Physicists at CERN successfully measure a key parameter of the Standard Model

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Physicists from the CMS Collaboration at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have successfully measured the effective leptonic electroweak mixing angle. The results were presented at the annual general meeting. Rencontre de Morion Conference is the most accurate measurement ever made at the Hadron Collider and is in good agreement with predictions from the Standard Model of particle physics.

Installation of CMS beam pipe. Image credit: CERN/CMS Collaboration.

The Standard Model is the most accurate description of particles and their interactions to date.

Precise measurements of parameters, combined with precise theoretical calculations, provide incredible predictive power that allows us to identify phenomena even before we directly observe them.

In this way, the model has succeeded in constraining the masses of the W and Z particles, the top quark, and recently the Higgs boson.

Once these particles are discovered, these predictions serve as a consistency check on the model, allowing physicists to explore the limits of the theory’s validity.

At the same time, precise measurements of the properties of these particles provide a powerful tool for exploring new phenomena beyond the standard model, so-called “new physics.” This is because new phenomena appear as mismatches between different measured and calculated quantities.

The electroweak mixing angle is a key element of these consistency checks. This is a fundamental parameter of the Standard Model and determines how unified electroweak interactions give rise to electromagnetic and weak interactions through a process known as electroweak symmetry breaking.

At the same time, we mathematically connect the masses of the W and Z bosons that transmit weak interactions.

Therefore, measurements of W, Z, or mixed angles provide a good experimental cross-check of the model.

The two most accurate measurements of the weak mixing angle were made by experiments at CERN’s LEP collider and by the SLD experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC).

These values have puzzled physicists for more than a decade because they don’t agree with each other.

The new results are in good agreement with standard model predictions and are a step towards resolving the discrepancy between standard model predictions and measurements of LEP and SLD.

“This result shows that precision physics can be performed at the Hadron Collider,” said Dr. Patricia McBride, spokesperson for the CMS Collaboration.

“The analysis had to deal with the challenging environment of LHC Run 2, with an average of 35 simultaneous proton-proton collisions.”

“This paves the way for even more precise physics, where more than five times as many proton pairs collide simultaneously at the high-luminosity LHC.”

Precise testing of Standard Model parameters is a legacy of electron-positron collider such as CERN’s LEP, which operated until 2000 in the tunnel that now houses the LHC.

Electron-positron collisions provide a clean environment ideal for such high-precision measurements.

Proton-proton collisions at the LHC are more challenging for this type of research, even though the ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb experiments have already yielded numerous new ultra-high-precision measurements.

This challenge is primarily due to the vast background from physical processes other than those studied, and the fact that protons, unlike electrons, are not subatomic particles.

With the new results, it seemed impossible to reach accuracy similar to that of the electron-positron collider, but now it has been achieved.

The measurements presented by CMS physicists use a sample of proton-proton collisions collected from 2016 to 2018 at a center of mass energy of 13 TeV and a total integrated luminosity of 137 fb.⁻¹ or about 11 billion collisions.

“The mixing angle is obtained through analysis of the angular distribution in collisions in which pairs of electrons or muons are produced,” the researchers said.

“This is the most accurate measurement ever made at the Hadron Collider and improves on previous measurements by ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb.”

Source: www.sci.news

Unique feeding methods of Oligocene dolphins

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Aureia lelehua It has unique teeth and is thought to have formed a cage around small fish. These teeth, weak apex, flexible neck, and smallest size among its relatives allow it to be an effective hunter in shallow water, according to a team of paleontologists from the University of Otago.

skull of Aureia lelehua; Notice the spread of the teeth and the unevenness of the face. Image credit: Meakin other., doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2314505.

The newly described dolphin species lived in the Oligocene oceans about 22 million years ago.

dubbing Aureia lelehua this species was approximately 2 meters (6.6 ft) long and was very likely echolocated.

It has a weak skull, flexible neck, and unique lateral tooth orientation, suggesting that it scanned shallow waters and captured small prey by placing them in cages in its teeth.

University of Otago palaeontologist Shane Meakin said: “This dolphin had widely spread teeth, which are thought to have hugged fish like a wide cage. Other ancient dolphins in the region typically “This is unusual because it used its teeth to attack its prey.”

“When you look at a dolphin's teeth, it's natural to think that the large teeth at the front and center of the mouth are its main tools for catching prey and stabbing or cutting down unfortunate fish.”

“This looked like how closely related dolphins hunt; Aureia lelehua They seem to be taking a completely different approach, using these teeth in a more delicate way. “

fossil of Aureia lelehua The skull, teeth, ear bones, lower jaw, vertebrae and ribs were discovered in a quarry in New Zealand's Hakataramea Valley.

“Between 22 million and 27 million years ago, New Zealand sank and went from 1% above sea level to completely submerged, during which time marine life flourished,” the paleontologists said.

“The contemporary deposits are representative of many of the cetacean species present in the collections of the University of Otago Museum of Geology.”

“One of them is Aureia lelehua It was taken from a limestone quarry in South Canterbury's Hataramea Valley, known as 'Howe's Quarry'. ”

discovery of Aureia lelehua This indicates that there were many dolphin fossils in one small area, and their shapes varied widely.

“This shows that seemingly similar animals can coexist if they explore different ecological niches,” Meakin said.

“We also show that early prehistoric dolphins used different foraging strategies to explore different niches, which is why fossil localities such as the Hataramea Valley yielded so many species. Extinct dolphins have been recovered.

of findings On February 21, 2024, Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

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Shane Meakin other. Aureia lelehuaa new platanistoid dolphin born in the Oligocene of New Zealand with a unique feeding method. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, published online on February 21, 2024. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2024.2314505

Source: www.sci.news

Physicists puzzled by the 1919 total solar eclipse

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Total solar eclipse in August 2017 over Jefferson City, Missouri

(NASA/Rami Daoud)

The following is an excerpt from the monthly Launchpad newsletter, where resident space expert Leah Crane travels through the solar system and beyond. You can sign up for Launchpad for free here.

It was in 1919 that the moon did something completely natural and blocked our view of the sun, forever changing our understanding of the universe. Observing from the African island of Principe, astronomer Arthur Eddington observed the positions of stars and planets that became visible in the eerie darkness of the day. Because most of the sun’s light was dimmed, he was able to see how light from distant stars is distorted when it is deflected by the sun’s gravity, an effect called gravitational lensing.

He confirmed his sightings with those of another expedition in Brazil, and these observations provided some of the first evidence for Albert Einstein’s relatively new theory of general relativity. This explanation of how massive objects distort the fabric of space-time is now considered fundamental, but at the time it was a revelation. It changed all the way we think about gravity and the universe.

It also led to my results Favorite newspaper headline most of all time, published in of new york times Later that year, “All the light in the heavens is slanted.” Scientists are more or less puzzled over the observations of solar eclipses. Triumph of Einstein’s theory The stars were determined by where they were visible and by calculation It’s not where it was, but no one needs to worry.”

“No one needs to worry” may seem like a bit of a stretch, but watching a total solar eclipse can certainly make you nervous in ways you can’t explain. I watched it for the first time in 2017. It was truly unforgettable. You might think of a solar eclipse as being like a cloudy day when clouds drift in front of the sun. After all, what’s happening is simply the moon passing in front of the sun and casting a shadow on Earth. But it’s surprisingly different.

The first thing you notice during a total solar eclipse is the moon’s shadow hurtling toward you across the ground at speeds of over 1,500 miles per hour. The extent of the shadow for April’s eclipse will be approximately 185 kilometers, but this can vary slightly based on the exact orientation of the Sun and Moon. As the shadow approaches, it looks like the moon has bitten the sun, and its light has a mysterious, foggy quality.

Suddenly, the area becomes dark. This is wholeness. Temperatures can drop up to 10 degrees. The only light comes from the sun’s outermost layer, called the corona, and ripples beyond the moon’s silhouette. It was completely dark, and some stars were visible in the sky. Many animals, including birds and insects, naturally seem to think it is night, and the otherworldly twilight becomes silent, except for the chirps of awakened nocturnal insects. I can’t tell you how you feel, but for me it was a mixture of awe and some strange primal fear. The sun disappeared, and even though my mind knew why, my body panicked at the loss.

solar eclipse 2024

On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.

This seems to be a fairly common reaction, not just in humans. Researchers who studied animals during past total solar eclipses found that while some animals simply finished their evening routine early, many showed signs of anxiety and were aimless during total solar eclipses. I discovered that they run and huddle together.

Then, just a few minutes later, the total star will retreat as quickly as it arrived. The shadows rush away, the sun comes out again, and the birds and insects sing again. Astronomers look up from their solar telescopes, dazed but excited by the treasure trove of data they’ve collected.

Humans have been observing solar eclipses for thousands of years, and we’ve learned some very interesting things. When the sun’s disc is covered by the moon, its faint corona becomes visible, making solar eclipses the perfect time to study the sun’s outer reaches. For example, scientists first discovered helium during a total solar eclipse. A solar eclipse is also a great time to observe the plumes of radiation and material emitted from the sun’s surface through the corona. The coronavirus itself is very strange, and there is still much to understand about how it works. Despite being far removed from the sun’s core fusion, the corona is millions of degrees hotter than the sun’s surface, and we still don’t know why.

Even if you haven’t studied the sun’s mysterious layers, it’s worth watching a total solar eclipse. More than 100 years ago, newspaper editors got it right. More or less, you will be confused.

topic:

solar eclipse/
solar eclipse 2024

Source: www.newscientist.com

Discovering fresh approaches to tackling pollution with fascinating experiments

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Purple-B project

Luigi Avantaggiato 2024

These interesting experiments Green Promotion Institute A public research center in Venice, Italy that explores new ways to restore the environment and generate energy. The lab's unusual combination of scientists, engineers, and psychologists create prototypes that harness natural organisms to do useful work, often taking on a sculptural aspect as a side effect that fascinates the resident artist.

“Despite being the object of science, it has beauty,” says photographer Luigi Avantaggiato. He spent time cataloging a device that uses bacteria called Purple-B (pictured above). Rhodopsdomonas palustris, commonly found in Venice's lagoons, converts human waste into useful hydrogen. The experiment is being funded by the European Space Agency because it could provide a way to process astronaut waste in orbit to create usable fuel, but could also be used on Earth's surface. There is a possibility that it can be done.

Main laboratory of Veritas Group's Green Promotion Institute

Luigi Avantaggiato 2024

The bright green contents of several tanks in the lab (pictured above) are known as liquid forests, which in this project are home to tiny algae such as: chlorella, to capture the carbon dioxide that is warming the planet. Each tank contains 250 liters and can accommodate approximately 1 billion algae per cubic centimeter.

A researcher working in one of GPLabs' laboratories.

Luigi Avantaggiato 2024

Another shot (pictured above) shows the geodesic dome, where environmental engineers at a startup called 9-Tech are working on a new way to recover silicon from used solar panels.

The entire lab site was created by veritashandles waste and water supplies for Venice and Treviso's approximately 1 million residents and 50 million tourists.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Physicists suggest that the capture and annihilation of dark matter could reignite dormant neutron stars

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A team of particle physicists from the University of Melbourne, Australian National University, King’s College London, and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory has discovered that the energy transferred when dark matter particles collide and annihilate inside a cold neutron star. They calculated that the star could be heated rapidly. Previously, this heating was thought to be irrelevant because this energy transfer takes a very long time, in some cases longer than the age of the universe itself.

An artist’s impression of a neutron star.

A number of recent studies have focused on trapping dark matter in neutron stars as sensitive probes of the interaction of dark matter with ordinary matter.

This could potentially be used to test dark matter interactions in a way that is highly complementary to experiments on Earth, especially since dark matter is accelerated to relativistic speeds during a fall into a neutron star. there is.

In some cases, neutron star technology may be able to probe interactions that are difficult or impossible to observe with direct dark matter detection experiments. These include dark matter, which is too light to leave a detectable signal in nuclear recoil experiments, and interactions where non-relativistic scattering cross sections are momentum suppressed.

It was recently pointed out that an isolated old neutron star near the Sun could be heated by the capture of dark matter, increasing its temperature by 2000 K.

Once older than 10 million years, an isolated neutron star is expected to cool to temperatures below this unless reheated by standard matter accretion or internal heating mechanisms.

As a result, observations of local neutron stars may place severe constraints on dark matter interactions. Importantly, neutron stars with temperatures in this range produce near-infrared radiation that could be detected by future telescopes.

“Our new calculations show for the first time that most of the energy is stored in just a few days,” said Professor Nicole Bell from the University of Melbourne, lead author of the study.

“The search for dark matter is one of science’s greatest detective stories.”

“Dark matter makes up 85% of the matter in the universe, but we can’t see it.”

“It doesn’t interact with light. It doesn’t absorb, reflect, or emit light.”

“This means that even if we know it exists, we can’t directly observe it with our telescopes.”

“Rather, its attraction to an object that we can see tells us that it must be there.”

“Predicting dark matter theoretically and observing it experimentally are two different things.”

“Earth-based experiments are limited by the technical challenges of building a large enough detector.”

“But neutron stars act as huge natural dark matter detectors, collecting dark matter over astronomically long timescales, so they are a good place to focus our efforts.”

“Neutron stars form when supermassive stars run out of fuel and collapse,” Professor Bell said.

“They have a similar mass to our sun and are squeezed into a sphere just 20km wide. If they got any denser, they would become black holes.”

“Dark matter is the main type of matter in the universe, but it is very difficult to detect because it interacts very weakly with normal matter.”

