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Urban Subsidence: A Greater Climate Crisis than Sea Level Rise

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For decades, discussions surrounding coastal risk have focused primarily on climate change and sea level rise. However, a significant new global study reveals an even more urgent threat: land subsidence, affecting hundreds of millions of people living in delta regions, including urban hubs like New Orleans and Bangkok.

In various locations around the world, land is sinking at rates that often surpass the rising sea levels.

Utilizing satellite radar technology to monitor minute changes in the Earth’s surface, researchers have discovered that over half of the world’s deltas—low-lying areas where major rivers converge with the ocean—are currently sinking. This gradual subsidence, in conjunction with sea level rise, poses the most significant flood risk in many densely populated delta regions on Earth.

“This is truly a declaration of war,” stated Professor Robert Nicholls, co-author of the study and coastal scientist at the University of Southampton. The findings were reported in BBC Science Focus. “Until now, no one had taken a global perspective on delta subsidence. This study highlights the breadth of the issue and underscores the urgency of addressing it.”

The survey results can be found in the journal Nature.

Subsidence rates in river deltas, displayed as colored circles. The size of each circle reflects the area of the delta sinking faster than sea level rise, represented as a color gradient across the delta’s basin. Photo credit: Ohenhen et al. (2026)

Global Problems Hidden in Plain Sight

Delta regions comprise only 1% of the Earth’s land area but are home to approximately 350 to 500 million people, including some of the world’s most significant cities and productive agricultural zones. These areas serve as economic powerhouses, environmental hotspots, and essential food sources, yet they are inherently fragile.

Deltas are formed by loose, water-saturated sediments deposited over millennia. In their natural state, these sediments compact under their own weight and gradually sink.

Historically, natural subsidence was balanced by periodic flooding that replenished the land with fresh sediment, but modern interventions have disrupted this equilibrium.

The recent study analyzed satellite measurements across 40 major delta regions from 2014 to 2023, creating the first high-resolution global image detailing land elevation changes.

The findings were alarming: currently, at least 35% of delta regions have subsided, with over half of the land surface subsiding in most deltas.

In 18 of the 40 river deltas examined, land is sinking faster than local sea level rise, revealing hotspots where subsidence dominates over regional and global sea level increases.

A similar pattern is evident across continents—Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas—where relative sea levels rise due to both ocean expansion and land subsidence.

“From a risk perspective, it doesn’t matter if sea levels rise or land sinks,” Nichols explained. “The ultimate effect is the same, but the responses to those threats may differ.”

The Ciliund Delta in Indonesia is home to Jakarta, inhabited by over 40 million people, and is sinking at an average rate of 5.6 mm annually. Photo credit: Getty

What is Causing the Sinking?

The study identified three primary causes of anthropogenic land subsidence: groundwater extraction, reduced sediment supply, and urban expansion. Among these, groundwater pumping is the most significant predictor.

When groundwater is extracted, the soft surrounding sediments collapse and compact, a process that is nearly irreversible. Once the sediment is compacted, it will not return, even if water levels recover.

In 10 out of the 40 delta regions studied, groundwater depletion was the main factor driving land subsidence. Additionally, reduced river sediment caused by damming and flood defenses, combined with the weight of growing cities built on soft soils, contribute to this crisis.

As a result, what was once a slow geological phenomenon has transformed into an urgent environmental crisis.

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US Case: Mississippi Delta

The Mississippi River Delta in New Orleans and Louisiana exemplifies this issue in the United States.

The analysis confirms widespread subsidence across the delta, with over 90% of the region experiencing subsidence at an average rate of 3.3 mm per year. Some localized areas even sink much faster.

While this rate may seem minimal, it accumulates significantly over decades, especially alongside the threats posed by rising sea levels and hurricanes.

The Mississippi Delta has lost thousands of square kilometers of coastal wetlands over the last century, resulting in catastrophic damage. An area the size of a soccer field is lost to open water every 100 minutes.

The Mississippi Delta experiences an average subsidence of 3.3 mm per year, with some hotspots sinking over 10 times faster. Photo credit: NASA Earth Observatory

The lack of fresh sediment is a critical issue. Levees and dams prevent flooding and the natural deposition of new sediments that help rebuild the land. Additionally, drainage systems, oil and gas extraction, and decades of groundwater pumping exert further stress on fragile soils.

While some delta areas display resilience, one proposed solution is relocating populations away from these vulnerable regions. For instance, New Orleans has seen a steady population decline since the 1960s.

“In the United States, people tend to accept the idea of relocation,” Nichols noted, emphasizing that societal mobility and favorable land-use policies make this transition more politically feasible than in parts of Europe and Asia, where long-term protective measures are generally favored.

Warning to Major Cities

While North America grapples with these challenges, the most extreme subsidence rates can be found in parts of South and Southeast Asia, where population density is high and dependence on groundwater for agriculture, industry, and drinking water prevails.

Regions such as the Mekong River (Vietnam), Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers (Bangladesh and India), Chao Phraya River (Thailand), and Yellow River (China) are sinking faster than current global sea level rise in some areas by over a centimeter per year.

Mega-cities like Bangkok, Dhaka, Shanghai, and parts of Jakarta are built on these subsiding foundations.

The good news is that, unlike global sea level rise—which unfolds over centuries—human-induced land subsidence can respond swiftly to policy changes. A notable success story is Tokyo.

Due to strict groundwater extraction regulations, Tokyo has significantly reduced subsidence rates. Photo credit: Getty

In the mid-20th century, unchecked groundwater extraction caused parts of Tokyo to sink more than 4 meters. However, rigorous regulations on groundwater use and investments in alternative water sources resulted in a swift decrease in subsidence rates.

“Authorities have enacted legislation to ensure sufficient alternative water supplies and eliminate groundwater extraction,” Nichols remarked. “And almost overnight, this led to stabilization.”

Additional solutions include managed flooding in agricultural areas to replenish soil sediments. “Sediment is often deemed a pollutant,” Nichols points out. However, when rivers overflow, they deposit valuable materials that built the delta, a process sometimes referred to as “brown gold.”

Urban areas can be fortified with effective engineering solutions such as sea walls, levees, and storm surge barriers. “Addressing subsidence complements efforts to adapt to sea level rise and reduces vulnerabilities,” Nichols added, as reported here.

Shifting Attitudes Towards Coastal Risk

The study’s authors emphasize that land subsidence has been dangerously overlooked in global climate risk strategies, largely viewed as a local rather than a global issue.

However, local does not equate to minor. Even under severe climate scenarios, land subsidence is expected to remain the primary driver of relative sea level rise in numerous delta regions for decades to come.

