Tag Archives: tiny

Microscopic Images Unveil the Remarkable Complexity of the Tiny World

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Michael Benson’s photograph of an insect fly, with the flower and fly measuring just over 1 cm in diameter.

© 2025 Michael Benson

Inside a drawstring bag, you’ll find equipment like bug nets, tweezers, and small plastic vials. This may seem unusual for a photographer, but for Michael Benson, it’s just part of his routine. He dedicated over six years to gathering specimens for his latest publication, Nanocosmos: A Journey Through Electronic Space, a collection showcasing the microscopic realm in exquisite detail.

“I’m fascinated by the boundary between known and unknown territories—an area often linked to science,” he shares. “However, I approach it as an artist, not a scientist.”

That didn’t deter Benson from utilizing tools typically reserved for physicists and biologists. He produced all images for Nanocosmos using a formidable scanning electron microscope (SEM). This advanced technique employs a highly focused electron beam to intricately map surface contours. The resulting images portray submillimeter objects with such clarity that they appear almost extraterrestrial.

Take, for instance, the Acilidae musbifolia (as seen in the main image) alongside a flowering plant in Alberta, Canada. Even together, they span only slightly more than 1 cm. But with SEM technology, we can observe nearly every hair on the fly’s body, each claw on its legs, and even some of the countless individual receptors forming its bulging eyes.

Benson first utilized SEM in 2013 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab. “Learning to master SEM was challenging, requiring several years of practice,” he notes. Every specimen must be coated with “a molecularly thin layer of platinum to prevent charging by the electron beam,” and meticulously dried to maintain surface details.


Wing of the Erythemis simplicicollis dragonfly, approximately 3 mm wide, seen from the tip.

© 2025 Michael Benson

The image above showcases the wing feathers of the eastern pontaka dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis), captured from beneath at the wing tip. This species is found across the eastern two-thirds of the United States, as well as in southern Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The wings are about 3 mm wide.

Below are images of single-celled marine organisms, specifically Hexalonche philosophica, collected from the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean, measuring just 0.2 millimeters from tip to tip.

Marine organism Hexalonche philosophica, about 0.2 mm in length

© 2025 Michael Benson

Another marine specimen, Ornithocercus magnificus (featured below), is a type of plankton discovered in the Gulf Stream off Florida’s coast, measuring approximately 0.1 mm in width.

Ornithocercus magnificus, with a width of about 0.1 mm.

© 2025 Michael Benson

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Tiny Fossils Uncover New Lineage of New Zealand Songbirds

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Paleontologists have unearthed a 2.9-centimeter fossil foot bone believed to belong to a bowerbird at the Miocene site of St Bassans in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Recreating the life of the St. Bassin’s bowerbird (Aeviperditus gracilis). Image credit: Sasha Votyakova / Te Papa / CC BY 4.0.

The newly identified species existed in New Zealand during the Miocene epoch, approximately 19 to 14 million years ago, well away from its close relatives in Australia and New Guinea.

“This finding offers significant and unique insight into the biological history of Aotearoa’s avian life,” stated Dr. Nick Lawrence, director of the Otago Institute of Paleogenetics.

“For many around the globe, bowerbirds gained fame from Sir David Attenborough’s documentaries featuring their intricate courtship rituals. Males construct arched structures called bowers, adorned with colorful items such as sticks and occasionally fruit, leaves, or even plastic, to attract a mate.”

Known as Aeviperditus gracilis or St. Bassin’s bowerbird, this new bird species was considerably smaller than its modern counterparts.

“It weighs only 33g, much lighter than both existing and extinct bowerbird species, which typically range from 96 to 265g,” Dr. Lawrence explained.

“Its leg bones closely resemble those of Avenue Bower builders, including the brightly colored Flame Bowerbird and Satin Bowerbird.”

“If this bird is indeed a relative of bowerbirds, it could represent an entirely new lineage of songbirds for Aotearoa,” suggested Dr. Elizabeth Steele, a researcher at the University of Cambridge.

“This is particularly crucial given our limited understanding of the region’s ancient songbird fossil record.”

“St Bathan’s Bowerbird signifies the latest lineage of songbirds with a long evolutionary history in Aotearoa, with the earliest representatives of groups like the Uia, Koukako, Tieke, Piopio, and Mohua found here.”

“All these species likely evolved rapidly and dispersed from Australia to New Zealand.”

“Like many of St. Bathans’ unique species, this bird has no surviving descendants in Aotearoa.”

“The bowerbird seems to have been particularly vulnerable to the cooling temperatures preceding the Ice Age and the resulting shifts in forest composition and distribution, contributing to its extinction,” Dr. Lawrence noted.

An article detailing the discovery of Aeviperditus gracilis was published on October 7, 2025, in Historical Biology, International Journal of Paleontology.

