Effective Science-Backed Method to Eliminate Microplastics from Your Body

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

It’s a hard truth in today’s world, but research indicates that the average person ingests between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles annually through their food.

This startling statistic raises concerns about the implications for our health. How can we reconcile our reliance on plastic with research suggesting it poses both short- and long-term health risks?

A 2024 survey examined the presence of plastic in 16 different protein sources commonly consumed in the U.S. diet. Within these foods alone, an average meal was found to contain between 74 and 220 microplastic particles.

This figure doesn’t even include plastic debris from drink bottles or food containers, nor does it consider particles that can flake off cookware.

Microplastics are not limited to food; they have also been detected in drinking water, salt, rice, honey, and powdered supplements. They can leach from tea bags and dislodge from plastic cutting boards, while fruits and vegetables may absorb microplastics from contaminated soil and water.

Plastics are pervasive in our food system, and ongoing research aims to clarify their health impacts.

Studies, like those shared by Stanford researchers, indicate links between microplastic exposure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and metabolic disorders.

In addition to potentially damaging tissues, microplastics may trigger inflammation, disrupt our microbiome, and expose us to harmful substances like PFAS, phthalates, and bisphenol A.

However, there’s a glimmer of hope. Researchers are exploring the idea that dietary fiber could help mitigate the accumulation of microplastics in our digestive systems.

A 2024 study suggests that the absorption properties of certain fibers can bind with microplastics in the intestines, promoting the excretion of these particles.

The hypothesis is that soluble and insoluble fibers form a gel-like barrier, preventing microplastics from crossing the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, instead escorting them out with waste.

While this mechanism requires further human study, a 2025 study by a Japanese research team indicated similar results in rats.

Researchers at Tokai University discovered that rats fed with chitosan—a specific type of fiber—excreted significantly more microplastics than those not fed this fiber.

“We confirmed that chitosan binds to microplastics,” stated Professor Muneshige Shimizu, who emphasized the potential for chitosan in various food applications as long as its structure remains intact.

Shimizu noted that not all fibers have demonstrated the same efficacy, highlighting the need for further research to identify which specific structures are beneficial.

In the meantime, other fibers may also mitigate health risks from microplastics. A study from Boston University showed that certain fiber supplements could aid in removing PFAS, harmful chemicals often found in plastics.

Researchers found that gel-forming fibers could function as magnets for PFAS in the intestines, helping to drive these substances out of the body.

Before you stock up on fiber-rich foods, it’s crucial to recognize that studies are still ongoing to determine which types of dietary fiber effectively remove plastics and PFAS.

Nonetheless, increasing fiber intake is widely encouraged for various health advantages, from improved cardiovascular health to reduced cancer risk.

While microplastics are a reality of modern life, there are strategies to minimize your exposure in the kitchen.

Dr. Lisa Zimmerman from the Food Packaging Forum advocates for purchasing fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets and suggests avoiding plastic-lined disposable cups.

She also discourages microwaving plastic containers, as heat can increase particle release. Instead, she recommends using glass or ceramic.

“We can’t eliminate plastic entirely, but we strive to reduce our exposure,” she says.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Scientists May Have Uncovered a New Method for Searching for Extraterrestrials

Posted on November 19, 2025 by

Researchers have announced a groundbreaking method for detecting traces of past life, which may enhance efforts to find extraterrestrial life on other planets.

Utilizing advanced chemical techniques alongside artificial intelligence, scientists have uncovering signs of ancient life in Earth’s 3.3 billion-year-old rock formations. They are optimistic that a similar methodology could be utilized on samples from icy bodies like Mars or Europa in the future.

A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences involved analyzing over 400 samples of ancient sediments, fossils, modern flora, fauna, fungi, and meteorites to rigorously test the new detection model.

The outcome? A system capable of differentiating between remnants of life and non-living materials with more than 90% accuracy.

“This serves as a compelling example of how contemporary technology can illuminate Earth’s oldest narratives and revolutionize our exploration of ancient life on both Earth and beyond,” said Dr. Michael Wong, an astrobiologist and planetary scientist who co-authored the study. “This is a powerful new asset in the field of astrobiology.”

To extract subtle chemical signatures left by ancient organisms, the research team employed pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to break down molecular structures within the samples.

Subsequently, these intricate chemical patterns were analyzed using machine learning models to identify biosignatures that were too degraded for conventional interpretation.

Organic matter extracted from 2.5 billion-year-old rock samples containing fossilized microorganisms, such as this photomicrograph, still holds fragments of biomolecules possibly produced by photosynthesis – Photo credit: Andrew D. Czaja

Co-author Dr. Robert Hazen remarked in BBC Science Focus that this technique signifies a “paradigm shift” in the field, as the algorithm does not rely on detecting specific molecules like DNA or lipids, which could indicate past life.

Instead, it focuses on the distribution of available substances and whether these patterns imply that life may have existed there.

“For the first time, we are examining distribution capabilities,” he explained. “This supports broader analyses when investigating highly degraded samples with minimal information.”

The oldest biosignature identified dates back 3.3 billion years, nearly double the previous record of around 1.7 billion years.

Additionally, researchers uncovered molecular evidence indicating that oxygen-producing photosynthesis occurred at least 2.5 billion years ago, extending the known chemical record of photosynthesis by over 800 million years.

Historically, scientists have traced life back 3.5 billion years through two main types of evidence: ancient rock formations created by microbial communities that formed sticky, layered “mats,” yielding mound-like structures called stromatolites, and observable changes in isotope ratios within the rocks.

however, suitable samples for such analyses remain rare. The new machine learning technique circumvents the requirement for intact fossils or preserved biomolecules, offering a complementary method applicable to a broader array of rocks.

The algorithm also goes beyond a basic survival or non-survival assessment. It can already differentiate between photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic organisms, as well as categorize broad cell groups known as eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

“We analyzed extensive data patterns and found clear distinctions between living and non-living entities,” Hazen noted. This capability could be vital for investigations on Mars, where scientists are uncertain about the biochemical nature of any potential life.

3.5 billion-year-old shale sample used for analysis – Photo credit: Michael L. Wong

If retrieving samples from Mars becomes excessively costly, Hazen envisions a rover equipped with an array of devices that could apply the same machine learning technique directly on the Martian surface. His team recently secured funding from NASA to develop such an instrument package.

In the interim, the team plans to implement the technique on samples from Earth’s Mars-like deserts, aiding the groundwork for future analyses of Martian rock.

“What’s notable is that this approach does not depend on finding recognizable fossils or intact biomolecules,” emphasized co-lead author Dr. Anirudh Prabhu.

“AI has not only expedited our data analysis but also empowered us to interpret messy and degraded chemical data. AI opens new avenues for exploring ancient and extraterrestrial environments, guided by patterns we may never have considered otherwise.”

The authors cautioned that while the model is complementary to existing techniques, it should not yet be viewed as definitive proof of life. However, they believe it could become an essential analytical tool in both earth and planetary science.

“For decades, we’ve sought signs of life in ancient rocks with a limited set of tools,” remarked co-author and paleontologist Professor Andrew Knoll.

“What’s extraordinary about this work is that it enhances our toolkit and introduces entirely new, more profound questions. Machine learning can help unveil biological signals that were, until now, largely undetectable. This represents a significant leap forward in our ability to interpret Earth’s deep-time record of life.”

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

A Simple Method to Dramatically Cut Your AI’s Energy Consumption

Posted on October 16, 2025 by

AI relies on data centers that consume a significant amount of energy

Jason Alden/Bloomberg/Getty

Optimizing the choice of AI models for various tasks could lead to an energy saving of 31.9 terawatt-hours this year alone, equivalent to the output of five nuclear reactors.

Thiago da Silva Barros from France’s Cote d’Azur University examined 14 distinct tasks where generative AI tools are utilized, including text generation, speech recognition, and image classification.

We investigated public leaderboards, such as those provided by the machine learning platform Hugging Face, to analyze the performance of various models. The energy efficiency during inference—when an AI model generates a response—was assessed using a tool named CarbonTracker, and total energy consumption was estimated by tracking user downloads.

“We estimated the energy consumption based on the model size, which allows us to make better predictions,” states da Silva Barros.

The findings indicate that by switching from the highest performing model to the most energy-efficient option for each of the 14 tasks, energy usage could be decreased by 65.8%, with only a 3.9% reduction in output quality. The researchers believe this tradeoff may be acceptable to most users.

Some individuals are already utilizing the most energy-efficient models, suggesting that if users transitioned from high-performance models to the more economical alternatives, overall energy consumption could drop by approximately 27.8%. “We were taken aback by the extent of savings we uncovered,” remarks team member Frédéric Giroir from the French National Center for Scientific Research.

However, da Silva Barros emphasizes that changes are necessary from both users and AI companies. “It’s essential to consider implementing smaller models, even if some performance is sacrificed,” he asserts. “As companies develop new models, it is crucial that they provide information regarding their energy consumption patterns to help users assess their impact.”

Some AI firms are mitigating energy usage through a method known as model distillation, where a more extensive model trains a smaller, more efficient one. This approach is already showing significant benefits. Chris Priest from the University of Bristol, UK notes that Google recently claimed an advance in energy efficiency: 33 times more efficient measures with their Gemini model within the past year.

However, allowing users the option to select the most efficient models “is unlikely to significantly curb the energy consumption of data centers, as the authors suggest, particularly within the current AI landscape,” contends Priest. “By reducing energy per request, we can support a larger customer base more rapidly with enhanced inference capabilities,” he adds.

“Utilizing smaller models will undoubtedly decrease energy consumption in the short term, but various additional factors need consideration for any significant long-term predictions,” cautions Sasha Luccioni from Hugging Face. She highlights the importance of considering rebound effects, such as increased usage, alongside broader social and economic ramifications.

Luccioni points out that due to limited transparency from individual companies, research in this field often relies on external estimates and analyses. “What we need for more in-depth evaluations is greater transparency from AI firms, data center operators, and even governmental bodies,” she insists. “This will enable researchers and policymakers to make well-informed predictions and decisions.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Most Effective Method to Lower Cholesterol Naturally Without Statins

Posted on September 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Regrettably, high cholesterol is quite prevalent.

According to Heart UK, almost half of all adults in the UK have above-average cholesterol levels, while in the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that one in 10 Americans (34 million) have cholesterol levels exceeding 240 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).

These individuals are at increased risk of heart attacks, often unaware of their condition.

High cholesterol typically presents no noticeable symptoms. Unless you’ve had a recent blood test or experienced medical issues, your cholesterol levels may remain a mystery.

If you have concerns about your cholesterol, it’s advisable to consult your doctor. If necessary, cholesterol-lowering medications like statins may be prescribed.

In the UK, around 8 million individuals are reported to take a statin daily, with nearly 40 million in the US.

However, it’s important to note that not everyone requires statins. If your levels are significantly high or there’s a specific medical reason for taking them, there are numerous natural methods to lower cholesterol levels.

To start, exercise is vital. A 2013 study shows that aerobic activities, like running and cycling, can decrease “bad” cholesterol and raise “good” cholesterol by approximately 5%.

Quitting smoking is also recommended. It’s well-known that tobacco smoke raises “bad” cholesterol and poses health risks, while a 2019 study suggested that vaping could have a similar impact.

However, the most effective way to improve cholesterol levels is by adjusting our diet, as recommended by NHS doctors and academics from University College London, including Dr. Riyaz Patel.

You may already know some of the major food culprits. An increasing body of research points to common offenders like pastries, processed meats, and lard. It’s best to eliminate these from your shopping cart for healthier cholesterol levels.

On the other hand, some suggested food swaps may surprise you.

The good and bad of cholesterol

Before we delve deeper into dietary changes, it’s essential to clarify that cholesterol isn’t inherently harmful. It is a vital substance required for survival.

This waxy substance is present throughout the body and serves as a crucial component of cell membranes, as well as aiding in the production of hormones like testosterone and estrogen. It also plays a key role in the synthesis of vitamin D and bile acids, which are necessary for digesting food.

Issues arise when specific types of cholesterol, namely low-density lipoprotein (LDL), become excessively high; this is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol.

