We all know sleep is important, but what if simply flipping on a light at the wrong time could do more than just make you tired? What if artificial light could change the way your body fights illness, how your brain processes emotion, or how you recover from surgery?



A team of researchers at <a href="https://www.wvu.edu/">West Virginia University</a> has explored this question. The research suggests that artificial light at night may silently alter how our bodies function.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-night-shifts-to-neuroscience">From night shifts to neuroscience</h2>



The story behind this research starts in an unlikely place. Before becoming a scientist, Dr. Randy J. Nelson, the lead researcher, worked night shifts in a turkey processing plant. Later, he performed autopsies at two hospitals in Cleveland. 



Eventually, a job opening at the San Diego Zoo led Dr. Nelson to pursue a scientific career that took him to UC San Diego and later UC Berkeley, where he became the first person in the U.S. to earn two PhDs at once - one in psychology and one in endocrinology.



"My path to academia is typical in the sense that it is not 'typical,'" said Dr. Nelson. Today, he leads the Department of Neuroscience at West Virginia University. 



In Dr. Nelson's lab, researchers have spent years studying how the modern world, especially its bright nights, can throw off the rhythms our bodies evolved to follow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-artificial-light-and-human-health">Artificial light and human health</h2>



Most people associate circadian rhythms with sleep, but the WVU researchers show that these rhythms are integrated into almost every system in the body.



The experts report that light at night can disrupt the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight infection or triggering unnecessary inflammation. It can also throw off metabolism, which may contribute to rising rates of obesity. 



When it comes to mental health, artificial light interferes with mood regulation, helping explain why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-chronic-pain-have-high-rates-of-depression-and-anxiety/">depression and anxiety</a> are more common among people with irregular schedules.



The effects are wide-ranging and serious. According to the lab's findings, our biology expects natural cycles of light and dark. When those cycles are broken, things can start to go wrong - quietly but powerfully.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-type-of-artificial-light-is-most-harmful">What type of artificial light is most harmful?</h2>



The team’s research is now focused on pinpointing the specific wavelengths of light that cause the most damage. 



The experts are also studying how long it takes for the body to recover from regular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-light-pollution-disrupts-entire-ecological-networks/">exposure</a> to artificial light, and whether the time of day makes a difference in how the body responds to light.



"What is the contribution of time-of-day as a biological variable?" That’s one of the questions driving Dr. Nelson's current work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-turning-research-into-better-care">Turning research into better care</h2>



Beyond the lab, the scientists are running clinical trials to see if reducing exposure to artificial light in hospitals could help patients recover faster.



One trial is focused on people recovering from strokes. Another trial is tracking outcomes after cardiac surgery. Both patient groups often spend time in ICUs, where harsh fluorescent lighting is the norm throughout the day and night.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/colors-of-sunset-and-sunrise-reset-our-circadian-rhythms/">Circadian rhythms</a> are a fundamental aspect of biology, and much is known from foundational science about them,” noted Dr. Nelson. “However, little of this foundational science has been translated to clinical medicine.”



The WVU team is also testing whether night-shift nurses can benefit from wearing bright blue light visors at specific times to help reset their internal clocks. The results could open the door to better health for millions of workers with irregular hours - from factory employees to first responders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-health-insights-about-artificial-light">New health insights about artificial light</h2>



Artificial light has changed how we live - and it’s also changed how our bodies function in ways we are only just beginning to understand.



Other studies have linked nighttime light exposure to increased risks of certain cancers, metabolic disorders, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/artificial-light-exposure-is-extremely-harmful-to-our-mental-health/">mental health</a> issues. Blue light from screens, in particular, has been shown to suppress melatonin production, making it harder to fall and stay asleep. 



There’s growing evidence that long-term exposure to light at the wrong times may contribute to chronic inflammation and disrupt key hormonal cycles.



What the research from West Virginia University adds is a clearer picture of how these disruptions affect multiple systems at once - and why timing matters just as much as intensity.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm025k.0083/article-10.61373-bm025k.0083.xml">Brain Medicine</a>.



