livescience--2020-09-11--13-year-old dies of rare 'brain-eating' amoeba after swimming in Florida lake

A teen has died from a rare infection after a family vacation in Florida , according to news reports .
The 13-year-old , Tanner Wall , and his family had recently stayed at a campground in North Florida , which has a water park and lake where the boy went swimming , according to local news outlet .
Several days after swimming in the lake , Tanner developed symptoms , including nausea , vomiting , headaches and a stiff neck , News4Jax reported .
Tanner was initially diagnosed with strep throat , but his parents suspected Tanner could have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drove him to UF Health in Gainesville , Florida , for a second opinion .
There , the teen was placed on a ventilator , and doctors made a devastating discovery .
`` They said , 'We 're sorry to tell you this , but your son … has a parasitic amoeba , and there is no cure , ' '' Tanner 's father , Travis Wall , told News4Jax .
Tanner died from an infection with Naegleria fowleri on Aug. 2 , News4Jax reported .
Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as lakes and rivers , according to the .
In the U.S. , most infections occur in southern states , particularly during the summer months after it has been hot for prolonged periods , which raises the water temperature , .
Swallowing water contaminated with Naegleria fowleri will not cause an infection , but if contaminated water goes up the nose , the organism can enter the brain and destroy brain tissue .
Infections are almost universally fatal , with less than a 3 % survival rate , according to the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are able to survive the condition , but factors that may contribute to survival include early detection of the infection and treatment with an experimental drug called miltefosine , along with other aggressive treatments to reduce brain swelling , .
( It 's important to note that miltefosine is not a proven treatment for the condition , and some patients who received the drug still did not survive . )
However , N. fowleri infections are very rare , with only 34 infections reported in the U.S. over a recent 10-year period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swimming each year , the CDC says .
But infections may be becoming more common as water temperatures rise due to , according to .
Tanner 's death is the second reported in Florida this summer from the same infection .
The first death was announced by the on July 3 , although few details were released about the case .
As a precaution , the Florida Department of Health recommends that people avoid swimming in warm freshwater during periods of high water temperature and low water levels , and that they use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities in warm freshwater .

A teen has died from a rare "brain-eating" amoeba infection after a family vacation in Florida, according to news reports.
The 13-year-old, Tanner Wall, and his family had recently stayed at a campground in North Florida, which has a water park and lake where the boy went swimming, according to local news outlet News4Jax . Several days after swimming in the lake, Tanner developed symptoms, including nausea, vomiting, headaches and a stiff neck, News4Jax reported.
Tanner was initially diagnosed with strep throat, but his parents suspected Tanner could have a more serious condition, and so they drove him to UF Health in Gainesville, Florida, for a second opinion.
There, the teen was placed on a ventilator, and doctors made a devastating discovery.
"They said, 'We're sorry to tell you this, but your son … has a parasitic amoeba, and there is no cure,'" Tanner's father, Travis Wall, told News4Jax. Tanner died from an infection with Naegleria fowleri on Aug. 2, News4Jax reported.
Related: 5 Key Facts About Brain-Eating Amoebas
Naegleria fowleri is a single-celled organism that's naturally found in warm freshwater, such as lakes and rivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . In the U.S., most infections occur in southern states, particularly during the summer months after it has been hot for prolonged periods, which raises the water temperature, Live Science previously reported .
Swallowing water contaminated with Naegleria fowleri will not cause an infection, but if contaminated water goes up the nose, the organism can enter the brain and destroy brain tissue. Infections are almost universally fatal, with less than a 3% survival rate, according to the CDC. It's unclear exactly why some people are able to survive the condition, but factors that may contribute to survival include early detection of the infection and treatment with an experimental drug called miltefosine, along with other aggressive treatments to reduce brain swelling, Live Science previously reported . (It's important to note that miltefosine is not a proven treatment for the condition, and some patients who received the drug still did not survive.)
However, N. fowleri infections are very rare, with only 34 infections reported in the U.S. over a recent 10-year period, even though millions of people go swimming each year, the CDC says. But infections may be becoming more common as water temperatures rise due to climate change , according to Business Insider .
Tanner's death is the second reported in Florida this summer from the same infection. The first death was announced by the Florida Department of Health on July 3, although few details were released about the case.
As a precaution, the Florida Department of Health recommends that people avoid swimming in warm freshwater during periods of high water temperature and low water levels, and that they use nose clips or hold their nose during activities in warm freshwater.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-09-11--Wreck of WWII battleship with Nazi symbol discovered off Norway

The wreck of a German warship torpedoed and sunk by a British submarine in 1940 has been discovered in deep water off the North Sea coast of southern Norway .
Norway 's electric grid operator Statnett located the shipwreck near its underwater power cables on sonar scans of the seafloor in 2017 , .
In August , Statnett sent down an underwater remotely-operated-vehicle , or ROV , to inspect the wreck .
The ROV , which was tethered to the offshore support ship Olympic Taurus , sent back detailed images that suggested the wreck was that of the German cruiser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — The boom in robotics beneath the waves '' When the ROV results showed us a ship that was torpedoed , we realized it was from the war , '' said project engineer Ole Petter Hobberstad .
`` As the cannons became visible on the screen , we understood it was a huge warship . ''
The German cruiser Karlsruhe was launched in 1927 and was equipped with nine 15-inch guns .
It was 570 feet ( 174 meters ) long and could reach a top speed of 32 knots ( 37 mph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the time .
The wreck now lies upright on the seafloor beneath 1,607 feet ( 490 m ) of seawater , about 13 nautical miles ( 24 kilometers ) from the port city of Kristiansand on Norway 's southern coast .
According to the Reuters news agency , Norwegian broadcasters also reported that the underwater images taken by the ROV included a medallion on the warship decorated with a Nazi swastika symbol .
Karlsruhe was a cadet training ship in the 1930 and was part of German patrols off the coast of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1936 .
It was being refitted when World War II broke out in September 1939 , and it did not see action until April 9 , 1940 , when it served as the flagship of an attack group during the German invasion of Norway , with Kristiansand as its main target .
The capabilities of the warship proved significant during the attack , according to archaeologist Frode Kvalø of the Norwegian Maritime Museum in Oslo .
`` The ship was an important actor at a crucial time of Norwegian modern history , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Karlsruhe had suffered hits from Norwegian artillery during the attack , but it 's unclear how badly it was damaged .
It then left Kristiansand later that day , bound for Germany ; along the way , it was hit by torpedoes from the British submarine Truant , which blasted large holes in the hull .
Two hours later , the crew , under orders from the commander , abandoned the ship , which was then deliberately sunk by a German torpedo boat from the flotilla .
The exact location of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 80 years .
Archaeologists at the Norwegian Maritime Museum studied the sonar data and videos made by Statnett to make a positive identification of the shipwreck , Kvalø said .
One of the decisive factors in the identification were the distinctive asymmetrical aft gun turrets of the Karlsruhe , which can be seen on the wreck , he said .
`` Karlsruhe is an impressive sight , '' he said .
`` Most big warships in deep waters have turned [ over ] on the way down to the seabed because of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone straight down and is resting on its keel . ''
`` Apart from the bow , which blew up when the last German torpedo hit the ammunition storage , the ship is practically intact , '' he said .

The discoverers say the shipwreck of the Karlsruhe is lying upright on its keel beneath about 490 meters ( 1600 feet) of seawater near Norway's southern coast.
The wreck of a German warship torpedoed and sunk by a British submarine in 1940 has been discovered in deep water off the North Sea coast of southern Norway.
Norway's electric grid operator Statnett located the shipwreck near its underwater power cables on sonar scans of the seafloor in 2017, according to a Statnett statement .
In August, Statnett sent down an underwater remotely-operated-vehicle, or ROV, to inspect the wreck. The ROV, which was tethered to the offshore support ship Olympic Taurus, sent back detailed images that suggested the wreck was that of the German cruiser Karlsruhe.
Related: 24 underwater drones — The boom in robotics beneath the waves
"When the ROV results showed us a ship that was torpedoed, we realized it was from the war," said project engineer Ole Petter Hobberstad. "As the cannons became visible on the screen, we understood it was a huge warship."
The German cruiser Karlsruhe was launched in 1927 and was equipped with nine 15-centimeter guns. It was 570 feet (174 meters) long and could reach a top speed of 32 knots (37 mph or 59 km/h) — quite fast for the time.
The wreck now lies upright on the seafloor beneath 1,607 feet (490 m) of seawater, about 13 nautical miles (24 kilometers) from the port city of Kristiansand on Norway's southern coast.
According to the Reuters news agency, Norwegian broadcasters also reported that the underwater images taken by the ROV included a medallion on the warship decorated with a Nazi swastika symbol.
According to news reports, there was a Nazi swastika symbol on the warship. (Image credit: Statnett)
German warship
Karlsruhe was a cadet training ship in the 1930 and was part of German patrols off the coast of Spain during the Spanish Civil War from 1936.
It was being refitted when World War II broke out in September 1939, and it did not see action until April 9, 1940, when it served as the flagship of an attack group during the German invasion of Norway, with Kristiansand as its main target.
Related: Photos: Explore a WWII shipwreck in virtual reality
The capabilities of the warship proved significant during the attack, according to archaeologist Frode Kvalø of the Norwegian Maritime Museum in Oslo.
"The ship was an important actor at a crucial time of Norwegian modern history," Kvalø told Live Science in an email.
The Karlsruhe had suffered hits from Norwegian artillery during the attack, but it's unclear how badly it was damaged.
It then left Kristiansand later that day, bound for Germany; along the way, it was hit by torpedoes from the British submarine Truant, which blasted large holes in the hull. Two hours later, the crew, under orders from the commander, abandoned the ship, which was then deliberately sunk by a German torpedo boat from the flotilla.
The exact location of the sunken ship was unknown for almost 80 years.
Image 1 of 4 The Karlsruhe was the flagship of an attack group on the port city of Kristiansand during the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940. (Image credit: U.S. Naval Historical Center) The discoverers say the shipwreck of the Karlsruhe is lying upright on its keel beneath about 490 metres ( 1600 feet) of seawater near Norway's southern coast. (Image credit: Statnett/Isurvey ) The naval guns of the German World War II cruiser Karlsruhe surprised its discoverers, who thought they were investigating a much smaller shipwreck. (Image credit: Statnett) The Karlsruhe was severely damaged by torpedoes, but the discoverers report that it is surprisingly well-preserved in the deep water. (Image credit: Statnett)
Historic wreck
Archaeologists at the Norwegian Maritime Museum studied the sonar data and videos made by Statnett to make a positive identification of the shipwreck, Kvalø said.
One of the decisive factors in the identification were the distinctive asymmetrical aft gun turrets of the Karlsruhe, which can be seen on the wreck, he said.
"Karlsruhe is an impressive sight," he said. "Most big warships in deep waters have turned [over] on the way down to the seabed because of their large superstructure, but the Karlsruhe has gone straight down and is resting on its keel."
"Apart from the bow, which blew up when the last German torpedo hit the ammunition storage, the ship is practically intact," he said.
Editor's Note: This article was updated to correct a statement that said Karlsruhe was was equipped with nine 15-inch guns. The guns were "15 centimeters." The headline was changed to avoid the technical term "battleship," which can refer to the very largest warships.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-09-11--Mind-blowing Andromeda galaxy and 'Cosmic Inferno' earn space photo contest's top prizes

