The Yakut region in Northern Siberia is one of the coldest places on Earth‚ and yet some hardy horses can survive‚ even thrive‚ there. With their thick winter coats‚ squat bodies‚ and stubby limbs‚ native Yakutian horses are adorably well adapted to their frosty climes – but they also have another handy trick up their sleeve.To cope with the often sub-zero conditions – the Siberian Far East can reach lows of -70°C (-94°F) in the winter – they have evolved the ability to reduce their metabolic rate and lower their core body temperature‚ as some hibernating animals such as arctic ground squirrels are known to do. The difference is that hibernating animals are inactive during this period of torpor‚ whereas Yakutian horses continue going about their business‚ leading researchers to call it “standing hibernation”. No other horses are known to do this.Equally as impressive is the speed at which the horses developed their metabolic‚ anatomical‚ and physiological adaptations: It “represent[s] one of the fastest cases of adaptation to the extreme temperatures of the Arctic‚” write the authors of a 2015 study describing the horses’ rapid evolution. They analyzed the genomes of present-day Yakutian horses‚ plus specimens dating to the early 19th century and around 5‚200 years ago‚ before comparing them with the genomes of Late Pleistocene and modern Przewalski’s horses. Their findings suggest that “contemporary Yakutian horses do not descend from the native horses that populated the region until the mid-Holocene.” Instead‚ they “were most likely introduced following the migration of the Yakut people a few centuries ago.” A group of Turkic-speaking horse-riders migrated to the region‚ alongside their horses‚ between the 13th and 15th centuries‚ which means these adaptations arose in just a few hundred years – a very short amount of time‚ evolutionarily speaking.The researchers also found evidence of convergent evolution among Yakutian horses‚ native human populations‚ and woolly mammoths – which is when species occupying similar ecological niches adapt in similar ways in response to their environment. This‚ the researchers add‚ suggests “that only a few evolutionary strategies are compatible with survival in extremely cold environments”.Basically‚ Yakutian horses have smashed it. According to a recent study on the genetic diversity of native horse breeds in Russia‚ they are the “most cold-resistant indigenous breed”. Thanks to their hair‚ stature‚ and squirrel-esque metabolism‚ they stay toasty as temperatures around them plummet.The 2015 study is published in the journal PNAS.

