Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the spiral galaxy UGC 11397 in the constellation Lyra (The Lyre).



The light captured in this striking image traveled for 250 million years before reaching the NASA/ESA <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/35-years-of-hubble-the-telescope-that-changed-our-view-of-the-universe/">Hubble Space Telescope</a>.



“At first glance, UGC 11397 appears to be an average spiral galaxy: it sports two graceful spiral arms that are illuminated by stars and defined by dark, clumpy clouds of dust,” noted ESA.



“What sets UGC 11397 apart from a typical spiral lies at its center, where a supermassive black hole containing 174 million times the mass of the Sun is growing.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-hidden-powerhouse">A hidden powerhouse</h2>



As the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-oldest-black-hole-jet-ever-seen-is-size-of-three-milky-ways-j1601-3102/">black hole</a> consumes gas, dust, and even entire stars from its surroundings, the infalling material heats up dramatically, producing a dazzling display of energy.&nbsp;



These emissions span the electromagnetic spectrum - from gamma rays to radio waves - and can flare or fade unpredictably.&nbsp;



“But in some galaxies, including UGC 11397, thick clouds of dust hide much of this energetic activity from view in optical light,” explained ESA.



“Despite this, UGC 11397's actively growing black hole was revealed through its bright X-ray emission - high-energy light that can pierce the surrounding dust.”&nbsp;



Its distinctive signature has earned UGC 11397 the classification of a Type 2 Seyfert galaxy. This category describes active galaxies whose central regions are obscured in visible light by a doughnut-shaped cloud of dust and gas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxy-and-black-hole-growth">Galaxy and black hole growth</h2>



“Using Hubble, researchers will study hundreds of galaxies that, like UGC 11397, harbor a supermassive black hole that is gaining mass,” noted ESA.&nbsp;



“The Hubble observations will help researchers weigh nearby supermassive black holes, understand how black holes grew early in the universe’s history, and even study how stars form in the extreme environment found at the very center of a galaxy.”



Studying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-galaxies-discovery-would-upend-current-understanding-of-universe/">galaxies</a> like UGC 11397 also offers insight into the mysterious relationship between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies.&nbsp;



Despite residing at the heart of galaxies, these black holes influence their surroundings on a much larger scale, often regulating the formation of stars and even shaping the structure of the galaxy itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-black-hole-origins">Tracing black hole origins</h2>



One of the key questions astronomers hope to answer is how these black holes grow so massive in the first place.&nbsp;



While some appear to have formed gradually over billions of years, others - especially those in the early universe - seem to have reached enormous sizes much more quickly. 



Observations of galaxies such as UGC 11397 provide crucial data to test different growth scenarios.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-clearer-picture-of-cosmic-evolution">A clearer picture of cosmic evolution</h2>



By combining Hubble’s observations with data from other telescopes, including those that detect X-rays and radio waves, researchers can build a more complete picture of how matter behaves around black holes.&nbsp;



This multi-wavelength approach is essential for studying objects obscured by dust, like Type 2 Seyfert galaxies, where optical views alone can be misleading.



Hubble’s sharp vision also allows astronomers to examine the surrounding galactic disk and spiral arms in high detail. 



These structures hold clues about recent star formation, galactic dynamics, and how gas flows toward the center - fueling both star birth and black hole growth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-hole-energy-in-active-galaxies">Black hole energy in active galaxies</h2>



In many active <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-galaxies-revealed-in-a-single-webb-image/">galaxies</a>, the energy released by the central black hole can blast out powerful winds or jets that affect star formation. These feedback processes can either shut down or stimulate the creation of new stars, depending on the conditions.&nbsp;



Understanding when and how this feedback occurs is another major goal of Hubble’s ongoing studies.



UGC 11397 is just one of many galaxies being surveyed as part of broader efforts to trace the cosmic history of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-turn-into-white-holes-and-blast-out-matter-and-time-runs-backwards/">black hole</a> activity.&nbsp;



Projects such as these are helping scientists map how common active galactic nuclei are, how their properties evolve over time, and how they relate to galaxy mergers and other large-scale events.



The wealth of information gathered from galaxies like UGC 11397 is not only deepening our understanding of black holes but also refining models of galaxy formation and evolution.&nbsp;



With each new observation, astronomers are piecing together the vast and complex puzzle of how galaxies and their central engines co-evolve across cosmic time.



Image Credit: ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA, M. J. Koss, A. J. Barth



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Bright spiral galaxy hides a dark secret

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

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Eagle Nebula, also known as Messier 16, which is located about 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens.



The Eagle Nebula is one of the most iconic star-forming regions in our galaxy.&nbsp;It’s a vast cloud of gas and dust stretching roughly 70 light-years across.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillars-of-creation-nbsp">Pillars of Creation&nbsp;</h2>



What makes it especially famous is a portion of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebula</a> captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 - an area called the "Pillars of Creation."&nbsp;



Some of these towering columns of gas are several light-years tall. The towers resemble sculpted fingers reaching out into space. Inside these pillars, new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/serpens-nebula-image-reveals-how-stars-are-born/">stars</a> are being born as gravity pulls material together into dense cores that eventually ignite nuclear fusion.



The Pillars of Creation are often cited as a poetic example of the cosmic cycle of birth and destruction - where new stars are born even as the surrounding material is slowly destroyed by radiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-image-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Hubble image of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



“This towering structure of billowing gas and dark, obscuring dust might only be a small portion of the Eagle Nebula, but it is no less majestic in appearance for it,” said <a href="https://esahubble.org/images/heic2507a/">ESA</a>.



“The new Hubble image is part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations. The cosmic cloud shown here is made of cold hydrogen gas, like the rest of the Eagle Nebula. In such regions of space new stars are born among the collapsing clouds.”&nbsp;



The hot, energetic stars emit intense ultraviolet light and powerful stellar winds that erode and sculpt the surrounding gas. The result is the creation of fantastical structures - like the narrow pillar with a blossoming head featured in the Hubble image.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-and-shadow-in-the-eagle-nebula">Light and shadow in the Eagle Nebula</h2>



The thick material in the pillar blocks most light, appearing dark and heavy against the backdrop. However, its edges glow where light from the more distant nebula shines through.&nbsp;



The striking colors reflect the chemistry and physics at play: blues signal ionized oxygen, reds indicate glowing hydrogen, and orange shows where starlight has managed to pierce the dust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-structure-under-siege">A structure under siege</h2>



Just out of frame lie the very stars responsible for shaping this dramatic pillar. Their radiation and winds continue to batter the cloud, compressing the gas and potentially triggering the birth of even more stars within.



For now, the pillar holds firm, but this stability is temporary. Over time, the relentless energy from newly formed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">stars</a> will eventually erode the entire structure.



“While the starry pillar has withstood these forces well so far, cutting an impressive shape against the background, eventually it will be totally eroded by the multitude of new stars that form in the Eagle Nebula,” explained ESA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-cycle-of-the-milky-way">Life cycle of the Milky Way</h2>



The nebula’s location in the Sagittarius Arm - one of the Milky Way’s major spiral arms - places it in a zone bustling with similar star-forming regions. This highlights the role of the Eagle Nebula in shaping the structure and the future of our galaxy.



Studies of the Eagle Nebula have revealed that the region is rich in young, hot stars - some of which are only a few million years old. These stars are in various stages of development, providing a natural laboratory for astronomers to study stellar life cycles.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Evolution of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



Within the Eagle Nebula, there is a variety of stellar processes occurring in close proximity. Some stars are still forming within dense clouds of gas, while others have already matured and begun to emit powerful ultraviolet radiation.&nbsp;



The ongoing interaction between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/">young stars</a> and their environment drives the evolution of the nebula itself.&nbsp;



As newly formed stars heat and disperse the gas and dust around them, they trigger further waves of star formation - or in some cases, halt it altogether.&nbsp;



This feedback loop not only influences the pace of star birth in the Eagle Nebula but also contributes to the broader life cycle of matter within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-collision-may-change-everything-we-know-about-our-galaxy/">Milky Way</a>, enriching the galaxy with heavier elements forged in stellar cores.