The Andromeda galaxy lies 2 million light-years from , but it looks close enough to touch in an image that took home the top prize in the Royal Observatory Greenwich ’ s Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 competition .
French photographer Nicolas Lefaudeux used a technique called tilt-shift — positioning a camera 's lens in a way that manipulates the depth of field in an image — to bring our closest neighboring galaxy closer still .
His photo blurs the foreground and background while leaving the center sharply in focus , making the galaxy appear startlingly close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach into the photo and grab it .
Contest judges selected Lefaudeux 's photo , titled `` Andromeda Galaxy at Arm 's Length ?
`` , from thousands of submissions , naming it the winner in the `` Galaxies '' category , as well as the competition 's overall best photo .
Lefaudeux captured the image in Forges-les-Bains , Île-de-France , using a 3D-printed custom camera attachment to achieve the tilt-shift visual effect ; `` the blur created by the defocus at the edges of the sensor gives this illusion of closeness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a statement .
Related : In images : Rising 'phoenix ' aurora and starburst galaxies light up the skies The cleverness of Lefaudeux 's technique made the photo `` truly magical , '' judge and photographer Ed Robinson said in the statement .
Lefaudeux 's illusion of closeness in the galaxy seemed especially poignant right now , as many people around the world are practicing social distancing due to the COVID-19 , Robinson said .
Another standout photo , `` Cosmic Inferno '' captured by photographer Peter Ward of Australia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Nebulae '' category .
In his image of NGC 3576 , a bright nebula in the Sagittarius arm of the galaxy , Ward used software to strip the surrounding stars from the view , leaving only the flaming tendrils of the nebula .
Ward then mapped the nebula to a fiery false-color palette — a choice intended to raise awareness of recent in his home country Down Under , he said in a statement .
Cooler palettes dominated in other prizewinning photos , such as the glowing aurora greens and blues in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Norway by photographer Nicholas Roemmelt ; and the shimmering pinks and pale yellows in `` Painting the Sky , '' photographed in Finnish Lapland by Thomas Kast .
The winning photos for 2020 were announced yesterday ( Sept. 10 ) in an awards ceremony that Royal Museums Greenwich livestreamed on and on , and can be viewed .
Based in the U.K. and open to photographers of all levels , the Royal Observatory Greenwich ’ s international contest celebrates outstanding space photography .
Judges award prizes for spectacular images of celestial objects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and galaxies , and for photos that juxtapose people ( or that show the influence of humans ) alongside the night sky .
Other categories elevate photographers who are younger than 15 ; images that combine elements of art and science ; and entries that demonstrate innovative image processing of open source data , according to the .
`` From vast aurora to fiery nebulae to an intimate look at our closest galactic neighbor , there really is something for everyone , '' contest judge Steve Marsh , an art editor for BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Prizewinning photos from last year 's contest are currently on display at the National Maritime Museum in the U.K. , where they will remain until Sept. 13 , and the 2020 contest winners will be on public view from Oct. 23 until Aug. 8 , 2021 , according to the .

The Andromeda galaxy lies 2 million light-years from Earth , but it looks close enough to touch in an image that took home the top prize in the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 competition.
French photographer Nicolas Lefaudeux used a technique called tilt-shift — positioning a camera's lens in a way that manipulates the depth of field in an image — to bring our closest neighboring galaxy closer still. His photo blurs the foreground and background while leaving the center sharply in focus, making the galaxy appear startlingly close, almost as though the observer could reach into the photo and grab it.
Contest judges selected Lefaudeux's photo, titled "Andromeda Galaxy at Arm's Length?", from thousands of submissions, naming it the winner in the "Galaxies" category, as well as the competition's overall best photo. Lefaudeux captured the image in Forges-les-Bains, Île-de-France, using a 3D-printed custom camera attachment to achieve the tilt-shift visual effect; "the blur created by the defocus at the edges of the sensor gives this illusion of closeness to Andromeda," Royal Museums Greenwich representatives said in a statement.
Related: In images: Rising 'phoenix' aurora and starburst galaxies light up the skies
The cleverness of Lefaudeux's technique made the photo "truly magical," judge and photographer Ed Robinson said in the statement. Lefaudeux's illusion of closeness in the galaxy seemed especially poignant right now, as many people around the world are practicing social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic , Robinson said.
Another standout photo, "Cosmic Inferno" captured by photographer Peter Ward of Australia, was the winner in the "Stars and Nebulae" category. In his image of NGC 3576, a bright nebula in the Sagittarius arm of the Milky Way galaxy, Ward used software to strip the surrounding stars from the view, leaving only the flaming tendrils of the nebula. Ward then mapped the nebula to a fiery false-color palette — a choice intended to raise awareness of recent wildfires in his home country Down Under, he said in a statement.
NGC 3576 is a well-known nebula in southern skies. It is shown here without any stars and mapped into a false-color palette. (Image credit: Copyright Peter Ward)
Cooler palettes dominated in other prizewinning photos, such as the glowing aurora greens and blues in "The Green Lady," captured in Norway by photographer Nicholas Roemmelt; and the shimmering pinks and pale yellows in "Painting the Sky," photographed in Finnish Lapland by Thomas Kast. The winning photos for 2020 were announced yesterday (Sept. 10) in an awards ceremony that Royal Museums Greenwich livestreamed on YouTube and on Facebook , and can be viewed on the contest website .
German photographer Nicholas Roemmelt spied the figure of a "lady in green" sketched in the northern lights in skies over Norway. (Image credit: Copyright Nicholas Roemmelt)
Based in the U.K. and open to photographers of all levels, the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s international contest celebrates outstanding space photography. Judges award prizes for spectacular images of celestial objects such as the moon , the sun, auroras and galaxies, and for photos that juxtapose people (or that show the influence of humans) alongside the night sky. Other categories elevate photographers who are younger than 15; images that combine elements of art and science; and entries that demonstrate innovative image processing of open source data, according to the contest website .
"From vast aurora to fiery nebulae to an intimate look at our closest galactic neighbor, there really is something for everyone," contest judge Steve Marsh, an art editor for BBC Sky at Night Magazine, said in a statement.
Prizewinning photos from last year's contest are currently on display at the National Maritime Museum in the U.K., where they will remain until Sept. 13, and the 2020 contest winners will be on public view from Oct. 23 until Aug. 8, 2021, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich website .
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-09-12--Laika and her crew: 'Space Dogs' documentary explores Moscow through a stray's eyes