“In fact, dark matter is so weak that it can pass straight through the Earth and even the Sun.”

“But neutron stars are different. Because neutron stars are so dense, dark matter particles are much more likely to interact with the star.”

“If dark matter particles collide with neutrons inside a star, they lose energy and become trapped.”

“Over time, this will lead to an accumulation of dark matter within the star.”

“We expect this to cause old, cold neutron stars to heat up to a point where they can be observed in the future, or even cause the star to collapse into a black hole,” said the University of Melbourne doctor. candidate Michael Vilgat, co-author of the study.

“If the energy transfer happens quickly enough, the neutron star will heat up.”

“For this to happen, the dark matter would have to collide within the star many times, transferring more and more of the dark matter’s energy until all the energy is stored in the star.”

“Until now it was unknown how long this process takes, because as dark matter particles become less and less energetic, they become less and less likely to interact again.”

“As a result, it was thought that it would take a very long time to transfer all the energy, in some cases longer than the age of the universe.”

Instead, the researchers calculated that 99% of the energy is transferred in just a few days.

“This is good news, because it means dark matter can potentially heat neutron stars to detectable levels,” Birgat said.

“As a result, observations of cold neutron stars will provide important information about the interactions between dark matter and ordinary matter and shed light on the nature of this elusive matter.”

“If we are to understand the ubiquity of dark matter, it is important to use every technology at our disposal to understand what the hidden matter in our universe actually is.” .”

of study Published in Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics.

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Nicole F. Bell other. 2024. Thermalization and extinction of dark matter in neutron stars. JCAP 04,006; doi: 10.1088/1475-7516/2024/04/006

Source: www.sci.news

New species of Elasmosaurus found by paleontologists

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new genus and species of elasmosaurid, a type of plesiosaur with a very long and slender neck, has been identified from fossilized remains found near the site. marambio basea permanent year-round Argentine Antarctic base on Marambio Island.

rebuilding the life of Marambionectes molinai. Image credit: O'Gorman other., doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2312302.

Elasmosaurs are members of Elasmosauridaea family of plesiosaurs that flourished during the Cretaceous period, approximately 145 million to 66 million years ago.

These creatures were perfectly adapted to aquatic life and had a unique body shape consisting of a streamlined body, paddle-like limbs, and an extremely long neck with up to 75 vertebrae.

The new species is Marambionectes molinai lived in the Cretaceous seas about 67 million years ago.

The fossil was recovered from the upper layer. López de Bertodano's formation February 2018, James Ross Islands, Antarctic Peninsula.

“The collected remains were Marambionectes molinai This includes parts of the torso and tail, limbs, neck and skull, as well as gastroliths called gastroliths, which were probably used for the mechanical digestion of food,'' CONICET paleontologists said. said. Jose O'Gorman and his colleagues.

“They were rescued in the first operation, but it was an intense and tiring experience punctuated by several days of snowstorms. The research team was isolated in a shelter, waiting for better weather to complete the work. Ta.”

material of Marambionectes molinai. Image credit: O'Gorman other., doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2312302.

Phylogenetic analysis is restored Marambionectes molinai within a clade Weddelonexia As a sister group of sub-families Arisnectinae.

In this sense, the authors suggest that some of the skeletal features of Alysnectinians may have been acquired through a process that began in the non-Alysnectinian elasmosaurids, prior to the emergence of this clade. are doing.

“Although not perfect, the overall state of preservation of the specimen is exceptional, even for skull material,” the paleontologists said.

“We confirm that it is not only a new species, but also has special characteristics that allow us to identify it as a form of transition between two groups that lived in the southern hemisphere. It has shed light on the evolutionary processes and relationships between the genera and other genera found in Chile, New Zealand, and West Antarctica. ”

discovery of Marambionectes molinai is reported in paper inside Journal of Systematic Paleontology.

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Jose P. O'Gorman other. 2024. New elasmosaurids (plesiosaurs: Sauropterygia) from the López de Bertodano Formation: new data on the evolution of alisnectin morphology. Journal of Systematic Paleontology 22(1); doi: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2312302

Source: www.sci.news

White House instructs NASA to establish universal time for the moon

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The White House requested NASA to establish a standard time for the moon and other celestial bodies, as the U.S. seeks to lead in space standards amidst growing competition for lunar resources among nations and private entities. The directive was issued by the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

NASA has been tasked with collaborating with other U.S. government agencies to create a plan by the end of 2026 to implement a timekeeping system in space, known as Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC), according to a memo obtained by Reuters.

Variations in gravity on celestial bodies, among other factors, influence the passage of time differently than on Earth. LTC serves as a reference for timing lunar missions that require extreme precision for spacecraft and satellites.

Kevin Coggins, NASA’s space communications and navigation chief, explained, “A clock that works accurately on Earth will run at a different pace on the moon.”

According to the memo from OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar, Earth-based clocks would lose approximately 58.7 microseconds per day for individuals on the Moon, leading to a further time deviation. Periodic fluctuations are also a factor.

Coggins likened the atomic clocks at the U.S. Naval Observatory to the heartbeat of the nation, emphasizing the importance of synchronization in space.

NASA’s Artemis program aims to land astronauts on the moon and establish a scientific base to aid future Mars missions. Numerous companies, spacecraft, and countries are involved in this venture.

Uniform lunar time standards are deemed crucial by OSTP officials to ensure data security between spacecraft and synchronize communications between Earth, lunar assets, and astronauts, preventing errors in mapping and location tracking.

The deployment of an atomic clock on the moon’s surface may be necessary as commercial activities expand to ensure operational coordination, transaction reliability, and logistical efficiency.

The United States, which has previously landed astronauts on the moon, faces competition from other countries like China, Japan, and India with their own lunar exploration plans.

The memo also highlights the importance of defining Coordinated Lunar Time through existing standards bodies and agreements like the Artemis Accords, emphasizing the need for international cooperation in space.

Coordinated Universal Time plays a role in implementing Coordinated Lunar Time, with the United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union defining it as an international standard.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Forecasts Predict a High Number of Storms for Hurricane Season

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Initial predictions for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season indicate that it could be particularly severe and potentially break records.

Colorado State University, a renowned center for hurricane and tropical weather forecasting, has released forecasts stating that there could be 11 hurricanes, with five of them potentially reaching Category 3, 4, or 5 status, which means wind speeds of at least 111 mph. In total, researchers anticipate 23 named storms for this season.

“This is the most accurate forecast we’ve made for April,” stated Colorado meteorologist and Atlantic hurricane forecaster Philip Klotzbach during a video news conference.

On average, an Atlantic hurricane season typically sees 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher), according to the National Hurricane Center.

The primary reasons for the above-average expectations for the upcoming season (June 1 to November 30) are the unprecedented levels of warmth in the Atlantic Ocean and the natural fluctuations caused by La Niña. Ocean temperatures have hit record highs in the past year, enhancing the probability of potent storms and potentially intensifying them at a faster rate.

According to Colorado’s forecast, there is a 62% likelihood of a major hurricane striking the U.S. coastline, an increase of about 19% from the norm. However, this projection was disclosed earlier this year and will be updated as the season progresses. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has yet to release its forecast.

Other hurricane experts also express concerns about the combination of unnatural ocean warming and La Niña’s natural impacts.

“All signs point towards what could potentially be a highly active hurricane season in 2024, with very powerful hurricanes. That’s definitely something to be worried about,” remarked meteorologist and hurricane expert John Morales from NBC 6 South Florida.

Sea surface temperatures are climbing globally, setting new daily records for over a year. This trend has baffled marine scientists and is likely influenced by climate change. Some of the most significant temperature anomalies have been observed in the waters off the west coast of Africa, where many Atlantic hurricanes that hit the U.S. East Coast originate.

“The ocean heat content in the tropical eastern Atlantic is currently *3 months* ahead of the norm,” noted Brian McNoldy, a senior research scientist at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Ocean, Atmospheric, and Earth Sciences, in a tweet. In simpler terms, the ocean’s current heat levels resemble those of a typical July.

Ocean heat serves as fuel for extreme storms. If a hurricane’s winds intensify suddenly as it nears the coast, there is a heightened risk of rapid intensification. In recent years, there has been an observed uptick in such intensification. Last year, Hurricane Idalia rapidly strengthened from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm within 24 hours.

Morales expressed that this swift intensification is “one of the greatest concerns I’ve had to keep to myself over the past 15, 20 years as a hurricane forecaster.”

“Eventually, we’ll witness a mundane tropical storm transform into a Category 4 hurricane by the time it makes landfall in Miami 36 hours later,” he warned. “And individuals may not have made the essential preparations.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

High potency cannabis increases the likelihood of developing cannabis-induced psychosis

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Anders Gillian was only 17 years old when he started to lose touch with reality.

“He believed there was a higher being communicating with him, telling him what to do and who he was,” said his mother, Christine Gillian, who lives in Nashville. ‘ he said.

Her son, who had been using marijuana since he was 14, was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a chronic mental illness with symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and incoherent speech.

He began taking antipsychotic medication but eventually stopped due to side effects. He turned to heroin to quiet the voices in his head and tragically died from an accidental drug overdose at age 22 in 2019.

“If he hadn’t started using marijuana, he might still be here today,” says Gillian, a neuroscientist at Vanderbilt University. Despite having a family history of schizophrenia, she believes her son’s marijuana use triggered a psychotic episode and led to his condition.

Anders was part of a group of young men at heightened risk of developing psychosis due to marijuana use. Studies from Denmark and Britain suggest a connection between heavy marijuana use and mental disorders like depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Researchers believe that the increased potency of THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, may exacerbate these symptoms in individuals predisposed genetically. THC levels in marijuana have been rising over the years.

Kristen Gilliland holds a photo of her son Anders, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia due to marijuana-induced psychosis and died of an accidental overdose.NBC News

“We’re seeing a rise in marijuana-induced psychosis among teenagers,” said Dr. Christian Thurstone, an addiction expert and child psychiatrist at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver.

Is higher potency marijuana more dangerous?

Nora Borkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, stated that the higher the potency of a cannabis product, the more negative effects it is likely to have on users.

“Those who consume higher doses are at a greater risk of developing psychosis,” she explained.

Research on the adverse effects of high THC levels is limited, but a 2020 study found that high-potency cannabis products were associated with an increased risk of hallucinations and delusions compared to lower-potency variants.

“There seems to be a correlation between potency and the risk of psychosis, but further research is needed,” said Ziva Cooper, director of UCLA’s Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

Research suggests that a proportion of individuals with cannabis-induced psychosis may go on to develop schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Mr. Thurstone highlighted the particular concern regarding young people and adolescents.

“Current research shows that the risk of psychosis is dependent on the dose of marijuana, especially during adolescence. Higher exposure during this critical period increases the likelihood of psychosis, schizophrenia, and potentially severe mental illnesses,” he stated.

More news about marijuana and health

Another issue with high-potency products is the risk of developing cannabis use disorder or marijuana addiction. Increased exposure to stronger cannabis products may lead to addiction, although more research is required to definitively establish this connection.

“There is clear scientific evidence that marijuana can be psychologically addictive and habit-forming, and even physically habit-forming,” Thurstone warned. “It creates tolerance, requiring increased usage for the same effect.”

Approximately 1 in 10 individuals who start using cannabis may become addicted. According to the Centers for Disease Control.

How the potency of cannabis is related to psychosis

Marijuana overstimulates cannabinoid receptors in the brain, leading to a high. This stimulation can impair cognitive functions, memory, and problem-solving abilities.

While the exact mechanisms of how marijuana induces psychosis are not fully understood, scientists believe it interferes with the brain’s ability to differentiate between internal thoughts and external reality.

“In the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and early ’90s, marijuana had THC content of about 2% to 3%,” noted Thurstone, highlighting the significant increase in potency levels in recent years.

Patrick Johnson, an assistant store manager at Frost Exotic Dispensary in Colorado, has witnessed the rise in potency firsthand, especially after the legalization of recreational marijuana in 2014.

Since then, 24 states, two territories, and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use.

As cannabis consumption grows across the nation, the demand for high-potency products is increasing, experts suggest.

“After legalization, I’ve seen potency rise from 19-20% to 30-35%,” Johnson remarked.

Currently, his store offers strains ranging from 14% to 30%, with most customers preferring stronger varieties.

Mahmoud Elsohly, a cannabis researcher at the University of Mississippi, explained that one reason for increased potency is users developing tolerance to the drug over time. This has led to a steady increase in THC content over the years.

“People need more potent products to achieve the desired high,” he noted.

Previously, a joint with 2% THC might have been enough, but as tolerance develops, individuals may need multiple joints or higher THC concentrations for the same effect.

Are some forms of marijuana safer?

Cannabis potency primarily refers to the THC content in the smokable parts like the flower or bud.

THC levels in flowers can reach up to 40%, while concentrates and oils may contain levels as high as 95%.

The challenge, according to UCLA’s Cooper, lies in the absence of a standardized dose for cannabis products, making it hard to predict individual reactions.

Establishing unit doses for inhaled products is also complicated. A joint can contain 100 to 200 milligrams of THC, but factors like inhalation depth and frequency of puffs affect actual exposure.

On the other hand, edibles typically contain 5 to 10 milligrams per serving. Efforts are underway to standardize dosing for edibles and regulate THC intake. For example, New York State limits edibles to 10 mg per serving.

How high can THC go?

Borkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse believes that excessively high THC levels may induce extreme reactions like agitation and paranoia, predicting that marijuana flower THC levels won’t exceed 50%.

Cooper added that there is a threshold for THC production, but manufacturers are finding innovative ways to increase potency.

