Март 2026 г.

Российская наука и мир (по материалам зарубежной электронной прессы)

CONTENTS / ОГЛАВЛЕНИЕ


• 3,000-year-old Siberian tomb art sheds light on the dating of ancient rock carvings
• Betavoltaic battery targets space use
• Protecting turbines from extreme heat: How supercomputers helped create ceramics that withstand 2,000°C
• 6,000-year-old board game discovered in ancient tomb may be early ancestor of chess
• Russia, Spain scientists test new water treatment methods
• St. Petersburg State University scientists find heavy metal contamination in soils near Caucasus glaciers
• Scientists found evidence of the Black Plague in a 4,000-year-old sheep
• Russia resumes use of space launch site damaged in accident
• New species of snake discovered in Vietnam and China: Hebius vogeli

В древних погребениях на территории Аскизского района Хакасии археологи Института материальной культуры РАН обнаружили каменные плиты с вырезанными на них сценами охоты и другими изображениями. При этом погребальные курганы относятся к разному времени, и некоторые плиты, судя по их виду, использовались повторно, причем уже не в качестве сакральных предметов, а как строительный материал.

Archaeologists working in southern Siberia say carvings found inside ancient burial mounds have solved a long-standing problem in rock art research. The discovery of Siberian tomb art inside sealed graves allows researchers to reliably date images that were once nearly impossible to place in time.
Scientists from the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences studied stone slabs engraved with petroglyphs in burial grounds in the Askiz District of Khakassia. The slabs were built into tomb structures that remained undisturbed for centuries, linking the carvings directly to known archaeological periods.
Most petroglyphs in the region appear on open cliffs in the Minusinsk Basin, where exposure and lack of artifacts make dating difficult. Researchers said the burial context changes that. Because the slabs were part of closed funerary complexes, their age can be determined by grave goods, burial design and surrounding material.
Burial grounds preserve 3,000 years of history
The team examined two burial grounds used for more than 3,000 years, from the Early Bronze Age to later historical periods. These cemeteries include funerary remains from nearly all known cultures that once lived in Khakassia, offering a rare, continuous record of artistic and ritual change.
Researchers focused on slabs dated to the Early Iron Age, between the 8th century BC and the 2nd century CE. They compared the carvings with petroglyphs on exposed rock faces and with weapons and tools recovered from burials of the same period. The similarities helped confirm the timeline.
Ten slabs were studied in detail. Six showed clear images. One early scene depicts a human figure and a dog hunting a large animal, which researchers believe may have held mythological meaning.
Later slabs feature abstract designs such as spirals, maze-like lines and simplified human shapes, reflecting changes in belief and artistic style.
Siberian tomb art reveals shifting beliefs
Details carved into the stone match real objects found in graves, including daggers, bows and axes. Researchers said this direct link between art and material culture strengthens the dating and provides insight into daily life, conflict and ritual practices.
The placement of the slabs revealed shifting attitudes toward sacred objects. Some stones were carefully set into graves and likely made for ritual use. Others were found broken or reused as basic building material, suggesting later builders no longer viewed the carvings as sacred.
Khakassia lies in the Minusinsk Basin, a fertile region surrounded by mountains that served as a crossroads for steppe cultures for thousands of years. The Askiz District contains dense clusters of burial mounds and rock art sites tied to Bronze Age and Early Iron Age societies.
Researchers said Siberian tomb art preserved inside sealed graves now serves as a reference point for dating similar carvings across southern Siberia.

Исследователи из Высокотехнологического научно-исследовательского института неорганических материалов им. А.А.Бочвара разработали бета-вольтаические источники энергии для автономных летательных систем и космических аппаратов. Принцип их работы основан на преобразовании бета-излучения от радиоактивного вещества (тритий или никель-63) в полупроводниковом материале. Это излучение легко экранируется и не повреждает полупроводниковую решетку так быстро, как излучение более высокой энергии.

