Walking slightly faster than usual can markedly enhance the health of seniors, according to new research from the University of Chicago.
Specifically, researchers discovered that frail or at-risk adults can bolster their health and quality of life by increasing their walking speed by at least 14 steps per minute over their normal pace.
“Increased walking speed is a well-documented protector against mortality,” stated Dr. Daniel Rubin, associate professor of anesthesia and critical care at the university, as reported by BBC Science Focus. “Older adults who walk more briskly tend to live longer.”
The study involved 102 participants from 14 retirement communities, implementing a structured walking program over four months.
During this period, 56 participants maintained a normal walking pace while the remaining 46 were encouraged to walk quickly yet safely.
At the conclusion of the program, each participant’s walking speed was assessed during a 6-minute walk.
While all participants reaped benefits from the walking program, those who managed around 100 steps per minute showed the most significant improvement in their frailty levels from the start to the end of the study.
Researchers had long recognized that walking speed correlates with the health of older adults, but previous recommendations on how to enhance pace were often subjective and challenging to quantify.
Traditionally, older adults were advised to walk at a pace where talking was easy but singing was difficult.
Frail adults are at increased risk of falls, hospitalization, and loss of independence. Warning signs include weakness, unintentional weight loss, and fatigue. Image Credit: Getty.
“We can offer the elderly straightforward and targeted advice like, ‘Try to walk five steps per minute faster than your normal pace.’
Healthcare providers and researchers can use wearable technology, such as accelerometers, to track walking speed. Rubin and his team are currently developing an app for individuals to measure their speed at home.
In the meantime, Rubin suggests utilizing a metronome to establish a baseline walking pace, syncing steps with the metronome’s beat.
“Once a comfortable pace is established, you can gradually add 5-10 steps per minute to enhance your cadence,” he noted. “The target is to aim for an increase of 10-15 steps per minute, which is acceptable.”
Nonetheless, Rubin emphasizes that seniors must walk safely and monitor for any symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness.
“Our hope is that older adults will find this a practical strategy for guiding walking intensity, enabling them to live longer and continue engaging in activities they enjoy,” he added.
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About our experts
Dr. Daniel Rubin is a physician at the University of Chicago and an assistant professor of anesthesia and critical care. His interest in gait studies stems from his clinical experience with elderly patients preparing for surgery.
Depiction of a Neanderthal group engaged in food preparation
Luis Montagna/Marta Montagna/Science Photo Library
Neanderthals likely developed distinct food preparation traditions that varied between groups. Excavations at two caves in what is now northern Israel indicate that these ancient inhabitants had unique methods for processing similar types of prey.
Contrary to popular belief, Homo sapiens were not the first to prepare and cook food. Evidence shows that Neanderthals, who thrived in Europe and Asia until approximately 40,000 years ago, hunted, cooked a diverse array of animals, and employed flint tools to enhance their meals with wild herbs.
For further insights into Neanderthal cuisine, see Analle Jaron from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and her team, who investigated findings at the Amdo and Kebara caves.
Located merely 70 km apart, these sites provide a unique lens through which to examine cultural differences among Neanderthals. The stone tools, remnants of food, and hearths uncovered at both locations suggest that these groups occupied the caves concurrently, possibly during winter months.
As Jaron remarks, “The same animal species were being hunted, set against a similar landscape. The weather conditions were alike, and both Neanderthal groups primarily feasted on gazelles and some fallow deer.”
However, notable differences were also present. For instance, bone evidence indicates that larger prey was favored in the Kebara cave, where more substantial animals were brought in and processed.
Jaron and her colleagues utilized microscopic analysis to study bone remnants from the sediments dated between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago, examining cut marks made by stone tools.
They discovered that while the flint tools were similar across both sites, the patterns of cut marks varied. “The cuts in Kebara displayed a greater fluctuation in width and depth, while in Amdo, they were concentrated in large clusters, often overlapping,” Jaron explains.
To determine whether these discrepancies influenced hunting practices, the researchers focused on the long bones of gazelles from both sites, which exhibited similar variations.
“We’re discussing two groups living in close proximity that both butchered the same type of meat, but it appears that at one site, the meat was processed closer to the bones.” says Ceren Kabukcu from the University of Liverpool, UK.
Past studies examining bone cut marks from later human societies indicate that the variations observed in Neanderthal butchery are not merely due to a lack of skills or difference in technique. It’s not a matter of expertise; it’s a difference in approach.
Jaron posits that these contrasts are likely a result of intentional choices regarding butchering methods. She suggests that Neanderthals in Amdo may have preferred to prepare their meat in ways that preserved it, such as drying or hanging before cooking.
“In the context of opportunistic behavior in slaughtering, one would expect the most efficient methods to be employed to maximize utility; nevertheless, it appears that cultural or social factors played a more significant role,” Jaron states. “This might relate to the group’s practices, passed down through learning and generations.”
“The existence of differences and the subtlety in technological usage in daily life isn’t entirely surprising,” notes Kabukcu. “As research deepens, we may uncover more nuances across various Paleolithic sites, even in China.”
It remains uncertain whether the caves were inhabited simultaneously or if different groups intermingled. “They could have been occupied at the same time or separated by hundreds of years. There’s no definitive way to ascertain that,” Jaron adds.
Nonetheless, she points out that the pronounced clustering of cut marks in Amdo is consistent across both the oldest and youngest sediment layers, suggesting that groups returning to the cave may have maintained similar butchering practices over centuries.
Astronomers utilizing the Gemini North telescope at NSF’s International Gemini Observatory have observed the interstellar comet 3i/Atlas as it passes through our cosmic neighborhood.
This image from the Gemini North Telescope Multi-Object Spectrometer (GMOS-N) showcases the interstellar comet 3i/Atlas. Image credits: International Gemini Observatory/Noirlab/NSF/Aura/K. Meech, Ifa&U. Hawaii / Jen Miller & Mahdi Zamani, Noirlab.
Interstellar objects are those that emerge from and traverse beyond our solar system.
Ranging from several meters to a few kilometers in size, these cosmic fragments are remnants from the formation of the host star’s planetary system.
As they orbit their stars, interactions with the gravitational pull of nearby planets and stars can eject them into interstellar space, allowing them to traverse other solar systems.
Studying interstellar visitors provides critical insights into distant star systems.
They carry valuable information about chemical elements, including their formation timelines and locations, offering scientists glimpses into the formation of planetary systems throughout the history of the Milky Way galaxy.
3i/Atlas marks the third interstellar object discovered, following 1i/Oumuamua in 2017 and 2i/Borisov in 2019.
Astronomers suspect that numerous interstellar objects might regularly pass through our solar system, but capturing them is challenging as they are only visible when telescopes are oriented correctly at the right time.
Multiple teams worldwide utilize various telescopes to monitor 3i/Atlas during its brief visitation, enabling them to collectively assess its key properties.
While many aspects remain unknown, 3i/Atlas is already recognized as distinct in comparison to 1i/Oumuamua and 2i/Borisov.
Previous observations suggest that 3i/Atlas could have a diameter of up to 20 km (12 miles).
New comets typically exhibit highly eccentric orbits, which define how much the object’s path deviates from a perfect circle.
An eccentricity of 0 indicates a circular orbit, while 0.999 signifies a highly elongated ellipse.
Objects with an eccentricity greater than 1 follow paths that do not loop around the Sun and come from, then return to, interstellar space.
The eccentricity of 3i/Atlas is recorded at 6.2, classifying it as a highly hyperbolic interstellar object.
In contrast, “Oumuamua’s” eccentricity was around 1.2, and Borisov’s was about 3.6.
As of now, 3i/Atlas resides in Jupiter’s orbit, approximately 465 million km (290 million miles) from Earth and 600 million km (370 million miles) from the Sun.
On December 19, 2025, it will come within roughly 270 million km (170 million miles) of Earth, posing no threat to our planet.
The closest approach to the Sun will occur around October 30, 2025, at a distance of 210 million km (130 million miles).
During this close approach, it is expected to travel at about 25,000 km (15,500 miles) per hour.
The latest image of 3i/Atlas was obtained using the Gemini North Telescope Multi-Object Spectrometer (GMOS-N).
“The sensitivity and scheduling precision of the International Gemini Observatory played a critical role in observing this interstellar wanderer,” remarked Martin Still, NSF Program Director at the International Gemini Observatory.
“We eagerly anticipate the wealth of new data and insights as this object warms in sunlight before continuing its cold, dark journey through interstellar space.”
Mitochondria supply energy to cells, yet mutations can lead to defects
Nobeastsofierce Science / Alamy
Eight young children are believed to be shielded from severe genetic disorders after being born through a procedure that replaces the mother’s faulty mitochondria with those from female donors.
Approximately 1 in 5,000 individuals inherit defective mitochondria, which are responsible for energy production in cells and passed down solely from mothers. Such defects can stem from genetic mutations leading to serious health issues like blindness, seizures, and even death. “Families face immense challenges with these conditions, as they are devastating,” said Bobby McFarland of Newcastle University in the UK.
In 2015, the UK became the first nation to sanction a technique known as pronuclear transfer for women at high risk of transmitting mitochondrial diseases who may not benefit from genetic testing prior to the transplant.
This technique involves utilizing eggs from both the mothers and donors, then fertilizing them with sperm from the father via IVF. After approximately 10 hours, the nuclei from both eggs are removed. This separates the crucial genetic material from the mitochondrial DNA.
The nucleus from the mother is subsequently inserted into the donor’s egg, resulting in an embryo that retains most of the genetic information from its biological parent while gaining mitochondria from the donor. It’s important to note that some maternal mitochondrial DNA could still be passed on unintentionally, as mentioned by Burt Smeet of Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
McFarland, who pioneered this approach with colleagues, has since employed the technique on 19 women possessing harmful mutations in over 80% of their mitochondria, typically the threshold for complications.
Following the transfer of the last embryo, seven women achieved pregnancies, resulting in the birth of eight healthy babies, including one set of twins.
Blood samples taken from the newborns were analyzed, revealing no harmful mitochondrial DNA mutations in five of them, while the other three showed only minimal levels. “The results have met our expectations,” noted Mike Murphy at Cambridge University.
Months or even years after undergoing nuclear transfer, some of the children have encountered challenges in reaching developmental milestones. Some have faced complications, potentially related to the transfer process. For instance, one child experienced elevated blood lipid levels and an irregular heartbeat, both of which were treated successfully, while another developed epilepsy at seven months, which resolved itself over time.
The research team intends to monitor the children to assess the long-term effects of this procedure.
A recent study from the University of Colorado Boulder indicates that erythritol, a widely used non-nutritive sweetener, may be linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.
Berry et al. Our study demonstrates that erythritol, at concentrations commonly found in standard size sugar-free beverages, negatively impacts cerebral microvascular endothelial cell oxidative stress, ENOS activation, NO production, ET-1 expression, and T-PA release in vitro. Image credit: Tafilah Yusof.
Erythritol is a popular alternative to non-nutritive sugars due to its minimal effects on blood glucose and insulin levels.
This four-carbon sugar has a low-calorie content of 60-80%, being as sweet as sucrose, and commonly replaces sugar in baked goods, confections, and beverages.
Authorized by the FDA in 2001, erythritol is recommended for individuals with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes, as it aids in regulating calorie consumption, sugar intake, and minimizing hyperglycemia.
Found naturally in small amounts in certain fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods, erythritol is quickly absorbed in the small intestine through passive diffusion.
In humans, erythritol is produced endogenously from glucose and fructose by erythrocytes, liver, and kidneys via the pentose phosphate pathway, making its levels dependent on both endogenous production and external intake.
“Our findings contribute to the growing evidence that non-nutritive sweeteners, often considered safe, could pose health risks,” stated Professor Christopher Desouza from the University of Colorado.
A recent study involving 4,000 participants from the US and Europe revealed that individuals with elevated erythritol levels are at a significantly increased risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke within three years.
Professor Desouza and his team sought to determine what factors were contributing to this heightened risk.
They exposed human cells lining blood vessels in the brain to erythritol for three hours, using concentrations similar to those found in standard sugar-free beverages.
The treated cells exhibited several alterations.
Notably, they produced significantly less nitric oxide, a molecule critical for dilating blood vessels, while increasing the expression of endothelin-1, which constricts blood vessels.
Furthermore, the challenge of a thrombogenic compound called thrombin significantly slowed the cell’s production of T-PA, a naturally occurring compound that promotes coagulation.
