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...

Landscape,Of,Lake,Tahtarjavr,With,Transparent,Water,,Rocky,Bottom,And

As the Arctic experiences unprecedented warming rates -- up to four times faster than the global average -- the repercussions on its environment, particularly in terms of rivers and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-arctic-rivers-could-unleash-carbon-equal-to-millions-of-cars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water flow distribution</a>, have become a focal point of scientific inquiry. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.umass.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Massachusetts Amherst</a> have taken significant strides in demystifying these impacts. The team leveraged satellite data, field observations, and advanced numerical models to predict the Arctic's transformation over the next 80 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deciphering-the-arctic-s-transformation">Deciphering the Arctic's transformation</h2>



The study, published in The Cryosphere, anticipates a warmer and wetter Arctic, with projections of up to 25% increase in runoff, a 30% rise in subsurface runoff, and a drier southern Arctic. 



This comprehensive analysis offers an insightful glimpse into the future of this critical region's landscape and climate dynamics.



Permafrost, the Arctic's perennially frozen ground, is a key player in this ecological equation. It influences everything from seasonal water flows to the amount of carbon released into oceans. 



However, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-transforming-arctic-rivers-in-unexpected-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accelerated warming</a> of the Arctic threatens to thaw these carbon-rich soils, potentially releasing significant amounts of carbon into rivers and the atmosphere annually. 



This thawing not only impacts carbon release but also intensifies the water cycle, affecting precipitation, runoff, and evaporation patterns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-behind-the-scenes-modeling-the-arctic-s-water-balance">Behind the Scenes: Modeling the Arctic's water balance</h2>



<a href="https://websites.umass.edu/mrawlins/research/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michael Rawlins</a>, the lead author of the study and an associate professor at UMass Amherst, has dedicated two decades to developing the Permafrost Water Balance Model. 



This model examines how the thawing permafrost and a thickening active layer -- a result of increased temperatures -- affect the region's hydrology. 



Rawlins, alongside colleagues and collaborators, including <a href="https://web.uri.edu/geo/meet/ambarish-karmalkar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ambarish Karmalkar</a>, now at the <a href="https://www.uri.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Rhode Island</a>, used climate models to explore future scenarios ranging from moderate to high emissions.



The findings are revealing. A thicker active layer acts as a larger "bucket," storing more water and altering when and how water is released into the Arctic's rivers and streams. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-arctic-rivers-will-never-be-the-same">Arctic rivers will never be the same</h2>



Specifically, the research predicts that the ground will not freeze as early in the year, leading to increased runoff to rivers in the fall and a significant rise in subsurface runoff by 2100. 



“Our work shows that as precipitation intensifies, the water will be stored longer in thawed soils and released at a later time via subsurface pathways, instead of running off immediately into rivers and streams, as much of it does now," Rawlins explained.



This <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-amplification-is-destabilizing-the-delicate-balance-of-the-ecosystem/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phenomenon</a> will predominantly affect northern parts of the Arctic, where evaporating water from an increasingly ice-free Arctic Ocean will also contribute to the changes.



Southern Arctic regions, on the other hand, are expected to dry out due to enhanced evaporation and plant transpiration. These shifts have profound implications for the Arctic's ecology and hydrology. 



Northern rivers, particularly the Ob, Yenisey, Lena, and Mackenzie, will carry more water from their northern stretches, potentially mobilizing ancient soil carbon into the Arctic Ocean. 



This increased discharge could influence sea ice dynamics, the ecology of Arctic lagoons, and even the global climate by impacting ocean freshwater storage and the Atlantic meridional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/additional-heat-is-being-transferred-to-the-arctic-ocean-as-the-climate-warms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overturning circulation</a>, crucial for Europe's temperate climate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-and-conserving-arctic-rivers">Understanding and conserving Arctic rivers</h2>



Rawlins underscores the need for further research to refine these predictions, saying, “More field observations are needed from the small- and medium-sized rivers near the Arctic coast to better understand how warming will alter the land-to-ocean transport of freshwater and, in turn, impact Arctic environments and the flora, fauna and Indigenous populations that call the region their home.”



This alarming study underscores the urgency of addressing climate change and highlights the interconnectedness of global systems. As the Arctic continues to warm, the effects will resonate beyond its borders, affecting global weather patterns, sea levels, and climate. 



The work of Rawlins and his team is a clarion call to deepen our understanding of these processes and to mitigate the impacts of our changing world.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/18/1033/2024/">The Cryosphere</a>.



-----



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Arctic rivers are undergoing dramatic change from thawing permafrost

As the Arctic experiences unprecedented warming rates -- up to...

Saxophone,Player,Performing,On,Stage

In the quest for peak productivity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-outperforms-humans-in-creativity-tests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creativity</a>, achieving a state of "creative flow" or being "in the zone" is highly coveted across various fields, from business to the arts. 



Drexel University's <a href="https://drexel.edu/coas/academics/departments-centers/psychology/research/applied-cognitive-and-brain-science/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creativity Research Lab</a> has taken a pioneering step in uncovering the neurological underpinnings of this elusive state through a groundbreaking neuroimaging study focused on jazz improvisation. 



This research marks the first time the brain's journey into the creative flow state has been visualized, offering invaluable insights into how individuals can harness this power.



At the helm of this research were John Kounios, PhD, a professor in the <a href="https://drexel.edu/coas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Arts and Sciences</a> and director of the Creativity Research Lab, and David Rosen, PhD, a recent graduate and current postdoc at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decoding-the-brain-s-path-to-creative-enlightenment">Decoding the brain's path to creative enlightenment</h2>



Their study reveals that the key to entering a creative flow state lies in a combination of extensive experience and the deliberate relaxation of control, allowing the brain's specialized networks to operate autonomously with minimal conscious oversight.



The concept of flow was first brought into the spotlight by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who described it as a profoundly engaging and enjoyable state, compelling enough to pursue despite any costs involved. 



Despite its widespread fascination and extensive study, the precise nature of flow has remained ambiguous. Kounios's team set out to demystify this phenomenon by exploring various theories about how flow facilitates creative ideation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dual-keys-to-unlocking-creativity">Dual keys to unlocking creativity</h2>



One prevailing hypothesis suggests that flow might stem from an intense concentration or hyperfocus, where distractions are eliminated, allowing for superior task performance. 



Another theory posits that flow arises when the brain's default-mode network, responsible for daydreaming and introspection, generates ideas under the direction of the executive control network, which filters and guides these ideas.



Contrasting with these theories, Kounios's study supports the notion that flow results from a combination of acquired expertise and the conscious decision to "let go," enabling a specialized neural circuit to produce specific ideas effortlessly. 



This "expertise-plus-release" model indicates that without sufficient experience or the ability to relinquish control, achieving a deep state of creative flow may be challenging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creative-flow-insights-from-jazz-improvisation">Creative flow insights from jazz improvisation</h2>



The researchers tested their hypothesis by analyzing the brain activity of 32 jazz guitarists of varying experience levels as they improvised music.



