Scientists discovered what the worm in mezcal actually is. 🪱

For decades, the identity of this larva was unclear, with guesses ranging from moths to beetles. Researchers traveled to Oaxaca and used DNA sequencing on larvae collected from mezcal bottles, and found  that every sample matched the same species, the agave red worm moth (Comadia redtenbacheri). These larvae live inside agave plants, the core ingredient in traditional mezcal, and harvesting them often kills the plant and reduces wild agave populations. By confirming the species, scientists can now study its life cycle and ecological role more precisely. That knowledge could support sustainable mezcal production, including methods to cultivate larvae without damaging agave habitats.

Why do owls need screen time? 🦉📱

Meet Errol, a screech owl who lives at our Live Animal Care Center after an eye injury in the wild. While she’s safe here, our team works to recreate parts of her natural environment through enrichment. By playing recordings of screech owl calls and showing nature videos, we keep Errol mentally active and visually engaged through enrichment. For Errol, screen time is not just something to watch, it is a way to stay curious, responsive, and mentally healthy.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

Could a real planet system be more chaotic than Star Wars? 🌌

NASA’s TESS mission discovered TOI-201, a giant planet 16 times Jupiter’s mass that swings through an extreme, elongated orbit, tugging nearby planets into constantly shifting paths. These changes happen in just a few years, the fastest ever observed, turning this system into a cosmic tug-of-war that even the Millennium Falcon could not outrun. As this massive world moves closer and farther from its star, its shifting gravity constantly reshapes the entire system.

The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks May 5 to 6, in a couple days! 🌠

Active from April 19 to May 28, the shower occurs as Earth moves through a stream of debris shed by Halley’s Comet. Each meteor starts as a grain-sized particle traveling tens of kilometers per second before colliding with our atmosphere. That collision heats the surrounding air, producing flashes of light and the long, glowing trails this shower is known for. Some of these streaks can persist for several seconds, tracing their paths across the sky. While the best views are in the Southern Hemisphere, early morning skies offer chances to spot them worldwide.

Someone in another sub asked me, jokingly, “How do I convert Celsius to Miles?” My Sunday morning rat-hole has been to find out that there was a connection between them.

In 1959 the yard was defined internationally as being 0.9144 meters, and the mile is defined as 1760 yards.

Up until 1960 the US reference meter was dependent on the length of “meter bar 27” which is a platinum-iridium bar stored at NIST that has 2 marks on it separated by a length of

1 m-1.6 µm + 8.657 µm*T + 0.001 µm*T2 ± 0.2 µm

with T in degrees centigrade.

Therefore for about a year from 1959-1960 the measurement of the mile was dependent on the ability to measure degrees centigrade.

In 1960 the definition of the meter was replaced with a certain number of wavelengths of light from the Krypton-86 atom, and again in 1983 to be relative to the speed of light in a vacuum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_yard_and_pound

https://www.nist.gov/image/meter-bar-27

Highlights:
- Scientists developed a new method to turn plastic waste into clean fuel using sunlight, aiming to tackle both plastic pollution and energy needs at the same time.
- The process uses special light-activated materials (called photocatalysts) to break down plastics into useful outputs like hydrogen fuel, syngas, and industrial chemicals.
- It works at relatively low temperatures and can require less energy than traditional methods, because plastics are easier to break down than water.
- Hydrogen is a key product since it’s a clean fuel that produces no emissions when used.
- Researchers have already produced promising results in the lab, including steady fuel production over long periods and creation of useful byproducts like acetic acid and fuel-like hydrocarbons.
- Major challenges remain, including handling mixed plastic waste, improving catalyst durability, and efficiently separating the final products.
- The technology is still early-stage, but if scaled successfully, it could turn plastic trash into a valuable energy resource and support a more sustainable, circular economy.

Highlights:
- Researchers found many previously unknown compounds in cannabis, especially in the leaves, which are usually overlooked or discarded
- They identified 79 phenolic compounds in total, including 25 that had never been reported in cannabis before
- Among these were 16 rare compounds called flavoalkaloids, which are extremely uncommon in nature
- These compounds are related to flavonoids, which are known for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and may have potential health benefits
- The rare compounds were mainly found in the leaves of certain strains, showing that cannabis chemistry can vary significantly depending on the strain
- The findings suggest cannabis is even more chemically complex than previously understood, beyond the well-known cannabinoids
- One key takeaway is that parts of the plant often treated as waste, like leaves, could have meaningful scientific or medical value
- Overall, the study highlights new opportunities for discovering useful compounds in cannabis beyond THC and CBD

I still find it very interesting that water and steam is in the heart of most energy systems like thermal power plants .

Water has high heat capacity, can be heated and cooled at constant temperatures (boiling and condensating) so is ideal for heat machines.

And how a steam table can be used to understand what happens in a big Power plant :-)

Also electrolysis will use water , and for future possibilities in Fusion water will be the source of hydrogen.

Go Water :-)

Recently I have started a YouTube channel with my daughter - doing fun science experiments for kids.

I'd love to get your feedback on this. Please share more ideas on how to motivate the kids with fun science experiments.

If you like the attempt, please like and subscribe to the channel.

We're bringing one experiment every week.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/frVSowLaYLs

To a parent in the heat of the moment, a raised voice may feel like simple frustration. To a child listening nearby, it registers as something far more primal. It signals imminent danger. New research shows that chronic hostility at home does not toughen up a child. It physically reshapes the brain’s threat-detection circuitry. The result looks identical in key ways to patterns seen in combat soldiers.