Researchers at the AA Bochvar Research Institute of Inorganic Materials (VNIINM), Alexander Anikin and Pavel Moseev, have developed betavoltaic energy sources for autonomous aircraft systems and spacecraft. According to Evgeniy Stepin from the Centre for Space Research & Technology at the National Research Nuclear University (NRNU) MEPhI (Moscow Institute of Engineering Physics) the creation of compact but efficient power supplies for aircraft and space systems is a key priority for Russia.
The operating principle of these "nuclear batteries" is based on the conversion of beta radiation (electron flux) from a radioactive substance in a semiconductor material. Tritium (in the US) or Nickel-63 (in Russia) are the most common isotopes used because they emit low-energy beta particles. This radiation is easily shielded and does not damage the semiconductor lattice as quickly as higher-energy radiation would.
Betavoltaics are non-thermal. The semiconductor (often silicon or silicon carbide) acts similarly to a solar cell. Instead of photons from the sun hitting the material to create electron-hole pairs, the beta electrons do the work. The longevity is determined by the half-life of the isotope. A tritium-based battery can provide constant, low-level power for over 20 years. However, their power density is currently very low (microwatts to milliwatts).
Russia has positioned itself as a global leader in "nuclear battery" (betavoltaic) research, focusing on significantly reducing costs and increasing power density through domestic isotope production and novel structural designs. Research is led by a consortium including the National University of Science and Technology (NUST MISIS) in Moscow, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), and subsidiaries of Rosatom.
Scientists at NUST MISIS developed a patented 3D structure for silicon-based converters. By placing isotopes inside microchannels rather than on a flat surface, they increased the radiation conversion area by 14 times, resulting in a 10-fold increase in specific power while reducing the device size by two-thirds.
Unlike many Western startups using tritium, Russian efforts primarily focus on nickel-63, which has a half-life of 100 years, enabling batteries to function for 50 to 100 years. While prototypes have existed since 2016, recent developments aim at industrial scaling: Experts from MEPhI indicated in late 2023 that these batteries could enter mass production within 5-6 years (2028-2029).
The primary hurdle remains the extreme cost of isotopes. As of early 2026, one gram of radioactive Nickel-63 costs approximately $4,000. Russian researchers are currently seeking industrial partners, specifically within Rosatom’s specialised nuclear centres (such as Sarov or Mayak), to lower costs through scaled isotope enrichment.
Researchers at the NRNU MEPhI have recently shifted focus toward an "original alternative approach" to nuclear battery design that moves away from traditional layered structures to increase efficiency and scalability. MEPhI’s most significant recent development is a prototype that utilises energy conversion throughout the entire volume of the material rather than just at the surface interface.
Conventional "planar" batteries (like those from MIPT or Chinese firms) lose significant energy because many beta particles are absorbed within the source itself before reaching the converter. The MEPhI design uses an ensemble of densely packed nickel nanoclusters with a specific size distribution deposited on a dielectric (silicon oxide) surface. This generates a cascade of secondary electrons directly inside the nanostructured films, significantly increasing the current signal. MEPhI scientists say this approach is universal and could scale to power levels in the sub-kW range, far beyond the microwatts of current coin-sized cells.
VNIINM is the primary scientific centre for developing the "source" components of Russian nuclear batteries. While MEPhI focuses on the physics of energy conversion, VNIINM specialises in materials science, specifically the production and stabilisation of the radioactive isotopes required for power and has been instrumental in the industrialisation of Nickel-63 (Ni-63) sources.
They developed a specialised technology for creating ultra-thin radioactive foils. These foils must be thin enough to prevent "self-absorption" (where the beta particles are trapped inside the nickel itself) but dense enough to provide a steady flux of electrons to the semiconductor. By perfecting the chemical purity of these Ni-63 sources, Bochvar has enabled battery designs with an operational life of 50 to 100 years without power degradation.
In the specific "nuclear battery" hierarchy, VNIINM (Bochvar) acts as the lead designer for the radioactive source, while the Mining & Chemical Combine (MCC) handles the enrichment, and NUST MISIS or MEPhI handles the semiconductor conversion.
VNIINM and its partners within Rosatom utilise a tiered safety strategy that treats the "nuclear battery" as a sealed radioactive source, ensuring that the radioactive material remains contained even under extreme mechanical or environmental stress. To meet international and Russian (Rostekhnadzor) regulations, prototypes undergo rigorous "abuse testing" to simulate accidents.
The choice of Nickel-63 provides an inherent safety advantage. It emits low-energy beta particles that cannot penetrate a sheet of paper or human skin. Unlike some isotopes, Ni-63 produces no significant gamma radiation, meaning the battery casing itself provides 100% of the required shielding for the user.
Nickel-63 has a much longer half-life (100 years) than tritium (12.3 years). It is a metal, making it physically more stable than tritium. Bochvar electroplates it onto foils, creating a source that cannot be inhaled or easily dispersed if the casing breaks. Given Russia’s focus on Arctic and space applications, their batteries are tested to higher mechanical extremes that tritium-based US equivalents. Tests include specialised immersion and high-pressure tests to ensure they remain leak-proof in deep-sea or permafrost environments.