Cells treated with erythritol also generated more reactive oxygen species, or free radicals, which can lead to cellular damage and inflammation.
“We’ve been diligently working to share our findings with the broader community,” noted Auburn Berry, a graduate student at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
“Our research indicates that erythritol may indeed heighten the risk of stroke.”
“Our study solely focused on sugar substitutes,” emphasized Professor Desouza.
“For individuals consuming multiple servings daily, the potential impact could be even more pronounced.”
The researchers caution that their findings are based on lab research conducted on cells, necessitating larger-scale studies involving human subjects.
Nonetheless, they advise consumers to check product labels for erythritol or “sugar alcohol.”
“Considering the epidemiological evidence informing our research, along with our cellular discoveries, monitoring the intake of such non-nutritive sweeteners seems wise,” Professor Desouza remarked.
The study was published today in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
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Auburn R. Berry et al. 2025. The non-nutritive sweetener erythritol negatively affects brain microvascular endothelial cell function. Journal of Applied Physiology 138(6):1571-1577; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00276.2025
Alaska’s coastal regions were on alert for a tsunami Wednesday following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit the Ariuya Islands, according to officials.
The earthquake occurred at 12:38 PM local time (4:38 PM ET), with its epicenter located 55 miles south of Sandpoint, a community on Popf Island. The quake was recorded at a depth of 12 miles.
Tsunami data was not immediately available, and effects for Kodiak Island were not anticipated until 2:40 PM local time (6:40 PM ET).
Although no large-scale flooding is expected, the Tsunami Warning Center stated that dangerous currents and waves could pose risks to those in close proximity.
The initial tsunami warning has since been adjusted to a tsunami advisory.
These advisories span various coastlines, from Unimak Pass in the Aleutians to the entrance of Kennedy, located 40 miles south of Homer.
Emergency personnel in Kodiak, a city of around 5,500 that lies about 250 miles south of Anchorage, announced that shelters would be opened and sirens sounded prior to the warning being downgraded.
“The sirens are sounding, and remain vigilant if you’re near the coast,” Kodiak Island Emergency Management advised on social media.
Emergency officials reported no threat to Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, following the earthquake.
“I was at home for lunch when the house began to shake; things were falling, and the cupboard door swung open,” she recounted to the station. “Fortunately, there was no damage.”
Image of the moon captured by Chang’e 5 Lander in China, which gathered samples in 2020
CNSA/Xinhua/Alamy
Solar energy systems can generate water, oxygen, and fuel from lunar regolith for future settlements of lunar explorers.
It has been established that significant amounts of water are bound in the minerals of the moon. However, methods proposed for extracting resources from lunar regolith typically involve complex and energy-heavy techniques that aren’t practical for long-lasting lunar colonies.
Recently, Lu Wang and his team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong discovered that a relatively straightforward solar-powered nuclear reactor could yield useful materials simply by exposing lunar regolith to sunlight and utilizing them through astronauts.
In their experiments, the researchers utilized lunar samples obtained from China’s Chang’e 5 mission, along with simulated samples made from Earth-based rocks.
During the operation of the reactor, sunlight first extracts water from the lunar soil, and then the soil facilitates a reaction between CO₂ and water to produce carbon monoxide, oxygen, and hydrogen, which can serve as fuel.
While lunar soil contains various minerals that can aid in these reactions, a compound known as ilmenite is highlighted as a key catalyst, according to Wang.
“The mechanisms of these chemical reactions are quite fascinating and could lead to the creation of essential lunar resources,” says Haihui Joy Jiang, who was not part of the research team at the University of Sydney in Australia.
“We still need to address several questions and direct future research to determine if this process is applicable in a practical, feasible, and scalable manner on the moon,” Jiang adds.
Wang acknowledges the challenges of expanding this process to produce sufficient water, oxygen, and fuel to support a lunar colony. “The moon’s extreme environment presents unique challenges, including severe temperature variations, a high vacuum, intense solar radiation, and low gravity,” he notes. “Moreover, the variability in lunar soil and scarcity of co-resources pose considerable hurdles to technical implementation.”
Two of the five snow leopard cubs recently photographed in Mongolia
SLCF-Mongolia/Snow Leopard Trust
A team of researchers explored two snow leopard dens in the Tost Mountains of Mongolia, studying and capturing images of five cubs, which provided a rare chance to gather data on this endangered species.
Before their expedition in June and July, researchers had not been able to access snow leopard nests globally since 2019. Örjan Johansson of Snow Leopard Trust noted, “The burrows are situated in tight cracks and caves. We only get one opportunity. If the mother returns before we locate the burrow, we have to stop our search. Going back more than once is too intrusive.”
Johansson and Bren Nyam, a local field ranger, pinpointed the burrow’s approximate location by tracking GPS collars that had been previously attached to 20 adult female snow leopards.
The burrow where the cubs were found was located by tracking the mother’s whereabouts
SLCF-Mongolia_snow Leopard Trust
Johansson explained, “The range of female snow leopards’ homes in Mongolia’s South Gobi region typically spans about 130 square kilometers, which is approximately 2.5 times the area of Manhattan. Without the GPS collar, we would not have discovered their burrows.” However, even with the collars, the team had to search an area as vast as 60,000 square meters to pinpoint the exact location.
The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is categorized as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with an estimated 3,920 to 6,390 individuals remaining in the wild. These cats inhabit alpine terrains across Central Asia, spanning 2 million square kilometers across 12 countries, including China, India, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. Their populations face threats from habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts arising from livestock predation.
Johansson noted, “To effectively model and predict population trajectories of multiple species, we must grasp essential factors such as fertility, mortality, and the dynamics of animals entering and leaving an area.” He collaborated with the Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation on this project.
“Visiting the dens is crucial as it is the only means to gather information on average litter sizes and cub survival rates during their first five to six months. Before this age, cubs typically remain secluded with their mothers. Accessing the burrow allows researchers to collect invaluable data that would otherwise be unattainable. Such information is essential for enhancing understanding of snow leopard ecology and informing conservation strategies for a sustainable future.”
We are moving towards a significantly warmer future. As we go, there’s a substantial risk of reaching a “tipping point” that could drastically worsen climate disruption. With our failure to decrease carbon emissions, geoengineering’s allure for cooling the planet is growing, but is that a sound solution?
“Geoengineering can avert climatic tipping points, but it can’t be delayed,” some researchers suggest, proposing that injecting solar-reflecting aerosols into the stratosphere might prevent collapse events, like the slowing of vital ocean currents. Yet, the risks associated with geoengineering are considerable.
Initially, achieving an international agreement on this matter seems unlikely; if a single country acts independently, it could lead to severe consequences, like altered rainfall patterns globally. If one nation perceives itself harmed by another’s geoengineering efforts, we might find ourselves in a climate conflict where geoengineering is weaponized.
Even with a consensus, the situation remains complicated. If geoengineering goes awry, it could worsen conditions instead of improving them. There have been too few practical tests of computer models and geoengineering concepts for us to feel confident in their efficacy.
We might face a climate war where geoengineering is employed as a weapon.
The urgency is palpable. The sooner geoengineering is initiated, the better our chances of evading perilous tipping points. At the very least, it’s an avenue worth exploring.
However, many scientists oppose geoengineering research altogether. One concern is that it could be leveraged as a rationale for neglecting carbon reduction efforts. But that discussion is hardly impactful in a reality where U.S. President Donald Trump has rolled back climate initiatives without much justification (see “What will climate repercussions look like from Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’?”).
Geoengineering might be a catastrophic notion, but we won’t grasp its implications unless we conduct extensive research. This exploration is essential before we are compelled to take drastic measures without solid scientific guidance.
Astronomers have, for the first time, been able to witness the early stages of solar system formation, discovering small entities that would eventually evolve into planets orbiting a distant young star.
This represents the earliest phase of planetary formation ever documented, giving us insight into our own solar system’s appearance shortly after the Sun ignited.
“We observe signs of planetary development – the transformation of tiny dust particles into slightly larger grains – and in some systems, this provides insight into earlier phases. Professor Merel Van ‘T Hoff, a co-author of the new study, elaborated on these findings. BBC Science Focus.
“This can be likened to researchers studying human evolution who, for the first time, can observe infants by examining young children.”
The Baby Planetary System is coming to life around a young star known as Hops-315, located 1,300 light years from Earth.
Stars in this early stage are thought to closely resemble our Sun, making them ideal subjects for uncovering the secrets of our solar system’s inception and Earth’s genesis.
Young stars like Hops-315 are enveloped by hot disks of gas and dust termed “protoplanetary discs.” Initially, these disks are extremely hot, causing silicon and iron – crucial planetary components – to be in gaseous form. However, as the disk cools, these elements begin to solidify.
Evidence from ancient meteorites in our solar system suggests that the first solid materials were formed from these discs, specifically crystalline minerals containing silicon monoxide (SiO).
These images illustrate how hot gas condenses into solid minerals around Baby Star Hops-315. The left image captures Hops-315 and its surroundings as seen by the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (Alma). Two insets depict an artist’s representation of silicon monoxide molecules condensing into solid silicates – credit: ESO/L. Calsada/Alma (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/M. McClure et al.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (Alma), international teams identified SiO in its gaseous form and as a newly formed crystalline mineral surrounding Hops-315, strongly indicating that solidification is just beginning.
“The first tiny minerals we observe clump together to form ‘pebbles,’ roughly the size of thumbnails,” Professor Melissa McClure, who led the research, stated. BBC Science Focus. “If they cluster closely enough, they can naturally collapse under their own gravity, forming bodies similar in size to kilometer-sized asteroids.
“Eventually, these will collide and merge, creating a planetary embryo, a full-sized rocky planet, or even the core of a gas giant like Jupiter.”
The research team plans to continue its observations of Hops-315 while also looking for other systems at this nascent stage of planetary evolution.
However, don’t expect to witness planetary formations in real-time. As Van’T Hoff remarked, “The timescale for disk evolution spans hundreds of thousands of years.”
Merrell van T. Hoff is an assistant professor at Purdue University in the United States. His research aims to understand how planets form and how frequently Earth-like planets exist in the Milky Way and other galaxies. Before joining Purdue, Professor Van’T Hoff was a postdoctoral researcher with the Michigan Fellows Association at the University of Michigan.
Melissa McClure is an assistant professor at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands and a Beni Prize laureate. Her research employs observations and models to trace how solid building blocks of life (such as “dust” grains like ice and rocks) are incorporated from the formation of dense molecular clouds to the evolution of planets within protoplanetary discs and young exoplanets.
Researchers have created innovative technologies to extract water from lunar soil, potentially offering vital support for future lunar explorers.
Findings published in the journal Joule highlight how this could significantly lower the astronomical cost of transporting water from Earth, which stands at $22,000 per liter ($83,000 per gallon).
If successfully scaled, this technology may play a crucial role in supporting long-term missions on the moon.
Utilizing samples brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 mission in 2020, scientists showed that water can be extracted from lunar materials and used alongside carbon dioxide to produce essential resources. These resources include oxygen for astronauts to breathe and hydrogen-based chemicals that can be transformed into rocket fuel.
“We never fully imagined the ‘magic’ contained in lunar soil,” said Professor Lou Wang, one of the study’s authors from Shenzhen University and Hong Kong’s China University, in a statement.
“The most surprising aspect of our work was the real success achieved through this integrated approach. One stage of lunar 2O extraction and photothermal CO2 catalysts enhances energy efficiency and simplifies infrastructure development.”
This technique employs a photothermal method (which converts sunlight into heat) to facilitate water extraction and the chemical conversion process.
Chang’e-5 lunar samples on display in Beijing, China. The mission returned 1.7 kg (3.7 pounds) of lunar material to Earth in 2020 – Source: Getty
In laboratory tests, the team employed actual lunar soils from Chang’e-5, along with simulated samples, exposing them to CO2 while concentrating light into a batch reactor. The CO2 used in the conversion process can be easily obtained from astronaut exhalations on the moon.
Previous methods for extracting water from lunar regolith lacked direct links to generating other vital resources. This integrated approach indicates a more efficient advancement; however, researchers recognize that significant challenges persist.
The moon’s extreme temperatures, high radiation levels, and inconsistent soil composition complicate efforts to scale this technology. The amount of CO2 produced by an astronaut’s exhalation may not meet the requirements for complete resource recycling, and the catalytic process still lacks the efficiency needed for sustained life.
