humid, high altitude environments, with few opportunities to shift their habitat as temperatures rise.
“The 'adapt or corruption' mantra does not apply equally to a species,” said Professor Michael Mahony of Newcastle University.
“The frogs are literally running out of space. They are nowhere to be left because the climate model is isolated on the summit to predict warm, dry conditions.”
Dr. Luke Price, a researcher at the Museum of South Australia, said:
“Wet tree frogs only occur in wet forest habitats, and therefore occupy the wet forest habitats interconnected along a large divisional range from northeastern New South Wales to Tablelands in Atherton. I'm sure he was. Current experience.”
“We're not talking about climate warming related to human influences or greenhouse effects, we're talking about much older changes related to continental movements and global meteorological distribution.”
Researchers have also revealed this Litoria eungellensis and Litrea KolbeniDespite its similar appearance, the bright mustard yellowish body with red spots hidden behind the legs – has evolved separately for at least 1.5 million years.
The subtle differences in mating calls and genetic analysis confirmed their distinct evolutionary pathways.
“Litoria eungellensis Currently, it holds the enviable title of one of Australia's top 10 frogs.
“Species that are limited to such small areas face immeasurable risks, from wildfires to pollution events. One catastrophic event has managed to wipe them out completely.”
“The observation that species are confined to isolated patches of high-altitude cool rainforest habitat suggests that they are already living at biological limits, and due to climate warming, species are in the form of a sinus. There's no place to enlarge or move around.”
“A similar situation occurs Litrea Kolbenibut it is slightly larger. ”
Both species meet the United Nations for conservation standards for listed as Critical at riskmainly due to their limited distribution and the increased threat of climate change.
“These frogs already live at biological limits,” Professor Mahoney said.
“Their survival depends on active conservation efforts, as there is no place to move.”
On the other hand, it's more broad Litrea Reverata It appears to be less threatened when seen in New South Wales and southeast Queensland.
But the obvious stability of Litrea Reverata His assessment of no formal surveillance of this kind and not threatened may be more so because it is based solely on observations from interested biologists and community scientists,” said Dr. Price. I did.
The findings highlight the urgent need to understand and mitigate the impact of climate change on vulnerable species.
“We need to realize that not all species can adapt quickly enough,” Professor Mahoney said.
“Target conservation and habitat protection are essential to prevent these unique frogs from disappearing forever.”
Survey results It will be displayed in the journal Zootaxa.
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Luke C. Price et al. 2025. Systematic evaluation of molecular genetic, morphological and acoustic variation reveals three species Litrea Reverata Complexes (Anal: Perodridae). Zootaxa 5584(3):301-338; doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5584.3.1
meet xingxiulong yueorum A new species of early extermination Zauropodmorph dinosaurs that lived in present-day China during the early Jurassic period.
Fossilized skeleton of xingxiulong yueorum. Image credit: Chinese Academy of Sciences.
xingxiulong yueorum It belongs to Masopoda A large group of Sauropodomorph dinosaurs described in 2007.
The new species is merely the second member of the previous monopolar genus. xingxiulong.
“xingxiulong yueorum It is distinguished from xingxiulong chengi By owning a pendant-shaped fourth trochanter with a distal end, an Astragalus with a rear almost straight dorsal margin, and a Pedalgiet V with two factors” Paleonanthropology and Chinese Academy of Sciences University, and colleagues.
Partial postcranial skeletal structure of xingxiulong yueorum It was discovered in 2015 near the city of Lufen in Yunnan Province, China.
“The Rufen Formation is one of the most important sedimentary units for understanding the evolution of early Jurassic sauropod dinosaurs,” the paleontologist said.
xingxiulong yueorum Estimated to reach lengths of 8-10 m (26-33 feet) – twice the size xingxiulong chengi.
“Both of both species xingxiulong There are usually four sacral vertebrae associated with delayed sauropods and sauropods, suggesting a complex early evolution of sauropods,” the researchers said.
According to the team, the discovery xingxiulong yueorum Adds diversity of Sauropodomorph dinosaurs from the Lufeng Formation.
“This finding contributes to an understanding of the complex patterns that characterize the early evolution of Asian sauropods,” the authors concluded.
Their paper It was published in the journal on February 3, 2025 Historical Biology.
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Xiang-Yuan Chen et al. New species of xingxiulong (Dinosaur, Sauropodmorpha) from the lower Rufen Formation in the Jurassic region of Yunnan Province, China. Historical BiologyPublished online on February 3, 2025. doi:10.1080/08912963.2025.2458130
The conditioner for the black hair on the left comes from the wooden powder on the right
Feng Shui King/Stockholm University
This sustainable wood-based hair conditioner may smell pure white and peat-like, but its creators suggest that the tests may work similarly to commercial products. They claim that it could become a future for hair care.
“We use the power of nature.” Ievgen Pylypchuk At Stockholm University in Sweden. “We combine high-level science with old traditions… [to] Get something really cool: simple, convenient, and very effective. ”
Pylypchuk and his colleagues used lignin, a polymer, a central component of wood and bark, as a starting point for bio-based conditioners. When extracted from wood, lignin naturally interacts with waterIt also functions as a surfactant, but is an important ingredient in surfactants. It also contains natural antioxidants that help preserve the conditioner, providing UV protection, says Pylypchuk. “In this context, lignin functions as a multifunctional platform,” he says. “It protects against UV rays and keeps you moisturized.”
The researchers combined lab-developed ligning gel with coconut oil and water to create the final product. Team Members Mika ShipponenStockholm University also claims it works much the same as commercial conditioners. When used with moist bleached human hair samples and then washed away, combing hair while 13% moisturizing reduces the “drag” and resists, compared to the commercial products tested. has decreased by 20%.
One potential drawback is that the current formula of conditioners is “pain black” and smells like “cooked wood” that resembles peat, Shipponen says. It does not prevent researchers from pondering its commercialization. They say they test hair, towels and pig skin formulas and wash them off without leaving any dirt. Even the smell is very comfortable, says Pylypchuk. “I personally liked it so much, and most of the people in our lab – maybe because they work with Lignin – they liked it.”
Pylypchuk and Sipponen There is a patent We hope that ligningel and conditioners will become consumer products, offering people a more sustainable alternative to current products that rely on ingredients derived from fossil fuels. They say the next step is to see if it causes irritation to the eyes and skin prior to the trials of living hair.
However, American cosmetics researchersTrefor Evans, Previously, he was at the Textile Research Institute in Princeton, New Jersey, where he questioned how well his products would work compared to his commercial rivals. “I've been doing these experiments for 30 years, and traditional conditioner products reduce the power of the comb by 80%, perhaps 90%,” he says. Shipponen believes that variations in hair testing methods and condition during analysis can explain whether his team was reduced by only 20% of commercial conditioners.
The appearance and unusual smell of wood-based conditioners may drive away consumers, Evans says. “Patent literature is absolutely packed with stuff. “And the reason is that you don't just need effectiveness. What you really need is aesthetics for consumers to buy it.” ”
So, will a black, lush, environmentally friendly conditioner be a hit with consumers? “It sounds a bit like a starter,” Evans says.
