Senior,Couple,,Smiling,,Mature,Man,And,Woman,Doing,Plank,Exercise

Exercise is medicine. Most of us have heard that advice more times than we can count. But what if the best way to treat high blood pressure doesn’t involve running miles or lifting heavy weights? What if the most effective exercise is one where you barely move at all?



A major new analysis published in the&nbsp;British Journal of Sports Medicine challenges decades of assumptions about how we should approach blood pressure control. The study dives deep into nearly three decades of clinical research.



Its surprising conclusion? Static strength <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-to-maximize-the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise/">exercises</a> like wall sits and planks may be more effective at reducing blood pressure than popular choices like cardio or high intensity interval training.



The research team behind the study set out to uncover the most effective forms of exercise to prevent and manage arterial hypertension. 



The findings not only expand our understanding of how exercise influences blood pressure, but also call for a major update to current medical guidelines.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exercise-types-and-blood-pressure">Exercise types and blood pressure</h2>



The researchers systematically reviewed 270 randomized controlled trials conducted between 1990 and February 2023. These trials involved a total of 15,827 participants and explored how various forms of exercise affect resting blood pressure.



To compare outcomes fairly, the researchers categorized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-feels-better-when-its-matched-to-your-personality/">exercise</a> routines into five main groups: aerobic training, dynamic resistance training, combined training, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and isometric exercise training.



Aerobic training included activities such as walking, running, and cycling. Dynamic resistance training referred to exercises that involve movement and weight, like squats or push-ups. Combined training used both aerobic and resistance approaches. 



HIIT referred to short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low intensity recovery. Finally, isometric training focused on muscle engagement without visible movement, such as wall sits or planks.



The researchers assessed both systolic blood pressure (SBP), the pressure during heartbeats, and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), the pressure between beats. 



Using advanced statistical tools like Bayesian network meta-analysis, they compared all five exercise categories head to head.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exercises-for-lower-blood-pressure">Exercises for lower blood pressure</h2>



All five types of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-reduces-depression-and-anxiety-in-children-and-teens-with-mental-health-issues/">exercise</a> reduced blood pressure significantly. But not all changes were equal. Isometric training emerged as the clear leader. 



This type of exercise led to an average systolic reduction of 8.24 mmHg and a diastolic drop of 4.00 mmHg.



In comparison, combined training lowered systolic pressure by 6.04 mmHg. Dynamic resistance came next with 4.55 mmHg, followed by aerobic training at 4.49 mmHg and HIIT at 4.08 mmHg.



Diastolic pressure showed a similar trend. Isometric training again topped the list with a 4 mmHg reduction, followed by resistance training at 3.04 mmHg, combined training at 2.54 mmHg, aerobic training at 2.53 mmHg, and HIIT at 2.50 mmHg.



“Overall, isometric exercise training is the most effective mode in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure,” noted the researchers.



This finding may seem surprising at first. After all, isometric exercises don’t involve much movement. But their intensity and sustained muscle contraction appear to create powerful cardiovascular benefits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-routines-for-blood-pressure">Best routines for blood pressure </h2>



The study didn’t just stop at general categories. It also looked at specific forms of exercise within each group that helped with blood pressure management. 



Among all the routines analyzed, wall squats produced the most powerful drop in systolic pressure, averaging 10.47 mmHg. 



When it came to diastolic pressure, running delivered the biggest benefit, with an average reduction of 5.67 mmHg.



Other standout performers included cycling, which had stronger effects than walking in both pressure types. Walking, though widely recommended, showed the smallest benefit in this comparison.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits-for-people-with-hypertension">Benefits for people with hypertension</h2>



Interestingly, aerobic training showed greater blood pressure reductions when performed less frequently. 



The data suggested that training three times per week produced better results than training five times per week or more. This finding applied only to aerobic training and not to the other exercise modes.



The experts found that people with hypertension experienced the largest improvements. For them, isometric training lowered systolic pressure by as much as 12.2 mmHg. 



In contrast, the average drop was about 6.65 mmHg in people with normal blood pressure. This suggests that the benefits are even more pronounced in those who need them most.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-does-hiit-fit-in">Where does HIIT fit in?</h2>



High intensity interval <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/to-get-fit-and-stay-healthy-walk-this-exact-distance-every-day/">training</a> has gained popularity in recent years due to its time efficiency and metabolic benefits. However, in this review, HIIT ranked lowest among all exercise types for lowering systolic pressure. 



