<span style="font-weight: 400;">On the cellular level, how are plants and fungi different? Plantae and Fungi are two of the three main kingdoms in the domain Eukaryota (the third group is Animalia, which includes you and me). </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Many fungi grow in a way that’s similar to plants. They inhabit similar ecosystems and may even form symbiotic relationships together. </span><a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia/plant/en/tricholoma-matsutake/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mycorrhizae</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are fungi that grow on the roots of plants, helping the plants take up nutrients in the soil while the plant provides the fungus with sugar. Of course, most fungi don’t look much like plants. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">But the differences between fungi and plants are more than just skin (or bark) deep. While mushrooms often inhabit similar ecosystems to plants, molds and yeasts are even more different from plants!</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Looking at a plant cell and a fungi cell under a microscope will reveal some interesting similarities and differences.</span>

&nbsp;
<h2><strong>Similarities Between Plant Cells and Fungus Cells</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">On a cellular level, plants and fungi do have some similarities. Let’s start there.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Both plant cells and fungi cells:</span>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have cell walls. This is basically a thin, tough shell made of sugars that surrounds the cell. Animal cells (like yours) don’t have this cell wall.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have membrane-bound nuclei, like animal cells. Prokaryotic cells do not have these.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have DNA condensed thanks to histone proteins (again, like all Eukaryotes but not Prokaryotes).</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have organelles, including mitochondria. You and I also have organelles.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Produce different tissue types. Animals can also do this.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Plants and fungi also both are non-mobile as adults, though the seeds of plants and spores of fungi can travel great distances. Fungi have rootlike structures called hyphae as well - though this similarity isn't at the cellular level.</span>

&nbsp;

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-1867565 size-large" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/paprika-1582256_1280-1024x1024.jpg" alt="plant cells and fungus cells" width="1024" height="1024" />

&nbsp;
<h2><strong>Differences Between Plant Cells and Fungus Cells</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite all of the similarities between plants and fungi, they’re dramatically different groups of organisms. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Differences between plant cells and fungus cells include:</span>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cell wall of a fungus is made up of a three-part matrix of chitin, glucans, and proteins. The cell wall of a plant is usually made of cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectin, agar, and others.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fungi absorb their food from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungus-break-down-plastic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">substrate they grow on</a> - whether that’s soil, a plant, a piece of bread, or even a living animal. This is why fungus can be such a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rust-fungus-outbreak-coffee-supply/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">big problem in crops</a> and your produce drawer!</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fungi produce fruiting bodies called spores, whereas most plants produce seeds. The exception here is ferns, which produce spores similar, but not identical to, to fungi’s.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some fungi, including yeast, appear in single-cellular forms.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fungi cells don’t have chloroplasts, the organelle that plants use to turn sunlight into energy.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Unfortunately, all of these differences don’t necessarily make it easy to tell the difference between a plant cell and a fungus cell under a microscope. It’s not likely that looking at a cell will tell you if its cell wall is made of chitin or chloroplast, and finding a chloroplast isn’t easy either.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s generally easier to actually identify a fungus or plant by looking at the whole organism, rather than trying to identify it at the cellular level!</span>

How Are Plant Cells Different Than Fungi Cells?

On the cellular level, how are plants and fungi different?...

&nbsp;

Mountaintops, the Arctic region, and Antarctica are home to some very unique species of animals. These areas are all part of a biome (habitat type) called the Tundra, which is <b>a lot like a frozen desert</b>. There are many unique tundra animals.

&nbsp;

[caption id="attachment_1867715" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-1867715 size-medium" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Tundra_on_the_Kola_Peninsula_Russia-300x206.jpg" alt="Photo of tundra showing redish hills with patches of white snow and a cloudy sky in the background." width="300" height="206" /> Kola Peninsula, Russia[/caption]

&nbsp;

The tundra is a biome characterized by <a href="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/tundra.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>extreme cold, lack of rainfall, short growing season and lack of nutrients</b></a>. The tundra has a permanently frozen layer of soil called permafrost. This frozen expanse may seem lifeless, but the animals that live in the tundra remain active despite these harsh conditions.

The extremes of the tundra force animals to adapt. Because of this, the tundra is home to many interesting and unique species. Read about a few of our favorites below.

&nbsp;
<div class="mceTemp"></div>
<h2>American Pika <a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/american-pika-ochotona-princeps/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> (Ochotona princeps)</a></h2>
[caption id="attachment_1867719" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-1867719" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Pika-300x200.jpg" alt="Pika with a bundle of small plants in its mouth sitting on a rock with a blurry background." width="300" height="200" /> This pika has quite the harvest. Hopefully it doesn't get stolen![/caption]

These small mammals look a lot like obese mice, but are actually more closely related to rabbits! They live in the alpine tundra <a href="https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/animals-that-live-in-the-tundra.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">(at the peaks of mountains over 6000 feet)</a>.

Pikas may be extremely cute, but they have a tough side too. They are known to participate in “kleptoparasitism” which is just a fancy word for stealing food. <a href="https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ochotonidae/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pikas will raid their neighbors stashes of grass </a>and chow down for themselves.

Their cute little faces are hiding this sneaky secret. In the harsh winters of the tundra, it’s every pika for itself. This adaptation means only the sneakiest pikas have enough to eat.

As the climate changes, pikas are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/american-pikas-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the lucky species that has been able to adapt with it</a>. There were concerns that rising temperatures would destroy essential pika habitat. However, <b>a recent study has shown that pikas are expanding to new regions</b>.

These cute little animals have to be careful when they explore. They provide an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tibetan-sand-fox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">essential food source to arctic foxes </a>in the sparse tundra.

&nbsp;
<h2>Gyrfalcon<a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/gyr-falcon-falco-rusticolus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> (Falco rusticolus)</a></h2>
[caption id="attachment_1867720" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-1867720" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/gyrfalcon-300x203.jpg" alt="A gyrfalcon in the air with wings extended on a blue gray sky." width="300" height="203" /> The gyrfalcon is one of the fastest animals in the world.[/caption]

The gyrfalcon is the <a href="https://www.foxsumo.com/amazing-tundra-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largest falcon in the world</a>. These magnificent birds breed on the arctic tundra during the summer. During the cold winters, <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Gyrfalcon/id" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they migrate south from the arctic circle </a>to warmer climes.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/4-fastest-birds-of-prey/">Nothing can outrun this formidable hunter.</a> <b>The gyrfalcon can reach speeds of up to 209 km/h (130mph). On average they fly 80-110km/h (50-68mph)</b>. This makes them one of the fastest animals in the world and certainly the fastest animal in the arctic tundra.

These falcons primarily hunt other birds. It’s most common pray is the <a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/ptarmigan-lagopus-muta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ptarmigan</a>. They will also eat small mammals such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/arctic-ground-squirrel-spermophilus-parryii/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arctic ground squirrels</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/arctic-hare-lepus-arcticus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arctic hares</a>.

&nbsp;
<div class="mceTemp"></div>
<h2>Musk Ox<a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/muskox-ovibos-moschatus/"> (Ovibos moschatus)</a></h2>
[caption id="attachment_1867721" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-1867721" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/640px-Adult_musk_ox_bulls_animals-300x207.jpg" alt="Adult musk oxen in a group on snow. One musk ox looks at the camera." width="300" height="207" /> These musk ox are adapted to the harsh tundra.[/caption]

The musk ox (or musk oxen) are enormous arctic mammals that live in large herds. Weighing 440-900 pounds at adulthood, these enormous beasts are about the size of a VW bug. They are known for their long beards, bony heads, and their distinctive, musky odor.

Musk oxen have long <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/m/musk-ox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shaggy hair with a short, soft undercoat </a>that helps them keep their body heat in during the cold Arctic winters.

Herds of Musk ox can be made of over <a href="https://animalcorner.co.uk/animals/musk-ox/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">70 individuals, both male and female.</a> Though they are large and strong animals, the young are hunted by wolves, polar bears, and grizzly bears. These large packs will protect their young by keeping them near the center of the pack. Fully grown Musk ox provide protection to the pack.

The tundra is a <strong>harsh biome</strong> that encompasses places as remote as the North Pole and Antarctica. These locations seem desolate and uninhabitable but are <strong>surprisingly full of life.</strong> The animals of the Arctic must survive harsh conditions. Evolution adapts to these extremes with some interesting and unique adaptations.

