Researchers at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a> have recently reported that both public parks and private backyards play a vital role in supporting bird diversity in urban environments. 



"Greenspaces are increasingly valued for supporting biodiversity in urbanized landscapes. Previous research efforts have emphasized the importance of public land such as parks and nature preserves for biodiversity, yet private yards in residential neighborhoods also have great potential for species conservation," wrote the researchers. 



By studying two closely situated cities in Illinois with contrasting development histories and green space management, the experts discovered that these spaces are crucial for different bird species during varying seasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-bird-populations">Urban bird populations</h2>



The researchers monitored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-populations-are-declining-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird populations</a> across 39 public parks and 41 private yards in Urbana and Champaign - cities with distinct urban characteristics and historical development. 



Urbana, with a history dating back to 1822, boasts extensive green spaces nurtured within an ancient hardwood forest. By contrast, Champaign was developed in the mid-1800s along a railway - with a focus on human recreation in its smaller parks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seasonal-variations-in-urban-bird-diversity">Seasonal variations in urban bird diversity </h2>



The analysis revealed significant seasonal shifts in bird <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/u-s-bird-diversity-puzzling-geographical-differences-identified/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity</a> between the two cities. During summer, Urbana's richer vegetation and cooler green spaces attracted a broader variety of birds, including species like the belted kingfisher and scarlet tanager. 



Conversely, in winter, Urbana's parks and yards continued to support diverse communities, including the winter wren and yellow-bellied sapsucker.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-of-urban-management-on-bird-diversity">Impact of urban management on bird diversity</h2>



Pollock pointed out the significant effects of active management in urban green spaces. "In places where there’s been active management to try to increase plant diversity and get some native plant cover back, it has had a big impact on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/as-urban-heat-continues-to-rise-birds-are-moving-away/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird</a> communities," he explained. 



Urbana's parks, with their focus on conservation and habitat restoration, were especially beneficial for rare and specialist bird species.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-actions-for-residents">Practical actions for residents</h2>



The study also suggests practical ways for residents to enhance bird diversity in their own backyards. Carena Van Riper, a collaborator on the project, encouraged simple yet effective actions. 



"Perhaps this will allow people to see that there are small but important behaviors that will influence birds and increase bird diversity," noted Van Riper. 



Among the recommendations were installing bird feeders (especially during winter), planting native vegetation, and setting up bird baths.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urban-greenery-a-blueprint-for-biodiversity">Urban greenery: A blueprint for biodiversity </h2>



This comprehensive study underscores the interconnectedness of urban management and biodiversity. It offers a fresh perspective on how both public and private green spaces play integral roles in supporting urban wildlife. 



As cities continue to grow, understanding and implementing strategies that facilitate coexistence with nature becomes even more crucial. 



The insights from Urbana and Champaign can serve as a guide for other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-shape-bird-characteristics-in-urban-areas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban areas</a> aiming to enhance biodiversity and sustainability within their confines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What influences urban bird diversity?</h2>



Urban bird diversity is influenced by a variety of factors, each playing a role in how well birds can adapt and thrive in city environments. Key factors include:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Green spaces</h3>



The presence and quality of green spaces such as parks, gardens, and green roofs are crucial. These areas provide essential resources like food, nesting sites, and safe havens from urban threats.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Water bodies</h3>



Rivers, lakes, and ponds in urban settings attract waterfowl and other species that rely on aquatic habitats for feeding and breeding.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Food availability</h3>



The accessibility of natural food sources, supplemented by bird feeders, significantly impacts which species are able to sustain populations in urban areas.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Building designs</h3>



The architecture of a city influences bird diversity. Features like reflective glass can cause bird collisions, whereas features like ledges and nooks might offer nesting spots.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pollution</h3>



Air and noise pollution can deter birds from settling in urban areas. Pollution can also affect the health of the habitats birds rely on.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Human interaction</h3>



The level and nature of human activity and disturbance - ranging from benign presence to active conservation efforts - play a big role. Quieter, less disturbed areas tend to support more diverse bird populations.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Climate</h3>



Urban microclimates, influenced by the heat island effect where cities are warmer than surrounding areas, can affect which species are likely to thrive or decline in urban settings.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204624000598?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Landscape and Urban Planning</a>.



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How urban spaces support bird diversity

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have recently reported that both public parks and private backyards play a vital role in supporting bird diversity in urban environments. "Greenspaces are increasingly valued for supporting biodiversity in urbanized landscapes. Previous research efforts have emphasized the importance of public land such as parks and nature preserves for biodiversity, yet private yards in residential neighborhoods also have great potential for species conservation," wrote the researchers. By studying two closely situated cities in Illinois with contrasting development histories and green space...

In a new report published by <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</a>, experts have found evidence that listening to music significantly reduces <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/fear-and-anxiety-share-a-common-network-in-the-brain/">anxiety</a> and pain after major heart surgery. The findings are based on a meta-analysis of relevant studies. 

