The world’s first IVF baby was born with very little human intervention

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

What health professionals see when overseeing IVF procedures via live streams

Possible life sciences

A highly automated form of in vitro fertilization (IVF) leads to successful births and we hope that this approach can reduce the risk of artificial errors during such procedures.

One method of IVF is intratesticular sperm injection (ICSI). Here, sperm is injected into the egg into the lab dish. This is commonly used in cases of male infertility, as the sperm does not need to work to reach the egg. The resulting embryo is then inserted into the uterus. IVF can also be done by mixing sperm and eggs into a lab dish in the hopes of fertilization being performed, which is generally less successful, but requires fewer medical interventions.

ICSI also suffer from drawbacks as it relies on high levels of accuracy and judgment from healthcare professionals. “Like everyone else in most professions, they are sometimes tired and distracted. [the] “Fertilization and the possibility of birth.” Jack Cohen With the Life Sciences, a biotech company in New York City.

To address this, Cohen and his colleagues developed a machine that can perform the 23 important steps required for ICSI. Each is started by a person by pressing a button when watching the live stream of the process. This can also be done from another part of the world.

In one step, the machine uses an AI model to select the healthiest sperm cells for fertilization based on appearance. In other cases, the machine will fix sperm by laying its tail with a laser to make it easier to pick up. The sperm is later injected into the already collected eggs. A similar approach has been tested previously, As a result, two births are bornhowever, some steps were not performed by the machine.

To test the machine, researchers recruited couples struggling to get pregnant because the man had sperm that he couldn’t swim properly. Women also had problems with egg production, so donors’ items were used in the procedure.

The researchers randomly allocated five of the eight donor eggs to be fertilized by an automated system that generated the four embryos. The remaining three eggs were fertilized using a standard manual ICSI approach. All of these formed embryos.

We then used another AI model to select two best embryos based on the appearance of the chromosomes. Both of these were generated using automated systems, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that this approach leads to healthier embryos than manual ICSI, Cohen says. This cannot be measured because there are fewer eggs involved, he says.

When the team inserts one of the embryos into the female uterus, it fails to develop, but the second successfully birth.

It’s an exciting proof of concept, I say Joyce Harper University College London. However, large-scale studies that randomly assign couples to be randomly assigned to perform either automated or manual LCSI procedures should establish whether the former approach leads to increased fertility rates, she says.

Harper said automated IVFs are unlikely to be widely used, as they are at an additional cost, at least if they were first deployed. But Cohen hopes this will improve over time. “We expect patients and clinics to decline as we optimize, standardize and refine our systems,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Do the upcoming Kuiper Satellites pose competition to Musk’s Starlink on Amazon?

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The United Launch Alliance plans to send 27 Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit as Amazon begins full-scale deployment of its satellite internet network

Amazon

Kuiper, Amazon’s satellite internet division, plans to launch 27 satellites into orbit today. We dig into the situation.

What is Kuiper?

In short, Kuiper is a network of thousands of satellites with beams of internet traffic around the world. This allows people in remote areas to access the internet without the need for local infrastructure.

This idea is exactly the same as Starlink, a SpaceX-owned company that already offers such services under Elon Musk’s leadership. Project Kuiper is a subsidiary of Amazon, founded in 2019 and owned by another billionaire, Jeff Bezos.

Amazon didn’t respond The new scientistsInterview requests, but the company has said that before The satellite travels at speeds of over 27,000 km/h Circle the earth about every 90 minutes. Customers need to connect to the internet I’m buying a small device Attach it to the roof of the building.

When will it start? How can I see it?

Kuiper calls this first mission KA-01 for Kuiper Atlas 1. Scheduled for 7pm EDT on April 9th.

The satellite is carried into orbit by the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Amazon says it will be the heaviest payload ever released in this craft.

United Launch Alliance plans to live stream flights on that websitestarts 20 minutes before startup.

Is this the first release of Kuiper?

Kuiper put two prototype satellites into orbit in October 2023, which is the first release of the final version, and the company has said it is a “significant upgrade.”

It has better solar panels, propulsion systems and communications equipment, but astronomers appreciate it being a dielectric mirror film coating designed to scatter reflected sunlight. Other companies have launched reflective satellites that have serious impact on imaging. Astronomers say it is “truly an existential issue of astronomy.”

Who’s ahead, Starlink or Kuiper?

starlink. In a pretty good way.

Kuiper has been granted permission from the US Federal Communications Commission to operate 3,236 satellites, and will only start renting internet connections to users after the 578 satellites are launched, the company says.

So, if the launch today is successful, the company still has 551 satellites to send into space before generating revenue.

The company says it has secured more than 80 launches at various companies to deploy additional satellites. Ironically, some launches are handled by SpaceX.

Meanwhile, SpaceX began launching satellites in 2019. It says there are over 6,750 satellites in the orbit.serving millions of customers. The company is also developing a military satellite network called StarShield. It reportedly has a contract with the US government..

Can Kuiper catch up?

Certainly there are many reasons to compensate. Starlink’s lead is big and has the obvious advantage of being owned by a rocket launcher.

Although it is not owned by Amazon, Bezos now has Space Company Blue Origin at your disposal. It helps to fill the gap.

In other areas, Amazon may have advantages. Already there are hundreds of millions of users who shop and stream regularly on the site and may try to add satellite internet through various transactions and seductions.

Plus, there is a market as hundreds of millions of people around the world lack reliable internet connections. Only time can tell if it’s big enough to maintain two major competing satellite operators, let alone small players like partially UK-owned OneWeb.

Some companies are also working on unfiltered solar aircraft that can loiter in high atmospheres for months at a time, potentially reducing satellites at cost.

However, one thing is clear. It certainly is a boon for consumers to bring their competitors to the market.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Eco-friendly plant-based waterproofing materials to replace single-use plastics

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Cups made from transparent paperboard

Noriyuki Isobe (Jamstec)

Waterproof, plant-based materials that break down quickly in the ocean may provide a sustainable alternative to the plastic used in cups and straws.

Transparent paperboard is a molecule that makes up the plant cell wall, like cellophane made from cellulose. Because it is a coagulant chemical used in the production of cellophane, it has previously been impossible to make it harder and limit it to applications such as food packaging.

Noriyuki Isobe At Yokohama and his colleague, Marine Geoscience and Technology Agency, they discovered that cellulose was treated with a solution of lithium bromide, and did not require coagulants.

“We’ve now developed a regenerated cellulose material from this solvent system. This solvent system not only shapes it, but also can serve as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics,” says Isobe.

Researchers found that cups made of clear paperboard can just hold boiled water without leaking for more than three hours. Adding a coating made from plant-derived fatty acid salts made the cup completely waterproof.

This material can be made from both recycled and upcycled cellulose products such as recovered clothing. Isobe and his colleagues also tested how the material breaks in the ocean, finding that it completely deteriorated in 300 days in the deep sea and deteriorated faster at shallower depths.

Bhavna Middha While Royal Melbourne, Australia says that having a paper-based alternative to plastic is “not a bad thing,” there are some reservations on this approach to tackling the issue of waste.

“I think there should be objections to using single use unless, for example, the medical industry, the use of a single use is really necessary,” she says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Xavier Le Pichon, Renowned Geophysicist Who Pioneered Earth’s Crust Movement Modeling, Passes Away at 87

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Xavier Le Pichon, a French geophysicist who revolutionized the way in which a pioneering model of the Earth’s tectonic plates was able to understand the movement of the Earth’s crust, and died on March 22 at his sister’s home in southern France. He was 87 years old.

His death was announced in a statement from Collegie de France, France’s premier educational institution. There, Dr. Le Picon was Professor Emeritus and Chairman of Geodynamics.

Dr. Le Picheon, who internized in Japanese concentration camps as a child, continued to build a second career as a deep sea explorer, working with Mother Teresa of India for a while. However, it was in the field of geodynamics that he made his biggest contribution. Use a computer to create a model of the Earth plate.

His formulation has six such plates, as he said when he won in 2002, “for what is essential to the structural symptoms of the Earth’s surface.” Balzan PrizeAwarded in science fields not covered by Nobel.

Plate tectonics with Earth’s surface studies is a “framework” for understanding earthquakes, volcanoes, and the Earth’s long-term “climate stability.” David BelkovichYale geophysicist. He added that Dr. Le Picon was one of the architects of the framework.

Professor Bercovici emailed him “one of the giants of the plate structure revolution, especially when practicing its mathematical theory.”

His work was built on the theory of plate tectonics developed by Princeton scientist W. Jason Morgan in 1967. “Now we are entering an age of quantification for tectonics,” wrote Dr. Le Picon.

“The University of Rochester has a great opportunity to develop a new world of geophysics,” said John Taldono, professor of geophysics at the University of Rochester.

Dr. Pichon came to view the Earth as “an extraordinary creature with ocean and continental movement.”

After years of studying the ocean and its floors, including Columbia University, Dr. Lupicheon achieved a breakthrough in the mid-1960s. He called the “incredibly unpleasant” months of cruise hosted by Columbia, and observed a 37,000-mile-long ridge in the South Atlantic and Southwest Indian oceans.

The object was to detect seismic activity along the coat of arms of the ridge and test predictions made in the 1950s by Jean Pierre Rothet, another French scientist. “We went zigzag on this famous earthquake line for nine months,” Dr. Le Picon wrote in his 2003 book, Plate Tectonics: The Insider’s History of Modern Theory of the Earth.

The trip confirmed it and he continued to earn his Ph.D. Based on that study, at the University of Strasbourg in 1966.

“As such, the central ridge has achieved a victory over tectonics, becoming the most important structure in the world due to stroke,” he wrote.

But this was in the early 1960s, and he ran “in what we call “fixed mentors,” things weren’t moving.” Like he put it down On the 2009 episode of the podcast “Being With Krista Tippett.”

“The Earth was considered everything to be a static place,” he said. “Things were moving up and down, but never sideways. The continent was always there. The ocean was always there.”

Dr. Le Picon initially defended these concepts, but he realized they were wrong. He returned from the lab one day and told his wife, “My paper’s conclusions are wrong.”

Rather, I felt that he was an American geologist. Harry Hess The assumption in 1962 that the seabed had continued expansion was correct. After all, there was seismic activity along the top of the ridge. Measuring magnetic anomalies along the ridge is important in proofing Dr. Hess’s hypothesis.

Dr. Le Pichon recalled his Eureka moment in an episode of the podcast. “I worked all night on a computer, and one night I put it all together and found out that Hawaii approaches Tokyo at 8 centimeters each year.”

He recalls what he told her: “I discovered how the Earth works. I really know that now.” And I was so excited. ”

His passion for what was happening under the ocean developed quickly. After growing up in what was a French protectorate in Vietnam at the time, he was interrupted by his family during World War II when Japan invaded.

“When I was in the concentration camp, we were on the Pacific coast, and I was wondering what was under the water, and I was on the beach,” Dr. Le Picon said in 2009.

After publishing his groundbreaking paper in 1968, Columbia and Massachusetts Institute of Technology presented the first quantitative global model of plate boundaries and movement, offering him a teaching position. However, he instead led the Institute of Oceanography in Brittany, France, where he began his second career as an underwater ocean explorer, advancing into the depths of small submarines on joint Franco-American expeditions.

In 1973, he said he had taken such a ship 3,000 meters below him while exploring the ridges in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean.

“I had the impression that I was a religious man and had the return to Genesis,” he added. Other sea floor trips in Greece and Japan followed.

Dr. Lupichon, a Roman Catholic who attended Mass every day since childhood, experienced what was called a “great crisis in my life” in 1973 and worked for Mother Teresa in the city of Calcutta, India.

“I was very immersed in my research. I wasn’t looking at anyone else anymore,” he said. “In particular, I didn’t see people suffering and difficulties. It was a very strong crisis.”

His experience in Calcutta changed him by his account, and then he, his wife and his children engaged in charity and charity in the French Lach community for people with intellectual disabilities. They lived there for nearly 30 years. He and his family then find a similar community and help them live there.

Xavier Thaddée Le Pichon was born on June 18, 1937 in Quy Nhon, Vietnam, France, to Jean Louis Le Pichon and Helene Pauline (Tyl) Le Pichon, rubber plantation managers.

The family moved to France in 1945, with Xavier attending the Institute of Cherbourg Saint Paul and the Lyce Sainte Geneviève in Versailles. In 1960 he received his Bachelor of Engineering from the Institut de Physique Du Globe He received a Fulbright Fellowship in Strasbourg to study at Columbia University’s Lamont Daughertier Observatory.

His original works will be carried out over the next decade, and in 1973 he wrote with Jean Bonnin and Jean Franciteau.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Dr. Le Picheon taught at the Sorbonne and Ecole Normal Superfoil. He became a professor at the French Collège de France in 1986 and remained there until his retirement in 2008. Besides Balzan, he won many awards and was a member of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States.

He was survived by his wife Bridget Suzanne (Barselmee) le Pichon, a pianist. His children, Jean Baptist, Marie, Emmanuel, Raffaère, Jean Marie and Pierre Guien. 14 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren.

In lectures and interviews, Dr. Le Picon linked his discoveries to his Catholic faith as a scientist and the prayer work it stimulated. The bridge between them was his concept of “vulnerability,” and he said, “is the essence of men and women, at the heart of humanity.”

The earth is also vulnerable. “I have a very close relationship with the Earth, so I think a little like a mother,” he said in 2009.

Sheila McNeill and Daphne Angles Contributed research.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Study shows the Sakhallo Arabian desert was verdant for 8 million years

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Sakhallo-Arabian desert is one of the largest biogeographical barriers on Earth, hindering the dispersion between Africa and Eurasia, including human movements in the past. Recent research suggests that this barrier has been in place for at least 11 million years. However, a new Griffith University-led study shows that numerous humidity intervals have occurred in the Sakhallo-Arabian desert over the past 8 million years.

