What if the secret to eating less wasn’t portion control or calorie counting, but chili peppers? For centuries, spice has added excitement to meals. Now, it may also offer a simple way to manage how much you eat. 



New research from <a href="https://www.psu.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Penn State</a> shows that a small boost in spiciness can lead to reduced calorie intake without affecting how much you enjoy your food.



Eating behaviors are influenced by many things - taste, texture, aroma, and even how fast you chew. Most strategies aimed at reducing food intake focus on controlling portions or changing food composition. But this study highlights a different path: tweaking oral burn. 



That warm, tingly sensation from capsaicin - the compound in chili peppers - might be doing more than just making your tongue tingle.



Researchers conducted three controlled experiments to understand if chili heat could reduce energy intake. Their findings were clear: a little heat slows you down and helps you <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-plastic-food-packaging-contains-9936-harmful-chemicals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eat</a> less.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spicy-food-slows-eating">Spicy food slows eating</h2>



Paige Cunningham, a postdoctoral researcher at Penn State who led the study, said that her team suspected that making a meal spicier might slow people down.



"We thought, let's test, under controlled experimental conditions in the lab, if adding a small amount of spice, but not so much that the meal is inedible, will make people eat slower and therefore eat less,” explained Cunningham.



The research team designed three experiments using two familiar meals: beef chili and chicken tikka masala. Each participant consumed both a mild and a spicy version of the meal across different visits. 



The key manipulation involved adjusting the ratio of hot to sweet paprika while keeping everything else - flavor, texture, macronutrients - constant. Every session was recorded to track bite size, eating rate, meal duration, and more.



They found that adding spice didn’t make the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-food-day-fighting-global-hunger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meal</a> unpleasant. Instead, it changed how people ate. The spicy meals were consumed more slowly. Eating rate dropped, and participants took fewer bites per minute. Interestingly, participants still liked the spicy meals just as much.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spicy-beef-and-tikka-led-to-eating-less-food">Spicy beef and tikka led to eating less food</h2>



In Experiment 1, participants consumed about 46 grams less of the spicy beef chili compared to the mild version. That’s a 13% reduction in intake, which also meant 53 fewer kilocalories. 



The eating rate was 11% slower during the spicy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vaccinating-plants-could-boost-global-food-security/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meal</a>, and the bite rate dropped as well. However, total meal duration and bite size didn’t change significantly. Participants simply took more time between bites, eating more thoughtfully.



“This points to added chilies as a potential strategy for reducing the risk of energy overconsumption,” said John Hayes, professor of food science and co-author on the study. “Next time you're looking to eat a little less, try adding a blast of chilies, as it may slow you down and help you eat less.”



Experiment 2a used chicken tikka masala instead of chili. Here, the manipulation failed - the spicy version was not perceived as much spicier than the mild one. As a result, there was no significant difference in intake or eating behavior. 



This outcome stressed an important point: the effect depends on the perceptible level of heat. Mild differences won’t move the needle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-stronger-spice-yields-stronger-results">A stronger spice yields stronger results</h2>



To address the failed manipulation in Experiment 2a, the researchers revised their approach in Experiment 2b. They increased the paprika content in the chicken tikka and ensured the spicy version delivered a noticeable burn. 



This time, the result mirrored the chili experiment. Participants ate 64 grams less spicy tikka, a reduction of 18%. Eating rate dropped by 17%, and bite frequency also decreased.



The spice didn’t make the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-fusion-turning-food-waste-into-culinary-delights/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">food</a> less enjoyable. In both chili and tikka trials, liking scores remained stable. Appetite ratings before and after meals also stayed roughly the same. What changed was how people interacted with the food. The spicy versions encouraged slower, more mindful eating.



Notably, water consumption didn’t vary between mild and spicy versions. This ruled out a common assumption: that drinking more water fills people up. “This is why we need to do empirical studies of behavior, because what you might intuitively expect is often not the case,” Hayes remarked.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mechanisms-and-possible-thresholds">Mechanisms and possible thresholds</h2>



So, what’s actually happening here? The likely mechanism is increased oro-sensory exposure. Spicy foods stay in the mouth longer, allowing time for fullness signals to reach the brain. This has been linked with reduced energy intake in earlier studies involving texture changes. 



