It would be easy to assume that little life remains in the area irradiated by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. However‚ against the odds‚ some species have adapted – including Eastern tree frogs. How did they manage to do this? Researchers think it could come down to rapidly developing a different skin color.Eastern tree frogs (Hyla orientalis) are normally bright green‚ but in 2016‚ a team of researchers working in Chernobyl came across several frogs with black skin. They later returned to examine the population in detail‚ spending three years examining over 200 male frogs captured from ponds from both within and outside of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in northern Ukraine.The team discovered that those frogs found within the exclusion zone “had a remarkably darker dorsal skin coloration than frogs from outside the Zone.” Why was their skin darker? To protect them from radiation‚ the researchers suggest.Frogs with darker skin have more of a group of pigments called melanin; more melanin can result in darker skin and hair‚ but it can also protect against radiation‚ including the ionizing kind found in Chernobyl.“Dark coloration is known to protect against different sources of radiation by neutralizing free radicals and reducing DNA damage‚ and‚ particularly melanin pigmentation has been proposed as a buffering mechanism against ionizing radiation‚” the researchers write in their 2022 paper.The skin color of the frogs was at its darkest in the areas closest to the blast and where radiation had been high at the time of the disaster – current radiation levels didn’t seem to have an effect. This‚ the team suggests‚ means that “high levels of ionizing radiation‚ likely at the time of the accident‚ may have been selected for darker coloration in Chornobyl tree frogs.”Eastern tree frogs are normally a vivid green.Image credit: Alena Fionina/Алёна Фионина via iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)In other words‚ it’s rapid evolution in action. At the time‚ frogs with less melanin would’ve been more vulnerable to the DNA-damaging effects of radiation‚ likely killing them off at an earlier age – perhaps even before they could reproduce. On the other hand‚ the frogs with darker skin were more likely to survive and produce many cute frog babies‚ thanks to their protective melanin; this trait would have been passed on to their offspring.Female Eastern tree frogs start to breed when they’re around 2 or 3 years old. Nearly 40 years have passed since the Chernobyl disaster‚ which equals about 10 to 15 generations of frogs at the time of the study. So‚ when we say this evolutionary process was rapid‚ we really do mean rapid.The researchers hope that future studies will help to untangle the genetic mechanisms behind the Chernobyl tree frogs’ darker coloration‚ as well as establish other possible consequences of wildlife’s long-term exposure to ionizing radiation.For now‚ major props to the tree frogs of Chernobyl for surviving – and to all the other creatures that have managed to thrive in the exclusion zone‚ too.

