Tag Archives: environments

Caffeine Unveils New Insights into Star Formation in Dense Gas Environments

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Astronomers reveal new insights into the factors influencing star formation efficiency in the densest regions of galaxies through Caffeine research.

GAL316: A massive star-forming region. Image credit: ESO / M. Matten / André et al. / VVV.

In this groundbreaking study, astronomer Michael Mattern from the University of Paris-Saclay and his team meticulously mapped dense gas across 49 giant star-forming complexes located approximately 3,000 parsecs away within our galaxy’s disk.

“Creating stars is a challenging endeavor, and the process lacks efficiency,” the astronomers stated.

“Current understanding indicates that a certain minimum density of gas and dust is necessary for stars to form.”

“Only about 1 to 2 percent of the gas and dust in these regions is utilized in the ignition of a star.”

“Could denser regions exhibit higher efficiency in star formation?”

“We are examining GAL316, one of the remarkable stellar nurseries we observed, to explore this question,” they elaborated.

The ongoing CAFFEINE survey employs the ArTéMiS camera on the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), a state-of-the-art radio telescope situated on the Chajnantor Plateau.

“APEX, managed by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, has successfully captured the faint emissions of cold gas clouds, visible as blue glows in GAL316 images,” the researchers revealed.

“This glow overlays a starry backdrop, successfully recorded by ESO’s VISTA telescope.”

They discovered that as gas density increases past a specific threshold, the efficiency of star formation – the conversion rate of gas into stars – does not proportionately escalate.

This observation contradicts existing models that suggest a continual rise in star formation with density increases.

Conversely, the efficiency remains nearly constant in extremely dense gas, reinforcing the notion that stars primarily form within filamentous structures in clouds, a process dictated by the fragmentation of these filaments into protostar cores.

The findings suggest a potential gas density threshold for efficient star formation, bolstering the hypothesis that the physics of dense filaments governs star formation, rather than turbulence or feedback from nascent stars alone.

This research represents one of the most thorough efforts to date in connecting the physical structure of dense gas with star formation efficiency, paving the way for future observations and simulations that aim to elucidate the emergence of Sun-like stars from interstellar clouds.

“Our results indicate that the densest regions observed in this Caffeine study show similar efficiencies in star production compared to other stellar nurseries, provided they exceed the minimum density,” the scientists remarked.

Their findings are detailed in a published paper in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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M. Mattern et al. 2024. Investigating star formation efficiency in dense gas: Initial results from the CAFFEINE survey utilizing ArTéMiS. A&A 688, A163; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202449908

Source: www.sci.news

New Fossil Discovery Indicates Mosasaurs Could Thrive in Freshwater Environments

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Paleontologists have discovered a 66-million-year-old Mosasaurus tooth within the Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota, USA. This find reinforces the idea that mosasaurs, often viewed as marine reptiles, also hunted in freshwater rivers.

Artist’s reconstruction of the Hell Creek Mosasaurus. Image credit: Christopher DiPiazza.

“Mosasaurs were apex predators in marine environments, diversifying during the Late Cretaceous and dominating a range of ecological niches,” stated paleontologist Melanie Dooling from Uppsala University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam alongside her team.

“The mosasauridae family is divided into three subfamilies: mosasauridae, plioplatecarpinidae, and tylosauridae, each showcasing unique adaptations that allow them to exploit various ecological opportunities.”

“Although mosasaurid fossils are often linked to shallow marine environments, findings of fossils in estuarine and freshwater settings challenge the notion that they were solely marine creatures.”

In 2022, a significant mosasaur tooth was unearthed from a multi-species fossil site in the Hell Creek Formation.

This area, once part of the ancient Western Interior Seaway, is well-known for a scarcity of marine species, primarily housing fossils of terrestrial and freshwater organisms.

The fossil was found in river sediments alongside an ancient tooth from a tyrannosaurus rex and a crocodile jawbone, indicating a rich ecosystem that included fossilized dinosaurs like edmontosaurus.

