Exoplanet LHS 1140b in the Habitable Zone: Could it be a Snowball or Waterworld?

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

LHS 1140b is the second-closest temperate transiting exoplanet to Earth, with temperatures cold enough for liquid water to exist on its surface.

LHS 1140b could be a completely icy world, like Jupiter's moon Europa (left), or it could be an icy world with a liquid ocean and cloud-like atmosphere (centre). Image courtesy of B. Gougeon / University of Montreal.

LHS 1140 is a cool, low-mass star located about 39 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus.

Also known as Gliese 3053, GJ 3053 and 2MASS J00445930-1516166, the star is about one-fifth the size of our Sun and is about 5 billion years old.

LHS 1140 is known to be home to three exoplanets: LHS 1140b, LHS 1140c, and LHS 1140d.

Earlier this year, astronomers reported new mass and radius estimates for LHS 1140b with extraordinary precision, matching estimates for the better-known TRAPPIST-1 planet: 1.7 times the size and 5.6 times the mass of Earth.

One of the key questions about LHS 1140b was whether it was a mini-Neptune-type exoplanet or a super-Earth.

The latter scenario included the possibility of the existence of so-called Hythean worlds with global liquid oceans enveloped in a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, which would show a clear atmospheric signal observable using Webb.

Analysis of Webb's new observations completely rules out the mini-Neptune scenario and provides compelling evidence suggesting that exoplanet LHS 1140b is a super-Earth, possibly with a nitrogen-rich atmosphere.

If confirmed, this result would make LHS 1140b the first temperate planet to show evidence of a secondary atmosphere that formed after the planet's initial formation.

Estimates based on all the accumulated data suggest that LHS 1140b is less dense than expected for a rocky planet with an Earth-like composition, and that 10-20% of its mass may be made up of water.

The discovery indicates that LHS 1140b is a fascinating watery world, possibly similar to a snowball or ice planet, and the planet's expected synchronous rotation means that a region of the planet's surface could always harbor a liquid ocean at its substellar point, facing the system's host star.

Artist's impression of planetary system LHS 1140. Image courtesy of Sci.News.

“Among the currently known temperate exoplanets, LHS 1140b may be the best candidate for future indirect confirmation of the existence of liquid water on the surface of an alien world outside our solar system,” said Charles Cadieux, a doctoral student at the University of Montreal.

“This will be a major milestone in the search for potentially habitable exoplanets.”

Although still preliminary, the presence of a nitrogen-rich atmosphere on LHS 1140b suggests that the planet could retain a significant amount of atmosphere, creating the conditions for liquid water to exist. This finding makes the water-world/snowball scenario the most plausible.

Current models suggest that if LHS 1140b had an Earth-like atmosphere, it would be a snowball planet with a huge bull's-eye shaped ocean about 4,000 km in diameter, equivalent to half the surface area of the Atlantic Ocean.

Surface temperatures in the core of this alien ocean could reach a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius.

LHS 1140b has favorable conditions for a potential atmosphere and liquid water, making it an excellent candidate for future habitability studies.

“The planet provides a unique opportunity to study worlds that could potentially support life, as it is located in the habitable zone of its star and likely has an atmosphere capable of retaining heat and supporting a stable climate,” the astronomers said.

Team paper will be published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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Charles Cadieux others2024. Transmission spectroscopy of the habitable zone exoplanet LHS 1140b with JWST/NIRISS. Apu JL,in press; arXiv:2406.15136

Source: www.sci.news

Oldest Evidence of Plant Cultivation in East Africa Unearthed by Archaeologists

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A treasure trove of ancient plant remains unearthed in Kenya helps explain the history of plant cultivation in equatorial East Africa, a region long thought to be important for early agriculture but where little evidence from actual crops had been found. New Research Released on July 10, 2024 Proceedings of the Royal Society BArchaeologists from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Pittsburgh and their colleagues report the largest and most extensively dated archaeological record ever found in the East African interior.

Kakapel Rockshelter, located at the foot of Mount Elgon near the Kenya-Uganda border, is where Dr. Muller and his collaborators discovered the oldest evidence of plant cultivation in East Africa. Image by Steven Goldstein.

Until now, scientists have had little success collecting ancient plant remains from East Africa, and as a result, little is known about where and how early plant cultivation began in the vast and diverse region that comprises Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

“There are a lot of stories about how agriculture began in East Africa, but not much direct evidence of the plants themselves,” said archaeologist Dr Natalie Muller of Washington University in St Louis.

The work was carried out at Kakapel Rockshelter in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya.

“We found a huge array of plant life, including large amounts of crop remains,” Dr Muller said. “The past shows a rich history of diverse and flexible agricultural systems in the region, in contrast to modern stereotypes about Africa.”

New research reveals a pattern of gradual adoption of different crops originating from different parts of Africa.

In particular, cowpea remains discovered at Kakapel Rockshelter and directly dated to 2,300 years ago provide the oldest record of a cultivated crop, and possibly an agricultural lifestyle, in East Africa.

The study authors estimate that cowpea is native to West Africa and arrived in the Lake Victoria basin at the same time as the spread of Bantu-speaking peoples migrating from Central Africa.

“The discoveries at Kakapelle reveal the earliest evidence of crop cultivation in East Africa and reflect dynamic interactions between local nomadic pastoralists and migrant Bantu-speaking farmers,” said Emmanuel Ndiema of the National Museums of Kenya, a partner in the project.

“This study demonstrates the National Museums of Kenya's commitment to uncovering the deep historical roots of Kenya's agricultural heritage and to improving our understanding of how past human adaptations impact future food security and environmental sustainability.”

An ever-changing landscape

Located at the foot of Mount Elgon north of Lake Victoria near the Kenya-Uganda border, Kakapelu is a renowned rock art site containing archaeological remains reflecting more than 9,000 years of human occupation in the area. The site has been recognised as a Kenyan national monument since 2004.

“Kakapel Rockshelter is one of the few sites in the region that shows occupation by so many diverse communities over such a long period of time,” said Dr. Steven T. Goldstein, an anthropological archaeologist at the University of Pittsburgh and the other lead author of the study.

“Using innovative excavation techniques, we were able to uniquely detect the arrival of domesticated plants and animals in Kenya and study the impacts of these introductions on the local environment, human technologies and socio-cultural systems.”

Dr Muller used flotation to separate remains of wild and cultivated plant species from ash and other debris in the furnaces excavated at Kakapelle. He has used this technique in research in many other parts of the world, but it can be difficult to use in water-scarce areas and so is not widely used in East Africa.

Using direct radiocarbon dating of charred seeds, scientists documented that cowpea (also known as black-eyed pea, today an important legume worldwide) arrived about 2,300 years ago, about the same time that people in the region began using domesticated cattle.

They found evidence that sorghum arrived from the Northeast at least 1,000 years ago.

They also found hundreds of finger millet seeds dating back at least 1,000 years.

The crop is native to East Africa and is an important traditional crop for the communities currently living near Kakapelle.

One of the unusual crops that Dr. Muller found was a burnt but completely intact pea plant (Pisum), which is not thought to have been part of early agriculture in this region.

“To our knowledge, this is the only evidence for peas in Iron Age East Africa,” Dr Muller said.

This particular pea has been featured in the newspaper and presents a little mystery in itself.

“The standard pea that we eat in North America was domesticated in the Near East,” Dr Muller said.

“It is thought that it was cultivated in Egypt and then travelled down the Nile via Sudan to reach East Africa – which is probably how sorghum got to East Africa. But there is another type of pea called the Abyssinian pea that was cultivated uniquely in Ethiopia, and our sample could be either.”

Many of the plant remains that Dr. Muller and his team found at Kakapelle could not be positively identified because even modern scientists currently working in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda do not have access to a proper reference collection of East African plant samples.

“Our study shows that agriculture in Africa has been constantly changing as people migrate, introduce new crops and abandon others at the local level,” Dr Muller said.

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Muller others2024. Proceedings of the Royal Society Bin press; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2747

This article is a version of a press release provided by Washington University in St. Louis.

Source: www.sci.news

NASA Successfully Completes First Mission Simulating Astronaut Life on Mars

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

NASA is working on developing the technology to send astronauts to Mars. Early 2030s The mock journey was the first of three planned journeys to the habitat as part of NASA’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) mission.

Upon emerging from the habitat, the volunteers were welcomed by a cheering crowd.

“Hello. It’s really great to be able to say hello to you all,” CHAPEA Commander Haston said with a laugh.

The mission aimed to test how the group would handle the challenges humans would encounter on Mars. The crew faced environmental stress, communication delays, and limited resources. They consumed preserved foods as well as vegetables they cultivated during their quarantine.

Brockwell, who also serves as an aeronautical engineer, structural engineer, and public works manager at CHAPEA, noted that the mission provided valuable insights on sustainability.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to implement the concept that resources should be used at a sustainable rate and waste should be managed effectively,” he said.

The crew of the first CHAPEA mission arrived at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on July 6 after completing a one-year mission.
Josh Valcarcel / NASA / CHAPEA

“Without following these principles we cannot live, dream, create, or explore for long periods of time. But if we do follow them we can achieve and sustain amazing and inspiring things, like exploring other worlds,” Brockwell added.

Mars Dune Alpha is located at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The habitat is A sandbox full of red sand There, participants will simulate a “Mars walk.” The habitat will have private rooms, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. There will also be areas for medical, recreational, fitness, and work activities, according to NASA.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The behavior of small black holes within the Sun, Earth, and humans

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Dead Planets Society is a podcast that explores wild ideas about manipulating the universe and tests them against the laws of physics, from splitting the moon to creating catastrophic events with gravitational waves. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Listen on Spotify or visit our podcast page.

In the early universe, there may have been tiny black holes as massive as mountains but smaller than atoms. If these primordial black holes exist, they could address major cosmological issues and offer endless opportunities for the Society of Dead Planets to explore.

In this episode, hosts Chelsea White and Leah Crane are joined by black hole experts like Alison Kirkpatrick. Researchers at the University of Kansas are investigating the effects of placing a primordial black hole inside different objects, such as the Sun, Earth, or even the human body, yielding surprising results.

A small black hole inside a star or planet would have minimal impact, either passing through or staying near the center depending on the object’s mass. However, a larger black hole the size of Earth but with the radius of a grape could drastically alter the fate of the Sun or consume a planet from within.

Despite the risks, a black hole of this size could potentially manipulate gravity to reshape the universe. For instance, a small black hole near the Moon’s surface could counteract its drift away from Earth.

Kirkpatrick explains that standing a few meters away from a small black hole is relatively safe, but closer proximity would result in gravitational forces tearing apart the nearest parts of the body. Introducing a black hole into the body, even through teleportation, is not advisable.

Kirkpatrick strongly advises against placing a primordial black hole inside the human body due to the immediate havoc it would wreak. The American Medical Association did not provide a response regarding the effects of black holes on humans.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Unveiling the key components that influence your microbiome and well-being

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The rats in John Cryan's lab were withdrawn and anxious, behaving in ways that mirrored those who had been bullied at work and who feared they might encounter the bully again.

Believe it or not, the good news is that they fed some of these rodents a slurry of microbes extracted from their own feces. This may sound unpleasant, but it had a surprisingly positive effect on their behavior. “That was surprising,” says Cryan, a neurobiologist at University College Cork in Ireland. “We found that the behavioral changes that were induced by stress were normalized, and they started to behave like normal animals.”

Even more surprising, the mental changes weren't brought about by changes to gut bacteria, but by modifying another key aspect of the microbiome whose importance is only now being recognized: viruses.

After all, our bodies are full of these viruses – trillions of stowaways that do no harm to our health, but instead play a key role in nurturing a beneficial microbiome and making us healthier. Recent studies have found that the influence of this “virome” can be found throughout the body, from the blood to the brain. The hope is that tweaking it might lead to new ways of treating a variety of ailments, from inflammatory bowel disease and obesity to anxiety.

Microbiome Diversity

Over the past decade, there has been a surge in interest in the microbiome (all the tiny organisms that live on and in our bodies), but that interest has focused primarily on bacteria. Until recently, the assumptions were that…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Cooking releases artificial flavors that enhance the quality of lab-grown meat

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Flavored cultured meat

Yonsei University

Lab-grown meat could potentially taste better thanks to aroma chemicals that activate when cooked and give off a meaty scent – or, if you prefer, coffee or potato.

Meat grown from cell cultures has already been produced in a variety of forms, such as steaks and meatballs, that resemble slaughtered meat, but matching the taste has proven harder: The flavor of traditional meat is too complex and unstable to withstand the lengthy lab process.

