A walk in the forest often brings peace, calm, and a deep sense of renewal. From ancient times to modern therapy practices, forests have stood as symbols of balance and healing. But not all forests heal equally. 



As cities grow and public health concerns rise, scientists are uncovering how the design and structure of forests matter. The health benefits we get from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cities-in-the-global-south-have-far-less-green-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">green spaces</a>, especially forests, depend not just on their presence, but on what they are made of.



A new study from the University of Surrey and the <a href="https://www.ugent.be/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Ghent</a> sheds light on this. Working with partners across Europe, the research team explored how specific features of forests influence human health. 



The findings mark a major step in understanding the complex links between ecological structure and wellbeing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forest-traits-and-human-health-benefits">Forest traits and human health benefits </h2>



The study, which is part of the larger Dr. Forest research project, included 164 forests across five European countries. The researchers focused on seven ecological characteristics and their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-green-spaces-are-urgently-needed-across-the-global-south/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">influence</a> on various health outcomes.



The forests were not selected at random. They varied in structure, species mix, and density, allowing researchers to draw comparisons. This wide range of forest types provided a rare opportunity to explore how real-world differences affect human experiences and health.



The goal was not to judge forests as good or bad, but to understand how their differences shaped people’s health responses. What emerged was a nuanced view. Forests benefit health, but their structure can amplify or limit those effects.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-tree-diversity">The power of tree diversity</h2>



One of the key traits studied was tree species diversity. The findings showed that more diverse forests offered modest but positive health <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-tree-layout-influences-human-health-and-mortality-rates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outcomes</a>. These effects were not dramatic, but they were consistent enough to support the idea that diversity is beneficial.



Tree diversity does not just matter for human health. It also supports broader biodiversity, helping insects, birds, and mammals thrive. This makes it a safe, low-risk strategy for forest managers aiming to enhance public health while improving ecosystem resilience.



More tree species create different textures, shapes, and colors, making forests more visually stimulating and ecologically stable. These aspects can subtly influence how people feel and behave when they visit such areas. 



While the direct health impacts may be limited, the indirect ones, through enhanced engagement and ecosystem strength, are valuable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-canopy-structure-a-major-influence">Canopy structure: A major influence</h2>



Among the ecological features studied, canopy structure had the strongest impact. Dense canopies reduce heat by offering shade and help regulate the forest's internal climate. They also provide larger leaf surfaces, which trap fine particulate matter and improve air quality.



These benefits are especially important in urban settings, where heatwaves and pollution are on the rise. In such contexts, a well-structured canopy becomes more than a luxury. It is a necessity. The cooling effect alone can reduce heat stress and the risk of heat-related illnesses.



Yet, there are trade-offs. Denser canopies create more humid conditions. While that is good for moisture-loving plants, it also creates ideal habitats for ticks, which carry Lyme disease. 



In addition, less sunlight reaches the forest floor. This limits the growth of medicinal plants, reducing some of the forest's potential healing properties.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-health-gains-beyond-structure">Mental health gains beyond structure</h2>



Perhaps the most consistent finding across the study was the benefit of simply being in a forest. Regardless of structure or biodiversity, spending time in a forest improved mental wellbeing. People reported lower anxiety and stress, along with more positive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-mental-health-benefits-of-living-near-green-spaces/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emotions</a>.



What enhanced these effects was how natural and biodiverse the forest felt to the visitor. Forests that looked wild, vibrant, and untamed tended to offer more psychological relief. This suggests that human perception plays a key role in shaping forest-based experiences.



“Our study shows that forests generally provide a mental health benefit, reducing anxiety and stress, regardless of their biodiversity or structure. As one in six people in England experience anxiety and depression each week, this research suggests that simply being in a forest can improve mental health,” noted Dr. Melissa Marselle, a lecturer in environmental psychology at the <a href="https://www.surrey.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Surrey</a>.



“For the UK, this means preserving urban forests so people can easily access forests where they live, work and play for their mental wellbeing. Contact with forests could be prescribed by the NHS, as research shows that NHS nature prescriptions are effective at improving mental health.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-healthier-cities-with-forests">Designing healthier cities with forests </h2>



The study points to a pressing need in urban planning. It is not enough to plant trees and call it a forest. The structure, layout, and biodiversity of these spaces must be considered. Urban forests should reduce heat, absorb pollution, and offer mental rest.



