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Home-Based Hypnotherapy Alleviates Menopausal Hot Flashes

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Hot flashes are a prevalent symptom experienced both before and after menopause.

Chay_Tee/Shutterstock

The occurrence and intensity of menopausal hot flashes can be significantly reduced using hypnotic audio recordings, which can be conveniently listened to at home.

Up to 80% of women experience hot flashes during menopause—a sudden sensation of overheating that can lead to excessive sweating, discomfort, anxiety, and interruptions in sleep, primarily caused by a sharp decline in estrogen during this phase. While dietary modifications, hormone replacement therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may provide relief, they are often inconvenient and may not be effective for everyone.

“Many people believe in the connection between the mind and body, suggesting that we can influence our physical state through mental processes,” states Gary Elkins from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. “This hypnotherapy demonstration highlights the remarkable strength of the mind-body connection.”

Clinic-based hypnosis has demonstrated its effectiveness in alleviating hot flash symptoms, surpassing the results of CBT. However, a more accessible option is needed, according to Elkins. His team has created a six-week at-home program that involves listening to 20-minute audio recordings daily, designed to promote hypnotic relaxation and evoke cool imagery.

To evaluate its effectiveness, they recruited 250 postmenopausal women (average age 56) who reported at least four hot flashes daily. Participants were assigned either to a hypnosis program or a sham program offering 20 minutes of white noise.

After six weeks, the hypnosis group reported an average reduction of 53 percent in their hot flash scores, measuring frequency and severity, compared to the start of the program. The sham group also noted improvements, with a 41% reduction, likely due to a placebo effect, according to Elkins.

Twelve weeks following the intervention, both groups continued to report enhancements from their initial scores, with the hypnosis group showing a 61% overall improvement. In contrast, the sham group enjoyed a 44% improvement after 12 weeks. Elkins suggested that participants might have continued listening to the recordings voluntarily or practiced self-hypnosis based on what they learned.

This indicates that home hypnotherapy may serve as a practical, cost-effective solution for managing perimenopausal hot flashes. While the precise mechanism remains unclear, research indicates it could enable the brain to adapt and rewire itself to better handle various life challenges, potentially elucidating its effectiveness in alleviating pain and anxiety.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Sagittarius A*: Detection of Hot Gas Emitted from a Black Hole Confirmed

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Molecular gas and X-ray emissions around Sagittarius A*, a black hole in the Milky Way.

Mark D. Golsky et al. (CC by 4.0)

Researchers have confirmed that hot winds are emanating from the supermassive black hole at the center of the Galaxy for the first time.

In contrast to many other supermassive black holes throughout the universe, Sagittarius A* (SGR A*) remains relatively subdued. Unlike its more active counterparts that emit vast jets, SGR A* does not produce such striking displays. While many supermassive black holes create winds, which are streams of hot gas that originate near the event horizon, these have never been definitively observed around SGR A*, despite theoretical predictions dating back to the 1970s.

Mark Golsky and Elena Marchikova from Northwestern University, Illinois, utilized the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile to conduct a more detailed study of the cold gas in the innermost region of the Circumnuclear Disk (CND). Their observations revealed an unexpectedly large volume of cold gas and a distinct cone that penetrates through the hot gas.

“To find such a significant amount of cold gas so close to the black hole was surprising,” says Golsky. “Conventional understanding suggested it was unlikely to be there, which is why we hadn’t previously searched for it. When I shared this image, my colleague remarked, ‘We need to investigate this further, as it’s been a puzzle for over 50 years.’”

Golsky and Marchikova’s five years of observations provided a detailed analysis of the innermost part of the CND, mapping cold gases within a vicinity of SGR A* 100 times previous measurements. By simulating and subtracting the bright variability of SGR A*, they could isolate the dim light from the cold gas.

This approach revealed a pronounced cone region nearly devoid of cold gas, and when they overlaid X-ray emissions (produced by the hot gas), a striking correlation emerged. The energy required to propel the hot gas through this cone approximates that of 25,000 suns—far too substantial to originate from nearby stars or supernovae, indicating it likely derives from SGR A* itself. “The energy necessary comes directly from the black hole, confirming the presence of winds originating from it,” Golsky states.

<p>Prior observations have identified expansive gas bubbles, known as Fermi bubbles, situated above and below the galaxy. However, the possibility of these jets reforming remains uncertain. Understanding this wind phenomenon sheds light on why SGR A* shows lower activity and enhances our comprehension of black hole evolution.</p>
<p>The implications of the reduced wind activity surrounding SGR A* are exciting. If verified, findings by <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=1VNwK9gAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Ziri Younsi</a> from University College London could offer crucial insights into the nature of the black hole, including its rotational direction. Astronomers have postulated that SGR A* spins perpendicular to the Milky Way plane, implying a need for edge-on observation. However, the inaugural image of a black hole captured by the Event Horizon Telescope in 2022 produced inconclusive data, suggesting a possible in-person orientation.</p>
<p>“The mass of Sagittarius A* is well-defined by current observations, but its tilt angle relative to us remains largely unknown,” explains Younsi. “If these findings are robust, understanding the origins of these matter flows will be genuinely fascinating, as it will provide insights into how material spirals toward the black hole, contributing to our knowledge of galactic evolution.”</p>

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Hot Glue Gun: A Surprising Solution for Repairing Broken Bones

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Broken bones often need a material to fill the void

Sopone Nawoot/Alamy

Researchers have discovered that with slight modifications, hot glue guns, typically used in crafting, can effectively and affordably mend damaged bones.

While bones can often heal themselves after minor injuries, serious trauma or tumor removal may leave cavities that require a synthetic plug to stimulate bone cell growth.

Although 3D printing can create tailored scaffolding to fill these gaps, the method necessitates scanning and remote fabrication, taking at least a week. While this pre-planned approach works for worn joints, it’s unfeasible for emergency surgeries.

To tackle this issue, John Seung Lee from Sungkyunkwan University in Korea and his team have created a solution that can be employed immediately during a single procedure.

They modified hot glue guns to lower their operating temperature from above 100°C to approximately 60°C and developed biological adhesive materials composed of hydroxyapatite (which makes up 50% of natural bone) and a biodegradable thermoplastic known as polycaprolactone.

During surgery, surgeons can utilize hot glue guns to rapidly fill bone voids, enabling bone cells to access these gaps and ultimately heal the injuries permanently over time.

“It’s essentially created from a standard hot glue gun,” Lee explains. “It significantly reduces time and costs.”