Heart surgery patients are often anxious before their procedure, and may experience severe pain afterwards, despite being given sedatives and strong pain relief, explained the researchers. They noted that since music has no risks or side effects like those associated with drugs, clinicians should recommend it to patients scheduled for major heart surgery.

Previous research has indicated that listening to music around the time of any surgery may help to relieve anxiety and pain. In the current study, the researchers set out to investigate whether music can help patients undergoing major heart surgery by reducing their apprehension, length of hospital stay, and their need for drugs.

The experts reviewed the results of 20 relevant clinical trials, which involved 1,169 patients. They also pooled data from 16 studies involving 987 patients.

The music, which was was most often provided to patients through headphones, was usually described as relaxing and free of strong rhythms and percussion.

The music sessions were either repeated several times on the same day or over several days. In some trials, the music was provided only after surgery, while it was provided before, during, and after the procedure in other trials.

Across the various studies, patients in the comparison groups received scheduled rest sessions, headphones with no music, breathing exercises, or standard care. 

An analysis of the data revealed that listening to music significantly reduced anxiety and pain after major heart surgery.

However, patients who were only provided music before surgery did not experience reductions in pain. The researchers also found that several days of listening to music reduced anxiety for up to 8 days after surgery.

The study authors emphasize that several limiting factors need to be taken into consideration when interpreting the findings. For example, some of the trials involved only small numbers of patients. Furthermore, the timing, duration, and type of music varied widely across the studies. 

According to the experts, further research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Regardless, they say that listening to music is a "promising" option for major heart surgery patients.

"Since music intervention has neither risks nor known side effects, but may have a positive effect on patients' health outcomes, healthcare professionals should consider providing perioperative music for patients undergoing cardiac surgery."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://openheart.bmj.com/">Open Heart</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Music reduces pain and anxiety in heart surgery patients

In a new report published by The BMJ, experts have...

Lake heatwaves are expected to become hotter and last longer by the end of this <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/peatlands-could-release-more-than-100-billion-tons-of-carbon-this-century/">century</a>, according to a new report from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> (ESA). 

The study has revealed that the average duration of lake heatwaves could increase by an average of three months under a high greenhouse gas scenario. For some lakes, the shift will be permanent.

Prior to this research, little was known about how global warming will affect the frequency and duration of lake heatwaves, which are characterized by periods of extremely warm surface water temperatures. 

To investigate, a team led by Iestyn Woolway modeled the impact of heatwaves on 702 lakes worldwide from 1901 to 2099. 

The researchers found, for the first time, that heatwaves frequently occur in lakes, and that these extreme events are very sensitive to climate variations. 

The projections indicate that lake heatwaves will become progressively worse over the course of this century, especially if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced. The average duration will increase from around a week to more than three months by 2100.

Even under a conservative emissions scenario, the heatwaves will become hotter and last a month longer on average. According to the study authors, the heatwaves will be less intense but longer lasting in deep lakes. 

The researchers explained that as lakes warm up over the 21st century, heatwaves will extend across all seasons and some lakes will reach a permanent heatwave state.

"Agencies from around the world recently reported that 2020 was part of the warmest decade on record, and climate projections suggest that this warming will continue," said Woodway. 

"Unless climate change is mitigated, our projections suggest that lake heatwaves will become increasingly severe this century, threatening lake biodiversity and pushing ecosystems to the limits of their resilience.”

The research was made possible by the use of long-term satellite observation records generated by ESA’s <a href="https://climate.esa.int/">Climate Change Initiative</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake heatwaves will become hotter and longer lasting

Lake heatwaves are expected to become hotter and last longer...

In a study from <a href="https://www.ncl.ac.uk/">Newcastle University</a>, researchers have investigated how sea level rise may impact coastal airports and disrupt flight routes. The experts found that even a modest increase in global <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-linked-to-low-quality-diets-among-children/">temperatures</a> would place 100 airports below the mean sea level by the end of this century.

The team used computer modeling to analyze the location of more than 14,000 coastal airports around the world and predict their vulnerability to storm surges at both current and future sea levels. 

The study revealed that 269 airports are already at risk of coastal flooding. In addition, a temperature rise of two degrees Celsius would put 100 airports below mean sea level and 364 airports at risk of flooding. Furthermore, if global average temperature rise exceeds two degrees, as many as 572 airports will be at risk by the end of this century.

According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world is now on track for an average temperature rise of three degrees Celsius. The current study suggests that this will lead to major flight disruptions without appropriate adaptation, such as increased flood protection, raising land, or relocation.

The team ranked the coastal airports most threatened by sea level rise based on each airport's flood risk, level of flood protection, and impacts in terms of flight disruption. The airports that are most at risk are in Europe, North America, and Oceania. 

Coastal airports in East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific dominated the top 20 most threatened list, with Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok (BKK) coming in first place. 

