KM3NET continues to observe the highest energy cosmic neutrinos

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The newly detected neutrino, called KM3-230213A, has an incredible energy of 220 peta-electronic (PEV), making it one of the most powerful basic particles ever detected. Its energy was about 100 million times more energy than visible photons, and about 30 times the highest neutrino energy previously detected.

Visual impressions of ultra-high energy neutrino events observed in KM3NET/ARCA. Image credit: km3net.

Cosmic neutrinos are generated near or along cosmic ray propagation pathways, leading to the generation of secondary unstable particles, which then collapse into neutrinos.

Cosmic rays interacting in the Earth's atmosphere generate atmospheric neutrinos that form the experimental background of cosmic neutrinos.

Monitor a huge amount of neutrino observatory to detect space neutrinos. Cherenkov Light It is induced by the passage of charged particles due to neutrino interactions within or near the detector.

“This high-energy neutrino is extremely rare and makes it a monumental discovery,” says Professor Miroslav Filipovich of Western Sydney University.

“This finding represents the most energetic neutrinos ever observed, providing evidence that such high energy neutrinos are being produced in the universe.”

“Detecting such extraordinary particles brings us closer to understanding the most powerful forces that shape our universe.”

Detection of KM3-230213a is KM3NET Telescopephotoelectron-filled tubes are used to capture light from charged particles generated when neutrinos interact with the detector.

“KM3NET's research infrastructure consists of two detector arrays of optical sensors deep in the Mediterranean,” the physicist said.

“The ARCA detector is located approximately 3,450 m deep off the coast of Portopalo Di Capo Passero in Sicily, Sicily, Italy, and is connected to the INFN coastal station, Nazionali Del Sud using electro-optic cables.”

“ARCA's geometry is optimized for research into high-energy cosmic neutrinos.”

“The ORCA detector is located at a depth of approximately 2,450 m in France's offshore Toulon and is optimized for studying neutrino oscillations.”

“Both detectors are under construction, but they are already working.”

The KM3-230213A event recorded light of over 28,000 photons, providing clear trajectories and compelling evidence suggesting the cosmic origin of the particles.

“KM3NET can reconstruct neutrino trajectories and energy,” says Dr. Luke Burns of Western Sydney University.

“To create neutrinos like these, like explosive stars and super-large black holes, requires extreme cosmic conditions.”

“The work of following up on the radiotelescope, like the Australia Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder, helps unlock their secrets.”

The researchers concluded that it is difficult to clearly determine its origin based on a single neutrino.

Future observations will focus on constructing clearer images of such events in order to construct clearer images of such events.

“The energy of the KM3-230213A event is much greater than the energy of neutrinos detected so far,” the scientists said.

“This suggests that neutrinos may be derived from a different cosmic accelerator than low-energy neutrinos, or this could be the first detection of cosmicogenic neutrinos. Universe.”

Team's paper Published in the February 12th issue of the journal Nature.

____

KM3NET collaboration. 2025. Observation of ultra-high energy cosmic neutrinos using KM3NET. Nature 638, 376-382; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08543-1

Source: www.sci.news

The Tarantula Nebula is captured in the deepest X-ray images ever by Chandra

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Tarantula Nebula is the most important star-forming complex in local galaxy groups, including the Milky Way, the large Magellan cloud and the Andromeda galaxy. At its heart is the highly rich young star cluster R136, which contains the most huge known stars. The stellar wind and supernova carved the tarantula nebula into an astonishing display of arcs, pillars and bubbles.

This image of Chandra shows the Tarantula Nebula. Image credits: NASA/CXC/Penn State/Townsley et al.

The Tarantula Nebula is approximately 170,000 light years away from the southern constellation of Dorado.

The nebula, also known as the NGC 2070 or 30 Dorados, is part of the large Magellan cloud.

“The Tarantula Nebula is the most powerful and large star-forming region in the local galaxy group,” says Matthew Povich, astronomers at Polytechnic University in California, and Pennsylvania State University astronomers Raysa Townsley and Patrick Brose. I said that.

“The nebulae differ from the massive star-forming regions of the Milky Way galaxy. There is no different galactic rotation to tear the complex, so it provides fuel for at least 25 million years to supply large star-forming. It lasts and grows at the confluence of two super-huge shells, reaching a starburst percentage.”

“Today, it is dominated by a central large cluster R136, 1-2 million years ago, and includes the wealthiest young star population of the local group, and the largest star included It's here.”

“In contrast to the large star-forming regions of the galaxy, the location of the large Magellan tarantula nebula provides a low metallic starburst laboratory with low absorption and well-known distances. I'll do that.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivd_gmu9p8c

New X-ray images of the tarantula nebula contain data from the large Chandra program, including observation times of approximately 23 days, with Chandra previously performed in the nebula for over 1.3 days.

The 3,615 x-ray sources detected by Chandra include large stars, double star systems, bright stars still in the process of formation, and much smaller clusters of young stars.

The authors also identified the oldest X-ray pulsar candidate ever detected in Tarantula Nebula, PSR J0538-6902.

“There are a ton of diffuse hot gases found in x-rays that come from various sources that arise from the giant star winds and gases expelled by supernova explosions,” the astronomer said.

“This dataset is ideal for the near future to study diffuse X-ray emissions in star-forming regions.”

Team's paper It will be published in Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.

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Raysa K. Townsley et al. 2025. TARANTULA – Revealed by X-ray (T-REX). APJin press; Arxiv: 2403.16944

Source: www.sci.news

Vista achieves unprecedented detail in capturing images of the RCW 38

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The astronomer using it Telescope for ESO visible infrared investigation telescopes (Vista) created something amazing 80 million pixel images Star cluster RCW 38.

This Vista/Vircam Image shows the Superstar Cluster RCW 38. Image credit: ESO/VVVX survey.

RCW 38 is an approximately superstar cluster 5,500 light years They are separated by Vera's constellation.

It is the youngest of the 13 superstar clusters in the Milky Way (less than one million years) and is the dense stellar system in 13,000 light years from the Sun.

Includes hundreds of young, hot, giant stars and brown dwarfs.

RCW 38 is a “embedded” cluster in that new clouds of dust and gas still envelop the stars.

The intense radiation poured from the newly born stars makes the surrounding gas bright and bright.

This is in stark contrast to the cool, cosmic dust streams that engulf the region.

“Compared to our Sun, which is at a stable stage in that life about 4.6 billion years ago, the RCW 38 star is still very young,” the ESO astronomer said in a statement.

“In less than a million years, RCW 38 contains around 2,000 stars, creating this psychedelic landscape.”

“The cluster of stars is like a giant pressure cooker, and contains all the ingredients for star formation: dense gas clouds and opaque masses of cosmic dust. This mixture of gas and dust itself If it collapses under the gravity of the 'stars','

“The strong radiation from these newborn stars creates the gas that brightens up the glow of the star cluster, creating the pink tint you see here.”

“It's a truly spectacular sight! But in visible light, many of the stars in the RCW 38 cluster remain hidden from us, and dust blocks those views.”

That's where the Vista telescope appears. Its Vircam camera observes infrared rays that can pass through almost unobstructed dust, unlike visible light, and reveals the true richness of the RCW 38.

“We also see a cold “failed” star known as a young star, or a brown dwarf, in a dusty coco,” the astronomer said.

“This infrared image was taken during that time. Vista variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) surveycreated the most detailed infrared map of Home Galaxy ever made. ”

“Studies like this either reveal unknown astronomical objects, or give us a new perspective on known objects.”

Source: www.sci.news

Curiosity Rover Discovers Noctilucent Clouds in Mars Atmosphere

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

New images and shows taken over 16 minutes by the Mastcam Instrument of NASA’s Curiosity Rover on January 17, 2025 Night or in twilight cloudsin the atmosphere of Mars. Sometimes these clouds create rainbows of color, creating rainbow clouds and mother clouds. If it is too faint to be visible in the daytime, the clouds will be particularly high and only visible when the evening falls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnaqwu1wzm4

Mars clouds are made of either water ice or carbon dioxide ice at higher altitudes and lower temperatures.

The latter is the only kind of cloud observed on the red planet, producing rainbow colors, and can be seen near the top of the new image at an altitude of 60-80 km (37-50 miles).

It also appears that white feathers fall into the atmosphere on a low ride 50 km (31 miles) from the surface before evaporating due to rising temperatures.

Temporarily visible at the bottom of the image are water ice clouds moving in the opposite direction about 50 km of the curiosity rover.

This Curiosity/Mastcam image shows simultaneous clouds in the atmosphere of Mars. Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/SSI.

“When I first saw these rainbow clouds, I always remember, but at first I was sure it was a few colour artifacts,” said the Atmospheric Scientist at the Institute of Space Science. said one Dr. Mark Lemon.

“It’s now predictable, so you can plan your shots ahead of time. Clouds appear at the exact same time.”

“Each sighting is an opportunity to learn more about the particle size and growth rates of Mars clouds, which will provide you with more information about the planet’s atmosphere.”

“The potential source of clouds can be gravitational waves, which can cool the atmosphere.”

“We weren’t expecting carbon dioxide to condense into ice here, so we’re cooling until something is likely to happen.”

“However, the gravitational waves on Mars are not fully understood, and we are not entirely aware of what the Twilight clouds are formed in one place and not elsewhere. “

Source: www.sci.news

New study uncovers the potential for Earth-like life to exist near a white dwarf star

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

According to a new study from the University of California, Irvine University, white dwarfs are the life of planets that have produced a warmer surface environment than a warmer surface environment formed within a habitable zone or within a habitable zone. It may provide a suitable environment.

The drainage ability to orbit the habitable zone of the white dwarf may have more Clement states to compensate for the cooling and dimming of the host star over time. Image credit: David A. Aguilar/CFA.

This study included the University of California Irvine Astronomer. Aokawa Shield Coworkers compared the climate of the water world with an Earth-like atmosphere composition orbiting in habitable zones of two different types of stars: the white d star and the main sequence K-Dwarf star Kepler-62.

Using a 3D global climate computer model, normally used to study the Earth's environment, they say that despite similar stellar energy distributions, the explanet of the white d star is far more than the Kepler-62 deplanet I discovered it was warm.

“White dwarf stars may emit some heat from residual nuclear activity into the outer layer, but they no longer exhibit fusion at their core,” Dr. Shields said.

“For this reason, we don't take into account much of the ability of these stars to host habitable exoplanets.”

“Our computer simulations suggest that if rocky planets exist in orbit, these planets may have more habitable real estate on their surface than previously thought. ”

The White Dwarf habitable zone is much closer to the stars compared to other star settlements, such as Kepler-62.

The authors emphasized that this would result in a much faster rotation period (10 hours) for the white dwarf exoplanet, and that Kepler 62's exoplanet has a 155-day rotation period.

Both planets can be trapped in synchronous orbits with permanent daysides and permanent nightsides, but the rotation of the super-fast white dwarf planets extends the circulation of clouds around the planet.

The much slower 155-day orbital period of the Kepler-62 planet contributes to large dayside liquid cloud masses.

“Synchronous rotation of exoplanets in habitable zones of normal stars like Kepler 62 creates more cloud covers on Earth's dayside, reflecting incoming radiation away from the Earth's surface. I expect that,'' Dr. Shields said.

“That's usually good for planets orbiting near the inner edge of the star's habitable zone, where you can cool off a bit, rather than losing the ocean in a runaway greenhouse.”

“But for a planet orbiting straight in the middle of a habitable zone, that's not a very good idea.”

“The planet orbiting Kepler-62 has so many clouds that it is covered in clouds, sacrificeing valuable habitable surface area in the process.”

“On the other hand, planets orbiting the white dwarf spin so fast that they hardly have cloudy time during the day, so they retain more heat and work in their advantage.”

Less liquid clouds and the strong greenhouse effect on the Nightside creates a warmer state on the white dwar planet compared to the Kepler-62 planet.

“These results suggest that the once thought to be lifeless, white d star stellar environment could present a new pathway for exoplanet and astrobiology researchers to pursue. I'm doing that,” Dr. Shields said.

“With powerful observational capabilities online to assess exoplanet atmospheres and astrobiology, such as those related to the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, we are now studying a whole new class of whole new classes. You can enter a new stage of being. The world around the stars that was previously not announced.”

study It was published in Astrophysical Journal.

