For decades, researchers have questioned whether boys and girls are born with the same natural ability in math. In 2005, cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Spelke took a firm stand, stating that there are no differences in overall intrinsic aptitude for science and mathematics among women and men.



Now, the evidence is even stronger. In a new study, researchers from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard University</a> and several institutions across France examined math performance in more than 2.5 million French schoolchildren. 



The team found that at the very beginning of first grade, boys and girls start off nearly equal in math. But just four months into formal math instruction, a small gap appears - and it keeps growing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nationwide-study-tracks-the-math-gap">Nationwide study tracks the math gap</h2>



The research draws on a French government testing program that was launched in 2018. This nationwide effort tracked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reminiscing-can-boost-language-development-in-preschoolers/">language</a> and math skills of young students from first through sixth grade. 



Over five years and across four student cohorts, the program gave researchers an unmatched view of early math development.



At school entry, French girls scored slightly better than boys in language. Math scores, though, were essentially the same. 



"The headline conclusion is that the gender gap emerges when systematic instruction in mathematics begins," Spelke explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-for-gender-differences">Looking for gender differences </h2>



Spelke had already spent decades studying how young children understand numbers and shapes. Back in 2005, she wrote a major review for American Psychologist. The piece challenged the notion that boys are biologically wired for better math performance than girls.



"My argument was, 'OK, if there really were biological differences, maybe we would see them in the infancy period,'" said Spelke. 



She and her team always tracked <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-children-learn-gender-stereotypes-from-storybooks/">gender</a> in their studies, but they never found infant boys outperforming girls in math, or vice versa. Still, Spelke admitted that something could be happening later in development.



"The fact that there are no differences in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/conscious-awareness-when-does-our-sense-of-purpose-emerge/">infants</a> could be because the abilities that show gender effects actually emerge during preschool," she proposed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-math-instruction-for-boys-and-girls">Math instruction for boys and girls</h2>



In recent years, Spelke has turned her attention to how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-better-way-for-kids-to-learn-math/">children learn counting</a> and numbers in real classrooms. 



Spelke partnered with Nobel Prize-winning MIT economist Esther Duflo to advise the Delhi office of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). The team is helping four Indian states create and test math lessons for children in preschool through first grade.



In France, she works alongside her longtime collaborator, neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene. Together, they serve on the French Ministry of Education's Scientific Council, which helped develop the EvalAide testing program. 



The idea was simple: measure where every child stands in math and language and use that data to guide better teaching.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gender-gap-emerges-in-math">Gender gap emerges in math</h2>



For this study, the team analyzed data from four full cohorts of first-graders entering school between 2018 and 2021. 



What they found was consistent: no math gap at the time of school entry, a small but significant gap favoring boys after four months, and a steadily widening gap by second, fourth, and even sixth grade.



"It was even bigger in fourth grade," Spelke said. "And in sixth grade it was bigger still."



Interestingly, the gender gap in language shrank slightly after the first few months of school and stayed relatively stable in later years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ruling-out-old-explanations">Ruling out old explanations</h2>



So why does the math gap grow with time in school? The researchers ruled out several familiar theories.



"If there was really a pervasive social bias, and the parents were susceptible to it, we would expect boys to be more oriented toward spatial and numerical tasks when they first got to school," said Spelke.



But that didn’t happen. At school entry, there was no math gap. This points away from both biological and early social bias explanations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-experiment-during-the-pandemic">An experiment during the pandemic </h2>



The EvalAide dataset offered other insights. French first-graders can be nearly a year apart in age, depending on when their birthday falls. 



The team wondered if the older students were skewing results. They weren’t. The widening gender gap aligned more closely with time spent in school than with age.



Then came an unusual variable: COVID-19. The 2019 cohort missed the final 2.5 months of first grade due to lockdowns. That gap year created a natural experiment.



"With less time in school, the amount of the gender gap grew by less than it did in the other years where there wasn't a long school closure," said Spelke.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-confirming-the-math-gender-gap">Confirming the math gender gap</h2>



The cohort also began school just after a national education crisis. In early 2019, French students had scored <a href="https://www.polytechnique-insights.com/en/braincamps/society/how-to-improve-the-relationship-between-education-and-employment/maths-an-essential-subject-whose-level-is-falling-in-a-majority-of-countries/#:~:text=In%202003%2C%2015%25%20of%20French,European%20average%20of%20527%20points.">lowest</a> among 23 European countries in math, according to international rankings. 



In response, the French Education Ministry - guided by its Scientific Council - called for more math teaching in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-19-pandemic-setbacks-reduced-kindergarten-readiness/">kindergarten</a>.



Sure enough, a tiny math gender gap appeared in fall 2019 among new first-graders. That gap hadn’t shown up in 2018 but was still present in 2020 and 2021.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-problems-in-early-math-instruction">Problems in early math instruction </h2>



The study doesn't pinpoint a single cause, but its message is clear: differences in math achievement between boys and girls seem to grow as a result of what happens in early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/schools-are-in-a-battle-with-cell-phones-to-keep-students-engaged/">school</a> instruction.