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Hidden health crisis: How artificial light disrupts our bodies

We all know sleep is important, but what if simply flipping on a light at the wrong time could do more than just make you tired? What if artificial light could change the way your body fights illness, how your brain processes emotion, or how you recover from surgery? A team of researchers at West Virginia University has explored this question. The research suggests that artificial light at night may silently alter how our bodies function. From night shifts to neuroscience The story behind this research starts...

According to new research from <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a>, one of the primary reasons that the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-waves-weaken-flu/">flu</a> becomes so widespread and can even turn deadly during the winter months is because of low humidity.

It is known that cold temperatures and decreased humidity promote the spread of the flu virus. However, experts have not fully understood the effect of low humidity on the immune system's natural defenses against flu infection.

A team of researchers led by Professor Akiko Iwasaki set out to investigate using mice that were genetically modified to resist viral infection in the same way as humans. The mice were all housed at the same temperature, but were kept in chambers with either normal or low humidity. The mice were then exposed to the influenza A virus. 

The study revealed that low humidity hindered the immune response of the mice in three critical ways. First, hair-like structures found in airway cells called cilia were prevented from removing viral particles and mucus. The low humidity also reduced the ability of airway cells to repair damage caused by the virus in the lungs. 

Furthermore, signaling proteins that typically alert neighboring cells to a viral threat, known as interferons, were not activated by virus-infected cells in the low-humidity environment.

“It's well known that where humidity drops, a spike in flu incidence and mortality occurs. If our findings in mice hold up in humans, our study provides a possible mechanism underlying this seasonal nature of flu disease,” said Professor Iwasaki.

According to the researchers, while humidity is not the only contributor to flu outbreaks, it should be considered during the winter season. They noted that increasing water vapor in the air with humidifiers at home, school, work, and even hospital environments is a potential strategy to reduce flu symptoms and speed recovery.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why low humidity makes the flu much more dangerous

According to new research from Yale University, one of the...

A new study from researchers from <a href="https://en.knu.ac.kr/main/main.htm">Kyungpook National University</a> in the Republic of Korea have determined that significant weight gain and/or weight loss would heighten the risk of dementia in older people. 

By studying an elderly Korean population for two years, the team recognized a link between late-life BMI changes and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-dementia/">dementia</a> in both men and women. 

Their findings are published in <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/5/e021739">BMJ Open</a>.

The research team studied a group of 67,219 participants aged 60 to 79 years who had their BMI measured between 2002 to 2003 and 2004 to 2005 as part of Korea’s National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort. BMI, socioeconomic status, and cardiometabolic risk factors were all recorded during the screening. 

Researchers calculated overall BMI changes of each participant after the two-year period, and then monitored the incidence of dementia in participants for an average 5.3 years (between 2008 and 2013). They recorded 4,887 men and 6,685 women were diagnosed with dementia within that 5.3-year period, which thus proved there is a link between rapid weight change and dementia.

More specifically, a 10% or higher increase or decrease in BMI, over a two-year period, was associated with a higher risk for dementia. This is compared to those who maintained a stable BMI over the same period.

Starting BMI had no influence of future dementia diagnoses, with the exception of a lower BMI in older adult men.

Furthermore, conditions such as pre-existing hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and high fasting blood sugar were all noted as significant risk factors for dementia. As were lifestyle choices like smoking, frequent drinking, and less physical activity later in life.

The researchers add that this study is purely observational, and therefore cause can not be established with certainty and recognize there are limitations. However, the evidence they do have is worth taking note of.

"Both weight gain and weight loss may be significant risk factors associated with dementia,” the team concluded. “This study revealed that severe weight gain, uncontrolled diabetes, smoking and less physical activity in late-life had a detrimental effect on dementia development.”

"Our results suggest that continuous weight control, disease management and the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle are beneficial in the prevention of dementia, even in later life."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Weight fluctuation could increase risk of dementia in older adults

A new study from researchers from Kyungpook National University in...

Reductions in fine particle pollution have improved public health in the US. A new report from the <a href="http://www.thoracic.org/">American Thoracic Society</a> and the <a href="https://marroninstitute.nyu.edu/">Marron Institute</a> at NYU has revealed that air quality improvements over the last decade have resulted in fewer deaths and serious illnesses across the United States. 