Image Credit: ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA, K. Noll



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Eagle Nebula: Carving light from darkness

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a satellite view of smoke from fires burning in Manitoba, Canada on July 9, 2025.&nbsp;



Manitoba is facing its most severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">wildfire season</a> on record - driven by extreme heat, drought, and strong winds.



By mid‑May, five fires in Manitoba were already classified as out of control, including one north of Whiteshell Provincial Park that rapidly consumed more than 100,000 hectares.



A record‑breaking heat wave around May 13, which was the hottest day Winnipeg has seen in 125 years, further accelerated the spread of the fires.



“Large fires have burned in Canada’s Manitoba province since May 2025, but the intensity of activity escalated in July,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154531/manitoba-burning">NASA</a>. 



“The province’s wildfire service reported 98 active fires burning on July 8, including 16 that were listed as out of control across the northern, western, and eastern parts of the province.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-plumes-are-shifting-directions-nbsp">Smoke plumes are shifting directions&nbsp;</h2>



The fires have blown across vast swaths of northern Manitoba, at times closing in on urban centers like Flin Flon and The Pas. 



Dense smoke rendered aerial firefighting efforts dangerous or impossible, forcing firefighting crews to focus on protecting lives and infrastructure from the ground. 



Smoke plumes drifted south into the U.S. Upper Midwest, degrading <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-are-changing-the-quality-of-our-air/">air quality</a> in states like Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, where conditions reached unhealthy levels and outdoor activities were limited.



“At the time the image was acquired, dense smoke plumes from several of the largest fires streamed north; however, satellites have often observed plumes from Manitoba’s fires blowing east in recent weeks and months,” noted NASA.



Persistent smoke has caused air alert levels to spike across North America. A growing collection of research links <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">wildfire smoke exposure</a> to long‑term health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-escalating-fire-crisis-in-manitoba-nbsp">Escalating fire crisis in Manitoba&nbsp;</h2>



“As of July 9, fires in 2025 had charred 4.8 million hectares across Canada, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. That’s an area about twice the size of New Jersey and nearly four times the 25-year average,” said NASA.



“Manitoba accounted for about 1 million hectares of burned area, about 20 times more than at the same point in 2024 and 13 times more than the 25-year average.”



Despite brief relief from cooler weather and scattered rain, officials caution that full containment of the fires remains a long way off. The threat of flare-ups grows as temperatures continue to rise.



Authorities in Manitoba have emphasized the importance of fire‑smart behavior and compliance with restrictions in what continues to unfold as a historic wildfire emergency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remote-communities-face-greater-risks">Remote communities face greater risks</h2>



First Nations communities have been hit especially hard by Manitoba’s wildfire crisis. Many of these communities are located in remote areas with limited road access, which complicates evacuation efforts and delays emergency response.&nbsp;



Critical firefighting infrastructure - such as water tanks, hoses, and trained personnel - is often lacking. In some cases, airstrips are too small to accommodate large aircraft needed for evacuations or supply drops.



These challenges stem from long-standing systemic inequities. Chronic underfunding of infrastructure, healthcare, housing, and emergency services has left many Indigenous communities more vulnerable to climate-related disasters.&nbsp;



When <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-wildfires-are-gaining-even-more-speed/">wildfires</a> strike, the impacts on these remote communities are often more severe and long-lasting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-rise-of-extreme-fire-seasons">The rise of extreme fire seasons</h2>



Climate change is intensifying wildfire activity across Canada and beyond. Rising global temperatures have led to longer and more severe fire seasons, as warmer air draws more moisture from vegetation and soil, leaving forests drier and more flammable.&nbsp;



In Manitoba, an early onset of heat and persistent drought created ideal conditions for ignition and rapid spread - conditions that are becoming increasingly common in a warming world.



In addition to fueling drier landscapes, climate change has altered atmospheric patterns that influence fire behavior. Shifts in jet streams and the frequency of high-pressure systems can trap <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/">heat</a> over regions for prolonged periods.&nbsp;



These effects compound the risks, turning what might once have been manageable fire seasons into widespread and persistent emergencies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-future-with-more-megafires">A future with more megafires </h2>



While wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems, the scale and intensity now being observed point to a system pushed beyond historical norms.&nbsp;



Experts warn that without major cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, Canada will face more frequent megafires - especially in fire-prone provinces like Manitoba. 



These escalating fires are expected to bring greater health risks from smoke and increasing strain on emergency response systems.



The image was captured on July 9, 2025 by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Aqua satellite.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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From drought to disaster: Manitoba’s fire crisis escalates

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

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a stunning reflection nebula known as GN 04.32.8 in the constellation Taurus.



Reflection nebulae are cosmic clouds of fine dust that become visible not by producing their own light, but by reflecting the light of nearby stars.&nbsp;



Unlike emission <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebulae</a>, which glow due to ionized gases radiating light, reflection nebulae shine more subtly.&nbsp;



The light from nearby stars strikes the dust particles within the cloud and scatters in many directions - especially shorter, bluer wavelengths. This scattering effect, similar to the way Earth’s sky appears blue, often gives reflection nebulae their characteristic bluish hue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-taurus-molecular-cloud">The Taurus Molecular Cloud</h2>



“GN 04.32.8 is a small part of the stellar nursery known as the Taurus Molecular Cloud. At only roughly 480 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus, it's one of the best locations for studying newly forming stars,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">ESA</a>.



The Taurus Molecular Cloud is one of the closest and most extensively studied regions for low-mass star formation.&nbsp;



Unlike larger star-forming regions like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/">Orion</a> that produce many high-mass stars, the Taurus Molecular Cloud is dominated by the formation of Sun-like and smaller stars, making it a prime analog for understanding the conditions that led to the birth of our own solar system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energetic-stars-in-the-constellation-taurus-nbsp">Energetic stars in the constellation Taurus&nbsp;</h2>



“This reflection nebula is illuminated by the system of three bright stars in the center of this image, mainly the variable star V1025 Tauri in the very center," ESA noted. 



“One of those stars overlaps with part of the nebula: this is another variable star that is named HP Tauri, but is classified as a T Tauri star, for its similarity to yet another variable star elsewhere in the Taurus Molecular Complex.”&nbsp;



T Tauri stars are young, energetic stars in the earliest stages of stellar evolution, just beginning their journey toward becoming stable main sequence stars like our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-sun-like-stars-with-secret-companions/">Sun</a>.&nbsp;



These stars are highly variable, often exhibiting strong stellar winds and flares as they settle into equilibrium. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-dynamic-star-system">A dynamic star system</h2>



In this case, the trio of T Tauri stars - named HP Tau, HP Tau G2, and HP Tau G3 - are believed to be gravitationally bound, forming a dynamic triple star system.



“Eagle-eyed viewers might notice the small, squashed, orange spot, just left of center below the clouds of the nebula, that’s crossed by a dark line. This is a newly-formed protostar, hidden in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">protoplanetary disc</a> that obstructs some of its light,” explained ESA.



“Because the disc is edge-on to us, it’s an ideal candidate for study. Astronomers are using Hubble here to examine it closely, seeking to learn about the kinds of exoplanets that might be formed in discs like it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-light-of-hot-young-stars">The light of hot, young stars</h2>



Reflection nebulae are usually found in regions where new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-billion-white-dwarf-stars-in-milky-way-galaxy-might-have-habitable-planets/">stars</a> are forming, often near or within dense molecular clouds.&nbsp;



Some reflection nebulae can span light-years across and serve as markers of stellar nurseries - places where future generations of stars are taking shape.



Reflection nebulae offer astronomers a valuable glimpse into the structure and composition of the interstellar medium and help trace the life cycles of stars from birth to maturity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examples-of-reflection-nebulae-nbsp">Examples of reflection nebulae&nbsp;</h2>



One well-known example is the reflection nebula surrounding the Pleiades star cluster, also called the Seven Sisters.&nbsp;



The Iris Nebula, located in the constellation Cepheus about 1,300 light-years from Earth, is a striking reflection nebula illuminated by the young star SAO 19158.



This nebula is a popular target for astrophotographers due to its vivid colors and intricate structure.



Found about 1,600 light-years away, M78 is the brightest reflection nebula in the Orion constellation and one of the easiest to observe with amateur telescopes. It’s illuminated by two young stars, HD 38563A and HD 38563B.&nbsp;



M78 is part of a larger complex of gas and dust that includes many other star-forming regions within the Orion Molecular Cloud.



Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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Young stars illuminate the constellation Taurus 

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a large phytoplankton bloom in the Gulf of Maine.



The image was captured on June 21, 2025, by the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) on NASA’s PACE satellite.&nbsp;



“In summer 2025, waters in the Gulf of Maine popped with vivid swirls of blue and green. The cause was a massive bloom of phytoplankton - microscopic plant-like organisms that often float near the ocean surface,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154472/a-booming-bloom-returns-to-the-gulf-of-maine">NASA</a>.



“Scientists say it was one of the largest blooms of its kind to show up in the Gulf’s waters in recent years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bloom-in-the-gulf-of-maine">Bloom in the Gulf of Maine </h2>



Catherine Mitchell is a satellite oceanographer at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. She noted that the Gulf of Maine bloom contained coccolithophores, a type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-phytoplankton-that-feed-ocean-life-are-rapidly-disappearing/">phytoplankton</a> that makes the water appear milky blue.



“The tiny organisms, along with other types of phytoplankton, including diatoms that bloom here in spring, lie at the base of the marine food web,” explained NASA.



“Their presence - or absence - in Gulf of Maine waters can affect the entire ecosystem, from finfish to shellfish, and the region’s fisheries that depend on them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-conditions-and-plankton-communities-nbsp">Shifting conditions and plankton communities&nbsp;</h2>



Mitchell said that coccolithophore blooms like this one became less common in the Gulf’s waters starting around 2010. But in recent years, they’ve started to come back.&nbsp;



Scientists have also seen more dinoflagellates (a type of phytoplankton that move with tiny tails) and an overall drop in phytoplankton productivity over the past few decades.



These changes in plankton are linked to shifting ocean conditions. For instance, heavy rainfall from 2006 to 2009 made the Gulf’s waters fresher. Then, starting in 2008, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/">warm water</a> from deep in the North Atlantic began heating the Gulf from the bottom up.&nbsp;



However, by spring 2025, bottom-water temperatures were cooler than they’ve been in 20 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ongoing-research-efforts">Ongoing research efforts</h2>



“The relationship between these changing water conditions and phytoplankton communities in the gulf remains unclear, but ongoing research could begin to provide some answers,” noted NASA.



“In fact, Mitchell and colleagues scrutinized this PACE image just days before heading out on a research expedition to study the bloom and other ocean properties up close. The cruise, the third so far this year, offers scientists the chance to validate ocean color data collected by PACE with real-world ocean samples.”



Mitchell pointed out that a major benefit of the PACE satellite is its ability to “see the rainbow,” which makes it easier for scientists to distinguish between groups of phytoplankton.



“With our continuing field measurements, we will validate ocean color observations from PACE, enabling satellite observations in the Gulf of Maine and supporting the region’s fisheries and aquaculture industries.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vital-signs-of-ocean-health">Vital signs of ocean health</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/">Phytoplankton blooms</a> like the one captured in the Gulf of Maine are vital signs of ocean health. These microscopic organisms form the foundation of marine food webs, feeding everything from tiny zooplankton to large fish, whales, and seabirds.&nbsp;



When conditions are right - such as warm temperatures, abundant sunlight, and available nutrients - phytoplankton populations can grow rapidly, creating colorful blooms that are visible from space.



The Gulf of Maine is particularly sensitive to environmental change. Located at the intersection of cold northern currents and warmer waters from the south, it’s a dynamic ecosystem where small shifts in temperature or salinity can have outsized effects.&nbsp;



This region is also one of the fastest-warming ocean areas on the planet, with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">temperatures</a> rising more than three times the global ocean average in some years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasting-changes-with-ocean-monitoring-nbsp">Forecasting changes with ocean monitoring&nbsp;</h2>



Changes in water temperature and salinity have ripple effects across the food chain. Warmer waters can favor certain types of phytoplankton over others, shifting the balance of species in ways that affect what fish and shellfish are available to predators - and to the region’s fisheries.&nbsp;



For example, coccolithophores may thrive in clearer, warmer waters, while traditional spring-blooming diatoms do better in colder, more nutrient-rich conditions.



Long-term monitoring is essential to understand and predict these shifts. Satellites like PACE provide a global view of ocean color, which reflects the presence and composition of phytoplankton.&nbsp;



By combining these observations with ship-based sampling, scientists can get a more complete picture of how plankton communities are evolving and how that affects everything from carbon cycling to fisheries sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-in-the-gulf-of-maine-nbsp">Warming in the Gulf of Maine&nbsp;</h2>



The Gulf’s warming trend has already caused noticeable ecological changes. Some species of fish have moved farther north or into deeper waters in search of cooler temperatures.&nbsp;



Lobsters, a key commercial species, have shifted their range as well. Meanwhile, harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-in-lake-erie-may-be-hiding-toxic-deadly-compounds/">algal blooms</a> - caused by certain types of phytoplankton - have become more frequent in some parts of the Gulf, threatening shellfish harvests and public health.



Scientists are working to better predict how blooms will respond to future climate conditions.&nbsp;



Understanding which species are likely to dominate under warmer, fresher, or more acidic conditions can help predict changes in fish stocks, shellfish safety, and ecosystem stability.&nbsp;



This kind of forecasting is especially important in the Gulf of Maine, where marine resources are closely tied to local economies.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Giant bloom in the Gulf of Maine signals change

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Cat's Paw Nebula - a massive, active star-forming region in the constellation Scorpius. Also known as NGC 6334, the nebula is located about 4,000 light-years away from Earth.



The nebula’s name comes from its appearance. When viewed in visible or infrared light, it resembles a cat’s paw with bright lobes that look like giant toe beans.



“To celebrate the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s third year of highly productive science, astronomers used the telescope to scratch beyond the surface of the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a massive, local star-forming region,” said <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">ESA</a>.



“This area is of great interest to scientists, having been subject to previous study by NASA/ESA’s Hubble and retired NASA Spitzer Space telescopes, as they seek to understand the multiple steps required for a turbulent molecular cloud to transition to stars.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-activity-in-the-cat-s-paw-nebula-nbsp">Activity in the Cat’s Paw Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



The Cat’s Paw Nebula is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/80-million-pixels-reveal-the-brilliance-of-a-star-cluster/">stellar nursery</a>, teeming with young, hot stars that are still forming from clouds of gas and dust. It spans roughly 50 light-years across and glows red, primarily due to the presence of ionized hydrogen gas illuminated by ultraviolet radiation from the newborn stars.&nbsp;



Much of the star formation remains hidden in visible light because of dense dust clouds, but observations in infrared and radio wavelengths have revealed an incredible amount of ongoing activity beneath the surface.



NGC 6334 is particularly rich in massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">stars</a>, including some that are over ten times the mass of the Sun.&nbsp;



Because of this, it's often used by astronomers to study the early stages of high-mass star formation, which are less understood than the processes that form lower-mass stars.&nbsp;



The region is also home to a number of protostars and clusters still wrapped in dusty cocoons, making it a dynamic and evolving part of our galaxy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-details-in-the-cat-s-paw-nebula-nbsp">New details in the Cat’s Paw Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



“With its near-infrared capabilities and sharp resolution, the telescope 'clawed' back a portion of a singular 'toe bean,' revealing a subset of mini toe bean-reminiscent structures composed of gas, dust, and young stars,” noted ESA.



“Webb’s view reveals a chaotic scene still in development: massive young stars are carving away at nearby gas and dust, while their bright starlight is producing a bright nebulous glow represented in blue.”&nbsp;



Although only recently recognized in modern astronomy, the Cat’s Paw Nebula has become iconic - not just for its curious shape, but also for the insight it offers into how massive stars form in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-thin-disk-is-billions-of-years-older-than-we-thought/">Milky Way</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-constellation-scorpius-nbsp">The constellation Scorpius&nbsp;</h2>



Scorpius is one of the most striking constellations in the night sky, especially visible during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere and lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.&nbsp;



Its shape is unusually recognizable, forming a long, curving line that resembles a scorpion with a curled tail and extended claws.&nbsp;



In mythology, Scorpius is often associated with the story of Orion, the great hunter. According to one version of the myth, Orion boasted that he could kill all the animals on Earth, which angered the goddess Artemis. To punish him, she sent a giant scorpion to defeat him.&nbsp;



After a fierce battle, both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-solar-system-once-drifted-through-orions-star-forming-region/">Orion</a> and the scorpion were placed among the stars on opposite sides of the sky. To this day, Orion sets as Scorpius rises, as if the hunter is still fleeing from the celestial scorpion.



Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, is a red supergiant whose name means "rival of Mars" due to its reddish hue and brightness. Antares serves as the scorpion's heart and is one of the most prominent stars in the night sky.&nbsp;



Because Scorpius lies along the plane of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-map-reveals-that-the-milky-ways-dust-has-very-unusual-properties/">Milky Way</a>, it is filled with dense star fields and deep-sky objects. This part of the sky is exceptionally rich in detail, offering a glimpse into the crowded heart of our galaxy.



Image Credit: ESA



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Webb reveals the Cat's Paw Nebula in stunning detail

For three long years, Luna called the theme park home. But, one day, several new visitors came to see her. While she had learned to ignore the children surrounding her cage, these people were different. Photo Credit: Public Radio International

Strange Visitors

Some of the most familiar atoms in the air above our heads appear to vanish when scientists audit Earth’s interior. Geochemists have spent decades tracing nitrogen’s trail yet always come up billions of tons short.



Earth’s rocky shell, the <a href="https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_5237-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bulk silicate Earth (BSE)</a>, holds only one to five parts per million of nitrogen, a tally wildly below the cargo delivered by meteorites, say planetary physicists <a href="https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56709030300" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shengxuan Huang</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Taku-Tsuchiya-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taku Tsuchiya</a> of <a href="https://jpcup.niad.ac.jp/institute/0352.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ehime University</a> in a recent study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-has-a-nitrogen-gap">Earth has a nitrogen gap</h2>



The nitrogen gap also skews the ratios between carbon, nitrogen, and argon, leaving Earth with a super‑chondritic chemical fingerprint that standard accretion models cannot match. 



Solving the puzzle matters because those ratios control everything from mantle redox to atmospheric pressure.



Earlier <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-023-02102-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> blamed violent impacts that might have blasted nitrogen into space or suggested the planet formed from odd, nitrogen‑poor building blocks. 



Neither idea fit every observation, especially the tight link between carbon and argon abundances.



Huang and colleagues wondered whether the answer lay not in the sky but in the metal heart of the planet. 



Their hunch turned on how elements swap partners when molten rock and liquid iron separate during core‑mantle differentiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supercomputers-inside-a-magma-ocean">Supercomputers inside a magma ocean</h2>



To test it, the team recreated a primordial magma ocean, a globe‑spanning sea of lava that blanketed early Earth. 



They used quantum‑level simulations to push virtual samples to 135 gigapascals and 9,000°F, conditions matching depths well below today’s mantle.



The code tracked each nitrogen atom as it chose between silicate melt and liquid iron, tallying a mathematical <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/partition-coefficient" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">partition coefficient</a> for every depth. 



At 60 gigapascals (GPa), extreme pressure found deep inside the Earth, nitrogen was over 100 times more likely to bond with iron than with rock.



“Under the intense heat and pressure of a deep magma ocean, nitrogen became a ‘metal lover’,” said Huang. 



The strong preference rose even higher at core‑forming depths, then leveled off, revealing a curved, not linear, relationship with pressure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pressure-as-matchmaker">Pressure as matchmaker</h2>



The curvature solves a long‑standing lab conflict in which some high‑pressure experiments saw <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-was-plentiful-for-early-life-on-earth/">nitrogen</a> favor metal while others did not. Those tests straddled the inflection point on the curve, so each captured a different slice of the trend.



Because the effect strengthens rapidly between 20 and 60 GPa, only a deep magma ocean can drain enough nitrogen into the core to match today’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-has-ghost-plume-rising-from-deep-within-the-planets-mantle-up-to-the-surface/">mantle measurements</a>. 



Shallow oceans, by contrast, would leave too much nitrogen behind and pull Earth’s volatile ratios in the wrong direction.



Calculations show that a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evidence-magma-ocean-molten-rock-found-moons-surface-south-pole-chandrayaan-3/">magma ocean</a> reaching 60 GPa would lock roughly eighty percent of the planet’s nitrogen inside the core before the first crust ever solidified. The residual mantle concentration lands squarely in the observed one‑to‑five‑ppm window.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-nitrogen-loves-metal">Earth's nitrogen loves metal</h2>



The simulations explain the atomic gymnastics behind the preference. Rising pressure breaks nitrogen’s bonds with itself and hydrogen, allowing single atoms to slip into gaps between iron atoms where they behave almost neutrally.



Inside <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/silicate-melt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">silicate melt</a>, however, high pressure forces nitrogen to bond with silicon as nitride ions, making it act like a charged outsider in an oxygen‑rich network. The contrasting chemical states tip the energetic scales decisively toward the core.



Adding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sulfur-may-have-played-key-role-origin-of-life-on-earth/">sulfur</a> or silicon to the metal cuts nitrogen’s affinity roughly in half, yet even an alloy doped with light elements still grabs the lion’s share. That robustness makes the core a dependable nitrogen vault throughout Earth history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-and-argon-tag-along">Carbon and argon tag along</h2>



Carbon shows subtler metal attraction. Laboratory experiments find metal‑silicate partition coefficients for carbon that swing from tens to above a thousand depending on temperature and oxygen fugacity. 



Nitrogen’s coefficient, by contrast, rockets to several hundred under the same conditions.



Argon cares little for iron, preferring to stay either in silicate melt or in an atmosphere if one exists. This hierarchy (nitrogen &gt; carbon &gt; argon) naturally inflates <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X20305185" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth’s atmospheric 36Ar/N ratio</a> while boosting its mantle C/N figure, without invoking exotic loss processes.



The model therefore reproduces two independent geochemical puzzles with one physical mechanism: deep core segregation in a thick magma ocean.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-mantle-chemistry">Clues from mantle chemistry</h2>



Modern basalts <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-why-stealthy-volcanoes-erupt-without-warning/">erupting</a> at mid‑ocean ridges still record the aftermath. Their nitrogen‑to‑argon ratios hover near chondritic values, a hint that the upper mantle has stayed nitrogen‑poor and argon‑moderate since the Hadean.



Diamonds mined from cratonic roots occasionally trap tiny blebs of iron nitride, mineralogical breadcrumbs that support a deep nitrogen transfer early in Earth’s life. Each inclusion whispers that some nitrogen did indeed ride metal downward.



Geochemists reached a similar <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1505.03813" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conclusion</a> back in 2015 by tallying global isotope budgets. Scientists have confirmed that the majority of the planetary budget of Nitrogen is in the solid Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-nitrogen-and-exoplanets">Earth's nitrogen and exoplanets</h2>



Keeping just a sliver of nitrogen in the mantle turned out to be a sweet spot. Too much core sequestration would starve the atmosphere, while too little would upset carbon balance and maybe climate stability.



The work therefore tightens the range of interior conditions that can yield a clement surface, a useful guide as astronomers weigh <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-planets-are-more-habitable-than-we-thought/">exoplanet habitability</a>. 



Planets that form quickly and differentiate deeply may need later recycling to deliver enough nitrogen for life’s molecules.



Earth pulled off that tightrope act, but only just. Understanding how it happened helps scientists decode not only our own planet’s past but the prospects of rocky worlds scattered across the galaxy.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X25000901?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth and Planetary Science Letters</a>.



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Scientists think they found Earth's 'missing nitrogen' in a very unexpected place

Some of the most familiar atoms in the air above...

Your heart does more than pump blood. It also broadcasts tiny timing shifts that doctors read as heart rate variability (HRV), a window into the balance of your autonomic nervous system (ANS).



