Asteroid Alert: NASA Drops Impact Risk to Near Zero, But There’s One Small Catch

 

NASA has all but ruled out asteroid 2024 YR4 as a danger to Earth, reducing its impact probability to just 0.004% in 2032.

However, a small risk remains for the Moon. Scientists are seizing the moment to study the asteroid further, turning what was once a potential threat into a valuable learning opportunity for planetary defense.

NASA Lowers Impact Risk of Asteroid 2024 YR4

NASA has significantly reduced the risk of asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting Earth in the foreseeable future. When first discovered, the asteroid had a small but noteworthy chance of colliding with our planet in 2032. However, as more observations were submitted to the Minor Planet Center, scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) refined their calculations. Their latest models now estimate the asteroid’s probability of impacting Earth on December 22, 2032, at just 0.004%, confirming there is no significant risk for at least the next century.

Further observations have narrowed uncertainties about the asteroid’s future path, showing that its projected location on December 22, 2032, is now farther from Earth.

Moon Still in the Path?

There still remains a very small chance for asteroid 2024 YR4 to impact the Moon on December 22, 2032. That probability is currently 1.7%.

NASA will continue to observe asteroid 2024 YR4 with observatories funded by its Planetary Defense Coordination Office, and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will observe the asteroid in March to further gain insights about its size for scientific purposes.

A Test for Planetary Defense

While this asteroid no longer poses a significant impact hazard to Earth, 2024 YR4 provided an invaluable opportunity for experts at NASA and its partner institutions to test planetary defense science and notification processes. The latest data on all known near-Earth asteroids that could pose an impact hazard to Earth will continue to be available at NASA’s automated Sentry page.

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Scientists Just Found a Major Problem With Vitamin B12 Guidelines – And Your Brain Might Be at Risk

 

Your brain might not be getting enough B12 — even if your levels are considered “normal.”

A new study suggests that older adults with lower B12, even within the accepted range, show signs of cognitive decline and brain damage. Researchers found that these individuals had slower thinking and reaction times, along with white matter lesions linked to dementia.

Normal B12 Levels Still Linked to Brain Deficiency

Getting the recommended amount of vitamin B12 is essential for making DNA, red blood cells, and nerve tissue. But new research suggests that meeting the minimum requirement may not be enough — especially for older adults. In fact, having lower B12 levels, even within the normal range, could increase the risk of cognitive impairment.

A study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that healthy older adults with lower B12 levels showed signs of neurological and cognitive decline. These individuals had more damage to the brain’s white matter — the nerve fibers that enable different parts of the brain to communicate — and performed worse on tests measuring cognitive and visual processing speeds compared to those with higher B12 levels.

The study was published in Annals of Neurology on February 10.

Rethinking B12 Guidelines for Brain Health

Senior study author Dr. Ari J. Green, from UCSF’s Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology and the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, says the findings raise concerns about current B12 recommendations.

“Previous studies that defined healthy amounts of B12 may have missed subtle functional manifestations of high or low levels that can affect people without causing overt symptoms,” said Green, noting that clear deficiencies of the vitamin are commonly associated with a type of anemia. “Revisiting the definition of B12 deficiency to incorporate functional biomarkers could lead to earlier intervention and prevention of cognitive decline.”

Lower B12 Correlates with Slower Processing Speeds, Brain Lesions

In the study, researchers enrolled 231 healthy participants without dementia or mild cognitive impairment, whose average age was 71. They were recruited through the Brain Aging Network for Cognitive Health (BrANCH) study at UCSF.

Their blood B12 amounts averaged 414.8 pmol/L, well above the U.S. minimum of 148 pmol/L. Adjusted for factors like age, sex, education, and cardiovascular risks, researchers looked at the biologically active component of B12, which provides a more accurate measure of the amount of the vitamin that the body can utilize. In cognitive testing, participants with lower active B12 were found to have slower processing speed, relating to subtle cognitive decline. Its impact was amplified by older age. They also showed significant delays responding to visual stimuli, indicating slower visual processing speeds and generally slower brain conductivity.

Cognitive Decline Could Affect More People Than Expected

MRIs revealed a higher volume of lesions in the participants’ white matter, which may be associated with cognitive decline, dementia or stroke.

While the study volunteers were older adults, who may have a specific vulnerability to lower levels of B12, co-first author Alexandra Beaudry-Richard, MSc, said that these lower levels could “impact cognition to a greater extent than what we previously thought, and may affect a much larger proportion of the population than we realize.” Beaudry-Richard is currently completing her doctorate in research and medicine at the UCSF Department of Neurology and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa.

