A beam is a stream of particles moving from a source to a target, exerting a pushing force rather than a pulling force on the target.
On Earth, we can use a vacuum cleaner to pull something towards us, but in reality, we are creating a pressure difference that causes the remaining air molecules to push the object.
This method is not considered a beam and would not work in space where there are no molecules in a vacuum.
However, in space, objects can be moved without using beams. The “gravity tractor” is a concept for a spacecraft that would maneuver near an asteroid and utilize mutual gravity to alter its trajectory.
The spacecraft uses ion thrusters to counteract the gravitational pull of the asteroid, effectively pulling it forward at a controlled pace.
Although gravity is a universal force present between all objects with mass, it is relatively weak.
The ESA study discussed methods to charge an asteroid, such as bombarding it with electrons to create a charged object that can be influenced by the spacecraft charged to around 20,000 volts, acting as a type of tractor beam.
While this method is slower than a science fiction tractor beam, it demonstrates a potential approach to manipulating objects in space.
This article was written in response to a question from Alexandra Rowland about the feasibility of a Star Trek-style tractor beam.
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Favoritism stems from our individual preferences for colors, tastes, faces, places, and more, which are influenced by our evolutionary history. For instance, we tend to prefer lighter shades associated with positive things like the sky, while disliking darker shades associated with negativity.
Our preferences are also shaped by environmental factors, such as geographic environments that offer a balanced mix of habitat, resources, and views that promote survival. Additionally, we find symmetrical faces more attractive, possibly due to the genetic indicator of health they represent.
Cultural influences and personal experiences further mold our preferences. From childhood, we are asked to name our favorite things, combining inherent evolutionary preferences with sentimental attachments to shape our choices.
Our brains use these favorites as shortcuts to navigate the overwhelming number of choices in the world, making decisions easier for things like dinner reservations, vacations, or entertainment options. While convenient, relying on favorites can limit openness and spontaneity.
In relationships, favoritism can lead to inequality and division, as seen with parents favoring certain children or bosses showing preference to specific employees.
This article addresses the question of why we choose favorites, originally posed by Heath Bowen via email.
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You’ve probably experienced this feeling before: after a long and exhausting day, all you want to do is curl up and sleep. But instead of allowing you to rest, your brain decides it’s time for some mischief, leaving you wide awake with thoughts racing through your mind.
So why does this happen? Why does our brain keep us awake when we’re most in need of sleep? The answer may lie in the fact that we’re just too tired to sleep.
If you’ve heard of this concept before, it’s often associated with babies who become “over-fatigued” when kept awake for too long, leading to stress and sleep disturbances.
However, the same phenomenon can occur in adults when unchecked emotions interfere with the body’s ability to shut down for sleep. And the longer you stay tired, the harder it becomes to fall asleep.
Fortunately, there are ways to break this cycle. In the following sections, we’ll not only explore what excessive fatigue is, but also share three simple, scientifically-backed steps to help you overcome excessive fatigue for good.
Excessive fatigue ruins your sleep
Being excessively tired is a paradoxical situation. When you’re physically and mentally drained, your brain is actually in a state of hyperarousal, making it difficult to relax and fall asleep.
This hyperarousal state hinders the body’s natural sleep mechanisms, particularly the buildup of sleep pressure.
Sleep pressure refers to the increase in neurochemicals and hormones that signal your body’s need for sleep as you stay awake throughout the day.
According to Professor Matt Jones from the University of Bristol, “As sleep pressure builds up, the brain may also become more excitable, with neurons in the cerebral cortex firing at an increased rate.”
By maintaining hyper-vigilance and allowing intrusive thoughts to dominate your mind, you disrupt the brain’s ability to reset the sleep pressure system, making it harder to fall asleep.
Furthermore, chronic fatigue and sleep deprivation can exacerbate this cycle by feeding troubling thoughts that persist into the following night.
In a recent study, individuals with insomnia were found to ruminate more about past embarrassing events than healthy sleepers, leading to longer sleep onset times.
Additionally, insomniacs may become hypersensitive to bodily sensations like their own heartbeat, further inhibiting their ability to fall asleep.
Dr. Jones explains, “Insomnia creates a heightened awareness of irrelevant information, placing undue strain on the brain and hindering the natural process of sleep onset.”
If you find yourself feeling overly tired and mentally restless when trying to sleep, it indicates that key brain areas are still in a state of hyperarousal, preventing you from processing the events of the day.
According to Dr. Alex Scott of Keele University, modern society’s difficulty in regulating emotions and processing experiences often leaves individuals unable to positively address their emotions, leading to rumination and anxiety at bedtime.
To combat excessive fatigue and improve sleep quality, Scott recommends three simple strategies:
1. Stop counting sheep
Contrary to popular belief, focusing on falling asleep can actually make it more difficult to do so. Rather than forcing yourself to sleep, Dr. Scott suggests acknowledging that sleep is an automatic process that can’t be rushed. Instead of counting sheep, focus on processing your emotions through activities like journaling.
2. Keep a worry diary
Keeping a worry journal before bed can help you identify and address troubling thoughts that may be contributing to your inability to sleep. By writing down your worries and potential solutions, you can externalize and process these concerns, allowing your mind to relax and prepare for sleep.
3. Set a Bedtime Timer
To create a buffer between daily activities and bedtime, set a bedtime alarm to allow time for relaxation and decompression. Engaging in calming activities like reading or meditation before bed can help ease mental fatigue and promote restful sleep.
About our experts
Professor Matt Jones: A neuroscientist at the University of Bristol specializing in sleep science, memory, and decision-making.
Dr. Alex Scott: A psychology lecturer at Keele University whose research focuses on the role of sleep in mental health.
We have all experienced the discomfort of hydrogen and methane accumulating in the large intestine, causing pressure and the urgent need for release. This natural bodily function does not adhere to our schedule, sometimes occurring at the most inconvenient times, like during a job interview or meeting your partner’s aristocratic parents for the first time.
Farting may seem harmless, but in a world like A Quiet Place, a sci-fi horror film featuring creatures with heightened hearing sensitivity, even a small noise could be deadly. Amidst the chaos of survival, the question arises: how long can humans hold in a fart before facing consequences?
In the third installment of the series, A Quiet Place Day 1, the movie prompts us to ponder on the taboo topic of fart retention. While scientific literature on this subject is limited, experts like Julie Thomson from the digestive health charity, Guts UK, shed light on the implications of holding in gas for prolonged periods.
On average, a person releases gas about 15 times a day, a vital bodily function that cannot be suppressed indefinitely. The accumulation of gas can lead to discomfort and potential health issues if prolonged.
Professor Clare Collins, Director of Research at the School of Health, University of Newcastle, Australia, discusses the link between gas retention and conditions like diverticulitis, emphasizing the importance of not suppressing natural bodily functions for extended periods.
While the consequences of holding in a fart might not seem severe, in a scenario akin to A Quiet Place, where noise attracts deadly beings, it’s crucial to prioritize health over momentary embarrassment.
Remember, maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding gas-inducing foods, and allowing your body to function naturally are key to avoiding discomfort and potential health complications associated with suppressing flatulence.
So, whether you find yourself in a post-apocalyptic world or facing a challenging situation, prioritize your health over temporary discomfort.
This article was first published on May 28, 2021
About our experts
Julie Thomson: Information Manager at Guts UK, an organization dedicated to improving awareness of gastrointestinal diseases.
Claire Collins: Emeritus Professor at the School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Australia, specializing in nutritional technologies and interventions.
As temperatures rise in many parts of the world this summer, staying cool can be a challenge. Imagine wearing a furry coat all day in such heat – not fun, right?
Our furry friends face this reality, which is why they need extra attention when the weather gets hot.
“Dogs rely on panting to cool down, which is less efficient than sweating,” explains Dogs Trust to BBC Science Focus.
“They lack self-control, so they don’t realize when they need to slow down due to heat.”
Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to keep your dog calm and happy when temperatures soar.
1. Walk your dog in the mornings and evenings
Like humans, dogs can overheat if exercised in direct sunlight. Research shows that a significant number of heatstroke cases in dogs are caused by exercise, with walking being a common trigger.
One recommendation from The Kennel Club is to walk your dog early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the hottest times of the day.
2. Stay hydrated
Just like people, dogs need to stay hydrated in hot weather. Carry water and a bowl for your dog when going out to prevent dehydration.
3. Harness your dog
Harnesses are recommended over collars, especially in hot weather, as collars can restrict airflow and hinder a dog’s ability to cool down through panting.
4. Watch out for symptoms of heatstroke and stroke
Heatstroke can affect any dog, with certain breeds and conditions increasing the risk. Look for signs like excessive panting, breathing difficulties, fatigue, and more.
5. Remember that the sidewalk can be hot for your feet.
Test pavement temperature with your hand before letting your dog walk on it. Hot pavements can burn your dog’s paws, so stick to grass or cooler surfaces.
6. Try paddling
Give your dog access to water for a cool dip. A paddling pool or water play can help them cool off and have fun.
7. Be careful when traveling by car
Avoid leaving your dog in a hot car and take precautions for car journeys to ensure your dog’s comfort and safety.
8. Offer frozen treats
Provide your dog with frozen treats to help them cool down. Avoid harmful foods and opt for ice in their water or frozen toys.
9. Have the person lie down on a damp towel
Use a damp towel to help your dog relax and cool down after a hot day.
10. Get a haircut
Trimming your dog’s hair can help keep them cool, especially in hot weather. Proper grooming can assist in heat dissipation and prevent overheating.
For more tips and information on caring for your dog in hot weather, visit the Dogs Trust website.
About our experts
Victoria Phillips Veterinary Manager at Dogs Trust, with 18 years of experience in the veterinary field.
Fantasy is loved by all: it’s fun, intriguing, and messes with our minds.
There are various types of optical illusions, and science often struggles to explain why they deceive human perception. Our brains interpret information from our eyes and fill in the gaps to create what we see in our minds. However, this interpretation is not always accurate.
We’ve compiled some of our favorite visual tricks to challenge your brain.
Checker Shadow Illusion
Photo credit: Edward H. Adelson/Wikipedia
In the image above, rectangles A and B are the same color, although it seems impossible. To demonstrate this fact, here is a rectified image.
Photo credit: Edward H. Adelson/Wikipedia
It’s an example of a contrast illusion where two areas of the same color appear different based on circumstances.
In the checkered shadow illusion, the shadow cast by the green shape seems to darken light areas, creating a surprising effect. Vision scientists created this illusion, and it was developed by Edward Howard Adelson in 1995 to showcase the capabilities of the human visual system in interpreting image information.
Instead of being a flaw, this illusion highlights the effectiveness of our visual perception.
Cafe Wall Illusion
The Cafe Wall illusion. Straight lines appear to be non-straight. Photo credit: Fibonacci/Wikipedia
The Café Wall illusion is a geometric optical illusion where the straight boundaries between dark and light blocks appear curved.
Our brains perceive white areas as larger than black areas in a phenomenon known as the radial illusion. This perception can be changed by swapping white and black colors for lower-contrast colors.
When the color is changed, the lines appear straighter. Photo from Fibonacci/Wikipedia
This illusion, known by various names, was named “café wall illusion” by scientist Richard Gregory, inspired by the design on a café in Bristol, England.
Richard Gregory standing outside the café that inspired the name behind the café wall illusion. Photo by Stephen Battle/Wikipedia
Penrose triangle
3D illustration of the Penrose triangle. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
The Penrose triangle is a geometric optical illusion paradox as it is an impossible 3D object that cannot exist physically. Scientist Lionel Penrose popularized it in the 1950s, and similar versions existed earlier, such as the Reutersvard triangle illusion.
One of the well-known impossible objects, it features prominently in the works of artist MC Escher, like “Relativity” and “Belvedere.”
The Penrose Triangle sculpture in East Perth, Australia, showcases its shape from different perspectives. Photo credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen/Wikipedia
Motion-induced blindness
Observing the green dot in the center animation can make the stationary yellow dot appear to vanish. Animation: Mlechowicz/Wikipedia
The Bonnet illusion, known as “motion-induced blindness,” is a recently discovered optical illusion. A moving pattern rotates around a flashing green dot in the center of the screen, causing yellow dots within the pattern to disappear and reappear at random intervals if stared at for about 10 seconds.
The reasons behind this illusion are complex, but the lack of focus while viewing a moving image plays a significant role.
Necker Cube
The Necker Cube Illusion: Multiple possible interpretations. Photo credit: Getty Images
The Necker Cube is a shape with multiple perspectives, known as “multistable,” rather than an illusion itself. It lacks visual clues about its orientation, allowing for various interpretations by the brain.
Most individuals perceive the bottom left face of the cube as the front, likely due to our inclination to view things from above straight on, leading to this preferred interpretation.
Similar to Rubin’s Vase Illusion, where a single image can appear as either two faces or a vase, the Necker Cube demonstrates multistability.
