Artificial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-artificial-sweeteners-safe-the-debate-is-heating-up/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sweeteners</a> are appealing to those who want a sweet taste without the calories or health concerns associated with sugar. Yet, emerging research continues to uncover potential gut harm caused by sugar substitutes, such as neotame. 



A new study from Anglia Ruskin University (<a href="https://www.aru.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ARU</a>) sheds light on neotame, a relatively newer artificial sweetener, and its shocking effects on the gut.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-neotame-wrecks-havoc-on-the-gut-microbiome">How neotame wrecks havoc on the gut microbiome</h2>



According to the research, neotame directly harms the gut's protective lining and changes the behavior of good gut bacteria. This can weaken the gut barrier and disrupt the gut microbiome. These changes affect digestion, immune health, and can lead to various health problems.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neotame-s-impact-on-epithelial-cells-in-the-gut">Neotame's impact on epithelial cells in the gut</h3>



Research indicates that neotame has the capacity to directly induce cell death in the epithelial cells that line your intestinal walls. The exact mechanism by which this occurs is still being investigated but might involve the disruption of essential cellular functions.



The epithelial lining of the gut plays a crucial role in maintaining a physical barrier between the contents of your digestive tract and your internal systems. 



This barrier is essential for both nutrient absorption and for protecting your body from harmful toxins, pathogens, and other substances found within the gut. Neotame's ability to kill these cells directly undermines the integrity of this barrier.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neotame-s-disruption-of-gut-microbes">Neotame's disruption of gut microbes</h3>



Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria like E.coli and E. faecalis. In a healthy state, many of these bacteria contribute to digestive processes and play a role in immune system support. However, exposure to neotame appears to induce negative changes in these bacteria.



Neotame can cause normally beneficial gut bacteria to become harmful. This includes increased adherence (sticking) to the gut wall, the ability to invade the gut lining, and the potential to break through the gut barrier and enter the bloodstream.



If harmful bacteria escape the confines of the gut and reach the bloodstream, this can cause sepsis - a life-threatening condition where the body has an extreme inflammatory response to infection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-consequences-of-a-neotame-compromised-gut">Consequences of a Neotame compromised gut</h2>



Your gut is often called the "second brain." It's home to trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as your gut microbiome, that have a profound influence on your overall well-being. Here's what might happen when neotame disrupts your delicate gut ecosystem:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs">Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)</h3>



As discussed, damage to the gut barrier can lead to increased intestinal permeability (often called "leaky gut"). This allows unwanted substances to pass through the gut lining and into the body, potentially triggering inflammation and immune responses that exacerbate IBS symptoms.



Research suggests that people with IBS often have altered gut microbiota compared to healthy individuals. An imbalance between beneficial and harmful gut bacteria can contribute to digestive distress, including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sepsis">Sepsis</h3>



A compromised gut barrier allows harmful bacteria to potentially escape from the digestive tract and enter the bloodstream. This translocation of bacteria can trigger a severe systemic inflammatory response known as sepsis.



Sepsis is a medical emergency. When not promptly treated, it can progress to septic shock, leading to multiple organ failure and death.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-metabolic-and-inflammatory-disorders">Metabolic and inflammatory disorders</h3>



The gut microbiome plays a significant role in regulating various metabolic processes, including energy harvesting from food and blood sugar control. An altered gut microbiome can contribute to metabolic dysregulation, leading to issues such as insulin resistance (a precursor to type 2 diabetes).



Disruptions in the gut microbiome from neotame can promote low-grade, chronic inflammation throughout the body. This sustained inflammation is a key contributor to the development of numerous chronic health conditions, including metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and possibly even some forms of cancer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neotame-s-place-among-other-artificial-sweeteners">Neotame's place among other artificial sweeteners</h2>



This isn't the first time artificial sweeteners have been under scrutiny. “There is now growing awareness of the health impacts of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-sweeteners-obesity-diabetes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sweeteners</a> such as saccharin, sucralose and aspartame, with our own previous work demonstrating the problems they can cause to the wall of the intestine and the damage to the ‘good bacteria’ which form in our gut," said study senior author Dr. Havovi Chichger.



