Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA Earth Observatory </a>&nbsp;features a dust storm that moved across parts of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in mid-September.



"This image, acquired by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite, shows thick plumes of dust blowing hundreds of kilometers across the arid region on September 22, 2023," said NASA.



"The dust appears to emanate from the ephemeral Hamun wetlands, which partially surround the Iranian city of Zabol. When dry, this area becomes a hotspot for dust storms due to a persistent weather feature known as the Levar wind (or “120-day wind”), which blows out of the northwest from late-May to late-September."



Across the Sistan-Baluchistan province in southeastern Iran, three people were killed in accidents related to poor visibility and more than 1,300 others sought medical assistance for respiratory, heart, and eye ailments.



According to NASA, more than two decades of low water levels in the Hamun wetlands have led to a significant increase in dust storms. This has been especially the case during the 120-day winds, strong summer winds that occur from late May to late September.



"Water levels are influenced by rainfall and the flow of the Helmand river, which runs from the Hindu Kush mountains across Afghanistan before terminating at the wetlands. More frequent drought since 1999, along with increasing upstream demands on water resources for agriculture and other uses, have amplified the drying," said NASA.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Brutal dust storm sweeps across Southern Asia

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory &nbsp;features...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features dust flowing through the Tokar Gap, where the easternmost extent of the African Sahel meets the Red Sea.



"Mountain chains border both sides of the Red Sea, the long narrow inlet of the Indian Ocean that separates Saudi Arabia to the east from Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea to the west. One major exception is the Tokar Gap, a 100-kilometer (60-mile) break in the Red Sea Hills that serves as a conduit for both winds and dust," says NASA.



"In the summer, strong surface winds frequently stream through the gap from the southwest, often funneling narrow plumes of dust from the Tokar Delta over the Red Sea."



The photo was captured on June 24, 2023 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The image shows a plume of dust from Sudan pushing through the Tokar Gap.



"In the winter, the winds reverse and winds typically gather over the Red Sea and move through the gap toward the southwest," says NASA.



"A 2019 analysis of weather conditions that fuel summer dust storms indicated that stronger winds moving through the Tokar Gap - and warmer air and soil temperatures - have increased the amount of airborne dust found in this area since 2002."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/ Wanmei Liang



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Dust from Africa streams through the Tokar Gap

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory </a>&nbsp;features a fjord in western Greenland as the ice was joined by a mysterious arc.



"In summer, the fjords around Greenland are commonly littered with angular pieces of ice that have sloughed off from the island’s numerous outlet glaciers. But on August 3, 2023, the ice on a fjord in western Greenland was joined by a peculiar arc," said NASA.



"The thin, white feature spans much of Itilliarsuup Kangerlua, a tributary fjord of the Uummannaq Fjord system in Western Greenland. It extends about 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) from the front of Kangilleq glacier."



While the origin of the arc remains unclear, experts have proposed some possible theories. Dan Shugar, a geomorphologist at the University of Calgary, suggests that the arc may be the result of a large iceberg that broke off from the front of the glacier.



"An iceberg breaking from the glacier - above or below the water’s surface - would displace water, creating a wave," explained NASA.



"Josh Willis, an oceanographer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Mike Wood, a glaciologist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, agree that a newly formed iceberg is a likely explanation."



The scientists also pointed to a different phenomenon that is known to displace water in the fjords around Greenland. According to Willis, there could be water pushing ice away from the glacier face caused by an underwater plume.



The image was captured by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9.&nbsp;



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Mysterious arc joins ice on a fjord in western Greenland

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Sahara Desert on the afternoon of May 3, 2023, as the International Space Station passed above. An astronaut captured this striking image of hills and sand dunes in southern Mauritania.&nbsp;



"A line of dark, flat-topped hills known as mesas dominate the view," said NASA. "The small town of Guérou is a faint gray patch on the banks of a small stream. The faint line of a road can be seen cutting through the landscape and connecting with Guérou."



"The mesas are remnants of a large Paleozoic Era sandstone formation. They rise steeply 300 to 400 meters (1,000 to 1,300 feet) above the surrounding plain."&nbsp;



"Rocky surfaces in deserts often appear dark-toned as a result of a thin layer of black rock varnish that develops on rock surfaces enriched in manganese."



Southern Mauritania is part of the vast Sahelian region, which serves as a transitional zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the more fertile savannahs of West Africa to the south.&nbsp;



The southern part of Mauritania is generally flatter and has a semi-arid climate. It receives more rainfall than the northern regions, but it's still quite sparse. The Senegal River, which forms the border between Mauritania and Senegal, is one of the major rivers in West Africa and is crucial for agriculture in this region.



The area around the Senegal River is the most agriculturally productive part of Mauritania. Rice, millet, and other grains are commonly cultivated. Fishing in the Senegal River is also a significant activity. Despite these resources, southern Mauritania remains relatively poor and underdeveloped.



The region is home to a mix of ethnic groups, including the Moors (both Arab-Berber Moors and Black Moors or Haratin) and various black African ethnic groups such as the Wolof, Pular (or Fulani), and Soninke.