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Aokawa L. Seals et al. 2025. Increased surface temperature of the habitable white dwarf world compared to the main sequence exoplanet. APJ 979, 45; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/AD9827

Source: www.sci.news

Las Vegas Ends 214-Day Dry Spell with 0.01 Inch of Rainfall

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Las Vegas – After a staggering 214 days without any measurable rainfall, the Las Vegas Valley finally saw some drizzle.

On Thursday, the National Weather Service recorded 0.01 inch of rain at Harry Reed International Airport, ending one of the longest dry spells in the city’s history.

This marks the first time in 88 years that Las Vegas has gone more than 200 days without rain, according to the National Weather Service. The last significant rainfall in the area was seven months ago, before July 13th, 2024.

While this dry spell broke records, the city’s longest stretch without measurable rain remains at 240 days, a drought that occurred in 2020.

The current winter season is uncharacteristically warm and dry in the region.

Almost all of southern Nevada is currently facing “extreme” drought conditions. The US drought monitors release color-coded maps weekly to show the severity of drought conditions nationally.

The most recent drought monitor map shows that over 88% of the state is experiencing some level of drought, with around 21% facing “extreme” or “exceptional” dryness.

Thursday’s rain extended across desert areas in the southwest, affecting much of southern Nevada, as well as parts of California and Arizona.

The Las Vegas branch of the Meteorological Bureau stated that due to months of dry weather, the exact amount of rainfall from this event remains uncertain. According to x.

Higher elevations are expecting snow, with winter storm warnings in place for Nevada’s Spring Mountain area until Friday afternoon. Weather services predict 12-24 inches of snow in the mountains, with snowfall potentially reaching above 8,000 feet.

The precipitation is part of a storm system moving through southern Nevada on Thursday and Friday.

The Weather Service forecasts Las Vegas could receive 0.5-0.9 inches of rain over the two days.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Why We Crave Dessert Even After a Full Dinner

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

You always have room for sweet treats

Marioguti/Istockphoto/Getty Images

Even after eating a large meal, most people still find room for sweets. Currently, mouse studies show that neurons that cause fulfillment are also responsible for sugar cravings. In other words, there appears to be a neurological basis for our love for dessert.

Previous studies have shown that naturally occurring opioids in the brain play an important role in sugar cravings. The main producers of these opioids are neurons located in the brain region that regulates appetite, metabolism and hormones called the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. These cells, known as proopiomeranocortin (POMC) neurons, also control the feeling of fullness after eating.

To understand whether cells play a role in sugar cravings, Henning Fencerau The Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Germany and his colleagues tracked the opioid signals POMC cells send to the brain. They did so by bathing brain slices from three mice with a fluorescent solution that binds to the receptors of these opioids.

The brain regions with the highest density of these receptors were the paraventricular nuclei of the thalamus (PVT), known to regulate breastfeeding and other behaviors. It suggested that sugar craving was associated with communication between these two brain regions – arcuate nuclei and PVT of the hypothalamus.

Therefore, researchers monitored the activity of neurons in these regions when mice were eating regular food. After 90 minutes the animals looked full – they only bite into additional food. At that point, the team gave them a sugar-like butterfly dessert.

On average, neuronal activity between brain regions was nearly quadrupled during the time of dessert, compared to when eating a normal diet. Spikes begin before they start eating sweets, suggesting that this brain pathway determines sugar cravings.

Researchers confirmed this using a technique called optogenetics, which turns cells on and off with light. Inhibiting the signal from POMC neurons to PVTs led to mice consumed 40% less dessert.

“Cell types that are very well known for driving satiety also emit signals that cause sugar appetite, especially when they are full,” says Fencelau. “This would explain why animals-humans over-impose sugar when they actually fill up.”

I don’t know why this pathway evolved in animals. It may be because sugar is more likely to be more energy than other sources such as fat and protein, says Fencelau. So eating dessert is like refilling a gas tank.

He hopes that the study could lead to new treatments for obesity, but he acknowledges that hunger and craving are complicated in everyday life. “There are so many other pathways in the brain that of course you can disable this. We found this pathway, but how it plays with many others. That’s something we don’t know at this point.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Acidic storms forecasted to increase aquifer levels

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Have you ever visited a cave? Most caves are formed from rocks made of calcium and carbonates, Limestoneand includes vast passages beautifully decorated with unique minerals in columnar formation. for example, Mammoth Cave Kentucky has 426 miles (or 686 kilometers) of corridors, with over 100 rooms lined with giant titro stones and stalagies.

Where the caves are located there are often underground reservoirs. Aquifer. Aquifers are also commonly formed from limestone, conserving enormous amounts of water in cracks and other pore spaces in the rock. The population harvests billions of gallons of water from the aquifer every day.

Chemical reactions between limestone and acid dissolve the limestone, resulting in caves and aquifers being formed in limestone. The most common acids that react with limestone to form caves and aquifers are Carbonated. Carbonated acids are weak acids that naturally form when carbon is indicated as CO.₂dissolves in water. However, other naturally occurring acids such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid can also dissolve limestone.

Scientists have shown that limestone melting affects the world's climate. Carboxylic acids dissolve limestone and consume Co₂this is a powerful greenhouse gas. However, when other acids dissolve the limestone, Co is released₂ For the atmosphere. In particular, sulfuric acid and nitric acid are produced during human activities such as agriculture and other industrial processes. Scientists want to know if these acids dissolve a significant amount of limestone in aquifers and other underground areas.

Recently, a team of researchers in Florida used chemical analysis and mathematical models to measure the amount of limestone dissolution caused by acids other than carbonic acid in large aquifers known as the Floridan aquifer. Researchers explained that the Suwanee River is above the Floridan Aquifer and that there is water from the Suwanee River refill. charging Aquifer. They wanted to determine how much dissolution would occur in the aquifer with this charged water.

First, they measured the co₂ and the concentration of acid in water samples from various surfaces and underground locations of the Suwanee River Basin, collected over five years. This data was then used to create a mathematical model that calculates the amount of limestone dissolved within the aquifer if all molecules of acid in the aquifer react with the limestone molecule.

Using this model, the researchers estimated that acid input to the aquifer could dissolve 100-10,000 kilograms (or 220-220,000 pounds) of limestone in six months. This corresponds to the weight of melting at least two humans or three or more rocks! Based on the model output, they also found that only carboxylic acids cannot drive the dissolution of all estimated limestones. Researchers concluded that other acids, such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid, must contribute to the dissolution of limestone.

The team also explained that water can flow through the aquifer in just a few hours or years. They reported that several storms had occurred while sampling the river. It increased charging and produced a surge that pushed water through the aquifer faster than usual. They calculated that the most limestone dissolved during these storm surges, suggesting that the storm could exacerbate aquifer growth.

For many Florida people, the Florida aquifer is the main source of clean water. Therefore, the researchers emphasized that how this aquifer interacts with the environment affects millions of livelihoods. The researchers concluded that acids released from human activity could affect the dissolution of all limestones from the aquifers we rely on from the caves we visited. They suggested that future researchers would consider weathering rocks when studying carbon dioxide dynamics in other limestone-dominated regions.

Post view: 173

Source: sciworthy.com

Experience the Virgin Money Flaster Chatbot in the heart of Scunthorpe

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Feedback is the latest science and technology news of new scientists, the sidelines of the latest science and technology news. You can email Feedback@newscientist.com to send items you believe readers can be fascinated by feedback.

NDCS TBC

In the fun world of international climate negotiations at this point, everything is a bit quieter. The final big news was the COP29 conference in Azerbaijan in November. This was a huge success for a fossil fuel company promoting bystanders' products. Donald Trump then returned to the White House as President of the United States. He immediately ordered the country to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which governs international climate action. Negotiators can make excuses that they are a bit shell shocked.

Nevertheless, the wheels of the climatic bureaucracy are crushed. This year, signers of the Paris contract must submit renewals Nationally determined contributions (NDC). This is essentially a list of promises to take action to address climate change. The deadline is February 10th, and most countries missed it. Climate strategist Ed King He's getting attention Newsletter “Three small hill countries with many sheep” (UK, New Zealand and Switzerland) managed to submit theirs, but “we will have to wait until the second half of 2025 for China, India and the EU ”.

No one is in a hurry. It will take time. It's not like half of Los Angeles got burned to the ground. Drink tea, lift your legs and live your best life. It will be done when it is complete.

V-word

Reporter Matthew Spark draws our attention to one experience David Burchwho discussed savings accounts online with virgin money and asked the chatbot: The chatbot responded: “Don't use such words. If you use that language, I won't be able to continue chatting.”

Online assistants appear to have been programmed to avoid certain words and phrases that were considered discriminatory or offensive, including “virgin.” After Birch I posted it angrily There were a few things about this on LinkedIn Media reporting and virgin money I apologized I've taken down the chatbot (it was an outdated model anyway).

This was yet another example of a recurring problem with online discussions. Context is important. It is certainly possible to use it to insult the string virgin, but it is also the name of a multinational corporation. Tools that simply filter specific strings are obligated to block many harmless messages, but also lack the obvious slur-independent abuse.

The issue dates back at least to 1996 when AOL refused to allow residents of Scunthorpe, UK, to create accounts. The town's name contains a string that many people find offensive.Scunthorpe problem“For such a technical disaster.

The “virgin” incident is just the latest example. The Wikipedia page for Scunthorpe questions is a treasure trove of careless toilet humor and, more importantly, surprises. Perhaps we can speculate on the problems faced by certain mushroom promoters with Japanese names, but why is the New Zealand town of Facatane, a similar context-blinded foul, similar? Ignore the reader to predict whether the situation has become blinded. control.

Readers are welcome to submit their stories, but feedback cannot guarantee that email filters will pass through them.

Is it finally happening?

January 26th, website Daily Express The newspaper issued a big warning:Yellowstone warning as Survercano “preparing for an explosion”“. Good gravy, we thought. Will the Super Orcano under Yellowstone stop that perennial rumble and eventually tear it and cover North America with ashes and suck the sun?

In a thorough examination, the story merely reported the existence of a short YouTube document. What happens if the Yellowstone volcano erupts tomorrow? It was released in March 2020 on a channel called What. Feedback may be felt and readers may agree. ExpressHeadline.

Still, I’ll fill out the page. Found Feedback a Half a dozen article This theme has been featured in early January with headlines like “”.Yellowstone Crater movements create fear of boss explosion as scientists assess the risk“This noted that some scientists discovered “movement deep within the crater” and that this was on alert. paper in Nature It used new imaging techniques to determine that the volcano was not contained close to the magma sufficient to erupt. Others said this study:New debate about when and where it will spurt“This is certainly one way to interpret research that an eruption is not imminent.

Going back further back in time: On July 23rd last year, there was a small hydrothermal explosion in the Biscuit Basin area of Yellowstone, essentially trapped steam escaped the ground and escaped. Queue the headlines”Is Yellowstone going to erupt?“This was answered to an affordable answer by geophysicists. Geophysicists only say that the volcano erupts when there is “enough magma and pressure that can be erupted,” and that “either state is in yellowstone He explained that it will only erupt if it is not present.

We tried to go back further, but after the 50th post with almost the same headline, the feedback brain broke. At this point there were so many stories that declared the Yellowstone eruption imminent. When we see it off on live TV, we don't know if we believe it or not.

Have you talked about feedback?

You can send stories to feedback by email at feedback@newscientist.com. Include your home address. This week and past feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Chinese Jurassic bird fossils challenge traditional theories of bird evolution.

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Excavated in southeastern China, fossils of Jurassic birds are said to have a significant impact on the history of bird evolution, according to researchers.

The recently discovered Baminolis Zengensis, a bird the size of a quail, flew in the skies approximately 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period. A study about it was published on Wednesday in the Nature Journal. In essence, it is one of the oldest known birds to humanity, alongside the iconic Archeopteryx found in Germany in 1862 and of a similar age.

“For over 150 years, Archeopteryx has stood alone,” said Steve Bursatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh. Further explanation on the research accompanied this statement.

“All this time, it has remained as the sole unsuspecting bird fossil from the Jurassic era,” he mentioned to NBC News via email.

