In a stark update on the deteriorating condition of our planet, an international assembly of climate experts has reported that the Earth’s vital signs have declined to levels never before witnessed in human history. This critical state threatens the very fabric of life on our planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unprecedented-scientific-consensus">Unprecedented scientific consensus</h2>



Led by William Ripple, a prominent figure from the Oregon State University <a href="https://www.forestry.oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Forestry</a>, and Christopher Wolf, formerly associated with OSU, a team comprising 12 scientists has delivered a grim prognosis on Earth&#8217;s vital signs in their paper published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/biosci/biad080" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BioScience</a>. 



Titled &#8220;The 2023 State of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory,&#8221; the study underscores that a staggering 20 out of 35 planetary vital signs used as barometers for climate health have hit record extremes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-on-the-brink">World on the brink</h2>



&#8220;Without decisive steps to address the fundamental issue of humanity&#8217;s overconsumption of the Earth&#8217;s resources, we are navigating towards the potential disintegration of natural and socioeconomic systems,&#8221; Wolf stated, painting a picture of a future marred by intolerable heat, food scarcity, and water shortages.



The authors highlight alarming data from 2023, pointing out that numerous records related to climate and Earth&#8217;s vital signs have been shattered &#8220;by enormous margins.&#8221; This includes unprecedented ocean temperatures, drastic reductions in sea ice, and an extraordinary Canadian wildfire season contributing to record levels of carbon dioxide emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-echoes-of-past-warnings">Echoes of past warnings</h2>



This report is not the first of its kind. It follows a significant &#8220;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-pushed-earth-to-code-red/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency</a>&#8221; published four years ago, where Ripple, alongside other collaborators, received support from over 15,000 scientists from 161 countries. 



Despite these earlier calls to action, little progress has been made, with Ripple emphasizing, &#8220;Life on our planet is unmistakably under assault.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alarming-climate-health-statistics">Alarming climate health statistics</h2>



The report lays bare several shocking statistics that outline why Earth&#8217;s vital signs are at an all-time low.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-chief-fossil-fuel-era-must-end-for-humanitys-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fossil fuel</a> subsidies saw a staggering increase from $531 billion to over $1 trillion between 2021 and 2022, incentivizing harmful emissions. </li>



<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-amplify-risks-for-socially-vulnerable-populations-in-western-states/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wildfires</a> in Canada alone have already contributed more than 1 gigaton of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2023, surpassing the nation&#8217;s total greenhouse gas emissions the previous year. </li>



<li>A concerning trend in global temperature rise, with 38 days already recorded where temperatures were more than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1.5 degrees Celsius</a> above pre-industrial levels. </li>



<li>July experienced the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/july-was-earths-hottest-month-in-120000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highest average</a> Earth surface temperature on record, likely the most extreme in the last 100,000 years.</li>
</ul>



Wolf expressed deep concern, stating, &#8220;As scientists, the sudden escalation in the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters is deeply unsettling.&#8221;



The study cautions that these disasters&#8217; frequency and intensity might even be accelerating faster than temperature rises. The paper forecasts a dire future, where 3 to 6 billion people will find themselves in uninhabitable conditions by the end of this century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-vital-signs-need-transformative-policies">Earth&#8217;s vital signs need transformative policies</h2>



The scientific community is advocating for policies that address &#8220;ecological overshoot,&#8221; a scenario where humanity&#8217;s demands exceed the Earth&#8217;s capacity, resulting in numerous environmental crises, including a decline in biodiversity.



They argue that solutions focusing solely on carbon or climate will fall short of repairing Earth&#8217;s vital signs unless the overarching pressures on global systems are alleviated. As Ripple puts it, the scientific community has a &#8220;moral duty&#8221; to guide humanity away from potential existential threats and lead action-driven dialogues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steering-towards-a-just-sustainable-future">Steering towards a just, sustainable future</h2>



The paper calls for a comprehensive overhaul of global economic practices. The authors of the study urge a transition that foregrounds human well-being, curtails excessive consumption, and drastically reduces affluent populations&#8217; emissions.



Key policy recommendations to reverse the decline of Earth&#8217;s vital signs include:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. </li>



<li>Encouraging shifts towards plant-based diets. </li>



<li>Amplifying efforts to protect global forest areas. </li>



<li>Establishing international treaties focused on eliminating coal and preventing new fossil fuel exploration.</li>
</ul>



The authors underscore the necessity for equity and social justice in all climate-related decisions. They clearly recognize the disproportionate impact of climate calamities on the world&#8217;s most impoverished populations, who have the smallest carbon footprints.



In a world where climate-related disasters are becoming the norm rather than the exception, this clarion call from the scientific community is more urgent than ever. It implores global leaders, decision-makers, and individuals alike to embark on a more sustainable path, with the understanding that the very future of life on Earth hinges on the actions humanity takes now.



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Life under siege: Earth’s vital signs reach an all-time low

The camera on NASA’s Juno spacecraft was in trouble. Known as JunoCam, it had survived over 50 orbits around Jupiter, capturing stunning images of the planet and its moons. But by late 2023, things took a turn for the space camera. 



Radiation had started to wear it down. The photos coming back were almost unusable - full of static, streaks, and distortion.



The camera had been exposed to Jupiter’s brutal radiation environment for years. With one of its most important missions approaching - a close flyby of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io - the team needed a fix. And they had to do it from over 400 million miles away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-camera-repair-in-deep-space">Camera repair in deep space</h2>



A team of experts, including scientists from the <a href="https://www.swri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southwest Research Institute</a> in San Antonio, took a shot in the dark. The experts believed the problem stemmed from radiation damage to a voltage regulator inside JunoCam. Their only remaining option was to try something risky - heat up the camera.



The process, called annealing, involves raising the temperature of a material to change it at a microscopic level. It’s a method used in electronics but rarely attempted in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-space-is-even-darker-than-we-imagined/">deep space</a>.



Jacob Schaffner is the Managing Engineer at Malin Space Science Systems, which designed and developed JunoCam and is part of the team that operates it.



“We knew annealing can sometimes alter a material like silicon at a microscopic level but didn’t know if this would fix the damage,” said Schaffner. 



“We commanded JunoCam’s one heater to raise the camera’s temperature to 77 degrees Fahrenheit - much warmer than typical for JunoCam - and waited with bated breath to see the results.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cranking-up-the-heat-on-junocam">Cranking up the heat on JunoCam </h2>



The first results were promising. The camera began producing clearer images again - but that didn’t last. Quality started to slip again.



“After orbit 55, our images were full of streaks and noise,” said JunoCam instrument lead Michael Ravine of Malin Space Science Systems. “We tried different schemes for processing the images to improve the quality, but nothing worked." 



"With the close encounter of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jupiters-moon-io-has-a-huge-new-volcano/">Io</a> bearing down on us in a few weeks, it was Hail Mary time: The only thing left we hadn’t tried was to crank JunoCam’s heater all the way up and see if more extreme annealing would save us.”



They gave it everything. The heater was turned up further, hoping that higher temperatures might realign the silicon and bring the camera back to life.



At first, it didn’t look like it worked. Test images were still noisy. But as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amalthea-jupiter-tiny-moon-captured-juno-spacecraft/">Juno</a> closed in on Io, the pictures began to improve - rapidly. By December 30, 2023, during its closest flyby yet - just 930 miles from Io’s surface - the images were crisp and detailed. 



The camera captured towering mountains dusted with sulfur dioxide frost and active lava flows from Io’s uncharted volcanoes. It was official - JunoCam was back.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beyond-space-camera-repair">Beyond space camera repair </h2>



The team didn’t stop there. They have now applied versions of the annealing fix to other systems on the spacecraft - both science instruments and engineering subsystems.



Since its launch, Juno has made 74 orbits of Jupiter. During its most recent pass, image noise crept in again. But now the team has a tool - and some confidence - that they can respond.



“Juno is teaching us how to create and maintain spacecraft tolerant to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/3d-printed-hydrogels-developed-to-protect-astronauts-from-space-radiation/">radiation</a>, providing insights that will benefit satellites in orbit around Earth,” said Scott Bolton, Juno’s principal investigator. 



