ayo.shoplus.net

The Amazon River flows in a generally eastward direction, but there are instances when it appears to flow backwards. This phenomenon is primarily caused by extreme weather events, particularly heavy rainfall and flooding, which can create temporary reversals in the river's flow. Additionally, the effects of tectonic activity and sediment deposition over time can also influence the river's course. Understanding these factors helps explain the dynamic nature of one of the world's largest river systems.

2025-03-25 02:53:04 By Mary Johnson

While studying river sediment flow, a geology student stumbled upon something quite strange.

The Amazon rainforest in its current state. Photo credit: Jhampier Giron M/Shutterstock.com

The Amazon River holds the title of the largest drainage system globally, both in terms of water volume and its extensive drainage basin. Spanning approximately 6,400 kilometers (or 4,000 miles), this mighty river originates in the Andes Mountains of Peru, traverses the South American continent, and ultimately discharges into the Atlantic Ocean. Interestingly, a remarkable discovery made in 2006, along with further geological research, revealed that this has not always been its course; millions of years ago, the river actually flowed in the opposite direction.

Russell Mapes, a graduate student studying geology at the University of North Carolina, was exploring the movement of river sediment from the Andes Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean when he stumbled upon a puzzling discovery. While examining sedimentary layers in central South America, he unearthed ancient zircon gemstones that appeared to originate from the east, contradicting the expected flow from the younger Andes to the west.

“All along the basin, the ages of the mineral grains pointed to very specific locations in central and eastern South America," Mapes explained in a statement at the time.

It's quite peculiar, considering that the Amazon is well-known for its flow from West to East rather than the reverse. So, what could have caused these ancient zircon deposits to move from East to West? This isn't the sole indication suggesting that the river might have once flowed in the opposite direction; fossils of marine creatures typically associated with seawater have also been discovered in regions where their presence seems unlikely.

Looking into it further, the team determined that the Amazon river really did flow in the opposite direction in the past. That team put the reversal down to a highland area in northeastern South America, which formed during the Cretaceous Period between 65 and 145 million years ago.

Drew Coleman, Mapes' supervisor, clarified, "The Amazon's landscape is so level that even a slight tilt in either direction can lead to significant changes."

Researchers proposed that prior to the formation of the Andes, the existing gradient led the river to flow from East to West, directing its waters towards the Purus Arch, while the waters on the western side of the arch moved towards the Pacific Ocean. This team contended that as the highlands in the northeast underwent erosion, the flow of water shifted to the opposite direction. With the rise of the Andes, a basin emerged between the mountains and the arch. Eventually, this basin filled up and overflowed, establishing the current flow direction we observe today.

Mapes noted, “We believe this recent shift occurred in the last five to ten million years, which is quite rapid in geological terms. This highlights the ephemeral nature of the Earth's surface.”

While this was a reasonable hypothesis, a later model in 2014 suggested that the rise of the Andes caused them to intercept more clouds, and the subsequent flow of rain caused erosion, resulting in the Pebas wetlands. Eventually, on timescales which fit with the reversal around 10 million years ago, sediment buildup raised the area, resulting in the reversed flow of the Amazon river.

Further research is expected to clarify the precise mechanism behind the reversal, but current evidence indicates that the mighty Amazon River once flowed in the opposite direction.

Highly Recommended

Discover the Secrets Behind Pruney Fingers: A Dive into Biology, Evolution, and Health