A new film channels the spirit and traces the lineage of , the first creature ever to orbit Earth .
Laika , a stray dog scooped off the streets of Moscow , launched on the Soviet Union 's Sputnik 2 mission in November 1957 , just a month after opened the space age .
The 11-lb .
( 5 kilograms ) mixed-breed quickly died of overheating and circled Earth as a corpse until April 1958 , when Sputnik 2 fell back into the atmosphere and burned up .
Laika was sacrificed to aid humanity 's march into the cosmos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successors designed to help show that our species could survive jaunts into the final frontier .
A new documentary called `` `` asks us to examine that sacrifice and what it says about us .
Related : Laika the dog and the first animals in space '' This film is about the relationship of another species to us humans .
A species that has been used in in two ways : both as an experimental object and as a symbol of courage and heroism , '' directors Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had to fulfill mankind 's dream by conquering the cosmos for them , '' the duo added .
`` Their story became a fable , a nascent legend , of a bitterness that we chose to illustrate .
'Space Dogs ' is dedicated to these fables and legends , to unknown worlds and to their discoverers . ''
Kremser and Peter dug up stunning , never-before-seen footage of Laika and other Soviet space dogs .
Some of these archival snippets show the pups being prepped for their landmark launches , their poor little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Other footage depicts post-landing processing of the shorn and wobbly strays fortunate enough to survive their orbital ordeals .
Getting ahold of this priceless historic material was no easy task .
Kremser and Peter knew it existed , thanks to tips from scientists and other sources who were involved with the in the 1950s .
`` But in the classic Russian archives in Moscow , there were just the propaganda images and very short pieces of all this , '' Kremser told Space.com .
Eventually , the duo tracked the footage down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of the dog research and monitoring in Laika 's day and continues to support the Russian human spaceflight program today .
`` In their basement were super-old reels , nearly untouched and not published at all , '' Kremser said .
She and Peter eventually convinced the Institute to let them use the footage , which had started to show its age .
`` We made a full restoration and could offer that the material itself was just preserved , and also put into a new context , '' Kremser said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ For starters , `` Space Dogs '' is not chiefly about Laika and her fellow space explorers ; the historical footage comprises less than one-third of the roughly 90-minute film .
The bulk of the documentary is devoted to strays on the streets of modern Moscow , especially one young dog with floppy ears who roams the city with charismatic enthusiasm .
Indeed , Kremser and Peter did n't set out to make a space-related film at all .
The original idea involved simply profiling a pack of stray dogs , creating a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedicated to them , '' Peter told Space.com .
`` One layer , let 's say , is a metaphor , '' he added .
`` We found it simply interesting that they pop up at the moment when human control is fading , when the city is cracking , the city is partly falling apart .
These creatures have their unique space to conquer . ''
The directors also found stray dogs to be appealing protagonists , with intriguing social interactions and a language all their own .
In addition , Kremser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views animals .
In storytelling and nature documentaries , `` they always put very clear roles on animals , '' Kremser said .
`` Nature in these terms is always very far away or very humanized , and we wanted to [ shine ] a different light on this topic . ''
That light blazes through in `` Space Dogs . ''
The impressionistic Austrian documentary gives a pup's-eye view of Moscow , showing us a blurred and blended place on the margins of the human and canine worlds .
And the Laika @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Peter read about the pioneering dog 's street origins , gives the film additional depth and emotional heft , letting it reach truly cosmic heights .
After all , painting such a detailed portrait of the dangerous , complex and frequently joyful life of a Moscow street dog gives us a much better appreciation of what those Soviet space scientists sacrificed in the name of progress more than half a century ago .
And it reminds us that perhaps we should n't be so quick to make such sacrifices in the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an exclusive virtual cinema launch Sept. 11 via , and .
The documentary will be released nationwide beginning on Sept. 18 .
For cities and playdates , visit .
Mike Wall is the author of `` Out There '' ( Grand Central Publishing , 2018 ; illustrated by Karl Tate ) , a book about the search for alien life .
Follow him on Twitter @ michaeldwall .
Follow us on Twitter @ Spacedotcom or Facebook .

A new film channels the spirit and traces the lineage of Laika , the first creature ever to orbit Earth.
Laika, a stray dog scooped off the streets of Moscow, launched on the Soviet Union's Sputnik 2 mission in November 1957, just a month after Sputnik 1's liftoff opened the space age. The 11-lb. (5 kilograms) mixed-breed quickly died of overheating and circled Earth as a corpse until April 1958, when Sputnik 2 fell back into the atmosphere and burned up.
Laika was sacrificed to aid humanity's march into the cosmos, her pioneering mission and those of her successors designed to help show that our species could survive jaunts into the final frontier. A new documentary called " Space Dogs " asks us to examine that sacrifice and what it says about us.
Related: Laika the dog and the first animals in space
"This film is about the relationship of another species to us humans. A species that has been used in space history in two ways: both as an experimental object and as a symbol of courage and heroism," directors Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter said in a statement.
"The dogs had to fulfill mankind's dream by conquering the cosmos for them," the duo added. "Their story became a fable, a nascent legend, of a bitterness that we chose to illustrate. 'Space Dogs' is dedicated to these fables and legends, to unknown worlds and to their discoverers."
Kremser and Peter dug up stunning, never-before-seen footage of Laika and other Soviet space dogs. Some of these archival snippets show the pups being prepped for their landmark launches, their poor little bodies bristling with implanted tubes and wires. Other footage depicts post-landing processing of the shorn and wobbly strays fortunate enough to survive their orbital ordeals.
Getting ahold of this priceless historic material was no easy task. Kremser and Peter knew it existed, thanks to tips from scientists and other sources who were involved with the Soviet space program in the 1950s.
"But in the classic Russian archives in Moscow, there were just the propaganda images and very short pieces of all this," Kremser told Space.com.
The Austrian documentary "Space Dogs" follows strays through the streets of Moscow and looks back at the canine pioneers who paved the way to space for humanity. (Image credit: Courtesy of Icarus Films)
Eventually, the duo tracked the footage down to the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow, which conducted much of the dog research and monitoring in Laika's day and continues to support the Russian human spaceflight program today.
"In their basement were super-old reels, nearly untouched and not published at all," Kremser said.
She and Peter eventually convinced the Institute to let them use the footage, which had started to show its age. "We made a full restoration and could offer that the material itself was just preserved, and also put into a new context," Kremser said.
That context is complex and artistic. For starters, "Space Dogs" is not chiefly about Laika and her fellow space explorers; the historical footage comprises less than one-third of the roughly 90-minute film. The bulk of the documentary is devoted to strays on the streets of modern Moscow, especially one young dog with floppy ears who roams the city with charismatic enthusiasm.
Related: Pioneering animals in space (photos)
Indeed, Kremser and Peter didn't set out to make a space-related film at all. The original idea involved simply profiling a pack of stray dogs, creating a multilayered "cinematic experience that is fully dedicated to them," Peter told Space.com.
"One layer, let's say, is a metaphor," he added. "We found it simply interesting that they pop up at the moment when human control is fading, when the city is cracking, the city is partly falling apart. These creatures have their unique space to conquer."
The directors also found stray dogs to be appealing protagonists, with intriguing social interactions and a language all their own. In addition, Kremser and Peter wanted to interrogate how humanity views animals.
In storytelling and nature documentaries, "they always put very clear roles on animals," Kremser said. "Nature in these terms is always very far away or very humanized, and we wanted to [shine] a different light on this topic."
That light blazes through in "Space Dogs." The impressionistic Austrian documentary gives a pup's-eye view of Moscow, showing us a blurred and blended place on the margins of the human and canine worlds. And the Laika angle, which took shape after Kremser and Peter read about the pioneering dog's street origins, gives the film additional depth and emotional heft, letting it reach truly cosmic heights.
After all, painting such a detailed portrait of the dangerous, complex and frequently joyful life of a Moscow street dog gives us a much better appreciation of what those Soviet space scientists sacrificed in the name of progress more than half a century ago. And it reminds us that perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to make such sacrifices in the future.
"Space Dogs" was released in an exclusive virtual cinema launch Sept. 11 via Anthology Film Archives , Alamo On Demand and Laemmle Theatres . The documentary will be released nationwide beginning on Sept. 18. For cities and playdates, visit http://icarusfilms.com/other/playdate .
Mike Wall is the author of "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.


