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A new discovery in the mummified brains of residents who lived in 17th-century Italy has left scientists wondering if they were addicted to cocaine or perhaps were consuming its leaves to curb their hunger and thirst.

A new discovery in the mummified brains of residents who lived in 17th-century Italy has left scientists wondering if they were addicted to cocaine or perhaps were consuming its leaves to curb their hunger and thirst. In an unexpected find, the preserved mummified human brains of people have tested positive for cocaine, which has confirmed the use of the drug centuries before it became popular in Europe. The mummified brains were part of the Ca’Granda crypt which is a burial site close to a famous hospital of that time. The hospital Ospedale Maggiore was famous for treating the poor and disadvantaged people of Milan. The University of Milan's researchers conducted different studies on the remains discovered in the crypt and sought to determine what the day's medical treatments may have appeared like. Also Read: Ice melt reveals mummified body of American mountaineer who vanished in Peru 22 years ago In the latest study, which was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, the scientists carried out toxicology tests on brain matter inside the skulls. Among two of the nine samples tested, the researchers discovered active components of Erythroxylum coca - the plant from which cocaine is derived. The traces of cocaine were found by University of Milan forensic toxicologist Gaia Giordano and her team after the archaeologists found the human remains while wearing protective equipment under the toxicologists' supervision and keeping them in sealed, sterilised jars. Here's why 17th-century poor Italians consumed cocaine Giordano and his team found benzoylecgonine in the brain samples, which hinted that the cocaine had passed from the bodies of the two people before they died. There was also the presence of hygrine - which is an alkaloid present in the leaves of the coca plant Erythroxylum - that confirmed that the people consumed drugs in its plant form. Watch: Peru's 'Alien Mummies' under fresh scrutiny "The molecules detected in these human remains derived from the chewing of coca leaves or from leaves brewed as a tea, consistent with the historical period," concluded the team. The coca, in its tea form, is a mild stimulant in comparison to a strong cup of coffee. The way the former hospital patients were buried also indicated that they were underprivileged, which further hinted that coca leaves were cheap in 1600s Milan. "The effects of the plant, including reduced hunger and thirst, as well as a sense of well-being, were known and controlled by the Spaniards and subsequently diffused to the rest of Europe," wrote the researchers, as they explained how Spanish ruled Milan at the time. However, the researchers were not able to rule out the possibility of coca leaves being administered as a medicine to the patients at the hospital, however, there were no records of the plant's medicinal use during the 1600s. (With inputs from agencies)

Were Italians consuming cocaine in 17th century to curb hunger and thirst? Study says...

Former US intelligence officer Luis Elizondo, who has served in the US military in Afghanistan and Kuwait and was part of various anti-terrorism missions, has claimed that the aliens are hiding on the Earth and threatening humanity.&nbsp;

The official has also admitted that his "blood ran cold" when his children said that they saw a green and glowing orb hovering in the air near their family home in Maryland.&nbsp;

The three-dimensional mysterious ball was "translucent and suffused with an eerie green light" and "behaved as if guided by some intelligence", said Elizondo, as reported by The Daily Mail.&nbsp;

He said that he himself on another occasion saw a glowing green object, which was the size of a basketball and had "soft edges that weren’t defined" and was floating slowly from their kitchen to bedroom before suddenly disappearing.&nbsp;

Elizondo further claimed that the United States government is completely aware of the presence of aliens on Earth but has been concealing and covering up all the facts related to it.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/is-vatican-hiding-alien-secrets-expert-claims-pope-knew-about-ufo-that-crashed-in-1933-749343">Alien secrets at Vatican? Expert claims Pope helped US procure UFO that crashed in 1933</a>

The former US intelligence officer made these shocking claims in his new book "Imminent – Inside The Pentagon’s Hunt For UFOs".

His claims are being seen as significant as he is not an amateur UFO sleuth but a&nbsp;former military intelligence officer who once was actually on the hunt for aliens.

The 52-year-old has claimed that he was the former head of the US Defence Department’s shadowy Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).

He added that he started seeing those green luminous balls after he started working for the AATIP.

<h2>US intelligence officer calls aliens an 'existential threat to humanity'&nbsp;</h2>

Elizondo said that evidence of the existence of extraterrestrials is hiding in plain sight on Earth.

However, he said that the evidence has been kept a secret by Pentagon officials who fear that it will lead to massive panic in the public.

"These craft are not made by humans. Humanity is in fact not the only intelligent life in the universe, and not the alpha species," said Elizondo.

Watch:&nbsp;Pentagon UFO Expert Claims U.S. Govt Has 'Alien Tech, Bodies'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pentagon-ufo-expert-claims-us-govt-has-alien-tech-bodies-752836/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He insisted that these UFO ‘crafts' were operating with "complete impunity all over the world since at least the Second World War," and added that they have the ability "to move in ways that defy our knowledge of physics... within air, water and space."

He said that the UFOs present "at best, a very serious national security issue, and at worst, the possibility of an existential threat to humanity".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US intelligence officer Luis Elizondo, who has served in the US military in Afghanistan and Kuwait and was part of various anti-terrorism missions, has claimed that the aliens are hiding on the Earth and threatening humanity.

Former US intelligence officer Luis Elizondo, who has served in the US military in Afghanistan and Kuwait and was part of various anti-terrorism missions, has claimed that the aliens are hiding on the Earth and threatening humanity. The official has also admitted that his "blood ran cold" when his children said that they saw a green and glowing orb hovering in the air near their family home in Maryland. The three-dimensional mysterious ball was "translucent and suffused with an eerie green light" and "behaved as if guided by some intelligence", said Elizondo, as reported by The Daily Mail. He said that he himself on another occasion saw a glowing green object, which was the size of a basketball and had "soft edges that weren’t defined" and was floating slowly from their kitchen to bedroom before suddenly disappearing. Elizondo further claimed that the United States government is completely aware of the presence of aliens on Earth but has been concealing and covering up all the facts related to it. Also Read: Alien secrets at Vatican? Expert claims Pope helped US procure UFO that crashed in 1933 The former US intelligence officer made these shocking claims in his new book "Imminent – Inside The Pentagon’s Hunt For UFOs". His claims are being seen as significant as he is not an amateur UFO sleuth but a former military intelligence officer who once was actually on the hunt for aliens. The 52-year-old has claimed that he was the former head of the US Defence Department’s shadowy Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP). He added that he started seeing those green luminous balls after he started working for the AATIP. US intelligence officer calls aliens an 'existential threat to humanity' Elizondo said that evidence of the existence of extraterrestrials is hiding in plain sight on Earth. However, he said that the evidence has been kept a secret by Pentagon officials who fear that it will lead to massive panic in the public. "These craft are not made by humans. Humanity is in fact not the only intelligent life in the universe, and not the alpha species," said Elizondo. Watch: Pentagon UFO Expert Claims U.S. Govt Has 'Alien Tech, Bodies' He insisted that these UFO ‘crafts' were operating with "complete impunity all over the world since at least the Second World War," and added that they have the ability "to move in ways that defy our knowledge of physics... within air, water and space." He said that the UFOs present "at best, a very serious national security issue, and at worst, the possibility of an existential threat to humanity". (With inputs from agencies)

Aliens are hiding here on Earth and Pentagon is aware of it, claims former US intelligence officer

A massive 140-foot-wide asteroid, which is called 2007 RX8, is set to make its closest approach to Earth on September 2.&nbsp;

The asteroid, which is travelling at a shooting speed of 25,142 km/h, is an Apollo asteroid and will fly past Earth at a speed which will be almost equal to the launch of a rocket.

On September 2, this massive asteroid will be at its closest distance to our planet at 10:23 UTC.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-issues-sudden-alert-as-massive-house-sized-asteroid-hurtles-towards-earth-at-scary-speed-754220">NASA issues sudden alert as massive house-sized asteroid hurtles towards Earth at scary speed</a>

Apollo asteroids are a kind of near-Earth object with orbits which can cross the path of the Earth around the Sun.&nbsp;

These asteroids, which have been named after the Apollo group, have the kind of trajectories which bring them close to Earth. However, the Apollo asteroids need to be carefully monitored to ensure there are no potential risks.

<h2>What will happen if asteroid 2007 RX8 hits Earth?</h2>

If an asteroid like 2007 RX8 hits the Earth, the results will be massive based on the size of the asteroid.&nbsp;

If there is a large impact, it can cause significant damage, which includes environmental disturbances and explosions.&nbsp;

However, asteroid 2007 RX8 will pass by Earth without being in any danger because its current trajectory is not intersecting with the orbit of the Earth.&nbsp;

During its closest approach, the asteroid 2007 RX8 will be within 7 million kilometres of Earth.&nbsp;

<h2>How is NASA tracking asteroids?</h2>

NASA, along with other space agencies, has established a network of telescopes and advanced computing for identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs).&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;China plans nukes against asteroids

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-plans-nukes-against-asteroids-754309/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Even though many of the NEOs don't come very close to Earth, some of them do come at a scary distance and get tagged as potentially hazardous asteroids which need more attention.&nbsp;

Such asteroids are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size and their orbits bring them within a distance of 7.5 million kilometres from Earth.

NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has been monitoring all the NEOs and looking for any potential impact risks.

(With inputs from agencies)

A massive 140-foot-wide asteroid, which is called 2007 RX8, is set to make its closest approach to Earth on September 2. The asteroid, which is travelling at a shooting speed of 25,142 km/h, is an Apollo asteroid and will fly past Earth at a speed which will be almost equal to the launch of a rocket.

A massive 140-foot-wide asteroid, which is called 2007 RX8, is set to make its closest approach to Earth on September 2. The asteroid, which is travelling at a shooting speed of 25,142 km/h, is an Apollo asteroid and will fly past Earth at a speed which will be almost equal to the launch of a rocket. On September 2, this massive asteroid will be at its closest distance to our planet at 10:23 UTC. Also Read: NASA issues sudden alert as massive house-sized asteroid hurtles towards Earth at scary speed Apollo asteroids are a kind of near-Earth object with orbits which can cross the path of the Earth around the Sun. These asteroids, which have been named after the Apollo group, have the kind of trajectories which bring them close to Earth. However, the Apollo asteroids need to be carefully monitored to ensure there are no potential risks. What will happen if asteroid 2007 RX8 hits Earth? If an asteroid like 2007 RX8 hits the Earth, the results will be massive based on the size of the asteroid. If there is a large impact, it can cause significant damage, which includes environmental disturbances and explosions. However, asteroid 2007 RX8 will pass by Earth without being in any danger because its current trajectory is not intersecting with the orbit of the Earth. During its closest approach, the asteroid 2007 RX8 will be within 7 million kilometres of Earth. How is NASA tracking asteroids? NASA, along with other space agencies, has established a network of telescopes and advanced computing for identifying near-Earth objects (NEOs). Watch: China plans nukes against asteroids Even though many of the NEOs don't come very close to Earth, some of them do come at a scary distance and get tagged as potentially hazardous asteroids which need more attention. Such asteroids are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size and their orbits bring them within a distance of 7.5 million kilometres from Earth. NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has been monitoring all the NEOs and looking for any potential impact risks. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA is on alert as 140-foot giant asteroid zooms towards Earth. Is it threatening our planet?

A new breakthrough blood test has been invented by scientists for detecting brain cancer. This test churns faster results and is less invasive in comparison to a surgical biopsy.&nbsp;

More than 100 microlitres of blood are required to carry out this novel 'liquid biopsy' and in an hour the method is able to detect biomarkers related to glioblastoma, which is the deadliest brain tumour.&nbsp;

The accuracy of this test is best in comparison to all other existent markers and tests for glioblastoma. According to the prototype's developers, the test has "near turn-key functionality".

A team of scientists from the United States and Australia made the breakthrough and the University of Notre Dame's scientists led the entire team.&nbsp;

The test has been based on sensing mutated blood biomarkers which are known as epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) and are overexpressed in a few kinds of cancers, like&nbsp;glioblastoma.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-can-vaccines-prevent-cancer-worlds-first-lung-cancer-vaccine-trials-will-have-answers-752708">Can vaccines prevent cancer? World's first lung cancer vaccine trials will have answers</a>

The scientists found these blood biomarkers present inside extracellular vesicles which are small packages filled with proteins, lipids, and genetic material which belong to their original cells.

"Extracellular vesicles or exosomes are unique nanoparticles secreted by cells,"&nbsp;said biomolecular engineer Hsueh-Chia Chang from Notre Dame.

"They are big – 10 to 50 times bigger than a molecule – and they have a weak charge. Our technology was specifically designed for these nanoparticles, using their features to our advantage," he added.

A supersensitive biochip was covered with an untreated sample of blood plasma by the researchers to detect the molecules which were released by cancerous tumour cells.

This chip has a tiny sensor which contains antibodies&nbsp;that get attracted to the exosomes carrying mutated EGFRs.

Once these EGFRs get attached to the biochip, a voltage change happens in the plasma solution which if leads to the creation of a high negative charge, indicates the presence of cancer.&nbsp;

<h2>How do scientists carry out the test to detect cancer in one hour?</h2>

In the experiments done, the clinical blood samples were taken from 10 healthy individuals and 20 patients suffering from glioblastoma and the biochip was tested using them.&nbsp;

For every test, one chip was used. The liquid biopsy was finally able to detect the cancer biomarkers with accuracy and also reflected a very low prognostic value, which hinted that the test is highly replicable.

"Our electrokinetic sensor allows us to do things other diagnostics cannot,"&nbsp;said biomolecular engineer Satyajyoti Senapati from Notre Dame.