While the study was focused on the two most potent air pollutants, fine particle (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone (O3), the progress can be almost entirely attributed to reductions in PM2.5 pollution.

According to the researchers, fatalities from dangerous levels of PM2.5 were nearly cut in half from 2008 to 2017. On the other hand, health impacts from O3 pollution have “remained stubbornly high.”

In addition to the lack of consistent improvement in the health complications associated with O3, the team found that the rate of eradication for PM2.5 pollution has started to level off. 

According to the study authors, it is likely that the health impacts from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-dementia/">air pollution</a> could increase over time as populations grow. The report also emphasized other challenges that could make it difficult to mitigate the public health issues driven by air pollution. 

“The proposed roll back of several Clean Air Act regulations and the proposed roll back of the greenhouse gas standard for automobiles will make it hard for communities to maintain their air quality, and even harder for cities with poor air quality to clean up,” said study co-author Gary Ewart.

“The large number of adverse health impacts attributable to ozone should motivate cities and states to start now to reduce their local emissions of precursors pollutants,” said study lead author Dr. Kevin Cromar. “Coordinated actions at the regional level, as well as strong actions at the federal level, will also be needed in order to make consistent gains in reducing ozone in many parts of the country.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/journal/annalsats">Annals of the American Thoracic Society</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Reductions in fine particle pollution have improved public health in the US

Reductions in fine particle pollution have improved public health in...

Scientists at <a href="http://www.emory.edu/home/index.html">Emory University</a> have found antiseptic properties in three plants which were recommended for use on soldiers injured in the Civil War. The study revealed that extracts from the white oak, tulip poplar, and the devil's walking stick offer natural protection from dangerous <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-travel-thousands-miles/">bacteria</a> associated with wound infections. 

During the Civil War, the Confederate Surgeon General commissioned a guide to traditional plant remedies that could assist physicians who faced shortages of conventional medicines. The current study identified three plants from the guide as containing antimicrobial activity against one or more strains of the drug-resistant bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Study senior author Cassandra Quave is an assistant professor at Emory's Center for the Study of Human Health and an ethnobotanist, which means that she studies how plants are used in traditional healing practices. 

“Our findings suggest that the use of these topical therapies may have saved some limbs, and maybe even lives, during the Civil War,” said Professor Quave. “Ethnobotany is essentially the science of survival - how people get by when limited to what's available in their immediate environment. The Civil War guide to plant remedies is a great example of that.”

If the researchers can identify the active ingredients responsible for the antimicrobial activity, they will be able to improve upon modern wound care. 

“It is my hope that we can then test these molecules in our world-renowned models of bacterial infection,” said study co-author Daniel Zurawski. “I've always been a Civil War buff. I am also a firm believer in learning everything we can garner from the past so we can benefit now from the knowledge and wisdom of our ancestors.”

“I was surprised to learn that far more Civil War soldiers died from disease than in battle,” said study first author Micah Dettweiler. “I was also surprised at how common amputation was as a medical treatment for an infected wound.”

Francis Porcher, a botanist and surgeon from South Carolina, compiled a book of medicinal plants found in the Southern states, including plant remedies used by Native Americans and enslaved Africans. Published in 1863, “Resources of the Southern Fields and Forests” described 37 species for treating gangrene and other infections. 

Based on Porcher's specifications, the Emory team collected extracts from white oak bark and galls, tulip poplar leaves, and the devil's walking stick leaves. Lab tests showed that extracts from the white oak and tulip poplar inhibited the growth of S. aureus, while the white oak extracts also inhibited the growth of A. baumannii and K. pneumoniae. 

“Plants have a great wealth of chemical diversity, which is one more reason to protect natural environments,” said Dettweiler. “I'm interested in plants because, even though they don't move from place to place, they are extremely powerful and important.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificreports">Scientific Reports</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: Stephen Nowland, Emory University

Plants used as Civil War injury remedies prove effective against tough bacteria

Scientists at Emory University have found antiseptic properties in three...

Researchers with <a href="https://www.obesity.org/">The Obesity Society</a> have found that partaking in daily self-weighing could prevent the dreaded holiday weight gain. 111 adults between the ages of 18 and 65 partook in the new study, which ran from mid-November 2017 to early January 2018. 