Financial and institutional barriers often hinder large-scale interventions in many areas, but deferring action only exacerbates the costs and challenges of future adaptations.

Once land subsides, initiating new urban developments is not feasible, leaving communities to face tough decisions about relocation.

As Nichols succinctly states, “The first crucial step is to acknowledge that a problem exists.”

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Maximize Your Time: Rethink Your Relationship with Time for Greater Productivity

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Many perceive time as a finite resource that is challenging to manage. As we progress through life, the feeling that time slips away faster becomes more pronounced. Fortunately, psychological studies indicate that with a few simple changes in your daily routine, you can enhance your experience of time, making it feel more plentiful.

New Scientist engaged with Ian Taylor, an author at Loughborough University, UK. His book, Time Hack: The Psychology of Time and How to Spend It, discusses how re-evaluating our relationship with time can alleviate pressure, diminish boredom, and foster a sense of fulfillment.

Helen Thomson: Typically, physicists focus on defining time, integrating it within the equations that explain the universe. What perspective do psychologists have on time?

Ian Taylor: Time’s definition is a topic of much debate. For instance, physicists question whether time is an emergent property or a fundamental one. My focus is on the subjective perception of time, seeing it as a connective framework linking our memories to our aspirations, contributing to a sense of consistency in our lives.

How does the brain construct our perception of time?

Our brains lack a singular center for biological clocks, yet multiple processes collaborate to monitor time’s passage, creating our time sense. This perception isn’t solely dictated by our brain; it involves an intricate interplay between mind, body, and emotions. Psychologically, this internal clock accelerates or decelerates based on our cognitive engagement and attentional focus.

Reflecting on a time when my brakes failed during a car crash, I remember vividly my instructor’s advice on braking, the anxiety of informing my mother about my damaged vehicle, and regretting the song playing in the background. Calculating which cars I might hit, I even attempted to alert the couple in front of me. It seemed to take forever, but this all transpired in under a second. It felt like slowing down time—what was happening?

Emotions and motivation profoundly influence our time perception. Studies indicate that feelings of anger or sadness can distort time perception, making it feel slower, while happiness accelerates that feeling of passage. Hence, the adage: “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Yet, emotions aren’t strictly positive or negative; intensity, or level of arousal, plays a role.

In general, heightened alertness leads to a perception of slower time. Both calm and excited states are positive, but their intensities differ significantly. In crises, such as your near-accident, heightened excitement may have slowed your perception of time, acting as a survival mechanism that enhances clarity in critical moments.

Researchers are exploring various explanations for time dilation. From a motivation perspective, which is my area of focus, potential insights are emerging.

We often perceive time as fleeting when pursuing goals or engaging in enjoyable activities (approach-oriented motivational states) but experience it slowing down when avoiding unpleasant tasks (avoidance-oriented motivational states). This aligns with your crash example, where survival instincts influenced your time perception.

Is it possible to consciously manipulate your time perception based on these ideas?

Indeed. Numerous lab studies support this. For instance, participants shown appealing images, such as enticing cakes, report that time flies compared to viewing something undesirable. Participants experiencing distressing images—like mutilated bodies—report that time appears to slow due to a strong desire to evade the situation.

Feeling like you’re not having fun can increase the perception that time is passing slowly.

Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

While laboratory findings may not entirely mirror real-life scenarios, if you wish to expedite time, particularly over the next two weeks, focus on achieving what you desire, similar to the cake study. Concentrate on pursuits you value and enjoy.

On the contrary, people frequently seek ways to slow down time, often feeling rushed or time-starved. How can one cultivate a richer experience of time?

Resorting to distressing images for the sake of slowing time is not advisable. The key lies not in forcefully enriching time but in how you effectively utilize the time you have, preventing it from overwhelming you. Although today’s agenda may be identical for everyone, the difference lies in the value and enjoyment embedded in activities. If you’re merely fulfilling obligations rather than pursuing joy, you may lose the sense of time passing, leading to feelings of scarcity.

Thus, the sensation of lacking time doesn’t correspond to actual hours available but relates more to how wisely you consume that time and the feelings attached to it. In a study, researchers discovered no correlation between people’s perceived need for exercise and how busy they were objectively.

You highlight the importance of fostering a positive relationship with time in your book. What additional strategies can help cultivate this relationship?

For me, a healthy relationship with time means concluding the day without fatigue, feeling productive, and self-satisfied.

This involves being aware of time’s impact on our motivation and health. Consider the concept of ego depletion, which emerged in the 1990s. Initially, researchers posited that exerting willpower (like performing well on an exam) depleted a finite resource. However, this concept has since been dispelled. Willpower diminishes over time, as reiterated in recent studies, but it can be reactivated. This understanding aids in time management; avoid willpower-reliant tasks at night and prioritize them for mornings, when your cognitive resources are sharper.

Insights into our motivation reveal that immediate rewards drive us more than delayed ones. Whether awarding instant monetary gains for work or giving immediate gratification in exercise and diet, short-term rewards enhance motivation. Thus, it’s imperative to reward yourself right away rather than waiting for distant outcomes.

Meaningful experiences, such as traveling with loved ones, can expand your perception of time.

Martin Parr/Magnum Photos

This principle arises from the understanding that motivation is often tied to outcomes rather than actions. Individuals are driven by results, so minimizing the gap between effort and reward can amplify motivation. Immediate gains associated with actions encourage persistence.

It’s essential to recognize that busy schedules don’t equate to feeling busy. While many believe they’ll achieve satisfaction by reducing their commitments, the truth is that enhancing well-being can lead to a reduced sensation of being overwhelmed. Cultivating enjoyable activities—even without modifying your schedule—can enrich your perception of time.

What should I make of ‘dead time’? Is it advisable to eliminate it?

It largely depends on how you process ‘dead time.’ In my book, I differentiate between dead time and loneliness. Many dread being alone in their thoughts, often indulging in negative reflections.

In a revealing study, participants opted for an electric shock over 15 minutes of solitary thought. Notably, 67% of men preferred the shock, compared to just 25% of women. During idle moments, many reach for smartphones, only to find that mindless scrolling leads to greater boredom, as evidence suggests.

However, if you can navigate through anxiety and negativity during solitude, it can be transformative and generate substantial personal growth. Historical studies on solitary confinement and polar explorations reveal that the right supportive environment during isolation can foster self-sufficiency and deeper understanding.

Moreover, solitude can enhance creativity, emotional health, and clarity. Embracing traffic delays or queue times can significantly boost your well-being if you choose to confront them instead of distracting yourself.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Women Seek Greater Beauty Than Their Partners, While Men Aspire to Be More Engaging.

