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...

Modern life is busy. Between work, family, errands, and social commitments, daily exercise often takes a back seat. For many, squeezing in a gym session every day feels impossible. But what if you didn’t have to? New research shows that the weekend warrior routine may offer similar health benefits.



“You don’t need to exercise every day to stay healthy. As long as you get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week - whether packed into one to two days or spread out - you can significantly reduce your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sitting-too-much-can-cause-premature-aging-even-if-you-exercise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">risk of dying</a> from cardiovascular disease, cancer or other causes,” said study co-author Dr. Zhi-Hao Li, an epidemiologist at <a href="https://portal.smu.edu.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Medical University</a>.



The findings come from analysis of a U.K. health database involving over 93,000 participants who were tracked using wrist accelerometers. The devices measured their movements precisely, thus avoiding the potential errors from self-reporting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-of-weekend-exercise">Impacts of weekend exercise</h2>



Participants were divided into three groups: weekend <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weekend-warrior-workouts-lower-the-risk-of-200-diseases/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warriors</a>, regular actives, and inactive people. Both active groups showed clear health advantages over the inactive one.



Weekend warriors had a 32% lower risk of death from all causes, 31% lower from cardiovascular disease, and 21% lower from cancer. Regular actives showed similar, but slightly smaller reductions in risk.



“This message is encouraging news for busy people who struggle to fit in daily workouts but can manage a concentrated burst of activity on weekends or over a couple of days,” noted Dr. Li. “The research provides reassuring evidence that even sporadic physical activity can have lasting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strength-training-may-be-the-best-exercise-for-insomnia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health benefits</a>.”



No major differences were apparent between the two active groups in terms of health outcomes. This suggests that total time spent moving matters more than how it's spread out.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-even-short-bursts-of-activity-help">Even short bursts of activity help</h2>



To improve health, the World Health Organization (<a href="https://www.who.int" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WHO</a>) and <a href="https://www.heart.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Heart Association</a> recommend that adults get between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fitness-focused-medicine-physical-activity-reduces-chronic-disease-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">activity</a> in the same time period.



A combination of both also works. Activities can range from brisk walking, cycling, or jogging to household tasks like gardening and dancing, as long as the effort is moderate to vigorous.



The study gathered data using movement trackers worn on the wrist. The data came from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.K. Biobank</a> and included people aged 37 to 73, with slightly more women than men. 



Among the individuals included in the analysis, about 42% were weekend warriors, 24% were regular actives, and 34% were inactive and did not follow any exercise routine.



Over eight years of follow-up, nearly 4,000 people died - with heart disease and cancer accounting for the majority of these deaths.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-advice-for-weekend-exercise">Practical advice for weekend exercise </h2>



American Heart Association expert Dr. Keith Diaz, who was not involved in the study, is a professor of behavioral medicine at <a href="https://www.columbia.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia University</a>.



“Many people struggle to fit in daily <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-doses-of-exercise-can-greatly-reduce-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exercise</a> during the workweek; however, this research shows that even if you can only be active on the weekends, you can still gain meaningful health benefits,” said Dr. Diaz.



“One important caveat to remember is that trying to fit 150 minutes of exercise into just one or two days can be a lot on your body.”



People aiming to become weekend warriors should build up gradually. Warm-ups and proper progression can lower the chance of injury. While some risk of musculoskeletal injuries exists, the health benefits are still much greater.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limitations-of-the-research">Limitations of the research </h2>



Although the study offers valuable insights on exercise benefits for weekend warriors, the researchers acknowledged some limitations. The analysis was focused on physical activity during a single week and didn’t monitor long-term changes in behavior.



Most participants were white and lived in the U.K., so the findings may not reflect global patterns. Furthermore, the effects of physical activity are influenced by genetics, environment, and culture.



The researchers suggest that more studies are needed with broader ranging samples. These studies may include varied backgrounds, longer timelines, and other health markers to better understand how weekend <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/this-exercise-routine-can-cut-your-risk-of-early-death-in-half/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">workouts</a> affect diverse populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-focused-efforts-for-a-healthier-life">Focused efforts for a healthier life</h2>



This study brings a hopeful message. You don’t have to overhaul your entire week to protect your health. A focused, vigorous effort on one or two days can still help you live longer. 



Whether you prefer Saturday hikes or Sunday spin classes, you can count them toward your well-being - as long as they are intense enough and total a minimum of 150 minutes weekly.



For those with busy schedules, this research affirms that any movement that fits your lifestyle counts. Being a weekend warrior isn’t a fallback - it’s a legitimate strategy for a healthier, longer life.



The study is published in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.039225">Journal of the American Heart Association</a>.



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Weekend warriors reap the same health benefits as daily exercisers

Modern life is busy. Between work, family, errands, and social...

For many people living with chronic conditions, daily life means constant pain, disrupted sleep, and emotional strain. Traditional treatments often bring limited relief, while side effects from long-term medication can worsen a patient's quality of life. 



In recent years, medicinal cannabis has emerged as a potential alternative, offering a ray of hope where other therapies have failed.



A new long-term study offers compelling evidence that this treatment may be more than just a passing trend - it may be here to stay.



Conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Sydney</a>, the QUEST Initiative tracked patients over 12 months to assess whether improvements seen in the first three months of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tapping-into-the-pain-relief-potential-of-cannabis-without-the-high/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> oil use could last. The answer, according to data published in the journal PLOS One, is yes.



Those who continued the treatment saw sustained gains in physical and mental well-being across a range of conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-legalization-of-medicinal-cannabis">Legalization of medicinal cannabis </h2>



Australia legalized medicinal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-impacts-working-memory-and-brain-function/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> in 2016 for patients not responding to standard treatment. Since then, more than one million people have been prescribed cannabis for over 200 health conditions. Most use it to manage pain, sleep disorders, anxiety, or depression.



Therapeutic effects stem from compounds like THC and CBD. These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">compounds</a> offer alternatives to opioids, which carry risks such as addiction, bowel issues, and cognitive decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clinically-meaningful-improvements">Clinically meaningful improvements</h2>



QUEST followed patients aged 18–97 across 114 clinics between November 2020 and December 2021. The participants completed regular assessments at baseline, 2 weeks, and eight timepoints up to 12 months.



They reported their own health-related quality of life (HRQL), including physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Other metrics included fatigue, pain, sleep, anxiety, and depression.



The study revealed clear trends. HRQL improved quickly and stayed high. EQ-5D-5L scores rose by 0.114 (Cohen’s d = 0.52). QLQ-C30 scores increased by 10.71 points (d = 0.91), a large clinical improvement.



Pain intensity and pain interference also dropped, especially in chronic pain patients. The PROMIS pain interference score improved by 4.87 points (d = 0.76). Fatigue fell by 4.70 points (d = 0.51), and sleep disturbances dropped by 5.96 points (d = 0.76).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improvements-for-mental-health-conditions">Improvements for mental health conditions</h2>



Patients with anxiety or depression saw meaningful change after using medicinal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-cannabis-users-face-higher-heart-attack-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a>. For those with depressive disorders, depression scores dropped by 7.19 points (d = 0.65), moving many from severe to moderate symptoms.



