You probably don’t think twice about smelling a jug of milk to check if it’s gone bad. But behind that quick decision is a symphony of genes and proteins hard at work.



A research team at <a href="https://www.uni-leipzig.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Leipzig University</a>, led by genetic epidemiologist Markus Scholz, has mapped the genetics behind our sense of smell in more detail than ever before. 



In a sweeping study of over 21,000 people from Germany, Italy, and the U.S., they uncovered how our DNA shapes which scents we recognize - and how strongly we react to them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fragrance-fingerprints-in-dna">Fragrance fingerprints in DNA</h2>



“We identified ten genetic regions associated with the ability to detect specific odors, seven of these are new discoveries,” said Scholz. His genome-wide association study tied everyday smell performance to specific DNA changes. 



The team asked participants to identify twelve scents delivered by Sniffin’ Sticks and then matched the right answers to millions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The exercise generated a personal odor score for every volunteer.



Two hotspots sit inside clusters of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-story-behind-our-sense-of-smell-is-coming-into-focus/">olfactory receptor</a> genes, while others highlight specific enzymes that convert a chemical whiff into an electrical signal. Together they outline the earliest steps between sniff and perception.



One key genetic change makes people nearly four times better at recognizing the smell of fish. About one in three Europeans has it, which helps explain why some people love fish while others can’t stand the smell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-women-really-smell-the-roses">Why women really smell the roses</h2>



Women outperform men in smell tests across cultures. The data reveal three genomic regions whose effects flip between sexes. One variant triples women’s odds of naming orange yet does nothing for men.



Sex hormone reviews link estrogen peaks to sharper sensitivity and testosterone surges to dampening effects on smell. The hormonal picture is complex, but patterns are starting to emerge.



“The findings help to explain why women perceive smells differently during their menstrual cycle or pregnancy,” said researcher Franz Förster, who helped coordinate data. His observation echoes decades of anecdotal reports from clinicians.



Anthropologists call this the embryo-protection hypothesis, arguing that a keen maternal nose guards the fetus - though evidence remains mixed. Human genetics is starting to test that evolutionary idea directly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smell-traits-mapped-in-dna">Smell traits mapped in DNA</h2>



Each scent in the test was linked to a different part of our DNA. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cinnamon-supplements-may-disrupt-how-medications-work/">Cinnamon</a> was tied to a gene that helps detect its main ingredient, while pineapple was connected to two separate spots in the genome.



Researchers confirmed that removing an odor from the total score erased its associated signal, proving that each variant’s effect is narrow. That safeguard against statistical noise strengthens confidence in each hit.



Your pineapple gene does not help you with peppermint. That precision matters for designing clinical smell tests.



Lemon and orange were linked to smaller genetic effects, found near genes that help send smell signals, not detect them. This suggests that how the signal is processed might matter just as much as how it's first picked up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scent-loss-as-warning-sign">Scent loss as warning sign</h2>



Smell loss is among the earliest red flags for Alzheimer’s disease. Using Mendelian randomization, the team found that high genetic risk for Alzheimer’s lowers odor-identification scores, but poor smell does not raise dementia risk.



The strongest link pointed to a gene involved in moving materials inside cells, one that’s often found alongside a known <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-blood-test-can-track-the-progression-of-alzheimers/">Alzheimer’s risk</a> gene. This connection brings cell health into the picture when studying how smell and memory might be related.



Community studies linking odor discrimination to later cognitive decline back the idea that brain change erodes smell, not the reverse. Genetic data now reinforce that timeline.



Large prevention trials are now considering smell testing as a low-cost enrollment screen. Ease of administration makes the scratch-and-sniff format appealing in primary care.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hormones-shape-smell-genes">Hormones shape smell genes</h2>



Bioinformatic scans found more than forty androgen-response motifs near the sex-biased variants, far outnumbering estrogen motifs. This density hints at direct regulation by testosterone.



Yet genome-level screens showed no direct causal trail from circulating testosterone, bioavailable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-with-low-testosterone-have-a-higher-risk-of-mortality/">testosterone</a>, or sex-hormone-binding globulin to smell scores. The null result surprised some observers.



Larger cohorts may be needed to uncover subtle endocrine effects that small studies miss. Endocrinologists are watching the space closely.



Lab teams are already planning CRISPR edits in cultured olfactory neurons to watch how these motifs alter gene output. Results from those experiments will clarify whether the motifs truly gate hormone effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-diverse-dna-diverse-smell-traits">Diverse DNA, diverse smell traits</h2>



A 200,000-participant follow-up inside Germany’s NAKO cohort is already underway and should expose weaker or rarer variants. The added power should uncover variants with much smaller effects.



Similar projects planned in East Asia and Africa will test whether diet or environment shifts genetic influence on smell. That diversity will reveal whether smell genetics follows food habits or remains universal.



Clinically, smell genotyping could tailor occupational screening for firefighters or chemical workers with innate disadvantages. Regulators already require smell tests for certain high-risk jobs.



In consumer spheres, recipe apps or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/home-fragrances-impact-indoor-air-quality-and-the-health-risks-are-alarming/">fragrance</a> firms might one day suggest products that match a user’s genetic sensitivity. Industry watchers predict fragrance personalization within a decade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-personalized-smell-is-coming">Personalized smell is coming</h2>



Smell genes are not part of medical care yet, but they could soon appear in direct-to-consumer DNA reports. 



Ancestry services already flag lactose intolerance, and a future module may tell you that a low-sensitivity pineapple allele runs in the family. Armed with that knowledge, perfumers could tailor product lines to match regional genetic profiles. 



Genes never fully dictate how we perceive aromas, but mapping their influence moves the sense of smell from mystery toward measurement.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61330-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Your DNA may explain why you love or hate certain smells

You probably don’t think twice about smelling a jug of milk to check if it’s gone bad. But behind that quick decision is a symphony of genes and proteins hard at work. A research team at Leipzig University, led by genetic epidemiologist Markus Scholz, has mapped the genetics behind our sense of smell in more detail than ever before. In a sweeping study of over 21,000 people from Germany, Italy, and the U.S., they uncovered how our DNA shapes which scents we recognize - and how strongly...

Phoenix summers no longer just feel unbearable. They may age your body faster too. In 2023 alone, the city recorded over 140 days with temperatures surpassing 100°F. 



Now, new research suggests that these extreme heat conditions do more than cause short-term harm.



A recent study published in the journal Science Advances&nbsp;has revealed that long-term exposure to high heat can speed up biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/monthly-exercise-before-the-age-of-50-results-slows-brain-aging-dramatically/">aging</a>. 



The researchers found that people in places like Phoenix show signs of accelerated aging at the molecular level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-ages-you-like-smoking">Heat ages you like smoking</h2>



"The impact is similar to the effect of smoking and drinking," said Eunyoung Choi, lead author and gerontologist at the <a href="https://usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southern California</a>. 



Choi's team compared older adults from across the U.S., including heat-struck Phoenix and cooler cities like Seattle.



People living in hotter areas appeared around 14 months older biologically than their cooler-region counterparts. These results reflect how consistent heat exposure may silently wear down the body's internal systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-affects-health-and-work">Aging affects health and work</h2>



<a href="https://www.bu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Boston University</a> gerontologist Deborah Carr noted that even small differences in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-how-some-people-live-past-100-years/">aging</a> matter. "It's just a tremendous strain not only on their own lives and the lives of their families and caregivers, but also has a larger societal impact."



Faster aging may lead to earlier onset of conditions like diabetes, dementia, and cardiovascular disease. 



If those health issues appear sooner, they may push people out of the workforce or into expensive, long-term care. "It really can have tremendous impacts," said Carr.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-changes-how-your-genes-work">Heat changes how your genes work</h2>



The researchers focused on biological age, not just chronological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-experimenting-with-new-approach-to-fight-and-stop-human-aging-necrosis/">age</a>. They used DNA samples to track changes linked to a process called methylation. This chemical process affects how genes behave. It acts like switches that can turn genes on or off.



Methylation doesn't alter the DNA sequence but changes how genes are expressed. These shifts can occur in response to environmental stress, poor diet, inactivity, pollution, and heat.



The team used several epigenetic clocks to measure aging. These clocks rely on different sets of DNA methylation markers and offer insight into both pace and risk of biological decline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-makes-aging-speed-up">Heat makes aging speed up</h2>



Increased heat exposure was linked to faster aging in several clocks. Short-term exposure, such as a few days or weeks, raised PCPhenoAge, a measure tied to general physiological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/">aging</a>. 



Longer-term exposure, such as one to six years, also accelerated PCGrimAge and DunedinPACE, which reflect mortality risk and pace of decline.