This involves difficult trade-offs. Canopy density must balance between cooling the environment and letting in enough light. Species choices should consider both ecological function and visual appeal. Forests must feel natural to the human eye while also being safe and accessible.



Planners and health professionals can now use this evidence to shape better public spaces. Health services could integrate forest access into mental health treatments. Parks could be designed not just for recreation but also for healing. In a time when stress-related disorders are rising, these changes could make a meaningful difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forests-are-essential-tools-for-public-health">Forests are essential tools for public health</h2>



This research redefines the role of forests. No longer just natural assets or scenic spots, they emerge as powerful contributors to public health. But their power lies in their details. Forests must be built, preserved, and managed with intention.



Tree diversity adds depth and life. Canopy structure shapes the microclimate and air. Visitor perceptions tie it all together. Forests that feel alive and balanced bring calm and strength to those who enter them.



Nature has always played a quiet role in healing. Now, with evidence in hand, we have the chance to shape that role more deliberately. Managed well, forests can support both ecosystems and the people who rely on them for peace and mental clarity.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01547-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Sustainability</a>.



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Forests provide different health benefits based on their structure

A walk in the forest often brings peace, calm, and a deep sense of renewal. From ancient times to modern therapy practices, forests have stood as symbols of balance and healing. But not all forests heal equally. As cities grow and public health concerns rise, scientists are uncovering how the design and structure of forests matter. The health benefits we get from green spaces, especially forests, depend not just on their presence, but on what they are made of. A new study from the University of Surrey...

Morning people may have a lower risk of breast cancer compared to night owls, according to a new study. 

Many studies have shown the importance of not just getting a good night’s sleep, but also <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poor-sleep-male-fertility-problems/">getting to sleep earlier</a> and not sleeping for more than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-heart-disease/">seven to eight hours a night</a>. 

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol </a>examined the links between breast cancer risk and sleep habits and discovered that morning people are less likely to develop breast cancer compared to those who stay up late or sleep more than eight hours a night. 

Breast cancer rates have drastically increased over the years, and now, one in seven women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. 

Disrupted sleep patterns have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer for people who work overnights, but this study is one of the few to investigate the impacts of sleep habits on breast cancer risk. 

The study was published by the BMJ. 

The researchers reviewed and analyzed data from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> study and the <a href="http://bcac.ccge.medschl.cam.ac.uk/">Breast Cancer Association Consortium</a>.

By using a technique called Mendelian randomization, the researchers were able to analyze genetic variants linked to sleep habits, sleep duration, and insomnia rates. 

Overall, data from both studies showed that being a morning person offered a protective effect, and that morning people are less likely to develop breast cancer. Night owls may want to consider readjusting their schedules to lower breast cancer risk. 

There was no consistent correlation between insomnia and breast cancer risk. 

Because the findings relied on self-reported data and only centered around women with European ancestry, there are some limitations to the study. 

“Further work to uncover these possible mediating processes is required,” the researchers conclude in their study. “Nonetheless, these findings have potential implications for influencing sleep habits of the general population to improve health.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/RawPixel

Morning people may have a lower risk of breast cancer

Morning people may have a lower risk of breast cancer...

The results of a new study focused on 10,000 perfumes and their online ratings suggest that the most popular <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-attracted-partners-scent/">scents</a> do not always make the highest-rated fragrances. The researchers pinpointed which scents are the most successful and found some surprising combinations that seem to be the most desirable.

The smell of a perfume is described in terms of notes, such as musk, vanilla, or floral. The combinations of several notes that are commonly used in perfumes are called accords.

Researchers from the Department of Physics at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> used a complex network analysis to determine the most popular notes and accords. They studied 1,000 notes in thousands of perfumes and looked into their online sales.

The team found that some notes and accords are "over-represented," meaning they appear more often than by chance. These scents, however, are not necessarily racking up the highest ratings.

Some common accords, like lavender and geranium, were often present in the "successful" perfumes, but less common notes and accords appeared to have an even stronger link with perfume popularity. For example, jasmine plus mint and musk plus vetiver and vanilla were a couple of surprising combinations that were tied to higher perfume ratings. 

