Typhoid fever, which was once knocked down by simple pills, is standing up again. The bacterium Salmonella typhi now shows resistance to almost every antibiotic that doctors throw at it.



“The speed at which highly‑resistant strains of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666524722000933" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">S. typhi</a> have emerged and spread in recent years is a real cause for concern,” said Jason Andrews of <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a><a href="https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/175241/cdc_175241_DS1.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> </a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-typhoid-resistance-happens">How typhoid resistance happens</h2>



Modern <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/travel-associated-infections-diseases/typhoid-and-paratyphoid-fever.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treatment</a> depends on antibiotics killing the typhoid bacterium faster than it mutates. That race is tilting toward the microbe because antimicrobial resistance grows every time a course of drugs is cut short or the wrong medicine is prescribed.



Genomic work on 3,489 isolates from India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh shows resistant typhoid strains replacing susceptible ones in only a few years. 



Some of those isolates carry three mutations in the DNA‑gyrase genes that raise the ciprofloxacin dose needed a thousand‑fold, and remove a key outpatient option.



Third‑generation cephalosporins followed ciprofloxacin onto the front line in the early 2000s. 



But now, a 2025 survey in Ahmedabad, India, has uncovered a cluster showing resistance to ceftriaxone, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513232/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trimethoprim‑sulfamethoxazole</a>. This marks “the largest hotspot of ceftriaxone‑resistant typhoid identified to date.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-shrinking-menu-of-antibiotics">A shrinking menu of antibiotics</h2>



Only azithromycin still works reliably by mouth. Laboratory monitoring in Pakistan found minimum inhibitory concentrations creeping upward, and a U.S. bulletin this year recorded the first two homegrown azithromycin‑resistant cases.



Typhoid resistance there comes from a single change in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13205" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AcrB efflux pump</a>, which ejects the drug before it can act. That mutation has appeared at least seven separate times since 2013 according to whole‑genome timelines.



When azithromycin finally fails, intravenous carbapenems will be the fallback. Those drugs are expensive and scarce in many endemic regions, making hospitalization the only path to survival for many patients.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-typhoid-vaccines-on-deck">Typhoid vaccines on deck</h2>



Three typhoid vaccines are licensed worldwide, and the conjugate vaccine works in babies as young as six months. 



The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/typhoid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHO</a> “recommends introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccine in countries with a high burden of the disease,” a policy that is meant to cut cases before resistance spreads any wider.



Pakistan added the shot to its routine schedule in 2019 as the first nation to do so. Early surveillance suggests fewer childhood cases in vaccinated districts, which will buy time for antibiotic pipelines to catch up.



Economic models from India project that urban vaccination could prevent more than one‑third of typhoid deaths over the next decade. 



That payoff grows if resistant strains keep rising, because every averted infection also avoids an expensive hospital stay.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fueling-antibiotic-resistance">Fueling antibiotic resistance</h2>



The same flights that move people, move <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-disinfectants-kill-99-9-of-germs-not-100/">pathogens</a>. Genomic “family trees” trace at least 59 intercontinental jumps of resistant S. typhi since 1990, with most departures being from South Asia. 



Once a strain lands, local water and sanitation gaps let it settle in. East Africa and Southeast Asia now report lineages that match South Asian ancestors, base pair for base pair.



Even countries with safe water see spillover. The CDC recorded about 450 culture‑confirmed typhoid cases in the United States in 2019, nearly all linked to recent travel. 



Doctors there face a puzzle because routine empiric therapy may not cover the imported H58 lineage, which often resists five or more drugs. Rapid susceptibility testing, still unavailable in many clinics, is becoming a must‑have.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-typhoid-resistance-surveillance">Typhoid resistance surveillance</h2>



Without continuous <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/traveler-genomic-surveillance/about/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">genomic surveillance</a>, new resistant strains can spread silently across borders before health systems react. 



A 2022 study tracked nearly 8,000 S. typhi genomes to map origins and movements, but this kind of data is still rare in low‑resource settings.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-study-shows-that-dairy-milk-cheese-consumption-improves-gut-biodiversity-health/">Health</a> policy must keep pace with these shifts. Countries with rising resistance should not wait for full outbreaks before introducing vaccines or adjusting treatment protocols. 



Rapid response depends on accurate, real‑time data and public health systems empowered to act on it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-clinicians-can-do">What clinicians can do</h2>



Full 10 to 14 day <a href="https://jptcp.com/index.php/jptcp/article/download/9663/9003/20004" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">azithromycin courses</a> remain effective in most places, but follow‑up cultures are critical. Skipping the post‑treatment check risks silent carriers reseeding communities.



Where laboratories can measure ceftriaxone MICs, a rising trend should trigger public health alerts. Combination therapy, for example azithromycin plus meropenem in severe disease, can slow further resistance but raises costs.



Doctors also need to report every instance of typhoid resistance and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-cancer-cell-death-may-transform-treatment/">treatment</a> failure. Aggregated data guide updates to national formularies faster than peer‑reviewed studies can.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-gains-from-basic-safety-measures">Big gains from basic safety measures </h2>



Researchers are trialing new <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557592/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oral β‑lactamase inhibitors</a> that restore activity to cheap penicillins, but results are years away. Phage therapy and resistant‑bacteria “decoys” are on bench tops, and are promising but unproven.



Meanwhile, the biggest gains come from the basics. Safe water, sewer infrastructure, and reliable refrigeration cut typhoid risk more than any pill ever will.



Each dollar spent there pays back across multiple diseases, not just typhoid. That return on investment remains the strongest argument for governments that are watching <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-tool-detects-changes-in-gut-health-to-help-prevent-disease/">health</a> budgets tighten.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(22)00093-3/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet Microbe</a>.



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Typhoid fever is becoming immune to almost all antibiotics, causing great concern

Typhoid fever, which was once knocked down by simple pills, is standing up again. The bacterium Salmonella typhi now shows resistance to almost every antibiotic that doctors throw at it. “The speed at which highly‑resistant strains of S. typhi have emerged and spread in recent years is a real cause for concern,” said Jason Andrews of Stanford University  How typhoid resistance happens Modern treatment depends on antibiotics killing the typhoid bacterium faster than it mutates. That race is tilting toward the microbe because antimicrobial resistance grows every...

Astronomers have finally confirmed the existence of a group of black holes that are too hefty to be born from normal stars, yet too slim to anchor galaxies. 



According to <a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu/">Vanderbilt University</a> astrophysicist Krystal Ruiz-Rocha, these bodies have masses of 100 to 300 times that of the Sun, and emerged in data from the third observing run of the <a href="https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gravitational-waves/en/">gravitational‑wave</a> detectors LIGO and Virgo.



Most known black holes sit either below 50 solar masses or soar into the millions, leaving a puzzling middle zone. Finding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-oldest-black-hole-jet-ever-seen-is-size-of-three-milky-ways-j1601-3102/">occupants</a> of this zone matters because their masses preserve clues about how the first heavy stars lived and died.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mergers-of-collapsing-giants">Mergers of collapsing giants</h2>



LIGO and Virgo register ripples in spacetime that last less than a half‑second, yet from that faint murmur scientists can compute the masses and spins of the colliding objects.



During the 2019–2020 run, the network logged eleven mergers whose combined detector‑frame masses exceeded 100 Suns, hinting at a fresh category of “lite” intermediate objects.



“Black holes are the ultimate cosmic fossils,” said Karan Jani, lead scientist of Vanderbilt’s Lunar Labs Initiative. 



His team used a Bayesian code named <a href="https://arxiv.org/html/2505.11655v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RIFT</a> to test each event with three waveform families and confidently identified five mergers that left behind remnants of between 110 and 350 solar masses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-intermediate-black-holes">Identifying intermediate black holes</h2>



Intermediate-mass black holes are hard to identify because their signals fall into the low-frequency range, where ground-based detectors struggle with noise. That makes it difficult to separate genuine cosmic events from background static, especially for faint or distant mergers.



To overcome this, the researchers used three different waveform models to compare the shape of the observed gravitational waves. 



The experts also applied a <a href="https://www.stat.cmu.edu/~larry/=sml/Bayes.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bayesian inference</a> tool to estimate the black holes’ masses and spins with greater precision, even when the signals were weak or short.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-repeated-mergers-in-dense-clusters">Repeated mergers in dense clusters </h2>



Stellar theory predicts that a <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2103.07933" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pair‑instability supernova</a> blasts apart stars whose cores grow too hot, forbidding black holes between roughly 60 and 120 solar masses. 



Yet at least one pre‑merger object in the new sample lands inside that gap, and two more perch above it - supporting the idea that repeated mergers in dense clusters can sidestep the supernova ceiling.



Hierarchical smash‑ups let smaller black holes build <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-turn-into-white-holes-and-blast-out-matter-and-time-runs-backwards/">larger ones</a> inside young star clusters, where escape speeds are high and fresh companions are plentiful. 