Southern Mauritania faces a variety of challenges. Periodic droughts can devastate local agriculture. There are also socio-economic issues, including poverty, lack of infrastructure, and limited access to education and healthcare.



The Diawling National Park, located in the southwest corner of Mauritania near the Senegal River, is one of the country's premier protected areas. The park is known for its birdlife and serves as an important wetland habitat.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Hills and sand dunes of southern Mauritania

Today's Image of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features a false-color image of Lake Abbe in northeast Ethiopia. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.&nbsp;



"Visible as the large round dark area, Lake Abbe, also known as Lake Abhe, straddles the border of Ethiopia to the west and Djibouti to the east. The lake is 19 km wide and 17 km long and is extremely salty. It is dotted with clusters of steaming limestone chimneys and surrounded by large salt flats, visible in white, and rift volcanoes," says ESA.



"The biggest volcano in the image is Mount Dama Ali, a dormant 25-km-wide shield volcano that rises on the northwest shore of the lake."



"Lake Abbe and Lake Afambo, which is visible at the top of the image, are part of a chain of six connected salt lakes, fed by the Awash River - one of Ethiopia’s biggest rivers.'



Copernicus Sentinel-2’s near-infrared channel highlights vegetation in bright red. This strategy makes it easy to spot algal blooms, such as the one that is visible in Lake Abbe. According to ESA, the light blue color on the west shore indicates sediment discharged into the lake.



"Because of its dry, desert, almost lunar landscape and the steaming, sulphuric vents, Lake Abbe is considered one of the most inaccessible areas on Earth," says ESA. "Earth observation satellites are key in these cases as they are particularly relevant for monitoring remote regions such as this."



Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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Lake Abbe in northeast Ethiopia

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features vibrantly colored water near the coastline of Vancouver Island.



"The colorful plumes - which are likely comprised of both phytoplankton and sediment - stood out in this image, acquired by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite on July 26," said NASA.



"Clouds covered much of Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia at the time of this image. But coastal areas were cloud-free, exposing water that likely contained flourishing populations of phytoplankton - floating plant-like organisms that are the foundation of the aquatic food web."



During the summer in the northeast Pacific Ocean, phytoplankton blooms are frequent due to offshore winds pushing surface waters away from the coast. This leads to the upwelling of cooler, nutrient-rich waters from the depths, which fuels the growth of phytoplankton.&nbsp;



The Salish Sea plays a significant role in supplying nutrients through its circulation and upwelling, enhancing phytoplankton productivity along the continental shelf near Vancouver Island. Additionally, the bloom may also be fueled by nutrient-rich sediment runoff from the coast.



Vancouver Island is known for its lush landscapes, including mountains, forests, and stunning coastlines. The island is also home to the city of Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.&nbsp;



Vancouver Island offers various outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, including opportunities to see whales and bears. The island has a rich Indigenous history, which is reflected in many of its local arts and cultural exhibits



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Vibrant colors off the coast of Vancouver Island

Kings Canyon National Park&nbsp;is an American&nbsp;national park&nbsp;in the southern&nbsp;Sierra Nevada, in&nbsp;Fresno&nbsp;and&nbsp;Tulare Counties,&nbsp;California. Originally established in 1890 as General Grant National Park, the park was greatly expanded and renamed to Kings Canyon National Park on March 4, 1940. The park's namesake, Kings Canyon, is a rugged&nbsp;glacier-carved valley more than a mile (1,600&nbsp;m) deep. Other natural features include multiple 14,000-foot (4,300&nbsp;m) peaks, high mountain meadows, swift-flowing rivers, and some of the world's largest stands of&nbsp;giant sequoia&nbsp;trees. Kings Canyon is north of and contiguous with&nbsp;Sequoia National Park, and both parks are jointly administered by the&nbsp;National Park Service&nbsp;as the&nbsp;Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.



There are fourteen campgrounds in these parks, including three that are open year-round. Campgrounds require reservations in advance, and sites are usually full.&nbsp;

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California

Individuals diagnosed with cannabis use disorder may have a heightened risk of facing major cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes, according to a new study.



The researchers found that people with cannabis use disorder are at a 60% higher risk of experiencing a major heart-related event compared to individuals who do not misuse the drug.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study-nbsp">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



The study was focused on information from five databases, including close to 60,000 cannabis users – half of whom were diagnosed with cannabis use disorder.&nbsp;



The findings indicate a “substantial association between cannabis use disorder and the increased risk of first-time adverse cardiovascular events,” said lead researcher Dr. Anees Bahji, a clinical assistant professor of Psychiatry at the <a href="https://www.ucalgary.ca/safer-substance-use/cannabis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Calgary</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-cardiovascular-risks">Potential cardiovascular risks</h2>



However, he emphasized that the research doesn't necessarily prove that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-use-reduces-demand-for-prescription-drugs/">marijuana</a> abuse causes heart problems, but indicates a potential higher risk for those diagnosed with cannabis use disorder.