One of the key components of cooked meat's flavor is the Maillard reaction, named after the French chemist who discovered that temperatures between 140 and 165°C (280 and 330°F) give cooked foods their distinctive flavor. Jinkee Hong Researchers at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, say they have devised a way to simulate the Maillard reaction by adding “switchable flavour compounds” (SFCs) to a 3D gelatin-based hydrogel called a “scaffold” that remains stable during meat cultivation.

When heated to 150°C, the chemicals “switch on” and release flavors, making the cultured protein more palatable: “When we heated SFC, it actually tasted like meat,” Hong says, though he declined to confirm whether the team actually ate meat.

These SFCs can also be used to create different flavor profiles. For example, the researchers say they tested three compounds, which produced flavors that mimicked roasted meat, coffee, roasted nuts, onion and potatoes. “You can diversify and customize the flavor compounds released from the SFCs,” Hong says.

One big problem is that the chemicals involved are not currently considered safe for human consumption. “Because the materials and culture media have not been approved as edible materials, we cannot guarantee their safety,” Hong says. “However, our strategy can be applied to conventional edible materials and we believe it would be safer than the materials we used in this study.”

Johannes Le Couteur Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, said they were skeptical of the study for a number of reasons, including that the flavor tests primarily used electronic noses to evaluate chemicals released, rather than humans judging whether a scent was appetizing.

“This type of material cannot feed humans,” Le Coutur said. “While cell-based meat is a promising technology concept, this particular flavoring method will never be able to provide safe, sustainable protein to low- and moderate-income communities in need.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Possible Replacement for Beef: A Gelatinous Meat Mass

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Recent advancements in cultured meat technology are poised to enhance the flavor profile of cultured meat products, making them more akin to traditional meat in taste.

Scientists have devised a “flavor-switchable scaffold” that releases meat flavor compounds when exposed to cooking temperatures.

Professor Jin-Kee Hong, a co-author of a study published in 2011 in Nature Communications, emphasized the significance of this innovation. Speaking to BBC Science Focus, he stated, “Many researchers are focusing on creating various bioscaffolds to produce 3D cultured meat from livestock cells.”

However, Hong highlighted that the current emphasis has been primarily on biological aspects, neglecting consumer preferences such as flavor, texture, and taste. He stressed, “…techniques to manipulate the sensory characteristics of cultured tissues are essential for their recognition as food.”

The new gelatin-based scaffold contains flavor compounds that break down during cooking, releasing a meaty flavor similar to traditional meats.

Chemical analysis, including testing with an electronic nose (e-nose), demonstrated that the new flavor profile of cultured meat closely resembles that of grilled beef.

According to the study’s lead author, Miley Lee, the cultured meat exhibits a meat-like flavor and texture, albeit not identical to conventional meat. Lee expressed optimism about narrowing this flavor gap through the development of bioscaffolds with more meat-like properties in the future.

Cells are cultured on a flavor-changing scaffold to produce meaty-flavored cultured meat. – Image courtesy of Yonsei University

Cultured meat is increasingly viewed as a sustainable alternative to traditional animal protein, offering consumers a beloved food while significantly reducing environmental impact and ethical issues associated with animal slaughter, as per Hong.

Moreover, customizing cultured meat to meet specific consumer preferences could position it as a healthier food choice in the future. Lee pointed out that, given its lab-grown nature, all properties of cultured meat can be tailored to meet consumer needs, such as high protein content and no fat.

Despite these breakthroughs, researchers acknowledge current limitations and the need for further exploration. “While many are developing scaffolds for cultured meat production, there is still a long road ahead to achieve meat that perfectly mimics traditional options,” Hong remarked.

Lee added that scaling up cultured meat production for cost-effectiveness and commercial viability remains a challenge, with costs still prohibitive for widespread availability.

Nonetheless, the team remains hopeful in finding solutions in the future. Lee expressed optimism, stating, “We believe our efforts can make a substantial contribution to cultured meat development and the global community.”

About our experts

Jinkee Hong, a Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Yonsei University, heads the Nanocomposite Materials Institute, focusing on cutting-edge research in functional polymers.

Miley Lee, a student in the integrated Masters and PhD program at Yonsei University, specializes in scaffold engineering, drug delivery for cell stimulation, and bioelectrical stimulation. She has contributed to numerous research papers in prestigious journals and holds the first authorship on several.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

A new species of thescelosaur dinosaur found to have lived in underground burrows

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Thescelosaurinae A group of small to medium-sized herbivorous dinosaurs that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous. The newly discovered Thescelosaurinae species Fona Herzogae It shows evidence that these dinosaurs spent at least some of their time in underground burrows.

Fona HerzogaeImage courtesy of Jorge Gonzalez.

Fona Herzogae It lived in what is now Utah about 99 million years ago (Cretaceous Period).

At the time, the region was a vast floodplain ecosystem between a huge inland sea to the east and active volcanoes and mountains to the west. It was a warm, wet, muddy environment with numerous rivers and streams.

Since 2013, paleontologists from North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences have excavated this fossil, as well as other specimens of the same species, in the Mussenchutchit Formation of the Cedar Mountain Formation.

The state of preservation of these fossils and some of the features they have suggest that they may have been burrowing.

Fona Herzogae It was a small, herbivorous dinosaur about the size of a large dog and with a simple body shape.

Although they lack the flashy ornamentation of their more well-adorned relatives, such as horned, armored, or crowned dinosaurs, Fona Herzogae it was boring.

Fona Herzogae It shares several anatomical features with animals known for digging and burrowing, including large biceps, strong muscle attachments in the hips and legs, fused bones along the pelvis (probably helping with stability while digging), and hind limbs that are proportionally larger than the forelimbs, but that's not the only evidence that this animal spent time underground.

“The fossil record is biased towards large animals, mainly because in floodplain environments like Mussentucht, small bones at the surface are often scattered, rotted, or scavenged before being buried and fossilized,” says Habib Abrahami, a doctoral student at North Carolina State University and digital engineer for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' new “Dueling Dinosaurs” program.

“but Fona Herzogae In many cases, the bones are found in very good condition and complete, with many of them preserved in their original death position, with their chest down and their forelimbs spread.”

“If they had already been in an underground burrow before they died, it would have been more likely to have been preserved in this way.”

Dr. Lindsay Zanno, associate research professor at North Carolina State University, director of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and corresponding author of the study, agrees.

“Fona Herzogae “We've found a much larger number of skeletons of small animals with weak bones in this area than we would have expected,” Dr Zanno said.

“The most likely explanation for why so many specimens have been found and why they were recovered in small bundles is that they lived underground, at least part of the time.”

“Essentially, Fona Herzogae They have done a tremendous job for us by putting the whole area underground.”

Although researchers have yet to identify the underground burrow, Fona Herzogaethe tunnels and chambers of its closest relatives, OryctodromeusIt was discovered in Idaho and Montana. These discoveries Fona Herzogae They also used burrows.

Fona Herzogae It is also a distant relative of Willo, another famous North Carolina fossil. Thescelosaurus neglectus This specimen, now in a museum, is thought to have been adapted to a semi-cryptic lifestyle, that is, partially underground.

“Thescelosaurus neglectus At the end of this lineage was Fona Herzogae “It's an ancestor from about 35 million years ago,” Avrahami says.

The researchers Fona Herzogae It is key to improving our understanding of Cretaceous ecosystems.

“Fona Herzogae “It gives us insight into the three-dimensional space that animals can occupy by moving underground,” Avrahami said.

“This discovery adds to the richness of the fossil record and expands the known diversity of small herbivores, a vital yet poorly understood component of Cretaceous ecosystems.”

“People tend to have a myopic view of dinosaurs that hasn't kept pace with scientific advances,” Dr Zanno said.

“We now know that dinosaur diversity ranged from small arboreal gliding animals and nocturnal hunters to sloth-like herbivores and, of course, animals that hid underground.”

of work Appear Anatomy record.

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Habib M. Avrahami othersA new, semi-excavated thescelosaurine dinosaur from the Cenomanian Mussenchutit Formation of the Cedar Mountain Formation in Utah. Anatomy recordPublished online July 9, 2024; doi: 10.1002/ar.25505

This article is a version of a press release provided by North Carolina State University.

Source: www.sci.news

Rare genetic mutation results in stunning blue-skinned frog

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The magnificent tree frog (Litoria splendida) is normally green, but this mutant is blue

J Barker/AWC

A rare blue frog found in the Kimberley region of Western Australia has stunned researchers who say the unusual colouring is probably due to a genetic mutation causing it to lose certain skin pigments.

As its name suggests, the magnificent tree frog (Litoria splendida) is already a spectacular animal, so when Jake Barker When he saw a bright blue specimen on a bench in a workshop at the Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Charnley River-Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary in April, he was shocked.

The amphibians are normally a vibrant green, which is a common colour for tree frogs and is thought to camouflage them.

“I knew as soon as I saw it that it was rare,” says Barker. “It’s not often that you get to see a blue frog.” It has been seen a number of times since, but won’t be captured for research, he says.

“It’s far too pretty and far too unique and it would be a pity to take it away from its natural habitat,” says Barker. “We’ll leave it to live out its days and hopefully get to see it many more times in the future.”

Jodi Rowley At the Australian Museum in Sydney, the animal may be the “most beautiful, aberrant-coloured frog” that she has ever seen. “And I have seen tens of thousands of frogs.”

From the photos she has seen, Rowley says the frog is at least 2 to 3 years old. The species may live to be 20 years old, so the blue individual is likely to be around for a while unless caught by a predator.

She says the frogs’ skin colour is determined by the combination of three chemicals – melanophores, which provide blacks and browns; xanthophores, which provide yellow pigments; and iridophores, which reflect blue colours. Normally, the yellows and blues combine to make green, but it is thought the new blue frog has a mutation that means it is missing the yellow pigments and the blue dominates.

“Blue is probably a bit more obvious to predators,” says Rowley, “which is why we don’t see many blue frogs.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Artificial turf equipped with self-cooling technology offers solution for cities facing extreme weather

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

At a test site in Amsterdam, self-cooling artificial turf was tested against regular artificial turf.

Joris Forten

By absorbing rainwater and allowing it to evaporate on hot days, artificial turf stays much cooler than regular artificial grass. Self-cooling turf protects athletes from burns and heat stroke and helps cities manage stormwater.

Such surfaces are already in use in Amsterdam, London and Kobe, Japan, he said. Marjolein van Huygevoort At the KWR Water Resources Institute in Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.

“A normal lawn stays cool because the grass itself evaporates,” she says, “so this system mimics that natural situation by letting the water rise and evaporate.”

Van Huygevoort says many cities and sports venues are installing artificial turf fields because overuse can damage natural grass. Even in warm climates like those in Northern Europe, the sun can heat the plastic surface to about 70°C (158°F), not only damaging the health of athletes but also warming the air in urban areas, a situation that will only get worse with global warming, he says.

Inspired by A “blue-green roof” that collects rainwater for a cooling effectVan Huygevoort and her colleagues built a toy-sized mock-up of the playground in a climate-controlled lab, with a water-retention unit below the surface topped with a two-centimeter-thick cushioning pad with thin irrigation cylinders embedded inside.

Filled with mineral wool fibres that act like a sponge, these “capillaries” slowly wick water up into a thin layer of sand at the bottom of the artificial turf surface. In a heated laboratory environment, the irrigated water evaporates from the sand, creating a cooling effect on the surface.

Encouraged by these results, the team built a 25-square-metre test site in Amsterdam containing irrigated natural grass. During a heatwave that recorded a maximum temperature of 29.8°C (86°F), the conventional artificial grass reached 62.5°C (145°F). The researchers found that Self-cooling lawnBut the temperature never rose above 37°C (99°F), just 1.7°C warmer than on a natural grass field. Even the air above the water-cooled turf was cooler, which helped keep temperatures down across the city, van Huygevoort said.

The system is based on a design in which the rate at which the water level rises and the evaporative cooling process depend on various natural factors, such as weather conditions. “So water only evaporates when there is a demand for cooling,” says van Huygevoort.

A reservoir beneath the grass can store about 512,000 litres of rainwater beneath the floor of a standard 100-metre by 64-metre football pitch, she says, and capillaries in the buffer pad can store another 96,000 litres, meaning the field should be useful for absorbing large amounts of water during storms, van Huygevoort says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Fresh Off the Press: Latest Release on Supervolcanoes from BBC Science Focus Magazine

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Michael Mosley

This avant-garde science communicator is a colleague BBC Science Focus Contributor, Professor Giles Yeo.

