Astronomers utilizing ESA’s XMM-Newton Observatory have captured X-ray images of 3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed interstellar object to traverse our solar system, following 1I/Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov.
This XMM-Newton image displays an X-ray visualization of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. The center features a bright red dot against a dark backdrop, resembling a burning lighthouse. Surrounding this core is a soft gradient of purple and blue, forming a slightly rotated rectangular frame divided by a thin horizontal line, indicating the detector gap. Red represents low-energy X-rays, while blue signifies regions with minimal X-rays. Image credit: ESA / XMM-Newton / C. Lisse / S. Cabot / XMM ISO Team.
On December 3, 2025, XMM-Newton tracked the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS for approximately 20 hours.
During this observation, the interstellar object was about 282-285 million kilometers away from the spacecraft.
XMM-Newton utilized the European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC)-PN, its most sensitive X-ray camera, to observe the comet.
“This XMM-Newton image highlights the comet radiating in low-energy X-rays. The blue regions indicate voids with nearly no X-rays, while the red areas showcase the comet’s X-ray emissions,” stated members of the XMM-Newton team.
Astronomers anticipated this glow, as gas molecules emitted from comets generate X-rays upon colliding with the solar wind.
“These X-rays can originate from the interaction of the solar wind with gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, and have previously been detected by telescopes like NASA/ESA/CSA’s James Webb Space Telescope and NASA’s SPHEREx,” added the researchers.
“However, these telescopes possess distinct sensitivities to gases like hydrogen and nitrogen.”
“They are almost undetectable by optical and ultraviolet instruments, such as the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and ESA’s JUICE camera.”
“This makes X-ray observation an exceptional resource,” they emphasized.
“Researchers will be able to identify and examine gases that are difficult to detect with alternative instruments.”
“Multiple scientific groups suggest that the first observed interstellar object, 1I/’Oumuamua, may have been composed of unusual ices like nitrogen and hydrogen.”
“Although 1I/Oumuamua is currently too distant to study, 3I/ATLAS provides fresh opportunities to investigate interstellar bodies. X-ray observations will supplement other data and assist scientists in understanding the composition of these objects.”
Rollin Justin can navigate obstacles and serve beverages.
Henrik Sporer/laif/CameraPress
Human fascination with our own likeness is longstanding. The term “robot” was introduced by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his 1920s play Rossum’s Universal Robots, depicting human-like beings made to work in factories. Since then, numerous humanoid robots have been designed to interact with their environment in human-like manners.
Henrik Sporer, an acclaimed photographer with the agency Leif, investigates such themes in his project Tomorrow is the Problem. The main image above showcases the metal craftsmanship from the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics at the German Aerospace Center, featuring a 200-kilogram robot named Rollin’ Justin. It can traverse extensive distances on wheels, capture images, navigate around obstacles, and serve drinks. Its potential applications include assisting astronauts and aiding individuals with disabilities.
Lola is the ideal robot for challenging terrains and new surroundings
Henrik Sporer/laif/CameraPress
The image above depicts Lola, a 1.8-meter tall robot developed by the Technical University of Munich. It can navigate new and unstable surfaces with ease.
Next up is Amar-6, a robot standing at 1.9 meters tall, designed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. This machine can converse with people and assist in carrying heavy loads.
Amar-6 is designed to assist with heavy lifting
Henrik Sporer/laif/CameraPress
The final image below features ZAR5, a dual-armed robot engineered at the Technical University of Berlin, equipped to pick and place items with finesse.
ZAR5 is capable of lifting and placing items manually
Greetings! Welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery. If you wish to subscribe to our newsletter, please share this email with 5 friends and encourage them to sign up, much like a chain letter promising 5 years of bad luck. This week in news, AI companies have reached astonishing financial highs, with valuations soaring to $5 trillion, a record $100 billion quarterly earnings, and a series of agreements totaling close to $600 billion.
The staggering numbers of the AI boom make criticism challenging.
Last week, Nvidia’s market valuation hit the $5 trillion mark. Just three months earlier, it had become the first company ever to reach a $4 trillion valuation. Similarly, Microsoft joined Apple in hitting the $4 trillion valuation last week. In addition, companies like Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet reported massive quarterly earnings. Notably, Google’s parent company generated $100 billion in its first quarter. Amazon experienced remarkable expansion in its cloud computing sector, leading to a 13% increase in its stock price. However, Meta faced an unexpected tax bill of $16 billion. All major tech firms except Apple have increased their capital spending forecasts, indicating plans to invest billions more in the essential infrastructure that backs AI. These revisions alone add tens of billions to an already staggering total in the hundreds of billions. For instance, Alphabet has projected capital expenditures of $91 billion to $93 billion for next year, an increase from the $75 billion initially stated in February and the revised $85 billion announced in July.
Not to be outdone by its publicly traded competitor, OpenAI has transitioned to a for-profit model and is contemplating an initial public offering with a potential valuation of $1 trillion. The world’s highest-valued startups are actively making deals, including a partnership with Nvidia that involves an investment of $100 billion in OpenAI as of September. Furthermore, Microsoft recently entered a contract with OpenAI for $250 billion in Azure cloud services. Oracle, another cloud services giant, also struck a $300 billion investment agreement with OpenAI in September. On Monday, the creator of ChatGPT announced a $38 billion deal with Amazon Web Services, as OpenAI commits to a staggering total of $588 billion in expenditures over the coming years.
Nvidia is now valued higher than Germany’s total annual economic output projected for 2025, estimated at $4.66 billion. To put this into perspective, Nvidia’s market capitalization surpasses the collective valuation of all German companies, which is expected to be approximately $2.4 trillion in 2024, according to the World Bank. No single company should eclipse the world’s third-largest economy, a nation with 83.5 million residents whose economic landscape supports an entire continent.
read more: Boom or bubble? Inside $3 trillion in AI data center spending | Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Guardian
Understanding the economics surrounding the AI boom poses significant challenges, hindering straightforward criticism. How should one respond to such overwhelming data? Even the keenest analyses can feel dwarfed by the magnitude of a billion-dollar data center. The scale of these figures defies comprehension; there’s hardly a personal context with which to relate. How do we consider a spending plan of $91 billion? What does it mean to make choices in the realm of hundreds of billions? It’s bewildering. Describing Meta’s earnings as “mixed” feels odd, yet that’s the assessment from Wall Street experts.
The boom has seen billions circulating in transactions between these corporations, raising red flags regarding inflated valuations and financial risk. If one entity stumbles, a domino effect could ensue, potentially dragging the U.S. economy down with it. Nonetheless, these companies show no signs of diminishing their collective enthusiasm.
File photo: COMPUTEX in Taipei File photo: Nvidia Blackwell GPUs on display at COMPUTEX in Taipei, Taiwan, June 4, 2024. Reuters/Ann Wang/File photo
Photo: Anne Wang/Reuters
On the populist front, critics argue that AI has failed to establish any significant use cases beyond something as trivial as assisting with homework. Regardless of how many jobs a CEO might eliminate, replacements will remain inadequate. Approximately 95% of AI pilots that companies have undertaken have faltered, as MIT researchers discovered in August.
The economic magnitude of the AI boom is unfathomably vast, corresponding with its digital scale. Large language models like ChatGPT and Claude Sonnet operate partially through parameters—variables that help the model predict subsequent words. These invisible adjusters can modulate responses by the hundreds of billions, with projections indicating that GPT-5 could reach into trillions.
The physical ramifications of AI mirror the considerable economic scale of this technology. Dara Kerr, a technology reporter for the Guardian, recently reported from the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center, which houses the largest data center in the nation along with several smaller establishments. She detailed its extraordinary scale:
The Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center stretches from Interstate 80 to the mountains of the arid Nevada desert. This vast complex encompasses tens of thousands of acres and houses roughly 200 companies involved in logistics, fulfillment, and data center technology, including Google, Microsoft, and Tesla. Some firms maintain multiple data centers spanning several times the length of a football field throughout desert valleys. This industrial area occupies 65% of the county’s land, creating a scale that’s nearly incomprehensible.
You can now wager on American elections by contributing to the President of the United States
US President Donald Trump
Photo: President Donald Trump via Truth Social and Reuters
Donald Trump’s Truth Social is collaborating with Crypto.com to facilitate betting on election outcomes, as announced by its parent company last week. Trump Media and Technology Group is set to launch a “Truth Prediction” feature allowing users to “trade predictive contracts on major events and milestones, ranging from political elections to changes in interest rates, inflation, commodity prices, and significant sports events,” although a launch date remains uncertain.
TMTG Director Devin Nunes stated regarding the feature, “For too long, elites have strictly controlled these markets. With Truth Prediction, we’re democratizing information, enabling regular Americans to harness collective wisdom and converting free speech into actionable foresight.” Ironically, Nunes criticizes the “global elite” from a position of notable power within the government.
There’s something unsettling about this arrangement, as if the contender in a match is simultaneously the bookmaker. Mr. Trump, as President, invites voters to invest in his campaign while implementing policies that directly impact the interest rates users can wager on. As he flirts with the notion of an unprecedented third term, does the American public want to take bets on his potential to achieve it?
Even creating the truth prediction feature seems like a dubious endeavor. Crypto.com has contributed $11 million to Trump’s initiatives, as reported by the Financial Times. Additionally, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission closed its investigation during Trump’s administration while the company sought banking authorization from regulators. Trump Media and Technology Group signed a substantial deal to acquire billions of dollars’ worth of Kronos, the token associated with Crypto.com.
Gambling has become increasingly ingrained in American culture, with trading on election outcomes only legalized last year. A recent analysis by the Financial Times observed that the betting volume on prediction markets like Karshi averages $1 billion each week. This trend initiated with sports betting, which has reached unprecedented levels. My colleague Brian Armen Graham discussed the fallout from a scandal that shook the professional basketball world before Halloween, dubbed Operation No Bet, leading to the arrest of NBA players, coaches, and dozens of others.
The NBA gambling scandal marks the peak of a lengthy relationship between professional leagues and the massive gambling industry, which has transitioned from partnership to controversy. This represents the most significant corruption crisis in Major League Baseball following the legalization of gambling in numerous U.S. states and serves as a clear reflection of how embedded gambling has become within professional sports.
When will politics face its own “no-bets strategy”?
Have you ever watched a weevil extend its wings on a grain of rice? Zhang You, a photographer from China, remarked that he managed to capture this moment with such stunning detail that his image has been awarded this year’s top prize in the Nikon Small World Contest. The photograph beautifully showcases this small agricultural pest resting on its favorite food, with its wings beautifully unfurled and perfectly symmetrical.
Insects like the rice weevil serve a significant role in ecosystems around the globe. Images displaying such intricate detail and dramatic poses are exceptionally rare, unveiling the hidden beauty of life that often goes unnoticed.
Dr. Jan Rosenboom claimed second place with his captivating picture of algae balls suspended in water droplets, while third place was awarded to John Oliver Damm for his delicate shot of pollen ensnared in a spider’s web in his garden.
Now entering its 51st year, the Nikon Small World Contest recognizes the finest examples of science viewed under a microscope and invites anyone passionate about photography and videography to participate.
Here are this year’s top photographs from the contest.