Animal studies support this. Heat stress can leave a lasting “epigenetic memory” that alters how immune cells and heart cells function. These changes persist long after the initial heat exposure.



In humans, heat has been linked with reduced methylation of genes like TLR-2. This gene affects inflammation and immunity. Such changes may explain how heat accelerates disease onset.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rising-heat-makes-things-worse">Rising heat makes things worse</h2>



Emergency visits and deaths spike during heat waves. With climate change, those risks only grow. The U.S. may see 20 to 30 more extreme heat days each year by mid-century, according to the National Climate Assessment.



Choi warned that this rising heat comes as the population ages. Older people cannot cool themselves as efficiently. Medications and declining circulation increase their vulnerability.



But heat affects everyone. "It's basically like if you're trying to tread water and someone hands you a brick," said Robert Meade, a heat physiology expert from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard</a>. "It's just an extra weight."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-levels-at-home-matter">Heat levels at home matter</h2>



What matters isn’t just the outdoor temperature. Conditions inside homes vary widely. Some people live in overheated trailers or apartments without cooling. Others have access to reliable air conditioning.



Future research aims to explore these differences. Personalized data could reveal how daily exposure shapes long-term health. That could guide public health policies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-long-heat-exposure-and-aging">Long heat exposure and aging</h2>



The researchers note that not all gene changes are harmful. Some may reflect adaptation that helps bodies handle heat better. But current evidence leans toward damage, not resilience.



Prolonged exposure may reduce physical activity, disturb sleep, and increase stress. These effects accumulate over time, pushing bodies into faster aging even without visible symptoms.



By capturing these changes with precision tools like epigenetic clocks, scientists now offer a clearer view into how heat transforms health at its core.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr0616" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Living in extreme heat can age your body just like smoking does

Phoenix summers no longer just feel unbearable. They may age...

People have been told for decades to get eight solid hours, yet a huge data set now suggests that when you sleep can overshadow how long you sleep. 



More than one in three American adults routinely get less than seven <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-may-have-just-solved-the-mystery-of-sleep/">hours of nightly rest</a>.



In a new analysis of 88,461 volunteers wearing wrist actigraphy sensors, Professor Shengfeng Wang of <a href="https://sph.pku.edu.cn/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peking University</a> and colleagues linked irregular bedtimes and other sleep rhythm problems to a startling range of 172 diseases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-irregular-sleep-harms-your-health">Irregular sleep harms your health</h2>



The researchers found that over nearly seven years, irregular sleep patterns accounted for about 23 percent of the risk for these health problems. 



Trouble staying asleep and getting quality rest played a role - but the biggest factor was having an unstable sleep schedule.



The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-26019-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sleep Regularity Index</a>, a metric that tracks how closely each day’s pattern matches the next, has also predicted death more accurately than sleep duration.



Researchers from <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6265819/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt University</a> reported that participants in the most irregular quartile faced a 53 percent higher risk of dying over eight years, even after adjusting for age, BMI, and existing illness.



Sleeping after 12:30 a.m. was linked to a 2.57-fold higher risk of liver cirrhosis. Inconsistent sleep-wake cycles more than doubled the risk of gangrene. 



"Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity,” said Wang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-disease-risks">Hidden disease risks</h2>



Sleep traits explained over 20 percent of cases in 92 out of 172 illnesses. That includes 37 percent of Parkinson’s cases and 36 percent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-identify-a-cellular-switch-mitochondria-that-could-reverse-type-2-diabetes/">type 2 diabetes</a> cases.



The team used the population attributable fraction, a metric that asks how much disease would vanish if everyone adopted the healthiest sleep profile.



For context, about 30 percent of U.S. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-kills-differently-now-than-five-decades-ago/">coronary heart disease</a> deaths are blamed on cigarette smoking.



The analysis also showed how seldom multiple sleep dimensions overlapped; 58 percent of affected disorders linked to only one aspect of sleep. 



That pattern hints that a single prescription such as “just sleep more” misses important biological pathways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-myth-of-too-much-sleep">The myth of too much sleep</h2>



Surveys suggested nine-hour sleepers risk heart and stroke issues, but objective data linked them to only one disease.



One out of five so-called “long sleepers” actually spent nine hours in bed but slept under six hours.



Removing misclassified participants erased the link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-gene-explains-why-some-people-can-thrive-on-less-sleep/">long sleep</a> and heart disease, easing concerns for healthy long sleepers. 



Objective trackers, in other words, can clear away the noise that plagues self reports.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-circadian-rhythm-the-basics">Understanding circadian rhythm - the basics</h2>



Your body runs on a biological clock called the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologist-who-accidentally-discovered-humans-have-an-internal-clock-by-spending-63-days-underground/">circadian rhythm</a>, which follows a roughly 24-hour cycle. It’s not just about sleep - it regulates everything from hormone release and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-body-clock-distorts-time-to-stay-on-schedule-in-the-heat/">body temperature</a> to digestion and alertness. 



At its core, it’s controlled by a part of the brain called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suprachiasmatic_nucleus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">suprachiasmatic nucleus</a>, which responds mostly to light. 



When the sun comes up, light enters your eyes and signals your brain to wake up, boosting alertness and suppressing <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-melatonin/art-20363071" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">melatonin</a>. 



As night falls, the opposite happens - your brain ramps up melatonin to help you wind down and prepare for sleep.



As darkness falls, melatonin production ramps back up, nudging you toward sleep. Jet lag, shift work, and screen time before bed can all mess with this rhythm, making you feel tired, foggy, or just out of sync.



When your circadian rhythm is in sync - meaning you go to bed and wake up consistently, and you get enough exposure to natural light - you tend to feel better mentally and physically. 



But when it’s out of whack, like after pulling an all-nighter or flying across time zones, your body feels it. You might feel groggy, irritable, or even a little foggy. That’s your internal clock trying to reset itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-your-body-clock-controls">What your body clock controls</h2>



Regularity outperformed duration partly because the body’s internal circadian rhythm coordinates hormones, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-metabolism-has-evolved-to-become-energetically-unique/">metabolism</a>, and immunity on a 24-hour loop.



Two wrist-derived measures capture that rhythm: relative amplitude - the contrast between daytime activity and nighttime rest - and interdaily stability.



Low relative amplitude predicted COPD and kidney failure in the UK, with similar results in U.S. NHANES data. Inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) mediated up to 10 percent of the effect, hinting at one biological conduit.



Scientists are studying whether evening light, late <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-caffeine-slow-down-aging-yeast-may-hold-the-answer/">caffeine</a>, and social media habits weaken relative amplitude. Small behavior changes might lower major medical costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regular-sleep-boosts-your-health">Regular sleep boosts your health</h2>



“Regularity is probably best for the continuity of your sleep,” said neuroscientist <a href="https://www.swellai.com/transcripts/huberman-lab-podcast-transcript/guest-series-dr-matt-walker-improve-sleep-to-boost-mood-emotional-regulation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matt Walker</a>. Simple habits help: anchor wake up time, dim lights an hour before bed, and reserve the bedroom for sleep to nudge your body clock into a steady groove.



Early evidence shows that forward rotating shift schedules better align with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colors-of-sunset-and-sunrise-reset-our-circadian-rhythms/">circadian rhythms</a>. This change reduces fatigue and improves blood pressure within weeks.



Sleep trackers can't measure brain activity yet, and the people in this study were mostly older adults. Future research will need to include a wider range of people and more in-depth sleep tests. 



Still, the size of the data makes a strong case that sticking to a regular bedtime should be part of basic health advice, right alongside eating well and staying active.



Trials are testing if phone nudges, light filters, or noise rules can reduce disease linked to irregular sleep. If the results hold, the cheapest medicine may be a reliable alarm clock.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/hds.0161" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Health Data Science</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

One critical detail about your sleeping habits is linked to 172 diseases

People have been told for decades to get eight solid...

Public health professionals have long promoted the benefits of walking. Yet the evidence base has mostly come from predominantly white, middle- and high-income groups. 



Two companion studies now extend that knowledge to the very populations that bear a disproportionate burden of chronic disease: low-income and Black adults across the southeastern United States.



Together, the analyses paint a compelling picture of how a single, inexpensive habit - walking briskly for as little as 15 minutes a day - can reduce mortality by nearly one-fifth. It may also help shrink persistent health inequities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-walking-in-real-life">Tracking walking in real life</h2>



The data comes from the <a href="https://www.southerncommunitystudy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Community Cohort Study</a> (SCCS), one of the nation’s largest investigations of health in underserved groups.



Between 2002 and 2009, the SCCS enrolled about 85,000 adults aged 40 to 79. Community health centers that serve low-income patients in 12 southeastern states recruited about 86 percent of participants.