Watch:&nbsp;Weight-loss drug Ozempic reveals new benefits like slowing down ageing process

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/weight-loss-drug-ozempic-reveals-new-benefits-like-slowing-down-ageing-process-754920/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We can directly load blood without any pretreatment to isolate the extracellular vesicles because our sensor is not affected by other particles or molecules. It shows low noise and makes ours more sensitive for disease detection than other technologies," he added.&nbsp;

According to the experts, the biochip was able to accurately detect and quantify exosome concentrations when they were as low as 0.01 per cent.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new breakthrough blood test has been invented by scientists for detecting brain cancer. This test churns faster results and is less invasive in comparison to a surgical biopsy.

A new breakthrough blood test has been invented by scientists for detecting brain cancer. This test churns faster results and is less invasive in comparison to a surgical biopsy. More than 100 microlitres of blood are required to carry out this novel 'liquid biopsy' and in an hour the method is able to detect biomarkers related to glioblastoma, which is the deadliest brain tumour. The accuracy of this test is best in comparison to all other existent markers and tests for glioblastoma. According to the prototype's developers, the test has "near turn-key functionality". A team of scientists from the United States and Australia made the breakthrough and the University of Notre Dame's scientists led the entire team. The test has been based on sensing mutated blood biomarkers which are known as epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) and are overexpressed in a few kinds of cancers, like glioblastoma. Also Read: Can vaccines prevent cancer? World's first lung cancer vaccine trials will have answers The scientists found these blood biomarkers present inside extracellular vesicles which are small packages filled with proteins, lipids, and genetic material which belong to their original cells. "Extracellular vesicles or exosomes are unique nanoparticles secreted by cells," said biomolecular engineer Hsueh-Chia Chang from Notre Dame. "They are big – 10 to 50 times bigger than a molecule – and they have a weak charge. Our technology was specifically designed for these nanoparticles, using their features to our advantage," he added. A supersensitive biochip was covered with an untreated sample of blood plasma by the researchers to detect the molecules which were released by cancerous tumour cells. This chip has a tiny sensor which contains antibodies that get attracted to the exosomes carrying mutated EGFRs. Once these EGFRs get attached to the biochip, a voltage change happens in the plasma solution which if leads to the creation of a high negative charge, indicates the presence of cancer. How do scientists carry out the test to detect cancer in one hour? In the experiments done, the clinical blood samples were taken from 10 healthy individuals and 20 patients suffering from glioblastoma and the biochip was tested using them. For every test, one chip was used. The liquid biopsy was finally able to detect the cancer biomarkers with accuracy and also reflected a very low prognostic value, which hinted that the test is highly replicable. "Our electrokinetic sensor allows us to do things other diagnostics cannot," said biomolecular engineer Satyajyoti Senapati from Notre Dame. Watch: Weight-loss drug Ozempic reveals new benefits like slowing down ageing process "We can directly load blood without any pretreatment to isolate the extracellular vesicles because our sensor is not affected by other particles or molecules. It shows low noise and makes ours more sensitive for disease detection than other technologies," he added. According to the experts, the biochip was able to accurately detect and quantify exosome concentrations when they were as low as 0.01 per cent. (With inputs from agencies)

THIS blood test can detect deadly brain cancer in one hour. Here's how

In a new study, the researchers have found that the workers who constructed the famous Giza pyramid complex in Egypt were poisoned by copper.&nbsp;

The study hints that while working on the necropolis, the labourers were most probably exposed to high amounts of copper which may have been the first example of metal contamination in the world.

The discovery of toxic copper in the ancient soil also hinted at the existence of a well-established tool-making industry during that time.

A team of geochemists from France’s Aix-Marseille Université started drilling into the ground in the 4,500-year-old port of Khufu harbour in 2019.&nbsp;

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/were-italians-consuming-cocaine-in-17th-century-traces-of-drugs-in-mummified-brains-hints-755000">&nbsp;Were Italians consuming cocaine in 17th century? Traces of drugs in mummified brains hints...</a>

This is the oldest port ever known in the city and is close to the site where the pyramids of pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure are present.

The samples collected were examined by the scientists using a technique called plasma-less spectrometry which helps measure the levels of copper as well as other metals like aluminum, iron, and titanium.

<h2>What did copper contamination hint at?</h2>

In a new study, the same team - after using carbon dating - reported that the copper contamination probably started around 3265 BCE which meant that the humans had occupied the area 200 years earlier than previously believed.&nbsp;

After 750 years, the contamination peaked and eventually disappeared around 1000 BCE. The levels of copper were “5 to 6 times higher than the natural background,” said Alain Véron, a faculty member at France’s Aix-Marseille University who worked on the study, while speaking to Eos.

Watch:&nbsp;India's First sunken museum opens at Humayun's Tomb site

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/indias-first-sunken-museum-opens-at-humayuns-tomb-site-746896/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

As per the researchers, the presence of copper hints at the existence of a thriving tool-making industry.&nbsp;

The discovery of arsenic - which is a semi-metallic element that was used for strengthening other metals by the metalworkers - in the samples hinted that the workers were most probably building tools like blades, chisels, and drills.&nbsp;

The study further emphasised that these tools were most likely important for the construction of the pyramid complex.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, the researchers have found that the workers who constructed the famous Giza pyramid complex in Egypt were poisoned by copper. The study hints that while working on the necropolis, the labourers were most probably exposed to high amounts of copper which may have been the first example of metal contamination in the world.

In a new study, the researchers have found that the workers who constructed the famous Giza pyramid complex in Egypt were poisoned by copper. The study hints that while working on the necropolis, the labourers were most probably exposed to high amounts of copper which may have been the first example of metal contamination in the world. The discovery of toxic copper in the ancient soil also hinted at the existence of a well-established tool-making industry during that time. A team of geochemists from France’s Aix-Marseille Université started drilling into the ground in the 4,500-year-old port of Khufu harbour in 2019. Also Read: Were Italians consuming cocaine in 17th century? Traces of drugs in mummified brains hints... This is the oldest port ever known in the city and is close to the site where the pyramids of pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure are present. The samples collected were examined by the scientists using a technique called plasma-less spectrometry which helps measure the levels of copper as well as other metals like aluminum, iron, and titanium. What did copper contamination hint at? In a new study, the same team - after using carbon dating - reported that the copper contamination probably started around 3265 BCE which meant that the humans had occupied the area 200 years earlier than previously believed. After 750 years, the contamination peaked and eventually disappeared around 1000 BCE. The levels of copper were “5 to 6 times higher than the natural background,” said Alain Véron, a faculty member at France’s Aix-Marseille University who worked on the study, while speaking to Eos. Watch: India's First sunken museum opens at Humayun's Tomb site As per the researchers, the presence of copper hints at the existence of a thriving tool-making industry. The discovery of arsenic - which is a semi-metallic element that was used for strengthening other metals by the metalworkers - in the samples hinted that the workers were most probably building tools like blades, chisels, and drills. The study further emphasised that these tools were most likely important for the construction of the pyramid complex. (With inputs from agencies)

Workers who built Egypt's famous Giza pyramid complex were poisoned. Here's why

In a breakthrough study, the scientists have now hinted that the beginning of the universe may not have started from the Big Bang.

As per the new theory of cosmology, the universe may have "bounced" from the phase of contraction to that of expansion and vice versa.&nbsp;

In a recent study, scientists suggested that the dark matter was most probably composed of black holes when the universe was transiting from its last contraction to the ongoing expansion phase, which took place before the Big Bang.&nbsp;

This scenario of the generation of dark matter can be formed by future gravitational wave observatories, which can detect the gravitational waves generated during the process of black hole formation if the hypothesis is correct.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/black-holes-are-creating-an-optical-illusion-in-the-early-universe-heres-how-754628">Early universe galaxies appear monstrous because of black holes</a>

The cosmic microwave background and the stellar movements in galaxies have indicated that dark matter is present in 80 per cent of all matter in the universe. However, scientists have still not been able to understand what the dark matter is made of.

<h2>Here's what the universe was like before the Big Bang</h2>

The researchers, in a new study, explored the scenario when dark matter was filled with primordial black holes which were formed because of density fluctuations that occurred during the last contraction phase of the universe.&nbsp;

It was observed that during this bouncing cosmology, the universe most likely contracted and became 50 orders of magnitude smaller than its present size. It also hinted at the presence of dark matter and black holes in the universe which existed before the Big Bang.

"Small&nbsp;primordial black holes&nbsp;can be produced during the very early stages of the universe, and if they are not too small, their decay due to Hawking radiation [a hypothetical phenomenon of black holes emitting particles due to quantum effects] will not be efficient enough to get rid of them, so they would still be around now,"&nbsp;said Patrick Peter, director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), who was not involved in the study, while speaking to Live Science.

Watch:&nbsp;Earth's spin killed life

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/earths-spin-killed-life-754692/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Weighing more or less the mass of an&nbsp;asteroid, they could contribute to dark matter, or even solve this issue altogether," he added.&nbsp;

"This work is important in the sense that it provides a natural way of forming small yet still present black holes forming dark matter in a framework which is not the usual one based on inflation," Peter stated.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a breakthrough study, the scientists have now hinted that the beginning of the universe may not have started from the Big Bang. As per the new theory of cosmology, the universe may have "bounced" from the phase of contraction to that of expansion and vice versa.

In a breakthrough study, the scientists have now hinted that the beginning of the universe may not have started from the Big Bang. As per the new theory of cosmology, the universe may have "bounced" from the phase of contraction to that of expansion and vice versa. In a recent study, scientists suggested that the dark matter was most probably composed of black holes when the universe was transiting from its last contraction to the ongoing expansion phase, which took place before the Big Bang. This scenario of the generation of dark matter can be formed by future gravitational wave observatories, which can detect the gravitational waves generated during the process of black hole formation if the hypothesis is correct. Also Read: Early universe galaxies appear monstrous because of black holes The cosmic microwave background and the stellar movements in galaxies have indicated that dark matter is present in 80 per cent of all matter in the universe. However, scientists have still not been able to understand what the dark matter is made of. Here's what the universe was like before the Big Bang The researchers, in a new study, explored the scenario when dark matter was filled with primordial black holes which were formed because of density fluctuations that occurred during the last contraction phase of the universe. It was observed that during this bouncing cosmology, the universe most likely contracted and became 50 orders of magnitude smaller than its present size. It also hinted at the presence of dark matter and black holes in the universe which existed before the Big Bang. "Small primordial black holes can be produced during the very early stages of the universe, and if they are not too small, their decay due to Hawking radiation [a hypothetical phenomenon of black holes emitting particles due to quantum effects] will not be efficient enough to get rid of them, so they would still be around now," said Patrick Peter, director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), who was not involved in the study, while speaking to Live Science. Watch: Earth's spin killed life "Weighing more or less the mass of an asteroid, they could contribute to dark matter, or even solve this issue altogether," he added. "This work is important in the sense that it provides a natural way of forming small yet still present black holes forming dark matter in a framework which is not the usual one based on inflation," Peter stated. (With inputs from agencies)

Our universe lived even before the Big Bang. Not Earth but THIS was present inside this cosmos

The James Webb Telescope has given us a peek into the early universe and spotted monster galaxies during that time, which have left astronomers stumped. They have not been able to answer how during its infancy the universe hosted such large galaxies. The fully-developed, mammoth structures seemed to be growing at an extraordinary pace, defying theoretical predictions.

Austin graduate student Katherine Chworowsky who led the study, said, “We are still seeing more galaxies than predicted, although none of them are so massive that they ‘break’ the universe.”

Now a study has revealed what has really been going on. Published in the Astronomical Journal, led by a research team from the University of Texas at Austin, the research suggests that black holes made some of the early galaxies appear bigger than they actually are. This is because they are consuming gas at a lightning-fast rate.

The revelations were made by Webb’s Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey.

Astronomers found that the high speed at which the gas particles moved caused friction and caused them to emit more heat and light. This made the galaxies appear a lot brighter in the telescope. The conclusion then was that there are more stars in the galaxies and that's why they looked huge.

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This means that these galaxies are within the predictions of the standard cosmos model.&nbsp;

<h2>All is well!</h2>

“The bottom line is there is no crisis in terms of the standard model of cosmology,” study co-author Dr. Steven Finkelstein, a professor of astronomy at UT Austin, said.

However, the mystery of giant galaxies is still not fully solved. There are still around twice as many monster galaxies captured by Webb in the early universe than should exist as per the standard model.

As per one theory, star formation probably happened in a different manner in the early universe. They likely formed faster than today because of a denser universe and a greater contracting pull.

"Maybe in the early universe, galaxies were better at turning gas into stars,” Chworowsky said.

"There is still that sense of intrigue. Not everything is fully understood," she added.

The James Webb Telescope has given us a peek into the early universe and spotted monster galaxies during that time, which have left astronomers stumped. They have not been able to answer how during its infancy the universe hosted such large galaxies.

The James Webb Telescope has given us a peek into the early universe and spotted monster galaxies during that time, which have left astronomers stumped. They have not been able to answer how during its infancy the universe hosted such large galaxies. The fully-developed, mammoth structures seemed to be growing at an extraordinary pace, defying theoretical predictions. Austin graduate student Katherine Chworowsky who led the study, said, “We are still seeing more galaxies than predicted, although none of them are so massive that they ‘break’ the universe.” Now a study has revealed what has really been going on. Published in the Astronomical Journal, led by a research team from the University of Texas at Austin, the research suggests that black holes made some of the early galaxies appear bigger than they actually are. This is because they are consuming gas at a lightning-fast rate. The revelations were made by Webb’s Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey. Astronomers found that the high speed at which the gas particles moved caused friction and caused them to emit more heat and light. This made the galaxies appear a lot brighter in the telescope. The conclusion then was that there are more stars in the galaxies and that's why they looked huge. Also Read: How dark is space? Light in the universe comes from only one type of source This means that these galaxies are within the predictions of the standard cosmos model. All is well! “The bottom line is there is no crisis in terms of the standard model of cosmology,” study co-author Dr. Steven Finkelstein, a professor of astronomy at UT Austin, said. However, the mystery of giant galaxies is still not fully solved. There are still around twice as many monster galaxies captured by Webb in the early universe than should exist as per the standard model. As per one theory, star formation probably happened in a different manner in the early universe. They likely formed faster than today because of a denser universe and a greater contracting pull. "Maybe in the early universe, galaxies were better at turning gas into stars,” Chworowsky said. "There is still that sense of intrigue. Not everything is fully understood," she added.