When broken down further, sprint interval training (SIT) showed some benefit, while aerobic interval training (AIT) failed to reach statistical significance for either systolic or diastolic blood pressure.



The authors emphasized that intensity does play a role. While walking had modest effects, running and cycling offered stronger outcomes. This highlights the importance of exercise quality over quantity.



Even though HIIT didn’t lead the rankings, the authors acknowledged its growing appeal. It remains a practical choice for people short on time. 



But for those seeking the strongest impact on blood pressure, isometric holds may offer more powerful results in a shorter span.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-need-to-update-exercise-guidelines">The need to update exercise guidelines</h2>



Current exercise guidelines for blood pressure control focus primarily on aerobic activities. But those guidelines are based on older data. This review brings in newer research, including many more trials on isometric and HIIT workouts.



“These findings provide a comprehensive data driven framework to support the development of new exercise guideline recommendations for the prevention and treatment of arterial hypertension,” the authors wrote.



They also noted that blood pressure reductions from isometric training are comparable to those seen with standard dose antihypertensive medications. 



That makes isometric exercise a powerful tool for people who either can’t tolerate medication or want to try non drug approaches first.



While some doctors may still be unfamiliar with using static holds as a prescription, the science is catching up quickly. 



The field now has much more confidence in the effectiveness of these routines, thanks to a growing number of well conducted trials.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simple-exercises-lower-blood-pressure">Simple exercises lower blood pressure </h2>



It turns out that the simplest exercises, those that require no equipment, no running, and very little space, may do the most for your blood pressure. 



Wall sits, planks, and other isometric exercises demand effort without motion, yet offer results that rival, and in some cases exceed, more traditional workouts.



If you're managing high blood pressure or trying to avoid it, consider adding static holds to your weekly routine. The evidence is now stronger than ever. 



Just a few short sessions per week could make a measurable difference and might even take the pressure off your heart.



The authors are from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canterbury Christ Church University</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://le.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Leicester</a>&nbsp;in the UK. 



The study is published in the <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/20/1317" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Journal of Sports Medicine</a>. 



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These types of exercises are better than running or walking for controlling blood pressure

Exercise is medicine. Most of us have heard that advice more times than we can count. But what if the best way to treat high blood pressure doesn’t involve running miles or lifting heavy weights? What if the most effective exercise is one where you barely move at all? A major new analysis published in the&nbsp;British Journal of Sports Medicine challenges decades of assumptions about how we should approach blood pressure control. The study dives deep into nearly three decades of clinical research. Its surprising conclusion? Static...

Scientists solve the mystery of why we need sleep. In the first couple years of life, sleep helps build the brain's infrastructure. After the age of two and a half, sleep takes on an entirely new decluttering role, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucla.edu/">UCLA</a>.

While it is known that sleep deprivation can lead to severe <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/our-immune-system-may-protect-us-from-mental-health-issues/">health</a> problems, much about the purpose and function of rest has remained a mystery. The UCLA team has discovered for the very first time that the purpose of sleep takes a dramatic shift early in life.

Before the age of 2.5 years, the brain grows very rapidly. As vivid dreams occur during the REM phase, the young brain is building and strengthening synapses, which are the structures that connect brain cells together so they can communicate.

"Don't wake babies up during REM sleep - important work is being done in their brains as they sleep," said senior study author Professor Gina Poe, who has conducted sleep research for more than 30 years.

The researchers report that after the age of 2.5, the primary purpose of rest switches from building the brain to maintaining and repairing it, and this becomes its permanent role.

A certain amount of neurological damage naturally accumulates during waking hours, including damage to genes and proteins within neurons. Over time, this debris can build up and cause brain disease. Sleep helps repair this damage, essentially decluttering the brain and eliminating the debris that can lead to serious illness.

According to study senior author Professor Van Savage, nearly all of this brain repair occurs during sleep. "I was shocked how huge a change this is over a short period of time, and that this switch occurs when we're so young. It's a transition that is analogous to when water freezes to ice."

For the investigation, the researchers conducted the most comprehensive statistical analysis of sleep to date. The analysis was focused on data from more than 60 studies involving humans and other mammals. 

The evidence was very consistent that all species experience a dramatic decline in REM sleep when they reach the human developmental equivalent of about 2.5 years of age. The fraction of time spent in the REM phase after this point was found to be roughly the same across all humans and animals studied.