Such stacking predicts spins that sometimes point opposite the orbital motion. This is a trait seen in several of the lite candidates - strengthening the case for a dynamical origin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-antennas-on-a-celestial-stage">Future antennas on a celestial stage</h2>



Space‑based detectors will catch the same binaries years before they collide on Earth, tracing their slow inspiral and mapping their birthplace. 



NASA and ESA’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (<a href="https://lisa.nasa.gov/">LISA</a>) is slated for launch in the mid‑2030s and will measure low‑frequency waves that are impossible to hear from the ground.



“Access to lower frequencies from the lunar surface could allow us to identify the environments these black holes live in,” noted post‑doctoral fellow <a href="https://ccrg.rit.edu/user/yelikar.anjali" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anjali Yelikar</a>, whose group studies detector concepts for the Moon. 



Combining Earth, space, and lunar observatories would stretch the observable waveform from minutes to years, and offer a full biography of each merger.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-missing-link-among-black-holes">A missing link among black holes</h2>



Across the sample, the farthest event traveled roughly 37 billion light‑years to reach us, while the nearest sat a scant 2.5 billion light‑years away. 



Five of the mergers have over a 95 percent chance of producing a remnant above the 100‑solar‑mass threshold, making them the heaviest gravitational‑wave sources on record.



Lite intermediate-mass black holes could be the missing link between the well-known populations of stellar and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-ultramassive-black-hole-ever-seen-cosmic-horseshoe-lrg-3-757/">supermassive</a> black holes. 



Understanding how these middleweights form and where they live helps astrophysicists refine models for galaxy growth, star cluster dynamics, and the history of matter in the universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-story-of-intermediate-black-holes">The story of intermediate black holes</h2>



Some theories suggest that intermediate black holes may <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-seen-creating-their-own-food-gases-x-rays-fascinating-discovery/">grow</a> into the supermassive black holes that sit at galactic centers. Others may be relics from the first generation of stars, and may offer a glimpse into a time before the first galaxies formed.



“We hope this research strengthens the case for intermediate‑mass black holes as the most exciting source across the detector network,” said Ruiz‑Rocha. 



With every new detection, astronomers refine their census of black holes and inch closer to uncovering the first generation of stars that seeded today’s galaxies.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adc5f8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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Astronomers detect a new class of black holes

Astronomers have finally confirmed the existence of a group of...

The discovery of 693 stone artifacts inside Dargan Shelter, a high-elevation cave in Australia’s Blue Mountains, rewrites what we know about life during the last Ice Age.



First Nations community members worked side by side with archaeologists to reveal a story of repeated visits to this shelter, even when the landscape above the tree line lay frozen and treeless.



The research team included scientists from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a> and the Australian National University, together with staff from the Australian Museum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-home-in-the-highlands">A home in the highlands</h2>



Dargan Shelter sits 1,073 metres (3,500 feet) above sea level. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radiocarbon-could-be-key-in-predicting-earths-future/">Radiocarbon dating</a> shows that people first used the cave about 20,000 years ago, making it the oldest known occupied high-altitude site in Australia.



Dr. Amy Mosig Way, one of the lead researchers on the project, explained the broader significance of the findings. “This new evidence aligns Australia with global data that shows glacial landscapes were not necessarily natural barriers to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-age-climate-shifts-changed-early-human-migration-patterns/">early human movement</a> and occupation,” she said.



“Until now, we thought the Australian high country was too difficult to occupy during the last Ice Age. Yet, despite the harsh conditions, our research demonstrates people were moving in and through this high elevation landscape, which is approximately 400 m (1,300 feet) above the tree line.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-well-preserved-ice-age-record">A well-preserved Ice Age record</h2>



Archaeologists found signs of daily life dating back to Ice Age times, including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-were-much-better-at-harnessing-fire-ice-age-than-believed/">hearths and tools</a>, preserved in layers that clearly mark different periods of use.



“It was the excellent state of preservation that enabled us to construct such a robust chronology for Dargan Shelter spanning the last 20,000 years,” said Professor Philip Piper, second author of the paper.



These physical traces of Ice Age life in the mountains are matched by cultural connections that continue today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-indigenous-knowledge-carried-forward">Indigenous knowledge carried forward</h2>



The study began when Gomeroi knowledge holder Wayne Brennan invited scientists to join First Nations custodians in exploring the region’s cultural history.



“Our people have walked, lived and thrived in the Blue Mountains for thousands of years and we knew the cave was there," said Leanne Watson Redpath.



"It is not only a tangible connection to our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-age-teens-romito-2-went-through-puberty-grew-up-like-modern-teens/">ancestors</a> who used it as a meeting place for sharing, storytelling and survival, but is a part of our cultural identity. We need to respect and protect our heritage for the benefit of all Australians."



It is not possible to identify which groups accessed the mountain retreat in the Ice Age times, but it is likely that multiple groups were connected to the Blue Mountain environment. 



"Today, Dargan Shelter is considered by local custodians to represent a family space of high cultural significance,” said Erin Wilkins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-passing-the-torch-to-new-scholars">Passing the torch to new scholars</h2>



“The Blue Mountains [are] a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site for the protection of flora and fauna but there are no safeguards for our cultural heritage," said Brennan.



"We hope that by combining our traditional knowledge with scientific research, we can protect these invaluable storehouses of our history for generations to come."



The project also trained undergraduate students from both universities. Fieldwork formed part of the University of Sydney’s “Archaeology in the Field” unit, giving future researchers hands-on experience while deepening respect for First Nations culture.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-ice-age-evidence-is-hard-to-find">Why Ice Age evidence is hard to find</h2>



Finding clear evidence of human life during the Ice Age is not easy. Many of the places where people may have lived thousands of years ago have changed dramatically.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-last-ice-age-shows-how-rising-sea-levels-will-transform-coastal-habitats/">Rising sea levels</a> since the end of the Ice Age have flooded ancient coastal sites, while erosion, vegetation growth, and human development have altered or buried others.



In cold, high-altitude areas like the Blue Mountains, preservation is another challenge. Organic materials like food, clothing, or wooden tools decay quickly unless conditions are just right.



Freeze-thaw cycles, rockfalls, and soil movement can disturb archaeological layers, making it difficult to tell how long a site was used or what kind of activities took place there. 



That’s what makes Dargan Shelter so remarkable. Its protection from the elements and long record of use offer a rare window into a time and place long assumed uninhabitable. 



The shelter doesn't just hold artifacts - it holds a story of endurance, ingenuity, and deep connection to country that echoes through the layers of Earth and ice.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-025-02180-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.



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Traces of a thriving Ice Age culture found in the Blue Mountains

The discovery of 693 stone artifacts inside Dargan Shelter, a...

Watching babies babble, play, or interact with others may offer surprising insights into how their thinking skills will develop and function decades later.



That’s the central finding of a study showing that even at 7 months old, some of a baby's cognitive behaviors can hint at their thinking skills as 30-year-old adults. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-infancy-shapes-thinking-skills-for-life">Infancy shapes thinking skills for life</h2>



Scientists at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a> studied more than 1,000 twins over the span of 30 years. Their research shows that early-life assessments of cognitive function can help predict performance on cognitive tests at age 30. 



The findings also suggest that an infant’s environment plays a more important role in shaping life-long thinking ability than previously believed. According to the researchers, it could even affect a person’s risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/risk-of-dementia-is-much-higher-than-previously-thought/">dementia</a> later in life.



“Our findings highlight the enduring consequences of the very early childhood environment on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lifestyle-choices-in-young-adulthood-impact-cognitive-ability-in-midlife/">cognitive ability</a> and suggest that early life is a critical developmental period that we should be paying attention to,” said Daniel Gustavson, assistant research professor at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics (IBG).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-few-studies-of-infant-thinking-skills">Few studies of infant thinking skills</h2>



General cognitive ability, or GCA, is a broad measure of a person’s ability to learn, reason, understand, and solve problems. It’s similar to the more familiar term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-hormones-during-pregnancy-may-affect-child-iq/">IQ</a>, though GCA is a composite of several cognitive factors.



Previous research has shown that a large portion of GCA is already set during childhood. For instance, if you test an 8-year-old’s cognitive skills, the result will likely resemble their score at age 30. 



In fact, intelligence scores at age 20 are highly correlated with scores at age 62. IQ doesn’t change much between ages 11 and 90.



But until now, very few studies have explored whether signals from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caregiver-speech-shapes-infant-language-development/">infancy</a> - long before school starts - can tell us anything meaningful about future thinking ability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assessments-of-thinking-skills-began-early">Assessments of thinking skills began early</h2>



To answer this question, Gustavson and senior author Chandra Reynolds analyzed data from 1,098 individuals enrolled in the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study. 



The IBG began the project in 1985 by enrolling baby twins from Colorado’s Front Range to study how genetic and environmental factors influence development over time.



Since then, researchers have collected large amounts of data through lab samples, home visits, interviews, surveys, and behavioral testing.