Honorable Mention
A fusion of crystallized soy sauce and aluminum as seen through a 10x magnification. Photo courtesy of Mishal Abdulaziz Allihan/Nikon Small WorldFrost on wooden railing viewed at 5x magnification. Photo by Gregory B. Murray/Nikon Small World
Image of Distinction
The fascinating parasitic fly (Crataerina hirundinis) as seen under 10x magnification. Photo courtesy of Bernard Allard/Nikon Small World3D brain organoids in custom organ-on-a-chip devices photographed at 20x magnification. Photo courtesy of Dr. Arthur Chen and Dr. Ann Na Cho/Nikon Small WorldTrue insect (Hemiptera) eggs on a leaf viewed at 5x magnification. Photo courtesy of Dr. Walter Ferrari/Nikon Small WorldAdult zebrafish displaying brain blood vessels, photographed at 4x magnification. Photo courtesy of Hannah Summers/Nikon Small WorldThe androconial (pheromone-producing) region of a butterfly (Colias) wing viewed at 10x magnification. Photo courtesy of Daniel Evrard/Nikon Small WorldCrystals from a mixed solution of alanine and glutamine under polarized light as viewed at 20x magnification. Photo courtesy of Doong Yien/Nikon Small WorldAutofluorescence of barnacle cirri exoskeleton, with bright red diatoms. Photographed at 5x magnification. Photo credit: Charles Krebs/Nikon Small WorldVascular bundle of bamboo leaves (Phyllostachys sp.) viewed at 20x magnification. Photo by David Maitland/Nikon Small World
Top 20
Marine copepods observable under a microscope at 60x magnification. Photo courtesy of Zachary Sanchez/Nikon Small WorldParasitic fungi (Cordycipitaceae) affecting flies (Calliphoridae), photographed at 2x magnification. Photo by Eduardo Agustin Carrasco/Nikon Small WorldFluorescently labeled mouse colon under 20x magnification. Photos by Marius Mehlen, Cohen Oost, Prisca Liberali, Laurent Germain/Nikon Small WorldDaphnia and algae viewed at 5x magnification. Photo courtesy of Hong Guo/Nikon Small WorldA fern sporangium photographed at 40x magnification. Photo courtesy of Rogelio Moreno/Nikon Small WorldGeometry moth (Typertidae) laying eggs, captured at 5x resolution. Photo courtesy of Zhang You/Nikon Small WorldQuartz crystal featuring filaments of biogenic goethite. Photo courtesy of Manfred Heising/Nikon Small WorldSlime mold Arcyria major, also known as Arcyria insignis, releasing spores at 10x magnification. Photo courtesy of Henri Koskinen/Nikon Small WorldActin cytoskeleton (cyan) and endoplasmic reticulum (red) in mouse brain tumor cells, displayed at 100x magnification. Photo courtesy of Halli Lindamood & Eric Vitriol/Nikon Small WorldSunflower trichomes generated by stacking 112 images, displayed at 10x magnification. Photo courtesy of Marek Miś/Nikon Small World
Top 10
Metaphase in human cardiomyocytes showing condensed chromosomes during the second stage of cell division. Displayed at 60x magnification. Photo courtesy of Dr. Dylan Barnett and Dr. James Hayes/Nikon Small WorldFungi (Talaromyces purpureogenus) with red diffuse pigment, shown at 10x magnification. Photo by Wim van Egmond/Nikon Small WorldMalvaceae pollen germinating on the stigma, while being parasitized by filamentous fungi. Displayed at 40x magnification. Photo courtesy of Dr. Igor Siwanowicz/Nikon Small WorldInduced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons showing tubulin and actin proteins at 10x magnification. Photo by Stella Whittaker/Nikon Small WorldRat hepatocytes observed under a microscope at 63x magnification. Photo provided by: Dr. Francisco Lazaro-Dieguez/Nikon Small WorldSmall tropical fern (Ceratopteris richardii) spores depicted as blue/purple structures. Displayed at 25x magnification. Photo courtesy of Dr. Igor Siwanowicz/Nikon Small WorldCardiomyocytes with condensed chromosomes post-cell division at 100x magnification. Photo courtesy of Dr. James Hayes/Nikon Small World
3rd Place
Pollen resting on a spider web in the garden, displayed at 20x magnification. Photo courtesy of John Oliver Damm/Nikon Small World
2nd Place
Colonial algae (Volvox) forming spherical structures within water droplets, viewed at 5x magnification. Photo courtesy of Dr. Jan Rosenboom/Nikon Small World
Overall Winner
A rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) perching on a grain of rice, photographed at 5x magnification. Photo courtesy of Zhang You/Nikon Small World
Parkinson’s disease is currently the fastest-growing neurological disorder in the United States; currently, 90,000 individuals have been diagnosed—a staggering 50% increase since the mid-1980s. The situation mirrors global trends, with an expected 25 million diagnoses by 2050, effectively doubled compared to today’s figures.
In summary, this is a significant issue. However, these numbers aren’t entirely surprising, considering longer life spans and growing populations. What is truly alarming, and frankly, unsettling, is how unprepared we are for this impending wave.
The available treatments are limited. Diagnostic tools are inadequate. Honestly, we still don’t really understand what causes Parkinson’s disease.
Yet, before you plunge into the depths of neurodegenerative despair, there is hope. Scientists worldwide are actively working to change the narrative surrounding Parkinson’s.
In particular, researchers are revolutionizing how we can detect Parkinson’s disease. Armed with cutting-edge technologies, AI, and a fundamentally evolving understanding of disease manifestation throughout the body, they’re aiming to detect it decades before any symptoms present themselves, rather than years.
Presently, there is no single definitive test for Parkinson’s disease. Instead, doctors diagnose it based on physical symptoms like tremors, slow movement, and muscle stiffness, often requiring assessments of tasks such as writing and speaking.
“Today’s neurodegenerative disease is what cancer used to be 50 years ago,” states Professor Hermona Solek, a leading researcher in next-generation diagnostic tools. “We often finalize a diagnosis only when all involved nerve cells are already dead, leaving us unable to properly treat the patient.”
But what if there were a way to diagnose Parkinson’s disease before it could do any significant harm? What if it could be caught on its way, before brain cells face irreversible damage?
This is no longer just a theory. In fact, there are multiple methods emerging.
AI Desk Accessories
Not all breakthroughs in diagnostics require a blood sample; some new innovations could be found right on your desk.
At the University of California, Los Angeles, Professor Junchen‘s lab claims to have developed a diagnostic pen that detects Parkinson’s disease by analyzing your writing.
This unique pen’s soft tip is crafted from an innovative magnetoelastic material that alters the magnetic field in response to pressure or bending—a phenomenon previously known in rigid metals but now applied to soft polymers, creating a new type of highly sensitive and user-friendly sensor.
“Utilizing magnetoelastic effects with soft materials represents a new operational mechanism,” Chen explains. “It can translate small biomechanical pressures, like arterial vibrations, into high-fidelity electrical signals.”
The pen, filled with magnetized ink, captures movements occurring both on paper and in the air, subsequently sending this data to a computer. Here, AI models analyze specific patterns linked to Parkinson’s motor symptoms.
Smart pens can be especially beneficial in countries where affordable diagnostic tools are needed—UCLA Jun Chen Lab
In a pilot study, the system successfully distinguished individuals with Parkinson’s disease from healthy controls with over 96% accuracy. Even better, Chen believes this pen can be mass-produced for merely $5 (£3.70).
“We have already filed for a patent and aim to commercialize this pen,” Chen states. “Simultaneously, we are working on optimizing it to improve our diagnostics’ accuracy.”
If handwriting isn’t your preferred method, Chen’s team has you covered. They’ve also created a Smart Keyboard utilizing the same principles.
This keyboard tracks subtle changes in pressure and rhythm as users type—often imperceptible to the naked eye—and relays that information to machine learning algorithms.
Initial tests indicate that it can identify characteristic motor abnormalities in Parkinson’s disease, and the team is combining this technology with a mobile app for continuous remote monitoring.
Together, these intelligent desk tools offer a glimpse into what Chen describes as the “personalized, predictive, preventive, participatory” future of Parkinson’s healthcare; a future where diagnosis is as simple as taking notes or sending emails.
This portable, soft keyboard employs magnetic elasticity to detect Parkinson’s disease and sends results to your smartphone—UCLA Jun Chen Lab
Parkinson’s Eye Test Detects Changes Two Decades in Advance
Picture diagnosing Parkinson’s disease during a routine eye exam, potentially decades before symptoms manifest. This is the promise of new non-invasive techniques developed by Victoria Soto Linan and her colleague at Laval University in Canada, using an established eye test known as electroretinography (ERG).
According to Soto Linan, this eye test serves as a “window to the brain,” as it’s part of the central nervous system. Issues like blurred vision and diminished contrast sensitivity manifest long before the well-known symptoms of tremors and stiffness.
The Soto Linan team collected data on how the retina responds to light flashes from both mice engineered to develop Parkinson-like symptoms and newly diagnosed human patients.
They identified unique retinal signals demonstrating “sick signatures,” particularly in women. Crucially, this weakened signal appeared in the mice prior to any behavioral disease signs.
This leads Soto Linan to believe that this eye test could detect Parkinson’s as much as 20 years before symptoms arise.
Read more:
And unlike other early diagnostic methods, this one is already well ahead of the game.
“ERGs are now employed in clinics to diagnose eye diseases,” she explains. “They also have the major advantage of being non-invasive.”
The patient sits before a dome that flashes lights, capturing how the retina responds. This could easily be integrated into a few minutes of your annual vision test.
The team is currently focusing on enhancing the testing process, with hopes of linking it to machine learning algorithms that will accelerate results, perhaps even making them portable to smartphones.
While the research is still in its early stages, its potential ramifications are enormous. As Soto Linan states, “This tool could identify at-risk individuals up to 20 years before symptoms emerge. Imagine how much less damage could be done by then.”
“Even if there is no treatment available, early intervention can often improve the quality of life in the long run.”
Detecting Parkinson’s Through Vocal Patterns
Can your voice indicate Parkinson’s disease before your physical body does? Recently, preprint research has explored whether AI can identify Parkinson’s simply by analyzing a person’s speech.
Around 90% of individuals with Parkinson’s develop motor speech disorders known as dysarthria, which can lead to issues like irregular pitch and breath control.
Globally, over 8.5 million individuals live with Parkinson’s disease—Getty
These vocal changes often arise earlier than more noticeable motor symptoms like tremors, thus serving as promising early indicators.
The research team collected brief audio recordings from 31 to 195 individuals, which included 33 individuals with the disease. Their data served to train four different AI models to recognize disease-related vocal patterns. When tested on new recordings from the same participants, the models identified Parkinson’s with an accuracy exceeding 90%.
These changes are subtle and occur early, and researchers suggest that speech-based assessments could provide low-cost, non-invasive diagnostic options.
Blood Tests for Diagnosing Parkinson’s
In April 2025, SOREQ and her colleagues—including her son—announced a groundbreaking new study.
The findings were surprising; they revealed a simple and inexpensive blood test utilizing PCR technology (remember this from COVID-19?) that can accurately detect Parkinson’s disease a few years prior to symptom onset.
This test functions by measuring the ratio between two markers that SOREQ and her team discovered in human blood.
Specifically, individuals with Parkinson’s exhibit abnormally high levels of certain molecules known as transfer RNA (tRNA) fragments, identifiable by a specific repeating pattern called conserved sequence motifs.
A new blood test can detect early Parkinson’s by analyzing the unique imbalance of small RNA molecules in your blood—Credit: Getty
Simultaneously, the team uncovered reduced levels of tRNA associated with mitochondria (the “powerhouses” of cells, responsible for producing most of your body’s energy) in the blood of Parkinson’s patients.
“We proposed that if there’s an increase in one sequence and a decrease in another, we could calculate the ratio and identify a probable diagnosis,” says Soreq.
If this ratio exceeds a specific threshold, it strongly indicates a diagnosis.
According to SOREQ, a traditional diagnosis of Parkinson’s can cost up to $6,000 (£4,400). The two PCR tests required for their method? Only $80 (£60).
“This is monumental. It makes a substantial difference,” she states. With some luck, the team anticipates this will become widely available within the next decade, potentially providing a crucial lifeline for patients globally.
We already understand how to artificially bring our bodies back to their natural optimal state. Prescription glasses can help correct vision, while hearing aids aid those with hearing loss.
Today, emerging technologies are advancing to enhance the human body more than ever before.
Those who utilize these innovations embody a blend of human and machine, elevating their capabilities to reach what once seemed unattainable.
These are not merely futuristic concepts; they are new technologies available on the market or soon to be released.
