The floating "magic islands" of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, have long intrigued scientists. But a new study now seems to clear the air over these islands and what constitutes them.

The floating "magic islands" of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, have long intrigued scientists. But a new study now seems to clear the air over these islands and what constitutes them. Shaped like a honeycomb, and sometimes even resembling Swiss cheese, these islands on Titan are simply glacier-like snow clusters. The latest revelations about Saturn's moon Titan were made in a study published in Geophysical Research Letters journal. The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft was the first to observe these so-called islands. The Saturnian moon is filled with liquid methane and ethane lakes and these islands looked like shiny, moving spots above these lakes. However, they weren't always visible and vanished from time to time. Xinting Yu, an assistant professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Univerisity of Texas, led new research on Titan's magical islands, which suggests that they are "floating chunks of porous, frozen organic solids in shapes similar to honeycomb or Swiss cheese." They likely stash after it snows from the sky of Titan, a moon larger than Mercury. ALSO READ | Cosmic alignment: Mercury, Venus and Mars to meet Moon on January 9 morning Titan's atmosphere, rich in methane and other organic molecules, is 50 per cent thicker than Earth's. The thick, upper atmosphere clumps together, freezes, and snows onto the surface and into the lakes of methane and ethane due to the presence of organic molecules. As the liquid bodies on Titan's surface are already packed with organic molecules, the complex organic "snow" molecules do not dissolve as soon as they hit them. "For us to see the magic islands, they can't just float for a second and then sink. They have to float for some time, but not for forever, either," Yu said. The hollow holes and tubes in the snow clumps would allow them to float if they were large enough or porous until methane or ethane oozed inside, causing them to sink after filling the voids. However, according to the model by Yu and her colleagues, the snow clumps would be too small to let this mechanism happen. But enough of this snow clustered on the lakeside shores, large pieces could break off and float on the lakes of methane and ethane, similar to how ice sheets break from glaciers and float on the surface of the seas on Earth. This mechanism is known as calving. Yu and her team have also explained another enigma on Saturn's Titan about the peaceful liquid bodies with waves no bigger than a few millimetres. According to the study, a floating blanket of frozen solids covers the surface of liquid bodies on Titan, granting them smoothness. (With inputs from agencies)

'Magic islands' on Titan look like Swiss cheese. They are simply snow clusters

Fossils of 'terror beasts' have been unearthed. These worms were some of the largest swimming animals over 520 million years ago. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas | What the fossils of the giant predator worms 'terror beasts' reveal

After remaining a mystery for years, scientists have finally discovered how diamonds emerge from the surface of the Earth. 
 
Diamonds get created in the upper mantle of the Earth's crust and if they do not shoot to the surface, which is called kimberlite eruptions, humans won't be able to find them. 
 
The eruption is a mixture of water, rock, carbon dioxide and many important kimberlite materials – which include diamonds – reaching the surface in what is also called a 'fountain of diamonds' and can travel up to 83 miles per hour. 
 
For a long time it has been a mystery what leads to such a 'fountain of diamonds and scientists from the University of Southampton, UK have finally got an answer.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/surat-diamond-bourse-meet-the-architects-behind-the-worlds-largest-office-surpassing-us-pentagon-670543">Exclusive: Meet the architects of Surat Diamond Bourse, world's largest office, surpassing US Pentagon</a>

After conducting research, the scientists concluded that the eruptions occur because of a major geological event in which tectonic plates get pulled apart. 
 
One such event occurred when the supercontinent Gondwana was divided into two around 180 million years ago and led to the creation of South America and Africa as well as sparked a series of diamond eruptions 25 million years later.

<h2 lang="en-US">How do geological events spark eruptions?</h2>

As per the scientists, when tectonic plates move, the rock present in the upper mantle and lower crust gets mixed and starts flowing against each other – which sparks similar eruptions. After analysing the data, researchers found that these 'fountains of diamonds' occur every 22 to 30 million years. 
 
Speaking about the findings, professor of Earth and Climate Science at the University of Southampton Thomas Gernon said that they are aiming to find new and unexplored diamond deposits. 
 
"The diamonds have been sat at the base of the continents for hundreds of millions or even billions of years. There must be some stimulus that just drives them suddenly because these eruptions themselves are really powerful, really explosive,” he said while speaking to LiveScience.

Watch:&nbsp;India PM Modi to inaugurate Surat Diamond Bourse, G7 nations announce ban on Russian diamonds | WION

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The data also explains why other types of volcanic eruptions, which occur a long time after supercontinent breakup in regions, should be largely stable. 
 
"It’s a fundamental and highly organized physical process, so it’s likely not just kimberlites responding to it, but it could be a whole array of Earth system processes that are responding to this as well,” he said. 
 
As per the University's website, the team “used statistical analysis, including machine learning, to forensically examine the link between continental breakup and kimberlite volcanism”. 
 
Meanwhile, Senior Research Fellow Dr Thea Hincks said, "Using geospatial analysis, we found that kimberlite eruptions tend to gradually migrate from the continental edges to the interiors over time at rates that are consistent across the continents."

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

After remaining a mystery for years, scientists have finally discovered how diamonds emerge from the surface of the Earth. Diamonds get created in the upper mantle of the Earth's crust and if they do not shoot to the surface, which is called kimberlite eruptions, humans won't be able to find them.

After remaining a mystery for years, scientists have finally discovered how diamonds emerge from the surface of the Earth. Diamonds get created in the upper mantle of the Earth's crust and if they do not shoot to the surface, which is called kimberlite eruptions, humans won't be able to find them. The eruption is a mixture of water, rock, carbon dioxide and many important kimberlite materials – which include diamonds – reaching the surface in what is also called a 'fountain of diamonds' and can travel up to 83 miles per hour. For a long time it has been a mystery what leads to such a 'fountain of diamonds and scientists from the University of Southampton, UK have finally got an answer. Also read: Exclusive: Meet the architects of Surat Diamond Bourse, world's largest office, surpassing US Pentagon After conducting research, the scientists concluded that the eruptions occur because of a major geological event in which tectonic plates get pulled apart. One such event occurred when the supercontinent Gondwana was divided into two around 180 million years ago and led to the creation of South America and Africa as well as sparked a series of diamond eruptions 25 million years later. How do geological events spark eruptions? As per the scientists, when tectonic plates move, the rock present in the upper mantle and lower crust gets mixed and starts flowing against each other – which sparks similar eruptions. After analysing the data, researchers found that these 'fountains of diamonds' occur every 22 to 30 million years. Speaking about the findings, professor of Earth and Climate Science at the University of Southampton Thomas Gernon said that they are aiming to find new and unexplored diamond deposits. "The diamonds have been sat at the base of the continents for hundreds of millions or even billions of years. There must be some stimulus that just drives them suddenly because these eruptions themselves are really powerful, really explosive,” he said while speaking to LiveScience. Watch: India PM Modi to inaugurate Surat Diamond Bourse, G7 nations announce ban on Russian diamonds | WION The data also explains why other types of volcanic eruptions, which occur a long time after supercontinent breakup in regions, should be largely stable. "It’s a fundamental and highly organized physical process, so it’s likely not just kimberlites responding to it, but it could be a whole array of Earth system processes that are responding to this as well,” he said. As per the University's website, the team “used statistical analysis, including machine learning, to forensically examine the link between continental breakup and kimberlite volcanism”. Meanwhile, Senior Research Fellow Dr Thea Hincks said, "Using geospatial analysis, we found that kimberlite eruptions tend to gradually migrate from the continental edges to the interiors over time at rates that are consistent across the continents." (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists have figured out what makes diamonds shoot up from Earth's crust to the surface

In a new revelation, the researchers have found that the true colours of Neptune and Uranus are very similar and not starkly different as was believed earlier.&nbsp;

NASA’s Voyager 2 mission, which had carried out flybys of Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989, was able to capture the first detailed images of the two ice giants in our solar system. Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft which has flow near both planets.&nbsp;

In the image captured, Uranus had a pale cyan colour and Neptune was seen having a striking deep blue colour. The images of each planet were captured by Voyager 2 in separate colors and the researchers combined single-colour images to create composites. Meanwhile, Neptune's images were enhanced to display the white clouds and winds in the atmosphere of the planet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/video-nasa-releases-stunning-time-lapse-footage-of-gamma-ray-sky-676739">NASA releases stunning time-lapse footage of gamma-ray sky</a>

Speaking about the research, the first author of the study at the University of Oxford Prof Patrick Irwin said, "Uranus is still bland and rather boring looking, but Neptune looks fairly washed-out as well when you do the full true colour reconstruction."

<h2>'Most accurate representation of planets'</h2>

It has been known for long that the colour of the ice giants is a result of the high amount of methane present in the atmosphere of the planet. Methane is known to absorb green and red light. It was previously suggested in research by Irwin and colleagues that Neptune was slightly bluer in comparison to Uranus because the aerosol present in one of the layers of its atmosphere was more transparent.

Watch:&nbsp;All about NASA's PACE mission to study Earth's clouds &amp; oceans

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However, the images of the planets, which were created from data collected during flybys conducted by the NASA Voyager 2 spacecraft in the 1980s, have created a misconception about the true colours of the planets. In those images, Neptune has been depicted as being deep blue since the images were contrast-enhanced to highlight its fainter features.

"Although the familiar Voyager 2 images of Uranus were published in a form closer to 'true' colour, those of Neptune were, in fact, stretched and enhanced, and therefore made artificially too blue. Even though the artificially-saturated colour was known at the time among planetary scientists—and the images were released with captions explaining it—that distinction had become lost over time. Applying our model to the original data, we have been able to reconstitute the most accurate representation yet of the colour of both Neptune and Uranus," said Professor Irwin.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new revelation, the researchers have found that the true colours of Neptune and Uranus are very similar and not starkly different as was believed earlier. NASA’s Voyager 2 mission, which had carried out flybys of Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989, was able to capture the first detailed images of the two ice giants in our solar system.

In a new revelation, the researchers have found that the true colours of Neptune and Uranus are very similar and not starkly different as was believed earlier. NASA’s Voyager 2 mission, which had carried out flybys of Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989, was able to capture the first detailed images of the two ice giants in our solar system. Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft which has flow near both planets. In the image captured, Uranus had a pale cyan colour and Neptune was seen having a striking deep blue colour. The images of each planet were captured by Voyager 2 in separate colors and the researchers combined single-colour images to create composites. Meanwhile, Neptune's images were enhanced to display the white clouds and winds in the atmosphere of the planet. Also read: NASA releases stunning time-lapse footage of gamma-ray sky Speaking about the research, the first author of the study at the University of Oxford Prof Patrick Irwin said, "Uranus is still bland and rather boring looking, but Neptune looks fairly washed-out as well when you do the full true colour reconstruction." 'Most accurate representation of planets' It has been known for long that the colour of the ice giants is a result of the high amount of methane present in the atmosphere of the planet. Methane is known to absorb green and red light. It was previously suggested in research by Irwin and colleagues that Neptune was slightly bluer in comparison to Uranus because the aerosol present in one of the layers of its atmosphere was more transparent. Watch: All about NASA's PACE mission to study Earth's clouds & oceans However, the images of the planets, which were created from data collected during flybys conducted by the NASA Voyager 2 spacecraft in the 1980s, have created a misconception about the true colours of the planets. In those images, Neptune has been depicted as being deep blue since the images were contrast-enhanced to highlight its fainter features. "Although the familiar Voyager 2 images of Uranus were published in a form closer to 'true' colour, those of Neptune were, in fact, stretched and enhanced, and therefore made artificially too blue. Even though the artificially-saturated colour was known at the time among planetary scientists—and the images were released with captions explaining it—that distinction had become lost over time. Applying our model to the original data, we have been able to reconstitute the most accurate representation yet of the colour of both Neptune and Uranus," said Professor Irwin. (With inputs from agencies)

Neptune and Uranus show true colours: Planetary neighbours aren't all that different

Researchers have finally figured out the reason behind urine's yellow colour, answering an age-old question that has stumped scientists for years. In the study published in the journal Nature Microbiology, Brantley Hall, an assistant professor in the University of Maryland's Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, and his team explain the chain of events that cause urine to be yellow and why it took so long to figure out.

Researchers have finally figured out the reason behind urine's yellow colour, answering an age-old question that has stumped scientists for years. In the study published in the journal Nature Microbiology, Brantley Hall, an assistant professor in the University of Maryland's Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, and his team explain the chain of events that cause urine to be yellow and why it took so long to figure out. Urine, the last product of our body's natural drainage system, consists of excess water and waste filtered out of blood via the kidneys. These waste products include dead cells that have reached the end of their life cycle, like the RBCs (red blood cells) that carry oxygen throughout the body using haemoglobin. Red blood cells produce a compound called heme. Eventually, the red blood cells degrade, and their heme results in a chain of events that makes the urine yellow. Scientists have known for some time that urobilin is the chemical primarily responsible for the yellow colour of urine. However, they were unsure about the steps in the process leading to the presence of urobilin in urine. In the study, Hall explained the role of gut bacteria in breaking down the byproducts of heme, which causes the urine to be yellow. "When red blood cells degrade after their six-month lifespan, a bright orange pigment called bilirubin is produced as a byproduct. Once in the gut, the resident flora can convert bilirubin into a molecule which can turn yellow if exposed to oxygen. This molecule, urobilin, is a major reason behind urine's yellow colour," Hall told Gizmodo. The study talks about the enzyme responsible for this reaction. Hall's team has coined the newly discovered enzyme bilirubin reductase or BilR. This enzyme breaks down into urobilinogen with the help of Firmicutes and other gut bacteria in the large intestine. Urobilinogen then turns into urobilin in the presence of air. The study also showed that the gut microbiomes of healthy adults readily contain BilR, highlighting its crucial role. Hall noted that studying gut microbiomes is a difficult task. That's why it took so long to find how urine turns yellow. "Unfortunately, gut microbes can be challenging to study. The gut is a low-oxygen environment, and many of the bacteria in our guts can't survive if too much oxygen is present, making them difficult to grow and perform experiments on in labs," Hall said. (With inputs from agencies)

What makes urine yellow? Researchers have finally figured it out

On the first day of the New Year 2024, the Indian Space Agency will be sending its 260-ton PSLV rocket into to the skies. Designated PSLV-C58/XPoSat, the PSLV rocket is scheduled to lift off from the first launchpad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SDSC-SHAR) at 9:10 am, Monday, January 1. The 44-m tall rocket would be carrying India's XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), the country's first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.&nbsp;

The XPoSat spacecraft comprises two scientific payloads that will be placed in a low earth orbit. The primary payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization) in a medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons of astronomical origin. The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will give spectroscopic information in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV.

"XPoSat is the first dedicated satellite for polarization measurements in the medium X-Ray range and this is going to find something very interesting about blackholes and their ability to eat into other stars. Once black holes take raw material from adjacent stars, there will be X-Ray radiation. If you are able to measure the polarization nature of the X-ray emission, you can quantify the material ejection, such is the theory," explained Dr S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO.