View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Ever wondered about pruney fingers? Dive into this intriguing occurrence that highlights aspects of biology, evolution, and the crucial role of staying hydrated. The Unexpected Science of Wrinkled Fingers For centuries, the phenomenon of pruney fingers has intrigued people. While many believe that it’s simply a result of being in water for too long, the truth is more intricate, involving our nervous system and evolutionary biology. When our hands are submerged, the nervous system sends signals that prompt the skin to wrinkle. This response is not just a trivial consequence of wet skin; rather, it has an important function, reflecting a mechanism that has been refined over generations of evolution. A Benefit of Evolution The capacity to produce pruney fingers presents notable advantages for survival, especially for our forebears. Picture a setting where the ability to obtain food and endure challenges relied greatly on agility and grip strength. The wrinkling of finger skin improves traction in moist environments, whether it's scaling rocky terrains, collecting water plants, or gripping slippery objects. This evolutionary characteristic exemplifies nature's cleverness, highlighting how biological changes can significantly impact a species' survival and prosperity. The Importance of Staying Hydrated It's fascinating how hydration levels can greatly impact the extent of skin wrinkling. Proper hydration not only promotes overall skin health but also plays a crucial role in determining the visibility of wrinkles. When the body is lacking hydration, the skin loses its elasticity, resulting in a diminished wrinkling response. By recognizing the connection between hydration and skin health, individuals may be encouraged to focus more on these aspects, ultimately enhancing their overall well-being. Comprehending Skin Wellness Healthy skin is a sign of overall wellness. Keeping your body hydrated is vital, not only to avoid wrinkled fingers but also for numerous skin functions. Water plays a key role in preserving skin elasticity, controlling temperature, and delivering important nutrients. Focusing on hydration can promote skin health and may also improve the skin’s response to wrinkling when needed—like during boating, swimming, or other water-related activities. Effective Strategies for Achieving Ideal Hydration To enhance your hydration, try adding more foods with high water content to your meals. Fruits such as cucumbers, watermelon, and oranges can significantly boost your daily fluid consumption. Establishing a habit of taking regular water breaks can serve as a helpful reminder to keep your hydration levels in check throughout the day. Staying properly hydrated is one of the easiest and most effective approaches to improve your skin health and overall performance in everyday tasks. Delving Deeper into the Marvels of Biology The phenomenon of pruney fingers encourages us to recognize the remarkable adaptations our bodies have undergone. This biological marvel provides a chance to explore the intriguing realm of human evolution. Gaining insight into how our forebears adjusted to their surroundings not only enhances our understanding of biology but also fosters a greater appreciation for the wonders of human progress. Incorporating Knowledge into Everyday Living Gaining awareness of these biological functions can result in meaningful lifestyle adjustments. By prioritizing proper hydration or understanding the benefits of our body's inherent reactions, mindfulness can elevate routine behaviors into effective strategies for promoting holistic health. Investigating how our nervous system influences skin reactions enhances our understanding of biological processes. Whether we're leisurely swimming, doing the dishes, or indulging in a soothing bath, this physiological phenomenon highlights the remarkable connection between our bodies and their surroundings. Final Thoughts: Embrace the Intricacies of the Natural World Wrinkled fingers are not just a trivial response to being submerged in water; they represent a fascinating convergence of biology, evolution, and health. This intriguing phenomenon highlights the intricate complexities of nature. By exploring the reasons behind this reaction, we can cultivate a greater appreciation for our bodies and recognize the critical importance of hydration in preserving skin health. As you delve deeper into the wonders of biological responses, keep in mind the significance of staying hydrated, embrace the subtleties of natural evolution, and use this understanding to enrich your everyday life.

China is gearing up to construct a massive solar energy array in space, which has the potential to harvest more energy in a single year than the total amount of oil available on our planet.

China has revealed its intentions to construct a massive solar power space station, which will be transported into orbit in segments with the help of the country's newly developed heavy-lift rockets. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. On July 23, 2020, a Chinese Long March 5 rocket successfully lifted off from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center located on Hainan Island, carrying the Tianwen-1 Mars rover, lander, and orbiter for the China National Space Administration. Chinese researchers have unveiled a proposal to construct a massive solar power facility in space, measuring 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) in width, which will transmit a steady stream of energy to Earth using microwave technology. The project, which will see its components lofted to a geostationary orbit above Earth using super-heavy rockets, has been dubbed "another Three Gorges Dam project above the Earth." The Three Gorges Dam, located in the middle of the Yangtze river in central China, is the world's largest hydropower project and generates 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. According to one NASA scientist, the dam is so large that, if completely filled, the mass of the water contained within would lengthen Earth's days by 0.06 microseconds. The new project, according to lead scientist Long Lehao, the chief designer of China’s Long March rockets, would be "as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000km (22,370 miles) above the Earth." "This is an incredible project to look forward to," Long added during a lecture in October hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), as reported by the South China Morning Post. "The energy collected in one year would be equivalent to the total amount of oil that can be extracted from the Earth." Despite recent advances in the cheapness and efficiency of solar power, the technology still faces some fundamental limitations — such as intermittent cloud cover and most of the atmosphere absorbing solar radiation before it hits the ground. Researchers have put forward various technologies for Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) that would allow for the ongoing collection and transmission of solar energy from space, where sunlight is ten times more potent than what we experience on Earth's surface. However, constructing a sufficiently large array would require numerous launches, resulting in the majority of proposals not being realized. To overcome this challenge, Long and his team are working on the development of the Long March-9 (CZ-9) reusable heavy-lift rocket, which will have a lift capacity of at least 150 tons (136 metric tons). Besides being used for satellites, the rocket will also be key to China's plans to reach the moon — where it wants to build an international lunar research base by 2035. China isn't the only nation eyeing plans for solar satellite arrays. The U.S. companies Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, the European Space Agency, and Japan's JAXA space agency have also been investigating the technology, with the latter scheduling the launch of a small, proof-of-concept satellite this year to assess its feasibility.

