The brightest take on this week’s science
Another year older, another year wiser…
But it’s not just your brain that’s maturing year in and year out; your gut is, too. As we age, the lining of our intestines begins to sag and bulge.
Read on to learn more…
Also in this issue:
💧 A simple way to remove microplastics from water
🤯 A mind-blowing fact about wintertime
🔬 A black-and-white microscopic mystery
Let’s get smarter!
LOOK IN
Most People Get Bulges In Their Aging Gut
(selvanegra/Getty Images)
You might not know it, but your insides also show signs of aging.
By age 80, most people have a digestive tract dotted with small, bulging pouches of tissue.
These are called diverticula.
The little intestinal bumps are weak spots in the gut’s muscular wall, and the good news is that they are typically harmless.
Sometimes, however, they can become inflamed or infected.
That particular condition is called diverticulitis, and it comes with some nasty symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored…
HEADLINES
What Else We're Watching
🏅This week’s most read: Mouse Study Suggests Nose-Picking Has a Surprising Link With Alzheimer's
LOW-KEY GENIUS
How To Remove Microplastics From Water
(Yurii Yarema/Getty Images)
Microplastics are everywhere – even in our drinking water. So how can we hope to escape them?
Scientists are still trying to figure that out, but in 2024, researchers in China found a simple and effective solution to curb the pollution we drink.
Simply boil water, and many of the tiny plastic fragments can be filtered out.
In some experiments, up to 90 percent of nanoplastics were removed through this method.
It seems to work particularly well for hard tap water.
ZOOM ZONE
Microscope Mystery: What Do You See?
(Micro Discoveries/Getty Images)
A) Sinus
B) Cartilage
C) Charcoal
D) Foam
Answer at the bottom.
LOOK UP
What Really Happens at a Black Hole’s Edge?
(Zhang et al., ApJ, 2025)
Two powerful supercomputers have just revealed what really happens at the borderlands of black holes.
These are the most detailed simulations to date.
The movement of gas, light, and magnetism can help scientists better understand how such ravenous entities gobble up and spew out matter.
The simulation incorporates Einstein's general theory of relativity
Plus detailed models on the physics that govern plasma gas and magnetic fields
The result is a mathematically accurate description of the warped space and extreme physics surrounding black holes.
WOW FACTOR
Science Fact of The Week
caption
Right now, the weather in the Northern Hemisphere might be frightfully cold, but did you know that on January 3rd, Earth will make its closest approach to the Sun all year?
That might sound counterintuitive, but the seasons aren’t dictated by our planet’s distance from our star.
It’s all about the tilt.
DOPAMINE HIT
Before You Go…
Happy New Year!
Microscope answer: Charcoal.
When wood is burned, it becomes highly porous and lightweight. Water and other volatile compounds are lost, but carbon remains in the cell walls, preserving the plant’s broad architecture.
That’s all for today… see you next week!
- Carly
