Author: Daily Upsider

Lake Salda, located about two hours from Antalya in southwestern Turkey, stands out for its brilliant turquoise waters and extraordinary scientific importance. It is the only known spot on Earth with geological features comparable to those of Mars’ Jezero Crater—currently being explored by NASA’s Perseverance Rover. Before the rover’s launch, researchers, including Purdue University professor Briony Horgan, studied this lake to gain insights into Mars’ ancient water systems.

Lake Salda formed from oceanic crust rising directly from Earth’s interior, making it an ideal “planetary analog” for Mars, according to Horgan. Part of Turkey’s “Lake District,” the area is also popular for hiking, birdwatching, and swimming. Nearby, the ancient cities of Kibyra and Sagalassos (both under UNESCO consideration) and the famous white travertine terraces of Pamukkale add to the region’s historical and natural allure.

 In 2022, the International Commission on Geoheritage named Lake Salda one of the world’s Top 100 geological sites. Although the lake is legally protected, threats from pollution, falling water levels, and ecological disturbances persist. Horgan emphasizes the importance of responsible tourism, noting that Lake Salda has no outflow, so pollutants remain trapped, and its ancient microbial structures—millions of years in the making—are irreplaceable.

In 1969, NASA broadcast the Apollo 11 moon landing with a simple TV camera. More than fifty years later, technology has rocketed forward, and on Sunday, March 2 Firefly Aerospace made history when its Blue Ghost lunar spacecraft touched down upright on the Moon—the first time a private company has achieved such a feat.

Standing six feet tall and spanning eleven feet wide, Blue Ghost is equipped with cameras on all sides. They captured every angle of the descent, and three days after touchdown, Firefly released high-definition footage of the landing site in Mare Crisium. Mission control precisely identified hazards and guided the craft to its target, prompting Firefly’s jubilant announcement: “We have Moon dust on our boots!”

The company’s first lunar mission, dubbed “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” launched on January 15 aboard a SpaceX rocket as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. After 45 days of solar-powered travel, Blue Ghost became the first commercial spacecraft to complete a fully successful lunar landing, carrying 10 scientific instruments including a deep-surface drill to measure temperature. It also delivered the first HD footage from the Moon—a milestone now shared worldwide by CBS News and Firefly.

The locus coeruleus, a small but powerful part of the brain, is gaining attention for its role in regulating attention and sleep. If you’ve ever struggled with insomnia, you know the frustration of an overactive mind that refuses to shut down. The idea of a “mental dimmer switch” might seem like a dream, but research suggests it’s not entirely out of reach. This tiny cluster of neurons, located in the brainstem, plays a key role in wakefulness by producing norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that helps keep us alert. Once thought to shut down completely during sleep, new findings indicate that the locus coeruleus remains subtly active, possibly influencing the depth and quality of our rest.

The locus coeruleus operates like a gearbox, adjusting brain activity depending on the task at hand. Neuroscientist Mithu Storoni describes it in three “gears”: low activity causes a wandering mind, moderate activity enhances focus, and high activity can lead to stress and hyper-alertness. Its function shifts throughout the day, rising in the morning, peaking during the day, and winding down at night. However, even during non-REM sleep, it fires intermittently, potentially keeping us sensitive to external stimuli without fully waking us up. During REM sleep, its activity drops further, allowing the body to enter temporary paralysis and preventing dream enactment. These fluctuations suggest that disruptions in locus coeruleus activity—such as those caused by stress—may contribute to sleep disorders, particularly anxiety-related insomnia.

Understanding how to regulate this brain region could unlock new treatments for sleep issues. Some researchers are exploring brain stimulation as a way to balance locus coeruleus activity, but until more solutions emerge, managing overstimulation before bed remains key. Avoiding screens, resisting the urge to push through fatigue, and engaging in relaxation techniques—such as breathing exercises or gentle stretching—can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and better sleep. While we may not have a perfect “off switch” for an overactive mind, aligning our daily routines with our natural sleep cycles can help us rest more effectively.

Researchers at the University of Montreal (UdeM) have developed an innovative method to study pain in cats using brain scans while they are awake. By embedding electrodes into knitted wool hats, the team created a non-invasive way to monitor brain activity without the discomfort of traditional methods. This breakthrough is particularly significant for studying chronic pain in felines, as osteoarthritis affects over 25% of adult cats and becomes more prevalent with age.

Traditional electrode setups proved ineffective, as cats would shake them off or chew on the wires. To address this, researchers designed soft, crocheted beanies that comfortably held the sensors in place. “We had the idea of the little knitted hat that would keep the electrodes in place,” explained Aude Castel, an assistant professor at UdeM. The study involved 11 adult cats with osteoarthritis, who were exposed to sensory stimuli such as colored lights and scents to assess whether these stimuli could help reduce pain. Using positive reinforcement, including treats, the team ensured the cats tolerated the hats, allowing for successful data collection.

Published in Journal of Neuroscience Methods, the study confirmed that this novel approach effectively captures brain activity in response to sensory stimulation, offering new insights into feline pain perception. The researchers now aim to secure funding to develop an EEG signature for chronic pain, which could eventually lead to automated pain detection in cats. This advancement could transform how veterinarians diagnose and manage chronic pain, improving the quality of life for aging felines.

It is likely many of you have been inside a church before. But it is unlikely you have ever been inside one like this. Or had to make such a perilous journey to reach it.