A five‑month field study now suggests those shifts rise and fall with patterns in space weather.&nbsp;



"The study makes a striking correlation between people’s HRV and energetic environmental phenomena such as the electromagnetic energy from the sun, the <a href="https://www.heartmath.org/gci/gcms/live-data/gcms-magnetometer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Schumann resonance power</a>, and energy influxes coming from outside our solar system," said Rollin McCraty of the <a href="https://www.heartmath.org/">HeartMath Institute</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-storms-spikes-heart-rate">Solar storms spikes heart rate</h2>



Dr. Abdullah Alabdulgader of the <a href="https://www.hziegler.com/employers/prince-sultan-cardiac-center.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prince Sultan Cardiac Center</a> in Saudi Arabia led weekly 72‑hour ECG sessions for sixteen healthy volunteers. 



The researchers matched each session against hourly logs of solar wind speed, sunspot counts, cosmic ray flux, and local geomagnetic indices collected by NASA and <a href="https://www.sgo.fi/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Finland’s Sodankylä Observatory</a>.



"Increase in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-storms-experts-identify-the-mysterious-source-of-solar-wind/">solar wind</a> intensity was correlated with increases in heart rate, which we interpret as a biological stress response," said Dr. Alabdulgader. 



When the wind strengthened, inter‑beat intervals shortened, hinting at a sympathetic spike even on calm clinical days.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-variability-during-solar-storms">Heart variability during solar storms</h2>



Heart rate variability is commonly split into high‑frequency, low‑frequency, and very‑low‑frequency bands. The Saudi team saw all three bands climb when cosmic ray counts, solar radio flux, and local Schumann resonance power went up.



Cosmic rays seemed especially potent. Total HRV power rose for almost 40 hours after particle counts peaked. A European <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17338964/">study</a> echoed this effect, linking higher cosmic rays to lower C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation.



Geomagnetic quiet was not always benign. A U.S. analysis of 263 cities found that disturbed fields, measured by Kp and Ap indices, coincided with increased cardiovascular deaths on the same day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-electromagnetic-fields-and-the-heart">Electromagnetic fields and the heart</h2>



Why would charged particles millions of miles away nudge heart rhythms? One possibility is that they tweak the ionosphere, altering the ultra‑low‑frequency waves that bathe Earth’s surface.



Neuroscientists first noticed in the 1950s that the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26785376/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primary Schumann</a> peak near 7.83 Hz matches <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3507158/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alpha brain oscillations</a>. Modern EEG research shows brief real‑time coherence between Schumann power and cortical activity during geomagnetic spikes.



These same frequencies overlap with <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7560965/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vagal signaling</a> that drives the high‑frequency band of HRV. The Saudi dataset supports the idea that the heart, like the brain, can phase‑lock to natural electromagnetic cues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calm-waves-calmer-beats">Calm waves, calmer beats</h2>



Schumann power rose during thunderstorms and quiet solar intervals alike. When this occurred, participants’ heart rates slowed and parasympathetic tone strengthened. 



These results mirrored a smaller trial in Japan that recorded lower blood pressure on strong Schumann days.



Laboratory studies show that mammals and birds align circadian genes with weak radio‑frequency fields, though precise receptors remain debated.



Magnetite nanoparticles in cardiac and neural tissue may act as primary sensors, while <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10966452/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">retinal cryptochromes</a> could relay secondary signals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solar-storms-impact-heart-health">Solar storms impact heart health</h2>



For most people, the effects are subtle, but population data suggest they are still significant. A global review conducted in 2023 showed that stronger overall geomagnetic fields were linked to slight increases in cardiovascular deaths. 



However, the horizontal part of the field appeared to have a protective effect - highlighting how geomagnetic exposure may influence health in complex ways.



Clinicians already use heart rate variability to flag autonomic imbalance in diabetes, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-can-rapidly-reduce-ptsd-without-revisiting-trauma/">PTSD</a>, and post‑infection fatigue. If space weather can tip that balance, wearable monitors might one day combine cardiology and heliophysics to time workouts, surgeries, or even trading floors.



Not every scientist is convinced. A National Institutes of Health panel recently referred to the current evidence as intriguing yet inconclusive, noting that lab replications with shielded chambers are still scarce.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emergency-planning-for-space-weather">Emergency planning for space weather</h2>



If <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-geomagnetic-storm-reveals-earths-technological-vulnerabilities/">geomagnetic</a> factors affect heart and nervous system activity - even subtly - then hospitals and emergency services may need to adjust staffing or readiness protocols during peak solar events.



Historical data already confirm that ER visits and psychiatric admissions spike during geomagnetic disturbances. People who are at risk from arrhythmia, hypertension, or mental illness may experience the strongest effects.



Weather forecasts increasingly include space weather alerts, but medical infrastructure hasn't caught up. 



Doctors, paramedics, and health agencies could benefit from predictive models that track these environmental stressors and inform care delivery for vulnerable groups.



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



The Saudi volunteers were young, healthy, and living at low geomagnetic latitude. We do not yet know whether patients with arrhythmias, hypertension, or pacemakers react the same way at polar latitudes where field swings are stronger.



Dose matters too. Satellites warn of major solar storms days in advance, but subtle changes within the “quiet” range may fly below meteorological forecasts while still nudging sensitive physiology.



Finally, correlation is not causation. Although animal studies shows pulsed fields can shift heart‑rate timing, the precise chain from ionospheric disturbance to vagus nerve firing remains only partially mapped.



Future studies may include networks that monitor heart rate variability across multiple locations, along with magnetometers and possibly even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-mapping-research-mouse-neurons-revolutionary-advance/">genetic screening</a> for traits linked to magnetic sensitivity. 



In the meantime, the evidence suggests we should consider space weather as one more environmental factor that may influence heart health.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323016904_Long-Term_Study_of_Heart_Rate_Variability_Responses_to_Changes_in_the_Solar_and_Geomagnetic_Environment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Solar storms that cause auroras may be messing with your heart

Your heart does more than pump blood. It also broadcasts...

For most of the 2000s, climate scientists could draw a fairly straight line through Earth’s rising temperature curve. The world was warming, yes, but the pace was predictable - until it wasn’t.



Sometime around 2010, the slope steepened, and over the past 15 years, the thermometer has shot up faster than many forecasts had anticipated. 



After back-to-back record-shattering years in 2023 and 2024, researchers began hunting for a hidden driver of warming and found an unexpected culprit: smog over East Asia had cleared too quickly, removing a key layer of atmospheric protection.



“When something like the anomalous, record‑breaking warmth of 2023 and 2024 happens, climate scientists start to wonder if there’s a factor we’re missing,” said co-author Robert Allen, a climatologist at the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">University of California, Riverside</a>. “This study was our effort to figure out what that might be.”



Allen teamed up with Bjørn Samset from <a href="https://cicero.oslo.no/en">Norway’s Center for International Climate and Environmental Research</a> and dozens of colleagues worldwide to run eight state‑of‑the‑art climate models through thousands of simulated futures. All roads pointed back to tiny, sun‑scattering particles called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-tiny-aerosols-in-sea-spray-influence-earths-climate/">aerosols</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-choking-smog-to-clear-skies"><a></a>From choking smog to clear skies</h2>



Aerosols - think sulfate haze from coal smokestacks or the soot in diesel exhaust - cool the planet by reflecting sunlight and seeding bright, reflective clouds. 



East Asia, and China in particular, pumped vast quantities of these particles into the atmosphere during its early‑2000s industrial boom.



Then, in response to dire health statistics, Beijing launched an aggressive clean‑air campaign. Between 2010 and 2020, sulfur dioxide emissions, a major source of sulfate aerosols, fell by roughly 75 percent.



In human terms, the smog cleanup is an unambiguous win; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-how-air-pollution-forms-may-help-us-prevent-it/">air pollution</a> once killed more than a million Chinese citizens each year. In climate terms, though, it removed a temporary sunshade. 



Fewer reflective particles meant more solar energy reached Earth’s surface, especially over the Northern Hemisphere. "The spike in warming aligns with a dramatic drop in aerosol pollution from China’s skies,” Samset said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smog-reduction-drives-warming-surge">Smog reduction drives warming surge</h2>



The models suggest that East Asia’s reduced smog and clearer air added about 0.05 °C of extra warming per decade - enough to account for most of the acceleration since 2010, even after natural swings like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/el-nino-climate-shifts-date-back-250-million-years/">El Niño</a> are removed.



