Gel manicures have turned into a tiny luxury that fits between lunch breaks and school runs. The ultraviolet or near‑ultraviolet lamps that harden glossy manicure coatings do the job in about four minutes, so the routine feels harmless.



The dryers bathe fingertips in swift pulses of light, but until recently few people asked what those pulses do to the skin that holds the nails. A new laboratory study brings unsettling answers.



The new work was led by photochemist <a href="https://bicyt.conicet.gov.ar/fichas/p/en/maria-laura-dantola" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. María Laura Dántola</a> at the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physical‑Chemical Research <a href="https://www.inifta.unlp.edu.ar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(INIFTA</a>), part of Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council <a href="https://www.conicet.gov.ar/?lan=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(CONICET</a>).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-manicure-lamps">Studying manicure lamps</h2>



Serrano’s team placed common skin molecules, including tyrosinase, inside a chamber that mimicked a salon lamp and zapped them for the same four‑minute cycle used in most gel services. 



All targets, from amino acids to lipids, emerged chemically altered and less able to perform their jobs.



“These devices are used without any controls or regulations requiring manufacturers to report on the potential risks of frequent exposure,” cautioned Dántola and colleagues. 



One of the starkest changes hit tyrosinase, the enzyme that drives production of melanin, a pigment that shields DNA from solar radiation.



The researchers also measured how fast the altered molecules sparked <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/oxidative-stress" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">oxidative stress</a> reactions that can shred cell membranes. Reaction rates jumped within seconds, confirming that harm starts long before a hand is removed from the booth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-photosensitization-matters">Why photosensitization matters</h2>



Photosensitization happens when a molecule absorbs light then transfers that energy to oxygen, creating reactive species. Those species slice through DNA, proteins, and lipids with no regard for cell repair cycles.



Because tyrosinase sits at the start of melanin synthesis, even small interruptions amplify downstream damage. Losing melanin’s natural sunscreen effect makes every future dose of sunlight or lamp light more hazardous.



Many over‑the‑counter skincare ingredients, including retinoids and some antibiotics, can enhance photosensitization. 



People who use them may face higher risks because their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vitamin-c-promotes-skin-renewal-and-anti-aging-at-the-genetic-level-dna-demethylation/">skin</a> already carries extra light‑reactive compounds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tyrosinase-melanin-and-lost-defense">Tyrosinase, melanin and lost defense</h2>



Tyrosinase flips the chemical switches that turn the amino acid tyrosine into melanin granules. When the lamp’s photons broke those switches, the team saw melanin output stall.



Without melanin the skin compensates poorly for incoming ultraviolet, so photo‑aging and cancer risk rise. The altered enzyme also disrupts color balance, explaining reports of blotchy pigmentation after frequent gel sessions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-manicure-lamps-are-very-bright">Manicure lamps are very bright</h2>



Bench measurements showed the lamp delivered a dose of <a href="https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/what-s-the-difference-between-uva-and-uvb-rays-.h15-1592991.html">UVA radiation</a> around 368–400 nanometers, the same band blamed for tanning and wrinkles. 



A separate American <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-35876-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> in 2023 reported that a 20‑minute session killed up to 70 percent of cultured human skin cells and stamped permanent mutations on the survivors.



Sensor data from the Argentine team indicate the lamp’s irradiance peaks at 7 milliwatts per square centimeter, nearly matching the noon sun in Buenos Aires during spring. 



Weekly visits translate into roughly three and a half hours under that intensity each year, more than many people spend sunbathing.



A systematic <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38557455/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> in 2024 concluded that while the absolute cancer risk appears low, the evidence remains weak and long‑term users should be told the data gaps.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-short-bursts-long-shadows">Short bursts, long shadows</h2>



Gel clients often repeat the service every two to three weeks, layering dose upon dose across years. Cumulative exposure matters because photochemical injuries add rather than heal, especially when they trigger oxidative stress and DNA breaks.



A 2023 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-49814-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test</a> on human keratinocytes showed sunscreen with SPF 50 cut cell death by more than one‑third during the same four‑minute irradiation used in salons. 



Protective gloves that leave only the nail plate visible can block over 90 percent of the rays, yet they remain optional accessories.



“These are processes that, in one way or another, result in cell death,” added Dántola and colleagues after monitoring the altered enzyme profiles. 