At the end of the 22-minute-long mission, the 469kg spacecraft would be placed in an orbit that is 650 km above the earth's surface. After placing the satellite in the intended orbit, the final stage of the PSLV rocket(PS4) would be brought down to a lower orbit of 350kms, by re-starting the engines on two instances. Once in the 350 km orbit, the fuels and hazardous chemicals stored within the upper-stage tanks would be passivised. Passivisation is a step that prevents any possible explosions or break-up of the stored chemicals. It is a step aimed at ensuring sustainable use of space.&nbsp;

Post-passivisation, the PS4 stage of the PSLV rocket would be used as a stabilised orbiting platform, that would carry a handful of experiments and technology demonstrators from ISRO Centres, academia and startups. Such use of the 4th stage as a PSLV Orbital Experimental Module(POEM). As it circles the earth, the experiments onboard POEM can be activated to perform their respective tasks, thereby enabling a low-cost orbital platform to carry out such tasks. In contrast, launching a dedicated satellite for testing each of these experiments would be very expensive. Simply put, ISRO is re-purposing a spent rocket stage as an orbiting platform.&nbsp;

This launch would be the 60th flight of India's workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV), the vehicle undertaking next week's mission is designated PSLV-C58. The vehicle is the most-flown rocket in India's fleet. Flying since 1993, the rocket has an enviable track record of more than 98% success rate. PSLV is the rocket that is responsible for orbiting most of India's own satellites and the customer satellites launched by ISRO. It has earned the reputation of having successfully performed high-profile missions including Chandrayaan-1 and Mars Orbiter Mission, Aditya-L1.&nbsp;

Notably, this XPoSat mission would mark the third science mission launched by ISRO, in a span of six months. On 14th July 2023, ISRO successfully launched the high-profile Chandrayaan-3 mission which delivered much more than initially expected and planned. On September 2nd, ISRO successfully launched the Aditya-L1 Spacecraft, the country's first solar observatory. The Aditya craft is expected to reach its destination in the first week of January 2024. In the first quarter of 2024, India's GSLV(formerly GSLV Mark2) rocket will be launching the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar(NISAR) Earth observation satellite, which is meant to help study the Earth's natural phenomena, climate change, landmass, icecaps, forest cover, oceans etc.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

On the first day of the New Year 2024, the Indian Space Agency will be sending its 260-ton PSLV rocket into to the skies. Designated PSLV-C58/XPoSat, the PSLV rocket is scheduled to lift off from the first launchpad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SDSC-SHAR) at 9:10 am, Monday, January 1.

On the first day of the New Year 2024, the Indian Space Agency will be sending its 260-ton PSLV rocket into to the skies. Designated PSLV-C58/XPoSat, the PSLV rocket is scheduled to lift off from the first launchpad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre(SDSC-SHAR) at 9:10 am, Monday, January 1. The 44-m tall rocket would be carrying India's XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite), the country's first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions. The XPoSat spacecraft comprises two scientific payloads that will be placed in a low earth orbit. The primary payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization) in a medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons of astronomical origin. The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will give spectroscopic information in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV. "XPoSat is the first dedicated satellite for polarization measurements in the medium X-Ray range and this is going to find something very interesting about blackholes and their ability to eat into other stars. Once black holes take raw material from adjacent stars, there will be X-Ray radiation. If you are able to measure the polarization nature of the X-ray emission, you can quantify the material ejection, such is the theory," explained Dr S Somanath, Chairman, ISRO. At the end of the 22-minute-long mission, the 469kg spacecraft would be placed in an orbit that is 650 km above the earth's surface. After placing the satellite in the intended orbit, the final stage of the PSLV rocket(PS4) would be brought down to a lower orbit of 350kms, by re-starting the engines on two instances. Once in the 350 km orbit, the fuels and hazardous chemicals stored within the upper-stage tanks would be passivised. Passivisation is a step that prevents any possible explosions or break-up of the stored chemicals. It is a step aimed at ensuring sustainable use of space. Post-passivisation, the PS4 stage of the PSLV rocket would be used as a stabilised orbiting platform, that would carry a handful of experiments and technology demonstrators from ISRO Centres, academia and startups. Such use of the 4th stage as a PSLV Orbital Experimental Module(POEM). As it circles the earth, the experiments onboard POEM can be activated to perform their respective tasks, thereby enabling a low-cost orbital platform to carry out such tasks. In contrast, launching a dedicated satellite for testing each of these experiments would be very expensive. Simply put, ISRO is re-purposing a spent rocket stage as an orbiting platform. This launch would be the 60th flight of India's workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV), the vehicle undertaking next week's mission is designated PSLV-C58. The vehicle is the most-flown rocket in India's fleet. Flying since 1993, the rocket has an enviable track record of more than 98% success rate. PSLV is the rocket that is responsible for orbiting most of India's own satellites and the customer satellites launched by ISRO. It has earned the reputation of having successfully performed high-profile missions including Chandrayaan-1 and Mars Orbiter Mission, Aditya-L1. Notably, this XPoSat mission would mark the third science mission launched by ISRO, in a span of six months. On 14th July 2023, ISRO successfully launched the high-profile Chandrayaan-3 mission which delivered much more than initially expected and planned. On September 2nd, ISRO successfully launched the Aditya-L1 Spacecraft, the country's first solar observatory. The Aditya craft is expected to reach its destination in the first week of January 2024. In the first quarter of 2024, India's GSLV(formerly GSLV Mark2) rocket will be launching the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar(NISAR) Earth observation satellite, which is meant to help study the Earth's natural phenomena, climate change, landmass, icecaps, forest cover, oceans etc.

ISRO's 60th PSLV rocket to lift off with XPoSat on January 1

Researchers in the United States have issued a warning against the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which is present among wildlife, in humans, reported the Independent.&nbsp;

The illness, which is also known as ‘Zombie Deer Disease’, leaves animals drooling and confused. It was first detected in November in Yellowstone National Park.&nbsp;

The disease was discovered in 800 samples of deer, moose and elk across Wyoming.&nbsp;

The CWD has been labelled by the experts as a ''slow-moving disaster'' and the governments are being strongly advised to prepare for the chances of its transmission to humans.&nbsp;

As per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease was reported in 31 states in the United States.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/worlds-oldest-disease-causing-species-found-its-407mn-year-old-fungus-667950">World’s oldest disease-causing species found: It’s 407mn-year-old fungus</a>

''The mad cow disease outbreak in Britain provided an example of how, overnight, things can get crazy when a spillover event happens from, say, livestock to people. We're talking about the potential of something similar occurring. No one is saying that it's going to happen, but people need to be prepared,'' said CWD researcher Dr Cory Anderson, while speaking to The Guardian.

He further said that it is a worrying situation since there is no known way to eradicate the disease ''neither from the animals it infects nor the environment it contaminates.''

As per a report by Fox News, no cases of CWD have been found so far in humans.&nbsp;

However, as per some studies, monkeys face the threat of getting infected by chronic wasting disease if they eat infected animal meat or come in contact with the bodily fluids or brains of infected animals.&nbsp;

''These studies raise concerns that there may also be a risk to people. Since 1997, the World Health Organization has recommended that it is important to keep the agents of all known prion diseases from entering the human food chain,'' read the CDC website.&nbsp;

<h2>What is Zombie Deer Disease?</h2>

The ‘Zombie Deer Disease’ is a fatal and contagious disease illness which affects cervids, which is a group of animals that includes elk, deer, moose, reindeer and caribou.&nbsp;

The disease is caused by a malformed protein - known as prion - which gets accumulated in the tissues and the brain and causes behavioural and physiological changes, emaciation and ultimately death.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;3D printed face implants for face disfigurement for Black Fungus patients&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/3d-printed-face-implants-for-face-disfigurement-for-black-fungus-patients-world-dna-673886/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The disease gets transmitted by direct animal-to-animal contact and also indirectly by getting in contact with infectious particles which are present in soil, vegetation or faeces.&nbsp;

Animals can also get an infection if their pasture or feed is contaminated by the prions which are carrying it.&nbsp;

As per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, it may take more than a year for the development of symptoms in the deer.&nbsp;

It generally starts with the deer losing weight drastically, stumbling around, and eventually losing all the energy. At present, there is no cure or vaccine with CWD.

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers in the United States have issued a warning against the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which is present among wildlife, in humans, reported the Independent.

Researchers in the United States have issued a warning against the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which is present among wildlife, in humans, reported the Independent. The illness, which is also known as ‘Zombie Deer Disease’, leaves animals drooling and confused. It was first detected in November in Yellowstone National Park. The disease was discovered in 800 samples of deer, moose and elk across Wyoming. The CWD has been labelled by the experts as a ''slow-moving disaster'' and the governments are being strongly advised to prepare for the chances of its transmission to humans. As per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the disease was reported in 31 states in the United States. Also read: World’s oldest disease-causing species found: It’s 407mn-year-old fungus ''The mad cow disease outbreak in Britain provided an example of how, overnight, things can get crazy when a spillover event happens from, say, livestock to people. We're talking about the potential of something similar occurring. No one is saying that it's going to happen, but people need to be prepared,'' said CWD researcher Dr Cory Anderson, while speaking to The Guardian. He further said that it is a worrying situation since there is no known way to eradicate the disease ''neither from the animals it infects nor the environment it contaminates.'' As per a report by Fox News, no cases of CWD have been found so far in humans. However, as per some studies, monkeys face the threat of getting infected by chronic wasting disease if they eat infected animal meat or come in contact with the bodily fluids or brains of infected animals. ''These studies raise concerns that there may also be a risk to people. Since 1997, the World Health Organization has recommended that it is important to keep the agents of all known prion diseases from entering the human food chain,'' read the CDC website. What is Zombie Deer Disease? The ‘Zombie Deer Disease’ is a fatal and contagious disease illness which affects cervids, which is a group of animals that includes elk, deer, moose, reindeer and caribou. The disease is caused by a malformed protein - known as prion - which gets accumulated in the tissues and the brain and causes behavioural and physiological changes, emaciation and ultimately death. Watch: 3D printed face implants for face disfigurement for Black Fungus patients The disease gets transmitted by direct animal-to-animal contact and also indirectly by getting in contact with infectious particles which are present in soil, vegetation or faeces. Animals can also get an infection if their pasture or feed is contaminated by the prions which are carrying it. As per the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, it may take more than a year for the development of symptoms in the deer. It generally starts with the deer losing weight drastically, stumbling around, and eventually losing all the energy. At present, there is no cure or vaccine with CWD. (With inputs from agencies)

Humans may get infected by ‘Zombie Deer Disease’, warn scientists amid case surge in US

For years scientists have been trying to decode the biblical phenomena of parting or crossing of the Red Sea by Moses, which saw Israelis escaping from the despotic rule of Egyptian Pharoh.

While the event holds close to the believers, who equate the phenomena to a supernatural miracle, a group of researchers believe that they now have a scientific understanding of how the event might have unfolded.

At the outset, the paper clarified that its aim was not to disprove the biblical account but rather to explore physically plausible events that might lead to such a scenario.

A study published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics propounds that four probable natural occurrences might have contributed to the parting of the sea. They are: negative surges, eastern winds, tidal surges, and Rossby Wave.

The study was published by the researchers from University of Leicester's School of Biological Sciences.

<h2>Meteorological phenomena</h2>

“Investigating into the methods in which the waters may have receded, allowing Moses to cross safely, may be dependent on having 'perfect' conditions, but are still physically feasible events,” a study by students Rebekah Garratt and Rikesh Kunverji claims.

“Meteorological phenomena are known to be notoriously unpredictable and can lead to chaotic chains of events leading to extreme phenomena, which may have been viewed by bystanders as the ‘parting of the sea’.”

“Whether a miraculous act of God or due to some of the unlikely, coincidental phenomena discussed in this paper, the chance of ‘parting’ is not zero.”

One form of explanation is ‘wind setdown’, the experts said. It is a naturally occurring event where a strong, steady wind can lower water levels in certain areas while causing a buildup downwind. This occurrence is recognised as the opposite of storm surges.

Another explanation provided is tidal resonance, which could have led to an extreme low tide, thus unveiling more of the seabed.

The Gulf of Suez, due to its significant tidal fluctuations, is identified as a probable crossing point, they said.

Moreover, Rossby Waves, which occur in rotating fluids such as oceans owing to the Earth’s rotation, could have played a part by shifting vast amounts of water and causing an unusual tide recession, the study claimed.

<h2>Same&nbsp;phenomenon&nbsp;allowed Napoleon to cross the Red Sea</h2>

“Tidal resonance occurs when a sudden, unexpected external input, such as extreme wind, excites one of the resonant modes of a local region of the Red Sea, leading to a much more extreme low tide, exposing greater areas of the seabed.”

This is the same phenomenon&nbsp;which is believed to have allowed French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his army to cross the Red Sea in 1789.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/esas-christmas-gift-james-webb-telescope-captures-stunning-image-of-santas-path-673630">ESA's Christmas gift: James Webb Telescope captures stunning image of 'Santa's Path'</a>

The paper also suggests that Rossby Waves may also be responsible for the supernatural event.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/2024-indian-ocean-earthquake-and-tsunami-19-years-since-devastating-boxing-day-tsunami-673655">2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami: 19 years since devastating Boxing Day Tsunam</a>

Rossby Waves occur in rotating fluids and appear in oceans because of the planet's rotation.

The Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics is designed to help undergraduates understand scientific paper writing, peer review and publishing. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

For years scientists have been trying to decode the biblical phenomena of parting or crossing of the Red Sea by Moses, which saw Israelis escaping from the despotic rule of Egyptian Pharoh.

For years scientists have been trying to decode the biblical phenomena of parting or crossing of the Red Sea by Moses, which saw Israelis escaping from the despotic rule of Egyptian Pharoh. While the event holds close to the believers, who equate the phenomena to a supernatural miracle, a group of researchers believe that they now have a scientific understanding of how the event might have unfolded. At the outset, the paper clarified that its aim was not to disprove the biblical account but rather to explore physically plausible events that might lead to such a scenario. A study published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics propounds that four probable natural occurrences might have contributed to the parting of the sea. They are: negative surges, eastern winds, tidal surges, and Rossby Wave. The study was published by the researchers from University of Leicester's School of Biological Sciences. Meteorological phenomena “Investigating into the methods in which the waters may have receded, allowing Moses to cross safely, may be dependent on having 'perfect' conditions, but are still physically feasible events,” a study by students Rebekah Garratt and Rikesh Kunverji claims. “Meteorological phenomena are known to be notoriously unpredictable and can lead to chaotic chains of events leading to extreme phenomena, which may have been viewed by bystanders as the ‘parting of the sea’.” “Whether a miraculous act of God or due to some of the unlikely, coincidental phenomena discussed in this paper, the chance of ‘parting’ is not zero.” One form of explanation is ‘wind setdown’, the experts said. It is a naturally occurring event where a strong, steady wind can lower water levels in certain areas while causing a buildup downwind. This occurrence is recognised as the opposite of storm surges. Another explanation provided is tidal resonance, which could have led to an extreme low tide, thus unveiling more of the seabed. The Gulf of Suez, due to its significant tidal fluctuations, is identified as a probable crossing point, they said. Moreover, Rossby Waves, which occur in rotating fluids such as oceans owing to the Earth’s rotation, could have played a part by shifting vast amounts of water and causing an unusual tide recession, the study claimed. Same phenomenon allowed Napoleon to cross the Red Sea “Tidal resonance occurs when a sudden, unexpected external input, such as extreme wind, excites one of the resonant modes of a local region of the Red Sea, leading to a much more extreme low tide, exposing greater areas of the seabed.” This is the same phenomenon which is believed to have allowed French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his army to cross the Red Sea in 1789. Also read | ESA's Christmas gift: James Webb Telescope captures stunning image of 'Santa's Path' The paper also suggests that Rossby Waves may also be responsible for the supernatural event. Also read | 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami: 19 years since devastating Boxing Day Tsunam Rossby Waves occur in rotating fluids and appear in oceans because of the planet's rotation. The Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics is designed to help undergraduates understand scientific paper writing, peer review and publishing. (With inputs from agencies)

Study claims parting of Red Sea by Moses not a miracle, but ‘meteorological phenomenon’

In a study, Chinese scientists have uncovered the initial genetic evidence of a multiracial population in ancient China by examining DNA from remains discovered at a pivotal junction along the Silk Road.

Using advanced palaeogenomic techniques, researchers identified two individuals with East-West admixture, revealing the intermingling of genetically distinct groups in the ancient city of Dunhuang.

One of the individuals, hailing from the Cao-Wei dynasty (220-265 AD), exhibited West Eurasian genetic components reaching as high as 30 percent.

Meanwhile, a person from the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) displayed an even more pronounced West Eurasian genetic component, accounting for up to half of their genome.