While newborns spend about 50 percent of their rest time in the REM phase, this drops to 25 percent by age 10 and continues to decline with age. The significant dropoff in REM sleep at about 2-and-a-half happens just as the major change in the function of sleep occurs, said Professor Poe.

"Sleep is as important as food. And it's miraculous how well sleep matches the needs of our nervous system. From jellyfish to birds to whales, everyone sleeps. While we sleep, our brains are not resting."

Chronic sleep deprivation likely contributes to long-term health problems such as dementia and other cognitive disorders, diabetes, and obesity, to name a few, said Professor Poe. When you start to feel tired, she said, don't fight it - go to bed.

"I fought sleep and pulled all-nighters when I was in college, and now think that was a mistake," said Professor Savage. "I would have been better off with a good night's sleep. Now when I feel tired, I don't have any guilt about sleeping."

According to Professor Poe, a regular seven-and-a-half hours of rest a night is normal, and time lying awake doesn't count. "A good night's sleep is excellent medicine. And it's free."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists solve the mystery of why we need sleep

Scientists solve the mystery of why we need sleep. In...

The Mediterranean diet helps to counter the health impacts of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/probiotics-could-be-part-of-the-solution-to-childhood-obesity/">obesity</a>, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.uu.se/en">Uppsala University</a> in Sweden. 

In 2015, four million deaths were attributed to excessive weight and more than two-thirds of those deaths were caused by cardiovascular disease (CVD).

"Despite the increasing prevalence of obesity, the rates of CVD-related death continue to decrease in Western societies, a trend not explained by medical treatment alone," wrote the study authors.  "These observations suggest that other factors might modify the higher risk of CVD associated with higher body mass. Potentially, one such factor is diet."

The Mediterranean diet centers mainly around plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, beans, and whole grains. The diet also includes moderate amounts of dairy, poultry, eggs, and seafood, while red meat is only eaten occasionally. 

A team led by Karl Michaëlsson set out to investigate how a Mediterranean-style diet among individuals with a higher body mass index (BMI) may affect all-cause mortality, with a particular focus on fatal cardiovascular events.

The study was focused on data from more than 79,000 Swedish adults enrolled in the Swedish Mammography Cohort and Cohort of Swedish Men. 

Adherence to a Mediterranean-like diet (mMED) was assessed on a scale of 0 to 8, based on intake of fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, high-fiber grains, fish, red meat, and olive oil. 

Over 21 years of follow-up, more than 30,000 participants died. The researchers found that individuals classified as overweight with high mMED had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality. Obese individuals who had high mMED did not have a higher mortality risk compared with those in the healthy weight group with the same diet. 

By contrast, individuals with a healthy weight but low mMED had higher mortality rates compared to people in the same weight range who regularly adhered to a Mediterranean-style diet.

The findings were very similar among 12,000 participants who died from cardiovascular disease. The researchers determined that CVD mortality associated with high BMI was reduced by adherence to a Mediterranean diet, although it was not fully countered. Furthermore, lower BMI did not help offset the elevated CVD mortality risk associated with a low mMED.

"These results indicate that adherence to healthy diets such as a Mediterranean-like diet may be a more appropriate focus that avoidance of obesity for the prevention of overall mortality," wrote the study authors. "Nonetheless, a healthy diet may not completely counter higher CVD mortality related with obesity."

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/">PLOS Medicine </a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mediterranean diet helps offset the health impacts of obesity

The Mediterranean diet helps to counter the health impacts of...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a> have found that the alcohol industry is increasingly funding academic research into the impacts of alcohol consumption. Many of these studies make claims about the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-during-pregnancy-improves-the-health-of-babies/">health</a> benefits of alcohol.

Since 2009, there has been a 56-percent increase in research funded by alcohol companies or affiliated organizations, according to the study.

The sponsorship of scientific research by the alcohol industry raises concerns over the potential for conflicts of interest and selective reporting of outcomes, explained the researchers. The team discovered just under 13,500 studies that were directly or indirectly funded by the alcohol industry.

Study co-author Dr. Su Golder is an expert in the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York. 

"Our study identified a worrying trend. While there has been a steep decline in the alcohol industry conducting its own research on health at the same time there has been an increase in the alcohol industry funding such research, by providing financial support to researchers or via alcohol related organizations," said Dr. Golder.