Rethinking B12 Deficiency and Supplementation

“In addition to redefining B12 deficiency, clinicians should consider supplementation in older patients with neurological symptoms even if their levels are within normal limits,” she said. “Ultimately, we need to invest in more research about the underlying biology of B12 insufficiency, since it may be a preventable cause of cognitive decline.”

website: popularscientist.com

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Scientists Solve the Brain’s Motion-Source Separation Problem

 

Individual neurons differentiate between internal and external motion.

Neuroscientists have identified how the brain differentiates between visual motion in the external environment and motion caused by an observer’s own movement. This challenge, known as the “motion-source separation problem,” has long puzzled researchers. Now, for the first time, scientists have uncovered the precise mechanisms behind this distinction.

A study published in Cell details how researchers at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC) at UCL developed an innovative experimental approach to isolate key components of locomotion. Their findings reveal that individual cells in the primary visual cortex of mice integrate motor and vestibular signals to determine whether retinal visual flow results from external motion or the animal’s own movement.

“Every day we take for granted that we know whether we are moving or something is moving around us. But no one knows how the brain does this. We wanted to design an experiment that would allow us to solve this motion separation problem,” said Professor Troy Margrie, Associate Director at SWC and lead author of the study.

The Translocator: A Novel Experimental Setup

Together with engineers in the FabLab at SWC, the team developed a unique new system called the Translocator. This experimental setup consists of a passive treadmill that mice can choose to run on, while watching screens displaying a virtual moving corridor. The entire treadmill apparatus is also physically moved forward along a rail, synchronized with the speed at which the mouse chooses to run.

“We built on the principles of virtual reality setups, where an animal runs on a treadmill while being shown visual flow that is coupled to its movement. But in addition, we added translation in the forward direction, so that animals could actually experience locomotion (i.e. moving from A to B) according to their own running speed. This is why we called it the Translocator,” explained Dr Mateo Velez-Fort, Senior Research Fellow in the Margrie Lab at SWC, and first author on the paper.

This experimental setup allowed the team to isolate the fundamental elements of locomotion. For example, the researchers recorded the speed profile of a mouse actively running over 1.2 meters. They then placed the animal back at the start and replayed the same speed while blocking the treadmill, so the mouse was being passively moved rather than actively moving. This allowed the team to obtain a pure vestibular signal that was identical to the combined running and vestibular signal.

The scientists also obtained a pure motor signal by letting the mouse run on the treadmill while keeping the overall apparatus stationary, so that the mouse wasn’t translated.

“The Translocator setup allowed us to get a pure motor signal, a pure vestibular signal, and combined motor and vestibular signals. This meant that for the first time, we were able to pull these things apart,” explained Professor Margrie.

Neural Responses in the Visual Cortex

Using Neuropixels probes, state-of-the-art electrodes for simultaneous neural recording, the researchers recorded from the primary visual cortex and observed that approximately 50% of cells and particularly those in deep layers 5/6 responded to visual flow, running and translation.

“We wanted to know if this convergence of inputs was a general rule in the cortex, and so we also recorded from other areas, including the somatosensory cortex and the retrosplenial cortex, in darkness. We found that the motor and vestibular signals converge in many places in the brain, so this seems to be a fundamental property of the organization of many cortical areas,” explained Dr Velez-Fort.

It was previously thought that sensory representations had to be sent to other parts of the brain to be integrated with internal cues used for navigation. In contrast, the researchers at SWC found that primary sensory areas in the cortex have immediate access to the internal motion status of the animal.

Surprisingly, the team also found that the activity recorded from neurons in the primary visual cortex was very similar for both a natural and unnatural scenario. The same amount of neural activity was observed when animals were running and being translocated, as when mice were running but not being translated forward. This led the researchers to propose that running must suppress translation input. They tested this theory using a mathematical model developed in collaboration with Professor Claudia Clopath, which they found to support this phenomenon. The model also predicted that if the running speed was not coherent with the actual speed of the head, then an error would be signaled by the vestibular pathway. This prediction was then verified by additional experiments.

This work shows that many cortical areas including primary sensory areas are constantly being updated and receiving feedback from other modalities. In the case of the vestibular system, it is used to generate an online internal reference frame to provide context regarding the motion status of the observer.

website: popularscientist.com

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Scientists Identify 15 Key Motives Driving Human Behavior

 

A study identified 15 key evolutionary motives driving human behavior, grouped into five categories.

Researchers from HSE University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have identified 15 core motives that drive human behavior. By examining individuals’ perspectives, preferences, and actions through an evolutionary framework, they revealed how these motives interact to shape personal habits and social relationships. Their findings are published in Personality and Individual Differences.

Psychologists have long sought to understand what drives human behavior, employing various theories to analyze underlying motivations. One of the most well-known models is Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, introduced in the mid-20th century. However, while many approaches emphasize the social aspects of motivation, they often overlook its evolutionary foundations.