“We have co-authors on this paper who have been involved since the start and watched these twins grow up,” said Gustavson.



At 7 months old, each infant completed assessments of seven cognitive skills. These included vocalization, task persistence, and what researchers called “novelty preference” - whether the baby chose a new toy over a familiar one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-twin-studies-continue-for-decades">Twin studies continue for decades</h2>



So far, participants have completed cognitive testing at five different ages throughout their lives.



The study found that early thinking skills could explain about 13% of the variation in cognitive performance at age 30. Two infant traits, namely task orientation and novelty preference, were especially strong predictors. Though modest, the researchers found this link notable.



“We certainly do not want to imply that cognition is somehow fixed by seven months old,” Gustavson said. “But the idea that a very simple test in infancy can help predict the results of a very complicated cognitive test taken 30 years later is exciting.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thinking-skills-affected-by-nature-and-nurture">Thinking skills affected by nature and nurture</h2>



To understand the extent to which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lifespan-is-influenced-more-by-lifestyle-than-genetics/">genetics</a> (nature) and environment (nurture) each contribute to cognition, the researchers looked at differences in GCA scores between identical twins, who share all of their genes, and fraternal twins, who share about half. 



When identical twins show more similar outcomes than fraternal twins, this points to a stronger genetic influence. The team also examined DNA samples collected from blood or saliva.



As expected, genetics played a significant role. By age 7, inherited traits accounted for roughly half of the variation in cognitive scores measured at age 30. Still, environmental factors in early life also left a meaningful and lasting mark.



"One of the most exciting findings was that 10% of the variability in adult cognitive ability was explained by environmental influences before year one or two,” elaborated Gustavson. “This suggests that even the pre-preschool environment matters," he added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-baby-years-matter-for-cognitive-ability">Baby years matter for cognitive ability</h2>



Chandra Reynolds, a co-author of the research paper who studies dementia risk, sees a bigger picture.



“Cognitive aging is a life-long process, not just something that begins in mid-life,” said Reynolds. 



“It could be that certain interventions, like strong educational foundations in early life could help maximize what people are capable of and help them keep that cognitive gas in the tank for as long as possible.”



Good childcare, stimulating play, and stable living conditions might help preserve brain power into old age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-genes-impact-thinking-skills">Many genes impact thinking skills</h2>



The study also showed that polygenic scores are a valuable tool for estimating cognitive ability.



These scores combine the effects of many individual genetic variants into a single number, offering an estimate of a person’s genetic likelihood for a trait - such as intelligence.



“There are thousands of genes that influence intelligence, so you are never going to find an ‘intelligence gene,' but we have found many with tiny effects that, when put together, can have an impact,” Gustavson said.



“Studies like ours show us that both family-based and genomic-based datasets are valuable in answering questions about how genetic and environmental influences change across the lifespan"



Together, these findings reinforce the idea that what happens in babyhood doesn’t just fade - it shapes thinking for a lifetime.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2426531122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Adult thinking skills may be forged during our early infancy

Watching babies babble, play, or interact with others may offer...

The universe keeps hiding most of its mass, yet it leaves telltale fingerprints. Astronomers are about to read them with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, slated to launch in 2027. 



Roman’s survey camera will sweep the sky for more than 160,000 distorted galaxy images, which act as natural zoom lenses forged by gravity. 



Lead author <a href="https://physics.wustl.edu/people/bryce-wedig" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bryce Wedig</a> of Washington University in St. Louis said the haul will “let us measure the small‑scale structure of the cosmos in ways that were impossible before.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-dark-matter-the-basics">Understanding dark matter - the basics</h2>



According to commonly accepted theory, dark matter is an invisible form of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it undetectable through conventional electromagnetic observations. Yet, it exerts a significant gravitational influence on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/visible-matter-dark-matter-evolved-together-big-bang/">visible matter</a> in the universe. 



Scientists first inferred its existence by noticing discrepancies in the rotation speeds of galaxies. Stars at the outer edges of galaxies move much faster than expected based on the observable mass alone. 



To account for this anomaly, astronomers proposed the presence of an unseen mass - dark matter - that makes up approximately 85% of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/theory-gravity-exists-without-mass-so-dark-matter-does-not-exist/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">total matter</a> in the universe.



Despite its abundance, dark matter remains one of the most elusive components in cosmology. Astronomers hope that the Roman Space Telescope will put an end to the search.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bending-light-unmasks-dark-matter">Bending light unmasks dark matter</h2>



The first trick for the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/nasas-roman-to-peer-into-cosmic-lenses-to-better-define-dark-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roman telescope</a> involves <a href="https://esawebb.org/wordbank/gravitational-lensing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gravitational lensing</a>. This is Einstein’s idea that mass curves space so much that it warps passing light. 



When a hefty foreground galaxy lines up with a more distant, fainter one, the background glow stretches into arcs, crescents, or even full rings.



Physicists already know that visible stars and gas account for only about one‑sixth of a galaxy’s pull. 



The missing piece is dark <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-024-01087-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">matter</a>, an unseen substance with a gravitational pull that corrals galaxies and keeps <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/">clusters</a> intact.



Roman’s lenses act like laboratory scales. By comparing the brightness and positions of multiple images of the same galaxy, astronomers can infer how much invisible mass is sprinkled through the foreground system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-roman-will-detect-tiny-dark-matter-clumps">Roman will detect tiny dark matter clumps</h2>



Dark <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/533/2/1687/7721636" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">matter</a> is not expected to sit smoothly. Simulations predict countless clumps - some as light as a million Suns, orbiting larger halos like cosmic goose bumps.



Tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-did-dark-matter-come-from-the-answer-may-be-surprisingly-simple/">clumps</a> create milliarcsecond kinks in the stretched background arcs, a pattern called substructure. 



Spotting enough of those kinks across Roman’s sample lets researchers test whether dark matter is made of sluggish “cold” particles or warmer, faster ones that would erase the smallest clumps.



Wedig’s team estimates that Roman will deliver roughly 500 “gold‑standard” lenses that are bright and sharp enough to weigh individual clumps down to about 108 solar masses. 



That is an order of magnitude <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.13881?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">finer</a> than what the Hubble Space Telescope managed with a few dozen prime systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wide-views-with-sharp-resolution">Wide views with sharp resolution</h2>



Each Roman frame covers 0.28 square degrees, about 200 Hubble fields stitched together, yet keeps Hubble‑class resolution. The wide‑field instrument achieves this by packing 18 infrared detectors into a honeycomb the size of a door.



During its High‑Latitude Wide‑Area <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/high-latitude-wide-area-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Survey</a>, Roman will take single 146‑second snapshots through four infrared filters. 



Simulations show an average of 27 strong lenses hiding in every exposure, enough to amass the 160,000‑lens trove in under two years of sky time.



Wedig’s team also notes that hundreds of the lenses will be perfect for deep follow‑up: stronger distortions, cleaner arcs, and higher signal‑to‑noise. 



These choice targets will let scientists trace clumps at even smaller mass scales, tightening the leash on competing dark‑<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-if-it-exists-has-a-strictly-limited-lifetime-new-study-says/">matter</a> models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-surveys-found-fewer-and-blurrier-lenses">Past surveys found fewer and blurrier lenses</h2>



Hubble and ground‑based surveys such as <a href="https://web.physics.utah.edu/~bolton/slacs/What_is_SLACS.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SLACS</a> and BOSS Emission-Line Lens Survey (<a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012ApJ...744...41B/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BELLS</a>) uncovered about 1,500 strong lenses over two decades. 



Those programs proved the method but lacked volume: only a handful of systems were pristine enough to reveal a lone subhalo.



“Roman will not only significantly increase our sample size, its sharp, high‑resolution images will also allow us to discover gravitational lenses that appear smaller on the sky,” said <a href="https://physics.wustl.edu/people/tansu-daylan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tansu Daylan</a>, a co‑author of the new study and faculty fellow at <a href="https://washu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington University</a>. 



Better statistics mean astronomers can move from anecdotal detections to population studies, comparing the number of subhalos with the predictions of various particle candidates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teaming-up-with-other-telescopes">Teaming up with other telescopes</h2>



Europe’s <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid</a> mission, launched in 2023, is already mapping dark matter over a third of the sky at optical wavelengths. 



Roman’s deeper infrared reach will pair with Euclid’s breadth, giving each lens a color baseline that sharpens distance estimates for both source and lens.



Closer to home, the <a href="https://rubinobservatory.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera C. Rubin Observatory</a> will add nightly optical alerts from the ground, flagging any variable sources like supernovae that pop up inside the arcs. 



Those time‑delay measurements can pin down Hubble’s constant while also checking mass models derived from lensing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-roman-must-tame">Challenges Roman must tame</h2>



Roman’s huge <a href="https://news.yale.edu/2025/06/12/study-roman-telescope-may-be-transformative-better-defining-dark-matter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">focal plane</a> comes with quirks. Wave‑front errors, detector sensitivity shifts, and varying point‑spread functions can masquerade as, or mask, the faint substructure signal.



