eznews.inRecent studies have revealed alarming levels of "forever chemicals," or PFAS, in North Carolina's waterways, particularly in the Piedmont region. These synthetic compounds, used for their waterproof and stain-resistant properties in everyday products, have been linked to serious health risks and are notoriously persistent in the environment. Researchers from Duke University discovered that wastewater treatment practices in Burlington were inadvertently converting PFAS precursors into harmful PFAS during processing. Notably, the concentration of PFAS in wastewater surged by 50,000 to 80,000 percent from a local textile manufacturing plant, contaminating drinking water supplies. Following the cessation of the problematic treatment process, PFAS levels in the wastewater significantly decreased. This research highlights the complexities of PFAS pollution and may aid communities globally in identifying similar contamination sources, emphasizing the need for innovative detection methods in environmental analysis. The findings are detailed in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters. 
Published: Nov 24 2025, 7 pmeznews.inA comprehensive 40-year study conducted by scientists at the University of Minnesota has found that fluoridated drinking water does not impair cognitive abilities, with children exposed to fluoride performing slightly better in mathematics and reading than their non-fluoridated counterparts. Analyzing data from over 26,800 high school students between 1980 and 2021, researchers assessed test scores alongside fluoride exposure levels and various health and socioeconomic factors. The study concluded that the recommended fluoride level of 0.7 milligrams per liter had no adverse effects on brain function during adolescence or adulthood. This research adds to the ongoing debate surrounding water fluoridation, which has been politically contentious, particularly in the U.S. Opponents, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have raised concerns about potential health risks, but experts argue that the evidence supports fluoride's safety and efficacy in preventing tooth decay, especially for underserved communities. The findings are published in the journal Science Advances.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 10 pmeznews.inIn Florida's Everglades, invasive Burmese and Indian pythons are creating a complex ecological challenge, as scientists have discovered that many of these snakes are hybrids resulting from interspecies breeding. This hybridization appears to enhance their adaptability, making them even more formidable than their parent species. Originally introduced in the 1970s, the python population surged after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, leading to a dramatic decline in native wildlife, including a 99.3% drop in raccoon numbers. A 2018 genetic study by the US Geological Survey identified at least 13 hybrid pythons, revealing a more intricate genetic landscape than previously understood. While hybrid vigor may contribute to their success, controlling this invasive population remains difficult due to the snakes' effective camouflage and secretive behavior. Researchers are now employing genetic tools to better understand their habitat preferences and improve management strategies against this growing threat.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 7 pmeznews.inA recent study published in *Nature Scientific Reports* suggests that the universe can be described using just one fundamental constant: time. This conclusion stems from a long-standing debate among physicists, initiated in 1992 at CERN, regarding the minimum number of constants necessary to measure all physical quantities. The research, led by George Matsas, explores two types of spacetime—Galilean and Minkowski. In Galilean spacetime, both time and length are needed, while in Minkowski spacetime, time alone suffices due to the interrelation of space and time. The study employs a clock experiment to demonstrate that length can be derived from time measurements, negating the need for additional constants. While this finding is intriguing, experts caution that existing constants remain useful for practical applications, as highlighted by Daniel Vanzella from the University of São Paulo.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 10 pmeznews.inIdentifying the quietest natural place on Earth is challenging due to various factors, including wind, wildlife, and human activity. However, the Haleakalā Crater in Hawaii, situated 3,055 meters above the Pacific Ocean, is often cited as the quietest national park in the U.S. The National Park Service notes that ambient sound levels in the crater can drop to as low as 10 decibels, allowing visitors to hear their own heartbeat. In contrast, the title of the quietest place overall belongs to the anechoic chamber at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, which has recorded sound levels as low as -24.9 decibels. This chamber, designed to absorb 99.99% of sound, has garnered three Guinness World Records for its extreme quietness. While myths about the chamber's effects persist, visitors often report disorientation and heightened awareness of bodily sounds during their stay.