Lee and his colleagues assessed the glue gun’s effectiveness by repairing a 1 cm gap in a rabbit’s femur. Twelve weeks later, samples showed no complications or signs of separation between the adhesive and the bone, with bone mass being more than double that of control animals treated with traditional cement.

Furthermore, researchers found that two antibacterial agents can be integrated into the filaments to decrease infection risk, releasing the drugs gradually to the surgical site over several weeks.

Benjamin Olivere from the University of Nottingham in the UK is investigating 3D-printed scaffolds for bone repair but expresses skepticism, suggesting hot glue guns might become a more practical alternative compared to slower scanning and printing methods.

“Is it an intriguing idea? Absolutely. Is it feasible? Yes. Do I believe it’s plausible? Yes,” he states. “However, the practical application may be a different matter.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

How Hot Spring Rocks Could Lead to Discovering Life on Mars – Demon

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What if the secrets to discovering life on Mars lie hidden in our own environment? In the planet’s most extreme habitats, microbial life flourishes in unlikely places—from icy tundras to searing, acidic springs. These unique ecosystems not only support life but also preserve evidence of it. Among these, hot springs are particularly notable for generating distinctive silica-rich formations.Silica Center is capable of trapping remnants of ancient microbes.

Silica occurs when silica-laden water from hot springs rises, cools, and evaporates, leaving behind hardened silica that can encapsulate microorganisms, thus fossilizing them. NASA’s Spirit Rover discovered similar silica sinter in Gusev Crater on Mars, raising questions about whether these ancient Martian hot springs may also preserve signs of past life.

An international research team has revealed that fat-like molecules from cells, lipids, can endure alongside these silica sinters and might be detected using equipment akin to that on Martian rovers. These lipids can persist for millions of years and serve as chemical fossils, or biomarkers in the fossil record. They provide insights into the types of life that once existed in these environments, aiding scientists in reconstructing ancient ecosystems.

Researchers collected silica sintered samples from six hot springs in New Zealand’s Taupo volcanic region, where the waters range from 77°F to 203°F (25°C to 95°C) and vary in acidity. First, they extracted the lipids from the sintered material chemically. Next, they characterized these lipids using instruments that fragment the molecules into smaller components, identifying them by mass.Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was utilized.

The team employed GC-MS to identify a broad array of lipid molecules, including fatty acids, alcohols, sterols, and n-alkanes from the sinter. Most of these molecules likely originated from bacteria that either use sunlight or sulfate as an energy source, and such microorganisms are well-suited for extreme environments. Some lipids identified also stemmed from other sources, like algae and plants. The researchers interpreted this diversity of lipids as indicative of both ancient and contemporary microorganisms. They referred to the old fossilized communities preserved with newer ones in the silica, noting the mix of heat-altered and fresh compounds.

The shape and texture of sintered rocks were also found to influence the preservation of lipid biomarkers. A fine, pointed texture known as spicular sinter retained more lipids compared to knobbed or crusty types. These thorny textures form at the edges of hot spring pools where microorganisms interact with rapidly cooled silica-rich water, creating delicate silica structures that grow like small fingers. Researchers suggested that these fine textures offer protection to microorganisms against erosion and radiation. They believe these finger-like silica formations are particularly promising for detecting traces of past life on Mars, similar to those seen by the Spirit Rover.

To evaluate whether current Rover instruments could detect ancient lipids, researchers analyzed two silica sintered samples using techniques similar to those used by rovers.NASA’s Curiosity Rover employs a method called Pyrolysis-GC-MS, which does not require prior chemical extraction of lipids. The entire sample is heated until the molecules transform into gas, which is then analyzed.

In one sintered sample, the instrument successfully identified simple lipids commonly produced by organisms, such as n-alkanes, pristanes, and phytanes. In another sulfur-rich sample, it detected a sulfur-based compound known as thiophene, also found on Mars. However, the analysis did not reveal more complex biomarkers like hopane and sterols, likely because they were degraded by heat. Pyrolysis may result in quantities too small for GC-MS to detect.

Based on these findings, researchers concluded that current rover instruments can successfully detect simple and durable lipids but may overlook more delicate or complex ones. To enhance the likelihood of finding ancient biosignatures, the team recommended that future Mars missions adopt less destructive detection approaches. Despite these challenges, they suggested that silica-rich rocks, like those in the Gusev Crater, are prime targets for exploring evidence of ancient Martian life. By pinpointing the most suitable rock textures for lipid preservation that can be detected with existing rover technologies, scientists are one step closer to uncovering signs of life on Mars.


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Source: sciworthy.com

In 2024, a Record Surge in Hot and Humid Days Recorded

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Shanghai endured prolonged extreme heat and humidity in 2024

Reuters/Nicoco Chan

The planet faced an unprecedented number of perilous hot and humid days in 2024, as climate change heightened global humidity levels to new extremes.

The worldwide average of humid heat days exceeded the 1991-2020 baseline, reaching 35.6 days last year—a rise of over 9.5 days compared to the previous high recorded in 2023. Climate Report 2024 Status as published by the American Weather Society.

During hot and humid weather, cooling becomes challenging as moist air hinders the body’s ability to cool itself through sweating. This makes such conditions exceptionally hazardous for human health. Kate Willett, who contributed to the report at the UK Met Office, states, “Your body starts to really struggle to offload the heat, so it’s really dangerous.”

Meteorologists track “wet bulb temperature” to assess heat and humidity. This involves utilizing a wet cloth on a thermometer bulb to illustrate the cooling effect of evaporation. High humidity diminishes the evaporation’s cooling effect, causing wet bulb temperatures to approach those of dry air.

As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere can retain more moisture, leading to not only stronger rainfall and storms but also heightened humidity levels. Willett notes that 2024 is “exceptionally” humid and ranks just behind 2023 in moisture content.

Certain regions, including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and East China, have experienced extreme temperatures of 31°C (88°F) over short periods, with wet bulb temperatures surpassing 84°F multiple times, as indicated in the report. At such levels, prolonged exposure is deemed extremely hazardous and potentially fatal to human health.

Historically, scientists have considered a wet bulb temperature of 35°C as the survival threshold, beyond which individuals cannot endure outdoor conditions for more than a few hours without dire consequences. However, recent research published in 2022 suggests that the actual limit may be significantly lower, around 31°C. “Over 30°C is where your body really struggles,” Willett explains.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

In 2024, We Experienced a Record High of Dangerous Hot and Humid Days.