“Understanding which cholesterol levels are elevated is essential,” notes Patel. “Cholesterol, like fat, cannot circulate freely in the blood. It requires packaging into particles known as cholesterol lipoproteins.”

These lipoproteins can be visualized as small delivery vehicles transporting cholesterol from the liver into the bloodstream, with high-density lipoproteins (HDL) serving as the “good” type.

However, LDL cholesterol is akin to a reckless driver, frequently colliding with the endothelium—the inner lining of arteries.

While this shouldn’t obstruct healthy arteries, if they are compromised by factors like high blood pressure, smoking, pollution, aging, inflammation, or others, LDL can become trapped within.

When that occurs, plaque begins to develop. “A heart attack can happen when this plaque undergoes a slight rupture, leading to a blood clot that blocks the artery,” explains Patel. “Thus, the presence of plaque poses a serious problem.”

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Foods to include in your diet

Now that you understand the fundamentals of cholesterol (and why having LDL cholesterol in the driver’s seat is a bad idea), which foods can help keep cholesterol levels in check?

“Oats are an excellent way to naturally lower cholesterol,” advises Patel. “This is largely due to their fiber content, as oats contain soluble fiber that effectively reduces cholesterol.”

Soluble fiber is also found in whole grains, lentils, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds, and it binds to dietary cholesterol in the small intestine, preventing its absorption into the bloodstream.

Fatty cholesterol (yellow) is packaged in lipoproteins for transport in the bloodstream – Image credit: Getty Images

“Another effective option is sterols and stanols,” adds Patel. These plant-based compounds are found in fortified yogurts and spreads, or as supplements, and they mimic cholesterol in our bodies.

When you consume foods that contain cholesterol, receptors in your intestines recognize and absorb them into the bloodstream.

Sterols and stanols can deceive these receptors, allowing them to be absorbed in place of cholesterol, leading to increased excretion of cholesterol from the body and less absorption into the bloodstream.

“They are likely the best non-medicinal method to reduce cholesterol, usually by about 10%,” Patel asserts. “They are highly effective.”

Foods to eliminate

While there are beneficial foods to include in your diet, what about those “bad” foods that raise cholesterol? Should they be eradicated from your meals?

There was a time when egg yolks were feared for their cholesterol content. While it’s true that eggs contain a significant amount of dietary cholesterol, you don’t need to panic if you enjoy them with toast.

“Dietary cholesterol doesn’t equate to circulating cholesterol, which is crucial to understand,” says Patel. “In the past, foods high in cholesterol were thought to automatically increase cholesterol levels, but that notion is outdated.”

In reality, about 80% of cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver, not directly ingested from food.

That said, food can still indirectly influence your LDL cholesterol. For instance, certain foods can hinder the liver’s ability to manage cholesterol levels in the blood.

Much like statins, specific foods can act similarly to medications that alter the liver’s functions.

For example, increased saturated fat intake has been linked to higher levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Saturated fats are commonly found in fatty or processed meats, butter, cheese, pastries, deep-fried items, and coconut oil.

“If you consume many pastries rich in saturated fat,” explains Patel, “the absorption of these fats can lead to increased LDL levels because they disrupt the liver’s ability to eliminate LDL cholesterol.”

Sugar can similarly affect cholesterol levels by prompting the liver to produce more LDL and less HDL.

So, should we forsake pastries and sugar forever, restricting ourselves to oats for every meal? Absolutely not. Extreme dietary shifts can yield unpredictable health consequences.

Patel suggests that the best approach is to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

“When advising patients, we recommend a mixed, balanced diet. Aim for moderation in carbohydrates and saturated fats while keeping ultra-processed foods to a minimum.”

Ultra-processed foods, along with saturated fats and sugar, can lead to inflammation in the arteries and raise the risk of developing metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes.

“Moderation in everything is likely the best advice,” concludes Patel.

“A balanced diet is partly guided by your body’s signals regarding hunger. Your body is adept at understanding its needs.”

About our experts

Dr. Riyaz Patel is an academic scholar and NHS Physician at the University of London, UK. He has contributed to numerous medical journals, including the European Heart Journal, Natural Genetics, and European Heart Journal – Quality and Clinical Results of Care.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Groundbreaking Discovery: Scientists May Have Uncovered a Method to Halt Brain Aging

Posted on August 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

As we grow older, our cognitive learning and memory capabilities decline—recent studies have identified the proteins responsible for this phenomenon.

Researchers at UC San Francisco have pinpointed the culprit: an iron-associated protein called FTL1. Its detrimental effects hinder cognitive awareness throughout the aging process, and understanding this may allow us to target it in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

“It’s essentially a reversal of the challenges,” said Saul Vilda, PhD, Associate Director and Senior Author of the Papers at UCSF Bakar Aging Research Institute; Natural aging. “It’s about more than just slowing or preventing symptoms.”

The hippocampus, a brain region essential for learning and memory, is particularly susceptible to the effects of aging. Researchers observed an increase in neuronal FTL1 in the hippocampus of older mice, correlating with cognitive decline and reduced intercellular connections.

The hippocampus, shown here, is vital for the formation of new memories (credit: Getty Images)

In an experiment, scientists artificially increased FTL1 levels in young mice, leading to brain and behavior changes reminiscent of older mice. Elevated FTL1 levels hinder synaptic connections, ultimately resulting in poorer memory performance.

Interestingly, their motor skills and anxiety levels remained stable, indicating that the cognitive impairments were specifically linked to memory and synaptic functions.

When researchers reduced FTL1 levels in the hippocampus of older mice, they noted improved neuronal connections and enhanced performance in memory tests, effectively reversing some signs of aging.

The FTL1 protein is involved in iron storage and metabolism, regulating long-term levels in the brain. As we age, alterations in iron metabolism lead to increased FTL1 in neurons.

By reversing aspects of cognitive aging in mice, this discovery could pave the way for treatments that counteract the effects of FTL1 in the brain, potentially restoring cognitive function in older adults.

“Identifying elements that seem to promote aging while keeping your brain youthful is crucial for overall health and activity as you age. FTL1 appears to be an anti-aging champion,” stated Andrew Steel in BBC Science Focus.

“This is an intriguing preliminary study, but as this research was conducted on mice, we must observe whether the same effects occur in humans.”

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Method We Use to Train AIs Increases Their Likelihood of Producing Nonsense

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Certain AI training techniques may lead to dishonest models

Cravetiger/Getty Images

Researchers suggest that prevalent methods for training artificial intelligence models may increase their propensity to provide deceptive answers, aiming to establish “the first systematic assessment of mechanical bullshit.”

It is widely acknowledged that large-scale language models (LLMs) often produce misinformation or “hagaku.” According to Jaime Fernandez Fissac from Princeton University, his team defines “bullshit” as “discourse designed to manipulate an audience’s beliefs while disregarding the importance of actual truth.”

“Our analysis indicates that the problems related to bullshit in large-scale language models are quite severe and pervasive,” remarks FISAC.

The researchers categorized these instances into five types: “This red car combines style, charm, and adventure that captivates everyone,” Weasel Words—”Ambiguous statements like ‘research suggests that in some cases, uncertainties may enhance outcomes’; Essentialization—employing truthful statements to create a false impression; unverified claims; and sycophancy.

They evaluated three datasets composed of thousands of AI-generated responses to various prompts from models including GPT-4, Gemini, and Llama. One dataset included queries specifically designed to test the generation of bullshit when AIS was asked for guidance or recommendations, alongside others focused on online shopping and political topics.

FISAC and his colleagues first employed LLMs to determine if the responses aligned with one of the five categories and then verified that the AI’s classifications matched those made by humans.

The team found that the most critical truths posed challenges stemming from a training method called reinforcement learning from human feedback, aimed at enhancing the machine’s utility by offering immediate feedback on its responses.

However, FISAC cautions that this approach is problematic, as models “sometimes conflict with honesty,” prioritizing immediate human approval and perceived usefulness over truthfulness.

“Who wants to engage in the lengthy and subtle rebuttal of bad news or something that seems evidently true?” FISAC questions. “By attempting to adhere to our standards of good behavior, the model learns to undervalue the truth in favor of a confident, articulate response to secure our approval.”

This study revealed that reinforcement learning from human feedback notably heightened bullshit behavior, with inflated rhetoric increasing by nearly 40%, substantial enhancements in Weasel Words, and over half of unverified claims.

Heightened bullshitting is especially detrimental, as team member Kaique Liang points out, leading users to make poorer decisions. In cases where the model’s features were uncertain, deceptive claims surged from five percent to three-quarters following human training.

Another significant issue is that bullshit is prevalent in political discourse, as AI models “tend to employ vague and ambiguous language to avoid making definitive statements.”

AIS is more likely to behave this way when faced with conflicts of interest, as the system caters to multiple stakeholders including both the company and its clients, as the researchers discovered.

To address this issue, the researchers propose transitioning to a “hindcasting feedback” model. Instead of seeking immediate feedback post-output, the system should first generate a plausible simulation of potential outcomes based on user input, which is then presented to a human evaluator for assessment.

“Ultimately, we hope that by gaining a deeper understanding of the subtle but systematic ways AI may seek to mislead us, we can better inform future initiatives aimed at creating genuinely truthful AI systems,” concludes FISAC.

Daniel Tiggard of the University of San Diego, though not involved in the study, expresses skepticism regarding discussions of LLMs’ output under these circumstances. He argues that just because LLMs generate bullshit, it does not imply intentional deception, as AI systems currently stand. I left to deceive us, and I have no interest in doing so.

“The primary concern is that this framing seems to contradict sensible recommendations about how we should interact with such technology,” states Tiggard. “Labeling it as bullshit risks anthropomorphizing these systems.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

We Might Have Discovered a Simple Method for Producing Water on the Moon

Posted on July 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Researchers have created innovative technologies to extract water from lunar soil, potentially offering vital support for future lunar explorers.

Findings published in the journal Joule highlight how this could significantly lower the astronomical cost of transporting water from Earth, which stands at $22,000 per liter ($83,000 per gallon).

If successfully scaled, this technology may play a crucial role in supporting long-term missions on the moon.

Utilizing samples brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 mission in 2020, scientists showed that water can be extracted from lunar materials and used alongside carbon dioxide to produce essential resources. These resources include oxygen for astronauts to breathe and hydrogen-based chemicals that can be transformed into rocket fuel.

“We never fully imagined the ‘magic’ contained in lunar soil,” said Professor Lou Wang, one of the study’s authors from Shenzhen University and Hong Kong’s China University, in a statement.

“The most surprising aspect of our work was the real success achieved through this integrated approach. One stage of lunar ₂O extraction and photothermal _CO2 catalysts enhances energy efficiency and simplifies infrastructure development.”

This technique employs a photothermal method (which converts sunlight into heat) to facilitate water extraction and the chemical conversion process.

Chang’e-5 lunar samples on display in Beijing, China. The mission returned 1.7 kg (3.7 pounds) of lunar material to Earth in 2020 – Source: Getty

In laboratory tests, the team employed actual lunar soils from Chang’e-5, along with simulated samples, exposing them to CO2 while concentrating light into a batch reactor. The CO2 used in the conversion process can be easily obtained from astronaut exhalations on the moon.

Previous methods for extracting water from lunar regolith lacked direct links to generating other vital resources. This integrated approach indicates a more efficient advancement; however, researchers recognize that significant challenges persist.

The moon’s extreme temperatures, high radiation levels, and inconsistent soil composition complicate efforts to scale this technology. The amount of CO2 produced by an astronaut’s exhalation may not meet the requirements for complete resource recycling, and the catalytic process still lacks the efficiency needed for sustained life.

Nevertheless, this advancement represents a promising leap towards making life on the moon more viable. There is increasing global interest in establishing a long-term human presence on the moon, and leveraging local water resources could be instrumental for deeper space missions.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Optimal Method for Dropping Eggs

Posted on May 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Egg Drop Challenge is a time-honored tradition for many physics students. Participants often wrap eggs in cotton balls, tape, and various materials before dropping them from a school rooftop. Anyone who’s taken part knows how challenging it can be to design a structure that keeps the eggs intact upon impact. (That wasn’t my finest creation back in middle school!)