For the present analyses, researchers led by <a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt</a> epidemiologist Wei Zheng and doctoral investigator Lili Liu focused on 79,856 participants who had provided detailed baseline information about their daily walking habits.



Participants reported the number of minutes they typically spent each day walking slowly (e.g. moving around, walking to work, walking their dogs or engaging in light <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-feels-better-when-its-matched-to-your-personality/">exercise</a>) and walking fast (e.g. climbing stairs, brisk walking, or heavier exercising).



The researchers linked self-reports to death records, enabling them to track 26,862 deaths over 16.7 years through 2022.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fast-walking-big-payoff"><a></a>Fast walking, big payoff</h2>



Crunching the numbers yielded a striking headline: fast walking for just 15 minutes a day was associated with a 19 percent reduction in risk of death from any cause. Slow walking, even when performed for more than three hours daily, produced a far smaller benefit.



“This is one of the few studies to quantify the effect of daily walking on mortality in a low‑income and predominantly Black U.S. population,” Zheng said.



“By demonstrating the benefits of fast walking - which is a low‑cost and largely accessible activity - we provide direct evidence to inform targeted public health interventions and policies to improve health outcomes.”



Critically, the protective effect of a brisk pace held up after adjusting for smoking, diet, body mass index, education and leisure‑time physical activity (LTPA).



Even among participants who already engaged in some form of LTPA, tacking on more fast walking further reduced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/every-year-of-education-reduces-mortality-risk/">mortality risk</a>. In other words, intensity mattered over and above total activity volume.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heart-health-powers-survival">Heart health powers survival</h2>



The mortality benefit was most pronounced for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-worsens-cardiovascular-health-risks/">cardiovascular disease</a>, the leading cause of death in the United States. That aligns with physiological data showing that brisk walking boosts cardiac output, improves oxygen delivery, and helps manage weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.



According to Zheng, brisk walking offers a convenient, accessible, and low-impact activity that individuals of all ages and fitness levels can use to improve overall health and cardiovascular health specifically.



“While the health benefits of daily walking are well established, limited research has investigated how factors such as walking pace affect mortality, particularly in low-income and Black/African American populations,” noted Liu.



“Our research has shown that fast walking as little as 15 minutes a day is associated with a nearly 20 percent reduction in total mortality, while a smaller reduction in mortality is seen with more than three hours of daily slow walking.”



Liu said that this benefit remained strong even after accounting for other lifestyle factors and was consistent across various sensitivity analyses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-walking-isn-t-easy">Why walking isn't easy</h2>



Of course, telling people to walk faster is easier than ensuring they can do so safely. Low‑income communities often lack sidewalks, greenways, and street lighting; crime or heavy traffic may further discourage outdoor exercise.



They are also more likely to be situated in polluted areas where air quality can offset some cardiovascular gains. Economic constraints, shift work, and limited access to healthcare compound the challenge.



Nevertheless, the simplicity of brisk walking renders it uniquely scalable. “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-alone-in-america-an-escalating-public-health-crisis/">Public health</a> campaigns and community‑based programs can emphasize the importance and availability of fast walking to improve health outcomes,” Liu said. 



"Individuals should strive to incorporate more intense physical activity into their routines, such as brisk walking or other forms of aerobic exercise.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-doctors-and-cities-can-do">What doctors and cities can do</h2>



For clinicians, the message is straightforward: prescribe pace, not just steps. A recommendation as modest as 15 brisk minutes per day is tangible, trackable, and unlikely to intimidate sedentary patients.



From a policy standpoint, the findings bolster the case for investing in walkable infrastructure. Well-lit paths, traffic-calming measures, and park renovations are especially needed in neighborhoods where health disparities are most acute.



Public health agencies might also consider workplace interventions. Many of the SCCS participants hold hourly jobs with limited flexibility. 



Safe walking routes and short, brisk breaks could significantly boost employee health and productivity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-study-missed">What the study missed</h2>



The authors acknowledge that participants self-reported their walking habits only at enrollment, leaving later changes unmeasured. 



The survey questions could not capture stride length, incline, or terrain, each of which influences exertion.



Even so, the study’s sheer scale, long follow‑up and racial diversity make its conclusions unusually persuasive. Because vital status came from the National Death Index, outcome misclassification is minimal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-walking-toward-health-equity">Walking toward health equity</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/honey-can-improve-cardiometabolic-health/">Cardiometabolic</a> disease will not be solved by walking alone. But in regions where healthcare dollars are scarce and gym memberships out of reach, the humble act of upping one’s pace may be the most democratic medicine available.



These twin studies make the evidence compelling, especially for populations often overlooked in earlier research.



In short, fifteen brisk minutes a day is not merely “better than nothing.” For tens of thousands of low‑income Black Americans - and likely millions more nationwide - it could be the difference between an early grave and years of life reclaimed.



When public health officials craft their next round of guidelines, that simple prescription deserves top billing. 



One of the studies was published in the <a href="https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(25)00230-2/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Journal of Preventive Medicine</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Fifteen minutes of brisk walking per day could prolong our lives

Public health professionals have long promoted the benefits of walking....

Coffee perks us up and helps us perform better at many different types of activities. Unfortunately, the caffeine in your coffee could also be energizing bacteria that live inside of you, making them more resistant to antibiotics. 



This is the unexpected finding from a team of researchers led by Professor Ana Rita Brochado at the <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Würzburg</a>.



The study shows that certain food ingredients, including caffeine, make some antibiotics work less effectively. This doesn’t mean caffeine kills antibiotics directly. But it does cause subtle changes inside bacteria like&nbsp;E. coli.



These changes can block antibiotic entry, helping the bacteria survive. You won’t feel anything after that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-tea-every-day-proven-studies-to-delay-biological-aging-in-humans/">cup of tea</a>, but the microbes in your gut might get more stubborn.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bacteria-respond-to-chemicals">Bacteria respond to chemicals</h2>



Bacteria notice what’s around them. They don’t just sit there waiting to die. 



<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/about/index.html#:~:text=E.%20coli%20are%20germs%20called,of%20a%20healthy%20intestinal%20tract." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">E. coli</a>, for example, reacts to chemical signals in its environment by flipping certain genes on or off. This gives it more control over what gets in and out of the cell.



Professor Brochado’s team tested 94 substances: antibiotics, human drugs, and common food <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-you-pour-coffee-changes-its-strength-and-flavor/">ingredients</a>. 



The researchers focused on seven genes that affect transport proteins - tiny pores and pumps that regulate flow in and out of bacteria. Change these proteins, and you change how much antibiotic reaches the inside.



Some changes were big. Others were tiny. But one thing was clear: bacteria don’t treat caffeine like background noise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rob-the-gene-that-blocks-antibiotics">Rob: The gene that blocks antibiotics</h2>



The researchers found that caffeine activates a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/948916" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gene called Rob</a>. Once Rob switches on, it sets off a chain reaction. Several transport proteins shift behavior, and the bacteria start blocking out antibiotics like ciprofloxacin.



“Caffeine triggers a cascade of events starting with the gene regulator Rob and culminating in the change of several transport proteins in&nbsp;E. coli, which in turn leads to a reduced uptake of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin,” explained Professor Brochado.



So <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-this-amount-of-coffee-helps-prevent-heart-disease-and-diabetes/">caffeine</a> doesn’t kill antibiotics. It just makes it harder for them to get inside the cell. The bacteria do not become fully resistant - they just become harder to kill.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caffeine-bacteria-and-antibiotics">Caffeine, bacteria, and antibiotics</h2>



The research suggests that bacteria can adapt based on diet and environment, even without new mutations or resistance genes.



“Our data show that several substances can subtly but systematically influence gene regulation in bacteria,” noted study lead author Christoph Binsfeld, a PhD student in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Würzburg.



The scary part? These effects don’t show up on standard resistance tests. You might think an antibiotic will work fine. But in your gut, after your morning coffee, bacteria might disagree.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caffeine-doesn-t-faze-salmonella">Caffeine doesn't faze Salmonella</h2>



You might expect this caffeine effect to happen across similar bacteria. But it doesn’t. The team also looked at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonella_enterica" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Salmonella enterica</a>, a close cousin of E. coli. Same antibiotic, same <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-flavor-can-be-improved-with-a-simple-trick/">caffeine</a>.



In&nbsp;Salmonella, caffeine didn’t reduce drug uptake. The difference likely comes down to how each species controls transport proteins. One tweaks the gates and the other doesn’t.