&nbsp;

3 Unique Tundra Animals

&nbsp; Mountaintops, the Arctic region, and Antarctica are home to...

One of the most enjoyable things for a gardener is seeing a flower bloom in spring that was planted years before. These types of flowers, called perennial flowers, come back year after year. These types of plants make a <strong>great choice for a beginner gardener because of their durability and low maintenance.</strong>

Perennials can survive through multiple dormant seasons, even after they seem to completely vanish in the fall or winter. In spring, they harness energy stored in their rootstocks to grow new shoots and leaves. Their rootstocks are often in the shape of a bulb.

Plants like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-onions-antioxidants-flavonoids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">onions</a> and garlic are technically perennials, but only if they aren't eaten after one or two years! A perennial is different from an annual or biennial plant. Instead of persisting for just one or two years, perennials can outlive the gardener! But usually, <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/epa-lawn-care-tips-weeds-and-pests/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pests</a> or disease get to them before that happens.

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Here's our list of the <strong>5 easiest perennial flowers to grow in your garden</strong>, and what makes them so low maintenance!</span>

&nbsp;
<h3><img class="alignnone wp-image-1867242 size-large" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/coneflower-3974541_1280-1024x682.jpg" alt="echinacea, purple coneflower, perennial" width="1024" height="682" /></h3>
<h2><strong>Echinacea/Purple coneflower (<em>Echinacea purpurea</em>)</strong></h2>
Echinacea is a popular perennial in the sunflower family. They are native to the eastern United States, but now grow in gardens all over the world in temperate regions. The flowering stalk can grow to be a little over a meter in tall, and grow relatively fast. Plus, the flowers themselves can last for over a month. So, they provide gardeners with an option that will certainly make a statement in the spring.

Aside from their towering, vibrant flowers, people also use Echinacea as a medicinal plant. The leaves are commonly used in teas and tablets, and contain anti-inflammatory properties that can treat colds and the flu. These durable, long-lasting blooms are perfect for any garden, especially for beginners!

&nbsp;
<h3><img class="alignnone wp-image-1867245 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/daylily-183294_1280.jpg" alt="Daylily, Hemerocallis" width="1000" height="855" /></h3>
<h2><strong>Daylily (<em>Hemerocallis</em>)</strong></h2>
Another easy perennial to grow in your garden are daylilies. These showy plants are native to eastern Asia, mostly in China, Korea, and Japan. The actual flowers of daylilies are rather shortlived and only last one day. Fortunately, another flower blooms soon after another. Horticulturists have been tending to these flowers for generations, and now there are well over 80,000 <a href="https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/2008/2-6/CultivarOrVariety.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultivars</a>. The variety of colors and patterns of daylilies that are on the market today can be overwhelming. But, they certainly give a gardener many options to choose from!

&nbsp;
<h3><img class="alignnone wp-image-1867248 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/yarrow-3571494_1280.jpg" alt="Yarrow, Achillea millefolium" width="1000" height="666" /></h3>
<h2><strong>Yarrow (<em>Achillea millefolium</em>)</strong></h2>
<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia/plant/en/achillea-millefolium/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yarrow</a> is a plant that doesn’t recognize borders. It’s native to most of the northern hemisphere and grows in many parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. <strong>Yarrow is incredibly durable</strong>, which is one reason it’s so widespread. It can tolerate poor soils and survive long droughts. So no matter what type of environment you live in, yarrow can probably live there too.

Yarrow also supports your native wildlife. Because this wildflower is found naturally in so many different parts of the world, there’s a good chance you would be helping your local pollinators by planting it. Yarrow is also used for medicine, and some even brew beer with it!

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1867249 size-large" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/iris-3385748_1280-1024x676.jpg" alt="bearded iris flower" width="1024" height="676" />
<h2><strong>Bearded Iris (<em>Iris</em> spp.)</strong></h2>
Irises are one of the most common perennials. Like daylilies, there are loads of cultivars to choose from. Bearded irises are one category of cultivar, named for the beard-like petals. Because there are so many types of irises, it can be tricky choosing which one is right for your <a href="https://www.cnet.com/how-to/what-is-a-hardiness-zone/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">specific environment</a>. Luckily, local garden stores and nurseries usually keep these flowers on hand and should know which types would fare best at home.

Irises are generally very hardy and, like yarrow, grow well in dry soil with little water. However, they won’t typically tolerate soil that’s too wet, so <strong>a spot in the sun is this flower’s favorite</strong>. Irises are one of the best flowers to cut for an arrangement, another reason this is a great perennial choice.

&nbsp;
<h3><img class="alignnone wp-image-1867250 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/sedum-3372064_1280.jpg" alt="Sedum, flower, stonecrop" width="1000" height="666" /></h3>
<h2><strong>Sedum (<em>Sedum</em> spp.)</strong></h2>
Sedums, also called stonecrops, are the <strong>champions of hardiness</strong>. Many have adapted to have succulent leaves in order to survive through the hottest and dryest of summers. Others are equally as happy through frigid, frosty winters. Sedum is commonly used as a groundcover. The creeping plant can cover poor soil that other plants wouldn’t even consider growing in. They can also cover rocks and steep slopes most vegetation would struggle on.

Although sedum doesn’t die back completely in the winter, unlike most other perennials, it will grow bigger and stronger year after year. Plus, the green leaves can change appearance and turn a soft red color in winter. Sedum is one of the easiest plants to care for, as they require little maintenance and will continue to grow through virtual neglect.

Did we miss any easy perennial flowers? Let us know in the comments!

&nbsp;

5 Easiest Perennial Flowers to Grow in Your Garden

One of the most enjoyable things for a gardener is...

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Whatever time of year it is, we can’t help but think fondly of warm sunshine, fresh produce, and summertime salads. Before we know it, flowers will be blooming along the boulevards and bursting out of buckets at your local farmer’s market, ready to be added to a delicious salad. Perhaps the mere mention of fresh, edible flowers will make you feel warmer. So, as you heat up some hearty soup and add another blanket to the couch, here are 8 edible flowers that taste great in salads:</span>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866854 size-large" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/kwang-mathurosemontri-110344-unsplash-683x1024.jpg" alt="tulips" width="683" height="1024" />
<h2><strong>1. Tulip (Tulipa spp.)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Tasting like lettuce, with a peppery aftertaste, </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2013/oct/04/tulips-edible-flowers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">tulip petals</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are some of spring’s earliest arrivals that can spruce up a salad. Make sure to remove the petals from the stem and consider pairing with soft cheeses. The bulbs of the tulip plant are not edible unless cooked - and even then, you might want to skip it. The bulbs of tulips often contain </span><a href="http://www.dutchancestrycoach.com/content/whats-cooking-tulip-bulbs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">large amounts of insecticides.</span></a>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866857 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/crimson-beebalm-3956361_960_720.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" />
<h2><strong>2. Beebalm (Monarda didyma)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Also known as wild bergamot, these flowers have a sweet, citrus, spicy mint flavor. The flower’s spikey appearance will definitely add a dimensional quality to your salads. </span><a href="https://www.ediblewildfood.com/wild-bee-balm.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Indigenous nations also use this plant in teas to cure colds</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Additionally, it is a perennial that attracts bees, butterflies, and birds.</span>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866858 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/dandelion-3382663_960_720.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="517" />
<h2><strong>3. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">What’s cool about the Dandelion plant is that the </span><a href="https://www.almanac.com/content/dandelion-recipes-wonderful-edible-weed" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">whole thing is edible</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> - flower, stem, and leaves. Flowers have a honey flavor when picked young, but older flowers will have a more bitter flavor. You can also use young leaves in salads. However, even though the entire plant is edible, it is important to use caution when harvesting dandelions. This plant is considered a weed in American landscapes and is often treated with or found growing in pesticide-treated landscapes.</span>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866859 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/pansy-327188_960_720.jpg" alt="pansies" width="850" height="720" />
<h2><strong>4. Pansy (Viola spp.)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Pansy flowers have a grassy, green flavor and are particularly popular flowers to add to a salad because of their wide variety of colors. You can also candy pansies - a sugary alternative to a healthy salad. Dark-colored flowers may </span><a href="https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/edible-flowers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">make your tongue dark temporarily</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866860 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/hibiscus-3614208_960_720.jpg" alt="hibiscus" width="960" height="640" />
<h2><strong>5. Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Flowers have a mild cranberry, citrusy flavor. You can sprinkle the flowers and petals into your salad and even use it to add flavor and red color to brewed teas (especially delicious when iced!). </span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/hibiscus-tea-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some research suggests</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that incorporating hibiscus flowers into your diet has nutritional benefits, including positive effects on cholesterol levels and blood pressure.</span>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866861 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/lilac-3358741_960_720.jpg" alt="lilac" width="960" height="640" />
<h2><strong>6. Lilac (Syringa spp.)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Flavors of the lilac flower vary depending on each plant. Some have no flavor, others taste “green” and some exhibit a true floral lilac flavor. And why limit yourself to salads? Lilacs can also be used in ice cream, </span><a href="https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/recipes/raw-lilac-cheesecake-recipe-dairy-free/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">soft cheeses</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and pastries.</span>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866862 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/nasturtium-1643964_960_720.jpg" alt="yellow nasturtium" width="960" height="635" />
<h2><strong>7. Nasturtium (Tropaeloum majus)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Both the flowers and leaves of nasturtiums have a peppery taste - fun to use fresh in salads for a spicy flavor. Nasturtiums also have </span><a href="http://www.urbancultivator.net/learn-about-nasturtium/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">high levels of vitamin C</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and are able to boost your immune system, helping to fight sore throats, colds, coughs, and </span><a href="https://www.rxlist.com/nasturtium/supplements.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">bacterial and fungal infections.</span></a>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<img class="alignnone wp-image-1866855 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/rose-3189198_960_720.jpg" alt="roses" width="960" height="640" />
<h2><strong>8. Rose (Rosa rugosa alba, R. rugosa, R. damascena, R. gallica)</strong></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s true! Roses are edible, though it is still a good idea to avoid getting too close to a rose’s thorns. You can add rose petals to a salad for a romantic touch, but remove the white base of the petal as it has a very bitter taste. You can also use rose hips (the seed heads) for salad dressing - they make for a great vinaigrette, </span><a href="http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Edible_plants/RoseHip/Rose.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">high in vitamin C</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Rose hips are also popular additions to home-made teas, jam, candy, and soap. </span>