Wedig’s group built a new pipeline, <a href="https://github.com/AstroMusers/mejiro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MEJIRO</a>, to inject realistic telescope noise into synthetic images and test detection algorithms. 



They found that ignoring field‑dependent blurring could sway the inferred mass of the smallest clumps by 5 %, which is small but critical when chasing subtle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-does-not-exist-universe-27-billion-years-old-study/">physics</a>. 



Another hurdle is <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10133563" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">line‑of‑sight clutter</a>: unrelated galaxies between lens and Earth also bend light. 



Accounting for those extra tugs requires combining Roman infrared data with ground‑based redshift surveys to map intervening structures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-dark-matter-clues-will-show">What dark matter clues will show</h2>



If Roman counts as many low‑mass clumps as cold‑dark‑matter theory expects, the prevailing model gains a decisive win. 



Should the census come up short, physicists might favor warmer particles or even entirely new forces acting in the dark sector.



Either way, every curved smudge that Roman records is a new piece of evidence. “We won’t see dark matter in the images - it’s invisible - but we can measure its effects,” Wedig noted.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adc24f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal</a>.



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NASA's Roman telescope hopes to solve the dark matter mystery

The universe keeps hiding most of its mass, yet it...

There have been endless whispers about unidentified flying objects. Some people have tried to push these whispers aside, but the recent attention from public agencies, politicians, and scientists is getting harder to ignore.



The topic is no longer just the domain of enthusiasts lurking in chat rooms. Instead, it has tiptoed into the halls of Congress and the offices of well-respected aerospace experts. 



A few officials acknowledge confusion, while others say there is a need to be patient and practical.



After the second week of careful examination, the details stack up. There are official inquiries, old photos, radar data, and hushed hallway discussions. 



Unexplained shapes appear on military pilots’ screens, then vanish. Lawmakers hold hearings. Eyewitnesses keep coming forward.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-program-new-curiosity">Old program, new curiosity</h2>



It was not long ago that reports surfaced about a quiet Pentagon endeavor. According to one source, there were funds tucked away in the Defense Department budget that supported something many never thought possible.



"In the $600 billion annual Defense Department budgets, the $22 million spent on the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/16/us/politics/pentagon-program-ufo-harry-reid.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program</a> was almost impossible to find.” (The New York Times, 12/16/2017).



The idea that a highly organized system might have funded efforts to investigate unusual aerial incidents stirred both amazement and a bit of suspicion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nasa-steps-in">NASA steps in</h2>



The world’s favorite space agency also took a careful look earlier last year claiming, "<a href="https://smd-cms.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uap-independent-study-team-final-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The NASA independent study team did not find any evidence that UAP have an extraterrestrial origin.</a>" (NASA, 2023).



The search for answers does not mean jumping to wild conclusions. <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a> has always tried to separate facts from fantasies.



Its experts run experiments, analyze data, and present findings plainly. One might say <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-receives-deep-space-laser-message-psyche-mission-140-million-miles-away/">NASA’s</a> presence in this debate encourages patience. 



At the same time, some inside these circles admit that data quality is uneven. "Some NASA employees have privately raised concerns about the reliability of available data." (Shellenberger, 2024).



This, from last month’s congressional hearing where Michael Shellenberger submitted over 200 heavily redacted pages to accompany his testimony at the "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Written-Testimony-Shellenberger.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth</a>" congressional hearing on November 13th. 



Shellenberger asserted: “The United States Department Of Defense and the intelligence community are withholding information about anomalous phenomena from Congress.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-military-voices-sound-off">Military voices sound off</h2>



Pilots have always been a special breed. They do not scare easily, nor do they tend to share tall tales. That is why first-hand accounts from military pilots ring with an unusual tone. 



"<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/David-Fravor-Statement-for-House-Oversight-Committee.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">I observed an object that accelerated like nothing I have ever seen.</a>" (Fravor, 2023). Such words come from a seasoned individual known for level-headed judgment.



Others point out that current technology is not fully equipped to handle this. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ryan-HOC-Testimony.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pilot witnesses are credible and they deserve better data collection tools.</a>" (Ryan, 2023).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-need-for-open-minds">A need for open minds</h2>



Some see this as a moment to admit that science is never finished. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Updated-Testimony-Gallaudet.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We must remain open to new data and evidence that challenges our assumptions.</a>" (Gallaudet, 2024).



Skeptics say that looking at odd lights in the sky is a fool’s errand, but others say it is wise to keep an open mind. Scientists know how often knowledge evolves.



Each decade brings tools that let us measure, record, and interpret more accurately than before. This steady change in methods may help settle questions that once seemed impossible to answer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-capabilities">Strange capabilities</h2>



For those who have seen these objects, the standard rules of flight seem to shatter. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Written-Testimony-Elizondo.pdf">These objects demonstrate capabilities that defy our current understanding of aerodynamics.</a>" (Elizondo, 2024). 



Aeronautical experts scratch their heads when objects move without visible propulsion. Yet, no one wants to jump to any wild explanations. Cooler heads say that nature is tricky, people misunderstand what they see, and sensors can fail.



Others say it would be careless to shrug off these reports. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Written-Testimony-Gold.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Understanding UAP may require new thinking.</a>" (Gold, 2024).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifts-in-approach">Shifts in approach</h2>



No one agency or organization is expected to solve all of this. Different groups contribute what they can. 



Policymakers consider guidelines that might encourage transparent reporting. Scientists refine collection methods. Analysts look for patterns in the chaos.



Some voices say a nudge toward serious academic study could help. "<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Dave_G_HOC_Speech_FINAL_For_Trans.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We must encourage more rigorous scientific inquiry into UAP.</a>" (Dave G., 2023).



When researchers approach this with calm curiosity, the public may feel less tension. If more data is gathered with proper standards, maybe the mysteries will shrink, or at least be categorized in a sensible way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-topic-that-refuses-to-fade">A topic that refuses to fade</h2>



There are no perfect answers yet. Some find that frustrating. Others sense an opportunity to push knowledge a tiny step forward. 



Watching the slow, but steady spotlight on unidentified objects suggests that the truth is not known by any single person.



In time, it might become an ordinary subject instead of a hush-hush conversation. Officials and experts have started asking new questions. That alone is a small shift. One thing is certain: the subject is not going anywhere, anytime soon.



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NASA shows new interest in UFOs and hidden government files

There have been endless whispers about unidentified flying objects. Some...

In a remarkable discovery, researchers have pinpointed a specific group of neurons that appear to drive compulsive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ditch-the-diet-trends-for-a-healthier-relationship-with-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eating</a> behaviors (binge eating), even in the absence of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/being-overweight-makes-it-harder-for-brain-to-resist-unhealthy-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hunger</a>.



This finding could significantly advance our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hunger-hormones-in-the-gut-can-change-our-eating-behavior/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eating disorders</a> and offer new targets for treatment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-binge-eating">What is binge eating?</h2>



Binge eating, also known as compulsive eating, is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-disorders-can-be-contagious-among-teens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disorder</a> characterized by frequent episodes of consuming large amounts of food, often rapidly and to the point of discomfort. 



Unlike regular overeating, binge eating is driven by an overwhelming urge to eat, even when not hungry. People experiencing this disorder often feel a lack of control during these episodes and may eat in secret due to feelings of shame or guilt.



This behavior can lead to various physical health problems, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-now-affects-more-than-a-billion-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity</a>, diabetes, and heart disease. It also significantly impacts mental health, often associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.



The exact cause of binge eating is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors.



Treatment typically involves therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and sometimes medication to address underlying psychological issues. Early intervention is crucial for better management and recovery outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neural-link-to-binge-eating">Neural link to binge eating</h2>



Located in the periaqueductal gray area of the midbrain - a region already associated with a variety of bodily functions such as mood regulation, sleep, and stress response - these neurons are identified as vesicular GABA transporter cells, or VGAT cells. They utilize the neurotransmitter GABA, which is pivotal in controlling neuronal activity.



Despite the known functions of VGAT cells in various <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-region-that-influences-our-food-preferences-can-be-manipulated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain regions</a>, their relationship with feeding behaviors was previously unclear. This link was unveiled quite unexpectedly by researchers focusing on anxiety, not feeding.



"Our initial hypothesis centered on VGAT cells reducing fear and panic. Instead, activating them caused mice to frantically search for food," noted Brazilian neuroscientist Fernando Reis, first and corresponding author of the article, and a postdoctoral fellow at <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCLA</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-behaviors-in-lab-mice">Surprising behaviors in lab mice</h2>



Further experimentation revealed intriguing results related to binge eating: well-fed mice exhibited an intense foraging behavior upon activation of these cells, consuming more than usual.



Conversely, when the VGAT neurons were inhibited, even food-deprived mice showed reduced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-behavior-is-influenced-by-the-unconscious-mind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eating behavior</a>.



