Science

A new look at fossils from the Cambrian Period around 500 million years ago has revealed that some of the earliest animals spent time on mudflats that were sometimes exposed to the air – a find that could rewrite the story of when life first left the oceans

It’s a familiar sight to see astronauts on board ISS on exercise equipment to minimise muscle and bone loss from weightlessness. A new study suggests that jumping workouts could help astronauts prevent cartilage damage during long missions to the Moon and Mars. They found that the knee cartilage in mice seems to grow stronger after jumping exercises, potentially counteracting the effects of low gravity on joint health. If effective in humans, this approach could be included in pre-flight routines or adapted for space missions.

In space, astronauts experience significant loss of bone and muscle mass due to microgravity. Without Earth’s gravitational pull, bones lose density, increasing fracture risk, while muscles, especially in the lower body and spine, weaken from reduced use. This deterioration can impair mobility when back on Earth and effect overall health. To combat this, astronauts follow rigorous exercise routines, including resistance and cardiovascular training, to maintain strength and bone integrity. 

ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst gets a workout on the Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED). Credit: NASA

The next obvious step as we reach out into the Solar System is the red planet Mars. Heading that far out into space will demand long periods of time in space since its a 9 month journey there. Permanent bases on the Moon too will test our physiology to its limits so managing the slow degradation is a big challenge to space agencies. A paper published by lead author Marco Chiaberge from the John Hopkins University has explored the knee joints of mice and how their cartilage grows thicker if they jump! They suggest astronauts should embed jumping activities into their exercise regiment. 

Mars seen before, left, and during, right, a global dust storm in 2001. Credit: NASA/JPL/MSSS

Cartilage cushions the joints between bones and decreases friction allowing for pain free movement. Unlike many other tissues in the body, cartilage does not regenerate as quickly so it is important to protect it. Prolonged periods of inactivity, even from bed rest but especially long duration space flight can accelerate the degradation. It’s also been shown that radiation from space can accelerate the effect too. 

To maintain a strong healthy body, astronauts spend a lot of time, up to 2 hours a day running on treadmills. This has previously shown to slow the breakdown of cartilage but the new study has shown that jumping based movements is particularly effective. T

The team of researchers found that, over a nine week program of reduced movement, mice experienced a 14% reduction in cartilage thickness in joints. Other mice performed jumping movements three times a week and their cartilage was found to be show a 26% increase compared to a control group of mice. Compared to the group that had restricted movement, the jumping mice had 110% thicker cartilage. The study also showed that jumping activities increased bone strength too with the jumping mice having a 15% higher density than the control.

An interesting piece of research but further work is needed to see whether jumping would herald in the same benefits to humans but the study is promising. If so, then jumping exercises are likely to be a part of pre-flight and inflight exercise programs for astronauts. It is likely that for this to be a reality in the micro-gravitational environment, astronauts will be attached to strong elasticated material to simulate the pull of gravity. 

Source : Jumping Workouts Could Help Astronauts on the Moon and Mars, Study in Mice Suggests.

The post Should Astronauts Add Jumping to their Workout Routine? appeared first on Universe Today.

One of the basic principles of cosmology is the Cosmological Principle. It states that, no matter where you go in the Universe, it will always be broadly the same. Given that we have only explored our own Solar System there is currently no empirical way to measure this. A new study proposes that we can test the Cosmological Principle using weak gravitational lensing. The team suggests that measuring tiny distortions in light as it passes through the lenses, it may just be possible to find out  if there are differences in density far away. 

The Cosmological Principle is a fundamental assumption stating that the universe is homogeneous on a large scale. In other words regardless of location or direction, the universe appears uniform and it underpins many cosmological models, including the Big Bang theory. Taking the assumption that physical laws apply consistently everywhere makes calculations and predictions about the universe’s structure and evolution far simpler, but research has been testing its validity by searching for potential anomalies.

This illustration shows the “arrow of time” from the Big Bang to the present cosmological epoch. Credit: NASA

A paper has been published by a team of astrophysicists, led by James Adam from the University of Western Cape in South Africa and explains that the Standard Model of Cosmology predicts the Universe has no centre and has no preferred directions (isotropy.) The paper, which was published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, articulates a new way to test the isotropy of the Universe using the Euclid space telescope.