But here, the change was chemical, not physical. That makes it a novel method for influencing eating behavior.



Interestingly, the data suggests a potential threshold effect. The spicy version in Experiment 2a didn’t yield any change because it wasn’t spicy enough. In contrast, Experiment 2b used a 4% hot paprika blend, producing a spiciness rating around 68 out of 101. 



That version led to real behavior changes. The spicy beef chili in Experiment 1, rated at 54, also caused a measurable reduction. Meals that reached a certain burn intensity consistently led to slower eating and lower intake.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-differences-and-tolerance">Individual differences and tolerance</h2>



The study also explored how personal traits affect response to spice. Participants with higher levels of neuroticism and openness were less responsive to spice changes. 



However, traits like age, BMI, and frequency of eating spicy food didn’t seem to affect outcomes. That said, the researchers did recruit only moderate spice consumers. This reduced variability and helped maintain experimental control.



No participants reported discomfort, and the spice levels used fell well below extreme intensity. 



This suggests there’s a “sweet spot” for oral burn - strong enough to affect eating, but not so strong that it reduces meal enjoyment or causes distress. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-drought-has-caused-crisis-levels-of-food-and-water-scarcity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meals</a> rated around 50–70 on the spice scale seem to hit that balance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-spice-can-change-eating-habits">Adding spice can change eating habits</h2>



The broader implications of this research are promising. Spicy food is widely used around the world, and the ingredients - like chili pepper and paprika - are affordable and accessible. 



As capsaicin gains attention for its potential health benefits, including improved metabolism and satiety, these findings add another layer: it can reshape how we eat.



In daily life, eating occurs in varied environments. While this study happened in a lab, it still shows a robust effect across different dishes. The results also challenge the idea that we must alter what we eat to eat less. Instead, we may just need to adjust how we experience it.



“This reduction in intake occurred without negatively impacting how much participants liked the food,” said Hayes. That’s a significant point. No one wants to sacrifice enjoyment for control. Here, you don’t have to.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-adding-chili-to-your-plate">Adding chili to your plate</h2>



From chili con carne to tikka masala, a little extra heat might be a gentle nudge toward eating less. The key lies in slowing down the eating process. That pause between bites, triggered by oral burn, gives your body time to say, “I’m full.”



These findings invite more exploration. Can this strategy help long-term? Will it work in more diverse populations or in social eating situations? And what is the best spice level to use at home? 



While those questions remain, one thing is clear - adding a little chili might do more than wake up your taste buds. It might just help you regain control over your plate.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329325001417?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Food Quality and Preference</a>.



-----



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



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



-----

Spicy foods can slow down eating and cut calorie intake

What if the secret to eating less wasn’t portion control or calorie counting, but chili peppers? For centuries, spice has added excitement to meals. Now, it may also offer a simple way to manage how much you eat. New research from Penn State shows that a small boost in spiciness can lead to reduced calorie intake without affecting how much you enjoy your food. Eating behaviors are influenced by many things - taste, texture, aroma, and even how fast you chew. Most strategies aimed at reducing food...

Americans started to migrate west in 1803 after the Louisiana Purchase. From this time until the beginning of the 20th century, tornado-related fatalities increased faster than the rate of population growth, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/">Purdue University</a>.

Professor Ernest Agee explained that an improved understanding of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tornado-activity-shifting-eastward/">tornadoes</a>, along with technology to issue warnings, led to a decline in the number of fatalities by around 1916. Today, tornadoes claim fewer than 100 lives each year in the United States, but this number still needs to be reduced. 

“We need to keep funding resources to improve observations and detection. The dual-polarization Doppler radar and high-resolution images of the newest GOES satellite have significantly enhanced our ability to detect and predict tornadoes,” said Professor Agee. “However, even with the current technology and numerical simulation capability, precise location and tornado intensity need further refinement. A holistic approach to fatality prevention also relies on tornado-proof structures and preparedness plans from schools and businesses to homes and mobile park communities.”

Little is known about the number and intensity of past tornadoes, so Professor Agee considered U.S. census data to create a historical record of tornado fatalities from 1808 to 2017. These years were split into two different time periods. Era A, from 1808 to 1915, was characterized by little to no understanding of tornadoes. Era B, from 1916 to 2017, was a time when the understanding of extreme weather was improving, as well as the technology to issue warnings. Era B also had better public safety measures and the establishment of building codes.