While other bird-like Jurassic fossils were found, there was a “significant mystery and frustrating gap” in the fossil record, according to Bursatte. So, where were their fossils?

The 2023 discovery of Baminornis in Zhenghe County, Fujian Province, China, filled that gap and became one of the most important discoveries since Archeopteryx, labeling it as “the second unsuspecting bird from the Jurassic era.”

Unlike the half-bird, half-reptile that had a long, thin tail resembling a velociraptor, Baminonis had a short tail where some vertebrae fused into short, sturdy nubins pushing the body center towards the wings, similar to modern birds for better flying.

Until the discovery of Baminoris, short tails were only found in birds known to have lived around 20 million years later, such as Eoconfuciusornis and Protopteryx.

Brusatte expressed excitement that Baminoris was more advanced than Archeopteryx and could fly much better.

Baminornis was more anatomically complex than Archeopteryx, being a “primitive” bird with claws and sharp teeth resembling dinosaur ancestors.

The discovery of two similarly aged birds about 5,500 miles apart led the nature research team to believe that bird evolution took place millions of years earlier than previously thought.

In addition to dozens of fossils of aquatic or semi-aquatic animals, the Zhenghe Fauna collection included at least three Aviaran fossils, enriching the understanding of early diversification and filling important gaps in the evolutionary history of terrestrial ecosystems towards the end of the Jurassic era according to researchers.

Baminornis fossils preserved most of the skeleton, but the wings were not preserved, leaving questions about their size and wing structure. The lack of a skull also limits clues regarding their diet.

Nevertheless, Baminornis suggests that various birds lived during the Jurassic period and flew in different ways,” Brusatte said.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Discovery of new bird fossils from China sheds light on early evolution of avian species

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have excavated fossilized remains of two Jurassic bird species in the area of Zenge County, Fujian Province, southeastern China. These 149 million-year-old fossils exhibit early appearances of highly derived bird characteristics, and together with fossils of another bird from the same region, they have the early origins of the birds and the early Jurassic. It suggests bird radiation.

Baminornis Zhenghensis. Image credit: Chuang Zhao.

“Birds are the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates,” says Professor Min Wang. Paleontology and Paleontology of Vertebrates The Chinese Academy of Sciences and colleagues said in a statement.

“Specific macroevolutionary studies suggest that their early diversification dates back to the Jurassic period.”

“However, the earliest evolutionary history of birds has long been obscure by highly fragmented fossil records. Archeopteryx Being the only widely accepted Jurassic bird. ”

“nevertheless Archeopteryx It was closely similar, especially due to its distinctive long reptile tail, as it had feathered wings. This is in stark contrast to the short-tailed morphology of modern and Cretaceous birds. ”

“Recent research questions about Aviaran's status. Archeopteryx classifies it as a deinonychosaurian dinosaur, a sister group of birds. ”

“This raises the question of whether there is a clear record of Jurassic birds.”

In their new study, Professor Wang and co-authors discovered and investigated two early bird fossils that were part of the so-called Zhenghe Biota.

One of these birds named Baminornis Zhenghensis the earliest known short-tailed bird.

“Baminornis Zhenghensis The end of the short tail in a complex bone called Pygostyle is a characteristic that can also be observed in living birds,” the paleontologist said.

“Previously, the oldest record of short-tailed birds was from the early Cretaceous period.”

“Baminornis Zhenghensis It is the only Jurassic and the oldest short-tailed bird ever discovered, pushing back the appearance of this derivative bird's distinctive features for nearly 20 million years. ”

According to the team, Baminornis Zhenghensis It also represents one of the oldest known birds.

“A step back and reconsidering the uncertainty of the phylogenetics Archeopteryx we don’t doubt it Baminornis Zhenghensis said Dr. Zhonghe Zhou of the Institute for Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleontology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The second unnamed bird is represented by a single fossilized fullcula (wishbone).

“Our results support this introduction to Furcula ornithuromorpha a diverse group of Cretaceous birds,” the researchers said.

Team's work It was published in the journal today Nature.

____

R. Chen et al. 2025. The first short-tailed bird from the late late Jurassic period in China. Nature 638, 441-448; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08410-z

Source: www.sci.news

A new realm of tiny creatures shakes up conventional notions of existence

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Theodor Diener had a problem. It was in 1967, and he and his colleagues successfully isolated an infectious agent that caused spindle tuber disease in potatoes that destroy crops. But it wasn’t like what they realised. They called it a virus, but it didn’t act like one thing.

It took Diener four years to demonstrate that mystical beings are even simpler than viruses. It is a single “naked” molecule that can infect potato cells and thus reproduce. He suggested calling it a wild. It was the smallest replicating agent ever identified. With a stroke, dinner expanded my understanding of living in the microscope world.

You might think that such a dramatic discovery would, uh, go viral. Almost no one noticed it yet. Apart from several other plant pathologists, the world of science has forgotten much about wilds for half a century. They had never even heard of him in 2020 when Benjamin Lee of the National Center for Biotechnology Information in Bethesda, Maryland, was encouraged to look into Wild.

Since then, there has been an explosion of discovery thanks to Lee and others. Now we know thousands of wilds and violids-like entities, with exotic names such as obelisks, ribojunctions, satellites and more. They appear to be found everywhere in a vast range of organisms and microorganisms. I don’t know what most of them are doing, whether most of them are benign or dangerous. However, these simplest replicators raise basic questions about the meaning of being alive. They can even go back to the origins of…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Neutrinos shatter records as they tear through the Mediterranean Ocean

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Part of the undersea KM3NET neutrino detector

km3net

The incredibly powerful neutrinos that tore through a new Mediterranean particle detector have amazed physicists, offering a first glimpse into some of the universe’s most intense events, such as the collision of ultrafine black holes.

Neutrinos, sometimes known as “ghost particles,” interact minimally with matter due to their small mass and lack of charge. By placing detectors in dense mediums like water or ice, researchers hope to detect the subtle signals of neutrinos interacting with atoms and producing showers of particles. This, in turn, helps in understanding their properties.

Damian Dornick from the Centre for Particle Physics in Marseille, France, along with his team, discovered the most energetic neutrino ever recorded. Using the Cubic Kilometer Neutrino Telescope (km3net) at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, they detected this extraordinary neutrino on February 13, 2023. The discovery left the researchers astonished.

“Initially, we were puzzled,” he says. “As we delved deeper, we realized that this event was truly exceptional, and our excitement grew.”

The signal observed appeared as a bright, almost horizontal line on the detector, believed to be created by muons – small electron-like particles produced by neutrinos interacting with km3net’s detectors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpuargix2u4

When the researchers tentatively published their results in 2024, they were still in the process of calculating the exact energy of the particles. “The high energy levels surprised us, as our neutrino simulations had not yet reached such levels,” says Morgan Wasco from Oxford University.

To validate their findings, researchers meticulously considered the impact of other sources of illumination on the detector, such as neutrinos generated by cosmic rays – charged particles from space. These signals are believed to surpass higher-energy neutrinos originating from more distant cosmic sources by 1 to 100 million times.

The energy of the detected neutrino was calculated to be 120 peta electron volts (PEV), about 10 times higher than the previous record set by the IceCube neutrino observatory in Antarctica. Such high-energy neutrino detections offer unique insights into the events producing them, like black hole mergers and supernova explosions.

“While cosmic rays get deflected and lose their original direction as they pass through interstellar space, neutrinos travel straight,” explains Wascko. The relatively large spatial spread of the neutrino’s trail in this case makes pinpointing the exact source challenging, but future enhancements to the telescope could potentially identify similarly powerful neutrinos and their sources.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Common Painkillers During Pregnancy Linked to Increased Risk of ADHD in Children

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Microscopic view of paracetamol crystals

Henri Koskinen/Shutterstock

Children who used paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, during their mother’s pregnancy, are more likely to develop ADHD than those whose mothers do not, suggesting small studies. Although inconclusive, this finding gives weight to the contested idea that widely used painkillers can affect fetal brain development.

Previous studies on paracetamol and neurodevelopmental conditions provide conflicting findings. For example, a 2019 study linking over 4,700 children and their mothers with their mothers to use painkillers during pregnancy There is a 20% higher risk Children developing ADHD. However, the analysis presented by nearly 2.5 million children last year There is no such connection When comparing siblings who were exposed or not to paracetamol before birth.

One problem is that most of these studies rely on self-reported medication use. This is a serious limitation as you may not remember taking paracetamol during pregnancy. For example, only 7% of participants in the 2019 study reported using paracetamol during pregnancy. It's well below the 50% seen in other studies. “A lot of people take it [paracetamol] Without knowing that” Brennan Baker At Washington University in Seattle. “It could be the active ingredient in some of the cold medicines you're using, and you don't necessarily know.”

So Baker and his colleagues used more accurate metrics instead. They looked for medication markers in blood samples collected from 307 women. They were all black and lived in Tennessee in the late pregnancy. None of them were taking medication due to chronic illnesses and were unaware of the complications of pregnancy. The researchers then followed up with participants when the child was 8 to 10 years old. In the US, Approximately 8% of children I have ADHD between the ages of 5 and 11.

On average, children whose mothers had a marker of paracetamol in their blood were three times more likely than children born to mothers, even after adjusting for factors such as mother's age and body mass index before pregnancy. There was a possibility (BMI), mental health status among close relatives of socioeconomic status and mental health. This suggests that using paracetamol during pregnancy may increase the risk of developing ADHD in children.

However, it is also possible that the actual factor that increases your risk of ADHD is not the drug itself, but the first thing you will be taking paracetamol. “They couldn't explain anything like the reason why their mother took it. [paracetamol]”It has been found to be risk factors for adverse development in children, such as headaches, fever, pain and infectious diseases.” Viktor Ahlqvist At the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

But Baker believes that it is the drugs that are responsible. Subsequent analysis of tissue samples from 174 of participants' placenta showed that people using paracetamol have different metabolic and immune system changes. These changes are similar to those seen in studies testing the effects of paracetamol in pregnant animals without infection or underlying health conditions.

“I think the fact that we see immune upregulation in animal models also really strengthens the causal case,” Baker says. “There are many previous studies showing that elevated immune activation during pregnancy is linked to adverse neurodevelopment.”

Yet these findings are far from conclusive. For one thing, the study included a small number of participants, all black and lived in the same city, limiting the generalization of the findings. Another case, it measured only the blood markers of paracetamol at one moment. These markers have stuck for about three days, so the study probably captured more frequent users, and may have a dose-dependent effect, says Baker.

“[Paracetamol] Now is the first-line treatment option for pain and fever during pregnancy,” says Baker. “But I think I'm an agency [US Food and Drug Administration] In addition, various obstetric and gynecological associations should continuously review all available research and update their guidance. ”

Meanwhile, if it's unclear whether to take paracetamol during pregnancy, people should talk to their doctor, Baker says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Strong evidence of Ozempic and Wegoby reducing alcohol consumption

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

People report lower alcohol cravings when using semaglutide

ShutterStock/David MG

According to the first randomized clinical trials of drugs for this purpose, semaglutide appears to help people who are truly obsessed with alcohol reduce their intake.

Semaglutide, sold under brand names including Wegovy and Ozempic, uses the work by mimicking the intestinal hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), so the technical term is GLP-1 receptor It's an agonist. This drug was first used to treat type 2 diabetes, but to reduce appetite, Wegovy is also approved for weight loss 8 countries. Semaglutide also offers tips to help with an extraordinary number of medical conditions.

Regarding alcohol use, there was a 2024 survey that 84,000 people injected Ozempic or Wegovy because of a lower risk of alcoholism. The results were promising and showed correlation rather than causality.

But now, Christian Hendershot The University of Southern California and his colleagues completed the first randomized clinical trial of the effects of semaglutide on alcohol use disorders.

Their trial involved 48 US people diagnosed with the condition, of which 34 were women and 14 were male. Half received a weekly low-dose injection of semaglutide for 9 weeks, and the rest received a placebo injection.

Semaglutide patients no longer consumed drinks per drinking session, reducing their weekly alcohol cravings compared to placebo drinks.

“There was no evidence of any significant adverse effects or safety concerns for drugs in this population. Overall, we found that it reduces the amount of alcohol people consume across several different drinking outcomes,” Hender said. Shot says.