“The industry is boosting THC levels in plant products by adding extra THC, like injecting it into pre-rolled cannabis cigarettes,” she said. “We’re witnessing higher THC exposure levels than ever before.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Can MRI scans improve the accuracy of prostate cancer screening?

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

MRI scans may improve prostate cancer screening accuracy

Skynesher/Getty Images

There is both good news and bad news when it comes to prostate cancer testing. First, the bad news. Blood tests that measure a compound called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are too inaccurate. As a result, some men end up undergoing cancer treatments they didn’t actually need, causing incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

On the other hand, combining a PSA test with an MRI scan of the prostate can make screening more accurate, especially if double testing is recommended only for people at high risk of tumors. An expert group called the Lancet Committee on Prostate Cancer made this recommendation in a new report.

We certainly need to rethink prostate screening, but will these new proposals succeed in reducing harm?

Prostate testing has long been controversial. PSA is released at high levels by cancerous prostate cells, but is also produced at low levels by healthy prostate cells.

Blood tests were introduced as a way to track the success of cancer treatment. It began being used as a screening test in the 1990s, in part as a result of a campaign by men’s health groups for something comparable to breast cancer testing.

The problem is that PSA alone is not reliable as a screening tool. Levels may rise temporarily, such as after sex, during a urinary tract infection, or while riding a bicycle. Even if the increase continues, most prostate cancers grow so slowly that if left untreated, they will never be noticed or cause any problems.

These problems wouldn’t be so important if it weren’t for the fact that the treatments used to remove the cancer (usually surgery or injecting radioactive material into the tumor) can cause permanent incontinence and erectile dysfunction. It would have been. Biopsies to determine whether cancer is present can also cause these problems.

randomized trial It has been shown that for every 1,000 men who undergo regular PSA testing, one fewer man will die from prostate cancer over a 10-year period, but three will remain incontinent and 25 will remain impotent.

These disturbing figures are forcing health services in most high-income countries, including the UK and Australia, into uneasy compromises. Unlike breast and colorectal cancer tests, no invitations for prostate tests will be sent out, but those who wish to undergo the test can take it if the risks are explained to them.

As a result, higher-income men are more likely to take the PSA test, and lower-income and black men are less likely to be tested, the new report says. This is unfortunate because men of African descent are about twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as men of European descent.

The report’s authors say health systems need to use more sophisticated forms of screening, including both PSA tests and MRI scans. This scan allows your doctor to assess the size of your prostate and identify suspicious areas that may be cancerous.

Something close to this dual method is already in place in some countries, including the UK, where the next step for people found to have high PSA levels is an MRI scan. This means that people who are reassured by their scan results can avoid a more invasive biopsy. “This greatly reduces the problem of overdiagnosis,” he says. nicholas james, a researcher at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and one of the authors of the report.

But James says it may be even better to combine the PSA test with an MRI scan before the results are fed back to avoid men being mistakenly told they may have cancer.

The committee says health care organizations should use this combined approach to launch formal screening campaigns targeting three groups known to be at high risk. Black men, people with a family history of prostate cancer, and men who have a mutation in one of their prostate cancers. BRCA Genes also associated with breast cancer.

This would avoid the current situation where men at low risk are probably getting too many PSA tests, while men at high risk are getting too few or no PSA tests.

The proposal is certainly suggestive, but it remains to be seen whether it will discourage people from getting prostate exams. recently” cure cancer phobia.

The arrival of the PSA test may be like opening a Pandora’s box, James says, but the proposed new approach will likely alleviate at least some of the harm.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Inmates at a New York Prison to Witness Solar Eclipse

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Inmates at New York State’s Woodbourne Correctional Facility will finally have the opportunity to view Monday’s solar eclipse, as announced by lawyers representing the inmates who filed a lawsuit on Thursday.

Six inmates at a medium-security men’s prison in Woodbourne, upstate New York, took legal action against the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision for not allowing them to witness the eclipse.

The prisoners argued that being denied the chance to see the total solar eclipse was a violation of their religious rights, as they considered it a religious event.

Lawyers involved in the case, Chris McArdle, Sharon Steinerman, and Madeline Byrd from Alston & Byrd, confirmed that the Department of Corrections had agreed to allow the inmates to view the eclipse.

2001, Woodbourne Correctional Facility, Sullivan County, New York.
Ruth Fremson/New York Times, via Redux

“In response to our lawsuit alleging religious discrimination, the state of New York has entered into a binding settlement agreement allowing six of our clients to view the solar eclipse in accordance with their sincerely held religious beliefs. We are pleased to do so,” they stated in a written release.

After this agreement, the lawsuit filed last week was dismissed. The lawsuit also requested solar eclipse glasses.

Daniel Martucello III, the acting secretary of the department, issued a memorandum on March 11 instructing all facilities to follow a holiday schedule on the day of the eclipse. As per the complaint, the inmates were confined to their cells.

The Department of Corrections mentioned that they had initiated an inquiry into religious requests to view the eclipse, including those from six Woodbourne inmates, even before the lawsuit was filed.

The department stated that they “continued to evaluate and address the matter while the lawsuit was ongoing” and ultimately agreed to allow these six individuals to witness the eclipse.

The lawsuit referenced instances of darkness in religious scriptures such as during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Christianity and the eclipse of the sun during significant events in Islam.

On Monday, there will be a visible total solar eclipse in the United States for the first time since August 21, 2017. The next solar eclipse visible in the United States will occur in 2044.

During a total solar eclipse, the sky will darken in the middle of the day.

Despite Woodbourne not being in the path of the total solar eclipse, around 3:25 p.m., the sun will be partially covered by the moon. NASA’s “Solar Eclipse Explorer” website

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Importance of Proper Eye Protection for Viewing the Path to Totality: How Long You Can Safely Watch

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Be cautious of counterfeit eclipse glasses. A genuine pair should have a silver front lens and a black interior. It should be clearly marked with the manufacturer’s name and address and should not be damaged. Look for the ISO logo and code “IS 12312-2” on the inside as well.

If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can make a DIY pinhole projector using white cardboard or paper, aluminum foil, and a pin. Cut a small square or rectangle in the center of the material, cover it with foil, and create a small hole with a pin. This projector allows you to safely view the sun’s image on a surface.

During a solar eclipse, position a second piece of material as a screen on the ground, hold the projector with the foil facing up, and adjust the distance to change the image size on the screen.

Important things to note when observing a total solar eclipse

Along the path of the eclipse, there are significant moments to witness as the event progresses.

As the sun dims during the eclipse, the surroundings start to darken, creating an eerie atmosphere.

The “diamond ring effect” was demonstrated after a total solar eclipse at Palm Cove in Australia’s tropical north Queensland state in 2012.
Greg Wood/AFP – Getty Images File

Stay alert for the “diamond ring effect” as the last sunlight disappears, creating an illuminated halo around the sun and a diamond-like appearance.

As the light diminishes further, the Moon’s rough terrain creates Bailey beads. These small light beads are visible briefly as the remaining sunlight filters through the moon’s surface.

When the moon completely covers the sun, it is safe to remove your eclipse glasses and observe the total solar eclipse directly with the naked eye.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

How certain songs can lift our spirits while others stir up excitement in our hearts

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Music can stimulate emotions such as joy, sadness, and anger

Tim Roberts/Getty Images

Scientists have discovered musical patterns that can make our hearts beat faster or make our stomachs feel like they're doing somersaults.

When a chord sequence of three or more notes played at the same time goes in a different direction than we expect, it seems to cause a strong sensation around the heart, but it follows an easily predictable pattern. The thing causes strong sensations around the heart. As if it hit us directly in the gut.

“Music has a unique power to stir emotions that cannot be expressed in words,” he says. Tatsuya Daikoku at the University of Tokyo in Japan. “It's not just an auditory experience, it's a physical experience. Sometimes when music comes on, my body shivers or I feel a warmth around my heart, and that's a feeling that's hard to describe in words.”

Researchers have already shown that music can evoke strong emotional responses, but pianist and composer Daikoku and his colleagues want to know where in the body people feel those emotions. I thought. To find out, they first used analysis and statistics software to analyze his 890 songs from the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The software determined that the song's chord-to-chord sequences were various variations with high or low levels of both surprise and uncertainty. For example, in some sequences, a low surprise, low uncertainty code may be followed by a low surprise, low uncertainty code, or a low surprise, low uncertainty code may be followed by a low surprise, low uncertainty code. , there are also sequences of codes with low uncertainty but high surprise.

From this, the researchers created 92 musical segments consisting of four chord sequences. Each segment represents one of eight different combinations of surprise and uncertainty. He then asked 527 volunteers to listen to various sets of all eight chord patterns while viewing a silhouette of a human body online.

Listeners were instructed to click where they felt a physical reaction within 10 seconds of listening to the music. They then completed an online survey about the emotions they felt when they heard the chords.

The researchers found that if the first three chords followed an easily predictable pattern, the main difference in physical sensation had a lot to do with what happened on the fourth chord. If that fourth chord follows the expected pattern, people will feel it in the abdomen, but if it deviates from the expected pattern, they will feel it around the heart.

Regarding emotions, participants reported greater feelings of calm, relief, contentment, nostalgia, and empathy when chord progressions followed a predictable pattern. If his first three chords were predictable and his fourth chord unsurprising, even if it was relatively difficult to predict, it was generally less awkward and less predictable compared to other chord arrangements. Feelings of anxiety were reduced.

The results of this study “revealed how music affects not only our ears, but also our bodies and minds,” Daikoku said. “Music has the power to elicit these strong, embodied emotions, leading us to understand our inner emotional landscape in a way that words cannot.” With this understanding, someday That could lead to better mental health interventions, he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Signs of Potentially Weakening Dark Energy

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Slice of the universe's largest 3D map showing the fundamental structure of matter

A collaboration between Leah Raman and DESI. Custom colormap package with cmastro

The largest 3D map of the universe ever created offers hints about the evolution of the universe and suggests we may be wrong about the behavior of dark energy, which makes up most of the universe. I am. This mysterious power may weaken over time.

“If it can be maintained, this is a very big deal,” he says Adam Rees Johns Hopkins University in Maryland discovered the first evidence of dark energy 25 years ago. That's because the standard model of cosmology, called the lambda CDM, suggests that the intensity of dark energy should not change over time.

Dark energy is thought to cause the accelerated expansion of the universe. If it is not static, it could also have major implications for our ideas about the universe's beginning, its size, and ultimate fate. Mr. Reese, who was not involved in the new work, said the impact was that “we… [our understanding of] “Gravity and Field”.

This strange finding comes from the Dark Energy Spectroscopy Instrument (DESI) in Arizona, where even DESI collaborators say data suggests dark energy may be weakening in recent times. I don't really know what to make of that fact. A DESI spokesperson said: “Whether this is interesting or not, this is all we have been talking about in this collaboration for months.” Kyle Dawson at the University of Utah.

DESI researchers investigated the strength of dark energy by measuring the large-scale structure and distribution of galaxies in the universe, revealing how the universe has expanded over time. The researchers then combined this information with three sets of data about supernovae. Supernovae act as so-called “standard candles” that determine the distance to cosmic objects thanks to their predictable brightness.

Surprisingly, each of the three supernova samples gave a different answer to the changing rate of expansion of the universe over time. All three suggest that the influence of dark energy may have declined in recent years, but the strength of these suggestions varies, so researchers wonder how to interpret the data. I don't really understand.

“Two of the supernova samples don't match each other, but they are very similar,” Dawson said. “We don't know which one is correct. The truth may lie somewhere in between, but the real difference seems to be in the method.” [the supernova researchers] We evaluated the data. ”

Model discrepancy is indicated by a coefficient called sigma. Sigma measures the likelihood that similar collisions will occur by chance when the models do not match each other. “About 3 sigma is the level at which we typically sit and pay attention and call it a 'sign' of something,” Reese says. Values lower than that are usually not of particular interest to researchers. It would be too likely a simple coincidence.

The discrepancies between the lambda CDM and combined supernova and DESI measurements ranged from 2.5 sigma to 3.9 sigma. “Both opinions are true. There's enough tension and it's interesting. And there's not enough tension to say that something is definitely there,” says Dawson.

Dark energy makes up nearly 70 percent of the universe, so errors in our understanding of its properties can have far-reaching implications for physics. However, more precise measurements will be needed in the coming years to prove whether the error really exists.

“if [this is] “Certainly, this is the first real clue we've had about the nature of dark energy in 25 years,” says Rees.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Bisexual women anticipate achieving orgasms more frequently with women than with men

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Women, especially straight men, report that they are less likely to reach orgasm during sex than straight men, a phenomenon known as the “orgasm gap.”

Zoonar GmbH / Alamy

Bisexual women expect to be more likely to orgasm when they have sex with another woman than when they have sex with a man, a study found.

Orgasm is usually a strong indicator of sexual satisfaction and often reflects satisfaction within a relationship. In a study of more than 52,000 adults in the United States, david frederick Chapman University in California and his colleagues. 95% of straight men say they usually always reach orgasm during sexcompared to 65 percent of straight women.

This difference is often referred to as the “orgasm gap,” and research suggests it almost completely disappears. Masturbating or By acts such as stimulation of the clitoris. In Chapman and his team's study, 86% of lesbian women and 66% of bisexual women said they usually always orgasm during sex.

If you would like to learn more about the orgasm gap, Grace Wetzel Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey asked 481 non-transgender bisexual women to imagine themselves in hypothetical sexual scenarios. About half were asked to imagine themselves with a man, and the other half were asked to imagine themselves with a woman.