The modern tornado record began in 1950, and radar and satellites were introduced a few years later. The Weather Channel was established in 1982, which paved the way for real-time communication of severe weather information.

During Era B, the deadliest states were found to be Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Oklahoma. These states are located just south of the “centroid of tornado activity,” which has drifted southeast over time. 


In 2018, tornadoes were responsible for only 10 fatalities in the United States, but the average number is still closer to 70. Professor Agee said that mobile homes and large sports venues are especially vulnerable in the event of a tornado.

“Cities that have mobile home parks need to have storm shelters, and schools in tornado-prone regions should consider storm-safe pods. In terms of warning people of incoming storms, social media has huge potential to save lives as well.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/loi/wcas">Weather, Climate, and Society</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Number of tornado fatalities continues to decline in the U.S.

Americans started to migrate west in 1803 after the Louisiana...

Aerial photography
Plymouth University Graduation and 150 
Plymouth Sound

Around half of the global population now lives within 62 miles of the coast, and coastal cities are among the fastest growing population centers on the planet. As these urban communities grow, however, so does the potential for damage. 

One possible solution is the creation of a city marine park which can protect the benefits of the marine environment. For example, officials in Plymouth have made a commitment to designate the ocean around the city as the UK's first National Marine Park.

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> are now describing how other <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cities-overall-pollution/">cities</a> across the world can follow Plymouth’s lead. The study highlights how city marine parks could promote the wellbeing of coastal communities in terms of improved health, economic prosperity, and sustainability.


“Whether you live in Melbourne, Mumbai, Miami or any other coastal city in the world, the ocean can be an important factor in your life. But it is vital for communities to deepen the connection and really focus on developing a mutually beneficial relationship with the ocean for greater economic, environmental, social and health benefits,” said study lead author Dr. Simon Pittman.

“We believe the city marine park concept provides the means to do that, essentially providing a gift from the city to itself in terms of securing a prosperous, healthy and sustainable future for coastal cities.”

Unlike Marine Protected Areas, the parks would not provide legal protection. Instead, there would be a focus on encouraging organizations and individuals to understand and utilize the benefits of their local marine environment.

Professor Martin Attrill has been a long-time advocate of the concept, and is playing an important role in Plymouth's marine park.

“We live in an era where the world's seas have been heavily impacted by human activity and remain under serious threat. But there is also increased awareness and recognition that the global population has a crucial role to play in safeguarding their future,” said Professor Attrill. “Identifying ways for coastal cities to benefit from the seas and vice versa is a hugely positive step, and city marine parks can be a catalyst for real change in terms of the relationship between the citizens of coastal cities and their marine surroundings.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/marine-policy">Marine Policy</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 Plymouth

Coastal cities are the fastest growing population centers

Around half of the global population now lives within 62...

Millions more deaths are caused by air pollution than was estimated. A new study published by the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/">European Society of Cardiology</a> suggests that deaths caused by outdoor air pollution have been greatly underestimated. The researchers have linked nearly double the number of deaths to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-unhappiness/">air pollution</a> than what was previously calculated. 

The study revealed that air pollution is globally responsible for 8.8 million deaths each year, as opposed to an earlier estimate of 4.5 million. In Europe alone, the experts identified nearly 800,000 additional deaths that are tied to air pollution. 

According to the research, air pollution is twice as likely to increase the risk of fatal cardiovascular diseases compared to respiratory diseases. In fact, between 40 and 80 percent of pollution-related deaths were found to involve cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or stroke.


Study co-author Thomas Münzel is a professor in the Department of Cardiology at the <a href="http://www.unimedizin-mainz.de/international/welcome.html">University Medical Centre Mainz</a> in Germany. Millions more deaths are caused by air pollution than was estimated

“To put this into perspective, this means that air pollution causes more extra deaths a year than tobacco smoking, which the World Health Organization estimates was responsible for an extra 7.2 million deaths in 2015. Smoking is avoidable but air pollution is not,” explained Professor Münzel.

“The number of deaths from cardiovascular disease that can be attributed to air pollution is much higher than expected. In Europe alone, the excess number of deaths is nearly 800,000 a year and each of these deaths represents an average reduction in life expectancy of more than two years.”

