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New Juno Data Reveals Jupiter is Smaller and More ‘Squeezed’ Than Previously Thought

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Leveraging high-precision radio occultation measurements from NASA’s Juno mission, planetary scientists have significantly refined the shape of Jupiter. Their findings reveal that the planet’s polar, equatorial, and mean radii are smaller than earlier estimates from NASA’s Pioneer and Voyager missions, with substantially reduced uncertainty.

This vibrant visible-light image of Jupiter was captured using the Hubble Wide-Field Camera 3 on January 11, 2017. Featured prominently are the Great Red Spot and a long brown feature known as the “Brown Barge,” stretching approximately 72,000 km (around 45,000 miles) from east to west, with Red Spot Junior (Oval BA) on the lower right. Image credits: NASA / ESA / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / Wong et al. / De Peyter et al. / M. Zamani.

“Jupiter, recognized as the largest planet in our solar system, is an almost oblate spheroid due to its rapid rotation of 9 hours, 55 minutes, and 29 seconds, causing a slight flattening at the poles and a bulge at the equator,” stated Dr. Eli Galanti of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

“This unique shape results from the gravitational forces pulling inward and centrifugal forces pushing outward from its rotation axis. Consequently, Jupiter’s equatorial radius is approximately 7% larger than its polar radius.”

“For celestial bodies with a uniform density, the shape is ideally ellipsoidal. However, Jupiter’s internal density varies significantly from the cloud layer of about 1 bar, where density is less than 1 kg/m3, to deeper layers reaching densities of several thousand kg/m3.”

“This density variation causes the planet’s shape to deviate from a simple ellipsoid by tens of kilometers, as reflected in fluctuations of the gravitational field across latitudes.”

“Additional alterations in Jupiter’s shape are induced by strong zonal winds detected at cloud level,” Dr. Galanti continued.

“These winds modify the centrifugal force, leading to variations of about 10 km mainly at lower latitudes.”

Historically, Jupiter’s dimensions were based on data from six radio occultation experiments conducted by NASA’s Pioneer and Voyager missions in the 1970s.

In this groundbreaking study, researchers reviewed radio occultation data collected during 13 close encounters between Juno and Jupiter, integrating the effects of zonal winds into their analysis.

“Radio occultation enables us to peer through Jupiter’s dense, opaque atmosphere to understand its internal structure,” the researchers elucidated.

“During the occultation experiment, Juno transmits radio signals to NASA’s Deep Space Network on Earth.”

“As these signals traverse Jupiter’s electrically charged ionosphere, they experience bending and delay.”

“By measuring the frequency changes caused by this bending, we can derive the temperature, pressure, and electron density at various atmospheric depths.”

The research concluded that Jupiter is approximately 8 km narrower at its equator and 24 km flatter at its poles.

“Including the effects of zonal winds significantly diminishes uncertainty in our understanding of Jupiter’s shape,” the researchers noted.

“At a pressure level of 1 atmosphere, we’ve determined a polar radius of 66,842 km, an equatorial radius of 71,488 km, and a mean radius of 69,886 km, which are smaller by 12 km, 4 km, and 8 km than previously estimated, respectively.”

For more details, view the findings published in this week’s Nature Astronomy.

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E. Galanti et al. Jupiter’s Size and Shape. Nat Astron published online on February 2, 2026. doi: 10.1038/s41550-026-02777-x

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Source: www.sci.news

This Unusual Optical Illusion Could Reveal Insights into Animal Thought Processes

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A recent study reveals that certain optical illusions can deceive some animals, though not all. This emerging research may offer fresh insights into how perception influences survival and evolution in different species.

The optical illusion examined in this research is known as the Ebbinghaus illusion, where two identical circles appear different in size because one is encircled by a larger circle, while the other is surrounded by a smaller one.

When observing the illusion overall, the outer circle misleads our brain into perceiving the inner circle as a different size. However, focusing solely on the inner circles reveals that they are indeed the same.

Our susceptibility to this illusion hinges on how our brains interpret visual information, whether as a cohesive whole or detailed parts.

To investigate how various animals perceive their surroundings, scientists at the University of Vienna in Austria recreated the Ebbinghaus illusion using bait, arranging circles of differing sizes around a central bait area.

The two orange circles are identical, yet the left one seems smaller due to the larger circle surrounding it. Conversely, the right circle appears larger – Credit: Getty Images

Next, they observed the responses of two fish species: guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and ring doves (Streptopelia risoria).