The intensity of their flow experiences, rated by the musicians themselves, was then correlated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indoor-air-quality-influences-creativity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creativity</a> assessments from jazz experts and electroencephalogram (EEG) data. 



Findings showed that musicians with more experience not only entered flow states more frequently but also experienced them more intensely, highlighting the importance of expertise in achieving flow. 



Yet, expertise alone wasn't enough; the pivotal factor was a reduction in activity within the brain's executive control regions, suggesting that letting go is essential for flow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-neuroscience-of-creative-flow">Understanding the neuroscience of creative flow</h2>



This study provides scientific validation for the "expertise-plus-release" theory of creative flow and offers practical applications for enhancing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-is-far-better-than-drugs-to-spark-creativity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">creativity</a> through structured practice and the strategic relaxation of control. 



Kounios emphasizes the significance of consistent practice to develop expertise in one's creative field, followed by a conscious effort to relinquish control, thereby allowing the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microdosing-mushrooms-solving-creativity/">creative process</a> to unfold more naturally and fluently.



Echoing the words of jazz legend Charlie Parker, Kounios advises aspiring creatives to diligently hone their skills and then, in the moment of creation, to let go and simply "wail." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-path-to-uninterrupted-creativity">Practical path to uninterrupted creativity</h2>



In summary, Drexel University's new study illuminates the intricate dance between experience and the art of relinquishing control as the cornerstone of achieving creative flow. The research team provides a scientific basis for this fascinating phenomenon, which is long celebrated in various disciplines. 



By dissecting the neuroimaging of jazz improvisation, the research validates the theory that specialized brain networks foster creativity with minimal conscious oversight while providing a practical roadmap for individuals aiming to unlock their creative potential. 



Emphasizing the importance of dedicated practice followed by a conscious effort to "let go," this study inspires a reevaluation of our approach to creativity, advocating for a balanced synergy between mastery and freedom that can propel us into the zenith of creative expression.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393224000393?via%3Dihub">Neuropsychologia</a>.



-----



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Being in the zone: The neuroscience of creative flow

In the quest for peak productivity and creativity, achieving a...

Artist's impression of the surroundings of the supermassive blac

In a remarkable discovery, astronomers have utilized the unparalleled capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oceans-of-water-vapor-may-be-involved-in-planet-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planet formation</a> and young planet-forming discs.



For the first time, researchers, including Naman Bajaj from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona</a> and Dr. Uma Gorti from the <a href="https://www.seti.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SETI Institute</a>, have captured images of winds emanating from an aging yet still young planet-forming disk, offering vital clues on the dispersal of gas crucial for the formation of planets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-glimpse-into-a-planet-forming-disk">Glimpse into a planet-forming disk</h2>



At the center of this research is TCha, a young star surrounded by a disk marked by a significant dust gap. This disk, situated about 30 astronomical units from its star, is now known to release winds that carry gas away -- a process observed using the emissions of noble gases neon (Ne) and argon (Ar). 



Remarkably, one of these emissions marked the first-ever detection of its kind within a planet-forming disk. These findings not only highlight the disk's erosion but also signify a crucial step in understanding the disk's life cycle and its impact on the formation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-stars-shape-planetary-systems-like-ours-with-ultraviolet-radiation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planetary systems</a> similar to our Solar System.



Naman Bajaj explains, "These winds could be driven either by high-energy stellar photons (the star's light) or by the magnetic field that weaves the planet-forming disk." 



This distinction is critical for understanding how planetary systems evolve from dust and gas into the complex arrangements of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stunning-revelation-new-image-sheds-light-on-the-birth-of-giant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">planets</a>, asteroids, and comets we observe in our own Solar System and beyond.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-importance-of-gas-dispersal">Importance of gas dispersal</h2>



Dr. Uma Gorti, a veteran in the study of disk dispersal, expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating, "I'm excited to finally be able to disentangle the physical conditions in the wind to understand how they launch." 



This research addresses a longstanding question in astronomy: how do planet-forming disks, initially rich in gas, evolve to host systems dominated by rocky bodies? 



Understanding the timeline and mechanisms of gas dispersal is key to solving this puzzle, as it determines the material available for forming planets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stellar-photons-and-disk-evolution">Stellar photons and disk evolution</h2>



Further exploration by Dr. Andrew Sellek of <a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/astronomy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leiden Observatory</a> and his team, involving simulations of gas dispersal driven by stellar photons, complements these observational breakthroughs. 



By comparing these models with actual <a href="https://webb.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a> observations, they concluded that dispersal by high-energy stellar photons is a viable process, evidenced by the significant amounts of gas being expelled from the disk annually -- an amount comparable to the mass of the moon. 



“We first used neon to study planet-forming discs more than a decade ago, testing our computational simulations against data from Spitzer, and new observations we obtained with the ESO VLT,” explained Sellek.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-transformative-power-of-jwst">The transformative power of JWST</h2>



This result underscores the critical role of JWST in advancing our comprehension of planetary system formation. The JWST has revolutionized our ability to study planet-forming disks, as highlighted by Professor Richard Alexander from the <a href="https://le.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a>. 



He reminisces about the limitations of previous observations and celebrates the JWST's capability to resolve disk winds in detail, expressing anticipation for future discoveries that will deepen our understanding of young planetary systems.



"We learned a lot, but those observations didn’t allow us to measure how much mass the discs were losing. The new JWST data are spectacular, and being able to resolve disc winds in images is something I never thought would be possible. With more observations like this still to come, JWST will enable us to understand young planetary systems as never before," Alexander concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-planet-forming-evolution-in-real-time">Observing planet-forming evolution in real time</h2>



An intriguing aspect of this research is the observation that the inner disk of T Cha is evolving over remarkably short timescales, as evidenced by differences between its JWST spectrum and earlier observations from the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spitzer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spitzer Space Telescope</a>. 



Chengyan Xie of the University of Arizona notes the possibility of witnessing the complete dispersal of dust from T Cha's inner disk within our lifetimes, a testament to the dynamic nature of planet-forming environments.



In summary, the collaborative efforts of these researchers have provided unprecedented insights into the processes that govern the birth and evolution of planetary systems. 



By mapping the winds that erode planet-forming disks and pinpointing the mechanisms of gas dispersal, this study enhances our understanding of our cosmic origins and sets the stage for future explorations into the mysteries of the universe with the James Webb Space Telescope.



The full study was published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/ad22e1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Astronomical Journal</a>.



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Cosmic winds from planet-forming discs seen for the first time

In a remarkable discovery, astronomers have utilized the unparalleled capabilities...

Ever felt like that doughnut might come back to haunt you later? Well, new research suggests it might not just affect your waistline, but also your love life. A study by the <a href="https://www.umontpellier.fr/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Montpellier</a> found that people who consumed a diet high in refined carbs were rated as less attractive.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-refined-carbs-and-attractiveness">Refined carbs and attractiveness</h2>



Refined carbohydrates are foods that have been processed to remove most of their natural fiber, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-d-reduces-risk-of-skin-cancer/">vitamins</a>, and minerals. These include white bread, pasta, pastries, white rice, table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and many packaged snacks and drinks.



