Scientists solve mystery of dark 'streaks' on Mars
Did water once flow on Mars? That's a question that has puzzled scientists for a long time.For years, researchers have pictured strange dark streaks running across the dusty Martian surface, with some thinking that could be a sign of liquid. However, a new study by experts suggests they could be because of something completely different.
What did scientists find?
Experts at Brown University in the US and the University of Bern in Switzerland decided to take a closer look at the mystery of the dark markings.These lengthy streaks can form suddenly and fade over a period of years. On average they are around 600-775 metres long, sometimes branching out and even going around obstacles.First spotted in the 1970s by Nasa's Viking mission, some scientists have suggested there could be up to two million of these streaks on the planet and that it could be possible evidence of flows of liquid water.Water is considered an essential ingredient for life, and if true, it could then suggest that the Red Planet could host environments suitable for living organisms.
The team examined about 500,000 slope streaks across Mars for their study which had been spotted in satellite images over time. Their findings point to the fact that they were likely to have made by fine-grain dust that had been knocked down slopes by wind, meteor impacts or marsquakes - rather than being a sign of water. Adomas Valantinas from Brown University and co-leader of the study, explained: "The tiny dust particles can create flow-like patterns without liquid. "This phenomenon occurs because extremely fine dust can behave similarly to a liquid when disturbed - flowing, branching and creating finger-like patterns as it moves downslope."However, the team did not rule out that liquid might have once existed on Mars.Valentin Bickel from the University of Bern, who was also involved with the study, added: "Generally, it is very difficult for liquid water to exist on the Martian surface, due to the low temperature and the low atmospheric pressure. "But brines - very salty water - might potentially be able to exist for short periods of time."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
17 minutes ago
- Reuters
Novartis' Pluvicto shown to slow prostate cancer in earlier setting
FRANKFURT, June 2 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S), opens new tab said on Monday that its targeted radiotherapy Pluvicto was shown to slow progression of a certain type of prostate cancer, raising the prospect of treatment in an earlier disease stage for a drug technology that the drugmaker has pioneered. The Swiss drugmaker reported a late-stage trial showed a "clinically meaningful benefit" in progression-free survival with a positive trend in overall survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer that still responds to standard hormone therapy. Almost all of those patients ultimately progress to a form of cancer that no longer responds to hormone therapy, a setting where Pluvicto is already approved, the company added. "These data suggest using (Pluvicto) in an earlier disease setting," Novartis said, adding that this could address a significant unmet need. Novartis only provided a brief summary of trial results and said details would be presented at a medical conference and that it would likely request regulatory approval for wider use in the second half of the year. Pluvicto is part of a class of drugs that combines cell-killing radioactive particles with molecules that attach themselves to tumours, where Novartis has a leading position. The drug saw first-quarter revenue gain 20% to $371 million.
Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Eating specific type of bread linked to deadly colon cancer, shock study finds
Regularly eating white, packaged bread could raise the risk of dying from colon cancer by more than a third, a new trial has suggested. Frequently consuming ham, bacon and sugary drinks carry the same increased chance of cancer death, US researchers found. Meanwhile, eating plenty of 'dark yellow' vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots, and drinking coffee, could offer some protection. Over the last 30 years, young diagnoses of the disease have shot up by 80 per cent across the globe, research shows. Scientists have suggested a host of factors are likely behind the phenomenon—from increased pollution to rising obesity and even invisible particles of plastic in drinking water. Now, US specialists have uncovered evidence that eating a high 'inflammatory diet' is could be an 'overlooked' cause. Foods that fall under the category include processed meats like bacon, ham and sausages, sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates like white pasta or bread and offal. Yet dark yellow vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots, as well as coffee, wine and, surprisingly, pizza are all classed as 'anti-inflammatory foods' under the empirical dietary inflammatory pattern (EDIP)—a global tool that assesses foods on their 'inflammatory potential'. Pizza was classed as anti-inflammatory as it contains cooked tomatoes, which are high in the powerful antioxidant, lycopene. The study found colon cancer patients who ate more inflammatory food than 80 per cent of the volunteers had a 36 per cent higher risk of dying from their cancer than those who ate very little. Experts, presenting the findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in Chicago, said that, while there is not yet enough evidence to support the anti-inflammatory diet as a recommendation for cancer patients, this may be the case in the near future. In the study, scientists tracked 1,625 