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What do you look for in a partner?

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Would you prefer a partner who is attractive but plain, or someone who is appealing, even if you consider yourself less attractive? Your response may vary based on your gender. A study involving over 1,200 heterosexual adults in the U.S. revealed significant differences in how men and women choose between possessing certain traits themselves or seeking them in a partner.

“Men are inclined to compromise their own attractiveness for the sake of a very appealing partner, while the reverse is true for women,” Bill von Hippel from the Australian consultancy Research with Impact explained.

Von Hippel and his research team questioned participants about their preferences regarding six traits: wealth, beauty, ambition, humor, intelligence, and kindness, asking them how much of a disparity they would tolerate between their own traits and those of a partner. “It’s as if only supermodels are acceptable for dating, regardless of one’s own attractiveness,” von Hippel remarked.

In contrast to earlier studies, this research required participants to articulate their preferences. It revealed that the most notable difference between men and women lay in physical looks, while they were aligned in wishing to date partners possessing similar levels of kindness.

Generally, women perceived themselves as more attractive and intelligent, favoring men who are wealthier, more intriguing, and more ambitious, while men mainly preferred dating women who outshined them in beauty and wealth.

For instance, women rated the importance of their own beauty as 7.01 on an 11-point scale, whereas men assigned a value of 4.77 to their own looks. Conversely, men valued being interesting at 7.08, while women rated this trait at 5.81. A score below 6 indicates a greater desire for that trait in a partner than in oneself.

While Von Hippel acknowledged variations among individual responses, he stressed that the overall results were compelling. “This has a significant impact,” he remarked.

Lisa Welling, a professor at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, commented that this approach of forced choices is an intriguing way to reveal underlying preferences, though such constructs may lack relevance in genuine relationships. There’s also the question of whether individuals are considering short-term versus long-term partners, which “often holds significance,” she noted.

Steve Stewart-Williams from the University of Nottingham in Malaysia pointed out that while the findings are generally unsurprising, having participants make definitive choices may have clarified their true feelings. Previous research might have underestimated the breadth of gender differences in mate preferences due to measurement techniques, he opined. For instance, past studies may not have adequately accounted for the notion that individuals might wish for traits in themselves because they believe it could enhance their appeal to potential partners.

Von Hippel suggested that these findings are understandable from an evolutionary standpoint. Women carry the substantial biological responsibility of child-rearing and thus need to ensure prospective partners are capable of providing for their offspring, while men are evolutionarily driven to select for health and fertility in women.

Stewart-Williams believes the study may reflect evolutionary patterns in contemporary human populations, but cautioned that the research was limited to self-reported data from heterosexual individuals in the U.S., and it remains uncertain whether these conclusions apply more broadly.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Coronavirus Poses Greater Heart Disease Risk for Children Than Vaccination

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Vaccination against covid-19 is safer than infection

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Recent findings highlight that vaccinating children is more beneficial than exposing them to the coronavirus. A comprehensive study involving nearly 14 million children revealed that the likelihood of experiencing serious, albeit uncommon, side effects related to the heart and blood vessels was considerably greater following an infection compared to a vaccination.

Specifically, children aged 5 to 18 experienced 17 additional infections per 100,000 with inflammatory conditions such as Kawasaki disease in the six months after contracting SARS-CoV-2, as opposed to other periods. Conversely, among children first vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine, infections per 100,000 dropped by almost two.

Myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, resulted in over two extra cases per 100,000 individuals in the six months post-infection. In comparison, there was less than one additional case among vaccinated individuals, indicating that the risk of myocarditis is more than double following infection relative to vaccination.

A report highlighting a new coronavirus infection causing myocarditis has been made known. As early as April 2020, reports began surfacing even after vaccinations commenced in December. Vaccines associated with myocarditis tend to present milder symptoms, particularly in young men, and most individuals recover swiftly.

The uncommon side effects of this vaccine have garnered substantial media focus and stirred significant concern, contributing to delays in introducing routine childhood vaccinations in the UK until April 2022.

The latest findings reinforce earlier research indicating that vaccinated children face a lower risk of myocarditis compared to their unvaccinated peers, despite the rarity of this side effect. A majority of children contracted the virus, placing them at an elevated risk of adverse effects.

“It’s important to note that severe complications are highly uncommon among children and adolescents in general,” states Angela Wood from Cambridge, UK, a part of the HDR UK regional network. “Nevertheless, evidence suggests that the risk is generally higher following COVID-19 compared to vaccination.”

Wood’s team evaluated data from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) encompassing approximately 14 million children under 18 from January 2020 to December 2021. During the latter half of this timeframe, 3.9 million children received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, while 3.4 million were diagnosed with COVID-19 for the first time. Subsequent periods could not be analyzed due to insufficient testing.

This approach does have its limitations. For instance, the data does not indicate whether children who experienced these complications made a full recovery, and many mild COVID-19 cases amongst children may not have been formally recognized. “However, despite these constraints, the scale of the data and the comprehensive connection across all NHS data instills great confidence in our overall conclusions today,” says Wood.

“It’s crucial to understand that findings relevant to the strain of the coronavirus prevalent during the peak of the pandemic may differ for the current strain,” advises William Whiteley from the University of Edinburgh, UK, who was not involved in the study. His team previously reported that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes for at least six months post-vaccination.

The fact that nearly all individuals, apart from very young children, now possess some level of immunity to COVID-19 means they may respond differently to both booster shots and reinfections, according to team members including Peer Hardelid from University College London. “Ongoing research is essential,” she emphasizes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Your Flight’s Emissions Are Significantly Greater Than the Carbon Calculator Indicates

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Contrails from aircraft may amplify the warming effects of air travel

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If you’re using a carbon footprint calculator to assess your flight’s environmental impact, prepare for some surprises. The true effect of air travel can be significantly higher than what most CO₂ calculators indicate.

“These figures are quite alarming,” states Juma Sadukhan from the University of Surrey, UK. She and her team assessed four popular calculators against the one they developed.

For instance, consider a first-class flight on a B777 from Singapore to Zurich. At the time of this research, calculators from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated the emissions to be around 3000 kilograms of CO₂. In contrast, the Google Travel Impact Model (TIM) places the estimate around 5,000 kg, while MyClimate suggests about 8,000 kg. However, the in-flight emissions calculator developed by Sadukhan and her team estimates the actual emissions exceed 14,000 kg.

“The implications are substantial,” adds team member Eduardo Goan, in collaboration with the Austria-based Therme Group.