The Euclid telescope is a European Space Agency mission to explore dark matter and dark energy. It was launched in 2023 and maps the positions and movements of billions of galaxies. It’s using this instrument that the team hope to search for variations in the structure of the Universe that might challenge the Cosmological Principle. 

Artist impression of the Euclid mission in space. Credit: ESA

Previous studies have found such anomalies before but there are conflicting measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe, in the microwave background radiation and in various cosmological data. Further independent observations are required though, providing more data to see if the observations were the result of measurement errors. 

The team explore using weak gravitational lenses, which occur when matter sits between us and a distant galaxy, slightly bending the galaxies light. Analysis of this distortion can be separated into two components; E-mode shear (caused by the distribution of matter in an isotropic and homogenous Universe) and B-mode shear which is weak and would not appear in an isotropic Universe at large scale. 

If the team can detect large scale B-modes this in itself wouldn’t be enough to confirm the anisotropies since the measurements are tiny and prone to measurement errors. To confirm, and finally test the Cosmological Principles, E-mode shear needs to be detected as well. Such discovery and correlation of E-mode and B-mode shear would suggest the expansion of the Universe is anisotropic. 

Ahead of the Euclid observations, the team simulated the effects of an anisotropic universe expansion on a computer. They were able to use the model to describe the effect of the weak gravitational force and predict that Euclid data would be sufficient to complete the study. 

Source : Does the universe behave the same way everywhere? Gravitational lenses could help us find out

The post Do We Live in a Special Part of the Universe? Here’s How to Find Out appeared first on Universe Today.

For more than 40 years, Jonathan McDowell has tirelessly catalogued the space industry. Now he is planning to retire, and looking to pass on his extensive collection of knowledge

A UK start-up is producing dyes made by bacteria and yeast rather than fossil fuel-derived chemicals, which could help clothes manufacturers cut energy use and pollution

$160 million is a lot of money, especially when you consider its not just money. It's lost dreams, careers, and discoveries.

The post Open Letter II: President Levin, There Are Now 160 Million Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Have Censored We Want Them Infected Doctors first appeared on Science-Based Medicine.

Fossil teeth of extinct megalodon sharks have grooves made by other megalodon teeth, hinting at violent encounters between these giant predators

The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and NTT Research, Inc., a division of NTT, announced the publication of research showing an application of machine-learning directed optimization (ML-DO) that efficiently searches for high-performance design configurations in the context of biohybrid robots. Applying a machine learning approach, the researchers created mini biohybrid rays made of cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) and rubber with a wingspan of about 10 mm that are approximately two times more efficient at swimming than those recently developed under a conventional biomimetic approach.

The Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and NTT Research, Inc., a division of NTT, announced the publication of research showing an application of machine-learning directed optimization (ML-DO) that efficiently searches for high-performance design configurations in the context of biohybrid robots. Applying a machine learning approach, the researchers created mini biohybrid rays made of cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) and rubber with a wingspan of about 10 mm that are approximately two times more efficient at swimming than those recently developed under a conventional biomimetic approach.

Researchers demonstrated the first fully 3D-printed, droplet-emitting electrospray engine. The low-cost device can be fabricated more quickly than traditional thrusters, potentially from on board a spacecraft, and could enable CubeSats to perform precise, in-orbit maneuvers, aiding space research projects.

Researchers demonstrated the first fully 3D-printed, droplet-emitting electrospray engine. The low-cost device can be fabricated more quickly than traditional thrusters, potentially from on board a spacecraft, and could enable CubeSats to perform precise, in-orbit maneuvers, aiding space research projects.

Hypervelocity stars have been seen before but NASA scientists have just identified a potential record-breaking exoplanet system. They found a hypervelocity star that has a super-Neptune exoplanet in orbit around it. This discovery could reshape our understanding of planetary and orbital mechanics. Understanding more about these fascinating high velocity stars challenges current models of stellar evolution. However it formed, its amazing that somehow, it has managed to hang on to its planet through the process!

