Every morning, millions of people crack an egg and begin their day. Whether poached, scrambled, or sunny side up, eggs have remained a breakfast staple around the globe. Yet, for decades, they’ve also been the subject of dietary controversy. 



Health professionals once warned us to limit our egg intake due to cholesterol concerns. They feared that too many eggs might clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. But as science continues to evolve, so do our ideas about food.



A new study from the <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of South Australia</a> now challenges these long-standing beliefs. The research offers clear evidence that eggs may not deserve their bad reputation. Instead, they could be an unexpected ally in maintaining heart <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/just-one-handful-of-pecan-nuts-each-day-can-lower-cholesterol-heart-health/">health</a> if eaten the right way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eggs-were-blamed-for-heart-problems">Eggs were blamed for heart problems</h2>



The study’s findings arrive at a crucial time. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death across the globe. Nearly 18 million people die from CVD each year. 



In Australia, one person dies every 12 minutes due to CVD. That is one in four lives lost to heart-related issues. With such staggering statistics, it is essential to understand what truly contributes to heart disease.



For years, experts assumed cholesterol-rich foods like eggs played a direct role in raising LDL cholesterol, often called “bad cholesterol.” 



This assumption led to dietary guidelines that limited egg consumption. But Professor Jon Buckley and his research team wanted to look closer. They suspected that the real story was more complex.



“Eggs have long been unfairly cracked by outdated dietary advice,” Professor Buckley says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eggs-don-t-raise-bad-cholesterol">Eggs don't raise bad cholesterol</h2>



In what’s being called a world-first study, UniSA researchers set out to separate myth from fact. They explored how dietary cholesterol and saturated fat independently affect LDL cholesterol levels. 



The team designed a controlled diet study where participants consumed two eggs daily. The key twist? The overall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-power-of-fish-oil-in-combating-high-cholesterol/">diet</a> was high in cholesterol but low in saturated fat.



The results were surprising. Eating two eggs a day, within a low saturated fat diet, actually reduced LDL cholesterol levels. That means the cholesterol in eggs did not raise the risk of heart disease. 



In fact, when saturated fat intake stayed low, dietary cholesterol from eggs had little to no negative effect.



“In this study, we separated the effects of cholesterol and saturated fat, finding that high dietary cholesterol from eggs, when eaten as part of a low saturated fat diet, does not raise bad cholesterol levels,” Buckley explains.



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



So, if not eggs, what’s really behind elevated cholesterol <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/good-cholesterol-may-increase-the-risk-of-dementia/">levels</a>? The answer lies in saturated fat. This kind of fat is found in processed meats, fatty cuts of red meat, full-fat dairy products, and many baked goods. 



When people eat these foods regularly, LDL cholesterol levels can rise, increasing the risk of heart disease.



Buckley and his team highlight that eggs, although rich in cholesterol, contain very little saturated fat. This balance makes them quite different from other animal-based foods. It also means that we need to reevaluate which foods are the true culprits in heart disease risk.



“Instead, it was the saturated fat that was the real driver of cholesterol elevation,” Buckley says.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eggs-are-fine-but-fatty-sides-are-not">Eggs are fine, but fatty sides are not</h2>



This study changes how we might think about the classic cooked breakfast. It is not the eggs on your plate that should raise <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-salmon-can-help-lower-your-cholesterol/">concern</a>. It is what you pair them with. Greasy bacon, processed sausages, and buttered toast may be the real threat to your heart, not the eggs themselves.



“You could say we’ve delivered hard-boiled evidence in defence of the humble egg,” noted Buckley.



So, the next time you are standing in front of a sizzling pan, think carefully. Eggs can remain on the menu. But you might want to skip that second sausage link or the extra slice of fried bread. The study reminds us that balance is more important than banishment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eggs-in-a-cholesterol-friendly-diet">Eggs in a cholesterol-friendly diet</h2>



Eggs are not only versatile but also packed with essential nutrients. They contain high-quality protein, vitamins like B12 and D, and healthy fats. 



