In a remarkable medical breakthrough, engineers have developed a light-activated pacemaker so tiny that doctors can inject it into the body through a syringe. Remarkably, the device simply dissolves after it’s no longer needed.&nbsp;



Designed for newborns, the pacemaker could transform temporary heart care after congenital defect surgeries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-the-heart-with-light">Controlling the heart with light</h2>



The new pacemaker is smaller than a grain of rice. It's wirelessly activated through pulses of light which are delivered by a soft, wearable device mounted on the patient’s chest.



The external controller detects abnormal rhythms and sends light through the body to activate the pacemaker and restore heartbeat. The study demonstrates the device’s effectiveness across animal and human donor hearts.&nbsp;



The development of the pacemaker was led by John A. Rogers, a professor of material science, biomedical engineering, and neurological surgery at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwestern University</a>.&nbsp;



“We have developed what is, to our knowledge, the world’s smallest pacemaker,” said Professor Rogers.



“There’s a crucial need for temporary pacemakers in the context of pediatric heart surgeries, and that’s a use case where size miniaturization is incredibly important. In terms of the device load on the body - the smaller, the better.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solution-designed-for-newborns">Solution designed for newborns</h2>



Though the light-activated pacemaker can function in patients of all sizes, its miniaturized design was motivated by the needs of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infant-speech-is-driven-by-heart-rate-activity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infants</a>. 



Igor Efimov is a co-leader of the study and experimental cardiologist at Northwestern.&nbsp;



“About 1% of children are born with congenital heart defects. The good news is that these children only need temporary pacing after a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-smallest-robot-could-transform-minimally-invasive-surgery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surgery</a>. In about seven days or so, most patients’ hearts will self-repair. But those seven days are absolutely critical," said Efimov.



Traditional pacemakers require surgery and have wires sticking out of the chest to connect to an external device. When they are no longer needed, the wires are removed - risking bleeding, tissue damage, or even death.



“Wires literally protrude from the body, attached to a pacemaker outside the body,” Efimov explained. “When the pacemaker is no longer needed, a physician pulls it out. The wires can become enveloped in scar tissue. That’s actually how Neil Armstrong died.”



The new injectable pacemaker addresses these risks. All of its components are biocompatible and bioresorbable, meaning they safely dissolve in the body’s fluids without needing surgical removal. Once the device has served its purpose, it simply disappears.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-refining-the-light-activated-pacemaker">Refining the light-activated pacemaker</h2>



This innovation builds on <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41587-021-00948-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earlier work</a> by Rogers and Efimov, who developed a quarter-sized dissolvable pacemaker in 2021. Surgeons asked for a smaller version to allow easier placement and suit the smallest patients.&nbsp;



The original device used near-field communication (NFC), but its antenna limited how small the device could be made. To overcome this, the team replaced the NFC system with a novel light-based mechanism.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pacemaker_light-activated_worlds-smallest_heart-health_Northwestern_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pacemaker_light-activated_worlds-smallest_heart-health_Northwestern_1s.webp" alt="The tiny pacemaker sits next to a single grain of rice on a fingertip. The device is so small that it can be non-invasively injected into the body via a syringe. Credit: John A. Rogers/Northwestern University" class="wp-image-1964846"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The tiny pacemaker sits next to a single grain of rice on a fingertip. The device is so small that it can be non-invasively injected into the body via a syringe. Click image to enlarge. Credit: John A. Rogers/Northwestern University</figcaption></figure>



“Instead of using the radio frequency scheme for wireless control, we developed a light-based scheme for turning the pacemaker on and delivering stimulation pulses to the surface of the heart. This is one feature that allowed us to dramatically reduce the size,” said Professor Rogers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-powered-by-the-body-s-own-fluids">Powered by the body’s own fluids</h2>



The engineers also reimagined how to power the tiny pacemaker. Rather than requiring a battery or external power source, the device uses a simple galvanic cell - a chemical battery formed by two different metals as electrodes.&nbsp;



When the device is inside the body, surrounding biofluids act as the electrolyte, allowing electrical current to flow and stimulate the heart.



“A very tiny light-activated switch on the opposite side from the battery allows us to turn the device from its ‘off’ state to an ‘on’ state upon delivery of light that passes through the patient’s body from the skin-mounted patch,” explained Professor Rogers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-trauma-and-risk">Reducing trauma and risk</h2>



Using infrared light, which can safely penetrate deep into the body, the wearable controller detects when a patient’s heart rate falls too low. It then triggers a light-emitting diode (LED) to flash on and off at the desired pacing rhythm.&nbsp;



“Infrared light penetrates very well through the body,” Efimov said. “If you put a flashlight against your palm, you will see the light glow through the other side of your hand. It turns out that our bodies are great conductors of light.”



Despite its microscopic size - just 1.8 mm wide, 3.5 mm long, and 1 mm thick - the pacemaker delivers stimulation on par with traditional devices. “The heart requires a tiny amount of electrical stimulation,” Rogers said.&nbsp;



“By minimizing the size, we dramatically simplify the implantation procedures, we reduce trauma and risk to the patient, and, with the dissolvable nature of the device, we eliminate any need for secondary surgical extraction procedures.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-era-of-heart-care">A new era of heart care</h2>



Because these light-activated pacemakers are so small and wireless, doctors could one day deploy multiple units on different parts of the heart to create more advanced pacing systems. 



Each device could be controlled independently using different light wavelengths, enabling personalized and precisely timed stimulation across the heart’s surface.



“We can deploy a number of such small pacemakers onto the outside of the heart and control each one,” Efimov said. “Then we can achieve improved synchronized functional care.”



Professor Rogers noted that because it’s so small, the pacemaker can be integrated with almost any kind of implantable device.



“We also demonstrated integration of collections of these devices across the frameworks that serve as transcatheter aortic valve replacements to address complications that can occur during a patient’s recovery process," said Rogers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-bioelectronic-medicine">Future of bioelectronic medicine</h2>



While this breakthrough has clear implications for pediatric heart care, the technology could pave the way for a new generation of bioelectronic medicine.&nbsp;



These tiny, dissolvable devices could one day be adapted to promote nerve and bone regeneration, manage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-meditation-is-a-powerful-weapon-against-chronic-pain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pain</a>, support wound healing, and more.



Northwestern engineers shrank the device and removed risks by making it dissolve after use. In doing so, they’ve created a tool that could reshape how doctors care for the heart - from the tiniest patients to adults.



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Click here to <a href="https://youtu.be/j_0hZ8cUwgo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watch a video interview...</a>



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08726-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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World's smallest pacemaker is set to revolutionize heart health

In a remarkable medical breakthrough, engineers have developed a light-activated pacemaker so tiny that doctors can inject it into the body through a syringe. Remarkably, the device simply dissolves after it’s no longer needed.&nbsp; Designed for newborns, the pacemaker could transform temporary heart care after congenital defect surgeries. Controlling the heart with light The new pacemaker is smaller than a grain of rice. It's wirelessly activated through pulses of light which are delivered by a soft, wearable device mounted on the patient’s chest. The external controller detects...

Honeybees have been indispensable to agriculture for centuries. Their role in pollination supports food production, contributing to the growth of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and coffee. Without bees and proper hive health, many crops would struggle, leading to food shortages.



But bee populations are shrinking due to bad weather, chemicals, and pests. This harms nature and makes life harder for beekeepers who need healthy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-honey-bee-day-protecting-our-vital-pollinators/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bees</a> for honey and farming.



Beekeepers face increasing challenges in maintaining hive health. External stressors disrupt colonies, making it difficult for bees to survive. 



Traditional methods of monitoring hive conditions rely on experience and judgment. While valuable, these methods are not always precise. Scientists and engineers have now introduced a data-driven approach to help beekeepers make informed decisions and prevent colony collapse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-beehive-thermoregulation">Understanding beehive thermoregulation</h2>



Bee colonies regulate their internal temperature to stay between 33 and 36 degrees Celsius, or 91 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit. This thermoregulation is vital for the survival of the hive. 



When temperatures drop, bees cluster together to generate warmth. In hot conditions, they fan their wings to cool the hive. This natural ability allows them to protect their brood and maintain an optimal environment for their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/major-cause-of-honeybee-mortality-can-be-easily-reduced/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">colony</a>.