"We still don't know what that is exactly," Spelke said. "But now we have a chance to find out by randomized evaluations of changes to the curriculum."



The findings put pressure on education systems to ask hard questions about how math is taught in the early years - and what needs to change to make it fair for everyone.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09126-4">Nature</a>.



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Early math instruction may unintentionally favor boys

For decades, researchers have questioned whether boys and girls are born with the same natural ability in math. In 2005, cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Spelke took a firm stand, stating that there are no differences in overall intrinsic aptitude for science and mathematics among women and men. Now, the evidence is even stronger. In a new study, researchers from Harvard University and several institutions across France examined math performance in more than 2.5 million French schoolchildren. The team found that at the very beginning of first grade, boys...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dementia-will-affect-most-dogs-if-they-live-long-enough/">Dementia</a> is a devastating disease that robs individuals of their connections with others. Researchers at <a href="https://www.nm.org/">Northwestern Medicine</a> wanted to explore a unique way that music could help alleviate the isolation that comes with the disease.&nbsp;



The study, recently published in <a href="https://journals.lww.com/alzheimerjournal/Fulltext/9900/Musical_Bridges_to_Memory__A_Pilot_Dyadic_Music.25.aspx">Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders</a>, looked specifically at how music could help bridge communication between patients and their caregivers. The research is unique because previous studies were focused solely on the patient, but the current study also considered the caregiver.&nbsp;



The experts wanted to determine whether playing music from the patients' youth while interacting (singing, dancing, and playing instruments) with their caregivers could illicit an emotional connection. Music is an ideal medium because the parts of the brain responsible for musical memory are some of the last affected by Alzheimer's or dementia.&nbsp;



Study lead author <a href="https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=25516">Dr. Borna Bonakdarpour</a> explains the results: "Patients were able to connect with partners through music, a connection that was not available to them verbally. The family and friends of people with dementia also are affected by it. It's painful for them when they can't connect with a loved one. When language is no longer possible, music gives them a bridge to each other."



Beyond improving the patients' social engagement, the study revealed that participants and caregivers were less agitated and reported less anxiety and depression when connecting through music.



To carry out the study, the researchers observed two groups of individuals over three months. One group participated in interactive music therapy, and the other did not. Group discussions were held after each therapy session, and the researchers noticed that members of the group who participated in the music therapy made more eye contact and were less distracted than the control group.&nbsp;



In fact, some therapy patients were barely verbal before the intervention and became conversational during the course of therapy. The researchers noted that the control group did not display the same changes. The positive effects were observed outside of therapy and with family members as well.



"As the program progressed, caregivers invited multiple family members," said study co-author Jeffrey Wolfe. "It became a normalizing experience for the whole family. All could relate to their loved one despite their degree of dementia."&nbsp;&nbsp;



According to the experts, their next step is to repeat the study with a larger sample size. The research is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.lww.com/alzheimerjournal/pages/default.aspx">Alzheimer Disease &amp; Associated Disorders</a>



---



By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Music helps dementia patients connect with caregivers

Dementia is a devastating disease that robs individuals of their...

Conventional dishwashers often do not eliminate all the harmful microorganisms left on plates, bowls, or cutlery. Moreover, they require long cycles which use a lot of electricity, while the soap that is pumped in and out is released into water sources, leading to environmental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-from-everyday-products-is-deadlier-than-previously-realized/">pollution</a>. 



According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.tu-dortmund.de/en/">Technical University of Dortmund</a> and the <a href="https://www.tum.de/en/">Technical University of Munich</a> (TUM), superheated steam dishwashers - which kill 99 percent of bacteria on dishes in just about 25 seconds - could be a more effective and environmentally-friendly solution.&nbsp;



The scientists created a simulation of an idealized dishwasher, resembling a box with solid side walls, a top opening, and a nozzle at the bottom. Plates covered with heat-resistant strains of bacteria should be placed directly above the nozzle. Once a certain threshold temperature is reached in the simulation, the microorganisms are deemed inactivated.



“Steam comes out of the nozzle at a very high velocity. We can see shocks, and the turbulent flow that is created has eddies and vortices,” said study co-author Natalie Germann, a professor of Fluid Mechanics at TU Dortmund. “We also include heat transfer, which shows how the heat changes in the simulation box and the condensation on the solid surfaces.”



According to the researchers, besides killing bacteria, the shock waves created by the high velocity of the steam and reflected at surfaces in the dishwasher could also be used to effectively remove food debris.&nbsp;



“Our study helps determine the strength of the shocks, the position of the shocks, and the vortices that are created inside the dishwasher,” explained study co- author Laila Abu-Farah, a postdoctoral fellow at TMU. “These things are very important for arranging the items or objects inside the dishwasher and the placement and orientation of the nozzles.”



Although superheated dishwashers would cost more than the traditional ones, their price would pay off in the long run due to savings on water, electricity, and detergent. Such dishwashers would be ideal for use in hospitals, restaurants, or hotels, which must meet higher standards of hygiene.