Cosmic String

Cosmic strings would be the Holy Grail of physics: if discovered, they would unify our theories and even make time travel possible. Now, astronomers may have found the first evidence that cosmic strings exist.

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Most common treatments for back pain don’t stand up to scientific scrutiny. Experts dispel myths about back pain, including common causes and treatments. Learn the best ways to reduce strain and relieve back pain.

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The everyday actions you take can make or break your happiness. Here are some less-talked-about lifestyle choices you can make to improve your baseline happiness and stop chasing elusive feelings.

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Creatine: Every supplement claims to have positive effects on the body and brain. But research shows that these claims are false. actually When it comes to creatine, we’ll explore whether these claims are true and cover the potential side effects of the supplement.
Question-and-answer session: Answers to all the questions you didn’t know you needed answers to.
Doomsday Glacier: Thwaites Glacier is the world’s largest glacier, covering an area larger than Florida, but it may be on the verge of collapse… and that’s a big problem.

Issue 407 will be released on July 9, 2024

Please do not forget BBC Science Focus It is also available on major digital platforms.
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For iPad and iPhone.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Oldest Evidence of Storytelling in Art Found in 51,200-Year-Old Indonesian Cave Paintings

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Archaeologists used a new technique called Laser Ablation U-series (LA-U-series) to re-date some of the oldest cave paintings in the Maros-Pangkep region of South Sulawesi and date stylistically similar motifs at other Maros-Pangkep sites. They found a minimum age of 50,200 years ago (± 2,200 years) for a hunting scene from the Leambur Sipong 4 cave site, first dated to a minimum of 43,900 years ago using a previous approach, meaning it is at least 4,040 years older than previously thought. They also assigned a minimum age of 53,500 years ago (± 2,300 years) to the newly described Leang Karampuang cave painting. Painted at least 51,200 years ago, the narrative work depicts human-like figures interacting with pigs and is now known as the world's oldest surviving example of figurative art and visual storytelling.

A 51,200-year-old mural from Leang Karampuan. Image courtesy of Griffith University.

Prehistoric rock art provides important insights into past human cultures, but is typically difficult to date in an accurate and reliable way.

Over the past few decades, solution-based U-series methods have been used to determine early dates for rock art in several regions, including Western Europe, island Southeast Asia, and Siberia.

In Spain, a handprint stencil was dated to at least 64,800 years ago by solution U-series analysis of the overlying calcite and attributed to Neanderthals.

Until now, the oldest evidence of representational art is a naturalistic painting of a warthog at Reang Tedonggae in Maros-Pangkep, Sulawesi, which was dated to at least 45,500 years ago using the solution U series.

“We have previously used uranium-series methods to date very ancient rock art in two areas of Indonesia, Sulawesi and Borneo, but our new laser ablation U-series (LA-U-series) technique is more accurate,” said Professor Maxim Aubert from Griffith University, lead author of the study.

“This will allow us to date the oldest calcium carbonate layers that formed in the murals and get a more accurate idea of when the murals were created. This will revolutionize the dating of murals.”

“The innovative technique we developed allows us to create a detailed 'map' of the calcium carbonate layers,” added study co-author Professor Renaud-Joannes Boyau from Southern Cross University.

“This feature makes it possible to precisely identify and avoid areas affected by natural diagenesis resulting from complex growth histories.”

“As a result, dating of rock art becomes more certain and reliable.”

The discovery that the Leang Karampuang paintings are at least 51,200 years old has important implications for understanding the origins of early art.

“Our results are very surprising. Apart from some controversial finds in Spain, none of the famous Ice Age rock arts in Europe are this old. This is the first time that Indonesian rock art has been dated to more than 50,000 years,” said the study's lead author Adi Agus Octaviana, a rock art expert at Jakarta's National Research and Innovation Agency and a doctoral student at Griffith University.

The scientists also used the LA-U series technique to re-date calcium carbonate deposits that lie above cave paintings at the Leang Bru Sipon 4 cave site.

The paintings, which consist of narrative “scenes” depicting figures interpreted as therianthropes (half-human, half-animal) hunting warthogs and dwarf buffalo, were estimated by the team to be at least 43,900 years old.

Using new techniques, the authors prove that the artwork dates to a minimum of about 48,000 years ago, making it 4,040 years older than present.

“The cave paintings at Leang Karampuang and Leang Bul Siphon 4 shed new light on a great period and the vital role of storytelling in art history,” said Professor Adam Blum of Griffith University, co-author of the study.

“It is remarkable that the oldest cave paintings found so far in Sulawesi consist of recognizable scenes – pictures of humans interacting with animals – and we can infer that the artists were trying to tell some kind of story.”

“This was a new discovery because the academic consensus on early figurative cave art was that it consisted of panels with single figures, no clearly defined scenes, and that pictorial representations that conveyed a narrative emerged much later in European art.”

This discovery suggests that narrative storytelling has been an important part of human artistic culture in Indonesia from very early times.

“Humans have probably been telling stories for much longer than 51,200 years, but because words don't fossilize we have to rely on indirect evidence like depicted scenes in artwork, and the Sulawesi artworks are the oldest such evidence known to archaeology so far,” Octaviana said.

of Investigation result Published in a journal Nature.

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AA Octaviana and othersl. The story of Indonesian cave paintings from 51,200 years ago. NaturePublished online July 3, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07541-7

Source: www.sci.news

Webb Observes Four Views of a Gravitationally Lensed Quasar

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The quasar, called RX J1131-1231, lies about 6 billion light-years away in the constellation Crater.

This Webb image shows the galaxy RX J1131-1231 distorted by gravitational lensing into a dark ring. At the top of the ring are three very bright spots next to each other, emitting diffraction spikes. These are copies of a single quasar in the lensed galaxy, duplicated by gravitational lensing. In the center of the ring, the lensing elliptical galaxy appears as a small blue spot. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / A. Nierenberg.

RXJ1131-1231 The galaxy is thought to be one of the best lensed quasars ever discovered, as the foreground lensing effect blurs the image of the background quasar into a bright arc, creating four celestial images.

“Gravitational lensing effect“This phenomenon, first predicted by Albert Einstein, acts as a natural telescope, magnifying the light from these sources and providing a rare opportunity to study the regions close to the black holes in distant quasars,” astronomer Webb said.

“All matter in the universe distorts the space around it, and the more mass there is, the more pronounced this effect.”

“Around very massive objects like galaxies, light passing nearby travels through this distorted space, appearing to bend visibly from its original path.”

“One of the inevitable effects of gravitational lensing is the magnification of distant objects, allowing astronomers to study objects that would otherwise be too faint or too far away.”

“Measuring the X-ray emission from a quasar can provide an indication of how fast the central black hole is rotating, which could give researchers important clues about how black holes grow over time,” the researchers added.

“For example, if black holes grow primarily through collisions and mergers between galaxies, then the accumulation of material in a stable disk and the steady supply of new material from the disk should cause the black hole to rotate rapidly.”

“On the other hand, if a black hole grows through many small accretion episodes, then material will accumulate from random directions.”

“Observations show that the black hole in RX J1131-1231 is rotating at more than half the speed of light, suggesting that the black hole grew by merging rather than by attracting matter from different directions.”

New images of RX J1131-1231 can be found at Webb's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) As part of an observational program to study dark matter.

“Dark matter is an invisible substance that makes up most of the mass of the universe,” the researchers said.

“Webb's quasar observations allow us to probe the nature of dark matter on smaller scales than ever before.”

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This article is a version of a press release provided by NASA.

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient DNA unravels the evolutionary history of Australian dingoes

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Dingoes are found across most of the Australian continent.

Dominique Jeanmaire/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Analysis of ancient dingo DNA suggests that Australia's native wild dogs arrived in two migration waves between 3,000 and 8,000 years ago, and show little evidence of interbreeding with domestic dogs.

Sally Wasef Researchers from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia looked at 42 ancient dingo specimens, ultimately obtaining nine complete genomes, including the oldest genome of any Australian species sequenced to date, as well as mitochondrial DNA from 16 animals.

The DNA recovered dates from 400 to 2,700 years ago and was collected from across the continent. The researchers compared this ancient data with DNA from 11 modern dingoes, six New Guinea singing dogs, and 372 domestic dogs, wolves, and other canines collected in previous studies.

The analysis confirmed that Australia's two main dingo populations – those concentrated on the east and west coasts – diverged at least 3,000 years ago, and because the east coast dingoes are more closely related to the singing dogs of New Guinea than are the west coast dingoes, it is possible that dingoes migrated to Australia in two waves.

Because no DNA from ancient New Guinea singing dogs was found, the researchers could not rule out the possibility that the singing dogs were descended from dingoes that migrated to New Guinea from Australia.

People have long known that dingoes descended from wolves, but “without ancient DNA we couldn't figure that out,” Wassef said.

Since Europeans arrived in Australia, dingoes have been hunted and killed as a threat to the livestock industry.

In recent years, there have been a number of dingo attacks on humans on K'gari Island, also known as Fraser Island, off the coast of Queensland, leading to the animals being euthanized.

Analysis of ancient DNA found no evidence that the K'gari dingoes interbred with domestic dogs. “It's been suggested that dingoes interbred with domestic dogs to provide an excuse to kill them,” Wassef said. “Our results don't show evidence of widespread interbreeding.”

To protect K'gari dingoes' gene pool, Wassef said the practice of euthanizing dingoes may need to be reconsidered: “K'gari dingoes already suffer from inbreeding and killing individuals would significantly reduce their DNA.”

“This study is exciting because it provides some of the data we need to investigate the evolutionary relationships between dingoes, New Guinea singing dogs, dog populations around the world and wolves,” Kylie Cairns At the University of New South Wales, Sydney.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

145 million years ago in Thailand, a distant relative of T. rex roamed the land

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A team of paleontologists from Kasetsart University, Mahasarakham University and Sirindhorn Museum have unearthed three fossilized teeth from a previously unknown non-tyrannosaurid tyrannosauroid dinosaur in northeastern Thailand.

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the Late Jurassic Phu Kradung Formation, northeastern Thailand. Image courtesy of Chacharin Somboon.

“Tyrannosauroidea is a lineage of theropods, which includes some of the best-known carnivorous dinosaurs. Tyrannosaurus Rex “From the Late Cretaceous of North America.” Dr. Chacharam Ketwetulya Kasetsart University and colleagues.

“They lived primarily on the supercontinent of Laurasia from the Middle Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous.”

“The oldest known species of tyrannosauroids are found in the Middle Jurassic of Europe and Asia, suggesting that this group of theropods originated within Eurasia.”

“Tyrannosauroidea ranged across Asia from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous, with most Asian tyrannosaurids found in China and Mongolia.”

The three tyrannosauroid teeth examined by the research team were discovered in the Phu Noi area of Khammuang district, Kalasin province, northeastern Thailand.

The specimen dates back to the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period, approximately 145 million years ago.

A basal tyrannosauroid tooth from the Phu Noi region of Thailand. Image courtesy of Chowchuvech others.

“The Phu Noi area is known to be one of the richest sources of Mesozoic vertebrate fossils in Southeast Asia,” the paleontologists said.

“Many species have been unearthed from the site, including freshwater sharks, ray-finned fish, lungfish, amphibians, turtles, crocodylomorphs, pterosaurs and dinosaurs.”

“Three species of dinosaurs have been identified in the Phu Noi area: a metriacanthosaurid theropod, a mamenchisaurid sauropod and a basal neoornithischian. Minimo Cursor.”

“Three of the theropod teeth from the Phu Noi area display unique dental features that distinguish them from previously discovered metriacanthosaurid theropods, including lateral teeth with twisted mesial ridges on the proximal lingual side that extend above the cervical line and interwoven enamel surface textures,” the researchers added.

“Morphological examination and systematic and morphometric analyses reveal that these isolated teeth indicate basal tyrannosauroid relationships, Five colors of the dragon and Proceratosaurus bradleyi From the Jurassic Period.”

“This discovery marks the first report of a tyrannosauroid from the Jurassic of Southeast Asia and contributes to our knowledge of the paleoecology of the lower continent.” Phu Kradung Formation“Our results shed light on the morphological and morphological distribution of tyrannosauroids during the Late Jurassic, and on the paleobiogeographic distribution of tyrannosauroids during the Late Jurassic,” the researchers concluded.

“Furthermore, this study sheds light on the possibility that future excavations and research may uncover new species of dinosaurs in Thailand.”

of study Published in the journal Tropical Natural History.

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W. Chochubek others2024. First discovery of a basal tyrannosauroid in Southeast Asia: dental evidence from the Late Jurassic of northeastern Thailand. Tropical Natural History 24（1） : 84-95

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s revelation of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have detected trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of the Jupiter-sized exoplanet HD 189733b.

