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A Potential New Mega-Earthquake Hotspot Could Emerge Under the Atlantic Ocean

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New structural faults have been discovered beneath the Atlantic Ocean, potentially heightening the risk of significant earthquakes and tsunamis that could impact the region. This finding is based on a recent study published this week in Natural Earth Science.

For centuries, the reason behind Portugal’s susceptibility to major earthquakes, despite its distance from prominent fault lines, has puzzled scientists.

On November 1, 1755, Lisbon was struck by a catastrophic earthquake registering 8.7 on the Richter scale, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands and triggering a tsunami that reached the Caribbean. In 1969, a magnitude 7.8 tremor off the Portuguese coast killed 25 individuals.

“One of the challenges is that these earthquakes occur on completely flat plains and are distant from fault lines,” stated Professor Joan Duarte, a geologist at the University of Lisbon and the study’s lead author, as reported in BBC Science Focus.

“Following the 1969 earthquake, it became clear that there were signs of a subduction belt, indicating something unusual in that region.”

The subduction zone, where one tectonic plate moves under another, is responsible for some of the planet’s most destructive “megathrust” earthquakes, including the catastrophic events in the Indian Ocean in 2004 and Tohoku in 2011. However, the Atlantic Ocean has traditionally been viewed as relatively stable, with its plates slowly drifting along the mid-Atlantic ridge.

Duarte’s team compiled earthquake records and utilized computer models from the Horseshoe Abyss Monkey Plain, a deep seabed located southwest of Portugal. They uncovered evidence that the mantle—a hot, dense layer beneath the Earth’s crust—is undergoing a process known as peeling.

“The base of the plate is separating as if peeling off, like the sole of a shoe,” Duarte explained. “The first moment of realization came when I thought, ‘Oh, there’s something out there.’ The second was when our computer models confirmed this peeling process.”

This artwork illustrates the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. A combination of earthquakes, tsunamis, and subsequent fires nearly obliterated the Portuguese capital – Credit: Getty

This phenomenon is unusual in oceanic crust, which typically behaves like a “crème brûlée,” resting on a more pliable layer below due to its rigid buoyancy.

In this instance, it appears that water has been infiltrating the rock for millions of years, chemically weakening it and enabling the mantle mass to descend toward the Earth’s depths.

The research suggests that we might be witnessing the emergence of a new subduction zone in the Atlantic Ocean, which could ultimately reunite Africa, Europe, and the Americas into future supercontinents.

For now, however, the immediate concern is the potential for earthquakes.

“A significant earthquake will occur again,” Duarte emphasized.

“If there’s a forecast for rain tomorrow, you’d take an umbrella,” he added. “We don’t need to know the exact time of the rain, just that we must be prepared.”

“The same goes for earthquakes. While we can’t predict when major ones will strike, we understand the likelihood, so we need to be ready.”

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About our experts

Joan Duarte is an assistant professor of tectonics at the University of Lisbon and serves as the president of the Department of Tectonics and Structural Geology within the European Union of Geosciences. His research has been featured in journals such as Geophysical Research Letters, Nature Communications, and Geology.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Innovative Wildlife Conservation Strategies Emerge in Guatemala Due to Climate Change

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Research conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Association highlights the diverse wildlife that frequents artificial watering holes in the Mayan forests of Guatemala.

Jaguars find respite from the heat in Guatemala’s artificial waterfall hole. Image credit: WCS Guatemala.

As temperatures rise in Mesoamerica, protected areas in northern Guatemala are confronting increasing ecological challenges, primarily due to severe water shortages negatively impacting local wildlife.

In response, the conservation organization has taken proactive measures to safeguard biodiversity in two key ecosystems: Laguna del Tigray National Park and Mirador Rio Azur National Park.

To tackle this pressing concern, strategic installations of artificial waterfall holes have been made throughout the parks.

Constructed from durable materials designed to endure extreme local conditions, these water sources are situated in the most vulnerable wildlife habitats, despite the logistical challenges of accessing remote jungle areas.

Camera traps have captured images of various species using these waterfowl, including tapirs, pumas, jaguars, deer, margays, and snakes.

