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What astronomers in 2011 took for rings around the minor planet Chiron is actually something much stranger‚ new research reveals. The true nature of the material orbiting the icy world remains unknown‚ but it appears to be an ever-shifting disk of dust and gas.The initial discovery of Chiron‚ an object around 210 kilometers (126 miles) across‚ marked a significant development in our understanding of the outer solar system. With an orbit that varies from just inside Saturn to near Uranus‚ Chiron was the first of a new class of objects with similar locations‚ known as centaurs. It Is a testimony to how much astronomy has advanced that‚ since Chiron’s discovery in 1977‚ hundreds of centaurs have been found – including one of the strangest objects in the Solar System.No spacecraft has visited Chiron‚ or any centaur (suspected retired centaur Phoebe aside)‚ and it’s too distant for Earth-based telescopes to see it clearly. However‚ we learned something dramatic about it after it passed in front of (occulted) an unnamed star in 2011. This revealed the presence of a ring system around Chiron – or at least we thought it did. More recent passages indicate we misinterpreted the evidence.The case for rings around Chiron came from the fact that‚ just before and after Chiron’s passage in front of the star‚ it was seen to dim and brighten again. The process happened four times: twice before and twice after the main event. This led astronomers to conclude the icy world was surrounded by two rings‚ each capable of partially obstructing light from more distant stars.The discovery was a surprise‚ since Chiron’s gravity is so small we don’t know how it could hold onto a ring system. However‚ in addition to all four of the Solar System’s gas giants having rings‚ one had been found around Chariklo (the largest centaur) not long before‚ so this was not completely out of the blue. Apparently‚ putting a ring on it is all the rage out past Jupiter. Since then‚ other candidates suggest this happens a lot. Evidence that things weren’t so simple came from an occultation of a different star in 2018. Although this also showed dips in brightness before and after Chiron passed in front of the star‚ the drops were only about half as large as seen in 2011‚ and there were three pre-occultation dips‚ not two. “The locations and amounts of material that were detected around Chiron are different enough from previous observations to suggest that there is not a stable ring system but rather surrounding material that is currently evolving‚” said study author Dr Amanda Sickafoose of the Planetary Science Institute in a statement. Chiron's 2018 occultation was mostly visible from the ocean‚ so it was fortunate one large telescope narrowly made it into the area where it could be seenImage Credit: A. Sickafoose/PSI.Chiron occulted another star on December 15‚ 2022. Although the star in this case was brighter‚ observations of the event had lower resolution. What was seen is indicative of a broad lumpy disk‚ with concentrations inconsistent with those of either the 2011 or 2018 event.“There is material orbiting around Chiron that is evolving on relatively short timescales‚” Sickafoose continued. Overall‚ it appears there was less material to block out starlight around Chiron in 2018 than in 2011‚ but more by 2022. This may be the result of an outburst in February 2021 that saw Chiron brighten noticeably‚ possibly because it threw off material that eventually bolstered its disk.Like many other centaurs‚ Chiron has shown signs of comet-like activity. Even the closest part of its orbit is too far from the Sun for it to get very warm‚ but some of its more volatile gasses do escape‚ and how this relates to the disk is currently unclear.Whether Chariklo and other objects with apparent ring systems also have something more complex is also a question that needs further investigation‚ as is what is causing the changes observed between 2011 and 2018.On the other hand‚ the 2018 observations were able to rule out any substantial atmosphere‚ such as might have been created by large-scale escaping gasses.Small objects like Chiron only block out light reaching a small portion of the Earth. In the case of the 2018 occultation‚ most of that was ocean – but fortunately‚ the event was visible to the 1.9-meter telescope at the South African Astronomical Observatory‚ as well as a smaller one at the same site.Standard declaration. Chiron should not be confused with Pluto’s moon Charon‚ but often is.The study of the 2018 occultation is published open access in The Planetary Science Journal. 