Early universe galaxies appear monstrous because of black holes

A team of researchers has stumbled upon a rare species of sea creatures off the coast of Antarctica. They found several whales that had not been spotted by them for decades. They are the Arnoux’s beaked whales that are extremely hard to find.&nbsp;

While conducting a survey in the waters of Antarctica, the researchers caught them taking a slow swim, the Miami Herald reported. No detailed studies have ever been done on Arnoux’s beaked whales since they are barely seen. According to a study published in the journal Marine Mammal Science, these whales inhabit the waters off Antarctica throughout the year.

The species of whale is known for its brilliant diving abilities and can measure up to around 30 feet long. They have dark bodies and resemble dolphins in appearance. The researchers spotted the whales while surveying the Weddell Sea in 2022. They were looking for the top predators in the area when they noticed the whales swirling in the waters.&nbsp;

They photographed three groups of animals swimming near sea ice from the helicopter. “In all three groups, the animals were quietly logging or slowly swimming in parallel position at or just below the surface, sometimes diving under ice,” researchers affiliated with Dutch, German and Australian research institutions said.&nbsp;

<h2>Why are Arnoux’s beaked whales rare</h2>

Notably, in the 11 expeditions conducted in the area between 1988 and 2018, scientists had never spotted the whales.

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However, several non-official and unpublished observations of the whales have been made in the area over the years. But no one knew for sure if they existed and if the sightings were true.&nbsp;

They likely missed detection on account of their lengthy dives as the whales are known to go in sometimes for over an hour.&nbsp;

“The chances of being detected from moving platforms like ships and especially airplanes or helicopters are affected by the exceptional dive capacities of Arnoux’s beaked whales,” researchers said.&nbsp;

However, the recent discovery shows that the Arnoux’s beaked whales reside in the waters of Antarctica and might be present in larger numbers than previously thought. The study hints at their existence in shallow, icy areas. 
&nbsp;

A team of researchers has stumbled upon a rare species of sea creatures off the coast of Antarctica. They found several whales that had not been spotted by them for decades.

A team of researchers has stumbled upon a rare species of sea creatures off the coast of Antarctica. They found several whales that had not been spotted by them for decades. They are the Arnoux’s beaked whales that are extremely hard to find. While conducting a survey in the waters of Antarctica, the researchers caught them taking a slow swim, the Miami Herald reported. No detailed studies have ever been done on Arnoux’s beaked whales since they are barely seen. According to a study published in the journal Marine Mammal Science, these whales inhabit the waters off Antarctica throughout the year. The species of whale is known for its brilliant diving abilities and can measure up to around 30 feet long. They have dark bodies and resemble dolphins in appearance. The researchers spotted the whales while surveying the Weddell Sea in 2022. They were looking for the top predators in the area when they noticed the whales swirling in the waters. They photographed three groups of animals swimming near sea ice from the helicopter. “In all three groups, the animals were quietly logging or slowly swimming in parallel position at or just below the surface, sometimes diving under ice,” researchers affiliated with Dutch, German and Australian research institutions said. Why are Arnoux’s beaked whales rare Notably, in the 11 expeditions conducted in the area between 1988 and 2018, scientists had never spotted the whales. Also Read: Nearly 1,700 ancient viruses spanning 41,000 years found in Himalayas However, several non-official and unpublished observations of the whales have been made in the area over the years. But no one knew for sure if they existed and if the sightings were true. They likely missed detection on account of their lengthy dives as the whales are known to go in sometimes for over an hour. “The chances of being detected from moving platforms like ships and especially airplanes or helicopters are affected by the exceptional dive capacities of Arnoux’s beaked whales,” researchers said. However, the recent discovery shows that the Arnoux’s beaked whales reside in the waters of Antarctica and might be present in larger numbers than previously thought. The study hints at their existence in shallow, icy areas.

Rare sea animals known for hour-long dives spotted in Antarctica waters

In what could be the first known case, a Burmese python was seen attacking and swallowing a reticulated python. Scientists say two of the world's biggest snakes preying on one another has never been reported before. The unusual encounter happened in Bangladesh and saw the Burmese python eat a much bigger reticulated python.

The incident was reported in a research note published on August 20 in the journal Reptiles and Amphibians.

"To the best of our knowledge, this observation represents the first documented predation of M. reticulatus by P. bivittatus," the authors wrote in the paper.

The rare event happened in 2020, and images show a Burmese python (Python bivittatus) feasting on the reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus). The former ate the latter alive from the tail up. The snake took about two hours to completely devour the other python.

Study co-author Ashikur Rahman Shome, a wildlife ecologist at Dhaka University in Bangladesh, told Live Science, that it is not common to find the two pythons in the same place. "It was a really unusual situation to find two pythons in the same area," he said.

<h2>A fight for territory?</h2>

Scientists reached the site upon learning about the presence of two pythons. They were shocked to see the 10-foot-long (3-metre) Burmese python coiled around the reticulated python's tail.

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The latter did not give up without a fight. It constricted the Burmese python to save its life but ultimately gave up. The Burmese python feasted on it for two hours.

Burmese pythons are normally a few feet smaller than the reticulated python. The former can grow up to 19 feet, while reticulated pythons can reach up to 25 feet. Shome said that in this case also, the latter was larger but the exact length could not be ascertained.&nbsp;

The tussle between the two pythons happened at the Akiz Wildlife Farm in Bangladesh's Chittagong Division. The ranges of the two pythons overlap in this region.&nbsp;

They are normally known to feed on small mammals, lizards and birds. However, why they chose to enter a fight in which one ate the other up is not clear. Study authors believe that it was likely a fight for territory and this was probably one of the best options available to reign supreme.

In what could be the first known case, a Burmese python was seen attacking and swallowing a reticulated python. Scientists say two of the world's biggest snakes preying on one another has never been reported before.

In what could be the first known case, a Burmese python was seen attacking and swallowing a reticulated python. Scientists say two of the world's biggest snakes preying on one another has never been reported before. The unusual encounter happened in Bangladesh and saw the Burmese python eat a much bigger reticulated python. The incident was reported in a research note published on August 20 in the journal Reptiles and Amphibians. "To the best of our knowledge, this observation represents the first documented predation of M. reticulatus by P. bivittatus," the authors wrote in the paper. The rare event happened in 2020, and images show a Burmese python (Python bivittatus) feasting on the reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus). The former ate the latter alive from the tail up. The snake took about two hours to completely devour the other python. Study co-author Ashikur Rahman Shome, a wildlife ecologist at Dhaka University in Bangladesh, told Live Science, that it is not common to find the two pythons in the same place. "It was a really unusual situation to find two pythons in the same area," he said. A fight for territory? Scientists reached the site upon learning about the presence of two pythons. They were shocked to see the 10-foot-long (3-metre) Burmese python coiled around the reticulated python's tail. Also Read: Rare sea animals known for hour-long dives spotted in Antarctica waters The latter did not give up without a fight. It constricted the Burmese python to save its life but ultimately gave up. The Burmese python feasted on it for two hours. Burmese pythons are normally a few feet smaller than the reticulated python. The former can grow up to 19 feet, while reticulated pythons can reach up to 25 feet. Shome said that in this case also, the latter was larger but the exact length could not be ascertained. The tussle between the two pythons happened at the Akiz Wildlife Farm in Bangladesh's Chittagong Division. The ranges of the two pythons overlap in this region. They are normally known to feed on small mammals, lizards and birds. However, why they chose to enter a fight in which one ate the other up is not clear. Study authors believe that it was likely a fight for territory and this was probably one of the best options available to reign supreme.

Burmese python eats a bigger reticulated python alive in rare event

Something fascinating happened 12.8 billion years ago in the universe in the earliest stages of its life. Astronomers have spotted a pair of galaxies in the act of merging, and current observations point towards the creation of a monster galaxy, according to a report in Science Daily.

Monster galaxies are extremely bright. Scientists say that the discovery will help us understand more about the birth and evolution of galaxies and black holes in the early universe.&nbsp;

The discovery was made when researchers looked at the earliest galaxies in the universe to learn more about quasars and their formation. Quasars are bright objects that form when matter falls into a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy in the early Universe. As per theory, matter falls into the black hole when galaxies merge.&nbsp;

According to studies, when two galaxies rich in gases merge to form a single larger galaxy, the gravitational interaction causes gas to fall towards the supermassive black hole. This can happen with either one or both of the galaxies, triggering a quasar activity.

To learn more about quasars, a team of international researchers led by Takuma Izumi used the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) radio telescope and pointed it at the earliest known pair of close quasars.

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These two quasars were discovered by Yoshiki Matsuoka, at Ehime University in Japan, using the Subaru Telescope.&nbsp;

<h2>Birth of a monster galaxy</h2>

Located towards the constellation Virgo, the quasars existed during the first 900 million years of the universe. They are not as bright, which means they are still in the early stages of formation.&nbsp;

The researchers looked at the host galaxies of the two quasars and this is where they noticed a link between the two. The ALMA observations showed the existence of a "bridge" of gas and dust between the two galaxies. This led them to conclude that the galaxies are merging.&nbsp;

This merger is expected to lead to more vigorous quasar activity, making it extremely bright, and also trigger a rapid increase in star formation.

The ALMA observations measured the amount of gas in both the galaxies and found that they are extremely rich in gas. This is why quasar activity will witness an extreme high, besides creating millions of stars, also known as a "starburst."

A super-bright object will be created in the process in the early Universe known as a monster galaxy.

Something fascinating happened 12.8 billion years ago in the universe in the earliest stages of its life. Astronomers have spotted a pair of galaxies in the act of merging, and current observations point towards the creation of a monster galaxy, according to a report in Science Daily.

Something fascinating happened 12.8 billion years ago in the universe in the earliest stages of its life. Astronomers have spotted a pair of galaxies in the act of merging, and current observations point towards the creation of a monster galaxy, according to a report in Science Daily. Monster galaxies are extremely bright. Scientists say that the discovery will help us understand more about the birth and evolution of galaxies and black holes in the early universe. The discovery was made when researchers looked at the earliest galaxies in the universe to learn more about quasars and their formation. Quasars are bright objects that form when matter falls into a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy in the early Universe. As per theory, matter falls into the black hole when galaxies merge. According to studies, when two galaxies rich in gases merge to form a single larger galaxy, the gravitational interaction causes gas to fall towards the supermassive black hole. This can happen with either one or both of the galaxies, triggering a quasar activity. To learn more about quasars, a team of international researchers led by Takuma Izumi used the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) radio telescope and pointed it at the earliest known pair of close quasars. Also Read: A mysterious 'doughnut' is sitting in molten metal inside Earth's core These two quasars were discovered by Yoshiki Matsuoka, at Ehime University in Japan, using the Subaru Telescope. Birth of a monster galaxy Located towards the constellation Virgo, the quasars existed during the first 900 million years of the universe. They are not as bright, which means they are still in the early stages of formation. The researchers looked at the host galaxies of the two quasars and this is where they noticed a link between the two. The ALMA observations showed the existence of a "bridge" of gas and dust between the two galaxies. This led them to conclude that the galaxies are merging. This merger is expected to lead to more vigorous quasar activity, making it extremely bright, and also trigger a rapid increase in star formation. The ALMA observations measured the amount of gas in both the galaxies and found that they are extremely rich in gas. This is why quasar activity will witness an extreme high, besides creating millions of stars, also known as a "starburst." A super-bright object will be created in the process in the early Universe known as a monster galaxy.

Two galaxies seen merging to make a monster galaxy 12.8 billion years ago

An underwater structure in the Mediterranean Sea is much older than earlier thought, a new study has revealed. The discovery has brought to the fore new highlights about the early human settlement of the Balearic Islands that comprises Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. It proves that humans were inhabiting the Spanish island nearly 6,000 years ago.

The latest study has been published in the journal Communications Earth &amp; Environment. Researchers examined a 25-foot-long prehistoric "bridge" structure that sits inside the Genovesa Cave. Researchers analysed the mineral formations on the bridge and also studied the elevation of a distinctive colouration band along the bridge's upper portion.

Previous research had pegged the time of its construction to around 3,500-3,000 years ago. But now experts believe that it was built around 6,000 and 5,600 years ago. Notably, the rising sea waters have now flooded the passages of the cave.&nbsp;

Lead author of the study, Bogdan Onac of the University of South Florida, and his colleagues say that this shows that humans were living on the island much before than earlier thought.&nbsp;

"This provides evidence for early human presence on the island dating at least 5,600 and possibly beyond around 6,000 years ago," the authors wrote in the study.

<h2>When did humans reach the Spanish island?</h2>

As per current scientific consensus, the earliest human settlement on the island can be dated to around 4,400 years ago. Some research even said that humans were present there 9,000 years ago, but there has not been strong data to back the belief.

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Scientists tracked the changes in sea level over hundreds of years by studying the mineral formations and the colouration band. This helped them to understand the time of the construction of the bridge.&nbsp;

"This research underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in uncovering historical truths and advancing our understanding of human history," Onac said in the press release.

The limestone bridge was first discovered in 2000 during a scuba-diving expedition inside the flooded cave. Researchers found pottery fragments at the time inside the cave which helped them establish its time of construction. According to a statement from the university, bones from a now-extinct goat-antelope known as Myotragus balearicus were also found there.