Foods with refined carbs cause blood sugar to rise quickly and then drop, making you feel hungry again soon. Because they lack nutrients, they are linked to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.



For your skin, refined carbs can worsen acne by increasing oil production. They can also speed up aging by damaging collagen and elastin, which are proteins that keep your skin firm. Additionally, they can cause inflammation, leading to redness and puffiness. Since refined carbs are linked to weight gain, they can also change your appearance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-refined-carbohydrates-at-breakfast">Refined carbohydrates at breakfast</h2>



The study suggests that what we eat for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breakfast-lowers-the-risk-of-behavioral-problems-in-children/">breakfast</a> can impact how attractive we are perceived to be by others. People who consumed refined carbs breakfasts that caused their blood sugar to rise quickly, like sugary cereals or white bread, were rated as less attractive compared to those who had other breakfasts.&nbsp;



The study highlights that even the first meal of the day can influence how others perceive our attractiveness, suggesting a link between our dietary choices and physical appearance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-snacking-between-meals">Snacking between meals</h2>



People who regularly snack on refined carbs were also perceived as less attractive. The study suggests that for men, this effect might be linked to their physical activity levels and how "masculine" they are perceived to be.&nbsp;



Men who exercised less tended to eat more refined carbs between meals, which seemed to influence the masculinity they portrayed and subsequently reduced their attractiveness.&nbsp;



For women, snacks with refined carbs might make them look older than they actually are.&nbsp; “Facial attractiveness, an important factor of social interactions, seems to be impacted by immediate and chronic refined carbohydrate consumption in men and women,” noted the researchers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-perspective-on-refined-carbs">Evolutionary perspective on refined carbs</h2>



In the past, people ate foods that wouldn't cause blood sugar spikes very often, except for occasional treats like fruits or honey. Today, however, we have constant access to foods that cause blood sugar spikes.&nbsp;



This means these foods no longer signal that they are good sources of energy, unlike what might have been true in the past. Eating a lot of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-do-some-foods-seem-irresistible-the-answer-is-in-your-gut/">sugary foods</a> has led to health problems, and this seems to also affect how attractive people find others.



The study argues that our bodies haven't evolved to keep up with the modern diet, which is full of refined carbohydrates. The mismatch between our bodies and what we eat can lead to health problems and also affect how attractive we find each other.&nbsp;



Since being considered attractive is important in social interactions, these findings suggest that what we choose to eat can influence our social lives in unexpected ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-foods-that-can-make-you-more-attractive">Foods that can make you more attractive</h2>



A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-healthy-diet-can-reduce-brain-aging/">healthy diet</a> that supports overall health can indirectly contribute to a more youthful and radiant appearance.



This includes:



<ul>
<li>Fruits and vegetables: They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that help protect the skin from damage and aging.</li>



<li>Whole grains: These provide fiber for digestion and sustained energy, contributing to a healthy look.</li>



<li>Healthy fats: Avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for healthy skin and may contribute to a healthy glow.</li>



<li>Lean protein: Sources like chicken, turkey, tofu, and legumes help build and maintain muscle, and provide nutrients that can enhance skin health and overall appearance.</li>



<li>Water: Staying hydrated is crucial for maintaining skin elasticity and health, which can impact perceived attractiveness.</li>



<li>Tea: Green and white teas contain antioxidants that may help combat skin aging and contribute to a healthy glow.</li>



<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sweet-discovery-eating-chocolate-can-add-years-to-your-life/">Dark chocolate</a>: In moderation, dark chocolate can improve circulation and help protect the skin from sun damage due to its flavonoid content.</li>



<li>Spices and herbs: Many spices and herbs have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can support skin health.</li>
</ul>



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298984" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS ONE</a>.



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Eating refined carbs can make you less attractive

Ever felt like that doughnut might come back to haunt...

Lactating mothers who receive the COVID-19 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-vaccines-linked-to-neurological-blood-and-heart-related-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">booster shot</a> can pass protective antibodies to their infants through breastfeeding. This pioneering research from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (<a href="https://ifas.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UF/IFAS</a>) and the <a href="https://med.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UF College of Medicine</a> underscores the potential for breastfed babies, who are too young for vaccination, to gain a layer of protection against the virus.



This investigation marks the third in a series aimed at understanding the transfer of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-iron-may-be-a-key-driver-of-long-covid/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19</a> antibodies via breast milk. Initially focusing on the antibodies generated after the primary vaccination series, the research has now advanced to explore the impact of the booster shot. 



The findings, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, were supported by funding from the <a href="https://www.gerberfoundation.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gerber Foundation</a> and the <a href="https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Children's Miracle Network</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protective-power-of-breastfeeding-against-covid-19">Protective power of breastfeeding against COVID-19</h2>



Dr. Vivian Valcarce, a pivotal figure in this study and now an assistant professor at the <a href="https://www.uab.edu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Alabama at Birmingham</a>, emphasized the critical nature of breast milk in safeguarding infants, particularly in their first six months.



“We think that breast milk may play an important role in protecting the infants during the first six months of life from COVID. We continue to see babies being hospitalized from COVID-19 infections," Valcarce said.



Despite ongoing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pfizer-predicts-24-covid-vaccination-decline-this-fall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vaccination efforts</a>, infants continue to face hospitalization risks due to COVID-19, making the role of breast milk even more vital. The study delved into how the introduction of the COVID-19 booster shot affects the presence and efficacy of antibodies in breast milk.



Joseph Larkin, a UF/IFAS associate professor of microbiology and cell science, highlighted the dual importance of the research. 



First, it demonstrates that breastfeeding offers a way to provide infants with COVID-19 antibodies. Next, it shows that these antibodies, which naturally wane over time, are replenished following a booster shot, extending the protective benefits for breastfed babies.



“When babies are born, they have an immature immune system, so they rely heavily on mom’s immune system,” Larkin explained. “Breastfeeding can serve as a gap in between while babies are building their own immune system.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-the-path-of-antibodies">Tracing the path of antibodies</h2>



Researchers engaged in a comprehensive analysis, tracking 14 lactating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-vaccination-timing-can-change-menstrual-cycle-length/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mothers</a> and their infants from pre- to post-booster shots. 



This included testing the mothers’ blood and breast milk for antibodies and analyzing infants' stool samples to confirm the transmission of these protective agents. 



A novel aspect of the study involved testing the functionality of breast milk antibodies against a laboratory-safe strain of COVID-19, revealing that these maternal antibodies are capable of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preventing-future-covid-19-outbreaks-will-require-frequent-booster-shots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutralizing the virus</a>.