However, when external stressors like pesticides, habitat loss, or sudden weather changes affect the hive, bees struggle to maintain their internal climate. If they fail, the colony becomes vulnerable to diseases, reduced reproduction, and, ultimately, collapse. 



Beekeepers intervene when necessary, but current monitoring techniques do not always detect early warning signs of trouble. Scientists recognized this gap and developed an advanced tool to assist beekeepers in safeguarding their hives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smart-system-to-track-hive-health">Smart system to track hive health</h2>



A research team from Carnegie Mellon University’s <a href="https://www.cs.cmu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School of Computer Science</a> and the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California</a>, Riverside has developed a system to monitor hive health more accurately.



This tool, called the Electronic Bee-Veterinarian (EBV), uses heat sensors and predictive modeling to track changes in hive temperature and identify early signs of stress.



The EBV system includes two sensors - one inside the hive and one outside. These sensors collect real-time temperature data, which is then fed into a model that calculates a hive health factor.



This single numerical value provides beekeepers with a quick understanding of their colony’s condition. If the health factor remains close to one, the hive is functioning normally. If it drops significantly, beekeepers receive an early warning that intervention is needed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-data-driven-approach-to-hive-health">Data-driven approach to hive health </h2>



The research team applied physics and engineering principles to design an effective health monitoring system. Christos Faloutsos, a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon, explained the approach used to create the hive health forecasting model.



"We derived equations based on the first principles of thermal diffusion, heat transfer and control theory," said Professor Faloutsos.



"We put these equations together and then compressed all the historical data into one number, the hive health factor. If the health factor is close to one, the bees are healthy and thermoregulating."



"If it is much lower than one, it means the beehive isn't healthy and might need an intervention. Once we have this health factor computed every day, we can do standard forecasting and the beekeeper can take further action."



This data-driven approach simplifies decision-making for beekeepers. Instead of relying solely on visual inspections or experience, they can use precise, real-time data to assess hive health and respond to problems before they escalate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-a-tool-for-beekeepers">Designing a tool for beekeepers</h2>



One of the key goals of the EBV project was to ensure that the system was easy to use. 



Many beekeepers do not have technical expertise in data analysis, so researchers condensed the data into a single hive health factor. This simplification allows any beekeeper, regardless of experience, to interpret the results quickly.



Jeremy Lee, a doctoral student at Carnegie Mellon who worked on the project, emphasized the importance of collaboration between different fields in making this system successful. 



The team included researchers from computer science, electrical engineering, and entomology. Their combined knowledge helped create a practical and effective solution for beekeepers.



"This is something I'm very interested in - using our expertise from computer science and working with other domain experts to make an impact in another area," Lee said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-computer-science-in-agriculture">Computer science in agriculture</h2>



Lee has worked on other projects that use computational techniques to solve real-world challenges. 



Along with Professor Faloutsos and other researchers from Carnegie Mellon and McGill University, Lee applied data science to criminology by helping experts detect human trafficking networks. His ability to bridge different fields has made a tangible impact in both law enforcement and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honeybees-use-creative-dance-moves-to-help-others-find-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental science</a>.



The EBV system represents a growing trend where computer science and artificial intelligence contribute to agriculture and environmental sustainability. 



With forecasting and automation, technology helps beekeepers keep hives stable and prevent losses. The next step is to improve the system even more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-hive-climate-control">Future of hive climate control</h2>



With additional funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the research team is working on automating hive climate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bee-colonies-are-collapsing-as-climate-change-progresses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">control</a>. 



If successful, the EBV system will not only detect health issues but also take corrective actions automatically. This could involve adjusting hive temperature to counteract environmental stress or implementing early interventions to protect bees from disease outbreaks.



With automated climate control, beekeepers can do less manual work while keeping hives healthy and producing more honey. This technology could also help large beekeeping farms manage many hives more easily.



The decline of honeybee populations remains a serious concern, but innovations like the EBV system offer hope. By combining scientific expertise with real-world applications, researchers have created a tool that could change how beekeepers manage their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-bees-face-a-multitude-of-complex-stressors-in-the-field/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">colonies</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3719014" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACM Transactions on Knowledge Discovery from Data</a>.



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Smart sensors help beekeepers monitor hive health

Honeybees have been indispensable to agriculture for centuries. Their role...

A country like Australia, with its wildlife-rich forests, is a treasure trove of interesting species. Standing out among them is the superb lyrebird. This bird's distinct tail and mimicry skills have always fascinated scientists and nature enthusiasts.



However, recent research has uncovered a previously unseen aspect of the bird's behavior, shedding light on how it stands apart from other species. 



The lyrebird does more than just imitate sounds. It farms to keep a steady food supply which helps maintain the balance of its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-are-still-fighting-climate-change-against-all-odds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-that-optimize-their-food-supply">Birds that optimize their food supply</h2>



For years, scientists have studied the foraging habits of lyrebirds, but only recently did they realize the true extent of their influence on their habitat. Researchers from <a href="https://www.latrobe.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Trobe University</a> observed these birds arranging leaf litter and soil in ways that create microhabitats, perfect for the growth of their prey.



Instead of simply hunting for food, lyrebirds manipulate the forest floor to encourage worms, centipedes, and spiders to flourish. By creating the right conditions, they ensure that their prey grows larger and becomes more abundant, allowing them to return later for an easy meal.



This type of farming is rarely seen in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-rich-tree-diversity-adapt-better-changing-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nature</a>, making the lyrebird a unique case among birds. The research findings suggest that the bird does not just survive in its environment but actively modifies it to its advantage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lyrebird-s-impact-on-forest-ecosystems">Lyrebird’s impact on forest ecosystems</h2>



To better understand how these birds shape their surroundings, the researchers set up controlled experiments. They fenced off small areas in the forest to prevent lyrebirds from entering. Some of these areas were left untouched, while others were raked to simulate the bird’s natural foraging behavior.



The results were striking. In the raked areas, there was a noticeable increase in the variety and size of invertebrates compared to the untouched zones. This confirmed that the birds’ actions directly influenced the availability of food in their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-too-many-trees-could-spoil-the-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">habitat</a>.



Lead researcher Alex Maisey explained the significance of these findings. "Lyrebirds set up the perfect home for their prey, creating conditions with more food resources and effectively fattening them up before eating them."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-key-player-in-australia-s-forests">A key player in Australia’s forests</h2>



The superb lyrebird is primarily found in the moist eucalypt forests of south-eastern Australia. These birds do more than just modify the ground for their own benefit - they shape entire ecosystems.



By constantly disturbing the forest floor, lyrebirds influence which plants and animals can thrive in their habitat. Their foraging behavior creates a dynamic environment where nutrients are redistributed, allowing different species to grow in areas they might not otherwise survive.



This activity helps maintain biodiversity by preventing the forest floor from becoming too compacted or overgrown. The birds ensure that organic material continues to break down, enriching the soil and supporting a diverse range of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asian-forests-proving-resilient-both-climate-change-human-actions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">life forms</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lyrebirds-help-control-bushfires">Lyrebirds help control bushfires</h2>



One of the most surprising benefits of the lyrebird’s digging behavior is its role in fire prevention. Bushfires are a natural part of Australia’s landscape, but their frequency and intensity have increased due to climate change. Lyrebirds may provide an unexpected solution to this growing problem.



By moving massive amounts of leaf litter and soil, these birds help bury potential fuel sources, reducing the risk of intense fires. The researchers found that lyrebirds can shift an average of 155 tonnes of material per hectare as they farm for invertebrates.



"Lyrebirds are widespread and active across millions of hectares of forest. Their farming actions play an important role in maintaining forest biodiversity," said Dr. Maisey.



This means that in addition to securing their own food, lyrebirds contribute to the overall health and safety of the forests they inhabit.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lyrebirds-take-care-of-their-environment">Lyrebirds take care of their environment </h2>



For a long time, the superb lyrebird has amazed people with its ability to copy sounds. It can mimic anything from chainsaws to camera shutters, making it one of the best sound imitators in the animal world. This talent has made it famous worldwide.



But scientists have now discovered something even more impressive about these birds. Lyrebirds are not just great at mimicking - they also help take care of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/single-degree-temperature-warming-boreal-forests-wreak-havoc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environment</a>.