An underwater structure in the Mediterranean Sea is much older than earlier thought, a new study has revealed. The discovery has brought to the fore new highlights about the early human settlement of the Balearic Islands that comprises Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza.

An underwater structure in the Mediterranean Sea is much older than earlier thought, a new study has revealed. The discovery has brought to the fore new highlights about the early human settlement of the Balearic Islands that comprises Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza. It proves that humans were inhabiting the Spanish island nearly 6,000 years ago. The latest study has been published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. Researchers examined a 25-foot-long prehistoric "bridge" structure that sits inside the Genovesa Cave. Researchers analysed the mineral formations on the bridge and also studied the elevation of a distinctive colouration band along the bridge's upper portion. Previous research had pegged the time of its construction to around 3,500-3,000 years ago. But now experts believe that it was built around 6,000 and 5,600 years ago. Notably, the rising sea waters have now flooded the passages of the cave. Lead author of the study, Bogdan Onac of the University of South Florida, and his colleagues say that this shows that humans were living on the island much before than earlier thought. "This provides evidence for early human presence on the island dating at least 5,600 and possibly beyond around 6,000 years ago," the authors wrote in the study. When did humans reach the Spanish island? As per current scientific consensus, the earliest human settlement on the island can be dated to around 4,400 years ago. Some research even said that humans were present there 9,000 years ago, but there has not been strong data to back the belief. Also Read: 'Genie' seal found in Jerusalem hints a person Bible mentions was real Scientists tracked the changes in sea level over hundreds of years by studying the mineral formations and the colouration band. This helped them to understand the time of the construction of the bridge. "This research underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in uncovering historical truths and advancing our understanding of human history," Onac said in the press release. The limestone bridge was first discovered in 2000 during a scuba-diving expedition inside the flooded cave. Researchers found pottery fragments at the time inside the cave which helped them establish its time of construction. According to a statement from the university, bones from a now-extinct goat-antelope known as Myotragus balearicus were also found there.

Prehistoric bridge inside a cave in Spain was built by humans 6,000 years ago

Earth's core is a gigantic ball of liquid metal and is located nearly 2,890 kilometres below us. Scientists have made a fascinating discovery in the outer core where they say a ring-like structure, similar to a doughnut is present. Research published in the journal Science Advances says that this ring is parallel to the equator.

Study co-author and Australian National University geophysicist, Prof Hrvoje Tkalčić says that it is not possible to reach the planet's core using existing technology. So they relied on seismic waves and looked at the forms generated by large earthquakes as they travelled through the Earth.

They compared the data generated by seismic detectors closer to the poles with results from nearer the Equator. They noticed that the waves slowed down near the ceiling, before the mantle. &nbsp;

“By understanding the geometry of the paths of the waves and how they traverse the outer core’s volume, we reconstructed their travel times through the Earth,” Tkalčić said.

“We realised that seismic waves slow down in the zone that mathematically is called a torus. To most people this looked like a doughnut," he said.

"Overall, the waves detected closer to the poles were travelling faster than those near the Equator."

<h2>Earth's core and magnetic field</h2>

He stressed that it was important to study the outer core since it is responsible for the magnetic field which protect Earth from the constant bombardment of charged particles from the sun.

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The molten iron and nickel in the core has currents moving that act like a “giant dynamo” which generated and sustains the magnetic field. Tkalčić said the presence of this dynamo has confused scientists for years because other planets do not have it.&nbsp;

Earth's core is slightly larger than Mars. “We can think of it as a planet within our own planet,” Tkalčić said.

While the exact size of this structure is not known, it likely stretches a few hundred kilometres.

“We don’t know the exact thickness of the doughnut, but we inferred that it reaches a few hundred kilometres beneath the core-mantle boundary.”&nbsp;

It consists of lighter chemical elements such as silicon, sulphur, oxygen, hydrogen or carbon. 
&nbsp;

Earth's core is a gigantic ball of liquid metal and is located nearly 2,890 kilometres below us. Scientists have made a fascinating discovery in the outer core where they say a ring-like structure, similar to a doughnut is present.

Earth's core is a gigantic ball of liquid metal and is located nearly 2,890 kilometres below us. Scientists have made a fascinating discovery in the outer core where they say a ring-like structure, similar to a doughnut is present. Research published in the journal Science Advances says that this ring is parallel to the equator. Study co-author and Australian National University geophysicist, Prof Hrvoje Tkalčić says that it is not possible to reach the planet's core using existing technology. So they relied on seismic waves and looked at the forms generated by large earthquakes as they travelled through the Earth. They compared the data generated by seismic detectors closer to the poles with results from nearer the Equator. They noticed that the waves slowed down near the ceiling, before the mantle. “By understanding the geometry of the paths of the waves and how they traverse the outer core’s volume, we reconstructed their travel times through the Earth,” Tkalčić said. “We realised that seismic waves slow down in the zone that mathematically is called a torus. To most people this looked like a doughnut," he said. "Overall, the waves detected closer to the poles were travelling faster than those near the Equator." Earth's core and magnetic field He stressed that it was important to study the outer core since it is responsible for the magnetic field which protect Earth from the constant bombardment of charged particles from the sun. Also Read: Black holes are creating an optical illusion in the early universe. Here's how The molten iron and nickel in the core has currents moving that act like a “giant dynamo” which generated and sustains the magnetic field. Tkalčić said the presence of this dynamo has confused scientists for years because other planets do not have it. Earth's core is slightly larger than Mars. “We can think of it as a planet within our own planet,” Tkalčić said. While the exact size of this structure is not known, it likely stretches a few hundred kilometres. “We don’t know the exact thickness of the doughnut, but we inferred that it reaches a few hundred kilometres beneath the core-mantle boundary.” It consists of lighter chemical elements such as silicon, sulphur, oxygen, hydrogen or carbon.

A mysterious 'doughnut' is sitting in molten metal inside Earth's core

Indians across all age groups are believed to be deficient in iron, calcium, and folate, which are essential for health, because of inadequate consumption of micronutrients, according to a recent study.

According to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal, people in India are not consuming a proper nutritional diet which is said to be&nbsp;resulting in micronutrient deficiencies.

Micronutrients, which include vitamins and minerals, play a significant role in maintaining proper bodily functions. They&nbsp;are essential in smaller amounts&nbsp;like fats and carbohydrates&nbsp;are vital components for good health.

The&nbsp;study, conducted by Harvard University,&nbsp;shows the insufficient consumption of 15 micronutrients&nbsp;taken through a regular diet without any additional supplements,&nbsp;among 185 countries.&nbsp;

Across the world, there are over five billion people whose&nbsp;diets&nbsp;do not include iodine, vitamin E, and calcium, according to the researchers.

In India, women intake less iodine compared to men, as per the study. It also noted that males consume less zinc and magnesium in comparison to women.

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Males and females aged between 10 to 30 years suffer from low calcium intake,&nbsp;especially in South Asia, Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, according to the study.&nbsp;Calcium consumption was also said to be low in regions like North America, Europe, and&nbsp;Central Asia.

Researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), stated micronutrient deficiencies are the most common type of malnutrition at the global level.

“Each deficiency carries its own health consequences, from adverse pregnancy outcomes, to blindness, to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases,” the researchers said.

In this study, the authors used data available from global dietary sources, to calculate the insufficient nutrient intake for 99.3 per cent of the world population.

This research shows us that the key micronutrients – Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B, Vitamin D, and minerals like iron, calcium, folate, sodium, zinc, and many more – which are important for our well-being are not being consumed adequately.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Indians across all age groups are believed to be deficient in iron, calcium, and folate, which are essential for health, because of inadequate consumption of micronutrients, according to a recent study.

Indians across all age groups are believed to be deficient in iron, calcium, and folate, which are essential for health, because of inadequate consumption of micronutrients, according to a recent study. According to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal, people in India are not consuming a proper nutritional diet which is said to be resulting in micronutrient deficiencies. Micronutrients, which include vitamins and minerals, play a significant role in maintaining proper bodily functions. They are essential in smaller amounts like fats and carbohydrates are vital components for good health. The study, conducted by Harvard University, shows the insufficient consumption of 15 micronutrients taken through a regular diet without any additional supplements, among 185 countries. Across the world, there are over five billion people whose diets do not include iodine, vitamin E, and calcium, according to the researchers. In India, women intake less iodine compared to men, as per the study. It also noted that males consume less zinc and magnesium in comparison to women. Also Read: 120 food poisoning cases reported after consumption of buckwheat flour on Janmashtami Males and females aged between 10 to 30 years suffer from low calcium intake, especially in South Asia, Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, according to the study. Calcium consumption was also said to be low in regions like North America, Europe, and Central Asia. Researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), stated micronutrient deficiencies are the most common type of malnutrition at the global level. “Each deficiency carries its own health consequences, from adverse pregnancy outcomes, to blindness, to increased susceptibility to infectious diseases,” the researchers said. In this study, the authors used data available from global dietary sources, to calculate the insufficient nutrient intake for 99.3 per cent of the world population. This research shows us that the key micronutrients – Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B, Vitamin D, and minerals like iron, calcium, folate, sodium, zinc, and many more – which are important for our well-being are not being consumed adequately. (With inputs from agencies)

Indians are not consuming enough micronutrients: Lancet study

Space is dark, we all know that. But how dark? Astronomers have tried to answer this big question with the New Horizons spacecraft. The NASA probe has finally helped experts shed more light on the topic by making the most precise and direct measurements ever of the total amount of light generated by the universe.&nbsp;

Launched 18 years ago, the spacecraft is now more than 5.4 billion miles from Earth, far away from the planets in our solar system. It is in the darkest possible place in space where the glow of background dust in our system does not affect it in any way.&nbsp;

Being present in the darkest skies available to any existing telescope, the probe has the best viewpoint to measure the overall brightness, or darkness, of the distant universe.

The new research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.

"If you hold up your hand in deep space, how much light does the universe shine on it?” asks Marc Postman, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and lead author of the paper.

The researchers found that the glow coming from different background galaxies alone fills the universe. Nothing else was found to generate light.

“We now have a good idea of just how dark space really is. The results show that the great majority of visible light we receive from the universe is generated in galaxies. Importantly, we also found that there is no evidence for significant levels of light produced by sources not presently known to astronomers.”

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nearly-1700-ancient-viruses-spanning-41000-years-found-in-himalayas-754596">Nearly 1,700 ancient viruses spanning 41,000 years unearthed from Himalayas</a>

In the 1960s, astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson discovered that space is filled with strong microwave radiation, which was likely left over from the creation of the universe itself. Later, astronomers also found evidence for the existence of X-rays, gamma rays and infrared radiation.

They needed to&nbsp;add up all the light generated by galaxies over the lifetime of the universe.&nbsp;Detecting the background of "ordinary" (or visible) light, also known as cosmic optical background, or COB, was one way.&nbsp;

Once Hubble and James Webb came, astronomers measured the COB to detect light that might come from sources other than these known galaxies.&nbsp;But, there was a problem.

<h2>Measuring total light produced by the universe</h2>

It is not possible to measure the total light generated by the universe from Earth or anywhere in the inner solar system, Tod Lauer, a New Horizons co-investigator, said.&nbsp;

"There’s just too much sunlight and reflected interplanetary dust that scatters the light around into a hazy fog that obscures the faint light from the distant universe,” he said.&nbsp;

Once New Horizons was billions of miles away, it scanned the universe with its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), collecting two dozen separate imaging fields from a distance of 57 times farther from the Sun than Earth.

The data, combined with previous information, showed that after taking into account all known sources of light, like background stars and light scattered by thin clouds of dust within the Milky Way, the remaining level of visible light matched the intensity of light generated by all galaxies over the past 12.6 billion years.

"The simplest interpretation is that the COB is completely due to galaxies," Lauer said. "Looking outside the galaxies, we find darkness there and nothing more."

Space is dark, we all know that. But how dark? Astronomers have tried to answer this big question with the New Horizons spacecraft. The NASA probe has finally helped experts shed more light on the topic by making the most precise and direct measurements ever of the total amount of light generated by the universe.

Space is dark, we all know that. But how dark? Astronomers have tried to answer this big question with the New Horizons spacecraft. The NASA probe has finally helped experts shed more light on the topic by making the most precise and direct measurements ever of the total amount of light generated by the universe. Launched 18 years ago, the spacecraft is now more than 5.4 billion miles from Earth, far away from the planets in our solar system. It is in the darkest possible place in space where the glow of background dust in our system does not affect it in any way. Being present in the darkest skies available to any existing telescope, the probe has the best viewpoint to measure the overall brightness, or darkness, of the distant universe. The new research has been published in The Astrophysical Journal. "If you hold up your hand in deep space, how much light does the universe shine on it?” asks Marc Postman, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore and lead author of the paper. The researchers found that the glow coming from different background galaxies alone fills the universe. Nothing else was found to generate light. “We now have a good idea of just how dark space really is. The results show that the great majority of visible light we receive from the universe is generated in galaxies. Importantly, we also found that there is no evidence for significant levels of light produced by sources not presently known to astronomers.” Also Read: Nearly 1,700 ancient viruses spanning 41,000 years unearthed from Himalayas In the 1960s, astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson discovered that space is filled with strong microwave radiation, which was likely left over from the creation of the universe itself. Later, astronomers also found evidence for the existence of X-rays, gamma rays and infrared radiation. They needed to add up all the light generated by galaxies over the lifetime of the universe. Detecting the background of "ordinary" (or visible) light, also known as cosmic optical background, or COB, was one way. Once Hubble and James Webb came, astronomers measured the COB to detect light that might come from sources other than these known galaxies. But, there was a problem. Measuring total light produced by the universe It is not possible to measure the total light generated by the universe from Earth or anywhere in the inner solar system, Tod Lauer, a New Horizons co-investigator, said. "There’s just too much sunlight and reflected interplanetary dust that scatters the light around into a hazy fog that obscures the faint light from the distant universe,” he said. Once New Horizons was billions of miles away, it scanned the universe with its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), collecting two dozen separate imaging fields from a distance of 57 times farther from the Sun than Earth. The data, combined with previous information, showed that after taking into account all known sources of light, like background stars and light scattered by thin clouds of dust within the Milky Way, the remaining level of visible light matched the intensity of light generated by all galaxies over the past 12.6 billion years. "The simplest interpretation is that the COB is completely due to galaxies," Lauer said. "Looking outside the galaxies, we find darkness there and nothing more."

