Category: 7. Science

  • Algae Could Build Self-Sustaining Habitats on Mars

    Algae Could Build Self-Sustaining Habitats on Mars

    Led by Robin Wordsworth, the Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), the team demonstrated that they can grow green algae inside shelters made out of bioplastics in Mars-like conditions.

    “If you have a habitat that is composed of bioplastic, and it grows algae within it, that algae could produce more bioplastic,” Wordsworth said in a statement. “So you start to have a closed-loop system that can sustain itself and even grow through time.”

    The research is published in Science Advances.

    Algae and Bioplastics: A Blueprint for Mars Habitats

    In lab experiments that recreated the thin atmosphere of Mars, Wordsworth’s team grew Dunaliella tertiolecta, a common type of green algae. The algae is said to have thrived inside a 3D-printed growth chamber made from polylactic acid, a biodegradable and bio-based thermoplastic polyester that blocked UV radiation while transmitting enough light to allow the algae to photosynthesise.

    The algae was kept under a Mars-like 600 Pascals of atmospheric pressure and in a carbon dioxide-rich environment. Liquid water cannot exist at such low pressures, but the bioplastic chamber created a pressure gradient that stabilised water within it.

    Lunar and Deep-Space Applications on the Horizon

    Wordsworth’s team previously demonstrated a type of local Martian terraforming using sheets of silica aerogels that mimic the Earth’s greenhouse warming effect to allow for biological growth. A combination of the algae experiments with the aerogels would solve both temperature and pressure issues for supporting plant and algae growth, Wordsworth said, and could open a clearer path toward extraterrestrial existence.  

    Next, Wordsworth said the researchers want to demonstrate that their habitats also work in vacuum conditions, which would be relevant for lunar or deep-space applications. His team also has plans to design a working closed-loop system for habitat production.

    “The concept of biomaterial habitats is fundamentally interesting and can support humans living in space,” said Wordsworth. “As this type of technology develops, it’s going to have spinoff benefits for sustainability technology here on Earth as well.”

     

    Continue Reading

  • A Stone Age ocean voyage re-enacted by daring scientists

    A Stone Age ocean voyage re-enacted by daring scientists


    A video about re-enacting a Stone Age voyage from Taiwan to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan, provided by the University of Tokyo.

  • Scientists re-enacted a 30,000-year-old sea voyage from Taiwan to southern Japan using a dugout canoe made with replica Stone Age tools.
  • The canoe crew paddled 140 miles in 45 hours, crossing a strong ocean current, navigating by the sun, stars and ocean swells.
  • Numerical simulations of the journey showed ancient seafarers likely had a deep knowledge of ocean conditions and effective travel strategies.

    • Stone Age seafarers braved rough waters from Taiwan to Japan

    About 30,000 years ago, ancient seafarers traveled from Taiwan to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan. They navigated through rough conditions with no landmarks or maps and had to cross one of the most powerful ocean currents in the world. Indeed, they could only rely on the sun, stars, ocean swells and their instincts to find their bearings. On June 26, 2025, scientists from Taiwan and Japan said they re-enacted that ancient voyage using a canoe made from replica tools of the period. In addition, they also used numerical simulations to study different scenarios for successfully undertaking such a challenging journey.

    Yousuke Kaifu of the University of Tokyo led the studies. He said:

    We initiated this project with simple questions: How did Paleolithic [Stone Age] people arrive at such remote islands as Okinawa? How difficult was their journey? And what tools and strategies did they use?

    Archaeological evidence, such as remains and artifacts, can’t paint a full picture because the nature of the sea is that it washes such things away. So, we turned to the idea of experimental archaeology, in a similar vein to the Kon-Tiki expedition of 1947 by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

    The researchers published two papers about their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances on June 25, 2025. One paper described a re-enactment of the Paleolithic voyage. Another paper detailed numerical simulations to identify conditions needed for a successful voyage.

    The crew of the dugout canoe, a few hours after leaving Taiwan for Yonaguni Island in southern Japan. They were re-enacting a journey by Stone Age seafarers, from 30,000 years ago. Image via Yousuke Kaifu/ University of Tokyo.

    Humans settled in southern Japan about 30,000 years ago

    Modern humans first appeared in southern Japan, specifically the Ryukyu islands, about 35,000 to 30,000 years ago. They were early seafarers, likely traveling from Taiwan. To make that journey, they had to cross a formidable barrier, the Kuroshio, one of the most powerful ocean currents in the world.