NASA/Magdalena Ridge 2.4M Telescope/New Mexico Institute of Technology/Ryan
The world’s space agency has reduced the chance that asteroid 2024 YR4 will affect Earth by less than 1%. This strongly suggests that potentially catastrophic conflicts will be avoided. However, the asteroid probably passes very extraordinarily close to our planet, giving astronomers a rare opportunity to observe the asteroid in close proximity.
“We don’t expect the impact probability above 1% will exceed 1% in 2032 due to our close approach with the Earth,” he says. Richard Moisle With the European Space Agency (ESA). “The most likely further development is a further reduction in impact probability, perhaps even dropping to zero.”
The alarm last December regarding the asteroid 2024 YR4 was first raised in December last year, when it discovered it could be on Earth’s collision course in 2032. It looks like it’s 40-90 meters wide and can produce a fatal explosion if attacked by a city. Over the next few weeks, global telescopes and space agencies have closely tracked their orbits, honing their future paths more accurately. On February 17th, we reached our highest shock risk with one in 32nd chance, but in the next few days this reduced to a 67th or 1.5% risk.
On February 20th, new observations led to a sudden downgrade of this risk, with NASA having a 0.27% impact chance of 1-in-360, and ESA having a 0.16%, or 1-in-in-in- in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in-in- in-ine 625. These ratings placed it at 1 on a 10-point Turin scale used to evaluate the hazards brought about by such objects. That score has decreased from 3. So, 2024 YR4 is now considered one of many low-risk asteroids discovered each year, but ultimately misses Earth.
I say this is good news Gareth Collins At Imperial College in London, asteroids still serve as a dry run for planetary defense systems and scientific purposes. “This still makes for an epic, close approach. If the risk of a hit was so high, it must be close to us,” he says.
Space companies that were sketching possible schemes to deflect NASA, ESA and asteroids, say they will likely continue their plans. Niklas Voight At OHB, a German space company. Voigt and his team were beginning to think about the mission to deflect the 2024 YR4, but the new risks won’t change that, he says. “The risk has decreased, but for the time being, we are still working on the topic.”
A close approach could be a good opportunity to test its ability to deflect asteroids, says Voigt – the only previous attempt to do this was NASA’s DART mission, the 160m in 2022 The asteroid-shaped trajectory of the . Satellites can be constructed to send to the 2024 YR4, he says, as well as the ESA’s Ramses satellite, to travel to observe the asteroid Apophis, passing near Earth in 2029. It is set to do so.
The final decision on what to do about YR4 2024 will likely not be made until the planned observation in March using James Webb Space Telescope. Not only does it collect orbital data, it also helps to better assess the size and composition of the asteroid. That information will be provided to the UN Assisted Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, which will determine the best action around the end of April. “These are very useful exercises to find a pinch point to make a decision, as you have time to do something wise in advance,” Collins says. “Absolutely, these committees are still meeting, but they’re probably less stressful.”
The possibility of an Earth shock has plummeted, but the risk of a YR4 collision with the moon in 2024 rose from 0.3% to 1.2%. “There’s a clear possibility that those numbers will rise even further,” says Moissl. “The exact impact of the effects of the moon from objects of this size is still under evaluation.”
The response to this object is also a useful rehearsal for other asteroids of concern, Collins says. “We want to avoid screams in the future, as the public is used to this threat, thinking, ‘Oh, that’s never going to happen.’ ”
DNA can store digital data such as visual and audio files
Science Picture Co / Alamy
Artificial intelligence can read data stored in DNA strands within 10 minutes, not the day required for previous methods, and DNA storage approaches practical use of computing.
“DNA stores huge amounts of data in a very compact form and remains intact for thousands of years.” Daniella Bar-Lev At the University of California, San Diego. “In addition, DNA is naturally replicable and offers a unique advantage for long-term data storage.”
However, getting encoded information within DNA is a monumental challenge as the strands become confused when mixed and stored. During the data encoding process, individual strands may be replicated incompletely, and some fragments may be lost completely. As a result, data readings stored in DNA are similar to reconstructing books from boxes filled with pages that go beyond the finest, varied.
“The traditional methods suffer from this confusion and require several days of processing,” says Bar-Lev. The new approach “rationalizes this with AI trained to find patterns of noise,” she says.
Bar-Lev and her colleagues developed an AI-driven method called DNAFormer. The system includes a deep learning AI model trained to reconstruct DNA sequences, another computer algorithm to identify and correct errors, and a third decoding that brings everything back to digital data while correcting any remaining mistakes. Includes algorithms.
In experiments, DNAFormer can read 100 megabytes of DNA storage data 90 times faster than the next fastest method developed with traditional rules-based computing algorithms, while achieving better or equivalent accuracy. I did. The decoded data included colored images of the test tube, a 24-second audio clip from astronaut Neil Armstrong's famous Moonlanding speech, and text on why DNA is a promising data storage medium .
The team says they plan to develop a version of DNAFormer tailored to new technologies for encoding data into DNA. Omar Savery Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.
“Crucially, our approach doesn't rely specifically on us. [DNA] Synthesis or sequencing methods can be adapted to future, still undeveloped technologies that are more commercially viable,” he says.
Tribal palm trees Trachycarpeae Fossilization analysis shows that it once flourished in Axiang Canada Phytris – Microscopic siliceous structures produced in specific tissues in many plant families – from the territory of the northwestern Canada.
Palm plant stones from the Eocene Giraffe Region (AQ) and modern plant stones extracted from Coryphoid Palm leaves Trachycarpus Fortunei. Image credit: Siver et al. , doi: 10.1093/aob/mcaf021.
“The palm is a monocot flowering plant of the Arecaceae family distributed primarily to tropical and subtropical regions around the world,” the University of Connecticut said. Professor Peter Siver And his colleague.
“It's a large family, with a particularly high variety of species, especially in Central and South America and Southeast Asia.”
“In general, the palms thrive in warm, wet conditions, so the majority of the species are found in rainforests.”
“There are significantly fewer species found in both Southern Europe and the southern regions of the United States, and families are completely lacking in more north latitudes.”
“In the southeastern US subtropical area, the palm is largely restricted to state coastal areas along the Gulf of Mexico, and some inland along the Atlantic coast that stretches north along Florida. It's growing to Tennessee.”
“The majority of the palms are found in climates marked with both high average annual temperatures and high average annual rainfall, but several species can be found under cool, dry conditions.”
Professor Siver and co-authors discovered fossilized plant matter from a tree in Trachycarpeae in ancient lakebed sediments extracted from the area of the Giraffin Balite Pipe in Canada's northwest territory.
Four aquatic organisms, largely restricted to today's warm subtropical and tropical regions, were also found in the same sediments.
These 48 million years ago (early Eocene) fossils exhibit much warmer climates than previously thought, challenging the challenge of ice that first formed in the Northern Hemisphere.
“This discovery of palm fossils in the north provides clear evidence that the Arctic Circle was once iceless and has a climate similar to today's subtropical climate,” Professor Shiver said.
“These findings provide a window into past greenhouse conditions and help refine models to predict future climate change.”