An example of a Rubin vase. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Sparkling grid illusion
The shimmering grid illusion. Dark dots appear and disappear where the grey lines intersect. Photo credit: Tó campos1/Wikipedia
The shimmering grid illusion challenges your brain by making black dots appear on a grid where white circles intersect, only to quickly disappear. This effect, known as the Hermann grid illusion, is a more recent version of a discovery made by Rudimar Hermann in 1870.
Peripheral drift illusion
Peripheral drift illusion – Colorful magenta dots grow larger and drift outwards as you move your eyes from one dot to another. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
The peripheral drift illusion, seen most clearly in circular designs, was described in 1999 by Jocelyn Forbert and Andrew Herbert. They found that the effect intensifies when the eyes are in motion or blinking.
Forbert and Herbert suggest that a combination of factors, including eye movements, light intensity differences, and depth perception, contribute to this illusion.
The motion illusion of spinning snakes created by Akiyoshi Kitaoka. Photo credit: Trent Steele/Wikipedia
Rabbit and duck illusion
The oldest known example of the rabbit-duck illusion (1892). Photo by Fliegende Blätter/Wikipedia
The rabbit and duck illusion is a type of ambiguous drawing where two objects can be seen, known as a “figure-ground configuration.” Originally published in a German humor magazine, this illusion had the caption “Which animals are most similar? A rabbit and a duck.”
Our brain’s perception is influenced by various factors, including creativity, leading to different interpretations. Another example of this phenomenon is the classic painting of two faces that can also be seen as a vase.
Color constancy
The Roman Originals dress demonstrates how humans perceive color differently. Photo by PA/Alamy
In 2015, a viral debate arose over the colors of a dress in a Cheshire store – some saw it as black and blue, while others as white and gold.
The differences in color perception can be attributed to the brain’s response to different colors under varying lighting conditions, as proposed by neuroscientists Bevil Conway and Jay Knights. Your perception of the dress’s color may vary based on whether you believe the image was taken in natural or artificial light.
Despite the dress manufacturer confirming it as black and blue, the white and gold interpretations made it a well-known example of human color vision discrepancies.
Ponzo illusion
In the Ponzo illusion, both blue horizontal lines are the same length. This illusion shows how the human mind judges the size of an object based on its background. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
The Ponzo illusion is a geometric optical illusion named after Italian psychologist Mario Ponzo, though he did not claim its discovery.
There are several explanations for why the top line appears longer than the bottom one, including the brain perceiving the top line as further away due to converging lines towards a vanishing point.
A team of British and American paleontologists has analysed the fossil record of ammonites (marine mollusks best known as snails) from the Late Cretaceous period (105 to 66 million years ago), a period that some scientists characterise as a period of decline before their complete extinction at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. The study suggests that, far from disappearing before this, ammonites were still going strong around the world during the Late Cretaceous.
An ammonite basking in the sun from the Late Cretaceous period. Image courtesy of Callum Pursall.
Ammonites thrived in the Earth’s oceans for more than 350 million years before becoming extinct in the same chance event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.
Some paleontologists argue that the extinction of ammonites (the last major lineage of ammonoids) was inevitable, and that ammonite diversity declined long before their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous.
But new research suggests that ammonites’ fate is not sealed; rather, the final chapter of their evolutionary history is more complicated.
“Understanding how and why biodiversity has changed over time is extremely difficult,” said Dr Joseph Flannery Sutherland, a palaeontologist from the Universities of Birmingham and Bristol.
“The fossil record tells us part of the story, but it’s often an unreliable narrator.”
“Patterns of diversity may simply reflect sampling patterns — essentially when and where new fossil species were discovered — rather than actual biological history.”
“Analysing the extant Late Cretaceous ammonite fossil record as if it were a complete global story is probably why previous researchers have thought of ammonites as being in a long-term ecological decline.”
To overcome this problem, Dr. Flannery Sutherland and his colleagues have built a new database of Late Cretaceous ammonite fossils to fill sample gaps in the record.
“We used museum collections to provide new sources of specimens rather than relying on what has already been published,” said researcher Cameron Crossan of the University of Bristol.
“By doing this, we’re confident that we’ll get a more accurate picture of the biodiversity before it went extinct.”
The paleontologists used the database to analyze how ammonite speciation and extinction rates changed in different regions of the planet.
If ammonites had declined throughout the Late Cretaceous, their extinction rate would have generally been higher than their speciation rate in every region the team studied.
What the researchers found instead was that the balance between speciation and extinction has shifted through geological time and between different geographic regions.
“These differences in ammonite diversification around the world are an important reason why the story of the Late Cretaceous has been misunderstood,” said Dr James Witts, a palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum in London.
“The fossil record in some parts of North America is very well-sampled, but looking at it alone it might seem like North America was struggling while other parts were thriving.”
“Their extinction was an accident, not a foreseeable event.”
To understand why ammonites continued to thrive throughout the Late Cretaceous, scientists investigated factors that may have changed ammonite diversity over time.
They were particularly interested in whether ammonite speciation and extinction rates were driven primarily by environmental conditions such as ocean temperature and sea level, or by biological processes such as pressure from predators and competition between ammonites themselves.
“We found that the causes of ammonite speciation and extinction were as geographically diverse as their rates,” said Dr. Colin Myers, a paleontologist at the University of New Mexico.
“You can’t look at the whole fossil record and say, for example, that diversity is entirely driven by changes in temperature.”
“In reality it was more complicated and it depended on where in the world they lived.”
Team result Published in a journal Nature Communications.
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JT Flannery Sutherland others2024. Late Cretaceous ammonites show regional heterogeneity in drivers of diversification. Nat Community 15, 5382; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-49462-z
Archaeologists from the University of Sydney say eyelets were a new innovation used to decorate clothing for social and cultural purposes, and mark a major shift in clothing from protection to an expression of identity. Dr Ian Gilligan.
Eyelet needles are among the most iconic Paleolithic artifacts and are traditionally considered rare evidence of prehistoric clothing, especially tailoring. Image by Mariana Ariza.
Archaeologists have traditionally associated the emergence of tailored clothing with the invention of the eye needle, made from bone.
The first occurrence of eyed needles in the archaeological record from northern mid-latitude environments during the last glacial period is consistent with their primary function of providing thermal protection.
of The oldest eyed needle They appeared in Siberia by 40,000 years ago, in the Caucasus by 38,000 years ago, in East Asia by 30,000 years ago, and in Europe by 26,000 years ago.
“Eye hook tools are an important prehistoric development because they record a shift in the function of clothing from utilitarian to social purposes,” Dr Gilligan said.
“From stone tools that allowed humans to craft animal hides for insulation, to bone awls and awls to create decorative, form-fitting clothing, why did we start wearing clothes to express ourselves and impress others?”
In the new paper, Dr Gilligan and his colleagues reinterpret the evidence from recent discoveries about the development of clothing.
“Why do we wear clothes? We think it's part of being human. But when we look at different cultures we see that people were able to fully exist and function in society without clothes,” Dr Gilligan said.
“What intrigues me is how clothing has moved from being a physical necessity in certain environments to being a social necessity in all environments.”
“One of the most iconic Paleolithic artifacts of the Stone Age, eyed needles, are difficult to make compared to bone awls, which were sufficient to make tight-fitting clothing.”
“A bone awl is a tool made from a sharpened animal bone.”
“An eyed needle is a modified bone awl with a perforated hole (eye) to facilitate the attachment of tendons and threads.”
“There is evidence that bone awls were already being used to make tailored clothing, so the invention of the eyed needle may have reflected the creation of more complex, layered garments, and the attachment of beads and other small ornaments to decorate garments.”
“We know that up until the last Ice Age, clothing was only used on an ad-hoc basis.”
“The classic tools that we associate with it are hide scraping tools and stone scraping tools, and we see that they appeared and disappeared at different stages during the last Ice Age.”
The researchers argue that traditional methods of body decoration, such as body painting with ochre or deliberate scarring, would have been impossible in the cold regions of Eurasia during the late last Ice Age, where people would have needed to wear clothes at all times to survive, so clothing became a decorative item.
“That's why the appearance of needles with eyes is particularly significant, as it shows that clothing was used as decoration,” Dr Gilligan said.
“Needles with eyes would have been especially useful for the very fine stitching required to decorate clothing.”
Clothing therefore evolved to serve not only the practical needs of protection against the external elements and comfort, but also social and aesthetic functions for individual and cultural identity.
“The regular wearing of clothing allowed larger and more complex societies to form. People migrated to areas with colder climates and at the same time were able to work together in tribes and communities based on common clothing styles and symbols.”
“The technologies associated with clothing production have contributed to more sustainable lifestyles, facilitating the long-term survival and prosperity of human societies.”
Team paper Published in the journal Scientific advances.
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Ian Gilligan others2024. The evolution of Paleolithic eyed needles and clothing. Scientific advances 10(26); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adp2887
Mammoth (Mammutus primigenius) is isolated Wrangel Island Mammoths were discovered off the coast of Siberia approximately 10,000 years ago and survived for over 200 generations before going extinct approximately 4,000 years ago. To study the evolutionary events leading up to their extinction, scientists analyzed the genomes of 21 Siberian mammoths and found that mammoth populations recovered quickly from a severe bottleneck and remained demographically stable for the next 6,000 years.
Three mammoths (Mammutus primigenius) walks up a snow-covered hill with snow-capped mountains rising behind him above a dense green forest of fir trees. Image by Daniel Eskridge.
“We can confidently reject the idea that the population was so small that it was destined to go extinct for genetic reasons,” said Dr Love Dalen, an evolutionary geneticist at the National Academy of Sciences of Canada. Center for PaleogeneticsIt is a joint collaboration between the Swedish Museum of Natural History and Stockholm University.
“This means that it was probably just a chance event that caused the mammoths to go extinct, and if that chance event hadn't occurred, mammoths would still be around today.”
“In addition to shedding light on the population dynamics of woolly mammoths, analysis of the Wrangel Island mammoths could inform conservation strategies for this currently endangered animal.”
“The mammoth is an excellent system for understanding the ongoing biodiversity crisis and what happens from a genetic perspective when a species experiences a population bottleneck, because it reflects the fate of many modern populations,” said Dr Marianne DeHask, also from the Centre for Palaeogenetics.
To understand the genomic impact of the Wrangel Island bottleneck on mammoth populations, the researchers analyzed the genomes of 21 woolly mammoths, 14 from Wrangel Island and seven from the mainland population that existed before the bottleneck.
Overall, the samples span the woolly mammoth's existence over the past 50,000 years and provide insight into how the animal's genetic diversity has changed over time.
Compared to their mainland ancestors, the genomes of the Wrangel Island mammoths showed signs of inbreeding and low genetic diversity.
In addition to the overall low genetic diversity, Major histocompatibility complexA group of genes known to play important roles in the immune response of vertebrates.
The scientists showed that the genetic diversity of the population continued to decline, albeit at a very gradual rate, throughout the 6,000 years that the mammoths lived on Wrangel Island, suggesting that the population size remained stable until the end.
They also showed that the island's mammoth population gradually accumulated moderately deleterious mutations over its 6,000-year existence, but that the most deleterious mutations were slowly eliminated.
“If an individual had a highly deleterious mutation, they would basically not be able to survive, so over time those mutations would slowly disappear from the population. But we know that mammoths accumulated mildly deleterious mutations almost all the way up until their extinction,” Dr DeHask said.
“It's important to remember that current conservation programs will not be enough to simply re-establish populations to a reasonable size. They also need to be actively and genetically monitored, as these genomic effects could last for more than 6,000 years.”
The mammoth genomes analyzed in this study span a long period of time, but do not include the last 300 years of the species' existence.
However, the authors plan to excavate fossils from the final stages of the mammoth and analyze its genome sequence in the future.
“What happened to them at the end is still a mystery. We don't know why they went extinct after surviving fairly well for 6,000 years, but we think it was probably a sudden event,” Dr Dallen said.
“I think there's still hope we can figure out why they went extinct, but I can't make any promises.”
A neuroscientist who helped develop a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has been indicted on fraud charges.
The charges relate to allegations that the scientists fabricated research images and data that they may have used to win grant funding.
Manipulation of research images is a growing concern in the scientific community.
A neuroscientist who contributed to the development of a potential Alzheimer’s disease treatment is facing fraud charges after a federal grand jury indictment on Thursday.
The indictment alleges that Wang Huaoyang, a professor of medicine at the City University of New York, engaged in fraudulent activities, including falsifying research images and data to secure grant funding from the National Institutes of Health.
Wang worked with Cassava Sciences, a pharmaceutical company based in Austin, Texas, on the development of simufilam, a drug candidate for Alzheimer’s disease. The indictment states that Wang received around $16 million in grant funding from Cassava for early-stage drug development.
The indictment accuses Wang of fraud against the United States, wire fraud, and making false statements. It claims that Wang manipulated images of Western blots, a laboratory technique used to detect proteins, to support his research and grant applications.
The indictment also suggests that Wang provided false information to scientific journals to support his research on symphyllum, a drug currently in late-stage clinical trials.
