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I recently learned that the Earth's core contains enough gold that if extracted, could cover the entire surface of the planet to a depth of 0.5 meters! I wonder if someone will figure out how to extract it one day…

Health Science

New Iridiation Treatment Makes Broken Bones Grow Back 3x Stronger

A groundbreaking method for treating broken bones could significantly reduce healing time and make the bones more than three times stronger, according to a team of Japanese scientists.

The innovative approach involves using plasma irradiation to accelerate the healing process in complex fractures. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan have successfully demonstrated this technique in laboratory rats.

Their findings revealed that bones treated with plasma irradiation not only healed faster but were also approximately 3.5 times stronger than those that did not receive the treatment.

Currently, complex or displaced fractures often require surgical intervention and can lead to prolonged periods of immobilization for patients. The research team's goal is to reduce recovery times and enhance bone healing using non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma, which is gaining significant interest in the medical field for its tissue repair capabilities.

While the plasma treatment did not show significant benefits for the normal fracture group, it substantially improved healing and recovery times for the non-union fracture group, which are much more serious. The strength of the bone in the irradiated non-union group was found to be about 3.5 times that of the non-irradiated group, as reported in the journal PLoS One.

Further in vitro studies showed that irradiating cells with plasma for five to 15 seconds increased the activity of a protein involved in osteoblast differentiation, suggesting enhanced maturation of bone-forming cells.

This is a very exciting development for treating severe bone breaks. I hope they keep researching this verify and perfect its application.

World News

Ancient City— Uncovered, Rewrites History

A significant discovery was made in Tonga, revealing evidence of an ancient city through advanced laser technology. Nearly 10,000 mounds were discovered, suggesting the existence of one of the earliest Pacific cities, though they are barely visible today.

Aerial laser surveys also indicated that South and Central America could have supported large urban centers, with populations surpassing previous estimations.

Despite Tonga's tropical setting, this ancient city lies just 12 kilometers from the capital, Nuku'alofa, challenging previous beliefs about early settlement patterns. This discovery, dating back to around AD 300, signifies significant social and economic changes as the population grew.

These findings also challenge traditional views of urbanism in the Southern Hemisphere during the European Middle Ages, suggesting that Tonga may represent a different model of ancient city development. It raises the possibility of uncovering similar cities across the Pacific.

Mound construction, typical of traditional urbanism in the Americas, is also evident in Tonga. In areas lacking stone resources, people used dirt to build mounds. However, the exact purpose of each mound remains uncertain.

Culture

6 Ways Living in America Can Completely Change You

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to move to America as an adult?

Environment

Is Geothermal Heating Up?

In the Nevada desert, an innovative power plant, Project Red, is utilizing geothermal energy to generate electricity by pumping water into the earth's heat-rich depths and using the heated water to power generators. Developed by Fervo Energy, this project marks a shift in geothermal energy use, traditionally confined to volcanic regions like Iceland, to areas without such natural geological features.

Geothermal energy, sourced from the Earth’s core, has historically been a minor player in global electricity production, but with advancements in technology, there is hope that it could become more mainstream. These advancements include techniques borrowed from oil and gas extraction that improve the efficiency and reliability of geothermal power generation.

Despite the potential, geothermal energy faces challenges such as high costs, technological difficulties, and in some cases, the risk of triggering earthquakes. For instance, an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) in South Korea was closed after it likely caused a significant earthquake.

However, several other plants have shown great success, including several German and French systems built between 1987 and 2012 in the Rhine Valley.

Geothermal energy is most effective in regions where there is both intense underground heat and permeable rock. The exploration of EGS technologies are opening new places and techniques that could greatly expand this source of energy. The hope is that with further development and investment, geothermal energy can be a large supplemental renewable energy source.

If you are interested in reading more about this potential turning point for geothermal, check out this article.

Mind Stretchers 

⁉️ 

What ancient invention allows people to see through walls?

The answer to yesterday’s Mind Stretcher was:
A Parachute

Water was a guess that most people had. Unfortunately, not the answer.

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to this email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.