The experiments also demonstrated that the mice enjoyed the stimulation, spending more time where their VGAT cells were activated, suggesting that the activation not only spurred eating but also triggered feelings of pleasure and reward. 



Remarkably, the mice were even willing to endure discomfort, such as mild electric shocks, to satisfy their induced cravings, indicating a strong drive to eat that overpowered other aversive sensations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advanced-techniques-and-implications">Advanced techniques and implications</h2>



The research employed the cutting-edge technique of optogenetics, which enables precise control over specific neurons using light. 



This method was implemented by introducing a genetically modified virus that carries a light-sensitive protein derived from green algae into the mice. 



As a result, only the targeted VGAT cells within the periaqueductal gray were selectively activated or inhibited.



This precise neural manipulation not only affected the periaqueductal gray but also influenced deeper brain structures, such as the zona incerta. 



"We observed an increase in neural activity in this area when the mice were approaching food," said Juliane Ikebara, a co-author of the study. 



This observation underscores the broad impact of VGAT cell activation on the brain's neural circuits involved in feeding behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-compulsive-eating">Understanding compulsive eating</h2>



The study raises intriguing questions about the potential parallels in humans, given that humans also possess VGAT cells in similar brain regions. 



Although direct experimentation in humans is not currently feasible, the researchers are hopeful. 



"Our findings can't be directly tested in humans right now, but future studies may show whether activation of these cells in monkeys triggers a search for food, suggesting something similar might happen in humans," noted Avishek Adhikari, the team's senior researcher.



Moving forward, the team plans to investigate whether stimulating these neurons influences cravings for specific types of food like proteins or sugars, noting a distinct preference in mice for high-calorie foods over vegetables.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treating-compulsive-eating-disorders">Treating compulsive eating disorders</h2>



This discovery opens up potential new avenues for understanding and treating conditions such as binge eating and anorexia. 



By identifying the neural circuits involved in compulsive eating, researchers can explore innovative strategies to modulate these behaviors, offering hope for those battling eating disorders.



The research not only highlights the complex interplay between brain regions and binge eating behaviors but also underscores the potential for targeted neural interventions in addressing compulsive eating.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-46430-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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'Binge eating' linked to a specific group of neurons in the brain

In a remarkable discovery, researchers have pinpointed a specific group...

Rivers are not just pathways for water; they are dynamic forces that reshape the landscapes they traverse. Meandering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-look-to-mars-to-help-clarify-how-river-paths-change-over-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rivers</a> carve intricate patterns into the Earth as they journey from mountainous regions to the sea, forming valleys, canyons, floodplains, and deltas. 



Researchers from <a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Santa Barbara</a> have delved into the factors that influence how meandering rivers migrate across landscapes. The findings challenge some established theories and provide new insights into river behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Focus of the study</h2>



“Meandering rivers move gradually across the floodplains, and this river movement presents socioeconomic risks along river corridors and regulates terrestrial biogeochemical cycles. Experimental and field studies suggest that fluvial sediment supply can exert a primary control on lateral migration rates of rivers,” wrote the researchers.



“However, we lack an understanding of the relative importance of environmental boundary conditions, such as floodplain vegetation and sediment supply, in setting the pace of river meandering across different environmental settings.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-forces-shaping-meandering-rivers">The forces shaping meandering rivers</h2>



The study was focused on two primary forces that affect the bends in meandering rivers: "bar push" and "bank pull."



Bar push occurs when sediment deposits inside a bend, pushing the river outward. Conversely, bank pull involves erosion on the opposite bank, which further exaggerates the bend. 



Interestingly, the research suggests that sediment load - the amount of debris and minerals carried by rivers - plays a more significant role in this outward push than previously thought.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-trend-in-meandering-rivers">Global trend in meandering rivers </h2>



Evan Greenberg, the lead researcher and a doctoral geography student, along with his advisor Professor Vamsi Ganti, compiled a comprehensive dataset covering 139 <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/the-lena-river-delta-from-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meandering</a> rivers worldwide. The team analyzed satellite imagery to observe how the paths of these rivers have shifted over time. 



"We find a global-scale trend between the amount of sediment that rivers carry and how quickly they’re migrating, across all variables," explained Greenberg.



The analysis revealed that rivers laden with more sediment tend to migrate faster, a significant finding given that many of the world’s major waterways are meandering types. 



These river migration patterns are crucial for effective environmental management and urban planning, especially as these waterways affect millions of people living in nearby floodplains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vegetation-s-role-in-stabilizing-rivers">Vegetation's role in stabilizing rivers</h2>



Contrary to earlier studies that emphasized the stabilizing effects of vegetation, this new research shows that while vegetation does slow <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/river-profiles-climates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">river</a> migration, its impact is less significant than previously estimated.



Unvegetated rivers with higher sediment loads were found to migrate up to four times faster than those with similar dimensions but more vegetation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-dynamics-of-meandering-river-patterns">The dynamics of meandering river patterns</h2>



The interaction of bar push and bank pull creates the characteristic meandering pattern of these rivers. 



"You can’t have one dominate the other in a meandering river," said Professor Ganti. He further noted the importance of a balanced interaction between these forces to prevent the transformation of meandering rivers into braided rivers, which can happen if the sediment supply is insufficient.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dams-and-river-migration-a-unique-case-study">Dams and river migration: A unique case study</h2>



The examination of rivers near <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-have-caused-unprecedented-changes-to-rivers/">dams</a> provided an interesting case study within the research. Dams trap sediment but don't usually affect the vegetation, providing unique conditions to study how sediment load influences river migration. 



The observations showed that downstream from dams, where rivers are sediment-starved, migration rates decrease notably.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-changes-and-managing-risks">Predicting changes and managing risks</h2>



Looking ahead, the researchers plan to extend their analysis to more rivers and varied river types. The goal is to develop a model that predicts river migration through different landscapes, from their sources to their mouths. 



This model could prove essential in predicting changes in river behavior due to environmental changes, such as sea-level rise, increased extreme weather events, and shifts in land use, which might lead to increased sediment loads.



In conclusion, understanding how meandering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-action-for-rivers-lifelines-of-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rivers</a> move is more than an academic pursuit— it's crucial for managing the risks associated with riverbank migration. 



"More sediment means that rivers can do more stuff," said Professor Ganti, highlighting the dynamic and ever-changing nature of these fascinating systems. 



This ongoing research into river dynamics will aid in the development of strategies to cope with future changes in these mighty rivers.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X24001079" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth and Planetary Science Letters</a>.



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Study reveals new insights into the dynamics of meandering rivers

Rivers are not just pathways for water; they are dynamic...

Can you imagine going back in time to visit a lost loved one? This heartwrenching desire is what propelled astrophysicist Professor Ron Mallett on a lifelong quest to build a time machine. After years of research, Professor Mallett claims to have finally developed the revolutionary equation for time travel. 



The idea of bending time to our will – revisiting the past, altering history, or glimpsing into the future – has been a staple of science fiction for over a century. But could it move from fantasy to reality?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-inspiration-a-father-s-love-and-a-classic-novel">The inspiration: A father's love and a classic novel</h2>



Professor Mallett's obsession with time travel and its equation has its roots in a shattering childhood experience. When he was just ten years old, his father, a television repairman who fostered his son's love of science, tragically passed away from a heart attack. 



Devastated, the young Mallett sought solace in books. It was H.G. Wells' The Time Machine that sparked a lifelong fascination. 



Wells' opening lines became his mantra: "Scientific people know very well that Time is only a kind of Space. And why cannot we move in Time as we move about in the other dimensions of Space?"



This profound question ignited Mallett's scientific journey. He dedicated himself to understanding the nature of time, determined to find a way to revisit the past and see his beloved father once more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-travel-equation-in-the-hospital">Time travel equation in the hospital</h2>



Decades of research into black holes and Einstein's theories of relativity led to the time travel equation. 



While hospitalized for a heart condition, Mallett had a revelation. "It turns out that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermassive-binary-black-holes-secrets-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a> can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained. 



Imagine the fabric of spacetime as a river. While time usually flows in one direction, Mallett theorizes that the immense gravity of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monster-black-hole-is-spinning-in-the-nearby-galaxy-m87-study-confurms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spinning black hole</a> can create whirlpools, where time twists back on itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-time-machine-blueprint">The time machine blueprint</h2>



Mallett's vision for a time machine centers on what he calls "an intense and continuous rotating beam of light" to manipulate gravity. His device would use a ring of lasers to mimic the spacetime-distorting effects of a black hole. 



"Let's say you have a cup of coffee in front of you. Start stirring the coffee with the spoon. It started to spin, right? That's what a spinning black hole does," explained Mallett.



"In Einstein's theory, space and time are related to each other. That's why it's called space-time. So when the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-energy-is-created-and-contained-in-black-holes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a> spins, it will actually cause time to shift."



