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Mammal evolution kicked off with daring ‘experiments’
In the mesmerizing world of mammal evolution, an exciting discovery has emerged from Brazil, shedding new light on our understanding of the evolution of distinct mammalian traits. Fossils of the mammal-precursor species, Brasilodon quadrangularis and Riograndia guaibensis, provide us with intriguing insights into the formation of the mammalian jaw and middle ear. The fossils reveal that evolutionary experiments were taking place far earlier than previously theorized. Evolutionary journey of mammal ancestors Mammals are unique among vertebrates, boasting a distinct jaw structure and the presence of three middle ear bones. Earlier vertebrates only had a single middle ear bone, and scientists have been eager to...
Orcas have hunting and eating habits that we never imagined
Near the curve of Chile's shoreline, in regions of the ocean teeming with krill and anchovy, lies a world inhabited by a relatively obscure population of orcas. Here, right under the Humboldt Current's life-giving hum, scientists are unraveling the mysteries of these magnificent beasts, starting with their gastronomic indulgences. Orcas hunting dolphins Dr. Ana Garcia Cegarra's team from Universidad de Antofagasta had previously observed these orcas ingeniously exploiting fishing vessels to ensnare sea lions. The researchers have now recorded them successfully hunting dusky dolphins. What's more, the food is shared among the pod - a testament to their social camaraderie. These fresh revelations could...
Synesthesia: How some people taste words and see music in color
Imagine listening to your favorite song and seeing bursts of color with each note. Or think of a number that tastes like your favorite candy. For individuals with synesthesia, these experiences are not mere flights of fantasy, but their everyday reality. They inhabit a sensory wonderland where sight meets sound, taste intertwines with touch, and their brain functions as a gifted maestro, skillfully orchestrating this magnificent symphony of senses. Each moment becomes an intricate tapestry woven from the threads of their heightened perceptions, allowing them to experience the world in ways that most can only dream of. Colors resonate with sounds, flavors burst...
Severe turbulence inside the Sun’s corona captured on video
Imagine a gusty wind, not just any wind, but a solar wind. It's a constant flow of charged particles, primarily electrons and protons, that the Sun continuously spews into space. This wind, originating from our Sun's corona, travels in every direction, extending way past the orbit of our very own Earth. The solar wind shapes the environment of our entire solar system as it influences the atmospheres of all planets and contributes to the formation of things like comet tails. It plays a crucial role in shaping the magnetic landscapes of planets and celestial bodies by carrying the Sun’s magnetic field...
Is it still possible to save the ocean from plastic pollution?
In an unprecedented achievement, experts at Kyushu University have presented an easily understandable numerical target in order to tackle marine plastic pollution around the world. With ocean current maps that record the flow and fate of plastic litter, the research team quantified the needed prevention of marine ecosystems from future damage: at least a 32% reduction in plastic littering by 2035. Marine plastic pollution has attained the status of a global problem, and this situation is likely to deteriorate further in the absence of significant interventions. Monitoring ocean plastic pollution For years, Professor Atsuhiko Isobe from Kyushu University’s Research Institute for Applied Mechanics has...
How does the brain process experiences over time?
Experts at UCLA Health have begun to uncover one of the fundamental mysteries in neuroscience - how the human brain encodes and interprets the flow of time and experiences. Brain cell activity reflects experiences The experts directly recorded the activity of individual neurons in humans and revealed that specific brain cells fire in a way that reflects the order and structure of a person’s experiences. Notably, the brain retains these firing patterns after the experience has ended and can rapidly replay them during periods of rest. The brain also utilizes these learned patterns to prepare for future stimuli, offering the first empirical evidence of...
‘Invisible forest’ of phytoplankton thrives in a warming climate
Phytoplankton, the microscopic flora that drive nearly half of the world's primary production, are thriving in an "invisible forest" beneath the surface of our warming oceans. These tiny organisms, responsible for converting sunlight into living cells through photosynthesis, are now revealing crucial insights into some of today’s most pressing environmental concerns, such as ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, and disruptions to the global carbon cycle. Phytoplankton’s response to climate variability Researchers from the University of Exeter have explored the behavior of phytoplankton within the ocean's surface and the unique subsurface layer, while investigating the potential impacts of climate variability on these lifeforms. According to the...