The study further highlights the need for a better understanding of the cardiovascular risks linked to cannabis use disorder. Such risks might have been previously underestimated or ignored.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-cannabis-use-disorder">What is cannabis use disorder?</h2>



Cannabis use disorder is defined as a pattern of marijuana usage that leads to significant distress or impairment.&nbsp;



Symptoms and related behaviors include:



<ul>
<li>Unsuccessful efforts to reduce or control usage</li>



<li>Spending excessive time obtaining or using cannabis</li>



<li>Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not consuming it</li>
</ul>



"The diagnosis of cannabis use disorder depends on meeting specific criteria, and it is not solely based on frequency or quantity of use," said Dr. Bahji. "Individuals can develop this disorder even with relatively infrequent cannabis use if their use leads to significant impairment in their daily life, relationships or overall well-being."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-underlying-factors">Underlying factors</h2>



The underlying cause driving the link between elevated heart risk and cannabis use disorder remains unclear.&nbsp;



Dr. Bahji noted that cannabis could affect heart rate, blood pressure, inflammation levels in the body, blood clotting, and the ability of blood vessels to dilate and relax.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-relationship">Complex relationship</h2>



"The relationship between cannabis use and cardiovascular events is complex and may also be influenced by factors such as the method of cannabis consumption, the presence of other co-occurring health conditions, and individual variations in response to cannabis," said Dr. Bahji.&nbsp;



"Further research is needed to better understand these mechanisms and the overall impact on cardiovascular health."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conflicting-opinions">Conflicting opinions</h2>



Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a primary care physician and cannabis specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, disagrees with the findings.



"The presence of cannabis use disorder isn't very accurate in helping us to determine anything," said Dr. Grinspoon, noting that individuals with this disorder may have had other medical conditions that they were using the cannabis to treat. This could mean they were less healthy and could explain the higher rates of heart disease."



"There are too many possible variables that could skew the results, so I don't make much of the study or its results. It is more anti-cannabis porn, in my humble opinion," said Dr. Grinspoon.



"That said, if you take too high a dosage of cannabis, it can cause anxiety which, in turn, can trigger an arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) or possibly a coronary event, so, inpatients with a history of coronary disease, particularly recent, unstable coronary disease, or with a history of arrhythmia, I treat very carefully if at all with medicinal cannabis."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16337">Addiction</a>.



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Cannabis use disorder linked to increased heart risks

Individuals diagnosed with cannabis use disorder may have a heightened...

A study led by NASA scientists has found that certain regions of New York City are either sinking or rising, and it's not just due to modern human intervention - some of the reasons trace back to the last Ice Age.



While the elevation changes are just fractions of inches per year, the experts noted that they can increase or diminish local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-flood-risks-plague-the-us-housing-market/">flood risks</a> associated with sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted-nbsp">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The detailed analysis was conducted by experts from NASA's <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-led-study-pinpoints-areas-of-new-york-city-sinking-rising" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> in California and Rutgers University in New Jersey.



The researchers used interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data from 2016 to 2023. This advanced remote sensing technique merges multiple 3D observations of an area to expose surface movements or changes in topography.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-profound-implications-nbsp">Profound implications&nbsp;</h2>



A considerable amount of the movement was detected in areas previously altered by human activity, such as land reclamation or the establishment of landfills.&nbsp;



Such activities made the underlying ground more susceptible to compression, especially under the weight of new constructions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heavy-ice-burden">Heavy ice burden</h2>



However, not all of the alterations were recent. The last ice age, which peaked around 24,000 years ago, saw vast parts of New England blanketed in ice.&nbsp;



This heavy ice burden impacted the Earth's mantle. Areas like New York City, which were located just outside the ice sheet's periphery, have been undergoing a "rebalancing" of sorts, leading to the current sinking pattern.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vertical-land-motion-nbsp">Vertical land motion&nbsp;</h2>



On average, the metropolitan area saw a decline of approximately 0.06 inches (1.6 millimeters) per year. To put it in perspective, that's roughly the pace at which a toenail grows monthly.&nbsp;



But certain landmarks and neighborhoods in New York have been sinking faster than this average. 



Brett Buzzanga, the study's lead author, expressed excitement at the granularity of the data.&nbsp;



“We’ve produced such a detailed map of vertical land motion in the New York City area that there are features popping out that haven’t been noticed before," said Buzzanga.



Understanding these local elevation shifts is pivotal for flood mapping, especially given the global climate crisis and rising sea levels, noted David Bekaert, a JPL scientist.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zones-of-change">Zones of change</h2>



A significant finding from the study highlights two regions in Queens, both associated with landfills, which are subsiding at alarming rates.&nbsp;



One such area is runway 13/31 at LaGuardia Airport, descending at approximately 0.15 inches per year. The other notable location is the Arthur Ashe Stadium, sinking about 0.18 inches each year.



