Thirty years ago this month, a landmark episode of The X-Files hit the airwaves: Humbug. A quirky twist on the shows established monster-of-the-week formula, it offered a proper introduction to scripter Darin Morgan, who soon became a fan favoriteand with that, showed that there was room for a sense of humor amid the shows conspiracy theories and supernatural horrors. Humbug debuted March 31, 1995, the 20th episode in the shows second season. Its nearly impossible to imagine in our current streaming era, but during The X-Files original run from 1993-2002, episode counts ranged from 20-25 per season, with season two topping out at 25. So by the time this entry rolled around, audiences had been entrenched in season two since September 1994s premiere, Little Green Men, an episode furthering the shows alien mythology written by futureFinal Destination duo Glen Morgan (Darins brother) and James Wong. Season two gave an early tease of Darin Morgans storytelling with its third episode, Blood, also co-written by Glen Morgan and Wong from a Darin Morgan story. Its a techno-horror tale involving subliminal messages and pesticide contamination; clever and shocking in its own way, but not the surprising tonal departure Humbug would prove to be. The episode kicks off with a misdirect: two boys splash around in a pool when a figure, framed as some kind of menacing threat, sneaks into the water with them. While hes a scary-looking dude, its the kids playful dad, and theyre delighted to see him. The camera pulls back to show signage letting us know this is the Alligator Man, building on the shows logline setting the episode in Gibsonton, Floridalong famed as a home base for circus and sideshow performers. In its opening moments, Humbug subverts the expected. The monster is instantly humanized as hes shown to be a loving fatherbut dont get too attached to him, because there is a monster in this episode, albeit a misunderstood one, and the Alligator Man is its latest victim.When Mulder and Scully appear on the scene, we learn the culprit may be a serial killer with a specific MO that causes a peculiar fatal wound; their body count hovers near 50, with seemingly randomly chosen victims found in nearly every state. While the FBI agents are puzzling through their latest bizarre case, the setting they find themselves in also subverts the expected. At the Alligator Mans funeral, attended by a bearded lady and several little peopleand eventually disrupted by Mr. Blockhead, a man who drives a spike into his chestScully and Mulder stand out by being so eye-catchingly ordinary. While theres a mystery afoot, in keeping with The X-Files monster-of-the-week formula, the setting is what makes Humbug truly inspired. It offers a peek into the real world of sideshow performers, handled way more sensitively than Tod Brownings 1932 film Freaks, but with similar themes of building community within what one character dubs very special people. Morgans script goes out of its way to explain why Gibsontown is so important to the people who live there, and how their experience grappling with their perceived othernesslike the Alligator Mans skin conditiongives them strength of character more often than it turns them into bloodthirsty maniacs. We also get some sideshow history in the tale of conjoined twins Chang and Eng, whose real-life story ends up mirroring the eventual Humbug killer.The episode has a lot of fun with Scully and Mulder being so out of placea familiar enough role for Scully, the confirmed skeptic, though she does fall for a carnival gag after dryly evoking P.T. Barnums line about a sucker being born every minute. Mulder latches onto a theory involving the mythological Fiji mermaid which even the townspeople chuckle at; Mulder is also made fun of for being almost too good looking. Most delightful is his banter with the acid-tongued proprietor of the mobile-home park where he and Scully rent temporary lodgings; the character is played by Michael J. Anderson, then immediately recognizable as Twin Peaks Man From Another Placemaking for a nifty post-Peaks reunion for Anderson and David Duchovny. Aside from simply being a part of The X-Files at the height of its fame, and that Twin Peaks wink, Humbug reaches back to another arena of 1990s nostalgia: Mr. Blockhead is played by Jim Rose, whose Jim Rose Circus toured as part of Lollapalooza, the eras most iconic music festival. The Enigma, who has a memorable turn in Humbug as the Conudrum, was also part of Roses show, and these two characters are used to point out the difference between people who are born with conditions that make them so-called freaks, vulnerable to exploitation by Barnum types, and people who create and cultivate those qualities voluntarily. Though Humbug is ultimately rather dark, finding its way to a conclusion that literally proves the phrase its whats inside that counts, its moments of weird levity still make it a delight: Mulder declaring a bed of nails more comfortable than a futon, Scully pretending to eat a bug in front of the obnoxiously shocking Mr. Blockhead. Theres also a wonderful twist at the end, as well as a parting thesis that The X-Files itself, especially in its revival seasons, could have taken a bit more to heart at times: Maybe some mysteries are never meant to be solved.Darin Morgans name became a regular fixture in later X-Files seasons, including penning a trio season three episodes that are now considered among the shows all-time best: Jose Chungs From Outer Space, War of the Cophrophages, and Clyde Bruckmans Final Repose. He also, certainly not coincidentally, penned and directed the two best episodes from The X-Files two revival seasons: season 10s Mulder and Scully Meet the Were-Monster, and season 11s The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat. You can stream The X-Files on Hulu. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The evolutionary path leading to the rise of modern humans is full of twists and turns, and the latest surprise reveals that our species likely sprung forth from two ancient intermingling populations. A new study has confirmed that these groups first diverged from each other around 1.5 million years ago and later merged back together 300,000 years ago, initiating a genetic mixing event that culminated with the birth of modern humans.The study, published in Nature Genetics, completely rewrites the story of humans. Scientists have long believed that Homo sapiens first appeared in Africa somewhere between 200,000 years and 300,000 years ago, having descended from a single ancestral lineage. The idea of genetic admixture flips the script, however, showing that human origins are much more complex than previously thought.A Split Population ReunitesThe researchers involved with the new study didnt need to rely on elusive ancient remains to establish this revised chapter of human history. Instead, they tapped into modern human DNA from the 1000 Genomes Project, an international catalog filled with human genomes from a variety of populations.The research team created a computational algorithm called cobraa, which was designed to represent the event of an ancestral population splitting and rejoining. They first tested the algorithm with simulated data and then applied real human genetic data.With this method, they were able to produce a structured model that displayed two ancestral populations breaking apart in ancient times. In the years after this divergence, one of the populations experienced major fluctuations in size.Immediately after the two ancestral populations split, we see a severe bottleneck in one of them suggesting it shrank to a very small size before slowly growing over a period of one million years, said co-author Aylwyn Scally from the University of Cambridges Department of Genetics, in a statement. This population would later contribute about 80 percent of the genetic material of modern humans and also seems to have been the ancestral population from which Neanderthals and Denisovans diverged.Read More: Who Were the Denisovans?Purifying Harmful Mutations The second population, meanwhile, contributed 20 percent to the genetic makeup of modern humans. The researchers found that many of the genes this group passed along to humans were not located near regions of the genome corresponding to gene functions; this could reflect a concept called purifying selection, which is the process of natural selection filtering out harmful mutations. However, the researchers believe that some of the genes from the second population may have still been integral to brain development in modern humans.Later down the line of human genetic history, purifying selection would play an important role after Neanderthals and humans interbred around 50,000 years to 45,000 years ago. Past studies have indicated that certain Neanderthal alleles were cast aside by natural selection because they were detrimental to our ancient ancestors.Who Were the Ancestral Populations? An element of mystery still surrounds the identity of these ancestral populations. The researchers point to Homo erectus and Homo heidelbergensis as potential answers since they were present in Africa around the time of the genetic admixture, but further research is needed to match genetic ancestors with fossil groups.The genetic exchange that shaped humans genomes 300,000 years ago demonstrates that evolutionary history is more nuanced than once thought, and the experience isnt just limited to human origins. Similar genetic admixture may have even given rise to a broader range of life beyond humans.Whats becoming clear is that the idea of species evolving in clean, distinct lineages is too simplistic, said first author Trevor Cousins, also from Cambridges Department of Genetics. Interbreeding and genetic exchange have likely played a major role in the emergence of new species repeatedly across the animal kingdom.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Jack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine.