Participants were asked to rate their expectations for orgasm on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 indicating that they thought orgasm was very unlikely and 7 indicating that they thought it was very likely. The average score when imagining sex with a man was 4.88, compared to 5.86 when imagining sex with a woman. Although this may seem like a relatively small difference, statistical analysis suggests that the results are not due to chance.

In another part of the study, researchers asked an additional 476 women to complete an online survey about their sexual experiences with recent or current partners. There were no transgender women. Just under 60 percent of them were heterosexual, and the rest were lesbian.

Lesbian women had an orgasm 78 percent of the time, compared to 65 percent of straight women. They also reported having higher orgasm expectations before sexual encounters, more actively trying to reach climax during sex, and receiving more clitoral stimulation.

“Research shows that clitoral stimulation is the key to female orgasm,” says Wetzel. “So women have more orgasms when they're with other women because it involves more frequent clitoral stimulation.”

The study found that women who have sex with women expect more clitoral stimulation. “The dominant heterosexual script focuses on penetration rather than clitoral stimulation, which leaves fewer opportunities for female orgasm,” says Wetzel.

But “sexual scripts can be malleable,” she says. “Heterosexual couples can reduce the orgasm gap in their relationships by prioritizing the sexual activities that the woman needs to reach orgasm.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Researchers find new way to recycle old tea bags: transforming them into roads

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

paved with delicious tea

What to do with the waste produced by preparing hundreds of millions of cups of tea? Malaysian researchers are proposing turning some of it into infrastructure.

Mohammad Al Bijawi and his team at Universiti Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Malaysia and his team outline both the problem and its attack plan as follows: Huge amounts of these are disposed of in landfills… The purpose of this study is to experimentally investigate the effects of: [carbon nanotubes] Analyzing the mechanical and fresh properties of cement mortar from tea waste. ”

They propose the best way to approach this in a paper published in the journal “Investigating the influence of nanocarbon tubes prepared from tea waste on the microstructure and properties of cement mortar''. Environmental science and pollution research.

They ran tests that seemed to predict good results. “Incorporating nanocarbon tubes from tea waste into mortar reduced cement usage and indirectly reduced CO2.”₂ Emissions and Greenhouse Effects”.

They propose that one of the primary uses would be to incorporate the diverted tea waste into “highway pavements and highway median subbases.” Feedback worries that doing so would tempt millions of tea lovers to splurge and proclaim: [specify any location] It is covered with used tea bags. ”

solar blade

Solar cells that generate electricity could go the same way as razor blades.

Layering razor blades, rather than a single blade, gives people with hairy legs and hairy faces a more efficient way to get sunlight on those legs and faces. (which benefited them, as their skin was more clearly visible to the admiring audience). A big change occurred a few decades ago when two-blade, then three-blade razors were introduced and rapidly gained market share, not just hair. Single-edged razors are starting to seem a little outdated.

Plans are currently underway to create solar cells with multiple layers. In some schemes, each layer is made of a different semiconductor material that absorbs its own distinctive range of solar frequencies. Most modern solar cells are basically just one layer of silicon.

Already, some solar cell designers are using various perovskites (a type of mineral) instead of silicon.

Research on perovskite layers has yielded one of the most gently entertaining and shout-out-worthy titles ever published in a recent chemistry journal.

of Journal of the American Chemical Society It gives us something that is not beneficial at all.”La₂SrSc₂○₇:A-site cation disorder induces ferroelectricity in Ruddlesden-Popper layered perovskite oxidesThis work was written by a group of seven people living in Japan with the rather fancy names of Wei Yi, Tatsufumi Kawasaki, Yan Jiang, Hirofumi Akamatsu, Ryu Ota, Hideki Torii, and Koji Fujita.

individual crocodile

Not only young children who want to impress their friends by imitating animal sounds out loud, but also adult children can easily learn how to play animals once they understand that crocodiles are individuals and not something that resembles a typical sound. can be raised.

All crocodiles, like all chimpanzees, cats, dogs, crows, or most types of large animals (and all humans!), make unique, personally characteristic calls. A study by Thomas Reisenhus Jensen and colleagues at Lund University in Sweden discusses the ubiquity and power of this loud personality.

Research published in journals animal behavior, titled “Knowing your mates by their calls: Acoustic characteristics of American alligator calls.'' Co-author Stefan Lever won the Ig Nobel Prize in 2020 with four other colleagues for making a Chinese female crocodile sing in an airtight chamber filled with helium-enriched air. When he did that, he caused a stir, so to speak.

arterial ants

The scourge of atherosclerosis, like many other medical scourges, can succumb to dietary attacks. So to speak, dietary discipline can lead your cardiovascular system to victory.

Little published research by Abdul Ademola Olaleye and colleagues at the Federal University of Datse in Nigeria highlights the health benefits of eating small portions of one all-natural food.

Details are provided in their study.Analysis and evaluation of fatty acids“Phospholipid and sterol profiles of five edible insect species: Lipid composition of five edible insect species”; Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research Series B: Biological Sciences.

Olaleye and his team specifically focus on the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to saturated fatty acids (SFA) in foods. They analyzed ant samples collected from several farms and markets. Their conclusion is that “the PUFA/SFA ratio in this study is sufficient to arrest the atherosclerotic tendency.”

Among all the discouraging news in the world, feedback suggests this is the best news.

Mark Abrahams hosted the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founded the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. Previously, he was working on unusual uses of computers.his website is impossible.com.

Have a story for feedback?

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Marine reserves do not aid in the recovery of fish populations

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Grunts and gray grunts in Holchan Marine Reserve off the coast of Belize

Pete Oxford/ILCP

Fish populations in Caribbean marine reserves have not recovered, according to a 12-year study. Researchers say poor enforcement of marine protection regulations, coastal development and rising water temperatures are likely to blame.

Stretching for more than 1,000 kilometers along the Caribbean coasts of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, the Mesoamerican Reef is home to a wide range of wildlife, including more than 500 species of fish and 65 species of coral.

Over the past few decades, governments in these countries have created many marine protected areas (MPAs) with the aim of protecting the precious biodiversity of coral reefs and restoring fish populations that have declined due to overfishing. I did. These areas may prohibit fishing during certain times of the year, prohibit certain types of fishing gear, and restrict other activities such as tourism and mining.

To evaluate the effectiveness of these MPAs, stephen canty Researchers from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Maryland analyzed changes in fish biomass in 111 protected lands and 28 non-protected lands from 2006 to 2018. The data was collected during a survey by a scuba diver as part of the investigation. Initiatives for healthy coral reefs.

The researchers found that adult fish biomass increased in only 11 of the marine protected areas during the study period, indicating an increase in adult fish populations. Meanwhile, adult fish populations declined in 28 of the reserves and remained unchanged in the remaining locations. Less protected sites did see declines, but the declines were often smaller than the most protected sites.

The study found that 11 areas where fish populations have recovered have well-enforced MPA regulations and less fluctuation in sea surface temperatures. Sites with poor recovery showed opposite trends, including poor implementation of conservation measures, increased human activity in coastal areas, and increased temperature anomalies.

“Enforcement plays a huge role in whether some of these areas are successful or not,” Canty says. He suggests that local residents, who make a living from adult fish, should be given a greater role in managing MPAs. It's also important to ensure MPAs are located in areas that are better protected from climate change and easier to manage, he says.

“There's still a lot we don't know about marine protected areas,” team members say Justin Nowakowski, also located at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. “Therefore, it is important to be able to look to the past to optimize how he positions and manages his MPAs in the future.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Unraveling the Intriguing Science Behind Face Yoga

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Facial yoga has gained popularity recently, with celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Kate Moss, and Gwyneth Paltrow endorsing it. It involves stretches and exercises to strengthen the facial, neck, and shoulder muscles, similar to full-body yoga.

Supporters claim that facial yoga can reduce tension and stress, as well as tone and lift areas that may have weakened over time. A pilot study in JAMA Dermatology found that participants aged 40-65 who did facial exercises for 30 minutes daily or every other day for 20 weeks saw improvements in cheek fullness and a decrease in apparent age.

Research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health suggests that facial muscle exercises can improve mood and reduce stress. Stretching and massage may also have positive effects on health, possibly even reducing the appearance of scars.

While there is promising evidence, more large-scale trials are needed before facial yoga can be considered a proven anti-aging technique.

4 face yoga exercises to try at home

Consult your healthcare professional before starting facial yoga. If you decide to give it a try, here are some exercises to begin with.

Cheek puff

Purse your lips, puff out your cheeks, and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat for tightening cheek muscles.

Eye rejuvenator

Gently tap under your eyes, moving towards the inner and outer eye corners for lymphatic drainage and reduced dark circles.

Fish face

Purse your lips, suck in your cheeks, and hold for 30 seconds to target the jawline and cheek muscles.

Anti-frown agent

Press and release your fingers along the eyebrows for 5 seconds to prevent frowning.

This article was inspired by a question from Alex Maddox: “Should I do facial yoga?”

If you have any questions, please email us at: questions@sciencefocus.comor contact us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Explore more by visiting our Interesting information and other science pages.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Three simple strategies to improve decision-making and boost confidence

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

When you’ve tried to order something online during a work break, like a new electric toothbrush, you likely expected it to be simple. However, the overwhelming number of choices and options may have left you feeling paralyzed by decision making.

There are numerous factors to consider beyond just price and delivery time, such as battery life and advanced features like warning lights for excessive pressure or accompanying apps.

Decision paralysis occurs when the abundance of options and the challenge of weighing them all prevent you from making a choice, especially within a limited time frame.

It was once believed that more choices would benefit consumers, but in reality, it can lead to decision fatigue and drive people away.

In other life situations, the weight of decision making may weigh heavily on you, even if you only have a few options. The fear of choosing wrongly, whether it’s a college, job, or romantic partner, can cause decision paralysis.

Individuals known as “maximizers,” who strive to find the optimal choice, are more prone to decision paralysis compared to “satisfied people” who are content with a good enough decision.

The fear of regret for making a wrong decision can also contribute to decision paralysis, as can the concept of opportunity cost – what you’ll miss out on by choosing a particular path.

There are several ways to overcome decision paralysis: realize that perfect decisions are rare, understand that not deciding is a decision in itself, and simplify the decision-making process by prioritizing important factors and scoring options against them.

If you have any inquiries, please contact us at questions@sciencefocus.com or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with your name and location.

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Discovery of a previously unknown Jurassic Shuotheriid species illuminates early mammalian evolution

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In a new study, a team of paleontologists examined the structure of teeth. Feredkodon Chowi aims to better understand the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary paths of a new species of Xuozalaid mammal that lived in what is now China during the Jurassic period.

rebuilding the life of Feredkodon Chowi (right) and Dianoconodon Yonggi (left). Image credit: Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich, a researcher at Monash University and Museums Victoria, said: “Our study challenges current theory and provides a new perspective on the evolutionary history of mammals.”

“By describing the complex tooth shapes and occlusal patterns, we provide important insights into the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary trajectory of the family Xenodiaceae, which was largely unknown until its recent discovery in China. ”

Shoeteraid a mammal-like animal from the Jurassic period, has baffled scientists because of its unique dental features.

These creatures have so-called pseudoclaws (basin-like structures) located in front of the triangular teeth of the mandibular molars, and the claws seen in modern therian mammals are similar to the triangular teeth of the lower molars. It is different from the claw-like pattern located at the back.

“This unique tooth pattern hinders our understanding of schootelid relationships and the first steps in the evolution of mammalian species,” Professor Vickersrich said.

Professor Vickers Rich and her colleagues examined the pseudotribosphene tooth of a new Jurassic schiotelid. Feredkodon Chowi represented by two skeletal specimens.

They were able to more completely dissect the tooth structure using a variety of analyses, and the results suggested that the tooth structure of schootherids is very similar to that of docodontans. Ta.

This study suggests that there are no true trigonids present in the basal teeth of Xuozalidae, indicating that they are more closely related to Docodontans than previously thought.

This reassessment of tooth structure not only resolves outstanding interpretations but also triggers a reconsideration of evolutionary connections within mammals.

“In 1982, a single small Jurassic mandible with four teeth was placed at a single point in the mammal family tree,” said Dr Thomas Rich, also from Monash University and Museums Victoria.

“We now have two virtually complete specimens analyzed in different ways, all of which place them in very different positions on the mammal family tree.”

“Additional specimens and different methods suggest different interpretations. Science often works like this.”

Based on new data, the Xuozidae appears to belong to a separate clade, the Docodontiformes, separate from the Auscutolibospheniformes, and are therefore grouped as follows: docodontance.

This finding highlights the importance of pseudotribosphenic characters in elucidating the initial diversification of mammals.

“This study highlights the presence of a huge variety of tooth morphologies in early mammals, demonstrating unique ecomorphological adaptations throughout the evolutionary development of mammals,” Professor Vickersrich said. Ta.

of findings Published in today's diary Nature.

_____

F. Mao other. The Jurassic family Xenotheliidae represents the earliest dental diversification of mammals. Nature, published online on April 3, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07258-7

Source: www.sci.news

Webb delves into the mysterious depths of Messier 82

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope discovered the central starburst of Messier 82 (M82, NGC 3034, or Cigar Galaxy), a starburst irregular galaxy 12 million light-years away in the constellation A new image of the area was taken. of Ursa Major.

Messier 82 was observed by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in 2006, showing a spiral disk, shredded clouds, and hot hydrogen gas right next to the galaxy. The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope observed the center of Messier 82, capturing the structure of the galactic wind in unprecedented detail and revealing the characteristics of individual stars and star clusters. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / Hubble / Webb / STScI / A. Bolatto, UMD.