livescience--2020-09-12--Amazing images: The best science photos of the week

Each week at Live Science we find the most interesting and informative articles we can .
Along the way , we uncover some amazing and cool images .
Here you 'll discover the most incredible photos we found this week , and the remarkable stories behind them .
The wreck of a German warship torpedoed and sunk by a British submarine in 1940 has been discovered in deep water off the North Sea coast of southern Norway .
Norway 's electric grid operator Statnett located the shipwreck near its underwater power cables on sonar scans of the seafloor in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down an underwater remotely-operated-vehicle , or ROV , to inspect the wreck .
The ROV 's scans suggested the wreck was that of the German cruiser Karlsruhe – a 570-foot-long ( 174-meters-long ) cruiser equipped with nine 15-inch guns .
The wreck now lies upright on the seafloor beneath 1,607 feet ( 490 m ) of seawater , about 13 nautical miles ( 24 kilometers ) from the port city of Kristiansand on Norway 's southern coast .
According to the Reuters news agency , Norwegian broadcasters also reported that the underwater images @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the warship decorated with a Nazi swastika symbol .
Read more : Wreck of WWII battleship with Nazi symbol discovered off Norway The Andromeda galaxy lies 2 million light-years from , but it looks close enough to touch in an image that took home the top prize in the Royal Observatory Greenwich ’ s Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 competition .
French photographer Nicolas Lefaudeux used a technique called tilt-shift — positioning a camera 's lens in a way that manipulates the depth of field in an image — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still .
His photo blurs the foreground and background while leaving the center sharply in focus , making the galaxy appear startlingly close , almost as though the observer could reach into the photo and grab it .
Contest judges selected Lefaudeux 's photo , titled `` Andromeda Galaxy at Arm 's Length ?
`` , from thousands of submissions , naming it the winner in the `` Galaxies '' category , as well as the competition 's overall best photo .
On Aug. 10 , 2020 , the Arecibo Observatory — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracking asteroids and advancing the search for extraterrestrial intelligence ( ) — was after a metal cable above the telescope came loose in the dead of night and crashed through the radar dish below .
One month later , facility officials still do n't know what caused the mysterious midnight malfunction .
But the recovery effort is underway , and officials plan to launch a full `` forensic investigation '' into the disaster as soon as the facility 's safety can be guaranteed , from the University of Central Florida ( UCF ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last month 's incident left a 100-foot-long ( 30 m ) hole in the telescope 's 1,000-foot-long ( 305 m ) radar dish , immediately suspending operations .
Since then , UCF and its partners have begun assessing the damage by building a detailed computer model of the telescope .
Engineers will then study the model carefully before sending humans into the site .
Initial tests of the telescope 's receivers showed no signs of damage to the underlying electronics .
However , the team has yet to test the telescope 's critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stars , galaxies and nebulas .
Read more : Alien-hunting telescope suffered 'no damage to electronics ' during mysterious midnight disaster Disturbing new satellite imagery shows the vast scope of the wildfires burning in Washington , Oregon and California .
Dozens of fires have turned skies orange , rained ash on cities and towns , destroyed several million acres of land and killed at least seven people .
The Sept. 8 imagery comes courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere ( CIRA ) at Colorado State University .
The GIF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith , combines two types of imagery from the GOES-West Satellite : GeoColor , which shows the smoke clouds and the topography below ; and Fire Temperature imagery , which uses infrared cameras to pinpoint the fires themselves .
Smoke pours and swirls from the fires .
Updated imagery from Wednesday ( Sept. 9 ) shows the still enveloping the coast from the northern end of Oregon down .
This smoke turned skies in the Bay Area and elsewhere along the coast an eerie , apocalyptic orange .
The severe fires this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather , and are exacerbated by climate change , according to .
Read more : Stark new imagery reveals the scary extent of West Coast wildfires A rare dinosaur embryo that was nearly lost to science shows an unprecedented view of what a wee , developing sauropod looked like before it hatched and grew into a humongous , long-necked plant-eating behemoth .
As it turns out , this unknown species of titanosaur had a tiny , horn on its snout that it lost by adulthood , a new study finds .
The nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 80 million-year-old embryo , but reveals this wee horn in incredible detail .
It 's possible the titanosaur used this horn to peck out of its egg , the researchers said , although they also had other ideas about how it broke free from its shell .
Researchers almost missed the opportunity to analyze this one-of-a-kind skull .
The fossilized egg had been smuggled out of Argentina , where it was originally found , and sold in 2001 by an Argentine dealer at an auction in Tucson , Arizona to study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technician .
Manning prepared the egg with his self-developed , acid-etching technique — a chemical method that etched away just 10 micrometers of the rock a day .
This revealed the previously hidden skull inside ; the first recovered 3D embryonic skull of a sauropod on record .
The stunning , razor-sharp spires of stone forests can form in deceptively simple conditions , a sugary new experiment finds .
Using sticks of candy , researchers discovered that cylindrical shapes can naturally sharpen into points in still water as they dissolve — no complicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why sharp stone pinnacles are often found where easily-dissolvable limestone rock predominates .
Examples include the Stone Forest , or Shilin , of Kunming , China , the jagged pinnacles of Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in Madagascar , and the Pinnacles of Gunung Mulu in Malaysia .
The recipe was simple indeed .
Ristroph and his team cooked up hard candy — like a lollipop — in the shape of a cylinder with a domed top .
They stuck the candy upright in a tank of water and simply let it dissolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would simply shrink away , staying more or less the same shape .
But that 's not what happened .
Instead , the candy gradually sharpened into a point as it dissolved .
These points could become quite sharp , Ristroph told Live Science — at least 10 times thinner than a human hair .
Archaeologists have discovered more than 13 coffins piled one on top of the other within a burial well at the desert necropolis of Saqqara , according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities .
The 2,500-year-old wooden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intricate designs on them , painted in blue , gold , white , black and red , are still visible .
The identity of the deceased who were buried within the coffins remains a mystery ; archaeologists have yet to look inside the sealed coffins , which have n't been opened since the bodies were interred within , the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported in a Sept. 6 .
Archaeologists found the coffins in a well measuring nearly 40 feet ( 11 meters ) deep .
It 's likely that more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the niches located along the sides of the well , the ministry noted .
These newfound coffins are the largest finding at Saqqara since were discovered in a cache at Al-Assasif cemetery within the necropolis in October 2019 , the ministry said .
Read more : 13 mummy coffins stacked in a well unearthed in ancient Egyptian necropolis The new coronavirus seems to slice heart muscle fibers into small , precisely sized fragments — at least when it infects heart cells in a lab dish , a new study reveals .
When scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the lab , the virus appeared to carve heart muscle fibers into small fragments .
On the left , an image of healthy heart muscle cells , which have long fibers that allow them to contract .
On the right , an image of heart muscle cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 in which the long fibers appeared to be diced into small pieces .
This snipping of muscle fibers , which could permanently damage heart cells , is scary enough in a lab dish ; but the researchers found evidence that a similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
However , the new finding , which was published to the preprint database on Aug. 25 , has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal , or proven to happen in people .
A series of 2,200-year-old Chinese texts , written on silk and found buried in ancient tombs , contain the oldest surviving anatomical atlas , scientists say .
The texts were discovered in the 1970s within tombs at the site of Mawangdui in south-central .
The tombs belonged to Marquis Dai , his wife Lady Dai and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand , and they use the term `` meridian '' to refer to parts of the .
In a paper recently published Sept. 1 in the journal , researchers argue that these texts `` are the oldest surviving anatomical atlas in the world . ''
Additionally , the texts `` both predate and inform the later texts , which have been the foundation for acupuncture practice in the subsequent two millennia , '' the researchers wrote in the study .
The find `` challenges the widespread belief that there is no scientific foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by showing that the earliest physicians writing about acupuncture were in fact writing about the physical body , '' they added .
A hairless , leathery horror found encrusted in Alpine ice is a chamois that died 400 years ago .
The long-dead -antelope was discovered in Val Aurina , South Tyrol , Italy by Italian alpinist and champion skier Hermann Oberlechner , who was on a 6-hour hike from civilization when he noticed something strange sticking out of the ice .
`` Only half of the animal 's body was exposed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skin looked like leather , completely hairless ; I had never seen anything like it .
I immediately took a photo and sent it to the park ranger , together we then notified the Department of Cultural Heritage . ''
The discovery is reminiscent of other ice mummies found at high altitudes , including the famous `` Iceman '' Ötzi , whose 5,300-year-old body was found by hikers in the Italian Alps in 1991 .
That similarity has scientists excited about the find : They now plan to use the rare chamois mummy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for analysis in the lab , hoping to be prepared the next time a human mummy appears out of the ice .
• Earth from Above : 101 Stunning Images from Orbit • From Big Bang to Present : Snapshots of Our Universe Through Time

