SCIENCES.ENERGIES.ENVIRONNEMENT

dimanche 26 octobre 2025

SCIENCES ENERGIES ENVIRONNEMENT BLOGGER

Corps du message Science X Newsletter Dear olivier hartmanshenn, Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 43: National study finds public Montessori programs strengthen early learning outcomes—at sharply lower costs Public Montessori preschool programs in the US produce stronger early learning outcomes in reading, executive function, memory, and social understanding by kindergarten compared to traditional preschools, with benefits persisting over time. These programs cost about $13,000 less per child from ages 3–6 and show particular advantages for children from lower-income families. DNA from Napoleon's 1812 army identifies pathogens likely responsible for the army's demise during retreat from Russia DNA analysis of teeth from Napoleon's 1812 army revealed no evidence of typhus but identified Salmonella enterica and Borrelia recurrentis, pathogens causing enteric and relapsing fever, as likely contributors to the army's losses. The B. recurrentis strain matched an ancient lineage, indicating its persistence in Europe for millennia. Researchers challenge claim of a strong Yellowstone trophic cascade after wolf reintroduction A re-analysis of Yellowstone data finds no evidence that wolf reintroduction caused a large or system-wide increase in willow growth. Previous claims of a strong trophic cascade relied on circular reasoning, model violations, sampling bias, and ignored key ecological factors. Willow responses are more modest and variable, shaped by hydrology, browsing, and local site conditions. Coastal gray wolves display unexpected hunting behavior with unknown ecosystem impact Gray wolves on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, have shifted to hunting sea otters, indicating significant dietary and behavioral adaptation. Stable-isotope analysis of wolf teeth and trail camera footage are being used to study this shift and its ecological effects. Wolves consuming sea otters show elevated methylmercury levels, raising concerns about potential health impacts and food web changes. Humans evolved fastest among the apes, 3D skull study shows Analysis of 3D skull models indicates that human skulls evolved at a substantially faster rate than those of other apes, with notable increases in brain size and facial flattening. This rapid evolution likely reflects both cognitive and social factors. In contrast, hylobatids exhibited slow skull evolution and low diversity, serving as a comparative baseline. Livestreams of rattlesnakes help shift public attitudes and foster empathy Livestreaming rattlesnake behavior has increased public awareness, engagement, and empathy toward these often-misunderstood snakes. Viewers report reduced fear and greater respect, with educational outreach extending to school programs. The approach demonstrates that real-time observation of maligned species can positively influence attitudes and promote conservation. The key to why the universe exists may lie in an 1800s knot idea science once dismissed A theoretical model shows that stable knot-like solitons could have formed in the early universe through the interplay of B–L and Peccei–Quinn symmetries. The decay of these knots would generate heavy right-handed neutrinos, whose subsequent decay could naturally produce the observed matter–antimatter asymmetry. This scenario predicts gravitational wave signatures potentially detectable by future observatories. Eating carrion may have made us human: The importance of scavenging in our evolution Scavenging carrion provided early hominins with a reliable and energy-efficient food source, especially during periods of scarcity. Evidence indicates that humans developed anatomical, physiological, behavioral, and technological adaptations for efficient scavenging, such as acidic stomach pH, use of fire, and tool use. Scavenging complemented hunting and gathering, playing a fundamental role in human evolution. New study shows AI chatbots systematically violate mental health ethics standards AI chatbots providing mental health advice frequently violate established ethical standards, including inadequate crisis management, reinforcing negative beliefs, deceptive empathy, bias, and lack of contextual adaptation. These risks persist even when chatbots are prompted to use evidence-based techniques, highlighting the need for regulatory oversight and careful implementation in mental health contexts. Neanderthals and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers shaped European landscapes long before agriculture, study reveals Neanderthals and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers significantly influenced European vegetation long before agriculture, affecting up to 47% of plant type distribution and increasing vegetation density by reducing large herbivore populations through hunting. Advanced