Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy.



This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yellowstone-aspens-and-elk">Yellowstone, aspens, and elk</h2>



In the 1920s, people <a href="https://www.yellowstone.org/wolf-project/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminated wolves in Yellowstone</a>. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right thing to do.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/from-wolves-to-dogs-did-domestication-begin-without-human-help/">Without wolves</a>, elk herds grew very large. Elk love to eat aspen shoots - the tender young growth is highly palatable to them.



For roughly 70 years, elk browsed aspen sprouts down to stub height, and the trees couldn't grow. 



If you had walked through Yellowstone in the 1980s, you would have seen many tiny aspen shoots covering the ground, but almost no young trees gaining height. 



The forest's regeneration was stalled. Old trees died, and no new ones replaced them.



In 1995 and 1996, park managers reintroduced wolves into the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-study-sparks-new-debate-on-where-and-when-it-will-erupt/">Yellowstone Park ecosystem</a>. Scientists hoped and wondered whether this would change anything for the trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-aspen-matter-to-yellowstone">Why aspen matter to Yellowstone</h2>



Aspen groves provide habitat for many species. Birds nest in them. Beavers eat the bark and use the wood for dams. Butterflies and moths lay eggs on the leaves. 



Their canopy admits enough light for wildflowers and shrubs to grow beneath. When it rains, aspen groves hold water in the soil better than some other forest types.



In short, when aspen return, dozens of other species benefit. More trees support more insects, which in turn support more birds, enriching the ecosystem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-checking-the-trees-three-decades-later">Checking the trees three decades later</h2>



<a href="https://fwcs.oregonstate.edu/users/luke-painter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke Painter</a>, an ecologist at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a>, sought clear answers. His team returned to 87 aspen stands across Yellowstone that scientists had previously surveyed. 



They measured thousands of young trees, looked for bite marks, and counted how many stems were tall enough that elk could no longer reach the tips.



About a third of these stands now have many tall young aspens pushing toward the canopy. 



"About 26 of the 87 aspen stands we examined had large numbers of tall saplings throughout, a remarkable change from the 1990s when surveys found none at all," Painter said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-wolves-matter-to-yellowstone-aspens">Why wolves matter to Yellowstone aspens</h2>



Breaking it all down, the conclusions of this study are pretty simple. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wolves-move-pups-across-mountains-to-adapt-to-climate-pressure/">Wolves hunt elk</a>. When wolves came back, two things happened. First, elk numbers declined from unusually high levels. Second, elk changed their behavior. They spent less time in the same areas feeding.



With fewer elk and shorter feeding bouts, more aspen shoots survived long enough to exceed the browsing zone - about six to seven feet high. 



Once a sapling reaches that height, elk cannot easily reach the growing tip. The tree continues to grow.



"The reintroduction of large carnivores has initiated a recovery process that had been shut down for decades," Painter explained.



Scientists call this a <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/trophic-cascades-across-diverse-plant-ecosystems-80060347/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trophic cascade</a> - when adding or removing one species causes changes that ripple through the whole system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-places-recover-others-don-t">Some places recover, others don't</h2>



Unfortunately, not every aspen stand has recovered yet. Some valleys still have many short, heavily browsed shoots, because it's not only elk eating them anymore. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/yellowstones-iconic-bison-have-merged-into-a-single-herd/">Bison herds have grown</a>, and bison browse on aspen as well. They are strong enough to break young trees. 



"Increasing numbers of bison may be emerging as a new constraint to aspen in some areas," Painter confirmed.



Additionally, winter snow depth varies; droughts stress trees; bears and mountain lions also hunt elk; and hunting outside the park influences elk distribution. 



All of these factors interact, which is why some sites show strong recovery, others show moderate recovery, and a few have changed very little.



The key pattern is that places with many tall saplings experience little browsing, and aspen groves that remain popular eating grounds today stay short. 



This fact is the strongest indication that tree recovery is linked directly to wolf presence, not solely to weather or soil conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proof-in-the-measurements">Proof in the measurements</h2>



Painter's team did not rely on casual observation. They used the same methods as earlier researchers, measuring the same plots. 



They counted recruitment - when young trees surpass browsing height and begin progressing toward maturity. This measure is crucial. Sprouts are insufficient if they never grow; without recruitment, the forest cannot replace itself.



The results are robust. After being stalled for most of a century, Yellowstone's aspens are increasing in height. In recovering stands today, you will see saplings - six, eight, or ten feet tall - that were not present in the 1990s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-yellowstone-s-aspens">The future of Yellowstone's aspens</h2>



"This is a remarkable case of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-viruses-found-in-yellowstones-hot-springs-may-be-near-the-root-of-all-life-on-earth/">ecological restoration</a>," Painter concluded. "Wolf reintroduction is yielding long-term ecological changes contributing to increased biodiversity and habitat diversity."



Trees grow slowly, so even with wolves restored, it will take decades for these young aspens to form a full-grown forest. 



Some areas might never fully recover if bison numbers continue to rise or if the climate becomes too hot and dry.



Thanks to the work of Painter and his team, scientists are now certain that restoring the Yellowstone predator has restarted aspen forest regeneration. Not everywhere and not perfectly, but enough to be measured, creating hope for the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112725004499?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forest Ecology and Management</a>.



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Yellowstone's aspen trees are growing again thanks to the reintroduction of wolves

Young aspen trees in Yellowstone are doing something they have not done in almost 100 years. Rather than sprouting and being eaten back to nubs by elk and bison, they're actually growing into tall, adult forest trees rising up towards the canopy. This matters more than it might seem, because it shows what happens when a missing piece of an ecosystem returns. Yellowstone, aspens, and elk In the 1920s, people eliminated wolves in Yellowstone. At the time, with limited scientific knowledge, managers believed it was the right...

World Seaweed Day, celebrated on June 4, shines a spotlight on a vital yet often overlooked marine plant. Seaweed plays a key role in ocean ecosystems, supports diverse marine life, and benefits a wide range of human industries - from nutrition and agriculture to scientific research and climate solutions.



The day aims to boost awareness and inspire greater investment in this valuable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seaweed-farming-could-boost-food-security-slow-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resource</a>. As seaweed farming expands, so too does global interest in its wide-ranging potential.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-seaweed-day-needs-global-attention">World Seaweed Day needs global attention</h2>



Seaweed forms the base of many <a href="https://www.seaweed.ie" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal ecosystems</a>. One of the most important types is kelp - a large brown seaweed that grows in cold, nutrient-rich waters. It attaches to rocks on the seafloor and rises toward the surface, forming thick underwater forests.



Kelp forests support high biodiversity. Fish, crabs, sea urchins, and sea otters all live, hunt, or breed among the kelp. Juvenile fish use the dense fronds as shelter from predators. Many invertebrates feed directly on the kelp or on the microorganisms living on its surface.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kelp-forests-in-crisis-how-toxic-turf-algae-are-taking-over/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kelp</a> grows quickly - some species grow up to half a meter per day. As it grows, kelp absorbs carbon dioxide from seawater and produces oxygen. This helps reduce local ocean acidification. Kelp also slows water movement, which protects shorelines from erosion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-indicators-of-ocean-health">Indicators of ocean health</h2>



In regions like California, Tasmania, and British Columbia, kelp forests are key parts of the coastal food web. They also support commercial fisheries and ecotourism. 



When kelp declines due to warming waters or sea urchin overgrazing, the entire ecosystem feels the impact. That’s why scientists monitor kelp closely as an indicator of ocean health.



Seaweed also protects coasts. It stabilizes sediment and slows wave action. These functions reduce coastal erosion. Seaweed adapts better than coral to temperature shifts and acidic waters. That makes it a useful tool in marine conservation.



Researchers continue to study how seaweed interacts with other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sargassum-seaweed-a-growing-problem-could-become-a-sustainable-solution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> and how it might reduce ocean acidification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-traditional-and-modern-food">A traditional and modern food</h2>



In many countries, people have eaten seaweed for centuries. It is part of everyday diets in Japan, Korea, China, and parts of India. It offers key nutrients such as iodine, calcium, iron, and vitamin K. It also adds natural flavor, especially umami.



Now, global markets are adopting seaweed as a food product. It appears in snacks, sauces, and health supplements. It is low in calories and high in fiber. It also suits vegan and gluten-free diets.



Seaweed farming does not use soil or fresh water, which makes it more sustainable than many land crops. As global food systems face pressure, seaweed provides an efficient and low-impact option.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seaweed-farming-and-local-economies">Seaweed farming and local economies</h2>



Seaweed farming is simple and low-cost. Farmers tie seaweed to ropes and let it grow in coastal waters. In countries like Indonesia, India, and the Philippines, these farms create jobs, often for women.