By digging up the ground and moving leaves, they create better homes for the insects and worms they eat. This keeps nature in balance and helps different plants and animals survive.



Even more surprising, their digging helps stop dangerous wildfires. By burying dry leaves and branches, they reduce the fuel that fires need to spread. This means lyrebirds play a key role in protecting forests.



Scientists are still learning more about these birds, and future research might reveal even more ways they help the environment. One thing is certain: the superb lyrebird is more than just a great imitator - it’s a nature-made engineer that keeps forests healthy.



The study is published in the <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70009" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>. 



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Lyrebirds farm their own food - and shape entire forests

A country like Australia, with its wildlife-rich forests, is a...

The world has faced multiple pandemics, with COVID-19 being the most recent reminder of how quickly diseases can spread. Traditional methods of controlling outbreaks, such as lockdowns, mass testing, and travel restrictions, often come at a high cost to society. However, advances in technology like smartwatches may offer a better solution.



Already used for fitness tracking and health monitoring, smartwatches have shown remarkable accuracy in detecting infections before symptoms appear.



A new study from Aalto University, <a href="https://www.stanford.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanford University</a>, and <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas A&amp;M</a> suggests that wearable technology could change how we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/preparing-for-the-next-pandemic-lessons-about-viral-transmission/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">manage diseases</a>.



The research highlights how smartwatches can help reduce transmission by alerting individuals before they even feel sick. This smartwatch-based approach could provide a practical and cost-effective way to slow down or even stop pandemics before they escalate.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smartwatches-detect-illness-early">Smartwatches detect illness early</h2>



Many infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and influenza, are most contagious before noticeable symptoms develop. 



Research has shown that 44 percent of COVID-19 infections were transmitted before the infected person realized they were sick. This makes early detection essential in preventing further spread.



Wearable devices monitor physiological changes such as heart rate, respiration, and skin temperature. These indicators can reveal an infection days before a person experiences symptoms. 



Everyday smartwatches have demonstrated 88 percent accuracy in detecting COVID-19 and 90 percent accuracy for the flu. The ability to identify infections at such an early stage offers a new way to curb <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/staying-home-is-the-new-going-out-after-the-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disease transmission</a>.



“Unlike during the pandemic, we now have concrete data on how pandemics develop, and how effective different measures are at curbing the spread,“ noted Märt Vesinurm from <a href="https://www.aalto.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aalto University</a>.



“Add to this that wearable technology is now extremely effective when it comes to detecting the very early physiological signs of infection, and we are much better prepared.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-warnings-reduce-disease-spread">Early warnings reduce disease spread</h2>



People naturally change their behavior once they realize they are sick. Studies show that individuals reduce social contact by 66 to 90 percent from the moment they become aware of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/playful-people-handled-pandemic-stress-better-than-others/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">illness</a>. 



However, by the time symptoms appear, they may have already infected others. This is where smartwatches could play a crucial role.



“Even at the lower end of compliance, if people receive and act on an earlier warning by self-isolating, the impact is significant," explained Vesinurm.



“Even just a 66-75 percent reduction in social contacts soon after detection by smartwatches - keeping in mind that that’s on a par with what you’d normally do if you had cold symptoms - can lead to a 40-65 percent decrease in disease transmission compared to someone isolating from the onset of symptoms.”



This research suggests that if compliance levels were even higher, such as during a pandemic, smartwatches could effectively stop an outbreak.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-smartwatches-prevent-a-pandemic">Can smartwatches prevent a pandemic?</h2>



One of the biggest concerns in public health today is the potential emergence of new, highly contagious diseases. 



The spread of avian flu (H5N1) and other infectious diseases remains a serious risk. If smartwatches can detect infections early, could they help prevent the next <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-makes-a-virus-capable-of-causing-a-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global pandemic</a>? "I see no reason why not,“ said Vesinurm.



“As we gather more specific data about how different illnesses affect these measurements, there’s no reason we couldn’t distinguish between diseases, from bird flu and HIV to the common cold, especially when used in conjunction with advanced machine learning methods and other data from the user.”



Machine learning algorithms combined with smartwatch data could help identify different infections more precisely. 



Over time, researchers could fine-tune these models to differentiate between various illnesses based on physiological responses. This could lead to even more accurate and personalized health alerts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-approach-to-public-health-policy">Smarter approach to public health policy</h2>



The team behind this research is the first to combine real-world data from multiple epidemiological, biological, and behavioral studies into a mathematical model. This model examines how infections spread and how smartwatches could alter the course of a pandemic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pandemic-puppy-owners-report-challenges-but-remain-committed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outbreak</a>.



Vesinurm envisions a future where wearable devices play a key role in pandemic response strategies. If smartwatches become widely adopted, they could reduce the need for large-scale lockdowns and mandatory testing. 



Instead, early warnings from wearable devices could encourage targeted actions, minimizing disruptions to daily life.



“People are used to wearable devices and they’re likely to trust them. While they’re not yet diagnostic, they could help make unpopular approaches like masks, lockdowns and invasive testing more targeted and less of a blunt instrument,” said Vesinum.



Receiving a smartwatch alert could prompt users to take simple steps like getting a PCR test, avoiding travel, or staying away from high-risk individuals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smartwatches-for-pandemic-management">Smartwatches for pandemic management </h2>



The idea of using smartwatches for pandemic management raises important ethical questions. If governments recognize their effectiveness, they may consider providing smartwatches to citizens during health crises. 



This could ensure that more people receive early warnings, but it also introduces concerns about data privacy and personal freedom.



“It could be that governments find it most cost effective in a pandemic situation to provide every person who wants one with a smartwatch - although of course, this comes with its own ethical considerations,” said Vesinurm.



Despite these concerns, the potential benefits of smartwatches in disease prevention are undeniable. Early detection at the individual level could lead to better public health outcomes and significantly reduce the impact of future pandemics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-wearable-health-monitoring">Future of wearable health monitoring</h2>



As technology continues to improve, smartwatches may become an even more powerful tool for disease detection. Researchers are working to refine algorithms, increase accuracy, and expand the range of illnesses that can be detected through wearable devices.



With such a simple approach to early detection, the way we manage disease outbreaks may soon change. Instead of relying on large-scale interventions, individuals could take proactive steps to protect themselves and their communities.



The findings from this study offer a glimpse into a future where a smartwatch helps us stay ahead of pandemics rather than reacting to them after they begin.



“Either way, with early detection literally at our fingertips, I see a lot of reason to hope,” concluded Vesinurm.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/3/pgaf044/8046445" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS Nexus</a>.



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Smartwatches could help prevent the next pandemic

The world has faced multiple pandemics, with COVID-19 being the...

A new study warns that if global warming surpasses 1.5°C, vast regions could lose critical crop diversity, heightening the risk to worldwide food security.&nbsp;



Researchers predict that about one-third of global food production may be in jeopardy due to higher temperatures, underscoring how climate change is expected to reshape agriculture, especially in vulnerable low-latitude countries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-loss-of-crop-diversity">Loss of crop diversity </h2>



Scientists at <a href="https://www.aalto.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aalto University</a> conducted the research, published in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s43016-025-01135-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Food</a>, by analyzing how changes in temperature, rainfall patterns, and overall aridity will influence the growth of 30 key food <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/creating-resilient-crops-to-cope-with-the-climate-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crops</a> around the globe.&nbsp;



The results show that low-latitude areas - including large portions of the tropics - stand to suffer the most. As warming increases, these regions would see far more land becoming unsuitable for agriculture, as well as a sharp drop in the variety of crops that can be grown.



“The loss of diversity means that the range of food crops available for cultivation could decrease significantly in certain areas. That would reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-molecule-could-shape-the-future-of-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food security</a> and make it more difficult to get adequate calories and protein,” said Sara Heikonen, the doctoral researcher who led the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-and-food-crops">Climate change and food crops</h2>



Up to half of the world’s current food crop production may be impacted by these shifting conditions. Major staples - rice, maize, wheat, potato, and soybean - are likely to face severe reductions in suitable cropland, heightening challenges for societies that depend on them for daily nutrition.&nbsp;



According to Heikonen, many other crops, like “tropical root crops such as yam, which are key to food security in low-income regions, as well as cereals and pulses are particularly vulnerable. 