Surprisingly, both cases indicated that it was the mother who originated from the West, challenging previous assumptions and suggesting a pattern of local men forming unions with "exotic" women from the West, colloquially known as "Hu Ji" in Chinese classical literature.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-koreas-upgraded-warship-cheonan-begins-mission-amidst-north-korean-tensions-672819">South Korea's upgraded warship, Cheonan, begins mission amidst North Korean tensions</a>

Wen Shaoqing, an associate professor at Fudan University in Shanghai and a study author, reportedly stressed the limitations in precisely pinpointing the place of Western origin with the available genome information.

Instead, the study broadened the scope, defining the West as the region west of Central Asia in the Eurasian continent, while the East referred to East Asia.

Dunhuang, situated in the Hexi Corridor in modern-day Gansu province, served as a crucial intersection on the ancient Silk Road, fostering cross-continental material and cultural exchange.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Bulletin on December 16, reflected a joint effort by researchers from Fudan University, Xiamen University, and the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/friend-turned-foe-how-2023-saw-the-emergence-of-xis-biggest-nemesis-bongbong-marcos-672817">Friend-turned-foe: How 2023 saw the emergence of Xi’s biggest nemesis - Bongbong Marcos</a>

Jin Xin, deputy director of the Institute of Precision Health Research at BGl-Research, commended the study, stating, "This is an interesting study that fills the knowledge gap."

The research also threw light on the Hexi Corridor's role at the forefront of China's interactions with world civilisations during that era.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-announces-naval-20-country-coalition-to-defend-red-sea-israel-hamas-war-world-news-wion-672816">US announces Naval 20-country coalition to defend Red Sea | Israel-Hamas War&nbsp;</a>

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Wen and his team analysed the genomic data of 30 individuals from different periods in the Hexi Corridor, uncovering a population admixture dating back to 600-1000 years ago, coinciding with the expansion of the Mongol Empire.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a study, Chinese scientists have uncovered the initial genetic evidence of a multiracial population in ancient China by examining DNA from remains discovered at a pivotal junction along the Silk Road.

In a study, Chinese scientists have uncovered the initial genetic evidence of a multiracial population in ancient China by examining DNA from remains discovered at a pivotal junction along the Silk Road. Using advanced palaeogenomic techniques, researchers identified two individuals with East-West admixture, revealing the intermingling of genetically distinct groups in the ancient city of Dunhuang. One of the individuals, hailing from the Cao-Wei dynasty (220-265 AD), exhibited West Eurasian genetic components reaching as high as 30 percent. Meanwhile, a person from the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD) displayed an even more pronounced West Eurasian genetic component, accounting for up to half of their genome. Surprisingly, both cases indicated that it was the mother who originated from the West, challenging previous assumptions and suggesting a pattern of local men forming unions with "exotic" women from the West, colloquially known as "Hu Ji" in Chinese classical literature. Also Read | South Korea's upgraded warship, Cheonan, begins mission amidst North Korean tensions Wen Shaoqing, an associate professor at Fudan University in Shanghai and a study author, reportedly stressed the limitations in precisely pinpointing the place of Western origin with the available genome information. Instead, the study broadened the scope, defining the West as the region west of Central Asia in the Eurasian continent, while the East referred to East Asia. Dunhuang, situated in the Hexi Corridor in modern-day Gansu province, served as a crucial intersection on the ancient Silk Road, fostering cross-continental material and cultural exchange. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Bulletin on December 16, reflected a joint effort by researchers from Fudan University, Xiamen University, and the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. Also Read | Friend-turned-foe: How 2023 saw the emergence of Xi’s biggest nemesis - Bongbong Marcos Jin Xin, deputy director of the Institute of Precision Health Research at BGl-Research, commended the study, stating, "This is an interesting study that fills the knowledge gap." The research also threw light on the Hexi Corridor's role at the forefront of China's interactions with world civilisations during that era. Watch | US announces Naval 20-country coalition to defend Red Sea | Israel-Hamas War × Wen and his team analysed the genomic data of 30 individuals from different periods in the Hexi Corridor, uncovering a population admixture dating back to 600-1000 years ago, coinciding with the expansion of the Mongol Empire. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, DNA from Silk Road reveals ancient China's multiracial past

In a new survey, which was done using ground penetrating radar and satellite imagery, scientists spotted signs of volcanic activity, which may have taken place far more recently than was expected by anyone.&nbsp;

The discovery, when combined with other evidence, revealed that beneath its barren crust, Mars is likely to have quite a bit more going on compared to what is seen in the outside appearances.&nbsp;

The study was carried over a plain called the Elysium Planitia and it was revealed that the volcanic activity may have taken place in the last 120 million years.

"Elysium Planitia is the youngest volcanic terrain on the planet, and studying it helps us to better understand Mars' past as well as recent hydrological and volcanic history," wrote the authors, in their paper.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-perseverance-rover-decodes-martian-lakes-ancient-history-after-spending-1000-martian-days-669370">Perseverance completes 1,000 days on Mars, decodes mystery of ancient crater lake</a>

Meanwhile, some of the volcanic activity which has been identified dates to only 1 million years ago.&nbsp;

This is very recent and geologically, the scientists have still not observed any volcanic activity actually taking place.&nbsp;

However, somewhere on Mars, this might exist as per recent studies.&nbsp;

<h2>Volcanic activity likely took place on Mars when&nbsp; dinosaurs roamed on Earth</h2>

According to scientists, the volcanic activity appeared very recent but they need to find where it actually took place.&nbsp;

"Elysium Planitia was volcanically much more active than previously thought and might even still be volcanically alive today," said Joana Voigt, who co-led the study alongside planetary scientist Christopher Hamilton of the University of Arizona and is a part of the NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.&nbsp;

As per the scientists, some of the lava flowing on the surface of Mars looked pretty young which left them baffled.&nbsp;

"Elysium Planitia is the perfect location to try to understand the link between what we see at the surface and the interior dynamics that manifested itself through volcanic eruptions,” said Voigt.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;NASA's Perseverance Rover finds new clues about water on Mars

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"I paid a lot of attention to the details on the lava surfaces to try and untangle the different eruption events and reconstruct the entire history of these geologic entities,” he added.

A plethora of quakes on Mars was recorded by NASA's InSight lander between 2018 and 2022 which proved that the red planet is anything but dead beneath its surface.

"Our study provides the most comprehensive account of geologically recent volcanism on a planet other than Earth," said Hamilton.&nbsp;

"It is the best estimate of Mars' young volcanic activity for about the past 120 million years, which corresponds to when the dinosaurs roamed on the Earth at their peak to present," he said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new survey, which was done using ground penetrating radar and satellite imagery, scientists spotted signs of volcanic activity, which may have taken place far more recently than was expected by anyone.

In a new survey, which was done using ground penetrating radar and satellite imagery, scientists spotted signs of volcanic activity, which may have taken place far more recently than was expected by anyone. The discovery, when combined with other evidence, revealed that beneath its barren crust, Mars is likely to have quite a bit more going on compared to what is seen in the outside appearances. The study was carried over a plain called the Elysium Planitia and it was revealed that the volcanic activity may have taken place in the last 120 million years. "Elysium Planitia is the youngest volcanic terrain on the planet, and studying it helps us to better understand Mars' past as well as recent hydrological and volcanic history," wrote the authors, in their paper. Also read: Perseverance completes 1,000 days on Mars, decodes mystery of ancient crater lake Meanwhile, some of the volcanic activity which has been identified dates to only 1 million years ago. This is very recent and geologically, the scientists have still not observed any volcanic activity actually taking place. However, somewhere on Mars, this might exist as per recent studies. Volcanic activity likely took place on Mars when dinosaurs roamed on Earth According to scientists, the volcanic activity appeared very recent but they need to find where it actually took place. "Elysium Planitia was volcanically much more active than previously thought and might even still be volcanically alive today," said Joana Voigt, who co-led the study alongside planetary scientist Christopher Hamilton of the University of Arizona and is a part of the NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As per the scientists, some of the lava flowing on the surface of Mars looked pretty young which left them baffled. "Elysium Planitia is the perfect location to try to understand the link between what we see at the surface and the interior dynamics that manifested itself through volcanic eruptions,” said Voigt. Watch: NASA's Perseverance Rover finds new clues about water on Mars "I paid a lot of attention to the details on the lava surfaces to try and untangle the different eruption events and reconstruct the entire history of these geologic entities,” he added. A plethora of quakes on Mars was recorded by NASA's InSight lander between 2018 and 2022 which proved that the red planet is anything but dead beneath its surface. "Our study provides the most comprehensive account of geologically recent volcanism on a planet other than Earth," said Hamilton. "It is the best estimate of Mars' young volcanic activity for about the past 120 million years, which corresponds to when the dinosaurs roamed on the Earth at their peak to present," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists spot recent volcanic activity on Earth’s neighbour Mars

NASA's ambitious mission to uncover the mysteries of the solar system has encountered an unforeseen obstacle. Two months after securing a crucial sample from the asteroid Bennu, the space agency faces a perplexing challenge—it is unable to open the canister housing the precious extraterrestrial material.

<h2>A precious payload from Bennu</h2>

On September 24, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft triumphantly returned to Earth, carrying a special payload—an invaluable canister filled with rocks and dust collected from the surface of asteroid Bennu.

These space rocks are of profound significance, holding potential clues to the solar system's origin and the ability to answer critical questions about Earth's formation.

The Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), designed to secure the asteroid sample, has become an unexpected challenge for NASA's scientific and engineering teams. Despite months of preparation and anticipation, NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston encountered a hurdle when attempting to unlock the TAGSAM.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-growing-food-in-space-what-is-nasas-veggie-project-670838">Also read |&nbsp;Explained: As tale of lost tomatoes grips the world, here's understanding how veggies are grown in space</a>

NASA officially disclosed the issue on October 20, revealing that two out of the 35 fasteners on the TAGSAM head could not be removed using the current tools approved for use in the OSIRIS-REx glovebox. This marks the first time NASA has encountered such a challenge in retrieving a sample from an asteroid in space, highlighting the intricacies of the TAGSAM mechanics.

Also watch |&nbsp;NASA Chief says Aliens exist

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In response to the unexpected challenge, the NASA team has been diligently working to troubleshoot the problem, adjusting their approach to opening the TAGSAM head. Despite multiple attempts, the resistant fasteners have proven formidable. The constraints of the OSIRIS-REx glovebox, designed to prevent contamination, have further complicated the process, limiting the tools that can be employed to those fitting within the glovebox.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-is-what-going-to-gym-looks-like-at-international-space-station-670676">Also read |&nbsp;This is what going to gym looks like on International Space Station</a>

Despite these formidable challenges, the NASA has has continued its efforts to&nbsp;access a portion of the sample. It has extracting 70.3 grams of rocks and dust from both the outside and inside of the TAGSAM head so far. Surpassing the initial goal of collecting 60 grams, this partial success has already yielded valuable insights into the composition of the asteroid, providing a silver lining amid the technical challenges faced by the space agency.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA's ambitious mission to uncover the mysteries of the solar system has encountered an unforeseen obstacle. Two months after securing a crucial sample from the asteroid Bennu, the space agency faces a perplexing challenge—it is unable to open the canister housing the precious extraterrestrial material.

NASA's ambitious mission to uncover the mysteries of the solar system has encountered an unforeseen obstacle. Two months after securing a crucial sample from the asteroid Bennu, the space agency faces a perplexing challenge—it is unable to open the canister housing the precious extraterrestrial material. A precious payload from Bennu On September 24, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft triumphantly returned to Earth, carrying a special payload—an invaluable canister filled with rocks and dust collected from the surface of asteroid Bennu. These space rocks are of profound significance, holding potential clues to the solar system's origin and the ability to answer critical questions about Earth's formation. The Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), designed to secure the asteroid sample, has become an unexpected challenge for NASA's scientific and engineering teams. Despite months of preparation and anticipation, NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston encountered a hurdle when attempting to unlock the TAGSAM. Also read | Explained: As tale of lost tomatoes grips the world, here's understanding how veggies are grown in space NASA officially disclosed the issue on October 20, revealing that two out of the 35 fasteners on the TAGSAM head could not be removed using the current tools approved for use in the OSIRIS-REx glovebox. This marks the first time NASA has encountered such a challenge in retrieving a sample from an asteroid in space, highlighting the intricacies of the TAGSAM mechanics. Also watch | NASA Chief says Aliens exist In response to the unexpected challenge, the NASA team has been diligently working to troubleshoot the problem, adjusting their approach to opening the TAGSAM head. Despite multiple attempts, the resistant fasteners have proven formidable. The constraints of the OSIRIS-REx glovebox, designed to prevent contamination, have further complicated the process, limiting the tools that can be employed to those fitting within the glovebox. Also read | This is what going to gym looks like on International Space Station Despite these formidable challenges, the NASA has has continued its efforts to access a portion of the sample. It has extracting 70.3 grams of rocks and dust from both the outside and inside of the TAGSAM head so far. Surpassing the initial goal of collecting 60 grams, this partial success has already yielded valuable insights into the composition of the asteroid, providing a silver lining amid the technical challenges faced by the space agency. (With inputs from agencies)

Two months on, NASA is still struggling to open sample container from asteroid Bennu

A research team, headed by bioengineering pioneer César de la Fuente, has been making use of artificial intelligence-based computational methods to get mine genetic information from humans who have become extinct now like Neanderthals and long-gone ice age creatures such as giant sloths and woolly mammoths. 
 
The scientists said that they have discovered that these small proteins, or peptides have bacteria-fighting powers which may help in making new drugs that can fight infections in humans. This innovative story also helps in opening up a completely new way to approach the discovery of drugs.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-pooh-pooh-claims-that-extinct-ancient-human-homo-naledi-buried-its-dead-658437">Scientists pooh-pooh claims that extinct ancient hominid 'Homo naledi' buried its dead</a>

“It has enabled us to uncover new sequences, new types of molecules that we have not previously found in living organisms, expanding the way we think about molecular diversity,” said de la Fuente, who is Presidential Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, while speaking to CNN. 
 
“Bacteria from today have never faced those molecules so they may give us a better opportunity at targeting the pathogens that are problematic today,” he added.

<h2>WHO emphasises on urgency of finding new antibiotics</h2>

As per the experts, the new ways to approach the problem of antimicrobial resistance to the medicines in existence is a pressing issue for global health. 
 
Speaking about the antibiotic resistance crisis, Michael Mahan, a professor in the department of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said, “The world is facing an antibiotic resistance crisis. My view is that a land, sea, and air approach is needed to solve the problem — and if we need to go to the past to provide potential solutions for the future — I am all for it.”

Watch:&nbsp;China: Scientists develop powerful hydrogen therapy that could reverse ageing

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As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is an immediate need to identify possible candidates for new antibiotics as the global population is facing almost 5 million deaths every year, which are related to microbial resistance. 
 
Most of the antibiotics are generated from fungi and bacteria which are discovered through screening of microorganisms that exist in soil. However, in recent decades, pathogens have turned resistant to various drugs due to overuse. 
 
Scientists, who are trying to fight superbugs, have been exploring various potential weapons, which include phages, or viruses which are created in nature for eating bacteria.

(With inputs from agencies)

A research team, headed by bioengineering pioneer César de la Fuente, has been making use of artificial intelligence-based computational methods to get mine genetic information from humans who have become extinct now like Neanderthals and long-gone ice age creatures such as giant sloths and woolly mammoths.

