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The Summary An advanced diagnostic test uses genetic sequencing to detect a range of pathogens — viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites — that might be causing an illness. A cutting-edge diagnostic test is helping some doctors find diagnoses for medical mysteries by analyzing DNA and RNA to detect a broad swath of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, according to a pair of studies published Tuesday. Traditional diagnostic tests are generally designed to measure specific substances such as proteins, hormones or trace amounts of genetic material. The technology is not a replacement for existing tests used to diagnose common illnesses — like those for Covid or strep throat — since it’s slower to deliver results and more expensive. The test also misses some cases, she added, so it should be used alongside other diagnostic tests in hospitals.

Persons: ”, Charles Chiu, Noah Berger, Covid, Chiu, it’s, Susan Butler, Wu, ” Butler, “ It’s Organizations: University of California, Nature, UCSF, Nature Communications, Drug Administration, University of Southern Locations: San Francisco, Mexico, UCSF, University of Southern California

☆ Loss of sense of smell linked to changes in breathing patterns, research suggests
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-22 | by ( Linda Carroll | Linda Carroll Is A Regular Health Contributor To Nbc News. She Is Coauthor Of | The Concussion Crisis | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Not having — or losing — your sense of smell may be linked to changes in breathing that could lead to depression, social isolation or other mental and physical health problems, a new study suggests. About 72% of those completely regained their sense of smell, while about a quarter partially got their sense of smell back. Previous research has linked anosmia to a wide variety of negative outcomes, ranging from dulled emotions and depression to a shortened lifespan, the authors noted. It was a game changer.”Currently, health care providers often don’t ask about or test for anosmia, Parma said. “And when there is a pleasant smell, the brain tells the nose to increase the amount of air inhaled.

Persons: Covid, Lior, Gorodisky, ” Gorodisky, anosmia, Valentina Parma, ”, Parma, ” Parma, “ Covid, Dr, Jonathan Overdevest, Overdevest, Alzheimer’s, Benjamin tenOever, ” tenOever Organizations: Nature Communications, National Institutes of Health, Weizmann Institute of Science, Senses Center, anosmia, Columbia University Irving Medical, New York University Langone Medical Locations: Rehovot, Israel, Philadelphia, Parma, New York City

☆ Giant tube worms found living beneath the ocean’s floor
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Scientists have uncovered communities of animals such as tube worms and snails living in volcanic caves beneath the seafloor, revealing a previously unknown but thriving ecosystem. An eelpout swims by a tower of tube worms at the Tica Vent, a hydrothermal vent site on the East Pacific Rise. Tube worms are immobile creatures that settle and grow in one place without moving, like barnacles. A large cluster of stationary tube worms thrives at the Fava Flow Suburbs, a site on the East Pacific Rise. Researchers use a robotic arm to lift a small portion of volcanic rock to verify that life exists beneath the ocean floor.

Persons: “, ”, Dr, Sabine Gollner, Gollner, ” Gollner, Monika Bright, ” Bright, Alex Rogers, Rogers, It’s, ” Rogers, Mónika Naranjo, Shepherd Organizations: CNN —, Central America, Nature Communications, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Ocean Institute, Schmidt Ocean, University of Vienna, Ocean Locations: Central, limnology, ”

It was the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career after two back-to-back concussions in 2022. But precisely who goes on to have CTE or other long-term health issues after a head collision is somewhat of a mystery. “But not everyone who has repetitive concussions develop brain health problems later in life,” Rowson said. “But there are data, obviously, looking at populations of former NFL players that show they have a higher incidence of neurological disease than the general public,” Alberts said. A player’s return to fully practice or participate in an NFL game is dependent on medical clearance—including from independent doctors—always putting the player’s health first,” the NFL said.

Persons: Tua Tagovailoa, Damar Hamlin, Tagovailoa, Jasen, ”, Steve Rowson, ” Rowson, Dan Daneshvar, Daneshvar, Seau, Dave Duerson, Ray Easterling, Aaron Hernandez, Jay Alberts, ” Alberts, “, ” Tagovailoa, I’d, It’s, Antonio Pierce, it’s, Chris Nowinski, “ It’s, —, ” Nowinski Organizations: Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, NFL, Virginia Tech, Harvard Medical School, Boston University CTE Center, Nature Communications, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas Raiders, NBC News

☆ Newly discovered fossils shed light on origins of curious ‘hobbit’ humans
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

An analysis of newly described Homo floresiensis fossils published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications attempts to answer some of these questions about the tiny human. Liang Bua cave is the only other place where hobbit fossils have been found. The Mata Menge humerus fragment (left) is shown at the same scale as the humerus of Homo floresiensis from Liang Bua. Overall, the research suggested that the hobbit species’ small size remained remarkably constant over a long period. “Every tiny fragment of Homo floresiensis or any other hominin is incredibly important,” Tocheri said.

