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...

Earlier this month, astronomers studying the young star V883 Orionis reported spotting complex organic molecules floating in its dusty disk that's in the process of forming planets. 



The discovery hints that life’s chemical toolbox gets stocked well before rocky worlds are even stirred together.



Among the 17 molecular species identified were ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile, both considered stepping stones toward sugars and amino acids.



The <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adec6e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">project</a> was led by <a href="https://www.mpia.de/person/131029/6218661" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Abubakar Fadul</a> at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (<a href="https://www.mpia.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPIA</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-young-star-named-v883-orionis">Young star named V883 Orionis</h2>



V883 Orionis, which is 1,300 light-years away in Orion, is flaring as it gorges on infalling gas, briefly raising parts of its protoplanetary disk above the water-ice line. 



That extra warmth liberates chemicals that were frozen onto dust grains, which sends tell-tale radio signals toward Earth.



Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile (<a href="https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a>), Fadul’s team mapped radiation frequencies between 348 and 366 GHz, isolating 15 emission lines from ethylene glycol and six from glycolonitrile.



The hotter molecule traces gas around 570°F (300°C), while its cooler cousin prefers about 190°F (88°C).



“Our finding points to a straight line of chemical enrichment and increasing complexity between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-collided-with-an-interstellar-cloud-millions-of-years-ago/">interstellar clouds</a> and fully evolved planetary systems,” said Fadul.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-molecules-freed-from-ice">Life molecules freed from ice</h2>



Comet observations show that ethylene glycol easily slips from ice when sunlight or mild heat lofts it into space. V883 Orionis supplies the same gentle oven, but on a grander, disk-wide scale.



Glycolonitrile has been detected in dense clouds near the galactic center, proving it can form and survive in harsh stellar nurseries. Its presence in V883 Orionis suggests that survival continues right into the planet-building zone.



In space, ethylene glycol can oxidize into glycolaldehyde, a simple, two-carbon sugar. That sugar was spotted around a young solar-type protostar in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-found-orbiting-the-closest-star-to-our-sun-barnards-star/">Ophiuchus</a> nine years ago.



Laboratory experiments show that glycolonitrile reacts with ammonia to yield glycine, the simplest amino acid, and joins with other nitriles to make adenine, one of DNA’s four bases.



Finding both precursors in the same disk raises the possibility that sugars, acids, and nascent genetic material can migrate together onto pebbles that will seed future planets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-s-chemistry-in-v883-orionis-dust">Life’s chemistry in V883 Orionis' dust</h2>



Many researchers believed outbursts and radiation destroyed inherited molecules, requiring disks to completely rebuild their chemistry from scratch. The new observation tilts the debate back toward inheritance.



Spectral surveys of massive, star-forming cores already list more than two hundred organic species, including ethylene glycol and relatives.



Chemical models show methanol, once locked in ice, endures for millions of years in disk midplanes, later feeding bigger molecules such as ethylene glycol.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/complex-organic-molecules_star-V883-Orionis_life-origin-space_credit-ESO_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/complex-organic-molecules_star-V883-Orionis_life-origin-space_credit-ESO_1s.webp" alt="This artist's impression shows the planet-forming disk around the star V883 Orionis. In the outermost part of the disk, volatile gases are frozen out as ice, which contains complex organic molecules. The inset image shows the chemical structure of complex organic molecules detected and presumed in the protoplanetary disk (from left to right): propionitrile (ethyl cyanide), glycolonitrile, alanine, glycine, ethylene glycol, and acetonitrile (methyl cyanide). Credit: ESO/MPIA/HdA" class="wp-image-1979639"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This artist's impression shows the planet-forming disk around the star V883 Orionis. In the outermost part of the disk, volatile gases are frozen out as ice, which contains complex organic molecules. The inset image shows the chemical structure of complex organic molecules detected and presumed in the protoplanetary disk (from left to right): propionitrile (ethyl cyanide), glycolonitrile, alanine, glycine, ethylene glycol, and acetonitrile (methyl cyanide). Click image to enlarge. Credit: ESO/MPIA/HdA</figcaption></figure>



Because the outburst heats a wide area of the disk, astronomers can track the chemistry across different regions. 



These regions will eventually become asteroid belts, icy rings, and zones where giant planets form - offering a preview of the chemical layout in developing planetary systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-ice-holds-life-clues">Ancient ice holds life clues</h2>



Rosetta’s <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Rosetta/ROSINA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ROSINA instrument</a> sniffed glycine venting from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organic-molecules-found-throughout-the-universe-hint-that-life-began-in-deep-space/">comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko</a> in 2016. That find proved that amino acid building blocks can hitch rides on icy bodies that eventually rain down on young planets.



Ethylene glycol has turned up in the tails of comets like Lemmon and Lovejoy, underscoring the match between solar system leftovers and V883 Orionis chemistry.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seven-new-dark-comets-discovered-in-our-solar-system/">Comets</a> act as time capsules, preserving the Sun’s protoplanetary ice for 4.5 billion years.



Each molecular match between those relics and faraway disks strengthens the argument that the delivery of life-building organics to young planets is a standard step, not a quirk of our history



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gaps-the-models-must-close">Gaps the models must close</h2>



Current disk simulations underproduce glycolonitrile, indicating that additional surface pathways, such as UV-driven reactions between formaldehyde, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-about-jupiters-clouds-not-ammonia-ice-leaves-astronomers-astonished/">ammonia</a>, and hydrogen cyanide, are still missing.



Adding these energetic routes may also explain why the molecule pops into the gas so readily during stellar flares.



Laboratory studies on cold-grain chemistry continue to improve our understanding of reaction networks. 



However, these networks often leave out the latest radiation experiments, forcing scientists to estimate reaction rates that are still poorly measured.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-still-remain">Questions still remain</h2>



The ALMA spectra show almost no sign of glycolaldehyde, even though the molecule readily converts to ethylene glycol in laboratory ice studies. 



Researchers wonder whether rapid hydrogenation or destruction by hydroxyl radicals keeps the sugar’s signature too faint to see.



Better spectral resolution and follow-up at other wavelengths will help disentangle blended lines and perhaps reveal even heftier organics, from simple peptides to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/phospholipid-synthesis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phospholipid precursors</a>.



Scientists still don’t know whether the chemical levels change across the disk or follow patterns called snow lines for each molecule. Answering that question would take sharper images than ALMA can currently provide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-v883-orionis">Next steps for V883 Orionis</h2>



The team plans to revisit V883 Orionis once the outburst subsides, so that they can compare hot and cold chemistry in the same system. Such time-lapse snapshots could show which molecules linger and which vanish as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">disk</a> cools.



Meanwhile, other groups are targeting similar flare-up stars of different ages, aiming to chart a timeline of organic complexity across the journey from interstellar cloud to comet.



Future disk surveys with the upcoming <a href="https://ngvla.nrao.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ngVLA</a> will be ten times more sensitive. This could help detect sugars, peptides, and key cell-forming molecules in many star-forming regions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planets-may-start-life-ready">Planets may start life-ready</h2>



If most disks start with a rich stockpile of prebiotic molecules, nascent planets everywhere may inherit a chemical head start on life. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-meteorites-can-be-traced-to-three-asteroid-families/">Meteorites</a> that fall to Earth have been found to contain the building blocks of genetic material, like cytosine and uracil.&nbsp;



Scientists already simulate how comet impacts on young planets like Earth could have delivered the building blocks of life. 



Now, they’re extending those simulations to distant star systems like V883 Orionis to see if young planets there could receive similar amounts.



The new ALMA data suggest that delivery service begins well before meteorites form, boosting the odds that rocky worlds across the galaxy begin their stories with similar ingredients.



The study is published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/adec6e" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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Complex molecules found orbiting a young star strongly point to the origins of life

Earlier this month, astronomers studying the young star V883 Orionis...

Touch is the oldest language of bonding. From a parent cradling an infant to grooming among primates, pleasant tactile stimulation sparks attachment across the animal kingdom.