Anxiety scores improved by 5.65 points (d = 0.69) for patients with anxiety conditions. These changes exceeded the clinically accepted threshold of 5 points.



The THC to CBD ratio in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smoking-cannabis-significantly-increases-the-risk-of-heart-attack/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabis</a> oil mattered. THC-dominant oils showed greater improvements in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep. CBD-dominant oils worked better for some pain types, including headache and cancer-related pain.



Musculoskeletal pain responded better to CBD-dominant oils than CBD-only ones. However, pain interference didn’t vary much across oil compositions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prescription-medication-and-motor-function">Prescription medication and motor function</h2>



Nearly half of participants reported reducing other prescription medications. About 22% had been taking opioids when they joined. By the end of 12 months, 70% of these patients had reduced or stopped their opioid use.



People with movement disorders reported better HRQL. But they showed no significant change in upper limb function. Their average score increase (1.43 points) didn’t meet the clinical threshold for improvement.



PROM completion rates declined over time, falling to 38% at 12 months. Those who dropped out earlier showed less improvement. This suggests participants who continued saw more benefit from medicinal cannabis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-of-medicinal-cannabis">Benefits of medicinal cannabis </h2>



The results show that medicinal cannabis can quickly improve symptoms and maintain those benefits long-term. Clinicians now have more data to guide their decisions. The findings may also shape health policy.



“This is promising news for patients who are not responding to conventional medicines for these conditions," noted the study authors. 



The research adds to growing international data supporting medicinal cannabis. It also highlights the need for more targeted research into dosage, specific conditions, and long-term effects.



With over a million Australians already using it, the evidence is clear: medicinal cannabis is not just a temporary fix - it’s a lasting option for many.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0320756" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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Medicinal cannabis helped patients feel better for a full year

For many people living with chronic conditions, daily life means...

Latin America’s rainforest inhabitants have long surprised scientists with their varied calls. Now, research shows that when it comes to yodeling, some monkeys outperform even the famed Alpine singers of Austria and Switzerland. 



This work provides fresh information about primate vocal abilities and offers new clues about how their unique anatomy shapes the way they produce sounds.



Experts from Anglia Ruskin University (<a href="https://www.aru.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ARU</a>) and the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a> spearheaded the study, which examined monkeys’ intricate calls through a mix of CT scans, computer simulations, and field observations. 



The findings indicate that special throat structures called vocal membranes - once present in human ancestors - give these animals an extra gear for producing surprising frequency shifts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-yodeling-the-basics">Understanding yodeling - the basics</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simulation-reveals-the-evolution-of-alpine-ice-over-120000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yodeling</a> is that wild, echoing singing style where the voice flips rapidly between a low chest voice and a high head voice. It started in the Swiss Alps as a way for herders to communicate across mountains. 



Yodeling works by quickly switching between two vocal registers: the chest voice (your normal speaking or singing voice) and the head voice (a lighter, higher voice often used for falsetto). 



That flip between the two is called a register break, and it creates the signature “yo-de-lay-ee-hoo” sound. 



Instead of smoothing over the transition like most singers try to do, yodelers emphasize it -leaning into that sudden, jumpy switch to create the bouncing, echo-like effect.



Physically, it’s all about control and timing. The vocal cords stretch and tighten to hit those high head voice notes, then loosen again for the chest voice. 



It takes breath support from your diaphragm, clear enunciation, and a bit of vocal agility to bounce back and forth fast enough.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-yodeling-monkeys-and-vocal-membranes">Yodeling monkeys and vocal membranes</h2>



Primates such as monkeys and apes have thin <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pregnancy-affects-the-sensory-abilities-of-mammals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vocal membranes</a> above their vocal folds, which humans lost over time. Researchers have long wondered how these membranes benefit non-human primates. 



The new study shows that these delicate tissue bands introduce “voice breaks” that pop up when sound production shifts from the vocal folds to the membranes. 



This feature results in rapid changes in pitch, reminiscent of Alpine yodeling or Tarzan’s iconic yell.



<a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/1066689" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here to listen to the world's best yodelers...</a>



New World monkeys from Mexico to Argentina appear to have the largest vocal membranes of all primates, indicating a key role in their communication. 



The study captured the calls of species like black and gold howler monkeys, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/capuchin-monkeys-use-clever-tools-to-access-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tufted capuchins</a>, black-capped squirrel monkeys, and Peruvian <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-monitoring-will-help-protect-endangered-spider-monkeys/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spider monkeys</a> at La Senda Verde Wildlife Sanctuary in Bolivia. 



The data revealed that these vocal membranes add dramatic leaps in pitch that are rarely matched by humans.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wider-ranges-and-ultra-yodels">Wider ranges and “ultra-yodels”</h2>



“These results show how monkeys take advantage of an evolved feature in their larynx - the vocal membrane - which allows for a wider range of calls to be produced, including these ultra-yodels,” explained Dr. Dunn from ARU.



Some of these calls cross frequency intervals up to five times larger than what the human voice can achieve. 



While people who yodel typically stay within one octave, the study found that certain New World monkeys can exceed three octaves.



“This might be particularly important in primates, which have complex social lives and need to communicate in a variety of different ways," Dr. Dunn continued. 



"It’s highly likely this has evolved to enrich the animals’ call repertoire, and is potentially used for attention-grabbing changes, call diversification, or identifying themselves.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vocal-variety-of-monkey-yodeling">Vocal variety of monkey yodeling</h2>



“This is a fascinating example of how nature provides the means of enriching animal vocalization, despite their lack of language,” noted Dr Herbst from the University of Vienna.



“The production of these intricate vocal patterns is mostly enabled by the way the animals’ larynx is anatomically shaped, and does not require complex neural control generated by the brain.”



In basic terms, the vocal membranes introduce a kind of instability that makes way for abrupt changes in pitch. By switching between membranes and folds, monkeys add a unique flair to their vocal repertoire. 



This could help them communicate across thick rainforest environments, where distant calls must pierce a chaotic soundscape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-humans-do-it-differently">How humans do it differently</h2>



“Our study shows that vocal membranes extend the monkey's pitch range, but also destabilize its voice. They may have been lost during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-chapter-in-human-evolution-revealed-through-genetics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human evolution</a> to promote pitch stability in singing and speech,” explained Professor Tecumseh Fitch, also from the University of Vienna.



Humans prioritize a steady tone, which is crucial for clear speech. These membranes might have vanished from our lineage because, while they allow dramatic pitch shifts, they also create less consistent vocalization. 



By losing them, our ancestors may have gained better control over speech patterns and articulation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-monkey-yodeling-matter">Why does monkey yodeling matter?</h2>



The investigation offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between anatomy and communication. Researchers highlight how small structures in the larynx can produce unexpectedly large acoustic effects. 