The results are published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1930739x#pane-01cbe741-499a-4611-874e-1061f1f4679e01">Obesity</a>.

The research team followed up with participants 14 weeks after the intervention. Those who weighed themselves daily either maintained or lost weight during the holiday season. Those who did not weigh themselves daily <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/processed-food-weight-gain/">gained weight</a>.

Participants in the intervention group were instructed to attempt to maintain their baseline weight throughout the holiday season, but were not told how to do so. 

"Maybe they exercise a little bit more the next day (after seeing a weight increase) or they watch what they are eating more carefully," said author Jamie Cooper, PhD, an associate professor in the <a href="https://www.fcs.uga.edu/fdn">Department of Foods and Nutrition at the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences</a>. "The subjects self-select how they are going to modify their behavior, which can be effective because we know that interventions are not one-size-fits-all."

"People are really sensitive to discrepancies or differences between their current selves and their standard or goal," added second author Michelle vanDellen, an associate professor in the <a href="http://www.psychology.uga.edu/">University of Georgia Department of Psychology</a>. "When they see that discrepancy, it tends to lead to behavioral change. Daily self-weighing ends up doing that for people in a really clear way."

Weight gained over the holidays can be difficult to lose, and therefore often contributes to annual weight gain, as previous studies have shown. The team hopes to test this new intervention in larger group settings to more accurately examine if daily self-weighing is the key to keeping weight down throughout the holiday season.

"Vacations and holidays are probably the two times of year people are most susceptible to weight gain in a very short period of time," Cooper concluded. "The holidays can actually have a big impact on someone's long-term health."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How to prevent holiday weight gain? Researchers reveal effective strategy

Researchers with The Obesity Society have found that partaking in...

Serotonin is an important chemical in the body which is known to play a role in mood, memory, social behavior, appetite, and cognition. While this compound is also known to influence sleep, previous studies have produced conflicting evidence as to whether serotonin promotes sleepiness or wakefulness. 

To investigate, a team of researchers at <a href="https://www.caltech.edu/">Caltech</a> focused on a region of the brainstem called the raphe nucleus, which is responsible for both manufacturing and releasing <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/serotonin-expedite-learning-process/">serotonin</a> to other brain regions. These structures are found in a wide range of organisms from fish to humans, and the experts used zebrafish as a model for the study. 

The researchers genetically modified zebrafish so that their raphe did not produce serotonin. The mutant fish were found to sleep about half as much as they would normally sleep. The fish also slept much less than usual when the raphe was completely removed. 

"This suggests that serotonin produced by the raphe is required for the fish to get normal amounts of sleep," explained study lead author Grigorios Oikonomou.

In another experiment, zebrafish were modified so that their raphe could be activated by light. When the researchers shined a light on the fish, it put them straight to sleep. Activating the raphe in fish that did not synthesize serotonin, however, had no effect on sleep.

The researchers believe that the firing of neurons in the raphe and their release of serotonin is a way for the brain to build up sleep pressure. For example, they found that zebrafish lacking serotonin showed reduced sleep pressure.

"There are two main factors that control sleep. One is the circadian clock -  when it is light during the day, the body is awake, and when it gets dark, the body knows to sleep. The other factor is called homeostatic sleep pressure," explained Oikonomou.

"When you wake up in the morning, you have just gotten rest, and so you're energetic. As the day goes on, you get tired and sleepy, so there is a building of pressure to sleep. If you don't sleep that night, your sleep pressure is even higher, and you are even more tired the next day even though it's light outside, and your circadian clock dictates that you should be awake." 

"The theory is that, in order to sleep, you need to have high sleep pressure and the circadian clock needs to be aligned with the time of day - nighttime for diurnal creatures like us and daytime for nocturnal animals."

The research may help to explain some of the sleep-related side effects of common antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin levels in the brain.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/neuron/home">Neuron</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: Caltech

New study suggests that serotonin promotes sleep, not wakefulness

Serotonin is an important chemical in the body which is...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uni-leipzig.de/en/">University of Leipzig</a> have discovered that immune cells are activated when the bacteria found in fermented foods is detected. According to the study, both humans and great apes have cell receptors that recognize metabolites from these types of bacteria and signal the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-helps-kill-infection/">immune system</a>. 