We give blood to save someone elses life. It turns out that this altruistic act could also improve the donors health. But they might have to give a lot of blood over time for that effect.A study screened 217 male volunteer blood downers. The researchers divided the group into two. One cohort had given blood over a hundred times during their lifetimes. The other group had done so less than five times.Although the study was initiated in part to investigate whether long-term donation had any negative effects on the donors blood cells, they discovered an unexpected positive effect. Although both groups showed a good diversity of blood cell types, the frequent donors demonstrated some key differences, according to a study in the journal Blood.The Benefits of Giving BloodOne of the most dramatic? Both groups possessed some blood cells with changes to a gene associated with leukemia. But the changes to that gene called DNMT3A were not in the areas associated with preleukemia.To see if this difference was merely an interesting association or a legitimate sign of protection against blood cancer, researchers at the Francis Crick Institute edited DNMT3A from the human stem cells in the lab into two versions. One version contained the genetic changes associated with leukemia and the other matched the preleukemic changes to the gene in the frequent donor group, and also the non-preleukemic changes observed in the frequent donor group.Putting Blood to the TestNext, they grew these cells in two environments. One contained a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production. That hormone, erythropoietin (EPO) is boosted after each blood donation. The other growth environment contained inflammatory chemicals meant to mimic an infection.The cells with DNMT3A mutations seen in the frequent donors grew in the EPO environment and languished in the inflammatory one. The cells with the preleukemic DNMT3A mutations showed the opposite effect.To see if these effects insisted beyond petri dishes, the team transplanted cells with the two different DNMT3A into mice. The scientists mimicked the stress of blood donation in some mice by removing blood and giving them EPO injections.Those blood donor proxy mice exhibited normal red blood cell production, without the cells becoming cancerous. In sharp contrast, mice with preleukemic mutations showed a sharp increase in white blood cells in both control and stress conditions.Our work is a fascinating example of how our genes interact with the environment and as we age," Dominique Bonnet, a Crick scientist and an author of the paper, said in a press release. Activities that put low levels of stress on blood cell production allow our blood stem cells to renew and we think this favors mutations that further promote stem cell growth rather than disease."An All-Clear for DonorsThe study also should come as a relief to frequent blood donors and not just because they may be less at risk for blood cancers. It demonstrates how blood cells adapt to stressors and that many of those adaptations can be positive.Blood donations save lives and even at the deepest molecular level, we see no evidence of an increased risk for donors, Andreas Trumpp a DKFZ researcher and author of the study, said in a press release. Our result now confirms decades of clinical observation with molecular data.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.

