Have you ever been stumped by a puzzle or problem, your brain stuck in a loop, and then suddenly the answer clicks? That mental clarity, the “aha!” moment, feels almost magical. 



According to a new study, these moments of insight don’t just feel good - they change your brain in lasting ways.



The research shows that sudden flashes of insight actually help us <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-human-brain-decides-which-memories-to-remember/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remember information</a> better. They go beyond the thrill of discovery and reorganize how the brain processes what we've just learned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sudden-insights-in-the-brain">Sudden insights in the brain </h2>



Scientists from <a href="https://duke.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Duke University</a>, along with researchers from Humboldt University and Hamburg University in Germany, set out to understand what happens in the brain when we experience these moments. 



The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, offer clues that could reshape how we approach <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-learning-how-our-brains-neurons-make-and-retrieve-memories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">learning</a>, especially in classrooms.



“If you have an aha experience when solving something, you're actually more likely to remember the solution,” said study lead author Maxi Becker.



The team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe what happens in the brain when people try to solve visual puzzles. 



These weren’t just any puzzles. They were black-and-white images with minimal detail that required participants to “fill in the blanks” and identify the object shown. It’s a test of perception that mirrors the kind of insight we use in everyday problem solving.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-and-stronger-memories">Insights and stronger memories</h2>



For each puzzle they attempted, participants were asked whether they solved it through sudden insight or by working it out methodically. They also rated how certain they felt about their answer.



The researchers found a clear pattern. People were much more likely to remember the answers that came to them through insight than those they reached by logic alone. And the more confident they felt about their solution in the moment, the better their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/memory-isnt-only-stored-in-our-brains-other-cells-can-remember-too/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">memory</a> of it days later.



“If you have an ‘aha! moment’ while learning something, it almost doubles your memory,” said study co-author Professor Roberto Cabeza. “There are few memory effects that are as powerful as this.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-changes-during-eureka-moments">Brain changes during eureka moments</h2>



So what’s happening in the brain during these moments? The researchers discovered that insight triggers a burst of activity in the hippocampus - a part of the brain that’s deeply involved in forming memories. The stronger the insight, the more active this region becomes.



The experts also saw changes in how neurons fired in the brain’s ventral occipito-temporal cortex. This region helps us recognize visual patterns. After a person saw the hidden image in a new light, their brain actually changed how it represented the image.



“During these moments of insight, the brain reorganizes how it sees the image,” Becker explained.



On top of that, insight moments increased communication between different brain regions. “The different regions essentially communicate with each other more efficiently,” said Professor Cabeza.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



This study looked at what happens in the brain right before and right after that moment of realization. But what about the in-between - the exact moment when things shift from confusion to clarity? That’s where the researchers are headed next.



“Insight is key for creativity,” Cabeza said. The results suggest that encouraging these moments in school could help students remember and understand material much better. 



The researchers noted that learning environments that encourage insight could boost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-our-brain-form-long-term-memories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-term memory</a> and understanding.



When learning sparks curiosity and discovery, the brain remembers. It turns out, those little lightbulb moments might be the best study tools we have.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this means for everyday learning</h2>



These findings aren’t just for scientists or students. They apply to anyone trying to learn something new - whether it’s a skill, a concept, or a creative idea.



When you feel stuck, taking a break or changing your perspective might be just what your brain needs. Those sudden clicks of understanding aren’t random; they’re signs that your brain is actively working behind the scenes.



Creating space for insight - by staying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simple-brain-hack-switching-to-curious-mode-can-improve-learning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">curious</a>, asking questions, or exploring problems from different angles - can make learning more meaningful and memorable.



The next time you have an “aha” moment, just remember - it's rewiring your brain for the better.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59355-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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'Aha' moments change the brain in lasting ways

Have you ever been stumped by a puzzle or problem, your brain stuck in a loop, and then suddenly the answer clicks? That mental clarity, the “aha!” moment, feels almost magical. According to a new study, these moments of insight don’t just feel good - they change your brain in lasting ways. The research shows that sudden flashes of insight actually help us remember information better. They go beyond the thrill of discovery and reorganize how the brain processes what we've just learned. Sudden insights in the...

Bottle,Pouring,Virgin,Olive,Oil,In,A,Bowl,Close,Up

According to scientists, the Mediterranean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dieters-often-think-theyre-eating-healthier-than-they-really-are/">diet</a> is most likely the best diet for preventing disease and aging. It is characterized by a high vegetable intake, a moderate fish and wine consumption, a low-moderate dairy consumption, and most importantly, significant amounts of olive oil, which is extracted from the fruits of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.), a species abundant in the Mediterranean basin.&nbsp;



Although the health benefits of olive oil are commonly attributed to its minor components such as polyphenols, less attention has been paid to oleic acid, which represents 70 to 80 percent of its composition. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Seville has investigated oleic acid’s beneficial properties.



The experts found that the main function of this monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) is that of an energy molecule and a component of cell membranes. Since it directly regulates both the synthesis and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, it has strong antioxidant properties, thus benefiting both physical and mental health.&nbsp;



In the brain, oleic acid is a major component of membrane phospholipids, abounding in the neuronal myelin sheets, and thus contributing to proper cognitive functioning. In fact, studies observed a significantly decreased level of oleic acid in the brains of patients suffering from major depressive disorders and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.



Moreover, oleic acid also has a powerful hypocholesterolaemic effect, by inhibiting the expression of various proteins associated with cholesterol transport, and thus reducing cholesterol absorption and preventing atherosclerosis. In addition, this acid is recognized as an anti-cancer molecule due to its inhibitory effects on the overexpression of oncogenes and their effects on programmed cell death.



Finally, the scientists discovered that oleoylethanolamide - a derivative of oleic acid – has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and has recently been proposed as a potent therapeutic agent to treat conditions such as obesity.



Emerging research suggest that oleic acid may influence epigenetic mechanisms – direct modifications of DNA and DNA-associated proteins – while also modulating the immune system, particularly by regulating cells that are involved in inflammatory processes.



However, since most of the studies on olive oil have been conducted on animals, further research is needed to assess its properties and potential health effects in humans.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/1/224">Nutrients</a>.



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



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Olive oil is highly beneficial for health

According to scientists, the Mediterranean diet is most likely the...

Listening to music can boost the effectiveness of medication, according to a new study led by <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a>. The research was focused on the potential for music to help alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea (CIN).



According to the experts, the results of the study highlight the need to consider nonpharmacologic treatments as adjunct interventions.&nbsp;



"This pilot study investigated the feasibility and overall effects of a 30-minute adjunct music listening intervention in 12 patients experiencing chemotherapy-induced nausea," wrote the study authors. "Music listening was started at the time participants took their as-needed antiemetic medication, and it was repeated as needed."



Professor Jason Kiernan said that music-listening interventions are like over-the-counter medications. "You don’t need a doctor to prescribe them.”&nbsp;



“Pain and anxiety are both neurological phenomena and are interpreted in the brain as a state. Chemotherapy-induced nausea is not a stomach condition; it is a neurological one.”&nbsp;



For the investigation, a dozen chemotherapy patients were asked to listen to their favorite music for 30 minutes each time they needed to take anti-nausea medication. They repeated the music anytime nausea occurred during the five days after chemotherapy treatment.&nbsp;



Professor Kiernan said that while there was a reduction in the ratings of patients’ nausea severity and distress, it is difficult to isolate whether it was the gradual release of the medication doing its job or the increased benefit of the music.&nbsp;



In a previous study, researchers measured the amount of serotonin that was released into the blood after listening to pleasant or unpleasant music.&nbsp;



“Serotonin is the major neurotransmitter that causes chemotherapy-induced nausea,” said Professor Kiernan. “Cancer patients take medications to block serotonin’s effects.”&nbsp;



The research showed that after listening to unpleasant music, patients experienced greater stress and increased levels of serotonin release.