"Eventually, a rotating beam of laser lights can be used as a kind of time machine and cause a time warp that will allow us to go back to the past," said Mallett. Perhaps, what began as a son's wish to see his father one last time might one day transform our understanding of time itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-and-limitations">Challenges and limitations</h2>



The obstacles on the path from time travel equation to machine are immense. Mallett acknowledges the "galactic amounts of energy" needed to power such a device – energy levels far beyond our current capabilities. 



The sheer size of a theoretical time machine is also unknown. While Mallett optimistically states, "I figured out how to do it. In theory, it is possible," the reality is that he may not live to see the machine built.



Furthermore, Mallett's theory comes with a significant constraint. "You can send information back, but you can only send it back to the point where you started operating the device." 



In this sense, the time machine is like a one-way message service to the past. You can't travel to a point before the machine existed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mallet-s-lifetime-of-dedication-to-time-travel">Mallet's lifetime of dedication to time travel</h2>



Despite the daunting challenges, Mallett's remarkable journey is a testament to the human spirit. Alongside his time travel research, he's led a distinguished academic career, teaching physics at the <a href="https://uconn.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Connecticut</a>. 



Now in his seventies, his work has been propelled by an unwavering belief in the possibility of the seemingly impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-equation-vs-reality-of-time-travel">Equation vs. reality of time travel</h2>



Whether Mallett's time machine will ever transcend the realm of theory is uncertain. Skeptics point to the vast technological hurdles and potential paradoxes raised by tampering with time. 



Yet, the mere possibility that science might one day unlock the secrets of temporal travel is enough to ignite the imagination. Could we rewrite our regrets, learn from past mistakes, or witness historical events firsthand?



Perhaps Professor Mallett's greatest legacy won't be a time travel equation itself, but the inspiration he provides – a reminder that audacious dreams and unrelenting curiosity have the power to push the boundaries of what we believe is possible.



Read more about Professor Mallett's work <a href="https://www.phys.uconn.edu/~mallett/main/main.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-space-time">More about space-time</h2>



As discussed above, space-time, a concept that feels as vast and complex as the universe itself, forms the backbone of our cosmic understanding. 



At its core, it blends the dimensions of space and time into a single four-dimensional continuum, challenging our perceptions of reality. This intertwined nature of space and time underpins everything from the motion of planets to the flow of time itself.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-einstein-s-groundbreaking-contribution">Einstein's groundbreaking contribution</h3>



Albert Einstein, with his theory of relativity, revolutionized our understanding of space-time. He posited that space and time are not separate entities but are connected in a dynamic relationship affected by mass and energy. 



This relationship implies that the presence of a massive object, like a planet or a star, can warp the fabric of space-time around it. It's a concept that turns the notion of a flat, unchanging universe on its head, suggesting that the very structure of the cosmos is malleable.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-warp-and-weft-of-the-cosmos">The warp and weft of the cosmos</h3>



Imagine space-time as a vast sheet of fabric. When a heavy object sits on this fabric, it creates a dip or curve. This curvature is what we perceive as gravity. 



Planets orbit stars not because they are being "pulled" in a straight line towards them, but because they are following the curved space-time geometry that these massive objects create. 



This curvature of space-time is not just a theoretical concept; it's observable and measurable, especially in the presence of extremely massive and dense objects, like black holes.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gravitational-waves-echoes-of-cosmic-events">Gravitational waves: Echoes of cosmic events</h3>



One of the most compelling pieces of evidence for the theory of relativity and the dynamic nature of space-time comes from the detection of gravitational waves. 



These waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time, generated by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the universe, such as colliding black holes. 



Their discovery not only confirmed Einstein's predictions but also opened a new window into observing cosmic events that were previously invisible to us.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-impact-of-space-time">Practical impact of space-time</h3>



While these concepts might seem distant from daily life, they have real-world applications, particularly in technology. The Global Positioning System (GPS), a technology integral to modern navigation, relies on an understanding of space-time. 



Satellites orbiting Earth need to account for the effects of gravitational time dilation -- a consequence of the curvature of space-time -- to provide accurate location data to users on the ground.



In summary, space-time is a framework that shapes our understanding of the universe. From guiding the planets in their orbits to enabling precise navigation on Earth, its effects are both profoundly cosmic and surprisingly practical. 



As we continue to explore and understand the intricacies of space-time, we edge closer to unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, one gravitational wave at a time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-black-holes-are-linked-to-time-travel">How black holes are linked to time travel</h2>



Playing a major role in Dr. Mallett's time machine, black holes exert a gravitational pull so immense that not even light can escape their grasp. This intense gravity fundamentally alters the fabric of space-time around the black hole. 



The stronger the gravity, the more pronounced these effects become, leading to what scientists call gravitational time dilation -- a phenomenon where time itself warps, slowing down relative to an observer far from the gravitational pull.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Time dilation explained</h3>



At the heart of this phenomenon lies Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity, which posits that gravity is the result of masses warping the space-time around them. 



In the vicinity of a black hole, this warping becomes so extreme that it significantly affects the flow of time. 



An observer standing at a safe distance would perceive time to pass much slower for someone closer to the black hole. 



This effect intensifies as one approaches the event horizon, the point of no return beyond which the gravitational pull becomes inescapable.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Boundary between time zones</h3>



The event horizon of a black hole marks a stark boundary in the universe, where time as we understand it undergoes a dramatic transformation. 



To an external observer, objects approaching the event horizon appear to slow down and almost freeze in time, never quite crossing the threshold. 



This illusion results from the light from those objects taking longer and longer to reach the observer as the objects move closer to the event horizon, due to the extreme gravitational pull affecting the light's path.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Theoretical implications and observations</h3>



This warping of time around black holes is not just a theoretical curiosity. As Dr. Mallett explained previously in this article, it has practical implications for our understanding of the universe. For instance, it plays a crucial role in the behavior of binary systems where one star orbits a black hole. 



Moreover, advancements in technology, such as precise atomic clocks and observations from space telescopes, have allowed scientists to measure these effects, further confirming the predictions of General Relativity.



In summary, black holes serve as natural laboratories for testing the limits of our understanding of physics, offering insights into the complex interplay between gravity and the fabric of space-time. 



The phenomenon of time dilation near these cosmic behemoths challenges our notions of time and space, inviting us to explore beyond the boundaries of our current knowledge. 



As we continue to observe and study these fascinating objects, we inch closer to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.



-----



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Astrophysicist says he has cracked the code for time travel

Can you imagine going back in time to visit a...

Astronaut,In,Outer,Space,Against,The,Backdrop,Of,The,Planet

Have you ever wondered if astronauts get headaches in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-lettuce-and-salads-in-space-is-a-bad-idea-according-to-a-new-study/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">space</a>? It may seem trivial but a recent study from the <a href="https://www.aan.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Academy of Neurology</a> reveals that even seasoned astronauts experience space headaches.



Moreover, astronauts without any history of headaches can experience both migraines and tension-type headaches while on long missions in space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-headaches-in-astronauts">Space headaches in astronauts</h2>



The study followed 24 astronauts who spent up to 26 weeks on the International Space Station. Before their missions, only a handful of them had occasional headaches. 



Shockingly, 92% of these astronauts experienced headaches during their flights. This is a significant increase from the 38% who reported headaches before heading for the stars. The majority were tension-type headaches, but around 10% were migraines.



The first week in space seemed to be the worst, with headaches hitting harder and more frequently. After returning to Earth, the astronauts' headaches completely disappeared.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-vestibular-system">The vestibular system</h2>



"Changes in gravity caused by space flight affect the function of many parts of the body, including the brain," explained Dr. W. P. J. van Oosterhout, the study's author. 



Our vestibular system, which is key for balance and posture, becomes confused in space. It's used to the pull of Earth's gravity, and the absence of that force leads to disorientation. This is one of the major causes of space motion sickness, and as it turns out, might also trigger headaches.



Dr. van Oosterhout believes that space headaches could be linked to increased pressure inside the skull. In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-weather-poses-significant-risks-to-railway-safety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">zero gravity</a>, fluids in the body tend to shift upwards. This could lead to more pressure on the brain, potentially causing headaches.



"Further research is needed to unravel the underlying causes of space headache and explore how such discoveries may provide insights into headaches occurring on Earth," noted Dr. van Oosterhout. "Also, more effective <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/special-lettuce-could-protect-astronauts-from-bone-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">therapies</a> need to be developed to combat space headaches, as for many astronauts, this is a major problem during space flights."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-headaches-insights">Space headaches insights</h2>



While space headaches seem like a niche concern, the insights gained could shed light on chronic headache disorders we experience on Earth. For example, researchers might discover shared triggers relating to pressure changes or fluid shifts within the skull. This could lead to new treatment options or ways to identify those at risk of such conditions.



Mountain climbers and pilots sometimes experience headaches or dizziness at high altitudes. Moreover, studying the mechanisms behind space headaches could translate into better prevention and management methods for those who operate in such environments.