A research team, headed by bioengineering pioneer César de la Fuente, has been making use of artificial intelligence-based computational methods to get mine genetic information from humans who have become extinct now like Neanderthals and long-gone ice age creatures such as giant sloths and woolly mammoths. The scientists said that they have discovered that these small proteins, or peptides have bacteria-fighting powers which may help in making new drugs that can fight infections in humans. This innovative story also helps in opening up a completely new way to approach the discovery of drugs. Also read: Scientists pooh-pooh claims that extinct ancient hominid 'Homo naledi' buried its dead “It has enabled us to uncover new sequences, new types of molecules that we have not previously found in living organisms, expanding the way we think about molecular diversity,” said de la Fuente, who is Presidential Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, while speaking to CNN. “Bacteria from today have never faced those molecules so they may give us a better opportunity at targeting the pathogens that are problematic today,” he added. WHO emphasises on urgency of finding new antibiotics As per the experts, the new ways to approach the problem of antimicrobial resistance to the medicines in existence is a pressing issue for global health. Speaking about the antibiotic resistance crisis, Michael Mahan, a professor in the department of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said, “The world is facing an antibiotic resistance crisis. My view is that a land, sea, and air approach is needed to solve the problem — and if we need to go to the past to provide potential solutions for the future — I am all for it.” Watch: China: Scientists develop powerful hydrogen therapy that could reverse ageing As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is an immediate need to identify possible candidates for new antibiotics as the global population is facing almost 5 million deaths every year, which are related to microbial resistance. Most of the antibiotics are generated from fungi and bacteria which are discovered through screening of microorganisms that exist in soil. However, in recent decades, pathogens have turned resistant to various drugs due to overuse. Scientists, who are trying to fight superbugs, have been exploring various potential weapons, which include phages, or viruses which are created in nature for eating bacteria. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists try to get molecules from extinct humans to discover new antibiotics

Scientists have warned that the Arctic has hidden beneath its frozen ground a methane monster that is threatening to show its ugly head. 
 
Scientists are still unaware of how big the threat is and who will suffer the most, however, what remains clear is that the permanently frozen soil – which is called permafrost – has been melting amid increasing temperatures and further threatening to release massive amounts of methane, which is an extremely potent fossil fuel, from its icy prison. 
 
While trying to understand the methane's deep distribution in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, the scientists have figured out a scary new truth.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-what-will-happen-if-global-heating-target-of-15c-is-missed-669445">Explained: What will happen if global heating target of 1.5C is missed?</a>

The researchers in Norway while analysing the data from eight exploration wells – which were drilled in the local permafrost by fossil fuel companies – have discovered that half of them were filled with substantial amounts of methane gas.

<h2>What are the chances of methane reaching the ground's surface?</h2>

As per the finding, the deep methane – which is two metres below the frozen ground's surface – is not difficult to find in the archipelago, and carries the chances of easily reaching the surface when 'unlocked'. This also applies to other parts of the Arctic, which also have similar geological origins. 
 
"All the wells that encountered gas accumulations did so by coincidence – by contrast, hydrocarbon exploration wells that specifically target accumulations in more typical settings had a success rate far below 50 per cent," said geologist and lead author Thomas Birchall from the University Center in Svalbard, while speaking to Science Alert. 
 
"One anecdotal example is from a wellbore that was drilled recently near the airport in Longyearbyen. The drillers heard a bubbling sound coming from the well, so we decided to have a look, armed with rudimentary alarms designed for detecting explosive levels of methane – which were immediately triggered when we held them over the wellbore,” he added.

Watch:&nbsp;COP28 Summit: 200 countries to hash out solutions for climate change

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Even after fossil fuel companies carried out drilling for more than 50 years, this is the first study which systematically analysed the amount of methane gas lying at the base of Svalbard's permafrost. 
 
As of now, there is no clear estimate of how much methane has been leaking from Arctic permafrost. The current research has been carried out in Svalbard and is based on data collected from 18 hydrocarbon exploration wells, 500 coal exploration bores, and 10 scientific boreholes.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists have warned that the Arctic has hidden beneath its frozen ground a methane monster that is threatening to show its ugly head. Scientists are still unaware of how big the threat is and who will suffer the most, however, what remains clear is that the permanently frozen soil – which is called permafrost – has been melting amid increasing temperatures and further threatening to release massive amounts of methane, which is an extremely potent fossil fuel, from its icy prison.

Scientists have warned that the Arctic has hidden beneath its frozen ground a methane monster that is threatening to show its ugly head. Scientists are still unaware of how big the threat is and who will suffer the most, however, what remains clear is that the permanently frozen soil – which is called permafrost – has been melting amid increasing temperatures and further threatening to release massive amounts of methane, which is an extremely potent fossil fuel, from its icy prison. While trying to understand the methane's deep distribution in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, the scientists have figured out a scary new truth. Also read: Explained: What will happen if global heating target of 1.5C is missed? The researchers in Norway while analysing the data from eight exploration wells – which were drilled in the local permafrost by fossil fuel companies – have discovered that half of them were filled with substantial amounts of methane gas. What are the chances of methane reaching the ground's surface? As per the finding, the deep methane – which is two metres below the frozen ground's surface – is not difficult to find in the archipelago, and carries the chances of easily reaching the surface when 'unlocked'. This also applies to other parts of the Arctic, which also have similar geological origins. "All the wells that encountered gas accumulations did so by coincidence – by contrast, hydrocarbon exploration wells that specifically target accumulations in more typical settings had a success rate far below 50 per cent," said geologist and lead author Thomas Birchall from the University Center in Svalbard, while speaking to Science Alert. "One anecdotal example is from a wellbore that was drilled recently near the airport in Longyearbyen. The drillers heard a bubbling sound coming from the well, so we decided to have a look, armed with rudimentary alarms designed for detecting explosive levels of methane – which were immediately triggered when we held them over the wellbore,” he added. Watch: COP28 Summit: 200 countries to hash out solutions for climate change Even after fossil fuel companies carried out drilling for more than 50 years, this is the first study which systematically analysed the amount of methane gas lying at the base of Svalbard's permafrost. As of now, there is no clear estimate of how much methane has been leaking from Arctic permafrost. The current research has been carried out in Svalbard and is based on data collected from 18 hydrocarbon exploration wells, 500 coal exploration bores, and 10 scientific boreholes. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists warn methane monster lurking beneath Arctic's frozen ground

The scientists, in their latest discovery, found that when there is a collision between pieces of space debris, electric signals are released by them which help&nbsp;in tracking small debris that is littering the orbit of our planet and can prove beneficial in saving both spacecraft and satellites. 
 
The researchers at the University of Michigan have now proposed a new approach which can help spacecraft operators and satellites detect small pieces of debris which are orbiting Earth. 
 
“Right now, we detect space debris by looking for objects that reflect light or radar signals. The smaller the objects get, the harder it becomes to get sunlight or radar signals strong enough to detect them from the ground,” explained Nilton Renno, who is professor of climate and space sciences and engineering and aerospace engineering and the university team's principal investigator.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/iss-discovers-tomato-which-remained-lost-in-space-for-eight-months-667098">A tomato lost for 8 months on space station has finally been found, and it is a big deal</a>

Till now, they have been able to track objects which are much larger than a cricket ball and this applies to less than one per cent of the nearly 170 million pieces of trash leftover from old satellites, spacewalk and rocket launches. 
 
The researchers said that the new method can be used for detecting debris which is smaller than one millimetre in diameter.

<h2>How dangerous is trash in space?</h2>

The trash in space is dangerous in many ways. A piece of space debris, which is the size of a plum, will have a speed of around 35,000 kilometres per hour at typical orbit and hence, its momentum will be equal to a highway car crash. 
 
In such scenarios, a small piece of debris will carry the capacity to destroy satellites. Even very small and fine pieces can cause damage to the spacecraft. 
 
Generally, pieces of debris in space collide with each other which also becomes an issue because after collision they fragment into smaller and smaller pieces.

Watch:&nbsp;Gaganyaan: India's first mission to send astronauts to space

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Such collisions can turn disastrous and they can also give the scientists an opportunity to track space junk. When the collision of debris takes place and it gets fragmented&nbsp;into smaller pieces, some of it gets vapourised into a charged gas due to the heat from the impact. 
 
The collision creates bursts of lightning-like energy. As per the most recent simulations by the team, when the collision of two pieces of aluminium takes place at typical orbital speeds, they release an electrical burst, which is detected on Earth using a high-quality radio receiver. 
 
This eventually helps the scientists track the space junk and send alerts to keep the spacecraft in space safe and undamaged.

(With inputs from agencies)

The scientists, in their latest discovery, found that when there is a collision between pieces of space debris, electric signals are released by them which help in tracking small debris that is littering the orbit of our planet and can prove beneficial in saving both spacecraft and satellites.

The scientists, in their latest discovery, found that when there is a collision between pieces of space debris, electric signals are released by them which help in tracking small debris that is littering the orbit of our planet and can prove beneficial in saving both spacecraft and satellites. The researchers at the University of Michigan have now proposed a new approach which can help spacecraft operators and satellites detect small pieces of debris which are orbiting Earth. “Right now, we detect space debris by looking for objects that reflect light or radar signals. The smaller the objects get, the harder it becomes to get sunlight or radar signals strong enough to detect them from the ground,” explained Nilton Renno, who is professor of climate and space sciences and engineering and aerospace engineering and the university team's principal investigator. Also read: A tomato lost for 8 months on space station has finally been found, and it is a big deal Till now, they have been able to track objects which are much larger than a cricket ball and this applies to less than one per cent of the nearly 170 million pieces of trash leftover from old satellites, spacewalk and rocket launches. The researchers said that the new method can be used for detecting debris which is smaller than one millimetre in diameter. How dangerous is trash in space? The trash in space is dangerous in many ways. A piece of space debris, which is the size of a plum, will have a speed of around 35,000 kilometres per hour at typical orbit and hence, its momentum will be equal to a highway car crash. In such scenarios, a small piece of debris will carry the capacity to destroy satellites. Even very small and fine pieces can cause damage to the spacecraft. Generally, pieces of debris in space collide with each other which also becomes an issue because after collision they fragment into smaller and smaller pieces. Watch: Gaganyaan: India's first mission to send astronauts to space Such collisions can turn disastrous and they can also give the scientists an opportunity to track space junk. When the collision of debris takes place and it gets fragmented into smaller pieces, some of it gets vapourised into a charged gas due to the heat from the impact. The collision creates bursts of lightning-like energy. As per the most recent simulations by the team, when the collision of two pieces of aluminium takes place at typical orbital speeds, they release an electrical burst, which is detected on Earth using a high-quality radio receiver. This eventually helps the scientists track the space junk and send alerts to keep the spacecraft in space safe and undamaged. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists find a 'unique' way to keep spacecraft safer than they ever were

Scientists have pinpointed the location of the place where an asteroid hit Earth approximately 750,000 years ago. In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the planetary scientists released evidence showing that the location of impact crater they have been seeking for decades is on the Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos.

Scientists have pinpointed the location of the place where an asteroid hit Earth approximately 750,000 years ago. In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the planetary scientists released evidence showing that the location of impact crater they have been seeking for decades is on the Bolaven Plateau in southern Laos. Although the evidence for the asteroid's size and event's timing is far and wide, the discovery of the location has been a multi-year study. Earlier studies say an asteroid hit the Earth's surface about 789,000 years ago, producing many rocks in southeast Asia and Australia. These black glassy rocks, called tektites, formed the most prominent debris spray from an extraterrestrial impact. Although older and bigger collisions have produced larger sprays, geological processes have long buried the evidence. However, the tektites are recent enough to be visible in several places. Also Read | Twin temples linked to Hercules and Alexander the Great discovered on top of each other in Iraq The location remained hidden for a long time due to geological conditions and thick rainforests. It is also in the world's most politically isolated nations. The team led by Professor Kerry Sieh of the Nanyang Technological University mentioned in the study that "the unexpected ordnance hampered fieldwork for decades." Sieh's team used a layer of pebble and boulder-sized rocks called Bolaven diamicton to identify the impact site's location. According to the research team, the impact broke the ancient sandstone and basaltic lava to form the diamicton. The research team also studied the conclusions of other studies on the impact crater, which convinced them it had not been found as it was filled with lava. From 2015 to 2023, they conducted field research, gathering and analysing tektites from the Bolaven impact and marking their locations on the map. They found small samples that would fit in hand and large deposits up to nine meters thick. Later, the maps pointed to a radical pattern of thickening ejecta (material thrown out during volcanic explosion) linked around a single plateau. The team believed this indicated where the asteroid crashed into the Earth. When the team introduced the idea of the crater being beneath the Bolavean Volcanic Field, they did not have enough evidence to convince the geologists. However, they have five separate datasets that point towards the location. Although the team needs to perform more research at or near the proposed impact site's vicinity, they are confident about the recent study, calling their results "all but definitive." (With inputs from agencies)

This is the exact spot an asteroid made a crater 750,000 years ago

In what appears to be a new challenge for astronomers, a gigantic dark hole has been created on the surface of the sun and is releasing powerful streams of fast radiation, also called solar wind, right towards the Earth. 
 
The temporary gap's size and orientation, which is wider than 60 Earths, remains unprecedented at the solar cycle's current stage, as per the scientists. 
 
The sun's giant dark patch, which is known as a coronal hole, appeared near the equator of the sun on December 2 and in 24 hours, it reached its maximum width of nearly 497,000 miles (800,000 kilometres), reported Spaceweather.com. Since December 4, the big void in the sun has been pointing directly at Earth. 
 
Initially, it was predicted by the experts that this most recent hole could cause a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm, which can trigger radio blackouts and the world may witness strong auroral displays for the next few days.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/suns-rampant-activity-cycle-likely-to-peak-january-2024-scientists-analysing-its-dangers-say-664781">Sun's rampant activity cycle likely to peak January 2024, scientists analysing its dangers say</a>

The solar wind, however, remained less intense than expected and hence, the resulting storm has only been weak (G1) till now, according to Spaceweather.com. However, there are formation of auroras at high latitudes. 
 
It remains unclear how long will it take for the hole to disappear from the sun, however, as per previous records the coronal holes have remained for more than a single solar rotation (27 days), as per the NOAA. The hole, however, will soon rotate away from Earth.

<h2>Why do coronal holes get created in the sun?</h2>

Coronal holes are created when the magnetic fields holding the sun in a place open up suddenly and cause content present in the upper surface of the sun to stream away in the form of solar wind, as per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 
 
Coronal holes look like dark patches on the sun because they are less dense and cooler in comparison to the surrounding plasma. This is equivalent to why sunspots appear to be black, however, unlike sunspots, one cannot see coronal holes unless they are viewed in ultraviolet light.

Watch:&nbsp;New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller, says report&nbsp;

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According to NOOA, the radiation streams which are released from coronal holes are much faster in comparison to the normal solar wind and often lead to disturbances in the magnetic shield of the Earth, called as geomagnetic storms. 
 
The last coronal hole, which was seen in March, had released the most powerful geomagnetic storm to have hit Earth in the last six years.

(With inputs from agencies)

In what appears to be a new challenge for astronomers, a gigantic dark hole has been created on the surface of the sun and is releasing powerful streams of fast radiation, also called solar wind, right towards the Earth.

In what appears to be a new challenge for astronomers, a gigantic dark hole has been created on the surface of the sun and is releasing powerful streams of fast radiation, also called solar wind, right towards the Earth. The temporary gap's size and orientation, which is wider than 60 Earths, remains unprecedented at the solar cycle's current stage, as per the scientists. The sun's giant dark patch, which is known as a coronal hole, appeared near the equator of the sun on December 2 and in 24 hours, it reached its maximum width of nearly 497,000 miles (800,000 kilometres), reported Spaceweather.com. Since December 4, the big void in the sun has been pointing directly at Earth. Initially, it was predicted by the experts that this most recent hole could cause a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm, which can trigger radio blackouts and the world may witness strong auroral displays for the next few days. Also read: Sun's rampant activity cycle likely to peak January 2024, scientists analysing its dangers say The solar wind, however, remained less intense than expected and hence, the resulting storm has only been weak (G1) till now, according to Spaceweather.com. However, there are formation of auroras at high latitudes. It remains unclear how long will it take for the hole to disappear from the sun, however, as per previous records the coronal holes have remained for more than a single solar rotation (27 days), as per the NOAA. The hole, however, will soon rotate away from Earth. Why do coronal holes get created in the sun? Coronal holes are created when the magnetic fields holding the sun in a place open up suddenly and cause content present in the upper surface of the sun to stream away in the form of solar wind, as per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Coronal holes look like dark patches on the sun because they are less dense and cooler in comparison to the surrounding plasma. This is equivalent to why sunspots appear to be black, however, unlike sunspots, one cannot see coronal holes unless they are viewed in ultraviolet light. Watch: New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller, says report According to NOOA, the radiation streams which are released from coronal holes are much faster in comparison to the normal solar wind and often lead to disturbances in the magnetic shield of the Earth, called as geomagnetic storms. The last coronal hole, which was seen in March, had released the most powerful geomagnetic storm to have hit Earth in the last six years. (With inputs from agencies)

Monstrous dark hole in Sun releasing superfast solar wind towards Earth. Scientists warn...