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Shanghai endured extreme heat and humidity for days in 2024

Reuters/Nicoco Chan

The Earth recorded an unprecedented number of hazardous hot and humid days in 2024, as climate change escalates global humidity to alarming levels.

The worldwide average of humid heat days on land surpassed the 1991-2020 average, reaching 35.6 days last year, an increase of over 9.5 days from the previous record in 2023. Climate Report 2024 Status published by the American Weather Society.

Under hot and humid conditions, it is challenging for individuals to cool down, as moist air diminishes the evaporative cooling impact of sweating. Such weather poses serious risks to human health. Kate Willett from the UK Met Office, who contributed to the report, states, “Your body starts to struggle to shed heat, making it very dangerous.”

Meteorologists measure heat and humidity using “wet bulb temperature.” This is typically done by wrapping a wet cloth around a thermometer bulb, demonstrating the cooling effect of evaporated water. The readings indicate temperatures lower than in a dry bulb, as high humidity limits the cooling effect of evaporation and brings the wet bulb temperature closer to that of dry air.

As the globe heats up, the atmosphere can retain more moisture, leading to increased heavy rainfall, storms, and higher humidity levels. Willett describes 2024 as “exceptionally” humid, second only to 2023 due to higher moisture levels.

Specific regions, including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and East China, have reached 31°C (88°F) within a short time span, with wet bulb temperatures exceeding 84°F multiple times, according to the report. At these levels, extended exposure outdoors is deemed extremely perilous and potentially lethal.

Traditionally, scientists consider a wet bulb temperature of 35°C the threshold for human survival, as people cannot withstand outdoor conditions for more than a few hours before succumbing. However, research published in 2022 suggests that the actual limit may be lower, around 31°C. “Over 30°C, your body really struggles,” Willett explains.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

What is a Heat Dome? Understanding Hot and Humid Weather Conditions

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Sweltering and humid conditions have impacted nearly the entire eastern U.S. this week, triggered by “heat domes” settling over various regions.

On Wednesday, a heat advisory impacted approximately 150 million individuals, with temperatures exceeding 95 degrees Fahrenheit spreading through the Ohio Valley and along the East Coast. The National Weather Service predicts that “extremely dangerous heat” will persist until Thursday.

But what exactly is a heat dome, and how does it contribute to extreme heat?

Heat domes form when a strong high-pressure system remains stationary over an area, trapping warm air underneath like a lid on a pot.

These thermal domes are typically influenced by the jet stream’s behavior. The jet stream is a fast-moving ribbon of air that flows from west to east in the Northern Hemisphere, impacting weather patterns.

The jet stream is powered by the temperature disparity between the chilly polar regions and warm southern air masses. As it travels around the globe, it can create ripples that form troughs and ridges, leading to unusual weather phenomena.

For instance, certain ripples can intensify cold snaps, while others can move and amplify heat, resulting in higher humidity levels.

Heat domes can persist for days or even weeks, contributing to prolonged heat waves that can be deadly. Heat-related illnesses and fatalities can impact individuals of all ages, but children, those with pre-existing health conditions, and older adults are especially vulnerable to sudden temperature spikes.

Research indicates that climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves globally. The hottest years on record since 1850 have all occurred within the last decade, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Some respite is anticipated later this week across the Midwest and East Coast, although temperatures are expected to remain high in the days ahead.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Why being in hot water in Idaho is actually a good thing

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50 states, 50 revisions

Almost 500 buildings in the province’s capital get heat from clean, renewable sources deep in the ground.

It’s very easy to get into Boise’s hot water. After all, it’s Idaho, a state filled with hundreds of hot springs.

The city has used warm water in its natural environment to create a geothermal system that operates the largest local government in the country.

Nearly 500 Boise Business, Government Buildings, Houses, and Hospital and University Buildings; City Hall and YMCA. – Warmed by heat drawn directly from a hot water reservoir or aquifer below the ground. Idaho State University in Boise is the only US that uses geothermal heat. In winter, heat warms some sidewalks and raises the temperature of the hot tub to melt the snow.

50 states, 50 revisions This is a series about local solutions to environmental issues. I’ll come more this year.

Renewable, reliable and relatively free of pollution, but geothermal heating is possible due to fault lines that expose groundwater to hot rocks and heat the water to about 170 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 77 degrees Celsius. The water is drawn from a well in a nearby hilly area into a closed loop network of pipes reaching the building, then returned to the aquifer to reheat.

In each building, geothermal heat is transferred to the water through adjacent pipes, dispersing the heat throughout the building.

“We pumped water, borrowed heat for the building, then reverted it back to the aquifer,” said Tina Riley, Geothermal Development Coordinator at Boise.

The number of buildings that heat up the city of Boise in this way has increased more than six times over the past 40 years, and has grown along the way. One of the consequences of the expansion is cleaner air. In 2024, city officials calculated that their carbon footprint is 6,500 tons a year, equivalent to removing 1,500 vehicles from the road each year.

“There’s a lot of demand for clean, affordable local energy,” Riley said. “This also has the energy independence.”

Boiseans began using this natural resource to heat the buildings in the 1890s. It gave birth to hundreds of thousands of gallons of piping hot water a day after drilling the well into the aquifer. The water-heated pools and baths of local swimming pools, the Victorian mansion belonging to the head of the Water Company, and hundreds of homes in the area that baptized the Boise Warm Springs Water district.

Things may have ended because it wasn’t due to the oil crisis of the 1970s.

“At that point, the Boise Warm Springs area had been thriving for almost 100 years,” Riley said. “That’s what we saw. Then we say, ‘Let’s do the same thing.’ ”

Today, Boise has four individually operated geothermal hydrothermal systems. One is run by the city, the other is run by the Boise Warm Springs area, and two more serve the Capitol and the U.S. Veterans Affairs buildings.

The city’s system operates as a utility funded by the sale of water rather than taxpayers. Riley said the heat price is roughly comparable to that of natural gas, depending on the efficiency of the building, but it is less expensive when used in parallel with a heat pump.

In the Boise Warm Springs Water area, engineer Scott Lewis said it is particularly cost-effective for warming an old Victorian home where geothermal heat had not been weathered.

He said that because it uses minimal electricity, it means all the stress on the power grid is less. The district costs $1,800 a month to power water pumps that provide heat to more than one million square feet of space. The expansion of the geothermal network is limited by what aquifers can offer, but Lewis said the district is trying to add 30 more homes to the network to meet demand.

“It’s actually very desirable, especially around the area,” he said. “We see that a lot of people are really environmentally conscious around here.”