For people trying to maintain a balanced diet, eggs can offer both nourishment and convenience. The new research finally gives them a fair chance to shine without guilt.



“So, when it comes to a cooked breakfast, it’s not the eggs you need to worry about - it’s the extra serve of bacon or the side of sausage that’s more likely to impact your heart health," said Buckley. 



It is time to let go of outdated advice. Science has turned the tables on cholesterol myths, allowing eggs to reclaim their place on the breakfast table. When part of a low saturated fat diet, eggs do not just taste good, they might actually support your heart.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916525002539?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>. 



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Eggs and cholesterol: A new twist in an old debate

Every morning, millions of people crack an egg and begin their day. Whether poached, scrambled, or sunny side up, eggs have remained a breakfast staple around the globe. Yet, for decades, they’ve also been the subject of dietary controversy. Health professionals once warned us to limit our egg intake due to cholesterol concerns. They feared that too many eggs might clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. But as science continues to evolve, so do our ideas about food. A new study from the University...

Deep and meaningful conversations are known to increase <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-isolation-causes-flies-to-eat-too-much-and-sleep-too-little/">social</a> connectivity and bring satisfaction to people. However, we usually engage in such conversations with persons we know well, and often just stick to small talk with strangers. 



In a new study published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-pspa0000281.pdf">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</a>, scientists argue that we do this because we underestimate how much others are interested in our lives and we mistakenly believe that deeper conversations with strangers will be more awkward than they usually are.



“Connecting with others in meaningful ways tends to make people happier, and yet people also seem reluctant to engage in deeper and more meaningful conversation,” said study co-author Nicholas Epley, a professor of Behavioral Science at the <a href="https://www.chicagobooth.edu/">University of Chicago Booth School of Business</a>. “This struck us as an interesting social paradox: If connecting with others in deep and meaningful ways increases well-being, then why aren’t people doing it more often in daily life?”



To answer this question, Epley and colleagues designed a series of experiments with over 1,800 participants. They asked pairs of people (mostly strangers)&nbsp;to talk about either shallow (such as favorite movies or the weather) or deep topics (such as vulnerabilities or future expectations).&nbsp;



Before the conversations, participants were asked to predict how awkward they thought the conversations will be, how connected they thought they would feel with their partner, and how much they would enjoy the talks. After the conversations, they had to rate their experience in terms of awkwardness, connectivity, and enjoyment.&nbsp;



The scientists found that both deep and shallow conversations felt less awkward than expected and led to greater social connectivity and enjoyment. These effects tended to be stronger in the case of deep conversations.&nbsp;



Moreover, participants often initially overestimated the degree of awkwardness they would feel when engaging in deep conversations with strangers. Researchers believe the cause of this might be the fact that people generally believe that others are not interested in their lives.



“People seemed to imagine that revealing something meaningful or important about themselves in conversation would be met with blank stares and silence, only to find this wasn’t true in the actual conversation,” Professor Epley explained.&nbsp;



“Human beings are deeply social and tend to reciprocate in conversation. If you share something meaningful and important, you are likely to get something meaningful and important exchanged in return, leading to a considerably better conversation."



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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

People enjoy deep conversations with strangers

Deep and meaningful conversations are known to increase social connectivity...

Macaronesia is a little known archipelago off northwestern Africa; some of it belongs to Portugal, some to Spain, and the rest to Cape Verde. As is common across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changes-in-sea-level-can-trigger-eruptions-on-volcanic-islands/">island</a> chains, Macaronesia contains unique flora and fauna.



A recent study from the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> set out to investigate the impact that human settlement has had on the ecology of the islands of Macaronesia.



"The extinction of iconic species such as the dodo and the deforestation of Easter Island are emblematic of the transformative impact of human colonization of many oceanic islands, especially those in the tropics and subtropics," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;



"Yet, the interaction of prehistoric and colonial-era colonists with the forests and forest resources they encountered can be complex, varies between islands, and remains poorly understood."