Scientists have time and again emphasised how the sun will become boiling hot in around a billion years and all the oceans present on Earth will be dried and eventually, the existence of life will come to an end. 
 
Till now, scientists have believed that the fate of life on Earth has been more or less definitive. However, a new theory has emerged which suggests that a rogue star passing close to the planet may be able to save Earth. 
 
As per a new study carried out by scientists from the University of Bordeaux, France, and the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, the passing star can turn out to be an unlikely saviour. 
 
More than 12,000 simulations were run by the researchers to understand what can happen if a star passes within 100 astronomical units (about 9.3 billion miles) from Earth.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-will-collide-with-moon-this-is-what-a-rogue-star-can-do-to-our-solar-system-664214">A rogue star can send Earth smashing into Moon, wiping out all life, study finds</a>

After creating the simulations, the scientists observed that the solar system is remarkably stable. In around 92 per cent of cases, it was observed that the solar system would remain almost intact even if a star passed by the solar system. 
 
"I thought more would happen," said Sean Raymond, who is a study author from the University of Bordeaux in France, while speaking to New Scientist. "It's really not that easy to mess with planets' orbits – a star has to get really into another star's business to mess with its planets,” he added.

<h2>A slim chance to save Earth</h2>

In a blog post, Raymond said, “Still, there's a chance the passing star could pull our planet out of harm's way – albeit a slim one. In 0.28 per cent of the simulations, the star pulled the Earth out of its orbit and into a more temperate region.” 
 
In a few simulations, Earth remained inside the solar system, however, the planet was pulled to a region beyond Pluto which is about 10 per cent cooler compared to our current orbit. 
 
In other simulations, the planet was pushed into interstellar space and it got placed in the Oort cloud which is around 2 billion light years away, or became a free-floating planet in space. 
 
In the blog post, Raymon said, “As bizarre as it might seem, this may not be the worst-case scenario. It is much harder to un-roast a fried planet than to heat up a frozen world.”

Watch:&nbsp;European Space Agency released first images taken by Euclid's telescope

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"If they possess modestly thick hydrogen atmospheres, free-floating planets can trap enough heat to maintain liquid water on the surface," he added. 
 
There is just a one per cent chance of a star flying by our solar system in the next billion years, and as per the simulations, a 1 in 350 chance of Earth getting kicked into a habitable orbit. 
 
"So taken together, that's a 1 in 35,000 chance that the long-term prospects for life on Earth will be rescued by a passing star," added Raymond. 
 
"That's about the same odds as randomly pulling the ace of spades from two separate decks of cards while also rolling a combined 10 with two dice. Not the best odds," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists have time and again emphasised how the sun will become boiling hot in around a billion years and all the oceans present on Earth will be dried and eventually, the existence of life will come to an end.

Scientists have time and again emphasised how the sun will become boiling hot in around a billion years and all the oceans present on Earth will be dried and eventually, the existence of life will come to an end. Till now, scientists have believed that the fate of life on Earth has been more or less definitive. However, a new theory has emerged which suggests that a rogue star passing close to the planet may be able to save Earth. As per a new study carried out by scientists from the University of Bordeaux, France, and the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, the passing star can turn out to be an unlikely saviour. More than 12,000 simulations were run by the researchers to understand what can happen if a star passes within 100 astronomical units (about 9.3 billion miles) from Earth. Also read: A rogue star can send Earth smashing into Moon, wiping out all life, study finds After creating the simulations, the scientists observed that the solar system is remarkably stable. In around 92 per cent of cases, it was observed that the solar system would remain almost intact even if a star passed by the solar system. "I thought more would happen," said Sean Raymond, who is a study author from the University of Bordeaux in France, while speaking to New Scientist. "It's really not that easy to mess with planets' orbits – a star has to get really into another star's business to mess with its planets,” he added. A slim chance to save Earth In a blog post, Raymond said, “Still, there's a chance the passing star could pull our planet out of harm's way – albeit a slim one. In 0.28 per cent of the simulations, the star pulled the Earth out of its orbit and into a more temperate region.” In a few simulations, Earth remained inside the solar system, however, the planet was pulled to a region beyond Pluto which is about 10 per cent cooler compared to our current orbit. In other simulations, the planet was pushed into interstellar space and it got placed in the Oort cloud which is around 2 billion light years away, or became a free-floating planet in space. In the blog post, Raymon said, “As bizarre as it might seem, this may not be the worst-case scenario. It is much harder to un-roast a fried planet than to heat up a frozen world.” Watch: European Space Agency released first images taken by Euclid's telescope "If they possess modestly thick hydrogen atmospheres, free-floating planets can trap enough heat to maintain liquid water on the surface," he added. There is just a one per cent chance of a star flying by our solar system in the next billion years, and as per the simulations, a 1 in 350 chance of Earth getting kicked into a habitable orbit. "So taken together, that's a 1 in 35,000 chance that the long-term prospects for life on Earth will be rescued by a passing star," added Raymond. "That's about the same odds as randomly pulling the ace of spades from two separate decks of cards while also rolling a combined 10 with two dice. Not the best odds," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Can a rogue star save Earth from its destined extinction? Scientists say...

In a major breakthrough, scientists used human cells and created tiny living robots which are able to move around in a lab dish and are likely to heal damaged tissue and wounds someday, as per a new study. 
 
A team, comprising students from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute and Tufts University, have called these creations anthrobots. The research was the follow-up of similar work done by the same scientists. These scientists had earlier made the first living robots, called xenobots, using stem cells sourced from African clawed frog embryos. 
 
“Some people thought that the features of the xenobots relied a lot on the fact that they are embryonic and amphibian,” study author Michael Levin, Vannevar Bush professor of biology at Tufts’ School of Arts &amp; Sciences said, as reported by CNN. 
 
“I don’t think this has anything to do with being an embryo. This has nothing to do with being a frog. I think this is a much more general property of living things. We don’t realize all the competencies that our own body cells have,” he added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/technology-devouring-humans-robot-crushes-man-to-death-in-south-korea-656647">Technology devouring humans? Robot crushes man to death in South Korea</a>

“While alive, the anthrobots were not full-fledged organisms because they didn’t have a full life cycle. It reminds us that these harsh binary categories that we’ve operated with: Is that a robot, is that an animal, is that a machine? These kinds of things don’t serve us very well. We need to get beyond that,” Levin said. 
 
The research was published in the journal Advanced Science on Thursday (Nov 30).

<h2>How were these living robots made?</h2>

Adult human cells, which were taken from the windpipe or trachea of anonymous donors who were from different sexes and ages, were used by the scientists. 
 
This type of cell was selected by the researchers because they are comparatively easy to access due to the work done on COVID-19 and lung disease and, because of a feature which as per scientists will make cells capable of motion, as per study coauthor Gizem Gumuskaya, who is a doctoral student at Tufts.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Man crushed to death by robot in South Korea

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“Nothing happened on day one, day two, day four or five, but as biology usually does, around day seven, there was a rapid transition. It was like a blossoming flower. By day seven, the cilia had flipped and were on the outside,” Gumuskaya said. 
 
“In our method, each anthrobot grows from a single cell,” she said. 
 
“It’s this self-assembly that makes them unique. Biological robots have been made by other scientists, but they were constructed by hand by making a mould and seeding cells to live on top of it,” said Levin.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a major breakthrough, scientists used human cells and created tiny living robots which are able to move around in a lab dish and are likely to heal damaged tissue and wounds someday, as per a new study.

In a major breakthrough, scientists used human cells and created tiny living robots which are able to move around in a lab dish and are likely to heal damaged tissue and wounds someday, as per a new study. A team, comprising students from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute and Tufts University, have called these creations anthrobots. The research was the follow-up of similar work done by the same scientists. These scientists had earlier made the first living robots, called xenobots, using stem cells sourced from African clawed frog embryos. “Some people thought that the features of the xenobots relied a lot on the fact that they are embryonic and amphibian,” study author Michael Levin, Vannevar Bush professor of biology at Tufts’ School of Arts & Sciences said, as reported by CNN. “I don’t think this has anything to do with being an embryo. This has nothing to do with being a frog. I think this is a much more general property of living things. We don’t realize all the competencies that our own body cells have,” he added. Also read: Technology devouring humans? Robot crushes man to death in South Korea “While alive, the anthrobots were not full-fledged organisms because they didn’t have a full life cycle. It reminds us that these harsh binary categories that we’ve operated with: Is that a robot, is that an animal, is that a machine? These kinds of things don’t serve us very well. We need to get beyond that,” Levin said. The research was published in the journal Advanced Science on Thursday (Nov 30). How were these living robots made? Adult human cells, which were taken from the windpipe or trachea of anonymous donors who were from different sexes and ages, were used by the scientists. This type of cell was selected by the researchers because they are comparatively easy to access due to the work done on COVID-19 and lung disease and, because of a feature which as per scientists will make cells capable of motion, as per study coauthor Gizem Gumuskaya, who is a doctoral student at Tufts. Watch: Gravitas: Man crushed to death by robot in South Korea “Nothing happened on day one, day two, day four or five, but as biology usually does, around day seven, there was a rapid transition. It was like a blossoming flower. By day seven, the cilia had flipped and were on the outside,” Gumuskaya said. “In our method, each anthrobot grows from a single cell,” she said. “It’s this self-assembly that makes them unique. Biological robots have been made by other scientists, but they were constructed by hand by making a mould and seeding cells to live on top of it,” said Levin. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists create tiny living robots from human cells which may heal wounds

In a first, astronomers have found the swirling disk of material which is feeding a young star and is present in a galaxy, which is outside the Milky Way. 
 
The disk was found near-identical to those discovered near infant stars in the Milky Way and this helped scientists understand that the stars and planets are formed in other galaxies just like the ones in our galaxy. 
 
The young star, which has been just observed, is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is a galaxy located 160,000 light-years away from the Milky Way and its system, which has been given the name HH 1177, is placed in a massive cloud of gas. 
 
The team, which was behind the discovery observed the system as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), which is the largest astronomical project.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/evil-eye-in-the-sky-clicked-by-nasa-wows-netizens-663392">'Evil eye' in the sky clicked by NASA wows netizens</a>

"When I first saw evidence for a rotating structure in the ALMA data, I could not believe that we had detected the first extragalactic accretion disc. It was a special moment," said researcher lead author and Durham University scientist Anna McLeod, in a statement, as reported by space.com. 
 
"We know discs are vital to forming stars and planets in our galaxy, and here, for the first time, we're seeing direct evidence for this in another galaxy,” he added.

<h2>Jet emerges from forming star, hinting at existence of disk</h2>

McLeod and his teammates were hinted about the existence of this system when a jet emerging from a forming star was spotted by the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). 
 
The instrument is able to make observations in the visible wavelength range as well as measure the wavelengths of light which are getting emitted from the object. "We discovered a jet being launched from this young massive star, and its presence is a signpost for ongoing disc accretion," said McLeod.

Watch:&nbsp;New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller, says report&nbsp;

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The scientists measured the movement of dense gas around the star to confirm that an accretion disk is present in HH 1177. 
 
The gas, which is present at the centre of the accretion disc, is located close to the central object which is a young feeding star and is moving faster in comparison to the matter present on the disk's outskirts. 
 
"The frequency of light changes depending on how fast the gas emitting the light is moving towards or away from us," said team member and Liverpool John Moores University research fellow Jonathan Henshaw. 
 
"This is precisely the same phenomenon that occurs when the pitch of an ambulance siren changes as it passes you, and the frequency of the sound goes from higher to lower,” he added. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

In a first, astronomers have found the swirling disk of material which is feeding a young star and is present in a galaxy, which is outside the Milky Way. The disk was found near-identical to those discovered near infant stars in the Milky Way and this helped scientists understand that the stars and planets are formed in other galaxies just like the ones in our galaxy.

In a first, astronomers have found the swirling disk of material which is feeding a young star and is present in a galaxy, which is outside the Milky Way. The disk was found near-identical to those discovered near infant stars in the Milky Way and this helped scientists understand that the stars and planets are formed in other galaxies just like the ones in our galaxy. The young star, which has been just observed, is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is a galaxy located 160,000 light-years away from the Milky Way and its system, which has been given the name HH 1177, is placed in a massive cloud of gas. The team, which was behind the discovery observed the system as part of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), which is the largest astronomical project. Also read: 'Evil eye' in the sky clicked by NASA wows netizens "When I first saw evidence for a rotating structure in the ALMA data, I could not believe that we had detected the first extragalactic accretion disc. It was a special moment," said researcher lead author and Durham University scientist Anna McLeod, in a statement, as reported by space.com. "We know discs are vital to forming stars and planets in our galaxy, and here, for the first time, we're seeing direct evidence for this in another galaxy,” he added. Jet emerges from forming star, hinting at existence of disk McLeod and his teammates were hinted about the existence of this system when a jet emerging from a forming star was spotted by the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). The instrument is able to make observations in the visible wavelength range as well as measure the wavelengths of light which are getting emitted from the object. "We discovered a jet being launched from this young massive star, and its presence is a signpost for ongoing disc accretion," said McLeod. Watch: New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller, says report The scientists measured the movement of dense gas around the star to confirm that an accretion disk is present in HH 1177. The gas, which is present at the centre of the accretion disc, is located close to the central object which is a young feeding star and is moving faster in comparison to the matter present on the disk's outskirts. "The frequency of light changes depending on how fast the gas emitting the light is moving towards or away from us," said team member and Liverpool John Moores University research fellow Jonathan Henshaw. "This is precisely the same phenomenon that occurs when the pitch of an ambulance siren changes as it passes you, and the frequency of the sound goes from higher to lower,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, scientists discover planet-forming disk beyond Milky Way

Scientists in the United States have created tiny biological robots from Human tracheal cells. These robots are known as Anthrobots and these microscopic multicellular Bots have displayed a remarkable healing effect on other cells.

Scientists create tiny living robots from human cells

In new research, scientists have found a way to reverse the premature ageing of the brain accelerated by COVID-19 infection, by killing 'zombie' cells. 
 
A team of researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia used lab-grown mini-brains, made with the help of human stem cells, to investigate how&nbsp;variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect brain tissues. 
 
Each of the cells in the body acts as a tiny molecular factory in which essential processes needed for the survival of our bodies are carried out. Dangerous waste products are produced by these processes which build over time and damage the DNA and molecular machinery.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-human-brain-failing-to-process-information-on-zoom-calls-study-says-yes-655164">Is human brain failing to process information on Zoom calls? Study says 'yes'</a>

At some point, the cells shut down essentially and are no longer capable of cell division. However, these so-called senescent cells, which are also called zombie cells, start producing proteins and other molecules that can lead to inflammation. 
 
"Senescent cells are known to drive tissue inflammation and degeneration, leaving patients exposed to cognitive impairments like brain fog and memory loss," said Julio Aguado, a research fellow at the university's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and lead author of this research, in a statement. 
 
Aguado and his team in the study discovered that SARS-CoV-2 accelerates the buildup of zombie cells which leads to premature aging. 
 