Lactic acid bacteria are those that turn milk into yogurt and cabbage into sauerkraut. The consumption of these bacteria can offer many health gains, yet these benefits are not entirely understood on a molecular level. Scientists have also not been able to pinpoint how ingesting lactic acid bacteria may affect the immune system.

For the current study, researchers were analyzing proteins on the surface of cells called hydroxycarboxylic acid (HCA) receptors. While most animals have two types of this receptor, humans and great apes have three types. 

The team discovered that a metabolite produced by lactic acid bacteria, known as D-phenyllactic acid, binds strongly to the third HCA receptor and alerts the immune system. The experts believe that the third HCA receptor appeared in a common ancestor of humans and great apes, which enabled them to consume foods that are starting to rot, such as fruits picked up off the ground.

[caption id="attachment_1873033" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/fermented.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1873033" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/fermented.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="316" /></a> D-phenyllactic acid is absorbed from lactic acid bacteria fermented food and triggers HCA3-dependent migration in human monocytes. Image Credit: Claudia Stäubert[/caption]

The findings provide new insight into the evolutionary history of microbes and their human hosts. The research may ultimately lead to a better understanding of the positive health benefits associated with fermented foods. 

"We are convinced that this receptor very likely mediates some beneficial and anti-inflammatory effects of lactic acid bacteria in humans," said study lead author Claudia Stäubert. "That is why we believe it could serve as a potential drug target to treat inflammatory diseases."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/">PLOS Genetics</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fermented foods offer health perks by activating the immune system

Researchers at the University of Leipzig have discovered that immune...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/gut-microbiome-promotes-healthier-aging/">Aging</a> is a part of life and beauty won’t hang on forever. It’s an unfortunate fact that as we get older, our skin will start to sag and wrinkle, turning our once fresh face of youth into a lined map of age and experience. But is there a difference between the aging characteristics of men and women?

Researcher from the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> have recently published a study in which they used computers to measure and map the changes in almost 600 parts of the face in men and women ages 26 to 90. The results showed that there were similar rates of change for the two sexes between the ages of 40 and 50, but after 50, age-related changes began to speed up in women. Not coincidentally, 50 happens to be the average age at which menopause starts.

Once women hit menopause, they rapidly experienced noticeable changes such as their nose and ears lengthening, eyes appearing smaller, and faces becoming flatter due to loss of fat and thinning of the skin. This accelerated process continued until age 60, after which the changes over time were less drastic.

The researchers believe that this acceleration is due to the loss of the sex hormone estrogen after menopause. Estrogen has significant effects on the protein collagen, which is what gives skin its elasticity, and causes bone to be re-absorbed, which has an effect on the chin and cheekbones.

In their study, the research team found that features of aging were generally similar between men and women. This included a flatter face, sagging skin, deeper lines between the nose and corner of the mouth, smaller visible areas of the eyes, thinner lips, and a longer nose and ears. However, even before age 50, women’s faces aged twice as fast as men. And between the ages of 50 and 60, the “aging trajectory” was up to three times faster.

“Men and women age similarly up to the age of 50,” says Sonja Windhager, who led the research. “It’s a linear progression. But at the age of 50, for women, it goes really fast. It doesn’t speed up at 50 for men.”

Windhager is quick to point to menopause as the main culprit behind this acceleration. 

“After the age of 50, the best predictor of how old you look is your age from menopause,” she says. “The onset of menopause varies in women quite a lot. On average, it is around the age of 50, with a variation of around ten years, with on average some women starting at 40 and some as late as 60. This seems to determine facial shape more than actual age.”

--

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/Evgeny Atamanenko

Why women age faster than men after 50

Aging is a part of life and beauty won’t hang...

Although we live in a world of artificial light and Netflix binges that can keep you up well past sundown, our bodies still respond to an internal <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/circadian-rhythm-tumor-growth/">circadian clock</a>. Through reacting to cues like light and hormones, the human body can anticipate the recurring rhythms of sleep, metabolism, and other physiological processes. 