"This allows alcohol companies to exploit a 'transparency loophole' as many people assume these organizations are charities and don't realize the connection to the industry."

"While there are many legitimate fields for research funded by the alcohol industry - such as studies into ingredients and environmental impacts - their involvement in health research is particular cause for concern. Many of these studies make claims about the protective cardiovascular effects of alcohol and suggest that substance abuse problems are down to individual choices rather than industry behaviors."

Furthermore, the researchers believe that the level of involvement by the alcohol industry in scientific research uncovered in their investigation is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg.

"While researchers are meant to declare funders in peer reviewed research publications this often doesn't happen and we don't get the level of transparency we should have," said study co-author Professor Jim McCambridge from York's Department of Health Sciences.

"It is well known that by sponsoring research pharmaceutical and tobacco companies successfully conspired to subvert the scientific evidence-base in order to influence policy for decades and so, while more research is needed, the scale, nature and breadth of the alcohol industry's influence on scientific research provides cause for concern."

"While alcohol companies may claim they are carrying out a civic duty through their funding of research, these are studies that independent academics would be much better placed to conduct."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurpub">European Journal of Public Health</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Surge in alcohol-industry funded research may be cause for concern

Researchers at the University of York have found that the...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.cshl.edu/">Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</a> (CSHL) have identified nerve cells in the brains of mice that help the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animals-have-a-biological-switch-that-prepares-them-for-seasonal-changes/">animals</a> learn to avoid negative experiences. The neurons are located in the striosome, a brain region involved in behavior that is motivated by the desire for reward or reinforcement.

Previously, the striosome thought to be dedicated to supporting our ability to learn from positive reinforcement. The fact that nerve cells in this same structure are involved in negative-reinforcement learning shows that the striosome is a complex motivation-processing center in the brain. 

Study lead author Bo Li said that it is critical to understand the function of the striosome because motivation processing is impaired in people with certain mental illnesses.

"We know those neurons are important for normal motivation - the motivation to pursue a reward or the motivation to avoid punishment," said Li. "So we have hopes that the striosome neurons could be critical for either, or both, depression and addiction." 

The striosome is located in a brain region called the dorsal striatum. Previous studies have shown that the dorsal striatum is involved in making decisions regarding actions that are more flexible or goal oriented, sensitive to rewarding feedback, or those that are habitual or related to addiction.

The cells of the dorsal striatum are defined by the chemicals they produce rather than by  their anatomical boundaries, and this has made it difficult to study their function. 

The CSHL team was able to pinpoint the function of specific cells in this brain region by identifying a gene, Tshz1, that is associated with some of these neurons. 

Using Tshz1 as a genetic tag, the researchers were able to trace the neurons within the striosome, which allowed the experts to manipulate the cells and monitor their activity in mice.

The experiments revealed that mice need Tshz1-expressing cells in the striosome to learn to associate certain places or sounds with an unpleasant experience. The researchers found that these particular cells had nothing to do with positive reinforcement or reward learning, which means this responsibility is delegated to other nerve cells in the striosome. 

"So it seems like the striosome is not as simple as we initially believed. There are actually two kinds of neurons in the striosome that allow the animal to do both - reward pursuing and also punishment avoidance," said Li. "Those different things are both critical for us to survive with. You can imagine if you are not sensitive to punishment, you're going to get into trouble if you run into danger and if you are not sensitive to reward, of course, you can also have a difficulty in survival, because you are not going forward for the food, for example."

According to Li, understanding how neurons in the striosome interact with other motivation-processing parts of the brain to guide behavior will ultimately allow researchers to pinpoint the cells or circuits that contribute to mental illnesses. He hopes this will lead to the development of better treatments.

The research team also included experts from Stanford University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The brain region that motivates us may also help us avoid punishment

Scientists at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified...

The words we use to describe emotions are a reflection of our mental health and overall well-being, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/">University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine</a>. A larger negative emotion vocabulary, or having more ways to describe negative feelings, is associated with psychological distress and poorer physical <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-during-pregnancy-improves-the-health-of-babies/">health</a>. On the other hand, a bigger vocabulary describing positive emotions is associated with a greater sense of well-being and better physical health.

"Our language seems to indicate our expertise with states of emotion we are more comfortable with," said study lead author Dr. Vera Vine. "It looks like there's a congruency between how many different ways we can name a feeling and how often and likely we are to experience that feeling."