This shows that resistance isn’t just about which genes bacteria have. It’s also about how they use them - and when.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caffeine-in-coffee-weakens-antibiotics">Caffeine in coffee weakens antibiotics</h2>



What Brochado’s team found isn’t classic resistance. There are no resistant genes being passed around and no permanent mutations. It’s something more flexible that bacteria can turn on or off.



Scientists call this “low-level” resistance. It’s temporary and subtle, but that doesn’t make it safe. It could help bacteria survive just long enough to cause a stubborn infection or evolve further resistance.



So, even though caffeine won’t make E. coli immortal, it might give it a fighting chance. And in medicine, even a small advantage can matter.



Bacteria like&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;use regulators - proteins like MarA, SoxS, and Rob - to control responses. These proteins flip switches that change how transport proteins behave. In the study, Rob showed up more than expected.



Around one-third of all transcriptional changes involved Rob. That’s more than scientists thought. In many cases, Rob worked alongside MarA or SoxS. But in response to caffeine, Rob handled things on its own.



The researchers looked deeper and found something else. After caffeine exposure, over 200 bacterial proteins changed in abundance. 



That included proteins involved in building outer membrane pores. Less pore protein means fewer ways for antibiotics to get in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-making-antibiotics-with-caffeine-in-mind">Making antibiotics with caffeine in mind</h2>



“Such fundamental research into the effect of substances consumed on a daily basis underscores the vital role of science in understanding and resolving real-world problems,” said Dr. Karla Pollmann, President of the <a href="https://uni-tuebingen.de/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Tübingen</a>.



If caffeine can influence antibiotic uptake, what about other compounds? What about patients drinking energy drinks or taking herbal supplements while on medication? These combinations might not be harmless.



Doctors might need to consider diet - including coffee - as part of treatment using antibiotics. Guidelines could eventually include not just dosage, but also what not to eat or drink during therapy.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003260" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Biology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Even microbes thrive on caffeine: Coffee helps bacteria resist antibiotics

Coffee perks us up and helps us perform better at...

Cyclist,Falls,Off,The,Bike,Into,Bushes.,Accident,On,The

Past injuries fade from sight, yet the memory of them lingers in the nervous system. A new mouse study shows a single inflammatory injury can keep the brain on high alert, amplifying fear and pain for months.



A recent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982225008711" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> reveals how stress hormones and a sensory protein keep the harm alarm ringing. Dr. Loren Martin and colleagues at the University of Toronto Mississauga led the work, showing why some people stay hypersensitive to previous injuries, long after a wound mends.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-memory-of-old-injuries-reshapes-circuits">Memory of old injuries reshapes circuits</h2>



Most of us assume pain stops when tissues heal, but clinical data suggest otherwise. Children exposed to injury or adversity have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40539444/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">higher likelihood</a> of adult chronic pain and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fear-and-anxiety-the-mental-health-impacts-of-wildfires/">anxiety disorders</a>.



“Our brains are wired to protect us , especially from threatening situations,” said Dr. Martin. The team paired healed mice with trimethylthiazoline, a fox odor chemical that rodents innately fear, and naive animals froze briefly, then moved on. 



These findings echo human reports where <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10383629/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pre-trauma pain</a> experience predicts persistent pain after car crashes or combat. The data strengthen the idea that injury history reshapes defensive circuits, setting a lower threshold for danger.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hormones-in-the-driver-s-seat">Hormones in the driver's seat</h2>



The hormone <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11508944/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">corticosterone</a> is the rodent equivalent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/kids-with-behavioral-issues-have-high-cortisol-levels-in-their-hair/">cortisol</a>: it is released when the stress axis fires. Elevating corticosterone for weeks can induce anxiety-like behavior in healthy mice.



Healed mice released a larger corticosterone surge when they smelled predator odor compared with controls. Blocking hormone synthesis during the odor challenge prevented both the prolonged paw pain and the extended freezing.



Imaging <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-025-02910-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">studies</a> show cortisol spikes strengthen connections between the amygdala and pain processing regions, making future stressors feel more intense. The mouse data supply a mechanistic foothold and hint that dampening glucocorticoid swings might calm runaway pain in trauma survivors.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-wasabi-receptor-s-surprising-cameo">The wasabi receptor's surprising cameo</h2>



Enter <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11251976/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TRPA1</a>, sometimes dubbed the “wasabi receptor” because it fires in response to pungent compounds. Beyond the sinuses, TRPA1 sits on sensory neurons and contributes to inflammatory pain.



Pharmacological TRPA1 blockade during predator odor exposure normalized corticosterone release and curtailed freezing. Yet the same blockade failed to stop the long term paw hypersensitivity, revealing a split between fear and pain pathways.



TRPA1’s involvement in threat sensing makes evolutionary sense since it serves as a chemical early warning system. In healed mice, that detector seems recalibrated to overshoot, sounding the alarm even when no fresh injury exists.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fear-and-pain-are-separate-roads">Fear and pain are separate roads</h2>



Researchers often lump fear and pain together because they co-occur, but Martin’s data tell a different story. Inhibiting corticosterone abolished both paths, while inhibiting TRPA1 trimmed only the fear branch.



A dynamical systems <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38849067/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> published last year supports partially overlapping neural hubs rather than a single circuit. Decoupling the roads matters for treatment because drugs that calm fear might leave pain untouched and vice versa.



Clinicians therefore need to screen both domains separately instead of assuming progress in one guarantees relief in the other. Such tailored assessments could speed patients toward the right mix of therapies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-memory-of-injury-alters-brain-connectivity">Memory of injury alters brain connectivity </h2>



New research suggests that pain priming may not just affect immediate sensory responses but also alter long-term memory encoding of threat cues. This could explain why even subtle reminders of past trauma can trigger both emotional distress and physical symptoms in people with a history of injury or adversity.



<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6650904/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Studies</a> using imaging techniques have shown that chronic pain alters connectivity in brain regions like the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-has-a-filing-system-to-sort-visual-memories/">hippocampus</a>, which plays a key role in memory formation. If injury history reshapes how threats are stored and retrieved, it may be possible to develop therapies that weaken the emotional and physical recall of danger signals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-it-means-for-people-in-pain">What it means for people in pain</h2>



Roughly one in five U.S. adults lives with <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/wr/mm7215a1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chronic pain</a>. The mouse findings suggest that an early stressor, even psychological, can cement pain circuits irrespective of lingering inflammation.



That insight reframes conditions like fibromyalgia, where hypersensitivity spreads beyond the original injury. If similar hormone sensor loops operate in humans, targeting them could spare patients years of trial and error painkillers.



The work also hints at a biological link between chronic pain and anxiety diagnoses that often coexist in clinics. Shared stress hormone circuits may explain why treating one symptom eases the other.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-the-injury-memory-link-be-treated">Can the injury-memory link be treated?</h2>



Corticosteroid synthesis inhibitors already exist for endocrine disorders and might merit short, time limited trials after severe injury to test whether they blunt later pain. Selective <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33620419/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TRPA1 antagonists</a> have reached early phase safety testing for asthma and cough, proving they can be taken systemically without major side effects. 



The strategy would be brief, given corticosterone’s vital role in metabolism. Delivering inhibitors only during the immediate stress window could prevent sensitization without hampering long term healing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-questions-that-remain">Questions that remain</h2>



Do the same pathways hold in female mice and older animals? Hormone cycles and aging both alter glucocorticoid dynamics, and chronic pain is more common in women.



Another open question is whether the intervention window closes quickly or stays open for weeks. If sensitization hardens within days, emergency department protocols after injuries might need to incorporate stress hormone management before patients even go home.



The study is published in <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0960982225008711">Current Biology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Memories of past injuries amplify future fear and pain responses in the brain

Past injuries fade from sight, yet the memory of them...

The American coastline has always pulled people toward its salt-tinged winds. Now, new work suggests the coastal attraction pays off in extra months of life.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ohio State University</a> analyzed data from over 66,000 U.S. census tracts to explore how geography affects lifespan. They found that living within 30 miles of an ocean or gulf adds about a year to the national average life expectancy of 78.4 years.



In contrast, people in large urban neighborhoods near rivers or lakes tend to have slightly shorter lifespans. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-waters-boost-health">Coastal waters boost health</h2>



The term blue space describes ocean fronts, bays, rivers, and other visible surface waters. A 2020 review links routine contact with coastal settings to lower <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-hormones-rise-during-sleep-to-prepare-your-body-for-the-day/">stress hormones</a>, healthier blood pressure, and better heart rate profiles.



This latest study was led by Jianyong “Jamie” Wu of the College of Public Health at Ohio State. 



“Overall, the coastal residents were expected to live a year or more longer than the 79-year average," said Wu. "Those who lived in more urban areas near inland rivers and lakes were likely to die by about 78 or so.”