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Elizabeth M. Steele et al. Possible early Miocene bowerbirds of New Zealand. Historical Biology, published online October 7, 2025. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2025.2568099

Source: www.sci.news

The Brain’s Tiny Structure Influences Your Eating Habits

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The bed nuclei of the stria terminalis comprise a larger, banded structure in the brain known as the stria terminalis.

My Box/Alamy

Brain regions that influence food intake may eventually be targeted to enhance weight loss or therapeutic interventions.

Studies indicate that activating neurons in this specific brain region leads to increased food intake in mice, particularly when consuming sunflower seed-sized food items. However, the impact of taste on neuronal activity remained ambiguous.

For deeper insights, refer to Charles Zuker from Columbia University, who, along with his team, conducted brain imaging on mice. Earlier research linked sweet taste neuron activity in the amygdala with the enjoyment of sweet substances.

These neurons stimulate other neurons in the BNST, sometimes referred to as the “expanded amygdala.” This marks the first evidence of taste signal reception by this brain structure, according to Haijiang Cai from the University of Arizona, who was not part of the study.

The researchers aimed to determine whether these activated BNST neurons influence dietary choices, so they genetically modified cells to prevent activation when mice tasted sweet substances. Over a 10-minute period, these modified mice exhibited significantly reduced consumption compared to their normal counterparts, indicating that BNST neuron activation encourages sweet taste consumption.

Interestingly, the researchers also discovered that this artificial activation led mice to consume more water and even seek out salty or bitter substances, which they typically avoid.

Further experiments indicated that more BNST neurons were activated by sweet and salty tastes in hungry or salt-depleted mice, suggesting that the BNST integrates taste signals along with nutrient deficiency cues to regulate food intake, according to Cai.

Given the similarities between human and mouse BNST, these findings are relevant for humans, says Cai. They suggest that developing drugs to activate BNST neurons could aid individuals experiencing severe appetite loss, like those undergoing cancer treatment.

Cai mentioned that numerous brain pathways regulate food intake, and some may compensate for long-term changes in BNST activity induced by drugs. Therefore, targeting multiple feeding circuits would likely be necessary.

This research also has implications for improving results from weight loss treatments, including the GLP-1 drug semaglutide. This drug binds to neurons in the BNST, and a clearer understanding of its effects on food consumption could enhance the effectiveness of such medications, according to Sarah Stern from the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Uranus: Explore Its Tiny New Moon in Just Two Hours of Walking!

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Introducing the Cosmic Welcome Mat, the newest addition to our solar system.

On Tuesday, astronomers discovered a new satellite approximately the size of 90 soccer fields. This new moon was found orbiting the seventh planet from the sun, Uranus, and was initially spotted by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on February 2nd. It joins 28 other known moons in the busy orbit of Uranus.

The observations of Uranus made by the Webb telescope provide researchers with enhanced understanding of this enigmatic planet.

“Uranus has more small inner moons than any other planet,” stated Matthew Tiscareno, a member of the research team and senior research scientist at the SETI Institute in California. He mentioned in a statement.

Tiscareno added that the “complex interaction” between Uranus’s moons and its faint ring system hints at a tumultuous evolutionary history for the planet.

Moreover, this new moon is smaller and more surprising than the smallest previously known inner satellites, indicating there may be further complexities to uncover,” he stated in a report.

Researchers note that the new satellite is situated about 35,000 miles from the center of Uranus and maintains a nearly circular orbit.

With a diameter of just 6 miles, it can be traversed in roughly two hours at an active walking pace; however, follow-up observations are necessary to verify the moon’s size and additional characteristics.

These findings are still pending peer review.

Uranus is home to five major moons known as Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon. The recently discovered moon orbits among these five primary satellites, according to researchers.

All moons of Uranus are named after characters from the works of Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, as per NASA’s guidelines. The new moon is yet to be named and will require approval from the International Astronomical Union for its official designation.

“While small, this moon is a notable discovery. I didn’t even catch sight of it during the Voyager 2 mission nearly 40 years ago,” he remarked in a statement.

In 1986, the Voyager 2 spacecraft made history as the first human-made object to fly by Uranus, providing humanity’s first detailed observations of this distant planet. This encounter yielded over 7,000 images and led to the discovery of two new rings and 11 new moons around Uranus.

While the latest moon’s size might have been too small for the Voyager 2 camera to detect, the advanced instruments aboard the Webb telescope are expected to reveal more about Uranus and its system.

“Looking ahead, the discovery of this moon exemplifies how modern astronomy builds upon the legacy of missions like Voyager 2,” El Moutamid stated. “Now, almost 40 years later, the James Webb Space Telescope is pushing those boundaries even further.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Tiny Bookshop Review: A Cozy Retreat Designed for Readers | Games

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IIn my observations, it is quite uncommon for resource management simulators set in retail or service environments to achieve just the right tone and pace that foster both intrigue and relaxation. As a player with a background as a bookstore employee and now a novelist, I often feel anxious about games featuring mobile bookstores. However, the small bookstore here is crafted with such care and balance that I lose track of time, indulging in its gentle pace, minor puzzles, and the sheer escape it provides.

