Recent research indicates that ovaries may have a significant impact on postmenopausal health, contradicting the belief that they become completely inactive after menopause. Studies show that immune cells infiltrate the ovaries of aging mice, linking these organs to chronic postmenopausal inflammation.
“We assumed the ovaries fulfilled their purpose after reproduction,” stated Francesca Duncan from Northwestern University. “Our findings were quite unexpected.”
In March, Duncan and her team published a study that explored the protein profiles of postmenopausal women aged 50 to 75. Contrary to their expectations of uniformity, they discovered that the molecular signatures of the ovaries evolve dramatically over time, challenging the notion of their inactivity.
To delve deeper, Duncan’s team is analyzing mouse ovaries, focusing on tissue and gene expression at different life stages: young (2 months), reproductive (18 months), and post-reproductive (24 months). Despite lacking menstrual cycles, aging mice experience a decline in egg reserves leading to irregular cycles, similar to human menopause. “We recognize that the hormonal changes mirror what happens in humans as they age,” Duncan noted.
Initial findings confirmed some expectations; older ovaries exhibited a loss of egg-producing follicles and increased scarring. However, the study also found heightened gene activity associated with inflammation and immune response as aging progressed. The number of immune cells, including T cells and macrophages, rose in tandem with age.
Further investigation is crucial to clarify the implications of these changes for immunity and overall health. Duncan suggests this transformation in the ovaries might indicate a loss of reproductive function coupled with an increase in immune activity, which may not be beneficial. “As ovaries transition, there could be an uptick in inflammatory signaling that interacts with other bodily systems,” she explained.
While the current study focuses on mice, Diana Laird and her team at UCSF propose that similar immune modifications may be occurring in human ovaries, based on shared reproductive traits across species. “Both our species cease cyclical activity once the ovarian supply is depleted. Other phenomena, like fibrosis and altered nerve supply, are also present,” she asserted.
Although the rationale behind this evolutionary change in older mice remains unclear, it may have historically provided a survival advantage by enabling immune cell reservoirs at a time when fewer individuals lived to old age. Today, however, it poses risks of inflammation and autoimmune disorders.
This research prompts a reevaluation of the ovaries’ importance post-menopause. Although typically seen as dormant, they continue to release hormones like androgens, crucial for maintaining bone density and libido. Laird emphasized the need for more in-depth studies, linking immune changes in the ovaries to increased inflammation and conditions like rheumatoid arthritis after menopause. “This emphasizes the necessity for detailed investigations into the post-reproductive ovary’s cellular and molecular components,” she concluded.
The traditional view held that after menopause, ovaries become dormant, but recent findings suggest these organs may contribute to postmenopausal inflammation.
Francesca Duncan from Northwestern University states, “We believed the ovaries had fulfilled their role after reproduction, yet our discoveries were quite unexpected.”
In a recent study published in March, Duncan and her team analyzed ovarian protein structures in women aged 50 to 75, expecting uniformity across samples. Conversely, they found that molecular signatures significantly changed over the decades, indicating a dynamic rather than static organ.
To explore these changes further, Duncan’s team investigated mouse ovaries, examining tissues and gene expression across various age groups: young (2 months), reproductive age (18 months), and post-reproductive (24 months).
Unlike humans, mice do not have menstrual cycles. Instead, their endometrial lining is reabsorbed. Also, while humans experience menopause, mouse fertility gradually declines with age, leading to irregular cycles. Duncan explains, “The decline in fertility and hormonal function mirrors what we see in aging mice.”
Expectedly, older ovaries showed a loss of egg-producing follicles and increased scarring. Moreover, genes responsible for reproduction and hormone production, specifically estradiol (a form of estrogen), were less active. However, genes linked to inflammation and immune activity were notably more active, with an increase in immune cells such as T cells and macrophages in aging ovaries.
Further investigation is needed to discern the implications of these findings for immune function and overall health. Duncan suggests that this might indicate a transformation in ovarian identity rather than an enhancement in immune capacity. “Ovaries seem to lose reproductive functions while gaining immune functions, which may not be beneficial,” she adds.
The phenomenon of chronic low-grade inflammation in aging tissues may involve the release of inflammatory molecules from the ovaries post-reproduction. Duncan remarks, “This shift in biological function could signal communication with other body systems, although its significance remains uncertain.”