simulations and pollen data indicate that human activity, including fire use and megafauna hunting, played a crucial role in shaping prehistoric landscapes. Family and peer conflicts predict teenage mental health issues, study finds Analysis of a large adolescent dataset indicates that social conflicts, particularly family disputes and peer reputation loss, are the strongest predictors of psychopathology in teenagers. Sex differences also influence long-term outcomes. Neuroimaging data were less informative. Social factors explained up to 40% of mental health variation, suggesting other contributors remain to be identified. Serotonin produced by gut bacteria provides hope for a novel IBS treatment Certain gut bacteria, specifically Limosilactobacillus mucosae and Ligilactobacillus ruminis, can directly produce bioactive serotonin in the intestine. Introducing these bacteria into serotonin-deficient mice increased gut serotonin, nerve cell density, and normalized intestinal transit. Lower levels of L. mucosae are observed in IBS patients, suggesting a potential therapeutic target. Retinal implant restores central vision in patients with advanced AMD, study shows A wireless retinal implant, PRIMA, restores central vision in patients with advanced atrophic age-related macular degeneration by converting light into electrical signals to stimulate remaining retinal cells. In a year-long trial, 81% of participants gained ≥10 letters in visual acuity, with most able to read letters or words, demonstrating significant functional vision improvement. Spiritual experiences in adolescence linked to adult loneliness and civic engagement Adolescents reporting transformative religious or spiritual experiences are more likely to volunteer and vote in early adulthood but also experience increased loneliness and some risk for PTSD. Associations with other health outcomes are less consistent. These experiences appear to link adolescent vulnerability with both greater civic engagement and later social or mental health challenges. How social norms evolved over time and differ across countries Social norms, which guide everyday behavior, differ widely across cultures and have changed over time. Analysis of data from 90 societies shows a global trend toward more permissive norms overall in the past two decades, except for behaviors considered vulgar or inconsiderate, which are now less tolerated, especially in societies valuing individual rights and care. Societies emphasizing purity maintain stricter norms against indecency. Using entanglement to test whether gravity is quantum just got more complicated Entanglement between massive objects, previously considered clear evidence for quantum gravity, can also arise from classical gravity when quantum field theory for matter is included. Both classical and quantum gravity can generate entanglement via different mechanisms, so observing entanglement alone does not unambiguously indicate quantum gravity; experimental parameters and entanglement strength remain crucial. A once-in-a-generation discovery is transforming a Michigan dairy farm High-oleic soybean varieties incorporated into dairy cow diets have led to rapid increases in milk fat and protein yields, significantly reducing feed costs by about 20% per month. Roasting these soybeans further enhances milk production benefits. Adoption of this feeding strategy offers economic advantages for farmers and may improve dairy product quality statewide. What goes up must come down: The 'universal thermal performance curve' that shackles evolution A universal thermal performance curve (UTPC) describes how all species' performance changes with temperature: performance rises gradually to an optimum, then declines rapidly above it. This curve applies across diverse life forms and performance measures, indicating a fundamental constraint on evolutionary adaptation to temperature, with limited ability to expand viable temperature ranges as global temperatures rise. Mushrooms show promise as memory chips for future computers Shiitake and button mushrooms can function as organic memristors, exhibiting memory effects comparable to semiconductor chips. These fungal-based devices offer low-cost, biodegradable alternatives for data storage, achieving switching rates up to 5,850 signals per second with about 90% accuracy. Their scalability and environmental benefits highlight potential for sustainable, brain-inspired computing. Early trigger of diabetic eye disease identified A protein called LRG1 has been identified as a key initiator of early retinal damage in diabetic retinopathy by constricting retinal blood vessels and reducing oxygen supply. Blocking LRG1 in diabetic mice prevented this early damage and preserved vision, suggesting that targeting LRG1 could enable earlier intervention and potentially prevent vision loss in diabetes, surpassing current VEGF-based therapies.

SCIENCES ENERGIES ENVIRONNEMENT BLOGGER

Quantum mechanics trumps the second law of thermodynamics at the atomic scale

Two physicists at the University of Stuttgart ha

L'essentiel

La mécanique quantique l'emporte sur la deuxième loi de la thermodynamique à l'échelle atomique

par Lena Jauernig, Université de Stuttgart

édité par Lisa Lock, relu par Robert Egan

Notes des éditeurs

Moteur quantique à deux oscillateurs. Crédit : Science Advances (2025). DOI : 10.1126/sciadv.adw8462

Deux physiciens de l'Université de Stuttgart ont prouvé que le principe de Carnot, une loi fondamentale de la thermodynamique, ne s'applique pas aux objets à l'échelle atomique dont les propriétés physiques sont liées (objets dits corrélés). Cette découverte pourrait, par exemple, faire progresser le développement de minuscules moteurs quantiques économes en énergie. La démonstration a été publiée dans la revue Science Advances.

Les moteurs à combustion interne et les turbines à vapeur sont des moteurs thermiques : ils convertissent l'énergie thermique en mouvement mécanique, ou, en d'autres termes, la chaleur en mouvement. Ces dernières années, des expériences de mécanique quantique ont permis de réduire la taille des moteurs thermiques à l'échelle microscopique.

« De minuscules moteurs, pas plus grands qu'un seul atome, pourraient devenir une réalité à l'avenir », déclare le professeur Eric Lutz de l'Institut de physique théorique I de l'Université de Stuttgart. « Il est désormais également évident que ces moteurs peuvent atteindre un rendement maximal supérieur à celui des moteurs thermiques plus grands. »

Le professeur Lutz et le Dr Milton Aguilar, chercheur postdoctoral à l'Institut de physique théorique I, expliquent les raisons de ce phénomène dans leur article. Dans cet entretien, les deux scientifiques résument leur découverte.

Qu'avez-vous découvert exactement ?

Il y a près de 200 ans, le physicien français Sadi Carnot a déterminé le rendement maximal des moteurs thermiques. Le principe de Carnot, la deuxième loi de la thermodynamique, a été développé pour les grands objets macroscopiques. Cela s'applique aux turbines à vapeur, par exemple. Cependant, nous avons maintenant pu prouver que le principe de Carnot doit être étendu pour décrire les objets à l'échelle atomique, par exemple les moteurs moléculaires fortement corrélés.

Pourquoi ?

Carnot a démontré que la différence de température a une influence décisive : plus la différence entre le chaud et le froid est grande, plus le rendement maximal possible d'un moteur thermique est élevé. Cependant, le principe de Carnot néglige l'influence des corrélations quantiques. Ce sont des liaisons spéciales qui se forment entre les particules à très petite échelle.

Pour la première fois, nous avons dérivé des lois généralisées de la thermodynamique qui tiennent pleinement compte de ces corrélations. Nos résultats montrent que les machines thermiques fonctionnant à l'échelle atomique peuvent convertir non seulement la chaleur, mais aussi les corrélations en travail. Par conséquent, elles peuvent produire davantage de travail, et l'efficacité d'un moteur quantique peut dépasser la limite de Carnot classique.

Quelles perspectives ouvre votre recherche fondamentale ?

Nos travaux approfondissent notre connaissance du monde à l'échelle atomique. Mieux nous comprenons les lois physiques qui s'appliquent à ces dimensions, plus vite nous serons en mesure de les utiliser pour développer les technologies de demain, telles que de minuscules moteurs quantiques ultra-efficaces capables d'effectuer des tâches avec précision à l'échelle nanométrique. Peut-être qu'un jour, de tels moteurs alimenteront des nanorobots médicaux ou contrôleront des machines qui traitent des matériaux au niveau atomique ? Le potentiel est extrêmement vaste.

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RESUME

La mécanique quantique l'emporte sur le deuxième principe de la thermodynamique à l'échelle atomique

Deux physiciens de l'Université de Stuttgart ont prouvé que le principe de Carnot, une loi fondamentale de la thermodynamique, ne s'applique pas aux objets à l'échelle atomique dont les propriétés physiques sont liées (objets dits corrélés). Cette découverte pourrait, par exemple, faire progresser le développement de minuscules moteurs quantiques économes en énergie. Cette démonstration a été publiée dans la revue Science Advances.

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COMMENTAIRES

Depuis ce matin les journaux et les radios ne parlent que de cela ;le principe de Carnot ils savent le contourner a l echelle quantique !!!

Pour mes élèves

La belle affaire que ces micromoteurs quantiques ! A l 'échelle de l humain le principe de Carnot reste incontournable !!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

More information: Christian Pfeifer et al, From kinetic gases to an exponentially expanding universe—the Finsler-Friedmann equation, Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (2025). DOI: 10.1088/1475-7516/2025/10/050. On arXiv (2025). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2504.08062

Journal information: arXiv

Provided by Zentrum für angewandte Raumfahrttechnologie und Mikrogravitation (ZA

samedi 25 octobre 2025

Je prie mes lecteurs de m excuser pour les fautes de presentation ;j j ai des problemes de reprise !!!