According to the researchers, this could be a new avenue for perfumers to discover scent combinations that are likely to be successful but are not yet widespread.

"Our work provides insights into factors that play a role in the success of perfumes. It also sets up a framework for a statistical analysis of fragrances based on simple properties and customer reviews," said study co-author Vaiva Vasiliauskaite. "It could be a beneficial tool for systematic ingredient selection and act as an artificial 'nose' - a traditional craft-master of perfumery."

While name brands can influence the popularity of a perfume, the team found no connection between perfume price and success. The smell itself, on the other hand,  greatly correlated with higher sales.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</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: Shutterstock/Fototocam

The most popular scents do not always make the most successful perfumes

The results of a new study focused on 10,000 perfumes...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>, researchers investigated the potential for several types of polyurethane mattresses to emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Under simulated sleeping conditions, the team found levels of gaseous compounds that could pose a health risk to children and infants.

There are hundreds of household items, from electronics to furniture, which release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the surrounding environment. These compounds are known to contain a variety of chemicals that can be extremely dangerous to human health. 

According to the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, short-term effects of VOCs may include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, or nausea. In the long term, these chemical compounds can cause damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system, while some volatile compounds can even cause cancer. 

People are more likely to inhale VOCs during sleep due to poor bedroom ventilation and to the close proximity of their nose and mouth to mattresses and bedding that contain the compounds. 

A team of experts led by Yael Dubowski set out to measure the levels of several VOCs released by eight different infant, toddler, and youth polyurethane mattresses. Next, they compared the levels of these compounds to their known risk levels. 

The researchers also wanted to investigate how the increasing temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentrations associated with lying on a mattress for a few hours may affect VOC emissions.

The team placed pieces of polyurethane mattresses into continuous flow chambers, collected the exiting air, and analyzed the levels of 18 different VOCs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. 

The study revealed the mattresses released similar amounts of volatile compounds, except for a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hands-help-spread-flame-retardants/">flame retardant</a> compound emitted only by an infant mattress. The researchers also found that mattresses released more VOCs when temperature was elevated to simulate body heat. 

The experts estimated the doses of VOCs inhaled by adults, infants, and children, and found that most were well below the compound levels linked to increased cancer risk. For infants and young children, however, the inhalation of compounds such as acetaldehyde and formaldehyde could reach levels of concern. 

As of now, there is no evidence of any adverse health effects among children. The researchers emphasized that further studies are needed to identify the potential health effects of chronic, low-level exposure to VOCs.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</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: Shutterstock/Leszek Glasner

Mattresses may release higher levels of volatile organic compounds during sleep

In a new study published by the American Chemical Society,...

A study from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> (MSU) suggests that the secret to having a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tv-happy-relationship/">happy relationship</a> may be as simple as finding a nice person. The researchers also found that, contrary to popular belief, seeking out a partner who shares a similar personality is not necessary for relationship satisfaction.

Bill Chopik is an associate professor of Psychology and the director of MSU's Close Relationships Lab.

"People invest a lot in finding someone who's compatible, but our research says that may not be the end all be all," said Professor Chopik. "Instead, people may want to ask, 'Are they a nice person?' 'Do they have a lot of anxiety?' Those things matter way more than the fact that two people are introverts and end up together."

According to Professor Chopik, the most surprising finding of the study was that having similar personalities had almost no effect on how satisfied people were in their lives and relationships. He pointed out that dating apps which match people based on compatibility may have it all wrong, despite their popularity.

"When you start to get into creating algorithms and psychologically matching people, we actually don't know as much about that as we think we do. We don't know why the heart chooses what it does, but with this research, we can rule out compatibility as the lone factor," said Professor Chopik.

By examining almost every way couples could be happy, the MSU study is the most comprehensive of its kind. The team used data from a long-running survey, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, to measure the effects of personality traits on well-being among more than 2,500 couples who had been married for around 20 years.

The study revealed that, regardless of having similar personality traits, the highest levels of relationship satisfaction were found in people with a conscientious and nice partner. 

On the other hand, the lowest levels of relationship satisfaction were found among individuals with a partner who was neurotic, and, surprisingly, more extroverted.