The new tool, called the Airline Passenger Dynamic Emissions Calculator (ATP-DEC), diverges from existing calculators in two main ways. Firstly, instead of assuming flights take a perfect route, it utilizes historical data to ascertain the most probable route, actual flight duration, and the time spent taxiing before takeoff and after landing, including the typical occupancy of the aircraft.

Unlike other calculators, this one is dynamic, as past flight data is continuously updated according to Goan. For example, many flights are now taking longer paths due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a change that other calculators fail to recognize.

The second key difference is that ATP-DEC accounts for all the known factors influencing flight’s climate impact, such as contrail formation, nitrogen dioxide emissions, and water vapor. Notably, contrails can exert a greater warming influence than CO₂ emissions alone.

Other flight calculators often omit these factors or use generalized data. “They don’t adjust according to the type of aircraft, fuel efficiency, or environmental conditions,” says Sadukhan. “Our tool is far more comprehensive.”

Goan mentions that the team plans to make this calculator publicly accessible and is working on an app slated for release early next year. “If an airline wishes to incorporate ATP-DEC, they could start immediately,” he says, though establishing the necessary data connections might take weeks or even months.

Current flight emissions calculators may allow travelers to voluntarily contribute a modest fee to “offset” their carbon footprint. Nonetheless, several studies indicate that many offset programs fail to fulfill their claims.

An ICAO representative stated that the methodology for ICAO’s carbon emissions calculations can be accessed at: its website. “This calculator does not consider the climate change impacts of aircraft emissions using radiative forcing indices.” They noted that “Such multipliers need to be factored in, given the lack of a scientific consensus.”

“TIM is a free, precise, and transparent resource that assists consumers in selecting flights with lower emissions,” affirmed Dan Rutherford from the International Clean Transportation Council, a nonprofit organization that guides Google on enhancing its CO₂ calculator. “We will keep refining the model, including the integration of short-lived climate pollutants like contrails, to enhance its utility for the flying public.”

“We find this study to be a valuable contribution to the ongoing dialogue,” stated Kai Landwehr from MyClimate. Landwehr emphasized that no single method is foolproof due to the uncertainties surrounding the impacts of global warming, such as those resulting from contrails. However, utilizing improved and current data can boost accuracy. “We intend to update the calculator in the upcoming months to integrate best practices and insights from this research.”

IATA has also been approached for comments.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Ancient DNA Reveals Greater Genetic Diversity in Mastodons Than Previously Thought.

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Research utilizing ancient DNA has shed light on the complex evolutionary ties and ecological responses of elephants and their relatives. In a recent study, scientists sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of various mastodons, including five specimens from Nova Scotia and the East Coast—one dating back approximately 500,000 years—as well as a unique specimen of Pacific Mastodon from Chulatin, Oregon, and a partial mitochondrial genome from North Ontario. Their findings indicate that Pacific mastodons belong to distinct and deep mitochondrial lineages, indicating this species’ range extended into western Canada and potentially even Mexico. Additionally, the authors discovered evidence of at least three separate expansions into the northeastern coastal region and identified two new groups of mastodons with clear, geographically coinciding specimens.

Adult Mastodon (Mammuthus sp.) consumes spruce branches, set against a backdrop that suggests periodic continental migrations related to climate change. During the Middle and Late Pleistocene, at least two types of mastodons roamed North America: the American mastodon, spanning from the East Coast to central regions, and the Pacific mastodon, found from central Alberta to central California. Image credit: Kathryn Kilukki.

Mastodons were originally classified into numerous separate species but were later consolidated into one, the American Mastodon (Mammut americanum).

Recent classifications have been updated to potentially recognize at least two distinct species: American mastodon and Pacific mastodon (Mammut pacificus), with ongoing debates regarding their division.

Genetic analyses confirmed that Pacific mastodons are ancient and belong to separate genetic lineages that extend further than previously thought.

Notably, Alberta emerged as a “hotspot” where Pacific and American mastodons may have gathered, expanding northward and hybridizing.

Samples collected from the East Coast and northern Ontario revealed two genetically distinct groups, referred to as mastodon clades, cohabiting the same geographic area.

Surprisingly, the eastern species exhibit significant diversity, reflecting at least three distinct waves of migration. This pattern is driven by repeated climatic warming events that opened new areas for glacial retreat and northward movement.

As temperatures decreased and glaciers expanded, mastodons were either forced southward or faced local extinction.

“The data reframes our understanding of the modern regions known as Alberta and the North, highlighting their role as migratory corridors for surrounding fauna,” the researchers noted.

Moreover, a unique and genetically distinct lineage of Mexican mastodon was identified, possibly representing a deeper evolutionary branch of the Pacific mastodon or even a brand-new third species.

During the Ice Age, the mastodon was among the largest terrestrial animals on the planet, traversing a range from Beringia (now Alaska and Yukon) through Nova Scotia and south to Central Mexico.

These creatures primarily foraged in wetlands, consuming shrubs and branches, and inhabited environments quite different from those of their well-known distant relatives, the woolly mammoths.

“This study marks significant milestones, including advancements in our understanding of the Pacific Mastodon,” stated Emil Kalpinski, a researcher at Harvard Medical School.

“It also raises numerous intriguing questions: How did these distant mastodon species interact within Alberta?”

“Did they compete for resources or, as our lab’s earlier research indicated for mammoths, engage in breeding?”

“These revelations, in conjunction with findings from our 2020 study, enrich our understanding of how mastodons migrated and diversified across North America, aiding contemporary conservation efforts in preparing for ongoing climate change and migratory species in the North,” the researchers concluded.

Their paper was published on September 12, 2025, in the journal Advances in Science.

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Emil Kalpinski et al. 2025. Repeated climate-driven dispersion and speciation in peripheral populations of Pleistocene mastodon. Advances in Science 11 (37); doi:10.1126/sciadv.adw2240

Source: www.sci.news

The Earth’s Sensitivity to Greenhouse Gases is Greater Than We Realized

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Climate change might be even more severe than previously estimated

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The Earth’s climate appears to be more responsive to the pollution caused by greenhouse gases than previously assumed, making it harder to keep global temperature increases below 2°C.

This is concerning news for global efforts to combat climate change, according to Gunnar Myhre from Cicero International Climate Research Centre in Norway.

Researchers have long been aware that releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere can lead to climate warming with widespread consequences. However, the extent of potential warming due to these emissions remains uncertain. Specifically, how sensitive is the Earth’s climate to this pollution?

The primary uncertainty arises from how clouds react to warming atmospheres, as shifts in cloud systems could exacerbate warming through feedback loops.