Artist's impression of hot Jupiter exoplanet HD 189733b. Image courtesy of Roberto Molar Candanosa / Johns Hopkins University.

HD 189733b is a hot gas giant with a hazy atmosphere composed mostly of hydrogen that lies about 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula.

The planet is discovered It was discovered in 2005 by astronomers using two telescopes at the Observatory of Haute-Provence.

HD 189733b is just 1.2 times the size of Jupiter, but it orbits its parent star, HD 189733, very closely, completing one revolution around the star every 2.2 days.

“Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn't know existed. We predicted it would be there, and we know it's on Jupiter, but we'd never actually detected it outside the solar system,” said Dr Guangwei Hu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University.

“Although we're not looking for life on this planet because it's too hot, the discovery of hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone to finding this molecule on other planets and improving our understanding of how different types of planets form.”

“In addition to detecting hydrogen sulfide and measuring the total amount of sulfur in HD 189733b's atmosphere, we also precisely measured the main sources of oxygen and carbon on the planet: water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.”

“Sulfur is an essential element for building more complex molecules, and like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphate, scientists need to study it further to fully understand how planets are built and what they're made of.”

The Webb probe will give scientists new tools to track hydrogen sulfide and measure sulfur on gas giants outside our solar system, just as they have detected water, carbon dioxide, methane and other important molecules on other exoplanets.

“Let's say we study another 100 hot Jupiters and they're all enriched with sulphur. What does that say about how they came into being and how they formed differently compared to our Jupiter?” Dr Fu said.

The new data, delivered by the Webb Telescope at unprecedented precision and in infrared wavelengths, also rule out the presence of methane in HD 189733b's atmosphere, refuting previous claims that the molecule is abundant in the atmosphere.

“We thought the planet would be too hot for high concentrations of methane to exist, but it turns out that's not the case,” Dr Fu said.

Astronomers also measured Jupiter-like levels of heavy metals, a discovery that could help scientists answer questions about the correlation between a planet's metallicity and its mass.

“Low-mass ice giants like Neptune and Uranus contain more metals than gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, the largest planets in the solar system,” Dr Fu said.

“High metallicity suggests that Neptune and Uranus accumulated more ice, rock and other heavy elements compared to gases such as hydrogen and helium early in their formation. Scientists are testing whether this correlation also holds true for exoplanets.”

“This Jupiter-mass planet is very close to Earth and has been very well studied. Now, our new measurements show that this planet's metal concentrations provide a very important anchor point for studies of how a planet's composition varies with its mass and radius.”

“This discovery supports our understanding of how planets form after the initial core is formed, creating more solid material that is then naturally enriched with heavy metals.”

Team result Published in the journal Nature.

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G. Hu othersA hydrogen sulfide and metal-rich atmosphere on a Jupiter-mass exoplanet. NaturePublished online July 8, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07760-y

Source: www.sci.news

The Evolution of Human Brains: The Potential Consequences for Our Future

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

No one doubts that Albert Einstein had a brilliant mind, but the Nobel Prize winner famous for his theories of special and general relativity wasn’t blessed with a big brain. “Jeremy DeSilva at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.”

This seems surprising. Big brains are a defining feature of human anatomy, something we are proud of. Other species may be faster or stronger, but we thrive using the ingenuity that comes from our big brains. At least, that’s what we tell ourselves. Einstein’s brain suggests that the story is not so simple. And recent fossil discoveries bear this out. In the past two decades, we’ve learned that small-brained hominin species persisted on Earth long after species with larger brains emerged. Moreover, there is growing evidence that they were behaviorally sophisticated. For example, some of them made complex stone tools that could only have been made by humans with language.

These findings turn questions about the evolution of the human brain upside down: “Why would large brains be selected for when humans with small brains can survive in nature?” says DeSilva. Nervous tissue consumes a lot of energy, so large brains must have undoubtedly provided an advantage to the few species that evolved them. But what was the benefit?

The answer to this mystery is beginning to emerge. It appears that brain expansion began as an evolutionary accident that then led to changes that accelerated brain growth. Amazingly, the changes that drove this expansion also explain the recent 10 percent shrinkage of the human brain. What’s more, this suggests that our brains could shrink even further, potentially causing our demise.

There’s no denying that…

Source: www.newscientist.com

New Hubble Space Telescope Images Reveal Classic Spiral Structure in NGC 3810

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers have used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to create a stunningly detailed image of NGC 3810, a spiral galaxy hosting a supernova.

This Hubble Space Telescope image shows NGC 3810, a spiral galaxy about 50 million light-years away in the constellation Leo. The color image is composed of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet observations from both the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instruments. Nine filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is achieved by assigning a different hue to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / D. Sand / RJ Foley.

NGC 3810 It is located in the constellation Leo, about 50 million light years from Earth.

Also known as IRAS 11383+1144, LEDA 36243 and UGC 6644, the galaxy has a diameter of 60,000 light years.

NGC 3810 discovered It was discovered on March 15, 1784 by German-born British astronomer William Herschel.

The galaxy belongs to a small group of galaxies called the NGC 3810 group.

The bright central region of NGC 3810 thought Many new stars are forming and outshining the outer regions of the galaxy by a significant amount.

Even more distant galaxies show surprisingly abundant dust clouds along their spiral arms.

Far from the center, hot, young blue stars appear in huge clusters, with bright red giants scattered throughout the arms.

In 2022, a Type Ia supernova event called SN 2022zut was observed in NGC 3810.

“In early 2023, the Hubble Space Telescope will focus on this and several other galaxies to take a closer look at recent Type Ia supernovae,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.

“These types of supernovae are produced by the explosion of a white dwarf star, and all of them maintain a very stable brightness.”

“This allows us to measure distances. We know how bright a Type Ia supernova is, so we can tell from how faint it appears how far away it is.”

“One uncertainty with this method is that intergalactic dust between Earth and the supernova will block some of the light.”

“How do we know how much of the light reduction is due to distance and how much is due to dust?”

“With the help of Hubble, we have a clever workaround: we can image the same Type Ia supernova in ultraviolet light, which is almost completely blocked by the dust, and in infrared light, which passes through the dust almost unaffected.”

“By carefully recording how much light is transmitted at each wavelength, we can calibrate the relationship between the supernova's brightness and distance, and take dust into account.”

“Hubble can observe both of these wavelengths of light in incredible detail with the same instrument.”

“That makes it the perfect tool for this experiment. In fact, some of the data used to create this beautiful image of NGC 3810 was focused on the SN 2022zut supernova, which you can see as a point of light just below the galactic nucleus.”

Source: www.sci.news

The impact of historical discrimination on heat waves in minority and low-income communities

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Today, the South Bronx has the least amount of green space per capita in the city and is crisscrossed by power plants, waste dumps and freeways, causing significant noise and air pollution. Residents face high rates of infant mortality, cognitive impairment, heart disease, and asthma, and Mott Haven is known as ‘ Asthma Alley.’ These conditions increase vulnerability to heat.

“Environmental racism in the South Bronx is clear,” said Arif Ullah, executive director of the environmental justice group South Bronx Unite.

Similar inequities have been identified across the country. Analysis of 115 metropolitan areas from San Jose, California, to Louisville, Kentucky, to Hartford, Connecticut, neighborhoods with larger numbers of residents who identify as black, African American, Hispanic, or Latino were found to be less likely to have air conditioning.

To combat rising temperatures, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has implemented heatstroke measures. For one week, starting June 18, hundreds of locations were designated as air-conditioned facilities where residents could stay cool during the day.

New York City Emergency Management Director Zach Iscol said the city is distributing “cool kits” and indoor thermometers. He said: There is a program to help low-income residents who need heating and cooling. This year, 21,000 applications have already been received.

Installing air conditioning for people with mobility impairments is actually essential as outdoor temperatures rise — or these individuals may never be able to reach a cooling center. In areas like Brownsville, the South Bronx, and East Harlem, residents also report being exposed to crime and drug dealing when they go outside to cool off.

Celine Olivarius, who has lived in the South Bronx for nine years, brought her two grandsons, ages 9 and 4, to cool off in the fountains at Willis Playground. She expresses concern about the opioid epidemic, as drug users are injecting in the bathroom, and she worries that children might pick up needles.

Environmentalists say one solution to beat the heat in sprawling cities is to plant more trees, create green spaces like parks and meadows, and cover rooftops with vegetation.

“We need to focus on low-income communities, people of color, and immigrant communities,” Uhlfelder said. Areas with a 33 percent reduction in tree canopy area are likely to experience a 13-degree increase (7 degrees Celsius) in temperature compared to predominantly white areas just two miles away.

The New York City Council passed laws last fall to add trees to the City Charter Sustainability Plan and mandate the development of urban forest plans to increase tree cover from 22 percent to 30 percent by 2035.

“I’ve never felt anything like it,” said Howard Shillingford, a 58-year-old janitor who grew up in the South Bronx, on a recent sweltering day. It’s especially bad when he’s cleaning school staircases, where the windows often don’t open.

“Oh my goodness, those stairs look like an oven,” Shillingford said as he read the news on a computer at Mott Haven Public Library, another cooling center.

Residents in heat-stricken areas are getting resourceful. Berrios holds a wet towel to the back of her neck. Olivarria squirts her grandchildren with a toy water gun. Jorge Morales, a 54-year-old graffiti artist from the South Bronx, showers twice a day and washes his Chihuahua, Bugsy, in the sink. Residents sometimes unscrew fire hydrants, allowing water to spill off the sidewalk and onto the street.

“I don’t like wasting water, but people here do it. It’s a way of survival,” Morales, who is half Puerto Rican and half Cuban, said as he charged his phone in the same library.

Experts say extreme heat will likely become the new normal and should not be underestimated. Heat waves have become more frequent since 1936.

“If we continue on this path, the heat wave in 2044 will be much worse than the one we’re experiencing now,” said Jones, the science historian. “This is not an unusual heat wave. It is a sign of things to come.”

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Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Influence of Chemistry on the Flavor of Alcohol

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Animals have been consuming alcohol for millions of years, and primates and humans have been digesting it for about 7 to 21 million years. Throughout human history, alcohol consumption and production has been a part of many different cultures. Experts on human societies, including anthropologists and indigenous peoples, have long known about the origins of rice wine (Miju) and beer (Lao Lee) has been part of ancient Chinese culture for 7,000 to 13,000 years. Similarly, people in the Andes region of South America have been brewing beer made from corn. Chicha It spans approximately 5,000 years.

Even though ancient methods of making alcohol have spread all over the world, people all brew drinks that contain the same amount of alcohol, a standard known as the “alcohol content.” Alcohol degree or ABV. Beverages can be brewed at a range of ABVs, but beer is preferred to be brewed at around 4% alcohol by volume, wine at 11%-16%, and stronger spirits at around 43%, 52%, 68%, and 75% alcohol by volume. However, scientists are yet to figure out the reason behind these universal ranges of ABV.

A team of Chinese researchers studied why people choose different alcohol strengths by looking at how water and ethanol molecules interact at different alcohol strengths. Alcoholic drinks contain a variety of molecules that add flavor, color and aroma, but the main molecules are water and ethanol. ethanolThese molecules are made of atoms such as hydrogen and oxygen. The atoms of the molecules are held together by electric forces, like two magnets, but the atoms between the two molecules also attract each other. Water and ethanol molecules are attracted to each other through their hydrogen and oxygen atoms. This process is called Hydrogen Bonding.

The team demonstrated how hydrogen bonds can hold water and ethanol in different orientations and Interaction AngleThey are devices that determine the structure of molecules, Hydrogen Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer or H NMR. H NMR The machine can detect hydrogen atoms and determine what they are bonded to and what angle they form.

The research team created mixtures of water and ethanol ranging from 0% to 100% alcohol content and used H NMR to detect the change in the interaction angle between the two molecules. They found that as the alcohol content increased, the interaction angle decreased. It dropped from a 90° angle at 1% alcohol content to a 10° angle at 99% alcohol content. They noticed that this change was not smooth, but that the interaction angle decreased in stages. For example, the interaction angle was about 70° between 11% and 13% alcohol content, but suddenly dropped to 60° when the alcohol content reached 14% alcohol content. The research team noticed that these abrupt changes occurred across the preferred alcohol content ranges of alcoholic beverages around the world, as shown above.

