I was wrong! Extraterrestrial life should not be sought in habitable zones ● Electronic cigarettes + menthol = disaster! ● Good and bad news about mosquitoes

I was wrong! It is not in populated areas that we should look for extraterrestrial life

I hear this phrase all the time when searching for life in the habitable zones of the solar system. That is, these are areas where the temperature is moderate enough for water to exist in liquid form. And that’s because we relate to life as we know it here on Earth. We’ve been wrong this whole time, says a study published in preprint on the arXiv platform by two astronomers at Columbia University in New York.

What we should look for, and what we are advised to do from now on, are the so-called “computational domains”. It’s a bit complicated, but we’ll explain. According to the authors of the study, these territories have certain features. First, they contain chemical elements that can contribute to the emergence of life. Second, they have an energy source, solar or otherwise. Finally, a favorable environment, a substrate in which chemistry can take place. Essentially, these people extrapolate a computational model from a digital level to a biological one.

To use the Romanian language, the model of life as we know it is only one of the aspects that can be covered by a general model that would allow the emergence of life. We don’t live in a Star Trek universe where 90% of intelligent life forms are hominids. In fact, even in Star Trek, back in the original series, silicon life forms appear.

In fact, if we extrapolate the model, we can find many more habitable zones. For example, clouds of cosmic gas. The problem is that we have to broaden our horizons and consider that life can come in many other forms and with a much different chemistry than what we know.

Electronic cigarettes + menthol = disaster!

A study conducted by scientists from the University of Pittsburgh, USA, shows that e-cigarette smokers, especially those who prefer menthol versions, are practically smoking ticking bombs.

American scientists used a robotic model imitating the human respiratory system, and then tested different versions of electronic cigarettes on it. The finding, published in the journal Respiratory Research, says that variants containing mentholated liquid produce far more carcinogenic particles than those without menthol.

To verify this information from a second source, the researchers analyzed several volunteers among e-cigarette smokers. It found that people who smoked mostly menthol cigarettes had more lung problems than those who preferred plain versions.

In the same vein, the authors of the study emphasize what has already been demonstrated, namely that, including the absence of nicotine, e-cigarettes contain many toxic substances that affect the respiratory system, etc. Yes, it’s a better idea than smoking regular cigarettes, but you’re still not out of danger.

The problem, the same researchers say, is that despite the warnings, menthol cigarettes (electronic or not) are still extremely popular, especially among young people. And since large studies take a long time, it is difficult to explain to everyone how bad menthol in cigarettes is for them. In fact, it remains to be seen how much damage they can cause.

Good and bad news about mosquitoes

As you know, mosquitoes enter a period of rest called diapause in winter. That’s why you don’t even need to deal with them anymore. When the heat comes, save who can. The problem is that this cycle of tens, even hundreds of millions of years is now interrupted by light pollution in urban centers.

The good news is that many mosquitoes may not survive the winter if their breeding plans are disrupted. Don’t celebrate yet! We also have bad news. Please, not us, but the authors of a study recently published in the specialized journal Insects. And the bad news is that this diapause, in most cases, will be prolonged for some time, in short, mosquitoes will be attacking much longer throughout the year, perhaps even until late autumn.

In fact, this is the first study to look at the effects of light pollution on mosquitoes. And, according to researchers from Ohio University, the authors of the aforementioned study, light pollution seriously disrupts the circadian rhythm of the mentioned insects.

To better understand, mosquitoes prepare for winter by converting sugars, such as those found in plant nectar, into fats. As the days get longer, females begin to look for sources of blood, which is necessary for the process of egg production and development. Because artificial light confuses them, mosquitoes start hunting even when they normally don’t.

As I said, the downside for the victims is that they will be attacked for much longer. The bad part for mosquitoes is that they can’t absorb the sugar they need to survive the winter. Since winters are also not what they used to be, mosquitoes may find themselves at an advantage. However, research is still in its infancy and what has been observed so far has only been at the laboratory level.

We’ll let you know what and how when the wild mosquito research results come out.

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