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Europa Clipper Presents a Distinct View of 3I/ATLAS

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Utilizing the Ultraviolet Spectroscopy (UVS) instrument onboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, scientists have made significant observations of 3I/ATLAS. This interstellar object is the third and only confirmed of its kind to have been detected entering our solar system from beyond it. While many telescopes on Earth and Mars struggled to track such interstellar visitors due to their proximity to the Sun, Europa Clipper was able to gather data from a distinct position as it advanced towards Jupiter.

This composite image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was captured on November 6, 2025, by the UVS instrument aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft from a distance of around 164 million kilometers (103 million miles). Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI.

Scheduled to launch in 2024 and reach the Jupiter system by 2030, Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter and conduct 49 flybys of its icy moon, Europa.

The UVS instrument specializes in collecting ultraviolet light to analyze the composition of Europa’s atmospheric gases and the materials on its icy surface.

Dr. Curt Retherford, principal investigator for Europa-UVS and a research scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, remarked, “This unexpected opportunity to observe another target on its journey to Jupiter has us very excited.”

“Our observations offer a distinctive and detailed view of the comet.”

Discovered on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, 3I/ATLAS was traveling at a heliocentric distance of 4.51 astronomical units (AU) with an eccentricity of 6.13 at that time.

Within a week of its discovery, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s analysts had determined its trajectory through the solar system.

The Europa Clipper team quickly identified that their spacecraft could view 3I/ATLAS in November 2025, especially after Earth-based observations were largely obstructed by the Sun’s position and Mars observations became optimal.

During this period, the spacecraft provided crucial data between the Mars observations in September and upcoming Earth-based exams.

With the comet’s trajectory aligning between Europa Clipper and the Sun, the UVS team was able to observe it from a distinctive angle.

Comets feature a dust tail that trails behind and a plasma tail that extends away from the Sun.

The Europa-UVS’s unique sunward perspective enabled a rare downstream view of the comet’s two tails, primarily observing from behind the tail and toward the comet’s core and coma.

“We anticipate that this new perspective, together with data from Earth-based assets and other spacecraft, will enhance our understanding of the tail’s shape,” stated Dr. Thomas Greathouse, co-principal investigator for the Europa-UVS study.

The UVS instrument identified signatures associated with oxygen, hydrogen, and dust, reinforcing evidence of significant outgassing activity from 3I/ATLAS shortly after its closest approach to the Sun.

“Europa-UVS excels at measuring fundamental transitions of atoms and molecules,” remarked Dr. Retherford.

“We can observe gas being expelled from the comet, along with water molecules splitting into hydrogen and oxygen atoms.”

This capability allows Europa Clipper to closely analyze and measure these atomic species, offering deeper insights into the comet’s processes and composition.

“By understanding the chemical makeup of comets and how readily these gases are ejected, we can better comprehend their origins and evolution as they traverse from distant parts of the galaxy to our solar system,” explained Dr. Tracy Becker, co-principal investigator for Europa and UVS, also at the Southwest Research Institute.

“What chemical processes occur? How can we grasp the origins of comets within our solar system?”

“Are these processes akin to our theories about the formation of the solar system? That’s a key question.”

Source: www.sci.news

New Study Confirms Nanotyrannus as a Distinct Species of Tyrannosaurid Dinosaur

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Nanotyrannus lansensis — For years, many believed these specimens were juvenile tyrannosaurus rex — However, a team of American paleontologists analyzed the ceratobranchia (hyoid bone) and concluded that it was actually a distinct, fully grown small tyrannosaurid. This finding shed light on the growth history of Nanotyrannus lansensis.

Encounter between adults of Nanotyrannus lansensis (left) and two juvenile tyrannosaurus rex, with a sub-adult tyrannosaurus rex watching from a distance. Image credit: Jorge Gonzalez.

Nanotyrannus lansensis measures 5.5 meters (18 feet) tall, which is relatively small compared to its length of over 12 meters (40 feet) compared to tyrannosaurus rex.

Initially discovered in 1942, Nanotyrannus lansensis was first classified as gorgosaurus, but through further scientific investigation, it was redefined as a separate species in 1988.

The main cause of the lengthy debate over the classification is that the holotype consists solely of an isolated skull, while traditional assessments of maturity often rely on limb bones.

Until recently, studies on other more complete fossils of Nanotyrannus lansensis yielded conflicting conclusions.

In a recent study, paleontologist Christopher Griffin from Princeton University and his team discovered that the microstructure of small bones in the throat ceratobranchial can accurately indicate the age and skeletal maturity of fossil specimens.

“At the time, there was a general consensus that the holotype skull of Nanotyrannus represented an immature tyrannosaurus rex rather than a distinct species,” Dr. Griffin stated.

“We initially aimed to follow that consensus, but upon examining samples of the hyoid bone and noticing characteristics strongly indicating maturity, we realized we needed to reevaluate that notion.”

The researchers found that in both modern archosaurs (like ostriches and crocodiles) and extinct theropods, the ceratobranch bones retain unique signals of growth and maturation, making them particularly useful for determining the developmental stage of fully mature individuals.

Using this technique, the team studied the holotype of Nanotyrannus lansensis and analyzed three sections of its ceratobranchia, identifying several features that suggest near-complete skeletal maturity.