Messier 82 is located approximately 12 million light years away. It can be seen high in the northern sky in spring, in the direction of Ursa Major in the north.

First discovered by German astronomer Johann Erath Bode in 1774, this galaxy is approximately 40,000 light-years in diameter.

Messier 82 is also called the Cigar Galaxy because of its elongated elliptical shape caused by the tilt of its star-like disk with respect to our line of sight.

This galaxy is famous for its unusually high rate of new star formation, with stars being born 10 times faster than the Milky Way.

Astronomer Alberto Borat and his colleagues at the University of Maryland led Webb's research. NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) We will aim our instrument at the center of Messier 82 to closely observe the physical conditions that promote the formation of new stars.

“Messier 82 is thought to be the prototype of a starburst galaxy and has attracted a variety of observations over the years,” Borat said.

“Both the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope have observed this target. With Webb's size and resolution, we can observe this star-forming galaxy and see all of this beautiful new detail.”

“Star formation remains a mystery because it is shrouded by a curtain of dust and gas, which poses an obstacle to observing this process.”

“Fortunately, Webb's ability to see into the infrared can help us navigate these ambiguous situations.”

“Furthermore, these NIRCam images of the center of the starburst were obtained using instrumental mode, which prevents very bright light sources from overwhelming the detector.”

“Even in this infrared image, dark brown dust tendrils are visible throughout Messier 82's bright white core, but Webb's NIRCam has revealed a level of detail that was historically hidden.”

“If you look closely toward the center, small green specks indicate areas of concentrated iron, most of which are supernova remnants.”

“The small red spots indicate regions where hydrogen molecules are illuminated by radiation from nearby young stars.”

“This image shows the Webb's force,” said Dr. Rebecca Levy, an astronomer at the University of Arizona.

“All the white dots in this image are stars or star clusters. We can start to distinguish between all of these small point sources, which will allow us to get an accurate count of all the star clusters in this galaxy. Masu.”

If you look at Messier 82 at slightly longer infrared wavelengths, you'll see clumpy tendrils, shown in red, extending up and down the galactic plane. These gaseous streamers are galactic winds blowing out from the starburst's center.

One of the research team's areas of focus was understanding how this galactic wind, caused by rapid star formation and subsequent supernovae, originates and affects the surrounding environment.

By resolving Messier 82's central region, astronomers were able to investigate where the winds originate and gain insight into how hot and cold components interact in the wind. .

Webb's NIRCam instrument was well-suited to tracking the structure of the galactic wind via radiation from sooty chemical molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

PAHs can be thought of as very small dust particles that survive at low temperatures but are destroyed at high temperatures.

Much to the team's surprise, Webb's observations about PAH emissions highlight previously unknown fine structures in the galactic wind.

This emission, depicted as a red filament, moves away from the central region where the center of star formation is located.

Another unexpected finding was the similarity between the structure of the PAH emission and the structure of the hot ionized gas.

“It was unexpected that the release of PAHs resembled ionized gases,” Dr. Borat said.

“PAHs are not thought to survive very long when exposed to such strong radiation fields, so they are probably constantly being replenished.”

“This casts doubt on our theory and indicates the need for further investigation.”

team's paper will be published in astrophysical journal.

_____

Alberto D. Borat other. 2024. Observation of starbursts by JWST: Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at the root of the M 82 galactic wind. APJ, in press. arXiv: 2401.16648

Source: www.sci.news

Taiwan’s Earthquake Preparedness Shines, Surpassing US Efforts

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Taiwan experienced a significant earthquake on Wednesday, with experts noting that it was larger than some areas in the United States. The island was well-prepared for seismic disasters, which helped mitigate the impact. Despite nine reported deaths, authorities anticipate the death toll may increase. Over 1,000 individuals were injured, and around 100 are feared trapped.

The earthquake, measuring 7.4 in magnitude, highlighted Taiwan’s robust early warning system, modern seismic building codes, and the population’s familiarity with seismic activity. Following the devastating Chichi earthquake in 1999, Taiwan made substantial upgrades to its infrastructure to enhance resilience.

Geologist Larry Shuhen Lai, who grew up and studied in Taiwan, acknowledged the progress made in earthquake preparedness, comparing the nine deaths in the recent earthquake to the 2,400 casualties in the past. He emphasized Taiwan’s serious approach to earthquakes as part of daily life.

Experts noted that U.S. cities on the West Coast are taking various measures to prepare for earthquakes, but none are as well-prepared as Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.

A California Highway Patrol trooper checks for damage to a fallen car when the upper section of the Bay Bridge collapsed into the lower section after the Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco on October 17, 1989.George Nikitin/AP File

Taiwan is still assessing the earthquake’s impact and lessons learned, providing valuable insights for U.S. scientists and leaders to evaluate their own infrastructure and preparedness.

John Wallace, a civil engineering professor, highlighted the damage to older concrete buildings in Taiwan and emphasized the importance of retrofitting such structures. Taiwan’s skyscrapers, like Taipei 101, showcased advanced engineering that performed well during the earthquake.

Overall, experts commended Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness efforts, attributing them to the previous Chi-Chi earthquake that spurred significant improvements in safety measures and building codes.

Damaged buildings in Hualien City, Taiwan, on Tuesday.TVBS via AP

Taiwan’s gradual progress in earthquake safety, coupled with public education and trust in authorities, has been integral to its preparedness. Initiatives undertaken post the Chi-Chi earthquake have set the benchmark for earthquake resilience in the region.

The comparison with U.S. readiness, particularly on the West Coast, reveals disparities in earthquake preparedness, with Taiwan’s advanced early warning system being a standout feature. The system’s effectiveness in disseminating warnings and promoting public safety serves as a model for other earthquake-prone regions.

Both Taiwan and the U.S. utilize advanced warning systems based on seismic wave detection, highlighting the importance of continuous improvement and proactive measures to enhance earthquake resilience.

In conclusion, Taiwan’s 25-year journey towards earthquake preparedness offers valuable insights for other regions, emphasizing the significance of strategic planning, infrastructure upgrades, and community engagement in mitigating the impact of seismic events.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Microsoft and Quantinuum’s quantum computer could be the most dependable to date

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Quantinuum H2 chip

Quantinum

Microsoft and quantum computing company Quantinuum claim to have developed a quantum computer with unprecedented levels of reliability. The ability to correct its own errors could be a step toward more practical quantum computers in the near future.

“What we did here gave me goosebumps. We showed that error correction is reproducible, works, and is reliable.” Krista Svoir At Microsoft.

Experts have long expected the arrival of practical quantum computers that can complete calculations too complex for traditional computers. Although quantum computers have steadily grown larger and more complex, this prediction has not yet been fully realized. One big reason for this is that all modern quantum computers are subject to errors, and researchers have found that it is technically difficult to implement algorithms to detect and correct errors during calculations. That’s it.

The new experiment could be an important step toward overcoming this error problem. The researchers say that on his H2 quantum processor at Quantinuum, he ran more than 14,000 individual calculation routines without making a single error.

Errors occur even in classical computers, but error correction can be coded into programs by creating backup copies of the information being processed. This approach is not possible with quantum computing because quantum information cannot be copied. Instead, researchers distributed it across a group of connected qubits, or qubits, creating what are known as logical qubits. Microsoft and the Quantinuum team created four of these logical qubits using 30 qubits.

Svore said a process developed by Microsoft was used to generate these logical qubits, allowing them to run error-free, or fault-tolerant, experiments repeatedly. Typically, individual qubits are easily disturbed, but at the level of logical qubits, researchers were able to repeatedly detect and correct errors.

The approach was so successful, they say, that four logical qubits produced only 0.125 percent of the errors that would occur if 30 qubits were left ungrouped. This means that ungrouped qubits generate as many as 800 errors for every one error generated by a logical qubit.

“Having a logical error rate that is 800 times lower than that of physical qubits is a huge advance in the field and brings us one step closer to fault-tolerant quantum computing,” he said. says. mark suffman from the University of Wisconsin was not involved in the experiment.

jennifer strobley Quantinuum said the team’s hardware is well-suited for new experiments because it provides advanced control over qubits and quantum computers have already achieved some of the lowest error rates ever. .

In 2023, a team of Harvard University researchers and their colleagues, including members of the quantum computing startup QuEra, broke the record for the largest number of logical qubits at once, 48. This is much more than his four logical qubits in the new device. But Strabley said the new device requires fewer physical qubits for each logical qubit, and the logical qubits have fewer errors than the one built by the Harvard team. “We used significantly fewer physical qubits and got better results,” she says.

However, some experts new scientist Without details about the experiment, researchers were not yet ready to qualify this new research as a breakthrough in quantum error correction.

It is generally believed that only quantum computers with more than 100 logical qubits can actually tackle scientifically and socially relevant problems in fields such as chemistry and materials science. The next challenge is to make everything bigger. Strabley and Svore say they are confident that the long-standing collaboration between Microsoft and Quantinuum will soon come to fruition.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Threat to great apes from mining for electric car batteries

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Noise pollution, habitat loss and disease spread associated with mining could threaten chimpanzee populations in some African countries

Ali Wid/Shutterstock

More than a third of Africa's great apes are threatened by soaring demand for minerals essential to creating green energy technologies such as electric vehicles.

Africa has about one-sixth of the world's remaining forests, and its habitat is in countries such as Ghana, Gabon, and Uganda. The continent is also home to his four species of great apes: chimpanzees, bonobos, and two gorillas.

However, many of these great apes live in areas that mining companies are eyeing as potential places to extract goods. for example, More than 50 percent of the world's cobalt and manganese reserves are found in Africa22 percent of graphite.

To assess the scale of the threat to great ape populations, Jessica Juncker Researchers at Re:wild, a non-profit conservation organization in Austin, Texas, analyzed available data on the location of operating and planned mines and the density and distribution of great ape populations across 17 African countries. Superimposed.

The research team considered both direct impacts on great ape populations, such as noise pollution, habitat loss, and disease spillover, as well as indirect disturbances, such as building new service roads, to A 50km “buffer zone” was created around the area. And infrastructure.

A total of 180,000 great apes, just over a third of the continent's population, may be threatened by mining activities, researchers have found.

The West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Guinea had the greatest overlap between great ape populations and mining sites. In Guinea, a study found that 83 percent of the great ape population could be affected by mining.

Juncker said the team was only considering industrial mining projects. The threat may be even greater when considering the impact of man-made mines, where miners typically work in primitive and often dangerous environments.

Cobalt, manganese, and graphite are all used to make lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles. Other materials found in these countries, such as bauxite, platinum, copper, graphite, and lithium, are used to power hydrogen, wind turbines, solar panels, and other green technologies.

Juncker argues that companies should stop mining in areas important to great apes and instead focus on recycling these important materials from waste. “There is great potential in metal reuse,” she says. “All we need to do is consume more sustainably. Then it will be possible to leave at least some of the areas that are so important to great apes intact.”

She is also calling on mining companies to publicly conduct biodiversity assessments of potential mining sites. “Increasing transparency is the first step.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Why has anxiety increased over the past decade?

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In recent years, I’ve noticed more and more people sharing their experiences with anxiety, whether it’s celebrities opening up in interviews or friends chatting over drinks. This got me thinking. Are more people experiencing anxiety these days, or are they just more willing to talk about it?

This apparent increase seems to be seen in studies on the prevalence of anxiety, but when you dig into the details, the picture is not so clear. As for what’s behind this potential increase, the COVID-19 pandemic is the obvious culprit, but it’s not the only one; economic and political factors may also be at play.

First, let’s look at the pandemic. “This was a phenomenon that none of us had ever experienced before, and it was a global problem that understandably caused a lot of stress,” he says. David Smithson at the charity Anxiety UK. “Who isn’t worried?”

growing anxiety

As the pandemic began, anxiety levels increased and the World Health Organization reported: Anxiety disorders increased by 25.6% In 2020, lockdowns and other restrictions were introduced and people faced an unknown virus and its impact on their lives. However, this increase was not sustained, according to a review of 177 studies targeting people in high-income countries. Levels decline as pandemic continues.

This is consistent with Smithson’s experience. “We have seen an increase in demand for our support services for about two years since the start of the pandemic,” he says. “Over the past 12 months or so, we have seen a drop in demand…

Source: www.newscientist.com

The Origins of Life: Key Chemical Reactions May Have Begun in Hot, Cracked Rocks

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Some amino acids can become concentrated when traveling through cracks in hot rocks.

Sebastian Kauritzky / Alamy

Chemical reactions key to the origin of life on Earth may have occurred as molecules moved along a temperature gradient within a network of cracks in thin rocks deep underground.

Such networks are thought to have been common on early Earth and may have provided a kind of natural laboratory in which many of the building blocks of life were concentrated and separated from other organic molecules.

“It’s very difficult to get a more general environment where you can do these cleansing and intermediate steps,” he says. Christophe Mast at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, Germany.

He and his colleagues created a heat flow chamber the size of a playing card to model how mixtures of organic molecules behave in cracks in such rocks.

The researchers heated one side of the 170-micrometer-thick chamber to 25°C (77°F) and the other side to 40°C (104°F), allowing molecules to move in a process called thermophoresis. This created a temperature gradient that How sensitive a molecule is to this process depends on its size and charge and how it interacts with the fluid in which it is dissolved.