The researchers found that air pollution is responsible for 120 extra deaths per 100,000 of the population annually. This number was even higher in Europe, with 133 extra deaths per 100,000 people each year.

Study co-author Professor Jos Lelieveld explained: “The high number of extra deaths caused by air pollution in Europe is explained by the combination of poor air quality and dense population, which leads to exposure that is among the highest in the world.”

“Although air pollution in eastern Europe is not much worse than in western Europe, the number of excess deaths it caused was higher. We think this may be explained by more advanced health care in western Europe, where life expectancy is generally higher.”

As a result of air pollution, life expectancy was found to be reduced by 2.4 years in Germany, 1.9 years in Italy, 2.8 years in Poland, 1.5 years in the UK, and 1.6 years in France. 

“Since most of the particulate matter and other air pollutants in Europe come from the burning of fossil fuels, we need to switch to other sources for generating energy urgently,” said said Professor Lelieveld. “When we use clean, renewable energy, we are not just fulfilling the Paris Agreement to mitigate the effects of climate change, we could also reduce air pollution-related death rates in Europe by up to 55%.”

The study is published in the journal <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>

Millions more deaths are caused by air pollution than was estimated

Millions more deaths are caused by air pollution than was...

According to a new study published by the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a>, drinking water contaminated with arsenic may thicken the heart's main pumping chamber in young adults. The researchers warn that this structural change increases the risk for future heart problems.

Study lead author Dr. Gernot Pichler is a medical specialist for Internal Medicine in the Department of Cardiology at Hospital Hietzing/Heart Center Clinic Floridsdorf in Vienna, Austria.

“People drinking water from private wells, which are not regulated, need to be aware that arsenic may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. Testing those wells is a critical first step to take action and prevent exposure,” said Dr. Pichler.

Arsenic is most often present in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/toxic-contaminants-californias-tap-water/">drinking water</a> in areas where the groundwater is contaminated, including many American Indian tribal communities in the United States.

Previous studies have shown that arsenic exposure raises the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The current study was focused on young American Indians in Oklahoma, Arizona, and in North and South Dakota.

The team reviewed data from the Strong Heart Family Study, which assessed cardiovascular risk factors among American Indians. Arsenic exposure was measured in urine samples from 1,337 adults. In addition, ultrasounds were used to examine the size, shape, and function of the participants’ hearts. At the beginning of the five-year study, none of the individuals had diabetes or heart disease.

Along with a two-fold increase in arsenic detected in the urine samples, the researchers found a 47-percent greater risk of thickening of the heart's main pumping chamber. There was also a 58-percent greater risk of thickening of the left ventricle in participants with high blood pressure.

“The stronger association in subjects with elevated blood pressure suggests that individuals with pre-clinical heart disease might be more prone to the toxic effects of arsenic on the heart,” explained Dr. Pichler.

The findings are likely to be generalizable to millions of people in other rural locations exposed to low or moderate levels of arsenic in their water, according to Dr. Pichler.

“The study raises the question of whether the changes in heart structure are reversible if exposure is reduced. Some changes have occurred in water sources in the study communities, and it will be important to check the potential health impact of reducing arsenic exposure.”

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/loi/circimaging">Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging</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: American Heart Association

Water contaminated with arsenic can cause structural changes to the heart

According to a new study published by the American Heart...

Researchers at <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> have discovered that dogs often take on the same personality traits as their owner. The study revealed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/larger-dogs-more-intelligent/">dogs</a> are like humans in that they have personalities that are shaped over time.  

“When humans go through big changes in life, their personality traits can change. We found that this also happens with dogs - and to a surprisingly large degree,” said study lead author Professor William Chopik. ‘We expected the dogs' personalities to be fairly stable because they don't have wild lifestyle changes humans do, but they actually change a lot. We uncovered similarities to their owners, the optimal time for training and even a time in their lives that they can get more aggressive toward other animals.”

The researchers also found that a dog’s personality can predict many important life outcomes, such as how close they become with their owners, their biting behavior, and chronic illness.

Professor Chopik surveyed the owners of more than 1,600 dogs of 50 different breeds that were anywhere from a few weeks to 15 years old. The owners were asked to evaluate their dog's personalities and to answer questions about the dog's behavioral history. In addition, the owners answered questions about their own personalities.