"These coastal airports are disproportionately important to the global airline network, and by 2100 between 10 and 20% of all routes will be at risk of disruption," said study co-author Professor Richard Dawson. "Sea level rise therefore poses a serious risk to global passenger and freight movements, with considerable cost of damage and disruption."

"Moreover, some airports, for example in low-lying islands, play critical roles in providing economic, social and medical lifelines."

"The cost of adaptation will be modest in the context of global infrastructure expenditure. However, in some locations the rate of sea level rise, limited economic resources or space for alternative locations will make some airports unviable."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/climate-risk-management">Climate Risk Management</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hundreds of coastal airports are threatened by sea level rise

In a study from Newcastle University, researchers have investigated how...

Research has shown that the most common psychological responses to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/most-severe-covid-19-infections-start-in-the-brain-not-the-lungs/">COVID-19</a> pandemic were anxiety, stress, and depression. A new study from the <a href="https://ics-seville.org/university-of-seville/">University of Seville</a> suggests that having indoor plants protected many people from these negative feelings. The researchers found that exposure to houseplants had a positive influence on mental health during the early months of the COVID-19 lockdown. 

The experts evaluated the role of houseplants during the confinement period from March to June, when many people were deprived of freely visiting green spaces. Previous studies have reported on the psychological benefits of nature, including lower levels of stress and a greater sense of well-being. Exposure to plants has also been linked to more positive feelings and behaviors, as well as less anger and fear. 

"These psychological benefits might be related to the so-called biophilia concept (i.e., a preference for interacting in a natural environment as a consequence of our evolutionary course) and based on theories of restorative effects," wrote the study authors. They noted that these restorative effects help to promote a genuine appreciation for nature that motivates pro-environmental behavior and creates more environmentally aware citizens.

"Furthermore, evidence shows that there is an implicit link between 'nature' and 'outdoors' that results in lower attention attributed to indoor vegetation settings," wrote the researchers. "However, in contemporary societies, the increasing amount of time spent indoors often results in separation from the natural environment."

"Living in environments with minimal or absent use of plants could lead to negative behaviors, such as irritation or hostility. These behaviors might be particularly applicable to the COVID-19 pandemic confinement, which was aggravated by additional negative emotions of fear, disappointment, uncertainty, and stress."

For the current investigation, the experts surveyed more than 4,200 individuals in 46 countries. Overall, 74 percent of the respondents agreed that having houseplants had a positive influence on their emotional well-being during lockdown. More than half of the participants said they would have preferred to have more plants in their home at that time. 

Respondents who did not have houseplants were more likely to report experiencing negative emotions compared to individuals who cared for plants during COVID-19 restrictions. People living in small or poorly lit spaces, as well as those who did not visit green spaces frequently before the pandemic, also experienced more negative emotions.

The researchers found that just over half of respondents spent more time on plant care at home during lockdown. In addition, 63 percent of the participants expressed the desire to care for plants more after the pandemic, while 40 percent said they planned to get more plants for their home. 

According to the researchers, a 2019 review of 50 studies concluded that the strongest effect of houseplants on human behavior is their capacity to increase positive emotions and to reduce negative feelings. 

"For instance, a decrease in the perception of pain, fear, unhappiness, and aggressiveness has been found to be associated with the presence of indoor plants. In addition, stress seems to be reduced in indoor environments enriched with vegetation compared with indoor spaces without plants."

The international study was coordinated by the Research Group for Urban Nature and Biosystems Engineering (NATURIB) from the University of Seville's School of Agricultural Engineering. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/urban-forestry-and-urban-greening">Urban Forestry and Urban Greening</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Houseplants boosted psychological well-being during COVID-19 lockdown

Research has shown that the most common psychological responses to...

Over the course of evolution, sex chromosomes start out as regular, matching chromosomes. Eventually, one of the chromosomes gains a "switch" that causes an embryo to develop as male or <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/blue-orchard-bees-respond-to-fires-by-producing-more-females/">female</a>. 

According to Daniel Winston Bellott of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, it is really easy to make a sex chromosome. "In most cases, you only need to change one or two genes and you've started the sex chromosome system."

In the lab of David Page, Bellott used snakes to study the evolution of sex chromosomes. In particular, he set out to investigate whether certain chromosomes are predisposed to become sex chromosomes

"Snakes have a relatively old system of sex chromosomes, where you have a lot of time for the chromosomes to diverge," said Bellott. "Time has swept away all the genes that aren't important, and you can see what kind of genes are left."

The researchers first gathered a list of "ancestral genes," which were likely present on the chromosome from which the snake sex chromosomes evolved. Based on sequencing data for several species of animals distantly related to snakes, they identified 1,648 candidates. 

Bellott analyzed the genes that are still present on the sex-specific chromosomes of three snake species, including the pygmy rattlesnake, mountain garter snake, and the five-pacer viper. He ultimately found 103 ancestral genes that had persisted for up to 90 million years of evolution on the snakes' sex chromosomes. 