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Something to think about as you dream of warmer weather and plan your garden for the year: consider planting some of these flowers and enjoy both their colors and their taste. These are known as <strong>“edible landscapes”</strong> and can be a more sustainable method of gardening than a traditional flower garden. </span>

&nbsp;

8 Edible Flowers That Taste Great In Salads

Whatever time of year it is, we can’t help but...

Scientist is replacing part of a DNA molecule. Genetic engineeri

Gene Editing 101

&nbsp; &nbsp; Gene editing is one of those phrases that...

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the </span><a href="http://www.iucn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">International Union for Conservation of Nature</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (IUCN), the number of endangered species has more than doubled over the past 20 years. The biggest threat to species and biodiversity worldwide is habitat loss, which is the primary reason that 85 percent of the species on the IUCN Red List landed there in the first place.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">However, it would be much more accurate to say that human activities are responsible for putting plants and animals at risk of extinction, considering that these activities are the driving force behind habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. In fact, the </span><a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Center for Biological Diversity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reports that 99 percent of currently threatened species are at risk due to the influence of human activities.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Scientists warn that we are already in the middle of the Earth’s sixth mass extinction. The ongoing event, which is referred to as the Holocene or the Anthropocene Extinction, is a direct result of human activities and man-made climate change. The last event of this magnitude was responsible for wiping out the dinosaurs.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Humans are causing irreparable damage to habitats by actions such as clearing forests, building roads and dams, and by releasing harmful greenhouse gas emissions that are rapidly transforming the climate.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Species are also under intense pressure from overhunting and overharvesting. When animal populations are reduced, there are fewer breeding pairs and less genetic variation among the groups. Genetic variation is critical to the health of a population, allowing animals to adapt more easily to changes in the environment.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">As many animal and plant populations are declining, the human population is exploding. This increases the demand for the development of housing, industry, and agriculture. As humans spread out, the habitats of native organisms are affected both directly and indirectly. The growing demand for freshwater, for example, is having an enormous impact on ecosystems.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://www.wri.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">World Resources Institute</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> explained,  "Freshwater ecosystems - the diverse communities found in lakes, rivers, and wetlands - may be the most endangered of all. Some 34 percent of fish species, mostly from fresh water, are threatened with extinction, according to the latest tally of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), which tracks threats to the world’s biodiversity.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“Freshwater ecosystems have lost a greater proportion of their species and habitat than ecosystems on land or in the oceans; in addition, they are probably in greater danger of further losses from dams, pollution, overfishing, and other threats. In extent, freshwater ecosystems are quite limited, covering only about 1 percent of the Earth’s surface. Yet, they are highly diverse and contain a disproportionately large number of the world’s species.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">As many as 28,000 species are expected to become extinct over the next 25 years due to deforestation alone. According to the </span><a href="http://www.fao.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (FAO), 18 million acres of forest are lost each year and about half of the world's tropical forests have already been cleared. </span><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">National Geographic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reports that the world's rainforests could completely vanish in the next 100 years.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Forests are often cleared for urbanization, agriculture, harvesting of wood and timber, and palm oil production. Our planet's trees store an estimated 300 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is released into the atmosphere when forests are cut down. This is a major contributor to climate change and one of its most dangerous counterparts, global warming.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Marine species are particularly vulnerable to temperature stress, and ocean acidification from rising CO2 levels is making matters even worse. Pollution is also on the growing list of threats to aquatic life, and there are currently hundreds of marine species listed by the IUCN as threatened or endangered.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the course of three years, a comprehensive analysis was conducted by 600 volunteer scientists using data from thousands of published studies. The results of the research were presented at a meeting of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intergovernmental_Science-Policy_Platform_on_Biodiversity_and_Ecosystem_Services" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (IPBES).</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The reports, which represent the most up-to-date view of the health of our planet’s species, have been created to inform policy decisions in the future.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">For the last 100 years, an average of two species of vertebrate have gone extinct every year. In addition, around 25 percent of mammals and 41 percent of amphibians are currently threatened with extinction, and the list is growing.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The study also revealed that there are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on Earth, but around 86 percent of land species and 91 percent of marine species are not yet known. Many of them will vanish before they are ever identified.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The following numbers of known species are endangered: 1,204 mammal, 1,469 bird, 1,215 reptile, 2,100 amphibian, and 2,386 fish species.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Experts at the </span><a href="https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Center for Biological Diversity</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> report that we are losing Earth's species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the pre-human rate, with dozens vanishing every day.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“The science is clear: biodiversity is in crisis globally,” said </span><a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">World Wildlife Fund</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (WWF) Director General Marco Lambertini. “We depend on biodiversity for the food we eat, the water we drink, the clean air we breathe, the stability of weather patterns, and yet our actions are pushing nature’s ability to sustain us to the brink.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The authors of a study published in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proceedings_of_the_National_Academy_of_Sciences_of_the_United_States_of_America" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (PNAS) reported: “In the last few decades, habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive organisms, pollution, toxification, and more recently climate disruption, as well as the interactions among these factors, have led to the catastrophic declines in both the numbers and sizes of populations of both common and rare vertebrate species.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers investigated the population losses of over 27,000 vertebrate species and the extinction of 177 mammal species between 1900 and 2015. The study confirmed the theory that we are experiencing Earth's sixth mass extinction event. The experts also determined that this event is more severe than what has been previously estimated.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“Our data indicate that beyond global species extinctions Earth is experiencing a huge episode of population declines and extirpations, which will have negative cascading consequences on ecosystem functioning and services vital to sustaining civilization,” the researchers wrote. “We describe this as a ‘biological annihilation’ to highlight the current magnitude of Earth’s ongoing sixth major extinction event.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“The massive loss of populations is already damaging the services ecosystems provide to civilization. When considering this frightening assault on the foundations of human civilization, one must never forget that Earth’s capacity to support life, including human life, has been shaped by life itself.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“When public mention is made of the extinction crisis, it usually focuses on a few animal species (hundreds out of millions) known to have gone extinct, and projecting many more extinctions in the future. But a glance at our maps presents a much more realistic picture: they suggest that as much as 50% of the number of animal individuals that once shared Earth with us are already gone, as are billions of populations.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The scientists warn that there is very little time left to take effective action - only two or three decades. However, they say, the situation is expected to become even worse in the coming decades rather than improving.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Study co-author Paul Ehrlich of Stanford University told </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">: “The serious warning in our paper needs to be heeded because civilization depends utterly on the plants, animals, and microorganisms of Earth that supply it with essential ecosystem services ranging from crop pollination and protection to supplying food from the sea and maintaining a livable climate.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor David Bravo-Nogues from the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate at the </span><a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">University of Copenhagen</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> led a study to investigate the relationship between climate change and biodiversity.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“We compiled an enormous amount of studies of events, which we know influenced biodiversity during the past million years,” said Professor Bravo-Nogues. “It turns out species have been able to survive new conditions in their habitat by changing either their behavior or body shape. However, the current magnitude and unseen speed of change in nature may push species beyond their ability to adapt.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Fortunately, there are many agencies dedicated to conserving Earth's ecosystems. The </span><a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">World Wildlife Fund</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (WWF) has grown into one of the world's largest conservation organizations with the support of over five million people and active projects in more than 100 countries.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The WWF released this statement about its mission:</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“We seek to save a planet, a world of life. Reconciling the needs of human beings and the needs of others that share the Earth, we seek to practice conservation that is humane in the broadest sense. We seek to instill in people everywhere a discriminating, yet unabashed, reverence for nature and to balance that reverence with a profound belief in human possibilities. From the smallest community to the largest multinational organization, we seek to inspire others who can advance the cause of conservation.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“We seek to be the voice for those creatures who have no voice. We speak for their future. We seek to apply the wealth of our talents, knowledge, and passion to making the world wealthier in life, in spirit, and in living wonder of nature.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">By </span><a href="http://csexton@earth.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chrissy Sexton</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Earth.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Staff Writer</span>