“We found correlations in three main areas: age and personality, in human-to-dog personality similarities and in the influence a dog's personality has on the quality of its relationship with its owner,” said Professor Chopik. “Older dogs are much harder to train; we found that the 'sweet spot' for teaching a dog obedience is around the age of six, when it outgrows its excitable puppy stage but before it's too set in its ways.”

Individuals who were extroverted rated their dogs as more excitable and active, while owners who reported more negative emotions rated their dogs as being fearful and less responsive to training. People who rated themselves as being agreeable rated their dogs as being less fearful and less aggressive toward people and animals.


“There are a lot of things we can do with dogs - like obedience classes and training - that we can't do with people,” said Professor Chopik. “Exposure to obedience classes was associated with more positive personality traits across the dog's lifespan. This gives us exciting opportunities to examine why personality changes in all sorts of animals.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-research-in-personality">Journal of Research in Personality</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs tend to adopt the same personality traits as their owners

Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered that dogs often...

Cat Island, otherwise known as Aoshima, Japan, became a social media sensation a few years ago as a result of its vast number of cat inhabitants. With over one hundred cats on the island, cats outnumber people<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/03/a-visit-to-aoshima-a-cat-island-in-japan/386647/"> six to one</a>.

Aoshima is a mile-long, unpretentious fishing island, previously unknown to travelers. But then <a href="http://www.therakyatpost.com/world/2015/03/03/its-raining-cats-and-tourists-on-aoshima/">cats were introduced</a> onto the island to help reduce the mice population. Without proper spay/neuter programs in place, the cat population and, subsequently, the number of tourists grew.

Aoshima is not the only tourist destination beloved for their cat population; places such as Athens and Jerusalem are also known for their feline companions. While the cats can be seen as a unique way to bring tourists into an area, their welfare may be jeopardized without the necessary care.

An animal activist who visited Aoshima observed cats living in a worrying state. According to her<a href="https://petcentral.chewy.com/pet-parenting-pet-stories-visiting-japans-cat-islands/"> post on Chewy.com</a>, roughly one-third of the cats were young kittens with untreated upper respiratory infections. She notes that the locals have adopted a hands-off approach towards the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cats-friendly-cues-humans/">cats</a>, preferring for nature to take its course rather than provide the cats with medical care.

A three-year <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888705.2017.1379401">study</a> of outdoor cats living in Onomichi, Japan also found a high number of cats living in poor health. In the first year of research, half the outdoor cats were in poor physical condition. By the third year, many of the cats living in poor conditions had disappeared, likely dying from illness.

Travelers who quickly visit the cats for a few photos before heading on to the next attraction may not pick up on the signs of poor welfare. Additionally, the sick cats may hide from tourists while the healthy cats socialize, distorting tourists’ perceptions of the cats’ welfare. If travelers do see cats in a distressed state, they may be disheartened by the experience and be less likely to visit the destination again,<a href="https://www.all-creatures.org/articles/ar-stray-cats-dogs-tourism.html"> research shows</a>.

But, the situation does not have to be so murky. Communities can embrace the outdoor cats as a tourist attraction to better enable them to care for the animals.

The small, mystical town of Kotor, Montenegro is home to many outdoor cats who are often found lounging on the cobbled streets. The locals have welcomed the cats and travelers can find plenty of cat souvenirs sold at shops across the town. Kotor even has a <a href="http://catsmuseum.org/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=83&amp;Itemid=271&amp;lang=en">cat museum</a> that showcases items such as cat artifacts and postcards. The small admission fee is used to feed and care for the cats.

For residents of Kotor, the cats seem to bring a sense of pride and community. They are even considered a symbol of the city by some.

“The cats all look healthy, well-cared for – not what you would imagine from strays. On closer inspection, you can spot bowls of food and water left by shop owners and restaurant staff, and you can find the most confident cats lounging on the laps of tourists, purring for affection,” Culture Trip<a href="https://theculturetrip.com/europe/montenegro/articles/bizarre-history-kotors-fascination-cats/"> notes</a>.

In Kotor, cats and tourism are intertwined in a way that benefits both the travelers and locals. But not all relationships between cats and tourism are positive.