The researchers looked at the full impact of humans on the natural ecosystems of Macaronesia.&nbsp;



“Contrasting the long-term history of different ecosystems, such as island forests, helps put in perspective the transformative force that humankind is unleashing all around the world," explained Dr. Sandra Nogué Bosch.



The study revealed that the forests of Macaronesia changed gradually over time, but human arrival caused an increase in fire and erosion on the Canary Islands and Cabo Verde. The erosion was associated with the introduction of non-native pigs as human livestock. In particular, the thermophilous forest, characterized by charismatic species such as the dragon tree, was severely impacted.&nbsp;



The research also showed that the first people to arrive on the islands had limited negative impact on native plants. When Europeans first arrived, however, the impact was much worse.



The researchers hope that comparing past and present ecosystems will help with restoration efforts in the future as well as give us a glimpse into the negative impact humans sometimes have on their surroundings. There are still many research questions to be addressed.&nbsp;



“Other important research questions remain open, for example, what was the role of a changing climate in these processes in the past, and how will global warming affect future ecosystems?" said Dr. Bosch.



"What was the local impact of extreme natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions - like the one currently active in La Palma - and how did island life change the cultures of those people that settled them? We will also keep up the work on other archipelagos to provide a new perspective of the human footprint in these fascinating territories,”



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

How has human settlement impacted island ecology?

Macaronesia is a little known archipelago off northwestern Africa; some...

The benefits of playing with objects (such as cars, dolls, blocks, puzzles) for infant learning and development are well documented in many structured experiments taking place in child-friendly lab environments. However, very little is known about how natural play unfolds spontaneously in real-life settings. A recent study led by <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU) aimed to address this research gap by investigating infant free play in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/working-from-home-reduces-air-pollution/">home</a> environments.



Study participants included 40 infants from families living in New York. In order to enable comparisons between crawlers and walkers, the scientists selected twenty 13 month-olds, ten 18 month-olds, and ten 23 month-olds. The study took place between December 2017 and September 2019.&nbsp;



The researchers recorded infants who were free to interact with whatever objects they wanted during two home visits. While playing at home, infants exuberantly transitioned among dozens of objects each hour, showing preference to both toys and common household objects such as boxes, bins, pillows, stools, or remote controls.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Our findings show an essential first step in identifying the everyday inputs to infants’ natural learning,” said study co-author Catherine Tamis-LeMonda, a professor of Applied Psychology at NYU. “At a time in development when infants must acquire information about what objects are and what they can do with them, massive amounts of practice playing with a variety of objects at home is beneficial for learning. And varied exploration is adaptive. We thus seek to flip the narrative from a critique of what infants have not yet achieved to an acknowledgement of how infants interact with their natural learning environment at home.”



According to study lead author Orit Herzberg, a postdoctoral fellow at NYU, infant’s exuberant behavior should not be seen as flighty and distractible, but rather as a developmental asset – “an ideal curriculum for learning about the properties and functions that propels growth in motor, cognitive, social and language domains. Infants learn about the world by playing with as many things as possible, in short bursts of activity. And every object is a potential play object."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.13669">Child Development</a>.



---



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

Free play helps infants learn and develop

The benefits of playing with objects (such as cars, dolls,...

Balanced diets containing plenty of fruit and vegetables are known to positively contribute to the physical health of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/boys-who-play-sports-as-young-children-have-better-mental-health/">children</a>. And now, new research from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> has concluded that fruit, vegetables, and nutritious diets also have a beneficial effect on mental well-being.



The study examined the association between fruit and vegetable intakes, breakfast and lunch choices, and mental health of almost 9,000 school children across 50 local primary and secondary schools.



Lead researcher Professor Ailsa Welch explained the importance of the research. "We know that poor mental well-being is a major issue for young people and is likely to have long-term negative consequences. Adolescent mental health problems often persist into adulthood, leading to poorer life outcomes and achievement.”