Professor Diana Laird at the University of California, San Francisco posits that similar immune transformations may occur in humans, alluding to known reproductive similarities between species. “Both humans and mice cease cycling after their egg supply depletes, and experience similar changes like fibrosis and increased nerve distribution,” she notes.
While the rationale behind immune changes in older mice is still unclear, Laird suggests these adaptations might have offered an evolutionary advantage for surviving longer. However, such changes could also contribute to inflammation and autoimmune disorders under modern living conditions.
This study underscores the evolving role of ovaries post-menopause. While generally healthy, ovaries still release androgens, which help maintain bone density and libido. Laird asserts this research contributes to a growing understanding of how immune changes in ovaries may lead to increased inflammation, associated with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis in postmenopausal women. “This discovery emphasizes the need for comprehensive studies on the cellular and molecular aspects of post-reproductive ovaries,” she concludes.
Incredible Preservation of Skin: The Monsecosuchus depereti is a fascinating extinct crocodile, comparable in size to a domestic cat, that inhabited the tropical wetlands of early Cretaceous Spain. Paleontologists have meticulously reconstructed its scales, sensory organs, and even hypothesized stripes along its tail.
Holotype specimen of Monsecosuchus depereti. Image credit: Castillo-Visa et al., doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag076.
The fossilized skeleton of Monsecosuchus depereti was excavated in 1902 by engineer and geologist Luis María Vidal from a quarry in the Noguera region of Catalonia, Spain.
This 50 cm long specimen has been preserved in the collection of the Barcelona Museum of Natural Sciences for over a century.
“Crocodilians, including both modern crocodiles and their extinct relatives, boast an extensive fossil record that dates back to the Late Triassic period,” states Dr. Oscar Castillo-Viza from the Miquel Cruzafont Catalan Institute of Paleontology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
“However, fossilized soft tissues such as skin and cartilage are exceedingly rare in most clades, aside from notable marine thalamozoans.”
Paleontologists utilized ultraviolet (UV) light to identify and describe various cartilaginous and epidermal tissues. Monsecosuchus depereti stands out as one of the most complete and ancient specimens featuring preserved skin among crocodilians.
“Ultraviolet light reveals details that would otherwise remain concealed within the rock,” explained Dr. Castillo-Visa.
Holotype specimen of Monsecosuchus depereti under UV light. Image credit: Castillo-Visa et al., doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag076.
The study revealed that the epidermal scales of Monsecosuchus depereti formed discrete patches across its arms, thorax, legs, and tail, with the forelimbs and thorax showing the best-preserved skin.
Researchers also identified potential integumentary sensory organs, suggesting that these features evolved in a limited capacity before becoming widespread in later crocodilians.
These specialized sensory structures—abundant on the faces and bodies of modern crocodiles—are sensitive to pressure and vibrations, aiding these reptiles in locating prey in turbid waters. Their origins appear to be more modest than previously thought.
“In today’s crocodiles, these organs serve as receptors for touch and water pressure changes, and can respond to thermal and chemical stimuli,” the scientists noted.
The presence of preserved cartilage tissue in the thoracic region indicates that Monsecosuchus depereti had adaptations for improved respiratory efficiency.
These bony or cartilaginous projections, found in modern birds, enhance thoracic strength and breathing mechanics.
The existence of crocodiles in this ancient species implies they were more active and aerobically capable than the sluggish image commonly associated with modern crocodiles.
“These features reflect that, despite being a primitive species, it was already well-adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle,” remarked Dr. Castillo-Visa.
Monsecosuchus depereti lacked two characteristics typical of contemporary crocodiles: deep caudal “fins” and robust, pointed limb scales.
Consequently, this animal likely had a sleeker silhouette than the Nile crocodile.
The research also uncovered evidence of visually striking markings: a color stripe along the tail.
This alternating pattern of dark and light bands is prevalent in modern crocodiles and various reptilian species, serving purposes of camouflage and species recognition.
The realization that such patterns existed during the age of dinosaurs underscores the conservative nature of evolutionary processes.
