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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Farming for wildlife: How traditional practices can protect nature

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

A new study has revealed that dogs become attached to the voice of their owners. The researchers found that the sound of an owner's voice generates brain activity in dogs similar to the neural responses of newborn <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-have-reduced-pain-response-with-skin-to-skin-contact/">babies</a> while listening to their mother.



Among human infants, the reward center of the brain is activated by their mother’s voice. This response is associated with feelings of love, and is also linked to the reassurance that infants receive from their mothers in unfamiliar situations. The researchers set out to investigate whether dogs have the same kind of attachment to their owners.



“To study the brain mechanisms behind dog-owner attachment is particularly exciting, because it can help to understand how similar this unique bond between individuals of different species can be to other well-known relationships between conspecifics (e.g. infant-mother attachment),” explained study lead author Anna Gábor of <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/">Eötvös Loránd University</a>.



“Some years ago we discovered that dog brains are sensitive to verbal praises, but it remained unexplored how the relationship with the speaker affects this sensitivity."



The study was focused on the “Strange Situation Test, which has been used in the past to analyze how children respond to the absence of their caregivers. The experts also used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe the brain activity of dogs as they listened to praise or neutral speaking by their owner. The dogs also listened to a person who was familiar to them.



The analysis showed that the reward centers of the dogs' brains were more sensitive to the owner’s voice compared to that of a familiar person. The experts also determined that dogs who were more attached to their owners showed a greater neural response to their owner's voice, even when the dog was not being praised.&nbsp;



“The basic function of attachment is to keep the dependent individual (infant, dog) in the proximity of the caregiver,” said study co-author Márta Gácsi. “Our results point out that in dogs, just like in infants, not only positive interactions with the caregiver, but even listening to their neutral voice is rewarding.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neuroimage">NeuroImage</a>.



---



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

Dogs become attached to their owner's voice

A new study has revealed that dogs become attached to...

Office air quality can affect employees’ cognitive functioning, measured in terms of response times and ability to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breathing-exercises-improve-focus-in-children-with-adhd/">focus</a>, as well as their overall productivity, according to new research conducted at <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a>.



The longitudinal one-year study included over 300 participants from offices across six countries (China, India, Mexico, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The researchers discovered increased concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and high CO2 levels were associated with low ventilation rates and significantly decreased cognitive functioning.&nbsp;



To study the correlation between office air quality and cognitive functioning, the scientists monitored the concentrations of PM2.5 and CO2 in real time, as well as the temperature and humidity in participants’ offices. Each participant had a custom-designed app installed on their phones and was prompted to participate in cognitive tests and surveys at pre-established times or when sensors detected particularly high or low PM2.5 and CO2 levels.



The scientists discovered that as concentrations of pollutants increased, the participants performed worse at tests assessing cognitive speed, inhibitory control, and working memory.&nbsp;



“Our study adds to the emerging evidence that air pollution has an impact on our brain. The findings show that increases in PM2.5 levels were associated with&nbsp;acute&nbsp;reductions in cognitive function.&nbsp;It’s the first time we’ve seen&nbsp;these short-term effects among younger adults,” said study lead author Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent, a research fellow in the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/environmental-health/">Department of Environmental Health</a>.



“The study also confirmed how low ventilation rates negatively impact cognitive function. Overall, the study suggests that poor indoor air quality affects health and productivity significantly more than we previously understood.”



According to senior co-author Professor Joseph Allen, the findings show that although the world is rightly focused (in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic) on improving office ventilation and filtration in order to slow indoor viral transmission, other health hazards associated with indoor pollutants must also be acknowledged.



“Our research consistently finds that the value proposition of these strategies extends to cognitive function and productivity of workers, making healthy buildings foundational to public health and business strategy moving forward,” concluded Professor Allen.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac1bd8">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



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

Office air quality affects cognitive functioning and productivity

Office air quality can affect employees’ cognitive functioning, measured in...

Soil has traditionally been seen as the source of water and dissolved nutrients for plants. In a recent study, however, researchers at the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> have questioned this assumption. They propose that the layer of weathered bedrock that lies under the soil is more important in terms of supplying water to the roots of trees in forests.&nbsp;



Weathered bedrock is in the process of breaking down and becoming soil, and has many cracks and pores where water can accumulate. Plant roots often grow through the soil and penetrate deep into the zone of weathered bedrock, which is known to store water for longer than the soil does. This means that water contained in bedrock may be an important reservoir for forest trees, potentially shifting the way that scientists understand forest ecosystem functioning and the threats of global climate change.



“With droughts intensifying, bedrock could be as key to understanding our forests as soils,” said study co-author Daniella Rempe, an assistant professor at the UT Jackson School of Geosciences.



For decades, scientists from around the world have documented the fact that tree roots penetrate below the layer of surface soil and into fissures in the underlying bedrock, but these accounts have tended to remain anecdotal. The extent of this phenomenon, and its relevance in the water cycle within ecosystems were not known. However, the importance of this overlooked layer between the soil and the groundwater may now become a prime focus for researchers as forests are exposed to the effects of global warming and climate change.&nbsp;



“It’s taken 100 years to come from this anecdotal evidence - oh wow, tree roots can actually go that deep - to understanding that this is probably, in many places, an important part of defining ecosystem dynamics,” said Susan Schwinning, a professor at Texas State University who was not directly involved with the research. She added that the study provides a huge leap in knowledge because it proves that what was once considered atypical behavior is actually essential.



The study made use of publicly available data, including rates of precipitation and evaporation in forests between 2003 and 2017. The researchers used these data to calculate a conservative estimate of the contribution of bedrock water to tree transpiration across the USA. Their results indicated that woody plants in many different biomes and climates routinely access bedrock moisture. In fact, the volume of bedrock water transpired by woody plants in California alone is equal to the capacity of all the water reservoirs in that state.&nbsp;



In addition, field studies from sites in California and Texas reveal that plants use more water from bedrock than they do from the soil. At six sites in California and two in central Texas, more than 50 percent of water transpired by trees came from the layer of weathered bedrock. &nbsp;At some of these sites the rocks held as much as 10 times more water than the soil did.&nbsp;



The researchers found that trees commonly tap bedrock to access the stored water. They detected this behavior in about 24 percent of forests and shrublands, which represents a total area that exceeds the size of Texas.&nbsp;



It is clear that water stored in rock under the soil is critical to the survival of trees and that this reservoir should not be ignored when analysing the water available to trees during both mild and drought conditions. However, according to study leader Erica McCormick, more research needs to be done in order to find out exactly how and when trees access this water in the bedrock.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“We have much left to explore,” she said. “We have tools for investigating and describing soil processes, but we need data and experiments to tell us how to treat bedrock.”



The results of this study were published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.



---



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

Bedrock may be secretly supplying trees with water

Soil has traditionally been seen as the source of water...

Large populations of wolves are currently expanding across Europe, prompting experts to search for solutions to build harmonious relationships between these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carnivores-can-become-disease-reservoirs-due-to-genetics/">carnivores</a> and human communities. A new study led by researchers at the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> examined rural communities in Spain with wolf populations in their proximity to identify ways of peaceful coexistence.&nbsp;



Spain is home to one of Europe’s largest wolf populations, including almost 2,500 wolves. A research team led by doctoral student Hanna Pettersson from Leeds’ <a href="https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/sustainability-research-institute">Sustainability Research Institute</a> examined three village communities from Spain: one with a permanent presence of wolves, one where the wolves have recently returned, and one community where their return is expected within the following decade.&nbsp;



The experts discovered that the social, economic, and ecological conditions for coexistence in these communities varied considerably. For instance, guardian dogs trained to fend off wolf attacks were efficient in one location, but less feasible in another, due to factors such as topography or tourism.



“The main problem with wolves in areas where wolves and people shared space was often less about the wolves themselves, but about economic and social pressures that were threatening the livelihoods, cultures and autonomy of local communities,” explained Pettersson.&nbsp;



“Today, thanks to strict conservation laws, urbanization and improved habitat conditions, we are seeing a return and expansion of large carnivores, such as wolves, to many types of landscapes across Europe. This is a hopeful sign for the global nature restoration movement, which is a crucial part of dealing with the ongoing biodiversity and climate crises.”



Pettersson and her team identified several key conditions that are needed for the peaceful coexistence of people and wolves. First off, effective institutions that can tailor the demands of global conservation priorities to local conditions and communities are necessary. Such institutions must be able not only to ensure the long-term survival of wolf populations, but also to provide low levels of risk or vulnerability to human communities and their livestock.&nbsp;



Importantly, decision-making should be a collective endeavor, tailored to the needs of local communities. “We must ensure that solutions are built collectively and that decision-making is supported by a large part of society - especially by the people, entities and groups affected,” said Pettersson.



“Wolves are returning to places where they have been extinct for decades, sometimes centuries. The key challenge we face is preparing and supporting communities so that they can adapt and flourish, thanks to, or sometimes despite, their return,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2021.710218/full">Frontiers in Conservation Sciences</a>.



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

Wolf populations are expanding across Europe

Large populations of wolves are currently expanding across Europe, prompting...

The average person is quick to assign a personality to their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-people-over-50-got-pandemic-pets/">pets</a> and perhaps project this idea onto other non-human animals. Scientists, however, are historically reluctant to acknowledge personality in other animals. A new study from <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a> is the first to document individual personalities in gold-mantled ground squirrels. 



Although golden-mantled ground squirrels are not at risk of extinction, this study may pave the way toward broader conservation and management strategies. Traditionally, conservationists look at populations or species over individuals. 



Study author and PhD student Jaclyn Aliperti explained why individuals matter when it comes to wildlife conservation.



“This adds to the small but growing number of studies showing that individuals matter. Accounting for personality in wildlife management may be especially important when predicting wildlife responses to new conditions, such as changes or destruction of habitat due to human activity," said Aliperti.



Golden-mantled ground squirrels have been studied for 30 years at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. Drawing on the accumulated data, Aliperti conducted squirrel personality tests.&nbsp;



Squirrels were put through four simple tests while their behavior was observed. First, the squirrels were put in a novel environment - a box with grid lines and holes. Next, squirrels were presented with a mirror to see if they could recognize their own reflection.&nbsp;



In addition, the squirrels were slowly approached by researchers to see at what point they fled. Furthermore, the individuals were caught unharmed in a trap and briefly watched to determine their behavior. 



The study revealed that the squirrels exhibit four main personality traits: boldness, aggressiveness, activity level and sociability.



The research also looked at squirrel behavior in relation to their environments and found that bolder squirrels had larger territories and greater access to rocks and other desired perches.&nbsp;



Aliperti is hopeful that this research will resonate with the public in general and help generate interest in wildlife,



“Animal personality is a hard science, but if it makes you relate to animals more, maybe people will be more interested in conserving them,” said Aliperti.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/animal-behaviour">Animal Behaviour</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ground squirrels found to be full of personality

The average person is quick to assign a personality to...

Indian,Moon,Moth,(actias,Selene),In,Tropical,Rainforest,South,East

The tips of the wings of some saturniid moth species are rippled and folded to reflect sound, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>. The researchers found that these unique folds on the forewing tips of moths have evolved to throw off predators. For example, a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-bats-and-human-infants-engage-in-similar-babbling-behavior/">bat</a> using echolocation is more likely to attack the wingtip region (where the sound is reflected) than the body, allowing the moth to potentially survive the attack.



The experts discovered that the ripples and folds of the forewing tips have evolved to act as hemispheric and corner retroreflectors respectively. This means that they reflect sound strongly back to its point of origin, explained the study authors.&nbsp;



“We have demonstrated that the folded and rippled wingtips on the forewings of some silkmoths act as acoustic decoys," said Professor Marc Holderied.



“Structurally, the wingtips act as acoustic retroreflectors, reflecting sound back to its source from numerous angles, meaning a bat would be more likely to strike the wingtip over the more vulnerable body of the moth.”&nbsp;



This is just the latest example of a defense strategy that has evolved among moths to increase their chances of survival. Some species of moths have evolved elongated hindwings which terminate in a coiled and twisted end. These hindwings generate very strong echoes which can divert a bat’s acoustic gaze toward them, and away from the exposed body of the moth.



“There are many silkmoths that do not have these elongated hindwings, and we were interested in how they might protect themselves from bats," explained study lead author Dr. Thomas Neil.



"Through our research we discovered that there are many silkmoths that have rippled and folded structures not on the tips of their elongated hindwings but on the tips of their forewings. These resembled the twisted hindwing structures seen in other moths and so we wanted to know if they might also serve as an acoustic decoy to thwart a bat’s attack."



“To test this theory, we used innovative acoustic tomography analysis. We recorded echoes from moths from over 10,000 angles, to compare whether the echoes coming from the wingtips of these moths were stronger than the echoes from the body. If the echoes coming from the rippled and folded wingtips were stronger than that of the body, this would indicate that they were indeed acoustic decoys."&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Conclusive support for the idea that the forewing reflector is an acoustic decoy comes from our finding that acoustic forewing decoys always evolved as an alternative to acoustic hindwing decoys, with there being no species known to possess both.”&nbsp;



Going forward, the researchers will collect behavioral data to confirm the results in the lab. According to the experts, they plan to monitor bats and moths with varying levels of folded wing morphologies to see how much of a survival advantage it actually gives them.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The results of this study introduce another exciting aspect to the story of the bat-moths acoustic arms race," said Professor Holderied.



"We have identified a novel form of acoustic defense amongst silkmoths which may give them an advantage over hunting bats. Wider implications might include improved man-made anti radar and sonar decoy architectures.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.



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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

Moths have evolved wingtips that serve as acoustic decoys

The tips of the wings of some saturniid moth species...

A new study shows that well-being associated with having more free time only increases up to a certain point. When a person has too much free time, the benefit to their sense of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cuddling-with-dogs-can-improve-your-well-being/">well-being</a> starts to decrease.



“People often complain about being too busy and express wanting more time. But is more time actually linked to greater happiness? We found that having a dearth of discretionary hours in one’s day results in greater stress and lower subjective well-being. However, while too little time is bad, having more time is not always better," explained study lead author Dr. Marissa Sharif.



The scientists looked at data from 21,736 American research participants who agreed to take a time use survey from 2012 to 2013. The survey asked the participants to detail 24 hour periods of their life and report on their sense of well-being.



The results showed that a sense of well-being increased with free time until after two hours, after which it leveled off. For those participants with five hours of free time, well-being started to decrease.&nbsp;



The scientists also looked at data from a survey that was designed to investigate changing workforces in America. One of the questions asked how much free time each person had as well as the person’s perceived well-being. The results from this survey showed the same trend - the sense of well-being associated with free time increased only up to a point, after which it leveled off and even declines.&nbsp;



To follow up on the research, the scientists conducted online experiments, asking people to imagine being given a certain amount of free time - either a short, moderate or long period. The results, unsurprisingly, were that those with the moderate amount of time had the greatest increase in well-being.&nbsp;



Questioning the participants further, it seems the key is productivity, those who could use their free-time doing something they considered productive felt a greater sense of well-being. “Though our investigation centered on the relationship between amount of discretionary time and subjective well-being, our additional exploration into how individuals spend their discretionary time proved revealing," said Dr. Sharif.



"Our findings suggest that ending up with entire days free to fill at one’s discretion may leave one similarly unhappy. In cases when people do find themselves with excessive amounts of discretionary time, such as retirement or having left a job, our results suggest these individuals would benefit from spending their newfound time with purpose.”&nbsp;



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Too much free time can be a bad thing

A new study shows that well-being associated with having more...

A new study published in the <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(21)00330-5/fulltext">American Journal of Preventive Medicine</a> has found that, in over 50 U.S. cities where cannabis is legalized, indoor smoking at licensed cannabis businesses is permitted, endangering the health of customers and employees by exposing them to secondhand cannabis smoke (SHCS).



After years of progress on protection against secondhand tobacco smoke, several states now allow indoor marijuana smoking in cannabis smoking lounges pertaining to licensed retailers.



Study first author Thomas L. Rotering is a professor at the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies and the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, San Francisco.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“While many states maintain strong tobacco smoking and vaping bans to protect public health, our research reveals that some state and local laws exempt cannabis smoke from clean air laws and open the door to smoke-filled businesses, defeating decades of public health advances,” said Professor Rotering.



The researchers investigated government websites, legal databases, local laws, and public reporting to asses the status of cannabis smoking lounges. They found significant variations in how different states address the issue of SHCS exposure, with some states prohibiting cannabis consumption in public spaces, and others (including Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Michigan) allowing onsite consumption at licensed cannabis businesses.



The experts found that of the 56 localities which permit onsite consumption cannabis businesses, only 9 percent require indoors to be smoke-free. Combined with ineffective ventilation and engineering requirements, this may endanger the health of customers and employees alike.



“After decades of progress in clearing the indoor air of tobacco smoke, we are seeing it replaced with cannabis smoke using the same discredited arguments the tobacco industry used in its unsuccessful fight against tobacco smoke restrictions. We need to learn from the past and keep the air clean for all,” said senior investigator Stanton A. Glantz, an emeritus professor at <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California, San Francisco</a>.&nbsp;



The study authors suggest that a solution to these problems is designing isolated, outdoor smoking places at cannabis retailers, or allowing the indoor use of only non-inhalable modes of administration that do not pollute the air and thus put the health of patrons, staff, and customers at risk.&nbsp;



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

Indoor cannabis smoke endangers public health

A new study published in the American Journal of Preventive...