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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/G-Stock Studio

Nice guys may win after all with higher levels of relationship satisfaction

A study from Michigan State University (MSU) suggests that the...

Saad Nagi, Centrum för social och affektiv neurovetenskap, CSAN

A team of researchers from Sweden’s <a href="https://liu.se/en">Linköping University</a>, the U.K.’s <a href="https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/">Liverpool John Moores University</a>, and the U.S.’s <a href="https://www.nih.gov/">National Institutes of Health (NIH)</a> have discovered that pain signaling is much more rapid than previously thought, thus challenging our understanding of pain.

"The ability to feel pain is vital to our survival, so why should our pain-signaling system be so much slower than the system used for touch, and so much slower than it could be?" asks Saad Nagi, principal research engineer of the <a href="https://liu.se/en/organisation/liu/ike">Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine</a> and the <a href="https://liu.se/en/organisation/liu/ike/csan">Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN)</a> at Linköping University.

Touch signals are conducted by nerves insulated in a fatty sheath of myelin, which helps these nerves transmit signals faster. Pain signals were thought to be carried by nerves encased in thin layers of myelin, if any at all.

The research team examined nerve cells similar to those that detect touch, but had similar characteristics to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-alternative-pain-medications/">pain</a> receptors, in 100 healthy participants via a technique that allowed them to detect the signals in the nerve fibers from a single nerve cell. These cells are called nociceptors. 

The team saw that 12% of thickly myelinated nerve cells had the same properties as pain receptors, as well as a high conduction speed was as is in touch-sensitive nerve cells.

"When we activated an individual nerve cell, it caused a perception of pain, so we conclude that these nerve cells are connected to pain centers in the brain," said Nagi.

Nagi and the team also investigated patients with various rare neurological conditions. One group of people had acquired nerve damage that led to their thickly myelinated nerve fibers being destroyed, while the small fibers were spared, thus damaging their ability to feel light touch. The scientists thought that the loss of myelinated nerve fibers should also affect the newly-identified rapidly conducting pain system. These people had an impaired ability to experience mechanical pain. 

These results could be significant for further pain research, and for the diagnosis and care of patients with pain. These findings are published in <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

"It's becoming evident that thickly myelinated nerve fibers contribute to the experience of pain when it has a mechanical cause,” Nagi said. “Our results challenge the textbook description of a rapid system for signaling touch and a slower system for signaling pain. We suggest that pain can be signaled just as rapidly as touch.”

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Charlotte Perhammar/LiU

Pain signals travel just as fast as touch signals

A team of researchers from Sweden’s Linköping University, the U.K.’s...

Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by sea level rise. When the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/about/">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a> (IPCC) published its fifth assessment in 2013, the report estimated that sea levels will rise by 52 to 98 centimeters before the end of this century at the current rate of emissions. Even if governments were to "achieve drastic emissions cuts," the experts projected that sea levels will still rise by up to 54 centimeters. 

Since the report was published, however, a growing collection of research suggests that these estimates were too conservative. Based on the increasing instability that has been observed across the West Antarctic and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/greenland-glaciers-melting-faster/">Greenland ice sheets</a>, one study concluded that the effects of climate change could result in a global average of more than two meters of sea level rise by the end of the century.

"For 2100, the ice sheet contribution is very likely in the range of 7 - 178 centimeters but once you add in glaciers and ice caps outside the ice sheets and thermal expansion of the seas, you tip well over two meters," said study lead author Professor Jonathan Bamber from the <a href="http://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a>.

"To put this into perspective, the Syrian refugee crisis resulted in about a million refugees coming into Europe. That is about 200 times smaller than the number of people who would be displaced in a 2m sea-level rise."Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by sea level rise

Thermal expansion, or the swelling of seawater as it warms, is the second largest contributor to sea level rise. This phenomenon occurs as the ocean absorbs the atmospheric heat associated with greenhouse gas emissions. With this in mind, sea levels will continue to rise at accelerated rates.

According to <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a>, eight of the 10 largest cities in the world are near a coastline. In the United States, nearly 40 percent of the population is located in highly-populated coastal areas, where the sea level plays a major role in flooding and shoreline erosion. Because sea level rise is not evenly distributed, the impacts have already become more intense in some areas compared to others. 