The most common type of hydrogen bond that occurs between a hydrogen atom and an oxygen atom is Hydroxyl. Using 1 H NMR, the team found that these hydroxyl interactions produced a uniform 3D water molecular network at an interaction angle of 90°, forming tetrahedral structures. However, the hydroxyl interactions between ethanol molecules were nearly linear, and at an interaction angle of 0°, long chains were formed. As the alcohol content of the beverage increased, the tetrahedral structures and the long chain molecules competed with each other.

The team found that as the alcohol content increased, the number of hydroxyl interactions decreased stepwise, as did the interaction angle. The team concluded that alcoholic drinks with different alcohol content formed distinct mixtures of chain and tetrahedral interactions. Increasing the amount of ethanol molecules increased the number of chain interactions as the molecules found new preferred orientations.

Finally, the researchers investigated whether the amount of these chain and tetrahedral interactions altered the flavor when an alcoholic beverage was cooled or heated. When an 11% ABV beverage was cooled to 42°F (5°C), more hydroxyl interactions occurred. This cooling increased the number of chain interactions between water and ethanol molecules.

Next, the researchers hired professional and amateur beer tasters to test the flavor of cold and hot alcoholic beverages with 11% alcohol content. The tasters found that chilling low and high alcohol content beers produced even greater differences in the flavor of the alcohol, due to an increased number of chain reactions within these beverages.

On the other hand, when the researchers warmed the beverages to 104°F (40°C), the number of hydroxyl interactions remained consistently between 38% and 52% ABV. Professional and amateur beer tasters tasted the warmed alcoholic beverages at 38% and 52% ABV and could not detect any difference. The team concluded that warming these beverages resulted in similar amounts of chain interactions, so flavor was unaffected by the change in ABV. This difference in taste could explain why people prefer to drink warm sake and other alcoholic beverages at 38% ABV.

The team concluded that throughout human history, brewers and drinkers have relied on their tongues to find the right alcohol content and temperature needed to create beverages that involve water-ethanol polymer chain interactions. By learning the importance of hydrogen bonds and molecular interactions, the team hopes that future brewers and scientists will experiment with different ways to control these molecular interactions to create even more sophisticated and interesting flavors.

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Source: sciworthy.com

Testing Millions of UK homes for Energy Leaks in Effort to Achieve Net Zero Goal

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Vehicles equipped with technology to collect data on building conditions

Madeleine Cuff

British city dwellers may have spotted a strange-looking vehicle driving around their neighborhood earlier this year. It looked just like a Google Street View vehicle, with a camera setup sticking out of the back to scan its surroundings. And like the Google car, it scanned city streets and took photos.

But these modified Teslas do more than just take pictures: they’re equipped with cutting-edge sensors and scanners that can report back the exact dimensions, heat loss, materials, age and state of disrepair of every building they drive over.

The car, equipped with what’s called the Built Environment Scanning System (BESS), has been on a spree to find out just how leaky and dilapidated Britain’s buildings really are. Between March and May, the car scanned thousands of roads and millions of buildings across London, Liverpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds and South Yorkshire.

Data from BESS vehicles will be combined with thermal images taken by drones and planes in a £4 million government-funded project to build a huge digital database detailing the condition of buildings across the U.K. The aim is to help housing associations, local authorities and other property owners quickly plan renovation projects for hundreds of properties at once, says Ahsan Khan of xRI, the British nonprofit behind the project.

Decarbonising UK buildings is one of the toughest challenges on the journey to net-zero emissions. The UK’s 30 million buildings account for around a third of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with most of the pollution coming from the use of gas for heating and hot water.

Another problem is that many of the UK’s homes are old and drafty. Retrofitting these homes to make them more energy efficient is crucial, but knowing where to start is a huge challenge, as the age and condition of the buildings varies greatly. “We’re held back as a nation because we don’t really know what we have, where it is in terms of the built environment, and what we can do about it,” says Khan.

Currently, the only means of judging a building’s sustainability is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), a mandatory document that rates every building on a scale of A to G and gives owners advice on how to improve the rating. But EPCs, which rely on the judgement of in-person assessors, are “expensive, time-consuming and inaccurate”, says Dr. Mike Pitts The project is part-funded by the government body Innovate UK, with other funding coming from the UK Space Agency and the Welsh Government.

For organisations such as housing associations and local authorities who want to renovate hundreds of properties at once, EPCs are of little use – instead they often have to send their own assessors to the properties and plan the works schedule, which is a costly and time-consuming undertaking.

Speeding up renovations

The new database is expected to digitise much of this process. If it works as planned, it will use machine learning to tell councils, for example, how many properties already have double glazing installed, or which homes need top-up cavity-wall insulation. In an instant, it will be able to pinpoint exactly which homes have the space and sunlight to install rooftop solar panels. Crucially, it will calculate projected savings on energy bills and provide return-on-investment information, helping organisations access green finance.

“The xRI project represents a major advance in our understanding of our existing stock,” says Mat Colmer of Innovate UK. “The validated data set will improve and automate the refurbishment process, speeding up the entire refurbishment process.”

About 7.5% of homes in England, Scotland, and Wales have already been scanned, and Khan says the framework is in place to build a beta version of the database, due to be released later this year. For now, xRI is focused on decarbonizing buildings, but the BESS vehicles are collecting data on everything they see, from tree cover to potholes, that could be put to use in the future. “The amount of data is just staggering,” Pitts says.

David Grew Researchers from Britain’s Leeds Beckett University call the project “exciting,” but warn that an in-home inspection is essential before any renovation work begins. “Homes have been tampered with many times, so the same home could be completely different,” he says. “This quick and agile method is great for accelerating progress and momentum, but it can’t and shouldn’t replace a really high-quality inspection before construction begins.”

Kate Simpson A researcher at Nottingham Trent University in the UK says neighbourhood data collected by BESS vehicles could help plan local power grid upgrades and climate resilience projects. But the data needs to be collected carefully, she says. “What’s the minimum amount of data we need to make the right decisions?” she says. “That way we can minimise the environmental impact of storing that data.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Overview of the Ariane 6 Rocket Launch: What to Expect and When to Watch

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Artistic depiction of the Ariane 6 rocket

ESA-D. Duclos

What is Ariane 6?

Ariane 6 is the latest model in the Ariane series of European satellite launch vehicles. The project dates back to a proposal in 1973, with the first flight of the Ariane 1 rocket taking place just six years later in 1979.

The last to be launched was Ariane 5, which completed 112 successful missions out of 117 launches, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, but was retired last year to make way for Ariane 6, which was expected to have lower launch costs.

The loss of Ariane 5 and the European Space Agency's (ESA) decision to cut ties with the Russian space agency Roscosmos following Russia's invasion of Ukraine temporarily left Europe without a direct means of launching satellites and forced it to turn to the commercial sector.

The ultimate idea is to not just take on all of these government launches in the future, but also offer its own commercial launch services — it's already received a launch order from Amazon. Kuiper Internet Satellite.

How big is Ariane 6?

The Ariane 6 is 63 meters tall and 5.4 meters in diameter, and can launch up to 21,650 kilograms of cargo into low Earth orbit. While that's less than the payloads of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), China's Long March 10, or SpaceX's Starship, it can still put a variety of satellites into orbit, including spy, weather, and global positioning satellites.

Ariane 6's main advantage isn't its payload, but its low cost and ease of construction: Aerospace company Arianegroup designed it to be easier and quicker to build and launch than its predecessor, allowing ESA to launch it once a month if necessary.

The rocket was originally scheduled to launch in 2020 but has been postponed multiple times. Those delays, along with the falling cost of reusable rockets operated by SpaceX, have led Europe to look elsewhere for launch capacity. The European Agency for the Exploration of Meteorological Satellites recently said: Launch contract awarded to SpaceX Rather than opting for Ariane 6, the European contract was signed last year. Galileo navigation satellite in orbit I also went to SpaceX.

When is the Ariane 6 launch and how can I watch it?

The launch from ESA's facility in French Guiana is scheduled for 7pm-11pm BST on July 9. ESA said Live broadcast of the launchThe event will begin 30 minutes before the launch and will be available to watch via streaming. News Scientist.

What happens during launch?

Ariane 6 will be launched using a Vulcan 2.1 main engine and two expendable boosters. These will drop in the same way as the first stage, after which the Vinci engines of the upper stage will launch it into an elliptical orbit measuring 300 by 700 kilometers above Earth. The Vinci engines will then reignite to put the upper stage into a circular orbit, after which Ariane will release its eight satellites and the upper stage will burn up in the atmosphere. Two small re-entry capsules will return it safely to Earth.

What comes next for Ariane 6?

A successor to Ariane 6 is already in development and will break the sequential rocket numbering system. Known as ArianeNext, it will be a reusable rocket similar to SpaceX's Starship and is scheduled to launch in the 2030s.

A major criticism of Ariane 6 is that it cannot be reused, a feature pioneered by SpaceX and already being developed by several other companies, and will likely not be resolved in Europe until Next begins operations.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

General practitioner discusses the concealed health dangers of wearing shapewear

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Shapewear, also known as body shaping underwear, has gained immense popularity in recent years. In a society that values appearance and self-image, shapewear is seen as a quick and affordable solution to boost self-confidence by enhancing the fit and look of various outfits.

Functioning like a modern corset, shapewear targets areas like the waist, hips, thighs, and buttocks to compress and shape them, aiming to improve the fit of clothes and provide a sleeker silhouette, as suggested by marketing claims.

With advancements in fabric technology, modern shapewear is now more comfortable and breathable than ever before, appealing to a wide range of individuals seeking aesthetic and functional support for various occasions. It has become increasingly popular, especially with the rise of social media influencing body image awareness.

Unlike traditional shapewear made from rigid materials like steel and whalebone, modern shapewear uses breathable and stretchy fabrics such as spandex, nylon, and lycra. It is now popular among both men and women for its comfort and effectiveness.

Available in different styles and compression levels, shapewear caters to various needs. Certain types, such as waist cinchers and tummy control panties, target specific body parts to provide support and shape.

In addition to these, there are thigh shapers, torso-compressing camisoles, butt lifters with padding, and leg and arm shapers. Some companies even offer full bodysuits with built-in bras for total body shaping.

Sports compression clothing, while similar, focuses on enhancing athletic performance and muscle support rather than aesthetic enhancement. Designed with advanced breathable fabrics and graduated compression, sports compression wear is intended for physical activity and recovery periods.

Although shapewear appears to offer a convenient way to enhance confidence and fit, it does come with certain drawbacks to consider. Issues like digestive problems, circulatory and neurological issues, breathing problems, and skin irritation can arise from wearing shapewear, particularly if it is too tight.

When choosing shapewear, it’s important to select a comfortable fit that doesn’t restrict movement and to avoid wearing it for extended periods. Opting for breathable fabrics and hypoallergenic materials can help reduce the risk of skin irritation.

In conclusion, while shapewear can provide temporary aesthetic benefits, it’s essential to prioritize comfort and health when using it. Remember, true confidence comes from within, and it’s crucial to listen to your body’s needs.

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What would happen if we forgot about fashion?
Dopamine dressing: How the color of your clothes changes your brain
Why do clothes darken when they get wet?

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

California is facing an unexpected energy challenge due to excessive solar power use

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Solar panels have become a common sight in suburban neighborhoods in California. However, the state’s ambitious clean energy vision has led to a unique challenge – sometimes producing more solar energy than it can use effectively, resulting in wastage of clean energy.

This excess of solar energy has resulted in a phenomenon known as the “duck curve,” where solar generation surpasses demand. This issue is most pronounced on sunny spring days when demand for electricity is low.

The surplus energy is often exported to other parts of the Western U.S. due to California’s grid connectivity, but in some cases, it may need to be curtailed. Independent System Operator data shows that California has lost a significant amount of renewable energy this year, primarily solar power.

To address this challenge, proposals have been made to increase electricity supply through additional transmission lines and more battery installations to store excess power. However, recent changes in financial incentives for homeowners installing solar power have negatively impacted the rooftop solar industry in California.

Despite the setbacks, Governor Gavin Newsom remains optimistic about California’s clean energy progress, pointing out the state’s significant solar power generation and increasing battery installations. Critics of the incentive changes argue that it could lead to higher energy costs for non-solar customers and hinder the state’s transition to renewable energy.

As California navigates these challenges on its path to achieving 100% clean energy by 2045, the state’s decisions are closely watched by other states considering similar transitions. The rooftop solar industry plays a crucial role in this transition, as highlighted by industry experts.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Transform your diet with this essential food pyramid

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The food pyramid is a visual representation of a balanced diet, showing the types and proportions of foods that contribute to overall health.