Mental well-being data was gathered through self-reported dietary choices and age-appropriate surveys that asked students to score their mental well-being based on cheerfulness, relaxation, and interpersonal relationships.



Ultimately, the study concluded that children who exceeded their ‘five a day’ had the highest mental well-being scores. “As a potentially modifiable factor at an individual and societal level, nutrition represents an important public health target for strategies to address childhood mental wellbeing," explained Professor Welch.



The study also provided insight into nutrition trends among school children, showing that over 20 percent of primary students did not eat breakfast, over 10 percent of secondary students did not eat lunch, and approximately 75 percent of students did not eat their recommended five-a-day.



This is significant, as Dr. Richard Hayhoe explains that the types of breakfast and lunch ate by both primary and secondary school pupils were also significantly associated with well-being. For example, children who ate a traditional breakfast experienced better well-being than those who only had a snack or drink, said Dr. Hayhoe.



On the other hand, “secondary school children who drank energy drinks for breakfast had particularly low mental well-being scores, even lower than for those children consuming no breakfast at all.”



Other environmental factors that could negatively impact mental well-being (such as adverse childhood experiences and home situations) were considered within the analysis. However, Dr. Hayhoe concluded that nutrition had as much or more of an impact on wellbeing as factors such as witnessing regular arguing or violence at home.



The research has been published in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention &amp; Health.&nbsp;



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

Children who eat fruit and vegetables have greater well-being

Balanced diets containing plenty of fruit and vegetables are known...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.umontreal.ca/en/">University of Montreal</a> has found that boys who engage in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sports-activities-are-particularly-beneficial-for-young-girls/">sports</a> activities in early childhood are less prone to experience emotional distress in middle childhood. Additionally, they are more likely to continue to be physically active during adolescence.&nbsp;



By studying data from a Quebec cohort of children born in 1997 and 1998 (690 boys and 748 girls), the researchers aimed to clarify the long-term and reciprocal relationship between participation in sports and depressive and anxiety symptoms in school-aged children.



“There’s widespread evidence of a crisis these days in childhood physical inactivity, and this may ultimately have implications for later mental and physical health,” said study lead author Marie-Josée Harbec, a doctoral student at the University of Montreal.&nbsp;



“We also wanted to examine whether this relationship worked differently in boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 12.”



Together with her PhD supervisor Linda Pagani, a professor of Psychoeducation, Harbec examined the sporting activity habits reported by children at ages 5 to 12 years and their parents, and looked at symptoms of emotional distress from 6 to 12 years that were reported by these children’s teachers.



“We found that 5-year-old boys who never participated in sports were more likely between the ages of 6 and 10 to look unhappy and tired, had difficulty having fun, cried a lot, and appeared fearful or worried,” said Professor Pagani.&nbsp;



“Also, boys who exhibited higher levels of depressive and anxious symptoms during middle childhood were subsequently less physically active at 12 years old.”



In the case of girls, however, no significant changes were found. Boys who engage in sports might be more prone to develop life skills such as taking initiative, engaging in teamwork, practicing self-control, and building supportive relationships, while physically inactive ones run the risk of becoming socially-isolated and develop mental health issues.&nbsp;



Girls, on the other hand, appear to be from the start more open to seek help and disclose emotional distress to family, friends, or healthcare workers, and the psychological support they receive might protect them better.



“Also, because more girls experience emotional distress than boys, this gender-related risk may have led to early identification and intervention for girls,” added Harbec.



The study is published in the <a href="https://journals.lww.com/jrnldbp/pages/default.aspx">Journal of Developmental &amp; Behavioral Pediatrics</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

Boys who play sports as young children have better mental health

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

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/edrv/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1210/endrev/bnab027/6371193?redirectedFrom=fulltext">Endocrine Reviews</a> has found that time-restricted eating, or intermittent fasting, is an excellent method for the prevention and management of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-and-high-fat-diets-may-contribute-to-hair-loss/">obesity</a>, cardiometabolic diseases, or liver diseases. It can also improve sleep patterns and quality of life in general.