An Evening with Astronaut Chris Cassidy: A Journey Beyond Earth

The Museum of Flight in Seattle features a reception and a presentation with Cassidy, along with the Home Beyond Earth exhibit. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station. Image courtesy of NASA. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Museum offers an intimate evening reception and presentation with retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Cassidy on Jan. 18. The 377 Days Among the Stars lecture event will also feature a cash bar and access to the Museum’s acclaimed Home Beyond Earth exhibit (closing Jan. 26). View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Cassidy boasts a rich background with NASA, having participated in three missions to the International Space Station from 2009 to 2020. During his time in space, he completed ten spacewalks and held the position of Commander for Expedition 63, accumulating a total of 377 days in orbit. His experience also includes flights aboard the space shuttle and the Russian Soyuz. Prior to his astronaut career, Cassidy served for eleven years in the U.S. Navy SEALs. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Cassidy took part in the third extravehicular activity (EVA) during the STS-127 mission. Tickets are $25/General and $15/Museum Members. Doors open for the event at 6 p.m. The theater presentation will include live ASL interpretation. Tickets are available HERE.   Christopher J. Cassidy joined NASA as an astronaut in 2004 and has participated in three space missions: STS-127, Expedition 35, and Expedition 63. On STS-127, he took on the role of Mission Specialist and became the 500th individual ever to travel into space. This mission successfully transported the Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM-EF) and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section (ELM-ES) to the International Space Station. During Expedition 35, Cassidy, alongside European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano, faced an unexpected situation during a spacewalk when they had to cut it short due to a cooling water leak in Parmitano's helmet while they were attempting to replace a pump controller box. Additional updates from Vintage Aviation News View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Christopher John “Chris” Cassidy (born January 4, 1970) is a former NASA astronaut and a retired United States Navy SEAL. Image credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel. Cassidy, a U.S. Navy SEAL, has been deployed twice to the Mediterranean and twice to Afghanistan. He has been the recipient of Bronze Star with combat ‘V’ and Presidential Unit Citation for leading a nine-day operation at the Zharwar Kili Cave on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. Cassidy served as Commander on the International Space Station for Expedition 63, and he was featured in the 2021 Disney+ documentary, Among the Stars. Cosmonaut January The Museum’s acclaimed Home Beyond Earth exhibit closes on January 26, and its final weeks boast three extraordinary events featuring astronauts sharing their own experiences of being at home beyond our planet. In addition to Chris Cassidy, other astronaut programs feature Cady Coleman (Jan. 11) and Nicole Stott (Jan. 25).

Do Cows Actually Align Themselves With Earth's Electromagnetic Field?