    There was an additional challenge, however. The southern Ryukyu Islands are small and low. Therefore, they are not visible from Taiwan and could not be used as navigational landmarks.

    A map showing Taiwan and Japan's Ryuku Islands, with a blue curve going left to right showing the Kuroshio Current.
    This map shows Taiwan and the Ryuku Islands of southern Japan. The blue ribbon is the Kuroshio Current. The circles and dates indicate when humans settled those islands. At lower left is Wushibi in Taiwan and Yonaguni Island. Those are the departure and arrival locations of the canoe re-enactment. Image via Kaifu, Y., et. al/ Science Advances. (CC BY-NC 4.0).

    What vessels did Stone Age seafarers use?

    There are no remains of the vessels used 30,000 years ago. Therefore, scientists tested some likely candidates: reed-bundled rafts and bamboo rafts. However, those rafts, despite being well-designed and carefully constructed, could not withstand the rough waters of the Kuroshio Current. The researchers also ruled out a sailing vessel because sails appeared much later in history, about 5,000 years ago in Egypt.

    Next, they tried dugout canoes, built from Japanese cedar trunks and carved using replica Paleolithic stone tools. To be sure, after some testing, the researchers came up with a canoe that could withstand the rough waters of the Kuroshio Current.

    Man cutting down a tree
    One of the researchers cuts down a Japanese cedar tree that will be used to create a dugout canoe. He is using a replica Paleolithic axe. Image via Yousuke Kaifu/ University of Tokyo.

    Re-enacting an ancient voyage from 30,000 years ago

    On July 7, 2019, five highly skilled canoe paddlers set out in a 25-foot dugout canoe from Wushibi in eastern Taiwan. They had no modern navigation aids, such as a GPS or compass. Instead, they depended on the sun, stars and swells to navigate in the open ocean. (For safety, they were monitored by a boat that also provided some food and water.)

    Their destination was the small island of Yonaguni, a part of Japan’s Ryukyu Island group. The crew paddled 140 miles (225 km) from their starting point in Wushibi, Taiwan, to Yonaguni.

    Later, about two hours into the trip, the water became choppy as they entered the Kuroshio Current. The crew had to constantly watch for large waves, because they had to steer directly toward them, to ride the waves and keep water from inundating the vessel. The crew exited the main Kuroshio Current about 17 hours after leaving Taiwan.

    Five people in a canoe in choppy ocean waters
    This photo shows the canoe and its crew about 4 hours after leaving Taiwan. Here, they are in the Kuroshio Current, surrounded by choppy surface ocean waters. Image via Yousuke Kaifu/ University of Tokyo.

    At night, when the sky was clear, the crew used the stars to find their bearings. Likewise, in the morning and evening, they used the sun to navigate. A detailed timeline of their grueling journey is available in the paper about the expedition.

    In all, they spent 45 hours paddling to Yonaguni Island, arriving there on July 9, 2019.

    A canoe in open grayish blue water with an island in the background.
    About 40 hours after leaving Taiwan, Yonaguni Island appears in the distance, about 12 miles (19 km) away. Image via Yousuke Kaifu/ University of Tokyo.

    Numerical simulations reconstruct possible ancient voyages

    The 2019 re-enactment was a one-time experiment under specific weather and ocean conditions. It’s not sufficient, however, to understand how Stone Age seafarers traveled from Taiwan to the Ryukyu Islands.

    So, what circumstances allowed them to successfully complete their journey? The researchers used numerical simulations to explore various travel scenarios. Likewise, they tested different seasons, departure locations and paddling strategies using modern and Paleolithic ocean conditions.

    Ultimately, the simulations revealed that these ancient humans had a deep knowledge of seafaring strategy. For instance, they might have departed from northern Taiwan because it provided the best chances for completing their journey. They also knew about the Kuroshio Current, perhaps from fishing expeditions. Therefore, they paddled slightly southeast in their canoes to counteract the powerful northward current.

    A one-way journey

    In addition, simulations showed that once they entered the powerful northward Kuroshio Current, they could not paddle back to Taiwan.

    Kaifu remarked:

    We now know that these canoes are fast and durable enough to make the crossing, but that’s only half the story. Those male and female pioneers must have all been experienced paddlers with effective strategies and a strong will to explore the unknown. We do not think a return journey was possible. If you have a map and know the flow pattern of the Kuroshio, you can plan a return journey, but such things probably did not take place until much later in history.