A new study pushes that insight a step further, showing that the same principle can cross species lines: young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-have-a-very-complex-social-life/">rats</a> repeatedly “tickled” by human fingers start to seek out those hands, and their brains rewire to make the contact feel rewarding.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rats-laugh-during-rough-play">Rats laugh during rough play</h2>



Juvenile rats love rough‑and‑tumble play. When they tussle, they emit rapid bursts of ultrasonic calls around 50 kHz - inaudible to us but easy to pick up with microphones. Neuroscientists interpret these chirps as a sign of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/finding-joy-again-new-therapy-eases-opioid-cravings/">joy</a>.



Earlier work showed that rats produce the same 50 kHz giggles when a person lightly strokes and flips them, imitating play wrestling. With enough sessions, the animals begin to follow the experimenter’s hand, eager for more.



In the new research, a team led by Dr. Himeka Hayashi and Professor Hirotaka Sakamoto from <a href="https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/index_e.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Okayama University</a> tickled adolescent rats for five minutes twice a day over ten days.



At first, the animals chirped only occasionally, but starting on day five, they consistently produced such vocalizations in response to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/after-centuries-of-debate-we-still-dont-know-how-tickling-works/">tickling</a>. By day ten the calls poured out, clear evidence that repeated touch felt good.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preference-grows-for-human-touch">Preference grows for human touch</h2>



After the training, the scientists ran a conditioned place preference test. Each rat could roam between two chambers, one linked to tickling in earlier sessions and one neutral. 



The animals spent a larger amount of time in the tickling room after the test as compared to before, a behavioral sign that they now preferred the place associated with human hands.



The finding delighted the researchers on a personal level. “We have always been curious about how humans and animals can form bonds despite having no shared language or lifestyle,” Hayashi said.



“We wondered whether the connection we felt with animals was real or just our imagination. Through this study, we discovered that rats genuinely enjoy interacting with us - which brought us great happiness.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-touch-and-human-animal-bonding">Touch and human-animal bonding</h2>



Pleasure alone was only half the story. The researchers also wanted to see what changed inside the brain. They focused on the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial hypothalamus, or VMHvl, a region already linked to social behaviors in rodents.



After the ten‑day regimen the rats showed increased expression of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxytocin-is-crucial-beyond-its-role-as-the-love-hormone/">oxytocin</a> receptors in that hub. Oxytocin, often called the bonding hormone, surges during maternal care, pair bonding, and even friendly hugs in humans.



To test cause and effect, the scientists blocked oxytocin signaling specifically in the VMHvl. The result was striking. Without that chemical handshake, the rats’ new fondness for human touch faded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-touch-connects-hormone-to-behavior">Touch connects hormone to behavior</h2>



Where does the oxytocin come from? Using neural tracing techniques, the team followed fibers leading into the VMHvl and identified a subset that starts in the supraoptic nucleus, a part of the brain that houses magnocellular neurons known for pumping out oxytocin.



Those long projections suggest a direct anatomical route by which tactile joy travels from a high‑level hormone center to the limbic machinery that tags experiences as good or bad.



“We revealed part of the neural circuitry underlying why naturally wary animals become attached to humans,” Hayashi explained.



“We discovered that during the process of rats becoming tame to human hands, the action of oxytocin in a specific brain region (VMHvl) mediates the effects of pleasant tactile stimulation and controls the formation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-bonds-drive-learning-in-monkeys-and-humans-alike/">social bonds</a> across species.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-animal-bonding-beyond-rats">Human-animal bonding beyond rats</h2>



Most companion‑animal owners sense that stroking a cat or dog soothes both parties. The new results give that intuition a mechanistic footing and hint at therapeutic spin‑offs.



“The discovery that pleasant tactile stimulation facilitates cross‑species social bonding could lead to a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying both social interaction difficulties and the therapeutic effects of physical contact with animals such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cats-have-become-one-of-the-worlds-most-invasive-predators/">cats</a> and dogs,” Hayashi said.



“This knowledge may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic and support approaches for individuals who struggle with social interactions.”



Nearly 150 years after Darwin wondered how new social ties emerge, the answer for rats and humans appears remarkably simple: persistent, playful touch tunes the same ancient hormone system that once glued mothers to pups.



Unlocking that circuit not only turns skittish rodents into willing partners but may also open doors to treatments that use controlled touch to ease loneliness and boost social confidence in people.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00650-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0960982225006505%3Fshowall%3Dtrue" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Tickled rats reveal how human-animal bonds form in the brain

Touch is the oldest language of bonding. From a parent...

In the summer of 2002, the smoke in the air caught Loretta Mickley’s attention. She was on vacation in Western Massachusetts when the sunlight turned strange.



“There was something kind of sparkly about the air,” she recalled. “I’d never seen anything like it, and I said to my husband, ‘What’s going on?’ I’m an atmospheric chemist - I should know, right?”



The shimmering particles turned out to be soot, carried by wind from a wildfire in Quebec. That was over two decades ago. Since then, smoke has gone from a curiosity to a central focus of Mickley’s work.



She’s now a senior research fellow at the <a href="https://seas.harvard.edu/">John A. Paulson</a> School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. Her research is part of a growing wave of attention on wildfire smoke - where it comes from, what it carries, and what it’s doing to our health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfire-smoke-wasn-t-always-on-the-radar">Wildfire smoke wasn't always on the radar</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">Wildfires</a> have burned for as long as the planet has existed. But for many years, their consequences were overlooked.



“For a long time, smoke was not considered very important,” Mickley said. "People thought of climate change as temperature and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/">sea level rise</a>, and that was it."



"They didn't realize there could be this other consequence of climate change that could be terribly scary, terribly bad for human health - not just close to the fire, but many miles downwind.”



That perception is changing fast. Today, scientists are working across disciplines to understand smoke in detail. 



Chemists break down its chemical components. Engineers build tools to sample the air in and around fire zones. Medical researchers track how it enters the human body. Environmental scientists model future fire risks as the planet heats up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-travels-far-and-so-does-the-risk">Smoke travels far - and so does the risk</h2>



Mickley has co-authored dozens of studies on wildfire smoke since 2015. Her work spans continents, even when she doesn’t travel to the fire sites herself.



“I look at agricultural fires in India, and their smoke, which affect millions of people,” she said. “I don't go to these places, but we've done work in the Amazon, work in Australia … working with local people as much as possible.”



What researchers are finding is that wildfire smoke is not just dirty air - it’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/almost-everyone-in-europe-breathes-toxic-air/">toxic</a>. When vegetation, buildings, or vehicles burn, they release not only <a href="https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Soot" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soot</a>, but also heavy metals and organic compounds that can damage the body.



According to Mickley, many of these chemicals can “attach to and react with human cells.” 



In places like Southern California, where wildfires often spread into developed areas, the smoke can contain harmful synthetic compounds like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-threaten-arctic-wildlife-and-human-health/">PFAS</a> - chemicals linked to cancer and hormonal disruption. These compounds don’t break down easily and can linger in the environment for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-particles-big-health-risks">Tiny particles, big health risks</h2>



The real threat lies in the size of the particles. Most of the health damage comes from PM2.5 - particles that are 2.5 microns in diameter, or smaller. That’s about 20 times smaller than the width of a human hair.



Pollen grains are roughly four times larger than PM2.5 particles, and they get stuck in the nose. By contrast, PM2.5 specks are small enough to enter deep into the lungs and also into the bloodstream. 



"It causes a cascade of inflammation, and it can wreak havoc on <a href="https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/health-effects-attributed-wildfire-smoke">health</a>,” stated Nicholas Nassikas, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He’s also a pulmonologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-cost-of-wildfire-smoke-exposure">Human cost of wildfire smoke exposure</h2>



In a study of wildfires in Australia, Mickley and her colleagues found that pregnant women exposed to prolonged smoke had higher risks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-increased-premature-birth-risk-by-60/">premature birth</a>, miscarriage, or needing intensive care for their newborns.



And It’s not just lung or heart disease that are involved. Smoke may worsen COVID-19 symptoms. Early research hints at a link between smoke exposure and dementia. 