Now that these genes were identified, Bellott wanted to know what these surviving genes had in common that set them apart from the hundreds of genes that were eliminated from the snakes' sex chromosomes over time.

Surprisingly, the study revealed that the ancestral genes that persisted on the sex chromosomes of snakes had nothing to do with sex determination. The genes were not expressed more often in one sex-specific tissue than the other.

The researchers identified key properties that the ancestral genes have in common. For example, the gene must be dosage sensitive - the snake must produce an exact amount of the protein produced by the gene to prevent illness or even death. In addition, the gene is broadly expressed in different tissues across the body. Essntially, the snake depends on these genes for its ability to survive and produce offspring.

Upon further analysis of the function of these survival genes, Bellott discovered that the equivalent of some of the genes in humans are involved in key developmental processes such as the formation of the face. If these genes were mutated in humans, their faces and other body parts would not develop properly.

"What Winston is seeing here is that the genes that were preserved on the sex specific chromosomes in snakes are disproportionately involved in birth defects in people," said Page. "We think that nature is selecting for the survival of (sex chromosome) genes whose dosage in certain parts of embryonic development is especially critical."

Bellott explained that in time, this may allow scientists to predict genes whose role in developmental disorders is yet to be discovered.

"In some sense, you get to the place where you're starting to work the experiment backwards in your mind, and say, 'Let's take the set of genes that are on sex specific chromosomes in snakes and birds, but that have not yet been implicated in birth defects in humans,'" said Page. "They might be prime candidates to be responsible for heretofore unexplained birth defects."

The team compared ancestral genes across the three species of snakes and 38 species of birds and mammals. For the most part, the surviving sex chromosome genes in birds and mammals had different functions than those in snakes, but still had little to do with sex determination.

"Adding the snakes in with the birds and the mammals gave Winston enough data points to be able to see further and to see more precisely, and now for the first time, he was able to confirm something that we had been suspecting for a long time but really didn't have sufficient data to pin down," said Page. "And that is that the chromosomes that became sex chromosomes were not sort of inclined to function in sex differences. Before they got picked out of the crowd, they weren't specialized towards differentiating between the sexes in much of any way."

"I hope people will pick up on this idea that the chromosomes that became sex chromosomes weren't in any way preordained. They were just ordinary chromosomes out for a walk in the park, and something happened."

Going forward, the experts plan to broaden their research to include other animals, with an ultimate goal of understanding our own sex chromosomes. 

"We take these results, and we turn them into a lens through which we look at sex differences in health and disease in our own species," said Page. "This research really refines our ideas about what it means to be a gene on the human X or Y chromosome, and how we should think about those genes that survive."

"Winston's study is absolutely foundational to our understanding of what the sex chromosomes are, how the two sexes come to be, and how health and disease traits play out similarly or differently in males and females."

The study is published in the journal Genome Research.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Snakes depend on their sex chromosomes for survival

Over the course of evolution, sex chromosomes start out as...

An international team of researchers has discovered that catnip and silver vine offer cats more than just feelings of intoxication and euphoria. The chemicals in these attractant plants also provide <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cats-can-fight-off-sars-cov-2-with-no-symptoms-of-infection/">cats</a> with protection from mosquitoes, according to a study led by <a href="https://www.iwate-u.ac.jp/english/">Iwate University</a>.

"The first appearance of silver vine ("Matatabi" in Japanese) as a cat attractant in literature in Japan dates back to more than 300 years ago," said Professor Masao Miyazaki. "A folklore Ukiyo-e drawn in 1859 shows a group of mice trying to tempt some cats with a smell of silver vine. Still, benefits of the cats' response had remained unknown." 

Cats experience undeniable feelings of pleasure when they encounter catnip or silver vine. They rub their faces against the plants and sniff them, roll around on the ground, and ultimately lounge around in a seemingly intoxicated state. 

Despite the strong effects, the specific component of cat attractant plants underlying the response has been a mystery, as well as the neurophysiological mechanisms involved.

The researchers isolated the substances in silver vine leaf extracts and administered each of them to cats. They found that the most potent active ingredient is nepetalactol, which activates the opioid reward system in both domesticated and big jungle cats.

"We applied nepetalactol to laboratory paper filters and tested with eighteen laboratory and seventeen feral cats. They displayed the typical response to silver vine. We also tested the substance with larger, non-domestic cats (jaguar, Amur leopard, and Eurasian lynx). They showed a similar reaction. We concluded nepetalactol is responsible for the typical feline reaction to silver vine," explained study first author Reiko Uenoyama.

The experts theorized that the cats' opioid reward system, which is associated with euphoric effects in humans, is activated by the intoxicating plant compound. 

"We tested β-endorphin levels before and after nepetalactol-induced response in cat blood. We found that silver vine activates the nervous system that is responsible for the euphorigenic reaction," said Professor Miyazaki.