The premise is straightforward, reminiscent of many titles from the Post Stardew Valley era of “cozy” games. You leave behind your old life to establish a store selling items you’re passionate about. Days and weeks roll by, seasons change, and the world blossoms into a richer and more engaging place, with interests and a budding economy evolving from your business.




A vibrant, thriving community…a small bookstore. Photo: Neoludic Games

This time, however, you don’t sell tea as seen in games like Stardew Valley, Spirittea, or Wanderstop, nor do you guide souls in Shapeshifter. Instead, you sell actual books—real ones. From classics like Shakespeare and Agatha Christie to modern favorites like Toni Morrison and John Green, you cater to the needs of sleepy beach and college town residents with authentic literature. Every book in your quaint trailer shop is, to my knowledge, genuinely available.

This advantage benefits certain players—if you’re a reader, selling books becomes second nature. There’s no need to memorize genre classifications or match favorites with available titles. Understanding what distinguishes a graphic novel is easier for casual readers than one might think.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/t8NlYvcAmng?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Tiny Bookshop Demo Release Trailer" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

This game feels like a rare gem crafted with readers in mind. Even if the in-game suggestions don’t align perfectly with my tastes, the challenge of matching books to customers is quite simple. I might think that The Great Gatsby would attract those interested in philosophical fiction, yet the game doesn’t always follow these inclinations. Genres function in clear-cut ways, similar to a real bookstore setting, while personal preferences don’t necessarily apply. Nevertheless, Tiny Bookshop skillfully teaches you the ropes, and misjudging a title is low-stakes, as there’s no real way to fail.


I tried it on a Steam Deck via touchscreen and found it immersive and fluid compared to using buttons. Decorating my quaint bookstore proved delightful, especially when I discovered I could have a dog. The local characters are quite serious, steeped in their own drama. With each season, the rich community reveals secrets and stories. This is the first new title in quite a while that has genuinely relaxed me. The gameplay flows smoothly and gently, making it truly enjoyable. Tiny Bookshop provides players with an experience that feels less like work and more like a charming escape into words and narratives.

There’s a small bookstore

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rediscovery of a Tiny Elusive Gecko in the Galapagos Islands

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Leaf-toed Gecko from Rabida Island

Rory Stansbury/Island Conservation

A small gecko has been rediscovered on Rabida Island in the Galapagos, previously believed to have been eradicated by invasive rats.

The leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus maresi) measures just 8 centimeters in length, with a fossil record indicating its presence on Rabida over 5,000 years ago. However, live specimens were collected during expeditions in 2019 and 2021, confirming its survival as a species.

The gecko’s reappearance is linked to a successful restoration project led by the US-based nonprofit Island Conservation, which commenced in 2011. Collaborating with Galapagos National Park, the Charles Darwin Foundation, and the Raptor Center, the initiative also targets 10 other islands in the Galapagos, employing helicopters for large-scale distribution of poison bait to control invasive species.

By 2012, rats were officially deemed eradicated on Rabida, enabling a rapid ecological recovery, including the return of the gecko species. “We conducted thorough monitoring before the removal of invasive rats and found none,” stated Paula Castaño, an island conservation officer. “Initially, we had a small population, and without invasive predators, we finally had the chance to restore and expand that population, marking one of the most significant comebacks in history.”

Using DNA analysis, Castaño and her team discovered that the Rabida population is closely related to P. maresi from a neighboring island, yet it is classified as a distinct lineage known as evolutionarily significant units, emphasizing the critical need for conservation efforts.

The case of Rabida exemplifies the advantages of island restoration and invasive species removal, says Castaño. “We found a ‘extinct’ gecko alongside the last identified snail species from 1906. Furthermore, two additional snail species, once thought to be lost, were rediscovered on the island. “Nature is remarkable. It allows for rebirth and regeneration.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Helgorand: Exploring the Past and Future of Quantum Physics on a Tiny Island

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Helgoland Island occupies a nearly mythical position in quantum mechanics history

Shutterstock/Markus Stappen

Having attended numerous scientific conferences, the recent one on Helgoland Island, marking a century of quantum mechanics, stands out as one of the most peculiar, in a positive sense.

This tiny German island, stretching less than a kilometer in the North Sea, exudes the ambiance of a coastal resort. Even during summer, its charm wanes, giving way to the scent of quaint streets filled with souvenir shops, fish eateries, and ice cream stalls. Picture cutting-edge experimenters in Quantum Technologies casually mingling after discussions at the town hall beside a miniature golf course—it’s quite an experience.

Our purpose here becomes evident as we stroll along the cliffside road, where a bronze plaque commemorates physicist Werner Heisenberg’s purported invention of quantum mechanics in 1925. While it sounds intriguing, it’s an embellishment; Heisenberg merely outlined some concepts here. The more recognized formulation came from Erwin Schrödinger in early 1926, who introduced wave functions to predict quantum system evolutions.

