Can farms produce enough food to feed us while still leaving space for wildlife? A new proposal says they can.



By setting aside one-fifth of farmland for nature, and tweaking everyday practices on the rest, we can help wildlife recover without sacrificing the food on our tables.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-with-wildlife-in-mind">Farming with wildlife in mind</h2>



The plan comes from ecologists at the <a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk/">UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology</a> and the University of Alcalá in Spain. Study co-author Professor James Bullock elaborated on the importance of the research.



“Reversing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-calls-for-global-change-to-stop-biodiversity-loss/">biodiversity loss</a> and degradation of ecosystems is essential both for nature as well as long-term global food security. But there is no single silver bullet for nature recovery and so far it has been unclear how to integrate rewilding into agricultural landscapes," said Professor Bullock. 



“Our proposed approach moves beyond land sparing versus land sharing. We believe rewilding can be interwoven into agricultural landscapes and could be key to maintaining <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/increasing-plant-based-food-production-would-have-extremely-positive-impact/">food production</a> in a way that is sustainable in the long term for people and the planet.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dedicating-land-to-nature-recovery">Dedicating land to nature recovery</h2>



According to the study, fostering rewilding approaches alongside farming could create agroecological landscapes that accommodate biodiversity while remaining resilient and functionally connected. Certain incentives would encourage farmers to adopt this approach.



“While setting aside land for nature recovery could potentially be made a legal requirement for farmers and landowners, there is more likely to be acceptance and success of rewilding if there are incentives in the form of payments for ecosystem services and tax deductions,” noted Professor José María Rey Benayas, lead author on the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-farming-needs-wildlife">Why farming needs wildlife</h2>



Modern farming has greatly increased food production since the 1940s. But this has often come at the expense of nature. 



Clearing land, using heavy fertilizers and pesticides, and removing natural features like hedgerows have pushed many plant and animal species to the edge.



This loss doesn’t just affect wildlife - it disrupts vital services that farms depend on, such as healthy soil, natural pest control, and water retention. As these services decline, the long-term productivity and resilience of farming systems are put at risk.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cost-of-declining-wildlife">The cost of declining wildlife</h2>



Across Europe and beyond, once-common species are disappearing from farmland. For example, the U.K. has lost over 40 million birds since 1970, and wild bee populations have declined in more than half of European countries, according to multiple long-term surveys.



These animals aren’t just part of the scenery - they’re key to food production. Birds eat crop pests. Bees and other insects pollinate the flowers that develop into fruits and vegetables. Their loss means greater reliance on artificial fertilisers, pesticides, and expensive manual labour.



Bringing wildlife back isn’t just a conservation goal - it’s a practical step toward more affordable and reliable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixed-cover-crops-may-be-the-future-of-sustainable-farming/">farming</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steps-to-farming-alongside-wildlife">Steps to farming alongside wildlife </h2>



The researchers suggest a four-part plan that links nature conservation with everyday farming. 



First, they recommend reserving at least 20% of farmland for nature. This space would include large patches of woodland, wetlands, and species-rich grassland to form strong core habitats. 



Second, these patches should be connected by green corridors - such as hedgerows, ponds, and strips of scrubland - that allow wildlife to move, feed, and reproduce.



Third, they propose protecting small hotspots within working fields. This would involve setting aside about 10% of cropped land for flower strips, beetle banks, and bird perches, bringing the total to the 30% global restoration goal. 



Finally, they call for small changes in daily farming practices, like reducing chemical use, planting flowers for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pollinators-face-extinction-risk-due-to-climate-change/">pollinators</a>, and letting livestock graze more freely to help spread seeds and support healthy soil.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewilding-has-benefits-for-farmers">Rewilding has benefits for farmers</h2>



Many European regions cannot host bears or bison. However, smaller species such as lynx, wildcat, or European hare can still boost ecosystem health. Choosing the right mix depends on local conditions.



Helping wildlife can pay off in more ways than one. When farms support natural habitats, they often see practical benefits in return. 



Better soil retains more water and nutrients, which supports stronger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farmers-can-help-make-crops-more-resilient/">crops</a>. Pollinators and natural predators of pests can help increase yields in nearby fields. 



Farmers may also spend less on fertilizers and pesticides, lowering overall input costs. In some places, governments might provide payments or tax breaks to reward efforts that support biodiversity and ecosystem services.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-room-for-wildlife">Making room for wildlife</h2>



Reaching the 20% target may be challenging for small farms, but collective action can make it achievable. At the same time, each region will need to adapt the plan to fit its local conditions. 