SCIENCES ENERGIES ENVIRONNEMENT BLOGGER

À : moi · lun. 20 oct. à 05:33
Corps du message
Dear olivier hartmanshenn,
Nobel Week has come to a close, and all prizes have been announced. If you missed any of this year’s science awards, here’s our full coverage:
The Nobel Prize in medicine goes to 3 scientists for key immune system discoveries
Nobel Prize in physics goes to 3 scientists whose work advanced quantum technology
Three scientists win Nobel Prize in chemistry for the development of metal-organic frameworks
Nobel economics prize goes to 3 researchers for explaining innovation-driven economic growth
High-quality science reporting takes time, expertise and care. If our coverage matters to you, please consider supporting us with a donation (especially monthly).
Even a coffee’s worth helps—and you’ll enjoy an ad-free site as a thank-you.
— The Science X team
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 42:
Cholesterol-lowering drugs could reduce risk of dementia, study finds
Low cholesterol can reduce the risk of dementia, a new University of Bristol-led study with more than a million participants has shown.
Targeting enzymes to weaken cancer cells could supercharge prostate cancer treatment
An international study has uncovered a new vulnerability in prostate cancer cells that could help improve treatment for one of the most common cancers affecting men.
Quantum mechanics trumps the second law of thermodynamics at the atomic scale
Two physicists at the University of Stuttgart have proven that the Carnot principle, a central law of thermodynamics, does not apply to objects on the atomic scale whose physical properties are linked (so-called correlated objects). This discovery could, for example, advance the development of tiny, energy-efficient quantum motors. The derivation has been published in the journal Science Advances.
A new attempt to explain the accelerated expansion of the universe
Why is the universe expanding at an ever-increasing rate? This is one of the most exciting yet unresolved questions in modern physics. Because it cannot be fully answered using our current physical worldview, researchers assume the existence of a mysterious "dark energy." However, its origin remains unclear to this day.
A missing protein may hold key to rejuvenating aging blood cells
As our hair goes gray and our muscles weaken with age, our immune system also changes. In particular, the stem cells that become blood or immune cells can develop mutations, potentially leading to cancers or other dysfunctions.
Discovery of four stone megastructures could change our view of prehistoric societies
Scientists have discovered evidence of stone megastructures on the Karst Plateau on the border of Slovenia and Italy that were most likely built before the Late Bronze Age. These enormous structures have long, low walls that lead to a pit and are believed to have been used as large-scale traps for herds of wild animals such as red deer.
Ancient lead exposure may have shaped evolution of human brain
An international study changes the view that exposure to the toxic metal lead is largely a post-industrial phenomenon. The research reveals that our human ancestors were periodically exposed to lead for over two million years, and that the toxic metal may have influenced the evolution of hominid brains, behavior, and even the development of language.
Swarm reveals growing weak spot in Earth's magnetic field
Using 11 years of magnetic field measurements from the European Space Agency's Swarm satellite constellation, scientists have discovered that the weak region in Earth's magnetic field over the South Atlantic—known as the South Atlantic Anomaly—has expanded by an area nearly half the size of continental Europe since 2014.
A 150-million-year-old fossil with a singular adaptation may unlock origin of non-biting insects
An international team of scientists led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) has described a new species of fossilized insect from the Australian Jurassic period, estimated to be around 151 million years old. It represents the oldest known member in the Southern Hemisphere of the Chironomidae family—non-biting midges that inhabit freshwater environments. The fossil shows a unique evolutionary adaptation: a mechanism that likely allowed it to firmly anchor to surrounding rocks. Until now, this mechanism was thought to be exclusive to marine species.
50-year mystery of ancient 'subway deer' discovered in Canada is solved
In 1976, during the excavation of a subway extension in Toronto, a city worker discovered unusual looking antlers with "thick, horizontal beams."
Geologists discover the first evidence of 4.5-billion-year-old 'proto Earth'
Scientists at MIT and elsewhere have discovered extremely rare remnants of "proto Earth," which formed about 4.5 billion years ago, before a colossal collision irreversibly altered the primitive planet's composition and produced Earth as we know today. Their findings, reported today in the journal Nature Geosciences, will help scientists piece together the primordial starting ingredients that forged early Earth and the rest of the solar system.
Bird-mediated plant colonization overturns long-held assumptions about how plants spread to islands
When the volcanic island of Surtsey rose from the North Atlantic Ocean in 1963, it offered scientists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe how life takes hold on brand-new and barren land. For decades, ecologists believed that plants' ability to reach remote and isolated places depended mainly on special adaptations for long-distance dispersal—for example, fleshy fruits thought to attract birds, which would eat the fruit and later disperse the seeds—giving those species a decisive advantage in colonizing new areas.
Female mountain gorillas stop reproducing long before the end of their lives, study finds
New research from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Turku reveals that female mountain gorillas, like humans and a handful of other mammals, can live long past the birth of their last offspring.
Software solution can correct image blurring by James Webb Space Telescope
A pair of Sydney Ph.D. students helped sharpen the view of humanity's most powerful space observatory—without leaving Earth. As an indelible reminder of this thrilling result, Louis Desdoigts, now a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden in the Netherlands, and his colleague Max Charles, had tattoos of the instrument their work has repaired inked on their arms.
Time crystals could power future quantum computers
A glittering hunk of crystal gets its iridescence from a highly regular atomic structure. Frank Wilczek, the 2012 Nobel Laureate in Physics, proposed quantum systems––like groups of particles––could construct themselves in the same way, but in time instead of space. He dubbed such systems time crystals, defining them by their lowest possible energy state, which perpetually repeats movements without external energy input. Time crystals were experimentally proved to exist in 2016.
Study finds humans outweigh climate in depleting Arizona's water supply
A study led by University of Arizona researchers shows that decades of groundwater pumping by humans has depleted Tucson-area aquifers far more than natural climate variation. Published in the journal Water Resources Research, the study provides the first multi-millennial reconstruction for the region that places human impacts on groundwater into long-term context.
Archaeologists uncover 5,000-year-old ceremonial site in Jordan
A research team led by the University of Copenhagen has uncovered a remarkable Early Bronze Age ritual landscape at Murayghat in Jordan. The discovery can shed new light on how ancient communities responded to social and environmental change.
Sensor identifies sodium nitrite in drinks using laser-modified cork
A team of researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, has developed a sensor that can identify sodium nitrite (NaNO2) in various beverages, including mineral water, orange juice, and wine. This inorganic salt is used as a preservative and fixative to give products such as ham, bacon, and sausages their pink or red color. Depending on the amount, it can cause serious health problems by leading to the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic compounds.
Combination of pre- and probiotics offers superior anti-inflammatory benefits compared with omega-3 or prebiotic alone
A new study, led by researchers at the University of Nottingham, has found that combining certain types of dietary supplements is more effective than single prebiotics or omega-3 in supporting immune and metabolic health, which could lower the risk of conditions linked to chronic inflammation.
Bats' brains reveal a global neural compass that doesn't depend on the moon and stars
Some 40 kilometers east of the Tanzanian coast in East Africa lies Latham Island, a rocky, utterly isolated and uninhabited piece of land about the size of seven soccer fields. It was on this unlikely patch of ground that Weizmann Institute of Science researchers recorded—for the first time ever—the neural activity of mammals in the wil