Nonetheless, this year clearly holds significance as we commemorate a century of quantum mechanics. Regardless of how much of Helgoland’s narrative stems from Heisenberg’s own embellishments—he recounted his breakthrough there several years later—this “Remote Control Island” serves as a unique venue for celebratory gatherings.

And what a celebration it is! It’s almost surreal to witness such a congregation of renowned quantum physicists. Among them are four Nobel laureates: Alain Aspect, David Wineland, Anton Zeilinger, and Serge Haroche. Collectively, they’ve validated the bizarre aspects of quantum mechanics, showcasing how the characteristics of one particle can instantaneously influence another, no matter the distance. They’ve also developed techniques to manipulate individual quantum particles, crucial for quantum computing.

In my view, these distinguished individuals would concur that the younger generation is poised to delve deeper into the implications of quantum mechanics, transforming its notoriously counterintuitive essence into new technologies and a better understanding of nature. Quantum mechanics is renowned for encompassing multiple interpretations of its mathematical framework concerning reality, with many seasoned experts firmly entrenched in their perspectives.

Helgoland’s plaque honors Werner Heisenberg’s role in quantum mechanics

Philip Ball

This divisive sentiment was noticeable during Zeilinger and Aspect’s evening panel discussion. Jill’s Brothers pioneered quantum cryptography at the University of Montreal.

In fairness to the veterans, their theories emerged under considerable skepticism from their peers, particularly regarding the significance of examining such foundational concerns. They navigated an era where “silent calculations” were prevalent—a term coined by American physicist David Mermin to describe how it was frowned upon to ponder the implications of quantum mechanics beyond merely solving the Schrödinger equation. It’s no wonder they developed thick skins.

In contrast, younger researchers seem more pragmatic in their approach to quantum theories, often adopting various interpretations as tools to address specific challenges. Elements of the Copenhagen interpretation and the multiverse theory are intertwined, not as definitive claims about reality, but as frameworks for analysis.

The new wave of researchers, such as Vedika Khemani from Stanford University, are actively bridging condensed matter physics and quantum information. I heard her highlight the evolution from storing information on magnetic tapes in the 1950s to the crucial error correction techniques in today’s quantum computing.

Quantum mechanics applications are on the rise, with theorists also stepping up their game. For instance, Flaminia Giacomini at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich spoke about her pursuit of reconciling the granular quantum realm with the smooth continuous world required for quantum gravity, offering profound insights into the essence of quantum mechanics.

While some may consider this exploration to be veering into the realm of speculation, as seen in string theory attempts, Giacomini asserted, “There is no experimental evidence that gravity should be quantized.” Hence, empirical validation remains elusive, despite a wealth of theoretical discourse.

Excitingly, there are plans to test hypotheses in the not-so-distant future. For instance, examining whether two objects can entangle purely through gravitational interactions is a goal. The difficulty is ensuring the objects are substantial enough to exert meaningful gravitational pull while being sufficiently small to demonstrate quantum characteristics. Several speakers expressed confidence in overcoming this hurdle within the next decade.

The conference revealed the interconnectedness of quantum theories and experiments: perturbing one aspect inevitably influences others. Gaining a nuanced understanding of quantum gravity through delicate experiments involving trapped particles could shed light on black hole information paradoxes and inspire innovative ideas for quantum computing and the nature of quantum states.

Ultimately, achieving progress in any of these areas appears promising for uncovering the enduring questions that have fascinated Heisenberg and his contemporaries. What occurs when we measure quantum particles? However, rather than perceiving it as a repetitive struggle, it’s clear that quantum mechanics is much more sophisticated and intriguing than the founders ever envisaged.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

A new realm of tiny creatures shakes up conventional notions of existence

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Theodor Diener had a problem. It was in 1967, and he and his colleagues successfully isolated an infectious agent that caused spindle tuber disease in potatoes that destroy crops. But it wasn’t like what they realised. They called it a virus, but it didn’t act like one thing.

It took Diener four years to demonstrate that mystical beings are even simpler than viruses. It is a single “naked” molecule that can infect potato cells and thus reproduce. He suggested calling it a wild. It was the smallest replicating agent ever identified. With a stroke, dinner expanded my understanding of living in the microscope world.

You might think that such a dramatic discovery would, uh, go viral. Almost no one noticed it yet. Apart from several other plant pathologists, the world of science has forgotten much about wilds for half a century. They had never even heard of him in 2020 when Benjamin Lee of the National Center for Biotechnology Information in Bethesda, Maryland, was encouraged to look into Wild.

Since then, there has been an explosion of discovery thanks to Lee and others. Now we know thousands of wilds and violids-like entities, with exotic names such as obelisks, ribojunctions, satellites and more. They appear to be found everywhere in a vast range of organisms and microorganisms. I don’t know what most of them are doing, whether most of them are benign or dangerous. However, these simplest replicators raise basic questions about the meaning of being alive. They can even go back to the origins of…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Tiny proteins that repair tooth enamel

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Over 50% of the world’s population experiences at least one cavity in childhood, increasing to over 90% in adults. Using a fluoride gagging agent, brushing and flossing twice daily and getting fillings as needed is a standard practice to maintain good dental hygiene. Still, dentists fill more than 100 million cavities around the world each year, on average. What if there is a way to prevent it? and Reverse cavity? Dental researchers recently tested a new method of restoring the structure of teeth before major damage occurs.