That knowledge could inform future studies on how primate species negotiate dense habitats with loud, competing noises. 



It also highlights that monkeys rely on more than simple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toothed-whales-use-vocal-fry-to-catch-their-prey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vocal folds</a> to make themselves heard. In the wild, these calls can travel large distances, allowing social groups to stay in contact or mark their territory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-have-we-learned">What have we learned?</h2>



Because of this discovery, scientists now better understand why monkeys in the Americas are capable of surprising pitch changes that exceed standard human vocal ranges. 



The presence of expanded vocal membranes sets these species apart and explains how yodel-like calls evolved outside of the Alpine region. 



At the same time, the research adds to ongoing work on how speech and language developed in our own evolutionary line.



There is still much to learn about these remarkable calls. Each insight brings us closer to appreciating the astonishing variety in primate communication and offers another reminder that humans, for all our talk, are not the only animals with vocal tricks up our sleeves.



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<a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/1066689" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here to listen to the world's best yodelers...</a>



Senior author Dr Jacob Dunn, Associate Professor in Evolutionary Biology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge, England, was joined by colleagues at the University of Vienna, including lead author Dr Christian T. Herbst of the Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology and Professor Tecumseh Fitch, an expert in human vocal evolution.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences</a>.



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Monkeys are the world's best yodelers, and that includes humans

Latin America’s rainforest inhabitants have long surprised scientists with their...

Many researchers fear the world is on track to surpass the 1.5°C average temperature rise target of the <a href="https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paris Agreement</a> within the next ten years. The escalating concern has sparked heated debates about climate justice, responsibility, carbon debt, and what must happen once we cross that line.



“As we near the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit, the question is not just about when we will exceed it, but also how we collectively deal with the consequences in the subsequent period,” said <a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/staff/setu-pelz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Setu Pelz</a>, a researcher in the Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions Research Group (<a href="https://iiasa.ac.at/programs/ece/tiss" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TISS</a>).



Pelz is the lead author on a recent study that considers who will be held responsible once this threshold temperature is crossed, and how nations should act to restore temperatures to below the agreed-upon level. 



”To guide efforts that minimize overshoot and establish who should pay for harms caused during this period, we measure who is responsible and to what extent, under a range of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scenarios</a> and approaches,” explained Pelz.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-owes-carbon-debt-and-why">Who owes carbon debt and why</h2>



<a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409316122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Net-zero carbon debt</a> focuses on the idea of shared but uneven responsibilities for historical and future emissions. It tracks how much a region’s cumulative emissions overshoot its fair share of the remaining global carbon budget.



Fair share <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166046220302817" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">calculations</a> consider aspects like population size and past pollution levels. This approach highlights how some high-income regions have used far more of the planet’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbon budget</a> than others over the decades. 



It suggests that when those regions finally reach <a href="https://netzeroclimate.org/what-is-net-zero-2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">net-zero CO2</a>, any excess emissions become their debt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-overshoot-matters">Why overshoot matters</h2>



<a href="https://www.overshootcommission.org/overshoot" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate overshoot</a> is what happens when global temperatures temporarily rise above a key threshold before returning below it. 



Researchers point out that even a short period of overshoot can intensify severe heatwaves, droughts, and other extreme events.



Communities with fewer resources are particularly vulnerable, as they often lack adequate funding for adaptation and recovery. 



That vulnerability compounds the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-constantly-reshuffling-earths-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">injustice</a> of overshoot, prompting discussions about financial support and technology transfers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-debt-responsibilities">Carbon debt responsibilities</h2>



Wealthy regions are under pressure to reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-climate-shift-sheds-light-on-future-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> quickly to prevent further burden on younger generations. 



Failure to achieve significant cuts raises the likelihood that future residents will pay for large-scale carbon removal <a href="https://climeworks.com/plant-orca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">projects</a>.



Those technological solutions, such as direct air capture, may still be expensive and underdeveloped. 



If wealthier regions do not act now, their own grandchildren could end up bearing both the physical risks of climate change and the enormous costs of repairing the damage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emerging-economies-risk-carbon-debt">Emerging economies risk carbon debt</h2>



Some emerging economies argue they should still be allowed to develop their industries and infrastructure using available energy sources. 



Many stress that older industrialized nations built their prosperity through decades of unchecked fossil fuel use.



Still, these newer economies also face the possibility of carbon debt if their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-people-fear-climate-change-will-end-the-world-during-their-lifetime/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emissions</a> exceed a fair slice of the remaining budget. 



That means efforts to maintain economic growth while minimizing emissions have become a critical challenge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-youth-and-the-cost-of-inaction">Youth and the cost of inaction</h2>



Young people in high-emitting countries often stand at the intersection of excess responsibility and increased climate hazards. 



They inherit a world that is already struggling with warming, yet they also face the potential duty of massive carbon removal initiatives later in life.



Communities in lower-emitting countries also harbor many young people. They may not be saddled with the same carbon debt, but they confront heightened exposure to heatwaves, floods, and storms made worse by overshoot.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooperation-and-climate-finance">Cooperation and climate finance</h2>



International collaboration is often viewed as an essential piece of closing the emissions gap. Some regions might find quick, cost-efficient ways to scale renewable energy, but others may need financial help.



Such support could come in the form of grants, debt relief, or technology transfer. Without it, developing nations that are low emitters could find themselves raising emissions just to meet basic needs, which prolongs temperature overshoot and spreads harm worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-carbon-removal-fix-damage">Can carbon removal fix damage?</h2>



A central question is whether future carbon removals can fully compensate for present emissions. 



<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08020-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evidence</a> suggests net-negative emissions can help draw temperatures back down over time, but the scientific details are still being studied.



Some climate <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221209632100108X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">models</a> assume large-scale carbon removal will happen toward the end of the century. That assumption creates moral and practical dilemmas, since it may place trust in expensive or unproven solutions. 



Meanwhile, people living today continue to emit carbon in ways that add to future debt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-domestic-feasibility-and-fairness">Domestic feasibility and fairness</h2>



Experts emphasize the importance of separating cost-neutral strategies from those that need extra funding. 



<a href="https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/03/solar-wind-power-renewable-energy-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Measures</a> like energy efficiency or low-cost solar and wind projects can often pay for themselves quickly.



Other strategies, such as developing advanced carbon capture technologies, typically require heavy investment and international support. 



Regions expected to accumulate large carbon debts might need to ramp up these efforts much sooner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead">Looking ahead</h2>



<a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop29" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Discussions</a> about net-zero carbon debt highlight a new level of transparency in climate negotiations. 



Instead of merely counting total emissions, stakeholders can monitor which countries and generations owe the most to keep global warming at a safe level.



Scientists and analysts propose that clearer guidelines on responsibility can spark solutions that bridge nations and generations. 