    Bottom line: Scientists re-enacted a Stone Age voyage from Taiwan to the Ryuku Islands of southern Japan using a canoe made from replica tools of that period. In addition, they also ran numerical simulations to study the conditions for successfully completing the journey.

    Source: Traversing the Kuroshio: Paleolithic migration across one of the world’s strongest ocean currents

    Source: Palaeolithic seafaring in East Asia: an experimental test of the dugout canoe hypothesis

    Via University of Tokyo

    Watch: SUGIME – Documentary film of the “Holistic reenactment project of voyages 30,000 years ago” (in Japanese with English subtitles)

    Read more: Prehistoric cave art suggests ancient use of complex astronomy

Continue Reading

  • Earth set to experience shortest days this summer

    Earth set to experience shortest days this summer

    This representational image shows the sun setting over a beach. — Unsplash

    It seems that time is literally speeding up as scientists have confirmed that the Earth is set to experience three remarkably shorter-than-average days in the coming weeks, as the planet’s rotation unexpectedly accelerates. 

    Normally, Earth’s daily rotation equates to approximately 86,400 seconds, or a precise 24 hours. However, according to a report from Popular Mechanics, three specific days this summer will see as much as 1.51 milliseconds shaved off the clock, the New York Post reported.

    The International Rotation and Reference Systems Service has identified July 9, July 22, and August 5 as the dates for these “time-slicing” events. These days will rank among the shortest recorded since 2020. 

    Scientists attribute these particular dates to the moon being at its furthest point from the equator, which is understood to influence the Earth’s rotational speed.

    Adding to the mystery, the shortest day since 2020 was already recorded on July 5, 2024, which was a full 1.66 milliseconds shorter than the average. 

    Experts have yet to pinpoint the exact reason for this overall increase in the Earth’s rotational acceleration.

    “Nobody expected this,” remarked Leonid Zotov, an Earth rotation expert from Moscow State University, to TimeandDate regarding the quickening trend. 

    “The cause of this acceleration is not explained. Most scientists believe it is something inside the Earth. Ocean and atmospheric models don’t explain this huge acceleration.”

    This ongoing acceleration may necessitate a drastic and unprecedented measure from Earth’s official timekeepers. 

    According to a study published in Nature last year, a “negative leap second” might need to be instated in 2029 to keep global time in sync with the Earth’s increasingly swift rotation.

    “This is an unprecedented situation and a big deal,” said Duncan Agnew, lead author of the study and geophysicist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, at the time of the study’s release. “It’s not a huge change in the Earth’s rotation that’s going to lead to some catastrophe or anything, but it is something notable. It’s yet another indication that we’re in a very unusual time.”

    It’s worth noting that days on Earth have not always been exactly 24 hours long. 

    During the Bronze Age, for example, daily rotations were approximately 23 hours. However, the current trend of unexpected acceleration marks a significant shift that continues to intrigue and challenge the scientific community.


    Continue Reading

  • New study reveals how plants use sugar to sense and respond to heat |

    New study reveals how plants use sugar to sense and respond to heat |

    For a long time, scientists thought that plants detected heat mainly through proteins that are active at night. Now, recent discoveries have revealed a much more intricate process. This changes our existing understanding of how plants respond to heat. The study shows that plants use a combination of sunlight, sugar, and internal signals to regulate their growth response to warmth during the day, a process known as thermomorphogenesis. This breakthrough sheds new light on the complex ways plants adapt to their environment. When it’s hot, they don’t just react – they think and adjust. They use sugars to understand their surroundings and grow perfectly when conditions are just right.

    Study shows how plants use sugar to detect heat in sunlight

    Scientists previously thought certain proteins (phytochrome B and ELF3) helped plants sense heat, but this was based on nighttime data. According to Earth.com, in a study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers found that during the day, when it’s hot and sunny, these proteins don’t work the same way. Instead, they discovered a new heat-sensing mechanism that involves sugar and is active even in strong sunlight. This new finding shows that plants have different ways to respond to heat, depending on the temperature.