Marcouska et al. It shows wet intervals that have recurred inside Central Arabia over the past 8 million years. Image credit: Paul Breeze.

Arabia is at the heart of the largest near-continuous chain of arid lands on the planet. A harsh and often highly dry belt that stretches from the Sahara to the Tar Desert.

Sakhallo-Arabian desert barriers limit animal dispersion and divide Africa and Eurasia into areas of Afrotropic, palate, and Indomalaya biogeography, each characterized by a distinct assemblage of plants, animal species and communities.

While the persistence of this desert barrier serves as a major control over the depiction of these biogeographical regions, improvements in climate throughout the Sakhallo-Arabian region allow for dispersion among them.

As a result, the region is a “transition zone” and hosts a complex fauna mixture with characteristics of Africa, Eurasia and South Asia.

Recent research suggests that a dry beyond this desert barrier and that it has begun to be highly aridity and highly dry on the edge of northern Arabia 9 million years ago in the completely arid state of the Sahara at least 11 million years ago.

“However, fossil evidence from the late Miocene (marked by rising earth temperatures) and the Pleistocene (including multiple ice ages) suggests the existence of an episode within the interior of the water-dependent animal Sakhallo-Arabian desert.”

“It is possible that animals such as crocodiles, quids, cobopotamids, and absoscideans were supported by rivers and lakes that are almost nonexistent from today’s arid landscape.”

“These wet conditions could promote the dispersion of these mammals between Africa and Eurasia, and Arabia serves as an important crossroads in continental-scale biogeographic exchange.”

In the new study, Professor Petraglia and colleagues analyzed a set of osteoscopic electrons (mineral deposits such as bulls and stellates) from a series of caves from within Arabia.

It is one of the longest aleoclimatic records available in Arabia today, and represents one of the longest space paleoclimatic records in the world.

“Little was known about Arabian paleoclimate before this time,” said Dr. Monica Markowska of Northumbria University.

“The findings highlight that the effects of monsoons have been weakened and polar ice coverings in the Pleistocene during the Pleistocene have been strengthened, reducing precipitation during humidity intervals and changing over time.”

“Although Arabia has traditionally been overlooked in the dispersion of Africa and Yolasia, research like ours is increasingly revealing the central location of mammal and human migration,” added Dr Faisal Al-Jiblin, who led Saudi archaeologists on the Heritage Committee.

result It will be displayed in the journal Nature.

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M. Markouska et al. The recurrence of humidity in Arabia over the past 8 million years. NaturePublished online on April 9, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08859-6

Source: www.sci.news

New Phylums of Bacteria Uncovered in Earth’s Deep Soil by Biologists

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Deep Soils – Depending on the type and area of soil, ranges from less than 30 cm (12 inches) to several hundred meters are neglected ecosystems within important zones of the Earth. Biologists have now discovered a wide and relatively abundant bacterial phyla, named CSP1-3, in deep soils, and evaluated its phylogenetic, ecology, metabolism, and evolutionary history.

A diagram showing the history of evolution from aquatic organisms and adaptive characteristics of CSP1-3 phylums in each habitat. Image credit: Michigan State University.

“The key zone extends from above the trees through the soil to a maximum of 213 m (700 feet),” said Professor James Tiedee of Michigan State University.

“This zone supports most life on the planet as it regulates critical processes such as soil formation, water circulation and nutrition cycling, which are essential for food production, water quality, and ecosystem health.”

“Despite its importance, the deep critical zone is a new frontier, as it is a relatively unexplored part of the Earth.”

Professor Tiedje and his colleagues discovered a completely different microbial phylum called CSP1-3 in this huge, unexplored world of microorganisms.

This new gate was identified in soil samples ranging from both Iowa and China up to 70 feet (21 m) deep.

“Why Iowa and China? Because these two regions have very deep and similar soils and I want to know if their occurrence is more common than just one region,” Professor Tiedje said.

Researchers extracted DNA from these deep soils and discovered that CSP1-3 ancestors lived in water millions of years ago.

They undergo at least one major habitat transition to colonize the soil environment. It is in the first topsoil and the deep soil that followed, within its evolutionary history.

Scientists also discovered that CSP1-3 microorganisms are active.

“Most people think that these organisms are like spores and dormant,” Professor Thiedeye said.

“But one of the important findings we found by examining DNA is that these microorganisms are growing actively and slowly.”

The authors were also surprised that these microorganisms were not unusual members of the community, but dominated. In some cases, they made up more than 50% of the community, but this is by no means the case in surface soils.

“I think this happened because deep soils are very different environments and this group of organisms evolved over a long period of time to adapt to this poor soil environment,” Professor Tiedje said.

a paper The explanation of the survey results was published on March 18th. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Wenlu Feng et al. 2025. Diversification, niche adaptation, and evolution of candidate phylums that thrive in deep critical zones. pnas 122 (12): E2424463122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2424463122

Source: www.sci.news

Chinese Researchers Discover That Moon Rocks Indicate the Possibility of Water on the Moon

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The other side of the moon – the part that is always far from the earth – is strangely different from close. It is pockmarked with more craters, with a thicker crust and less Maria, where lava was once formed, or with fewer plains.

Now, scientists say the difference can be more than the depth of the skin.

Using samples from the moon obtained last year, Chinese researchers believe the inside of the moon is potentially drier than its near it. Their discovery, Published Wednesday’s Nature Journal will provide a clearer picture of how pearly orbs we admire in the night sky have formed and evolved over billions of years.

The difference in moisture in the distant side of the moon and its nearby appears to be “accidentally consistent” with variations in the surface features of the two hemispheres of the moon, said Senfu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and author of the new results. “It’s very interesting,” he said.

Until the 1990s, when scientists began to discover tips on water on its surface, the moon was believed to be “dry bones.” These tips were confirmed in 2009 when NASA denounced the rocket stage to the moon’s Antarctic.

One of the goals, including this mission, was to estimate the amount of water that lies deep within the moon. The interior of the moon is not changed much by the process of weathering the surface.

Returning to Earth with a Chang’e-6 sample in hand, researchers looked for hardened particles of lava erupted from the female entrance or within the lunar mantle. Some of these basalts were 2.8 billion years old, and contained olivine, a crystal that had ancient magma cooled in the moon and stored information about the composition of the mantle early in the history of the moon.

The amount of hydrogen trapped in olivine allowed scientists to estimate the amount of water present in the mantle at the time. 1-1.5 grams of water for every million grams of the moon rock.

Previous measurements from samples collected near the moon – the US, the Soviet Union, and most recently 200 times wet.

The harsh difference between the range of nearby lunar ranges between nearby and far side samples could suggest that the parts of the moon that we don’t see on Earth are generally much drier, Dr. Hu said.

Shuai Li, a planetary geologist at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, who studies water on the moon, described the results as “very interesting.” However, he pointed out that limited information can be extracted from a single sample.

“It’s hard to say if the far side is definitely dryer than the nearest side,” said Dr. Lee, who was not involved in the job.

One scenario the Chang’e-6 team proposed to explain the internal differences is that the impact of creating the Antarctic-Aitken basin is strong enough to throw water and other elements near the moon, depleting the amount of water beyond.

Another idea is that the basalt in the Chang’e-6 sample comes from a much deeper, dry part of the lunar mantle.

“For me, that’s a little more realistic,” said Mahesh Anand, a planetary scientist at the UK Open University. Estimate the moisture content inside the moon From near-side samples from China collected by the Chang’e-5 mission in 2020.

Dr. Anand also praised the researchers’ careful selection of hundreds of particles from Chang’e-6 samples, less than 16 inches in size, to estimate water abundance.

“The ability to do that is extremely laborious and requires a lot of sophisticated and careful work,” he said.

More samples from various locations collected by future moon missions will help scientists determine whether the inner interior of the width is uniformly dry, and whether it changes throughout the hemisphere.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Researchers create detailed map of neural connections in mouse brain

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The human brain is so complex that the scientific brain has a hard time understanding it. Nerve tissue, the size of a grain of sand, could be packed with hundreds of thousands of cells connected by miles of wiring. In 1979, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Francis Crick concluded that the anatomy and activity of only a cubic millimeter of brain material would forever surpass our understanding.

“It’s useless to seek the impossible,” says Dr. Crick. I wrote it.

46 years later, a team of over 100 scientists achieved that impossible by recording cell activity and mapping the structure of cubic millimeters of the mouse brain. In achieving this feat, they accumulated 1.6 petabytes of data. This is equivalent to 22 years of non-stop high-resolution video.

“This is a milestone,” said Davi Bock, a neuroscientist at the University of Vermont. the studywas published in the journal Nature on Wednesday. Dr. Bock said that it enabled advances that allowed it to cover the cubic bones of the cubic brain to map the entire brain wiring of a mouse.

“It’s completely doable and I think it’s worth doing,” he said.

Over 130 years It has passed since Spanish neuroscientist Santiago Ramon y Kajal first spies on individual neurons under a microscope, creating a unique branching shape. Scientists from subsequent generations have resolved many of the details about how neurons send voltage spikes into long arms called axons. Each axon makes contact with small branches or dendrites of adjacent neurons. Some neurons excite their neighbors and fire their own voltage spikes. Some quiet other neurons.

Human thinking emerges in some way from this combination of excitation and inhibition. But how this happens remains a ridiculous mystery as scientists could only study a small number of neurons at a time.

Over the past few decades, technological advances have allowed scientists to begin mapping the whole brain. 1986, British researcher Published A small worm circuit made up of 302 neurons. The researchers then charted larger brains, including 140,000 neurons in the fly’s brain.

After all, is Dr. Crick’s impossible dream possible? The US government began in 2016 100 million dollar effort Scan cubic millimeters of mouse brain. The project was called Cortical Network (or Mechanical Intelligence from Microns) and was led by scientists from the Allen Institute of Brain Science, Princeton University, and Baylor School of Medicine.

Researchers have zeroed into part of the mouse’s brain, which receives signals from the eyes and reconstructs what the animal is seeing. In the first phase of the study, the team recorded the neuronal activity in that area as they showed mouse videos of different landscapes.

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Source: www.nytimes.com

New modeling studies suggest Titan can only sustain minimal biomass concentrations

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A team of biologists from the US, Canada, UK, and France have developed a scenario for life on Titan, Saturn’s biggest moon.

Rendering of the artist on the surface of Titan, the biggest moon of Saturn. Image credits: Benjamin de Bivort, debivort.org/cc by-sa 3.0.

“Our research focuses on what makes Titan unique when compared to other ice moons and its rich organic content,” said Dr. Antonin Affelder, a researcher at the University of Arizona.

Using bioenergy modeling, Dr. Affholder and colleagues discovered that Titan’s underground ocean, estimated at around 483 km (300 miles), could support life forms that consume organic materials.

“There’s been a lot of speculation about scenarios that could create organisms on Titan based on lunar organic chemistry, but previous estimates suffer from an overly simplified approach,” Dr. Affholder said.

“Because Titan has such abundant organic matter, there was a sense that there was no shortage of food sources that could sustain life.”

“Not all of these organic molecules constitute a food source, and the ocean is really big; there is a limited exchange between the ocean and the surface, and all of those organic matter; so I argue for a more subtle approach.”

At the heart of the study is a fundamental approach that sought to come up with a plausible scenario for Titan’s life, which envisioned one of the simplest and most prominent fermentations of all biological metabolic processes.

Fermentation familiar to earthlings, used in breadmaking, beer brewing, and less desirable – sourdough fermentation, accustomed to its use in the spoilage of forgotten leftovers, requires only organic molecules but no oxidants like oxygen.

“Fermentation probably evolved early in the history of Earth’s life, and there’s no need to open the door to unknown or speculative mechanisms that may or may not have happened on Titan,” Dr. Affholder said.

“Life on Earth may have first appeared to eat organic molecules left behind from the formation of the Earth.”

“I asked if there could be similar microorganisms on Titan. If so, could Titan’s underground seas supply the biosphere from a seemingly vast inventory of abiotic organic molecules synthesized in Titan’s atmosphere, accumulate on its surface, and be present in its core?”

The researchers have focused specifically on glycine, the simplest organic molecule of all known amino acids.

“We know that glycine was relatively abundant in all kinds of primitive matter in the solar system,” Dr. Affholder said.

“When you look at clouds of particles and gases where stars and planets form, like asteroids, comets, our solar system, we find glycine or its precursors in almost every place.”

However, computer simulations reveal that only a small portion of Titan’s organic materials may be suitable for microbial consumption.

The microorganisms consumed by Titan’s ocean glycine rely on a stable supply of amino acids from the surface through thick, ice-like shells.

Previous work by the same team showed that meteors that shock Titan’s ice could leave behind a “melt pool” of liquid water.

“Our new research shows that this supply may be sufficient to maintain very few microorganisms, which are up to a few kilograms of physical fitness.”

“A small biosphere like this is an average of less than one cell per liter in Titan’s vast oceans.”

For your future mission to Titan, the possibility of finding life might be like searching for needles in a haystack if it’s actually there.

“We conclude that Titan’s unique, rich organic inventory may actually not be available to play a role in lunar habitat at an intuitive level of thinking,” Dr. Affholder said.

paper It was published in Journal of Planetary Science.

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Antonin abholder et al. 2025. Survival rate of glycine fermentation in the underground oceans of Titan. planet. SCI. j 6, 86; doi:10.3847/psj/adbc66

Source: www.sci.news

Can universes contain dark matter halos without any galaxies?

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A new study by computational astrophysicist Ethan Nadler from the University of California, San Diego, shows that star formation can occur at halos in the solar masses of 10 million people through molecular hydrogen cooling.

Nadler calculated the percentage of dark matter halos above the critical mass required for star formation. Image credit: Xiaodian Chen.