While it will not be easy, such coordination could speed up the timeline for bringing global temperatures back below critical thresholds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fair-recovery-must-address-carbon-debt">Fair recovery must address carbon debt</h2>



The carbon debt framework may offer a path to greater clarity on funding and technology sharing. It could guide how to distribute the burdens of overshoot so that the regions that contributed the most take on a fair share of the cost.



No matter the chosen approach, the evidence underscores a need for immediate, collective steps to limit further warming. 



Significant delays risk locking in more serious harm and piling up debts that future societies must confront.



A global drive toward higher ambition can still soften the worst impacts. Yet the longer we wait, the bigger the carbon debt becomes, and the tougher it will be to settle that bill.



Younger generations stand to lose the most in a warming world. If we want to prevent staggering climate costs down the road, deep cuts and bold collaboration must start now.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409316122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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"Carbon debt" proposal assigns responsibility to countries that break climate pledges

Many researchers fear the world is on track to surpass...

More Americans are starting to connect alcohol consumption with cancer risk. According to a new national survey, over half of U.S. adults now believe that drinking alcohol regularly increases the chance of developing cancer later in life.



This marks a notable increase from last year, when only 40% made that connection. The survey, conducted between January 30 and February 10, 2025, comes from the <a href="https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania</a>.



Researchers asked more than 1,700 U.S. adults about their understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-related-deaths-have-doubled-over-the-past-two-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alcohol’s health effects</a>, and the results suggest that recent public health messaging may be making an impact. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-public-messaging">The power of public messaging</h2>



One likely reason for the shift is the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory released on January 3, 2025. 



The statement warned that drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing at least seven types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-small-amounts-of-alcohol-increase-cancer-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cancer</a> - including breast, colon, and liver cancer - and recommended that alcoholic beverages carry clearer warning labels. The advisory received widespread media attention. 



“Our data suggest that the Surgeon General’s synthesis of the science showing that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-consumption-can-lead-to-chronic-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alcohol consumption</a> increases one’s risk of cancer got traction,” noted Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center.



“The Surgeon General’s impact is a reminder that what health officials communicate about science can affect behavior.”



While several reports on alcohol and health were released around the same time, including one from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and another from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, most respondents were unaware of those. 



The Surgeon General’s message was the only one that reached a large audience.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alcohol-reports-are-influencing-behavior">Alcohol reports are influencing behavior</h2>



Nearly half of those surveyed said they had heard or read about recent reports on the health impact of alcohol. 



When asked to name which report they remembered, 46% pointed to the Surgeon General’s advisory. However, 44% were unsure which one they had encountered.



The survey also asked whether exposure to these reports influenced people’s choices. 



Almost 1 in 3 respondents (29%) said they would be less likely to accept a drink if offered in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-social-drinking-feels-so-different-from-drinking-alone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social setting</a>. But for most (61%), the reports made no difference.



A small group (9%) said they’d be more likely to accept a drink after learning about the reports.



Among those more inclined to take a drink, 73% said they’d also be more likely to accept a second one if offered. In contrast, 22% said they’d be less likely to accept a second drink.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opinions-about-moderate-alcohol-use">Opinions about moderate alcohol use</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-alcohol-in-moderation-does-not-prolong-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moderate drinking</a> is typically defined as one drink a day for women and up to two for men. 



When asked about this level of alcohol use, 47% of those who recalled only one report said the report framed moderate drinking as harmful. 



About 25% believed it described both harmful and beneficial effects. Another 20% were unsure what the report said.



While these numbers suggest that some confusion remains, public understanding seems to be heading in a new direction - especially in light of high-profile warnings and growing media coverage.



With over half of Americans now aware of the link between alcohol use and cancer, the conversation around moderate drinking may continue to evolve.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-moving-forward">What this means moving forward</h2>



The rising awareness about alcohol’s link to cancer signals a shift in public perception. As more people connect everyday behaviors with long-term health risks, health officials may see new opportunities to improve labeling, education, and outreach. 



Still, with a significant portion of the population unsure or unconvinced, there’s clearly work to be done.



Public health campaigns that clearly communicate the risks - like the Surgeon General’s advisory - can help people make more informed choices.



Whether or not these messages continue to change behavior will depend on how they are delivered, how frequently they are repeated, and how much trust they earn from the public.



As the conversation around alcohol continues, the next challenge may not be just raising awareness - but helping people turn that awareness into meaningful decisions.



Details of the survey were <a href="https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250401/Survey-shows-increased-awareness-of-alcohole28099s-cancer-risks.aspx">published</a> by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.



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Climate shock: Lakes are losing oxygen faster than expected

Climate change is reshaping our planet, and lakes are not...

As climate change reshapes landscapes across the world, native species face growing challenges. 



Rising temperatures, altered water flows, and shifting ecosystems already disrupt many habitats. At the same time, biological invasions involving non-native species that move into new areas introduce added stress.



Until now, these two threats have mostly been studied in isolation. However, recent work by researchers at <a href="https://oregonstate.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oregon State University</a> suggests that combining these forces reveals deeper risks.



Native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-plants-cant-outrun-climate-change-on-their-own/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> may lose more than just space - they may face extinction under the pressure of both climate and invaders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threat-to-native-species">Threat to native species</h2>



The study, published in the journal Global Change Biology, begins to close the gap between climate science and invasion biology.



“Climate change and biological invasions are increasingly affecting ecosystems globally,” said Ivan Arismendi, an associate professor in Oregon State’s Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. 



“It’s critical to understand their combined impacts so that we can anticipate and adapt management strategies that account for shifting interactions between native and non-native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-some-places-are-prime-targets-for-invasive-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>.”



The team focused on freshwater fish species in the Pacific Northwest, where warming waters and shifting rivers have changed aquatic habitats. Arismendi and his colleagues, Guillermo Giannico and Arif Jan, developed ecological niche models.



These models use environmental data to predict where species might live under current and future conditions. Their goal was to understand how overlapping habitats could intensify threats to native fish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-forces-fish-to-higher-ground">Warming forces fish to higher ground</h2>



The researchers studied two invasive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/non-native-species-are-spreading-at-an-exponential-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>, namely smallmouth bass and northern pike, and two native species, the redband trout and bull trout.



These fish currently occupy different regions, but warming climates are pushing them all toward higher elevations, where colder water remains. Unfortunately, this movement may force them into closer contact, with serious consequences.



“Cold water refuges in upstream areas will serve as converging zones for native and non-native fishes,” said Jan, a doctoral student at Oregon State. 



“Past research has documented predatory interactions toward salmonids by smallmouth bass and northern pike, where their habitat overlaps. This means potential year-round predation and competition pressures during the early life stages of salmonids.”



The team found that future climate conditions will reduce suitable habitats for all four species. But more alarming was the increase in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-non-native-species-are-saving-themselves-from-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a> overlap. In these shared zones, invasive species may outcompete or prey upon native ones, pushing already vulnerable populations closer toward collapse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-native-species-disappear-invasives-take-over">Native species disappear, invasives take over</h2>



This situation is not hypothetical. Similar patterns have already emerged in places like southeastern Alaska, where native salmonids have disappeared from areas invaded by northern pike. 