“I expect the lessons learned from Juno will be applicable to both defense and commercial satellites as well as other NASA missions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-from-a-space-camera">Lessons from a space camera </h2>



The lesson from this mission isn’t just about salvaging a camera. It’s about improvising when there’s no manual. It’s about learning how to keep hardware working long past its expected limits — under some of the harshest conditions in the solar system.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-astronauts-get-blurry-vision-in-space/">Space</a> is punishing. JunoCam wasn’t built to last forever. But thanks to some smart thinking and a little heat, it got a second chance. And it’s still taking pictures.



Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS. Image processing by Gerald Eichstädt



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How NASA repaired a camera millions of miles away from Earth

The camera on NASA’s Juno spacecraft was in trouble. Known...

In the last two decades, smartphones have become deeply embedded in childhood. They are no longer luxury devices for adults but tools, toys, and social lifelines for children. 



A major global study by Sapien Labs has found that owning a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/phone-bans-dont-help-children-learn-to-navigate-the-digital-world/">smartphone</a> before age 13 correlates with poorer mind health in adulthood.



This includes higher risks of suicidal thoughts, aggression, detachment from reality, and weakened emotional control. The results span across cultures and regions, making it a global concern.



The researchers analyzed data from over 100,000 young adults aged 18 to 24. They found that early smartphone use in children - especially before age 10 - leads to a steep drop in mind health scores. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smartphones-and-harmful-content">Smartphones and harmful content </h2>



Smartphones today act as entry points to AI-powered environments. These systems, designed to maximize user engagement, often exploit psychological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mobile-addiction-harms-kids-mental-health-more-than-screen-time/">vulnerabilities</a>. 



They push harmful content, encourage constant social comparison, and replace in-person interaction and sleep with screen time.



“Our data indicate that early smartphone ownership - and the social media access it often brings - is linked with a profound shift in mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood,” said Dr. Tara Thiagarajan, who is the founder and Chief Scientist of <a href="https://sapienlabs.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sapien Labs</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-early-is-too-early">How early is too early?</h2>



The Mind Health Quotient (MHQ) scores showed that those who got smartphones at 13 scored around 30. Those who received one at age five scored just 1. 



Among females, early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childrens-screen-time-shapes-their-mental-health-as-teens/">smartphone</a> use raised the percentage reporting suicidal thoughts by 20 points. Males showed an 11-point increase.



The symptoms most affected include suicidal ideation, hallucinations, aggression, and emotional instability. Functioning issues included reduced self-image, confidence, empathy, and calmness. 



The effects were more severe in English-speaking countries, where early access is common.



“These symptoms of increased aggression, detachment from reality and suicidal thoughts can have significant societal consequences as their rates grow in younger generations,” says Dr. Thiagarajan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-effects-of-social-media">The effects of social media</h2>



The study found that early access to social media explained 40% of the negative effects. Cyberbullying, poor family relationships, and disrupted sleep were also significant contributors. These factors often act downstream of early social media use.



In the English-speaking world, the numbers were worse. Social media access accounted for up to 70% of the mental health impact. Female users also faced more exposure to sexual abuse linked to early online access.



“Based on these findings, and with the age of first smartphones now well under age 13 across the world, we urge policymakers to adopt a precautionary approach, similar to regulations on alcohol and tobacco, by restricting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/screen-time-and-mental-health-a-vicious-cycle-for-kids/">smartphone</a> access for under 13s, mandating digital literacy education and enforcing corporate accountability,” said Dr. Thiagarajan.



This isn’t just a parenting issue. Children whose parents limit devices may face peer exclusion. AI-driven social media apps are too persuasive for young minds to self-regulate. 



Even children protected at home face peer-led exposure to harm in schools. That’s why experts stress the need for collective solutions rather than isolated efforts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limiting-smartphone-access-to-children">Limiting smartphone access to children</h2>



Dr. Thiagarajan and her team propose a four-part policy response to protect children under 13. First, they recommend mandatory education on digital literacy and mental health to prepare children before they access online platforms. 



Second, they call for strict enforcement of age limits on social media, ensuring that companies are held accountable for underage users. The experts advocate for a complete ban on social media access for children under 13 across all internet-connected devices.



Furthermore, the researchers propose graduated smartphone access by providing children under 13 with basic phones that support only calling and texting, without internet or app capabilities.



“Altogether, these policy recommendations aim to safeguard mind health during critical developmental windows,” said Dr. Thiagarajan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smartphones-children-and-health">Smartphones, children, and health</h2>



Delaying action could cost society a generation’s well-being. Up to 20% of youth may suffer suicidal thoughts due to early smartphone exposure. Nearly a third could face serious distress symptoms if trends continue.



“Our evidence suggests childhood smartphone ownership, an early gateway into AI-powered digital environments, is profoundly diminishing mind health and wellbeing in adulthood with deep consequences for individual agency and societal flourishing,” said Dr. Thiagarajan.



“I was initially surprised by how strong the results are. However when you give it due consideration, it does begin to make sense that the younger developing mind is more compromised by the online environment given their vulnerability and lack of worldly experience."



Dr. Thiagarajan noted that it is also important to point out that smartphones and social media are not the only assault to mental health and crisis facing younger adults. "It explains some of the overall decline but not all of it."



“Now, while more research is needed to unravel the causal mechanisms, waiting for irrefutable proof in the face of these population-level findings unfortunately risks missing the window for timely, preventative action.”



The research was supported by the Global Mind Project. The findings are published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19452829.2025.2518313" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Human Development and Capabilities</a>.



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Don't give your children a smartphone before the age of 13, scientists warn

In the last two decades, smartphones have become deeply embedded...

With over 2.8 billion fungal DNA sequences from 130 countries, scientists have produced the first high-resolution global maps of underground mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi support ecosystems by transporting nutrients, capturing carbon, and protecting plant health. 



Yet, over 90 percent of this underground <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-fungi-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/">biodiversity</a> lies outside protected areas. That makes these vital ecosystems vulnerable to environmental damage.



The data powers a new interactive platform called the Underground Atlas. This tool helps anyone explore fungal biodiversity from Ethiopia to Brazil, and from Tasmania to West Africa. 



These maps expose not only diversity but also rarity, revealing patterns previously hidden from view.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-underground-fungi-matter">Why underground fungi matter</h2>



Mycorrhizal fungi form massive underground networks that interact with nearly every plant. 



These fungal systems capture more than 13 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year - about a third of global fossil fuel emissions. They help crops grow, rebuild forests, and regulate water cycles.



Still, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-can-think-and-make-smart-decisions-without-a-brain/">fungi</a> remain missing from major conservation plans. That absence is dangerous. When these networks get disturbed, forests regenerate more slowly, crops suffer, and entire ecosystems unravel.



“For centuries, we've mapped mountains, forests, and oceans. But these fungi have remained in the dark,” said Dr. Toby Kiers of Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (<a href="https://www.spun.earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPUN)</a>.



“They cycle nutrients, store carbon, support plant health, and make soil. When we disrupt these critical ecosystem engineers, forest regeneration slows, crops fail, and biodiversity aboveground begins to unravel."



"This is the first time we're able to visualize these biodiversity patterns - and it's clear we are failing to protect underground ecosystems.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maps-show-fungi-need-protection">Maps show fungi need protection</h2>



The research team used machine learning to build predictive maps from their vast dataset. These maps reveal fungal richness and rarity at a global scale, down to one square kilometer. 



Less than 10 percent of biodiversity hotspots appear in protected areas, exposing a huge gap in global conservation strategy.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/fungi_global-underground-system_map_credit-SPUN_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/fungi_global-underground-system_map_credit-SPUN_1s.webp" alt="High-resolution map of from SPUN's Underground Atlas showing predicted arbuscular mycorrhizal biodiversity patterns across underground ecosystems. Bright colors indicate higher richness and endemism. Credit: SPUN" class="wp-image-1979248"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">High-resolution map of from SPUN's Underground Atlas showing predicted arbuscular mycorrhizal biodiversity patterns across underground ecosystems. Bright colors indicate higher richness and endemism. Click image to enlarge. Credit: SPUN</figcaption></figure>



This work is the first large-scale scientific product of SPUN. The group launched in 2021 with the goal to map and protect Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-millions-of-fungal-species-still-remain-unknown/">fungal networks</a>.