IT IS DARK! In space, all the light comes from only one type of source

The Himalayas are hiding nearly 1,700 ancient virus species, a new study has found. According to a paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience, around three-quarters of these viruses were previously unknown to science.&nbsp;

Scientists studied the scraps of viral DNA frozen in ice cores of the Guliya Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau which sits nearly four miles above sea level. They now hope to understand how viruses adapt to changes in climate and how the current viruses might change in the coming years.

The discovery was made in 2015 and the results were published recently.&nbsp;

"Before this work, how viruses linked to large-scale changes in Earth's climate had remained largely uninvestigated," study co-author ZhiPing Zhong, said in a statement. "Glacial ice is so precious, and we often don't have the large amounts of material required for virus and microbe research."

Zhong is a research associate at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at The Ohio State University.&nbsp;

Climate change is threatening to destroy the information stored within permafrost as the ice melts because of rising temperatures. Glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, and some of them in the Himalayas, the Alps, and the Andes have already lost a lot of ice.

"Three of the ice cores in our collection come from glaciers that no longer exist in the real world," &nbsp;Lonnie Thompson, a paleoclimatologist and glaciologist at Ohio State University, said.&nbsp;

"Our mountain-top glaciers and the history they contain are disappearing at an accelerating rate as global temperatures continue to rise."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/volcano-that-hasnt-erupted-in-800-years-is-showing-signs-of-magma-activity-754525">Volcano that hasn't erupted in 800 years is showing signs of magma activity</a>

So scientists are hoping to dig out whatever they can as soon as possible before they are lost to the changing climate.

<h2>Discovering the story of last 41,000 years</h2>

The paper says that the viruses found are from "nine time horizons, spanning three cold-to-warm cycles over the past 41,000  years."

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This is not the first time that viruses frozen in permafrost have been unearthed. Scientists fear that one of these ancient viruses might infect humans and more glaciers melt.&nbsp;

According to the paper, the finding reveals how ancient viruses adapted to changes in climate and how they evolved over thousands of years. One of the viruses found comes from ice cores dating around 11,500 years ago. At this time in history, the cold of the Last Glacial Stage was shifting to the warmer Holocene epoch, our current time.&nbsp;

Scientists also believe that several of these viruses might have come from other areas since at least a quarter of them overlap with species found elsewhere.

"That means some of them were potentially transported from areas like the Middle East or even the Arctic," said Zhong.

The Himalayas are hiding nearly 1,700 ancient virus species, a new study has found. According to a paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience, around three-quarters of these viruses were previously unknown to science.

The Himalayas are hiding nearly 1,700 ancient virus species, a new study has found. According to a paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience, around three-quarters of these viruses were previously unknown to science. Scientists studied the scraps of viral DNA frozen in ice cores of the Guliya Glacier on the Tibetan Plateau which sits nearly four miles above sea level. They now hope to understand how viruses adapt to changes in climate and how the current viruses might change in the coming years. The discovery was made in 2015 and the results were published recently. "Before this work, how viruses linked to large-scale changes in Earth's climate had remained largely uninvestigated," study co-author ZhiPing Zhong, said in a statement. "Glacial ice is so precious, and we often don't have the large amounts of material required for virus and microbe research." Zhong is a research associate at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at The Ohio State University. Climate change is threatening to destroy the information stored within permafrost as the ice melts because of rising temperatures. Glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, and some of them in the Himalayas, the Alps, and the Andes have already lost a lot of ice. "Three of the ice cores in our collection come from glaciers that no longer exist in the real world," Lonnie Thompson, a paleoclimatologist and glaciologist at Ohio State University, said. "Our mountain-top glaciers and the history they contain are disappearing at an accelerating rate as global temperatures continue to rise." Also Read: Volcano that hasn't erupted in 800 years is showing signs of magma activity So scientists are hoping to dig out whatever they can as soon as possible before they are lost to the changing climate. Discovering the story of last 41,000 years The paper says that the viruses found are from "nine time horizons, spanning three cold-to-warm cycles over the past 41,000  years." × This is not the first time that viruses frozen in permafrost have been unearthed. Scientists fear that one of these ancient viruses might infect humans and more glaciers melt. According to the paper, the finding reveals how ancient viruses adapted to changes in climate and how they evolved over thousands of years. One of the viruses found comes from ice cores dating around 11,500 years ago. At this time in history, the cold of the Last Glacial Stage was shifting to the warmer Holocene epoch, our current time. Scientists also believe that several of these viruses might have come from other areas since at least a quarter of them overlap with species found elsewhere. "That means some of them were potentially transported from areas like the Middle East or even the Arctic," said Zhong.

Nearly 1,700 ancient viruses spanning 41,000 years found in Himalayas

An ancient stone seal featuring a winged 'genie' or 'demon' has been discovered in Jerusalem, hinting that a warrior mentioned in the Bible once existed in reality. Stone deals acted like an ID in ancient times. This one was worn by a man who held a senior position in the holy city some 2,700 years ago.&nbsp;

Never before in Jerusalem has a seal with a 'genie' or 'demon' been found before. An inscription in the Paleo-Hebrew script on either side of the seal reads "LeYehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu." These are both names mentioned in the Bible - Yehoʼezer' and 'Hoshʼayahu'.

The former refers to Yehoʼezer, used in the Bible as "Yoʼezer," the name of one of the warriors of King David who ruled Israel at the time.&nbsp;

The book of Jeremiah carries the second name ʼAzariah ben Hoshʼaya,' a parallel version of the name 'Hoshʼayahu'.&nbsp;

Ronny Reich from the University of Haifa, a research partner, said in a press release, "It is not impossible that perhaps it was Yehoʼezer himself who engraved the names on the object."

The seal also proves that Jerusalem had a multi-national culture, something the Bible also talks about. The Assyrian Empire ruled Jerusalem during the first temple period. The seal bears its mark in the form of a winged figure. Notably, the press release states that winged demons are known to be a part of the Neo-Assyrian art of the 9th-7th Centuries BCE.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/researchers-analyse-cloth-jesus-was-buried-in-make-startling-revelation-751642">Researchers analyse cloth ‘Jesus was buried in’, make startling revelation</a>

The seal was found near the Southern Wall of Temple Mount in the City of David National Park. There is a hole drilled through the piece, hinting at the possibility that it was worn on a string.&nbsp;

<h2>Demon or genie?</h2>

The design of the seal shows that an extremely high artistic level was needed to produce the piece. Researchers concluded that it was likely worn as an amulet by an official named Hoshʼayahu who was part of the Kingdom of Judah's administration.&nbsp;

Using a demon for personal identification likely "attests to his feeling that he belonged to the broader cultural context," excavation director Yuval Baruch said.&nbsp;

"This is an extremely rare and unusual discovery," said IAA Archeologist and Assyriologist Filip Vukosavovic.

"The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem," the researchers said.

They explain that the two parts of the biblical first name are written in reverse order to the seal owner's name. The second name appears in its abbreviated form on the seal.

Therefore, the writing form matches the name inscribed on the seal and offers offering evidence that it was made during the first temple period.

They added that after Hoshʼayahu's death, his son Yehoʼezer inherited the seal and carved their names on either side of the demon engraved on it. 
&nbsp;

An ancient stone seal featuring a winged 'genie' or 'demon' has been discovered in Jerusalem, hinting that a warrior mentioned in the Bible once existed in reality.

An ancient stone seal featuring a winged 'genie' or 'demon' has been discovered in Jerusalem, hinting that a warrior mentioned in the Bible once existed in reality. Stone deals acted like an ID in ancient times. This one was worn by a man who held a senior position in the holy city some 2,700 years ago. Never before in Jerusalem has a seal with a 'genie' or 'demon' been found before. An inscription in the Paleo-Hebrew script on either side of the seal reads "LeYehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu." These are both names mentioned in the Bible - Yehoʼezer' and 'Hoshʼayahu'. The former refers to Yehoʼezer, used in the Bible as "Yoʼezer," the name of one of the warriors of King David who ruled Israel at the time. The book of Jeremiah carries the second name ʼAzariah ben Hoshʼaya,' a parallel version of the name 'Hoshʼayahu'. Ronny Reich from the University of Haifa, a research partner, said in a press release, "It is not impossible that perhaps it was Yehoʼezer himself who engraved the names on the object." The seal also proves that Jerusalem had a multi-national culture, something the Bible also talks about. The Assyrian Empire ruled Jerusalem during the first temple period. The seal bears its mark in the form of a winged figure. Notably, the press release states that winged demons are known to be a part of the Neo-Assyrian art of the 9th-7th Centuries BCE. Also Read: Researchers analyse cloth ‘Jesus was buried in’, make startling revelation The seal was found near the Southern Wall of Temple Mount in the City of David National Park. There is a hole drilled through the piece, hinting at the possibility that it was worn on a string. Demon or genie? The design of the seal shows that an extremely high artistic level was needed to produce the piece. Researchers concluded that it was likely worn as an amulet by an official named Hoshʼayahu who was part of the Kingdom of Judah's administration. Using a demon for personal identification likely "attests to his feeling that he belonged to the broader cultural context," excavation director Yuval Baruch said. "This is an extremely rare and unusual discovery," said IAA Archeologist and Assyriologist Filip Vukosavovic. "The seal, made of black stone, is one of the most beautiful ever discovered in excavations in ancient Jerusalem," the researchers said. They explain that the two parts of the biblical first name are written in reverse order to the seal owner's name. The second name appears in its abbreviated form on the seal. Therefore, the writing form matches the name inscribed on the seal and offers offering evidence that it was made during the first temple period. They added that after Hoshʼayahu's death, his son Yehoʼezer inherited the seal and carved their names on either side of the demon engraved on it.

'Genie' seal found in Jerusalem hints a person Bible mentions was real

A volcano in Alaska that has not erupted in 800 years is showing signs of imploding. Scientists say that the volcano considered dormant can erupt any time now and have warned people to stay away from it. Dormant volcanoes are considered to be ones that will never erupt. But experts say that's not true. These are simply volcanoes that haven't erupted in a long time but can.

The latest warning is for Mount Edgecumbe in the south of Kruzof Island in Alaska. At an elevation of 3,201 feet, tourists flock to it and several people live in areas near it. It has been considered safe for thousands of years. But, that might change.

The volcano is now showing signs of magma moving inside, as per the latest studies. This sends out a warning that an eruption might happen and so people need to be alert. However, it is not a surety.&nbsp;

As a precaution, the Alaska Volcano Observatory has raised the threat level.

According to data, the volcano was more active during a certain period in history. The last eruption happened 800 years ago and one evidence suggests volcanic activity 1,150 years ago.&nbsp;

Experts say that if a similar eruption happens now, it would "pose significant risk to local population centres." A 2010 research paper mentions finding ash in deposits in Sitka Sound.&nbsp;

<h2>Signs of magma activity</h2>

The area seems to be already heating up, with hikers saying they saw gas bubbling from the ground near Mount Edgecumbe. The ground around the volcano is also bulging upward, as per satellite radar measurements. A series of earthquakes hit the region in 2022 and the activities are likely linked.&nbsp;

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Earthquakes near Mount Edgecumbe continue to happen in 2024 and are reportedly the result of the volcano’s magma. This is because when the magma moves, two types of activities can happen - either it forces its way along the cracks, or becomes a pool of melt. Minor tremors can happen in both cases. So scientists believe that something similar could be happening.&nbsp;

While scientists are alert, they feel an eruption is unlikely. "It does have some signs of unrest," said Hannah Dietterich, a research geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey at the Alaska Volcano Observatory. &nbsp;

"There are signs that there is magma that's come into the system very deep. We're talking six miles below the volcano. And so we want to be sure to be monitoring it as best we can," Dietterich added.

The nearest city to the volcano is the city of Sitka 15 miles away. Seismometers are being placed around Mount Edgecumbe to monitor quakes that people might not feel. The data collected using them can help know if or when the volcano will erupt. &nbsp;

A volcano in Alaska that has not erupted in 800 years is showing signs of imploding. Scientists say that the volcano considered dormant can erupt any time now and have warned people to stay away from it.

A volcano in Alaska that has not erupted in 800 years is showing signs of imploding. Scientists say that the volcano considered dormant can erupt any time now and have warned people to stay away from it. Dormant volcanoes are considered to be ones that will never erupt. But experts say that's not true. These are simply volcanoes that haven't erupted in a long time but can. The latest warning is for Mount Edgecumbe in the south of Kruzof Island in Alaska. At an elevation of 3,201 feet, tourists flock to it and several people live in areas near it. It has been considered safe for thousands of years. But, that might change. The volcano is now showing signs of magma moving inside, as per the latest studies. This sends out a warning that an eruption might happen and so people need to be alert. However, it is not a surety. As a precaution, the Alaska Volcano Observatory has raised the threat level. According to data, the volcano was more active during a certain period in history. The last eruption happened 800 years ago and one evidence suggests volcanic activity 1,150 years ago. Experts say that if a similar eruption happens now, it would "pose significant risk to local population centres." A 2010 research paper mentions finding ash in deposits in Sitka Sound. Signs of magma activity The area seems to be already heating up, with hikers saying they saw gas bubbling from the ground near Mount Edgecumbe. The ground around the volcano is also bulging upward, as per satellite radar measurements. A series of earthquakes hit the region in 2022 and the activities are likely linked. Also Read: Sea cow killed by crocodile and devoured by tiger shark proves food habits have continued Earthquakes near Mount Edgecumbe continue to happen in 2024 and are reportedly the result of the volcano’s magma. This is because when the magma moves, two types of activities can happen - either it forces its way along the cracks, or becomes a pool of melt. Minor tremors can happen in both cases. So scientists believe that something similar could be happening. While scientists are alert, they feel an eruption is unlikely. "It does have some signs of unrest," said Hannah Dietterich, a research geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey at the Alaska Volcano Observatory. "There are signs that there is magma that's come into the system very deep. We're talking six miles below the volcano. And so we want to be sure to be monitoring it as best we can," Dietterich added. The nearest city to the volcano is the city of Sitka 15 miles away. Seismometers are being placed around Mount Edgecumbe to monitor quakes that people might not feel. The data collected using them can help know if or when the volcano will erupt.