Intermittent fasting, or eating within a consistent window of eight to ten hours each day, is a popular dietary trend that has often been used in order to lose weight.&nbsp;



A research team led by the <a href="https://www.salk.edu/">Salk Institute for Biological Studies</a> has discovered that this method also appears to be a very powerful strategy to prevent and manage a whole range of chronic diseases, including diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.&nbsp;



Study lead author Satchidananda Panda is a professor at the Salk Institute who explores the genes, molecules, and cells that are involved in circadian rhythms.



“People who are trying to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle should pay more attention to when&nbsp;they eat&nbsp;as&nbsp;well as&nbsp;what&nbsp;they eat.&nbsp;Time-restricted eating&nbsp;is an easy-to-follow&nbsp;and effective&nbsp;dietary strategy that requires less mental math than counting calories. Intermittent fasting can improve sleep and a person’s quality of life as well as reduce&nbsp;the&nbsp;risk&nbsp;of&nbsp;obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” said Professor Panda.



The researchers confirmed that the expression of genes, hormone levels, and metabolic processes in general rise and fall during different times of the day. Thus, aligning our daily eating schedules with our bodies’ internal clocks can significantly improve health and reduce the possibility of developing chronic diseases. 



Moreover, <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.318155">previous studies</a> have also found that intermittent fasting can reduce hypertension by reshaping the composition of the gut microbiota.



“Eating at random times breaks the synchrony of our internal program and make us prone to diseases,” explained Professor Panda. "Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle that anyone can adopt. It can help eliminate health disparities and lets everyone live a healthy and fulfilling life."



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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

Intermittent fasting improves health

A new study published in the journal Endocrine Reviews has...

In a new study led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>, an international team of archaeologists and anthropologists described and contextualized the oldest pieces of jewelry yet discovered, dating back between 142,000 and 150,000 years ago: a set of 33 shell beads found in the Bizmoune Cave from southwest Morocco. Their appearance signals crucial developments in human cognition and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-support-can-protect-your-brain-health/">social</a> relations.&nbsp;



The beads were made from sea snail shells and measured roughly half an inch in length. Holes in their center and other signs of wear and tear indicate that they were hung from clothing or on strings. According to study lead author Steven L. Kuhn, a professor in the <a href="https://anthropology.arizona.edu/">School of Anthropology</a> at the University of Arizona, these beads are the earliest known evidence of a form of nonverbal human communication.&nbsp;



“They were probably part of the way people expressed their identity with their clothing,” he explained. “They show that it was present even hundreds of thousands of years ago, and that humans were interested in communicating to bigger groups of people than their immediate friends and family.”



These ancient beads are associated with the Aterian culture, a Middle and Late Paleolithic tool industry located in northern Africa. The Aterian people were among the first to use bows and arrows to hunt a large variety of animals, including gazelles, rhinoceros, warthogs, and wildebeests. The discovery of the jewelry that they also produced opens new questions regarding their cognitive and social structures.



According to Professor Kuhn, these ornamental pieces of material culture are clearly symbolic and were probably marks of group identity in a period when clans or other allegiances were developed in order to protect limited resources.&nbsp;



Rather than painting their bodies or faces in order to signify their social belonging, as earlier people did, the beads’ makers produced something more long-lasting, suggesting that the message they tried to convey was a very important one and that their sense of social identity was particularly strong.



Further research is needed to shed more light on the cognitive developments that prompted such behaviors and the social and cultural factors that sustained them.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abi8620#con1">Science Advances</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

The world’s oldest jewelry discovered in Morocco

In a new study led by the University of Arizona,...