A 2018 study from the <a href="https://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> (WHOI) revealed which regions along the East Coast of the United States have been hit the hardest. Since the beginning of the 20th century, New York City and Miami have experienced about one foot of sea level rise. In the same time frame, coastal communities across the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia have faced a foot and a half of sea level rise. 

By combining sea level measurements and GPS satellite data with complex geophysical models, the WHOI researchers determined that the primary reason for variation in sea level rise across the East Coast is a phenomenon known as post-glacial rebound. Areas of land that were weighed down by ice sheets thousands of years ago were able to rebound as the ice disappeared, causing the surrounding land to sink in a see-saw effect. But the biggest factor at play, the influx of water from melting ice sheets and glaciers, makes it a challenge to project future sea levels on the Atlantic Coast.

"Post-glacial rebound is definitely the most important process causing spatial differences in sea level rise on the U.S. East Coast over the last century. And since that process plays out over millennia, we’re confident projecting its influence centuries into the future," explained study lead author Chris Piecuch. “But regarding the mass redistribution piece of the puzzle, we’re less certain how that’s going to evolve into the future, which makes it much more difficult to predict sea level rise and its impact on coastal communities.”

Experts have determined that a slowing Gulf Stream, fluctuations in a major North Atlantic weather pattern, and the effects of El Niño climate cycles are also leaving cities on the East Coast particularly vulnerable. The unpredictable nature of rising seawater has led to increasing concerns about flooding, which has become much more frequent in the Mid-Atlantic from North Carolina to New Jersey. 

"Climate change is warming sea temperatures and raising sea levels everywhere, but folks in places like North Carolina have a double whammy,” said Piecuch.

Cities including Norfolk, Baltimore, and Charleston are already experiencing rates of tidal flooding, also known as "sunny day flooding," that were not expected to occur for decades. But research suggests that some cities have much more to worry about than tidal flooding on a clear day. Under the worst-case scenario of climate change, cities in low-lying coastal regions could be completely submerged underwater. 

New Orleans, for example, lies up to 15 feet below sea level. A 2016 study by <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> found that some parts of the city are actually sinking at a rate of two inches per year, which means that New Orleans runs a very high risk of being underwater by the end of the century. Atlantic City, Charleston, Boston, and New York City are also at risk of becoming at least partially submerged by 2100.

A report from the <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/">Union of Concerned Scientists</a> revealed that Miami is another city that is severely threatened, with 12,000 homes in Miami Beach in danger of chronic flooding over the next three decades. "Miami as we know it today - there's virtually no scenario under which you can imagine it existing at the end of the century," environmental author Jeff Goodell told the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/">Business Insider</a>. 

The authors of a <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/">special 2018 report</a> from the IPCC said that the good news is that some of the actions that are urgently needed to limit global warming are already underway, but these actions must be accelerated. "The decisions we make today are critical in ensuring a safe and sustainable world for everyone, both now and in the future," said co-author Debra Roberts. “This report gives policymakers and practitioners the information they need to make decisions that tackle climate change while considering local context and people’s needs. The next few years are probably the most important in our history."

--

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: EQRoy / Shutterstock

Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by sea level rise

Over 126 million Americans live in coastal areas threatened by...

More and more research is revealing the benefits of spending time outdoors, as studies have shown that a little nature therapy goes a long way in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-spending-time-in-nature-is-good-for-your-health/">improving health and well-being</a>. 

Now, a new study has discovered just how much time you should spend taking in the outdoors to reap the most benefits. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> reviewed data from Natural Environment Survey, one of the world’s largest studies on people and their interactions with nature, to see how much time was optimal for spending in nature to experience health benefits. 

Overall, the researchers collected data from 20,000 people across England. 

“It’s well known that getting outdoors in nature can be good for people’s health and wellbeing, but until now we’ve not been able to say how much is enough,” said Dr. Mat White, the leader of the study. 

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that spending 120 minutes or more in nature per week was an ideal amount of time, but spending less than 120 minutes did not garner any health benefits. 

These benefits were experienced by women and men, and age, income, occupation, and health status had no impact on the results.  

“The majority of nature visits in this research took place within just two miles of home so even visiting local urban greenspaces seems to be a good thing,” said White. “Two hours a week is hopefully a realistic target for many people, especially given that it can be spread over an entire week to get the benefit.”