All galaxies are thought to form at the center of the dark matter halo. This is a region of material coupled to gravity that extends far beyond the galaxy’s visible boundary.

Stars form when gravity within the halo of dark matter draws gases, but astrophysicists still don’t know if there is a dark halo of matter without stars.

“What is the halo mass threshold for the galaxy layer?” said Dr. Nadler.

“This question underlies the key areas of research in galaxy formation and cosmology, including when and how the first galaxy was formed, how galaxies promote the regeneration of the universe, and whether halos of “dark” (without galaxies) exist.

“Robust predictions of galaxy formation thresholds are important to provide future observations of faint galaxies and low-mass halos throughout the history of the universe.”

In his new study, Dr. Nadler calculated the mass that Halo cannot form stars.

His research was conducted using analytical predictions from galaxy formation theory and cosmological simulations.

“Historically, understanding of dark matter has been related to behavior in the galaxy,” Dr. Nadler said.

“When you detect a completely dark halo, a new window opens to study the universe.”

Previously, this threshold for star formation was thought to be between 100 million and 1 billion solar masses due to cooling of atomic hydrogen gas.

The current study shows that star formation can occur in the solar mass of 10 million people at halos via molecular hydrogen cooling.

“The Rubin Observatory will be coming online later this year and Webb is already making unprecedented observations of our universe, so we’ll soon have new data to test these predictions, revealing whether there’s a completely dark halo,” Dr. Nadler said.

“This could have widespread consequences for cosmology and the nature of dark matter.”

study It will be displayed in Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Ethan O. Nadler. 2025. Effect of molecular hydrogen cooling on galaxy formation thresholds. apjl 983, L23; doi:10.3847/2041-8213/adbc6e

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers discover far-off galaxies using neural networks

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

It’s similar to how paleontologists use certain known fossils Indexed Fossil Until assessing rock formations and ancient environments so far, astronomers look for specific patterns of light emissions from space to mark the age of space history. For example, early galaxies give the UV rays that originate from electrons in hydrogen atoms to the type of ultraviolet rays that exert from the second lowest to the lowest energy state. Lyman Alpha or ly⍺ Emission.

For decades, astronomers have associated ly⍺ emissions with periods within billions of years of a big bang called the Big Bang. The era of reionizationwhen the average speed of star formation in galaxies was much higher than today. When they find a galaxy that emits light strongly, they classify it into ly⍺Emitter or Lae And we can be sure that it goes back to the era of reionization. Observing Laes, astronomers talk more about the history of the Milky Way and other galaxies like us.

However, researchers face confounding factors when looking for Laes. The expansion of the universe distorts light in a process called Cosmological redshift. However, more prominently Dustboth Intergalacticcovers the light. While astronomers can analyze the full light of light from the galaxy to find evidence of ly⍺ emissions, it would be much faster to develop tools to predict whether a galaxy is likely to be a LAE based on more readily available measurements.

One team of astronomers developed a model for this problem only Machine Learning A technique known as a Neural Networks. This technique replicates how neurons in the brain function, with several interconnected layers receiving and transmitting signals based on initial inputs and generating final outputs.. The trick is that the programmer knows what inputs to input and what output they expect in the end. The algorithm itself needs to know how best to set up a central connection, what to look for, and how to rank the importance of each input.

The team began with data from two surveys of light sources in space: 926 galaxies VanderOf these, only 520 are laes, starting from 507 Musethey were all laes. They trained the algorithm using 80% of this data to explicitly communicate which sources are actual LAES and which sources are not. They saved the remaining 20% of the data for testing.

Through this initial test, the team identified six parameters of neural networks to focus on evaluating galaxies for LAE potential. These parameters were the rate of star formation, total star mass, UV brightness, UV emission patterns, age, and dust. They programmed the network to output an estimate of the probability that a particular galaxy is a LAE, and thought that what was above 70% meant that the algorithm classified it as an LAE.

When we created a neural network using training data, the team tested several additional rounds. Using early test data, their networks found that they correctly identified the network in 77% of the time, as there was only a 14% chance of false positives. When they looked at what their network prioritized to make these predictions, they found that the most important factors were the galaxy’s UV emission pattern, its UV brightness, and the mass of its star.

Following this initial success, the team applied the network to another investigation. cosmos2020and a subset of that raise, SC4Kwith fewer details than the training data survey. From these datasets, the team’s neural network identified true Laes for 72% of the time.

The team’s final results came when they applied neural networks to data from NASA’s new telescope. jwst. The ultimate goal in their model is to study the distant past of the universe, and JWST aims to see better-looking sources than ever before, so the success of the test is Already checking the results of LAE from JWST It will be a good sign of future success. They found a true positive rate of 91% in JWST data, showing the validity of their approach and illuminated the path to know more about the history of the universe.

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Source: sciworthy.com

Five key points from Trump’s strategy to revive the coal industry

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The hard hat is back. So is coal that is “beautiful and beautiful.”

President Trump signed four executive orders on Tuesday to sought to bolster the country’s declining coal industry, including lifting mining restrictions and burning the dirtiest fossil fuels.

In addition to exempting air pollution restrictions and other coal regulations imposed by the Biden administration, Trump has directed the Justice Department to chase states like California, which aimed to tackle climate change by reducing the use of fossil fuels.

“I call it beautiful and clean coal. I tell people not to use the word ‘beautiful, clean’,” Trump said in the east room of the White House, surrounded by dozens of men wearing mainly stiff hats. “We are completely ending Joe Biden’s war on beautiful, clean coal.”

Here are five takeaways from Trump’s orders.

Miners as background

Trump has always loved coal miners as a masculine symbol.

At a White House ceremony on Tuesday, he repeatedly mentioned the Burley men who surrounded him, joking about whether the stage could handle their collective weight. He recalled that during the 2016 campaign against Hillary Clinton she was talking about Job Letrain for miners. “She was going to put them in the tech industry where you make little phones and things,” he said gestured at the hives and laughed.

Coal itself is a strong fossil fuel, he said. “A pound of pounds, coal is the single energy of the most reliable, durable, safe and powerful energy,” Trump said.

“It’s almost impossible to destroy,” he said. “You can drop a bomb on it and it will be there for you to use the next day.”

What kind of climate change?

Coal releases more carbon dioxide when burned than any other fossil fuel, making it a major contributor to climate change. More mining and burning of coal adds to pollution that dangerously heats the planet, leading to more frequent and deadly heat waves, droughts, floods, sea level rise and faster melting of Greenland’s ice sheets, Trump said he hopes to win the US.

Scientists say that to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change, major economies like the United States must cut their emissions sharply, rather than increasing them.

Coal burning also releases other contaminants, including mercury and sulfur dioxide, which are associated with heart disease, respiratory problems and early death. Mining activities and coal ash from generated power plants pose environmental hazards.

No coal results were mentioned on Tuesday.

He ignored natural gas, the biggest threat to coal.

Regulations limiting the amount of contamination from coal-fired power plants have led to these plants operating more expensively and reduced industry profitability. But, as Trump said, “radical green” policy wasn’t the biggest reason for the decline in coal power over the past two decades. It was cheap natural gas by fracking.

In the mid-2000s, American excavators completed a method to unlock the enormous reserves of low-cost natural gas from Shalelock. The utility quickly realized that coal could be replaced with cheaper gas.

According to 2019 Survey At the RAND Journal of Economics, the energy market and low prices of natural gas account for almost all of the decline in coal plants’ profitability between 2005 and 2015, and as a result, retirements of hundreds of coal-fired power plants. “Environmental regulations had little impact on these outcomes,” the study found.

Trump says he wants to “drill, babe, drill” and lower gas prices.

Law firm’s shakedown pride

“Did you notice that many law firms are signing up for Trump?” the president asked the crowd at a coal event Tuesday.

He was referring to the multi-million-dollar pro bono legal services some major law firms offered to the Trump administration after the president threatened to target him with executive orders.

One company covered by the executive order – Paul, Weiss – has promised concessions, including $40 million in pro bono work for a Trump-friendly cause, cutting deals with the White House. Three other companies – Milbank. Skadden, Arps;Wilky Far & Gallagher – Actively agreed to his deal with the White House.

On Tuesday, Trump indicated that these free legal services would be directed. It fights climate policy and supports the coal industry.

“We’ll use some of those companies to work with you on your leases and other things,” Trump told coal leaders.

Coal stock has risen, but will the revival last?

Tuesday was a good day for the coal industry. Shares of mining company Peabody Energy rose 9%. Alliance Resource Partners led by billionaire coal tycoon Joseph W. Craft III, who led Trump’s fundraising during the presidential election, have risen nearly 5%.

But many experts are skeptical that Trump can do much to turn the coal outlook up. “Given the limitations on the use of emergency authorities and the symbolic nature of the order, we believe that Trump’s coal executive order is unlikely to have a significant impact on electricity and carbon markets,” wrote an analyst at Capstone, a research firm. They called the coal stock bumps on Tuesday a “overreaction.”

The average US coal plant is more than 50 years old, and it is often cheaper for utilities to generate electricity using a mix of gas, wind, solar and batteries. Analysts say these fundamentals are difficult to change.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Rising Weight: Climate Change Muffles Storms and Rainfall

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The heavy storm system that floods the central and southeastern US with heavy rain and winds fits a wider pattern as rainfall has increased over the eastern US half has increased in recent decades.

Data from the National Maritime and Atmospheric Administration from 1991 to 2020 show that on average the eastern part of the country received more rain, on average, than in the 20th century. At the same time, precipitation decreased in the west.

The sharp East-West division is consistent with predictions from climate scientists who expect wet areas to be wet, with dry areas becoming dry as the world warms.

Without further analysis, individual storms cannot be linked to climate change, but warming the air will result in greater rainfall. This is because warm air has the ability to retain more moisture than cooler air, and has the potential to be fueled due to overall average precipitation, and more intense storms.

The world’s temperatures are increasing year by year, driven by the combustion of fossil fuels that send greenhouse gases that warm the planets into the atmosphere. According to a recent report, the 10 people have been the hottest recordkeeping for nearly 200 years. World Weather Organization.

“When there are these very heavy rain events, trends refer to the heavy trends of these intense events,” said Deanna, an associate professor of climate and atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign University.

Severe flooding could be an indirect effect of warming air and increased moisture, according to Gerald Brotzge, a Kentucky national climate scientist and director of the Kentucky Climate Center. If conditions stall a storm system, it can cause heavy rain in the same area, increasing the risk of flooding.

This is what happened when the storm recently stagnated in the region. “I think it’s a once-at-a-time event based on the amount and area covered,” Brotzge said.

Mark Jarvis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Louisville, Kentucky, described the storm as two. It brought tornadoes, strong winds and hail to the front end, then stalled and dropped historic amounts of rainfall. Western Kentucky, who saw some of the most serious effects of the storm, “it was in the eyes of the bull,” he said.

Heavy rain and flooding are common in Ohio Valley in late winter and early spring, but the system is as common as it is “very rare” for rain. “That’s what you normally see in hurricanes and tropical systems,” he said..

Storm damage is constantly happening, but the possibility that climate change is increasing them is Observed weather trendstherefore Mr.

She said that even in the western half of the United States, which is generally dry, the coming precipitation tends to drop at more extreme levels.

She called it “very eye-opening,” adding, “it’s not particularly comfortable to think we have more of this.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Surprising Furry Secrets Hidden within Mystical Medieval Book Covers

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Medieval scribes fill a volume called veterinarians with illustrations and descriptions of fantastic creatures. Manuscripts containing representations of these animals also relied on the beast zoo. These and other volume covers were made from calf, goat, sheep, deer and pig skins.

Most of these skins were removed before they were converted to book bindings. However, the medieval manuscript sets in northeastern France have a distinctive finish. The weathered cover is covered with hair.

Matthew Collins, a biofactorologist at the University of Copenhagen and Cambridge and author of the new study, said: However, it turns out to be difficult to pinpoint the source of hairy leather.

These furry books appear to be at home at the Hogwarts Library, but were originally written by Clairvaux Abbey, a hub of the Cistercians, the orders of the Catholic monk Ks. Founded in the Champagne Adennes region of France in 1115, the monastery was located in one of the largest monastery libraries in medieval Europe.

Approximately 1,450 volumes of the monastery’s extensive corpus survive. Approximately half of these manuscripts remain in the original, fragile bindings. Many were tied in Romanesque style in the 12th and 13th centuries, parchment was placed between wooden boards fixed with thread and cord.

At Clairvaux Abbey, these Romanesque books were often housed in secondary covers, bristled with fur. Traditionally, this creepy leather was thought to be made from wild boars and deer. However, the hair follicles of some manuscripts do not match the fur of either mammal.

Dr. Collins and his colleagues examined the hairy covers of 16 manuscripts once housed at Clairebaud Abbey. Researchers rubbed the sides of the leather meat with an eraser and carefully removed the crumb-sized sample. We then used various techniques to analyze the protein sequences and bits of the ancient DNA of leather.

Their findings published in the journal on Wednesday Royal Society Open Sciencereveals that the book is tied to seal skins, not to local land mammal skins. Some books are tied up in the skin of harbor seals, and at least one came from harp seals. Comparing them to modern DNA suggests that the origins of Scandinavian and Scottish seals, or as far as Iceland and Greenland.

These different territories were once connected by complex medieval trading networks. During the Middle Ages, Scandinavian traders harvested walrus ivory and fur from Greenland and sent them to mainland Europe. Clairebaud and his monks were far more inland from these coastal front posts, but the monastery was near a trafficked trade route.

The discoveries shed light on medieval society, according to Mary Wellesley, a fellow at the London Institute of Historical Studies, who specializes in medieval manuscripts and was not involved in new papers.

“The small details of the manuscript can tell you a lot about the world that created them,” Dr. Wellesley said. “It’s a common assumption that people didn’t move around, but these monasteries are part of this incredible network of goods, books and ideas.”