The findings indicated that guppies are reliably deceived by optical illusions, similar to humans; they often preferred to consume fish flakes within a smaller circle, perceiving them as larger food items.

In contrast, ring doves exhibited varying responses; some birds chose millet seeds surrounded by a smaller circle, while others opted for those within a larger circle.

The researchers concluded that these choices highlight how each species is uniquely equipped to interact with its environment and tackle its challenges.

For instance, guppies inhabit shallow tropical rivers, where they encounter flickering lights, thick vegetation, swift predators, and numerous other guppies.

Guppies might be influenced by an illusion, suggesting they perceive their environment contextually rather than focusing on minute details – Credit: Getty Images

Researchers believe that for guppies, quick judgment of which fish are safe in a visually cluttered environment is crucial for survival. Thus, making rapid decisions could be advantageous.

Conversely, wood pigeons spend their lives on the ground, foraging for seeds. For them, noticing fine details could be more beneficial than analyzing the broader scene.

Nevertheless, scientists have observed that some pigeons react as if they are misled by a hallucination, indicating variability within species, much like humans.

Overall, the team concluded that optical illusions can provide a valuable lens through which to explore the diverse perceptions across species.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Ancient DNA Reveals Greater Genetic Diversity in Mastodons Than Previously Thought.

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Research utilizing ancient DNA has shed light on the complex evolutionary ties and ecological responses of elephants and their relatives. In a recent study, scientists sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of various mastodons, including five specimens from Nova Scotia and the East Coast—one dating back approximately 500,000 years—as well as a unique specimen of Pacific Mastodon from Chulatin, Oregon, and a partial mitochondrial genome from North Ontario. Their findings indicate that Pacific mastodons belong to distinct and deep mitochondrial lineages, indicating this species’ range extended into western Canada and potentially even Mexico. Additionally, the authors discovered evidence of at least three separate expansions into the northeastern coastal region and identified two new groups of mastodons with clear, geographically coinciding specimens.

Adult Mastodon (Mammuthus sp.) consumes spruce branches, set against a backdrop that suggests periodic continental migrations related to climate change. During the Middle and Late Pleistocene, at least two types of mastodons roamed North America: the American mastodon, spanning from the East Coast to central regions, and the Pacific mastodon, found from central Alberta to central California. Image credit: Kathryn Kilukki.

Mastodons were originally classified into numerous separate species but were later consolidated into one, the American Mastodon (Mammut americanum).

Recent classifications have been updated to potentially recognize at least two distinct species: American mastodon and Pacific mastodon (Mammut pacificus), with ongoing debates regarding their division.

Genetic analyses confirmed that Pacific mastodons are ancient and belong to separate genetic lineages that extend further than previously thought.

Notably, Alberta emerged as a “hotspot” where Pacific and American mastodons may have gathered, expanding northward and hybridizing.

Samples collected from the East Coast and northern Ontario revealed two genetically distinct groups, referred to as mastodon clades, cohabiting the same geographic area.

Surprisingly, the eastern species exhibit significant diversity, reflecting at least three distinct waves of migration. This pattern is driven by repeated climatic warming events that opened new areas for glacial retreat and northward movement.

As temperatures decreased and glaciers expanded, mastodons were either forced southward or faced local extinction.

“The data reframes our understanding of the modern regions known as Alberta and the North, highlighting their role as migratory corridors for surrounding fauna,” the researchers noted.

Moreover, a unique and genetically distinct lineage of Mexican mastodon was identified, possibly representing a deeper evolutionary branch of the Pacific mastodon or even a brand-new third species.

During the Ice Age, the mastodon was among the largest terrestrial animals on the planet, traversing a range from Beringia (now Alaska and Yukon) through Nova Scotia and south to Central Mexico.

These creatures primarily foraged in wetlands, consuming shrubs and branches, and inhabited environments quite different from those of their well-known distant relatives, the woolly mammoths.

“This study marks significant milestones, including advancements in our understanding of the Pacific Mastodon,” stated Emil Kalpinski, a researcher at Harvard Medical School.

“It also raises numerous intriguing questions: How did these distant mastodon species interact within Alberta?”

“Did they compete for resources or, as our lab’s earlier research indicated for mammoths, engage in breeding?”

“These revelations, in conjunction with findings from our 2020 study, enrich our understanding of how mastodons migrated and diversified across North America, aiding contemporary conservation efforts in preparing for ongoing climate change and migratory species in the North,” the researchers concluded.