Nevertheless, this advancement represents a promising leap towards making life on the moon more viable. There is increasing global interest in establishing a long-term human presence on the moon, and leveraging local water resources could be instrumental for deeper space missions.
Egg cells do not dispose of waste like other cells.
Sebastian Kauritzki / Aramie
Human eggs appear to manage waste differently than other cell types.
All women are born with a limited supply of egg cells, or oocytes, expected to last around 50 years. This duration is remarkably extended for a single cell. Certain human cells, including brain and retinal cells, can persist for a lifetime, but the innate processes that facilitate their function often lead to gradual damage over time.
Cells require protein recycling as part of their housekeeping, but this comes with a price. The energy spent during this process can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which inflict random damage on the cells. “This background damage is ever-present,” notes Elvan Beke from the Spanish Genome Regulation Center. “An increase in ROS correlates with increased damage.”
However, it appears that healthy eggs circumvent this issue. To investigate this phenomenon, Beke and her team examined human eggs under a microscope. The cells were immersed in a fluid containing a fluorescent dye that binds to acidic cellular components known as lysosomes, which are considered “recycling plants.” Gabriele Zaffagnini from the University of Cologne, Germany, was involved in this study.
The bright dyes indicated that the lysosomes containing waste in human eggs demonstrated less activity compared to similar structures in other human cells or small mammalian egg cells, such as those from mice. Zaffagnini and his colleagues theorize that this may serve a self-preservation purpose.
According to Zaffagnini, reducing the waste recycling process might be one of several strategies employed by human egg cells to maintain their extended lifespan. Beke suggests that human oocytes appear to “put the brakes on everything” in order to minimize damage, as all cellular functions slow down in these eggs, thereby lowering the production of harmful ROS.
Slowing the protein recycling mechanism seems beneficial for egg cell health, and failure to do so could explain the prevalence of unhealthy oocytes. “This insight might help explain why human oocytes become dysfunctional after a certain age,” states M-Re from Yale University School of Medicine. “This could lead to a broader understanding of the challenges faced by human oocytes,” he adds.
Fluorescent dyes highlight human egg cells, showcasing components
such as mitochondria (orange) and DNA (light blue).
Gabriele Zaffagnini/Centro de Regulación Genómica
Evaluating egg cell health in this manner could enhance fertility therapies. “It’s well-known that protein degradation is vital for cell survival, directly affecting fertility,” explains Beke, who is focused on researching healthy egg cells. There are ongoing comparisons between oocytes and cells from individuals encountering fertility issues. “Elevated ROS levels correlate with poor IVF outcomes,” she states.
Research on human egg cells is still in its early stages due to inherent complexities. “They are hard to manipulate due to sample constraints,” comments Beke. Seri mentions that this is one of several “layers” complicating egg cell studies, including regulatory limitations and funding challenges.
Zaffagnini believes that overcoming these obstacles could lead to “truly astonishing” discoveries. “It’s certainly worth pursuing,” he concludes.
Creatures uncovered near the Mabahismon volcano in the Red Sea, such as amphipods and polychaete worms
Dr. Katrin Linse
Ultra-salty lakes rich in carbon dioxide can support extreme life forms that differ from those found in other environments.
Dense saline water, laden with minerals, sinks to the ocean floor, where it can pool in depressions, creating unique brine lakes distinct from the upper waters. These brine pools, identified in various oceans, feature a unique chemical makeup—low in oxygen yet rich in particular minerals—allowing extreme microorganisms to thrive and evolve.
Recently, Froukje van der Zwan from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia and her team have identified a novel brine pool that is warm, carbon-rich, and possibly nourished by underwater volcanic activity.
On a recent expedition to two underwater volcanoes in the Red Sea, Haty Bamons and Mabahismons, Van der Zwan and her colleagues found several brine pools located near the summit of the volcano, about five kilometers from mineral deposits where salt concentration increases. They also discovered regions with numerous hydrothermal vents releasing mineral-rich water at temperatures around 60°C (140°F).
Using a robotic vehicle for sampling revealed that the pool was warmer than the surrounding water and exhibited elevated levels of metallic elements like zinc and manganese.
The hot water vents also contained rich gas. “They show relatively high CO2 levels, similar to methane… however, unlike other hot water vents where liquids mix with seawater, this might function as a trap for these gases, being sequestered in the salt water here.”
Researchers are currently examining microbial samples collected from these pools to understand how life adapts to such extreme environments. Nearby hydrothermal vents revealed thick mats and diverse lifeforms, including polychaete worms and amphipods, featuring microorganisms considerably larger than known marine counterparts.
Living within a saline pool may offer insights into how life might thrive in harsh extraterrestrial environments, such as the salty, iron-rich oceans beneath the icy crust of Jupiter’s moon Europa. If hydrothermal activities exist beneath this surface, it could present scenarios similar to the iron-rich brine pool discovered by Van der Zwan and her research team.
A recent study reveals that Denmark boasts the most favorable environmental, social, and political conditions for aging slowly and maintaining a healthier lifestyle.
Published in Natural Medicine, this research pinpointed the elements influencing the biological processes that dictate healthy aging. An international team of researchers examined data from over 160,000 individuals across 40 nations, assessing how various factors influence aging worldwide.
To establish a baseline for the average aging rate, researchers utilized a measurement known as the “Biobiural Age Gap” clock. This AI model estimates the disparity between an individual’s chronological age and their predicted age based on surrounding risk factors. For instance, a 50-year-old person might be predicted to have a biological age of 55 based on these factors, resulting in a five-year age gap.
The findings revealed that among the four continents studied—Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America—European individuals showcased the highest levels of healthy aging. Conversely, in lower-income nations, accelerated aging was prevalent among older individuals.
“This study is significant as it reconceptualizes aging as influenced by not just biology and lifestyle, but also broader environmental and sociopolitical factors,” stated Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, an associate professor of aging at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, who was not involved in the research, in comments to BBC Science Focus.
Egypt recorded the fastest rate of aging, with individuals showing an average biological age 4.75 years older than their chronological age. Following Egypt were South Africa and certain South American nations. Within Europe, Eastern and Southern regions displayed more rapid aging trends.
In contrast, Denmark demonstrated the slowest aging rate, with an average biological age 2.35 years younger than the actual age. The Netherlands and Finland followed in terms of healthy aging.
Key Factors for Healthy Aging
What makes Denmark and much of Northern and Western Europe conducive to healthy aging? Researchers identified crucial factors including environmental elements like air quality alongside social factors such as gender equality and socioeconomic status.
Interestingly, significant influences were also found in sociopolitical conditions. Healthy aging is closely related to political representation, freedom of parties, democratic elections, and voting rights.
“The link between politics and accelerated aging presents an intriguing puzzle in this study,” commented Scheibye-Knudsen. “Possible mechanisms include heightened chronic stress responses due to anxiety and healthcare disparities.”
This study indicated that individuals with accelerated aging face challenges in completing daily tasks and are eight times more likely to experience cognitive decline.
While the study spanned four continents, it primarily represented limited areas of Africa, focusing on Egypt and South Africa.
Researchers stress that their findings illustrate correlations rather than causative relationships. Nonetheless, they advocate for urgent action to address global health disparities.
“Remarkably, risk factors outweigh protective ones, indicating that individuals in low-income countries experience significantly accelerated aging irrespective of their socioeconomic status,” noted Scheibye-Knudsen.
“This reinforces the compelling case for investing in universal initiatives, such as access to education and healthcare, to enhance the health of populations.”
Read more:
About Our Experts
Dr. Morten Scheibye-Knudsen serves as an associate professor of aging at the University of Copenhagen and leads the Scheibye-Knudsen research group. He is also the president of the Nordic Aging Association.
Far from the shore, in the immense stretches of the open ocean, resides an uncommon assembly of creatures known as “Neustons.”
This environment is a vast, two-dimensional layer of the ocean that bridges the atmosphere with the sea.
Among this group, one of the most fascinating beings is the blue dragon, a kind of sea slug, or naujibrance, more widely recognized as the blue dragon, the sea swallow, or Glaucus atlanticus.
Blue dragons float on the surface, buoyed by the air bubbles they have ingested. To evade predators, they employ a unique biological strategy called countershading.
The underside of their body, positioned upside down, exhibits a bright blue hue that camouflages it against the ocean below, concealing it from aerial hunters above.
Conversely, the side that hangs from the surface boasts silver stripes that mimic the shimmering ocean surface, aiding swimming predators in their upward gaze.
Overall, the blue dragon appears peculiar owing to its sea slug nature. The main body, measuring about 3cm (0.4 inches), seems somewhat sluggish, but it features elongated appendages resembling fingers of varying lengths.
These appendages are not used for waving or swimming; they are anatomical structures called ceratha, essentially serving as a secondary gill by extending the intestines and respiratory system to facilitate breathing.
Like many sea slug species, the Blue Dragon utilizes its ceratha as a weapon. They are notorious hunters, primarily targeting other blue-hued Neustons, including Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis) and jellyfish-like creatures like blue buttons (Porpita porpita) and by-the-wind sailors (Velella velella).
Blue dragons can inject venom into these organisms without fear of being stung.
‘They are vicious hunters, and their main prey is the other members of Neuston’ – Photo credit: Matty Smith Photo
Remarkably, these sea slugs can recycle their prey’s toxins, maintaining them intact and incorporating them into their ceratha.
When threatened by predators, they can launch these toxins as a potent defense mechanism.
Modern challenges pose threats to Blue Dragons and their fellow Neuston inhabitants. A study conducted between Hawaii and California reveals that they inhabit the same remote regions of the infamous Pacific Ocean, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where floating plastic debris accumulates due to swirling ocean currents.
One approach to combat this plastic pollution involves placing a net between two vessels to retrieve debris from the surface. However, this method could inadvertently capture a significant number of Neustons.
The complete ecological consequences of this method remain unclear, but it may have significant repercussions on the marine food web. These creatures serve as crucial food sources for a variety of marine species, such as sea turtles and seabirds.
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Recent research indicates that older adults who play musical instruments tend to have healthier brains.
One investigation examined the impacts of decades of music practice, while another focused on learning new instruments later in life.
In both studies, engaging in music was linked to better brain health and a decrease in age-related cognitive decline.
The first study was published in PLOS Biology and involved collaboration between Canadian and Chinese researchers. They recruited 50 adults with an average age of 65, half of whom had been playing instruments for at least 32 years, while the others had no musical experience.
Additionally, they included 24 young adults with an average age of 23 who had no musical training.
The researchers utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess blood flow in the brains of the participants.
During the scans, participants listened to a recording of speakers amid background noise, where 50 other voices were present, and were tasked with identifying what the main speaker was saying.
The scans revealed that older musicians’ brains responded to challenges similarly to those of the younger participants.
Nonetheless, older adults showed signs of cognitive decline. Specifically, musicians exhibited strong neural connections on the right side of the brain that non-musicians lacked, which could place additional strain on their brain.
“The brains of older musicians remain finely tuned due to years of training, so they don’t need to play well-tuned instruments at high volumes,” stated co-author Dr. Yi from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
“Our findings suggest that musical experience helps mitigate the additional cognitive strain typically associated with age-related challenges, particularly in noisy environments.”
A 2025 YouGov poll revealed that 25% of UK adults can play at least one instrument, with the guitar being the second most favored instrument after the piano.
As individuals age, cognitive functions such as memory, learning, and perception often deteriorate, eventually contributing to dementia.
However, researchers posit that cognitive reserve—the brain’s capability to manage damage and decline—can enhance resilience against this deterioration.
The precise mechanisms remain unclear, as noted by Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, Associate Professor of Aging at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in an interview with BBC Science Focus.
Some studies suggest that “exercising” the brain through activities like playing instruments, learning new languages, and solving puzzles can improve brain health, but results from other research have been inconsistent.
“Overall, we advocate for brain training, but the evidence is not conclusive,” Scheibye-Knudsen remarked.
Conversely, another recent study, published in Imaging Neuroscience, indicated that musical practice can enhance brain health, even when individuals start playing in later life.
According to a 2024 poll from the University of Michigan, 17% of US adults aged 50-80 engage in playing instruments at least several times a year – Credit: DMP via Getty
Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan continued previous studies that included 53 elderly individuals (average age 73) who took music lessons for four months. Initial findings indicated no significant differences in brain health among participants.
