Deep in the Barents Sea off the northern coast of Norway, the Borealis Mud Volcano has been spewing methane for centuries and supporting a flourishing community of seafloor creatures. Researchers have now recognized the underwater structure as a pillar of marine life in the benthic zone, the lowest ecological region of a body of water, where species are specially equipped to survive extreme living conditions.The distinctive environment has been detailed in a new study published in Nature Communications. The international research team involved with the study put a particular focus on the importance of the mud volcanos methane emissions; normally methane is associated with greenhouse gas and climate impacts, but it also plays an important role in forming complex, biodiverse ecosystems like the one surrounding Borealis.Living On the CrustsFirst discovered in 2023, the Borealis Mud Volcano is distinguished by a cluster of craters within a depression around 1,600 feet to 2,000 feet in diameter and an active gryphon, which is a steep cone that expels mud and other fluids, gasses, and oils. Borealis is only the second mud volcano to be observed in Norwegian waters, the first being the Hkon Mosby Mud Volcano discovered during a 1987 expedition.The mud volcano is considered a cold seep environment, a location where fluids containing methane, hydrogen sulfide, or other hydrocarbons seep up from below the seafloor (cold refers to the fact that it is not as warm as the conditions around hydrothermal vents).While some sections of the crater floor are inhospitable, the researchers found several species living on the volcanos carbonate crusts. These structures are created in part by a type of chemosynthesis, the biological process by which deep-sea microorganisms use energy to produce sugars (food) since sunlight generally does not reach the benthic zone; the particular type of chemosynthesis in this case is called anaerobic oxidation of methane, which increases local alkalinity and leads to the accumulation of carbonate deposits.The extent of carbonate deposits at Borealis indicate that the mud volcano has likely been producing methane for thousands of years, the researchers say.A Seafloor RefugeExploring the carbonate crusts with a remotely operated vehicle, the researchers spotted species of anemones, serpulids, demosponges, and octocoral colonies. Also present at the jagged carbonate formations were schools of fish, including saithe (or pollock), wolffish, cod, four-bearded rockling, and several species of Sebastes (many known as redfish).Researchers consider the Borealis mud volcano an oasis that provides shelter and feeding opportunities for thriving species, almost like a reef habitat. It acts as a refuge for species that are becoming increasingly endangered, including redfish species, many of which have been placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. The Borealis Mud Volcano is a unique geological and ecological phenomenon that provides a rare insight into the complex interactions between geological processes and marine ecosystems. It is important to preserve these unique habitats, which play a crucial role in maintaining marine biodiversity, said Giuliana Panieri, a geology professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway and lead author of the study, in a statement.The immediate surroundings of the mud volcano, researchers found, were warmed to 11.5 degrees Celsius (52.7 degrees Fahrenheit), whereas the seabed usually has a colder temperature of around 4 degrees Celsius (39.2 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, they came across sediments that contained extinct, microscopic marine organisms from up to 2.5 million years ago.The Future of the Deep SeaThe new insight on Borealis is relevant as the Arctic seabed could soon become a center for deep-sea mining, posing a major threat to seafloor environments. Researchers say there is also a need to study the methane emissions of the mud volcano on a deeper level. Although the impact of underwater methane emissions on carbon in the atmosphere is thought to be relatively minor, we still need to know how the emissions will fully affect the planet as it warms. Seafloor conservation in Norway, meanwhile, has promised progress. The nation has pledged to reach the 30 by 30 target, which entails protecting 30 percent of land and sea by 2030. A significant portion of this involves conservation measures for marine ecosystems, including those in the deep sea. By protecting the seafloor, scientists suggest that more cold seep environments could start to see the growth of biodiversity. 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:NOAA Ocean Exploration. What is the difference between cold seeps and hydrothermal vents?Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Life at Vents & SeepsJack 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.

Almost 30 years after the first planet outside our solar system was discovered, more than 7,000 other exoplanets have been identified. Now, its time to add another to the list.A team of researchers have confirmed an Earth-like planet named HD 20794 d, they report in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. The exoplanet is especially interesting to astronomers because at a mere 19.7 light-years away, its practically a neighbor. HD 20794 d, the star around which the newly identified planet rotates is not an ordinary star, Xavier Dumusque, an astronomer at the University of Geneva and co-author of the study, said in a press release. Its luminosity and proximity makes it an ideal candidate for future telescopes whose mission will be to observe the atmospheres of exoplanets directly.The Promise of WaterThe position of the planet in relation to that star also provides the possibility that it could hold water. So astronauts searching for signs of life beyond Earth are especially interested in it.HD 20794 d orbits its host star in 647 days. Although thats almost twice as long as an Earth year, its only 40 days less than Mars needs to circle our Sun. Unlike Earth and Mars, HD 20794 ds orbit is more elliptical than circular. That orbital pattern is especially interesting to astronomers, because if the planet contains water, it would likely be liquid during its closest passages to the sun, and ice when its farthest away.The Search for LifeFinding this particular exoplanet was no easy task; it required more work than just pointing one telescope to the sky and noticing the novel celestial body. Instead, it required analyzing more than 20 years of data from several instruments, then using an algorithm to filter out waves coming from other sources.We analyzed the data for years, carefully eliminating sources of contamination," Michael Cretignier, a research fellow at Oxford University and a co-author of the paper, said in a press release. The exoplanets size, proximity to Earth, and potential to hold water makes it a prime candidate to search for life, as well as testing hypothesis about conditions that could support it. New instruments, like the European Southern Observatorys Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), will hasten that search when they come online. Until then, the search for more exoplanets will continue. 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:Astronomy and Astrophysics. Revisiting the multi-planetary system of the nearby star HD 20794Before 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.

