logo
Here's Another Use for Ice: Creating Secret Codes

Here's Another Use for Ice: Creating Secret Codes

New York Times26-06-2025
A new study by Chinese, Korean and Czech scientists points to a novel way of writing and storing messages: creating patterns of air bubbles in sheets of ice. While the researchers aren't expecting you to ditch your smartphone, their study speaks to the remarkable properties of frozen water.
'I could see it showing up in a James Bond movie,' said Robin E. Bell, an expert in ice sheet dynamics at Columbia and a former president of the American Geophysical Union. Dr. Bell, who was not involved in the new study, pictured a scene in which secret plans involving a submarine are encoded in an ice cube and are in danger of being discovered. 'So you turn it into a smoothie or something,' she said.
But the idea is more than an exercise in frivolity, said Mengjie Song, an expert in thermodynamics at the Beijing Institute of Technology and one of the lead authors of the new study, published on June 18 in the scientific journal Cell Reports Physical Science.
'It is a totally new method for humans to record information,' Dr. Song said. In his view, there could be 'many, many applications around this work.' For instance, it could be used to help devise more accurate models for de-icing power lines, airplanes and high-speed trains. A clearer grasp of how ice bubbles form could also help scientists better understand the thermal and mechanical properties of bricks made from lunar soil, which could be used to build moon bases. (Scientists have been researching the possibility of fashioning bricks from Martian soil for almost a decade.) Trained to recognize patterns in ice bubbles, artificial intelligence could help study glaciers for clues about past climate patterns, or to identify potential deposits of natural gas.
Researchers acknowledged, however, that much more work would have to be done to make such applications feasible. 'Ice is an ancient substance that permeates every aspect of our lives,' Dr. Song said. 'There are many unsolved mysteries waiting for us to explore.'
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

A New COVID Variant Is Here, And It's More Transmissible — Here Are The Signs And Symptoms
A New COVID Variant Is Here, And It's More Transmissible — Here Are The Signs And Symptoms

Yahoo

time5 hours ago

  • Yahoo

A New COVID Variant Is Here, And It's More Transmissible — Here Are The Signs And Symptoms

A new COVID variant known as NB.1.8.1 has made landfall in the United States. As of late May, the variant, which was first detected in China this past January, accounted for 10% of the SARS-CoV-2 sequences tested from around the world, recent surveillance data found. That's a significant jump from 2.5% four weeks prior. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spokesperson told HuffPost that the agency is in regular contact with international partners about the activity of NB.1.8.1. Up until late May, only 20 NB.1.8.1 sequences had been identified in the U.S. — that's below the threshold needed for a variant to appear on the agency's COVID dashboard. (As soon as its prevalence increases, NB.1.8.1 will pop up on the tracker, the spokesperson added.) It's nerve-wracking to hear that a new variant is making the rounds, but infectious disease specialists say there are no glaring differences between the symptoms of NB.1.8.1 and those caused by other versions of SARS-CoV-2. 'Currently it appears that NB.1.8.1 would have similar symptoms to other COVID variants that have recently been circulating,' Dr. Zachary Hoy, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Pediatrix Medical Group in Nashville, Tennessee, told HuffPost. Here's what to know about the newest COVID variant that's gaining traction around the world. NB.1.8.1's mutations likely make it more transmissible. Compared to the currently dominant variant in the U.S. (LP.8.1), NB.1.8.1 has a handful of new mutations on the spike protein that may enhance its ability to bind to our cells, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency suspects these mutations will increase the virus's transmissibility and, potentially, diminish the effectiveness of neutralizing antibodies that prevent pathogens from latching to our cells. In other words, the variant may be skilled at dodging some of our immune defenses, research suggests. Here are the signs and symptoms doctors are seeing with NB.1.8.1. According to Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious diseases expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, NB.1.8.1's symptoms are pretty much the same as those seen with other SARS-CoV-2 variants. Two of COVID's hallmark symptoms are a mild but persistent dry cough and nasal congestion, Hoy said. Many people who come down with COVID are also hit with fatigue and tiredness. 'An infected person can still make it through the day, but they are resting more and feel more tired throughout the day,' Hoy said. Other common symptoms include a fever, chills, a sore throat and muscle aches. 'Some have described recent variants as less intense symptoms as compared to wintertime influenza viruses, but both can have severe symptoms,' Hoy said. There's no evidence suggesting the variant causes more severe disease or an uptick in hospitalizations or deaths, the WHO states. The only noticeable aspect, as of now, is that it's rising in prevalence, Adalja said. How effective are the vaccines against NB.1.8.1? It's too early to know exactly how effective the shots are — as the research on NB.1.8.1 is limited since it's so new — but scientists expect the shots to hold up well. NB.1.8.1 broke off from the Omicron JN.1 lineage, which the 2024-2025 vaccines target. 'The ability of the vaccines to prevent severe illness is intact though protection versus infection is limited and transient,' Adalja said. Anyone who is at risk of severe disease should stay up-to-date with the shots. 'Those in older populations or with underlying immune disorders or on immune-decreasing medications would benefit more from vaccination or those with increased exposure such as healthcare workers,' Hoy added. So if you have a condition that puts you at risk, it's worth getting vaccinated if it's been more than six months since your last vaccine or bout of COVID, Adalja advises. He also added that those who are low-risk likely do not need to go out and get another shot. Know when to treat NB.1.8.1 at home and when to go visit a doctor. Most people will be able to recover at home by resting and staying hydrated. While you're sick, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help alleviate muscle aches and fevers, Hoy said. And, in most cases, symptoms should clear up within a week. For those who are at risk for severe disease, including older adults and people who are immune-compromised, it's worth contacting a physician as they can prescribe antivirals — Paxlovid and Molnupiravir — that can significantly lower the risk of severe complications and death. As was the case with previous variants, these antivirals work best when started within five days of symptom onset. As for when you should go to an urgent care or emergency room? When you have chest pain, have a hard time waking up or staying awake, or feel confused and disoriented, the CDC advises. Hoy says the most concerning symptom he warns patients about is difficulty breathing. 'If you have COVID or COVID-like illness and have worsening trouble breathing or chest pain, you should be evaluated at your doctor's office, urgent care or the ER,' he said. Related... RFK Jr. Says COVID Shot Will No Longer Be Advised For Healthy Kids, Pregnant Women COVID Cases Are Rising This Summer, But Not All The Data Shows It — Here's Why People Are Reporting A Frightening COVID Symptom Right Now — Here's What To Know