Four years later, the same participants underwent MRI scans (13 of whom had maintained their music practice).
Those who ceased playing their newly learned instruments showed declines in memory performance, with a noticeable reduction in the volume of the putamen—a brain region associated with motor function, learning, and memory.
However, those who continued playing music over the four years exhibited no cognitive decline.
Scheibye-Knudsen noted that the study demonstrates that “playing an instrument not only helps preserve cognitive function as we age, but it may also directly contribute to maintaining the structural integrity of the brain.”
He added, “Engaging in music beyond what this study covered offers additional advantages, such as enhanced social interaction.”
“I encourage people to start making music; it’s never too late to learn.”
Read more:
About Our Experts
Morten Scheibye-Knudsen is an associate professor of aging at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and leads the Scheibye-Knudsen Research Group. He also serves as the president of the Nordic Aging Association.
The radius of a planet is a crucial factor in understanding its composition and characteristics. Accurate radius measurements are generally obtained by analyzing the percentage of starlight blocked as the planet transits its host star. NASA’s Transit Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has identified hundreds of new exoplanets; however, its low angular resolution can lead to the mixing of light from stars hosting exoplanets with that of background stars. If not entirely corrected, this additional light may dilute the transit signal, leading to an underestimation of the planetary radius. In their analysis of the planet Tess, astronomers from the University of California, Irvine revealed that systematically incorrect planetary radii are frequently reported in scientific literature.
Artistic impression of a gas giant exoplanet and its parent red dwarf star. Image credit: Sci.News.
“We have discovered that many exoplanets are larger than previously thought, which shifts our understanding of exoplanet characteristics on a wide scale,” states Tae Han, a doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine.
“This suggests that we may have actually identified Earth-like planets that are fewer than we initially believed.”
Astronomers cannot directly observe exoplanets; they rely on the planets passing in front of their host stars to measure the subtle decrease in starlight.
“Essentially, we are measuring the shadows cast by planets,” remarks Paul Robertson, a professor at the University of California, Irvine.
In their study, the authors examined the observations of hundreds of exoplanets detected by TESS.
They found that light from neighboring stars could “contaminate” the light emitted by the stars under study.
This results in planets transiting in front of their stars appearing smaller than their actual size, receiving less light compared to larger planets.
Astronomers have conducted numerous studies explaining the characteristics of planets discovered by TESS.
They categorized the planets based on how different research teams measured their radii and used computer models to estimate the extent of bias resulting from light interference from adjacent stars.
Data from the ESA Gaia satellite was utilized to assess the impact of light contamination on TESS observations.
“TESS data is indeed contaminated, and our custom models perform better than any existing methods in the field,” stated Professor Robertson.
“What we discovered in this study is that these planets could be systematically larger than we initially assumed.”
“This raises the question: How common are Earth-sized planets?”
Previously, it was thought there were fewer planets resembling Earth in size.
“Among the single-planet systems identified by TESS, only three were believed to have a composition similar to Earth,” Han noted.
“This new finding indicates that all of them are larger than we previously thought.”
This implies that instead of rocky planets like Earth, they are more likely to be water worlds (planets entirely covered by vast oceans that are often larger than Earth) or larger gas giants like Uranus or Neptune.
This could have significant implications for the search for life on distant worlds, as water worlds may harbor life but lack the specific conditions necessary for life to thrive as it does on Earth.
“These insights have important consequences for our understanding of exoplanets, including prioritizing follow-up observations with the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and assessing the prevalence of water worlds in our galaxy,” concluded Professor Robertson.
The study was published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
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Tae Han et al. 2025. Hundreds of TESS exoplanets may be larger than previously thought. ApJL 988, L4; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ade794
Koalas (phascolarctos cinereus) A recent study by scientists from the University of Queensland and Sunshine Coast found that while koalas spend about 10 minutes a day on the ground, this behavior is linked to two-thirds of the koala fatalities recorded.
The wild koala features a custom-built collar that includes a GPS logger and an accelerometer. Image credit: Ami Fadhillah Amir Abdul Nasir.
The koala population in Australia has diminished by 54% over the past three decades.
Annually, millions of dollars are invested in initiatives aimed at safeguarding koalas, preserving their habitats, and treating various diseases.
Tragically, two-thirds of koala deaths occur on the ground due to vehicle accidents or attacks by dogs.
Despite extensive research, the specifics of how koalas interact with the ground remain largely unknown.
Conventional GPS tracking methods offer limited insight, as they typically document locations only once or twice a day.
“Koalas primarily reside in trees, but increasing land development forces them to descend, significantly raising their risk of injury and death,” stated a student from the University of Queensland.
“Our goal was to gain a deeper understanding of their behaviors during ground movements.”
“Key questions remain regarding how frequently koalas climb down from their trees, the distance they cover, whether they remain on the ground, and what factors influence these choices.”
“Identifying high-risk areas and times, and developing mitigation strategies during these vulnerable moments, is critical to our understanding.”
To fill these knowledge gaps, researchers employed a biologger that captures three-dimensional movements at several hundred points, mapping the koala’s directional movements during specific actions.
They tracked 10 wild koalas using an accelerometer and high-resolution GPS device for an average duration of eight days.
The researchers found that the koalas descended to the ground around three times a day, totaling just 45 minutes.
During these visits, the koalas covered an average distance of 260 meters at a typical walking speed of 1.7 km/h, with occasional bursts of up to 10.4 km/h.
By integrating accelerometer and GPS data, researchers were able to pinpoint specific trees that the koalas traversed between.
“Combining GPS tracks with movement data provides us with an in-depth perspective on how koalas navigate their habitats,” Sparks explained.
“The study confirmed that koalas predominantly stay in trees for sleeping and feeding, yet the extent to which they engage with the ground was startling.”
“We were surprised at the frequency and brevity of their ground activities; they descended only 2-3 times nightly, averaging 10 minutes in total, which is less than 1% of their day.”
“The time they spent sitting and pausing on the ground was nearly equal to the time spent walking, with only about 7% of their ground time dedicated to movement.”
“This suggests that koalas carefully assess their environment while on the ground, possibly weighing the energetic costs of remaining on the ground before deciding to climb a tree.”
This study marks the first detailed documentation of ground movements in wild koalas, raising new inquiries about their navigation in increasingly fragmented habitats.
“Currently, we’re investigating how environmental characteristics influence the time koalas spend in trees,” Sparks noted.
“If we can identify the tree and habitat features that encourage extended periods in the trees, we may be able to manage landscapes in ways that minimize the need for ground travel.”
These findings aim to steer koala conservation efforts, prioritizing specific plant types, enhancing canopy connectivity, and minimizing gaps between safe trees.
This research sheds light on koala behavior and is essential for more effective habitat management, ultimately aiming to lower mortality risks in critical zones.
“This research is just one piece of a larger puzzle, but it significantly enhances our understanding of how koalas interact with an increasingly urbanized environment,” Sparkes added.
The twin detectors of the NSF’s Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting the highest composite mass recorded to date and the merger of two black holes. This event, identified as GW231123 and discovered on November 23, 2023, produced a final black hole with a mass over 225 times that of the Sun.
GW231123 An infographic detailing the merger of black holes. Image credits: Simona J. Miller/Caltech.
LIGO made history in 2015 with the first direct detection of gravitational waves, the ripples in spacetime.
In that instance, the waves were generated by the merger of black holes, culminating in a black hole with a mass 62 times that of our Sun.
The signal was simultaneously detected by LIGO’s twin detectors located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington.
Since then, the LIGO team has collaborated with partners from Italy’s Virgo detectors and Japan’s KAGRA to create the LVK collaboration.
These detectors have collectively observed over 200 black hole mergers during their fourth observational run since starting in 2015.
Previously, the largest black hole merger recorded was in 2021 during the event GW190521, which had a total mass of 140 times that of the Sun.
During the GW231123 event, a black hole with a mass of 225 was formed by merging two black holes, one approximately 100 times and the other 140 times the mass of the Sun.
This discovery places it in a rare category known as intermediate mass black holes, which are heavier than those resulting from star collapses but significantly lighter than the supermassive black holes found at the centers of galaxies.
In addition to their substantial mass, these merged black holes exhibited rapid rotation.
“This is the largest black hole binary we’ve observed in gravitational waves and poses a significant challenge to our understanding of black hole formation,” stated Dr. Mark Hannam, an astrophysicist at Cardiff University and a member of the LVK collaboration.
“The existence of such a large black hole defies standard stellar evolution models.”
“One potential explanation is that the two black holes in this binary could have formed from the merger of smaller black holes.”
“This observation highlights how gravitational waves uniquely uncover the fundamental and exotic properties of black holes throughout the universe,” remarked Dr. Dave Reitze, executive director of LIGO at Caltech.
Researchers announced this week the discovery of GW231123, which will be discussed at the 24th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravity (GR24) and the 16th Edoardo Amaldi Meeting on Gravitational Waves, held jointly at the Gr-Amaldi Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland.
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LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration. GW231123: The largest black hole binary detected by gravitational waves. Gr-Amaldi 2025
Paleontologists have discovered a new genus and species within the Talpidae family, based on a partial skeleton found at a Pliocene Age site in Camp dels Ninotto, Girona, Spain.
Reconstructing the life of Vulcanoscaptor ninoti. Image credit: Jesus Gamara / Ifesquelka.
The newly identified species is named Vulcanoscaptor ninoti. This mole lived in Spain approximately 3.25 million years ago.
The fossilized skeleton was uncovered in 2010 at the Camp del Sninott site in Girona, Spain.
“This specimen includes the mandible with complete dentition, parts of the trunk, and some bones from both fore and hind limbs, many of which are still in anatomical relationships.”
“Exceptional preservation is exceedingly rare in small mammals like moles, making this specimen one of the oldest and most complete in Europe.”
“These fossils represent the most comprehensive mole fossils known from the Pliocene in Europe, offering significant insights into the evolutionary history of talpid.”
The fossils were partially encased in dense sediment blocks and were fully extracted during excavation.
To study it without causing damage, paleontologists utilized high-resolution microcomputed tomography (MicroCT) scans, allowing for precise 3D digital reconstruction of the skeletons.
“MicroCT enabled us to analyze very small and delicate structures such as phalanges and teeth.”
“This technological approach allowed us to identify unique anatomical features and incorporate them into a robust phylogenetic analysis.”
The structure of Vulcanoscaptor ninoti shows that both the forelimbs and hind limbs exhibit a high degree of adaptation to an underground lifestyle.
“The humerus is particularly robust, featuring a wide array of prominent muscle attachment sites, suggesting strong digging capabilities,” said Dr. Linares.
“However, the preservation of this specimen in lake sediments and its lateral position increases the likelihood that it possessed some aquatic mobility.”
“While we can’t confirm this definitively, there’s a modern mole that excels at both digging and swimming.”
According to the team, Vulcanoscaptor ninoti was part of the Scaropini tribe, which includes moles found today in parts of North America and Asia.
This finding from the Pliocene of Europe indicates a more complicated evolutionary and paleogeographic scenario than previously believed.
“Our explanation of Vulcanoscaptor ninoti confirms that the evolutionary history of moles is far more dynamic than previously understood, suggesting possible intercontinental dispersion and a greater anatomical diversity than previously acknowledged,” said one of the authors.
“It also emphasizes the significance of exceptional fossil sites in preserving species that are rarely found in the fossil record, like small mammals.”
“Despite its distinct fossil morphology, this mole shares close ties with present-day North American species from the genera Scapanus and Scaropas, indicating a more intricate evolutionary history than we previously assumed,” added Dr. Juliolio.
“Its presence in Europe points to past transcontinental migration of moles, challenging the notion that they are low-dispersive mammals.”
The team’s paper was published this month in the journal Scientific Reports.
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A. Linares-Martín et al. 2025. Unexpected scalopinimols (mammals) from the Pliocene of Europe shed light on thalpido phylogeny. Sci Rep 15, 24928; doi:10.1038/s41598-025-10396-1
In France, where kindergarten begins at age 3, there is a debate on whether staff should allow children to nap. “Although naps are widely acknowledged to positively impact cognitive development, some parents and educators worry that daytime resting might disrupt nighttime sleep or diminish essential learning opportunities,” notes Stephanie Mazza from the University of Lyon, France.
Mazza and her team researched whether naps interfere with nighttime rest by observing 85 children aged 2-5 years across six French kindergartens using wrist sleep trackers for about 7.8 days.