This indicates that Nanotyrannus lansensis is a taxonomically distinct species that coexisted with tyrannosaurus rex, suggesting a greater diversity of predators in Late Cretaceous ecosystems than previously understood.

“This smaller-bodied tyrannosaurus rex indicates that the carnivore’s hyoid displayed a growth pattern suggesting it had reached or was close to maturity,” remarked paleontologist Ashley Poust of the University of Nebraska State Museum.

“We can now confidently affirm our classification of Nanotyrannus as separate from tyrannosaurus rex.”

“This implies the presence of at least two carnivores of different sizes in the same environment, which has significant implications for dinosaur ecology and extinction,” he added.

“Understanding what existed helps us gauge the size of the fossil record and how species have evolved over time.”

“Furthermore, it’s crucial to comprehend the complexity of the ecosystem.”

Results from this study are published in the journal Science.

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Christopher T. Griffin et al. A small Tyrannosaurus rex lived alongside tyrannosaurus rex. Science published online on December 4, 2025. doi: 10.1126/science.adx8706

Source: www.sci.news

60,000 Years Ago: Ancient Humans Arrived in Australia via Two Distinct Routes

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Ancient humans took two distinct pathways to reach modern Australia.

Helen Farr and Eric Fisher

The timeline and means by which ancient humans made their way to what is now Australia and New Guinea have sparked much debate over the years. Recent genetic studies indicate this event likely occurred at least 60,000 years ago and involved two separate routes.

The regions of modern-day Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea were once part of Sahul, an ancient continent that emerged during the peak of the ice age when sea levels were significantly lower. Researchers have been keen to understand human migration into these regions as it necessitated navigating dangerous ocean stretches of over 100 kilometers, even during low sea levels.

There are two primary theories regarding the arrival of humans in Sahul: one suggests it took place at least 60,000 years ago, while the other posits a timeline of around 45,000 years ago.

Regarding the approach taken, scientists have put forth two main routes. The southern route is believed to have led to Australia by sea from present-day mainland Southeast Asia through the Sunda region that comprises Malaysia, Indonesia, and Timor. The northern route, however, has more compelling supporting evidence, indicating that humans migrated through the Philippines and Sulawesi to reach modern-day New Guinea, where ancient hominin stone tools dating back millions of years were recently found.

To unravel these migrations, Martin Richards and his colleagues from the University of Huddersfield in the UK examined approximately 2,500 genome sequences from Indigenous Australians, Papua New Guineans, and various populations across the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia.

By analyzing DNA mutation rates and the genetic ties between these populations, the researchers determined that the initial human settlement of Sahul occurred via both routes, but predominantly through the northern pathway.

The question of timing has also been addressed by the researchers. “We traced both dispersals to around the same period, approximately 60,000 years ago,” Richards noted. “This lends support to the ‘long chronology’ of settlement as opposed to the ‘short chronology’ suggesting arrival around 45,000 to 50,000 years ago.”

The findings further illustrate that migration wasn’t a straightforward process, partially based on the discovery of ancient genetic lineages in a 1,700-year-old burial site in Sulawesi. The team also detected evidence indicating that shortly after their arrival on Sahul, coastal and marine communities began migrating towards what we now refer to as the Solomon Islands.

Adam Blum, a professor at Griffith University in Brisbane, asserted that the field of paleogenetics, which investigates history through preserved genetic materials, “seems to adjust the narrative with each new study.”

“We believe this research bolsters the idea that the northern route played a crucial role in the early populating of Australia,” Blum remarked. “Considering the ancient cave art found on Sulawesi, the possibility is rapidly becoming more plausible.”

This remarkable rock artwork has been dated to at least 51,200 years ago, Blum explained. “I have a strong suspicion that individuals were crafting art in Sulawesi’s caves and shelters over 65,000 years ago.”

Peter Veth and his team at the University of Western Australia in Perth assert that even the most conservative estimates from the Majedbebe site in Australia’s Northern Territory suggest human activity traces exceeding 60,000 years. New research further underscores the significance of early human arrival in Sahul.

Discovery Tour: Archaeology and Paleontology

New Scientist frequently features incredible archaeological sites that have transformed our understanding of human history and the dawn of civilization. Why not explore them yourself?

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Study identifies five distinct ‘eras’ of brain development throughout human life.

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As we grow older, our brains undergo significant rewiring.

Recent studies indicate that this transformation takes place in various stages, or “epochs,” as our neural structures evolve, altering how we think and process information.

For the first time, scientists have pinpointed four key turning points in the typical aging brain: ages 9, 32, 66, and 83. During each of these phases, our brains display distinctly different structural characteristics.

The findings were Published Tuesday in Nature Communications, revealing that human cognitive ability does not merely peak and then decline with age. In reality, research suggests that the interval between 9 and 32 years old is the sole period in which our neural networks are increasingly efficient.

In adulthood, from 32 to 66 years, the structure of the average brain stabilizes without significant modifications, leading researchers to believe that intelligence and personality tend to plateau during this time.

Following another turning point, from age 83 and beyond, the brain increasingly relies on specific regions as connections between them slowly deteriorate.

“It’s not a linear progression,” comments lead author, Alexa Maudsley, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge. “This marks an initial step in understanding how brain changes differ with age.”