“We confirmed that the dishwasher application using superheated steam is promising. This is the first work combining fluid dynamics and heat transfer with phase change and bacterial inactivation. It thus lays the foundation for future computational research and further technical work,” Professor Germann concluded.



---



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

Steam dishwashers could reduce water and energy use

Conventional dishwashers often do not eliminate all the harmful microorganisms...

Human forearms are made out of two bones - the ulna and the radius. These bones are separated in humans, giving us a range of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predicting-the-movement-of-sea-lions-can-help-protect-them/">movement</a> that's lacking in many other creatures.&nbsp;



Goats, horses, and bats have semi-fused ulnae and radii, probably for running and flying, respectively. In frogs, these two forearm bones are completely fused, which is thought to be an adaptation for jumping. However, this explanation fails to consider the fullness of frog biodiversity.&nbsp;



“Many people think frogs jump, and a lot of them do. But there are also frogs that live their entire lives underground; there are frogs that glide; there are arboreal frogs that mostly climb like monkeys; there are frogs who primarily live underwater; and then there are frogs that just mostly walk. Frogs have evolved to move in so many ways, but the radius and ulna bones are always fused together,” explained Dr. Rachel Keeffe with the <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/">Florida Museum of Natural History</a>.



Dr. Keeffe wondered if there was a better explanation for the forelimbs of frogs. For instance, during mating, male frogs clasp females with their forelimbs and also fight other males for access to females. These activities could explain the beefier forelimbs.&nbsp;&nbsp;



To test this idea, Dr. Keeffee used museum specimens to create forelimb models. She modeled the leg of a bullfrog, a frog known for its jumping prowess. Next, she developed other models with varying degrees of fusion between the ulnae and radii, including one model where the bones were separate, another where they were partially fused, and a third where there was a single bone.&nbsp;



Dr. Keeffee ran software simulations on these different models to mimic the stress of jumping. Other simulations were used to mimic the stress of mating on a forelimb.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Surprisingly, in both jumping and mating scenarios, less stress was put on the semi-fused model than on the fully fused forelimbs frogs possess.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



Rather than disproving her hypothesis, Dr. Keeffee interprets her results as a sort of evolutionary compromise. Although the bones have more stress when they’re fused, these bones are thicker and lighter, possibly for better jumping.&nbsp;



As for mating, the stress is also more on the fused bones; however, with two unfused bones, the single tendon could be attached to only the ulna or radius, not both, making a weaker forearm than the fused bone. Dr. Keefe hopes to explore this idea with further model research.&nbsp;



This study was published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/joa.13737">Journal of Anatomy</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why do frogs have fused forearms?

Human forearms are made out of two bones - the...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-horses-have-higher-stress-levels-than-domestic-ones/">Horses</a> have been living together with human for thousands of years – a long co-evolution that helped them develop impressive social skills: they seem to be highly receptive to human emotions and are proficient at understanding human demands. A new study led by the <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en">University in Turku</a> in Finland has found that horses are often more reluctant in new situations if they have multiple riders, have had several owners, or have been with the current owner for just a brief period of time.&nbsp;



“Domestic horses may spend several hours daily in close contact with humans, which can affect horse welfare, physiology, and behavior. Therefore, it is important to understand which factors can influence the horses’ emotions during interactions with humans and what shapes their relationship - particularly in novel situations that can be very stressful to the animals,” said study lead author Océane Liehrmann, a doctoral student in Biology at the University of Turku.



The researchers recruited 76 privately owned horses from the Turku area and analyzed their reactions to novel objects. In a first experiment, the horses were led to walk on two surfaces which were new to them – a white tarp and a fluffy blanket – while in a second test, they were presented with a fluffy stuffed toy. In both cases, the horses had to interact either with their owner or a stranger.



“Interestingly, horses with an exclusive relationship with their owner were the calmest when approaching the novel surfaces and easily agreed to be touched with the toy. Horses that are regularly ridden or trained by different persons showed more stress behaviors in the test situations,” Liehrmann explained.



Moreover, the experiments revealed that horses with shorter relationships with their owners were more reluctant in new situations and seemed more stressed when asked to interact with unfamiliar objects or surfaces. By contrast, those that had at least six to eight years of relationship with their owner were usually very calm in novel situations. Horses older than 17 refused more often to step on the unfamiliar surfaces when led by a stranger, while they easily agreed to when led by their owners.



“Our findings suggest that a positive horse-human relationship may take time to develop as it is shaped by multiple factors, such as the horse’s previous interactions with humans. Overall, the results show that animals’ relationships with their human caretakers should be better considered in animal welfare and its research,” Liehrmann concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105709">Applied Animal Behavior Science</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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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&nbsp;&nbsp;

Horses with a trusted owner remain calm in new situations

Horses have been living together with human for thousands of...

According to a new book called Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity, rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-economic-inequality/">inequality</a> in the next 50 years may lead to increasingly dysfunctional societies, making the cooperation needed to deal with threats such as climate change much more difficult. However, the experts identify five “extraordinary turnarounds” needed to end global poverty and maintain temperatures below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and argue that following these guidelines, humanity has a chance to survive the climatic and economic catastrophes it is currently facing.