In some cases, outdoor cats may clash with tourists. The beachside resort El Dorado Royale in Mexico had a large number of cats who hung out around the resort. Guests began to complain about the cats howling at night and acting bold, according to<a href="https://fearfreehappyhomes.com/mexican-resort-goes-all-out-for-feral-cats/"> Fear Free Happy Homes</a>. 

In the face of this tricky situation, the resort took a creative route. They spayed and neutered the cats to control the population and invited a local animal welfare organization to open up a cat café at the resort. The cats even received their own bungalows modeled after the hotel rooms at the resort.

As for the cats on the island of Aoshima, local papers<a href="https://soranews24.com/2018/02/24/japans-most-famous-cat-island-moving-towards-plan-to-spay-neuter-all-of-its-kitty-inhabitants/"> reported</a> last year that the cats were being cared for by an animal welfare organization and the city had designated funds for spay and neuter.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

The complex relationship between outdoor cats and tourism

Cat Island, otherwise known as Aoshima, Japan, became a social...

A growing collection of research suggests that scented candles are toxic, burning enough chemicals to make them comparable to second-hand smoke. And now, a new report from the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a> compares the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/indoor-air-pollution-green-homes/">air pollution</a> from scented candles to the fumes produced by diesel trucks. 

Most candle wax is made of paraffin, a petroleum waste product that creates highly toxic benzene and toluene when it is burned. A new investigation has found that some types of scented candles are releasing more particles than a diesel car that has been left running.

One type of beeswax candle, in particular, is said to cleanse the air as it burns. When researchers burned the candle in a laboratory, however, it produced 675 million particles. 

“It’s introducing a larger number of particles than you’d get from a diesel car left running for 40 minutes,” said Douglas Booker of the <a href="https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09476875">National Air Quality Testing Services</a> (NAQTS). “Those particles may not be as toxic as the ones you’d get from diesel, but the sheer number is so high, you can’t say it’s improved the quality of the air.”

The tiny particles released from scented candles can get into the bloodstream and contribute to cardiovascular problems. According to Booker, the particles have even been found in people's brains.

“When scented candles are burned, they give off tiny particles, so small that you could fit a thousand of them across a single human hair,” Booker told the Daily Mail. “The problem with particles this small is that they can get into the bloodstream, and they have been associated with both short- and long-term health problems, including asthma and cardiovascular disease.”

“But they have also been found in the brain, where they are associated with Alzheimer’s, and have been found in the placenta of pregnant women, and have been associated with low birth weights and birth defects.”

Experts believe the problem may be worsened by the way that candles are often used in the home. “You tend to light them in small, enclosed spaces, such as bathrooms, and they’re often used in winter when windows are kept closed,” said Booker.


While candles have been traditionally made from paraffin wax, there are some brands that claim to be more natural. The lab testing, however, demonstrated that using beeswax, soy wax, or other alternatives does not necessarily improve the air quality that results from burning the candles. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scented candles can release millions of toxic particles in your home

A growing collection of research suggests that scented candles are...

Air pollution linked to mental health issues among children. In three separate studies, scientists at <a href="https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/">Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center</a> have identified a link between <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-climate-change/">air pollution</a> and mental health issues among children. 

The most recent study revealed that short-term exposure to air pollution can exacerbate psychiatric disorders in children one to two days later, which was confirmed by increased utilization of the Cincinnati Children's emergency department for psychiatric issues.

The researchers also found that children living in poor neighborhoods are likely to be more susceptible to the effects of air pollution compared to other children, and may have an elevated risk of anxiety or suicide. 

"This study is the first to show an association between daily outdoor air pollution levels and increased symptoms of psychiatric disorders, like anxiety and suicidality, in children," said co-lead author Dr. Cole Brokamp. 

"More research is needed to confirm these findings, but it could lead to new prevention strategies for children experiencing symptoms related to a psychiatric disorder. The fact that children living in high poverty neighborhoods experienced greater health effects of air pollution could mean that pollutant and neighborhood stressors can have synergistic effects on psychiatric symptom severity and frequency."

Cincinnati Children's researchers had previously identified a link between high traffic related air pollution (TRAP) exposure and generalized anxiety. The study was the first of its kind to use neuroimaging to link TRAP exposure to metabolic disturbances in the brain and generalized anxiety symptoms among otherwise healthy children. 