These insights could shed light on why certain mental health and neurological issues emerge during specific rewiring phases.

Rick Betzel, a neuroscience professor at the University of Minnesota and not a part of the study, remarked that while the findings are intriguing, further data is necessary to substantiate the conclusions. He cautioned that the theory might face challenges over time.

“They undertook a very ambitious effort,” Betzel said about the study. “We shall see where things stand in a few years.”

For their research, Maudsley and colleagues examined MRI diffusion scans (images illustrating water molecule movement in the brain) of around 3,800 individuals, ranging from newborns to 90 years old. Their objective was to map neural connections at varying life stages.

In the brain, bundles of nerve fibers that convey signals are encased in fatty tissue called myelin—analogous to wiring or plumbing. Water molecules diffusing into the brain typically travel along these fibers, allowing researchers to identify neural pathways.”

“We can’t open up the skull…we depend on non-invasive techniques,” Betzel mentioned, discussing this form of neuroscience research. “We aim to determine the location of these fiber bundles.”

A groundbreaking study utilized MRI scans to chart the neural networks of an average individual across their lifetime, pinpointing where connections strengthen or weaken. The five “eras” discussed in the paper reflect the neural connections observed by the researchers.

They propose that the initial stage lasts until age nine, during which both gray and white matter rapidly increases. This phase involves the removal of redundant synapses and self-reconstruction.

Between ages 9 and 32, there is an extensive period of rewiring. The brain is characterized by swift communication across its regions and efficient connections.

Most mental health disorders are diagnosed during this interval, Maudsley pointed out. “Is there something about this second phase of life that might predispose individuals to mental health issues?”

From ages 32 to 66, the brain reaches a plateau. It continues to rewire, but this process occurs at a slower and less dramatic pace.

Subsequently, from ages 66 to 83, the brain undergoes “modularization,” where neural networks split into highly interconnected subnetworks with diminished central integration. By age 83, connectivity further declines.

Betzel expressed that the theory presented in this study is likely reflective of people’s experiences with aging and cognition.

“It’s something we naturally resonate with. I have two young kids, and I often think, ‘They’re transitioning out of toddlerhood,'” Betzel remarked. “Science may eventually uncover the truth. But are they precisely at the correct age? I’m not sure.”

Ideally, researchers would gather MRI diffusion data on a large cohort, scanning each individual across their lifespan, but that was unfeasible decades ago due to technological constraints.

Instead, the team amalgamated nine diverse datasets containing neuroimaging from prior studies, striving to harmonize them.

Betzel noted that these datasets vary in quality and methodology, and attempts to align them may obscure essential variations and introduce bias into the findings.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged that the paper’s authors are “thoughtful” and proficient scientists who did their utmost to mitigate that risk.

“Brain networks evolve throughout life, that’s undeniable. But are there five precise moments of transition? I hope you’ll take note of this intriguing notion.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Autism Could Have Distinct Genetic Subtypes

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Indicators of autism in children may involve excessive talking with peers and challenges in forming friendships.

Jagadeesh NV/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

The timing of an autism diagnosis in children seems to be influenced by genetic factors, which may also affect how the condition progresses.

“This reinforces the notion that autism could be a potentially multifaceted condition,” states Natalie Sauerwald from the Flatiron Institute in New York, who was not involved in this particular research.

Autism is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by challenges with social interactions and restricted behaviors and interests. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 127 individuals are diagnosed with autism.

“Our key inquiry was why some individuals are diagnosed with autism later in life?” posits Varun Warrier from Cambridge University.

To explore this, he and his research team gathered data from individuals diagnosed with autism between the ages of 5 and 17. Caregivers filled out a survey regarding their social, emotional, and behavioral growth, which aided the researchers in determining the correlation between these factors and the age of diagnosis.

Previous studies have linked children’s gender and socioeconomic status to the age of diagnosis, with autism being more frequent in boys and those from affluent backgrounds. However, the team’s analysis indicated that these influences were minimal, with “Typically, no single factor accounts for more than 10% of the variance,” Warrier observes.

Contrarily, the researchers discovered that children with autism displayed different developmental trajectories. “Our findings indicate that individuals with autism can be categorized into two broad groups,” Warrier explained. One group faced challenges from an early age that remained relatively constant, while the other group encountered fewer issues during childhood, but faced increased difficulties in later childhood or early adolescence—this represents “anywhere between 10-25% of the diagnosis age for autism.”

Moreover, the study found that differences between these two groups were observable in previously collected DNA samples. Those diagnosed with autism were more prone to have common genetic variations different from those diagnosed later, which accounted for 11% of the variance in autism diagnosis age. However, the researchers lacked the necessary data to identify rare variants or spontaneous mutations beyond inherited ones.

Despite these distinct trajectories, there is no clear separation between them, says Sauerwald. “The overlap between groups likely occurs because they are not entirely distinct,” she remarks. Warrier agrees, describing the categories as “gradients.”

He stresses that neither group should be regarded as having milder or more severe forms of autism. In July, Sauerwald and her team released a study indicating evidence of four moderately different groups whose symptoms, behaviors, and genetics differ.

Warrier’s research team also identified a higher likelihood of genetic mutations linked to other disorders, such as ADHD and PTSD, in children diagnosed later in life. Similarly, Sauerwald’s study found a connection between late autism diagnosis and ADHD. However, the reason for this link remains unclear, says Sauerwald. “The findings related to ADHD are not unexpected,” she comments, particularly concerning specific symptoms.

