Jhon Atan TV

25/02/2025

In 1992, a storm in the Pacific Ocean caused a shipping container to spill 29,000 yellow ducks into the sea.

For the last 33 years, these toys have traveled across the globe. They've been found floating past the Titanic’s resting place, washed up in Japan, and have even been found in freezing Arctic ice.

Oceanographer Curt Ebbesmeyer has tracked their movements, using them to study ocean currents and understand the complex flow of the world’s seas. The accidental spill has provided valuable insights into how marine debris circulates, highlighting the long-lasting impact of plastic pollution.

Each year, hundreds of shipping containers are lost at sea due to rough weather and improper stacking, with some estimates reaching as high as 10,000.

While many containers sink to the ocean floor, others release their cargo, leading to unexpected discoveries on distant shores. Despite the lack of a global mandate to report lost containers, these spills have helped researchers study ocean patterns.

Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_Floatees_spill

23/02/2025

23/02/2025

A rare seven-planet alignment (aka "planetary parade") will light up the sky on February 28, 2025, featuring Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune! This won't happen again until 2040.

While they won’t form a perfect line, they’ll align along the ecliptic, the Sun’s path in the sky. Best viewed about 45 minutes after sunset, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus will be visible to the naked eye.

Catch the show around March 3, 2025, across most cities in India!

22/02/2025

BREAKING: NASA says that a newly found asteroid could hit Earth in 2032.

And the agency just doubled the impact probability of asteroid 2024 YR4. Now, they say there is a 2.3% chance it hits Earth.

Measuring between 40 and 90 meters in diameter, 2024 YR4 is currently rated at level 3 on the Torino Scale, indicating a localized but potentially significant impact.

Observations will continue until April before the asteroid becomes too faint to track, resuming in 2028. The James Webb Space Telescope is set to refine its size estimate in March 2025 to improve impact predictions.

If 2024 YR4 strikes Earth, its effect could resemble the Tunguska event of 1908, which flattened 80 million trees across 2,150 square kilometers in Siberia. Scientists note that the asteroid’s composition will determine its impact — if rocky, it may explode in midair as a fireball, whereas an iron-rich asteroid could form a crater upon impact.

Experts worldwide are closely monitoring the asteroid to refine its trajectory and assess the threat.

Learn more: https://blogs.nasa.gov/planetarydefense/2025/02/07/nasa-continues-to-monitor-orbit-of-near-earth-asteroid-2024-yr4/

22/02/2025

LOOK: Impact risk corridor for the 2032 approach of Asteroid 2024 YR4.

Observations are ongoing to refine its trajectory, with the current risk corridor spanning the Pacific, South America, Atlantic, Africa, and northern India.

An asteroid that could level a city now has a 3.1% chance of striking Earth in 2032, according to NASA data released Tuesday—making it the most threatening space rock ever recorded by modern forecasting.

22/02/2025

An asteroid that could level a city now has a 3.1-percent chance of striking Earth in 2032, according to NASA data released Tuesday -- making it the most threatening space rock ever recorded by modern forecasting.

Despite the rising odds, experts say there is no need for alarm. The global astronomical community is closely monitoring the situation and the James Webb Space Telescope is set to fix its gaze on the object, known as 2024 YR4, next month.

Read the article in the comments section for more details.

22/02/2025

Paracetamol (used in Tylenol, Excedrin, and more) was just linked to ADHD.

A recent study suggests that children whose mothers used paracetamol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy may have a higher risk of developing ADHD.

Researchers analyzed blood samples from 307 pregnant women and found that those with detectable levels of paracetamol were three times more likely to have children diagnosed with ADHD. Unlike previous studies that relied on self-reported medication use, this research used direct biological markers, making it more accurate.

However, some experts argue that the real cause might be the underlying conditions—such as fever or pain—that led mothers to take the medication rather than the drug itself.

While the study provides compelling evidence, it is not definitive. The sample size was small, consisting only of Black women from Tennessee, and only measured paracetamol exposure at one point in pregnancy.

So further research is needed. In the meantime, experts recommend that pregnant individuals discuss pain management options with their doctors.

Learn more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-025-00387-6

22/02/2025

Astronomers just announced the discovery of the largest structure in the known universe.

It's 1.4 billion light-years across and hundreds of thousands of times more massive than a single galaxy, like the Milky Way.

Named the Quipu superstructure, after an ancient Incan counting system of knotted ropes, it contains nearly 70 galactic superclusters. Using data from the German ROSAT X-ray satellite, researchers mapped out galaxy clusters and identified how they might be connected, revealing a massive structure that immediately stood out. Quipu surpasses previous record-holders like the Sloan Great Wall, further challenging our understanding of cosmic structure and scale.

