This article first appeared in Issue 15 of our free digital magazine CURIOUS. Boxing and cheerleading collide in the case of the pom-pom crab (Lybia edmondsoni). Also known as the boxer crab‚ it has evolved to use the stinging power of anemones to its advantage by holding the venomous species Triactis producta in each claw.The defense mechanism increases feeding opportunities for the anemone as it’s waved through the water‚ but there’s a price. If the crab loses an anemone‚ it can rip the remaining one in half as a thrifty way of regaining a second pom-pom. Savage‚ but effective.  Subscribe to our newsletter and get every issue of CURIOUS delivered to your inbox free each month. As if being ripped in half wasn't enough‚ this practice has resulted in T. producta having low genetic diversity; it causes the anemones to asexually reproduce‚ meaning they're all clones of each other. On the upside‚ previous research has suggested that living as a boxing glove for crabs does provide the anemones with more access to food and oxygen than they'd be able to get on their own.Whilst their strength is mighty (albeit enhanced by their pom-poms)‚ the crabs themselves aren’t heavyweights when it comes to size‚ with a carapace reaching only 13 millimeters (0.5 inches). But what their body lacks in size‚ it more than makes up for in appearance; pom-pom crabs sport thin black rings around their legs‚ and a colorful pattern of polygons on their carapace.CURIOUS magazine is a digital magazine from IFLScience featuring interviews‚ experts‚ deep dives‚ fun facts‚ news‚ book excerpts‚ and much more. Issue 18 is out now.

New research reveals that magic mushrooms have existed since before the dinosaurs became extinct‚ although exactly why fungi developed the ability to produce psychedelic compounds remains a mystery. Tracing the history of the genes that give rise to the mind-altering substance psilocybin‚ the study authors found that the mushroom genus Psilocybe first evolved the enzymes required to synthesize the compound almost 70 million years ago.Around 165 different species of Psilocybe mushroom have been identified worldwide‚ with the majority being psychoactive. However‚ despite the popularity of shrooms as recreational drugs and‚ more recently‚ therapeutic tools‚ it took until 2017 for the genes underlying the biosynthesis of psilocybin to be identified.As it turns out‚ the compound is synthesized by a quartet of enzymes that convert the amino acid tryptophan into psilocybin and whose genes are grouped together in what’s known as a biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC). Until now‚ though‚ researchers had only identified this BGC in five different Psilocybe species‚ making it difficult to trace the evolutionary history of these genes.To resolve this‚ the study authors compared the genomes of 71 different Psilocybe mushrooms‚ analyzing the distribution of 2‚983 genes in order to create a type of genetic family tree known as a phylogeny. Revealing where in the mushrooms’ evolutionary history different genes emerged‚ the resulting phylogeny indicates that the psilocybin BGC first appeared roughly 67 million years ago.This means that magic mushrooms were around for the last million years or so of the dinosaur age‚ which came to a dramatic end during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. Based on the researchers’ analyses‚ psilocybin first appeared in wood-rotting fungi species but was later transferred to mushrooms that grow in soil and animal dung.In spite of the profound effects of psilocybin on human consciousness‚ it’s clear from this study that magic mushrooms evolved long before even our earliest ancestors appeared on the scene. It’s therefore highly unlikely that the ecological function of psilocybin has anything to do with humans‚ so why did the compound evolve in the first place?Given the rarity with which non-human animals have been observed consuming shrooms‚ the study authors say psilocybin was probably never intended for large critters. Sadly‚ then‚ the prospect of T. Rex and friends living out their last days in a psychedelic haze is slim.On the other hand‚ “fungal-insect interactions are ancient and widespread and provide a more logical hypothesis for development of psilocybin as a chemical defense in mushrooms‚” write the researchers. “To date‚ this has been the most commonly asserted hypothesis for the ecological role of psilocybin‚ but empirical studies are still lacking.”Though plausible‚ this theory is somewhat undermined by the fact that insects regularly prey on Psilocybe mushrooms or lay eggs in them. This would suggest that either the bugs have developed a degree of immunity to psilocybin‚ or the compound was never meant to deter insects in the first place.Ultimately‚ the researchers are unable to explain why mushrooms became psychedelic‚ although‚ whatever the reason‚ these findings reveal that it’s been a long old trip.The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

