Tag Archives: eclipses

Study: Spruce Trees Anticipate Solar Eclipses and Align Bioelectric Activity Timeframes

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Regular light cycles greatly influence organisms, and phenomena like solar eclipses trigger distinct physiological and behavioral responses. Although extensively studied in animals, plant behavior during solar eclipses remains relatively unexamined. Recent research conducted by scientists from Italy, the UK, Spain, and Australia explored the bioelectric responses of multiple Spruce trees (Picea abies) in relation to solar eclipses.

A study site in the Dolomite Mountains, Italy. Image credit: Monica Galliano / Southern Cross University.

Periodic sunlight fosters global weather patterns, seasons, and climates that sustain life on Earth.

The daily and seasonal rhythms of natural light align biological systems by synchronizing their internal clocks with the Earth’s geophysical cycles.

In an era marked by significant human-induced alterations to natural cycles, extraordinary astronomical events such as solar eclipses serve as natural experiments, offering crucial perspectives on how organisms react to sudden, rare environmental changes.

“Our study reveals that forests play a vital role in how species communicate and adapt, uncovering a new layer of complexity in plant behavior,” noted Professor Monica Galliano from Southern Cross University.

“It’s essentially evidence of the renowned ‘Wood Wide Web’ in action!”

This investigation employed an innovative remote measurement system to monitor multiple trees simultaneously within the forest.

This setup enabled researchers to assess whether and to what degree individual trees respond collectively to the solar eclipse, functioning as a larger living entity.

The study analyzed the electrical signals in spruce trees to characterize their bioelectrical activity during a partial solar eclipse that occurred in the Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy.

Results demonstrated that individual trees exhibited significant synchronization in their electrical activity before and after the solar eclipse, operating as an integrated living system that manages their reactions to external influences.

“Using advanced analytical techniques, including complexity measures from Quantum Field Theory,” stated Professor Alessandro Thioleoreo of the Italian Institute of Technology and the University of England, “we now regard forests not merely as individual collections but as ensembles of interconnected plants.”

“These findings reinforce the need to protect ancient trees,” Professor Galliano added.

“The fact that older trees are the first to react and possibly lead a collective response emphasizes their role as repositories of historical environmental knowledge.”

“This discovery underscores the critical importance of safeguarding old forests, which act as cornerstones of ecosystem resilience by conserving and sharing invaluable ecological insights.”

The study is published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

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Alessandro Chiolerio et al. 2025. Bioelectric Synchronization of Picea abies During a Solar Eclipse. R. Soc. Open SCI 12(4): 241786; doi: 10.1098/rsos.241786

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Source: www.sci.news

Solar Eclipses: Unveiling the Secrets of the Universe for Centuries

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A total solar eclipse is a great opportunity to learn about the sun

ESA/Royal Observatory of Belgium

A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth approximately every 18 months, and that has been the case throughout human history. Not surprisingly, people have been studying these dramatic events for just as long, with the first records of solar eclipses dating back more than 3,000 years. During that time, we learned an amazing amount about the Sun, Earth, and even the basic laws of physics from total solar eclipses.

For most of history, humans could only see the faint outermost layers of the sun during total days (periods when the moon covers the entire sun’s disc). This faint blanket of plasma, called the corona, has been central to the scientific advances resulting from the study of solar eclipses.

Solar eclipse in 2024

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

The corona is home to many of the sun’s most fascinating phenomena, including coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which occur when the sun’s swirling magnetic fields blast bundles or clumps of matter into space. If a CME were to hit Earth, it could damage satellites and power grids, and could be extremely dangerous to astronauts in space, beyond the protection of Earth’s atmosphere.

“The Sun’s magnetic activity changes over time and changes across the star’s surface.” meredith mcgregor at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Currently, there is no good way to predict this activity. But by studying the coronavirus, we may be able to start doing just that.

A total solar eclipse isn’t the only way to see the outermost layer of the sun. There is also a device called a coronagraph, which uses a shade to block the sun’s disk in a type of artificial solar eclipse. These instruments are used not only to study our own star, but also to study other stars that are more distant and look for planets around them that would otherwise be hidden in the glare of starlight. It is also important. “The idea of using coronagraphs to block out the light of other stars and look for extrasolar planets comes from natural solar eclipses,” MacGregor says.

The same dimness that makes the corona difficult to observe in totality also makes it an excellent target for spectroscopy. Spectroscopy works by splitting light into its constituent wavelengths. This allows researchers to determine which elements are present in a material by the unique pattern of wavelengths each element emits or absorbs. Helium was discovered using spectroscopy during a solar eclipse in 1868. This was the first time an element had been discovered by studying the sky.

Shortly thereafter, astronomers discovered what appeared to be another new element in the corona, which they named corona, but it turned out that it was simply iron heated to extraordinary temperatures of several million degrees. found. Even though it was not a new element, it was a puzzling discovery. The surface of the sun is only about 5,600 degrees Celsius, so why is the outermost layer so hot?

I said, “Imagine you’re at a campfire and you start walking away from the campfire. It’s supposed to be cold, but it’s much hotter.” Frederick Bartley at the Ohio State Science and Industry Center. “That’s what’s happening with coronavirus, but no one knows why.”

The eclipse also provided some of the first proofs of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which governs the behavior of large-scale gravity. One of the key predictions of general relativity is that massive objects should bend the trajectory of light as they pass by. Einstein first published the theory in his 1915, and evidence of its truth came in his 1919 when astronomer Arthur Eddington observed starlight bending around the sun during a solar eclipse.