The findings, combined with sleep diaries maintained by parents, showed that an hour increase in napping was linked to a reduction of roughly 13.6 minutes in nighttime sleep, delaying bedtime by about 6.4 minutes. However, children who napped gained an overall 45 minutes of additional sleep.
“Parents need not worry if their child still requires a nap before turning six,” asserts Mazza. “Our results imply that naps can boost total sleep, even if they slightly delay bedtime. Instead of viewing naps as detrimental, they should be seen as a valuable source of rest, particularly in stimulating environments.”
“I believe this indicates—if they can nap, let them nap,” says Rebecca Spencer from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She emphasizes, considering that sleep duration during early childhood varies globally, further research is necessary to assess the broader applicability of these findings.
False-colored nuclear magnetic resonance images of children’s brains
CNRI/Science Photo Library
New research indicates that children with anorexia nervosa are undergoing significant brain changes that go beyond what starvation can explain. This insight helps clarify the neurological mechanisms behind the disorder, potentially paving the way for improved treatment strategies.
Anorexia nervosa is noted for severe dietary restrictions and a distorted body image, making it a less understood condition. While previous studies have highlighted that the brain’s outer layer, or cortex, is notably thinner in these individuals, it remains uncertain whether such changes stem from malnutrition or are intrinsic to anorexia.
Clara Morrow from The University of Montreal, Canada, examined brain scans of children with anorexia alongside those with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Although both conditions encompass significant food restrictions and weight loss, ARFID lacks the body image concerns that characterize anorexia. Instead, individuals with ARFID may avoid food due to sensory sensitivities, disinterest in eating, or fear of adverse consequences like choking, vomiting, or gastrointestinal distress. The comparison could shed light on the unique brain changes associated with each condition and malnutrition, according to Moreau.
The study analyzed brain scans from 124 children diagnosed with anorexia, 50 with ARFID, and 116 without eating disorders. All participants were under 13 years old and resided in France. Researchers examined the extent of brain differences between those with and without eating disorders.
On average, children diagnosed with anorexia exhibited a significantly thinner cortex compared to those without eating disorders. Once body mass index (BMI) was taken into account, anorexia correlated with cortical thinning across 32 brain regions, particularly in the superior head lobule, an area involved in sensory information processing. “This aligns with our understanding, as we know anorexic patients often struggle with their perception of weight and size,” stated team member Anael Ayrolles from the University of Paris.
These alterations are akin to those observed in older adolescents and adults suffering from anorexia, notes Moreau. “The effect size is among the most significant in psychiatry,” she comments. “It appears as if they’ve experienced accelerated brain aging or early Alzheimer’s disease, though they show no symptoms of Alzheimer’s. However, if their BMI is normalized, brain recovery is often observed, though not in every case.”
In contrast, no significant differences in cortical thickness were observed between children with ARFID and those without any eating disorders. “We anticipated some overlap with anorexia potentially reflective of BMI,” explains Moreau. “However, our findings did not reveal many similarities between the two conditions.” The reason for this remains unclear, especially since this is the inaugural brain imaging study focused on ARFID. Given that ARFID typically manifests before the age of five, the brain may have adapted to limited food intake, suggests Moreau.
The researchers subsequently contrasted these brain differences with findings from previous studies on other disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), ADHD, and autism. They found a notable correlation between anorexia and OCD, whereas ARFID displayed brain changes similar to those associated with autism. This aligns with Moreau’s assertion that sensory sensitivity is prevalent in both autism and ARFID. Conversely, OCD and anorexia exhibit obsessions, rituals, and preconceived notions.
Nevertheless, individuals with OCD and anorexia frequently present other mental health challenges, notes Joanna Steinglass from Columbia University in New York. Approximately 14% of those diagnosed with anorexia also meet the criteria for OCD. This complicates the understanding of whether a genuine neurological resemblance exists between the two conditions or if other mental health challenges underpin this correlation.
“We were cautious not to over-interpret our results,” said Ayrolles. However, these discoveries imply that malnutrition alone may not account for all the brain changes observed in anorexia. “Mental illness is fundamentally a brain-based illness, and understanding this helps us address patient experiences more effectively, often leading to less blame,” remarks Steinglass. “This insight could drive the development of more effective treatments.”
The Pilbara Craton in Western Australia features rocks that date back 3.5 billion years.
Elizabeth Czitronyi / Alamy
Rocks from Australia reveal that tectonic plates were shifting as far back as 3.5 billion years ago, a breakthrough that alters our understanding of the onset of plate tectonics over subsequent hundreds of millions of years.
Currently, along with roughly eight major hard rock plates on Earth’s surface, several smaller plates are interacting with the softer rock layer beneath. When these plates’ edges grind against one another, it can lead to sudden geological upheavals, such as earthquakes, and gradual processes like mountain range formation.
However, there is disagreement among geologists regarding the configurations of these ancient plates and their movements. Some researchers claim to have found indications of tectonic activity as far back as 4 billion years ago when the planet was significantly hotter; others argue that more compelling evidence is noted after 3.2 billion years ago.
Much of this data derives from the chemical compositions of rocks, which suggest past movements. Despite this, records detailing the interactions of early plates remain scarce, which is regarded as critical evidence supporting plate tectonics.
Recently, Alec Brenner and his team from Yale University claim to have uncovered substantial evidence of relative plate movement dating back 3.5 billion years in the eastern Pilbara Craton of Western Australia. They traced the magnetic orientation of rocks aligned with Earth’s magnetic field, observing shifts similar to how a compass needle changes direction when the ground moves.
Brenner and colleagues initially dated the rock using radioisotope analysis, establishing that at certain times, the rock’s magnetism remained unchanged. By observing this magnetization shift, they demonstrated that the rock mass progressively moved at a rate of several centimeters each year. They compared these findings to similarly examined rocks in the Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa, which exhibited no such movement.
“This suggests that some type of plate boundary must exist between these two regions to accommodate that relative movement,” remarked Brenner during his presentation at the Goldschmidt Geochemical Conference in Prague, Czech Republic, on July 9.
“Approximately 3.8 billion years ago, the Pilbara plate transitioned from medium to high latitudes, eventually reaching proximity to Earth’s magnetic poles and, possibly millions of years later, to the latitude of Svalbard.”
“If two plates are moving relative to one another, there must be various dynamic interactions happening between them,” noted Robert Hazen from the Carnegie Institute of Science in Washington, DC. “It cannot be an isolated event.”
Nonetheless, multiple interpretations exist regarding the underlying causes of this movement, according to Hazen. The variability in plate movement rates adds to the confusion, and existing data could align with various theories regarding Earth’s interior structure at that time.
At the very least, this discovery indicates the presence of structural boundaries, according to Michael Brown from the University of Maryland. However, he argues that the nature of rock movement appears dissimilar to contemporary understanding of plate tectonics. “Essentially, the Pilbara plate moved to higher latitudes to prevent stagnation, which is atypical within any current plate structural model.”
Brown posits that this aligns with the theory suggesting the Earth’s crust consisted of numerous smaller plates propelled by a thermal mantle plume during that period. He believes the remnants of these small plates examined by Brenner and his team provide evidence of movement; however, due to their limited representation of the crust, they may not accurately reflect broader Earth movements.
Brenner’s team also discovered indications that the Earth’s magnetic field underwent reversals around 3.46 billion years ago. Unlike today’s magnetic field reversals, which occur every million years, these ancient magnetic shifts seemed to happen much more frequently, over spans of tens of millions of years. This could imply a fundamentally different set of energies and mechanisms at play, as noted by Brenner.
Hazen emphasized that the scarcity of magnetic data leads to ongoing debates about the state of Earth’s magnetic field during that era of its evolution. “I believe this discovery raises the bar significantly,” he asserts. “It represents a vital breakthrough in understanding early magnetic reversals, shedding light on the core’s geomechanics in ways previously unexplored.”
New research published on Monday indicates that the number of structures in the United States vulnerable to flooding may be greater than previously estimated.
A study, published in the Journal’s Future of Earth, revealed that 43% of North Carolina’s flooded buildings from 1996 to 2020 are outside the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Special Flood Hazard Areas, which FEMA designates as having a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.
Experts and the study’s authors believe these findings may assist more communities in understanding their flood risks and insurance needs. As companies pull back from increasing insurance premiums and insuring homes in certain regions due to more frequent severe weather, obtaining flood insurance is becoming increasingly challenging, leaving property owners more exposed.
According to NBC News, experts stated that having access to reliable data sources could facilitate the creation of nationwide databases like the one outlined in the study.
FEMA’s maps serve as the main reference for identifying flood-prone zones and structures requiring insurance coverage. However, experts argue that this system is outdated and lacks resolution. A 100-year floodplain projection doesn’t fully encompass the areas that could be at risk for flooding, and the authors noted that climate change has compromised the reliability of previously authoritative weather and climate forecasts.
This study enabled researchers to pinpoint specific structures that have experienced multiple flooding incidents by utilizing address-level data. This information could inform property owners on whether to obtain flood insurance, even if they fall outside FEMA’s designated flood hazard zones. In the United States, FEMA reports that 99% of counties have experienced flooding, yet only 4% of homeowners hold flood insurance at least once.
“Detailed information about previously flooded areas can empower individuals to make informed decisions,” expressed Helena Margaret Garcia, the lead author of the study and a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program did not respond to requests for comments.
FEMA is currently working on revamping its flood mapping system through the Future of Flood Risk Data initiative, aimed at employing more efficient, accurate, and consistent technology to assess the country’s flood risks comprehensively.
Water markers in Orocoke, North Carolina homes illustrate the increasing severity of flooding between hurricanes over time. Courtesy of Helena Garcia
As global temperatures rise, more intense rainfall events are becoming common since warmer air can hold more moisture. Climate change has also contributed to rising sea levels, increasing vulnerability to flooding even in coastal and some inland areas. Hurricane Helen, the third deadliest hurricane of modern times, inflicted substantial flooding in North Carolina’s mountainous regions. Damage from the storm exceeded a total of $78 billion, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The recent severe rainfall has caused flash floods across many U.S. towns over the last two weeks, most recently impacting towns in New Jersey and New York City. In North Carolina alone, six deaths have been reported, while over 100 fatalities have occurred in Texas. Flash floods have historically accounted for the highest number of storm-related deaths in the U.S., averaging 125 deaths per year over recent decades, according to the National Weather Service.
A North Carolina climate scientist noted that the warm seawater feeding the storm could have been a contributing factor to last week’s Tropical Storm Chantal, which set rainfall and river level records in the state.
With the impacts of climate change, having access to up-to-date maps is essential, experts argue.
In their study, researchers mapped 78 flood events using data from 1996 to 2020 from the National Flood Insurance Program, which allows property owners to purchase insurance for potential flood-related losses. They also incorporated emergency service requests and volunteer-based geographic information obtained from social media, creating what they termed the “first of its kind” database. This historical flood data is often inaccessible to the public, which can hinder homeowners’ awareness of prior flood incidents affecting their properties.
Garcia stated that researchers plan to apply the same methodology from their study to create similar historical maps in various regions across the country, identifying areas previously overlooked concerning flood risk.
The research indicated that out of 90,000 structures, only 20,000 experienced flooding, highlighting a significant number that did not file NFIP claims. The study’s authors are now focused on quantifying the human impact, examining outcomes such as healthcare disruptions resulting from floods and the scale of evacuations caused by repeated flooding, as Garcia explained.
On July 7th, Eastgate Mall’s parking lot in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was inundated following a tropical storm. Courtesy of Antonia Sebastian/Helena Garcia
Antonia Sebastian, an assistant professor in the Department of Geology at UNC-Chapel Hill, noted that the study aspires to establish a “comprehensive record of past floods” by gathering data on relatively minor flood events that impact homeowners yet do not receive widespread media attention.
“Areas that have previously flooded are likely to flood again; it’s only a matter of time,” Sebastian remarked. “These sites are inherently dangerous.”
Chad Belginis, executive director of the Flood Plains Association who was not involved in the study, stated that FEMA’s maps are intended to implement the NFIP by utilizing 100-year flood plains to delineate zones for flood insurance coverage. He emphasized that analyzing historical flood research highlights the necessity for flood insurance in areas beyond the mapped FEMA flood hazard zones.
“FEMA’s flood map serves as a starting point, not an endpoint,” Berginnis clarified. “The maps present one kind of flood risk, but to fully grasp flood risk, it is crucial to seek out historical flood data.”