Persons: floresiensis, —, Mata Menge, Flores Gerrit van den Bergh, ”, Yousuke Kaifu, Liang, Liang Bua, Yousuke, hominins, luzonensis, erectus, Gerrit van den Bergh, wristbones, habilis, Matt Tocheri, wasn’t, Flores, Tocheri, Van den Bergh, van den Bergh, hominin, ” Tocheri Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, University of Tokyo, Archaeological Science, University of Wollongong, Lakehead University, Smithsonian Locations: Indonesian, Flores, Africa, Java, Asia, Mata, South Africa, Philippines, Australia, Canada, Ontario

☆ Tropical Storm Debby forecast to hit Florida this weekend with torrential rain and wind
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Mary Gilbert | Taylor Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Track the Storm: Spaghetti models and more maps hereIt’s forecast to become a tropical depression by Saturday morning, once it emerges out over the water between Cuba and Florida, and strengthen into Tropical Storm Debby by Saturday evening. Tropical storm watches and warnings have been extended northward in Florida, according to the 5 p.m. The tropical storm warning has been extended along the west coast of the Florida peninsula from Bonita Beach to Boca Grande. Meanwhile, the tropical storm watch has been extended northward from Aripeka to the mouth of the Suwannee River. Parts of the Florida Keys and parts of the Central Florida coast are also under a tropical storm watch, with officials urging residents there to prepare for tropical storm conditions within the next 48 hours.

Persons: Debby –, Debby, Ron DeSantis, Santa Rosa –, It’s, CNN’s Sara Smart Organizations: CNN, National Hurricane Center, Florida, Fort, Tampa Bay, Florida Gov, Tampa metros, Weather, WPC, Carolinas, Florida Gulf, Nature Communications Locations: Florida, United States, Cuba, Bahamas, Bonita Beach, Boca Grande, Aripeka, Suwannee, ., Central Florida, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Tampa, Mexico, Coast, South Florida, Tampa Bay, Orlando, state’s, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa, Miami, Georgia, Florida –, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida’s Big, Carolinas

☆ Mercury could have an 11-mile underground layer of diamonds, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Jacopo Prisco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

This mechanism, the researchers say, can not only give us more insight into the secrets hidden below Mercury’s surface, but on planetary evolution and the internal structure of exoplanets with similar characteristics. Mercury owes its gray surface to the widespread presence of graphite, which is a form of carbon. Also known as the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging mission, it gathered data about the planet’s geology, chemistry and magnetic field, before the spacecraft ran out of fuel and impacted the surface. “However, some lavas at the surface of Mercury have been formed by melting of the very deep mantle. “Only future missions to the planet Mercury will tell whether these predictions were correct.

Persons: ”, Bernard Charlier, it’s, Yanhao Lin, ” Charlier, Lin, Charlier, —, Giuseppe “ Bepi ”, Sean Solomon, Solomon, landers, ” Solomon, BepiColombo, Manley, Felipe González, González, ” González, “ Organizations: CNN, Mercury, University of Liège, NASA, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington Mysterious, Center for, Science, Technology, Research, Nature Communications, MESSENGER, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Columbia University, ESA, University of California Locations: Mercury, Belgium, Beijing, Italian, Giuseppe “ Bepi ” Colombo, New York City, Berkeley

☆ Scientists are closer than ever to deciphering the secret language of sperm whales. AI could be the key.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Ellyn Lapointe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Using AI to decode clicks from sperm whales, the scientists discovered a sophisticated alphabet hidden in the animals' sounds. And similar to Morse Code, their clicks are what they mainly use to communicate and socialize with other sperm whales. AdvertisementThinking like baby whalesA Project CETI collaborator holds the drone that the researchers use to observe sperm whale behavior and body language. Project CETIIn partnership with the Dominica Sperm Whale Project, Project CETI observes and documents sperm whale communication using a variety of different technologies. The researchers supplement these auditory recordings with drone surveys of the whales' body language and field observations taken by Project CETI researchers.

