Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features a remarkable dust storm over the Arabian Sea. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/atmospheric-river-carries-african-dust-to-western-europe/">dust</a> was streaming from Oman, Pakistan, and Iran, and merged into one large plume over the water. 



According to NASA, plumes of desert dust affected populated areas around the basin, as winds carried the particles over Karachi, Mumbai, and numerous other cities and degraded air quality. In Karachi, Pakistan, visibility fell to about 1,600 feet.



Hiren Jethva, a Morgan State University scientist based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said that both the size of the plume and its unusual were “quite remarkable.”



Jethva explained that winter winds usually blow out from India toward the Arabian Sea, carrying various aerosols from local pollution and biomass burning. “However, the reversal of wind direction has likely occurred, bringing dust from the ocean to the Indian subcontinent."



On January 21, high winds kicked up dust and carried it toward the southeast. On January 22, the dust took a turn toward the east, eventually settling over western India, including the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.



The dust lingered in the air for days. By January 24, the air quality index in Mumbai was “severe,” the highest category in the country’s index.&nbsp;



The Arabian Sea is also known as the Sea of Oman, and was historically known as the Persian Sea, the Erythraean Sea, the Indian Sea, Sindh Sea, and the Akhzar Sea.



The image was on January 22, 2022 by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-NASA Suomi NPP satellite.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



---



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

Massive dust storm over the Arabian Sea

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> features Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in the southeastern corner of Spain.



"The park’s semi-arid climate and volcanic features contribute to the peculiar landscape along more than 60 kilometers of the Mediterranean coastline," reports NASA.



The Tabernas Desert, which is considered mainland Europe’s only desert, lies 30 kilometers to the north of Cabo de Gata-Níjar Park.



"Both the desert and the park are part of Spain’s Almería Province, the driest area of Europe. The region receives just 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rain per year, though the coastal areas are somewhat more humid," explains NASA. "There is enough moisture to support nearly 1,000 species of plants, such as the European fan palm and a thorny shrub known as jujube."



"When viewed from orbit, the park’s most obvious features are volcanic - that is, the 5 percent of the volcanic complex that rises above the water. The remaining 95 percent is hidden from view below the sea’s surface."



According to NASA, volcanic activity began here about 16 million years ago and ended about 8 million years ago.&nbsp;



"Wind and seawater have eroded some of the lava flows into smooth, strange shapes. Other structures just offshore have partially crumbled away. For instance, the tall, jagged rocks jutting from the water at Arrecife de la Sierena are thought to be remains of an old volcanic structure."



The image was captured on May 17, 2022 by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



---



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

Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Spain

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Capitol Reef National Park, located in south-central Utah in the heart of red rock country.



"It was named instead for two geologic features: the prominent white domes of Navajo Sandstone, which reminded early settlers of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.; and a formidable ridge of rocky cliffs that presented a barrier to travel," explains NASA.



"The settlers (some likely traveling in prairie schooners) likened it to the maritime navigational hazard of an ocean reef."



The ridge, which is known as Waterpocket Fold, runs north to south for 90 miles. Waterpocket Fold is a monocline, a a step-like fold in rock layers that have been folded up or down on one side.&nbsp;



"Between 75 million and 35 million years ago, the tectonic forces that uplifted the Rocky Mountains also buckled older rocks below Capitol Reef," reports NASA. "The rock layers above did not break, but bent, like a tablecloth draped over a table edge. The bend in this drape forms the Waterpocket Fold. More recently, rains, flash floods, and freeze-thaw cycles have eroded and sculpted the cliffs, canyons, bridges, and domes into what we see today."



"Capitol Reef tells a geologic story of hundreds of millions of years of deposition, uplift, and erosion - punctuated by episodes of volcanism and glaciation. The park boasts a nearly complete series of rock layers spanning from the late Permian Period (about 290 million years ago) to the end of the Mesozoic Era (66 million years ago). Deposited along and in a shallow sea and ancient delta, these rocks hold a nearly continuous record of life and environments here from before the rise of the dinosaurs through their demise."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



---



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

Capitol Reef National Park in south-central Utah

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features a cluster of supercell thunderstorms that charged across the Great Plains on the morning of May 15, 2022. The storms carried strong winds, hail, torrential rainfall and extreme lightning through parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas.



"When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired the natural-color image, a line of strong thunderstorms stretched from eastern Kansas to Little Rock, Arkansas," reports NASA.