“Currently, we can’t specify the exact color of the crocodile’s tail, but we anticipate it was similar to modern species, which exhibit diverse color patterns,” said Dr. Albert Serres, a researcher at the Miquel Crusafont Catalan Institute of Paleontology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
The research team’s findings were published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
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Oscar Castillo – Visa et al. 2026. Soft tissue preservation in Barremian Monsecosuchus depereti (Neoschiinae: Atoposauridae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 207 (2): zlag076; doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag076
Scientists have long debated the mysteries of the cosmos, and we are privileged to live in a thrilling era for galaxy research. Despite potential cutbacks in research funding in the US and UK, our comprehension of the universe continues to grow. Since its launch on Christmas Day 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has dramatically transformed our understanding of ancient galaxies. Contrary to previous cosmological models, these galaxies are proving to be significantly brighter and filled with hot gas and stars.
Observations from JWST are truly groundbreaking. We are now able to study galaxies that formed just 300 million years post-Big Bang. While that may sound like a vast period, in the grand timeline of the universe—approximately 14 billion years—it’s merely the infancy of cosmic evolution. For context, I am 43 years old, which correlates to 2.14% of my lifespan when I was under one year old.
Rohan P. Naidu and a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology identified a remarkable galaxy last year, named MoM-z14. Their research paper describes MoM-z14 as a “cosmic miracle,” brighter than anticipated for its early stage in cosmic history. Such observations have only recently been possible, as prior telescopes lacked the capability to detect these faint objects due to their incredible distance. Paradoxically, while MoM-z14 appears dim through conventional telescopes, it emits more light than anticipated based on theoretical constructs.
Nevertheless, the unexpected brightness of these galaxies raises a crucial question: how can we confirm that what we’re observing is indeed a galaxy? In April of this year, Marcia Bradaci and an international team from the University of California, Davis, meticulously analyzed the JWST data. In a paper currently pending peer review, they suggest that two of the young, bright objects identified by JWST are not galaxies at all but rather brown dwarfs within our Milky Way. In other words, what we initially thought of as distant galaxies turned out to be star-like objects much closer to home.
The findings were surprising. If one were to consider what opposes a galaxy, brown dwarfs would be a prime candidate. Too large to evolve into gas giants like Jupiter, yet too small to achieve stellar nuclear fusion, a brown dwarf occupies a unique niche—and could fit comfortably within our solar system. In other words, brown dwarfs are compact compared to a galaxy sprawling with billions of stars. Only time will tell if Bradaci’s conclusions hold true and whether observations of other ancient galaxies are marred by similar misconceptions.
However, we are well-equipped to investigate these celestial enigmas. I predict that 2026 will emerge as a landmark year for astronomy. Despite governmental obstacles, Chile’s Vera C. Rubin Observatory is set to commence a 10-year space-time legacy survey, offering detailed mapping of the Southern Hemisphere sky and imaging over 5 billion galaxies. This initiative will coincide with JWST’s operations and NASA’s upcoming flagship observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Roman will also complement the European Space Agency’s Euclid mission, projected to image hundreds of millions of galaxies. The combined efforts of JWST, Rubin, Roman, and Euclid could revolutionize our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution.
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Engaging in self-exploration can enhance your understanding of your mind. Start by placing your finger on the area of your body that resonates with your sense of self. Avoid overthinking this; there are no right or wrong choices. Simply connect with your identity and where you feel most centered.
If you’re like most individuals, you’ll likely touch either your head or your heart. This choice may seem trivial, but several studies indicate that it can reveal your thinking style—whether you lean toward logic and analysis or intuition and emotion. Understanding how to switch between these modes can remarkably improve your decision-making capabilities.
It’s widely accepted that our decisions hinge on whether we think with our heads or hearts, a notion that’s prevalent in popular culture. Interestingly, this connection was first studied scientifically in 2013 by researchers Adam Fetterman from the University of Houston and Michael D. Robinson from North Dakota State University, who examined if our perceptions truly influence our actions.
Through self-report questionnaires, it emerged that “head-locators” frequently categorized themselves as rational thinkers, while “heart-locators” identified as emotionally driven. Remarkably, these perceptions correlate with objective behavioral metrics. For instance, Fetterman and Robinson observed that those who considered themselves ‘head-locators’ tended to excel on general knowledge exams, indicating a more cognitive-focused lifestyle. Conversely, ‘heart-locators’ often reported heightened sensitivity in stressful scenarios, reflecting their emotional depth.