“We are standing on a cliff edge,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;book co-author Jørgen Randers, a professor emeritus of Climate Strategy at the <a href="https://www.bi.edu/">BI Norwegian Business School</a>.&nbsp;“In the next 50 years, the current economic system will drive up social tensions and drive down well-being. We can already see how inequality is destabilizing people and the planet.”



“Unless there is truly extraordinary action to redistribute wealth, things will get significantly worse.&nbsp;We are already sowing the seeds for regional collapse. Societies are creating vicious cycles where rising social tensions that are exacerbated by climate breakdown will continue to lead to a decline in trust. This risks an explosive combination of extreme political destabilization and economic stagnation at a time when we must do everything we can to avoid climate catastrophes.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



The book explores two possible scenarios beginning in the 1980s and ending at the end of the 21st century. In the first one – entitled “Too Little, Too Late” – humanity will continue with the same economic policies from the last four decades. Such a pathway will likely create extreme inequalities, increase social tensions within and between countries, exacerbate political division and lack of trust, and push global temperatures above the 2.5°C threshold.



“In this scenario, the model indicates that regional societal collapse, driven by rising social tensions, food insecurity, and environmental degradation, is more likely than today. Regional and global crises are often not caused by a single event like one crop failure, but cascading failures made worse by climate change, chronically dysfunctional governments, and system failures,” explained co-author Espen Stokes, the director of the <a href="https://www.bi.edu/research/centres-groups-and-other-initiatives/centre-for-sustainability-and-energy/">Center for Sustainability and Energy</a> at the BI Norwegian Business School.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



However, in a second scenario - called “the Giant Leap” – the scientists argue that it is in fact possible to stabilize global temperatures below the 2°C threshold and the world population below nine billion, as well as to end extreme global poverty by 2050, thus relaxing social tensions and increasing well-being. To achieve this, societies would need to urgently act across five interconnected turnarounds:



<ol><li>Ending global poverty&nbsp;through reforms of the international financial system</li><li>Addressing inequality&nbsp;by ensuring that the wealthiest 10 percent take less than 40 percent of national incomes</li><li>Achieving full gender equity by 2050 through continuous empowerment of women</li><li>Transforming the food system&nbsp;to provide healthy diets&nbsp;</li><li>Transitioning to clean energy&nbsp;in order to reach net zero emissions by mid-century</li></ol>



“Citizens across the globe recognize we need a new paradigm. And we estimate the investment needed for this shift is small, just two-four percent of GDP annually. That’s less than our current annual subsidies to fossil fuel industries.&nbsp;This is easily affordable, and it will create millions of jobs. What is missing is coalitions of politicians willing to make it happen,” concluded co-author Sandrine Dixson-Declève, an expert in Climate Science at the <a href="https://www.clubofrome.org/">Club of Rome</a>.&nbsp;



More details about these initiatives can be found on <a href="https://www.earth4all.life/">Earth4All</a>, a website launched as a companion to the book. In addition, the book’s 15 policy recommendations with the greatest potential to accelerate the five turnarounds can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BIMP6iUt7h_l8ob17997CvcuCsxnI2rRk56ArWOmhhg/edit?usp=sharing">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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Survival pathways in the face of climate catastrophe

According to a new book called Earth for All: A...

Not all microbes bring disease and discomfort for animals; in fact, many are very useful, or even essential for survival. Beetles of the genus Lagria are dependent on their symbiotic bacterial bodyguards for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reproductive-capacity-decreases-with-depth/">reproductive</a> success, and therefore have to keep them close. This is not a simple matter as the beetles metamorphose completely during their life cycle, meaning that their tissues get reorganized, new organs develop and their exoskeletons get shed. All of this makes it difficult for the useful microbes to tag along to beetle adulthood.



Female beetles lay their eggs in humid soil, under leaf litter, where the eggs would certainly be colonized by fungi that are present among the decomposing leaves. This would lead to the decay and death of the eggs. Instead, a female carries several species of symbiotic bacteria in glands near the oviduct and, when she lays the eggs, bacteria get squeezed out and coat the surface of the eggs. These bacteria produce several types of antibiotic substances that protect the eggs, and then the larvae and pupae, from fungal colonization.&nbsp;



Until now, however, it has not been understood how the symbiotic bacteria remain with a beetle offspring as it changes through the egg, larva and pupa stages, such that the bacteria are present in the adult female’s reproductive organs when it is time for her to lay her own eggs. A new study by researchers from Germany and Denmark has now identified three unique storage pockets that are present, like backpacks, on the dorsal surface of each larva and that ensure the essential bacteria are carried along during the life cycle.&nbsp;



“Here we show how an insect can maintain beneficial microbial partners despite the drastic rearrangements of body structures that occur during metamorphosis,” said corresponding author Dr. Laura V. Flórez, a researcher at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences of the University of Copenhagen. “By modifying unique ‘pockets’ on their backs,&nbsp;Lagria&nbsp;beetles manage to keep their protective symbionts and facilitate their relocation, during pupation, to newly developed adult organs.”