Furthermore, hospitals report a rise in emergency visits for multiple conditions after days of smoky air - especially among older adults.



At the Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, researchers are digging deeper into these effects. Kari Nadeau and her lab are part of the LA Fire HEALTH Study, which looks at how smoke affects people who live and work along the fire lines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-s-impact-on-human-cells">Smoke's impact on human cells</h2>



In a June study, researchers examined blood samples from 31 Californians - both firefighters and civilians - who had been exposed to wildfire smoke. 



The experts compared these samples to a control group with no exposure. The results were striking.



“Normally, immune cells are highly regulated, but after smoke exposure, some of those cells begin to behave abnormally - to be hyperactivated,” said study co-author Abhinav Kaushik. Some immune cells, burdened with cadmium and mercury, simply died.



Heavy-metal exposure was most severe among long-term firefighters. Kaushik noted that this may explain the chronic diseases that firefighters experience disproportionately, from cancer to asthma. "Smoke has surfaced as a public-health emergency - no doubt about that,” he added.



The team’s next step is to expand the study and look for a biomarker - something in the blood that would signal smoke exposure. That could help doctors catch issues early or measure the long-term impact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-fires-bigger-numbers">Big fires, bigger numbers</h2>



Even now, the data tells a troubling story. Mickley and co-authors at Harvard and the University of British Columbia estimated that wildfire smoke caused nearly 37,000 excess deaths in 2020 alone.



The range is wide - between 25,000 and 47,000 - but the implication is clear. "In my mind, the exact number is not so important, just that we know it's a big number,” Mickley said. 



“Our goal in giving these numbers is to highlight the sense of urgency and the possible human hazards that follow wildfire smoke which, in turn, is caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">climate change</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-climate-regime">A new climate regime</h2>



Wildfires feed on dry air, lightning, and heat - all of which are becoming more common as the planet warms. In 2014, Mickley and then-postdoctoral researcher Xu Yue projected that California’s burn area would double by mid-century under one climate scenario. 



What used to be considered an “extreme fire year” in Southern California - about 25,000 acres burned - could become routine. That threshold has already been surpassed in 2025.



At public talks and alumni events, Mickley shares practical steps: wear N95 masks on smoky days, use HEPA filters indoors, and rethink how we manage fire. 



Rather than suppressing every blaze, she advocates for controlled burns to prevent massive, fuel-fed wildfires. However, Mickley stresses that individual actions and local policies can only do so much.



“Wildfire is natural. We're entering a new climate regime that is not - that is at least in large part, due to the greenhouse gases we're pumping into the atmosphere. And this is a recipe for disaster.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://phys.org/journals/environmental-science-technology/">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.



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Wildfire smoke is an escalating public health emergency

In the summer of 2002, the smoke in the air...

Modern love stories are rarely built on feelings alone. They are shaped by logistics, timing, and increasingly, financial security.



With more people putting off relationships and marriage, researchers are digging into the reasons why. Career ambitions, shifting social norms, and lifestyle choices all contribute - but one factor stands out above the rest: income.



Psychologists Geoff MacDonald from the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Toronto</a> and Johanna Peetz from <a href="https://carleton.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carleton University</a> analyzed data from over 4,800 singles in the U.S. and Germany. They found consistent patterns across cultures. 



Higher income did not boost satisfaction with being single but did spark stronger interest in romantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emojis-help-people-feel-closer-in-their-relationships/">partnership</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-boosts-relationship-desire">Income boosts relationship desire</h2>



Across both studies, income had no effect on how satisfied people felt while single. Many affluent singles still expressed discontent. This suggests financial comfort does not improve singlehood joy. Instead, it increases motivation to find a partner.



The researchers also tested whether gender played a role. While the German sample found a stronger effect of income on men’s relationship odds, the overall pattern showed few gender differences in romantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mutual-relationships-with-nature-offer-hope-for-a-sustainable-future/">readiness</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-feel-emotionally-ready-to-date">People feel emotionally ready to date</h2>



According to Relationship Receptivity Theory, people consider both desire and readiness when entering relationships. Income influences both. 



Higher income individuals feel more prepared emotionally and practically. They can afford transportation, dates, and their own private space.



“I think people get that they are not going to be able to enjoy a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-might-say-i-love-you-first-to-show-they-care/">relationship</a> if they are working 80 hours a week, or if they're not sure where they're going to live next year,” noted MacDonald.



The study conducted in the U.S. included follow-up surveys six months later. Participants with higher income were more likely to start relationships during that time, even after accounting for age and gender.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-stability-encourages-dating">Financial stability encourages dating</h2>



Financial peace of mind helps people focus on higher-level needs like companionship. According to Maslow’s hierarchy and related theories, people tackle basic needs first. When those are met, social and romantic needs become more salient.



A higher income may also increase one’s sense of personal power. This could encourage more dating efforts and confidence in romantic interactions. 



For example, some studies suggest that income boosts assertiveness in pursuing potential partners.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-drives-relationship-desire">Income drives relationship desire</h2>



Participants who wanted a relationship - particularly those with higher incomes - were more likely to start one later on. 



Interestingly, being happy while single didn’t make someone less likely to begin dating. Income was more strongly linked to a person’s sense of readiness and intention than to how content they felt emotionally.



The German data showed that current income, not income changes, mattered most. This reinforces the idea that stability in the moment is key - not temporary financial bumps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-does-income-matter-more-for-men">Does income matter more for men? </h2>



Although most results showed gender parity, the German dataset revealed one twist. Income boosted relationship odds more strongly for men than women. Cultural expectations around men as financial providers may play a role.



Still, the broader takeaway is this: across cultures and genders, more money means greater motivation to partner.



“People may not want to take the step towards commitment until they have that economic foundation,” noted MacDonald.



This research links personal finances with bigger social issues. Rising singlehood rates, lower birth rates, and growing loneliness may all tie back to economic insecurity. Helping young adults reach financial stability could indirectly support relationship <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/partners-who-view-the-world-the-same-way-feel-more-secure/">formation</a>.



Policy tools like affordable housing, paid apprenticeships, and income support could make a difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-and-relationship-readiness">Income and relationship-readiness</h2>



The research invites us to reconsider the long-held belief that love operates solely within the emotional realm. 



While emotions like affection, attraction, and companionship remain central, the decision to pursue and maintain a romantic relationship often hinges on more practical foundations - particularly financial security.



The findings suggest that emotional desire alone may not be enough to motivate relationship pursuit. Instead, economic readiness acts as a gatekeeper, determining whether individuals feel prepared to commit their time, energy, and resources to someone else.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-search-for-love">The search for love </h2>



Wanting love might be nearly universal, a basic human impulse shared across cultures and societies. But the capacity to actively seek out and sustain that love often relies on whether someone feels financially stable. 



Without this foundation, people may choose to delay or avoid relationships altogether, not out of lack of interest, but out of rational concern for their ability to manage the responsibilities that come with partnership.



So, can money buy love? Not in a literal sense. But it can create the conditions in which love feels possible. It grants individuals the breathing room to prioritize connection and take steps toward emotional intimacy. 



In that way, while money may not purchase love itself, it certainly buys the readiness to search for it.



The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jomf.70000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Marriage and Family</a>.



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Why singles with higher incomes feel more ready for love

Modern love stories are rarely built on feelings alone. They...

A seahorse species found only on Australia’s east coast is at the heart of a quiet conservation project in Sydney Harbor. 



White’s seahorse is shy, delicate, and now one of the only seahorse species in the world officially listed as endangered. One major reason? Its home is disappearing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-disappearing-seagrass-meadow">A disappearing seagrass meadow</h2>



Researchers from <a href="https://www.unswcollege.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNSW Sydney</a> have found that one of the seahorse’s key habitats, a native seagrass called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-plant-found-in-western-australia/">Posidonia australis</a>, has nearly vanished from Sydney’s coastline. 



Urban expansion, pollution, dredging, and boat traffic have all played a role in wiping out these once-extensive meadows over the past 50 years.