To investigate the relationship between emotion vocabulary and life experience, Dr. Vine and her team analyzed 35,000 public blogs, as well as stream-of-consciousness essays by 1,567 college students. During the study period, the students regularly reported on their moods.

The analysis showed that people who used a wider variety of negative emotion words, such as references to illness or being alone, reported greater depression and neuroticism and poorer physical health.

By contrast, those who used a variety of positive emotion words, including references to leisure activities, achievements, and being part of a group, reported higher rates of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and overall health. These individuals also had lower rates of depression and neuroticism.

The findings suggest that an individual's vocabulary corresponds to their emotional experiences, but it is not yet clear whether emotion vocabularies are helpful or harmful in bringing about emotional experiences.

"There's a lot of excitement right now about expanding people's emotional vocabularies and teaching how to precisely articulate negative feelings," said Dr. Vine. "While we often hear the phrase, 'name it to tame it' when referring to negative emotions, I hope this paper can inspire clinical researchers who are developing emotion-labeling interventions for clinical practice, to study the potential pitfalls of encouraging over-labeling of negative emotions, and the potential utility of teaching positive words."

The experts discovered that during the stream-of-consciousness exercise, students who used more words to describe sadness grew sadder over the course of the experiment. Likewise, individuals who used more words for fear became more worried, and people who used more names for anger became angrier.

Study co-author Dr. James W. Pennebaker is a professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.

"It is likely that people who have had more upsetting life experiences have developed richer negative emotion vocabularies to describe the worlds around them," explained Dr. Pennebaker. "In everyday life, these same people can more readily label nuanced feelings as negative which may ultimately affect their moods."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/com">Journal of Comparative Psychology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The emotion vocabulary we use reflects our true state of mind

The words we use to describe emotions are a reflection...

Experts at <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> have pinpointed the site of male sexual desire in the brain. Using a mouse model, the team demonstrated that sexual behavior among males is controlled by <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-with-brains-that-learn-implicitly-have-stronger-religious-beliefs/">brain</a> tissue that contains the gene aromatase.

This particular gene converts testosterone to estrogen in the brain, which drives male sexual activity. Prior to this research, the full function of aromatase was not known.

The researchers said that since aromatase regulates sexual behavior in men, it can be targeted by drugs to either increase its function for low sexual desire or decrease its function for compulsive sexual desire. 

Study senior author Dr. Serdar Bulun is the chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Medicine. 

"This is the first key finding to explain how testosterone stimulates sexual desire," said Dr. Bulun. "For the first time, we demonstrated conclusively that the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in the brain is critical to maintain full sexual activity or desire in males. Aromatase drives that."

When aromatase was selectively knocked out in brain tissue, sexual activity in male mice decreased by 50 percent, despite the fact they had higher levels of testosterone circulating in their blood compared with normal mice.

"Male mice partially lost interest in sex," said study co-author Dr. Hong Zhao. "Aromatase is the key enzyme for estrogen production. Estrogen has functions in males and females. Testosterone has to be converted to estrogen to drive sexual desire in males."

Dr. Bulun said that if a normal male mouse is put with a female one, it would chase after her and try to instigate sex. "If you knock out the aromatase gene in the brain, their sexual activity is significantly reduced. There is less frequency of mating. The male mice are not that interested."

According to the researchers, the finding can contribute to new treatments for disorders of sexual desire. For example, hypoactive sexual desire disorder is a common condition that can be a side effect of widely used medications such as antidepressants. A treatment to boost aromatase in this disorder could heighten sexual desire, said Dr. Bulun.

By contrast, compulsive sexual desire is another condition that can be treated by an existing systemic aromatase inhibitor, but that treatment has side effects such as osteoporosis. Dr. Bulun said that now, new selective drugs that suppress only the brain promoter region of the aromatase gene can be developed to eliminate such side effects.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://joe.bioscientifica.com/">Endocrinology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Experts identify the gene that controls sexual desire in men

Experts at Northwestern University have pinpointed the site of male...

A study from <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King's College London</a> is shedding new light on the importance of a healthy diet and exercise during pregnancy. According to the research, physical activity among pregnant women who are <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/obese-higher-taste-satisfaction/">obese</a> can actually transform the long-term cardiovascular health of the child.