The researchers found that individuals’ self-perception could predict outcomes related to their rational or emotional thinking styles a year later, signifying that this is a stable trait. However, many aspects of our psychology remain pliable. Just as levels of extraversion can fluctuate based on social context, it’s worth questioning whether our self-concept is equally adaptable. Robinson’s team explored this concept in a recent study.
In the studies, participants (n=455) were prompted to envision themselves engaging in various activities, rating how prominently their self-awareness was rooted in their brain or heart on a scale from 1 (not present) to 7 (very present). As predicted, responses varied based on the task; for example, self-awareness was more pronounced when engaged in analytical activities versus emotional reflection. This flexibility related directly to test performance. Participants who exhibited higher adaptability in their self-awareness scored better on key assessments, such as the American College Testing (ACT) and the North Dakota Emotional Ability Test, which assesses emotional intelligence.
These findings align with the “dual process theory” of cognition, which posits that our mental systems engage in either methodical reasoning or instinctual responses. Robinson’s research suggests that self-perception impacts which cognitive approach we employ, with those adept at reverting between modes enjoying superior decision-making capabilities in various domains. High achievers were found to effectively practice the “art of employing strategies” suitable for each task, merging head-driven logic with heart-driven intuition.
Can we all cultivate this skill? When I queried Robinson, he posited, “Achieving conscious control over this mental flexibility may require time and practice, possibly through meditation and other body-focused exercises.” As someone who leans intellectually, he admitted the journey can be challenging.
In a preliminary experiment from their 2013 study, having participants touch specific body locations altered their cognitive processes. For example, touching one’s temple promotes logical thinking, while touching the chest encourages instinctual moral reasoning, akin to the famous trolley problem. These bodily interactions also improved performance on true/false tests necessitating logical reasoning by around 9%.
Although I won’t depend on this method without larger trials to validate it, my awareness of my self-location has shifted since learning about Robinson’s ongoing studies. At times, my sense of self seems to align straight behind my eyes, while other moments place it lower in my ribcage. The contrast is so vivid that I now recognize transitions I once overlooked. By acknowledging these shifts, I gain deeper insights into what influences my decision-making.
That’s the beauty of psychological research—it unveils critical facets of our existence that we often overlook.
David Robson’s latest book is The Law of Connection: 13 Social Strategies That Will Change Your Life. If you have questions for his column, feel free to reach out: davidrobson.me/Contact
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It’s hard for many in India to envision life before Aadhaar. Digital biometric IDs, which claim to be accessible to all Indians, were rolled out just 15 years ago, yet they have become an integral part of daily life.
An Aadhaar number is now essential for purchasing a home, securing employment, opening a bank account, paying taxes, receiving benefits, buying a vehicle, obtaining a SIM card, booking priority train tickets, and enrolling children. Infants receive their Aadhaar number immediately after birth. Although it is not obligatory, lacking an Aadhaar effectively renders one invisible to the state, according to digital rights advocates.
For Umesh Patel, 47, a textile businessman in Ahmedabad, Aadhaar has been a welcome change. He reminisces about the days of hauling stacks of paperwork to government offices just to verify his identity, often with little success. Now, with a quick glimpse of his Aadhaar, “everything flows smoothly,” he said, viewing it as “a testament to how our nation utilizes technology for its citizens’ benefit.”
“It’s a solid system that has simplified our operations,” Patel asserts. “Moreover, it enhances our country’s security by minimizing the risk of forged documents.”
“Aadhaar has become an integral part of Indian identity.”
The initiative has been deemed so effective that it caught the attention of the UK government, which considered the introduction of mandatory ID cards for its citizens. However, digital rights groups, activists, and humanitarian organizations highlight a less favorable perspective of Aadhaar and its effects on Indian society.
For some of India’s most underprivileged and least educated individuals (those unable to engage with the Aadhaar system due to issues like illiteracy, lack of education, or missing documentation), the system can be exclusionary and punitive, denying essential access to welfare and employment. With increasing moves to link Aadhaar to voting rights and citizenship, concerns arise that it may further disenfranchise and stigmatize the impoverished.
Apal Gupta, founder and director of the Internet Freedom Foundation in Delhi, stated that Aadhaar has become a digital obligation for many people in India, as Aadhaar-based verification is required to access government services, enter public venues, or carry on with their daily activities.