Use of digital devices from an early age leaves its mark on children’s brains. Before you roll your eyes‚ we’re not in the business of prophesying a technological doomsday – this finding is based on a review of evidence gathered over 23 years of scientific studies. But what does it actually mean for our kids?How the study was designedThe team of researchers evaluated 33 neuroimaging studies published between January 2000 and April 2023. The combined dataset included more than 30‚000 participants‚ with a focus on children aged 12 and under. They first trawled through databases of published research to find the relevant studies‚ and then the first author manually searched through reference lists to find any that had been missed.If you’re thinking that 33 studies don't seem all that many in two decades‚ this is something the authors address right off the bat in their discussion of the study's limitations: “This small sample size might be because this topic is novel and emerging‚ and research technologies are also evolving.” So‚ maybe not ideal‚ but it’s the best we have to work with for the moment.What the study foundThere were three headline findings. The first was that exposure to digital devices impacts both the structure and function of children’s brains‚ but that these effects are not necessarily negative. The second pinpointed regions of the brain that were particularly strongly affected and the third was that these changes in brain structure appear to persist long-term.The most common types of digital media being consumed by the children in the studies were screen-based‚ either passive (like watching TV) or active (interacting with apps‚ etc.)‚ with gaming coming second. Also included were virtual reality‚ video editing‚ internet use‚ and the use of tablets and e-readers.Some of the studies concluded that more screen time has a negative impact on brain functions like attention and cognition‚ as well as on the connections that allow different parts of the brain to communicate.Looking more deeply at the different types of tech‚ some of the evidence suggested that the use of tablets may have a negative effect on brain function and problem-solving. Gaming‚ too‚ could be associated with decreased brain volume and intelligence scores‚ according to some of the data.“[T]he most vulnerable area is the prefrontal cortex and its associated executive function‚” summarized the authors. The umbrella of executive function covers all the high-level cognitive skills we use as humans‚ such as planning‚ solving problems‚ holding information in our working memory‚ making decisions‚ and stopping ourselves from doing something dangerous or undesirable.But six of the studies concluded that digital experiences can positively impact a child’s development‚ like one that showed an improvement in focus and learning mediated by the frontal lobe of the brain. Another study highlighted how video games can improve executive function and cognitive skills‚ something that was also echoed in a study of young adults in 2022.So the picture‚ overall‚ was mixed. There’s no denying that growing up in a digital landscape is having some effect on kids‚ but to what extent‚ and whether it’s net positive or negative‚ is harder to determine.What the authors recommendIt could be tempting to react to this body of work by immediately calling for limits to be placed on kids’ screen time‚ at least until we know more about what their devices are doing to their brains. But the authors of this study do not go that far.“It should be recognized by both educators and caregivers that children’s cognitive development may be influenced by their digital experiences‚” said corresponding author Chair Professor Hui Li‚ from The Education University of Hong Kong‚ in a statement.“Limiting their screen time is an effective but confronting way‚ and more innovative‚ friendly‚ and practical strategies could be developed and implemented. Those in policymaking positions should supply suitable guidance‚ involvement and backing for children’s digital use.”Commenting further on what alternative responses to the scientific evidence could entail‚ lead author Dr Dandan Wu said‚ “This could involve offering resources and incentives for the creation and examination of digital interventions aimed at bolstering brain growth in children.”But there remain some key unanswered questions‚ which the study authors say should be the focus of future research‚ such as whether the “dose” or amount of time spent using digital devices is correlated with the level of change in the brain. While some of the evidence collected suggested that any effects on the brain could be long-lasting‚ more research is needed to confirm this.We can’t put the genie back in the bottle – digital devices are here‚ and they’re here to stay. What this study highlights is the importance of creating evidence-based policies to try to counter the impacts of technology use on developing children‚ whilst also not missing out on the benefits these innovations can bring.The study is published in the journal Early Education and Development.