Other affected zones include parts of Governors Island, areas near Brooklyn's Coney Island and Queens' Arverne by the Sea built on artificial fill, and parts of New Jersey crisscrossed by Route 440 and Interstate 78.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-upward-movement">Upward movement</h2>



Yet, not all areas are on a downward trajectory. Surprisingly, regions in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and Woodside, Queens, showed uplift.&nbsp;



Woodside rose a notable 0.27 inches annually between 2016 and 2019.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-research-is-needed-nbsp">Further research is needed&nbsp;</h2>



Study co-author Robert Kopp of Rutgers University said that groundwater pumping and injection wells used to treat polluted water may have played a role, but further investigation is needed.&nbsp;



“I’m intrigued by the potential of using high-resolution InSAR to measure these kinds of relatively short-lived environmental modifications associated with uplift,” said Kopp.



The scientists noted that cities like New York, which are investing in coastal defenses and infrastructure in the face of sea level rise, can benefit from high-resolution estimates of land motion.



With billions invested in coastal defenses and infrastructural adaptations, understanding and accounting for these subsiding and rising zones might just be the blueprint they need for a more resilient future.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adi8259" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Parts of New York City are sinking, while others are rising

A study led by NASA scientists has found that certain...

The presence of plastic in oceans and terrestrial environments has long been a concern for environmentalists. Now, a study from <a href="https://www.waseda.jp/top/en/news/78501" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Waseda University</a> reveals that the problem extends far beyond solid ground and deep waters. 



Airborne microplastics (AMPs), which are minute <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastics-dropped-into-the-ocean-can-travel-hundreds-of-miles-while-sinking/">plastic particles</a> less than 5mm in size, may have now become an integral component of clouds. This can lead to what is known as “plastic rainfall."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-microplastics">Understanding microplastics</h2>



Microplastics form from the degradation of larger plastic waste or are released from industrial effluents.&nbsp;



Alarmingly, these tiny particles are known to enter the bodies of humans and animals, with research detecting their presence in several organs including the lung, heart, blood, placenta, and even feces.&nbsp;



Approximately ten million tons of microplastics end up in oceans annually. From here, they are released into the atmosphere, potentially influencing the composition of clouds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-free-troposphere-nbsp">Free troposphere&nbsp;</h2>



"The free troposphere is an important pathway for the long-range transport of air pollutants owing to strong wind speeds; it has been observed that airborne microplastics are also transported in the free troposphere and contribute to global pollution," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"In addition, airborne microplastics may act as cloud condensation nuclei and ice nucleus particles during transport in the free troposphere and atmospheric boundary layer, thereby potentially promoting cloud formation."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study-nbsp">Focus of the study&nbsp;</h2>



The experts investigated the role of airborne microplastics in the biosphere, focusing on their potential impacts on human health and the climate.&nbsp;



“Microplastics in the free troposphere are transported and contribute to global pollution. If the issue of 'plastic air pollution' is not addressed proactively, climate change and ecological risks may become a reality, causing irreversible and serious environmental damage in the future,” said study co-author Hiroshi Okochi.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted-nbsp">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



To better understand the influence of airborne microplastics on the atmosphere, Okochi's team collected cloud water from several regions with varying altitudes. The collection sites included the summit of Mount Fuji, its southeastern foothills, and the summit of Mt. Oyama.



Using advanced imaging techniques, the team identified the presence of microplastics in the cloud water and further analyzed their physical and chemical properties.&nbsp;



Alarmingly, the team detected nine distinct types of polymers and a form of rubber.



Furthermore, these airborne microplastics were found to play a crucial role in rapid cloud formation, which could have wider implications for the global climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecological-and-climate-impacts">Ecological and climate impacts</h2>



The accumulation of airborne microplastics, especially in polar regions, might severely disrupt the planet's ecological balance and lead to a dramatic loss of biodiversity.&nbsp;



“AMPs are degraded much faster in the upper atmosphere than on the ground due to strong ultraviolet radiation, and this degradation releases greenhouse gases and contributes to global warming," said Okochi.



"As a result, the findings of this study can be used to account for the effects of AMPs in future global warming projections.”



Okochi collaborated with study lead author Yize Wang, also from Waseda University, and Yasuhiro Niida of PerkinElmer Japan Co. Ltd.



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10311-023-01626-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Chemistry Letters</a>.



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Plastic rain: The growing threat of airborne microplastics 

The presence of plastic in oceans and terrestrial environments has...

An emerging <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-are-some-sea-stars-more-susceptible-to-disease/">disease</a> that was believed to only cause hoof deformation in elk appears to trigger molecular changes throughout the entire animal system.&nbsp;



This is the conclusion of an epigenetic study by experts at <a href="https://vetmed.wsu.edu/departments/veterinary-microbiology-and-pathology/elk-hoof-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington State University</a> (WSU), who set out to gain a better understanding of elk treponeme-associated hoof disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rapidly-spreading-disease-nbsp">Rapidly spreading disease&nbsp;</h2>



In a previous <a href="https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2021/09/16/wsu-researchers-discover-one-way-elk-become-infected-devastating-hoof-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study from WSU</a>, researchers discovered that healthy elk can contract the disease by simply walking on soil contaminated by infected hooves. 



The experts described the disease as "devastatingly painful," noting that it often leads to death.&nbsp;



"Affected elk suffer with deformed hooves, lameness, and increasingly poor health as a result of the infection," said the report.&nbsp;



"The disease is spreading unabated and has been found in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and California."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-physiological-changes-nbsp">Physiological changes&nbsp;</h2>



The results of the latest study indicate that the molecular changes caused by hoof disease might not be limited to where the infection is visible, but could potentially be affecting the entire physiology of the elk.



