Flat,Lay,Composition,With,Tasty,Maple,Syrup,And,Dry,Leaves

Sweet treats come with strings attached. Added sugar pushes blood pressure higher, drives visceral fat, and nudges blood glucose past healthy limits. For most people, swapping table sugar for something less taxing could be a small shift with outsized benefits.



A new study suggests that the switch might already be sitting on the breakfast table. 



Researchers looked at what happens when adults trade two tablespoons of refined sugar for an equal amount of pure maple syrup, and the results point to improvements in several early warning signs of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strawberries-promote-cardiometabolic-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiometabolic</a> trouble.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sugar-has-invaded-our-lives">Sugar has invaded our lives</h2>



Americans swallow about 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day, roughly two to three times the <a href="https://www.heart.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Heart Association</a>’s recommended cap for men and women. 



Health guidelines urge keeping added sugars below ten percent of daily calories and, ideally, closer to six percent for better heart health.



Cutting back is easier when the replacement tastes familiar. Maple syrup fits the bill but offers more than sweetness. 



Scientists have cataloged more than 67 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-polyphenols-promote-heart-health-youthful-skin-and-a-healthy-waistline/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polyphenols</a> in the amber liquid alongside minerals, vitamins, and amino acids.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maple-syrup-vs-sugar-the-test">Maple syrup vs. sugar - the test</h2>



The latest work, led by Dr. André Marette at Laval University’s <a href="https://www.iucpq.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Quebec Heart and Lung Institute</a> and Dr. Marie-Claude Vohl at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (<a href="https://www.inaf.ulaval.ca/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">INAF</a>), enrolled 42 volunteers aged 18 to 75 with body mass index values between 23 and 40. 



Each person replaced five percent of daily calories - about two tablespoons - with either Canadian maple syrup or a flavored sucrose syrup for eight weeks. After a four-week washout, the groups switched syrups so every participant served as their own control.



“We know from decades of research that maple syrup is more than just sugar. It contains over 100 natural compounds, including polyphenols, that are known to prevent disease in part through their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-with-milk-has-powerful-anti-inflammatory-properties/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anti-inflammatory effects</a>,” remarked Dr. Marette. 



Because the fundamental chemistry of maple syrup is unique, they wondered if ingesting maple syrup instead of an equivalent amount of refined sugar would differently impact cardiometabolic health and the intestinal microbiota in humans. 



According to Dr. Marette, "The results were extremely encouraging. I did not expect to see so many improvements of risk factors within a relatively short treatment period.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-shifts-in-key-markers">Surprising shifts in key markers</h2>



After eight weeks on maple syrup, participants handled an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meal-time-has-a-major-influence-on-our-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oral glucose</a> tolerance test far better than when they consumed the sucrose syrup, showing a change of -50.59 versus +29.93. 



Systolic blood pressure edged down by -2.72 millimeters of mercury, while it crept up +0.87 millimeters on the sucrose phase. 



Android fat mass - deep abdominal fat linked to heart disease - dropped -7.83 grams on maple syrup but rose +67.61 grams with refined sugar.



“Both individually and collectively, the study findings are quite significant. The combined decrease of such key risk factors may help to reduce the risk of diabetes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-century-of-progress-in-the-fight-against-cardiovascular-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular disease</a>," Dr. Marette enthused. 



"Making a commitment to lifestyle changes and small adjustments to our everyday diets is important and can be a powerful tool in preventing future diseases.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-maple-syrup-is-different">Why maple syrup is different</h2>



Blood tests were only half the story. Stool samples showed fewer Klebsiella species and Bacteroides pectinophilus - microbes tied to inflammation - after maple syrup consumption. 



At the same time, Lactocaseibacillus casei and Clostridium beijerinckii flourished. These shifts hint that maple’s natural compounds may influence metabolism partly through the gut.



Pure maple syrup brings trace nutrients along for the ride. 



Two tablespoons supply about 35 percent of a day’s manganese, 15 percent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/low-carb-diets-have-more-nutritional-value-than-expected/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">riboflavin</a>, eight percent of copper, and small but measurable amounts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/amaranth-seeds-rich-in-calcium-and-iron-prevents-tumors-and-keeps-bones-strong/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">calcium</a>, thiamin, and potassium, all while carrying roughly twelve percent fewer calories than light corn syrup. 



Refined sugar, in contrast, arrives stripped of such extras.



“With each new study, we learn more about the benefits that natural products from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-plant-species-show-great-promise-in-fight-against-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">medicinal plants</a> and functional foods, like maple syrup, provide,” noted Dr. Navindra Seeram. 



“The promising results of this first human trial provide more reasons to educate consumers about maple syrup’s many health benefits. It is truly a ‘smarter sweetener’ and a healthier alternative to refined sugar.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-maple-syrup-data-is-needed">More maple syrup data is needed</h2>



The sample size was modest, and the trial lasted just eight weeks. Even so, the consistency across multiple risk factors stands out.



“While this study was limited to a relatively small sample size (42 men and women) and took place during a relatively short period, the results are still significant,” Dr. Marette remarked. 