Most predictions regarding warming by the century’s end are derived from climate models that incorporate various sensitivity assumptions. The model utilized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicates that if atmospheric concentrations double compared to pre-industrial levels, warming could range between 2°C and 5°C, prompting organizations to adopt a median estimate of 3°C.

Myhre and his team sought to align climate model predictions with satellite data showing the Earth’s energy imbalance—a measure of excess heat within our climate system, reflecting its sensitivity levels.

They discovered that less sensitive climate models, which suggest that the Earth’s climate is more resistant to greenhouse gas emissions, did not align with satellite data collected since the turn of the millennium. According to Myhre, models asserting that the Earth’s climate is less resistant to these gases are “more common.” He added, “Models predicting minimal warming are increasingly rare.”

The findings challenge the reliability of climate models forecasting warming below 2.9°C with doubled greenhouse gas concentrations. Instead, the data imply that warming beyond this threshold is more probable for the same level of pollution.

This has been corroborated by recent record-high temperatures observed both on land and in the sea since 2023, described as “strong climate feedback” in the atmosphere by Myhre.

A more sensitive climate necessitates a quicker reduction in emissions to maintain the same temperature trajectory. In essence, the world must accelerate decarbonization efforts to meet its climate commitments.

Johannes Kuas from the University of Leipzig in Germany argues that the study presents a “very plausible contention” that the Earth is indeed more sensitive to global warming than some models suggest, stating it “reduces the margin” for model estimations that scientists should follow. “It highlights the urgent need for political action against climate change,” he emphasized.

Richard Allen from the University of Reading in the UK notes that “natural climate change” could also be part of the narrative, by pointing out that satellite records date back only to 2001. Nevertheless, he describes the study as “rigorous” and adds, “there is further evidence that simulations predicting less warming are increasingly unrealistic in the long-term.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The lingering impact of pregnancy on the body is greater than we realized

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Postpartum recovery takes longer than the traditional six-week period commonly referred to as the “fourth stage.” Recent research conducted by biologists at the Wiseman Institute of Science and Helen Schneider Women’s Hospital in Israel, and Yale University School of Medicine in the United States, suggests that it may take more than a year for the body to settle into a new normal after giving birth.

Professor Uriaron, a systems biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science, led the study and emphasized the importance of understanding the extended recovery period postpartum. Using data from over 300,000 Israeli births, the researchers analyzed how various health markers changed between four and a half months to a year and a half after giving birth.

The study revealed that only 47% of the health markers studied stabilized within a month of delivery, while 12% took 4-10 weeks, and the remaining 41% took more than 10 weeks to stabilize. Some markers, such as bone and liver health, took up to 56 weeks to stabilize after childbirth.

Although certain health measurements improved over time, they did not return to pre-pregnancy levels even after a year and a half postpartum. The study also highlighted potential risk factors for pregnancy disorders but did not analyze differences between breastfeeding.

The effects of breastfeeding on the postpartum body have not been analyzed in this study, but may provide useful insights in future studies. – Credit: Igor Alessander via Getty

Experts like Professor Rebecca Reynolds, Professor Uriaron, and Professor Dimitrios Siassakos have provided valuable insights into the study’s findings. This research offers a detailed understanding of how the body changes after childbirth, which can potentially improve postnatal care.

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About our experts:

Professor Uriaron: He is a system biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the lead researcher at Uri Alon Lab.

Professor Rebecca Reynolds: She is a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on understanding the mechanisms linking intrauterine development to health and illness.

Professor Dimitrios Siassakos: He is an honorary consultant in obstetrics at University College London and University College Hospital, contributing to various clinical care groups and research initiatives.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

British seniors feel greater satisfaction post-Covid-19 pandemic

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The pandemic may have changed people’s outlook for life

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Research Shows Individuals with Increased Emotional Intelligence Have a Greater Propensity to Use Emojis

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According to a new study, higher emotional intelligence is linked to increased emoji use with friends, while avoidant attachment is linked to decreased emoji use with friends, dates, and romantic partners.

The frequency of emoji usage varies by gender and type of relationship. Image credit: Pete Linforth.

Emoji are characters that depict emotions, objects, animals, etc.

Sending alone or with text via computer or smartphone can create more complex meanings during virtual communication.

Assessing how emoji use varies as a function of communication and interpersonal skills provides insight into who uses emoji and the psychological mechanisms underlying computer-mediated communication.

Despite the widespread use of emojis in our daily social lives, little is known about who uses them, apart from evidence of differences related to gender and personality traits.

To fill this knowledge gap, Dr. Simon Dube of the Kinsey Institute and his colleagues surveyed a sample of 320 adults to determine their emotional intelligence across emoji usage, attachment style, and gender and relationship type.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to process and manage your own and others’ emotions. Attachment style refers to the pattern of how an individual interacts with others in intimate relationships, influenced by early interactions with primary caregivers.

These styles are divided into three main types: anxious, avoidant, and secure attachment.

Both anxious and avoidant attachment styles indicate that a child does not feel secure with their primary caregiver.

In contrast, children with a secure attachment style tend to be enthusiastic when reunited with their caregivers after a short period of separation.

The results revealed that people with higher emotional intelligence and secure attachment may use emojis more frequently.

For women, higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with lower frequency of sending and receiving emojis with friends, partners, and romantic partners.

For men, higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with sending fewer emojis to such partners.

Additionally, women used more emojis than men, but this difference was specific to interactions with friends and family.

One limitation of this study is that most of the participants were white, educated, married, English-speaking, heterosexual, living in the United States at the time.

However, the authors say the study opens up new research avenues at the intersection of psychology, computer-mediated communication, and the study of attachment and emotional intelligence.

The researchers state, “How we interact during virtual communication may reveal something more about ourselves.”

“It’s more than just a smiley face or a heart emoji. It’s a way to convey meaning and communicate more effectively, and how you use it can tell us something about you.”

a paper Survey results will be published in a magazine PLoS ONE.

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S. Dube others. 2024. Beyond words: The relationship between emoji use, attachment style, and emotional intelligence. PLoS ONE 19 (12): e0308880;doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308880

Source: www.sci.news

H5N1 bird flu poses a greater pandemic risk than anticipated

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Highly contagious avian influenza has been circulating around the world since 2020.

Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images

The H5N1 avian influenza virus that is circulating around the world is already more contagious than earlier strains. In addition, the single mutation allows it to infect cells lining the nose and throat, making it more likely to be transmitted through the air.

This change alone is not enough for the virus to cause a pandemic. But if a virus with this mutation swapped genes with a human influenza virus, it could acquire pandemic potential almost immediately.

“The more people are infected, the more likely this is to happen,” he says. Ian Wilson At the Scripps Research Institute in California. Despite this, Wilson believes the risk remains low.