A group of researchers at HSE University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine proposed analyzing human behavior motives from an evolutionary perspective. In the proposed framework, all motives are viewed as evolutionary adaptations that enhanced early humans’ ability to survive in their environment and continue to influence behavior today. The scientists proceed from the premise that if certain evolutionary mechanisms once triggered specific behaviors, the underlying motives can be identified using standard psychometric techniques.

Study Methodology and Findings

To accomplish this, the study authors conducted an online survey with over 500 participants who were asked to rate 150 statements concerning their everyday preferences, fears, desires, and social aspirations. The statements were based on previously identified motives from other studies reflecting physical, reproductive, or social needs, such as “I enjoy going on roller coasters,” “Eating is less important to me than it seems to be for most people,” and “I spend a lot of time staying in touch with my friends,” among others.

Using network analysis, the researchers identified stable clusters of motives, ultimately defining 15 key motives that drive human behavior. These motives fall into five broad categories:

• Environmental: Hoard, Create
• Physiological: Fear, Disgust, Hunger, Comfort
• Reproductive: Lust, Attract, Love, Nurture
• Psychological: Curiosity, Play
• Social: Affiliate, Status, Justice

The researchers also identified functional relationships between motives, contributing to a deeper understanding of motivational structures. For example, Justice has strong ties to Nurture and Curiosity, suggesting that it is a function of both concern for the welfare of others and a need to keep abreast of where anti-social behaviors might be occurring.

Interestingly, the motives of Play and Status emerged as pivotal points of connectivity, interacting extensively with other nodes, suggesting they influence a broad range of related motives. Status appears to be important as it facilitates the attainment of other goals by providing access to resources that enhance the chances of success in life, including attracting a partner. Maintaining status involves hoarding resources, fearing the loss of these resources, and effectively using them in various situations. The motive of play, in turn, helps develop the skills needed to maintain status and adapt to changing circumstances.

Insights from Evolutionary Psychology

“Using network-based psychometric techniques, we were able to observe how motives interrelate. For instance, the motives of Love and Nurture are positioned close to each other in the network, which makes sense from an evolutionary perspective, as caring for offspring enhances their chances of survival. Conversely, the motives of Fear and Curiosity often have opposing effects. Fear keeps us away from danger, but when excessive, it can suppress curiosity, which fosters knowledge and innovation,” explains Albina Gallyamova, Junior Research Fellow at the HSE Centre for Sociocultural Research.

The study also revealed age- and gender-related variations in the significance of different motives. Women tend to show a greater interest in the motives of Nurture and Comfort, while men are more likely to focus on the motives of Status and Attraction. The researchers note that these differences are linked to the traditional roles men and women played in our evolutionary past.

Age also contributes to shaping our priorities. Younger individuals tend to be more focused on Status and Play, while as people age, Fear and concern for Comfort become more prominent. “These changes reflect different life stages: initially, we strive to secure our place in society, and later, we focus on safety and survival,’ adds Gallyamova.

The study findings can be valuable in various fields, ranging from marketing to IT. For example, in advertising, understanding the motives of different social groups allows for more precise and effective communication. Youth focused on Status and Play are more likely to respond to incentives related to prestige and entertainment, while a more mature audience prioritizes safety, reliability, and comfort. In the field of AI, understanding evolutionary motives enables a more human-centered approach, offering gamification and social interaction for younger users, while emphasizing convenience and simplicity for the older generation. In therapy, understanding the underlying motives can help provide a more accurate response to the client’s needs. For example, addressing anxiety can take into account the evolutionary mechanism of avoiding danger and help strike a balance between safety and curiosity.

“Ultimately, understanding the evolutionary motives that drive our behavior enables us to create solutions that make people’s lives more comfortable, safer, and more interesting,” explains Gallyamova.

website: popularscientist.com

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“Astonishing” – Scientists Unveil First Blueprint of the Most Complex Molecular Machine in Human Biology

 

Researchers unveil the inner mechanisms of the most intricate and complex molecular machine in human biology.

Scientists at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona have developed the first comprehensive blueprint of the human spliceosome, the most complex and intricate molecular machine found in every cell. This groundbreaking achievement, over a decade in the making, was published in the journal Science.

The spliceosome edits genetic messages transcribed from DNA, allowing cells to create different versions of a protein from a single gene. The vast majority of human genes – more than nine in ten – are edited by the spliceosome. Errors in the process are linked to a wide spectrum of diseases including most types of cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, and genetic disorders.

The sheer number of components involved and the intricacy of its function has meant the spliceosome has remained elusive and uncharted territory in human biology – until now.

