Tag Archives: infant

Exploring Brown Dwarfs and Infant Stars: VLT’s Study of RCW 36

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Utilizing the Highly Sensitive Wide-Field K-Band Imager (HAWK-I) on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have captured stunning new images of the emission nebula RCW 36. These images reveal the vibrant cradles of newly formed stars and intriguing substellar entities known as brown dwarfs.

This captivating VLT/HAWK-I image of emission nebula RCW 36 features dark clouds forming the head and body of a bird of prey, with filaments extending as wings. Below, a fascinating blue nebula hosts a newly formed giant star, illuminating the surrounding gas. Image credit: ESO / de Brito de Vale et al.

Situated approximately 2,300 light-years away in the constellation Hera, RCW 36—also known as Gum 20—is one of the nearest massive star-forming regions to our solar system.

This nebula is part of the expansive star-forming complex known as the Vera Molecular Ridge.

RCW 36 houses a star cluster that dates back around 1.1 million years.

The most massive stars in this young cluster are two O-type stars, alongside several hundred lower-mass stars.

“Embedded star clusters are active sites of very recent star formation located within dense molecular gas clouds in the Milky Way,” explained Dr. Afonso de Brito de Vale, a student and researcher at the Spanish Institute of Astronomical Sciences and the Bordeaux Institute of Astrophysics.

“Within these clouds, stellar and substellar nuclei emerge from local gravitational instabilities, evolving through accretion and contraction processes that expel surrounding gas and dust.”

The hawk-like nebula RCW 36 has been vividly captured by the VLT’s HAWK-I instrument.

“While the most obvious star in this image may be a bright young star, our primary interest lies in the hidden, faint stars known as brown dwarfs—objects that cannot undergo hydrogen fusion in their cores,” Dr. de Brito de Vale noted.

“HAWK-I is perfectly designed for this task, as it operates in infrared wavelengths, where these cold, failed stars are more easily detectable and can correct for atmospheric turbulence using adaptive optics, resulting in exceptionally sharp images.”

“Beyond providing essential data on the formation of brown dwarfs, we have captured a stunning image of a massive star seemingly ‘pushing aside’ clouds of gas and dust, reminiscent of an animal breaking free from an egg.”

“Perhaps a space hawk is watching over the baby star as it ‘hatches’.”

The team’s findings have been published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

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ARG de Brito de Vale et al. 2026. A substar group of Vera’s young massive star cluster RCW 36. A&A 706, A149; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202557493

Source: www.sci.news

Comparing the Western Infant Microbiome to Global Infant Microbiomes: Key Differences Explained

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Bifidobacteria bacteria under a scanning electron microscope

Scanning Electron Micrograph of Bifidobacteria – Key Genera Found in Infant Colon

Dr. Gary Gaugler/Science Photo Library

A groundbreaking study has uncovered significant variations in the gut microbiome among infants globally. Notably, Western infants tend to lack specific microbes that are prevalent in infants from other regions. This finding could enhance the development of probiotics tailored for premature babies to help ensure effective colonization with beneficial bacteria.

The first 1,000 days are critical for a child’s microbiome development, impacting immune function, mental health, and long-term disease risk. Historically, our knowledge has been limited to Western populations, but a new global atlas of the infant microbiome is now expanding our understanding.

The research, led by Yang Xiao and researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in South Cambridgeshire, England, identified Bifidobacterium longum as a key player in establishing a stable gut microbiota.

The study analyzed stool samples from the UK, Sweden, the US, and seven countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kenya, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

The focus was on two variants: B. longum longum and B. longum infantis, which have been the subject of most infant gut microbiome research to date. By integrating this data with previously sequenced genomes, the team discovered that about 70% of infants in African and South Asian countries carried B. longum infantis, while less than 2% of infants in the UK, US, and Sweden exhibited the same by two months of age.

“The infantis strain is fundamentally lacking in Western environments,” notes Xiao.

In stark contrast, around one-third of infants in Western countries are colonized by B. longum longum by two months, compared to fewer than 10% in the other regions studied.

This indicates diverse roles of B. longum longum and B. longum infantis in immune system development and protection against infections, which appear to thrive in different geographical environments.

Diet may play a significant role, as Bifidobacterium helps digest nutrients from breast milk, with its composition influenced by maternal diet. “B. longum longum adapts better to Western diets, while B. longum infantis is optimized for other regional diets,” Xiao explains. Other bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium breve, may also contribute to gut colonization.

This research significantly expands our understanding of gut microbiomes, particularly in underrepresented populations. Lindsay Hall at the University of Birmingham, UK, emphasizes the importance of this advancement.

