An ‘ice tsunami’ is often triggered by a sudden rise in temperature. As the ice begins to melt, it becomes more susceptible to movement, especially under the influence of strong winds.

These images capture the Amur River embankment in Khabarovsk / Russia 2021.

#IceTsunami #ClimateChange #ScienceNews #Khabarovsk #NaturePhenomena #AmurRiver #Meteorology #science

🚀 SpaceX to Attempt First-Ever Starship-to-Starship Refueling in March 2025

NASA has announced that SpaceX will conduct a groundbreaking test of orbital fuel transfer between two Starship spacecraft as early as March next year. This in-orbit refueling demonstration is crucial, as it could enable larger payload deliveries beyond Earth’s orbit and support future unmanned missions. Should the test succeed, SpaceX is set to land astronauts on the Moon in September 2026.

#SpaceX #Starship #NASA #SpaceExploration #OrbitalRefueling #MoonMission #FutureOfSpace #TechNews #Science

Money begets money, success begets success, and Nobels beget Nobels.

Believe it or not, according to Nature, 95% of Nobel laureates (702 out of 736) belong to a single vast academic family tree, a network that I reflects their academic “lineage.” This isn’t just biological; it’s about mentorship—one scientist guiding another, usually as an advisor or mentor. Only a rare few, just 32 laureates, somehow achieved the Nobel without being part of this formidable academic network (you can see them on the left side of the network diagram).

Inside this colossal network lie 33 generations of laureates, all tracing their academic roots back to one progenitor—Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466–1536). He pioneered a system of mentorship that laid the foundation for today’s structured guidance, where knowledge, skills, connections, and experience are passed from one scientist to another, often leading to the highest accolades in science, such as the Nobel.

Opinion:

Success in a scientific career is not so much a matter of talent and hard work, but of connections and prestige.

1. Mentorship is the key driver behind the rise of superstars.
2. Elite mentorship propels scientists to the highest echelons of success.
3. The most critical factor in elite career trajectories isn’t just talent, and it’s not mere luck. It’s specific luck: the luck of having the right mentor.

Thus, superstars are born through mentorship.

Now, after Nature’s publication, the “Mentor Effect” in the “science of success” has earned experimental validation.

Take note, parents and grandparents: where—and with whom—your children and grandchildren learn can shape their paths in ways you might never expect.

Here are some relevant hashtags for your post:

#Science #NobelPrize

Recent studies on Drosophila (fruit flies) reveal a promising approach to combat brain aging by regulating actin polymerization. Researchers found that an age-related accumulation of F-actin (filamentous actin) in the brain is linked to cognitive decline and shorter healthspan. By using interventions like diet, genetic modifications, and specific drugs to lower F-actin levels, scientists observed improved brain function and extended healthspan in the flies.

This breakthrough suggests that targeting the actin cytoskeleton could restore youth-like function in aging brains and potentially delay age-associated neurodegenerative changes. Could actin-modulating therapies be the next frontier in promoting brain health?

🔬 #BrainAging #Neuroscience #Actin

Australian mathematicians have debunked the theorem suggesting that if a monkey were given infinite time with a typewriter, it would eventually produce all of Shakespeare’s works.

Scientists calculated that even if all 200,000 chimpanzees on Earth were made immortal and typed continuously, they still wouldn’t complete Shakespeare’s works before the end of the universe. They based their calculations on the prediction that our universe will cease to exist in a googol years (a number with 100 zeros) according to the heat death theory. Moreover, they didn’t take into account how these typing monkeys would survive the Sun’s eventual engulfment of Earth, expected to happen in a few billion years.

The mathematicians noted that a single chimpanzee would only have a 5% chance of typing the word “banana” in its lifetime. And the probability of a monkey producing a coherent sentence like “I am a chimpanzee, therefore I exist” is one in 10 million billion billion. Shakespeare’s complete works, in comparison, contain 884,647 words.

So, while the theorem holds true in abstract mathematics, it is misleading, as it’s practically unachievable due to the constraints of our actual universe.

#Mathematics #science #MonkeyTheorem

Karl Ward showcases his invention — a pedal-powered unicycle. Los Angeles, 1971.

Instead of a traditional wheel, Ward’s creation used artificial legs. The pedals drove a mechanism that propelled the structure forward and helped maintain balance. The concept aimed to allow people to “walk” while seated.

Ward’s invention earned a unique place in the world of alternative transportation. However, due to its lack of speed and challenging operation, it never gained widespread popularity.