Now, new research has found that time of day can affect the severity of health issues ranging from allergies to heart attacks.

A review published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/immunology/home">Trends in Immunology</a> brought together studies investigating the connection between circadian rhythms and immune responses. Most of these studies involved mice, and some showed that there was an adaptive immune response under circadian control that allowed highly specialized, pathogen-fighting cells to develop.

Results of some studies showed that – in both mice and humans – the numbers of white blood cells change in a circadian manner. One study found that heart attacks, which tend to be more severe in the morning than at night, may be influenced by decreased cardiac protection due to monocytes being elevated in infarcted heart tissue at night. This could result in decreased cardiac protection at that time of day relative to morning.

Another study found that parasite infections are dependent on the time of day. Mice that were infected with Trichuris muris, a gastrointestinal parasite, in the morning were able to kill worms significantly faster than mice infected in the evening. 

Not only could parasite infections be time-of-day dependent, but an additional study found that allergies may be as well. The study showed that allergic symptoms were generally worse between midnight and early morning, which may indicate that the molecular clock can physiologically influence immune cell recruitment and outcomes of asthma in humans.

“Investigating circadian rhythms in innate and adaptive immunity is a great tool to generally understand the physiological interplay and time-dependent succession of events in generating immune responses,” says senior author Christoph Scheiermann, an immunologist at the <a href="https://www.unige.ch/en/university/presentation/">University of Geneva</a>. “The challenge lies in how to channel our growing mechanistic understanding of circadian immunology into time-tailored therapies for human patients.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The time of day can impact your body’s ability to fight off illness

Although we live in a world of artificial light and...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.nist.gov/">National Institute of Standards and Technology</a> (NIST) have compared the environmental impact and energy demand of gas versus electric heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For an energy-efficient residential home, the study suggests that gas is the most eco-friendly option.

"Fuel type is an important factor because heating and cooling accounts for a significant amount of home energy consumption," said study co-author and NIST civil engineer David Webb. "However, little research has been conducted looking at the impact of which fuel source is used, gas or electric, on achieving low-energy and low-impact goals."

"We used a unique NIST tool set of databases and software known as BIRDS (Building Industry Reporting and Design for Sustainability) to assess and measure that impact scientifically, and then provide a research method for others to do the same for any climate region in the United States."

The study was focused on data available in the latest version of BIRDS. These measurements were obtained from ongoing research at the Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF), which is located on the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The NZERTF is actually a lab where NIST researchers and industry partners are designing net-zero homes. The researchers used a computer model to create one home based on this net-zero concept that used an electric HVAC system and a twin home that used <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-rise-coal-lags/">natural gas</a>.

"This allowed us to make a true apples-to-apples comparison of gas versus electric for their respective energy, environmental and economic impacts," said study co-author Joshua Kneifel.

The models simulated 960,000 building design combinations and eight different economic scenarios to estimate performance over a 30-year period. The analysis revealed that a natural gas HVAC system is currently more economical for a code-compliant residential home in Maryland. 

"The overall economic benefit of natural gas was expected because, at this time, it is the cheaper fuel source in Maryland, costs less in dollars and energy expended to produce and transport, and carries a lower construction price for installation of an HVAC system which uses it," said Webb.

According to Kneifel, however, electric may become the better bargain and the more environmentally responsible option in the near future. 

"For example, as more power companies move to cleaner forms of electric generation, such as natural gas instead of coal, the environmental impact will lessen. Also, technology changes, such as cheaper and more efficient solar energy and HVAC systems, should help make the use of electricity more cost-effective."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-building-engineering">Journal of Building Engineering</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: Beamie Young/NIST

Gas or electric? Which is the more eco-friendly home fuel option?

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State University</a>, researchers conclude that teens who exercise more during the day often go to sleep earlier at night and stay asleep longer. More specifically, the team found that an extra hour of exercise per day causes <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/limiting-screen-time-sleep/">teens</a> to fall asleep 18 minutes earlier and stay asleep for 10 minutes longer. 

Their findings are published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

"Adolescence is a critical period to obtain adequate sleep, as sleep can affect cognitive and classroom performance, stress, and eating behaviors," said Lindsay Master, a Penn State data scientist. "Our research suggests that encouraging adolescents to spend more time exercising during the day may help their sleep health later that night."