“The results are promising.” Long Xu at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Ohio. “Despite the small sample size, this randomized clinical trial highlights the therapeutic potential of semaglutide in the treatment of alcohol use disorders.”

ziyad al-aly At Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, the study added ” yet another evidence of GLP-1RAS . [GLP-1 receptor agonists] It could help with addiction disorders.”

He needs greater research to answer questions about whether people will increase their drinking, especially when they leave semaglutide, particularly what the long-term impact is, and whether people will increase their drinking. He says. Bone and muscle mass.

The study should be treated as a promising first evidence, says Hendershot, but more research is needed. People should not start taking semaglutide due to alcohol problems, he says.

“This is the first study like this and people are excited about it, but we have approved effective drugs for alcohol use disorders, so more research has been conducted. Until now, people are encouraged to pursue and approve the existing medicines there right now,” says Hendershot.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Sexually Transmitted Microorganisms in Forensic Investigations: A Potential Tool

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The male and female genitals provide a clear environment for microorganisms

Artur Plawgo/Getty Images

Sexual partners transfer their unique genital microbiota to one another during sexual intercourse. This can affect forensic investigations of sexual assault.

Brendan Chapman Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia and his colleagues collected swabs from the genitals of 12 monogamous heterosexual couples and used RNA gene sequences to identify microbial signatures for each participant. Researchers asked couples to refrain from sex for two days to two weeks, and took follow-up samples several hours after sex.

“We found that these genetic signatures from female bacteria can be detected in male partners and vice versa,” Chapman says. As the team infused it, this change in a person's “sexome” could prove useful in criminal investigations, he says.

The amount of transfers varies from couple to couple, and the team found that even the use of condoms completely prevented the movement of the Sensomem from one partner to another. However, one major limitation of the outcome was the significant changes in female sexsomes during the period.

Chapman says there may be long-term homogenization of the microbiota of monogamous couples, but the bacterial population clearly differs between genders.

“The big advantage we have in our penis and vaginal microbiota is that we observe very different types of bacteria in each because there are huge differences in the two environments,” says Chapman. “For example, the penis is primarily a skin-like surface and therefore reflects similarity to the skin microbiota. There are a variety of anaerobic bacteria in the vagina, and the aerobic type in the penis. .”

So many of these bacteria cannot last indefinitely in the opposite environment, he says. “It's like comparing land to sea animals. Some live exclusively in one or the other and die if removed, but they willingly move and last.”

After establishing bacterial movement during sex, the team wants to prove that individual sexsomes are unique, like fingerprints and DNA. “I think every person's Sensomem contains enough diversity and uniqueness, but there's still something to do to demonstrate it with robust enough techniques to meet the forensic challenges. There is,” says Chapman.

If researchers can prove this, it can help investigate sexual assaults, particularly those in which male suspects do not ejaculate, have had vascular resections, or use condoms. “The genetic profile of a bacterial may be able to support or oppose propositions or testimony about what happened in the allegations of sexual assault,” he says. Dennis McNevin At Sydney Institute of Technology, Australia.

In such cases, the standard profile of human DNA is always preferred due to the great power of distinguishing individuals, he says, but sexomes may offer useful alternatives. “Bacterial genetic profiles may one day complement DNA evidence, or may help refer to the perpetrator of a rare sexual assault where DNA profiles are not available,” McNevin says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The importance of AI companies adopting the practices of quantum computing research

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

David Parker/Science Photo Library

What is the difference between artificial intelligence and quantum computing? One is sci-fi sound technology that has long been committed to revolutionizing our world, providing researchers can sort out some technical wrinkles, such as the tendency to cause errors. In fact, the other one is too.

Still, AI seems breathless and inevitably inevitable, but the average person has no experience with quantum computing. Is this important?

Practitioners in both fields certainly commit the crime of hyping their products, but part of the problem with quantum advocates is that the current generation of quantum computers are essentially useless. With a special report on the state of the industry (see “Quantum Computers Finally Arrived, Will They Be Useful?”), races are intended to build machines that can actually do useful calculations. Currently underway. This is not possible on a regular computer.

There is no clear use case to prevent high-tech giants from forcing AI into the software they use every day, but the subtle nature of this hardware makes quantum computing the masses more difficult. It is much more difficult to bring in the same way. You probably won’t own a personal quantum computer. Instead, the industry is targeting businesses and governments.

Practitioners in both AI and quantum computing fields are guilty of hyping their products

Perhaps that’s why quantum computer builders seem to keep their feet on science, drumming business while publishing peer-reviewed research. It appears that the major AI companies have all those who have given up on publishing. Why are you troubled when you can simply charge a monthly fee to use your technology, whether it actually works or not?

The quantum approach is correct. When you are committed to technology that transforms research, industry and society, explaining how it works in the most open way possible is the only way to persuade people to believe in the hype. .

It may not be flashy, but in the long run it’s not style, it’s substance. So, I will definitely aim to revolutionize the world, but please show me your work.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

XMM-Newton discovers two supernova remnants near the Milky Way satellite galaxy’s edge

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Named SNR J0614-7251 and SNR J0624-6948, the newly discovered supernova remains are located on the outskirts of the large Magelanic Cloud, the largest milky white satellite galaxy.

In the center of the image, stars cluster into a large Magellan cloud, a bright, dark green candy floss colored haze. Scattered in the center of the image are about 50 small yellow crosses, some of which are almost overlapping as they are very close to each other. SNR J0624-6948 (orange, high image) and SNR J0614-7251 (blue, bottom image) are seen in the lower left quarter of the image. Image credits: Eckhard Slawik/ESA/Xmm-Newton/Sasaki et al. / F. Zangrandi.

“Supranovae are stellar explosions, caused by massive star core collapse, neutron stars or black holes (core collapsing supernovae), or by thermonuclear destruction of white nuclei in binary systems. Friedrich- “We are a scientist at the same time,” said Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and colleague Dr. Manami Sasaki.

“Supranovae are important for galaxy material cycles and the formation of next-generation stars. Shockwave produces supernova debris that heats environmental or interstellar media to ionize, sweeping and compressing the environment, and making the environment more environmentally friendly and compressing. Enrich it. With chemical elements.”

use ESA's XMM-Newton Spaceshipastronomers discovered two supernova remnants, SNR J0614-7251 and SNR J0624-6948, in the large Magellan cloud.

“The big and small Magellan clouds are the largest satellite galaxies in the Milky Way and the closest ones,” they said.

“The Magellan Cloud is also the only satellite galaxy in the Milky Way with current active star formation.”

“A large Magellan cloud at a small distance (49,600 Parsec), its morphology is almost a hassle disk, and its low foreground absorption provides a detailed laboratory ideal for the study of large samples of the remaining supernovae. Masu.”

“Proximity allows for spatially resolved spectroscopic studies of supernova debris, and precisely known distances allow for the analysis of the energetics of each supernova debris.”

“In addition, the rich data of wide-field multi-wavelength data available provides information about the environment in which these supernova debris evolves.”

XMM-Newton observed SNR J0614-7251 and SNR J0624-6948 with three different types of X-ray light.

They show the most common chemical elements in various parts of the debris.

The center of SNR J0614-7251 is primarily made up of iron, according to the team.

This clue allowed researchers to classify this remnant for the first time as a result of a type IA supernova.

“The discovery of supernova remnants on the outskirts of the large Magellan cloud confirms that stellar explosions occur outside the galaxy and allows us to study their shocks, stellar ejectors and environment,” they said. I said that.

“It will help us to better understand the evolution of the Magellan cloud and the history of interacting galaxies and their surrounding star formation.”

“We hope that new multi-wavelength investigations will reveal more supernova remnants around the Magellan cloud.”

“This new supernova remnants allows us to study the supernova explosions and the rest of the supernova evolution in low density and low metallic environments, and better serve to better the effects of metallicity on star formation and star evolution. I can understand it.”

result It will be displayed in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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Manamisasaki et al. 2025. The remains of a supernova on the outskirts of the large Magellan cloud. A&A 693, L15; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202452178

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Uncover 74 New Stars

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers have imaged planetary belts of 74 planetary systems as part of resolved ALMA and SMA observations in nearby star (reason) investigations (reason).

The gallery contains 74 images of different star systems with exoconterry belts taken at the Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) and Atacama's Large Millimeter/Sub-Millimeter (ALMA) Wireless Telescope Facility. Image credit: Luca Matrà.

To find evidence of comets outside our solar system, astronomers have turned to two facilities that detect specific bands of radio waves: sub-millimeter arrays (SMAs) and large millimeters/sub-millimeters in Atacama Meter array (ALMA).

Due to the dust and rock size of these belts, this type of light is especially good for finding and imaging these structures.

The stars in this study ranged from very young to middle-aged ages like our Sun.

“The joint programme between SMA and Alma Dubbed reasons presents a significant milestone in the Exometallibelt study, as its images and subsequent analysis reveal where the pebbles and exomets are located. is”

“In these regions, it's very cold (minus 250 to minus celsius), so most compounds, including water, are frozen like ice from these exomets.”

“Exocomet is a rock and ice rock of at least 1 kilometre in size, and it collides together within these belts, and here produces pebbles that are observed in an array of telescope Alma and SMA,” says Dr. Matra. said.

“The Exometallibelt is located in at least 20% of our planetary systems, including our solar system.”

“The Kuiper Belt is an example of the comet belt of our own solar system.”

“Far beyond Pluto's orbit, some scientists believe the Kuiper belt is the source of the internal solar system where Earth was located, delivered through comets billions of years ago.”

The new image shows a significant diversity of structures within the belt. Some are narrow rings, while others are wider and may be classified as discs rather than belts.

Additionally, some of the 74 Exocomet systems have multiple rings or discs, some of which are eccentric. In other words, it's more like an elliptical shape, not a circular orbit.

This provides evidence that there are still undetectable planets or possibly moons, and that their gravity affects the distribution of pebble in these systems.

“The arrays like Alma and SMA used in this work are extraordinary tools that continue to give us incredible new insights into the universe and how it works,” says Harvard & Smithsonian Astrophysics. said Dr. David Wilner, an astrophysicist at the Center for Science.

“The research requires extensive community effort and has incredible legacy value with multiple potential pathways for future research.”

“The dataset of belt and planetary systems properties enables research into the birth and evolution of these belts, as well as the study of tracking observations across next-generation wavelength ranges from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webspace Telescope. “The huge telescope and future plans for Alma are plans to zoom further into the details of these belts.”

a paper The explanation of the results was published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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L. Matra et al. 2025. Reasons for the nearby stars Alma and SMA: population resolved 74 planetary belts at millimeter wavelengths. A&A 693, A151; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202451397

Source: www.sci.news

British seniors feel greater satisfaction post-Covid-19 pandemic

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The pandemic may have changed people’s outlook for life

Disobeyart/Alamy

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased a stronger sense of purpose and life satisfaction as it deepened the appreciation of older adults in the UK for the simple things in life.

The happiness of some people Life satisfaction immersed in the early days of the pandemic however, after most restrictions have been lifted, what happened later is not much understood. “Unfortunately, most of the research conducted did not continue. [in the later years of] “Because it's a pandemic, there was a big gap in research.” Paola Zaninot University College London.

To address this, Zaninotto and her colleagues analyzed data from a survey on the well-being and depressive symptoms of approximately 4,000 people, primarily white.

Each participant completed the survey over two years from the second pandemic in the first year of the 2020 pandemic and the last participant between the end of 2021 and the last between 2023. The final survey of 2022 was after most infection control measures were concluded in the UK.

The team found that prior to the pandemic, participants rated their sense of purpose in life with an average score of 7.5 out of 10. This fell to 7.2 in 2020, rising from 7.6 in the final survey to 7.6 above pre-pandemic levels. .

Similarly, participants reported an average life satisfaction score of 7.3 prior to the pandemic, which fell to 6.9 early in the pandemic, but rose to 7.5 in the final survey.

These are small changes in happiness at the population level, but some individuals say they are experiencing major changes that affect their work and relationships. Rebecca Pierson At the University of Bristol, UK.

Zaninot may have reminded people of the importance of the global outbreak in life. “The pandemic has brought some challenges, but it has also brought a broad appreciation to our lives, perhaps about social connections and other meaningful activities,” she says.