The comment echoes warnings from dermatology societies that link chronic UVA to premature aging and certain skin cancers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-keeping-nails-and-skin-safe">Keeping nails and skin safe</h2>



Dermatologists at the <a href="https://www.aad.org/media/news-releases/gel-manicures-dermatologists-share-tips-to-keep-nails-healthy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Academy of Dermatology</a> urge customers to apply a broad‑spectrum SPF 30 or higher on their hands before every gel manicure and to choose LED lamps that cure polish faster and with lower UV output.



Salons can switch to newer hybrid lacquers that air‑dry or set under visible blue light, trimming exposure further. At home, limiting sessions and spacing them at least a month apart reduces cumulative dose.



For clients unwilling to give up the chip‑free finish, simple habits help: wear fingertip‑less UPF gloves, time the lamp cycles carefully, and keep moisturizer handy because dry <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teen-skin-bacteria-could-hold-the-secret-to-acne-prevention/">skin</a> amplifies light penetration.



Regulators have yet to issue binding standards for consumer nail lamps, so the burden falls on users and technicians. 



Serrano’s group believes clear warning labels and pre‑packed barrier gloves would let people enjoy the beauty trend while understanding the trade‑offs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-manicure-lamps-speed-vs-safety">Manicure lamps: Speed vs. safety</h2>



The beauty business around gel nails is sizable. Analysts <a href="https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/uv-nail-gel-market" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimate</a> the global UV gel polish segment alone was worth almost six billion dollars in 2024 and could double within a decade.



Social media trends and influencer tutorials push fans to redo manicures every week rather than once a month, increasing exposure well beyond the study’s four‑minute baseline. Convenience encourages at‑home kits, yet those kits often ship without detailed safety instructions.



Dántola stresses that the project sits in basic science, aimed at mapping chemical events rather than legislating behavior. 



Still, sharing data allows dermatologists, engineers, and regulators to design larger trials that measure real <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-carry-toxic-chemicals-that-are-easily-absorbed-by-skin/">skin</a> after repeated consumer‑level doses.



Applied research may soon test glove fabrics, lamp filters, or polish formulas that polymerize under visible light. Until such options become standard, informed choice remains the safest tool on the manicure table.



The study is published in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39763051/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chemical Research in Toxicology</a>.



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Manicure lamps can seriously damage skin and cause premature aging

Gel manicures have turned into a tiny luxury that fits between lunch breaks and school runs. The ultraviolet or near‑ultraviolet lamps that harden glossy manicure coatings do the job in about four minutes, so the routine feels harmless. The dryers bathe fingertips in swift pulses of light, but until recently few people asked what those pulses do to the skin that holds the nails. A new laboratory study brings unsettling answers. The new work was led by photochemist Dr. María Laura Dántola at the Institute of Theoretical...

Ancient DNA study spans millions of years of Central and South Asian history. The largest-ever study of ancient human DNA sheds light on the early history and migrations of people in Central and South Asia from the Mesolithic Era to the Iron Age. 

A team of archaeologists, geneticists and anthropologists analyzed and sequenced the genomes of 524 ancient individuals from Central and <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=south+asia&amp;cvid=054854f3d8ff480d9d9ad22327ba1d3a&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">South Asia</a>, increasing the number of total ancient studied and published genomes worldwide by 25 percent. 

The researchers sequenced ancient human genomes, compared the DNA data to other previously sequenced genomes and reviewed key archeological and linguistic records from the region. 

The expansive research was published in two papers in the journals Science and Cell and has helped put several debates about the early origins of language and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-first-farmers-east-africa/">farming</a> to rest. 

“These studies speak to two of the most profound cultural transformations in ancient Eurasia--the transition from hunting and gathering to farming and the spread of Indo-European languages, which are spoken today from the British Isles to South Asia--along with the movement of people,” said Vagheesh Narasimhan, a co-first author of both papers.

One of the biggest takeaways of the study is that it helps confirm the theory that Indo-European languages spread and first arrived in Europe via the Eurasian Steppe. 

More than 400 languages including Hindu, Bengali, Persian, Russian, Spanish, and English are considered Indo-European, and as the largest language family on Earth, it’s long been wondered how the roots of these languages spread. 

It’s long been thought that Indo-European languages either arrived in Europe from herders traveling through the Steppe or by farmers migrating from Anatolia, which is present-day Turkey. 

This recent study helps confirm the Steppe theory because people living in South Asia share little common ancestry with ancient Anatolian farmers. Ancient DNA study spans millions of years of Central and South Asian history

“We can rule out a large-scale spread of farmers with Anatolian roots into South Asia, the centerpiece of the ‘Anatolian hypothesis’ that such movement brought farming and Indo-European languages into the region,” said David Reich, a co-senior author of the papers. “Since no substantial movements of people occurred, this is checkmate for the Anatolian hypothesis.”