By meshing together real heart tissue and sophisticated soft robotic technology‚ scientists have created a biorobotic heart that beats like a living organ. The model captures the complexity of a human heart in a way that has not been possible until now‚ and could be a game-changer when it comes to trying out new treatments and surgical procedures for heart disease.Before any medical intervention can be used in a real patient‚ it must be thoroughly tested to check for safety and efficacy. For procedures involving the heart‚ there are a couple of options available to researchers: simulators and animal models.The current simulators have a short shelf-life‚ only remaining usable for a matter of hours‚ and can’t completely mimic all the individual structures that make up a heart. Animal studies‚ while still very valuable in many areas of medical research‚ are expensive‚ time-consuming‚ and undeniably controversial. Efforts to reduce the need for live animals to be used in research have seen advances in lab-grown organoids‚ as well as replacement with computer models or cell lines where possible. Now‚ we can add a soft robotic beating heart to that list.The muscle around the left ventricle was replaced with a silicone-based‚ air-actuated pump.Image credit: Manisha Singh“The simulator has a huge benefit as a research tool for those who study different heart valve conditions and interventions‚” said senior author and biomedical engineer Ellen Roche of MIT in a statement. “It can serve as a surgical training platform for clinicians‚ medical students‚ and trainees‚ allow device engineers to study their new designs‚ and even help patients better understand their own disease and potential treatments.”Specifically‚ the team were focused on a condition called mitral regurgitation‚ which affects an estimated 24.2 million people globally. In this disorder‚ the mitral valve between the left atrium and ventricle of the heart does not close properly‚ meaning blood can flow the wrong way.For patients‚ this can cause a number of symptoms‚ from shortness of breath to swollen limbs‚ and even heart failure if left untreated. Surgery to correct the problem is possible but very tricky‚ due to the highly complex structure of the valve.To create a new way of studying a healthy and a diseased mitral valve‚ the team used a pig heart as a base‚ removing the thick muscle that surrounds the left ventricle and replacing it with a robotic silicone pump. When inflated‚ the pump squeezes and twists the heart just like a real muscle would‚ with impressive blood-pumping power.         By damaging the mitral valve to make it leaky‚ the team could then allow cardiac surgeons to go to town on the biorobotic heart‚ trying out three different surgical techniques to correct the problem: anchoring the valve tissues so they wouldn’t leak; implanting a device to help the valve close properly; or replacing the valve altogether with a prosthetic one.All three procedures worked. You can watch the motion of the valves in the biorobotic heart in the video below – you'd never know the pumping was powered by silicone‚ rather than muscle.       “It was really interesting for the surgeons to see every step‚” said Roche. “When you’re working with patients‚ you can’t visualize the process because there’s blood in the heart.” The artificial blood the system uses is colorless‚ so doesn’t obscure the view‚ but the robot heart can still be subjected to all the imaging methods that are used in hospitals. Having access to a system like this could prove invaluable for cardiac surgery training. The team have high hopes for their innovation‚ and are now working to extend the shelf life and shorten the production time. It may also be possible to replace the pig heart with a 3D-printed synthetic human heart. For the researchers‚ the goal is to get these devices approved and onto the market as quickly as possible – because‚ as Roche put it‚ “Expediting and improving these processes will ultimately benefit patients.”The study is published in the journal Device. 