In 2008, scientists analyzed satellite imagery of grazing cows and discovered something rather surprising. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Presenting the cow compass! Image source: Labellepatine/Shutterstock.com. In 2008, a group of researchers examining deer and cattle made an intriguing discovery. They observed that both species, whether grazing or at rest, tend to orient their bodies along the north-south axis. "Farmers and attentive nature and countryside observers know that most cattle and sheep, when grazing, face the same way," the team explained in their study. "The farmers’ wisdom and experience indicate that cattle face into the wind, whereas sheep face away from the wind; the animals expose the maximum body surface area to the sun when sun basking in cold but sunny times of the day." Although it is known that these animals often orient themselves in a specific direction while grazing, there has been limited scientific research into the reasons behind this behavior. In their investigation, the research team examined Google Earth satellite images capturing cows grazing globally, observed roe deer during their grazing and resting periods, and studied the body imprints left in the snow by red and roe deer. While they tried to consider elements like wind direction and the Sun's position in the sky, the researchers ultimately discovered that all these animals consistently aligned themselves along the magnetic north/south axis in statistically significant proportions. "The team stated, 'Since climatic elements such as wind, sunlight, or temperature do not seem to be prevalent directional influences that account for the widespread alignment, we deduce that the magnetic field is the sole and most probable factor responsible for the observed orientation.' They further added, 'Our examination of cattle in areas with naturally high positive and negative declinations offers compelling evidence supporting the notion that the Earth's magnetic field serves as the guiding signal.'" Though a strange result, it's not entirely out of the realms of possibility. Some animals, generally smaller than cows and deer, have been shown to have magnetoreception, or the ability to perceive the Earth's magnetic fields. In fact, it's surprisingly common, and particularly useful in migratory birds, likely aiding navigation.  In a subsequent investigation, the researchers suspected they had discovered indications that "orientation behavior" might be interfered with by the extremely low-frequency magnetic fields produced by high-voltage power lines. The team emphasized that the exact mechanism behind the orientation behavior remains unclear, although there are several hypotheses.  "For instance, the radical pair hypothesis proposes an intimate coupling of magnetic sensing with vision. According to this hypothesis, magnetic fields are perceived as visual patterns, which are dependent on both field direction and intensity," the team wrote in their study. "Thus, it is conceivable that the oscillations of the direction and intensity resulting from the [Earth's magnetic field] and [alternating magnetic field] interaction may blur magnetically modulated visual patterns and, in turn, compromise or disrupt magnetic compass orientation." Although the concept is intriguing, it might be premature to discard your compass in exchange for a more entertaining cow compass. A recent investigation involving 34 cows, which had powerful neodymium magnets affixed to their collars, revealed that these animals exhibited no noticeable directional preference, regardless of whether they were equipped with the magnets. Additionally, the study included 2,428 daytime observations of 659 resting cattle in Portugal, conducted at times excluding the hottest parts of the day, and concluded that the cows tended to prefer facing southeast. The team suggests that instead of having magnetoreception, the phenomenon is more related to the position of the Sun. They conclude that earlier research might have been biased due to the reliance on Google Earth images captured on clear, sunny days. "We found a significant correlation between the animal’s orientation and the direction of the sun, minimizing sun radiation on the animal’s body, similar to what was observed in horses," the team wrote in their discussion. "Indeed, if most views were made on cloudless sunny days, then the animals were possibly reducing their body exposure to the sun. We thus believe that the cattle’s reported south-north alignment observed in earlier studies could perhaps, at least in part, be attributed to thermoregulation, possibly overriding a magnetic alignment. Similar sun-reducing behaviour has been observed in springbok and in black wildebeest, and was demonstrated to be linked to thermoregulation in those studies." In summary, additional and more detailed research might be required to understand the reasons behind cows' tendency to align themselves while grazing and resting. For now, it's best not to rely on them as a substitute for a compass.

Certain Areas of Idaho Are Expected to Experience Arctic-Like Conditions Next Week

View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Utilized with the consent of Mike McFadyen. I thought the upper teens were cold in the Magic Valley.  I watched this morning as the Twin Falls thermometer bottomed out at 17 degrees.  Rough, yes, but in some parts of Idaho, they would’ve gladly traded places. Mike McFadyen owns a ranch near Fairfield.  Camas County is a bit higher (sometimes by a lot) above sea level.  His temperature settled in at 10 below zero at one point Tuesday morning.  By next Tuesday, it’s likely to be even colder at Mike’s ranch.  And we’ll still be better off than much of the nation.  By Inauguration Day, temperatures in the eastern two-thirds of the lower 48 are expected to be 20 degrees below average. For anyone from Idaho planning to be in Washington for Inauguration Day, expect cold and snowy weather.  There have been some historically cold precedents. The pattern is a continuation of what we’ve been seeing in recent weeks across the continent.  A friend lives near St. Petersburg, Florida.  She woke to a low of 36 degrees on Sunday morning.  That’s rough for people there, but a lot like one of our January daytime highs.  Just remember that the heat and moisture make that state almost unbearable in summer.  It may get hotter here in summer, but the dew point is low. I keep thinking that if we can get through another couple of weeks we’ll be in the clear, but my hopes have been dashed in the past.  A guy I worked with had grown up in Buhl.  He described the weather in southern Idaho as winter until one day in late spring when you suddenly switch to 100-degree highs every day.  Like someone flipped a switch.

The James Webb Space Telescope has reached a significant milestone by discovering 44 ancient stars.