Besides supporting income, seaweed farms improve the environment. Seaweed absorbs excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients cause algae blooms in polluted waters. Seaweed helps reduce that risk and restore balance.



Governments and NGOs are working to scale seaweed production. The goal is to improve both rural incomes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-the-evolutionary-adaptations-of-seagrasses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine health</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-seaweed-day-and-climate-action">World Seaweed Day and climate action</h2>



Seaweed absorbs carbon while growing. Some researchers suggest that large-scale seaweed farms could help remove carbon from the atmosphere. This process is still being studied. One idea involves sinking harvested seaweed deep into the ocean to store carbon long-term.



Another tested solution involves livestock. Adding small amounts of red seaweed to cattle feed reduces their methane emissions. Trials show up to 80 percent reduction in some cases.



Seaweed will not solve climate change alone. But it can support broader strategies through carbon capture and reduced agricultural emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-industrial-uses-and-new-research">Industrial uses and new research</h2>



Seaweed has applications far beyond food. It appears in cosmetics, fertilizers, packaging, and pharmaceuticals. Extracts from seaweed act as thickeners, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory agents.



Researchers also study seaweed-based materials for biodegradable plastics and fabric. In construction, seaweed-derived products may improve insulation. Interest is growing because seaweed is renewable, versatile, and relatively easy to grow.



Innovation in this field depends on research funding, fair supply chains, and environmental monitoring.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-of-seaweed-farming">Challenges of seaweed farming</h2>



Despite its benefits, seaweed farming still faces challenges. Many farmers lack secure access to coastal waters. In some regions, laws are unclear or missing. Infrastructure is often weak, and small producers have limited market access.



Uncontrolled harvesting also poses a threat. Some regions cut seaweed from wild stocks without considering long-term impact. Poor practices can damage ecosystems.



To avoid these risks, governments must support training, regulations, and monitoring. A balance is needed between industry growth and environmental protection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-action-on-world-seaweed-day">Take action on World Seaweed Day </h2>



Taking action on World Seaweed Day can start with something as simple as learning more about the role seaweed plays in ocean health and climate solutions. 



You can support sustainable seaweed products by choosing foods, cosmetics, or packaging made with responsibly harvested or farmed seaweed. 



Sharing what you learn on social media or with friends helps spread awareness and encourage others to take interest. 



If you live near a coast, you might look into local seaweed farming initiatives or marine conservation programs to volunteer with or support. 



Even small actions like asking for more seaweed-based options at your grocery store can help drive change. You can also donate to organizations that support seaweed and ocean sustainability, such as the <a href="https://www.kelpforestfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kelp Forest Foundation</a>.



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World Seaweed Day 2025: Saving the ocean’s sustainable powerhouse

World Seaweed Day, celebrated on June 4, shines a spotlight...

It started with a single clay device found at an old settlement in northwestern Saudi Arabia that contained a small residue - hinting at a plant that might reveal medical or sensory secrets.



Scientists soon identified a psychoactive herb that people apparently burned and inhaled over two millennia ago. Peganum harmala is a desert shrub locally known as harmal.



The study, led by Dr. Barbara Huber and Professor Marta Luciani of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a>, was based on careful chemical analysis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-harmal-was-burned">Where harmal was burned</h2>



<a href="https://whitelevy.fas.harvard.edu/unearthing-qurayyah-i-report-2015-2019-excavation-seasons" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qurayyah</a> was a major oasis settlement during the Bronze and Iron Ages, located in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia. It’s known for its distinctive pottery style called Qurayyah Painted Ware and for its long-term human occupation.



The discovery of multiple fumigation devices within homes - not temples or tombs - suggests that burning <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/peganum-harmala" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peganum harmala</a> was a routine part of domestic life. 



The plant is a perennial herbaceous species with a woody underground rootstock. It is known for its antibacterial, psychoactive, and therapeutic properties, and not just reserved for ceremonial use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-harmal-in-daily-life">Harmal in daily life</h2>



The researchers focused on residue inside pottery from the site known as Qurayyah and used advanced techniques to see what ancient people might have been inhaling.



“Our findings represent chemical evidence for the earliest known burning of harmal, not just in Arabia, but globally,” said Barbara Huber. 



Another team member highlighted the plant’s possible antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and mood-altering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruits-and-plants-are-powerful-allies-for-disease-prevention/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">effects</a>. The settlement context suggests people chose harmal for both practical and personal reasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-harmal-burning-was-deliberate">Harmal burning was deliberate</h2>



To identify the burned substance, the team used high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2359828/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HPLC-MS/MS</a>). This method allowed them to detect specific chemical markers left behind, even in tiny, degraded samples.



The technique zeroed in on two key compounds (<a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Harmine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">harmine</a> and <a href="https://www.acslab.com/research-development/harmane-guide-effects-benefits-risks-and-legality" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">harmane</a>) that are known hallmarks of Peganum harmala. Their presence confirmed that the plant was intentionally used, not just accidentally present.



The researchers believe that harmal seeds were probably collected, dried, and stored before being burned. The high oil content in the seeds made them ideal for slow, consistent combustion.



The presence of specialized burners in domestic spaces suggests that harmal use was organized and intentional, not a random act. These devices were likely handled with care to avoid overexposure or waste.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-harmal-is-still-used-today">Harmal is still used today</h2>



The seeds of this shrub contain active <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18523842/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alkaloids</a> that can affect serotonin and other chemicals in the brain. This can bring on mild to strong reactions, depending on the amount and the method of use.



Modern users in some regions burn harmal in homes. The harmal smoke is known for its pungent scent and is said to clear out negative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/herbal-remedies-are-raising-new-concerns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">influences</a> and pests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-healing-role">Ancient healing role</h2>



Traditionally, harmal has been used in folk remedies for toothaches, headaches, and other types of pain. It has been brewed as tea or burned for direct inhalation.



Because of its antibacterial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-identify-medicinal-fungi-with-potential-to-slow-down-nervous-system-diseases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">qualities</a>, this plant might have served as a rudimentary disinfectant. That approach makes sense in a busy oasis settlement that needed consistent hygiene.



Unlike drinking or eating harmal, inhaling the smoke delivers its active compounds through the lungs. This can change how quickly and how strongly people feel the effects.



Fumigation may have offered a milder, controlled experience, useful for treating symptoms without the risks tied to higher oral doses or hallucinations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dosage-effect-on-mood-pain">Dosage effect on mood, pain</h2>



Harmal smoke can trigger sensations that border on hallucinogenic. Experts say heavy doses may produce a unique mental state, while mild inhalation often brings relief from minor aches.



Some ancient communities may have used this practice for emotional wellness. The environment at Qurayyah probably fostered a need for both spiritual comfort and everyday health support.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-burning-plants-in-ancient-rituals">Burning plants in ancient rituals</h2>



Across many ancient cultures, fumigation wasn’t just about scent or sanitation. Burning certain plants played a role in rituals, healing, and warding off misfortune.



The use of harmal smoke at Qurayyah may have mirrored practices seen elsewhere, where plant-burning served both spiritual and protective functions in daily life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-unlock-ancient-practices">Tools unlock ancient practices</h2>



Archaeologists see these findings as a reminder that local communities often identify and develop complex plant uses. Everyday objects, such as simple burners, can hold chemical data that bring hidden practices to light.



“We’re preserving not only objects, but the intangible cultural heritage of ancient knowledge that still holds relevance in local communities today,” said Ahmed M. Abualhassan, co-director of the Qurayyah project.



The possibilities stretch beyond archaeology, resonating with ethnobotany, anthropology, and heritage studies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-into-natural-medicine">Insights into natural medicine </h2>



Traditional healing methods using plants like harmal are still practiced in parts of the Middle East. But with modernization and urbanization, much of this knowledge is fading fast.



By tracing the deep history of these practices, researchers are helping preserve cultural memory and open doors for new insights in natural medicine.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08096-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Communications Biology</a>.



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Ancient Arabians used psychoactive herbs to heal and protect

It started with a single clay device found at an...

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, or AMOC, is a giant system of ocean currents that shuttles warm surface water northward and returns cold, dense water to the south at depth. 



For years, climate scientists have worried that rising greenhouse-gas emissions could cripple this "conveyor belt" in the Atlantic Ocean.



A shutdown of the AMOC is prominently featured in worst-case climate scenarios, raising the specter of abrupt cooling in Europe, shifts in African and South Asian monsoons, and faster regional sea-level rise.



However, a new study led by the <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Institute of Technology</a> (Caltech) suggests that while the AMOC is indeed poised to weaken, it is unlikely to experience the dramatic near-collapse forecast by some computer models.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-atlantic-models-re-examined">Atlantic models re-examined</h2>



The study combines a streamlined physical model of ocean circulation with two decades of direct observations collected by trans-Atlantic monitoring arrays.