Each week at Live Science we find the most interesting and informative articles we can. Along the way, we uncover some amazing and cool images. Here you'll discover the most incredible photos we found this week, and the remarkable stories behind them.
Gargantuan "growlers"
(Image credit: RAF)
In July 2017, a gargantuan iceberg spanning five times the area of New York's five boroughs snapped off the coast of Antarctica and began to drift northward.
Though its edges have crumbled considerably since then, the iceberg — named A-68a — is still the largest on Earth , and it's currently barreling toward an island wildlife refuge in the South Atlantic Ocean. New aerial footage taken by the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (RAF) reveals just what that island might be up against.
For starters, the RAF footage really drives home how massive this ice giant is. (As of early April, A-68a measured about 2,000 square miles, or 5,100 square kilometers, in area, Live Science previously reported ). The berg's steep walls tower 100 feet (30 meters) above the sea, according to RAF News , and are gouged with tunnels, fissures and caves. Huge chunks of ice, or "growlers," are rapidly cracking off on all sides, leaving behind a trail of debris that could impede boat traffic in the future.
[Read more: World's largest iceberg still barreling toward penguin habitat, new footage confirms ]
Clear head, nine arms, can't lose
(Image credit: Kyodo News via Getty Images)
A nine-armed octopus caught off Japan's coast nearly ended up being dinner, until the family preparing it noticed its extra limb and sent it to a museum instead, according to news sources. While unusual, this extra appendage — which wasn't fully formed, but a small offshoot on a regular arm — isn't unheard of in octopuses, said Michael Vecchione, an invertebrate zoologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., who was not involved with this octopus's discovery.
Octopuses are capable of regenerating their arms, but "sometimes regeneration doesn't work quite right," Vecchione told Live Science. "If an arm gets damaged, it might regenerate wrong; it could wind up with extra tissue growing out, and that extra tissue could turn into an arm."
The nine-armed oddity was caught in a trap with three other octopuses on Nov. 13 in Shizugawa Bay, in the northeastern town of Minamisanriku, Japan, according to The Mainichi , a Japanese newspaper.
[Read more: Rare 9-armed octopus found off Japan coast ]
The sound of a supernova
(Image credit: NASA)
In space, nobody can hear you scream — or explode, or collapse, or slowly collide with a neighboring galaxy. But now, thanks to a new " data sonification " program at NASA, you can at least get a sense of what some of the most extreme phenomena in the universe might sound like when converted to sound played by Earthly instruments.
To hear what that sounds like, we turn to NASA's Chandra X-ray center — which has been imaging distant galaxies with its Chandra X-ray observatory for 20 years now. In their new initiative, Chandra researchers have taken three iconic images from their archives and translated different frequencies of light into different pitches of sound.
The first video shows the crab nebula (a supernova remnant powered by a windy neutron star , shown above). In NASA's data sonification of the nebula, X-ray light (blue and white) is represented by brass instruments; optical light (purple) is played by string instruments; and infrared light (pink) is represented by woodwinds. The sounds converge near the center of the nebula, where a rapidly swirling pulsar is blasting gas and radiation in all directions. Listen to this cosmic symphony (and two others) at the link below.
[Read more: This is what a supernova sounds like, according to NASA ]
Pterosaur's missing cousin
(Image credit: Rodolfo Nogueira)
Nearly nothing is known about the family tree of pterosaurs — iconic reptiles that flew alongside the dinosaurs . These now-extinct beasts appear in the fossil record with already developed wings and senses adapted for flying, with researchers having nary a clue about their immediate evolutionary history.
But now, the pterosaur's family tree has a new branch; an enigmatic group of small reptiles, known as lagerpetids, might be the closest-known pterosaur relatives on record, the researchers of a new study say.
Unlike pterosaurs, however, lagerpetids did not fly. "Now, we have an idea of what a flightless pterosaur relative would look like," study co-researcher Sterling Nesbitt, an associate professor of geosciences at Virginia Tech, told Live Science.
[Read more: Missing link in pterosaur origins discovered ]
The changing face of ice
(Image credit: NOAA/Photo courtesy of Caitlin Bailey, GFOE, The Hidden Ocean 2016: Chukchi Borderlands)
From vanishing sea ice to blistering air temperatures to zombie fires , climate change is reshaping the Arctic. And that transformation may be permanent, researchers said on Tuesday (Dec. 8) at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
The Arctic has warmed and melted at an alarmingly accelerating pace over the last 15 years, and the impacts are accumulating so rapidly that "there's no reason to think that in 30 years anything will be as it is today," Rick Thoman, an Alaska climate specialist with the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), said at the conference, held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on Tuesday.
This year's news was not good: June snow cover across the Eurasian Arctic was at its lowest in 54 years; coastal permafrost erosion is increasing; and glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland continued a trend "of significant ice loss," according to the report.
[Read more: Dramatic transformation of the Arctic landscape may be permanent ]
Starship down
(Image credit: SpaceX)
SpaceX's Starship spaceflight system just took a big step on its path to Mars. The latest Starship prototype, a shiny silver vehicle known as SN8, launched on an epic high-altitude test flight on Dec. 9, taking off at 5:45 p.m. EST from SpaceX's facility near the South Texas village of Boca Chica.
The goal was to soar about 7.8 miles (12.5 kilometers) into the sky, perform some complex aerial maneuvers — including a "belly flop" like the one the final Starship will perform when coming back to Earth on operational flights — and then land safely near the launch stand. The 165-foot-tall (50 meters) SN8 appeared to notch all of these big milestones, except for the final one: The vehicle hit its landing mark but came in too fast, exploding in a dramatic fireball 6 minutes and 42 seconds after liftoff.
SN8's rapid unplanned disassembly did nothing to dampen the spirits of SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk, who was thrilled by the results of today's flight.
[Read more: SpaceX's Starship SN8 prototype soars on epic test launch, with explosive landing ]
Amazonian universe
Billions of lasers shot from a helicopter flying over the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest have detected a vast network of long-abandoned circular and rectangular-shaped villages dating from 1300 to 1700, a new study finds.
The round villages all had remarkably similar layouts, with elongated mounds circling a central plaza, like marks on a clock. "These latter elongated mounds, when seen from above, look like the rays of the sun, which gives them the common name of 'Sóis,'" the Portuguese word for "suns," the researchers wrote in the study.
The discovery is part of a new archaeological focus on the pre-Columbian Amazon. Within the past 20 years, researchers have learned that the rainforest's southern rim was home to a great diversity of soil-sculpting cultures that engineered the landscape before the Europeans arrived. Within the past decade, scientists have uncovered the remnants of so-called "mound villages," which are shaped as circles or rectangles, and connected by road networks.
[Read more: Archaeologists find vast network of Amazon villages laid out like the cosmos ]
The sky is falling
(Image credit: ESA)
Have you ever seen 40,000 shooting stars blaze across the sky at the same time?
If you'd like to, the European Space Agency (ESA) is offering you two options: Either stare at the night sky for about half a million years as our solar system drifts steadily through the Milky Way (some patience required) — or, watch a new 60-second time-lapse simulation of the same thing, courtesy of the ESA's Gaia space observatory.
In the new simulation, 40,000 stars — all located within 325 light-years of Earth's sun — whiz through space, leaving long trails of light behind them. Each point of light represents one real object in the Milky Way, and each shining trail shows that object's projected movement through the galaxy over the next 400,000 years. Brighter, faster streaks are located closer to our solar system, while dimmer, slower ones live much farther away.
[Read more: Epic time-lapse shows what the Milky Way will look like 400,000 years from now ]
Gold in the garden
(Image credit: © The Trustees of the British Museum)
A family in England was weeding their garden when they unearthed a valuable treasure — a buried hoard of gold coins dating back to the 1400s, depicting English monarchs from Edward IV to Henry VIII.
The hoard — a stash of 63 gold coins and one silver coin — contains money minted over a period of nearly 100 years, from the late 15th to the 16th centuries. Four of the coins feature Henry VIII and, curiously, one of the initials of three of his wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour.
Upon finding the cache, the family, in the New Forest district of Hampshire, a county in southeastern England, notified the British Museum, which runs the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS). This program partners with local people who find historical artifacts in the United Kingdom, so the findings can be documented and studied, the British Museum said in a statement Thursday (Dec. 10).
[Read more: Gold coin stash from time of Henry VIII found in English garden ]
Enigma of the deep
(Image credit: Florian Huber/WWF)
Divers trying to remove old fishing nets from the Baltic sea have accidentally stumbled on a Nazi code-making machine. The Enigma machine, as it's called, looks a bit like a typewriter. In fact, the diver who found the device on the ocean floor initially thought that's what the artifact was, according to AFP . But the diving team, on assignment for the conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), quickly realized that they had something much stranger.
During World War II, Enigma machines were used to encode German military messages, in hopes of preventing Allied powers from learning about troop movements and other plans. The devices consisted of a keyboard and a series of rotors that did the encoding. The rotors substituted different letters for the ones typed in; different Enigma machines used between three and eight rotors, which moved independently after each keystroke so that the same initial letter typed into the machine would appear as multiple different letters in the final code.
The Enigma machine found by the WWF diving crew was at the bottom of the Bay of Gelting in northeast Germany. It had three rotors, making it the type used on warships, not U-boats. That suggests that the machine may have been tossed overboard in the final days of World War II, in an attempt to keep the technology out of enemy hands, historian Jann Witt of the German Naval Association told the DPA news agency.
[Read more: Nazi 'Enigma' machine found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea ]
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-09-12--Why do dogs have cold noses?

Why do dogs have cold noses?

After an especially good belly rub , a dog might bump its into its human as a way of saying thanks .
Often , this snoot boop feels cold and wet .
The owner might wonder : Is it normal for a dog 's nose to feel like this ?
The answer is yes , it 's normal .
But so is a warm nose , especially after snoozing , said Anna Bálint , a researcher who studies animal behavior at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest , Hungary .
`` When a dog is asleep , their nose usually warms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she told Live Science .
Then , the dog wakes up , gives its nose a lick , and it 's back to cold .
But why are dogs ' noses cold , and could there be a benefit ?
Related : Are dogs really smiling at us ?
One idea is that the dog 's cold nose could help the furry beast regulate its body temperature .
But the nose tip is so small , it 's likely unable to meaningfully contribute to a dog 's overall thermal regulation , Bálint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international team of scientists measured the , including a horse , dog and moose .
By the time Bálint joined the project , the team had already learned that the nose tips , or rhinariums , of dogs and carnivorous animals are usually cooler than those of herbivores .
Perhaps , a cooler nose tip could be an advantage in the wild , the researchers thought .
The team conducted two experiments — one looking at behavior and another at the brain — to see whether a cold rhinarium could make for better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the team successfully trained three pet dogs to choose a warmer object , about the same temperature as potential prey , over an object at room temperature .
The results indicated that dogs can detect weak thermal radiation from a distance akin to hunting prey .
In the second , brain-centric investigation , scientists presented a box containing warm water and an insulating door to 13 pet dogs trained to lie still in a functional .
The dogs ' brains had a higher response when the insulating door was open , revealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the neutral one .
The region that lit up on the MRI was located in the left hemisphere only .
This side of the brain interests scientists because it tends to process responses to food , which in turn has been linked to predatory activity in many vertebrates , Bálint said .
The specific region that lit up in the dogs — known as the somatosensory association cortex — helps bring together different sensations such as vision , body position and warmth , she added .
This part of the brain combines these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action toward a goal , like targeting an object .
Given that this left-sided neural region lit up when the nose tip was exposed to a warm surface , it 's possible that dogs , and possibly other cold-nosed animals , could be using a heat detection sense along with other senses in their 'hunting toolbox ' when they 're in pursuit of prey , the researchers said .
Although the recent study , published in February 2020 in the journal , is too small to firmly close the case on cold noses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more sensitive to differences in temperature .
`` People think canines follow their olfaction [ sense of smell ] , which is probably really true , '' Bálint said .
But windy conditions or stormy weather can make it hard for a working dog to follow scents .
`` A heat signal could help them . ''
So , why is a dog 's nose cold ?
Bálint and her team continue to search for answers to this question .
Now , they 're wondering at what distance this type of heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , only the dog 's nose knows .