Despite the charges, Wang did not respond to requests for comment. His research has faced scrutiny in the past, leading to retractions of multiple studies and an investigation by CUNY.
Cassava Sciences confirmed that Wang was not involved in their latest clinical trials and emphasized that his research focused on early-stage drug development.
The scientific community has expressed growing concerns about research misconduct and the manipulation of data and images. Instances of research misconduct, such as the allegations against Wang, have led to retractions of studies and raised questions about the integrity of scientific research.
CUNY has stated that they will cooperate fully with the federal investigation into Wang’s alleged misconduct until the matter is resolved. The university acknowledges the seriousness of the charges and the impact they may have on the scientific community.
The case highlights the importance of maintaining integrity and transparency in scientific research to ensure the credibility and validity of scientific discoveries.
Retraction Watch has reported on the retraction of several academic papers authored by Wang, further underscoring the need for accountability and ethical practices in scientific research.
A recent study indicates that the impact rate on Mars may be two to ten times higher than previously thought, depending on the size of the meteorite.
Mars. The entire Valles Marineris system is visible in the center of the scene. Image courtesy of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
“Mars may be more geologically active than previously believed, which could have implications for the age and evolution of its surface,” stated Dr. Ingrid Dover of Brown University.
“Our findings, although based on a limited number of examples, suggest that current estimates of the impact rate on planets are much higher than what can be observed from images alone.”
Dr. Dauber and his team utilized sensitive seismometers on NASA’s InSight lander to discover eight new impact craters caused by meteorites that were previously unknown from orbit.
The frequency of these cosmic impacts challenges existing notions of how frequently meteorites collide with the Martian surface and indicates the need to revise current Martian crater models to accommodate higher impact rates, particularly from smaller meteorites.
This revelation has the potential to reshape our understanding of the Martian surface and the impact history not only of Mars but of other planets as well, as the Martian surface continues to be shaped by small meteorite impacts.
“This will necessitate a reassessment of the models used by the scientific community to estimate the ages of planetary surfaces across the solar system,” Dr. Dover added.
Of the craters discovered, six were in close proximity to the stationary InSight lander’s location.
The two distant impacts identified in the data were the largest ever detected by scientists, even after years of observation from orbit.
These two larger impacts, each resulting in football field-sized craters, occurred just 97 days apart, underscoring the increased frequency of such geological events.
“An impact of this magnitude might be expected once every few decades or even once in a lifetime, but to have it occur twice within 90 days is highly unusual,” Dr. Dover remarked.
“It’s possible it’s a mere coincidence, but the likelihood of that is slim.”
“It’s more probable that the two large impacts are linked, or the impact rate on Mars is significantly higher than previously assumed.”
“Planetary impacts occur regularly throughout the solar system.”
“Our interest lies in studying these impacts on Mars to compare and contrast them with those on Earth.”
“This is crucial for understanding our solar system, its constituents, and the population of objects that impact it – not just as a threat to Earth, but historically as a hazard to other planets too.”
Ingrid J. Dover et al. 2024. Seismologically detected craters on Mars: Enhanced recent impact flux? Scientific Advances 10(26); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adk7615
This weekend, there will be a passing asteroid near Earth, which poses no threat. With the right equipment and timing, you may be able to catch a glimpse of it.
The asteroid, known as 2024 MK, will be at its closest point to Earth on Saturday morning, passing at a distance about three-quarters of the way from Earth to the moon. It was first spotted two weeks ago by an observatory in South Africa and measures approximately 393 to 853 feet (120 to 260 meters) wide.
According to Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies, smaller objects pass by Earth regularly. Asteroids of this size come close to Earth roughly every 25 years.
“We may witness this event a few times in our lifetime, but it’s not a common occurrence,” he noted.
The 7,579-foot (2,310-meter) asteroid made a safe pass near Earth on Thursday, but it was too distant to be visible without specialized telescopes.
To see the asteroid on Saturday, skywatchers will need small telescopes as it won’t be bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. It will move swiftly across the southern sky, making it challenging to spot.
Nick Moskovitz, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory, mentioned, “The asteroid will move rapidly through the star field.”
For the best chance of seeing the asteroid, observers in the Southern Hemisphere should look high overhead. People in the US may have better luck spotting it on Saturday night when it might be less bright, but easier to see without the sun’s glare.
If you miss this event, mark your calendars for April 13, 2029, when the asteroid Apophis will pass close to Earth and be visible to the naked eye from parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia.
The trunk, situated at the bottom of the Crew Dragon spacecraft beneath the astronauts’ seating area, typically carries cargo. It is equipped with solar panels for power supply “during flight and while on station,” as mentioned by the astronauts on the SpaceX website.
This part of the spacecraft will detach just before re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Despite expectations of complete incineration in the atmosphere, the discovery of this section and other parts suggests some components may survive the fiery descent.
SpaceX has not yet responded to inquiries for comments.
The debris Klontz found was charred and covered in woven carbon fiber, weighing approximately 90 pounds. Initially, it seemed too cumbersome for one person to handle, raising safety concerns.
“It’s a sight rarely seen by the general public,” said Klontz. “You’ve seen spaceships and such on TV, but witnessing it up close is a different experience.”
Several small pieces have also been discovered in local residents’ gardens in nearby towns, as reported by local news outlets.
“NASA has not reported any structural damage or injuries due to this finding,” stated the agency in an official release.
NASA verified that the debris originated from the fuselage of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.Glamping Collective
According to NASA, the debris is from SpaceX’s Crew 7 mission, launched on August 26, 2023, and returned after six months of space station operation.
NASA also reported finding sections of a trunk believed to be from a previous SpaceX mission in a farmer’s field in Saskatchewan, Canada, last month.
In another incident, debris from an unmanned SpaceX mission delivering supplies to the space station landed in Saudi Arabia, NASA disclosed.
Instances of wreckage from the Crew Dragon fuselage falling in Colorado last year, as well as a similar occurrence in Australia in 2022, were also noted by NASA.
In March, a metallic space debris fragment (unrelated to SpaceX spacecraft) that collided with a home in Naples, Florida, came from a cargo pallet intentionally released from the International Space Station.
A metal object used to attach batteries for the International Space Station to a cargo pallet crashed into a home in Naples, Florida, on March 8.National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The Florida family who owns the home is suing NASA, alleging damages and mental stress caused by the incident.
In regards to the lawsuit, NASA’s space operations spokesman Jimi Russell stated via email that “it is not appropriate for NASA to comment on pending litigation.”
While it is common for space agencies and companies to incinerate defunct equipment in the atmosphere, occasional parts do survive re-entry. With most of Earth covered by oceans, the risk of space debris falling in inhabited areas is low, but recent events have raised concerns about potential risks as space launches increase in frequency.
If anyone encounters what they suspect to be SpaceX debris, NASA encourages them to contact SpaceX’s debris hotline at 1-866-623-0234 or recovery@spacex.com.
The Crew Dragon capsule, still attached to its fuselage, is currently docked at the International Space Station and is set to return to Earth with its crew later this summer, according to NASA.
This unusual object was discovered on a mountain trail in North Carolina.Glamping Collective
NASA intends to collaborate with SpaceX to explore “further solutions in understanding the discovered debris.”
“NASA and SpaceX are committed to ensuring the safety of the public, astronauts, and ground crew,” NASA affirmed.
The space junk fragment is currently showcased in a glass case at The Glamping Collective; thus far, neither SpaceX nor NASA has requested its removal, according to Klontz.
“Every time I see it, I’m amazed,” shared Klontz. “To imagine that it was launched from Florida, journeyed into space, returned, and part of it flew over North Carolina is truly incredible.”
It has been suggested by expert nutritionists Dr. Emily Leeming and Nutritional Psychologist Kimberly Wilson that many individuals are experiencing accelerated brain aging due to a lack of dietary fiber. This deficiency in fiber may be a contributing factor to the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Dementia, a neurodegenerative disease resulting in memory loss, is considered a model of accelerated brain aging, according to Wilson. This emphasizes the importance of dietary fiber for maintaining brain health and activity.
Leeming and Wilson point out that most adults in the UK do not consume an adequate amount of fiber, with the recommended daily intake being at least 30g. However, data shows that British adults only consume around 19g per day, while U.S. adults consume even less at 15g per day. The high cost of fiber-rich foods compared to less healthy options is one reason why individuals may not be meeting their fiber requirements.
Why is Fiber Important for Brain Health?
Wilson describes fiber as an underappreciated protector of the brain. When gut bacteria metabolize fiber, they produce short-chain fatty acids which play a crucial role in protecting the brain. These fatty acids can cross the blood-brain barrier and prevent toxic substances from passing through, highlighting the importance of fiber in maintaining brain health.
Tips for Increasing Fiber Intake
Leeming emphasizes the importance of including fiber-rich foods in the diet to improve gut health and overall well-being. Some tips for increasing fiber intake include focusing on fiber-rich foods like rye bread and beans, snacking on nuts, adding vegetables to meals, and consuming dark chocolate and root vegetables with the skin on.
Increasing fiber intake can also lower the risk of various health conditions, including colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It can also support a healthy gut microbiome, which is essential for overall health.
Learn More About Our Experts
Kimberly Wilson is a licensed psychologist with a Masters in Nutrition and is a published author of books on healthy brain development and the impact of food on mental health.
Dr. Emily Leeming is a Registered Dietitian and Research Fellow with expertise in the impact of diet on the gut microbiome. She has published a book on the science of diet for gut health.
Astronomers used images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to create a new 3D visualization of the Pillars of Creation, three towers of gas and dust within the Eagle Nebula.
The Pillars of Creation are three towers of gas and dust located about 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Serpens.
These are fascinating but relatively small features of the Eagle Nebula (also known as Messier 16), discovered in 1745 by Swiss astronomer Jean-Philippe Roy de Chéseaux.
The Pillars of Creation are approximately 4-5 light years long, and the nebula is 55-70 light years wide.
They are caused by massive, newly formed, blue-white O and B type stars emitting intense ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds that blow away less dense material from around them.
“By flying between the pillars, viewers will experience the 3D structure of the pillars and see how they look different in Hubble's visible light view and Webb's infrared light view,” said Dr. Frank Summers, principal visualization scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute.
“This contrast helps us understand why we need multiple space telescopes to observe different aspects of the same object.”
“The four pillars of creation are made mostly of cold molecular hydrogen and dust, eroded away by violent winds and intense ultraviolet radiation from nearby hot young stars.”
“Protruding from the top of the pillar is a finger-like structure larger than our solar system. Embedded within this finger may be a newborn star.”
“The tallest pillar stretches for three light years, which is three-quarters of the distance between the Sun and the next nearest star.”
Mosaic of visible (Hubble) and infrared (Webb) light images of the same frame from the Pillars of Creation visualization. Image credit: Greg Bacon / Ralf Crawford / Joseph DePasquale / Leah Hustak / Christian Nieves / Joseph Olmsted / Alyssa Pagan / Frank Summers, STScI / NASA Universe of Learning.
The film takes visitors through a 3D structure of the Pillars of Creation.
“Making the Pillars of Creation in 3D was always something we had in mind,” said Dr Greg Bacon, also of the Space Telescope Science Institute.
“By combining the Webb data with the Hubble data, we were able to get a much more detailed look at the pillars.”
“Understanding the science and knowing how to best represent it enabled our small, talented team to rise to the challenge of visualizing this iconic structure.”
This new visualization allows viewers to experience how two of the world's most powerful space telescopes work together to provide a more complex and holistic portrait of the pillar.
Hubble will observe objects glowing in visible light at thousands of degrees, while Webb's infrared vision is sensitive to cooler objects at temperatures of hundreds of degrees, allowing it to penetrate the obscuring dust and see the stars embedded in the pillar.
“The combined observations from NASA's space telescopes across many wavelengths of light expand our understanding of the universe,” said Dr. Mark Crumpen, director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters.
“The Pillars of Creation region continues to provide us with new insights that improve our understanding of how stars form.”
“This new visualization now allows everyone to experience this rich and captivating landscape in a new way.”
Do you think you understand your pets well? What if they could actually talk to you? Veterinarian Jess French Researchers believe that humans may soon be able to communicate with animals, with potential for it to be a significant technological advancement in the near future.
In an interview with BBC Science Focus at the Cheltenham Science Festival, French explained that while humans primarily rely on visual cues, many animals have stronger senses like smell and hearing. She mentioned that artificial intelligence (AI) could be trained to understand animal communication using data and footage of animal interactions.
French envisions a future where this technology could revolutionize how we interact with our pets, potentially changing the way we take our dogs to the vet. While it may not translate a dog’s thoughts into human language, it could help pick up on signals that humans might miss, acting as a more silent version of Dr. Dolittle.
French believes that AI could help bridge the gap between animals “speaking” and humans understanding them, especially in species like whales, bats, parrots, and elephants. This technology can identify and analyze animal noises faster and more accurately than a human could.
She also mentioned that AI could enhance our ability to detect sounds outside the range of human hearing, like bat calls, and even signals in smells beyond what humans can perceive. This advancement in technology could help us better communicate with various animal species.
French highlighted that cats might already be communicating with humans in subtle ways, and AI could help in deciphering their signals. Cats, like other animals, could benefit from AI-powered communication, enabling humans to understand their behaviors and needs better.
She emphasized the importance of using this technology to learn more about animals worldwide, even if it means hearing messages we may not want to hear, such as the impact of human actions on animal populations.
About our expert: Jess French is a veterinarian, zoologist, and presenter known for her work on children’s television shows like BBC’s CBeebies. In addition to her media work, French has authored educational books for children, with her latest publication being The Animal Body Book: An Inside Guide to the World of Animal Anatomy.
VOR NVS is located on the edge of the village of Navas del Rey in Spain
Ignacio Evangelista
These isolated structures were once vital pillars of aviation navigation, but are little known today due to their remote location. Ignacio Evangelista’s The stunning shot highlights these beacons, known as VORs (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range Stations), and the role they play in charting routes in the skies for aircraft.
VOR CMA
Ignacio Evangelista
VORs are essentially giant antennas that send out radio signals from remote locations to help planes locate and stay on course by flying from VOR to VOR. You can think of the signals as “breadcrumbs,” Evangelista says. The separation is necessary to avoid broadcast interference between VORs.
Stations like the ones mentioned here are disappearing as they are increasingly being replaced by satellite-based GPS, but while GPS is a more accurate means of navigation, VORs provide a backup during events like solar storms and GPS interference that could wreak havoc without them, Evangelista said.
Vol Brai
Ignacio Evangelista
Their locations are public, so anyone can find the remaining VORs simply by using a GPS — “an interesting technical gyre,” in Evangelista’s words — which prompted him to document some of the more photogenic stations before they disappear forever.
Seen from above, the first two stations are in Spain: VOR NVS, located on the edge of the village of Navas del Rey, 50km from Madrid, VOR CMA, 1.5km from the village of Calamocha, and the last one, VOR BRY, located on the edge of the French village of Bray-sur-Seine.
What’s the best way to pet a cat? Answer: Probably not the way you do it. You might think petting is a tried-and-true way to bond with your cat, but there’s no guarantee that your cat will enjoy the physical contact.
As Dr. Lauren Finca, a cat behavior expert from Nottingham Trent University explains: “While some cats do enjoy being petted, most cats would dislike the type of petting we typically prefer. The reason cats tolerate petting so well is likely due to the benefits of the relationship with their owner – think of the food, treats and affection you give your cat.”
“When it comes to petting, it’s best to remember that cats are not naturally social or tactile animals.”
In short, if you suspect your cat is only resisting your petting because he wants another bite of dinner, you’re probably totally right — especially if you’re constantly touching his butt.
“Certainly, from a scientific perspective, we know very little about this. It’s often assumed that cats like to be stroked at the base of their tails, but research shows that this is actually Elicit the most negative behavioral responses from cats” says Finca.
…
About Dr. Lauren Finca
Dr Lauren Finca is a feline behaviour expert at Nottingham Trent University. She has been involved in academic research into cats for over 10 years.
Finca is also a specialist consultant for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and works with the International Council for Cat Care (ICatCare) and the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) on a range of behavioural and welfare projects.
If you’ve ever made it a goal to change your appearance, you’re not alone. Around 43% of UK adults have the goal of losing weightFor many, these goals can extend to more extreme methods of altering their appearance, such as cosmetic or plastic surgery.
But when does this common and widespread desire for self-improvement and betterment become something more sinister? 3 percent of the general populationThis can lead to a constant desire to modify or change one’s physical appearance, a condition known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
People with BDD believe that they have significant physical flaws or defects that, to other people, may be minor or even non-existent.
Rebecca*, a 36-year-old woman, strongly believes she looks like she has a “moon face” because she can’t help but look in the mirror at the acne scars that cover her skin.
Or Tyson*, the 17-year-old who spends hours every day in the gym trying to build muscle mass because he feels he looks like a “toothpick.”
Tyson and Rebecca have been told time and time again by family, friends, and medical professionals that what they see is different from what others see, but they don’t believe it. Seeing is believing, right? But what if your eyes can deceive you?
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Long Attachment
BDD isn’t a new condition: It was first described by Italian psychiatrist Enrico Morselli in 1891, long before we became obsessed with our TikTok feeds.
He described people with “body dysmorphic disorder” (the former name for BDD) as people who are “suddenly overcome by the fear that their body may be deformed in the midst of everyday life, while talking, while reading, while sitting at a table – in fact anywhere and at any time throughout the day.”
BDD is thought to be caused by a complex interplay of biopsychosocial factors, including genetic factors, differences in brain structure and function, and a history of adverse childhood experiences such as bullying, abuse or neglect, which can lead individuals to feel ashamed about themselves and their bodies.
This tendency is often manifested or exacerbated by societal pressures around appearance — in fact, research supports the idea that attractive people often enjoy social advantages, such as being perceived as more trustworthy, healthy, confident, and intelligent.
This increases your chances of finding love, getting a job, or even earning a higher salary.
This often has a negative impact on the minds of people with BDD, making them feel like they have less chance of succeeding in life.While we cannot ignore that these benefits of beauty exist in our society, the pursuit of beauty at all costs can be harmful to both our physical and mental health.
read more:
Unrealistic perfection
Although BDD existed before the development of social media, social media has certainly played a role in increasing the prevalence and severity of BDD.
The emphasis on sharing the “perfect” selfie, the use of filters, the various ways to augment or enhance an image, and powerful algorithms that ensure you (or your disability) are served up with the content that interests you most are the perfect combination to increase the focus on appearance.
Heavy social media use and photo editing have been linked to an increased risk of developing BDD, comparing appearances, and interest in undergoing surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
This relationship arises in a variety of ways. First, our perception of attractiveness and beauty is often influenced by our “visual diet.” After an extended period of consuming curated content showcasing the best angles, lighting, makeup and outfit choices, and artificial enhancements through the addition of filters, our perception of beauty can start to become biased towards highly idealized and edited images.
As a result, viewers may feel pressured to fit into this newly formed ideal of beauty and may attempt to conform by applying filters to themselves or seeking cosmetic procedures to better meet this standard.
Unfortunately, the positive effect a filter has on your self-image only lasts while it’s applied; once the filter is removed or you see yourself in the mirror in the real world, you may find yourself feeling unattractive or unacceptable.
An estimated 3 percent of people suffer from body dysmorphic disorder. – Photo credit: Getty
There is also an increased pressure to build a “personal brand” online, which can extend beyond just posting the “perfect” photos to achieving the most beautiful feed, the right captions, hashtags and themes. This can lead to a lack of authenticity and cause a widening disconnect between your “online self” and your “real self.”
Some people say their use of social media has increased social anxiety in their daily lives. They fear they will unintentionally “catfish” others who have become accustomed to looking a certain way in the online world. Thus, a personal brand or polished online persona can lead to feelings of embarrassment and shame about their true appearance and personality.
Once BDD has developed, the disorder is often maintained by harmful patterns of thinking and behavior.
For example, engaging in excessive behavior to check, camouflage, or change one’s appearance, including prolonged observation of oneself in the mirror or taking photographs from different angles, hiding oneself with loose clothing, hats, scarves, or glasses, beauty treatments, new hairstyles, or cosmetic procedures.
Many of these are common everyday behaviors that people undertake for self-expression and self-improvement. However, when taken to an extreme, these behaviors can lead to an excessive focus on appearance.
One study compared the mirror-gazing patterns of people with and without BDD and found that even healthy people who stared at themselves in the mirror for more than 10 minutes experienced heightened awareness of their “flaws” and increased levels of distress.
People with BDD experienced this intense distress even after only looking at themselves briefly, for around 25 seconds. These findings support the idea that people with BDD have different patterns of visual processing when looking at faces, often focusing on small details and individual features rather than the overall picture.
Similarly, if someone without BDD looks at themselves long enough, they too will begin to see themselves in parts rather than as a whole, which is one reason why the “Zoom effect” and the proliferation of video calls during the COVID-19 pandemic has increased self-image distress for many people.
read more:
Extreme Measures
People with BDD seek out beauty and cosmetic treatments at a much higher rate than the general population to help them feel better about themselves.
These high rates make sense: For Rebecca, who is concerned about the scars on her face, dermatological treatments like chemical peels and anti-wrinkle injections seem like the obvious solution.
Unfortunately, while most people who seek cosmetic surgery are satisfied with the results, studies have shown that this is not the case for people with BDD. In up to 91 percent of casesBecause your symptoms don’t change, you continue to focus on the areas that were treated and continue to work on ways to hide, check up, or cover up your “flaws.”
After undergoing cosmetic surgery, your concerns may change. People who were concerned about having a “hooked” nose before surgery may develop new concerns after rhinoplasty (nose surgery) about their nose appearing larger as a result of the surgery and about others criticizing them for having the surgery.
In other cases, BDD symptoms may actually worsen after treatment, making someone who is already self-conscious and vulnerable even more so.
Nearly three in ten adult men over the age of 18 have experienced insecurity about their body image.
It is an ethical and professional obligation for cosmetic surgeons to identify BDD in their patients before performing procedures, as patients with BDD may sue, complain, or demand compensation for procedures that do not meet their expectations.
It may be disheartening to learn that cosmetic surgery may not be the answer to your intense and painful obsession with appearance, but the good news is that effective, evidence-based treatments exist.
The National Institute for Health and Technology Assessment First-line treatment for BDD should include cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure and response prevention (CBT-ERP) and the addition of psychiatric medication for moderate to severe cases.
CBT for BDD involves identifying unhelpful stereotypes and expectations you have about yourself and your appearance (such as “I have to always be well-dressed when I leave the house” or “No one will love me with a nose this size”) and learning new ways to move away from these thoughts or develop more flexible, helpful thought processes (such as “I want to find a partner who is attracted to my values, interests, and passions, not the look of my nose”)
Adding ERP involves gradually exposing the patient to situations, environments, or people that they would normally avoid, while at the same time trying not to engage in the compulsive behavior.
For example, Rebecca might work on gradually eliminating cosmetics from her daily routine so she can go out without wearing heavy makeup to hide her skin, while Tyson might work on reducing his training schedule or going to the beach with his friends without having to cover up with a t-shirt.
These exposure exercises are designed to help individuals learn that what they fear most (being judged or ridiculed for their appearance) may not happen. Through exposure rather than avoidance, they can begin to live more productive, fulfilling, and joyful lives.
If you’re reading this and you feel like you’re worrying a little too much about the way you look, here are some things you can try…
How to Worry Less About Your Appearance
Mirror hygiene
Set a limit on the amount of time you spend looking at yourself. Unless you’re doing it for a specific purpose like putting on makeup or shaving, staring at yourself for more than 10 minutes can cause stress. Don’t avoid mirrors, but only look at them when necessary.
Engage in hobbies that have nothing to do with appearance
BDD is often associated with an excessive focus on appearance at the expense of other activities. Spending time with friends and family and doing the activities you love can boost your self-esteem and help you realize that your strengths go beyond just your appearance.
Social Media Detox
Look at your social media and notice how much of the content you’re consuming is highly edited images or content promoting fitness, beauty or cosmetic procedures. Unfollow or hide any content that makes you feel self-conscious, or set limits on the time and amount of time you spend on social media.
Stop looking for reassurance
Try not to talk to others about your appearance. Asking for feedback on your appearance can make you feel bad, whether the answer is positive or negative. Focus the conversation on more interesting topics.
Rather than chasing the perfect body, maybe it’s time to discover a broader sense of self-worth that can withstand the inevitable challenges of aging and growing up that we all experience, whether we like it or not.
*Names and descriptions do not reflect actual clients.
Similar to childbirth, the process of dying involves stages and noticeable progressions. The speed at which this process occurs varies from person to person, just like in childbirth. In some cases, medical support may be necessary to ensure that dying, or childbirth, is as safe and comfortable as possible.
As death nears, most individuals lose interest in eating and drinking. This is a normal occurrence, and sometimes only a small amount of food may be welcomed when regular meals become overwhelming.
Dying individuals often experience extreme fatigue due to a lack of energy. While sleep usually helps to replenish energy and aid in recovery, in the final stages of life, the impact of sleep diminishes as the body weakens towards death.
Individuals approaching death spend less time awake and more time in a state of apparent unconsciousness. When they do wake up, many report feeling as though they had peacefully slept without any sense of being unconscious.
If the dying person relies on regular medications to manage symptoms, it is important to transition to medications that can be administered without the person needing to be awake. Skin patches, syringe pumps, or suppositories can be considered. It’s crucial to note that loss of consciousness is typically a result of the dying process itself rather than the medication.
What happens in the final moments?
As death progresses, heart rate decreases, blood pressure drops, skin temperature decreases, and fingernails darken. Internal organs also slow down as blood pressure declines. Restlessness, confusion, and periods of deepening consciousness may occur during this time.