"For too long, we've overlooked mycorrhizal fungi. These maps help alleviate our fungus blindness,” explained Dr. Merlin Sheldrake of SPUN.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-tool-to-explore-underground-fungi">A tool to explore underground fungi</h2>



Now, SPUN offers a powerful new tool: the Underground Atlas. It allows researchers, policymakers, and conservationists to explore biodiversity anywhere on Earth. 



“The idea is to ensure underground biodiversity becomes as fundamental to environmental decision-making as satellite imagery,” noted Jason Cremerius of SPUN.



Users can locate biodiversity hotspots, identify rare fungal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-have-unique-fungi-partnerships-that-help-them-survive/">species</a>, and support restoration work. The tool can inform the placement of conservation areas, especially in biodiversity-rich regions that remain unprotected.



“These high-resolution maps provide quantitative targets for restoration managers,” said Dr. Alex Wegmann from <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Nature Conservancy</a>. “Restoration practices have been dangerously incomplete because the focus has historically been on life aboveground.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-legal-shield-for-fungi">No legal shield for fungi</h2>



According to the researchers, the data could help shape climate and biodiversity laws. For example, Ghana’s coast hosts a vital underground fungal hotspot - yet this coast erodes by two meters each year. If left unprotected, this fungal diversity could vanish into the sea.



“Underground fungal systems have been largely invisible in law and policy,” said César Rodriguez-Garavito of NYU. “These data are incredibly important in strengthening law and policy across all of Earth's underground ecosystems.”



SPUN has built a global dataset of 40,000 samples covering 95,000 fungal taxa. The organization partners with more than 400 scientists and 96 “<a href="https://www.spun.earth/expeditions/underground-explorers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Underground Explorers</a>” from 79 countries. These teams now sample remote regions - from Bhutan and Mongolia to Ukraine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-depends-on-these-networks">Future depends on these networks</h2>



Despite the achievements, scientists have sampled just 0.001% of Earth's surface. SPUN needs more data to improve maps, define restoration goals, and identify <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-fungi-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/">endangered</a> fungal communities. 



“These maps reveal what we stand to lose if we fail to protect the underground,” said Dr. Kiers.



To protect Earth’s underground biodiversity, collective action is essential. Researchers can partner with SPUN to expand data collection and improve the accuracy of fungal diversity maps. 



Conservationists should use these insights to design strategic interventions and prioritize high-value ecosystems. Policymakers need to recognize the critical role of underground fungi by including them in biodiversity and climate frameworks. 



The public can explore the <a href="https://www.spun.earth/underground-atlas/mycorrhizal-biodiversity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Underground Atlas</a> to better understand this hidden world and support ongoing efforts. Funders play a key role by investing in the next phase of global fungal exploration and restoration.



To see the hidden world beneath your feet, visit the Underground Atlas and help protect the life that sustains ours.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09277-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Underground fungi networks that sustain all life on Earth are in danger

With over 2.8 billion fungal DNA sequences from 130 countries,...

Climate watchers and wheat growers share the same worry: fertilizer dependence is pushing production costs up while adding more heat-trapping gases to the sky. Scientists are hunting for ways to keep harvests healthy without pouring on synthetic nitrogen.



The latest <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138525001347">research</a> points to an unexpected ally, the soil microbes that cling to wheat roots and help the plant manage its own nitrogen use. 



Wolfram Weckwerth of the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> and his global team see this partnership as the key to hardier crops and cleaner fields.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fertilizer-adds-heat-and-expense">Fertilizer adds heat and expense</h2>



Farmers apply ever more nitrogen in a bid to keep yields steady, yet 40 to 68 percent of that fertilizer vanishes into air and water. Those losses raise costs and send reactive nitrogen downstream.



In 2022, the global appetite for nitrogen fertilizer hit about 190 million tons, according to the <a href="https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/42d5a668-f44c-4976-8540-8efdb0f4d17b/content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food and Agriculture Organization</a>. The figure is projected to climb as diets shift toward grain fed livestock.



Much of the escaped nitrogen turns into nitrous oxide, a gas roughly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a century. It also sticks around in groundwater, threatening drinking supplies.



Limiting such runaway nitrogen is therefore a climate fix and a public health tool rolled into one. The new wheat strategy aims to deliver both wins without demanding new chemicals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-soil-and-rain-waste-nitrogen">Soil and rain waste nitrogen</h2>



Soil bacteria convert ammonium fertilizer to nitrate in a two-step process called nitrification. Nitrate is easily washed out of topsoil during heavy rain.



Synthetic nitrification inhibitors slow that conversion but cost money and sometimes harm non-target <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-type-of-microbes-found-earths-deep-soil-critical-zone/">microbes</a>. Farmers who skip them lose fertilizer, farmers who use them gain new headaches.



Plants themselves can make natural inhibitors, yet breeders seldom tracked that trait because measuring it was hard. Advances in metabolomics now let scientists rank cultivars by their native stopping power.



By leaning on this built-in defense, growers can cut fertilizer bills and still meet yield wheat targets. The trick lies in choosing the right variety for each field.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wheat-microbes-manage-fertilizer">Wheat microbes manage fertilizer</h2>



Researchers describe the plant and its microbes as a holobiont—a single ecological unit shaped by cooperation and conflict. The idea rewrites the usual breeder’s focus on plant genes alone.



Root-zone bacteria help wheat pull in nutrients and fend off disease. In return, the plant feeds them with sugars and signaling chemicals.



Those chemicals, known as root exudates, differ from line to line. Some invite helpful microbes, some chase away pests, and a lucky few block nitrifying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-plants-produce-their-own-nitrogen-fertilizer/">species</a> outright.



Mapping this chemical chatter gives breeders new knobs to turn. It also explains why one cultivar thrives in worn-out soil while its neighbor languishes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wheat-roots-release-defenses">Wheat roots release defenses</h2>



“Our analysis of root exudates, complicated compounds released from the root system, shows substantial variation between the wheat cultivars,” said Arindam Ghatak, a molecular biologist at the University of Vienna.



The Vienna team screened dozens of elite wheat lines and found a tenfold spread in biological nitrification inhibitor activity.



Lines that topped the chart needed far less ammonium to reach the same biomass as standard checks. Early wheat field trials in Austria and India showed fertilizer savings of up to 30 percent after one season.



One compound under the spotlight is brachialactone, first spotted in tropical forage grass and now turning up in high-BNI wheat. Its structure resembles synthetic inhibitors but degrades harmlessly in soil.



The discovery hints that other cereals might hide similar chemistry. Screening <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/maize-plant-genetics-shape-root-health-and-growth/">maize</a> and barley is already underway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wheat-that-boosts-yield">Wheat that boosts yield</h2>



Tracking subtle root chemicals across thousands of lines calls for heavy analytics. That is where machine learning steps in.



Algorithms sift metabolite fingerprints, microbiome profiles, and yield logs to flag the best genetic combos. The approach turns a breeder’s notebook into a prediction engine.



“In combination with machine learning algorithms, this opens up a promising breeding platform to develop new crop varieties,” said Weckwerth. His group feeds its models with “panomics” data covering DNA, RNA, proteins, and metabolites.&nbsp;



Once the math nominates winners, rapid cycle crossing and greenhouse trials can push a candidate from Petri dish to field plot within three years. That is half the time of classical pipelines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-for-farmers-and-the-planet">Benefits for farmers and the planet</h2>



A 25 percent cut in fertilizer on the world’s 540 million acres of wheat would save roughly 12 million tons of nitrogen each year. That translates to billions of dollars and a sharp fall in nitrous oxide.



Lower inputs also mean fewer energy hungry trips by tractors and fertilizer plants. The chain reaction trims carbon emissions well beyond the farm gate.



Health agencies welcome cleaner <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groundwater-has-a-vital-role-in-ecosystem-survival/">groundwater</a> and smaller dead zones in lakes. Lake Erie’s algae bloom plan, for instance, banks on a 40 percent nutrient reduction by 2025.



When farmers see yield bumps alongside environmental credits, adoption moves faster. The holobiont approach gives them both carrots.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greener-wheat-on-the-way">Greener wheat on the way</h2>



The first BNI-rated wheat could reach European seed catalogs by 2028 if regulatory reviews stay on schedule. Asia and North America are likely to follow soon after.



Future projects will probe whether stacking multiple BNI genes with drought-tolerance alleles offers an even sturdier crop. The team is already testing double-stack lines in controlled drought chambers.