“We now have human evidence to support replacing refined sugars with maple syrup, a natural sweetener, for preventing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/christensenella-minuta-gut-bacteria-linked-obesity-different-men-women/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metabolic diseases</a>."



The scientists' next goal is to conduct larger studies with other populations to explore how replacing refined sugars with maple syrup might impact their unique health conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-make-the-swap">How to make the swap</h2>



Swapping maple syrup for sugar in your diet is as simple as it sounds.



“Before the study, I would consume pure maple products regularly but not consistently," one study participant shared. 



"I have always enjoyed it. Today my routine is to replace refined sugars with two tablespoons of pure Canadian maple syrup daily."



Small swaps add up. Cutting just two tablespoons of refined sugar trims roughly 96 calories and more than 24 grams of straight sucrose.



By choosing pure maple syrup in place of refined sugar, you enact a modest dietary change backed by evidence of healthier glucose responses, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-foods-might-work-like-medicines-to-lower-blood-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower blood pressure</a>, diminished visceral fat, and a more favorable gut microbiome.



While larger studies will refine these insights, the present trial already encourages individuals, clinicians, and food producers to rethink sweetening habits and embrace this nutrient-rich natural syrup as a wiser everyday indulgence.



For anyone edging toward metabolic trouble, that simple switch may be one easy step toward better numbers at the next check-up.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://jn.nutrition.org/article/S0022-3166(24)00465-6/abstract" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Nutrition</a>.



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This sugar substitute has surprising health benefits, including weight management

Sweet treats come with strings attached. Added sugar pushes blood pressure higher, drives visceral fat, and nudges blood glucose past healthy limits. For most people, swapping table sugar for something less taxing could be a small shift with outsized benefits. A new study suggests that the switch might already be sitting on the breakfast table. Researchers looked at what happens when adults trade two tablespoons of refined sugar for an equal amount of pure maple syrup, and the results point to improvements in several early warning signs...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> has found that exercise increases the body’s endocannabinoids (the cannabis-like substances that our bodies produce), which helps reduce inflammation and can thus have potential therapeutic applications for conditions such as arthritis, cancer, or heart disease.&nbsp;



The research team tested 78 people with arthritis, among whom 38 performed 15 minutes of muscle strengthening exercises every day for six weeks, while 40 did nothing. At the end of the study, participants who exercised had more gut microbes that produced anti-inflammatory substances called “short-chain fatty acids” or SCFAs, lower levels of cytokines (inflammatory substances modulating immune responses), and higher levels of endocannabinoids.



“Exercise is known to elicit a feeling of euphoria, referred to as a “runner’s high”, which recent studies indicate is the result of activation of the endocannabinoid system. The role of this system in modulating inflammation,&nbsp;muscle strength,&nbsp;and energy metabolism&nbsp;is now widely documented in humans and in other mammals,” explained the study authors.&nbsp;



The scientists found that the increase in endocannabinoids was strongly linked to changes in the gut microbiome and the anti-inflammatory substances produced by gut microbes. At least one third of the anti-inflammatory effects of the gut microbiome was caused by this significant increase in endocannabinoids.



“Our study clearly shows that exercise increases the body’s own cannabis-type substances which can have a positive impact on many conditions,” explained study first author Amrita Vijay, a research fellow in the University of Nottingham’s <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/medicine/">School of Medicine.</a>



“In this study we show that circulating levels of endocannabinoids are consistently associated with higher levels of SCFAs, with higher microbiome diversity and with lower levels of the pro-inflammatory genus&nbsp;Collinsella. We also show statistically that the anti-inflammatory effects of SCFAs are up to one third mediated by the endocannabinoid system,” the authors wrote.



“As interest in cannabidiol oil and other supplements increases, it is important to know that simple lifestyle interventions like exercise can modulate endocannabinoids,” Dr. Vijay concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19490976.2021.1997559">Gut Microbes</a>.



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

Exercise increases the body’s own cannabis-like substances

A new study led by the University of Nottingham has...

A new study carried out by researchers from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> looked at how partners in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/natural-disasters-may-boost-relationship-satisfaction/">relationship</a> react to close proximity with each other. The scientists found that when older couples in particular are close to each other, a complex series of interactions occur to synchronize their heartbeats.&nbsp;



Study lead author Dr. Brian Ogolsky is an expert in the U of I Department of Human Development and Family Studies.



“Relationship researchers typically ask people how they're doing and assume they can recall properly and give meaningful answers," said Dr. Ogolsky.



"But as couples age and have been together for a long time, they laugh when we ask them how satisfied or how committed they are. When they have been married for 30 or 40 years, they feel that indicates commitment in itself,”



In an effort to collect more objective data on the nature of relationships, Dr. Ogolsky and colleagues used Fitbits to monitor heart rates as well as proximity monitors. Sensors were installed in the couples’ houses to monitor proximity and heart rate in real time.&nbsp;



“We were looking for more objective ways to measure relationship dynamics, and we know that being around other people has psychological benefits. So, physical proximity seemed like a strong candidate," explained Dr. Ogolsky.