A deeper understanding of the potential subtypes of autism could ultimately enhance diagnostic practices and offer more personalized support for children with autism and their families. “Improving our understanding of their condition and how to assist them can only lead to a better quality of life for individuals,” asserts Warrier.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Research Shows Cocoats Have a Repertoire of At Least 30 Distinct Dance Moves

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Recent findings suggest that captive parrots display dancing behaviors in response to music, which involves complex cognitive functions such as imitation, vocal learning, and rhythm. This dance behavior in parrots might be indicative of a positive welfare state, increasing the likelihood of using music as an environmental enrichment tool. In a recent study, researchers examined the dance movements of cockatoos through online video analysis and playback experiments, identifying a total of 30 distinct dance moves from 45 videos featuring five different cockatoo species. Notably, 17 of these moves had not been previously documented in scientific literature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of7kql3lsam

Cockatoos have been informally observed dancing to music in captivity.

This dance results from intricate brain processes, including imitation, learning, synchronization, and rhythmic movement.

While spontaneous dance has been exclusively reported in humans and parrots in sync with music, some wild birds also exhibit rhythmic movements during courtship displays.

However, it remains unclear what motivates these captive birds to dance.

In this new study, Dr. Natasha Loveke from Charles Sturt University and her team analyzed 45 videos shared on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.

From their analysis, they identified a total of 30 unique dance movements, 17 of which had not been documented before.

Among these newly recognized moves were headbanging, side steps, and body rolls.

The researchers noted that some birds also executed their own unique dance sequences, often blending various movements creatively.

Interestingly, closely related species did not exhibit more similar dance styles, while a diverse range of dance moves appeared among the top 10 unique patterns.

Illustrations of the 10 most common recorded dance movements by Cockatoos. Image credit: Lubke et al. , doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328487.

Following this, the scientists investigated dance behavior in six cockatoos, representing three species, housed at Wagga Wagga Zoo in Australia.

They played music specifically designed for birds, as well as audio podcasts, and found that all birds engaged in dance movements, regardless of the type of audio played.

The study revealed that dancing behavior was present in at least 10 out of 21 cockatoos studied.

Cockatoos seem to display a broad repertoire of dance moves, many of which resemble the courtship rituals observed in wild parrots.

This suggests that their dance abilities may have evolved from courtship behaviors directed towards their human caretakers.

“By analyzing the dance behavior of cockatoos from 45 videos and at Wagga Wagga Zoo and Aviary, we demonstrated that dancing is more prevalent in cockatoos than previously recognized, with 10 out of the 21 cockatoos exhibiting such behavior,” stated Loveke.

“My analysis demonstrates that the spectrum of dances is much more complex and diverse than has been understood, documenting 30 different movements across multiple birds, with an additional 17 seen in other birds.”

“This study supports the notion of positive emotional states in birds and highlights dancing behavior as an effective model for exploring parrot emotions. It also implies that playing music for parrots may positively influence their welfare and serve as an excellent avenue for enhancing their lives in captivity.”

“The parallels to human dance make it challenging to overlook the development of cognitive and emotional processes in parrots, suggesting that musical interaction could enhance their wellbeing.”

“Further research is needed to explore whether music can stimulate dancing behavior in captive birds, making it a potential form of environmental enrichment.”

The findings are detailed in a study published in the journal PLOS 1.

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N. Loveke et al. 2025. Dance behavior in Cockatoos: impact on cognitive processes and welfare. PLOS 1 20(8): E0328487; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0328487

Source: www.sci.news

Exploring the 11 Types of Obesity and Their Distinct Causes

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We might finally grasp why weight loss methods, such as exercise, often don’t succeed for all individuals with obesity

Science Photo Library/Alamy

Understanding obesity is proving to be more complex than previously recognized, with various types potentially stemming from different biological mechanisms.

“It transcends just body mass index and physical appearance; it delves into the biology driving it and its connection to health risks,” says Akl Fahed from the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The World Health Organization defines obesity as accumulating fat that poses a health threat. Determining if someone is obese involves calculating their Body Mass Index (BMI), which compares weight to height.

Since not all individuals with obesity experience health issues, some researchers have recently suggested introducing a “preclinical” obesity category. This approach separates individuals with medical complications related to excess fat, such as breathing difficulties or heart conditions, from those who currently show no symptoms but may develop them in the future. Yet, according to research by Fahed and his team, these classifications are still evolving.

The scientists executed genome-wide association studies involving over 2 million obese individuals, seeking connections between genetics and metrics such as BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratios, and hip circumference across diverse ancestry. They identified 743 genetic regions linked to obesity, with 86 of them being novel discoveries.

Subsequently, researchers investigated which tissues showed obesity-related effects from genetic alterations in these regions, focusing on processes like insulin production, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. They found that these genes fall into 11 distinct clusters, each linked to a unique biological pathway.

The pathways include: metabolically unhealthy obesity, metabolically healthy obesity, and six types associated with insulin secretion, immune system regulation, appetite control, body weight management, and lipid metabolism.