This specimen is related to the mosasaurid family prognatodontini, as its surface texture resembles that of other members in this group.

Researchers also studied isotopes within the tooth enamel to deduce the habitat of mosasaurs, discovering oxygen and strontium isotopic signatures indicative of freshwater conditions.

This may imply that mosasaurs preyed on freshwater animals, suggesting they could thrive and hunt away from oceanic environments.

“The carbon isotopes in teeth generally reflect the diet of the organism,” Dr. Dühring explained.

“Many mosasaurs exhibit low 13C values, allowing for deeper dives.”

“The teeth of Mosasaurus, in contrast, have higher 13C values compared to those of all known mosasaurs, dinosaurs, and crocodiles, indicating they likely did not dive deeply and may have occasionally consumed drowned dinosaurs.”

“Isotopic data suggest this mosasaur inhabited freshwater river environments.”

“When we examined two additional mosasaurus teeth from a nearby, slightly older site, we noted similar freshwater isotopic signatures.”

“These analyses indicate that mosasaurs inhabited fluvial environments for about the last million years before their extinction.”

Further examination of older mosasaurus teeth and other fauna from the Western Interior Seaway suggested isotopic concentrations more aligned with freshwater rather than saltwater habitats.

This points to a gradual decrease in salinity in the region over time.

The authors propose that members of Prognathodontini might have been opportunistic predators inhabiting niches similar to modern species, akin to the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), believed to have adapted to freshwater systems in response to the receding salinity of the Western Interior Seaway, gradually moving into the Hell Creek channel.

“We also analyzed fossils from other marine species and found distinct differences,” stated Dr. Per Ahlberg, a paleontologist at Uppsala University.

“Gill-breathing animals possessed isotopic signatures linked to brackish or saltwater, while all lung-breathing organisms did not.”

“This indicates that mosasaurs, which required surface access to breathe, lived in the upper freshwater layer rather than the saltier deeper layers.”

The team’s paper was published in the Journal on December 12, 2025, in BMC Zoology.

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in the midst of chaos others. 2025. King of the Riverside offers a fresh perspective on pre-extinct mosasaurs through a multi-proxy approach. BMC Zuhl 10, 25; doi: 10.1186/s40850-025-00246-y

Source: www.sci.news

Neanderthals’ Prominent Noses Were Unsuitable for Cold Environments.

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Reconstruction of a Neanderthal’s face

Credit: Ryhor Bruyeu/Alamy

The inaugural study of a well-preserved nasal cavity in human fossils uncovers that the large noses of Neanderthals were not primarily adaptations for cold environments, as previously assumed.

Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) roamed the Earth from about 400,000 to 40,000 years ago. Certain specimens exhibit unique features in their nasal cavities. These structures are considered characteristic of the species, with some researchers proposing that living through multiple glacial periods prompted these developments. This adaptation was believed to help them warm the air they inhaled..

Nevertheless, the existing structures are largely damaged, leaving a gap in the fossil record that hampers a comprehensive understanding of the Neanderthal nose’s internal morphology.

Altamura skull: A Neanderthal fossil embedded in rock

KARST Pudding Project

Costantino Busi and his team at the University of Perugia in Italy gathered this evidence from a specimen known as Altamura man, which dates between 172,000 and 130,000 years old. This skeleton is encased in rock within the Lalunga cave, near Altamura, southern Italy, and features small calcite deposits called popcorn stones, resembling a coral reef.

“This may be the most comprehensive hominin fossil ever uncovered,” Busi stated. However, due to its fragile state, the specimen couldn’t be removed. Instead, Busi and his team brought their equipment into a tight section of the cave and utilized an endoscope to explore the interior of the skull, allowing them to digitally visualize the preserved internal nasal bones.

This is certainly the first instance of such structures being clearly observed in a hominin fossil,” Busi noted.

Unexpectedly, they found no evidence of the typical features believed to characterize Neanderthals’ nasal cavities, such as the vertical medial process (a bony protrusion), a ridge on the nasal cavity wall, or the absence of a bony roof over the lacrimal trough.