Persons: —, David Gruber, Gruber, Brandon Sloter Organizations: Service, Business, Project, Morse, Nature Communications, Project CETI, NOAA Locations: Dominica, Eastern

☆ It may look like pink Jello but scientists hope this new invention could revolutionize meat
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-09 | by ( Lex Harvey | Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Researchers in South Korea say they’ve developed a new way to make lab-grown meat taste like the real deal. It may look like a transparent, bubble gum pink-colored disc, but scientists hope it could revolutionize the meat on people’s plates. Because the cultured meat is not yet edible, the researchers used an electronic nose, to test the aromas of the cultured meat, and see how they compare to conventional meat. Ron DeSantis banned the sale of lab-grown meat in the state in what he said was an effort to protect farmers and ranchers. In May, Huber’s Butchery in Singapore became the first retail store to sell cultured meat, a shredded chicken by Good Meat made with just 3% cultivated meat.

Persons: they’ve, Milae Lee, Lee, Maillard, ” Lee, ”, Jennifer Jacquet, Ron DeSantis, ” DeSantis, Huber’s Organizations: CNN, Hong, Yonsei University, Nature Communications, Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, Seoul’s Yonsei University, Yonsei University Livestock, UN, University of Miami, Florida Gov, US Department of Agriculture Locations: South Korea, Florida, “, Singapore

☆ The most common type of EV battery is a growing source of 'forever chemical' pollution, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-08 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Scientists have uncovered a new source of hazardous "forever chemical" pollution: the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in most electric vehicles. Some lithium-ion battery technologies use a class of PFAS chemicals, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that helps make batteries less flammable and conduct electricity. Scientists tested more than a dozen lithium-ion batteries used in EVs and consumer electronics like laptops, and found bis-FASIs at various concentrations. They can also leach into the environment from landfills, where the majority of lithium-ion batteries end up. AdvertisementThe study said only about 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, and by 2040, there could be some 8 million tons of lithium-ion battery waste.

Persons: They've, Jennifer Guelfo, PFAS, Lee Ferguson, Guelfo, PFOA, hasn't, Corteva Organizations: Service, Nature Communications, Business, Texas Tech University, Duke University, Environmental Protection Agency, Solvay, Chemours, DuPont Locations: US, Belgium, France, Minnesota , Kentucky, Antwerp, Salindres

☆ An ancient earthquake rerouted the Ganges River
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Kate Golembiewski | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Now, for the first time, scientists have evidence that earthquakes can reroute rivers: It happened to the Ganges River 2,500 years ago. The study collected core samples of sand and mud from the Ganges Delta in depths up to nearly 300 feet below ground surface. Liz ChamberlainSediment reveals ancient secretsTo determine how long ago this massive earthquake hit, Chamberlain and her colleagues used a method called optically stimulated luminescence. “It’s directly measuring sand or mud grains and looking at when these sediment grains were last exposed to sunlight,” she said. Monitoring quakes todayIf a similar earthquake happened in the Ganges Delta today, more than 140 million people in the area could be affected.

Persons: ”, Elizabeth Chamberlain, Chamberlain, Steve Goodbred, ” Chamberlain, Michael Steckler, Rachel Bain, Liz Chamberlain, Jonathan Stewart, Syed Humayun Akhter, ” Kate Golembiewski Organizations: CNN — Earthquakes, Nature Communications, Wageningen University & Research, Steve, Columbia Climate School, Vanderbilt University, UCLA, Bangladesh Open University, Studies Locations: India, Bangladesh, Meghna, Bengal, Congo, Dhaka, Netherlands, New York, San Francisco, Nashville, Delta, Chicago

☆ How a group of butterflies flew 2,600 miles across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Scientists have now found evidence that a group of the winged travelers flew over 2,600 miles (about 4,200 kilometers) across the Atlantic Ocean without stopping, according to a new study published June 25 in the journal Nature Communications. The insects, which are not usually found in South America, were worn out with holes and tears in their wings. Tracking a butterflyResearchers took a few crucial steps to confirm these out-of-place butterflies really did travel across the ocean. By this method, the scientists concluded the butterflies’ birthplace to be in either Western Europe, North Africa or West Africa, she added. The researchers hope to use the same techniques to investigate the migration patterns of other species of butterflies, she added.