Females of many&nbsp;Lagria&nbsp;species carry a mix of beneficial bacteria in their paired glands next to the oviduct. Antibiotics produced by the bacteria protect, the eggs, larvae, and pupae of the beetles against fungi. In one of the species studied here,&nbsp;L. villosa, the largest component of the symbiotic mix is a strain of Burkholderia bacteria called Lv-StB, which has lost the genes and cellular structures for motility, and probably can't survive for long outside the beetles.



Flórez and colleagues show, in their publication in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.979200/full">Frontiers in Physiology</a>, that&nbsp;L. villosa&nbsp;and&nbsp;L. hirta&nbsp;female pupae house their symbionts mostly inside the three two-lobed pockets on the back of the thorax, where they may be nourished by the beetles. Such ‘back pockets’ in larvae and pupae aren't known in any other insect. In female pupae, symbionts also congregate in a fourth spot, between bristles at the back of the head. The pockets are only vestigial in male pupae, and contain few or no symbionts. Clearly, the males have no role in laying eggs and therefore do not need to store useful bacteria for this purpose.&nbsp;



“The symbionts go from the highly exposed egg surface to colonize the pockets on the back of the larvae and pupae. Finally, they end up in specialized glands associated with the reproductive system of adult females,” summarized first author Rebekka S. Janke, a doctoral student at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz.



But how, exactly, do the microbes get from the storage pockets on the pupa’s back, down to the genital organs at the tip of the abdomen of an adult female?&nbsp;



To answer this question, the experts scattered miniscule fluorescent beads, each only 1.0 μm wide, across the surface of early pupae. They found that, after the pupa had emerged, the majority of these beads ended up on the tip of the abdomen. The researchers conclude that the beads, like presumably the symbionts, are shuffled towards the genitals by friction during the emergence process. The mechanism by which the symbionts then colonize the accessory glands of females is not yet known.



“In the adult stage, the main purpose of the symbiotic organs seems to be to enable successful transmission onto the egg stage and to the next generation. Since only females lay eggs, male adults do not need to carry these potentially costly symbionts and are a dead-end for the bacteria,” explained Flórez.



“To better understand how beneficial symbionts are transmitted and maintained within and across generations, we'll need to identify which host and symbiont factors regulate symbiont establishment," said study co-author Dr. Martin Kaltenpoth. "For example, does the host select for specific symbionts? And through which mechanisms can immotile symbionts colonize the symbiotic organs?”



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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

Beetles have "backpacks" to protect their eggs

Not all microbes bring disease and discomfort for animals; in...

The Greenland ice sheet is set to lose more than three percent of its mass, which will cause nearly a foot of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rural-areas-of-the-us-will-be-hardest-hit-by-sea-level-rise/">sea-level</a> rise, according to a study published today in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.&nbsp;The experts report that 3.3 percent of the ice sheet - the equivalent 110 trillion tons of ice - is now doomed.&nbsp;



Study co-author William Colgan is a glaciologist at the <a href="https://eng.geus.dk/">Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland</a>. He explained that the culprit is "zombie ice," which is no longer being fed by larger glaciers.



"It's dead ice. It's just going to melt and disappear from the ice sheet," Colgan said in an interview. "This ice has been consigned to the ocean, regardless of what climate (emissions) scenario we take now."



For the investigation, study lead author Professor Jason Box collaborated with scientists in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States. The experts set out to predict the minimum volume of ice that will be lost from the Greenland ice sheet as human-driven climate change continues.



The team estimated an inevitable loss of ten inches, or 27 centimeters, from zombie ice alone. This is more than double the amount of sea level rise that has been previously predicted from the melting of the Greenland ice sheet.&nbsp;Furthermore, Professor Box emphasized that the latest estimate is actually quite conservative.&nbsp;



"It is a very conservative rock-bottom minimum. Realistically, we will see this figure more than double within this century," said Professor Box. “In the foreseeable scenario that global warming will only continue, the contribution of the Greenland Ice Sheet to sea level rise will only continue increasing.&nbsp;



"When we take the extreme melt year 2012 and take it as a hypothetical average constant climate later this century, the committed mass loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet more than doubles to 78 cm.”



The research is unique in that it has produced a minimum figure for Greenland ice loss based on two decades worth of actual measurements, rather than depending on highly uncertain computer models.



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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

Greenland will contribute almost a foot to sea level rise

The Greenland ice sheet is set to lose more than...

Social interactions between animals of the same species are often characterized by cooperation within groups and conflict or competition between groups. However, in certain circumstances, cooperation can arise between different social groups, such as is commonly apparent between groups of humans. Cooperation between groups is sometimes driven by the need for protection against common threats, such as predators, competitors or environmental hardships, but it can also be beneficial in securing access to scarce resources, such as females.&nbsp;



For a long time it was thought that intergroup cooperation was a behavior unique to humans as it has not been recorded among other social animals. However, a new study on male bottlenose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dolphins-have-accents-that-vary-by-region/">dolphins</a> in Australia has shown that they too benefit from maintaining multiple-level alliance networks between groups of associated individuals.&nbsp;



The research team, led by scientists from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>, analyzed association and consortship data to model the structure of alliances between 121 adult male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Shark Bay in Western Australia. The findings have been published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).