While there are no established methods for studying the experiences of dying individuals, recent studies suggest that the unconscious brain may respond to noise as death approaches. Breathing patterns in an unconscious person are governed by the brain stem’s respiratory center, leading to heavy breathing and occasional saliva flow.
Breathing patterns may shift from deep to shallow and fast to slow until breathing eventually slows, becomes shallow, pauses, and ceases altogether. Following a few minutes without oxygen, the heart stops beating.
Recognizing common patterns of dying and understanding its stages can help companions comprehend what is happening, alleviate fears of unlikely complications, and empower them to seek medical assistance if necessary to manage symptoms and ensure a peaceful passing. Additional information can be found in BBC Short Films on Death.
These bright (hot) “heat rings” are a common phenomenon and indicate active lava lakes. Jupiter Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft.
Visible, infrared and temperature maps of Loki Patera and Dazhbog Patera. Image courtesy of Mura others., doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01486-5.
Io is the innermost of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons and the fourth largest moon in the solar system.
Apart from Earth, it is the only known place in the solar system with volcanoes that spew hot lava like Earth’s.
Io has over 400 active volcanoes, which are caused by tidal heating due to gravity from Jupiter and the other Jovian moons.
There are many theories about the types of volcanic eruptions on the Moon, but little data to support them.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft will pass by Io in May and October 2023, coming within about 35,000 km (21,700 miles) and 13,000 km (8,100 miles), respectively.
Among Juno’s observational instruments giving a closer look at the fascinating moon was JIRAM.
JIRAM is designed to capture infrared light emitted from deep within Jupiter, studying the weather layer 50 to 70 km (30 to 45 miles) below Jupiter’s cloud tops.
However, during Juno’s long mission, the mission team also used the instrument to study moons such as Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
JIRAM images of Io showed the presence of bright rings surrounding the base of many hotspots.
“The high spatial resolution of JIRAM’s infrared images, combined with Juno’s favorable position during the flyby, revealed that Io’s entire surface is covered by lava lakes in caldera-like formations,” said Dr Alessandro Mura, a researcher at the National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome and Juno co-investigator.
“In the area of Io’s surface where we have the most complete data, we estimate that about 3% of it is covered by one of these lava lakes. Calderas are large depressions that form when volcanoes erupt and collapse.”
This image taken by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft shows volcanic eruptions on Io. Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.
JIRAM’s flyby data will not only reveal Io’s rich lava reserves, but also provide a glimpse into what’s going on beneath the surface.
Infrared images of some of Io’s lava lakes show a thin circular layer of lava at the boundary between the central crust that covers most of the lake and the lake walls.
The lack of lava flows above or beyond the lake’s edge suggests melt circulation, demonstrating a balance between the melt erupted into the lava lake and that circulated back into the subsurface system.
“We now know what the most frequent volcanic activity on Io is: huge lava lakes with magma rising and falling,” Dr Mura said.
“The lava crust collapses against the lake wall, forming the typical lava rings seen in Hawaiian lava lakes.”
“The walls are thought to be hundreds of metres high, which explains why magma is not typically observed spilling out of pateras – bowl-shaped formations formed by volcanic activity – and moving across the lunar surface.”
JIRAM data suggests that the surfaces of these Io hotspots consist largely of a rocky crust that periodically moves up and down as one continuous surface due to central upwelling of magma.
In this hypothesis, friction between the crust and the lake wall would prevent it from sliding, causing it to deform and eventually break away, exposing the lava just below the surface.
Another hypothesis, which remains valid, is that magma wells up in the middle of the lake, spreading out and forming a crust that sinks along the lake’s edge, exposing the lava.
“We’re just beginning to look at the results from JIRAM’s approach to Io in December 2023 and February 2024,” said Juno principal investigator Dr. Scott Bolton from the Southwest Research Institute.
“These observations reveal fascinating new information about Io’s volcanic activity.”
“When we combine these new results with Juno’s long-term campaign to monitor and map Io’s never-before-seen north and south pole volcanoes, JIRAM is poised to become one of the most valuable tools for learning about the workings of this tormented world.”
Paleontologists have unearthed a well-preserved collection of Cambrian trilobite fossils in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains. The 510-million-year-old specimens are among the best-preserved three-dimensional trilobite fossils ever found.
Artistic reconstruction of two species of trilobites shortly before they were buried under volcanic ash flows 510 million years ago. Image by Abderrazak El Albani, University of Poitiers.
Trilobites are extinct arthropods that dominated the marine fauna of the Paleozoic Era.
During their lifetime on Earth, which lasted much longer than the dinosaurs, they survived two major extinctions and dominated undersea ecosystems.
Trilobites are among the best-studied marine animal fossils because their hard, calcified exoskeletons are well preserved in the fossil record.
Over the past two centuries, paleontologists have described more than 20,000 species of organisms.
However, until now, comprehensive scientific understanding of this incredibly diverse group has been limited by the relative lack of soft tissue preservation.
“I've been studying trilobites for nearly 40 years but I've never felt as though I was looking at a living animal as I did in this case,” said Dr Greg Edgecombe, a palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum in London.
“I've seen a lot of representations of the soft-body anatomy of trilobites, but the 3D preservation here is truly astounding.”
“An unexpected outcome of our research is the discovery that shallow marine volcanic ash could be a huge repository for the preservation of exceptional fossils.”
The Moroccan trilobite was encased in hot ash in seawater, so its body fossilized very quickly as the ash turned to rock.
The ash molds preserved parts of their bodies, their legs, and even the hair-like structures running along their appendages.
The trilobite's digestive tract was also preserved after being buried in the ash.
Tiny “lamp shells” attached to the trilobite's exoskeleton also remained attached by fleshy stalks, just as they were when the animal was alive.
Microtomographic reconstruction of trilobite species. Zygothera mauretanica Ventral view. Image courtesy of Arnaud Mazurier, IC2MP, University of Poitiers.
Using CT scans and computer modelling of virtual X-ray slices, the researchers found that an appendage found at the edge of the mouth had a curved, spoon-like base, but was so small that it went undetected in the less well-preserved fossils.
In fact, while trilobites were previously thought to have three pairs of head appendages behind their long antennae, this study shows that both Moroccan species have four pairs.
The fleshy leaf-like part covering the mouth, called the labia, was recorded for the first time in a trilobite.
“The results reveal in incredible detail the clustering of specialised pairs of legs around the mouth, giving us a clearer picture of how trilobites fed,” said Dr Harry Burks, a palaeontologist at the University of Bristol.
“We found that the head and body appendages had rows of densely packed spines that pointed inwards, like those of today's horseshoe crabs.”
“As a scientist who has studied fossils from different times and places, finding such amazingly well-preserved fossils in a volcanic area was a very exciting experience for me,” said geologist Professor Abderrazak El Albani of the University of Poitiers.
“I believe that pyroclastic deposits should become new research subjects because of their excellent potential for capturing and preserving biological remains, including delicate soft tissues.”
“These discoveries are expected to lead to important discoveries about the evolution of life on Earth.”
“It is well known that the best way to prevent catching a cold is to stay in shape.” write Mariam Amankerdievna Sidikova Medical, Practice and Nursing JournalLest parents overdo it, she warns that only healthy children “can get stronger with hydrotherapy.”
While exercising may be your best bet, it’s not your only cold prevention strategy. Aman Keldievna, a researcher at Samarkand State Medical University in Uzbekistan, also recommends scrubbing. “Scrubbing should be done year-round,” she says. If done correctly, “scrubbing should begin with the arms, then the legs, chest, abdomen, and back.”
The hardening doesn’t have to be water-based: Amankerdievna also approves of air hardening. “Air hardening is a gentler factor and is allowed for children in any state of health,” she writes.
Sunbathing is another option, but hardening caused by sunlight can be problematic. “Sunbathing is only possible with the doctor’s permission,” says Amankerdievna.
We all know that
If you’re a good speed reader, it’s easy to keep up with all that’s known — just read the thousands of new research papers published every week — but not everyone is good at speed reading.
As a service to slow readers, the feedback aims to summarize some things that are officially well known, as evidenced by the scientific literature (see above), each of which is documented with a sentence beginning with “It is well known that…”
Here are some well-known examples:
Forgetful functors are well known. Cary Malkiewich and Maru Sarazola Writing in a preprint study: “It is well known that stable model structures on a symmetric spectrum cannot be transferred from stable model structures on a continuous spectrum via a forgetting function.”
It’s notoriously complicated. Frank Nielsen wrote in the Journal: entropy, Mentioned One is that “it is well known that the distorted Bhattacharya distance between probability densities of exponential families corresponds to a distorted Jensen divergence induced by a cumulant function between the corresponding natural parameters, and in the limiting case, the two-sided Kullback-Leibler divergence corresponds to the inverse two-sided Bregman divergence.”
Heinz Kohut’s paper on narcissism is well known. write In the journal Psychoanalysis, Self and Contextreminds us that “it is well known that Heinz Kohut’s work on narcissism led to a reevaluation of patients’ healthy self-esteem.”
Ronald Fagin and Joseph Halpern A new approach to belief updatingNote that “it is well known that conditional probability functions are probability functions.”
And Luca Di Luzio, Admir Greggio and Marco Nardeckia write: Physics Review Dassure us “It is well known The giant vector is yearning for ultraviolet (UV) completion.”
How many of these well-known things are known to most people? The answer to that question is unknown. If you know of any well-known things that are less well-known but should be brought to our attention, please submit them (along with documentation) to Well-known things, c/o Feedback.
Fascism Disease
Reader Jennifer Skillen shared in her feedback that thinking about thinking was what sparked her mother-son shared reading sessions, which began several years ago. The Very Hungry Caterpillar And now, embrace New Scientist, It also contains other, more mature content.
“The other day, I started reading the cancer section of “How Do You Think About…?” [New Scientist, 25 May, page 42]And my son said, ‘Mom, why don’t you just read it and replace the word cancer with the word fascist?’ And I did, because I was fine with anything that concerned my son,” Jennifer says.
“To my surprise, the article was still very readable even with the substitutions. It made sense, but was very entertaining. It seems that both cancer cells and fascist cells can respond to changes in their environment and divide rapidly.”
Feedback agrees, and offers some excerpts from the article so readers can judge for themselves: “Cancer cells compete for nutrients and only the fittest survive…Cancer cells have evolved to be the best cancer cells possible, which is usually bad news.”
Jennifer and her son were wondering about other word pair substitutions that readers might have spotted. New Scientist The article states that substitutions “add meaning, increase knowledge, and make things more interesting.”
terrible
The question “what’s in it?” has generated many surprises, sometimes involving eels. Rohit Goel and his colleagues from the Pondicherry Medical School in India have uncovered one such surprise.
writing American Journal of Forensic PathologyThe researchers said:Unusual examples “The discovery of an interesting post-mortem remains: the presence of a moray eel among the corpses.”
The research team said that to their knowledge, “this is the first time such a discovery has been reported.”
Marc Abrahams is the founder of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founder of the journal Annals of Improbable Research. He previously worked on unusual uses of computers. His website is Impossible.
Do you have a story for feedback?
You can submit articles for Feedback by emailing feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. This week’s and past Feedback can be found on our website.
AI will make it harder for students to cheat on face-to-face exams
Trish Gant / Alamy
94% of university exam submissions created using ChatGPT were not detected as generated by artificial intelligence, and these submissions tended to receive higher scores than real student work.
Peter Scarfe Professors at the University of Reading in the UK used ChatGPT to generate answers for 63 assessment questions across five modules of the university's undergraduate psychology course. Because students took these exams from home, they were allowed to look at their notes and references, and could also use the AI, which they were not allowed to do.
The AI-generated answers were submitted alongside real students' answers and accounted for an average of 5% of all answers graded by teachers. The graders were not informed that they were checking the answers of 33 fake students, whose names were also generated by ChatGPT.
The assessment included two types of questions: short answers and longer essays. The prompt given to ChatGPT began with the words, “Include references to academic literature but do not have a separate bibliography section,” followed by a copy of the exam question.
Across all modules, only 6 percent of the AI submissions were flagged as possibly not being the students' own work, although in some modules, no AI-generated work was ever flagged as suspicious. “On average, the AI answers received higher marks than real student submissions,” says Scarfe, although there was some variability across modules.
“Current AI tends to struggle with more abstract reasoning and synthesising information,” he added. But across all 63 AI submissions, the AI's work had an 83.4% chance of outperforming student work.
The researchers claim theirs is the largest and most thorough study to date. Although the study only looked at studies on psychology degrees at the University of Reading, Scarfe believes it's a concern across academia. “There's no reason to think that other fields don't have the same kinds of problems,” he says.
“The results were exactly what I expected.” Thomas Lancaster “Generative AI has been shown to be capable of generating plausible answers to simple, constrained text questions,” say researchers at Imperial College London, who point out that unsupervised assessments involving short answers are always susceptible to cheating.