Since this reaction was already shown in feline animals when they evolved from other species about 10 million years ago, the researchers believed that the plant had another biologically important function.

"On the basis of some reports that nepetalactone, the feline attractant in catnip, has mosquito repellent activity, we thought that the response allows cats to transfer plant's nepetalactol or nepetalactone on their fur for protection against mosquitoes. This led to a strong hypothesis when we found the mosquito repellent activity of nepetalactol." said Uenoyama.

To investigate whether cats purposefully transfer nepetalactol, the team placed paper filters with nepetalactol on different parts of the cat cage, including the floor and ceiling. The results of the experiment showed that the cats make it a priority to transfer the substance to their faces and heads.

"Next, we tested the mosquito repellent property of nepetalactol on cats," said Miyazaki. "We counted the numbers of mosquitoes landing on cat heads with and without application of nepetalactol. The mosquitoes landed less on the nepetalactol heads." 

"To see whether mosquitoes react the same in a more natural setting, we compared the mosquito reaction between cats that responded to silver vine leaves and nonresponsive cats. Mosquitoes avoided the responsive cats."

"From these results, we found that the cats' reaction to silver vine is chemical defense against mosquitoes, and perhaps against viruses and parasitic insects. This was the most significant finding of our study."

Based on the results, the researchers see great potential for many future studies and practical applications. 

"Why is this reaction limited to cats? Why don't non-feline animals react to the plant? To find answers, we want to identify the gene responsible for the reaction. The findings of this study may be used in various applications, including development of new mosquito repellant products."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Catnip is not just intoxicating - cats use it to repel mosquitoes

An international team of researchers has discovered that catnip and...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.gsu.edu/">Georgia State University</a> have found evidence that the most severe cases of COVID-19 infection start in the brain, not in the lungs. When the team infected the nasal passages of mice with SARS-COV-2, they observed a rapid, escalating attack on the brain that triggered severe illness.

The symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection of the brain intensified even after the lungs were successfully clearing themselves of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-compounds-in-muscadine-grapes-block-coronavirus-replication/">virus</a>.

Professor Mukesh Kumar, the lead researcher of the study, said the findings have implications for understanding the wide range in symptoms and severity of illness among humans who are infected by the coronavirus.

"Our thinking that it's more of a respiratory disease is not necessarily true," said Professor Kumar. "Once it infects the brain it can affect anything because the brain is controlling your lungs, the heart, everything. The brain is a very sensitive organ. It's the central processor for everything."

The researchers measured virus levels in multiple organs of the infected mice. For comparison, a control group of mice was given a dose of sterile saline solution in their nasal passages.

Early in the pandemic, studies involving mice focused on the lungs and did not examine whether the virus had invaded the brain, explained Professor Kumar. His team found that virus levels in the lungs of infected mice peaked three days after infection, and then began to decline. 

Meanwhile, very high levels of the coronavirus were found in the brains of all the affected mice on the fifth and sixth days. This is also when the severe symptoms emerged, including difficulty breathing, weakness, and disorientatiom. 

Alarmingly, the researchers found that virus levels in the brain were about 1,000 times higher compared to other parts of the body.

According to Professor Kumar, the research could help explain why some COVID-19 patients seem to be on the road to recovery, with improved lung function, only to rapidly relapse and die. 

The findings indicate that the severity of COVID-19, as well as the symptoms of the disease, are influenced by where the coronavirus initially enters the body. Professor Kumar said the nasal passages provide a more direct path to the brain than the mouth. He noted that while the lungs of mice and humans are designed to fend off infections, the brain is ill equipped to launch the immune response needed to clear viruses from the body. 

"The brain is one of the regions where virus likes to hide. That's why we're seeing severe disease and all these multiple symptoms like heart disease, stroke and all these long-haulers with loss of smell, loss of taste. All of this has to do with the brain rather than with the lungs."

Professor Kumar said that COVID-19 survivors whose infections reached their brain have an increased risk of future health problems, including auto-immune diseases, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and cognitive decline.

"It's scary. A lot of people think they got COVID and they recovered and now they're out of the woods. Now I feel like that's never going to be true. You may never be out of the woods."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/viruses">Viruses</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Most severe COVID-19 infections start in the brain, not the lungs

Researchers at Georgia State University have found evidence that the...

Green,Salad,With,Colorful,Tomatoes

A green Mediterranean (MED) diet reduces non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by half, according to a study from <a href="http://bgu.ac.il/en">Ben-Gurion University of the Negev</a>. This modified version of the MED diet targets intrahepatic fat more than other healthy <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-linked-to-low-quality-diets-among-children/">diets</a>, according to the 18-month clinical intervention trial.

Professor Iris Shai, the study's lead researcher, is an epidemiologist in the BGU School of Public Health and an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

"Our research team and other groups over the past 20 years have proven through rigorous randomized long-term trials that the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest," said Professor Shai. "Now, we have refined that diet and discovered elements that can make dramatic changes to hepatic fat and other key health factors." 