For people struggling with weight control, diabetes, or glucose intolerance, artificial sweeteners can be a tool. But the research on neotame and other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-sweetener-has-been-linked-to-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sweeteners</a> paints a complex picture. While they reduce sugar intake, the long-term consequences of their effect on the gut remain a significant health concern.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-things-to-consider">Things to consider </h2>



Before using any artificial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-sweeteners-linked-to-increased-risk-of-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sweetener</a>, consider the following:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moderation-is-key">Moderation is key</h3>



<ul>
<li>Small amounts if needed:&nbsp;If you decide to incorporate artificial sweeteners into your diet, it's crucial to do so with extreme caution. Using them sparingly minimizes potential exposure and reduces the risk of negative effects on gut health.</li>



<li>Retraining your palate:&nbsp;Our taste preferences are adaptable. Gradually reducing your intake of artificial sweeteners and highly sweetened foods allows your taste buds to adjust. Over time, you'll appreciate and enjoy the subtle sweetness of naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, vegetables, and some dairy products.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-read-food-labels">Read food labels</h3>



<ul>
<li>Ingredient awareness:&nbsp;Scrutinize ingredient lists carefully. Artificial sweeteners like neotame, sucralose, aspartame, and others can appear in a surprising variety of products, including diet drinks, processed snacks, chewing gum, and even seemingly "healthy" bars or beverages.</li>



<li>Hidden names:&nbsp;Artificial sweeteners can go by many names. Be vigilant in spotting them on food labels to make more informed choices about what you consume.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-natural-alternatives">Natural alternatives</h3>



<ul>
<li>Stevia and monk fruit:&nbsp;These plant-derived sweeteners have little to no impact on blood sugar levels, making them potentially safer options. However, some individuals may find they have an aftertaste or digestive sensitivities to them.</li>



<li>Use with caution:&nbsp;Even natural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-sweeteners-health-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sweeteners</a> shouldn't be consumed in excess. The goal is to reduce your overall reliance on overly sweet flavors and to appreciate the inherent sweetness of whole foods.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-talk-to-your-doctor">Talk to your doctor</h3>



<ul>
<li>Personalized advice:&nbsp;Seeking guidance from your doctor or a registered dietitian is essential, especially if you have underlying health conditions like diabetes or any digestive issues.</li>



<li>Individualized approach:&nbsp;They can help you develop a dietary plan that addresses your specific needs and concerns while taking into account potential risks associated with artificial sweeteners.</li>
</ul>



The evolving understanding of the complex relationship between artificial sweeteners like neotame and gut health underscores the value of a whole-foods based diet. This recent research on neotame is another reminder that what we put into our bodies has far-reaching effects beyond simple taste and metabolism. 



Prioritizing healthy, unprocessed foods is the best way to support your gut microbiome and your overall well-being for the long term.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1366409/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Nutrition</a>.



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Artificial sweetener neotame has shocking effects on gut health

Artificial sweeteners are appealing to those who want a sweet taste without the calories or health concerns associated with sugar. Yet, emerging research continues to uncover potential gut harm caused by sugar substitutes, such as neotame. A new study from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) sheds light on neotame, a relatively newer artificial sweetener, and its shocking effects on the gut. How neotame wrecks havoc on the gut microbiome According to the research, neotame directly harms the gut's protective lining and changes the behavior of good gut bacteria....

A new study by experts at the <a href="http://www.weizmann.ac.il/">Weizmann Institute of Science</a> has found that taking a deep breath before a simple task can improve performance. The research suggests that inhaling stimulates a part of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/brain-chips-superintelligence/">brain</a> that is responsible for attention and concentration. 

A team led by Professor Noam Sobel, who is the Head of the Department of Neurobiology at the Weizmann Institute, set out to investigate whether inhaling had an influence on the execution of simple tasks. 

The study was focused on 30 individuals who were presented with shapes and words while they were hooked up to a device that measured inhalation and exhalation through the nose and also monitored brain activity. The participants were asked to determine if the words were real or made up, and if the shapes were physically possible.

The study revealed that participants scored higher on the shape tasks after inhaling.


Professor Sobel told <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>: “In cognitive brain science we’re often used to looking at minute differences that gain statistical significance over large data sets. It’s a real difference in performance.”


On the other hand, the participants did not improve their scores on word tasks by inhaling. In fact, some individuals scored higher after exhaling when determining whether words were real or fake. 

According to study co-author Ofer Perl, the higher scores on the shape task cannot be explained by improved oxygen levels in the brain because it would take dozens of seconds to affect these levels.


The experts also observed increased electrical activity in regions of the brain associated with attention after participants inhaled, but this effect was not observed after exhalation. Professor Sobel said this means that the brain “processes things differently from inhale to exhale.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/">Nature Human Behavior</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Taking a deep breath can improve concentration on simple tasks

A new study by experts at the Weizmann Institute of...

Scientists have widely agreed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-tools-hunt-distance/">tool-making</a> is one of the key behaviors that distinguished our human ancestors from other primates. But now, a new study from <a href="http://www.emory.edu/home/index.html">Emory University</a> suggests that it was not the act of tool-making that set hominins apart, but that it was the act of making tools smaller. 