Volcano that hasn't erupted in 800 years is showing signs of magma activity

Scientists have been baffled by the dropping temperature in a large part of the Atlantic Ocean, which is near the equator.&nbsp;

Even though this cold area has now started warming up, scientists are clueless about what led to the dramatic cooling.

The cold patch of the Atlantic Ocean, which is between the stretch of ocean which spans several degrees north and south of the equator, was formed in early June after remaining the warmest for months&nbsp;in more than 40 years.&nbsp;

Speaking to Live Science, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Miami in Florida, Franz Tuchen, said that it is known that the region has been swinging between cold and warm phases in the last few years, however, the rate at which it moved from record high to low is "really unprecedented".

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-registers-record-high-winter-temperature-753485">Australia registers record high winter temperature</a>

"We are still scratching our heads as to what's actually happening," said Michael McPhaden, who is a senior scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is overseeing an array of buoys in the tropics which gave gathered real-time data related to the cold patch, while speaking to Live Science.&nbsp;

"It could be some transient feature that has developed from processes that we don't quite understand," he added.&nbsp;

<h2>Here's how temperatures dramatically changed on the sea surface</h2>

In the eastern equatorial Atlantic, the sea surface temperatures were the highest in February and March when they went beyond 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) and those months became the warmest on record since 1982.&nbsp;

In June, the temperatures began falling mysteriously and it became the coolest in late July when the temperature reached 77 F (25 C), wrote Tuchen recently in a&nbsp;blog post.

Watch:&nbsp;Spain: Extreme heat warning issued for Basque country and Cantabria

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In the forecasts, the cooling event appeared to be on the verge of becoming an Atlantic Niña, which is a regional climate pattern that tends to increase rainfall across western Africa. In his climate pattern, the rainfall decreases in northeastern Brazil along with other countries near the Gulf of Guinea, like Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon.&nbsp;

This phenomenon has not occurred since 2013, and the scientists would have declared that there is Atlantic Niña if colder temperatures had persisted till the end of August.

In recent weeks, the cold pocket of water has warmed up so "the verdict is already quite certain that it's not gonna be classified as Atlantic Niña," Tuchen said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists have been baffled by the dropping temperature in a large part of the Atlantic Ocean, which is near the equator. Even though this cold area has now started warming up, scientists are clueless about what led to the dramatic cooling.

Scientists have been baffled by the dropping temperature in a large part of the Atlantic Ocean, which is near the equator. Even though this cold area has now started warming up, scientists are clueless about what led to the dramatic cooling. The cold patch of the Atlantic Ocean, which is between the stretch of ocean which spans several degrees north and south of the equator, was formed in early June after remaining the warmest for months in more than 40 years. Speaking to Live Science, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Miami in Florida, Franz Tuchen, said that it is known that the region has been swinging between cold and warm phases in the last few years, however, the rate at which it moved from record high to low is "really unprecedented". Also Read: Australia registers record high winter temperature "We are still scratching our heads as to what's actually happening," said Michael McPhaden, who is a senior scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is overseeing an array of buoys in the tropics which gave gathered real-time data related to the cold patch, while speaking to Live Science. "It could be some transient feature that has developed from processes that we don't quite understand," he added. Here's how temperatures dramatically changed on the sea surface In the eastern equatorial Atlantic, the sea surface temperatures were the highest in February and March when they went beyond 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) and those months became the warmest on record since 1982. In June, the temperatures began falling mysteriously and it became the coolest in late July when the temperature reached 77 F (25 C), wrote Tuchen recently in a blog post. Watch: Spain: Extreme heat warning issued for Basque country and Cantabria In the forecasts, the cooling event appeared to be on the verge of becoming an Atlantic Niña, which is a regional climate pattern that tends to increase rainfall across western Africa. In his climate pattern, the rainfall decreases in northeastern Brazil along with other countries near the Gulf of Guinea, like Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. This phenomenon has not occurred since 2013, and the scientists would have declared that there is Atlantic Niña if colder temperatures had persisted till the end of August. In recent weeks, the cold pocket of water has warmed up so "the verdict is already quite certain that it's not gonna be classified as Atlantic Niña," Tuchen said. (With inputs from agencies)

Temperature dramatically fell in Atlantic Ocean's patch near the equator. Scientists warn...

A lot of videos of dogs being trained to "talk" using soundboards have gone viral on social media.&nbsp;

These buttons on the soundboard have appeared impressive to social media users across platforms like TikTok and Instagram. A lot of people have been left puzzled by these videos, and are now wondering if dogs are truly communicating.&nbsp;

Now, in a breakthrough study published in PLOS ONE, the University of California San Diego's researchers revealed that when humans train dogs using soundboard buttons, the pets are able to comprehend some words and also produce contextually appropriate responses.

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The study was headed by the head of the Comparative Cognition Lab and associate professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at UC San Diego, Federico Rossano.&nbsp;

Rossano, who was also part of the new Netflix documentary "Inside the Mind of a Dog," said that this research is just a step of the ongoing investigation into interspecies communication in his lab.

<h2>Here's what the study says about button-trained dogs</h2>

In the study, it was observed that when dogs were trained using soundboards, they appropriately responded to words like "outside" and "play", even if the words were spoken by humans and not pressed by a button.&nbsp;

This study hinted that the dogs are not just "reading" the body language or presence of their owners but are processing the words spoken to them.

"This study addresses public skepticism about whether dogs truly understand what the buttons mean," Rossano said.&nbsp;

"Our findings are important because they show that words matter to dogs, and that they respond to the words themselves, not just to associated cues," he added.

Watch:&nbsp;Trash-sucking robot dog cleans Italian beaches with AI's help

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Two complementary experiments were conducted as part of the research. In the first experiment, 30 dog homes were visited across the country and their responses to the soundboard buttons were tested.&nbsp;

In the second experiment, the trials were conducted by 29 dog owners by themselves at home under remote guidance.

"We're just scratching the surface in this study. Future studies explore how dogs actively use these buttons, including the meaning and systematicity behind sequences of button presses. Our research underscores the importance of studying animals in their home environment, providing a more ecologically valid understanding of their abilities," added Rossano.&nbsp;

This study was part of an ongoing research project in which thousands of participants were involved worldwide.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A lot of videos of dogs being trained to "talk" using soundboards have gone viral on social media. These buttons on the soundboard have appeared impressive to social media users across platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

A lot of videos of dogs being trained to "talk" using soundboards have gone viral on social media. These buttons on the soundboard have appeared impressive to social media users across platforms like TikTok and Instagram. A lot of people have been left puzzled by these videos, and are now wondering if dogs are truly communicating. Now, in a breakthrough study published in PLOS ONE, the University of California San Diego's researchers revealed that when humans train dogs using soundboard buttons, the pets are able to comprehend some words and also produce contextually appropriate responses. Also Read: Dog accidentally started fire in US home by chewing portable charger The study was headed by the head of the Comparative Cognition Lab and associate professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at UC San Diego, Federico Rossano. Rossano, who was also part of the new Netflix documentary "Inside the Mind of a Dog," said that this research is just a step of the ongoing investigation into interspecies communication in his lab. Here's what the study says about button-trained dogs In the study, it was observed that when dogs were trained using soundboards, they appropriately responded to words like "outside" and "play", even if the words were spoken by humans and not pressed by a button. This study hinted that the dogs are not just "reading" the body language or presence of their owners but are processing the words spoken to them. "This study addresses public skepticism about whether dogs truly understand what the buttons mean," Rossano said. "Our findings are important because they show that words matter to dogs, and that they respond to the words themselves, not just to associated cues," he added. Watch: Trash-sucking robot dog cleans Italian beaches with AI's help Two complementary experiments were conducted as part of the research. In the first experiment, 30 dog homes were visited across the country and their responses to the soundboard buttons were tested. In the second experiment, the trials were conducted by 29 dog owners by themselves at home under remote guidance. "We're just scratching the surface in this study. Future studies explore how dogs actively use these buttons, including the meaning and systematicity behind sequences of button presses. Our research underscores the importance of studying animals in their home environment, providing a more ecologically valid understanding of their abilities," added Rossano. This study was part of an ongoing research project in which thousands of participants were involved worldwide. (With inputs from agencies)

Dogs can actually decipher human language and not just cues. Here's how

In a crazy discovery, the University of Liverpool's news researchers found what led to the evolution of a gigantic underwater avalanche around 60,000 years ago and how it led to destruction.&nbsp;

More than 300 core samples taken from the seafloor of the Atlantic Ocean off the North West coast of Africa more than 40 years ago were used by the team. 
&nbsp; 
The scientists combined the area's bathymetry and seismic data and created a map of the avalanche as it turned from a small underwater landslide into a devastating climactic event.

“This is the first time anyone has managed to map out an entire individual underwater avalanche of this size and calculate its growth factor,” said Chris Stevenson, who is co-leader of the team and a sedimentologist from the University of Liverpool’s School of Environmental Sciences, in a&nbsp;statement.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/are-deep-seas-on-earth-hiding-alien-life-amid-dark-oxygen-study-hints-so-753986">Are deep seas on Earth hiding alien life amid 'dark oxygen'? Study hints so</a>

“What is so interesting is how the event grew from a relatively small start into a huge and devastating submarine avalanche,” he added, further explaining, “reaching heights of 200 meters [656 feet] as it moved at a speed of about 15 m/s [49 feet/second] ripping out the sea floor and tearing everything out in its way.”

<h2>How destructive was the underwater avalanche mapped by scientists?</h2>

The ancient underwater avalanche, which has been mapped by scientists, started at only 1.5 cubic kilometres (0.36 cubic miles) in volume, but later it turned massive and became a huge and powerful avalanche that eventually eroded one of the largest submarine canyons in the world, which was known as the Agadir Canyon, along with almost 4,500 square kilometres (1,738 square miles) of the canyon walls.

“To put it in perspective: that’s an avalanche the size of a skyscraper, moving at more than 40 mph [64 kmph] from Liverpool to London, which digs out a trench 30 m [98 feet] deep and 15 km [9.3 miles] wide, destroying everything in its path,” said Stevenson.

“Then it spreads across an area larger than the UK, burying it under about a metre of sand and mud," he added.

Speaking about the study, the head of Marine Geophysics at Kiel University, Sebastian Krastel, said, “Our new insight fundamentally challenges how we view these events."

Watch:&nbsp;Thick, voluminous clouds descend on Swiss Alps

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/thick-voluminous-clouds-descend-on-swiss-alps-754119/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“Before this study, we thought that big avalanches only came from big slope failures. But now, we know that they can start small and grow into extremely powerful and extensive giant events," he added.

The scientists noted that the prehistoric avalanche grew by around 12-25 times larger than a normal avalanche.

“We calculate the growth factor to be at least 100,” said Christoph Bottner, who is the co-leader of the team and a Marie-Curie research fellow at Aarhus University in Denmark.&nbsp;

“We have also seen this extreme growth in smaller submarine avalanches measured elsewhere,” said Bottner. “So we think this might be a specific behaviour associated with underwater avalanches and is something we plan to investigate further," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a crazy discovery, the University of Liverpool's news researchers found what led to the evolution of a gigantic underwater avalanche around 60,000 years ago and how it led to destruction.