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects 25 to 30 percent of people in the United States and Europe. Excessive fat in the liver - 5 percent or higher - leads to type two diabetes, cardiovascular risk, and poor gut health. 

Currently, the only treatment for fatty liver is losing weight and cutting back on alcohol.

The clinical trial conducted for the study, called Direct-Plus, is the first to develop and test a new green Mediterranean diet. The modified MED diet includes the daily consumption of vegetables, walnuts, and green tea. The dietary regimen also includes an aquatic green plant called Mankai, which is rich in protein, iron, B12, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols.

"Addressing this common liver disease by targeted lifestyle intervention might promote a more effective nutritional strategy," said study last author Dr. Anat Yaskolka-Meir. "This clinical trial demonstrates an effective nutritional tool for NAFLD beyond weight loss."

The long-term trial was focused on 294 adults in their fifties with abdominal obesity. The participants were divided into three groups: healthy dietary regimen, Mediterranean diet, and green Mediterranean diet. Before and after the trial, MRI scans were used to measure the exact proportion of excess intrahepatic fat of each individual.

The results showed that every diet led to fatty liver improvement. The greatest reduction of liver fat,, however, was achieved through the green MED diet. This group dropped an average of 39 percent of hepatic fat compared to a 20 percent reduction with the traditional Mediterranean diet and a 12 percent reduction in liver fat with the more general healthy guidelines.

Furthermore, the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease dropped from 62 percent at baseline to 31.5 percent in the green MED group,

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://gut.bmj.com/">Gut</a>.

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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

Green Mediterranean diet reduces fatty liver disease by half

A green Mediterranean (MED) diet reduces non-alcoholic fatty liver disease...

Cell movement is a critical process during the body's development, as differentiated cells must make their way to specific tissues. Cells also mobilize to repair wounds and fight <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/severe-covid-19-infections-may-be-caused-by-overactive-immune-cells/">infections</a>. Meanwhile, cancer cells move to nearby blood vessels to spread to other parts of the body.

The speed of cell movement, or cell velocity, is controlled by how sticky the surface is beneath it. However, the exact mechanisms underlying cell movement and velocity have remained a mystery for decades. 

To investigate, experts at the <a href="https://www.mdc-berlin.de/">Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association</a> (MDC) developed a new mathematical model. The researchers have finally captured, for the first time, the precise mechanics and forces involved in cell movement.

"The mathematical model we developed can now be used by researchers to predict how different cells will behave on various substrates," said study co-lead author Professor Martin Falcke. "Understanding these basic movements in precise detail could provide new targets to interrupt tumor metastasis."

In collaboration with experimental physicists at Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, a team of theoretical physicists at MDC tracked the speed of more than 15,000 cancer cells as they moved along narrow lanes on a sticky surface. The stickiness of the surface alternated between low and high, which allowed the experts to observe what happens as a cell transitions between dynamic stickiness levels like those present in the human body.

Professor Falcke and PhD student Behnam Amiri used the large dataset to develop a mathematical equation that represents the factors involved in cell movement.

"Previous mathematical models trying to explain cell migration and motility are very specific, they only work for one feature or cell type," said Amiri. "What we tried to do here is keep it as simple and general as possible."

The model not only matched the data gathered at LMU, but was also validated by measurements of various other cell types taken over the past 30 years. "This is exciting," said Professor Falcke. "It's rare that you find a theory explaining such a large spectrum of experimental results."

During movement, a cell pushes out its membrane in the direction it is traveling while expanding an internal network of actin filaments. The cell peels off its back end, and the speed at which this occurs depends on adhesion bonds between the cell and the surface beneath it. 

The actin network needs friction to mobilize the cell. This means that when there are no adhesive bonds, the cell struggles to move because the actin network does not have anything to push off against.

"When you are on ice skates you cannot push a car, only when there is enough friction between your shoes and the ground can you push a car," explained Professor Falcke.

More friction is created as the number of bonds increase, and the cell can generate more force. The cell can then move faster, until the point when it is too sticky to swiftly pull off its back end, and the cell slows down again. 

The researchers investigated what happens when the front and back ends of the cell experience different levels of stickiness. They were especially interested in what happens when it is stickier under the back end of the cell than the front. Would the cell get stuck if it cannot generate enough force to pull off the back end? The experts determined that the cell may get slowed way down, but does not get stuck. 

Professor Falcke said the most challenging part was to wrap his mind around the fact that this mechanism works only with friction forces, because there is nothing for the cell to firmly latch onto. The friction-like forces are what allows the cell to keep moving, even when bonds are stronger in the back than in the front. In this case, the cell slowly peeled itself off like scotch tape. 

"Even if you pull just a little with a weak force, you are still able to peel the tape off - very slowly, but it comes off," said Professor Falcke. "This is how the cell keeps itself from getting stuck."