“It's a need that we've been perennially faced with and driven by,” said study lead author and anthropologist Justin Pargeter. “Miniaturization is the thing that we do.”

The research, which provides the first comprehensive outline of prehistoric tool miniaturization, proposes that miniaturization is a central tendency in hominin technologies that dates back at least 2.6 million years.

“When other apes used stone tools, they chose to go big and stayed in the forests where they evolved,” said study co-author Professor John Shea. “Hominins chose to go small, went everywhere, and transformed otherwise hostile habitats to suit our changing needs.”

The study authors found that small stone flakes used for piercing, cutting, and scraping appeared in the archeological record at sites on every continent. According to Pargeter, these stone flakes were like the disposable razor blades or paperclips of today - easy to make and easily replaced.

As Pargeter explored ideas for a thesis topic, he examined artifacts from a South African site called Boomplaas. He discovered a sliver of crystal quartz that looked like it had been designed using a highly technical method called pressure flaking. “It was diminutive, about the size of a small raisin, and weighed less than half a penny. You could literally blow it off your finger.”

Under a magnifying glass, there was evidence that the tiny piece of quartz had been used for hunting. “It suddenly occurred to me that archeologists may have missed a major component of our stone tool record,” said Pargeter. “In our desire to make 'big' discoveries we may have overlooked tiny, but important, details. A whole technology could lay hidden behind our methods, relegated to bags considered waste material.”

Pargeter theorized that the tiny flake could have been hafted, using a plant-based resin, onto a link shaft that would fit onto a light arrow shaft.

“The link shaft goes into the animal, sacrificing the small blade, but the arrow shaft pops out so you can retain this more costly component. Our ancestors were masters of aerodynamics and acted like engineers, rather than what we think of as 'cave people.' They built redundancy into their technological systems, allowing them to easily repair their tools and to reduce the impact of errors.”

“The hands of other primates are not evolved for repeated fine manipulation in high-force tasks,” explained Pargeter. “We've evolved a unique precision grip that ratchets up our ability for miniaturized technology.”

Dietrich Stout is the director of the Paleolithic Technology Laboratory at Emory University. He described how Pargeter's work adds another dimension to the investigation of human evolution. “He's exploring what may have led to the compulsion to produce these tiny instruments - essentially the relationship between the tools and the human body, brain and the probable uses of the tools,” said Stout.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15206505">Evolutionary Anthropology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Emory University

The miniaturization of tools is a specifically human trait

Scientists have widely agreed that tool-making is one of the...

Gentrification is a problematic but all too common issue in urban planning and development in many cities in the US and Canada. 

The upscale transition of low-income neighborhoods renovated to accommodate middle class and affluent residents can drive up rental and housing prices and displace former residents.  But gentrification can also bring much-needed facilities, services, and goods that were otherwise absent from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-the-greening-of-cities-does-not-benefit-everyone-equally/">underserved pre-gentrified areas</a>.

While gentrification is becoming increasingly common and a political point of contention, it can be challenging to study or even to define gentrification as it occurs. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uottawa.ca/en">University of Ottawa </a>in Canada have developed a deep mapping computer model that takes data from Google Street View to track gentrification on a property-by-property basis. 

Previously, studies into gentrification analyzed census data, but this did little to identify warning signs of gentrification or show how individual properties changed over time in a gentrified neighborhood. 

“Gentrification is reshaping our cities, but at the same time it is hard to determine where and how fast the phenomena occurs in large dynamic urban centers,” the researchers said. 

In this new study, published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0212814">PLOS ONE</a>, the researchers used Google Street View panoramas of properties in the urban core of Ottawa from 2007 through 2016 and developed a deep-mapping computer model to read and process the data. 

The model searched through the panoramas looking for indicators of gentrification like home improvements and renovations. The model was able to identify gentrification with a 95 percent accuracy compared to a human. 

In the Greenbelt neighborhood, the computer found 3,483 indicators of gentrification at 2,922 properties. 

The model’s analysis matched a map that marked where development and building permits had been issued. Having a way to track gentrification at the property level will help aid in further defining and tackling the problems of gentrification in cities across North America. 

“These maps have direct implications for planning, social justice and addressing inequality in this large urban center,” the researchers concluded. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Ilic et al, 2019

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

New tool uses Google Street View to track neighborhood gentrification

Gentrification is a problematic but all too common issue in...

A shocking new report from the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> has announced that environmental pollution is to blame for the premature deaths of nine million people each year. The study, which was a collaboration among 250 scientists in 70 countries, found that one out of every four premature deaths worldwide can be traced back to pollution from human activities. 