I’ll take you to the sky
Flight has been a long-held human aspiration, from Icarus in Greek mythology to flying cars in sci-fi films like Blade Runner. Though personal flight technology may seem fanciful, it exists today in the form of a gravity jet suit.
We once envisioned rocket boots that could lift us off the ground, but such designs would be inherently unstable due to thrust being directed away from the wearer’s center of gravity.
Instead, the Gravity Jetsuit employs five engines that gently assist the wearer in navigating the air. Pilots can hover, spin, and even glide short distances above land or water.
The 1,050 horsepower gas turbine on the back provides essential lift, while two small jet turbines on each arm ensure stability and control.
In 2021, the Royal Navy tested the suit in a training exercise to explore its onboarding potential.
Please close your eyes and look
In the future, this technology could assist individuals with color blindness in perceiving a broader spectrum of colors – Photo Credit: Getty Images
Human vision is relatively limited; without light, we are nearly blind. Night vision goggles have allowed us to see red light wavelengths for some time, but this technology has now been miniaturized.
Chinese scientist developed contact lenses coated with nanoparticles that absorb infrared rays and re-emitt them as visible red, green, or blue light.
In trials, these lenses enabled users to see flashes from an infrared LED.
Interestingly, participants found it easier to see these flashes with their eyes closed, as the visible interference from light was blocked by their eyelids.
In the future, this technology may be adapted to assist those with color blindness in experiencing a wider range of colors.
read more:
I’m walking towards the future
Exoskeleton suits are wearable machines designed to enhance natural strength. Think of them as a type of powered suit or wearable forklift.
Many associate them with sci-fi movies like Alien, but they are already in use today.
Exoskeleton sensors detect the wearer’s movement and activate joint motors to provide additional strength.
Exoskeleton sensors detect your movement and activate the joint motors to provide added strength – Image Credit: DNSYS
Exoskeleton technology currently assists some individuals with disabilities, enabling them to function without assistance. It is also being developed to help warehouse workers lift and move heavier objects safely.
Moreover, this technology has everyday applications, such as aiding individuals in hiking longer distances or navigating stairs that might otherwise be challenging.
Get a better grip
Scientists at University College London recently created a glove-like device that provides the wearer with an additional thumb.
Researchers from University College London developed a glove-like device that provides the wearer with an extra thumb – Image credit: Dani Close/UCL
While this may appear redundant (as most of us already possess two), tests show that the additional thumb enhances dexterity, allowing tasks to be completed more easily with two hands.
Sensors located beneath the wearer’s toe control the movement of the third thumb. Currently, there is no tactile feedback, meaning the wearer cannot yet use it for delicate tasks, like carrying eggs.
Though the third thumb is not part of our natural anatomy, participants have quickly adapted to using it; only four out of nearly 600 individuals could not operate it successfully.
Control things with your thoughts
Brain Control Interface Technology allows individuals with neurodegenerative disorders reliable control over their surroundings – Photo Credit: Case Western Reserve University
Brain Control Interface (BCI) is an innovative technology that enables individuals to control computers using their thoughts.
By embedding microelectrodes into the brain, nerve signals associated with limb movement can be decoded by computers and used to manipulate external devices.
This technology enhances far more than just computer usability; it offers those with neurodegenerative conditions reliable control over their environment.
So far, this technology has allowed volunteers with spinal cord injuries to control computer cursors merely by thinking of movements associated with their paralyzed hands or arms.
The next evolution for these devices is the precise control of robotic limbs. With BCI technology, scientists envision a future where patients with muscle atrophy or other degenerative conditions fully regain their motor capabilities.
A remarkable collection of insects and a spider web encased in amber from 112 million years ago has been discovered in quarries within the Amazon rainforest.
Xavier Delclòs from the University of Barcelona, along with his team, learned that amber—resulting from fossilized tree resin—had been unearthed from the Genobeva quarry in eastern Ecuador’s Oriente Basin, prompting them to investigate the site in 2022.
The amber from this region is believed to originate from the resin of coniferous trees from the Araucaria family, prominent when modern-day Ecuador was part of the ancient Gondwana Supercontinent.
Amber deposits are sourced from two primary origins: the tree crown and the roots. Substances from the ground may entrap remnants of insects and other organisms in resin, later turning into amber—a process known as Bioin Crucion.
While most amber found in the quarry originated from underground sources, during initial diggings, the team collected 60 notable pieces of ground amber for further study in the lab.
Over a third of these specimens showcased the bioencapsulation of various insects, plants, and even spider webs, dating back to the Cretaceous period, particularly from the Mozazo era. “This is the first time [Mesozoic] amber with insects and spider biopackages has been discovered in South America, and they are certainly new species,” states Delclòs.
The insect specimens included diverse species of flies, bees, beetles, and mosquitoes. All thrived in a humid forest environment during the age of dinosaurs, likely near abundant lakes, rivers, and marshes necessary for some species’ life cycles.
Polypore beetle encased in amber discovered in Ecuador
Enrique Peñalver
Visitors to the site are definitely advised to use insect repellent. “And perhaps look for a way to avoid encounters with carnivorous dinosaurs,” he humorously suggests.
“Some mosquitoes exhibit blood-feeding behavior, implying that they at one time relied on vertebrate blood, possibly from birds or non-avian dinosaurs,” he notes.
However, the dinosaur DNA that mosquitoes may have ingested from amber is likely compromised by the chemical properties of resin. “We cannot recreate a Jurassic Park from Cretaceous amber, certainly not with current techniques,” Delclòs remarks.
Dinosaur exploration in the Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Join an exciting and immersive expedition into the remains of dinosaurs in the vast expanse of the Gobi Desert, known for its rich paleontological history.
Yoga has emerged as the leading practice for enhancing sleep
ShutterStock/Drazen Zigic
After a poor night’s sleep, the last thing I feel like doing is working out, even though I know it could help me rest better. The idea of intense physical activity when I’m sleep-deprived doesn’t seem appealing. However, I was astonished to discover that pushing yourself at the gym may not be the most effective strategy for improving sleep.
A recent review of 22 studies involving over 1,300 adults suffering from insomnia evaluated how seven exercise-related interventions influenced sleep. It was found that gentler activities like yoga and Tai Chi contribute more positively to sleep quality than intense workouts, such as strength training and aerobic exercises.
Yoga (as shown in the image) has been linked with an increase in total sleep time by nearly 2 hours compared to the control group, surpassing the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy. Traditional insomnia treatments boost sleep by merely about an hour, while Tai Chi results in a 52-minute increase. Instead of helping individuals sleep longer, exercising diminished the frequency of awakenings and shortened the duration it took to fall asleep.
I must admit I found these findings surprising. I had thought one reason exercise helps improve sleep is because it tires you out. However, the results suggest this isn’t the case; intense physical activity had minimal impact on sleep.
Then what about those gentle exercises that are major contributors to better sleep? Their effectiveness may lie in their focus on breath control and bodily awareness. Research indicates that mindfulness practices, along with activities like Yoga and Tai Chi, diminish the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which manages our fight or flight responses. This leads to reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, ultimately alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms that can disrupt sleep.
However, these findings don’t suggest that other types of exercise lack value for those with insomnia. In fact, walking and jogging showed the most significant reductions in insomnia severity index scores, which assess sleep quality alongside its effects on mood, attention, and memory. Although walking and jogging didn’t seem to improve sleep duration, the reduced severity scores might indicate that mild aerobic activities assist in mitigating the daytime impacts of insomnia.
I truly appreciate this kind of research. I believe that exercise encompasses more than just pushing your body to its limits. If I’m not physically drained, I can find myself thinking that my workouts don’t matter, but that’s simply not accurate! Interestingly, reducing the intensity seems to have its unique advantages, including enhanced sleep quality. Plus, unrolling my yoga mat feels more manageable after a night of poor sleep than logging miles on the treadmill.
Grace Wade is a health reporter for New Scientist based in the US
POriswork often resembles neither a shield nor a duty; it’s primarily focused on documentation, online training, and educating individuals about driver criminal courses. Yet sometimes, reality echoes artistry. In 2020, the International Police infiltrated Encrochat, an encrypted phone network utilized by organized crime groups globally. They had a staggering 74 days of access to all communications, images, and plans involving drug trafficking, money laundering, scams, and homicide. “It was like LinkedIn for organized crime,” remarks Matt Horn, principal commander of the UK’s National Crime Agency (not an actor from Gavin & Stacey).
Operation Dark Phone: Murder by Text (Sunday, 9pm, Channel 4) presents a documentary drama that artfully centers around these messages, providing a gripping insight into how criminal enterprises function. Here, “sweets” refer to bullets, while “pineapple” signifies a homemade projectile. A violent British criminal, known for lying low in Spain, orchestrates a corrosive attack on a rival, even while sharing images of his breakfast: sliced cucumber with paprika—quite the culinary juxtaposition. The advised trick is to ensure the victim can’t reach the sink, allowing the acid to do its grim work. Not so appetizing.
The show is steeped in remarkably dark humor, largely courtesy of usernames like “Click” on an anonymous platform. Names like “Mystical Steaks,” “Worthy Bridges,” and “Top Shags” contain the absurdity akin to Chris Morris’s work. At one point, an agent describes interactions with the user “Livelong” and “Ball-Sniffer,” assuming the latter’s lowly status. Agents in their respective fields navigate through a thrilling narrative. Typically, they handle fewer than 100 explicit life threats in a year, yet during this operation, they intercepted over 150 in just six weeks. Logistically, that poses a challenge.
Detectives had access to criminal messages for 74 days. Photo: Channel 4
The show excels in captivating its audience. The narrative arc introduces well-developed characters and builds tension towards a crescendo. “Ace-Prospect” is seen importing firearms into the UK, while “Livelong” seeks revenge against him. Neither side, connected through intermediaries, knows the identity of the opposing party. The NCA faces a time crunch, often receiving message data a full day late, leading to a relentless race against time. A dilemma arises when an Ace-Prospect hitman mistakenly delivers a “pineapple” to a rival’s garden without it detonating—how do they safeguard the lives of nearby children while upholding their covert mission?
This narrative is far more enticing than traditional Crimewatch formats. Rather than petty criminals, it presents affluent players orchestrating offenses from afar. Is it ethical? Is there a risk of glamorizing crime? The visual portrayal evokes leisure, showcasing luxurious pools, gym-toned physiques, and cinematic weapons. The actor portraying Livelong bears a striking resemblance to Claes Bang and often appears shirtless. Nevertheless, beneath the surface, it’s a moral tale. The text echoes horrifying fantasies: “I’ll take his eyes out and chase him around all the prisons,” reminiscent of an acid-infused nightmare.
Gang members contributed to their own downfall with constant oversharing, boasting, and vanity. Photo: Channel 4
The allure lies not just in the medium but in the underlying message. The downfall of these criminals stems from superficial behavior, incessant sharing, and physical vanity driven by social media pride. Livelong’s identity is ultimately exposed when he posts a triumphant selfie. Just imagine an old-school criminal’s disbelief at this premise; I envision them slapping their foreheads, only to forget to release their fists and knock themselves out.
The criticism leveled at the series arises from the realization that this isn’t mere dramatization—it’s grounded in reality. Part of the critique stems from fear—a reminder to us that there exist individuals who trivialize their lives and revel in violence. Operation Dark Phone is a four-part documentary series providing a harrowing glimpse into police operations, promising even more astounding revelations as the story unfolds. If your faith in humanity feels shaken, you might want to skip this one. Just in case, you might want to avoid supermarket pineapples too.
Walking 7,000 steps daily can significantly enhance your overall health.
A recent research review indicated that individuals who walk at least 7,000 steps each day nearly halve their risk of death from all causes over a given timeframe.
Walking just 4,000 steps daily has been shown to considerably lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, depression, and falls.
Improvements continue with increased step counts, but the benefits start to taper off after reaching 7,000 steps. This makes 7,000 steps a more realistic goal for those aiming to boost their health, compared to the commonly recommended 10,000 steps.