High-velocity stars travel through space at extraordinarily high speeds, often in excess of hundreds of kilometres per second. These rapidly moving stars are usually expelled from their galaxies due to gravitational forces, perhaps from close encounters with supermassive black holes or other stars. Some of them move so fast that they can break free from the Milky Way’s gravitational pull. It’s important to study them as they offer crucial insights into the dynamics of our Galaxy, interactions with black holes, and even the distribution of dark matter across the cosmos.

The positions and reconstructed orbits of 20 high-velocity stars, represented on top of an artistic view of our Galaxy, the Milky Way. Credit: ESA (artist’s impression and composition); Marchetti et al. 2018 (star positions and trajectories); NASA / ESA / Hubble (background galaxies)

Details of the discovery were published in a paper that was authored by lead astronomer Sean Terry in The Astronomical journal. It tells of the discovery of what the team think is a super-Neptune world that is in orbit around a star with a low mass. The system is travelling at an estimated 540 kilometres per second! If it were aligned with our own Solar System and the star was where our Sun was, then the planet would sit somewhere between the orbits of Venus and Earth. Terry, who is a researcher at the University of Maryland and said “it will be the first planet ever found orbiting a hypervelocity star.” 

Finding objects like this in space is tricky. This object was first seen in 2011 following analysis of data from the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics survey that had been conducted by the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. The study had been on the lookout for evidence for exoplanets around distant stars. 

The star-filled sky in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope photo lies in the direction of the Galactic centre. The light from stars is monitored to see if any change in their apparent brightness is caused by a foreground object drifting in front of them. The warping of space by the interloper would momentarily brighten the appearance of a background star, an effect called gravitational lensing. One such event is shown in the four close-up frames at the bottom. The arrow points to a star that momentarily brightened, as first captured by Hubble in August 2011. This was caused by a foreground black hole drifting in front of the star, along our line of sight. The star brightened and then subsequently faded back to its normal brightness as the black hole passed by. Because a black hole doesn’t emit or reflect light, it cannot be directly observed. But its unique thumbprint on the fabric of space can be measured through these so-called microlensing events. Though an estimated 100 million isolated black holes roam our galaxy, finding the telltale signature of one is a needle-in-a-haystack search for Hubble astronomers.

The presence of a mass between Earth and a distant object creates these microlensing events. As such a mass passes between us and a star, its presence can be revealed through analysis of its light curve. In the 2011 data, the signals revealed a pair of celestial bodies and allowed the researchers to calculate that one was about 2,300 times heavier than the other. 

The 2011 study suggested the star was about 20 percent as massive as the Sun and a planet 29 times heavier than Earth. Either that, or it was a nearer planet about four times the mass of Jupiter, maybe even with a moon. To learn more about the object the team searched through data from Keck Observatory and the Gaia satellite. They found the star, located about 24,000 light years away so still within the Milky Way. By comparing the location of the star in 2011 and then ten years later in 2021, the team were able to calculate its speed. 

Having calculated the speed of the star to be around 540,000 kilometres per second, the team are keen to secure more observations in the years ahead. If it is around the 600,000 kilometres per second mark then it’s likely to escape the gravity of the Milky Way and enter intergalactic space millions of years in the future. 

Source : NASA Scientists Spot Candidate for Speediest Exoplanet System

The post A Hyper Velocity Star Found with an Exoplanet Hanging on for Dear Life appeared first on Universe Today.

Finding alien life may have just got easier! If life does exist on other worlds in our Solar System then it’s likely to be tiny, primative bacteria. It’s not so easy to send microscopes to other worlds but chemistry may have just come to the rescue. Scientists have developed a test that detects microbial movement triggered by an amino acid known as  L-serine. In lab testing, three different types of microbes all moved towards this chemical and could be a strong indicator of life.