Standing over 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) tall‚ Gigantopithecus blacki was the largest species of primate to ever walk the Earth (at least that we know of). This elusive beast stomped around modern-day China until it fell into extinction between 295‚000 and 215‚000 years ago under mysterious circumstances.In a new study‚ scientists investigate why the giant ape met an untimely demise‚ concluding that the species struggled to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. The first evidence of Gigantopithecus came in 1935 when anthropologist Ralph von Koenigswald came across an unusual specimen in a traditional Chinese drugstore in Hong Kong. Labeled as "dragon teeth‚" von Koenigswald discovered the molars belonged to an unidentified species of extinct ape he called Gigantopithecus.Even today‚ just 2‚000 fossilized teeth and four jawbones are the only evidence of their existence‚ meaning we have little idea of what they truly looked like.G. blacki is sometimes called the “real-life King Kong” owing to its gargantuan size‚ although it is more closely related to orangutans from the Ponginae family. If you’ve seen the 2016 remake of The Jungle Book‚ the figure of King Louie is said to have been based on G. blacki.“The Jungle Book basically made him a large orangutan. We don't know how much G. blacki would have looked like an orangutan but it was definitely a Pongine‚ so in the right family. As for the orange fur – we really don't know‚” Associate Professor Kira Westaway‚ a researcher at Macquarie University whose new study investigated the extinction of G. blacki‚ told IFLScience. This aerial drone shot shows some caves in China’s Guangxi Province where G. blacki remains have been found.Image credit: Yingqi Zhang (IVPP- CAS)To learn about the disappearance of the species‚ Westaway and a vast team of researchers explored 22 caves in China’s Guangxi Province to collect samples of pollen‚ fossils‚ and sediment.Their discoveries showed that the environment was made up of dense forests with heavy cover around 2.3 million years ago‚ which was ideal for G. blacki and the jungle’s other primate inhabitants‚ orangutans (Pongo weidenreichi).However‚ around 600‚000 years ago‚ the environment became more variable due to the increase in the strength of the seasons‚ causing a change in the types of plants growing in the forest. While this change suited orangutans‚ it proved to be a challenge for G. blacki.“The environmental changes that started at around 600‚000 years ago really accentuated the adaption capabilities of G. blacki vs P. weidenreichi (orangutans). The more seasonal climate created dry periods when fruits were difficult to find. G. blacki relied on a less nutritious fall back food such as bark and twigs whereas P. weidenreichi was more flexible in its fall back food‚ eating shoots‚ leaves‚ flowers‚ nuts‚ seeds‚ and even insects and small mammals‚” Westaway explained to IFLScience.                 Ultimately‚ the sheer size of G. blacki became its downfall. In changing times like these‚ it pays to be agile and mobile‚ which isn't too easy when you’re 3 meters tall and weigh up to 300 kilograms (661 pounds).“G. blacki's range for foraging was restricted by its size but P. weidenreichi was more mobile‚ travelling in the canopy for longer distances allowing a greater range for foraging. G. blacki stayed in the forest whereas P. weidenreichi was able to move into more open forest environments. Surprisingly G. blacki even increased in size during this time‚ while P. weidenreichi decreased in size and became a more agile adapter‚” she added.The study is published in the journal Nature.

The latest Kinks Kompilation features both hits and obscure tracks‚ chosen by the former band members. The post The Kinks’ ‘The Journey Part 2’ Mixes Hits &; Deep Cuts: Review appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

In a surprise but welcome announcement‚ it seems that Intel Application Optimization (APO) will soon support more LGA 1700 socket processors‚ outside of the 14th Gen Core series. Better still‚ more supported games are on the way too. Continue reading Intel APO is coming to more CPUs and games later this year MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Core i5 14600K review‚ Best gaming CPU‚ Core i9 14900K review

Despite being a free Steam game‚ Apex Legends has long maintained a place among the top sellers on Valve's platform. Its new Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth crossover event‚ however‚ appears to have pushed it to even greater heights‚ despite criticism from players around the potential cost of the event’s cosmetics. Since the kick-off of the Apex Legends FF7 event on Wednesday January 9‚ the battle royale game has already risen to claim the top spot on Valve’s Steam charts. Continue reading Despite outrage‚ Apex Legends Final Fantasy 7 event tops Steam charts MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Apex Legends characters guide‚ Apex Legends skins‚ Apex Legends season 17 release date

What are the best Valheim servers to join in 2024? We’ve scoured the internet looking for the top Valheim servers and server groups to cater to all experiences‚ whether you’re looking for a stable and supported vanilla experience like the excellent and populous Jotunheim‚ some modded PvE‚ dedicated PvP dueling arenas‚ or just a place to build peacefully. Valheim is one of the best sandbox games and survival games on PC. After an unusually full-featured early access launch in February 2021‚ it became an almost overnight success‚ offering the compelling premise of a deadly quest through a new realm of the Norse afterlife rendered in a uniquely beautiful art style‚ plus survival and building mechanics with great Valheim mods options. It’s the perfect game to play in a persistent online community‚ but in all such games‚ everyone’s preferences are a little different. Navigating the resulting landscape can be confusing‚ and that’s where we come in. Read on for our list of some of the best and most populated Valheim community servers and a breakdown of exactly what they offer to the discerning player. Continue reading The best Valheim servers 2024 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games ‚ Best Valheim mods‚ Valheim console commands and cheats

There are plenty of horror stories floating about when it comes to buying second-hand tech‚ but this latest RTX 4090 story hits hard. One unfortunate customer has been left with no help from authorities in Hong Kong after they were scammed out of over $1‚600. The buyer in question was using Carousell‚ a marketplace only available in certain Asian and Oceanic nations. The Nvidia RTX 4090 was spotted early in January but once the transaction took place‚ it didn't take long for the ruse to become clear. Continue reading Don’t buy a second-hand RTX 4090‚ you may be getting scammed MORE FROM PCGAMESN: GeForce RTX 4060 review‚ DLSS explained‚ Best graphics cards

The U.S. should pursue free-trade agreements with friendly countries as part of its strategy to counter China.