The heating system attracted visitors from Iceland, Croatia and Australia, making Boise the destination.

“We were from all over the world,” Lewis said. “We love to let everyone know about our little geothermal system here.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Research on the various cloud layers, temperature hot spots, and shifting chemistry found in the extraterrestrial realm

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New observations from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope support the presence of three specific functions in the atmosphere (clouds, hot spots, and changes in carbon chemistry) of the rapidly rotating and free floating planetary mass object SIMP J013656.5+093347.

Impressions of the artist of SIMP 0136. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/J. Olmsted, Stsci.

SIMP J013656.5+093347 (SIMP 0136 for short) is a rapidly rotating, free-floating object located just 20 light years from Earth.

It may have a mass of 13 Jupiter masses, does not orbit the star, and instead may be a brown dwarf.

Because it is separated, SIMP 0136 can be directly observed and is not afraid of mild contamination or variability caused by the host star.

The short rotation period, only 2.4 hours, allows for very efficient investigation.

“We've been working hard to get into the world,” said Allison McCarthy, a doctoral student at Boston University.

“We also thought that it might have an effect on temperature fluctuations, chemical reactions, and perhaps the activity of the aurora affecting brightness, but we weren't sure.”

Webb's NirSpec Instruments We captured thousands to 5.3 micron spectra of SIMP 0136. The object completed one full rotation, so I captured it one at a time, one at a time, one at a time, one at a time, over 3 hours.

This led to immediate observation Webb's Milli Musical Instrumentshundreds of measurements of light between 5 and 14 microns were collected. One is one every 19.2 seconds, one in another rotation.

The results were hundreds of detailed rays, each showing a very accurate wavelength (color) brightness change, with different sides of the object rotating into view.

“It was incredible to see the entire range of this object change over a few minutes,” said Dr. Joanna Foss, an astronomer at Trinity College Dublin.

“Until now, we only had a small near-infrared spectrum from Hubble, but we had some brightness measurements from Spitzer.”

Astronomers almost immediately noticed that there were several distinct ray shapes.

At any time, some wavelengths were growing brightly, while others were either dimmed or not changing at all.

Many different factors must affect brightness variation.

“Imagine looking at the Earth from afar,” said Dr. Philip Muirhead, a former member of Boston University.

“Looking each color individually gives you a variety of patterns that tell you something about the surface and the atmosphere, even if you don't understand the individual features.”

“As the ocean rotates towards vision, blue increases. The brown and green changes tell us something about the soil and vegetation.”

To understand what could cause variability in SIMP 0136, the team used an atmospheric model to show where each wavelength of light is occurring in the atmosphere.

“The different wavelengths provide information about the different depths in the atmosphere,” McCarthy said.

“We began to realize that the wavelengths that had the most similar ray shapes also investigated the same depth and reinforced this idea that they must be caused by the same mechanism.”

For example, one group of wavelengths occurs deeply in the atmosphere where there may be patchy clouds made of iron particles.

The second group comes from high clouds, which are thought to be made from small grains of silicate minerals.

Both of these light curve variations are related to the patchiness of the cloud layers.

The third group of wavelengths appears to be occurring at very high altitudes far above the clouds and tracking temperatures.

Bright hotspots may be associated with previously detected auroras at radio wavelengths, or hot gas upwelling from deeper in the atmosphere.

Some light curves cannot be explained by clouds or temperature, but instead show variations related to atmospheric carbon chemistry.

There may be chemical reactions in which carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide pockets rotate within and outside of view, or alter the atmosphere.

“We still don't understand the chemical part of the puzzle yet,” Dr. Vos said.

“But these results are really exciting because they show that the richness of molecules like methane and carbon dioxide can change over time from location.”

“If you're looking at a deplanet and only have one measurement, you should assume that it may not be representative of the entire planet.”

Survey results It will be displayed in Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Allison M. McCarthy et al. 2025. JWST weather report from isolated exoplanet analog SIMP 0136+0933: pressure-dependent variability driven by multiple mechanisms. apjl 981, L22; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/AD9EAF

Source: www.sci.news

New study suggests hot baths may be more effective than cold water baths

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Influencers are big fans of post-workout ice baths.

But a recent small study suggests that recreational athletes may perform better when using hot tubs instead of cold ones, especially during breaks in training like halftime in football or soccer games. The study was presented at the Integrative Exercise Physiology Conference at the University Park, Pennsylvania.

According to Mamoru Tsuyuki, the lead author of the study and a master’s student in sports and health science at Ritsumeikan University, hot water promotes blood flow, helps muscles repair, and increases power output. He recommends soaking in hot water for 15-20 minutes to improve performance in the second half of a workout. Despite the benefits of hot water, Tsuyuki acknowledges that cold water can still be beneficial for relieving muscle pain and treating injuries.

Further research is needed to compare the advantages and disadvantages of both hot and cold water treatments. Different types of exercises may yield different results with each temperature soak.

Why Hot Soaks are Beneficial

To explore the effects of hot and cold water in more detail, Tsuyuki and his team conducted a three-part study involving 10 young men. After high-intensity interval running, the men soaked in either a 104-degree or 59-degree bathtub for 20 minutes or sat in water without soaking.

The study results showed that jumping heights were higher after hot water immersion compared to cold water immersion. Muscle soreness was not significantly different between the two groups.

Although cold baths can be soothing for injuries involving heat and inflammation, they may have a negative impact on post-workout recovery for intense workouts, according to Amy Leighton, an associate professor of applied physiology at Columbia University. Hot water facilitates circulation and speeds up the recovery process after strenuous exercise.

Dr. Spencer Stein, an orthopedic and sports medicine specialist at New York University, acknowledges the benefits of cold water baths in reducing pain but notes that warm baths are preferred by professional teams before a game. David Putrino, a rehabilitation innovation director, advises athletes to experiment with different temperatures and observe how their bodies react to determine the most effective recovery strategy.

Putrino recommends soaking in hot water for 10-20 minutes at 98-104 degrees Fahrenheit and in ice water for 10-15 minutes at 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit. Start with a 5-minute soak if you are new to cold water treatment. Ultimately, the best temperature soak is the one that helps you recover the fastest, so individual experimentation is key.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Astronomers find a rare hot Neptune that defies convention

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The number of planets in our solar system used to be limited to only eight, excluding Pluto. These include Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, often remembered by the phrase “My cultured mother served us nachos.” However, with the discovery of exoplanets since 1992, the list has expanded dramatically. These exoplanets, such as PSR B1257+12 b and 51 Pegasus b, have added to the existing planets, making it challenging for students to remember them all.