The strain on faculty who are tasked with grading also reduces their ability to spot AI cheating. “A time-pressed grader on a short-answer question is highly unlikely to come up with a case of AI cheating on a whim,” Lancaster says. “This university can't be the only one where this is happening.”
Tackling it at its source is nearly impossible, Scarfe says, so the education industry needs to rethink what it assesses. “I think the whole education industry needs to be aware of the fact that we need to incorporate AI into the assessments that we give to students,” he says.
About 10,000 years ago, a handful of woolly mammoths washed up on an island off the Siberian coast in the Russian Arctic. Over the next few thousand years, this small group of perhaps eight animals grew into a stable population of 200-300 animals before going extinct about 4,000 years ago. These mammoths are the last known population of woolly mammals on Earth, and may have survived into modern times but for some bad luck.
The history of these mammoths has been clarified through genetic research. Love Darren A team from Stockholm University in Sweden and their colleagues looked at DNA from 14 mammoths from Wrangel Island and seven from the mainland, dating back to before melting ice sheets caused sea levels to rise and isolate them, covering a combined genetic history of 50,000 years.
The researchers’ analysis found that despite the small population, inbreeding wasn’t the cause of the mammoth’s extinction: While small genetic mutations accumulated, Dallen said, the population was good at eliminating larger, harmful ones.
“We can demonstrate that it’s unlikely that inbreeding or genetic disease caused the population to slowly decline and go extinct,” he said. “Despite the inbreeding, the population did well.”
Mammoth tusk found on Wrangel Island
Love Darren
But the team found that individual mammoths were affected by genetic diseases, and that this negative impact at the individual level had been ongoing for thousands of years. “This means that today’s endangered species, which in most cases were at risk of extinction until very recently, are likely to continue to suffer from genetic diseases for hundreds of generations to come,” says Dallen.
Dallen points to the Tasmanian devil as an example of a species that became isolated on a large island after mainland populations became extinct, leading to reduced genetic diversity. This in turn affects the immune system, Dallen says, which puts the species at greater risk of population decline when faced with new pathogens, such as the facial tumour disease that attacks Tasmanian devils.
“Natural selection appears to have been effective in eliminating potentially lethal mutations, but other, less severe mutations gradually increased,” they said. Adrian Lister At the Natural History Museum, London.
“We’re not sure whether this led to eventual extinction, but it’s possible that, combined with environmental changes, it did,” Lister said. “There are lessons here for monitoring the genetic health of endangered species today.”
The exact cause of the mammoths’ extinction is unknown, but interestingly, Wrangel Island contained freshwater lakes and rivers, which suggests that the mammoths may have been able to survive longer than similarly isolated groups that became extinct 5,600 years ago due to drought.
“Diseases, short-term weather events, tundra fires — all of these are thought to be random events,” Dallen says. “Because they’re random, they’re not inevitable. So if they hadn’t happened, the mammoths might have survived to this day, assuming humans hadn’t killed them when they arrived on Wrangel Island.”
Guiana Navajo Armadillo (Dasypus guianensisImage courtesy of Quentin Martinez, https://quentinmartinez.fr.
Armadillos are New World placental mammals. CingulataAlong with anteaters and sloths, they form part of a superclade that dates back 100 million years ago. Xenomorphs.
Recent studies suggest that it consists of four distinct lineages whose taxonomic status is unclear.
“It has been widely believed that the cricket armadillo ranges from northern Argentina to southern Illinois, but in recent years some scientists have presented evidence that it is in fact a complex of several different species,” said Dr. Frédéric Delschuk, research director at the CNRS.
“By studying the DNA of armadillos across their range, we were able to perform a very detailed genomic analysis and become convinced that there are in fact four different species of armadillos.”
“Under the new classification, armadillos found in the United States should be called Mexican long-legged armadillos,” added Dr Anderson Feijo, a researcher at the Field Museum.
“In addition, a new species of Guiana Navajo armadillo (Dasypus guianensis) is the first armadillo described in the past 30 years.
In this study, the researchers analyzed the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Dasypus Armadillos were sampled throughout their range.
A combination of genetic data and physical characteristics led them to conclude that cricket armadillos are actually four genetically distinct species.
Thus, some subspecies within this species have come to be recognized as species in their own right.
The armadillo found in Mexico and the United States was formerly a subspecies of Mexican wolfnow just Mexican wolf: Mexican long-legged armadillo.
Subspecies Window StratusThe species that inhabits the central part of its range is now a distinct species, and its original name was Novemucinctas Currently limited to South America.
Meanwhile, the data showed that another branch of the armadillo phylogenetic tree did not belong to any of these three existing groups.
The area of northeastern South America known as the Guiana Shield is home to the newest armadillo species. Dasypus guianensis.
The new armadillo is slightly larger than the other three species, has a hairless shell, a robust domed skull and additional bones in its spine.
Overall, however, to the untrained eye, these four species appear very similar.
“It's nearly impossible to tell in the field,” Dr Delsac said.
a paper The findings were published in the journal. Systematic biology.
_____
Mathilde Barthes othersExon capture museomics deciphers a cricket armadillo species complex and identifies a new species endemic to the Guiana Shield. Systematic biologyPublished online June 22, 2024, doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syae027
Engaging in discussions about diet and nutrition can often lead to passionate arguments, as I discovered when unintentionally becoming the focal point of a debate surrounding supermarket bread.
It all started with my opinion piece on “ultra-processed foods,” or UPF. For those unfamiliar, this term refers to foods that undergo industrial processes difficult to replicate at home. Examples include sweetened drinks, prepackaged foods, and supermarket bread. In the UK, approximately 50% of our caloric intake comes from UPF sources.
So, what makes UPF detrimental to our health?
Firstly, UPFs tend to be low in protein and fiber due to extensive processing, making them easily digestible and calorically dense. Secondly, the flavor is often diminished in UPFs, leading to high levels of sugar, salt, and fat being added for taste. Lastly, some argue that the processing involved in UPFs is inherently harmful, although the evidence supporting this claim is inconclusive.
A recent meta-analysis published in the British Medical Journal linked excessive UPF consumption to various health issues across different categories.
The ambiguity surrounding the UPF concept bothers me, as it encompasses a wide range of foods from highly processed items to minimally processed options like supermarket bread. Despite the negative connotations associated with UPFs, supermarket bread, a major source of UPF calories, still provides sustenance for many households.
The accessibility and affordability of supermarket bread make it a staple for individuals facing food insecurity. While premium bread offers unique qualities, such as lactobacterial fermentation, evidence supporting health benefits is growing.
An interview with Dr. Chris Van Tulleken highlighted the differences between traditional and supermarket bread, emphasizing the higher salt and sugar content in the latter. A rational discussion is essential to address the prevalence of UPFs, acknowledging the diverse preferences and circumstances of consumers.
In conclusion, while premium bread may offer distinct advantages, stigmatizing those who rely on supermarket bread is unjust. It is crucial to engage in constructive dialogues regarding our food choices without condemning individuals based on their bread preferences.
Dealing with back pain can make daily activities uncomfortable, and finding relief can be a challenge. However, researchers suggest a simple solution that could help alleviate back pain and extend the time between episodes.
According to studies, over 600 million people worldwide experience back pain, with 7 out of 10 individuals facing a relapse within a year after initial recovery. Back pain is considered a major cause of disability globally. A study conducted by the Spine Pain Research Group at Macquarie University in Australia revealed that regular walking could be beneficial in treating back pain. This approach may be more practical than other recommended exercises, which could be costly or require supervision.
A recent study published in the Lancet journal involved 701 adults who had recovered from low back pain lasting at least 24 hours. Participants were divided into three groups: a personalized walking program, sessions with a physical therapist, or a control group receiving no treatment. The researchers monitored the participants for one to three years and found that those in the walking program experienced less activity-limiting back pain and reduced the need for medical assistance and time off work by half.
Moreover, the time between back pain incidents nearly doubled for those in the walking program. Dr. Mark Hancock, the senior author of the study, emphasized that walking is a cost-effective and accessible form of exercise that can benefit individuals of all backgrounds.
While some experts believe that walking can be beneficial for back pain, others argue that the study results may not provide conclusive evidence. Dr. Franziska Denk from King’s College London acknowledges the benefits of low-intensity exercise but highlights the importance of gradually incorporating physical activity to manage back pain.
Overall, walking is seen as a potentially helpful method for addressing back pain, but individuals should approach it with caution and patience to see long-term improvements.
As we welcome summer, the Northern Hemisphere is now experiencing longer daylight hours due to the 2024 summer solstice. This day has been celebrated for millennia, whether for religious reasons or simple festivities like barbecues. If you’re curious about the significance of this day, particularly at sites like Stonehenge, we have information to share.
When is the summer solstice in 2024?
The summer solstice in 2024 will occur on Thursday, June 20th at 9:51pm BST (4:50pm EDT New York time, 1:50pm PDT Los Angeles time). This precise astronomical moment marks the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere when it faces the sun directly, resulting in the longest day of the year with the most hours of sunshine.
When are sunrise and sunset on the summer solstice?
On Thursday, June 20th, sunrise in London is at 4:43am BST, and sunset is at 9:21pm BST. Timings vary slightly depending on the location within the UK and the US.
Summer solstice sunrise times in New York City: 5:25 a.m. EDT.
Summer solstice sunset times in New York City: 8:31pm EDT.
Summer solstice sunrise times in Austin, Texas: 6:30 a.m. CDT.
Summer solstice sunset times in Austin, Texas: 8:36pm CDT.
Summer solstice sunrise times in Los Angeles: 5:42 a.m. PDT.
Summer solstice sunset times in Los Angeles: 8:08pm PDT.
Although the summer solstice is the longest day, it does not always have the earliest sunrise or latest sunset, which vary based on the latitude.
What is the Summer Solstice?
The summer solstice represents the moment when the Northern Hemisphere is most tilted towards the sun, resulting in the longest day of the year. This tilt of the Earth’s axis causes different seasons in the hemispheres, with the summer solstice marking peak summer in the Northern Hemisphere and peak winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
Due to the Earth’s tilt, sunlight falls directly on the Northern Hemisphere during the summer solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, this marks the shortest day of the year, or winter solstice. – Image credit: Getty
Various celebrations of the summer solstice take place globally, with Stonehenge being a famous site for observing this phenomenon. People have gathered at this ancient stone circle to witness the sunrise aligning with the central altar stone, marking the arrival of summer.
Starting in the late Middle Ages, Swedes began the tradition of erecting a Midsummer pole and dancing around it. The custom of decorating the pole with flowers and greenery was called a “maja”, which also came to be called a Maypole. – Image credit: Getty
What is the difference between the equinox and the summer solstice?
While equinoxes mark the change of seasons when day and night are approximately equal, solstices like the summer solstice focus on sunlight. The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is the longest day of the year, contrasting with the winter solstice, which is the shortest day.
Do other planets have solstices?
Every planet in the solar system experiences solstices due to its axial tilt, with Earth’s tilt being more noticeable than other planets like Venus or Jupiter. The tilt of a planet’s axis affects its seasons, with Uranus being particularly tilted and experiencing extreme variations in sunlight.
Upcoming Summer Solstice Dates and Times, BST
2025: June 21, 3:42 AM
2026: June 21, 9:24 AM
2027: June 21, 3:10 p.m.
2028: June 20, 9:01 p.m.
2029: June 21, 2:48 AM
2030: June 21, 8:31 AM
About our experts
Darren Baskill is an Outreach Officer and Lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sussex. She has a background in astrophotography and astronomy, bringing expertise to the study of celestial events like the summer solstice.
Introducing itself among the peculiar dinosaurs to ever roam the Earth, the latest addition dons stunning (albeit slightly risky) headgear that could compete with high-end fashion creations. Lociceratops rangiformis, a new dinosaur hailed as one of the largest and most ornate ceratopsians ever unearthed.
Standing out with never-before-seen features, this ceratopsian boasts gigantic, curved, blade-like horns on the underside of its frill, setting a record for the largest horns seen on a ceratopsian species.
With an asymmetrical spike in the middle of its frill and the absence of a nose horn, this dinosaur challenges the norms observed in other horned dinosaurs.
The name of the dinosaur, Lociceratops, pays homage to the Norse god Loki for the blade references and categorizes the creature as a ceratopsian. Unlike the well-known Triceratops, Lociceratops rangiformis roamed the Earth at least 12 million years before the Triceratops.
Named after the caribou ( Rangiformis), this new dinosaur bears significance due to its unique, asymmetrical spines reminiscent of a caribou or reindeer’s antlers.
Unearthed in 2019 in the badlands of northern Montana, USA, near the Canadian border, this ceratopsid survived more than 78 million years ago in the swamps and floodplains of modern-day mountains. Despite its imposing appearance with blade-like horns, it sustained as a herbivore, potentially falling prey to predators like the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Portraits of all four centrosaurine dinosaur species that coexisted in the Kennedy Coulee assemblage of northern Montana and southern Alberta. Lociceratops, at the top left, is identified by its large, curved horns and unique features. – Image courtesy of Fabrizio Lavezzi
Ceratopsians, evolving during the Late Cretaceous period around 92 million years ago, exhibited remarkable ornamental features and horn patterns. Lociceratops rangiformis belonged to a lineage of dinosaurs present on the island continent of Laramidia (present-day North America), evolving rapidly before the mass extinction of dinosaurs.
