Deep down in the Arctic Ocean, life becomes bizarre. One might suppose that at its greatest depths, the icy, dark water would be inhospitable to much, but a new discovery reminds us that that is far from the case.
Off the coast of Greenland, the deep seafloor is littered with towering mounds made of crystallized methane and other gases. Known as the Freya hydrate mounds, these structures act like a “frozen reef,” a haven for creatures that have evolved to live in environments unlike any other on Earth.
In a new paper published in Nature Communications, scientists document the deepest ever found of these mounds, at 3,640 meters—or some 2.26 miles—below the surface. The discovery was made as part of the Ocean Census Arctic Deep–EXTREME24 expedition to explore and research the Arctic environment and document ocean life using tools such as underwater robots.
Incredibly, the mounds, which are also known as gas hydrate cold seeps, release methane gas flares some 3,300 meters up into the water—the tallest such flares ever recorded. Over time, the mounds collapse and reform, a dynamic process that the researchers say gives insights into the Arctic’s various ecosystems.
“These are not static deposits,” Giuliana Panieri, a study co-author and a professor at the Arctic University of Norway, said in a statement about the new research. “They are living geological features, responding to tectonics, deep heat flow, and environmental change.”
Gathered at the mounds are chemosynthetic creatures—life that has evolved to depend not on sun-powered photosynthesis for food but on chemical reactions instead. Some of the creatures seen at the Freya mounds are also found at hydrothermal vents, or fissures in the seafloor through which hot, chemical-laden water erupts, the researchers said, suggesting these ecosystems may be more intertwined than previously thought.
“The links that we have found between life at this seep and hydrothermal vents in the Arctic indicate that these island-like habitats on the ocean floor will need to be protected from any future impacts of deep-sea mining in the region,” said Jon Copley, a study co-author and a professor at the University of Southampton in England, in the same statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine was in no hurry for peace, and if it did not want to resolve their conflict peacefully, Moscow would accomplish all its goals by force.
Putin’s remarks on Saturday, carried by state news agency TASS, followed a vast Russian drone and missile attack that prompted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to say Russia was demonstrating its wish to continue the war while Kyiv wanted peace.
Zelenskiy is to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to seek a resolution to the war Putin launched nearly four years ago with a full-scale invasion of Russia’s smaller neighbour.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Putin’s remarks.
Russian commanders told Putin during an inspection visit that Moscow’s forces had captured the towns of Myrnohrad, Rodynske and Artemivka in Ukraine’s eastern region of Donetsk, as well as Huliaipole and Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Kremlin said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine’s military rejected Russia’s assertions about Huliaipole and Myrnohrad as false statements. The situation in both places remains “difficult”, but “defensive operations” by Ukrainian troops are ongoing, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a statement on social media.
The Southern Command of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on Telegram that “fierce fighting” continued in Huliaipole. “However, a substantial part of Huliaipole continues to be held by the Defence Forces of Ukraine.”
Verifying battlefield claims is difficult as access on both sides is restricted, information is tightly controlled, and front lines shift quickly, with media relying on satellite and geolocated footage that can be partial or delayed.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin attends his annual end-of-year press conference and phone-in in Moscow, Russia, Dec. 19, 2025. Alexander Kazakov | Via Reuters
From the rubble and the ruin, the torture and the terror, the dust and the debris, something is stirring in the Middle East, a spirit that says no to endless cycles of violence and values a future for the region’s children above past feuds.
This sentiment is tenuous, contested, and vulnerable. But with more than a half-million killed in Syria’s 13-year civil war and 70,000 Palestinians killed in the two-year Gaza war, alongside close to 2,000 Israelis, exhaustion is widespread. Shun retribution, murmur the war-weary, and think again.
“There is no other solution but finding a solution,” said Hassan Smadi, 48, a hospital worker in the battered southern Syrian town of Busra. He lost a younger brother, killed in the relentless bombing by Bashar al-Assad, the dictator ousted last year; his family fled to Jordan. “We are tired of war and bored of war, and want only to live peacefully.”
A sign close to where Mr. Smadi stood, installed recently by the local authorities outside a remarkably preserved Roman amphitheater, says, “On this earth, there exists that which deserves life,” a line from the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.
If there is a refrain heard across war-shattered Syria, where even the gray-green wilting trees look shellshocked, it is, “We just want to live.”
If there is an ambition in Saudi Arabia, it is to become a major power representing a modern Islam, open and technologically advanced, far from any aggressive Pan-Arab ideology.
If there is a buzzword among the Sunni Gulf monarchies, once driven to paroxysms of fear and rage by the Shiite mullahs of Iran, it is “pragmatism.”
Still, the region remains combustible. The United States responded to the killing of two U.S. soldiers and an American interpreter this month by hitting the Islamic State in Syria with punishing airstrikes that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called “a declaration of vengeance.”