These findings offer valuable insights into animal behavior under water stress and demonstrate how scientifically-informed conservation efforts can alleviate the impact of climate change on fragile ecosystems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk1lijeo1ue

“During the dry season, many natural water sources completely dry up,” notes Ronnie Garcia Andru, director of the Biology Research Division at the Wildlife Conservation Association’s Guatemala Program.

“This drastically lowers the survival chances for numerous species.”

Initially intended to provide critical relief during periods of drought, monitoring with camera traps has shown that the artificial watering holes are also frequented in the rainy season.

This unexpected trend indicates that not only are some regions experiencing ongoing water shortages, but that these structures are becoming an integral part of the local wildlife’s habitat.

This adaptive maintenance strategy has been developed through collaboration.

“While artificial watering holes are not a permanent fix, they serve as a crucial tool for helping wildlife adapt to increasingly erratic environmental conditions,” Garcia Andru remarked.

“The success of this initiative highlights the significance of collaborative, science-driven approaches in the conservation of the Mayan forests, one of the largest tropical forests in the Americas.”

“As climate patterns continue to evolve, these partnerships will be essential to preserving the remarkable biodiversity of the region for future generations.”

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This article is derived from a press release provided by the Wildlife Conservation Association.

Source: www.sci.news

Bourbon Chick: Cicadas Emerge in Kentucky After 17 Years of Slumber

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Kentucky is often referred to as the land of horses, bourbon, and bluegrass, and it will soon welcome a large influx of Cicadas.

Billions of these winged insects will begin to emerge from their infamous underground mating rituals, having spent weeks below the surface.

This year, Cicadas are expected to emerge in nearly 12 states, with the highest concentration occurring in Kentucky and Tennessee. They will also be spotted in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York.

Some locals refer to them simply as “Chicada” this season due to their prominence in Kentucky.

“They’re the experts in entomology at the University of Kentucky,” noted Jonathan Larson, assistant professor of entomology.

Seven different types of cicadas can be found in North America, appearing every 13 or 17 years depending on their species.
USDA Forest Bureau

These are known as regular Cicadas, which spend a predetermined number of years underground before surfacing to find mates. Seven species of these cicadas exist in North America, emerging either every 13 years or every 17 years.

This year’s Cicadas belong to Brood XIV, which follows a 17-year cycle.

Larson remarked that the nickname “bourbon chick” fits well, as the lifecycle of these insects parallels the distillation process of Kentucky’s renowned whiskey.

“We let the bourbon age,” Larson explained. “It’s placed in barrels in the dark for an extended period, which is somewhat similar.”

Larson mentioned that sightings of Cicadas have already started in southern Kentucky counties, but the main event will kick off in the coming weeks as the soil temperature rises.

“I anticipate that in the next two weeks, we will really see them everywhere,” he said.

When that time comes, certain areas will be literally swarming with Cicadas. However, it’s not just their sheer numbers that create an unforgettable experience; it’s the distinct high-pitched noise they make as well.

Cicadas can produce sounds reaching up to 100 decibels, which is actually their mating call used to attract females. After emerging, females only have a few weeks to find mates and lay eggs before they die.

“It’s all wild and beautiful, strange and wonderful,” Larson enthused.

While Cicadas pose no danger to humans, they can become quite bothersome, particularly when large amounts of their bodies accumulate post-mortem.

“During the early stages, there’s no unpleasant odor, but about five weeks later, if enough die in one spot, a decomposing smell can develop,” Larson noted.

Although thousands of cicada species are found globally, regular cicadas are unique for spending the majority of their lives underground, feeding on tree roots, before surfacing every 13 or 17 years.

Typically, the first Cicadas surface in early to mid-May, but most often they emerge in June when temperatures rise. Larson stated that cicadas generally wait for the soil to reach approximately 64 degrees Fahrenheit before breaking through.

Their reliance on environmental signals raises questions about the impact of climate change on Cicadas and their mating rituals.

“If it’s warmer sooner this year, they might start emerging earlier than expected,” Larson explained, noting the potential for extreme weather events like flooding or freezing, which have been prevalent in Kentucky recently.

This area remains a focal point of research as scientists investigate the long-term effects of climate change on Cicada populations.

In the meantime, Larson and other entomology enthusiasts from various states are gearing up to witness this remarkable phenomenon.