The researchers linked present-day speakers of certain branches of Indo-European languages to a subgroup of ancient Steppe pastoralists that spread into Europe 5,000 years ago before returning to Central and South Asia. 

Another important mystery solved by the study is how ancient populations shifted from hunting and gathering to farming. Did settlements switch to farming as populations migrated into new areas or did they copy other communities?

The researchers found that the practice of farming in Iran and Turan coincides with the arrival of Anatolian ancestry. 

“This confirms that the spread of agriculture entailed not only a westward route from Anatolia to Europe but also an eastward route from Anatolia into regions of Asia previously only inhabited by hunter-gatherer groups,” said Ron Pinhasi, a co-senior author of the Science article.

However, the history of farming in Central and South Asia is not clean-cut and the researchers found that by 5,000 years ago, a two-way pattern of ancestry and farming technology split north and south along the “Bronze Age Silk Road.” 

In South Asia, the researchers didn’t find any common ancestry to Anatolian people who helped spread farming west, rather South Asians are related to an Iranian lineage that separated from early farmers and hunters and gathers. 

For South Asia, farming was a practice adopted by local foragers rather than through the spread of farming cultures. 

“The study directly ties present-day South Asians to the ancient peoples of South Asia’s first civilization,” said Narasimhan.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Vasant Shinde/Cell

Ancient DNA study spans millions of years of Central and South Asian history

Ancient DNA study spans millions of years of Central and...

Democratic presidential candidates offer climate crisis plans at town hall. Wednesday night, ten Democratic presidential candidates took part in <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/05/politics/climate-town-hall-highlights/index.html">CNN’s Climate Crisis Town Hall,</a> discussing climate change and their plans for the future of the environment. 

The Town Hall lasted for seven hours with each candidate given 40 minutes to discuss the environment and answer questions. 

Many candidates offered ambitious plans, but at a time when climate change demands action, ambitious and even expensive policies may be the only way to mitigate catastrophic warming and sea-level rise. 

Here’s what the candidates had to offer:

Julián Castro went first and set the stage for the rest of the candidates. The former United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development has a ten trillion dollar climate plan that first involves rejoining the Paris Accord. 

A carbon pollution fee, stopping fracking on federal land, and promoting renewable energy are all on Castro’s climate to-do list. 

Importantly, Castro highlighted how climate change unfairly impacts <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/communities-of-color-face-pollution/">marginalized and minority communities</a> and justice for minorities is a cornerstone of the candidate’s campaign.

California Senator Kamala Harris made a bold splash when she promised to abolish the Senate filibuster in order to see the Green New Deal passed. Harris’ $10 trillion plan includes ending fossil fuel emissions by 2030 and having a carbon-neutral economy by 2045. 

“I strongly believe this is a fight against powerful interests,” Harris said on Wednesday night. 

Former Vice President Joe Biden wants to lead the world in the fight against climate change, but his plan was one of the least expensive compared to the trillions pledged by other candidates. 

Among Biden’s climate goals, he wants to invest $1.7 trillion into clean energy, reverse GOP tax cuts and invest in green jobs, fine serial polluters, and have zero-emission energy production by 2050. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren’s climate plan has a price tag nearly double that of Biden or Pete Buttigieg. 

Like Biden, though, Warren wants to reverse GOP tax cuts to help pay for climate mitigation. 

Much of Warren’s climate plan adopts from former 2020 candidate Jay Inslee including retiring coal-fired electricity, having zero-emission cars and trucks by 2030, and zero-emission energy production by 2035. 

Senator Bernie Sanders, no stranger to the presidential race, had an even more ambitious and costly plan. 

Sander’s $16 trillion plan would invest more in green energy than any other candidate, and his climate policies include banning fracking, fining major polluters, and having zero-carbon emissions by 2050. 

“We are fighting for the survival of the planet Earth, our only planet. How is this not a major priority?” Sanders asked.

As the 2020 presidential election looms closer, these climate policy plans could make or break a candidate’s campaign. 

Regardless of the price tag or ambitious energy investments, the question is how much climate action can we expect if these candidates take office, and is there a plan B to ensure climate mitigation takes priority? 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/24Novembers

Democratic presidential candidates offer climate crisis plans at town hall

Democratic presidential candidates offer climate crisis plans at town hall....