    The dual role of sugar and temperature in plant growth

    The study found that sugar plays a crucial role in helping plants sense heat during the day. When it’s hot, plants break down stored starch into sucrose, which then helps stabilize a protein called PIF4 that promotes growth. PIF4 needs two things: sugar to keep it stable and freedom from another protein (ELF3) that normally suppresses it, to work effectively. When both the conditions are met, the plant grows properly. This dual system ensures plants only grow when it’s warm and they have enough sugar, allowing them to stretch upwards.Under normal situations, ELF3 effectively inhibits PIF4 in two ways. However, high temperatures provide ELF3 conditions that disable it, allowing PIF4 to function. This means PIF4 can start plant growth when it is warm and there is enough sugar for energy. Warmth is important for PIF4; both sugar and warmth are needed for a complete growth responseAlso read | Scientists discover oldest rocks on Earth, over 4.16 billion years old


    Continue Reading

  • Successful launch of Airbus-built Sentinel-4 onboard MTG wea

    Successful launch of Airbus-built Sentinel-4 onboard MTG wea

    The European Space Agency (ESA) and its partners have confirmed the successful launch of the Airbus-built Sentinel-4, a cutting-edge air quality monitoring instrument hosted on the third generation Meteosat (MTG-S1) weather satellite. The launch proceeded as planned and marks a significant advancement in Europe’s Earth observation capabilities.

    “The successful launch of Sentinel-4 on board MTG-S1 is further proof of the innovation and successful collaboration within the European space sector,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “The data provided by Sentinel-4 will be an essential contribution to the Copernicus programme, helping us to monitor, and ultimately improve air quality for citizens across Europe.”

    Sentinel-4, developed in Germany on behalf of ESA, is a UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer that will deliver unprecedented high temporal resolution data on the composition of Earth’s atmosphere. Key measurements will include nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, and formaldehyde, as well as aerosols. This data is crucial for monitoring air quality across Europe, forecasting air pollution events, and understanding long-term changes in the atmosphere. 

    The integration of Sentinel-4 onto the MTG weather satellite provides a unique opportunity for the simultaneous observation of weather phenomena and atmospheric chemical composition. This synergistic data acquisition will contribute to more accurate weather forecasts and a better understanding of the interactions between weather and climate.

    The MTG satellite, carrying Sentinel-4, will be positioned in geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometres above the Earth. From this vantage point, Sentinel-4 will provide hourly data over Europe and North Africa. The data will be made freely and openly available through the Copernicus programme, serving a wide community of users, including scientists, environmental agencies, and policymakers.

    The launch of Sentinel-4 is a key step in realising the objectives of the Copernicus programme, which aims to provide accurate and reliable Earth observation data to understand and address environmental challenges, ensure safety, and mitigate the impacts of natural disasters. The second Sentinel-4 is under integration and will fly on board MTG-S2 to be launched in the 2030s. 

    Both the spacecraft and the instrument will be operated by EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites. The Sentinel-4 instrument builds on the experience of previous proven ESA instruments like SCIAMACHY and TROPOMI (on-board Sentinel-5P) also built by Airbus.

    Continue Reading

  • 1st Atmospheric Sounding Satellite in Meteosat 3rd G

    1st Atmospheric Sounding Satellite in Meteosat 3rd G

    The MTG-S1 meteorological observation satellite was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Built by OHB System AG, MTG-S1 carries Europe’s first hyperspectral infrared sounding instrument designed for geostationary orbit. Thales Alenia Space, the joint company between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), is responsible for the development, assembly, integration and testing of the main payload, which includes a high-precision interferometer and an advanced infrared detection system.

    About MTG-S1

    The primary objective of the MTG-S1 sounding satellite is to improve Europe’s numerical weather prediction (NWP) capabilities, both at regional and global scales. Thanks to its hyperspectral infrared sounding instrument, MTG-S1 enables 3D mapping of the atmosphere by precisely measuring temperature and humidity across latitude, longitude and altitude. These measurements will enable forecasters to detect the early warning signs of storms and will improve NWP models.

    MTG-S1 also carries the Copernicus Sentinel-4 instrument, built by Airbus Defence and Space, which is dedicated to monitoring air quality and greenhouse gas concentrations from space. This instrument is equipped with an ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared spectrometer.

    The combination of these two instruments will contribute to improved air quality forecasting and will provide a wealth of information for the benefit of public health, agriculture and scientific research.

    About the MTG program 

    The MTG-S1 satellite is part of the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) program, developed by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor for the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).

    This program will ensure the continuity of European weather monitoring beyond 2040. It is based on a constellation of six satellites: four imaging satellites (MTG-I), built by Thales Alenia Space, and two atmospheric sounding satellites (MTG-S), developed by OHB. 

    The MTG-I imaging satellites carry latest-generation instruments, including lightning detectors, built by Leonardo, and the FCI imager, which can deliver weather data in near-real time. The first satellite in the series, MTG-I1, was launched in 2022 and returned its first images in 2023, demonstrating a significant improvement over previous generations. 