It’s well-known that increasing physical activity offers substantial health benefits; however, our increasingly sedentary lifestyles mean that one-third of the global population is considered insufficiently active.
Counting daily steps is a popular method for tracking activity levels. The often cited target of 10,000 steps is frequently viewed as the benchmark to achieve, but this number lacks solid scientific backing.
A recent review published in Lancet Public Health examined 57 studies to clarify what step count should be targeted for health benefits.
The review started with a baseline of 2,000 steps per day, finding that health benefits increased with every additional 1,000 steps.
However, the pace of improvement began to level off after 7,000 steps.
For the average person, 7,000 steps equate to roughly 3-3.5 miles, depending on stride length – Credit: Getty Images
At the 7,000-step mark, the results showed a dramatic impact: all-cause mortality decreased by 47%, the risk of dementia dropped by 38%, and cardiovascular disease risk reduced by 25%. There were also significant reductions in the risk of depression, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
Even a slight increase in step counts can lead to a 36% reduction in all-cause mortality.
Despite the rising interest in using step counts as a metric for tracking activity levels, public health officials have previously lacked enough evidence to establish scientifically backed targets.
The non-official 10,000-step target originated from a pedometer marketing campaign during the 1968 Tokyo Olympics, rather than being health-related; interestingly, the number resembles a walking figure in Japanese characters.
Artwork depicting a group of Serratopsians with an Ankylosaurus moving along an ancient riverbed, observed by two tyrannosaurs
Julius Csotonyi
Have you ever considered a scenario where a group of plant-eating dinosaurs banded together, similar to certain modern-day animals? A 76 million-year-old set of tracks discovered in Canada could be the earliest indication of such behavior, although conclusions are far from definitive.
Last year, Brian Pickles and his team from the University of Reading in the UK uncovered parallel tracks in Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, created by at least five individual creatures.
“The tracks are in close proximity and evenly spaced,” comments Pickles. “This indicates they were likely moving in unison.”
Initially, researchers believed all the tracks belonged to the well-known Ceratopsians, particularly the Triceratops. While they haven’t pinpointed the specific Ceratopsid that created the tracks, fossil evidence suggests that Styracosaurus albertensis was present in the area at that time.
“During our excavation, we noted that one set of tracks was distinct from the others,” Pickles remarks. “While it shares a similar size, it features three toes. The only large dinosaur known to have made such a footprint in the park during that era was the Ankylosaurus, a heavily armored species with a club-like tail.”
He explains that since the tracks were presumably made near a river, the Ankylosaurus might have walked among the Serratopsians simply because they were all heading to the river to drink simultaneously. However, it’s also plausible that different herbivorous dinosaur species grouped together over time for protection. Notably, two predatory Tyrannosaurus tracks were found in proximity.
“In contemporary African ecosystems, it’s common for giraffes, zebras, and wildebeests to form mixed groups, which have varying abilities to detect predators,” Pickles adds.
Nevertheless, this remains inconclusive for multi-species flocks among dinosaurs, as only one Ankylosaurus footprint has been identified thus far.
Technician inspecting tracks at Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada
Dr. Brian Pickles, University of Reading
“I was struck by the notion that tracks from two distinct large herbivorous dinosaurs could be found so closely situated, all oriented in the same direction,” states Anthony Martin from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
“While it’s possible that the Serratopsians and Ankylosaurus could have occupied the area at different times, the proximity and alignment of their footprints provides a compelling argument that they influenced one another,” he elaborates.
Conversely, Anthony Romilio from the University of Queensland in Australia expresses skepticism about the presence of tracks from two separate species. “The proposed tracks of Serratopsia and Ankylosaurus exhibit surprising similarities,” he states.
In fact, noting that only the width of the track and the rear footprints were discovered, Romilio proposes that they may have been made by duck-billed dinosaurs. “In my view, these footprints are more likely attributable to a large-bodied hadrosaur,” he asserts.
“This doesn’t negate the possibility of mixed-species groups among dinosaurs. Various bird and mammal species are known to form such groups,” Romilio states. “It’s entirely reasonable to think that some dinosaurs may have done the same.”
However, Pickles refutes Romilio’s claim regarding the tracks. “These are definitely not hadrosaur tracks,” he states.
Wimbledon is currently underway, and I’m seizing the moment to present a bold assertion: tennis holds a pivotal role as the most significant sport in the evolution of video games.
Although modern gaming giants like EA Sports FC, Madden, and NBA 2K dominate the charts, tennis lays the groundwork for the industry. Originally conceived as a straightforward bat-and-ball game by scientists in 1958, William Higginbotham introduced what is recognized by the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York, as the first video game created solely for entertainment. This tennis game was exhibited on an oscilloscope during the lab’s annual open house, and the growing queue of players hinted at a burgeoning interest in video gaming.
Ralph Baer, the creator of the first mass-produced gaming console, Magnavox Odyssey, incorporated tennis into his innovations. While working for defense contractor Sanders Associates in the late 1960s, Baer’s prototype could only display vertical lines and square dots. Upon Magnavox’s release of the console in 1972, the standout games included table tennis and tennis, with players using a plastic overlay on the TV screen. This allowed two players to hit the ball back and forth, introducing a degree of “spin” via a dial on the controller. The simplistic controls of these tennis games limited player skill but laid the foundation for future development.
This progression inevitably led to Pong, widely regarded as the first major success in arcade gaming. Nolan Bushnell, Atari’s founder, was inspired by the tennis game on the Odyssey and sought to improve upon it. Collaborating with programmer Al Alcone, they divided the bat on-screen into eight sections, each capable of deflecting the ball at varied angles. This marked the dawn of precise player input, a critical aspect for future video games that allowed players to showcase skill and timing. The success of Pong prompted Bushnell to create a single-player variation, Breakout, wherein players aimed to hit a ball against a disappearing brick wall—effectively a one-player tennis game. Its brilliance significantly influenced the Japanese gaming landscape, leading to NAMCO’s entry into the arcade scene. Additionally, it inspired Tomohiro Nishikado in developing Space Invaders in 1978, laying the groundwork for the entire Shoot ’em up genre.
Before his passing in 2009, Ralph Baer showcased a prototype of the “brown box,” the first console. Photo: Jens Wolf/AP
Tennis simulations also played a crucial role in the rise of home computer gaming in the 1980s. Games like ZX Spectrum’s Match Points and International Tennis on the Commodore 64 delivered an engaging, easy two-player experience, contrasting with the more complex football simulations. This accessibility drew in gamers, and Nintendo capitalized on this with titles like Mario Tennis and Wii Sports, which became some of the most beloved sports games.
As consoles evolved, tennis games became staple titles across generations, often drawing in those new to gaming. While not boasting the flashy allure of soccer or basketball simulations, they maintained appeal for casual players. Titles such as Namco’s smash court, Codemasters’ Pete Sampras Tennis, 2K’s Top Spin, and Sega’s Virtua Tennis enriched the fundamental concept of rallying the ball over the net. Tennis uniquely features a confined play area that provides extensive enjoyment, intricate skill mechanics, and an easily understood ruleset within a concentrated, single-screen environment.
Have you ever found yourself waiting in line outside scientific research establishments in Upton, New York, in the fall of 1958, playing Space Blaster or Kung Fu games? I doubt it—it would have seemed uncomfortable and enigmatic to many attendees. Take a look at Computer Space, the first commercial space shooter arcade game released in 1971, designed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It performed modestly, but Pong’s success transformed the gaming landscape. Its controls were overly complex, and the abstract concepts were off-putting. Tennis subtly became the gateway for video games, adeptly infiltrating homes and entertainment venues, creating a new cultural phenomenon.
What to Play
Retro Treat… Armageddon of the Worm: Anniversary Edition. Photo: Team 17
I’m inclined to recommend a tennis game—classics like Virtua Tennis or Top Spin 4 come to mind—but for a twist, consider Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition. This modern take on the beloved 1999 title is a chaotic, multiplayer turn-based game where players eliminate opponents using an arsenal that includes sheep launchers, banana bombs, and concrete donkeys.
It’s an absurdly entertaining experience, demanding profound tactical thought and mastery over angles and trajectories. The game also unlocks access to previous titles from the Mega Drive and Game Boy series—an excellent deal.
Available on: PS5, Switch, Xbox Estimated playtime: 10 hours to 25 years
What to Read
£80 Pop…Mario Kart World. Photo: Nintendo
A pressing issue: Video Game Prices on the Rise. Continuing The BBC has reported on consumer grievances regarding video game costs, with major titles reaching up to £80. Increased production and development expenses contribute to this surge, yet attention should also be directed towards the hefty salaries of CEOs in certain industries.
Curious about how Metacritic operates? GamesIndustry.biz interviewed the founder to uncover the science behind score aggregation. Several intriguing discussions arose, including the practice of linking game publisher bonuses to the latest project metascore.
Certain sites, such as IGN, have covered recent comments from former Xbox executive Laura Fryer on the end of Xbox hardware. The announcement about Microsoft’s future strategies, including the ROG Xbox Ally X Handheld PC, sheds light on potential changes ahead.
I love your console… Sega Mega Drive. Photo: Keith Stuart/Guardian
This inquiry is from Johnny Biscuits:
“Five years ago, numerous media commentators claimed that the PS5/Xbox Series X would be the final generation of consoles. What is the current opinion?”
As mentioned, early Xbox employee Laura Fryer has suggested winding down hardware development in favor of Microsoft’s focus on Xbox applications across various platforms. This shift is becoming increasingly evident, particularly with announcements like the ROG Xbox Ally and the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition, as well as Samsung integrating Xbox titles into their smart TVs. However, Microsoft recently announced a multi-year partnership with AMD that includes plans for “future Xbox consoles.” Conversely, Sony, lacking the extensive ecosystem available to Microsoft through Windows, recently reiterated its commitment to dedicated consoles, especially given the PS5’s sales of around 78 million units. Additionally, rumors about a Switch 2 have emerged, with the latest model surpassing 3.5 million units sold within its first four days.
In conclusion, I don’t anticipate devoted gaming consoles disappearing anytime soon. They remain more cost-effective than assembling and maintaining a gaming PC while providing a more stable gaming experience than streaming alternatives. After a five-year stretch that prioritized digital access and streaming ownership, game consoles continue to be cherished objects, evoking nostalgia along with being functional. It might seem unreasonable to cling to a bundle of plastic and circuitry, yet when that apparatus resembles the Mega Drive, Neo Geo, or PlayStation 5, it transforms into more than a mere device—it becomes a part of our entertainment culture.
If you have inquiries, feedback regarding the newsletter, or other comments, please reach out to pushbuttons@theguardian.com.
At the age of seven or eight, my father, an expert in biology, brought home what I initially assumed was just a jar full of sticks. To my surprise, when they began to move, he informed me they were actually stick insects. I found them fascinating; they may not have been cute, but they had a unique charm. They were undeniably cool.
It seems I was ahead of my time. Recently, two Belgian teenagers were released from a Kenyan prison after paying fines related to wildlife copyright violations. They admitted to trying to smuggle 5,000 ants out of the country. Such actions are part of the growing global trade in exotic pets, often reported as “booming”. Their catch included the giant African harvester ants (Messor cephalotes), which can sell for around £170 in the UK.
Ants are just one type of invertebrate being traded and kept as pets. Other creatures in this menagerie include spiders, scorpions, various beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers, snails, slugs, and stick insects.
Recent research has identified that almost 1,000 invertebrate species are involved in the exotic pet market. Some are traded legally, while others are illegal. The giant African harvester ant is a protected species in Kenya.
Keeping invertebrates as pets might seem like an innocent hobby, but it can have serious implications for biodiversity. Estimates suggest that two-thirds of the arachnids sold are poached from the wild. In Mexico, the population of Brachypelma tarantulas has significantly declined due to overharvesting. Additionally, poachers targeting troglobionts—species adapted to living in caves—in the limestone karsts of southeastern Europe have pushed some insect populations towards extinction.