Lauren Stafford, a UF/IFAS graduate research assistant, and Ph.D. candidate, along with Dr. Josef Neu, a professor of pediatrics within the division of neonatology at the UF College of Medicine, contributed significantly to the study. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-breastfeeding-and-covid-19">The future of breastfeeding and COVID-19</h2>



The magnificent work of these scientists underscores the invaluable role of breastfeeding in bolstering infant health, particularly during a pandemic.



Their findings highlight the importance of breastfeeding as a protective strategy against COVID-19 for infants and reinforces the critical role of booster vaccinations for lactating mothers. 



By providing an additional layer of defense through breast milk, mothers can play a pivotal role in safeguarding their infants' health during these challenging times.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1289413/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Nutrition</a>.



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Breastfeeding after receiving COVID-19 booster shot gives babies immunity

Lactating mothers who receive the COVID-19 booster shot can pass...

Biofilm,Of,Antibiotic,Resistant,Bacteria.,Rod-shaped,And,Spherical,Bacteria.,Escherichia

Scientists from Mass Eye and Ear and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have made a significant leap in our understanding of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, specifically within the Enterococcus genus. 



This research has uncovered 18 previously unknown species of enterococci, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-meditation-transforms-gut-microbes-for-optimal-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gut microbes</a> prevalent in most land animals, and has identified hundreds of new genes. 



These discoveries provide critical insights into the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, a global health crisis that is projected to rival cancer as a leading cause of death by 2050.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-enterococci-frontline-antibiotic-resistance-foes">Enterococci: Frontline antibiotic resistance foes</h2>



Enterococci are notorious for causing multidrug-resistant infections, especially in hospital settings post-surgery, posing lethal risks and imposing over $30 billion in additional healthcare costs annually. 



This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), expands the known diversity of enterococcal strains by more than 25% and suggests that insects and other invertebrates are major natural reservoirs for these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-in-livestock-are-major-drivers-of-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a>, including naturally antibiotic-resistant species.



"Over the past 75 years, antibiotics have saved hundreds of millions of lives and have been pivotal in all types of surgery," stated Michael S. Gilmore, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at <a href="https://masseyeandear.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mass Eye and Ear</a> and director of the <a href="https://eye.hms.harvard.edu/idi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Infectious Disease Institute</a> at Harvard Medical School. 



Gilmore emphasized the crisis proportions reached by antibiotic resistance in recent decades, highlighting the urgent need for a deeper understanding of how resistance genes spread to hospital bacteria, threatening human health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-soil-to-science-origins-of-antibiotics">From soil to science: Origins of antibiotics</h2>



The origins of antibiotics trace back to the 1920s, with compounds like penicillin produced by soil microbes. These antibiotic-producing microbes, thriving in rotting plant matter, contribute to the distinct smell of forest soil. 



The study led by Gilmore and <a href="https://www.broadinstitute.org/bios/ashlee-earl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ashlee Earl, PhD</a>, director of the Bacterial Genomics Group at Broad, involved an international team, including elite adventurers, collecting a diverse range of samples from remote global locations. 



These efforts previously revealed that Enterococcus bacteria emerged approximately 425 million years ago, suggesting a long evolutionary battle with antibiotic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sloths-may-hold-a-secret-weapon-against-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resistance</a>.



"Until recently, most of what we've understood about the genetics of enterococcus come from those that make us sick, and that's a problem -- like trying to understand darkness without ever seeing the light,” said Earl. 



“Expanding our view to include those from outside of hospitals, with the help of citizen scientists, gave us the contrast we needed to identify how they make people sick in the hospital, and also gives the public the chance to co-own solutions," she concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insects-the-hidden-allies-of-antibiotic-resistance">Insects: The hidden allies of antibiotic resistance</h2>



This research posits that insects, by consuming rotting plant material laced with natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-create-viruses-to-combat-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antibiotics</a>, have played a significant role in the evolution of antibiotic resistance within gut bacteria like Enterococcus. 



Such resistance predates human antibiotic use, dating back to when antibiotics were first introduced in the 1940s and '50s, suggesting that these resistances were already embedded in the environment.



“The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that nature contains many infectious risks for humans,” Glimore reflected. 



“This study shows that insects and their relatives in nature are a large and uncharacterized reservoir of undiscovered genes in microbes closely related to those that cause some of the most antibiotic resistant infections," he concluded.



Through these findings, scientists are broadening our genetic database of enterococci and stepping closer to unraveling the complexities of antibiotic resistance. 



This knowledge is crucial for developing strategies to combat one of the most pressing health threats of our time, offering hope for future breakthroughs in preventing and treating antibiotic-resistant infections.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2310852121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Looming global crisis: Rising tide of antibiotic resistance

Scientists from Mass Eye and Ear and the Broad Institute...

3d,Illustration,Of,Entangled,Particles

In the ongoing quest to delineate the boundaries between classical and quantum physics, new research has emerged that offers insights into this fundamental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/radical-new-theory-finally-unites-gravity-spacetime-and-the-quantum-realm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientific challenge</a>.



Published today, this study showcases a pioneering platform with the potential to significantly advance our understanding of where the quantum realm ends and the classical world begins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-quantum-and-classical-physics">Understanding quantum and classical physics</h2>



Quantum physics, the domain governing the behavior of particles at the minutest scales, introduces phenomena like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-entanglement-discovery-is-a-revolutionary-step-forward/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum entanglement</a>, which defies classical physics explanations. 



Entanglement illustrates how particles can become so deeply connected that their properties are interdependent, regardless of the distance separating them. 



Understanding these quantum mechanics not only fills existing knowledge gaps but also provides a more nuanced comprehension of reality. However, due to the diminutive scale of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gravity-measured-in-the-quantum-realm-for-the-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> systems, observing and studying these phenomena poses significant challenges.



Historically, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computer-can-instantly-execute-a-task-that-would-normally-take-47-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> phenomena have been observed in progressively larger entities, ranging from electrons to complex molecules. Yet, the ambition to observe these phenomena in even larger objects introduces new challenges. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-levitation-and-light-pioneering-quantum-observability">Levitation and light: Pioneering quantum observability</h2>



Levitated optomechanics, a field focusing on controlling high-mass objects at the micron scale in a vacuum, strives to observe quantum behaviors in substantially larger objects. 



The difficulty lies in preserving the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/full-chemical-complexity-of-quantum-decoherence-finally-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum characteristics</a> like entanglement, which tend to diminish as objects increase in mass and size, giving way to classical behavior.



A team of researchers led by Dr. Jayadev Vijayan from <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The University of Manchester</a>, in collaboration with scientists from <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH Zurich</a> and theorists from the <a href="https://www.uibk.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Innsbruck</a>, has made a significant breakthrough in this area. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observable-quantum-scaling-up-the-invisible">Observable quantum: Scaling up the invisible</h2>



Their experiment, conducted at ETH Zurich and detailed in Nature Physics, introduces a novel method to preserve quantum features amidst environmental noise.