According to the <a href="http://www.fs-unep-centre.org/">Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2019 report</a>, worldwide investment in renewable energy over the last decade is set to hit $2.6 trillion this year. As a result, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-storage-costs/">renewable energy</a> capacity will have quadrupled from 414 GW at the end of 2009 to 1,650 GW by the end of 2019.

"Overall, we note that these figures represent a small share of the overall economic transition required to address climate change," wrote the authors of the report.

"The stock of fossil fuel power already installed, and those added this decade, has helped renewables, excluding large hydro, raise their share of global electricity generation, from 11.6% in 2017 to 12.9% in 2018." 

"Were it not for this green power, world carbon dioxide emissions last year would have been an estimated 2 gigatons greater. Nevertheless, global power-sector emissions are likely to have risen by at least 10 percent between the end of 2009 and 2019."

Solar power will account for half, or s1.3 trillion, of the global renewable energy investment - growing from 25 GW at the beginning of 2010 to an expected 663 GW this year. To put it into perspective, this is enough energy to produce all of the electricity needed to power 100 million of the estimated 128 million households in the United States. 

The study authors noted that renewables have also become much more cost-competitive over the last decade. Since 2009, the levelized cost of electricity has dropped by 81 percent for solar photovoltaics and by 46 percent for onshore wind.

[caption id="attachment_1877433" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/figure.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1877433" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/figure.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="500" /></a> Image Credit: UN Environment / FS / BNEF[/caption]

"Sharp falls in the cost of electricity from wind and solar over recent years have transformed the choice facing policy-makers," explained Jon Moore, who is the chief executive of BloombergNEF. "These technologies were always low-carbon and relatively quick to build. Now, in many countries around the world, either wind or solar is the cheapest option for electricity generation."

China has been the biggest investor in renewable energy capacity, commiting $758 billion between 2010 and the first half of 2019. The United States ranked second with an investment of $356 billion, followed by Japan at $202 billion.

Within the same decade, Europe spent $698 billion on renewables capacity, with Germany contributing the most at $179 billion.

"The technologies to use wind, sun or geothermal energy are available, they are competitive and clean. Within 10 years Germany will produce two-thirds of its power based on renewables. We are demonstrating that an industrial country can phase out coal and, at the same time, nuclear energy without putting its economy at risk," said Svenja Schulze, Germany's Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

"We know that renewables make sense for the climate and for the economy. Yet we are not investing nearly enough to decarbonize power production, transport and heat in time to limit global warming to 2C or ideally 1.5C. If we want to achieve a safe and sustainable future, we need to do a lot more now in terms of creating an enabling-regulatory environment and infrastructure that encourage investment in renewables."

While China was the largest single investor in 2018, renewable energy capacity investment was more widespread than ever last year, with 29 countries investing more than $1 billion.

"Investing in renewable energy is investing in a sustainable and profitable future, as the last decade of incredible growth in renewables has shown," said Inger Andersen, who is the executive director of the <a href="http://www.unenvironment.org/">UN Environment Programme</a>.

"But we cannot afford to be complacent. Global power sector emissions have risen about 10 per cent over this period. It is clear that we need to rapidly step up the pace of the global switch to renewables if we are to meet international climate and development goals."

The report has been released ahead of the UN Global Climate Action Summit.

--

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>

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Alberto Masnovo

Renewable energy investment has skyrocketed over the last ten years

According to the Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2019...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.endocrine.org/about-us">The Endocrine Society</a>, researchers have found that e-cigarettes may be damaging to fertility. Using a mouse model, the experts also demonstrated that vaping can lead to negative pregnancy outcomes.

According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC), the number of middle and high school students using <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/e-cigarettes-quit-smoking/">e-cigarettes</a> has exploded in recent years, jumping from 2.1 million in 2017 to 3.6 million in 2018. Vaping is also driving increased tobacco use among adolescents.

E-cigarettes are promoted as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, yet little is known about the potential health impacts of vaping. Last month, a study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine showed that vaping just one time caused immediate damage to blood vessels and vascular function, even when the electronic cigarettes were nicotine-free.

For the current analysis, the researchers used a mouse model to examine whether e-cigarette exposure impairs fertility and offspring health. Study co-author Dr. Kathleen Caron is a professor and chair in the Department of Cell Biology &amp; Physiology at UNC Chapel Hill. 