Lead author Dave Bonan, who completed the work as a Caltech doctoral student, explains that standard climate models differ wildly in how they simulate today’s AMOC and therefore in how they project its future.



Instead of attempting to reconcile all of those complex simulations, Bonan’s team identified a single - but crucial - physical relationship: the link between the current’s strength, its depth, and its sensitivity to surface warming and freshening.



The analysis concludes that by 2100, the AMOC will slow by roughly 18 to 43 percent, depending on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/2023-climate-change-report-record-high-temperatures-greenhouse-gases-sea-level-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greenhouse-gas emissions</a>. That is a significant reduction, but far short of the 60–80 percent declines, or near-total collapses, that some earlier studies implied.



“Our results imply that, rather than a substantial decline, the AMOC is more likely to experience a limited decline over the 21st century - still some weakening, but less drastic than previous projections suggest,” Bonan said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-establishing-the-depth-of-the-amoc">Establishing the depth of the AMOC</h2>



The researchers discovered that present-day model biases stem largely from how deep each model’s AMOC extends.



A stronger, deeper overturning cell allows climatic changes at the surface - warmer temperatures and an influx of freshwater from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-arctic-ice-changing-global-climate-warm-arctic-cold-eurasia/">melting</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-arctic-ice-changing-global-climate-warm-arctic-cold-eurasia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrinking-arctic-ice-changing-global-climate-warm-arctic-cold-eurasia/">ice</a> - to penetrate farther downward. That penetration erodes the density contrasts that power the circulation, leading to a bigger slowdown.



Models that start with a shallower AMOC simulate less surface-driven change and therefore a milder weakening. Because real-world observations show that the actual AMOC lies somewhere in between those extremes, the team’s new estimate falls in the mid-range as well.



To anchor their model, the scientists drew on 20 years of data from moored instruments that continuously measure temperature, salinity, and current speed along 26.5° N and other latitudes in the Atlantic. 



The records provided a reality check for the model’s present-day state and narrowed the plausible range of future outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-capturing-the-ocean-s-structure">Capturing the ocean's structure </h2>



A weakening of roughly one-fifth to two-fifths still has consequences. Slower heat transport would cool parts of northern Europe, raise regional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-much-did-sea-levels-rise-after-the-last-ice-age-alarming-new-clues-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sea levels</a> along the U.S. East Coast, and alter precipitation patterns in the tropics.



Yet the new forecast suggests those effects will be less abrupt than feared, giving societies more time to adapt. It also refocuses scientific attention on model fidelity: improving how models capture today’s ocean structure may be as important as tweaking how they respond to greenhouse gases.



Study co-author Andrew Thompson, a professor of environmental science and engineering at Caltech, argued that the work provides a “road map” for testing next-generation, higher-resolution <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-temperature-increase-2023-blew-past-all-climate-models/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate models</a>.



Those AMOC models resolve smaller eddies and better represent how winds, mixing, and ice melt influence the circulation. The team’s framework can now be used to gauge whether added complexity brings projections closer to observation-anchored reality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncertainties-in-climate-simulations">Uncertainties in climate simulations</h2>



Bonan credits the freedom afforded by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Foundation</a>’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program for allowing him to pursue a question that sits at the intersection of theory and observation.



“The NSF-GFRP gave me the freedom to tinker and explore,” he said. By stripping the problem to its physics and cross-checking with real measurements, the team could sidestep many of the uncertainties that plague full-scale climate simulations.



Tapio Schneider, a professor of environmental science and engineering and senior author of the study, notes that fundamental research of this kind complements, rather than contradicts, traditional modeling.



Understanding why models diverge could let us improve them. It also helps policymakers see that while the AMOC is vulnerable, a catastrophic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-tipping-points-how-close-are-we-to-irreversible-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tipping point</a> is not the likeliest outcome this century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-the-atlantic-ocean-current-system">Future of the Atlantic ocean current system</h2>



The authors emphasize that their findings do not reduce the urgency of cutting emissions. A 20–40 percent slowdown in the AMOC would still amplify coastal flooding risks and disrupt weather patterns that billions of people rely on.



Moreover, other climate tipping elements - from West Antarctic ice shelves to Amazon rainforests - remain sensitive to continued warming.



“There is immense value in doing basic research - it can give us a better indication of what the future might look like, as our study shows,” Bonan said.



In short, the Atlantic ocean current system appears sturdier than some dire forecast models suggested, but it is far from immune to the mounting pressure of greenhouse gases.



Better models, grounded in real-world data, now paint a clearer picture of what lies ahead - and underscore the stakes of curbing global warming while there is still time.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01709-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



Image Credit: NOAA



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Atlantic ocean current system will weaken, but is unlikely to collapse

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, or AMOC, is a giant...

Wrist-worn fitness trackers have become everyday companions. From counting steps to checking heart rate, these devices promise insights into our health. Among them, the Apple Watch leads the market, worn by millions daily. But as their popularity grows, an important question remains: are these devices truly accurate?



People use wearable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-found-in-fitness-trackers-and-smartwatch-bands/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">technology</a> to make choices about exercise, health, and recovery. With that much influence, even small inaccuracies could cause big problems. Overtraining, misreading health warnings, or making flawed decisions might follow. 



To understand this better, a research team from the <a href="https://olemiss.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Mississippi</a> investigated how well the Apple Watch performs across different settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-apple-watch-tracks-well">What Apple Watch tracks well</h2>



Professor Minsoo Kang and doctoral student Ju-Pil Choe conducted a detailed review. They analyzed 56 peer-reviewed studies comparing <a href="https://www.apple.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple</a> Watch data to standard medical-grade tools. Their focus included three major metrics: heart rate, step count, and energy expenditure.



The researchers also considered how accuracy varied across Apple Watch <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/flexible-wearable-devices-could-track-astronaut-health-in-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">models</a>, user ages, physical conditions, and workout types. The goal was to give consumers and professionals a grounded view of what the device gets right and what it doesn’t.



According to Choe, that clarity is vital. "If people are using them to make decisions about their workouts or even medical conditions, the data should be accurate," he said. "If the numbers are off, it could lead to confusion, overtraining or even miss health warnings."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rapid-growth-of-wearable-technology">Rapid growth of wearable technology </h2>



Wearables have exploded in popularity. In 2015, only about one in eight Americans used activity monitors. By 2019, wearable technology had climbed to the top of global fitness trends. This growth continues, cutting across age, fitness level, and even health status.



Devices like the Apple Watch offer users a sense of control. People feel empowered to track progress, stay active, and even detect irregular heart rhythms. 



But trust in that data depends on how well the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smartwatches-could-help-prevent-the-next-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">device</a> performs in real-life conditions. That's why Kang and Choe’s work is so important. It pushes beyond hype and asks hard questions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-accurate-are-the-numbers">How accurate are the numbers</h2>



After analyzing results across studies, the researchers found clear patterns. For heart rate, the Apple Watch performed well. It had a mean absolute percent error of just 4.43 percent, which is within an acceptable range. Step count measurements also showed decent accuracy, with an 8.17 percent error rate.



However, the real problem came with calorie tracking. The device’s estimates for energy expenditure showed a much larger error, 27.96 percent. That means the calorie numbers users see can be quite far from reality. 



This inaccuracy was consistent across different types of workouts, including walking, running, cycling, and interval training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-apple-watch-helps-with-habits">Apple Watch helps with habits</h2>



These results raise an important issue. Should people rely on their Apple Watch to make health decisions? According to Kang, the answer is no. While the device serves as a useful support tool, especially during recovery, it does not replace clinical methods.



"These devices are great for keeping track of habits and staying motivated," he said. "But do not take every number as 100% truth, especially the calories. Think of it as a helpful guide, not a diagnostic tool. It is useful but not perfect."



The gap between perceived and actual accuracy could mislead users, especially those with health concerns. Fitness enthusiasts may overtrain if they think they haven’t burned enough calories. Others might miss signs of fatigue or illness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improvements-with-newer-models">Improvements with newer models</h2>



The researchers found some hope in the data. Newer Apple Watch models performed slightly better than earlier versions. This suggests that Apple is continuously improving its sensor technology and algorithms.



"While we cannot say every update is a big leap forward, there is a noticeable trend of gradual improvements over time," Choe said. "It shows that Apple is refining the technology over time."



That means today’s Apple Watches are more accurate than models from five years ago. Still, calorie tracking remains the weakest link, showing the need for more development in that area.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-guidance-for-users-and-makers">Guidance for users and makers</h2>



The study aims to do more than inform consumers. Kang hopes the findings can help tech developers improve future models and build trust in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smartwatches-can-now-detect-cardiac-arrest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">product</a>.



"By showing where the weaknesses are, we can help developers get real feedback," he said. "If they know what needs to be fixed, they can design better sensors or algorithms."