Persons: Dr, Gerard Talavera, Vanessa cardui, ”, Talavera, ” Talavera, “, Floyd Shockley, Shockley, Megan Reich, ” Reich, ” Shockley Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, Spanish National Research Council, Botanical Institute of Barcelona, Migration, Smithsonian National Museum of, University of Ottawa Locations: Guiana, South America, Europe, Saharan Africa, Washington , DC, North America, Ontario, Western Europe, North Africa, West Africa, Africa

☆ Mars gets hit by hundreds of basketball-size space rocks every year
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-29 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Hundreds of basketball-size space rocks slam into Mars each year, leaving behind impact craters and causing rumblings across the red planet, according to new research. During its time on Mars, InSight used its seismometer to detect more than 1,300 marsquakes, which take place when the Martian subsurface cracks due to pressure and heat. Meteoroids are space rocks that have broken away from larger rocky bodies and range in size from dust grains to small asteroids, according to NASA. “We’re interested in studying that on Mars because we can then compare and contrast what’s happening on Mars to what’s happening on the Earth. Between 280 and 360 meteoroids hit the red planet each year, and they form impact craters larger than 26 feet (8 meters) across, according to the study.

Persons: ”, Ingrid Daubar, ” Daubar, NASA’s, “ We’re, Géraldine Zenhäusern, ” Zenhäusern, Natalia Wojcicka Organizations: CNN, NASA, Reconnaissance, JPL, Caltech, University of Arizona, Brown University, NASA’s Mars, Nature Communications, Switzerland’s ETH Zürich, Imperial College London’s Locations: Mars, Switzerland’s

☆ The Vanishing Islands That Failed to Vanish
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Raymond Zhong | Jason Gulley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +26 min

The Vanishing Islands That Failed to Vanish Low-lying tropical island nations were expected to be early victims of rising seas. They found that over the past few decades, the islands’ edges had wobbled this way and that, eroding here, building there. No, to understand what really beguiles them about these islands, you need to take a dive into the surrounding sea. Coral reefs Indian Ocean Islands HUVADHOO ATOLL 5 miles Dhigulaabadhoo Coral reefs Indian Ocean Islands HUVADHOO ATOLL 5 miles Dhigulaabadhoo Islands HUVADHOO ATOLL Islands HUVADHOO ATOLL HUVADHOO ATOLL HUVADHOO ATOLL HUVADHOO ATOLL HUVADHOO ATOLL HUVADHOO ATOLL HUVADHOO ATOLL HUVADHOO ATOLL Kandahalagalaa Dhigulaabadhoo HUVADHOO ATOLL Kandahalagalaa Dhigulaabadhoo A map of the Huvadhoo Atoll, a gourd-shaped ring of 241 islands in the southern Maldives. Huvadhoo Atoll is a gourd-shaped ring of 241 islands in the southern Maldives.

Persons: ” Charles Darwin, Darwin, bode, Arthur Webb, Paul Kench, “ I’m, Kench, Webb, Kench’s, Mohamed Aslam, Paul S, Aitana Gea Neuhaus, Gea Neuhaus, ” Ms, “, ” Paul Kench, Gerd Masselink, Peter Ganderton, Curt Storlazzi, Tim Scott, Dr, Scott, ”, it’s, “ They’ve, munch, Storlazzi, Thoriq Ibrahim, Malé, Hariyya Ibrahim, Hariyya, Adam Shakir, Adam, Farhath Ibrahim, Mohamed Muizzu, Hussain Rasheed, Rakeedhoo, Ashiya, Ashiya’s Organizations: Graphics, University of Plymouth, National University of Singapore, Nature Communications, Airbus, Google, United States Geological Survey Locations: Maldives, INDIA, MALDIVES, Polynesia, Micronesia, Indian, Malé, Himandhoo, Huvadhoo, ”, England, Dhigulaabadhoo, Wade, Plymouth, grinned, Hulhumalé, New City, Sand, City, Towers City, Himandhoo’s, Rakeedhoo

☆ ‘Alphabet’ of sounds reveals complexity of sperm whale communication, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

They’ve identified previously unknown complexity in whale communication by analyzing thousands of recorded sequences of sperm whale clicks with artificial intelligence. What sperm whales are saying with their clicks remains a mystery to human ears. “This work builds on a lot of prior work focused on understanding the calls of sperm whales. For the new study, the researchers used machine learning to detect patterns in audio data collected by The Dominica Sperm Whale Project, a repository for observations of sperm whales that inhabit the Caribbean Sea. The study authors defined four features in codas: rhythm, tempo, rubato and ornamentation.

