Mesmerizing new simulation shows the space between stars like you've never seen it before
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If you've ever poured milk into a cup of coffee and watched it swirl, you've seen turbulence in action. This phenomenon is responsible for everything from a bumpy airplane trip to ocean currents. Now, researchers have developed a way to visualize in unprecedented detail the turbulence within the interstellar medium — the clouds of gas and charged particles between stars — and how it interacts with magnetic fields.
The model was described in a paper published May 13 in the journal Nature Astronomy. "This is the first time we can study these phenomena at this level of precision and at these different scales," James Beattie, an astrophysicist at the University of Toronto and Princeton University, and lead author of the new study, said in a statement.
Such complex calculations take a lot of computing power. To develop their model, Beattie and his colleagues used the SuperMUC-NG supercomputer at Germany's Leibniz Supercomputing Center. The model is scalable, consisting of a series of virtual modules that can be stacked to form a cube of up to 10,000 units. At this size, it can help researchers simulate our galaxy's magnetic field. When scaled down, it can be used to model more localized turbulent processes in space, such as the solar wind, the stream of charged particles emanating from the sun.
"This is the first time we can study these phenomena at this level of precision and at these different scales," Beattie said.
Related: Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' contains surprisingly accurate physics — suggesting he understood the hidden 'dynamism of the sky'
The charged particles in the interstellar medium are significantly more diffuse than even ultrahigh vacuum experiments on Earth. Still, their motion is enough to generate a magnetic field. This field is millions of times weaker than a fridge magnet, but in the vacuum of space, it plays a major role in shaping galaxies, and even in forming stars.
Unlike previous simulations, the new model considered this dynamic, replicating how the field shifts and swirls interstellar ions from areas of higher or lower density based on their charge. This could help astrophysicists gain a deeper understanding of how galaxies like our own came to be.
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In the future, Beattie and his team hope to develop models with even higher resolution. They also plan to compare their simulations against real-world data, such as solar wind measurements. Sensitive new observatories, like Australia and South Africa's joint Square Kilometre Array, promise to make these models even more precise.
The images promise to be just as stunning. "I love doing turbulence research," Beattie said. "It looks the same whether you're looking at the plasma between galaxies, within galaxies, within the solar system, in a cup of coffee or in Van Gogh's 'The Starry Night.'"
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Single gene may help explain the plague's persistence throughout human history
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Scientists have discovered how adaptations in a single gene helped the plague survive for hundreds of years. Responsible for the deadliest pandemic in history, the bacterium that causes the plague, Yersinia pestis, has existed in varying strains from ancient times until today. Now, scientists have unearthed a genetic clue as to how the infamous disease has persisted for millennia, with devastating outbreaks smoldering across centuries. They published their findings Thursday (May 29) in the journal Science. "This is one of the first research studies to directly examine changes in an ancient pathogen, one we still see today, in an attempt to understand what drives the virulence [disease severity], persistence and/or eventual extinction of pandemics," study co-senior author Hendrik Poinar, director of the Ancient DNA Centre at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, said in a statement. Y. pestis has been infecting humans since before recorded history began. The most common form of the disease is known as "bubonic" and most often enters the body through bites from infected fleas, although people can less commonly catch it directly from infected animals, including rats and cats. Once inside the body, the bacterium travels to the lymph nodes and replicates. As it multiplies, it triggers the formation of painful, pus-filled "buboes," for which the bubonic plague is named. The plague bacterium can also cause a blood infection, called septicemic plague, and lung infection called pneumonic plague. Related: Oregon's 1st bubonic plague case in 8 years tied to patient's pet cat The three major plague pandemics are among the deadliest outbreaks in human history. The first pandemic, the Justinian Plague (which occurred roughly between A.D. 542 and 750), slashed the population in parts of the Mediterranean to by an estimated 40% by the end of the sixth century. The second, and most infamous, outbreak of the disease was the 14th-century Black Death that ravaged Europe and the Middle East. The single deadliest pandemic in recorded history, the Black Death killed approximately 25 million people in Europe alone — between 33% and 50% of its population. A third, lesser-known global plague pandemic began in 1855 in China's Yunnan province and killed more than 12 million people in India and China alone. This pandemic was considered active until 1960, after which plague deaths dropped to lower levels. Plague epidemics continue to this day, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and Peru being the most endemic countries, according to the World Health Organization. Besides the staggering death counts associated with the pathogen, what's perhaps most remarkable about Y. pestis is the longevity of its strains. Strains of the Justinian Plague bacterium took 300 years to go extinct after outbreaks were first recorded, and one of the two lineages from the Black Death re-emerged in waves for 500 years before its disappearance, while the other became the ancestor of all present-day strains. To investigate the genetic toolkit Y. pestis uses to persist for so long, researchers conducted an analysis of a plague gene known as pla across hundreds of samples collected from ancient and modern victims of the disease. The pla gene codes for an enzyme that helps Y. pestis move through the body undetected by the host's immune system. Previous studies have suggested that pla is a key factor that modulates both the lethality of a given plague strain and its ability to spark outbreaks in humans. However, one plague strain can carry a different number of pla genes than the next, and it wasn't clear how this copy number might impact their biology, the researchers noted. 