Wu's team confirmed that advantage. The gap persisted after the models adjusted for age, race, and income.



“On the other side, pollution, poverty, lack of safe opportunities to be physically active, and an increased risk of flooding are likely drivers of these differences,” noted Yanni Cao, a postdoctoral researcher on the project.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooler-cleaner-coastal-air">Cooler, cleaner coastal air</h2>



Coastal counties recorded far fewer days above 95°F and lower annual peaks, sparing residents from lethal heatstrokes and heart strain. 



Epidemiologists show that each additional hot day raises cardiovascular mortality by 0.7 percent in older U.S. adults.



Sea breezes also dilute the fine soot that shortens global life expectancy by almost one year. Cleaner air means fewer asthma flares and strokes, two major killers in high-pollution zip codes.



Wildfire smoke compounds the inland burden. Western tracts beside reservoirs logged triple the number of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-is-an-escalating-public-health-emergency/">heavy smoke days</a> compared to similar seaside towns. This difference aligns closely with the study’s inland life expectancy dip.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-living-near-water-moves-you">Living near water moves you</h2>



Coastal living and living near water nudges people outdoors. A 2024 survey of 1,771 adults found that access to a neighborhood blue space boosted weekly physical activity frequency by 23 percent.



Regular movement trims <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-genetic-test-can-identify-children-who-are-at-risk-of-obesity-well-before-it-occurs/">obesity risk</a> and improves insulin sensitivity, both linked to longer lives.



Ocean edges multiply options, from beach runs to pier fishing. Inland rivers in dense downtowns often lack safe trails or clean swimming spots, blunting the activity bonus.



Coastal roads sit on flatter terrain, easing ambulance response times, while those living in the Rockies contend with steep grades and winter closures. Quick access to trauma centers can make the difference between recovery and early death after strokes or car crashes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lakes-aren-t-always-healthy">Lakes aren’t always healthy</h2>



Not every water view is equal. The Ohio State group saw a negative association between urban inland water and longevity even when lakes exceeded four square miles. 



Industrial runoff, barge traffic, and combined sewer overflows turn some rivers into pollutant sinks, undermining any mental health lift a view might give.



A 2017 review of 35 quantitative studies noted that benefits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blue-spaces-in-childhood-improve-well-being-later-in-life/">blue space</a> fade when water quality is poor or access is restricted. The finding dovetails with Cao’s observation that inland “blue” often sits behind fences, roads, or rail yards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-rivers-hurt-health">City rivers hurt health</h2>



When the team split the map, rural communities near sizable lakes actually gained life months. Lower traffic density, fewer contaminant sources, and abundant fishing spots may explain the switch.



Cities tell another story. High-rise shadows block breezes, sewage outfalls spike bacteria counts after storms, and paved banks leave no room for walking paths. 



Flood risks add mortality pressure. Census tracts with repeated river inundation events showed sharper drops in life expectancy than any other inland water subgroup.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-solutions-for-healthier-cities">Solutions for healthier cities</h2>



Public health experts see clear levers. Cleaning <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-impacts-on-waterways-contribute-to-the-climate-crisis/">urban waterways</a>, building continuous waterfront trails, and zoning mixed-income housing near safe beaches could spread coastal-style living gains inland.



A 2025 review across 120 studies concluded that blue-green infrastructure projects lower obesity, anxiety, and all-cause mortality in the surrounding mile.



Local governments can also map cooling corridors that funnel sea breezes deeper inland and reduce sealing of riverbanks so floods dissipate in parks rather than homes. They can also subsidize transit lines that bring lower-income families to swimmable coasts.



These steps echo Healthy People 2030, targets aimed at cutting geographic health gaps.



Life expectancy is climbing again after a pandemic slump, reaching 78.4 years in 2023 per the CDC. Wu’s data suggest that widening the nation’s access to clean, safe blue space could push that figure higher.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935125012320">Environmental Research</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Coastal living linked to longer lifespans

The American coastline has always pulled people toward its salt-tinged...

Most of us know the sinking feeling that comes when we no longer feel motivated - after a stalled diet, an abandoned New Year’s resolution, or a half‑assembled piece of flat‑pack furniture gathering dust in the corner.



When progress stalls, the temptation to quit can be powerful - especially if we have already spent good money on specialized meal plans, coaching videos, or fancy tools.



A new study led by scholars at <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> suggests a simple mindset shift can rescue <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/streaks-can-be-a-powerful-tool-for-motivation/">motivation</a>: focus on the hours you have invested rather than the dollars you have spent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-time-versus-money">Testing time versus money</h2>



The project builds on a long line of psychological work showing that people perform best when they feel autonomy, competence, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/experiences-not-things-are-key-to-deeper-social-connection/">social connection</a>. Failure chips away at those feelings, reducing what psychologists call self‑determination.



Marketing researchers Subimal Chatterjee and Debjit Gupta wondered whether emphasizing the type of investment - time versus money - would change how people react to setbacks.



Their hunch: time‑focused thinkers would persevere longer because they perceive their efforts as self‑improvement, whereas money‑focused thinkers would feel the pinch of wasted cash and give up sooner.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consistent-effects-on-motivation">Consistent effects on motivation</h2>



The team first surveyed more than 600 working professionals about personal goals that had hit a roadblock. Some respondents were prompted to reflect on the money they had poured into their pursuit; others were nudged to think about the time they had spent.



A second study had the same group imagine failing twice and report how motivated they felt to try again. Finally, the researchers replicated the design with 75 Taiwanese undergraduates who had recently flunked an exam.



Across all studies, the pattern held. Framing effort as hours and learning kept persistence and self-determination high, even after two consecutive setbacks. In contrast, those who tallied their cash outlay reported sharp drops in motivation after failing twice. 



Interestingly, after participants had stumbled three or more times, the difference between the two mindsets narrowed. By that point, repeated defeat seemed to sap confidence no matter how the initial investment was framed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spending-time-not-money">Spending time, not money</h2>



Chatterjee explained why the distinction matters: “You can go to coaching classes, you can buy books, you can buy videos. But when you do that, you expect to accomplish your goal. And when you don’t, you get extremely demotivated.”



But on the other hand, noted Chatterjee, if you spend less money, but more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-experiences-alter-time-perception/">time</a>, and think about how you’re doing this to improve yourself, that gets you into a more persistent mindset.



“Think about how, with any sort of health rehabilitation program, after you get hurt and have to get help from a chiropractor or other healthcare professional. There’s a monetary cost that goes along with obtaining that help," said Gupta.



“But you could also think of it as spending time improving and taking better care of yourself. You might not get better in a week; you might not achieve your objectives right away."



The upshot, Chatterjee said, is that it’s all about intrinsic motivation, something that comes from within, and if you really decide to learn. "Then this notion of time versus money becomes especially important.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-money-feels-like-loss">Money feels like loss</h2>



The researchers argue that money triggers a feeling of external control: people expect a clear return on a financial outlay. Fail twice, and it feels as though the cash was wasted.



Time, by contrast, is more easily reframed as personal growth. Hours spent studying or practicing still yield intangible benefits - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/optimal-decision-making-is-a-balance-of-experience-and-knowledge/">knowledge</a>, skill, resilience - even if the immediate goal remains unmet. That internal payoff protects self‑determination and fuels another attempt.



For anyone embarking on a challenging project - <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-are-much-better-at-learning-language-than-ai/">learning a language</a>, training for a marathon, or tackling a certification exam - the research offers a practical takeaway.



When setbacks hit, focus on time spent learning and growing - not the money lost on subscriptions or tools. By rewiring the narrative to emphasize time and growth, you prime your mind to stay the course.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-businesses-and-marketers"><a></a>Lessons for businesses and marketers</h2>



The findings also carry weight for companies selling do‑it‑yourself products, online courses, or fitness programs.



“By including subtle, positively‑framed messages along with whatever marketers are selling can allow people to experience a greater level of persistence,” Gupta said.



“Having to try again after it didn’t work the first time wouldn’t mean a wasted effort. It would just be that you’re more likely to have a better handle on things the second time around.” 



Campaigns that spotlight the hours of enjoyment, community support, or personal enrichment a product facilitates - rather than its price tag - could foster customer loyalty and higher completion rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-motivates-in-the-workplace">Time motivates in the workplace</h2>



Inside organizations, the same principle may help employees bounce back from missing a promotion or failing to meet a quarterly target. 



If managers encourage staff to value the experience and skills gained during the process, morale may remain resilient.



For public health officials designing rehabilitation or weight-loss initiatives, framing participation as an investment of time in oneself could boost adherence. This approach may be especially effective for individuals with limited economic resources.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-mindset-that-motivates">A mindset that motivates</h2>



Goals falter for many reasons, but motivation often evaporates fastest when people feel they have squandered resources. 