Scientists have observed a pattern among exoplanets concerning their masses, distances from their stars, compositions, and other factors. Interestingly, there are very few planets with masses similar to Earth and Jupiter orbiting very close to their stars, with less than 5% of Earth’s distance from the Sun.

Research indicates that the scarcity of what they call “Hot Neptunes” might be due to the evolution of large planets. As gas giants grow, they either become comparable in size to Jupiter or lose their outer gas layers, leaving behind a rocky core like Earth’s size. Furthermore, astronomers have recently discovered new exoplanets, TOI-2374 b and TOI-3071 b, in what they refer to as Neptune’s desert.

These exoplanets stand out due to their proximity to their stars, with TOI-2374 b having a mass 56 times that of Earth and TOI-3071 b being 68 times the Earth’s mass. Despite their extreme surface temperatures, the exoplanets have not evaporated, possibly due to their high metal contents.

The observations of these exoplanets provide valuable insights for future research and exploration, potentially shedding light on unexplored phenomena in Neptune’s desert.


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Source: sciworthy.com

Hot Gulf of Mexico experiences unusually calm hurricane season

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summary

  • Despite warm ocean temperatures, hurricane season is on a lull.
  • This season is expected to be much more active than usual and is off to a record-breaking start.
  • Still, the unofficial peak of hurricane season is on September 10, so scientists wouldn’t be surprised if cyclonic activity picks up again soon.

The Gulf of Mexico is scorching hot, but hurricane season is on a lull (at least temporarily) — a surprise to researchers who say there’s a lot brewing in the Atlantic, but no storms are showing up on radar.

The National Hurricane Center said on Friday No tropical cyclone activity expected for at least a week.

“Nothing is happening, which is extremely quiet and odd given the warm temperatures in the Atlantic and the La Niña climate pattern,” said Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University who specializes in seasonal hurricane forecasting in the Atlantic basin. “It’s a head-scratching situation right now.”

The La Niña weather phenomenon that scientists are predicting will develop this fall is closely linked to hurricanes, as is warming water in the Atlantic Ocean, with ocean heat content in the Gulf of Mexico at its highest since 2013, according to data from the University of Miami.

Sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic are trending about 1.8 degrees above normal. According to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalysis InstrumentThis trend is especially evident in the Gulf of Mexico.

Warmer oceans increase hurricane energy through heat, increasing the risk of storms intensifying rapidly.

“We have plenty of fuel. It’s not going to hinder our season,” Klotzbach said.

Hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30. Hurricane scientists had predicted this year’s hurricane season would be record-breaking, but it got off to a record-breaking start in June with Hurricane Beryl being the first Category 4 storm to form in the Atlantic. Then, the slow-moving Hurricane Debbie dumped incredible rain on several southeastern states in early August. But since then, it’s been relatively quiet.

Steve Bowen, chief scientific officer at global reinsurance broker Gallagher Re, said weather trends off the coast of West Africa, including a strengthening monsoon, may have prevented tropical storms from developing in the Atlantic basin.

But that may not last long: The unofficial peak of hurricane season is September 10.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we get what’s called a backloading season with pretty good activity through September, October, and possibly November,” Bowen said.

Although things have calmed down recently, scientists believe this season has been quite active so far.

“We’ve already had two landfalls in the United States,” Bowen said. “Typically, the first major hurricane doesn’t form until August 31st. … Just looking at the statistics, we’re well ahead of normal.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Scientists find a young exoplanet with a hot Jupiter in a highly eccentric retrograde orbit

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Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet that’s five times the mass of Jupiter and follows a very unusual orbit around its star.

Artist’s impression of TIC 241249530b. Image courtesy of NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / J. da Silva, Spaceengine.

TIC 241249530b was first detected in January 2020 by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

To confirm that the object is a planet, astronomers used two instruments on NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory’s WIYN 3.5-meter telescope, a program of NOIRLab.

They first harnessed the NN-EXPLORE Exoplanet and Stellar Speckle Imager (NESSI) with a technique that “freezes” atmospheric glitter, eliminating extraneous light sources that could confuse the signal source.

The team then used the NEID spectrometer to carefully observe how the host star’s spectrum, or the wavelengths of light it emits, changes as a result of the exoplanet orbiting TIC 241249530b, and measure the radial velocity of TIC 241249530b.

“NESSI provided much sharper images of the star than was possible with any other method, while NEID precisely measured the star’s spectrum and detected changes in response to the exoplanet orbiting it,” said Dr. Arvind Gupta, a postdoctoral researcher at NOIRLab.

“The unique flexibility of NEID’s observing schedule framework allows the team to quickly adjust their observing plans in response to new data.”

Analysis of the spectrum confirmed that TIC 241249530b has a mass about five times that of Jupiter.

The spectrum also revealed that the exoplanet orbits along a highly eccentric, or elongated, orbit.

The eccentricity of a planet’s orbit is measured on a scale from 0 to 1, with 0 representing a perfectly circular orbit and 1 representing an elliptical orbit.

The exoplanet’s orbital eccentricity is 0.94, higher than any exoplanet discovered so far by the transit method.

By comparison, Pluto orbits the Sun in an elliptical orbit with an eccentricity of 0.25. Earth’s eccentricity is 0.02.

If the planet were part of the solar system, its orbit would stretch from its closest point, ten times closer to the Sun than Mercury, to its farthest point, about the same distance as Earth.

This extreme orbit would cause the planet’s temperatures to vary from mild to hot enough to melt titanium.

In addition to the unusual nature of the exoplanet’s orbit, the team also discovered that it orbits in a retrograde direction, meaning it moves in the opposite direction to the rotation of its host star.

This is a phenomenon astronomers have not seen in most other exoplanets or in our own solar system, and it helps the research team interpret the history of exoplanet formation.

The exoplanet’s unique orbital properties also hint at its future trajectory.

Because its initial orbit is highly eccentric and it is so close to the star, the planet’s orbit is expected to become “circular” because the planet’s tidal forces will sap energy from the orbit, causing it to gradually shrink and become circular.

Discovering this exoplanet before this migration occurs is valuable because it will give us important insight into how hot Jupiters form, stabilize, and evolve over time.

“While we can’t hit the rewind button and watch the planetary migration process in real time, this exoplanet serves as a kind of snapshot of the migration process,” Dr Gupta said.