"We found COVID-19 accelerates the presence of 'zombie' or senescent cells, which accumulate naturally and gradually in the brain as we get older," stated Aguado. 
 
"We used the brain organoids (aka the mini-brains) to screen a range of therapeutics, looking for any capable of removing those senescent cells," he added.

<h2>Four common drugs destroy Covid-induced zombie cells</h2>

In the study, which was published in the journal Nature Aging, it was found that four common drugs selectively destroyed Covid-induced zombie cells. These are: navitoclax, ABT-737, fisetin and a combination of dasatinib and quercetin.

Watch:&nbsp;How alcohol impacts the brain | Brain can repair damage in 7.3 months

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-alcohol-impacts-the-brain-brain-can-repair-damage-in-73-months-657196/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, but this study marks a significant step forward in our knowledge of the intricate relationship between viral infections, ageing and neurological well-being. Long term, we can expect widespread use of these drugs to treat persistent post-acute infection syndromes caused by viral infections like COVID-19,” Aguado said. 
 
The study has also proved how synthetically grown humanlike organs can be used in a laboratory setting. 
 
"Our study beautifully demonstrates how human brain models can accelerate the preclinical screening of therapeutics, while also moving towards animal-free testing, with potentially global impacts," said Ernst Wolvetang, an organoid expert at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, in a statement. 
 
"This same method of drug screening could also help Alzheimer's research and a whole host of neurodegenerative diseases where senescence is a driver,” Wolvetang added.

(With inputs from agencies)

In new research, scientists have found a way to reverse the premature ageing of the brain accelerated by COVID-19 infection, by killing 'zombie' cells. A team of researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia used lab-grown mini-brains, made with the help of human stem cells, to investigate how variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect brain tissues.

In new research, scientists have found a way to reverse the premature ageing of the brain accelerated by COVID-19 infection, by killing 'zombie' cells. A team of researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia used lab-grown mini-brains, made with the help of human stem cells, to investigate how variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect brain tissues. Each of the cells in the body acts as a tiny molecular factory in which essential processes needed for the survival of our bodies are carried out. Dangerous waste products are produced by these processes which build over time and damage the DNA and molecular machinery. Also Read: Is human brain failing to process information on Zoom calls? Study says 'yes' At some point, the cells shut down essentially and are no longer capable of cell division. However, these so-called senescent cells, which are also called zombie cells, start producing proteins and other molecules that can lead to inflammation. "Senescent cells are known to drive tissue inflammation and degeneration, leaving patients exposed to cognitive impairments like brain fog and memory loss," said Julio Aguado, a research fellow at the university's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and lead author of this research, in a statement. Aguado and his team in the study discovered that SARS-CoV-2 accelerates the buildup of zombie cells which leads to premature aging. "We found COVID-19 accelerates the presence of 'zombie' or senescent cells, which accumulate naturally and gradually in the brain as we get older," stated Aguado. "We used the brain organoids (aka the mini-brains) to screen a range of therapeutics, looking for any capable of removing those senescent cells," he added. Four common drugs destroy Covid-induced zombie cells In the study, which was published in the journal Nature Aging, it was found that four common drugs selectively destroyed Covid-induced zombie cells. These are: navitoclax, ABT-737, fisetin and a combination of dasatinib and quercetin. Watch: How alcohol impacts the brain | Brain can repair damage in 7.3 months "More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, but this study marks a significant step forward in our knowledge of the intricate relationship between viral infections, ageing and neurological well-being. Long term, we can expect widespread use of these drugs to treat persistent post-acute infection syndromes caused by viral infections like COVID-19,” Aguado said. The study has also proved how synthetically grown humanlike organs can be used in a laboratory setting. "Our study beautifully demonstrates how human brain models can accelerate the preclinical screening of therapeutics, while also moving towards animal-free testing, with potentially global impacts," said Ernst Wolvetang, an organoid expert at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, in a statement. "This same method of drug screening could also help Alzheimer's research and a whole host of neurodegenerative diseases where senescence is a driver,” Wolvetang added. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists say killing 'zombie' cells can reverse brain ageing caused by Covid

In a new study, the scientists have unravelled the reason behind skin conditions like eczema causing itching in people. 
 
One reason which is known to cause itching is inflammation which tends to get worse if people continue to scratch and their skin is damaged. However, as per the latest study, there are other reasons which may trigger itchiness. 
 
Harvard Medical School's researchers have found that the bacterium can activate nerve cells in mice directly.

“What was surprising is that in some situations where there was very little inflammation, we could still see the mice scratching. It turns out, the reason is that the bacteria were directly acting on nerve fibres that produce itch,” said co-author of the study Isaac Chiu, who is also an associate professor of immunology at Harvard Medical School, reported NBC News. 
 
Before the study was carried out, scientists knew that the bacterium S. aureus was related to eczema, however, there was no clarity on the exact link.

In the new study, it was found that once S. aureus got into the skin of the mouse, it released an enzyme known as V8.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-achieve-major-leap-forward-to-potential-hair-loss-cure-660474">Scientists achieve major leap forward to potential hair-loss cure</a>

This enzyme activates a protein called PAR1, which is present in nerve cells in the skin. The activated protein transmits signals to the brain which makes the mouse itchy and prompts it to begin scratching. 
 
Lab experiments, which involved human nerve cells, hinted at the possibility of the same mechanism taking place in people. However, the researchers did not express confidence in whether the findings directly translated to the possibility of the same occurrence in humans.

<h2>Research gives new direction in pursuit of treatments</h2>

The research offered scientists a new direction for pursuing in development of treatments for eczema, which has been affecting nearly 10 per cent of people in the United States. 
 
The most common type of eczema, atopic dermatitis, leads to chronic itchy dry and cracked skin and has been strongly associated with allergies like asthma or hay fever. 
 
Study's co-author and postdoctoral researcher in Chiu’s lab Liwen Deng said, “For patients with atopic dermatitis, almost all of their lesions harbor Staph aureus.”

Watch:&nbsp;Bird flu detected in Antarctica | Scientists create 'identical twin' universe&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bird-flu-detected-in-antarctica-scientists-create-identical-twin-universe-trending-on-wion-651203/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the latest study, S. aureus bacteria were directly exposed to the skin of the mice for several days. After the third day, the researchers found that mice experienced skin irritation and the scratching increased significantly by the fifth day compared to mice who did not get exposed to the bacteria. 
 
The study's results suggested that the bacterium had led to the itchiness. “Their study was able to break apart the inflammatory response and the itch response,” said Nathan Archer, who is an assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and was not part of the study.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, the scientists have unravelled the reason behind skin conditions like eczema causing itching in people. One reason which is known to cause itching is inflammation which tends to get worse if people continue to scratch and their skin is damaged.

In a new study, the scientists have unravelled the reason behind skin conditions like eczema causing itching in people. One reason which is known to cause itching is inflammation which tends to get worse if people continue to scratch and their skin is damaged. However, as per the latest study, there are other reasons which may trigger itchiness. Harvard Medical School's researchers have found that the bacterium can activate nerve cells in mice directly. “What was surprising is that in some situations where there was very little inflammation, we could still see the mice scratching. It turns out, the reason is that the bacteria were directly acting on nerve fibres that produce itch,” said co-author of the study Isaac Chiu, who is also an associate professor of immunology at Harvard Medical School, reported NBC News. Before the study was carried out, scientists knew that the bacterium S. aureus was related to eczema, however, there was no clarity on the exact link. In the new study, it was found that once S. aureus got into the skin of the mouse, it released an enzyme known as V8. Also read: Scientists achieve major leap forward to potential hair-loss cure This enzyme activates a protein called PAR1, which is present in nerve cells in the skin. The activated protein transmits signals to the brain which makes the mouse itchy and prompts it to begin scratching. Lab experiments, which involved human nerve cells, hinted at the possibility of the same mechanism taking place in people. However, the researchers did not express confidence in whether the findings directly translated to the possibility of the same occurrence in humans. Research gives new direction in pursuit of treatments The research offered scientists a new direction for pursuing in development of treatments for eczema, which has been affecting nearly 10 per cent of people in the United States. The most common type of eczema, atopic dermatitis, leads to chronic itchy dry and cracked skin and has been strongly associated with allergies like asthma or hay fever. Study's co-author and postdoctoral researcher in Chiu’s lab Liwen Deng said, “For patients with atopic dermatitis, almost all of their lesions harbor Staph aureus.” Watch: Bird flu detected in Antarctica | Scientists create 'identical twin' universe In the latest study, S. aureus bacteria were directly exposed to the skin of the mice for several days. After the third day, the researchers found that mice experienced skin irritation and the scratching increased significantly by the fifth day compared to mice who did not get exposed to the bacteria. The study's results suggested that the bacterium had led to the itchiness. “Their study was able to break apart the inflammatory response and the itch response,” said Nathan Archer, who is an assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and was not part of the study. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists unravel why skin conditions like eczema lead to itching. New research says...

An Earth-sized world was found just 22 light-years away,&nbsp;orbiting around a small red dwarf star.

Discovered by scientists in the US, this Earth-sized world is the closest to our Solar System. 
 
The exoplanet has been named LTT 1445 Ac and it is some 1.37 times the mass and around 1.07 times the Earth's radius.

The planet is too hot for the existence of life, however its similarity with our Earth makes it a good option to understand how planets evolve, and what factors make an Earth-like world different from another such planet. 
 
The scientists used data collected by the TESS exoplanet-hunting telescope in 2021 to first identify LTT 1445 Ac.

But they faced some difficulties in observing it, which meant the astronomers could not be certain of its properties.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/giant-devil-comet-continues-hurtling-towards-earth-after-experiencing-4th-explosion-in-space-659566">Devil Comet with horns, hurtling towards Earth, has exploded a fourth time</a>

The exoplanet exists in a different system. The star this planet orbits is one of the three stars, which is gravitationally bound in a trinary system. The scientists observe the changes in the light of the host star to find and study exoplanets, however, in systems of stars, the stellar companions also leave an effect on the other stars' light.

<h2>How do scientists understand the properties of an exoplanet?</h2>

Two types of measurement are needed to understand an exoplanet's properties. The first is transit data which is the tiny dips in starlight which occur after an orbiting exoplanet passes between the star and the Earth. 
 
The second measurement is radial velocity data which measures the amount of gravity tugs of an exoplanet on the star by recording changes in the starlight's wavelength as it very minutely wobbles on the spot.

Watch:&nbsp;European Space Agency released first images taken by Euclid's telescope

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/european-space-agency-released-first-images-taken-by-euclids-telescope-656604/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The transit data informs the scientist of an exoplanet's radius which can be calculated from the amount the light of the star which dims during a transit. The radial velocity data informs the scientists about the mass of the exoplanet. 
 
The mass and radius combined together tell us the exoplanet's density and using that the scientists understand what the exoplanet is made of. 
 
If the planet is found to have low density it implies it has lost of atmosphere and is like a gas giant. A higher density means it has a rocky composition, like Earth, Venus, Mars, or Mercury.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

An Earth-sized world was found just 22 light-years away, orbiting around a small red dwarf star. Discovered by scientists in the US, this Earth-sized world is the closest to our Solar System.

An Earth-sized world was found just 22 light-years away, orbiting around a small red dwarf star. Discovered by scientists in the US, this Earth-sized world is the closest to our Solar System. The exoplanet has been named LTT 1445 Ac and it is some 1.37 times the mass and around 1.07 times the Earth's radius. The planet is too hot for the existence of life, however its similarity with our Earth makes it a good option to understand how planets evolve, and what factors make an Earth-like world different from another such planet. The scientists used data collected by the TESS exoplanet-hunting telescope in 2021 to first identify LTT 1445 Ac. But they faced some difficulties in observing it, which meant the astronomers could not be certain of its properties. Also read: Devil Comet with horns, hurtling towards Earth, has exploded a fourth time The exoplanet exists in a different system. The star this planet orbits is one of the three stars, which is gravitationally bound in a trinary system. The scientists observe the changes in the light of the host star to find and study exoplanets, however, in systems of stars, the stellar companions also leave an effect on the other stars' light. How do scientists understand the properties of an exoplanet? Two types of measurement are needed to understand an exoplanet's properties. The first is transit data which is the tiny dips in starlight which occur after an orbiting exoplanet passes between the star and the Earth. The second measurement is radial velocity data which measures the amount of gravity tugs of an exoplanet on the star by recording changes in the starlight's wavelength as it very minutely wobbles on the spot. Watch: European Space Agency released first images taken by Euclid's telescope The transit data informs the scientist of an exoplanet's radius which can be calculated from the amount the light of the star which dims during a transit. The radial velocity data informs the scientists about the mass of the exoplanet. The mass and radius combined together tell us the exoplanet's density and using that the scientists understand what the exoplanet is made of. If the planet is found to have low density it implies it has lost of atmosphere and is like a gas giant. A higher density means it has a rocky composition, like Earth, Venus, Mars, or Mercury. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists discover closest known Earth-sized world only 22 light-years away

Scientists have warned that the ice sheets in the world have been melting at a faster pace than estimated, and the climate ambitions of the world need to be reconstructed to avoid any catastrophic increase in sea levels. 
 
The report was published on Thursday (Nov 16) by the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), a network of policy experts and researchers. They appealed the world leaders to pay attention to their warnings when they gather to attend the United Nations’ COP28 climate conference later this month. 
 
The report stated that if global average temperatures reach 2 degrees Celsius beyond the preindustrial baseline, Earth can see more than 40 feet of sea-level rise – a melt which will take centuries and reshape societies across the world.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-believe-the-collapse-of-west-antarctic-ice-sheet-is-preventable-report-658865">Researchers believe the collapse of West Antarctic ice sheet is preventable: Report</a>

In the climate science community, the collapse of ice shelves and ice sheets has been a major point of uncertainty.

However, the new research suggests that dangerous tipping points are closer than expected, and there is less room in the carbon budget of the Earth. 
 
“We might be reaching these temperature thresholds that we’ve been talking about for a long time sooner than we were thinking about years ago,” stated Rob DeConto, the director of the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Earth &amp; Sustainability and an author of the report. 
 
“And it may be that the thresholds for some of these processes that can drive really rapid ice loss are lower than we were thinking just a few years ago,” he added, as reported by NBC News.

<h2>People will be forced to escape coastal communities: Scientists</h2>

If there is no dramatic change in the speed of climate action, such factors can leave humanity “facing rates of sea-level rise way outside the range of adaptability,” DeConto stated. 
 
In the report, the scientists emphasised that an increase in global temperatures of 2 degrees Celsius will force many people to escape coastal communities.

Watch:&nbsp;Global warming: Polar seas could suffer acidification

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/global-warming-polar-seas-could-suffer-acidification-659637/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“We’re displacing millions of people with the decisions being made now,” stated report author Julie Brigham-Grette, who is a geosciences professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 
 
The report has recorded the contributions of more than 60 scientists. Many of these scientists are experts in their specialities, and some were involved in past reports for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is the leading body that assesses the climate crisis in the world. 
 
“Many ice sheet scientists now believe that by 2°C, nearly all of Greenland, much of West Antarctica, and even vulnerable portions of East Antarctica will be triggered to very long-term, inexorable sea-level rise, even if air temperatures later decrease,” the new ICCI report stated.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Scientists have warned that the ice sheets in the world have been melting at a faster pace than estimated, and the climate ambitions of the world need to be reconstructed to avoid any catastrophic increase in sea levels.

