Welcome to the Overnight News Digest with a crew consisting of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Besame, jck, and FarWestGirl.
Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man (RIP), wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), rfall, ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, JeremyBloom, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP), jlms qkw, and doomandgloom .
OND is a regular community feature on Daily Kos since 2007, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time. Please feel free to share your articles and stories in the comments.
Pi Day: From rockets to cancer research, here's how the number pi is embedded in our lives.
Phys.org
Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi.
Representing the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, pi is approximately equal to 3.14159—but its digits go on forever. In school, you might have used it to calculate the area of a circle or the volume of a cylinder. But the applications of pi are endless and part of every corner of our world.
The holiday was created in 1988 by Larry Shaw, a physicist at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco.
"He had a very open and expansive view of the world and saw an opportunity with this number, mathematical concept, to invite people into the joy of mathematical learning," said Sam Sharkland, program director of public programs at the museum, who worked with Shaw before he died in 2017.
Astronomy/Space
Our Sun may have escaped the Milky Way’s center with thousands of twin stars.
Science Daily
Scientists have uncovered evidence that our Sun may have traveled across the Milky Way as part of a massive migration of Sun-like stars billions of years ago. The journey may have carried the solar system away from the galaxy’s crowded center into a calmer region where life could eventually emerge.
Can solar storms trigger earthquakes? Scientists propose surprising link.
Science Daily
Scientists have proposed a surprising connection between solar flares and earthquakes. When solar activity disturbs the ionosphere, it may generate electric fields that penetrate fragile fracture zones in Earth’s crust. If a fault is already critically stressed, this extra electrostatic pressure could help trigger a quake. The idea doesn’t claim direct causation, but it offers a fresh way to think about how space weather and seismic events might interact.
Dry ice detected in a planetary nebula for the first time.
Phys.org
An international team of astronomers has employed the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe a complex planetary nebula known as NGC 6302. The observations, detailed in a paper published Feb. 25 on the arXiv pre-print server, resulted in the discovery of dry (carbon dioxide) ice in this nebula. This is the first time dry ice has been detected in a planetary nebula.
Astronomers collect rare evidence of two planets colliding.
Phys.org
Anastasios (Andy) Tzanidakis was combing through old telescope data from 2020 when he found an otherwise boring star acting very strangely. The star, named Gaia20ehk, was about 11,000 light-years from Earth near the constellation Puppis. It was a stable "main sequence" star, much like our sun, which meant that it should emit steady, predictable light. Yet this star began to flicker wildly.
Archeology/Anthro
Ancient DNA solves 12,000-year-old mystery of rare genetic growth disorder.
Science Daily
An Ice Age double burial in Italy has yielded a stunning genetic revelation. DNA from a mother and daughter who lived over 12,000 years ago shows that the younger had a rare inherited growth disorder, confirmed through mutations in a key bone-growth gene. Her mother carried a milder version of the same mutation. The finding not only solves a long-standing mystery but also proves that rare genetic diseases stretch far back into prehistory.
Ancient drought may have wiped out the real-life hobbits 61,000 years ago.
Science Daily
A massive, centuries-long drought may have driven the extinction of the “hobbits” of Flores. Climate records preserved in cave formations show rainfall plummeted just as the small human species disappeared. At the same time, pygmy elephants they depended on declined sharply as rivers dried up. With food and water vanishing, the hobbits may have been pushed out—and into their final chapter.
Textbooks were wrong: Scientists reveal the surprising way human hair really grows.
Science Daily
Hair may grow in a completely different way than scientists once believed. Instead of being pushed out from the root, new research shows that moving cells inside the follicle actually pull the hair upward like a microscopic motor. Advanced 3D imaging revealed a spiral movement of cells that generates this force. The finding could change how scientists study hair loss and design future treatments.
Giving people cash didn’t cause more injuries or deaths.
Science Daily
As cash transfer programs expand across the United States, critics often warn that giving people money could spark reckless behavior, leading to injuries or even deaths. But a sweeping 11-year analysis of Alaska’s long-running Permanent Fund Dividend program tells a different story. Researchers examined statewide hospital records and death data and found no increase in traumatic injuries or unnatural deaths after annual payments were distributed.
Reading fossil skull fracture patterns: Biomechanical analysis provides new insights.