Our teeth are made up of minerals made up of calcium and phosphates. When the acids and bacteria in our mouth break down these minerals, our teeth experience Demineralisation. When dechlorination drills holes in the protective layer outside the tooth, a cavity forms; enamel. If left untreated, these holes will deepen and slowly collapse over time the enamel and remaining teeth.

Brushing teeth and using mouthwash can clean acids and bacteria from the mouth to prevent the initial cavity, but dental researchers want to demineralize and therefore reverse the cavity. Tooth-like minerals line themselves up in shapes similar to snowflakes and diamonds. Crystal-like structure. They also tend to complete their own patterns by fusing firmly with the surrounding minerals. Therefore, researchers hope to use this natural process to reconstruct dental minerals into their crystal-like structures.

One way to encourage scientists to begin reconstructing teeth is to use small chains of molecules that form proteins. peptide. Scientists use a specific peptide called An Enamel-binding peptide Or EBP can help bind calcium and phosphate to crystallize. When you soak your teeth in a container filled with EBP, the minerals bind to it. Minerals from the solution do not stick to the teeth without EBPS. This makes these peptides an important component in crystal growth.

This knowledge led Japanese researchers to bind teeth with minerals, assuming that they could be soaked in EBP called wgnyayk and immersed in calcium and phosphate solutions. If this process works, build or effectively return the hard surface of the teeth. reminderalize Its enamel.

To test this idea, the researchers acquired 30 cow teeth and randomly separated them into three groups. They degrined the enamel of each tooth by placing it in a solution containing acetic acid at a pH of 4.5 for 7-9 days to mimic how natural tooth enamel fades. After this process, the scientists coated two groups of teeth with wgnyayk peptides and did not leave the other groups. They immersed them in a remineralization solution containing monopotasium phosphate and buffer at a pH of 7. The researchers also added a green pigment to the solution that brightens and brightens the harder the enamel surface. The more dense the minerals, the more intense the enamel and brighten the teeth.

Scientists analyzed teeth soaked in WGNYAYK peptide solution under a laser microscope. They found that the higher the concentration of the peptide solution that had soaked in the teeth, the brighter fluorescent green. They explained that this correlation means that the combination of peptide and mineral baths partially restored tooth enamel.

The researchers considered their experiment a success because the EBP they tested promoted dental remineralization. Next, they are trying to create a local application of this EBP for clinical research. They warned that before this EBP is brought to trial in humans, scientists should investigate the composition and potential adverse effects of reinserted teeth. Still, the researchers concluded that their success was a step in the right direction for dentistry. Future testing will check whether EBP treatment is effective in human teeth as well as in cow teeth.


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Source: sciworthy.com

The weirdest picture featuring 15 tiny creatures in nature

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Are you an insect fan? Please leave now: Victory image Royal Insect SocietyThe 2024 photography competition has been announced.

This year's close-up creature selection has a very terrible appearance beetle, unfortunate mummy hornet, and a unique monochrome butterfly. However, according to the judge, the most interesting picture was a photo of Gnart's egg (not Srek's parent Relative, but a robbery). This image, snapped by Benjamin Salb, is introduced in incredible details of the crimson eyes of the bug wide set.

The overall winner of the “Under 18” category was Alexis Tinker Zabara, a 17-year-old German photographer, and was an image of a big woman's jagged bug waiting for her prey on the flower head.

The Royal Insect Society exists to enhance the general understanding and gratitude of insects and the diverse and important roles they play in our global ecosystem.

Environmental category insects

A close-up photo of Bacillus Aricasninf with photos taken in a mountain near Athens, Greece. Photo: Panagiotis Dalagiorgos/RES

Insect portrait category

Dogbuttle (Geottle Pidae) taken in a dunes in a dunes in the UK. Photo: Ben James

Overall runner-up

BRACONIDAE, a parasitic insect, has attacked the Drepanosiphum Platanoidis. The sparrow larva from the aphids has built a COCO like a disc under the “mummified” body. Photo: Rupert Lees/RES

Insect behavior category

The process known as “spawning agents” depicts egg spawning. Photos by Jamie Spenceory/RES

Smartphone category

The blue clown butterfly (Ricanpa Rinji) took a rest on a dazzling dynamic pattern wings with the sun rays and shot it on a smartphone. Photo: SRITAM KUMAR SETHY/RES

read more:

  • Why does a butterfly fly straight?

Winners in the category of less than 18 seconds

A big woman's jagged ambush bug (PHYMATINAE) is waiting for a tangible flower head prey. Photographed at Montreal, Canada. Photo: Alexis tinker-tsavalas/res

Environmental category insects

The phenomenal spring sun of the dark blue URE covered between daisies at daisy involves the wings and refracts by Lee Frost/RES.