“I hope people take the time to experience it,” Larson encouraged. “What’s happening here is unique; you won’t find this anywhere else, so we suggest engaging in Cicada tourism if you can.”

Citizen scientists can also contribute to research by snapping photos and recording geographical details of sightings using the CICADA SAFARI app.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Universal Antivenom Could Emerge from a Volunteer Who Endures 200 Snake Bites

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The video lasts under 2.5 minutes. A slender man with thick hair enters the room, pulling a long black mamba that can deliver a lethal bite within an hour. He bites his left arm and moments later, extends his right arm towards a Taipan from Papua New Guinea. “Thank you for watching,” he states, as he calms down to speak to the camera while his left arm bleeds before it is bandaged.

For nearly 18 years, 57-year-old Tim Friede has injected himself with over 650 precisely measured doses of venom from 16 deadly snake species to develop immunity. He has also allowed snakes—mostly one at a time, although occasionally two, as in the video—to bite him nearly 200 times.

This coincidence, also known as one of its names, could aid in addressing global health issues. With over 600 species of venomous snakes across the globe, they bite approximately 2.7 million people annually, causing around 120,000 fatalities and affecting 400,000 others.

Researchers report that in Friede’s blood, they have discovered antibodies capable of neutralizing toxins from multiple snake species. According to Journal Cell.

“I am genuinely proud to contribute something meaningful for humanity and make a difference for people 8,000 miles away.

Deforestation, urban expansion, and climate change have heightened the risk of snake bites in recent years, yet antivenom research has not kept pace with demand.

“This is a more significant issue than the first world might realize,” stated Jacob Glanville, founder and CEO of Centivax, which aims to create broad-spectrum vaccines and serves as the lead author of the study.

Dr. Glanville and his team discovered that two potent antibodies from Friede’s blood, when paired with drugs that inhibit neurotoxins, can protect mice from the venom of 19 deadly snake species from various families around the world.

Experts not involved in the research consider this an extraordinary achievement. Most antivenoms can only counteract venom from one or a few closely related snake species within a particular area.

Nicholas Casewell, a researcher at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the UK, indicates that antivenom cocktails could potentially prevent fatalities and injuries from all snake families.

“The principles from this study can be effectively applied to other snakes,” he remarked.

Friede’s journey with snakes began with a harmless bite from a five-year-old garter snake, which sparked his lifelong fascination. “If I had known what lay ahead, I would have laughed at the thought,” he reminisces with a chuckle.

However, it wasn’t until he married and started a family while working in construction that he seriously began to explore his interest in snakes. He started experimenting with scorpions around 2000 but soon transitioned to snakes. At one point, he kept 60 venomous snakes in his basement lab.

His experiments came to a sudden halt on September 12, 2001, when he was bitten by two cobras, his emotions heightened by the previous day’s terrorist attack and the recent loss of a friend. Those were his first encounters with snakes without adequate immunity built up. While he initially felt fine after the first bite, the second caused him to feel cold, his eyelids to droop, and he lost his ability to speak. He awoke four days later in a hospital after slipping into a coma.

His wife was furious, while he felt frustrated with himself. He resolved to adopt a more methodical approach, carefully measuring venom doses and timing the bites.

“I work during the day, spend time with my kids and family at home, then head downstairs to work late into the night, only to repeat it all over again the next day,” he explained.

He faced numerous accidents, including unintentional bites, anaphylactic shocks, and power outages. Friede describes himself as a self-taught scientist, asserting, “No university in the world provides training for this. I’ve done as much as I could.”

Two scientific teams studied Friede’s blood over the years, but those efforts led to little progress. By the time he met Dr. Glanville in 2017, he was ready to give up.

Dr. Glanville was investigating what scientists refer to as broadly neutralizing antibodies as a foundation for universal vaccines, inspired by his upbringing in Mayan villages in the Guatemalan Highlands. He was intrigued by the potential to apply the same strategy to develop a Universal Antivenom.

Initially, he said his “humble” goal was to find someone like a hapless snake researcher who had experienced multiple bites. His quest took a turn when he stumbled upon an article about Friede.

“I had been eagerly awaiting this opportunity,” shared Dr. Glanville, expressing gratitude towards Friede.