Unsustainable harvesting further disrupts ecosystems. Invertebrates serve as crucial food sources for many vertebrates and play significant roles in vital ecosystem functions like decomposition and nutrient cycling.
Poaching destroys habitats, harming not only the target animals but also the ecosystems where they reside. Many tarantulas inhabit bromeliads, which also provide shelter for frogs and other creatures. According to Caroline Sayari Fukushima from Tarantupedia, poachers damage these plants, killing them along with the animals relying on them. In some regions, pitfall traps set by poachers are responsible for the deaths of thousands of non-target species.
In Mexico, overharvesting of tarantulas has led to significant population declines.
Exotic invertebrates are also a threat to their new environments. Of the ant species currently being traded, 57 have been classified as invasive by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with 13 identified as some of the worst invaders.
Halting this trade is exceedingly challenging. A Kenyan judge sentenced a Belgian national to a fine of 1 million Kenyan Shillings (£5,700) to signal that wildlife trafficking is intolerable. Nevertheless, smuggling persists. I have discovered numerous websites promoting the giant African harvester ant, which is native only to East Africa.
A Belgian teenager was caught attempting to smuggle invertebrates; as noted in a 2022 study on the global arachnid trade, smuggling these pets is relatively easier than trafficking other animals. They are small, easily concealed, and can evade detection by airport x-ray machines or thermal cameras. Customs officials often lack the necessary taxonomic expertise, allowing protected species to be misidentified as legal imports.
This situation exemplifies the age-old issues of greed, exploitation, and environmental destruction. However, it doesn’t have to remain this way. Biologists suggest that the invertebrate trade can be sustainable. By responsibly harvesting wild species, we can support the livelihoods of some of the world’s poorest communities while minimizing harmful practices like illegal logging. Increased awareness of the trade has spurred much-needed research on the conservation status of various species, bringing attention to those historically overlooked by organizations such as the IUCN.
Collectors often share a genuine interest in the incredible diversity of our planet and can play a role in conservation efforts. They should be encouraged to pursue their hobby within a well-regulated framework that ensures non-invasive and sustainably sourced invertebrates. While I won’t be acquiring any more stick insects, they certainly ignited my interest in nature.
Graham’s Week
What I’m reading
Many Things Under the Rock: The Mystery of the Octopus by David Scheel.
What I’m watching
Survivors on Netflix.
What I’m working on
The York Festival of Ideas is happening this week, so I’m exploring stories and events for inspiration… uh… ideas.
Graham Lawton is a staff writer for New Scientist and author of Must Not Grumble: The Surprising Science of Everyday Ailments. You can follow him @grahamlawton
Joshua Goodman, an associate professor of education and economics at Boston University, observed similarly remarkable outcomes at the university level. He analyzed a dataset of students whose scores were close to the cutoff points for entry into what are referred to as “target colleges.” These candidates are nearly identical, differing by just 10 points or less, highlighting that one student’s score can hinge on minor variations. Generally, those who were just above the threshold gained admittance, while those just below did not. Goodman discovered that younger siblings of successful individuals were significantly more likely to attend equally selective universities compared to older siblings who missed the cutoff by a few points. The younger siblings who managed to enter a prestigious university likely elevated their aspirations, seeing a clear path ahead thanks to their older siblings’ experiences.
Michelle Obama’s university experience mirrors Goodman’s findings, despite his research being conducted decades later. Raised in a working-class neighborhood on Chicago’s south side, Obama’s parents did not initially consider Ivy League schools for her. Her older brother Craig excelled academically and gained the advantage of athletic prowess, earning a spot on the basketball team at Princeton University. In her book, Becoming, Obama reflects on the impact of observing her brother’s journey, stating, “No one in my family had any first-hand experience with university, so there was little discussion or exploration.” She noted that she wanted to emulate her brother’s achievements, which ultimately made Princeton a viable choice for her. Despite a guidance counselor suggesting she “wasn’t Princeton material,” Obama remained undeterred, confident in her abilities and potential.
Research by Zang and Goodman indicates that positive interventions for one child from a low-income family can ripple out to benefit their siblings. This suggests that interventions may yield greater overall impact than previously thought, enhancing not just the individual child’s experience, but potentially altering the life trajectories of their entire family.
Zang’s study revealed that nearly one-third of academic similarities among siblings could be attributed to these spillover effects, rather than shared environments or common genetics. However, these ripple effects can also be detrimental, particularly in disadvantaged families. Children from such backgrounds often face academic challenges due to various obstacles. Zang posits that a child with academic ambitions may experience greater distress if their sibling suffers setbacks, as academic performance is a reliable predictor of future income, which can subsequently lead to diminished earnings across the family.
Both Zang and Goodman emphasize that the spillover effect is most pronounced in underprivileged families, suggesting a need for researchers to recognize that sibling influences function differently based on socioeconomic status. For instance, a 2022 study published in the *Frontiers in Psychology* complicated the well-known assertion that the eldest siblings are the most academically esteemed within families. It found that the oldest children in high-risk families and those with non-native English speaking parents do not perform better on cognitive tests, even if they are more prepared for school at age two. This suggests that these families experience increased interaction with older siblings due to their unique challenges.
Intermittent fasting has emerged as a popular approach to enhance health and boost metabolism. However, recent research indicates that its advantages may be diminished by body fat due to inconspicuous disruptions in the liver’s hunger adaptation.
In a study, researchers assessed liver modifications in both healthy and obese mice that lacked leptin, the hormone responsible for regulating appetite, during food deprivation periods. Intermittent fasting entails extended calorie restriction followed by a regular eating window.
Both mouse groups exhibited similar metabolic networks, comprising liver molecules that collaboratively manage energy; however, significant differences in timing were observed.
“In a healthy liver, energy-centric molecules such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) quickly respond to starvation and modulate various metabolic reactions,” stated Professor Shinya Kuroda in BBC Science Focus.
“This mechanism appears to be deficient and confused in obese individuals.”
To put it differently, in healthy mice, energy-related molecules like ATP and AMP operate as primary hubs, swiftly adapting metabolic responses to conserve and redistribute energy. Conversely, in obese mice, these molecules did not exhibit a quick response, resulting in a sluggish and disoriented reaction to starvation.
A rapid response from ATP and AMP during periods of food scarcity enables the liver to utilize energy from stored reserves. This process is believed to facilitate several benefits of intermittent fasting, such as weight reduction and better glycemic control.
Through a combination of structural and temporal metabolic analyses, the research team elucidates how obesity induces metabolic “jet lag,” complicating not just the timing but also the manner in which crucial molecular events transpire.
“Our findings could have significant implications for enhancing the effectiveness of intermittent fasting in humans,” Kuroda remarked.
“Next, we aim to identify easily detectable blood-based biomarkers in humans,” Kuroda added. “Ultimately, clinical research is necessary to assess our findings. The journey is lengthy, but every thousand-mile journey begins with a single step.”
Shinya Kuroda is a professor at the Faculty of Science at the University of Tokyo, Japan, focusing on Systems Biology. His research includes publications in Cell, Journal of Biochemistry, and Natural Cell Biology.
The closest Einstein ring ever picked up by the European Space Agency's Euclidean Space Telescope
ESA
Astronomers have identified the closest Einstein ring ever. This is a rare phenomenon in which light from even more off-the-sea galaxies bend due to the gravity of galaxies near Earth. The ring was previously thought to be one galaxy, and was identified over 100 years ago.
Such a galaxy lens, the closest astronomer to date, was predicted by Albert Einstein in 1936 from his general theory of relativity. At the time, he thought it was impossible to observe such an effect. In fact, if he had a strong enough telescope, he would have seen it. “It was there all along, but we didn't know.” Thomas Collett At the University of Portsmouth, UK.
Colette and his team are about 600 million light years from Earth, and the oval galaxy NGC 6505, first discovered in 1884, is actually the second galaxy behind about 600 million light years from Earth. I noticed that the light was bent.
Close-up of Einstein Ring
ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, J.-C. Image processing by Cuillandre, T. Li
Team Members Bruno Artieri We observed Einstein rings at the European Space Agency while verifying early test data from the Euclidean telescope. “There was this abundant and obvious Einstein ring. There aren't many in the universe that can produce rings like this,” says Colette.
“We would have expected about one of three opportunities to find something as spectacular as this throughout the research,” he says. “It's essentially a great fortune to find it in the first data. This is probably the most beautiful lens we find on a mission.”
The ring itself is very bright compared to most Einstein rings we know, Colette says. This is not only very close to us, but also due to the Euclidean imaging capabilities. “I'm like someone with poor eyesight,” says Colette. This makes it easy to see four images of distant galaxies. The faint orange lights surrounding the bright ring are the galaxy of Rensing.
Bringing the Einstein ring closer to Earth allows us to test relativity in ways that we cannot do with other distant lenses, says Colette. This is because galaxies can be measured in two ways. , often too far to measure accurately. Einstein's general theory of relativity states that these masses should be the same, so if there are differences it may suggest that the theory of gravity should be revised.
When Colette and his colleagues measured the mass of the lensed galaxy, they also found a slightly higher number than possible from the galaxy's estimated number of stars. This could be due to the dark matter aggregation together at Galaxy's Center. Frédéric Dux He says observatory in southern Europe needs to find more Einstein lenses to check.
Small rocks in the universe revealed that life on earth could have come from asteroids. And life outside of earth suggests that we are one step closer than we thought.
A bold NASA mission known as OSIRIS-REX five years ago The Bennu asteroid is on a course close to colliding with earth, and in the process, it will grab a small sample. A small capsule, containing 120 grams (4 ounces) of asteroid material, landed in the Utah Desert in late 2023.
Since then, scientists have been eagerly waiting to hear the contents of the capsule. Currently, scientists have confirmed that the asteroid contains not only organic matter but also all the components that make up DNA.
Sample return capsules from NASA’s OSIRIS-REX mission are found immediately after landing in the Utah Desert on September 24, 2023. Photo Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber
Bennu, currently orbiting close to the earth, is an ancient fragment of our solar system, with its parent asteroid formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
“We now know from Bennu that the ingredients of life are really interesting and complicated,” said Dr. Tim McCoy, the MET stone curator at the National Natural History Museum in the United States and co-leader of new papers.
“We have found the next step on the road to life.”
The breakthroughs suggest that life was formed on earth after asteroid collisions, but this process also occurs throughout the universe, whether through parent bodies or other asteroid collisions. It suggests a new beginning.
How can Bennu help in forming life?
The most important discovery is that Bennu seems to host “Brinny Bros,” which allows minerals and salts to mix. This compound developed into complex structures that form essential ingredients of life.
Researchers suggest that saltwater outside of earth may be an essential environment for birthing organic compounds throughout the universe, including on earth. In addition to the potential of water, these saltwater environments can facilitate prebiotic organic synthesis processes, where building blocks for life can come together.
Surprisingly, the absence of liquid water plays a vital role here. While liquid water is essential for life, chemical reactions needed to form complex structures require a loss of water in the process.
So what mixture forms this life?
The survey results will be published in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy. Researchers around the world analyzed a small part of the sample using an electron microscope, enabling inspection at a resolution equal to a human hair.
“It may seem natural to think that earth, hosting life, has the most widespread collection of organic materials in the solar system,” said Dr. Douglas Vacoc, Research Organization Messaging President of METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence), to BBC Science Focus.
The first museum exhibit of a sample from the Bennu Asteroid was announced at the National Natural History Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in the United States. This is a rock-filled fragment with mass. Photo Credit: James di Loret and Philip R. Lee, Smithsonian
The impressive asteroid collection contains 14 of the 20 amino acids found in all living organisms (protein building blocks), including individual non-protein amino acids not known or existing in known biology. The sample also contains all five nucleic bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, uracil) that form the code of DNA and RNA.
“There are no signs that Bennu’s amino acids were created by living organisms, but as we know, some essential building blocks for life are abundant on this asteroid,” Vacoch said.
How close are we to “life”?