Scientists have warned that the ice sheets in the world have been melting at a faster pace than estimated, and the climate ambitions of the world need to be reconstructed to avoid any catastrophic increase in sea levels. The report was published on Thursday (Nov 16) by the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), a network of policy experts and researchers. They appealed the world leaders to pay attention to their warnings when they gather to attend the United Nations’ COP28 climate conference later this month. The report stated that if global average temperatures reach 2 degrees Celsius beyond the preindustrial baseline, Earth can see more than 40 feet of sea-level rise – a melt which will take centuries and reshape societies across the world. Also read: Researchers believe the collapse of West Antarctic ice sheet is preventable: Report In the climate science community, the collapse of ice shelves and ice sheets has been a major point of uncertainty. However, the new research suggests that dangerous tipping points are closer than expected, and there is less room in the carbon budget of the Earth. “We might be reaching these temperature thresholds that we’ve been talking about for a long time sooner than we were thinking about years ago,” stated Rob DeConto, the director of the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Earth & Sustainability and an author of the report. “And it may be that the thresholds for some of these processes that can drive really rapid ice loss are lower than we were thinking just a few years ago,” he added, as reported by NBC News. People will be forced to escape coastal communities: Scientists If there is no dramatic change in the speed of climate action, such factors can leave humanity “facing rates of sea-level rise way outside the range of adaptability,” DeConto stated. In the report, the scientists emphasised that an increase in global temperatures of 2 degrees Celsius will force many people to escape coastal communities. Watch: Global warming: Polar seas could suffer acidification “We’re displacing millions of people with the decisions being made now,” stated report author Julie Brigham-Grette, who is a geosciences professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The report has recorded the contributions of more than 60 scientists. Many of these scientists are experts in their specialities, and some were involved in past reports for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is the leading body that assesses the climate crisis in the world. “Many ice sheet scientists now believe that by 2°C, nearly all of Greenland, much of West Antarctica, and even vulnerable portions of East Antarctica will be triggered to very long-term, inexorable sea-level rise, even if air temperatures later decrease,” the new ICCI report stated. (With inputs from agencies)

At global average temperature of 2 degrees, Earth likely to see disastrous 40 feet of sea level rise

In a first, scientists have detected a soft green glow in the night sky of Mars that can be seen with our human eyes. 
 
The European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission while orbiting around Mars spotted the Martian night sky filled with light in the optical spectrum. 
 
As per the scientists, the light is so bright in the polar regions that there is a possibility of human explorers seeing it if the night sky is clear of clouds. 
 
"These observations are unexpected and interesting for future trips to the Red Planet," stated planetary scientist Jean-Claude Gerard of the University of Liege in Belgium.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-can-now-produce-oxygen-on-mars-all-thanks-to-an-ai-powered-robot-chemist-658247">Scientists can now produce oxygen on Mars, all thanks to an AI-powered robot chemist</a>

In the solar system's atmospheres, the nightglow has been a relatively common phenomenon. Scientists have seen infrared and ultraviolet nightglow in the night sky on Mars and have also observed dayglow caused by the atmospheric absorption and energy released from solar radiation in the visible spectrum on Mars. 
 
However, "no nightglow spectrum has been observed so far in the visible domain," wrote the researchers. "Scattered solar light hinders such measurements from Earth's ground and no space-borne instrument has observed the Mars visible nightglow,” they added. 
 
Gerard and his team, intrigued by the discovery of ultraviolet and infrared nightglow and ultraviolet and visible dayglow on Mars, looked into data gathered by Trace Gas Orbiter which pointed at the instruments at the edge of the atmosphere which found signs of nightglow across visible ultraviolet wavelengths.

<h2>Nightglow seen in the south pole during Martian winter</h2>

The visible nightglow was seen during the Martian winter at the south pole between altitudes of 40 and 60 kilometres (25 to 37 miles). 
 
The researchers stated that this was a result of oxygen atoms which had combined into dioxygen (O2) after getting transported from the sunny Martian day and emitted a glow in the process – one which was bright enough that it was visible from the ground.

Watch:&nbsp;Scientists surprised by source of largest quake detected on Mars

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/scientists-surprised-by-source-of-largest-quake-detected-on-mars-648855/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"This O2 nightglow should be observable from a Martian orbiter as well as from the Martian surface with the naked eye under clear sky conditions. These observations pave the way to future global observations of the Martian atmospheric circulation with simpler lower-cost instrumentation,” the researchers wrote. 
 
All varieties of atmospheric glows are tracers of atmospheric circulation, chemistry, and processes. The atmosphere of Mars is very thin and finding out what it contains will help scientists know why and where the rest of it went.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a first, scientists have detected a soft green glow in the night sky of Mars that can be seen with our human eyes. The European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission while orbiting around Mars spotted the Martian night sky filled with light in the optical spectrum.

In a first, scientists have detected a soft green glow in the night sky of Mars that can be seen with our human eyes. The European Space Agency's (ESA) ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter mission while orbiting around Mars spotted the Martian night sky filled with light in the optical spectrum. As per the scientists, the light is so bright in the polar regions that there is a possibility of human explorers seeing it if the night sky is clear of clouds. "These observations are unexpected and interesting for future trips to the Red Planet," stated planetary scientist Jean-Claude Gerard of the University of Liege in Belgium. Also read: Scientists can now produce oxygen on Mars, all thanks to an AI-powered robot chemist In the solar system's atmospheres, the nightglow has been a relatively common phenomenon. Scientists have seen infrared and ultraviolet nightglow in the night sky on Mars and have also observed dayglow caused by the atmospheric absorption and energy released from solar radiation in the visible spectrum on Mars. However, "no nightglow spectrum has been observed so far in the visible domain," wrote the researchers. "Scattered solar light hinders such measurements from Earth's ground and no space-borne instrument has observed the Mars visible nightglow,” they added. Gerard and his team, intrigued by the discovery of ultraviolet and infrared nightglow and ultraviolet and visible dayglow on Mars, looked into data gathered by Trace Gas Orbiter which pointed at the instruments at the edge of the atmosphere which found signs of nightglow across visible ultraviolet wavelengths. Nightglow seen in the south pole during Martian winter The visible nightglow was seen during the Martian winter at the south pole between altitudes of 40 and 60 kilometres (25 to 37 miles). The researchers stated that this was a result of oxygen atoms which had combined into dioxygen (O2) after getting transported from the sunny Martian day and emitted a glow in the process – one which was bright enough that it was visible from the ground. Watch: Scientists surprised by source of largest quake detected on Mars "This O2 nightglow should be observable from a Martian orbiter as well as from the Martian surface with the naked eye under clear sky conditions. These observations pave the way to future global observations of the Martian atmospheric circulation with simpler lower-cost instrumentation,” the researchers wrote. All varieties of atmospheric glows are tracers of atmospheric circulation, chemistry, and processes. The atmosphere of Mars is very thin and finding out what it contains will help scientists know why and where the rest of it went. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, scientists detect eerie green glow in night sky of Mars

In a major breakthrough, scientists have recreated a chemical reaction which may have led to the creation of complex, self-replicating structures which eventually developed into living things on Earth. 
 
As per one school of thought, before the DNA-based life's current era, there was a type of molecule known as RNA (or ribonucleic acid). RNA, which has continued to remain a crucial component of life till today, has the potential of replicating itself and catalysing other chemical reactions. 
 
However, RNA molecules are made from smaller components known as ribonucleotides. Scientists have been trying to find out how these building blocks came into existence early on Earth and then combined into RNA. 
 
A chain of reactions is being recreated by the chemists which is needed to form RNA that leads to the emergence of life.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-solve-puzzle-of-origin-of-life-says-bouncing-comets-may-carry-seed-of-life-658866">Scientists solve puzzle of origin of life, says 'bouncing' comets may carry 'seed of life'</a>

Speaking about recreating the chain of reactions, PhD Candidate in Prebiotic Chemistry, UNSW Sydney Quoc Phuong Tran said, “We know whatever chemical reaction created ribonucleotides must have been able to happen in the messy, complicated environment found on our planet billions of years ago.”

<h2>Autocatalytic reactions and their part in creating life</h2>

“I have been studying whether "autocatalytic" reactions may have played a part. These are reactions that produce chemicals that encourage the same reaction to happen again, which means they can sustain themselves in a wide range of circumstances,” he added. 
 
These comments of Phuong Tran were published in an article in The Conversation. 
 
“In our latest work, my colleagues and I have integrated autocatalysis into a well-known chemical pathway for producing the ribonucleotide building blocks, which could have plausibly happened with the simple molecules and complex conditions found on the early Earth,” the chemist stated.

WATCH |&nbsp;Earthquakes from 1800s are triggering aftershocks: Scientists

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Emphasising the importance of autocatalytic reactions, he stated that they play important roles in biology which can vary from regulating our heartbeats to creating patterns on seashells. 
 
“In fact, the replication of life itself, where one cell takes in nutrients and energy from the environment to produce two cells, is a particularly complicated example of autocatalysis. In our study, we tried adding another simple molecule called cyanamide to the formose reaction. This makes it possible for some of the molecules made during the reaction to be "siphoned off" to produce ribonucleotides,” he stated. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

In a major breakthrough, scientists have recreated a chemical reaction which may have led to the creation of complex, self-replicating structures which eventually developed into living things on Earth.

In a major breakthrough, scientists have recreated a chemical reaction which may have led to the creation of complex, self-replicating structures which eventually developed into living things on Earth. As per one school of thought, before the DNA-based life's current era, there was a type of molecule known as RNA (or ribonucleic acid). RNA, which has continued to remain a crucial component of life till today, has the potential of replicating itself and catalysing other chemical reactions. However, RNA molecules are made from smaller components known as ribonucleotides. Scientists have been trying to find out how these building blocks came into existence early on Earth and then combined into RNA. A chain of reactions is being recreated by the chemists which is needed to form RNA that leads to the emergence of life. ALSO READ | Scientists solve puzzle of origin of life, says 'bouncing' comets may carry 'seed of life' Speaking about recreating the chain of reactions, PhD Candidate in Prebiotic Chemistry, UNSW Sydney Quoc Phuong Tran said, “We know whatever chemical reaction created ribonucleotides must have been able to happen in the messy, complicated environment found on our planet billions of years ago.” Autocatalytic reactions and their part in creating life “I have been studying whether "autocatalytic" reactions may have played a part. These are reactions that produce chemicals that encourage the same reaction to happen again, which means they can sustain themselves in a wide range of circumstances,” he added. These comments of Phuong Tran were published in an article in The Conversation. “In our latest work, my colleagues and I have integrated autocatalysis into a well-known chemical pathway for producing the ribonucleotide building blocks, which could have plausibly happened with the simple molecules and complex conditions found on the early Earth,” the chemist stated. WATCH | Earthquakes from 1800s are triggering aftershocks: Scientists Emphasising the importance of autocatalytic reactions, he stated that they play important roles in biology which can vary from regulating our heartbeats to creating patterns on seashells. “In fact, the replication of life itself, where one cell takes in nutrients and energy from the environment to produce two cells, is a particularly complicated example of autocatalysis. In our study, we tried adding another simple molecule called cyanamide to the formose reaction. This makes it possible for some of the molecules made during the reaction to be "siphoned off" to produce ribonucleotides,” he stated. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists recreate a chemical reaction which may have sprung life on Earth

In a quest to unravel the mysteries of the origin of life, a team of researchers have come up with a model which suggests how life came into existence on Earth.&nbsp;

As per scientists, there are two theories regarding how life came on Earth - one suggests that the ingredients for life came from a primordial soup on the planet and the other states that the molecules required for life, were brought from elsewhere, and were "seeded" on the Earth by the cosmos. &nbsp;

A team of scientists, while keeping the second theory in mind, came up with a model which explains how the ingredients of life may have been delivered on the Earth and how it is likely to happen on other planets outside our solar system.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-combines-data-from-two-telescopes-and-releases-stunning-image-of-universe-658781">NASA combines data from two telescopes, releases stunning image of cosmic ‘Christmas Tree’</a>

In a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A, the authors stated how "bouncing" comets are likely to have distributed the raw ingredients for life, which are known as prebiotic molecules, across the star systems which are similar to our system.&nbsp;

<h2>Study emphasised on simulating rocky exoplanets</h2>

Throughout the study, the team emphasised simulating rocky exoplanets which orbit around sun-size stars.

"We're learning more about the atmospheres of exoplanets all the time, so we wanted to see if there are planets where complex molecules could also be delivered by comets," said Richard Anslow, an astronomer at the Cambridge Institute of Astronomy, in a statement.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Gaganyaan: India's first mission to send astronauts to space

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"It's possible that the molecules that led to life on Earth came from comets. So the same could be true for planets elsewhere in the galaxy," he added.&nbsp;

"It's exciting that we can start identifying the type of systems we can use to test different origin scenarios. It's a different way to look at the great work that's already been done on Earth. What molecular pathways led to the enormous variety of life we see around us? Are there other planets where the same pathways exist? It's an exciting time, being able to combine advances in astronomy and chemistry to study some of the most fundamental questions of all," Anslow stated.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a quest to unravel the mysteries of the origin of life, a team of researchers have come up with a model which suggests how life came into existence on Earth. As per scientists, there are two theories regarding how life came on Earth - one suggests that the ingredients for life came from a primordial soup on the planet and the other states that the molecules required for life, were brought from elsewhere, and were "seeded" on the Earth by the cosmos.

In a quest to unravel the mysteries of the origin of life, a team of researchers have come up with a model which suggests how life came into existence on Earth. As per scientists, there are two theories regarding how life came on Earth - one suggests that the ingredients for life came from a primordial soup on the planet and the other states that the molecules required for life, were brought from elsewhere, and were "seeded" on the Earth by the cosmos. A team of scientists, while keeping the second theory in mind, came up with a model which explains how the ingredients of life may have been delivered on the Earth and how it is likely to happen on other planets outside our solar system. ALSO READ | NASA combines data from two telescopes, releases stunning image of cosmic ‘Christmas Tree’ In a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A, the authors stated how "bouncing" comets are likely to have distributed the raw ingredients for life, which are known as prebiotic molecules, across the star systems which are similar to our system. Study emphasised on simulating rocky exoplanets Throughout the study, the team emphasised simulating rocky exoplanets which orbit around sun-size stars. "We're learning more about the atmospheres of exoplanets all the time, so we wanted to see if there are planets where complex molecules could also be delivered by comets," said Richard Anslow, an astronomer at the Cambridge Institute of Astronomy, in a statement. WATCH | Gaganyaan: India's first mission to send astronauts to space "It's possible that the molecules that led to life on Earth came from comets. So the same could be true for planets elsewhere in the galaxy," he added. "It's exciting that we can start identifying the type of systems we can use to test different origin scenarios. It's a different way to look at the great work that's already been done on Earth. What molecular pathways led to the enormous variety of life we see around us? Are there other planets where the same pathways exist? It's an exciting time, being able to combine advances in astronomy and chemistry to study some of the most fundamental questions of all," Anslow stated. (With inputs from agencies)

Bouncing comets carrying seeds of life can infuse life into other cosmic bodies

The scientists, in a spectacular discovery, have spotted the presence of aurora-like emission in the atmosphere of the Sun.&nbsp;

A team of astronomers, headed by Sijie Yu of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, recorded a never-before-seen kind of long-lasting radio emission at an altitude of some 40,000 kilometres (25,000 miles) above the sunspot.&nbsp;

The team stated that the Sun is known to emit all types of radiation, however, nothing resembles an aurora.&nbsp;

"We've detected a peculiar type of long-lasting polarised radio bursts emanating from a sunspot, persisting for over a week," stated Yu, Science Alert reported.

"This is quite unlike the typical, transient solar radio bursts typically lasting minutes or hours. It's an exciting discovery that has the potential to alter our comprehension of stellar magnetic processes," he added.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sun-marks-halloween-with-a-scary-canyon-of-fire-display-nasa-captures-video-watch-654176">Sun marks Halloween with a scary 'canyon of fire' display; NASA captures video.&nbsp;</a>

The glowing aurorae are among the most spectacular sights spotted from Earth, however, they are not unique to our home planet and have been detected on many planets in the Solar System, and also the four Galilean moons of Jupiter. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>Scientists suggest ECM emission led to aurora</h2>

The auroras get formed when solar particles get caught up in magnetic field lines which increases the energy of the particles before they get deposited, usually in an atmosphere where they interact with molecules and atoms and produce a glow. &nbsp;

The aurora includes radio components also and the visible light is only part of its emission spectrum. Although, a lot of radio emission is emitted by the Sun through other processes which include bursts of radioactivity, the emission spotted over the sunspot was similar to radio aurorae.