NISAR satellite could help scientists predict natural disasters before they happen

time8 hours ago

NISAR satellite could help scientists predict natural disasters before they happen

What if we could have more warning time before a natural disaster? People could seek shelter faster. First responders could surge resources to the impacted area. And new construction projects could be relocated to safer locations. To better understand how small changes in the Earth's land and ice surfaces can lead to catastrophic events and natural disasters, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is collaborating with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on a space mission to launch a first-of-its-kind satellite into orbit that's capable of monitoring the planet in an unprecedented way. The NISAR mission, which stands for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is scheduled to lift off at 8:10 a.m. ET on July 30 aboard an ISRO GSLV-F16 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India's southeastern coast. Built by NASA JPL and the ISRO, the satellite features a unique radar system that utilizes two different frequencies -- L-band and S-band --making it capable of measuring small changes (less than half an inch) on the Earth's surface. Using that data, it will then produce highly detailed 3D images that should help researchers better understand and predict natural disasters, such as wildfires, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and landslides. "NISAR truly is a first-of-its-kind dual radar satellite that will change the way we study our home planet and better predict a natural disaster before it strikes. NISAR will scan and take imagery of nearly all the Earth's land and ice surface twice every 12 days in unprecedented detail, literally down to a centimeter," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, during a pre-launch press conference. The $1.3 billion mission will not only help scientists better understand the causes of natural disasters but also enable climate researchers to monitor melting glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica and track the health of the world's rainforests with more precision. It can also identify human-produced changes to the land, including those from farming and ranching, water projects, housing and commercial development and infrastructure projects. "We'll put NISAR science and observations to work, making it available to inform decisions where and when they're needed, helping to ensure that as a nation, we can abundantly feed ourselves, build resilient housing and transportation systems, and better prepare and respond to natural hazards," explained Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Science Division at NASA. While other satellites can monitor the Earth's surface and provide images and measurements, NASA JPL said NISAR has a unique radar system. The system works by sending microwave signals to Earth and then using its large 39-foot radar antenna to receive those signals when they bounce back. Researchers can then compare the signals to study how the planet's surface is changing. Since it revisits each location every 12 days, it can track those changes over time. NISAR can also penetrate clouds and light rain, and operates continuously, unlike the optical sensors on other satellites. "The L-band radar, which is provided by JPL, operates at a longer wavelength and that can see through the trees and see the bare surface of the bare Earth and even some substructure. The S-band radar, which is provided by ISRO, operates at a shorter wavelength and that sees the vegetation, foliage, surface features better," said Wendy Edelstein, the deputy project manager for NISAR at NASA JPL. "These two radars work together, complementary to achieve science that neither could see on their own." NISAR's mission is scheduled to last three years, and it marks the first time NASA and ISRO have collaborated on a project of this kind. NASA said the satellite will collect enough data to fill about 150 512-gigabyte hard drives each day, and that information will be made available free of charge to scientists and anyone else interested in studying it.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store