Areas with heavily degraded farmland have the most to gain, while places with traditional, low-impact farming may require fewer changes. 



The researchers emphasize that this is just a starting point - but the message is clear: making room for wildlife alongside farming can help secure both indigenous species and food for the future.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.2860">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>.



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Farming for wildlife: How traditional practices can protect nature

Can farms produce enough food to feed us while still leaving space for wildlife? A new proposal says they can. By setting aside one-fifth of farmland for nature, and tweaking everyday practices on the rest, we can help wildlife recover without sacrificing the food on our tables. Farming with wildlife in mind The plan comes from ecologists at the UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology and the University of Alcalá in Spain. Study co-author Professor James Bullock elaborated on the importance of the research. “Reversing biodiversity loss...

Squid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brazilian-fishers-and-dolphins-benefit-from-fishing-together/">fishing</a> is increasingly expanding into unregulated spaces, despite growing concerns over stock status, according to a new study led by <a href="https://globalfishingwatch.org/">Global Fishing Watch</a>.



The researchers investigated the activities of global squid fleets across three oceans from 2017 to 2020. The experts discovered that as these fisheries expand, they shift locations into the high seas, where no particular nation has jurisdiction.&nbsp;



“These squid fisheries are highly mobile, fishing multiple oceans within a given year,” said study lead author Professor Katherine Seto of UC Santa Cruz. “While some conservation and management measures are in place to regulate this type of fishing, our research found that actors may take advantage of these fragmented regulations to maximize resource extraction."



"To address this, we need to address the factors that promote the growth and expansion of fishing efforts, and increase data sharing and communication between management entities.”



The research was conducted through a partnership between Global Fishing Watch, the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security at the University of Wollongong, and the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency.



The team used satellite imagery, vessel tracking, and data monitoring to determine that squid fishing activities increased by 68 percent during the three-year study period.



Squid fishing vessels were found to conduct 86 percent of their activities in unregulated areas. The researchers noted that while unregulated fishing is not necessarily illegal, it presents many challenges, such as fisheries sustainability.



"By synthesizing data from multiple sources, we created a robust picture of the fishing activity of the high seas squid fleets. Our analysis highlights the interconnectedness of fishing grounds used by the fleets,” said study co-author Nate Miller. “It demonstrates the critical importance of comprehensive data sharing agreements between regional bodies for improving understanding of the movements of these vessels and quantifying their impacts on squid stocks.”



“These unregulated fishing activities require urgent action," said study co-author Quentin Hanich from the University of Wollongong. "They occur in our global commons, shared by all, yet few receive any benefit, and neighboring coastal States are increasingly concerned regarding the impact on their own shared fish stocks."



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.add8125">Science Advances</a>.



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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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Squid fishing vessels take advantage of unregulated waters

Squid fishing is increasingly expanding into unregulated spaces, despite growing...

B cells are a vital component in our body’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-pushes-the-immune-system-into-overdrive/">immune system</a>, generating protective antibodies when we have an infection or are vaccinated, as well as harmful antibodies in connection with allergies or autoimmune diseases. For many years, scientists have debated the mechanisms through which these cells are activated, since the predominant model for how immune recognition occurs could not explain all the observations. 



Now, by examining the early step in the activation of B cells, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.au.dk/">Aarhus University</a> in Denmark has found crucial new knowledge about the ways in which our bodies fight pathogens and react to vaccines.&nbsp;



“Previously, it was believed that the antigens from, for example, viruses or vaccines would have to cross-bind a B-cell’s receptors on the cell surface. That’s what it says in all the textbooks. But now we have shown that even antigens that can only bind one receptor at a time are able to activate the B cells,” said study senior author Søren Degn, an associate professor of Biomedicine at Aarhus.&nbsp;



“The result is significant because it represents a breakthrough in our understanding of how these important immune cells ‘recognize’ their enemies. Once we understand what is going on, we can imitate it in the design of new vaccines, to ensure maximum effect. One might say that our findings can make us better at mimicking the pathogenic microorganisms, and thus better at provoking or ‘cheating’ the immune system into generating a good immune response when we vaccinate.”



Since they clarify how receptors on the surface of cells send signal into the cells – a key biological process – these findings are important not only for immunology but also for cell biology in general. Moreover, in the long term, they could have important applications, including the design of better vaccines and the development of potential treatments for allergies and autoimmune disorders.