Phys.org
A research team associated with the European project DEATHREVOL has published a study in the journal Scientific Reports that proposes new analytical tools to better understand how fractures of the human skull occur and how these injuries can be interpreted in order to distinguish between accidental trauma and trauma resulting from interpersonal violence. The study involved researchers from Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre Evolución Humana (CENIEH) and from the University of Burgos and Rey Juan Carlos University (Madrid)
Musicologists map medieval chant tropes to 9th-century political borders.
Phys.org
The spread of a particular genre of music reflects the borders between medieval empires in Europe. This is shown by a studyconducted by a musicologist at the University of Würzburg, appearing in Transactions of the International Society for Music Information Retrieval.
Climate Change/Tech
Bacteria that generate electricity: How a shellfish-based gel could monitor wastewater and food.
Phys.org
Microbial bioelectronic sensors use living bacteria that can create an electrical signal in response to the presence of a target substance, or analyte. These types of sensors offer many advantages over other types of biosensors based on proteins and enzymes: The bacteria can perform multiple functions, survive in a variety of environments and even grow and regenerate for potential long-term use.
Evolution
Scientists discover ancient DNA “switches” hidden in plants for 400 million years.
Science Daily
Scientists have uncovered an enormous hidden archive of plant DNA that has endured for more than 400 million years. By comparing hundreds of plant genomes, researchers identified more than 2.3 million regulatory DNA sequences that act like genetic switches, controlling when and how genes are activated. These sequences, known as conserved non-coding sequences (CNSs), were detected using a new computational tool called Conservatory.
400 million-year-old fish fossils reveal how life began moving onto land.
Science Daily
Scientists have uncovered new clues about some of Earth’s earliest fish, shedding light on the ancient origins of vertebrates that eventually moved onto land. By reanalyzing mysterious fossils from Australia’s famed Gogo Formation and studying a newly reconstructed 410-million-year-old lungfish skull from China, researchers are revealing how these primitive creatures evolved.
Scientists finally solve the mystery of yeast’s tiny centromeres.
Science Daily
Scientists have uncovered how brewer’s yeast developed its unusually tiny centromeres, the DNA regions that guide chromosome separation during cell division. By studying related yeast species, researchers found centromeres that appear to represent evolutionary halfway points. These structures seem to have formed from retrotransposons—mobile “jumping genes” in the genome. The discovery shows how DNA once considered genomic junk can be transformed into essential chromosome machinery.
A hidden world inside DNA is finally revealed.
Science Daily
DNA doesn’t just sit still inside our cells — it folds, loops, and rearranges in ways that shape how genes behave. Researchers have now mapped this hidden architecture in unprecedented detail, showing how genome structure changes from cell to cell and over time. These insights reveal why many disease-linked mutations outside genes can still cause harm. The findings could speed up the discovery of genetic risks and inspire new ways to target diseases.
Health/Medicine
Parthanatos pathway behind neuron loss in multiple sclerosis identified.
Phys.org
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often debilitating autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS). This disease causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibers (i.e., myelin), which leads to inflammation and lesions, disrupting the electrical signals connecting the brain and the body
Fatty acids that selectively kill senescent cells open new paths for age-related therapies.
Science Daily
New research from the University of Minnesota Medical School has identified fatty acids that selectively induce death in senescent cells—the culprits behind aging and many chronic diseases—opening new avenues for age-related therapies. The findings are published in Cell Press Blue.
The research team discovered certain naturally occurring polyunsaturated lipids can selectively remove senescent cells. Senescent cells are old, damaged cells that accumulate with age and contribute to aging and many age-related diseases like pulmonary fibrosis, osteoarthritis and loss of resilience to infections.
Cell death in photoreceptor cells is reversible, study finds.
Phys.org
Photoreceptors are specialized cells in the eye that convert light energy into neural signals. Several diseases that cause irreversible vision loss, including age-related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and retinal detachment, are associated with dying photoreceptors. While there are many molecular pathways that result in cell death, there are also many that try to keep the cell alive.
A hidden Aloe vera compound takes aim at Alzheimer’s.
Science Daily
Scientists have uncovered promising clues that compounds found in Aloe vera could play a role in fighting Alzheimer’s disease. Using advanced computer modeling, researchers discovered that beta-sitosterol—a natural plant compound—strongly interacts with two key enzymes involved in memory loss and cognitive decline. The compound showed stability, strong binding, and favorable safety indicators, making it a standout candidate for future drug development.