patients with colon cancer that had spread to the nearby lymph glands, but not beyond. All volunteers completed food questionnaires about how often they consumed foods that fell under 18 food groups—nine pro-inflammatory and nine anti-inflammatory. Over a follow-up of three years researchers found that patients in the top 20 per cent of most inflammatory diets had a 36 per cent higher risk of dying from their cancer than those who consumed least. Those in the top 20 per cent also had an 87 per cent higher risk of death overall than the bottom 20 per cent. When exercise was taken into account, those who consumed the least inflammatory diet and maintained the highest levels of physical activity had a 63 per cent lower risk of death. ASCO president and top cancer specialist Julie Gralow said the findings suggested 'we need to be essentially prescribing healthy diet and exercise. The combination of the two are synergistic.' Dr Catherine Elliott, Cancer Research UK's director of research, also told MailOnline: 'This study adds to interesting emerging evidence about the role of inflammation in the progression of colon cancer. 'We need more high-quality research like this to help us uncover more about how our diet influences cancer outcomes. 'When it comes to food and cancer risk, our overall diet is far more important than any single food or ingredient. 'A healthy, balanced diet includes eating lots of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, and healthy sources of protein like beans and chicken. 'Cutting down on processed and red meats, and foods high in fat, sugar and salt also helps.' It comes as other research presented at ASCO found colon cancer patients who stuck to an anti-inflammatory diet reduced their risk of the disease spreading or recurring by 38 per cent. The study, by scientists at Maimonides Medical Centre in New York, tracked the food habits of 796 patients who had been diagnosed with the disease between 2015 and 2023. They also found consuming a diet high in ultra-processed foods raised the odds almost two and a half times. 'Ultra-processed foods increase inflammation and colon cancer risk while anti-inflammatory diets offer protective benefits,' they said. 'Dietary intervention must play a role in preventing cancer.' Colon cancer, long considered a disease of old age, is increasingly striking people in their 20s, 30s and 40s in a phenomenon that has baffled doctors around the world. Over the last 30 years, young diagnoses of the disease have shot up by 80 per cent across the globe. Around 32,000 cases of colon cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK and 142,000 in the US.
Geeky Gadgets
an hour ago
- Geeky Gadgets
Unlock this Secret Workflow Hack that Combines Claude 4 & Gemini 2.5
What if the secret to unlocking your most productive workflow wasn't about choosing the best tool, but about how you combine them? In a world where artificial intelligence is reshaping how we work, the pairing of Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5 offers a innovative approach that many professionals are overlooking. Imagine seamlessly transitioning from raw data analysis to polished storytelling, or from technical precision to strategic insight—all within one integrated system. These two AI powerhouses, each with their own unique strengths, aren't just tools; they're collaborative partners that can transform the way you tackle complex projects. Yet, most people miss the opportunity to harness their full potential together. In this perspective, Grace Leung explores how Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5 complement each other to create a workflow that's both efficient and impactful. You'll discover how Gemini's technical prowess in processing multimodal data and Claude's strategic depth in refining insights can work in tandem to elevate your results. Whether you're managing large datasets, crafting compelling narratives, or making high-stakes decisions, this workflow offers a fresh way to approach your challenges. By the end, you might just rethink how you integrate AI into your daily processes—and uncover untapped possibilities hiding in plain sight. Claude 4 & Gemini 2.5 Synergy What Makes Each AI Model Unique? Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5 are designed to address different challenges, making them ideal partners for a wide range of workflows. Their distinct strengths complement each other, allowing users to tackle complex tasks with greater ease and precision. Gemini 2.5: Renowned for its speed, scalability, and ability to handle large datasets, Gemini 2.5 is a robust tool for technical and data-intensive tasks. Its extensive context window allows it to process multimodal inputs, including text, images, and structured data. This makes it particularly valuable for analyzing complex datasets, building prototypes, or managing large-scale projects. Gemini's technical efficiency ensures reliable and consistent results, even under demanding conditions. Renowned for its speed, scalability, and ability to handle large datasets, Gemini 2.5 is a robust tool for technical and data-intensive tasks. Its extensive context window allows it to process multimodal inputs, including text, images, and structured data. This makes it particularly valuable for analyzing complex datasets, building prototypes, or managing large-scale projects. Gemini's technical efficiency ensures reliable and consistent results, even under demanding conditions. Claude 4: Focused on strategy, storytelling, and detailed analysis, Claude 4 excels in refining insights and crafting polished outputs. Its autonomous memory system enables it to maintain contextual understanding across multiple stages of a project, making sure seamless updates and continuity. Claude is particularly effective for high-level decision-making, creating visually engaging presentations, and developing narratives that resonate with audiences. How to Combine Their Strengths To fully harness the potential of Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5, a sequential workflow that uses their individual strengths is recommended. This approach ensures that each model contributes its unique capabilities to the overall process. 