“We have shown that the way in which the activation of B cells has been explained over the past thirty or forty years is wrong. This is an important finding, because it opens the door to better vaccines and better treatment of a large group of diseases. When we understand how the B cells are activated, we can create better vaccines. In the slightly longer term, we may also be able to switch off B-cell activation in cases where it is harmful,” Degn concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36672-0#Sec2">Nature</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Study changes our understanding of the immune system

B cells are a vital component in our body’s immune...

An international team of researchers has recently used a NASA satellite – the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (<a href="https://ocov2.jpl.nasa.gov/">OCO-2</a>)&nbsp;- to track carbon dioxide <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-co2-emissions-hit-record-levels-in-2022/">emissions</a> for over 100 countries across the world, as well as to clarify how much of this gas is removed from the atmosphere by forests and other carbon sinks. The analysis revealed that the world’s largest CO2 emitters are China and the United States, followed by India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Iran, Japan, and Germany. 



Other nations that significantly contribute to CO2 emissions are the United Kingdom -&nbsp; along with the rest of western Europe - Australia, Kazakhstan, most of northern Africa, South Africa, Chile, Thailand, and the Philippines.



While traditional activity-based (“bottom-up”) approaches to carbon measurement rely on tallying and estimating how much CO2 is emitted across all sectors of the economy, the current “top-down” approach is particularly helpful for countries that lack traditional resources for inventory development. By tracking both fossil fuel emissions and the total carbon stock changes in ecosystems – including soils, trees, or shrubs – such an approach is highly useful for clarifying CO2 fluctuations related to land cover change.



“Our top-down estimates provide an independent estimate of these emissions and removals, so although they cannot replace the detailed process understanding of traditional bottom-up methods, we can check both approaches for consistency,” said study co-author Philippe Ciais, the research director at the <a href="https://www.lsce.ipsl.fr/">Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences</a> in France.



Such an approach provides a highly complex picture of how carbon dioxide is moving through out planet’s land, ocean, and atmosphere. Moreover, besides measuring direct human impacts already accounted for by national inventories, it also helps monitoring the carbon balance of unmanaged ecosystems, such as tropical or boreal forests that can sequester carbon from the atmosphere and thus help mitigate global warming.



“Sustained, high-quality observations are critical for these top-down estimates,” explained lead author Brendan Byrne, a scientist at NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> in Southern California. “Continued observations from OCO-2 and surface sites will allow us to track how these emissions and removals change as the Paris Agreement is implemented. Future international missions that provide expanded mapping of CO2 concentrations across the globe will allow us to refine these top-down estimates and give more precise estimates of countries’ emissions and removals.”



The full study can be found <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/15/963/2023/">here</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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The world’s CO2 “super-emitters” are led by the U.S. and China

An international team of researchers has recently used a NASA...

Scientists have long known that, after a period of intense physical exertion, vertebrates (including humans) need a period of recovery to lower their heart rates and allow the organism to repair injured muscles. However, more recent studies have shown that intensive physical activity can also affect immune defenses, and that rest is crucial for boosting the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/organ-regeneration-offers-new-clues-about-the-immune-system/">immune system</a> too. Now, a team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a> in Sweden has found that this is also true in the case of migratory birds.



When they migrate, birds regularly stop in one place for a few days to eat and rest – a behavior previously thought necessary to build up new fat reserves which provide fuel for the rest of the migration process. However, scientists have now shown that, during such “pitstops,” they also boost their immune systems.



“This is the first time that this has been demonstrated in wild migratory birds. Our study shows that migratory birds’ stops serve other purposes, besides just ‘refueling.’ They also need other physiological systems to recover. You could compare it to pulling off the motorway into a service station. That is not just for the purpose of refueling, you might also need to recover,” said study senior author Arne Hegemann, a biologist at Lund.



Together with his team, Hegemann examined a variety of small migratory birds such as chaffinches, dunnocks, and common redstarts to assess how their immune systems change when they take breaks during migration. By collecting and comparing data from different individuals and species, they discovered that free-flying migratory birds usually restore several parameters of immune function during their stopovers.



“If you see a little bird in your garden or in the park during the autumn and you know that it is heading to southern Europe or Africa, it is fascinating to think about why it is&nbsp;taking&nbsp;a break. If they do not get food or rest, their immune systems cannot recover – which is when they risk becoming ill. This provides an important part of the puzzle of how migratory birds cope with the physiological challenges they are faced with on their long journeys,” Hegemann concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0518">Biology Letters</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Migratory birds take breaks to boost their immune system

Scientists have long known that, after a period of intense...