“Cooperation between allies is widespread in human societies and one of the hallmarks of our success. Our capacity to build strategic, cooperative relationships at multiple social levels, such as trade or military alliances both nationally and internationally, was once thought unique to our species," explained study co-lead author <a href="https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/persons/stephanie-l-king">Dr. Stephanie King</a>, an associate professor in Bristol’s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/biology/">School of Biological&nbsp;Sciences</a>.



The Bristol University scientists, along with colleagues from the University of Zurich and University of Massachusetts, found that male dolphins in Shark Bay form first-order alliances of two–three males and that these pairs or trios of unrelated males cooperate to herd individual females. Multiple first-order alliances (numbering 4-14 unrelated males) cooperate in teams to pursue and defend females, representing a second-order of alliances. In addition, multiple teams also work together, forming third-order alliances out of cooperating second-order alliances.&nbsp;



These findings indicate that dolphins make use of a complex, hierarchical social network system with cooperation between non-related individuals. Indeed, the researchers say that these dolphins exhibit the largest known multi-level alliance network of any non-human animal.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Not only have we shown that male bottlenose dolphins form the largest known multi-level alliance network outside humans, but that cooperative relationships between&nbsp;groups, rather than simply alliance size, allows males to spend more time with females, thereby increasing their reproductive success," said Dr. King.



“We show that the duration over which these teams of male dolphins consort females is dependent upon being well-connected with third-order allies, that is, social ties&nbsp;between&nbsp;alliances leads to long-term benefits for these males," said Dr. Simon Allen, senior lecturer at Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences.



Intergroup cooperation in humans was thought to be unique and dependent upon two other features that distinguish humans from our common ancestor with chimpanzees - the evolution of pair bonds and parental care by males. “However, our results show that intergroup alliances can emerge without these features, from a social and mating system that is more chimpanzee-like,” noted Professor Richard Connor of the University of Massachusetts, who co-led the study with Dr. King.



The publication of the importance of intergroup alliances in dolphins in 2022 holds special significance as the team celebrates the 40th&nbsp;anniversary of the start of Shark Bay dolphin research in 1982, and the 30th&nbsp;anniversary of the publication in 1992 of their discovery of two levels of male alliance formation, also published in&nbsp;The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.



“It is rare for non-primate research to be conducted from an anthropology department, but our study shows that important insights about the evolution of characteristics previously thought to be uniquely human can be gained by examining other highly social, large-brained taxa," explained study co-author Dr. Michael Krützen, head of the Anthropology Institute at the University of Zurich.



“Our work highlights that dolphin societies, as well as those of nonhuman primates, are valuable model systems for understanding human social and cognitive evolution," concluded Dr. King.



---



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

Male dolphins form alliances to access females

Social interactions between animals of the same species are often...

Health misinformation and disinformation are a major public health concern, with a massive spread of fake health news on social media platforms over the past few years. Such <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-are-some-people-fascinated-by-fake-news/">fake news</a> are often inaccurate and incomplete and can lead to poor health choices, risk-taking behavior, and loss of trust in health authorities. While research on message credibility has focused largely on adults, a new study led by the <a href="https://uniba.sk/en">Comenius University Bratislava</a> has now investigated to what extent teenagers are equipped to tackle the high volume of online fake health news.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that 41 percent of the teenagers were unable to tell the difference between true and fake medical content, and that not even the poor editing of health messages was perceived as a sign of low trustworthiness.&nbsp;



“There has been an explosion of misinformation in the area of health during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said study principal investigator Radomír Masaryk, an expert in Health Psychology at Comenius. “As adolescents are frequent users of the internet, we usually expect that they already know how to approach and appraise online information, but the opposite seems to be true.”



Previous research has found that teenagers look at the structural features of a website, such as language and appearance, to evaluate the information they find. For instance, authoritative organizations, trusted brands, or the use of business-like language tend to be more trusted. By contrast, the presence of editorial elements like superlatives, clickbait, grammar mistakes, authority appeal, and bold typeface, reduced the credibility of the content.



To test these hypotheses, Professor Masaryk and his colleagues presented 300 teenagers with seven short messages about the health effects of various fruits and vegetables. These messages belonged to different categories: fake messages, true neutral messages, and true messages with editorial elements (superlatives, clickbait etc.) The participants were asked to rate the trustworthiness of the messages.



The teenagers seemed to be able to distinguish between overtly fake health messages and health messages either true or slightly charged with editing elements, with 48 percent of the participants trusting the true neutral health messages more than the fake ones. However, a staggering 41 percent of them considered fake and true neutral messages equally trustworthy, while 11 percent considered true neutral messages less trustworthy than the fake ones.