Nevertheless, according to Busi, the Altamura man is certainly a Neanderthal. Morphology, dating, genetics suggests this, indicating that the structures in question should no longer be classified as defining traits of Neanderthals. He posits that the prominent noses and protruding upper jaws were unlikely to represent the evolutionary adaptations of Neanderthals. “We can finally acknowledge that certain features once thought diagnostic are absent in Neanderthal skulls,” Busi added.

According to Busi, the large nasal cavities of Neanderthals were simply a reflection of their larger cranial features. However, the team discovered that the nasal turbinates (the scroll-like structures within the nasal cavities) were quite large, aiding in the warming of inhaled air.

“These findings suggest that the distinctive face shape of Neanderthals was shaped more by developmental factors and overall body size than by adaptations for breathing in cold conditions,” said Ludovic Slimak from the University of Toulouse, France. “This research challenges previously held notions regarding Neanderthal evolution and offers the first concrete evidence regarding the structure and function of their respiratory systems.”

This research also suggests that unique adaptations in the neck, driven by the selective pressures of the glacial environment, may have influenced the evolution of Neanderthal facial characteristics, including their protruding jaws.

“The common belief that Neanderthals were specially adapted to colder climates is completely unfounded,” stated Todd Rae from the University of Sussex, UK. “In fact, it’s likely they were more vulnerable to the cold, especially when compared to those in tropical regions. While they managed before, they were likely pushed to extinction by the last glacial maximum.”

Origins of Humanity: Ancient Caves in Northern Spain

Explore some of the planet’s oldest cave art in this picturesque area of northern Spain. Journey back 40,000 years and uncover how our ancestors lived, played, and labored. Each cave, rich with ancient Paleolithic artistry and spectacular geological formations, narrates a unique and timeless tale.

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  • Neanderthal Man/
  • Ancient Humans

Source: www.newscientist.com

Surviving and Thriving in One of Earth’s Most Hostile Environments

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Marine tube worms in deep-sea habitats

The deep-sea environment is largely dominated by marine tube worms

Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, CAS

Over 9,500 meters of ecosystems fueled by chemicals from tectonic plate interactions have been uncovered beneath the northwest Pacific Ocean.

“Their resilience and beauty captivated me,” says Mengrand Du from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Sanya. “The striking crimson tentacles unfurl like delicate blossoms of the trench.”

Du and her team undertook 24 dives between July 8 and August 17, 2024, exploring 2,500 kilometers west of the Krill Kamchatka trench and Aleutian trench, at depths ranging from 5,800 to 9,533 meters. In a frozen section beyond 6,000 meters deep, the Hadal zone experiences crushing pressure and is devoid of light.

This region is referred to as the Hadal biosphere, which derives energy from nutrients descending from surface photosynthesis or exists via chemical bonds relying on chemicals as energy sources.

Taxonomic and genetic data gathered during the dives indicated that many organisms in the Hadal zone utilize compounds such as hydrogen sulfide and methane, which are released through fault lines formed as tectonic plates slide against each other.

“We have discovered a chemically-synthesized community thriving at an astonishing depth of 9,533 meters,” Du states. These findings, made during 19 dives, illustrate their extensive distribution.

The chemically-driven community was primarily composed of bivalve mollusks and marine tube worms known as ciboglinid polychaetes. Some populations consisted of thousands of individuals, sprawling for kilometers.

Numerous bivalve mollusks are also present.

Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, CAS

A notable characteristic of many of these organisms is their dependence on chemical energy rather than sunlight, according to Du. “While other organisms, such as sea cucumbers and amphipods, might inhabit greater depths, they cannot harness chemicals like hydrogen sulfide for energy and must rely on organic matter instead.”

This finding indicates “the deepest and most extensive known chemical synthesis community on our planet.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Study: Animals Serve as Both Residents and Builders in Their Environments.

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New research reveals how hundreds of species affect Earth’s surface processes, from vast termite mounds visible from space to beavers that produce whole wetlands.