"Obesity in pregnancy is a major problem because it can increase the risk of complications in pregnancy as well as affecting the longer-term health of the child. This study strengthens my resolve to highlight just how important it is that we give children a healthy start in life," said study senior author Professor Lucilla Poston.

The research, which was supported by the British Heart Foundation and Tommy's charity, examined how diet and physical activity may positively influence the health of obese women and their children three years after giving birth.

Women who were given a diet and exercise intervention were compared to women in a control group, who made no changes to their lifestyle during pregnancy. 

In follow-up examinations three years after birth, the children of mothers in the intervention group had a lower resting heart rate of -5 bpm than children treated with standard care. In adults, a higher resting heart rate is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular dysfunction.

"This research shows that an lifestyle intervention in pregnant women, which focused on improving diet and increasing physical activity, is associated with improved cardiovascular function in the child at three-years of age and a sustained improvement in the mothers diet, three years after the intervention finished," said study lead author Kathryn Dalrymple.

"These findings are very exciting as they add to the evidence that pregnancy is a window of opportunity to promote positive health and lifestyle changes which benefit the mother and her child."

The study also showed that mothers who received an intervention maintained a healthier diet three years after birth.

"Pregnancy can be higher risk for women who are obese, but trying to lose lots of weight while pregnant is not advised, so our research focuses on finding new ways to make pregnancy safer for these families," said Lizzie D'Angelo, researcher and policy director at Tommy's charity. "It's very reassuring to see that our researchers have been able to improve mothers' diets and children's heart health in the long term, helping to give these babies the best start in life."

Tracy Parker, senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, noted that for pregnant women, the benefits of keeping physically active and maintaining a balanced diet extend beyond heart health. "A healthy diet before, during and after pregnancy can have positive long-term health benefits for both mother and child."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/20476310">Pediatric Obesity</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise during pregnancy improves the health of babies

A study from King's College London is shedding new light...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/">Wiley Online Library</a>, experts report that a single workout can improve learning and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-boosts-blood-flow-to-the-brain-and-improves-memory/">memory</a> in young adults. Remarkably, the researchers found that these cognitive benefits can be achieved in as little as two minutes of moderate exercise.  

"Exercise makes you smart," said study co-author Dr. Peter Blomstrand of County Hospital Ryhov and Jönköping University in Sweden.

"Physical exercise improves mental health and cognitive function. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the current literature examining the acute effects of a single exercise workout on learning and memory functions in young adults."

Based on 13 relevant studies, the researchers determined that engaging in moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise for 2 to 60 minutes can improve attention, concentration, and learning functions for up to two hours. The experts also noted improvements in working memory, short-term memory, long-term memory, verbal fluency, and planning and problem-solving ability.

"These higher-orders of executive processes are depending on the prefrontal cortex," explained the researchers. "However, more studies are needed to identify optimal exercise strategies to improve learning and memory."

Some of the types of exercise that were examined in the studies included walking, running, and bicycling. 

"Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how acute exercise can improve memory and learning functions. Physical activity may induce plasticity-related proteins that tag nearby synapses for capturing by the memory stimuli."

"Exercise may enhance attention and memory encoding through modulation of dopamine transmitters and increase the expression of dopamine."

While more research is needed to understand the link between exercise and improved cognitive function, the findings may have important education-related implications, noted the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25738488">Translational Sports Medicine</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Two minutes of exercise boosts learning ability in young adults

In a new study published by the Wiley Online Library,...

A widespread dietary shift from meat to plant-based foods could offset years of harmful CO2 emissions, according to a study from <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">NYU</a>. The researchers propose that transitioning to plant-sourced <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/scientists-find-proteins-that-control-nutrient-uptake-in-plants/">protein</a> will free up agricultural land that may be re-dedicated to ecosystems which absorb carbon dioxide. 

The experts have pinpointed specific locations where changing what people grow could support the cultivation of beneficial ecosystems.

"The greatest potential for forest regrowth, and the climate benefits it entails, exists in high- and upper-middle income countries, places where scaling back on land-hungry meat and dairy would have relatively minor impacts on food security," said study lead author Professor Matthew Hayek.

The investigation shows that if the demand for meat drastically declined in the coming decades - along with its massive land requirements - vegetation regrowth could remove as much as 16 years of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions. The removal of this much CO2 would basically double the Earth's rapidly shrinking carbon budget.