"The weather front included multiple storm cells with features called overshooting tops and above-anvil cirrus plumes, key signs of particularly severe storms."



"Overshooting tops are dome-like protrusions rising from thunderstorm clouds and driven by convective updrafts. These cloud top features can rise past the tropopause and the anvil portion of a thunderstorm cloud, sometimes punching into the lower stratosphere."



"Above-anvil cirrus plumes are comparatively warm patches of cirrus clouds that get dragged into the lower stratosphere by intense updrafts and the gravity waves that they can generate. Cirrus plumes are typically warmer than the underlying anvil cloud because they mix with the air in the stratosphere, where air temperature warms with height."



Overshooting tops and above-anvil cirrus plumes are not produced by all thunderstorms. They are usually associated with storms that create the most severe weather.&nbsp;



“Overshooting tops and above-anvil cirrus plumes are often a sign that a thunderstorm will produce hail, tornadoes, extreme lightning, and destructive winds,” said NASA atmospheric scientist Kristopher Bedka. “We know this because an especially intense updraft produced the patterns we see in the satellite imagery.”&nbsp;



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



---



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

Supercell thunderstorms over the Great Plains

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features a severe dust storm in Iraq. Dust storms are most common in this region in the late spring and summer, triggered by seasonal winds such as the “shamal” that blows in from the northwest.&nbsp;



In the past two weeks in the Middle East, poor air quality from two major storms has sent thousands of people to the hospital for asthma and other respiratory diseases.



"The skies above Baghdad, Najaf, Sulaimaniyah, and other cities turned orange as visibility dropped to a few hundred meters. Several airports were closed during the dust events, and schools were closed nationwide. Government offices were shuttered in seven of the Iraq’s 18 provinces, and several governors declared states of emergency,' reports NASA.



According to news media reports, Iraq has endured at least eight dust storms in the past six weeks. Recent studies have shown that these events have become more frequent in Iraq.&nbsp;



"The country has been facing drought conditions in recent years, as well as land-use changes and overuse that mean there is more loose soil available to be lofted into the atmosphere," says NASA. "The World Bank cited Iraq as one of the countries most vulnerable to desertification and climate change."



The image was captured on May 16, 2022 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA’s Aqua satellite.&nbsp;



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



---



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

Iraq faces an increasing number of severe dust storms

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features an astronaut photograph of the San Luis Valley along the border of Colorado and New Mexico. At an altitude of 8,100 feet, the San Luis Valley is one of the largest high desert valleys in the world.&nbsp;



"Extinct volcanoes speckle the southern margin of the valley - an area known as the Taos Plateau Volcanic Field. Free-standing mountains in the volcanic field, such as San Antonio and Ute, are lava domes that were formed during eruptions almost 3 million years ago," reports NASA.



The Rio Grande flows from the San Juan Mountains through the center of the valley and continues south. According to NASA, the river has provided water and irrigation to people in the American Southwest for thousands of years, including the community of Native Americans that live in Taos.&nbsp;



The Taos Plateau has served as a primary field training area since the 1960s during the Apollo era.&nbsp;



"The San Luis Valley served as a planetary analog for the Apollo 15 lunar landing site at Hadley Rille," says NASA. "The southern area of the valley contains igneous rock structures similar to those on the lunar surface. Such field training prepares current and future astronauts for exploration of the Moon and Mars."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



---



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

The San Luis Valley of Colorado

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> (OSU) has shed more light on the structure and functioning of plastins – a type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-cells-message-each-other-using-rna-and-escort-proteins/">proteins</a> found in many life forms (from yeast and plants to animals and humans) that have a role in ensuring that various cells move or maintain their shape. By binding to and bundling other proteins, plastins can be considered the bones and muscles of cells. Better understanding what drives their activities could help explain their surprising links to diseases such as cancers, congenital osteoporosis, or spinal muscular atrophy.



Scientists described their discoveries about plastin behavior in terms of a “work-life balance” metaphor. While in their “at-home” mode, the protein’s two main segments strongly bond to each other, they are often forced to separate when their bundling responsibilities in the cellular “workplace” increase, such as when cells start to migrate. According to the researchers, if their structure experiences unexpected changes, plastins keep doing aggressive bundling work, even if it is not needed anymore. Although experts discovered at least one mistimed enzymatic activity that seemed to contribute to this problem, further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind the switch between the protein's “weekend” and “workaholic” modes.