Termites mounds in the bangle bangle range in Western Australia. Image credit: ouderkraal/cc by-sa 3.0.

“This study shows that the role of animals in shaping the Earth’s landscape is far more important than previously recognized,” says Professor Gemma Harvey, a researcher at Queen Mary University in London.

“From beavers that create wetlands to ants that build soil mounds, these diverse natural processes are extremely important, but there is a risk of losing them as biodiversity decreases.”

“From small ants moving through soil to salmon remodeling riverbeds, this study highlights the diversity and scale of animal impacts across all freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.”

“By estimating the collective energy of these natural engineers, this study shows that their topographical contributions are comparable to those of hundreds of thousands of major floods.”

In this study, Professor Harvey and colleagues identified 603 species, genera, or families, including insects, mammals, fish, birds, and reptiles to create landscapes in a surprising way.

Despite covering only 2.4% of the planet’s surface, freshwater habitats take on a third of these astonishing species.

Animals collectively contribute at least 76,000 gigare energy each year to shape the surface of the earth. This is a number that rivals hundreds of thousands of extreme floods.

This estimate is likely to be conservative, especially in tropical and subtropical regions where biodiversity is the highest but research is limited.

“Terrates build a huge network of Brazilian mounds. Some cover thousands of kilometers, but salmon spawning can alter as much sediment as annual floods.” The researcher said.

“Even ants change soil structure and drainage through their small but countless actions.”

Almost 30% of identified species are rare and endemic or threatened, and can cease to cease before a critical topographical process is completely important.

This loss can have great consequences for the ecosystem and the landscapes they support.

“This study provides new insights into biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration,” Professor Harvey said.

“How can rewild and species reintroduction projects, such as the reintroduction of beavers to restore wetlands, help combat environmental challenges such as erosion and flooding by leveraging these natural processes? It shows that.

study It was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Gemma L. Harvey et al. 2025. The global diversity and energy of animals that shape the surface of the earth. pnas 122 (8): E2415104122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2415104122

Source: www.sci.news

New study suggests Homo erectus flourished in grassland and desert environments one million years ago

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homo erectusan early member of the genus homoA new study shows that a new study shows that the astronauts were able to successfully navigate longer, harsher and drier terrain in eastern Africa than previously thought.

archaic humans. Image credit: Ninara / CC BY 2.0.

For a long time, debate has centered on when this genus originated. homo They have acquired the adaptability to survive even in extreme environments such as deserts and tropical rainforests.

Traditionally, homo sapiens Archaic humans were thought to be able to sustainably occupy such ecosystems, and ancient hominids were thought to be confined to smaller ranges.

However, evidence suggests that at an early stage homo Two million years ago, they had the ability to adapt to diverse and unstable environments.

“It’s extinct now, but homo erectus Professor Michael Petraglia of Griffith University said: “Humans have existed for an estimated 1.5 million years or more, marking the successful survival of the species in our evolutionary history.” Compared to that, it is about 300,000 years until now.

Professor Julio Mercader of the University of Calgary added, “Their success is due to their ability to survive over long periods of time characterized by many changes in environment and climate.”

Investigate how climate change has affected ecological ranges, dispersal patterns, and technology. homo erectusThe authors conducted an interdisciplinary study at Engazi Nayori in Oldupai Gorge, an important early human settlement on the equator in Tanzania.

They discovered that between about 1.2 million and 1 million years ago, the region remained semi-desert, with distinctive plant life.

Archaeological data suggests the existence of the following groups: homo erectus They repeatedly settled in areas where fresh water was available, such as ponds, and adapted to local conditions by developing specialized stone tools such as scrapers and jagged tools (known as denticles).

The researchers suggest that, taken together, these findings demonstrate that: homo erectus Their ability to survive in extreme environments was far greater than previously thought.

“This adaptive profile, characterized by resilience in arid regions, challenges assumptions about the dispersal limits and location of early humans.” homo erectus As a versatile generalist and the first human to transcend environmental boundaries on a global scale,” Professor Petraglia said.