After an especially good belly rub, a dog might bump its nose into its human as a way of saying thanks. Often, this snoot boop feels cold and wet. The owner might wonder: Is it normal for a dog's nose to feel like this?
The answer is yes, it's normal. But so is a warm nose, especially after snoozing, said Anna Bálint, a researcher who studies animal behavior at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary. "When a dog is asleep, their nose usually warms up, and it also dries," she told Live Science. Then, the dog wakes up, gives its nose a lick, and it's back to cold.
But why are dogs' noses cold, and could there be a benefit?
Related: Are dogs really smiling at us?
One idea is that the dog's cold nose could help the furry beast regulate its body temperature. But the nose tip is so small, it's likely unable to meaningfully contribute to a dog's overall thermal regulation, Bálint said.
To investigate further, an international team of scientists measured the temperature of many animals' noses , including a horse, dog and moose. By the time Bálint joined the project, the team had already learned that the nose tips, or rhinariums, of dogs and carnivorous animals are usually cooler than those of herbivores. Perhaps, a cooler nose tip could be an advantage in the wild, the researchers thought.
The team conducted two experiments — one looking at behavior and another at the brain — to see whether a cold rhinarium could make for better heat detection. In the first experiment, the team successfully trained three pet dogs to choose a warmer object, about the same temperature as potential prey, over an object at room temperature. The results indicated that dogs can detect weak thermal radiation from a distance akin to hunting prey.
In the second, brain-centric investigation, scientists presented a box containing warm water and an insulating door to 13 pet dogs trained to lie still in a functional MRI scanner . The dogs' brains had a higher response when the insulating door was open, revealing the warmer surface, as compared with the neutral one. The region that lit up on the MRI was located in the left hemisphere only. This side of the brain interests scientists because it tends to process responses to food, which in turn has been linked to predatory activity in many vertebrates, Bálint said. The specific region that lit up in the dogs — known as the somatosensory association cortex — helps bring together different sensations such as vision, body position and warmth, she added. This part of the brain combines these senses simultaneously in order to plan an action toward a goal, like targeting an object.
Given that this left-sided neural region lit up when the nose tip was exposed to a warm surface, it's possible that dogs, and possibly other cold-nosed animals, could be using a heat detection sense along with other senses in their 'hunting toolbox' when they're in pursuit of prey, the researchers said.
Although the recent study, published in February 2020 in the journal Scientific Reports , is too small to firmly close the case on cold noses, Bálint said a cold nose could be more sensitive to differences in temperature. "People think canines follow their olfaction [sense of smell], which is probably really true," Bálint said. But windy conditions or stormy weather can make it hard for a working dog to follow scents. "A heat signal could help them."
So, why is a dog's nose cold? Bálint and her team continue to search for answers to this question. Now, they're wondering at what distance this type of heat detection could be useful. For now, only the dog's nose knows.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-09-12--Coronavirus news of the week (VIDEO)

Coronavirus news of the week (VIDEO)

Since the discovery of the virus that causes COVID-19 , the daily news cycle has been flooded with updates about how the pathogen spreads , what the bug does to the body and what solutions might finally bring an end to the pandemic .
But staying up-to-date on all the latest coronavirus news can be a challenge .
To help keep you informed , we at Live Science have compiled a short list of standout news stories from the week — these are the ones that really caught our attention .
Related : 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial of a COVID-19 vaccine after a participant developed a suspected adverse reaction .
This kind of hold is a `` routine action '' taken during clinical trials ; whenever a trial participant develops an unexplained illness , the company stops administering the while an independent committee determines whether the reaction is related to the vaccine .
In large clinical trials that include tens of thousands of people , participants can fall ill by chance , so each case of illness must be carefully reviewed to determine whether the vaccine triggered the reaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promising coronavirus vaccine candidates out there In this instance , the participant developed neurological symptoms often associated with transverse myelitis , a condition where the spinal cord becomes inflamed .
The participant is now recovering in the hospital and should be discharged soon , but her diagnosis still needs to be confirmed , AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told investors during a private call on Sep. 9 , .
The AstraZeneca trials were paused once before when a different participant developed neurological symptoms .
However , that first patient was later diagnosed with and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not related to the vaccination .
When the coronavirus infects heart cells in a lab dish , the pathogen into tiny fragments , according to a new study .
However , scientists do n't yet know if the virus launches the same attack against the heart inside the human body .
Heart muscle cells , known as cardiomyocytes , are made up of small units called sarcomeres that line up end-to-end to form long , thin muscle fibers .
But when exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in a lab dish , sarcomeres get sliced and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened to a person 's , it would n't be able to beat normally .
Related : The mysterious connection between the coronavirus and the heart To see if the virus might behave similarly in the body , the study authors looked at autopsied heart tissue from three COVID-19 patients .
They found that the sarcomere filaments from the patients were also disordered and rearranged , but not in exactly the same way as cells in the lab dish .
In both the lab dish experiments and autopsied tissue , some heart muscle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which would effectively leave those cells `` brain dead '' and unable to function , the authors said .
The scientists are now studying how the virus actually causes these changes in cells , whether they happen in the human body , and whether the damage can be prevented or reversed with medications .
Can the virus infect the brain ?
Some people who catch COVID-19 develop disorientating neurological symptoms , like confusion , brain fog and delirium — now , a new study provides the first solid evidence that the virus might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authors examined tissue from a patient who died of COVID-19 , as well as two mouse models of the disease and clusters of brain cells in a lab dish , known as organoids .
They found that the virus enters brain cells via the ACE2 receptor that sits on the cell surface .
contains copious numbers of ACE2 receptors , and therefore many gateways for the virus to enter ; the brain contains far fewer , but even so , the virus can still slip inside , the authors found .
Once inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of brain cells to multiply , while also starving nearby cells of , which helps the virus reproduce .
The researchers still need to determine how often the virus infects brain cells in patients with COVID-19 , since some neurological symptoms may arise from elevated inflammation in the body and not directly from brain infection .
In addition , we still do n't know how the virus reaches the brain in the first place ; the virus may pass through the barrier of tissue between the bloodstream and the brain , known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nerves of the nose or eyes .

Since the discovery of the virus that causes COVID-19, the daily news cycle has been flooded with updates about how the pathogen spreads, what the bug does to the body and what solutions might finally bring an end to the pandemic.
But staying up-to-date on all the latest coronavirus news can be a challenge. To help keep you informed, we at Live Science have compiled a short list of standout news stories from the week — these are the ones that really caught our attention.
Related: 20 of the worst epidemics and pandemics in history
Pause in vaccine trial
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
AstraZeneca and Oxford University have paused their trial of a COVID-19 vaccine after a participant developed a suspected adverse reaction.
This kind of hold is a "routine action" taken during clinical trials; whenever a trial participant develops an unexplained illness, the company stops administering the vaccine while an independent committee determines whether the reaction is related to the vaccine. In large clinical trials that include tens of thousands of people, participants can fall ill by chance, so each case of illness must be carefully reviewed to determine whether the vaccine triggered the reaction.
Related: Here are the most promising coronavirus vaccine candidates out there
In this instance, the participant developed neurological symptoms often associated with transverse myelitis, a condition where the spinal cord becomes inflamed. The participant is now recovering in the hospital and should be discharged soon, but her diagnosis still needs to be confirmed, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told investors during a private call on Sep. 9, according to Stat News .
The AstraZeneca trials were paused once before when a different participant developed neurological symptoms. However, that first patient was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and the committee determined that the illness was not related to the vaccination.
The virus and heart cells
(Image credit: Gladstone Institutes)
When the coronavirus infects heart cells in a lab dish, the pathogen snips heart muscle fibers into tiny fragments, according to a new study. However, scientists don't yet know if the virus launches the same attack against the heart inside the human body.
Heart muscle cells, known as cardiomyocytes, are made up of small units called sarcomeres that line up end-to-end to form long, thin muscle fibers. But when exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in a lab dish, sarcomeres get sliced and diced into tiny bits. If this happened to a person's heart , it wouldn't be able to beat normally.
Related: The mysterious connection between the coronavirus and the heart
To see if the virus might behave similarly in the body, the study authors looked at autopsied heart tissue from three COVID-19 patients. They found that the sarcomere filaments from the patients were also disordered and rearranged, but not in exactly the same way as cells in the lab dish.
In both the lab dish experiments and autopsied tissue, some heart muscle cells appeared to be missing their DNA , which would effectively leave those cells "brain dead" and unable to function, the authors said. The scientists are now studying how the virus actually causes these changes in cells, whether they happen in the human body, and whether the damage can be prevented or reversed with medications.
Can the virus infect the brain?
Some people who catch COVID-19 develop disorientating neurological symptoms, like confusion, brain fog and delirium — now, a new study provides the first solid evidence that the virus might directly infect brain cells.
The study authors examined brain tissue from a patient who died of COVID-19, as well as two mouse models of the disease and clusters of brain cells in a lab dish, known as organoids. They found that the virus enters brain cells via the ACE2 receptor that sits on the cell surface. Lung tissue contains copious numbers of ACE2 receptors, and therefore many gateways for the virus to enter; the brain contains far fewer, but even so, the virus can still slip inside, the authors found.
Once inside, the coronavirus uses the internal machinery of brain cells to multiply, while also starving nearby cells of oxygen , which helps the virus reproduce. The researchers still need to determine how often the virus infects brain cells in patients with COVID-19, since some neurological symptoms may arise from elevated inflammation in the body and not directly from brain infection. In addition, we still don't know how the virus reaches the brain in the first place; the virus may pass through the barrier of tissue between the bloodstream and the brain, known as the blood-brain barrier, or enter through the nerves of the nose or eyes.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-09-12--Physicists who disproved '5th force' win $3 million 'Breakthrough' prize