Beyond wheat, sorghum, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-quietly-making-rice-more-dangerous/">rice</a>, and pasture grasses show promise as self-policing nitrogen users. Each carries its own microbial entourage ready for tuning.



Breeding plants and microbes together might feel unfamiliar today, yet it mirrors how ecosystems have worked for millions of years. The field’s next harvest could be resilience itself.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138525001347">Trends in Plant Science</a>.



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Soil bacteria help wheat slash its need for fertilizer

Climate watchers and wheat growers share the same worry: fertilizer...

A new discovery in the Grand Canyon is giving scientists a closer look at some of Earth’s earliest animals. This stunning find includes fossils of soft-bodied creatures from more than 500 million years ago. 



These aren’t just any fossils - they offer a rare glimpse into how early animals lived, fed, and evolved during a time of rapid biological change.



The fossils were found in rocks that date back to the Cambrian explosion. This period, between 507 and 502 million years ago, marks when many of the major animal groups first appeared.



Intense competition and evolutionary innovation marked this window in time. For the first time in this famous national park, scientists have found exceptionally preserved remains of soft-bodied animals, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mollusks-evolution-shishania-aculeata-spiny-armor-no-shells-500-million-years-ago/">mollusks</a>, crustaceans, and even fragments of their last meals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-microscopic-fossil-treasure">A microscopic fossil treasure</h2>



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a> led the study. They collected rock samples during a 2023 expedition along the Colorado River in Arizona. 



"We collected a total of 29 samples of diverse shale lithologies, ranging from massive to fissile, gray to purple, and with various degrees of weathering and dolomitization," the team noted. 



The researchers brought the samples back to their lab, where they dissolved the rocks using hydrofluoric acid. After running the sediment through sieves, they uncovered thousands of tiny fossils.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/grand-canyon_fossil-treasure-trove_sea-creatures_500-million-years_credit-Mussini_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/grand-canyon_fossil-treasure-trove_sea-creatures_500-million-years_credit-Mussini_1s.webp" alt="A treasure trove of exceptionally preserved early animals from more than half a billion years ago has been discovered in the Grand Canyon, one of the natural world's most iconic sites. The rich fossil discovery – the first such find in the Grand Canyon – includes tiny rock-scraping mollusks, filter-feeding crustaceans, spiky-toothed worms, and even fragments of the food they likely ate. Credit: Mussini et al." class="wp-image-1979240"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A treasure trove of exceptionally preserved early animals from more than half a billion years ago has been discovered in the Grand Canyon, one of the natural world's most iconic sites. The rich fossil discovery – the first such find in the Grand Canyon – includes tiny rock-scraping mollusks, filter-feeding crustaceans, spiky-toothed worms, and even fragments of the food they likely ate. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Mussini et al.</figcaption></figure>



“These rare fossils give us a fuller picture of what life was like during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cambrian-explosion-fossils-push-back-the-rise-of-complex-life/">Cambrian</a> period,” said first author Giovanni Mussini, a Ph.D. student in Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences. 



“By combining these fossils with traces of their burrowing, walking, and feeding - which are found all over the Grand Canyon - we’re able to piece together an entire ancient ecosystem.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-animals-had-wild-ways-to-eat">Early animals had wild ways to eat</h2>



The level of preservation is remarkable. Although the fossils weren’t fully intact, the researchers were able to identify structures like spiky teeth, scraping tools, and feeding limbs. These features show how the creatures once lived.



Scientists usually see this kind of fossil preservation only in places like the Burgess Shale in Canada or China’s Maotianshan Shales.



Some of the most surprising finds were animals with complex feeding tools. "These were cutting-edge ‘technologies’ for their time, integrating multiple anatomical parts into high-powered feeding systems,” said Mussini.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/grand-canyon-fossils_priapulids-speies_Kraytdraco-spectatus_credit-Rhydian-Evans_1.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/grand-canyon-fossils_priapulids-speies_Kraytdraco-spectatus_credit-Rhydian-Evans_1s.webp" alt="A new species of priapulids, also known as penis or cactus worms, which were widespread during the Cambrian but are nearly extinct today. The Grand Canyon priapulid had hundreds of complex branching teeth, which helped it sweep food particles into its extensible mouth. Due to the size of the fossil and its exotic rows of teeth, the researchers named this new animal Kraytdraco spectatus, after the krayt dragon, a fictional creature from the Star Wars universe. Credit: Rhydian Evans" class="wp-image-1979242"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A new species of priapulids, also known as penis or cactus worms, which were widespread during the Cambrian but are nearly extinct today. The Grand Canyon priapulid had hundreds of complex branching teeth, which helped it sweep food particles into its extensible mouth. Due to the size of the fossil and its exotic rows of teeth, the researchers named this new animal Kraytdraco spectatus, after the krayt dragon, a fictional creature from the Star Wars universe. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Rhydian Evans</figcaption></figure>



Among the fossils were tiny crustaceans resembling modern brine shrimp. They had grooves around their mouths lined with hair-like structures and molar-like teeth that allowed them to grind food efficiently.



Tiny grooves and fossilized food particles near their mouths gave clues about what they were eating. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossils-reveal-feeding-variety">Fossils reveal feeding variety</h2>



The fossils also showed slug-like mollusks with chains of teeth similar to modern garden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snails-defy-death-and-revive-through-evolution/">snails</a>. This suggests they scraped algae or bacteria from rocks.



A priapulid worm - commonly known as a cactus worm - stood out as the most unusual creature, with complex rows of branching teeth. 



The researchers named it Kraytdraco spectatus, inspired by the krayt dragon from the Star Wars universe.



“We can see from these fossils that Cambrian animals had a wide variety of feeding styles used to process their food, some which have modern counterparts,” said Mussini.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-perfect-conditions-to-evolve">Perfect conditions to evolve</h2>



Half a billion years ago, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grand-canyon-fossils-reveal-secrets-of-the-cambrian-explosion/">Grand Canyon</a> area was much closer to the equator. It was a place where shallow, oxygen-rich waters met just the right amount of sunlight and nutrients. 



This balance provided ideal conditions for early animals to evolve and experiment with new traits.



“Animals needed to keep ahead of the competition through complex, costly innovations, but the environment allowed them to do that,” said Mussini. “In a more resource-starved environment, animals can’t afford to make that sort of physiological investment."



"It’s got certain parallels with economics: invest and take risks in times of abundance; save and be conservative in times of scarcity." 



These fossils show that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossil-discovery-pushes-back-reptile-evolution-by-40-million-years/">early animals</a> weren’t just surviving - they were adapting, experimenting, and thriving.



Thanks to their preservation in the fine-grained rocks of the Grand Canyon, we now have a clearer image of an ancient ecosystem that helped shape the diversity of life we see today. 



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adv6383" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Grand Canyon was a 'Goldilocks zone' for evolution of the earliest animal life on Earth

A new discovery in the Grand Canyon is giving scientists...

Much of Earth’s ancient past lies beneath the sea. Professor Jerome Dobson of the University of Kansas coined the term “aquaterra” to describe now-submerged lands once inhabited by early humans who used them to migrate. These regions vanished as sea levels rose after the last ice age.



In collaboration with Giorgio Spada of the <a href="https://www.unibo.it/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bologna</a> and Gaia Galassi from the <a href="https://www.uniurb.it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Urbino</a>, Dobson examined these landscapes using an advanced sea-level reconstruction model. 



The researchers tracked human migration patterns between Africa and Eurasia over the past 30,000 years, focusing on coastal corridors, especially across Egypt and the Red Sea region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reconstructing-ancient-shorelines">Reconstructing ancient shorelines</h2>



The team’s method involved Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) models, which simulate how Earth’s crust responds to glacial melting and sea-level changes.



Using the SELEN4 model, they reconstructed ancient coastlines with accuracy, including transitions around the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Nile Valley.



Their findings reveal that over 11 percent more land existed at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) than today. This exposed land formed crucial migration bridges.



Dobson emphasized, “We hope this enables people to see and explore the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-first-used-fire-to-preserve-meat-instead-of-cooking/">landscapes</a> that were exposed during the last ice age.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-paths-early-humans-once-traveled">Paths early humans once traveled</h2>



Maps generated from their study reveal several alternative routes into and out of Africa. 



