Latest news with #Martian-like
North Wales Live
02-06-2025
- North Wales Live
Tourists flee for their lives as Mount Etna erupts
A recently shared video shows the shocking moment a large group of tourists found themselves trapped on Mount Etna in Sicily as it erupted, spewing ash and rocks high into the air. The footage, shared on X, captures numerous visitors on the volcano's slope as the eruption begins. As the crater roars to life, releasing a massive ash plume, people can be seen hastily descending the rugged, Martian-like terrain, navigating rocks and debris in a frantic bid to escape the eruption. The video, captioned "Sudden eruption on Etna volcano!" by @finnbenedikt, has been shared on X. Dramatic images show the massive ash cloud towering over the nearby city of Catania, visible for miles around. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here. A live infrared feed of Mount Etna from the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) shows bright lava flows on the mountain. In a statement to local media, the volcanic monitoring agency said: "The forecast model indicates that an eruptive cloud produced by the ongoing activity would disperse in a west-southwest direction. From a seismic point of view, the tremor amplitude values are currently high and tend to increase further." In a statement posted on X, the Diocese of Acireale, representing the Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Sicily, said: "Our volcano Etna makes itself heard, reminding us with strength and majesty of the power of the nature that surrounds us. "From the Milo community, the gaze opens onto a landscape that blends awe and beauty, silence and wonder." Following Etna's eruption in Sicily this morning, airline pilots have been placed on high alert. Volcanic ash, known for its potential to severely damage aircraft engines, poses a significant threat, although initial satellite images did not detect a volcanic ash cloud. Instead, experts observed a cloud primarily made up of water vapour and sulfur dioxide drifting southwest. Not only can volcanic ash be detrimental to aircraft engines due to its hard and abrasive nature, it can also wear down propellers and turbocompressor blades rapidly, as well as scratch cockpit windows, causing visibility issues for pilots. Previous major eruptions have grounded flights for extended periods, highlighting the risk posed by such natural events. However, the red alert initially issued was downgraded to orange within three hours and remains at that level currently.
Wales Online
02-06-2025
- Wales Online
Mount Etna eruption: Video shows tourists fleeing huge cloud of smoke and ash
Mount Etna eruption: Video shows tourists fleeing huge cloud of smoke and ash Mount Etna erupted on Monday morning with the volcano sending a huge plume of ash thousands of feet into the air The billowing smoke from Mount Etna over Catania (Image: Getty Images ) A recently shared video shows the shocking moment a large group of tourists found themselves trapped on Mount Etna in Sicily as it erupted, spewing ash and rocks high into the air. The footage, shared on X, captures numerous visitors on the volcano's slope as the eruption begins. As the crater roars to life, releasing a massive ash plume, people can be seen hastily descending the rugged, Martian-like terrain, navigating rocks and debris in a frantic bid to escape the eruption. The video, captioned "Sudden eruption on Etna volcano!" by @finnbenedikt, has been shared on X. Content cannot be displayed without consent Dramatic images show the massive ash cloud towering over the nearby city of Catania, visible for miles around. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . A live infrared feed of Mount Etna from the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) shows bright lava flows on the mountain. The live infrared feed of Mount Etna (Image: INGV ) Article continues below In a statement to local media, the volcanic monitoring agency said: "The forecast model indicates that an eruptive cloud produced by the ongoing activity would disperse in a west-southwest direction. From a seismic point of view, the tremor amplitude values are currently high and tend to increase further." In a statement posted on X, the Diocese of Acireale, representing the Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Sicily, said: "Our volcano Etna makes itself heard, reminding us with strength and majesty of the power of the nature that surrounds us. "From the Milo community, the gaze opens onto a landscape that blends awe and beauty, silence and wonder." Tourists hurried down the volcano whilst it erupted (Image: @finnbenedikt ) Following Etna's eruption in Sicily this morning, airline pilots have been placed on high alert. Volcanic ash, known for its potential to severely damage aircraft engines, poses a significant threat, although initial satellite images did not detect a volcanic ash cloud. Instead, experts observed a cloud primarily made up of water vapour and sulfur dioxide drifting southwest. Article continues below Not only can volcanic ash be detrimental to aircraft engines due to its hard and abrasive nature, it can also wear down propellers and turbocompressor blades rapidly, as well as scratch cockpit windows, causing visibility issues for pilots. Previous major eruptions have grounded flights for extended periods, highlighting the risk posed by such natural events. However, the red alert initially issued was downgraded to orange within three hours and remains at that level currently.