The team designates these clusters as “endotypes” rather than “subtypes” to highlight that while subtypes are typically mutually exclusive, endotypes reflect identifiable biological mechanisms that can coexist in individuals with varying impacts.

Using data from over 48,000 individuals, the researchers validated their endotypes through the Mass General Brigham Biobank.

“Clearly, there are numerous forms of obesity,” states Frank Greenway of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Some obese individuals may not lose weight even with GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy.

Gaining a deeper understanding of obesity and its various forms might refine our approach to treatment. “Recognizing the diverse types of obesity may lead to more targeted interventions and personalized care,” says Laura Gray from the University of Sheffield, UK.

Six of the 11 endotypes relate to insulin regulation, suggesting that some interventions might be effective across multiple clusters, according to team member Min Seo Kim at the Broad Institute.

The findings could reshape our understanding of research exploring the interplay of genetics and lifestyle in obesity, traditionally regarded as a singular condition, potentially influencing future research methodologies, Kim remarks.

Gray suggests that there may exist more than 11 endotypes. This figure was constrained by the genetic regions currently known to affect obesity, she notes. Kim shares this sentiment, expressing the likelihood of discovering additional endotypes as genetic research progresses.

Conversely, Henriet Kirchner from the University of Lübeck in Germany believes there could be fewer than 11 endotypes. She emphasizes the need for further replication of these findings in the scientific community to enhance understanding. “The concept of obesity clusters is appealing, but it must be refined in the future to be beneficial in clinical settings,” she states.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Giant Ground Sloth Developed Three Distinct Rotations for a Common Purpose

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The ancient sloths exhibited a variety of sizes

Diego Barletta

The cool and arid climate has shaped sloths into giants—before humans potentially drove these large animals to extinction.

Today’s sloths are small, well-known herbivores that navigate through the lush canopy of tropical rainforests. However, for tens of millions of years, South America was home to an astonishing variety of sloths, many of which were massive ground dwellers, with some giants weighing close to five tonnes.

This remarkable range of sizes is of particular interest to Alberto Boscani from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and his colleagues.

“Body size is correlated with all biological characteristics of an animal,” states Boscaini. “This provides a promising avenue for studying sloth evolution.”

Boscaini and his team have synthesized data on physical attributes, DNA, and proteins from 67 extinct and extant sloth genera (groups of closely related species) to construct a family tree that illustrates their evolutionary relationships.

They then analyzed this evolutionary timeline, spanning 35 million years, incorporating insights on habitat, diet, and lifestyle for each sloth. They also examined evolutionary patterns in body size and made weight estimates for 49 ancient and modern sloth groups.

The findings indicate that the evolution of sloth body sizes was significantly influenced by climate change and shifts in habitat. For instance, certain sloth genera began adapting to arboreal living, much like today’s sloths, resulting in a reduction in body size.

Simultaneously, three separate lineages of sloths evolved the proportion of elephant-like features independently. This adaptation appears to have occurred in the last few million years as global cooling and the uplift of the Andes transformed South America into a drier environment.

“The giants are more closely associated with colder and drier climates,” remarks team member Daniel Casari from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

A significant number of these various sloths went extinct in two catastrophic phases: one around 12,000 years ago and another approximately 6,000 years ago, according to Boscaini.

“This aligns with the expansion of Homo sapiens across the American Supercontinent and subsequently into the Caribbean,” he explains, noting that many giant sloths lived in these regions. The surviving sloth species primarily inhabit trees, making them less accessible to humans compared to larger sloths.

The hypothesis that humans played a significant role in the extinction of ancient megafauna is strongly supported, states Thaís Rabito Pansani from the University of New Mexico, who was not part of the research.

“However, solid evidence is necessary to substantiate this theory, especially concerning unresolved and highly debatable issues such as megafauna extinction,” she emphasizes. Recent evidence adds context to this narrative.

“Sloths flourished for much of their history,” says Casari. “[The findings] indicate how a once-successful group can quickly become vulnerable.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

AI-powered Meta aims to eliminate distinct Instagram and Facebook profiles

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Meta has recently removed the Facebook and Instagram profiles of AI characters that were created over a year ago. This decision came after users rediscovered these profiles, joined conversations, and shared screenshots that went viral.

The company initially introduced these AI-powered profiles in September 2023 but retired most of them by the summer of 2024. However, following comments by Meta executive Connor Hayes, a few characters were kept and gained renewed interest. According to the Financial Times, Meta plans to roll out more AI character profiles soon.

Hayes stated, “We expect these AIs to eventually become permanent fixtures on our platform, similar to user accounts.” The AI profiles would post generated photos on Instagram and respond to messages from users on Messenger.

Conversations with Meta AI user-generated therapist chatbots. Photo: Instagram

The AI profiles included characters like Liv and Carter, who described themselves as a proud black queer mom and a dating expert, respectively. Despite being managed by Meta, these profiles interacted with users. In 2023, Meta released a total of 28 AI personas, all of which were deactivated last Friday.

Conversations with these characters took unexpected turns as users questioned the AI’s creators. In response to inquiries about the lack of diversity among the creator team, for example, Liv pointed out the absence of Black individuals. Shortly after these profiles gained attention, they started disappearing.

Instagram AI Studio for building chatbots. Photo: Instagram

Meta’s spokeswoman, Liz Sweeney, clarified that the accounts were part of an AI experiment conducted in 2023 and were managed by humans. After addressing a bug preventing users from blocking the accounts, Meta removed the profiles.