He mentioned that the database models illustrated in the study could be adopted in various other regions. A community manager indicated that identifying past flood sites could enhance community awareness regarding flood risks.
“When we consider the history of floods, [like those along the Guadalupe River], it emphasizes the dangers that have persisted over time,” they reflected. “I truly believe that these areas should be acknowledged as perilous, yet awareness of the actual flooding risks is often lacking.”
June Choi, a doctoral student in Earth Systems Science at Stanford University and not involved in the study, noted that the finding regarding many flooded buildings existing outside FEMA-designated risky areas likely applies to all states. She highlighted that while new databases might have limitations regarding changing building densities over time, the application of historical records and address-specific data still provides valuable insights for assessing future flood risks.
Researchers at Hebrew University leveraged a deep learning network to analyze DNA methylation patterns, achieving a time series age (defined as postnatal time) with median accuracy for individuals under 50 years, ranging from 1.36 to 1.7 years. result This work will be published in the journal Cell Report.
Utilizing ultra-depth sequences from over 300 blood samples of healthy individuals, the research indicates that age-dependent methylation changes happen in a probabilistic or coordinated block-like fashion across clusters of CPG sites. Image credit: Ochana et al., doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115958.
“We observe that our DNA leaves measurable marks over time,” commented Professor Tommy Kaplan from Hebrew University.
“Our model interprets these marks with remarkable precision.”
“The essence lies in how our DNA evolves through a process known as methylation – the chemical tagging of DNA by methyl groups (CH)3.
“By focusing on two vital regions of the human genome, our team successfully decoded these changes at the level of individual molecules, employing deep learning to generate accurate age estimations.”
In this research, Professor Kaplan and his team examined blood samples from over 300 healthy subjects and analyzed data from a decade-long study of the Jerusalem Perinatal Study.
The model developed by the team showed consistent performance across various factors, including smoking, weight, gender, and diverse indicators of biological aging.
In addition to potential medical applications, this technique could transform forensic science by enabling experts to estimate the age of suspects based on DNA traces.
“This provides us with a new perspective on cellular aging,” stated Yuval Dor, a professor at Hebrew University.
“It’s a striking example of the intersection between biology and artificial intelligence.”
Researchers found new patterns in DNA alterations over time, suggesting that cells encode both mature and tuned bursts, akin to biological clocks.
“It’s not solely about knowing your age,” explained Professor Ruth Shemmer of Hebrew University.
“It’s about comprehending how cells and molecules keep track of time.”
“This research could redefine our approach to health, aging, and identity,” added the scientist.
“From assisting physicians in treatment based on an individual’s biological timeline to equipping forensic investigators with advanced tools for crime-solving, the capability to decipher age from DNA paves the way for groundbreaking advancements in science, medicine, and law.”
“Moreover, it enhances our understanding of the aging process and brings us closer to unraveling our body’s internal clock.”
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Bracha-Lea Ochana et al. Time is encoded by changes in methylation at clustered CPG sites. Cell Report Published online on July 14th, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115958
On Monday, the Trump administration advanced efforts to complicate access to a crucial legally mandated scientific evaluation regarding the risks climate change poses to the nation and its citizens.
Earlier this month, the official government website indicated its authority, stating that the peer-reviewed national climate assessment was moving offline. These platforms provide essential information for state and local governments and the public regarding what to expect from climate change and how to adapt accordingly. At that time, the White House stated that NASA would host the report to comply with the 1990 Act Requiring Reporting.
However, on Monday, NASA declared the cancellation of those plans.
According to NASA, “The USGCRP (the agency that oversaw and utilized the report) fulfills its statutory obligations by presenting the report to Congress. NASA has no legal requirement to host data from GlobalChange.gov,” meaning no coordinated assessments or data from governmental scientific offices will be routed to NASA.
On July 3, NASA released a statement affirming, “All existing reports will be accessible on the NASA website to maintain continuity in reporting.”
“This document was produced for taxpayers and includes vital information necessary for people to protect themselves in changing climates,” said the Chief Scientist of the Nature Reserve, a co-author of several previous national climate assessments.
Copies of past reports remain accessible at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s library, and you can view the latest reports and their interactive atlas here.
John Holden, a former scientific advisor to the Obama White House and a climate scientist, accused the administration of blatant misinformation regarding its intentions to censor or obscure the report.
“This new approach exemplifies a classic misunderstanding characteristic of the Trump administration,” Holden stated. “They initially aim to soothe outrage over the discontinuation of the GlobalChange.gov site and the disappearance of the national climate assessment, only to retract their reassurances without apology two weeks later.”
“They simply do not want the public to have access to detailed and scientifically validated information concerning climate change’s impact on agriculture, forests, fisheries, as well as storms, floods, wildfires, and coastal properties.
Holden emphasized the significance of these reports for state and local authorities and the general public, asserting that they “aid in understanding how climate change is affecting people’s lives, their loved ones, their properties, and their environments.”
“Trump is intentionally keeping people in the dark,” Holden asserted.
The most recent report published in 2023 revealed that climate change is impacting the safety, health, and livelihoods of individuals across the country in various ways, putting them at an increased risk.
Cape Canaveral, Florida – a Private Space Flight from Poland and Hungary, featuring India’s first astronaut in over 40 years, concluded on Tuesday with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
The SpaceX capsules detached from the International Space Station on Monday and parachuted into waters off Southern California less than 24 hours later.
Hungarian Tibor Kapu emerged from SpaceX capsules in Southern California on Tuesday. SpaceX via AP
The four-member crew launched nearly three weeks ago on a mission arranged by Axiom Space from Houston.
Axiom’s Peggy Whitson, the most seasoned U.S. astronaut, served as commander. She was joined by Shuvansch Shukla from India, Slouz Uznansky Wysniewsky from Poland, and Tibor Kap from Hungary, with the countries collectively investing over $65 million in the mission.
SpaceX capsules carrying four astronauts parachute into the Pacific Ocean off Southern California on Tuesday. SpaceX via AP
“Thank you for the wonderful ride and safe journey,” Whitson remarked post-splashdown. Her record now surpasses that of other American astronauts and women, encompassing a total of 695 days in space across five missions.
The visiting astronauts executed numerous experiments in orbit, celebrating their heritage. The last instance of India, Poland, and Hungary sending individuals into space was in collaboration with the Soviet Union during the late 1970s and 1980s. They waved and smiled as they exited the capsule one by one into the dim early morning.
Poland’s Slouz Uznanski Wysniewski made landfall in Southern California on Tuesday. SpaceX via AP
This marked Axiom’s fourth mission for the orbital forward base since 2022 and is part of NASA’s ongoing efforts to expand access to space for more businesses and individuals. The company is among those developing their own space stations to succeed the current one. NASA plans to retire its space station by 2030 after over 30 years of service.
The alien world found in their “habitable zone” of their stars may not be suitable for life yet
pandorumbs/alamy
Recent findings suggest the potential number of planets capable of supporting alien life may be fewer than previously assumed, largely due to advances in understanding planetary climates. When carbon dioxide levels in an atmosphere surpass a critical threshold, conditions can become inhospitable.
Life as we know it requires liquid water, prompting astronomers to target “habitable zones” around stars—regions where temperatures allow for water to exist in liquid form. However, Haskelle White-Gianella from the University of Washington and her research team have revealed that having liquid water alone does not guarantee habitability.
The researchers conducted nearly 10,000 simulations to determine how CO₂ levels fluctuate based on surface water amounts on planets that are Earth-sized. Their results indicate that at least 20% of Earth’s total water must be present for a planet to be potentially habitable.
This is largely due to the role rainfall plays in carbon storage within the ground through chemical reactions in rocks; insufficient rainfall could lead to CO₂ accumulation in the atmosphere, trapping heat and rapidly increasing temperatures beyond 126°C (259°F).
“We discovered that there exists a water threshold essential for maintaining a stable climate,” White-Gianella stated during the Goldschmidt Geochemical Conference in Prague, Czech Republic, on July 10.
This indicates that simply being in a habitable zone does not guarantee that a planet can support life, according to White-Gianella, necessitating a deeper examination of geological histories.
A parallel situation may elucidate how Venus transformed into the inhospitable environment we observe today, White-Gianella shared at the conference. While the increase in the sun’s brightness since the solar system’s inception is believed to contribute to Venus’ atmospheric changes and temperature rise, it alone doesn’t account for all observed transformations. By re-running models with a Venus-like amount of starlight, the team found that even planets with water levels similar to Earth’s could lose too much CO₂, leading to uninhabitability.
This provides a compelling rationale for how planets similar to Venus can become excessively hot, as noted by Benjamin Tutoro from the University of Calgary in Canada. Over time, reductions in CO₂ emissions complicate planetary climates, as recorded in geological data from Mars.
In the case of Mars, liquid water attracted carbon dioxide and sequestered it as carbonate minerals, which ultimately thinned its atmosphere and cooled the planet, according to Tutoro. White-Gianella stated that the team’s simulations focused on Earth-like planets, agreeing that conditions on planets like Mars could differ significantly.
The knot problem for mathematicians finally has a solution
Pinky Bird/Getty Images
Why is it trickier to untie two small knots compared to one large knot? Surprisingly, researchers have found that larger, seemingly complex knots formed by combining simpler ones are, in fact, easier to untangle. This discovery contradicts notions held for nearly 90 years.
“We were searching for counterexamples without anticipating we’d actually find one, as this speculation has persisted for so long,” Mark Brittenham from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, shared. “In the back of our minds, we thought the speculation was likely right. It was an unforeseen and astonishing outcome.”
Mathematicians like Brittenham study knots by considering them as intertwined loops with connected ends. A fundamental principle in knot theory is that each knot has a “knot number,” representing the instances a string is cut, with another segment inserted and rejoined at a junction known as a “note.”
Calculating knot numbers can be computationally demanding, with certain knots containing 10 intersections remaining unsolved. Thus, analyzing knots by breaking them down into two or more simpler knots is often advantageous. This concept is akin to prime numbers in number theory.
Now, alongside Susan Hermiller at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Brittenham demonstrates that this may not be the case. “This speculation has lingered for 88 years; as people failed to disprove it, the desire for it to be true persisted,” Hermiller noted. “Initially, we uncovered one example, soon revealing an infinite number of knot pairs where the number of knots was strictly less than the total for the two knots combined.”
“We discovered that our understanding was not as clear as previously thought,” Brittenham remarked. “Even knots that lack connections may untie more efficiently than we expected.”
Examples of knots that are easier to undo than components
Mark Brittenham, Susan Hermiller
Finding and verifying counterexamples involves a mix of existing knowledge, intuition, and computational strength. Remarkably, the final proof verification was achieved through a straightforward, practical approach: tying knots with a rope and physically demonstrating their resolvability.
Andras Juhasz from Oxford University, who previously collaborated with AI firm DeepMind to validate various knot theory speculations, attempted to solve this latest challenge similarly but faced no success.
“We spent a year or two seeking counterexamples without luck, so we eventually abandoned the effort,” Juhasz mentioned. “AI might not be the best tool for finding counterexamples, akin to searching for needles in haystacks – a profoundly elusive pursuit.”
Applications of knot theory vary widely, spanning from encryption to molecular biology. Nicholas Jackson at the University of Warwick in the UK cautiously suggests that this new development could have practical implications. “We seem to have gained a deeper understanding of how circular entities operate in three-dimensional spaces than we did previously,” he remarked. “Concepts that were unclear a few months ago are now coming into clearer view.”
Carbon dioxide monitoring at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii may be discontinued due to US budget cuts
noaa
Scientists from various countries are urged to prepare for the potential takeover of the major carbon dioxide monitoring services currently operated by the US, according to climate experts.
The monitoring efforts could be terminated next year if budget cuts proceed, leading to the loss of vital data. “At this moment, no one is stepping forward to say, ‘We can take that responsibility,'” states Pierre Friedlingstein from the University of Exeter, UK. “It’s imperative that we do.”
Friedlingstein leads the Global Carbon Budget, an international initiative focused on accurately assessing carbon emissions and absorption by land and oceans, which is essential for understanding global temperature trends.
This work heavily relies on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), whose budget cuts are proposed by the Trump administration. A 2026 budget document suggests eliminating funding for climate and weather research and decreasing the workforce by over 2,000 employees. Furthermore, it plans to close labs, including the Mauna Loa Observatory, a key CO₂ monitoring site.