Their paper was published on September 12, 2025, in the journal Advances in Science.

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Emil Kalpinski et al. 2025. Repeated climate-driven dispersion and speciation in peripheral populations of Pleistocene mastodon. Advances in Science 11 (37); doi:10.1126/sciadv.adw2240

Source: www.sci.news

Uranus May Be Warmer Than Previously Thought

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Recent studies published in the journal reveal that Uranus emits approximately 15% more energy than it receives from the Sun, as documented in Monthly Notices from the Royal Astronomical Society and Geophysical Research Book.

Composite image of Uranus. Image credit: Marcos Van Dam/Wm Keck Observatory.

Uranus distinguishes itself from other planets in our solar system by rotating on its side, causing each pole to face the Sun for 42 consecutive years during its “summer.”

This planet also rotates in a direction opposite to all other planets except Venus.

Data from the 1986 Voyager 2 flyby mission showed that Uranus has an unusually cold interior, prompting scientists to reconsider how the planet formed and its evolution within the solar system.

“Since the Voyager 2 flyby, there’s been an assumption that Uranus lacks internal heat,” said Dr. Amy Simon, a planetary scientist and co-author from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. First paper.

“However, explaining this has been challenging, particularly when compared to other giant planets.”

“The data regarding Uranus’s heat emissions originated from a single measurement made during the Voyager 2 mission,” Dr. Simon noted. “This reliance on one data point created a significant challenge.”

Through advanced computer modeling and analysis of decades of data, Dr. Simon and her colleagues discovered that Uranus does, in fact, generate internal heat.

To understand a planet’s internal heat, scientists compare the energy it receives from the Sun to the energy it radiates back into space as reflected light and emitted heat.

Other giant planets like Saturn, Jupiter, and Neptune emit more heat than they receive, suggesting that the excess heat originates from within.

The rate at which a planet releases heat can indicate its age; a planet that emits less heat than it absorbs is generally considered older.

Because Uranus was believed to emit an equal amount of heat to what it received, it was initially thought to lack internal heat.

This discrepancy puzzled scientists, leading them to speculate that Uranus might be significantly older than its neighbors, having completely cooled over time.

Some hypotheses suggested that a massive impact (possibly the same event that tilted the planet) may have stripped Uranus of its internal heat.

However, these theories did not satisfy researchers, motivating them to investigate what they termed the “Uranus cold case.”

“Did we mistakenly believe that Uranus has no internal heat?” asked Professor Patrick Irwin from Oxford University, the lead author of the first paper.

“We conducted extensive calculations to evaluate how much sunlight is reflected by Uranus, only to realize that it is actually more reflective than previously estimated.”

Researchers aimed to assess Uranus’s overall energy budget, exploring the total energy received from the Sun, the light reflected, and the heat emitted.

This required calculating the total light reflected from the planet from various angles.

“We need to consider light scattered across the planet’s surface instead of just direct reflections,” Dr. Simon explained.

To provide the most accurate energy budget estimate for Uranus, scientists created a computer model incorporating all available data on Uranus’s atmosphere from decades of ground- and space-based observations, including data from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s infrared telescope in Hawaii.

This model accounts for factors like haze, cloud cover, and seasonal changes that influence how sunlight is reflected and heat escapes.

The findings reveal that Uranus emits about 15% more energy than it receives from the Sun, as reported in a second study.

These investigations suggest that Uranus possesses its own internal heat but emits more than twice the energy it receives, although still less than its neighbor, Neptune.

“Now we need to delve deeper into what the additional heat on Uranus signifies and improve our measurement techniques,” Dr. Simon concluded.

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Patrick GJ Irwin et al. 2025. Uranus’ bolometric binding albedo and energy balance. mnras 540(2): 1719-1729; doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf800

XINYUE WANG et al. 2025. Uranus’ internal heat flux and energy imbalance. Geophysical Research Book 52 (14): E2025GL115660; doi: 10.1029/2025GL115660

Source: www.sci.news

Creating Something We Thought Was Cool: The Story of Monolith Productions | Games

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lLast month, Warner Bros. announced the closure of three game development studios – WB Game San Diego, Player First Studio, Monolith Production. Amid a wave of layoffs and closures in the gaming industry, the news of Monolith shutting down caused shock and anger. The belief that Monolith would always exist was pervasive, with one of the founding members expressing surprise at the possibility of its closure.