Environmental category insects

A small flower bee (ANTHOPHORA SP) is sitting on the flower of corn margold. Photo by Ryan Dale/RES

Environmental category insects

Curculio GLANDIUM taken in the oak leaves by Matthew Thomas/RES

Environmental category insects

A backlight shot of the Mediterranean Mantis (Iris Oratoria) on the sunrise. Photographed with Greece Sikinos. The reflection of the sun in the Aegean Sea looks like a background, but Mantis in the foreground gives an abnormal perspective. Photo: Panagiotis Dalagiorgos/RES

Insect portrait category

Ecememnius hornet appearing in the sun of the morning sun. Photo: Matthew Thomas/RES

Insect behavior category

This common red soldier Beatle (Rhagonycha Fulva) has taken off its wings. Photo: MARC BrouWer/RES

Insect portrait category

A portrait of a fascinating blue long horn beetle (anoplophora zonator). Photo by Douglas Bar/RES

Environmental category insects

A kind of grasshopper known as Taeniopoda Eques, a western horse pose posed with cactus. Rosemary Haleem/RES

Overall winner

This is a very detailed image of a living Gnat Ogre (HOLCOCEPHALA FUSCA) taken in the field. Photo: Benjamin Salb/RES

read more:

  • Image of the strange and most wonderful wildlife of this year this year
  • The longest living animal on the earth
  • The fastest animals in the top 12 in the world

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

A tiny asteroid collides with Earth and disintegrates above Siberia

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Webcam images show asteroid burning up in the atmosphere over Siberia

Lensk LR/YouTube

Astronomers discovered the asteroid, about 70 centimeters in diameter, hours before it exploded harmlessly into the atmosphere above Siberia.

european space agency (ESA) issued an alert at 9:27 a.m. GMT, warning that space rocks could illuminate the skies over northern Siberia at around 11:15 p.m. local time (4:15 p.m. GMT).

Speaking before the event, Alan Fitzsimmons from Britain’s Queen’s University Belfast says objects of this size pose no danger to people on the ground, but early warnings are a positive sign that our ability to detect these objects before they hit Earth is increasing.

“It’s small, but it’s still going to be pretty spectacular,” Fitzsimmons said. “The sky above the impact site will darken and a very impressive, very bright fireball will spread across the sky for hundreds of kilometers around it.”

Several objects of this size collide with Earth every year, and we are getting better at detecting them early. The first discovery was in 2008. The next discovery was made six years later, but the pace of observations has picked up. Today’s asteroid, named C0WEPC5, is the fourth predicted to hit Earth this year.

Early warning of small asteroids gives astronomers the opportunity to observe them, collect data, and even try to collect any small pieces that survive. Fitzsimmons said the first such predicted impact in 2008 led to the recovery of a small piece of rock and generated important science. “What was beautiful was that the meteorite’s reflectivity matched exactly what was measured by telescopes before the impact, and it was a perfect match between what we saw in space and what we later found on Earth. It shows a very nice direct connection,” he says.

Detecting larger, more dangerous objects heading toward Earth could provide an opportunity to deflect them or at least evacuate the dangerous area.

A map showing where the asteroid is predicted to hit Siberia’s atmosphere.

ESA

NASA and ESA currently have dedicated programs for asteroid discovery and tracking. This involves a large network of dedicated observatories and amateur astronomers who read the positions of known objects so that their orbits can be better understood and predicted.

This latest asteroid was discovered by NASA’s Asteroid Earth Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). ATLAS operates four telescopes around the world and is designed to provide up to a week of collision warning.

“This is a victory for science, If you happen to be in Siberia this evening, there will definitely be something to take your mind off the very cold temperatures,” says Fitzsimmons.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

One tiny particle has the potential to alter our understanding of gravity

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Gravity is one of the four fundamental forces that bind matter in the universe. The other three forces (electromagnetic, weak nuclear, and strong nuclear) are explained through the exchange of force-carrying elementary particles, leading theorists to believe there is a similar quantum explanation for gravity.

The force carriers for the electromagnetic force are photons, while the weak nuclear force has W-, W+, and Z0 bosons as force carriers, and the strong nuclear force has eight types of gluons. On the other hand, the hypothetical carrier of gravitational force is known as the graviton.

The properties of the graviton are deducible in quantum theory. The amount of energy required to summon a force-carrying particle from the vacuum determines how quickly it must be recovered. Since gravity has an infinite range and does not require energy to create a graviton, the mass of the graviton must be zero.

Additionally, gravitons are expected to have a spin of 2, as only spin 2 particles interact with all matter, which is characteristic of universal gravity. This is in contrast to quarks and leptons, which have a spin of 1/2, and the non-gravitational force carriers, which have a spin of 1.