“As the seagrass meadows disappear, so too do the species that depend on them,” said Professor Adriana Vergés. She's part of the Greener Pastures conservation project, and a lead figure in Operation Posidonia and Project Restore - both focused on bringing life back to the harbor.



“There is minimal Posidonia remaining in Sydney Harbor,” noted Professor Vergés. “Historically, these meadows were extensive but coastal development and physical disturbances have wiped much of them out." 



"We predict Posidonia will be locally extinct from Sydney Harbor within the next couple of decades unless we do something about it.”



These meadows aren’t just pretty patches of greenery. They play a key role in keeping the shoreline stable, stopping erosion, storing carbon, and giving marine species places to feed and breed.



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



Seahorses don’t swim like most fish. They float upright and use their prehensile tails to grip seagrass leaves, coral, or sponges. It’s how they stay put when the currents get strong.



“With the Greener Pastures project, we are aiming to tackle one of the root causes of the decline in White's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seahorse-smuggling-exposed-millions-seized-over-a-decade/">seahorse populations</a>, which is the loss of habitat,” said Professor Vergés. “We can breed and release them, but unless we restore their homes, their populations will keep falling.”



That message is echoed by Mitchell Brennan, program manager of the Sydney Seahorse Project and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Technology Sydney.



“To hold on to that habitat is critically important,” said Brennan. “Seahorses rely on highly complex habitats like seagrass meadows to camouflage, anchor and feed.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inspiration-for-seahorse-hotels">Inspiration for seahorse hotels</h2>



However, rebuilding a seagrass meadow isn’t something you can do overnight. While the grass grows, scientists have found a clever way to support the seahorses: hotels.



The idea was first introduced by Dr. David Harasti from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. 



He was inspired by old crab traps that were covered in marine life and designed steel mesh cages - about a meter wide - to mimic the complex tangle of a natural underwater <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/overfishing-and-habitat-degradation-have-devastated-marine-ecosystems/">habitat</a>.



“When left on the seafloor these bespoke hotels soon become encrusted with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-sponges-play-a-critical-role-in-the-ocean-and-they-are-rapidly-vanishing/">sponges</a>, corals and algae,” explained Dr. Harasti.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safe-zones-for-seahorses">Safe zones for seahorses</h2>



Each cage turns into a safe zone for seahorses. The encrusted material offers camouflage, food, and places to hold onto. Soon, the seahorses start showing up. According to Dr. Harasti, the seahorses move in within three to six months.



At Cobblers Beach, a major site for the project, 15 seahorse hotels were placed next to existing patches of Posidonia in late 2023. Additional seagrass shoots were transplanted shortly after. 



Early surveys showed up to eight seahorses. By 2024, there were 12 - including juveniles likely born on-site.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-dads-give-birth">When dads give birth</h2>



Seahorses are unusual in more ways than one. One of the most fascinating things about them? It’s the males who <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pregnant-male-seahorses-transport-nutrients-to-their-babies/">give birth</a>.



“We've seen multiple pregnant males and partners on the seahorse hotels in the past six months,” said Brennan. “With some of these juveniles being sighted, hopefully the population starts to grow and become stronger and more self-sustaining.”



The hotels may also be helping the newly planted Posidonia itself. Their structure offers protection from waves and shifting sand, giving the delicate grass a better chance to take hold. And as the habitat improves, other species are returning too.



“In areas where we've replanted seagrass, we're already seeing more fish - snapper, flathead, bream and even pajama squid,” said Brennan. "It’s about restoring the function of the whole system.”



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



While the science behind Greener Pastures is solid, its heart comes from community involvement.



“This all started when Operation Posidonia received a grant from the Environmental Trust and support from Mosman Council,” said Professor Vergés. 



“The local community is incredibly engaged. They're not just helping us plant seagrass - they're also learning why it matters and sharing this information with their friends and neighbors.”



From the early days of the project in Port Stephens, volunteers have helped collect thousands of loose Posidonia shoots from storm events. Those shoots are then replanted into damaged meadows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connecting-people-with-ecosystems">Connecting people with ecosystems </h2>



“Hands-on restoration helps people connect with ecosystems they might never have known about,” said Professor Vergés. 



“When people become part of the process, they gain a sense of ownership - that’s where real stewardship begins. You can't protect what you don't know exists.”



Her goal for the next decade is simple: recovery - for both the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-plays-a-major-role-in-global-carbon-storage/">seagrass</a> meadows and the seahorses that depend on them.



“I'd like to see a growing population of White's seahorse occupying this habitat - both of them recovering together.”



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How ‘seahorse hotels’ are reviving an endangered species

A seahorse species found only on Australia’s east coast is...

Red-footed tortoises may have more complex mood patterns than we thought. A new study by the University of Lincoln reveals that these reptiles can experience long-lasting emotional states. 



Scientists who specialize in animal cognition now believe red-footed tortoises show mood-linked behaviors and signs of subjectivity once thought unique to birds and mammals.



The research opens a new chapter in how we understand <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/grumpy-tortoise-reptiles-can-experience-mood-swings-too/">reptile</a> minds. It points to long-term mood states, not just momentary reactions. 



If tortoises can experience optimism and pessimism, it challenges deep-rooted beliefs about reptile sentience. This could reshape how we care for them, especially in captivity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotions-and-moods-among-animals">Emotions and moods among animals</h2>



Emotions are short-term reactions tied to specific events. Moods are long-term and independent of immediate context. 



Moods reflect ongoing internal states that shape how animals process the world. Evidence of mood in a species supports the idea that it has the capacity for sentience.



Affective states, which include both emotions and moods, likely evolved because they help animals avoid harm and seek valuable resources. These states also influence how animals learn and make decisions. If an animal is distressed, it may perform poorly in cognitive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turtles-may-hold-the-secret-to-cancer-prevention/">tasks</a>. 



When supported socially or placed in comfortable environments, its performance improves.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-tortoise-moods-were-tested">How tortoise moods were tested</h2>



The researchers tested 15 red-footed tortoises using a cognitive bias task. The tortoises learned to associate one location with food and another with no reward. 



Then, the food bowl was placed in ambiguous positions between those two points. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-turtle-day-protecting-turtles-tortoises-and-their-vanishing-habitats/">Tortoises</a> that approached uncertain bowls quickly were seen as optimistic.



The team also assessed the tortoises' behavior in response to new objects and environments. Confident tortoises moved quickly and extended their heads more. This head extension is a known indicator of emotional state in tortoises.



Importantly, the study showed that tortoises were not simply fast or slow movers. Their response times varied depending on their perception of ambiguity. This means their decisions reflected internal states, not random behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-optimism-predicts-lower-anxiety">Optimism predicts lower anxiety</h2>



The results showed a clear link between optimism and reduced anxiety. Tortoises that judged ambiguous cues as positive also showed relaxed behavior in stressful settings. Those with more pessimistic judgments showed hesitancy and limited head extension.



This link mirrors findings in mammals and birds. It suggests tortoises may share an emotional architecture that is much older in evolutionary terms than previously believed.



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



Sentience is not just a scientific question. It affects how laws treat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turtle-heads-reveal-an-ancient-reptilian-secret/">animals</a>. In the UK, the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 recognizes animals’ ability to feel. This study supports the idea that reptiles should fall under such protections.



“Animal welfare concerns are reliant upon evidence that a given species has the capacity to experience affective states," noted Anna Wilkinson, a professor of animal cognition.



"With reptiles becoming increasingly common as pets, it is essential for us to study their moods and emotions to try to understand how captivity may impact them."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-reptile-emotions">Understanding reptile emotions</h2>



The study suggests that reptiles may have a richer emotional life than once believed. While they might not show all the emotional responses seen in mammals - like strong reactions to disappointment - they still seek pleasure, value rewards, and benefit from stimulating environments.



“This is an exciting finding that represents a significant shift in our understanding of what reptiles can experience, with important implications for how we care for these animals in captivity and interact with them in the wild,” said Oliver Burman, professor of animal behavior and welfare at the <a href="https://www.lincoln.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Lincoln</a>.