The people who spent at least two hours a week outside in green spaces were much more likely to report being in good health and having better mental well-being compared to those who reported spending no time in nature. 

 “There are many reasons why spending time in nature may be good for health and wellbeing, including getting perspective on life circumstances, reducing stress, and enjoying quality time with friends and family,” said Terry Hartig, the co-author of the research. “The current findings offer valuable support to health practitioners in making recommendations about spending time in nature to promote basic health and wellbeing, similar to guidelines for weekly physical.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Mimagephotography

Spending two hours a week in nature boosts health and well-being

More and more research is revealing the benefits of spending...

It should be no surprise that drinking a lot of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/philadelphia-sugary-drink-sales-tax/">sugary beverages</a> is bad for your health, but can it also lead to an increased risk of cancer? 

A study published in The BMJ has reported a possible link between higher consumption of sugary drinks and an increased risk of cancer. Although the study’s results should be interpreted with caution, they add to a growing body of evidence that supports limiting sugary drink consumption – along with marketing restrictions and taxation – could lead to a reduction in cancer cases. 

In the last few decades, the consumption of sugary beverages has increased globally. This trend is linked to increased risk of obesity, which itself is a major risk factor for many cancers. However, research regarding sugary drinks and the risk of cancer is limited. With this in mind, a team of researchers from France wanted to determine the associations between these types of drinks (sugar sweetened beverages and 100% fruit juices) and artificially sweetened (diet) beverages with the risk of overall cancer and specific cancers.

Their study included over 100,000 healthy French adults who completed at least two 24-hour online validated dietary questionnaires that were designed to measure usual intake of more than 3,000 distinct food and beverage items. These participants were followed up with for a maximum of 9 years. Other known risk factors for cancer (age, sex, educational level, family history, smoking status, and physical activity levels) were also taken into account.

Results of the study showed that a 100 mL per day increase in the consumption of sugary drinks was associated with an 18% increased risk of overall cancer and a 22% increased risk of breast cancer. The consumption of both fruit juices and other sugary drinks was associated with higher risk of overall cancer, while the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages was not associated with a risk of cancer – although the authors state that there was a relatively low consumption level in this study sample.

So what about these types of beverages is causing an increased risk of cancer? The possible explanations for this include the effect of sugar on visceral fat, which is stored around vital organs such as the liver and pancreas, along with effects on blood sugar levels and inflammatory markers. It’s possible that other chemical compounds – such as the additives found in some sodas – could also be playing a role. 

Because this is an observational study, cause cannot be established. However, because the sample size was so large, the researchers were able to adjust for a number of potentially influential factors. Additionally, the results were largely unchanged after further testing, which suggests that the findings were able to withstand scrutiny.

“These data support the relevance of existing nutritional recommendations to limit sugary drink consumption, including 100% fruit juice, as well as policy actions, such as taxation and marketing restrictions targeting sugary drinks, which might potentially contribute to the reduction of cancer incidence,” the study authors conclude.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Consumption of sugary drinks may be linked to a higher risk of cancer

It should be no surprise that drinking a lot of...

A new study led by the <a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/">University of Utah Health</a> has revealed that nearly half of patients fail to disclose life-threatening issues with their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/doctors-work-cut-fake-news-online-misinformation/">doctors</a>, including the threat of domestic violence, surviving a sexual assault, struggling with depression, or thoughts of suicide.

The research suggests that embarrassment, fear of judgement, or the possible long-term implications of sharing this type of information is holding many patients back from being forthcoming with their care providers. 

According to study senior author Dr. Angela Fagerlin, understanding how to make patients feel more comfortable with clinicians is key to helping patients address such life-threatening risks.

"For primary care providers to help patients to achieve their best health, they need to know what the patient is struggling with," said Dr. Fagerlin. She explained that patients who have been sexually assaulted are potentially at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder and sexually-transmitted diseases, for example, and there are numerous ways that providers can help patients get the treatment and therapy they need. 

The study was focused on two national online surveys that involved over 4,500 participants. The average respondent was 36 years old in the first survey, and 61 years old in the second survey. 