In sub-Saharan Africa, the region which would be impacted most, almost three quarters of current production is at risk if global warming exceeds 3°C.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-brings-winners-and-losers">Warming brings winners and losers</h2>



The study reveals a stark contrast between low-latitude and mid- to high-latitude regions. While countries nearer the equator face severe crop losses and falling diversity, those in cooler climates could retain their overall production levels. 



Scientists also project that mid- and high-latitude areas may be able to cultivate a broader range of crops in a warming world.



“For example, the cultivation of temperate fruits, such as pears, could become more common in more northerly regions,” Heikonen said.



Yet, the study’s senior author Matti Kummu notes that a favorable shift in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-we-predict-the-chaotic-response-of-crops-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> does not guarantee greater yields. 



“We showed that there’s climatic potential but, for example, warming might bring new pests and extreme weather events, which our model doesn’t include. So the situation isn’t really that black and white,” Kummu said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-challenges-in-low-latitude-regions">Challenges in low-latitude regions</h2>



Countries already vulnerable to food insecurity, especially in Africa, face mounting difficulties as rising temperatures coincide with other social and economic pressures. Still, Kummu argues there is room for adaptation.



“In many low latitude areas, especially in Africa, the yields are small compared to similar areas elsewhere in the world. They could get higher yields with access to fertilisers and irrigation as well as reducing food losses through the production and storage chain,” he said.&nbsp;



“However, ongoing global warming will add a lot of uncertainty to these estimates and probably even more actions are needed, such as crop selection and novel breeding. But I always say that the modelling and analysis is the easy part – understanding how to make the changes happen is the hardest part.”



Policy-makers in low-latitude countries, the report suggests, must look for ways to close gaps in agricultural infrastructure while simultaneously bracing for more hostile growing conditions.&nbsp;



Without such efforts, local communities already at risk for food shortages may struggle even more in the years ahead.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-securing-the-world-s-food-crops">Securing the world's food crops</h2>



For mid- and high-latitude regions, farmers and legislators will have to remain flexible. Even if warming opens the door to new crops, changes in global demand and market forces could further reshape what people choose to cultivate.&nbsp;



Building resilience likely involves experimenting with different crop varieties, adjusting planting seasons, and investing in infrastructure to cope with potential extreme weather and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urgent-need-to-protect-earths-forests-from-non-native-pests/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pests</a>.



“If we want to secure our food system in the future, we need to both mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects,” Heikonen said. “Even if the biggest changes are in equatorial regions, we will all feel the effects through the globalized food system. We need to act together to address these problems.”



This interconnection means that climate-driven crop failures in one part of the world could ripple across supply chains, affecting food prices and availability everywhere.



 The study emphasizes that mitigating climate change is essential, but so too is planning for a hotter and more unpredictable planet.&nbsp;



By adjusting farming practices, investing in research, and coordinating policy efforts, countries can better prepare to feed a growing population in an era of environmental upheaval.



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Critical food crops are threatened by rising temperatures globally

A new study warns that if global warming surpasses 1.5°C,...

We show our emotions using our facial expressions as well as our body language. The way your body shakes with laughter during a comedy routine versus the restrained movements of a heartfelt reunion with a dear friend - both express joy, yet in profoundly different ways.



Understanding these subtly different layers of physical expression was the focus of a recent research project. 



The uniqueness of the study was not just its shift from facial expressions to body movements. The researchers also considered the cultural aspects of body language.



How do we account for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experts-find-cultural-differences-in-how-we-interpret-rhythm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultural diversity</a> in body language? What does happiness look like for someone born and raised in Japan?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-charting-emotions-in-motion">Charting emotions in motion</h2>



Building on previous research that primarily focused on Western populations and simple, repetitive actions, this study takes a significant step forward. 



In a collaborative effort, scientists from the <a href="https://www.riec.tohoku.ac.jp/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Research Institute</a> of Electrical Communication at Tohoku University (Japan) and National Chung Cheng University (Taiwan) joined forces to address these challenges.



The researchers' quest led them to a motion capture lab where six professional performers expressed a range of emotions by simply moving their bodies.



Notably, the study focused on the emotional expression of Japanese people - a demographic largely overlooked in past studies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotions-conveyed-through-body-language">Emotions conveyed through body language </h2>



The researchers asked the performers to recall personal emotional experiences that made them feel everything from joy to anger, sadness, surprise, fear, disgust, and contempt. 



Their movements captured by high-tech motion capture technology were later transformed into simple, stick figure-like animations.



The team also explored imitation learning. This technique involves a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robots-can-now-learn-to-accomplish-any-task-by-watching-videos-or-observing-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">robot learning</a> by mimicking the movements of a human who is performing a task. Despite its effectiveness in stable environments, imitation learning falters in new or unfamiliar situations.



Professor Mitsuhiro Hayashibe of the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University provided a solution to this dilemma. 



The researchers merged imitation learning with another approach. Instead of applying deep learning to the Central Pattern Generators (CPGs), they applied it to a reflex neural network that supports the CPGs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decoding-the-body-language">Decoding the body language </h2>



The study participants watched the animations and interpreted the expressed emotions. Surprisingly, their accuracy matched those found in earlier studies that used simpler action databases.



Of the various emotions displayed, the participants found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/want-to-control-anger-write-your-feelings-down-and-destroy-them/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anger</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-new-way-to-suppress-fear/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fear</a> the easiest to decode, while contempt and disgust were considered challenging.



Dr. Miao Cheng, an assistant professor at Tohoku University, praised the study. He described it as a vital step forward in creating a diverse, Asian-centric dataset to bolster further research on emotional communication.



"We are extremely fortunate to have the support of a local musical company based in Sendai, SCS musical company, to fully support this endeavor from the moment performers were recruited and throughout their performances," noted Dr. Chia-huei Tseng, an associate professor at Tohoku University.



"Without the professional help provided by Mr. Jun Hirose and Mr. Kazumasa Fujita from SCS musical company, it would have been very difficult to bridge art and science properly in this study." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-promise-of-future-research">The promise of future research</h2>



The researchers hope future studies will use this database to provide fresh insights into cultural variations in nonverbal communication. This kind of understanding could prove invaluable in developing tech communication tools that promote cross-cultural understanding. 



Industries employing motion capture techniques might also benefit from this research, including those in the fields of gaming, film, animation, and virtual reality.



Additionally, the research paves the way for advances in mental health diagnostics. The way individuals move when experiencing different emotions might offer subtle cues about their psychological state, potentially aiding in early detection of conditions such as anxiety or depression.



By incorporating motion-based emotional assessment into therapeutic practices, psychologists and neuroscientists could gain an additional layer of insight into a patient’s well-being.



Finally, the study highlights the importance of expanding the scope of psychological and neuroscientific research beyond Western perspectives. 



Much of the existing literature on body language and emotional expression is based on Western subjects, leading to potential biases in how we interpret emotions globally. 



By emphasizing culturally diverse datasets, the study contributes to a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of human emotion, and paves the way for richer cross-cultural research.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13428-024-02558-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Behavior Research Methods</a>.



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Body language expresses emotions across cultures

We show our emotions using our facial expressions as well...

Nitrogen was important in the evolution of life on early Earth, but its availability has been heavily debated. Although earlier hypotheses proposed that biologically available nitrogen was limited, recent studies contradict this notion.



Researchers, including scientists at <a href="https://rptu.de/en/home-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">RPTU</a> University Kaiserslautern-Landau in southwestern Germany, have been studying how nitrogen affected the development and dissemination of life billions of years ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nitrogen-and-the-origins-of-life">Nitrogen and the origins of life</h2>



Nitrogen is an essential element in all life. It is required for the formation of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, and for other biological compounds.



Although the Earth's atmosphere is full of nitrogen gas, it is not readily available to most living organisms. 



Some types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbes-laid-the-foundation-for-early-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbes</a> can convert atmospheric nitrogen into forms that are usable by other organisms - a process referred to as nitrogen fixation. But how did ancient microbes obtain nitrogen, and was it present in adequate amounts to facilitate the development of life?