Jewel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reconstructing-300-million-years-of-beetle-evolution/">beetles</a> are a striking species of insects that can be easily recognized by their metallic sheen and vivid colors. They possess a highly developed visual system that helps them engage in a variety of behaviors, such as finding mates and host plants, and their color vision is different from ours, with special genes allowing them to see ultraviolet (UV), as well as blue and green light.&nbsp;



To shed more light on the complexity of these insects’ vision, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a> has recently investigated their evolutionary history and discovered that jewel beetles have duplicated some of the ancestral genes responsible for color perception, allowing them to detect more complicated and diverse color signals.



The experts built on a previous study published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-00061-7">Nature</a> showing that, before the evolution of modern beetles, their ancestors lost the ability to see blue light around 300 million years ago, most likely because they became nocturnal or started living in low-light conditions. Later on, as they diversified, beetles evolved duplicates of the ancestral genes allowing them to detect the UV and green spectrum.



In the current study, the researchers set to find out whether these duplicate genes have evolved, allowing modern beetles to see colors that their ancestors were not able to detect. Since jewel beetles are notoriously difficult to keep and work with in the laboratory, the scientists copied the genes and inserted them into fruit flies, replacing their normal visual genes. Then, by using electrophysiology, they tested the color sensitivity these genes produced in the flies, focusing on genetic changes underlying the shifts in color sensitivity.



The analysis revealed that jewel beetles have evolved additional blue and orange sensitivity by duplicating their UV and green visual genes, enabling complex tetra-chromatic color sensitivity to UV, blue, green, and orange wavelengths (similar to the color sensitivity of various species of colorful birds). When visual genes were modified and retested, the newly evolved genetic changes related to color detection were not found to shift sensitivities.



In future studies, the scientists aim to better understand the molecular bases of beetles’ color sensitivity and – according to lead author Camilla Sharkey, an expert in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at Minnesota – “determine if specific types of color vision can be predicted from genes and how color vision is used by insects to better manage pest and pollinator insects, thus improving crop production.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msad023">Molecular Biology and Evolution</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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How did jewel beetles’ visual systems evolve?

Jewel beetles are a striking species of insects that can...

New research led by scientists from the <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> suggests that current climate models may underestimate some of the effects of global warming because they fail to take full account of the role of amplifying feedback loops. Their report, published in the journal <a href="https://www.oneearth.org/">One Earth</a>, calls for urgent action to bring greenhouse gas emissions under control and to provide a roadmap for policymakers aiming to avert the most devastating consequences of climate change.&nbsp;



The researchers considered the roles of 41 climate feedback loops that could either amplify or reduce the effects of climate change. Among these, 27 were amplifying feedback loops that involve a climate-caused alteration which triggers a process that further accentuates the initial alteration. For example, rising temperature leads to the melting of sea ice in the Arctic which, in turn reduces the area of ice able to reflect incident radiation. This leads to further warming because the solar radiation is then absorbed by the dark ocean waters rather than being reflected by the white ice.&nbsp;



Another example involves the effects of wildfires which are becoming more common due to the warm, dry conditions. Combustion of the vegetation introduces a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which then contributes to the greenhouse effect and leads to even higher temperatures.



OSU College of Forestry postdoctoral scholar Christopher Wolf and Professor William Ripple led the study, and were joined by scientists from the University of Exeter, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Woodwell Climate Research Center, and Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Associates. The researchers considered the role of both biological and physical feedbacks in climate change processes. Biological feedbacks include forest dieback, soil carbon loss and wildfire; physical feedbacks involve changes such as reduced snow cover, increased Antarctic rainfall and shrinking Arctic sea ice.



“Many of the feedback loops we examined significantly increase warming because of their connection to greenhouse gas emissions,” Wolf said. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the most extensive list available of climate feedback loops, and not all of them are fully considered in climate models. What’s urgently needed is more research and modeling and an accelerated cutback of emissions.”



The levels of greenhouse gas emissions have risen substantially over the last century, despite several decades of warnings by climate scientists that these levels need to be drastically reduced. The scientists say the amplifying effect of feedback loops, as well as interactions between different loops could cause Earth systems to cross tipping points and lead to permanent shifts away from the current climate state to one that threatens the survival of many humans and other life forms.



“In the worst case, if amplifying feedbacks are strong enough, the result is likely tragic climate change that’s moved beyond anything humans can control,” Ripple said. “We need a rapid transition toward integrated Earth system science because the climate can only be fully understood by considering the functioning and state of all Earth systems together. This will require large-scale collaboration, and the result would provide better information for policymakers.”