Mr. Gupta asserted that Aadhaar has “metastasized” since its inception, morphing into an extensive bureaucratic network of unique IDs required for business operations. “The essence of your existence is scrutinized at every juncture,” he remarked.
Critics contend that the current draft of India’s data protection and privacy law is inadequate for safeguarding privacy or preventing potential misuse of the invaluable Aadhaar database, which includes biometric data such as photos, facial and iris scans, and fingerprints of over a billion Indians.
Indian media has uncovered multiple instances of Aadhaar data breaches over the years, including a 2018 incident where data pertaining to 1.1 billion individuals was found to be sold online for a mere 500 rupees (£5).
Keir Starmer met Narendra Modi in Mumbai last week. During his visit, Mr. Starmer described the Aadhaar system as a “huge success”. Photo: Stéphane Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images
“According to this yet-to-be-notified law, there is no mechanism to ascertain if a data breach has been documented, and there is a lack of oversight on how Aadhaar data is consolidated with other databases, risking broader public surveillance and tracking,” Mr. Gupta noted. “Transparency is entirely absent.”
Although Aadhaar was initiated before Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, his governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has significantly promoted and expanded the digital ID initiative. As India prepares to host the G20 summit in 2023, Prime Minister Modi referenced Aadhaar as one of the flagship achievements of ‘Digital India’, which he describes as an incubator for innovation. He asserts that India has saved over $22 billion by combating corruption in the welfare system.
The government highlights the extensive uptake of Aadhaar as an indicator of its success and inclusivity. As of last month, more than 1.42 billion Aadhaar numbers had been generated, corresponding to roughly the entire population of India, making it the largest digital identity program globally. Before this initiative, over 400 million Indians lacked any official identification and were unable to access banking services.
Yet the reality, particularly in rural and tribal regions, diverges sharply from the image portrayed by the government, as noted by Chakradhar Buddha, a senior researcher at Livetech India, an organization aimed at assisting those marginalized by India’s transition to digitalization.
“The deprivation of Aadhaar is pervasive among tribal communities, people in mountainous regions, and those in remote areas, and this reality is largely overlooked,” Buddha stated.
“This situation arises partly from a lack of proper documentation or incomplete documentation capture. Moreover, technological advancements create further obstacles that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations. Ultimately, this system undermines access to crucial social security and welfare for those most in need.”
Mr. Buddha challenged the government’s assertion that Aadhaar represents an infallible form of identification, recounting numerous instances where incorrect names and details led to significant issues for communities. For instance, in one village, tribal individuals lacked birth certificates and were assigned January 1 as their birthdate, while tribal names are often misspelled on Aadhaar cards due to unfamiliarity among officials.
Highlighting the recent example of millions of impoverished workers being erroneously removed from government support systems after the implementation of Aadhaar certification, Buddha cautioned that using Aadhaar as the universal standard for voting rights could result in “mass purges of the poorest from electoral registers.”
“These individuals have already been stripped of social equality. Now, Aadhaar is being utilized to deny them their right to political equality and universal suffrage,” Buddha stated.
Among those recently at risk of lacking an Aadhaar card was Ahram Sheikh, 34, an uneducated worker, who had important identification documents, including his Aadhaar card, stolen while on a train.
The aftermath was a nightmarish experience. He couldn’t recall his Aadhaar number from a decade earlier, rendering him unable to obtain a replacement card. Without it, he had to discontinue his construction job, losing crucial income for his family, and as a result, his son ultimately dropped out of school.
Months later, after traveling thousands of miles back to his village, Sheikh remained unable to resolve the issue and secure a new card. He now lives in constant fear of being declared an illegal alien without it.
“This Aadhaar system has turned into a nightmare for us. Why can’t the government establish proper institutions?” Sheikh lamented. “Everything in this country works against the poor, and this Aadhaar card is no exception.”
Nadia Odunayo may not have had the intention of taking on the formidable global giant that is Amazon, but she has undoubtedly become a hero for many book lovers who believe they don’t need Amazon.
For 18 years, bibliophiles logged their readings, left reviews and star ratings behind, and received their next reading suggestions from Goodreads, a platform founded by two Stanford University graduates in California.
In 2013, the creator of Goodreads sold the platform to Amazon, causing its already massive popularity to soar. Currently, Goodreads boasts an estimated 150 million users.