The combination of climate-driven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/freshwater-crisis-one-in-four-species-faces-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a> loss and biological pressure creates a dangerous feedback loop. As conditions worsen, natives lose the space and time they need to adapt or recover.



The implications of this research reach beyond the Pacific Northwest. As temperatures rise and weather patterns shift globally, many regions will experience similar overlaps between native and non-native species. 



The model developed by Oregon State researchers can help other scientists and managers assess risks elsewhere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planning-with-smarter-conservation-tools">Planning with smarter conservation tools</h2>



“This study highlights the need for integrated management strategies that address both direct and indirect effects of interactions among species,” said Giannico, a professor of fisheries at Oregon State. 



He emphasized that the framework used in this study is simple and cost-effective. It can help conservation teams prioritize areas for early detection of invasive species and focus resources where they are most needed.



Rather than reacting to individual threats, this new approach allows planners to anticipate problems before they escalate. It opens the door to broader ecological forecasting, where climate models and biological data work together. With better tools, conservation can become more proactive and efficient.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growing-challenges-and-an-uncertain-future">Growing challenges and an uncertain future</h2>



While the study deals with fish, its lessons apply across ecosystems. Forests, grasslands, and wetlands all face pressure from changing climates and invasive species. 



As these challenges grow, species will shift, compete, and in some cases, vanish. Understanding how these forces interact gives us a chance to intervene.



The Oregon State researchers offer a glimpse of a future that is both uncertain and urgent. Their work reminds us that climate change does not act alone. It invites disruption. When non-native species follow, the result can be devastating. 



But with clear science and thoughtful planning, we may still help native species survive the changes ahead.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.70040" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Change Biology</a>.



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Native fish species are facing 'double trouble'

As climate change reshapes landscapes across the world, native species...

If humanity ever settles on Mars, one of the biggest dangers might not come from deep space, radiation, or even food shortages. It could come from something as seemingly harmless as dust.



A new study from researchers at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/atlas/academics/grad/ctd-ci?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwna6_BhCbARIsALId2Z25ASxygbh0v3FdCjbSYeLOVXbclGajBe4T-HtYvY4NSVNFYT7X4v0aAkPPEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Colorado Boulder</a> reveals that long-term exposure to Martian dust could pose serious health risks for astronauts. These risks range from chronic lung damage to thyroid dysfunction. 



The research, which brings together experts in medicine, geology, and aerospace engineering, offers the first detailed analysis of the chemical composition of Martian dust and how it might affect the human body.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-lurking-in-martian-dust">What’s lurking in Martian dust?</h2>



“This isn't the most dangerous part about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/could-a-nuclear-powered-spacecraft-shorten-the-trip-to-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">going to Mars</a>,” said Justin Wang, lead author of the study. "But dust is a solvable problem, and it’s worth putting in the effort to develop Mars-focused technologies for preventing these health problems in the first place.”



Wang, who is a CU Boulder alumnus and now a student in the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, pointed out that this issue isn't entirely new. 



Apollo astronauts reported symptoms like runny eyes and irritated throats after being exposed to lunar dust. Some likened it to suffering from hay fever.



But the Martian environment presents its own unique challenges. Unlike <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moon-dust-simulating-lunar-dirt-will-make-it-easier-to-collect/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lunar dust</a>, the chemical makeup of Mars dust is less understood. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unveiling-the-hazards-of-martian-dust">Unveiling the hazards of Martian dust </h2>



To learn more, the researchers examined data from Martian meteorites and rover missions.



What they found was a long list of concerning ingredients: silicates, iron oxides, beryllium, arsenic, and perchlorates - a highly reactive compound that is not commonly found on Earth.



Even in small doses, some of these substances can be toxic. And since early Mars missions are expected to last up to 18 months, exposure levels could become significant.



“You’re going to get dust on your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-is-testing-spacesuit-materials-for-future-missions-to-mars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spacesuits</a>, and you’re going to have to deal with regular dust storms,” said study co-author Brian Hynek. “We really need to characterize this dust so that we know what the hazards are.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-dusty-world">A dusty world</h2>



Mars is covered in fine, red dust made mostly of iron-rich particles. These particles are easily lifted by wind, creating dust storms that sometimes blanket the entire planet.



“We think there could be 10 meters of dust sitting on top of the bigger volcanoes,” said Hynek. “If you tried to land a spacecraft there, you’re going to just sink into the dust.”



The problem, scientists say, isn’t just that there’s a lot of dust. It’s also about how small the particles are.



Some dust grains on Mars may be as tiny as 3 micrometers across - far smaller than what human lungs are capable of filtering out.



“That’s smaller than what the mucus in our lungs can expel,” said Wang. “So after we inhale Martian dust, a lot of it could remain in our lungs and be absorbed into our blood stream.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-risks-of-martian-dust">The risks of Martian dust</h2>



Wang and a team of medical students analyzed existing research to assess the health impacts of Mars's dust. Some risks are well known.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glass-bottles-have-an-unexpectedly-large-environmental-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Silica</a>, for instance, is abundant in Martian minerals and is known to cause silicosis on Earth - a disease common among glass workers and miners. It leads to scarring of lung tissue and severe breathing difficulties. There is currently no cure.



Other threats are less familiar. Perchlorates, another common component of Martian dust, are compounds made of chlorine and oxygen. Though rare on Earth, they can severely affect thyroid function in humans, potentially leading to anemia. Even small amounts could be harmful over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prevention-is-key">Prevention is key </h2>



The good news is that many of these problems can be addressed before <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronauts-can-survive-mars-space-journey-but-their-kidneys-will-be-permanently-damaged/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">astronauts</a> ever set foot on Mars. 



Wang suggested several preventative measures. Iodine supplements might help offset the effects of perchlorates, though too much iodine could also cause thyroid issues. Filters and seals that keep Martian dust out of living spaces are another solution.



“Prevention is key. We tell everyone to go see their primary care provider to check your cholesterol before it gives you a heart attack,” Wang said. 



“The best thing we can do on Mars is make sure the astronauts aren’t exposed to dust in the first place.”



As the dream of exploring Mars inches closer to reality, it’s becoming clear that survival won’t just depend on rockets and rovers. It may also depend on how well we understand - and protect ourselves from - the dust beneath our feet.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GH001213" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GeoHealth</a>.



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Dust could threaten the health of future astronauts on Mars

If humanity ever settles on Mars, one of the biggest...

A new blood test could revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s. Beyond confirming the presence of the disease, the test also helps determine the stage of its progression. 



This may fundamentally change how physicians manage Alzheimer’s care.



The test was developed by experts at <a href="https://medicine.washu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis</a> and <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lund University</a> in Sweden. 