This research offers two important takeaways. First, tortoises can experience moods, not just emotions. 



Second, cognitive bias tasks and behavioral anxiety tests are valid tools for studying mood in reptiles. Their responses in different contexts indicate that affective states in reptiles are real, measurable, and meaningful.



The study urges us to rethink how we house and care for reptiles. Enriched environments and opportunities for exploration can support their well-being. Recognizing their capacity for mood could also inspire more compassionate treatment.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-025-01973-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Animal Cognition</a>.



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Tortoises have feelings - and they get stuck in bad moods

Red-footed tortoises may have more complex mood patterns than we...

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have discovered that scent cues from women during ovulation may shape how men perceive them. This isn’t about myths or love potions. It’s about biology in action. The team found that certain compounds in female body odor increase during ovulation. 



When these were mixed with armpit odor samples, men rated the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scent-plays-a-powerful-role-in-choosing-friends/">scent</a> as more pleasant. They also viewed associated images of women as more attractive and more feminine. Additionally, these scents appeared to reduce stress, based on lower levels of the biomarker amylase in saliva.



The team emphasized this is not proof of pheromones in humans. But it suggests smell might quietly influence how people relate to each other.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-pheromones-still-uncertain">Human pheromones still uncertain</h2>



Pheromones - behavior-altering chemicals shared between organisms - are a popular staple in pop culture, especially romantic comedies. Despite the fun storylines, their existence in humans has not been definitively proven.



However, a new study from the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tokyo</a> does show something measurable and interesting is happening - something that parallels the idea of pheromones.



“We identified three body odor components that increased during women’s ovulatory periods. When men sniffed a mix of those <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-human-nose-perceives-the-scent-that-lingers-after-rain/">compounds</a> and a model armpit odor, they reported those samples as less unpleasant, and accompanying images of women as more attractive and more feminine,” said Professor Kazushige Touhara. 



“Furthermore, those compounds were found to relax the male subjects, compared to a control, and even suppressed the increase in the amount of amylase (a stress biomarker) in their saliva. These results suggest that body odor may in some way contribute to communication between men and women.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ovulation-changes-body-odor">Ovulation changes body odor</h2>



Previous studies by various research groups found that female body odor changes throughout the menstrual cycle. During the ovulatory phase, these changes can be detected by men and are often described as pleasant. However, the exact nature of these odors remained unknown.



To investigate, Touhara and his team used a technique for chemical analysis called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and identified volatile compounds that fluctuate across menstrual cycle phases.



“The most difficult part of the study was to determine the axillary (armpit) odor profile within a woman's menstrual cycle. Of particular difficulty was scheduling more than 20 women to ensure that axillary odors were collected at key times during their menstrual cycles,” said first author Nozomi Ohgi, a graduate student in Touhara’s lab at the time of the study. 



“We also needed to interview each participant frequently regarding body temperature and other indicators of the menstrual cycle in order to understand and track their status."



According to Ohgi, this required a great deal of time, effort, and careful attention. "It took more than one month per participant to complete the collection within the menstrual cycle, so very time consuming.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-body-odor-tests-were-done-blindly">Body odor tests were done blindly</h2>



Another challenge the researchers faced was to ensure the tests were done “blind,” meaning the participants did not receive any hints about what they were smelling or why, with some participants being given nothing at all as a measure of control. 



This way, psychological factors and expectations can be reduced or eliminated. The team also used fMRI scans to examine how male brains responded to these ovulation-related body odor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-do-polyester-clothes-stink-more-than-cotton/">compounds</a>. 



The scans showed heightened activity in the orbitofrontal cortex and fusiform gyrus. These regions process reward and facial attractiveness. The effect happened without men consciously noticing the body odor.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-still-not-quite-pheromones">Still not quite pheromones</h2>



“We cannot conclusively say at this time that the compounds we found which increase during the ovulation period are human pheromones. The classical definition of pheromones is species-specific chemical substances that induce certain behavioral or physiological responses,” said Touhara. 



“But from this study, we can’t conclude whether the axillary odors are species-specific. We were primarily focused on their behavioral or physiological impacts, in this case, the reduction of stress and change in impression when seeing faces. So, at this moment, we can say they may be pheromonelike compounds.”



That distinction is key. The researchers found behavioral responses, but not enough to call the compounds true pheromones. Further studies will be needed to confirm whether the effects are species-specific or consistent across diverse populations.



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



The team plans to expand their research by including a more diverse group of participants to rule out the influence of specific genetic traits. 



They also aim to conduct more detailed chemical analyses to investigate how ovulatory compounds may impact brain regions involved in emotion and perception.



With more testing, these body odor compounds may offer clues about subconscious human interactions. Body odor might not change behavior dramatically, but it could quietly shape how we feel and connect.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(25)01348-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iScience</a>.



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Body odor may subconsciously change how people interact

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have discovered that scent...

Every year on July 29, International Tiger Day highlights a critical conservation challenge: saving one of the world’s most endangered predators. 



The celebration began in 2010 at the <a href="https://globaltigerforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/st_petersburg_declaration_english.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit</a>, with an ambitious goal - double the number of wild tigers. In 2025, India stands out for turning this vision into reality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-india-s-tigers-are-making-a-comeback">India’s tigers are making a comeback</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indias-wild-tigers-are-thriving-with-smart-conservation-efforts/">India</a> is now home to an estimated 3,700 wild tigers - about 75 percent of the global population. That’s a 30 percent increase in just two decades. 



Unlike regions where tigers continue to vanish, India’s tiger population is growing despite major pressures from rapid development and population growth. 



This recovery didn’t happen by accident. India blended science, policy, and culture. While government programs protected land and wildlife, public support grew from a shared respect for the tiger, which holds deep spiritual meaning across many Indian communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiger-conservation-efforts-across-india">Tiger conservation efforts across India </h2>



India’s approach is unique. Instead of relying solely on national parks and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-tiger-day-worldwide-support-for-tiger-conservation/">wildlife</a> sanctuaries, the country uses a two-pronged strategy: secure reserves for breeding and open landscapes where tigers and humans coexist. These multi-use areas are not just tolerated - they are part of the plan.



Tigers often roam beyond park borders. In India, that’s expected. Protected zones serve as safe spaces, but it’s the surrounding human-inhabited lands that help connect tiger habitats and reduce isolation. This system gives conservation room to work in real-world conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-with-tigers">Living with tigers</h2>



In the United States, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-wildlife-day-2025-a-global-call-to-protect-nature/">wildlife</a> and people tend to live apart. But in India, around 60 million people live in tiger zones. Surprisingly, many accept this risk.



Why? Because it works both ways. Farmers receive government payments if a tiger kills livestock. Communities near reserves benefit from eco-tourism jobs. Schools teach kids about wildlife safety and respect.



These efforts turn potential conflict into shared purpose. Tigers are not just seen as threats. They are part of the neighborhood. This level of public engagement is rare - and it’s working.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tech-and-volunteers-on-the-frontlines">Tech and volunteers on the frontlines</h2>



India uses modern tools like GPS-based monitoring systems to track tiger movement. In areas like Uttar Pradesh, volunteers called “Bagh Mitras” (Tiger Friends) help local authorities respond quickly when tigers wander near villages. 



These efforts aim to ease fear, prevent clashes, and keep communities engaged in tiger conservation.



In regions like Pilibhit and Dudhwa, tracking measures have directly supported <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/could-captive-tigers-help-restore-wild-populations/">population</a> growth. It’s conservation that runs on both high-tech tools and grassroots cooperation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-regions-still-struggle">Some regions still struggle</h2>



Success is not universal. In parts of rural India affected by poverty or civil unrest, tiger numbers remain low. 



Many people rely on forests for firewood, food, and grazing. As land use changes and resources shrink, competition between humans and wildlife increases.



Armed conflict also affects conservation. In areas hit by internal conflict, government presence weakens. This allows poaching and illegal logging to rise. Without stability, conservation falters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-balancing-safety-and-protection">Balancing safety and protection</h2>



Despite their fearsome reputation, tigers rarely attack humans. In India, tiger encounters cause around 100 deaths each year, and affected families receive compensation. 