“This was intriguing because it provides a neurochemical explanation and a possible way to measure serotonin and the blood platelet release of serotonin in my study,” said Professor Kiernan. “In 10 to 20 years, wouldn’t it be neat if you could use a nonpharmacological intervention like listening to 10 minutes of your favorite music to complement a medicine?”&nbsp;



The research is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10547738221149895">Clinical Nursing Research</a>.



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



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Listening to music makes medication more effective

Listening to music can boost the effectiveness of medication, according...

In a new study led by the <a href="http://www.sf.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research</a>, experts set out to investigate how the brain develops a preference for unhealthy foods.&nbsp;



The researchers found that foods with high fat and sugar content actually rewire our brain. By regularly eating these foods, even in small amounts, the brain unconsciously learns to prefer high-fat snacks.



"Our tendency to eat high-fat and high-sugar foods, the so-called Western diet, could be innate or develop as a result of being overweight. But we think that the brain learns this preference," explained study lead author Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah.



In collaboration with experts at Yale University, the researchers designed an experiment with two study groups who were instructed to eat pudding once per day for eight weeks in addition to their normal diet.&nbsp;



One group of participants was given a small pudding containing a lot of fat and sugar, while the other group received a pudding that contained the same number of calories but less fat. The researchers measured the brain activity of the volunteers before and during the eight weeks.



The study revealed that among the group that ate the high-sugar and high-fat pudding, the brain's response to this type of food had greatly increased after eight weeks. In particular, the brain responded by activating dopaminergic pathways that are associated with reward and motivation.



"Our measurements of brain activity showed that the brain rewires itself through the consumption of chips and co. It subconsciously learns to prefer rewarding food," said Marc Tittgemeyer, who led the study. "Through these changes in the brain, we will unconsciously always prefer the foods that contain a lot of fat and sugar."



The researchers assume that the preference for sugary foods will continue after the end of the study. "New connections are made in the brain, and they don't dissolve so quickly," said Tittgemeyer. "After all, the whole point of learning is that once you learn something, you don't forget it so quickly."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>.



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



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Sweet snacks rewire the brain to prefer unhealthy food

In a new study led by the Max Planck Institute...

The link between obesity and severe Covid-19 infection may be explained by an underactive immune response, according to a study by scientists at the <a href="https://www.citiid.cam.ac.uk/">Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease</a> (CITIID) and Wellcome Sanger Institute. The researchers demonstrated that immune cells show a blunted inflammatory response in patients who are obese.&nbsp;



Nearly 6.9 million people have died from Covid-19, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-link-between-air-pollution-and-obesity/">obesity</a> is one of the major risk factors for severe infection. However, the underlying cause of the link between obesity and severe Covid has not been clear.&nbsp;



“During the pandemic, the majority of younger patients I saw on the COVID wards were obese. Given what we know about obesity, if you’d asked me why this was the case, I would have said that it was most likely due to excessive inflammation. What we found was the absolute opposite," explained Professor Menna Clatworthy.



The researchers analyzed blood and lung samples from 13 obese patients with severe cases of Covid that required mechanical ventilation. While studying the activity of cells in the samples, the experts discovered that the obese patients had underactive immune and inflammatory responses in their lungs.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This was really surprising and unexpected," said Professor Clatworthy. "Across every cell type we looked at, we found that the genes responsible for the classical antiviral response were less active. They were completely muted.”



According to the researchers, the findings could have important implications both for the treatment of COVID-19 and in the design of clinical trials to test new treatments.



“What we’ve shown is that not all patients are the same, so we might need to tailor treatments," said study co-author Dr. Conway Morris. "Obese subjects might need less anti-inflammatory treatments and potentially more help for their immune system.”



The study is published in the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1164/rccm.202204-0751OC">American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine</a>.



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



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Why does obesity increase the risk of severe Covid infection?

The link between obesity and severe Covid-19 infection may be...