That figure might feel small, but in a world already teetering near 1.5 °C above pre‑industrial averages, every hundredth of a degree matters. Extreme heat waves become more frequent, glaciers melt faster, and coral reefs suffer additional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-largest-coral-bleaching-event-is-now-underway/">bleaching</a>.



And the effects are not confined to East Asia. Atmospheric circulation spreads heat anomalies around the globe. The United States and Europe, for example, endured record‑breaking summers in 2023 partly because the planet as a whole was running warmer than usual.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cleaning-air-isn-t-enough">Cleaning air isn't enough</h2>



Allen calls the situation a cautionary tale. “Reducing air pollution has clear health benefits, but without also cutting CO2, you’re removing a layer of protection against climate change.”



In other words, focusing on smog particles while ignoring greenhouse gases is like taking off a pair of sunglasses and stepping into brighter light. The glare returns instantly because aerosols live only about a week in the lower atmosphere.



“Sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosols have lifetimes of about a week. Once they’re removed, we’ll eventually settle back into a warming rate that’s more consistent with the long‑term trend,” Allen explained. Yet the planet must first absorb that short‑term pulse of extra heat.



Samset stresses that carbon dioxide and methane remain the main villains. “Our study focused on the recent, dramatic speedup in global warming, which is very concerning but still small compared to the overall, long‑term amount of warming from increased CO2 and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-methane-emissions-threaten-earths-habitability/">methane</a>.” 



Both gases linger for decades or centuries, meaning their warming power is cumulative and relentless.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-smog-cleanups-more-warming">More smog cleanups, more warming</h2>



China is not alone. India, parts of Africa, and even the United States continue to tighten air‑pollution rules.



RAMIP - the <a href="https://ramip.ncas.ac.uk/">Regional Aerosol Model Intercomparison Project</a> that supplied data for the current paper - plans to test how simultaneous clean‑ups might rewrite near‑term climate projections. Early hints suggest the global thermometer could tick upward even faster unless greenhouse‑gas cuts accelerate in parallel.



The dilemma has revived interest in geoengineering schemes that would mimic the cooling effect of aerosols by spraying reflective particles high into the stratosphere.



Allen urges extreme caution: “It’s a card we might have to play if we’re pushed into a corner,” he acknowledged, “but it comes with a host of risks, including disrupted rainfall patterns, food insecurity, and political tensions.”



Unlike accidental pollution, engineered aerosols could be difficult to govern and almost impossible to stop quickly without triggering a sudden rebound in temperatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-both-battles-must-be-fought">Both battles must be fought</h2>



For now, the lesson is clear. “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-air-quality-trends-revealed-in-new-images/">Air quality</a> improvements are a no‑brainer for public health,” Allen said. “But if we want to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, we have to cut CO2 and methane too. The two must go hand in hand.”



Cleaner skies have bought East Asia healthier lungs and bluer horizons. They have also revealed, in stark relief, the heat still trapped by our greenhouse gas emissions. 



Ultimately, as the world works to end one environmental crisis, it cannot afford to ignore the other.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02527-3">Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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China’s fight against smog has actually sped up global warming

For most of the 2000s, climate scientists could draw a...

Texas summers can turn brutal in a hurry, and when the temperature soars, your body loses water fast - often before you realize it. For athletes, firefighters, construction crews - or anyone who spends hours in the heat - spotting dehydration before it strikes is critical.



Yet today’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquitoes-bite-more-often-during-droughts-to-stay-hydrated/">hydration</a> checks usually mean poking fingers for blood, collecting urine, or lugging bulky lab gear around. None of that works when you’re running drills on a football field or climbing two flights of stairs in full turnout gear.



Engineers at the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> believe they have a simpler answer: a soft, sticker‑like sensor you can wear all day that quietly measures hydration in real time.



“Dehydration is a silent threat that affects millions of people every day,” said senior author Nanshu Lu, a professor at UT Austin. “Our wearable sensor provides a simple, effective way to monitor hydration levels in real time, empowering individuals to take proactive steps to stay healthy and perform at their best.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-patch-tracks-water-with-electricity">Patch tracks water with electricity</h2>



The patch relies on bioimpedance - basically, seeing how easily a faint electrical current moves through your tissue. 



Water conducts electricity well, so a well‑hydrated arm lets the current glide through, while a drier one slows it down.



Four tiny electrodes printed on the sensor send that harmless signal, then record how much resistance they meet. A built‑in transmitter beams the data to your phone, where an app translates the numbers into an easy‑to‑read hydration gauge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trials-show-strong-results">Trials show strong results</h2>



To prove the concept, Lu’s team ran two key experiments. In the first, volunteers took a common diuretic pill to flush water from their bodies. 



The researchers tracked water loss and hydration levels with the arm patch, then compared those readings to the gold-standard urine test. The two matched closely: as participants lost water weight, the sensor’s bioimpedance values climbed in lockstep.



Next came a 24‑hour “free‑living” trial. Subjects wore the patch while going about normal activities - walking to class, sitting at a desk, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/working-out-at-the-gym-you-may-need-to-check-the-air-quality/">hitting the gym</a>. Again, shifts in the electrical signal mirrored changes in body weight and fluid intake.



“Our experiments demonstrated that arm bioimpedance is not only sensitive to hydration changes but also aligns closely with whole‑body hydration measurements,” said lead author Matija Jankovic, a postdoctoral fellow at UT Austin.



“This means the sensor can be a reliable surrogate for tracking hydration levels, even during everyday activities like walking, working, or exercising.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cost-of-losing-water">The cost of losing water</h2>



Water does more than quench thirst: it keeps organs humming, cools the body, cushions joints, and feeds countless biochemical reactions. 



Even mild dehydration can fog your brain and sap your strength; severe cases may trigger heatstroke, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronauts-kidneys-may-not-survive-a-roundtrip-to-mars/">kidney</a> stones, or heart stress.



Still, most people don’t notice they’re falling behind until headaches, dizziness, or cramps hit. A continuous monitor could sound the alarm sooner - say, when a runner loses two percent of body weight in sweat - and prompt a drink break before performance tanks.



While athletes and outdoor workers are obvious beneficiaries, the patch could also help hospital patients and older adults, who often struggle to stay hydrated.



Doctors managing kidney disease, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-close-to-bars-and-pubs-increases-the-risk-of-heart-failure/">heart failure</a>, or chronic dehydration could gain a noninvasive tool to watch fluid balance hour by hour instead of relying on occasional lab draws.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-patch-to-full-water-tracker">From patch to full water tracker</h2>



Right now, the patch tracks relative changes - basically, it tells you whether your water levels are rising or falling. Lu’s group wants to build a database of baseline values from a wide range of people so the device can eventually report absolute numbers, like “you’re down 1.5 liters.”



They’re also experimenting with new materials: breathable “e‑tattoos” that feel almost weightless, or sweat‑wicking fabrics that stick comfortably during intense workouts. 



Future trials may shift the electrodes to the forearm, thigh, or other spots to see which location gives the clearest signal.



“This is just the beginning,” Lu says. “Our goal is to make simple hydration monitoring accessible to everyone.”



If they succeed, refilling a water bottle could soon be guided not by guesswork or nagging thirst, but by a quick glance at your phone - and a smart patch quietly guarding your health in the summer sun.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2504278122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Wearable sensor tells you when you need to drink water

Texas summers can turn brutal in a hurry, and when...

Calcium,Carbonate,Lime,For,Treat,(soil,Or,Water),With,Lime

Carbon dioxide usually floats away into the sky, but a tiny soil bacterium has a different plan. Under the right <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-system-captures-carbon-dioxide-directly-from-air/">conditions</a>, it converts the gas into solid limestone.



The trick belongs to Bacillus megaterium, and a new study shows how the microbe locks away carbon with remarkable efficiency.



Lead author <a href="https://people.epfl.ch/dimitrios.terzis?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dimitrios Terzis</a> of <a href="https://www.epfl.ch/labs/lms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPFL’s Soil Mechanics Laboratory</a> reports the results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bacteria-turn-carbon-into-limestone-fast">Bacteria turn carbon into limestone fast</h2>



Inside sealed flasks pressurized with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-innovation-takes-the-lead-in-environmental-action/">carbon</a> dioxide at more than 470 times atmospheric levels, the bacteria precipitated calcium carbonate with 94 percent of its carbon coming directly from the gas. Such efficiency dwarfs that of most engineered sorbents.