Their studies indicate that a particular blood protein, MTBR-tau243, can be used to monitor the extent of dangerous tau accumulation in the brain.



The tangles of tau protein are some of the hallmark characteristics of Alzheimer’s and are directly proportional to the intensity of the symptoms. 



This new technique is considerably more convenient than brain scans since it is non-invasive, and does not require expensive procedures that are difficult to access.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-alzheimer-s-with-a-blood-test">Tracking Alzheimer’s with a blood test</h2>



Right now, doctors can use several blood <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blood-tests-offer-new-hope-in-detecting-alzheimers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tests</a> to help detect Alzheimer’s. Some of the tests that are already in use are based on earlier discoveries at Washington University. 



These tests look for early warning signs but don’t reveal how much the disease has progressed. That’s a crucial gap. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medical-breakthrough-new-vaccine-may-prevent-alzheimers-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer’s treatments</a> are most helpful in the early stages, before too much damage has been done.



Having a way to tell whether someone is in an early or late phase of the disease would help doctors decide which treatment would work best. It could also clarify whether a person’s memory or thinking issues are actually caused by Alzheimer’s or something else.



“This blood test clearly identifies Alzheimer’s tau tangles, which is our best biomarker measure of Alzheimer’s symptoms and dementia,” said co-senior author Dr. Randall J. Bateman.



“In clinical practice right now, we don’t have easy or accessible measures of Alzheimer’s tangles and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/risk-of-dementia-is-much-higher-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dementia</a>, and so a tangle blood test like this can provide a much better indication if the symptoms are due to Alzheimer’s and may also help doctors decide which treatments are best for their patients.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reliable-way-to-monitor-the-disease">Reliable way to monitor the disease</h2>



Alzheimer’s typically starts with a buildup of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleeping-may-lower-levels-of-alzheimers-abnormal-proteins/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amyloid protein</a> in the brain. Tau tangles develop later and mark the point when symptoms begin to show. 



The best way to see these changes has been through PET scans, which can track amyloid and tau deposits. 



But these scans are expensive, time-consuming, and often only available in large hospitals or research centers. That’s why scientists have been working on blood-based alternatives.



The team had already developed blood tests that measure amyloid plaque buildup. Earlier research showed that levels of MTBR-tau243 in spinal fluid could match up with brain tau levels.



In this new study, the researchers demonstrated that they could get the same results using blood samples. A blood draw is much easier and more accessible than a spinal tap.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-the-new-approach">Testing the new approach</h2>



To validate the test, the researchers used data from two groups of people. One group came from a research center at Washington University and included 108 volunteers. The other group included 55 people from a Swedish study known as BioFINDER-2.



Next, the experts checked their findings with data from 739 additional people in the BioFINDER-2 group.



These participants represented a range of Alzheimer’s stages - from people who had no symptoms but had amyloid in their brains, to those with mild cognitive issues, to people with full dementia.



The study also included individuals with memory or thinking problems due to other conditions, and some who were cognitively healthy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alzheimer-s-progression-revealed-in-blood">Alzheimer’s progression revealed in blood</h2>



The results were promising. MTBR-tau243 levels in the blood matched the amount of tau tangles in the brain with 92% accuracy. 



In healthy people and those in the earliest stage of the disease, the levels were normal. But in people showing symptoms, the protein levels were clearly elevated - and much higher in those with advanced disease.



This difference made it easy to tell who was in an early or late stage of Alzheimer’s. It also helped distinguish Alzheimer’s dementia from other kinds of cognitive problems. 



That kind of clarity could make a huge difference in choosing the right treatment path.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tool-for-personalized-alzheimer-s-care">Tool for personalized Alzheimer’s care</h2>



The new test uses technology licensed by Washington University to C2N Diagnostics, which previously developed similar blood tests for amyloid plaques. The earlier tests were designed to detect another tau protein called p-tau217.



“I believe we will use blood-based p-tau217 to determine whether an individual has Alzheimer’s disease, but MTBR-tau243 will be a highly valuable complement in both clinical settings and research trials,” said Oskar Hansson, a professor of neurology at Lund University.



“When both of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-disease-earliest-biomarker-protein-psd-95-identified/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biomarkers</a> are positive, the likelihood that Alzheimer’s is the underlying cause of a person’s cognitive symptoms increases significantly, compared to when only p-tau217 is abnormal. This distinction is crucial for selecting the most appropriate treatment for each patient.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-ahead-to-better-treatments">Looking ahead to better treatments</h2>



Currently, there are two FDA-approved drugs that target amyloid in the brain to slow Alzheimer’s. But more treatments are being tested - including ones that aim at tau protein and other disease mechanisms.



As these therapies become available, doctors will need reliable ways to match the right treatment to each stage of the disease. Blood tests could be the key to this shift toward personalized Alzheimer’s care.



“We’re about to enter the era of personalized medicine for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kanta Horie, a research associate professor of neurology at WashU Medicine. 



“For early stages with low tau tangles, anti-amyloid therapies could be more efficacious than in late stages. But after the onset of dementia with high tau tangles, anti-tau therapy or one of the many other experimental approaches may be more effective." 



"Once we have a clinically available blood test for staging, plus treatments that work at different stages of the disease, doctors will be able to optimize their treatment plans for the specific needs of each patient.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03617-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Medicine</a>.



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New blood test can diagnose and track the progression of Alzheimer’s

A new blood test could revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment...

North America's smallest falcon, the American Kestrel, has captivated bird watchers and biologists for generations. Its striking plumage and swift, graceful flight add beauty to skies across the continent.



Yet, despite the kestrel's visibility and wide distribution from Alaska to Argentina, this tiny raptor has experienced a steady and troubling decline in population since the 1970s.



Scientists have searched for decades to pinpoint the cause. Theories range from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat loss</a> to pesticide use, but no single factor explains the pattern across all regions. In the Northeast, where kestrel numbers have dropped most sharply, the mystery has deepened.



A new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research brings a rare spark of clarity. It finds that fledgling kestrels in this region are surviving at higher-than-expected rates, which offers an unexpected twist to the ongoing search for answers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-falcon-survival-rates">Tracking falcon survival rates</h2>



The research involved a comprehensive assessment of kestrel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-animal-will-replace-humans-as-earths-dominant-species-this-scientist-has-an-idea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survival</a>. For the first time, researchers tracked both juvenile and adult kestrels across multiple seasons, including winter. This matters because previous studies primarily focused on the nesting season alone.



Breeding kestrels face many known challenges. Raising chicks demands energy, coordination, and suitable nesting habitat. But only a portion of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-mammals-show-how-humans-influence-animal-activity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> actually breeds each year. Many younger birds - those still learning to hunt and navigate - do not yet breed.



