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In a significant advancement in neuroscience, researchers have developed a detailed functional map of the brain by studying brain activity in people watching movie clips. Conducted by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and published on November 6 in Neuron, the study used fMRI scans to observe how different brain networks respond to various film scenes. Clips from independent and popular Hollywood films, including Inception and The Social Network, were shown to participants, revealing how brain areas engage differently when processing scenes featuring people, objects, dialogue, and action.

Detailed Insights into Brain Network Functions

The study was published in Neuron. Dr Reza Rajimehr, neuroscientist and lead author from MIT, emphasised the study’s unique approach, noting how it highlights the brain’s organisation in more realistic settings. Traditionally, brain function research has been based on scans during resting states, limiting understanding of how complex external stimuli impact brain activity. By analysing responses to films, the research offers a broader view of how specific networks activate in response to varied audio-visual elements.

Rajimehr and his team applied machine learning to data from the Human Connectome Project, involving 176 participants who watched one-hour film compilations. They pinpointed 24 distinct brain networks related to sensory or cognitive processing, such as recognising faces, movements, and social interactions. Activity varied depending on the scene’s content, particularly when switching between straightforward dialogue and more ambiguous sequences.

Executive Control in Complex Scenes

Notably, the study identified how executive control regions—brain areas involved in planning and prioritising information—became more active during scenes that required greater cognitive engagement. Simple scenes, such as clear conversations, saw heightened language-processing activity, while complex sequences activated executive domains to interpret context and semantic details.

The researchers suggested that future studies might explore individual brain response variations, considering factors like age or mental health. Rajimehr stated that the findings could open doors to mapping how specific film content, including social cues and narrative context, drives activity in different networks. This research provides an initial framework for deeper studies into personalised brain mapping based on content-driven stimuli.

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Can burying wood help reduce carbon? This ancient log suggests it might.

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November 7, 2024

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Can burying wood help reduce carbon? This ancient log suggests it might.

In 2013, a team led by Ning Zeng, a climate scientist from the University of Maryland, unearthed a remarkable find while conducting an experiment in Quebec, Canada. The researchers were digging a trench to test if burying wood under clay soil could prevent its decomposition and keep carbon locked away from the atmosphere. During this process, they unexpectedly discovered a 3,775-year-old Eastern red cedar log buried just two metres below the ground. This ancient log, still containing 95 percent of its carbon, demonstrated the potential effectiveness of clay as a carbon-preserving medium.

A Natural Solution to Carbon Storage

For years, scientists and environmental experts have been exploring new ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Ning Zeng’s team initially aimed to test if wood burial could be a low-cost, natural approach to long-term carbon storage. While researching clay soil’s ability to inhibit decomposition, their discovery suggested a promising solution already existed in nature. By covering wood with layers of clay, oxygen and microbes are kept from reaching it, thus helping to preserve its carbon content.

According to Daniel Sanchez who is an environmental scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, this affordable approach holds great potential. He notes that as global emissions continue, inexpensive solutions like these are critical. Burying wood could reduce emissions at an estimated $30 to $100 per tonne of CO2, significantly less than other carbon-capturing methods.

Affordable and Practical Potential

The researchers estimates that replicating these conditions could allow up to 10 billion tonnes of carbon to be stored annually by 2060. This will potentially help in reducing greenhouse gases. The wood vault design proposed by Zeng involves burying wood under clay, which forms a protective barrier. Although the long-term durability of these conditions is still under review, Zeng’s team has concluded their original study, and findings suggest practical applications for climate mitigation efforts.

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Are fans safe in extreme heat? New studies challenge limits.

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November 7, 2024

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Are fans safe in extreme heat? New studies challenge limits.

With rising global temperatures, the use of electric fans as a cooling method has sparked debate. It was particularly regarding safety limits in high heat. Public health agencies have set differing thresholds: the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discourages fan use above 32.2°C, while the World Health Organization (WHO) supports using fans up to 40°C in certain conditions. Recent studies, though, offer mixed insights into the role of fans in managing heat stress, especially for older adults and those with heart conditions.

New Studies Examine Fan Benefits in Different Conditions

The new study was published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Two new studies by thermal physiologists have added insights but haven’t settled the debate. In one study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, older adults placed in a humid environment at 38-degree Celsius experienced a marked reduction in cardiac stress—31% lower when using fans. Participants who combined fan use with misting saw even greater relief, suggesting that the circulation of moist air aids in lowering heart strain. Ollie Jay, thermal physiologist at the University of Sydney, led the research, concluding that fans may provide significant benefits in humid settings.

On the other hand, a study published in JAMA highlighted the limitations of fans in dry heat. This study involved older adults in an environment set at 36°C with moderate humidity, finding minimal changes in core temperature or heart rate, which only dropped by five beats per minute. Robert Meade, a Harvard University researcher, cautioned that fans may not deliver the cooling needed under these dry conditions.

Humidity as a Key Factor in Fan Use Guidance

These studies indicates that humidity significantly influences the effectiveness of fans, with high moisture levels allowing fans to aid in evaporative cooling. In contrast, in dry conditions, fans may worsen heat stress by circulating hot air. This variability has led the WHO to recommend a 40°C threshold, while the CDC maintains a conservative 32.2°C guideline.

This research, conducted in controlled conditions, highlights the need for real-world studies to better inform public health recommendations. The ongoing debate underscores a critical public health issue as heatwaves become more intense and frequent globally.

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Massive X2.3 Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackouts Over Southern Hemisphere

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November 7, 2024

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Massive X2.3 Solar Flare Causes Radio Blackouts Over Southern Hemisphere

A powerful X2.3-class solar flare erupted from sunspot AR 3883 on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 8:40 a.m. ET (1340 UTC). This marks the strongest flare released by this sunspot region so far. The flare, which is among the most intense solar events, was accompanied by high levels of ultraviolet radiation, leading to shortwave radio blackouts in areas across the southern hemisphere. These radio disruptions were most notable in parts of South America and Africa.

Potential for Impact from Coronal Mass Ejection

Scientists are awaiting data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a joint NASA and European Space Agency spacecraft, to assess whether a coronal mass ejection (CME) will affect Earth. CMEs are large eruptions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona that, if directed at Earth, can lead to geomagnetic storms. These storms can produce auroras, such as the aurora borealis, but also disrupt satellite communications and power grids.

Solar flares are classified on a four-level scale, with X-class flares being the most powerful. The X2.3 flare is classified as a “strong” event, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This flare triggered an R3 (strong) level radio blackout on the Space Weather Scale, affecting high-frequency radio signals across the Atlantic Ocean.

Ongoing Solar Activity Expected

The SWPC has indicated that further solar flare activity is likely, with an increased chance of R1-R2 (minor to moderate) flares. There remains a possibility of more strong events, similar to the X2.3 flare, over the coming days as the sun continues to be in its solar maximum phase. This phase, part of Solar Cycle 25, is expected to bring increased solar activity throughout 2024 and 2025.

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