In addition to confirming records of the northernmost palms during this period, the authors established that this evolutionary characteristic appeared in the early Eocene: linear arrays of plant matter in palm leaves., Fossilized Stegmata – Fossilized Stegmata were also recorded.
The presence of multiple warm, adaptive aquatic species further strengthens the support of this prehistoric Arctic region's lush, temperate ecosystem.
“Our research contributes to a broader understanding of the extent and timing of ice formation in the Earth's climate history, particularly during the Cenozoic era,” the researchers said.
“Restructuring these past environments will give scientists valuable insight into how ecosystems respond to long-term climate change.”
Survey results It will be displayed in the journal The Anniversary of Botany.
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Peter A. Shiver et al. Palmphytris in sub-Western Canada means ice-free winter in the late Eocene period 48 million years ago. The Anniversary of BotanyPublished online on February 10th, 2025. doi:10.1093/aob/mcaf021
This supernova event may have occurred at the Upper Centaurus Lupus Society. This is a group of giant stars about 457 light years away from Earth.
Illustration of an exoplanet like Earth after X-ray radiation exposure. Image credit: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss.
Life on Earth is constantly evolving under continuous exposure to ionizing radiation from both terrestrial and cosmic origins.
The radioactivity in the bedrock gradually decreases over timescales of billions of years, but the level of cosmic radiation fluctuates as the solar system moves through the Milky Way.
Nearby supernova activity could increase the level of radiation on the Earth’s surface by several orders of magnitude, which is expected to have a major impact on the evolution of life.
In particular, radiation levels improve as the solar system passes near a large group of stars known as the OB Association.
The winds associated with these large star factories are expected to inflate the super bubbles of high temperature plasma first. This could be the birthplace of most of the Core Collapse explosions taking place within the AB Association.
The solar system entered such a super bubble, commonly known as the local bubble, about 6 million years ago, and is now close to its centre.
“The Earth entered the local bubble and passed its stardust-rich appearance about 6.5 million years ago, sowing the planet with old iron 60, the radioactive iron of iron produced by the exploding stars. did it,” astronomer Santa Cruz, and colleagues at the University of California.
“Then, 20-3 million years ago, one of our neighboring stars exploded with incredible force, providing another cohort of radioactive iron to the planet.”
When Nojiri and her co-authors simulated what the supernova looked like, they discovered that it hammered the Earth with cosmic rays for 100,000 years of explosion.
This model perfectly described previously recorded spikes of radiation that shocked the Earth around that time.
“We’ve seen from other papers that radiation can damage DNA,” Nojiri said.
“It could be an evolutionary change in the cell or an accelerated mutation.”
Meanwhile, the author came across research into viral diversity in one of the Rift Valley Lakes in Africa.
“I can’t say they’re connected, but there are similar time frames,” Nojiri said.
“We found it interesting that the virus’s diversification is increasing.”
study It was published in Astrophysics Journal Letter.
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Caitlyn Nojiri et al. 2025. Bubble Life: How nearby supernova left short-lived marks on the cosmic ray spectrum, leaving an indelible trace of life. apjl 979, L18; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ADA27A
According to a new study led by scientists at the University of Barcelona and Alcala, the bottleneck event took place between 130,000 and 50,000 years ago.
Neanderthal. Image credit: Trustee of the Museum of Natural History in London.
“Neanderthals are the most well-written humans in the fossil record in terms of morphology, genetics, behavior and culture,” said Dr. Alessandro Urciori, a colleague of a University of Barcelona.
“Recent molecular clock-based analyses, along with Denisovan, have divergences from 765,000-550,000 years old or older human lineages based on morphological data.”
“The Neanderthal lineage was differentiated soon after, and is testified by genetic and morphological evidence from the Simah delos Hussians of the Middle Pleistocene, which was previously thought to be expressed. . HOMO HEIDELBERGENSIS And now it is considered the early population of the Neanderthal lineage. ”
“Genetic divergence times are now well established for the entire clade, but also include relationships with the medieval Pleistocene populations of Europe, the medieval and late Pleistocene Neanderthal populations, and the evolution of the complete. There is a continuing debate over the connected evolutionary processes” Classic Neanderthal “Form of the late Neanderthal.”
“This is due to the mosaic form of the intermediate Pleistocene specimen, which is claimed to have evolved by the Neanderthals.”
In this study, the researchers measured the morphological diversity of semicircular canals, the structure of the inner ear that caused sense of balance.
They focus on two exceptional collections of fossils. One is from the site of Sima de los Husos in Spain, and dates 430,000 years old, making up the largest sample of pre-production available in the fossil record. Another location 130,000 to 120,000 years ago in Krapina, Croatia.
They calculated the amount of morphological diversity (i.e., disparity) in the semicircular canals in both samples, compared them to one another, and compared them with classic Neanderthal samples of different ages and geographical origins. .
The findings show that the morphological diversity of the semicircular canals of classical Neanderthals is clearly lower than the diversity of early Neanderthal morphologies before the Nianderthals, consistent with previous palaeogenesis results. It is revealed.
“The inclusion of fossils from a wide range of geographical and temporal ranges allowed us to capture a comprehensive photograph of the evolution of Neanderthal,” said Dr. Mercedes Conde Valvade, a researcher at Alcala University. .
“The reduced diversity observed between Krapina samples and classic Neanderthals is particularly impressive and clear, providing strong evidence of bottleneck events.”
“The results, on the other hand, challenge the previously accepted idea that Neanderthal origins are associated with a significant loss of genetic diversity and encourage the need to propose a new explanation of their origins.”
“We were surprised that pre-Neanderthal people in Sima de los Husos exhibited similar morphological diversity as early Neanderthals in Krapina,” Dr. Urshuuori said.
a paper The findings were published in the journal Natural Communication.
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A. Urushiuori et al. 2025. A semicircular canal that sheds light on bottleneck events in the evolution of the Neanderthal clade. Nut commune 16, 972; doi:10.1038/s41467-025-56155-8
In the quest for clean energy and a shift away from fossil fuels, scientists may have uncovered new sources of power, potentially hidden in our mountains. A team of researchers from Germany has identified a vast reservoir of hydrogen gas, generated by rocks formed millions of years ago, through advanced simulations.
This discovery is significant as hydrogen (H2) as a power source does not emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, making it a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. Additionally, the production of hydrogen results in water instead of harmful emissions. However, the challenge lies in the fact that natural hydrogen production is rare, with the current synthetic production relying on fossil fuels.
The main hurdle in hydrogen production is sourcing it naturally. While geological processes can generate natural hydrogen without the need for fossil fuels, the availability of large accessible reserves remains uncertain. The recent study conducted by German researchers could potentially address this issue.
“We may be on the brink of a new era in natural hydrogen exploration,” said Dr. Frank Zworn, the lead author of the study published in the journal Advances in Science. “This could pave the way for a new natural hydrogen industry.”
Researchers at the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences in Germany utilized simulations of plate tectonic processes to identify a substantial reserve of natural hydrogen.
Natural hydrogen can be generated through various methods, such as bacterial transformation of organic matter or the splitting of water molecules due to radioactivity in the Earth’s crust. However, one of the most promising natural methods involves a geological process known as “serpentinization,” where rocks from the Earth’s mantle react with water to release H2 gas.