&nbsp;

Endangered Species 101

&nbsp; According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature...

For billions of years, the water existing on Earth has been going through what is known as the water cycle. The water cycle (or hydrologic cycle) describes the continuous movement of water above, below, and on the surface of Earth. This cycle is constantly renewing, accounting for the Earth's water in all of its forms (solids, liquids, and gases).
<h2><strong>Stages and Processes of the Water Cycle</strong></h2>
<h3>The processes of Earth's water cycle include:</h3>
<ul>
 	<li><strong>evaporation</strong> (water dissolving into vapor)</li>
 	<li><strong>transpiration</strong> (water vapor discharged from plants)</li>
 	<li><strong>sublimation</strong> (water vapor expelled from ice and snow)</li>
 	<li><strong>condensation</strong> (the formation of clouds)</li>
 	<li><strong>transportation</strong> (the wind carries clouds all over the Earth)</li>
 	<li><strong>precipitation</strong> (rain, sleet, snow, hail, and fog)</li>
 	<li><strong>deposition</strong> (water vapor becoming ice, skipping the liquid phase)</li>
 	<li><strong>snowmelt runoff</strong> (<a href="http://development.earth.com/news/western-snowpacks-shrank-century/">Snow packs</a> thawing, becoming streams and rivers)</li>
 	<li><strong>surface runoff</strong> (streams and rivers flowing towards the oceans)</li>
 	<li><strong>infiltration &amp; percolation</strong> (water flowing into and underneath the soil)</li>
 	<li><strong>canopy interception</strong> (water absorbed from the soil by plants)</li>
 	<li><strong>groundflow </strong>(water traveling underground)</li>
</ul>
Heated up by the sun, water particles are floated into the air from just about everywhere on the planet. After evaporating, the vapor spends an average of nine days in the atmosphere. Water also transpires (emerges or leaks out) from plants, following the rest of the vapor through the cycle. Winds and air currents bring water vapor towards the cooler temperatures of Earth's upper <a href="http://development.earth.com/news/human-activity-seasonal-cycles/">atmosphere,</a> where the vapors condense and become clouds. Traveling around the globe, the clouds gather together, forming larger clouds. Eventually, the water returns to Earth as precipitation. Water can also be frozen and stored for thousands of years if the weather conditions allow.
<h3>Surface runoff</h3>
it is Water flowing over land masses. During this process, the waters travel as rivers and streams that eventually return to the ocean, or become freshwater lakes and ponds. Sometimes, water falls back to the soil from plant transpiration (another process known as evapotranspiration). Water can also seep through soil deep enough to replenish aquifers - underground bodies of rock that store huge amounts of freshwater for centuries. Some of this water can find surface channels to make its way back to the oceans as groundwater discharge. Freshwater springs emerge when groundwater veins find cracks in land surfaces. Over time, all water eventually returns to the oceans where the cycle starts all over again.

The main storehouses for the majority of all water on Earth are the oceans. It is estimated that of the 332,500,000 cubic miles of our water supply, the oceans hold almost 321,000,000 cubic miles (95%) of the total. The oceans also supply about 90% of the evaporated water going through the water cycle. Typically, much of the Earth's water stays in storage for long periods of time. So Fossil water is groundwater spends many hundreds or thousands of years beneath the planet’s surface Water found in soil remains there very briefly, spreading thinly across the entire planet.
<h2><strong>Factors Affecting Earth's Water Cycle</strong></h2>
When warmer climates prevail, the flow of water increases through the cycle. During colder periods, more ice caps and glaciers form, decreasing the water flow. During the Ice Age, glaciers covered nearly a third of the planet’s land mass, which kept the oceans about 400 feet lower than they are today. The last global warming trend (about 125,000 years ago), brought the seas about 18 feet higher than the current sea level. It is possible that about three million years ago, the oceans were as much as 165 feet higher than today.

A study conducted in 2007 theorizes that the water cycle will intensify throughout the 21st century. This does not mean that precipitation will increase everywhere on Earth; some regions are actually expected to experience extremely low precipitation, which would result in serious droughts. The drying is projected to be stronger near pole-ward regions, and precipitation is expected to intensify in the equatorial regions.

Glacial retreat - when the supply of water to glaciers cannot keep up with the loss of water from melting - is one example of the drastic changes we could experience in the water cycle. Glacial retreat has been extensive since 1850. Some major human activities that are affecting the changing water cycle include: agriculture, industry, construction of dams, deforestation and afforestation, groundwater removal through the use of wells, water removal from rivers and streams, urbanization, and chemical alterations in the atmosphere.

What is the water cycle?

For billions of years, the water existing on Earth has...

20728399 - life from outer space       panspermia

Panspermia is most directly described as a hypothesis about the origins of life on Earth, and in the entire universe. Many works of Science Fiction have explored the topic, notably :
<ul>
 	<li>John Wyndham’s The Day of the Triffids</li>
 	<li>Jack Finney’s Invasion of the Bodysnatchers (twice made into a film)</li>
 	<li>the Dragonrider series by Anne McCaffrey.</li>
</ul>
Proponents of the idea -- like Greek philosopher Anaxagoras and Astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle -- suggested that:

" the organic matter found on Earth came from a single unit source that propagates the universe."

There is no compelling evidence available. however, to support or contradict Panspermia (hence why it is a hypothesis).

There is some evidence suggesting that:

" bacteria is able to survive for extended periods of time, even in deep space (a point in favor of the underlying mechanism of Panspermia)"; recent studies in India have found bacteria further than 40 km out in the Earth’s atmosphere. Also, in 1967, streptococcus mitus bacteria accidentally brought to the moon on NASA’s Surveyor III spacecraft was easily revived after returning to Earth 3 years later.
<h3>Opposing Arguments to Panspermia</h3>
The problem with Panspermia is that it isn’t resolvable until life on other planets can have their chemistry analyzed. If everything in the universe truly originated from the same ancestral materials, all forms of life would have a similar biochemistry as a consequence. Any higher altitude bacteria would, therefore, whether of Earthly or extra-terrestrial origin, share some biological traits with extra-terrestrial forms.

we know a little about the materials originating from other planets.

in 1984, meteorite ALH84001 found to have fallen from Mars and discovered in Allan Hills, Antarctica  .
its analysis suggested that it contained artifacts that may had been caused by life forms. This is the only indication of extraterrestrial life to date, and it is still widely debatable

What is Panspermia?

Panspermia is most directly described as a hypothesis about the...

<h2></h2>
<h2>The Summer Solstice</h2>
it is derived from the Latin <i>sol</i> (sun) and <i>sistere</i> (to stand still), can be considered the astronomical event to mark the beginning of summer.

For half of the globe, the Solstice day has more sunlight hours than any other day of the year. (excluding Equatorial regions where daylight hours are the same for every season).