NewsSpaceTwo astronauts stuck in space for 9 months have returned to EarthA planned eight-day mission turned into months aboard the International Space Station The capsule carrying American astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, Fla., after the pair's longer-than-planned stay aboard the International Space Station.NASABy McKenzie Prillaman10 minutes agoAfter spending more than nine months orbiting Earth, two U.S. astronauts finally returned home on March 18, splashing down at 5:57 p.m. EDT off the coast of Tallahassee, Fla. Now theyll undergo a battery of tests to find out how the longer-than-expected space stay has impacted their health.Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore left on June 5 for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission to the International Space Station. But the Boeing Starliner that the duo launched in the spacecrafts first flight test with crew experienced technical issues as it neared the ISS. Williams and Wilmore had planned to return to Earth aboard the vehicle, but NASA delayed their flight, bringing back a crewless Starliner.

Nature, Published online: 18 March 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00829-2Some attendees of a packed presentation were curious about the prospect of the first topological qubits, but left with questions unanswered.

Nature, Published online: 18 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08873-8Structures and mechanism of human mitochondrial pyruvate carrier

After nine months in space, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have splash-landed off the coast of Florida.

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Elvis Morelli, renowned for his expertise in digital doubles and who previously discussed his recreation of Sir Sean Connery with us, has now showcased the results of his exploration into MetaHuman blend shapes with Mesh Morpher.Developed by Pug Life Studio, this tool integrates seamlessly with Unreal Engine 5 and simplifies the management of morph targets in real-time, enabling developers to shift their focus from technical challenges to content creation. Mesh Morpher allows the creation of complex shapes and models by blending multiple morph targets, offering high levels of customization to craft unique characters, assets, and environments.Elvis used a free XGen-made groom asset created by Amr Mohammed, who published it for free, so you can grab it here as well and use in your projects:Amr MohammedLearn more about Mesh Morpher here and follow Elvis Morelli on LinkedIn for more MetaHuman stuff.Also, join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us on Instagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Testing Corrective Blend Shapes With Mesh Morpher For Unreal Engine 5 appeared first on CG SHARES.

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aya (@i_am_ayaface)Culture and religion are two very powerful forces that have always inspired artists, andAya Akl can tell you about it with her latest 3D image of Anat, a femme fatale type Canaanite goddess, honoured as a protector and agent of vengeance.Engrossed in ancient Levantine iconography and costumes, Akl created the goddess in her signature pencil drawing-like style using ZBrush and Blender. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aya (@i_am_ayaface)Surfacing took forever on this, I kept revisiting so many aspects and did my best to capture the energy of my lines from my sketch, she shared. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aya (@i_am_ayaface)If you love this work, youll also fall in love with her other projects, like this Lebanese woman at the beach. Subscribe to Akls Instagram and follow her on LinkedIn for more. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aya (@i_am_ayaface) View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aya (@i_am_ayaface) View this post on InstagramA post shared by Aya (@i_am_ayaface)Also, join our80 Level Talent platformand ournew Discord server, follow us onInstagram,Twitter,LinkedIn,Telegram,TikTok, andThreads,where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.Source link The post Gorgeous Detailed 2D-Like Canaanite Goddess Anat Created in Blender & ZBrush appeared first on CG SHARES.