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When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Every day, Kalpana Suryawanshi, 48, looks into the mirror and whispers, "I look older than my age." Eight years ago, she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Since then, her health has deteriorated, which she attributes to increased exposure to heat while working in the fields, planting crops, harvesting produce, and carrying heavy loads of cattle fodder. During this time, she frequently experienced dizziness and weakness as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in her village of Nandani in Maharashtra state, India. Heat is known to affect cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and kidney function, and a growing body of research suggests that exposure to rising temperatures also accelerates the body's aging process. A 2023 German study published in Environment International was the first to find that higher air temperatures are associated with faster aging at the cellular level. It found that prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures can make the body age faster than its chronological age, a phenomenon known as epigenetic age acceleration. Scientists measure this process using epigenetic clocks, which analyze chemical markers called DNA methylation that turn genes on and off. The study found that in areas where the average annual temperature is 1°C higher, people tend to show signs of accelerated aging at the cellular level. When scientists talk about epigenetic age, they measure how old a body is at the cellular level, which can differ from the actual age in years. This is based on changes to DNA called epigenetic markers, the chemical tags that turn genes on or off. Environment, lifestyle, and stress influence these markers. As one ages, the pattern of these chemical tags changes, and scientists use this information to create an epigenetic clock, a tool that estimates biological age. The genes affected by these changes control many vital functions, like repairing cells and tissues and protecting against toxins. When the wrong genes are switched on or off, it can make it harder for the body to repair itself, fight disease, or recover from stress. Over time, these hidden changes can lead to outward signs of aging, such as weaker bones or slower healing. Epigenetic age gives a glimpse into how well the body is holding up on the inside. 2024 was the hottest year on record, with 6.8 billion people worldwide experiencing extreme heat for at least 31 days. One unusual effect of this rising heat is observed firsthand by India's community health care workers, who report that more people appear older than their actual age. Scientists are now also finding the biological mechanisms that contribute to premature aging. Wenli Ni, a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the lead author of the German study, said heat exposure can induce alterations in DNA methylation, which is a biological process that can influence gene expression and cellular function. She explained that this mechanism can trigger harmful biological processes and accelerate aging. "Heat exposure may also lead to oxidative stress, resulting in DNA damage that could alter DNA methylation patterns and impact aging," she added. Oxidative damage occurs when unstable molecules called free radicals attack cells. They can harm DNA, cell membranes, and proteins, contributing to aging, cancer, and cardiovascular health issues. These results were repeated in Taiwan, where scientists examined over 2,000 people and found high ambient temperature and heat index exposure were linked to increased aging, with stronger associations in prolonged exposure. The study revealed that a 1°C increase in the 180-day average temperature was linked to a rise of 0.04 to 0.08 years in biological age acceleration, as measured by three different epigenetic aging clocks that estimate biological age. Related: Human aging accelerates dramatically at age 44 and 60 While this increase in age acceleration might seem small at first, it's important to consider how these effects can build up over time. Even slight increases in biological aging, when sustained year after year, can add up to several years of accelerated aging. This can mean an earlier occurrence of age-related illnesses. Moreover, when these small shifts affect large populations, they can contribute to a tremendous rise in disease burden and health care costs. A recent study published in Science Advances examined the relationship between heat and aging in more than 3,500 adults aged 56 and above in the U.S. The study found that long-term heat exposure, lasting from one to six years, was associated with epigenetic aging. Persistent exposure to high temperatures can result in frequent sleep disturbances, raising stress and anxiety levels. Over time, this physiological degradation accumulates and may accelerate health decline with age. The German study found that women and individuals with obesity or Type 2 diabetes exhibited stronger associations between air temperature and aging. Women generally sweat less and have different body responses to heat, which can make it harder for them to cool down and sometimes cause their body temperature to rise faster, Ni explained. She also said that studies suggest women have a higher threshold for activating the sweating mechanism at high temperatures, indicating their bodies take longer to start sweating. Diabetes also makes people more susceptible to high temperatures. People with diabetes often have reduced blood flow to their skin, which can interfere with the body's ability to release heat and stay cool in hot weather. Additionally, body fat can act as insulation, making it harder for heat to move from the body's core to the skin, reducing its ability to release heat and stay cool. Epigenetic age acceleration can contribute to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and mortality, putting more pressure on public health care systems. In 2016, Rajma Jamadar, now 47 years old, from Maharashtra's Haroli village, woke up in the middle of the night with irregular heartbeats. The next day, the doctor said that her blood pressure spiked and prescribed lifelong medication. 