According to researchers, when these hydrogen-rich rocks are situated near the Earth’s surface, they can create potential zones for large-scale hydrogen production via excavation. These rocks are brought closer to the surface through processes such as continental rifting and mountain formation over millions of years.
As the crustal plates collide and create mountains, deep mantle rocks push up to the surface of the Earth. ‘Hot spots’ of hydrogen gas were identified where these rocks surfaced. – Image credit: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 USGS/ESEU Frankswaan edition, GFZ
By analyzing two processes, researchers determined that mountain formation offers ideal conditions for hydrogen generation. The combination of cold environments in mountains and increased water circulation could enhance hydrogen levels significantly. Simulations showed that rocks emerging through mountain formations have 20 times the hydrogen capacity compared to those brought to the surface via continental rifting.
Signs of natural hydrogen production have already been observed in mountainous regions such as the Pyrenees, European Alps, and Balkans. The research team anticipates that their findings will inspire further exploration of natural hydrogen in these areas and other mountainous regions.
Professor Sasha Brune, the head of the geodynamic modeling section at GFZ, emphasized the economic prospects tied to natural hydrogen. He stated, “It is now crucial to delve deeper into the migration pathways of microbial ecosystems that consume hydrogen, both shallow and deep, and to gain a better understanding of where potential hydrogen reservoirs can be formed.”
The artist's impression of what asteroid 2024 YR4 looks like as they approached Earth in December 2032
NASA
NASA downgraded the risk that the 2024 YR4 would hit the planet by 1.5% in 2032. 1-in-67from the height of a 1-in-32 The chance was the best odds ever.
Astronomers discovered that an asteroid was slamming barrels towards Earth in December, and that has since been the focus of telescopes and space agencies around the world. As they collected more data on the exact orbit of the asteroid, astronomers were able to calculate the likelihood of hitting Earth more accurately. The asteroid is thought to be between 40 and 90 meters wide and can release energy equivalent to TNT's 7.7 megatonnes.
According to NASA, the likelihood of a 2032 collision has increased from a coincidence of one-third since it was first discovered. It then moved to 1/67, 1/53, 1/53, 1/53, 1-in-43, 1-in-38, 1-in-32, and now it's 1/67 I did. The European Space Agency has slightly different odds, Currently giving asteroids a 1.38% chance of collision. These changes reflect an increasing understanding of the asteroid path, meaning they may not necessarily impact Earth.
But we are running out of time to predict the risks of asteroids. One problem is that the 2024 YR4 flies behind the sun in April and goes outside from most Earth-based telescope views. It says it limits the amount that astronomers can narrow down their predictions. Hugh Lewis At the University of Southampton, England. That doesn't necessarily mean it's going down before April. It could continue to rise, but in the end I still miss us. ”
Once the asteroid pops out of sight, it is rare to get any more information before it comes back into view in 2028. However, astronomers can look at past data to reveal previously overlooked asteroid observations. Trajectory. The process is already being carried out by the world's space agencies, Lewis says.
We hope that important information about the size and composition of the asteroid will be collected by James Webb's Space Telescope in the coming months, Lewis says. This helps us understand whether an asteroid can make it intact through Earth's atmosphere and whether it can cause an impact or not.
“It helps us to determine what we need to do about it because if it's a stone asteroid, it's a very different proportion of iron metal asteroids,” Lewis said. I say it. Stone-rich asteroids will be even worse as stone-like asteroids potentially split during impact. “Mass makes a huge difference in terms of whether energy and the atmosphere affects it.”
Mouse tends to become an unconscious peer by pulling its tongue
Wenjian Sun et al. 2025
When they unconsciously find another mouse, it appears that some mice are trying to revive their companions by stepping into them and biting them and pulling their tongues aside to clean their airways. This finding suggests that caregiving behavior may be more common in animal kingdoms than we thought.
now, Lee Chang The University of Southern California (USC) and his colleagues filmed what happened when they introduced a familiar cagemate who was active or anesthetized and unresponsive to a laboratory mouse.
In a series of tests, on average, animals spent about 47% of the 13-minute observation window to interact with their unconscious partners, showing three different behaviors.
“They start with sniffing, then grooming, and very intensive or physical interactions,” says Zhang. “They really open their mouths and pull out their tongues.”
These more physical interactions included licking the eyes and chewing on the area of the mouth. After focusing on the mouth, the mice pulled the tongue of their unresponsive partner in more than 50% of cases.
In another test, the researchers gently placed a non-toxic plastic ball in the mouth of an unconscious mouse. In 80% of cases, the support mouse successfully removed the object.
“If you extend the observation window, your success rate can be even higher,” says team members. Huizhong Taoeven at USC.
The awakened mouse began walking again earlier than it was unharmed for the mouse. Then, as their responsibility moved and responded, the caregiver’s mouse slowed down and stopped the caregiving behavior.
Additionally, caregiver mice spent more time when they were familiar with unconscious mice than they had previously met.
Restoration behavior is not an analog of CPR that requires specialized training, Zhang says. It’s like awakening someone using a strong smelly salt or slapping, or doing basic first aid so that the unconscious person can breathe. It is also important during surgery to place the tongue of anesthetized patients to prevent airway blockage, he says.
Zhang and his colleagues found that behavior is driven by oxytocin-releasing neurons in the amygdala and hypothalamic regions of the brain. The hormone oxytocin is involved in other compassionate behaviors in a wide range of vertebrate species.
“I have never observed these types of behavior when I run experiments in the lab, but have never left a recovery animal with my partner until I have fully awakened.” Christina Marquez at the Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Coimbra, Portugal. “The fact that three independent labs observe similar behaviors indicates that this is a robust finding, but we are observing what we observe in nonhuman species; We really need to be aware that we personify too many things that result from intentions that go beyond what is observed.”
Zhang and his colleagues believe that the behavior is innate, not learned. This is because all animals tested were only 2-3 months old and never saw this behavior or anesthetized cage companions.
He suggests that such instinctive behavior plays a role in strengthening group cohesion and may be more widespread among social animals than we have seen.
It may be difficult to see this behavior in wild mice, says Marquez. “Mouses are often prey animals that do not live in large groups, so they usually hide very well from us. However [the fact] That we haven’t seen it doesn’t mean they don’t do it. ”
Musk referred to Mogensen as an “idiot” and used a light pejorative term that escalated quickly.
“SpaceX could have brought them back a few months ago.” The tweet was posted. “I presented this directly to the Biden administration, and they rejected it. The return was delayed for political reasons. Idiot.”
Mogensen, who shuttled between the space station on a SpaceX rocket and capsule, replied 13 minutes later, acknowledging Musk’s earlier praise for his work with SpaceX.
“Like me, you know that Butch and Suni are back with Crew-9, just like me, as planned since September last year.” He mentioned in another tweet about NASA’s plan to bring Willmore and Williams back to Earth alongside two current space station crews. “Even now, you haven’t sent a rescue ship to bring them back. They’ve returned to the Dragon Capsules they’ve been working on with the ISS since September last year.”