Ученые из ИНХ СО РАН, ИГМ СО РАН, ИТПМ СО РАН, ИТ СО РАН, ТГУ и Сколтеха, разработали керамическое покрытие из двойного перовскита Ba₂YNbO₆, способного выдерживать температуры свыше 2000 °C. Этот материал перспективен в качестве внешнего слоя для теплозащиты деталей, работающих в условиях экстремальных температур, в частности, в авиационных двигателях и газовых турбинах энергетических установок.

Scientists from Skoltech, the Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, and other Russian research institutions have shown that a double perovskite Ba₂YNbO₆, is suitable for a thermal barrier coating that can withstand temperatures exceeding 2,000°C. The material holds promise as an outer layer for thermal barrier coatings on components operating under extreme heat, particularly in aircraft engines and gas turbines for power generation. The study has been published in the Ceramics International journal.
Modern aviation and energy sectors urgently need materials capable of performing at temperatures above 1,200°C. Thermal barrier coating, made of a thermally stable material with ultralow thermal conductivity, allows raising the working temperature of the turbine even beyond the melting temperature of the metallic parts. The current industry standard - yttria-stabilized zirconia coatings - begins to degrade under excessive heat, limiting engine lifespan. The research team set out to find a more robust alternative and, for the first time, applied a comprehensive approach combining supercomputer modeling with physical experiments to analyze the material's properties.
Using machine learning and molecular dynamics simulations on Skoltech's supercomputers, the researchers calculated the properties of many candidate materials at various temperatures. They predicted that Ba₂YNbO₆ possesses a favorable combination of very low thermal conductivity and suitably high thermal expansion coefficient, making this a very promising material. Researchers at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry then synthesized the material through solid-state reactions at up to 1,500°C and produced high-density ceramic samples using spark plasma sintering.
During experiments, the new ceramic showed no signs of melting even when heated to nearly 2,000°C, confirming its exceptional thermal stability. At an operating temperature of 1,000°C, its thermal conductivity measured just 1.9 W/(m·K) - even lower than the current standard, meaning the coating would protect the underlying metal more effectively.
The material's thermal expansion coefficient closely matches that of the metal blades, reducing the risk of cracking during heating and cooling cycles. Its mechanical properties - including stiffness and nanohardness - are on par with existing materials. The researchers also observed a minor structural change at around -10°C, but this had no effect on the material's volume or macroscopic properties, posing no obstacle for use in engines.
"Thanks to modern computational methods - including ultrafast, accurate machine-learning interatomic potentials and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics - we were able to predict the behavior and properties of Ba₂YNbO₆ across different temperatures with high precision. Our theoretical calculations of thermal conductivity and thermal expansion almost perfectly matched the experimental data later obtained by our colleagues in Novosibirsk. This confirms that our approach enables not just blind material selection but targeted design, starting with computer-based exploration even before lab synthesis," said Majid Zeraati, a postdoctoral researcher at the Skoltech Material Design Laboratory and one of the study's lead authors.
"We simulated with high accuracy the behavior of a system containing 20,000 atoms over nanosecond timescales - a level of detail made possible only by neural network potentials and graphics accelerators. The fact that our calculations aligned so closely with experimental results from Novosibirsk demonstrates how mature theoretical approaches have become. We can now move beyond simply explaining the properties of known materials to confidently predicting new compounds for the most demanding engineering challenges," added Distinguished Professor Artem R. Oganov, the head of the Skoltech Material Design Laboratory at Skoltech, who supervised the research.
This new development opens up possibilities for next-generation engines with higher efficiency, lower fuel consumption, and extended service life.

Несколько лет назад при раскопках кургана Аглицкий I (IV тысячелетие до н. э.) в Аксайском районе Ростовской области археологи обнаружили набор для игры, состоящий из доски и полусотни игровых фишек из бараньих костей. Сотрудник Южного научного центра РАН Леонид Ильюков попытался реконструировать правила игры, предположив, что она может быть отдаленным предшественником шахмат.