“Planets like this are extremely rare and hard to find, so we hope they will help shed light on how hot Jupiters form.”

“We’re particularly interested in what we can learn about the dynamics of the planet’s atmosphere after it gets so close to its star,” said Professor Jason Wright of Pennsylvania State University.

“With telescopes like the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope having the sensitivity to study atmospheric changes on newly discovered exoplanets undergoing rapid heating, there is still much more for research teams to learn about exoplanets.”

TIC 241249530b is the second exoplanet discovered so far that represents the pre-transitional stage of a hot Jupiter.

Together, these two examples provide observational support for the idea that high-mass gas giants evolve into hot Jupiters as they move from highly eccentric orbits to tighter, more circular orbits.

“Astronomers have been searching for exoplanets for over 20 years that could be precursors to hot Jupiters or intermediate products in the migration process, so I was very surprised and excited to find one – it’s exactly what I was hoping to find,” Dr Gupta said.

Team paper Published in today’s journal Nature.

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Arvind Gupta others2024. Hot Jupiter ancestor on a highly eccentric retrograde orbit. Naturein press; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07688-3

This article is a version of a press release provided by NOIRLab.

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s revelation of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter

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Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have detected trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of the Jupiter-sized exoplanet HD 189733b.

Artist's impression of hot Jupiter exoplanet HD 189733b. Image courtesy of Roberto Molar Candanosa / Johns Hopkins University.

HD 189733b is a hot gas giant with a hazy atmosphere composed mostly of hydrogen that lies about 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula.

The planet is discovered It was discovered in 2005 by astronomers using two telescopes at the Observatory of Haute-Provence.

HD 189733b is just 1.2 times the size of Jupiter, but it orbits its parent star, HD 189733, very closely, completing one revolution around the star every 2.2 days.

“Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn't know existed. We predicted it would be there, and we know it's on Jupiter, but we'd never actually detected it outside the solar system,” said Dr Guangwei Hu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University.

“Although we're not looking for life on this planet because it's too hot, the discovery of hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone to finding this molecule on other planets and improving our understanding of how different types of planets form.”

“In addition to detecting hydrogen sulfide and measuring the total amount of sulfur in HD 189733b's atmosphere, we also precisely measured the main sources of oxygen and carbon on the planet: water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.”

“Sulfur is an essential element for building more complex molecules, and like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphate, scientists need to study it further to fully understand how planets are built and what they're made of.”

The Webb probe will give scientists new tools to track hydrogen sulfide and measure sulfur on gas giants outside our solar system, just as they have detected water, carbon dioxide, methane and other important molecules on other exoplanets.

“Let's say we study another 100 hot Jupiters and they're all enriched with sulphur. What does that say about how they came into being and how they formed differently compared to our Jupiter?” Dr Fu said.

The new data, delivered by the Webb Telescope at unprecedented precision and in infrared wavelengths, also rule out the presence of methane in HD 189733b's atmosphere, refuting previous claims that the molecule is abundant in the atmosphere.

“We thought the planet would be too hot for high concentrations of methane to exist, but it turns out that's not the case,” Dr Fu said.

Astronomers also measured Jupiter-like levels of heavy metals, a discovery that could help scientists answer questions about the correlation between a planet's metallicity and its mass.

“Low-mass ice giants like Neptune and Uranus contain more metals than gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, the largest planets in the solar system,” Dr Fu said.

“High metallicity suggests that Neptune and Uranus accumulated more ice, rock and other heavy elements compared to gases such as hydrogen and helium early in their formation. Scientists are testing whether this correlation also holds true for exoplanets.”

“This Jupiter-mass planet is very close to Earth and has been very well studied. Now, our new measurements show that this planet's metal concentrations provide a very important anchor point for studies of how a planet's composition varies with its mass and radius.”

“This discovery supports our understanding of how planets form after the initial core is formed, creating more solid material that is then naturally enriched with heavy metals.”

Team result Published in the journal Nature.

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G. Hu othersA hydrogen sulfide and metal-rich atmosphere on a Jupiter-mass exoplanet. NaturePublished online July 8, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07760-y

Source: www.sci.news

10 Simple Steps to Ensure Your Dog’s Safety and Happiness in Hot Weather

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As temperatures rise in many parts of the world this summer, staying cool can be a challenge. Imagine wearing a furry coat all day in such heat – not fun, right?

Our furry friends face this reality, which is why they need extra attention when the weather gets hot.

“Dogs rely on panting to cool down, which is less efficient than sweating,” explains Dogs Trust to BBC Science Focus.

“They lack self-control, so they don’t realize when they need to slow down due to heat.”

Fortunately, there are simple things you can do to keep your dog calm and happy when temperatures soar.

1. Walk your dog in the mornings and evenings

Like humans, dogs can overheat if exercised in direct sunlight. Research shows that a significant number of heatstroke cases in dogs are caused by exercise, with walking being a common trigger.

One recommendation from The Kennel Club is to walk your dog early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the hottest times of the day.

2. Stay hydrated

Just like people, dogs need to stay hydrated in hot weather. Carry water and a bowl for your dog when going out to prevent dehydration.

3. Harness your dog

Harnesses are recommended over collars, especially in hot weather, as collars can restrict airflow and hinder a dog’s ability to cool down through panting.

4. Watch out for symptoms of heatstroke and stroke

Heatstroke can affect any dog, with certain breeds and conditions increasing the risk. Look for signs like excessive panting, breathing difficulties, fatigue, and more.

5. Remember that the sidewalk can be hot for your feet.

Test pavement temperature with your hand before letting your dog walk on it. Hot pavements can burn your dog’s paws, so stick to grass or cooler surfaces.

6. Try paddling

Give your dog access to water for a cool dip. A paddling pool or water play can help them cool off and have fun.

7. Be careful when traveling by car

Avoid leaving your dog in a hot car and take precautions for car journeys to ensure your dog’s comfort and safety.

8. Offer frozen treats

Provide your dog with frozen treats to help them cool down. Avoid harmful foods and opt for ice in their water or frozen toys.

9. Have the person lie down on a damp towel

Use a damp towel to help your dog relax and cool down after a hot day.

10. Get a haircut

Trimming your dog’s hair can help keep them cool, especially in hot weather. Proper grooming can assist in heat dissipation and prevent overheating.

For more tips and information on caring for your dog in hot weather, visit the Dogs Trust website.