Monolith was known for its unique approach to game development, combining visual talent, mechanical originality, and pop culture themes since its founding in 1994. The studio was unpredictable in its game releases, producing a variety of genres from first-person shooters to platformers, dungeon crawlers, and open-world games.

The earthquake led me to my toes…blood. Photo: Monolith Productions/Gog

Monolith’s early days were marked by the release of unique games like “Claw,” a 2D platformer about Pirate Cats, and “Blood,” a first-person shooter that gained popularity for its visual style and creative weapons. The success of “Blood” led Monolith to focus on FPS development, leading to the creation of several acclaimed games between 1998 and 2003.

Inspired by anime…Shogo: Mobile Armor Division. Photo: Monolith Production

One of Monolith’s standout games was “Operative: No One Lives Forever,” which offered a unique blend of spy fiction and shooter elements. The studio continued to create innovative games like “Fear” and “Dreaded,” showcasing its ability to immerse players in compelling and terrifying experiences.

Arguably the best of Monolith… Alma from fear. Photo: Sierra Game

However, Monolith’s later years saw a shift towards working on licensed games and adaptations, with titles like “Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor” showcasing the studio’s creativity and whimsical flair. The innovative Nemesis AI system introduced in the game set a new standard for enemy interactions in open-world games.

Highlights of the Monolith's later years… Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor. Photo: Monolith Production

Despite its success, the closure of Monolith marked the end of an era in the gaming industry. The studio’s closure raises questions about modern industry practices and the pressure to deliver blockbuster games that cater to a wide audience. Monolith’s legacy of creativity and innovation will continue to resonate in the gaming world long after its closure.

Source: www.theguardian.com

I Thought of Taxis as Magical: Sega’s Pop Punk Classic Crazy Taxi Celebrates 25 Years | Games

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kEnjikanno, director of Sega’s legendary driving game Crazy Taxi, recalls the pivotal moment when he realized the game had made an earthquake-like impression. “I was heading to Las Vegas for promotional work,” he recounts. “I got into a taxi, the driver sped me off quickly and promptly reached my destination. Finally, he chuckled and said, ‘I’m a truly crazy taxi!’. It was a bizarre experience.”

Originally launched in arcades, The Zany, Pop-Punk Drive-Em’ -Up, is commemorating its 25th anniversary this month. Crazy Taxi was an addictive coin-operated thrill ride. The quirky nature of the game consistently exclaimed, “Are you ready to have some fun?” and “Crazy time is money!” with a plain, ordinary face amidst the chaos of just wanting to drive to Pizza Hut. Racing a green-haired Axel Yellow 1960 Cadillac El Dorado so swiftly that the front bumper crashed into a concrete hill in Sunny San Francisco. (My mom’s favorite character was Jenna, who drove the Ford Mustang.)

I can still recall spending the entire summer trying to master the “crazy dash” technique instead of playing outside with my friends. The subsequent ports on PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Xbox 360 were a hit, drawing millions of Crazy Taxi sales, proving that creating a hit wasn’t a walk in the park back then.

A memorable experience for everyone who played… a crazy taxi. Photo: Sega

The rock band The Offspring contributed a turbo-charged guitar riff to the Crazy Taxi soundtrack, a time capsule from the turn of the millennium. The game captured the carefree hyperactivity of America pre 9/11 in the late ’90s/early ’00s. The era when the biggest concern for many youngsters was whether Stone Cold Steve Austin would retain the WWE World title.

Despite its successful cross-over, Crazy Taxi faced opposition from many early critics, as recalled by Kanno. “During the initial stages of development, more than half of the project team vehemently opposed the idea of a game centered around taxi drivers,” he reminisces.

“What I wanted to express most about the craziest taxi was the dynamism of the movie car chase.” Photo: Sega

Yet, Kanno was intrigued by the challenge of transforming the ominous taxi driver stereotype, prevalent in the 1998 Luc Besson action comedy film Taxi, into a more endearing figure. The crazy taxi driver is clearly not sinister. Kanno aimed to do for the taxi driver what Paperboy did for paperboys. “I told the team: ‘I believe it’s the responsibility of game creators to make mundane work appear cooler! We might be envisioning something unprecedented, but we have to do it.’

