The brightest take on this week’s science
Hey, and welcome back to Spark!
It’s been a big week in science news.
From epidemiologists discussing a “grim milestone” in US measles cases, to astronomers finding out our entire galaxy might’ve been flipped on its side, we’ve got you covered.
Also in this issue:
📱 Is modern life pushing the human mind beyond its limits?
🤯 A mind-blowing science fact
🔬 A microscope mystery
Let’s see where the science takes us!
LOOK OUT
US Measles Cases Just Hit a 'Grim Milestone'. Here's What You Need to Know.
Measles cases in the United States have just passed a "grim milestone", reaching numbers that haven't been seen in 35 years.
"This was truly a problem of our own making and completely preventable," public health expert Jessica Steier told ScienceAlert.
"We eliminated measles in 2000 after decades of hard-won public health work, and now we're watching that progress erode… It is devastating for the children in our country."
In our coverage this week, we look at expert advice on protecting yourself from measles, address concerns around the vaccine, and discuss how to navigate vaccine hesitancy.
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LOOK UP
Our Entire Galaxy May Have Once Flipped on Its Side
An artist's impression of the disk of the Milky Way. (Melissa Weiss/Center for Astrophysics|Harvard & Smithsonian)
It's easy to think of our home galaxy as a relatively stable place, a neatly ordered disk sailing serenely through space like a frisbee – but it may be a lot more turbulent than it looks.
New simulations suggest a collision with the nearby ‘Gaia Sausage’ galaxy, 10 billion years ago, may have even flipped the entire Milky Way on its side.
This theory adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that the Milky Way has undergone a lot of upheaval in its 13.6-billion-year lifespan – and it could help explain some of the galaxy's more puzzling peccadilloes.
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ZOOM ZONE
Microscope Mystery: What Do You See?
(Steve Gschmeissner/SPL/Getty Images)
A) Ocean sponge
B) Shark scales
C) Skeletal muscle
D) Lizard tongue
Answer at the bottom.
LOOK IN
It's Not Just You: Scientists Say Modern Life Is Pushing The Human Mind Beyond Its Limits
(Tero Vesalainen/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
When was the last time your day was just… simple?
No crowds to navigate. No KPIs to meet. No doom to scroll.
For a lot of us, modern life can be one hectic day after another.
And it’s not just in your head. A team of social scientists are saying our rapid progress as a species has left our individual bodies and minds unable to keep up.
"An evolutionary perspective may help explain why people respond so strongly to comparison and the fear of falling behind, even when those signals come from strangers or screens rather than a small social group," research psychologist Jose Yong says.
Yong and his team also share their ideas for how the modern world could be more human-friendly: phew!
WOW FACTOR
Science Fact of The Week
(michaelkuehneisen/500px/Getty Images)
Octopuses can edit their very own RNA.
When ocean temperatures drop abruptly, these incredible creatures can recode key proteins in their nerve cells to ensure that they remain functional.
DOPAMINE HIT
Before You Go…
Check out the first-ever footage of a haunting barreleye fish.
A barreleye fish of the species Winteria telescopa. (Schmidt Ocean Institute/YouTube)
Microscope answer: Skeletal muscle
This image shows large muscle bundles (red), surrounded by connective tissue (pink). If you look closely, you can also see a capillary in the upper center.
That’s all for today… see you next week!
- Carly & Jess