The strikes came soon after the Trump administration said in its National Security Strategy that the region was “emerging as a place of partnership, friendship and investment,” adding that the days when “the Middle East dominated American foreign policy” were “thankfully over.”
Such optimism, based in large part on the Gaza peace agreement signed in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, on Oct. 13, looks overblown, much like President Trump’s claim that day that it took 3,000 years to reach a breakthrough of this kind.
Not everything has been solved overnight by a presidential signature.
In Syria, sectarianism competes with a desire for unity, and violence flares. War festers in Yemen. In Iran, the regime is weak, but its determination to destroy the state of Israel is undimmed. Israeli settlers claw land away from Palestinians in the West Bank, backed by an extreme right-wing Israeli government.
Already, the Gaza accord looks frayed. Israel and Hamas skirmish for advantage. Everything about the peace plan’s next phase — the planned international stabilization force, disarming Hamas, an Israeli withdrawal, and the role of the Palestinian Authority — appears contentious.
Sequencing, or what concessions from which side come first, is the new battleground.
Even so, very few want a return to war. During repeated visits over several months across the region, hope alternated with horror. What was perhaps most striking was a quiet resolve among many people to side with promise over despair and destruction.
“The Gaza war violated the basic Israeli principle of fighting short wars,” said Gershom Gorenberg, an Israeli author and historian. “There is complete exhaustion in Israel; the military is exhausted, and there’s been entirely too much reserve duty. These factors weigh against renewed fighting.”
The American layoff paradox is hard to ignore now. The United States reports strong GDP numbers and a healthy stock market, yet more than a million workers have been pushed out of their jobs in 2025. This contradiction makes people wonder what is really happening inside the world’s biggest economy. Most Americans feel something shifting. […]
Weight-loss pills that harness the same mechanism as the wildly popular drugs Wegovy and Ozempic are coming to the U.S.
On Monday, Novo Nordisk announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its oral glucagonlike peptide 1 (GLP-1) medication for weight loss and obesity in adults.
It’s a milestone for the industry, which has struggled to make effective pill versions of the weight-loss injections for years. Most people are more comfortable taking a pill than regularly injecting themselves, says Daniel Drucker, an endocrinologist at the University of Toronto, who previously consulted for Novo Nordisk. “It’s just good to have more options for people,” he says. At the same time, the pills could greatly improve access to the medication by lowering costs—the injections can cost hundreds of dollars per month out of pocket.
“Pills are also easier to transport and produce,” says Rozalina McCoy, an endocrinologist and internist at the University of Maryland, adding that she hopes the new FDA approval will increase access to the drugs.
Prior to that approval, Novo Nordisk, which also makes the injectable semaglutide drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, had seen promising results from its trials of the weight-loss pill, which will also be sold under the brand name Wegovy. In the company’s latest phase 3 clinical trial, the highest dose of the pill resulted in a 16.6 percent weight loss at 64 weeks compared with a 2.7 percent loss among those who took a placebo. For comparison, trials of 2.4 milligrams of Wegovy injections showed up to 17.4 percent weight reduction. (The injection and pill were not compared in a head-to-head trial.)
GLP-1 drugs have transformed the weight-loss industry and revolutionized the treatment of metabolic disease. But until now, they have largely been available in the U.S. only as injections. Novo Nordisk’s pill for type 2 diabetes, Rybelsus, was approved by the FDA in 2019. But oral versions of these drugs haven’t taken off in the same way as the injectables, despite even early data showing weight loss and health benefits to be relatively comparable.
The Wegovy pill, taken once a day, works similarly to the weekly injections—mimicking the activity of a gut hormone that slows down the speed at which people’s stomach empties and that makes them feel fuller. People who take the pills tend to eat less overall. The side effects are pretty similar to those of injections of the drug, and they can include nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
The pills must also be taken on an empty stomach to work effectively.
“Nothing else can be taken by mouth for at least 30 minutes to allow the medication to be absorbed into the bloodstream,” says John Buse, an endocrinologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who is a consultant and investigator for Novo Nordisk. “If patients take the medication with other medications, food or even more water or coffee, the effectiveness is dramatically reduced.”
The pill will be available in U.S. pharmacies and select telehealth providers in early January, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told Scientific American. The starting dose of 1.5 mg is anticipated to cost $149 per month out of pocket but could be lower, depending on a person’s insurance.
Importantly, Novo Nordisk’s latest clinical trial success was based on the maximum daily dose of 25 mg, McCoy says. Unlike the injectables, which enter the bloodstream directly, the pills are broken down in the stomach, which means “the oral doses have to be much, much higher” than the Wegovy injections, which cap at 2.4 mg, McCoy explains.
“I expect that the effective doses of oral Wegovy will be much more expensive than the advertised $149, unfortunately. But I would love to see this medication be more affordable,” she says.
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told Scientific American that prices for higher doses will be shared in the new year. “We believe this is the most affordable self-pay price to date for a GLP-1 for weight loss,” the spokesperson said.