Astronomers are pondering the possibility of massive stellar explosions serving as signals from intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations in deep space. The question arises: if advanced beings in the cosmos desire to communicate across vast distances‚ how might they do so‚ given the limitations of direct visits and signals that can’t exceed the speed of light? Scientists at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) are exploring the concept of cosmic Schelling points—specific locations where both parties could concentrate their efforts for communication. Analogous to a common meeting point‚ such as the entrance to a mall‚ astronomers are seeking cosmic events that are so conspicuous that they would naturally attract attention. One such candidate is the supernova‚ an astronomical phenomenon characterized by its enormity and luminosity. The idea is that if intelligent beings wish to capture our attention‚ a supernova would be a logical focal point. A recent collaboration between astronomers from the Berkeley SETI Research Center‚ the University of Washington‚ and the SETI Institute focused their efforts on exploring the vicinity of the supernova SN 1987A for signs of alien technosignatures or any visible extraterrestrial beacons. Unfortunately‚ their search yielded no conclusive results‚ but the pursuit of such cosmic communication points persists. Astronomer Jason Wright of the Penn State Extraterrestrial Intelligence Center emphasized the significance of the search strategy‚ stating‚ “This is a great demonstration of how we can prioritize our search efforts by considering what sorts of synchronization schemes other species might employ to get our attention.” In the vast expanse of the cosmos‚ narrowing down the search space is crucial for the quest to identify extraterrestrial technological species. What’s more‚ the paper should be of interest to METI-minded researchers‚ that is‚ Messages to Extraterrestrial Intelligences. Should a supernova happen nearby in the coming years‚ we could use the opportunity to transmit a beacon alerting others to our presence. As to whether we should do that‚ that’s another story. The post Astronomers are looking for alien space beacons after supernovae appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Famous tech billionaire Elon Musk announced the full recovery of the first person who was implanted with a Neuralink brain chip. The first human patient implanted with a brain-chip from Neuralink appears to have fully recovered and is able to control a computer mouse using their thoughts‚ the startup’s founder Elon Musk said late on Monday. The firm successfully implanted a chip on its first human patient last month‚ after receiving approval for human trial recruitment in September. The study uses a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move‚ Neuralink has said‚ adding that the initial goal is to enable people to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts. However‚ not everyone takes this news positively. Speaking to the Daily Star‚ research outreach director Ryan Merkley expressed concerns about the possible risks associated with the use of such invasive devices. He emphasized that the lack of safety information and potential negative consequences of using Neuralink could be a serious problem. “When tech billionaires‚ with the help of their venture capitalist friends‚ develop invasive medical devices behind closed doors‚ without openly disseminating safety information from preclinical or even clinical studies‚ we should be concerned.” Merkley also expressed concern that excessive focus on developing highly invasive medical devices such as Neuralink could distract from safer‚ noninvasive alternatives. He stressed that due consideration must be given to the ethical aspects and potential risks associated with such technologies. The post Elon Musk said that the person with the brain chip has fully recovered appeared first on Anomalien.com.

The collector's edition market used to be exciting until it became oversaturated and died a slow and painful death. Now‚ it's hard to even get a physical release for some games‚ while hardware editions seem to have been reduced to statement pieces alone (I'm looking at you‚ Razer Blade Lamborghini edition)‚ and the FFVII Rebirth Samsung SSD is a pitiful effort at best. While the  Samsung 990 Pro is arguably one of the best gaming SSD options‚ nearly maxing out the bandwidth of the 4x PCIe 4 bus‚ and being compatible with both PC and PS5‚ there's no excuse for the lack of effort in this collaboration. Rather than offering any kind of on-product branding to help it stand out from any other 2TB 990 Pro‚ instead‚ your SSD will simply arrive in an FFVII Rebirth branded cube. Continue reading FFVII Rebirth collector’s edition Samsung SSD is just a fancy box MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB review‚ Best SSD for gaming‚ Best gaming monitor

What are Dragon’s Dogma 2 Pawns? At the beginning of the game‚ along with the character you control – called an Arisen – you’ll also create a Pawn‚ which is a faithful NPC companion that will never leave your side. They’ll help you in a myriad of different ways as you adventure‚ and you’ll continually swap other player-made Pawns in and out of your party. That way‚ you’ll have a balanced adventuring group as you slay ogres and griffons. If you’re keen on picking up Dragon’s Dogma 2‚ be sure to double check its system requirements. We’ve also got a great guide detailing all the Dragon’s Dogma 2 vocations that both your Arisen and Pawn can assume during your adventure. Continue reading Dragon’s Dogma 2 Pawns explained MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Dragon's Dogma 2 release date‚ Dragon's Dogma 2 vocations‚ Dragon's Dogma 2 system requirements

Storytelling in the world of gaming isn’t always an easy thing. In addition to just writing a cohesive narrative that enthralls the players and has a definite beginning‚ middle‚ and ending‚ you’ve also got to pick your subject matter carefully‚ crafting characters and choosing settings that gel with the tale you’re yearning to tell.

On Feb. 22‚ Venus and Mars will look like a cosmic colon as they appear side by side in the predawn sky.

Boston Dynamics has released footage showing how its flagship Atlas humanoid robot would cope in a factory environment as it lifts heavy struts and puts them into a flow cart.

First ever documented evidence of a fungus‚ suspected to be a Mycena species‚ growing on the body of a seemingly healthy frog.