The team also found that the average rate of depression (defined as having at least four depressive symptoms, such as feeling lonely) was more than doubled from the first to the second period. The final survey saw prices drop but exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

“People might feel like we've overcome it, I'm back to work, I've been able to see my family again.” You may be low at times and you may not be able to enjoy the same joy,” Pearson says. Furthermore, research needs to explore what drives these rates of depression increase, she says.

Additionally, additional studies say we need to investigate how results are converted to people elsewhere, Kelsey O'Connor At the National Institute of Statistics in Luxembourg. “The pandemic policy and the severity of the pandemic have been dramatically different in other countries,” he says. “You can't really generalize to young people, ethnic minorities, or marginalized groups.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Monitoring waste at only 20 airports can help identify potential pandemics

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A network of airports like Hong Kong International Airport could effectively detect disease outbreaks

Yuen Man Cheung / Alamy

A global early warning system for disease outbreaks and future pandemics is possible with minimal surveillance. We test wastewater from just a few of our international flights at just 20 airports around the world.

If passengers fly while infected with bacteria or viruses, traces of these pathogens can be left in the waste, allowing airports to gather from the plane after the flight. “If you go to the airplane toilet, blow your nose and place it in the toilet, some of the genetic material from the pathogen can go. In the wastewater.” Guillaume St-Onge at Northeastern University, Massachusetts.

St-Onge and his colleagues used an A Simulator Called the Global Epidemic and Mobility Model, it analyzes how airport waste monitoring networks can detect new variants of the virus, such as those that cause Covid-19. By testing the model using different numbers and locations at airports, they have been able to provide 20 strategically located “sentinel airports” around the world and are as quickly as a network involving thousands of airports. It has been shown that occurrence can be detected efficiently. The larger network was only 20% faster, but cost more.

To detect new threats from anywhere in the world, your network should include major international airports in cities such as London, Paris, Dubai and Singapore. However, the team also showed how networks containing different airport sets could provide a more targeted detection of disease outbreaks that are likely to occur on a particular continent.

“This modeling study is the first to provide the actual number of sentinel airports needed to support effective global monitoring while optimizing resource use,” he says. jiaying li At the University of Sydney, Australia.

Additionally, airport-based networks provide useful information on disease outbreaks during an epidemic, such as how quickly diseases spread from person to person, and estimating people who may become infected from exposure to a single case. You can also do it, says ST-. Onge.

Such wastewater surveillance provides early warnings for known diseases and could also track new and emerging threats if genome data for bacterial or viral is available. “I don’t think I can look at the wastewater and say, ‘There’s a new pathogen out there.'” Temi Ibitoye At Brown University in Rhode Island. “But when new pathogens are announced, we can look at previous waste data very quickly and say, “Is this present in the sample?” “

A map of Sentinel Airport shows how quickly the network detects new disease outbreaks at various sites around the world

Northeastern University

There are still some nuances, such as the frequency of ingesting wastewater samples to track different pathogens. Other challenges include knowing the most efficient way to sample wastewater from an aircraft and assessing the actual effectiveness of the system, says Li.

Long-term surveillance programs also require cooperation from airlines and airports, along with consistent funding sources.

Individual airports can hesitate to participate as risks are recognized for business if infectious disease statistics become widely available. Unless a data processing agreement can alleviate such concerns, Trevor Charles At the University of Waterloo, Canada. He emphasized the importance of coordinated international funding to offset “local political considerations.”

However, given President Donald Trump’s launch of the US withdrawal from the organization, even coordination through international organizations such as the World Health Organization is bringing its own political complications, according to Ibitoye He said. Still, such research is “contributed to making it.” [the monitoring network] She says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists suggest that the composition of the inner core of the Earth is undergoing changes

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Geoscientists at the University of Southern California, the University of Los Angeles, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cornell University, the Institute of Geology at the University of Utah and the University of Utah have said they have detected structural changes near the center of the Earth.

The inner core of the Earth was previously thought to be solid. Image credit: USC Graphics/Edward Sotero.

Professor John Vidale, a researcher at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, said:

“What we discovered is evidence that the surface near the inner core of the Earth is undergoing structural changes.”

Located 5,000 km (3,000 miles) on the surface of the Earth, the inner core is fixed by gravity within the outer core of the molten liquid. Until now, the inner core was widely considered to be a solid sphere.

“The original purpose was to further diagram the deceleration of the inner core. However, when I was analyzing decades of earthquake records, one dataset of seismic waves remained. It was strangely distinctive from that,” Dr. Vidale said.

“Later I realized I was staring at evidence that my inner core was not solid.”

In this study, the authors recorded seismic waves recorded by Yelson and Yellow Knife Receber Array Stations in North America from repeated seismic pairs in the North-South Sandwich Islands between 1991 and 2023.

One dataset of seismic waves from the latter station contained non-characteristic properties that researchers have never seen before.

“The dataset initially confused me,” Dr. Vidale said.

It was not revealed that seismic waveforms represent additional physical activity in the inner core until the team improved their resolution techniques.

Physical activity is best described as a temporal change in the shape of the inner core.

New research shows that surfaces near the inner core can undergo viscous deformation, altering their shape and shifting at the shallow boundary of the inner core.

The most obvious cause of structural changes is the interaction between the inner and outer cores.

“It is widely known that the melted outer core is a turbulent flow, but that turbulence has not been observed to contiguously contiguously to the inner core of the human timescale,” Dr. Vidale said. Ta.

“The first thing we're looking at in this study is the outer core that probably disrupts the inner core.”

“This discovery could open the door to uncover previously hidden dynamics deep within the Earth's nucleus, and lead to a better understanding of the Earth's thermal and magnetic fields.”

study Published in the journal Natural Earth Science.

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Je Vidale et al. Variations in annual scales at both rotation speed and surfaces near the inner core of the Earth. nut. GeosciPublished online on February 10th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41561-025-01642-2

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Possibly Found the Swiftest Exoplanet System on Record

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Candidate planetary systems detected by microlens method are thought to travel at least 540 km (1.2 million mph) per 540 km.

Impressions of the superniputin exoplanet artist orbiting a low-mass star near the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt, Caltech-IPAC.

“I think this is the so-called Super Neptune world orbiting a low-mass star at the distance between Venus and Earth's orbit,” University of Maryland, College Park, NASA Goddard. At the Space Flight Center.

“The star is so weak that it is outside its habitable zone. If so, it will be the first planet ever discovered orbiting a fast star.”

The system was first discovered indirectly in 2011 thanks to the microlens event MOA-2011-BLG-262.

“Microlenses occur because a large amount of presence distorts the fabric of space-time,” the astronomer explained.

“Whenever an intervening object appears to drift near a background star, light from the star curve passes through space-time, distorted around nearby objects.”

“If the alignment is particularly close, the distortion around the object behaves like a natural lens and can amplify the light of the background star.”

In MOA-2011-BLG-262, microlens signals revealed pairs of celestial bodies.

Astronomers have determined relative masses (one is about 2,300 times heavier than the other), but their exact mass depends on how far they are from the Earth.

“It's easy to determine the mass ratio,” said Dr. David Bennett, a senior research scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center at the University of Maryland, College Park and NASA.

The MOA-2011-BLG-262 Discovery Team has a microlens object that is about 20% of the stars, about 29 times heavier than Earth, or Jupiter's mass with Exomoon. They suspected it was one of roughly four times more illicit planets.

To understand which explanations were more likely, Dr. Terry, Dr. Bennett and his colleagues searched data from the Keck Observatory in Hawaii and the Gaia satellite at the ESA.

If the pair are illegitimate Exoplanets and Exomoons, they will not look effective – dark objects lost in the black space of the universe.

Researchers discovered a strong suspect about 24,000 light years away and put it in the bulge of the Milky Way galaxy.

By comparing the position of the stars in 2011 and 2021, they calculated its speed.

But that's its 2D motion. If it's heading towards us or away from us, it must be moving even faster.

Its true speed may increase to the galaxy's escape speed exceeding 600 km/s (1.3 million mph) per second.

If so, the planetary system is destined to traverse intergalactic space for millions of years to come.

“To make sure the newly identified star is part of the system that caused the 2011 signal, we looked again in another year and it moved the right amount and moved in the right direction. And I want to see where it is. We've detected a signal,” Dr. Bennett said.

“If a high-resolution observation indicates that the stars remain in the same position, it can be sure that it is not part of the system that caused the signal,” says Aparna Bhatacharya at the University of Maryland. The doctor said. College Park and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

“That means the Rogue Planet and the Exomoon model are preferred.”

Team's paper It was released this week Astronomy Journal.

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Sean K. Terry et al. 2025. A candidate high-speed peeling system for galaxy swelling. AJ 169, 131; doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ad9b0f

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers find unusually high levels of cosmic formation beryllium in the Pacific Ocean

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A team of scientists from Helmholtz Senturm Dresden Rossendorf, Tad Dresden Institute of Technology, and the Australian National University have discovered an “unexpected” accumulation of Beryllium-10 from the bottom of the central and North Pacific Oceans.

Col et al. Report on the discovery of anomalies in the beryllium-10 concentration profiles of several deep-sea ferromanganese crusts (stars) from the late Miocene central and North Pacific Oceans. The main bottom (blue line) and surface (red line) ocean currents of the thermal halin circulation are shown. Image credit: Koll et al., doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-55662-4.

Radionuclides are types of nuclei (isotopes) that decay into other elements over time.

They are used to date archaeological and geological samples, and radiocarbon dating is one of the best-known methods.

“The major ocean floors on Earth show one of the most pristine geological archives documenting environmental conditions and changes over millions of years, the ferromanganese crust,” Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and his colleagues.

“Dating these marine archives can be achieved through fossils through changes in biostratigraphy, isotope, or elemental composition. Alternatively, we can analyze the imprinted changes in the Earth's magnetic field due to magnetic stratigraphy. Masu.”

“Another commonly employed technique is dating space-forming nuclides,” they added.

“The radionuclide Beryllium-10 is continuously produced in the upper atmosphere, primarily through cosmic ray spallation for nitrogen and oxygen.”

“The residence time of Beryllium-10 in the atmosphere is about 1-2 years for it to adhere to the aerosol and precipitate.”

“In the ocean, atmospheric beryllium-10 mixes with the stable beryllium-9 of the lithosphere, which is transported to the ocean by river runoff and river dust, primarily after erosion of terrestrial minerals.”

Dr. Koll and co-authors have discovered long-term cosmicogenic beryllium-10 anomalies in central and North Pacific samples.

Such anomalies can be attributed to changes in ocean currents or astrophysical events that occurred during the late Miocene era around 10 million years ago.

The findings have the potential to serve as a global time marker for promising advances in dating geological archives over millions of years.

“For a period of millions of years, such space-forming time markers still do not exist,” Dr. Koll said.

“However, this beryllium abnormality can act as such a marker.”

result It will be displayed in the journal Natural Communication.

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D. Koll et al. 2025. Cosmic genome ¹⁰It becomes abnormal in the late Miocene as an independent time marker for marine archives. Nut commune 16, 866; doi:10.1038/s41467-024-55662-4

Source: www.sci.news

New Research Reveals 82% of Paradise Bird Species are Biofluorescent

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paradise birds are families of small to medium-sized forest birds found in the New Guinea region. With its elaborate and colorful feathers, these birds are one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. A new study found that ornithologists at the American Museum of Natural History and ornithologists at the University of Nebraska Lincoln University were biological fluorescents out of 45 currently recognized paradise. They suggest that this special “brightness” is important among male birds due to hierarchy and mating displays.

The bigger bird bird (Paradisaea apoda). Image credit: Andrea Lawardi.

With colorful feathers and intricate courtship displays, the paradise bird has a special place in natural history.

They serve as examples of school books for sexual choice. This is the result of the selection of male female peers with attractive features.

The results show unparalleled radiation of species in which men exhibit extreme morphological features and behaviors, and behaviours that have no evolutionary meaning other than attracting women due to coalescence.

“The unique mating rituals and exhibitions of paradise birds fascinated scientists and promoted countless research focusing on the evolution of traits and sexual choice,” said Rene Martin, PhD, University of Nebraska, Dr. Lincoln. The doctor said.