On its own, the hydrogel temporarily increased bone density by two-to-threefold. Credit: Flowbone/EPFL LBOShareOrthopedic researchers have developed a promising new nanoparticle hydrogel that can be injected directly into bones weakened by osteoporosis. In a study recently published in the journal Bone, experts say that their novel solution could help patients resist potentially fatal osteoporotic fractures.Osteoporosis is an incurable disease that eventually affects an estimated 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men over the age of 50. Weakened and brittle bones often result in osteoporotic fractures, many of which can pose major longterm complications, some of which are deadly. But while existing medication regimens either decrease old bone resorption rates or support new bone generation, these treatments can take as long as a year before providing tangible results.In the absence of effective preventive measures, around 40 percent of women aged 50 and older will suffer at least one major osteoporotic fracture; in men, the percentage is around 20 percent, Dominque Pioletti, head of the Laboratory of Biomechanical Orthopedics at Switzerlands Ecole Polytechnique Fdrale de Lausanne (EPFL) and study coauthor, said in an accompanying statement on Tuesday.Pioletti added that many people who experience osteoporotic fractures dont necessarily realize how severe the injury may be. Elderly patients, for example, face a 20 percent mortality rate within a year of fracturing the femoral neck bone near their hips. Of that same population, over half will never completely heal from their injuries.The approach developed by Piolettis team, in collaboration with EPFL startup Flowbone, deals directly with the sites of potential fractures. Most localized options take the form of pastes that harden into reinforcing, cementlike material. The new treatment, however, relies on a hydrogel made from hyaluronic acid and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, which together mimic a bones naturally occurring minerals. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.In laboratory trials, researchers injected the hydrogel into the bones of rats with osteoporosis. Within only a few weeks, experts saw a two-to-threefold increase in local bone densities when just using the hydrogel by itself. When combined with a popular anti-catabolic drug Zoledronate, injection site bone density increased as much as 4.8-fold in only 2-4 weeks.The hydrogel injections are not a cure-all, and did not necessarily provide a permanent solution to local bone weakening. Still, combining it with existing therapy may help speed up patients relief and recovery efforts.Our findings suggest that injectable hydrogels with localized anti-catabolic drug delivery can complement systemic anti-catabolic treatment, or bone-boosting systemic anabolic treatment, by rapidly increasing local bone density, said Pioletti.Moving forward, Piolettis team and Flowbone hope to begin clinical human trials after receiving regulatory approval.Then, we want to build on this evidence, ultimately to develop therapies to prevent fractures due to osteoporosis, he said.

Skip to contentExtreme Climate UpdateClimateYes, you can blame climate change for the LA wildfiresLos Angeles wildfire season now lasts roughly 23 days longer than in preindustrial times As the Santa Ana winds raced through the Los Angeles area in January, they fanned the flames of ongoing blazes. In this photo of the Hughes Fire taken on January 22, winds can be seen breathing life into flames on a hillside near Castaic Lake. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty ImagesBy Nikk Ogasa10 seconds agoA wicked convergence of blustery wind and prolonged drought has prompted devastation in Southern California, as wildfires in Los Angeles have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures. According to a new World Weather Attribution analysis, this grave toll was caused partly by humankinds burning of fossil fuels.The hot, dry, windy weather driving the fires was made 1.35 times more likely by human-caused climate change, while the lack of rainfall in preceding months may have been made 2.4 times more likely, the analysis released January 28 shows.

Nature, Published online: 28 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08566-8Author Correction: Gut microbiota strain richness is species specific and affects engraftment

Nature, Published online: 28 January 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08693-wAuthor Correction: Lithocholic acid phenocopies anti-ageing effects of calorie restriction

By modifying 20 regions of the genome, scientists successfully bred mice with two male parents and raised them to maturity.

An ongoing tuberculosis outbreak in two Kansas counties has sickened dozens since January 2024.

I've been trying to find someone on Fiverr that can turn this image into a 3D model in Blender but haven't had any luck. What is a good website to find someone to take on this job? https://preview.redd.it/2mokc4qphsfe1.png?width=2048&format=png&auto=webp&s=9375e5879226ac4beabfc07e31591fbbe563a59a submitted by /u/WhoIAmMILK [link] [comments]

The Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and it has forced the two opposing sides to improvise weapons during the conflict. That's why the European Union is reportedly proposing a ban on all video game console sales to Russia.As reported by Financial Times, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas indicated that PlayStation and Xbox consoles may land on the sanctions list because Russia has used them to "operate drones."Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony stopped selling their consoles in Russia in March 2022, roughly a month after the Russian invasion began. However, that didn't stop second-hand sellers from getting consoles to Russian buyers. The proposed sanctions would be aimed at closing off that loophole.Continue Reading at GameSpot