The authors call for urgent and massive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the possible major threats looming from climate tipping points that are drawing ever-closer due to the activation of many amplifying feedback loops. They say that even comparatively modest warming is expected to heighten the likelihood that the Earth will cross various tipping points, causing big changes in the planet’s climate system and potentially strengthening the amplifying feedbacks even further.



“Transformative, socially just changes in global energy and transportation, short-lived air pollution, food production, nature preservation and the international economy, together with population policies based on education and equality, are needed to meet these challenges in both the short and long term,” Ripple said.&nbsp;



“It’s too late to fully prevent the pain of climate change, but if we take meaningful steps soon while prioritizing human basic needs and social justice, it could still be possible to limit the harm,” he added.



The paper in&nbsp;One Earth&nbsp;has a&nbsp;<a href="https://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu/climate_feedbacks">corresponding website</a>&nbsp;that features more about climate feedback loops, including infographics and interactive animations.



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Dangerous climate feedback loops have been underestimated

New research led by scientists from the Oregon State University...

Cognitive degeneration is one of the most debilitating features of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aging-populations-have-less-cohesive-social-networks/">aging</a>, and considerable research goes into understanding what makes brain cells healthy and why they lose function as people age. Diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, along with traumatic brain injuries, can also cause cognitive decline. A new study by scientists from the <a href="https://www.tcd.ie/biosciences/">Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute</a> (TBSI) has now shed new light on the role of specialized microglial cells in this process.



Microglia are specialized immune cells that are found in the tissues of the nervous system, particularly the brain and spinal cord. Usually, they function to support nerve cells, defend against invading microbes, clear debris and remove dying nerve cells by engulfing and digesting them. They are thus critical to the functioning of healthy brain cells.&nbsp;



However, emerging research indicates that microglia can function differently depending on molecular and biochemical changes occurring within these specialized cells; indeed, once activated by pathological stimuli, microglia can alter their functional states to either contribute to or mitigate disease progression. In this light, they may cause effects that worsen a patient’s condition.



In the current study, published in the leading international journal,&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.add1101">Science Advances</a>, the researchers investigated changes that take place in the microglia in the brains of aging mice and mice that have had traumatic brain injuries. In particular, they considered the presence of autofluorescent microglia and found that this type of cell was more common in aged mice and in mice that had suffered a brain injury.&nbsp;



Autofluorescence is the tendency of cells to emit light of one color after they have absorbed light of another, and it occurs because specific substances inside the cells absorb light. Because the microglia are the garbage collectors of the brain, they gradually accumulate substances that come from the cells and debris they engulf and absorb. These substances include fat molecules, cholesterol crystals, metals and misfolded proteins.&nbsp;



The researchers found that, compared with young mice, one-third of the microglia in the brains of old mice exhibited autofluorescence. These cells were also characterized by profound changes in lipid and iron content, in oxidative stress levels, and in their ability to move around and engulf pathogens and dead cells.&nbsp;



“As the brain ages, these materials build up inside autofluorescent microglia, which increase their autofluorescence as a result. Unfortunately, this accumulation of cellular debris also makes it harder for the microglia to perform their essential garbage collection tasks in the brain and to prevent neurological injury and neurodegenerative disease.," said study lead author Professor David Loane.



“In this study we found – in aged animals – that these microglia adopt a unique, dysfunctional state, which has a number of problematic impacts. For example, there is an increase in cellular stress and damage, an accumulation of fats and iron, alterations to metabolic processes and an increase in production of molecules that over-egg the immune response.”&nbsp;



In addition, the scientists demonstrated that autofluorescent microglia were associated with increased levels of inflammation, and that both of these factors were more pronounced under pathological conditions, such as in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Encouragingly, the effects were reversed when the researchers used medications to remove and replace the autofluorescent microglia in the brains of aged mice. This may give hope that these cells could be targeted in treatments in future.



Mice that had suffered brain injuries still showed increased presence of autofluorescent microglial cells a year after the injury. “Furthermore, environmental exposure to acute traumatic brain injury in animals accelerated the age of onset and tissue-wide distribution of autofluorescent microglia by increasing oxidative stress damage in the brain of injured animals," said Professor Loane.