Scientists reveal how exercise protects the brain from Alzheimer’s.
Science Daily
Exercise may sharpen the mind by repairing the brain’s protective shield. Researchers found that physical activity prompts the liver to release an enzyme that removes a harmful protein causing the blood-brain barrier to become leaky with age. In older mice, dialing down this protein reduced inflammation and improved memory. The discovery points to a surprising body-to-brain pathway that could inspire new Alzheimer’s therapies.
Plants & Animals
In a South Carolina swamp, researchers uncover secrets of firefly synchrony.
Phys.org
In the middle of the old-growth forests of Congaree National Park in South Carolina, fireflies put on an otherworldly display every May. Thousands of male insects belonging to the species Photuris frontalis flash together at the same time and follow the exact same pattern—a synchronous light show you can see only in few places in the United States.
How an unlikely all-female clonal fish species copied and pasted itself free from extinction
Phys.org
The tiny Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa) has always fascinated researchers because, according to the rules of evolution, it shouldn't have survived as a species, let alone thrive as a species for over 100,000 years. Using advanced genetic mapping and comparison techniques to track how the Amazon molly's DNA has changed over time, a new study set out to uncover the genetic secrets behind this apparent rebellion against evolutionary theory.
Bright pink insect stands out to blend in, scientists say.
Phys.org
A tropical insect has been found to change color from vivid hot pink to green within a fortnight, which scientists believe may mimic the young leaves of rainforest plants. The findings, published this week in the journal Ecology, focuses on Arota festae, a leaf-masquerading katydid also known as a "bush cricket," native to Panama, Colombia and Suriname.
Can plants count? Study suggests they can track the number of events they experience.
Phys.org
It's long been assumed that for an organism to learn, remember or draw conclusions, it needs a brain. But mounting evidence, including a recent Cognitive Science study, challenges that assumption, suggesting that neurons might not be necessary for complex information processing.
Fantastic fungi found with ability to freeze water.
Phys.org
Can fungi influence the weather? Turns out, they just might. An international group of researchers that includes Virginia Tech's Xiaofeng Wang and Boris A. Vinatzer discovered the identity of fungal proteins that can catalyze ice formation at high subzero temperatures. The research is published in Science Advances. One potential application of this discovery could be to engineer weather.
Study documents record 118-kilometer dispersal by young female fisher [relative of the pine martin] in New Hampshire.
Phys.org
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have documented the farthest trek of a young female fisher (Pekania pennanti) moving 118 kilometers (over 73 miles) from Durham to the outskirts of Lincoln, a small town in New Hampshire's White Mountains. This trip marks the longest known recorded dispersal for the species.
Scientists discover hedgehogs can hear ultrasound and it could save them from cars.
Science Daily
Researchers have discovered that hedgehogs can hear ultrasound, a surprising ability that could help protect them from cars. Since road traffic kills large numbers of hedgehogs, scientists believe ultrasonic repellents might be used to steer them away from danger. The animals’ ears appear specially adapted for detecting high-frequency sounds. If the idea works, cars could one day emit signals that warn hedgehogs before it’s too late.
Paleontology
190-million-year-old “Sword Dragon” fossil rewrites ichthyosaur history.
Science Daily
A newly identified ichthyosaur from the UK’s Jurassic Coast is rewriting part of the prehistoric playbook. Nicknamed the “Sword Dragon of Dorset,” the three-meter-long marine reptile lived during a poorly understood window of evolution when major ichthyosaur groups were disappearing and new ones emerging. Its beautifully preserved skeleton — complete with a blade-like snout and possible last meal — helps pinpoint when this dramatic transition occurred.
This 2-pound dinosaur is rewriting what scientists know about evolution.
Science Daily
A nearly complete dinosaur skeleton discovered in Patagonia is helping scientists crack the mystery of alvarezsaurs, a bizarre group of bird-like dinosaurs. The fossil of Alnashetri cerropoliciensis reveals that these animals became tiny before developing their later specialized features, such as stubby arms and ant-eating adaptations. Weighing under two pounds, the dinosaur is one of the smallest known from South America.