Among these users since 2012 is Odunayo, a software engineer and developer based in London. Six years ago, she sat down and envisioned an app that could complement Goodreads.
After creating a demo for several friends, she quickly realized that she had inadvertently created a potential competitor. The app leveraged AI to provide reader tracking tools, trends, and personalized book recommendations. As of this week, Storygraph has amassed 3.8 million active users, many of whom have made the switch from Goodreads.
In a blog post titled “Leave Goodreads in 2025!” just before Christmas, a book blogger and reviewer known as Bunny expressed dissatisfaction with Goodreads, stating, “I feel Goodreads is outdated. Its interface is clunky and offers limited functionality… I found Goodreads’ recommendations overwhelming and heavily skewed towards popular titles.”
Bunny announced her decision to switch to Storygraph, emphasizing, “I’ve loved it from the start! Not only is it female-owned, but it also offers a plethora of wonderful features.”
A Goodreads representative mentioned that the platform welcomes millions of readers, facilitating the exploration of hundreds of millions of books within the community. The spokesperson emphasized strong growth in user engagement with the platform.
Odunayo, 33, remarked, “I believe people appreciate the diversity of data we offer. With many exciting features and a engaged reader community…”
“But when people compare us to Goodreads, the prevailing sentiment is, ‘It’s the fact that Amazon doesn’t own it.”
Storygraph has attempted to address concerns surrounding malicious reviews and personal attacks by disallowing private messages and comments on reviews. Odunayo emphasized the importance of avoiding a scenario where users face unwarranted criticism or harassment.
Despite the increasing user base, Storygraph remains independently operated by Odunayo, who actively engages with users through social media and shares insights about the app and her reading habits.
As Storygraph experiences continued growth, the question arises: can it endure? What if Amazon attempts to acquire Goodreads competitors with lucrative offers?
Odunayo firmly states, “That’s not something we’re interested in. StoryGraph has had zero external investment; it’s a fully self-sustained venture. While anything is possible, we are currently content and committed to StoryGraph. I believe it’s the culmination of our life’s work.”
She further adds, “I believe there’s no cap on our potential growth while maintaining our current ethos. Our goal is to reach more users and become a globally acclaimed app.”
For Odunayo, the initial motivation behind all this stands stronger than ever – the love for books. Reflecting on her journey, she states, “I recall a friend caught up in social media for years, only managing to read 45 books.” She realized, “I’m single, no kids; with a 9 to 6 job, I only read 13 books this year.”
Currently, Odunayo reads 70 to 80 books yearly, distinguishing between fiction and non-fiction. Her current book is Time saving by Kaliane Bradley. She credits interacting with readers for broadening her reading choices and emphasizes, “Reading is ingrained in my identity as not just a CEO but a committed reader.”
Researchers now believe they have identified the remains of a Norwegian story written more than 800 years ago that depicts a dead man being thrown into a castle well.
The Sverris Saga is a 182-section Old Norse document that records the exploits of King Sverre Sigurdsson, who came to power in the late 12th century. In one section, it is said that rival clans who attacked Sveresborg Castle near Trondheim, Norway, “took the dead, threw them into a well, and buried them with stones.”
The well was located within the castle walls and was the only permanent source of water for the area. It has been speculated that the man thrown into the well in this story may have been suffering from a disease, and that throwing him into the well may have been an early act of biological warfare.
In 1938, part of a medieval well in the ruins of Sveresborg Castle was drained, and a skeleton was discovered beneath the rubble and rocks at the bottom. The skeleton, known as “Wellman,” was widely believed to be the remains of the person mentioned in the story, but it was impossible to confirm that at the time.
now, Anna Petersen Researchers at the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage in Oslo used radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis of the remains' teeth to show that the range of dates in which the man was alive is consistent with the castle raid. . Although it's not conclusive proof that the man is the person mentioned in the story, “circumstantial evidence is consistent with this conclusion,” Pellersen said.
The Well Man's skeleton was discovered in 1938
Riksantikvaren (Norwegian Directorate General for Cultural Heritage)
Additionally, the team was able to further enrich the story. “The investigation we conducted uncovered many details about both the incident and the person that were not mentioned in the story episode,” Petersen said.
For example, DNA suggests he likely had blue eyes and blonde or light brown hair. Researchers also believe, based on comparisons with modern and ancient Norwegian DNA,
that his ancestors came from Vest Agder County, in what is now the southernmost tip of Norway.