View pictures in App save up to 80% data. fabio lamanna - stock.adobe.com - for illustrative purposes only Thanks to NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a team of astronomers from the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory has reached a significant breakthrough in cosmic research. Through the observation of a galaxy located approximately 6.5 billion light-years away, which dates back to a time when the universe was only half as old as it is now, researchers discovered 44 distinct stars. This achievement was enabled by gravitational lensing and the light-gathering capabilities of the JWST. As a result, this discovery has established a new record for the highest number of individual stars observed in a distant galaxy. “This groundbreaking discovery demonstrates, for the first time, that studying large numbers of stars in a distant galaxy is possible,” explained Fengwu Sun, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) and co-author of the study. Sun elaborated on how previous studies conducted with the Hubble Space Telescope managed to identify around seven stars. Nevertheless, thanks to the enhanced capabilities of the JWST, researchers are now able to observe stars that were once too distant to detect. This progress is important as it enables researchers to examine dark matter in the lensing areas of galaxies and stars by observing a greater number of individual stars, a feat that was unattainable when only a limited number of stars could be seen. A group of stars was identified through the analysis of JWST images of a galaxy referred to as the Dragon Arc. This galaxy is situated behind a large galaxy cluster called Abell 370, and the gravitational lensing caused by Abell 370 alters the Dragon Arc's spiral structure, giving it a stretched and elongated appearance. Through the examination of the star colors within the Dragon Arc, the research team found that a significant number of these stars are red supergiants. This contrasts sharply with earlier studies that predominantly recognized blue supergiants. The researchers highlighted that this difference emphasizes the JWST's ability to utilize infrared wavelengths, enabling it to detect cooler stars that may have been overlooked by other telescopes. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Fabio Lamanna – stock.adobe.com – for illustrative purposes only. Sun stated, "Our initial goal was to find a background galaxy that is being lensing-magnified by the galaxies within this enormous cluster, but in the process, we ended up discovering these individual stars." "However, as we analyzed the data, we discovered what seemed to be numerous individual star points. This was an exhilarating discovery, as it marked the first occasion we could observe such a vast number of distant individual stars." Galaxies such as the Milky Way generally contain tens of billions of stars, allowing astronomers to examine individual stars in nearby galaxies. However, the light emitted by stars in galaxies located billions of light-years away tends to merge during its extensive journey to our planet. This phenomenon is exactly what has made it challenging for scientists to comprehend the processes behind the formation and evolution of galaxies. Yoshinobu Fudamoto, the primary author of the study, explained that while distant galaxies often appear as “diffuse, fuzzy blobs,” these seemingly indistinct formations actually consist of numerous individual stars that current telescopes are unable to resolve. Recent developments in astronomy have unveiled exciting opportunities thanks to gravitational lensing, a phenomenon in which the intense gravitational force of large celestial bodies enhances the light from distant stars. This effect enables the light from these remote stars to be magnified, making them observable with advanced telescopes. By conducting further observations with the JWST, researchers aim to discover an even greater number of magnified stars within the Dragon Arc, potentially allowing for the study of hundreds of far-off stars. Examining these specific stars could enhance our comprehension of the architecture of gravitational lenses and aid in deciphering the enigmas related to dark matter. To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Nature Astronomy, visit the link here. More About:News

Scientists are amazed by the revelation of a novel technique for decomposing plastic: 'This represents a revolutionary advancement in technology.'

View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Image Courtesy: iStock Scientists in South Korea have developed a new method of decomposing one of the world's most common types of plastic, BusinessKorea reported. The breakthrough could have major implications in plastic recycling. Polyethylene terephthalate, more commonly known as PET plastic, is one of the more ubiquitous types of plastic, used in everyday items such as plastic soda and water bottles, clothing, seatbelts, and more. It is usually made from crude oil and causes environmental harm at every stage of its production and life cycle. In order to recycle PET plastics more efficiently, scientists developed a biocatalyst (a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction) named KUBU-M12, which is able to break down plastic in a way that mimics how natural substances decompose. According to reports, KUBU-M12 has achieved the highest recorded performance for a biocatalyst in plastic decomposition to date. "This is a groundbreaking technology that enables permanent recycling of even contaminated plastics that cannot be recycled," said research co-lead Professor Kim Kyung-jin of the Department of Biotechnology at Kyungpook National University. While it is vital that our society moves away from traditional plastic products, instead embracing some of the many alternatives that now exist, there is still an astonishing amount of oil-derived plastic in existence, and it's not going anywhere on its own.  So, it stands to reason that we need ways to recycle this plastic efficiently instead of just letting it pile up in our landfills, in the environment, and in our oceans, where it is responsible for killing huge amounts of marine life every year. In the United States, as little as 5% of plastic waste actually gets recycled, per Beyond Plastics — whether you go through the trouble of sorting it or not. While it would still require some amount of political will to actually make it happen, enhanced recycling technologies could spur some governments to improve those numbers. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Awesome Selections