After the eggs break, teachers often share insights about the physics involved, suggesting that eggs dropped vertically tend to crack less than those resting flat.

But is that really accurate?

Following her experience with the egg drop challenge, Tal Cohen, an engineering professor at MIT, began to question whether traditional claims about falling eggs held up under scrutiny.

“It relates to the static behavior of the egg,” she remarked. “The dynamics of the impact are quite different.”

To validate her hypothesis, she conducted tests in the lab with eggs. Her findings turned out to be more complex; Thursday’s paper in the journal Communications discusses how eggs resting horizontally are actually less prone to cracking.

To carry out their experiments, the research team procured over 200 eggs from Costco (an advantage when prices were lower in 2023). They employed devices to crush some eggs and measure the force necessary to crack the shell. Remarkably, they found that eggshells broke under similar forces, regardless of whether the eggs were horizontal or vertical.

Next, they actually dropped the eggs. For testing purposes, they dropped them from a modest height of about 8 mm, allowing them to observe varying outcomes. When dropped from a greater height, all the eggs broke, regardless of their orientation.

Significant differences in outcomes were noted. Eggs dropped on their sides were much less likely to crack. Upon landing, their shells could compress, absorbing some of the impact. Conversely, eggs landing on their ends exhibited more rigid shells with no similar flexibility.

Joseph E. Bonavia, a graduate student in engineering at MIT and co-author of the paper, noted this similarity to human physiology.

“When falling from a height, you want to avoid locking your knees, as that can lead to fractures,” he explained. “Instead, you bend your knees—much like the eggs do.”

The way we typically cook eggs may have contributed to the misconception that eggshells are most fragile, according to Brendan M. Uniquewicch, another MIT graduate student and co-author. We often break eggs at their midpoint, which results in a long crack that allows for clean separation. As these experiments illustrate, breaking at that point causes the shell to cave inward—an undesirable outcome for omelet-making.

Indeed, the experiments challenge our intuitions about how objects behave when they fall, Dr. Cohen noted. This highlights the importance for engineering students to remain open to questioning established beliefs.

Has anyone tasted one of these eggs? Due to university policy, researchers can’t consume experimental materials in the lab. However, Dr. Cohen’s dog enjoyed a hearty meal under such restrictions.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Simple New Method Can Prevent Fatal Peanut Allergies

Posted on April 27, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study brings hope for adults living with severe peanut allergies, revealing that they can develop tolerance in just a few weeks.

Researchers gradually introduced 21 adults with severe allergies to peanut products.

By the conclusion of the trial, 14 participants could safely consume a handful of peanuts without experiencing any allergic reactions.

This method, known as oral immunotherapy, has shown success in previous studies involving children and infants, marking the first instance it has been tested in adults.

Chief Investigator Professor Stephen Till, a leading adult allergy expert from King’s College London, expressed satisfaction with the results, stating he was “very pleased.”

“The constant fear of potentially life-threatening reactions places a significant burden on individuals with peanut allergies,” he commented. “Currently, the only management strategy for these allergies is strict avoidance and the treatment of reactions, including the use of adrenaline.”

Peanut allergies affect around 2% of the population in Western countries. According to a 2021 survey, this condition appears to be on the rise.

The trial indicated “preliminary evidence” that adults with severe allergies could achieve desensitization, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

Participants in the study were aged 18 to 40 and diagnosed with severe peanut allergies through the Guy and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

They began with small amounts of peanut flour mixed into food, monitored closely. The initial dose was 0.8 mg, equivalent to less than 0.3% of a peanut.

If tolerated, the participants moved on to 1.5 mg after 30 minutes, and then 3 mg after another 30 minutes, representing 1% of a peanut.

Those who could handle 1.5 or 3 mg continued consuming that amount daily for two weeks before returning to the clinic for supervision while attempting higher doses.

Participants prepared peanut flour each day, gradually increasing the dosage until they could tolerate 50 mg to 1 g of peanut protein, which translates to 2-4 peanuts.

Once they reached this level, they transitioned to real peanuts, peanut butter, or other peanut products.

Participants in this study gradually increased their intake, under strict clinical supervision, from a small portion of peanut flour to full peanuts. – Credit: Helen Camacaro via Getty

Chris, a 28-year-old participant in the study, remarked: “My entire life was consumed by the fear associated with peanuts. I started with a little peanut flour in yogurt. By the end of the trial, I could sit down and eat four peanuts.”

Chris now includes four peanuts in his breakfast daily to maintain his immunity, stating: “Although minor mistakes can have grave consequences, I no longer fear collapsing or dying during takeout.”

Professor Adam Fox, chairman of the National Allergy Research Group and professor of pediatric allergy at King’s College London, called the study “important evidence of the principle,” which could be beneficial in treating adult allergies, although he was not involved in the research.

He cautioned, however: “This treatment must be conducted under careful medical supervision and should never be attempted independently.”

This study was published in the scientific journal Allergy.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Trump’s latest method of eliminating regulations: My word is law

Posted on April 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

This week, President Trump oversaw 10 federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Energy Agency and the Nuclear Regulation Authority. Implement a new procedure Discarding a wide array of years of energy and environmental regulations.

He told the agency that oversees everything from gas pipelines to power plants and oversees everything that inserts “sunset” provisions, which automatically expire by October 2026. If an agency wanted to maintain the rules, it could only extend it for up to five years at a time.

Experts say the directive faces major legal hurdles. But it was one of three executive orders from Trump on Wednesday, and he declared that he was pursuing new shortcuts to weaken or eliminate restrictions.

in Another orderhe directed a rollback of federal regulations that restrict the water flow of shower heads with a very unusual legal justification.

“No notices and comments are required as I’m ordering it to be abolished,” Trump’s order said.

Legal experts called the sentence a surprising, violating decades of federal law. 1946 Management Procedures Federal agencies require that they go through a lengthy “notice and comment” process when issuing, amending or repealing key rules, and in general, agencies that do not follow these procedures often find actions blocked by the court.

“In that respect, this is all completely illegal,” said Jody Freeman, director of the Harvard Law School Environment and Energy Law Program. A former White House official under President Barack Obama. “They don’t care if the real lawyers have left the building, they want to hug all of these cases and see if the court bites or not.”

The regulatory process has often been criticized as troubling and time-consuming, and the idea of periodically expiring all government regulations has been promoted in conservative circles for many years. It is known as Zero-based regulatory budgets, A twist on a zero-based financial budget. This is a system in which budgets are built from scratch each year, instead of taking over historic spending amounts.

The idea may have received recent boost from Elon Musk, the billionaire adviser to Trump. “Essentially, regulations should have no default,” Musk said. Public Call His social media site X in February. “The default is gone, not the default. And if it turns out that the restrictions have missed the mark, you can always add it again.”

“We have to clean up the wholesale prostitution of regulations and we have to keep government away from the backs of everyday Americans so that people can get things done,” Musk added.

It is unclear how much the order of the sunset will affect it. Legal experts said the executive order “does not apply to a regulatory permit system that allows regulations approved by the law.”

“We’re excited to see the importance of our efforts to help people change,” said Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Climate Change Law Center at Columbia University. “Most environmental laws appear to fall into that category.”

“The president is right to assure that he doesn’t see Americans mentioning that they are unconstitutional or that they are restraining American energy and competitiveness that is inconsistent with federal law,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement.

In another order called “title”Instructing the abolition of illegal regulationsTrump gave 60 days to ministers 60 days to identify federal rules they deemed illegal and to plan to abolish them. The order said that agency managers can bypass the notification and comment process by taking advantage of the exceptions that experts say are usually booked for emergencies.

However, legal experts said the laws written by Congress, which govern the way federal agencies remove regulations, are extremely strict.

Typically, if a federal agency, such as the EPA, issues or changes regulations, it will first publish the proposed rules and make the time to comment. Agency officials then read and respond to the comments, providing detailed evidence in support of the changes they want to make, indicating that they have addressed public concerns. The agency then publishes the final rules.

“The Management Procedure Act is a boring, sounding law that no one cares about, but we treat it as a basis in our legal profession,” Freeman said. “It tells the federal government that it needs to purposefully do things, take public opinions and rationally adhere to their actions. It’s a promise that the government is not arbitrary.”

There is Specific conditions If the agent can bypass certain steps. For example, if emergency regulations regarding plane safety need to be issued.

However, the Trump administration appears to be using this so-called legitimate cause exception to push for revoking much broader federal rules.

In the past, courts have had little patience when federal agencies tried to circumvent the regulatory process. During Trump’s first term, officials sometimes announced that they had taken important measures and that they had wiped the restrictions out just to be reversed by the court. According to a database held by New York University, the administration lost 76% of cases where environmental policy was challenged, losing a much higher loss rate than previous administrations. Research Institute for Policy Integrity.

This time, Trump administration officials may want the court to be more sympathetic. With three Supreme Court judges appointed by Trump, the court now has a conservative vast majority who have expressed deep skepticism about environmental regulations.

In some cases, administration actions may be legally defensible. For example, when moving to abolish shower water flow restrictions, Trump called for a redefine “shower heads.” In that case, the White House can try to argue that it is abolishing what is called interpretive rules rather than a major regulation, and does not need to go through the same legal process. But experts said that just because Trump said that, the agency couldn’t argue that it was allowed to skip those steps.

“No notifications and comments may be necessary,” said Jonathan Adler, a conservative legal scholar at Case Western Reserve University. “Not because Trump orders it to be abolished, but because there’s a question of whether the only thing that’s been abolished is a definition, then whether it’s an interpretive rule.”

Some say Trump’s plan, which allows regulations to expire every five years, could make it difficult for businesses to plan for the future.

For example, the Federal Energy Regulation Commission has everything from power lines to utility accounting, said Aripescoe, director of Harvard Law School’s Electrical Law Initiative. In theory, new orders should expire regularly.

“The first section of that order talks about how businesses are sure they need,” says Lisa Heinzerling, a law professor at Georgetown University. “But the whole order is a recipe for eternal uncertainty.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Scientifically proven method for brewing exceptional coffee using less beans

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The right technique allows you to make great poured coffee with fewer beans

Kemal Yildirim/Getty Images

SEI 246758961 — The right technique allows you to make great poured coffee with fewer beans

Kemal Yildirim/Getty Images

Physicists have discovered the technology that allows them to produce the perfect coffee with up to 10% less beans.

Climate change is making coffee production more difficult, and it is becoming more important to brew it in the most efficient way possible. Arnold Mattissen At the University of Pennsylvania.

“Coffee is becoming more difficult to grow, so that’s why coffee prices could increase over the next few years,” he says. “The idea for this study was to actually see if we could do anything by reducing the amount of coffee beans needed while maintaining the same amount of brewing.

Mathijssen and his colleagues focused on pouring coffee, slowly adding hot water to the corn-shaped paper filter site. Their advice can be summarized into some very simple tips. First, pour slowly. The longer the beans are soaked in the water inside the corn, the more extraction will occur.

But this works to some extent. If poured slowly, the lot is not fully confused. They settle at the bottom and start to actually reduce the amount of extraction. To combat this, the second hint is to pour from the height.

“Living up the kettle height gives you more energy essentially from gravity,” says Matigen. “Afterwards, all particles enter this kind of global circulation that is not normally obtained when poured from a lower height.”

Team experiments showed that raising the kettle to 50 centimeters of cone increased the strength of the coffee. However, Mathijssen warns that if poured too high, the water flow will begin to collapse, forming unconnected Glugs, causing the coffee corn circulation to be confused again. Needless to say, boiling water from too high can pose a risk of burns.

“Be rational,” says Mattigen. “First, try slowly. Then lift it up. [the kettle] Go as slowly as possible, but please don’t let it [the flow of water] “We’re goodbye,” he says. “That’s the strategy I follow.”

While this process is highly dependent on the type of coffee, the size of the site, the type of kettle used, and many other factors, researchers have found that the technique can lead to a 5% to 10% savings in the amount of coffee needed. Their experiments showed that the resulting brew had the same amount of dissolved solids, so it should be just as strong and flavorful.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Researchers have discovered a method to eradicate hazardous “eternal chemicals” lurking in your household

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

For over 70 years, chemical compounds known as “Forever Chemicals” have been used in various products, ranging from non-stick cookware to food packaging. Despite their widespread use, these chemicals have been linked to serious health risks, including certain types of cancer. Recent scientific advancements have led to the development of new methods for breaking down and recycling these seemingly permanent materials, prompting a need for alternative names.