During an 18-hour experiment in a heat flow chamber, we found that different molecules were concentrated in different parts of the chamber depending on their sensitivity to thermophoresis. Among these molecules are many amino acids and A, T, G, and C nucleobases, which are important building blocks of DNA. This effect was further magnified by creating a network of three interconnected chambers, with one side of the chamber network at 25°C and the other side at 40°C. Additional chambers further concentrated the compounds concentrated in the first chamber.

Mathematical simulations with 20 interconnected chambers (which may closely resemble the complexity of natural crack systems) find that the enrichment of different molecules can be further amplified Did. In one chamber, the amino acid glycine reached a concentration approximately 3000 times higher than that of another amino acid, isoleucine, even though they entered the network at the same concentration.

The researchers also demonstrated that this enrichment process can cause reactions that would otherwise be extremely difficult. They showed that glycine molecules can bind to each other when the concentration of a molecule that catalyzes the reaction called trimetaphosphoric acid (TMP) increases. Mast said TMP is an interesting molecule to concentrate because it was rare on early Earth. “Since [the chambers] Since they are all randomly connected, all kinds of reaction conditions can be implemented. ”

“It’s very interesting that within the crack there are regions with different proportions of compounds,” he says. evan sprite from Radboud University in the Netherlands was not involved in the study. “This enhancement allows us to create even more versatility from very simple building blocks.”

But enrichment in rock fractures is still far from a viable scenario for the origin of life, he says. “Ultimately, they still need to come together to form something resembling a cell or protocell.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Discovery of Ancient Assyrian Scarab Seal in Israel

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to a team of experts from the Israel Antiquities Authority and the University of Friborg, this unusual amulet seal is at least 2,800 years old (first temple period).

A 2,800-year-old amulet seal excavated from the Tel Rekesh ruins in Israel. Image credit: Israel Antiquities Authority.

“The scarab, made of a semi-precious stone called carnelian, depicts either a mythical griffin creature or a galloping horse with wings,” said archaeologist Professor Osmar Kiel of the University of Friborg. .

“Similar scarabs are dated to the 8th century BC.”

“A beautiful scarab beetle was discovered at the foot of the mountain.” Tel Rekesh, one of the most important stories in Galilee. ”

“The location is identified as the town of ‘Anahrat’ in the territory of the tribe of Issachar (Joshua 19:19).”

“This is one of the most important finds at Tel Rekesh, dating from the Iron Age (7th-6th century BC),” added Dr. Itzik Paz, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“At that time, a large fortress appears to have been under the control of the Assyrian Empire, which was responsible for the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel.”

“Thus, the scarab found at the foot of Tell very likely proves Assyrian (or perhaps Babylonian) rule at the site.”

“The griffin motif on seals is a known artistic motif in ancient Near Eastern art and is commonly seen on Iron Age seals.”

“If we can actually date the seal, it may be possible to link it to the Assyrian presence at the Tell Rekesh fortress. This is a very important discovery.”

A 2,800 year old amulet seal. Image credit: Israel Antiquities Authority.

“The scarab is a type of seal that was widely used in the ancient world from the 4th millennium BC onwards,” the researchers explained.

“The scarab seal is shaped like a dung beetle, hence its name. The Egyptians considered the scarab to be a symbol of the creator god, so the Egyptian name comes from the verb 'to become' or 'to be created.' ” is derived from. ”

“Although scarabs were made from a variety of stones, including semi-precious stones such as amethyst and carnelian, most scarabs are made from steatite, a soft gray-white talcum stone, usually coated with a blue-green glaze. I was there.”

“Glaze persists only in dry climates such as Egypt, so the scarab found in Israel has very little trace of glaze. In this context, the deep orange color of this scarab is both unusual and striking. ”

The Assyrian scarab-shaped seal was discovered by Erez Abrahamov, 45, a resident of Peduel.

“I had two days off from working in the Israeli Defense Forces Reserve, so I decided to take advantage of the sunny days and go hiking,” Abrahamov said.

“As I was walking, I saw something shiny on the ground. At first I thought it was a bead or an orange stone.”

“When I picked it up, I noticed it was carved to look like a scarab or beetle.”

“I called the Israel Antiquities Authority and reported my amazing discovery.”

Source: www.sci.news

Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxy: Low Metallicity and Rapid Star Formation in Web Image

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using NASA/ESA/CSA’s James Webb Space Telescope have discovered a typical extremely metal-poor, star-forming, blue, compact dwarf galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major, I. Zwicki 18 (abbreviated). I took a stunning image of I Zw 18).

This web image shows I Zwicky 18, a blue, compact dwarf galaxy about 59 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. I Zwicky 18’s nearby companion galaxy can be seen at the bottom of the image. This companion star may be interacting with the dwarf galaxy and may have triggered the galaxy’s recent star formation. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / Hirschauer other.

I Zw 18 It is located approximately 59 million light years away in the constellation Ursa Major.

This galaxy, also known as Mrk 116, LEDA 27182, and UGCA 166, discovered It was discovered in the 1930s by Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky.

At only 3,000 light years in diameter, it is much smaller than our own Milky Way galaxy.

I Zw 18 has experienced several bursts of star formation and has two large starburst regions at its center.

The wispy brown filaments surrounding the central starburst region are bubbles of gas heated by stellar winds and intense ultraviolet light emitted by hot, young stars.

“Metal-poor star-forming dwarf galaxies in the local universe are close analogs of high-redshift dwarf galaxies,” said Dr. Alec Hirschauer of the Space Telescope Science Institute and colleagues.

“Because the history of enrichment of a particular system tracks the accumulation of heavy elements through successive generations of stellar nucleosynthesis, low-abundance galaxies are likely to be more likely to be affected by a common phenomenon in the early Universe, including the global epoch of peak star formation. It mimics the astrophysical conditions where most of the cosmic star formation and chemical enrichment is expected to have taken place.”

“Thus, at the lowest metallicities, we may be able to approximate the star-forming environment of the time just after the Big Bang.”

“I Zw 18 is one of the most metal-poor systems known, with a measured gas-phase oxygen abundance of only about 3% of solar power production,” the researchers said. added.

“At a distance of 59 million light-years and with global star formation rate values measured at 0.13 to 0.17 solar masses per year, this laboratory is designed to support young stars in an environment similar to the one in which they were discovered. It’s an ideal laboratory for studying both the demographics and the demographics of stars that evolved in the very early days of the universe.”

Dr. Hirschauer and his co-authors used Webb to study the life cycle of I Zw 18 dust.

“Until now, it was thought that the first generation of stars began forming only recently, but the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope found “The dimmer and older red stars in the galaxy suggest that their formation began at least 1 billion years ago, and possibly 10 billion years ago,” the researchers said.

“Therefore, this galaxy may have formed at the same time as most other galaxies.”

“New observations by Webb reveal the detection of a set of dust-covered evolved star candidates. They also provide details about Zw 18’s two main star-forming regions. To do.”

“Webb’s new data suggests that major bursts of star formation in these regions occurred at different times.”

“The strongest starburst activity is now thought to have occurred more recently in the northwestern lobe of the galaxy compared to the southeastern lobe.”

“This is based on the relative abundance of young and old stars found in each lobe.”

of findings will be published in astronomy magazine.

_____

Alec S. Hirschauer other. 2024. Imaging I Zw 18 with JWST: I. Strategy and first results for dusty stellar populations. A.J., in press. arXiv: 2403.06980

Source: www.sci.news

Microsoft’s quantum computer could be the most dependable yet

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Quantinuum H2 chip

Quantinum

“What we did here gave me goosebumps. We showed that error correction is reproducible, works, and is reliable.” Krista Svoir At Microsoft.

jennifer strobley Quantinuum said the team's hardware is well-suited for new experiments because it provides advanced control over qubits and quantum computers have already achieved some of the lowest error rates ever. .

However, some experts new scientist Without details about the experiment, researchers were not yet ready to qualify this new research as a breakthrough in quantum error correction.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Avian Influenza Detected in Chickens at Texas Factory, America’s Largest Raw Egg Producer Reports

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The largest producer of raw eggs in the nation has announced a temporary halt in production at its Texas factory on Tuesday due to avian influenza. The virus has been found in chickens, and authorities have reported cases at a poultry facility in Michigan as well.

Calmaine Foods, headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi, has euthanized about 1.6 million hens and 337,000 hens, or roughly 3.6% of its flock, after avian influenza cases were discovered at its Palmer facility in Texas. The company stated that it has been sanctioned in Texas County.

The plant is situated on the Texas-New Mexico border in the Texas Panhandle, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) southwest of Amarillo and 370 miles (595 kilometers) northwest of Dallas. CalMaine reported that most of its eggs are sold in the Southwest, Southeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

The statement from the company mentioned, “We are collaborating closely with federal, state, and local authorities, as well as key industry organizations, to minimize the risk of further outbreaks and manage the response effectively.”

“Calmaine Foods is taking steps to ensure production from other facilities to mitigate any disruptions for customers,” the statement added.

The company clarified that there is no identified risk of avian influenza associated with eggs currently in the market, and no recalls have been issued for eggs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, properly processed and cooked eggs are safe for consumption. The department confirmed.

A day after the announcement by Cal-Maine, state health officials revealed that one person had been diagnosed with bird flu after potential exposure to an infected cow, but the risk to the public remains low. Federal health officials stated that the human case in Texas is the first documented instance globally of someone contracting this strain of bird flu from a mammal.

In Michigan, avian influenza was detected at a commercial poultry facility in Ionia County by the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, as reported by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Ionia County is approximately 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.

The department confirmed the disease on Monday following laboratory tests, marking the fourth instance since 2022 that the illness was identified at a commercial site in Michigan.

Department spokesperson Jennifer Holton stated on Tuesday that state regulations prohibit the disclosure of poultry types at the facilities. The facility is under quarantine, but no disruptions to the state’s supply chain are anticipated, according to Holton.

Dairy cows in Texas and Kansas reported Federal agriculture officials subsequently confirmed the infection in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently acquired cattle from Texas. An Idaho dairy herd was also added to the list after federal agriculture officials confirmed the presence of avian influenza, according to a USDA press release on Tuesday.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Breakthrough in microbiome research may hold the key to combating obesity

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Recent discoveries by scientists on the human gut microbiome, which consists of microorganisms like bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses residing in the gastrointestinal tract, may lead to new weight loss interventions in the future.

To be presented at the European Obesity Conference (ECO), researchers have identified specific microbial species that could either increase or decrease an individual’s risk of obesity.

Through a study involving 361 adult volunteers from Spain, scientists identified a total of six main species.

The lead researcher, Dr. Paula Aranaz, who obtained her PhD from the Nutrition Research Center of the University of Navarra, explained, “Our findings highlight the potential role of imbalances in various bacterial groups in the development and progression of obesity.”

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Participants were categorized based on their body mass index: 65 were of normal weight, 110 were overweight, and 186 were obese. Genetic microbiota profiling was conducted to analyze the type, composition, diversity, and abundance of bacteria present in their fecal samples.

The study found that individuals with higher body mass index had lower levels of Christensenella Minuta, a bacterium associated with weight loss in other studies.

<.p>Interestingly, there were gender-specific differences in the findings. For men, the species Parabacteroides hercogenes and Campylobacter canadensis were linked to higher BMI, fat mass, and waist size. On the other hand, for women, the species Prevotella copri, Prevotella brevis, and Prevotella saccharolytica predicted obesity risk.

According to Aranaz, “Fostering certain bacterial types in the gut microbiota, like Christensenella Minuta, may protect against obesity. Future interventions aimed at altering bacterial strains or bioactive molecules levels could create a microbiome resistant to obesity.”

While the study focused on a specific region of Spain, factors such as climate, geography, and diet could influence the results. These findings could lead to tailored nutritional strategies for weight loss that take into account gender differences.

About our expert:

Paula Aranaz is a researcher at the Nutrition Research Center of the University of Navarra in Spain, focusing on bioactive compounds to prevent and treat metabolic diseases. Her research has been published in journals like International Journal of Molecular Science, Nutrients, and European Journal of Nutrition.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

There is a bizarre phenomenon occurring with Earth’s seismic activity: Here’s why

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In the realm of earthquakes, one should always anticipate the unexpected. This is the message conveyed by seismologists Professor Eric Curry from Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) in Paris, and Jean François Ritz, the Director of CNRS Laboratoire Géosciences in Montpellier.

At the core of their counsel lies the fact that earthquakes can occur in unexpected places. These enigmatic occurrences, known as intraplate earthquakes, manifest in geologically tranquil locations, distant from the active boundaries of tectonic plates.

The French scientists are dedicated to comprehending and elucidating these phenomena.

Unpredictable and Destructive

The blocks of rock forming the fragile outer shell of our planet move gradually across the Earth’s surface, at a pace akin to the growth rate of a human fingernail.

While the majority of geological activity of note transpires where plates converge, intraplate earthquakes diverge from this norm, occurring within plates, far from their peripheries.

Curry and Ritz have a compelling motive to shine a light on this topic, given that intraplate earthquakes are infrequent, with a limited number of notable occurrences compared to earthquakes at plate boundaries. Professor Curry noted that only around 20 earthquakes measuring 6 or more in magnitude have been recorded since 1974. This amounts to less than half the percentage of similar-sized earthquakes observed at plate edges during the same timeframe. Their scarcity and protracted duration render them challenging to forecast, yet they have the potential to inflict considerable devastation on unprepared urban centers that have never viewed earthquakes as a pressing concern.

Intraplate earthquakes can transpire wherever geological faults exist within the Earth’s crust. Over the past centuries, they have been documented in locations as diverse as Basel, Switzerland, New York, Boston in the United States, and the St. Lawrence River in Canada.