Several studies have indicated that drinking between three to five cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, most of this research has involved observational studies that cannot reliably establish causal effects due to other potentially influential factors, as well as the difficulty to disentangle any specific effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/caffeine-boost-male-fertility/">caffeine</a> from the other components included in caffeinated drinks and foods.



Now, an international team of scientists led by the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institute</a> in Sweden has used Mendelian randomization – a technique employing genetic variants as proxies for a particular risk factor – to examine what effect higher blood caffeine levels have on body fat and the long-term risks of developing type 2 diabetes and various cardiovascular issues, including artery disease, atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm), heart failure, and stroke.&nbsp;



The experts investigated the role of two common genetic variants of the CYP1A2 and AHR genes – which are associated with the speed of caffeine metabolism in the organism - in a cohort of 10,000 individuals of predominantly European ancestry who were involved in six long-term studies. They started with the assumption that people who carry genetic variants linked to slower caffeine metabolism usually drink less coffee but have higher levels of caffeine in their blood than those who metabolize it faster.



The analysis revealed that higher genetically predicted blood caffeine levels were associated with lower body weight and fat, as well as a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. By employing once more Mendelian randomization to further explore the extent to which caffeine effects on type 2 diabetes risk are driven by the concurrent weight loss, the researchers discovered that weight loss drove almost half (43 percent) of the effect of caffeine on diabetes risk. However, no significant associations between genetically predicted blood caffeine levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease emerged.



While these findings are limited by the use of only two genetic variants and the inclusion of only participants of European ancestry, they nevertheless suggest that caffeine plays a significant role in boosting metabolism, increasing fat burning, reducing appetite, and increasing energy expenditure, which could consequently lower the risk of developing obesity and thus type 2 diabetes.



“Our Mendelian randomization finding suggests that caffeine might, at least in part, explain the inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to assess whether non-caloric caffeine containing beverages might play a role in reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes,” the authors concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjmed-2022-000335">BMJ Medicine</a>.



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



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High caffeine levels reduce the risk of diabetes

Several studies have indicated that drinking between three to five...

A new study led by <a href="https://aru.ac.uk/">Anglia Ruskin University</a> (ARU) has found that attending live sporting events can improve levels of wellbeing and reduce feelings of loneliness. While previous research has focused mostly on specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sport-improves-childrens-concentration-and-quality-of-life/">sports</a> or small population samples, this is the first large-scale study to examine the health benefits of attending any type of live sporting event.



The scientists used data from 7,209 British adults (aged 16-85) who participated in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/taking-part-survey">Taking Part Survey</a>, a large initiative focused on people’s engagement with sports, arts, libraries, museum and galleries, and heritage.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that individuals attending live sporting events scored higher in two major measurements of subjective wellbeing – life satisfaction and a sense of life being worthwhile – while experiencing less loneliness. Since higher life satisfaction scores are known to be linked to better physical and mental health, successful aging, and lower mortality rates, these findings could have important implications for public health.



While many current initiatives promote the health benefits of physical participation in sports, this study provides clear evidence that watching live sporting events could also offer an accessible and effective tool to improve wellbeing and reduce loneliness.&nbsp;



“Previous research has focused on specific sports or small population samples, such as college students in the United States. Ours is the first study to look at the benefits of attending any sporting event across an adult population, and therefore our findings could be useful for shaping future public health strategies, such as offering reduced ticket prices for certain groups,” said lead author Helen Keyes, the Head of the School of Psychology and Sport Science&nbsp;at ARU.



“The live events covered by the survey ranged from free amateur events, such as watching village sports teams, right through to Premier League football matches. Therefore, further research needs to be carried out to see if these benefits are more pronounced for elite level sport, or are more closely linked to supporting a specific team.”



“However, we do know that watching live sport of all types provides many opportunities for social interaction and this helps to forge group identity and belonging, which in turn mitigates loneliness and boosts levels of wellbeing,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.989706">Frontiers in Public Health</a>.



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



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Watching live sporting events increases wellbeing 

A new study led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has...