A particularly virulent strain of avian influenza, H5N1, originated in the 1990s, probably in domestic birds in China, and spread around the world. Around 2020, a new variant of the virus emerged and spread even more widely, reaching as far as the Americas and Antarctica. In the United States, poultry is infected in large numbers, dairy cattle are also infected, and occasionally humans are infected.

team led by Debbie Van Riel Researchers at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands infected cells in human noses and throats with the 2005 and 2022 H5N1 variants. They showed for the first time that the 2022 mutant is better at binding to these cells and replicating within them. . “Bad news,” van Riel says.

“I don’t think it’s extremely likely that the virus will become a pandemic,” she says. However, the fact that this virus is better at infecting humans gives it more opportunity to acquire further mutations, increasing the likelihood of a pandemic.

Meanwhile, Wilson and his colleagues have been studying the key hemagglutinin protein of the influenza virus. This protein binds to receptors on the outside of cells and determines which cells the virus can infect. Because it sticks out from the virus, it is also the main target of the immune system.

Currently, H5N1 hemagglutinin primarily binds to receptors located deep in the lungs in humans. This means that although it can cause serious illness, it is unlikely to leave the body and infect others. For that to happen, the virus needs to infect the cells inside your nose and throat. This means that coughing and sneezing can expel the virus and infect others.

Van Riel's research suggests that the virus can do this to some extent, but it is not clear whether the virus binds to the main receptors on these cells. It was thought that multiple mutations were required for H5N1 to bind strongly to these receptors, but Wilson's team now shows that a single mutation is sufficient for the current H5N1 variants. Showed.

Team members say this change alone won’t prevent the virus from causing a pandemic. Jim Paulsonalso at the Scripps Research Institute. “We think this property is necessary, but importantly not sufficient, for pandemic virus transmission,” he says.

Paulson said other changes are also necessary for the virus to begin replicating and spreading from person to person, but they are not well understood. “There's a lot of biology we don’t know,” he says.

However, if H5N1 viruses that infect humans acquire receptor switching mutations, they may evolve these other changes as well.

Furthermore, it is possible, in theory, to acquire all the necessary abilities at once by exchanging genes with a human virus that infects the same individual. Several previous influenza pandemics have been caused by genetic swapping between animal and human influenza viruses, Paulson said.

“This is very worrying,” he says alice katsurakis from the University of Oxford was not involved in either study. “Every time it spreads to humans, it gives the virus a roll of the dice.”

What is the mortality rate of the H5N1 pandemic?

If H5N1 avian influenza begins to spread from person to person, the big question is how deadly it will be. Half of the people confirmed to have contracted the virus since 2003 have died. However, the actual infection fatality rate is likely to be even lower, as many cases likely go undetected and mild cases are likely to be missed.

Of the roughly 60 people infected in the U.S. since the dairy outbreak began, nearly all have had only mild symptoms. why not understoodbut one explanation is that many were infected through the eyes. “It’s known to have much more benign results,” Katzorakis says.

It is also thought to become less dangerous when the virus switches from binding to receptors deep in the lungs to binding to receptors in the upper airways. But puzzling aspects of the U.S. cases left Paulson unsure whether this also applied to H5N1. “To be honest, I don’t know what to think right now,” he says.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to be satisfied with this and expect that even if this virus were to be easily transmitted from person to person, it would be ‘mild,'” Katzourakis said.

Because Wilson’s team studied the hemagglutinin protein alone, there was no chance that the mutated protein could leak into the lab. “No viruses were used here at all,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The abundance of ice deposits on the Moon is greater than initially believed

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Previous studies have found signs of ice in permanently shadowed regions near the moon’s south pole, including areas within the Cabeus, Howarth, Shoemaker, and Faustini craters. A new analysis of data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) shows there is widespread evidence of water ice outside Antarctica, at least within a permanently shadowed region toward 77 degrees south latitude. Ta.

This figure shows the distribution of permanently shadowed regions (blue) toward the moon’s poles at 80 degrees south latitude. They are overlaid on a digital elevation map of the lunar surface (gray) from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter Instrument aboard NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Image credit: NASA / GSFC / Timothy P. McClanahan.

Ice may have been embedded in the lunar regolith by comet or meteor impacts, emitted as steam (gas) from the moon’s interior, or formed by chemical reactions between hydrogen in the solar wind and oxygen in the regolith. there is.

Permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) typically occur in topographic depressions near the moon’s poles.

Due to the low angle of the sun, these regions have not seen sunlight for billions of years and are constantly in extremely cold conditions.

Ice molecules are thought to be repeatedly stripped from the regolith by meteorites, cosmic radiation, or sunlight, traveling across the lunar surface and landing on the PSR, where they become trapped in the extreme cold.

The PSR’s continuously cold surface could store ice molecules near the surface for perhaps billions of years, accumulating in sediments large enough for mining.

“Our models and analysis show that the largest ice concentrations are near the coldest parts of the PSR below 75 Kelvin (minus 198 degrees Celsius, or minus 325 degrees Fahrenheit) and on poleward-facing slopes of the PSR. It is expected to occur near the base of the Dr. Timothy McClanahan, researcher at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

“It is not possible to accurately measure the volume of ice deposits in the PSR or determine whether they are buried beneath a dry layer of regolith.”

“However, we expect it to be 1 m for each surface.2 If present above these deposits, there should be at least about 5 liters of ice within the top meter of the surface compared to the surrounding area. ”

McClanahan and his colleagues used LRO’s Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) instrument to detect signs of ice deposits by measuring moderately energetic “exothermal” neutrons.

Specifically, they used LEND’s Collimating Sensor for Exothermal Neutrons (CSETN), which has a fixed field of view of 30 km (18.6 miles) in diameter.

Neutrons are produced by high-energy galactic cosmic rays that come from powerful deep space events, such as exploding stars, and impact the moon’s surface, destroying regolith atoms and scattering subatomic particles called neutrons.

Neutrons originate from depths of up to about 1 meter (3.3 feet) and ping-pong through the regolith, colliding with other atoms. Some are guided into space and detected by LEND.

Since hydrogen has approximately the same mass as a neutron, neutrons lose relatively more energy in collisions with hydrogen than in collisions with the most common regolith elements.

Therefore, if hydrogen is present in the regolith, its concentration will correspondingly reduce the number of medium-energy neutrons observed.

“We hypothesized that if all PSRs had the same hydrogen concentration, CSETN should detect hydrogen concentrations proportionally depending on their area,” Dr. McClanahan said.