Unhealthy,Food,,High,Fat,And,Carbs,Burger,And,Beer

Obesity is considered a world-wide epidemic and has been associated with many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-from-jamaica-transmit-diseases-to-florida-palm-trees/">diseases</a> in humans, including heart disease and diabetes. Despite this, the precise mechanisms whereby obesity effects organ dysfunction are not known.&nbsp;



In a recent article published in&nbsp;Nature, researchers from <a href="https://www.tmd.ac.jp/english/">Tokyo Medical and Dental University</a> (TMDU) identified a mechanism whereby genetically induced obesity or eating a high-fat diet can lead to hair thinning and loss in laboratory mice.&nbsp;



Hair follicles are tiny epithelial organs that grow hair, thanks to the action of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). These cells replenish themselves at the start of every new hair follicle cycle, which enables us to grow our hair back after it falls out naturally. Unfortunately, HFSCs become depleted as we age, which leads to miniaturization of hair follicles and consequent thinning of our hair.



The researchers from TDMU used mouse models to investigate whether genetically induced obesity and eating a high-fat diet accelerate hair loss, and to establish the molecular mechanisms involved.



The experts found that both obesity and eating a high-fat diet can lead to depletion of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and that these cells begin to differentiate into keratinized skin cells, rather than forming new hair follicles. This blocks hair follicle regeneration and ultimately results in the loss of hair follicles. Even when young mice are fed a high-fat diet for only four consecutive days, their HFSCs show increased oxidative stress and begin to exhibit abnormal differentiation into skin cells.&nbsp;



“High-fat diet [HFD] feeding accelerates hair thinning by depleting HFSCs that replenish mature cells that grow hair, especially in old mice,” explained study lead author Hironobu Morinaga. “We compared the gene expression in HFSCs between HFD-fed mice and standard diet-fed mice and traced the fate of those HFSCs after their activation.”



“We found that those HFSCs in HFD-fed obesed mice change their fate into the skin surface corneocytes or sebocytes that secrete sebum upon their activation. Those mice show faster hair loss and smaller hair follicles along with depletion of HFSCs.”&nbsp;



The data demonstrate that stem cell inflammatory signals induced by obesity robustly repress organ regeneration signals, thereby accelerating the miniaturization of the hair follicles.&nbsp;



“The gene expression in HFSCs from the high-fat-fed mice indicated the activation of inflammatory cytokine signaling within HFSCs,” explained senior author Emi K. Nishimura. “The inflammatory signals in HFSCs strikingly repress Sonic hedgehog signaling that plays a crucial role in hair follicle regeneration in HFSCs”.



The researchers also found that re-activation of the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway can reverse the depletion of HFSCs. “This could prevent the hair loss brought on by the high-fat diet,” said Nishimura. The discovery could lead to new methods for preventing and treating hair thinning as well to enhanced understanding of obesity-related diseases.



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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

Obesity and high-fat diets may contribute to hair loss

Obesity is considered a world-wide epidemic and has been associated...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abd5186">Science Robotics</a> has found that socially interactive robots built to assist <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drawing-memory-retention-seniors/">seniors</a> with their daily living should be constructed as collaborative and peer-oriented rather than dominant and authoritative. This will maximize humans’ acceptance of their advice and assistance.&nbsp;



“When robots present themselves as human-like social&nbsp;agents, we tend to play along with that sense of humanity&nbsp;and treat them much like we would a&nbsp;person,” explained study&nbsp;lead author Shane&nbsp;Saunderson, a specialist in human-robot interaction at the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto.</a>&nbsp;



“But even simple tasks, like asking someone to take their medication, have a lot of social depth to them. If we want to put robots in those situations, we need to better understand the psychology of robot-human interactions.”&nbsp;



According to Saunderson and his team, in order to understand how to build better robots, scientists should first understand the concept of “authority” and how to incorporate it into their machines. The researchers found that this concept can be divided into two: formal authority and real authority.



“Formal authority comes from your role: if someone is your boss, your teacher or your parent, they have a certain amount of formal authority,” Saunderson explained. “Real authority has to do with&nbsp;the control of decisions, often for&nbsp;entities&nbsp;such as&nbsp;financial rewards or punishments.