“We need to know this information so we can figure out how to regulate plastins,” said study senior author&nbsp;Dmitri Kudryashov, an associate professor of&nbsp;Chemistry and Biochemistry at OSU.&nbsp; “Because plastins are involved in disease, we see the manifestation of that, but we don’t know how precisely mutations lead to disease. In cancer, or certain autoimmune reactions, knowing exactly what plastins do and how to control their activity could be highly beneficial. If we could manage to inhibit this protein in cancer, it’s likely the cells would become less invasive.”



Actins – abundant proteins helping cells unite their contents, maintain their shape, divide, and migrate – are clustered together by plastins configured with two binding sites, each of which can bind to actin filaments. However, when these binding domains are tightly joined, they can connect only weakly to actins. If cells are stable, connecting in this way is sufficient, but when cells start to migrate, actins pushed in the direction of cell movement are situated in a less organized way that requires strong connections to plastins. In such a case, plastin’s binding domains have to separate from each other to form a stronger bond to actins. Eventually, actins shifting away from the cell’s edge no longer need a strong plastin bond, so plastin can return to its self-engaged “weekend” mode.



By introducing a mutation to plastin which mimics molecular changes detected in cancer cells, the scientists found that such a mutation prolonged plastin binding sites’ disengagement, and caused plastins to keep try to bundle up actins that don’t need to be bundled anymore. In such a case, plastin’s lack of response to what cells need could have undesirable downstream effects.



Further research is needed to clarify which factors may lead to this “irrational” behavior of plastins in order to shed more light on how these essential proteins contribute to disease.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41594-022-00771-1">Nature Structural &amp; Molecular Biology</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;&nbsp;

Plastins stuck in “workaholic” modes can lead to disease

A new study led by the Ohio State University (OSU)...

Coral,Reef,Underwater,Panorama,With,School,Of,Colorful,Tropical,Fish.

Coral reefs are amazing, thriving ecosystems built of living geology and a fantastical array of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deforestation-threatens-two-new-fish-species-with-extinction/">fishes</a>, bivalves, cnidarians, echinoderms and more. Diving into one or snorkeling above one is a magical experience that makes the human world pale by comparison.&nbsp;



If this isn’t enough, coral reefs also provide communities and the world with seafood, tourism dollars, and storm barriers. Entire islands are built of old reef systems. Medicines have been and continue to be developed from chemicals found in IUCN ecosystems.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, these enchanted places are diminished and disappearing, due in large part to rising temperatures among other threats. If temperatures continue to rise at the current pace, it is estimated that coral reefs will be extinct within 80 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Entire reefs that I used to dive and snorkel on are gone. There are species you don’t see on the reef anymore. Change is happening now,” said Dan Holstein, a professor in the Department of Oceanography &amp; Coastal Sciences at <a href="https://www.lsu.edu/">Louisiana State University</a>.



Holstein and collaborators created an open-source computer model to predict how warming ocean waters may harm and destroy coral populations in the Western Atlantic. This region includes the Florida Keys, Bahamas and the Caribbean.&nbsp;



Ocean warming is increasing the cases of coral bleaching, when symbiotic algae that coral polyps require for life are displaced, leaving dying and colorless corals behind. Although this is the inevitable outcome for increased temperatures, Holstein does not believe coral extinction is inevitable. Instead, this is a call for action.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This model predicts that ocean warming will reduce the ability for migrating coral larvae to replenish reefs that have bleached and died. The model doesn’t seal the fate of coral reefs, but it is a big wake-up call,” said Holstein. “Thermal stress is not the only problem corals face, but it is considered to be the biggest, And how much carbon we put in the atmosphere is something we can decide. We can actually do something about it.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00338-022-02252-9">Coral Reefs</a>.&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Corals need our help to survive global warming

Coral reefs are amazing, thriving ecosystems built of living geology...

Junipers,,Berries,

Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/how-to-be-smart-while-foraging-for-food/">foraging</a> – the activity of finding, gathering, and harvesting wild plants. However, since many of the plants found in the wild are highly poisonous, although they look similar to various edible plants, knowing which plant species to avoid and which to gather and consume is crucial. Geoff Dann, a British writer and foraging teacher, has now outlined some of the biggest risks novice foragers are facing when searching for wild plants.&nbsp;



According to Dann, the best advice is never to eat anything found in the wild that we are not absolutely sure what it is. “I guess the most important rule is ‘Pay attention to what you are doing,’ followed by ‘If in doubt, leave it out,’” he said.