This is where the research, led by RPTU researcher Michelle Gehringer, gives us some clues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nitrogen-fixation-remained-stable-over-time">Nitrogen fixation remained stable over time</h2>



The scientists tracked nitrogen fixation stability under different environmental conditions. They used a method that detects nitrogen isotopes in two stable forms (15N and 14N) to track the process of nitrogen fixation by bacteria.



"Nitrogen gas is a mixture of the light atom 14N and the heavier atom, 15N. When modern microbes use nitrogen in their metabolism, they use these two isotopes in a certain ratio to each other. We measure this by burning nitrogen-containing biomass and collecting the nitrogen gas produced during combustion," explained Gehringer.



So&nbsp;far,&nbsp;everyone&nbsp;assumed&nbsp;that microbes&nbsp;maintained the same 15N:14N ratio in any environmental conditions, even in a carbon dioxide-dense, oxygen-free <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-ancient-breath-study-links-atmospheric-oxygen-and-mantle-chemistry/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancient atmosphere</a>. However, no one had ever tested this assumption.



Because metabolic rates depend on environmental conditions, the researchers theorized that nitrogen isotope ratios might be variable as well.



To test this, Gehringer and coworkers cultured cyanobacteria under conditions closely approximating those of the early Earth, with no oxygen present and lots of carbon dioxide.



"We found that the 15N:14N ratios of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cyanobacteria-may-shed-new-light-on-the-history-of-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cyanobacteria</a> remain stable. Our results therefore support the assumption that this ratio was the same throughout the Earth's history," Gehringer explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-rocks-hold-more-clues">Ancient rocks hold more clues</h2>



Following this research, Gehringer worked with Dr. Ashley Martin from Northumbria University and Dr. Eva Stüeken from the University of St Andrews. The experts set out to study nitrogen cycles in ancient <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stromatolites-algae-found-saudi-arabia-red-sea-new-clues-earliest-life-on-earth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stromatolites</a> - microbial-generated sedimentary rock formations.



These rocks, dated to be approximately 2.7 billion years old, contain records of early life and offer a glimpse into Earth's distant past.



"We gained access to pristine, unweathered rock, which we ground into a fine powder and analyzed for nitrogen isotopes," said Gehringer.



The results were surprising. Unlike living stromatolites, which depend completely on cyanobacterial nitrogen fixation, the ancient samples indicated a secondary source of nitrogen - dissolved ammonium.



"And the most plausible source for this is hydrothermal activity on the sea floor," stated Gehringer.



To test this hypothesis further, the researchers also analyzed sedimentary rocks in a volcanic basin that is also around 2.7 billion years old.



These findings supported the fact that hydrothermal vent-borne ammonium was a large contributor to the nitrogen cycle at the time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-life-beyond-earth">What this means for life beyond Earth</h2>



Scientists have long explored the factors that shaped the spread of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-early-life-may-be-a-model-of-alien-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">early life on Earth</a>. However, this research challenges previous assumptions.



"Until now, it was assumed that life on the early Earth, before the atmosphere was enriched with oxygen, was limited by a lack of biologically available nitrogen," said Gehringer.



"With the help of hydrothermal vents, nitrogen did not limit the spread of life on early Earth. Rather, life was able to flourish in both deep and shallow-water marine environments."



This finding has broad implications - both for what it reveals about the history of our own planet and for whether life can or might exist elsewhere.



"Hydrothermal activity has been documented on Mars and probably also takes place on the icy moons in the outer solar system." 



If the same sources of nitrogen are present outside Earth, the conditions that nourished microbial life here may also exist elsewhere in the universe.



Ongoing research not only fills gaps in Earth's history but also expands our understanding of where life might exist beyond our planet.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57091-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Nitrogen was plentiful for early life on Earth

Nitrogen was important in the evolution of life on early...

In 1982, the Syrian government laid siege to the city of Hama, an attack that resulted in horrific violence and the deaths of tens of thousands of people and left deep, genetic trauma scars on the lives of survivors. 



Decades later, as the country erupted into civil war, the memory of that massacre fueled the resistance against the ruling Assad family.



But beyond its political and social repercussions, the violence may have left a lasting impact in an unexpected place: the DNA of future generations.



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florida</a> have found that the grandchildren of women who were pregnant during the Hama siege show genetic marks of that traumatic event - even though they never lived through it themselves.



Passed down through their mothers, these genetic imprints provide some of the first evidence that stress from violence in humans can leave biological signatures that persist across generations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-violence-and-genetic-trauma">Violence and genetic trauma</h2>



“The idea that trauma and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exposure-to-violence-may-rewire-teenage-brains/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">violence</a> can have repercussions into future generations should help people be more empathetic, help policymakers pay more attention to the problem of violence,” said Connie Mulligan, Ph.D., professor of Anthropology at the University of Florida and senior author of the new study.



“It could even help explain some of the seemingly unbreakable intergenerational cycles of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/verbal-abuse-can-be-as-harmful-to-children-as-physical-abuse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">abuse</a> and poverty and trauma that we see around the world, including in the U.S.”



Scientists have long known that while life experiences don’t change our genetic code, they can influence how genes function. This process, known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/epigenetic-dna-clocks-predict-biological-age-more-accurately/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">epigenetics</a>, allows our cells to modify genes by adding small chemical markers. 



These changes can affect how genes are expressed, often as an adaptive response to stress or environmental factors. Until now, this phenomenon had only been observed in animals.



Mulligan and her team set out to explore whether the same thing could happen in humans. They focused on families who had lived through different waves of violence in Syria, and analyzed three generations of Syrian immigrants in Jordan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracing-trauma-across-generations">Tracing trauma across generations</h2>



To conduct the study, Mulligan collaborated with Rana Dajani, Ph.D., a molecular biologist at Hashemite University in Jordan, and anthropologist Catherine Panter-Brick, Ph.D., of Yale University. 



The team examined Syrian families with different experiences of violence. Some had survived the Hama massacre before fleeing to Jordan. 



Others had endured the more recent Syrian civil war. A third group had left Syria before 1980, providing a crucial control group that had not been exposed to war.



Dajani, who is the daughter of refugees herself, worked closely with the Syrian immigrant community to gain their trust. 



The team collected cheek swabs from 138 people across 48 families, spanning three generations. 



“The families want their story told. They want their experiences heard,” Mulligan shared. “I think we worked with every single family who was eligible to participate in the study.”



Back in Florida, Mulligan’s lab analyzed the DNA samples to look for epigenetic markers that might be associated with exposure to violence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-footprint-of-violence">Genetic footprint of violence</h2>



The researchers discovered that grandchildren of Hama survivors carried 14 specific genetic modifications that were not found in families who had not experienced the massacre. 



These changes suggest that exposure to extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-eats-away-our-brains-cognitive-defenses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress</a> can trigger biological responses that persist for generations.



The study also found 21 genetic modifications in people who had directly lived through violence in Syria. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/violence-war-exposure_epigenetics_generational-harm_credit-Mulligan_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/violence-war-exposure_epigenetics_generational-harm_credit-Mulligan_1s.webp" alt="The study design allowing comparison of violence exposure and epigenetic marks in genomes. Credit: Connie Mulligan" class="wp-image-1961441"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The study design allowing comparison of violence exposure and epigenetic marks in genomes. Credit: Connie Mulligan</figcaption></figure>



Another key finding was that individuals exposed to violence while still in their mothers’ wombs showed signs of accelerated epigenetic aging. This kind of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/random-dna-mutations-shape-biological-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biological aging</a> may increase susceptibility to age-related diseases.



Most of these epigenetic changes followed a similar pattern, reinforcing the idea that trauma leaves a genetic signature. 



“We think our work is relevant to many forms of violence, not just refugees. Domestic violence, sexual violence, gun violence: all the different kinds of violence we have in the U.S.,” Mulligan said. 



“We should study it. We should take it more seriously.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-the-future">What this means for the future</h2>



It’s still unclear what these epigenetic changes mean for the long-term health of the individuals carrying them. 



Some studies suggest that stress-induced genetic modifications may be linked to conditions like diabetes or obesity. 



One well-known study on Dutch famine survivors from World War II found that their children carried epigenetic changes associated with increased body weight.