What they couldn't find was any evidence that the men were thrown into the well because they were sick or to make drinking water unavailable, but no evidence to the contrary. can't be found, and the question remains unanswered.
michael martin The researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim say their approach of matching historical documents with DNA evidence will help them build family trees of long-deceased royal families and “physically reveal life stories such as movements.” He states that it may also be applicable to “describing and drawing schematically.” Anonymous people whose remains were recovered from archaeological excavations across geographic regions. ”
Researchers collected DNA from one of the skeleton's teeth
Norwegian Institute of Cultural Heritage (NIKU)
“To my knowledge, this is the earliest instance in which genomic information has been recovered from a specific person, or even a specific person, described in an ancient text,” Martin said.
He says generating genomic information from ancient skeletons can provide new details about a person. “These details are not included in the original text, so genetic data enriches the story and provides a way to separate fact from fiction,” Martin says.
Researchers re-evaluated extremely red objects (EROs) in the JWST data and found similarities with BluDOGs previously identified from Subaru Telescope data. This discovery contributes to a broader understanding of quasar evolution and points to the need for further research using advanced telescopes like GREX-PLUS. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Space researchers have discovered that extremely red objects (EROs) exist in space. james webb space telescope This data is similar to the Subaru Telescope’s BluDOG, challenging previous assumptions and highlighting the complexity of studying quasar evolution.
Not every discovery is actually a new discovery. This is the case for extremely red objects (EROs) found in the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data. The analysis showed that it is very similar to a blue-excessive dust-covered galaxy (BluDOG) previously reported using data from the Subaru Telescope.
Quasars, some of the brightest objects in the universe, are powered by supermassive black holes with masses that can reach more than a billion times that of the Sun. Although these objects are the focus of much research, how they form is still poorly understood. A leading theory is that quasars form within galaxies with clouds of gas and dust that obscure the growing quasar until they become powerful enough to blow away the clouds. If this is true, we should be able to catch a short window of time when a quasar breaks out of the cloud.
A galaxy covered in blue excess dust (BluDOG) photographed by the Subaru Telescope.Credit: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan/HSC cooperation
Because the transition period is short, we must observe a large number of prequasar candidates and hope that we are lucky enough to catch a galaxy just as the quasar begins to erupt. Examining the JWST data, a group of extremely red objects (EROs) were identified as possible transitional quasars. But researchers at the Subaru telescope, a Japanese telescope in Hawaii, say that although ERO is called “red,” it is similar to the blue-excess dust-encrusted galaxy (BluDOG) found in big data. I noticed that it also has an important blue component. It was obtained from the Subaru Telescope and described in last year’s report.
Our analysis shows that ERO and BluDOG are likely objects of the same class, but that there are also important differences. One possibility is that ERO is at an earlier stage of evolution than BluDOG. More candidate samples need to be collected to determine the true relationship between ERO, BluDOG, and quasars. Larger samples will be studied by next-generation astronomical instruments, including a planned infrared space telescope project in Japan called GREX-PLUS.
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“Similarities between the compact, very red object discovered by JWST at the dawn of the universe and the blue, dust-covered galaxy known at the noon of the universe” Akatoki Noboriguchi, Akio Inoue, Toru Nagao, Yoshiki Toba, Toru Misawa, December 14, 2023 of Astrophysics Journal Letter. DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad0e00
“The extreme properties of four blue dust-covered galaxies revealed by optical spectroscopy” Akatoki Noboriguchi, Toru Nagao, Yoshiki Toba, Kohei Ichikawa, Masaru Kajisawa, Nanako Kato, Toshihiro Kawaguchi, Hideo Matsubara , Yoshiki Matsuoka, Kyoko Onishi, Masafusa Onoe, Nozomu Tamada, Koki Terao, Yuichi Terashima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Takuji Yamashita, December 23, 2022, of astrophysical journal. DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/aca403
“Optical properties of galaxies covered with infrared bright dust seen with Subaru Hyper Supreme Cam” Akatoki Noboriguchi, Toru Nagao, Yoshiki Toba, Mana Niida, Masaru Kajisawa, Masafusa Onoe, Yoshiki Matsuoka, Takuji Yamashita, Yuyan Zhang , Toshihiro Kawaguchi, Yutaka Komiyama, Kodai Nobehara, Yuichi Terashima, Yoshihiro Ueda, May 13, 2019, astrophysical journal. DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ab1754
Venture capital investment trends in the cybersecurity market suggest that the sector is in decline, at least in recent months. according to According to Crunchbase, the number of cybersecurity deals fell from 181 in the second quarter to 153 in the third quarter. In a more detailed report, Crunchbase suggests third-quarter cybersecurity venture funding is down 30% year-over-year, with investment in the category likely to fall to its lowest level since 2019.