These rather disheartening results highlight an urgent need for better instruction of teenagers to spot editing cues that give away the quality of a piece of information, and an increase in health literacy and media literacy training to help them develop skills such as analytical thinking and scientific reasoning.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.940903">Frontiers in Psychology</a>.&nbsp;



---



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

Alarming number of teens can't recognize fake health news

Health misinformation and disinformation are a major public health concern,...

Numerous past studies have shown a link between levels of physical activity and the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/steep-rise-in-cardiovascular-disease-expected-in-the-u-s/">cardiovascular disease</a> (CVD). Despite the fact that mortality from CVD has decreased in recent decades, it remains a leading contributor to the global burden of disease and physical activity is an important, modifiable risk factor that can be implemented in a person’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weight-loss-can-be-achieved-at-any-age-with-simple-lifestyle-changes/">lifestyle</a> without too much difficulty. However, most of the evidence in studies to date has relied on self-reported levels of physical activity, which may be prone to various sources of bias and inaccuracy.



A new study by researchers based at the University of Glasgow is the first to use device-measured levels of physical exercise to investigate the association between activity and risk of heart failure. During the years 2013–2015, participants were randomly invited to take part in the study if they had already given their data to the U.K. Biobank, a large research database in the United Kingdom that enrolled and collected health information on 500,000 adults between 2006 and 2010.&nbsp;



The 94,739 adults that were selected in this way had an average age of 56, were predominantly female (57 percent) and white (97 percent). None of them had been diagnosed with heart failure or had had a heart attack at the time of their enrolment in this study. Each participant wore a wrist accelerometer for seven consecutive days, 24 hours per day, to measure the intensity and duration of physical activity. Subsequent data on incidence of heart attacks in participants was collected through linked hospital and death records.



The results of the analysis showed that, during the follow-up period (median duration of 6.1 years after the physical activity measurement was conducted), adults who had logged 150–300 minutes of moderate physical activity in one week had a 63 percent lower risk of heart failure, compared to participants who engaged in minimal to no physical activity. Adults who had performed 75–150 minutes of vigorous physical activity in one week were estimated to have a 66 percent lower risk of heart failure. These estimated risk reductions are after taking into account factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic conditions, smoking, alcohol intake and diet.



Physical activity is such an important aspect of keeping ourselves healthy that the US Department of Health and Human Services issued&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2712935">Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;in 2018. They recommended that adults engage in at least 150–300 min/wk of moderate physical activity or 75–150 min/wk of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both intensities. The American Heart Association followed suit, recommending at least 150 min/wk of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or at least 75 min/wk of vigorous aerobic exercise, or a combination of both.



“There are many potential ways that regular physical activity may reduce the risk of developing heart failure,” said Frederick K. Ho, Ph.D., co-lead author of the study and a lecturer in public health at the University of Glasgow. “For example, physical activity helps prevent weight gain and related cardiometabolic conditions, such as high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, all of which are risk factors for heart failure. Regular physical exercise may also strengthen the heart muscle which, in turn, may prevent heart failure from developing.”



Heart failure&nbsp;is a chronic, progressive condition that develops when the heart is not capable of pumping sufficient blood to keep up with the body’s needs for blood and oxygen, and it can result in fatigue and difficulty breathing. Heart failure affects more than 6 million adults in the United States, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001052">American Heart Association</a>, and more than 86,000 Americans died of heart failure in 2019.&nbsp;



According to Ho, the study results suggest that going above and beyond the current AHA recommendations for moderate activity may provide even greater protection against heart failure. “We found that moderate physical activity has the potential increased cardiovascular risk benefits up until 500 min/wk, as appropriate for each individual,” he said. However, participants who performed more than 150 min/wk of vigorous physical activity showed did not show a further reduction in risk of heart failure.&nbsp;



“These findings indicate that every physical movement counts. A leisurely, 10-minute walk is better than sitting and no physical activity. And, if possible, try to walk a little faster, which increases the intensity and potential benefits of exercise,” Ho said.



People whose risk of heart failure is high, due to their being overweight or obese, having high blood pressure or elevated glucose or cholesterol, may be particularly likely to benefit from increasing their physical activity, according to Ho and colleagues.



“Health care professionals may suggest more physical activity based on a patient’s current lifestyle and health status,” Ho said. “Generally, moderate physical activity is easier to incorporate into daily routines, and it’s generally safer. Vigorous physical activity is sometimes the most time-efficient and may be more suitable for busy people. However, caution is advised for all when beginning a new physical activity regimen to prevent injuries or acute adverse events (such as a heart attack in a formerly sedentary person initiating a vigorous exercise program).”



Although the results of the study suggest a link between reduced risk of heart failure and boosting the duration, frequency and intensity of exercise, this is an observational study and so it cannot prove a cause-and-effect link. Further experimentation would be required for this. In addition, because participants were overwhelmingly white, further studies would be needed to confirm that these results also apply to people from diverse backgrounds.



“Our findings add to the overwhelming body of other evidence, suggesting that maintaining even a modest amount of regular physical activity can help prevent a range of chronic conditions from developing, including heart failure,” said senior study author Professor Naveed Sattar.