It sounds like the beginning of a horror movie: Archaeologists in southern Russia have uncovered the remains of a roughly 6,000-year-old board game that researchers believe could represent a very early ancestor of chess.
The discovery was made at the Aglitsky I burial mound in the Aksaysky District by researchers from the Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The ancient gaming set dates back to the fourth millennium BC.
At the center of the find was a game board divided into two sections by a crossbar. A stylized, human-like figure mounted on a small pedestal stood in the middle, which archaeologists believe may have held symbolic or ritual significance during play.
Surrounding the board were more than 50 small gaming pieces carved from animal bone, likely taken from the femurs of sheep or rams. The tokens were shaped with flat bases so they could stand upright, suggesting they were intentionally designed for repeated gameplay.
Archaeologists find ancient board game in burial site
Researchers say the game may represent an early stage in the development of strategic board games that later evolved into titles like chess. While modern chess is believed to descend from the Indian game chaturanga around the 7th century AD, much older board games from Mesopotamia and neighboring regions show that structured strategy games existed thousands of years earlier.
The design of the board and pieces also hints at cultural connections between Mesopotamia and the Eurasian steppe during the fourth millennium BC. Experts believe these gaming traditions may have spread north through migrating groups linked to the ancient Uruk culture, bringing portable boards and playing pieces with them.
The board was discovered beside the remains of an individual buried in a curled position, alongside other grave goods including ceramic vessels, flint cores, and stone tools. The presence of the game inside the tomb suggests it may have held social or ritual significance, possibly accompanying the deceased into the afterlife.
Senior researcher Leonid Ilyukov from the Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences attempted to reconstruct how the game may have worked, suggesting the set could be a distant predecessor to chess.
According to Ilyukov, the board likely carried deeper meaning than simple entertainment. He believes ancient players may have seen the game as a symbolic journey through life, where the movement of pieces represented the fate of a person’s soul in the afterlife.
Similar ideas existed in ancient Egypt, where scenes of board games were often painted inside tombs, suggesting they were linked to beliefs about death and the afterlife.
Earlier this year, researchers used AI to find out how a board game from ancient Rome worked after being puzzled for over a century. By running thousands of simulated matches and comparing them with wear patterns on the stone board, the AI was able to identify a likely ruleset for the ancient game.
So far, it’s unclear if a similar attempt with AI will be made for this discovery.

Физики Томского государственного университета, Института электрофизики УрО РАН и Университета Мурсии (Испания) протестировали новые подходы к очистке воды от стойкого и токсичного промышленного красителя «кристаллический фиолетовый». Ультрафиолетовое облучение с определенной длиной волны и обработка электронами оказались одинаково эффективными - за полчаса они полностью ликвидировали краситель и сделали раствор, в котором он содержался, абсолютно нетоксичным для растений. Полученные результаты помогут улучшить системы очистки сточных вод и защитить их от промышленных химикатов.