Researchers have yet to understand the complex structure formed at Bennu’s core upon impact.
“We now have a basic building block moving along this path, but how far along this process can progress is unknown,” they said.
It’s not clear if Bennu’s conditions can advance to the next stage of biological evolution.
“Amino acids alone are not enough for life,” said Professor Lewis Dartnell to BBC Science Focus. “These acids need to bond into long chains to start protein production or bind to DNA. The next step in the origin of life requires not just building blocks but assembling these blocks.”
“To create life, these building blocks must begin the production of molecules like proteins and DNA, forming them into cells,” he added.
What is needed beyond organic molecules and water to reach this point? “The missing elements are energy sources like photosynthesis or chemical energy,” said Dartnell. “Additionally, a long period is required to move from simple amino acids to proteins, DNA, cells, and life spans.”
A scanning electron microscope image of carbonated sodium venous in Bennu’s sample – Photo Credit: Rob Wandel, Tim Gooding, and Tim McCoy, Smithsonian
This discovery represents a significant leap in understanding Bennu’s nature.
“By examining Bennu’s chemical composition, we have found clues to its origins and recent discoveries point to its roots in the outer solar system,” said Vacoch.
Bennu’s contents may set a new baseline for exploring other cosmic bodies. The sample was meticulously preserved before analysis, ensuring the integrity of the salt content.
“There is no substitute for traveling to asteroids, collecting pristine samples, and returning them to an Earth research institute,” Vacoch stated. “OSIRIS-REX serves as proof of profound discoveries from sample return missions.”
If the fragments had fallen to earth on their own, the salt content would have been disrupted in the earth’s atmosphere. But with this knowledge, McCoy and his colleagues may find evidence of this saltwater in existing MET stone collections.
“This is like finding what you were looking for on a mission,” McCoy said. “We have found something unexpected. It’s the best reward for all kinds of exploration.”
About our experts
Dr. Douglas Vacoch, President of the Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI), is a research and educational organization that sends signals to nearby stars. He is a member of the International Space Law Research Institute and serves as a general editor for Springer’s Space and Society series.
Professor Lewis Dartnell is a Professor of Science Communication at the University of Westminster, specializing in space biology and the exploration of microbial life on Mars. He is the author of Origin: How Earth Created Us and The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch.
Read more:
10 future space missions I’m looking forward to
What do aliens actually look like?
These four signs of alien technology may lead us beyond earth
A recent comprehensive study has uncovered the significant health benefits and potential drawbacks of Ozempic and Wegovy. Groundbreaking research has shown that weight loss medications, such as Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA) like Ozempic and Wegovy, can have a total of 61 effects on the body, most of which are positive.
These drugs function by imitating the hormones naturally created in the body to regulate appetite, thereby promoting a sense of fullness and reducing hunger.
“Given the novelty and increasing popularity of these medications, it is crucial to thoroughly investigate their effects on various bodily systems to gain a comprehensive understanding of their benefits and risks,” said the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Ziyad Al Ali, an Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, University of Washington, USA.
The research team, led by Al-Aly, discovered that these weight loss drugs could lower the risk of 42 health conditions while increasing the risk of 19 others.
The Positive Effects of Weight Loss Drugs
Published in Nature Medicine, the study analyzed data from 2 million individuals with diabetes, with approximately 216,000 using GLP-1RAs and the rest on other diabetes medications that do not include GLP-1RAs. The results suggested numerous health benefits for those using weight loss drugs, including a decreased risk of cardiovascular issues like blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes, aligning with previous research findings.
Additionally, beyond the known benefits, researchers discovered potential advantages in unexpected areas. Despite concerns about GLP-1RAs potentially causing suicidal thoughts, new research found positive impacts on neurological health. Users experienced reduced risks of conditions such as suicidal ideation, self-harm, substance use disorders, psychotic disorders like schizophrenia, and bulimia.
Al-Aly proposed that the mechanisms responsible for weight loss could also influence these outcomes. The drugs act on brain receptors associated with impulse control, reward, and addiction, potentially explaining their efficacy in curbing appetite and addiction disorders.
Furthermore, individuals using these drugs were less prone to cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, likely due to reduced brain inflammation. They also exhibited lower risks of seizures, bacterial infections, and pneumonia.
Although these medications do not serve as cures (the researchers noted a 10-20% risk reduction for these conditions), the benefits, especially for conditions like dementia with limited treatment options, remain significant.
The Hidden Risks of Weight Loss Drugs
Despite the numerous potential benefits of GLP-1RA drugs, there are also associated risks. Users showed increased susceptibility to gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, and arthritis. Surprisingly, researchers identified a heightened risk of rare but severe pancreatic and kidney diseases.
“GLP-1RA drugs offer a wide array of health benefits,” Al Ali stated. “However, they are not without risks. Our findings underscore the importance of monitoring these drugs closely due to their broad usage and potential risks.” He emphasized the need for caution.
While the results could guide clinical care, some researchers raised concerns about the study’s design not considering other potential effects. They cautioned that interpretation should proceed with care, as the differences between individuals using GLP-1RAs like Ozempic and those who do not may stem from factors beyond the drug itself.
“Studies like this should be approached with caution, as individuals were not randomly assigned to GLP-1RA treatment,” explained Professor Stephen O’Rahilly, Director of the Wellcome MRC Metabolism Laboratory at the Metabolism Research Institute in Cambridge. He further stated that while the study provides reassurance on the drugs’ safety, caution remains necessary.
The researchers from the University of Washington recognized that their findings only observed associations and did not prove causation for the benefits or risks of GLP-1RAs. Additionally, the study participants primarily comprised older white men, indicating a need for future research to encompass a more diverse population.
Despite this limitation, the findings anticipate future research targeting a broader demographic. O’Rahilly suggested that the results offer reassurance regarding the risk/benefit balance of long-term GLP-1RA use in diabetic patients, creating anticipation for forthcoming investigations.
Comprehensive List of GLP-1RA Effects
Positive Effects
The study revealed that drugs like Ozempic could significantly reduce the risk of 42 health conditions, including:
shock
aspiration pneumonia
liver failure
respiratory failure
cardiac arrest
Bulimia
schizophrenia
pulmonary hypertension
Postoperative respiratory complications
liver cancer
sepsis
stimulant use disorder
pneumonia
Thromboembolic disorders
pleural effusion
hemorrhagic stroke
chronic phlebitis
opioid use disorder
inflammatory bowel disease
cannabis use disorder
bacterial infection
acute pulmonary embolism
acute kidney injury
Aftereffects after thrombosis
pneumonia
heart failure
gangrene
alcohol use disorder
suicidal thoughts
seizure
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
osteomyelitis
myocardial infarction
muscle pain
heat
deep vein thrombosis
Coagulopathy and clotting disorders
ischemic stroke
Neurocognitive disorders
urinary tract infection
chronic kidney disease
anemia
Negative Effects
The study also indicated a heightened risk of 19 health conditions associated with drugs like Ozempic, including:
Robots the size of a grain of sand work together like ants
Jung Jae-wi et al.
Swarms of small robots guided by magnetic fields can coordinate and act like ants, even swarming to form floating rafts or lifting objects hundreds of times their weight. The microrobots, which are about the size of a grain of sand, could one day be able to perform tasks that larger robots cannot, such as unclogging blood vessels or delivering drugs to specific parts of the human body.
Jung Jaewi and his colleagues at South Korea's Hanyang University built the tiny, cubic-shaped robot using a mold and epoxy resin embedded with a magnetic alloy. These tiny magnetic particles allow the microrobot to be “programmed” to form different configurations after being exposed to a strong magnetic field from a specific angle. The bot is controlled by an external magnetic field and can perform rotations and other movements. This approach allowed the team to “efficiently and quickly manufacture hundreds to thousands of microrobots” with magnetic profiles designed for specific missions, Wee said.
The researchers instructed swarms of microrobots to work together to overcome obstacles five times higher than individual microrobots and form floating rafts on water. The bot also punched through a clogged tube and transported tablets weighing 2000 times their individual weight through a liquid, demonstrating potential medical applications.
“These magnetic microrobots hold great promise for minimally invasive drug delivery in confined, confined spaces,” he says. small guangdong from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee was not involved in the study. However, microrobots are not yet capable of autonomously navigating complex and narrow spaces such as arteries.
There are also safety challenges, Dong said, including the need to coat “potentially toxic” magnetic particles with human-friendly materials. Still, he says he's optimistic about future medical applications for such microrobots. When safe, bots can “effectively travel to targeted disease sites and deliver drugs locally,” making treatments more precise and effective.
“Hello again!” Pigeons remember individual human faces
Martin Parr/Magnum Photo
Recently, when I was walking in the park with some friends, they pointed out the pigeons and told me I was looking at their favorite bird. I couldn’t believe it. Pigeon? That winged pest? My friend responded with this perverse logic. It makes a lot of sense that pigeons are our favorite birds because they’re always fun.
I was momentarily confused and wondered if anyone could really be so obsessed with pigeons. As it turns out, the joke was on me. I talked to other friends and co-workers, and a surprising number of them loved the humble Pidge. one new scientist An anonymous colleague confessed to having a secret dove tattoo. I also saw a news report that A couple with their adopted pigeon sleeping on their bed.
After doing a little reading, I found that pigeons have a lot to recommend. In addition to their well-known homing abilities, they are intelligent to say the least. Although they are not mammals, they do produce a type of milk. They kiss each other and praise themselves after sex, recognize individual people (And you can remember the person who was mean to you). All this put together made me think that I might be able to love this seemingly ordinary bird after all. So, armed with curiosity and a bag of oatmeal, I set out to do just that.
A little bird watching
I wanted to conduct my research with at least a sense of scientific integrity, so I came up with the idea of an “experiment.” First of all, I…
During midwinter, under the right conditions, the polar sky can be transformed into a colorful spectacle by shimmering clouds.
These rainbow clouds, also known as “nacre clouds” due to their resemblance to iridescent shells, are an incredibly rare atmospheric phenomenon.
Scientifically referred to as “polar stratospheric clouds,” they exist at much higher altitudes in the atmosphere compared to typical clouds. While most clouds are found below 10 km above the Earth’s surface, rainbow clouds form in the lower stratosphere, between 15 and 25 km in altitude.
In the usually dry stratosphere, temperatures dropping below -80°C can cause sparse water molecules to form small ice crystals that eventually gather to create a cloud. These tiny ice crystals scatter sunlight, producing a dazzling rainbow effect and a pearlescent appearance.
Due to their high altitudes, the curvature of the Earth allows sunlight from below the horizon to hit and reflect off the underside of these clouds, illuminating them at dawn and dusk.
Rainbow clouds formed from pure water crystals are the thickest and most vivid, while those formed from air pollutants like nitric acid can result in thin, less impressive clouds. The latter type of cloud is associated with the degradation of the Antarctic ozone layer.
To witness rainbow clouds, consider visiting Antarctica during winter or look up at the sky around sunrise or sunset in parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Alaska, or even Scotland. These breathtaking phenomena are a result of unique atmospheric conditions.
This article addresses the question posed by Ollie Peterson via email: “What causes rainbow clouds?”
If you have any inquiries, please contact us at:questions@sciencefocus.comor reach out to us onFacebook,TwitterorInstagram(please include your name and location).
Smaller pterosaurs may have flapped their wings, while larger ones may have flown.
Terryl Whitlatch
Despite living hundreds of millions of years apart, pterosaurs may be more similar to modern birds than previously thought: the bone structure of these giant reptiles suggests that the largest used wings to fly, while smaller ones flapped their wings to achieve flight.
The discovery comes from a remarkably well-preserved pterosaur fossil unearthed in Jordan, where the mechanism of flight has left traces in the skeleton. Jeffrey Wilson Mantilla At the University of Michigan.
Pterosaurs began flying about 80 million years before birds and bats. During their 150 million year reign, from the Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous period, they conquered every continent and evolved into a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Some were as small as a sparrow, while others had wingspans the size of a city bus. Analysis of pterosaur bones has revealed that different pterosaurs used different flight tactics to stay airborne.