Persons: They’ve, ”, Daniela Rus, ” Rus, Luke Rendell, Andrews, Rendell, “, it’s, Rus, ” Rendell, Brenda McCowan, McCowan, ” McCowan, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN —, Nature Communications, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, MIT, University of St, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Scientific Locations: United Kingdom, Dominica, Eastern, Caribbean, Alaska

☆ Scientists identify ‘degrees of Kevin Bacon’ gene
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Even humble fruit flies organize themselves into regularly spaced clusters, researchers have found. Within those social networks, certain individuals will often stand out as “gatekeepers,” playing an important role for cohesion and communication within that group. New research published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications has identified a gene responsible for regulating the structure of social networks in fruit flies. The study opened up new opportunities for exploring the molecular evolution of social networks and collective behavior in other animals. FLPA/ShutterstockThe gene behind fruit fly social networksThe researchers investigated a number of gene candidates in fruit flies, a common lab organism used in the study of genetics.

Persons: ”, Kevin Bacon, Bacon, Joel Levine, Rebecca Rooke, ” Levine, Levine, “, ” Allen J, Moore, wasn’t, ” Moore Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, University of Toronto, University of Georgia’s Locations: Philadelphia, University of Toronto Mississauga

☆ Google DeepMind wants to make AI a part of soccer
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Google DeepMind launched a prototype AI soccer tactics tool last month. DeepMind developed the tool with Liverpool FC, known for its data-driven approach to soccer. AdvertisementGoogle DeepMind is bidding to bring artificial intelligence (AI) into soccer by launching a new tool to help coaches make better tactical decisions. DeepMind researchers published their findings in the scientific journal Nature Communications. Google DeepMindHaving that knowledge on hand helped the collaboration between DeepMind and Liverpool to run smoothly, according to Veličković.

Persons: Google DeepMind, DeepMind, —, Zhe Wang, Didier Drogba, Divock, Chelsea's Didier Drogba, Ian MacNicol, Petar Veličković, Billy Beane, Ian Graham, they've, Liverpool —, Monterrey's Sergio Canales, Yuri Cortez, We're, Wang, it'll Organizations: Google, Liverpool FC, Service, English Premier League soccer, Nature Communications, Soccer, Former Ivory Coast, Chelsea, Liverpool, FC Barcelona, UEFA, Boston Red Sox, Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool FC's, Ph.D.s, Harvard, Inter Miami, Getty Locations: London, Cambridge, Anfield, DeepMind, Liverpool, AFP

☆ The upcoming solar eclipse will cause shallow, cumulus clouds to disappear. Researchers explain why
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Ayurella Horn-Muller | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

That’s at least what scientists expect to take place in swaths of Mexico, Canada and the United States during April 8’s total solar eclipse. They discovered that cumulus clouds dissipate during eclipses because of the relationship between solar radiation and the formation processes of the clouds. Shallow cumulus clouds, in particular, serve a critical function. But what exactly shallow cumulus clouds’ role is when it comes to the rapidly warming climate remains a long-standing subject of uncertainty in the scientific community. De Roode hopes those across North America gearing up for the next solar eclipse remember to keep an eye out for any vanishing low-lying cumulus clouds.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Victor Trees, Jake Gristey, Gristey, “, Kevin Knupp, Knupp, Stephan de Roode, de Roode, ” de Roode, ’ Gristey, De Roode, Ayurella, Muller Organizations: CNN, Environment, geoscience, Delft University of Technology, cumulus, Cooperative Institute for Research, Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Alabama, Climate Locations: Mexico, Canada, United States, Netherlands, Africa, Huntsville, North America, Axios

☆ Do you have seasonal allergies? Here’s how to find out and what to do
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

More than 1 in 4 adults and nearly 1 in 5 children have seasonal allergies, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Are there other substances that can cause seasonal allergies? CNN: Are there other substances that can cause seasonal allergies? These are not seasonal allergies, as they aren’t related to environmental exposures and can happen year-round. There are many online resources for reducing allergens in your home that can help to decrease the impact of seasonal allergies.

Persons: CNN —, Leana Wen, It’s, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Northern, US Centers for Disease Control, Nature Communications, George Washington University, CDC

☆ Mars could be creating 'giant whirlpools' deep within our planet's oceans
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Mars may be 140 million miles away, but its gravitational pull could be impacting Earth's oceans. Scientists at the University of Sydney in Australia believe the red planet's tug is creating "giant whirlpools" in the oceans called eddies, which can shift the deep-sea floor. This, they claim, is part of a 2.4-million-year climate "grand cycle" on Earth that has been ongoing for at least 40 million years. The red planet's orbit and ours are locked in an intricate dance, and every so often, these line up so that Mars' gravitational pull on Earth is just a little more intense — this is called resonance. This information is crucial when refining models helping us see how our planet's intricate climate will progress over time.