These juveniles, along with adults during migration and winter, form blind spots in kestrel research. The current study begins to fill those gaps, offering a more complete picture of the annual life cycle of kestrels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-falcon-survival-against-the-odds">Falcon survival against the odds</h2>



​Dr. Mercy Melo and a team of scientists from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hawkmountain.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hawk Mountain Sanctuary</a>, The Smithsonian, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.umass.edu/">University of Massachusetts Amherst</a> designed a bold field experiment.​



The experts equipped 202 kestrels with lightweight radio transmitters between 2021 and 2023. The team tagged 146 fledglings from across the Northeast United States and 56 adult birds from both Pennsylvania and Florida.



These transmitters recorded each bird’s movements for six months. This time window captured the critical early weeks when juveniles first leave the nest, as well as the overwintering period for adults. 



Historically, kestrels experience their highest mortality during these months, especially juveniles who must suddenly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-secretly-reshape-landscapes-in-powerful-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survive</a> without parental support.



Yet the findings upended that expectation. Despite lacking experience in how to forage and avoid danger, many fledglings survived remarkably well.



“Our study documented very high survival rates for juveniles across the eastern states, with some sites even boasting one hundred percent survival,” said Dr. Melo. This phase of post-nesting independence had never before been studied so closely, and the data bring both relief and new questions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-hazards-are-the-biggest-threats">Human hazards are the biggest threats</h2>



In contrast to the encouraging news about juveniles, adult kestrels faced steeper odds - especially those overwintering in Pennsylvania. These birds showed significantly lower survival rates than their Florida counterparts.



Human-related hazards emerged as the top threats. Confirmed causes of death in adults included collisions with vehicles and entrapment in buildings, both frequent dangers for birds navigating developed landscapes.



This difference between regions suggests winter falcon survival depends not just on climate, but on how much risk the environment imposes. Urbanization, road networks, and even the design of buildings can spell danger for kestrels hunting in low-light winter conditions.



Florida, with its warmer temperatures and possibly fewer urban threats, offered safer overwintering options.



These adult deaths shift focus away from fledglings as the weak link in kestrel survival. Instead, they suggest that certain overwintering regions may present survival bottlenecks, especially for adults already worn down by breeding or migration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-current-data-on-falcon-survival">Current data on falcon survival </h2>



While the survival rates of fledglings in their first few weeks is promising, their fates after leaving the nesting area still remain unknown.



Once these young birds dispersed beyond the transmitter’s range, they were no longer trackable. This means their survival during migration and overwintering is still a mystery.



However, by confirming that fledgling survival at early stages is higher than assumed, the study helps redirect attention. 



If juveniles are doing well in the Northeast, other stages of the life cycle - especially adult migration and wintering - may be where declines are most acute. These findings sharpen the questions that future studies should ask.



“Understanding the factors influencing the American Kestrel population decline will help kestrels but will also improve our understanding of other declining species,” said Dr. Melo. For example, grassland songbirds, which share many habitats with kestrels, face similar pressures and may benefit from similar research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deeper-significance-of-the-study">Deeper significance of the study</h2>



American Kestrels may be small, but they play a large ecological role. As top predators of insects, rodents, and small birds, they help regulate populations across open landscapes. The consequences of their decline ripples outward, affecting the balance of local ecosystems.



Moreover, their wide range and relative visibility make them excellent indicators of environmental change. When kestrels struggle, it signals trouble not just for raptors but for entire ecological communities. This is especially true in open habitats, such as prairies, grasslands, and farmlands, where biodiversity is shrinking fast.



“We hope this article entices researchers to adopt collaborative approaches across geographical regions,” said Dr. Melo. That call reflects the study’s deeper significance: kestrels won’t be saved by isolated efforts.



Their survival hinges on better cooperation among scientists, conservationists, and policy-makers who can act across regions and seasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-story-of-falcon-survival">A story of falcon survival</h2>



This study doesn’t answer every question, but it shifts the compass. The research shows that fledgling kestrels in the Northeast may not be as vulnerable as previously believed. 



The study also highlights that adults, particularly those overwintering in human-dominated landscapes, face growing threats.



As research continues, tracking kestrels throughout all life stages - and across all landscapes - will be key. Understanding their migration paths, habitat choices, and human-made hazards will help explain the long-term trends.



The kestrel’s story is still evolving, but this study has brought it into sharper focus. With each new discovery, researchers are getting closer to understanding how this colorful falcon might survive against the odds.



The study is published in the <a href="https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-raptor-research/volume-59/issue-2/jrr2414/Juvenile-and-Adult-Survival-Estimates-of-American-Kestrels-Throughout-the/10.3356/jrr2414.full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Raptor Research</a>. 



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Falcon survival rates surprise scientists amid their decline

North America's smallest falcon, the American Kestrel, has captivated bird...

Tuna and swordfish hunt far beyond the surface. They dive deep into the ocean’s twilight zone - a layer of dark, cold water about 800 meters below the surface - to feed. Until now, no one really knew how important this zone was to their survival.



In new research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.mit.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a>), scientists show that this deep layer isn't just a snack stop. It’s a major food source. 



The study shows that three big <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-fish-coelacanth-presumed-extinct-for-60-million-years-before-rediscovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">predators</a> - bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna, and swordfish - obtain more than half their diet from the twilight zone. That’s a surprising dependence on such a hidden region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-the-ocean-s-twilight-zone">Importance of the ocean's twilight zone</h2>



This finding could change how we think about both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-fish-species-are-the-big-catch-of-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish conservation</a> and commercial fishing. If fishing expands into the twilight zone, it may risk the food supply of valuable surface-dwelling predators.



“There is increasing interest in commercial fishing in the ocean’s twilight zone,” said Ciara Willis, the study’s lead author.



“If we start heavily fishing that layer of the ocean, our study suggests that could have profound implications for tuna and swordfish, which are very reliant on the twilight zone and are highly valuable existing fisheries.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-the-twilight-zone">What is the twilight zone?</h2>



The twilight zone - or mesopelagic layer - lies between 200 and 1,000 meters (656 to 3,281 feet) deep. It’s sandwiched between the sunlit upper waters and the dark, midnight zone below. Despite its lack of sunlight, the twilight zone teems with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-pushing-freshwater-fish-toward-the-poles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">life</a>.



“This is a really understudied region of the ocean, and it’s filled with all these fantastic, weird animals,” said Willis.



Its biomass could reach 10 billion tons - far outweighing what swims near the surface. The surface ocean, Willis noted, is “a thin soup,” offering little to big predators. The twilight zone, by contrast, presents “the deep ocean buffet,” full of dense pockets of fish and squid.



Every night, twilight creatures migrate upward to eat, then return before daylight. Bigeye tuna dive frequently during the day, while yellowfin dive less often. Swordfish follow the nightly up-and-down movement of prey.



“We’ve known for a long time that these fish and many other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-diversity-has-changed-dramatically-on-the-great-barrier-reef/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">predators</a> feed on twilight zone prey,” said Willis. “But the extent to which they rely on this deep-sea food web for their forage has been unclear.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-clues-in-fish-tissue">Finding clues in fish tissue</h2>



Stomach content analysis only offers a snapshot. Willis wanted to know what these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bleaching-effect-coral-loss-threatens-fisheries-and-livelihoods/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> had eaten over months. She and her team worked with fishermen in New Jersey and Florida to collect tissue samples from commercial catches.