As a total solar eclipse passes over Central and North America this month, astronomers will continue a long-standing tradition of using the totality to observe the sun and precisely how it affects the space around it. It turns out. The sun still has many secrets to unravel, and eclipses are one of the best times to study them.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Researchers to investigate solar eclipses utilizing aircraft and NASA spacecraft

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Millions of people across North America are eagerly awaiting the total solar eclipse on April 8th, which promises to be a spectacular show. This rare event will see the moon completely obscuring the sun, providing a unique opportunity for scientific study.

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy emphasized the significance of this event, stating that it allows scientists to observe the Earth, moon, and sun in a new light. The agency’s primary focus is on studying the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, which is usually obscured by the sun’s brightness. During a total solar eclipse, the corona becomes visible as a faint light surrounding a glowing halo.

Researchers are particularly interested in the corona as it plays a crucial role in transferring heat and energy to the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emitted from the sun’s atmosphere. Understanding the corona’s behavior can provide insights into solar phenomena such as solar flares and geomagnetic storms, which can impact Earth’s communications and power systems.

Scientists like solar astrophysicist Amir Caspi are taking advantage of this celestial event to study the sun’s atmosphere in detail. By using specialized instruments aboard aircraft and satellites, researchers hope to solve long-standing mysteries related to the sun’s corona and the solar wind.

The upcoming solar eclipse will also see spacecraft like NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter observing the sun from different vantage points. These missions aim to gather valuable data about the sun’s atmosphere and solar wind, providing unprecedented insights into solar activity and its potential effects on Earth.

As the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year cycle, researchers are eager to capture any potential solar eruptions and study their impact on space weather. The data collected during the solar eclipse will contribute to our understanding of solar phenomena and improve our ability to forecast space weather events.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Causes and Occurrences of Total Solar Eclipses

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A solar eclipse is a surprising cosmic coincidence that causes the moon to appear as large as the sun.

Chance Bush/Albuquerque Journal (via AP)

People travel thousands of miles to see a solar eclipse. There’s nothing like darkness falling and the excitement ripple through the crowd. A total solar eclipse will soon grace the skies in parts of Central America and North America, and some places outside the total path will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. So now is the perfect time to ask what exactly a solar eclipse is.

When one celestial object is hidden from view by another celestial object moving between them, astronomers call the event an “occultation.” Strictly speaking, a total solar eclipse is the occultation of the sun by the moon.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon and sun line up perfectly, with the moon moving in front of the sun and blocking nearly all of the sun’s light. From the path of totality, or the area of ​​the Earth where a total solar eclipse is visible, the sun almost disappears. This part of the eclipse can last up to 7.5 minutes. The solar eclipse on April 8th will last 4 minutes and 27 seconds.

What causes solar eclipses?

There are many different types of solar eclipses, but all occur when the moon passes in front of the sun, blocking some or all of the light seen from certain parts of the Earth. By pure cosmic coincidence, the moon is about 400 times smaller than the sun, but the sun is about 400 times farther away, so the moon and sun appear to be the same size in the sky. When the two line up perfectly during the new moon phase, when the moon is between the Earth and the sun, the moon can block all of the sun’s light. This is a total solar eclipse.

During a solar eclipse, the moon casts two shadows. The central part of the shadow where light does not reach is called the umbra. The outer partial shadow is known as the penumbra. Only light coming from part of the sun’s disk can reach here. During a total solar eclipse, the path of totality is land within the umbra. On April 8, the road will be 185 kilometers wide and will cross North America from Mexico through the United States and Canada. However, the total path can be as narrow as 150 kilometers. The penumbra covers a much larger area and a partial solar eclipse can be seen in those locations.

Conceptual Imagery Lab at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

What types of solar eclipses are there?

A partial solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks only part of the sun’s light. This occurs when the viewer is within the penumbra. Before and after totality, you can see the moon slowly eclipsing the sun in a partial solar eclipse. However, because the moon’s central shadow completely misses the Earth, only a partial solar eclipse may be visible from anywhere on Earth.

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon’s elliptical orbit moves it farther from Earth than normal, blocking most of the sun’s light but leaving behind a so-called ring of fire. A hybrid solar eclipse occurs when some parts of the world see a total solar eclipse, while other parts see an annular solar eclipse. Total solar eclipses, hybrid solar eclipses, and annular solar eclipses are all types of “central” solar eclipses, meaning that the umbra is projected somewhere on Earth.

Solar eclipse in 2024

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

How often do solar eclipses occur?

Every year, anywhere from two to five solar eclipses are visible somewhere around the world. A total solar eclipse occurs on average every 18 months. However, in certain locations on Earth, the portion of the Earth where a total solar eclipse is visible is so small that a total solar eclipse is only seen about once every 400 years.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves through the shadow that Earth casts in space. These events always occur during a full moon when the moon is on the opposite side of Earth’s sun. But they don’t happen every full moon because our moon’s orbit is tilted around the Earth compared to Earth’s orbit around the sun.

Do solar eclipses always occur in pairs?

A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth, Sun, and Moon line up (a so-called syzygation), so a solar eclipse is always accompanied by a lunar eclipse two weeks before and after it. This year, a lunar eclipse will occur on March 24th, two weeks before the solar eclipse on April 8th. However, it will be a penumbral lunar eclipse, meaning only the Earth’s outer shadow will hide the moon.

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Source: www.newscientist.com