The authors of the <a href="http://www.unenvironment.org/global-environment-outlook">Global Environment Outlook</a> (GEO) warned that the epidemic is being driven by chemicals in our drinking water, the destruction of invaluable ecosystems, and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-increases-miscarriage/">deadly smog</a> from toxic emissions. The six-year analysis also revealed that overconsumption, waste, and pollution in wealthier countries are disproportionately impacting poor countries in the form of food insecurity, poverty, and disease. 

Meanwhile, the extreme weather events associated with climate change, such as superstorms and massive flooding, continue to threaten billions of people across the planet. Although global warming is being widely addressed by world leaders and experts, the potential health impacts of issues such as pollution and deforestation are not as straightforward. 

According to the GEO, poor environmental conditions “cause approximately 25 percent of global disease and mortality,” with this number totaling around nine million deaths in 2015 alone. The report also said that 1.4 million people die each year from preventable diseases like diarrhea and parasites due to a lack of clean drinking water and poor sanitary conditions. 

The largest number of deaths attributed to environmental damage was linked to air pollution, which prematurely kills between six and seven million people each year. In addition, the authors pointed out that deforestation and land degradation affect areas that are home to 3.2 billion people.

Joyeeta Gupta, GEO co-chair, told <a href="https://www.afp.com/en">AFP</a>: “If you have a healthy planet it supports not only global GDP but it also supports the lives of the very poorest because they depend on clean air and clean water. If you turn that around, an unhealthy system has massive damage on human lives.”

The experts suggested that while the situation is dire, it could still be helped. In a note to policymakers, the GEO authors wrote: “Urgent action at an unprecedented scale is necessary to arrest and reverse this situation.”


For example, one third of all the food produced worldwide is wasted. In wealthier countries, an average of 56 percent of food is being thrown away. Reducing this amount of food waste could drastically reduce the harmful emissions that are associated with food production.

“Everyone is saying that by 2050 we have to feed 10 billion people, but that doesn't mean we have to double production,” said Gupta. “If we reduce our waste and perhaps have less meat you could immediately reduce that problem.” This, she said, would require changes in the way that we live.

The GEO was unveiled this week at the <a href="http://web.unep.org/environmentassembly/">UN Environment Assembly</a> in Nairobi.
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nine million people die prematurely from pollution every year

A shocking new report from the United Nations has announced...

It has been well established that the environment can have a major impact on the cardiovascular system, and experts at the <a href="https://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/en/index.html">German Research Center for Environmental Health</a> set out to get a better understanding of the effects of both extreme heat and cold. The research has confirmed the theory that severe temperature spikes increase the risk of a heart attack. 

The investigation was focused on more than 27,000 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heart-attacks-young-women/">heart attack</a> patients with an average age of 63. Overall, 13,000 of these heart attacks, which occurred between 1987 and 2014, were fatal. 

The researchers compared individual heart attacks to meteorological data on the day of the event, while accounting for other risk factors as well. In addition, the team compared data from 1987 to 2000 with data from 2001 to 2014. 

“In this latest study, we wanted to see to what extent the heat and cold-related heart attack risk has changed over the years,” said co-author Dr. Kai Chen. “Over a period of 28 years, we found that there has been an increase in heat-induced heart attack risk in recent years.” 

The study revealed that individuals with diabetes or hyperlipidaemia were particularly at risk during the later time frame. The researchers said that this is partially a result of global warming, but that it is also a consequence of an increase in these risk factors themselves, which cause people to become more susceptible to heat.

“Our study suggests that greater consideration should be given to high temperatures as a potential trigger for heart attacks - especially in view of climate change,” said study lead author Dr. Alexandra Schneider. “Extreme weather events, like the 2018 heat waves in Europe, could in future result in an increase in cardiovascular disease. At the same time, there is likely to be a decrease in cold-related heart attacks here in Germany.” 

“Our analysis suggests a lower risk in the future, but this lower risk was not significant and very cold days will continue to represent a potential trigger for heart attacks.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj">European Heart Journal</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>

Heart attack risk is rising along with hotter temperatures

It has been well established that the environment can have...

A team of archeologists led by Dr. Richard Madgwick of <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/">Cardiff University</a> have discovered evidence of prehistoric large-scale celebrations at four different Late Neolithic locations near <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stonehenge-built-remains/">Stonehenge</a>. These new findings show that people and animals traveled for miles to participate in the festivities held at these richly historic and profound places.

The new study, published in <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>, is the most comprehensive to date. Researchers examined 131 pig bones dating back to the Late Neolithic era (c. 2800-2400 BC). These artifacts, left behind by Britons who traveled far and wide to attend these huge feasts, were found at Durrington Walls, Marden, Mount Pleasant, and West Kennet Palisade Enclosures. 

In fact, researchers say the bones at these sites were from animals who were raised as far away as Scotland, North East England, and West Wales.