Imagine a pyramid divided into sections, with each section representing a different food group. Specific designs vary, but a typical food pyramid usually includes the following categories from base to apex:

Base (grain)

At the bottom, widest part, are grains like bread, rice, and pasta. These provide complex carbohydrates, which are your primary source of energy. Whole grains are also a good source of added fiber.

Second layer (fruits and vegetables)

Next, fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. To get a variety of nutrients, try to eat at least five servings of colorful vegetables each day.

3rd layer (protein)

This section includes proteins like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, etc. Protein is essential for muscle maintenance, immune function, and growth, and helps you feel fuller for longer.

Top layer (dairy or alternative)

This section discusses fortified alternatives, such as dairy or soy milk, which provide calcium and other essential nutrients needed for bone health.

Outside the pyramid (sweets and fats)

Here are your fats and sweets: While fats are necessary for many bodily functions, choose healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil and avocado. Limit your intake of added sugars and sweets.

The food pyramid acts as a guide to creating a balanced diet by incorporating a variety of foods from different groups while avoiding relying too heavily on one category.

This concept was shaped into a plate in the UK, Eatwell Guide. It tells you how much of each food group you should eat based on the space it takes up on your plate.

According to the Eatwell Guide, eating healthy means making balanced choices from the five food groups over the course of a day or week: one-third fruits and vegetables, one-third grains and starches, and the remaining third a mix of dairy, proteins, and fats, both animal and plant-based.

This article is a response to the question “What is the food pyramid and can it help you eat healthily?” (asked by Diane Weeks from Glasgow).

If you have any questions, please send them to the email address below. For further information:or send us a message Facebook, Xor Instagram Page (be sure to include your name and location).

Ultimate Fun Facts For more amazing science, check out this page.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Unraveling the origins of the universe’s first stars

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Recently, the James Webb Telescope (JWST) made a groundbreaking observation of a distant galaxy. These early galaxies challenge our understanding of galaxy formation and the physics of the early universe, appearing as bright, massive, fuzzy red dots.

One of JWST’s latest discoveries is the presence of “Tyrannosaurus Rex” Stars in a distant galaxy. The spectrum of this galaxy indicates a significant amount of carbon, raising questions about the origin of these stars.

These early stars are believed to be massive, unknown entities, and the carbon could be a remnant from their existence.

Early stars are rare because they formed in a pristine environment before the universe was polluted with heavy elements. Star formation was more challenging in this simpler time.

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Stars typically begin as balls of hydrogen gas that undergo nuclear fusion reactions to convert hydrogen into other elements.

Star formation requires cooling and compressing gas to ignite nuclear fusion reactions. Dust plays a crucial role in cooling the gas by absorbing and releasing energy during collisions.

The lack of heavy elements like carbon in the early universe posed a challenge for star formation. The first stars were likely more massive and exploded as supernovae, dispersing heavy elements and enabling the formation of stars like our sun.

Through observations of distant galaxies, JWST is providing insights into the origins of the universe and our place in it.

While we may not see the “space dinosaurs,” studying their remnants helps us understand how their existence paved the way for life on Earth.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

NASCAR Reveals Electric Race Car Prototype in Preparation for Chicago Street Race

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

NASCAR introduced a prototype electric race car over the weekend as part of their initiative to reduce emissions and electrify the sport.

This move represents a major step towards sustainability, which may seem contradictory to the traditional roots of stock car racing, but it is in line with NASCAR’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero operational emissions by 2035.

The debut of the vehicle is a result of a partnership with electrification and automation company ABB. NASCAR Chicago Street Race.

The ABB NASCAR EV Prototype, developed in collaboration with Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota, is an electric stock car capable of generating a peak output of 1,000 kW (1,341 horsepower). Equipped with a regenerative braking system, the race car converts kinetic energy from braking into electricity, similar to many existing hybrid and fully electric vehicles.

Officials at ABB highlighted that NASCAR’s efforts to decarbonize and reduce carbon emissions align with the broader energy transition happening in the United States.

Chris Sigas, U.S. public affairs director for ABB, expressed, “This partnership provides us with a platform to address issues impacting our nation and the direction we are collectively moving towards.”

While there are no immediate plans to phase out internal combustion engines from stock car racing, there is potential to explore high-performance electric cars for racing, as per sources.

Both organizations will collaborate to identify areas within NASCAR racing, specific race tracks, office operations, and long-haul transportation that can transition to electrification.

Sigas added, “We will evaluate all aspects of their operations – from long-haul trucking to golf carts on the track to EV charging stations. This multi-year partnership serves as an opportunity to showcase not just NASCAR but companies nationwide on how they can enhance their sustainability efforts.”

In the previous year, NASCAR committed to achieving net-zero emissions from operations by 2035 This commitment includes prioritizing 100% renewable electricity at owned race tracks and NASCAR facilities, expanding on-site EV charging stations, and developing sustainable race fuels.

Eric Nyquist, NASCAR senior vice president, stated in a release that the collaboration with ABB will support their endeavors to decarbonize operations and work towards achieving net-zero emissions in the next decade.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Heatwave strikes California and other areas along the West Coast

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The West Coast is facing a dangerous heatwave that is expected to peak on Saturday, putting people at risk of health issues long after temperatures reach their highest point. According to a national update on Friday, forecasters anticipate that a wide range of temperature records will be broken or tied, with temperatures in California expected to reach the 110s on Saturday. The hot weather will persist well into the following week, raising concerns about health risks such as heart attacks and heat strokes, especially among older adults and individuals with chronic diseases.

At Sunrise Farm near Coachella, California on July 3rd.Mario Tama/Getty Images

The heatwave is expected to persist for more than a week, prompting warnings from the National Weather Service about record-breaking temperatures in California, Oregon, and Washington. Areas like the Sacramento Valley, at the heart of the heat wave, are under warning until at least next Tuesday. Meteorologists predict some relief early next week, but temperatures are still likely to exceed 100 degrees in certain regions.

Heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, pose a significant risk during prolonged periods of extreme heat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows a sharp increase in heatstroke-related emergency room visits, with the incidence more than doubling in recent days. In regions like the San Joaquin Valley in California, extreme weather conditions are expected daily next week, impacting medical facilities and infrastructure.

A construction worker in Folsom, California, on July 3.David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In Portland, Oregon, health officials are concerned about residents unaccustomed to hot weather, particularly those attending outdoor events this weekend. Temperatures in Death Valley may reach deadly limits, posing risks even to healthy individuals. Experts emphasize the importance of staying hydrated and cool to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Research on the physiological limits of heat exposure indicates that older adults may succumb to heatstroke within hours when exposed to extreme heat, even indoors or in the shade without air conditioning. As temperatures continue to rise, it’s crucial to take precautions and monitor vulnerable populations to prevent heat-related fatalities.

“Understanding the impact of heatwaves on our health is vital to mitigating the risks and protecting communities,” said Dr. Lisa Patel. Stay aware of local heat advisories and follow safety guidelines to stay safe during the ongoing heatwave.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Have you met your future self who has traveled back in time?

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

If we think of the universe as a continuous chain of cause and effect and time as the sequence we experience moving forward along that chain, then there is no need for concern.

Under this interpretation, the past, present, and future are all determined by unchangeable physical laws.

Even events that appear random, such as radioactive decay, are predestined and impossible to predict, but should unfold in the same way every time.

Traveling back in time to meet your younger self implies that the event has already occurred in the past.

If you don’t recall, it’s possible you were incognito or had your memory erased afterward, but we have already established how this impacted your future.

Conversely, if you were to journey to the future and encounter your future self, you would need to return to your original time and continue living your life, or else there would be no one to meet in the future.

This means that the future version of you that you meet when traveling forward in time will already have memories of your encounter as a time traveler.

Or, if each cause-and-effect interaction generates parallel universes in an infinite branching series of potential timelines, then every version of reality already exists somewhere, and your actions may not matter in the grand scheme of things.

Fortunately, time travel remains purely theoretical, and all proposed methods require exotic matter or negative energy to operate on a large scale.

This is essentially explaining one impossible concept with another. The only form of time travel we are aware of involves progressing forward at a rate of one second per second.

This article is in response to a question from Andrew Robbins emailed to us: “If time travel were possible, could we actually avoid encountering our past selves?”

If you have any inquiries, please direct them to the email address provided below. For additional information:or send us a message Facebook, Xor Instagram Page (please include your name and location).

Ultimate Fun Facts For more amazing science, check out this page.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

NASA’s long-term plan to decommission the International Space Station

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The International Space Station (ISS) has been operational since 2000 and is continuously manned by astronauts, orbiting Earth every 90 minutes.

Throughout its operation, the ISS has served as a hub for scientific experiments, space travel research, and international cooperation. Over 280 astronauts from more than 23 countries have visited the space station.

However, as the decade nears its end, the ISS is reaching the end of its functional lifespan, prompting the need to address its future once it’s no longer in use.

Abandoning the craft is not an option due to its size and potential risk to other satellites in orbit. NASA has explored various options, including pushing the ISS higher, but ultimately determined that salvaging parts for historical preservation or technical analysis would be too complex and costly.

Therefore, the only viable solution is to deorbit the ISS. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has been awarded an $843 million contract by NASA to develop and deliver a deorbit vehicle for the ISS.

Plans are still being finalized, but the general idea is for the deorbit vehicle to guide the ISS into the atmosphere, where most of it will burn up upon re-entry. Careful considerations will be made to ensure any remaining parts land in uninhabited areas.

With the ISS’s days numbered, the future of space habitation is shifting towards private sector initiatives, such as NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development program and the Lunar Gateway project.

Despite the end of the ISS era, experts like Dr. Darren Baskill emphasize the station’s contributions to science, exploration, and international collaboration, paving the way for future advancements in space.

About our experts

Darren Baskill is an Outreach Officer and Lecturer at the University of Sussex, with a background in astronomy and science outreach.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Carpenter ants possess the ability to perform life-saving amputation surgery on injured nestmates

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Carpenter Ants (Camponotus) – Jumping spiders, a diverse genus of large ants that inhabit many forested areas around the world, are able to selectively treat the injured limbs of their nestmates by cleaning or amputating the wounds.

Injured (marked in yellow) Camponotus floridanus. His wounds are being treated by his nestmates. Image credit: Frank others., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.021.

For animals, open wounds pose a significant risk of infection and death. To reduce these risks, many animal species apply antibacterial compounds to wounds.

In 2023, researchers discovered another ant species, Megaponera analis, uses special glands to inject antibacterial compounds into wounds, reducing the chance of infection.

Florida carpenter ant (Camponotus floridanus) and other species of the same genus Camponotus. Notably, they lack such glands and therefore appear to use only mechanical means to treat their nestmates.

Dr. Eric Frank from the University of Würzburg and his colleagues discovered that this mechanical care involves one of two pathways.

The ants either clean the wound using only their mouthparts, or clean it and then amputate the leg completely.

When choosing which route to take, Ali appears to be assessing the type of injury and tailoring the best treatment approach based on information.

The study analyzed two types of leg injuries: femur lacerations and ankle-like tibial lacerations.

All femur injuries involved a nestmate first cleaning the cut and then biting off the entire leg, in contrast to the tibia injuries, which involved only mouth cleaning.

In both cases, the intervention resulted in a significant increase in survival of ants with experimentally infected wounds.

“With femur injuries, we always end up amputating the leg, and we have about a 90 to 95 percent success rate. And with tibia injuries, where we don’t amputate, we achieve about a 75 percent survival rate,” Dr. Frank said.

“This is in contrast to the survival rates of untreated infected femoral and tibial abrasions, which are less than 40 percent and 15 percent, respectively.”

The scientists hypothesized that preferred methods of wound care may be related to the risk of infection from the wound site.

Micro-CT scans of the femur confirmed that it was mostly composed of muscle tissue, suggesting that it played a functional role in pumping blood, called hemolymph, from the leg to the trunk.

When the femur is damaged, the muscles are damaged and the ability to circulate blood that may be contaminated with bacteria is reduced.

The tibia, on the other hand, has very little musculature and little contribution to blood circulation.

“With a tibia injury, the hemolymph flow is less disrupted, allowing bacteria to enter the body more quickly, whereas a femur injury slows down the rate at which blood circulates in the leg,” Dr Frank said.

“If tibial injury would hasten infection, one might expect that amputation of the entire leg would be the most appropriate option, but in fact the opposite has been observed.”

“It turns out that the speed at which the ants can sever the legs makes a difference.”

“An amputation surgery using ants takes at least 40 minutes to complete.”

“Experiments have demonstrated that in the case of tibial injuries, the ants cannot survive unless the leg is removed soon after infection.”