While probiotics are not usually recommended for full-term infants, they can be beneficial for premature ones, as noted in health guidelines. Combining this research’s insights allows for tailored probiotics based on an infant’s region. For instance, B. longum infantis may be advantageous for infants in Africa and Asia but may not persist in Western infants’ guts as effectively. “Understanding bacterial diversity across regions is crucial for identifying the most beneficial probiotics for infants,” Hall concludes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Astronomers Say: Infant Space Is Warm, Not Cold, Before It Begins to Illuminate

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Astronomers utilizing CSIRO’s Murchison Wide Field Array (MWA) telescope are on the quest to uncover the elusive period of reionization. This early stage in the universe’s history has been theorized but remains undetected by radio telescopes. This period marks the end of the universe’s dark ages, occurring approximately a billion years post-Big Bang, during which intergalactic gases transform from opaque to transparent, enabling light from the first stars and galaxies to permeate the cosmos.

A glimpse of the sky observed in radio waves by the Murchison Wide Field Array. Image credit: Nunhokee et al. / ICRAR / Curtin University.

“Our research was conducted in two phases,” stated Dr. Riddhima Nunhokey, an astronomer at Curtin University Node of the International Center for Radio Astronomical Research for All Sky Astrophysics (ICRAR).

“In the initial phase, we discovered the first signs of heating in the intergalactic gas—the intergalactic medium—around 800 million years after the Big Bang.”

“To examine this primordial phase of the universe, we must isolate faint signals from this epoch while eliminating all other sources of cosmic radio emissions.”

“These sources include emissions from nearby celestial bodies, interference from Earth’s atmosphere, and even noise generated by the telescope itself.”

“Only after meticulously subtracting these ‘foreground signals’ can we discern the signals from the era of reionization.”

“From this study, we have developed methods to manage foreground contamination and remove unwanted signals, thus enhancing our understanding of telescopes and improving the clarity of detected signals.”

“We are also able to integrate nearly a decade’s worth of MWA data, allowing us to make observations over a longer timeframe than before.”

“This is another reason we are closer than ever to detecting the signals.”

The team asserts that the enhanced quality and quantity of this new dataset made this discovery feasible.

The cold universe is producing signals that resemble these new data.

This absence of signals indicates that reionization must have commenced from a “cold start,” implying that the universe was “preheated” prior to the reionization phase.

“As the universe expands, intergalactic gases cool down, and thus we expect them to become extremely cold,” explained Professor Cathryn Trott, an astronomer at ICRAR’s Curtin University Node, associated with Astro 3D and the Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy.

“Our measurements suggest that there is a certain level of heating present. While it may not be substantial, it does indicate that extremely cold reionization is unlikely, and that’s quite intriguing.”

“This study implies that this heating is probably influenced by energy from early black holes and primordial X-ray sources resulting from stellar remnants spread across the universe.”

The findings are presented in two papers in the Astrophysical Journal.

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CD Nunhokee et al. 2025. The 21 cm power spectrum limit of z = 6.5–7.0 based on Murchison wide field array observations. APJ 989, 57; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adda45

Cathryn M. Trott et al. 2025. Utilizing Gaussian information to enhance the limit of the 21 cm signal at z = 6.5–7.0 using Murchison wide field array data. APJ 991, 211; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/adff80

Source: www.sci.news

Massive bat die-off triggers surge in pesticide use in the US, contributing to rise in infant mortality rates

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Small brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) suffers from white-nose syndrome, which has devastated bat populations across the United States.

piemags/FWL / Alamy Stock Photo

A study has revealed that a decline in bat populations in the United States, caused by the spread of a fungal disease, has resulted in reduced farm incomes and an additional 1,300 deaths of infants under the age of one.

The research found that in counties affected by bat disease, farmers had to increase their use of insecticides by 31% to make up for the decreased insect predation by bats. Eyal Frank, a researcher at the University of Chicago in Illinois, estimated that farmers in these affected counties lost $27 billion between 2006 and 2017 due to reduced crop sales and higher pesticide costs.

Furthermore, the study observed an 8% increase in the number of infant deaths before the age of one in affected counties, which Frank links to the elevated pesticide usage. He expressed concerns about the inherent toxicity of pesticides, even when used within regulated levels, suggesting potential health hazards.

The white-nose syndrome, discovered in hibernating bats in a New York state cave in 2006, has since spread across North America, resulting in millions of bat deaths. This disease has raised questions about the benefits that bats provide to farmers.

By analyzing agricultural census data, Frank compared counties where white-nose disease was detected by 2017 with those where it hadn’t been identified yet. The results indicated a consistent increase in insecticide usage in affected areas each year post-detection of the disease.