Three physicists won a $ 3 million Breakthrough prize for proving there is no fifth force ( that we know of ) .
And it all started with a series of table-top experiments using cheap equipment .
Eric Adelberger , Jens Gundlach and Blayne Heckel together lead the `` Eöt-Wash Group , '' which is devoted to precise tests of physical laws .
They take their name from the early-1900s physicist Loránd Eötvös and the University of Washington , where they work .
These Eöt-Wash researchers got their start in the mid-1980s , using a device known as a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an undiscovered fifth force in physics .
Since then , they 've used more elaborate versions of the same device to test the true strength of , detect the tug of in the Milky Way and search for theoretical physical effects like extra dimensions and `` axion wind . ''
The group 's $ 3 million prize is one of seven awarded this year in the life sciences , physics and .
They won `` for precision fundamental measurements that test our understanding of gravity , probe the nature of dark energy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' according to Breakthrough .
Each year 's winners are chosen by past recipients in a secret process , and each winning person or group receives more than three times as much money as winners of the .
A group of tech billionaires — Sergey Brin , Anne Wojcicki , Mark Zuckerberg , Priscilla Chan , Yuri Milner , Julia Milner , Jack Ma and Pony Ma — supply the funds .
Adelberger , Gundlach and Heckel 's win is remarkable in part because their group has not detected any previously-unseen phenomena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed any remarkable new theories .
Instead , they precisely measured physical effects that scientists already knew about , and they tested claims made by other researchers with unusual rigor .
Some of their most important results have falsified scientific theories , rather than proving them right .
`` That 's actually not what we 're out for , falsifying , '' Gundlach told Live Science .
`` We actually are interested in new physics . ''
`` It 's a little more complicated than that , '' he told Live Science .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of crisis .
You 've got two things that work extremely well : Einstein 's gravity and theories .
… Both of them have been tested very carefully , both of them work wonderfully .
But they 're completely inconsistent .
So there 's something really big we 're missing .
So it 's important to go back and ask 'How well do we understand the things that we think we understand ? '
'' That 's led the team to develop torsion balances that measure gravitational effects to unheard-of levels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple device : Weights hang from a fiber such that Earth 's gravity pulls them straight down .
If the only other forces acting on the weights also pull straight down , they wo n't move at all .
But if any forces pull them at even a slight angle , they 'll rotate , and the fiber will twist .
It 's possible to measure even very subtle twisting of a torsion balance 's fiber and detect extraordinarily tiny effects .
The trio built their first torsion balance in the mid-1980s after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ephraim Fischbach of Purdue University .
Fischbach claimed that the ( , and the and nuclear forces ) had a fifth companion .
This fifth force , he argued , was a bit like a faint , short-range gravity , pulling masses together at distances of up to about 650 feet ( 200 meters ) .
Mostly you would n't notice this force , because in space most objects are much farther apart than that .
And on Earth , this supposed fifth force would still mostly pull you in the same direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most of the mass near you is probably directly below you .
Fischbach made his argument based in large part on data from an early-20th-century torsion balance experiment by Eötvös ( whose name would become part of the Eöt-Wash Group 's ) .
Eötvös was testing Einstein 's equivalence principle , the idea that two objects dropped at the same time would fall toward a source of gravity at the same rate no matter their mass , no matter how fast the room they 're in is moving or where it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countless later experimenters , found that Einstein 's equivalence principle was correct Adelberger said .
But Fischbach , pouring through the data decades later , thought he 'd found a hint of something else , a signature of this fifth force .
`` It was a pretty compelling argument , '' Gundlach said .
`` And if it were true , it would have been a big deal , '' Adelberger said .
Other researchers had seen Fischbach 's claim , and some of them seemed to be detecting a fifth force .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed well enough , Adelberger said .
`` Fischbach kept telling us about all these other researchers who were getting positive results , and he said 'You 're in the minority here . '
And I said , 'You do n't vote on physics . '
'' Previous experiments involved a ball floating in water , which is problematic because `` a ball floating in water is subject to all kinds of forces , '' Adelberger said .
People flew all over the world looking for ideal test sites for a fifth force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sideways pull of a short-range fifth force would be most exaggerated .
The Eöt-Wash Group considered flying to Hawaii before realizing it was more practical to just use a hillside in Seattle .
`` There were other people who were using torsion balances , '' Gundlach said .
`` But we made a bunch of little innovations that made the torsion balance so much better . ''
One of the biggest : Placing the device on a turntable to cancel out external forces acting on the torsion balance .
The first turntable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sort found in some kitchens and dining rooms .
`` I remember everyone was laughing at it , '' Gundlach said .
Other physicists thought the wobbling of the turntable would overwhelm the faint effects they were hunting .
But in the end , with some refining , it worked .
`` We just did a lot of lovely , clever things and there was no doubt that this was convincing , '' Adelberger said .
There was no fifth force .
Over time , the team 's torsion balances have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They rely heavily on workers in the University of Washington 's machine shop —— one of the few left in the country attached to a physics department —— to constantly update and test their balances before experiments .
It 's important to get a torsion balance calibrated just right , Heckel said , because once an experiment begins it can run for days , months or years .
And all that time is wasted if the machining and calibrating is n't perfect .
Any unexpected wobbles or forces beyond the experiment that do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ batch of data .
The trio 's techniques have been used in all sorts of experiments that require very stable measurement devices .
Technology they developed to counteract seismic rumbling now helps keep the laser beams of gravitational-wave detectors stable — contributing to the Nobel Prize-winning first detection of gravitational waves in 2016 and a whole new field of astronomy .
Their newer , more advanced torsion balances hunt much fainter effects than the disproved fifth force .
Heckel designed a torsion balance that detects the subtle force of electrons whirling circles in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hunt the subtle pressure of `` axion wind , '' a possible effect of dark matter passing through Seattle .
The balance never detected the wind , but did put new limits on how dark matter particles couls look and behave .
The researchers have also built a torsion balance sensitive to the gravitational pull of the Milky Way .
Because the mass of visible star systems in the Milky Way is well-known , they were able to cancel it out of their experiment .
That left just the effect of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ torsion balance , which they could directly measure .
Their measurement showed no effect of Modified Newtonian Dynamics ( MOND ) , a theory that rejects dark matter and claims that more complicated theories of gravity explain its apparent effects .
( Unlike the fifth-force experiment , this result did n't convince MOND theorists to give up their claims , Edelberger said .
MOND researchers are a tough crowd to persuade . )
And using yet another torsion balance they measured the force of gravity to unprecedented precision , canceling out other effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number for the gravitational constant —— a number that governs equations using gravity .