“Therefore, more hydrogen should be observed towards the larger area of the PSR.”

of findings this week, Planetary Science Journal.

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TP McClanahan others. 2024. Evidence of widespread hydrogen sequestration within the lunar south pole cold trap. planet. Science. J 5, 217; doi: 10.3847/PSJ/ad5b55

This article has been adapted from the original release by NASA.

Source: www.sci.news

The genomes of the greater bilby and the kobilby were sequenced by researchers

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Working with Indigenous rangers and conservation managers, University of Sydney And elsewhere, they sequenced the genomes of living organisms. Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) And then it went extinct Lesser Bilby (Macrotis leuca).

Greater Bilby (Macrotis lagotis), 1988. Image credit: Queensland Government/CC BY 4.0.

The bilby is a unique marsupial and the only member of its family. Sugar gliderThese include the extant greater bilby and the extinct kobilby.

These animals are culturally significant to Aboriginal Australians and their common name is of Yuwaaraai origin. Bilba.

Bilbies were once an important source of meat for the desert people and their prized long black tails with white fluffy tips were used in cultural practices linked to deep symbolism of love and marriage.

Aboriginal knowledge, bilby song lineages, rituals and stories exist across Australia, connecting places and people, and even in areas where bilbies are now locally extinct, strong connections with the species continue.

The loss of indigenous knowledge and land management practices due to species decline is recognised as a threat to the survival of bilbies in the area.

Historically, the greater bilby was widespread, distributed across both arid and temperate regions, while the kobilby was restricted to the desert.

The decline of both bilby species has been attributed to the introduction of wild pests into Australia by European settlers, particularly predation by cats and foxes, competition with European rabbits, and changes in cultural fire practices.

Sadly, the Lesser Bilby is now extinct, having last been reported alive in 1931, although it may have survived in some desert areas until the 1960s and was well known to indigenous people of the Central Desert.

“The greater bilby reference genome is one of the highest quality marsupial genomes to date and is presented as nine segments representing each of the bilby chromosomes,” said Professor Carolyn Hogg from the University of Sydney.

“It provides insights into biology, evolution and population management.”

Professor Hogg and his colleagues used DNA from zoo animals to sequence the greater bilby's genome.

They also created the first genome of the extinct lesser bilby from the skull of a specimen collected in 1898.

“This research helps us understand what gives bilbies their unique sense of smell and how they survive in the desert without drinking water,” Prof Hogg said.

“Importantly, this genome is being used to manage bilby metapopulations in zoos, fenced reserves and islands.”

“By selecting individuals for transplant and release, we can maximize genetic diversity and improve the population's ability to adapt to a changing world.”

The authors also used the bilby genome to develop a more accurate fecal testing method to complement existing traditional land use practices by Indigenous rangers.

“We know a lot about bilbies – where they live, what they eat and how to track them,” says Scott West, a ranger at Kiwirrkurra Aboriginal Reserve in Western Australia.

“It's great to use an iPad for mapping and a camera for surveillance.”

“DNA studies will also help us to understand if the bilbies are related, where they come from and how far they may have migrated.”

“By using old and new methods together we can get useful information about bilbies and how to care for them – it's a two-way science.”

of result Published in the journal Natural Ecology and Evolution.

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CJ Hogg othersCombining genomes of extant and extinct bilbies with Indigenous knowledge will improve conservation of Australia's native marsupials. Nat Ecol EvolPublished online July 1, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41559-024-02436-2

Source: www.sci.news

The Revelation of Why Some Individuals Have Greater Resistance to the Novel Coronavirus

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Volunteers were exposed to coronavirus as part of a scientific study

Koto Feja/Getty

By intentionally exposing people to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, scientists have been able to understand why some people appear to be immune to infection.

As part of the first human COVID-19 challenge study conducted in 2021, an international group of researchers looked at 36 healthy people who had not tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and had not been vaccinated.

The ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain was sprayed into their noses. Nasal and blood samples were taken from 16 of the participants before exposure and then six to seven times over the next 28 days. All were also tested for SARS-CoV-2 twice daily.

Participants were split into three groups, team members said. Sarah Teichmann The study was conducted at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. In one group, six participants tested positive in both daily tests for more than two days and also had symptoms. In another group, three participants tested positive in one of two daily tests but not in the other and did not have symptoms, but for less than two days. In the final group, seven participants consistently tested negative for coronavirus.

In total, the researchers sequenced more than 600,000 blood and nasal cells across all subjects.

In the second and third groups, the researchers found that participants were producing more interferon (a substance that helps the immune system fight infection) in their blood in front of the nasopharynx (the top of the nose at the back of the throat where the nasal samples were taken). The interferon response was actually higher in the noses of participants in the second group than in the third group, Teichmann says.

These groups also did not have active infections within the immune cells T cells and macrophages, team members say. Marko Nikolic At University College London.

The results showed that high levels of gene activity HLA-DQA2 Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 helped prevent persistent infection.

Nikolic hopes that this discovery will improve understanding of the cellular responses involved in preventing COVID-19 and aid in the development of vaccines and treatments.

“With its carefully controlled design and real understanding of 'time zero' when infection occurs, this study will serve as a unique resource of previously uninfected SARS-CoV-2 participants to measure subsequent immune responses,” the study said. Jose Ordovas Montanez Harvard Stem Cell Institute

But most people have been exposed to “a true mosaic of SARS-CoV-2 variants,” not just the ancestral variant used in the study, so the results may not reflect cellular responses outside the testing environment, he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New experimental weight loss drug shows greater effectiveness than Ozempic

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Oral weight loss drug may help obese patients who hate needles

Kseniya Ovchinnikova/Getty Images

Based on early trial results reported on March 7, it appears the experimental pill may cause greater weight loss than existing injectable treatments such as Ozempic, Wigoby, and Munjaro.

The drug, called amicretin, reduced people’s weight by 13 percent in three months. This is more than double his amount observed at Ozempic and Wegoby specifically. “From the limited data we have, this approach seems a little more exciting,” he says. Daniel Drucker At the University of Toronto, Canada.

The results come from a three-month, placebo-controlled trial, so it’s too early to know how amicretin compares to other drugs in terms of long-term efficacy and safety. said Drucker, who was not involved in the trial but was consulted, as well as manufacturer Novo Nordisk and other drug companies.

The diabetes drug Ozempic and the weight loss drug Wegoby are two brand names for the compound semaglutide. They work by mimicking a gut hormone called GLP-1 that is normally released after meals. This makes a person feel full, reduces appetite, and stimulates the release of the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin.

Semaglutide leads to a loss of about 15 percent of body weight when taken for a year, but after that the weight plateaus and the injections need to be continued for a long time or it tends to gradually come back.