The search for primitive alien life focuses on finding simple organisms, like microbes or bacteria that can survive in extreme environments. Scientists target places like Mars or moons of the outer planets like Europa (Jupiter,) and Enceladus (Saturn,) where liquid water and energy sources might exist. By studying extremophiles on Earth—organisms that seem to thrive in harsh conditions—researchers can gain clues about where and how to look for extraterrestrial life. Advanced technologies, including chemical sensors and microscopic imaging, are being developed to detect signs of life on future space missions.

Europa captured by Juno

One of the great challenges is exactly what to look for. One aspect of life be it primative or advanced, is the ability to move independently. The process where a chemical causes an organism to move in response is known as chemotaxis and it this that a team of researchers in Germany are interested in. They have developed a new method for creating the chemotactic movement in some of the most basic forms of life here on Earth. The team published their results in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. 

The team undertook experiments with three different types of microbe, two of them were bacteria and one was an archaea – a single celled microorganism. Each one has the capability of surviving in the types of extreme environments that might be found in space. One of the microbes has the catchy name Bacillus Subtilis and is known to be able to survive temperatures up to 100°C while others can survive down to -2.5°C. Each of the microbes responded, moving toward the chemical L-serine. The positive response from the microbes gives scientists a great insight into searching for organisms that are living on other worlds in our Solar System. 

Image of a tardigrade, which is a microscopic species and one of the most well-known extremophiles, having been observed to survive some of the most extreme environments, including outer space. (Credit: Katexic Publications, unaltered, CC2.0)

The scientists used a microscope slide that contained two separate chambers that were separated by a thin membrane. The sample microbes were placed on one side with L-serine placed on the other. The concept is simple, if the microbes are alive, they will move toward the chemical. On a future space mission however, it may need some slight refinements, chiefly it would need to work without human interaction. 

It’s not the first time the chemical has been used to trigger movement in primative life and is thought to exist beyond the confines of Earth. Its presence beyond our home planet suggest that it may also be useful in helping the search for alien life. If L-serine does exist on other worlds in our Solar System then it may induce movement in microbes and may therefore help us to find that life. 

Source : Efforts to find alien life could be boosted by simple test that gets microbes moving

The post Efforts to Detect Alien Life Advanced by Simple Microbe Mobility Test appeared first on Universe Today.

New findings explain the Phoenix cluster's mysterious starburst. Data confirm the cluster is actively cooling and able to generate a huge amount of stellar fuel on its own.

A research team has developed two new autonomous navigation systems for cyborg insects to better navigate unknown, complex environments. The algorithms utilized only simple circuits that leveraged natural insect behaviors, like wall-following and climbing, to navigate challenging terrain, such as sandy, rock-strewn surfaces. For all difficulties of terrain tested, the cyborg insects were able to reach their target destination, demonstrating the potential of cyborg insects for surveillance, disaster-site exploration, and more.

A research team has developed two new autonomous navigation systems for cyborg insects to better navigate unknown, complex environments. The algorithms utilized only simple circuits that leveraged natural insect behaviors, like wall-following and climbing, to navigate challenging terrain, such as sandy, rock-strewn surfaces. For all difficulties of terrain tested, the cyborg insects were able to reach their target destination, demonstrating the potential of cyborg insects for surveillance, disaster-site exploration, and more.

DNA hydrogels are biocompatible drug delivery systems for targeted therapeutic interventions. Conventional DNA hydrogels, formed with many DNA nanostructure units, lead to increased preparation costs and design complexities.

Physicists and biomedical engineers unlocked new properties in capillary waves thanks to superhydrophobicity.

Is it possible to tile a surface with a single shape in such a way that the pattern never repeats itself? In 2022, a mathematical solution to this 'Einstein problem' was discovered for the first time. Researchers have now also found a chemical solution: a molecule that arranges itself into complex, non-repeating patterns on a surface. The resulting aperiodic layer could even exhibit novel physical properties.

Is it possible to tile a surface with a single shape in such a way that the pattern never repeats itself? In 2022, a mathematical solution to this 'Einstein problem' was discovered for the first time. Researchers have now also found a chemical solution: a molecule that arranges itself into complex, non-repeating patterns on a surface. The resulting aperiodic layer could even exhibit novel physical properties.