The technologies used to monitor the physiological changes in astronauts might find applications on Earth. Perhaps we'll see the development of non-invasive devices for detecting cranial pressure changes, helpful for diagnosing various medical conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-significance">Study significance</h2>



As ambitious space travel projects become more realistic, understanding and developing treatment for space headaches will be crucial. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/space-travel-takes-a-greater-toll-on-astronauts-brains-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronauts</a> on extended missions won't have the luxury of easily returning to Earth, making managing these unexpected health issues essential. 



It's another reminder that while space exploration is extraordinary, it comes with a host of unique challenges for the extraordinary humans doing the exploring.



The study was supported by the <a href="https://www.nwo.nl/en">Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.</a>



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Astronauts report space headaches during long missions

Have you ever wondered if astronauts get headaches in space?...

It's not magic, it's science. Recent research led by the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)</a> reveals that individuals who contract COVID-19 but remain symptom-free - dubbed as 'super dodgers' - may owe their resilience to a specific genetic mutation known as HLA. 



According to the study, carriers of this gene variant are more than twice as likely to be asymptomatic. This, compared to those who experience symptoms after contracting the virus.



This study, published in Nature on July 19, 2023, represents a significant step in understanding the genetic influence on our body's response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-associated-with-lower-covid-19-vaccine-responses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19</a>. The research provides a possible explanation for why some people contract the virus but never fall ill.



<h2 id="h-human-leukocyte-antigen-hla">Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)</h2>



The researchers centered their attention on the human leukocyte antigen (HLA), protein markers that are the immune system's smoke signal. A genetic mutation in one of the genes encoding the HLA allows virus-killing T cells to recognize SARS-CoV-2 rapidly, akin to triggering a lightning-fast attack. 



It's as if these T cells, even when encountering the virus for the first time, can recognize it due to its similarity to the common cold viruses they've already combated. This important discovery could open up new paths for drug and vaccine development.



Jill Hollenbach, PhD, MPH, the study's lead researcher, explained it this way: "If you have an army that's able to recognize the enemy early, that's a huge advantage. It's like having soldiers that are prepared for battle and already know what to look for, and that these are the bad guys."



The genetic mutation, known as HLA-B*15:01, is relatively common, being present in about 10% of the study's participants. Carriers of this mutation don't avoid the virus itself, but they do sidestep the symptoms - from a runny nose to a slightly sore throat.



Hollenbach's team discovered that 20% of participants who remained symptom-free after contracting the virus carried at least one copy of the HLA-B*15:01 variant. 



In comparison, only 9% of symptomatic individuals were carriers. Interestingly, the likelihood of remaining symptom-free increased more than eightfold for participants carrying two copies of the variant.



<h2>Studying the COVID-19 genetic mutation</h2>



The researchers believed from the outset that the HLA might play a critical role in this context. They found the necessary data in an existing national registry. 



The <a href="https://bethematch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match</a>, which matches donors with bone marrow transplant recipients. However, they needed further information on how these donors fared against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/machine-learning-reveals-how-to-prevent-covid-19-from-ever-returning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19</a>.



To gather this information, they turned to the <a href="https://medicine.ucsf.edu/news/newly-launched-covid-19-citizen-science-study" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19 Citizen Science Study</a>, a mobile app developed at UCSF. 



They tracked nearly 30,000 people in the bone marrow archive through the first year of the pandemic, a period when vaccines were still unavailable and routine COVID-19 testing was prevalent.



"We did not set out to study genetics, but we were thrilled to see this result come from our multidisciplinary collaboration with Dr. Hollenbach and the National Marrow Donor Program," stated Mark Pletcher, MD, MPH, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at UCSF.



<h2>What the researchers learned about HLA</h2>



Researchers identified 1,428 unvaccinated donors who tested positive between February 2020 and April 2021. Of these, 136 individuals showed no symptoms for at least two weeks before and after testing positive. Only the HLA-B*15:01 genetic mutation showed a robust association with asymptomatic COVID-19 infection.



Notably, the common risk factors for severe COVID-19, such as older age, obesity, or chronic conditions like diabetes, didn't seem to influence who remained asymptomatic.



Martin Maiers, vice president of research at the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match, said, "We are proud to partner on research that has the potential to leverage a long-term public investment in building the national archive to help cure diseases and improve our ability to avoid future pandemics."



To understand how the HLA-B15:01 variant works, Hollenbach's team collaborated with La Trobe University scientists in Australia. They focused on the concept of T-cell memory, the immune system's way of "remembering" past infections. 



The team found that T cells from individuals carrying the HLA-B15:01 variant, even those never exposed to SARS-CoV-2, still responded to a part of the novel coronavirus named NQK-Q8 peptide. 



This suggests that exposure to seasonal coronaviruses, carrying a very similar peptide, NQK-A8, enabled these T cells to quickly recognize and mount an effective response against SARS-CoV-2.



"By studying their immune response, this might enable us to identify new ways of promoting immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 that could be used in future development of vaccines or drugs," noted Stephanie Gras, a professor and laboratory head at La Trobe University. 



This study, hence, unveils the genetic chess game at play in the fight against COVID-19, providing a pathway for future research and potential therapeutic developments.



<h2>More about COVID-19 and genetic mutations</h2>



The novel coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, causes the infectious disease COVID-19. It was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and since then, it has led to a global pandemic. 



The virus has infected millions of people worldwide and caused millions of deaths. Here is a more in-depth explanation of what is known about COVID-19:



<h3>Symptoms</h3>



COVID-19 symptoms vary, but the most common include fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, fatigue, and sometimes gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea. 



While some people may remain asymptomatic, others can become seriously ill and develop complications like pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or other organ problems.



<h3>Transmission</h3>



COVID-19 primarily spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes. 



It can also spread by touching a surface contaminated by the virus and then touching the face, although this is less common. Individuals who are symptomatic, asymptomatic, or pre-symptomatic can transmit the virus.



<h3>Prevention</h3>



Preventive measures include wearing masks, maintaining physical distance from others, avoiding large gatherings, washing hands frequently, and getting vaccinated. 



Vaccines developed by companies such as Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson &amp; Johnson, and AstraZeneca have received emergency use authorization in various countries around the world.



Also, as we learned above, COVID-19 patients show show no symptoms often have a genetic mutation called HLA.



<h3>Treatment</h3>



Treatments include antiviral drugs like Remdesivir, the steroid dexamethasone for severe cases, monoclonal antibodies, and supportive care to help relieve symptoms. 



Additionally, the anticoagulant heparin is often used due to the increased risk of blood clots in severe cases. Research and trials are ongoing to develop more effective treatments.



<h3>Impact</h3>



Beyond its health impacts, COVID-19 has also led to significant economic, social, and psychological disruption worldwide, including job losses, increased mental health issues, and interruptions to education.



<h3>Variants</h3>



Several variants of SARS-CoV-2 have emerged since the start of the pandemic, some of which are more transmissible or potentially more virulent. 



These include the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants. Ongoing surveillance of these variants is crucial to public health efforts to control the spread of the virus.



<h3>Long COVID</h3>



Some people experience prolonged symptoms or long-term effects after their acute infection has resolved, a condition sometimes referred to as "long COVID" or "Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection" (PASC). 



Symptoms can include fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, and a host of other problems. Research is ongoing to understand why this occurs and how to treat it.



For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to reputable health organizations such as the <a href="https://www.who.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Health Organization (WHO)</a> or the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a>.

"Super-dodgers" who don’t get sick from COVID-19 may have special HLA genetic mutation

It's not magic, it's science. Recent research led by the...

Welcome to the innovative world of robotics, where one innovative creation is making waves...under the sand. This unique robot, created by a team of scientists at the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California San Diego</a>, can "swim" under the sand's surface and dig itself back out when needed, similar to a sea turtle hatchling.



This new robot can swim under sand thanks to a pair of front limbs modeled after the oversized flippers of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-sea-turtles-have-returned-to-the-same-place-to-eat-for-3000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea turtle</a> hatchlings. In an awe-inspiring feat of engineering, this robot is the first of its kind able to navigate sand at a depth of five inches.



While it may seem slow, traversing at a speed of 1.2 millimeters per second or around 13 feet per hour, it's worth noting that this is on par with the speed of other subterranean creatures such as worms and clams.



Apart from its turtle-inspired limbs, <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/swimming-turtle-robot_credit-David-Baillot_2medium.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the robot</a> is furnished with force sensors at the ends of these flippers, empowering it to detect obstacles while moving. Furthermore, you can operate it without physical constraints and control it remotely via WiFi.



<h2 id="h-sand-robots-have-significant-hurdles">Sand robots have significant hurdles</h2>



Robots designed to swim under sand encounter numerous hurdles. The forces they face are much greater than those met by robots navigating air or water, and they can sustain damage more readily.