TRADUCTION

Les médicaments hypocholestérolémiants pourraient réduire le risque de démence, selon une étude

Un faible taux de cholestérol peut réduire le risque de démence, selon une nouvelle étude menée par l'Université de Bristol auprès de plus d'un million de participants.

Cibler les enzymes pour affaiblir les cellules cancéreuses pourrait optimiser le traitement du cancer de la prostate

Une étude internationale a mis au jour une nouvelle vulnérabilité dans les cellules du cancer de la prostate qui pourrait contribuer à améliorer le traitement de l'un des cancers les plus fréquents chez les hommes.

La mécanique quantique l'emporte sur le deuxième principe de la thermodynamique à l'échelle atomique

Deux physiciens de l'Université de Stuttgart ont prouvé que le principe de Carnot, une loi fondamentale de la thermodynamique, ne s'applique pas aux objets à l'échelle atomique dont les propriétés physiques sont liées (objets dits corrélés). Cette découverte pourrait, par exemple, faire progresser le développement de minuscules moteurs quantiques économes en énergie. Cette démonstration a été publiée dans la revue Science Advances.

Une nouvelle tentative d'expliquer l'expansion accélérée de l'univers

Pourquoi l'univers s'étend-il à un rythme toujours croissant ? C'est l'une des questions les plus passionnantes et pourtant non résolues de la physique moderne. Comme il est impossible d'y répondre pleinement avec notre vision actuelle du monde physique, les chercheurs supposent l'existence d'une mystérieuse « énergie noire ». Cependant, son origine reste encore inconnue à ce jour.