“We know that dozens of bacteria have the potential to mineralize crystals,” says Dimitrios Terzis. He argues that harnessing one that eats carbon directly will simplify industrial roll‑out.



That performance matters because the most polluting industries need options at the smokestack, not halfway around the world. 



A biological process that makes rock on demand could fit into cement plants, steel mills, or even soil stabilization rigs.



Isotope tracing showed that only six percent of the crystal carbon came from urea, confirming that the cells bypassed the older, ammonia‑producing route. 



The carbonate lattice even matched the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Scanning-electron-microscope-images-of-calcium-carbonate-crystals-a-Rhombohedral-calcite_fig1_342184846" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rhombohedral morphology</a> of geologic calcite in electron‑microscope images.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-soil-microbe-traps-carbon-as-limestone">Soil microbe traps carbon as limestone</h2>



Bacillus megaterium is an aerobic, rod‑shaped organism about 4 micrometers long, known to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00253-021-11424-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biotech</a> engineers for vitamin B12 production, enzyme synthesis, and plant growth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-faces-hidden-mechanical-stress-from-carbon-emissions/">promotion</a>. Few people, however, picture it as a mason.



The Swiss group exploited a less famous trait, the cell’s knack for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969722075416" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbially induced calcite precipitation</a> when calcium ions are present. In lab culture that reaction can bind sand grains into a single block in hours.



The species earned its name, “mega‑bacterium,” in 1884 because its cells were considered giant for bacteria of the day. Modern genetic work has since moved it to the genus <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=info&amp;id=1404" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Priestia</a>, yet its mineral talents remain intact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-calcite-from-co₂">Making calcite from CO₂</h2>



The classic pathway, <a href="https://www.eeer.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.4491/eer.2020.379" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ureolysis</a>, uses the enzyme urease to split urea, raise the pH, and trigger calcite formation, but it leaves behind ammonia that needs costly cleanup. That waste stream limits large‑scale use.



The alternative relies on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/carbonic-anhydrase" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbonic anhydrase</a>, an enzyme that hydrates carbon dioxide to bicarbonate, which then reacts with calcium to form rock without toxic residues. Because the reaction consumes acid, it can even run in slightly acidic flue gases.



The new study confirmed that CO₂ concentrations above the 470‑fold threshold switch the microbe from urease to carbonic anhydrase, accounting for the 94 percent mineralization observed. That metabolic flip is as close to a shut‑off valve for ammonia as biology offers.



Both enzymes sit in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/periplasm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">periplasm</a>, so CO₂ or urea never needs to cross internal membranes. That localization speeds precipitation and gives engineers a handle on reaction rates through gas flow or nutrient dosing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-cleaner-path-for-cement">A cleaner path for cement</h2>



<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-024-04234-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cement production</a> is responsible for roughly eight percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, almost three billion tons a year. Cutting that share is one of the toughest problems in climate policy.



Replacing a slice of cement with bacteria‑grown calcite could shave millions of tons off that footprint while also storing carbon for centuries. Because the mineral is stable over geological timescales, the risk of re‑release is low.



Pilot <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009250921001755" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> in Denmark found that concrete blocks fortified with bio‑calcite lost less than two percent of their compressive strength after 300 freeze‑thaw cycles. 



Durability metrics matter because building codes reward long service life as much as low embodied <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-mangroves-could-store-more-carbon-as-oceans-rise/">carbon</a>.



Regulators from California to the European Union are drafting <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024017729" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">performance‑based rules</a> that allow novel binders, provided safety tests match conventional materials. 



<a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2014/ta/c4ta03235g" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bio‑calcite</a> supporters say those rules open doors for microbes where prescriptive cement standards once blocked change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scaling-limestone-carbon-capture-for-industry">Scaling limestone carbon capture for industry</h2>



“This study shows how environmental microbiology, when combined with advanced laboratory techniques, can reveal mechanisms that would otherwise remain hidden,” says <a href="https://www.supsi.ch/en/pamela-principi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pamela Principi</a>, researcher at <a href="https://www.supsi.ch/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SUPSI</a>. She credits <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6034115/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">isotope tracing</a> with proving where the carbon ended up.



Medusoil already operates pilot bioreactors and plans field trials that inject the culture into aggregate to make load‑bearing blocks. 



The company claims its prototype units capture several pounds of CO₂ per cubic foot of material treated.



<a href="https://microbialcellfactories.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12934-024-02437-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers at Newcastle University</a> recently engineered Bacillus subtilis with a carbonic anhydrase from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/bacillus-megaterium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">B megaterium</a> and cut flue‑gas CO₂ by nearly 80 percent in bench tests. The result hints at plug‑and‑play biology for existing industrial streams.



Economic models suggest that, if run on renewable electricity, the microbial units could deliver capture costs below $50 per metric ton, competitive with amine scrubbing at small scale. 



Calcium feedstocks could come from desalination brines, mine tailings, or recycled concrete fines, reducing mining impacts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-boosting-limestone-growth-from-carbon">Boosting limestone growth from carbon</h2>



Challenges remain, including piping sterile media, balancing pH in large reactors, and sourcing calcium without extra emissions. 



None of those hurdles look insurmountable compared with the kilns that currently heat limestone to 2,642 °F.



Still, the twin‑enzyme strategy demonstrated by B megaterium offers a rare chance to turn an industrial liability into literal building material overnight. If it scales, future walls could double as carbon vaults.



Future research will probe whether gene editing can push the carbonic anhydrase pathway to work at normal atmospheric CO₂, eliminating the need for pressurization. 



Teams are also exploring how organic polymers secreted by the cells might tailor crystal shapes for specific mechanical properties.



-----



This research was completed by scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (<a href="https://www.epfl.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPFL</a>), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (<a href="https://www.supsi.ch/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SUPSI</a>), and start‑up <a href="https://medusoil.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Medusoil</a>



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-07323-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Bacteria discovered that turns CO2 gas into stone, which could then be used for buildings

Carbon dioxide usually floats away into the sky, but a...

Close-up,Of,Antarctic,Moss,At,Fort,Point,,Antarctica

Hidden beneath East Antarctica’s thick ice lie secrets from a warmer, ancient world. For decades, scientists have speculated about what lies under this frozen continent.&nbsp;



Researchers have uncovered remnants of vast prehistoric river landscapes buried beneath East Antarctica. These hidden features could help refine predictions about the future of our planet’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-sea-ice-extremes-disrupt-global-climate-systems/">ice</a> and oceans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plains-found-under-east-antarctica-s-ice">Plains found under East Antarctica’s ice</h2>



A team led by researchers from <a href="https://www.durham.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Durham University</a> studied radar data across a 3,500 km (2,175 mile) stretch of Antarctica, from Princess Elizabeth Land to George V Land. 



They discovered 31 flat surfaces beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). These surfaces, preserved under ice as thick as 2,500 meters (8,200 feet), appear as coherent, low-relief plains. 



The study showed that they were once part of a single fluvial landscape that formed after East Antarctica separated from Australia.



The researchers used data from four major airborne surveys. Their detailed analysis revealed gently sloping surfaces with consistent elevations, now separated by deep glacial troughs. 



These plains dip coastward and cluster around 200 to 450 meters (656 to 1,476 feet) above present sea level, once adjusted for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-sea-ice-collapse-linked-to-a-sudden-surge-in-ocean-salt/">ice</a> unloading.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origins-in-ancient-river-systems">Origins in ancient river systems</h2>



The scientists interpret the surfaces as remnants of ancient river plains. After the continents split, rivers eroded the land to a base level, creating a vast, seaward-sloping plain. 



These features closely resemble those along the Australian coast, which formed through similar processes.



According to the team, the plains likely developed between 80 and 34 million years ago, after the breakup and before widespread glaciation.



“Information such as the shape and geology of the newly mapped surfaces will help improve our understanding of how ice flows at the edge of East <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-lies-beneath-16000-feet-of-antarctic-ice-a-world-never-before-seen-by-humans/">Antarctica</a>,” said Dr. Guy Paxman.