"We found that e-cigarette usage prior to conception significantly delayed implantation of a fertilized embryo to the uterus, thus delaying and reducing fertility (in mice)," said Dr. Caron. "We also discovered that e-cigarette usage throughout pregnancy changed the long-term health and metabolism of female offspring - imparting lifelong, second-generation effects on the growing fetus."

After exposure to e-cigarette vapor, female mice exhibited reduced embryo implantation and a notable delay in the onset of pregnancy with the first litter. In addition, the offspring that were exposed to e-cigarettes in utero failed to gain as much weight as control mice.

"These findings are important because they change our views on the perceived safety of e-cigarettes as alternatives to traditional cigarettes before and during pregnancy," said Dr. Caron.

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jes">Journal of the Endocrine Society</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/Oleggg

E-cigarette exposure may cause fertility issues and damage to fetuses

In a new study published by The Endocrine Society, researchers...

A team of social psychologists at the <a href="https://home.www.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania</a> set out to investigate whether the concept of moral character is universal by studying populations outside of the Western world. 

Research focused on the Hadza hunter-gatherers in Tanzania revealed that these indigenous people agree on what qualities are characteristic of morality, yet hold different views of who has such virtue.

The team interviewed Hadza people, asking them to rank others on a number of qualities, including who has a good heart, is the most giving, and who is the most hard-working. Overall, the researchers had 94 judges rank their campmates on global character and relevant character traits for a total of 824 observations.

The study revealed that while Hadza could all agree on the importance of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-generous-live-strangers/">generosity</a> and hard work for outstanding moral character, they had conflicting ideas of who among them best represented these traits.

"It's not that the Hadza do not have a concept of morality or don't care about it. They agreed on what traits contributed to moral character. But they cannot agree on who exemplifies it," explained study lead author Kristopher Smith.

The Hadza live in small nomadic tribes and shift from group to group, which means the social structure of each tribe is constantly changing. According to scientists, this nomadic way of life provides a unique opportunity to explore the origins of human cooperation.

Even though the Hadza are a modern society, the experts note that their way of life is more similar to how our human ancestors lived than to western societies. 

In a previous study, the team discovered that generosity depended on a group's dynamic. While a generous group led members to be more generous, a stingy group led to less sharing. 

Study co-author Professor Coren Apicella said that mobility and changing group dynamics may explain the current findings as well, noting that "the changing of groups and behavior may make it difficult for individuals to track and agree on moral reputations."

Smith said the study results suggest that there is little consistency in moral behavior across different circumstances for the Hadza, and that "reputation may have played a smaller role in the evolution of morality."

"Understanding how moral psychology differs across cultures and in different social systems may provide insight into ways to improve our interactions with one another, and maybe overcome moral disagreements in our society."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/spp">Social Psychological and Personality Science</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/franco lucato

Hunter-gathers agree on the importance of morality and generosity

A team of social psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania...

In a new study conducted by a team of economists in Canada, people who have visible <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-getting-tattoos-2000-years-ago/">tattoos</a> were found to be more impulsive and hasty in their decision-making compared to individuals who do not have tattoos. 

The team set out to understand why tattoos, which were once primarily reserved for motorcycle gang members and prison inmates, have become so increasingly popular and mainstream. The experts said that this rise in popularity "constitutes one of the most significant cultural trends in the West."

Study co-author Bradley Ruffle is a behavioral economist and a professor at <a href="https://www.mcmaster.ca/">McMaster University</a>.

"I'm an economist. From an economic perspective this decision to have a tattoo is puzzling," Professor Ruffle told <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/">The Times</a>. "Tattoos are about making some kind of statement. But why not just dye your hair or get a personalized T-shirt you can remove?"

In the United States, around 45 million adults have at least one tattoo. In 2014 alone, the American tattoo industry racked up a massive $3 billion in revenue. Young adults are particularly eager to get inked, with some studies estimating that nearly 40 percent of 18- to 29-years olds have a tattoo.

The McMaster study was designed to examine how individual thought processes may vary among people with and without tattoos. Of more than 1,000 participants, 781 had no tattoos and 255 had at least one tattoo, including 68 people who had tattoos that were visible when they were fully clothed. 

The participants were presented with a game used to assess long-term planning ability, including a monetary test which offered a greater payday for those individuals who waited longer to cash out. The individuals were given two options: one that would earn them $1.00 in 18 hours and one that would grant them a larger sum of $2.50 in three weeks.