“As a result, increasing evidence now suggests that the accumulation of autofluorescent microglia contributes to diseases of ageing and neurodegeneration. If these sub-populations of microglia are highly inflammatory and damaging to the brain, then targeting them could be a new strategy for treating aging-related diseases.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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New target identified to prevent age-related diseases

Cognitive degeneration is one of the most debilitating features of...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University</a> in Canada has found that, contrary to popular beliefs, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-risk-linked-to-specific-environmental-pollutants/">Covid-19</a> pandemic has taken a relatively limited roll on the mental health of people around the world, suggesting that human resilience is stronger than usually thought.&nbsp;



The experts reviewed data from 137 studies in various countries involving 134 cohorts of individuals from all over the world (75 percent adults and 25 percent children and adolescents). Since most of these studies were conducted in high- or middle-income countries, further research is needed to assess Covid-19’s impact on mental health in lower-income nations.



Surprisingly, the analysis revealed that, regardless of the dramatic stories circulating in the media and other outlets, changes in mental health caused by the pandemic were minimal – a finding that held true whether the studies covered the mental health of the population as a whole or that of specific groups, such as people of particular ages, gender, or with other pre-existent health conditions.



“Mental health in Covid-19 is much more nuanced than people have made it out to be,” said study senior author Brett Thombs, a professor of Psychiatry at McGill. “Claims that the mental health of most people has deteriorated significantly during the pandemic have been based primarily on individual studies that are ‘snapshots’ of a particular situation, in a particular place, at a particular time. They typically don’t involve any long-term comparison with what had existed before or came after.”



“This is by far the most comprehensive study on Covid-19 mental health in the world, and it shows that, in general, people have been much more resilient than many have assumed,” added lead author Ying Sun, a research coordinator at the <a href="https://www.ladydavis.ca/">Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research</a> of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal.



While anxiety and suicide rates did not seem to increase in the general population during the pandemic, depression symptoms worsened by minimal to small amounts in older adults, university students, or people belonging to sexual or gender minority groups. Moreover, women often tended to experience a worsening of mental health symptoms, possibly due to multiple family responsibilities, working in health care or elder care, or, in some cases, family violence.



“This is concerning and suggests that some women, as well as some people in other groups, have experienced changes for the worse in their mental health and will need ongoing access to mental health support,” said co-author Danielle Rice, an assistant professor of Psychiatry at <a href="https://www.mcmaster.ca/">McMaster University</a>. “The Canadian federal and provincial governments along with governments elsewhere in the world have worked to increase access to mental health services during the pandemic, and should ensure that these services continue to be available.”



Further research is needed to examine mental health across different time periods in the pandemic, and to clarify what governments and health agencies can do to ensure that scientists have better-quality and more timely mental health data as the pandemic continues to affect many parts of the world.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-074224">BMJ</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</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.

What was the mental health toll of the pandemic?

A new study led by McGill University in Canada has...

Little,Girl,Playing,At,The,Woods.

Since anxiety and depression among school-aged children and teenagers in the United States are currently at an all-time high, in 2021 child and adolescent mental health was declared a national emergency. Although many possible causes are thought to contribute to this worrisome situation, a new study published in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.02.004">Journal of Pediatrics</a> has argued that a decades-long decline in opportunities for children and teens to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-who-play-team-sports-have-fewer-mental-health-problems/">play</a>, roam, and engage in various activities independent of direct oversight and control by adults may have been a critical factor in the current mental health crisis, leading to record levels of anxiety, depression, and even suicide among young people.



“Parents today are regularly subject to messages about the dangers that might befall unsupervised children and the value of high achievement in school,” said study co-author David Bjorklund, a professor of Psychology at the <a href="https://www.fau.edu/">Florida Atlantic University</a> (FAU).&nbsp;



“But they hear little of the countervailing messages that if children are to grow up well-adjusted, they need ever-increasing opportunities for independent activity, including self-directed play and meaningful contributions to family and community life, which are signs that they are trusted, responsible, and capable. They need to feel they can deal effectively with the real world, not just the world of school.”



Moreover, children’s freedom to engage in activities that involve a certain degree of risk and personal responsibility (such as climbing trees), which can help protect children from developing phobias and reduces future anxiety by boosting self-confidence in dealing with possible emergencies, has also declined over the past few decades, contributing to the ongoing mental health problems today’s children face.



According to the experts, the increased school time and pressure to achieve may have impacted children’s mental health not only by detracting from time and opportunities to engage in independent activities, but also due to fear of insufficient achievement and academic failure.



To address these issues, adults’ concern for children’s safety has to be tempered by recognizing that, as children grow, they need increasing opportunities to manage their own activities independently.