More recently, they wrought havoc in the Australian city of Newcastle, as well as in Botswana and Puebla, Mexico in 2017, resulting in nearly 400 fatalities in the latter.

The Magnitude of the Problem

Curry and Ritz garnered attention for a magnitude 5 earthquake near the Rhone Valley village of Le Teil in 2019, while a magnitude 5.2 earthquake shook the Lincolnshire town of Market Larsen in England in 2008. Termed the “Larsen Earthquake” by local newspapers, it caused one injury and incurred damages estimated at around £20 million. The seismic events in the UK and France tend to be minor, contrasting with occurrences in other global regions.

The most devastating intraplate earthquake of modern times took place in 2001, with a magnitude of 7.6, striking Bhuj, Gujarat, India. This catastrophic event razed an estimated 300,000 edifices and claimed the lives of up to 20,000 individuals. Looking back to 1886, a around magnitude 7 earthquake hit Charleston on the US east coast, resulting in 60 casualties and widespread devastation. A few years later, the New Madrid, Missouri area endured three potent intraplate earthquakes measuring up to magnitude 7.5, inducing violent tremors across the vicinity.

The rarity of these seismic episodes, combined with their potential for extensive destruction, underscores the urgency for a deeper understanding of intraplate earthquakes.

Increasing Tension

Both intraplate and plate margin earthquakes share a common operational mechanism. Essentially, strain builds up over time on geological faults within the Earth’s crust until it reaches a critical threshold, leading to fault rupture or slippage, thereby generating earthquakes. The release of this built-up energy in the form of seismic waves alleviates the strain. However, the process begins anew as strain accumulates again. Although the process mirrors itself in both types of earthquakes, the triggers that prompt rupture likely differ.

Curry and Ritz propose that while fault rupture at plate margins is predominantly instigated by plate movements, intraplate earthquakes within the plate’s interior are spurred by discrete triggers that occur rapidly on geological time scales. Such triggers could encompass various phenomena such as unloading due to ice sheet melting, surface erosion, rain infiltration, or fluid displacement from the Earth’s mantle.

Intraplate Complexity

It’s worth noting that a fault primed for rupture can be triggered by an equivalent pressure to a handshake. Consequently, even though millions of years may have been necessary for strain to accumulate on ancient intraplate faults, their activation could unfold swiftly over a brief period. Curry and Ritz explored the Le Teil earthquake of 2019 and concluded that it was probably triggered by the shedding of the upper crust following the region’s glacier recession post the Ice Age, possibly triggered by a nearby quarry.

The unloading and deformation of the Earth’s crust post the rapid melting of colossal ice sheets about 20,000 to 10,000 years before the present epoch is presumed to have catalyzed numerous intraplate earthquakes, including those at New Madrid, Charleston, and Basel. At the decline of the Ice Age, Norway and Sweden witnessed a surge in seismic events as the 3 km thick Scandinavian ice sheet melted rapidly, unburdening intraplate faults underneath it, and releasing accumulated strain over thousands of years.

This period witnessed several sizable earthquakes with one heaving about 8,200 years ago, instigating a massive underwater landslide off Norway’s coast, engendering a North Atlantic Ocean tsunami with crest heights reaching 20 meters across the Shetland Islands and 6 meters along Scotland’s eastern coastline.

Prediction Problems

The intricacies of predicting intraplate earthquakes pose a formidable challenge, as Curry highlights, stating, “For these peculiar earthquakes, calculating future risk is highly intricate, particularly given their sporadic nature in specific locales. Objective indicators for evaluating future intraplate seismicity are lacking.”

Despite the convolutions associated with predicting intraplate earthquakes, research concerning the peril posed by these events in historically affected regions is critical. The burgeoning urbanization in areas with past intraplate earthquake history is cause for concern.

Currently, more than half of the global populace resides in urban centers, with cities in regions susceptible to intraplate earthquakes witnessing substantial expansion. Basel, Switzerland, for instance, the nation’s second-largest urban conurbation with a populace of approximately 500,000, serves as a key hub for banking and the chemical sector. In the event of an earthquake akin to the one in 1356, the outcomes would be significantly more severe, portending thousands of casualties and severe property damages.

Similarly, Charleston in the United States, with a population exceeding 550,000, now finds itself at the heart of a bustling city characterized by stone and concrete edifices, rendering it vulnerable to calamitous consequences if struck by an earthquake akin to the 1886 event.

Looking towards the future, the specter of global warming looms large, with the potential to increase intraplate seismic activity as glacial and ice sheet melts diminish the underlying crust’s load, sparking fault ruptures and strain release accumulated over millennia.

The ramifications of such seismic events reverberate across a broad cross-section of society, driving home the importance of preparedness and vigilance in regions prone to intraplate earthquakes.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Snakes display self-awareness through scent-based ‘mirror test’

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Garter snake moves its tongue to detect scent

Vince F/Alamy

Some snakes seem to respond differently to their scent when it changes, suggesting that they have some form of self-awareness.

A small number of animals, including roosters, horses, and cleaner fish, have shown signs of self-awareness in the so-called mirror test. This includes applying paint to areas of the body that cannot be seen without a mirror, such as the forehead. If an animal touches a mark when it looks in the mirror, it suggests that it knows it is its own reflection and not another individual’s image.

“But snakes and most reptiles interact with the world primarily through smell,” he says. gnome miller At Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. So he and his colleagues tried an alternative, odor-based version of the mirror test.

Team members collected scents from 36 Eastern Garter Snakes (Thamnophis certalis) and 18 ball pythons (python) Wipe along the skin with a cotton pad.

Next, each snake was exposed to five scents. My snake, my snake with a little olive oil, his one with just olive oil, another snake of the same species, and his one with another snake with a little olive oil.

The garter snakes responded to their own modified scent by clicking their tongues more often and for longer periods of time compared to other scents.

“The only time they click their tongues is when they’re interested in something or when they’re researching something,” Miller said. This suggests that garter snakes can recognize that something about themselves doesn’t smell right. “They might be thinking, ‘Oh, this is weird, I shouldn’t smell like this.'”

Ball pythons, on the other hand, responded the same way to all odors. Garter snakes are much more social than ball pythons, Miller said, so social species may be more likely to be self-aware.

This discovery is the first evidence of potential self-awareness in snakes, Miller said. “There’s a misconception that snakes, and almost all reptiles, are dull, instinctive, non-cognitive animals, but that’s definitely not true.”

but, Johannes Brandl Researchers at the University of Salzburg in Austria question whether this should be interpreted as self-awareness. “This interpretation is only valid if a correlation with social behavior can be established,” he says. Otherwise, one could argue that some snake species are simply more inclined to participate in experiments.

topic:

animal/
animal intelligence

Source: www.newscientist.com

Young stars in the spotlight of the Hubble Space Telescope

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope collected information about about 500 stars as part of their research. Young Stars Ultraviolet Heritage Library (ULLYSES) Study as an Essential Standard.

This Hubble image shows a star-forming region containing giant young blue stars in the Tarantula Nebula. Image credits: NASA/ESA/STScI/Francesco Paresce, INAF-IASF Bologna/Robert O'Connell, UVA/SOC-WFC3/ESO.

“We believe the ULLYSES project is revolutionary and will have an impact across astrophysics, from exoplanets to the influence of massive stars on the evolution of galaxies, to understanding the early stages of the evolving universe. ” said Dr. Julia Roman-Duval, leader of the ULLYSES implementation team. She is an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute.

“Apart from the specific purpose of research, stellar data can also be used in the field of astrophysics in ways we cannot yet imagine.”

Dr. Romain Duval and her colleagues studied 220 stars and combined their observations with information on 275 stars from the Hubble archive.

The study also includes data from some of the world's largest and most powerful ground-based telescopes and X-ray space telescopes.

The ULLYSES dataset consists of stellar spectra and includes information about each star's temperature, chemical composition, and rotation.

One of the star types being studied under ULLYSES is an ultra-hot, massive blue star.

They are a million times brighter than the Sun and glow intensely in ultraviolet light that can be easily detected by Hubble. Their spectra contain important information for diagnosing the speed of powerful winds.

The wind drives the evolution of galaxies, producing galactic seeds with the elements necessary for life. These elements are cooked in the star's fusion reactor and injected into space as the star dies.

ULLYSES targeted blue stars in nearby galaxies that are deficient in elements heavier than helium and hydrogen.

“Observations of Ulises are a stepping stone to understanding the first stars and their winds in the universe and how they influence the evolution of young host galaxies,” said Dr. Romain Duval.

Another category of stars in the ULLYSES survey are young stars with less mass than the Sun.

Although it is cooler and redder than the Sun, during its formative years it emits large amounts of high-energy radiation, including bursts of ultraviolet and X-rays.

As they are still growing, they are collecting material from the surrounding planet-forming disks of dust and gas.

Hubble's spectra contain important diagnostic information about the mass-gaining process, including the amount of energy this process releases into the surrounding planet-forming disk and nearby environment.

Intense ultraviolet radiation from young stars influences the evolution of these disks as they form planets and the potential habitability of newborn planets.

The target star is located in a star-forming region near the Milky Way.

The ULLYSES concept was designed by a panel of experts with the aim of using Hubble to provide a conventional set of stellar observations.

“ULLYSES was originally conceived as an observation program using Hubble's high-sensitivity spectrometer,” said Dr. Roman Duval.

“However, this research was greatly enhanced by community-driven complementary observations in collaboration with other ground-based and space-based observatories.”

“By covering such a wide area, astronomers can study the lives of stars in unprecedented detail and develop a more comprehensive picture of the properties of these stars and how they affect their environments. It becomes possible to draw.”

Source: www.sci.news

Studies show that chickens were commonly domesticated in southern Central Asia by 400 BC

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

origin and spread of chicken (Gallus Gallus) The question throughout the ancient world is one of the most puzzling questions about Eurasian livestock. The lack of agreement regarding the time and center of origin is due to problems in morphological identification, lack of direct dating, and poor preservation of thin and fragile bird bones. In a new study, archaeologists examined ancient chicken eggshells from 13 different sites spanning 1,500 and a half years. Their results indicate that chickens were widely domesticated in southern Central Asia from the 4th century BC to the Middle Ages and may have dispersed along the ancient Silk Road.

Compilation of evidence on ancient chickens of Central Asia: SEM images of Bash Tepa eggshells. Morphologically distinct breathing holes highlighted at 30x (a), 150x (b), and 750x (f) magnification. (c) A ceramic egg with a clay ball, excavated in Bukhara from the 10th century AD to the 12th century AD. (d) Bactrian Sophites coin of 300 BC. (g) Fragments of the Bash Tepa ossuary dating from the last centuries BC. There is clearly a chicken drawn on the top. (h) Part of an eggshell collected from the Bukhara site. Color (basically all white) and burnt were evident on many of the shells.Image credit: Peters other., doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46093-2.

Dr Kari Peters, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, said: “With the introduction of genetic and molecular techniques, the debate over the origin and spread of domesticated chickens has intensified in recent years. “An old debate over a mysterious bird is being reignited.” colleague.

“Historical sources demonstrate that chickens were prominent in southern Europe and southwest Asia by several centuries BC.”

“Similarly, art historical depictions of chickens and anthropomorphic rooster-human chimeras are recurring motifs in Central Asian prehistoric and historical traditions. It remains a mystery when this critically important bird spread along the trans-Eurasian exchange route.”

“Experts agree that domestication traits evolved in island populations of junglefowl in South Asia. Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus Gallus Subspecies Spediceus) It is located somewhere in a vast range from Thailand to India. ”

“However, scholars have also presented widely differing dates and routes of spread, and part of this confusion may be due to unclear identification of birds in ancient art, and the morphological characteristics of chicken bones that have not been identified. This is due to the overlap with that of wild birds.

“Furthermore, their fragile, hollow bones and eggshells are much less likely to be preserved, recovered, and identified than in other animals.”

In a new study, the authors found evidence that egg production was prominent in Central Asia starting in the centuries BC and continuing into the Middle Ages.

“We show that chickens were widely domesticated in Central Asia from about 400 BC to 1000 AD, and likely dispersed along the ancient Silk Road,” the researchers said.

“The abundance of eggshells further suggests that the birds were laying eggs out of season.”

“It was this ability to produce large numbers of eggs that made domestic chickens so attractive to ancient peoples.”

To reach these conclusions, researchers collected tens of thousands of eggshell fragments from 13 sites along the Silk Road's main Central Asian corridor.

They then used a biomolecular analysis method called ZooMS to determine the source of the eggs.

Similar to genetic analysis, ZooMS can identify species from animal remains such as bones, skin, and shells, but it relies on protein signals rather than DNA. This makes it a faster and more cost-effective option than genetic analysis.

“Our study shows the potential of ZooMS to shed light on human-animal interactions in the past,” said Dr. Peters.

“The identification of these shell fragments as chickens and their abundance throughout the sediment layers at each site led us to an important conclusion: this bird was They must have been laying eggs more frequently than their wild ancestor, the red junglefowl, which nests once every year.''In a year, they typically lay six eggs per clutch. ”

“This is the earliest evidence of seasonal spawning loss seen in the archaeological record,” said Dr. Robert Spengler, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology.

“This is an important clue for a deeper understanding of the human-animal mutualism that led to domestication.”

team's paper It was published in the magazine nature communications.

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C. Peters other. 2024. Archaeological and molecular evidence for ancient chickens in Central Asia. Nat Commune 15, 2697; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46093-2

Source: www.sci.news

ALMA discovers over 100 different molecules in a nearby starburst galaxy

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) have detected more than 100 molecular species at the center of starburst galaxy NGC 253. This is far more than anything previously observed in galaxies outside the Milky Way.