    The system provides updated images of Earth every 10 minutes (compared with 15 minutes previously) and delivers images over Europe every 2.5 minutes in rapid scan mode. 

    “The Meteosat Third Generation constellation will profoundly transform weather forecasting capabilities by providing a more frequent, accurate and comprehensive picture of atmospheric phenomena,” said Bertrand Denis, VP Observation, Science and Exploration for Thales Alenia Space. “Once all six satellites are fully operational in orbit, EUMETSAT will have some of the most advanced forecasting capabilities in the world.” 

    Half a century of geostationary weather satellites

    Thales Alenia Space has been prime contractor for three generations of Meteosat satellites since the launch of the first flight model in 1977. The company built seven first-generation Meteosat satellites, four second-generation satellites, and is leading the development of the six third-generation satellites as prime contractor. It is also involved in the development of the ground segment for EUMETSAT, through the design and delivery of the Image Data Processing Facility. Telespazio, the joint company between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%), is also involved in the ground segment, both in data acquisition and satellite command and control. In addition, it will provide EUMETSAT with launch and early orbit phase (LEOP) services for two satellites, with an option for a third.

    Since 1977, Meteosat satellites have been the main source of meteorological data for Europe and Africa. The data from these satellites is one of ESA and EUMETSAT’s key contributions to the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Observing System.

    Continue Reading

  • Why is there no life on Mars? Nasa’s rover finds mineral clue in Martian desert

    Why is there no life on Mars? Nasa’s rover finds mineral clue in Martian desert

    PARIS, July 3 — Why is Mars barren and uninhabitable, while life has always thrived here on our relatively similar planet Earth?

    A discovery made by a Nasa rover has offered a clue for this mystery, new research said yesterday, suggesting that while rivers once sporadically flowed on Mars, it was doomed to mostly be a desert planet.

    Mars is thought to currently have all the necessary ingredients for life except for perhaps the most important one: liquid water.

    However, the red surface is carved out by ancient rivers and lakes, showing that water once flowed on our nearest neighbour.

    There are currently several rovers searching Mars for signs of life that could have existed back in those more habitable times, millions of years ago.

    Earlier this year, Nasa’s Curiosity rover discovered a missing piece in this puzzle: rocks that are rich in carbonate minerals.

    These “carbonates” — such as limestone on Earth — act as a sponge for carbon dioxide, pulling it in from the atmosphere and trapping it in rock.

    A new study, published in the journal Nature, modelled exactly how the existence of these rocks could change our understanding of Mars’s past.

    Brief ‘oases’

    Lead study author Edwin Kite, a planetary scientist at the University of Chicago and a member of the Curiosity team, told AFP it appeared there were “blips of habitability in some times and places” on Mars.

    But these “oases” were the exception rather than the rule.

    On Earth, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere warms the planet. Over long timescales, the carbon becomes trapped in rocks such as carbonates.

    Then volcanic eruptions spew the gas back into the atmosphere, creating a well-balanced climate cycle supportive of consistently running water.

    However, Mars has a “feeble” rate of volcanic outgassing compared to Earth, Kite said. This throws off the balance, leaving Mars much colder and less hospitable.

    According to the modelling research, the brief periods of liquid water on Mars were followed by 100 million years of barren desert — a long time for anything to survive.

    It is still possible that there are pockets of liquid water deep underground on Mars we have not yet found, Kite said.

    Nasa’s Perseverance Mars rover is seen in a ‘selfie’ that it took over a rock nicknamed ‘Rochette’, September 10, 2021. — Nasa/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Handout via Reuters pic

    Nasa’s Perseverance Rover, which landed on an ancient Martian delta in 2021, has also found signs of carbonates at the edge of dried-up lake, he added.

    Next, the scientists hope to discover more evidence of carbonates.

    Kite said the best proof would be returning rock samples from the Martian surface back to Earth — both the United States and China are racing to do this in the next decade.

    Are we alone?

    Ultimately, scientists are searching for an answer to one of the great questions: how common are planets like Earth that can harbour life?

    Astronomers have discovered nearly 6,000 planets beyond our Solar System since the early 1990s.

    But only for Mars and Earth can scientists study rocks which allow them to understand the planet’s past, Kite said.

    If we do determine that Mars never hosted even tiny micro-organisms during its watery times, that would indicate it is difficult to kick-start life across the universe.