Fish use a ‘motion dazzle’ strategy to outsmart predators
The humbug damselfish, known for its striking black-and-white stripes, has mastered a unique form of camouflage that goes beyond blending into its environment. While stillness helps many creatures evade predators, the highly mobile damselfish adds another layer of protection through a technique called "motion dazzle," which confuses predators when the fish are in motion. This clever strategy, along with their adaptability to different backgrounds, allows the fish to outsmart their predators and thrive in coral reef habitats. Defense strategy of the humbug damselfish New research has uncovered a fascinating dual defense mechanism used by animals with high-contrast body patterns. When stationary, these patterns provide effective...
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents provide clues about the origin of life
Scientists have discovered inorganic nanostructures surrounding deep-ocean hydrothermal vents that closely resemble molecules essential for life. These self-organizing nanostructures act as selective ion channels, capable of generating energy that can be harnessed as electricity. The research was led by Ryuhei Nakamura at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan and The Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) of Tokyo Institute of Technology. The study not only advances understanding of how life may have originated but also holds potential for applications in industrial blue-energy harvesting. Potential birthplaces of life Hydrothermal vents, where seawater seeps deep into the Earth's crust, gets heated by magma, and rises...
Air pollution alters the atmosphere in the remote Arctic
Air pollution from fossil fuel burning reaches the remote Arctic in amounts large enough to alter its atmospheric chemistry, according to a study from Dartmouth College. The findings highlight the far-reaching effects of fossil fuel emissions and emphasize the importance of clean-air regulations, which, the study shows, can reverse these effects. Environmental footprint of Arctic pollution The research points out that the impact of pollution on the Arctic began as soon as the industrial era saw widespread fossil fuel use. The team discovered this pollution footprint in an unexpected place. The experts measured declines in methanesulfonic acid (MSA), an airborne byproduct of marine phytoplankton...
Shifting rivers threaten millions of people worldwide
An abrupt alteration in a river's course, known as a river avulsion, is a natural phenomenon that often leads to catastrophic flooding. These events upset the delicate balance of ecosystems and human settlements. Sudden shifts in the paths of rivers have shaped landscapes and human history, leaving communities vulnerable to devastating impacts. To address this global issue, a dedicated team of researchers has worked to decode the enigma of river avulsions. The study has potential implications for millions of people around the world. Framework for predicting river avulsions The research was led by Led by James "Jake" Gearon, a PhD candidate in the Department...
Growing health gap between rural and urban men around the world
Do you ever wonder if where you live impacts your health? Well, you might be onto something. New research has opened a new chapter in the rural-urban health divide saga. The studies rolling off their desks portray a rather disconcerting picture: rural men are living shorter lives and spending fewer of their twilight years in good health compared to their urban counterparts. Why is this so? Health in rural and urban areas Rural areas, often romanticized as idyllic havens of tranquility, are in fact battlegrounds where lifestyle habits wage war on human health daily. Among rural men, the troika of smoking, obesity,...
Gray whales perform ‘headstands’ and make ‘bubble rings’ as they hunt
Using state-of-the-art drone technology, scientists have managed to get an intimate look at the intriguing underwater foraging behavior of gray whales off the Oregon coast. Clara Bird, a researcher at the Oregon State University, has spent seven years compiling this drone footage. In doing so, she's managed to quantify the gray whales’ behavior, as well as their individual size and body condition. It turns out that age plays a significant role in the way whales behave while foraging. Exploring the whale dynamics Bird observed that younger, smaller whales tend to swim forward while foraging, while their older, larger counterparts display a unique behavior: headstanding....