Scientists from Tomsk State University, the Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Yekaterinburg) and the University of Murcia (Spain) tested new approaches to water treatment from crystalline violet fast industrial dye. Ultraviolet irradiation with a specific wavelength and electron treatment were equally effective. In just half an hour, they completely destroyed the pollutant and made the solution in which it was contained absolutely not toxic to plants. The findings will help improve wastewater treatment systems and protect them from industrial chemicals. The results of the study, supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), are published in the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry (Q2).
Crystalline violet is widely used as a dye for staining bacterial cells in medicine and biology, as well as in the textile industry. This organic matter is quite poorly destroyed in natural conditions, therefore, getting into wastewater, it may accumulate and harm living organisms. Usually, water is purified from it using charcoal filters or microbial treatment, but these methods are not effective enough. Therefore, scientists are looking for new methods of destroying this dye.
Researchers from Tomsk State University, the Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Yekaterinburg) and the University of Murcia (Spain) compared two methods of destroying crystalline violet, not yet used in practice. As part of the first approach, this substance, dissolved in water, was irradiated with ultraviolet light at different wavelengths - 222 and 282 nanometers. The first, shorter wave has more energy, and therefore decomposes complex organic molecules faster.
In the ultraviolet irradiated solution, the authors additionally introduced powerful oxidizing agents - hydrogen peroxide or sodium persulfate - which "attacked" the dye molecules and helped to destroy them.
The second approach was that the dye solution was irradiated with electrons, which were emitted by a special facility. Such radiation penetrated into the liquid and created active particles capable of splitting even the most stable chemical bonds.
It turned out that when treated with ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 222 nanometers, the dye completely collapsed in just 32 minutes. Irradiation at 282 nanometers was less effective: in an hour, it removed less than 50% of crystalline violet from water.
The exposure to electrons allowed the destruction of 100% crystalline violet in 30 minutes. Thus, electron and ultraviolet irradiation with a wavelength of 222 nanometers in the presence of an oxidizing agent turned out to be equally effective.
To assess how safe the dye-free water has become for living organisms, the authors treated watercress seeds with it. The experiment showed that the solutions that were affected by all radiation options for 30 minutes were safe: they did not worsen the germination of seeds and the growth of young plants. In contrast, the initial solutions with crystalline violet slowed down these processes by about half.
"We were able to show that the methods of destruction of crystalline violet are equally effective. However, it is important to remember that in the case of ultraviolet light, you need to use a certain wavelength and additives of oxidizing agents. In case of electron beams, it is necessary to bring the treatment to the end, since our experiments with shorter exposure times (about four minutes) showed that the solution with the dye remains toxic due to harmful intermediate decay products. Only after a long 30-minute exposure they are completely neutralized. In the future, we plan to apply this technique to destroy other industrial dyes and their mixtures" says the project manager Olga Tchaikovskaya, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor of the Department of Optics and Spectroscopy of the TSU Faculty of Physics.

Экологи из СПбГУ и Института экологии горных территорий им. А.К.Темботова РАН обнаружили загрязнение тяжелыми металлами почвы в приледниковых районах Центрального Кавказа. При этом в одном из районов, используемом для массового туризма, уровень загрязнения почти вдвое больше, чем во втором, расположенном на территории заповедника с ограниченным доступом.

Environmental scientists from St Petersburg State University and the A. K. Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences have found that soils near glaciers in the high-mountain areas of the Central Caucasus contain almost twice as much copper and nickel as soils in protected natural areas.
Glaciers serve as a crucial source of fresh water in mountain ecosystems. However, in recent decades, they have been melting and becoming polluted due to climate change and an increasing flow of tourists. Glacial melting leads to the formation of specific dark deposits in the soil, containing dust, soot, ash, and the waste products of microorganisms - known as cryoconite. These formations accumulate pollutants and transport them into the soils with meltwater, which can negatively impact the state of unique mountain ecosystems. Until now, it has remained unclear how the amount of pollutants differs in glaciers and soils of mountain areas with varying levels of tourism and protected status.
Researchers from St. Petersburg State University and the A. K. Tembotov Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences studied two neighboring mountain gorges in the Central Caucasus - the Tsey Gorge and the Skazsky Gorge. The first is located within a nature reserve and is accessible only to a limited number of eco-tourists, while the second is actively used for mass recreation, featuring developed infrastructure and roads.
Specialists collected samples of cryoconite, soils at different altitudes and distances from the glaciers, as well as bottom sediments from glacial streams. The research was conducted in the summer - the period of most active tourism in these areas. In the laboratory, scientists assessed the content of copper, zinc, nickel, lead, and cadmium in the obtained samples, as these metals are toxic to living organisms even in small amounts. They also studied the physicochemical properties of the mountain soils and the organic matter contained within them.
The analysis showed that in the touristic Skazsky Gorge, concentrations of copper and nickel are almost twice as high as in the protected Tsey Gorge. According to the scientists' assessment, this is primarily linked to human activity - the operation of vehicles, cable cars, cafes, and other infrastructure facilities, which increase the level of pollution in sensitive mountain ecosystems.
At the same time, zinc and lead content was found to be high in both areas. Scientists attribute this to the natural geologically determined characteristics of the Central Caucasus soils and the influence of old mining enterprises located in the region. Dust particles containing these elements can be transported by the wind and deposited on glacier surfaces, then entering the soils with meltwater.
The results of the study will be useful in developing monitoring programs for the state of glaciers and soils, planning tourist infrastructure, and creating strategies for the protection of natural resources, including in tourist regions.
"We recommend introducing seasonal restrictions on visiting vulnerable areas, developing environmentally safe construction practices, and monitoring the content of toxic elements in natural environments. In the future, we plan to study the processes of accumulation and transport of other elements in high-mountain ecosystems, as well as the characteristics of the cryoconite and soil microbiomes, to better understand the dynamics of high-mountain landscape changes under conditions of climate change and expanding human activity" said the project leader, Head of the Department of Applied Ecology at St. Petersburg State University, Evgeny Abakumov.
Calculations showed that in the protected Tsey Gorge, most soil samples fall into the category of unpolluted. In the Skazsky Gorge, the pollution level was higher and classified as weak. The overall ecological risk in both areas, however, remains moderate. These findings further confirm that a strict protection regime and the development of ecological tourism help reduce human impact on mountain areas.