Analysis of the volcanic rocks revealed large amounts of nitrogen compounds that were almost certainly produced by volcanic lightning. This process could provide the nitrogen needed for early life forms to develop and thrive. Nitrogen is a key component of amino acids‚ which form the proteins on which all life depends. Although nitrogen gas is abundant‚ plants cannot convert it into a usable form the way carbon dioxide can. Instead‚ plants get most of their nitrogen from bacteria‚ which are able to “fix” the gas‚ converting it into nitrogen compounds such as nitrate. However‚ nitrogen-fixing bacteria did not exist when life began‚ says Slimane Becky of the Sorbonne University in Paris‚ so a non-biological source must have existed early on. Lightning from a thunderstorm is one possible source. This produces relatively little nitrate today‚ but it may have been important early in Earth’s history. The famous Miller-Urey experiment in the 1950s demonstrated that lightning in Earth’s early atmosphere could produce nitrogen compounds‚ including amino acids. Now Becky and his colleagues have shown that another source could be lightning that occurs in ash clouds during some volcanic eruptions. When they collected volcanic sediments from Peru‚ Turkey and Italy‚ the researchers were initially surprised to find large amounts of nitrate in some layers. Isotopic analysis of these nitrates showed that they are of atmospheric origin and are not emitted by volcanoes. But Becky says the amounts were too large to have been produced by lightning during a thunderstorm. “The amount was really amazing‚” he says. “It’s really huge.” This means that the nitrates were likely formed by volcanic lightning. “If you look at the different options‚ the most likely would be volcanic lightning‚” says Becky . “We know that during a large volcanic eruption there is a lot of lightning.” Tamsin Mather of Oxford University says the team’s findings make sense. “We expect volcanic eruptions like those studied in the paper to generate significant lightning‚ so it is possible that volcanic lightning could be responsible for this signal.” It has been suggested that life first arose around volcanoes‚ and the team’s findings suggest that nitrogen compounds may have been abundant in these environments‚ Becky says. It’s worth noting that the idea that volcanic lightning played a key role in the emergence of life is not new. Jeffrey Bada of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California previously showed that volcanic lightning passing through volcanic gases can produce molecules such as amino acids. The post Lightning during volcanic eruptions could have given rise to life on Earth appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider are advocating for the construction of a new‚ even larger and more powerful super accelerator to aid in the quest for unraveling the mysteries of the Universe. The proposed monster‚ named the Future Circular Collider (FCC)‚ boasts a ring three times larger than its predecessor‚ spanning 91 km and buried deeper underground to prevent the escape of powerful radiation. The estimated initial cost of the FCC project stands at 12 billion pounds‚ with funding expected to come from member countries of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Detractors criticize the astronomical spending as “reckless.” If the physicists’ ambitions come to fruition‚ the megacollider is projected to be operational by the mid-2040s‚ with super-powerful magnets installed in the 2070s to accelerate particles to unprecedented energies. The ultimate goal is to provide evidence for the existence of dark matter‚ which‚ according to prevailing theoretical concepts‚ constitutes 95% of the Universe. CERN Director General Professor Fabiola Gianotti lauds the future supercollider as a “wonderful machine” that could propel physicists toward a breakthrough in understanding the fundamental structure of our world. She emphasizes its potential to facilitate significant advancements in humanity’s comprehension of the universe. However‚ concerns linger about the potential risks associated with experiments‚ including the formation of a mini-black hole. While the possibility is deemed very microscopic‚ it is not entirely dismissed. There remains a cautious acknowledgment that‚ in the pursuit of knowledge‚ there is a minute but nonzero risk of destructive consequences. The LHC 2.0‚ or Future Circular Collider (FCC)‚ will revolutionise the world of physics when it is up and running‚ and build on the work of its predecessor. It will produce the power of 10 MILLION lightning strikes – enough energy to create a devastating black hole‚ reports express.co.uk. Researchers have discovered that it actually takes 2.4 times less energy to create a black hole‚ and with a more powerful particle collider‚ some fear that one could be accidentally made in the lab. The study published in the journal Physical Review Letters reads: “We find that the threshold for black hole formation is lower (by a factor of a few) than simple hoop conjecture estimates‚ and‚ moreover‚ near this threshold two distinct apparent horizons first form postcollision and then merge.“ However‚ thanks to a process known as Hawking Radiation‚ experts say that Earth is in no danger of being swallowed by a man-made black hole. Frans Pretorius‚ a theoretical physicist at Princeton University‚ told LiveScience: “The one common misconception about the small black holes that may form at the Large Hadron Collider is that they would swallow the Earth. “With about as much confidence as we can say anything in science‚ this is completely impossible.” We hope that this will be the case‚ and that scientists are right in their theories. The post Scientists want to build a larger collider and they believe it’s safe appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Craft production has never escaped its pretentiously niche reputation. Obtaining a product like this is usually only accessible to wealthier consumers. To be able to produce artisan craft products for a living‚ at least at this moment in history‚ is often seen as even more remote‚ only the province of hobbyists who can afford "not to work." What happened? For most of human history‚ small-scale craft production was ubiquitous‚ an informal and mundane fabric woven intimately through everyday life. More than the skill‚ craft production forces a kind of interdependence. One does not best learn the skill of woodworking‚ for example‚ completely alone. American history is littered with examples of craft culture as an antidote to our modern remoteness and passivity. Working with glass‚ wood‚ clay‚ textiles‚ and metal and transforming those materials into furniture‚ clothing‚ or ceramics is a process of creating culture. Relating to raw materials and molding them takes skills that are largely missing in our developed world. It takes stamina and creativity. Being proficient at producing an artisanal craft requires mental patience and a flow state as you work on a material and gain competence; something of your consciousness changes‚ a kind of unbelievable transformation in your ability to make something with your own two hands. More than the skill‚ craft production forces a kind of interdependence. One does not best learn the skill of woodworking‚ for example‚ completely alone. How man shapes wood is part of a tradition‚ and often‚ these traditions are specific to a place‚ an ecology. Take the example of British hedge laying. A billhook is a specific tool to cut saplings and lay them over into a hedge. Across the U.K.‚ the design of the billhook was made to accommodate the local ecology: The most common trees for hedge laying in the North would be different from those in the South‚ and the tool accommodates the needs of the hedge layer. A co-creation of man and material and the land yielded traditions passed through the community. This is not a dynamic that disappears as we "progress." It disappears from disuse – and with it‚ the richness of shared life that supports our formation in the world. The things we create are the substrate out of which our culture grows. We've lost a deep understanding of that simple fact while the things designed for us to consume are mined‚ molded‚ and manufactured around the globe far away from our awareness. The pushing away of the responsibility to create has done something to us. A culture whose identity is based on the consumption of other people's creations‚ far away or of machines‚ is lacking in a drive toward life‚ toward vitality. To fill this emptiness‚ we think we can pump in mere ideas. As if the chasm of culture is just one you can think your way out of! Has there ever been a time in history where people actively‚ consciously tried to impose a culture on themselves? Can you imagine‚ amidst the crumbling Roman empire‚ people reflecting‚ "Well‚ if we can only usher in a shift in consciousness‚ then Rome can be saved!" A truly modern brain worm believes we can think our way out of the emptiness caused by a lack of creative production. A coming cultural shift skynesher/Getty The major cultural shifts of history were a kind of dance with the material world. As the physical changes significantly‚ so does our relationship with the world and our understanding of it. At this moment‚ we are at such a turning point. And so we have two major choices: Choice one is to be conscripted into the conspiracy of forces that increasingly outsource the creative‚ productive work of life to slave laborers around the world and to machines. At the same time‚ the fragile‚ just-in-time supply chains that keep that system afloat are crumbling. Choice two is to recapture the act of creation – in ways big and small – as both a mitigation against the risks wrought by the other system and a way to re-create a culture that arises from the vitality of creative‚ material production. If we want to foment a shift in culture toward the healthy‚ a connection to ecology and place‚ and more interdependence‚ the foundational place to begin is with the personal act of production. Even a simple task like baking bread from a homemade sourdough starter can open up one's own view of what's possible‚ let alone the kind of model you provide for children in a household where simple acts of personal production are the norm. Instead of escaping into the false paradise of ideas‚ imagine an immersion in a world where little informal craft experiments punctuate our days. Where we look into the well of tradition for advice and guidance‚ and‚ on the other side‚ we hold in our hands a warm bun that bears the same taste as the bun our grandmother ate when she was a girl. Craft a table out of wood‚ peering back into the traditional styles of one's ancestors but adding your own creative and practical flair. A table: belonging to a time and a place but connecting back through times and places in deep history. All of our lives can be imbued with such magic‚ such meaning. What culture arises from this? What happens to a generation that learns these skills of production by osmosis? To children who viscerally feel the actuality of belonging to a tradition and a connection to people and places past simply by propelling a needle through a piece of cloth? What happens to a landscape where a place produces beautiful things handmade by the people of that place? New England cider. Prairie-style tables. California pottery. New York stained glass. A renaissance of textile designs‚ typefaces‚ and quilt patterns. The pattern described here is the pattern of the revival itself. A culture grows from the substrate of these things we meaningfully produce with care in the community of a place.

