September 28, 2023: Seattle is vulnerable to earthquakes and the complete Y chromosome is finally published. Plus: Does consciousness pervade the universe? —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | | Neuroscientists have identified a number of neural correlates of consciousness—brain states associated with specific mental states—but have not explained how matter forms minds in the first place. This question nags philosophers, neuroscientists and physicists alike. Where does consciousness come from? And how can we be sure that we humans are the only creatures experiencing it?
The debate: On one side, the so-called physicalists believe that consciousness emerges in certain complex systems, for example from 86 billion neurons in the human brain collectively firing and transferring energy around. And then there are the proponents of panpsychism. This concept proposes that consciousness is a fundamental aspect of reality, like mass or electrical charge. No longer does matter have to somehow form mind because mindedness resides naturally in the fabric of the universe.
What the experts say: Whether every object in the universe, from fish to atomic particles, somehow displays consciousness or whether a mind arises from inanimate physical objects, "there is a clear explanatory gap between the physical and the mental," says Hedda Hassel Mørch, a philosopher at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. Is there something about consciousness that cannot be accounted for by physical facts alone? | | | Washington State's Puget Sound—home to the metropolises of Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia—is vulnerable to a large earthquake, though without a detailed seismographic history of past temblors, it's nearly impossible for geologists to predict what types of earthquakes the area should prepare for. In a new study, scientists have determined that a major seismic event (an earthquake–or earthquakes–reaching at least a 7.3 magnitude) occurred in the area within a six-month period 1,100 years ago.
How they did this: Tree ring scientists (dendrochronologists, if you want to impress your friends) sampled 16 dead Douglas-fir trees from six underwater sites in Puget Sound. All the trees had been killed and submerged by floods or landslides, which were caused by seismic activity of the Saddle Mountain fault zone that lies beneath Seattle and much of the Sound. The researchers counted and compared the rings of all the dead trees to patterns found in living ones. In the year 774 and 775, trees all over the world recorded an uptick in radiogenic carbon 14 from some cosmic event, so the researchers matched this moment in the dead trees' rings with living trees to determine how old they were when they were killed, and thereby the timing of earthquakes.
What the experts say: "I am in awe of the power this method shows to precisely date earthquakes for which we have no direct historic records," says Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network. Knowing about geologic events in the past gives us constraints about what could happen in the future, helping cities create sufficient emergency plans. | | | The hydraulic chainsaw and generator used to cut earthquake-killed trees that are submerged in Price Lake, Washington. Credit: Bryan Black | | | • For the first time, scientists have observed antimatter particles falling under the effect of gravity—a phenomenon that was long theorized but never before seen. | 4 min read | | | • About 250 million years from now, the emergence of a new supercontinent called Pangea Ultima could render most of Earth's surface uninhabitable for mammals. | 3 min read | | | • The complex science behind bourbon reveals why there are so many distinct varieties, despite the strict rules around its manufacture. | 5 min read | | | • Heat waves are now the deadliest weather effects in the U.S. Naming and classifying these events (like we do for hurricanes) could help us differentiate between the regular weather forecast and weather conditions that put our lives and economies in danger, writes journalist Gina Jiménez. | 5 min read | | | • The Y chromosome has long been the subject of fascination, misinformation and bias, write Christopher R. Donohue and Anna Rogers, who are both at the National Human Genome Research Institute. The complete sequencing of the Y chromosome (published last month) will usher in clarity about how this chromosome contributes to areas of human health such as fertility and cancer, they say. | 5 min read | | | You'd be surprised how much you can learn from a tree. The width, color and number of their growth rings provide a remarkable look into the past. Temperature, rainfall, soil pH, fire events, earthquakes and landslides--they are all recorded in the bodies of trees. The oldest living tree on Earth is the Methuselah tree in the White Mountains of California, and is estimated to be at least 4,600 years old. It's one of the most reliable chroniclers of Earth's history (no wonder scientists keep its exact location a guarded secret). | Tell me about important trees in your life. And let me know how I can improve this newsletter by emailing: newsletters@sciam.com. See you tomorrow! | —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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