A new study has found that certain types of clouds disappear during solar eclipses‚ and offered an explanation. The finding could have implications for attempts to engineer the climate.During solar eclipses‚ people have noticed that common cumulus clouds over land tend to dissipate almost instantly."From Earth‚ you can count the clouds and watch them disappear‚ but that only provides anecdotal evidence‚" lead author on the new paper‚ Victor Trees‚ explained in a press release. "Even without a solar eclipse‚ clouds are constantly changing."However‚ measuring this effect scientifically has not been easy. Cloud measurements by satellites during previous solar eclipses did not take into account the partial lunar shadow making clouds less reflective‚ resulting in large dark patches on cloud maps. In the new study‚ a team including scientists from Delft University of Technology and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute used a new method to analyze data from previous eclipses which incorporated accurate calculations of how much of the Sun was obscured by the Moon across the Earth. "By far most of the solar eclipse consists of a partial eclipse‚ where there is still plenty of light outside‚" Trees added. "In this partial eclipse satellites receive enough reflected sunlight‚ after correcting for the obscuration‚ to reliably measure clouds.”The team applied this new method to three previous eclipses‚ and found that cumulus clouds begin to vanish when only a small part of the Sun is eclipsed by the Moon."Our corrected data reveal that‚ over cooling land surfaces‚ shallow cumulus clouds start to disappear at very small solar obscurations (~15%)‚" the team explains in their paper. "Our simulations explain that the cloud response was delayed and was initiated at even smaller solar obscurations."Over the ocean‚ cumulus clouds do not disappear during partial solar eclipses as the surface is not cooled as much as the land."The disappearing clouds during a solar eclipse can be explained by the drop in sensible (thermal) and latent (moisture) heat fluxes from the surface to the lowest atmosphere layer‚ as a result of the dropping [land surface temperature]‚" the team adds in the paper.As well as confirming the weird disappearance of cumulus (but not other) clouds during eclipses‚ the team believes their findings could have implications for any future attempts to engineer the climate. "This could be a warning for climate engineering. If we eclipse the sun in the future with technological solutions‚ it may affect the clouds‚" Trees added. "Fewer clouds could partly oppose the intended effect of climate engineering‚ because clouds reflect sunlight and thus actually help to cool down the Earth."The study is published in Nature Communications Earth &; Environment.

A drug designed to reduce allergic reactions to more than one type of food has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first time‚ the organization announced on February 16.Plenty of treatments targeting individual food allergens have been trialed in the past – but this is the first drug to tackle multiple at once to gain FDA approval‚ reducing the severity of allergies to foods including peanuts‚ milk‚ and eggs in just one shot.Xolair‚ or omalizumab‚ is an injectable monoclonal antibody treatment‚ which contains immune proteins that bind to the molecule immunoglobulin E (IgE)‚ known to trigger allergic reactions. By prohibiting IgE from binding to its receptors‚ the drug can curtail Type I reactions‚ reducing the risk of anaphylaxis upon exposure to multiple foods.However‚ Xolair – approved for use in certain adults and children 1 year or older – is not intended for the immediate‚ emergency treatment of allergic reactions. Instead‚ it is recommended for repeat use to reduce the likelihood of severe reactions occurring and minimize the risks if they do. Injections every two to four weeks serve as a preventative measure to enable patients to build tolerance to food allergens. Importantly‚ people on the drug should continue to avoid foods they’re allergic to.Xolair was initially approved for the treatment of allergic asthma in 2003‚ and is also approved for use in people with chronic spontaneous urticaria and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.“This newly approved use for Xolair will provide a treatment option to reduce the risk of harmful allergic reactions among certain patients with IgE-mediated food allergies‚” Dr Kelly Stone‚ associate director of the Division of Pulmonology‚ Allergy‚ and Critical Care in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research‚ said in a statement. “While it will not eliminate food allergies or allow patients to consume food allergens freely‚ its repeated use will help reduce the health impact if accidental exposure occurs.”The approval comes off the back of a successful clinical trial‚ which saw 67 percent of subjects with a peanut allergy and at least two other food allergies able to eat a single dose of peanut protein without moderate to severe allergic symptoms. This is compared to just 7 percent in the control group. Similar rates of improvement were observed when assessing people's reactions to cashews‚ milk‚ and eggs.However‚ 17 percent of people had no significant change in their peanut protein tolerance. “As a result‚ continuation of strict allergen avoidance is still necessary‚ despite treatment with Xolair‚” the FDA added.Side effects included injection site reactions and fever‚ and the drug’s label cautions against anaphylaxis‚ malignancy‚ fever‚ joint pain‚ rash‚ and parasitic (worm) infection.As a result‚ the FDA states Xolair should only be started in a healthcare setting and only for those without a history of known severe hypersensitivity to Xolair or any of its components.Still‚ for those with food allergies – around 6 percent of people in the US‚ according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Xolair could offer a much-needed new treatment option.