Owning a pet may lead to more restless nights, according to new research published in the CABI journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/hai.2023.0005">Human-Animal Interactions</a>. The study is not the first to confirm that pet ownership can have a negative impact on sleep quality.



For the investigation, Dr. Lauren Wisnieski of Lincoln Memorial University analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which was conducted in 2005-2006.



The results showed that dogs are associated with a greater risk of sleep disorders, while cats are associated with a higher risk of leg jerks.



“Prior studies on the association between pet ownership and sleep quality and sleep disorders have varied results," said Dr. Wisnieski.&nbsp;



“On the one hand, dogs and cats may be beneficial for an owner’s quality of sleep due to the social support that pets provide - pets offer a sense of security and companionship, which may result in improvements in levels of anxiety, stress and depression. Yet on the other hand, pets may disrupt their owners’ sleep."



“This cross-sectional study aimed to determine if there is an association between dog and cat ownership and sleep quality and sleep disorders – including consideration of aspects such as snoring, waking up during the night, needing pills to sleep and leg jerks.”



According to Dr. Wisnieski, the differences in the association of sleep quality and cat versus dog ownership may be because cats tend to be more active at night.



“If the causal relationship is established through further investigation, the results will have implications for clinician recommendations for treating patients with poor sleep quality."



“Additionally, educational resources can be developed to inform pet owners about the risks of sleep disruptions and offer potential solutions, such as crating the pet or restricting access to the bedroom at night.”



Dr. Wisnieski said that future studies would benefit from measuring the human-animal bond, so that we can understand how the strength of it affects quality of sleep.



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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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Owning a pet can lead to more restless nights

Owning a pet may lead to more restless nights, according...

The Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death among women by 25 percent, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321930">Heart</a>.



Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than a third of all deaths among women. Despite this overwhelming statistic, most clinical trials include very few women or haven’t reported the results by sex. As a result, current guidelines on how best to lower cardiovascular disease risk don’t differentiate by sex.



To inform sex specific guidance, the researchers gathered studies which had examined the impact of the Mediterranean diet on women’s cardiovascular health.



The Mediterranean diet is rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil. It is moderate in fish and low in red meats, dairy and processed foods.



The researchers analyzed 16 studies between 2003 and 2021 carried out in the US and Europe, involving more than 700,000 women whose cardiovascular health was monitored for an average of 12.5 years.



The results showed that sticking closely to a Mediterranean diet was associated with a 24 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 23 percent lower risk of death from any cause in women.



The risk of coronary heart disease was 25 percent lower among women who followed the diet the most consistently compared with those who did so the least. The researchers believe these health benefits can be attributed to the diet’s antioxidant and gut microbiome effects on inflammation and cardiovascular risk factors.



Various components of the diet include polyphenols, nitrates, omega-3 fatty acids, increased fiber intake and reduced glycaemic load - which may all contribute to better cardiovascular health.



The sex specific effect of the Mediterranean diet remains unclear, reinforcing the need for more sex specific research in cardiology.



“Female specific cardiovascular risk factors, including premature menopause, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, or female predominant risk factors, such as systemic lupus, can all independently increase [cardiovascular disease] risk,” said the researchers.



“It is possible that preventative measures, such as a Mediterranean diet, that targets inflammation and [cardiovascular disease] risk factors, impose differing effects in women compared with men."



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer



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Women can live longer on the Mediterranean diet 

The Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease...