Seals were a valuable product for meat, dull, waterproof skin. This could be made into boots or gloves. Some records even claim that Sealskin was used to pay church taxes. Coastal communities in Scandinavian and Ireland used Sealskin to bind books, but this practice was far more unusual in the mainland Europe.

However, Cistercian monks apparently liked Sealskin’s books. Examples of these furry manuscripts have been found in other Abbeys, descendants of Clairevaux. These monks used this material to combine the most important documents, including historical information about the Cistercians, historical information about St. Bernard.

According to Dr. Collins, the fur color of the seal may explain the preference of the monks for using animal skins. The cover of the manuscript is now yellowish-gray or spotted brown, but was once wrapped in the white fur of a seal puppy. This shade matched the best of the monks’ dissatisfaction.

“In medieval Europe, you really don’t have anything white or white,” said Dr. Collins. “It must have been very magical.”

The seal itself appears to resemble the magical entity of the monk ks. In medieval veterinarians, seals are labelled “sea calves,” resembling dogs that have raised fish tails.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Trump supporter and NASA leader, Jared Isaacman, prioritizes Mars in confirmation hearing.

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

NASA prioritizes sending American astronauts to Mars, a goal supported by President Trump’s candidate to lead the space agency.

The candidate, Jared Isaacman, CEO of Payment Processing Company Shift4 Payments and a close associate of Elon Musk, brings a unique perspective from leading private astronaut flights into orbit. He is expected to bring new ideas to NASA and its $25 billion budget, aligning with entrepreneurial aerospace companies like SpaceX.

Isaacman aims to revitalize a mission-first culture at NASA, as stated in his opening statement before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology.

While Mars remains a long-term goal for human spaceflight, NASA’s current focus has been on the International Space Station and sending astronauts back to the moon during Trump’s presidency.

Isaacman affirms that NASA will view the moon as a stepping stone to Mars, not abandoning it but utilizing it for scientific, economic, and national security interests.

He believes that fostering an economy in orbit will accelerate NASA’s scientific advancements and discoveries.

Isaacman’s confirmation hearing sheds light on NASA’s future direction amidst uncertainties surrounding federal agencies. With Musk’s influence and contrasting views, the path forward for NASA remains uncertain.

Isaacman is expected to address questions regarding NASA’s space launch system and the future of lunar missions during his confirmation hearing.

Isaacman’s appointment signals a departure from traditional NASA leadership, bringing a fresh perspective from his background in private space missions.

Despite criticisms of NASA’s costly programs like the SLS rocket, Isaacman emphasizes the importance of efficient and cost-effective missions to advance space exploration.

His vision includes prioritizing American astronauts’ return to the moon as a crucial step towards eventual Mars exploration.

Isaacman’s unique approach to space exploration has already been demonstrated through private missions like Inspiration 4 and Polaris Dawn, showcasing innovative technologies and partnerships with SpaceX.

In a shift from traditional aerospace leadership, Isaacman’s nomination for NASA administrator represents a new era of space exploration.

His experiences with private space missions demonstrate a commitment to innovation and collaboration in advancing human space travel.

Isaacman’s appointment heralds a new chapter for NASA as it navigates evolving priorities and challenges in space exploration.

As NASA looks to the future under Isaacman’s leadership, the agency is poised to embrace innovative solutions and partnerships to propel human space endeavors forward.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Trump’s nominee states at Senate hearing that nuclear tests are not recommended.

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Brandon Williams, who was chosen by President Trump to oversee the country’s nuclear weapons, stated on Tuesday that he does not recommend resuming explosive testing of deadly weapons.

This statement was made during his Confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, taking many by surprise. While other advisers suggested that the president resume test explosions for national security reasons, the last test in the U.S. occurred in 1992.

Appointed by Trump in January, Williams, a former naval officer from upstate New York, is set to oversee the National Nuclear Security Agency, a semi-autonomous agency within the energy sector responsible for managing the nation’s nuclear weapons complex.

Despite calls from Trump’s allies for a return to testing, one notable figure, former national security advisor Robert C. O’Brien, urged in a magazine article last summer that a new term for Trump would see the resumption of testing to maintain the U.S.’ advantages over China and Russia in nuclear capabilities.

At his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Williams faced opposition against the resumption of explosive testing, particularly from Senator Jackie Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada, who highlighted the state’s history of nuclear tests during the Cold War.

Describing Nevada as “ground zero” for such testing, Rosen emphasized the harmful impact on the population and environment and vehemently opposed a return to these practices.

Williams responded to questions about advising Trump on explosive nuclear tests, stating his reliance on scientific information and expertise from the NNSA lab’s data and modeling rather than testing.

Concerns about the potential environmental and health impacts of testing in Nevada were also raised, to which Williams acknowledged the importance of considering such factors in decision-making.

With a background in naval service, Williams has been nominated to head the National Nuclear Security Agency and represents New York’s 22nd Congressional District.

In a letter to Williams, Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed concerns about his qualifications in the nuclear field and lack of relevant experience.

During the hearing, Williams stressed the importance of retaining skilled labor at the NNSA, following previous administration changes and workforce challenges.

Praising the agency’s staff, Williams assured senators that he speaks on their behalf and values their expertise.

The Senate Committee is currently evaluating Williams’ nomination, with expectations for approval and confirmation by the full Senate.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Trump signs executive order targeting revitalization of US coal industry

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Trump signed a surge in executive orders on Tuesday aimed at expanding coal mining and burning in the United States to revive the struggling industry.

1 order Commanding federal agencies To abolish regulations that “discriminate” coal production, open new federal land for coal mining, and investigate whether coal combustion power plants can serve new AI data centers. Trump also said He will abandon certain air force pollution restrictions It was adopted by the Biden administration for dozens of coal plants at risk of closures.

In a move that could face legal challenges, Trump led the energy sector Develop the process To prevent unprofitable coal plants from shutting down to avoid power outages using electricity in emergencies. Trump proposed similar actions during his first term, but ultimately abandoned the idea after widespread opposition.

Dozens of miners are stuck in hard white White House hats, Trump said. He was also teaching The Department of Justice will identify and fight state and local climate policies that “let coal miners go out of business.” He added that future administrations will “assure” that they will not be able to adopt policies that are harmful to coal, but did not provide details.

“This is a very important day for me, because we are reclaiming an abandoned industry despite the fact that it is the best and certainly the best in terms of power, true power,” Trump said.

Over the past few weeks, Trump, energy secretary Chris Wright and interior secretary Doug Burgham have all been talking about the importance of coal. The two cabinet members sat in the front row at the White House ceremony. Members of Congress from Wyoming, Kentucky, West Virginia and other coal-producing states attended the White House ceremony.

“Beautiful and beautiful coal,” Trump told the gathering. “Never use the word “coal” unless you place “clean, clean” before that. ”

Coal is the most polluted of all fossil fuels when burned; Approximately 40% of the world’s industrial carbon dioxide emissions a major factor in global warming. It releases other contaminants, including mercury and sulfur dioxide, associated with heart disease, respiratory problems, and early death. Coal ash from coal mining and generated power plants can also cause environmental issues.

Over the past 20 years, coal use has declined sharply in the US, with utilities switching to cheaper, cleaner power sources, such as natural gas, wind and solar. That transition has been the biggest reason for US emissions decline since 2005.

It is unclear how much Trump will reverse that decline. In 2011, the country generated almost half of its electricity from coal. Last year, it fell to just 15%. The utility has already closed hundreds of aged coal burning units, and has announced the retirement dates for about half of the remaining plants.

In recent years, growing interest in artificial intelligence and data centers has driven a surge in electricity demand, with the utility having decided that more than 50 coal combustion units will be open past the scheduled closing date, according to Electric Power from America, the industry’s trade group. And as the Trump administration moves, more plants could remain open longer or run more frequently as they loosen coal pollution restrictions, including regulations that apply to carbon and mercury.

“You know, we need to do AI. All this new technology is online,” Trump said Tuesday. “We need more than twice the energy and electricity we currently have.”

However, some analysts said there is unlikely a major coal revival.

“The main problem is that most of our coal plants are older, more expensive to operate, and no one is thinking about building new plants,” said Seth Feaster, a data analyst focusing on coal at the research firm, Energy Economics Analysis Institute. “It’s very difficult to change that trajectory.”

During his first term, Trump tried to prevent the closure of unprofitable coal plants using emergency powers normally reserved for fleeting crises such as natural disasters. But the idea has hit hard by oil and gas companies, grid operators and consumer groups. He said it would increase electricity bills and eventually retreated from the idea.

Ali Pescoe, director of the Harvard Law School’s Electricity Law Initiative, said the idea would likely lead to lawsuits if it was tested again today. “But there’s not much history of litigation here,” he said. “Usually these emergency orders last within 90 days.”

Ultimately, Trump struggled to fulfill his first term pledge to save the coal industry. His administration abolished numerous climate regulations, appointed coal lobbyists to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, 75 coal-fired power plants were closed, and the industry lost around 13,000 jobs during its presidency.

The decline of coal continued under President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who tried to completely move the country away from fossil fuels to combat climate change. Last year, his administration issued swept EPA rules that force all coal plants across the country to install expensive equipment to capture and fill carbon footprints or close by by 2039.

When he returned to the office this year, Trump ordered the EPA to repeal the rules. And Trump administration officials have repeatedly warned that closing coal plants will damage power sources. Unlike wind and solar energy, coal plants can run at any time of the day and are useful when electricity rises rapidly.

Some industry executives who run the country’s electric grid include some industry executives. I warned again The country could face the risk of power losses, especially when power companies are late in bringing new gas, wind and solar power plants online and adding battery storage and transmission lines.

“For decades, most people took electricity and coal for granted,” said Michelle Bradworth, chief executive of American power. “This complacency has led to early retirements in coal plants, weakening the electrical network and damaging federal and state policies that threaten national security.”

But coal opponents say maintaining aged plants online can exacerbate fatal air pollution and increase energy costs. Earlier this year, the PJM Interconnect, which oversees a large grid in the Mid-Atlantic, burned coal-burning power plants and the opening until 2029, leaving them open until 2029 to reduce the risk of retirement benefits. This move could ultimately cost the customers of the utility in the area Over $720 million.

“Coal plants are old, dirty, uncompetitive and unreliable,” said Kit Kennedy, power managing director for the Environmental Group’s Natural Resources Defense Council. “The Trump administration has been stuck in the past and is trying to make utility customers pay more for yesterday’s energy. Instead, they should do everything they can to build the power grid of the future.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Kennedy meets with tribal leader amidst HHS cut tensions

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

When Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was about to take the stage, the governor of the Gila River Indian community was still addressing the audience, expressing concerns about recent Trump administration actions.

Governor Stephen Law Lewis emphasized the importance of tribes having a political stance and urged for a more thoughtful approach to government efficiency cuts, rather than a drastic one.

Kennedy was on his Healthy Tour of America in the Southwest states, with his latest stop at the Gila River Wild Horse Pass Resort and Casino in Arizona to participate in The Tribal Self Governance Conference.

The 1975 law allowed native communities to develop programs based on their cultural needs, marking a shift from federal administration. Kennedy’s dedication to improving tribal health stems from his family history and personal experiences.

However, recent decisions within Kennedy’s agency have raised concerns among tribal leaders regarding the support for Indigenous communities in the face of health challenges.

Kennedy assured tribal leaders that certain health services for Native Americans would be exempt from recent executive orders. He engaged in discussions on strategies to address health issues within tribal communities.

Kennedy emphasized the need to address the root causes of health crises in tribal communities, particularly focusing on the food system. He also shared plans to implement “robot nurses” in Indigenous groups, which was met with mixed reactions from the crowd.

His extensive work advocating for Indigenous communities dates back to the 1990s, highlighting a commitment to supporting native groups in various negotiations and initiatives.

Kennedy pledged to address the unique challenges faced by Indigenous leaders in accessing high-quality healthcare. The discussion also touched on the need to build confidence in vaccines among Native American communities.

Kennedy’s tour included visits to healthcare facilities serving Native Americans, as well as outreach to tribal groups to address their unique health concerns.

He defended his agency’s response to a measles outbreak during a press conference, highlighting the importance of effective public health initiatives.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Trump signs order to increase coal production in the United States.

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order aimed at bolstering the declining coal industry in the country and imposing stricter regulations on coal mining, leasing, and export. The White House stated that this move is intended to address the energy demands of artificial intelligence data centers.

This action by the Trump administration is at odds with global efforts to reduce coal-fired electricity generation and curb harmful greenhouse gas emissions associated with climate change.

During the signing of the order, Trump emphasized the importance of coal, referring to it as “beautiful, clean coal.”

Coal is widely regarded as one of the dirtiest fossil fuels and a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The burning of fossil fuels like coal releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.

In addition to reopening certain coal plants and allowing coal leases on public land, the executive order instructs federal agencies to explore how coal-fired power plants can meet the increasing energy needs of artificial intelligence.

Workers at the John E. Amos power plant, which is a coal burning of American power fuel, in Winfield, W.Va., stand in the coal mine in 2018.Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images file

Recent government actions have rolled back environmental regulations, targeting pollution and emissions from power plants operated by oil and gas companies.

Over the past decade, the coal industry in the US has seen a decline, with coal contributing only about 16% of domestic electricity in 2023, down from 45% in 2010. The growing use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has also played a role in reducing the country’s reliance on coal.

Efforts to revive the coal industry run counter to the preferences of most Americans, with two-thirds supporting a transition away from fossil fuels like coal by 2050, according to a recent poll by Yale University.

Burning coal for electricity generation is not only environmentally harmful but also costlier than cleaner energy sources. According to estimates, coal-generated electricity can cost Americans three to four times more than wind or solar power.