These include a path from Foul Bay to the Nile River, the overland corridor across the Isthmus of Suez, the Gulf of Aqaba passage leading to the Levant, the Bab el-Mandeb crossing into Arabia, and the sea <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-had-surprising-diets-3-5-million-years-ago/">routes</a> through the Sicily and Messina Straits.



Genetic analysis supports several of these paths. Wohns et al. (2022) mapped ancient DNA lineages, revealing strong ancestral roots near Meroë in Sudan. Archaeological evidence remains scarce in some areas, perhaps due to submersion.



“The early human haplotype center appears to be in northeast Sudan,” Dobson said. “That wasn’t a shock, somewhat expected by the DNA experts who discovered it. There were clear connections going up into the Levant." 



"Archaeological literature often emphasizes the southern route across the Bab el-Mandeb, but the maps they produce show little connection between the western and eastern sides of that divide.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lost-city-under-the-red-sea">Lost city under the Red Sea</h2>



One striking hypothesis concerns Foul Bay on Egypt’s Red Sea coast. When sea levels were low, it could have served as a major crossing and port. 



The researchers propose the existence of “Berenice Aquaterra,” a now-lost precursor to the later Greco-Roman port, Berenice Troglodytica.



The team examined historical maps. Confusion over Berenice’s location supports the idea that early humans may have seen the city shift over time due to rising seas. 



Many maps from Kamal’s cartographic atlas show Berenice in multiple positions around Foul Bay.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-submerged-clues-in-coral-reefs">Submerged clues in coral reefs</h2>



Foul Bay holds the world’s highest known concentration of patch coral reefs. Dobson’s surveys identified over 300 such reefs in formations that sometimes resemble human made structures. 



These reefs require hard surfaces - possibly natural rock or submerged ruins - to grow.



“The unusual abundance of patch coral formations in Foul Bay raises new questions about human settlements,” the researchers wrote. Their work suggests these reefs may have grown atop stone buildings or structures lost to time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-view-of-egypt-s-origins">New view of Egypt’s origins</h2>



The team also explored how these submerged routes relate to Egypt’s earliest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meat-consumption-drove-an-evolutionary-leap-in-early-humans/">civilizations</a>. Settlements like Al-Badari and Naqada appear to show stronger ties with Nubia and the Red Sea coast than to Lower Egypt.



Archaeological patterns indicate a movement from Upper to Lower Egypt, challenging the idea that the Nile was settled strictly from north to south. 



This supports a possible migration corridor from Foul Bay to the Nile River, bypassing the long overland Suez crossing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-digging-into-the-sea-floor">Digging into the sea floor</h2>



The researchers urge underwater archaeological investigations in Foul Bay. They propose a five-step research model involving sea-level mapping, geospatial modeling, and excavation.



“We advocate urgent application of this five-step process to the Suez and Foul Bay crossings,” they concluded. This research encourages a deeper and more curious look at the ancient lands now hidden beneath the ocean. 



These submerged regions, known as aquaterra, were once part of daily life for early travelers, settlers, and traders. Over time, rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-model-reveals-dramatic-swings-in-ancient-sea-levels/">sea levels</a> erased the presence of early humans from view, leaving behind few visible traces of their stories.



Today, with improved mapping models and underwater archaeology, scientists have new ways to explore what was lost. 



By studying these vanished coastlines, researchers hope to uncover how early people migrated, settled, and lived - revealing chapters of human history that have long remained out of reach.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/geoscience/articles/10.5802/crgeos.273/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Comptes Rendus Géoscience</a>.



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Ancient human highways revealed beneath the sea

Much of Earth’s ancient past lies beneath the sea. Professor...

The ocean is far from quiet at night - especially near coral reefs, where a steady crackle rolls through the water. A new study shows that this natural sound can help scientists judge whether reefs are bouncing back after heat stress.



Researchers <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241938" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> that the clicks of small crustaceans known as snapping shrimp reveal how much living coral remains on the reef. The louder and higher-pitched the crackle, the healthier the coral cover is likely to be.



A team led by Xavier Raick from Cornell University’s K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/ccb/">lab</a> placed underwater recorders around Moorea, a volcanic island in French Polynesia.



The researchers compared acoustic data gathered before the severe coral bleaching episodes of 2016 and 2019 with recordings made two years after the second heatwave.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-listening-for-coral-recovery">Listening for coral recovery</h2>



Each snap from these shrimp is incredibly loud, and when many of them are together, their clicking becomes the main sound heard on the reef at night. 



Because sound travels farther than light underwater, the team could “hear” reef structure long after dusk had forced divers back to shore.



“The high frequency sounds, mainly during the night, of snapping shrimp can be used as a real indicator of coral resilience,” said Raick. 



His group analyzed thousands of five-minute audio clips with specialized software, looking for peaks in the nightly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sea-shrimp-evolved-an-extraordinary-skill-that-lets-them-see-in-the-dark/">shrimp</a> chorus.



Sites inside <a href="https://marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine protected areas</a> produced stronger high-frequency crackle after bleaching than nearby unprotected reefs. That pattern matched diver surveys showing more surviving coral colonies within protected boundaries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shrimp-sounds-and-coral-health">Shrimp sounds and coral health</h2>



Snapping shrimp live in crevices formed by large coral heads, and their numbers increase as three-dimensional habitat grows. 



Earlier <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0135733" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> in Moorea found that habitats rich in branching Acropora corals had the loudest high-frequency sound signatures.



When warm water kills coral tissue, those hideouts erode, and shrimp populations decline within months. The resulting dip in acoustic energy gives scientists a rapid, noninvasive way to track losses that might otherwise require dozens of daylight dives.



Reef sound also matters to the next generation of organisms. Experiments have shown that free-swimming coral larvae steer toward recordings of healthy reefs, choosing them over silent or degraded habitats.



If the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrimp-homing-smell-chemicals-their-navigate-underwater/">shrimp</a> chorus fades, fewer larvae may settle, slowing recovery and locking reefs into a downward spiral. That feedback makes acoustic monitoring a practical early-warning system for managers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quiet-reefs-signal-damage">Quiet reefs signal damage</h2>



Raick’s team focused on hours when human observers rarely work. At night, visibility drops, but the shrimp chorus grows, offering a clean signal free from boat traffic and diver bubbles.



Two years after the bleaching, protected reefs on Moorea still had stronger, higher-pitched shrimp sounds, while unprotected reefs had weaker, lower-pitched ones. 



This suggests there were fewer or smaller shrimp in the damaged areas.



Protection status mattered even though the bleaching heat stress hit the whole island. Global analyses show that well-enforced marine protected areas with at least five key design features can increase <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrimp-proven-to-be-a-nutritional-treasure-packed-with-antioxidants/">fish</a> biomass eight-fold compared with lightly regulated zones.



By giving corals a break from anchor damage and overfishing, MPAs may preserve the structural complexity shrimp need, allowing reefs to rebound faster after thermal events.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-low-cost-reef-monitoring-tool">Low-cost reef monitoring tool</h2>



Traditional reef assessments rely on scuba teams that sample a few quadrats during daylight, leaving vast areas and all nighttime hours unobserved. 



Passive acoustic monitoring runs recorders continuously for weeks at a fraction of the cost of repeated dive campaigns.



A single hydrophone package can log more than 100 days of data on one set of batteries, and the hardware fits in airline luggage. Analysis pipelines, once limited to specialists, now use open-source algorithms that flag shrimp snaps in minutes.



Nighttime audio also bypasses shallow-water hazards such as currents and low visibility that can limit diver safety. 



Managers get a continuous record that reflects both biological change and illegal activity like dynamite fishing, which shows up as low-frequency blasts.



For Caribbean reserves already stretched thin, deploying acoustic recorders during the warmest months could reveal early bleaching impacts, long before divers notice paling colonies or dead fish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shrimp-chorus-offers-hope">Shrimp chorus offers hope</h2>



Listening alone will not stop coral decline. Average intervals between mass bleaching events worldwide have shrunk from once every 27 years in the 1980s to less than six years today.



Climate-driven heat remains the root cause, and no amount of acoustic monitoring can compensate for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-will-cut-world-gdp-by-a-staggering-40-percent-if-nothing-changes/">rising temperatures</a>. Yet a cheap sensor that tracks resilience can guide triage, steering limited restoration funds to reefs that still crackle at night.