About our experts

Victoria Phillips Veterinary Manager at Dogs Trust, with 18 years of experience in the veterinary field.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Juno Makes Groundbreaking Discovery of ‘Hot Ring’ on Io, Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon

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These bright (hot) “heat rings” are a common phenomenon and indicate active lava lakes. Jupiter Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

Visible, infrared and temperature maps of Loki Patera and Dazhbog Patera. Image courtesy of Mura others., doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01486-5.

Io is the innermost of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons and the fourth largest moon in the solar system.

Apart from Earth, it is the only known place in the solar system with volcanoes that spew hot lava like Earth’s.

Io has over 400 active volcanoes, which are caused by tidal heating due to gravity from Jupiter and the other Jovian moons.

There are many theories about the types of volcanic eruptions on the Moon, but little data to support them.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft will pass by Io in May and October 2023, coming within about 35,000 km (21,700 miles) and 13,000 km (8,100 miles), respectively.

Among Juno’s observational instruments giving a closer look at the fascinating moon was JIRAM.

JIRAM is designed to capture infrared light emitted from deep within Jupiter, studying the weather layer 50 to 70 km (30 to 45 miles) below Jupiter’s cloud tops.

However, during Juno’s long mission, the mission team also used the instrument to study moons such as Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

JIRAM images of Io showed the presence of bright rings surrounding the base of many hotspots.

“The high spatial resolution of JIRAM’s infrared images, combined with Juno’s favorable position during the flyby, revealed that Io’s entire surface is covered by lava lakes in caldera-like formations,” said Dr Alessandro Mura, a researcher at the National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome and Juno co-investigator.

“In the area of ​​Io’s surface where we have the most complete data, we estimate that about 3% of it is covered by one of these lava lakes. Calderas are large depressions that form when volcanoes erupt and collapse.”

This image taken by NASA’s Galileo spacecraft shows volcanic eruptions on Io. Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.

JIRAM’s flyby data will not only reveal Io’s rich lava reserves, but also provide a glimpse into what’s going on beneath the surface.

Infrared images of some of Io’s lava lakes show a thin circular layer of lava at the boundary between the central crust that covers most of the lake and the lake walls.

The lack of lava flows above or beyond the lake’s edge suggests melt circulation, demonstrating a balance between the melt erupted into the lava lake and that circulated back into the subsurface system.

“We now know what the most frequent volcanic activity on Io is: huge lava lakes with magma rising and falling,” Dr Mura said.

“The lava crust collapses against the lake wall, forming the typical lava rings seen in Hawaiian lava lakes.”

“The walls are thought to be hundreds of metres high, which explains why magma is not typically observed spilling out of pateras – bowl-shaped formations formed by volcanic activity – and moving across the lunar surface.”

JIRAM data suggests that the surfaces of these Io hotspots consist largely of a rocky crust that periodically moves up and down as one continuous surface due to central upwelling of magma.

In this hypothesis, friction between the crust and the lake wall would prevent it from sliding, causing it to deform and eventually break away, exposing the lava just below the surface.

Another hypothesis, which remains valid, is that magma wells up in the middle of the lake, spreading out and forming a crust that sinks along the lake’s edge, exposing the lava.

“We’re just beginning to look at the results from JIRAM’s approach to Io in December 2023 and February 2024,” said Juno principal investigator Dr. Scott Bolton from the Southwest Research Institute.

“These observations reveal fascinating new information about Io’s volcanic activity.”

“When we combine these new results with Juno’s long-term campaign to monitor and map Io’s never-before-seen north and south pole volcanoes, JIRAM is poised to become one of the most valuable tools for learning about the workings of this tormented world.”

of Investigation result Published in a journal Nature Communications.

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A. Mura others2024. Io’s hot ring as seen by Juno/JIRAM. Community Global Environment 5, 340; doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01486-5

Source: www.sci.news

Hot water leaking beneath Antarctic ice sheet may quicken melting

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Aerial photo of the Antarctic ice sheet

David Vaughn/BAS

Antarctica’s melting ice sheet could retreat faster as warmer ocean water invades underneath it, and rising ocean temperatures could trigger a “runaway” feedback effect that pushes warm water further inland, melting even more ice and accelerating sea-level rise.

As the climate warms, the future of Antarctica’s vast ice sheet remains uncertain, and predictions vary widely about how quickly it will melt and therefore how much it will contribute to sea-level rise. One dynamic that researchers have only recently begun to recognize as a key factor is the intrusion of warmer ocean water beneath the ice.

“The mechanisms of invasion are much more powerful than we previously understood.” Alexander Bradley At the British Antarctic Survey.

Such intrusions are driven by density differences between the freshwater flowing out from beneath the ice sheet and the warmer waters where the ice meets the sea floor, known as the grounding line. They are difficult to observe directly because they occur hundreds of meters beneath the ice, but simulations suggest that in some places the warm waters could extend several kilometers inland.

One model by Alexander Lovell Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta found that widespread ice-sheet intrusion could add heat from below, lubricating ice flow along bedrock and more than doubling ice loss from the ice sheet.

Bradley and his colleagues Ian Hewitt Using their model, Oxford researchers explained how the shape of cavities in the ice changes as the ice melts, altering how ocean water flows in.

The researchers found that once ocean water reaches a certain temperature threshold, ice from the ice sheet melts faster than it can be replaced by outflowing ice. If this cavity grows larger, more water could flow under the ice sheet and penetrate further inland, creating a so-called “runaway” positive feedback effect.

“Small changes in ocean temperature lead to dramatic changes in how far warm water can intrude,” Bradley said. The ocean warming needed to cause this effect is within the range expected this century, he said, but models cannot yet predict it for specific ice sheets, and not all ice sheets are equally susceptible to such intrusions.

“This positive feedback could lead to much more intrusion than we thought,” Lovell says. “Whether that’s a tipping point that leads to unrestrained intrusion of ocean water beneath the ice sheet is probably a stretch.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Origins of Life: Key Chemical Reactions May Have Begun in Hot, Cracked Rocks

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Some amino acids can become concentrated when traveling through cracks in hot rocks.

Sebastian Kauritzky / Alamy

Chemical reactions key to the origin of life on Earth may have occurred as molecules moved along a temperature gradient within a network of cracks in thin rocks deep underground.

Such networks are thought to have been common on early Earth and may have provided a kind of natural laboratory in which many of the building blocks of life were concentrated and separated from other organic molecules.

“It’s very difficult to get a more general environment where you can do these cleansing and intermediate steps,” he says. Christophe Mast at Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, Germany.

He and his colleagues created a heat flow chamber the size of a playing card to model how mixtures of organic molecules behave in cracks in such rocks.