Critics of Trump’s executive order, including former EPA administrator Gina McCarthy, argue that it will worsen climate change and harm public health. They advocate for a shift towards cleaner and safer energy alternatives.

As the demand for energy from artificial intelligence increases, there is a growing need for new energy resources. However, meeting this demand is expected to strain existing energy systems, prompting calls for increased investments to stay competitive internationally.

Goldman Sachs projects a 165% rise in global electricity demand over the next five years due to the expansion of AI data centers.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Scientifically proven method for brewing exceptional coffee using less beans

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The right technique allows you to make great poured coffee with fewer beans

Kemal Yildirim/Getty Images

SEI 246758961 — The right technique allows you to make great poured coffee with fewer beans

Kemal Yildirim/Getty Images

Physicists have discovered the technology that allows them to produce the perfect coffee with up to 10% less beans.

Climate change is making coffee production more difficult, and it is becoming more important to brew it in the most efficient way possible. Arnold Mattissen At the University of Pennsylvania.

“Coffee is becoming more difficult to grow, so that’s why coffee prices could increase over the next few years,” he says. “The idea for this study was to actually see if we could do anything by reducing the amount of coffee beans needed while maintaining the same amount of brewing.

Mathijssen and his colleagues focused on pouring coffee, slowly adding hot water to the corn-shaped paper filter site. Their advice can be summarized into some very simple tips. First, pour slowly. The longer the beans are soaked in the water inside the corn, the more extraction will occur.

But this works to some extent. If poured slowly, the lot is not fully confused. They settle at the bottom and start to actually reduce the amount of extraction. To combat this, the second hint is to pour from the height.

“Living up the kettle height gives you more energy essentially from gravity,” says Matigen. “Afterwards, all particles enter this kind of global circulation that is not normally obtained when poured from a lower height.”

Team experiments showed that raising the kettle to 50 centimeters of cone increased the strength of the coffee. However, Mathijssen warns that if poured too high, the water flow will begin to collapse, forming unconnected Glugs, causing the coffee corn circulation to be confused again. Needless to say, boiling water from too high can pose a risk of burns.

“Be rational,” says Mattigen. “First, try slowly. Then lift it up. [the kettle] Go as slowly as possible, but please don’t let it [the flow of water] “We’re goodbye,” he says. “That’s the strategy I follow.”

While this process is highly dependent on the type of coffee, the size of the site, the type of kettle used, and many other factors, researchers have found that the technique can lead to a 5% to 10% savings in the amount of coffee needed. Their experiments showed that the resulting brew had the same amount of dissolved solids, so it should be just as strong and flavorful.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Rome’s Collapse Linked to Mini Ice Age Triggered by Ancient Geological Event

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Iceberg calving from a Greenland glacier can carry rocks to distant coasts

Professor Ross Mitchell

SEI 246262600 — Iceberg calving from a Greenland glacier can carry rocks to distant coasts

Professor Ross Mitchell

The rocks transported by icebergs from Greenland to Iceland add to evidence that the European climate became much colder for a century or two in 540 AD.

This cold season in the Northern Hemisphere has been shown previously by research on tree rings and sediment cores, but is linked to many historical events around the world, from the collapse of the northern WEI dynasty in China to the decline of the city of Teotihuacan, Central America. The Justinian plague that affected the Eastern Roman Empire after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 may also have been caused in part by cold weather.

Christopher Spencer Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada and his colleagues decided to explore Iceland’s west coast beaches, as they showed it was a light colour, rather than the basalt black of almost every other beach in Iceland.

Its bright colour turned out to be due to the presence of many shells, but while walking through the area, Spencer spotted a cobblestone-sized granite stone. It was immediately clear to him that these rocks were not from Iceland. “It’s a bit embarrassing how easy it is to make a discovery,” he says.

Sure enough, analysis of the rocks confirmed that they came from various parts of Greenland. Greenland is the closest point, about 300 km from Iceland. So, Spencer must have been carried by icebergs spotted and washed away on the beach from Greenland’s glacier.

The beach formations where Greenland rocks reside were previously dated from AD 500 to AD 700, says Spencer. Greenland icebergs can still reach this area, but Greenland Rock has not been found in other layers of the beach.

An ancient rock collection analyzed in the study was traced to Greenland

Dr. Christopher Spencer

Therefore, this finding indicates that numerous Greenlandic Icebergs were washed away at this beach during the period when this layer was formed. This suggests that because of the cold conditions, Greenland’s glaciers grew larger during this period, hiding more icebergs, says Spencer.

This is neatly linked to evidence of cold seasons, sometimes known as the late antique red ice age. The cause of this event is unknown. Some people think it was caused by volcanoes, while others think it was caused by a surprising piece of Earth from a comet. Spencer believes that the solar heat is simply dependent on changes in the orbit that reaches Earth.

The extent to which climate contributed to events such as the collapse of Rome remains debated, but there is growing evidence that climate change has shaped the fate of many civilizations.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Could you survive on Uranus for longer than expected?

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Uranus seen on the Voyager 2 spaceship in 1986

NASA/JPL-Caltech

SEI 246747964 — Uranus seen on the Voyager 2 spaceship in 1986

NASA/JPL-Caltech

The day on Uranus has been a little longer thanks to a more accurate measurement of its rotation period, which should help scientists plan missions to investigate the gas giant.

Understanding the rotation period of giant planets in the solar system is much more difficult than anything like Mars or Earth, as ferocious wind storms make direct measurements impossible.

The first measurement of Uranus rotation was from the Voyager 2 probe, which took the closest approach on January 24, 1986. Researchers at the time determined that the planet’s magnetic field was 59 degrees from the north of the sky, but the axis of rotation was offset by 98 degrees.

These extreme offsets mean that Uranus effectively “lying down” compared to Earth, while the magnetic pole follows a larger circle as the planet rotates. Researchers at the time found that they completed a full rotation every 17 hours by measuring both the magnetic field and the radio emissions from the aurora.

now, Laurent Ramie The Paris Observatory in France and his colleagues measured it 28 seconds longer. More importantly, their measurements are 1000 times more accurate, reducing the margin of error per second.

Researchers looked at images of Uranus’ ultraviolet aurora taken by the Hubble Space Telescope between 2011 and 2022, and tracked the long-term evolution of the planet’s magnetic poles and circled the axis of rotation.

The error in previous measurements meant that it became impossible to accurately determine the location of Uranus after more than a few years, but the new measurements should be effective for decades. This means that it may depend on calculating mission-critical objectives, such as the probes may orbit and enter the planet’s atmosphere.

Tim Bedding The University of Sydney in Australia calls the team’s measurement techniques “very smart,” but points out that the new period of the day on Uranus doesn’t differ much, and is within the scope of old calculation errors. “That hasn’t changed much,” Bedding says. “Now, the more convenient it is, the more accurate it becomes.”

The Mystery of the Universe: Cheshire, England

Spend a weekend with some of the brightest minds of science. Explore the mystery of the universe in an exciting program that includes an excursion to see the iconic Lovell telescope.

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planet/
Hubble Space Telescope

Source: www.newscientist.com

RNA blood tests can predict the risk of pre-eclampsia

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Pre-Lamp Disease is a potentially serious complication of pregnancy

Half Point Image/Getty Image

Pre-lamp syndrome can lead to many pregnancy complications, including death, but can be difficult to detect in the early stages of pregnancy. New blood tests can help doctors identify the risk of developing a pregnant individual’s condition before symptoms begin.

“We can narrow it down to four really high-risk pregnancies. That’s a big step.” Maneesh Jain at Mirvie, a California-based health startup.

Pre-salping syndrome is a type of hypertensive disorder (HDP) during pregnancy, which occurs when scientists are not sure exactly – occurs during placenta development. This can lead to high blood pressure and lead to cardiovascular disease, organ damage, seizures and even death. It can also cause harm to the developing fetus.

However, catching pre-lammosis and other HDP is difficult. This is because symptoms usually do not appear for at least 20 weeks after pregnancy. Sometimes, no signs are detected until work. It is difficult to monitor placenta development. This is because taking tissue samples from organs is very invasive.

New blood tests are relatively non-invasive and use RNA markers to predict whether someone may develop HDP. Specifically, this test focuses on specific genes PAPPA2 and CD163its overexpression was previously linked to HDP. The researchers wanted to see if they could detect this overexpression of blood samples.

Their validation studies of over 9,000 pregnant people suggest that they can: Jain says the test can be predicted with accuracy of over 99%, whether people without existing risk factors overexpress the gene and therefore are at a higher risk of EC presymptom or another HDP. Almost a quarter of participants without existing HDP risk factors overexpressed the gene.

People with a certain demographic (for example, those with a family history of preexisting hypertension or pre-sexual pre-lampsia) are known to be at a moderate risk of developing the condition, he says. Morten Rasmussen At Mirvie. But for many, it comes from the blue at first glance.

Once someone knows that they are at high risk of pre-lamps, they can take action to prevent this. Common interventions include taking medications like aspirin, switching to a Mediterranean diet, and monitoring your daily blood pressure.

However, the new test only looked at people between 17.5 and 22 weeks after pregnancy. “Ideally, you should start aspirin 16 weeks in advance.” Kathryn Gray At Washington University in Seattle. “So by the time most people get the results of this test, they’ve already missed that window.”

Mirvie plans to sell blood tests on the market soon. Once it’s on the market, the team hopes other scientists will use it to develop drugs that specifically target the expression of genes such as PAPPA2. Such molecular pinpoints “give a much better opportunity for treatment to be effective,” says Rasmussen.

Gray also hopes researchers will use Mirvie’s RNA bank data to further identify the genes behind the risk of prelammosis in certain people. She says narrowing down your search profile could reduce the cost of testing and make it affordable for more people.

The article was revised on April 8, 2025

This article has been revised to reflect the risks posed by pre-lammosis during pregnancy

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Who is providing care for infants with HIV in other countries?

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Trump administration has rejected the remaining few health officials who oversee the care of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. There are over 500,000 children and over 600,000 pregnant women with HIV in low-income countries.

The specialized team that managed the management program to prevent newborns from acquiring HIV from their mothers and provide treatment to infected children was eliminated last week in a chaotic reorganization by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Some of the outcomes of the termination are only now clear.

While it was known that some staff dedicated to HIV prevention in other countries have been lost, the New York Times has learned that all such experts have been fired or are waiting for reallocation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State Department, and the International Development Agency.

These mothers’ health programs are still funded by the President’s emergency plan for AIDS relief or Pepfarr. However, it is not clear how work will continue without anyone managing the initiative or paying for it.

The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for comment.

“I hope this is no longer important to treat mothers and children, and this is not a sign that this is a correctable mistake,” the federal health department spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

The stakes are high. AIDS under the age of 15 dies every seven minutes in sub-Saharan Africa.

A survey in the Lancet on Tuesday estimated that suspending Pepfer could lead to around 1 million new HIV infections by 2030, killing about 500,000 AIDS among children, and an additional 2.8 million orphans.

After the early Trump administration froze all foreign aid, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver that allowed them to provide “core life-saving medicine, health services” and other US-funded activities.

The Pepfar-specific exemption later prevented the transmission of HIV to mothers and children, and continued explicitly and continued support for programs intended to provide care for infected women and children.

Documents that allow aid to prepare resumes take several weeks after the exemption is issued, and some organizations are just beginning to receive the federal funds needed to run the program.

“We can dismantle something very quickly, but now we’re trying to build it with just a small portion of our staff and a potentially 5% of our institutional knowledge,” said a federal official who is not allowed to speak to news media.

All pediatric HIV experts participated in the USAID eruption and left a single unit at the CDC with expertise to advise international programs. That team was lost in a reorganization last week, along with another team that handles payments for funds for 300 grants in more than 40 countries.

Given the State Department’s exemption, these layoffs were a surprise to federal health workers and the organizations that rely on them.

“We had a clear understanding that HIV services for mothers and children fall under that waiver,” said Dr. Anja Gifert, vice president of medicine and science at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

The foundation relies on approximately 60% of the CDC’s budget. “We completely blinded that the entire CDC unit was finished,” she said.

The organization has been promised funds until September. However, only a few were allowed to use the payment system on CDC

“Everyone is screaming to find a way to pay for their country teams and partners,” said a CDC official who called for anonymity in fear of retaliation.

Other experts said they were not surprised to see the screaming from the CDC HIV team despite the waiver.

“What we saw is that there is no rhyme or reason for any of the actions the administration is doing,” said Gilea Lethobosian, chief of staff for the Biden administration’s Pepfer.

Care for children with HIV and pregnant women is complicated.

Infants require a different HIV test than those used in adults, and infected babies must take another medication. If treatment is interrupted, they will succumb to complications immediately.

“Time is essential, especially when you think about children,” Dr. Gifert said. “That doesn’t seem to be taking into account all of these changes actually happening.”

In low-income countries, pregnant women with HIV are usually treated at prenatal clinics. Without treatment, one in three pregnant women can give HIV to the baby.

Treatment decreases Risk of infection to less than 1%. I have Pepfer It prevented nearly 8 million This type of infection has been occurring in newborns since its founding in 2003.

The freeze on foreign aid imposed in January caused shortages of pediatric HIV drugs in many countries, causing delays in new HIV drug treatments.

The dismissed CDC experts were helping low-income countries prepare for this transition, track inventory and directing drugs to places with the most urgent needs, said an official who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

“This adjustment is especially important for now, as we are in an age of immeasurable change,” the official said.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Tax credit proposed to assist homeowners affected by natural climate-related disasters

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

On Tuesday, two U.S. senators introduced a bill with the goal of reducing damage to homes and communities caused by floods, wildfires, and other natural disasters by offering federal tax credits.

The bill, proposed by D-Calif. and R-Mont. lawmakers Adam Schiff and Tim Sheehy, aims to provide tax credits to incentivize people to upgrade their homes with improved protections against major disasters like hurricanes and wildfires.