In partnership with Columbia University vaccine researcher Peter Kwon, Dr. Glanville isolated broadly acting antibodies from Friede’s blood and devised a combination treatment.

Tests on antibodies from Friede’s blood against the venom of 19 snake species showed that one broadly neutralizing antibody protected mice from six species. When combined with a small molecule known as Varespladib, the second antibody provided full protection against 13 snake species and partial defense against the remaining six.

Cobras and mambas produce toxins that paralyze nerve cells, while the venom from Viper family snakes damages tissue and induces bleeding in victims. Each snake species within its family produces a unique combination of dozens of toxins, which can vary by region, age, diet, and season. It can vary significantly.

Despite advances, antivenoms are still produced using methods from 130 years ago. A small amount of venom is injected into horses, camels, or sheep, and the antibodies produced in response are harvested. These antibodies are typically specific to the type of venom administered and offer minimal relief from other snake venom types.

In fact, many antivenoms can cause more severe reactions than the venom itself, as mammalian proteins can provoke fatal allergic reactions.

Researchers are seeking treatments that mitigate these side effects. Cocktail treatments involving small-molecule drugs and monoclonal antibodies targeting critical toxic families are being developed—crafted copies of human antibodies that neutralize toxins across numerous species, according to Dr. Casewell.

Future plans include testing the Australian treatment on dogs brought into veterinary clinics for snake bites. Researchers also aim to identify additional components from Friede’s blood that could expand protection across all 19 snake species under study.

However, Friede’s experimental days are over. His last bite came from a water cobra in November 2018. He has since divorced; his wife and children have moved away. “That felt like enough,” he recalled.

While he misses the thrill of interacting with snakes, he insists it was not driven by painful bites. “I might revisit this in the future,” he reflected, “but for now, I’m content with where I am.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Ancient forests hidden beneath the Rocky Mountains emerge as ice melts.

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exposed white bark pine

Gregory Pederson

Melting ice in the Rocky Mountains has led to the discovery of a 5,900-year-old white bark pine forest. Scientists discovered more than 30 trees during an archaeological survey on Wyoming's Beartooth Plateau at about 3,100 meters above sea level, 180 meters above the current tree line.

This, he says, “allows us to learn about past conditions at high altitudes.'' Kathy Whitlock at Montana State University. Japanese white pine (Albicari pine) These plants needed to grow during warmer weather, she says, because they don't currently grow at this elevation.

To understand the history of the lost forests, Whitlock's team analyzed tree rings and used carbon dating to find out how old the forests were. They discovered that the tree lived between 5,950 and 5,440 years ago, a time when temperatures were steadily dropping.

Data from ice cores in places like Antarctica and Greenland suggest that these temperature drops were influenced by centuries of volcanic eruptions in the Northern Hemisphere. These produced enough aerial deposits to block sunlight and lower global temperatures until the environment became too cold for these high-altitude trees to survive.

Although the newly discovered tree was lying flat, it was in exceptional condition, indicating that it was rapidly preserved after death. Although there is no evidence of avalanche cover, there are traces consistent with the current expansion of the ice sheet.

Climate models suggest that more continuous volcanic eruptions occurred in Iceland 5,100 years ago, causing further temperature drops, team members say Joe McConnell at the Desert Research Institute in Nevada. These temperature drops led to the expansion of the ice belt, and “the fallen trees were buried in the ice and protected from the elements for the next 5,000 years,” he says.

Only in recent decades have temperatures warmed enough to free trees from their ice cellars. The current tree line is “likely to shift upward as temperatures rise in the coming decades,” Whitlock said.

“This discovery was made possible thanks to anthropogenic climate change. Rising temperatures are exposing areas that have been buried under ice for thousands of years,” she says. “While discoveries like this are scientifically interesting, they are also a sad reminder of how vulnerable alpine ecosystems are to climate change.”

“This study is a very elegant and careful use of a rare 'time capsule' that tells us not only about these mountain forests 6,000 years ago, but also about the climatic conditions that allowed them to exist.” '' he says. Kevin Antukaitis at the University of Arizona.