Though more research is needed, these findings could help scientists understand how trauma shapes not just individuals but entire family lineages. 



It could also inform policies and interventions aimed at breaking cycles of violence and trauma.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-strength-of-survivors">The strength of survivors</h2>



While the research highlights the biological scars of war, it also reveals something just as powerful - the resilience of the families who lived through it.



Despite carrying these genetic imprints, they continue to build new lives, raise families, and preserve their culture.



“In the midst of all this violence we can still celebrate their extraordinary resilience. They are living fulfilling, productive lives, having kids, carrying on traditions. They have persevered,” Mulligan said. “That resilience and perseverance is quite possibly a uniquely human trait.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-89818-z">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Exposure to violence alters human genetics for future generations

In 1982, the Syrian government laid siege to the city...

Obesity is not just a health issue anymore; it's a crisis in waiting, with recent data showing that one in six children and adolescents worldwide could face obesity by 2050. 



A recent study published in The Lancet warns of a dramatic rise in childhood and adolescent obesity over the next 25 years.



The projections equate to 356 million children aged 5-14 years and 390 million aged 15-24 years living with obesity by mid-century.



The research, conducted by experts from the <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Murdoch Children’s Research Institute</a> (MCRI), highlights the urgency of addressing this growing public health challenge before it spirals further out of control.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-childhood-obesity-rates">Rising childhood obesity rates</h2>



The situation has worsened over the last three decades. Global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-obesity-rates-spiked-during-the-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity rates</a> among children and adolescents aged 5-24 years have tripled since 1990.



Despite numerous attempts to curb this trend, there was a 244 percent rise in childhood obesity rates by 2021, reaching a staggering 174 million.



The harsh reality is that previous strategies to combat obesity may have failed an entire generation.



Jessica Kerr, a researcher from MCRI, expressed concern about the dire future awaiting our youth if no immediate action plans are devised.



"Children and adolescents remain a vulnerable population within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/americas-tide-of-obesity-is-rising-with-75-already-impacted/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity epidemic</a>,” said Kerr.



The situation becomes more critical when children cross into adolescence, as obesity is much harder to reverse beyond this age.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-and-economic-burdens">Health risks and economic burdens</h2>



The implications of rising obesity rates extend beyond health to massive economic consequences.



“This giant burden will not only cost the health system and the economy billions, but complications associated with a high body mass index (BMI) - including <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-diabetes-rate-has-doubled-reaching-over-800-million/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diabetes</a>, cancer, heart problems, breathing issues, fertility problems and mental health challenge - will negatively impact our children and adolescents now and into the future," said Kerr.



She noted that the burden even holds the potential to impact our grandchildren’s risk of obesity and quality of life for decades to come.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-australia-s-alarming-obesity-trend">Australia’s alarming obesity trend</h2>



Australia has seen one of the fastest transitions to obesity among children and adolescents worldwide. Girls are already more likely to be obese than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/being-overweight-makes-it-harder-for-brain-to-resist-unhealthy-food/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overweight</a>.



By mid-century in Australia, an estimated 2.2 million people between 5 and 24 years old could be obese, while 1.6 million could be overweight.



Kerr warned that without a reform in policy, the transition to obesity will accelerate, particularly in regions like north Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. These regions are already grappling with high population numbers and limited resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prevention-of-childhood-obesity">Prevention of childhood obesity</h2>



The specific countries that will bear the brunt of the obesity crisis include the United Arab Emirates, Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga, China, Egypt, India, and the United States.



Amidst this grim projection, there is a glimmer of hope. The research also indicates that there's a chance to avoid this outcome if action begins before the year 2030.



What is needed is a significant shift in focus. National surveys monitoring obesity in children and adolescents should become a priority in all countries.



Kerr noted that adolescent girls entering their reproductive years should be a key demographic for intervention to prevent intergenerational transmission of obesity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-interventions-and-societal-changes">Interventions and societal changes</h2>



Professor Susan Sawyer of MCRI urges governments to invest in strategies that address various obesity drivers, including nutrition, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fitness-focused-medicine-physical-activity-reduces-chronic-disease-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical activity</a>, lifestyle, and the built environment.



It is crucial for governments to regulate interventions such as banning junk food ads that target young individuals, taxing sugary beverages, and funding healthy meals in schools. Urban planning also needs a revamp to promote more active lifestyles.



While individuals and families can strive to balance their physical activity, diet, and sleep, the environment around us often works against these efforts. 



“Given this huge global shift in children’s and adolescents’ weight, we can no longer keep blaming people for their choices," said Professor Sawyer. It is now up to governments to take action and promote an environment that supports healthier lifestyle choices.



The research, which was released on World Obesity Day, utilized data from the 2021 Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00397-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet</a>.



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Global childhood obesity rate is expected to soar by 2050

Obesity is not just a health issue anymore; it's a...

The ocean is a vast and interconnected expanse that sustains life, regulates our climate, and provides refuge for diverse marine species. But beneath the surface, marine heatwaves are intensifying, signaling a growing crisis.



Marine heatwaves used to be rare and short-lived, but now they happen more often and last longer. 



Scientists from the <a href="https://www.mba.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marine Biological Association</a> of the United Kingdom and other top universities around the world are warning that this is a serious problem. Rising ocean temperatures are putting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-broke-records-for-450-straight-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine life</a> and entire ecosystems at risk.



The experts emphasize that rising ocean temperatures are dangerous for sea life, disrupt weather, and hurt coastal communities - and the problem is getting worse.



The question now is, are we equipped to alter the ocean's course before its too late?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-marine-heatwaves">Rising marine heatwaves</h2>



For years, warnings about steadily rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-broke-records-for-450-straight-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean temperatures</a> have been reported by researchers, environmentalist groups, and media outlets globally. 



Initially, this appeared to be an occasional rise in warmth, a localized anomaly. Now, however, the statistical evidence tells a different tale.



Between 2023 and 2024, the frequency of marine heatwaves escalated to 240% above previous records, an alarmingly steep increase. These prolonged heatwaves pose a substantial hurdle for ecosystems to bounce back.



Coral reefs bleach, kelp forests vanish, and food chains break down. This phenomenon is not just about current changes, but also about the irreversible damage that these events leave behind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ripple-effects-from-ocean-to-land">Ripple effects: From ocean to land</h2>



Warmer oceans do not confine their effects to the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine environment</a>. The heat triggers storms of increasing intensity - as seen in Cyclone Gabrielle that hit New Zealand in 2023, claiming 11 lives. This example serves as a harsh reminder of how warmer waters fuel severe weather events.



Furthermore, beneath the surface, marine life grapples with their struggles. Several marine animals like whales and dolphins are forced to venture nearer to the shore in search of food, risking themselves to stranding. 



On the other hand, certain species like mussels held hostage in overheated waters, find themselves dying in millions, leading to the collapse of entire food webs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-struggle-of-the-coral-reefs">Struggle of the coral reefs</h2>



Coral reefs, the vibrant underwater cities, are among the ecosystems that bear the brunt of marine heatwaves. 



White, bleached corals aren't just aesthetically jarring, but also signal the death of corals. With the loss of corals, entire marine communities break down, causing biodiversity to take a nosedive.



Scientific observations have seen coral reefs' <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-draining-nutrients-from-the-oceans-surface/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">distress</a> before, but never at this scale. Once a reef collapses, its recovery can take decades - if rebounding is even possible. Each heatwave leaves behind a decimated reef, with little time for recovery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tackling-marine-heatwaves">Tackling marine heatwaves</h2>



Conservation groups are tirelessly working to protect endangered species, restore damaged reefs, and establish marine sanctuaries. 



However, these efforts only address the symptoms, not the cause. The actual issue arises from the atmosphere, which traps heat due to the increasing greenhouse gas emissions.



The theoretical solution, to cut emissions and slow the warming allowing the ocean to recover, is simple. However, implementing it is a daunting task.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-severe-economic-consequences">Severe economic consequences </h2>



Surging sea temperatures have severe financial consequences aside from the ecological damage. Coastal communities, particularly those dependent on fishing and tourism, are experiencing the impact. 



Warmer waters disrupt fish populations, forcing commercial fisheries into a crisis. Additionally, coral reef tourism is dwindling as vibrant reefs turn into lifeless graveyards.