“This, in turn, will help make it easier to predict how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ice-sheet-past-present-and-future/">East Antarctic Ice Sheet</a> could affect sea levels under different levels of climate warming in the future.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surfaces-in-east-antarctica-survived-ice">Surfaces in East Antarctica survived ice</h2>



Remarkably, these river-carved surfaces have survived beneath the ice for over 30 million years. 



They were not destroyed by glacial erosion. Instead, fast-moving ice carved deep troughs between them, leaving the flat surfaces mostly intact. These areas likely remained frozen at the base, which reduced erosion.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/antarctic-ice-sheet_underneath_topography_credit-S-Ink_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/antarctic-ice-sheet_underneath_topography_credit-S-Ink_1s.webp" alt="The topography beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Credit: Open-access s-ink.org repository" class="wp-image-1978129"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The topography beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Open-access s-ink.org repository</figcaption></figure>



Research shows that today's fast-flowing glaciers, such as Totten and Denman, move through these deeper troughs. 



Meanwhile, the ice above the flat surfaces is slow-moving and cold-based, further preserving the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarcticas-waters-are-getting-saltier-and-it-could-transform-earths-climate/">landscape</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bedrock-confirms-river-not-ice-origins">Bedrock confirms river, not ice origins</h2>



The researchers found that the surfaces cross different geological provinces, including crystalline gneisses and sedimentary rocks. 



This confirms that the surfaces did not form due to rock boundaries. They formed from river erosion, not through ice or marine processes. Their consistency in elevation and slope supports this.



Some of these surfaces now align with exposed regions like the Bunger and Vestfold Hills. These exposed features show signs of glacial scouring, but not enough to erase the original fluvial structure. 



The research suggests limited modification by ice, mostly during the Oligocene or early Miocene periods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-influence-on-future-ice-sheet-retreat">Influence on future ice sheet retreat</h2>



These buried plains are not just ancient relics. They still shape the modern flow of the EAIS. Ice moves fastest through the troughs, not over the flat surfaces. 



The researchers argue that these plains could anchor ice during future warming events, potentially forming grounded ice rises.



“This study brings the jigsaw pieces of data together, to reveal the big picture: how these ancient surfaces formed, their role in determining the present-day flow of the ice, and their possible influence on how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ice-sheet-patterns-point-to-rapid-melting-risks/">East Antarctic Ice Sheet</a> will evolve in a warming world,” noted Professor Neil Ross.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-slowing-east-antarctica-s-ice-loss">Slowing East Antarctica’s ice loss</h2>



The presence of these elevated plains buried under the ice could slow the retreat of grounding lines.



If ice shelves collapse during warming, some grounded ice might remain over these surfaces. This would reduce ice loss into the ocean. In regions like Law Dome, some surfaces already host ice rises, which help anchor and stabilize the inland ice.



However, current large-scale ice sheet models often overlook these features. Their resolution is too low to capture how these plains affect grounding-line behavior. 



The authors urge more drilling and high-resolution modeling to better understand the role of these features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-this-could-change-sea-level-predictions">This could change sea level predictions</h2>



East Antarctica holds about 90 percent of Antarctica’s ice. If this ice sheet melted, it would raise sea levels by 52 meters (171 feet). Improving how we model its behavior is essential. 



These hidden landscapes offer a new constraint on where ice will likely remain stable.



The study's detailed data on elevation, slope, and bedrock composition provide critical insights. They help scientists to project more accurately the responses of the EAIS to future climate change.



The findings highlight the value of geophysical surveys in revealing what lies beneath the ice and how it might shape our future.



The research appears in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01734-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a> and is supported by institutions in the U.K., Germany, China, and Australia. 



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Vast river landscapes discovered beneath Antarctica's thick ice sheet

Hidden beneath East Antarctica’s thick ice lie secrets from a...

Even before babies can smile, they already show signs of recognizing kindness. A recent study reveals that five-day-old newborn can distinguish between helpful and harmful social behavior. They show a preference for the helpful.



“These babies have almost no experience with the social world, and yet they’re already picking up on friendly versus unfriendly interactions, on helping versus hindering," said Dr. Kiley Hamlin of the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of British Columbia</a>. "That could be telling us something really important about human nature.” 



The study, co-led by Dr. Alessandra Geraci from the <a href="https://www.unict.it/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Catania</a>, examined how newborns responded to basic social actions like approaching or helping. Their co-authors were Luca Surian and Lucia Gabriella Tina.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-animated-balls-with-meaning">Watching animated balls with meaning</h2>



Researchers showed the newborns looping animations. In one, a ball (Agent A) tried climbing a hill. In one version, a second ball (Agent B) helped push it up and in another, it shoved Agent A down. Infants looked longer at the helping scene.



Another video set showed one ball moving toward another (approach) versus away (avoidance). Again, babies spent more time watching the friendly interaction.



These videos used faceless gray balls. The movements were smooth, repeated, and high contrast. This design suited newborn vision. Control videos had similar motions but lacked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-influence-our-social-behavior-and-sense-of-fairness/">social meaning</a>. Babies didn’t show a preference there.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-babies-chose-kindness">Babies chose kindness</h2>



What makes this finding powerful is the age of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/singing-to-babies-significantly-improves-their-mood-and-overall-well-being-study-confirms/">infants</a>. Just five days old, they have minimal life experience. The research team ruled out learned behavior by designing scenarios with novel agents and controlled movements. Babies preferred prosocial acts only when the scenes implied social intent.



In&nbsp;Experiment 1, infants watched approach versus avoidance. They preferred approach, but only when both agents appeared socially animated. In the non-social version, where one agent was inert, babies showed no preference.



In&nbsp;Experiment 2, the team tested helping versus hindering on a hill. Babies again looked longer at the helping scene, but only under the social condition.



In&nbsp;Experiment 3, the results replicated. Seventy-eight percent of newborns looked longer at helping interactions. The researchers concluded that newborns show a spontaneous preference for simple forms of prosocial behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-newborns-responded-to-intent">Newborns responded to intent</h2>



Newborns have already shown a preference for faces, eye contact, and crying sounds, but this study goes further. 



The research suggests that newborns can process types of social interaction by recognizing when one agent acts supportively toward another.



The study rules out simple motion as the cause. Babies didn’t respond similarly to random or one-sided movements. They responded to interaction. They noticed when one character acted for or against another.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-noticing-basic-social-cues">Noticing basic social cues</h2>



The researchers caution that this may not mean newborns have a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/online-avatars-sway-our-morals-through-social-influence/">moral sense</a>. Their preferences might reflect social alignment rather than moral judgment. 



For instance, a baby might like characters that move toward others, not because they're “good,” but because they seem socially engaged.



Still, this spontaneous attention to friendly interactions supports the idea that key elements of our moral sense begin early. Not learned, nor taught. It's present from the start.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-babies-spots-kindness-early">Babies spots kindness early</h2>



How do newborns, so inexperienced, process social cues? The answer may lie in the visual brain. Recent neuroscience suggests that parts of the visual system are tuned to social interaction. 



Regions like the extrastriate body area (EBA) and the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) respond to actions like helping or chasing.



These brain systems might allow infants to quickly pick up on social meaning from movement alone. They don’t need language. They don’t even need faces.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-humans-may-be-born-kind">Humans may be born kind</h2>



“These findings go significantly beyond past work in lending support to claims that humans are in possession of unlearned mechanisms for detecting and evaluating key features of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-babies-born-with-morals-scientists-think-they-found-out/">sociomoral</a> world,” the authors write.



While it’s still unclear whether these early social preferences are truly moral, the results provide a strong starting point. Even in the first days of life, babies aren’t passive. They’re watching. And they’re rooting for the good guys.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61517-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Babies can recognize kindness just days after birth

Even before babies can smile, they already show signs of...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" 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.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



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

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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

While most bears live in the forest with ample space, food, and social interaction, Luna had none of that. She resided in a cramped cage, surrounded by tourists and unfamiliar noises. It was a terrible place. Photo Credit: Daily Mail

Terrible Conditions

Rather than living in nature, Lily grew up in Albania’s Aulona Amusement Park. While it's assumed she was illegally brought to the park by hunters, things only got worse in captivity. Photo Credit: Shon Ellerton

Terrible Conditions

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