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https://nordictimes.com/environment/planetary-alignment-six-planets-to-appear-together-in-night-sky/

Environment

Planetary alignment – six planets to appear together in night sky

Published January 20, 2025 – By Editorial staff
3 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

By the end of January, several planets will be visible from Earth and at least four will be visible to the naked eye, without the aid of telescopes.

The phenomenon, known colloquially as planetary alignment, occurs when several of the solar system's planets are visible simultaneously in the night sky, usually close to the ecliptic – the path the Sun follows across the sky. The term "planetary alignment" can be misleading because the planets do not line up perfectly, either in the sky or in the solar system as a whole.

The planets become visible because they are on roughly the same side of the Sun and are therefore well-positioned relative to the Earth, allowing them to be seen in the night sky. These events are relatively rare and vary in magnitude depending on the number of visible planets and their brightness.

In January, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune and Saturn will be visible in the night sky, CNET reports. They are estimated to become visible a few days before January 21 and remain visible for about four weeks. The fifth week of the year, during the new moon, is expected to be the best time for observation because of the darker skies.

Seen with the naked eye

Provided there is no interference from artificial light where you are, the planets may become visible as soon as the Sun sets. Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen with the naked eye from northern Europe, according to Astroinfo. Jupiter and Venus are the easiest to observe, while Saturn can be difficult to spot in poorer visibility conditions. To see Neptune and Uranus, however, a telescope is required, as well as good visibility conditions.

If you want a chance to see all six planets, head out early in the evening, as Venus and Saturn will soon dip below the horizon. However, Mars and Jupiter will be visible for most of the night.

In the first week of March, Mercury will also become visible, which means a new planetary parade with all the planets in the solar system except Earth. March 8 is predicted to be a good day to see Mercury. The planet will be difficult to see, but the best chance is in the southern parts of Sweden. If you are going out with a telescope at this time, you should be careful as some of the planets will be close to the Sun, and as it can damage your eyes, you should be careful where you point the telescope.

However, this planetary parade is short-lived, as Saturn, Neptune and Mercury will be too close to the Sun shortly afterwards and will no longer be visible.

Finding the planets

Locating the planets in the sky can be challenging. Venus and Saturn are low in the southwest, while Jupiter is high in the east-southeast, according to Astrokonsult. Mars is in the east-northeast, Uranus in the constellation Aries and Neptune in Aquarius. Mercury can be seen low above the horizon in the south-east. Tools such as the Stellarium and Star Walk 2 apps can help you navigate the night sky.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/environment/income-level-found-to-influence-garden-biodiversity/

Environment

Income level found to influence garden biodiversity

Biodiversity

Published October 27, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Researchers see gardens as a potential tool for preserving biodiversity as global diversity declines.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Households with lower incomes tend to have more biodiversity in their gardens, according to a study from North Carolina State University in the United States. People with higher incomes prefer neatly mowed lawns instead.

In the study, published in HortScience, researchers examined attitudes toward biodiversity in the United States. They surveyed over 2,000 people and looked at whether they had any innate appreciation for biodiversity, something called biophilia.

The results showed that far from all people had an innate appreciation for biodiversity, and it varied greatly between individuals. However, it was not uncommon for it to develop early in life.

Biodiversity is declining globally and climate goals are often not met. Therefore, researchers have begun to see gardens as a tool for preserving plant and animal life. But to succeed, they must first understand who is willing to let their gardens grow wilder.

— While a single person’s garden isn’t going to do much individually, as a collective they could be a big part of conserving biodiversity. The question then becomes; how do you get those people to change their gardens in that way? says Vanessa Woods, doctoral student at NC University, in a press release. To do that, you must first identify the people who are receptive to these more natural gardens with greater biodiversity.

Income plays a role

The most important factor for biophilia was income level, the researchers conclude. The higher the income, the less inclined people were to have more biodiversity in their garden, preferring neatly mowed lawns.

The lower the income level, the more positively disposed people were to a more wild-grown garden. Households with an income below $25,000 per year showed the greatest interest in biodiversity. Additionally, people who lived more environmentally friendly lifestyles were also more open to a garden that promotes biodiversity.

Melinda Knuth, lead researcher and associate professor at North Carolina State University, believes it is important to identify those who are attracted to biodiversity in order to bridge the gap between intention and conservation actions.

— To do that, you first need to identify the people who will be receptive to those messier, more biodiverse types of gardens, she says.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/leopard-seals-sing-lullabies/

Environment

Leopard seals sing lullabies

Published October 24, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Male leopard seals sing up to 13 hours per day during mating season to attract females
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The mating calls, or songs, of leopard seals resemble human nursery rhymes and lullabies, new analyses show. Among other things, the song is reminiscent of "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep".

Leopard seals live in Antarctica where they mostly spend their time hunting penguins or relaxing on the floating sea ice. They can grow nearly four meters long and weigh between 300 and 500 kilograms. Males also have another repetitive occupation – and that is to find a female to mate with. To do this, the males "sing" when they are underwater. They do this every day from late October to early January.

Males can sing for up to 13 hours per day. Females also sing, but only for a few days a year when they are in heat.

— It’s big business for them. They’re like the songbirds of the Southern Ocean. During the breeding season, if you drop a hydrophone into the water anywhere in the region, you’ll hear them singing, says Professor Tracey Rogers, from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), in a press release.