“NOAA GML [Global Monitoring Laboratory] is essential for the Greenhouse Gas Program, which supports multiple functions,” says Ralph Keeling from the California Institute of Oceanography.
NOAA directly measures gas levels, including CO2, at various sites and aids in monitoring at additional locations worldwide. According to Friedlingstein, this includes calibrating measurements with samples sent from different areas.
The agency compiles and evaluates global data, leveraging subtle variations in CO2 levels across locations, combined with knowledge of atmospheric circulation, to trace CO2 flows accurately.
“NOAA provides critical baseline data,” Keeling noted. “If NOAA’s efforts cease, our ability to monitor CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions globally will diminish.”
“All of these responsibilities must be assumed by other organizations,” Friedlingstein observes.
However, exchanging the loss of monitoring sites and NOAA records for new data poses challenges. “This is where maintaining long-term consistency becomes crucial,” Keeling explains. “It can’t simply switch from one data set to another; this would compromise the reliability of trend analysis.”
There is particular concern regarding ongoing monitoring at Mauna Loa, which has been conducted since 1957, providing the longest continuous CO₂ record from a single location. NOAA supports the Scripps-led monitoring efforts.
“Without NOAA’s involvement, continuing nearby measurements becomes challenging, although not impossible,” Keeling states.
He also expresses worry about Scripps-led monitoring in Antarctica, which currently depends on NOAA personnel from the US Bureau. The site’s funding, sourced from the National Science Foundation, is also at risk.
“Antarctica represents the most significant long-term station in the Southern Hemisphere. Establishing a reliable long-term global average is just as critical as the Mauna Loa data, particularly for tracking variations between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres through large-scale carbon flows,” says Keeling.
CO₂ levels can also be monitored using certain satellites, which, according to Friedlingstein, measure CO₂ not just at the surface but throughout the entire atmospheric column up to the satellite.
When asked whether there’s a plan to substitute NOAA’s functions, the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service New Scientist reached out to the European Commission’s Defense Industry and Space Administration (DEFIS). DEFIS did not reply before the deadline for this article.
Innovative treatments may transform the management of lower back pain by addressing the root causes associated with inflammatory “zombie” cells. Recent research conducted using mice.
A group of scientists, led by researchers from McGill University in Canada, found that a combination of two medications, O-Vanillin and RG-7112, effectively eliminates zombie cells from mouse spinal tissues, alleviating pain and inflammation symptoms.
“Our results are promising because they indicate that by eliminating cells that not only obscure pain but also contribute to issues, we can approach lower back pain treatment in a novel manner,” stated the senior author, Professor Lisbet Haglund from McGill’s Ministry of Surgery.
Zombie cells, also referred to as senescent cells, do not function like typical cells. Rather than undergoing division and death to make way for new cells, they persist in the body.
As we age, these zombie cells can build up, leading to inflammation, pain, and spinal damage.
For the hundreds of millions of adults globally suffering from back pain, the impact of zombie cells is often masked and inadequately addressed by current medications.
This new treatment, however, aims to alleviate back pain by targeting and eliminating these lingering zombie cells, thereby addressing the underlying issues.
Aging or zombie cells accumulate in the shock-absorbing discs between each spinal vertebra, releasing inflammatory molecules that damage discs – Credit: Nemes Laszlo/Science Photo Library via Getty
The McGill research team discovered this promising new treatment while working with mice genetically engineered to develop spinal injuries and lower back pain over seven months.
The researchers administered varying doses of O-Vanillin and RG-7112 to these mice. Some received only one of the drugs, while others received a combination of both.
RG-7112 is a medication already established to remove zombie cells in various contexts, though it hasn’t been applied to lower back pain treatment until now.
O-Vanillin, a natural compound sourced from turmeric, is recognized for its anti-inflammatory benefits, but had not been previously tested against zombie cells.
After 8 weeks of treatment, mice receiving both drugs at higher doses exhibited the lowest levels of zombie cells, inflammation, and pain.
Those treated with a single drug showed some improvement, but the results were not as significant as those achieved with the combination therapy.
“The pressing question now is whether these medications can produce the same effects in human subjects,” Haglund remarked.
Tailoring your workout routine to align with your personality can significantly enhance your commitment to your training regimen, according to new research.
The study, led by Professor Flaminia Ronka at University College London, found that individuals who derive enjoyment from sports are more likely to maintain their participation. This indicates that a customized fitness plan is more effective than a generic approach.
“If you don’t follow that, there’s no point in prescribing the ideal exercise plan,” Ronka stated in an interview with BBC Science Focus.
“Fun is crucial for behavioral change. To encourage the population to be more proactive, a strategic approach is essential in identifying enjoyable activities for individuals.”
This study explored the impact of personality traits on preferred types of exercise.
Researchers categorized participants based on the five major personality traits: agreeableness (willingness to cooperate), conscientiousness (self-discipline and detail orientation), extraversion (sociability), neuroticism (tendency toward anxiety or unhappiness), and openness (willingness to try new things).
The findings suggested that individuals who are more sociable enjoy engaging in intense workouts, particularly those that involve social interactions like team sports and dance classes, implying that many can find enjoyment in vigorous aerobic activities.
Conversely, those who are higher in neuroticism preferred privacy and were less comfortable being observed while completing the 15-minute cycling exercise used to assess fitness levels. Moreover, they were also less inclined to monitor their heart rate during workouts.
“This indicates that individuals in this category may value a setting that allows for independence and privacy during their exercise routine,” Ronka explained. Participants in this group typically favored more calming exercises, such as stretching, yet remarked that “high intensity was acceptable as long as breaks were allowed.”
All participants who adhered to the program reported positive outcomes, but the more anxious individuals particularly stood out.
“These participants exhibited a notably significant reduction in stress following the exercise program,” Ronka noted. “This is encouraging, as it highlights that those who experience the greatest stress relief are highly responsive to exercise.”
More anxious individuals tended to benefit from calmer exercises, such as stretching – Source: Getty Images
To examine how personality influences exercise habits, this study required participants to engage in an eight-week home fitness program involving cycling and strength training.
Fitness levels were assessed at both the beginning and end of the program, during which participants completed a questionnaire to evaluate their personality type and attitudes toward exercise.
Not all personality types exhibited strong inclinations. Agreeable and open individuals did not show a preference for a specific type of exercise.
“Nonetheless, agreeableness and openness can influence how we participate in health behaviors in different ways, such as the types of exercises we are willing to try,” Ronka added.
“As long as you do not enjoy a specific session, don’t worry,” she concluded. “You can always try something different.”
About our experts
Flaminia Ronka is an associate professor at the Institute of Sports, Exercise, and Health at the University of London. Her research focuses on motor neuroscience and the connection between movement and cognition. Ronka also collaborates with British police to enhance officer wellbeing and performance.
A group of paleontologists from Yale University and Stony Brook University made a significant discovery while studying dinosaur fossils, including two bird species found in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia.
This scene illustrates the oviraptorid dinosaur Citipati appearing astonished as it rests on sand dunes. The creature raises its arms in a threat display, exposing its wrists and emphasizing the small, relocated, closed carpal bones (highlighted in blue x-ray). Image credit: Henry S. Sharp.
For years, the identity of a particular carpal bone in the bird’s wrist was a scientific enigma, until researchers determined it functioned as a trap.
This bone, originally resembling a kneecap-like sesame bone, shifted from its original position in the wrist, replacing another carpal bone known as Urna.
Positions in modern birds indicate a link that enables the bird to automatically fold its wings when it bends.
The bone’s large V-shaped notch allows for the alignment of hand bones to prevent dislocation during flight.
Consequently, this bone plays a crucial role in the bird’s forelimb and is integral for flight.
“The carpal bone in modern birds is a rare wrist bone that initially forms within muscle tendons, resembling knee-like bones, but eventually takes the place of the ‘normal’ wrist bones known as Urna,” commented one researcher.
“It is closely associated with the muscle tissue of the arm, linking flying muscle movement to wrist articulation when integrated into the wrist.”
“This integration is particularly vital for wing stabilization during flight.”
In their recent study, Dr. Bhullar and his team analyzed two Late Cretaceous fossils: Troodontid (birds of prey, related to Velociraptor) and citipati cf. osmorusca (an oviraptorid with a long neck and beakless jaw).
“We were fortunate to have two rigorously preserved theropod wrists for this analysis,” said Alex Rubenstal, a paleontologist from Yale University.
“The wrist bones are small and well-preserved, but they tend to shift during decay and preservation, complicating their position for interpretation.”
“Observing this small bone in its correct position enabled me to thoroughly interpret the fossil wrists we had on hand, as well as those from previous studies.”
“James Napoli, a vertebrate paleontologist and evolutionary biologist at Stony Brook University, noted:
“While it’s unclear how many times dinosaurs learned to fly, it’s fascinating that experiments with flight appear only after they adapted to the wrist joint.”
“This adaptation may have established an automated mechanism found in present-day birds, although further research on dinosaur wrist bones is necessary to validate this hypothesis.”
Placing their findings within an evolutionary framework, the authors concluded that it was not merely birds but rather theropod dinosaurs that underwent the confinement of this adaptation by the origin of Penalaptra, a group of theropods that includes Dromaeosaurids and Oviraptorosaurs like Velociraptor.
Overall, this group of dinosaurs exhibited bird-like features, including the emergence of feathered wings, indicating that flight evolved at least twice, if not up to five times.
“The evolutionary replacement of Urna was a gradual process occurring much deeper in history than previously understood,” stated the researchers.
“In recent decades, our understanding of theropod dinosaur anatomy and evolution has expanded significantly, revealing many classical ‘bird-like’ traits such as thin-walled bones, larger brains, and feathers.
“Our findings suggest that avian construction is consistent with a topological pattern traced back to the origin of Penalaptra.”
The team’s paper was published in the journal Nature on July 9, 2025.
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JG Napoli et al. Theropod wrist reorganization preceded the origins of bird flight. Nature, Published online on July 9, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09232-3
Planetary scientists have identified over 15,000 km of ancient riverbeds in the Noachis Terra region of Mars’ southern highlands, indicating that the planet may have been significantly wetter than previously believed.
This image depicts a flat upper eroded river wavy ridge above Mars, with dunes moving over it. Image credits: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.
The nature of Mars’ climate during the Noatian-Hesperian transition, which occurred around 3.7 billion years ago, is still being debated. This period saw significant geological and climatic changes, as well as the formation of surface features like valley networks and lakes associated with liquid water.
There are two prevailing theories: the first suggests that a warm and wet environment followed early Mars, allowing liquid water to persist on the surface for an extended time. The second posits that Mars has generally been cold and dry, with flowing water created sporadically by melting ice during brief climate shifts.
In Noachis Terra, climate models predicting “warm and humid” conditions suggest significant precipitation levels.
A recent study led by Open University Ph.D. student Adam Losekoot and his team analyzed the region’s wavy ridges, also known as inverse channels.
“These formations likely resulted from sediments laid down by rivers that solidified, later exposed through the erosion of surrounding materials,” noted the lead researcher.
“Similar ridges have been identified in various Martian terrains.”
“Their presence implies that flowing water once traversed the area, with precipitation being the most probable source,” he added.
The team found that river-wave ridges are widespread throughout Noachis Terra, amounting to over 15,000 km in total length.
While many segments are isolated, some systems extend several hundred kilometers.
“Exploring Mars, particularly less altered regions like Noachis Terra, is thrilling because they have remained relatively unchanged for billions of years,” Losekoot commented.
“It acts as a time capsule that captures fundamental geological processes in ways that are impossible to observe on Earth.”
In their investigation, the researchers utilized data from three orbital devices: the Context Camera (CTX), the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), and the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE).
These datasets enabled them to map the locations, lengths, and forms of the ridge systems across various areas.
“Our findings present new evidence indicating that Mars was once a much more dynamic and complex planet than we suppose,” they stated.
“The size and interconnectivity of these ridges suggest that liquid water existed for an extended period, indicating that Noachis Terra experienced warm, wet conditions for a geologically significant time.
“These results challenge the conventional belief that Mars has been predominantly cold and dry, with valleys formed only by sporadic, short-term meltwater from ice sheets.”
Paleontologists have announced the discovery of what they believe to be a new species of early-running Neonysikhia dinosaurs, part of the Jurassic Yangliao Biota in northern China.