While gravity may not be fully explained by the exchange of gravitons, most physicists believe it can be quantized. String theory offers a potential framework where fundamental particles are envisioned as vibrations of mass-energy strings, with each vibrating string having the properties of a graviton.

However, string theory faces challenges due to its complexity and inability to make testable predictions. Detecting gravitons is difficult due to the extremely weak nature of gravity and the rare interactions gravitons have with matter.

Despite the challenges in detecting gravitons, recent advancements in experimental exploration, such as the discovery of spin-2 particle properties in a liquid analogue system, provide hope for a better understanding of gravitons and the eventual unification of fundamental forces into a single theory.

About our experts

Tony Rothman: A theoretical physicist who has taught at Princeton and Harvard Universities, he has published non-fiction and fiction novels and written various stage plays outside of his academic career. He has contributed to publications like Physics Basics, European Journal of Physics, and Astrophysics and Space Sciences.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

2024 RW1: Tiny asteroid strikes Earth and disintegrates above the Philippines

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Predicted trajectory of asteroid CAQTDL2 over the Philippines

Catalina Sky Survey/ESA

The asteroid struck Earth and burned up in the atmosphere east of the Philippines. Astronomers spotted it just hours before it streaked across the sky in a bright fireball, but many on the ground couldn’t see it because of cloudy skies caused by Typhoon Enteng.

The asteroid, estimated to be about one meter in diameter, was a NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey. It was originally designated CAQTDL2 and was later renamed 2024 RW1.

As expected, the asteroid struck the east of the northernmost island of the Philippine archipelago at around 1645 GMT, 1745 London time, 1245 New York time, or 0045 local time. The impact speed was predicted to be 17.6 kilometers per second, or 63,360 kilometers per hour. Alan Fitzsimmons. That’s average for such an object, says a researcher at Queen’s University in Belfast, UK. “Don’t be fooled by Hollywood movies where you see something screaming into the sky and you have time to run out the house, grab your cat, hop in your car and drive somewhere. You don’t have time for that,” he says.

Asteroid CAQTDL2 can be seen moving across the sky in a purple circle.

Catalina Sky Survey

Luckily, no evacuations were necessary: NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office posted on social media that the asteroid “safely impacted Earth’s atmosphere.”

“Something that small wouldn’t do any damage on the ground because the Earth’s atmosphere blocks that,” Fitzsimmons said. Video shared on social media from Cagayan province in the northern tip of the Philippines shows a flickering green fireball appearing behind a cloud, followed by an orange tail, before disappearing a few seconds later.

Fitzsimmons said two to three objects this size hit Earth every year, and early detection is becoming more common – astronomers detected the first near-Earth asteroid before it fell to Earth in 2008. 2024 RW1 will be the ninth asteroid to be accurately predicted to hit Earth.

“The really good thing about this is that our survey telescopes are now good enough to detect these objects as they approach and to provide a warning,” he says. “In other words, if this object was bigger and potentially threatening to people on the ground, it would have appeared brighter and projected farther. So this is a really cool demonstration that our current survey systems work really well. Right now, we’re probably averaging about one asteroid per year that gets detected before it hits the atmosphere, and survey systems are getting better and better.”

Not only is Earth developing and improving its early warning systems, but in 2022 NASA’s Dual Asteroid Reorientation Test (DART) spacecraft proved it could potentially save Earth from a catastrophic impact with a larger object. DART struck the 160-meter-wide moonlet Dimorphos, slowing it slightly, demonstrating that in theory such a disaster could be averted. Next month, the European Space Agency will launch the Hera mission to study the consequences of the impact in detail and further our understanding of planetary defense.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Astronomers Spot Tiny Mark on Polaris’s Surface

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Astronomers Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy (CHARA) Array observed Polaris, the nearest and brightest classical Cepheid star, which is part of a triple star system.

This false-color image of Polaris taken by the CHARA array in April 2021 reveals large bright and dark spots on the star's surface. Image credit: Evans others., doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad5e7a.

PolarisCepheid variable, also known as Polaris, Polaris, Alpha Ursa Minoris, HR 424 or HD 8890, is a type of star known as Cepheid variables.

Astronomers use these stars as “standard luminaries” because their true brightness is determined by their pulsation period: brighter stars pulsate more slowly than fainter stars.

How bright a star appears in the sky depends on the star's actual brightness and its distance.

Because astronomers know a Cepheid star's true brightness based on its pulsation period, they can use it to measure the star's distance to its host galaxy and infer the universe's expansion rate.

Dr. Nancy Evans of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and her colleagues observed Polaris using the six-telescope CHARA Optical Interferometer Array on Mount Wilson in California.

Their goal was to map the orbit of a nearby, faint companion star that orbits the North Star every 30 years.

“Binary systems are extremely difficult to resolve at their closest approach due to the small distance between the two stars and the large difference in brightness,” Dr Evans said.

The researchers were able to track the orbit of Polaris's nearby companion star and measure its change in size as Polaris pulsates.

From its orbital motion, we know that Polaris has five times the mass of the Sun.