The bipartisan legislation, known as the Increased Resilience, Environmental Weathering, and Enhanced Firewall Act, seeks to enhance community resilience in the face of increasing climate change impacts such as more frequent and severe floods, hurricanes, and other disasters across the nation.

Speaking to NBC News, Schiff explained that the proposed law was inspired by the devastating fires in Southern California and aims to address the growing insurance crisis in disaster-prone areas where insurance companies are pulling out of the market.

The bill proposes a federal tax credit that covers 50% of the cost of home resilience upgrades, including measures like underground sealed walls, automatic shutoff valves for water and gas lines, and fireproof roofing materials.

To qualify for the tax credits, states must have experienced a federally declared natural disaster within the past ten years, ensuring that the bill not only benefits recent disaster victims but also helps all Americans mitigate risks from hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and wildfires.

Sheehy, who collaborated with Schiff on the legislation, emphasized that the bill aims to lower financial barriers for individuals seeking to protect themselves from extreme weather events and their property.

The tax credits are capped at $25,000 for families earning under $200,000 annually, with a phased-out limit for higher-income households. Families earning less than $300,000 could receive up to $12,500 in credits.

According to Schiff, the tax credits will be fully refundable and adjusted for inflation starting in 2026.

Schiff highlighted the importance of targeting relief to those most in need and aiming to reduce costs in disaster-prone regions by incentivizing resilient building practices through tax credits.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Your beliefs may be influenced by your wiring, not ideology

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In today’s world, partisan divisions are so sharp that it can feel like people are living in completely different realities. According to neuroscientists and political psychologists at the University of Cambridge, such as Leor Zmigrod, they are. In her new book, “The Brain of Ideology: The Radical Science of Flexible Thinking,” Dr. Zmigrod delves into new evidence suggesting that brain physiology and biology can shed light on why people are susceptible to ideology and how information is perceived and shared.

This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

What is ideology?

Ideology is a narrative about how the world operates and should operate, whether in the social or natural realms. It goes beyond just being a story, providing strict guidelines on how to think, act, and engage with others. Ideology discourages deviations from its established rules.

You mention that rigid thinking is attractive. Why is that?

Ideology satisfies the desire to comprehend and explain the world. It also fulfills our need for connection, community, and a sense of belonging. Additionally, relying on established patterns and rules is a cognitively efficient strategy for navigating the world, as many ideologies insist that adhering to their rules is the morally correct way to live.

I approach this from a different angle: ideology hinders direct engagement with the world, limiting our ability to adapt to it, understand evidence, and differentiate between trustworthy and unreliable information. Ideology is seldom beneficial.

Q: The book discusses research showing that ideological thinkers can become unreliable storytellers. Can you elaborate?

This phenomenon has been observed even in children. In the 1940s, psychologist Frenkel Brunswick conducted studies on children’s bias levels and authoritarianism tendencies. When these children were given stories to recall, those with strong prejudices tended to distort the narratives to fit their biases, inventing details that aligned with their ideologies.

In contrast, children with less ideological leanings were more accurate in their story retellings, remaining faithful to the original narrative and recalling the characters’ traits correctly. This suggests that ideologically-driven individuals often incorporate fiction that reinforces their existing biases into their memories.

Do ideologues tend to integrate less information? How do they handle it differently?

Individuals inclined towards ideological thinking often resist change and nuance. This resistance is evident in tasks involving visual and verbal puzzles, where ideological thinkers struggle to adapt when the rules are altered, clinging to outdated frameworks even when they are no longer effective.

On the other hand, individuals who are more adaptable are willing to modify their behavior in response to new evidence. Ideological thinkers, however, tend to resist change and persist in applying outdated rules despite their ineffectiveness.

You have conducted a study indicating fundamental differences in brain reward circuits between ideologues and non-ideologues. Could you elaborate on your findings?

My research has revealed that individuals with strong ideological tendencies exhibit genetic traits related to dopamine distribution in the brain.

Rigid thinkers typically have lower dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex and higher levels in the striatum. Thus, our susceptibility to rigid ideology may stem from biological variances.

Moreover, individuals with differing ideologies may exhibit variations in brain structure and function. This is particularly noticeable in brain networks associated with reward processing, emotional regulation, and error detection.

For instance, the size of the amygdala, a brain region linked to emotional processing, influences whether an individual leans towards a conservative ideology that upholds tradition and the status quo.

What are your thoughts on this?

Some researchers interpret these findings as a correlation between amygdala function and conservative ideological leanings. Both revolve around a heightened response to threats and fears.

The ambiguity surrounding these results raises the question: does our brain shape our politics, or can ideology reshape our brains?

Can we alter our wired-in ideologies?

Ultimately, individuals have the capacity to choose whether to adopt or reject ideologies.

While it may be challenging for those predisposed to rigid thinking due to genetic or biological factors, it is not predetermined or impossible to change.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The Reason Behind Cameras Suddenly Appearing at Elder Care Facilities

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The supportive living facility in Edina, Minnesota, where Jean H. Peters and her brothers operated their mother in 2011 looked lovely. “But you start to discover things,” Peters said.

Her mother, Jackie Hoygan, was 82 years old and widowed with memory problems.

“She wasn’t in the bathroom so her pants would be soaked,” said Peters, 69, a retired nurse prettier in Bloomington, Minnesota. She dropped to 94 pounds.

Most ominously, Peters said, “We’ve noticed that we’ve noticed that there’s no bruise in her arm.” The complaint to the administrator brought “many excuses” directly, by phone and email.

So Peters bought a cheap camera from Best Buy. She and her sisters set it up on the fridge in their mother’s apartment.

Monitoring from the app on the phone, the family watched Hourigan go for hours without any changes. They heard her screaming and yelling at her assiding her, treating her roughly.

They saw another aide woke her up for breakfast and leave the room despite the fact that he opened the door to his heavy apartment and was unable to go to the dining room. “It was traumatic to know that we were right,” Peters said.

In 2016, after filing a police report and lawsuit, Peters helped discover the elder voice advocate after his mother’s death. Minnesota passed in 2019.

Though they are still controversial subjects, care facilities cameras have acquired status. By 2020, eight states will join Minnesota and enact laws that allow them to be made. According to national consumer voices for quality long-term care: Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington.

Since then, the pace of legislation has been featured, with nine states in place: Connecticut, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. Several other laws are pending.

California and Maryland use guidelines rather than law. State governments in New Jersey and Wisconsin lend cameras to families who are interested in the safety of their loved ones.

But Bill was defeated too. Recently in Arizona. March, second year, Camera invoice It overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives, but failed to get floor votes in the state Senate.

“My temperatures are getting a little higher now,” said Rep. Quang Nguyen, a Republican, who is the main sponsor of the bill and plans to reintroduce it. He denounced Arizona’s opposition from industry groups, including Reading, representing nonprofit aging service providers, for the failure of the bill to pass.

The American Medical Association, whose members are primarily for commercial use, has not achieved national status on camera. However, the local affiliate also opposed the bill.

“These people who vote for no should be called out publicly and said, ‘You don’t care about the elderly population,'” Ngguen said.

Some camera laws only cover nursing homes, but most also include living support facilities. Most obligations require residents (and roommates) to provide written consent. Some people are looking for signs to warn staff and visitors that their interactions may be recorded.

The law often prohibits tampering with cameras and retaliation against residents who use them, and “contains stories about people who have access to the footage and whether it can be used in lawsuits,” added Lori Smetanka, executive director of National Consumer Voice.

It is unclear how seriously the facility takes these laws. Some relatives In the interviewed report for this article, the administrator said that cameras were not allowed, but never mentioned the issue again. The cameras placed in the room remained.

Why is it a surge in legislative conditions? During the Covid-19 pandemic, families have been locked up from the facility for several months, Smetanka noted. “People are looking at their loved ones.”

The change in technology has probably contributed to Americans as they become more comfortable with video chats and virtual assistants. Cameras are almost ubiquitous in public places, in workplaces, in police cars, in police uniforms and in people’s pockets.

Initially, camera propulsion reflected fears about the safety of loved ones. Kari Shaw’s family, for example, had already been sacrificed by a trusted home care nurse who stole the painkillers her mother had prescribed.

So when Shaw and his sisters, who live in San Diego, moved their mother to life in Maple Grove, Minnesota, they quickly set up a moving camera in her apartment.

Their mother, 91, is severely disabled and uses a wheelchair. “Why wait for something to happen?” Shaw said.

In particular, “people with dementia are at high risk,” added Eilon Caspi, a gerontologist and researcher of elder abuse. “And they may not be able to report the incident or recall the details.”

But these days, families simply use cameras to keep in touch.

Anne Sewardson, who lives in Virginia and France, uses the Echo Show for a video visit with her 96-year-old mother at Memory Care in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Art Siegel and his brother had a hard time talking to their mother, who was 101, who was helping her live in Florida. Her cell phone frequently died as she had forgotten to charge it. “I was worried,” said Siegel, who lives in San Francisco and had to call the facility and ask staff to check on her.

Now, an old-fashioned phone is installed next to her favorite chair, and a chair-trained camera uses a trained camera to know when she can speak.

As Camera discussion Continuing, the central question remains unanswered. Do they enhance the quality of care? “There are studies that are not cited to back up these bills,” said Clara Bellidge, a gerontologist at the University of Washington. We are researching elder care techniques.

“Do cameras actually prevent abuse and neglect? Will the facility change or improve its policies?”

Both camera opponents and supporters cite concerns about the privacy and dignity of residents.

“You should also consider the importance of ensuring privacy during visits related to mental, legal, financial or other personal issues,” Reading spokesperson Lisa Sanders said in a statement.

You can turn off the camera, but it’s probably unrealistic to expect residents and growing staff to do so.

Furthermore, surveillance can treat these staff as “survivors who have to stop bad behavior,” Dr. Bellige said. She has seen facilities that have cameras installed in all residents’ rooms.

Ultimately, experts can’t replace the improved care that hinders problems, even if the camera detects them. It is an effort that requires engagement from families, better staffing by facilities, training, supervision, and more aggressive federal and state oversight.

“I think of cameras as a symptom, not a solution,” Dr. Bellidge said. “It’s a band-aid that can distract you from the difficult question of how to provide high-quality, long-term care.”

The new old age, KFF Health News.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Genetic Engineers Bring Back Extinct Wolves with White Fur and Improved Well-Being

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A company aiming to revive lost species has revealed three genetically designed wolves in the US that resemble extinct dire wolves. These wolves are seen sprinting, sleeping, and howling in their private, safe spaces.

The wolf puppies, aged 3 to 6 months, have long white hair, muscular chins, and weigh around 80 pounds. According to Giant Biology, this revelation was made on Monday.

Dire wolves, which went extinct over 10,000 years ago, were much larger than their closest living relatives today.

While independent scientists caution that this effort does not mean the dire wolves will return to North American grasslands soon, the lead scientist on the project, Beth Shapiro from Colossal, explained the process of genetically modifying blood cells from live grey wolves to create these genetically engineered puppies.

Colossal previously worked on similar projects, including creating animals resembling extinct woolly mammoths and dodos.

Although the puppies physically resemble young dire wolves, experts like Matt James, Colossal’s animal care expert, note they may lack certain behaviors vital for survival in the wilderness.

Colossal also reported cloning four red wolves using blood drawn from wild wolves to enhance genetic diversity among the endangered red wolf population.

While the technology may have broader applications for species conservation, challenges like sedating wild wolves for blood collection still remain.

Colossal’s CEO, Ben Lamm, met with officials from the US Department of Home Affairs in March to discuss the project. Despite skepticism from some scientists, interior secretary Doug Burgham praised the project as a remarkable advancement in science.

Vincent Lynch, a biologist at the University of Buffalo, emphasized that these reconstructed dire wolves cannot fully replicate the ecological functions they once performed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The miserable wolves remain extinct.

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Romulus and Remus are genetically modified grey wolves

Giant Biology

A company called Colossal Biosciences says it has revived the extinct species, the miserable wolf. “On October 1, 2024, for the first time in human history, Colossal managed to restore the once-appropriate species through the science of annihilation. After more than 10,000 years of absence, our team is proud to return the miserable wolves to their rightful place in the ecosystem.” That is an allegation made on the website of the US-based company. This is what we know.

what happened?

Colossal claims that three GMO-modified grey wolf puppies (two men born in October, called Remus, and a woman born in January, called Khaleesi) are actually miserable wolves. The same company recently announced the creation of wool mice and almost complete tyrasin, or Tasmanian tiger genomes.

What is a miserable wolf?

The miserable wolf is a big extinct dog (Enocion dillus) It lived in the United States until about 10,000 years ago. The animal looked like a large wolf with a white coat. They became famous game of thrones TV series – therefore, the name Khaleesi is named after the main character of the show.

So, are the miserable wolves an extinct wolf species?

no. Although grey wolves and miserable wolves were thought to be very closely related based on physical similarities, 2021 study of ancient DNA They finally revealed that they shared a common ancestor about six million years ago. Jackals, wild African dogs, and dolls are all more closely related to grey wolvesCanis Lupus) Dire’s wolves despite their similar appearance.

Does that mean there are many genetic differences between grey wolves and miserable wolves?

Beth Shapiro of Colossal says her team will sequence the full genome of Dire Wolf and release it to the public soon. Shapiro didn’t know New Scientist There are several differences, but the two species said they share 99.5% of their DNA. The genome of the grey wolf is about 2.4 billion pairs long, leaving room for millions of base pair differences.

And does Colossal claim that by creating 20 gene edits, he transformed the grey wolf into a miserable wolf?

That’s the argument. In fact, five of these 20 changes are based on mutations known to produce light coats in grey wolves, Shapiro said. New Scientist. Only 15 are directly based on the tragic wolf genome, aimed at changing the size, muscle tissue and ear shape of animals. According to Shapiro, it is clear whether these changes had an intended effect on genetically modified animals.