The researchers heated one side of the 170-micrometer-thick chamber to 25°C (77°F) and the other side to 40°C (104°F), allowing molecules to move in a process called thermophoresis. This created a temperature gradient that How sensitive a molecule is to this process depends on its size and charge and how it interacts with the fluid in which it is dissolved.

During an 18-hour experiment in a heat flow chamber, we found that different molecules were concentrated in different parts of the chamber depending on their sensitivity to thermophoresis. Among these molecules are many amino acids and A, T, G, and C nucleobases, which are important building blocks of DNA. This effect was further magnified by creating a network of three interconnected chambers, with one side of the chamber network at 25°C and the other side at 40°C. Additional chambers further concentrated the compounds concentrated in the first chamber.

Mathematical simulations with 20 interconnected chambers (which may closely resemble the complexity of natural crack systems) find that the enrichment of different molecules can be further amplified Did. In one chamber, the amino acid glycine reached a concentration approximately 3000 times higher than that of another amino acid, isoleucine, even though they entered the network at the same concentration.

The researchers also demonstrated that this enrichment process can cause reactions that would otherwise be extremely difficult. They showed that glycine molecules can bind to each other when the concentration of a molecule that catalyzes the reaction called trimetaphosphoric acid (TMP) increases. Mast said TMP is an interesting molecule to concentrate because it was rare on early Earth. “Since [the chambers] Since they are all randomly connected, all kinds of reaction conditions can be implemented. ”

“It’s very interesting that within the crack there are regions with different proportions of compounds,” he says. evan sprite from Radboud University in the Netherlands was not involved in the study. “This enhancement allows us to create even more versatility from very simple building blocks.”

But enrichment in rock fractures is still far from a viable scenario for the origin of life, he says. “Ultimately, they still need to come together to form something resembling a cell or protocell.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Prosthetic leg sensitivity triggers feeling of hot and cold in amputated hand

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Fabrizio Fidati tests temperature-sensitive prosthetic arm

EPFL Cahiers

A man who had his right arm amputated below the elbow can now feel heat and cold in his missing hand through an improved prosthetic hand equipped with a heat sensor.

After amputation, some people may still have a sense of touch or pain in the missing arm or leg, known as a phantom limb. In some cases, these sensations may be caused by nerve endings in the remaining upper limbs.

This prosthetic hand works by applying heat or cold to specific areas of the skin on the upper arm, inducing a thermal sensation in the phantom hand.

“Previous studies have shown that these spots are present in the majority of amputee patients we treat,” he says. Solaiman Shokur at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne.

First, Shokur and his colleagues mapped spots on study participant Fabrizio Fidati's upper arm that triggered sensations in different parts of the phantom hand. They then outfitted his existing prosthetic arm and socket with a sensor and device called a thermodes that can make it hot or cold.

Tests showed that Fidati was able to identify hot, cold, or ambient temperature bottles with 100% accuracy by touching the bottle with the modified prosthesis. When the thermal sensors in his prosthetic limbs went off, his accuracy dropped to a third of his.

The prosthetic hand also allowed Fidati to distinguish between glass, copper, and plastic by touch, while blindfolded, with just over two-thirds of the accuracy of his uninjured left hand.

In another recently published study, Shokur and his colleagues showed that amputees use temperature-sensitive prostheses. Can detect whether an object is wet or dry.

“We were able to give amputees the sensation of moisture, and they were able to detect different levels of moisture, just like a healthy hand,” Shokul says.

Omid Kabehei Researchers at Australia's University of Sydney say their work could one day have applications beyond prosthetic limbs, such as giving robots a wider range of bodily sensations.

“This is very important work,” he says. But he cautions that this is not a clinical trial and questions how well the technology will work in the real world, where warm and cold climates are extremely different.

“We would like to see how this device performs in a hot and humid place like Singapore,” says Kavehei.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

NOAA Reports a Record-Breaking, Unbearably Hot Year

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It is now confirmed that the previous year has been noted as the warmest year in the history of the Earth.

The average land and ocean surface temperature in 2023 will be 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, surpassing the next closest temperature in 2016, as stated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a Friday press conference with NASA.

The troubling records set in 2023 don’t stop there. The amount of heat stored in the upper ocean is at an all-time high, and Antarctica’s sea ice is at the lowest level on record. World temperature records date back to 1850.

This announcement did not come as a surprise to those closely following the climatological record but it does highlight the rapid changes occurring in the world as climate change and excessive greenhouse gas emissions continue to transform our planet.

According to NOAA, the past decade has been the warmest decade in modern history. Scientists predict that the Earth will continue to warm until world leaders effectively limit the use of fossil fuels.

The magnitude of the temperature change in 2023 surprised scientists, especially in comparison to the expectations for the year.

“We are observing this and, frankly, we’re surprised,” said Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “The prediction we had at the beginning of the year was that this year would be pretty much on trend and there was a slim chance of a record because we were starting out in La Niña phase. That didn’t work out.”

Land and ocean temperatures exceeded previous records by about 0.27 degrees Fahrenheit.

“That’s really big. Most records are set in a few hundredths of a degree. This is a huge leap forward,” said Russell Vohs, NOAA’s director of climate monitoring and evaluation.

Schmidt said researchers do not fully understand why average temperatures have risen so much, and more research is needed to understand why 2023 was such a significant outlier.

“More research is needed to understand what happened in 2023,” Schmidt said. “I’m baffled by the results so far. Oh my goodness, it’s been another record year.”

Temperatures in the U.S. reached the fifth-highest level of the year, according to NOAA. Severe weather caused record losses in the US, with government agencies reporting $28 billion in disasters, six more than the previous record.

On Friday, the World Meteorological Organization also confirmed that 2023 will be the warmest year in global temperatures. WMO compared six climate datasets produced by different organizations, and all six ranked 2023 as the warmest year on record.

The group said El Niño, a natural climate pattern that releases heat from the ocean into the atmosphere, could contribute to record heat in 2023 and dictate this year’s weather.

“The shift from a cooling La Niña to a warming El Niño by mid-2023 is clearly reflected in the increase in temperatures since last year. El Niño typically has its greatest impact after global temperatures peak. 2024 could be even hotter given the global warming,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Sauro. “While El Niño events occur naturally and come and go from year to year, long-term climate change is intensifying and is unquestionably the result of human activity.”

NOAA estimates there is a one in three chance that 2024 will be warmer than 2023.

Source: www.nbcnews.com