Regarding the recent confusion, Sweeney stated that the Financial Times article focused on Meta’s long-term vision for AI characters on its platform, not the introduction of a new product. The AI accounts were part of an experiment conducted in 2023 using Connect. Meta assured users that they are working to resolve the blocking issue.

Although the meta-generation accounts have been taken down, users can still create their own AI chatbots. These user-generated chatbots cover various roles and themes, such as therapists, loyal confidants, tutors, and relationship coaches.

The liability of chatbot creators for the content generated by their AI companions remains unaddressed. While US law protects social network creators from user-generated content liability, a lawsuit against Character.ai suggests potential legal issues with AI chatbots.

Source: www.theguardian.com

New research shows early humans carried two distinct strains of Helicobacter bacteria

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Two ecological species Helicobacter pylori. The bacteria, named ‘Hardy’ and ‘Ubiquitous’, coexisted in the stomachs of modern humans before they left Africa, and were dispersed around the world as humans migrated, new research shows. Ta.

Tourette’s others. They discovered that indigenous peoples in Siberia and the Americas were infected with two different types of viruses. Helicobacter pylori. Image credit: sjs.org / CC BY-SA 3.0.

First discovered in 1983, Helicobacter pylori. During long-term colonization of human hosts, it disturbs the stomach lining and causes sequelae such as ulcers and gastric cancer.

Numerous Helicobacter pylori. Virulence factors have been identified and show wide geographic variation.

In the new study, Dr. Elise Tourette and colleagues at the Shanghai Institute of Immunology and Infection used an unprecedented collection of 6,864 individuals. Helicobacter pylori. Genomes from around the world to investigate the prevalence of bacteria.

They unexpectedly discovered a very distinct variant. Helicobacter pylori. They named it the Hardy species, which originated hundreds of thousands of years ago and spread around the world with humans.

They proposed that this species is specialized to live in the stomachs of carnivores whose diet consists mainly of meat and fish.

Therefore, genetic variations found in the bacteria in our stomachs today can tell us what our ancestors ate.

“Our diverse global sample has allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of world history. Helicobacter. This confirmed previous findings that these bacteria were already passengers in our stomachs when we left Africa more than 50,000 years ago,” said Dr. Tourette. .

“But we also identified something surprising, in the form of a new ecological species. Helicobacter. We called it Hardy.”

“It differs by more than 100 genes from the common type we called ubiquitous.”

“Hardy’s ecospecies turned out to be very informative about what bacteria need to do to survive in our stomachs, but more fundamentally, bacterial diversity How it was maintained also turned out to be very informative.”

“Most humans alive today are omnivores or vegetarians, meaning a significant portion of our diet consists of plant material,” said Dr. Daniel Farash, also of the Shanghai Institute of Immunology and Infection. said.

“However, in some parts of the world, plant material was historically unavailable for large parts of the year, and people relied heavily on fish and meat for food.”

“So far, the Hardy ecospecies has only been identified in humans from indigenous populations such as Siberia and northern Canada.”

“Due to ancient host jumps, this virus has also been found in tigers and cheetahs in zoos, with important genetic differences that allow it to adapt to gastric conditions in carnivores.”

“This association is particularly interesting because our analysis also suggests that both ecological species have accompanied humans since our species’ emergence in Africa more than 200,000 years ago.” Because there is.”

“If this species is indeed adapted to being a carnivore, it means that humans who spread around the world often did not eat plants, even if plants were available. .”

By analyzing Helicobacter pylori. By analyzing genomes from around the world, researchers discovered that the first modern humans were infected with two different types of bacteria: M. hardyi and M. ubiquitous.

Both species spread from Africa during early human migrations, reaching as far as South America.

The ubiquitous ecospecies has been found in every human population sampled to date, whereas the Hardy ecospecies has only been sampled from a small number of indigenous populations and may have become extinct at many points along its migratory routes. It suggests that.

However, one strain of the African Hardy strain has shifted hosts to big cats and has been isolated from cheetahs, lions, and tigers in zoos.

Understanding why these species can coexist in some populations but not in others will help us understand the profound implications of our prehistory and the gastric diseases we still suffer from today. It is hoped that this will shed light on the burden.

“Our results also show that very different adaptive strategies can arise and be stably maintained within bacterial populations, even in the presence of continuous genetic exchange between strains.” said the scientists.

of findings. Published in a magazine nature.

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E.Tourette others. ancient ecological species Helicobacter pylori. naturepublished online October 16, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07991-z

Source: www.sci.news

New study uncovers how African elephants give each other distinct names

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WASHINGTON — African elephants communicate through calls and respond to their own names, a behavior rarely observed in the wild, according to a new study published Monday.

These names are embedded in the elephants’ distinctive low-pitched vocalizations that carry across the savanna, suggesting that animals with intricate social structures, where family units frequently disband and reunite, are more likely to have individual names.

Ecologist Stuart Pimm from Duke University, who was not involved in the study, remarked, “If you’re managing a large family, you need to be able to call out, ‘Hey, Virginia, come over here!'”