“Unlike other crises, such as the COVID epidemic, this decline in independent activity, and hence, mental wellbeing in children has crept up on us gradually, over decades, so many have barely noticed it. Moreover, unlike other health crises, this one is not the result of a highly contagious virus, but rather the result of good intentions carried too far – intentions to protect children and provide what many believed to be better (interpreted as more) schooling, both in and out of actual schools,” Bjorklund concluded.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</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.

Independent play is good for children’s mental health

Since anxiety and depression among school-aged children and teenagers in...

The southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), also known as the California sea otter, is a threatened subspecies of marine predator that inhabits the coastal waters of central California. Before legal protection of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-bird-species-are-less-competitive/">species</a> was introduced, sea otters were hunted for their fur and their populations plummeted. It is estimated that only 50 individuals of this subspecies remained 1n 1911, when hunting was first prohibited. Since then, their numbers have increased slowly, although they remain endangered.



Sea otters are ecologically important because they prey on marine species that graze algae and kelp. Otter foraging keeps the kelp forests in balance and prevents them from being overgrazed. In the absence of sea otters, sea urchins and other herbivorous invertebrates graze kelp forests to the ground, leaving barren and depauperate ecosystems. The small size of the sea otter population (around 3,000 individuals) means that the subspecies is still threatened and needs all the help it can get.



The <a href="https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a> has a sea otter surrogacy program that helps pair stranded pups with non-releasable female otters, with the aim of preparing the pups to be reintroduced into the wild. In a study published in the journal Biological Conservation, Aquarium researchers have evaluated the success of the program’s methods to help identify approaches that maximize the chances of successful release of young otters and contribute to the recovery of the species.



“These findings describe everyday, life-threatening challenges experienced by sea otter pups, and help us identify optimal conditions for returning orphaned otters to the wild, where they may benefit population and ecosystem recovery,” said lead author Teri Nicholson, Senior Research Biologist for Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Program. “Because of our surrogate females’ strong nurturing behavior, three-quarters of the orphaned pups in our program reacclimate to the wild after release. What we are learning from this study will increase this success.”



The Program makes use of the fact that female sea otters demonstrate a natural tendency to behave maternally towards orphaned young otters, even when in captivity. These pups learn to groom, socialize, avoid humans, and forage on a variety of hard-shelled invertebrates (including mussels, clams, crabs, and urchins), skills that are essential for surviving in the wild. Over 20 years, the Program has released 64 pups, with a survival rate comparable to that of wild populations.&nbsp;



Along the way, the researchers have learned which approaches maximize the rate of success. In the current study, Nicholson and her colleagues examine 34 key rehabilitation components that make up the five phases of a stranded pup’s journey to release: stranding, stabilization, surrogacy, pre-release and release. The researchers determine the modifications that would contribute most to improving successful outcomes in the wild. These results will inform decisions about when and where to release sea otters within the species’ historical range, in order to maximize their chances for survival.



The results also form a foundation for other aquariums that may wish to start a similar program. For example, the Aquarium of the Pacific joined the surrogacy program in 2020 and has been building a specialized area for pairing stranded sea otter pups with surrogate mothers.



“By sharing more details about sea otters within our program, and our common challenges, we hope to inspire stronger connections with these wildlife populations and stewardship of our shared ocean environment,” Nicholson said.



The study highlights the following key conclusions:



<ul><li>Surrogacy draws from the natural behavior and adaptability of sea otters, resulting in 75 percent success reacclimating orphans to the wild, regardless of their stranding age, origin, early development, surrogate mother idiosyncrasies, weaning age, and pre-release conditioning.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Release conditions – such as favorable seas and mild weather – represented the strongest modeled drivers of success.</li><li>Low daily swimming distances by released individuals, and less competitive local population dynamics were additional factors that contributed to success.</li><li>Comparable success rates among a variety of sites and habitats, such as estuary seagrass meadows and open-coast kelp forests, demonstrate the potential for broader application of these methods throughout California, where release conditions are favorable.</li></ul>



Successful surrogacy methods can give orphaned pups another chance at survival in the wild, which helps benefit wild populations and restore coastal ecosystems. For this reason it is important to evaluate the outcomes to develop the most successful strategies for rearing and releasing the young otters.&nbsp;



The results of this study may also be applied to the recovery of other threatened or endangered species, and may provide a blueprint for nature-based solutions that strengthen ecosystem resilience in the face of increasing impacts from climate change.



“Our surrogacy program is effective, and results from this study build our confidence that we’ll be able to increase the number of animals we can return to the wild through key partnerships,” said Jess Fujii, the sea otter program manager at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. “The study also provides valuable insights for when and where we can release rescued otters with the best chance of success.”