    But if we discover proof of ancient life, that would “basically be telling us the origin of life is easy on a planetary scale,” Kite said. — AFP

    Continue Reading

  • Crew Dragon spaceship carrying Roscosmos cosmonaut to fly to ISS in late July

    Crew Dragon spaceship carrying Roscosmos cosmonaut to fly to ISS in late July

    3 Jul 2025 12:17

    Crew Dragon spaceship carrying Roscosmos cosmonaut to fly to ISS in late July – early Aug

    WASHINGTON. July 3 (Interfax) – A U.S. SpaceX Crew Dragon reentry spaceship carrying Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, a member of the International Space Station (ISS) crew, is due to be launched in late July or early August, NASA said.

    Besides Platonov, Crew 11 mission involves U.S. astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

    The flight will be part of the Roscosmos-NASA cross-flights agreement.

    The ISS currently has a seven-member crew, including Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov, Alexei Zubritsky and Kirill Peskov, NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers and Jonathan Kim, and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi.

    In addition, four tourists arrived at the station aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft on June 26 on a two-week mission as part of the Axiom Space program. The crew of the spacecraft includes Axiom astronaut and former NASA astronaut, commander Peggy Whitson, spacecraft pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, and mission specialists from Hungary and Poland Tibor Kapu and Slawosz Uznanski.


    Continue Reading

  • Why young athletes should think twice before using supplements

    Why young athletes should think twice before using supplements

    As young athletes increasingly turn to supplements for a competitive edge, new research warns that most supplement claims are based on adult studies, posing unknown risks to their growing bodies.

    Study: Use of Nutritional Strategies, Bioactive Compounds, and Dietary Supplements in Young Athletes: From Evidence to Potential Risks—A Narrative Review. Image credit: matimix/Shutterstock.com

    Unlike adult athletes, young athletes present unique nutritional challenges as they undergo rapid growth and development and intensive exercise training. Yet, few studies specifically focus on sports nutrition in children. A recent narrative review published in Nutrients examines the place of bioactive supplements in the training of young athletes.

    The need for sports nutrition in young athletes

    Bioactive supplements for athletes include omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, caffeine, creatine, and antioxidant vitamins.

    Young athletes typically use supplements based on the recommendations for adult athletes. However, adolescents differ markedly from adults, growing and undergoing rapid and profound hormonal changes. Significant alterations in body composition and metabolism accompany organ maturation.

    Physiologically, prepubertal athletes depend far more on an increase in heart rate to increase cardiac output than adults, who rely more on stroke volume. Unlike adults, children respond to exercise by increased ventilation. Children also rely more heavily on fat oxidation during endurance training than adults.  

    Young athletes engaged in training and competition, especially at elite levels, as opposed to recreational sports, need a unique blend of nutrients. Their diet must support growth, development, overall health, and athletic performance.  Nutritional guidelines designed for adult athletes fall short of these requirements.

    Notably, dehydration, insufficient energy intake, and lack of essential macro- and micro-nutrients, put young athletes at risk for severe adverse health outcomes. These include delayed maturation, impaired reproductive function, poor bone development, short stature, eating disorders, and injury.

    Supplement use in young athletes

    Adolescents in sports are increasingly using supplements due to peer pressure or the fear of falling behind others. Without professional guidance, they may not know what these contain, how to use them, or the associated risks, such as inadvertent drug violations.

    Despite being unethical and risky, banned drug use occurs in up to 3% of adolescent athletes and will become more common. Most youngsters feel that their competitors are using prohibited drugs, making it seem normal and acceptable.

    Study results

    The current review sought to identify and analyze the various nutritional strategies used in young athletes. Notably, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) consensus statement discounts the evidence that most supplements enhance either performance or health.

    Most evidence for supplement use comes from adult studies and is often weak or inconclusive. Long-term safety studies are notably limited for adolescent use. Moreover, sex and genetic differences may affect the outcomes of bioactive use from person to person. 

    Currently, there are no quantitative parameters to assess the impact of nutritional strategies on young athletes. Children’s energy intake will likely be adequate if they meet their standard growth and development markers.

    Adequate energy intake is crucial in young athletes, and relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) is a recognized condition that impacts physiological functions needed for health and athletic performance, especially during the growing years. Multiple adverse outcomes have been reported, including impairment of reproductive function, psychological well-being, and performance.

    National dietary guidelines for adults are adapted to determine energy intake according to use in adolescents, since the evidence indicates that no additional energy is required to fuel their metabolism. Fat consumption also follows adult guidelines.

