Today in Science: Zombie fires smolder underground

Science meets inbox June 19, 2023: Why art moves us, zombie fires that feed on tree roots, and the one job AI won't replace. Read it all below and welcome to a new week! —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor TOP STORIES Art Vibes If you're an art lover–or have ever been moved by even one piece of art–the strength of the emotional experience is directly correlated with the strength of bodily experiences while observing the piece of art. Researchers measured reports of where art observers felt sensations in their body while they looked at art and compared it to their descriptions of how moved they felt.  Why this is cool: The data suggest that art perception is an interoceptive process, that is it involves the awareness of the body's internal state. The strength of such sensations–and thereby emotions–was strongest for artworks depicting people, aligning with the hypothesis that seeing others' experiences may trigger sensorimotor mirroring effects (if you are into ASMR--those tingles some people get from certain sounds or images--you really get this). What the experts say: "Some forms of art may help subtly shift attention to our bodies, depending on the artistic scene or subject, even to specific regions like the chest or heart," says Jennifer MacCormack, neuroscientist at University of Virginia.  Zombie Fires In the Northern Hemisphere the close of summer usually marks the end to wildfire season. But so-called zombie fires can smolder underground all winter and reemerge in spring. Most sustain themselves in woody tree roots underground, according to a new analysis of soil and vegetation. Why this matters: These underground fires release fewer carbon emissions than scientists thought, since they're burning roots and not carbon-rich soil (peat). Such underground peat fires do exist in places like Siberia, and they can have a powerful contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. What the experts say: "In terms of emissions and ecological impact, it may be a relatively good news story," says Jennifer Baltzer, a biologist at Wilfred Laurier University in Canada, of these Northern Hemisphere zombie fires. TODAY'S NEWS • Photosynthesis only requires a single photon of light to get going, according to new quantum research. | 3 min read • Infection by a particular group of bacteria could be linked to endometriosis, a painful condition that affects up to 10% of women and girls of reproductive age. | 3 min read • To better understand early pregnancy loss without using actual human embryos, scientists employed stem cells to create models that mimic the 14-day stage of embryonic development. | 3 min read • In honor of Juneteenth, check out this feature written by Northwestern University scholar Aldon Morris on the successes and hurdles of the Civil Rights Movement (the photography is striking too). | 23 min read Voting rights activists march 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. Credit: Buyenlarge/Getty Images More News EXPERT PERSPECTIVES • A.I. will eventually replace a lot of human jobs. But one human job will always remain: The task of helping AI understand precisely what it wants and when it wants it. In other words, the job of "human feedback provider" will remain, write Aybars Tuncdogan and Oguz A. Acar, both at King's College London. | 5 min read More Opinion Welcome to a new week, readers! Speaking of art and the mind-body effects it has on us, check out one of my favorite events of the year--the annual art of neuroscience competition, frequently judged by Scientific American's own photo editor Liz Tormes. How are you liking this newsletter? Email me at newsletters@sciam.com and let me know! Until tomorrow. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters here. Scientific American One New York Plaza, New York, NY, 10004   Support our mission, subscribe to Scientific American here   Unsubscribe Email Preferences