Saunderson and his colleagues devised a humanoid robot named Pepper and used it to help 32 volunteer participants to complete a series of tests. For some subjects, Saunderson was presented a formal authority figure, with Pepper as a simple helper, while for others Pepper was introduced as the authoritative leader of the experiment.



The researchers discovered that Pepper was less persuasive when presented as a strong authoritative figure than when introduced as a peer helper. “Social robots are not commonplace today, and in North America at least, people&nbsp;lack both relationships and a sense of shared identity with robots. It might be hard for them to come to see them as a legitimate authority,” explained Saunderson.&nbsp;



Thus, the scientists concluded that in order to create positive experiences in contexts of human-robot interaction, robots should be constructed as peer-oriented and collaborative rather than dominant and authoritative.&nbsp;



“This ground-breaking research provides an understanding of how persuasive robots should be developed and deployed in everyday life, and how they should behave to help different demographics,&nbsp;including our vulnerable populations such as older adults,”&nbsp;concluded study co-author Goldie Nejat.&nbsp;



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

Friendly robots are more helpful than authoritative ones

A new study published in the journal Science Robotics has...

If as a child, your parents forced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/broccoli-and-cabbage-reduce-the-risk-of-heart-attack/">broccoli</a> on you against your will, you know that Brassica vegetables (including cauliflower, cabbage and brussel sprouts) are often unloved. A new study from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> reveals the science behind why some kids are so repulsed by eating these vegetables.



The research shows that as the unwanted vegetable touches the tongue, a chemical reaction occurs. An enzyme that exists within the microbiome of some people’s saliva reacts with the plant, creating a sulfurous odor. Needless to say, this is unpleasant.&nbsp;



While previous research showed that adults have various levels of this enzyme within their mouths, the new study confirms that the same is true for children as well. Looking at the various levels of the enzyme, the scientists analyzed how this affects whether a child likes Brassica vegetables or not.



Using mass spectrometry, the scientists separated the active compounds causing the unpleasant taste reaction from steamed vegetables. Next, parent child pairs were tested for their reaction to the foul smelling compounds. The researchers mixed saliva with powdered cauliflower to see how much of the noxious chemical was produced by the interaction. There was great variability in how much of the smelly chemicals were produced by each saliva interaction.



Interestingly, in children, those whose saliva caused the worst reactions had the strongest dislike for Brassica vegetables. In adults, there was no cause and effect relationship between a dislike for Brassica and overactive saliva enzymes. The researchers also found that there was a lot in common between the saliva microbiome of a child and his or her parent.&nbsp;



The study has real world relevance because in most western countries, vegetable consumption is below daily recommendations. This health faux pas may be partially due to the microbes living in our mouths.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The research is published in the <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/jafcau">Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry</a>.



---



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

Kids' dislike for vegetables caused by microbes in the mouth

If as a child, your parents forced broccoli on you...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.rush.edu/">Rush University Medical Center</a> found that the MIND diet, a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets, significantly slows <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colorful-foods-can-prevent-cognitive-decline/">cognitive</a> decline in older adults and improves their cognitive functioning. 



The MIND diet includes at least three servings of whole grains, a green leafy vegetable, and another vegetable of choice per day, washed away with a glass of wine, together with frequent nut snacks. It should also include regular consumption of beans (every two days), poultry and berries (twice per week), and fish (once per week.) A person following the MIND diet should significantly limit items such as butter, sweets, pastries, whole fat cheese, and fried or fast foods.