Recounting his childhood, Kanno describes taxis as somewhat magical. “In Japan, taxi doors open automatically. As a child, I pondered why the taxi doors opened upon approach while our family car doors remained shut. This intrigued me so much that I began to view taxis as these enchanting entities.” As he matured, Kanno delved into old Hollywood films, aspiring to capture the same thrill and glamour showcased in iconic driving sequences like the Italian Job and French Connection. Locations such as San Francisco were ideal. “What I most wanted to convey about Crazy Taxi was the dynamic feel of a movie car chase, as San Francisco, with its numerous undulations, always allows for such action to be expressed.”

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/qLgWQKaCxG8?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Crazy Taxi Trailer" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

Unlike most racing games, Crazy Taxi demands quick decision-making on your feet rather than memorizing the track. (This ethos of a chaotic approach can be seen in Simpsons: Road Rage, which essentially adopted the crazy taxi concept in the Springfield setting.) “It’s a game that constantly challenges players to make split-second decisions in evolving scenarios,” Kanno explains. “Therefore, I made other vehicles obstacles. The design isn’t about mastering all the routes and finding the perfect line, but about maneuvering through ever-changing traffic.”

Technical limitations at the time curtailed the planned multiplayer mode. Nonetheless, the leaderboard enabled competitive battles among friends. For those struggling to surpass the 2-minute mark while playing Crazy Taxi (FYI: One rooftop shortcut is a game-changer), is there a possibility of a modern multiplayer-enabled sequel? “I can’t divulge much,” Kanno responds. “But Crazy Taxi will soon have you grinning ear to ear once again!”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is cleaner air fueling global warming more than we thought?

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Air pollution can have a cooling effect on the climate.

CHEUNGHYO/Getty Images

James Hanssen, the most well-known climate scientist, has doubled the impact on the climate of air pollution in the 1980s. I did.

“Humanity made bad transactions when using aerosol to offset almost half of greenhouse gas warming. Briefing The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network is hosting.

However, other researchers say that this conclusion is based on unstable foundation, but it is not yet known how much reduction in air pollution has contributed to global warming. Hansen's conclusion states that “it is floating around the top of what is plausible.” Michael Diamond Florida State University is not involved in research.

The recorded spike of the global average temperature in 2023 and 2024 has spured the debate on whether the pace of global warming is accelerating faster than expected. The temperature of the greenhouse gas and the global warming of the Pacific Ocean have increased the majority of the temperature, but other unknown contributors have raised higher temperatures than they can explain only by these factors.

Hansen and his colleagues Before The acceleration speed has been accelerated as air pollution decreases. Currently, they are providing new analysis that claims that a decrease in air pollution can explain the temperature of temperature in the past two years. Both air pollution aerosol reflects sunlight directly from the earth and affects the reflection characteristics of the clouds. Changes in the cover of the clouds are also related to heat.

Researchers are particularly focused on the effects of 2020 regulations that reduce harmful sulfur used in transport fuel. Sudden deterioration of air pollution against the ocean provides an experimental unintended experiment and can make the aerosol's impact on the climate more accurately.

Hansen and his colleagues looked at the busy Pacific transport corridor, estimated this effect, and measured the change in solar radiation absorbed by planets in these regions as air pollution decreased. From this, they estimate that the decline in transportation aerosol has increased the heat reaching the earth by 0.5 watts per square meter. This is almost the same as the global warming effect of the world's 10 years of today's level.

They discovered that additional warming was enough to explain the unknown heat seen in the past two years. But its meaning is wider. That also means that the cooling effect of air pollution hides the total range of the global warming effect of greenhouse gases. In other words, the warming, which has been experienced so far, does not have a complete impact on our emissions.

Hansen and his colleagues warn that this means that the climate is much more sensitive than the level of greenhouse gas levels. As a result, they argue that the world is approaching the climate turning point, which is approaching more quickly, such as the deceleration of the main Atlantic current and the collapse of the Southwest Pole. To fight this, they say they need to be more serious about how to cool the planet with interventions like Solaragio Engineering.

However, 0.5 watts per square meter at the core of the new analysis are much higher than other estimated values ​​of the changes in shipping emissions. Tianle yuan In Maryland University Boltimore County. But he says it is not completely unbelievable.

Gabin Schmidt This number is “very” because NASA assumes that all changes in the absorbed sunlight are due to changes in the transport aerosol, rather than other changes such as air pollution and natural fluctuations from China. It is said that it is overestimation.