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 11 pmeznews.inAs the Northern Hemisphere enters the flu season, concerns are mounting over a potentially severe outbreak, particularly due to the emergence of a new variant known as subclade K, a strain of H3N2 influenza. This season was initially predicted to be milder than the previous one, which saw the highest pediatric flu deaths in a non-pandemic year since 2004. However, early data from Japan and the UK indicate an alarming rise in cases, especially among schoolchildren, with UK lab tests showing a significant increase in positive results compared to last year. While the current vaccine may not perfectly match the circulating subclade K strain, it still offers substantial protection, particularly for children, with effectiveness rates of 70-75% against hospitalization. Health experts emphasize the importance of vaccination to mitigate the impact of this evolving virus, underscoring that while the vaccine is not flawless, it significantly reduces the risk of severe illness.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 9 pmeznews.inThe Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), operational from October 2007 to mid-2022, has made significant contributions to our understanding of the universe, particularly through its study of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the afterglow of the Big Bang. Recently, the ACT team published its final data release, reinforcing concerns over the Hubble Tension, a discrepancy in the measurement of the universe's expansion rate. While two methods—galaxy distance and recession velocity versus CMB data—yield conflicting values, ACT's findings align with those from the European Space Agency's Planck satellite, further complicating the issue. Notably, ACT's data has effectively ruled out 30 extended cosmological models previously proposed to resolve this tension. Enhanced polarization maps from ACT, due to its larger size and sensitivity, provide deeper insights into the early universe, although questions about the fundamental nature of cosmic expansion remain unresolved.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 10 pmeznews.inA recent study by physicist Robert J. Scherrer has examined the potential effects of a tiny black hole passing through a human body, aiming to identify the minimum size that could cause significant injury or death. The research focuses on primordial black holes, hypothetical entities formed shortly after the Big Bang, which could theoretically vary in size from less than an atom to larger than the Sun. Scherrer calculated that a black hole with a mass of approximately 1.4 × 10^17 grams, akin to an asteroid, could inflict damage comparable to a bullet wound, primarily through shockwaves and tidal forces that could tear apart human cells, especially in the brain. While the study suggests that the absence of such catastrophic encounters could help constrain the abundance of primordial black holes as dark matter candidates, the likelihood of such an event occurring is exceedingly low, estimated at about 10^-18 per year.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 7 pmeznews.inThe first known human case of the H5N5 strain of avian influenza has resulted in the death of an older adult in Washington State, as confirmed by the state's Department of Health. The individual, who had preexisting health conditions, was hospitalized in King County after contracting the virus, which had not been previously recorded in humans. Authorities have stated that the risk to the general public remains low, with no additional cases linked to this incident. The deceased had a backyard flock of domestic birds, which tested positive for avian flu, suggesting that exposure likely occurred through the birds or their environment. The Department of Health emphasized the importance of annual flu vaccinations for those in close contact with birds to mitigate the risk of co-infection with human and avian influenza viruses, which could potentially lead to a more dangerous recombinant strain.
Published: Nov 24 2025, 8 pmeznews.inA recent study has shed new light on the ancient predator _Dunkleosteus terrelli_, a 4.2-meter (14-foot) fish that roamed the shallow seas of Cleveland 360 million years ago. This research, the first comprehensive examination of the species in nearly a century, reveals that _Dunkleosteus_ was not only unique among its contemporaries but also possessed a skull made up of nearly half cartilage, a feature more commonly associated with modern sharks. The study, led by Russell Engelman from Case Western Reserve University, utilized fossils from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, which boasts the largest collection of _Dunkleosteus_ remains. The findings challenge the notion of arthrodires as primitive creatures, highlighting their diversity and ecological significance. Engelman emphasized that these discoveries reveal _Dunkleosteus_ as an unusual but fascinating member of a complex group of ancient fishes. The study is published in The Anatomical Record.
Published: Nov 20 2025, 9 pmFor the fastest, latest, not so wokest news, 'experts say' you need to visit Eznews
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