According to the researchers, the illness severely impairs the elk’s ability to find food and escape predators.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heritable-impacts">Heritable impacts</h2>



The research suggests that the disease-induced changes may be heritable, but it is not yet clear whether this means subsequent generations of elk may be more prone to catching the disease.&nbsp;



“It’s not just the absence or presence of the infection. It’s affecting the animal’s entire physiology, all the cells,” said study senior author Michael Skinner, a WSU biologist. “It shows that there's a molecular impact by the presence of the disease organisms.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-epigenetic-changes-nbsp">Epigenetic changes&nbsp;</h2>



Epigenetics refers to stable molecular processes that influence gene behavior, independently of the DNA sequence.&nbsp;



These changes in an organism’s epigenetics can be brought about by various factors such as nutrition or the environment. The current study suggests that infectious diseases can also play a part.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted-nbsp">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The research team analyzed cells from the leg tendons of 55 Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain elk, both infected and uninfected.&nbsp;



These specimens were provided by hunters and procured by wildlife agencies across five states: Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, and South Dakota.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-researchers-learned-nbsp">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



Interestingly, the findings reveal epigenetic changes associated exclusively with the disease in the infected elk.&nbsp;



Considering that the tendon cells were located away from the hoof infection, this suggests that the changes induced by the treponeme-associated hoof disease could be systemic.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



According to Margaret Wild, this research is only the tip of the iceberg.&nbsp;



“We’re building foundational knowledge to understand this disease,” said Wild. “By doing this epigenetic study, we can see apparent systemic impacts from the infection, even though we don't see those pathological changes when we look at the elk.”



The disease's name originates from the treponeme bacteria. However, researchers now theorize that it might be caused by multiple bacterial strains.&nbsp;



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



Wild and her team are currently undertaking studies in captive elk to identify the transmission mode of the disease. This research could also shine a light on factors like diet that may alter the animals' vulnerability to the infection.



While elk remain the only wild species detected with the disease, WSU researchers are exploring possible connections to bovine digital dermatitis found in cattle.&nbsp;



There's also an ongoing effort using computer modeling to identify environmental factors, such as soil type, moisture, and geography, which might determine where elks are more susceptible.



“This is a brand-new emerging disease that hardly anything is known about,” Wild said. “We are taking a multi-pronged approach and conducting a broad range of exploratory studies."&nbsp;



"Our goal is to do as much research as we can to learn about all the impacts this disease is having on individuals and elk populations to help wildlife managers address the disease.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-42546-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Emerging hoof disease may cause physiological changes in elk

An emerging disease that was believed to only cause hoof...

Lava <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitable-zone-planets-support-life/">planets</a>, characterized by their gleaming skies and turbulent seas of molten volcanic material, starkly differ from the celestial bodies within our solar system.&nbsp;



Remarkably, around half of all identified rocky exoplanets demonstrate the ability to sustain surface magma, a phenomenon attributed to their proximity to host stars, resulting in orbits completed in less than 10 days.&nbsp;



Such closeness subjects these planets to severe weather conditions and elevates surface temperatures, rendering them largely unsuitable for known life forms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-super-earths">Hot Super-Earths</h2>



Now, a team of scientists led by <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ohio State University</a> (OSU) has highlighted the significant role of these vast molten oceans in determining the characteristics and evolutionary trajectory of hot rocky Super-Earths. 



The study, recently published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acea85" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal</a>, discovered that the highly compressible nature of lava leads to magma-abundant planets without atmospheres being slightly denser than their solid counterparts, thus affecting the structure of their mantles, which encompass the core of the planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-nature">Complex nature </h2>



However, the complex nature of these celestial bodies makes understanding the basic principles governing lava planets challenging, according to Kiersten Boley, the study’s main author and an astronomy graduate student at OSU.



“Lava worlds are very odd, very interesting things and because of the way we detect exoplanets, we’re more biased to finding them,” said Boley, whose research focuses on understanding what crucial ingredients makes exoplanets unique and how tweaking these ingredients – or in the case of lava worlds, their temperatures – can fundamentally change them.



55 Cancri e, an exoplanet located approximately 41 light-years away and hosting both sparkling skies and roiling lava seas, stands as one of the most notable examples of these enigmatic burning worlds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-into-earth-s-past">Insights into Earth's past</h2>



While our solar system does contain highly volcanic entities like Jupiter’s moon Io, it lacks genuine lava planets for close study.&nbsp;



However, according to Boley, exploring how the makeup of magma oceans influences the development of other celestial bodies can provides insights into Earth’s volcanic past.