“It seems appropriate that these flashy birds are likely signaling each other in an additional flashy way.”

Biofluorescence is a phenomenon that occurs when an organism absorbs light, converts it, and releases it as a different color.

“More than 10,000 people recorded birds and despite numerous studies that included bright feathers, elaborate mating displays and excellent vision, we surprisingly investigated the presence of biological fluorescence. There are very few people.”

“Bowerbirds and Fairy Wrens were unable to shine, but bright green yellow fluorescent light was found among the bird birds.”

Biological fluorescence is found in Emperor's birds (Paradisaea guilielmi). Image credit: Rene Martin.

Researchers discovered that when exposed to not only bird light, but also purple light, the birds also fluorescently, and that the birds emitted fluorescence.

This phenomenon is particularly prominent in men, focusing on the bright feathers and skin of the area highlighted during the exhibition: the mouth and bills of the head, neck, and belly.

In women, biological fluorescence is usually restricted to feathers in the chest and belly.

“These birds live near the equator, where bright sunlight is abundant all year round, and in forests where light complexity is heavily affected by different canopy differences, enhancing bioflaorent signals. It could be,” Emily said. Kerr, PhD student at the American Museum of Natural History.

“Studies based on closely related species found that bird eye pigments align with fluorescent peaks measured by researchers.”

“Based on this, we speculate that avian paradises can see these biological fluorescent patterns, which enhance the contrast with dark feathers and possibly play an important role in courtship and hierarchy. there is.”

study It will be published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

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Rene Martin et al. Royal Society Open Sciencein press; doi: 10.1098/rsos.241905

Source: www.sci.news

A complete Einstein ring found surrounding NGC 6505 by astronomers

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Einstein rings (also known as Einstein – Chuworson rings or Chuworson rings) pass through very large masses such as galaxy clusters and giant galaxies as light from distant objects, such as galaxies.

Close-up of Einstein rings around NGC 6505. Image credits: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/J.-C. Cuillandre / G. Anselmi / T. Li.

This is the first powerful gravitational lens discovered in Euclidean, and the first powerful lens in the NGC object of investigation.

In the Galaxy-Galaxy's strong gravitational lens, light from the distant source galaxy is distorted and enlarged by the gravitational field of the foreground lens galaxy, forming multiple images of the source galaxy.

When the source is resolved, that is, not like a point, but close to the projection center of the lens of the source plane, a so-called Einstein ring is formed.

Both Einstein rings and lensed sources have enormous scientific value and are used in a variety of applications.

“The Einstein ring is an example of a strong gravity lens,” says Dr. Conor O'Riordan, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics.

“All powerful lenses are special because they are very rare and very scientifically useful.”

“This is especially special because it's very close to the Earth and makes the alignment very beautiful.”

The ring of light surrounding the NGC 6505, captured by ESA's Euclidean telescope, is a stunning example of the Einstein ring. Image credits: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/J.-C. Cuillandre / G. Anselmi / T. Li.

Not only are you on the ESA's Euclidean spacecraft using deep imaging data from visible cameras (VIS) and near-infrared spectrometers and photometers (NISP) equipment, but also Keck Cosmic Web Imager (kcwi) At the Wm Keck Observatory, astronomers discovered Einstein rings around the center NGC 6505An oval galaxy about 590 million light years from Earth.

The ring around the foreground NGC 6505 is made up of light from even brighter galaxies.

The galaxy in the background is 4.42 billion light years away, and the light is distorted by the force of gravity on its way towards us.

“I think it's very interesting to see this ring within the famous galaxy, first discovered in 1884,” says Dr. Valeria Pettorino, scientist of the ESA Euclid project.

“The galaxy has been known to astronomers for a very long time. Still, this ring has not been observed before.”

“This shows how powerful Euclidean is and we&#39re finding new things in places we thought we knew well.”

“This discovery is extremely encouraging and demonstrates its incredible capabilities for the future of the Euclidean Mission.”

The discovery of the Einstein ring on the NGC 6505 is paper Published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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CM Orioludan et al. 2025. Euclid: Complete Einstein Ring for NGC 6505. A&A 694, A145; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202453014

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists are puzzled by potential shifts in Earth’s core shape

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

It is not unusual for the Earth’s core to experience changes in its rotational speed and shape over time. However, recent research has revealed some unexpected developments.

Scientists have been debating the reasons behind peculiar alterations in seismic waves caused by earthquakes. One side argues that changes in the rotational speed affect the travel time of the waves, while the other side suggests that alterations in the shape of the inner core are responsible. A new study published in Natural Earth Science by Chinese and US scientists indicates that it could be a combination of both factors.

The study reveals that in 2010, the Earth’s inner core started to rotate faster than other planets, potentially impacting seismic waves with changes near the surface of the core. These waves, similar to X-rays, provide insights into the planet’s interior. The findings are expected to provide more information about the core’s properties and structure.

“These findings present observable changes that offer a clearer understanding of how the inner core evolves over a few years. There could be more surprises in store,” said Professor John Emilio Vidale, the lead author of the study, to BBC Science Focus.

The Earth’s core is almost as hot as the sun’s surface and is located approximately 6,500 km (4,000 miles) below the Earth’s surface, with pressure exceeding that of the deepest ocean depths. Due to these extreme conditions, direct exploration of the core is not feasible.

Scientists rely on seismic waves generated by earthquakes to study the core. By analyzing how these waves travel through different layers of the Earth, including the core, scientists can gain a better understanding of its structure and movement.

In this recent research, the team focused on seismic waves from 121 repeat earthquake pairs in the South Sandwich Islands between 1991 and 2023. By examining changes in the arrival times and waveforms of these signals over decades, the team identified minor shifts in core movement.

These findings revealed interesting trends in the Earth’s inner core. It rotated faster than the mantle and crust for decades before slowing down around 2010. However, some earthquakes showed no significant time shifts, indicating occasional pauses or reversals in rotations.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2025/02/GettyImages-2148441484.mp4

The Earth’s core is composed of four main layers: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.

The study also made secondary findings, suggesting that factors other than rotation might be affecting the inner core. The team believes that viscous transformations near the inner core’s boundary could be influencing its behavior.

While this behavior may appear unstable, further data is needed to confirm its normality and deepen our understanding of how the Earth’s core functions.

According to Vidale, the simplest explanation is that the movement of the outer core initiates rotations in the inner core, readjusting its position over decades. However, the exact mechanisms behind these adjustments remain uncertain.

“The inner core’s movements may not follow a harmonious pattern, as they seem to align with the outer core’s movements,” he explained.

While this study presents intriguing insights into the Earth’s core behavior, it could pave the way for more discoveries in the future. Vidale suggests that further analysis may reveal more about the core’s activity and its potential impact on Earth’s magnetic field and other phenomena.

This could help researchers understand unpredictable occurrences that may affect satellite operations and compass readings, although they may not have a direct impact on daily life.

About our experts

John Vidale is a professor of Earth Sciences and Dean at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on earthquakes, the Earth’s structure, volcanoes, and seismic hazards. Vidale has held various roles in earthquake research institutions and warning systems, contributing significantly to our understanding of seismic events.

read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Roman Helmets and Weaponry Unearthed in Denmark

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Archaeologists with Vejle Museum unearthed a 1,600-year-old weapon offering, including over 100 spearheads, lances, swords, chainmails, and two fragments of Roman helmets, at the site of Løsning Søndermark, Hedentified, Denmark.

Dr. Elias Witt Thomasen reveals the provision of a massive weapon at the Løsning Søndermark site in Hedensted, Denmark. Image credit: Vejle Museums.

“Two unusual iron plates were excavated during the investigation of one of the largest weapons deposits provided in the home’s mailholes.

“In the beginning, their origins were unknown. However, with the help of x-ray imaging, parents and archaeologists were able to see under the thick layer of rust surrounding the object.”

“The results revealed a very rare find: the ruins of a Roman helmet.”

According to the team, the discovery is the only known Roman helmet discovered in Denmark and the earliest iron helmet in the country.

“The two plates consist of a neck plate of a so-called coat of arms of helmets and decorated cheek plates, a type used in the Roman Empire of the 4th century AD,” the researchers said.

“In southern Scandinavia, Roman helmets from the Iron Age are extremely rare and have no direct similarities to this discovery.”

“There are several similar findings from Thorsbjerg Moor in Schleswig and from South Sweden and Gotland-None in Denmark.”

X-ray image of neck and cheek guards from a Roman helmet. Image credits: Vejle Museums

The finding raises an important question: why were the neck plate and one cheek plate only discovered?

“The answer lies in the nature of postwar rituals in the Iron Age, where weapons and military equipment rarely accumulate intact,” explained Dr. Thomasen.

“The spearhead was separated from the shaft, the blade of the sword was divided into the handle, the equipment was destroyed and divided between the parties involved in the conflict.”

“The missing cheek plates and helmet bowls could be distributed elsewhere.”

“Helmets may have belonged to Germanic warlords who served in Roman auxiliary institutions.

“Or maybe it was plundered from Roman legions in a battle near the Imperial Germanic frontier and later brought to Jatland.”

“In itself, in relation to the broader deposition of weapons and military equipment at the site, the helmet offers valuable insight into the connection between the Iron Age military elite and the powerful southern neighbor, the Roman Empire. .”

Source: www.sci.news

The Impact of Universe Stagnation on Rewriting History

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

If you ask someone how the universe began, they will probably reply with these three familiar words: the Big Bang. But just like in the 1960s, cosmologists discussed the issue with heat. On the other side of the discussion on the Big Bang was the idea of an unchanging “stable state” universe, whose density was kept the same by continuously adding new problems when it expanded.

Ultimately, observation ruled out the idea of the universe in a stable state and solidified the place of Canon's Big Bang in Cosmology. Its primitive explosion has begun a process of continuous expansion, and cosmologists today see cosmologists as a place of constant flux.

But now, a bold group of cosmologists is questioning everything. To be clear, this is not a return to steady-state universe, but is completely interesting. Researchers suggest that universe history could have been interrupted by a spell of eerie stillness. These periods of stagnation in the universe can occur in such a way that it replaces the entire epoch of traditional universe history, or is spliced within that timeline.

Bold is certainly the term of this hypothesis. “This refers to a completely different family that could have never realised we could have happened before this.” Adrienne Erickcek He was not involved in the work at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. However, when these static periods exist, all sorts of challenges can be solved, including those in which dark matter is being created. Even more exciting, these ideas may be testable soon. …

Source: www.newscientist.com

Dinosaur fossils claimed by ducks found in China

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have discovered a fragmentary skeleton of a new Lamboosaurin hadrosaurus dinosaur in the Daranshan Formation in the Cretaceous period of southern China.

Skeletal material present in Lambeosaurin specimens from the Upper Darranshan Formation of Cretaceous period in southern China. Image credit: Wang et al. , doi: 10.1080/08912963.2025.2454652.

The fragmentary skeleton of a single hadrosaurus individual is Daranshan Formation Near Zhaoqing city in Guangdong Province, China.

The specimen is between 70-67 million years old (Maastrichtian Age), and includes vertebrae, humerus, ilium, femur and tibia.

“The specimens were collected from the Sanshui Basin in the northwest of the Pearl River Delta in southern China, the inland basin closest to the South China Sea, a land source in South China,” colleagues.

“A large area of the Upper Cretaceous layer, divided into two large deposition zones, occurs within it.”

“Stratigraphy is well understood, but few vertebrate fossils were found except for the aforementioned Tyrannosauld teeth at the Typingansite.”

“The new Lamboosaurin was found in the red gravel of the second member of the Daranshan Formation.”

Individuals were members of the tribe Lambeo Sauriniotherwise it is not often expressed in the Chinese fossil record.

“The Hadrosaurudoa fossil record occurs throughout the lower and upper Cretaceous layers of the world,” the paleontologist said.

“Hadrosauroids consist of a graded basal member and a derived Hadrosauridae, the latter consisting of the Lamboosaurus River and Hadrosaurinae or Saurolophinae.”

“The most distinctive character that unites the Lambeosaurin hadrosaurin-like group is the hollow skull, formed by the pair's anterior exosarobes and noses, which may have functioned in acoustic and/or visual signaling.”