Mogensen was the commander of the Space Station from September 2023 to March 2024, continuing to be stationed at his recent orbital post.
Neither the White House nor NASA immediately responded to requests for comment.
Former Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who led the space station in 2013, also reiterated his initial comment on X on February 14th.
“Suni and Butch have never been ‘stuck’ in space,” Hadfield stated. “They are well-prepared and dedicated to their missions, like all professional astronauts. Leading the Space Station Commander is Suni, and they are onboard spacecraft working diligently on behalf of NASA and all their partners. I commend their dedication.”
Spatt’s role as one of Trump’s top political advisers has raised new questions about his tendency to disseminate false and misleading information. Musk has also recently spread several misleading claims regarding fraud and spending within the US government.
Wilmore and Williams were launched on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2024 to the International Space Station, intending to spend about a week as part of their test flight.
However, the capsule encountered several issues and was forced to prolong its stay at the space station. Ultimately, NASA decided to return the Starliner to Earth in September.
Elon Musk in Washington on February 13th. Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Under the Biden administration, NASA has requested SpaceX to bring Willmore and Williams back to Earth. Their return, initially set for this month, was postponed to late March. NASA cited the need to “finalize” the new SpaceX spacecraft that will transport four new crews to the space station.
This flight, called Crew-10, is scheduled to carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nicole Ayers, Russian astronaut Kiril Peskov, and Japanese astronaut Onishi to the space station.
Upon their arrival, Wilmore and Williams will depart the station in another Dragon capsule, alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Alexander Golbunov.
Typically, incoming crews overlap with outgoing ones during handover periods, allowing astronauts to exchange information about ongoing experiments, maintenance tasks, and other protocols.
Musk also reiterated on Thursday. He suggested that the space station should be deorbited, proposing a timeline of two years instead of NASA’s plan to deorbit the facility by 2030.
“It has served its purpose. There are limited further utilities,” he stated. “Let’s aim for Mars.”
Astronomers investigate the possibilities of life around other stars, primarily by focusing on the distance that exoplanets orbit them. If the exoplanet is close enough to the star, all its water is not frozen and far away The water has not evaporated and does not peel offit is said to be within Residence zone. Many other factors, including the presence of planets, can determine how much life is likely to appear on a planet. A planet like Jupiter That system or a Big Moon By orbiting it, the researchers agree that the habitable zone is the need for a baseline.
One team of astronomers investigated one of these other aspects of livability. It is a danger around the stars around which the exoplanets are in habitable zones. Most stars are far enough apart so they do not directly interfere with their neighbor's planets. However, given time, adjacent stars can cause problems for those living in the stellar system.
The size of the sun can pull each other's planets with gravity if they pass each other within 20 billion miles of the Earth's distance, or 200 times the distance within 30 billion miles or 30 billion kilometers. these Flybys They may drag out exoplanets from their respective habitable zones or throw them entirely out of the star system! Up to 200 trillion miles or 300 trillion kilometers, also known as 10 PulsecStars that are more than eight times the mass of the sun die in an explosion called an explosion Supernova It can immerse nearby planetary systems with enough x-rays and gamma rays to destroy the atmosphere, deplete the ozone layer, and potentially wipe out all living things.
To assess the risks of these events, this team analyzed data from GAIA Data Release 3 and Hipparcos A catalogue containing 146 known star systems with planets in habitable zones. Of these 146 star systems, only 84 closest to the Sun, within 220 parsecs, quarter mile, or seventh quarter kilometers, within the range of uncertainty of 10 parsecs. There is an adjacent star measured at. By focusing on these 84, teams can best assess the true risks of the disappearing level of events facing these systems.
To assess the risk of Flybys, they used an equation to estimate the number of interstellar interstellar path encounters based on the radius of the star system. Movement. They have plugged data related to each of the 84 stars into their Python programs, and found that they are likely to pass with another star within the next 5 billion years. The team supports the general hypothesis that the general hypothesis that fewer adjacent stars are likely to support life, as this example comes from the star with the most neighbors in the entire set. I've explained it.
To assess the risk of supernova, they identified other stars within 10 parsecs of 84 star systems and used their brightness and temperature to calculate mass. For any star that is more than eight times the mass of the Sun, they calculated that the supernova will immerse any planet within this 10 parsecs range with the 100 billion times that the radiation Earth receives from the Sun. They discovered that only two of the 84 stars they tested have large adjacent stars within 10 parsecs, but other scientists say that up to 20 parsecs are He admitted that it suggested that it could be too close to remain still unharmed.
Overall, the team concluded that the risk of extinction-level events caused by adjacent stars facing known habitable zone planets. However, they warned that the current astronomical catalogue was incomplete. In other words, their calculations should be viewed as a low-end estimate of the real risks faced by potential alien lives. They suggested that deep future research could improve estimates of the risks faced by living in these systems and help to expand the number of systems where researchers can perform similar risk analyses.
We've all seen it frequently in science fiction films, so the concept seems completely plausible. Characters enter commands, and spacecraft reverse speed, jump to hyperspace, and create wormholes through space and time.
Whatever the terminology, the outcome is always the same. They fly through fictional universes faster than the speed of light, so travel between star systems is not only possible, but practical.
But in the real universe we live in, a huge barrier appears to forbid this. According to Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity, it cannot travel faster than light.
The light travels at an incredible speed of approximately 3 x 108 meters per second. This means that when you look at the universe, you won't see the heavenly objects as they are currently appearing. You can see how light from them first emerged when they departed across the universe.
Within the solar system, these delays are relatively short. For example, it takes only one second of sunlight to bounce off the surface of the moon and reach the Earth, but it takes eight minutes to cover the distance between the sun and our world.
Due to the enormous distance from us, if the sun suddenly disappears, you won't notice until 8 minutes later – Photo Credit: Getty
The more visible the longer the delay, which gives rise to the light-year concept as a measure of distance. Our closest star, Proxima Centauri, is about 4.25 light years away. In other words, it takes 4.25 years to get there from there. Therefore, the stars are not as they are now, and look like 4.25 years ago.
Beyond the vast expanse of the universe, distance is ultimately measured in billions of light years. This is what makes cosmology possible. The more we see the universe, the older the objects we see, and we can diagrammaticize today's evolution into stars and galaxies.
But if you can travel there and see what those objects look like now, wouldn't that be great?
Having a warp drive may sound like it, but it has some pretty weird results. For one thing, it would ruin the notion of causality.
Causality is our common sense perception that precedes effectiveness. But if you saw a faster spaceship trip towards you, you will see the ship in two places at once. The light carrying information about the ship's departure would not have reached the eye before the ship could be seen along the way.
Worse, the mathematics of relativity shows that if the speed exceeds the speed of light, literally time travel is possible.
This creates a full-scale causal paradox such as the famous “grandfather's paradox.” And how does it work – will you just no longer exist?
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Negative energy inside
At first glance, Einstein's theory appears to protect us from such head-envelope challenges, as it appears to make it impossible to move faster than light. Masu.
According to the equation, the energy required to accelerate the ship to such a speed is infinite. However, researchers then began to look at mathematics in more detail.