Migrating land birds are capable of flying nonstop for hundreds or even thousands of kilometers over the open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/95-percent-of-ocean-could-become-inhospitable-this-century/">ocean</a> by taking advantage of various atmospheric conditions, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz.



Flying over the seas can be highly dangerous for land birds. Unlike seabirds, they are unable to stop or feed on the water, so they need to fly continuously until they reach land. For centuries, scientists thought that land birds only managed short sea crossings of less than 100 kilometers.



However, a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B has proven otherwise. The researchers placed GPS tracking devices on 65 birds across five species and analyzed 112 sea-crossing tracks over a period of nine years.&nbsp;



The data revealed that, contrary to popular belief, land birds are capable of flying for hundreds or even thousands of kilometers over open seas and oceans as regular parts of their migration patterns. The oriental honey buzzard, for instance, can cover 700 kilometers during an 18-hour nonstop flight over the East China Sea.



Scientists discovered that in order to accomplish such feats of strength and endurance, land birds take advantage of various atmospheric conditions, such as tailwind, a horizontal wind blowing in the direction of the bird’s flight, or the rising air thermals from the seas known as “uplift,” which help them soar up to one kilometer above the sea surface.&nbsp;



“Until recently, uplift was assumed to be weak or absent over the sea surface. We show that is not the case,” said lead author Elham Nourani, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biology at the University of Konstanz. “Instead, we find that migratory birds adjust their flight routes to benefit from the best wind and uplift conditions when they fly over the sea. This helps them sustain flight for hundreds of kilometers.”



Such a study can open research pathways to investigate how climate change may affect migration patterns. “Our findings show that many land birds are dependent on atmospheric support to complete their migrations over the open sea, indicating their vulnerability to any changes to the Earth’s atmospheric circulation patterns,” explained Dr. Nourani.&nbsp;



“Collaborative studies like this are important to unravel general patterns about how migratory birds depend on the weather patterns. This enables future studies to make robust predictions about how these birds will be impacted by climate change.”



---



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

Land birds can fly hundreds of kilometers over open oceans

Migrating land birds are capable of flying nonstop for hundreds...

A first study of the global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eat-a-handful-of-walnuts-every-day-for-better-heart-health/">health</a> impact of wildfire pollution was just published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/home">The Lancet Planetary Health</a>. An international team and led by Professor Yuming Guo and Dr Shanshan Li from Monash University looked at death related to the particulate matter that is produced by wildfires. 



The researchers analyzed data from more than 65.6 million deaths from all causes in 43 countries and regions over a time period of 16 years starting January, 1, 2000. The mortality data was cross referenced with data of particulate concentrations from wildfire.&nbsp;



According to the results, 33,500 deaths annually can be attributed to wildfire pollution. The country with the highest amount of wildfire pollution death was Japan with 7,000 annual mortalities across 749 cities. Mexico was next in line with over 3,000 deaths in 10 cities.&nbsp;



China had only 1,200 deaths in 15 cities, while South Africa had 5,200 deaths and Thailand almost 5,300 in 6,200. The U.S. had nearly 3,200 deaths in 210 cities caused by wildfire particulate pollution.&nbsp;



Major wildfires have become ever more commonplace from the fires in California to Australia and Siberia, and even in the Amazon. Professor Guo explained that the increasing fires can have a widespread impact on our health.



"However the pollution from wildfire smoke can spread as far as 1,000 kilometers away and the risk of wildfires is projected to increase as climate change worsens,” said Professor Guo.



Wildfire pollution is also more dangerous than that from urban fires because of the chemical composition and smaller particle sizes from hotter fires. Overall, this alarming new study is just one more reason to tackle climate change.



“Policy makers and public health professionals should raise awareness of wildfire pollution to guide prompt public responses and take actions to reduce exposure. Effective wildland management policies and practices should be implemented to manage vegetation and mitigate climate change as far as possible," concluded the study authors.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wildfire pollution increases mortality

A first study of the global health impact of wildfire...