When it comes to the potential therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids‚ they're often thought of in relation to how they can help out us humans. A new case report‚ however‚ suggests that these compounds could be used to treat our poorly pooches too‚ after cannabis oil was successfully used as a treatment in a dog with an autoimmune skin condition.The report presents us with a 2-year-old mixed-breed dog with discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE)‚ a common autoimmune skin disease in dogs. Usually found on the nose and ears‚ it’s characterized by intense inflammation that can lead to loss of pigment and hair‚ redness‚ and even ulcers and crusting. In other words‚ it’s not a pleasant experience for our pups.Conventionally‚ DLE is treated with a type of anti-inflammatory medicine called corticosteroids – these are used to treat a lot of human skin conditions too. However‚ they can lead to side effects or prove ineffective with long-term use; the symptoms of the dog in the report didn’t improve even after several months of use.This is where the cannabinoids came in. Previous research has suggested that two of the most notable cannabinoids‚ cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC‚ best known as the one that gets you high)‚ are anti-inflammatory and can be used for long periods with no significant side effects. As a result‚ the pup patient was referred to a specialist vet who prescribed a cannabis oil containing CBD and THC to treat its DLE.It took a while to find the right dosage‚ but eventually‚ they found it: a low‚ twice-daily dose of a single full-spectrum cannabis oil containing a 3:1 ratio of CBD to THC. “Within a few weeks of starting [cannabinoid therapy]‚ the dog showed significant improvement in skin lesions and in liver enzymes levels. After 1 year‚ the dog remains clinically stable on a low dose of full-spectrum CBD-rich oil. No evidence of DLE recurrence was observed‚” the authors write.The dog's nose before (left) and after a year and 3 months of treatment with cannabis oil (right).Image credit: da Silva et al.‚ Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2024 (CC BY 4.0)And importantly‚ the dog “exhibited robust overall well-being [and] maintained an active and playful disposition.” What a good girl.The success of this case suggests that treatment with cannabinoids could provide a viable alternative for cases where traditional therapeutics aren’t suitable‚ though the authors are keen to caution that this is just one case – further research is needed to get a full picture of its long-term safety and efficacy. “While the song of cannabis therapy for DLE in dogs holds immense promise‚ we must continue listening closely‚ gathering more evidence‚ and refining the tune‚” the authors write‚ but they conclude on a hopeful note.“This case report adds its verse to the growing chorus‚ paving the way for future research and potentially offering a new rhythm of hope and a haven from the long-term reign of corticosteroids for dogs battling this challenging disease.”The case report is published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 

A fossil claw belonging to a new-to-science species of crab that lived 8.8 million years ago has just snipped the ribbon on quite the crustacean certification: it’s the largest fossil crab claw ever found. The hefty specimen’s enormous size has scientists figuring it could well be the precursor to today’s Southern Giant Crab‚ which can weigh over 12 kilograms (26 pounds).The ancient extinct crab specimens were recovered from Waitoetoe beach‚ North Island‚ in New Zealand. They were committed to the fossil record as part of the upper Miocene Urenui Formation of the Taranaki Basin that dates back to around 8.8 million years ago‚ at a time when the Mohakatino Volcanic Centre erupted offshore‚ shaping the palaeoenvironment.As we know‚ fossils preserve particularly well when sediment in the form of mud or volcanic ash swoops in to cover it before the decomposition ecosystem can have its way with dead animals‚ and these crabs are no exception. Having been buried in sediments including volcanic material‚ they are beautifully preserved‚ and that’s a big bonus for the fossils’ academic potential. We now know that these animals lived deep in the ocean‚ marking the first time they've been found in the region that is now New Zealand.A team of researchers deduced that the fossilized crustaceans represent a new species: Pseudocarcinus karlraubenheimeri. The latter name is in honor of Karl Raubenheimer of New Plymouth‚ North Island‚ New Zealand‚ who collected and donated the specimen.The massive fossil crabs "form the basis for a new species of ‘Southern Giant Crab’" say the researchers.Image courtesy of Barry W.M. van BakelThe hefty hunk of crab joins the Pseudocarcinus genus‚ which is represented in the modern era by P. gigas: the giant southern crab. Its other nicknames – the giant deepwater crab‚ queen crab‚ and bullcrab – give some indication of the size of these monsters."The now living Giant Southern crab‚ Pseudocarcinus gigas‚ is one of the largest crabs to have ever lived‚" study author Barry W.M van Bakel told IFLScience. "Its claw can reach a maximum of 47 centimeters [18.5 inches]‚ nearly half a metre! This fossil ancestor is about half the size."As for what drives a crab to go supersized‚ the threat of predators plays a part‚ but it’s also about making sure you don’t end up with eyes bigger than your snip-snips.“Pseudocarcinus crabs are characterised by gigantism‚ which provided them with significant advantages in competition and defence‚” write the authors. “Their carnivorous nature is reflected in their exceptionally large major cheliped [aka‚ the claw].”  The authors suggest that P. karlraubenheimeri’s claw engineering may have been driven by an uptick in animals like gastropods and bivalves appearing on the deep-sea menu back in the Late Cretaceous‚ welcoming in a new era of BIG CRABS with BIG CLAWS."This is the largest fossil crab to have ever been discovered‚ which is fascinating‚" added van Bakel. "But also‚ the discovery of its former habitat: sea-floor gas seeps‚ bringing CO2 and/or methane to the sediment-water interface‚ provided a warm and nutrient-rich environment rich in clams‚ snails‚ and smaller crabs. This formed the food source for these giant crabs! It is great to learn about former ecosystems."The study is published in the New Zealand Journal Of Geology And Geophysics.