“To observe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-realm-controlled-at-room-temperature-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> phenomena at larger scales and shed light on the classical-quantum transition, quantum features need to be preserved in the presence of noise from the environment. As you can imagine, there are two ways to do this- one is to suppress the noise, and the second is to boost the quantum features," Dr. Vijayan explains.



“Our research demonstrates a way to tackle the challenge by taking the second approach. We show that the interactions needed for entanglement between two optically trapped 0.1-micron-sized glass particles can be amplified by several orders of magnitude to overcome losses to the environment," he continued.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-technical-innovations-and-methodologies">Technical innovations and methodologies</h2>



The experiment utilized two highly reflective mirrors to create an optical cavity, increasing the likelihood of photon interactions between the particles. 



"The strength of these optical interactions, mediated by the cavity, remains constant regardless of the distance, enabling us to couple micron-scale particles over several millimeters," adds Johannes Piotrowski from ETH Zurich.



This advancement not only propels us closer to understanding the quantum-classical transition but also opens the door to practical applications, especially in sensor technology. Dr. Carlos Gonzalez-Ballestero from the <a href="https://www.tuwien.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Vienna</a> highlights the implications.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-giant-leap-in-particle-entanglement">Giant leap in particle entanglement</h2>



“The key strength of levitated mechanical sensors is their high mass relative to other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computing-will-drastically-alter-the-field-of-copyright-law/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> systems using sensing. The high mass makes them well-suited for detecting gravitational forces and accelerations, resulting in better sensitivity," Gonzalez-Ballestero elaborated.



"As such, quantum sensors can be used in many different applications in various fields, such as monitoring polar ice for climate research and measuring accelerations for navigation purposes," he concluded.



Piotrowski reflects on the excitement of pushing the boundaries of this nascent platform towards the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/functioning-quantum-internet-makes-giant-stride-closer-to-reality/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum</a> regime. The team plans to integrate these capabilities with established quantum cooling techniques, aiming to validate quantum entanglement further. 



Successful entanglement of levitated particles could dramatically bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and classical physics, merging these two realms closer than ever before.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-in-bridging-the-quantum-and-classical-worlds">Next steps in bridging the quantum and classical worlds</h2>



In summary, the recent breakthrough in quantum physics research, led by Dr. Jayadev Vijayan and his international team, marks a significant advancement in bridging the gap between the quantum and classical worlds. 



By amplifying the interactions necessary for entanglement in micron-scale particles, this study enhances our understanding of quantum phenomena at larger scales and paves the way for innovative applications in sensor technology. 



As the team moves forward to integrate these findings with quantum cooling techniques, the potential for validating quantum entanglement in levitated particles holds the promise of revolutionizing our approach to physics, offering new insights into the fundamental nature of reality and opening up a myriad of practical applications across various fields.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-024-02405-3">Nature Physics</a>.



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Bridging quantum and classical physics with nanoparticle entanglement

In the ongoing quest to delineate the boundaries between classical...

Global carbon dioxide emissions from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-from-fossil-fuels-kills-5-million-people-each-year/">fossil fuels</a> reached an unprecedented level in 2023, according to an international team of experts. The researchers said the continued rise in emissions from the burning of oil, coal, and natural gas is impeding progress to limit global warming.



The Global Carbon Budget assessment serves as an annual health check for Earth's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/droughts-are-disrupting-earths-largest-carbon-storage-source/">carbon cycle</a>. The analysis quantifies the carbon added to the atmosphere through fossil fuel combustion and land-use changes, alongside the carbon sequestered by terrestrial and marine ecosystems.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-carbon-dioxide-from-fossil-fuels-nbsp">Global carbon dioxide from fossil fuels&nbsp;</h2>



The preliminary analysis for 2023 unveiled a 1.1 percent increase in fossil fuel emissions over 2022, totaling 36.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.&nbsp;



When accounting for additional sources like deforestation and the severe wildfire season in Canada, the total emissions for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-co2-emissions-expected-to-reach-a-new-high-in-2023/">2023</a> were estimated at 40.9 billion metric tons. According to the analysis, both 2022 and 2023 saw record increases in carbon dioxide from fossil fuels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-atmospheric-concentration-of-carbon-dioxide-nbsp">Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide&nbsp;</h2>



Ben Poulter, a co-author of the report and a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, expressed concern over the trajectory of emissions, emphasizing that they are moving in the opposite direction needed to mitigate global warming.&nbsp;



Since the dawn of the industrial era in 1750, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has surged from approximately 278 parts per million to 420 parts per million in 2023, fueling a significant increase in Earth's surface temperature.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hottest-year-on-record">Hottest year on record</h2>



The year 2023 set a new record as the hottest year, with average temperatures reaching 1.2 degrees Celsius (2.1 degrees Fahrenheit) above the mid-20th-century baseline, predominantly due to the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.



The team utilized NASA’s Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) to create visualizations that map carbon emissions and absorption across the globe, integrating data on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vegetation-impacts-energy-movement-in-the-arctic/">vegetation</a>, human population density, and various infrastructural elements. 



<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="y3PgqY2vL7-3448891-12187" type="single"]</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-natural-carbon-sinks">Natural carbon sinks</h2>



“Amazingly, the ocean and land continue to absorb about half of the carbon we emit,” said Poulter. “Only about 44 percent of emissions stay in the atmosphere each year, slowing the rate of climate change, but causing ocean acidification and altering how land ecosystems function.”



Concerns are mounting over the enduring capacity of natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-can-flip-forests-from-carbon-sinks-to-carbon-sources/">carbon sinks</a>. A study led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 2023 uncovered signs that the ocean's carbon storage capability is waning, potentially due to its prolonged role in absorbing carbon dioxide, along with alterations in global ocean circulation affecting deep-sea carbon sequestration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-global-carbon-budget-nbsp">The Global Carbon Budget&nbsp;</h2>



The Global Carbon Budget incorporates diverse data sources, including government and energy agency emissions inventories and satellite data from NASA’s OCO-2 instrument, to construct an exhaustive overview of the global carbon cycle.&nbsp;



While emissions have shown signs of decline in regions such as Europe and the United States, a global perspective reveals an overall rise, with significant increases noted in India and China.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-paris-agreement-nbsp">The Paris Agreement&nbsp;</h2>



The implications of this trend are stark in the context of the Paris Agreement, established in December 2015. The goal of this international treaty is to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C.&nbsp;



At the current rate of emissions, the analysis suggests a 50 percent chance of surpassing the 1.5°C threshold within approximately seven years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data">Greenhouse gas emissions data</h2>



In response to these challenges, NASA and other U.S. federal agencies continue to collect and disseminate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ponds-release-more-greenhouse-gases-than-they-store/">greenhouse gas</a> emissions data, contributing to the establishment of the U.S. Greenhouse Gas Center.&nbsp;



This multi-agency initiative aims to consolidate observational and model-based information, providing a comprehensive resource for policymakers and decision-makers to navigate the complexities of climate change mitigation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transitioning-away-from-fossil-fuels-nbsp">Transitioning away from fossil fuels&nbsp;</h2>



Glen Peters is an expert in the Centre for International Climate Research (CICERO) in Norway. Just before the Global Carbon Budget report was released in December, Peters commented on the lack of significant progress in transitioning to clean energy. He recalled that scientists were optimistic in 2015, hoping that emission levels might peak.