Other companies are working on their own weight-loss pills: Eli Lilly, which makes Zepbound, is developing a GLP-1 pill, orforglipron, for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, with FDA approval anticipated for March 2026. More pill options—combined with other effective versions of these drugs in the pipeline—will open up the market and hopefully drive prices down, Drucker says.
“I think we’re going to go in the next like 12 to 18 months from these two main [injection] options from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to half a dozen options in this class of medicines,” Drucker says. “That’s only going to be good for people. They’ll have more choice.”
On December 3, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater opened its 2025–26 holiday season at New York City Center with a gala that marked a turning point for the company. The five-week engagement—running through January 4—signals the first full season under Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack, and a moment where the heralded repertory leans into what audiences expect from Ailey, while expanding its vision for the next generation.
Graf Mack, the 46-year-old mother of two, stepped into her current position with a certain level of familiarity. She danced with the company for years, an experience that informed her approach as an artistic director. In respecting her predecessors, she feels that this endeavor is a responsibility, not simply her duty.
“I am fully aware of what this role carries,” she says. “I worked under Judith Jamison, who was my idol from the time I was little. I saw how she led. I also worked under Robert Battle and saw how he did things. I don’t take any of that lightly. But in order to do the work that needs to be done, I can’t stay frozen in the magnitude of it. I have to stay grounded. I have to be guided by what I know good dance to be, and how to create an environment where dancers can thrive.”
Among the season’s highlights is “Revelations,” which was performed with live music for six shows during opening weekend and the gala. The season also features Jamison’s “A Case of You” in a new production, alongside company premieres and five world premieres by choreographers Maija García, Fredrick Earl Mosley, Matthew Neenan, Jamar Roberts, and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar in collaboration with Samantha Figgins and Chalvar Monteiro.
Alongside Matthew Rushing, Graf Mack was able to program this season with a bit more leeway than in previous years, something that really intrigued her. “I’m interested in what audiences can feel when dancers are given time,” she says. “We had an extended rehearsal period this year, which isn’t always possible for Ailey. Being in the studio with the dancers—teaching, coaching, watching how they move together—that matters. I think people will notice a shift in energy. It feels fresh in the room.”
Ironically, Graf Mack’s path to leadership was an unlikely one. She grew up knowing she wanted to dance, but running an institution? That was another story. When performing full-time became unsustainable, she turned toward education, earning a master’s degree in nonprofit management and teaching at several universities before landing at Juilliard, where she eventually became dean and director of dance.
“That’s where I really learned what [this job] requires,” she says. “It’s not a title. It’s how you show up every day. How you listen. How you lift people. How you manage the artistic alongside the administrative. Dance companies today need leaders who understand both. You can’t separate creative vision from fundraising, from marketing, from long-term sustainability. They all feed each other.”
As Artistic Director of Ailey, Graf Mack remains interested in how the company can expand its reach without losing its identity. Technology, partnerships, and new platforms are part of that conversation, but always in service of the work. “Alvin Ailey leaned into humanity,” she says. “That’s the through line. The world has changed since his time. The way we reach people has changed. But the responsibility stays the same. We’re here to move people. To tell stories others can’t tell. To be brave.”
During my interview with Alicia, the most moving moments were when she reflected on her relationship with the late Judith Jaminson—her predecessor, and her north star. As a young girl, Graf Mack had Jamison’s image on her wall and later worked under her guidance. Their connection deepened over time, shifting from director to mentor, confidant, and friend.
“She studied everything,” she says of Jamison. “How you speak. How you carry yourself. How you prepare a room. She was meticulous and warm and funny and stylish. She didn’t rush anything. After she retired, she stayed present in my life. She checked in. She showed up. She believed in me.” Graf Mack now occupies Jamison’s former office. Much of the furniture remains, and so does the feeling. “I sit at Mr. Ailey’s desk,” she explains. “That wasn’t negotiable. I’m aware of where I am every day. I don’t feel pressure. I feel gratitude.”
The years of practice, education, and previous roles within Graf Mack’s career culminated with the opening night gala, which took place earlier this month. The evening honored board chair Daria L. Wallach, featured performances from Samara Joy and violinist Melissa White, along with boasting a guest list that included notable figures such as Jasmine Guy, Phylicia Rashad, Lorraine Toussaint, and Sunny Hostin, among others. As glamorous a position as the Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater may be, for Graf Mack, the goal remains simple.
“I want people to leave the theater feeling lighter,” she explains. “Ailey has always done that. You come in carrying whatever the day gave you. You leave feeling like you can face it. That’s the work.”
Film and Writing Festival for Comedy. Showcasing best of comedy short films at the FEEDBACK Film Festival. Plus, showcasing best of comedy novels, short stories, poems, screenplays (TV, short, feature) at the festival performed by professional actors.
UiT / Ocean Census / REV Ocean
David Guttenfelder/The New York Times
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Photo Credit: Chad Salvador
James' World 2 