“When planets initially form, particularly for rocky terrestrial planets, they go through a magma ocean stage as they’re cooling down,” she explained. “So lava worlds can give us some insight into what may have happened in the evolution of nearly any terrestrial planet.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted-nbsp">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



Employing the exoplanet interior modeler software&nbsp;<a href="https://github.com/amloren1/ExoPlex">Exoplex</a>&nbsp;and data from earlier studies, the researchers modeled several evolutionary scenarios for an Earth-like planet with surface temperatures ranging from 2,600 to 3,860 degrees Fahrenheit – temperatures at which the solid mantle would liquify.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-researchers-discovered-nbsp">What the researchers discovered&nbsp;</h2>



The constructed models revealed three potential forms for magma ocean planets’ mantles: one entirely molten, another featuring a surface magma ocean, and a third exhibiting a layered structure with magma oceans at the surface and near the core, separated by a solid rock layer.



Interestingly, the study revealed that the second and third mantle structures appear slightly more frequently than entirely molten forms.&nbsp;



The composition of the magma oceans on these planets impacts their ability to retain volatile elements crucial for early atmospheric formation for extended periods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



As Boley stresses, the capacity to trap significant amounts of volatile elements within their mantles has broader implications for planets habitability potential.&nbsp;



“When we’re talking about the evolution of a planet and its potential to have different elements that you would need to support life, being able to trap a lot of volatile elements within their mantles could have greater implications for habitability,”&nbsp;she explained.



Although lava planets are far from hosting life, understanding the mechanisms that might lead them there is crucial.&nbsp;



However, assessing their density is not the most accurate method for characterizing these planets compared to solid exoplanets, as the presence of a magma ocean doesn’t markedly alter a planet’s density.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-planetary-studies-nbsp">Broader planetary studies&nbsp;</h2>



The study suggests that focusing on different terrestrial aspects, such as variations in surface gravity, will yield more insights into the functioning of hot lava planets, which will be beneficial for future broader planetary studies.



“This work, which is a combination of earth sciences and astronomy, basically opens up exciting new questions about lava worlds,” Boley concluded.



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Strange lava worlds: Magma oceans affect the evolution of hot planets

Lava planets, characterized by their gleaming skies and turbulent seas...

A team of researchers led by the Antihydrogen Laser Physics Apparatus (ALPHA) collaboration at <a href="https://home.cern/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CERN</a> in Geneva, Switzerland has recently investigated experimentally the behavior of antimatter, showing that, much like regular matter, antimatter is subject to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gravity-warn-large-earthquakes/">gravity</a>’s pull. 



Thus, the notion of antimatter exhibiting antigravity properties, which has already been argued to be theoretically improbable, has finally been dispelled by this study.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gravitational-acceleration">Gravitational acceleration</h2>



According to the experts, the gravitational acceleration of antihydrogen is strikingly close to that of regular matter on Earth, nearly 9.8 meters per second per second.&nbsp;



“It surely accelerates downwards, and it’s within about one standard deviation of accelerating at the normal rate,” said co-author Joel Fajans, a physicist at the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Berkeley</a> who, alongside theorist Jonathan Wurtele (the current study’s senior author), first proposed the experiment over ten years ago. 



“The bottom line is that there’s no free lunch, and we’re not going to be able to levitate using antimatter.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-theory-of-relativity-nbsp">Theory of relativity&nbsp;</h2>



These findings are unlikely to astonish the majority of physicists. Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, formulated before the identification of antimatter in 1932, does not discriminate between forms of matter, indicating that both antimatter and matter should exhibit identical responses to gravitational forces.&nbsp;



Every component of regular matter, such as protons, neutrons, and electrons, possesses counterparts bearing the opposite electrical charge, and interaction with their regular matter counterparts results in mutual annihilation.



“The opposite result would have had big implications; it would be inconsistent with the weak equivalence principle of Einstein’s general theory of relativity,” explained Wurtele.&nbsp;



“This experiment is the first time that a direct measurement of the force of gravity on neutral antimatter has been made. It’s another step in developing the field of neutral antimatter science.”



Fajans pointed out that there is no prevailing physical theory suggesting that gravity should repel antimatter. In fact, some physicists have argued that, if gravity were repulsive to antimatter, it could facilitate the creation of a perpetual motion machine - a concept deemed theoretically unfeasible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-mysteries">Cosmic mysteries</h2>



Despite this, the hypothesis that gravity might interact differently with matter and antimatter had sparked interest, as it offered a potential explanation for several cosmic mysteries.&nbsp;



For instance, it might have accounted for the spatial segregation of matter and antimatter in the early cosmos, explaining the observed scarcity of antimatter in our observable universe, particularly since most theories postulate that the Big Bang should have given rise to equivalent quantities of matter and antimatter.



According to Fajans, although there have been many indirect experiments suggesting that antimatter gravitates normally, they have been relatively subtle, failing to definitively prove this point.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-gravity">Measuring gravity</h2>



“Why not do the obvious experiment and drop a piece of antimatter, a sort of leaning tower of Pisa experiment? You know, the experiment that Galileo didn’t actually do - it was apocryphal - where he supposedly dropped a lead ball and a wooden ball from the top of the tower and proved that they both reached the ground at the same time,” he said.