#ForgottenInventions #AltTransport #RetroGadgets

Skipping breakfast can be DANGEROUS for your health—it increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Studies show that people who skip their morning meal tend to overeat at night to make up for missed calories and essential nutrients during the day.

If you often find yourself indulging in late-night snacks, doctors recommend sticking to a three-meal-a-day routine.

Don’t skip breakfast!

#Science #HealthTips #HealthyEating

Unusual angle on camera…
Sharks 😀

Sharks have always been a favorite for the thrill factor, but seeing them from unexpected perspectives opens up a whole new appreciation. It’s not every day we get a close-up of these ancient predators from unique angles!

#nature #sharks #fun

💡 This underscores the importance of natural resources to the global economy and illustrates how resource distribution impacts the geopolitical influence of nations.

Source: Statista, Elements.visualcapitalist.com

📢 Breaking New Ground in Vision Restoration: iPSC-Derived Corneal Transplant Surgery 🌱👁️✨

A pioneering clinical study in Japan has successfully used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to regenerate corneal tissue in patients suffering from limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), a condition causing severe vision impairment. In this groundbreaking study, four patients with LSCD received transplants of iPSC-derived corneal epithelium, leading to promising outcomes like improved visual acuity, reduced corneal opacification, and minimal adverse reactions.

Key Highlights:

1. Patient Outcomes: Over two years, no serious adverse effects, such as immune rejection or tumor formation, were observed. Visual improvements were significant, especially in early-stage patients.
2. Immunological Insights: Surprisingly, iPSC-derived cells showed reduced immune system activation, indicating lower rejection rates even without matching patients’ immune profiles.
3. Future Directions: With success in this initial trial, researchers plan to expand the study to further test efficacy across larger, diverse groups, potentially revolutionizing treatments for LSCD.

Could this technology pave the way for safer, more accessible eye transplants in the future? Only time and further trials will tell, but the outlook is bright for vision restoration!

#StemCellTherapy #VisionRestoration #MedicalInnovation

The eyes of the deep-sea telescope fish, which lives in perpetual darkness, are uniquely adapted to see both visible light and infrared radiation. Even more remarkable, each eye can rotate independently, allowing the fish to look in two different directions at the same time. This dual capability is essential for survival in the pitch-black depths, helping the fish detect subtle changes in its environment and spot both prey and potential threats.

Fascinating, isn’t it?

The Surface of Venus!

Venus is enveloped in a dense, impenetrable atmosphere that’s opaque to visible light. To map its surface, we rely on radar imaging (right image), as radio waves can penetrate the thick atmosphere and reflect back to give us a view. On the left, we see images captured by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe using the WISPR instrument during a close flyby of Venus. These images showcase the planet’s night side and were taken in the near-infrared range, allowing us to glimpse features beneath the clouds, revealing hints of the planet’s rugged landscape.

#space #science

In a groundbreaking study, scientists have engineered mice with an enlarged cerebral cortex, resulting in more active and sociable behavior compared to typical rodents. By introducing Yamanaka factors early in development, these mice experienced brain growth with a greater number of neurons and glial cells. Remarkably, the same treatment suppressed degeneration in adult mice models of Alzheimer’s disease, likely by boosting cell proliferation. Read more here.

Such cell technologies may soon enable us to manipulate organ size or cellular composition—transforming one cell type into another. Recently, human blood cells were reprogrammed into corneal cells to restore vision in people with poor eyesight, applied in a thin layer over the eye (source). Other researchers are converting cancer cells into immune cells within tumors, effectively “dissolving” the tumor from the inside (source). In another bold experiment, mature cells were reverted to embryonic states, hinting at the potential for limb regeneration akin to that seen in axolotls (source).

While these are still early experiments, they’re growing rapidly in number and in significance. The potential of managing cell fate in vivo could revolutionize medicine, enabling us to heal, replace, rejuvenate, or even redesign tissues, organs, and organisms. The impact of this technology could be profound.

A fresh perspective sees the cell not as a simple ‘chemical factory’ but as a programmable agent, capable of assuming a vast array of identities. A new study even suggests that memory and learning aren’t exclusive to neurons; other cells exhibit a form of “cognition,” distributing a sort of agency across tissues (source).

Finally, a thought-provoking Cell review suggests that brain organoids might soon enable the human brain’s development to take on previously unknown pathways:
“Pushing evolution further may reveal new mechanisms, even leading to engineered cell types capable of tasks beyond the current abilities of the human brain.” (source).

#BiotechRevolution #CellEngineering #FutureOfScience