Unexpected discovery sheds light on life in the ocean’s twilight zone
The ocean, one of Earth's greatest mysteries, is a vast, deep and untapped reservoir of complexity. But there's one part of it that's shrouded in more secrecy and darkness than the rest - the ocean's twilight zone. Recent research has revealed some new details about this unknown territory. It turns out, the twilight zone is running on an iron deficiency. Ocean's twilight zone The twilight zone lies dwarfed in darkness 200 to 1,000 meters below the sea surface. This is an area where no sunlight dares to penetrate, and a place that is grappling with an iron famine. Why is this important? Because...
Most detailed map ever made of the Milky Way galaxy contains 1.5 billion celestial bodies
For more than a decade, astronomers from around the globe have been studying our Milky Way galaxy to learn more about Earth's place in the vast universe. Now, they've hit a benchmark achievement -- an intricate infrared map of the Milky Way, showcasing over 1.5 billion celestial bodies. This is the most detailed map of its kind, pulling back the cosmic veil to reveal structures and stars previously concealed by interstellar dust and gas. This endeavor was helmed by Dante Minniti, an astrophysicist at Universidad Andrés Bello in Chile. “We made so many discoveries, we have changed the view of our...
Is Mars’ missing atmosphere hiding in plain sight?
Mars, known as the Red Planet, wasn't always the uninviting desert we see today. There's a lot of concrete evidence suggesting that water flowed freely on this mysterious planet billions of years ago. In the ancient past, the atmosphere of Mars was possibly every bit as ardent and earth-like as the world we live in. But the question remains - What happened to this planet that it turned into the cold, barren desert we see today? Mystery of Mars' missing atmosphere One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Mars' 4.6-billion-year history is understanding the fate of its atmosphere. Once rich with carbon dioxide, it was...
“Most anticipated” comet of 2024 returns this weekend after 80,000 years
Something absolutely fascinating is headed our way. For the first time in 80,000 years, the comet C/2023 A3 -- also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS -- is making its grand return to our skies. The last individuals to witness this celestial spectacle were our ancestors who first ventured out of Africa. Return of comet C/2023 A3 The comet, appearing as a faint, star-like smudge trailed by a hazy tail, should be visible just before dawn on four consecutive mornings - from Friday to Monday. It's important to note that comet C/2023 A3 was only discovered last year, yet scientists have determined that it visited our planet...
Plants captured on video communicating with each other for the first time ever
Imagine walking through a forest where every rustle of leaves and every sway of branches is part of a complex dialogue. This isn't a scene from a fantasy novel -- it's the reality uncovered by a team of Japanese researchers exploring the hidden world of plant communication. Dr. Masatsugu Toyota and his team have achieved something remarkable: capturing real-time footage of plants communicating with their neighbors by sending defense signals. This breakthrough offers a fresh perspective on how plants interact with their environment and each other. Plant communication: How does it work? At the core of this discovery is the concept of volatile...
Quantum teleportation of logical qubits performed for the first time
Imagine stepping into a scene straight out of Star Trek, where teleportation isn't just a sci-fi fantasy but a tangible reality. While it might sound like something Scotty or the Enterprise crew would marvel at, scientists are making teleportation at the quantum level a scientific fact. In an important study recently published in the journal Science, Quantinuum announced the first-ever teleportation of a logical qubit using fault-tolerant methods. Dr. Ciaran Ryan-Anderson, Lead Physicist at Quantinuum, spearheaded this revolutionary research. His expertise in quantum information processing has been pivotal in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in quantum computing. Breaking down the quantum barrier Quantinuum’s...
Strange rock with black and white stripes found on Mars has NASA ‘excited’
Last week, NASA's Perseverance rover spotted something that turned heads both on Earth and Mars: a black-and-white striped rock named "Freya Castle" that is unlike anything seen before on the Red Planet. This peculiar find has sparked curiosity and enthusiasm among scientists and space enthusiasts alike. According to Athanasios Klidaras, a Ph.D. student at Purdue University working with the mission team, this discovery could hint at even more intriguing finds as the rover continues its journey. "This possibility has us excited, and we hope that as we continue to drive uphill, Perseverance will encounter an outcrop of this new rock type so...
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