These trees are not the first such finds that researchers have unearthed from Rocky Mountain ice. Previous research had found “fragments of wooden shafts used for arrows and darts,” Whitlock said. One of the shafts has been radiocarbon dated to be more than 10,000 years old, “which tells us that people have been hunting in high-altitude environments for thousands of years,” she says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Twin cicada nymphs emerge – a common occurrence

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They come again with their beady little eyes

George Baird/Shutterstock

Every spring, billions of cicadas emerge from their underground burrows. Things like this happen so often that we don’t usually mention it. But this year, two friends, both of whom have been underground for more than a decade, will emerge simultaneously, blanketing parts of the United States with trillions of bugs. They’ll create a racket, an all-purpose buzz that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Canadian border. And so are the news articles announcing their arrival. It’s said to be a historic event unlike anything we’ve experienced since 1803, but that depends on how you look at it.

So is this rare? Has it really been more than a century since groups of cicadas appeared?
Hmm, no. This happens sometimes. In the United States, 3 cicada swarms appear every 13 years and 12 cicada swarms appear every 17 years. Two people lined up in 2014, and two people lined up in the same year in 2015.

This year, Brood XIX, also known as the Great Southern Brood, will spread to more than a dozen states in the southern United States. At the same time, Brood XIII appears in several states around the Great Lakes in the northern part of the country. The last time he appeared together was in 1803, and they would not sync up again until 2245.

But they don’t come with little stamps on their feathers identifying them as one of our own. The most noticeable thing to the average person might be the loud soundtrack of a summer night, that classic drone of cicadas that emanates from a much louder chorus.

But has there been any news about cicadas lately?
Indeed, there is. For example, in 2021, the Great Eastern Brood emerged with a bang after 17 years underground, hitting densely populated areas such as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. This hype was enough to draw insect-seeking tourists and spur culinary creations such as: semi-scampi. (Note to foodies: Cicadas are a member of the crustacean family, and people with shellfish allergies should avoid eating cicadas.) US Food and Drug Administration. )

So why is cicada emergence in 2024 attracting so much attention? Will more cicadas arrive than ever before?
The issue is not so much the number of cicadas as the extent to which these red-eyed insects invade. “Double brood emergence is not unprecedented, but this one is notable for its wide geographic range,” he said. Jonathan Larson at the University of Kentucky. “That would be a great force of nature.”

This is especially true as Brood means that the person may witness this phenomenon.

Is there any reason to worry about cicadas?
Cicadas do not bite or sting, so while they may be a temporary nuisance to some people, they are not dangerous. “That’s all there is to it. [broods] It’s something you can experience in a lifetime.” jessica ware At the American Museum of Natural History in New York. “So instead of getting annoyed by the sound, just enjoy the sound.”

Why do periodic cicadas live this way?
Cicadas burrow underground as nymphs, feeding on the sap from tree roots for years at a time. When the soil warms up in May-June, they crawl out of their underground burrows and immediately look for vertical surfaces (trees, houses, cars) to scale. “You’ll wake up one morning and all of a sudden there’ll be cicadas everywhere,” he says. chris simon at the University of Connecticut.

After a week, they shed their exoskeleton and reach their final adult form. The male then woos the female by vibrating the membranes of her body and producing a cacophonous song. After mating, the female lays eggs and all adults die. Within a month, the cicadas will be gone. This waiting game is all part of the periodic cicada’s dramatic survival tactics. Birds and other predators quickly fill the buggy buffet as thousands of insects flood the area, leaving only a few cicadas behind. The pattern of 13 years and his 17 years is so unpredictable that it is difficult for predators and diseases to keep up.

It is not clear exactly how cicadas time their primes, but most scientists agree that the insects measure the passage of time through environmental signals from the trees they feed on. I agree.

Will something like this happen again soon?
The next double spring won’t occur until 2037, so cicada researchers want to sample and study as many insects as possible. They are also interested in seeing how many cicadas actually emerge, since it has been many years since both cicadas appeared on the ground. Because the insect burrowed underground more than a decade ago, nutrients in the soil around the insect may have changed due to fertilizer use, plants growing in the area, or even climate change. It is also possible that something was built on top of the cicada’s bed. That’s the bet these insects are making.

After 2037, the next double chick will appear in 2041, followed by double chicks in 2050, 2053, and 2054. As the name suggests, it continues like this on a regular basis for as long as cicadas exist.

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Source: www.newscientist.com