Mark Ruffalo, a fan of the 2019 film Dark Waters, is well aware of the environmental and health hazards posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

The difficulty in removing PFAS has been a significant challenge until now. Researchers from Oxford University and Colorado State University have collaborated to create a novel technique for not only destroying PFAS, but also recovering valuable components from it.

“The breakthrough in using phosphates to destroy PFAS represents a significant advancement in addressing longstanding environmental concerns,” stated Dr. Longyan, a chemist at Oxford University and the lead author of the study published in Nature.

“Through this effective PFAS destruction method, we aim to shift away from referring to these compounds as ‘Forever Chemicals’.”

So, how was this achieved? The scientists treated PFAS samples with potassium phosphate salts and mechanically ground the mixture using ball bearings to break the strong carbon-fluorine bonds present in PFAS and extract the fluorine content for other applications.

This process is crucial as fluorine is primarily sourced from a mineral called Fluorspar, which is used in various industries including pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

Professor Véronique Gouverneur, the Oxford chemist leading the study, emphasized the significance of recovering fluoride for essential drug production, highlighting the impact of large-scale mining on depleting this resource.

This innovative approach not only addresses the removal of PFAS but also enables the recycling of components to support other industries, making it a potentially beneficial solution for multiple sectors.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

A New Method of Supplying Lithium Can Make Fusion Fuels Greener

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Nuclear fusion reactor illustration

Science Photo Library / Aramie

Infinite power from nuclear fusion can be brought one step closer following the accidental discovery of a new process to supply isotope lithium-6, essential to providing fuel to sustainable fusion reactors.

The most challenging fusion process combines two isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium to produce helium, neutrons and many more energy. Tritium, a rare radioisotope of hydrogen, is difficult to procure and expensive. The “Breeder” reactor aims to produce tritium by bombarding lithium with neutrons.

Lithium atoms exist as two stable isotopes. Lithium-7 accounts for 92.5% of natural elements, with the remainder being lithium 6. The more rare isotopes react with neutrons much more efficiently and produce tritium in fusion reactions.

However, separating the two lithium isotopes is extremely difficult. Until now, this has been achieved on a large scale using highly toxic processes that depend on mercury. Environmental impacts have forced the process to be unemployed in Western countries since the 1960s, forcing researchers to rely on a decline in the stockpile of lithium-6 produced before the ban.

Sarbajit Banerjee Eth Zurich and his colleagues in Switzerland happened to discover alternatives while considering ways to clean water contaminated by oil drilling.

Researchers noticed that cement membranes containing lab-made compounds called Zeta vanadium oxide collect large quantities of lithium and appear to separate lithium-6 disproportionately.

Zetavanadium oxide contains tunnels surrounded by oxygen atoms, Banerjee says. “Lithium ions pass through these tunnels, which just happens to be the right size. [to bind lithium-6]”We found that lithium-6 ions bond more strongly and are retained within the tunnel.”

Researchers don’t fully understand why lithium-6 is preferentially retained, but based on simulations they believe it is related to the interaction between ions and atoms at the edge of the tunnel, says Banerjee.

He says he has not separated less than six grams of lithium to date, but he wants to expand the process to produce tens of kilograms of isotopes. Commercial fusion reactors are expected to require large amounts of elements every day.

“But these challenges become pale compared to the major challenges with laser ignition for plasma reactors and fusion,” says Banerjee.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists uncover innovative method to transform carbon dioxide into methane

Posted on November 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A new class of atomically dispersed nickel catalysts directly converts trapped carbon dioxide (CO)₂ to methane (CH₄), according to Tomaz Neves García, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at The Ohio State University, and colleagues.

Direct electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide scavenging species, namely carbamates and (bi)carbonates, may be promising for carbon dioxide capture and conversion from point sources. Image credit: Neves Garcia others., doi: 10.1021/jacs.4c09744.

Carbon dioxide is the greenhouse gas responsible for most of global warming and is produced by power plants, factories, and various forms of transportation.

Typical carbon capture systems, aimed at reducing the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by separating carbon dioxide from other gases and converting it into useful products. .

However, the operation of these systems requires large amounts of energy, making this process difficult to implement on an industrial scale.

“Now we have found a way to save much of this precious energy by using a special nickel-based catalyst to convert the captured carbon dioxide directly into methane,” said Dr. Neves Garcia.

By using nickel atoms placed on a charged surface, Dr. Neves-Garcia and his co-authors were able to convert carbamates, a scavenging form of carbon dioxide, directly into methane.

They discovered that nickel atoms, an inexpensive and widely available catalyst, were very good at this transformation.

“We are producing high-energy fuels from low-energy molecules,” said Dr. Neves Garcia.

“What's so interesting about this is that while other companies are capturing, capturing and converting carbon in stages, we're saving energy by doing these steps simultaneously. is.”

Most importantly, streamlining the carbon capture process will help scientists reshape what they know about the carbon cycle and inform more complex strategies for faster and more efficient climate mitigation technologies. This is an important step to establish.

“We need to focus on minimizing the energy spent on carbon capture and conversion as much as possible,” said Dr. Neves García.

“So instead of performing all the capture and conversion steps separately, we can integrate it into one step and avoid wasted energy processes.”

“Many carbon capture methods are still in their infancy, but this is a promising field as researchers from a variety of disciplines are working on improvements.”

“Using renewable electricity to convert carbon dioxide into fuel has the potential to end the carbon cycle.”

“For example, when methane is burned to produce energy, it emits carbon dioxide, which can be captured and converted back into methane to support a continuous energy production cycle without adding to the planet's global warming burden. It may be possible.”

The study also represents the first time researchers have discovered that carbamates can be converted to methane using electrochemistry.

Many attempts have been made to convert the captured carbon dioxide into useful products, but so far most researchers have only shown the ability to produce carbon monoxide.

“Methane can be a very interesting product, but most importantly it opens the way to developing further processes to convert the captured carbon dioxide into other products” Neves Garcia said the doctor.

of the team work Published in Journal of the American Chemical Society.

_____

tomas neves garcia others. 2024. Integrated capture and conversion of carbon dioxide to methane with amines over single-atom nickel catalysts. J.Am. Chemistry. society 146 (46): 31633-31646;doi: 10.1021/jacs.4c09744

Source: www.sci.news

Ultra-smooth method achieves 99.9% pure separation of oil and water

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Difficult to separate oil and water without leaving behind impurities

Abaka Press/Alamy

A mixture of oil and water can be efficiently separated by pumping it through narrow channels between semipermeable membranes, paving the way for a cheaper and cleaner way to treat industrial waste. Experimental prototypes successfully recovered both oil and water with purity greater than 99.9 percent.

Various methods already exist for dividing such mixtures into their constituent parts, including spinning the mixture in a centrifuge, mechanically removing oil from the surface, and allowing some substances to pass through but These include dividing mixtures using chemicals, electrical charges, or semipermeable membranes that do not allow other substances to pass through. Membranes are the simplest method, but are currently incomplete and leave behind a stubborn mixture of oily water or watery oil.

now, Yang Haochen researchers from China's Zhejiang University have developed a more efficient method that uses two membranes – a hydrophobic layer to allow oil to pass through and a hydrophilic layer to allow water to pass through – to cleanly separate both. .

Yang said the idea has been tried before, but with less than impressive results. This is because when oil and water are removed from the mixture, the concentration of the components changes and the efficiency of the membrane decreases.

To overcome this, the research team injected the mixture into a narrow channel between the two layers. In this confined space, oil droplets are more likely to collide and accumulate. This means that oil droplets can be removed more efficiently by the hydrophobic membrane. This increases the proportion of water in the mixture, creating a beneficial feedback loop that ensures both clean oil and water are continuously removed.

“When you apply a membrane, [close] When you put them together, they influence each other and the process continues,” says Yang. “There is feedback between the two processes.”

In their tests, researchers found that as the channel width narrowed from 125 millimeters to 4 millimeters, total oil recovery increased from just 5% to 97%, and water recovery increased from 19% to 75%. I discovered it. The purity of the recovered oil and water is more than 99.9%, and only a small amount of waste remains, Yang said.

The team is in talks with industry, and Yang believes the process is so simple that it could be easily scaled up to a suitable level within a few years.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Guaranteed Method to Lose Weight and Maintain it: The Power of Fasting

Posted on September 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In the past, intermittent fasting was not a choice due to scarcity of food. People would go hours or days without eating. Today, we have access to food whenever we want. This shift in eating habits has led to questions about the benefits of fasting and its potential reintroduction.

Intermittent fasting usually involves limiting food intake to specific times or days, like eating only for eight hours out of 24 (16:8 diet) or restricting calories for two days out of seven (5:2 diet).

Strong Points

Intermittent fasting can help with weight loss, particularly fat loss, as it reduces overall caloric intake. It also provides structure to eating days and can be flexible and intuitive. Some benefits include decreased hunger, lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, reduced appetite, and improved fat burning.

Fasting may also lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and improve vascular health. Research shows that intermittent fasting is beneficial for cardiometabolic health and may have positive effects on long-term cardiovascular health.

There is evidence to suggest that fasting can protect against issues related to aging, improve autophagy, and potentially benefit brain health and cancer risk, but more research is needed to support these claims.

Cons

Concerns about fasting include potential muscle loss and the lack of long-term studies to support its safety. Some studies suggest that restricting eating to less than eight hours a day could increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, but data collection methods and sample sizes in these studies may be flawed.

There is also a risk of reduced protein intake with intermittent fasting, which could be problematic for some individuals, especially those with a history of eating disorders or health conditions that require regular meals.

Experts recommend ensuring adequate protein intake and incorporating strength training if trying intermittent fasting. It’s important to approach fasting like any other diet, not as a permanent solution, and to pay attention to food choices when breaking the fast.

About our experts

Dr. Jason Fung, Dr. Darryl Gioffre, Brady Holmer, and Drew Price are experts in their fields and have published work related to intermittent fasting, nutrition, and health.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Plastic evaporation method could enable infinite recycling of bags and bottles

Posted on August 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Polyethylene plastic bags are difficult to recycle

Robert Sanders/University of California, Berkeley

Plastic bottles and bags can be evaporated into their chemical components and turned into new plastic that has all the properties of virgin material. Though there are still hurdles to overcome, this new process is a big step towards a truly circular economy for plastics.

About 5 billion tons of plastic Plastics have been heading to landfills since the 1950s, but recycling efforts only address 9% of what we produce. With current technology, plastics degrade every time they are recycled, and after just a few rounds of this process they end up in landfills.

John Hartwig Dr. Hartz and his colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley, had previously developed a process to break down waste plastic into its component parts, but it relied on expensive metal catalysts — iridium, ruthenium and palladium — that were lost in the process and couldn't be recovered. Hartwig says the technology is “good for academic papers and demonstrations, but it's not anywhere near what could be considered industrialized.”

Now his team has found an improved process that works for both polyethylene, the raw material in most plastic bags, and polypropylene, used to make stiffer objects. The process uses only a catalyst that's so common it's considered “earthy” in nature, Hartwig says.

Plastics are made up of large molecules called polymers, which are in turn made up of smaller units called monomers. The catalyst breaks the chemical bonds in the polymers, turning them into gaseous monomers from which new plastic can be made with all the properties of virgin, non-recycled material.

In their experiments, the team used two catalysts — sodium on aluminum oxide and tungsten oxide on silica — to convert a mixture of polyethylene and polypropylene into the monomers propylene and isobutylene with nearly 90 percent efficiency.

Benjamin Ward A researcher from Cardiff University in the UK, who was not involved in the study, says thousands of additives, including dyes, flame retardants and plasticizers, make plastics difficult to recycle. These additives can make up a third of the finished product and can contaminate the end product after it's recycled. “Additives delay landfilling. They delay the environmental problem. But they don't prevent it entirely,” he says.