"We’re not focusing on cause and effect, but on co-regulation, which happens when heart rates move in a synchronous pattern. That is, when the partners are close, their heart rate patterns indicate an interaction that is collectively meaningful in some way.”



The study was carried out with ten participating heterosexual couples aged 64 to 88 who had been together from 14 to 65 years. The researchers called the participants every morning to remind them to wear their Fitbits and tracking device and again at night for a survey on their well-being and relationship.&nbsp;



The scientists found that sometimes the wife’s heartbeat would lead the synchronization and sometimes the husbands would, in an intricate dance of relationship physiology dynamics. Interestingly, the dynamics in each couple changed on a regular basis, making predictions about a couple impossible beyond predictions for a particular day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/spr">Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</a>.



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

Older couples have synchronized heart rates

A new study carried out by researchers from the University...

Migraines are considered to be a major public health concern and affect an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. A migraine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/excessive-caffeine-trigger-headaches/">headache</a> is usually characterized by throbbing pain on one side of the head that lasts from 4–72 hours before abating. The pain is often accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound, and can be totally debilitating while it lasts.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The condition is classified as episodic (fewer than 15 days a month) or chronic (15 or more migraine days a month, plus migraine features on at least 8 days of the month). Treatment usually involves the use of drugs and the identification of foods or substances that trigger a migraine. The aim of successful treatment is to reduce the frequency and duration of migraines by at least half.



In a case report published today in the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">British Medical Journal</a>, authors relate the case of a sixty-year-old man who suffered severe and chronic migraine headaches for more than 12 years. He had tried all the commonly accepted forms of treatment: he took prescribed medication (Zolmitriptan and Topiramate); cut out potential trigger foods, including chocolate, cheese, nuts, caffeine, and dried fruit; and practiced yoga and meditation in a bid to blunt the severity and frequency of his headaches. Nothing had worked.



Shortly before his referral to the clinic, the man’s migraines had reached chronic status, occurring on 18–24 days of every month. He stated that the pain started suddenly and intensely in his forehead and temple on the left side, was throbbing in nature, and usually lasted 72 hours.&nbsp;He also experienced sensitivity to light and noise, nausea and vomiting during a migraine. On a scale of 0–10, he scored the pain severity as 10–12.&nbsp;



The authors of the case report advised the man to adopt the Low Inflammatory Foods Everyday (LIFE) diet, a nutrient dense, whole food, plant-based diet. This diet includes eating at least five ounces of raw or cooked dark green, leafy vegetables every day, drinking one 32-ounce daily green LIFE smoothie, and limiting intake of whole grains, starchy vegetables, oils, and animal protein, particularly dairy and red meat.



Previous studies have found that plant-based diets can reduce migraine pain and duration, as well as the need for pain relief medication. Although the exact causes and pathophysiology of migraines is not understood, it has been well established that inflammation and oxidative stress are contributing factors.&nbsp;



Dark green, leafy vegetables are rich in carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, which are phytonutrients proven to reduce systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. By adopting the LIFE diet, the man would be increasing his intake of these particular nutrients.



After two months on the LIFE diet, the man reported that the frequency of his migraine attacks had fallen to just one day a month; the length and severity of the attacks had also decreased. He was able to stop taking all his migraine medications.&nbsp;



After three months his migraines stopped completely, and they haven't returned in seven and a half years.



Blood tests taken before the start of the LIFE diet showed that the man had normal levels of beta-carotene (53 µg/dl) but that after five months on the diet, the levels of this nutrient had risen to 175µg/dl due to the presence in his diet of leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale. Apart from this dramatic increase in beta-carotene, his other blood chemistry remained stable.



The authors also report that the man’s allergy symptoms improved to the extent that he no longer needed to use seasonal medication.&nbsp;



The man was HIV positive, and HIV has been linked to a heightened risk of migraines, so the authors say it is possible that the man’s condition and antiretroviral drugs had contributed to his symptoms. It was clearly not possible for the man to stop taking the antiretroviral medications and so the authors of the study could not quantify the role of these factors in the man’s migraines. The authors acknowledge this as a limitation of the current study.&nbsp;



"This report suggests that a whole food plant-based diet may offer a safe, effective and permanent treatment for reversing chronic migraine," explained the researchers. “While this report describes one very adherent patient who had a remarkable response, the LIFE diet has reduced migraine frequency within 3 months in several additional patients (personal observation).”



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

Leafy greens may help relieve chronic migraine

Migraines are considered to be a major public health concern...

Dietary interventions such as intermittent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/intermittent-fasting-improves-health/">fasting</a> and caloric restriction are believed to delay age-related disease and boost longevity. Despite their popularity, it is not yet clear just how anti-aging diets may produce such remarkable health effects.&nbsp;



In a new study from <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">AAAS</a>, a team of experts led by Mitchell Lee set out to investigate anti-aging dietary interventions.&nbsp;Beyond separating fact from fiction, the researchers wanted to determine whether the interventions share the same life-extending mechanism.&nbsp;



In model organisms like mice, flies and yeast, dietary interventions appear to delay or reverse the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-identified-anti-aging-drugs-using-ai-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">molecular mechanisms of aging</a>. According to the study authors, it is not currently possible to know whether similar diets affect biological aging in people.



"We evaluated several of the most popular antiaging diets, including caloric restriction, intermittent fasting, fasting-mimicking diets, ketogenic diets, time-restricted feeding, protein restriction, and essential amino acid restriction," wrote the researchers.



"By characterizing these nutritional interventions in comparison with classical caloric restriction (CR), we gained numerous insights. Many studies fail to control for reduced caloric intake in the diet group, making their effects impossible to decouple from CR."



"Although often presented as uniformly beneficial, the effects of CR on life span are highly dependent on genotype and, in some cases, cause reduced survival. Despite their limitations, these studies have greatly improved our understanding of the cellular response to low nutrient availability."



"A picture is beginning to emerge of a complex network composed of multiple signaling pathways that converge on key molecular hubs; foremost among these is the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)."



The experts explained that because mTOR and its components are well-studied drug targets, there continues to be considerable interest in pharmacologically targeting this network to increase longevity and health span.&nbsp;



"Human studies, both correlative and controlled, are consistent with health benefits conferred by a CR diet. However, it remains unresolved whether these benefits are a consequence of modulating the aging process itself or are simply the result of avoiding obesity," explained the researchers.



In conclusion, the researchers said that future studies should focus on a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mediators of anti-aging diets.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</a>.



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

Do anti-aging diets actually work?

Dietary interventions such as intermittent fasting and caloric restriction are...

We are all familiar with the experience of needing to sleep. This need becomes more pressing, the longer we stay awake. Humans need to sleep for around one-third of their lives, and yet we do not know why. What happens to our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dads-who-spend-more-time-with-their-kids-have-different-brain-structures/">brains</a> while we are awake that causes us to become tired? What happens while we sleep that ultimately refreshes us and enables us to wake up and start a new day?



We are not alone in this either. Sleep is a universal phenomenon found in all organisms with a nervous system, including all vertebrates, and invertebrates such as flies, worms and jellyfish. Animals sleep even though they cannot forage or remain vigilant while resting, and even though they risk being discovered by predators. Throughout evolution, sleep has remained essential to these organisms but we do not know how it benefits the brain.&nbsp;



A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.biu.ac.il/en">Bar-Ilan University</a> in Israel has helped to shed some light on this mystery. The research&nbsp;elucidates a molecular mechanism involved in the sleep patterns of zebrafish. The study was led by Professor Lior Appelbaum, of Bar-Ilan's Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, along with postdoctoral researcher Dr. David Zada.



In the light of research findings from other studies, the Bar-Ilan scientists hypothesized that DNA damage accumulates in neurons (nerve cells) during waking hours. This damage is caused by various factors, including UV light, normal neuronal activity, radiation, oxidative stress and enzymatic errors. Molecular repair systems within each cell correct the damage continuously, but cannot keep up with the damage that accumulates during times of wakefulness. This leads to a homeostatic pressure (tiredness) that builds up in the body.&nbsp;



The researchers tested their hypothesis in a series of experiments on zebrafish. These small, freshwater fish have been bred to be transparent, enabling the penetration of radiation. They have simple brains and sleep at night. The scientists used irradiation, pharmacology and optogenetics, to induce DNA damage in zebrafish and observed how this affected their sleep.&nbsp;



They found that, as DNA damage was increased, the need for rest also increased. The experiment suggested that at some point the accumulation of DNA damage reached a maximum threshold, and increased sleep (homeostatic) pressure to such an extent that the urge to rest was triggered and the fish went to sleep. During the period of sleep, DNA repair took place, which resulted in reduced DNA damage. The fish then awoke.



By gradually reducing the time of darkness to which the fish were exposed each night and monitoring their sleep behavior, the researchers determined that zebrafish require a minimum of six hours of sleep per night in order to repair the DNA damage such that they could wake up. Surprisingly, after less than six hours of sleep, DNA damage was not adequately reduced, and the zebrafish continued to sleep, even though it was broad daylight.



In more detailed research, the scientists investigated the molecular mechanism whereby the brain tells the organism that it needs to sleep in order to allow repair of the damaged DNA. The protein PARP1, plays a role in the DNA damage repair system, and acts like an “antenna”, signaling to the brain that sleep is needed. PARP1 marks DNA damage sites in cells, and recruits all the relevant systems to repair DNA damage. These protein molecules accumulate at DNA break sites during times of wakefulness and they decrease gradually during times of sleep.&nbsp;



Through genetic and pharmacological manipulation, the overexpression of PARP1 revealed not only that increasing PARP1 promoted sleep, but also that it increased sleep-dependent repair. Conversely, knockdown or inhibition of PARP1 blocked the signal for DNA damage repair. As a result, the fish weren't fully aware that they were tired, didn't go to sleep, and no DNA damage repair took place.



To test the validity of the findings, the functioning of PARP1 was also tested in mice, in collaboration with Professor Yuval Nir from Tel Aviv University. Just as with zebrafish, the inhibition of PARP1 activity reduced the duration and quality of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. "PARP1 pathways are capable of signaling the brain that it needs to sleep in order for DNA repair to occur," says Prof. Appelbaum.



In a previous study, Professor Appelbaum and team determined that sleep increases chromosome dynamics, the movements and attachments of chromosomes that allow DNA repair to take place effectively. Adding the new understanding about the role of PARP1 to the puzzle, the researchers could state that PARP1 increases sleep and chromosome dynamics, which facilitates efficient repair of DNA damage that has been accumulated during waking hours. If the DNA maintenance process in neurons is not efficient enough during waking hours, then an “offline” sleep period with reduced input to the brain allows all residual damage to be repaired.



This new understanding of the "chain of events" that takes place in terms of the repair of DNA during sleep, may explain the link between sleep disturbances, aging and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.&nbsp;Professor Appelbaum believes that future research will help to apply this mechanism to other animals, ranging from lower invertebrates to, eventually, humans.



The study is published today in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/molecular-cell/home">Molecular Cell</a>,



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

Study provides new insight into why we need sleep

We are all familiar with the experience of needing to...

Digital media have become a part of our lives more and more over the past few decades and we are all aware that using screen-based <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-technology-is-urgently-needed-to-save-the-climate/">technologies</a> can consume a large proportion of time in the day. Concerns have arisen about the potential effects of digital media use on cognitive and behavioral aspects of functioning, particularly in children and adolescents.&nbsp;



These concerns have led to calls for empirical data on digital media use in children and its effects on such traits as impulsivity, attention control, sleep patterns, motivation, mental health and academic achievement. Emerging literature on these topics paints a complex picture, however, with results that are often opposing.&nbsp;



Childrens’ use of media is usually measured in terms of total screen time, as though all forms of media are the same. They are not, and this approach may need to be refined in order to identify more specific effects.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Research increasingly suggests that the impact of digital media use on cognition, academic performance and health depends on the type of media (e.g., video games, social networks, surfing the net), its content (e.g., fantasy, documentary), the context (e.g., alone, in groups) and the traits of the person consuming media (e.g., age and gender).&nbsp;



With this in mind, researchers from the University of Luxemburg and the University of Geneva in Switzerland, set out to investigate three different types of media use by children – total time on media, media multitasking (using more than one digital platform at the same time) and video game play – and the ways in which the consumption of these forms of media impact the children’s normal lives.&nbsp;



They collected data about children’s media uses as well as (i) attentional and behavioral control abilities, (ii) psychological distress, psychosocial functioning, and sleep, and (iii) academic achievement and motivation. While attentional control abilities were assessed using both cognitive tests and questionnaires, mental health and sleep patterns were all assessed simply using questionnaires. Academic performance was based on self-reported grades, with motivational variables being measured through the grit and the growth-mindset questionnaires.



The participants were pupils from a public primary school in the suburbs of Geneva, and were aged between eight and twelve years. In total, 118 children (57 girls, 61 boys) took part in the study. The questionnaires and cognitive tests were completed in three separate sessions, in a classroom setting at the school.&nbsp;



The results showed that the time spent using digital media increases with age. Children aged eight consumed an average of 4 hours and 28 mins per day, while 12-year-olds spent an average of 8 hours and 14 minutes per day using digital media.&nbsp;



For each year that a child ages, media usage increases by almost a full hour per day. The total time spent using media was not different between boys and girls, although boys spent more time than girls specifically playing video games.&nbsp;



The amount of time spent media multitasking (using more than one digital platform simultaneously, such as listening to music while surfing the net) also increased with age, but the amount of time spent playing video games did not. In addition, as children get older their response speed increases, their impulsivity decreases (i.e., tendency to make false alarms), and their inattention decreases.&nbsp;



Since all these variables of interest are correlated with age, the authors used partial correlations to evaluate the specific relationship between two variables while controlling for age and different types of media use.&nbsp;



They found that higher levels of media multitasking are linked to higher levels of distress, lower socioemotional functioning, more behavioral and attentional problems (as rated by teachers and parents), and reduced quality of sleep. No significant partial correlation was observed between media multitasking and mind-wandering, mindset, grades, or any of the cognitive performance measures.&nbsp;



By contrast, more time spent on video gaming overall (considering all genres of games together) was associated with faster response speed and significantly lower levels of distress. No significant partial correlations were found involving video gaming and socioemotional functioning, attention and behavioral issues, sleep, mind-wandering, mindset, grades, impulsivity or inattention in cognitive tests. This indicates that playing video games might have a positive impact on specific measures of cognitive control and mental health.



The researchers conclude that while their study does not resolve the many inconsistencies in the field of media use and its impact on cognitive functioning, mental health, and school related variables, it does highlight the importance of not simply lumping together all digital media use under the banner of total usage time.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Media multitasking and video game playing have different effects and should be investigated in more detail. The type of media being used (such as social media, internet browsing or TV/video watching), as well as the specific types of games that are played (e.g., action versus nonaction) may all be important factors in determining the potential of digital media to impact everyday life functioning negatively, in particular during childhood.



The results of the study are published today in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS One</a>.



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

Digital media use affects children in different ways

Digital media have become a part of our lives more...

According to a new study published in the journal PloS Medicine, drinking coffee or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-tea-and-coffee-lower-the-risk-of-fatal-cardiovascular-events/">tea</a> may reduce the risk of stroke and <a href="http://archive">dementia</a>. Drinking coffee was also associated with a lower risk of developing poststroke dementia.



Stroke and dementia are widespread health hazards, bringing a heavy economic and social burden worldwide. Stroke is causing over 10 percent of global annual deaths, and it sometimes triggers dementia in its survivors.&nbsp;



“Previous studies have revealed the involvement of coffee and tea in the development of stroke and dementia. However, little is known about the association between the combination of coffee and tea and the risk of stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the associations of coffee and tea separately and in combination with the risk of developing stroke and dementia,” wrote the study authors.



By studying 365,682 participants from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> (with ages ranging from 50 to 74), who were recruited between 2006 and 2010 and followed until 2020, scientists from <a href="http://www.tmu.edu.cn/_t101/98/list.htm">Tianjin Medical University</a> in China have found that drinking coffee and tea could have highly beneficial health effects.&nbsp;



Participants who drank 2-3 cups of coffee or 3-5 cups of tea per day, or a combination of 4-6 cups of coffee and tea had the lowest incidence of dementia or stroke. Those who drank 2-3 cups of coffee and 2-3 cups of tea each day had a 32 percent lower risk of stroke and a 28 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who didn’t consume such beverages. Moreover, drinking coffee alone or in combination with tea appeared to significantly reduce the risk of poststroke dementia.



However, since the UK Biobank reflects a relatively healthy sample compared to the general population, there might be problems in generalizing these findings. Also, since quite few people developed stroke (10,053) or dementia (5,079) in the studied cohort, it may be difficult to extrapolate accurate rates to larger populations. 



Finally, while it could be inferred that coffee and tea protect against stroke, dementia, and poststroke dementia, a clear causal connection has not been found yet. Further research is needed to comprehensively assess these beverages’ effects of physical and mental health.&nbsp;



---



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

Coffee and tea may reduce the risk of stroke and dementia

According to a new study published in the journal PloS...

Exercise is important for keeping our bodies <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lack-of-sleep-leads-to-unhealthy-snacking/">healthy</a>. It is also well documented that outdoor exercise helps the mind feel less anxious, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic presented researchers with an opportunity to examine the correlation between exercise and mental health.



Experts from the Division of Behavioral Research within the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research &amp; Evaluation have investigated the mental health of Americans throughout the initial lockdown period of COVID-19.&nbsp;



A large portion of the study participants were women over the age of 50, resulting in most of the overall respondents explaining that they were retired and adhered to the stay-at-home orders.



The results were based on the surveying of 20,000 participants across 6 U.S. regions, including Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, the mid-Atlantic states, and California. The original survey took place in April of 2020 and consisted of over 250,000 participants, but people who reported symptoms of COVID-19 were not included in the final analysis.



Unsurprisingly, the results showed that those who exercised regularly during the lockdown period showed significantly reduced levels of depression and anxiety than those who did not exercise. Furthermore, people who took their exercise outdoors showed further improvements in mental health over those who stayed indoors.



The report also demonstrated that anxiety and depression decreased over time (due to people gradually relaxing how they adhered to stay-at-home orders). In addition, anxiety and depression scores were higher for young people and females, whilst they were generally lower in Asian and Black demographics relative to white people.



“What these study findings tell us is that even during an active pandemic or other public health crisis, people should be encouraged to be physically active to help maintain their physical and mental health,” explained study lead author Deborah Rohm Young. “Parks and other natural areas should remain open during public health emergencies to encourage outdoor physical activity.”



However, the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic did not pan out this way. In order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, public health officials gave stay-at-home orders, discouraging people from socializing and taking part in outdoor activities, in addition to forcing businesses to temporarily close. When combined with the economic obstacles of job loss, these factors ultimately contributed to an increase in overall levels of depression and anxiety.



“What we learned from these findings is that during future emergencies it will be important to carefully weigh the decisions to close parks and outdoor areas against the negative impact those closures may have on people’s mental health,” said Dr. Young.



The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-medicine">Preventive Medicine</a>.



---



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

Outdoor exercise improves mental health

Exercise is important for keeping our bodies healthy. It is...

According to a new study led by the <a href="https://www.essex.ac.uk/">University of Essex</a> in cooperation with the <a href="https://www.ucalgary.ca/">University of Calgary</a> and the <a href="https://www.leibniz-gemeinschaft.de/en/institutes/leibniz-institutes-all-lists/leibniz-institute-for-resilience-research">Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research</a>, dads who are willing to have an active involvement in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-improved-mental-health-of-children-during-lockdown/">childcare</a> have a larger hypothalamus (an almond-sized region of the brain that is crucial for emotional attachment) than more distant fathers.



“Most studies on mammalian caregiving and attachment have focused on the mother-child relationship, particularly in humans. Yet, changing societal roles of male caregivers have highlighted the necessity for research with fathers,” wrote the study authors.



“In many societies, dads’ involvement in parenting has dramatically increased,” said study co-author Pascal Vrtička, an assistant professor of Psychology at the University of Essex. “Men wish to spend more time and more closely bond with their children. They want to become more involved and confident fathers. We have now shown that these caregiving beliefs can be traced deep within dads’ brains.”



By scanning the brains of 50 fathers, who previously filled a questionnaire aiming to assess their caregiving beliefs and how much they enjoyed spending time with their children, the scientists found that the fathers with larger hypothalamus considered their role as caregivers to be highly important for their children’s development. However, no correlation was found between hypothalamus size and self-reported enjoyment of spending time with children.



In a previous <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cdev.13510">study</a>, the research team also found that the brains of fathers and children who solve puzzles together are synchronized. &nbsp;



“Dads - like mums - are biologically wired to be parents.&nbsp;Our data revealed that this can be seen in dads' brain anatomy as well as brain-to-brain synchrony with their kids, and especially so for more confident and involved fathers,” explained Professor Vrtička.



“It therefore seems very relevant and justified to promote the importance of dads' involvement in childcare in a broader societal context and to support them as much as possible,” he concluded.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17470919.2021.1997799">Social Neuroscience</a>.



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

Dads who spend more time with their kids have different brain structures

According to a new study led by the University of...

Lazy,Young,Man,Playing,Video,Game,While,Lying,On,Sofa

The start of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-tons-of-covid-related-plastic-could-end-up-in-the-ocean/">COVID-19</a> pandemic brought drastic changes to our lifestyle. People had to stay at home, isolate and restrict social contact. Exercise sessions consisted of walking between the study and the bathroom, gym time was erased, and sitting and screen time increased dramatically.



Overall, our lives became more sedentary and we found ourselves sitting rather than being physically active. After initial lockdowns passed, however, those who continued to spend more time sitting during the months between April and June 2020 were more likely to suffer symptoms of depression. This is the finding of a study, recently published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry">Frontiers in Psychiatry</a>.



“Sitting is a sneaky behavior,” said study lead author Jacob Meyer, assistant professor of Kinesiology at Iowa State University. “It’s something we do all the time without thinking about it.”



As the director of the Wellbeing and Exercise Laboratory at ISU, Professor Meyer and his team look at how physical activity and sedentary behaviors are related to mental health, and how changes to those influence the way people think, feel and perceive the world.



“In March 2020, we knew COVID was going to affect our behavior and what we could do in lots of weird, funky ways that we couldn't predict,” said Professor Meyer.



Meyer and a team of researchers recruited more than 3,000 participants from all 50 states and the District of Colombia, to take part in a survey of activity levels and mental health. The participants self-reported how much time they spent doing activities, like sitting, looking at screens and exercising, and how those behaviors compared to pre-pandemic times. Using standard clinical scales, they also indicated changes to their mental wellbeing (e.g., levels of depression, anxiety, feeling stressed and feeling lonely).



“We know when people's physical activity and screen time changes, that's related to their mental health in general, but we haven't really seen large population data like this in response to an abrupt change before,” said Professor Meyer.



Previous analysis of the data set showed that participants who were meeting the&nbsp;<a href="https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf">U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines</a>&nbsp;(i.e., 2.5-5 hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week) before the pandemic, decreased their physical activity by 32%, on average, shortly after COVID-19-related restrictions first went into effect. The same participants reported feeling more depressed, anxious and lonely.&nbsp;



The current study aimed to find out whether the participants’ behaviors and mental health changed after the initial lockdowns ended and they were allowed to return to more active lifestyles. Participants filled out the same survey each week between April and June, 2020.



“In the second study, we found that, on average, people saw their mental health improve over the eight-week period,” said Professor Meyer. “People adjusted to life in the pandemic. But for people whose sitting times stayed high, their depressive symptoms, on average, didn't recover in the same way as everyone else’s.”



People who still spent a large portion of their day sitting experienced less improvement in their mental health. Meyer emphasized that this was a correlational study and that finding an “association” between sitting and mental health does not necessarily imply causality.&nbsp;



“It’s certainly worthy of more investigation,” said Professor Meyer, adding that monthly survey data from June 2020 to June 2021 are intended to become publicly available soon. “I think being aware of some of the subtle changes we’ve made during the pandemic and how they might be beneficial or detrimental is really important as we look to the other side of pandemic life.”