DNA Analysis Reveals Celtic Women Dominated Iron Age Britain 2,000 Years Ago

The pioneering Iron Ladies. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Boudicca, the iconic queen, is renowned for fiercely opposing the Romans. Image credit: Jane Rix/Shutterstock.com When the Romans first entered the British Isles, they found a land ruled by warrior queens and other high-status women – or at least, that’s how Julius Caesar and other witnesses described the situation in this new and strange territory. And while modern historians have tended to distrust these ancient Roman accounts as over-exaggerated and inaccurate, a new analysis of 2,000-year-old DNA suggests that women really were the big dogs in prehistoric Britain. The idea that these ancient societies may have revolved around females has previously been supported by finds in Celtic cemeteries in Dorset, southern England, where a tribe known as the Durotriges lived from roughly 100 BCE to 100 CE. At these sites, female burials typically contain the most lavish grave goods, suggesting that women may have held positions of political, military, and social influence. Building on these previous discoveries, researchers have now sequenced the DNA of 55 individuals from the Durotrigian burial site of Winterborne Kingston, along with two more from other nearby cemeteries. To gain a sense of how these ancient societies were structured, the study authors analyzed levels of diversity in mitochondrial DNA – which is inherited only from the mother – as well as the Y chromosome, which is transmitted from father to son. Consequently, these two segments of the genome can be utilized to track an individual's maternal and paternal ancestries, revealing that over two-thirds of the individuals interred at Winterborne Kingston are descendants of a previously unidentified maternal lineage.  “We reconstructed a family tree with many different branches and found most members traced their maternal lineage back to a single woman, who would have lived centuries before,” explained study author Dr Lara Cassidy in a statement. “In contrast, relationships through the father’s line were almost absent,” as evidenced by high levels of Y-chromosome diversity among the cemetery’s men. Such a finding suggests that these men all came from elsewhere, while the women were local. "According to Cassidy, this indicates that husbands relocated to their wives' communities after marriage, suggesting that land may have been inherited through the female lineage. This practice is referred to as matrilocality, which stands in opposition to the patrilocal societies that have traditionally been viewed as the standard in much of prehistory."  “Cassidy notes that this is the inaugural documentation of such a system in European prehistory, suggesting a trend towards female social and political empowerment. While this phenomenon is uncommon in contemporary societies, it may not have always been so.” View pictures in App save up to 80% data. This Durotrigian was buried with jewelry including an amulet depicting military victory.  Image credit: Bournemouth University Curious about the prevalence of matrilocal societies in ancient times, the researchers analyzed the genomes of individuals from 156 burial sites throughout Europe, dating from the Neolithic period to the Iron Age. Intriguingly, they discovered signs of matrilocal practices at six distinct locations, all located in Iron Age England. “Throughout Britain, we observed cemeteries indicating that the majority of individuals could trace their lineage back to a limited group of female ancestors,” stated study author Professor Dan Bradley. “In Yorkshire, for instance, a prominent maternal line was established prior to 400 BCE. We were taken aback to discover that this was a common occurrence with ancient origins across the island.”  Bringing things full circle, the researchers say their findings provide credence to the tales told by the likes of Julius Caesar and other Roman authors. According to these reports, the earliest British rulers were women, including the legendary warrior queens Boudicca and Cartimandua, both of whom kicked a significant chunk of Roman butt in the first century CE. “It’s been suggested that the Romans exaggerated the liberties of British women to paint a picture of an untamed society,” explains excavation director Dr Miles Russell. “But archaeology, and now genetics, implies women were influential in many spheres of Iron Age life.” The study is published in the journal Nature.

The Webb telescope has recently cracked the 'universe-shattering mystery'.