Furthermore, the researchers found that increased sedentary behavior led to teens falling asleep later and waking up later, but sleeping for an overall shorter period of time.

"You can think of these relationships between physical activity and sleep almost like a teeter totter," said Orfeu Buxton, professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State. "When you're getting more steps, essentially, your sleep begins earlier, expands in duration, and is more efficient. Whereas if you're spending more time sedentary, it's like sitting on your sleep health: sleep length and quality goes down."

To come to their conclusion, researchers analyzed data from 417 teens who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study, a national cohort from 20 United States cities. When each participant was 15 years old, they wore accelerometers on their hips and wrists to measure physical activity and sleep for one week.

"One of the strengths of this study was using the devices to get precise measurements about sleep and activity instead of asking participants about their own behavior, which can sometimes be skewed," Master said. "The hip device measured activity during the day, and the wrist device measured what time the participants fell asleep and woke up, and also how efficiently they slept, which means how often they were sleeping versus tossing and turning."

This data also led the researchers to conclude that more sleep and waking up later led to teens being more sedentary the next day. Master said that this could be because there is less time in the day to become active when a teen sleeps in.

Their findings also found that 73% of teens are not getting the minimum 8 to 10 hours of sleep that experts recommend.

"Becoming our best selves means being more like our best selves more often," Buxton said. "We were able to show that the beneficial effects of exercise and sleep go together, and that health risk behaviors like sedentary time affect sleep that same night. So if we can encourage people to engage in more physical activity and better sleep health behaviors on a more regular basis, it could improve their health over time."

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

More physical activity during the day can help teens sleep more efficiently

In a new study from Penn State University, researchers conclude...

In a piece written for <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>, award-winning British journalist Linda Geddes reports that the combination of exposure to less light during the day and to more artificial light at night is extremely disruptive to the body's natural <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/circadian-rhythm-tumor-growth/">circadian rhythms</a>. 

While a lack of daylight can have serious consequences for physical and mental health, Geddes points to new research which has found that even a small dose of bright light can relieve some of the symptoms. 

"The good news is researchers are finding that even small increases in your exposure to bright light during the day have a wide range of benefits, from improving sleep and mood to speeding recovery from serious illness," writes Geddes.

The lining in the back of the eye contains intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), which are especially sensitive to blue light such as bright daylight or the light from screens. When they get fired up, these cells communicate with regions of the brain that control alertness. 

"One study found that exposure to an hour of low-intensity blue light increased people’s reaction speeds more than if they had drunk two cups of coffee," notes Geddes. "The cells also send signals to a tiny patch of brain tissue called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). This functions as the body’s master clock, tweaking the timing of the circadian clocks ticking in every cell of our bodies to keep them synchronized with each other and with the external time of day."

A recent study from at <a href="https://www.umu.se/en/">Umeå University</a> found in animals that ipRGCs not only signal the body's master clock, but are also directly linked to the thalamus. This region acts as an important sensory relay center that helps to regulate our mood and emotional state.

According to Geddes, darkness is just as critical as light for maintaining our body's natural, healthy rhythms. Exposure to light at night shifts our body clock and causes us to become more alert. It also suppresses the release of melatonin, which signals the body that it is time for sleep. 

Geddes says that while there is still a lot to learn about how we are affected by light and darkness, we should do our best to make our days brighter and our nights darker. 

"We evolved on a planet with a 24-hour cycle of darkness and light," she added. "It is time to reconnect with those extremes."

The full <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24232320-100-how-getting-more-daylight-can-improve-your-mental-and-physical-health/??utm_medium=NLC&amp;utm_source=NSNS&amp;utm_campaign=2019-0530-GLOBAL-NSDAY&amp;utm_content=NSDAY">article</a> by Geddes, "How getting more daylight can improve your mental and physical health," was published on May 29 in New Scientist. 

--

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/Rido

A small dose of daylight can improve sleep and mood

In a piece written for New Scientist, award-winning British journalist...

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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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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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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



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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



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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

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

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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



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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



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



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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



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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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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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