Ward believes the new process solves the additive problem by stripping the material down to its constituent gaseous monomers, which also removes the additives.

Hartwig cautions that there are still many hurdles to overcome, and that the process has only been tested in the presence of a small number of common additives. “There will be additives that poison the catalyst or inhibit it,” he says. “We need to find a way to isolate them, which may not be optimal, or we need to find a different catalyst structure or composition that is more resistant to those additives. It's definitely a challenge.”

Cressida Bowyer Researchers from the University of Portsmouth in the UK say that even if there are processes in place that can break down waste plastic into its component parts and tolerate additives, further concerns remain: “The toxicity and disposal of the recycled end product.” [such as catalysts and additives] “These must be taken into account, and may outweigh the benefits of recycling technologies,” she says. “Recycling should not be seen as a solution or justification for maintaining or increasing the production of single-use or unnecessary plastics and continuing the current prevalent 'take, make and throw away' culture.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Can this method encourage children to eat their vegetables?

Posted on August 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Bold as a Crucifer

What effect might it have on adolescents and young children to see the positive expressions on the faces of strangers eating raw broccoli?

Katie Edwards of Aston University in the UK, along with colleagues from the same university and the University of Birmingham, also in the UK, set out to find out.

journal appetite The first-hand account of that adventure is Seeing the model's positive facial expression while eating raw vegetables encourages children to accept and consume the model vegetables.” “.

There's no need to mince words about what they found: in their own words, “Contrary to our hypothesis, the facial expression of the model while eating broccoli did not significantly affect their initial willingness to try it.”

Circle of Life

In the 1960s, young intellectuals in the West encouraged each other to adopt the philosophy and path of Zen Buddhism. They were encouraged to “walk the Zen path” and “become one with the universe” in order to live a thoughtful, wise and good life.

Sixty years later, thinking and conversation have advanced.

No alternative to this has been widely adopted in the West in the 2020s, but feedback suggests a Venn diagram.

Like Zen, Venn diagrams aim to provide a simpler understanding of seemingly complex things. Venn diagram masters might describe the practice like this: Venn diagrams use overlapping circles or similar shapes to show logical relationships between different types of items.

Adopt the philosophy and method of the Venn diagram. Recognize and nurture the overlaps in your life. Draw a Venn diagram of the characteristics of all the people, places, and things in your life from birth to the present. The Venn diagram overlaps will reveal commonalities. Embrace them. Identify with the few.

Ven, let's go.

The talent for titration

Psychics, whether trivial or not, have a reputation for being either you get it all or you get nothing. John Hancock tells Feedback about an exception to that, perhaps a partial exception:

He says, “I can consistently pour almost half a 339ml bottle of beer so that the height of the beer in two identical glasses is within 1mm, 2mm at most. I can do this in one go, unassisted, and I seem to know when to stop pouring.”

(Feedback: The name Hancock is well known to Americans. On January 4, 1776, the late John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence, a document that egged on Britain. Hancock wrote it in such large, bold letters that his name became synonymous with “a man's handwritten signature.” In the U.S., people still say “Sign John Hancock.” The late John Hancock, unlike today's John Hancock, hated doing things by halves.)

Questionable discomfort

A recent addition to Feedback's collection is called “The Title Tells You Everything You Need to Know.”

“The pain one may experience when executed in various ways” probably came as a surprise to magazine readers. Sensing It was published in 1993, and in 1997 Harold Hillman of the University of Surrey in the UK was awarded the Ig Nobel Peace Prize.

If you've come across similarly impressive examples, please submit them to Telltale titles, c/o Feedback, along with citation details.

Teflon Diet

Teflon, prized as a “non-stick” coating for frying pans and other cookware, may become a common additive to foods, especially in weight-control diets.

A study published in 2022 titled “Engineering Properties of Teflon-Derived Blends and Composites: A Review” makes this immediately clear in one slightly enigmatic sentence: “The amount of Teflon reduced the calorie content of the food and satisfactory results were observed that were accepted by the community.“This sentence refers to a paper published in 2016. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology.

The 2016 paper has an intelligent and intriguing title:Consuming polytetrafluoroethylene is a way to increase food volume and feel full without increasing calorie content.“US authors Rotem Naftalovich, Daniel Naftalovich and Frank Greenway explain that polytetrafluoroethylene (also known as PTFE or Teflon) is a plastic. They claim its benefits: “Animal feeding studies showed that rats fed a diet of 25% PTFE for 90 days showed no signs of toxicity and lost weight.”

They further hypothesized that “incorporating PTFE powder into foods (1 part food to 1 part PTFE) and increasing the portion size of the food would significantly increase satiety and decrease caloric intake.”

Polytetrafluoroethylene “does not impart flavor (as evidenced by its use in tongue piercings) and therefore does not affect the taste of food,” they write, and is “highly inert, meaning it does not react with food in the body.”

This makes it an “ideal ingredient to use as a bulking agent for foods that are not metabolized” and can be used in foods that don't make you feel stuffed.

Do you have a story for feedback?
Send it to feedback@newscientist.com or New Scientist, 9 Derry Street, London, W8 5HY.
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You can submit articles for Feedback by emailing feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. This week's and past Feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

NASA to determine astronauts’ return method on Boeing spacecraft within two weeks

Posted on August 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Should NASA opt to utilize SpaceX for the return journey, Wilmore and Williams would be required to stay aboard the space station for an additional six months.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is set to launch a new crew to the orbital outpost in September on a mission named Crew 9. NASA has announced a change in plans to send only two astronauts instead of the initial four, and could potentially use the available seats to bring back Wilmore and Williams at the conclusion of Crew 9 in February.

Under this scenario, the Starliner spacecraft would return to Earth without one crew member, as stated by NASA.

Bowersox mentioned on Wednesday that no decisions have been made as yet, but NASA must soon finalize a plan to manage the space station’s resources and ensure smooth operations in orbit.

“We’re approaching a point where a decision needs to be made by the end of August, potentially even earlier,” he explained.

The launch of Wilmore and Williams marked the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. This mission was intended to serve as a critical final test before NASA grants approval for Boeing to conduct regular trips to and from the International Space Station.

However, in June, five of Starliner’s thrusters malfunctioned as the spacecraft was nearing the space station, leading to a delay in the rendezvous and docking process. Helium leakage was detected from the capsule’s propulsion system during the flight. Mission managers were already aware of this issue prior to Starliner’s launch into orbit, but stated that it was unlikely to impact the mission or the astronauts’ safety.

Joe Acaba, astronaut office chief at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, stated that astronauts undergo training for potential contingencies, including accidents that could result in an extended stay in space.

While in orbit, Wilmore and Williams utilize their free time to conduct scientific experiments and assist the space station’s crew with maintenance work.

Acaba mentioned that the duo are kept informed about NASA’s decision-making process, but ultimately must rely on the expertise of engineers and mission managers on the ground.

“They will adhere to our directives. That’s their duty as astronauts,” Acaba affirmed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The simplest, scientifically supported method to determine if you are drinking adequate water

Posted on August 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In the UK, the NHS recommends 6 to 8 cupsThe Harvard Medical School recommends drinking 1.2 liters of fluid per day, and points out that you should also get some fluid from the food you eat. 4-6 cups per dayBut it's the more extreme advice – drinking two litres of water a day – that has taken off online.

In 2016, the idea that getting most of your hydration from water is beneficial was debunked by Dr Stuart Galloway, an associate professor of physiology, kinesiology, and nutrition at the University of Stirling. His research showed that a range of drinks, including diuretic drinks such as lager and instant coffee, It did not promote additional fluid loss compared to drinking normal amounts of water..

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But because everyone has a different body type, diet, and activity level, and different environments (hot, dry, humid, etc.), it's impossible to really say how much everyone needs to drink. Most people can tell if they need more water by feeling thirsty, but this desire weakens as we age. If in doubt, for the majority of adults, the number of times you go to the bathroom can be a useful indicator of adequate hydration, says Galloway.

“It takes into account differences in fluid loss due to environment and activity level, as well as changes in fluid intake. A good rule of thumb is that if your fluid intake is adequate, you'll be going to the bathroom four to six times in a typical day.”

If you're peeing more than six times, you're overdoing it, if you're peeing less than four times, you probably need to drink more water.

“This method has some drawbacks, including influences such as changes in kidney function with age, certain medications, or ingredients in different drinks that can affect urine concentration and volume,” he warns. “So this is a rough rule of thumb rather than a precise guide.”

Urine color can also be helpful, he says, with a similar caveat: “For best results, don't rely on a single marker, but evaluate them in combination.”

About our expert, Dr Stuart Galloway

Dr Galloway is Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Stirling. He is also Group Leader of the University's Physiology, Exercise and Nutrition Research Group and has published over 90 peer-reviewed research articles, review articles, and book chapters. His research focuses on human nutrition and exercise metabolism, and fluid and electrolyte balance.

read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Physicists may have discovered a method to create element 120, the most massive element to date.

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Jacqueline Gates of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory isolating livermorium atoms.

Marilyn Sargent/Berkeley Lab 2024 Regents of the University of California

The third heaviest element in the universe has been created in a way that points the way to synthesizing the elusive element 120, the heaviest element in the periodic table.

“We were very shocked, very surprised and very relieved that we had not made the wrong choice in installing the equipment,” he said. Jacqueline Gates At the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), California.

She and her colleagues created the element, livermorium, by bombarding pieces of plutonium with beams of charged titanium atoms. Titanium has never been used in such experiments before because it’s hard to turn into a well-controlled beam and it takes millions or trillions of collisions to create just a few new atoms. But physicists think that the titanium beam is essential to making a hypothetical element 120, also known as unbinylium, which has 120 protons in its nucleus.

The researchers first evaporated a rare isotope of titanium in a special oven at 1,650°C (about 3,000°F). They then used microwaves to turn the hot titanium vapor into a charged beam, which they sent into a particle accelerator. When the beam reached about 10% of the speed of light and smashed into a plutonium target, a fragment of it hit a detector, where it detected a trace of two livermorium atoms.

As expected, each atom rapidly decayed into other elements. The stability of an atomic nucleus decreases as an atom’s mass increases. But the measurements were so precise that there’s only about a one in a trillion chance that the discovery was a statistical fluke, Gates says. The researchers announced their findings on July 23. Nuclear Structure 2024 Meeting at Argonne National Laboratory, Illinois.

Michael Thornessen The Michigan State University researcher says the experiment supports the feasibility of creating element 120. “We have to do the basic research and we have to go in the dark, so this is a really important and necessary experiment in that sense,” he says.

Toennesen says the creation of unbinylium will have profound implications for our understanding of the strong force, which determines whether heavy elements are stable. Studying unbinylium may also help us understand how exotic elements formed in the early universe.

The heaviest artificial element to date, element 118 (also known as oganesson), has two more protons than livermorium and was first synthesized in 2002. Since then, researchers have struggled to make atoms even heavier, because that requires colliding already-heavy elements with each other, which themselves tend to be unstable. “It’s really, really difficult work,” Thornesen says.

But the new experiment has LBNL researchers feeling optimistic: They plan to launch experiments aimed at creating element 120 in 2025 after replacing the plutonium target with the heavier element californium.

“I think we’re pretty close to knowing what to do,” Gates says, “and we have an opportunity to add new elements to the periodic table.” [is exciting]”…Very few people get that opportunity.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The most effective method to cool cities: White and reflective roofs.

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

White roofs in London would help keep the city cool during the hottest days.

NagyxMe/Imago/Alamy

In cities like London, painting roofs white or adding reflective coatings is the best way to cool them down during the heatwaves, and these “cool roofs” could work better than solar panels, green roofs or adding more trees to the ground.

Oskar Bruss Researchers at University College London ran a climate simulation to look at how temperatures in London would have changed on the hottest two days of the summer of 2018 if the city had implemented widespread cooling measures, from cooled roofs to air conditioners to cooling solar panels. The highest temperature was 35.6℃ (96.1°F).

The researchers found that the cool roofs outperformed all other countermeasures, reducing the city's average outdoor temperature by 1.2°C over the two days, and by as much as 2°C in some places. By comparison, adding more trees reduced temperatures by just 0.3°C, and solar panels reduced temperatures by 0.5°C.