View pictures in App save up to 80% data. A depiction of the James Webb Space Telescope as it travels around the sun, located one million miles away from Earth within our solar system. Credit: SA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez The James Webb Space Telescope might not have broken our understanding of the universe, after all. Previously, astronomers used Webb to spot curious, faint, and extremely ancient red dots that they surmised were giant galaxies. But there was a problem. It shouldn't have been possible for such massive galaxies — the earliest of which formed just some 500 to 700 million years after the universe was created — to have enough material to form copious amounts of stars and solar systems. (The universe is about 13.7 billion years old.) New insights from the powerful space observatory, orbiting 1 million miles beyond Earth, suggest the faint light of these distant "little red dots" is actually generated by active black holes at the center of the galaxies. That means the red light we see isn't coming from the glow of a prodigious number of stars. "This is how you solve the universe-breaking problem," Anthony Taylor, an astronomer at the University of Texas at Austin who co-authored the research, said in a statement. "Nasa clarified, 'In contrast to what some headlines suggest, cosmology is not in disarray,' alluding to previous media reports about the cosmic dilemma." The findings were showcased during the 245th gathering of the American Astronomical Society. Astronomers looked at a wide population of the red objects observed so far, spanning a number of different Webb surveys and elapsing hundreds of millions of years. Around 70 percent of the red objects "showed evidence for gas rapidly orbiting 2 million miles per hour (1,000 kilometers per second)," NASA explained. That's a telltale sign of a strong black hole: Black holes — which are objects wielding extreme gravitational power — amass accretion disks of super-heated, rapidly spinning dust, gas, and particles. If the scientists' findings are accurate, the illumination you observe from the red objects beneath is produced by the black holes located at the core of these ancient galaxies. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. A selection of the "little red dots" observed by the James Webb Space Telescope. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Dale Kocevski (Colby College) The tweet might have been removed. The situation, however, is not entirely resolved. Mashable Rapid Velocity Looking for more incredible stories about technology, space, and science that are truly out of this world? Subscribe to Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Astronomers plan to continue their exploration of the intriguing red dots. Notably, these objects start to show up in significant quantities approximately 600 million years post-Big Bang, only to see a dramatic decrease in their numbers around 900 million years later, which corresponds to 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang. What could be the reason behind this? Are they possibly being hidden from our view? Webb scientists will continue weighing their novel observations with our understanding of how the universe works. Dale Kocevski, an astronomer from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, who spearheaded the research, remarked, "There are often multiple ways to interpret the puzzling characteristics of the little red dots. It's an ongoing dialogue between theoretical models and observational data, striving to achieve a harmony between what corresponds effectively and what contradicts." The remarkable capabilities of the Webb telescope The Webb telescope — a scientific collaboration between NASA, ESA, and the Canadian Space Agency — is designed to peer into the deepest cosmos and reveal new insights about the early universe. It's also examining intriguing planets in our galaxy, along with the planets and moons in our solar system. Here's how Webb is achieving unparalleled feats, and likely will for decades to come: - Giant mirror: Webb's mirror, which captures light, is over 21 feet across. That's over two-and-a-half times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope's mirror. Capturing more light allows Webb to see more distant, ancient objects. The telescope is peering at stars and galaxies that formed over 13 billion years ago, just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. "We're going to see the very first stars and galaxies that ever formed," Jean Creighton, an astronomer and the director of the Manfred Olson Planetarium at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, told Mashable in 2021. - Infrared view: Unlike Hubble, which largely views light that's visible to us, Webb is primarily an infrared telescope, meaning it views light in the infrared spectrum. This allows us to see far more of the universe. Infrared has longer wavelengths than visible light, so the light waves more efficiently slip through cosmic clouds; the light doesn't as often collide with and get scattered by these densely packed particles. Ultimately, Webb's infrared eyesight can penetrate places Hubble can't. "It reveals the truth," Creighton remarked. - Peering into distant exoplanets: The Webb telescope carries specialized equipment called spectrographs that will revolutionize our understanding of these far-off worlds. The instruments can decipher what molecules (such as water, carbon dioxide, and methane) exist in the atmospheres of distant exoplanets — be they gas giants or smaller rocky worlds. Webb looks at exoplanets in the Milky Way galaxy. Who knows what we'll find? "We might learn things we never thought about," Mercedes López-Morales, an exoplanet researcher and astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics-Harvard & Smithsonian, told Mashable in 2021. Already, astronomers have successfully found intriguing chemical reactions on a planet 700 light-years away, and have started looking at one of the most anticipated places in the cosmos: the rocky, Earth-sized planets of the TRAPPIST solar system.