The research is published in Circulation, the flagship journal of the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a>



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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

Even modest exercise reduces the risk of heart failure

Numerous past studies have shown a link between levels of...

Although leopard seals are some of Antarctica’s apex predators, their solitary habits and lethal reputation, combined with their habitat’s extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-die-offs-are-intensifying-with-climate-change/">climate</a>, make them one of the most difficult top predators to study on Earth. However, a research team led by <a href="https://www.baylor.edu/">Baylor University</a> has now attempted to shed more light on these fascinating creatures’ activities and behavioral patterns by studying 22 leopard seals off the Western Antarctica Peninsula, a region rapidly warming.



By weighing and measuring each seal and tracking their activities and diving patterns using satellite data and GPS tags, the scientists managed to document the flexible behaviors and traits which may offer leopard seals the necessary resilience to cope to Antarctica’s warming climate and environmental stresses.



“This study greatly increases our understanding of leopard seals’ life history, spatial patterns, and diving behavior,” said study lead author Sarah Kienle, an assistant professor of Biology at Baylor. “We show that these leopard seals have high variability (or, flexibility) in these different traits. Across the animal kingdom, variability is vital for animals adapting and responding to changes in their environment, so we’re excited to see high variability in this Antarctic predator.”



The analyses revealed that adult female leopard seals are 1.5 larger and longer than their male counterparts, an unusual phenomenon among marine mammals. According to the researchers, larger females may be better at defending feeding areas, and stealing prey from smaller seals. Moreover, they consume bigger, energy-rich prey, such as fur seals or penguins, while smaller females and males frequently eat smaller prey, like krill or fish.



Females also spend more time “hauled-out” on ice than males. For instance, two females spent two weeks hauled-out on ice in the middle of the ocean, without getting into the water or eating. The scientists argue that this two-week period is when female seals give birth and nurse their pups. Soon after, they wean their offspring and return to their usual activities.



Another interesting finding is that female and male leopard seals are capable of swimming both short and long distances in coastal, as well as open-ocean habitats. For example, one seal travelled only 46 kilometers from where the research team was located, while another one travelled 1,700 kilometers during the same period.



Finally, leopard seals of both sexes appear to be short, shallow divers, reaching an average of 30 meters deep during three-minute-long dives. However, there are exceptions too, with a male diving to 1,256 meters for 25 minutes.



“It’s interesting to see such variation [in movements and dive behavior] in a relatively small number of animals. To me, this means that leopard seals are highly flexible in their movement patterns, and that’s a really good thing in terms of adapting to changes in your environment,” Professor Kienle said.



In future research, the scientists aim to compare these leopard seals with other population across the Southern Ocean. “I have so many more questions, and I’m excited to continue learning about leopard seals for years to come. There’s so much more to discover about this incredible Antarctic predator,” Kienle concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.976019">Frontiers in Marine Research</a>.



---



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

Scientists reveal new features of the elusive leopard seal

Although leopard seals are some of Antarctica’s apex predators, their...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en">Leiden University</a> has analyzed recent archaeological excavations from the Middle/Upper Paleolithic in Western Romania at the site of Româneşti, which is one of the most important southeastern European sites associated with the earliest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diverse-climates-homo-sapiens-thrive/">Homo sapiens</a> on this continent. These excavations offer a significant glimpse of how modern humans adapted to their new environment after reaching Europe.



Over the past decades, scientists have discovered many early Homo sapiens fossils in Southeastern Europe, most likely because they first entered the continent through the Balkan Peninsula. However, until recently, very few of such fossils have been associated with cultural remains. The excavations at Româneşti revealed a variety of artifacts which were probably geared towards producing highly standardized chipped stone bladelets that might have been used to straighten wooden shafts, suggesting that this region was a type of projectile workshop.



The presence of thousands of such artifacts, spanning around 300 kilometers around the site, together with evidence for onsite fire use, shows that Româneşti was an important place where the early humans returned frequently. Since microscopic analyses of the artifact surfaces revealed that most of them were not used, the site may have acted as a place for manufacturing tools which were later transported in other areas.



“The use of good-quality local, meso-local, and exotic raw materials at the onset of the Aurignacian [one of the first cultural-technological traditions commonly associated with the expansion of&nbsp;Homo sapiens&nbsp;in Europe] also demonstrates that Româneşti and the other Banat sites were repeatedly returned to from a range of distances up to 300&nbsp;km and were persistent places in the landscape,” the study authors explained.



Although these findings indicate changes in how Homo sapiens subsisted in comparison to the Neanderthals, further research is needed to clarify what the relationship of these early Homo sapiens with the Neanderthals was. While nearby contemporary fossils suggest that the two species of hominids were interbreeding, it is still not yet clear what this means for the ways in which their lifestyles were changing and how the archeological remains reflect this.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15544-5">Nature Scientific Reports</a>.



---



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

New clues about the earliest Europeans found in Romania

A new study led by Leiden University has analyzed recent...

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

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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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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...

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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

[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

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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



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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



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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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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



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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



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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



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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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