Dann warned foragers about four plant species – dead man’s fingers, lords and ladies, foxglove, and deadly nightshade – which, even if they look similar to other edible species, are in fact very dangerous, and can cause severe illness and death.



Dead men’s fingers (Oenanthe crocata) has toxic roots and stems that look very much like parsley, and even more poisonous roots which look and smell exactly like parsnips. Consuming this plant can trigger spasmodic convulsions, often followed by sudden death. Similarly, lords and ladies (Arum maculatum), a plant whose leaves closely resemble edible sorrel and wild garlic, can cause intense pain and irritation upon contact with the soft tissue of the mouth and throat.



Another plant Dann warns foragers about is the common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), which is often mistaken for members of the edible borage family. However, since it contains glycosides, the foxglove can cause skin irritation on contact, as well as headaches, vomiting, convulsions, delirium, and cardiac arrest if consumed. Finally, the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladona), which sports attractive and delicious-looking black berries, leads to severe disruptions of the nervous system and eventually death by respiratory arrest if consumed.



“Identifying plants requires much more than just visual properties – smell, habitat, and location are all important. If you are going to learn how to forage, then you need to learn how to identify wild species yourself, and you need to know what can be confused with what,” concluded Dann.



In his recent book - <a href="https://www.geoffdann.co.uk/edible-plants-the-book/">Edible Plants: A forager’s guide to the wild plants and seaweeds of Britain, Ireland and temperate Europe</a>&nbsp;– Dann describes in great detail a large number of edible plants, including the black nightshade, the Japanese knotweed, or the three-cornered leek.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Toxic plants can be easily confused with edible ones

Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in foraging –...

According to a new report published by WHO’s <a href="https://theindependentpanel.org/">Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response</a>, governments around the world are no better prepared to face a new pandemic than they were at the end of 2019, when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nearly-60-percent-of-people-in-the-us-have-had-covid-19/">Covid-19</a> struck. Although the panel – established in July 2020 – made recommendations for improving political leadership, financing, and surveillance system, it seems that little has changed, and the world remains highly vulnerable to the emergence and spread of infectious diseases.



“One year on, and political focus to prepare for more waves is flagging,” wrote the report authors. “Work has begun to prevent the next pandemic, but at the current pace, the transformative change required will take years to complete.”



The scientists discussed the uneven distribution of vaccines around the globe as one of the main problems that needs to be overcome, if we are to avoid situations such as the current <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9b0ab399-b545-4433-81a7-bfd710598760">Covid catastrophe</a> in North Korea - a country that adamantly refused vaccination and is now facing a frightening Omicron surge that infected almost ten percent of the country’s population in less than two weeks.&nbsp;



Such uncontrolled spread of the virus could easily lead to the emergence of new, more dangerous variants. “Variants may still emerge that our vaccines cannot manage,” wrote the study authors. “The more quickly we vaccinate now, the less likelihood there is of ever more variants emerging.”



Currently, rich countries have more vaccines than they could possibly use, leaving many low- and middle-income countries without adequate supplies of vaccines. WHO estimates that fewer than 13 percent of the people in low-income countries have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. 



Since vaccine production is now close to its limits, new manufacturing capacity for both mRNA and other types of vaccines must be urgently built in places such as Africa and Latin America in order to prevent future waves. “Boosting production takes time, so enabling it must begin now,”&nbsp;the experts wrote.



In order to guard against new Covid variants as well as other viruses with pandemic potential, the panel recommends stronger leadership and better coordination at regional, national, and international levels. 



The experts also emphasize the need for investment in preparedness now instead of when the next crisis hits, an improved system for surveillance and alert, a pre-negotiated platform able to produce vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, and supplies and secure their fast and equitable distribution as essential global common goods, and increased access to financial resources both for preparedness operations and for urgently tackling any emerging threats.



The full report can be found <a href="https://theindependentpanel.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/COVID-19-Make-it-the-Last-Pandemic_final.pdf">here</a>.