"We can think of shifting our eating habits toward land-friendly diets as a supplement to shifting energy, rather than a substitute," said Professor Hayek. "Restoring native forests could buy some much-needed time for countries to transition their energy grids to renewable, fossil-free infrastructure."

The researchers emphasize that their findings are designed to assist locally tailored strategies for mitigating climate change. While meat consumption is excessive in many countries, raising animals remains critically essential in some places. These considerations will be important as countries attempt to develop their economies sustainably, said study co-author Professor Nathan Mueller.

"Land use is all about tradeoffs. While the potential for restoring ecosystems is substantial, extensive animal agriculture is culturally and economically important in many regions around the world. Ultimately, our findings can help target places where restoring ecosystems and halting ongoing deforestation would have the largest carbon benefits," said Professor Mueller.

Technological solutions for climate change, such as new methods for carbon capture and storage, will soon become available. However, placing too much confidence in these technologies could prove dangerous, according to study co-author Helen Harwatt of Harvard Law School.

"Restoring native vegetation on large tracts of low yield agricultural land is currently our safest option for removing CO2. There's no need to bet our future solely on technologies that are still unproven at larger scales," said Harwatt.

The benefits of cutting back on meat and dairy reach far beyond addressing climate change. "Reduced meat production would also be beneficial for water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity," noted study co-author Professor William Ripple of Oregon State University.

The COVID-19 pandemic is shedding new light on the importance of healthy ecosystems in preventing zoonotic disease outbreaks.

"We now know that intact, functioning ecosystems and appropriate wildlife habitat ranges help reduce the risk of pandemics," said Harwatt. "Our research shows that there is potential for giving large areas of land back to wildlife. Restoring native ecosystems not only helps the climate; when coupled with reduced livestock populations, restoration reduces disease transmission from wildlife to pigs, chickens, and cows, and ultimately to humans."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain">Nature Sustainability </a>.

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Major shift to plant-based food could offset years of CO2 emissions

A widespread dietary shift from meat to plant-based foods could...

The depression rate in the United States has tripled as a result of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/children-can-spread-covid-19-for-weeks-even-when-they-have-no-symptoms/">COVID-19</a> pandemic, according to a study from <a href="https://www.bu.edu/sph/">Boston University School of Public Health</a> (BUSPH). The number of adults with depressive symptoms jumped from 8.5 percent before the pandemic to 27.8 percent by mid-April.

The researchers also found that income and savings were the strongest predictors of depression during the early weeks of COVID-19 lockdowns.

"Depression in the general population after prior large scale traumatic events has been observed to, at most, double," said study senior author Dr. Sandro Galea. She pointed to since examples such as the Ebola outbreak and civil unrest in Hong Kong.

"We were surprised to see these results at first, but other studies since conducted suggest similar-scale mental health consequences," said Dr. Galea. 

Those similar studies were mainly conducted in Asia and focused on specific groups such as healthcare workers and college students. For example, one study found that half of Chinese healthcare workers who had treated COVID patient were suffering from depressive symptoms.

The investigation from BUSPH is the first of its kind to assess changes in the prevalence of depression across the general population in the United States. 

The research was focused on data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and the COVID-19 Life Stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being (CLIMB) study, which was conducted from March 31 to April 13, 2020. During these particular weeks, 96 percent of Americans were under stay-at-home advisories.

The surveys, which involved thousands of respondents, used a standard test to assess depressive symptoms. The 2020 questionnaire also gathered data on COVID-related stressors such as job loss, the death of a loved one from COVID-19, and financial problems.

The analysis revealed an increase in depression among all demographic groups. As expected, those who experienced more COVID-related stressors reported the most depressive  symptoms.

However, the biggest statistical differences were centered around money. During the pandemic, individuals with less than $5,000 in savings were 50 percent more likely to experience depression compared to those with more than $5,000.

"Persons who were already at risk before COVID-19, with fewer social and economic resources, were more likely to report probable depression, suggesting that inequity may increase during this time and that health gaps may widen," said study lead author Catherine Ettman.

"We would hope that these findings promote creating a society where a robust safety net exists, where people have fair wages, where equitable policies and practices exist, and where families can not only live on their income but can also save money towards the future."

"There may be steps that policymakers can take now to help reduce the impact of COVID-19 stressors on depression, such as eviction moratoria, providing universal health insurance that is not tied to employment, and helping people return to work safely for those able to do so."