On the day of the Summer Solstice (also called Midsummer) in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun reaches its most northerly point in the sky and appears to stand still, just before returning toward its most southerly point, and repeating the cycle. Over the course of a year, the Earth makes one full revolution around the sun.
<h3>Some factors can affect the way light from the sun is distributed over the planet throughout the year like :</h3>
<ul>
 	<li>Earth’s 23.5 degree axial tilt</li>
 	<li>curvature</li>
 	<li>rotation speed of the earth</li>
</ul>
The positioning of the Earth during the Summer Solstice causes the sun’s light to hit the Tropic of Cancer at a 90 degree angle. The angle of the sun’s rays over the Earth at this time gives the North Pole 24 hours of sunlight, while the South Pole remains dark for 24 hours (signifying the Southern Hemisphere’s Winter Solstice).<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>

For the Winter Solstice, the sun’s light hits the Tropic of Capricorn at a 90 degree angle. During this time, the South Pole receives 24 hours of sunlight, and the North Pole 24 hours of darkness. At this Solstice, the Southern Hemisphere’s summer is beginning, and the Northern Hemisphere experiences the start of winter. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the Summer Solstice occurs some time between:
<ul>
 	<li>June 20 and June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere</li>
 	<li>December 21 and December 22 in the Southern Hemisphere.</li>
</ul>
Interpretation of the Solstice has varied throughout cultures, but most have recognized it as a sign of fertility, observing holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals and other celebrations around the time of the Solstice. In Northern Europe, the Summer Solstice is most famously associated with Stonehenge, where the sun has been worshipped for thousands of years.

What is the Summer Solstice?

The Summer Solstice it is derived from the Latin sol...

36609665 - cold weather low temperature concept

A snow gauge is an instrument used in meteorology to gather and measure the amount of solid precipitation (as opposed to liquid precipitation that is measured by a rain gauge) over a period of time.
<h2>A snow gauge has two parts:</h2>
<ol>
 	<li>the copper catchment container</li>
 	<li>the funnel shaped gauge itself</li>
</ol>
The actual gauge is mounted on a pipe that is about 4 ft. 11 in. high. The gauge itself is about 20.25 inches long.
Snowfall is measured by how much falls into the gauge. When snow has fallen, the container is removed and replaced by a spare.

The snow is then melted while still in the container, then poured into a glass measuring beaker. While snow is normally measured in centimeters, melted snow is measured in millimeters. The estimate of the snow depth is obtained by multiplying the water equivalent by ten. Measuring snow depth accurately can be hindered when wind is prevalent. If the wind is strong enough, it may blow the snow across the gauge and the measurements will be inaccurate.
<h2>The problems of snow gauge</h2>
However, due to the shape of the funnel gauge, this is usually a minor problem. Another problem with measuring snow is when rain falls with snow and the gauge is not changed accordingly.

Some gauges that are in areas that aren’t always readily accessible, have specialized features that allow the measure of snow to be recorded accurately. These gauges collect snow to a certain point and when the weight limit is reached, the gauge tips over and dumps the snow. This dumping trips a switch and sends a signal. The collection then repeats itself. If the catch basin has a heater in it, it can measure the snow weight accurately. Some gauges can be set to tip based on volume rather than weight.

A snow pillow is another type of gauge that looks like a round bag lying on the ground. Inside the pillow is a liquid that resembles antifreeze yet is safe for the environment. The snow pillow is often connected to a manometer (a device that measures pressure) that measures how much snow is sitting on the pillow.
Photo copyright &amp; credit

What is Snow Gauge?

A snow gauge is an instrument used in meteorology to...

Soft rime is a type of ice that forms when water droplets from fog freeze to the outer surfaces of objects. This formation usually occurs with light winds and cold conditions. The rime forms to the windward (facing the wind) side of solid objects. Soft rime is very similar in appearance to hoarfrost, but is formed differently.

Rime can produce shapes like needles or scales. It is a milky white color and can be easily shaken off branches or other objects with ease. Conditions for the formation of rime include small water droplet size, slow accumulation of water particles, high rate of super-cooling, or rapid heat loss.

Hoarfrost and rime have many of the same characteristics, but are told apart by the process in which they form. Hoarfrost happens on cold, humid nights under clear skies, and the water vapor is directly deposited onto solid ice. It is only when the cause is fog freezing over a surface that it is considered soft rime.

The formation of soft rime and hoarfrost also differ by the process the water droplets go through. For soft rime, water vapor is first condensed into a liquid (such as in fog or mist) before attaching to a surface. Hoarfrost is a result of the deposition of water vapor directly into ice, or solid form.

&nbsp;

Photo Copyright and Credit

What is Soft Rime?

Soft rime is a type of ice that forms when...

The History of Earth in Exactly 2000 Words

The history of Earth is obviously a ginormous topic. Really,...

&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Watching birds zip across the sky is a breathtaking experience - However, how fast can some birds of prey go - and how do they do it? Let’s look at the five fastest birds of prey. </span>

<a href="http://www.birdsleuth.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BirdWingTypes-Handout-Sept2014.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wing shape</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a major factor in how fast a bird can fly - and not all wing shapes are created equal.The long, thin, pointy wings that are perfect for high-speed flight aren’t well-suited to soaring on thermals, hovering, or maintaining a high constant speed. because of speed isn't always the number one goal of a given bird species, many bird species evolved to have other wing shapes that are well-suited to their niche.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">There are many incredibly fast birds out there. The White Throated Needletail, a tiny swift from the mountains of Asia, clocks speeds of up to 105 miles per hour - the fastest flapping speed of any bird out there. </span><a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/magnificent-frigatebird-fregata-magnificens/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frigatebirds</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/antipodean-albatross-diomedea-antipodensis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">albatrosses</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and other seabirds can also hit nearly 100 miles per hour when they catch the right wind currents.</span>

But today, we’re almost focusing on birds of prey - and that means we’re primarily looking at the diving speeds of these formidable predators.

&nbsp;
<h2><b><a href="https://www.earth.com/endangered-species/falco-peregrinus-peregrinus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peregrine Falcon, <i>Falco peregrinus</i></a></b></h2>
&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Native to: North America</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Top Airspeed: 389 km/h (242 mph) in a stoop</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Average Horizontal Speed: 65–90 km/h (40-56 mph)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About: This bird lives primarily along mountain ranges and river valleys, though the species is also adapting to thrive in cities. There are several subspecies with a range of sizes. They hunt other birds, sometimes as large as ducks. They are highly prized in falconry thanks to their exciting stoop (dive) and the relative ease with which they can be trained . Measuring the top speed of 389km/h took some seriously cool bird training and a Cessna plane - </span><a href="https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/falling-with-the-falcon-7491768/?c=y&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">read about that here</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2><b><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/golden-eagles-migrate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden Eagle, <i>Aquila chrysaetos</i></a></b></h2>
&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Native to:</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Most of the Northern Hemisphere, including Eurasia, North America, and northern Africa.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Top Airspeed: 320 km/h (200 mph) in a stoop</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Average Horizontal Speed: 45-51 km/hr (28-32 mph)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About: This massive eagle is one of the most widespread Accipiters in the world. They’re also relatively rare. Renowned for their hunting prowess, this bird is well-studied and revered as a falconry bird. They known to hunt foxes, waterfowl,</span></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2><b><a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/gyr-falcon-falco-rusticolus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gyrfalcon, <i>Falco rusticolus</i></a></b></h2>
&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Native to: Arctic coast and tundra, including northern islands in North America, Europe, and Asia. Adults sometimes are found further south in the winter.</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Top Airspeed: 209 km/h (130 mph)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Average Horizontal Speed: 80-110 km/h (50-68 mph)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About:</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The gyrfalcon is the largest falcon species. They hunt ptarmigan and waterfowl. Hybrids between the gyrfalcon and peregrine falcons are commonly used for falconry, as the larger size allows falconers to hunt more quarry. </span></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h2><b><a href="https://www.earth.com/animals/eurasian-hobby-falco-subbuteo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eurasian Hobby, <i>Falco subbuteo</i></a></b></h2>
&nbsp;
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Native to: Africa, Asia, and Europe</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Top Airspeed: 159 km/h (99mph)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Average Horizontal Speed: unknown</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">About: This bird thrives in open grassland and is fast enough to catch swallows and swifts mid-flight. It prefers to hunt around dawn and dusk. They are astonishingly agile, and part of their courtship ritual involves passing off food at high speeds.</span></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Flight speed is just one of many ways that birds can gain a competitive - and evolutionary - advantage. While most fast birds of prey primarily use their speed to capture prey, some also use their speed to harass rivals or get away from even bigger predators!</span>