This research shows that the most precious resource - time - can also be the most empowering when we choose to see it as self‑development rather than sacrifice.



The next time your resolution wobbles or your side project stalls, tally the minutes you have banked, not the dollars you have burned. That simple accounting switch might be the nudge that keeps you moving forward.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.emerald.com/jcm/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/JCM-05-2023-6026/1251798/Trying-but-failing-the-role-of-time-and-money-in?redirectedFrom=fulltext">Journal of Consumer Marketing</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Want to stay motivated? Focus on time, not money

Most of us know the sinking feeling that comes when...

Many people experience relationships that bring more stress than happiness. These strained relationships can influence aging and speed up the aging process. 



Psychologists have long known that strong social ties affect how long we live. One review even suggests that social isolation affects mortality as much as obesity or lack of exercise.



Quality of relationships matters as much as quantity. In 2012, researchers at the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;q=University+of+Utah&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Utah</a> found that “frenemies” - ambivalent relationships - may shorten telomeres faster. 



These chromosome caps shorten naturally with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-how-some-people-live-past-100-years/">age</a> and are linked to diseases such as heart disease.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-stress-changes-your-body">How stress changes your body</h2>



Byungkyu Lee at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York University</a> and colleagues used DNA methylation marks to measure aging. These tiny chemical changes influence how genes work. “As we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-experimenting-with-new-approach-to-fight-and-stop-human-aging-necrosis/">age</a>, the pattern of these marks shifts in predictable ways,” said Lee.



The study involved 2,232 people who provided saliva samples for epigenetic testing. Participants also described their relationships, answering questions like, “How often has X hassled you, caused problems, or made life difficult?” 



Anyone who answered “occasionally” or “often” was labeled a “hassler.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stressful-relationships-age-you-faster">Stressful relationships age you faster</h2>



Over half the participants had at least one hassler in their network. “Over half of adults report having at least one hassler among their closest contacts,” said Lee.



Each hassler was associated with 0.5 percent faster biological aging. This means affected individuals were, on average, 2.5 months biologically older than their chronological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/">age</a>.



The latest research shows that when hasslers make up more than 50 percent of a person’s network, the acceleration of aging is even greater. Ambivalent hasslers, those who both provide support and cause stress, have the strongest impact.



Purely negative ties, in contrast, seem less harmful because people can distance themselves from these relationships.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-harms-mind-and-body">Stress harms mind and body</h2>



Negative ties may increase chronic stress, which raises inflammation and disrupts immune function. This persistent stress can elevate cortisol and other hormones, damaging health over time. 



Lee’s team found higher levels of inflammation and epigenetic dysregulation in those with many hasslers, showing how relationships directly affect the body’s biological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/defying-time-three-ways-to-slow-biological-aging/">systems</a>.



The effects extend beyond aging markers. People with more hasslers report worse general, physical, and mental health. They also have higher anxiety and depression scores and more chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and sleep problems. 



Negative ties are linked with higher waist-to-hip ratios, increased BMI, and more multimorbidity. These strained relationships can weaken resilience, make illnesses harder to recover from, and even reduce overall life expectancy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-group-relationships-help">Group relationships help </h2>



Alex Haslam from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Queensland</a> believes group belonging can outweigh the impact of a few negative ties. 



“For example, if I am a member of a book club or a choir, it will be my identification with the group as a whole that affects my health, not how well I get on with its individual members."



The complexity of ambivalent relationships makes them particularly damaging. Unpredictable relationships cause ongoing mental and physiological strain. 



People may not be able to avoid these ties, especially when they involve family or long-term friends.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fixing-relationships-can-slow-age">Fixing relationships can slow age</h2>



Negative relationships, especially those that shift between support and criticism, act as powerful chronic stressors. These ties trigger the body’s stress systems repeatedly, raising cortisol and inflammation, which can speed up biological aging and damage overall health. 



Unlike purely negative relationships that people can often avoid, ambivalent ties are harder to escape because they also provide emotional support. This unpredictability makes them particularly harmful, causing continuous psychological strain and physiological wear.



To improve health and slow aging, it is not enough to address loneliness or cut off overtly harmful ties. Future interventions should help people identify and manage ambivalent relationships while strengthening positive, supportive connections. 



Programs that teach conflict resolution, set boundaries, and encourage healthier communication could reduce the toll these complex relationship ties take. 



By focusing on both reducing relationship strain and nurturing trust-based social networks, we can promote better mental and physical well-being and healthier aging across the lifespan.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.23.25328261v2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">medRxiv</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Negative relationships linked to faster aging at the cellular level

Many people experience relationships that bring more stress than happiness....

Our usual understanding of sleep starts with the brain and ends with the mattress, yet new evidence points to a far smaller arena. Two hundredths of a millimeter below the surface of a nerve cell, the mitochondria may be counting the minutes we stay awake, then ordering the lights out.



A team working with Drosophila melanogaster shows that the same organelles that churn out ATP, the cell’s energy coin, can also flip the neural switch that starts <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/">sleep</a>. The work was led by Gero Miesenböck of the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mitochondria-track-sleep-need">Mitochondria track sleep need</h2>



Sleep need, or sleep pressure, has long seemed mysterious because no clear molecule tells the brain when enough is enough. 



The new study finds that after prolonged wakefulness, sleep-inducing neurons turn up genes for mitochondrial respiration, hinting that an energy backlog is their signal.



Those neurons sit in the fly’s dorsal fan-shaped body, a known sleep center. As their mitochondria keep running while the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">cells</a> are quiet, electrons spill from the respiratory chain, forming reactive oxygen species that damage nearby lipids.



When these unstable molecules pile up, the only fix is to shut the system down, explained Miesenböck. What this study has revealed is that the sleep homeostat is actually looking at its own mitochondria to estimate the need for sleep, he adds.



The group saw that letting the flies sleep again restored mitochondrial shape and function. That rapid bounce-back suggests repair, not exhaustion, is the goal of the pause.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fly-tests-show-sleep-signals">Fly tests show sleep signals</h2>



The Oxford team kept half their flies awake by gently shaking them or warming cells that promote arousal, actions that do not harm the insects. Both methods produced identical mitochondrial stress signatures, bolstering the link to wake time rather than injury.



Fragmented mitochondria were a red flag. Flies whose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-night-of-lost-sleep-can-trigger-hidden-health-issues/">sleep</a> neurons carried these “shattered” organelles slept less and failed to catch up later.



When the researchers forced the organelles to fuse, essentially improving their self-repair toolkit, flies slept more and mounted a stronger rebound after deprivation.



A clever optogenetic twist turned the mitochondria themselves into a sleep lever. By engineering a light-activated proton pump into the organelles, one hour of green light lengthened sleep by roughly 25 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-in-cells-triggers-sleep">Stress in cells triggers sleep</h2>



Cell biologists have known for years that electron leak rises whenever the demand for ATP drops, yet the supply keeps flowing. The fly results echo earlier work showing that ROS build-up after forced wakefulness can kill rodents unless the stress is quenched.



The brain appears to treat that oxidative trickle as a countdown. Once a threshold is crossed, sleep neurons fire, the animal rests, and antioxidant defenses patch the membrane lipids.



Other research in mammals supports the idea. A 2023 review calls mitochondrial redox shifts the heart of a homeostatic sleep-regulatory mechanism.



Even the lipid <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742555/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phosphatidic acid</a>, which helps merge mitochondrial membranes, affects sleep. Studies show that lowering this lipid hampers fusion and shortens sleep in flies, fitting earlier biochemical models that tie the molecule to healthy mitochondrial dynamics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-similarities-between-flies-and-humans">Similarities between flies and humans</h2>



Fruit flies are simple, but their mitochondrial proteins look much like ours. Ryan Mailloux of McGill University, who was not involved in the study, noted that the findings provide novel opportunities to target these pathways and come up with new, effective ways to treat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-particular-sleep-stage-slow-wave-deep-is-most-important-for-preventing-dementia/">sleep</a> problems.



Fatigue is already recognized as one of the most common complaints among patients with primary mitochondrial disease. That clinical link strengthens the case that mitochondrial distress can translate directly into a felt need for rest.



Work in mice adds another layer: when mitochondria in appetite-boosting AgRP neurons are forced to fuse, the animals eat more; when the organelles fragment, hunger subsides. The parallel between energy balance and sleep hints at a shared metabolic sensor.



“Keeping animals awake itself may add stress unrelated to natural wakefulness,” said Michele Bellesi of the <a href="https://international.unicam.it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Camerino</a>. 