The correct timing of an exercise session may influence the extent of fat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-related-changes-in-metabolism-dont-match-our-expectations/">metabolism</a> that takes place, as the body strives to keep glucose and energy levels in balance. This is what scientists have discovered in laboratory mice.&nbsp; A new study from researchers at the <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a> in Sweden, and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, shows that mice that did exercise in an early active phase, which corresponds to morning exercise in humans, increased their metabolism more than mice that did exercise at a time in the day when they usually rest.&nbsp;



Physiological processes in the bodies of animals are affected by circadian rhythms, the natural 24-hour cycles that respond primarily to input of light and darkness. These changes are mediated by molecular clocks that switch specific genes on or off in cells. A variety of factors including hormones, temperature, food-intake, and exercise can act on tissue-specific molecular clocks to alter the expression of genes that influence metabolism, all in a way that relates to the time of day. This system helps to anticipate and adapt an organism’s physiology and behavior to the activities that take place during different phases of the day.&nbsp;



In order to find out whether the timing of exercise affects the metabolism of fat, the researchers studied the adipose tissue of mice after a session of high-intensity exercise performed at two different points of the daily cycle – when mice began to get active, and when they were in the early stages of resting. These times correspond to a late morning and a late evening exercise session, respectively, in humans. The researchers studied various markers of fat metabolism and analyzed which genes were active in adipose tissue after exercise.



The results, published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2218510120">PNAS</a>, showed that certain fatty acids, which are the breakdown products of stored fats, were present at higher concentrations in the mice’s blood after early active phase exercise, but this was not the case after exercise during the early rest phase. This indicates that fat is metabolized as a source of energy more actively when exercise takes place during the early active phase, and that the metabolic response to exercise is dependent on the time of day that exercise takes place.&nbsp;



The researchers also found that physical activity at an early active phase increased the expression of genes involved in the breakdown of adipose tissue, in thermogenesis (heat production) and in the proliferation of mitochondria (where energy for the exercise is generated) in the adipose tissue, all of which indicate a higher metabolic rate. These effects were observed only in mice that exercised in the early active phase and were independent of their food intake.



”Our results suggest that late morning exercise could be more effective than late evening exercise in terms of boosting the metabolism and the burning of fat, and if this is the case, they could prove of value to people who are overweight,” said Professor Juleen Zierath from the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the Karolinska Institutet.



Although experimental results derived from mice may not always be directly applicable to humans, the two species do share many basic physiological functions, and mice are a well-established model for human physiology and metabolism. However, there are also important differences, such as the fact that mice are nocturnal.



“The right timing seems to be important to the body’s energy balance and to improving the health benefits of exercise, but more studies are needed to draw any reliable conclusions about the relevance of our findings to humans,” said Professor Zierath.



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



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Late morning exercise may burn more fat

The correct timing of an exercise session may influence the...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/index.html">University of Alberta</a> in Canada has found that, during an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-increases-risk-of-infection/">infection</a>, it may be better to let a mild fever run its course instead of automatically reaching for medication. Although the research was conducted on fish, the experts suggest that such an approach to illness might prove beneficial for humans too.



In a laboratory setting, the scientists infected fish with bacteria and tracked and evaluated their behavior using machine learning algorithms. The investigation revealed that their outward symptoms – which were then matched to important immune mechanisms inside the animals - were strikingly similar to those of humans during infections, including immobility, malaise, and fatigue. 



Most importantly, moderate fever appeared to help to clear the fish of infection in about a week, which was half the time it took for those not allowed to exert fever. In addition, untreated moderate fever played a crucial role in controlling inflammation and repairing damaged tissue.



“We let nature do what nature does, and in this case it was very much a positive thing,” said study senior author Daniel Barreda, an immunologist at Alberta, suggesting that we should resist reaching for fever medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at the first signs of developing a mild fever. “They take away the discomfort felt with fever, but you’re also likely giving away some of the benefits of this natural response.”&nbsp;



While the health advantages of natural fever in humans are not yet confirmed, since the mechanisms driving and sustaining fever have been evolutionarily conserved across the animal kingdom for nearly 550 million years, it is reasonable to expect similar benefits in the case of humans too.&nbsp;



“Our goal is to determine how to best take advantage of our medical advances while continuing to harness the benefits from natural mechanisms of immunity,” Barreda concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.83644">eLife</a>.



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



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Moderate fever can help clear infections faster

A new study led by the University of Alberta in...