Describing the new discovery as an epitome of eccentricity in ceratopsian head ornaments, paleontologists, led by Joseph Sertich, emphasized how flashy displays contributed to the diverse ecosystem during the Cretaceous period. The recent fossil findings challenge the existing notions of dinosaur diversity, suggesting that five species of ceratopsian, including Lociceratops rangiformis, coexisted during this era.
Stonehenge, an ancient prehistoric temple in southern England, remains a fascinating mystery. Construction began around 5,000 years ago, but the purpose of this enigmatic site remains unknown as its builders left no written records.
Analysis has shown that the massive stones of Stonehenge were transported from distant quarries, some weighing over 20 tonnes.
The alignment of Stonehenge with the sun during the solstices is well-documented, but its potential connection with the moon has intrigued experts. Scholars are exploring whether Stonehenge was not only designed to align with the sun but also with the moon, a remarkable achievement for a society predating the invention of the wheel.
On June 21, 2024, experts are investigating the relationship between Stonehenge and the lunar cycles as a rare lunar standstill event unfolds.
Professor Michael Parker Pearson, a renowned expert in British prehistory, speculates that Stonehenge’s builders may have aimed to unify people, ancestors, land, and the cosmos by linking the movements of the sun and moon.
The lunar standstill, occurring once every 18.6 years, results in the moon reaching its most extreme northern and southern positions in the night sky. This phenomenon, unlike the annual solstices tied to the sun, creates a unique celestial display.
While Stonehenge’s alignment with the solstices is well-known, its relationship with the lunar cycles remains less understood. Research indicates that burials at Stonehenge predate the arrival of the large stones, and possible alignments suggest a connection with the lunar standstill phenomenon.
An ongoing study by experts from Oxford, Leicester, and Bournemouth universities aims to delve into the significance of the moon in Stonehenge’s construction, potentially reshaping our understanding of this ancient monument.
Experts like Professor Parker Pearson, Professor Ruggles, and Dr. Chadburn are at the forefront of unraveling the mysteries of Stonehenge and its celestial connections.
In the realm of crime-solving, Forensic Detective Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) has emerged as a powerful tool, ushered in by the guilty plea of Joseph James DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer, nearly four years ago. DNA testing has long been used to match crimes to perpetrators, but when a suspect is lacking, FIGG steps in to fill the gap.
According to Dr. Tuli King, who spoke at the Cheltenham Science Festival, “With DNA databases, we can find people who are genetic relatives of DNA found at a crime scene.”
By creating family trees through DNA matches, police and experts are able to track down potential suspects, as was the case with DeAngelo, whose crimes in California during the 1970s and 1980s were solved with the help of DNA uploaded to consumer ancestry websites like GED Match.
Since then, over 500 cases have been solved using FIGG, showcasing the potential for DNA data to be a valuable tool in criminal investigations. However, concerns about ethical implications remain, with the importance of informed consent and privacy being emphasized by experts like Dr. King.
Where is this all leading?
Looking ahead, Dr. King believes FIGG will continue to play a crucial role in solving serious crimes, with the potential for DNA technology to be utilized in more innovative ways in the future. One intriguing possibility she discusses is the use of surnames and Y chromosome types in crime-solving scenarios.
While the link between surnames and genetic markers may provide valuable leads, Dr. King acknowledges the complexities and challenges of such an approach, highlighting the need for extensive databases and further research.
About our experts
Tuli King is a respected scientist in the field of genetic genealogy, known for her work in solving forensic DNA cases and exploring the relationship between Y chromosomes and British surnames. Her groundbreaking research has paved the way for new insights into the intersection of genetics and criminal investigations.
Many people believe that cutting a sandwich diagonally to create two triangles is the best way, but there isn’t solid scientific evidence to support this theory.
One explanation is that the triangular shape allows for the first two bites to be taken from a 45-degree corner, which has crust on only one side, giving quicker access to the center of the sandwich where the filling is most concentrated.
After biting into the corner, it’s recommended to eat 1-3 bites diagonally. This part will have no crust, and depending on the sandwich size, you may end up with an additional small triangle.
While each triangle eventually becomes a single 90-degree crust piece, cutting a sandwich into rectangles would result in two crust corners on each half instead of one.
Another reason for cutting sandwiches into triangles is that they are easier to eat: only kids and cartoon characters tend to take their first bite from the middle, resulting in a messy eating experience.
Beginning at one of the corners allows for a cleaner eating experience, and the 45-degree angle of the triangle maximizes the depth of each bite.
For those who want to extend this concept further, the sandwich can be cut into four triangles and eaten in three separate sessions.
This strategy is commonly used at children’s parties, although children often do not eat the 45-degree corner first. In such cases, cutting off the crust altogether may be a better option.
This article is a response to the question “What is the best way to cut a sandwich, scientifically speaking?” (asked by Jeremy Fry of Felixstowe).
If you have any questions, please send them to the email address below.For further information:or send us a messageFacebook,XorInstagramPage (be sure to include your name and location).
UltimateFun FactsFor more amazing science, check out this page.
When thinking of the menstrual cycle, most people consider only ovulation and menstruation. However, it is a much more complex process involving a network of hormones. Understanding these hormonal fluctuations is crucial for optimizing women’s athletic performance.
To fully comprehend this, we must acknowledge all the phases of the menstrual cycle.
Phases of the Menstrual Cycle
1. Menstruation
Menstruation is the first stage when you have your period. The duration varies among women, ranging from two days to seven to ten days.
On the first day of your period, your ovaries are signaled by your brain to prepare for ovulation by increasing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), leading to the formation of follicles containing immature eggs.
2. Follicular phase
As FSH levels rise, the lining of the uterus starts to regenerate. This phase, known as the follicular or proliferative phase, sees an increase in estrogen released by the developing egg.
3. Ovulation
Elevated estrogen triggers a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) to induce ovulation, releasing a mature egg from the dominant follicle. This ovulation phase lasts around 24 hours.
4. Luteal Phase
In the subsequent phase, the remaining follicle transforms into the corpus luteum, secreting progesterone and estrogen to maintain the uterus lining. If the egg is unfertilized, progesterone levels drop, leading to menstruation and restarting the cycle.
This cycle plays a crucial role in women’s athletic performance, influencing factors like strength, speed, and power. Understanding the impact of hormonal fluctuations is key to optimizing training and performance, preventing injuries, and enhancing recovery.
Research is ongoing to explore how the menstrual cycle affects sporting performance, with athletes monitoring their cycles to adapt training, recovery, and nutrition strategies accordingly. Recognizing the importance of the menstrual cycle in training women for sports is essential for maximizing performance.
As research progresses, a deeper understanding of the complexities and possibilities of the female body during these stages is emerging. It is crucial to continue investigating individual cycles and experiences to tailor approaches to each woman’s unique needs.
Feeling uncomfortably hot due to the soaring temperatures in the UK and the US heatwave is totally understandable. As humans evolved for tropical climates, working in such heat can be challenging. According to Professor Mike Tipton from the Extreme Environments Institute at the University of Portsmouth, our bodies were not designed for physical labor or office work in such hot conditions.
To stay cool during the heatwave, apart from the obvious tips like staying hydrated, seeking shade, and closing curtains, here are four science-backed techniques to help you beat the heat.
1. Cool your hands first, not your face
Cooling your face with a fan might seem instinctual, but immersing your hands in cold water for 15-20 minutes can be a more effective way to cool down. This method helps in dissipating heat from your body as your blood flows through your hands, providing quicker relief than cooling your face.
2. Avoid cold showers
Contrary to popular belief, taking cold showers is not the ideal way to cool down during extreme heat. Immersing too much of your body in cold water reduces blood circulation to the skin, hindering the cooling process. Opt for lukewarm showers instead to maintain adequate blood flow to your skin and regulate your body temperature effectively.
3. Choose hot drinks
Drinking hot beverages can actually help cool you down faster than cold water by triggering mechanisms like sweating and increased blood flow to the skin. While hydrating with water at any temperature is beneficial, hot drinks activate these cooling responses more effectively.
4. Let the wind blow to encourage sweating
Using a fan to create airflow and encourage sweat evaporation can be more helpful than just focusing the fan on your face. The wind aids in evaporating sweat from your body, facilitating the cooling process during extreme heat conditions. Natural air movement or non-electric fans can be effective in promoting sweat evaporation and overall cooling.
About our experts
Mike Tipton, a Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at the University of Portsmouth, has extensive research experience in thermoregulation, environmental physiology, and occupational health. With over 40 years of work in survival and thermal medicine consulting for the RAF and UKSport, Tipton is a leading expert in the field.
A team of physicists at the University of California, Berkeley has developed the most sophisticated instrument ever designed to search for dark energy, the mysterious force that is accelerating the expansion of the universe.
The results of their experiment were published today in a prestigious journal. Nature – targets a hypothetical particle known as the chameleon, which could hold the key to unlocking this mysterious cosmic force.
First identified in 1998, dark energy makes up about 70 percent of all matter and energy in the universe, and despite many theories, its true nature remains a mystery.
One leading hypothesis is that there is a fifth force that is distinct from the four fundamental forces known in nature (gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces).
This power is thought to be mediated by particles known as chameleons due to their ability to hide in plain sight.
In an experiment at the University of California, Berkeley, Professor Holger Muller utilizes an advanced atom interferometer combined with an optical lattice.
If that sounds technical, it is. Essentially, this setup allows for precise gravity measurements by holding free-falling atoms in place for a set period of time.
Physicists at UC Berkeley have clamped a small cluster of cesium atoms (the pink blob) in a vertical vacuum chamber and split each atom into a quantum state where half of the atom is close to the tungsten weight (the shiny cylinder) and the other half (the split sphere below the tungsten) is close to the tungsten weight. – Image credit: Cristian Panda/UC Berkeley
The longer we can keep the atoms there, the greater our chances of finding (or not finding) a trace of the chameleon.
“Atom interferometry is the technology and science that exploits the quantum properties of particles – their properties as both particles and waves. We split the waves so that the particles take two paths at the same time, and then we interfere with them at the end,” Muller said.
“The waves are either in phase and add, or out of phase and cancel each other out. The key is that whether they are in phase or out of phase depends very sensitively on the quantities you want to measure, such as acceleration, gravity, rotation, or fundamental constants.”
Whereas previous experiments have only been able to move atoms for a few milliseconds at a time, the new device can keep them in motion for much longer periods – from seconds to tens of seconds – a major improvement that improves the most precise measurements by a factor of five.
In a recent paper published in the journal Natural Physics Muller and his colleagues extended the hold time to a whopping 70 seconds.
To reveal whether chameleon particles are indeed the dark energy mastermind, scientists would need to find holes in the outcomes predicted by the accepted theory of gravity — something no one has managed to do since Isaac Newton formulated it 400 years ago.
Muller and his team found no deviations from Newtonian gravity in their recent tests, suggesting that if chameleons exist, their effects are quite subtle.
Still, the researchers are optimistic: The improved precision of their instruments means future experiments may provide the evidence needed to confirm or disprove the existence of chameleons and other hypothesized particles that contribute to dark energy.
About the Experts
Holger Muller At the age of 14, he successfully filed his first patent. He then wrote his undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Jürgen Mullinek at the University of Konstanz in Germany. He graduated from the Humboldt University in Berlin with Achim Peters as his supervisor. Müller received a fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and joined Steven Chu’s group at Stanford University as a postdoctoral researcher. In July 2008, he joined the Physics Department at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is currently a Professor of Physics and Principal Investigator. He is currently the Principal Investigator of his research group, the Müller Group.
The Earth is home to many extreme temperatures, from the frigid Arctic to the scorching Sahara Desert. But where is the hottest place on Earth?
Below are the 10 hottest places in the world based on the highest temperatures recorded.
The places on the list may not always be as hot as stated, but the record temperatures suggest high average heat, so be sure to bring plenty of water and a hat if you visit each spot.
If you want to cool down afterwards, check out the 10 coldest places on Earth.
10. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: 52°C (125.6°F)
Photo credit: Getty
Topping the list of hottest places on Earth was Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a temperature of 52°C (125.6°F). Recorded June 22, 2010.
The heat was the highest on record for the region, beating the 51°C recorded in nearby Al Ahsa three days earlier.
This ancient port city is located in western Saudi Arabia, has a population of over 4.6 million and serves as the main gateway to Mecca.
9. Mexicali, Mexico: 52°C (125.6°F)
The temperature is 52°C (125.6°F). Recorded It was recorded in the Mexicali Valley, Mexico, on July 28, 1995. It is the ninth-warmest temperature on Earth. The valley also recorded the coldest temperature ever, −7.0ºC (19.4°F).