The study found that while widespread air conditioning may keep indoor temperatures lower, it could increase outdoor temperatures by up to 1°C in parts of central London. “In London, cool roofs were the most effective at reducing outdoor temperatures at pedestrian level,” Bruce says.

While the study only used two days of data for its simulations, Bruce said: Similar published studies.

Applying reflective coatings or brightening roof surfaces across cities would be a relatively simple, low-cost climate adaptation measure, Bruce says. “In fact, I think it's probably the easiest thing to implement,” he says. “I see very little reason not to do this more widely.”

Beyond cooling, he says there are other reasons to install technologies: trees and green roofs can boost biodiversity and resident well-being, for example, and solar panels can provide clean electricity.

2023 Report A report by the Greater London Authority suggests that cool roofs could become a policy focus for the city government as summer temperatures rise due to climate change. “As temperatures in London are expected to rise and heatwaves become more frequent, reflective roofs are likely to become a key element of climate adaptation strategies,” the report said.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientifically Proven: The Best Method for Cutting a Sandwich

Posted on June 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Many people believe that cutting a sandwich diagonally to create two triangles is the best way, but there isn’t solid scientific evidence to support this theory.

One explanation is that the triangular shape allows for the first two bites to be taken from a 45-degree corner, which has crust on only one side, giving quicker access to the center of the sandwich where the filling is most concentrated.

After biting into the corner, it’s recommended to eat 1-3 bites diagonally. This part will have no crust, and depending on the sandwich size, you may end up with an additional small triangle.

While each triangle eventually becomes a single 90-degree crust piece, cutting a sandwich into rectangles would result in two crust corners on each half instead of one.

Another reason for cutting sandwiches into triangles is that they are easier to eat: only kids and cartoon characters tend to take their first bite from the middle, resulting in a messy eating experience.

Beginning at one of the corners allows for a cleaner eating experience, and the 45-degree angle of the triangle maximizes the depth of each bite.

For those who want to extend this concept further, the sandwich can be cut into four triangles and eaten in three separate sessions.

This strategy is commonly used at children’s parties, although children often do not eat the 45-degree corner first. In such cases, cutting off the crust altogether may be a better option.

This article is a response to the question “What is the best way to cut a sandwich, scientifically speaking?” (asked by Jeremy Fry of Felixstowe).

If you have any questions, please send them to the email address below. For further information:or send us a message Facebook, Xor Instagram Page (be sure to include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Science has proven the most effective method for cutting a sandwich

Posted on June 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

It is commonly believed that cutting a sandwich diagonally to create two triangles is the best way, but there is limited scientific evidence to support this claim.

One theory suggests that the triangular shape allows for the first two bites to be taken from a 45-degree corner, which has crust on only one side, making it easier to access the center of the sandwich where the filling is most concentrated.

After eating the corner, take 1-3 bites diagonally, missing the crust. Depending on the size of the sandwich, you may be left with an additional small triangle.

Ultimately, each triangle will become a single 90-degree chunk of crust. However, cutting the sandwich into rectangles would result in two crust corners on each half.

Another reason for cutting sandwiches into triangles is that they are easier to eat. Starting at one of the corners leads to a cleaner bite, and the 45-degree angle of the triangle maximizes the engagement depth.

If taken to the extreme, cutting the sandwich into four triangles allows for a neat eating experience in three bites.

This cutting strategy is often used at children’s parties, though kids might not always start with the 45-degree corner. In such cases, simply cutting off the crust altogether may be the best option.

This article provides insight into the scientifically best way to cut a sandwich, as inquired by Jeremy Fry of Felixstowe.

If you have any questions, please contact us via the email address provided below. For more information, feel free to reach out to:or message us on Facebook, Twitteror Instagram Page (please include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Utilizing Last Names to Capture Serial Killers: A Scientist’s Method

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Joseph James DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer, pleaded guilty to various crimes almost four years ago, marking the beginning of a new era in crime-solving known as Forensic Detective Genetic Genealogy (FIGG).

While DNA testing has been used for years to link crimes to suspects, cases can come to a standstill when there are no suspects to test DNA samples on. This is where FIGG comes into play.

Dr. Tuli King, speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival, explained that DNA databases can help identify genetic relatives of DNA found at a crime scene. Investigators use DNA matches to create a family tree and track down potential suspects based on evidence and relatives related to the DNA sample.

For DeAngelo, the turning point was when a genealogist uploaded their analysis of crime scene DNA to consumer ancestry websites like GED Match, leading to his capture and sentencing in 2020.

Since DeAngelo’s case, over 500 cases have been solved using FIGG, with more people uploading their DNA to databases, increasing the chances of catching criminals.

However, the use of publicly available DNA data for crime-solving raises ethical concerns, with the importance of informed consent and privacy being paramount.

Despite the ethical implications, FIGG is expected to continue playing a crucial role in solving serious crimes, potentially expanding to utilize genetic markers like surnames to aid investigations.

As technology advances, the use of DNA in solving crimes may evolve further, with possibilities including tracing surnames to narrow down suspect lists and aid investigations.

While the use of surnames in crime-solving is an interesting concept, it may require a large database and further research to be implemented effectively.

Experts like Tuli King, who have extensive experience in genetic genealogy, are at the forefront of utilizing DNA technology to solve complex cases and communicate the science to the public.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Hidden Method Your Dog Uses to Communicate With You

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Our dogs have been our companions for thousands of years. Every wag of a tail, flick of an ear, and furrowed brow speaks volumes if you know how to interpret them.

Despite thinking we know our dogs well, research suggests that dogs are actually better than humans at reading body language. To help us understand dog communication better, we sought advice from experts in animal behavior, such as Dr. Zazie Todd. Learn more about the hidden meaning behind your dog’s behavior, from their nose to their tail, ears to paws.

Understanding Dog Facial Expressions

Humans often rely on facial expressions to understand each other, but can we do the same with dogs? Some dogs have very expressive faces, which can help us interpret their emotions. A relaxed jaw and slightly open mouth can be the equivalent of a “smile” in dogs, while a grinning dog may be signaling aggression. It’s important not to anthropomorphize too much, as dogs may have different expressions than humans.

In some cases, what may seem like a “guilty look” from a dog may actually be their fear of getting scolded. Research has shown that dogs may not fully understand their actions but are responding to the owner’s potential reaction. Eye contact and ear positioning can also reveal a lot about a dog’s feelings and intentions.

Signs of Stress in Dogs

While it’s easy to spot when a dog is happy, signs of anxiety or fear can be harder to detect. Yawning, licking lips, and other subtle cues may indicate stress in dogs. Understanding these signals can help prevent misunderstandings and improve communication between you and your pet.

Interpreting Dog Posture

Dog posture can reveal a lot about their emotions. A low, hunched body may indicate fear, while a playful “play bow” posture signals a desire to engage. Observing your dog’s body language can help you understand their intentions and mood better.

Decoding Tail Wagging

Tail wagging is a common form of communication for dogs. A big, loose wag can indicate happiness, while a stiff, vertical tail may signal stress or aggression. Pay attention to the direction of the wag to better understand your dog’s emotions. Research has shown that the direction of the wag can reflect the dog’s mood.

Understanding Vocalizations

Barking and growling are essential forms of vocal communication for dogs. Different sounds can convey various emotions or intentions. Research has shown that dogs can use growls to express their size and feelings honestly in different situations. Understanding your dog’s vocalizations can help you better respond to their needs.

About Our Expert

Zazie Todd is an animal behavior expert and award-winning author. She founded Pet Psychology in 2012 to explore how science can improve the happiness of cats and dogs. With over 50,000 monthly visitors, Companion Animal Psychology is a valuable resource for pet owners.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Lab Discovers Simple Method to Evade AI Safety Features in Multi-shot Jailbreak

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A study shows that some of the most powerful AI tools meant to prevent cybercrime and terrorism can be bypassed simply by inundating them with fraudulent activities.

Researchers at Anthropic, the AI lab responsible for creating the large-scale language model (LLM) powering ChatGPT competitor Claude, detailed an attack called a “multi-shot jailbreak” in a recent paper. This attack was both simple and effective.

Claude, like many other commercial AI systems, contains safety features that block certain types of requests, such as generating violent content, hate speech, illegal instructions, deception, or discrimination. However, by providing enough examples of the “correct” responses to harmful questions like “How to create a bomb,” the system can be tricked into providing harmful responses despite being trained not to do so.

Anthropic stated, “By inputting large amounts of text in specific ways, this approach can lead the LLM to produce potentially harmful outputs even though it was trained to avoid doing so.” The company has shared its findings with industry peers and aims to address the issue promptly.

This jailbreak attack targets AI models with a large “context window” capable of processing lengthy queries. These advanced models are susceptible to such attacks as they can learn to circumvent their own safety measures faster.

Newer, more advanced AI systems are at greater risk of such attacks due to their ability to handle longer inputs and learn from examples quickly. Anthropic expressed concern over the effectiveness of this jailbreak attack on larger models.

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Anthropic has identified various strategies to mitigate this issue. One approach involves adding a mandatory warning to remind the system not to provide harmful responses, which has shown promise in reducing the likelihood of a successful jailbreak. However, this method may impact the system’s performance on other tasks.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Eco-friendly dyeing method for denim could lessen the environmental impact of jeans

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Harmful chemicals are used to dye jeans blue

Getty Images

A new technique that dyes denim using chemicals that turn blue in sunlight could reduce the environmental impact of jeans production.

Blue denim is dyed with indigo. Indigo is a compound that was once extracted from plants, but is now usually synthesized. Harmful chemicals such as sodium dithionite are required to dissolve indigo in water so that it can be used for dyeing. These chemicals produce toxic fumes that can harm the health of textile workers and can also cause toxic pollution of wastewater.

now, Ditte Hededam Werner Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark have instead developed a new process that uses a natural precursor of indigo called indican.

“Indican is also a natural product, so it's not artificial or weird,” says Hededam-Werner. “But the good thing about this is that it's soluble, so you can basically just soak the fabric, which you can't do with indigo. So many harsh chemicals simply This made it a very attractive solution to this problem because it could be omitted.”

However, there is one important drawback. Indican is colorless, so the compound must be converted to indigo after being applied to the material. One way to do this is to leave it in the sun for a few hours.

“I don't know if consumers like it or not, but if you wear Indian-soaked jeans in the sun, they turn blue over time,” says Hededam-Werner. “You think it's a gimmick, don't you? You can do it.”

The research team has discovered two methods that can provide the faster, more reproducible results required by modern manufacturing. One method uses plant enzymes and the other uses electric light.

Using light is a simpler process that reduces the environmental impact of dyeing by 73% compared to using indigo. European Commission indicators It takes into account carbon emissions, land use, water consumption, and ozone layer depletion. Using enzymes led to even greater reductions of 92%.

Hededam-Werner said that with further research, the process could become cheaper and more efficient, but major obstacles still stand in the way, not least of which is the production of the 4 billion pairs needed. The aim is to establish a supply chain for 80,000 tons of Indican. Number of jeans manufactured each year.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists use innovative method to hunt for signs of extraterrestrial technology

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

techno signature Any measurable property that could provide evidence of extraterrestrial technology. The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is a branch of astrobiology that focuses on the discovery of technosignatures, which provide evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence. Traditionally, targeted wireless surveys have been the mainstay of his SETI research, and many of his ongoing SETI projects are still conducted in the radio band. SETI Ellipsoid, a newly proposed technology, suggests that an extraterrestrial civilization observing a galactic-scale event such as supernova SN 1987A could use it as a point to broadcast a synchronization signal indicating its presence. This is a strategy for selecting techno signature candidates based on the assumption that .

Gaia Early Data Release 3, using Cabrales' improved star 3D positions other. identified 32 SN 1987A SETI ellipsoidal targets with uncertainties better than 0.5 light-years within the TESS continuum. Image credits: ALMA/ESO/NAOJ/NRAO/Alexandra Angelich, NRAO/AUI/NSF.

Barbara Cabrales, Ph.D., of the SETI Institute and the Berkeley SETI Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley, and her colleagues demonstrate that the SETI ellipsoid method leverages continuous, wide-field surveys of the sky and demonstrates its ability to detect potential technosignatures. We have shown that it can be significantly improved.