The phenomenon of animals calling each other by name is exceptionally rare in the wild. Humans have names, allowing us to call out to others, and pets like dogs also respond to their names. Baby Dolphin Birds have their own unique names, known as signature whistles, while parrots may also utilize names.

These named species possess the ability to learn and produce distinct sounds throughout their lives, a skill elephants also share.

Biologists conducted research on wild ecology and evolution using machine learning to identify name usage in audio recordings of savanna elephant vocalizations captured in Kenya’s Samburu National Reserve and Amboseli National Park.

By observing the elephants from vehicles, researchers were able to determine which elephants were calling and responding to each other, such as a mother calling for her calf or an older female reaching out to a stray elephant later rejoining the group.

The computer model, analyzing the audio data likely containing names, accurately predicted the addressed elephant 28% of the time, compared to just 8% with meaningless data.

Lead author Mickey Pardo, a biologist at Cornell University, explained, “Like humans, elephants utilize names, but we can’t rely on them entirely as they likely don’t use names in the majority of their vocalizations.”

Elephants incorporate sounds beyond the human hearing range in their calls, leaving scientists uncertain about the specific vocal components that form an elephant’s name.

To validate their findings, researchers played the recordings to individual elephants. The elephants showed heightened responses, including ear flapping and trunk lifting, to recordings containing their names. Some elephants even disregarded vocalizations meant for other elephants.

“Elephants are highly social beings, constantly communicating and interacting, and this system of naming could be a fundamental aspect of their communication abilities,” noted co-author George Wittemyer, an ecologist at Colorado State University and a science advisor for Save the Elephants.

“We’ve provided a glimpse into the elephant’s cognitive world.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.sci.news

I discovered the reason behind the distinct flavor of oranges

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Many compounds contribute to orange flavor

Photography/Shutterstock

Chemical analysis revealed 26 compounds responsible for orange’s distinctive flavor. This discovery will help plant scientists create disease-resistant orange hybrids that are just as tasty as the original variety.

In recent decades, citrus greening disease, also known as Huanglongbing, has devastated citrus production around the world. orange (Citrus sinensis) say they are particularly affected by this disease Anne Plott at the American Horticultural Research Institute in Florida.

Plotto and his colleagues wanted to see if it was possible to create a hybrid that was resistant to citrus greening disease while retaining the characteristic orange flavor.

To identify the chemicals responsible for this flavor, researchers analyzed 179 juice samples from a variety of citrus fruits, including oranges and mandarins.Citrus reticulata), three-leaf mandarin orange (Citrus trifoliata) and its hybrids. Trained citrus testers also tried each sample and rated how much it tasted like orange juice.

They found that the strongest orange-flavored juices all contained 26 specific compounds. Seven of these compounds are a type of chemical called esters, which seem to be the key to differentiating the taste of oranges from tangerines.

Plott and her team then conducted genetic analysis of the fruit and discovered genes involved in the synthesis of all seven esters they named. C. sinensis alcohol acyltransferase 1.

“This gene is expressed more in varieties that produce more esters,” team members say jen fan at the University of Florida.

The research could eventually help create disease-resistant hybrids with a rich orange flavor, Plott said. “This discovery may allow us to screen citrus hybrid seedlings early to get the desired orange flavor, rather than waiting 10 to 15 years for the trees to bear fruit,” she said. says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Paleontologists identify Nanotyrannus as a distinct and small tyrannosaurus species

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Tyrannosaurus is one of the most intensively studied and best known dinosaurs. Nevertheless, their relationship and system are highly controversial. The ongoing discussion is Nanotyrannus lansensisinterpreted as either a separate genus of small-bodied tyrannosaurs, or a juvenile tyrannosaurus. tyrannosaurus rex. In a new study, paleontologists from the University of Bath and the University of Chicago examined multiple lines of evidence that Nanotyrannus lansensis as a separate species.

Nanotyrannus attack a boy tyrannosaurus. Image credit: Raul Martin.

first skull Nanotyrannus It was discovered in Montana in 1942, but paleontologists have debated for decades whether it was a separate species or just a juvenile of a much larger species. tyrannosaurus.

In the new study, paleontologist Nick Longlich of the University of Bath and paleontologist Evan Saitta of the University of Chicago reanalyzed the fossil and looked at its growth rings and body structure. Nanotyrannusand hitherto unrecognized fossils of youth tyrannosaurus.

Measuring tree rings Nanotyrannus They found that the bone was more densely packed toward the outside, indicating that bone growth was slowing down. That suggests these animals were nearly life-sized. It is not a young body that grows quickly.

Fossil growth modeling shows that the animal could have weighed between 900 and 1,500 kg and reached a maximum length of 5 meters, about 15% of the size of a giant. . tyrannosaurus8,000 kg and grew to over 9 m.

“I was quite surprised when I saw these results. I didn't expect to see such conclusive results,” said Dr. Longlich.

“If they were young tyrannosaurus They're supposed to grow like crazy and gain hundreds of pounds a year, but we don't see it that way. ”

“We tried modeling the data in different ways, but still got low growth rates. This seems to put an end to the hypothesis that these animals are young.” tyrannosaurus”

Researchers found no fossil evidence that combined both traits to support the existence of different species Nanotyrannus and tyrannosaurus —If one turns into the other, it will exist.

Every fossil they examined could be confidently identified as one or the other species.