Stronger storms and frequent flooding are damaging buildings, roads, and other structures along coastlines. As a result, insurance costs are rising, and in some places, homes and businesses can no longer be insured. 



If we ignore marine heatwaves now, fixing the damage later will cost even more.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-our-oceans">The future of our oceans </h2>



Though government policies and corporate changes are primary drivers in reducing emissions, individual contributions are equally powerful. 



Consciously reducing energy usage, endorsing sustainable seafood, voicing out for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mapping-marine-heatwaves-to-understand-their-impacts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate action</a> collectively contribute towards making a difference.



The future of our oceans hangs in the balance. The choices we make today will decide whether marine ecosystems disintegrate or flourish.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-025-02269-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Climate Change</a>.&nbsp; 



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Scientists warn of an alarming rise in marine heatwaves

The ocean is a vast and interconnected expanse that sustains...

Water is a fundamental element of life as we know it. Its presence on Earth and other celestial bodies has long intrigued scientists. Until now, researchers believed water formed relatively late in the universe’s history. 



However, new findings suggest that water may have appeared far earlier than previously thought.



A study published in Nature Astronomy proposes that water may have first emerged 100–200 million years after the Big Bang. This discovery challenges long-held assumptions and opens new possibilities about the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-arrived-on-earth-gradually-not-in-one-big-event/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">origins of water</a> in space. 



If water existed at such an early stage, it could have played a crucial role in shaping the first galaxies and planets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origins-of-water-s-components-in-universe">Origins of water’s components in universe</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-fueling-a-global-water-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Water</a> is made of two elements - hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen was one of the first elements to exist. Right after the&nbsp;Big Bang, hydrogen, along with helium and lithium, filled the universe. These light elements helped form the first stars and galaxies.



Oxygen, however,&nbsp;did not exist from the beginning. It was created&nbsp;much later&nbsp;inside massive stars. When these stars exploded in&nbsp;supernovae, they spread oxygen and other heavy elements into space. This process made it possible for new chemicals, including&nbsp;water, to form.



Scientists have long debated&nbsp;when water first appeared&nbsp;because its two ingredients - hydrogen and oxygen - came from different sources.&nbsp;Hydrogen was always available, but oxygen had to be made inside stars first.&nbsp;This made it unclear how early water could have formed in the universe.



A study conducted by Daniel Whalen and his team from <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Portsmouth University</a> sheds light on this mystery by simulating the conditions following supernova explosions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birth-of-water">Birth of water</h2>



Whalen and his colleagues used computer models to study two supernovae. The first simulation focused on a star 13 times the mass of the sun, while the second analyzed a much larger star, 200 times the sun’s mass. 



These models allowed researchers to observe how elements formed and mixed after these cataclysmic events.



The results showed that the smaller supernova produced 0.051 solar masses of oxygen, while the larger one generated 55 solar masses of oxygen. 



The findings suggest that even the earliest generations of stars could have created significant amounts of oxygen, making water formation possible much earlier than previously assumed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-water-formed-in-the-aftermath">How water Formed in the aftermath</h2>



The study revealed that the oxygen released after supernova explosions mixed with hydrogen that was already present in space.



As this mixture cooled down, water molecules started to form. The water collected in dense clouds of gas and dust, which later became the birthplaces of new stars and planets.



In the first simulation, a small amount of water formed within 30 to 90 million years after the explosion. This water was between one hundred millionth to one millionth of the sun’s mass.



In the second simulation, water formed much faster. Within just 3 million years, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-cycles-through-plants-with-unexpected-speed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amount of water</a> reached about 0.001 times the sun’s mass. The results suggest that water may have existed in space much earlier than scientists had previously thought.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-survival-of-water-in-the-young-universe">Survival of water in the young universe</h2>



One major question remains - did this early water persist, or was it destroyed in the process of galaxy formation? The formation of the first galaxies was likely a turbulent event, with extreme radiation and gravitational forces at play.



However, if water could withstand these conditions, it might have been incorporated into forming planets billions of years ago.



This raises the possibility that water has been present in planetary systems since the earliest stages of cosmic history. The implications are profound, suggesting that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wave-ripples-discovered-mars-surface-indicate-liquid-water-present-4-billion-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ingredients for life</a> may have existed long before Earth and other known planets took shape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-perspective-on-water-in-space">New perspective on water in space</h2>



The research challenges the traditional timeline of water’s formation in the universe. Scientists now have evidence that water may have appeared much earlier than expected, changing the way we understand the chemical evolution of space.



If water was present before the first galaxies fully formed, it could mean that many ancient planetary systems had access to it. This opens up new questions about the conditions necessary for life beyond Earth and whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-water-day-a-focus-on-prosperity-and-peace/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">similar processes</a> occurred in other parts of the universe.



Studying water’s history in space helps us learn how life began. This research moves us closer to understanding the universe’s past and the chances of life beyond Earth.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-025-02479-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Astronomy</a>.



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Water may have existed in the universe far earlier than we thought

Water is a fundamental element of life as we know...

Slight changes in pitch, also called prosody, shape meaning in everyday conversation. New research suggests that even the smallest tonal variations, such as a speaker’s emphasis or intent, can significantly guide the listeners’ understanding of language.



In a multidisciplinary effort involving researchers from multiple institutions, scientists found that a specific part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-speech-speed-can-signal-brain-health/">brain</a>, known as Heschl’s gyrus, is responsible not only for basic sound processing but also for interpreting these subtle pitch shifts as meaningful information.&nbsp;



The study reveals that this region doesn’t just process sounds, but rather transforms subtle changes in pitch - known as prosody - into meaningful linguistic information which structures how humans understand emphasis, intent, and focus in conversations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-assumptions-about-speech-processing">Assumptions about speech processing</h2>



For decades, it was generally believed that prosody was mainly handled by the superior temporal gyrus, a brain region long associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-human-speech-changes-when-we-talk-to-dogs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">speech</a> perception. 



According to co-principal investigator Bharath Chandrasekaran, a scientist at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwestern University</a>, these results “redefine our understanding of the architecture of speech perception.” 



“We’ve spent a few decades researching the nuances of how speech is abstracted in the brain, but this is the first study to investigate how subtle variations in pitch that also communicate meaning are processed in the brain,” Chandrasekaran said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-speech-processing-and-brain-activity">Speech processing and brain activity</h2>



At the heart of this discovery was a group of 11 adolescent patients undergoing neurosurgery for severe epilepsy, each with electrodes implanted deep in a crucial language-processing region of the cortex.&nbsp;



Taylor Abel is the chief of pediatric neurosurgery at the <a href="https://www.medschool.pitt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine</a>. 



“Typically, communication and linguistics research rely on non-invasive recordings from the surface of the skin, which makes it accessible but not very precise,” said Abel.&nbsp;



“A collaboration between neurosurgeon-scientists and neuroscientists, like ours, allowed us to collect high-quality recordings of brain activity that would not have been possible otherwise, and learn about the mechanisms of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-the-brain-process-experiences-over-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain processing</a> in a completely new way.”



These implanted electrodes offered a rare, direct look at neural responses to subtle pitch changes in speech. To explore how the brain interprets the “melody” of speech, participants listened to an audiobook recording of Alice in Wonderland.&nbsp;



During these sessions, scientists recorded brain activity from different regions in real time, providing detailed data on how auditory information was processed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-early-encoding-of-speech-melody">Early encoding of speech melody</h2>



Using this intracerebral monitoring, the researchers discovered that Heschl’s gyrus encoded changes in pitch - prosodic cues - as linguistic units, distinct from the raw acoustic signals that make up words.&nbsp;



Study co-first author G. Nike Gnanataja is a professor at <a href="https://csd.wisc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders</a>. 



“Our study challenges the long-standing assumptions how and where the brain picks up on the natural melody in speech - those subtle pitch changes that help convey meaning and intent,” said Gnanataja.



“Even though these pitch patterns vary each time we speak, our brains create stable representations to understand them.”