Overall, between 40 and 47.5 percent of participants chose not to tell their provider that they had experienced at least one of the four threats. If the patient was female or younger, the chances were even greater that critical information would not be disclosed. 

Study first author Dr. Andrea Gurmankin Levy pointed out that relevant information may have also been withheld in the survey responses, which means that this phenomenon may be more prevalent than what has been estimated. She said the findings reinforce the issue that there is discomfort and a lack of trust between patients and providers. 

The research team previously published a separate study based on the same surveys which found that up to 80 percent of patients do not share pertinent information about daily lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise. In addition, one-third of respondents did not speak up when they disagreed with their care provider's recommendations.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen">JAMA Network Open</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

Image Credit: Shutterstock/sirtravelalot

Nearly half of patients hold back life-threatening info from their doctor

A new study led by the University of Utah Health...

A world without bees would have major food shortages and possibly famine. There is much debate over whether Albert Einstein once said that if bees disappeared off the face of the Earth, humans would have only four years left to live. If all bees completely vanished, it would not cause humans to go extinct - or not right away, at least. However, it would cause extreme hardship, including major food shortages and possibly famine.

The reality is that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/uk-bees-declining-populations/">bees</a> play a critical role in feeding the world by pollinating the crops that feed 90 percent of the global population. Bees are said to be involved in the production of one out of every three bites of food that we take. This means that the ongoing decline of bees and other pollinators poses a serious threat to the future of the world's food supply. 

Many factors are driving the decline of bees, including habitat fragmentation, neonicotinoid pesticide use, colony collapse disorder, and climate change. A world without bees would have major food shortages and possibly famine

Honeybee populations, in particular, have been dramatically reduced, dropping by 89 percent between 2007 and 2016. In the United States, 40 percent of honeybee colonies were lost last year alone. 

According to the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/">BBC</a>, honey bees are responsible for $30 billion a year in crops. If we had no bees left on the Earth, we could lose all of the plants that they pollinate, followed by all of the animals that eat those plants. The repercussions would be felt all the way up the food chain. 

There are many birds and small mammals that would disappear if bees were lost. Honey, nuts, and beans would also be phased out because they rely so much on bees. The number of fruits and vegetables would be cut in half, while meat would become extremely limited as cattle depend on pollinated plants for food. 

The <a href="http://epa.gov">Environmental Protection Agency</a> has now banned the use of pesticides linked to bee deaths, and similar bans have been passed in Europe. There is also new emphasis being placed on the restoration and preservation of wild habitats where bees and other pollinators can thrive. 

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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

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/TB studio

A world without bees would have major food shortages and possibly famine

A world without bees would have major food shortages and...

Among patients with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/daily-exercise-alzheimers-disease/">Alzheimer's</a>, excessive daytime napping is often observed long before memory problems are apparent. Prior research has suggested that daytime fatigue results from the poor nighttime sleep associated with Alzheimer's, while other studies have proposed that abnormal sleeping patterns contribute to the progression of the disease itself. 

But now, a study from <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">UC San Francisco</a> has identified a surprising new biological explanation for this phenomenon. The experts discovered that Alzheimer's disease directly attacks brain regions responsible for wakefulness during the day.

The team demonstrated that these brain regions are among the first to be impacted by the neurodegenerative effects of Alzheimer's disease. With this in mind, excessive daytime napping could serve as an early indication that the disease is developing, especially in the absence of significant nighttime sleep issues.

The early damage to the brain's wakefulness center was found to be caused by a protein known as tau, which adds to a growing collection of evidence that tau contributes more directly to neurodegeneration than the more extensively studied amyloid protein.

Study senior author Dr. Lea T. Grinberg is an associate professor of Neurology and Pathology at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center and a member of the Global Brain Health Institute.

"Our work shows definitive evidence that the brain areas promoting wakefulness degenerate due to accumulation of tau - not amyloid protein - from the very earliest stages of the disease," said Dr. Grinberg.

The investigation was focused on data from the UCSF Neurodegenerative Disease Brain Bank for 13 deceased Alzheimer's patients and seven healthy control subjects. The researchers measured tau protein levels and neuron numbers in three relevant brain regions.