"Our findings can guide improvements and help make these devices more useful for both everyday users and health care providers."



The study stands as a reminder that wearables, while promising, still have limits. They offer motivation and basic insights, but not medical-level accuracy. Users should stay aware of what these devices can and cannot do.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-useful-companion-not-a-clinician">A useful companion, not a clinician</h2>



The Apple Watch delivers strong performance in tracking heart rate and steps. That alone can help people stay consistent and motivated. But when it comes to calorie counting, the numbers may mislead.



Wearable devices are improving, but they still need refining. Researchers like Kang and Choe are helping bridge the gap between tech enthusiasm and scientific accuracy. 



Ultimately, the study helps users make better choices and helps manufacturers know where to improve. If you wear an Apple Watch, just remember - it’s a companion, not a clinician.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6579/adca82" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physiological Measurement</a>.



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Fitness tracking: Apple Watch is helpful, but not always right

Wrist-worn fitness trackers have become everyday companions. From counting steps...

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have unlocked new clues about the formation of the exoplanet WASP-121b. 



By detecting key molecules like water vapor, carbon monoxide, silicon monoxide, and methane, astronomers have pieced together a clearer picture of where this planet may have started its life and how it evolved. These findings have also revealed surprising behavior in its atmosphere that challenges current models.



The research was conducted by a team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.mpia.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute for Astronomy</a> and the University of Newcastle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-planet-of-extremes">A planet of extremes</h2>



WASP-121b is no ordinary planet. It’s an ultra-hot <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/raging-winds-and-hidden-metals-the-wild-weather-of-a-distant-exoplanet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gas giant</a> that orbits extremely close to its host star - just about twice the star’s diameter away.



One complete orbit takes only 30.5 hours. Its proximity leads to two dramatically different hemispheres: a dayside with temperatures soaring above 3,000 degrees Celsius and a permanent nightside that cools down to 1,500 degrees.



“Dayside temperatures are high enough for refractory materials - typically solid compounds resistant to strong heat - to exist as gaseous components of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alien-weather-exoplanet-wasp-121-b-has-a-dynamic-atmosphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet’s atmosphere</a>,” explained Thomas Evans-Soma, lead author of the study. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-signatures-of-the-past">Chemical signatures of the past</h2>



The research team focused on detecting compounds that evaporate at different temperatures. These compounds act as fingerprints, providing vital information about the planet’s history.



“Gaseous materials are easier to identify than liquids and solids,” said MPIA student&nbsp;Cyril Gapp. “Since many chemical compounds are present in gaseous form, astronomers use WASP-121b as a natural laboratory to probe the properties of planetary atmospheres.”



The data suggests WASP-121b formed where water could freeze but methane remained a gas. This region would have been at a distance from its star similar to the area between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jupiters-past-how-the-young-gas-giant-shaped-our-solar-system/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jupiter</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/uranus-is-more-gassy-less-icy-than-we-ever-imagined/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uranus</a> in our solar system.



Yet, the planet is now perilously close to its star. This points to a long migration from the outer, colder regions inward.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-turbulent-life-of-wasp-121b">The turbulent life of WASP-121b</h2>



The chemical makeup of WASP-121b tells a story of its turbulent youth. Silicon, found as silicon monoxide gas today, likely arrived via rocky materials like quartz embedded in planetesimals - small building blocks similar to asteroids.



“The relative abundances of carbon, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rocks-reveal-the-turning-point-when-oxygen-changed-earth-forever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxygen</a>, and silicon offer insights into how this planet formed and acquired its material,” said Evans-Soma.



Planets begin as clumps of icy dust, which stick together and grow into pebbles. These pebbles attract gas and smaller particles, growing larger over time. However, the surrounding gas causes the pebbles to spiral inward toward the star. As they move closer, the ice embedded in them begins to evaporate.



At certain stages, young planets become massive enough to carve gaps in the disk of gas and dust around their star. This blocks the inward drift of pebbles but leaves gas flowing, allowing planets to build thick atmospheres.



For WASP-121b, this process likely took place in a region where methane could evaporate but water remained frozen. Consequently, the planet captured carbon-rich, oxygen-poor gas, accounting for its higher carbon-to-oxygen ratio than its host star.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unexpected-winds-on-the-nightside">Unexpected winds on the nightside</h2>



Methane shouldn’t survive at the high temperatures of WASP-121b’s dayside. It breaks down quickly under such heat. 



Scientists expected the same for the nightside, where, despite cooler temperatures, gas circulation from the dayside would typically prevent methane from accumulating.



However, they found abundant methane on the nightside, which came as a surprise. To explain this, the researchers propose that strong vertical currents are rapidly lifting methane from deeper, cooler atmospheric layers.



“This challenges exoplanet dynamical models, which will likely need to be adapted to reproduce the strong vertical mixing we've uncovered on the nightside of WASP-121b,” said Evans-Soma.



This discovery highlights the need to rethink how scientists model atmospheric behavior on extreme planets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-the-planet-s-entire-orbit">Observing the planet’s entire orbit</h2>



Astronomers made the observations using JWST’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec). The team monitored WASP-121b over its entire orbit, capturing how the heat signature of the planet changed as different parts of its atmosphere rotated into view.



The experts also gathered data during the planet’s transit in front of its star. During this transit, some starlight passed through the planet’s atmosphere, leaving distinct spectral signatures.



“The emerging transmission spectrum confirmed the detections of silicon monoxide, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-dioxide-detected-for-the-first-time-on-an-exoplanet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon monoxide</a>, and water that were made with the emission data,” Gapp explained. “However, we could not find methane in the transition zone between the day and nightside.”



The absence of methane in the transition zone further supports the idea that vertical mixing is confined to the nightside, a detail that current models fail to predict.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02513-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>.



Image Credit: T. Müller (MPIA/HdA)



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Chemical clues reveal the origins of a hot exoplanet

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have unlocked...

A huge mass of ice, rocks, and mud from a glacier collapse swept across part of the Swiss Alps. It came from a section of the Birch Glacier that broke off on May 28, 2025, sending debris barreling into the village of Blatten.



Around 300 people lived in Blatten, which was placed under evacuation orders well before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/powerful-antarctic-winds-speed-up-melting-of-doomsday-glacier/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">collapse</a> took place. One person remains missing, and most of Blatten now lies under rubble.



Dr. Mylène Jacquemart, a researcher at <a href="https://ethz.ch/de.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a> in Switzerland, has spent years studying glacier stability in mountainous regions. She notes that in some circumstances, large portions of glaciers may weaken, leading to ice avalanches and landslides that are hard to predict.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glacier-collapse-hit-after-warnings">Glacier collapse hit after warnings</h2>



Helicopter and drone footage shows a torrent of ice, rocks, and snow surging down from a steep slope. These materials covered the hillside and much of Blatten, forcing the valley’s population to flee.



Warnings had circulated for weeks after scientists detected cracks in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/current-climate-goals-arent-enough-to-stop-massive-glacier-losses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glacier</a>’s leading edge.



Local authorities arranged emergency drills and urged livestock owners to move their animals to lower ground.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blocked-river-raises-flood-risk">Blocked river raises flood risk</h2>



Satellite images suggest the debris field from the glacier collapse has entered the bed of the <a href="https://rivermap.org/map/?inf=71#lat=46.795900&amp;lng=8.201300&amp;zoom=7.000000&amp;topic=water" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lonza River</a>, raising fears of a backup of water and mud in the newly formed barrier. That blocked flow may pose a flood risk if the obstacle gives way.



Hydrologists are examining the situation around Blatten to figure out how to stabilize the debris or safely divert the river flow. An uncontrolled lake formation could jeopardize other communities along the valley.



“Nature is stronger than man. The mountain people know that. But today, we experienced an extraordinary event. The event has left us speechless, and it’s shocking to see the images,” said Swiss Federal Councilor <a href="https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home/detec/federal-councillor-albert-roesti/personal-details.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Albert Rösti</a> at a press conference on May 28, 2025.&nbsp;



While major disasters like this are not a daily sight in the Alps, they highlight the importance of monitoring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/half-of-the-worlds-glaciers-can-be-saved-with-strong-climate-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">glaciers</a>. Residents in high-altitude regions rely on accurate assessments of unstable ice zones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-factors-in-the-alps">Climate factors in the Alps</h2>



Warmer summer seasons have led to increased glacier melt, which can loosen the ice that holds rocky slopes together. 



Researchers say this type of process often causes rockfalls and ice avalanches across glaciated regions.



Data collected by <a href="https://www.glamos.ch/#/B45-04">Glacier Monitoring Switzerland</a> indicates that Swiss glaciers lost around 10% of their volume between 2022 and 2023. Many scientists associate these losses with rising air temperatures.