The findings provide new insight for developmental biology, as well as for potential cancer treatments. Currently, the team is investigating how cells move in two dimensions, including how they make hard right and left turns and U-turns.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of National Academy of Science</a>.

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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

The precise mechanics of cell movement are finally revealed

Cell movement is a critical process during the body's development,...

As Earth's temperatures continue to rise, the tropical rain belt is expected to make a permanent shift to the north. A new study from <a href="https://uci.edu/">UC Irvine</a> confirms that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-worlds-oceans-have-become-less-resilient-to-climate-change/">climate</a> change will alter the position of the rain belt, but reveals that the changes will be regionally inconsistent.

The interdisciplinary research team - consisting of environmental engineers, Earth system scientists, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collecting-dna-from-rivers-uncovers-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data science experts</a> - warns that the uneven shifting of the tropical rain belt could threaten food security for billions of people.

The tropical rain belt, a band of heavy rainfall near the equator, is known to migrate northward and southward with the seasonal movement of the sun. 

The new study shows that the consistency of these annual migration patterns will be disrupted by climate change, and not all parts of the tropics will be affected equally.

For example, the rain belt will move north in parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, and south in parts in the Western Hemisphere.

According to the study authors, a northward shift of the tropical rain belt over eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean will result in future increases of drought stress in southeastern Africa and Madagascar. This climate pattern will also amplify flooding in southern India. 

Furthermore, as a result of the rain belt moving southward over the eastern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Central America will experience more intense drought conditions.

"Our work shows that climate change will cause the position of Earth's tropical rain belt to move in opposite directions in two longitudinal sectors that cover almost two thirds of the globe, a process that will have cascading effects on water availability and food production around the world," explained study lead author Antonios Mamalakis.

For the investigation, the experts analyzed computer simulations from 27 advanced climate models. They measured the tropical rain belt's response to a scenario in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise through the end of the century.

Mamalakis said the sweeping shift detected in his work was disguised in previous modeling studies that provided a global average of the influence of climate change on the tropical rain belt. His team was able to predict the drastic upcoming changes by isolating the response in the Eastern and Western Hemisphere zones.

"In Asia, projected reductions in aerosol emissions, glacier melting in the Himalayas and loss of snow cover in northern areas brought on by climate change will cause the atmosphere to heat up faster than in other regions," said study co-author James Randerson. 

"We know that the rain belt shifts toward this heating, and that its northward movement in the Eastern Hemisphere is consistent with these expected impacts of climate change."

The weakening of the Gulf Stream current and deep-water formation in the North Atlantic is likely to have the opposite effect, causing a southward shift in the tropical rain belt across the Western Hemisphere, explained Randerson.

"The complexity of the Earth system is daunting, with dependencies and feedback loops across many processes and scales," said study co-author Professor Efi Foufoula-Georgiou.

"This study combines the engineering approach of system's thinking with data analytics and climate science to reveal subtle and previously unrecognized manifestations of global warming on regional precipitation dynamics and extremes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate">Nature Climate Change</a>.

---

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

Drastic changes ahead for the Earth's tropical rain belt

As Earth's temperatures continue to rise, the tropical rain belt...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/">University of Tsukuba</a> has identified a group of neurons in the brain that restrict movement during REM sleep. This new understanding of how the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/disagreements-demand-more-space-in-the-brain/">brain</a> paralyzes the body throughout REM sleep may ultimately provide a target for disorders like narcolepsy and cataplexy.

During REM sleep, our eyes move back and forth as we dream, but our bodies remain still. This protective state of temporary paralysis of the arms and legs, known as atonia, does not occur in people with REM sleep behavior disorder. 

Instead of lying still, people with REM sleep behavior disorder experience muscle movement. These individuals may stand up, jump around, and even yell or punch as they are dreaming.

The Tsukuba team set out to identify the neurons in the brain that promote atonia. Using a mouse model, the researchers found a specific group of neurons located in the ventral medial medulla that were the most likely candidates. These particular neurons receive input from another brain region called the sublaterodorsal tegmental nucleus (SLD).

"The anatomy of the neurons we found matched what we know," explained study lead author Professor Takeshi Sakurai. "They were connected to neurons that control voluntary movements, but not those that control muscles in the eyes or internal organs. Importantly, they were inhibitory, meaning that they can prevent muscle movement when active." 

When the researchers blocked the input to these neurons, the mice started moving during their sleep, just like someone with REM sleep behavior disorder.

People with narcolepsy can suddenly fall asleep at any time during the day, even in mid-sentence. Individuals with cataplexy suddenly lose muscle tone and collapse as if they are in a state of REM sleep when they are actually awake

Professor Sakurai and his team theorized that the special neurons they identified were related to both disorders. To investigate, the experts used a mouse model of narcolepsy in which cataplexic attacks could be triggered by chocolate. 