“This means that the ants cannot cut their legs quickly enough to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, so by taking their time cleaning the wound in their shins they try to reduce a potentially fatal infection,” says Dr Laurent Keller, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Lausanne.

“The fact that ants can diagnose wounds, determine whether they are infected or sterile, and then treat them accordingly over time with other individuals — the only medical system that could match that would be the human medical system.”

Given the sophisticated nature of these behaviors, the next question to ask is how these ants are able to perform such precise care.

“This is all innate behaviour; ants’ behaviour changes as individuals age, but there is little evidence of learning,” Dr Keller said.

of Investigation result Published in the journal Current Biology.

_____

Eric T. Frank othersIn order to combat infections in the ant community, they amputate legs depending on the injury. Current BiologyPublished online July 2, 2024; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.021

This article is based on an original release by Cell Press.

Source: www.sci.news

Under Roman rule, Britain enjoyed centuries of economic prosperity.

Posted on July 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A pile of Roman gold coins discovered beneath the floor of a Roman house in Corbridge, England

World History Archives/Alamy

After the Romans conquered Britain in AD 43, they brought with them technologies and laws that led to centuries of economic growth once thought to be limited to modern industrial societies, according to an analysis of thousands of archaeological finds from the period.

“In about 350 years, about two and a half years [fold] “Improved productivity per person.” Rob Weisman At Cambridge University.

Wiseman says the ancient world long believed that economic growth depended on increases in population and resources — for example, increasing food production required more land and more agricultural workers — a type of growth known as extensive growth.

In contrast, economic growth today is driven primarily by increases in productivity, or intensive growth: for example, mechanization and improved plant and animal breeding enable us to produce more food from the same amount of land with fewer workers.

Several recent studies have challenged the idea that rapid growth only occurred after the Industrial Revolution began, which led Wiseman and his colleagues to look at growth in Roman Britain from 43 to 400 AD.

Wiseman says the team’s research was made possible by British laws that require archaeological investigations when sites are developed. “As a result, tens of thousands of archaeological excavations have been carried out in this country, and the data is available to the public.”

By looking at how the number of buildings changed over time, the researchers were able to get a sense of how the population of Roman Britain grew — and there’s a strong relationship between the number of buildings and population size, Wiseman says.

To get a sense of economic growth, the team looked at three metrics: First, the size of buildings rather than the number of buildings: As people get wealthier, they build bigger homes, Wiseman said.

Another measure is the number of lost coins found at the excavation site: “That fell through the floorboards, that got lost in the bathroom, that sort of thing,” he says.

The idea is that the more coins there are in circulation, the more likely they are to be lost. The team didn’t count hidden hoards of coins because they reflect instability, not growth.

The third criterion is the ratio of cruder pottery, such as cooking and storing pots, to more ornate pottery, such as decorative plates. Economic growth requires people to interact more and socialize more, which means “showing off” when guests are present, Wiseman says.

Based on these indicators, the team found that economic growth exceeded what would be expected from population growth alone. They estimate that per capita growth was about 0.5% between 150 and 250 AD, slowing to about 0.3% between 250 and 400 AD.

“What we’ve been able to show is that there was indeed rapid growth after the Romans arrived,” Wiseman says. The rate of growth, rather than the type of growth, is likely what distinguishes the modern world from the ancient world, he says.

Researchers believe this growth was driven by factors such as roads and ports built by the Romans, laws they introduced that made trade safer, and technology such as more advanced flour mills and animal breeds suited to farming.

The period of rapid growth between AD 150 and 250 could have been the result of Britain catching up with the rest of the Roman world, Wiseman says: “It went from being a small, poorly-connected tribal society to a global economy.”

What’s not clear is whether this economic growth made people happier or healthier. “The fact that productivity rose doesn’t mean that invaded, colonized Britons were better off under the Roman Empire,” Wiseman says. “That’s an open question.”

To investigate this, researchers now plan to examine human remains to determine things like how long people lived.

“I believe they are right, and there was certainly intensive growth in Roman Britain.” Alain Bresson At the University of Chicago, Illinois.

“Many archaeologists have noted the compelling evidence of economic growth in Roman Britain, but this paper adds a welcome formal theoretical dimension to the debate.” Ian Morris At Stanford University, California.

But Morris suspects that the lower average growth rate from A.D. 250 to 400 actually reflected a period of higher growth that declined sharply as the Roman Empire began to collapse. Further research could help find the answer, he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists create brain-controlled robot, with no involvement from Futurama

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Among the many strange robot designs in the past, a new contender has emerged as the world’s first robot powered by a real human brain, making it more human-like than ever.

Researchers from Tianjin University and Southern University of Science and Technology have managed to control the robot’s movements, such as tracking, grasping, and obstacle avoidance, using what they call “mini-brains.”

These miniature brains are not taken from human bodies but rather grown in labs for research purposes and then integrated into robots.

The researchers have utilized living organisms to create “brains on a chip,” which provide some intelligence to the robot’s brain but require assistance for full functionality.

Through the integration of these chips, scientists can debug the brain, send signals externally, and control specific functions like grasping in robots.

Professor Min Dong, Vice President of Tianjin University, explains that this brain-computer interface on a chip combines ex vivo cultured brains with electrode chips to interact with the outside world through encoding, decoding, and stimulation feedback.

With the brain chip, robots can perform tasks like tracking targets, avoiding obstacles, and learning to move their arms using electrical signals fed by the chips.

While robots do not have a human appearance, their brains process information through electrical signals from the chips. Training in simulated environments is possible, but understanding the real world remains a complex challenge.

The brain chip, known as MetaBOC, was developed as an open-source project and has been used in various experiments, including one where Neanderthal DNA was used to create mini-brains for robot control.

The latest research on robot-brain interaction focuses on utilizing ball-shaped organoids to create a more complex neural network for the brain-on-a-chip to function effectively.

Additionally, artificial intelligence algorithms have been integrated to enhance the robot’s capabilities through its mini-brain.

Although the advancements are groundbreaking, there is still progress to be made, with the current brain inside the robot being a model while the actual brain tissue is kept separate for testing purposes.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Cats Manipulate Humans with Their Purring

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Cats are fascinating creatures with many behaviors that can leave their owners wondering. Questions like “Why does my cat purr?”, “Why did my cat knock over my plants again?”, and “Why does my cat always knock over plants right after I vacuum?” are common among cat owners.

While the behavior of knocking over plants might make you think your cat is a criminal mastermind, the reasons behind why cats purr are still a bit of a mystery. Many people assume that cats purr when they’re happy, but research suggests that the vibrations from purring may serve a variety of purposes, including manipulating our emotions.

Here are some strange scientific insights into the phenomenon of purring in cats.

How do cats purr?

The mechanism behind a cat’s purring is not as straightforward as it may seem. There have been different theories about the biology behind purring, such as a blood disorder theory that has since been debunked. The current understanding is that cats produce the purring sound by contracting a part of their larynx that touches their vocal cords, creating vibrations during their breathing cycle.

Read more about cat behavior:

Why do cats purr?

The exact reasons why cats purr are still unknown, but studies suggest several possibilities. One reason may be to communicate with humans, as seen in a study that found differences in the quality of purring sounds when cats were asking for food compared to when they were relaxed or being petted. The high-frequency components in a hungry cat’s purr mimic sounds similar to those of crying infants, possibly triggering a response in humans.

Another theory is that cats purr to soothe themselves in stressful or painful situations. Some research indicates that the vibrations from purring may have healing effects on bone growth and tissue repair. However, further studies are needed to fully understand the functions of purring in domestic cats.

About our experts

Dr. Lauren Finca is a Cat Welfare Scientist at International Cat Care and a Visiting Research Fellow at Nottingham Trent University. Her research has been published in journals like PloS No. 1 and Feline Medical and Surgical Journal.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Namibia was home to a massive salamander-like predator 280 million years ago

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A newly described trunk tetrapod exceeding 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in length Gaiacia geniae It was probably the largest organism of its kind.

Reconstructing your life Gaiacia geniaeImage courtesy of Gabriel Lio.

Gaiacia geniae It lived in what is now Namibia during the Early Permian period, about 280 million years ago.

“Most of our ideas about the early evolution of tetrapods come from fossils found in the vast coal-producing ancient equatorial wetlands of what is now Europe and North America,” said paleontologist Claudia Marsicano of the University of Buenos Aires and her colleagues.

“but Gaiacia geniae They come from far south and live in the area of the southern supercontinent Gondwana, around 55 degrees south latitude.”

The structure of the skull and jaw Gaiacia geniae It had a powerful bite that allowed it to catch large prey.

“Gaiacia geniae “This dinosaur was significantly larger than a human and likely lived near the bottom of a swamp or lake,” said Dr Jason Pardo, a postdoctoral researcher at the Field Museum of Natural History.

“It has a big, flat, toilet seat-shaped head with an open mouth so it can suck in prey. It has huge fangs, and the whole front of its mouth is made up of giant teeth.”

“It's a large predator, but it could also be a relatively slow-moving ambush predator.”

Nearly complete skeleton Gaiacia geniae After preparation. Image courtesy of Claudia Marsicano.

At least four fossils Gaiacia geniaeRemains were found, including skull fragments and an incomplete spinal column. Gaias Layer Northwestern Namibia.

“When we found this enormous specimen lying in the outcrop as a giant concretion, we were truly shocked,” Dr Marsicano said.

“As soon as we saw it we knew it was something completely different. Everyone was so excited,” he said.

“When I examined the skull, the structure at the front of the skull caught my attention.”

“That was the only part that was clearly visible at the time, and it showed large tusks that interlocked in a very unusual way, creating a biting technique that was so typical of early tetrapods.”

“We had some really amazing material, including a complete skull, which allowed us to compare it to other animals from this period and learn what kind of animal it was and what makes it unique. We could see there's a lot that's special about this creature,” Dr Pardo added.

Gaiacia geniae They are related to the extinct family of amphibian-like animals called colosteids. Colostacea) are thought to date back even further, having been replaced by more modern amphibians and reptiles during the Late Carboniferous period, about 307 million years ago.

“There are ancient animals that survived 300 million years ago, but they were rare, small and had unique behaviours,” Dr Pardo said.

“Gaiacia geniae They are large, they are numerous, and they appear to be the primary predators in their ecosystem.”

“This shows that what was happening in the far south was very different from what was happening at the equator.”

“This is really important because we don't really know where a lot of the animal groups that showed up during this time came from.”

“What we discovered is Gaiacia geniae “This tells us that there must have been a rich ecosystem in the oceans far to the south that could support these very large predators.”

“The more we look, the more answers we may find about the major animal groups that interest us, such as the ancestors of mammals and modern reptiles.”

Team Investigation result Published in the journal Nature.

_____

CA Marsicano othersGiant trunk tetrapods were apex predators during the Late Palaeozoic glacial stages of Gondwana. NaturePublished online July 3, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07572-0

Source: www.sci.news

Experience an excerpt from the science fiction novel “Rosewater” by Tade Thompson

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Jane Komi/Moment RF/Getty Images

Rosewater: Opening Day 2066

now

Forty minutes into my job at Integrity Bank, anxiety hits me. This is how a normal day starts. This time, it's for a wedding and final exams, but it's neither a wedding nor an exam. From my window seat, I can see the city, but I can't hear any sounds. This high up in Rosewater, everything is orderly. Blocks, roads, streets, traffic slowly winding around the dome. From here, I can see the cathedral. The window is to my left, and I sit with four other contractors at the end of an oval table. We're on the top floor, 15th floor. A three-foot-by-three-foot skylight opens above us, and all that separates us from the morning sky is a security grid. The blue sky is dotted with white clouds. There's no scorching sun yet, but that will come later. Despite the skylight being open, the air conditioning in the room is controlled. It's a waste of energy, and Integrity Bank is fined every week. They're happy to cover the cost.

Bora, to my right, is yawning. She is pregnant and has been very tired lately. She also eats a lot, which I think is natural. I have known her for two years, and she has been pregnant the entire two years. I don't fully understand pregnancy. I am an only child and never grew up around pets or farm animals. My education was nomadic and I never had a strong interest in biology, except for microbiology, which I had to pick up later.

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I try to relax and focus on my bank customers, and the wedding anxiety kicks in again.

A holographic teleprompter rises from the center of the table. Right now it's made of random swirls of light, but within minutes it will project text. Next to ours is a room where the night shift is drawing to a close.

“I hear you read Dumas last night,” Bora says.

She's just having a conversation, it doesn't matter what the other shift people are reading, I just smile and say nothing.

The wedding is coming up in three months. The bride has gained some weight and is wondering if she should change her dress or get liposuction. Bora looks better during pregnancy.