Skeleton of Plasaurustinron shown in side view. Image credit: Hailong Zhang.
Named Plasaurustinron, this newly identified dinosaur species lived in what is now China approximately 160 million years ago during the Jurassic period.
The ancient reptiles are part of what is known as the Yanliao Biota, a Jurassic ecosystem that included dinosaurs, mammals, amphibians, insects, lizards, and numerous plants.
“The Yanliao Biota is one of China’s most significant Mesozoic Lagerstättes, comprising fossil communities from the Jiulongshan and Tiaojishan formations, dating from 168 to 157 million years ago,” according to researchers from the China Academy of Sciences and Yunnan University.
“Overall, between 54 and 58 vertebrate species have been reported from the Yanliao Biota, which includes nine non-avian dinosaurs.”
“The Yanliao Biota preserves a large array of vertebrate material from various species, offering valuable insights into major paleontological milestones, such as the emergence of birds and the early evolution of mammals.”
“However, all non-avian dinosaurs found within the Yanliao Biota are small ceratopsians, while Ornithischia is represented by merely one species likely from the Jehol Biota.”
“This contrasts sharply with other contemporary Chinese terrestrial faunas, like the Shishugou and Shaximiao Faunas, where body sizes and taxonomic compositions are far more diverse.”
Plasaurustinron belongs to the group known as Neornithischia (New Ornithischians), a category of dinosaurs within the order Ornithischia.
First identified in 1985, Neornithischians are characterized by a thick layer of asymmetric enamel on the inner surfaces of their lower teeth.
“Neornithischia is a significant group of dinosaurs with early origins traceable to the central Jurassic region and possibly represented by several early extinction species such as Sanxiasaurus, Agirisaurus, and Hexine Rusaurus found in China,” said the paleontologist.
“Besides China, Neornithischian fossils have been reported from Jurassic regions in Eastern Europe, Scotland, and other geological periods and countries.”
“Neornithischia experienced rapid diversification into numerous species during the Cretaceous period.”
Well-preserved specimens of Plasaurustinron were discovered in the Tiaojishan formation in the Hebei Province of China.
“The fossil comprises nearly complete skeletons encased in slabs of brownish-red sandstone,” the researchers noted.
“The specimen retains most of its skull and complete post-cranial skeleton.”
According to scientists, Plasaurustinron was a small neornithischian dinosaur.
“The specimen’s total length is approximately 72.2 cm (measured from the rostral end of the skull to the caudal end of the last preserved vertebra), whereas the skull measures around 8 cm,” they mentioned.
The identification of this new species enhances our understanding of the biodiversity of the Yangliao Biota and the evolutionary relationships of early-running neornithischians.
“Phylogenetic analyses position Plasaurustinron at the base of Neornithischia, in proximity to Agirisaurus, the earliest neornithischian known,” the authors explained.
“This new species marks the first Neonysichian found within the Yangliao ecosystem and will help bridge the temporal and geographical gaps in the distribution of Neornithischia in China.”
“Additionally, the preserved remains of Plasaurustinron represent the second documented occurrence of ossified laryngeal structures among non-avian dinosaurs.”
“The laryngeal structures observed in Plasaurustinron suggest the presence of ossified laryngeal devices across other dinosaur species.”
In a manner resembling the arc shape found in modern birds, Plasaurustinron may have possessed bird-like vocalizations.
The discovery of Plasaurustinron is detailed in a paper published in the journal PeerJ.
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Y. Yang et al. 2025. A new neornithischian dinosaur from the Jurassic Tiaojishan formation in northern China. PeerJ 13:E19664; doi:10.7717/peerj.19664
Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications might not need as frequent dosing as currently prescribed
Associated Press/Alamy
Individuals using GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic can still achieve weight loss despite facing difficulties in obtaining their prescriptions.
Medications like Semaglutide, marketed under the names Ozempic and Wegovy, have transformed obesity treatment, yet the increasing demand has led to significant supply shortages. In the U.S., changes in insurance coverage for these drugs can lead to confusion. For instance, CVS Caremark, which assists insurers in managing their prescription plans, recently discontinued coverage for Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, linked to the GLP-1 drug tilzepatide.
To investigate the impact of this confusion, Kaelen Medeiros and a colleague from a New York firm analyzed data from over 6,000 participants in the U.S. who enrolled in their program for a year between 2021 and 2024.
The program provided access to an app delivering bi-weekly lessons aimed at optimizing lifestyle choices such as nutrition and physical activity. Additionally, participants enjoyed regular one-on-one consultations with a health coach who assisted in applying these lessons. For an extra charge, all participants received GLP-1 medications, like Ozempic, mainly on a weekly basis.
By the program’s conclusion, 73% of participants experienced at least one disruption in GLP-1 access, defined as missing the medication for a minimum of 13 weeks. These participants received, on average, eight months’ supply of GLP-1 over the year-long trial. Participants lost an average of 14% of their body weight, compared to a 17% reduction among those who did not face such disruptions. The findings were shared at the Endocrinology Society’s annual general meeting in San Francisco on July 14th.
A similar rate of weight loss was observed in the program’s second year, regardless of the consistency of GLP-1 supply. “Although this confusion is concerning, it’s encouraging to see significant clinically relevant weight loss achieved despite it,” Medeiros remarks.
“This study is promising,” says Priya Jaisinghani from NYU Langone Health, New York. However, further research is needed to assess how the health coaching and lifestyle lessons provided to participants influenced weight loss, she notes. The researchers didn’t measure the engagement levels of participants in this segment of the program. Medeiros pointed out that variations in adherence might have impacted the outcomes.
Some participants also took metformin, a medication for type 2 diabetes that can aid in weight loss. Nevertheless, metformin is associated with only about a 2% reduction in body weight.
The Nor’easter Storm that caused flooding in Lynn, Massachusetts in January 2024
CJ Gunther/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
The notorious New England storm system, dubbed the Norwegian Star, has intensified since the 1940s, posing an increased threat to the Northeastern U.S. coast, likely due to elevated ocean temperatures.
“The cause of rising sea surface temperatures is clear: greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on trends,” states Michael Mann from the University of Pennsylvania.
Mann and his team have compiled data on nor’easters and their trajectories over the last 85 years. They employed statistical techniques to discern patterns in maximum wind speeds and variations in precipitation during storms.
“Our findings indicate that while we couldn’t pinpoint significant changes in the average intensity of these storms, the most powerful storms are indeed gaining strength,” Mann revealed.
This phenomenon relates to how the sea temperatures that power the storms interact with various factors, including wind shear, influencing overall strength. Weaker storms tend to be more influenced by elements other than ocean temperature, which dictates potential storm strength. “Bringing a bit of personality to the analysis, these storms have the chance to realize their full potential,” Mann commented.
While hurricanes at tropical latitudes have been known to behave this way, the reaction of nor’easters to rising temperatures remains less understood. “Unlike hurricanes, nor’easters draw energy from a variety of elements,” notes Brian Tan from the University of Albany, New York.
A slight increase in both intensity and precipitation has been observed. The alteration in wind speed of the strongest storms is just shy of 2 meters per second since 1940.
Combined with rising sea levels, storm surges are causing flooding along the coast, while increases in snow and rain contribute to flooding inland. “The primary hazard is water,” Tan emphasizes.
The article was revised on July 14th, 2025
We have disclosed the strongest changes in nor’easter wind speeds.
Lithium-based batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles, face the danger of overheating
yonhap/epa-fe/shutterstock
Batteries enhanced with polymeric materials that emit chemicals to suppress flames at elevated temperatures are considerably less prone to catching fire. This innovation can markedly improve the safety of battery-operated devices, including electric vehicles and medical equipment.
“Our method enhances safety in conventional liquid lithium batteries,” says Ying Chan from the Chemistry Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “It functions like a safety valve. These chemicals help to stifle flammable gases before they ignite, thus preventing fires.”
Zhang and her team developed and examined polymeric materials that extinguished flames in prototype lithium metal batteries. These batteries are presently being utilized, but upcoming versions are expected to potentially replace current batteries in electric vehicles and portable electronic gadgets. Lithium metals can store ten times more energy than widely used lithium-ion batteries by utilizing pure lithium in place of graphite for the negative electrodes.
The researchers incrementally raised the temperature of the prototype battery along with standard lithium metal batteries to 50°C. When the temperature exceeded 100°C, both batteries began to overheat, yet the special polymeric material in the prototype began to break down autonomously, releasing chemicals that functioned as “microscopic fire extinguishers.”
At temperatures surpassing 120°C, the standard battery without safety mechanisms overheated to 1000°C within 13 minutes and ignited. In contrast, under similar circumstances, the prototype battery’s peak temperature reached 220°C without any fire or explosion.
This “innovative material science strategy” suggests that it’s not only lithium metal batteries that can benefit, but also specific lithium-ion and lithium-sulfur batteries which may lower the risk of battery fires and overheating. Jaggit Nanda at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, California, expresses that this could lead to safer batteries, especially for electric vehicles and aircraft.
Fire control technology has been incorporated into current battery manufacturing as a “short-term safety enhancement,” and the industry is actively seeking a long-term solution that encompasses alternative battery designs and materials, according to Zhang. However, she notes that integrating polymeric materials into the battery necessitates a re-manufacturing process.
University of Pennsylvania researchers used a deep learning tool named Apex to explore a worldwide venom dataset in search of new antibiotic candidates.
Guan et al. Vococcus is a rich source of previously hidden antibiotic scaffolds, showing that merging experimental validation with extensive computational mining can enhance the search for urgently needed antibiotics. Image credits: Guan et al., doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-60051-6.
The increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, especially Gram-negative bacteria, underscores the critical demand for new treatments.
Venococcus represents a vast, largely untapped source of bioactive molecules with potential antibacterial properties.
In their recent study, researcher César de La Fuente and his team analyzed a comprehensive database containing 16,123 poison proteins and over 40 million poison-encoded peptides via a vertex deep learning model.
The algorithm successfully pinpointed 386 candidate peptides that differ in structure and function from known antimicrobial peptides.
“These poisons are evolutionary wonders, yet their antibacterial capabilities have not been thoroughly examined,” said Dr. de la Fuente.
“Apex can rapidly explore extensive chemical landscapes, identifying exceptional peptides that combat some of the most stubborn pathogens worldwide.”
From the potential candidates selected by AI, scientists synthesized 58 peptide variants for laboratory assessment.
Remarkably, 53 of these demonstrated efficacy against drug-resistant bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, at doses safe for human red blood cells.
“By combining computational analysis with traditional laboratory techniques, we achieved one of the most thorough antibiotic studies to date,” noted Dr. Marcelo Torres, co-author of the research.
“The platform has mapped over 2,000 novel antibacterial motifs, enhancing its capacity to eliminate or suppress bacterial growth through short, specific amino acid sequences within proteins or peptides.”
“Our team is now advancing the top peptide candidates towards the development of new antibiotics, optimizing them through medicinal chemistry modulation.”
results will be published in the journal Nature Communications.
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C. Guan et al. 2025. A global assessment of venom data for antibacterial discovery using artificial intelligence techniques. Nat Commun 16, 6446; doi:10.1038/s41467-025-60051-6
Annapolis, Maryland – Two species are in jeopardy within the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.
This season, the surveys for legendary crustaceans reached one of the lowest levels ever recorded. This has driven up prices at restaurants as disposable income tightened and inflation increased costs for food and other consumer items.
Luke McFadden, 29, who has been crabbing since he was 18, mentioned that the season got off to a tough start.
“We’re doing our best to serve our customers at the lowest price possible to cover our expenses,” he remarked. “But I get it; it’s not easy.”
Krabal Luke McFadden. Cesar Gonzalez / NBC News
At a family-owned crab house, Pit Boys, Seafood Manager Charlie George indicated that customer prices range from $75 to $140 based on size. This is “much higher” than previous years due to the shortage of crabs in the bay.
According to the 2025 Blue Crab Advisory Report, the overall blue crab population has declined to approximately 238 million, down from 317 million last year. This marks the second lowest level since the annual winter dredge survey commenced in 1990.
Alison Colden, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, attributes the decline to pollution, climate change, and the encroachment of invasive blue catfish throughout the Chesapeake Bay. These catfish were introduced in the 1970s and 1980s to enhance recreational fishing.
“Since then, they’ve proliferated across nearly every river and stream in the Chesapeake Bay region,” Colden remarked. “They are voracious predators.”
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