EverythingScience

Scientists discover caves carved by water on Mars that may have once harbored life If there is, or ever has been, life on Mars, the chances are it would exist in caves protected from the severe dust storms, extreme temperatures, and high radiation present on its surface. One place to focus our attention could be eight possible cave sites (called skylights) recently discovered by Chenyu Ding at Shenzhen University in China, and colleagues. Cave discovery In a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the team presents the first evidence of a new type of cave on the red planet, formed by water dissolving rock. Most Martian caves discovered so far have been lava tubes, but the study authors argue that they have identified the first documented karstic caves on Mars. "These skylights are interpreted as the first known potential karstic caves on Mars, representing collapse entrances formed through the dissolution of water-soluble lithologies—defining a new cave-forming class distinct from all previously reported volcanic and tectonic skylights," wrote the researchers. On Earth, karstic caves are typically formed when water dissolves soluble rock such as limestone or gypsum, creating and enlarging underground cracks and fractures that grow large enough to become caves. The paper proposes a similar process on Mars, where ancient Martian water may have dissolved carbonate- and sulfate-rich rocks on the crust. The caves are located in the Hebrus Valles, a northwestern region, and are eight pits that were mapped by previous Mars missions. They are deep and predominantly circular depressions, not impact craters, which typically have raised rims and ejected debris around them. Source:Phys.org @EverythingScience

We’re used to seeing our planet with land at the center. But what if we shift our perspective? 📲Discover the wonders of our ocean world with our mind-blowing new web experience: hubs.li/Q03SWDPt0 Source: @WHOI @EverythingScience

The UN climate talks have become too big for their own good Source:Phys.org @EverythingScience

The First Radio Signal From Comet 3I/Atlas Ends Debate on Its Nature More evidence has emerged to support the natural origin of comet 3I/Atlas. After several weeks of conspiracy theories, social media debates, and speculation on popular podcasts such as Joe Rogan's, this interstellar object is still a comet. The most recent confirmation came from an observatory in South Africa that detected the first radio signal from 3I/Atlas. But how? A radio signal? That would have to confirm the object is technlogical in nature, wouldn't it? The thing is, this isn't a radio signal like a transmission emitted by a spacecraft. It's instead a radio frequency pattern detected by MeerKAT, a radio telescope composed of 64 antennas—each with a diameter of 13.5 meters—operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. And what did it detect? "OH absorption was detected on the 1665 MHz and 1667 MHz lines," according to the researchers. What MeerKAT specifically detected were lines of radio absorption by hydroxyl radicals, that is, OH molecules, a pattern that would be consistent with typical comet activity. The lines appear as absorption because 3I/Atlas was very close to the sun and the observing geometry favors absorption over emission. This is the phenomenon explained in WIRED a few days ago when the controversy about non-gravitational acceleration arose: When comets reach their closest point to the sun, they sublimate ice into space and receive a greater amount of radiation. This also causes them to alter their trajectory. The hydroxyl radical (OH) can absorb or emit radiation at specific frequencies (such as the 1665 and 1667 MHz lines) due to transitions in its energy levels. These OH spectral lines have been detected in nebulae, comets, and star-forming regions. OH helps astronomers map the star- and water-born regions of the universe because it can "glow" brightly at radio frequencies under certain conditions. Source:Wired @EverythingScience

Does quantum gravity exist? A new experiment has deepened the mystery A new discovery suggests gravitational fields can enable matter to become quantum entangled — and that's even if the concept of quantum gravity does not exist. The idea comes from two London-based physicists who are challenging the way we think about quantum fields and how classical gravity operates. The search for quantum gravity is the next big step in physics, as researchers seek to unify the physics of the very small with that of the very large. Quantum mechanics explains the former while general relativity theory — which famously describes how gravity works — explains the latter. Both quantum physics and the theory of general relativity were products of the first quarter of the 20th century, but 100 years later, scientists are still none the wiser as to how the two can be unified. As it stands, the theories contradict one another. Source:Space.com @EverythingScience

Scientists create world's first microwave-powered computer chip — it's much faster and consumes less power than conventional CPUs Scientists have developed an entirely new kind of microchip that uses microwaves instead of conventional digital circuitry to perform operations. The processor, which can perform faster than conventional CPUs, is the world's first fully functional microwave neural network (MNN) that can fit on a chip, scientists reported in a study published Aug. 14 in the journal Nature Electronics. High-bandwidth applications, such as radar imaging, demand high-speed processing. Microwaves that operate in the analog spectrum can meet the processing needs of these applications, which is why scientists have pursued this new approach to computing. Source:Live Science @EverythingScience