"This study demonstrates a scale of movement and level of social complexity not previously appreciated,” Dr. Madgwick stated. "These gatherings could be seen as the first united cultural events of our island, with people from all corners of Britain descending on the areas around Stonehenge to feast on food that had been specially reared and transported from their homes."

To determine where the pigs came from, the team used isotope analysis on the bones to detect chemical signals from the food and water that the animals consumed. Pigs were seemingly the most favorable animals to feast on, and researchers believe it may have been important for people to bring their own pigs to the celebrations.

"Arguably the most startling finding is the efforts that participants invested in contributing pigs that they themselves had raised. Procuring them in the vicinity of the feasting sites would have been relatively easy,” Dr. Madgwick continued. "Pigs are not nearly as well-suited to movement over distance as cattle and transporting them, either slaughtered or on the hoof, over hundreds or even tens of kilometres, would have required a monumental effort.”

"This suggests that prescribed contributions were required and that rules dictated that offered pigs must be raised by the feasting participants, accompanying them on their journey, rather than being acquired locally,” he said.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Cardiff University

Evidence of prehistoric large-scale celebrations found near Stonehenge

A team of archeologists led by Dr. Richard Madgwick of...

After reviewing hundreds of published studies, experts led by the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois</a> have found that spending time in nature enhances healthy development and academic achievement among <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/kids-play-outside-again/">children</a>. Study lead author Professor Ming Kuo said that she expected the review to lead to more questions than answers, but the results were very clear. 

“It is time to take nature seriously as a resource for learning, in fact, the trend of increasing indoor instruction in hopes of maximizing standardized test performance may be doing more harm than good,” said Professor Kuo.


The study, which was a collaboration with experts at the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a>, revealed that nature boosts learning in eight distinct ways.

“We found strong evidence that time in nature has a rejuvenating effect on attention; relieves stress; boosts self-discipline; increases physical activity and fitness; and promotes student self-motivation, enjoyment, and engagement. And all of these have been shown to improve learning,” said Professor Kuo.

The team determined that nature creates a calmer, quieter, and safer setting for learning, while promoting better cooperation among students. Nature also provides more creative and exploratory forms of play.

“If something not only makes a student more attentive, but also less stressed and more interested, then you can see how it could have a large effect on their learning,” said study co-author Michael Barnes. “Furthermore, if you put a bunch of kids in a classroom and they're all attentive, absorbed, and interested, that sounds like a different classroom than one where they're all stressed, agitated, not getting along, etc. So you can start to see how these large effects could make sense.”

According to the review, these benefits extend beyond academic achievement. Spending time in nature promotes the individual skills and qualities needed for personal success.

“Report after report - from independent observers as well as participants themselves - indicate beneficial shifts in perseverance, problem solving, critical thinking, leadership, teamwork, and resilience. All of these line up with skills we know are important for kids' ability to thrive in the 21st century,” said study co-author Professor Catherine Jordan.

Professor Kuo added, “Even small exposures to nature are beneficial. If you're indoors, having a view of your yard as opposed to facing the wall, that makes a difference. At the same time, more is better. That's one of the things that gives us more confidence that we're seeing a real cause-and-effect relationship. The bigger the dose of nature we give a person, the bigger the effect we see in them.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology">Frontiers in Psychology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: University of Illinois

Exposure to nature is tied to huge educational benefits for kids

After reviewing hundreds of published studies, experts led by the...

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is famously billed as the ‘last great race on Earth’.  The race is a 1,100 mile long endurance test in one of the most grueling environments in the world.  The last winner took 9 ½ days to complete the Iditarod, but the slowest <a href="https://iditarod.com/about/trivia-facts/">winning time</a> was over 20 days in 1974.  The longest time taken to complete the race is an excruciating, 32 days, 15 hours and nine minutes. A lot of the time it takes to finish a dog race like the Iditarod comes down to conditions outside of a musher’s control, conditions like weather, snow, ice, wildlife attacks.      

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tooth-alaskas-first-inhabitants/">Alaska</a> places much of its local identity on ruggedness and the Iditarod is part of that; photos of sled dogs cover postcards, press clippings decorate Alaskan restaurants.  I remember a sign in one Alaskan establishment that proclaimed, “Alaska, where the men are men and women win the Iditarod”. That sentiment becomes more and more true each year.  

<a href="https://www.biography.com/news/libby-riddles-facts-biography-iditarod">Libby Riddles</a> was the first woman to win the Iditarod more than thirty years ago in 1985.  Over the course of the race, the temperature dropped to -50°F and Riddles pushed through weather conditions other sat out in safety and relative comfort.  Libby Riddles seems to have paved the road for future female adventure athletes. 