Recent climate projections show that more frequent and extreme <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-warming-linked-to-extreme-winter-weather-in-the-u-s/">weather</a> phenomena are to be expected by the end of the 21st century. A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2021.716621/full">Frontiers in Water</a> found that Europe is headed towards an increasing number of extreme and severe droughts in the next decades.&nbsp;



According to the World Health Organization (WHO), <a href="http://archive">droughts</a> have a serious impact on health, economies, agriculture, and the environment, and affect around 55 million people around the globe annually. In Europe, the consequences of climate change have already been significant. Droughts have already caused major environmental, social, and economic turmoil, particularly in the years 2003, 2010, and 2018.



“Summer droughts are a highly relevant topic in Europe,” said lead author Magdalena Mittermeier of <a href="https://www.lmu.de/">Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München</a> (LMU) in Germany. “We find a clear trend towards more, longer and more intense summer droughts, in terms of a precipitation deficit, towards the end of the century under a high-emission carbon scenario (<a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-the-high-emissions-rcp8-5-global-warming-scenario">RCP8.5</a>).”



Professor Mittermeier and her colleagues divided Europe into eight regions with different climates (the British Isles, Scandinavia, mid-Europe, the Alps, Eastern Europe, France, the Mediterranean, and the Iberian Peninsula), and statistically modeled the probable frequency and intensity of droughts for each of these regions in the 21st century.



The team identified four “hot spots” which they believe will face most significant droughts by the end of the century: France, the Alps, the Mediterranean, and the Iberian Peninsula.&nbsp;



“Our study shows that unabated climate change will worsen the risk of hot-spot droughts drastically. But also, in some regions where droughts currently play a minor role, the future drought risk is expected to get serious. We show that the Alps should be considered an additional future hot-spot,” explained Professor Mittermeier.



“Unmitigated climate change, under the RCP8.5 scenario, will drastically increase the frequency, duration and intensity of summer droughts in many European regions. Such extreme effects can be avoided by climate mitigation. This is why consistent mitigation of climate change as agreed on under the Paris Agreement is highly relevant in terms of droughts in Europe.”&nbsp;



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

Europe will face more frequent and extreme droughts

Recent climate projections show that more frequent and extreme weather...

It is commonly known that sugar is harmful to our health. New research emphasizes the potential for health and financial gains in the U.S. if food and beverage companies were to reformulate their products to contain less sugar.



The new research study, undertaken by a research team formed across several U.S. health research departments and funded by the National Institutes of Health, calls for the reduction of sugar quantities in packaged foods by 20 percent and beverages by 40 percent. The recommendations are based on a new model that simulates and quantifies the health, economic, and equity impacts of sugar-reduction policies formed by the U.S. National Salt and Sugar Reduction Initiative (NSSRI).&nbsp;



The team has hypothesized that these sugar reductions in products could prevent almost 2.5 million cardiovascular disease events, 490,000 cardiovascular deaths, and 750,000 diabetes cases in the U.S. alone.&nbsp;



However, for the proposed policies to be implemented, it will be necessary for the government to monitor companies and their progress toward hitting these targets.&nbsp;



“We hope that this study will help push the reformulation initiative forward in the next few years,” explained study lead author Dr. Siyi Shangguan, who is a physician at <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/">Massachusetts General Hospital</a>.&nbsp;



“Reducing the sugar content of commercially prepared foods and beverages will have a larger impact on the health of Americans than other initiatives to cut sugar, such as imposing a sugar tax, labeling added sugar content, or banning sugary drinks in schools.”



The NSSRI model also shows that sugar reductions could save the U.S. over $150 billion across the lifetime of the current adult population if the policies are fully enforced. The study claims that these calculations have been conservative and thus the cost savings are likely to be underestimated. According to the experts, even partial industry compliance would generate significant gains in terms of both health and economy.&nbsp;



The U.S. currently lags behind other countries such as the UK and Norway in reformulating products to reducing harmful nutrients, but this study shows the potential for the U.S. to change this. “The NSSRI policy is by far the most carefully designed and comprehensive, yet achievable, sugar-reformulation initiative in the world,” said Dr. Shangguan.



Consumption of sugary foods and beverages directly correlates with levels of obesity and cardiovascular disease, representing the leading cause of mortality in the United States.



“Sugar is one of the most obvious additives in the food supply to reduce to reasonable amounts,” said study co-senior author Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.&nbsp;



“Our findings suggest it’s time to implement a national program with voluntary sugar reduction targets, which can generate major improvements in health, health disparities, and healthcare spending in less than a decade.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ">Circulation</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:calumvaughan05@gmail.com">Calum Vaughan</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reducing sugar in packaged foods can prevent disease in millions

It is commonly known that sugar is harmful to our...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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