A general theory of relativity – Einstein's extension of his special relativity – he proposes that the universe is made of adaptive fabrics called the space-time continuum, and he uses gravity to make this fabric I explained that it was distorted.
Who knows if tachyons exist, but if so, the theory suggests that it travels faster than light. – Image credits: Science Photography Library
1994, Physicist Dr. Miguel Alcubière At the University of Wales, and at Cardiff, we showed that solutions exist within the theory of general relativity that can be interpreted as warp drives. The problem was that it requires an exotic substance known as “negative energy” to make it work.
Astronomers have toyed using the concept of negative energy to explain why the universe appears to be accelerating, but with an understanding of physics, matter is comfortable to exist It cannot be done.
Then in May 2024, A group of researchers reexamined mathematics We will use only the types of particles and energy that make up the planet and people to see if the Alkbiere Warp phenomenon can be generated.
Their conclusion: Yes, they did. Dr. Jared Fuchs And colleagues at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, USA, discovered that they could arrange for normal material and energy to create warp phenomena and transport people through space. But there was a catch: they could only make it work at sub-light speed.
“It takes a lot of energy to make small changes to the space,” Fuchs says. To move the passenger seat, the size of a small room requires a small house-sized “warp bubble” for the size of a small room. And to make it, you need to narrow the mass of Jupiter several times. It becomes the volume that is the size of a small asteroid.
“now, [is that] Is it possible? perhaps. [Is it] Practical? I wouldn't say that,” says Fuchs. Even if it was possible to create such a device, the old boundaries still exist. To accelerate faster than the speed of light, you need an infinite amount of energy.
“We will not resolve the future of rapid transportation like Star Trek,” admits Fuchs.
Trouble with Tachon
Other researchers have conducted their own research into relativity. Professor Andrzej Dragan Collaborators at the University of Warsaw in Poland decided to consider possible solutions within the equation of particles that travel faster than light.
Physicists have previously messed with such concepts. They even called such virtual particles “tachyons,” but essentially considered them more than mathematical curiosity. However, Dragan and her colleagues found an equation explaining Tachyon's behavior.
“Mathematically, they make perfect sense,” says Dragan. In other words, our familiar world of secondary particle particles could coexist with the upper heart family of the second family, the tachyon.
Unfortunately, this does not mean that spacecraft can speed faster than light. To do that, Dragan explains that it requires the infinite energy that Einstein predicted, as well as the infinite energy to slow the Tachyon down to a sub-blue-minal speed.
“You can't exceed the speed of light in either direction,” says Dragan.
Nevertheless, the study We have proposed some fascinating results that may explain some of the most inexplicable observations physicists are working on.
When dealing with Tachon, Dragan and his colleagues encountered the causal issues they had been expecting. But the more I looked into these details, the more I realized that something surprising was happening. The strict lack of causes and effects was very similar to the behavior of normal, everyday subatomic particles.
The theory of relativity explains the behavior of the universe at its largest scale, while quantum theory describes the subatomic domain as a very different location.
Quantum theory introduces probability into particle interactions. For example, we know that an atom can absorb photons of light and at some stage it will re-emit that photon, but we cannot predict when or in which direction it will take.
In other words, the exact cause is hidden from us, and all we have left is an observable effect. Dragan suggests that when tachyon interacts with normal substances, the outcome of that interaction is unpredictable – like the emission of photons.
So, while these latest ideas do not seem to open a route to practical warp drives, they may only show a deeper look at the nature of the cosmos and the origins of quantum behavior.
About our experts
Dr. Jared Fuchs He is the CEO of Celedon Solutions Inc. and works in the Faculty of Physics at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, USA. His work has been published Classical and quantum gravity.
Professor Andrzej Dragan He is a filmmaker and professor of physics at the University of Warsaw in Poland, and a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore. His work has been published Physical review, Classic and Quatnam Gravity and New Journal of Physics.
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Feedback is the latest science and technology news of new scientists, the sidelines of the latest science and technology news. You can email Feedback@newscientist.com to send items you believe readers can be fascinated by feedback.
It’s solved! or not
Feedback likes true crime as much as the next pathologically curious ghoul, so toe to the well of speculation about Whitechapel murders from 1888-91 and almost God’s Jack the Ryper I soaked it occasionally. Frankly, we weren’t far ahead of Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell. From hellwhich links the murders (spoilers!) to British institutions and Freemasonry. However, the field of “Ripperology” goes far beyond one quirky graphic novel.
It all depends on shawls that appear to have belonged to Edows. Edows was gathered by police officers at the time and remained in his family for over a century. The shawl came to auction in 2007 and was purchased by a lippelologist Russell Edwards. He arranged for shawl to have a DNA test; result It was released in 2019. Get it by geneticists Jari Louhelainen and David Miller Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) From the two of them. There is a genetic marker that is common to Karen Miller, suggesting that it came from Edows. The other matched with the distant relative of Aaron Kosminski, the barber who was the suspect at the time of the murder.
Feedback will definitely ring this story forever, but we want to add something – not one of the latest news articles. We looked at the 2019 survey and found that the editor added “.Expression of concern“August 2024.
It refers to the letter to the editor, “concerns raised by third parties after publication.” And then the bomb comes. “During the investigation, the publishers and editors made every effort to obtain the original raw data from MtDNA analysis from the authors. However, the authors have been advised that due to device data failures and other complications. He said the data is no longer available.”
Yes, you read it correctly – the evidence of important mtDNA can never be verified because the author lost it. Perhaps Moore was right about evil mental powers after all.
The author argues that romantic love is “a means to the end of what feels important and valuable.” Feedback isn’t sure about it, but let’s try it. This leads them to a “multiplied three-factor model” that determines the “possibility of an actor falling in love with his partner.”
Specifically, “Love for a partner depends on the actor’s perception that (1) the partner has merit traits. These two factors are the actor’s exploration of the importance of the actor. Suppose the size and multiple combinations will determine the likelihood that an actor will be engrossed in his partner.”
In other words, the chances you might fall for someone are to find out how good they think they are, how grateful they think you are, and how you find the meaning of your life It’s a combination of how much you care about.
Feedback tried to extrapolate this to dating advice. If the amount of gratitude you show to your partner is a predictor of whether they will fall into you, if you show to your partner, if you show to your partner, then if you show to your partner, then the person will be Frequent suggestions that you should play hard seem counterproductive. Instead, they tend to fall in love, so it seems a good idea to find a partner who is desperately exploring the importance of life. However, this may have its own drawbacks. In particular, such partners may join the cult.
Good luck.
bite that hand
With news editor Jacob Aron Financial TimesFeedback learns that humanity in AI companies does not want potential employees to use AI when writing job applications. Their work ads stated: “We encourage people to use AI systems during their roles, but we want to assess your non-AS support communication skills.” But why is it artificial? mosquito? Are AI characters full of gaffs that are insurmountable to sift through?
This feedback learned it a few days after the news broke that Chinese AI company Deepseek was outperforming the US technology giant by curious coincidence. Openai complained quickly.review It shows that DeepSeek may have inappropriately distilled the model, that is, he is engaged in copyright theft.