    Micronutrients like vitamin D and calcium are essential to avoid deficiencies and prevent poor health. They ensure peak bone mass of 90% built up by 18, but do not enhance performance. For example, a single 200,000 IU dose of vitamin D improved jumping ability and speed in vitamin D-deficient young soccer players. At the same time, routine use in sufficient individuals showed no apparent benefit. Iron in bioavailable form may help young female athletes prevent iron deficiency and improve physical performance.

    Ergogenic substances of benefit in adult athletes include caffeine, which improves anerobic performance; β-Alanine (a precursor of carnosine), which prevents acidosis during high-intensity exercise; and dietary nitrates (especially from beetroot juice), which enhance available nitric oxide in muscle tissue, increasing muscle efficiency and blood flow. These substances have known or biologically plausible mechanisms of action. However, evidence for their use in adolescents remains limited, with mixed or inconclusive results.

    Curcumin and vitamin C are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules. They may promote recovery from exercise, but chronic high-dose use could limit training adaptation. Conversely, omega-3 fatty acids are suitable for overall health and muscle protein synthesis, and their intake should be encouraged in all adolescents via two helpings of fatty fish per week. Supplements should be required only if fish intake is deficient.

    The study suggests that specific bioactives may benefit post-training recovery, promote immune function, and enhance performance in young athletes. However, these benefits remain largely theoretical or based on limited data from small-scale or adult-based studies. Bioactive use should be part of a comprehensive dietary and nutritional program, and only under expert supervision.

    Importantly, bodies like the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) acknowledge potential benefits of supplements like creatine in adolescents. However, current data is limited, and more rigorous studies are needed.

    Unregulated and unsupervised supplement use could lead to their misuse, toxicity, and failing drug tests because of contamination with banned substances. Without individualized care, this could cause dependency, poor body image, and performance pressure, impairing the adolescent athlete’s mental and emotional well-being. This is especially difficult to justify in recreational sport settings.

    Today, the need is to regulate supplement use by young athletes, raise awareness among the adolescent athlete’s family and coaches, and provide regular overall checkups. This will ensure that young athletes make informed decisions.

    Future extensive, well-designed studies are critical to provide evidence of safety and efficacy before it is possible to routinely recommend ergogenic compounds, multivitamins, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and other anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory agents like curcumin.

    Conclusions

    Some bioactives, like caffeine, may show promise in young athletes as health and performance-boosting substances, but there is little evidence to recommend their routine use in this group. Despite their growing use, more research is needed among children to ensure that performance-enhancing supplements used in this population are safe, effective, and appropriate for their unique needs.

    “In this context, the role of a well-balanced, age-appropriate diet should always take priority over supplementation, particularly in growing individuals with unique physiological needs. Moreover, rather than focusing solely on isolated nutrients, interventions aimed at improving the overall dietary patterns of young athletes… may have greater long-term health and performance benefits, with fewer risks and side effects. “

    Download your PDF copy now!

    Journal reference:

    • De Zan, D., Eletti, F., Fiore, G., et al. (2025). Use of Nutritional Strategies, Bioactive Compounds, and Dietary Supplements in Young Athletes: From Evidence to Potential Risks—A Narrative Review. Nutrients. Doi: https://doi.org/10Doi90/nu17132194. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/13/2194

    Continue Reading

  • Old Aerial Photos Show Ice Shelf Change

    Old Aerial Photos Show Ice Shelf Change

    On 28 November 1966, an American airplane flies over the Antarctic Peninsula just south of the southernmost tip of Chile.

    On board is a photographer, probably from the US Navy, whose job is to map the Antarctic landscape. But it turns out that the photographer is also documenting a very special situation that is in progress. He shoots an aerial photo of the Wordie Ice Shelf, which, 30 years later, has almost vanished after a total collapse.

    The consequence of this collapse was that the ‘plug’ that held large amounts of glacier ice broke off, leaving the ice sheet floating freely into the sea.

    Ice shelves and sea level rise

    Ice shelves, like Wordie, act as a kind of brake on glaciers flowing from the ice sheet towards the sea. When an ice shelf vanishes, the glaciers lose this support and can begin to float and melt more rapidly.

    As the ice mass of ice shelves is already partially or wholly in the sea, their direct contribution to sea level rise is limited. On the other hand, the glacier ice they retain is on land and, therefore, every cubic meter affects the water level of the world’s oceans.