Left: A close-up image shows a torsion balance used to precisely measure the pull of gravity. Right: The Eöt-Wash Group poses with a torsion balance. From right to left they are Jens Gundlach, Eric Adelberger and Blayne Heckel.
Three physicists won a $3 million Breakthrough prize for proving there is no fifth force (that we know of). And it all started with a series of table-top experiments using cheap equipment.
Eric Adelberger, Jens Gundlach and Blayne Heckel together lead the "Eöt-Wash Group," which is devoted to precise tests of physical laws. They take their name from the early-1900s physicist Loránd Eötvös and the University of Washington, where they work. These Eöt-Wash researchers got their start in the mid-1980s, using a device known as a "torsion balance" to disprove claims of an undiscovered fifth force in physics. Since then, they've used more elaborate versions of the same device to test the true strength of gravity , detect the tug of dark matter in the Milky Way and search for theoretical physical effects like extra dimensions and "axion wind."
The group's $3 million prize is one of seven awarded this year in the life sciences, physics and mathematics . They won "for precision fundamental measurements that test our understanding of gravity, probe the nature of dark energy and establish limits on couplings to dark matter," according to Breakthrough.
Each year's winners are chosen by past recipients in a secret process, and each winning person or group receives more than three times as much money as winners of the Nobel Prizes . A group of tech billionaires — Sergey Brin, Anne Wojcicki, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, Yuri Milner, Julia Milner, Jack Ma and Pony Ma — supply the funds.
Related: The 18 biggest unsolved mysteries in physics
Adelberger, Gundlach and Heckel's win is remarkable in part because their group has not detected any previously-unseen phenomena, built any giant experiments, or developed any remarkable new theories. Instead, they precisely measured physical effects that scientists already knew about, and they tested claims made by other researchers with unusual rigor. Some of their most important results have falsified scientific theories, rather than proving them right.
"That's actually not what we're out for, falsifying," Gundlach told Live Science. "We actually are interested in new physics."
Adelberger somewhat disagreed.
"It's a little more complicated than that," he told Live Science. "Physics right now is in a kind of crisis. You've got two things that work extremely well: Einstein's gravity and quantum theories. … Both of them have been tested very carefully, both of them work wonderfully. But they're completely inconsistent. So there's something really big we're missing. So it's important to go back and ask 'How well do we understand the things that we think we understand?'"
That's led the team to develop torsion balances that measure gravitational effects to unheard-of levels of precision.
A torsion balance is a simple device: Weights hang from a fiber such that Earth's gravity pulls them straight down. If the only other forces acting on the weights also pull straight down, they won't move at all. But if any forces pull them at even a slight angle, they'll rotate, and the fiber will twist. It's possible to measure even very subtle twisting of a torsion balance's fiber and detect extraordinarily tiny effects.
Related: 6 weird facts about gravity
The trio built their first torsion balance in the mid-1980s after hearing a talk by another physicist, Ephraim Fischbach of Purdue University. Fischbach claimed that the four fundamental forces in physics ( gravity , electromagnetism and the weak and strong nuclear forces) had a fifth companion. This fifth force, he argued, was a bit like a faint, short-range gravity, pulling masses together at distances of up to about 650 feet (200 meters).
Mostly you wouldn't notice this force, because in space most objects are much farther apart than that. And on Earth, this supposed fifth force would still mostly pull you in the same direction as gravity. At any given time, most of the mass near you is probably directly below you.
Fischbach made his argument based in large part on data from an early-20th-century torsion balance experiment by Eötvös (whose name would become part of the Eöt-Wash Group's).
Eötvös was testing Einstein's equivalence principle, the idea that two objects dropped at the same time would fall toward a source of gravity at the same rate no matter their mass, no matter how fast the room they're in is moving or where it is in the universe. Eötvös, like countless later experimenters, found that Einstein's equivalence principle was correct Adelberger said. But Fischbach, pouring through the data decades later, thought he'd found a hint of something else, a signature of this fifth force.
"It was a pretty compelling argument," Gundlach said.
"And if it were true, it would have been a big deal," Adelberger said.
(Fischbach's argument had problems, he said, which the trio uncovered even before they ran their own experiment. One of them: Eötvös himself was a large man, and his own gravity may have pulled his older torsion balance sideways, simulating a fifth force.)
Other researchers had seen Fischbach's claim, and some of them seemed to be detecting a fifth force.
That's because their experiments weren't designed well enough, Adelberger said. "Fischbach kept telling us about all these other researchers who were getting positive results, and he said 'You're in the minority here.' And I said, 'You don't vote on physics.'"
Previous experiments involved a ball floating in water, which is problematic because "a ball floating in water is subject to all kinds of forces," Adelberger said.
People flew all over the world looking for ideal test sites for a fifth force, cliffs next to flat land where the sideways pull of a short-range fifth force would be most exaggerated. The Eöt-Wash Group considered flying to Hawaii before realizing it was more practical to just use a hillside in Seattle.
Related: The 11 biggest unanswered questions about dark matter
"There were other people who were using torsion balances," Gundlach said. "But we made a bunch of little innovations that made the torsion balance so much better."
One of the biggest: Placing the device on a turntable to cancel out external forces acting on the torsion balance. The first turntable they used was a lazy susan, the sort found in some kitchens and dining rooms.
"I remember everyone was laughing at it," Gundlach said.
Other physicists thought the wobbling of the turntable would overwhelm the faint effects they were hunting. But in the end, with some refining, it worked.
"We just did a lot of lovely, clever things and there was no doubt that this was convincing," Adelberger said.
There was no fifth force.
Over time, the team's torsion balances have become more refined, requiring precise engineering. They rely heavily on workers in the University of Washington's machine shop —— one of the few left in the country attached to a physics department —— to constantly update and test their balances before experiments. It's important to get a torsion balance calibrated just right, Heckel said, because once an experiment begins it can run for days, months or years. And all that time is wasted if the machining and calibrating isn't perfect. Any unexpected wobbles or forces beyond the experiment that don't get cancelled out can spoil a batch of data.
The trio's techniques have been used in all sorts of experiments that require very stable measurement devices. Technology they developed to counteract seismic rumbling now helps keep the laser beams of gravitational-wave detectors stable — contributing to the Nobel Prize-winning first detection of gravitational waves in 2016 and a whole new field of astronomy.
Their newer, more advanced torsion balances hunt much fainter effects than the disproved fifth force. Heckel designed a torsion balance that detects the subtle force of electrons whirling circles in a metal disk . It was designed to hunt the subtle pressure of "axion wind," a possible effect of dark matter passing through Seattle. The balance never detected the wind, but did put new limits on how dark matter particles couls look and behave.
The researchers have also built a torsion balance sensitive to the gravitational pull of the Milky Way. Because the mass of visible star systems in the Milky Way is well-known, they were able to cancel it out of their experiment. That left just the effect of the Milky Way's dark matter on the torsion balance, which they could directly measure. Their measurement showed no effect of Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND), a theory that rejects dark matter and claims that more complicated theories of gravity explain its apparent effects. (Unlike the fifth-force experiment, this result didn't convince MOND theorists to give up their claims, Edelberger said. MOND researchers are a tough crowd to persuade.)
And using yet another torsion balance they measured the force of gravity to unprecedented precision, canceling out other effects to come up with an extraordinarily precise number for the gravitational constant —— a number that governs equations using gravity.
Originally published on Live Science.


livescience--2020-09-13--Why can't humans digest corn?

Why can't humans digest corn?

Corn has a way of staying intact from plate to poop .
The bright yellow kernels found in our favorite summer dishes can show up — seemingly undigested — in the bathroom hours later .
How does corn survive the digestive system ?
And maybe more importantly , should you even eat a food that 's hard to digest ?
It turns out that your digestive system is doing more work than you think , so do n't skip the maize just yet .
The yellow kernels in your poo are really just the corn kernel 's outer coating , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nutritionist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln .
Corn kernels are seeds carrying precious genetic material .
The key to the seed 's survival is the waxy , yellow outer coating that protects the genetic material from weather , pests and transport .
The fact that it 's hard to break down is actually ideal for the plant .
The outer coating owes its resilience to a tough called cellulose , which humans do n't have the proper enzymes or gut bacteria to digest .
Even ruminant animals , such as cattle , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ca n't always fully digest corn , Watson told Live Science .
While cattle do n't eat the same sweet and soft corn that we do ( they eat a tougher , more mature corn that can be stored long term ) , they , too , have whole kernels show up in their dung .
Researchers have done the dirty work of picking out those expelled kernels and analyzing their nutritional content .
`` It turns out [ the kernels ] have been digested quite a bit , '' Watson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes up only about 10 % of corn , Watson said .
So , the other 90 % is useful nutrition .
Corn is also a good source of dietary fiber , starch and antioxidants known as , which give vegetables such as corn and carrots their stunning colors .
However , there are fewer carotenoids in corn than in a typical serving of leafy greens , according to a .
There 's a way to make corn more digestible and disappear from your poop altogether : processing .
`` The more you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to digest , '' Watson said .
That 's true for humans and animals alike .
Grinding , wet milling , cooking — every processing step breaks down those hard to digest fiber molecules a little further , she said .
In fact , the majority of the corn you eat is processed .
The Tufts University report estimates that each American consumes 160 lbs .
( 70 kilograms ) of corn per year .
The vast majority of that corn is not the hard to digest kernels nibbled off the cob , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soft tortillas , chips , popcorn and — the big one — .
Easier to digest , however , is not to be confused with healthier .
A look at the nutrition facts show common processed corn products , like and , lose most of the beneficial fiber and nutrients during processing .
Corn kernels in your poo might be odd , but they 're not bad for your health .
In fact , it 's a sign you 're eating corn in one of its healthiest forms .
Watson ’ s best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bathroom : chew carefully .

Corn has a way of staying intact from plate to poop. The bright yellow kernels found in our favorite summer dishes can show up — seemingly undigested — in the bathroom hours later. How does corn survive the digestive system? And maybe more importantly, should you even eat a food that's hard to digest?
It turns out that your digestive system is doing more work than you think, so don't skip the maize just yet. The yellow kernels in your poo are really just the corn kernel's outer coating, according to Andrea Watson, a ruminant nutritionist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Corn kernels are seeds carrying precious genetic material. The key to the seed's survival is the waxy, yellow outer coating that protects the genetic material from weather, pests and transport. The fact that it's hard to break down is actually ideal for the plant. The outer coating owes its resilience to a tough fiber called cellulose, which humans don't have the proper enzymes or gut bacteria to digest.
Related: Does sugar make kids hyper?
Even ruminant animals, such as cattle, which are much better equipped to digest cellulose, can't always fully digest corn, Watson told Live Science. While cattle don't eat the same sweet and soft corn that we do (they eat a tougher, more mature corn that can be stored long term), they, too, have whole kernels show up in their dung. Researchers have done the dirty work of picking out those expelled kernels and analyzing their nutritional content. "It turns out [the kernels] have been digested quite a bit," Watson said.
The good news is that cellulose makes up only about 10% of corn, Watson said. So, the other 90% is useful nutrition. Corn is also a good source of dietary fiber, starch and antioxidants known as carotenoids , which give vegetables such as corn and carrots their stunning colors. However, there are fewer carotenoids in corn than in a typical serving of leafy greens, according to a 2019 Tufts University report .
There's a way to make corn more digestible and disappear from your poop altogether: processing. "The more you process it, the easier it is to digest," Watson said. That's true for humans and animals alike. Grinding, wet milling, cooking — every processing step breaks down those hard to digest fiber molecules a little further, she said.
In fact, the majority of the corn you eat is processed. The Tufts University report estimates that each American consumes 160 lbs. (70 kilograms) of corn per year. The vast majority of that corn is not the hard to digest kernels nibbled off the cob, but corn that's been turned into soft tortillas, chips, popcorn and — the big one — high fructose corn syrup .
Easier to digest, however, is not to be confused with healthier. A look at the nutrition facts show common processed corn products, like corn oil and high fructose corn syrup , lose most of the beneficial fiber and nutrients during processing. Corn kernels in your poo might be odd, but they're not bad for your health. In fact, it's a sign you're eating corn in one of its healthiest forms. Watson’s best advice to avoid seeing whole kernels in the bathroom: chew carefully.
Originally published on Live Science.