Invasive species are a problem in pretty much every habitat across Earth. Some have been accidentally introduced while others were the result of deliberate actions with unforeseen outcomes. Where problems arise‚ often with the destruction of habitats for the native species‚ there becomes the need to find a solution to curb the impacts these species are having. For the feral horses in Australia‚ this has come down to a cull.In New South Wales (NSW)‚ approximately 17‚432 feral horses‚ known as Brumbies by the locals‚ are running wild in Kosciuszko National Park. The number is required by Australian law to be reduced to just 3‚000 by June 2027‚ meaning a major cull will have to take place. Now‚ the process of aerial culling‚ shooting the horses via helicopter‚ has been introduced as a management method to help meet this target. Though it may seem unusual‚ these horses are an invasive species‚ first brought across to Australia by settlers from Europe and number around 400‚000 across the rest of the country. Methods such as rehoming‚ tranquilizing‚ and ground shooting have been used to try and keep the numbers under control but with little success at lowering the population significantly. The decision to add aerial culling came after a voting process with 82 percent of 11‚002 stakeholder submissions supporting the measures‚ according to The Guardian."The survey results indicate it will not be possible for the NSW government to meet the mid-2027 deadline of 3‚000 horses under the current trajectory without aerial shooting‚" a statement in Newsweek from the NSW government said.The reasons for the culling are to protect the native species within the Australian Alps‚ including species like the galaxias fish and the southern corroboree frog. "Threatened native species are in danger of extinction and the entire ecosystem is under threat‚" the state’s Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said in a statement. "We must take action.”Destruction of habitat and native species is a major conservation issue. In New Zealand‚ the eradication of stoats‚ a small mustelid predator known to eat birds and eggs‚ in an area outside of Wellington has lead to kiwi chicks hatching in that area for the first time in over 100 years. “I love horses but they don’t belong in national parks. Feral horses are causing serious damage to our native plants and animals‚ including many endangered species in the Australian Alps‚” Tanya Plibersek‚ the federal environment and water minister‚ told The Guardian. On the opposite side of the decision‚ the Australian Brumby Alliance opposes the cull. “We implore minister Sharpe to strengthen commitment to and resourcing of passive trapping and rehoming as the preferred method of population management‚ reserving lethal methods to high density areas and designated fragile zones identified in the NSW Wild Horse Act‚” the alliance’s president Jill Pickering told The Guardian. The method was used back in 2000 to kill around 600 horses in a three day period‚ however‚ backlash from the public meant that the method was mostly banned. "No one likes to see animals killed‚ but the sad reality is that we have a choice to make between urgently reducing the numbers of feral horses or accepting the destruction of sensitive alpine ecosystems and habitats‚ and the decline and extinction of native animals‚" said Jack Gough‚ an advocacy director at the Invasive Species Council‚ told local news outlet Sydney Morning Herald. "We may not like it‚ but culling by highly trained professionals is the only viable way of reducing numbers and saving the national park and our native animals that live there."

The billionaire-backed effort‚ California Forever‚ is having a hard time delivering its utopian dream. The vision‚ to create a new city in northern California‚ is being met with harsh opposition from the local communities who are just not buying it.What is this dream?California Forever is owned by parent company Flannery Associates‚ which has spent over $800 million buying up massive amounts of farmland in the Solano County region. Since 2017‚ the company has bought Bay Area land parcels amounting to about 22‚000 hectares (52‚000 acres).For a long time‚ the company kept its overall plans a secret‚ but it has now announced that it hopes to create “a community with tens of thousands of residents‚ clean energy‚ public transportation and dense urban life”‚ as the New York Times noted. So‚ what could possibly be the problem with such a plan that is backed by some of Silicon Valley’s biggest bigwigs?Aside from the project already being described as “utopian”‚ there’s the sneaking suspicion that all is not as egalitarian as it seems. In this case‚ the army of investors‚ including tech luminaries and venture capitalists‚ want to create a city that can serve as a model for future urban development. And of course‚ they expect to earn a lot of money from it.When the project was originally pitched in 2017‚ the venture capitalist Michael Moritz explained that‚ as the New York Times put it‚ the “financial gains [from the city] could be huge.” Or‚ in Mortiz’s own words‚ “If the plans materialize anywhere close to what is being contemplated‚ this should be a spectacular investment.”What do the residents think?In the last few weeks‚ Flannery Associates has held multiple “town hall” meetings with local communities in an effort to win them over to the project’s ideals and to address questions and concerns. Let’s just put it this way – it hasn’t gone well for them.It seems local residents are far from keen on the idea. A local journalist who attended the first town hall in November described the event as “tense” and that‚ ultimately‚ many in the local community “don’t want this in their backyard.”The Napa Valley Register‚ described the project as being “savaged” at the first hurdle‚ and that the “emotionally charged town hall” was filled with “outbursts‚ accusations and disdain”.Rather than reassurance‚ the outlet summarized the first meeting as having fostered resentment and that “anger at California Forever and its approach to public outreach added fuel to many attendees' doubts about the company's promises of economic growth and fears about the harm the project might cause the county.”Video footage shows attendees yelling at and criticizing the company CEO‚ former Goldman Sachs trader Jan Sramek‚ during his presentation on the plans.Subsequent meetings have not fared much better either. In the second town hall‚ one attendee pointedly asked “How do you expect anyone in this room or the county to believe what you’re saying?”The last town hall is to be held on December 18th‚ and if previous events are anything to go by‚ it is likely that opinion will be just as heated there too. Unfortunately for the army of billionaires backing this initiative‚ whether it is out of a genuine desire to help or just another opportunity to make money‚ the project may not survive without public support.[H/T: Gizmodo]