&nbsp;

4 Fastest Birds of Prey

&nbsp; Watching birds zip across the sky is a breathtaking...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



<p>Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



<p>The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-monitoring-networks">Scientific monitoring networks</h2>



<p>Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.</p>



<p>The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



<p>This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.</p>



<p>The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.</p>



<p>The full study was recently published in <em><a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a></em>.</p>



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



<p>Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



<p>A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.</p>



<p>Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.</p>



<p>Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents".  In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively.   MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.</p>



<p>MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization.  The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



<p>Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.</p>



<p>Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



<p>The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



<p>Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.</p>



<p>This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



<p>The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.</p>



<p>PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



<p>AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.</p>



<p>In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



<p>The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.</p>



<p>As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.</p>



<p>The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.</p>



<p>For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.</p>



<p>The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.</p>



<p id="block-9bd989d6-2fd3-4580-957f-6cacce134f08">-----</p>



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<p id="block-1f9a227a-ec37-4140-81b8-ffa4a7cc6689">-----</p>



<p>MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a></p>



<p>Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a></p>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



<p>The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



<p>Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.</p>



<p>The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-food-security">Implications for global food security</h2>



<p>The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



<p>While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



<p>As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Communications</em></a>.</p>



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Some children read facial expressions when making food choices.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-people-s-reactions-influence-children-s-eating-habits">Other people's reactions influence children's eating habits</h2>



<p>Many children are finicky eaters, but research explains how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-learned-why-so-many-kids-dislike-vegetables/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watching others eat and social modeling</a> influence the eating habits of children.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Study Methodology Demonstrates Social Learning Impact</h2>



<p>Researchers at <a href="https://www.aston.ac.uk/hls/school-of-psychology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aston University School of Psychology</a> have published findings in Frontiers in Psychology that illuminate the neurobiological foundations of food preference development through observational learning. The investigation employed controlled video stimuli featuring adults consuming raw broccoli while displaying systematically varied facial expressions to measure participant responses.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asymmetrical Response Patterns Identified</h2>



<p>The research, conducted with 204 female participants, revealed a pronounced asymmetry in social modeling effects. Negative facial expressions during vegetable consumption significantly diminished observer food preference ratings, while positive expressions failed to produce corresponding increases in vegetable appeal. This finding challenges conventional assumptions about the bidirectional nature of social influence in dietary behavior formation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Evolutionary Psychology Framework Applied</h2>



<p>Dr. Katie Edwards and her research team propose that these results reflect adaptive mechanisms developed through evolutionary processes. The heightened sensitivity to disgust expressions likely functions as a protective system, enabling individuals to identify potentially harmful foods through social cues without direct risk exposure.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clinical and Educational Implications</h2>



<p>These findings carry substantial implications for pediatric nutrition interventions and family meal dynamics. The research suggests that parental expressions of distaste during vegetable consumption may inadvertently reinforce children's existing food aversions through unconscious social transmission pathways.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Future Research Directions</h2>



<p>The study establishes a foundation for expanded investigation into real-time social modeling effects and cross-demographic applicability. Researchers emphasize the necessity for longitudinal studies examining actual consumption behaviors rather than preference ratings alone, particularly within family contexts where social learning occurs most frequently.</p>



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<p></p>

Social modeling affects our food choices

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc Some children read facial expressions when making food choices....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-causing-protein-bound-and-blocked">Cancer-causing protein bound and blocked</h2>



<p>In a discovery that can one day revolutionize cancer treatment, researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside</a> have successfully developed a means of controlling MYC, a notoriously slippery protein that causes approximately <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chaotic-protein-that-fuels-75-of-cancers-can-be-controlled/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">75% of all cancers in humans</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-myc-different">What makes MYC different</h2>



<p>MYC presents a unique challenge when studying cancer. Normally, this protein plays a vital role in healthy cells. It carefully controls transcription - the process that converts genetic information from DNA and RNA into proteins.</p>



<p>However, cancer changes everything. In cancer cells, MYC becomes a destructive force. It operates in overdrive mode with no regulation whatsoever.</p>



<p>Professor Min Xue, who led the research team, explains it simply: "MYC is less like food for cancer cells and more like a steroid. It drives cancer's aggressive growth." This superactive behavior makes MYC involved in three out of every four cancer cases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-myc-is-hard-to-target">Why MYC is hard to target</h2>



<p>Despite its clear role in cancer, targeting MYC has been one of medicine's biggest challenges. The main problem lies in MYC's unusual structure - or rather, its complete lack of structure.</p>



<p>Professor Xue describes the protein as "basically a glob of randomness." This means conventional drug discovery methods don't work. These traditional approaches rely on sharply defined protein structures. MYC simply doesn't have one.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A New Approach to Fighting MYC</h2>



<p>The UCR research team developed a clever solution. They designed a special peptide molecule that could selectively bind to MYC. More importantly, this peptide could block MYC's destructive activity.</p>



<p>The key was fine-tuning two specific features: the peptide's stiffness and its shape. Through careful adjustments, researchers achieved something remarkable. They reached "sub-micro-molar affinity" - meaning their peptide binds as strongly as antibodies do.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-results">Breakthrough results</h2>



<p>This accomplishment represents a major leap beyond previous attempts. The researchers enhanced their peptide's binding strength by two orders of magnitude. This dramatic improvement brings the work significantly closer to practical drug development goals.</p>



<p>The research opens new possibilities for treating the vast majority of cancers where MYC plays a destructive role.</p>



<p>The researchers are presently optimizing peptide-delivery systems based on lipid nanoparticles that deliver the peptide effectively into cancer cells. The<a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> National Institutes of Health</a> and the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Department of Defense</a> funded the study, which appeared in the Journal of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Chemical Society</a>.<br>This research offers renewed hope against cancer, and it can potentially open a door to more effective cancer therapies for most cancer patients worldwide.</p>



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The protein that fuels 3 out of 4 cancers has been controlled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



<p>On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.</p>



<p>This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.</p>



<p>Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.</p>



<p>The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators.  Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas.  These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.</p>



<p>Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.</p>



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



<p>Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.</p>



<p>Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



<p>385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.</p>



<p>The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.</p>



<p>Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



<p>The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."</p>



<p>This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <em><a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a></em> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.</p>



<p>Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet <em>Archaeopteris</em>: the first modern tree</h2>



<p>The star of this ancient forest is <em>Archaeopteris</em> – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur <em>Archaeopteryx</em>. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.</p>



<p>William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.</p>



<p>Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



<p>These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.</p>



<p>This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



<p>The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified <em>Eospermatopteris</em>, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.</p>



<p>All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



<p>Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.</p>



<p>Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."</p>



<p>The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



<p>In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.</p>



<p>Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



<p>Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.</p>



<p>Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.</p>



<p>These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.</p>



<p>The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em>Current Biology</em>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-map-exact-ages-when-your-body-rapidly-ages">Scientists Map Exact Ages When Your Body Rapidly Ages</h2>



<p>Scientists have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/#google_vignette">discovered that aging</a> isn't the gradual, steady process many assume it to be. Instead, researchers from Stanford Medicine have found that our bodies undergo dramatic molecular changes at two specific ages: 44 and 60. This research, published in Nature Aging, reveals that aging happens in sudden bursts rather than smooth transitions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-waves-of-rapid-aging">Two waves of rapid aging</h2>



<p>The Stanford study tracked over 135,000 different molecules and microbes in 108 participants aged 25 to 75 over several years. Results showed that 81% of all molecules studied exhibited non-linear changes, meaning they shifted dramatically at certain ages rather than changing gradually over time.</p>



<p>Michael Snyder, chair of genetics at Stanford School of Medicine and the study's senior author, noted significant findings. "We're not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes. It turns out the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s. And that's true no matter what class of molecules you look at."</p>



<p>The first wave of changes occurs around age 44, affecting molecules related to alcohol metabolism, caffeine processing, lipid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-related-changes-in-metabolism-dont-match-our-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metabolism</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-remains-the-leading-cause-of-death-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular disease</a>, and skin and muscle function. The second wave hits around age 60, involving changes in carbohydrate metabolism, immune regulation, kidney function, and again cardiovascular and muscle health.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-during-these-aging-bursts">What happens during these aging bursts</h2>