“Clearly, events like the one in Blatten - at this point a complex process cascade - are incredibly rare, and so quantifying the changes to them is no easy feat,” said Dr. Jacquemart.



She highlights that the frequency of large-scale glacier collapses has always been irregular. Unstable ice, rising temperatures, and increased meltwater all complicate predictions, especially in areas with tall, steep mountains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-glacier-collapsed">Why the glacier collapsed </h2>



A collapse often stems from fractures in the ice, but the sudden size of this release may involve water pressure beneath the glacier. 



Engineers suspect that meltwater can work its way between the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mountain-glaciers-face-centuries-of-irreversible-loss-if-warming-surpasses-1-5c/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice</a> and the rocky ground. In Blatten, entire swaths of forest have been flattened. Hillsides stripped of vegetation raise concerns about greater erosion. 



Local roads remain impassable, and relief teams have been setting up temporary routes for heavy machinery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-areas-are-more-at-risk">Some areas are more at risk</h2>



Parts of the Swiss Alps are known for their narrow valleys. A large landslide or avalanche can accumulate in channels where the terrain prevents debris from dispersing widely.



Experts note that repeated melting and refreezing in cracks within the bedrock can destabilize slopes. This effect might explain why certain peaks, such as the <a href="https://peakery.com/kleines-nesthorn-switzerland/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kleines Nesthorn</a> near Blatten, show fresh signs of debris movement.



“But would this have happened without climate change? Quite possibly so. The fundamental question for hazard management is whether there is a significant shift in how often certain events happen,” said Dr. Jacquemart.



Her recent <a href="https://ica-abs.copernicus.org/articles/9/41/2025/ica-abs-9-41-2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> explores the link between glacial retreat and slope stability. She remarks that scientists do not yet see a clear indication these large events are becoming a near-annual problem.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aftermath-of-the-glacier-collapse">Aftermath of the glacier collapse </h2>



Researchers from various Swiss institutions plan to measure how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ice</a> and rock broke away from the glacier. They will evaluate conditions along the glacier’s remaining shelf, checking for more cracks or hidden cavities.



Local geology labs intend to collect samples of the rubble to help identify sudden changes in ice composition and see if any geological factors contributed to the event. These findings may guide updates to hazard mapping and early warning systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-local-recovery-efforts">Local recovery efforts</h2>



Evacuated families have set up temporary living arrangements in nearby towns. The community is working with regional authorities to coordinate relief, though it is uncertain when it will be safe to return.



Many villagers worry about the long-term impacts on livelihoods tied to agriculture and tourism in this mountainous part of Valais. 



Insurance companies and government offices will likely assess property loss as soon as conditions allow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-glacier-collapse-monitoring">Improving glacier collapse monitoring</h2>



Despite the scale of destruction, local authorities are collaborating with scientists to strengthen glacier surveillance in the coming years.



Some propose extended deployment of radar and thermal cameras that scan high-risk zones.



Many in the region hope these methods will provide faster alerts, giving residents extra time to leave if a slope threatens to collapse. Such action might help avert future tragedies in remote Alpine communities.



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Glacier collapse buried a village in the Swiss Alps

A huge mass of ice, rocks, and mud from a...

When neuroscientist Nuri Jeong flew home to South Korea, she expected a bittersweet reunion with her grandmother, whose Alzheimer’s disease had advanced to the point that close relatives said she no longer recognized them.



Yet, the moment Jeong walked in the door, her grandmother smiled in recognition. “I hadn’t seen her in six years, but she recognized me,” Jeong recalled. 



“It made me wonder how the brain distinguishes between familiar and new experiences.” That question propelled Jeong into a years-long investigation of spatial learning. 



The findings reveal that learning a place depends not just on firing bursts of excitatory neurons, but also on carefully timed lulls in a different class of cells: inhibitory parvalbumin interneurons, or PVs, which are located in the hippocampus.



Jeong is a former graduate researcher in the lab of Annabelle Singer in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at <a href="https://www.gatech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Georgia Tech</a> and Emory University. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-s-unexpected-pathways">Learning's unexpected pathways</h2>



Most work on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-our-brains-build-mental-maps-of-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spatial memory</a> zeroes in on the excitatory cells that transmit electrical signals across the brain. Jeong and Singer flipped the script. They wondered whether moment-to-moment shifts in inhibition might control when, or even whether, new memories form.



“Think of PVs as a kind of circuit breaker that keeps our brain circuits from going haywire,” Singer explained.



“This research shows that inhibition isn’t static but plays a much more dynamic role in how we learn and remember. It isn’t just about putting the brakes on to keep our brains in check. It’s about precisely timing the release of inhibition to let the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cells-called-astrocytes-help-human-brains-store-massive-amounts-of-information/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a> rapidly encode important information.”



The hippocampus - often called the brain’s GPS - was the ideal place to look. When mice explore, specialized “place cells” in the hippocampus fire in patterns that map out location. In classic theories, stronger place-cell firing equals stronger memory. Jeong suspected the real story was more nuanced.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-experiments-test-the-brain-s-memory">Experiments test the brain's memory</h2>



The researchers outfitted mice with tiny optical fibers and used optogenetics, shining pulses of light that could either quiet or activate PVs.



Thousands of neurons fired while the animals ran through a virtual-reality maze projected on surrounding screens. Hidden somewhere in the digital scenery was a reward. Each time a mouse discovered the prize, the software shifted its position, forcing the animal to learn again.



As the mice homed in on the reward zone, PV activity dipped. Crucially, that dip occurred before the animal actually reached the prize, hinting that the lapse in inhibition cleared a brief neural runway for new learning.



“We were surprised that PVs decreased their firing as animals approach a learned reward zone,” Singer said. “The decrease actually predicted the reward. This challenges the traditional idea that more neural activity always equates to learning.”



When the team prevented the PV lull - keeping <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/inhibition-good-psychological-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inhibition</a> high right up to the reward - the mice failed to learn. Without that fleeting slack in the neural chain, excitatory circuits apparently could not rewire.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-insights-into-alzheimer-s">New insights into Alzheimer’s </h2>



Singer believes the work reframes how neuroscientists view diseases marked by memory loss. “When we think of Alzheimer’s, we often think about an overactive brain,” she said.



“But it isn’t just a volume problem. It’s a timing and location problem. If inhibition isn’t decreasing in the right place at the right moments, the brain may struggle to form new memories.”



The findings suggest that therapies need not simply tamp down global overactivity; instead, they might target the precise micro-rhythms of inhibition.



Noninvasive brain stimulation protocols, for instance, could aim to nudge PVs into better-timed fluctuations, allowing excitatory networks to store memories again.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-after-setbacks"><a></a>Learning after setbacks</h2>



Jeong’s own journey mirrors the seesaw of excitation and inhibition she studies. Before finishing her PhD in 2023, she survived an auto accident that paused her lab work for months. During recovery, she reflected on ways to bridge neuroscience and everyday performance. 



She now runs a consultancy, <a href="https://www.goalsunhindered.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goals Unhindered</a>, translating brain science into corporate training.



“But my first love was research,” Jeong said. “This study is a reminder for me that inhibition in the brain, like setbacks in life, isn’t just about stopping activity. It’s about learning and shaping new memories, and how we make our way in the world.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-memory-research">The future of memory research </h2>



Singer’s group is already probing whether the same inhibitory timing breaks down in mouse models of Alzheimer’s. If so, it could explain why the disease derails navigation in real environments long before broader memory fades.



Beyond disease, the work reframes how neuroscientists understand learning itself. Rather than a simple matter of ramping neural engines faster, effective memory may hinge on brief, precisely placed silences - moments when the brain’s “circuit breakers” flick off just long enough for new wiring to fuse.



For anyone who has watched a loved one fade into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preventing-dementia-scientists-say-three-factors-matter-most/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dementia</a>, that offers a sliver of hope. Understanding when and where to release the brain’s internal brakes may one day help scientists restore the rich maps of memory that make recognition - and reunion - possible.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08868-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Brain's quiet moments may shape memory and fight Alzheimer's

When neuroscientist Nuri Jeong flew home to South Korea, she...

Death,Of,Neurons,In,The,Aging,Brain,Or,Proteins,In

For hundreds of years, humans have pursued the secrets of aging with unwavering determination - decoding our DNA, analyzing free radicals, and testing so-called miracle compounds - in hopes of slowing, halting, or even reversing the passage of time. 



Scientists have explored everything from calorie restriction to gene editing, employing strategies as ambitious as they are diverse. Yet aging has continued its steady, unyielding course. 



Now, researchers are taking a bold new direction. Instead of focusing solely on how we live, they’re investigating how we die. 