Oh Diablo 4 Season 3‚ how I wanted to be excited about you. While it was always going to be hard to follow Season 2's vampiric mechanics‚ the Season of the Construct has struggled to move the needle at all‚ with its trap-focused additions and spidery companion failing to enthral me. As a result‚ I've found myself at a little bit of a loss‚ craving something hacky and slashy to fill the void. Thankfully‚ new Steam roguelike Lysfanga The Time Shift Warrior has stepped in. Continue reading New Hades like Steam game is the perfect answer to Diablo 4 Season 3 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games‚ Best roguelikes‚ Games like Diablo

Is Skull and Bones on Game Pass? Everyone we speak to seems to be fairly excited to jump into Skull and Bones; Black Flag-esque ship combat‚ beautiful visuals… peg legs‚ it’s got a bit of everything‚ just as long as your everything revolves around naval combat and singing sea shanties. The Skull and Bones release date is rapidly approaching‚ and a Skull and Bones open beta is happening too‚ so if you want to give the pirate game a go before you commit to a purchase‚ there’s time. For those Game Pass subscribers amongst us‚ here’s whether you’ll get Skull and Bones as part of your service. Continue reading Is Skull and Bones on Game Pass? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best pirate games‚ Skull and Bones release date‚ Skull and Bones system requirements

Windows 10 and 11 are fast becoming the only operating systems that support gaming‚ and Rockstar is the latest developer to drop support for older versions. This has all come about because Microsoft has stopped providing security updates for Windows 7‚ 8‚ and 8.1‚ leaving them vulnerable and open to attacks. Steam recently pulled support for every Windows OS below 10‚ meaning some of the best PC games can now only be played on the most recent Microsoft operating systems. This move appears to be the catalyst for many other game publishers‚ such as Rockstar‚ also ending support. Continue reading Rockstar ditches Windows 7 and 8‚ forces players to update OS MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GTA 5 RP servers‚ GTA 6 release date estimate‚ GTA 5 cheats

Only yesterday Asus updated its warranty T&;Cs to include two years of cover for OLED gaming monitor burn-in‚ having previously not included this sort of cover on its displays. Well‚ now MSI has seen that move and raised Asus a whole extra year‚ slapping a three-year burn-in cover warranty on its latest OLED displays. Despite having some of the characteristics that would make them worthy of listings on our best gaming monitor guide‚ OLED gaming monitors have long had (and still have) one glaring problem‚ which is that they can suffer from burn-in. As such‚ both Asus and MSI joining the likes of LG and Samsung in offering two or three years of cover against this issue is a very welcome development. Continue reading MSI ups the ante on Asus with its OLED gaming monitor offering MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ review‚ Asus ROG Raikiri review‚ Best gaming motherboard

As the number of PC games sporting high dynamic range (HDR) continues to grow‚ there are countless examples that will likely never graduate from their SDR limitations. Windows AutoHDR has helped to plug the gap‚ but a new Nvidia RTX mod could see even more‚ even older‚ titles receive an HDR makeover. Continue reading Give your classic games an HDR makeover with this Nvidia RTX mod MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4070 Super review‚ DLSS explained‚ Best graphics cards

Crucial has a super-fast SSD in the works that will offer the fastest speeds we’ve ever seen from an M.2 drive‚ according to the latest leak. The new Crucial T705 is reportedly so fast that it must be close to maxing out the realistic bandwidth of the 4x PCIe 5 interface‚ and there’s also apparently a limited edition of the drive with a white heatsink. Continue reading Crucial is reportedly cooking up the fastest ever PC SSD MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Crucial MX500 review‚ Best SSDs for gaming