<p>During the mid-40s transformation, researchers observed significant changes in how the body processes alcohol and fats. This period often coincides with increased stress levels in many people's lives, potentially contributing to lifestyle factors that accelerate these molecular shifts.</p>



<p>"It's possible some of these changes could be tied to lifestyle or behavioral factors that cluster at these age groups, rather than being driven by biological factors," Snyder explained. For instance, alcohol metabolism dysfunction might result from increased consumption during the typically stressful mid-40s period.</p>



<p>The changes at age 60 are perhaps less surprising, as this is when many age-related diseases begin to manifest more prominently. The molecular shifts affect immune function and kidney health, both critical for maintaining overall wellness as we enter our senior years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latest-research-confirms-aging-patterns">Latest research confirms aging patterns</h2>



<p>Recent 2025 studies have validated these findings. Research examining tissue samples from 76 people found similar aging patterns, noting an "inflection point" between ages 45 and 55.</p>



<p>Scientists discovered that blood vessels, particularly the aorta, age fastest among all body tissues. This vascular aging may drive aging in other body parts, highlighting cardiovascular health's central role in the aging process.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cellular-changes-and-microbiome-shifts">Cellular changes and microbiome shifts</h2>



<p>The Stanford research revealed that these aging bursts affect our microbiome – the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in and on our bodies. These microbial communities undergo substantial shifts during both aging periods, potentially affecting everything from digestion to immune function.</p>



<p>Additionally, researchers found that protein production and gene expression begin to fall out of sync as we age. This breakdown in cellular communication becomes especially pronounced during the two aging waves, contributing to the accumulation of damaged proteins associated with diseases such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-may-not-be-brain-disorder-important-data-was-fabricated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer's</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-implications-and-longevity-considerations">Health implications and longevity considerations</h2>



<p>Understanding these aging patterns has important implications for healthcare strategies. Research suggests that people should pay particular attention to their health during their 40s and 60s, when these dramatic molecular changes occur.</p>



<p>Snyder emphasized the importance of proactive health measures. "I'm a big believer that we should try to adjust our lifestyles while we're still healthy," he noted. This might include increasing exercise to protect heart health and maintain muscle mass, or reducing alcohol consumption in the 40s as the body's ability to metabolize it declines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-approaches-to-anti-aging-treatment">New approaches to anti-aging treatment</h2>



<p>Aging research has seen notable advances in 2025. Harvard Medical School scientists developed chemical cocktails that reverse cellular aging without genetic modification. These six combinations restored aged cells to youthfulness in under a week, offering safer alternatives to gene therapy.</p>



<p>Researchers identified new biomarkers like "InflammAge," a saliva-based test measuring chronic inflammation associated with aging. This non-invasive approach could change how we monitor aging and intervention.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-directions-in-aging-research">Future directions in aging research</h2>



<p>Emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, cellular reprogramming, and senolytic therapies, are opening new possibilities for extending healthspan. Companies develop treatments targeting aging's fundamental mechanisms rather than just managing age-related diseases.</p>



<p>The Stanford findings provide a roadmap for implementing preventive measures. Rather than waiting for symptoms, people can prepare for and potentially mitigate these predictable aging waves.</p>



<p>As aging understanding evolves, one thing becomes clear: aging isn't inevitable decline, but specific biological events we may learn to prevent or reverse. The key is recognizing when these transitions occur and taking proactive health steps during vulnerable periods.</p>



<p>The study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/nataging" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Aging</a></em>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Scientists discover we age in bursts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The hidden science behind tickling.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-discover-the-brain-s-tickling-command-center">Scientists discover the brain's 'tickling command center'</h2>



<p>Researchers have finally solved one of humanity's most enduring mysteries: why we can't <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/after-centuries-of-debate-we-still-dont-know-how-tickling-works/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tickle</a> ourselves and what makes some people incredibly ticklish while others barely react? Recent scientific discoveries are revolutionizing our understanding of this peculiar human behavior.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-discovery-in-the-brain">Breakthrough discovery in the brain</h2>



<p>In 2023, Dr. Michael Brecht's team at <a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humboldt University</a>-<a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berlin</a> made a major discovery published in the <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(22)01991-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journal <em>Neuron</em></a>. They identified the brain's actual "tickling command center" – specific neurons in a region called the periaqueductal gray that control both tickling responses and play behavior.</p>



<p>When researchers used cutting-edge optogenetic technology to shut down these neurons in laboratory rats, something remarkable happened. The animals completely lost their ability to be tickled or engage in playful behavior.</p>



<p>"We found that global blockade of the rat periaqueductal gray with either muscimol or lidocaine interfered with ticklishness and play," the research team reported in their study.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-types-of-tickling-revealed">Two types of tickling revealed</h2>



<p>What we call "tickling" is two completely different phenomena, according to the latest research. Light tickling – that feathery sensation that makes you want to scratch – is essentially your body's sophisticated bug detection system. This alerts you to potential insects or parasites on your skin.</p>



<p>Deep tickling – the kind that makes you laugh uncontrollably – involves complex brain circuits and is fundamentally social. You literally cannot tickle yourself with this type of stimulation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-self-tickling-is-impossible">Why self-tickling is impossible</h2>



<p>Your cerebellum acts like a prediction machine, recent findings show. When you move your own hand to touch yourself, your brain generates precise predictions about what you will feel and then cancels out the tickling sensation through neural inhibition.</p>



<p>When someone else tickles you, your brain can't predict their movements, so the full tickling response activates. It's like your brain's way of distinguishing between self and others.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-differences-explained">Individual differences explained</h2>



<p>Individual differences in ticklishness depend on genetics, psychology, and even trust. Dr. Xinzhong Dong at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> notes that people with denser nerve endings tend to be more sensitive.</p>



<p>Psychological factors matter just as much. You respond more strongly when tickled by people you trust, and anxiety completely shuts down tickling responses. This explains why the same physical stimulus can produce completely different reactions depending on who's doing the tickling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-your-ticklishness">Controlling your ticklishness</h2>



<p>Science offers answers for controlling your ticklishness. You can reduce tickling sensitivity through systematic desensitization – gradual exposure in controlled settings.</p>



<p>Dr. Konstantina Kilteni's 2025 research, published in <em><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt0350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a></em>, reveals another technique: place your hand on the tickler's hand. This allows your brain to partially predict the sensations, reducing the tickling response by up to 90 percent.</p>



<p>"Your brain is essentially learning to override its own reflexes," Kilteni explained in her review of tickling research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-purpose-discovered">Evolutionary purpose discovered</h2>



<p>From an evolutionary perspective, tickling serves vital functions according to <a href="https://www.umd.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland</a> researcher Dr. Robert Provine's extensive studies. It trains our defense reflexes for vulnerable body areas and facilitates social bonding between family members.</p>



<p>Tickling-induced laughter is actually one of the first forms of communication between infants and caregivers. "Tickle involves a neurological self/nonself discrimination, providing the most primitive social scenario," Provine noted in his research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clinical-applications-emerge">Clinical applications emerge</h2>



<p>Research shows people with autism spectrum disorder perceive touches as more ticklish than people without the condition. Investigating this difference could provide insight into brain differences and help advance autism research.</p>



<p>People with schizophrenia tend to experience self-touches similarly to external tickles, allowing them to essentially tickle themselves. This suggests altered sensory prediction mechanisms in the condition.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-research-reveals-universal-nature">Animal research reveals universal nature</h2>



<p>Scientists have discovered that many species beyond humans are ticklish. Rats emit ultrasonic "laughs" when tickled, while chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans all respond to tickling stimulation.</p>



<p>This widespread occurrence across species suggests that tickling serves fundamental biological and social functions that evolved long before humans developed complex language and culture.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



<p>Dr. Kilteni argues that tickling research deserves more scientific attention. "It is a complex interplay of motor, social, neurological, developmental, and evolutionary aspects," she stated in her recent review.</p>



<p>New haptic technologies and advanced research methodologies now permit scientists to investigate tickle sensation with unprecedented precision. Standardized experimental methods using mechanical tickling devices ensure consistent results across studies.</p>



<p>Recent findings published in <em>Science Advances</em> show that tickling research is opening new doors in neuroscience, potentially leading to a better understanding of social behavior, sensory processing, and neurological conditions.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4 The hidden science behind tickling. Scientists discover the brain's...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals secret mission to create working time travel device.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-an-equation-truly-bend-time-a-physicist-s-decades-long-quest-to-rewrite-reality">Could an equation truly bend time? A physicist's decades-long quest to rewrite reality</h2>