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The second involves metabolic processes that provide the body with energy. The third is responsible for maintaining and repairing cells in response to stress. "Whether the threat we face is physical or emotional, we still perceive it as a danger to our homeostasis, a health-preserving balance between all our physiological systems," she explained. This suggests that the emotional stress experienced by the women in the study, along with caloric restriction and dehydration, activated systems that help the body manage stress but can harm health if overactivated for extended periods. Women in the study were seen to be engaged in outdoor labor while they were also experiencing hunger and dehydration. "Those physiological stressors were accompanied by worry about the next meal, for themselves, their children, and loved ones," she added. Moreover, social factors like gender inequality exposed women to coercion, overwork, and violence. While farmers risk loss from drought, those in livestock agriculture suffer the emotional and financial toll of watching their animals die. Combined with heat stress, dehydration, and hunger, this creates immense hardship. Eventually, this maternal stress during pregnancy contributes to changes in DNA methylation in their children, Straight said. RELATED STORIES —Biological aging may not be driven by what we thought —Climate change is spoiling food faster, making hundreds of millions of people sick around the world —Climate wars are approaching — and they will redefine global conflict She suggests adequate nutrition and close monitoring of children's cardiovascular and metabolic health. Researchers advocate for long-term studies to better understand the impacts of the environment on epigenetic age acceleration. "Slowing down epigenetic age acceleration is going to be tied to increasing food security and identifying alternatives to women engaging in high-risk occupational labor," she added. Effective policies are needed to achieve food and livelihood security while reducing social and economic inequalities. However, for many women, economic insecurity and the lack of social safety nets make it nearly impossible to prioritize health. Suryawanshi's struggle highlights this problem. So far, she has spent over 600,000 Indian rupees ($7,046) on medical treatment. "I can't afford any more expenses, so I've stopped taking some medicines," she said. She visited eight hospitals in two years to search for an effective treatment. "It's a miracle that I survived. Despite being only 48, I have no strength left, but I still have to work." This article was originally published by Yale Climate Connections.
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See a lunar scar darken the crescent moon tonight
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. May 30 presents a perfect opportunity to spot Mare Crisium — a dark Nevada-sized patch — etched into the delicate curve of the crescent moon before it sinks below the horizon around midnight. Skywatchers in the U.S. will find the moon's sickle-like form hanging around 30 degrees above the western horizon after sunset on May 30, with around 16% of its surface illuminated by direct sunlight, according to stargazing website On May 30, the moon is in the constellation Cancer, with the Beehive cluster close to its left and Mars shining just beyond. To the right, the bright stars Castor and Pollux also make an appearance. The moon is among the most popular targets for astronomers, thanks to the ever-shifting play of light and shadow across its surface. As it makes its near month-long journey around Earth, a myriad of different regions and features come into stark relief, changing night by night. And yet, for all this variety, the moon only ever shows a single side to us as it's tidally locked to our planet. One such feature is the dark lunar maria (Latin for 'seas'), formed when molten lava flooded a network of impact basins that scarred the moon's surface billions of years ago. These lava flows swiftly cooled in the frigid environment of space, leaving behind vast basaltic plains that remain easily visible to the naked eye today. Mare Crisium, or the 'Sea of Crises', can be spotted on the night of May 30 as an oval-shaped dark patch on the moon's northeastern limb, close to the terminator — the line that separates day from night on any solar system body. Spanning 345 miles (555 kilometers), this lunar mare is visible to the naked eye, though a pair of 10x50 binoculars will reveal more of the craggy region surrounding the lunar sea. An entry-level 6-inch telescope, meanwhile, will allow you to pick out the 14-mile-wide (23 km) Picard Crater that stands alone near the south-western rim of the Nevada-sized plane, according to NASA. Just above Picard lies the similarly sized Peirce Crater, with the smaller Swift Crater just beyond. Before the moon dips below the western horizon around midnight local time, moongazers may also catch sight of its shadowed expanse faintly glowing — an effect known as earthshine, caused by sunlight reflected off Earth softly illuminating the moon's night side. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to explore the lunar surface for yourself? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. The closest humans have come to Mare Crisium was during the final moon mission of the Apollo era, when Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan, Ron Evans and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt landed on the eastern edge of Mare Serenitatis. However, Mare Crisium did serve as the landing site of the Soviet Luna 15 and Luna 24 robotic missions, and it made headlines again in March 2025 with the successful touchdown of Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander. Anyone interested in exploring the lunar surface for themselves should check out our guides to the best binocular and telescope deals available in 2025. Also, be sure to read up on our guide to photographing and exploring the moon's surface. Editor's Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
