Latest news with #EuropeanAssociationofGeochemistry
The Print
5 days ago
- Science
- The Print
A fiery side-effect of melting glaciers & paging Dr Droid for gallbladder surgery
The scientists found that after the last ice age, melting glaciers triggered powerful eruptions from deep magma chambers. While the magma system responds slowly, the volcanic activity can be explosive, and even influence global climate. Big eruptions release aerosols that cool the Earth briefly, but repeated eruptions can add greenhouse gases, speeding up warming. They studied six volcanoes in southern Chile using rock dating and crystal analysis to understand the impact of the Patagonian Ice Sheet on past eruptions. They found that thick glaciers can keep magma trapped deep underground. But as the ice melts and the pressure eases, the magma can rise and explode more violently. This process, already seen in Iceland in the 1970s, may also affect other glaciated regions like Antarctica, North America, and New Zealand. New Delhi: New research posits that one of the side effects of melting glaciers due to global warming could be an increasing number of volcanic eruptions. Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison drew this connection in a presentation on 8 July at the Goldschmidt conference of the European Association of Geochemistry. The study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal later this year. Also read: That morning brew could be doing more than just jumpstarting your day—helping your cells age gracefully Robot performs gall bladder surgery without human intervention A robot trained by Johns Hopkins researchers successfully performed a complex portion of a gallbladder removal surgery on a lifelike model. The findings were published in a new paper in the peer-reviewed Science Robotics journal on 9 July. Unlike previous robots that follow strict, pre-programmed instructions, this one, called SRT-H, learned and adapted from voice commands by surgeons, like a real surgical trainee. It was trained using surgery videos and captions and can even respond to voice commands like 'grab the gallbladder head' or 'move left'. Think of it as a surgical assistant that's both incredibly precise and smart enough to think on its feet. The robot handled a full sequence of 17 surgical tasks, adjusted to different anatomy, and coped with unexpected situations like changes in how the gallbladder looked. While slower than a human, its accuracy matched that of surgeons, said the paper. According to the authors, this robot could pave the way for autonomous systems to one day assist or even lead real surgeries, especially in high-risk or remote situations. Airport radar signals might be detected by alien civilisations Every time a plane takes off from Heathrow airport or JFK airport in the US, or a military radar scans the skies for incoming threats, the Earth may be sending out a cosmic 'we're here!' to the universe. New research presented at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting on 8 July reveals that the radar systems used by airports and militaries across the globe are powerful enough to be detected by alien civilisations up to 200 light-years away—if those aliens have radio telescopes as sensitive as ours. However, these are preliminary results and have not been published in a journal yet. These unintentional signals radiate far beyond our planet. Researchers from the University of Manchester, who presented this work, simulated how these waves spread into space. They found that from the perspective of nearby stars like Barnard's Star, Earth might appear to blink with distinct, artificial patterns. Military radars, in particular, act like sweeping lighthouse beams, and their focused energy could stand out as clear signs of intelligent life. The research suggests that any technologically advanced planet, not just ours, might light up the cosmos in this way, offering a universal clue to alien astronomers that someone is out there, watching the skies. Why are sharks blue? Blue sharks don't just wear their colour, rather they engineer it. New research presented at the Society for Experimental Biology's Annual Conference on 9 July said that sharks' iconic blue shimmer comes from a hidden world of nanoscopic crystals and pigments embedded deep within their skin's tiny scales, called dermal denticles. These scales are armoured with pulp cavities filled with reflective guanine crystals, which act as mirrors, and melanin vesicles, which absorb light. Together, they act like coordinated teams of glitter and blackout curtains, filtering light to create that signature deep-sea blue. But the twist is that this isn't just a static paint job. These structures may allow the shark to change its color. The research team, using powerful imaging tools and computer models, found that subtle shifts in the spacing of these crystals could shift the shark's hue from vibrant blues to greens and golds. Changes in water depth, water pressure, and even atmospheric humidity causes these shifts in colour. Also read: It's official: New object zipping through our solar system is the 3rd known interstellar visitor
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
How melting glaciers can lead to more volcanic eruptions
The rise in melting glaciers and ice caps can result in more frequent and more explosive volcanic eruptions, according to a new study. It also stated that the greatest risk of a resurgence of volcanic eruptions lies in West Antarctica, where approximately 100 volcanoes are buried under thick ice. This ice is expected to disappear in the coming decades and centuries due to soaring global temperatures. The research was presented at the 2025 Goldschmidt Conference, which is currently underway in Prague. It is the largest international conference dedicated to geochemistry, organised by the Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry. Other continental regions, such as parts of North America, New Zealand, and Russia, could also observe an increase in volcanicity, Pablo Moreno-Yaeger, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (US), said during the presentation. Climate change & volcanic eruptions Scientists first suggested that melting ice could affect volcanic activity in the 1970s. Usually, the weight of the ice exerts pressure on underground magma chambers of volcanoes. However, when glaciers or ice caps melt, this pressure is reduced, and underground gases and magma expand which can ultimately result in explosive eruptions. Such a phenomenon has already occurred on the planet. For instance, in Iceland, during major deglaciation (the last of which occurred between 15,000 and 10,000 years before the present), volcanic eruption rates were 30 to 50 times higher than they are today. Studies have also found that the decrease in pressure due to ice loss can result in the production of magma. That is because rocks held at lower pressure tend to melt at lower temperatures. Another factor which seems to affect volcanic activity is precipitation. 'Precipitation — also modified by climate change — can infiltrate deep underground and react with the magma system to trigger an eruption,' Thomas Aubry, a researcher at the University of Exeter (England), told Polytechnique Insights. The latest study has reiterated these findings. It examined Chile's Mocho Choshuenco volcano to estimate the age of volcanic rocks produced before, during, and after the last ice age. The research found that due to a thick ice sheet over the volcano, pressure had suppressed the volume of eruptions between 26,000 and 18,000 years ago. This led to the formation of a large reservoir of magma that had built up 10 to 15 km below the volcano's surface. However, once this ice sheet melted, about 13,000 years ago, explosive eruptions took place. The fallouts Volcanic eruptions can cause temporary cooling as they release ash or dust into the atmosphere which blocks sunlight. These eruptions also emit sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere which is more effective than ash particles at cooling the climate. Sulfur dioxide goes into the stratosphere and reacts with water to form sulfuric acid aerosols. These aerosols reflect incoming solar radiation, leading to the cooling of the Earth's surface. 'The aerosols can stay in the stratosphere for up to three years, moved around by winds and causing significant cooling worldwide. Eventually, the droplets grow large enough to fall to Earth,' according to the US Center for Science Education. However, sustained volcanic eruptions can release large amounts of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, which could further heat the planet. This can become a vicious cycle — as global temperatures rise, there will be a higher rate of melting of ice, which could cause more eruptions and further global warming.