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;

The world is still unprepared for the next pandemic

According to a new report published by WHO’s Independent Panel...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.uc.edu/">University of Cincinnati</a> has found that nighttime <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-pollution-has-increased-almost-everywhere/">light pollution</a> can interfere with the extraordinary navigational abilities of monarch butterflies, which often travel from Canada to Mexico during multigenerational migrations. Since artificial nightlights interfere with butterflies’ circadian rhythms, the animals often become disoriented and fly when they should be resting.



Scientists have long known that light pollution can significantly disrupt normal circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles of both wildlife and humans. For instance, previous studies have shown that city lights interfere with the navigation of animals such as baby sea turtles, which mistake the artificial lights for the glow of the moon on the ocean, and head out of the water when they should in fact be hatching.&nbsp;



While researchers have already investigated in great depth the effects of light pollution on birds and other animals that migrate at night, animals that migrate during the day, such as the monarch butterflies, have received far less attention.



Although the erratic, circuitous movements taking them to and fro across gardens or orchards can make it difficult to imagine that these creatures are able to stick to a rigid flight plan, their mass migrations across entire continents is a clear proof that they have remarkable navigational capacities.&nbsp;



For instance, millions of monarch butterflies living east of the Rocky Mountains leave their summer breeding grounds in southern Canada and northern US, and travel as much as 4,000 kilometers to overwintering sites across Mexico. They can take up to five generations during this cross-continent journey, which is made possible by amazingly precise internal clocks that tell them where to orient themselves in relation to the position of the sun.



Yet, researchers have now found that monarchs exposed to nighttime light pollution – such as street lamps above their tree roosts – can experience a phase shift, making their bodies think that it’s either earlier or later than it really is. “It’s like jet lag,” said study senior author Patrick Guerra, an assistant professor of Biology at the University of Cincinnati. “Essentially, their sense of time is disturbed.”&nbsp;



By conducting controlled laboratory experiments that simulated and isolated the effects of light trespass perturbation on the monarchs, Professor Guerra and his team found clear evidence that light pollution disrupts the animals’ day-night cycle. Thus, if we want to be hospitable to these beautiful creatures, we should protect them from exposure to nightlights. “It’s something to think about if you’re making a pollinator garden or if you want to be eco-friendly,” Guerra&nbsp;advised.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.104310">iScience</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Light pollution disorients monarch butterflies

A new study led by the University of Cincinnati has...

A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> has shed new light on how plant life became established on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-endured-rapid-global-warming-300-million-years-ago/">Earth</a> 470 million years ago. The experts found two genes that seem indispensable for allowing plants to defend themselves against fungal attacks – a crucial ability that paved the way for all terrestrial plant life.



When plants evolved from aquatic algae to survive on land nearly half a billion years ago, they needed to build defenses against the massive population of fungi colonizing the Earth.&nbsp;



“It is estimated that 100 million years prior, fungi crept across Earth’s surface in search of nourishment and most likely found it in dead algae washed up from the sea,” said study senior author Mads Eggert Nielsen. “So, if you, as a new plant, were going to establish yourself on land, and the first thing you encountered is a fungus that would eat you, you needed some sort of defense mechanism.”



According to the scientists, the essence of this defense mechanism can be narrowed down to two genes, PEN1 and SYP122, which help blocking the invasion of fungi.&nbsp;



“We found out that if we destroy these two genes in our model plant thale cress (Arabidopsis), we open the door for pathogenic fungi to penetrate. We found that they are essential to form this cell wall-like plug that defends against fungi. Interestingly, it appears to be a universal defense mechanism that is found in all terrestrial plants,” Dr. Nielsen explained. The same mechanism was also identified in liverwort, a direct descendent of one of the Earth’s first land plants.



While fungi posed a major obstacle for early plants, they were also a prerequisite. As soon as plants adapted to survive fungal attacks, the next problem they faced was finding nutrients. While nutrients such as phosphorous or nitrogen were easy to access in the water, the newly evolved land plants faced significant difficulties in extracting nutrients bound in the rocky land that was widespread on Earth half a billion years ago.&nbsp;



On the other hand, fungi could extract such nutrients, and entered into a symbiotic relationship with the first land plants, which, in their turn, provided fungi with the carbohydrates they could not find otherwise. Thus, the defense mechanisms plants developed simply stopped fungi from invading, but did not kill them.&nbsp;



“Since a fungus can only gain partial entry into a plant, we believe that a tipping point arises where both plant and fungus have something to gain. Therefore, it has been an advantage to maintain the relationship as is. The theory that plants tamed fungi to colonize land is not ours, but we are providing fodder that supports this idea,” explained Dr. Nielsen.