Born in Massachusetts and educated at Colorado State University where she studied to be a veterinarian technician, <a href="https://www.biography.com/people/susan-butcher-222295">Susan Butcher</a> won the Iditarod four times, in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990.  Only one person, Rick Swenson, has <a href="https://iditarod.com/about/champions-records/">won more Iditarods</a> (5) to this day.  Butcher first competed in the Iditarod in 1978 and over her career set several records before retiring and passing away from Leukemia in 2006.  In 2008, the state of Alaska established a Susan Butcher day, celebrated the first Saturday of March. 

Butcher, like Riddles, and every racer in the Iditarod faced hardship. She had to drop out of the race in 1985 when two of her dogs were killed and several were injured by a moose.  The Iditarod is still a male dominated race; a woman hasn’t won the race in 25 years, but that’s bound to change soon. Now almost a third of the racers are women <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/03/01/699390413/blair-braverman-and-her-ugly-dogs-compete-in-their-first-iditarod">NPR</a> reports.  Besides concerns of gender equality, often raised in sports, another controversy has plagued the Iditarod – treatment of dogs.

The Iditarod was originally formulated as a tribute to the Iditarod trail.  The trail was originally a life line for non-native Alaskans to the rest of the world where food and medical supplies could be delivered to remote outposts of the Alaskan ‘frontier’.  As such, the race is a tribute to the harsh realities of the Alaskan environment and a partnership between humans and non-humans to survive there. Things have changed since the times when a dog sled was the only way to deliver important medicine to Alaskan villages.       

The world of 2019 is a very different one from the world of 1973 when the <a href="https://iditarod.com/about/history/">first Iditarod</a> was officially run.  1973 was less than twenty years after the official founding of Sea World in 1959 and decades before the 2013 documentary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNtUK3rW5K4">Blackfish</a> revealed a lot of problems with that park.  It was only in 1966 that the <a href="https://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/animal-welfare-act">Animal Welfare Act</a> was signed into law, less than ten years before the first Iditarod.  Several amendments have been made to the Animal Welfare Act since it was first created, the last being in 2013.  According to <a href="https://foodrevolution.org/blog/vegan-statistics-global/">FoodRevolution.org</a>, veganism has increased by 600% in the US from 2014 to 2017 alone.  It’s not surprising considering how views of animal treatment have changed in the US that a race that in some ways supports an antiquated relationship between humans and dogs has its own controversies.

According to <a href="https://helpsleddogs.org/the-harsh-reality/dog-deaths/">Sled Dog Action Coalition</a>, at least 153 dogs have died in the Iditarod; meanwhile no humans have died during the race.  Statistics of dog deaths from the early years of the race weren’t kept but a resident of Alaska for 40 years, Ted Almasy is quoted:

“That first race, from Anchorage to McGrath, all you could see along the trail was dog blood and dead dogs. That’s when I got into it with them. After each Iditarod, we used to see dead dogs at the dump. You’d see them [Sic] poor dogs, blood coming out of both ends. ”

Words like these raise serious questions of the ethics of a race that simultaneously romanticizes a team of dogs and risks their health and lives without consent.  Indeed, in most of the US, keeping a dog outside in below freezing temperatures for 12 days warrants an animal cruelty conviction, according to <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/iditarod-trail-sled-dog-race-and-animal-cruelty-127645">ThoughtCo</a>.  The race is trying to adapt a bit to changing views on animal treatment ethics. 

Any musher that has been convicted of animal cruelty is disqualified from the race.  There are checkpoints where a veterinarian can check the health of dogs but racers aren’t required to stop at these checkpoints.  Ramy Brooks, a musher, was disqualified for blatant cruelty, such as beating dogs for not continuing across an icefield. Brooks was allowed to race in later years and one of his dogs died in the 2007 race, but it was concluded that the death was unrelated to beating.  Beyond the race itself, culling dogs that aren’t good racers is a common practice among kennels training to compete. A question worth asking is if the Iditarod is capable of changing enough to be seen as morally acceptable in a world where animals are recognized as having more rights and capacities than previously?

Could the answer to change in the treatment of animals be in who the mushers themselves are?  An article in the <a href="https://vancouversun.com/news/community-blogs/do-men-care-less-about-animals-than-women">Vancouver Sun</a> asked, “Do men care less about animals than women?”  The answer seems to be as a group, yes.  One study examining 268 prosecutions of animal cruelty found that men are convicted in a ratio of 29 to 1 compared to women in animal abuse.  Other studies have found that women as a group nearly always have more sympathy for animals than men. 