Forbes
24-03-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Meet ‘Conan The Bacterium'—A Microbe That Defies Radiation, Acid And Even Martian Extremes
Found in an irradiated can of meat, Deinococcus radiodurans, or 'Conan the Bacterium,' can withstand ... More everything from intense radiation to acid. And soon, it could make its way to Mars. When reactor number four exploded at Chernobyl in 1986, the released radiation was lethal enough to create a 1,000-square-mile exclusion zone—inhospitable to human life for centuries to come. Decades later, amid this desolation, scientists made an astonishing discovery: fungi thriving by literally feeding off the radioactive decay. Similarly, after the Fukushima disaster in 2011, life found surprising ways to persist in radioactive soil. But even among these resilient survivors, one organism sets an extraordinary benchmark for sheer survival prowess—Deinococcus radiodurans, or as researchers affectionately call it, 'Conan the Bacterium.' This powerhouse of a microbe doesn't merely survive; it thrives under conditions that would obliterate nearly all known life forms. From gamma rays to the vacuum of space, Conan's resilience outshines nature's toughest competitors. Deinococcus radiodurans isn't just tough—it redefines biological durability. This microbe effortlessly endures radiation doses several thousand times stronger than levels lethal to humans. For perspective, while a mere 5 grays (Gy) of radiation is typically fatal for a human being and 4,000 Gy can kill tardigrades, Conan shrugs off exposure to doses surpassing 15,000 Gy with a 37% survival rate. But Conan's talents don't end there. This bacterium laughs in the face of harsh chemicals, extreme cold, acids and desiccation. Astonishingly, research conducted on the International Space Station in 2020 revealed that it could survive for three years exposed to the brutal vacuum and radiation of outer space. This unparalleled resilience has placed Conan the Bacterium at the pinnacle of extremophile organisms—those lifeforms uniquely adapted to endure Earth's harshest conditions and possibly even extraterrestrial environments. The discovery of Conan wasn't planned—it emerged from the wreckage of an experiment gone awry. In 1956, microbiologist Arthur Anderson at the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station attempted to sterilize canned meat using gamma radiation doses believed sufficient to kill all known microbes. Yet, some cans inexplicably spoiled. Further investigation revealed the tenacious Deinococcus radiodurans had not only survived but multiplied, defying all assumptions about life's fragility. Fast forward to recent years, and Conan is shaking up our assumptions again—this time, about life beyond Earth. A groundbreaking study in 2022—published in Astrobiology—subjected Conan to Martian-like conditions: frigid temperatures averaging -63 degrees Celsius, intense desiccation and relentless bombardment by cosmic radiation. Incredibly, the bacterium could potentially survive for 280 million years buried 10 meters beneath Mars' surface, protected from ultraviolet rays. This stunning longevity implies that if life ever existed on Mars, bacteria akin to Conan could still linger deep beneath its icy crust. How does Conan achieve these nearly supernatural feats of survival? The secret lies in a remarkable genetic and biochemical toolkit honed through eons of evolutionary pressure. At its core, Deinococcus radiodurans maintains multiple redundant copies of its genome—up to 10 per cell. When radiation shatters its DNA, these intact genome copies act as flawless templates, allowing rapid and precise repair of damaged sequences. Unlike other organisms, Conan quickly organizes broken DNA fragments into compact toroidal structures, facilitating swift and accurate reassembly through homologous recombination—a process ensuring minimal mutation rates despite catastrophic damage. Moreover, Conan boasts an exceptionally potent antioxidant defense powered by manganese ions. These manganese complexes scavenge free radicals produced by ionizing radiation, preventing cellular damage before it can even begin. A pivotal December 2024 study, published in PNAS, uncovered precisely how these manganese antioxidants combine with phosphate ions and specific peptides to form a uniquely effective defense mechanism—exhibiting superior antioxidant properties in certain conditions compared to previously known systems. Inspired by Conan's defense mechanisms, researchers are developing synthetic antioxidants that could protect astronauts from intense cosmic radiation on long-duration missions, or safeguard first responders in radiation accidents here on Earth. In Deinococcus radiodurans, nature has engineered a microbial marvel, equipped with survival capabilities that stretch the imagination. From the radioactive corridors of nuclear disasters to the harsh plains of Mars, Conan stands as a testament to life's extraordinary resilience—challenging our notions of survivability and inspiring innovations that could redefine our own limits. Species like Deinococcus radiodurans inspire us to think about how nature continuously adapts to the world around us and the boundaries of life. Curious about how you fit into the grand picture? Take this 2-minute test to see where you stand on the Connectedness to Nature Scale.