By using up to a year of observations to correct for uncertainties in the estimated time of arrival of such signals, we implement the SETI ellipsoid strategy in an innovative way using state-of-the-art technology.

“The new survey of the sky provides a groundbreaking opportunity to search for technosignatures in concert with supernovae,” Dr. Cabrales said.

“Typical timing uncertainty takes months, so we want to cover the bases by finding well-documented goals over about a year.”

“In addition to that, it's important to make as many observations as possible about each target of interest, so you can see what looks like normal behavior and what looks like potential techno-signatures.” You will be able to judge.”

In examining data from the Continuous Display Zone of NASA's TESS mission, which covers 5% of all TESS data during the first three years of the mission, the authors leveraged advanced 3D position data from Gaia Early Data Release 3. Did.

This analysis identified 32 major targets within the SETI ellipsoid in the southern part of the TESS continuum, with all uncertainties adjusted to better than 0.5 light-years.

Although initial inspection of TESS light curves during ellipsoid-crossing events did not find any anomalies, the foundation laid by this effort lends itself to other investigations, a broader range of targets, and a variety of potential signal types. Paving the way for expansion into research.

Applying SETI Ellipsoid technology to scour large archival databases represents a breakthrough in the search for technosignatures.

This study demonstrates the feasibility of leveraging Gaia's highly accurate distance estimates and cross-matching these distances with other time-domain surveys such as TESS to enhance monitoring and anomaly detection capabilities in SETI research. doing.

Combining the SETI Ellipsoid method with Gaia's distance measurements provides a robust and adaptable framework for future SETI searches.

Astronomers can apply it retrospectively to sift through archived data for potential signals, proactively select targets, and schedule future monitoring campaigns.

“The SETI Ellipsoid method, in collaboration with Gaia distances, provides an easy and flexible method for SETI searches that can be adapted to suit a variety of current surveys and source events,” the researchers said. I am.

“This can not only be applied retrospectively to look for signals in archived data, but also propagated in time to select targets and schedule surveillance campaigns.”

Their paper will appear in astronomy magazine.

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Barbara Cabrales other. 2024. Find the SN 1987A SETI ellipsoid using TESS. A.J. 167, 101; doi: 10.3847/1538-3881/ad2064

Source: www.sci.news

Revolutionary Method for Ending Pregnancy Nausea Quickly: Discover the Morning Sickness Cure

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

We have all experienced vomiting at some stage in our lives. Whether it’s due to a nasty bout of food poisoning or the well-known norovirus that infects the population episodically. And we can all agree that it’s scary.

But imagine what it would do to you physically, mentally, and emotionally if you were to expect constant nausea and vomiting at a critical stage in your life.this is the reality for them
4 in 5 women experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Even mild cases can cause unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting.

for 3% of women develop a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum.things get worse and require hospitalization and treatment.

According to the Office for National Statistics, in 2022 this will result in: 20,000 women hospitalized.

But until recently, little was known about the causes of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the more nausea and vomiting you have, the healthier your pregnancy, and even suggests that it is related to the number of babies you have.

However, real-world evidence shows this is not true. In fact, nausea and vomiting can vary widely in severity and pattern during pregnancy.

Often referred to as “morning sickness,” nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can occur at any time of the day or night. Usually it’s worse for the first 12 weeks, then it calms down. However, for many women, it lasts throughout the pregnancy.

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However, after more than 20 years of research in this field, a breakthrough has been made that identifies a causal relationship. This was promoted by Dr. Malena Fezo, a geneticist at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

Fezo was inspired to pursue this career after suffering from severe nausea and vomiting during her second pregnancy in 1999. She was unable to eat or drink without vomiting, and she rapidly lost weight and became so weak that she could no longer stand or walk.

However, doctors were skeptical that she might be exaggerating her symptoms to get attention. Fezo was eventually hospitalized and she miscarried at 15 weeks.

Fezo will conduct genetic research on previously pregnant women in collaboration with 23andMe, a private company that allows individuals to send samples of their DNA to determine health status and insights into their ancestry. did.

She identified a link with a woman who suffered from severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (requiring an intravenous fluid). and a variant of the gene encoding a protein named GDF15, a hormone that acts on the brain stem.

This association pinpointed the need for further research to understand the role of GDF15 protein in pregnancy.

GDF15 is secreted by the placenta during the first two trimesters of pregnancy. It also likely plays a role in preventing the mother from biologically rejecting the baby, which is essential to allowing the pregnancy to continue. However, GDF15 has been shown to regulate physiological body weight and appetite through the brain. This substance is produced in excess in cancer patients who suffer from severe appetite and weight loss.

In addition to previous research, research led by Fejzo and the University of Cambridge Professor Stephen O'Rahilly We found that the level of GDF15 was high. Seen in women with severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. However, the effects of this hormone appear to depend on the woman's susceptibility and her exposure to GDF15 before pregnancy. Women who received higher levels of exposure before pregnancy had higher levels of the GDF15 hormone but did not have symptoms of nausea or vomiting.

It has been hypothesized that long-term exposure to GDF15 before pregnancy may have a protective effect and reduce a woman’s sensitivity to the hormonal surge caused by fetal development.

This exposure relationship is very unique and provides more understanding and knowledge as well as the potential that women may be desensitized by increasing their exposure to hormones before pregnancy. It also suggests possible treatments. Just like some people treat food allergies with controlled exposure therapy.

Many of the common symptoms affecting women, such as nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, are poorly understood despite their very high incidence. Women’s healthcare is not a niche, and there is much to understand and learn through this type of research.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Researchers find easy method to drastically enhance your coffee at home

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

There are all sorts of fancy tools and expensive equipment that can dramatically improve the taste of your coffee, but now scientists have discovered a new trick that requires just a few drops of water.

When you grind coffee, the process creates friction, which causes some cracks in the beans. This generates electricity that causes the coffee particles to clump and stick to the grinder.

Publish the survey results in a magazine Casea team of researchers reported that coffee beans with higher internal moisture levels generate less static electricity.. This meant less coffee was wasted and a stronger espresso was obtained.

This moisture level is achieved by simply adding a small amount of water to the beans. in front Polishing them.

“Moisture determines the amount of charge formed during grinding, whether it’s residual moisture inside the roasted coffee or external moisture added during grinding,” says the senior author. Dr Christopher Hendona computational materials chemist at Orjon University.

“Water not only reduces static electricity and reduces mess during grinding, but it can also have a significant impact on the strength of the beverage and potentially its ability to obtain a higher concentration of desirable flavor.”

Coffee experts weren’t the only people involved in this study. In a strange turn of events, a volcanologist was brought in to better understand what happens when static electricity is generated when grinding coffee.

“During an eruption, magma breaks up into many small particles that come out of the volcano in a large plume. Throughout the process, those particles rub against each other and become electrically charged until lightning occurs.” he says.volcanologist joshua mendez harperauthor of the paper at Portland State University.

“Simplistically speaking, it’s like grinding coffee, grinding the beans into a fine powder.”

During the course of the study, the research team measured the amount of static electricity generated by grinding a variety of commercially and home-roasted coffee beans. These vary depending on factors such as country of origin, roast color, and moisture content.

Although there was no association between static electricity and the coffee’s country of origin or processing method (natural, washed, decaffeinated), the researchers found a link between static electricity and coffee content, roast color, and particle size. found that there is a correlation between

Less power was produced when the coffee had a higher internal moisture content and when the coffee was ground at a coarser setting. The research team also discovered differences in the static electricity generated between light and dark roasts.

When we compared espresso made with the same coffee beans ground with and without water, we found that grinding with water produced a stronger and longer extraction. Similarly, milling with water improves shot-to-shot consistency, overcoming a hurdle for baristas who want consistent results all day long.

“The main material benefit of adding water during grinding is that there is less agglomeration and the bed can be packed more densely,” says Hendon.

“Espresso is the worst culprit for this problem, but there are also benefits seen in brewing methods where you pour water over the coffee, like on the stovetop. Where you don’t see a benefit are methods like a French press, where you steep the coffee in water. .”

Although the research findings primarily focus on coffee, they have implications for other areas as well.

“It’s kind of the beginning of a joke: a volcanologist and a coffee expert walk into a bar and come out with a paper,” Harper says.

“But I think there are many more opportunities for this kind of collaboration. These investigations could help solve parallel problems in geophysics, such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and how water infiltrates soil. .”

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New Method Discovered by Astronomers for Detecting Water Oceans and Alien Life on Rocky Exoplanets

Posted on December 30, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Planets that are too close to their star (such as Venus) are too hot, and planets that are too far away (such as Mars) are too cold, but planets that are within the habitable zone have just the right temperature. Although great efforts have been made to identify planets in the theoretical habitable region of stars, until now there has been no way to know whether a planet really has liquid water. Now, astronomers from the University of Birmingham and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found that if an exoplanet’s atmosphere has less carbon dioxide than its neighbors, it may have liquid water on its surface. It was shown that it was suggested.

Artist’s impression of the super-Earth planet Ross 508b. Image credit: Sci.News.

Astronomers have detected more than 5,200 extrasolar worlds so far. Modern telescopes allow us to directly measure the distance from a planet to a star and the time it takes to complete one revolution.

These measurements help scientists infer whether a planet is within its habitable zone.

However, there was no way to directly confirm whether a planet was truly habitable, i.e. whether there was liquid water on its surface.

Throughout our solar system, astronomers can detect the presence of liquid oceans by observing glints, flashes of sunlight reflecting off liquid surfaces.

These glows, or specular reflections, have been observed, for example, on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and helped identify the moon’s large lakes.

However, detecting similar glows on distant planets is not possible with current technology.

But astronomer Julien de Witt of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, astronomer Amaury Tryaud of the University of Birmingham and colleagues believe there is another habitable landform close to home that could be detected far away. I noticed something.

“Looking at what was happening to terrestrial planets in our own star system gave us an idea,” Tryaud said.

Venus, Earth, and Mars share similarities in that all three are rocky and live in relatively temperate regions relative to the Sun.

Earth is the only planet of the three that currently has liquid water. Researchers then noted another clear difference. That means there is significantly less carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere.

“We think these planets formed in a similar way, and if we find a planet with less carbon than it does now, it must have gone somewhere else,” Tryaud said.

“The only process that can remove this much carbon from the atmosphere is a strong water cycle involving oceans of liquid water.”

In fact, Earth’s oceans have played a major and persistent role in absorbing carbon dioxide.

For hundreds of millions of years, the ocean has absorbed enormous amounts of carbon dioxide. This is about the same amount that remains in Venus’ atmosphere today.

This planetary effect has resulted in Earth’s atmosphere being significantly depleted in carbon dioxide compared to neighboring planets.

Dr. Frieder Klein, a researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said: “On Earth, much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is sequestered in seawater and solid rock over geological timescales; It has helped regulate climate and habitability for billions of years.” .

Astronomers reasoned that if a similar decrease in carbon dioxide was detected on a distant planet compared to a nearby planet, this would be a reliable signal of a liquid ocean and life on its surface. did.

“After an extensive review of the literature in many fields, from biology to chemistry to carbon sequestration related to climate change, we found that if carbon depletion is indeed detected, it is likely that liquid water and its effects are “We think this is likely a strong indication that this is a sign of life.” Dr. de Witt said.

In the study, the researchers developed a strategy to detect habitable planets by looking for traces of depleted carbon dioxide.

Such searches are ideal for “pea” systems, like our solar system, in which multiple terrestrial planets, all about the same size, orbit relatively close to each other.

The first step, the scientists suggest, is to confirm that a planet has an atmosphere by simply looking for the presence of carbon dioxide, which is expected to dominate the atmospheres of most planets.

“Carbon dioxide is a very strong absorber of infrared light and can be easily detected in the atmospheres of exoplanets,” Dr. de Witt said.

“The carbon dioxide signal could reveal the presence of an exoplanet’s atmosphere.”

Once astronomers determine that multiple planets in a system have atmospheres, they move on to measuring their carbon dioxide content to see if one planet has significantly less than the others.

