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On January 15, 2022, the Hunga volcano near Tonga erupted in an explosive event that sent shockwaves across the planet. The eruption happened around the same time as Cyclone Cody. It created a shockwave powerful enough to trigger low, booming sounds that were heard from New Zealand to Alaska. It also caused a tsunami that impacted distant coastlines, marking the eruption as one of the most impactful volcanic events in recent memory.
Public Observations Fill Gaps in Scientific Data
Following the eruption, GNS Science, New Zealand’s geological agency, invited residents to share their experiences. More than 2,100 people responded, reporting everything from rumbling sounds and pressure in their ears to windows rattling and animals reacting to the disturbance. By comparing these accounts with data from seismic and atmospheric sensors, scientists confirmed that these firsthand experiences mirrored instrument readings closely.
According to Dr. Emily Lane, Senior Scientist at GNS, the information provided by people across New Zealand helped researchers see patterns in how the sound traveled across the country. Most reports of loud “booms” came from the North Island, suggesting the pressure wave from the eruption traveled from north to south. The details in these reports offered scientists insights that even precise instruments might not capture alone.
New Directions for Disaster Preparedness
The crowdsourced observations also revealed how people responded when they heard the booming sounds. Many checked on family or went outside to assess the situation, while others reached out to friends to make sure they were safe. Several respondents mentioned remembering previous volcanic eruptions, showing how past experiences can influence responses to natural events.
Researchers at GNS are now exploring ways to use these kinds of reports in tracking geohazards, like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Combining public observations with scientific data could enhance future disaster preparedness, giving communities an additional layer of awareness and response to support public safety and resilience.
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A recent discovery by UCLA scientists has challenged a century-old principle in organic chemistry, reshaping fundamental knowledge and broadening possibilities for pharmaceutical research. Researchers who were led by Professor Neil Garg, have found a way to synthesise and stabilise anti-Bredt olefins (ABOs), molecular structures. These structures were long considered too unstable to exist. This accomplishment dismantles Bredt’s rule—a restriction from 1924 that has influenced molecular design for decades—allowing chemists to explore new chemical reactions in drug development.
Bredt’s Rule and Its Historical Significance
Established by chemist Julius Bredt nearly a hundred years ago, Bredt’s rule asserts that double bonds cannot exist at the bridgehead position in certain molecules, as this structure would disrupt molecular stability. Bredt’s rule has held strong for decades, barring chemists from designing certain types of synthetic compounds. Given that double bonds or olefins, are widely used in pharmaceuticals, this limitation has affected the landscape of drug design by restricting the diversity of possible molecular structures.
How UCLA Researchers Achieved the Impossible
In a paper published in Science, Garg and his team reveal a method to create ABOs by treating molecules known as silyl (pseudo)halides with a fluoride source, which sparks an elimination reaction, leading to ABO formation. To handle the instability of ABOs, the team introduced a trapping agent to stabilise the molecules, allowing them to isolate practical reaction products. This approach provides chemists with a controlled way to work with ABOs, opening up pathways to design unique compounds with real-world applications.
Implications for the Future of Drug Discovery
According to Garg, the pharmaceutical industry has a strong interest in generating 3D structures like those which are now achievable with ABOs. It could be critical for discovering novel drugs. “For over a century, chemists have avoided anti-Bredt olefins, believing them impossible to work with,” Garg said, highlighting the potential of these newly accessible compounds for drug innovation. Co-author and computational chemistry expert Professor Ken Houk’s collaboration also helped elucidate the potential of these compounds in practical applications.
This finding invites chemists to rethink molecular rules as flexible guidelines rather than fixed laws, could catalyse a wave of innovation in synthetic chemistry and pharmaceutical development.
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