“This adaptability is probably due to homo erectus They invaded the arid regions of Africa and Eurasia and redefined their role as ecological generalists, thriving in some of the most difficult landscapes of the Middle Pleistocene,” added Professor Paul Durkin of the University of Manitoba. .

of findings Posted in today's diary Nature Communication Earth and Environment.

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J. Mercader others. 2025. homo erectus One million years ago, they adapted to the extreme climates of grasslands and deserts. common global environment 6, 1; doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01919-1

Source: www.sci.news

Microorganisms that thrive in acidic environments are suppressed by viruses

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Microorganisms thrive in acidic environments despite harsh conditions. These microorganisms, known as acidophilic organisms, are found in places like Yellowstone’s hot springs, sulfuric acid caves, and acid mine drainage channels. Viruses are also abundant in such environments, infecting bacteria just as influenza infects humans. These viruses are called bacteriophage, which means “bacteria eater.”

Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on Earth, found in almost every life-supporting environment. However, their role in extremely acidic environments is not fully understood. Chinese scientists investigated viral communities in acid mine drainage to gain insights.

Samples were collected from two acidic mine drainage sites in China – Daibaoshan Mine and Shijinshan Mine. These sites had high metal concentrations and acidic pH levels below 3, along with diverse microbial communities.

The research team used metagenomics to analyze the DNA in the samples, identifying microorganisms and viruses without the need for lab cultivation. They also collected geochemical data to understand the impact of environmental conditions on microbial and viral communities.

Over 1,500 bacteriophages and viruses were found in acid mine drainage, with their abundance linked to the presence of host microorganisms. Some viruses were found to benefit their host’s growth temporarily by enhancing metal uptake, giving them a competitive advantage within the microbial community.

The study revealed that viruses and environmental conditions play a crucial role in shaping microbial communities in acidic environments. While various factors influence these communities, the viral community at Daihozan Mine was more impacted by the types of microorganisms present, while both viruses and environmental conditions influenced the microbial community at Zijinshan Mine.

This research expands our understanding of viruses in acidic environments, revealing undocumented viruses in places like acid mine drainage. Bacteriophages may play a significant role in regulating microbial communities in extreme environments, suggesting the importance of viral “bacteria eaters” in such settings.

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Source: sciworthy.com

New observations from ALMA indicate that planets can form in challenging stellar environments

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Astronomers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) to take high-resolution images of eight protoplanetary disks. sigma orionisa star cluster that is irradiated with strong ultraviolet light from a massive star. Surprisingly, they found evidence of gaps and rings in most of the disks. These are the substructures commonly associated with the formation of giant exoplanets.

These ALMA images show the rich disk structure around the star Sigma Orioni. Image credits: ALMA / ESO / JAO / National Astronomical Observatory of Japan / NRAO / Huang others.

“We expected that high levels of radiation within this cluster would inhibit planet formation in the outer regions of these disks,” the Columbia University astronomers said. jane fan.

“But instead, we are seeing signs that planets may be forming at distances of tens of astronomical units from their stars, similar to what we have observed in less harsh environments.”

Previous research has focused on regions of the disk with little ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

This study used ALMA's highest resolution to observe a disk in a much harsher environment.

“These observations suggest that the processes driving planet formation are very robust and can function even under difficult conditions,” said Dr. Huang.

“This gives us even more confidence that planets may be forming in many more places across the galaxy, even in areas previously thought to be too harsh.”

The discovery has important implications for understanding the formation of our own solar system, which likely evolved in a similar high-radiation environment.

These also motivate future studies of disks in more extreme stellar neighborhoods.

Astronomers used ALMA's most extended antenna configuration to obtain unprecedented detail in disk images, achieving a resolution of about 8 AU (astronomical units).

This allowed us to resolve several different gaps and rings on several disks.

The exact nature of these disk structures is still under debate, but it is thought that they either contribute to planet formation or are the result of interactions between the forming planet and the disk's material.