Nonetheless, overcoming these challenges could offer significant advantages such as inspecting grain silos, taking soil contaminant measurements, engaging in seafloor digging, assisting in extraterrestrial exploration, and aiding in search and rescue operations.



Devising this sand-swimming robot involved a series of meticulous experiments aimed at better understanding the complex nature of sand and how to enable robotic locomotion through it.



Sand presents a particular challenge due to the large forces caused by the friction between grains, difficulty in sensing obstacles, and its variable behavior. Sand can act like a liquid or a solid depending on the situation.



<h2>Biomimicry -- copying sea turtle hatchlings</h2>



The team found inspiration in nature, studying the movement of various animals to develop their sand-swimming robot. They found their solution in the sea turtle hatchlings, whose large front fins enable them to surface after hatching. 



Replicating these flippers in the robot not only generates large propulsive forces but also enables the robot to steer and potentially detect obstacles.



Yet, the mystery of how robots equipped with flipper-like appendages move in sand persists. "We needed to build a robot that is both strong and streamlined," said Shivam Chopra, the lead author of the paper describing the robot, published in the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems.



Extensive simulations and testing by the UC San Diego team resulted in the adoption of a tapered body design and a shovel-shaped nose.



By monitoring torque changes caused by its flipper movement, the robot can identify obstacles above it as it swims under sand. However, it cannot yet detect obstacles below or directly in front of it.



To counterbalance this, the robot features a unique design addition: two foil-like surfaces, dubbed "terrafoils," mounted on the sides of the bot's nose, enabling it to maintain a consistent depth in the sand and avoid always heading upwards.



Researchers tested this revolutionary robot in a lab setting and at La Jolla Shores, a beach close to the UC San Diego campus. The trials showed that the robot's speed reduced in wet sand due to the greater resistance it offered.



Future advancements will focus on increasing the robot's speed and enhancing its burrowing capabilities, allowing it to dig into the sand as well as dig itself out. This study marks an exciting step forward in robotic locomotion through challenging terrains.



<h2>More about sea turtle hatchlings</h2>



Sea turtle hatchlings are young sea turtles that have recently emerged from their eggs. They represent an important life stage of all seven existing species of sea turtles: the Loggerhead, Green, Hawksbill, Flatback, Olive Ridley, Kemp's Ridley, and Leatherback.



Here's an overview of their life, their challenges, and their role in the larger ecosystem.



<h3>Life cycle</h3>



The mother turtle typically lays sea turtle eggs in clutches on sandy beaches.She will come ashore during the night, dig a hole with her flippers, lay her eggs, cover the hole with sand, and then return to the sea. The number of eggs in a clutch varies by species, but it can be anywhere from 50 to 200 eggs.



After being laid, the eggs incubate in the warmth of the sand for about 60 days, though this can vary depending on the species and the temperature. Warmer sands tend to speed up the incubation process, and interestingly, they also influence the sex of the hatchlings. Warmer conditions generally produce more female hatchlings, while cooler conditions result in more males, a phenomenon known as temperature-dependent sex determination.



<h3>Emergence and journey to the sea</h3>



When the hatchlings finally emerge from their eggs, they dig their way up through the sand in a group effort, usually at night when the temperatures are cooler and predators are less active. This emergence is known as a "boil." Once they reach the surface, they use visual cues to find the sea, often navigating by the natural light on the ocean horizon.



This journey from the nest to the sea is fraught with danger. Predators such as birds, crabs, and other animals are a major threat. Human-made obstacles and artificial lights can also confuse or misdirect hatchlings, leading them away from the sea.



<h3>The lost years</h3>



Once they reach the ocean, the hatchlings begin what is often referred to as the "lost years" — a period ranging from a few years to a decade where they live in the open ocean.



During this time, their whereabouts and habits are largely unknown to scientists due to tracking difficulties. They drift with the currents and forage for food, growing until they reach a certain size and maturity.



<h3>Sea turtle hatchling survival</h3>



Survival rates for sea turtle hatchlings are tragically low. It's estimated that only about one in 1,000 to 10,000 hatchlings survive to adulthood. Natural predators, human activities, marine pollution, habitat loss, and climate change all contribute to the high mortality rate.



<h3>Significance in the ecosystem</h3>



Despite their small size and vulnerable status, sea turtle hatchlings play a crucial role in marine ecosystems. They are a part of the food web, serving as a food source for various predators. They contribute to the nutrient cycle, both on land and in the sea.



For example, unhatched eggs and hatchlings that don't make it to the sea provide nutrients that enrich coastal vegetation.



Furthermore, their journey from nest to sea helps aerate the sand. This can benefit beach ecosystems.



By adulthood, depending on the species, sea turtles also play roles in controlling jellyfish populations, grazing on sea grass and keeping it healthy, and even helping to shape the physical environment in the case of species that use sponges or corals as food.



Protection and conservation efforts worldwide are continuously working towards ensuring the survival and health of sea turtle hatchlings, and thus, the continuance of these vital marine creatures.

Scientists invent robot that can swim under sand like sea turtle hatchlings

Welcome to the innovative world of robotics, where one innovative...

The Sh2-284 nebula, imaged by the VLT Survey Telescope

A spectacular, high-detailed picture of the Sh2-284 nebula – known as the “smiling cat nebula” – has recently been captured by the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/surveytelescopes/vst/">VLT Survey Telescope</a>, hosted by the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/">European Southern Observatory</a> (ESO). 



This nebula, resembling the face of a cat smiling down from the sky, is teeming with young stars, as gas and dust within it gathers together to form new suns.



The Sh2-284 nebula is a vast region consisting of gas and dust located about 15,000 light years away from Earth in the constellation Monoceros. Its brightest part, which is visible in the newly captured image, measures approximately 150 light years, or 1,400 trillion kilometers, across.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-special-features-of-the-nebula">Special features of the nebula</h2>



Located in the center of this part – under the “cat’s nose” – is a cluster of young stars called Dolidze 25 that produces massive amounts of strong winds and radiation. 



According to the experts, this radiation is powerful enough to ionize the hydrogen from the cloud and produce its bright red and orange colors.



By pushing away the gas and dust in the nebula, the strong winds from the central cluster of stars hollow out its center.&nbsp;



Moreover, as they encounter denser pockets of material which offer more resistance, these winds erode away the areas around them first, creating several pillars which can be observed along the edges of the nebula.&nbsp;



Although these pillars look relatively small in the image, they are actually several light years wide and contain vast amounts of dust and gas from which new stars emerge.



<h2 id="h-more-about-the-image">More about the image</h2>



The scientists succeeded in creating this extraordinary image using data from the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), which is hosted at ESO’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/">Paranal Observatory</a>&nbsp;in Chile and is owned by the <a href="http://www.inaf.it/en">National Institute for Astrophysics</a> (INAF) in Italy. 



VST is a crucial tool for mapping the southern sky in visible light by employing a 256-million-pixel camera specifically designed to take wide-field images.&nbsp;



The new image is part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vphasplus.org/">VST Photometric Hα Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge</a>&nbsp;(VPHAS+), which has already examined over 500 million astronomical objects in our galaxy, increasing our understanding of the birth, life, and eventual death of stars from the Milky Way.



<h2 id="h-what-is-a-nebula">What is a nebula?</h2>



A nebula (plural: nebulae or nebulas) is a vast cloud of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the night sky either as an indistinct bright patch or as a dark silhouette against other luminous matter. Nebulae are often the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-carina-nebula-like-weve-never-seen-it-before/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birthplaces of stars</a>, formed from the gravitational collapse of gas within the nebula.



Nebulae can be categorized into different types based on their characteristics:



<h3 id="h-emission-nebulae">Emission nebulae</h3>



These are often called H II regions as they are largely composed of ionized hydrogen. They are typically glowing, hot clouds of gas energized by the ultraviolet light from hot, young stars within them. The most famous example of an emission nebula is the Orion Nebula.



<h3 id="h-reflection-nebulae">Reflection nebulae</h3>



These nebulae do not emit light themselves, but are near enough to stars that they reflect the light from those stars. They often appear blue because blue light is scattered more than other colors.



<h3 id="h-dark-nebulae">Dark nebulae</h3>



These are dense clouds of gas and dust that block the light from stars and other celestial objects behind them. They are visible because they create voids in the star field.



<h3 id="h-planetary-nebulae">Planetary nebulae</h3>



This is a somewhat misleading name, as these have nothing to do with planets. These are shells of gas thrown off by stars late in their life cycle, typically red giants undergoing the transition to white dwarfs.



<h3 id="h-supernova-remnants">Supernova remnants</h3>



These are complex, often filamentary, clouds of gas and dust formed from the material ejected during a supernova explosion, a stellar death event.



Each type of nebula has different processes at work and tells astronomers different things about the life cycles of stars and the composition of the universe.



Image Credit: ESO/VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgement: CASU



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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The "Smiling cat nebula" captured in a new, spectacular image

A spectacular, high-detailed picture of the Sh2-284 nebula – known...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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