Are the women now racing in the Iditarod a wind of change that could not only lift the status of women in a rugged wilderness race but also push for better treatment of dogs or are the women now racing pushing for victory at all costs?  Blair Braverman in particular, a nature writer and first time competitor in this year’s Iditarod, has already pushed back on the male stereotypical view of man vs. nature, promoting a more feminine perspective on nature in <a href="https://www.hcn.org/issues/49.19/the-west-when-women-are-telling-the-story?utm_source=wcn1&amp;utm_medium=email">High Country News</a>.  

Will more female competitors mean more female spectators that may in turn raise more questions about the treatment of sled dogs?  Only time will tell. We can only hope that the race, one that celebrates wilderness and human animal collaboration, can fulfill its promise or simply cease.  

--                

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Women in the Iditarod and the treatment of racing dogs

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is famously billed as...

Humans are quickly burning through Earth’s resources, UN report warns. The <a href="http://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/global-resources-outlook">Global Resources Outlook 2019</a> report published by the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> (UN) has some sobering news about the world’s natural resources. 

From 1970 to 2017, the world’s population grew from 3.7 billion to 7.5 billion, and global domestic product increased four times in the same time frame. 

More people equals more demand on natural resources like water, agricultural land, and wood, and the report shows that by 2017, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-already-burned-earths-resources-2017/">extraction of resources</a> to meet global demand grew from 27 billion tons per year to 92 billion tons. 

What’s even more concerning is that as population increases and advances in health and technology improve quality of life, the report predicts that by 2060, our extraction of resources will double. 

In high-income countries alone, each person uses around 9.8 tons of materials and resources. 

“The Global Resources Outlook shows that we are ploughing through this planet’s finite resources as if there is no tomorrow, causing climate change and biodiversity loss along the way,” said Joyce Msuya, the Acting Executive Director of <a href="http://www.unenvironment.org/">UN Environment.</a> “Frankly, there will be no tomorrow for many people unless we stop.”

The report was put together by the UN’s <a href="http://www.resourcepanel.org/">International Resource Panel</a>, and the authors compared resource extraction to resource use over the decades. 

Data from historical trends were reviewed and analyzed for the study, and the International Resource Panel was able to predict resource extraction rates up until 2060. 

By 2060, resource use could grow as much 110 percent which would shrink forests and other key habitats.Humans are quickly burning through Earth’s resources, UN report warns

The demand for natural resources is a significant driver of climate change and biodiversity loss both through urban expansion as well as mining, logging, fishing, and manufacturing operations. 

As we strip away more resources and emit more greenhouse gasses in the process, we are contributing to the snowball effect of climate change, and the UN report calls for a major overhaul of policies dictating resource conservation and use. 

“The extraction and processing of materials, fuels, and food make up about half of total global greenhouse gas emissions and more than 90 percent of biodiversity loss and water stress,” the report reads. 

If resource extraction continues on its current trends, greenhouse gas emissions could increase by 43 percent. 

Sustainability and resource efficiency are required going forward to protect resources and combat climate change. 

The report adds that if smarter and greener measures are undertaken, resource use could be slowed and managed in a better way to meet future global demands. 

--

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>

Humans are quickly burning through Earth’s resources, UN report warns

Humans are quickly burning through Earth’s resources, UN report warns....

A new study has found that U.S. counties with rich immigration history have higher incomes, less poverty, and lower unemployment rates. Recent political-related concerns about <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bias-against-immigrants-names/">immigration</a> have only focused on the short-term effects. However, this recent study, published in <a href="https://www.restud.com/">The Review of Economic Studies</a>, looked into the long-run effects and consequences of immigration and found contradictory results to the concerns of modern day.

The researchers focused on immigrants who came to the U.S. between 1850 and 1920. It was during this time in history that immigration blossomed, and people were coming from many different places. For example, in 1850 over 90% of immigrants in the U.S. were from Great Britain, Ireland, or Germany. By 1920, only 45% of immigrants came from these three locations.

Immigration during this time led to larger manufacturing establishments, a booming agriculture industry, and higher innovation rates. As the authors of the study state, these findings play into the historical belief that the majority of immigrants contribute unskilled labor to economic growth whereas a smaller immigrant pool help to innovate and develop the country.

"What is fascinating is that despite the exceptionalism of this period in US history, there are several important parallels that one could draw between then and now: the large influx of unskilled labor, the small but important inflow of highly skilled innovators, as well as the significant short-run social backlash against immigration,” said lead author Sandra Sequeira, from the <a href="http://www.lse.ac.uk/">The London School of Economics and Political Science</a>. “There is much to be learned from taking a longer perspective on the immigration debate."

Furthermore, the researchers found that increasing the percentage of immigrants within a county by 4.9% can lead to a 13% average per capita income increase, a 44% in average manufacturing output between 1860 and 1920, a 37% farm value increase, and a 152% increase in the number of patents per capita.