“It’s a story on one island and needs to be repeated in other parts of the world,” noted Raick. He wants to expand the approach beyond Moorea. 



Future work will test whether regional shrimp species differ in acoustic signatures and whether artificial soundscapes could lure coral larvae back to damaged reefs.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241938">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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How shrimp sounds can diagnose the health of coral reefs

The ocean is far from quiet at night - especially...

Plenty of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) eyeball the bread basket like it’s a minefield. Many swear that a single crumb of gluten or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/this-diet-promises-to-improve-symptoms-of-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/">wheat</a> will balloon their abdomen or send them racing to the restroom.



A new controlled <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468125325000901" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trial</a> from McMaster University hints that the real culprit may be expectation, not gluten molecules. The finding lands in a country where roughly <a href="https://cdhf.ca/en/digestive-conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one-in-ten</a> Canadians live with IBS.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-belief-affects-gut-more-than-gluten">Belief affects gut more than gluten</h2>



“Not every patient who believes they are reacting to gluten actually does,” explained <a href="https://experts.mcmaster.ca/display/bercikp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Premysl Bercik</a>, a senior investigator and study co-author from the Department of Medicine at <a href="https://www.mcmaster.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">McMaster University</a>. He and his colleagues designed a cereal bar challenge that separated perception from physiology. 



Participants cycled through three bars that looked and tasted identical: one packed with purified <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colonoscopy-vs-stool-tests-doctors-found-out-which-is-better-at-detecting-cancer/">gluten</a>, one with whole grain wheat, and one completely free of both. Only after the study ended did they learn which week featured which bar.



Symptom logs revealed no statistical difference among the three bars. The sham snack triggered just as many bad gut days as the wheat laden versions, undermining the assumption that gluten is uniquely sinister.



When the blindfold came off, most volunteers still insisted wheat was toxic and vowed to stay gluten free. That disconnect between data and conviction hints at a powerful role for learned fears.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cereal-bar-test-found-no-link-to-gluten">Cereal bar test found no link to gluten</h2>



Lab teams tracked dietary compliance by measuring <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38257173/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38257173/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gluten immunogenic peptide</a> fragments in stool, an objective fingerprint of recent gluten intake. 



The marker showed that many participants quietly skipped the bars, suggesting anxiety steered behavior more than the study protocol.



Only about one third followed instructions to the letter. Yet even that compliant subset showed no consistent link between gluten dose and symptom flare, shrinking the pool of true wheat reactors.



Whole wheat contains amylase trypsin inhibitors as well as gluten proteins, so the team expected the grain bar to cause more trouble than purified gluten. It didn’t, further weakening the wheat equals pain narrative.



“Many of them may benefit from psychological support and guidance to help destigmatize gluten and wheat,” Bercik said, calling for individualized management rather than sweeping bans. He believes clinicians must combine nutritional advice with psychological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/protein-cd74-discovery-may-change-the-treatment-of-colon-cancer/">tools</a>.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fear-of-gluten-can-worsen-ibs">Fear of gluten can worsen IBS</h2>



Expectation can hurt as much as a bad meal, a phenomenon known as the <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3167012/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nocebo effect</a>. Systematic <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36606047/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reviews</a> show up to 40 percent of trial participants report new gut pain after a biologically inert placebo.



Researchers think negative anticipation primes the brain’s pain circuits, amplifying normal digestive sensations until they feel pathological. 



That feedback loop travels the vagus nerve and reshapes motility, explaining why fear alone can quicken bowels.



IBS already involves a hypersensitive gut brain axis, so patients are especially vulnerable to suggestion. Social cues, food labels, and memories of past flares all feed the cycle.



Breaking that loop means addressing stress and thought patterns alongside menu planning. 



Cognitive behavioral therapy and gut directed hypnotherapy have both improved IBS scores in randomized trials, showing belief can heal as well as harm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gluten-panic-worsens-ibs-confusion">Gluten panic worsens IBS confusion</h2>



An <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10793197/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analysis</a> of 822 gluten free videos found view counts rising briskly while information quality lagged, with average <a href="https://openmd.com/guide/health-information-quality-seals" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HONcode</a> scores under two out of eight. 



Recipes dominate these clips, but many also warn that wheat causes vague “inflammation” in everyone, regardless of diagnosis.



Algorithms reward sensational claims, so posts linking gluten to cancer or autism spread faster than nuanced evidence. 



Viewers then arrive at the clinic convinced that purity equals health and that a slice of pizza will undo weeks of progress.



Bercik notes that online <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IBS</a> communities can also validate symptoms and give patients a sense of control. The challenge is steering that energy toward evidence based strategies instead of endless eliminations.



Clinicians now spend precious appointment minutes debunking myths before prescribing care. Better media literacy campaigns could free up time for science rather than damage control.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ibs-triggers-aren-t-always-gluten">IBS triggers aren’t always gluten</h2>



Gluten may be innocent for many, but food still matters. Roughly half of IBS cases improve on a low fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols plan (<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27725652/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FODMAP</a>) that limits fermentable carbohydrates, including certain fruits, dairy sugars, and wheat fructans.



The diet identifies which <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/that-whole-wheat-bread-youve-been-eating-is-often-a-trap-its-not-what-you-think-it-is/">carbohydrates</a> ferment into gas inside the colon, stretching the gut wall and sparking pain. After a strict short phase, foods are re-introduced one by one to map personal thresholds.



Unlike a permanent gluten ban, the FODMAP approach is temporary and re-expansive, aiming for the broadest diet that keeps symptoms in check. Professional guidance is critical, because unmonitored restriction can create nutritional gaps.



Some patients also react to fat, caffeine, or big evening meals. A food and symptom diary, paired with structured re challenges, often clarifies patterns that emotion alone obscures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treat-ibs-with-facts-not-gluten-fear">Treat IBS with facts, not gluten fear</h2>



Genetic testing can rule out true <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/map-of-1-6-million-gut-cells-will-reveal-new-ways-to-treat-disease/">celiac disease</a>, a condition that demands lifelong gluten avoidance. When results come back negative, patients deserve reassurance that an occasional sandwich will not erode their intestines.



Emerging breath tests, microbiome profiling, and wearable motility sensors promise to refine IBS sub types and their triggers. 



The cereal bar study underscores the need to validate new tools against placebo controlled designs, keeping expectation bias in check.



Meanwhile, simple steps, stress management, graded exercise, adequate sleep, ease the gut’s alarm system. Layering these habits onto a flexible diet may offer more relief than chasing ever narrower menus.



For clinicians, the lesson is to test beliefs before endorsing them. A short blind challenge can reveal whether wheat, lactose, or FODMAPs are genuine villains or just familiar scapegoats.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468125325000901" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet Gastroenterology &amp; Hepatology</a>.



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Study claims that gluten intolerance is psychosomatic and not the cause of IBS

Plenty of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) eyeball the...

What if you could watch your brain at work while it sorts your memories? Not just broad recollections, but the moment it identifies an image. Thanks to a breakthrough study at the University of Southern California, that scenario is now a reality.



The new study reveals how the human brain organizes visual memories using category-based codes in the hippocampus.



The researchers combined recordings from 24 epilepsy patients with a powerful machine learning model. The goal was to uncover how the brain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">stores</a> and retrieves different types of visual memories.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-sorts-image-memories">Brain sorts image memories</h2>



The hippocampus cannot store every image as a unique file. Instead, it sorts images into categories like "animal" or "tool." This helps the brain manage the vast flood of visual information it receives daily.



Dong Song and Charles Liu from the <a href="https://www.usc.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southern California</a> conducted the research. Their team recorded brain activity while patients viewed images. 



“We let the patients see five categories of images: ‘animal,’ ‘plant,’ ‘building,’ ‘vehicle,’ and ‘small tools.’ Then we recorded the hippocampal signal,” Song said. 



“Then, based on the signal, we asked ourselves a question, using our machine learning technique. Can we decode what category image they are recalling purely based on their brain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-brain-learns-study-reveals-an-unexpected-twist/">signal</a>?” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-signals-show-memory-categories">Brain signals show memory categories</h2>



The model accurately identified which category a person was remembering. This proved that brain signals during memory tasks carry category-specific information. 



The results also confirmed that neurons in the hippocampus use spike timing, not just firing rate, to store memory.