Исследовав останки одомашненной овцы возрастом около 4 тысяч лет, найденные при раскопках древнего города Аркаим на Южном Урале, международная группа палеогенетиков из Германии, США, России и Южной Кореи обнаружила ДНК чумной палочки Yersinia pestis. Это первый случай, когда ее удалось выделить из останков мелкого рогатого скота. Судя по геному бактерии, люди и овцы заражались из одного и того же естественного резервуара - вида, способного переносить бактерию, не заболевая при этом. В средние века такими видами были крысы и блохи, однако в данном случае переносчика установить пока не удалось.

If the recent COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it’s that pestilence is an inevitable part of being human. Littered throughout the pages of history, you can find horror stories of diseases that decimated entire populations. But few rival the devastation of the Yersinia pestis - the bacterium behind the Black Death, which killed one-third of Europe’s population in the mid-1300s, largely due to the disease’s ability to be spread by fleas.
However, few people know that this plague was actually a sequel of sorts, as Y. pestis also infected Europeans during the Bronze Age for more than two millennia. Scientists confirmed this from the DNA of Bronze Age humans, but they also found something interesting about the ancient strain.
In 2015 a study published in Cell, researchers describe how they discovered that the microbial precursors to the Black Death were missing a gene that allowed the bacterium to infect fleas - specifically, they were missing the Yersinia murine toxin, which provides protection against toxins in the flea’s gut. This led scientists at the time to conclude that the spread of the Bronze Age plague must’ve occurred through airborne droplets, contaminated food, or the exchange of bodily fluids.
Now, a new study, also published in the journal Cell, complicates this picture. It reports evidence of Y. pestis in the DNA of 4,000-year-old domesticated sheep remains, which were originally recovered from an excavation from Arkaim - a Bronze Age settlement in the southern Ural mountains located along the border of present-day Russia and Kazakhstan.
The area was occupied 4,000 years ago by the Sintashta culture, known for its impressive bronze armaments. Members of the Sintshta also, crucially, managed large groups of livestock while simultaneously mastering horse riding, and expanded across the continent, essentially creating a perfect storm of disease through increased animal interaction.
The samples examined in the study contained extremely small DNA fragments, with some having only 50 base pairs (a full human genome contains 3 billion base pairs, for comparison). Despite both challenging preservation conditions and the need to carefully eliminate possible sources of contamination in the soil, Taylor Hermes (an archaeologist from the University of Arkansas) and his team found surprising genetic evidence of humanity’s age-old enemy.
"It was alarm bells for my team. This was the first time we had recovered the genome from Yersinia pestis in a non-human sample," Hermes said in a press statement.
This new vector helps explain how the same strain of Bronze Age Y. pestis has been found in populations thousands of kilometers apart - but it doesn’t fully explain it. In the Middle Ages, for example, the plague needed an organism to serve as a "natural reservoir," meaning that it could carry the bacterium without getting sick itself. Then, it found its answer in rats, much like Ebola found the "natural reservoir" it needed to spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa in fruit bats.
"It had to be more than people moving," Hermes said in a press statement. "Our plague sheep gave us a breakthrough. We now see it as a dynamic between people, livestock and some still unidentified ‘natural reservoir’ for it, which could be rodents on the grasslands of the Eurasian steppe or migratory birds."
In the age of modern medicine, humans have finally gained the upper hand on many of the world’s most deadly diseases. But if history tells us anything, many of these death-dealing microbes can be down, but never fully out.

Россия возобновила запуски со стартовой площадки космодрома Байконур, поврежденной в ноябре прошлого года.