But some cybersecurity startups are somehow escaping the industry’s downturn. opal security. Today, Opal, a vendor that takes an automated approach to identity access management, announced that it has raised $22 million in a Series B round led by Battery Ventures with participation from Greylock and Box Group.
Raising Opal’s maximum funding to $32 million, the new tranche will go toward doubling Opal’s 30-person team by the end of 2024, expanding its enterprise customer support organization, and ramping up product development, the founder and CEO said. Umaima Khan told TechCrunch in an email interview. He added that product enhancements include a new visualization suite and AI-powered tools designed to remediate identity and access risks.
Khan founded Opal in 2020. Prior to that, he studied cryptography at MIT, worked in defense research and at startups such as Amplitude and Collective Health.
Khan said that during his work in the private and public sectors, where he was responsible for building internal authentication and authorization services, particularly the policy layer, he began to notice common issues around visibility and lack of understanding of user access behavior. I did.
“I’ve seen firsthand how common problems like lack of proper infrastructure and over-access can cause completely avoidable cascading failures,” Khan told TechCrunch in an email interview. . “The reality is that most best-in-class security engineering teams understand this and are building these systems in-house to the best of their ability. However, scaling and maintaining these systems is a significant effort even for large enterprises and impractical for smaller organizations. ”
To address the perceived need for a more scalable access and identity orchestration platform, Khan created a suite that provides enterprises with a unified view and control of employee access to internal tools, apps, platforms, and environments. Founded Opal. Opal allows customers with thousands of employees to create policy workflows to automate access policies and set up approval flows for access requests that cannot be automated.
Opal is not alone in the access management market. In addition to incumbents (such as Okta), vendors such as Veza, SailPoint, Cyber-Ark, and Saviynt also compete. Some have raised large amounts of venture capital. But Khan said that unlike some of its competitors, Opal is building on more analytics and his AI capabilities aimed at preventing identity-based threats, and ultimately more of companies will be attracted to his Opal solution.
“Because we are a data platform, along with log data from specific end systems, we have a detailed ground truth understanding of system policies, users, groups and how policies are used, approved, denied, created and We have both metadata about the changes,” Khan said. “This gives us a unique and rich dataset to provide a baseline on various forms of risk associated with access and to identify potentially anomalous actors and systems… I’ve been thinking a lot about how to build possible datasets. [access management] It is a readable and writeable layer that prioritizes enterprise readiness from an infrastructure and feature perspective. ”
Customers seem to agree. Opal’s annual recurring revenue has quadrupled since the company’s Series A in June 2022 across a customer base of approximately 40 brands, including Databricks, Scale AI, and Figma. However, Khan declined to say whether Opal was profitable.
“Our technology addresses the challenge of scaling access management with limited information in complex enterprise environments, which is a major pain point for technical decision makers across the industry,” said Khan. states. “Large organizations have fragmented data and systems. These organizations increasingly need easy-to-use, scalable data and workflow processes for identity access management. Our platform meets that need. It’s a great fit and gives CISOs and CSOs the tools they need to view and control their systems.”
Asked if he was concerned about challenges in cybersecurity VC funding and the broader startup ecosystem, Khan said requiring companies to more quickly disclose cybersecurity incidents and other related policy announcements. Opal pointed to new rules from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a tailwind for Opal.
“Continued challenging market trends are forcing businesses to be as efficient as possible. Our platform improves the efficiency of security, compliance, and IT teams,” said Khan. . “We’ve also seen a similar shift in the sophistication and scale of cyber breaches as more companies undergo digital transformation in the wake of the pandemic. Our platform is a layer of defense against these breaches, and this bucket is very sticky…This latest round of funding allows us to navigate ongoing market challenges while meaningfully investing in our team and product development.”
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