“The fossil record of Lambo Osaurinae ranges from the Santonian to the Maastrichtian.”

“To date, four species have been discovered in China. Charonosaurus jiayinensis, Jaxartosaurus sp. , Tsintaosaurus Spinorhinusand Sahaliyania Elunchunorum. ”

Researchers say the new specimen is the first known Lamboosaurin in southern China.

“It represents the first hadrosaurus from the Sanshui Basin and the first Lamboosaurin from southern China,” they said.

“This specimen suggests the possibility of future fossil discoveries in Cretaceous sediments of the Sanshui Basin, indicating that the area was once home to typical late Cretaceous Cretaceous dinosaur animals. It's there.”

Team's paper Published in the journal Historical Biology.

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Donghao Wang et al. 2025. The first occurrence of the ducked dinosaur tribe Lambosaurini (Hadrosauridae: Lambosaurinae) in southern China. Historical BiologyPublished online on January 25th, 2025. doi:10.1080/08912963.2025.2454652

Source: www.sci.news

The incredible picture captures the closest Einstein ring ever seen

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The closest Einstein ring ever picked up by the European Space Agency's Euclidean Space Telescope

ESA

Astronomers have identified the closest Einstein ring ever. This is a rare phenomenon in which light from even more off-the-sea galaxies bend due to the gravity of galaxies near Earth. The ring was previously thought to be one galaxy, and was identified over 100 years ago.

Such a galaxy lens, the closest astronomer to date, was predicted by Albert Einstein in 1936 from his general theory of relativity. At the time, he thought it was impossible to observe such an effect. In fact, if he had a strong enough telescope, he would have seen it. “It was there all along, but we didn't know.” Thomas Collett At the University of Portsmouth, UK.

Colette and his team are about 600 million light years from Earth, and the oval galaxy NGC 6505, first discovered in 1884, is actually the second galaxy behind about 600 million light years from Earth. I noticed that the light was bent.

Close-up of Einstein Ring

ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, J.-C. Image processing by Cuillandre, T. Li

Team Members Bruno Artieri We observed Einstein rings at the European Space Agency while verifying early test data from the Euclidean telescope. “There was this abundant and obvious Einstein ring. There aren't many in the universe that can produce rings like this,” says Colette.

“We would have expected about one of three opportunities to find something as spectacular as this throughout the research,” he says. “It's essentially a great fortune to find it in the first data. This is probably the most beautiful lens we find on a mission.”

The ring itself is very bright compared to most Einstein rings we know, Colette says. This is not only very close to us, but also due to the Euclidean imaging capabilities. “I'm like someone with poor eyesight,” says Colette. This makes it easy to see four images of distant galaxies. The faint orange lights surrounding the bright ring are the galaxy of Rensing.

Bringing the Einstein ring closer to Earth allows us to test relativity in ways that we cannot do with other distant lenses, says Colette. This is because galaxies can be measured in two ways. , often too far to measure accurately. Einstein's general theory of relativity states that these masses should be the same, so if there are differences it may suggest that the theory of gravity should be revised.

When Colette and his colleagues measured the mass of the lensed galaxy, they also found a slightly higher number than possible from the galaxy's estimated number of stars. This could be due to the dark matter aggregation together at Galaxy's Center. Frédéric Dux He says observatory in southern Europe needs to find more Einstein lenses to check.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

22 states sue Trump administration for cutting funding to research projects

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A lawsuit was filed by 22 state attorney generals on Monday. They opposed the Trump administration’s decision to cut research funding by restricting how universities and research institutions are reimbursed for “indirect costs.”

The lawsuit names both the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services as Defendants, stating that the impact of the changes in indirect rates announced on Friday would be “immediate and catastrophic.”

NIH revealed on Friday that it will cap indirect funding for research projects at 15% and significantly decrease the federal government’s funding for research institutions for equipment, maintenance, utilities, support staff, and more. Previously, these rates were negotiated with the agencies. The new policy took effect on Monday for all new and existing NIH grants.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts and led by the attorney generals of Illinois and Michigan, alleges that the NIH violated the Administrative Procedure Act and disregarded the will of Congress, which aimed to prevent changes in indirect cost rates since 2018.

All Democratic state Attorneys General are part of this lawsuit.

The lawsuit demands a temporary restraining order and an injunction to prevent the NIH from implementing the new rules.

Scientists have warned that reducing indirect costs will negatively impact research efforts, hinder basic science research, and potentially impede disease research and new discoveries.

In response to the proposed changes, the University of California System stated that this will significantly reduce personnel and services, affecting education, training, patient care, basic research, and clinical trials.

Supporters of the NIH policy change argue that indirect costs are currently excessive and need to be controlled.

According to a Friday post by x, Katie Miller from the newly formed Government Efficiency Bureau, or Doge, stated: “This will reduce Harvard’s exorbitant costs by $150 million annually.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Can your diet impact your risk of developing dementia?

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

As we age, we naturally struggle to remember our memories. However, the condition that usually occurs later in life is dementiawhich can cause more severe memory loss. Dementia can affect our quality of life by making it difficult to remember important information, such as our age, phone number, home address, and the names of loved ones. Although there is no treatment for dementia, researchers have investigated the impact of different lifestyle choices on the risks of developing it.

A team of researchers recently analyzed the effects of diet on individuals who are sensitive to the onset of dementia and depression. These researchers previously found that both dementia and depression are associated with brain cells formed in areas that create new memories. Hippocampus. This process is known as Neurogenesis in the hippocampus, and IT problems involving cells dying at increasingly high speeds can exacerbate the risk of dementia and depression. The researchers mentioned the genetic predisposition of people with problems with neurogenesis in the hippocampus in terms they coined. Biological sensitivity of neurogenesis centers.

The researchers wanted to determine whether their diet affects neurogenesis in the hippocampus. They looked for either an increased or reduced risk of dementia and depression, depending on what participants ate. Other dementia researchers focus primarily on: Mediterranean diet Reduced the risk of dementia. In contrast, these researchers have shown that the relationship between several vitamins and food groups and conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, blood vessels and other types of dementia, depression, and general cognitive decline. We focused on neurogenesis sensitivity.

The team worked with 371 people without dementia, with an average age of 76 at the start of the exam. First, the researchers obtained blood samples from each participant to assess nutritional levels. Information from blood samples was then used to identify those who met and did not meet the criteria for neurogenesis-centered biosensitivity. Finally, they recorded the participants' medical history and paid attention to their medication.

After they gathered this initial information, they met with participants every two years for 12 years. They interviewed them about their diet during their first two years of follow-up visit. They also monitored their mental abilities and emotional states with each visit. Over the course of 12 years, 21% of participants developed dementia and 29% experienced symptoms related to depression.

After a 12-year trial, the researchers assessed how each participant's diet affected the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or depression. They are Odds ratio, Odds ratios above 1 mean that individuals are at a higher risk of developing these conditions, and odds ratios below 1 reduce the risk. They found that sensitive participants who reported a greater chicken diet, such as chicken or turkey, had an odds ratio of 0.9, or a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. On the other hand, for Alzheimer's disease, those who reported a diet consisting of large amounts of lean meat, such as beef and pork, showed 1.1 or increased risk.

Scientists also found that vulnerable participants who consumed large amounts of vitamin D in fatty fish, fortified milk and grains were either an increased odds ratio, or a risk for vascular dementia. . They found susceptible individuals who consumed more vitamin E forms found in whole grains, lush greens, and nuts. γ-Tocopherolshowed an increased odds ratio or risk for depression. However, researchers noted that diet did not affect whether an individual experiences natural cognitive decline, and did not affect the risk of dementia in people who are not sensitive to it.

Scientists concluded that eating more poultry than lean meat could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease in individuals with neurogenetic-centered biological sensitivity. However, since these vitamins should benefit human health, they did not expect vitamins D and E to increase the risk of dementia and depression, respectively. Regardless of these nuances, researchers suggested that understanding the relationship between meat consumption and Alzheimer's disease could improve the later health of those with that tendency.

Post view: 269

Source: sciworthy.com

The power of subterranean pressure is reshaping the Earth’s inner core.

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Diagram showing the inner structure of the Earth

Rostislav Zatonskiy/Alamy

The inner core of Earth’s solids appears to have changed shape over the last 20 years or so, according to seismic wave measurements, but the behavior of these waves can also be explained by other shifts at the center of the planet.

Since the 1990s, models and earthquake measurements have shown that the inner core of Earth’s iron nickel moves at its own pace. Over decades, the inner core rotation is faster, slower than other planets, affecting the length of the day and more.

These rotational changes are primarily due to magnetic forces produced by convection in the Earth’s liquid outer core, they say. John Vidale At the University of Southern California. “That flow constantly torques the inner core.”

These magnetic forces, or related processes, can change the shape of the inner core and its rotation. In fact, previous measurements of seismic waves passing through the center of the planet seem to show just that. However, uncertainty regarding the rotation of the core made it impossible to distinguish between rotational changes and shape changes.

Now, Vidale and his colleagues are analyzing seismic waves generated by 128 earthquakes off the coast of South America between 1991 and 2023. All waves were measured by Alaskan instruments after passing through the planet.

From these, researchers have identified 168 sets of seismic waves that have passed through or near the same area of the inner core, but have been away for years. It was only possible to identify these matches Recent work Vidale says it will better constrain the variation in rotation of the inner core.

Both waves of each pair that did not pass through the inner core shared a similar pattern, suggesting that in the region within the planet nothing had changed between the first and second earthquakes. Masu. However, the waves of the pair crossed with the inner core did not match.

Researchers say this suggests that the inner core not only slows down and speeds up rotation for decades but also changes shape. They say that these changes are magnetically pulled at the less viscous edge of the inner core of the solid or interaction between the inner core and the structure of the planetary core and the lower mantle. They say it is likely caused by interactions between the layers. The crust.

hrvojetkalčić At Australian National University, which was not involved in the study, this is a “step” to resolve changes in the internal core beyond rotation. However, he says that the shape change is not the only explanation for the seismic waves of incongruity.

As Vidale and his colleagues acknowledge, these differences can also be caused by unrelated changes in the outer core, convection within the inner core itself, or by eruption of melted material from the inner core. There is. “It’s really hard to tell,” Bidal says. He suggests that studying more repeated earthquakes in the future will help identify changes in more detail.

Tkalčić says seismological measurements in remote areas such as the seabed are also useful. “This is important for understanding the deepest inner evolution of Earth, from the time of the planetary layers to the present,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Why Your Brain Keeps Chattering at Night (and How to Quiet it Down)

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The human brain is like an electrified sphere, considered the most complex object in the universe. Sometimes, don’t you wish it would just quiet down, especially at night?

One common symptom of insomnia is a racing mind when trying to sleep. Our brains bounce thoughts around like a pinball machine due to caffeine, anxiety, or stress.

This mental perturbation includes repetitive negative thoughts that we may not even be aware of, focusing on mistakes and worrying about the future.

While this is challenging for those with mental health conditions, it affects everyone when overwhelmed with tasks or life challenges.

Insomnia affects about 1 in 3 people – Photo Credit: Getty

Psychologist Dr. Luc Beaudoin believes that cognitive shuffle, a technique that mimics the brain’s natural processes during sleep onset, can help control runaway thoughts while trying to sleep.

The cognitive shuffle involves imagining unrelated images, like a photo show, to bring light structure to racing thoughts. By focusing on connecting images related to a chosen word, it aims to quiet the mind before falling asleep.

Counting sheep may not be as effective as cognitive shuffle – Photo credit: Getty

Cognitive shuffling strikes a balance between conscious and unconscious thoughts, keeping unwanted thoughts at bay without overwhelming executive functioning.

Dr. Beaudoin’s broader sleep initiation theory, Somnolent Information Processing, explores factors that help or hinder the process, with spiritual perturbation as a common hindrance.

Cognitive shuffling is still under research, but promising results suggest it can aid sleep initiation along with other scientifically proven techniques.

About our experts

Dr. Luc Beaudoin is an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University and founder of Cogsest. He has published books on cognitive productivity and is recognized in various academic journals.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Planets of the Solar System

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In the southwestern sky, Venus shines the brightest and is easy to spot. Saturn can be seen below Venus, but as the days progress, the other visible planets become harder to spot, sinking lower in the sky each day after sunset. Jupiter can be found in the southern part of the evening sky, while Mars appears in the eastern sky. Mercury should also be visible to the naked eye, but it is challenging to find due to its proximity to the sun.