Persons: Adriana Dutkiewicz, NASA's, Dietmar Müller, Malin, Matthew England, Benjamin Mills, wasn't, Mills Organizations: Service, University of Sydney, Business, NASA's Goddard Space, geosciences, Nature Communications, Mars NASA, JPL, Systems, University of New, New, University of Leeds Locations: Australia, Japan, New, University of New South Wales, Sydney

☆ Mars could be driving ‘giant whirlpools’ in the Earth’s deep oceans, new study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Mars may be around 140 million miles away from Earth, but the red planet is influencing our deep oceans by helping drive “giant whirlpools,” according to new research. The sediments revealed that deep-sea currents weakened and strengthened over 2.4 million-year climate cycles, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. For the Earth, this interaction with Mars translates to periods of increased solar energy — meaning a warmer climate — and these warmer cycles correlate with more vigorous ocean currents, the report found. The authors describe these currents, or eddies, as “giant whirlpools” that can reach the bottom of the deep ocean, eroding the seafloor and causing large accumulations of sediments, like snowdrifts. Deep-sea sediments build in continuous layers during calm conditions but strong ocean currents disrupt this, leaving a visible stamp of their existence.

Persons: Adriana Dutkiewicz, sedimentologist, ”, Dietmar Müller, Müller, “, ” Müller, Joel Hirschi Organizations: CNN, Nature Communications, University of Sydney, Atlantic, National Oceanography

☆ For Some Mammals, Large Adult Daughters, Not Sons, Are the Norm
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Emily Anthes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Female elephant seals are not delicate creatures. Still, female elephant seals are absolutely dwarfed by their male counterparts, which are typically at least three times heavier. A new analysis of a diverse array of more than 400 mammalian species paints a more complex picture. Males outweigh females in 45 percent of mammalian species, scientists found. And in 16 percent of species, females are the heavier sex.

Persons: ”, Kaia Tombak Organizations: Purdue University, Nature Communications

☆ An act of generosity is one of the 'quickest and easiest ways to get happier'—here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Buying someone a coffee or holding the door open for the person behind you are examples of one of the simplest ways to increase your happiness: generosity. "One of the quickest and easiest ways to get happier is to be generous," Dan Harris said in a recent episode of his podcast, "Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris." In some ways, that's the least interesting part of it," said Chris Anderson, curator of TED who spoke with Harris for his podcast. The scientific explanation behind that is that "we are wired to be generous," Anderson said. It's really, really true now, more so than it has ever been," Anderson said.

Persons: Ruth Gottesman, Gottesman, Dan Harris, Chris Anderson, Harris, Anderson, We've Organizations: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Research, CNBC, Harvard, Nature Communications, TED, Cleveland

☆ People reversed their biological age by almost 3 years on a diet that mimics fasting in a study. Here's what they ate.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Kim Schewitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementFollowing a diet that mimics fasting for five days a month appeared to reverse people's biological age by two and a half years on average in a study. These factors can be used to measure biological age, the authors of the study published January 20 in Nature Communications, said. While chronological age refers to how many years someone has been alive, biological age is a measure of how well cells and tissues are functioning. On day one of the FMD, participants ate around 1,100 calories, and around 720 on days two to five. Cultivating a sensible exercise habit could achieve the same or even better results, Clancy said, and is maintainable into older age.

Persons: Valter Longo, USC Leonard Davis, Longo, Levine, Clare Bryant, David Clancy, Clancy Organizations: USC Leonard, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Cleveland Clinic, Nature Communications, Cambridge University, UK, Lancaster University, BMI

☆ Scientists Find Genetic Signature of Down Syndrome in Ancient Bones
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Carl Zimmer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Scientists have diagnosed Down syndrome from DNA in the ancient bones of seven infants, one as old as 5,500 years. Their method, published in the journal Nature Communications, may help researchers learn more about how prehistoric societies treated people with Down syndrome and other rare conditions. Down syndrome, which occurs in 1 in 700 babies today, is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21. The extra chromosome makes extra proteins, which can cause a host of changes, including heart defects and learning disabilities. But Down syndrome — also known as trisomy 21 — is a remarkably variable disease.

Persons: — Organizations: Nature Communications

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