By seeing how quickly these prosodic patterns registered in Heschl’s gyrus, the team realized that the process happens earlier than once assumed.&nbsp;



Rather than being filtered extensively in higher-level brain areas, the natural rise and fall of speech gets broken down into meaningful contours at an earlier stage in the auditory pathway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-acoustic-signals-and-speech-processing">Acoustic signals and speech processing </h2>



A related line of research compared non-human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-early-primates-lived-in-pairs-and-were-not-solitary-creatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">primates</a>’ ability to process the same acoustic signals. 



While these animals could detect the sounds themselves, they did not seem to abstract any linguistic or meaning-laden information from those pitch changes. This contrast highlights a uniquely human capacity to transform tiny shifts in tone into communicative signals.



By revealing this hidden layer of speech, the experts discovered how the brain processes pitch accents, which has profound implications for various fields.&nbsp;



According to the researchers, this work could lead to novel rehabilitation methods for speech and language disorders. For instance, early detection and tailored interventions might help individuals with conditions such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-with-autism-benefit-from-learning-multiple-languages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">autism</a> or those recovering from strokes reestablish more effective communication strategies.



“Our findings could transform speech rehabilitation, AI-powered voice assistants, and our understanding of what makes human communication unique,” Chandrasekaran said.&nbsp;



Improved knowledge of prosody might enable voice-recognition systems to better interpret user intent and emotional tone, bringing us closer to natural language processing that mirrors how people actually speak.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-hallmark-of-human-language-nbsp">A hallmark of human language&nbsp;</h2>



The discovery also underlines the significant role played by linguistic experience. Because non-human primates cannot form abstract categories from pitch accents, scientists now have new evidence that our ability to interpret and manipulate prosodic cues represents a hallmark of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-generated-birdsongs-may-shed-new-light-on-human-language/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human language</a>.



As research continues to uncover how these vocal subtleties are perceived and encoded in the brain, fields ranging from neurolinguistics to artificial intelligence will likely reap the benefits.&nbsp;



By demonstrating that Heschl’s gyrus takes on advanced speech-interpretation tasks much earlier than once believed, this study encourages a reevaluation of the traditional hierarchy of speech processing - and highlights the complexity behind the timeless adage, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56779-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Speech processing in the brain goes beyond words

Slight changes in pitch, also called prosody, shape meaning in...

Dungeness crab, Pacific herring, and red abalone are among the coastal species that appear most vulnerable to climate risks such as rising ocean temperatures, acidification, and deoxygenation.&nbsp;



The susceptibility of these species to environmental stressors could have significant consequences for local economies and cultural traditions that rely on healthy fisheries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-species-vulnerability-to-climate-risks">Species vulnerability to climate risks</h2>



In a new paper titled “A Collaborative Climate Vulnerability Assessment of California Marine Fishery Species,” researchers have outlined which animals are most threatened by predicted changes in the state’s coastal waters.&nbsp;



The study was led by Timothy Frawley, an assistant project scientist at <a href="https://ims.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of Marine Sciences</a> and assistant professor at UC Davis’s Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology.



The research aims to assist the <a href="https://wildlife.ca.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Department of Fish and Wildlife</a> (CDFW) in developing “climate-ready” management strategies for commercial and recreational fisheries.



By detailing how different species respond to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-fisheries-threatened-by-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">environmental shifts</a>, the team hopes to lay a foundation for policies that can better adapt to and mitigate climate-related challenges.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economically-important-fisheries">Economically important fisheries</h2>



“The results are striking,” said Frawley, who spent five years as a commercial fisherman before earning a PhD in marine biology. “Some of California’s most economically and culturally important fisheries are assessed as being among the most vulnerable to projected future environmental changes.”



For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-protected-areas-improve-well-being-in-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">coastal communities</a>, the threat goes beyond ecology - it touches on livelihoods. The iconic Dungeness crab fishery, for instance, delivers more than 8,200 tons annually, yielding over $45 million for local economies in a typical season.&nbsp;



While this crab fishery remains robust, others have not fared as well. Red abalone, once generating an estimated $24 to $44 million in recreational value per year, has been off-limits since 2018.&nbsp;



Meanwhile, Pacific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rapid-evolution-in-the-baltic-sea-how-herring-became-fish-eaters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">herring</a> in San Francisco Bay - once the basis of a thriving commercial fishery - have seen biomass drop by over 75%, forcing many fishers to abandon the trade entirely.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-species-in-a-warming-climate">Shifting species in a warming climate</h2>



“While overall across the Northeast Pacific, a species like Pacific Herring may do OK, try telling that to a herring fisherman based out of San Francisco Bay. If their resource moves hundreds of miles away, it’s a big deal to them,” Frawley explained.&nbsp;



“It’s important to do these assessments at a scale that provides results that will be practical at the local level. So in that respect, this represents a step forward.”



Such local-level nuance is crucial, since some species may simply relocate northward as waters warm. For example, market squid - currently a mainstay of the state’s fisheries - could shift offshore or to cooler regions off Oregon or Washington, undercutting California-based fleets.&nbsp;



By contrast, certain warm-water fish like Pacific bonito might expand their range into the California Current, potentially offering new fishing opportunities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-species-sensitivity-to-climate-risks">Species' sensitivity to climate risks</h2>



To determine which species face the greatest climate risks, the study evaluated 34 fish and invertebrates for their vulnerability over two periods: 2030-2060 and 2070-2100.&nbsp;



The researchers focused on both sensitivity (biological attributes such as reproductive rates, habitat preferences, and susceptibility to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-acidification-is-spreading-into-deeper-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acidification</a>) and exposure (projected ocean conditions, including temperature, salinity, upwelling, subsurface oxygen levels, and sea-level rise).



These factors were combined to rank species into four categories - blue (lowest vulnerability), yellow, orange, and red (highest vulnerability).&nbsp;



Dungeness crab, red abalone, Pacific herring, pink shrimp, and Pismo clam were among those ultimately placed in the red zone over the longer term, with ocean acidification, sea-level rise, and other compounding challenges expected to intensify.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-red-abalone-and-a-changing-coast">Red abalone and a changing coast</h2>



Among the most concerning examples is red abalone, a bottom-dwelling mollusk highly susceptible to marine heatwaves. Because it has limited mobility and depends on stable kelp habitats for food, any extreme temperature swings or shifts in ocean chemistry can devastate its populations.&nbsp;



The fishery’s closure in 2018 was a stark indicator of how vulnerable benthic species can be, and the new study reinforces the urgency of monitoring and protective measures.



Market squid, contributing an estimated $43.9 million annually, and spiny lobster, worth around $10.7 million, also show cause for concern. Ensuring that these high-value fisheries can adapt may require both policy interventions and collaborative planning with industry stakeholders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supporting-coastal-communities">Supporting coastal communities</h2>



“My experience working as a fisherman has inspired me to focus my work as a marine scientist on supporting coastal communities by providing them with information required to better navigate risk and uncertainty,” Frawley said.&nbsp;



“My time at sea impressed upon me the links and feedbacks between environmental variability and change and marine-resource-dependent industries and communities, as well as an appreciation for fisheries as a team sport.”



Though the public often views fishing as fiercely independent, Frawley explained that it requires a complex network.&nbsp;



“To make the gears turn, it requires a team of individuals working together on deck, groups of boats sharing information; dock workers and truck drivers to unload and transport the product; buyers and processors to package and market it; and managers and scientists to set the harvest levels and ensure that operations are sustainable."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-anticipating-changes-to-protect-fisheries">Anticipating changes to protect fisheries </h2>



In highlighting the most at-risk species, this study provides a vital roadmap for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as it works to develop adaptive measures. 



Possible strategies include flexible harvest regulations, real-time monitoring of populations, and broad collaboration among scientists, fishers, and policymakers.



While shifts in ocean conditions are already underway, the ability to anticipate change is essential for managing fisheries so they remain viable in the decades to come.&nbsp;



With clear evidence that climate change is already reshaping marine environments, proactive planning could mean the difference between a future of thriving coastal economies or dwindling opportunities for fishermen and seafood lovers alike.



The research was conducted in close collaboration with fisheries scientists at the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA), the <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Conservancy</a>, and the <a href="https://opc.ca.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Ocean Protection Council</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000574" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Climate</a>.



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Economically important marine species face high climate risks

Dungeness crab, Pacific herring, and red abalone are among the...

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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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

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"]</div>



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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"]</div>



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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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