“Yet, here we are again, with a new peak in 2022, and yet another peak expected again in 2023,” said Peters. “My concern is that we are doing half the job, growing clean energy, and not doing the other half of the job, transitioning away from fossil fuels.”



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Global carbon dioxide emissions hit a record high in 2023

Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels reached an unprecedented...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Davis</a>, researchers have discovered that invasive plant species can lie dormant for extended periods - spanning decades to centuries - before abruptly proliferating and causing significant ecological damage.&nbsp;



The experts scrutinized over 5,700 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-many-invasive-plant-species-are-in-the-world/">invasive plant species</a> across nine global regions, marking it as the most exhaustive study of its kind, according to senior author Mohsen Mesgaran, an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-invasive-time-bombs-nbsp">Invasive time bombs&nbsp;</h2>



Mesgaran highlighted the deceptive nature of these dormant phases: “The longer it is dormant, we’re more likely to ignore it. This latency allows them to be overlooked, contributing to their eventual emergence as a serious invasive threat. They’re like invasive time bombs.”



The study's findings reveal that about one-third of the analyzed invasive plants underwent a significant lag between their introduction and sudden expansion, with an average dormancy period of 40 years.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dormant-invasive-plants">Dormant invasive plants</h2>



The record for the longest dormancy was held by sycamore maples in the United Kingdom, clocking in at 320 years.&nbsp;



In the United States, the common lawn weed Plantago lanceolata, also known as ribwort or buckhorn plantain, boasts the longest dormancy period. Introduced in 1822, this plant, detrimental to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-in-livestock-are-major-drivers-of-antibiotic-resistance/">livestock</a> and native flora, is now widespread across the country.&nbsp;



Another plant, velvetleaf, introduced as a potential fiber crop, can remain dormant for 50 years before spreading and threatening vital <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-corn-crops-could-have-higher-drought-tolerance/">crops</a> like corn and soybeans by depleting water and nutrients.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-problems-ahead">More problems ahead</h2>



The experts argue that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/non-native-species-can-have-unexpected-benefits/">non-native species</a> introductions occur either accidentally or through deliberate importation for uses such as medicinal, ornamental, or agricultural purposes. In California alone, approximately 65% of invasive plants were introduced intentionally.&nbsp;



“This lag phase may have played a role,” Mesgaran said. “They didn’t know. With an increase in trade and transportation and tourism we’re going to have more problems.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-waiting-for-favorable-conditions-nbsp">Waiting for favorable conditions&nbsp;</h2>



To compile their data, the researchers drew from global herbarium records, which are digitized and publicly accessible, to track the occurrence and timeline of these invasive species across various regions, including Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Madagascar, South Africa, and the United States.&nbsp;



By analyzing these records and comparing climate conditions during dormant versus expansion phases, the team discovered that many species waited for or adapted to favorable conditions before spreading, indicating that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/managing-invasive-species-can-improve-climate-resilience/">climate</a> plays a significant role in these invasions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dormancy-and-risk-assessment">Dormancy and risk assessment </h2>



This knowledge is crucial for future pest management and invasion prevention strategies, suggesting that existing risk assessment models, which typically overlook dormant phases, need updating.&nbsp;



“The problem is most of the models that we have for risk assessment to see if the species are going to be invasive and a pest problem in the future don’t account for this lag phase or this dormant phase,” Mesgaran said. “It’s not that they’re not going to be a problem, it’s just the calm before the storm.”



As the research progresses, the team plans to investigate how the native climates of these invasive species compare to their new environments, shedding further light on the mechanisms behind their spread and dormancy.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02313-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution</a>.



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Time bombs: Invasive plants can lie dormant for centuries

In a new study from UC Davis, researchers have discovered...

A pioneering study has shed new light on the process of decision-making within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monkey-brain-explain-human-thinking/">primate brain</a> during foraging. The research was focused on two rhesus monkeys that were trained to navigate an experimental setup for food rewards, revealing intricate strategies for optimizing their gains. 



The study was conducted by a team of neuroscientists, including contributions from the <a href="https://www.dpz.eu/en/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">German Primate Center</a> (DPZ) – Leibniz Institute for Primate Research in Göttingen.



The research not only deepens our comprehension of self-paced actions but also has significant implications for understanding neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-research-was-conducted-nbsp">How the research was conducted&nbsp;</h2>



The experiment allowed the monkeys to roam freely in a room equipped with two food boxes, from which they could obtain food pellets by pressing a button.&nbsp;



Throughout the experiment, the monkeys learned that delaying their button presses would lead to an increase in the number of pellets dispensed. 



This behavior adjustment occurred notably when a button press failed to yield a reward, prompting the monkeys to either wait longer before attempting again or to switch to the alternate box. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-patience-levels-in-the-monkeys">Predicting patience levels in the monkeys</h2>



The researchers meticulously recorded the neuronal activity in the front part of the monkeys' brains, employing a mathematical model to decode the monkeys’ reward expectations based on neural activity. 



This approach enabled the team to predict with remarkable accuracy how long the rhesus monkeys were prepared to wait for an increased reward and when they would decide to pursue another option.



“When we started the experiment, we expected that our monkeys would simply choose the box based on how successful they had been with that box before,” said lead author Neda Shahidi, a junior research group leader at the Collaborative Research Center 1528 at the <a href="https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Göttingen</a> and the DPZ in Göttingen. 



The monkeys' ability to modulate their waiting times based on previous outcomes and the duration since their last action highlights a sophisticated level of strategic planning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-monkeys-and-rewards">Monkeys and rewards</h2>



“After a while, however, they had learned to pay attention to the time since the last keystroke and also to their previous success at a box. If they had waited a while but not received any pellets, they waited even longer before pressing the next time. However, if they were not rewarded too many times in a row after pressing the button, they moved to the other box. They had apparently decided that this food box was not worth the wait and it was better to look elsewhere,” Shahidi added. 



This indicates a calculated decision-making process, where the monkeys deemed a food box unworthy of further attempts after consecutive unrewarded efforts, choosing instead to explore other options.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-characterizing-brain-activity-patterns">Characterizing brain activity patterns </h2>



To dissect the underlying neuronal processes, the research team wirelessly recorded the activity of 96 neurons in the prefrontal cortex, a critical area for controlling goal-directed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-benefit-from-the-sloppy-eating-behavior-of-monkeys/">behavior</a>.&nbsp;



“However, characterizing the activity patterns of individual neurons does not always reveal the whole story when we study complex decision-making processes,” Shahidi explained. 