“The real problem is that the gravitational force is incredibly weak compared to electrical forces. So far, it has proved impossible to directly measure gravity with a drop-style measurement with a charged particle, like a bare positron, because any stray electric field will deflect the particle much more than gravity will.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forces-of-nature">Forces of nature</h2>



Indeed, the gravitational force is the most feeble among the four known forces of nature. Although it dominates the evolution of the universe due to its universal impact over vast distances, on a minuscule piece of antimatter, its effect is negligible.&nbsp;



An electrical field of 1 volt/meter exerts a force on an antiproton that is approximately 40 trillion times greater than force of gravity exerted on it by the Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-approach-nbsp">A new approach&nbsp;</h2>



To overcome these experimental limitations, the scientists devised a new methodological approach. By 2010, significant quantities of antihydrogen atoms were being trapped by the ALPHA team, prompting Wurtele in 2011 to persuade Fajans that, given antihydrogen’s charge neutrality, it remains unaffected by electric fields, thus warranting an exploration of the possibility of a gravity measurement.&nbsp;



Although Fajans was initially skeptical, he eventually agreed to conduct simulations to test Wurtele’s idea. Further contributions from UC Berkeley lecturer Andrew Charman and postdoctoral fellow Andrey Zhmoginov led to an analysis concluding that antihydrogen experiences no more than about 100 times the acceleration due to Earth’s gravity compared to ordinary matter.



Despite its modest beginnings, this analysis encouraged the ALPHA team to devise a more accurate experiment.&nbsp;



In 2016, supported by various international sources, including the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Canadian government, and the Danish brewer Carlsberg, they began to construct a new experiment, ALPHA-g, which conducted its first measurements in 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gravity-does-not-repel-antimatter-nbsp">Gravity does not repel antimatter&nbsp;</h2>



The subsequent results are derived from simulations and statistical evaluation of the observations made in the previous year, estimating the gravitational constant for antimatter at 0.75 ± 0.13 ± 0.16 g, or, accounting for both statistical and systematic errors, 0.75 ± 0.29 g, which aligns with the expected 1 g within error bars. This experiment revealed that the change of gravity being repulsive for antimatter is so small as to be meaningless.



In the proposed ALPHA-g project by Wurtele and Fajans, the objective was to trap approximately 100 antihydrogen atoms within a magnetic bottle measuring 25 centimeters in length.&nbsp;



The ALPHA apparatus has the capability to confine antihydrogen atoms which possess a temperature just below half a degree above absolute zero, or 0.5 Kelvin.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gravity-s-pull">Gravity's pull</h2>



Surprisingly, even at such low temperatures, the antiatoms are in motion at an average velocity of 100 meters per second, repetitively colliding with the powerful magnetic fields situated at the bottle’s extremities, with the magnetic dipole moment of an antihydrogen atom being repelled by the pinched 10,000 Gauss magnetic fields at each end of the bottle.



In a scenario where the bottle is positioned vertically, gravity causes the descending atoms to speed up, while the ascending ones slow down.&nbsp;



When the magnetic fields at both ends are equivalent or balanced, the atoms moving downward generally possess more energy.&nbsp;



Consequently, they have a higher likelihood of breaking through the magnetic mirror, colliding with the container, annihilating in a flash of light and producing three to five pions. The detection of these pions aids in discerning the direction in which the antiatom escaped, be it upwards or downwards.



“The balancing allows us to ignore the fact that the antiatoms are all of different energies. The lowest energy ones escape last, but they’re still subject to the balance, and the effect of gravity is enhanced for all antiatoms,” he explained.



Gradually reducing the mirror magnetic fields enables the escape of all atoms. If antimatter exhibits behavior identical to normal matter, a majority of the antiatoms - around 80 percent - are anticipated to escape through the bottom rather than the top.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-powerful-experimental-tool">Powerful experimental tool</h2>



Additionally, the experimental design of ALPHA permits alterations to the strength of the bottom magnetic mirror relative to the top one. This modification influences the energy of each antiatom, potentially counteracting or overpowering gravitational effects, which results in an equal or greater number of antiatoms exiting through the top as opposed to the bottom.&nbsp;



“This gives us a powerful experimental knob that allows us, basically, to believe the experiment actually worked because we can prove to ourselves that we can control the experiment in a predictable manner,” Fajan said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-uncertainty-nbsp">Challenges of uncertainty&nbsp;</h2>



Due to several uncertainties, the experiment’s outcomes necessitated statistical analysis. The investigators faced challenges including uncertainty in the quantity of trapped antihydrogen atoms, detection of every annihilation, potential presence of unidentified magnetic fields influencing the trajectories of antiatoms, and accurate measurement of the magnetic field within the bottle.&nbsp;



“ALPHA’s computer code simulating the experiment could be subtly wrong because we don’t know the precise initial conditions of the antihydrogen atoms, it could be wrong because our magnetic fields aren’t correct, and it could be wrong for some unknown unknown,” Wurtele explained. “Nonetheless, the control provided by adjusting the balance knob lets us explore the extent of any discrepancies, giving us confidence that our result is correct.”