Critics like Bellesi raise caveats, but the Oxford group counters that multiple, gentle methods produced the same mitochondrial signature, suggesting the effect is genuine sleep pressure, not generic stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mitochondria-may-help-sleep-issues">Mitochondria may help sleep issues</h2>



If mitochondrial redox state is the clock, then drugs that tweak electron flow might reset it. Uncouplers that let protons leak, for example, relieved sleep need in flies by draining excess electrons.



Any practical therapy must be precise. Broad uncoupling in humans would waste energy and overheat tissues. Targeting only the sleep-inducing neurons or modulating lipid repair enzymes could offer narrower control.



Wearable diagnostics may also emerge. If circulating markers of mitochondrial ROS rise with sleep pressure, a blood spot or breath test could tell shift workers when to nap before errors pile up.



Finally, the study argues against the idea that sleep is down time. Instead, it is an active rebuild phase commanded by microscopic monitors that count chemical sparks. 



This perspective aligns with aging studies showing that preserving mitochondrial fitness slows cognitive decline and lengthens healthy life.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09261-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Scientists may have just solved the mystery of sleep

Our usual understanding of sleep starts with the brain and...

Food lovers prize the creamy web of fat that streaks a Wagyu steak. Inside the human body, however, the same kind of “marbling” - known to scientists as intramuscular adipose tissue, or IMAT - signals trouble.



Physicians have long noticed that patients with high IMAT tend to fare poorly. The marbled fat is common in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-is-much-more-complicated-than-we-thought-manifesting-in-11-different-forms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">obesity</a>, type 2 diabetes, neuromuscular disorders such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and progressive neurodegenerative diseases like ALS.



In some clinics, doctors even watch intramuscular adipose tissue levels to track how fast an illness is advancing.



What remained unclear was whether the fat merely accompanied disease or actively made muscles weaker. Daniel Kopinke, an associate professor of pharmacology and therapeutics at the <a href="https://med.ufl.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florida College of Medicine</a>, set out to solve that puzzle.



“We wanted to understand the precise function IMAT might play on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/studies-learn-the-exact-amount-of-time-you-should-spend-training-to-build-muscle/">muscle</a> health,” he explained. The resulting study&nbsp;offers what Kopinke calls “functional evidence that it is an active driver of declining muscle function.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blocking-fat-from-muscle-injuries">Blocking fat from muscle injuries</h2>



Kopinke’s lab studies how muscles repair themselves. After a strain or tear, stem‑like satellite cells along the fibers awaken, divide, and fuse into new muscle tissue. In healthy people that process restores both size and strength.



But people with high IMAT often struggle to regain full power after injury. To test whether the fat is to blame, the team engineered a mouse line called mFATBLOCK. 



The animals’ muscles could be injured in the usual ways, using a chemical that mimics hard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-in-a-pill-is-now-closer-to-reality/">exercise</a>. However, genetic tweaks prevented fat cells from infiltrating the wound site.



The contrast was stark. In ordinary mice fat droplets invaded the damaged region, parking between regenerating fibers. Under a microscope those fibers looked chaotic and undersized.



The marbling occupied about 12 percent of total muscle volume, and when the researchers measured force output, the muscles generated far less power than fat‑free controls.



“This directly translated to a loss of strength,” Kopinke said, noting that marbled muscles could not produce the same amount of force as the healthy, unobstructed muscle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fat-cells-hijack-healing-space">Fat cells hijack healing space</h2>



Kopinke likened the effect to fighting a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">wildfire</a> in a forest. Imagine clearing the ashes so saplings can grow, only to leave giant boulders scattered across the soil. Wherever a boulder sits, a tree cannot take root.



Fat cells act like those boulders. Once they occupy space inside the muscle, muscle fibers cannot grow. Satellite cells still try to knit new tissue, but their scaffolding twists around lipid pockets and forms weak, disorganized fibers.



The study dispels the notion that IMAT is merely passive fuel storage. Instead, it behaves as a structural barrier that derails the entire regeneration script.



That discovery has wide implications for sports‑medicine clinics that manage severe tears. It also holds promise for researchers pursuing therapies for muscular dystrophy or sarcopenia - the age‑related loss of muscle mass.



If marbling is the obstacle, then simply flooding tissue with growth factors may not restore strength unless the fat blockade is removed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exercise-clears-hidden-fat">Exercise clears hidden fat</h2>



The good news is that IMAT appears to shrink the same way <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/long-term-exercise-can-make-belly-fat-healthy/">belly fat</a> does: by tipping the energy equation so the body burns more calories than it consumes.



“You can shrink your fat cells,” said Kopinke. “If you make the area that fat cells occupy in your muscles smaller, the muscle fibers would have more space to grow into.”



Exercise does double duty here, raising calorie burn while also stimulating satellite cells to fuse, though the study did not yet test specific workout regimens.



Because IMAT is tucked deep inside tissue, scales and mirrors cannot reveal progress. Imaging tools such as MRI and ultrasound can, and Kopinke hopes future clinical trials will pair those scans with diet‑and‑exercise programs designed to carve away the internal marbling.



If the rodent data hold true in people, reducing IMAT should give healing fibers room to align and thicken, restoring lost torque.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-muscle-disease-treatment">Rethinking muscle disease treatment</h2>



These findings shift the perspective on numerous debilitating conditions. Instead of focusing solely on amplifying growth signals or transplanting stem cells, physicians might first target the fatty blockade itself. 



They could do this through <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-a-popular-weight-loss-drug-are-finally-revealed/">metabolic drugs</a>, hormone therapies, or novel biologics that prevent progenitor cells inside muscle from turning into fat in the first place. The mFATBLOCK mouse offers a ready test bed for such ideas.



“By clearing the path for muscle fibers to heal correctly, we may be able to restore function and improve strength in millions of people affected by these debilitating conditions,” Kopinke said.



His lab is now probing why certain diseases spark fat infiltration while others do not and whether specific nutritional cues accelerate IMAT shrinkage. 



For now, the takeaway is both sobering and empowering: marbled steak may melt in your mouth, but marbled muscle could rob you of strength - unless you burn off the fat and give your fibers room to thrive. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2211124725007922" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

How fat hidden in muscles weakens strength and healing

Food lovers prize the creamy web of fat that streaks...

In the summer of 2002, the smoke in the air caught Loretta Mickley’s attention. She was on vacation in Western Massachusetts when the sunlight turned strange.



“There was something kind of sparkly about the air,” she recalled. “I’d never seen anything like it, and I said to my husband, ‘What’s going on?’ I’m an atmospheric chemist - I should know, right?”



The shimmering particles turned out to be soot, carried by wind from a wildfire in Quebec. That was over two decades ago. Since then, smoke has gone from a curiosity to a central focus of Mickley’s work.



She’s now a senior research fellow at the <a href="https://seas.harvard.edu/">John A. Paulson</a> School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University. Her research is part of a growing wave of attention on wildfire smoke - where it comes from, what it carries, and what it’s doing to our health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfire-smoke-wasn-t-always-on-the-radar">Wildfire smoke wasn't always on the radar</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">Wildfires</a> have burned for as long as the planet has existed. But for many years, their consequences were overlooked.



“For a long time, smoke was not considered very important,” Mickley said. "People thought of climate change as temperature and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/record-heat-of-2024-triggered-a-surge-in-sea-level-rise/">sea level rise</a>, and that was it."



"They didn't realize there could be this other consequence of climate change that could be terribly scary, terribly bad for human health - not just close to the fire, but many miles downwind.”



That perception is changing fast. Today, scientists are working across disciplines to understand smoke in detail. 



Chemists break down its chemical components. Engineers build tools to sample the air in and around fire zones. Medical researchers track how it enters the human body. Environmental scientists model future fire risks as the planet heats up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-travels-far-and-so-does-the-risk">Smoke travels far - and so does the risk</h2>



Mickley has co-authored dozens of studies on wildfire smoke since 2015. Her work spans continents, even when she doesn’t travel to the fire sites herself.



“I look at agricultural fires in India, and their smoke, which affect millions of people,” she said. “I don't go to these places, but we've done work in the Amazon, work in Australia … working with local people as much as possible.”



What researchers are finding is that wildfire smoke is not just dirty air - it’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/almost-everyone-in-europe-breathes-toxic-air/">toxic</a>. When vegetation, buildings, or vehicles burn, they release not only <a href="https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Soot" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soot</a>, but also heavy metals and organic compounds that can damage the body.



According to Mickley, many of these chemicals can “attach to and react with human cells.” 