They’re zeroing in on something called "necrosis" - a violent, uncontrolled form of cell death once seen as nothing more than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biological wreckage</a> - and uncovering its surprising potential to reshape how we understand disease, degeneration, and the future of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-life-expectancy-faces-a-triple-threat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human longevity</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-necrosis-disrupts-healthy-cell-function">Necrosis disrupts healthy cell function</h2>



Cells typically renew themselves through controlled processes. This renewal helps replace old cells and keep tissues functional. 



Necrosis occurs when cells die in an abrupt, uncontrolled manner, usually in response to injury, infection, or severe stress. 



Unlike apoptosis, the body’s carefully programmed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-how-some-people-live-past-100-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">process of cell death</a>, necrosis unleashes chaos. The cell swells, ruptures, and spills its contents into surrounding tissue, triggering inflammation and damaging nearby cells. 



This destructive cascade often leads to chronic disease and tissue degeneration, especially when the body cannot repair the affected area.



A global team of scientists looked at the role necrosis plays in many age-related conditions. 



“Nobody really likes talking about death, even cell death, which is perhaps why the physiology of death is so poorly understood,” noted <a href="https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/76122-keith-siew" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Keith Siew</a>, one of the study's authors, hailing from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medicine/departments/centre-kidney-and-bladder-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL Centre for Kidney &amp; Bladder Health</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kidney-heart-and-brain-diseases">Kidney, heart, and brain diseases</h2>



<a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-failure/symptoms-causes/syc-20369048" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kidney problems</a> affect many people in their later years. This organ filters toxins, and when enough kidney cells die, there is a higher chance of needing dialysis. 



If necrosis is a major factor in triggering kidney damage, then targeting it might keep kidneys healthier for a longer time. 



<a href="https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/kidney-disease" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research</a> shows that by 75 years old, nearly half of all individuals may experience some level of kidney disease.



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332222005923" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> also suggest that necrosis may play a part in conditions like heart disease and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stopping-alzheimers-before-it-starts-early-treatment-shows-potential/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s</a>. When cellular breakdown releases harmful molecules, surrounding tissues can become inflamed. 



As these tissues struggle, the effects may ripple through the body. Even mild inflammation can wear down the body’s ability to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/daily-doctor-recommended-regimen-that-could-slow-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">repair</a> itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-astronauts-and-necrosis">Astronauts and necrosis</h2>



Space <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/living-in-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health experts</a> find necrosis interesting because low gravity and cosmic radiation can strain human organs. Astronauts experience accelerated aging during long missions. 



Kidneys are especially vulnerable because reduced fluid regulation and radiation exposure may affect how well they <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/universal-rule-of-biology-sai-proposed-to-explain-aging-and-how-to-control-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">function</a>. 



The idea that interrupting necrosis could protect these vital organs has sparked new questions about maintaining astronaut health for extended journeys.



“Targeting necrosis offers potential to not only transform longevity on Earth but also push the frontiers of space exploration,” said <a href="https://pure.southwales.ac.uk/en/persons/damian-bailey" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Damian Bailey</a>, from the <a href="https://www.southwales.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of South Wales</a> and the European Space Agency Life Sciences Working Group.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stopping-necrosis-may-protect-cells">Stopping necrosis may protect cells</h2>



“If we could prevent necrosis, even temporarily, we would be shutting down these destructive cycles at their source,” said Dr. Carina Kern, CEO of <a href="https://www.linkgevity.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LinkGevity</a>. 



Some researchers believe that if necrosis can be paused, it might stop a domino effect of tissue damage. By preserving cells that are on the brink of failure, the body would have a better chance to carry out self-repair.



One hypothesis suggests that keeping calcium levels under control within cells could be essential. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amaranth-seeds-rich-in-calcium-and-iron-prevents-tumors-and-keeps-bones-strong/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Calcium</a> often acts as a switch, turning on or off important cellular functions. If too much enters a stressed cell, that cell can rupture. Scientists hope that preventing this surge might halt large-scale tissue breakdown.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-quality-of-life">Improving quality of life</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aging-hotspot-found-in-the-brain-may-hold-the-key-to-longevity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Age-related disorders</a> come with gradual but significant loss of function. Necrosis appears in conditions affecting not just the kidneys but also the brain, heart, and other organs. 



When cells burst and release debris, surrounding tissues may endure ongoing inflammation. Interrupting this pattern could reduce suffering and add productive years for many individuals.



This approach might also allow doctors to address multiple health problems at once. Rather than chasing each disease individually, limiting necrosis may let the body maintain its own equilibrium. 



As the population grows older, ideas like these could open up new possibilities for health management and medical innovation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blocking-harmful-cell-death">Blocking harmful cell death</h2>



Researchers around the world are investigating whether necrosis-blocking drugs or gene-based therapies can be used safely. 



They aim to determine if these approaches can work without disturbing beneficial types of cell death that clear out defective or excess cells. 



Untangling these processes could be tricky, but the concept of sparing healthy tissues and preventing irreversible damage has captured wide attention.



With more teams studying these pathways, the prospects for harnessing necrosis control are expanding. For now, public interest and continued clinical trials may help clarify how this form of cell death can be targeted effectively.



-----



Special thanks to clinicians from the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medicine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL Division of Medicine</a>, <a href="https://www.brighamandwomens.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brigham and Women’s Hospital</a>, <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mayo Clinic</a>, and the <a href="https://www.esa.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Space Agency</a>.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41388-025-03431-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oncogene</a>.



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Scientists are experimenting with a completely new approach to combat human aging

For hundreds of years, humans have pursued the secrets of...

A recent study has found that efforts to restore forests in the Peruvian Amazon after gold mining are failing - not only because of toxic soil, but because the land has lost its water.



A popular method called suction mining reshapes the landscape so dramatically that it strips away moisture and traps heat, creating extreme conditions that young trees cannot survive.



The study was led by Abra Atwood of the <a href="https://www.woodwellclimate.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Woodwell Climate Research Center</a>, alongside collaborators from <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia University</a>, <a href="https://www.asu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arizona State University</a>, and Peru’s <a href="https://www.unsaac.edu.pe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-dry-and-damaged-landscape"><a></a>A dry and damaged landscape</h2>



These findings help explain why reforestation in Peru’s Madre de Dios region has seen little success.



One of the co-authors, Josh West, a professor of earth sciences and environmental studies at <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Dornsife College</a>, has spent years examining the effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lithium-brine-discovery-has-vast-implications-for-future-mining-operations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mining</a> on ecosystems.



“We’ve known that soil degradation slows forest recovery,” he said. “But this is different. The mining process dries out the land, making it inhospitable for new trees.”



The researchers studied two abandoned Amazon mining sites in Madre de Dios, near the borders of Brazil and Bolivia.



Using drones, underground imaging, and soil sensors, they tracked the effects of suction mining - a technique often used by small-scale or family-run miners. In this method, water cannons blast soil apart, and the resulting slurry is filtered to extract <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-learn-how-gold-and-other-precious-metals-get-to-earths-surface/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gold</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-no-topsoil-no-forest">No topsoil, no forest</h2>



The powerful streams also carry off the nutrient-rich topsoil. What’s left behind are still ponds and massive sand piles, sometimes up to 30 feet tall.



Unlike excavation mining, which can leave parts of the topsoil intact, suction mining strips the land bare. This not only removes vital <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soil-nutrient-loss-due-to-heavy-rainfall-threatens-agriculture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nutrients</a> but also changes how water behaves in the soil.



To investigate this, the team used electrical resistivity imaging, a technique that measures how moisture travels underground.



The researchers discovered that water drains through the sand piles as much as 100 times faster than in untouched forest soil. These piles also lose water about five times faster after rainfall.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-amazon-heat-stops-forest-recovery">Amazon heat stops forest recovery</h2>



To better understand the conditions in deforested areas, the scientists placed sensors across various environments - sand and clay zones, pond edges, and natural forests.



The results were consistent: areas in the Amazon impacted by suction mining were hotter and drier. On exposed sand piles, ground temperatures reached up to 145°F (60°C), far higher than in shaded forest areas.



“It’s like trying to grow a tree in an oven,” West said. Thermal imaging from drones showed how barren areas absorb and radiate heat, while nearby forests and pond edges remained cooler. Without moisture or shade, young trees have little chance to survive.



“When roots can’t find water and surface temperatures are scorching, even replanted seedlings just die,” Atwood said. “It’s a big part of why regeneration is so slow.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gold-rush-worsens-deforestation">Gold rush worsens deforestation</h2>



Despite some regrowth near ponds and in low-lying areas, the team found that much of the land - especially where sand piles dominate - remains barren.



These spots are far from the water table and lose moisture quickly, making <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-trees-is-important-but-reforestation-can-help-too/">refores</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-trees-is-important-but-reforestation-can-help-too/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">t</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-trees-is-important-but-reforestation-can-help-too/">ation</a> extremely difficult.