In summary, these AI companies don’t like being attacked in AI writing slops and don’t like it if they use their work to train AI without permission. As a writer who has almost certainly been stripped down by AI companies and has never seen Penny in return, feedback can say “Bwahahaha, suck on you.”
Have you talked about feedback?
You can send stories to feedback by email at feedback@newscientist.com. Include your home address. This week and past feedback can be found on our website.
Tropical riverbank ecosystems – what can be seen along rivers and wetlands – have now recovered within just two million years of North China's extinction. Terrestrial ecosystem.
An illustration depicting the beginning of the mass extinction of the Endopermians. Image credits: Dawid Adam Iurino/Paleofactory, Sapienza Rome University of Rome/Jurikova et aldoi: 10.1038/s41561-020-00646-4.
The mass extinction of the Endopermians occurred about 252 million years ago, and due to extreme environmental changes such as global warming, ocean acidification and long-term drought, more than 80% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial species. I've cleared up all of that.
Dr. Li Tian, a researcher at the China University of Earth Sciences, said:
“It has long been theorized that low-latitude land areas remained uninhabited for a long period of time, 7-10 million years after extinction, but our results suggest that some ecosystems have previously been considered. It suggests it's more adaptable than it was.”
To reconstruct the timeline of ecosystem recovery on the land, Dr. Tian and colleagues analyzed trace fossils (such as burrows and footprints), plant relics, plant relics, and vertebrate fossils . 247 million years ago.
These fossils were obtained from lake and river deposits in central central China.
Researchers used a combination of techniques such as biostratigraphy, biology (studying microfossils), sedimentology, and geochemical analysis.
Their research suggests harsh environments at the beginning of the early Triassic period, with only sparse and simple living remaining.
Fossils of this era represent monospecific communities. This means that there is little evidence of biodiversity, and only a single type of organism dominates.
Fossils showed a significant decrease in biological size compared to before the end of Permian, a common indicator of extreme environmental stress.
However, fossils from the Spacyan stage (approximately 249 million years ago) show increased plant stems, root traces, and signs of piercing activity, suggesting a more stable and structured environment .
Scientists also discovered fossils of medium-sized carnivorous vertebrates, indicating that a multi-level food web was established at this stage.
The revival of the action that dug a hole that was largely vanished after the events of extinction was a significant discovery.
Hole-digging behavior promotes sediment and plays an important role in cycling nutrients in riverbank ecosystems, suggesting that animals adapted to environmental stress by escaping underground during this period. Masu.
The findings challenge the view that ecosystem recovery on post-extinction lands is far behind marine life, and that some ecosystems are already stable within relatively short geological time frames. It is revealed.
“Our research is the first to suggest that, contrary to past assumptions, life in the tropical House of Representatives' riparian ecosystems has recovered relatively quickly after the mass extinction of Permians,” said Jinnan. Dr. Tong also spoke from China's University of Earth Sciences.
“The fossil records we studied suggest that riparian zones played an important role in stabilizing post-extinction ecosystems.”
“The rivers and wetlands served as shelters, providing more stable conditions and more stable conditions, allowing life to rebound faster than in arid inland areas.”
Team's paper Published online in the journal Elif.
____
Wenwei Guo et al. 2025. Following the mass extinction of Permians, rapid recovery of riparian ecosystems in the hypoxic environment of northern China. Elif 14: RP104205; doi: 10.7554/Elife.104205.1
According to an analysis of new data from NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, the ejaculation ability that orbits Sagittarius a* emits a constant flow of flares with no period of rest. Some flares are faint flickering for a few seconds, while others are blindly bright eruptions that spit out every day. There is also slight flicker than the surges for several months at a time.
The artist's concept depicts an ultra-high Massive black hole in the heart of the Milky Way galaxy known as Sagittarius a*. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/RALF CRAWFORD, STSCI.
“We expect flares to occur in essentially every super-large black hole, but our black holes are unique,” says Dr. Farhad Yousef Zadeh, an astronomer at Northwestern University. Ta.
“It's always bubbled up with activity and doesn't seem to reach a stable state.”
“We observed Sagittarius A* multiple times throughout 2023 and 2024, and noticed changes in all observations.”
“We saw something different each time, and that's really surprising. It didn't stay the same.”
Dr. Yousefzadeh and his colleagues used it Webb's nircam instrument Observe Sagittarius A* in total of 48 hours, increments of 8-10 hours over a year.
They expected to see the flare, but Sagittarius A* was more active than he had expected.
The accretion disk surrounding the black hole produced 5-6 large flares per day, during which several small subflares were generated.
“Our data showed constantly changing and bubbly brightness,” Dr. Yusef-Zadeh said.
“And boom! A huge explosion of brightness suddenly appeared. Then it settled down again. No patterns were found in this activity. It seems random. The activity profile of the black hole is what we see every time we see it. It was new and exciting.”
“It appears to be caused by two separate processes: short bursts and long flares. If the accretion disk is a river, the short, faint flicker is like a small ripple that fluctuates randomly on the surface of the river. .”
“But longer, brighter flares are like tidal waves caused by more important events.”
“Mild faults in the accretion disk can produce faint flickers. Specifically, turbulent fluctuations within the disk cause plasma (high-temperature charge gas) to be compressed and temporary. It can cause a burst of radiation.”
“This is similar to the way the solar magnetic fields gather together to compress and eject solar flares.”
“Of course, the environment around the black hole is much more energetic and extreme, so the process is more dramatic. But the surface of the sun also bubbles up with activity.”
Astronomers attribute large, bright flares to magnetic reconnection events. This is the process in which two magnetic fields collide and release energy in the form of accelerated particles. These particles, moving at a speed close to the speed of light, emit a burst of bright radiation.
“The magnetic reconnection event is like a static electricity spark, and in some ways it is also an electrical reconnection,” Dr. Yusef-Zadeh said.
The team wants to use Webb to observe Sagittarius A* for a long period of time.
“When you're watching such a weak flare event, you have to compete with the noise,” said Dr. Yousef Zadeh.
“If you can observe 24 hours a day, you can reduce the noise and see features that you didn't see before. That would be great. Also, these flares show periodicity (or repeat yourself) or really You can also check if it is random.”
F. Yusef-Zadeh et al. 2025. Nonstop Variation of SgrA** Uses JWST at wavelengths of 2.1 and 4.8 microns: evidence of clear populations of faint and bright variable emissions. apjlin press; Arxiv: 2501.04096
Personalized mRNA vaccines, including those for pancreatic cancer treatment, are currently in phase 1 of clinical trials. The research was recently published in Nature.
Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates among cancer types, with less than 13% of patients surviving beyond five years after diagnosis. The disease is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, with nearly 90% of cases already progressing when detected.
Pancreatic cancer cells have a high tendency to spread rapidly to other parts of the body, usually after the primary tumor has grown large. Symptoms typically only appear in late stages, and there are currently no routine screening methods like mammograms or colonoscopies for this cancer.
Effective treatments for pancreatic cancer are limited, with survival rates remaining around 10% despite the best available therapies. The development of personalized mRNA vaccines for cancer treatment aims to change this narrative.