Une protéine manquante pourrait détenir la clé du rajeunissement des cellules sanguines vieillissantes

Alors que nos cheveux grisonnent et que nos muscles s'affaiblissent avec l'âge, notre système immunitaire se modifie également. En particulier, les cellules souches qui deviennent des cellules sanguines ou immunitaires peuvent développer des mutations, pouvant potentiellement entraîner des cancers ou d'autres dysfonctionnements.

La découverte de quatre mégastructures en pierre pourrait changer notre vision des sociétés préhistoriques

Des scientifiques ont découvert des preuves de mégastructures en pierre sur le plateau karstique à la frontière de la Slovénie et de l'Italie, qui ont probablement été construites avant la fin de l'âge du bronze. Ces énormes structures sont constituées de longs murs bas menant à une fosse et auraient servi de pièges à grande échelle pour des troupeaux d'animaux sauvages tels que des cerfs.

L'exposition ancienne au plomb pourrait avoir façonné l'évolution du cerveau humain

Une étude internationale remet en question l'idée selon laquelle l'exposition au plomb, un métal toxique, est principalement un phénomène post-industriel. La recherche révèle que nos ancêtres humains ont été périodiquement exposés au plomb pendant plus de deux millions d'années, et que ce métal toxique pourrait avoir influencé l'évolution du cerveau, du comportement et même du développement du langage chez les hominidés. Swarm révèle une zone de faiblesse croissante dans le champ magnétique terrestre

Grâce à 11 ans de mesures du champ magnétique effectuées par la constellation de satellites Swarm de l'Agence spatiale européenne, des scientifiques ont découvert que la région de faiblesse du champ magnétique terrestre au-dessus de l'Atlantique Sud – connue sous le nom d'anomalie de l'Atlantique Sud – s'est étendue sur une superficie représentant près de la moitié de la taille de l'Europe continentale depuis 2014.

Un fossile vieux de 150 millions d'années doté d'une adaptation singulière pourrait révéler l'origine des insectes non piqueurs

Une équipe internationale de scientifiques dirigée par la station biologique de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) a décrit une nouvelle espèce d'insecte fossilisé datant du Jurassique australien, estimée à environ 151 millions d'années. Il représente le plus ancien membre connu dans l'hémisphère sud de la famille des Chironomidae – des moucherons non piqueurs qui vivent en eau douce. Le fossile présente une adaptation évolutive unique : un mécanisme qui lui permettait probablement de s'ancrer fermement aux roches environnantes. Jusqu'à présent, ce mécanisme était considéré comme exclusif aux espèces marines.

Le mystère de 50 ans des anciens « cerfs du métro » découverts au Canada est résolu

En 1976, lors de l'excavation d'une extension du métro à Toronto, un ouvrier a découvert des bois d'apparence inhabituelle avec des « ramures épaisses et horizontales ».

Des géologues découvrent les premières preuves de la « proto-Terre » vieille de 4,5 milliards d'années

Des scientifiques du MIT et d'ailleurs ont découvert des vestiges extrêmement rares de la « proto-Terre », qui s'est formée il y a environ 4,5 milliards d'années, avant une collision colossale qui a irrémédiablement modifié la composition de la planète primitive et a donné naissance à la Terre telle que nous la connaissons aujourd'hui. Leurs découvertes, publiées aujourd'hui dans la revue Nature Geosciences, aideront les scientifiques à reconstituer les ingrédients primordiaux qui ont forgé la Terre primitive et le reste du système solaire.

La colonisation végétale par les oiseaux bouleverse les idées reçues sur la manière dont les plantes se propagent sur les îles

Lorsque l'île volcanique de Surtsey a émergé de l'océan Atlantique Nord en 1963, elle a offert aux scientifiques une occasion unique d'observer comment la vie s'installe sur une terre nouvelle et stérile. Pendant des décennies, les écologistes ont cru que la capacité des plantes à atteindre des endroits éloignés et isolés dépendait principalement d'adaptations spécifiques à la dispersion sur de longues distances – par exemple, des fruits charnus censés attirer les oiseaux, qui mangeraient les fruits et disperseraient ensuite les graines – donnant ainsi à ces espèces un avantage décisif pour la colonisation de nouvelles zones.

Une étude révèle que les gorilles des montagnes femelles cessent de se reproduire bien avant la fi

vendredi 24 octobre 2025

SCIENCES ENERGIES ENVIRONNEMENT BLOGGER

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 42:A

human brain

An international study changes the view that exposure to the toxic metal lead is largely a post-industrial phenomenon. The research reveals that our human ancestors were periodically exposed to lead for over two million years, and that the toxic metal may have influenced the evolution of hominid brains, behavior, and even the development of language.