Changes in aerosol may not be necessary to explain the temperature spike in 2023. SHIV PRIYAM Raghuraman At the Illinois University Urban Champag School -he found that it could be explained before Change of Pacific temperature Alone. He says that a lot of work is needed to adjust the various estimated values ​​of the aerosol's global warming effect.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New research suggests WASP-121B may have originally formed much closer to its parent star than previously thought.

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Astronomer using Immersed lattice infrared flash device (IGRINS) Gemini South Telescope devices looked at Wasp-121B, one of the most widely studied Ultra Hot Jupiter.

The artist's illustration indicates Wasp-121B, an alien world that has lost magnesium and iron gas from the atmosphere. Image credit: NASA / ESA / J. OLMSTED, STSCI.

WASP-121B, discovered by astronomers using Wasp-South Survece in 2016, is 1.87 times that of Jupiter, 1.18 times large.

The host star, WASP-121 (TYC 7630-352-1) is an active F6 main sequence star about 1.5 times the size of the sun.

The WASP-121 system is about 881 light-years away to the puppy constellation.

WASP-121B is a so-called “hot jupiter” and takes only 1 for three days to get on WASP-121 on track. As it is very close to the parent's star, as it approaches, the gravity of the star begins to tear.

Astronomers estimate that the temperature of the planet is about 2,500 degrees (Hana 4,600 degrees), which is enough to boil some metals.

The new Iglin observation results have revealed something unexpected about the WASP-121B formation history.

With these observations, Peter Smith and his colleagues at the Arizona State University, for the first time, measured the ratio of passenger rocks and ice using a single instrument.

“Gemini South using IGRINS has actually measured individual chemical existence more accurately than even achieving a space -based telescope,” said Smith.

The spectroscopic data indicates that the WASP-121B has a high ratio of rock and ice, and indicates that excessive rocky materials have been accumulated during the formation.

This suggests a planet formed in the area of ​​the protranetary disk that is too hot for the ice to condense.

“Our measurement means that this typical view must be reconsidered and the planetary formation model needs to be revisited,” Smith said.

Astronomers also discovered a remarkable feature of the WASP-121B atmosphere.

“The climate of this planet is extreme, not the earth's climate,” Smith said.

Since the planet daySide is very hot, elements that are generally considered “metal” evaporate in the atmosphere and can be detected by the spectroscopic method.

The strong wind blows these metals into the permanent night side of the planet. There, it is cool enough to condense and rain. This is an effect observed on Wasp-121B in the form of calcium rain.

“The sensitivity of our device can be used to examine the subtle wind speed by examining various areas, altitude, and long terms using these elements, revealing how dynamic this planet is. You can do it, “said Smith.

Survey results Will be displayed in Astronomy Journal。

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Peter CB Smith et al。 2025. Roasted marshmallow program with Gemini South Igulin. II. WASP-121 B has a ratio of superstar C/O and impact resistance and volatility. AJ 168, 293; DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/AD8574

Source: www.sci.news

Antarctic ice sheets may be more stable than previously thought

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Ronnes Ice Shelf in the Southwest Pole survived a long time ago

Modis/Zuma Wire/Shutterstock

The main ice shelves in Antarctica seem to have survived the hot period more than 120, 00 years ago. This indicates that the Westwest Pole ice sheet is not as vulnerable as it is thought to complete the complete collapse caused by climate change. You can raise the sea surface by one meter. However, great uncertainty remains.

“It's good news and bad news.” Eric Wolf At Cambridge University in the UK. “There was no worst scenario, but I can't say that it won't happen in the next century or the second century.”

The climate change caused by humans uncertains the future of the Ice bed in the Southwest Pole. If you continue to release high -level greenhouse gases, some models will completely disappear the ice sheet over the next few centuries. The most extreme scenarios projected by the inter -government panel on climate change in 2023 can lead to up to 2 meters up to the sea level by 2100.

Wolf and his colleagues looked at Ronne's ice shelves, a large part of the ice sheet that extends to the sea, to see how they behaved from 117, 00 to 126 to 00 years. Meanwhile, it was part of the last inter -glacier, and the change in the orbital of the earth increased the temperature of the Antarctica even higher than today.

In order to judge the range of Ronne's ice shelves during the warm period, researchers measured the concentration of the sea salt of the ice core about 650 km away from the end of the shelf. When the ice shelf melted between the last glacier, the edge was approaching the core. As a result, the researchers expected that the core was much closer to the ocean, so the core salt concentration would rise 8 times. “It would have been a seaside resort,” Wolf says.