"We found that silencing the SLD-to-ventral medial medulla reduced the number of cataplexic bouts," said Professor Sakurai.

The experiments revealed that these special circuits control muscle atonia in both REM sleep and cataplexy. 

"The glycinergic neurons we have identified in the ventral medial medulla could be a good target for drug therapies for people with narcolepsy, cataplexy, or REM sleep behavior disorder," said Professor Sakurai. 

"Future studies will have to examine how emotions, which are known to trigger cataplexy, can affect these neurons."

The study is published in the Journal of <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/">Neuroscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How the brain paralyzes the body during REM sleep

A new study from the University of Tsukuba has identified...

A groundbreaking study from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a> is providing new insight into the long-term <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/gut-health-may-protect-you-from-severe-covid-19/">health</a> benefits of breastfeeding. The researchers have discovered why breastfed babies have vastly improved immune systems, get sick less often, and recover more quickly. 

Breastfeeding has been linked to better health from infancy to adulthood. Previous research has shown that breastfed babies are less likely to develop a wide range of chronic conditions later in life, including obesity, diabetes, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. Breastfed babies are also known to be much less prone to gut, ear, and respiratory infections. 

Despite the enormous health benefits associated with breastfeeding, the underlying biological mechanisms have remained unclear. Researchers have now discovered, for the first time, that breastfeeding increases a specific type of immune cells - regulatory T cells - in the first three weeks of life. These immune cells were found to be nearly twice as abundant in breastfed babies compared to babies who were fed formula.

Furthermore, the study revealed that breastfed babies have more abundant beneficial gut bacteria - Veillonella and Gemella - which specifically support the function of regulatory T cells. According to the researchers, the findings emphasize the importance of breastfeeding.

Study senior author Gergely Toldi is a researcher at the University of Birmingham and consultant neonatologist at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

"The influence of the type of milk received on the development of the immune response has not previously been studied in the first few weeks of life," said Toldi. "Prior to our research the outstanding importance and the early involvement of this specific cell type in breastfed babies was unknown."

"We hope this invaluable new insight will lead to an increase in rates of breastfeeding and will see more babies benefit from the advantages of receiving breastmilk."

"Furthermore, we hope for those babies who are formula fed, these results will contribute to optimising the composition of formula milk in order to exploit these immunological mechanisms. We are very grateful for the mums and babies who contributed to this special project."

Going forward, the researchers will further investigate this biological mechanism in sick and preterm newborn babies who have developed inflammatory complications.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13989995">Allergy</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study reveals why breastfed babies live healthier lives

A groundbreaking study from the University of Birmingham is providing...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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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



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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



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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"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&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.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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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.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



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.

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes a new map of Mars that is providing insight into the planet’s watery past. The map also reveals where future missions could safely land on Mars.&nbsp;



The map has been created over the last decade using observations of water-rich rocks and mineral deposits. The images were captured by ESA’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.



"A big surprise is the prevalence of these minerals, with the map revealing hundreds of thousands of water-affected locations in the oldest parts of the planet," says ESA. "The new data will help answer exciting questions about Mars’ climate history, whether water was globally persistent or confined to short, intense episodes, and whether the conditions were ever suitable for life."



"Specifically, the map shows the locations and abundances of aqueous minerals. These are from rocks that have been chemically altered by the action of water in the past, and have typically been transformed into clays and salts."



According to John Carter of the Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS), our collective understanding of Mars has been oversimplified. He explained that planetary scientists have tended to think that only a few types of clay minerals on Mars were created during its wet period, then as the water gradually dried up, salts were produced across the planet.



The new map shows that the composition of Mars is much more complicated than what we thought. For example, while many salts formed after Martian clays, there are some salts that are presumed to be older than some of the clays.&nbsp;



“The evolution from lots of water to no water is not as clear cut as we thought, the water didn’t just stop overnight. We see a huge diversity of geological contexts, so that no one process or simple timeline can explain the evolution of the mineralogy of Mars. That’s the first result of our study. The second is that if you exclude life processes on Earth, Mars exhibits a diversity of mineralogy in geological settings just as Earth does,” said Carter.



Video 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 history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



The experts found that the muscle metabolism of cavefish has been genetically reprogrammed over time. As a result, the animals have experienced major changes in their morphology and behavior. Despite these changes, however, the cavefish remain healthy and fit.



The research may provide new clues about the evolutionary consequences of prolonged physical inactivity in humans.&nbsp;



“It’s no surprise that people are moving less and less as technology has advanced,” said Rohner. “With cavefish, we have a unique system where we can study what might happen if people remained couch potatoes over very, very long periods of time.”



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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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.

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



"With more than 370,000 miles of coastline on Earth, there are plenty of places where epic waves build up, curl over, and hurtle toward the shore.- much to the thrill of surfers," says NASA. "There are some places where these waves are so magnificent that they can be seen from space."



"With the broad perspective of satellites, we can see how these iconic waves develop into the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest."



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&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.

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...