Led by Dr. Kelly Brunst and Dr. Kim Cecil, the team discovered elevated levels of myoinositol in the brain, which represents the body's neuroinflammatory response to TRAP.

In a third study, experts led by Dr. Patrick Ryan and Dr. Kimberly Yolton found that early life exposure to TRAP was significantly associated with self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety among 12-year-olds. 

"Collectively, these studies contribute to the growing body of evidence that exposure to air pollution during early life and childhood may contribute to depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems in adolescence," said Dr. Ryan. "More research is needed to replicate these findings and uncover underlying mechanisms for these associations."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/">Environmental Health Perspectives</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>

Image Credit: Shuttersock/CGN089

Air pollution linked to mental health issues among children

Air pollution linked to mental health issues among children. In...

Living near the coast can have mental health benefits, study shows. Research has shown that spending time in nature can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/park-improves-mood-boosts-happiness/">improve mood</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-vegetation-heart-disease/">heart health</a>. Like green spaces, blue spaces can also have a positive effect on health and wellbeing. 

Now, a new study has found that living close to the ocean near the coast could be beneficial for mental health, especially in low-income communities.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> analyzed data from the <a href="https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england">Health Survey for England</a> to assess how living in close proximity to the seaside affected wellbeing. 

Data on 26,000 survey participants were reviewed for the study, and the researchers say that the investigation is one of the largest of its kind to examine the mental health benefits of coastal living in England. 

The researchers compared the health information of individuals who lived less than one kilometer away from the coast to those who lived more than 50 kilometers away. 

Living in coastal towns and cities correlated with better mental health among low-income households. 

An estimated one out of six adults suffer from mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Low income and marginalized individuals face higher risks of mental health problems. 

The study results, published in the journal Health and Place, show that coastal living may help protect against these risks. 

“Our research suggests, for the first time, that people in poorer households living close to the coast experience fewer symptoms of mental health disorders,” said Dr. Jo Garrett, the leader of the study. “When it comes to mental health, this ‘protective’ zone could play a useful role in helping to level the playing field between those on high and low income.”

The researchers recommend that blue spaces be maximized to help benefit the community and that everyone is ensured equal access to coastal areas. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/EpicStockMedia

Living near the coast can have mental health benefits, study shows

Living near the coast can have mental health benefits, study...

Adding trees can help keep cities cool during heatwaves. After <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/european-heat-wave-greenland/">record-breaking heatwaves</a> and wetter, warmer summers expected in the coming years, the UK’s <a href="https://www.forestryengland.uk/">Forestry Commission</a> says that planting trees could be the key to keeping cities cool. 

The <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/09/16/britain-will-see-four-heatwaves-year-twice-many-flash-floods/">Met Office</a> recently reported that Britain could experience four heatwaves a year and twice as many flash floods in 50 years.

The Forestry Commission, in collaboration with the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs">Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs</a> and the <a href="http://www.reading.ac.uk/">University of Reading</a>, conducted a study investigating whether or not trees could mitigate the urban heat island effect. 

Urban forests could serve as an effective, eco-friendly solution to air conditioning. 

According to the study, areas with high forest cover were as much as four degrees Celsius cooler than areas with sparse foliage.

The study suggests that planting trees in areas where people and homes would benefit most from the shade could decrease air conditioning by 13 percent and save the UK £22million in energy costs a year. 

Trees like the London Plane Tree, the Cherry Tree, and the Sessile Oak could go a long way in reducing emissions and shrinking carbon footprints. 

To reap the maximum cooling benefits, city managers should plant drought-resistant trees with dense foliage and high transpiration rates. 

Transpiration is the process by which moisture travels through a plant before it is released as vapor into the atmosphere. 

“In collaboration with Ricardo Energy &amp; Environment and Uppsala University, Sweden, we have identified which tree characteristics are linked to the greatest cooling and have proposed a methodology that can be used by urban planners and tree managers to compare and select tree species according to their cooling ability,” the Forestry Commission said. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Adding trees can help keep cities cool during heatwaves

Adding trees can help keep cities cool during heatwaves. After...

Urban agriculture could help food desert cities meet sustainability goals. Millions of people in the US lack <a href="http://thefoodtrust.org/uploads/media_items/access-to-healthy-food.original.pdf">access to healthy food</a> and live in what are known as “food deserts.” However, a new study has found that community gardens could offer a simple solution to making local food systems more sustainable, healthy, and accessible.  