From 1980 to 2017, small-scale gold mining wiped out over 95,000 hectares of rainforest in Madre de Dios - an area more than seven times the size of San Francisco.



Even today, operations are expanding around the Tambopata National Reserve, posing serious risks to biodiversity and nearby Indigenous communities. Across the wider Amazon basin, gold mining now contributes to nearly ten percent of deforestation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-alone-can-t-heal-the-amazon">Trees alone can't heal the Amazon</h2>



To improve recovery efforts, the scientists suggest going beyond planting trees. One proposed solution is reshaping the land itself - flattening sand piles and filling in ponds to bring new roots closer to underground water sources.



This could help retain moisture and improve survival rates for new vegetation. Though natural erosion could eventually help, the researchers stress that it’s happening far too slowly to match the urgency of the crisis.



“There’s only one <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-amazon-rainforest-is-approaching-widespread-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon rainforest</a>,” West said. “It’s a living system unlike anything else on Earth. If we lose it, we lose something irreplaceable.”



The experts hope their findings will guide new strategies to restore life to damaged parts of the Amazon. Without dramatic changes to current practices - and a commitment to reshape the land, not just replant it - millions of acres may remain lost to gold and drought.



 The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02332-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications Earth &amp; Environment</a>.



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Gold mining causes long-lasting damage in the Amazon rainforest

A recent study has found that efforts to restore forests...

Eating more leafy greens, berries, nuts, and olive oil may help keep memory sharp. A new analysis shows that adults who closely followed the MIND diet were markedly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia than those with less brain-friendly eating patterns.



The findings come from the long-running <a href="https://www.uhcancercenter.org/for-researchers/mec-cohort-composition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Multiethnic Cohort Study</a>, which began in the 1990s and follows volunteers in California and Hawaii.



Researchers from the <a href="https://manoa.hawaii.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hawaii at Mānoa</a> examined diet questionnaires from nearly 93,000 adults aged 45-75, then tracked medical records to see who later received a diagnosis of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-blood-test-can-track-the-progression-of-alzheimers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s</a> or a related type of dementia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-shields-brain-health">Diet shields brain health</h2>



Participants who scored highest for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-diet-may-protect-cognitive-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIND</a> adherence at the outset showed a nine percent lower risk of dementia during decades of follow-up.



The advantage appeared regardless of whether a person adopted the diet in midlife or after age 60, suggesting the protective effect can begin at any stage.



The research team also discovered that people who improved their MIND scores the most over roughly ten years enjoyed the greatest benefit. Their risk fell by about one-quarter compared with peers whose diet quality slipped.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-change-aids-memory">Diet change aids memory</h2>



“Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” said Song-Yi Park, an associate professor at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa. “This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/certain-personality-traits-lower-the-risk-of-dementia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dementia</a>.”



The MIND approach blends staples of the Mediterranean and DASH diets - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dietary-shift-to-forage-fish-could-prevent-millions-of-deaths/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a>, whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil. It also places extra emphasis on leafy greens and berries, two food groups repeatedly linked to slower cognitive decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-groups-different-benefits">Different groups, different benefits</h2>



The protective pattern did not look identical in every community. Overall, those identifying as African American, Latino, or White saw the largest drop in risk, about thirteen percent among top scorers.



Native Hawaiian volunteers showed a more modest trend, and the link did not reach statistical significance among Asian American participants.



Thus, as Park put it, “a tailored approach may be needed when evaluating different subpopulations’ diet quality.”



Investigators speculate that customary dishes, seasoning practices, and staple foods could influence how a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mediterranean-diet-a-delicious-way-to-manage-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mediterranean</a>-style diet translates across cultures.



They also noted that Asian Americans generally experience lower dementia rates, which might mask incremental gains from MIND guidelines or highlight advantages of other traditional eating patterns not captured by the scoring system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-steps-help-memory">Small steps help memory</h2>



One of the most encouraging signals came from people who began the study with middling MIND scores but later made measurable progress.



Raising a score - by adding an extra handful of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/15-benefits-of-eating-blueberries-the-superfood-that-greatly-improves-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">berries</a> each week, choosing olive oil over butter, or swapping processed snacks for nuts - correlated with a 25 percent drop in dementia incidence.



The effect held steady after accounting for smoking, education, exercise and other lifestyle factors. Even modest shifts in the right direction, the authors argue, can translate into meaningful protection at the population level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limitations-and-future-directions"><a></a>Limitations and future directions</h2>



Because the investigation relies on observational data, it cannot definitively prove cause and effect. People who commit to healthier diets may also practice other brain-benefiting behaviors, from regular walks to social engagement.



The team plans to study biological samples to see whether markers of inflammation, cholesterol, or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/targeting-the-gut-might-be-key-in-preventing-alzheimers-disease/">gut</a> microbes mediate the diet dementia link. Controlled trials that actively assign dietary changes could offer firmer answers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-plan-to-fight-dementia">Diet plan to fight dementia</h2>



For now, experts say the message is straightforward. Filling half the plate with vegetables - especially dark leafy greens - choosing berries as dessert, cooking with olive oil, reaching for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-nuts-every-day-does-not-cause-weight-gain-but-it-does-improve-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nuts</a> instead of packaged sweets, and making fish a regular entrée all align with advice for heart health. These diet choices now appear to nurture the brain as well.



While no single menu can guarantee lifelong cognitive fitness, the MIND template provides a clear, flexible framework. It steers eaters toward foods that support blood vessels, quell inflammation, and supply <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shrimp-proven-to-be-a-nutritional-treasure-packed-with-antioxidants/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antioxidants</a>, all of which are thought to protect vulnerable neurons.



The number of Americans living with dementia is projected to double by mid-century. Even a modest postponement of onset could spare millions of families from heart-wrenching loss and ease pressure on health care systems.



The new evidence suggests that such a delay may be as close as the kitchen, and that adopting smarter food choices today could benefit minds well into tomorrow.



The study was presented at <a href="https://nutrition.org/meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NUTRITION 2025</a>, the annual meeting of the <a href="https://nutrition.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Society for Nutrition</a>



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Healthier diet could boost memory and delay dementia

Eating more leafy greens, berries, nuts, and olive oil may...

Intestinal,Bacteria.,Microbiome.,Gut,Microbiome,Helps,Control,Intestinal,Digestion,And

Obesity and anxiety are on the rise, especially among younger Americans. Most people are aware about the physical health risk of obesity - such as heart disease and diabetes - but they might not realize that it can affect mental health as well. 



A new study indicates that there is a powerful link between the gut and the brain that ties obesity and anxiety together.



The research, conducted by scientists at <a href="https://www.gsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Georgia State University</a>, suggests that diet-induced obesity can cause anxiety-like behaviors, based on studies in mice. 



The experts also identified alterations in brain signaling as well as variations in gut microbes that could contribute to impaired brain function.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-obesity-is-connected-to-anxiety">How obesity is connected to anxiety</h2>



“Several studies have pointed to a link between obesity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fear-and-anxiety-share-a-common-network-in-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anxiety</a>, though it is still unclear whether obesity directly causes anxiety or if the association is influenced by societal pressures,” said Dr. Desiree Wanders, associate professor and chair of nutrition at Georgia State University.



“Our findings suggest that obesity can lead to anxiety-like behavior, possibly due to changes in both brain function and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-health-may-be-the-key-to-anxiety-relief/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut health</a>.”



To better understand how obesity might affect the brain, the researchers used a mouse model that mirrors many human obesity-related issues.



The team raised 32 male mice from adolescence into early adulthood - comparable to human development between teenage years and young adulthood. Half of the mice were fed a low-fat diet while the other half were given a high-fat diet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diet-weight-gain-and-behavior">Diet, weight gain, and behavior</h2>



By the end of the study, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/high-fat-diets-cause-high-anxiety-through-changes-in-gut-bacteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-fat diet</a> group had gained significantly more weight and body fat compared to the low-fat diet group. 



Behavioral tests showed that the obese mice displayed more anxiety-like behaviors. One clear sign was that the obese mice froze more often - a common defensive response to perceived threats.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/obesity_linked_anxiety_gut-microbiome_mice_credit-biorender_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/obesity_linked_anxiety_gut-microbiome_mice_credit-biorender_1s.webp" alt="This graphical abstract highlights key aspects of the study design. Male mice fed a high-fat diet for 15 weeks showed increased body weight and body fat, increased anxiety-like behavior, differences in gene expression in the hypothalamus and differences in the composition of gut microbiota compared with lean mice. Credit: Biorender" class="wp-image-1972348"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This graphical abstract highlights key aspects of the study design. Male mice fed a high-fat diet for 15 weeks showed increased body weight and body fat, increased anxiety-like behavior, differences in gene expression in the hypothalamus and differences in the composition of gut microbiota compared with lean mice. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Biorender</figcaption></figure>



The researchers also noticed differences in the hypothalamus, a brain region that plays a major role in regulating metabolism. These altered signaling patterns could be tied to cognitive impairments seen in the obese mice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-the-gut-microbiome">The role of the gut microbiome</h2>



Another important finding was in the gut. Obese mice had a different mix of gut bacteria compared to lean mice. 