Another weight loss injectable called Mounjaro, also known as Tirzepatide or Zepbound, was launched last year. It mimics GLP-1 and an additional intestinal hormone called GIP. Using Mounjaro, you seem to lose about 21 percent of your weight over the first year and five months of her life before your weight loss plateaus.

However, amicletin mimics GLP-1 and another hormone called amylin, and appears to be even more potent, at least during the first three months of treatment. Reuters reports that people who took amicletin lost 13 percent of their weight during this period, Nordisk announced today. Those who took the placebo pill had a 1% decrease. This is higher than Wegovy and Ozempic’s 6 percent and Munjaro’s equivalent figure of around 7.5 percent.

But we can only know for sure how the drugs will fare over the long term if they are compared under exactly the same circumstances in a single study, Drucker said. “This is not a head-to-head trial.”

Another caveat is that while drugs that act by mimicking GLP-1 have been used to treat type 2 diabetes for more than a decade and their safety profile is well understood, amylin mimetics That’s not the case.

Novo Nordisk also said: Amicretin’s side effects were similar to those of Wegoby, and tended to include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, especially when the dose was increased rapidly.

The availability in pill form could be a big advantage for people who don’t like injections, he says. Daniel Chancellor Global Pharmaceutical Business Analyst cytherine. “Oral medications are very attractive.”

In addition to these three drugs, other weight loss drugs that mimic other gut hormones are also in development.

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  • Medical drugs /
  • weight loss

Source: www.newscientist.com

Immune cells exhibit greater independence than previously believed

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New research reveals that immune cells can independently navigate complex environments by actively shaping chemical cues, a discovery with significant implications for understanding immune responses and cancer metastasis. have.

Immune cells exhibit a higher level of self-directed mobility than previously appreciated. InFLAMES researcher Jonah Alanko has shown that these cells are more than just passive reactors to surrounding chemical signals. Instead, they actively modify these signals and skillfully navigate complex environments through self-organization.

Directional cell movement is an essential and fundamental phenomenon of life. This is an important prerequisite for personal development, vascular remodeling, immune response, etc.

The research conducted by postdoctoral researcher Jonah Alanko focused on the migration and navigation of immune cells within the body. Chemokines, a type of signaling protein, play an important role in directing immune cells to specific locations. Chemokines, for example, form in lymph nodes and create chemical cues called chemokine gradients that cells in the body follow. According to Alanko, these chemokine gradients are like scent trails left in the air, getting brighter as you move away from their source.

The traditional idea was that immune cells recognize targets according to pre-existing chemokine gradients. In other words, cells that follow these cues have been viewed as passive actors, when in fact they are not.

Dendritic cells move through a microscopic maze with the help of chemokine gradients they create. In the upper image, the nucleus of the cell is drawn in blue, and the lines in the lower image represent the movement of the cell.Credit: Jonna Alanko, University of Turku

“Contrary to previous notions, we were able to demonstrate for the first time that immune cells do not need pre-existing chemokine gradients to find their way. They can create their own gradients, making complex We can move collectively and efficiently even in difficult environments,” Alanko explains.

cells consume chemokines

Immune cells have receptors that can sense chemokine signals. One of these receptors is called CCR7 and is present on dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells are specialized antigen-presenting cells that have a critical role in activating the overall immune response. We need to find the infection, recognize it, and then move to the lymph nodes with that information. In lymph nodes, dendritic cells interact with other cells of the immune system to mount an immune response against pathogens.

Alanko’s research showed that dendritic cells not only register chemokine signals at the CCR7 receptor, but also actively shape their chemical environment by consuming chemokines. The cells thereby create local gradients that guide their own movement and that of other immune cells. The researchers also discovered that another type of immune cell, her T cells, can benefit from these self-generated gradients to enhance their own directional movement.

“When immune cells are able to create chemokine gradients, they can guide the directional movement of themselves and other immune cells to avoid future obstacles in complex environments,” explains Jonah Alanko. do.

This discovery deepens our understanding of how immune responses are regulated in the body. But it can also reveal how cancer cells direct their movement to cause metastasis.

“The CCR7 receptor has also been found in many types of cancer, and in these cases this receptor has been shown to promote cancer metastasis. Cancer cells use the same mechanisms as immune cells to It may even guide its movement. Our findings therefore have the potential to help design new strategies not only to target specific cancers but also to modify immune responses. ,” said Jonah Alanco.

Reference: “CCR7 acts as both a sensor and a sink for CCL19 to coordinate collective migration of leukocytes” Jonna Alanko, Mehmet Can Uçar, Nikola Canigova, Julian Stopp, Jan Schwarz, Jack Merrin, Edouard Hannezo, Michael Sixt, September 1, 2023; scientific immunology.
DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adc9584

Jonna Alanko is a postdoctoral researcher at the InFLAMES Flagship in the MediCity laboratory at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, Finland. She carried out most of her recently published research in a research group led by Professor Michael Sixt at the Austrian Institute for Science and Technology (ISTA) in Austria.

Source: scitechdaily.com

New Update Gives Google Maps Users Greater Control Over Their Information

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Google Maps today announced that it is introducing several new ways to give users more control over their personal information. The Navigation app now allows you to delete activity related to a specific location, and location controls are now easily accessible from the blue dot within the app.

The company says users will soon be able to see recent activity related to a specific location and easily delete searches, directions, visits and shares with just a few taps. Let’s say you’re going to the bakery and you use an app to navigate there. You’ll soon be able to view and delete all recent activity related to your bakery.

As for the blue dot that marks your location on Google Maps, you’ll soon be able to use it to access location controls. Click this to see whether your Location History and Timeline settings (Features of Maps that help you remember places you’ve been) are turned on, and whether you’ve given Maps access to your device’s location. It shows.

Google says the ability to remove location-related activity from Maps and new blue dot controls will begin rolling out to Android and iOS in the coming weeks.

Google Maps also announced that when you turn on Location History, your time will immediately be saved directly to your device.

Timeline on Device

Image credits: Google

“As before, you can always remove all or part of your information or disable your settings completely,” Mario McGrid, product director for Google Maps, said in a blog post. “If you are buying a new phone or are worried about losing your existing phone, you can always choose to back up your data to the cloud to avoid data loss. Backup data will be automatically It’s encrypted so no one, including Google, can read your data.”

Additionally, when you turn on Location History for the first time, automatic deletion controls are set to 3 months by default. This option was previously set to 18 months.

Google says these changes will be rolled out gradually over the next year on Android and iOS. Users will receive a notification when this update is applied to their account.

Source: techcrunch.com