Tigers that pose repeated threats are moved to reserves or zoos. This approach helps protect both people and wildlife, showing how a clear response can build trust and prevent backlash - key to long-term conservation success.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-international-tiger-day-offers-lessons">International Tiger Day offers lessons</h2>



India’s model offers lessons for other countries, including the United States. In places like the Northern Rockies, debates continue about wolves, grizzlies, and ranching. 



The U.S. often draws firm lines between human activity and wildlife protection. India shows that there is another way.



“In the past, foraging in the forest was sustainable. But now, with more people and less space for tigers, conflicts are increasing,” said Professor Ninad Mungi of <a href="https://international.au.dk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aarhus University</a>. 



In both India and the West, true success may depend on how well people share space with large carnivores - safely and sustainably.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-celebrating-conservation-across-india">Celebrating conservation across India</h2>



On International Tiger Day, events take place across India. Reserves host educational programs. Forest workers and wildlife rescuers are honored. 



In states like Jharkhand, new eco-tourism ideas are being tested. Cities like Kolkata and Lucknow run awareness campaigns in schools and parks.



These public celebrations are more than just symbolic. They help build long-term support for conservation - something the US also values in its National Park outreach and wildlife festivals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honoring-international-tiger-day-2025">Honoring International Tiger Day 2025</h2>



International Tiger Day 2025 reminds us that saving predators is possible - even in crowded, complex societies. 



India’s journey shows that coexistence, when planned well, can succeed. Cultural respect, government support, and community involvement form a powerful alliance.



As the world faces climate change, habitat loss, and biodiversity decline, India’s experience offers more than a story of national pride. It offers a model the rest of the world may want to study closely.



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International Tiger Day 2025: Coexistence is possible

Every year on July 29, International Tiger Day highlights a critical...

When trees topple into peat bogs or riverbeds, a slow alchemy begins. Hemmed in by mud, deprived of oxygen, and nudged along by microbes, the trunks gradually darken, densify, and mineralize. 



Sometimes, centuries later, they emerge as prized “ancient buried wood” that resists rot and boasts a marble-like sheen.



An international group of materials scientists recently wondered: Could that natural upgrade be coaxed to happen on the lab bench - quickly, cleanly, and at industrial scale?



The answer is BioStrong Wood, a timber strengthened with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-fungi-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/">fungus</a> and heat, whose tensile strength now outmuscles common SAE 304 stainless steel while weighing far less.



The project was a collaboration between the <a href="https://www.ehu.eus/en/en-home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of the Basque Country</a> (EHU), <a href="https://en.whu.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wuhan University</a>, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.



The outcome, the experts argue, is not merely a clever composite but a glimpse of circular, sustainable materials which could replace the non‑renewable and highly polluting materials on which our economy is based.



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



Humans have used wood for millennia, yet most high‑performance engineering still defaults to steel, aluminum, or petro‑derived plastics.



Wood’s natural drawbacks - porosity, moisture absorption, and inconsistency - confine its use to beams and boards, not precision-engineered parts.



However, study co-author Professor Erlantz Lizundia sees untapped potential: “Wood is one of the most accessible biological materials, but outside its conventional use, it is barely being explored for high‑performance applications.”&nbsp;



Taming flaws could let designers replace fossil-heavy materials with a climate-friendly, carbon-storing feedstock that grows on trees.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wood-uses-fungus-and-geology">Wood uses fungus and geology</h2>



Nature already offers a recipe. In ancient buried wood, modest heat and pressure, along with microbial enzymes, partially break down <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/researchers-create-antimicrobial-substances-using-lignin-and-plant-wastes/">lignin</a> - the amorphous polymer that cements cellulose fibers. 



This allows the remaining molecules to repolymerize into a tighter, hydrophobic network. The Basque-Chinese team accelerated that evolution in three deliberate steps:



<ol start="1" class="wp-block-list">
<li>Selective fungal digestion - Planks of fast‑growing poplar and radiata pine were inoculated with white‑rot fungi. Over several days the microbes chewed specific ether bonds in lignin, loosening the microstructure while leaving the strong cellulose framework largely intact.</li>



<li>Chemical tuning - A mild alkaline wash halted fungal growth and removed low‑molecular‑weight residues, setting the stage for new crosslinks.</li>



<li>Hot pressing under high pressure - Boards were stacked and compressed at temperatures above 356 °F (180 °C). Cell walls collapsed, voids vanished, and fragmented lignin pieces fused into fresh carbon–carbon bonds, welding the lumber into a dense, horn-like slab.</li>
</ol>



This hybrid bio‑thermo‑mechanical route preserves up to 85 percent of the original mass - far higher than acid‑delignified “super woods” - and requires little solvent or energy beyond the press cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wood-withstands-extreme-stress">Wood withstands extreme stress</h2>



Mechanical trials show why the researchers are excited. BioStrong Wood survives tensile stresses above 530 MPa - edging out stainless steel’s typical 520 MPa - and absorbs over eleven times more energy before fracturing than raw wood.



Flexural tests reveal a threefold jump in bending strength. Thermal cycling from –321 °F (–196 °C) to 248 °F (120 °C) hardly alters its stiffness, and water contact angles near 140° keep moisture at bay. In accelerated weathering chambers, samples showed negligible swelling or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-technology-can-detect-plant-diseases-from-above/">mildew</a>. 



Behind the numbers lies a reengineered microarchitecture. X‑ray diffraction indicates cellulose crystallinity rises during pressing, while scanning electron microscopy shows near‑complete elimination of pores.



Reformed lignin acts like a molecular epoxy, locking cellulose sheets together and sealing pathways for water or oxygen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-capture-in-every-plank">Carbon capture in every plank</h2>



Strength is only half the story; so is sustainability. Using standard life-cycle assessment protocols, the authors calculate that each 2.2 lbs of BioStrong Wood sequesters roughly 2.6 lbs of CO₂ net, even after accounting for energy, chemicals, and fungal cultivation.



The negative footprint contrasts starkly with steel (4.2 lbs CO₂ emitted per 2.2 lbs produced) or glass-fiber composites (~11 lbs CO₂ per 2.2 lbs).



Techno-economic analysis pegs potential production costs near ¥2 CNY (≈ US $0.30) per 2.2 lbs - dramatically cheaper than aerospace polymers and competitive with plywood.



“Our results show that it is possible to obtain materials with a very high mechanical performance and which are, in turn, economically viable and offer <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-capture-technology-faces-uncertainty-despite-heavy-investment/">carbon capture</a> capabilities,” noted Professor Lizundia.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-uses-for-fungus-wood">Future uses for fungus wood</h2>



Early prototypes hint at diverse uses, from vehicle panels to sports equipment cores and impact-resistant phone cases. 



They could also serve as exposed beams with fossil-wood aesthetics or cryogenic insulation supports due to thermal-shock resistance.



Because the process accepts multiple softwood and hardwood species, regional mills could tap local forestry residues instead of importing steel rebar or petrochemical resin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-lab-to-lumberyard">From lab to lumberyard</h2>



Scaling will demand continuous‑press technology, rapid fungal bioreactors, and strict quality control to homogenize input lumber. 



Building codes require researchers to characterize fire behavior, often a stumbling block for dense woods.



End‑of‑life recycling pathways, perhaps via controlled pyrolysis to biochar, also need definition. 



The researchers are already testing other fungal strains and shorter incubation times to cut lead time from days to hours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wood-joins-the-big-leagues">Wood joins the big leagues</h2>



The BioStrong Wood story demonstrates a broader shift. Engineers are revisiting biological feedstocks not just for novelty, but to replace emissions-heavy incumbents at the structural level.



Whether it is mycelium foams, bacterial cellulose films or now fungus toughened wood, the toolkit of renewable high‑performance materials including wood is expanding. 



This study shows that by letting nature handle part of the chemistry, scientists can leapfrog traditional limits of wood. That opens the door to steel‑class strength without the steel‑class carbon bill.