The study revealed that Alzheimer's patients had significant tau buildup in all three wakefulness-promoting brain centers that were examined, including the locus coeruleus (LC), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), and tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN). In addition, these regions had lost up to 75 percent of their neurons.

"It's remarkable because it's not just a single brain nucleus that's degenerating, but the whole wakefulness-promoting network," said study lead author Jun Oh. "Crucially this means that the brain has no way to compensate because all of these functionally related cell types are being destroyed at the same time."

The results support earlier findings by Dr. Grinberg's team that deceased individuals with elevated levels of tau protein in their brainstem, an early characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, had already begun to experience mood changes and increased sleep disturbances.

"Our new evidence for tau-linked degeneration of the brain's wakefulness centers provides a compelling neurobiological explanation for those findings," said Dr. Grinberg. "It suggests we need to be much more focused on understanding the early stages of tau accumulation in these brain areas in our ongoing search for Alzheimer's treatments."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/">Alzheimer's and Dementia</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: Shutterstock/pathdoc

The brain’s wakefulness center is one of the earliest casualties of Alzheimer’s

Among patients with Alzheimer's, excessive daytime napping is often observed...

While it is commonly known that something like a cold or flu virus is contagious, most people are much less familiar with the fact that we can actually become "infected" with the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/daylight-improve-sleep-mood/">mood</a> or emotions of another person. 

For example, when we are talking to someone who is feeling agitated, we may unexpectedly become irritable. On the other hand, communicating with someone who is feeling happy and confident can make us feel better about ourselves. 

Experts have been working for decades to understand how and why emotions and moods are contagious. They have discovered that people have a natural tendency to mimic the facial expressions, postures, and other behaviors of others during face-to-face interaction. This phenomenon, known as emotional contagion, appears in humans and some other animals as early as infancy.

Remarkably, scientists have found that our basic, primal instincts lead us to sync up emotionally with others in almost an instant. We can subconsciously take on the intense feelings of another person in a matter of milliseconds.

Emotional contagion is believed to be the foundation for empathy and social functioning in humans. Among animals, emotional synchrony is important for consistent group behavior, such as the response to environmental cues. 

John T. Cacioppo founded the University of Chicago <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Center-for-Cognitive-and-Social-Neuroscience-230735206985829/">Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience</a>. Years back, Professor Cacioppo explained that the more expressive someone is, the more likely you are to take notice and autonomously mimic them. 

"The muscle fibers in your face and body can be activated unbeknownst to you, at much lower levels than if you were to perform those movements yourself,” Cacioppo said.

The extent of emotional synchrony also depends largely on the level of intimacy in the relationship between two people, according to a study conducted in 2014 at the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California San Francisco</a>. The researchers found that infants experience the stress felt by their mothers. 

"Our research shows that infants ‘catch’ and embody the physiological residue of their mothers’ stressful experiences," said study lead author Dr. Sara Waters. "Our earliest lessons about how to manage stress and strong negative emotions in our day-to-day lives occur in the parent-child relationship."

In a report written for <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us">Psychology Today</a>, Dr. Sigal Barsade describes how influential the moods of employees can be in the workplace. Her study demonstrated that the judgement and business decisions of employees are significantly affected by emotional contagion, yet without anyone realizing what is happening. 

"My research shows that it’s even more catching than one might think - and in fact has profound consequences for a company’s day-to-day operations," said Dr. Barsade. She added that managers can overcome negative consequences and create more productive teams by simply having an awareness of employees’ moods.

"One employee’s anxiety and panic can spread like a virus through an entire office, lowering morale and productivity. Happiness can also build in a workplace, which results in improved employee cooperation, satisfaction, and performance," wrote Dr.Judith Orloff, author of The Empath's Survival Guide.

Dr. Orloff points out that highly sensitive people are more susceptible to other people's emotions. "The good news is that sensitive people can benefit from all the positive energy that circulates at work. The difficult news is that we can pick up our co-worker’s emotions or illnesses until we learn to avoid taking on their stress."

In her book, Dr. Orloff offers some advice on how to escape emotional chaos in a busy office. She recommends surrounding the outer edge of your desk with plants or photos "to create a small psychological barrier." 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Dragana Gordic

Moods are contagious: How you really can ‘catch’ another person’s bad mood

While it is commonly known that something like a cold...

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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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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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