And researchers also note that these economic benefits related to immigration did not have negative social costs. In fact, historically immigrant-heavy locations have the same crime rate, civic participation, and social capital as anywhere else in the U.S.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Study: Immigration benefits economies even a century later

A new study has found that U.S. counties with rich...

Waking up often to use the bathroom actually hurts the economy  is a condition defined by waking up more than twice a night to urinate, and it affects nearly 20 percent of the overall population, especially older adults. 

While nocturia can be bothersome, a new study found that frequent nightly bathroom trips can actually hurt the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glass-ceiling-hurt-economy/">economy</a> due to lost productivity. 

People who lose sleep due to the urge to urinate are less productive at work, and more likely to call in sick to work due to sleep deprivation, according to researchers from <a href="https://www.rand.org/randeurope.html">RAND Europe</a>. 

This hit to work performance due to the prevalence of nocturia ultimately affects the economy. 

The researchers found that someone suffering from nocturia loses seven more working days on average either by calling in sick or not being able to perform up to expectations on the job. 

The problem isn’t unique to the US either, as the researchers studied the impacts of nocturia on GDP in Japan, Germany, the UK, and Australia. 

The team used two large, linked employer-employee datasets which included information on how many estimated employees suffered from nocturia. 

A macroeconomic model was then used to simulate how GDP was impacted by nocturia by examining how changes in workplace productivity influenced economic output. 

In the US, around 27.5 million people suffer from nocturia, which is the equivalent of about 12.5 percent of the total workforce.  The researchers discovered that nocturia was responsible for around 13.7 billion in economic losses in Japan, and 8.4 billion in Germany.

In the UK, economic losses due to frequent urination are 5.9 billion, and in Spain and Australia losses were around 3 billion. 

Besides work performance, nocturia impacts wellbeing, but many people wait to see their doctor until symptoms are unbearable and debilitating. The researchers also say that doctors don’t always consider nocturia as a potential risk for sleep problems. 

“Given the substantial economic implications of untreated nocturia, this should be a ‘wake-up’ call to diverse stakeholders, including patients, health-care providers, and employers, of the importance of identifying and treating nocturia,” said Marco Hafner, the lead researcher of the study.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Waking up often to use the bathroom actually hurts the economy

Waking up often to use the bathroom actually hurts the...

Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases caused by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-shortens-life-spans/">air pollution</a> are responsible for more than 100,000 deaths in the United States. 

Even though air quality in the US has improved overall and exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) declined 50 percent between 2003 and 2015, a new study led by researchers from the <a href="https://twin-cities.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota</a> and the <a href="https://www.washington.edu/">University of Washington</a> has found significant racial disparities in high pollution exposure. 

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), shows that Hispanic and black Americans are exposed to high levels of dangerous air pollution, the majority of which is caused by white American consumers. 

The study represents the first time that pollution inequity in the US has been quantified and shows that minority groups are disproportionately exposed to PM2.5. 

“Our work is at the intersection of many important and timely topics such as race, inequality, affluence, environmental justice, and environmental regulation,” said Jason Hill, a University of Minnesota bioproducts and biosystems engineering professor.

The researchers found that black Americans are exposed to 56 percent more PM2.5 pollution than is caused by their consumption, and Hispanic Americans are exposed to 63 percent more  pollution than is caused by their consumption .

The burden of pollution exposure is especially damaging because although white Americans are responsible for a large majority of air pollution through consumption of pollution-emitting goods and services, white Americans are exposed to 17 percent less air pollution than is caused by their consumption.

One of the reasons that black and Hispanic Americans deal with more air pollution exposure is because pollution is higher in underserved neighborhoods and regions historically home to higher populations of minorities, which can be linked to racial disparities dating back decades and even generations. 

“Similar to previous studies, we show that racial-ethnic minorities are exposed to more pollution on average than non-Hispanic whites. What is new is that we find that those differences do not occur because minorities on average cause more pollution than whites -- in fact, the opposite is true,” said Christopher Tessum, the lead author of the study. 

Both income and political representation also help drive unfair pollution exposure burdens.

Going forward the researchers say that it will be crucial to examine these disparities not just in pollution exposure but also in other environmental burdens. 

“The approach we establish in this study could be extended to other pollutants, locations, and groupings of people,” said Julian Marshall, civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Washington. “When it comes to determining who causes air pollution -- and who breathes that pollution -- this research is just the beginning.”

--

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>

Black and Hispanic Americans exposed to higher levels of air pollution

Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases caused by air pollution are responsible...

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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

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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?

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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"

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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



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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



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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...