Wilson-Mantilla and his team compared the fossils of two different pterosaur species and were delighted to discover that the 3D structure of the bones was still intact, which was a surprise because the hollow, brittle bones of pterosaurs would have easily broken down. Computed tomography scans revealed that the bones of the two reptile species were significantly different.
Large pterosaur, Arambrugiana Philadelphiahad spiral ridges running up and down the inside of their bones, similar to modern birds like eagles that fly with their wings fixed. Inabatanin Arabia The bird, a new species to science, had crossed struts that mimicked those of flapping birds.
The helical spiral helps resist twisting forces during ascent, and the crossed footings resist bending forces of the flaps. Wilson Mantilla.
Because the team found the fossils in what was once a coastal area, Mantilla thinks the soaring pterosaurs may have gained altitude by riding updrafts (currents of warm air rising from the ocean surface). He speculates that these pterosaurs could have also flapped their wings specifically to take to the air, making their soaring trait even more unusual.
The reason why one of these pterosaurs appeared to be flapping and the other was soaring raises new questions about how the more than 100 other known pterosaur species flew. Mantilla next wants to examine fossils from around the world to see if this pattern holds true. Perhaps, like modern birds, only the largest individuals of their species were able to soar.
This story is part of our “Cosmic Perspective” series, which confronts the incredible vastness of the universe and our place in it. Read the rest of the series here.
This map shows the cosmic ring that surrounds us, stretching out to distances of up to 200 million light-years. At this scale, the universe is made up of galaxy clusters and voids, the latter being regions with relatively few galaxies. The Milky Way at the center is part of the Local Group, while the Virgo Cluster is our nearest neighbour.
The magnificent spiral
The Milky Way’s spiral structure is dominated by two major arms called Scutum-Centaurus and Perseus. It also features a dense region called the central bar. Our solar system sits on a more modest structure called the Orion Arm.
No matter how complex the questions about our metaphorical place in the universe, astronomy can help us understand Earth’s physical location.
Earth orbits at a distance of 150 million kilometers from the Sun, which in turn orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Specifically, Earth is located in the Orion Arm, about 26,500 light years from the center.
The Milky Way Galaxy is part of the Local Group of galaxies. Its nearest neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy, is about 2.5 million light-years away and is the largest galaxy in the Local Group. We are currently hurtling towards the Andromeda Galaxy at over 100 kilometers per second, and in about 4 billion years the two galaxies will collide.
Local Groups
It will shake up local groups, but it will barely be on the radar of the wider cosmic neighborhood.
This tournament Insect Week It showcases the best insect photography by amateurs of all ages, shedding light on the miniature world of insects.
The overall winner of this year’s competition is Luke Chambers from the UK, whose piece “Sleeping Cuckoos” depicts two beautiful cuckoo bees resting on a blade of grass covered with morning dew (scroll down to see it).
The overall winner in the “18 and under” category was 17-year-old Gustaf Pallenmark from Sweden, whose work “Silence” shows a striped damselfly at rest.
The Royal Entomological Society exists to advance the science of insects through research and to increase public understanding and appreciation of insects and the vital role they play in the Earth’s ecosystems.
Here are this year’s fantastic contest winners and some other favourites.
Special Award for Under 18s – Purple Fire
Leaf-cutter wasp (Megachile lagopoda). This species is under threat due to intensive land use. Photo: Gustav Pallenmark
Portrait of Special Praise – Picasso Bug
The aptly named Picasso bug (Sphaerocoris annulus) was photographed in Louiru, Kenya. Photo by Robin Backhouse
Under 18 Runner-up – Robber Fly Breakfast
A spindly-legged centipede fly (Leptarththrus brevirostris) feeds on small insects. Photo by Jamie Smart
Special Award Portrait – Flowers of Evil
European mantis (Mantis religiosa) among cyclamen. Photo by Panagiotis Dalagiorgos
Honorable Mention Portrait – Brown Argus Roosting at Sunrise
A brown argus butterfly (Alicia agastis) warms itself on a stalk of grass as the sun rises, Martin Down, Dorset, UK. Photo by Richard Sheldrake
Particularly praised behavior – mating veins
Two mating Timandra comai moths. Timandra comai moths belong to the Geometridae family. They get their name from the distinctive reddish stripes that run from wing to wing. Photo by Heath McDonald
Specially praised environment – a pair of silverfish
These silverfish (family Bacillarioidea) appear to be stuck together in tiny clay nest structures. Some of their shiny silvery scales are frayed, which may indicate an imminent moult. Photographed in Western Australia. Photo by Frank Ashwood.
Under 18 Winner – Tranquility
A striped male Calopteryx splendens dragonfly photographed in Sweden. Photo by Gustav Pallenmark
Special Smartphone Award – Pollinator
A common Carder’s bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) collecting pollen from a flower. Photo by Michael Wood
Particularly praised behavior – fatal attraction
A swarm of dead flying ants floats on the surface of a swimming pool. United States. Photo by Rosemary Haleem
Special Award for Under 18s – Camouflage Masters
An Indian praying mantis (Schizocephala bicornis) transforms into a leaf. The color of the mantis and the leaf are almost the same and it is impossible to spot the insect unless it is moving. The mantis’s body was following the veins of the leaf, making it difficult to identify. Photo by Kushaan A Ksheerasagar
Particularly praised behavior – Conopidae column
Male and female red-legged bees (Sicus ferrugineus) nestle after mating. The smaller male guards the female, making sure no other suitors ruin the night. Photo by Luke Chambers
Special Smartphone Award – Wasps join cream teas
A German hornet (Vespula germanica) joins a family enjoying a cream tea at a British cafe. Photo by Abi Batten
Special Smartphone Award – The Moth and the Mountain
A male wolf moth (Saturnia pavonia) rests on the heather on the slopes of Meal Buide. In the background you can see the summit of Stack an Lochaine in the Scottish Highlands. Photographed in Scotland, UK in May 2023. Photo by Marianne Cockburn.
Special Prize Portrait – Centipede
A brown heath robberies (Epitriptus cingulatus) resting on long grass in Droxford, Hampshire, UK. Photo by Stephen Mahy
Particularly rewarded behavior – Junk Bugs
Junk bugs (Chrysopidae) are voracious predators of the insect kingdom, so named because they wear vegetable matter and the exoskeletons of past victims on their backs as part of a complex camouflage to fool predators. Photo by Rosa Dunbar
Special Featured Portrait – The Third Eye
A photo of a velvet wasp (Ichneumonidae) in a moth trap in the UK. Photo by Ben James
2nd place overall – Caddisfly larvae
Spotted sedge caddisfly (Glyphotaelius pellucidus) larvae in a gelatinous egg sac. Taken on a leaf overhanging the water, this image shows newly hatched caddisfly larvae in a clear, gelatinous egg sac. The larvae fall into the water and live as aquatic insects through their larval and pupal stages. Photo by Tim Jonas
Overall Winner – Sleeping Cuckoo
A flying squirrel (Epeolus variegatus) sleeps on a leaf. Morning dew is visible on the surface of its eyes. Photo by Luke Chambers
Palaeontologists from the Victoria Museum Research Institute and other institutions have discovered Cymostenurus occidentalis Fossils of a eastern grey kangaroo, a species of giant short-faced kangaroo that lived in Australia until about 42,000 years ago, have been discovered in Nightshade Cave in Gunaikurnai County, north of the town of Buchan in eastern Victoria, Australia.
“Short-faced kangaroo They appear in the Australian fossil record around 10 to 15 million years ago, when tropical rainforests began to give way to drier habitats.” Said Dr Tim Ziegler, Collections Manager at Museum Research Victoria;
“They especially diversified during the Late Pleistocene, about 500,000 years ago, during the transition to our present-day arid climate.”
“But in a wave of extinction around 45,000 years ago, they disappeared from the entire continent, along with up to 85% of Australia's large animals.”
49,400-year-old skeleton of a giant short-faced kangaroo Cymostenurus occidentalis It was discovered in Nightshade Cave in Victoria.
The animal's skull was discovered by a local cave group in 2011, and just 10 years later, the individual's skeleton below the skull was discovered by expert paleontologists.
“The skull had a deep snout, robust jaws and teeth, characteristic of a short-faced kangaroo,” Dr Ziegler explained.
“Behind it there were many more bones. It was amazing to see the vertebrae, shoulders, hips, limbs and thin rib cage. Many of the bones had not been moved at all and were still in their original position. This was one animal, not just bones scattered randomly. It felt like the Holy Grail of fossils.”
According to the team, the discovery was made at a young age. Cymostenurus occidentalis.
“This is a further distinction from other species of this animal as it is a juvenile rather than an adult kangaroo,” Dr Ziegler said.
“The teeth had barely worn down, the skull had not yet fused, and the ends of the limbs had not yet joined together.”
“Based on the size of its limbs, we estimate its weight to be around 80 kilograms, which is roughly the weight of an average human. However, as an adult, it may have been half that size.”
The specimen consists of 150 preserved bones and is the most complete fossil skeleton ever found in a Victorian cave.
This fossil, along with others from Nightshade Cave, are now permanently housed and cared for at the Melbourne Museum.
“The skeleton we found has a perfectly intact spinal column, providing new insights that aren't possible from isolated bones,” Dr Ziegler said.
“Thanks to the detailed 3D model, this nearly complete skeleton can be studied from anywhere in the world.”
“A key idea under investigation is whether the Stenulin kangaroo was striding rather than hopping.”
The Madigen Formation is one of the richest Triassic fossil beds in the world, but few people have ever heard of it.
geo explorers club
About 235 million years ago, in what is now Central Asia, a small reptile fell into a freshwater lake and settled in the soft mud at the bottom.Creatures – named longiskamaIt means “long scales” after the strange feather-like protrusions on its back. It probably lived in the nearby forest, along with many other interesting animals, including a flying reptile known as a flying reptile. Chalovipteryx and Giga Titana giant praying mantis-like insect.
as longiskama's body slowly rotted, gradually turning to stone, continents drifted away, lakes dried up and reformed again and again, and the landscape above changed. Later, in the 1960s, Soviet paleontologist Alexander Sharov discovered reptile fossils. scientifically spotlighted In this little-known corner of the Soviet Union.
Today, the region is located in southern Kyrgyzstan and is a dusty landscape of colorful rock outcrops and dry riverbeds, surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of the Turkestan Mountains. These rocks are the remains of layers of mud and silt that were deposited on the lake bed. longiskama This formation is called the Madigen Formation after a nearby village.Paleontologists recognize it as One of the richest Triassic fossil beds in the world and Lagerstätte –’s site A beautifully preserved specimen – But few others have heard of Madygen.
That's about to change. If all plans go well, this year the region will become the world's first global geopark.
Sweden’s most listened to artist on Spotify is a “secret” composer who has released music under hundreds of different names, surpassing Britney Spears and Abba in plays.
Stockholm-based musician Johan Rohr has been identified as the mastermind behind over 650 artists, accumulating 15 billion plays on the streaming platform, making him the most played artist in Sweden.
Under aliases like “Maya Åström”, “Minik Knudsen”, “Mingmei Hsueh”, and “Csizmazia”, Lehr has released more than 2,700 songs on Spotify, including a song titled “Ether”.
His success has placed him in the top 100 most streamed artists globally on Spotify, ahead of music legends like Michael Jackson, Metallica, and Mariah Carey.
Rohr owes much of his success to being featured on over 100 official instrumental playlists curated by Spotify, such as “Peaceful Piano” and “Stress Relief”, which are popular among users for background music.
Spotify celebrated paying a record SEK 90 billion (£6.7 billion) to the music industry last year, supporting new artists to make a living from their music.
Swedish group Abba has strong competition with Rohr, supporting over 650 artists on Spotify. Photo: Ole Lindeborg/TT News Agency/AFP/Getty Images
Critics argue that the success of anonymous artists like Rohr goes against Spotify’s promise to support small, independent musicians, record companies, and composers.