Swarm reveals growing weak spot in Earth's magnetic field

Using 11 years of magnetic field measurements from the European Space Agency's Swarm satellite constellation, scientists have discovered that the weak region in Earth's magnetic field over the South Atlantic—known as the South Atlantic Anomaly—has expanded by an area nearly half the size of continental Europe since 2014.

A 150-million-year-old fossil with a singular adaptation may unlock origin of non-biting insects

An international team of scientists led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC) has described a new species of fossilized insect from the Australian Jurassic period, estimated to be around 151 million years old. It represents the oldest known member in the Southern Hemisphere of the Chironomidae family—non-biting midges that inhabit freshwater environments. The fossil shows a unique evolutionary adaptation: a mechanism that likely allowed it to firmly anchor to surrounding rocks. Until now, this mechanism was thought to be exclusive to marine species.

50-year mystery of ancient 'subway deer' discovered in Canada is solved

In 1976, during the excavation of a subway extension in Toronto, a city worker discovered unusual looking antlers with "thick, horizontal beams."

Geologists discover the first evidence of 4.5-billion-year-old 'proto Earth'

Scientists at MIT and elsewhere have discovered extremely rare remnants of "proto Earth," which formed about 4.5 billion years ago, before a colossal collision irreversibly altered the primitive planet's composition and produced Earth as we know today. Their findings, reported today in the journal Nature Geosciences, will help scientists piece together the primordial starting ingredients that forged early Earth and the rest of the solar system.

Bird-mediated plant colonization overturns long-held assumptions about how plants spread to islands

When the volcanic island of Surtsey rose from the North Atlantic Ocean in 1963, it offered scientists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe how life takes hold on brand-new and barren land. For decades, ecologists believed that plants' ability to reach remote and isolated places depended mainly on special adaptations for long-distance dispersal—for example, fleshy fruits thought to attract birds, which would eat the fruit and later disperse the seeds—giving those species a decisive advantage in colonizing new areas.

Female mountain gorillas stop reproducing long before the end of their lives, study finds

New research from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Turku reveals that female mountain gorillas, like humans and a handful of other mammals, can live long past the birth of their last offspring.

Software solution can correct image blurring by James Webb Space Telescope

A pair of Sydney Ph.D. students helped sharpen the view of humanity's most powerful space observatory—without leaving Earth. As an indelible reminder of this thrilling result, Louis Desdoigts, now a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden in the Netherlands, and his colleague Max Charles, had tattoos of the instrument their work has repaired inked on their arms.

Time crystals could power future quantum computers

A glittering hunk of crystal gets its iridescence from a highly regular atomic structure. Frank Wilczek, the 2012 Nobel Laureate in Physics, proposed quantum systems––like groups of particles––could construct themselves in the same way, but in time instead of space. He dubbed such systems time crystals, defining them by their lowest possible energy state, which perpetually repeats movements without external energy input. Time crystals were experimentally proved to exist in 2016.

Study finds humans outweigh climate in depleting Arizona's water supply

A study led by University of Arizona researchers shows that decades of groundwater pumping by humans has depleted Tucson-area aquifers far more than natural climate variation. Published in the journal Water Resources Research, the study provides the first multi-millennial reconstruction for the region that places human impacts on groundwater into long-term context.

Archaeologists uncover 5,000-year-old ceremonial site in Jordan

A research team led by the University of Copenhagen has uncovered a remarkable Early Bronze Age ritual landscape at Murayghat in Jordan. The discovery can shed new light on how ancient communities responded to social and environmental change.

Sensor identifies sodium nitrite in drinks using laser-modified cork

A team of researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, has developed a sensor that can identify sodium nitrite (NaNO2) in various beverages, including mineral water, orange juice, and wine. This inorganic salt is used as a preservative and fixative to give products such as ham, bacon, and sausages their pink or red color. Depending on the amount, it can cause serious health problems by leading to the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic compounds.

Combination of pre- and probiotics offers superior anti-inflammatory benefits compared with omega-3 or prebiotic alone

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Nottingham, has found that combining certain types of dietary supplements is more effective than single prebiotics or omega-3 in supporting immune and metabolic health, which could lower the risk of conditions linked to chronic inflammation.

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