The blueprint reveals that individual components of the spliceosome are far more specialized than previously thought. Many of these components have not been considered for drug development before because their specialized functions were unknown. The discovery can unlock new treatments that are more effective and have fewer side effects.

“The layer of complexity we’ve uncovered is nothing short of astonishing. We used to conceptualize the spliceosome as a monotonous but important cut-and-paste machine. We now see it as a collection of many different flexible chisels that allow cells to sculpt genetic messages with a degree of precision worthy of marble-sculpting grandmasters from antiquity. By knowing exactly what each part does, we can find completely new angles to tackle a wide spectrum of diseases,” says ICREA Research Professor Juan Valcárcel, lead author of the study and researcher at the CRG.

The most complex molecular machine in human biology

Every cell in the human body relies on precise instructions from DNA to function correctly. These instructions are transcribed into RNA, which then undergoes a crucial editing process called splicing. During splicing, non-coding segments of RNA are removed, and the remaining coding sequences are stitched together to form a template or recipe for protein production.

While humans have about 20,000 protein-coding genes, splicing allows the production of at least five times as many proteins, with some estimates suggesting humans can create more than 100,000 unique proteins.

The spliceosome is the collection of 150 different proteins and five small RNA molecules which orchestrate the editing process, but until now, the specific roles of its numerous components were not fully understood. The team at the CRG altered the expression of 305 spliceosome-related genes in human cancer cells one by one, observing the effects of splicing across the entire genome.

For example, one component selects which RNA segment is removed. Another component ensures cuts are made at the right place in the RNA sequence, while another one behaves like a chaperone or security guard, keeping other components from acting too prematurely and ruining the template before it’s finished.

The authors of the study compare their discovery to a busy post-production set in film or television, where genetic messages transcribed from DNA are assembled like raw footage.

“You have many dozens of editors going through the material and making rapid decisions on whether a scene makes the final cut. It’s an astonishing level of molecular specialization at the scale of big Hollywood productions, but there’s an unexpected twist. Any one of the contributors can step in, take charge, and dictate the direction. Rather than the production falling apart, this dynamic results in a different version of the movie. It’s a surprising level of democratization we didn’t foresee,” says Dr. Malgorzata Rogalska, co-corresponding author of the study.

Cancer’s ‘Achilles’ Heel’

One of the most significant findings in the study is that the spliceosome is highly interconnected, where disrupting one component can have widespread ripple effects throughout the entire network.

For example, the study manipulated the spliceosome component SF3B1, which is known to be mutated in many cancers including melanoma, leukemia, and breast cancer. It is also a target for anti-cancer drugs, though the exact of mechanisms of action has been unclear – until now.

The study found that altering the expression of SF3B1 in cancer cells sets off a cascade of events that affected a third of the cell’s entire splicing network, causing a chain reaction of failures which overwhelm the cell’s ability to fuel growth.

The finding is promising because traditional therapies, for example, those targeting mutations in DNA, often cause cancer cells to become resistant. One of the ways cancers adapt is by rewiring their splicing machinery. Targeting splicing can push diseased cells past a tipping point that cannot be compensated for, leading to their self-destruction.

“Cancer cells have so many alterations to the spliceosome that they are already at the limit of what’s biologically plausible. Their reliance on a highly interconnected splicing network is a potential Achilles’ heel we can leverage to design new therapies, and our blueprint offers a way of discovering these vulnerabilities” says Dr. Valcárcel.

“This pioneering research illuminates the complex interplay between components of the spliceosome, revealing insight into its mechanistic and regulatory functions. These findings not only advance our understanding of spliceosome function but also open potential opportunities to target RNA processing for therapeutic interventions in diseases associated with splicing dysregulation” says Dom Reynolds, CSO at Remix Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company in Massachusetts who collaborated with the CRG on the study.

Bringing splicing treatments into the mainstream

Apart from cancer, there are many other diseases caused by faulty RNA molecules produced by mistakes in splicing. With a detailed map of the spliceosome, which the authors of the study have made publicly available, researchers can now help pinpoint exactly where the splicing errors are occurring in a patient’s cells.

“We wanted this to be a valuable resource for the research community,” says Dr. Valcárcel. “Drugs correcting splicing errors have revolutionized the treatment of rare disorders like spinal muscular atrophy. This blueprint can extend that success to other diseases and bring these treatments into the mainstream,” he adds.

“Current splicing treatments are focused on rare diseases, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. We are moving into an era where we can address diseases at the transcriptional level, creating disease-modifying drugs rather than merely tackling symptoms. The blueprint we’ve developed paves the way for entirely new therapeutic approaches. It’s only a matter of time,” concludes Dr. Rogalska.

website: popularscientist.com

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