This finding supports other research showing the gut microbiome’s influence on behavior. Changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gut-microbes-have-an-unexpected-link-to-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut microbes</a> may be one way that obesity impacts brain health.



Although the study was conducted in mice, the researchers believe it offers important clues that could extend to humans. 



Dr. Wanders pointed out that studying multiple systems together - like the gut and the brain - is critical to understanding the full picture.



“These findings could have important implications for both public health and personal decisions,” said Dr. Wanders. "The study highlights the potential impact of obesity on mental health, particularly in terms of anxiety." 



"By understanding the connections between diet, brain health and gut microbiota, this research may help guide public health initiatives that focus on obesity prevention and early intervention, particularly in children and adolescents.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-obesity-and-mental-health">Obesity and mental health</h2>



Dr. Wanders emphasized that while the study conditions were carefully controlled, real life is far more complex. Many factors influence obesity and mental health beyond <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/girls-diets-strongly-influence-when-they-begin-puberty/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diet</a> alone.



“While our findings suggest that diet plays a significant role in both physical and mental health, it is important to remember that diet is just one piece of the puzzle,” said Dr. Wanders.



“Environmental factors, genetics, lifestyle choices and socioeconomic status also contribute to the risk of obesity and its associated health outcomes."



"Therefore, while these results are important, they should be considered in the context of a broader, multifactorial approach to understanding and addressing obesity-related cognitive impairments and mental health issues.”



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



In the future, the team hopes to look at how changes in the gut microbiome caused by obesity affect the brain in greater detail. They also hope to extend the research to include female mice and various age groups. 



It will also be critical to follow up on whether interventions aimed at weight loss can reverse cognitive and behavioral changes observed in the study.



The study introduces a new discussion regarding how profoundly intertwined our physical and psychological well-being actually are - and how the gut could be more involved than we ever imagined.



As the research deepens, it could offer new strategies for tackling both mental and physical health challenges together, rather than treating them as separate issues.



The findings will be presented at&nbsp;<a href="https://nutrition.org/meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NUTRITION 2025</a>, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. 



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Scientists find link between obesity, anxiety, and gut microbiome changes

Obesity and anxiety are on the rise, especially among younger...

Scientists are scratching their heads over a perfectly spherical object that appears to float in the Milky Way, radiating only radio signals and nothing else. It has been named Teleios and seems to defy straightforward explanations, sparking questions about how such a round form could exist in deep space.



According to a research team led by Professor Miroslav D. Filipović from <a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Western Sydney University</a>, Teleios gained attention when data from Australia’s <a href="https://www.atnf.csiro.au/facilities/askap-radio-telescope/askap-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ASKAP</a> telescope picked up faint radio signals emanating from a circular patch.



The experts noted that this object emits no visible light, infrared glow, or detectable X-rays, making it exceptionally difficult to classify.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strange-sphere-could-be-old-or-young">Strange sphere could be old or young</h2>



Teleios sits in our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-announce-evidence-suggesting-that-our-solar-system-has-nine-planets-again/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy</a>, though it is invisible to the eye and seems to be expanding outward. Current estimates place it thousands of trillions of miles from Earth, yet its radio signals traveled to our telescopes.&nbsp;



Its near-perfect geometry challenges certain ideas of how celestial structures form. Researchers suspect it may have exploded from an ancient star, but the smooth roundness has left them unsure whether Teleios could be a young supernova remnant or a more mature structure.



Scientists estimate a possible diameter of up to 157 light-years, based on their interpretation of radio data. A diameter that large suggests this feature has been growing for an extended period, though theories about exactly when it first appeared remain unsettled. 



The only thing researchers confirm is that Teleios likely dominates a remote pocket of space, where little else disturbs its shape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teleios-emits-only-soft-radio-signals">Teleios emits only soft radio signals</h2>



Experts describe Teleios as having a low surface brightness, meaning its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asteroid-that-once-threatened-earth-may-target-the-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">energy</a> output is spread thinly across its colossal surface. The soft radio glow was detected by ASKAP while the telescope was carrying out an all-sky survey.



This pattern of detection is not unusual for <a href="https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/supernova_remnants.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova remnants</a>, but the remarkable symmetry has everyone pausing to reconsider the usual assumptions.



“This unique object has never been seen in any wavelength, including visible light,” noted the researchers. The hidden nature of this sphere underscores how breakthroughs can come from instruments tuned to gather signals outside the visible range.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-teleios-be-a-supernova">Could Teleios be a supernova?</h2>



Supernova remnants often appear distorted, since star explosions can blast gas and debris unevenly. 



The researchers believe that if Teleios is a remnant, it must have aged in a part of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/whats-up-in-the-night-sky-during-the-month-of-april-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">space</a> with few obstructions. They add that this smooth expansion would require an environment nearly devoid of uneven gas clouds. 



Some members of the team lean toward the notion that Teleios could be a massive “bubble” generated from stellar winds, but they cannot rule out the expanding clouds of gas and dust that remain after a star explodes.



Teleios is only spotted in radio wavelengths, which are the longest waves in the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/ems" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">electromagnetic spectrum</a>. That fact highlights the vital role of radio telescopes in capturing exotic cosmic objects that might go unnoticed by our eyes or by conventional optical instruments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-for-established-theories">Challenges for established theories</h2>



Researchers have long catalogued patterns in known supernova debris fields and star-wind shells. Teleios does not slot neatly into these checklists. One puzzling feature is that if Teleios formed during an explosion relatively recently, we might expect to see <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/nicer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">X-ray signals</a>. 



Yet the object stays dark when examined by X-ray detectors, prompting speculation that its true nature is more nuanced than a single supernova <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/january-2025-stargazing-a-parade-of-bright-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">event</a>. Scientists also mention that the radio glow suggests cosmic particles are being accelerated in the shell. 



The sphere might be in an uncommon phase of evolution, or it might be linked to multiple past events instead of a single stellar outburst. A handful of experts see a chance that Teleios could point to a less common supernova classification.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-quiet-corner-of-space">A quiet corner of space</h2>



A uniform background might have aided Teleios in keeping a crisp shape. Low gas density would allow an expanding <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1808.04716" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">blast wave</a> to move radially without the lumps and bumps typically seen in galactic neighborhoods.&nbsp;



Such conditions could happen if the progenitor star once blew away surrounding material, clearing its path before the main explosion. That possibility is still being debated.



Some teams wonder if a white dwarf star played a part, especially if the object grew quietly in isolation, away from big star clusters. Others think Teleios might have expanded unnoticed in the outskirts of a less crowded stretch of the Milky Way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-future-maps">Implications for future maps</h2>



ASKAP continues surveying the southern sky under the auspices of a project known as the <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011PASA...28..215N/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evolutionary Map of the Universe</a>. The lead observers envision a detailed radio atlas that may reveal more structures like Teleios.&nbsp;



One or two might be outliers, but finding several could force a rethinking of how cosmic bubbles expand. The more data we gather, the better we can interpret these objects and possibly place them within a universal framework of stellar deaths and stellar winds.



Radio surveys promise to turn up more baffling discoveries. Astronomers are keeping close watch for other spherical or strangely shaped pockets that might lurk in unexplored corners of the galaxy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-many-questions-remain-about-teleios">Many questions remain about Teleios </h2>



No single piece of evidence gives a definitive answer for Teleios. It remains mysterious - and each clue presents new questions. Even the presence or absence of faint remnants inside the sphere could rewrite star formation models or highlight rare conditions.



Researchers are already planning follow-up observations to see whether Teleios changes at all, or if it remains locked in its shape. 



Additional data across multiple wavelengths might confirm whether stellar debris, stellar winds, or a unique flare-up sculpted its symmetric shell.



New instruments, upgraded observatories, and joint studies may reveal the source of Teleios’s radio signals and unravel its nature. After analyzing the object so far, observers admit that caution is wise before pinning it to a single category. 



The study is published in the pre-print server <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.04041" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arXiv</a>.



Image credit: <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.04041">Filipović et al</a>.



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Mysterious sphere named Teleios found floating in the Milky Way

Scientists are scratching their heads over a perfectly spherical object...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



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



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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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

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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...

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" 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> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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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.

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" 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 Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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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.

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&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.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&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> Staff Writer 



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.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&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.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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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.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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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.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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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.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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