They focused on essential amino acids - building blocks of protein that come from the base of the food chain. These amino acids carry a unique carbon signature, depending on whether they originate from phytoplankton in the sunlit zone or microbes in the deep.



“One of the hypotheses we had was that we’d be able to distinguish the carbon isotopic signature of the shallow ocean, which would logically be more phytoplankton-based, versus the deep ocean, which is more microbially based,” said Willis.



By analyzing these carbon signatures, the team could estimate whether a fish had been feeding more on shallow or deep-sea organisms.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-diet-of-predators">Deep diet of predators</h2>



The researchers studied tissue from over 120 fish. They found that 50 to 60 percent of their diet came from ocean's twilight zone sources. Bigeye tuna showed the most consistent deep-sea reliance. Swordfish and yellowfin tuna were more varied.



“We saw the bigeye tuna were far and away the most consistent in where they got their food from,” noted Willis.



“Whereas the swordfish and yellowfin tuna were more variable. That means if you start having big-scale fishing in the twilight zone, the bigeye tuna might be the ones who are most at risk from food web effects.”



The concern isn’t just about catching the predators. It’s about removing their prey. Many twilight zone fish aren’t eaten by people but are used in fishmeal and fish oil. This commercial demand could strip a crucial food source from valuable predator species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threats-of-deep-sea-fishing">Threats of deep sea fishing</h2>



“If predatory fish like tunas have 50 percent reliance on twilight zone food webs, and we start heavily fishing that region, that could lead to uncertainty around the profitability of tuna fisheries,” said Willis.



“So we need to be very cautious about impacts on the twilight zone and the larger ocean ecosystem.”



The twilight zone holds secrets vital to ocean life. Any plan to harvest from it must consider the deep, invisible links that bind predators to prey.



This research was part of the&nbsp;Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's <a href="https://twilightzone.whoi.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Twilight Zone Project</a>, supported by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.audaciousproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Audacious Project</a>&nbsp;at TED. 



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article/82/3/fsaf028/8090274" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ICES Journal of Marine Science</a>. 



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Deep ocean buffet: Big fish are surprisingly reliant on the twilight zone

Tuna and swordfish hunt far beyond the surface. They dive...

Snowpack in the Rocky Mountains acts like nature’s reservoir. It stores water during winter and supplies the American West through dry months. But snow now brings more than just water. 



A new study from <a href="https://www.dri.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Desert Research Institute</a> reveals that as storms deliver snow, they also transport mercury and other mining-related pollutants.



This work sheds light on how contaminants travel through the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rain-and-snow-are-difficult-to-forecast-at-near-freezing-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmosphere</a>. It raises concerns about both snowpack quality and long-term environmental consequences from mining operations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-toxic-metals-found-in-snow">Toxic metals found in snow</h2>



Published in Environmental Pollution, the study measured metal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-snow-complexity-can-improve-winter-safety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contaminants</a> at nearly 50 sites across the Rockies. Researchers found elevated levels of mercury, zinc, cadmium, and antimony. These metals appeared most concentrated in the northern Rockies.



The likely source? Storms that originated in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, and Montana — regions with a long mining history. Using storm-tracking techniques, the team followed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-driven-climate-change-is-to-blame-for-sharp-snowpack-declines-since-1980/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weather patterns</a> to pinpoint these sources.



“Metal pollution in the Rockies is relatively understudied,” Arienzo said. “Other studies have focused on certain parts, so the fact that we have this transect from Montana to New Mexico makes this study unique.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-snow-and-the-power-to-melt">Dust, snow, and the power to melt</h2>



While the contamination remains below EPA limits, the concern isn’t just toxicity. Dust from mining regions reduces snow’s reflectivity, causing it to melt faster. This changes how much water communities get and when they get it.



Beyond snowmelt timing, the study’s value lies in understanding atmospheric pollutant distribution. Combining physical samples with long-term datasets allowed researchers to build a broader picture of contamination patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-range-pollution-patterns">Long-range pollution patterns</h2>



In 2018, scientists collected snow samples across 48 Rocky Mountain sites. They measured metal levels, including calcium from natural sources. By comparing metals tied to both dust and human activity, they could isolate industrial impacts.



To test the strength of their findings, they added another layer — mercury and calcium data from the <a href="https://nadp.slh.wisc.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Atmospheric Deposition Program</a>, collected between 2009 and 2018. Patterns held steady.



“I was surprised by the amount of agreement we saw between all these different data sets we brought together,” Arienzo said. 



“The snow samples showed us that contamination is higher in the northern Rockies, and that was really interesting. Looking at mercury contamination over time helped us say that 2018 is not just a fluke." 



"When you start to see these trends that are consistent between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-accelerating-beyond-control-as-co2-levels-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">different records</a>, it makes you feel more confident that something’s really happening here.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mining-sites-in-the-path-of-snow-storms">Mining sites in the path of snow storms</h2>



Tracking storms gave the team another clue. Northern Rockies storms often came from the Pacific Northwest. Those in the southern Rockies mostly crossed the Mojave Desert.



By overlaying these paths with USGS maps of mining and smelting sites, they saw a clear link. Active and historical mines sat directly in the path of northern storms.



“Our idea is that the dust from current and historical mining sites gets carried up into the mountains and deposited across our study sites,” Arienzo said. 



“This study shows the importance of continued scientific monitoring efforts, like the long-term USGS datasets we used here, as well as mitigation of current and historical mining sites.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-mining-pollution-in-snow">Studying mining pollution in snow</h2>



This research is part of a larger initiative funded by the National Science Foundation. In addition to studying snow, Arienzo and her team are examining tree rings as a natural archive of environmental pollution. 



Trees, like snow, accumulate traces of mercury and other metals over time. By comparing the mercury levels found in snow to those recorded in tree rings, scientists aim to build a more complete picture of how contaminants move through ecosystems.



This comparison could reveal long-term trends in pollution levels, helping scientists understand not only where contamination is happening but how it changes over decades. These insights can inform environmental cleanup efforts, water management policies, and public health decisions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-how-pollutants-travel">Understanding how pollutants travel</h2>



As the climate shifts and industrial legacies resurface in unexpected ways, understanding how pollutants travel through the atmosphere becomes more urgent. 



The snow that once symbolized purity now carries a story of industrial history, scientific discovery, and environmental responsibility. 



With continued research, we may better understand these silent risks and work toward protecting the landscapes we depend on.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749125004671?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Pollution</a>.



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Rocky Mountain snow contains toxic metals from faraway mining

Snowpack in the Rocky Mountains acts like nature’s reservoir. It...

<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...

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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...

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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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https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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?

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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

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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

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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"

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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



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.

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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