Unveiling the Remarkable Strength of Celtic Women and Their Daughters

Bournemouth University View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Numerous female skeletons were discovered interred alongside precious items such as pottery. New research suggests that women in Britain 2,000 years ago may have transferred land and wealth to their daughters rather than their sons, indicating that communities were organized around maternal lineage. Skeletons discovered in Dorset revealed DNA evidence indicating that Celtic men relocated to reside with the families and communities of their wives. Researchers discovered indications of an entire community that developed over generations centered on the female lineage of a family, likely tracing back to a single woman. "According to Dr. Lara Cassidy, the lead author of the study from Trinity College Dublin, this suggests that during the Iron Age in Britain, women held significant power and were capable of influencing the society's direction in various aspects." Bournemouth University View pictures in App save up to 80% data. The archaeologists were thrilled to discover skeletons remarkably well-preserved in the clay soil of Dorset. This marks the first documented instance of communities forming around women in ancient European history. Researchers suggest that the communities likely devoted significant resources to their daughters, anticipating that they would inherit their mothers' social standing. Dr. Cassidy remarks, "While it's quite uncommon in today's societies, this may not have always been true." The team discovered indications that it occurred in various locations across Britain, implying that it was prevalent. The communities examined thrived during the era of Boudica, the warrior queen who spearheaded a revolt against Roman forces in East Anglia circa AD 61. Dr. Cassidy analyzed the DNA extracted from the skeletal remains of 57 members of a tribe known as the Durotriges. This group inhabited Winterborne Kingston in Dorset during the period spanning from 100 BC to AD 100. A team of archaeologists from Bournemouth University excavated the skeletons from a burial site. Through the analysis of mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited exclusively from mothers, Dr. Cassidy discovered that the majority of women in the community share a familial connection that stretches back several generations. In contrast, the Y chromosomes exhibited significant diversity, which is inherited from father to son, suggesting that men from various families integrated into the community through marriage. Bournemouth University View pictures in App save up to 80% data. The remains of individuals from the Durotriges tribe were remarkably well-preserved. The DNA examination suggests that the majority of the ancestral lineage can be traced back to one particular woman. The findings suggest that this society operated under a matrilocal structure, where a husband would relocate to reside within his wife's community. Dr. Cassidy states, "One of the most apparent advantages for a woman is that by staying at home, she maintains her support network. Her parents, siblings, and family members remain close by." "Your husband is the one entering the picture; he is the unfamiliar face in the community and relies on your family for his support and land," she continues. The researchers discovered similar evidence of matrilocality in skeletal remains from additional burial sites, including those located in Cornwall and Yorkshire. She argues that instances of influential women in ancient societies have frequently been overlooked as isolated cases rather than the standard, but these discoveries call that perspective into question. Archaeologists Professor Miles Russell and Professor Martin Smith discovered additional proof indicating that women held a significant status. Bournemouth University View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Researchers from Trinity College and Bournemouth conducted excavations and analyses on the remains of 57 individuals. "We find quite elaborately furnished graves with high status objects of wealth. Every time we find that, it occurs in women's graves, so we think wealth was being transferred down the female line," says Prof Martin Smith at Bournemouth University. The results also support ancient Roman texts that indicated women in Britain held considerable power, arguably even greater than that of their counterparts in Rome. However, Romans such as Julius Caesar considered that to be a mark of primitiveness. "According to Professor Miles Russell from Bournemouth University, 'Women in Britain held significant power, contributing to a more egalitarian society. This was a major issue for the Romans, who lived in a highly patriarchal culture. To the Romans, this characteristic made the Britons appear as the epitome of barbarism.'" Most societies today follow a patrilocal structure, where women relocate to the communities of their husbands. However, certain matrilocal communities can still be found today or have existed in the recent past, such as the Akans in Ghana, West Africa, and the Cherokee in North America. Researchers suggest that Iron Age Britain might have been matrilocal, as men were often absent due to warfare. Dr. Cassidy likens it to World War II, a time when women experienced an increase in their political and economic influence. According to her, matrilocal societies tend to have a lower likelihood of facing internal conflicts. "It has the potential to foster a sense of togetherness among nearby communities and villages. By separating clusters of related males, it prevents the formation of deep bonds and the onset of conflicts with neighboring related males," she proposes. The results have been released in the scientific publication Nature. Follow Georgina on Blue Sky.