In a crazy discovery, the University of Liverpool's news researchers found what led to the evolution of a gigantic underwater avalanche around 60,000 years ago and how it led to destruction. More than 300 core samples taken from the seafloor of the Atlantic Ocean off the North West coast of Africa more than 40 years ago were used by the team. The scientists combined the area's bathymetry and seismic data and created a map of the avalanche as it turned from a small underwater landslide into a devastating climactic event. “This is the first time anyone has managed to map out an entire individual underwater avalanche of this size and calculate its growth factor,” said Chris Stevenson, who is co-leader of the team and a sedimentologist from the University of Liverpool’s School of Environmental Sciences, in a statement. Also Read: Are deep seas on Earth hiding alien life amid 'dark oxygen'? Study hints so “What is so interesting is how the event grew from a relatively small start into a huge and devastating submarine avalanche,” he added, further explaining, “reaching heights of 200 meters [656 feet] as it moved at a speed of about 15 m/s [49 feet/second] ripping out the sea floor and tearing everything out in its way.” How destructive was the underwater avalanche mapped by scientists? The ancient underwater avalanche, which has been mapped by scientists, started at only 1.5 cubic kilometres (0.36 cubic miles) in volume, but later it turned massive and became a huge and powerful avalanche that eventually eroded one of the largest submarine canyons in the world, which was known as the Agadir Canyon, along with almost 4,500 square kilometres (1,738 square miles) of the canyon walls. “To put it in perspective: that’s an avalanche the size of a skyscraper, moving at more than 40 mph [64 kmph] from Liverpool to London, which digs out a trench 30 m [98 feet] deep and 15 km [9.3 miles] wide, destroying everything in its path,” said Stevenson. “Then it spreads across an area larger than the UK, burying it under about a metre of sand and mud," he added. Speaking about the study, the head of Marine Geophysics at Kiel University, Sebastian Krastel, said, “Our new insight fundamentally challenges how we view these events." Watch: Thick, voluminous clouds descend on Swiss Alps “Before this study, we thought that big avalanches only came from big slope failures. But now, we know that they can start small and grow into extremely powerful and extensive giant events," he added. The scientists noted that the prehistoric avalanche grew by around 12-25 times larger than a normal avalanche. “We calculate the growth factor to be at least 100,” said Christoph Bottner, who is the co-leader of the team and a Marie-Curie research fellow at Aarhus University in Denmark. “We have also seen this extreme growth in smaller submarine avalanches measured elsewhere,” said Bottner. “So we think this might be a specific behaviour associated with underwater avalanches and is something we plan to investigate further," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists create first map of a gigantic ancient underwater avalanche

It has been always known that there are gravity and magnetic fields present on planet Earth.&nbsp;

However, an international team of scientists, with the help of a NASA suborbital rocket, was able to measure a planet-wide electric field successfully, which has been found to be as fundamental to planet Earth as are magnetic and gravity fields.&nbsp;

The ambipolar&nbsp;electric field was first hypothesized more than 60 years ago by scientists based on how the atmosphere&nbsp;of our planet can escape above the North and South Poles of the Earth.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-rotated-dramatically-slowly-when-life-exploded-and-vanished-on-planet-study-753989">Earth rotated 'dramatically slowly' when life exploded and vanished on planet: Study</a>

NASA's Endurance mission rocket's measurements have now confirmed that the ambipolar field exists and its strength was also quantified, which revealed the field's role in pushing atmospheric escape and giving shape to the ionosphere, which is a layer of the upper atmosphere.

<h2>Earth's electric field pushes particles out of atmosphere: Study</h2>

Scientists have tried to understand the evolution and complex movements of the atmosphere of our planet because it gives clues regarding the history of Earth and also gives insight into the mysteries of different planets and helps them understand which of them has the potential of becoming hospitable to life.

The experts have already published a research paper on this topic in the journal&nbsp;Nature.

The spacecraft, which has been flying over the poles of Earth since the late 1960s, detected a stream of particles that was spotted flowing from our atmosphere into space.&nbsp;

The outflow was predicted by the theorists, which they called the "polar wind" as the researchers tried to understand its causes.

In this polar wind, a lot of particles were cold and had no signs of getting heated but were still travelling at&nbsp;supersonic speeds.

Watch:&nbsp;Earth slows down by 1.33 milliseconds

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/earth-slows-down-by-133-milliseconds-741345/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Something had to be drawing these particles out of the atmosphere," said Glyn Collinson, who is the lead author of the paper and principal investigator of Endurance at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The scientists suspected that a yet-to-be-discovered electric field may have caused this polar wind.

The hypothesized electric field, which was generated at the subatomic scale, was predicted to be very weak since effects were felt only across hundreds of miles.&nbsp;

In 2016, Collinson and his team invented a new instrument, which was then used to measure the ambipolar field of Earth.

"Any planet with an atmosphere should have an ambipolar field. Now that we've finally measured it, we can begin learning how it's shaped our planet as well as others over time," Collinson said.

(With inputs from agencies)

It has been always known that there are gravity and magnetic fields present on planet Earth. However, an international team of scientists, with the help of a NASA suborbital rocket, was able to measure a planet-wide electric field successfully, which has been found to be as fundamental to planet Earth as are magnetic and gravity fields.

It has been always known that there are gravity and magnetic fields present on planet Earth. However, an international team of scientists, with the help of a NASA suborbital rocket, was able to measure a planet-wide electric field successfully, which has been found to be as fundamental to planet Earth as are magnetic and gravity fields. The ambipolar electric field was first hypothesized more than 60 years ago by scientists based on how the atmosphere of our planet can escape above the North and South Poles of the Earth. Also Read: Earth rotated 'dramatically slowly' when life exploded and vanished on planet: Study NASA's Endurance mission rocket's measurements have now confirmed that the ambipolar field exists and its strength was also quantified, which revealed the field's role in pushing atmospheric escape and giving shape to the ionosphere, which is a layer of the upper atmosphere. Earth's electric field pushes particles out of atmosphere: Study Scientists have tried to understand the evolution and complex movements of the atmosphere of our planet because it gives clues regarding the history of Earth and also gives insight into the mysteries of different planets and helps them understand which of them has the potential of becoming hospitable to life. The experts have already published a research paper on this topic in the journal Nature. The spacecraft, which has been flying over the poles of Earth since the late 1960s, detected a stream of particles that was spotted flowing from our atmosphere into space. The outflow was predicted by the theorists, which they called the "polar wind" as the researchers tried to understand its causes. In this polar wind, a lot of particles were cold and had no signs of getting heated but were still travelling at supersonic speeds. Watch: Earth slows down by 1.33 milliseconds "Something had to be drawing these particles out of the atmosphere," said Glyn Collinson, who is the lead author of the paper and principal investigator of Endurance at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The scientists suspected that a yet-to-be-discovered electric field may have caused this polar wind. The hypothesized electric field, which was generated at the subatomic scale, was predicted to be very weak since effects were felt only across hundreds of miles. In 2016, Collinson and his team invented a new instrument, which was then used to measure the ambipolar field of Earth. "Any planet with an atmosphere should have an ambipolar field. Now that we've finally measured it, we can begin learning how it's shaped our planet as well as others over time," Collinson said. (With inputs from agencies)

There is an electric field on Earth, apart from gravity and magnetic fields, NASA confirms

In a fascinating discovery, scientists have found that diamonds have a thrilling journey when they emerge on the surface amid a calamitous situation when the continents shift and explosive volcanic eruptions occur.&nbsp;

In a new study, it has been found that diamonds emerge from volcanic eruptions when the continents shift on Earth and the landscape of the planet changes.&nbsp;

<h2>What are kimberlite eruptions?</h2>

Diamonds are a kind of geological formations which are not present close to the surface of the Earth and instead are formed deep within the crust of the Earth, which is 93 miles below ground.

Before the diamonds finally appear on the surface, they go through a dramatic and explosive process which is known as a "kimberlite eruption".

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-diamond-planet-is-lurking-near-earth-can-it-make-earthlings-richer-anytime-soon-742248">THIS diamond planet is lurking near Earth. Can it make Earthlings richer anytime soon?</a>

The diamond-laden rocks are propelled at a high speed which ranges between 11 to 83 mph by these eruptions.&nbsp;

These eruptions take these precious stones on a remarkable journey from their fiery origins to their last destination which is above the surface of Earth.&nbsp;

<h2>Kimberlite eruptions and their connection with tectonic shifts</h2>

Professor of Earth and Climate Science at the&nbsp;University of Southampton in England Thomas Gernon observed that these kimberlite eruptions take place very frequently when significant tectonic shifts take place and lead to events like the breakup of the supercontinent&nbsp;Pangaea.&nbsp;

Such eruptions were happening in the thick and hard-to-disrupt places in the middle of continents.

Watch:&nbsp;World's second-largest diamond found in southern Africa

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/worlds-second-largest-diamond-found-in-southern-africa-752817/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“The&nbsp;diamonds have been sat at the base of the continents for hundreds of millions or even billions of years,” said Gernon.

“There must be some stimulus that just drives them suddenly because these eruptions themselves are really powerful, really explosive," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a fascinating discovery, scientists have found that diamonds have a thrilling journey when they emerge on the surface amid a calamitous situation when the continents shift and explosive volcanic eruptions occur.

In a fascinating discovery, scientists have found that diamonds have a thrilling journey when they emerge on the surface amid a calamitous situation when the continents shift and explosive volcanic eruptions occur. In a new study, it has been found that diamonds emerge from volcanic eruptions when the continents shift on Earth and the landscape of the planet changes. What are kimberlite eruptions? Diamonds are a kind of geological formations which are not present close to the surface of the Earth and instead are formed deep within the crust of the Earth, which is 93 miles below ground. Before the diamonds finally appear on the surface, they go through a dramatic and explosive process which is known as a "kimberlite eruption". Also Read: THIS diamond planet is lurking near Earth. Can it make Earthlings richer anytime soon? The diamond-laden rocks are propelled at a high speed which ranges between 11 to 83 mph by these eruptions. These eruptions take these precious stones on a remarkable journey from their fiery origins to their last destination which is above the surface of Earth. Kimberlite eruptions and their connection with tectonic shifts Professor of Earth and Climate Science at the University of Southampton in England Thomas Gernon observed that these kimberlite eruptions take place very frequently when significant tectonic shifts take place and lead to events like the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. Such eruptions were happening in the thick and hard-to-disrupt places in the middle of continents. Watch: World's second-largest diamond found in southern Africa “The diamonds have been sat at the base of the continents for hundreds of millions or even billions of years,” said Gernon. “There must be some stimulus that just drives them suddenly because these eruptions themselves are really powerful, really explosive," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

When continents shift on Earth, volcanoes erupt fountains of diamonds: Study

NASA regularly monitors asteroids that are moving towards Earth. Now, the space agency has started working on an infrared telescope that will keep an eye on these rocks from space. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is creating the asteroid-hunting spacecraft called NEO Surveyor (Near-Earth Object Surveyor), which will hunt for asteroids and comets that might pose a danger to our planet.&nbsp;

It is the first space telescope that has been designed specifically for planetary defence purposes. The launch has been planned for the end of 2027 and will be placed a million miles away at the L1 Lagrange point - a point between Earth and the Sun.

Once here, it will block sunlight to let the mission find and track near-Earth objects that might be coming from the direction of the Sun.

The telescope will especially be useful to track asteroids called Earth Trojans, which are hard to spot from the ground or the orbit.&nbsp;

The detectors of the telescope can observe two bands of infrared light that the human eye cannot see. Asteroids that are not visible otherwise glow brightly in infrared because of the Sun. This technology will, therefore, help locate dark asteroids and comets which don’t reflect a lot of visible light.&nbsp;

<h2>Aim of NEO spacecraft</h2>

“NEO Surveyor is optimised to help us to do one specific thing: enable humanity to find the most hazardous asteroids and comets far enough in advance so we can do something about them,” Amy Mainzer, survey director for NEO Surveyor and a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/comet-expected-to-die-near-the-sun-might-survive-the-trip-visit-earth-in-october-754227">Comet expected to die near the sun might survive the trip, visit Earth in October</a>

She added that the aim is to have a spacecraft that can find objects "with the greatest chance of hitting Earth. In the process, we will learn a lot about their origins and evolution.”

The only instrument on the spacecraft will be this high-end telescope. It has a blocky aluminium body and is the size of a washer-and-dryer set. It will rely on curved mirrors that will focus light onto its infrared detectors and minimise optical aberrations.

With the NEO Surveyor, NASA aims to move forward towards reaching the goal set by the US Congress. Under this, the space agency needs to find and characterise at least 90 per cent of the near-Earth objects which are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size and likely to come within 30 million miles (48 million kilometres) of our planet’s orbit.&nbsp;

Notably, if such objects hit Earth, significant damage can happen.&nbsp;

NASA regularly monitors asteroids that are moving towards Earth. Now, the space agency has started working on an infrared telescope that will keep an eye on these rocks from space.

NASA regularly monitors asteroids that are moving towards Earth. Now, the space agency has started working on an infrared telescope that will keep an eye on these rocks from space. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is creating the asteroid-hunting spacecraft called NEO Surveyor (Near-Earth Object Surveyor), which will hunt for asteroids and comets that might pose a danger to our planet. It is the first space telescope that has been designed specifically for planetary defence purposes. The launch has been planned for the end of 2027 and will be placed a million miles away at the L1 Lagrange point - a point between Earth and the Sun. Once here, it will block sunlight to let the mission find and track near-Earth objects that might be coming from the direction of the Sun. The telescope will especially be useful to track asteroids called Earth Trojans, which are hard to spot from the ground or the orbit. The detectors of the telescope can observe two bands of infrared light that the human eye cannot see. Asteroids that are not visible otherwise glow brightly in infrared because of the Sun. This technology will, therefore, help locate dark asteroids and comets which don’t reflect a lot of visible light. Aim of NEO spacecraft “NEO Surveyor is optimised to help us to do one specific thing: enable humanity to find the most hazardous asteroids and comets far enough in advance so we can do something about them,” Amy Mainzer, survey director for NEO Surveyor and a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said. Also Read: Comet expected to die near the sun might survive the trip, visit Earth in October She added that the aim is to have a spacecraft that can find objects "with the greatest chance of hitting Earth. In the process, we will learn a lot about their origins and evolution.” The only instrument on the spacecraft will be this high-end telescope. It has a blocky aluminium body and is the size of a washer-and-dryer set. It will rely on curved mirrors that will focus light onto its infrared detectors and minimise optical aberrations. With the NEO Surveyor, NASA aims to move forward towards reaching the goal set by the US Congress. Under this, the space agency needs to find and characterise at least 90 per cent of the near-Earth objects which are more than 460 feet (140 metres) in size and likely to come within 30 million miles (48 million kilometres) of our planet’s orbit. Notably, if such objects hit Earth, significant damage can happen.

THIS asteroid-hunting spacecraft can find Trojans and other invisible hazardous objects

A massive undersea mountain has been discovered by a team of oceanographers off the coast of Chile which is taller than the iconic Mount Olympus of Greece and is hosting many rare sea creatures.

The Schmidt Ocean Institute of California's researchers have recorded the never-seen seamount, which is spread over 1.9 miles from the Pacific Ocean floor and has a thriving ecosystem, as per the organisation.