Now researchers have analyzed recordings of the male seals' songs to better understand their structure and patterns. There they discovered that the structure of leopard seal songs resembles nursery rhymes or lullabies.

"Baa, baa, black sheep"

In total, songs from 26 different males were studied and it was found that the sounds were very similar in pitch and length, but that the order and pattern in which the sounds were emitted varied considerably between individuals.

"We think this is a deliberate strategy. While leopard seals are solitary animals, the males need their call to carry clearly across vast stretches of icy ocean, to woo a mate", the researchers write in Science Direct.

The researchers compared the song with several different styles of human music and discovered that it consisted of five key notes. What also stood out were the similarities between the predictability of nursery rhymes and leopard seal calls. Nursery rhymes are characterized by being simple, repetitive and easy to remember, something that the seals' songs also were.

Among other things, they found similarities with the well-known rhymes "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" and the classic "Rock-a-bye Baby". The simple melodies likely make it possible for the male leopard seal to continue singing his unique mating call for several days, which is important to avoid changes in pitch or frequency as this could create misunderstandings among other leopard seals.

— It’s the order and pattern that matters. They’ve stylised it to an almost boring degree, which we think is a deliberate strategy, so their call carries a long distance across the ice, says Professor Tracey Rogers.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/finnish-city-tests-forest-microbes-in-playgrounds-to-boost-childrens-health/

Environment

Finnish city tests forest microbes in playgrounds to boost children’s health

Biodiversity

Published October 17, 2025 – By Editorial staff
The sandbox consists of fallen trees filled with sand and humus. If the test succeeds, the concept could be expanded to more playgrounds.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A new type of sandbox has been installed in Kupittaa Park in Turku, Finland. Instead of regular sand, it contains soil from the forest floor filled with microorganisms that, according to research, strengthen children's immune systems.

The city of Turku is now taking a unique step to counteract health problems in children growing up in urban environments. In Kupittaa Park, the country's first sandbox has been built that mixes traditional play sand with humus and microbes from the forest.

The initiative is based on research from the Natural Resources Institute Finland, the University of Helsinki, and Tampere University, which shows that exposure to forest microbes improves the regulation of children's immune systems.

The study showed that children who played in sand enriched with forest soil exhibited improved immune regulation. The discovery is particularly important because urban children are increasingly affected by immune-related diseases such as allergies, asthma, atopy, and type 1 diabetes.

The cause is linked to the fact that city children have limited contact with the diversity of microorganisms found in nature.

Follow-up will determine the future

The new play box is constructed from logs – naturally fallen trees – and filled with a mixture of sand and humus from the forest floor. The design is deliberately simple so it can be replicated if the concept proves successful.

— I became enthusiastic about the Natural Resources Institute's research showing that sand mixed with soil containing microbes from the forest improved children's resistance. I thought the box would be easy to test at a playground in the city. Based on user experiences, we will assess whether such a play box could be implemented on a larger scale, says Anna-Kaisa Hatakka, responsible project manager at the City of Turku, in a press release.

The city will now monitor how popular the new play box becomes among children and parents. If the project succeeds, it could mean a new direction for Turku's playgrounds, where in recent years rubber mats have increasingly been chosen over natural surfaces such as grass and gravel.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/environment/pfas-levels-declining-in-swedens-major-lakes/

Environment

PFAS levels declining in Sweden’s major lakes

Published October 10, 2025 – By Editorial staff
PFAS levels have been measured in fish from Lake Vättern, Lake Vänern, and Lake Mälaren, three of Sweden's largest lakes.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Bans on dangerous PFAS substances have shown results in Sweden's major lakes. However, levels still remain above limit values in Lake Vättern.

PFAS are environmental toxins often called "forever chemicals" because they break down very slowly and therefore accumulate in soil, water, animals and even humans.

Certain PFAS substances can be harmful to humans, with several studies having pointed to their potential to cause cancer, liver damage, impaired reproductive ability, intestinal diseases and thyroid disorders, among other health issues.

It was recently discovered that Swedish wild animals have unusually high levels of these substances, with forest voles among others likely suffering liver damage due to the forever chemicals.

Decreased since the 2000s

In a new study conducted by the Swedish Museum of Natural History, commissioned by the Water Conservation Associations, researchers measured the occurrence of these substances in fish in Swedish lakes. This was done using samples from the museum's environmental sample bank, which dates back to the early 1970s.

The results show that PFAS levels have generally decreased in Swedish lakes. In Lake Mälaren and Lake Vänern, levels have decreased since the early 2000s, and in Lake Vättern since 2008.

Problems remain

The reason for the decrease is believed to be the international banning of the most well-known PFAS substances. However, Arctic char in Lake Vättern still exceed the Water Framework Directive's limit value for PFOS, one of the PFAS substances that has been banned.

— Our results show that measures and bans have had an effect, but also that the PFAS problem is far from solved, says Suzanne Faxneld from the Environmental Analysis and Research unit at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, in a press release.

Stricter limit values for these chemicals are now being discussed in the EU. If these are implemented, Faxneld believes that Sweden's major lakes will exceed the new limit values. The study shows that preparations should be made for stricter regulations from the EU.

— It's also very important to prevent these substances from entering the environment in the first place, she says.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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