During the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors noticed that children were less affected by the virus than adults and seniors. Researchers with <a href="https://ki.se/en">Karolinska Institutet</a>, the Universities of Bern (Switzerland), Oslo (Norway), and Linköping University (Sweden) have discovered that this phenomenon may be partially explained by children's exposure to the common cold, which produces memory T-cells that could help fight the COVID-19 virus.&nbsp;



To conduct their study, the scientists collected 48 blood samples from children between 2 and 6 years old and 94 samples from adults between 26 and 83 years old. They also included 59 samples from people who had recently recuperated from COVID-19.



Study co-author Annika Karlsson led the research at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet. She explained why children have more immunity than adults and how their findings are important for future epidemiology research.



“These reactions are especially strong early in life and grow much weaker as we get older. Our findings show how the T-cell response develops and changes over time and can guide the future monitoring and development of vaccines," said Karlsson.



According to the analysis, children as young as two years old seemed to benefit from this immunity. Still, more research is needed to understand how our immune response changes as we get older.



“Next, we’d like to do analogous studies of younger and older children, teenagers and young adults to better track how the immune response to coronaviruses develops from childhood to adulthood,” said study co-first author Marion Humbert.



The study was supported by the Swedish Research Council, Region Stockholm (CIMED), Karolinska Institutet, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and the European Research Council.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2220320120">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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



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Common cold helped protect children from COVID-19

During the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors noticed that children were less...

In recent years, an increasing number of smartphone spyware apps have been developed. Between September 2020 and May 2021, the use of such apps increased by 63 percent in the U.S. and 93 percent in the UK, posing significant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wireless-security-cameras-have-unexpected-privacy-risks/">privacy risks</a>.&nbsp;



While publicly marketed as tools for monitoring underage children or employees, these apps – which are hard to notice or detect and will easily leak the sensitive personal information they collect - are also frequently used by people to covertly spy on a spouse, partner, or other individuals.&nbsp;



Spyware apps are rather cheap (with a monthly fee ranging between $30 and $100), require little to no technical expertise to install and use, only need temporary access to their victims’ devices, and can easily record these devices’ activities – such as text messages, emails, photos, or voice calls – and allow abusers to remotely review this information through a web portal.



Now, a team of scientists from the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California, San Diego</a> and <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU) has performed an in-depth technical analysis of 14 leading spyware apps for Android phones, which – by contrast to iPhones - commonly allow such invasive apps to be downloaded from the internet.&nbsp;



The analysis revealed that these apps use a wide range of techniques to surreptitiously gather data (such as invisible browsers), can record phone calls via the device’s microphone, can exploit accessibility features on smartphones allowing them to record keystrokes, and can masquerade as “Wi-Fi” or “Internet Service.”



Moreover, since spyware apps often use unencrypted communication channels to transmit the data they collect and store it in public URLs accessible to anyone with a link, their protection of sensitive user data is minimal.



According to the researchers, in order to counter spyware, a more creative, diverse, and comprehensive set of interventions from the industry, government, and the scientific community is urgently needed.&nbsp;



“Our recommendation is that Android should enforce stricter requirements on what apps can hide icons. Most apps that run on Android phones should be required to have an icon that would appear in the launch bar. We recommend that all actions to access sensitive data be added to the privacy dashboard and that users should be periodically notified of the existence of apps with an excessive number of permissions,” the authors wrote.



“While technical defenses can be part of the solution, the problem scope is much bigger. A broader range of measures should be considered, including payment interventions from companies such as Visa and Paypal, regular crackdowns from the government, and further law enforcement action may also be necessary to prevent surveillance from becoming a consumer commodity,” they concluded.



The study – which will be presented this summer at the <a href="https://petsymposium.org/">Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium</a> in Zurich, Switzerland - can be found <a href="https://www.sysnet.ucsd.edu/~voelker/pubs/spyware-pets23.pdf">here</a>.



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



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Is your smartphone spying on you?

In recent years, an increasing number of smartphone spyware apps...

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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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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 



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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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" 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> 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...

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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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" 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> 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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