Yu stated that spatially and temporally resolved analysis of the team "suggests that [the emissions] are due to the electron-cyclotron maser (ECM) emission, involving energetic electrons trapped within converging magnetic field geometries."

WATCH |&nbsp;New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller, says report | World News | WION

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"The cooler and intensely magnetic areas of sunspots provide a favourable environment for the ECM emission to occur," she stated, adding, "Drawing parallels with the magnetic polar caps of planets and other stars and potentially providing a local solar analogue to study these phenomena."

The team has been planning to go through archival data to see if they can discover evidence of the aurora in bursts of solar activity.

"We're beginning to piece together the puzzle of how energetic particles and magnetic fields interact in a system with the presence of long-lasting starspots," stated solar physicist Surajit Mondal of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, adding, "Not just on our own Sun but also on stars far beyond our solar system."

(With inputs from agencies)

The scientists, in a spectacular discovery, have spotted the presence of aurora-like emission in the atmosphere of the Sun. A team of astronomers, headed by Sijie Yu of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, recorded a never-before-seen kind of long-lasting radio emission at an altitude of some 40,000 kilometres (25,000 miles) above the sunspot.

The scientists, in a spectacular discovery, have spotted the presence of aurora-like emission in the atmosphere of the Sun. A team of astronomers, headed by Sijie Yu of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, recorded a never-before-seen kind of long-lasting radio emission at an altitude of some 40,000 kilometres (25,000 miles) above the sunspot. The team stated that the Sun is known to emit all types of radiation, however, nothing resembles an aurora. "We've detected a peculiar type of long-lasting polarised radio bursts emanating from a sunspot, persisting for over a week," stated Yu, Science Alert reported. "This is quite unlike the typical, transient solar radio bursts typically lasting minutes or hours. It's an exciting discovery that has the potential to alter our comprehension of stellar magnetic processes," he added. ALSO READ | Sun marks Halloween with a scary 'canyon of fire' display; NASA captures video. The glowing aurorae are among the most spectacular sights spotted from Earth, however, they are not unique to our home planet and have been detected on many planets in the Solar System, and also the four Galilean moons of Jupiter. Scientists suggest ECM emission led to aurora The auroras get formed when solar particles get caught up in magnetic field lines which increases the energy of the particles before they get deposited, usually in an atmosphere where they interact with molecules and atoms and produce a glow. The aurora includes radio components also and the visible light is only part of its emission spectrum. Although, a lot of radio emission is emitted by the Sun through other processes which include bursts of radioactivity, the emission spotted over the sunspot was similar to radio aurorae. Yu stated that spatially and temporally resolved analysis of the team "suggests that [the emissions] are due to the electron-cyclotron maser (ECM) emission, involving energetic electrons trapped within converging magnetic field geometries." WATCH | New evidence suggests size of the Sun could be smaller, says report | World News | WION "The cooler and intensely magnetic areas of sunspots provide a favourable environment for the ECM emission to occur," she stated, adding, "Drawing parallels with the magnetic polar caps of planets and other stars and potentially providing a local solar analogue to study these phenomena." The team has been planning to go through archival data to see if they can discover evidence of the aurora in bursts of solar activity. "We're beginning to piece together the puzzle of how energetic particles and magnetic fields interact in a system with the presence of long-lasting starspots," stated solar physicist Surajit Mondal of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, adding, "Not just on our own Sun but also on stars far beyond our solar system." (With inputs from agencies)

Dazzling discovery: Scientists spot aurora-like emission in Sun's atmosphere

Back in 1879, scientist William Beal buried bottles with seeds in them to understand how long seeds can last. Recently, researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) dug up one of these bottles and found that some seeds were still growing.&nbsp;

Beal buried 20 bottles with over a thousand seeds each, and the goal was to help farmers deal with weeds. The bottles were buried in a way that water wouldn't collect in them. Originally, they planned to dig up a bottle every five years, but now they do it every 20 years.

Even though the experiment is really old, some seeds from the latest bottle were still able to grow. This is amazing because it shows that very old seeds can still sprout and become plants. Plant biologist Frank Telewski said he was surprised that something so old could still grow.

"The biggest surprise to me is that the seeds germinated again,"&nbsp;says&nbsp;plant biologist Frank Telewski, from MSU. "It's amazing that something so old can still grow."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/in-major-breakthrough-scientists-discover-kill-switch-that-can-kill-cancer-658330">Also read |&nbsp;In major breakthrough, scientists discover ‘kill switch' that can kill cancer</a>

<h2>Genetic testing</h2>

Researchers at MSU used new technology to look at the genes of the plants grown from these old seeds. This is the first time they've done this, and it helped them confirm that these plants are the same as the ones Beal described.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/cat-parasite-could-be-responsible-for-fragility-in-older-adults-says-study-658305">Also read |&nbsp;Cat parasite could be responsible for fragility in some older adults, says study</a>

There are still four bottles left to be dug up, and they plan to keep doing this until the year 2100. The bottles are kept in a secret place so that no one else can open them. This helps make sure that the research is accurate and not changed by anyone, according to Science Alert.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

Back in 1879, scientist William Beal buried bottles with seeds in them to understand how long seeds can last. Recently, researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) dug up one of these bottles and found that some seeds were still growing.

Back in 1879, scientist William Beal buried bottles with seeds in them to understand how long seeds can last. Recently, researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) dug up one of these bottles and found that some seeds were still growing. Beal buried 20 bottles with over a thousand seeds each, and the goal was to help farmers deal with weeds. The bottles were buried in a way that water wouldn't collect in them. Originally, they planned to dig up a bottle every five years, but now they do it every 20 years. Even though the experiment is really old, some seeds from the latest bottle were still able to grow. This is amazing because it shows that very old seeds can still sprout and become plants. Plant biologist Frank Telewski said he was surprised that something so old could still grow. "The biggest surprise to me is that the seeds germinated again," says plant biologist Frank Telewski, from MSU. "It's amazing that something so old can still grow." Also read | In major breakthrough, scientists discover ‘kill switch' that can kill cancer Genetic testing Researchers at MSU used new technology to look at the genes of the plants grown from these old seeds. This is the first time they've done this, and it helped them confirm that these plants are the same as the ones Beal described. Also read | Cat parasite could be responsible for fragility in some older adults, says study There are still four bottles left to be dug up, and they plan to keep doing this until the year 2100. The bottles are kept in a secret place so that no one else can open them. This helps make sure that the research is accurate and not changed by anyone, according to Science Alert. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists dig out seeds buried in a bottle in 1879, and this is what they found

A major breakthrough was made by scientists in NASA, with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope, as they found out how planets came into existence. 
 
The telescope observed the water vapour in protoplanetary disks, after which it confirmed a physical process which included the drifting of ice-coated solids from the disk's outer regions into the rocky planet zone. 
 
For years, scientific theories have stated that the icy pebbles, which were formed in the protoplanetary disks' cold, outer regions were the fundamental element in the formation of the planet. This is&nbsp;the same area from where the comets came into existence in our solar system. 
 
These theories necessitated the drifting of pebbles inward towards the star because of friction in the gaseous disk, which will help in providing both water and solids to planets. 
 
As per this theory, icy pebbles are likely to release large amounts of cold water vapour when entering into the warmer region within the “snowline”. This was what James Webb&nbsp;observed.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/life-on-venus-astronomers-detect-oxygen-in-dayside-atmosphere-of-planet-656694">Life on Venus? Astronomers detect oxygen in dayside atmosphere of planet</a>

“Webb finally revealed the connection between water vapour in the inner disk and the drift of icy pebbles from the outer disk,” stated principal investigator Andrea Banzatti of Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, as quoted by NASA. He added, “This finding opens up exciting prospects for studying rocky planet formation with Webb!” 
 
“In the past, we had this very static picture of planet formation, almost like there were these isolated zones that planets formed out of,” team member Colette Salyk of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York explained. 
 
“Now we actually have evidence that these zones can interact with each other. It’s also something that is proposed to have happened in our solar system,” he stated in a press release.

<h2>Solving the mystery of planets</h2>

When the data from observations first came in, the research team was left puzzled by the results. 
 
“For two months, we were stuck on these preliminary results that were telling us that the compact disks had colder water, and the large disks had hotter water overall. This made no sense, because we had selected a sample of stars with very similar temperatures,” stated Banzatti.

WATCH |&nbsp;Remains of an ancient planet lie deep within earth

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/remains-of-an-ancient-planet-lie-deep-within-earth-654586/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Banzatti said that when the data was overlaid by him from the compact disks onto the data collected from the large disks, the answer emerged clearly.

There was extra cool water inside the snowline in the compact disks, which is 10 times closer than the orbit of Neptune. 
 
“Now we finally see unambiguously that it is the colder water that has an excess,” stated Banzatti, adding, “This is unprecedented and entirely due to Webb’s higher resolving power!”

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

A major breakthrough was made by scientists in NASA, with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope, as they found out how planets came into existence. The telescope observed the water vapour in protoplanetary disks, after which it confirmed a physical process which included the drifting of ice-coated solids from the disk's outer regions into the rocky planet zone.

A major breakthrough was made by scientists in NASA, with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope, as they found out how planets came into existence. The telescope observed the water vapour in protoplanetary disks, after which it confirmed a physical process which included the drifting of ice-coated solids from the disk's outer regions into the rocky planet zone. For years, scientific theories have stated that the icy pebbles, which were formed in the protoplanetary disks' cold, outer regions were the fundamental element in the formation of the planet. This is the same area from where the comets came into existence in our solar system. These theories necessitated the drifting of pebbles inward towards the star because of friction in the gaseous disk, which will help in providing both water and solids to planets. As per this theory, icy pebbles are likely to release large amounts of cold water vapour when entering into the warmer region within the “snowline”. This was what James Webb observed. ALSO READ | Life on Venus? Astronomers detect oxygen in dayside atmosphere of planet “Webb finally revealed the connection between water vapour in the inner disk and the drift of icy pebbles from the outer disk,” stated principal investigator Andrea Banzatti of Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, as quoted by NASA. He added, “This finding opens up exciting prospects for studying rocky planet formation with Webb!” “In the past, we had this very static picture of planet formation, almost like there were these isolated zones that planets formed out of,” team member Colette Salyk of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York explained. “Now we actually have evidence that these zones can interact with each other. It’s also something that is proposed to have happened in our solar system,” he stated in a press release. Solving the mystery of planets When the data from observations first came in, the research team was left puzzled by the results. “For two months, we were stuck on these preliminary results that were telling us that the compact disks had colder water, and the large disks had hotter water overall. This made no sense, because we had selected a sample of stars with very similar temperatures,” stated Banzatti. WATCH | Remains of an ancient planet lie deep within earth Banzatti said that when the data was overlaid by him from the compact disks onto the data collected from the large disks, the answer emerged clearly. There was extra cool water inside the snowline in the compact disks, which is 10 times closer than the orbit of Neptune. “Now we finally see unambiguously that it is the colder water that has an excess,” stated Banzatti, adding, “This is unprecedented and entirely due to Webb’s higher resolving power!” (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb telescope helps NASA scientists discover how planets were formed

The world’s first lateral flow test, which will be similar to the ones carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, is being developed by the scientists for detecting brain tumours.

As per the researchers, the aim of the project was to create a simple test kit which can be used by the patients at home.

The researchers stated that the test will target aggressive, recurring tumours which at present are leading to nearly 200,000 deaths a year globally.&nbsp;

Even though sometimes the recurrence of tumours after initial treatment remains inevitable, its unpredictable timing of occurrence makes it challenging to detect them early and leads to poor prognosis.

The researchers stated that the new test, which will work with a simple finger prick, is likely to bring positive changes in the lives of tens of thousands of people across countries.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/black-women-say-hair-relaxers-gave-them-cancer-report-655634">Black women say hair relaxers gave them cancer: Report</a>

This test is also likely to significantly reduce the burden on healthcare systems by decreasing the requirement for MRI scans and providing patients with a cost-effective alternative.

<h2>Technology to detect&nbsp;cancers like glioblastoma </h2>

The research is being led by Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) team which is funded by the Medical Research Council and has been working alongside the researchers at the University of Sheffield.

Speaking to Independent, Professor of One Health NTU Philippe Wilson said, “Brain tumours are managed with the best available treatments when first diagnosed but, unfortunately, recurrence is a major problem and some come back very quickly and aggressively.”

“If you have an MRI six months after treatment, by that point, a tumour could have been back for a significant amount of time potentially. It’s hard to imagine a medical technology so widely used and understood as the lateral flow test,” he added.

“This tech would provide regular, affordable disease monitoring for patients at home in an easy-to-use way. We hope the work could be applied to other types of cancer too, potentially helping to save millions of lives worldwide,” he said.

WATCH |&nbsp;Almost 300,000 women to be given drug to prevent breast cancer

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/almost-300000-women-to-be-given-drug-to-prevent-breast-cancer-656132/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The researchers have been focusing on making lateral flow tests which can detect the molecules in the blood which are specific to a tumour and will be able to provide an early indication of its reoccurrence.

The researchers are working on prototypes as part of the project before the study shifts to clinical trials. The technology will aim to detect cancers like glioblastoma (GBM), which is the most malignant variety of brain tumour.

University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health’s Dr Ola Rominiyi said, “Aggressive brain tumours such as glioblastoma virtually always come back after treatment, but detecting this recurrence at the earliest possible stage remains a challenge and an important priority for research highlighted by patients.”

(With inputs from agencies)

The world’s first lateral flow test, which will be similar to the ones carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, is being developed by the scientists for detecting brain tumours.

The world’s first lateral flow test, which will be similar to the ones carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, is being developed by the scientists for detecting brain tumours. As per the researchers, the aim of the project was to create a simple test kit which can be used by the patients at home. The researchers stated that the test will target aggressive, recurring tumours which at present are leading to nearly 200,000 deaths a year globally. Even though sometimes the recurrence of tumours after initial treatment remains inevitable, its unpredictable timing of occurrence makes it challenging to detect them early and leads to poor prognosis. The researchers stated that the new test, which will work with a simple finger prick, is likely to bring positive changes in the lives of tens of thousands of people across countries. ALSO READ | Black women say hair relaxers gave them cancer: Report This test is also likely to significantly reduce the burden on healthcare systems by decreasing the requirement for MRI scans and providing patients with a cost-effective alternative. Technology to detect cancers like glioblastoma The research is being led by Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) team which is funded by the Medical Research Council and has been working alongside the researchers at the University of Sheffield. Speaking to Independent, Professor of One Health NTU Philippe Wilson said, “Brain tumours are managed with the best available treatments when first diagnosed but, unfortunately, recurrence is a major problem and some come back very quickly and aggressively.” “If you have an MRI six months after treatment, by that point, a tumour could have been back for a significant amount of time potentially. It’s hard to imagine a medical technology so widely used and understood as the lateral flow test,” he added. “This tech would provide regular, affordable disease monitoring for patients at home in an easy-to-use way. We hope the work could be applied to other types of cancer too, potentially helping to save millions of lives worldwide,” he said. WATCH | Almost 300,000 women to be given drug to prevent breast cancer The researchers have been focusing on making lateral flow tests which can detect the molecules in the blood which are specific to a tumour and will be able to provide an early indication of its reoccurrence. The researchers are working on prototypes as part of the project before the study shifts to clinical trials. The technology will aim to detect cancers like glioblastoma (GBM), which is the most malignant variety of brain tumour. University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health’s Dr Ola Rominiyi said, “Aggressive brain tumours such as glioblastoma virtually always come back after treatment, but detecting this recurrence at the earliest possible stage remains a challenge and an important priority for research highlighted by patients.” (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists develop world’s first finger-prick test which will detect brain tumours

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