<a href="https://www.rush.edu/news/new-mind-diet-may-significantly-protect-against-alzheimers-disease">Previous studies</a> have already suggested that following a MIND diet can significantly protect against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. According to the new research, which is published in the <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad210107">Journal&nbsp;of Alzheimer’s Disease</a>, participants in a longitudinal study who moderately followed the MIND diet had increased cognitive functioning later in life.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“Some people have enough plaques and tangles in their brains to have a postmortem diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but they do not develop clinical dementia in their lifetime,” said study&nbsp;lead author Klodian Dhana, an assistant professor in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rushu.rush.edu/research/departmental-research/internal-medicine-research/geriatrics-gerontology-and-palliative-medicine-research">Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine</a> at&nbsp;Rush Medical College.&nbsp;



“Some have the ability to maintain cognitive function despite the accumulation of these pathologies in the brain, and our study suggests that the MIND diet is associated with better cognitive functions independently of brain pathologies related to Alzheimer’s disease.”



Participants from the&nbsp;ongoing <a href="https://www.rushu.rush.edu/research/departmental-research/memory-and-aging-project">Memory and Aging Project</a>, which has begun in 1997, were given a score according to how closely they followed the MIND diet and undertook annual evaluations and cognitive tests. The scientists found that participants with higher MIND diet scores performed significantly better at cognitive tests and showed less signs of cognitive decline as they grew older.&nbsp;



“We found that a higher MIND diet score was associated with better memory and thinking skills independently of Alzheimer's disease pathology and other common age-related brain pathologies. The diet seemed to have a protective capacity and may contribute to cognitive resilience in the elderly,” explained Professor Dhana.



“Diet changes can impact cognitive functioning and risk of dementia, for better or worse. There are fairly simple diet and lifestyle changes a person could make that may help to slow cognitive decline with aging, and contribute to brain health."



---



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

The MIND diet slows cognitive decline

Researchers at the Rush University Medical Center found that the...

Men’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleeping-heart-disease-risk/">sleeping</a> patterns might be more powerfully influenced by the lunar cycle than women’s, according to a new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721052992?via%3Dihub">Science of the Total Environment</a>. Researchers from <a href="https://www.uu.se/en">Uppsala University</a> found that men tend to sleep worse on nights during the first half of the lunar cycle.



For decades, scientists have struggled to understand whether any correlation between sleep patterns and the lunar cycle exists in humans. The results have been rather conflicting, with some studies finding strong correlations and others finding none.&nbsp;



Moreover, most previous studies faced a serious methodological problem: they did not control their analyses for variables that are known to have a significant impact on human sleep, such as insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea.



Led by Dr. Christian Benedict, an associate professor of Neuroscience at Uppsala, a team of researchers aimed to address these problems by adjusting their findings to chronic sleep problems such as insomnia or sleep apneas. Additionally, their study is the first to investigate sex-specific associations of the lunar cycle with sleep.&nbsp;



The lunar cycle can be described in terms of a waxing and waning period. During the waxing period, the amount of the illuminated moon surface as observed from the Earth increases, and the time when the moon passes a place’s meridian gradually shifts to late evening. By contrast, during the moon’s waning period, the illuminated moon surface decreases and the moment when the moon crosses a location’s meridian shifts to daytime.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"We used one-night at-home sleep recordings from 492 women and 360 men,” reported Dr. Benedict. “We found that men whose sleep was recorded during nights in the waxing period of the lunar cycle exhibited lower sleep efficiency and increased time awake after sleep onset compared to men whose sleep was measured during nights in the waning period. In contrast, the sleep of women remained largely unaffected by the lunar cycle. Our results were robust to adjustment for chronic sleep problems and obstructive sleep apnea severity.”&nbsp;



The experts think that the moon might impact sleep through the presence of the sunlight reflected by the moon at times when people usually go to sleep, and that the male brain could be more sensitive to ambient light than the female brain.



Dr. Benedict concluded that it is difficult to understand whether the association of sleep with the lunar cycle was causal or just correlative. Further research is needed to disentangle the peculiar relationship that exists between human sleep and the moon.&nbsp;



---



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

The moon disrupts sleep among men more than women

Men’s sleeping patterns might be more powerfully influenced by the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" 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> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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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



---



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;



---



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;



---



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;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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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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