The unnamed peak, which is located nearly 900 miles from South America, was discovered by the team during their 28-day expedition on the&nbsp;R/V Falkor&nbsp;vessel during which the sea floor was mapped by them using the sonar system beneath the hull.

“Sound waves go down and they bounce back off the surface, and we measure the time it takes to come back and get measured. From that we get a really good idea (of the seabed topography),” said Jyotika Virmani, the institute’s executive director,&nbsp;while speaking to CNN.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/are-deep-seas-on-earth-hiding-alien-life-amid-dark-oxygen-study-hints-so-753986">Are deep seas on Earth hiding alien life amid 'dark oxygen'? Study hints so</a>

Virmani emphasised that to date the scientists have been able to map only a quarter of the ocean floor even though they have covered 71 per cent of the surface of the Earth.

The newly-discovered underwater mountain is taller than Mount Olympus which is 9,570 feet high.&nbsp;

But it is smaller than Japan’s&nbsp;Mount Fuji which is 12,388 feet high.&nbsp;

<h2>Rare sea species thriving on undersea mountain&nbsp;</h2>

According to scientists, there are at least 100,000 seamounts, which are more than 1,000 meters in height, across the globe which are unique and vital habitats of some sea species.

The latest mountain, which was found off Chile, was filled with ancient corals and sponge gardens.&nbsp;

The oceanographers used an underwater robot to film a rare Promachoteuthis squid which was living in the mountain. This was the first time the creature was seen alive on the mountain.

Watch:&nbsp;Mumbai: Rising sea level poses risk of floods, storms

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mumbai-rising-sea-level-poses-risk-of-floods-storms-747646/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The scientists also found the ghostly white “Casper Octopus” which marked the first time such an eight-legged critter was spotted in the southern Pacific. So far, it has never been captured by scientists and hence it does not have an official name.&nbsp;

The oceanographers also spotted two rare Bathyphysa siphonophores - which were known as flying spaghetti monsters because of their string-like appearance.

These creatures were discovered during the third trip of R/V Falkor to the Nazca Ridge which could soon become the first protected marine area of the world in international waters, according to a new United Nations treaty which was adopted in 2023, as reported by CNN.

“Across the three expeditions, we managed to map and explore 25 seamounts, which is quite a number to explore. I think we’ve got some good data as a community that could be put forward to make the case that this is a really interesting region for protection," Virmani said.

Before the expeditions of Schmidt Ocean Institute this year, nearly 1,019 species were believed to living in this portion of the Pacific Ocean, which has now reached 1,300.

(With inputs from agencies)

A massive undersea mountain has been discovered by a team of oceanographers off the coast of Chile which is taller than the iconic Mount Olympus of Greece and is hosting many rare sea creatures.

A massive undersea mountain has been discovered by a team of oceanographers off the coast of Chile which is taller than the iconic Mount Olympus of Greece and is hosting many rare sea creatures. The Schmidt Ocean Institute of California's researchers have recorded the never-seen seamount, which is spread over 1.9 miles from the Pacific Ocean floor and has a thriving ecosystem, as per the organisation. The unnamed peak, which is located nearly 900 miles from South America, was discovered by the team during their 28-day expedition on the R/V Falkor vessel during which the sea floor was mapped by them using the sonar system beneath the hull. “Sound waves go down and they bounce back off the surface, and we measure the time it takes to come back and get measured. From that we get a really good idea (of the seabed topography),” said Jyotika Virmani, the institute’s executive director, while speaking to CNN. Also Read: Are deep seas on Earth hiding alien life amid 'dark oxygen'? Study hints so Virmani emphasised that to date the scientists have been able to map only a quarter of the ocean floor even though they have covered 71 per cent of the surface of the Earth. The newly-discovered underwater mountain is taller than Mount Olympus which is 9,570 feet high. But it is smaller than Japan’s Mount Fuji which is 12,388 feet high. Rare sea species thriving on undersea mountain According to scientists, there are at least 100,000 seamounts, which are more than 1,000 meters in height, across the globe which are unique and vital habitats of some sea species. The latest mountain, which was found off Chile, was filled with ancient corals and sponge gardens. The oceanographers used an underwater robot to film a rare Promachoteuthis squid which was living in the mountain. This was the first time the creature was seen alive on the mountain. Watch: Mumbai: Rising sea level poses risk of floods, storms The scientists also found the ghostly white “Casper Octopus” which marked the first time such an eight-legged critter was spotted in the southern Pacific. So far, it has never been captured by scientists and hence it does not have an official name. The oceanographers also spotted two rare Bathyphysa siphonophores - which were known as flying spaghetti monsters because of their string-like appearance. These creatures were discovered during the third trip of R/V Falkor to the Nazca Ridge which could soon become the first protected marine area of the world in international waters, according to a new United Nations treaty which was adopted in 2023, as reported by CNN. “Across the three expeditions, we managed to map and explore 25 seamounts, which is quite a number to explore. I think we’ve got some good data as a community that could be put forward to make the case that this is a really interesting region for protection," Virmani said. Before the expeditions of Schmidt Ocean Institute this year, nearly 1,019 species were believed to living in this portion of the Pacific Ocean, which has now reached 1,300. (With inputs from agencies)

Massive undersea mountain discovered beneath Chile. It is home to ghostly 'Casper Octopus' which can...

Scientists have found that a prehistoric sea cow was preyed upon by two predators - an ancient crocodile and a tiger shark. The fossilised remains of the sea cow show that it was first killed by the crocodile and then eaten by a tiger shark.&nbsp;

The discovery was made in a village in Venezuela after a local farmer alerted officials about the presence of some weird rocks in the field. The fossils were found excellently preserved because of being buried in fine sediment.

The sea cow's skeleton has distinctive teeth marks on it and is a rare example of one animal being attacked by two predators during the Early to Middle Miocene epoch (23 million to 11.6 million years ago).&nbsp;

"Our findings constitute one of the few records documenting multiple predators over a single prey, and as such provide a glimpse of food chain networks in this region during the Miocene," Aldo Benites-Palomino, lead author and a researcher from the Department of Paleontology at the University of Zurich said in a statement.

The study was published Thursday (Aug 29) in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

<h2>Croc and shark attack</h2>

Deep tooth impacts on the sea cow's snout show that the crocodile first grabbed it by the face and tried to suffocate it. It then followed a move crocodiles today also use to kill their prey.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poisonous-nightmare-fireworms-with-prickly-bristles-are-invading-texas-beaches-754182">Poisonous fireworms with prickly bristles are invading Texas beaches. 'Your worst nightmare'</a>

More incisions on the cow show the crocodile dragged its prey and killed it with a death roll.&nbsp;

A tiger shark tooth has also been found in the cow along with several bite marks on the skeleton. These sharks are known to scavenge food and are termed "dustbins of the sea". The evidence on the sea cow shows that they were lazy hunters millions of years ago as well.

After the farmer told some officials about finding some "rocks", the scientists decided to dig up.

"We first learned about the site through word of mouth from a local farmer who had noticed some unusual 'rocks.' Intrigued, we decided to investigate," Marcelo Sanchez-Villagra, director at the Palaeontological Institute and Museum in Zurich, said in the statement.

The team of researchers says that the discovery proves that the food chain has continued to remain the same over millions of years. Carcasses of prey often feed multiple animals even today and the same happened in ancient times.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Scientists have found that a prehistoric sea cow was preyed upon by two predators - an ancient crocodile and a tiger shark. The fossilised remains of the sea cow show that it was first killed by the crocodile and then eaten by a tiger shark.

Scientists have found that a prehistoric sea cow was preyed upon by two predators - an ancient crocodile and a tiger shark. The fossilised remains of the sea cow show that it was first killed by the crocodile and then eaten by a tiger shark. The discovery was made in a village in Venezuela after a local farmer alerted officials about the presence of some weird rocks in the field. The fossils were found excellently preserved because of being buried in fine sediment. The sea cow's skeleton has distinctive teeth marks on it and is a rare example of one animal being attacked by two predators during the Early to Middle Miocene epoch (23 million to 11.6 million years ago). "Our findings constitute one of the few records documenting multiple predators over a single prey, and as such provide a glimpse of food chain networks in this region during the Miocene," Aldo Benites-Palomino, lead author and a researcher from the Department of Paleontology at the University of Zurich said in a statement. The study was published Thursday (Aug 29) in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Croc and shark attack Deep tooth impacts on the sea cow's snout show that the crocodile first grabbed it by the face and tried to suffocate it. It then followed a move crocodiles today also use to kill their prey. Also Read: Poisonous fireworms with prickly bristles are invading Texas beaches. 'Your worst nightmare' More incisions on the cow show the crocodile dragged its prey and killed it with a death roll. A tiger shark tooth has also been found in the cow along with several bite marks on the skeleton. These sharks are known to scavenge food and are termed "dustbins of the sea". The evidence on the sea cow shows that they were lazy hunters millions of years ago as well. After the farmer told some officials about finding some "rocks", the scientists decided to dig up. "We first learned about the site through word of mouth from a local farmer who had noticed some unusual 'rocks.' Intrigued, we decided to investigate," Marcelo Sanchez-Villagra, director at the Palaeontological Institute and Museum in Zurich, said in the statement. The team of researchers says that the discovery proves that the food chain has continued to remain the same over millions of years. Carcasses of prey often feed multiple animals even today and the same happened in ancient times.

Sea cow was killed by ancient crocodile and devoured by tiger shark

The discovery of a dozen parasitic worms in the eyes of a black bear has sent alarm bells ringing. Scientists fear that the tiny worms known for causing blindness can also affect humans in the near future.&nbsp;

The worms are linked to a zoonotic disease called "Thelaziosis", scientists wrote in a paper. The bear was killed in rural Pennsylvania in November last year. The researchers found the worms in its eyes and extracted DNA from them. The worms are less than two centimetres in length

The researchers say that this is the first time that the parasites have been found in a wild animal in the United States.&nbsp;

Caroline Sobotyk, the principal author of the study and an assistant professor of clinical parasitology at the University of Pennsylvania, said, "This does increase the risk for us humans to get this parasite as well and for our pets and other animals."

The worms have earlier been found in pets, but the discovery in a wild animal triggers fears that the parasite can spread across the country.&nbsp;

According to a new research paper published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, there is a risk of "transmission to humans and domestic animals."

Kevin Niedringhaus, co-author of the study, says that it is unlikely to reach humans directly from wild animals.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poisonous-nightmare-fireworms-with-prickly-bristles-are-invading-texas-beaches-754182">Poisonous fireworms with prickly bristles are invading Texas beaches. 'Your worst nightmare'</a>

"But wildlife could act as what we call a reservoir" from whom an indirect infection might come, he said. Kevin is an assistant professor of wildlife pathology at the University of Pennsylvania.

<h2>How does the infection spread?</h2>

According to the CDC, flies act as a carrier for the worms that transmit them to animals, including humans. The infected flies land near the eyes, feed on the tears and transmit the worms. Ulcers on the eyes are a common symptom and the worms can also cause blindness.

"Offspring of the worm is probably being collected by the fly, and then that's being carried over to another host, whether it's another animal or a human," Niedringhaus said.

Black bears are widespread in the US and scientists fear that this makes it easier for the parasite to spread. There are also chances that endangered and threatened species might also get infected.&nbsp;

In the US, the first case was identified in a Labrador retriever in 2018. More cases in pets soon followed. Later, a paper talked about worms in two cats and 11 dogs that had never left America.&nbsp;

According to an article from the academic journal Trends in Parasitology, the parasite was first globally identified in Southeast Asia in the early 90s and afterwards, cases started to emerge in Europe.

The discovery of a dozen parasitic worms in the eyes of a black bear has sent alarm bells ringing. Scientists fear that the tiny worms known for causing blindness can also affect humans in the near future.

The discovery of a dozen parasitic worms in the eyes of a black bear has sent alarm bells ringing. Scientists fear that the tiny worms known for causing blindness can also affect humans in the near future. The worms are linked to a zoonotic disease called "Thelaziosis", scientists wrote in a paper. The bear was killed in rural Pennsylvania in November last year. The researchers found the worms in its eyes and extracted DNA from them. The worms are less than two centimetres in length The researchers say that this is the first time that the parasites have been found in a wild animal in the United States. Caroline Sobotyk, the principal author of the study and an assistant professor of clinical parasitology at the University of Pennsylvania, said, "This does increase the risk for us humans to get this parasite as well and for our pets and other animals." The worms have earlier been found in pets, but the discovery in a wild animal triggers fears that the parasite can spread across the country. According to a new research paper published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, there is a risk of "transmission to humans and domestic animals." Kevin Niedringhaus, co-author of the study, says that it is unlikely to reach humans directly from wild animals. Also Read: Poisonous fireworms with prickly bristles are invading Texas beaches. 'Your worst nightmare' "But wildlife could act as what we call a reservoir" from whom an indirect infection might come, he said. Kevin is an assistant professor of wildlife pathology at the University of Pennsylvania. How does the infection spread? According to the CDC, flies act as a carrier for the worms that transmit them to animals, including humans. The infected flies land near the eyes, feed on the tears and transmit the worms. Ulcers on the eyes are a common symptom and the worms can also cause blindness. "Offspring of the worm is probably being collected by the fly, and then that's being carried over to another host, whether it's another animal or a human," Niedringhaus said. Black bears are widespread in the US and scientists fear that this makes it easier for the parasite to spread. There are also chances that endangered and threatened species might also get infected. In the US, the first case was identified in a Labrador retriever in 2018. More cases in pets soon followed. Later, a paper talked about worms in two cats and 11 dogs that had never left America. According to an article from the academic journal Trends in Parasitology, the parasite was first globally identified in Southeast Asia in the early 90s and afterwards, cases started to emerge in Europe.

Worms that live in eyes and are transmitted by flies can reach humans, experts fear

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