“You've got 60 seconds,” a voice said over the loudspeaker.

I take a sip of water from the tumbler on the table. The other contractors are new. They're not dressed as formally as Bora and I are. They're wearing tank tops and T-shirts, with metal jewelry in their hair. They have implants in their phones.

I hate implants of any kind. I have one too. It's a standard locator with no extra features. It's really boring, but my employer requires it.

Exam anxiety fades away before you can identify and investigate its cause, and that's fine by me.

The metal pieces in the young men's hair are from plane crashes — planes have been shot down on every route in Nigeria since the early 2000s, in Lagos, Abuja, Jos, Kano and everywhere in between — and they wear pieces of the planes as talismans.

Bora noticed me staring, winked, and then she opened her snack. It was a packet of cold moin-moin, old-fashioned orange-colored tofu wrapped in a leaf. I looked away.

“Go,” the bullhorn says.

Plato's Republic Ghostly holographic shapes scroll slowly and steadily on the cylindrical display. I, like the others, begin to read, silently and then out loud. We enter the xenosphere, we configure the bank's firewall. I feel the usual momentary dizziness. Text swirls and becomes transparent.

With around 500 customers transacting financially at the facility every day and staff transacting all over the world every night, it’s a 24-hour job. Rough sensitives probe and push, and criminals try to pluck personal information out of the air. Dates of birth, pin numbers, mother’s maiden names, past transactions — it all lies dormant in each customer’s forebrain, in their working memory, waiting to be plucked out by hungry, untrained, predatory sensitives.

Contractors like me, Bora Martinez, and Metalfan are trained to fight these off. And we do. We read the classics and flood the alien sphere with irrelevant words and ideas. It’s a firewall of knowledge that reaches into the subconscious of our clients. A professor once did a study on this. He found a correlation between the material used for the firewall and the client’s activity for the rest of the year. Even people who have never read Shakespeare will suddenly find a piece of Shakespeare. King Lear It pops into my head for no apparent reason.

While it’s possible to track the intrusion, Integrity isn’t interested. Crimes committed on alien space are difficult and expensive to prosecute. If no lives are lost, the courts aren’t interested.

The queues at the cash machines, the crowds of people, the worries, desires, passions… I was tired of filtering other people’s lives through my own mind.

Yesterday I went to Piraeus with Glaucon, son of Ariston, to make a prayer to the goddess, and to see how they celebrated a festival, which was a new thing. I was delighted with the procession of the inhabitants, but the Thracian procession was just as beautiful, if not more so. Having finished our prayers and admired the spectacle, we set out in the direction of the city.

When you enter the alien sphere, there is a projected self-image. Untrained wild sensitives project their true selves, but professionals like me are trained to create a controlled, selected self-image. Mine is a Gryphon.

The first attack today was from a middle-aged man who lives in a townhouse in Yola. He appeared to be thin and with very dark skin.

When I warned him, he backed away. A teenager quickly took his place, which made me wonder if they were in the same physical location as part of a hacker farm. Crime syndicates sometimes round up sensitive people into “Mumbai Combos,” a call-center model run by serial criminals.

I've seen it a lot before. There aren’t as many of those attacks now as there were when I started. I think they’re frustrated by how efficient we are at our work. Either way, I'm fed up.

Copyright Tade Thompson

This is the excerpt below Rose waterpublished by Orbit Books, is the latest selection from the New Scientist Book Club. Sign up here to read along with our members.

The mystery of life’s origins on Earth: Unraveling the puzzle baffling scientists

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Life is abundant on Earth, from pigeons in the park to invisible microorganisms covering every surface. However, when Earth first formed 4.5 billion years ago, it was devoid of life. The question remains: how did the first life form emerge?

The answer is still unknown. If we understood the process, we could recreate it in a controlled environment. Scientists could replicate the right conditions with the right chemicals and potentially observe living organisms forming. Yet, this has never been accomplished before.

Although the exact origin of life remains a mystery, there are several clues that provide insight. Living organisms consist of various chemicals, including proteins and nucleic acids that carry genetic information. While these chemicals are complex, their basic building blocks are simple to create.

One of the first demonstrations of this concept came from chemist Stanley Miller in 1953. By simulating the early Earth’s conditions with water and gases, Miller produced amino acids, the fundamental components of proteins, through heating and electrical shocks resembling lightning.

Subsequent studies, such as one conducted by Sarah Simkuch, have shown how complex chemicals can arise from basic compounds. By starting with everyday chemicals like water and methane, researchers have generated thousands of substances found in living organisms.

While this abundance of chemical building blocks suggests a fertile environment for life to emerge, the transition from chemicals to life is not automatic. Several key factors contribute to the formation of life, including structure, sustenance, and reproduction.

Research into the origin of life has focused on creating systems that encompass these essentials, such as genetic molecules capable of self-replication. However, the interdependence of these systems suggests a simultaneous emergence may be more plausible, possibly within confined spaces like deep-sea hydrothermal vents or terrestrial pools.

While the exact beginning of life remains uncertain, advancements in understanding have made the origin of life seem less inexplicable than before.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Michael Mosley’s innovative methods in science have improved lives and promoted health

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

My first encounter with Michael Mosley was at the BBC Summer Party. A recent documentary I had presented had just aired on horizon, making me eligible to attend the event. Feeling overwhelmed amongst the many celebrities present, I found solace at the bar, quietly observing the crowd, until Michael approached me.

“Hello, I’m Michael Mosley,” he introduced himself. I was well aware of who he was, and we ended up spending the evening conversing. Although I first worked with Michael at an event, that initial meeting at the party left a lasting impression on me. Despite not knowing me, he warmly welcomed me as a newcomer.

Michael’s extensive career as a producer, presenter, and writer at the BBC spanned over 40 years, establishing a unique style of ‘self-experimenting presenter’ in science presentations. He famously delved into self-experimentation, including infesting himself with tapeworms and popularizing the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet to manage his type 2 diabetes.

While Michael faced criticism for his methods, he aimed to communicate science rather than conduct formal experiments. His talent for simplifying complex concepts and making science accessible led to widespread education among audiences.

Personally, Michael served as a valuable mentor, offering practical advice and sharing techniques for effective communication in broadcasting. His influence extended to shaping my approach to interviews and on-camera presentations, guiding my work in academia and beyond.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of clear science communication has been highlighted, emphasizing the impact of effectively disseminating information on health issues. Michael’s contributions in this realm have greatly improved public health outcomes and potentially saved lives.

As a close colleague, respected mentor, and cherished friend, Michael Mosley will be deeply missed.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Meeting the wind-powered sea monster with 30-metre tentacles: Nature’s most bizarre phenomenon

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis) is named after an 18th-century sailing ship due to its resemblance to a ship under full sail.

In the open ocean, they appear as floating pink party balloons with long trailing blue ribbons.

The balloon part is a life buoy filled with carbon monoxide gas, which acts like a sail, rising above the water and catching the wind.

This is how Portuguese man-of-war travel across the ocean, sometimes in groups numbering in the thousands. They rely entirely on wind power and are not active swimmers.

Depending on which way the sail is facing in relation to the wind, it can be right-handed or left-handed.

They share some similarities with jellyfish, such as their appearance up close and the fact that they have a painful sting.

If you come across a deflated pale balloon with a blue string on the beach, be cautious – it’s likely a deceased Portuguese man-of-war, which loses its color when it dies but retains its ability to sting.

The Portuguese man-of-war is a tubular animal related to jellyfish, sea anemones, and corals.

There are about 175 species of cetaceans. Some live on the ocean floor, others swim in the depths, but the Portuguese man-of-war is the only one that floats on the surface.

What sets weevils apart is their unique construction. Unlike other animals that grow larger and develop specialized tissues and organs, tubular algae replicate themselves to create genetically identical zooids that form colonies and tubular bodies.

These zooids come together in specific arrangements to carry out tasks like feeding, digestion, reproduction, and defense.

Portuguese man-of-war play a crucial role in the Pulston ecosystem, which exists at the boundary between sea and air. As they drift, they capture fish and larvae with their tentacles, which can extend up to 30 meters and paralyze prey with venomous spines.

Other creatures that prey on Portuguese man-of-war include the blue dragon sea slug, which eats the tentacles and uses its stingers for defense, and the Blanketed Octopus, which waves its tentacles to find food and deter threats.

If you have any questions, please email the address below. For more information: Facebook Page, Twitter, or Instagram Page (remember to include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Simple Tips from Professionals to Soothe a Stressed Dog on Independence Day

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Flashing lights, barbecues, parades, and red, white, and blue flags flying: Fourth of July celebrations have arrived in America, as Americans across the country come together to celebrate the nation’s independence.

But for our furry friends, fireworks may not be such a fun experience, especially as many dogs can find fireworks scary, even if they can only hear and see them from a distance.

Luckily, if your pup has an aversion to fireworks going off in the sky, there are ways to make the whole process a lot more relaxing. Dr. Zazie ToddWe spoke to an animal behavior expert for all the tips you need to keep your dog calm during a fireworks display.

Why are dogs scared of fireworks?

If you’ve ever whispered to your dog that you’re going for a walk, you’ll know that dogs have extremely good hearing — and this can be a problem when they encounter a particularly loud, scary sound like fireworks.

Without any context about what these sounds are, it can be a pretty frightening experience. “We know why there’s this loud explosion or this bright light going on, but dogs don’t,” explains Todd.

“If we don’t do anything to teach them that these sounds are OK, they’re likely going to get scared. And if they’re scared, they’re going to continue to get more scared every time they hear it.”

So how exactly can you teach your dog that loud noises outside aren’t a threat? Well…

Tips for keeping your dog calm during fireworks

Create a suitable environment for your dog

Drawing the curtains and turning on the TV is one way to protect your dog from outside noise and light, but while this may make the sound of fireworks less noticeable, it won’t block them out completely. “This helps, but it’s even more effective if you’re there to reward your dog when there are particularly loud noises,” says Todd.

“A room with closed blinds and soothing sounds is a dog’s happiest place, but that’s their choice. Tidy up the room, but don’t lock your dog in there. It won’t solve the problem, but it will help.”

Don’t be afraid to comfort them

It’s often said that you should not comfort a scared or anxious dog as this will make them more afraid, but there’s no scientific evidence to back this up.

“It’s perfectly OK to comfort your dog – in fact, you are important to them – and when they’re stressed, they’re looking to you for help and to make them feel better,” says Todd.

“Unfortunately, fireworks can be very frightening for them and even your comforts will make them difficult to cope with, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them.”

Fireworks are a traditional way to conclude Independence Day celebrations in the United States. – Image credit: Getty

Try desensitization training

It takes planning, but training your dog properly at a young age can set you up for a lifetime of peaceful firework enjoyment.

“Puppies have a sensitive socialization period from three weeks of age to around 12 to 14 weeks, and we recommend exposing them to quiet firework sounds during this time to prevent any fear of fireworks,” Todd says.

“This will give them a more positive experience and reduce stress for them in the future. They don’t have to be puppies, you can train them at any age, but it’s easier when they’re younger.”

But what if your dog is already afraid of fireworks? Although this exposure training can work, a different approach may be more effective. Rather than getting your dog used to loud noises and flashing lights, building a fun association with the experience can be a great way to reduce the fear.

“The idea with desensitization or counterconditioning is to give your dog a tasty treat that he’ll enjoy every time a loud noise is heard,” Todd says.

“Over time, you develop what’s called a conditioned emotional response. You might even learn to love the sound of fireworks!”

Going to the vet

In some cases, your dog may have had no resistance to fireworks for a long time and then suddenly become extremely frightened of loud noises – in this case it’s worth seeking professional help.

“Scientists at the University of Lincoln Your dog associates fear with pain. “If the fear of fireworks starts later in life, it’s well worth getting tested just to be safe,” Todd explains.

This could be due to a different experience, but it’s best to check with your vet first to be safe.

Get a prescription for medicine

Some of the strategies above require a fair bit of advance planning, but what if you don’t have the time to train your dog?

“Your vet can discuss medications and will often prescribe medication to help your dog survive the fireworks,” explains Todd.

Obviously, this is best used as a one-off technique and you’ll be better off approaching training your dog in the long term.

About our experts

Zazie Todd Author of Pet Psychologyis an award-winning blog that brings you the latest science on our pets and evidence-based pet care practices. Todd has a PhD in Psychology, a Certificate in Training and Counseling from the prestigious Dog Trainer Academy, and an Advanced Certificate in Feline Behavior from International Cat Care. She is the author of the following books: Wag: The science behind making dogs happy and Purring: The science behind making cats happy.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com