Artist's impression of the center of starburst galaxy NGC 253. Image credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF.

In the Universe, some galaxies form stars much faster than our Milky Way. These galaxies are called starburst galaxies.

Exactly how such extremely prolific star formation occurs and how it ends is still a mystery.

The probability of star formation is determined by the properties of the raw material from which stars are formed, such as molecular gas, which is a gaseous substance made up of various molecules.

For example, stars form in dense regions within molecular clouds where gravity can work more effectively.

Some time after a star has been actively forming, explosions from existing or dead stars can energize the surrounding material and prevent future star formation.

These physical processes affect the galaxy's chemistry and imprint signatures on the strength of the signals from its molecules.

Because each molecule emits light at a specific frequency, observations over a wide frequency range can analyze its physical properties and provide insight into the mechanism of starbursts.

It was observed by Dr. Nanase Harada of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan as part of the ALMA Comprehensive High-Resolution Extragalactic Molecular Inventory (ALCHEMI). NGC253 a starburst galaxy located 11.5 million light-years away in the constellation Corina.

They were able to detect more than 100 molecular species in the galaxy's central molecular belt.

This chemical raw material is most abundantly found outside the Milky Way, and includes molecules such as ethanol and the phosphorus-containing species PN, which were first detected beyond the Milky Way.

First, astronomers found that the dense molecular gas likely fuels active star formation in this galaxy.

Each molecule emits at multiple frequencies, and its relative and absolute signal strength varies with density and temperature.

Analysis of numerous signals from several molecular species revealed that the amount of dense gas at the center of NGC 253 is more than 10 times greater than the amount of gas at the center of the Milky Way. This could explain why NGC 253 forms about 30 stars. With the same amount of molecular gas, you can get many times more efficiency.

One mechanism by which molecular clouds compress and become denser is through collisions between them.

At the center of NGC 253, cloud collisions occur where gas streams and stars intersect, creating shock waves that travel at supersonic speeds.

These shock waves vaporize molecules such as methanol and HNCO and freeze them onto ice dust particles.

Once the molecules evaporate as a gas, they can be observed with radio telescopes such as ALMA.

Certain molecules also track ongoing star formation. It is known that complex organic molecules exist in abundance around young stars.

Schematic image of the center of NGC 253. Spectra from the ALCHEMI survey are shown where different tracer species are enriched.Image credits: ALMA / ESO / National Astronomical Observatory of Japan / NRAO / Harada other.

The study suggests that in NGC 253, active star formation creates a hot, dense environment similar to that found around individual protostars in the Milky Way.

The amount of complex organic molecules at the center of NGC 253 is similar to that found around galactic protostars.

In addition to the physical conditions that can promote star formation, the study also uncovered harsh environments left behind by previous generations of stars that could slow the formation of future stars.

When a massive star dies, a massive explosion known as a supernova occurs, releasing energetic particles called cosmic rays.

Molecular composition of NGC 253 revealed by enhancement of species such as H₃○⁺ and HOC⁺ Molecules in this region are stripped of some of their electrons by cosmic rays at least 1,000 times faster than molecules near the solar system.

This suggests that there is a significant energy input from the supernova, making it difficult for the gas to condense and form a star.

Finally, the ALCHEMI survey provided an atlas of 44 molecular species, double the number obtained in previous studies outside the Milky Way.

By applying machine learning techniques to this atlas, the researchers were able to identify which molecules can most effectively track the star formation story described above from beginning to end.

As explained above with some examples, certain molecular species track phenomena such as shock waves and dense gas that can help star formation.

Young star-forming regions are rich in chemicals, including complex organic molecules.

On the other hand, the developed starbursts show an enhancement of cyanogen radicals, which indicate an energy output in the form of ultraviolet photons from massive stars, which could also hinder future star formation.

“Finding these tracers may help plan future observations to take advantage of the broadband sensitivity improvements expected over this decade as part of the ALMA 2030 development roadmap. “Simultaneous observation of molecular transitions will become more manageable,” the scientists said.

Their paper will appear in Astrophysical Journal Appendix Series.

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Nanase Harada other. 2024. ALCHEMI Atlas: Principal component analysis reveals starburst evolution of NGC 253. APJS 271, 38; doi: 10.3847/1538-4365/ad1937

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists have discovered a distinct neural signature in chickadees for episodic memory

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecil atricapillus) This small passerine bird from North America, which lives in deciduous and mixed forests, has an extraordinary memory that allows it to remember thousands of food locations to help it survive the winter. Now, scientists Columbia University Zuckerman Institute for Mind, Brain, and Behavior have discovered how Gala is able to remember so many details. They memorize the location of each food item using brain cell activity similar to a barcode.

Chetty other. We propose that animals recall episodic memories by reactivating barcodes in the hippocampus.Image credit: Chetty other., doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.032.

“We found that each memory is tagged with a unique pattern of activity in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that stores memories,” said Dr. Dmitry Aronov, senior author of the study.

“We called these patterns 'barcodes' because they are very specific labels for individual memories. For example, the barcodes of two different caches are Even if two caches are next to each other, there is no correlation.

“There are a number of human discoveries that perfectly match the barcode mechanism,” added Dr. Selman Chetty, lead author of the study.

Scientists have known for decades that the brain's hippocampus is necessary for episodic memories, but understanding exactly how those memories are encoded has been much more difficult. was.

Part of the reason is that it's often difficult to know what animals remember at any given time.

To get around this problem in the new study, Dr. Aronoff and colleagues turned to the black-capped chickadee.

Researchers found that chickadees provide a unique opportunity to study episodic memory because they hide food and then have to remember to come back to retrieve it later.

“Each cache is a clear, obvious, easily observable moment in which a new memory is formed,” Dr. Aronoff said.

“By focusing on these special moments, we were able to identify patterns of memory-related activity that we had not noticed before.”

The researchers needed to design an arena that could automatically track the detailed behavior of the gulls as they hide and retrieve food.

They also needed to develop techniques to make large-scale, high-density neural recordings inside the birds' brains as they move freely.

Their brain recordings during caching revealed very sparse and transient barcode-like firing patterns across hippocampal neurons. Each barcode contains only about 7% of the cells in the hippocampus.

“When a bird creates a cache, about 7% of its neurons respond to that cache. When the bird creates another cache, another group of 7% of its neurons responds,” Dr. Aronoff said. Ta.

These neural barcodes occurred simultaneously with the conventional activity of neurons in the brain that are triggered in response to specific locations, aptly called place cells.

Interestingly, however, there were no similarities in the episodic memory barcodes of cache locations close to each other.

“It was widely thought that place cells change when animals form new memories,” Dr. Aronoff says.

“For example, placement cell firings may increase or decrease near the cache location.”

“This was a common hypothesis, but our data did not support it.”

“Place cells do not represent information about caches; rather, they appear to remain relatively stable as the chickadees cache and retrieve food from the environment.”

“Instead, episodic memory is represented by additional activity patterns, or barcodes, that coexist with place cells.”

The authors liken the newly discovered hippocampal barcode to a computer hash code, a pattern that is assigned as a unique identifier to different events.

They suggest that barcode-like patterns may be a mechanism for the rapid formation and storage of many non-interfering memories.

“Perhaps the biggest unanswered question is whether and how the brain uses barcodes to prompt behavior,” Dr. Aronoff said.

“For example, it's not clear whether chickadees activate barcodes and use their memory of food-caching events when deciding where to go next.”

“We plan to address these questions in future studies through more complex settings in the laboratory, recording brain activity while the birds choose which food stores to visit.”

“If you plan on retrieving cached items before you actually retrieve them, that's to be expected,” Dr. Chetty said.

“We wanted to identify the moments when a bird is thinking about a location but haven't gotten there yet, and see if activating the barcode might move the bird to the cache. thinking about.”

“We also want to know whether the barcoding tactics they discovered in chickadees are widely used among other animals, including humans. It might help clarify the core.”

“When you think about how people define themselves, who they think they are, their sense of self, episodic memories of specific events are central to that. That's what we're trying to understand. That is what we are doing.”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine cell.

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Selman N. Chetty other. Barcoding of episodic memory in the hippocampus of food-storing birds. cell, published online March 29, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.032

Source: www.sci.news

New studies indicate Arrokoth and other Kuiper belt objects are made of untouched ice

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A pair of planetary scientists from Brown University and the SETI Institute have uncovered ancient ice deep within Arrokoth, the Kuiper Belt object (486958) that was the focus of a flyby by NASA’s New Horizons mission on January 1, 2019. They suggest that billions of years ago when the object first formed, there was a chance that ancient ice formed by comets could be present. By developing a new model to study comet evolution, the researchers found that this endurance is not unique to Arrokoth but may also be found in many other objects in the Kuiper belt.

This composite image of Ultima Thule was compiled from data acquired when NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft flew by the object on January 1, 2019. This image combines enhanced color data (close to what the human eye can see) with detailed high-resolution panchromatic data. picture. Image credit: NASA / Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory / Southwest Research Institute / Roman Tkachenko.

“Using a fairly simple mathematical model, we now show that primordial ice can be trapped deep inside these objects for long periods of time,” said Dr. Sam Birch, a planetary scientist at Brown University. “Most of our community thought this ice should have disappeared long ago, but now we think that may not be the case.”

Planetary scientists have long struggled to understand what happens to the ice on these space rocks over time. The new study challenges traditional thermal evolution models and suggests that highly volatile ice on these objects may persist longer than previously thought.

A model created by Birch and SETI Institute researcher Orkan Umurkhan explains this phenomenon, indicating that the ice on these objects can endure due to their extremely low temperatures. This new idea may provide insight into the explosive nature of icy objects in the Kuiper belt when they approach the sun.

Ultimately, this study presents a new perspective on comet evolution and activity, challenging existing theories and paving the way for a deeper understanding of these celestial bodies and their origins.

Birch and Dr. Umruhan are co-investigators of NASA’s Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return (CAESAR) mission, which aims to collect surface material from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and return it to Earth for analysis, potentially shedding further light on comet evolution and activity.

The study is published in the journal Icarus, and the results could have implications for future space exploration missions and our understanding of the cosmos.

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Samuel PD Birch and Orkan M. Umruhan. 2024. 486958 CO ice and gas remain inside the Arokos. Icarus 413: 116027; doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2024.116027

Source: www.sci.news

What causes variations in anxiety levels among individuals?

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

We all know that person who, when faced with a tremendous problem, shrugs their shoulders, comes up with a solution, and moves forward without furrowing their brow.

For those who have had a relationship with anxiety, even temporarily, it may seem surprising how others manage to live their lives so calmly. Why are some people protected while others are more likely to experience it? As with most aspects of our behavior, genetics as well as environmental pressures and lifestyle choices Science also has an influence. Thankfully, with a deeper understanding of how they interact, we can find new ways to minimize the problem.

Let’s start with your genes. Research shows that approximately 30 percent of the variation in generalized anxiety disorder in the general population is due to Caused by genetics. This is not due to any particular gene, but rather to a large number of interacting genetic factors.

For some people, it may be a gene related to the hormone serotonin, which carries messages to the brain. A study of marmosets found that the level of anxiety the animals perceived Gene responsible for protein that removes serotonin An area of the brain called the amygdala processes memories associated with fear. When serotonin was blocked from entering cells in the amygdala, the animals’ anxiety appeared to decrease.

This suggests that some people may have a genetic predisposition to absorb too much serotonin into cells in this area. As a result, less serotonin passes between neurons, disrupting the messages that help us…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Reveals your proximity to the mouse right now

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

This longstanding claim has been circulating for over a century, but its origins remain a mystery. Experts unanimously debunk this myth as completely untrue, unless you happen to reside in a sewer system.

One of the challenges is the limited knowledge about the secretive behaviors and populations of rats.

According to the 2018 Natural England report, Britain’s rat population is estimated to be 7 million, while the British Pest Control Association suggests it could be as high as 120 million.

Regardless of the exact numbers, rats in the UK are not evenly distributed. Certain regions, like parts of the Scottish Highlands, have no rat presence at all, and encountering a rat in the middle of the English countryside is rare unless you’re near a barn.

Rats are seen as symbiotic creatures, living in close proximity to humans and feeding off their resources. Even in urban settings like London, the true rat population remains a mystery.

In 2012, Dave Cowan, head of the wildlife program at the Food and Environmental Research Agency, stated in the BBC that around 3.5 million rats inhabit British cities.

However, some pest control experts, albeit biased, claim that London alone harbors 20 million rats.

To put this into perspective, if the 20 million rats were evenly spread across London’s 1,572km² area, each rat would cover 78.6 million square feet. This would suggest that you are likely within 5 meters of a rat at any given time.

With a more conservative estimate of 3 million rats, the nearest one would be approximately 13 meters away.

Dispelling a popular belief, a 2023 study revealed that there are actually fewer than 3 million rats in New York City, roughly equating to one rat for every three residents. Read more here.

Rats tend to congregate where food sources are plentiful, such as near trash bins, eateries, and markets, as well as in less traversed areas like sewers, abandoned structures, and construction sites.

They typically stay at ground level and within 200 meters of their birthplace, making it relatively feasible to avoid encountering them in certain areas.

This article addresses the question posed by Esther Lamb of Worthing: “Is it true that you are always within 6 feet of a rat?”

If you have any inquiries, please reach out to us via email at: questions@sciencefocus.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (be sure to include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com