Researchers from <a href="https://www.asu.edu/">Arizona State University</a> investigated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/benefits-urban-agriculture/">urban agriculture</a> to see if local gardens in Phoenix, Arizona, could help the city meet its sustainability goals. 

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from public records and satellite imagery to assess how crops grown on vacant lots, rooftops, and building facades might improve sustainability. 

5.4 percent of the city, roughly 28 square miles, could be designated for urban agriculture. 71 percent of the area available for urban agriculture in Phoenix wouldn’t come from vacant lots but buildings. 

If utilized effectively, urban agriculture could provide 183,000 tons of fresh produce annually, according to the study results.

“Our analysis found that if Phoenix used only about 5% of its urban spaces (2% of its land, and about 10% of its building surfaces) for urban agriculture, the city could meet its sustainability goal concerning local food systems,” said Matei Georgescu, a co-author of the study. “Urban agriculture would also contribute towards the city’s goals of increasing open spaces, and reducing environmental impact from buildings and land use.” Urban agriculture could help food desert cities meet sustainability goals

Green space could be increased by 17 percent and provide more open green areas to Phoenix residents. 

Rooftop agriculture could generate energy savings for buildings and help offset 50,000 tons of carbon emissions each year. 

“Our work demonstrates the multitude of ways that urban agriculture can serve cities, beyond merely the somewhat limited focus on food production,” said Georgescu. 

An exciting aspect of the study is that the results could be adopted to help develop sustainable food systems in other cities across the country. 

The researchers published their findings in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ab428f">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/AYA images

Urban agriculture could help food desert cities meet sustainability goals

Urban agriculture could help food desert cities meet sustainability goals....

This year, more than 70,000 fires have burned across the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bolsonaro-politics-amazon-fires/">Amazon rainforest</a>, which is an increase of 80 percent compared to the number of fires in the region last year. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has come under intense scrutiny for limiting the resources and authority of the government agencies that were designated to monitor illegal deforestation activities. 

When an aid package of $22 million was offered from some of the world’s wealthiest countries to help combat the fires, Bolsonaro angrily rejected the offer - before later accepting $12 million in aid from Britain. 

Beyond the fire disaster, Bolsonaro's administration has been vocal about plans to open up protected indigenous reserves of the Brazilian Amazon for farming, mining, and logging. Based on these interests, Bolsonaro encouraged loggers to clear more of the Amazon, which many believe is what sparked this year's firestorm.

However, in a new investigation from <a href="https://trase.earth/">TRASE</a>, the biggest beef-consuming countries are playing their own role in deforestation across the Amazon.

"Brazil is the world’s biggest exporter of beef products, exporting around 1.4 million tons per year to retailers and manufacturers around the world. While this trade worth almost US$6 billion is important for the Brazilian economy, it has come at a price for the country’s forests, local and traditional peoples and biodiversity," explains TRASE, a partnership between the Stockholm Environment Institute and Global Canopy.

The organization tracked Brazilian beef exports from where the cattle were raised to 150 importing countries to identify the major companies involved in this trade. The researchers found that cattle ranching led to an average of 65,000 - 75,000 hectares of deforestation practices each year between 2015 and 2017. 

The single largest exporter of Brazilian beef, JBS, was linked to more than a third of the deforestation risk, despite the company's pledge to allow zero deforestation in the Amazon. 

According to <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>, a spokesperson for JBS said the TRASE analysis is misleading and that the firm has an "unwavering commitment to combat, discourage and eliminate deforestation in the Amazon."

In 2017, exports to Hong Kong were linked to 27 percent of the beef-related deforestation risk, exports to China were linked to 7 percent of this risk, and exports to Russia were associated with the third highest risk.

"By identifying the origins of exported beef and other cattle products, the Trase data also allow us to compare the deforestation linked to exports and to the domestic 

market," states TRASE. "Overall, export markets purchase 19% of Brazil’s beef, shouldering 13-14% of deforestation risk. The domestic market buys 81% of Brazil’s beef and is linked to 85-86% of cattle-related deforestation."

--

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>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Rich Carey

Deforestation in the Amazon is largely driven by beef consumption

This year, more than 70,000 fires have burned across the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



---



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

News coming your way