In places like Southern California, where wildfires often spread into developed areas, the smoke can contain harmful synthetic compounds like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forever-chemicals-threaten-arctic-wildlife-and-human-health/">PFAS</a> - chemicals linked to cancer and hormonal disruption. These compounds don’t break down easily and can linger in the environment for decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-particles-big-health-risks">Tiny particles, big health risks</h2>



The real threat lies in the size of the particles. Most of the health damage comes from PM2.5 - particles that are 2.5 microns in diameter, or smaller. That’s about 20 times smaller than the width of a human hair.



Pollen grains are roughly four times larger than PM2.5 particles, and they get stuck in the nose. By contrast, PM2.5 specks are small enough to enter deep into the lungs and also into the bloodstream. 



"It causes a cascade of inflammation, and it can wreak havoc on <a href="https://www.epa.gov/wildfire-smoke-course/health-effects-attributed-wildfire-smoke">health</a>,” stated Nicholas Nassikas, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He’s also a pulmonologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-cost-of-wildfire-smoke-exposure">Human cost of wildfire smoke exposure</h2>



In a study of wildfires in Australia, Mickley and her colleagues found that pregnant women exposed to prolonged smoke had higher risks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-increased-premature-birth-risk-by-60/">premature birth</a>, miscarriage, or needing intensive care for their newborns.



And It’s not just lung or heart disease that are involved. Smoke may worsen COVID-19 symptoms. Early research hints at a link between smoke exposure and dementia. 



Furthermore, hospitals report a rise in emergency visits for multiple conditions after days of smoky air - especially among older adults.



At the Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, researchers are digging deeper into these effects. Kari Nadeau and her lab are part of the LA Fire HEALTH Study, which looks at how smoke affects people who live and work along the fire lines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-s-impact-on-human-cells">Smoke's impact on human cells</h2>



In a June study, researchers examined blood samples from 31 Californians - both firefighters and civilians - who had been exposed to wildfire smoke. 



The experts compared these samples to a control group with no exposure. The results were striking.



“Normally, immune cells are highly regulated, but after smoke exposure, some of those cells begin to behave abnormally - to be hyperactivated,” said study co-author Abhinav Kaushik. Some immune cells, burdened with cadmium and mercury, simply died.



Heavy-metal exposure was most severe among long-term firefighters. Kaushik noted that this may explain the chronic diseases that firefighters experience disproportionately, from cancer to asthma. "Smoke has surfaced as a public-health emergency - no doubt about that,” he added.



The team’s next step is to expand the study and look for a biomarker - something in the blood that would signal smoke exposure. That could help doctors catch issues early or measure the long-term impact.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-fires-bigger-numbers">Big fires, bigger numbers</h2>



Even now, the data tells a troubling story. Mickley and co-authors at Harvard and the University of British Columbia estimated that wildfire smoke caused nearly 37,000 excess deaths in 2020 alone.



The range is wide - between 25,000 and 47,000 - but the implication is clear. "In my mind, the exact number is not so important, just that we know it's a big number,” Mickley said. 



“Our goal in giving these numbers is to highlight the sense of urgency and the possible human hazards that follow wildfire smoke which, in turn, is caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">climate change</a>.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-new-climate-regime">A new climate regime</h2>



Wildfires feed on dry air, lightning, and heat - all of which are becoming more common as the planet warms. In 2014, Mickley and then-postdoctoral researcher Xu Yue projected that California’s burn area would double by mid-century under one climate scenario. 



What used to be considered an “extreme fire year” in Southern California - about 25,000 acres burned - could become routine. That threshold has already been surpassed in 2025.



At public talks and alumni events, Mickley shares practical steps: wear N95 masks on smoky days, use HEPA filters indoors, and rethink how we manage fire. 



Rather than suppressing every blaze, she advocates for controlled burns to prevent massive, fuel-fed wildfires. However, Mickley stresses that individual actions and local policies can only do so much.



“Wildfire is natural. We're entering a new climate regime that is not - that is at least in large part, due to the greenhouse gases we're pumping into the atmosphere. And this is a recipe for disaster.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://phys.org/journals/environmental-science-technology/">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Wildfire smoke is an escalating public health emergency

In the summer of 2002, the smoke in the air...

Modern love stories are rarely built on feelings alone. They are shaped by logistics, timing, and increasingly, financial security.



With more people putting off relationships and marriage, researchers are digging into the reasons why. Career ambitions, shifting social norms, and lifestyle choices all contribute - but one factor stands out above the rest: income.



Psychologists Geoff MacDonald from the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Toronto</a> and Johanna Peetz from <a href="https://carleton.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carleton University</a> analyzed data from over 4,800 singles in the U.S. and Germany. They found consistent patterns across cultures. 



Higher income did not boost satisfaction with being single but did spark stronger interest in romantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/emojis-help-people-feel-closer-in-their-relationships/">partnership</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-boosts-relationship-desire">Income boosts relationship desire</h2>



Across both studies, income had no effect on how satisfied people felt while single. Many affluent singles still expressed discontent. This suggests financial comfort does not improve singlehood joy. Instead, it increases motivation to find a partner.



The researchers also tested whether gender played a role. While the German sample found a stronger effect of income on men’s relationship odds, the overall pattern showed few gender differences in romantic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mutual-relationships-with-nature-offer-hope-for-a-sustainable-future/">readiness</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-people-feel-emotionally-ready-to-date">People feel emotionally ready to date</h2>



According to Relationship Receptivity Theory, people consider both desire and readiness when entering relationships. Income influences both. 



Higher income individuals feel more prepared emotionally and practically. They can afford transportation, dates, and their own private space.



“I think people get that they are not going to be able to enjoy a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-might-say-i-love-you-first-to-show-they-care/">relationship</a> if they are working 80 hours a week, or if they're not sure where they're going to live next year,” noted MacDonald.



The study conducted in the U.S. included follow-up surveys six months later. Participants with higher income were more likely to start relationships during that time, even after accounting for age and gender.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-stability-encourages-dating">Financial stability encourages dating</h2>



Financial peace of mind helps people focus on higher-level needs like companionship. According to Maslow’s hierarchy and related theories, people tackle basic needs first. When those are met, social and romantic needs become more salient.



A higher income may also increase one’s sense of personal power. This could encourage more dating efforts and confidence in romantic interactions. 



For example, some studies suggest that income boosts assertiveness in pursuing potential partners.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-drives-relationship-desire">Income drives relationship desire</h2>



Participants who wanted a relationship - particularly those with higher incomes - were more likely to start one later on. 



Interestingly, being happy while single didn’t make someone less likely to begin dating. Income was more strongly linked to a person’s sense of readiness and intention than to how content they felt emotionally.



The German data showed that current income, not income changes, mattered most. This reinforces the idea that stability in the moment is key - not temporary financial bumps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-does-income-matter-more-for-men">Does income matter more for men? </h2>



Although most results showed gender parity, the German dataset revealed one twist. Income boosted relationship odds more strongly for men than women. Cultural expectations around men as financial providers may play a role.



Still, the broader takeaway is this: across cultures and genders, more money means greater motivation to partner.



“People may not want to take the step towards commitment until they have that economic foundation,” noted MacDonald.



This research links personal finances with bigger social issues. Rising singlehood rates, lower birth rates, and growing loneliness may all tie back to economic insecurity. Helping young adults reach financial stability could indirectly support relationship <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/partners-who-view-the-world-the-same-way-feel-more-secure/">formation</a>.



Policy tools like affordable housing, paid apprenticeships, and income support could make a difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-income-and-relationship-readiness">Income and relationship-readiness</h2>



The research invites us to reconsider the long-held belief that love operates solely within the emotional realm. 



While emotions like affection, attraction, and companionship remain central, the decision to pursue and maintain a romantic relationship often hinges on more practical foundations - particularly financial security.



The findings suggest that emotional desire alone may not be enough to motivate relationship pursuit. Instead, economic readiness acts as a gatekeeper, determining whether individuals feel prepared to commit their time, energy, and resources to someone else.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-search-for-love">The search for love </h2>



Wanting love might be nearly universal, a basic human impulse shared across cultures and societies. But the capacity to actively seek out and sustain that love often relies on whether someone feels financially stable. 



Without this foundation, people may choose to delay or avoid relationships altogether, not out of lack of interest, but out of rational concern for their ability to manage the responsibilities that come with partnership.



So, can money buy love? Not in a literal sense. But it can create the conditions in which love feels possible. It grants individuals the breathing room to prioritize connection and take steps toward emotional intimacy. 



In that way, while money may not purchase love itself, it certainly buys the readiness to search for it.



The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jomf.70000" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Marriage and Family</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

Why singles with higher incomes feel more ready for love

Modern love stories are rarely built on feelings alone. They...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



-----

What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.



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



-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

News coming your way