    Although Antarctica is far away, areas like Denmark are being affected significantly by sea level rise caused by ice shelf collapses resulting from gravitational forces. Before Antarctica melts, its ice mass helps pull sea waters southwards. When the ice has melted into the sea, the gravitational field has changed, causing the oceans to the north to rise proportionally more. 

    Fortunately, Wordie is a relatively small ice shelf and the sea level rise it has caused can be measured in millimeters. But there are much larger ice shelves in Antarctica, which, like Wordie, could collapse due to climate change. Just the two largest ice shelves, Ronne and Ross, are believed to hold enough ice to account for sea level rises of up to five meters.

    If, in this context, we think that Antarctica is far away, we need to understand that the melting of ice in the Southern Hemisphere will cause sea levels to rise in places like Denmark in the Northern Hemisphere, due to the effects of gravity. A new research study provides insights that can help identify signs of incipient collapse in these ice shelves and assess the stage of collapse.

    The photo of Wordie from 28 November 1966 – the first in a long series of images that continually document the collapse of the Wordie Ice Shelf through the 1960s – has become a valuable first data point in a study of the ice shelf collapse recently completed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen.

    In their paper, now published in Nature Communications, they present a unique dataset based on the vast archives of old aerial images combined with modern satellite observations, which, for the first time, shows the collapse of an ice shelf as a constant evolution in a long time series. A critical insight that can be used to improve scientists’ understanding of ice shelves and the mechanisms behind their collapse.

    “We have identified several signs of incipient ice shelf collapse that we expect will be observed in other ice shelves, but perhaps more importantly, the dataset has given us a multitude of pinning points that can reveal how far advanced a collapse is. It’s a completely new tool that we can use to do reality checks on ice shelves that are at risk of collapsing or already in the process of collapsing,” says Postdoc Mads Dømgaard from the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, who is lead author of the study.

    According to the researchers, this knowledge will enhance computer models of sea level rise and lead to more accurate predictions of when the water will rise, allowing for prioritization of investments in climate change adaptation in the most effective way.

    Warmer seawater and melting under the ice were most conclusive

    The hundreds of historical aerial photos were analyzed using a technique known as structure-from-motion photogrammetry. The method has enabled scientists to accurately reconstruct ice thickness, as well as its extent, surface structure and flow velocity, dating back to the 1960s.

    Facts: How dusty old photos became important data

    In the study, the researchers used images from multiple overflights of Wordie, shot between 1966 and 1969.

    In analyzing the historical aerial photos, the researchers employed the structure-from-motion photogrammetry method, which utilizes overlapping photos to calculate accurate three-dimensional models of landscapes or objects.

    By analyzing differences in perspective between the photos, it’s possible to measure heights and distances with high accuracy. This allows tracing how the ice surface, thickness and velocity have changed over time.

    In this way, the researchers analyzed the collapse of Wordie and learned more about the factors involved. It was previously assumed that a warmer atmosphere was the primary factor leading to the collapse, and, similarly, that the formation of meltwater lakes on the ice surface had also played a part. The new study has disproved both assumptions.

    Instead, the researchers highlight melting under the ice where the sea and ice meet as definitive factors.

    “Our findings show that the primary driver of Wordie’s collapse is rising sea temperatures, which have generated the melting beneath the floating ice shelf,” Mads Dømgaard says.

    Collapse is tougher than we thought – like it or not

    Furthermore, the study’s findings have already altered the foundation of scientists’ knowledge about ice shelf collapse. According to co-author Anders Anker Bjørk, the new data advances our understanding of how and at what speed these collapses occur.

    “The tentative conclusion from our findings is that ice shelf collapse may be slower than we thought. This means that the risk of a very rapid development of violent sea level rise from melting in Antarctica is slightly lower, based on knowledge from studies like this one,” says Anders Anker Bjørk, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management.

    But there is also a flip side to this, he explains:

    “It was already a supertanker that needed to be turned to stall the melting of ice in Antarctica, but our data shows a collapse process that is even more protracted than previously assumed. And this longer process will make it harder to reverse the trend once it has started. This is an unambiguous signal to prioritize halting greenhouse gas emissions now rather than sometime in the future,” Anders Anker Bjørk says.

    Reference: Dømgaard M, Millan R, Andersen JK, et al. Half a century of dynamic instability following the ocean-driven break-up of Wordie Ice Shelf. Nat Commun. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41467-025-59293-1


    This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.

    Continue Reading