Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
A new study has highlighted the impact of reduced sulphur gases from ancient Martian volcanoes. The findings suggest that these gases could have contributed to a greenhouse effect and altered the surface chemistry of Mars. Reduced sulphur gases released by volcanoes may have created a warmer and more habitable environment on Mars, billions of years ago. This induced a hazy environment which led to the formation of greenhouse gases, such as SF6, that trap heat and liquid water. The degassed sulphur species and redox conditions are also found in hydrothermal systems on Earth that sustain diverse microbial life. Even the NASA Curiosity rover's elemental sulphur discovery supports this study's results.
A striking 5,00,000-kilometre-wide butterfly-shaped hole has appeared in the Sun's atmosphere, according to Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory. The formation was photographed on September 11 and is venting a stream of solar wind in Earth's direction. This remarkable event has drawn attention for its unusual shape and potential to influence space weather. This opening in the Sun's outer layers is known as a "coronal hole". In these regions, the Sun's magnetic fields open up, allowing solar wind to escape into space. Coronal holes appear dark in telescope images because the hot plasma that usually fills the area is missing.
Tooth enamel contains calcium isotopes that reflect the range of foods the dinosaurs ate; different types of plants have different chemical signatures, and discrete parts of trees, from buds to bark, can also have unique signatures. According to a new study, the results help explain how so many behemoth creatures all lived together in the same area at the same time. Previously, scientists believed that large herbivorous dinosaurs coexisted by munching on different levels of the tree canopy according to height. However, new research shows that plant height wasn't the only factor driving the differentiation of their diets, instead, it was specific plant parts.
In a rare study, researchers observed that each of the eight octopus arms can perform all action types, highlighting adaptability. Researchers identified unique arm specialisations and behaviour patterns across habitats, which may help in advancing neuroscience, animal behaviour, and soft robotics studies. By closely observing three wild octopus species in their natural habitats across the Caribbean and Spain, researchers recorded nearly 4,000 arm movements. They discovered that every octopus arm is capable of performing all action types, demonstrating significant flexibility and functional specialisation. The findings show a clear partitioning of arm functions and highlight the sophisticated behaviour octopuses use to thrive in varied environments, from smooth sandy seabeds to complex coral reefs. Researchers documented 12 distinct arm actions spanning 15 behaviours, each involving one or more of four fundamental deformations: shortening, elongating, bending, and twisting.