So, aren’t these puppies really bad wolves?

It all comes down to how you define the seeds, says Shapiro. “The concept of species is a human classification system, where everyone can oppose it, and everyone can do it right,” she says. “Phylogenesis can be used [evolutionary relationships] Species concept To determine what you call a species, it’s what you imply… We use the concept of morphological species and say that if they look like this animal, they are animals. ”

What happens to a gene-edited grey wolf that looks like a terrible wolf?

Shapiro says it grows in an 800 hectares of reserve. “They can’t get the shard unless we know,” she says. There are no plans to allow them to breed.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Human activity has profound impacts on the Earth’s upper mantle

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Ship cemetery in the desert of the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan

s@owwl / alamy

Unsustainable irrigation and drought have caused changes that have empty almost all of the waters of the Aral Sea since the 1960s, extending all the way to the Earth’s upper mantle, the layer below the Earth’s crust. This is perhaps the deepest recorded example of human activity that will change the solid inner earth.

“To do something that will affect us [upper mantle] It’s like whoa.” Sylvain Barbott At the University of Southern California. “It shows how powerful it is to change the environment.”

The Aral Sea in Central Asia was once one of the largest waters in the world, covering almost 70,000 square kilometers. However, Soviet irrigation programs that began in the 1960s and later droughts empty the oceans. By 2018, it had shrunk by almost 90% and lost about 1,000 cubic kilometres of water.

Wang Ten At Peking University in China, I was interested in the Aral Sea after reading a book about the consequences of this environmental disaster on the surface of the earth. “We’ve noticed that these huge mass changes stimulate the deep Earth’s response,” he says.

He and his colleagues, including Barbot, used satellite measurements to track subtle changes in the elevation of the oceans that were empty between 2016 and 2020. Much of the ocean water disappeared decades ago, but it was found that the uplifts were underway, with on average rising surfaces about 7 millimeters a year.

Next, we used a model of the crust and mantle beneath the Aral Sea to test the mantle beneath the Aral Sea when it came to leading to the uplift of this observed pattern. “We found that the observations were perfectly compatible with a deep response to this change,” says Barbot.

When the weight of the water was removed, the shallow crust first responded, according to the model. This prompted a response at a depth of 190 km from the surface as the viscous rocks in the upper mantle creeped up to fill the blanks. “The uncurved things create space and the rocks want to flow into it,” Barbot says. This delayed reaction in hot, weak areas of the mantle, called the athenosphere, is why the uplift is ongoing, even decades after the water is removed, he says.

The upper mantle rebound is known to occur after other major changes in surface mass, such as glacier advancement and retreat, says Roland Bürgmann At the University of California, Berkeley. But the response to drainage in the Aral Sea may be the deepest example of human-caused changes on solid earth.

Other human-induced changes, such as filling large reservoirs and pumping groundwater, are said to have also caused rebounds. Manoochehr Shirzaei At Virginia Tech. But the wider range of the Aral Sea means the impact of emptying it is likely to run deeper, he says.

In addition to explaining the enormous scale of human activity, the uplift below the Aral Sea offers an extraordinary opportunity to estimate small differences in viscosity of the mantle, particularly under the interior of the continent, Bürgmann says. “It’s really important for people trying to understand plate tectonics to know how that layer behaves under the continent.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Kennedy embarks on tour despite ongoing battle with chronic illness

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will embark on a tour of the Southwest on Monday, focusing on nutrition and lifestyle choices as tools to combat disease. This tour, known as the Make America Healthy Tour, will take Kennedy through parts of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The opening day of the tour is expected to be controversial.

Questions about the federal government’s response to the measles outbreak in West Texas have been raised, with the recent death of an unvaccinated child adding to the concerns. Kennedy attended the child’s funeral before continuing to Utah.

During the three-day tour, Kennedy’s staff plans to visit multiple health centers, a medical school teaching kitchen, meet with Navajo leaders, and visit a charter school in New Mexico to promote healthy lifestyles for students.

Since taking office, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s policies have stirred controversy, particularly his stance on vaccinations. His recent public statements indicate a shift towards supporting vaccines as an effective way to prevent diseases like measles.

While some public health experts remain skeptical of Kennedy’s position on vaccines, he plans to address the issue during a press conference in Salt Lake City. Kennedy will also discuss the importance of removing fluoride from drinking water, a topic he has advocated for in the past.

Kennedy’s views on vaccination and fluoridation have generated debate, but his tour aims to raise awareness about the role of nutrition and lifestyle in preventing diseases like measles. The tour is a platform for Kennedy to promote health initiatives and engage with communities in the Southwest.

Healthy foods and exercise play a role in limiting the outcomes of infectious diseases, but vaccination remains the best preventive measure. Dr. Michael Mina emphasizes the importance of vaccination in preventing measles infections.

Kennedy’s tour will address the importance of preventive measures like vaccination, while also focusing on issues like fluorination of drinking water. The debate around fluoridation has a long history, with conflicting views on its benefits and potential risks.

As Kennedy continues his tour of the Southwest, he will explore the intersection of nutrition, lifestyle choices, and public health initiatives. His approach to promoting health and wellness reflects a broader conversation about disease prevention and community well-being.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Another Measles-Related Death Reported in Texas

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Another child has tragically lost their life to the West Texas measles crisis, marking the second death in an outbreak that has devastated the area and affected numerous residents along the border.

The 8-year-old girl passed away early Thursday morning due to “measles and lung disorder,” as per records obtained by the New York Times. This marks the second confirmed measles-related death in the United States in the past decade.

The first death was that of an unvaccinated child in West Texas in February. Another unvaccinated individual in New Mexico has also died after testing positive for measles, though authorities have yet to confirm measles as the cause of death.

Officials from the Trump administration stated on Saturday night that the cause of the girl’s death is still under investigation.

Since the outbreak began in late January, West Texas has reported a total of 480 measles cases and 56 hospitalizations. The outbreak has also spread to neighboring states, with 54 cases in New Mexico and 10 in Oklahoma.

If the virus continues to spread at its current pace, the country risks losing its measles elimination status, a hard-fought victory achieved in 2000. Officials in West Texas anticipate that the outbreak could persist for a year.

Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy has come under heavy criticism for his management of the outbreak. A vocal vaccine skeptic, he has advocated for alternative treatments for measles, such as cod liver oil, which are unproven.

Kennedy’s promotion of alternative remedies has hindered critical care efforts and led patients to consume dangerous levels of vitamin A, according to a doctor in Texas.

Experts are concerned that dismantling international public health protections and withdrawing funding from the local health sector, as decided by the Trump administration, increases the likelihood of a widespread, multi-stage pandemic.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can linger in the air for up to two hours when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms typically appear within a week or two of exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose, and a characteristic rash.

While most cases resolve within a few weeks, measles can lead to complications like pneumonia, especially in children, making breathing difficult. In rare instances, the virus can cause brain swelling, resulting in permanent issues such as blindness, deafness, and cognitive impairment.

For every 1,000 children infected with measles, one to two may die, and the virus compromises the body’s immune system, leaving individuals susceptible to other infections.

Christina Jewellett Reports of contributions.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Scientists suggest that this three-day diet is a crucial weight loss strategy

Posted on April 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Dieting can become monotonous over time. While counting calories for a week or two may be manageable, doing it daily for months on end can be unbearable.

If you can relate to this struggle, a recent study conducted at the New Year’s trial might offer some relief. The research discovered that certain forms of intermittent fasting led to slightly more weight loss compared to traditional daily calorie counting.

Published in Internal Medicine Chronicles, the study compared two dietary approaches among 165 overweight or obese adults.

One group followed a 4:3 intermittent fasting plan (eating normally for four days, restricting intake for three days), while the other group reduced daily calorie consumption.

Calorie counting can result in deficits from weight loss, but the body’s metabolism is not an exact calculator, and individual responses to the same calorie intake can vary widely – Photo Credit: Getty

Both groups received exercise support and behavioral coaching, including food diaries, personalized feedback, and gym memberships.

After 12 months, participants in the fasting program lost an average of 7.6% of their body weight, compared to 5% in the daily calorie restriction group.

They also exhibited slightly positive changes in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and fasting glucose levels.

4:3 What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IMF) focuses on significantly reducing food intake on a few days a week, unlike time-restricted eating (TRE), which involves eating within a daily window (e.g., 10 am to 6 pm).

In the 4:3 IMF plan, participants chose three non-consecutive “fast” days (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday) during which they consumed only 20% of their usual calorie intake, amounting to approximately 400-600 kcal for women and 500-700 kcal for men. The remaining four days emphasized healthy food choices, but participants were free to eat as normal.

“Counting calories can be mentally taxing,” said Professor Daniel Ostendorf, a co-author of the study, to BBC Science Focus. “Limiting it to three days a week may have made it easier to follow over time.”

A 4:3 fasting approach can promote a decrease in calorie intake without conscious effort and show weight loss benefits.

Despite both groups having the same overall calorie target for the week, the fasting group achieved slightly greater weight loss. However, this study suggests that 4:3 intermittent fasting could be a promising option but is not a cure-all.

“The key finding of this study was that the 4:3 approach resulted in more weight loss than traditional calorie restriction,” commented Dr. Adam Collins, a nutrition scientist at the University of Surrey not involved in the research.

Collins pointed out that some unmeasured factors could impact calorie intake, emphasizing the potential benefits of intermittent energy restriction over daily calorie restriction.

Should you give it a try? According to Ostendorf and lead researcher Professor Victoria Catenacci, they advise choosing a dietary strategy that feels sustainable in the long term for weight loss goals.

“Our study suggests that 4:3 IMF can be a viable option based on additional evidence,” they concluded.

About our experts

Daniel Ostendorf is an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, specializing in designing lifestyle intervention programs for adults. His research has been published in journals such as Nutrients and American Journal of Public Health.

Victoria Catenacci, MD is an associate professor at the Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado, focusing on endocrinology, metabolism, and diabetes. Her research has been showcased in journals like Nature reviews endocrinology and Physiology and behavior.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New research on cholesterol levels and dementia risk

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Having low levels of “bad” cholesterol in your blood can decrease the risk of developing dementia, according to recent Korean studies published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. While the connection between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and heart health is well-known, its impact on brain health and dementia is still being studied.

Scientists analyzed data from 11 university hospitals in Korea, studying 571,000 adults without dementia. Participants were divided into two groups based on their cholesterol levels, with one group having high LDL-C levels above 3.4 mmol/L or 130 mg/dL, and the other group having low LDL-C levels below 1.8 mmol/L or 70 mg/dL.

The study found that individuals with low LDL-C were at a lower risk of developing dementia, with a 26% lower likelihood of being diagnosed with any type of dementia and a 28% reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to the high LDL-C group. However, extremely low LDL-C levels below 1.4 mmol/L or 55 mg/dL did not show a significant decrease in dementia risk.

Additionally, the study observed that individuals in the low LDL-C group who took statins to lower their cholesterol levels had a 13% lower risk of dementia and a 12% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to those not taking statins.

While the study found a significant association between low LDL-C levels and reduced dementia risk, it had some limitations, such as being a retrospective study that did not consider other influencing factors like age, gender, genetic risk, and lifestyle. The study did not establish a causal link between LDL-C and dementia risk, emphasizing the need for further research.

Dr. Petra Proitsi, a genetic epidemiologist at Queen Mary University, London, acknowledged the complexity of the relationship between cholesterol and dementia, calling for more comprehensive studies involving diverse ethnic groups to explore this association further.

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About our experts:

Dr. Petra Proitsi is a genetic epidemiology specialist at the Preventive Neurology Centre at Queen Mary University, London. She leads themes of digital and health data science at the Wolfson Institute of Population Health and holds a PhD in Neuroscience from King’s College London.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Trump is being asked by the chemical industry for an exemption from pollution restrictions

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Trump is being asked by two chemical industry groups to grant a complete exemption to free factories from new restrictions on dangerous air pollution.

The Biden administration’s new rules will require chemical plastics to monitor and reduce the emission of toxic pollutants like ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing ingredient used in antifreezes and plastics.

The American Chemical Council and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Makers are seeking a temporary presidential exemption for all polluters in response to these rules.

The Environmental Defense Fund obtained a letter dated March 31, which stated that the new requirement imposed a significantly more expensive burden on member companies with an infeasible timeline.

The groups have written to the Environmental Protection Agency administrator expressing concerns that some of the new rules could cost businesses over $50 billion.

The EPA recently allowed businesses to apply for exemptions from clean air rules by sending emails to agents, citing the Clean Air Act’s provision for temporary exemptions in cases where necessary technology is unavailable or for national security reasons.

During Trump’s administration, the EPA rolled back many of the same rules, allowing businesses to be temporarily exempt from compliance.

A White House spokeswoman stated that Trump’s commitment was to unleash America’s energy, protect national security, and ensure environmental control.

The Biden-era regulations aimed to address the disproportionate environmental hazards faced by communities near chemical plants, particularly low-income, black, or Latino areas experiencing rising rates of asthma, cancer, and other health issues.

Updated regulations governing emissions from chemical plants considered cumulative effects on communities near major chemical hubs, requiring companies to strengthen controls and processes to limit chemical emissions.

Fence line monitoring and other measures are needed to ensure compliance, especially concerning ethylene oxide, which is used in various products such as batteries for electric vehicles and medical device sterilization.

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers CEO criticized Biden-era rules as illegal and technically unachievable, posing risks to US manufacturing operations.

Environmental advocates expressed concerns that the Trump administration’s actions were allowing businesses to avoid complying with reasonable restrictions on toxic air pollution.

The move aligns with the administration’s efforts to prioritize cost reduction for businesses and promote energy control rather than environmental protection.