The discovery of such an immense structure raises questions about the fundamental cosmological principle, which assumes the universe should appear uniform at large scales. Some scientists argue that structures like Quipu contradict this principle, while others believe they simply push the boundaries of what we consider "large enough" for uniformity to emerge. Additionally, it remains uncertain whether the galaxies in Quipu are gravitationally bound or will drift apart over time as the universe expands. Regardless, this finding deepens our knowledge of the universe’s vast complexity and fuels ongoing debates about the nature of cosmic evolution.

Learn more: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.19236

22/02/2025

🚨BREAKING NEWS: First-ever photo of the highly-classified X-37B space plane in orbit

No one has ever spotted the elusive spacecraft, and we still have only the faintest idea of what it's doing up there.

Now, for the first time, the US Space Force has shared an image of its top-secret X-37B space plane while in orbit.

Captured by an onboard camera, the photo shows part of the spacecraft, including a solar panel and what appears to be an open payload bay, as it flies high above Earth. The vehicle, which launched on its seventh mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in December 2023, has been in orbit for over a year.

While details about its mission remain classified, officials have revealed that the X-37B is testing advanced space technologies, including aerobraking maneuvers to adjust its orbit with minimal fuel.

The X-37B has long been a mystery, with its missions lasting years without much public information. However, it is known to serve as a testbed for new space technologies, including solar power beaming, thermal protection systems, and autonomous flight capabilities.

With China also developing its own reusable space plane, the race for dominance in space-based technology is intensifying. While the exact return date for the X-37B remains unknown, this latest image marks a rare glimpse into the activities of one of the most secretive spacecraft in operation today.

Learn more about this elusive space plane: https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3583347/department-of-the-air-force-scheduled-to-launch-seventh-x-37b-mission/

22/02/2025

Scientists have created a hydrogel that strengthens bones in weeks. Bone density increased by 5X in a lab.

A groundbreaking injectable hydrogel may soon offer a faster, more effective treatment for osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and increases fracture risk.

Developed by researchers at EPFL in Switzerland and startup Flowbone, this new hydrogel, made from hyaluronic acid and hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, mimics bone’s natural minerals and strengthens fragile areas. In lab tests on rats, the treatment increased bone density by up to three times within weeks. When combined with the osteoporosis drug Zoledronate, bone density at the injection site increased nearly fivefold, potentially reducing the risk of fractures far more quickly than current medications.

While the hydrogel is not a permanent fix, researchers believe it could revolutionize osteoporosis management by complementing existing drug therapies and speeding up recovery. Given that osteoporosis affects millions worldwide—especially postmenopausal women—this breakthrough could significantly lower the risk of life-threatening fractures. The team now aims to secure regulatory approval and begin clinical trials, bringing this promising technology one step closer to real-world use. If successful, it could redefine how osteoporosis is treated, offering patients faster relief and stronger bones.

Learn more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8756328224003624?via%3Dihub

22/02/2025

"We’re at that point we’re at a really historical moment with this.” — Experts say HIV is no longer a terminal illness.

According to the World Health Organization, 42.3 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the beginning of the epidemic. But medical science has brought an end to the worst ravages of the virus.

People with HIV had a life expectancy of just 39 in 1996. In 2011, the life expectancy was 72 — the same as individuals without HIV.

Today, people living with HIV who have access to treatment can expect to live as long as their peers who do not have HIV. For most patients, it's a chronic disease, much like diabetes or heart disease. “It means likely you can have a normal lifespan and have a similar life to someone who does not have HIV,” says Dr. Ray Martins, chief medical officer at Whitman-Walker Health in Washington.

How did we achieve this? Antiretroviral therapy (ART) largly transformed HIV from a fatal infection into a chronic disease that can be managed. ART reduces the amount of HIV in the blood to undetectable levels, which also prevents the virus from being sexually transmitted.

And while it is true that many people lack access to treatment, this is a political and social problem — sadly, not something that can be solved by the medical sciences. So while we still have a ways to go, scientists have done their very best. Now, it is up to those in power to ensure individuals have the necessary access.

Learn more: https://www.cnn.com/2013/12/01/health/hiv-today/index.html

21/02/2025

"The Last Guard". Ancient Wonders of Archaeology, Art History & Architecture

Probably one of the most fascinating fossils found and opinion one of the saddest.

Several fossils of psytacosaur cubs found by paleontologist Dean Lomax under the protection of what appears to be an older brother who temporarily cared for them before being killed by a stream of volcanic debris. In Dean's own words:

“The largest fossil does not have the dimensions of a sexually mature adult, so it could not be the father and was probably an older brother of the little cubs.” The discovery is exceptionally well-preserved and appears in his book: Locked in Time - Animal Behavior Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils,

art: Bob Nicholls.