By February 24th, mercury will be further from the sun, making it easier to spot after sunset near Saturn in the western sky.

For skywatchers with binoculars and telescopes, Uranus and Neptune can also be spotted with dedication, patience, and a Starchart, according to Faherty.

NASA refers to this event as the “Planet Parade,” where multiple bright planets are visible simultaneously overhead. This phenomenon occurs when all planets in our solar system orbit the sun on relatively flat disc-shaped planes, akin to cars on a racetrack. Each planet orbits the sun at different rates, resulting in them lining up in the sky at different points, like cars on a track.

The planetary parade will continue until February, with more opportunities to view multiple bright planets in the sky in the months and years ahead, including instances of four planets lining up before sunrise in late August, five planets before sunrise in October 2028, and five planets after sunset in February 2034.

Faherty sees this event as a great educational opportunity for newcomers to explore the universe in an engaging way, as the sky is always changing and full of surprises.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Staff laid off and map tools shut down amidst a tumultuous week at EPA

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

summary

Over the past two weeks, EPA staff have had to compete with dramatic reforms at the agency.
Approximately 1,100 “probation” employees were said to be possible to be fired, and 168 staff working on environmental justice issues have been taken on leave.
Lee Zeldin, new manager at the EPA, said agency priorities include improving AI and automotive jobs.

Lee Zeldin led the Environmental Protection Agency in a short and a half weeks. HR movements shaking wildly, rattling some staff, like many others.

On the day of Zeldin's confirmation last week, the EPA notified about 1,100 “probation” employees that they could close at any time for less than one year.

Then on Thursday, the agency placed 168 staff members on administrative leave. The affected people were working on environmental justice issues across the EPA's 10 regional offices and headquarters.

This week, the agency removed an online mapping tool called EJScreen. It was being used by federal, state and local governments to make decisions that support environmental justice. The term explains the idea that people should have equitable access to a clean, healthy environment, and that some underserved communities face historically unbalanced environmental harms. It refers to. For example, state highway agencies You can use EJScreen Check demographic information for which the road construction project was planned.

Zeldin took on his post a day after a federal worker received a “road fork” email offering resignation shopping. Their deadline to accept the offer was Thursday night, but a federal judge put the initiative on hold that day, following legal challenges from the union. The program will be blocked until at least Monday.

in Addresses to staff viewed by over 10,000 people On Tuesday, Zeldin said he has the authority to streamline the EPA and reduce the waste in it.

“We accused Congress of being as efficient as possible with the taxes sent to us,” Zeldin said, adding that Americans “are feeling a lot of financial pain.” Ta.

His initial actions and the shock they inflict on staff suggest that Zeldin and the Trump administration are not wasting time dramatically reworking the EPA and redefine its purpose. .

Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Molly Vaserio said the EPA is focused on adhering to President Donald Trump's executive orders, including an order entitled “Extreme and Waste Government DEI Program.” Ta.

“The EPA is enthusiastically implementing President Trump's executive order and subsequent related implementation memos. President Trump has been elected to delegate from the Americans to do this,” Vaselio said. .

Several EPA staff members said fear and hype quickly permeated the agency.

“The past two weeks have been pretty scary,” said Marie Owens Powell, chairman of the U.S. Government Employees Federation Council 238, the union representing around 8,500 EPA staff. “Every day, it was something. It was exhausting.”

Powell worked As an EPA Storage Tank InspectorAdded that there were other recent surprises, such as when the pronouns of staff preference were removed from email signatures without notice.

Another EPA worker asked that his name not be made public due to fear of retaliation, but explained that the feeling was “limbo” or “purgatory.”

“We are afraid of doing work that can be seen as completely opposed to the executive order or against Trump's agenda. We want to speak up and push back. But the fear is obvious,” the staff said. “We're all waiting to see who's next.”

Vaseliou met with staff at the Career EPA to visit several disaster sites, including East Palestine, Ohio, and visited several disaster sites, including trains carrying chemicals in February 2023, and to visit several disaster sites, and toxins. He said he had spent his first few weeks of emitting smoke. He also went to Los Angeles. There, a wildfire that broke out last month raided thousands of homes and headed to West North Carolina where Hurricane Helene killed dozens of people.

In Zeldin's news release on Tuesday We laid out five priorities For the EPA under his leadership, including an effort to “pursuing energy independence,” we will develop “the cleanest energy on the planet” to ensure clean air and water. However, some of his agenda diverges from the core mission of the EPA, at least as it operates under past administrations. These include advances in artificial intelligence, reforming and reviving permits for auto work.

Jeremy Simmons, senior adviser to the Environmental Protection Network, a former EPA staff group, said he is worried about the direction the agency is on the lead, based on Zeldin's statement.

“If you're worried about toxic contamination in your community, it's difficult to see yourself on that agenda,” said Symons, who worked at the EPA from 1994 to 2001, in the service of the political agenda. ”

Congressional Democrats appear to be preparing for the fight for the future of the EPA. D-Mass. Sen. Ed Markey of the group attempted to enter agency headquarters on Thursday, calling for a meeting with representatives from Elon Musk's Government Efficiency Bureau.

“We just went in and asked for a meeting with a representative from Doge. We were denied and we were turned away,” Markey said at a press conference outside the building.

Vaseliou said he had not taken the appropriate steps necessary to allow Markey to enter headquarters and described the event as a “promotion stunt.”

A Markey spokesperson said Thursday that the senator has not received confirmation as to whether Doge's representatives are at the EPA. However, multiple sources say the names of workers that NBC News identified as members of Doge member Cole Killian were listed in the EPA directory.

Emails to Killian's EPA email requesting an interview were not immediately returned. Vaseliou did not answer questions about Killian or whether he was connected to Doge.

When asked about Marquee's concerns on Thursday, White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields said Democrats were “gaslighting” about Doge's mission.

“To reduce waste, fraud, abuse and become a better steward of the hard-earned dollars for American taxpayers may be a crime for Democrats, but it's not a crime in court,” Fields said. I said that.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Certain plesio sauces feature sleek skin, scales, and flippers

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have examined the 183 million-year-old Pleciosaurus skeleton from the early Jurassic Posidonia shale in Southern Germany with well-preserved skin traces around the tail and front flippers.

Reconstruction of Jurassic Plesiosaurus from Posidonian Shale in Southern Germany. Image credit: Joschua Knüppe.

Plesiosaurs (Greek “near”) is a symbolic group of Mesozoic marine reptiles with a rich history of evolution.

These creatures roamed the vast Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous seas between 235 and 66 million years ago.

They had a wide, flat body and a short tail, a long neck, and four long propulsive flippers that they used to “fly” through the water.

Their teeth were cone-shaped, sturdy, sharp, robust, ideal for stabbing and killing large animals.

Pleciosaurus fossils have been found on all continents on Earth, with important discoveries in Australia, Europe and North America.

However, it is very rare to associate with fossilized soft tissues.

“Fossilized soft tissues such as skin and internal organs are extremely rare,” said Miguel Marx, Ph.D. A student at Lund University.

“We used a wide range of techniques to identify smooth skin in the tail area and scales along the rear edge of the flipper.”

“This provided unparalleled insight into the appearance and biology of these long, repeating reptiles.”

Compare Jurassic Plesiosaurus specimens from Posidonia shales in Southern Germany. Image credit: Marx et al. , doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.001.

In their study, Marx and his colleagues analyzed well-preserved plesiosaurus from the world-famous early Jurassic Posidonia shale (Posidonienskihoefer Formation) in Southern Germany.

“Our results reveal an unusual combination of smooth, scaly skin on various parts of the body,” they said.

“We believe this variation could be related to a variety of functions. Pleciosaurus had to swim efficiently to catch animals like fish and squid, which is smooth and fluid. It was made easier by the mechanical skin.”

“But we had to move across the rough seabed.

“Our findings help us create a more accurate reconstruction of our lives for Plesioasurs, which has been extremely difficult since it was first studied over 200 years ago,” Marx said. Ta.

“Also, well-preserved German fossils really highlight the soft tissue potential that provides valuable insight into the biology of these long but animals.”

“Apart from the smooth skin and scale mosaics, it was an incredible moment to visualize cells in thin sections of fossilized plesiosaurus skin,” he added.

“When I saw skin cells that had been stored for 183 million years, I was shocked. It was like seeing modern skin.”

Team's result This week I'll be appearing in the journal Current Biology.

____

Miguel Marx et al. Jurassic Plesiosaurus skin, scales and cells. Current Biology Published online on February 6th, 2025. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2025.01.001

Source: www.sci.news

Old fighter jets can be recycled and used to create new ones

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

New Fighter Jet Components Can be Printed 3D

Rolls Royce

The fighter planes first flew in the 1970s were converted to fine powder and can be used for 3D printed components of the next generation aircraft of the British Royal Air Force (RAF). Experts say this is a more efficient way to make aircraft. It is less environmentally harmful and also solves the problem of procuring materials from countries under sanctions, such as Russia.

Robert Hyam Additive Manufacturing Solutions has developed technology to recycle important materials such as TI64. This is titanium with 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium. The UK Department of Defense has a large number of expensive, hard-to-sauce materials like TI64, but they are bound by outdated or broken aircraft and stored components.

The company was able to take turbine blades from Panavia Tornado, an aircraft used by the RAF from 1980 to 2019, and recycle them into nose cones of prototype engines that power the next generation of RAF fighters. Ta.

“The world is more expensive than before. Making products is more complicated and more expensive,” says Highham. “You can make them as effectively as possible.”

Highham says creating spherical particles from old parts is the key to printing high-quality new parts, as the jug-on particles may be stuck in a 3D printer. It’s not just grinding the metal, so the recycled components melt and then spray them onto a high-pressure jet of argon, where they are split into raindrop-shaped droplets. These droplets rotate the gas, turn into a spherical shape, drop out and solidify. “It’s a very similar process to how rain sparkles,” says Hyam.

The resulting powder can be supplied to a 3D printer. These machines essentially weld the powder into half the thickness of human hair, each layer down one by one, creating a new piece. “It’s a very simple microscope welding process. It’s not even more complicated,” says Higham.

In this first case, powder was used to 3D print nose cones for the Orpheus jet engine. Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS). The FCA includes a variety of aircraft with modular components, including the BAE Systems Tempest, a sixth generation fighter jet for the RAF.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Revealing a Thawing World through Chilling Images

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Mel des Grace, France’s largest glacier

Julia Roger – Beeler/One Water

These impressive images highlight the disappearing ice of the Earth and the battle to preserve it. A staggering two-thirds of the glacier have disappeared by the end of the century, threatening ecosystems and the world’s water supply. The image is Walk of Water Contestoperated by UNESCO and One Water. UNESCO has designated 2025 as the International Year for Glacier Preservation.

Julia Roger Bayer took second in the European category in Chamonix with atmospheric shots of Mel des Grace, France’s biggest glacier. The image above was taken from within Mulan. This was a photo taken under the peer inside the cave, with a huge hole carved into the glacier by Meltwater, created by a glacial retreat. Roger-Beyer climbs Mer de Glace to take photos every fall. Each year, the glacier retreates about 40 meters. In an announcement about her victory, she said she hopes she will “be a “probably a helpless witness” to that loss.

Michele Rapini won the first prize in the European category for his shots that recorded his efforts to save the Prena Glacier in northern Italy (hereinafter referred to as). According to Rapini, the surface area of glaciers, essential to the alpine ecosystem, fell from 68 hectares to 41 between 1993 and 2003.

In 2008, conservationists began spreading textile sheets over glaciers every summer to prevent melting. The photo shows workers who do not see the sheets during autumn before the first snow. It may be that effort Reduced ice melting At two thirds, however, it is not possible to suspend the ice loss. As Rapini writes, “Climate change cannot be mitigated with localized quick fixes alone.”

The contest’s global awards are sponsored by MPB, and the Regional Asia Awards are sponsored by the Asian Development Bank and sponsored by the Regional Europe Awards by the City of Bergersen.

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Source: www.newscientist.com