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By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</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.

Strong maternal drive helps sea otters survive

The southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), also known as...

By using data collected in the context of INTERSTROKE – a global study of 26,877 adults with an average age of 62, spanning 32 countries and aiming to clarify the risk factors for stroke in different regions of the world - a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.universityofgalway.ie/">University of Galway</a> in Ireland has found that people with symptoms of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-causes-depression-in-adults-too/">depression</a> were more likely to suffer an acute stroke and have a worse recovery afterwards.



“Depression affects people around the world and can have a wide range of impacts across a person’s life,” said lead author Robert Murphy, a consultant Stroke Physician and researcher at the College of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences at Galway.



“Our study provides a broad picture of depression and its link to risk of stroke by looking at a number of factors including participants’ symptoms, life choices, and antidepressant use. Our results show depressive symptoms were linked to increased stroke risk and the risk was similar across different age groups and around the world.”



After adjusting for other risk factors, including age, sex, education, physical activity, and various lifestyle factors, the experts found that people with depressive symptoms before stroke had a 46 percent increased risk of stroke compared to those with no symptoms, with the risk of stroke increasing proportionally with how many depressive symptoms participants had. For instance, participants who reported three to four symptoms and those who reported one or two symptoms had 58 and 35 percent higher risk, respectively, in comparison to those with no such symptoms. In addition, although participants with symptoms of depression did not seem more likely to have more severe strokes, they were more likely to experience worse functional outcomes one month after the stroke than those without symptoms.



“The goal of INTERSTROKE is to better understand the importance of risk factors for stroke in different regions of the world and impact of stroke. In the INTERSTROKE study we have previously examined the roles of hypertension, alcohol, lipids, and psychosocial stress as global determinants of stroke risk,” said senior author Martin O’Donnell, a professor of Neurovascular Medicine at Galway.



“The current analysis provides deeper insights into the association of depressive symptoms with stroke risk, reporting an increased risk. These analyses suggest that effective identification and management of depression may also be associated with reduced stroke risk, although the observational nature of the study does not permit definitive conclusions.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207093">Neurology</a>.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</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.

Depression increases the risk of stroke

By using data collected in the context of INTERSTROKE –...

A,Volunteer,Collects,Garbage,On,A,Muddy,Beach.,Close-up.,The

According to an increasing number of studies, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-making-the-ocean-more-acidic/">plastic pollution</a> is one of the main threats the world’s oceans and their ecosystems are currently facing. While previous research has focused primarily on Northern Hemisphere oceans and areas near the most industrialized nations, a recent global dataset of ocean plastic pollution between 1979 and 2019 has revealed a fast and unprecedented worldwide increase in ocean plastics since 2005. Better understanding plastic accumulation in oceans across the globe could provide a critical baseline to help address this major form of pollution.



The experts examined data on ocean-surface-level plastic pollution collected between 1979 and 2019 from 11,777 stations across six marine regions (North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, Mediterranean, and Indian). While a relative lack of data from 1979 to 1990 prevented reliable trend analysis during this period, and between 1990 and 2004 plastic levels showed fluctuations with no precise trend, from 2005 to 2019 ocean plastic abundance and distribution significantly and rapidly increased worldwide, with an estimated 85 to 358 trillion plastic particles, weighing between 1.1 and 4.9 million tons, polluting the world’s oceans in 2019.&nbsp;



Although these findings are biased towards trends in the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans, where the majority of data was collected, the rapid increase in plastic pollution since 2005 suggests a sustained, global growth of plastic production, as well as possible changes in waste generation and management. According to the researchers, without widespread policy changes, the rate at which plastics enter our oceans may increase by 2.6 times by 2040. To prevent this, a legally binding international policy intervention to minimize the ecological, economic, and social damage of marine plastic pollution is urgently needed.



“We’ve found an alarming trend of exponential growth of microplastics in the global ocean since the millennium,&nbsp;reaching over 170 trillion plastic particles. This is a stark warning that we must act now at a global scale.&nbsp;We need a strong, legally binding UN Global Treaty on plastic pollution that stops the problem at the source,” concluded lead author Marcus Eriksen, the research director and co-founder of the <a href="https://www.5gyres.org/">5 Gyres Institute</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281596">PLoS ONE</a>.



—



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</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.

Unprecedented increase in global ocean plastic pollution since 2005

According to an increasing number of studies, plastic pollution is...

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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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

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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