A research team led by scientists from several Japanese institutions has identified a compound called Mic-628 that directly influences the body's internal timing system. This interaction encourages the formation of a larger molecular complex known as CLOCK-BMAL1-CRY1-Mic-628. Notably, these clock shifts occurred together and did not depend on when the compound was given. To test real-world relevance, the team used a mouse model designed to mimic jet lag by advancing the light-dark cycle by six hours (6-hour light-dark phase advance). Further mathematical analysis showed that this steady, one-direction shift forward is driven by a built-in feedback loop involving the PER1 protein, which helps stabilize the clock change. Adjusting to earlier schedules, such as traveling east across time zones or working night shifts, requires the body clock to move forward. Common approaches like light exposure or melatonin depend heavily on precise timing and often produce uneven results. Because Mic-628 consistently advances the clock regardless of dosing time, it offers a fundamentally different drug-based approach to circadian reset. Since the compound reliably moves the body clock forward through a clearly defined biological pathway, it could become a model "smart drug" for addressing jet lag, sleep problems linked to shift work, and other disorders caused by circadian misalignment. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Earth's Magnetic Field Has an “Astonishing” Wild Side Scientists Missed Until Now Scientists Watched Kidneys Age in Months and Found a Kidney Protector Stay informed with ScienceDaily's free email newsletter, updated daily and weekly. Or view our many newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments.

A study published in the journal Science Advances is reshaping how researchers understand early human violence. By closely examining the people who died in what may be one of Europe's earliest known victory celebrations, scientists are challenging long-held assumptions about prehistoric warfare and its purpose. Archaeological excavations at the Achenheim and Bergheim sites revealed disturbing patterns. Researchers uncovered complete skeletons bearing signs of extreme and repeated violence, alongside pits filled with severed left upper limbs. This combination of excessive force and body part removal did not resemble known Neolithic massacres or executions. Rather than unplanned brutality, the researchers suggest these deaths were part of organized rituals carried out after conflict, meant to shame defeated enemies and strengthen group identity. To better understand who these individuals were, scientists compared isotopic markers in the victims' bones and teeth with those of people buried in standard graves. These chemical signatures reflect diet, movement, and physical stress over a lifetime. The victims had distinct dietary patterns and signs of greater mobility and physiological strain, indicating they were likely outsiders rather than members of the local community. The severed limbs, thought to have been taken from warriors killed in combat, matched local isotopic values. In contrast, the individuals whose full skeletons showed signs of torture appeared to come from more distant regions. This split supports the idea of a structured, two-level ritual. Local enemies killed in fighting were dismembered, with limbs brought back as trophies. Others, likely captives taken from afar, were subjected to violent executions. Professor Schulting said: "These findings speak to a deeply embedded social practice -one that used violence not just as warfare, but as spectacle, memory, and assertion of dominance." Earth's Magnetic Field Has an “Astonishing” Wild Side Scientists Missed Until Now Scientists Watched Kidneys Age in Months and Found a Kidney Protector Stay informed with ScienceDaily's free email newsletter, updated daily and weekly. Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments.

The Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA), working with scientific publisher Pensoft Publishers and well known science YouTuber Ze Frank, invited the public to help name a newly identified deep-sea chiton (a type of marine mollusk). More than 8,000 name ideas were submitted through social media. The animal has eight armored shell plates and an iron-clad radula (a rasping tongue). In just one week, the response exceeded 8,000 suggestions. says Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart, co-chair of SOSA at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt. Several other names stood out during the selection process. One was Ferreiraella stellacadens, meaning "Shooting star chiton," inspired by the animal's distinctive aesthete pattern and the way it quickly gained attention. Ferreiraella populi belongs to the genus Ferreiraella, a rare group of mollusks known for living only on sunken wood in the deep sea. The discovery adds to a lineage of chitons that has received little scientific attention so far and supports growing evidence that deep-sea wood-fall ecosystems host highly specialized communities that remain largely unknown, explains Sigwart. This structure allows them to curl into a protective ball or cling tightly to uneven surfaces such as deep-sea wood-falls. Chitons live in environments ranging from shallow coastal waters and coral reefs to the deep ocean, where some species survive at depths of up to 7,000 meters in complete darkness. When a new species is discovered, it is given a formal scientific name as part of its original taxonomic description. Each name must be unique, latinized, and previously unused. Specific epithets are often based on physical traits, locations, mythology, or people honored for their contributions. Many species disappear before scientists even realize they exist, a problem that is especially pronounced among marine invertebrates, says Sigwart. "It can often take ten, if not twenty years, for a new species to be studied, scientifically described, named, and published. At SOSA, we have therefore made it our mission to streamline these processes while simultaneously engaging the public with these fascinating creatures. Ferreiraella populi has now been described and given a scientific name only two years after its discovery. This is crucial for the conservation of marine diversity, especially in light of the threats it faces such as deep-sea mining!" Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Earth's Magnetic Field Has an “Astonishing” Wild Side Scientists Missed Until Now Scientists Watched Kidneys Age in Months and Found a Kidney Protector Stay informed with ScienceDaily's free email newsletter, updated daily and weekly. Or view our many newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments.