The teenage years are a time of immense social and biological change. Navigating the complexities of friendship, academic pressure, and surging hormones can take its toll – especially on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-derivation-linked-to-unhealthy-diets-among-teens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>. A recent study sheds light on an often-overlooked factor impacting teen sleep: popularity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-teen-popularity-and-sleep">Teen popularity and sleep</h2>



Researchers studying over 1,300 Swedish teens uncovered a significant link between popularity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/while-in-deep-sleep-humans-can-subconsciously-respond-to-verbal-communication/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep patterns</a>. Teens identified as "popular" (those receiving the most friendship nominations from classmates) consistently slept less than their less socially prominent peers. 



This difference translated to approximately 27 minutes of lost sleep each night – a substantial amount for developing adolescents.



Of particular concern was the finding that popular girls were disproportionately affected. Compared to popular boys, they were much more likely to report symptoms of insomnia. 



These symptoms included difficulties initiating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-depression-teens/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>, maintaining sleep throughout the night, and experiencing early morning awakenings. 



This suggests that there may be unique social pressures or dynamics that contribute to sleep disturbances in teenage girls with high social standing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-popular-teens-sleep-less">Why popular teens sleep less</h2>



"Teenagers are arguably the most sleep-deprived population throughout the lifespan,” noted Dr. Serena Bauducco, the study's lead author. “Previous studies show that 30 minutes of extra sleep can lead to improved mental health and better school performance.”



Popular teens often experience reduced sleep due to a complex mix of social, psychological, and physiological factors. Potential factors may include:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Social commitments and activities</h3>



Being popular generally involves a higher level of social engagement. Popular teens tend to have wider social circles and may be more involved in extracurricular activities, parties, and gatherings that can extend late into the night. 



Managing these social commitments often leads to irregular and delayed bedtimes, throwing off <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/light-color-has-no-impact-on-our-internal-clocks-or-sleep-patterns/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">internal clocks</a> and reducing the overall amount of sleep. 



The desire to stay connected and responsive in social networks can also mean that these teens spend more time on their phones or online, especially during evening hours when they should be winding down.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Increased stress and anxiety</h3>



The pressure to maintain a certain social image or status can be stressful. Popular teens may feel a constant need to meet or exceed the expectations of their peers, which can lead to anxiety and stress. These emotional states are closely linked to insomnia and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-reset-sleep-restores-the-balance-between-order-and-chaos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep disturbances</a>. 



The worry about social dynamics, such as who is dating whom, who got invited to which event, and maintaining one's status in the peer group, can keep the mind active at night, making it hard to fall asleep.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Heightened alertness in the evening</h3>



Biologically, teenagers have a shifted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-circadian-disturbances-trigger-mental-health-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">circadian rhythm</a> that naturally makes them more alert in the evenings. This shift is characterized by a later onset of melatonin production, the hormone that promotes sleep. 



For popular teens, this natural alertness may be exacerbated by the excitement and stimulation from social interactions and digital engagement. The brain remains active for longer, delaying the onset of sleep and shortening the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/getting-high-quality-sleep-helps-prevent-depression-and-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep window</a>.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Emotional investment in relationships</h3>



Popular teens often invest a lot of emotional energy in maintaining their relationships. This can include supporting friends, managing conflicts, and engaging in more intense emotional interactions. 



Studies suggest that such emotional investments can lead to rumination and worry at night, further <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-is-determined-by-daily-activities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">impacting sleep</a>. 



For popular girls, this effect can be even more pronounced, as they generally engage in more emotionally intensive relationships than boys, which could explain why popular girls report more insomnia symptoms.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Cultural and peer influences</h3>



The cultural context and peer influences also play a significant role. In many social groups, staying up late might be seen as the norm, especially among popular teens who set trends. 



There may also be an implicit expectation to be available and responsive at all hours, which encourages late-night phone use and texting, disrupting the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/good-sleep-helps-us-remember-facts-and-complex-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural sleep cycle</a>.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Misconceptions about sleep needs in teens</h3>



Finally, there’s often a misconception among teens about how much sleep is actually needed. Popular teens, in particular, might underestimate the impact of sleep loss, prioritizing social interactions over sleep without fully understanding the long-term consequences on health, mood, and academic performance.



Interestingly, the study discovered this connection between popularity and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teens-sleep-social-media/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep deprivation</a> existed both before and after smartphones became ubiquitous. This indicates that social anxieties and expectations, not just screen time, could be driving the trend.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wider-impact-of-sleep-deprivation-in-popular-teens">Wider impact of sleep deprivation in popular teens</h2>



Chronic sleep deprivation in adolescents goes far beyond mere grogginess and fatigue. It lays the groundwork for several profound implications that can affect every aspect of their development and well-being.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mental health consequences</h3>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/physical-activity-teens-sleep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sleep</a> is crucial for emotional regulation and mental health. Adolescents who consistently lack adequate sleep are at a heightened risk of developing serious mental health issues. 



Sleep loss is directly linked to an increased risk of depression and anxiety, both of which are already prevalent concerns during teenage years. 



Moreover, the hormonal imbalances caused by inadequate sleep can lead to erratic mood swings and irritability. These emotional and psychological strains not only affect a teen's sense of well-being but also their ability to interact socially and maintain healthy relationships.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Academic performance impairment</h3>



Sleep plays a critical role in cognitive processes. When teens do not get enough sleep, their ability to concentrate, retain information, and engage in complex problem-solving is significantly compromised. 



During sleep, especially during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strange-dreams-help-us-organize-our-experiences/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deep REM stages</a>, the brain processes and consolidates information from the day. 



Lack of sleep interrupts these processes, leading to poor memory recall and decreased focus. As a result, sleep-deprived teens often display diminished academic performance, which can impact their educational trajectory and future opportunities.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Physical health risks</h3>



The effects of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-problems-linked-to-higher-risk-of-stroke/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep deprivation</a> extend into the physical realm, posing serious health risks. Chronic lack of sleep during the crucial years of physical development can lead to long-term health problems. For instance, sleep is integral to regulating metabolism, appetite, and energy use. 



Sleep-deprived teens are at a higher risk of obesity due to hormonal imbalances that increase hunger and may lead to unhealthy eating patterns. 



Furthermore, ongoing sleep deprivation has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems in later life. The body needs sufficient sleep to maintain heart health, manage glucose levels, and repair itself, making consistent sleep critical for long-term physical health.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-significance">Study significance</h2>



“Here we show that popular teenagers reported shorter sleep duration. In particular, popular girls – but not boys – reported more insomnia symptoms,” said Dr Serena Bauducco, a sleep researcher at <a href="https://www.oru.se/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Örebro University</a> and first author of the&nbsp;study.&nbsp;



This study invites a crucial conversation about teen priorities. Does the pursuit of popularity warrant sacrificing essential sleep? It underscores the importance of:



<ul>
<li>Healthy sleep habits:&nbsp;Teens need consistent bedtimes, relaxing routines, and screen-free time before bed.</li>



<li>Managing social stress:&nbsp;Schools and parents can foster open discussions about social pressures and healthy boundary setting.</li>



<li>Reframing popularity:&nbsp;Emphasize that true friends support well-being, including getting enough sleep.</li>
</ul>



While this study offers valuable insights, scientists plan to investigate the nuanced relationship between social connectedness and sleep even deeper. This research could pave the way for targeted interventions to help teens maintain both a thriving social life and the restorative sleep they desperately need.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsle.2024.1346806/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Sleep</a>.



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Popular teens, especially girls, struggle with sleep

The teenage years are a time of immense social and biological change. Navigating the complexities of friendship, academic pressure, and surging hormones can take its toll – especially on sleep. A recent study sheds light on an often-overlooked factor impacting teen sleep: popularity. Teen popularity and sleep Researchers studying over 1,300 Swedish teens uncovered a significant link between popularity and sleep patterns. Teens identified as "popular" (those receiving the most friendship nominations from classmates) consistently slept less than their less socially prominent peers. This difference translated to...

Dating tree rings, also known as dendrochronology, has helped researchers understand past climates, precipitation, and other environmental factors that have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-tropical-belt-shifting/">impacted tree growth</a> through the years.

But now in a new study, researchers from the <a href="https://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History</a> have used tree ring data to study early human activity and forest management practices in pre-colonial Brazil 400 years ago. 

It’s long been thought that forests in the Amazon Basin were “pristine” and that humans only sparsely inhabited the area until Europeans arrived in the 16th century. 

But archeological evidence provides proof to the contrary showing that before the arrival of Europeans, pre-Columbian societies were involved in widespread plant domestication, forest management, and landscape alteration. 

Today, the Amazon is home to many key tree species, but these forests are threatened due to climate change and human activities.

By studying these early instances of forest management, we have a better chance of preserving and managing our forests in the future considering the drastic changes that the world’s forests have undergone with the rise of industrialization. 

For the study, published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0214128">PLOS ONE</a>, the researchers focused on a neotropical tree species, the Brazil nut tree, to show how human activities 400 years ago influenced tree growth and forest biodiversity. 

“The results of this study demonstrate that Brazil nut tree growth reflects human occupation intensity and management,” said Victor Caetano Andrade, the lead author of the study. “This is one more step to understanding the crucial interactions that led the Amazon forest to be the dynamic, humanized landscape it is today.” 

The team collected tree samples using a non-destructive method of removing small samples starting from the bark to the center of the tree in Central Amazonia near Manaus. 

The area surveyed has a rich density of Brazil nut trees, and the researchers analyzed tree ring data from the cores of 67 trees in total. 

After collecting the tree rings, the researchers compared the core data to historical data on human activity in the area dating back 400 years ago. 

What the tree ring data showed was that there was a distinct change in the forest region between pre- and post-colonization. After the Portuguese colonized the area, populations of the Mura indigenous people who had practiced forest management declined. 

This decline resulted in no new trees being planted in the area, and the researchers say this indicates a disruption in forest management.

[caption id="attachment_1870741" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/brazil-nut-fruit-and-tree-in-the-background.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1870741" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/brazil-nut-fruit-and-tree-in-the-background.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="823" /></a> Brazil nut fruit and tree in the background. Image Credit: Victor L. Caetano Andrade[/caption]

The tree ring data shows a later period of renewed tree growth and the establishment of new trees after this pause which matches modern forest management practices in the 19th and 20th century. 

Not only does the study show that pre-colonial indigenous populations domesticated Brazil nut trees and managed forests and agricultural, but also that tree rings are like time capsules that can help researchers create clear pictures of past climates, weather extremes, and human activities. 

“Our findings shed light on how past histories of human-forest interactions can be revealed by the growth rings of trees in Amazonia,” said Caetano Andrade. “Future interdisciplinary analysis of these trees, including the use of genetics and isotopes, should enable more detailed investigations into how human forest management has changed in this part of the world, through pre-colonial, colonial, and industrial periods of human activity, with potential implications for conservation.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tree rings reveal pre-colonial forest management in the Amazon

Dating tree rings, also known as dendrochronology, has helped researchers...

A study from the <a href="https://www.umh.es/contenido/Visitantes/:uor_37/datos_en.html">Institute of Neurosciences CSIC-UMH</a> is providing new evidence that the brain damage caused by alcohol consumption continues to progress during abstinence. Even after individuals had quit <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heavy-alcohol-consumption-slows-brain-development/">drinking alcohol</a> for six weeks, the researchers observed alcohol-induced changes in the white matter of the brain.

The structural brain changes associated with alcohol are known to be wide-ranging, but the diagnostic markers which characterize changes during abstinence are not fully understood. For the current study, the team used magnetic resonance imaging on patients at a German hospital.

Dr. Santiago Canals, who coordinated the research, said the results are surprising. “Until now, nobody could believe that in the absence of alcohol the damage in the brain would progress.”


The investigation was focused on 90 patients with an average age of 46, who were hospitalized for an alcohol use disorder. To compare the brain images, 36 healthy men with an average age of 41 were used as a control group.

“An important aspect of the work is that the group of patients participating in our research are hospitalized in a detoxification program, and their consumption of addictive substances is controlled, which guarantees that they are not drinking any alcohol,” noted Dr. Canals. “Therefore, the abstinence phase can be followed closely.”

“Another differential characteristic of this study is that it has been carried out in parallel in a model with Marchigian Sardinian rats with preference for alcohol, which allows to monitor the transition from normal to alcohol dependence in the brain, a process that is not possible to see in humans,” explained study first author Dr. Silvia de Santis.

The damage observed during the first weeks of abstinence was primarily located in the right hemisphere and the frontal area of the brain. The findings contradict the theory that the structural alterations associated with alcohol begin to immediately return to their previous state with abstinence.

“There is a generalized change in the white matter, that is, in the set of fibers that communicate different parts of the brain,” explained Dr. Canals. “The alterations are more intense in the corpus callosum and the fimbria. The corpus callosum is related to the communication between both hemispheres. The fimbria contains the nerve fibers that communicate the hippocampus, a fundamental structure for the formation of memories, the nucleus accumbens and the prefrontal cortex.” 

The researchers will now try to characterize the inflammatory and degenerative processes more precisely in an effort to better understand the progression of alcohol-induced damage during the early abstinence phase.


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry">JAMA Psychiatry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Alcohol-induced brain damage continues even after quitting drinking

A study from the Institute of Neurosciences CSIC-UMH is providing...

The remains of six humans recovered from a cave in France are providing new clues into the lives of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-upright-posture-modern-humans/">Neanderthals</a> who lived in the region 120,000 years ago. Human teeth marks found on the bones indicate that climate change forced the Neanderthals to resort to cannibalism. 

According to researchers at the <a href="https://www.cnrs.fr/en/aboutcnrs/overview.htm">French National Centre for Scientific Research</a> (CNRS), global warming would have made the large animals hunted by Neanderthals scarce. The planet was in the midst of a major transition from an ice age to a much warmer climate.

The remains, which were initially found 20 years ago in the Moula-Guercy cave in France, showed signs that instruments were used to break open the bones to expose marrow. The skulls had also been smashed open, most likely for access to the brains. 

The analysis of the teeth collected for the study revealed that the hominids were suffering from prolonged periods of malnutrition. The study authors said their findings provide the “best evidence” of cannibalism at this time.

[caption id="attachment_1870728" align="aligncenter" width="631"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/bones-reveal-signs-of-cannibalism.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1870728 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/bones-reveal-signs-of-cannibalism.jpg" alt="" width="631" height="697" /></a> Recovered bones reveal signs of cannibalism, Image Credit: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences[/caption]

“The work at the Moula-Guercy cave allows us for the first time to demonstrate the existence of the practice of cannibalism by European Neanderthals,” said Dr. Alban Defleur.

The researchers believe that the six humans, including two adults, two teenagers, and two children, were killed out of necessity to feed the starving population.

“Cut marks are spread over 50 percent of the human remains and distributed over the entire skeleton from the cranium, jaws, and bones in the hand,” wrote the researchers. “Percussion marks are visible on all the skulls, all the long bones and other bones of adults and children.”

The experts theorize that the bodies were first dismembered and then stripped of their meat. There is also evidence on four of the bones that they had been used by the Neanderthals as tools.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-archaeological-science">Journal of Archaeological Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Climate change may have forced Neanderthals to resort to cannibalism

The remains of six humans recovered from a cave in...

According to a new study released by the <a href="https://www.aaas.org/">American Association for the Advancement of Science</a>, children who live close to protected areas designated by the <a href="https://www.iucn.org/ru">International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)</a> often live in healthier and wealthier households. 

The study, completed by Robin Naidoo, from the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/robin-naidoo-ph-d">World Wildlife Fund’s Conservation Science Program</a>, and colleagues, suggests that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/national-parks-endangered-species/">conservation zones</a> could not only help wildlife but also global poverty and poor health.

Naidoo and his colleagues analyzed the environmental and socioeconomic conditions of over 87,000 children in 34 developing countries. 

They found that children who live within 10 kilometers of a protected zone with connected tourism attractions had 17% higher wealth levels and a 16% lower likelihood of poverty compared to children living in similar households but farther away from protected areas.

Furthermore, children aged 5 and under who lived near multiple-use protected areas — areas in which natural resources can be sustainably harvested — with associated tourism were often 10% taller than children living farther away from conservation zones, and were also 13% less likely to experience stunted growth.

The study could not find any negative aspects of children living near protected zones. Therefore, protecting more wildlife areas could benefit both humans, flora, and fauna.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Children who live near protected areas live in healthier homes

According to a new study released by the American Association...

Previous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-spaces-lower-mental-illness/">research has shown</a> how spending more time out in nature helps boost mental health and wellbeing. But now, a new study has found that areas with more trees and greenspace spend less money Medicare costs.

While the research does not prove a direct cause and effect between lower healthcare spending and greenspace, but the findings further emphasize the positive impact of living in areas with ample access to nature. 

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> and published in the journal Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. 

“Previous studies have looked at any health outcomes people think might be linked to nature: depression, cardiovascular disease, physical activity levels, even recovery from surgery,” said Douglas Becker, University of Illinois graduate student and leader of the research. “But there is also a lot of work – including experimental work, which we consider to be the strongest – showing a link between exposure to green space and beneficial health effects.” 

For the study, Becker and colleagues reviewed and analyzed environmental and health data from 3,806 counties in the continental U.S. 

To assess the volume and type of greenspace present in each county, data was collected from the <a href="https://www.mrlc.gov/">National Land Cover Database</a> which shows how much forest, open space, grassland, and urban developed space cover a 30-meter square plot in a county. 

The researchers then took these plots and matched them to Medicare spending data for that county. 

“We took the average of different types of land cover and the per capita Medicare spending in a county and compared these two while controlling for several socioeconomic and demographic factors like age, sex, race, median household income, health care access, and health behaviors,” said Becker. 

For each county, one percent of forest land cover was linked to $4.32 in Medicare savings per person, per year, and this held true even when accounting for different factors the researchers found. 

“If you multiply that by the number of Medicare fee-for-service users in a county and by the average forest cover and by the number of counties in the U.S., it amounts to about $6 billion in reduced Medicare spending every year nationally,” said Becker. 

Forest and shrub cover had the most positive impact, and the researchers did not identify any links between lower Medicare costs and other types of agricultural or open space land cover. 

Becker will continue to research this relationship and next plans to focus and individual and health and environmental data. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Areas with more trees and greenspace spend less money on Medicare costs

Previous research has shown how spending more time out in...

The benefits of having a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pets-can-tell-time/">pet</a> are usually not lost on those who own one – whether it’s a dog or cat, or even a less common pet that comes with scales or feathers. And according to a new national poll, pets of all shapes and sizes can also help older adults cope with mental and physical health issues.

The findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging – conducted by the<a href="https://ihpi.umich.edu/"> University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation</a> – showed that 55 percent of adults ages 50 to 80 have a pet, and roughly three-quarters of these pet owners claim that their animals help reduce their stress, as well as give them a sense of purpose. Additionally, two-thirds of pet owners said that their pet helps them stay physically active.

“We have long known that pets are a common and naturally occurring source of support,” says Cathleen Connell, Ph.D., a professor at the <a href="https://sph.umich.edu/">U-M School of Public Health</a>. “Although the benefits of pets are significant, social connections and activities with friends and family are also key to quality of life across the lifespan. Helping older adults find low cost ways to support pet ownership while not sacrificing other important relationships and priorities is an investment in overall mental and physical health.” 

Although the poll showed that owning a pet can be a positive influence in the lives of older adults, there are still some concerns. Some people may put their animals’ needs before their own health, and 18 percent said that having a pet puts a strain on their budget.

“More activity, through dog walking or other aspects of pet care, is almost always a good thing for older adults,” explains Preeti Malani, M.D., the poll director who has training in caring for older adults. “But the risk of falls is real for many, and six percent of those in our poll said they had fallen or injured themselves due to a pet. At the same time, given the importance of pets to many people, the loss of a pet can deal a very real psychological blow that providers, family and friends should be attuned to.” 

Malani believes that physicians and other health care providers should ask older adults about the role of pets in their lives. 

“Later life is often a time when people have more freedom to travel, and a long list of things they want to do with their free time, and sometimes having a pet can get in the way,” says Mary Janevic, Ph.D., M.P.H., an assistant research scientist at the U-M School of Public Health. “For people living on a fixed income, expenses related to health care for pets, and especially pets that have chronic health issues, can be a struggle. Older adults can also develop health problems or disabilities that make pet care difficult.”

But despite these concerns, many poll respondents indicated the companionship and social connection benefits of pet ownership. Over half said that they own a pet specifically to have a companion, and even more said they let their pets sleep in bed with them. Sixty-five percent of pet owners also said that having a pet helps them connect with other people as well. 

“Relationships with pets tend to be less complicated than those with humans, and pets are often a source of great enjoyment,” says Janevic. “They also provide older adults with a sense of being needed and loved.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Pets help older adults deal with health problems, but there are drawbacks

The benefits of having a pet are usually not lost...

Plastic straw bans have been popping up in cities and restaurants throughout the United States. These bans seek to address the plastic pollution crisis currently plaguing our oceans but the bans have been subject to considerable criticism.

Big companies such as Starbucks have announced plans to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/starbucks-plastic-straws/#.XKDtpOtKjOQ">phase out plastic straws</a> and California recently banned restaurants from automatically giving out plastic straws.

Critics of bans such as these often cite concerns that banning plastic straws will do little to address plastic pollution as a whole. While plastic straws are ubiquitous in our everyday life, they are not the most common pollutant of our oceans.

During an international coastal cleanup event, plastic straws were the<a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/FINAL-2018-ICC-REPORT.pdf"> seventh most common item</a> collected. In the United States, plastic straws make up<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5522e85be4b0b65a7c78ac96/t/5aa0618a8165f553aa68b8b8/1520631281665/5+Gyres+BAN+List2.pdf"> 7.5%</a> of plastic litter. It seems reasonable then to wonder if we should be addressing more prevalent pollutants.

But this criticism fails to consider that plastic straw bans are a jumping off point to begin changing consumers’ behaviors more widely. Plastic straws are an easy item to ban because plastic straws are non-essential and there are currently alternatives people can use.

"We look at straws as one of the gateway issues to help people start thinking about the global plastic pollution problem," Plastic Pollution Coalition CEO Dianna Cohen explained to<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/plastic-straw-ban-why-are-there-so-many-2018-7"> Business Insider</a>.

If people find it is easy to use non-plastic alternatives to straws, the reasoning goes, they may reevaluate their use of other plastic products.

Plastic straws are also targeted because many plastic straws never make it through the recycling process despite being a recyclable product.

“Most plastic straws are too lightweight to make it through the mechanical recycling sorter. They drop through sorting screens and mix with other materials and are too small to separate, contaminating recycling loads or getting disposed as garbage,” For a Strawless Ocean says on their<a href="https://www.strawlessocean.org/faq"> website</a>.

Critics also argue that plastic straw bans take away consumer choice. Disability rights advocates have spoken out against plastic straw bans by pointing out that plastic straws are an important drinking tool for people with disabilities. The plastic straw bans in Seattle and California do allow consumers to use plastic straws upon request.

Conservatives have also cited plastic straw bans as an example of government overreach encroaching on consumer choice. Conservatives even made a<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/03/plastic-straws-became-the-latest-victim-in-the-us-culture-wars"> social media trend</a> out of posting photos of themselves drinking out of plastic straws and a Florida Republican state representative<a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Florida-State-Rep-Introduces-Bill-to-Stop-Cities-From-Banning-Plastic-Straws-505297951.html"> introduced a bill</a> to prohibit cities from banning plastic straws.

Despite the criticism over plastic straw bans, the initiatives are proving to be successful. A<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Travis_Wagner/publication/329119275_ASSESSING_THE_USE_OF_DEFAULT_CHOICE_MODIFICATION_TO_REDUCE_CONSUMPTION_OF_PLASTIC_STRAWS/links/5c115874a6fdcc494ff01853/ASSESSING-THE-USE-OF-DEFAULT-CHOICE-MODIFICATION-TO-RE"> study</a> examining the impact of a plastic straw ordinance found that the use of plastic straws decreased up to 40 percent at local businesses. Additionally, an<a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/Attitudes-Toward-Plastic-Straws"> Ipsos poll</a> shows that over 40 percent of people have used fewer straws as a result of the recent attention on plastic straw pollution.

Plastic straw bans serve a greater purpose than simply tackling a small source of a big problem. These bans pave the way for greater change in the fight against the plastic pollution crisis.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Why are plastic straws banned when they’re only a small part of plastic use?

Plastic straw bans have been popping up in cities and...

Our homes are filled with furniture, objects, and surfaces that contain organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants including cellphones and other electronic devices.

While these flame retardants serve an important purpose to reduce the risk of fire, little is known about their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/household-toxins-poisoning-children/">health impacts</a>. This is especially worrisome because of the presence of OPEs on home surfaces, in the air, and even in the human body and because OPEs have become the main replacement for banned and harmful brominated flame retardants. 

New research presented at the <a href="https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/meetings/national-meeting.html">American Chemical Society Spring 2019 National Meeting &amp; Exposition </a>shows that these semi-volatile compounds travel easily on our hands which helps explain why they are so abundant in the home. 

“The toxicity of OPEs is not well understood,” said Miriam Diamond, the leader of the study. “Studies are emerging that associate some OPEs with developmental effects in kids, fertility problems and possibly some types of cancer.” 

High concentrations of OPEs have been measured in indoor air and dust, but the researchers wanted to study how these compounds primarily spread through the home and where they originate. 

“We wondered if electronic devices, especially those that heat up during use, such as computers or printers, might be important sources of flame retardants and plasticizers,” said Diamond. 

For the study, the researchers collected samples from the air, dust, and surfaces of 51 homes in Canada. Urine and hand wipes were also taken from the owners of the homes, and the samples all came from female participants. Mass spectrometry was used to measure the concentrations of OPEs in the samples. 

The indoor environments from home to home had similar chemical profiles, and OPE concentrations from handheld electronic devices were the same as larger computers and electronics. 

“We went into this study expecting to find that surface wipes of different electronic devices would have elevated levels of one or a few flame retardants and plasticizers that were added to their casings during the manufacturing process,” said Diamond says. “Instead, we found that most of the OPEs, and other flame retardants and plasticizers, were in most of the surface wipes, floor dust and on participants' hands, as well as on the electronic devices.” 

Contact with cellphones was also a reliable predictor of OPE metabolite concentrations in urine which indicates that flame retardants are absorbed through the skin when people use their cellphones. 

“We believe that hands are central to moving chemicals around the indoor environment,” said Diamond. “This makes intuitive sense -- your hands touch everything. It's also consistent with how infectious organisms can be spread by hands that touch multiple surfaces.”

The researchers recommend frequently washing your hands and cleaning your cellphone to limit and reduce exposure to the potentially hazardous compounds. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hands help spread potentially toxic flame retardants through the home

Our homes are filled with furniture, objects, and surfaces that...

Millions of people use <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dating-digital-age-perfect-match/">online dating websites and dating apps</a> to find potential matches, and now a new study has found that location, more than anything else, drives online interactions. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dating-digital-age-perfect-match/">University of Michigan</a> and the <a href="https://www.santafe.edu/">Santa Fe Institute</a> conducted “a big dating” study to examine the role of geographic distance in messaging patterns for online dating. 

The study was published in the journal Sociological Science, and while the researchers expected location to somewhat factor into messaging trends, the results revealed it to be a surprisingly big factor.

15 million two-way interactions among heterosexual users of a popular online dating site in the US were analyzed for the study, and the researchers used an algorithm to help group interactions together based on location. 

Two-way messages were deemed a more reliable indicator of interest in the study given that many users can send messages and never receive a reply. 

“A crucial aspect of the analysis is that we were looking not just at who sent messages to whom, but who sent messages and got a reply,” said Mark Newman, a co-author of the study. “In other words, at least one message went in both directions between two people. We did this because we felt that that was a more reliable indicator of mutual [romantic] interest.”

After analyzing the interactions, the algorithm generated 19 distinct communities that were markedly similar to geographic regions and state boundaries in the lower 48. 

“Even though everyone's on the same dating site, there's a distinct clustering to who interacts with whom,” said Elizabeth Bruch, the lead author of the study. “It's not surprising that the dating markets were geographically clustered. But the precise boundaries of those markets were a little surprising to us.”

The researchers then mapped these clusters using zip codes from the messages. Some messages were sent to users within state lines, but other users were more liberal about reaching out to people in other nearby states. 

For example, California was divided into several messaging clusters, and Texans only messaged other Texans. People in Kansas and Arkansas had no problem messaging users from a different state. 

The researchers then took their analysis one step further and focused on city clusters rather than state messages in New York, Boston, Chicago, and Seattle. 

In these smaller city submarkets, the researchers found that age played a significant role in messaging. 75 percent of reciprocated messages were between users of the same age group in these cities.

[caption id="attachment_1870661" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/dating-map.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1870661" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/dating-map.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="437" /></a> Colors represent clusters of reciprocal messages mapped to the three-digit zip codes of the senders. Image Credit: Bruch and Newman/Sociological Science[/caption]

Depending on the city, a user in a particular demographic or age group may have a lot of luck or find the market extremely limited. 

The study results help provide a more detailed look at online dating and the factors that go into deciding which users to message and choosing whether or not to respond. 

“The patterns suggest that men and women in different American cities are strategizing about who they message based on both race and age very differently,” said Bruch. “Dating markets are something we talk about all the time, but the way that we talk about them makes them out to be sort of an undifferentiated city-level phenomenon. What we've shown, in this analysis, is that that's just not true.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Location plays a major role in driving online dating connections

Millions of people use online dating websites and dating apps...

Much of the Neolithic Era is a mystery, but the rapid spread of a violent society across Europe during this time has created a complicated and storied puzzle that geneticists and archeologists are only just beginning to piece together. 

Between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago, Europe was conquered and colonized by the Yamnaya tribe and their descendants. Archeologists identify the emergence of Yamnaya in Europe with a drastic and violent cultural shift. 

So violent, in fact, that Kristian Kristiansen from the <a href="https://www.gu.se/english">University of Gothenburg</a> believes there is a case to be made placing the Yamanya as one of the most brutal and aggressive societies to history. 

The Britons who built Stonehenge were nearly all wiped out and, in their place, rose a warrior class of people and new customs. 

The Yamnaya originated from Eurasia, and before they migrated into Europe, the people of Neolithic Europe were said to be a communal and innovative society. 

Great “mega-settlements,” as Kristiansen dubs them, housing thousands of people were erected, and it’s possible that roads were built connecting the settlements. 

It was these large settlements that may have led to the rapid invasion and spread of Yamnaya people through Europe. 

The Yamnaya had a unique burial custom, and people were buried alone in single “pit graves,” as archeologists have come to call them. Before burial, the Yamnaya would paint the body with red pigment and cover the grave with wooden beams and a mound of dirt. 

Starting 5,000 years ago, these burial mounds began spreading through Europe and the European genome started to change as the Yamnaya fostered new generations and interbred with European Neolithic woman. 

Researchers have linked a group called the Corded Ware people to the Yamnaya because the Corded Ware shared many of the same customs. 4,9000 years ago, Corded Ware people spread to Northern Europe. 

How the customs and culture of the Yamnaya spread so far and so fast is a question that Kristiansen and his colleagues are trying to tackle. 

In 2015, genetic research revealed that Corded Ware people shared more in common in terms of DNA with the Yamnaya than previously realized, suggesting that the shift in cultural practices wasn’t just the result of the spread of ideas and information, but people as well. 

This is where history gets muddled because it doesn’t make sense that a migrant society would be able to so successfully and quickly wipe out and take over Neolithic Europe. The unfamiliar environments and native tribes should have created some major roadblocks. 

But Kristiansen  has a reasonable explanation involving the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oldest-plague-neolithic-europeans/">spread of disease</a>. Because many Neolithic Europeans congregated in mega-settlements, living in close proximity to each other and livestock, disease would have easily spread. 

Last year, Kristiansen even found evidence of an early relative of plague-causing bacteria on 5,000-year-old teeth found in Sweden.  Disease and mass casualties would have resulted in these settlements being abandoned and burned down, leaving a considerably weakened population. 

However, a weak population alone doesn’t explain the quick shift, and Kristiansen theorizes that young, male warriors on horseback had a considerable advantage over the Neolithic Europeans they encountered. 

The majority of these Yamnaya were men, according to one<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1704308114"> 2017 study</a>, and further evidence of can be found in grave sites of Yamnaya men and local Neolithic European women who each held their own traditional burial customs. 

It’s believed that the Yamnaya killed the males of a tribe and sired future generations with local women to ensure their genetics would be passed on. 

“It looks like they lived mostly on meat and milk products,” Kristiansen told <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24132230-200-story-of-most-murderous-people-of-all-time-revealed-in-ancient-dna/">New Scientist</a>. “They were healthier and probably physically quite strong.”

It’s important to note that researchers can’t create a clear picture from just a few grave sites scattered across Europe. 

Still, it can’t be denied that the genetic legacy of the Yamnaya and the Corded Ware people as well as another group, the Bell Beaker people who appeared in Europe after the Corded Ware, lived on, but the Britons who built Stonehenge suffered a different fate and little remains of their genes today.

Kristiansen is convinced that the fate of the Britons is due to genocide at the hands of the Yamnaya and their descendants, further proving their ruthlessness. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How one of the most violent tribes of all time conquered Europe

Much of the Neolithic Era is a mystery, but the...

Climate change is making <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seasonal-allergies-climate-change/#.XJ5cR5hKhPY">allergy season more miserable</a>, according to new research focused on how climate change impacts human health and wellbeing.

The weather extremes prompted by a changing climate coupled with overall rising temperatures are affecting the seasons. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://sph.umd.edu/department/miaeh">Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health</a> reviewed survey data from over 300,000 people between 2002 and 2013.

Next, the researchers combined the allergy data with satellite data from the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s</a> Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to identify how allergy burden was influenced by when spring started across the US.

The results, published in the journal PLOS ONE, show that in the US, allergies increase when the season changes earlier or later than normal.

“We found that areas where the onset of spring was earlier than normal had 14% higher prevalence of hay fever,” said Amir Sapkota, a member of the research team. “Surprisingly, we also found similar risk in areas where the onset of spring was much later than what is typical for that geographic location.

The study is the first of its kind to provide national-level quantitative data proving that climate change impacts the allergic disease burden.

Hay fever affects 25 million adults in the US every year, and so understanding how climate change impacts seasonal allergies is important to help lessen the disease burden and lower related medical costs.

When spring comes early, it increases the length of pollen season, and when spring comes late, a sudden burst in flowering and budding increases the amount of pollen allergy sufferers are suddenly exposed to.

“We show that such climate change-driven ecological changes are directly linked to allergic disease burden in the United States,” said Dr. Chengsheng Jiang, a co-author of the paper. “Even a relatively small change in the timing of tree flowering can have a significant economic impact given that 25 million American adults already suffer from hay fever each year.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Climate change is making allergy season longer and more severe

Climate change is making allergy season more miserable, according to...

The stresses of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chocolate-cookies-evaluation-scores/">teaching</a> are hard enough, especially in political and economic climates where resources and funding for schools and salaries have been a low priority. Many teachers today find themselves unable to provide an adequate learning environment for their classes. 

Now, a new study shows that these stresses may be bringing teachers to their breaking point and that many new teachers consider leaving within ten years of starting out due to the nature of the workload and the emphasis on accountability. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/">University College London (UCL) Institute of Education</a> conducted the study, and the results were published in the British Journal of Educational Studies. 

“The general response from government is that teaching will be improved by reducing workload, removing unnecessary tasks and increasing pay,” the researchers said. “This may help, and our study does continue the discourse that workload is key. However, it also indicates that part of the problem lies within the culture of teaching, the constant scrutiny, the need to perform, and hyper-critical management.”

1,200 new teachers who had graduated from the UCL Institute of Education were surveyed on their attitudes toward teaching, what motivated them to start teaching, and why they left or if they were considering leaving the profession in future. 

69 percent of the participants said that wanting to make a difference helped them choose teaching as a career, 64 percent said they were motivated to work with children, and 50 percent said they did it for the love of a subject.

Unfortunately, once the participants started teaching, between 40 and 50 percent said they had left or were considering leaving within ten years of teacher training. 

The drive and passion to teach were quickly overpowered by a challenging workload and constant pressure from assessments, exam preparation, and inspections. 

71 percent of the participants listed workload as a reason for leaving or wanting to leave and 75 percent said they wanted a better work/life balance. 

“It's not as if they weren't aware that teaching was going to be demanding. However, they feel that the demands of the job outstrip their capacity to adapt,” the researchers said in their study. “This raises the question: what can be done to arrest this trend?”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nearly 50 percent of new teachers consider quitting within 10 years

The stresses of teaching are hard enough, especially in political...

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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

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...