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



Anticipating future enhancements to both the ALPHA-g apparatus and the associated computer codes, the experts are optimistic about a hundredfold increase in the instrument’s sensitivity.&nbsp;



Despite the seemingly ordinary outcome, the importance of the experiment lies in its role as a critical examination of general relativity, a theory that has successfully withstood all previous tests.&nbsp;



“If you walk down the halls of this department and ask the physicists, they would all say that this result is not the least bit surprising. That’s the reality. But most of them will also say that the experiment had to be done because you never can be sure," said Wurtele.



Physics is an experimental science. You don’t want to be the kind of stupid that you don’t do an experiment that explores possibly new physics because you thought you knew the answer, and then it ends up being something different.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06527-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Gravity's grasp: Antimatter behaves like regular matter

A team of researchers led by the Antihydrogen Laser Physics...

The capacity for individual innovation is often seen as a marker of intelligence across species, with elephants being a focal point of such studies due to their nuanced problem-solving skills.&nbsp;



A new study led by the <a href="http://www.cuny.edu/">City University of New York</a> (CUNY) has reported the findings of a six-month investigation, shedding light on the capabilities of individual wild <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/for-asian-elephants-shrinking-habitats-will-increase-conflicts/">Asian elephants</a> in securing food by solving puzzles that unlock storage boxes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capacity-to-adapt">Capacity to adapt</h2>



“An animal’s capacity for innovation or solving novel problems likely has important implications for how quickly they can adapt to environmental change. Asian elephants,&nbsp;Elephas maximus, living in zoos have previously demonstrated a capacity to innovate, but problem solving has never been studied experimentally in a wild elephant population,” the authors explained.



“This is the first research study to show that individual wild elephants have different willingness and abilities to problem solve in order to get food,” said lead author Sarah Jacobson, a doctoral student in Animal Cognition at CUNY.&nbsp;



“This is important knowledge, because how animals think and innovate may influence their ability to survive in environments that are rapidly changing due to human presence.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focus-of-the-study">Focus of the study</h2>



This study was carried out at the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, utilizing motion-activated cameras to monitor 77 wild Asian elephants as they decided whether to engage with puzzle boxes containing aromatic jackfruit within three uniquely configured compartments.&nbsp;



The methods of access varied: elephants could pull on a chain, push a door, or slide a door open, each method requiring a different approach. The elephants were left to interact with the puzzle boxes autonomously to learn the unlocking mechanisms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-researchers-learned-nbsp">What the researchers learned&nbsp;</h2>



Out of the elephants observed, 44 decided to engage with the boxes, showing varying levels of innovative interactions.&nbsp;



The experts found that elephants which engaged more frequently and persistently with the boxes had higher success rates in accessing food from all the differently configured compartments.&nbsp;



In the end, 11 elephants managed to solve one type of compartment, eight cracked two types, and five elephants showcased the highest level of innovation by solving all three.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-implications-nbsp">Study implications&nbsp;</h2>



“Conflict involving humans and elephants is increasing due to loss of natural habitat and agricultural encroachment into what is left of it,” said senior author Joshua Plotnik, a professor of Psychology at CUNY.



“Investigating innovation and problem solving in elephants can inform our understanding of wild elephant cognitive flexibility and its potential impact on conservation management and human-elephant conflict mitigation,” he concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-elephant-innovation">More about elephant innovation</h2>



Elephants are remarkable animals, known for their intelligence and complex social behaviors. As mentioned by the CUNY team, their "innovations" are more about adapting and evolving to their environment over time, rather than inventing or creating new tools or technologies.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-social-structures">Social structures</h3>



Elephants have intricate social structures, which they use to manage group dynamics, support each other, and protect young members.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-communication">Communication</h3>



They use a variety of vocalizations and even subsonic rumbles that can travel long distances to communicate with one another.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-memory">Memory</h3>



Known for their excellent memory, elephants can remember the locations of water sources over vast distances and recall these during dry seasons.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-problem-solving-abilities">Problem-solving abilities</h3>



Elephants are known to work together to solve problems. For example, they might coordinate efforts to move obstacles or assist a member in distress.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-empathy-and-mourning-nbsp">Empathy and mourning&nbsp;</h3>



Elephants display empathetic behaviors and even engage in rituals that resemble mourning when a member of their group dies.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-use-of-tools">Use of tools</h3>



While not as advanced as some species, elephants do use basic tools. They might use branches to swat flies, or utilize their trunks in sophisticated ways to gather food, drink water, or give themselves dust or mud baths for skin protection.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-and-imitation">Learning and imitation</h3>



They have the ability to learn new behaviors, both from other elephants and through direct experience. They can also imitate sounds and behaviors.



While these may not be "innovations" in the human sense, these adaptations and evolved behaviors highlight the intelligence and complexity of elephants as a species.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.08.019">Animal Behavior</a>.



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Wild Asian elephants exhibit strong capacity for innovation

The capacity for individual innovation is often seen as a...

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Today’s Video of the Day 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.



"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.



"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."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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Today's Video of the Day 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.



"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.



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.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day 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;



"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.



"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."



"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."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day 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;



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;



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.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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;



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;



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. 



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.



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. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day 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.



“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. 



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.



“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;



“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.”



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



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.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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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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