To address this, the team developed a mathematical model that distinguished components of neural activity correlating with the monkeys' decisions on when to press the button and their previous successes with each box.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advances-in-data-science">Advances in data science</h2>



Surprisingly, the model provided highly accurate predictions of the monkeys' forthcoming actions, including their choices to switch between food boxes. “We were surprised at how well our model could predict what the monkeys would do in the next few seconds,” Shahidi remarked.&nbsp;



“Our results show not only how the development of wireless recording technologies can improve our understanding of brain mechanisms in natural movement scenarios, but also how advances in data science are transforming neuroscience by extracting the computational components of the brain from the collective activity of neurons. We hope that in the long term, such advances will help to better understand abnormalities in cognitive processes such as self-pacing in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dopamine-plays-an-unexpected-role-in-movement-and-parkinsons-disease/">Parkinson's</a> or self-initiating actions in apathy,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41593-024-01575-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Neuroscience</a>.&nbsp;



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Monkeys and humans quickly learn that patience is rewarding

A pioneering study has shed new light on the process...

Bangkok,Thailand.,10,April,,2019,:,Non-alcoholic,Version,Of,Heineken

A study led by <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Flinders University</a> has revealed the complex feelings parents harbor towards the burgeoning availability of zero-alcohol drinks in Australia, and the potential impact on adolescents. The rise of these alcohol-free alternatives has not only expanded the market but also introduced a new layer of complexity for parents nationwide.



Amidst this expanding landscape, lead author Nathan Harrison of the <a href="https://nceta.flinders.edu.au/">National Center for Education and Training on Addiction</a> (NCETA) at Flinders points out the ambiguity surrounding the influence of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/non-alcoholic-beer-can-be-a-hotbed-for-pathogens/">beverages</a> on teenagers.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-challenge-for-parents-nbsp">New challenge for parents&nbsp;</h2>



“We already know that conversations around alcohol can be uncomfortable and tricky to broach, especially when it comes to teenagers,” he said. “Now parents face the additional challenge of navigating zero-alcohol drinks that look, and taste, like the real thing.”



“Our research found that parents feel like they don’t have enough information to make an informed decision, and are conflicted on whether alcohol-free alternatives are suitable, healthy or possibly harmful for teenagers.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zero-alcohol-drinks-as-a-gateway">Zero-alcohol drinks as a gateway</h2>



The similarity of these drinks to alcoholic beverages has led some parents to worry about normalizing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-consumption-can-lead-to-chronic-pain/">alcohol consumption</a> among their children.&nbsp;



“Parents are sometimes confused by zero-alcohol drinks. They wonder if giving them to their children might normalize alcohol because these drinks look so similar. As a result, around half of the parents we spoke to were concerned that these drinks could result in increased alcohol consumption,” Harrison added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-normalizing-alcohol-consumption-nbsp">Normalizing alcohol consumption&nbsp;</h2>



The study highlights parents' apprehensions and decision-making dilemmas, with one parent arguing that alcohol-free drinks work “like a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soda-may-be-a-gateway-drug-for-young-children/">gateway drug</a>, you know, that they start on the zero-alcohol and they wanna try the real thing.”&nbsp;



Another parent shared similar concerns, saying that “if it’s the whole ‘being cool because you’re drinking alcohol’ sort of link, it’s almost in the same realm as being harmful, you know: it’s glorifying, it’s normalizing everything about alcohol.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-confusion-over-alcohol-guidelines-nbsp">Confusion over alcohol guidelines&nbsp;</h2>



Study co-author Ashlea Bartram from the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders led a comprehensive analysis of over 1,100 parents' views, finding that confusion over alcohol guidelines often led parents to consider providing zero-alcohol products to their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exposure-to-violence-may-rewire-teenage-brains/">teenagers</a>.&nbsp;



“Research has shown that delaying the introduction of alcohol to children can reduce the likelihood of binge drinking and alcohol-related issues later in life," she explained, advocating for cautious parental guidance.&nbsp;



“Many parents want to do what they can to minimize harms from alcohol to their children. For now, we advise a precautionary approach and recommend that parents do not provide zero-alcohol drinks to their adolescents,” she advised, emphasizing the importance of protective measures against potential risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marketing-strategies-of-zero-alcohol-drinks-nbsp">Marketing strategies of zero-alcohol drinks&nbsp;</h2>



Christine Morris, Prevention and Advocacy Manager at <a href="https://www.cancersa.org.au/">Cancer Council SA</a>, highlighted the unique marketing strategies of zero-alcohol beverages, which are not subject to the same restrictions as alcoholic drinks.&nbsp;



As Morris put it, “zero-alcohol drinks are allowed to be marketed and sold in ways that regular alcoholic drinks cannot. Any amount of any type of alcohol increases the risk of seven types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hundreds-of-thousands-of-nanoplastics-found-in-bottled-water/">cancer</a>, and it’s important to make sure that children and young people are not exposed to advertising from alcohol companies that could put them at risk of harm.”



This study - published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100119" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health</a> - sheds light on the nuanced concerns parents have regarding zero-alcohol beverages and their adolescent children, urging a more informed and cautious approach to these products amidst growing popularity and market presence.



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Are zero-alcohol drinks a type of gateway drug for teens?

A study led by Flinders University has revealed the complex...

Clifftops,At,Kilve,Beach,Ont,He,Somerset,Coastline

Along the dramatic sandstone cliffs of South West England's Devon and Somerset coast, researchers have unearthed the world's oldest fossilized forest. Full of ancient Calamophyton trees, <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Calamophyton-trees_oldest-fossilized-forest_credit-Peter-Giesen_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the forest</a> dates back an astonishing 390 million years. 



This remarkable find surpasses the previous oldest forest by four million years, previously located in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State</a>, and represents the most ancient fossilized trees discovered in Britain to date. 



The discovery was made near Minehead, by the Bristol Channel, close to a modern-day Butlin’s holiday camp, by a team from the Universities of Cambridge and Cardiff.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calamophyton-the-palm-trees-that-time-forgot">Calamophyton: The palm trees that time forgot</h2>



The forest, dating to the Devonian Period, a crucial epoch for terrestrial life expansion, introduces us to Calamophyton trees. These ancient specimens, resembling palm trees at a glance, were in fact quite different from the trees we are familiar with today. 



Unlike contemporary trees, Calamophyton trunks were hollow and thin, devoid of leaves, and adorned with <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Calamophyton-tree-log_oldest-fossilized-forest_credit-Neil-Davies_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">twig-like structures</a> instead of branches. 



Remarkably, these trees grew to a modest height of two to four meters and played a pivotal role in early ecosystems by shedding vegetation that supported forest floor invertebrates.



This discovery challenges prior assumptions that this part of the English coast lacked significant plant fossils. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dawn-of-terrestrial-life-in-the-devonian-period">Dawn of terrestrial life in the Devonian Period</h2>



The presence of these ancient trees sheds light on the vital role early vegetation played in shaping landscapes, stabilizing riverbanks, and fortifying coastlines during a time when life was rapidly spreading onto land. 