The results of this study – published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/articles/73487#s3">eLife</a> – could be used to make crops more resistant to fungal attacks, which is currently a major problem for farmers.&nbsp;&nbsp;



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants tamed fungi to colonize land half a billion years ago

A recent study led by the University of Copenhagen has...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> has examined how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fiber-rich-diets-reduce-antimicrobial-resistance-in-the-gut/">diet</a> is impacting the range and severity of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) symptoms in children. The experts have found that eating healthy diets with more fruits and vegetables can significantly mitigate ADHD symptoms, such as the inability to stay focused, follow instructions, remember things, and regulate emotions.



As part of a larger study, the scientists asked parents of 134 children diagnosed with ADHD to complete detailed questionnaires about the typical foods their children ate (including portion sizes), as well as the ADHD symptoms that they experienced over a period of three months. The results suggested that diets rich in fruits and vegetables substantially reduced the severity of the children’s symptoms.&nbsp;



“What clinicians usually do when kids with ADHD start having more severe symptoms is increase the dose of their treatment medication, if they are on one, or put them on medication,” said study co-author Irene Hatsu, an expert in Human Nutrition at the Ohio State University.&nbsp;



“Our studies suggest that it is worthwhile to check the children’s access to food as well as the quality of their diet to see if it may be contributing to their symptom severity.”



Moreover, according to a previous study published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/6/1306">Nutrients</a>, children whose families&nbsp;had higher levels of food insecurity were more likely than others to show severe symptoms of emotional dysregulation, such as angry moods, anger outbursts, and chronic irritability, which also occur in ADHD.&nbsp;



“Everyone tends to get irritated when they’re hungry and kids with ADHD are no exception.&nbsp;If they’re not getting enough food, it could make their symptoms worse,” Professor Hatsu explained.



“We believe clinicians should assess the food security status of children with ADHD before creating or changing a treatment program. Some symptoms might be more manageable by helping families become more food secure and able to provide a healthier diet,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1028415X.2022.2071805">Nutritional Neuroscience</a>.



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer&nbsp;

Fruits and vegetables can reduce ADHD symptoms

A new study led by Ohio State University has examined...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="xD9vsIXoKi-1905077-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> describes a big data study by experts at UT Austin that could revolutionize earthquake science.&nbsp;The research is focused on a massive rock called the Kumano Pluton, which is buried miles beneath the coast of southern Japan.&nbsp;



Based on 20 years of seismic data processed through one of the world's most powerful supercomputers, the scientists have developed the first complete, 3D visualization of Kumano Pluton.



The results of the analysis suggest that the mountain-sized rock now may be acting like a "lightning rod" that channels energy into the megaquakes seen in the this region.&nbsp;



While scientists have known about thy existence of Kumano Pluton for years, they were only aware of small sections of it. The UT Austin study provides a view of the entire rock formation. This will enable experts to study the pluton's effect on regional tectonics.&nbsp;



According to study co-author Shuichi Kodaira, director of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, the findings will provide critical information for a major new Japanese government-funded project to find out whether another major earthquake is building in the Nankai subduction zone, where the pluton is located.



"We cannot predict exactly when, where, or how large future earthquakes will be, but by combining our model with monitoring data, we can begin estimating near-future processes," said Kodaira, who was among the scientists who first discovered the Kumano Pluton in 2006. "That will provide very important data for the Japanese public to prepare for the next big earthquake."



"The fact that we can make such a large discovery in an area that is already well studied is, I think, eye opening to what might await at places that are less well monitored," said study lead author Adrien Arnulf, a research assistant professor at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics.



Image/ Video Credit: National Science Foundation/ UT Austin&nbsp;



---



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

Kumano Pluton could be a magnet for megaquakes

[sendtonews key="xD9vsIXoKi-1905077-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EGr7m4soCd-1856530-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes the complicated debate over the chemistry of water. Scientists who study water argue that hydrogen bonds alone do not really explain the composition of water on a molecular level.&nbsp;



Unlike most fluids, which become more dense as they get colder and even more dense when they freeze, water is most dense at 4ﾟC. When you get past this threshold, water does not become more dense as it freezes.&nbsp;



In order to support life, the hydrogen bonds in H2O must strike the perfect balance of being strong enough to provide structure and surface tension, but weak enough to provide flexibility. According to ACS, without just the right hydrogen bond conditions, life may have never evolved at all.