“Our observations suggest that the substructure is common not only in disks near mildly illuminated star-forming regions, but also in disks exposed to intermediate levels of external ultraviolet radiation.” the researchers said.

“If these substructures track planet-disk interactions, ice and gas giant planets may still be forming on Solar System scales in Sigma Orioni, but with very large semi-major axes (50 Giant planet formation in the ~100 AU) region may be rare compared to star formation in nearby regions. ”

“These observations motivate high-resolution imaging of the disk in more extreme ultraviolet environments to investigate the universality of the disk's substructure.”

of findings Coming up this week are: astrophysical journal.

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jane fan others. 2024. High-resolution ALMA observations of the highly structured protoplanetary disk of σ Orionis. APJ 976,132;doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad84df

Source: www.sci.news

Purple Bacteria: The New Dominant Species in Various Environments

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With more than 5,500 exoplanets detected, the search for life is entering a new era. Astrobiologists from Cornell University and the University of Minnesota have used life on Earth as a guide to look beyond the lush landscape and expand our ability to detect signs of surface life on other worlds. A new study characterizes the reflectance spectra of purple sulfur and non-sulfur bacteria from different environments.

Coelho to extend the baseline for finding life in the universe other. They measured the reflectance of purple bacteria growing in different anoxic and aerobic environments. Image credit: Sci.News.

From houseplants and gardens to fields and forests, green is the color most associated with life on Earth’s surface. On Earth, conditions were favorable for the evolution of organisms that carried out photosynthesis, using the green pigment chlorophyll a to produce oxygen.

But an Earth-like planet orbiting another star could look completely different, receiving little or no visible light or oxygen and instead relying on photosynthesis, like some environments on Earth. may be covered in bacteria that use invisible infrared light to promote

Many such bacteria on Earth contain purple pigments instead of green, and in a world where they are predominantly purple, they could produce unique “light fingerprints” that can be detected by next generation ground and space telescopes. will be generated.

Ligia Fonseca Coelho, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University’s Carl Sagan Institute, said, “Purple bacteria are able to thrive under a wide range of conditions, making them one of the leading candidates for life that has the potential to dominate many different worlds.” “We have become one,” he said.

“We are building a database of signs of life so that telescopes can detect life even if they don’t look exactly like what we encounter around us every day,” said Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute. We need to make sure we don’t miss out,” he added. at Cornell University.

For this study, the authors collected samples of more than 20 types of purple sulfur and non-sulfur bacteria that can be found in a variety of environments, from shallow waters, beaches, and wetlands to deep-sea hydrothermal vents. collected and grown.

Bacteria, collectively known as purple bacteria, actually have a variety of colors, including yellow, orange, brown, and red, due to pigments related to the pigments that make tomatoes red and carrots orange.

They use a simpler photosynthetic system that utilizes a form of chlorophyll that absorbs infrared light and produces no oxygen, and they thrive in low-energy red or infrared light.

They were likely widespread on early Earth before the advent of plant-type photosynthesis, and may be particularly suited to planets orbiting cool red dwarfs, the most common type in the galaxy. there is.

“They are already thriving in certain areas here,” Dr. Coelho said.

“Imagine if they weren’t competing with green plants, algae, and bacteria. The red sun might give them the most favorable conditions for photosynthesis.”

After measuring the purple bacteria’s biological pigments and optical fingerprints, the researchers created a model of an Earth-like planet with varying conditions and cloud cover.

“In a variety of simulated environments, both wet and dry purple bacteria produced a dark-colored biosignature,” Dr. Coelho said.

“If purple bacteria thrive on the surface of frozen Earth, ocean worlds, snowball Earths, or modern Earth orbiting cooler stars, we have the tools to search for them. can do.”

team’s work will appear in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.

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Ligia Fonseca Coelho other. 2024. Purple is the new green. Spectrum of biological pigments and a purple world similar to the Earth. MNRAS 530 (2): 1363-1368; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stae601

Source: www.sci.news