Russia has launched a rocket from Site 31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome for the first time since it was damaged during a liftoff last November, video from Russia's Roscosmos space agency showed Sunday.
Site 31 was Russia's only operational launchpad for crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS). Part of the launch site collapsed during liftoff of Soyuz MS-28 in November last year, temporarily preventing Russia from being able to send cosmonauts into space. Repairs on the damaged section of the site wrapped up earlier this month, according to Roscosmos.
Video on Sunday showed Russia launching the unmanned Progress MS-33 cargo ship to the ISS from Site 31.
"The flight is normal," a commentator on Russia's Roscosmos space agency said on the video.
The US space agency NASA posted on X that an antenna on Progress used for docking had not deployed as it was supposed to.
"All other systems are operating as designed, and Progress will continue toward its planned docking," NASA wrote.
The Baikonur Cosmodrome is located in Kazakhstan, but is being used by Russia under a lease set to last until at least 2050.
Once considered a pioneer in space exploration, Russia's space program has faced numerous setbacks since the fall of the Soviet Union, including the loss of its first lunar lander in almost 50 years in 2023.

Вьетнамские, китайские, российские и французские биологи описали новый вид змей семейства ужовых, обитающий на севере Вьетнама и юге Китая и получивший название Hebius vogeli. До этого представителей вида причисляли к Hebius optatus, однако филогенетический анализ показал отличия по нескольким ключевым признакам.

The Hebius genus, known for its elongated body and distinctive coloration, has long presented challenges in species identification due to intraspecific variation. The Hebius optatus species complex, including populations from Vietnam and southern China, was previously considered a single species. However, recent advancements in both molecular techniques and morphological studies have unveiled that what was once thought to be a single species actually includes multiple distinct lineages. The description of Hebius vogeli sp. nov. marks a significant development in the taxonomy of Southeast Asian snakes, providing new insights into the biodiversity of this complex region.
Based on these findings, there is a growing need for further taxonomic research in the Vietnam-China border region, where cryptic species diversity remains underexplored.
A team of researchers, led by Tan Van Nguyen and Jinlong Ren, published their findings in Asian Herpetological Research in December 2025, describing Hebius vogeli sp. nov. This new species, identified through a combination of morphological and molecular data, is found in northern Vietnam and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China. Phylogenetic analysis shows that it is closely related to H. optatus, but the species can be distinguished by several key traits, including its distinct ventral coloration and higher number of scales.
Hebius vogeli sp. nov. stands out within the Hebius genus due to several diagnostic characteristics that differentiate it from other members of the complex. Morphologically, it features a higher number of subcaudal scales and a greater total number of ventral and subcaudal scales compared to H. optatus. Furthermore, the new species possesses a bright coral-red venter, while H. optatus has a yellow venter. The new species is geographically confined to northern Vietnam and southern Guangxi, China, with the Pearl River acting as a potential biogeographic barrier that separates it from H. optatus. Molecular data, including cytochrome b sequences, revealed significant genetic divergence between the two species, supporting the recognition of H. vogeli as a distinct species. The description of H. vogeli sp. nov. expands the diversity of the Hebius genus, which previously included 52 species. The new species’ discovery also underscores the ongoing need for more research in the biodiversity-rich borderlands of Vietnam and China.The researchers recommend excluding H. optatus from the herpetofauna of Vietnam due to the clear distinction between the populations in the region.
Dr. Gernot Vogel, an expert on Southeast Asian reptiles, commented on the significance of this discovery, saying, "Hebius vogeli sp. nov. adds valuable knowledge to the understanding of Southeast Asian biodiversity. It underscores the importance of integrative taxonomic studies that combine molecular and morphological data. This discovery not only highlights the rich and often overlooked diversity of the Hebius genus but also stresses the need for continued research in the border regions of Vietnam and China to better understand the herpetofaunal patterns and evolutionary history of the region."
The discovery of Hebius vogeli sp. nov. has important implications for conservation and biodiversity monitoring in Southeast Asia. The species' restricted distribution in northern Vietnam and southern Guangxi makes it vulnerable to habitat loss and environmental changes. Conservationists and herpetologists are encouraged to use citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist and Facebook to enhance species documentation and public engagement. Additionally, the discovery highlights the need for more detailed population-level studies and surveys to monitor the health and distribution of this newly identified species. Furthermore, the findings contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of the Hebius genus and its broader ecological role.

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