The growth patterns of other tyrannosaurs were also inconsistent with the hypothesis that these tyrannosaurs were young. tyrannosaurus.

“If you look at other juvenile tyrannosaurs, you'll see a lot of characteristics that are typical of adults. Very young. tarbosaurus — next of kin of tyrannosaurus — exhibiting unique characteristics of adults,” Dr. Longrich said.

“Just as kittens look like cats and puppies look like dogs, the various juvenile tyrannosaurs are also unique. And Nanotyrannus nothing similar tyrannosaurus”

“It may have grown in a completely different way than other tyrannosaurs or other dinosaurs, but it's more likely that it simply wasn't a dinosaur. tyrannosaurus”

But it poses a mystery. Nanotyrannus not a boy tyrannosaurusSo why didn't anyone find the young man? tyrannosaurus?

“That was always one of the big questions. Well, it turns out we actually found it,” Dr. Longrich said.

“However, this fossil was collected many years ago, put away in a box of unidentified bones in a museum drawer, and then forgotten.”

Nanotyrannus They were lighter in build and had longer limbs than their stouter relatives. It also had larger arms, unlike those known for their short arms. tyrannosaurus.

“Actually, my arms are longer than people's.” tyrannosaurus.Even the biggest one tyrannosaurushave shorter arms and smaller claws than these smaller animals. Nanotyrannus. This was an animal whose arms were actually pretty scary weapons. It's actually a completely different animal, smaller, faster and more agile,” Dr. Longrich said.

“tyrannosaurus While animals relied on size and strength, this animal relied on speed. ”

“The long arms and other features suggest it was only a distant relative.” tyrannosaurus — and may have been sitting outside the family TyrannosauridaeWhich tyrannosaurus Part of the predatory dinosaur family. ”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine fossil research.

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Nicholas R. Longrich and Evan T. Saitta. 2024. Taxonomic status of Nanotyrannus lansensis (Dinosaur: Tyrannosauridae) – A different taxon of small tyrannosaurs. Phos.stud 2 (1): 1-65; doi: 10.3390/fossils2010001

Source: www.sci.news

Study finds honeyguide birds have the ability to recognize distinct audio signals to assist humans in locating beehives

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Greater Honey Guide (indicator indicator)It is a type of African bird. well known To attract other species to the hive. They have even been known to collaborate with ratels, but their closest and most successful collaborators are humans. Several indigenous groups in Africa work with these birds throughout their range. Observing these interactions in Tanzania and Mozambique, scientists showed that honey guides were more responsive to the specific calls of their local honey-hunting partners compared to the calls of honey hunters in other regions. Ta. Honey guides therefore appear to learn the calls of their local partners, and honey hunters maintain these successful calls for generations.

Spottiswood and Wood experimentally showed that honeyguides in Tanzania and Mozambique distinguish between the calls of honeyhunters and are more likely to respond to local calls than to foreign calls. Image credit: Brian Wood.

The animal kingdom is full of interactions between species, but systems in which humans can successfully cooperate with wild animals are rare.

One such relationship involves the greater honeyguide, a small African bird known for guiding humans to wild bee hives.

Humans open the hive to collect honey, and bees eat the exposed beeswax.

Human honey hunters in different parts of Africa may use specialized and culturally distinct calls to signal their search for a honey guide partner and to maintain cooperation while following guided birds. It happens often.

For example, the honey hunters of the Yao culture group in northern Mozambique use a loud trill followed by a grunt (“brrr-hm”).

In contrast, the Honey Hunters of the Hadza cultural group of northern Tanzania use melodic flutes.

These successful calls have been maintained in these groups for generations.

In a series of field experiments across these disciplines, Dr. Claire Spottiswood of the University of Cambridge and the University of Cape Town, and Dr. Brian Wood of the University of California, Los Angeles and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, found that the ecology of honeyguides is We investigated whether it is good or not. They tend to respond more to the signals of their local human culture than to signals from another culture or any human sounds.

The authors found that honeyguides in the Yao region were more than three times more likely to initiate an induced response to honeyguides. Yao’s unique cry than Hadza’s whistle.

Conversely, honey guides in the Hadza region were more than three times more likely to respond to Hadza whistles than to Yao bloom sounds.

“It’s such a privilege to witness the collaboration between people and honeyguides, especially the birds that come looking for us,” Dr Spottiswoode said.

“Their calls sound exactly like a conversation between a bird and a bee as they travel together towards the beehive.”

According to the authors, the geographic variation and coordination between signals and responses observed in this behavioral system suggests that cultural coevolution has occurred between honeyguides and humans.

“What’s remarkable about the relationship between honey guides and humans is that interactions with humans involve free-living wild animals that have probably evolved through hundreds of thousands of years of natural selection,” Dr. Spottiswood said.

“Through learning, this ancient and evolved behavior was refined to fit local cultural traditions, or different human calls.”

“Our research demonstrates the ability of this bird to learn unique vocal signals traditionally used by various honey-hunting communities, opening up possibilities for mutually beneficial cooperation with people.” ,” Dr. Wood said.

Regarding this research, paper in a diary science.

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Claire N. Spottiswood and Brian M. Wood. 2023. Culturally determined interspecies communication between humans and honey guides. science 382 (6675): 1155-1158; doi: 10.1126/science.adh4129

Source: www.sci.news