Before the widespread use of mRNA vaccines for Covid-19, researchers were exploring their potential for cancer treatment. These vaccines work by training the immune system to identify and attack cancer cells, essentially turning the body’s immune response into a cancer-fighting mechanism. Current research is focused on melanoma, colorectal cancer, and other solid tumors.
The success of mRNA cancer vaccines relies on generating a robust response from T cells, a type of immune cell that recognizes and fights off intruders. These T cells need to be durable and capable of detecting and eliminating cancer cells, including those in pancreatic cancer which present unique challenges due to limited mutation targets.
A recent clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of an mRNA vaccine in pancreatic cancer patients who had undergone surgery to remove the tumor. Results showed that the vaccine elicited a response in half of the participants, generating tumor-targeting T cells that persisted for years. This promising outcome underscores the potential of mRNA vaccines in improving outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients.
The study also highlighted the need for further research to determine the long-term impact of these vaccines on patient outcomes. The development of ready-made mRNA vaccines that target common mutations in pancreatic cancer tumors is another area of ongoing investigation, offering a more standardized approach to treatment.
Overall, early findings suggest that mRNA vaccines hold promise in enhancing the body’s immune response against pancreatic cancer, offering hope for improved survival rates and outcomes in the future.
WASHINGTON – Patrick Montague, a federal firefighter investigator, was unexpectedly fired by the Trump administration on Saturday night, along with thousands of other Department of Health and Human Services employees. Patrick, 46, from Kentucky, had 26 years of experience in firefighting and prevention programs, as well as academic training and technical expertise. Despite receiving repeated praise from his supervisors, he was let go before completing his two-year probationary period due to his alleged inadequate performance.
Follow the live politics report here
Montague was part of a program aimed at reducing firefighters’ risks while on duty. Three out of the five members of his program were fired in a similar manner. The sudden layoffs were attributed to billionaire Elon Musk’s influence on cutting federal programs and reducing government workforce.
The termination of these employees, including Montague, has raised concerns about the impact on important public safety programs, such as the Fatal Firefighter Survey and Prevention Program. These programs were created to enhance the safety and well-being of firefighters across the country.
Edward Kelly, general president of the International Association of Firefighters, emphasized the importance of investing in firefighter safety programs and expressed hope that the Trump administration would prioritize such initiatives.
In addition to the firefighter safety programs, layoffs within the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health have also affected workers responsible for maintaining the national firefighters’ cancer registry. The registry, established by a law signed by Trump in July 2018, tracks and fights cancer deaths among firefighters.
The disconnect between Trump’s public praise for firefighters and the sudden layoffs of those working on critical firefighter safety programs has left many scratching their heads. Union officials and advocates for fire safety are puzzled by the contradictory actions taken by the administration.
Despite the termination notices citing performance issues, many affected employees, like Patrick Montague, believe that their performance was satisfactory and are baffled by the decision to let them go.
According to the most comprehensive assessment, glaciers around the world have been shrinking by more than 5% on average since 2000. This rapid melting rate has accelerated by more than a third over the past decade as climate change continues in stages.
It is said to be “a problem of warming level for glaciers.” Noel Goomeren At the University of Edinburgh, UK. “They are climate change barometers.”
The new numbers come from a global consortium of hundreds of researchers known as the Glacier Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise. This group sought to reduce uncertainty about how much of the planet's 200,000 or so glacier melted by assessing different size measures using standard procedures. This includes gravity and elevation measurements from 20 satellites, as well as ground measurements.
Between 2000 and 2011, glaciers melted at an average rate of approximately 231 billion tons of ice per year, researchers found. This melting rate increased to 314 billion tonnes per year between 2012 and 2023, an acceleration of more than a third. In 2023, a mass of approximately 548 billion tons was recorded.
These numbers are consistent with previous estimates. But this comprehensive look “gives a little more confidence in the changes seen in the glacier,” says Gourmelen, part of the consortium. “And there's a clear acceleration.”
Overall, thawing of roughly 7 trillion tons of glacial ice since 2000 has increased sea level by almost 2 centimeters, melting into the second largest contributor of sea level rise, resulting in the expansion of water from warming oceans. Ta.
“This is a consistent story of glacial changes.” Tyler Sutterley At Washington University in Seattle. “Areas that have had glaciers since ancient times have lost these ice symbols.”
Alps glaciers have lost more ice than any other region, shrinking nearly 40% since 2000. In the Middle East, New Zealand and the West, glaciers have seen more than 20% reductions. Depending on future emissions, the world's glaciers are predicted to lose quarter to half of the ice by the end of the century.
Olivine rock naturally reacts with carbon dioxide, but it’s a slow business
Renhour48 via Wikimedia/CC0 1.0 Universal
The new process will allow crushed rocks to capture carbon dioxide more quickly from the air by turbocharged with already widely adopted carbon removal techniques.
Natural silicate minerals such as basalt react with water and CO2 to form solid carbonic acid materials, a process known as reinforced lock weathering (ERW). Research suggests Spreading crushed silicate rocks on farmland increases the amount of carbon the soil can absorb, while improving farmer crop yields.
but Matthew Canan Stanford University in California believes that the carbon advantage of ERW is exaggerated as natural silicates do not reach the climate quickly enough to extract large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere. “The data is very clear. They don’t weather at a useful speed,” he says.
Conversion of silicates into more reactive minerals increases weathering rates and makes ERW a viable climate solution, he says. Canaan and his colleagues Yuxuan Chen Stanford University also developed a method for producing magnesium oxide and calcium silicate using a process inspired by cement production.
“When you take calcium sources and magnesium silicate and heat it, you can make calcium silicate and magnesium oxide,” says Canaan. “The core reaction is what is called ion exchange, and it exchanges magnesium for calcium.”
“The reason it’s strong is because calcium silicate is reactive and so is magnesium oxide,” he says. “I put one reactive thing in and two come out.” The ingredients get the weather thousands of times faster than standard silicates, says Canaan.
The ki used in this process must be heated to 1400°C for the reaction, and energy may be provided by natural gas. This means that this method generates significant carbon emissions, but Canaan can capture these at sources or use several reactive minerals to capture the emissions at the site. It suggests that booking can offset it.
When the emissions associated with material production are taken into consideration, one ton of reactive material removes about one ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Researchers can now create 15 kilograms of reactive rocks per day, but they hope to turn the idea into a commercial venture by selling the materials to farmers for use on farmland.
Rachel James The University of Southampton, UK, challenges Canaan’s claim that traditional ERWs do not work, pointing to many documented examples of intensified weathering tests. However, she welcomes attempts to accelerate the weathering rate of silicate.
“The climate crisis now requires action, so what you can do to speed up weathering rates is extremely beneficial,” she says. “Weathering is essentially a slow process and frankly, we want to see meaningful carbon dioxide removal on a timescale of 10 years or more than 50 years.”
However, she warns that the team is likely to face problems with expanding production and deployment. She says that using minerals in agricultural systems does not guarantee that all captured carbon is permanently trapped.
Phil Renforth At Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, UK, the proposal is said to be a smart idea, but it takes more research to understand how it should be unfolded. “They essentially produce cement minerals, which may not be an ideal candidate mineral in addition to agricultural soils,” he says.
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