If so, this planet is likely habitable, which means there is a large amount of liquid water on its surface.

However, habitable conditions do not necessarily mean that the planet is inhabited. To confirm whether life actually exists, the authors suggest that astronomers look for another feature in the planet’s atmosphere: ozone.

On Earth, plants and some microorganisms contribute to absorbing carbon dioxide, although to a lesser extent than the oceans. Nevertheless, as part of this process, living organisms release oxygen, which reacts with solar photons and turns into ozone. Ozone is a much easier molecule to detect than oxygen itself.

If a planet’s atmosphere shows signs of both ozone and carbon dioxide depletion, the planet may be habitable and inhabited by humans.

“If you see ozone, there’s a pretty good chance it’s related to carbon dioxide being consumed by life forms,” says Tryaud.

“And if it’s life, it’s glorious life. It won’t be just a few bacteria. It’ll be a planetary-scale biomass that can process and interact with large amounts of carbon.”

The researchers believe NASA/ESA/CSA’s James Webb Space Telescope can measure carbon dioxide, and possibly ozone, in nearby multiplanetary systems like TRAPPIST-1, a seven-planet system orbiting a bright star. I’m guessing it is. Light years from Earth.

“TRAPPIST-1 is one of the few systems that can use the Web to study Earth’s atmosphere,” said Dr. de Witt.

“We now have a roadmap to finding habitable planets. If we all work together, we may make paradigm-changing discoveries within the next few years.”

of study It was published in the magazine natural astronomy.

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AHMJ triode other. Atmospheric carbon depletion as a tracer of water oceans and biomass in temperate terrestrial exoplanets. Nat Astron, published online on December 28, 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41550-023-02157-9

Source: www.sci.news

Alabama’s Plan to Use Nitrogen Gas for Execution: A Little-Known Method

Posted on December 28, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Alabama has announced it will use nitrogen gas in an upcoming execution. This would make the state the first to use such a method as officials struggle with a shortage of lethal injection drugs. Legal challenges are on the horizon as the matter is under consideration.

While Alabama is eager to use nitrogen, details of the protocol remain under wraps, with some information on how the process works being kept from the public. Death row inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith noted his lack of access to unredacted state protocols that explain how the process works, alongside other inmates under the sentence.

In addition to the novelty of Smith’s case, he is also a rare survivor of a failed execution attempt from last year. Smith, convicted for his role in the 1988 murder of a preacher’s wife, Elizabeth Sennett, remains awaiting execution with the proposed nitrogen method set for January. In light of unsuccessful attempts to execute Smith using lethal injection, the state agreed to try an alternative method.

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Although lethal injection remains Alabama’s primary method of execution, the state authorized the use of nitrogen in 2018 and aims to use it in Smith’s case. With many questions remaining and the state’s questionable track record, critics argue that the decision to use an untested method won’t win public trust.

This month, Smith’s lawyers argued before a federal judge that the use of nitrogen hypoxia violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. An anesthetist testifying on Smith’s behalf expressed concerns about possible adverse effects on Smith’s health, such as vomiting, suffocation, or going into a vegetative state.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

New Shocking Training Method Introduced by Johns Hopkins

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

A study by Johns Hopkins University has demonstrated that applying a gentle electric current to the cerebellum increases an individual’s ability to transfer skills from virtual reality to real-world environments, particularly in robotic surgery. The technology showed significant improvements in dexterity and skill application in participants, even without prior surgical or robotics training, and was used in training in a variety of high-tech industries, including medical and robotics. It could revolutionize the way we do things. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that gentle electrical stimulation of the cerebellum significantly improves the transition from virtual reality training to real-world tasks in robotic surgery, and in medical and technical training. It shows potential advances in the method.

People who received a mild electrical current to the back of the head learned to operate a robotic surgical tool in virtual reality and subsequently operated the robotic surgical tool in a real environment much more easily than those who did not receive such stimulation. A new study shows that.

The study results provide the first glimpse of how stimulating a specific part of the brain, called the cerebellum, could help medical professionals apply what they learn in virtual reality to the real operating room. It’s a much-needed transition in a field that is increasingly reliant on digital simulation training. “It’s important to remember that this is the case,” said author Jeremy D. Brown, a robotics engineer at Johns Hopkins University.

“Training in virtual reality is not the same as training in a real environment. Previous research has shown that skills learned in simulation can be difficult to transfer to the real world.” , said Mr. Brown of John C. Kennedy. Malone Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering. “Although it is very difficult to claim statistical accuracy, the participants in the study concluded that when they received this stimulation, they were able to more easily transfer skills from virtual reality to the real world. ”

This work was published today (December 20th). Nature scientific report.

Participants drove surgical needles through three small holes, first in a virtual simulation and then in a real-life scenario using the da Vinci Research Kit, an open-source research robot. Researchers say the exercise mimics the movements required during surgery on abdominal organs.

Participants received a subtle flow of electricity through electrodes or small pads placed on their scalp to stimulate the cerebellum of the brain. Half of the group received a steady flow of electricity throughout the test, while the remaining participants received only a short stimulation at the beginning and nothing at all for the rest of the test.

Those who received steady flow showed significant improvements in dexterity. None of them had prior training in surgery or robotics.

“The unstimulated group had a little more trouble applying the skills they learned in virtual reality to the real robot, especially the most complex movements that involve rapid movements,” said Johns Hopkins University roboticist and former robotics engineer. , said Guido Caccianiga, now of Max. Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, which designed and led the experiment; “The group that received brain stimulation did better at those tasks.”

Non-invasive brain stimulation is a method of influencing specific parts of the brain from outside the body, and scientists say they have shown how it can aid motor learning in rehabilitation therapy. Ta. Co-author Gabriela Cantarello, a former assistant professor of physical therapy and rehabilitation, said the research team is looking at how surgeons can stimulate their brains to acquire skills they might need in real-world situations. He said he was taking research to a new level by testing whether it could help. at Johns Hopkins University.

“It’s really great to be able to use this setup to actually influence behavior and really quantify every little aspect of people’s movements, deviations, and errors,” Cantarello said.

Study participants undergoing non-invasive brain stimulation sit at the console of a surgical robot and use a virtual reality simulation of needle-stroke practice. Credit: Guido Caccianiga/Johns Hopkins University.

Robotic surgical systems offer significant benefits to clinicians by improving human skills. It helps surgeons minimize hand tremors and enhance vision for detailed and precise work.

In addition to impacting the way future surgeons learn new skills, this type of brain stimulation also holds promise for skill acquisition in other industries that rely on virtual reality training, particularly in the field of robotics.

Even outside of virtual reality, this stimulation is likely to help people learn more generally, the researchers said.

“What if we could prove that if you stimulate your brain, you can learn new skills in half the time?” Caccianiga said. “This will significantly reduce costs because we can train people more quickly. We will have more resources to train more surgeons and engineers who will be working frequently with these technologies in the future. You can save.”

Reference: “Anodal cerebellar t-DCS influences skill learning and transfer in robotic surgical training tasks” by Guido Caccianiga, Ronan A. Mooney, Pablo A. Celnik, Gabriela L. Cantarero, and Jeremy D. Brown, 2023 December 20th, scientific report.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47404-1

Other authors include Ronan A. Mooney of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Pablo A. Selnik of the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Researchers discover new method for treating life-threatening liver condition

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

New research reveals the role of omega-3 fatty acids in the fight against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

Using innovative analytical techniques, researchers determined that omega-3 targets betacellulin, a protein that contributes to liver fibrosis. This discovery opens new avenues for NASH drug research and highlights the importance of omega-3s in the diet for liver health.

A recent study conducted by Oregon State University revealed new insights into how certain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3s, fight serious liver conditions. This discovery paves the way for research into new drugs for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), for which there is currently no FDA-approved treatment.

Scientists including Natalia Shulzhenko, Andrei Morgan, and Donald Jump at Oregon State University used a technique known as multiomic network analysis to find that omega-3 supplements can be used to treat nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. This mechanism involves betacellulin, a protein growth factor that contributes to liver fibrosis and other serious liver conditions.

The results of this research have recently been published in EMBO molecular medicine. NASH is associated with a disease known as metabolic syndrome, and it is crucial to understand the role of omega-3s in the fight against NASH.

In this study, scientists used both a mouse model and human liver transcriptome data to determine that omega-3 PUFAs reduce, or downregulate, betacellulin in both mice and humans with NASH. This discovery not only significantly advances our understanding of how NASH begins and progresses, but also opens new doors for pharmaceutical research. Researchers say the discovery of betacellulin as a new drug target may help explore precision medicine approaches to NASH treatment and liver cancer prevention by using specific omega-3 PUFAs.

In addition to dietary supplements, omega-3 PUFAs can be found in cold-water fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, as well as in some nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. Omega-3 PUFAs are essential fatty acids that are not produced by the body but must be obtained from the diet.

Reference:

Jyothi Padiadpu, Manuel Garcia-Jaramillo, Nolan K Newman, Written by Jacob W Pederson, Richard Rodrigues, Zhipeng Lee, Sekhavir Singh, Philippe Monnier, Giorgio Trinchieri, Kevin Brown, Amiran K. Zutsev, Natalia Shulzhenko, Donald B. Jump, Andrei Morgan, 2023 October 20th, EMBO molecular medicine. DOI: 10.15252/emm.202318367

Jyoti Padyap, a postdoctoral fellow in the OSU College of Pharmacy, is the study’s lead author. Other Oregon State researchers who contributed to the paper were Nolan Newman, Richard Rodriguez, Sehajivir Singh, Manuel Garcia-Jaramillo, Jacob Pederson, Jipeng Li, Philip Monnier, and Kevin Brown.

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Researchers find natural method to enhance the meat-like qualities of plant-based meat

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Recent research has revealed that fermenting alliums such as onions with fungi can naturally mimic the flavor of meat, offering a promising solution for enhancing plant-based meat substitutes without the use of synthetic additives. measures are provided.

Plant-based alternatives like tempeh and bean burgers offer protein-rich options for those looking to cut back on meat. However, it is difficult to imitate the taste and aroma of meat, and many companies use artificial additives for this purpose. Recent research in ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry revealed a promising solution. Onions, chives, and leeks can produce natural compounds that resemble meat flavors when fermented with typical fungi.

An innovative approach to natural meat flavoring

When food manufacturers want their plant-based meat alternatives to taste more like meat, they often add precursor ingredients found in the meat that transform into flavorants during cooking. Alternatively, flavors are first prepared by heating flavor precursors or other chemical manipulations and then added to the product.

Because these flavors are created through a synthetic process, many countries do not allow food manufacturers to label them as “natural.” To utilize plant-based “natural” meat flavors, flavor chemicals must be physically extracted from plants or produced biochemically using enzymes, bacteria, and fungi. So YanYan Zhang and colleagues wanted to see if they could produce the same chemicals from vegetables and spices using fungi, which are known for producing meat-like tastes and smells from synthetic ingredients.

Allium releases the aroma of meat

The team fermented different fungi seed After experimenting with different foods, I found that meaty aromas only come from foods in the allium family, such as onions and leeks. The sample with the strongest aroma was one in which the fungus Polyporus umbellatus was used to ferment onions for 18 hours, producing a fatty and meaty aroma similar to liverwurst.

The researchers used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze onion ferments to identify flavor and odor chemicals, many of which are known to be responsible for various flavors in meat. discovered a chemical substance. One of the chemicals they identified was bis(2-methyl-3-furyl) disulfide, a strong odorant found in meat and savory foods.

The researchers say the high sulfur content of alliums contributes to their ability to produce meat-flavoring compounds, and these compounds often also contain sulfur. These onion ferments could one day be used as a natural flavoring agent in a variety of plant-based meat substitutes, the researchers say.

Reference: “Sensoproteomic discovery of taste-modulating peptides and taste re-engineering of soy sauce” Manon Jünger, Verena Karolin Mittermeier-Kleßinger, Anastasia Farrenkopf, Andreas Dunkel, Timo Stark, Sonja Fröhlich, Veronika Somoza, Corinna Dawid, and Thomas Hofmann, 2022 May 20th Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01688

The authors acknowledge funding from Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung.

Source: scitechdaily.com