Images of Polaris reveal that its diameter is 46 times that of the Sun.

CHARA's observations also revealed for the first time what the surfaces of Cepheid variables look like.

“CHARA images revealed large bright and dark spots on Polaris' surface that change over time,” said Dr. Gail Schaefer, director of the CHARA array.

“The presence of sunspots and the rotation of the star could be related to the 120-day variation in the measured speed.”

“We plan to continue photographing the North Star,” said University of Michigan professor John Monnier.

“We hope to better understand the mechanisms that produce the spots on Polaris' surface.”

Team paper Published in Astrophysical Journal.

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Nancy Remage Evans others2024. Orbit and dynamic mass of Polaris: Observations with the CHARA array. ApJ 971, 190;doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ad5e7a

Source: www.sci.news

Non-surgical tiny brain sensor dissolves within weeks of implantation

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Hydrogel-made brain sensor is small enough to be injected with a needle

Hanchuan Tang and Jianfeng Zang

Tiny sensors can be injected into the skull with a needle to monitor brain health until they dissolve within a few weeks. These sensors have been tested in animals, and in the future, they may enable minimally invasive, implantable sensors in the human body that can monitor traumatic brain injury and neurological disorders such as epilepsy.

“To my knowledge, this is the first wireless sensor that can monitor conditions inside the body without the need for surgery,” he said. Jules Magda The researcher is from the University of Utah, but was not involved in the study.

The sensor is a soft hydrogel cube about 2 millimeters wide, about the width of a grain of rice. Jiangfeng Zhan Professors from China’s Huazhong University of Science and Technology created structured “metagel” sensors by creating precisely spaced air columns throughout a hydrogel. When an external ultrasound source is aimed at the sensor, the channels guide the ultrasound waves. The shape of the sensor changes subtly in response to changing conditions in the brain, such as pressure or temperature, which can be seen in the reflected ultrasound.

“No wiring or electronics are required,” Zhang says. “It’s as if the metagel acts as a tiny acoustic mirror that changes its reflection depending on the environment.”

Zhang and his colleagues showed that when metagel sensors were injected into the brains of rats and pigs, they could measure pressure, temperature, pH levels, and flow rates in nearby blood vessels. They obtained results comparable to wired probes traditionally used to monitor brain health. Their experiments also found that metagel broke down into relatively harmless components, such as water and carbon dioxide, within four to five weeks.

Injecting the sensor into the brain requires a thick needle, which could still cause pain or discomfort, Magda said, and he noted that researchers also need to make sure the dissolved metagel is non-toxic.

Zhang says that the rats in the study showed little swelling in brain tissue or buildup of immune cells after the sensors were implanted and degraded, but he says that longer-term testing in larger animals is still needed to show that the metagel works reliably and safely before clinical trials in humans can begin.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Tiny nematodes develop large mouths and exhibit cannibalistic behavior

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Huge mouth of a small nematode

Sarah Wiggard and Ralf Sommer / Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen

Tiny soil insects called nematodes usually feed on bacteria and algae and have small mouths to accommodate their diet. However, when baby nematodes are fed the fungus, their mouths double in size, giving them the ability to cannibalize their mates.

that’s what ralph sommer Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biology in Tübingen, Germany, made the discovery while studying the development of predatory soil nematodes. Allody Progaster Sudhouushi.when the larvae are raised Penicillium Some of them ate fungi and cheese and grew into cannibals with giant mouths. “We were shocked,” he says.

The researchers knew that the different mouth shapes seen in this species resulted from different feeding habits. Nematodes that feed on bacteria have narrow mouths, while nematodes that feed on much smaller nematode species have slightly wider mouths. But this extreme variant, which the researchers called “teratostomia,” or Te morphology, had not been previously documented.

Sommer and colleagues investigated the genetics underlying these different mouth shapes and found that all three were controlled by the same sulfatase gene. But that activity only seems to result in a giant, gaping mouth. A. Sudaushi. The species’ complete set of genetic instructions was duplicated only recently in its evolution, Sommer said, so the doubling of gene pairs may have facilitated the origin of the worm’s giant mouth. That’s what it means.

Because the fungi’s diet was low in nutrients and more Te forms were found in high-density conditions, the researchers found that Te forms and their associated cannibalistic habits may have evolved as a response to the stresses of starvation and crowding. That’s what I think.

Nicholas Levis Indiana University points out that a similar phenomenon is seen in several other species. For example, the tadpoles of spadefoot toads and some salamanders can develop into cannibalistic carnivores depending on environmental conditions, Levis says.

But even in such cases, animals often avoid eating their own kind. Te nematodes are nondiscriminatory and prey on genetically identical neighbors. Levis says this is a “surprising finding” that could indicate that the development strategy is “really hopeless.”

“This discovery…made me wonder how much more diverse there is in the natural world than what we see,” Levis says. “How many other hidden ‘monsters’ are there waiting to be discovered under the right environmental conditions?”

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Source: www.newscientist.com