If trials succeed, pallet-bound planks could soon top <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dozens-of-coastal-skyscrapers-in-miami-are-sinking/">skyscrapers</a> or rocket fairings. Even in advanced engineering, well-crafted wood can still compete with metal.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ady0183" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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Scientists invented a process that makes wood stronger than steel

When trees topple into peat bogs or riverbeds, a slow...

Scientists may have discovered a way to reverse aging in human cells without making any gene edits. In a recent breakthrough study, researchers developed six chemical cocktails that restored aged cells to a youthful state in under a week.&nbsp;



Experts consider this a fast, safe, and cost-effective method for reversing the effects of aging. It could open doors to better treatments for age-related diseases and cellular decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-truth-about-aging">The truth about aging</h2>



To understand the latest discovery on reversing aging, it is essential to look at what causes aging at the cellular level.



In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-microbes-may-have-given-rise-to-complex-life/">complex organisms</a>, the biological information is stored in two places, the genome and the epigenome. All cells in the body generally share the same genome. 



On the other hand, the epigenome may vary from cell to cell and may also change in response to environmental alterations.



According to the Information Theory of Aging <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38102202/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(ITOA)</a>, the loss of youthful epigenetic information is the primary factor contributing to aging, and age-related deterioration and dysfunction.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cells-that-accumulate-during-aging">Cells that accumulate during aging</h2>



Additionally, studies support the notion that factors such as stress or <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2474726/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DNA damage</a> accelerate the aging process by causing a greater loss of epigenetic information. 



This progressive loss can cause the cells to enter a state of dysfunction known as senescence.



Cellular senescence is an irreversible state of cell cycle arrest. Senescent cells stop dividing. They also release signaling molecules that promote cell repair. 



So, to an extent, senescence is beneficial in wound healing and the prevention of cancer spread. 



As a result of <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a>, senescent cells accumulate in the body, contributing to the development of age-related diseases. The understanding of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-how-some-people-live-past-100-years/">aging process</a> led scientists to seek ways to reverse these age-related changes in cells.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-alternatives-to-reverse-aging">Chemical alternatives to reverse aging</h2>



Most current anti-aging approaches rely on gene therapy that alters genetic material. These methods aim to reverse the aging process, cure age-related disabilities or diseases, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470443/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heal injuries</a>. 



Scientists typically achieve this using techniques such as adeno-associated viral (AAV) delivery of DNA and lipid nanoparticle-mediated delivery of RNA. Due to the cost and safety concerns, these methods are not widely accepted.



Scientists searched for a chemical alternative that is safe, inexpensive, and yields results more quickly. The approach could perhaps lead to whole-body rejuvenation, not just to the reversal of aging in specific cells. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chemical-cocktails-were-highly-effective">Chemical cocktails were highly effective</h2>



In this study, researchers developed and utilized screening methods, including the NCC (nucleocytoplasmic compartmentalization) assay. NCC distinguishes young, old, and aging or senescent cells.



They then identified new chemical combinations that could reverse cellular aging and rejuvenate the cells. This method was highly effective, since the treated cells regained youthful function and gene expression patterns within days. 



The results confirm the possibility that aging can be reversed in human cells without altering cellular identity or the underlying genetic code.&nbsp;



The study identified six specific chemical cocktails that could help restore a youthful DNA methylation profile. 



A remarkable feature is that these compounds work at a fast rate and show results in under a week. Additionally, the cell's original type and function are retained. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origin-of-the-age-reversal-idea">Origin of the age-reversal idea</h2>



In 2006, Takahashi and Yamanaka demonstrated that four specific genes could be used to reprogram adult cells. These genes were OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC, collectively known as the OSKM genes.



The four specific genes, or Yamanaka factors, erase cellular identity. Scientists sought ways to reverse aging without inducing uncontrolled cell growth or tumor development. 



The Belmonte lab undertook multiple approaches and found that they could achieve this using short bursts of OSKM or just OSK.



Later studies showed that scientists could turn adult cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The iPSC is a type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/what-are-stem-cells-2/">stem cell</a> that can be derived from various sources. Scientists achieve this by erasing the cellular identity of the adult cells.



These discoveries paved the way for developing safer, faster, and non-genetic methods that were chemically based.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-towards-a-youthful-life">Towards a youthful life</h2>



The chemical method for reversing aging is a promising discovery. We can now restore cellular health and delay age-related disabilities and diseases without using genetic modifications.



Dr. David A. Sinclair is a professor in the Department of Genetics at&nbsp;Harvard Medical School,&nbsp;and lead scientist on the project.



“Until recently, the best we could do was&nbsp;slow&nbsp;aging. New discoveries suggest we can now reverse it,” said Dr. Sinclair. “This process has previously required gene therapy, limiting its widespread use.”



The discovery opens new doors for the field of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-brittle-star-tissue-could-transform-regenerative-medicine/">regenerative medicine</a>. Researchers can use the chemical cocktails to restore lost tissue function. 



The method could evolve as an excellent solution for treating degenerative diseases and extending the lifespan.



Unlike epigenetic reprogramming, the chemical method is convenient with fewer hurdles. With further trials, this could progress to a more practical age-reversal therapy.



The full study was published in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37437248/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PubMed</a>.



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Breakthrough method reverses aging in human cells without modifying DNA

Scientists may have discovered a way to reverse aging in...

Seen through an orbiter’s camera, the flanks of Martian volcanoes and crater walls often look as if thick syrup once oozed down them and then became crusted with rouge‑colored dust. For years, scientists believed those viscous tongues formed from piles of rocky rubble lightly cemented by ice.



But analyses during the past two decades shifted that view, revealing that at least some debris‑mantled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-reshaping-landscapes-and-national-borders-around-the-world/">glaciers</a> hold far more frozen water than stone.



Now, a new radar survey argues that purity is the rule rather than the exception: glaciers across both hemispheres are more than 80 percent ice.



The findings suggest that much of Mars once endured sustained glaciation and that vast, readily accessible reservoirs of water await future explorers.



Lead author Yuval Steinberg completed the work as a graduate student at Israel’s <a href="https://www.weizmann.ac.il/pages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weizmann Institute of Science</a>. 



Steinberg's mentors and co‑authors, Oded Aharonson and Isaac Smith, are affiliated with the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, as well as with Weizmann and <a href="https://www.yorku.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York University</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chaos-in-martian-ice-records">Chaos in Martian ice records</h2>



When Steinberg began combing through earlier literature, one pattern stood out - there was no pattern. Researchers had sampled different glaciers with different radar techniques and reported results in unmatched units.



“Different techniques had been applied by researchers to various sites, and the results could not be easily compared,” noted Smith. Some landmarks had never been probed, while others sported only partial analyses.



“One of the sites in our study had never been studied, and at two of the five sites we used, only partial analysis had been completed,” he said.



The team decided to impose order. They chose five debris‑covered glaciers scattered across the planet, including one fresh target, and processed all datasets the same way.



Key to their approach was <a href="https://sharad.psi.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SHARAD</a>, the Shallow Radar instrument aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. It beams 20 MHz radio pulses into the crust.



By measuring each glacier’s dielectric constant - how fast the radar wave travels through a material - and the loss tangent - how much energy the wave loses en route - they gathered key physical data. These values allowed them to infer the glacier’s subsurface composition.



Visual inspection alone reveals nothing because all debris‑laden glaciers look like drab pieces of soil.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ice-is-nearly-pure-everywhere"><a></a>The ice is nearly pure, everywhere</h2>



The surprise came when the radar math finished crunching. Whether perched near the equator or edging the mid‑latitudes, each glacier offered almost the same electrical signature.



That sameness implies a similar makeup: at least four-fifths ice by volume, capped by a veneer of rubble only a few meters thick that insulates the ice against thin, dry air.



“This is important because it tells us that the formation and preservation mechanisms are probably the same everywhere,” Smith said. 



The uniformity hints either at one planet‑wide glaciation or at multiple ice ages that occurred under nearly identical conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snowfall-once-shaped-mars">Snowfall once shaped Mars</h2>



Mars today is so arid that water ice can survive near the surface only where temperatures remain low and the atmosphere’s pressure prevents sublimation.