Last month, the administration halted a federal lawsuit against a chemical manufacturer accused of releasing carcinogenic substances from plants in Louisiana.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Uncovering Human “Ghosts” through the DNA of a 7,000-Year-Old Mummy

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Today, the Sahara desert is one of the least popular places on our planet. But that wasn’t always the case.

Returning the clock to 7,000 years, the Sahara is a lush green savanna filled with wildlife and dotted with lakes containing one of the sizes of modern Germany. In other words, it was the perfect place for our ancient ancestors to settle down.

But who were they? We may finally know.

Scientists analyzed the DNA of two naturally occurring mummy individuals from a shelter in Takalkori rock in what is now southwestern Libya. Their discoveries reveal something extraordinary. These ancient people belonged to previously unknown branches of human family trees.

The two women belonged to the so-called “ghost population.” This is something that modern humans have only seen glimpses of as faint genetic echoes, but they have not been seen in the body.

“These samples come from some of the oldest mummies in the world.” Professor Johannes Krause senior author of the new study said BBC Science Focus. He explained that it is surprising that genomic sequencing is absolutely possible because high-temperature conditions tend to decompose such information.

View from the Takalkolilock Shelter in southern Libya. – Archaeological mission at the Sahara University of Sapienza, Rome

Genomic sequencing is the process of reading a complete set of genetic instructions found in the DNA of an organism, a type of biological blueprint.

Previous studies have examined mitochondrial DNA in mummies, which is much more limited. It is passed only through the maternal line and is much shorter than the complete genome found in the cell nucleus.

“There are about 16,000 base pairs in mitochondrial DNA,” Klaus said. “It may sound a lot, but compared to the entire 3.2 billion genome, it’s just a small portion.”

So what have the team discovered from this new, unlocked genetic treasure trove?

First, they discovered that this lost lineage had split from sub-Saharan African ancestors about 50,000 years ago.

Surprisingly, this group remained genetically isolated from other human groups for tens of thousands of years.

“It’s incredible,” Klaus said. “When they were alive, these people were like most fossils, like things they shouldn’t be there. If I had said these genomes were 40,000 years old, I would have believed it.”

View of the Takarkoli rock shelter under excavation in southern Libya. – Archaeological mission at the Sahara University of Sapienza, Rome

This long-term quarantine reveals two key insights. First, the “Green Sahara,” which continued 15,000 to 5,000 years ago, was a lush human habitat, but as many scientists had previously envisioned, it was not useful as a moving corridor between the north and sub-Saharan Africa.

Second, there was genetic mixing with northern populations, including Neanderthals. But it was limited – much less than the non-African population, carrying about 10 times more Neanderthal DNA than the Takalkori people.

We know that these people were idyllics and meant that they kept livestock like cows. But they
Genetic segregation suggests that this lifestyle was adopted by exchanging knowledge and practice with neighbouring groups rather than moving or subsequent genetic mixing. Again, this is a surprise to scientists.

Unsolved puzzles

The whole mummy genome sequence revealed much about this lost human lineage. Still, there are many more mysteries left.

“The Sahara greening only happened 15,000 years ago. Before that, it was once again desert,” Klaus said. “So we don’t really know where they were strolling around 50,000 years ago, when they split from the population of Africa’s southern Africa, and 15,000 years ago.”

Wherever they went, they must have remained isolated for tens of thousands of years. Perhaps the lost Eden? We may never know.

“That’s a real mystery,” Klaus added.

Krause’s research was published in Nature.

About our experts

Johannes Kraus is the director of the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology at the Ministry of Archaeology’s Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. He is also a professor of archaeology at the Institute of Zoology and Evolution at Jena, University of Friedrich Schiller, Germany. Krause is a predominantly peer-reviewed journal, with over 250 publications. Nature, Science, Cells, Nature reviews genetics. In 2010 he was awarded the AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Award and the 2017 Thuringian Research Award for Top Performance in Basic Research.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The impact of smoking and vaping: it all varies depending on the perspective

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Smokers are becoming more hesitant about the benefits of using e-cigarettes to heat nicotine-containing liquids and inhaling vapors, as opposed to inhaling smoke from burning cigarettes.

Research in the UK last year showed that over a third of smokers now believe vaping is more harmful to health than smoking, compared to 12% four years ago, while another third think vaping is just as bad.

Despite scientific evidence showing the harmful effects of smoking and Cochrane reviews suggesting that vaping can help more people quit than other nicotine products, awareness about vaping remains crucial this year as smokers who perceive it as less harmful are more likely to switch.

While both vaping and smoking have known health effects, experts agree that vaping is less harmful than smoking, exposing individuals to fewer toxins at lower levels. This understanding is supported by research conducted by various experts in the field.

Vaping generally involves inhaling aerosols that may contain nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. – Photo credit: Getty

Dr. Jamie Hartman Boyce, a health policy expert, emphasizes that while e-cigarettes are not completely safe, they are significantly less deadly than smoking.

Although there are ongoing discussions in the media regarding the harms of vaping, it is important to consider the well-documented risks associated with smoking, which tend to impact older populations.

Health risks

Smoking remains a major risk factor for various health issues, including cancer, heart disease, infertility, and pregnancy complications, resulting in over 8 million deaths annually. Vaping, on the other hand, produces a lesser mixture of toxic substances compared to burning tobacco.

While more research is needed on the long-term effects of vaping, current evidence suggests that it is less harmful than smoking. Dr. Sarah Jackson highlights the importance of acknowledging potential long-term risks while focusing on the existing evidence supporting the relative safety of vaping.

Research suggests that switching to vaping is a more effective way to give up smoking than other nicotine replacement products – Photo Credit: Getty

Ongoing research by experts like Dr. Maxime Boidin is aimed at understanding the long-term impact of vaping on health, particularly its effects on blood vessels and the cardiovascular system.

As research progresses, it is crucial to rely on peer-reviewed studies to accurately assess the outcomes and implications of vaping. Media reports on ongoing research can sometimes lead to misconceptions and premature conclusions.

Non-smokers turning to vaping

Evidence suggests that vaping can be an effective method for smoking cessation, with e-cigarettes proving to be more useful than traditional nicotine replacements. However, concerns arise when considering individuals who have never smoked and are now turning to vaping.

It is essential to weigh the risks and benefits of vaping, especially for non-smokers, considering factors like exposure to chemicals and potential nicotine addiction. Choosing between vaping and smoking should be approached with caution, prioritizing health and well-being.

About our experts

Dr. Jamie Hartman Boyce: An assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Massachusetts, whose work is published in reputable journals.

Dr. Sarah Jackson: A leading researcher in the UCL Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, with work published in esteemed scientific journals.

Dr. Maxime Boidin: A senior lecturer in cardiac rehabilitation at Manchester Metropolitan University, focusing on cardiovascular health research.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Endangered Galapagos Turtle Welcomes 100 Hatchlings as First-Time Mother

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Congratulations, mommy, Galapagos turtle, and longtime resident of the Philadelphia Zoo, recently became their first mother at an estimated age of 100.

Mom, People who have lived in the zoo since 1932layed 16 eggs in November. Four of them have been hatched. It was the first successful hatching of her species at the zoo, which opened in 1874.

Of course, she had helped. Abrazo, male turtle, is estimated to be about a century ago.

Mama and Abrazo, members of the West Santa Cruz subspecies, are the oldest animals at the Philadelphia Zoo. But Galapagos turtles can live up to 200 years longer, the zoo said.

The first hatching was released on February 27th, and the zoo announced it on Thursday. The others continued within a few days, with the last one being hatched on March 6th.

Neither of the hatching has been named, but is expected to be in the public eye from April 23rd, the zoo said. According to Lauren Augustine, director of herpetology at the zoo, they do “fantasy.” (Herpetology refers to the study of reptiles and amphibians.)

“They’re the size of tennis balls and they’re actually pretty good,” Augustine said.

The turtles in the West Santa Cruz Galapagos are International Union for Conservation of Nature. According to the Philadelphia Zoo, before the new arrival, there were only 44 giant turtles in West Santa Cruz at every zoo in the United States.

Baby turtles will not share the same physical space as their parents. Their impressive size – Abrazo is 410 pounds, and Mama is about 280 pounds – poses the risk of crushing the hatch ring.

Unlike his peers, Abrazo is not his first parent. In 2011 he was part of a successful pairing; Unexpected discoveries of five hatching His previous home is Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens in Columbia, South Carolina

Abrazo came to the Philadelphia Zoo on the recommendation of the Zoo and Aquarium Association.

Abrazzo and Mommy were introduced in 2022, and Mama began laying eggs in 2023. She has now laid four rounds of eggs. The first three rounds were not feasible. But the fourth was.

Once she laid eggs, members of the zoo staff were set up to weigh, measure, and artificially incubate at two different temperatures.

All four hatch rings born this year are women, but Augustine said three more eggs are still being raised.

“It’s kind of testimony through the excellent care that she has to take at the institution,” said Stephen Diver, a professor of zoology medicine at the University of Georgia. “It’s not easy to keep a huge tropical turtle in the Northern Hemisphere properly.”

Being hatched will be taken prisoner for at least five years. The zoo then decides what to do with them, Consultation with the Zoo and Aquarium Association. If they were genetic matches for other turtles, they could either end up at another zoo or spend their days in the wild in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. But that would take a risk, said Rachel Metz, vice president of animal welfare at the Philadelphia Zoo.

“They are at extreme risk from natural disasters, potentially diseases, climate change and invasive species,” she said.

Centuries ago, the Galapagos turtle population reached hundreds of thousands, but it fell over time as it was hunted for human consumption. However, in half a century, the population recovered. Up to about 17,000 For conservation and breeding programs.

Although estimates of the population of turtles in West Santa Cruz vary widely, Stephen Blake, an assistant professor of biology at St. Louis University who has worked extensively with turtles in the Galapagos, says it is likely to be thousands. The population appears to be growing steadily, he said.

The population is small and prisoner reproduction is very rare, so hatching would give researchers the opportunity to study turtles from young ages in captivity, said Juan Manuel Vazquez, a biologist who studied aging in long-standing living animals. Includes Galapagos turtles.

“Additional turtles count,” he said.

Dr. Blake said it is not uncommon for Galapagos turtles to breed in 100 in the wild. Given that, hatching the Philadelphia Zoo is unlikely to have a major impact on conservation efforts, but it could help raise awareness about the massive turtles in general.

“In my opinion, this is not intended to do much for what is happening in the wild directly, reproducing a turtle. But indirect terms, zoos can promote the wonder of producing 100-year-old reptiles for the first time, and use it as a means to surprise them among people.. ”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Video Evidence Shows That These Monkeys are the World’s Best Yodelers

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Enjoy the beautiful scene of Music sounds as Maria and von Trapp’s children sing about the lonely Jasteld Jodel in the Austrian Alps (lay-ee-odl-lay-ee-odl-lay-hee-hoo).

Despite the picturesque moment, I was unfamiliar with these characters. Comparing their yodeling to that of monkeys in the rainforest of Latin America, it seems somewhat embarrassing.

Recent research conducted by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the University of Vienna in collaboration with experts from Japan, Sweden, and Bolivia sheds light on this topic.

Through recordings and analysis of black and gold Howler monkeys, tufted capuchins, black-cap squirrel monkeys, and Peruvian spider monkeys at Randa Verde Wildlife Reserve in Bolivia, scientists discovered that these primates can jump three or more musical octaves at once, unlike human yodelers who span sub-octaves.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2025/04/Monkey-call.mp4

Dr. Christian Herbst explains the tufted capuchin’s call in real-time

Dr. Jacob Dunn, an associate professor of evolutionary biology at ARU, highlighted how these voice leaps contribute to the primates’ communication abilities in complex social settings.

The unique vocalizations known as “ultra yodels” are made possible by the distinct anatomy of the monkey’s throat, specifically the vocal membrane. This thin tissue ribbon allows for extended pitch ranges, enhancing the monkeys’ vocal repertoire.

The evolution of monkeys’ vocal membranes contrasts with human vocal abilities, as they enhance pitch range but may lead to voice instability.

Capuchin Monkeys are known for their intelligence and tool use

While humans yodel by shifting between voice registers, monkeys utilize vocal membranes to produce complex vocal patterns without the need for intricate neural control.

Not all monkeys excel at yodeling, with Latin American monkeys displaying a particular proficiency due to their vocal membranes. This suggests the importance of these calls for certain species.

For more information:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Schrödinger’s Cat Warmed Up: A Potential Game-Changer in Quantum Physics

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists have achieved a breakthrough in quantum physics, creating a “Schrodinger Cat” state at warmer temperatures than previously thought possible.

This state relies on the concept of superposition, where particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously, a key principle of quantum mechanics.

The famous thought experiment by physicist Erwin Schrodinger involving a cat in a box with a radioactive material highlights the paradoxical nature of this concept.

Physicists have managed to create real Schrodinger cat particles, where quantum objects can exist in two states simultaneously without needing to be cooled to ground state temperature.

A recent study published in the journal Advances in Science has reported the creation of quantum states at ground state temperature.

In Erwin Schrödinger’s thought experiment, cats are alive and dead at the same time. Similar to how quantum objects occupy multiple states at once – Innsbruck University/Halaldricksch

Researchers at Innsbruck University have successfully produced the Schrodinger Cat state at a temperature of 1.8 Kelvin, a relatively warm temperature for quantum experiments.

This discovery challenges the traditional belief that quantum effects are disrupted by higher temperatures and opens up new possibilities for quantum technology.

Quantum computers, which could revolutionize technology by operating in multiple states, currently require expensive cooling methods. However, this study suggests that quantum phenomena can still be observed and utilized in warmer environments.

“Our work demonstrates that quantum interactions can persist even at higher temperatures, making temperature ultimately irrelevant for certain quantum effects,” said Professor Gerhard Kirchmair, one of the researchers involved in the study.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com