Professor Meyer hopes that the results of the study will help people recognize that even a little bit of physical exercise or movement can improve mood and mental health. He encourages people to take breaks and walk around when sitting for a long time, or to take walks around the block to replace the pre-pandemic commute to work.&nbsp;



“If you’re no longer walking down the hall for in-person meetings, you can still incorporate that break from sitting by taking a short walk before and after your Zoom call,” said Professor Meyer. He stressed that even a short period of activity can benefit people physically and mentally, and help add structure to the day.



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

Extended sitting time increases risk of depression, anxiety

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic brought drastic changes to...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-of-the-total-environment">Science of the Total Environment</a> found that people in the UK are consuming more plant-based replacement foods such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-meat-paradox-people-care-about-animals-but-still-eat-meat/">vegan</a> milk and vegetarian sausages.



The researchers analyzed data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, with an emphasis on more than 15,000 individuals aged 1.5 years and over. The results showed that the number of people eating plant-based alternative foods nearly doubled from 2008 to 2019, jumping from 6.7 to 13.1 percent.



The research indicates that the largest increases were from young people in generation Y (11-23yro) and Millennials (24-39yro). Women were also 46 percent more likely to consume plant-based replacement foods.&nbsp;



“A global transformation towards sustainable food systems is crucial for delivering on climate change mitigation targets worldwide," said study co-author Dr. Pauline Scheelbeek of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).



"In high- and middle-income settings, plant-based meat and dairy alternatives are increasingly being explored and developed as a strategy to reduce consumption of animal-sourced foods. However, the extent to which these foods play a role in dietary change remains largely understudied. This study helps fill that gap.”



As of now, food consumption worldwide is largely unsustainable. Food production accounts for about 21 to 37 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas production and 70 percent of freshwater consumption. To meet critical climate goals, dietary change is necessary.&nbsp;



The research suggests that for diets high in meat consumption, substituting plant-based alternatives can be beneficial to the environment. The UK Climate Change Commission (UKCCC) recommends a decrease in meat and dairy products of 20 percent by the year 2030 and a 35.perceny reduction by 2050.&nbsp;



“The willingness to reduce meat intake among populations in many European countries has increased rapidly over the past decade. Unfortunately, this does not always result into actual dietary change," said Dr. Scheelbeek.



"The plant-based alternative foods could be a stepping stone for people that are willing to reduce meat consumption, but find it hard to fit this into their daily lives. This study shows that more and more people are applying this pathway to achieve their goals on more plant-based diets.”&nbsp;



Many reasons still exist why some people resist cutting down on meat consumption. Pleasure in eating meat, belief in the importance of meat in the diet and social facilitation are all factors. Thankfully, these seem to be surmountable barriers for those trying to eat more sustainably.&nbsp;



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

Plant-based food consumption doubled in the last decade

A new study published in the journal Science of the...

Healthy,Food,Clean,Eating,Selection:,Fruit,,Vegetable,,Seeds,,Superfood,,Cereals,

As people age, inflammatory processes within their organisms increase, damaging their cells. According to new research led by the <a href="https://www.aan.com/">American Academy of Neurology</a>, people who had an anti-inflammatory <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nutrient-profiling-system-ranks-healthy-foods/">diet</a>, including more fruits, vegetables, beans, tea, and coffee, had a lower risk of developing dementia later in life.&nbsp;



“There may be some potent nutritional tools in your home to help fight the inflammation that could contribute to brain aging,” said study lead author Nikolaos Scarmeas, an associate professor of Neurology at the <a href="https://en.uoa.gr/">National and Kapodistrian University of Athens</a> in Greece, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.&nbsp;



“Diet is a lifestyle factor you can modify, and it might play a role in combating inflammation, one of the biological pathways contributing to risk for dementia and cognitive impairment later in life.”



The researchers investigated 1,059 people in Greece with an average age of 73, who did not have dementia at the beginning of the study. The participants had to answer a food frequency questionnaire that sought information about the main food groups that respondents consumed in the previous month. Each participant’s diet was given a dietary inflammatory score ranging from -8.87 (indicating a less inflammatory diet) to 7.98 (more inflammatory).



The scientists divided the participants into three groups: people with low inflammatory scores (-1.76 and lower), medium scores (up to 0.21), and high scores (over 0.21). Those in the first category consumed a weekly average of 20 servings of fruit, 19 of vegetables, four of beans or other legumes, and 11 of tea or coffee. Those in the last group had nine servings of fruit, 10 of vegetables, two of legumes, and nine of coffee or tea per week.



Researchers followed up the participants for three years. During this period, 62 (6 percent) developed dementia, having an average score inflammatory score of -0.06. By contrast, those who remained healthy had a lower average score (-0.70). These findings show that each one-point increase in inflammatory score was correlated with a 21 percent increase in the risk of developing dementia.



“Our results are getting us closer to characterizing and measuring the inflammatory potential of people’s diets. That in turn could help inform more tailored and precise dietary recommendations and other strategies to maintain cognitive health,” concluded Professor Scarmeas.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2021/11/10/WNL.0000000000012973">Neurology</a>.



---



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

Anti-inflammatory foods lower the risk of dementia

As people age, inflammatory processes within their organisms increase, damaging...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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