Instead, they discover that the salt concentration between the last glacier is similar to today's concentration or even lower, indicating that the edge of the ice sheet remains far. Other measurements of the coat of water in the core, which maintain evidence of weather patterns affected by the change in the ice sheet, suggest that Ronne's ice shelves lasted during the last ice age.

Wolfff suggests that ice stability in the previous warm period is unlikely that climate change will be completely collapsed as the climate change increases the global temperature. However, he and other researchers say that the rise of the sea surface due to melting of ice is still a big risk.

“That means that there was no complete removal cation in the South Pole, but we do not provide enough information to relax.” Timothy Naish At Werrington Victoria University in New Zealand.

One is that the survival of Ronnes Ice Shelf does not mean that other ice areas such as Swaites and Pine Island have not melt. In fact, Wolf says the record of the core's water level suggests what they did. The ice score used by the researcher did not cover the warmth of the last ice age.

The dynamics of glacial warming between glaciers, which change in the region, are different from today's global warming, where the temperature is rising throughout the planet. For example, Wolf says that warm seawater that reaches Antarctica can accelerate melting by invading under ice.

“This is a really important observation, but I think it will take more time to understand what it means.” Andrea Duton At Wisconsin University Madison School. She emphasizes that researchers are spending 50 years and trying to think about what happened in the Westwest Pole in the last ice age.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Unexpected surprise: Giant fish thought to be sunbathing on Oregon beach turns out to be a curiosity

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The name “sunfish” is of Latin origin and means “milestone,” referring to the flat, circular body of this fish, which is known to drift along the ocean’s surface, a move some scientists lightly refer to as “sunbathing.”

But Nygard said the activity serves an important purpose: capturing jellyfish and other gelatinous creatures for prey.

When hunting, sunfish dive deep into cooler waters. Their bodies cannot regulate their body temperature efficiently, so they use the sun to warm themselves. While the fish lie on the surface, birds clean them by eating parasites from their skin.

Nyegaard said there are a few features that distinguish the giant sunfish from the giant sunfish: The giant sunfish’s skin becomes wrinkly as it grows, while the sunfish’s skin is always perfectly smooth.

Unlike normal fish, which have tails, sunfish have wings that are wavy and have a bony structure. The sunfish’s wings are divided into two parts, each of which can move independently.

“We don’t yet know why the two species need different rear structures,” Nygard says, adding that one theory is that the two-part flap could be for maneuvering or agility purposes.

Nygard said sunfish in general remain a mystery to scientists: There are five sunfish species in total, including the hoodwinker, and it’s unclear whether they can or will coexist in the same place.

It’s also unclear whether the hoodwinkers of Australia and New Zealand are related to those in the Pacific Northwest and have somehow migrated across the equator, Nygard said.

Since its discovery, people have been flocking to Gearhart Beach to see the lone hooded winker on the sand.

“This isn’t the first time this has been washed ashore, but it is the largest one to have been washed ashore,” said Tierney Thys, a marine biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.

“Strandings like this remind us that humans live on just 1 percent of the available habitable space on this vast ocean planet,” she said. “Encountering these amazing creatures is humbling and inspiring, and a powerful reminder that we still have much to learn.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Research shows that binary star systems contain a higher number of habitable exoplanets than previously thought

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In a new study, astronomers from Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology examined the coupled distribution of spin and orbital orbits of exoplanets in binary and triple star systems.

An artist's impression of a giant exoplanet and its two parent stars. Image credit: Sci.News.

An important subset of all known exoplanet systems include host stars with one or more bound stellar companions.

These multistar systems can span a vast range of relative configurations and provide rich insights into the processes by which stars and planets form.

“We showed for the first time that a system where everything is coordinated stacks up unexpectedly,” he said. Dr. Malena Ricean astronomer at Yale University.

“The planet orbits in exactly the same direction as the first star rotates, and the second star orbits its system in the same plane as the planet.”

Dr. Rice and his colleagues used a variety of sources, including the Gaia DR3 catalog of high-precision stellar astronomical measurements, the planetary system composite parameter table from the NASA Exoplanet Archive, and the TEPCat catalog of spin-orbit angle measurements of exoplanets. to create a 3D geometric shape. Number of planets in a binary star system.

Astronomers found that nine of the 40 star systems they studied were in “perfect” locations.

“This could indicate that planetary systems prefer to move toward ordered configurations,” Rice said.

“This is also good news for life forming in these systems.”