“It’s like reading your hippocampus to see what kind of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-has-a-meal-memory-that-controls-hunger/">memory</a> you are trying to form,” said Song.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-memory-is-decoded">How memory is decoded</h2>



The researchers used a two-layer memory decoding model. The first layer extracted spike features across many time scales. 



The second layer combined these to predict the image category. This setup allowed the system to find the best time window for decoding memory.



Unlike black-box models, this one is fully interpretable - it reveals exactly when and where in the brain the memory signal occurs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-recording-setup-and-patient-details">Recording setup and patient details</h2>



Each patient had electrodes surgically implanted in their brain as part of their treatment for epilepsy. 



In some cases, the devices were specifically positioned to target the CA3 and CA1 regions of the hippocampus - areas known to play key roles in memory processing.



The team recorded about 30 neurons per patient. Subjects performed 100 to 150 trials using a touchscreen task involving short memory delays.



According to the researchers, the spatial and temporal sparseness metrics showed that only 20 to 30 percent of each neuron's activity window contributed to memory coding. Yet across the population, 70 to 80 percent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-brain-literally-changes-based-on-daily-activities-and-lifestyle/">neurons</a> participated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-timing-of-spikes-matters">Timing of spikes matters</h2>



The experts found that the timing of spikes carries more weight than how often neurons fire. Even brief bursts of activity, lasting just milliseconds, were enough to encode category-level memories.



Rate-coding models using fixed bin sizes (like 100 ms or 2000 ms) performed worse. Fine-grained timing (20 to 50 ms bins) worked better, but not as well as the multi-resolution model.



The study supports developing brain-computer tools to aid memory in patients with cognitive decline. With this spatio-temporal coding model, future devices could "read" or even "write" memories in the brain.



“With this knowledge, we can begin to develop clinical tools to restore memory loss and improve lives,” Liu said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-limitations-and-future-research">Study limitations and future research</h2>



"Several limitations of this study should be acknowledged, along with opportunities for future research," wrote the researchers.



The study used only five image categories and focused on short-term memory. Long-term memory processes like forgetting and memory replay were not addressed. Future research might explore more complex categories and naturalistic settings.



The authors also suggest studying how memory representations evolve over time. For now, this work lays the groundwork for decoding and potentially repairing human memory.



This research shifts how we understand memory. The brain doesn’t just record what we see. It builds organized, efficient maps. With the right tools, scientists can now read and one day restore those maps, one memory at a time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202502047" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Advanced Science</a>.



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Our brain has a 'filing system' to sort visual memories

What if you could watch your brain at work while...

Millipedes rarely make headlines. Their many legs and secretive lifestyles keep them in the background. Yet a closer look reveals something extraordinary. These ancient arthropods produce chemical compounds that may lead to new therapies for neurological disorders and pain relief.



Emily Mevers and her team from <a href="https://www.vt.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a> recently isolated new molecules from the secretions of Andrognathus corticarius. This millipede species was discovered on campus in Stadium Woods.



The new molecules include two rare classes of alkaloids - andrognathanols and andrognathines. The findings demonstrate how millipede compounds may help with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pain-relief-breakthrough-as-scientists-discover-a-safer-non-addictive-approach-trpv1/">pain</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-compounds-found-in-millipedes">Rare compounds found in millipedes</h2>



Millipede chemistry belongs to a narrow lineage. Only species from the subterclass Colobognatha produce terpenoid alkaloids. This group includes four species-rich orders. Among them, Platydesmida stands out for its structural diversity.



Earlier research focused on just one order, Polyzoniida. But more recent studies revealed that Platydesmida millipedes produce a much wider variety of complex alkaloids. Some of these compounds are structurally unique in the animal kingdom.



Andrognathines&nbsp;have a chemical structure made of two connected rings. One ring has five atoms, and the other has six. Together, this makes a "5,6-heterocyclic core." Attached to this core are small chemical groups called&nbsp;ester side chains, which help the molecule interact with other substances.



Andrognathanols&nbsp;are even more complex. Their core structure connects four rings in a pattern labeled&nbsp;6,6,6,5&nbsp;(based on the number of atoms in each ring). What makes them special is that they contain&nbsp;seven continuous stereogenic centers. 



That means there are seven spots in a row where the 3D shape of the molecule can flip, making it highly detailed and difficult to recreate in the lab.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millipede-chemicals-may-target-pain">Millipede chemicals may target pain</h2>



Each compound was carefully analyzed using high-resolution liquid chromatography and NMR techniques. The scientists noted key mass fragments that indicated differences between andrognathines and other millipede alkaloids.



These compounds form part of the millipede's defense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-drugs-target-zombie-cells-to-relieve-back-pain/">strategy</a>. When disturbed, the animal releases the secretions through ozopores on its sides. The alkaloids affect ant behavior, causing them to freeze or slow down. This is a likely defense tactic.



But that is not all. Some andrognathanols showed structural similarities to pumiliotoxins. These molecules are known to act on sodium channels in nerve cells. That similarity raised hopes for possible biomedical uses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millipede-secretions-change-ant-behavior">Millipede secretions change ant behavior</h2>



The researchers tested the secretions' effects on ants (Aphaenogaster sp.), a predator often found near these millipedes. During controlled assays, ants exposed to these compounds exhibited prolonged freezing behavior compared to control groups.



The compounds did not significantly change how long ants stayed near the chemical source. But their altered movement hinted at neural interference, possibly through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-pain-relief-potential-of-cannabis-without-the-high/">receptor</a> modulation.



Every mature&nbsp;A. corticarius&nbsp;millipede secretes these alkaloids in large amounts. Their secretion quantity correlates with body size and the number of ozopores. These are small glands that release the compounds when the millipede is threatened.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-millipede-compounds-target-pain">Some millipede compounds target pain</h2>



The findings are hopeful because of the Sigma-1 receptor. This receptor helps regulate pain and neuroplasticity. It is also linked to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and neuropathic pain.



Previous research found that similar compounds from another millipede,&nbsp;Ischnocybe plicata, potently bind to Sigma-1. That work sparked interest in millipede alkaloids as potential drug candidates.



Mevers’ team tested two andrognathines and three andrognathanols. Compound 1 showed mild binding to Sigma-1, with some selectivity over Sigma-2. Others showed less activity. But their unique structures and neuroactive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-women-experience-more-chronic-pain-than-men/">effects</a> still make them promising.



“These compounds are quite complex, so they're going to take some time to synthesize in the lab,” said Mevers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-millipedes-and-future-pain-drugs">Millipedes and future pain drugs</h2>



The path from chemical discovery to drug approval is long. First, scientists must replicate the molecules in the lab. Then they can test their effects on human cells and animal models. 



Eventually, these efforts may lead to treatments for chronic pain or neurodegenerative diseases.



Millipedes, with their fossil record stretching back to the Cretaceous, may soon help modern medicine. Their secretions are not just defense tools. They are blueprints for the next generation of drugs.



The study is published in the <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c08079" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the American Chemical Society</a>. 



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Millipede chemicals may unlock a new generation of drugs

Millipedes rarely make headlines. Their many legs and secretive lifestyles...

What dinosaurs ate has long fascinated scientists. Now, fossilized teeth tell the story in surprising detail. By analyzing chemical traces in tooth enamel, researchers have uncovered distinct diets among Late Jurassic dinosaurs.



A study from The University of Texas at Austin shows that different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-guts-reveal-the-eating-habits-of-sauropod-dinosaurs/">species</a> did not just live side by side. They also had unique food preferences. These eating habits helped them thrive together without competing for the same plants.



Calcium isotopes in enamel carry chemical fingerprints from ancient meals. Different plants, and even plant parts like bark or buds, leave different traces. This evidence reveals which dinosaurs ate what and how their diets shaped their ecosystem.



“The idea is that they were all eating different things, and now we have found proof of that,” said study lead author Liam Norris, a recent doctoral graduate from UT’s <a href="https://www.jsg.utexas.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jackson School of Geosciences</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dinosaurs-lived-together">How dinosaurs lived together</h2>



Norris studied fossils from a single deposit at Carnegie Quarry in northeast Utah. This site, rich with bones from herbivorous and carnivorous species, likely formed during an intense drought. Its rapid fossil preservation made it ideal for comparing diets across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossilized-poop-reveals-the-diet-of-dinosaurs-200-million-years-ago/">species</a> living at the same time and place.