If the new study is correct, the planet must have repeatedly produced enough snow or frost to build thick glaciers, later burying them in dust that has kept them intact for hundreds of millions of years.



Knowing the minimum purity of those glaciers lets climate modelers refine how much water circulated through the past atmosphere. It also helps them track how snowfall patterns shifted with the planet’s tilt and how global dust storms may have armored the ice.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-for-future-crews">Water for future crews</h2>



Purity also matters for future crews who may mine ice for drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel. Extracting liquid from dirty ice takes energy and filtration gear; chopping blocks of almost pure ice simplifies the job.



The five glaciers studied lie in diverse terrains, suggesting many candidate sites for human outposts. 



“We can conclude that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mars-captured-in-true-color-like-youve-never-seen-the-red-planet-before/">Mars</a> experienced either one widespread glaciation or multiple glaciations that had similar properties,” Smith said. 



“By bringing together these sites and techniques for the first time, we were able to unify our understanding of these types of glaciers.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-more-hidden-ice-on-mars">Mapping more hidden ice on Mars</h2>



The researchers plan to extend their standardized survey to additional radar tracks. Each glacier tested refines global data and may reveal microclimates or local volcanic heating.



The method could even guide the <a href="https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024EGUGA..2610754A/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mars Ice Mapper mission concept</a>, which would fly more advanced radar optimized for detecting shallow ice sheets.



The team revealed a planetary frozen archive beneath the dusty veneer - what first appeared to be sluggish, rock-rich flows. It records climate rhythms and beckons as a water source for the next great adventure in human exploration.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103525002647?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Icarus</a>.



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Previously believed to be mostly rock, Mars' glaciers shown to be 80% pure ice

Seen through an orbiter’s camera, the flanks of Martian volcanoes...

Scuba diving does more than open a window onto coral gardens and kelp forests. According to the first comprehensive tally of its global economic footprint, the pastime injects between $8.5 billion and $20.4 billion into the world economy each year. It also supports up to 124,000 jobs across 170 countries.



The study gives ocean advocates a new set of hard numbers to argue that healthy seas are not just a moral imperative - they are a lucrative asset.



The new analysis builds on 2021 work that pegged Mexico’s dive tourism at roughly $725 million a year - nearly as much as the entire fishing industry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dive-data-goes-global">Dive data goes global</h2>



Backed by the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Geographic Society</a> and endorsed by the United Nations Ocean Decade, marine biologist Octavio Aburto-Oropeza of <a href="https://scripps.ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography</a> created the Atlas Aquatica project to discover whether similar economic clout exists at the global scale.



The team compiled a database of more than 11,500 dive operators using Google Maps listings and PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) records, then cross-checked entries with local experts. An online survey drew 425 responses from businesses in 81 countries.



Economist Andrés Cisneros-Montemayor from <a href="https://www.sfu.ca/">Simon Fraser University</a> translated those answers into spending estimates: direct outlays on courses, boat charters, and gear rentals, plus indirect spending on hotels, meals, and transportation by the world’s nine to fourteen million recreational divers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dive-tourism-drives-billions">Dive tourism drives billions</h2>



The numbers surprised even seasoned researchers. Direct expenditures came in between $900 million and $3.2 billion a year. 



Add in ancillary spending, and the total swells to a figure of $8.5 billion to $20.4 billion. Eighty percent of dive-shop employees are local residents, a ratio that few mass-tourism sectors match.



“Scuba diving is pretty unique because it makes you spend time underwater,” said Fabio Favoretto, the Atlas Aquatica coordinator and a Scripps postdoctoral fellow.



“You can sail or surf above a dead ocean, but scuba divers notice if there are no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-are-quietly-battling-climate-change-on-the-seabed/">fish</a> - it’s really an activity that is dependent on the health of the system. That’s a positive for conservation because it makes divers allies.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-divers-flock-to-protected-waters">Divers flock to protected waters</h2>



Roughly 70 percent of all marine dives happen inside <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-protected-areas-fall-short-on-2030-biodiversity-targets/">marine protected areas</a> (MPAs), a finding that aligns with earlier research showing that operators and clients will pay a premium for richer wildlife encounters.



Prior studies suggest that expanding MPAs could further boost revenue by attracting more visitors willing to pay higher fees for healthier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reef-food-webs-are-more-fragile-than-we-thought/">reefs</a>, seagrass meadows, and pelagic drop-offs.



“We show that diving generates a lot of income, and it does this without degrading the environment like extractive industries such as fishing or mining,” Aburto-Oropeza said.



“We hope that showing the scale of the economic impact from this activity will encourage policies that invest in diving by increasing marine protections.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-workforce-watching-reefs-decline"><a></a>A workforce watching reefs decline</h2>



Still, money alone cannot shield ecosystems. Most surveyed operators reported noticeable environmental degradation at their sites over the past decade.



That frontline perspective makes the sector a potential early-warning system for policymakers, provided governments invite dive professionals to the table. 



The authors call for standardized ecological monitoring protocols across the industry and for formal seats for operators in marine management bodies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eco-friendly-tourism-works">Eco-friendly tourism works</h2>



Dive tourism exemplifies what scholars call the “blue economy,” a vision in which coastal communities prosper by stewarding, not exploiting, marine resources.



“Unlike mass tourism operations that can harm local communities and marine environments, dive tourism, when managed well, can be economically viable, socially equitable, and environmentally sustainable,” said Anna Schuhbauer, the study’s lead author and a fisheries scientist at the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a>.



Because divers fly in small groups, stay longer, and spend heavily on local services, the money sticks close to home. Their physical footprint - anchored moorings, low-speed boats, tanks that are refilled rather than discarded - remains comparatively light.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giving-divers-a-voice">Giving divers a voice</h2>



Despite their economic heft, dive operators are often fragmented into tiny businesses with little say in coastal zoning or fisheries regulation. Atlas Aquatica aims to change that by helping shops form cooperatives.



Pilot cooperatives in Mexico and Italy are already pooling funds for reef restoration, lobbying for stricter fishing limits inside MPAs, and negotiating better safety and sustainability standards. 



The study recommends that governments recognize such groups as official stakeholders, giving them standing in decision-making processes that shape the underwater landscapes on which their livelihoods depend.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-profits-support-protection">Profits support protection</h2>



For decades conservationists have argued that protecting biodiversity can pay for itself. By attaching dollar values to bubbles, buoyancy, and fin kicks, the new report turns that slogan into measurable evidence.



Moreover, scuba divers’ preference for MPAs is supported by data showing that about 70 percent of all marine dives currently occur within MPAs. 



Policymakers weighing the short-term gains of mining or unregulated fishing against the steady flow of dive tourism dollars now have a clearer ledger.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scuba-diving-s-future-outlook">Scuba diving’s future outlook</h2>



The researchers acknowledge gaps - their operator list, though vast, is not exhaustive; informal or unlicensed outfits are harder to track; and the pandemic temporarily suppressed travel numbers used in the analysis.



Even so, the conservative tone of their models suggests that the true economic contribution may be higher. Future studies will refine regional estimates, examine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reducing-carbon-footprint-urban-farms-and-agriculture/">carbon footprints</a>, and test whether higher protection leads directly to higher earnings over time.



For now, the takeaway is straightforward: oceans brimming with life are a magnet for recreational divers, and divers, in turn, pump billions into coastal economies without extracting a single fish.



Recognizing that virtuous cycle could help steer global recovery funds, tourism strategies, and climate-finance projects toward smarter policies. These would support colorful reefs and dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kelp-forests-in-crisis-how-toxic-turf-algae-are-taking-over/">kelp forests</a> - a win for local jobs, national coffers, and, above all, the sea itself..



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-sustainability/fulltext/S2949-7906(25)00131-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2949790625001314%3Fshowall%3Dtrue">Cell Reports Sustainability</a>.



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Scuba diving boosts conservation - and brings in billions

Scuba diving does more than open a window onto coral...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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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

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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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