1. Begin with Gemini 2.5: Start by using Gemini to process and analyze large datasets or multimodal inputs. Its technical precision and scalability provide a solid foundation for your project, allowing you to extract raw insights and identify key patterns efficiently. 2. Transition to Claude 4: Once the data has been processed, shift to Claude for deeper analysis, storytelling, and strategic refinement. Claude's ability to contextualize information and present it in a compelling manner ensures that your outputs are both insightful and impactful. This workflow allows you to combine Gemini's technical expertise with Claude's strategic depth, resulting in outputs that are both data-driven and contextually rich. By dividing tasks according to each model's strengths, you can save time while making sure high-quality results. The Workflow Most People Miss : Claude 4 + Gemini 2.5 Watch this video on YouTube. Explore further guides and articles from our vast library that you may find relevant to your interests in Claude 4. Practical Applications The integration of Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5 offers fantastic potential across various industries. Their combined capabilities can be applied to a wide range of scenarios, enhancing workflows and delivering superior outcomes. Strategic Dashboards: Use Gemini to analyze large datasets and extract raw insights. Claude can then organize these insights into actionable intelligence, complete with visual aids and strategic recommendations tailored to decision-makers. Use Gemini to analyze large datasets and extract raw insights. Claude can then organize these insights into actionable intelligence, complete with visual aids and strategic recommendations tailored to decision-makers. Audience Intelligence: Process customer data with Gemini to uncover trends, behaviors, and preferences. Claude can interpret this data to craft targeted messaging and develop marketing campaigns that resonate with specific audiences. Process customer data with Gemini to uncover trends, behaviors, and preferences. Claude can interpret this data to craft targeted messaging and develop marketing campaigns that resonate with specific audiences. AI-Powered Speaking Coaching: Analyze speaking patterns and presentation data using Gemini. Claude can refine scripts, suggest improvements, and even generate audio for practice sessions, helping users enhance their communication skills. Analyze speaking patterns and presentation data using Gemini. Claude can refine scripts, suggest improvements, and even generate audio for practice sessions, helping users enhance their communication skills. Visual Storytelling for Presentations: Gemini provides the data analysis needed for creating charts, graphs, and visuals. Claude transforms these into compelling narratives, making sure that presentations are both informative and engaging. Gemini provides the data analysis needed for creating charts, graphs, and visuals. Claude transforms these into compelling narratives, making sure that presentations are both informative and engaging. Collaborative Critique Workflow: Let Gemini generate initial outputs, such as drafts or prototypes, and have Claude critique and enhance them. This iterative process ensures polished, high-quality deliverables that meet professional standards. Why This Workflow Works The effectiveness of this workflow lies in the complementary nature of Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5. Gemini handles the heavy lifting of data processing and analysis, providing a strong technical foundation. Claude, on the other hand, refines and contextualizes the results, adding strategic depth and narrative clarity. This division of labor not only streamlines the workflow but also ensures that the final outputs are both accurate and meaningful. By combining these models, you can achieve a balance between technical precision and strategic insight. This approach is particularly valuable for professionals who need to manage complex projects, make data-driven decisions, or communicate findings effectively. Additional Insights Claude 4's autonomous memory system plays a crucial role in managing project contexts, making sure that no detail is overlooked, even in multi-stage workflows. This feature is especially useful for long-term projects that require consistent updates and contextual understanding. Meanwhile, Gemini's ability to process multimodal inputs and scale efficiently makes it indispensable for handling data-heavy tasks. Together, these models provide a comprehensive solution for professionals seeking to optimize their workflows with AI. Rather than viewing Claude 4 and Gemini 2.5 as standalone tools, consider them as collaborative partners. Their combined strengths allow you to approach tasks with both technical accuracy and strategic foresight. By integrating these models into your workflow, you can elevate your work to new levels of efficiency and impact. Whether you're analyzing data, crafting narratives, or making high-level decisions, this duo offers a powerful way to achieve your goals. Media Credit: Grace Leung Filed Under: AI, Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