The herbivores in the study included Camarasaurus, Camptosaurus, and Diplodocus. Carnivores included the Allosaurus and the croc-like Eutretauranosuchus. 



Norris collected enamel samples from 17 individual animals, either accessed in the field or loaned by local museums. At the Jackson School, he conducted isotope analysis with support from co-authors John Lassiter and Aaron Satkoski.



Professor Rowan Martindale called the site “a unique paleontological gem.” The research deepens our understanding of ancient ecosystems and dietary preferences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-eating-dinosaurs-had-different-diets">Plant-eating dinosaurs had different diets</h2>



Earlier theories assumed large herbivores ate from different vertical zones of the forest canopy. But Norris found that diet separation was more nuanced. For example, Camptosaurus favored soft, nutritious plant parts like leaves and buds. 



Camarasaurus preferred conifers and tougher, woody plant tissues. Diplodocus had a more varied menu of low-lying ferns, horsetails, and coarse materials.



“This differentiation in diet makes sense with what we see from the morphology of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jaw-fossil-reveals-fruit-eating-mammal-from-the-dinosaur-age/">animals</a>: the different height, the different snout shape. Then, we bring in this geochemical data, which is a very concrete piece of evidence to add to that pot,” said Norris.



These findings support the idea that long-necked dinosaurs had flexible necks allowing them to reach different plant levels. Instead of competing, they targeted specific vegetation patches suited to their anatomy and energy needs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-choices-of-carnivore-dinosaurs">Diet choices of carnivore dinosaurs</h2>



The two carnivores in the study, Allosaurus and Eutretauranosuchus, showed overlapping isotope values, suggesting some dietary similarities. But subtle differences hinted at distinct prey choices and ecological roles. 



Allosaurus, a large bipedal predator, likely hunted herbivorous dinosaurs, including Camptosaurus and other smaller or juvenile plant-eaters within the same region. Its size, jaw structure, and teeth suggest active predation or scavenging of large-bodied prey.



Eutretauranosuchus, in contrast, was smaller and more crocodile-like. Its isotope signature indicates it may have consumed fish or small terrestrial vertebrates, likely along rivers or shallow wetlands. 



The hunting strategy and habitat of Eutretauranosuchus likely differed greatly from the Allosaurus, reducing competition between the two carnivores despite their coexistence.



These dietary contrasts reflect ecological separation shaped by behavior, anatomy, and environment. Such distinctions help reconstruct predator-prey dynamics within this Jurassic ecosystem. 



The overlapping yet diversified food chain reveals how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mammals-have-evolved-to-eat-ants-and-termites-12-different-times-since-the-dinosaurs/">balance</a> existed even during environmental stress, such as the severe drought that led to the rapid fossil preservation at Carnegie Quarry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-dinosaurs-shared-one-ecosystem">Many dinosaurs shared one ecosystem</h2>



The fact that so many massive animals thrived together points to a lush, productive ecosystem teeming with plant life. Their dietary specialization hints at a world where resource use was efficient and competition was minimal.



“It’s really just more proof that this ecosystem was as spectacular as we thought it was,” Norris said.



The study offers not just a clearer view of dinosaur life and diet but also a method for understanding other prehistoric ecosystems through geochemistry. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031018225003888?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology</a>.



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Jurassic dinosaurs had specialized diets to coexist peacefully

What dinosaurs ate has long fascinated scientists. Now, fossilized teeth...

Covid-19,And,Dementia.,Neuropsychiatric,Sequelae,Of,Covid-19.,3d,Illustration.,Coronaviruses

Scientists watched the pandemic reshape hospitals, jobs, and politics, but a new set of brain scans hints that it also reshaped the organ inside our skulls.



People who were never infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed brains that looked a few months older than expected. 



This suggests that merely living through lockdowns, uncertainty, and social upheaval left a subtle neurological signature. 



The findings come from a new investigation by Dr. Ali-Reza Mohammadi-Nejad of the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nottingham’s School of Medicine</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pandemic-stress-aged-the-brain">Pandemic stress aged the brain</h2>



Nearly 1,000 healthy adults enrolled in the UK Biobank underwent two MRI sessions - one before March 2020. For half of them, a second scan took place between 2021 and 2023.



Researchers used machine learning models built from 15,334 pre-pandemic scans to estimate each volunteer’s brain age gap, the difference between predicted brain age and chronological age. A positive gap means the brain appears older on imaging, a negative gap younger.



“What surprised me most was that even people who hadn’t had Covid showed significant increases in brain aging rates,” said Mohammadi-Nejad.&nbsp;



Participants who weren’t infected but lived through the pandemic showed an average increase in brain age of about five and a half months compared to similar individuals who were scanned twice before 2020.



Older age, male sex, and lower income made the acceleration steeper, demonstrating that biology and biography travel together.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-accelerates-brain-aging">Stress accelerates brain aging</h2>



The study adds to a growing collection of research that links chronic stress hormones to faster structural decline in white matter.



Elevated allostatic load, the body’s cumulative stress score, correlates with brains that look a year or two older than they should.



Isolation compounds the problem. A study of 24,867 adults found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/loneliness-harms-health-more-than-alcohol-obesity-or-smoking/">loneliness</a> and poverty were linked to higher brain age and worse physical health. Lockdowns amplified both stress and isolation, so a slight pandemic era uptick in brain age is biologically plausible.



Animal studies support the idea. Rodents under constant stress show brain inflammation and damage in areas used to estimate brain age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-infected-brains-show-more-decline">Infected brains show more decline</h2>



Covid-19 infection had its own costs. Participants who caught the virus took longer on the Trail Making Test (TMT), a timed task of mental flexibility, than both controls and pandemic peers who were never infected with the virus.



A separate Japanese cohort <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7563673/">study</a> confirms that slower trail making times flag early cognitive change in older adults.



Brain scans of infected people elsewhere echo the pattern. A 2022 report comparing 401 infected volunteers with 384 controls found greater gray matter loss in orbitofrontal and parahippocampal regions, areas tied to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-your-brain-decides-what-smells-good-or-bad/">smell</a> and memory.



In the Nottingham analysis, only the infected subgroup linked larger brain age jumps with worse trail making scores, hinting that viral effects and stress effects overlap but are not identical.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-hits-the-vulnerable-harder">Stress hits the vulnerable harder</h2>



Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood, working an unstable job, or lacking higher education magnified the brain aging-signal. 



Employment insecurity, for example, added almost six extra months to the gap compared with securely employed peers.



These scans make visible a truth social scientists have charted for decades: financial strain and limited social capital seep into physiology. When economic cushions thinned during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-lockdowns-weakened-our-immune-systems/">lockdowns</a>, the impact may have sped up.



The data support protecting vulnerable groups during crises, as stress leaves measurable effects on the brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-healing-depends-on-lifestyle">Healing depends on lifestyle</h2>



“We can’t yet test whether the changes we saw will reverse, but it’s certainly possible, and that’s an encouraging thought,” said Professor Dorothee Auer, senior author of the study.



Brain age models capture averages, not destinies. Earlier studies of stress recovery suggest that gray matter volume and brain connectivity can rebound when stress is reduced. Recovery is more likely when lifestyle factors like sleep, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-bursts-of-intense-exercise-can-slow-brain-aging/">exercise</a>, and social contact improve.



Longer follow-ups will reveal whether the pandemic’s neural footprint fades, stays put, or predicts later cognitive trouble. 



For now, the scans remind us that global emergencies do not end at the ICU door - they echo inside healthy brains, too, in ways only careful imaging can catch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-scans-reveal-policy-impact">Brain scans reveal policy impact</h2>



The study adds weight to the idea that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-brains-age-might-be-older-than-you-are/">brain age</a> could become a routine marker in population health. 



If small changes in daily life - or major global events - show up clearly on brain scans, public health leaders might one day use brain age metrics to evaluate policy impacts over time.



The research also raises the question of how resilience works at a neural level. Some people weathered the pandemic with little psychological or neurological wear, while others showed sharper declines.



Understanding what protects brain health under chronic stress could shape future treatments or community interventions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61033-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Covid aged our brains, even if you weren't infected - here's how it happened

Scientists watched the pandemic reshape hospitals, jobs, and politics, but...

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