First-Ever At-Home LSD Microdosing Trial For Depression Sees 60 Percent Improvement In Symptoms For the first time ever, scientists have monitored the effects of microdosing with LSD at home as a treatment for major depressive disorder. Over the course of eight weeks, 19 people took regular tiny amounts of the psychedelic drug, resulting in a pronounced reduction in symptom severity that persisted for up to six months. Over the past decade or so, numerous studies have highlighted the potential of psychedelic compounds like psilocybin to combat depression, though the exact mechanisms behind this effect are still being investigated. Recent years have also seen an explosion of interest in psychedelic microdosing, which involves taking tiny, “sub-perceptual” doses of mind-altering substances in the hopes of boosting creativity, improving mood, and even treating mental health disorders. However, very little proper research into the safety or efficacy of microdosing has been conducted, and there’s a great deal of uncertainty over whether or not the practice has any benefits. To provide some solid data, the authors of the new study gave LSD to a group of patients in New Zealand, and instructed them to take minuscule doses at home twice a week. “This is the first trial to investigate the effects of repeated microdoses of a psychedelic in a naturalistic setting as a treatment for depression,” they write in their paper. “Patients in this trial experienced a pronounced, long-lasting reduction in depressive symptoms evident from two weeks after the commencement of microdosing until at least the end of the regimen. The reduction of symptoms continued at four weeks of treatment, which stabilised and lasted up to six months after the end of treatment,” explain the researchers. Prior to starting treatment, participants had an average depression score of 23.7 on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) – a clinically-verified measure of the severity of depressive symptoms. After eight weeks of microdosing, this had dropped to 9.59, representing a 59.52 percent reduction, while nine of the 19 patients were classified as in remission. The authors also confirm that no major adverse events were reported during the trial, illustrating the safety of microdosing with LSD – although one participant did leave the study after experiencing anxiety. This research is also the first to assess the effects of repeated psychedelic doses on the function of the heart’s valves, with no issues observed. Source:IFLScience @EverythingScience

ESA's sun spacecraft captures 1st close-up of our star's magnetic engine in motion n a striking new view from space, the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter has given scientists their first close-up glimpse of the sun's magnetic field near its south pole — and it is behaving in surprising ways. The image above, a composite of eight days of observations taken in March when the spacecraft had its first clear view of the region, shows bright arcs sweeping around the pole — glowing traces left by magnetic structures drifting toward the sun's edge at unexpectedly high speeds. The findings reveal the sun's magnetic field is migrating toward its poles much faster than scientists predicted. "To understand the sun's magnetic cycle, we still lack knowledge of what happens at the sun's poles," Sami Solanki, a director at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany who co-authored the paper, said in a statement. "Solar Orbiter can now provide this missing piece of the puzzle." Source:Space.com @EverythingScience

'The universe will just get colder and deader from now on': Euclid telescope confirms star formation has already peaked in the cosmos Source:Live Science @EverythingScience

Euclid Has 8 Extra Years of Fuel. A Scientist Has A Brilliant Plan To Use It. It’s almost become expected that many space telescopes and probes can have “extended missions”. Both Voyagers are still sending data back 40+ years after their 5-year primary mission ended. But figuring out what to do with those spacecraft after their primary mission takes some negotiation. One such craft that will reach its end-of-mission in 2030 is Euclid, which is currently on a mission to map the “dark universe” of dark energy and dark matter. According to a new paper from Luigi “Rolly” Bedin of the Astronomical Institute of Padova, which is available in pre-print form on arXiv, for its second act we could turn Euclid into the most powerful astrometric telescope ever made. Currently calculations give Euclid an extended life of about 8 years, thanks to the additional fuel the craft has on board. That would more than double the 6-year original mission, which is already well underway. With that additional time, Dr. Bedin suggests Euclid do something completely outlandish - do the exact same thing that it did for the first six-year mission. Why on Earth would we use Euclid to do the same thing that it had just spent most of its lifetime completing? Because getting a second data point would allow us to see what moved in those six years - an astronomical value called “proper motion”. This is a calculation of how closer objects (such as stars in the Milky Way) move against a background of further objects (like distant galaxies) over time. But the key is that, in order to calculate proper motion, you need a very long time between data points to ensure the motion is significant enough to be calculated. According to Dr. Bedin, about 6 years should do the trick for Euclid. Source:Universe Today @EverythingScience

A Neuroscientist Reveals How Beauty Ideals Are Rewiring Your Brain Beauty standards have always evolved, but in today's social media age, they shift at lightning speed. From "clean girl" minimalism to the "quiet luxury" aesthetic, each new ideal promises perfection few can reach – fueling comparison and self-doubt. It isn't just social media trends that fuel these feelings of inadequacy. Our brain also plays a role. Neuroscience shows us the brain is hardwired to respond to beauty. Seeing an attractive face activates the brain's reward and social circuits – releasing the feel-good hormone dopamine. This hormone is also released when we happen to live up to a specific beauty standard, making this feel biologically gratifying. But this wiring also makes us vulnerable. Over time, the brain adapts to these ideals, treating them as the new normal. Our brains' natural ability to change (plasticity), once an evolutionary advantage, is now exploited by a digital world that continually reshapes how we see ourselves. Understanding this science offers hope, however. If our perceptions can be trained, they can also be retrained – allowing us to reclaim control over what beauty means. Source:ScienceAlert @EverythingScience

'Holy Grail' Forensics Breakthrough Lifts Fingerprints From Bullet Cases Finding a fingerprint on the casing of a fired bullet was once a nearly impossible task. But scientists have at last achieved a breakthrough. Researchers at Maynooth University in Ireland have now shown they can recover human fingerprints from super-heated bullet cases. Even better, the prints appear at the "highest level of detail", including pores and ridges. The details could be sufficient to identify a shooter, although in experiments, the bullets weren't actually shot from a gun; they were heated in a furnace. "The Holy Grail in forensic investigation has always been retrieving prints from fired ammunition casings," claims chemist Eithne Dempsey. "Traditionally, the intense heat of firing destroys any biological residue. However, our technique has been able to reveal fingerprint ridges that would otherwise remain imperceptible." source:ScienceAlert @EverythingScience