The researchers hope their findings will help people who are feeling depressed to realize that they are not alone. They should know that one in four U.S. adults is likely suffering through the same feelings.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen">JAMA Network Open</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Depression rates have tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic

The depression rate in the United States has tripled as...

Cat owners are often perceived as being quiet and introverted, but a new study shows that there is much more to the story. A new study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> has identified different types of cat owners, ranging from "freedom fighters" to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/support-from-land-owners-could-protect-endangered-species/">wildlife</a> advocates.

Based on survey responses of cat owners, the researchers determined that they fall into five categories. While some cat lovers believe cats should roam free without restrictions, others are more "conscientious caretakers" that feel responsible  for their cat's impact on wildlife.

People who are primarily focused on cat safety fall into the category of "concerned protectors," while "tolerant guardians" dislike their cat's hunting but tend to accept it. Meanwhile "laissez-faire landlords" are mostly unaware of any issues around cats roaming and hunting.

In the UK, conservation organizations are increasingly concerned about the number of animals killed by domestic cats. Even though some cats do not kill wild animals, and most kill very few, the number of victims can quickly accumulate with a population of around 10 million cats.

The Exeter team has launched a research project called "Cats, Cat Owners and Wildlife" with the goal of identifying ways that owners can best manage their cats while protecting wildlife.

According to the researchers, their findings demonstrate the need for diverse management strategies that reflect the differing perspectives of cat owners.

"Although we found a range of views, most UK cat owners valued outdoor access for their cats and opposed the idea of keeping them inside to prevent hunting," said lead author Dr. Sarah Crowley.

"Cat confinement policies are therefore unlikely to find support among owners in the UK. However, only one of the owner types viewed hunting as a positive, suggesting the rest might be interested in reducing it by some means."

"To be most effective, efforts to reduce hunting must be compatible with owners' diverse circumstances."

Dr. Sarah Ellis said the finding that many UK cat owners actually care a great deal about wildlife conservation, including their cat's impact, suggests that some owners are receptive to employing cat-friendly ways of reducing hunting.

"The right interventions could improve wildlife conservation efforts, maintain good cat mental-wellbeing, and at the same time improve the cat-human relationship," said Dr. Ellis.

"This would be especially true for 'tolerant guardians' and 'conscientious caretakers' by reducing the internal conflict of loving an animal that often hunts other animals they also care about."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.esa.org/frontiers-in-ecology-and-the-environment/">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>

.---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Some cat owners care about their pet's impact on wildlife conservation

Cat owners are often perceived as being quiet and introverted,...

Helping others is good for your health and well-being. The extent of these benefits, however, depend on the person and the act of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/intelligence-key-success-kindness/">kindness</a> itself, according to a new study published by the <a href="https://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a>.

"Prosocial behavior - altruism, cooperation, trust and compassion - are all necessary ingredients of a harmonious and well-functioning society," said study lead author Dr. Bryant P.H. Hui of the University of Hong Kong. "It is part of the shared culture of humankind, and our analysis shows that it also contributes to mental and physical health."

Previous studies have examined a potential link between prosocial behavior and better mental and physical health, but the results have been widely variable. To investigate what drives this variability, Dr. Hui and his colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of 201 independent studies, involving more than 198,000 participants.

Overall, the team found a modest association between prosocial behavior and well-being. Even though the connection is small, it is still meaningful given how many people perform acts of kindness every day, said Dr. Hui.

"More than a quarter of Americans volunteer, for example. A modest effect size can still have a significant impact at a societal level when many people are participating in the behavior."

The researchers determined that random acts of kindness, such as helping an older neighbor carry groceries, were more strongly associated with overall well-being than formal prosocial behavior, such as volunteering for a charity. This is likely because informal helping is more casual and spontaneous and may more easily lead to forming social connections, according to Dr. Hui. He added that informal giving is also more varied and less likely to become stale or monotonous.

The benefits of prosocial behavior were greatly influenced by age and gender. Older participants reported higher levels of physical health as a result of a kindness act, while young people reported higher levels of overall well-being and psychological functioning. In addition, women reported a stronger sense of well-being after an act of kindness compared to men.

Future research may examine whether more prosociality is always a good thing, or whether there is an "ideal level" of prosociality beyond which too much kindness and giving become detrimental to the giver, said Dr. Hui.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/bul">Psychological Bulletin</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Helping others improves health and well-being

Helping others is good for your health and well-being. The...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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