In light of the study findings, the potential link between bat deaths, pesticide use, and higher infant mortality rates was examined. While the results point towards a correlation, the exact mechanism through which increased pesticide use might lead to elevated infant mortality remains unclear.

Experts like Roel Vermeulen from Utrecht University in the Netherlands emphasize the need to broaden human health impact assessments to consider the indirect effects of environmental factors like bat population decline. Moving forward, efforts are required to preserve the vital role wildlife species play in maintaining human health and well-being.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Sweet Dreams Universe: Exploring the Mind of a Psychic Infant | Activities

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HHow do you follow up on a game that made the world cry? It’s a question that’s vexed writer Graham Parks since his 2021 BAFTA-winning Before Your Eyes. Released during the height of lockdown, Parks’ webcam-controlled story uses the player’s blinks to fast-forward through protagonist Benny’s memories, blinking through each uplifting and heartbreaking moment of his existence. It quickly gained a reputation as Twitch’s tearjerker, its moving story and the misery of the pandemic’s last few months creating a perfect, tissue-paper-shredding storm. “As a writer, it was definitely a scary thing,” Parks says. “I’m interested in using games to tell concise, emotional stories, but I can’t say they’re going to make you cry every time.”

Still, tears or no tears, things are already looking pretty promising for Goodnight Universe, an intriguing sequel to Before Your Eyes. Developed by Nice Dream, an all-new studio founded by creators Graham Parks and Oliver Lewin, Goodnight Universe has already won the 2024 Game of the Year award at the TriBeCa Film Festival, beating out the excellent Thank Goodness You’re Here!

So moving…Goodnight universe Photo: Nice Dream

What’s the premise of Goodnight Universe? “It’s a game where you play as a baby with psychic powers,” Parks says with a coy laugh. Using a webcam or a VR headset, players step inside the tiny body of baby Isaac, who begins to develop mysterious abilities. The slithering psychic must grasp his rapidly blossoming new powers and use his eyes to bend the vast world around him to his will – preferably without scaring Isaac’s poor parents, Parker explains.

“Before Your Eyes was a game about disempowering the player,” Parks says, “but we always felt that mechanics like blinking and eye tracking could also be used to empower the player and give them a sense of magic.”

Second grade angst…Goodnight universe. Photo: Nice Dream

Sounding more like Boss Baby than indie darling, Goodnight Universe’s storyline was definitely a tonal shift, and one that took the team a while to realise. “We had been anxious about the second album for a really long time,” Parks says. “We even had to make a rule in ideation sessions that we couldn’t even talk about ‘Before Your Eyes’.”

Luckily, inspiration struck from a new face in the room. “Our lead designer, Bella, had just had her first child,” says Parks. “She started coming into meetings and was at an age where you’d sit down and she’d just stare at one thing for an hour and you’d forget she was there. We’d become known as people who make games that don’t move around a lot… I noticed her quietly staring at me, and that was my ‘Oh, noooo!’ moment.” Goodnight Universe was born.

From kinetically changing TV channels to sending wooden blocks flying, Goodnight Universe takes players on Isaac’s strange but heartwarming journey to understand his powers, be accepted by his family, and avoid being kidnapped by a shady tech company. The diaper-clad protagonist is voiced by Top Gun Maverick’s Lewis Pullman, and the supporting cast includes actors from TV shows like Veep, Barry, and The Daily Show, and the LA studio cleverly takes advantage of its proximity to Hollywood.

“Many indies [the union] “Some actors only do film or TV,” adds the game’s director and composer Oliver Lewin, “but the truth is, these actors are really excited about this.”

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Thanks to its BAFTA win, Before Your Eyes has transcended its webcam origins, making its way to PlayStation VR2 and joining Netflix’s steadily growing library of mobile games. But while you can play Goodnight Universe in VR and turn off face tracking, for Lewin, the game’s story is still tied to the humble webcam. “For us, the face-tracking technology is there to enhance immersion,” Lewin says. [few] Developers are researching this…There’s a lot you can do with just a simple webcam, and everyone has one.”

“Our game is, in many ways, a playable movie,” Parks adds. “I think what motivates us more than any exciting controls is how we can use this medium to tell a story in an interesting and unique way.”

In a medium that revolves around slaying dragons, crushing demons and embarking on intergalactic power fantasies, there’s something fresh and quaint about Goodnight Universe, but after shedding a fair few tears over Before Your Eyes, if anyone can do justice to this strange premise, it’s the quirky LA Art Games collective.

Goodnight Universe is scheduled for release on PC in 2025. Other platforms are yet to be determined.

Source: www.theguardian.com