This period saw the emergence of seed-bearing plants and the establishment of arthropods as the earliest land animals.



Professor Neil Davies from Cambridge's <a href="https://www.esc.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Earth Sciences</a>, the study’s lead author, highlighted the Devonian period's profound impact on terrestrial life and landscape dynamics. 



The roots of trees and plants during this time began to stabilize sediment, fundamentally altering interactions between water and land, yet little was known about these earliest forests until now.



“The Devonian period fundamentally changed life on Earth,” Davies explained. “It also changed how water and land interacted with each other, since trees and other plants helped stabilize sediment through their root systems, but little is known about the very earliest forests.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-ancient-landscapes-to-modern-cliffs">From ancient landscapes to modern cliffs</h2>



The fossil forest was located in the <a href="https://data.bgs.ac.uk/id/Lexicon/NamedRockUnit/HASA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hangman Sandstone Formation</a>, an area that, during the Devonian period, was geographically detached from the rest of England and closer to parts of what are now Germany and Belgium. This context is crucial for understanding the broader geographical and ecological connections of the time.



Dr. Christopher Berry of Cardiff’s <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/earth-environmental-sciences" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Earth and Environmental Sciences</a> shared his excitement upon recognizing the tree trunks from his three decades of study on similar trees globally. 



He emphasized the unique insight gained from observing these trees in their original growth positions, offering a rare glimpse into the ecology of the world's earliest forests and their influence on the sedimentary landscape.



“When I first saw pictures of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Calamophyton-tree-trunk_oldest-fossilized-forest_credit-Chris-Berry_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tree trunks</a> I immediately knew what they were, based on 30 years of studying this type of tree worldwide. It was amazing to see them so near to home. But the most revealing insight comes from seeing, for the first time, these trees in the positions where they grew," Berry enthused. 



"It is our first opportunity to look directly at the ecology of this earliest type of forest, to interpret the environment in which Calamophyton trees were growing, and to evaluate their impact on the sedimentary system," he concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-earth-s-geographical-evolution">Tracing Earth's geographical evolution</h2>



The fieldwork, conducted along England's highest sea cliffs, some accessible only by boat, revealed a rich tapestry of Devonian period plant fossils embedded within the sandstone. 



These findings, from fossilized plants and tree logs to traces of roots and sedimentary structures, paint a vivid picture of a semi-arid plain traversed by river channels.



Professor Davies described the ancient forest as unlike any today, with a landscape significantly shaped by the debris from densely packed Calamophyton trees. 



This period marked a significant evolutionary moment when land plants began to influence river flow and sedimentation patterns, illustrating a pivotal stage in Earth's ecological development.



“The evidence contained in these fossils preserves a key stage in Earth’s development, when rivers started to operate in a fundamentally different way than they had before, becoming the great erosive force they are today,” said Davies. 



“People sometimes think that British rocks have been looked at enough, but this shows that revisiting them can yield important new discoveries," he concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-calamophyton-tree-forests-provide-modern-lessons">Ancient Calamophyton tree forests provide modern lessons</h2>



In summary, the discovery of the world's oldest fossilized forest along the Devon and Somerset coast marks a monumental leap in our understanding of Earth's ancient landscapes and their ecosystems. 



By uncovering the remains of Calamophyton trees, which thrived during the Devonian Period, scientists offer us a rare window into a time when the first complex life forms began to inhabit land, fundamentally altering the planet's geological and ecological dynamics. 



This research challenges previous assumptions about the fossil record in this region and highlights the intricate relationship between early plant life and the formation of terrestrial environments. 



Through diligent fieldwork and expert analysis, the team has given the world a new understanding of the critical role forests play in shaping Earth's early landscape, providing invaluable insights into the evolutionary processes that have made our world what it is today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-calamophyton-trees">More about Calamophyton trees</h2>



In the lush, ancient landscapes that predate our modern forests, a variety of unique and fascinating plant species thrived. 



Among these, as discussed above, the Calamophyton trees stood out for their distinctive features and contribution to the prehistoric ecosystem. 



These ancient plants, which are now extinct, offer a glimpse into the complexity and diversity of life on Earth millions of years ago.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-calamophyton-s-place-in-history">Understanding Calamophyton's place in history</h3>



Calamophyton trees belonged to the early periods of Earth's history, a time when plant and animal life were both undergoing significant evolution and diversification. 



They are often associated with the Devonian period, a crucial era in the history of life on Earth, marking the rise of significant terrestrial ecosystems. 



The Devonian period is sometimes referred to as the "Age of Fishes," but it was also a time when the first forests began to appear, with Calamophyton contributing to this burgeoning terrestrial landscape.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-characteristics-and-reproduction">Characteristics and reproduction</h3>



Calamophyton trees were notable for their unique structural characteristics. They possessed a central stem that supported a series of branching fronds or leaves, resembling the modern ferns and palms in appearance but belonging to an entirely different lineage of ancient plants. 



These trees did not have true leaves as we know them today; instead, their fronds were very different, serving the essential functions of photosynthesis and gas exchange.



One of the most intriguing aspects of Calamophyton trees was their reproductive system. Like many ancient plants, they reproduced through spores rather than seeds, a method that predates the evolution of flowering plants. 



This mode of reproduction was well-suited to the humid, warm environments in which they thrived, allowing them to spread and colonize new areas effectively.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecological-impact">Ecological impact</h3>



The presence of Calamophyton trees had a profound impact on the prehistoric ecosystems in which they lived. By contributing to the development of the planet's first forests, they played a crucial role in modifying the Earth's atmosphere, increasing oxygen levels, and paving the way for the evolution of more complex life forms. 



These ancient forests also provided habitats for a wide range of organisms, from the smallest insects to larger, more complex animals, fostering biodiversity and ecological complexity.



Moreover, the decay and fossilization of Calamophyton and other contemporary plants led to the formation of coal beds, which are an important source of fossil fuels today. 



Thus, these ancient trees not only shaped the ecosystems of their time but also have a lasting impact on modern human society and our energy resources.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-calamophyton-trees-lasting-legacy">Calamophyton trees' lasting legacy</h3>



Though the Calamophyton trees have long since vanished from the face of the Earth, their legacy lives on through the fossil record and the role they played in shaping the course of evolutionary history. 



By studying these ancient plants, scientists can gain insights into the environmental conditions of the past, the evolutionary processes that have shaped life on Earth, and the intricate relationships between different forms of life throughout history.



In essence, the story of Calamophyton is a testament to the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our planet. It reminds us of the profound ways in which life, through its myriad forms and processes, has transformed and continues to transform the world we live in.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/abs/10.1144/jgs2023-204">Journal of the Geological Society</a>.



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World’s 'newest' oldest forest, recently discovered, is full of Calamophyton trees

Along the dramatic sandstone cliffs of South West England's Devon...

<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">
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</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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