Still yet, experts explain that hydrogen bonds do not tell the whole story of water.&nbsp;The molecular interactions within H20 behave in strange and unexpected ways.



Until recently, no method has been sensitive enough to study bonds in H20 molecules. Using a method that relies on an infrared laser to excite these molecules, scientists have now been able to observe the nuclear quantum effect of hydrogen bonds for the first time.



Some experts argue that water is made up of two separate liquids: a high- and low-density liquid. Other scientists point to the shapes that H20 molecules form as they interact, proposing that water molecules form different types of structures. So far, no one has been able to fully explain the unusual behavior of water.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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

Scientists cannot fully explain the behavior of water

[sendtonews key="EGr7m4soCd-1856530-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="7pHO8ZsCuB-1995789-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Bonn, a city in western Germany that straddles the Rhine river. The city is located in the Rhine-Ruhr region, the country's largest metro area with over 11 million inhabitants.



Bonn is one of the oldest cities in Germany, and is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. The memorial and museum honoring the composer’s birthplace, Beethoven House, is one of the most visited music museums in the world.



In 2022, ESA’s Living Planet Symposium is being held May 23 to 27 in Bonn. This is one of the largest Earth observation conferences.



"Held every three years, the symposium brings together scientists and researchers, as well as industry and users of Earth observation data, from all over the world to present and discuss the latest findings on Earth science," explains ESA.



"Organized with the support of the German Aerospace Center, the week-long event focuses on how Earth observation contributes to both science and society. With over 240 scientific sessions on Earth observation science and satellite missions, there will also be a wide range of sessions focusing on advances in artificial intelligence, digital twins of Earth, commercial opportunities thanks to the space industry, the upcoming ESA Ministerial Council in 2022, and much more."



Video Credit: ESA



---



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

Bonn, Germany: Host of this year's Living Planet Symposium

[sendtonews key="7pHO8ZsCuB-1995789-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="nnFRMoxfJX-1822440-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> explores how rising sea levels and increasing levels of salinity are impacting coastal wetlands.



The salinity of ocean water is 400 times that of fresh water, and the salt water that is left behind after an ocean intrusion can lead to intolerable salt levels for the plants and animals in a wetland ecosystem.&nbsp;



The Discovery Files video focuses on the work of Dr. Sparkle Malone, a professor in the Department of Biological Science at Florida International University.&nbsp;



In the Florida Everglades, Dr. Malone is taking measurements to assess how plants and animals are responding to changes in salt levels. High salt levels reduce vegetation cover and have a negative effect on productivity throughout the entire wetland ecosystem.&nbsp;



Video &amp; Image Credit: National Science Foundation/Florida International University



---



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

Coastal wetlands are threatened by salt water intrusion

[sendtonews key="nnFRMoxfJX-1822440-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="u2lwXVE7Dz-1991218-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> (NSF) describes the discovery of a second Earth Trojan. Earlier this year, an international team of astronomers confirmed that 2020 XL5 is the second Earth trojan asteroid, and is much larger than the first.



A Trojan is an asteroid that shares an orbit with a planet. These space rocks are difficult to find because they are small and dark. 



While Earth only has two confirmed trojan asteroids, Jupiter has nearly 10,000. These asteroids have also been found for Venus, Mars, Uranus, and Neptune. 



The experts analyzed images obtained by telescopes at NSF's NOIRLab in Chile to map the new Earth Trojan's orbit. 



"XL5 is nearly three times the size of 20-10 TK7, the first confirmed Earth Trojan, and could provide extraordinary insight into the building blocks of our solar system," reports NSF.



"Asteroids swoosh through the cosmos at phenomenal speeds. Yet, Earth trojan asteroids might someday become ideal bases to explore our solar system and mine for natural resources."



Video Credit: NSF



---



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

Existence of a second Earth trojan asteroid confirmed

[sendtonews key="u2lwXVE7Dz-1991218-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



---



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

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

As Sean patrolled the area, he couldn&#8217;t find anything out of the ordinary. When he really focused, however, he thought he could hear a faint whimpering somewhere under the rubble. Sean followed the noise and started digging. Photo credit: Mercury Press and Media

Strange sound