Located in the northern part of Mexico's Baja California state, this region is known for its heat, earning it the nickname “The City that Captured the Sun.” It has one of the harshest climates in Mexico, with an average high temperature of 42.2 °C (108 °F) in July and 21.1 °C (70 °F) in January.
8. Al Jazeera Border Gate (UAE): 52.1°C (125.8°F)
In July 2002, a temperature of 52.1°C (125.8°F) was recorded at the Al Jazeera border gate in the United Arab Emirates.
In July 2013, the region again nearly matched its highest ever temperature record (51.2°C).
These temperatures only last about 15 minutes. Temperatures above 50 degrees are almost unbearable. In the UK it reached 40.3°C (Coningsby) In July 2022, temperatures in the UAE rose by more than 10 degrees.
7. Turbat, Pakistan: 53.7°C (128.7°F)
Photo credit: Getty
The seventh hottest on this list is 53.7 °C (128.7 °F), recorded in Turbat, Pakistan on May 28, 2017.
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Confirmed The 53.7°C recorded in Turbat was the fourth highest temperature ever recorded at the time.
Turbat is known as one of the hottest cities in Asia and is located on the Kech River in the southwestern part of the country's Balochistan province.
6. Basra, Iraq: 53.9°C (129°F)
The Middle East is one of the warmest regions in the world, with many record-breaking days when temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius. Basra, Iraq, is one of those areas. recording The highest temperature reached was 53.9 °C (129 °F) on July 22, 2016.
This matches the heat recorded in Kuwait just one day earlier (more on that below).
Basra is located along the Shatt al-Arab River in the Arabian Peninsula and is a city with a population of approximately 1.5 million.
5. Mitriba, Kuwait: 53.9°C (129°F)
Badr Al-Ma’ilam Mosque in Kuwait City. Photo courtesy of Getty
The fifth-highest temperature on record Verified The maximum temperature was recorded at the Mitriba weather station in Kuwait, where it reached 53.9°C (129°F), according to the WMO.
This incredible temperature was recorded on 21 July 2016 and was confirmed as the hottest place on record in Asia. It was also the hottest officially recognized temperature in 76 years (at the time).
4. Tirat Zvi, Israel: 54°C (129°F)
The highest temperature ever recorded was 54°C (129°F) in Tirat Zvi, Israel, on June 21, 1942. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) classifies Israel as Europe, so depending on where you place the country, this is officially the highest temperature ever recorded on the European continent.
Tirat Zvi, located near the Israeli-Jordanian border, is on the west side of the Jordan River. Population: only 975 As of 2021.
3. Ahvaz, Iran: 54°C (129.2°F)
The highest continental temperature recorded was 54 °C (129.2 °F). Measured Occurred in Ahvaz, Iran between 4:51pm and 5pm on June 29, 2017.
Ahvaz, the capital of Iran's Khuzestan province, has a population of about 1.3 million and a history dating back to the Achaemenid period. The city is known for its nine bridges, including the Black Bridge and the White Bridge.
2. Kebili, Tunisia: 55°C (131°F)
Photo credit: Getty
The highest temperature ever recorded in Africa was measured at 55°C (131°F) in Kebili, Tunisia, on July 7, 1931. This is the second-highest temperature ever recorded on Earth.
Besides the continental record-breaking heat, Kebili The oldest example Settlement site of people who inhabited Tunisia during the Early Palaeozoic Era, about 200,000 years ago. Ancient stone tools have been found near the city.
1. Furnace Creek, Death Valley (USA): 56.7°C (134°F)
Photo credit: Getty
The hottest place on Earth is Furnace Creek in Death Valley, California (USA), where a temperature of 56.7 °C (134 °F) was recorded on 10 July 1913. During summer, the average daily maximum temperature in Death Valley is 45 °C (113 °F).
This is only the air temperature; ground temperatures are much higher. On July 15, 1972, the ground temperature was 93.9 °C (201 °F). Recorded In Death Valley, water is only a few degrees away from boiling temperature.
There have been subsequent claims of higher temperatures, but these have not been proven. One of the hottest places on Earth was recorded in 1922 in what is now Libya, at 58 °C (136 °F).
However, in 2012, the World Meteorological Organization Conclusion This was “improperly recorded” and was off by about seven degrees Celsius, they said.
Reconstruction of a Neanderthal man at the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria
Neanderthal/Alamy Stock Photo
If the interpretation of the fossilized ear bones is correct, Neanderthal children with Down’s syndrome lived to at least the age of 6. The discovery adds to evidence that, far from being savage and heartless, Neanderthals routinely showed consideration for other members of their society, although researchers disagree about the extent to which children might have needed special attention.
“Neanderthals clearly cared about the people in their group, and this is a really great example of how much they cared.” Penny Spikins He is a researcher at the University of York in the UK, but was not involved in the study.
The Neanderthal fossils were found in the Cova Negra cave near the town of Xativa in eastern Spain, which has been excavated intermittently since the 1920s and reveals that Neanderthals lived there between 273,000 and 146,000 years ago.
Researchers cataloguing the animal remains at Cova Negra Mercedes Conde Valverde Researchers from the University of Alcala in Spain have identified a hominid bone fragment, which cannot be dated precisely because it was found in disturbed sediments, that includes part of the temporal bone at the side and base of the skull, as well as part of the inner ear.
Conde-Valverde and her colleagues used CT scans to create a 3D model of the bone, which allowed them to determine that it was from a Neanderthal, not a modern human: Judging by the state of bone development, the bone belonged to a child at least 6 years old, and possibly no older than 10.
The team found several peculiarities in the development of the inner ear, particularly in the three canals called the semicircular canals that are involved in hearing and balance. One of the canals was abnormally wide. The other connected to an adjacent chamber called the vestibular aqueduct, which is normally separate. What’s more, the cochlea, which is crucial for hearing, was particularly small.
According to Conde Valverde, this combination of characteristics is only seen in people with Down syndrome, a genetic condition in which people have three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two. The condition can cause learning disabilities, hearing and balance problems, and distinctive facial features.
It has probably been around for as long as humans, according to a study of ancient DNA published in February. 6 cases of Down Syndrome They are found in babies and young children, and one of them dates back nearly 5,000 years.
The newly identified child would have needed more care than other Neanderthal children, Conde Valverde said — for example, attacks of dizziness, a symptom of Down syndrome, may have made it difficult for him to get from place to place.
“Maybe mothers need help,” she says, because the increased time required for childcare can take away from other important activities, like finding food, not just for mothers but also for fathers.
Conde Valverde says that other Neanderthals in the group would not have expected the child to be of practical help, so they must have cared for him out of pure compassion.
Sarah Turner A Down syndrome researcher at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, believes this low expectation isn’t necessarily true: “People with Down syndrome contribute in many different ways to modern human societies,” she says, “and I’m sure that was true in Neanderthal societies as well.”
Neanderthal temporal bone fossil discovered in Cova Negra, Spain
Julia Diez Valero
“There’s a lot of diversity in what counts as a disability and how disabled people are treated in different relationships,” Turner says. “Compassion may be one motivating factor, but without knowing someone’s life and how they were treated and behaved, I don’t think you can say much about how and why they survived.”
Turner has previously studied wild primates. Can survive for a long time Even if they are born with a disability or developmental disorder. This includes: What is thought to be Down SyndromeThe mother survived as long as her older daughter had her help, but died after the daughter gave birth to a baby and was no longer able to help.
This new study: Neanderthal care and compassionFor example, Spikins says, an adult male Neanderthal found in Iraq’s Shanidar Cave had atrophied arms and damaged legs and was “probably deaf and blind in one eye. He lived 10 to 15 years after these injuries, so “he must have been well cared for.”
Both Conde Valverde and Spikins reject the idea that caregiving was carried out in the hope that help would come when the children grew up.
“The idea of analytically thinking about whether someone is going to be productive comes from our society,” Spikins says. The reality is, we evolved to live in close-knit groups, The instinct to care for one another It was very important. People with Down syndrome “tend to be very loving and very outgoing,” she says, “and that’s very important in a small community like this.”
Astronomers using the International Gemini Observatory’s Gemini North Telescope have imaged NGC 4449, a prime example of starburst activity caused by an ongoing merger with a nearby dwarf galaxy.
NGC 4449 is located in the constellation Canes Venatici and is about 12.5 million light-years away from Earth.
Also known as Caldwell 21, LEDA 40973, and UGC 7592, the galaxy has a diameter of about 20,000 light-years.
NGC 4449 was discovered on April 27, 1788, by German-born British astronomer William Herschel.
It is part of the M94 galaxy group, located near the Local Group, which contains our own Milky Way galaxy.
“The galaxy’s rolling red clouds and glowing blue veil light up the sky with the color of newly forming stars,” the astronomers said.
“The galaxy is classified as an Irregular Magellanic Galaxy, reflecting its loose spiral structure and similarity to the Large Magellanic Cloud, the prototype of the Magellanic Cloud.”
Stars have been forming actively within NGC 4449 for billions of years, but new stars are currently being produced at a much higher rate than in the past.
This unusually explosive and intense star formation activity qualifies this galaxy to be called a starburst galaxy.
“While starbursts typically occur in the centers of galaxies, star formation in NGC 4449 is more widespread, as evidenced by the fact that the youngest stars are found both in the galaxy’s central core and in the outflow that surrounds the galaxy,” the researchers said.
“This global starburst activity resembles the earliest star-forming galaxies in the universe, which grew by merging and agglomerating with smaller stellar systems.”
“And like its galactic progenitors, NGC 4449’s rapid star formation is likely driven by interactions with nearby galaxies.”
A member of the M94 galaxy group, NGC 4449 sits very close to several smaller galaxies around it.
Astronomers have found evidence of interactions between NGC 4449 and at least two other satellite galaxies.
One is a very faint dwarf galaxy that is actively absorbing, as evidenced by the diffuse streaming of stars on one side of NGC 4449.
“This stealthy merger is nearly undetectable by visual inspection due to its diffuse nature and low stellar mass,” the scientists said.
“But this galaxy harbors a huge amount of dark matter, and we can detect its presence through its large gravitational influence on NGC 4449.”
“Another object that offers a clue to past mergers is a massive globular cluster embedded within the outer halo of NGC 4449.”
Astronomers believe the cluster is the surviving core of a former gas-rich satellite galaxy that is now being absorbed into NGC 4449.
“As NGC 4449 interacts with and absorbs other, smaller galaxies, the gas is compressed and shocked by tidal interactions between the galaxies,” the astronomers said.
“Red glowing regions scattered throughout the image indicate this process, showing an abundance of ionized hydrogen, a clear sign of ongoing star formation.”
“Dark filaments of cosmic dust that thread their way throughout the Galaxy are causing countless hot, young, blue star clusters to emerge from the galactic oven.”
“At the current rate, NGC 4449’s supply of gas to support star formation will last only another billion years or so.”
Green and gold bell frogs in an artificial hotspot shelter
Anthony Waddle
One of Australia’s most endangered amphibians can fight off a deadly fungal infection with the help of a naturally heated shelter that researchers are calling a “frog sauna.”
The disease, chytridiomycosis, has wiped out about 100 species of frogs, toads and salamanders worldwide.
Green and gold bell frog (Litoria aureaThe fungus was once widespread along the south-eastern coast of Australia, but its range has shrunk by 90 percent, and although other factors such as habitat loss are also at play, chytrid is thought to be the greatest threat to the endangered species.
It has long been known that warm temperatures suppress fungal infections, and many frog species, including the Japanese bush frog, are susceptible to the disease in winter when it’s hard for them to stay warm, especially when it’s hard to find a warm place.
To learn more, Anthony Waddle The researcher, from Macquarie University in Sydney, and his colleagues studied two groups of captive frogs that were intentionally infected with chytridiomycosis over the winter.
The first group was provided with bricks with holes in them in an unshaded greenhouse shelter where temperatures rose to nearly 40°C (104°F), while the second group was provided with bricks in a shaded greenhouse shelter where temperatures rose to 35°C (95°F).
Frogs that were given warmer shelter had 100 times fewer chytrid spores on their skin than other groups.
Although chytrid has difficulty growing above 28°C (82°F), warmer temperatures appear to activate the frogs’ immune systems, Waddle said.
“Using shelter to survive is like a vaccination for the frogs,” Waddle says, “and we’ve shown that firefly frogs can develop resistance after heat has cleared their infection, potentially making them 22 times more likely to survive future infections in cold environments.”
Although the researchers have only tested the shelter on one species at this stage, they believe the technology could be used with other animals threatened by chytrid fungus, as long as they seek out natural warmth when it’s cold. Waddle says there are at least six Australian animal species that could benefit from the technology.
Importantly, these thermal shelters are easy and inexpensive to set up: “All you need is a small vegetable greenhouse from the hardware store and a few bricks, and it will only cost about $60-70. [Australian] “It will cost a few hundred dollars to build,” Waddle said, “and I can envision people putting them in their backyards to help the frogs through the winter.”
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