Rohr, who has worked as a conductor for pop stars, has kept quiet about his earnings from Spotify, but his private company reportedly earned a record 32.7 million kronor (about 240 million yen) in 2022.
Overtone Studios, the record company behind Rohr’s music, acknowledged his use of multiple names and described him as a “pioneer of the mood music genre”.
Niklas Brantberg of Overtone Studios emphasized the importance of artists being able to publish music under different names to reach their full creative potential.
Spotify allows artists to use pseudonyms, catering to the growing demand for functional music like relaxation and concentration playlists.
The platform licenses music from rights holders and pays royalties as per agreements with distributors, without restrictions on artist names or pseudonyms.
Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers observed a very red quasar-like object. A2744-QSO1 Its color suggests that A2744-QSO1's black hole lies behind a thick veil of dust obscuring much of its light. The researchers also measured the black hole's mass (40 million solar masses) and found it to be much more massive compared to its host galaxy than what has been seen in more localized examples. . This discovery suggests that it may represent the missing link between black hole seeds and the first luminescent quasars.
A composite color image of A2744-QSO1. Image credit: Furutaku other, doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07184-8.
“We were very excited when Webb started transmitting its first data,” said Dr. Lukas Furtak, a postdoctoral researcher at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
“As we were scanning the data coming in for the UNCOVER program, three very compact objects with red flowers stood out to us.”
“Because of its 'red dot' appearance, we immediately suspected it to be a quasar-like object.”
“Using a numerical lensing model we built for the Abell 2744 galaxy cluster, we found that the three red dots are multiples of the same background light source seen when the universe was just 700 million years old. “We determined that it must be an image of Adi Zitlin, also from Ben-Gurion University in the Negev.
“Analysis of the object's color shows that it is not a typical star-forming galaxy,” said Professor Rachel Bezanson, an astronomer at the University of Pittsburgh.
“This further supports the supermassive black hole hypothesis.”
“Together with its compact size, it became clear that this was probably a supermassive black hole, but it was still different from other quasars discovered earlier.”
The astronomers then analyzed the JWST/NIRSpec spectrum of A2744-QSO1.
“The spectrum was just shocking,” said Professor Ivo Rabe of Swinburne University of Technology.
“The spectrum obtained by combining the signals from the three images and the lens magnification corresponds to 1,700 hours that Webb observed the object without a lens, making it the deepest spectrum Webb obtained for a single object in the early universe. Masu.”
“Using the spectrum, we were able to not only confirm that this red compact object is a supermassive black hole and measure its precise redshift, but also estimate its mass based on the width of its emission line. We were able to get a solid estimate,” Dr. Furtak said.
“The gas orbits the black hole's gravitational field, achieving extremely high velocities not seen in other parts of the galaxy.”
“Due to the Doppler shift, the light emitted from the accreting material is redshifted on one side and blueshifted on the other side, depending on its velocity.”
“This makes the emission lines in the spectrum wider.”
But this measurement brought yet another surprise. The black hole's mass appears to be disproportionately large compared to the mass of its host galaxy.
“All the light in that galaxy would have to fit within a small region about the size of a modern star cluster,” said Dr. Jenny Green, an astronomer at Princeton University.
“The source's gravitational lensing magnification provided an exquisite constraint on size.”
“Even if you pack all possible stars into such a small region, the black hole will end up being at least 1% of the total mass of the system.”
“In fact, it has now been discovered that several other supermassive black holes in the early Universe exhibit similar behavior, which provides insight into the growth of black holes and host galaxies, and the interactions between them. This provides some interesting insights, but this is not well understood.”
Astronomers do not know whether such supermassive black holes grow from the remains of stars, for example, or perhaps from material that collapsed directly into black holes in the early universe.
“In some ways, this is an astrophysical chicken-and-egg problem,” says Professor Zitlin.
“Currently we don't know whether galaxies or black holes formed first, how big the first black holes were, and how they grew.”
“Recently, many more such 'little red dots' and other active galactic nuclei have been detected in the Webb, so we hope to have a better idea soon.”
LJ Furutak other. High black hole-to-host mass ratio in the lensed AGN of the early Universe. Nature, published online on February 14, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07184-8
I
In the demanding technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, hardcover book-sized processors stand out. Nvidia’s H-100. On Friday, the Santa Clara, Calif., company was valued at more than $2 trillion. The next step will likely be a chip named after U.S. Navy Rear Adm. “Amazing Grace” Hopper, who was instrumental in designing and implementing the programming language.
Nvidia supplies about 80% of the global market for chips used in AI applications. The company’s H-100 chips (the “H is for hopper”) are now so valuable that they have to be transported in armored vehicles, and demand is so great that some customers have to wait 6 months to receive it.
Hopper’s importance to Nvidia, and to AI computing more generally, was reinforced last summer when Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Fan announced the next generation accelerated computing and generation AI chip, the GH200 Grace Hopper. It was emphasized when they named it a Super Chip.
Admiral Grace Hopper in 1985. Photo: Associated Press
Hopper was born in New York City in 1906, graduated from Vassar College in 1928 with degrees in mathematics and physics, and joined the Navy after the United States entered World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
According to a biography from Yale University, Initially rejected by the Navy because of her age and small stature, she was commissioned and assigned to Harvard University’s Ship Bureau Computation Project, where she worked on the Mark I, America’s first electromechanical computer, calculating the rocket’s trajectory and reaction force, aircraft gun range table, and minesweeper calibration.
After the war, Hopper joined the Eckhart-Mauchly Computer Corporation (later Sperry Rand), where she pioneered the idea of automatic programming. In 1952, she developed the first compiler, a program that translated written instructions into computer code.
“What I was looking for when I started learning English [programming] was to bring in another whole group who could easily use computers. I kept asking for a more user-friendly language. Most of what we have learned from academics and computer science people has never been adapted to humans,” Hopper explained in a 1980 interview.
Hopper retired as a rear admiral at age 79, making her the oldest active duty officer in the U.S. military. The year before her death in 1992, she was awarded the National Medal of Technology by President George H.W. Bush. She was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, in 2016.
In a 1983 interview on “60 Minutes”, Hopper was asked if the computer revolution was over. Hopper replied: “No, we’re just getting started. I got a Model T.”
Our eyes, with over 100 million light-sensitive cells and some of the fastest muscles in the body, are able to pick up everything from starlight traveling across galaxies to the full range of human emotions. I can.
However, by connecting to our minds through the approximately 1 million nerve fibers that connect each eye to our brains, we are able to synthesize smooth vision that is not distracting or overwhelming, acquire the ability to interpret what is happening around you.
important parts of the human eye
pupil
It looks like a black dot, but it’s actually a gap that allows light to pass through to the back of your eye.
cornea
The cornea, the transparent dome in front of the eye, refracts light and helps direct it along the correct path to the retina.
iris
The colored part of the eye that dilates or constricts the pupil to control how much light enters. The iris is part of a larger structure that forms a layer between the retina and the sclera.
lens
A transparent lens that changes shape to focus incoming light onto the retina.
retina
Although it is often thought of as the back of the eye, it is more accurately the innermost layer that receives light that is reversed by the lens. The retina is packed with light-sensitive cells and nerve cells.
sclera
The sclera, also known as the white of the eye, is a tough, protective outer layer made of collagen fibers.
vitreous body
A transparent jelly that fills the eyeballs. As we age, the consistency of this jelly becomes more liquid and gradually becomes less wobbly.
optic nerve
A thick bundle of nerve fibers that carries signals between each eye and the brain.
How do we see it?
The simplest explanation is that what we see is the result of light entering the eye through the cornea and lens, which directs and focuses the light onto the light-sensitive cells (rods and cones) in the retina. about it.
Scientists have discovered that methane trapped beneath Svalbard’s permafrost could escape and put it at risk of a warming cycle. Frequent methane accumulations found in well exploration highlight the potential for increased global warming as permafrost thaws. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Scientists say large amounts of methane may be trapped beneath the permafrost and could escape if it thaws.
Research in Svalbard has shown that methane is moving beneath the permafrost. Lowland regions have ice-rich permafrost, which acts as an effective gas seal, while highland regions with less ice appear to be more permeable. If permafrost thaws too much, greenhouse gas emissions could leak and temperatures could rise further.
Millions of cubic meters of methane are trapped beneath Svalbard’s permafrost. And scientists now know that methane can escape by moving beneath the cold seal of permafrost. A large-scale escape could create a warming cycle that would cause methane emissions to skyrocket. Global warming will thaw permafrost, releasing more gases; warming will thaw more permafrost, releasing more gases. These mobile methane deposits may exist elsewhere in the Arctic, as Svalbard’s geological and glacial history is very similar to other parts of the Arctic region.
“Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Thomas Birshall of the Svalbard University Center. Frontiers of Earth Science. “Although leakage from beneath the permafrost is currently very low, factors such as retreating glaciers and thawing of the permafrost could ‘uncover’ the problem in the future.”
Refrigerated
Permafrost, ground that remains below freezing Celsius It has been prevalent in Svalbard for over two years. However, it is not uniform or continuous. The western part of Svalbard is warmer due to ocean currents, so the permafrost can be thinner and more patchy. Permafrost in highlands is drier and more permeable, whereas permafrost in lowlands is saturated with ice. The rocks below are often a source of fossil fuels and emit methane, which is locked away by permafrost. However, even where permafrost exists continuously, gas can escape depending on the geographical features.
The bottom of permafrost is difficult to study because it is inaccessible. But over the years, many wells have been sunk into permafrost by companies looking for fossil fuels. Researchers used historical data from commercial and research wells to map permafrost across Svalbard and identify permafrost gas accumulations.
“My boss, Kim, and I looked at a lot of historical well data in Svalbard,” Birchall said. “Kim noticed one recurring theme, and that was the accumulation of gas at the bottom of the permafrost.”
Discover methane accumulation
Initial temperature measurements are often compromised by heating the drilling mud to prevent freezing of the wellbore. But by observing trends in temperature measurements and monitoring boreholes over time, scientists were able to identify permafrost. They also looked at ice formation within the wellbore, changes in drill chips produced during drilling of the wellbore, and changes in background gas measurements.
Well monitors confirmed the flow of gas into the wellbore, indicating that gas was accumulating beneath the permafrost, and abnormal pressure measurements indicated that the icy permafrost was acting as a seal. I did. In other cases, the permafrost and underlying geology are suitable for trapping gas, and even if the rock is a known source of hydrocarbons, it may not be present and the gas produced This suggests that they were already on the move.
Unexpectedly frequent discoveries
Scientists stressed that gas buildup is much more common than expected. Of his 18 hydrocarbon exploration wells drilled in Svalbard, eight showed evidence of permafrost, and half of them showed gas accumulation.
“All wells that encounter gas accumulation have done so by chance. In contrast, hydrocarbon exploration wells that specifically target accumulation in more typical environments have a success rate of well over 50%. It was below,” Birchall said. “This seems to be a common occurrence. One anecdotal example comes from a recently drilled well near the airport in Longyearbyen.Drillers heard bubbling coming from the well. So I decided to take a look, equipped with a rudimentary alarm designed to detect explosive levels of methane. As soon as I held the alarm over the well, it went off.”
Impact on climate change
Experts have shown that the active layer of permafrost – the top 1-2 meters that thaws and refreezes seasonally – is expanding as the climate warms. However, little, if any, is known about how deeper permafrost is changing. Understanding this depends on understanding fluid flow beneath permafrost. As permanently frozen permafrost becomes thinner and more splotchy, this methane can move and escape more easily, accelerating global warming and potentially exacerbating the climate crisis.
References: “Natural gas trapped in permafrost in Svalbard, Norway” by Thomas Birchall, Marte Jochman, Peter Bethlem, Kim Senger, Andrew Hodson and Snorre Olaussen, October 30, 2023. Frontiers of Earth Science. DOI: 10.3389/feart.2023.1277027
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