<p>Imagine the impossible: stepping back through time in a time machine, not in fantasy, but through a scientific endeavor driven by profound personal loss. For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astrophysicist-says-hes-cracked-the-equation-for-time-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Ronald Mallett</a>, a distinguished astrophysicist and professor emeritus at the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut</a>, this deeply human longing has fueled a lifelong mission. He claims to have discovered the equation that could unlock temporal displacement, pushing boundaries once deemed purely science fiction.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-profound-grief-that-forged-a-vision">A profound grief that forged a vision</h2>



<p>Mallett's extraordinary pursuit began with devastating tragedy in 1955. At merely 10 years old, he endured his father Boyd's sudden death—a television repairman whose passion for science had ignited a similar spark in his young son. Boyd Mallett, only 33, succumbed to a heart attack, leaving behind a grief-stricken child searching for solace.</p>



<p>That solace came through H.G. Wells' <em>The Time Machine</em>. Within its pages, Mallett found a captivating concept: "Time is only a kind of Space." These words transformed from a literary phrase into a guiding principle, becoming the driving force behind his unwavering commitment to unraveling time's fundamental mysteries.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-humble-beginnings-to-academic-heights">From humble beginnings to academic heights</h2>



<p>Mallett's journey was far from straightforward. After serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War era, he utilized the GI Bill for higher education, earning his Ph.D. in physics from Pennsylvania State University in 1973 at the age of 28.</p>



<p>In 1975, he made history as the first African American professor in the University of Connecticut's physics department, achieving full professorship in 1987 before retiring in 2024 as professor emeritus.</p>



<p>Throughout these successful academic years, Mallett harbored his radical ambition as a closely guarded secret. "I kept my time travel goal a secret," he confessed. "I worried people would think I was nuts." His public research centered on black holes, serving as a "cover story" while he quietly developed his revolutionary time travel theory.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-breakthrough-moment">The breakthrough moment</h2>



<p>His pivotal insight arrived while hospitalized for a heart condition—a profound irony given his father's heart attack started this journey. The breakthrough was elegantly simple yet revolutionary: "If gravity can bend time, and light can create gravity, then light can bend time."</p>



<p>"It turns out that black holes can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-blueprint-for-a-temporal-vortex">The blueprint for a temporal vortex</h2>



<p>Mallett's vision for a functioning time machine replicates spacetime-warping phenomena around black holes. He offers a compelling analogy: "Picture a cup of coffee. Stir it with a spoon, and the coffee swirls. A spinning black hole does the same to spacetime."</p>



<p>In Einstein's general relativity, the universe is a dynamic fabric woven from space and time. Massive objects like black holes warp this fabric—an effect we perceive as gravity. Mallett theorizes that an intense, continuous, circulating beam of light from a ring of powerful lasers could replicate this gravitational torsion, effectively twisting time into a loop.</p>



<p>This "time loop" would theoretically allow information—or perhaps matter—to travel backward in time. He detailed this mathematical concept in his 2006 autobiography, <em>Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-published-research-and-recognition">Published research and recognition</h2>



<p>His work, published in respected journals including <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/physics-letters-a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physics Letters A</a></em> and <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/10701" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Foundations of Physics</a></em>, suggests circulating laser light could generate gravitational fields potent enough to create closed timelike curves, enabling time travel for data.</p>



<p>Mallett's research has gained worldwide media attention, featured on <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Public Radio's <em>This American Life</em></a>, the <a href="https://www.history.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">History Channel</a>, and <a href="https://www.today.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBC's <em>Today Show</em></a>. The widespread interest reflects both his compelling personal story and rigorous scientific approach.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-galactic-hurdles-and-persistent-skepticism">The galactic hurdles and persistent skepticism</h2>



<p>While Mallett's equations captivate imagination, the path to reality faces immense obstacles. The energy requirement is staggering—Mallett acknowledges needing "galactic amounts of energy," far beyond current technological capabilities.</p>



<p>There's also a poignant limitation: even if realized, his machine could only send information back to when it was first activated, meaning it couldn't transport him to 1955 to prevent his father's death.</p>



<p>The scientific community remains skeptical. Physicists Ken Olum and Allen Everett argue that Mallett's proposed laser ring would need to be larger than the observable universe to achieve the necessary spacetime distortion. They invoke Stephen Hawking's chronology protection conjecture, suggesting physics may prevent macroscopic time travel.</p>



<p>Astrophysicist Paul Sutter has voiced doubts about Mallett's underlying mathematics, while science writer Brian Clegg finds the concept intriguing enough to warrant experimental investigation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-legacy-that-transcends-time">A legacy that transcends time</h2>



<p>Now approaching 80, Dr. Mallett remains steadfast. "I believe my work will show time travel is possible," he asserts. "Future generations will build on it in ways we can't yet imagine."</p>



<p>His equations, though yet to physically bend time, have bent our collective imagination. Ongoing public interest, evidenced by his continued media appearances and Spike Lee's film adaptation of his memoir, underscores his ideas' profound impact.</p>



<p>More than a scientific pursuit, Mallett's story testifies to human resilience, intellectual courage, and hope's enduring power. Whether his theoretical time machine ever materializes, his legacy is immeasurable—inspiring countless individuals to challenge conventional limits and perceive time not as an unyielding barrier, but as a boundless frontier awaiting exploration.</p>



<p></p>



<p>-----</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Retired professor claims he solved time travel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



<p>Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?</p>



<p>The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What was acid rain?</strong></h2>



<p>Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The science behind it</strong></h2>



<p>Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.</p>



<p>While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The crisis at its peak</strong></h2>



<p>During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Environmental devastation</strong></h2>



<p>The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.</p>



<p>By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.</p>



<p>Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Economic impact</strong></h2>



<p>Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The solution: government action and technology</strong></h2>



<p>Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Clean Air Act of 1990</strong></h2>



<p>The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Cap-and-trade success</strong></h2>



<p>Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.</p>



<p>The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Technology advances</strong></h2>



<p>Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.</p>



<p>The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today"><strong>Why we don't hear about it today</strong></h2>



<p>Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Success doesn't make news</strong></h2>



<p>There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Mission accomplished</strong></h2>



<p>The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone"><strong>Is it really gone?</strong></h2>



<p>The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.</p>



<p>EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What this teaches us</strong></h2>



<p>The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.</p>



<p>Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.</p>



<p>Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.</p>



<p>This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.</p>



<p>Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p><strong>Sources:</strong> <em>This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions</strong></h2>



<p><strong>1. Is acid rain completely gone?</strong> No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.</p>



<p><strong>2. How long did solving take?</strong> Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.</p>



<p><strong>3. What made the solution successful?</strong> Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.</p>



<p><strong>4. Do other countries have acid rain problems?</strong> Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.</p>



<p><strong>5. Could acid rain return?</strong> Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.</p>



<p><strong>6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"?</strong> The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a></p>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

<p>Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. </p>



<p>The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.</p>



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<p>Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. </p>



<p>Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.</p>



<p>Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. </p>



<p>They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).</p>



<p>Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.</p>



<p>Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.</p>



<p>This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.</p>

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.</p>



<p>"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.</p>



<p>"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="http://csexton@earth.com"><em>Chrissy Sexton</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.</p>



<p>"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.</p>



<p>To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com"><em>Chrissy Sexton</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Editor</em></p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.</p>

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.</p>



<p>"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."</p>



<p>"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."</p>



<p><em>Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="http://csexton@earth.com"><em>Chrissy Sexton</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Staff Writer</em></p>

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com"><em>Chrissy Sexton</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Editor</em></p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.</p>

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.</p>



<p>In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. </p>



<p>Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.</p>



<p>Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. </p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com"><em>Chrissy Sexton</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Editor</em></p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.</p>

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.</p>



<p>“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. </p>



<p>The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.</p>



<p>“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”</p>



<p>The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com"><em>Chrissy Sexton</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Editor</em></p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.</p>

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?</p>



<p>One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;</p>



<p>While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: ACS Reactions</em></p>



<p><em>-</em><em>--</em></p>



<p><em>By </em><a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com"><em>Chrissy Sexton</em></a><em>, </em><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/"><em>Earth.com</em></a><em> Editor</em></p>



<p>Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.</p>

How does salt makes things taste better?

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