“A star's companion star with a different alignment can wreak havoc on a planetary system, overturning the planet or flash-heating the planet over time.”

“And what would the world look like on a warmer Tatooine?”

“During some seasons of the year, there would be continuous daylight, and one star would illuminate one side of the Earth, and another star would illuminate the other side.”

“But that sun's light isn't always scorching, because one of the stars is farther away.”

“At other times of the year, both stars will illuminate the same side of the Earth, and one star will appear much larger than the other.”

of study will be published in astronomy magazine.

_____

Malena Rice other. 2024. Orbital geometry and stellar inclination of multistar systems hosting exoplanets. A.J., in press. arXiv: 2401.04173

Source: www.sci.news

Forest plantations may not provide as many climate benefits as previously thought

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Planting trees helps reduce global warming

PG Alfexado / Alamy

Planting forests helps reduce further global warming by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide we emit into the atmosphere. But the global climate benefit could be about 15 to 30 percent smaller than previously estimated, due to other influences such as sunlight absorption by trees.

“We're not saying don't plant trees,” he says. james webber at the University of Sheffield, UK. It's just that the climate benefits aren't as big as we thought, he says.

The impact of trees will depend in part on what other actions are taken to address climate change. Weber and his colleagues showed that the more forests are planted, the greater the benefits. “It’s more positive and efficient to do other things at the same time,” he says.

It has long been known that plants have both warming and cooling effects. In particular, dark foliage can have a warming effect by absorbing light that would otherwise be reflected into the space. This effect is strongest when trees are replaced by snow or ice, but can occur in other situations as well.

Plants also release volatile organic compounds into the air. “Those are the chemicals that create the smell of the forest,” team members say james king also at the University of Sheffield.

These biogenic compounds can affect the climate in a variety of ways. One important example is that it can react with chemicals in the atmosphere that react with methane. “So the methane stays around longer, and methane is a powerful greenhouse gas,” Weber said.

Compounds emitted by plants can also react with nitrogen oxides to form ozone, another greenhouse gas.

These effects will lead to further warming. However, compounds of biological origin can also form aerosol particles that reflect sunlight and have a cooling effect.

To understand the overall climate impact of afforestation, the researchers incorporated these and other processes into a climate model in which all available land is forested. This means, for example, trees that are located in areas that are currently grasslands, but not in farmland or urban areas.

“To our knowledge, this is the first time this has been done on a global scale and based on a plausible reforestation scenario,” King said.

The researchers modeled two scenarios. For one, little is being done to tackle climate change other than planting trees. In this case, the warming avoided by CO2-absorbing forests is reduced by 23 to 31 percent, once other forest impacts are taken into account.

In the second, more optimistic scenario, strong action is taken to limit further warming. In this case, avoided warming was reduced by 14 to 18 percent.

One reason for the difference is that reducing fossil fuel emissions reduces aerosols from air pollution. In a polluted world, adding more aerosols from forests won't make much of a difference, but in a cleaner world, the cooling effect will be greater.

The team acknowledges that the model is still incomplete and does not include all feedback effects. For example, it includes the greenhouse effect of ozone, but not its effects on vegetation. High levels of ozone can kill trees, meaning less CO2 is removed from the atmosphere. The model also does not include the effects of wildfires.

“It's very complicated,” King says. “It's not really possible to consider all feedback in one study.”

“Importantly, this study shows that preventing deforestation is a much more efficient way to mitigate climate change compared to reforestation, and therefore should be prioritized. It’s a necessity,” he says. Stephanie Law Climate Scientist at WWF in Washington, DC.

Another feedback missing from the model is the cooling effect of water evaporating from leaves, which can be greater in tropical regions, Roe says. So the climate benefits of tree planting may be overestimated, she says, but the study doesn't yet tell the full story.

Additionally, tree planting has many other benefits for humans and wildlife, including reducing erosion, maintaining water supply and quality, providing food and jobs, and reducing extreme heat in the region. “Afforestation, especially reforestation in forest biomes with native species, is absolutely worth pursuing,” says Lo.

“We've always known that forests have a warming effect under certain conditions and a cooling effect under others. What this study shows is that forests have an overwhelming net The effect is a cooling effect.” thomas crouser in ETH Zurich Swiss.

“But most importantly, even if the effects of cooling were not as great, we still need to conserve our natural forests to support the planet's biodiversity and the billions of people who depend on it.” “There is,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com