The study revealed that the non-tattooed participants chose the more lucrative option, while the majority of the visibly tattooed participants did not take the time to think their decisions through and settled for less money. The researchers observed that tattooed participants also answered a simple logic question impulsively.

Professor Ruffle pointed out that these traits identified in people with tattoos are not always bad qualities to have. "Sometimes it’s good to make decisions fast," he explained. "If you’re a professional basketball player and you need to decide whether to shoot or pass, you don’t want someone who stands there and deliberates."

The research is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-economic-behavior-and-organization">Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization</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/Olena Yakobchuk

People with tattoos tend to be more impulsive, new study finds

In a new study conducted by a team of economists...

Those who have their homes damaged by extreme weather events like a hurricane or flood are at risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a> and the <a href="http://natcen.ac.uk/">National Centre for Social Research</a> discovered that even when the damage is minor, living through an extreme weather event impacts mental health. 

The risks to mental health after having your home damaged are the same as the mental health risks linked to living in a disadvantaged area. 

For the study, the researchers reviewed and analyzed data from the <a href="http://natcen.ac.uk/our-research/research/adult-psychiatric-morbidity-survey/">Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS)</a>, which is a large UK mental health survey. 

In 2014, fieldwork surveys for the APMS questioned participants about weather damage to their homes from December 2013 through March 2014, a period when UK residents experienced serious winter storms and flooding. 

Over 10,000 properties were flooded during those six months. 

After taking into account other influencing risk factors, the researchers found that people who had their homes flooded or dealt with other storm damage had a 50 percent increased risk of experiencing mental health issues. 

The study highlights that the high mental health risks associated with weather damage to homes, and the researchers suggest that mental health support be included in recovery efforts and emergency planning.

With climate change expected to increase temperature and precipitation, storms and flooding will <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warming-waters-increase-extreme-storms/">become more severe</a>. The number of UK properties that could be damaged in a major flood could increase by 41 percent if global temperatures rise below two degrees Celsius.  

“With extreme weather events on the rise due to climate change, environmental and health policies need to be brought much more closely together,” said Hilary Graham, the lead author of the study. “This means recognising that flood protection policies are also health protection policies and that better protecting communities from floods is also an investment in protecting their mental health.”

The study was published in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/MDay Photography

Extreme weather events increase the risk of mental health issues

Those who have their homes damaged by extreme weather events...

Mothers talk more with their sons if they’re dissatisfied with their partners. A new study from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> suggests that mothers focus more on bonding with their infant sons when their romantic partner is letting them down. The researchers found that moms spend more time talking to the babies when they are dissatisfied with their male partners, but this was only observed when the infants were boys.

While it has been well-established that new babies can put a strain on the parents' relationship, the potential consequences for the child remain largely unknown. Furthermore, the effects of parent-infant talk can contribute greatly to a child's early learning and development, yet this topic has also been understudied. 

The Cambridge team set out to examine the connection between the quality of a couple's relationship and parent-infant talk by analyzing interactions among 93 heterosexual couples and their first-born infants. 

Parents were asked to report on the quality of their romantic relationship and to rate how satisfied they were. At the age of seven months, infants were equipped with a wearable "talk pedometer" that recorded parent-infant talk for a full day when both parents were at home.

The researchers used software that provided an automated analysis of the frequency of words spoken to the infant, as well as the rate of parent-infant "conversations."

The study revealed that the more a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/couples-arguments-live-longer/">couple</a> reported feeling dissatisfied, the more the mother interacted with her infant. Mothers who rated the quality of their relationship as being "low" used around 35 percent more words and initiated 20 percent more conversations compared with mothers who rated their relationship as being "average." 

Notably, however, the disgruntled moms only seemed to engage in extra parent-infant conversations when the babies were boys, and not when they were girls. The content of these conversations was not analyzed, so it is not clear whether the moms were complaining or speaking positively with the babies. 

"It's possible that the mum is trying to compensate for the poor relationship she has with her partner by putting more time and effort into her relationship with her other close male social partner, her son," said Dr. Elian Fink.

"What is particularly interesting is that mums only seem to compensate when they have infant sons, not daughters. It could be that mothers view their daughters as mini versions of themselves rather than of their partners."

Fathers were found to initiate significantly fewer conversations with the infants, regardless of gender. On the other hand, the amount of time they spent talking to the babies was not correlated with the quality of the relationship they had with their partners.

"Even when dads spend more time around their infants, this doesn't necessarily mean they are interacting with them more," said Dr. Fink. "One possible reason may be that there's still an imbalance in who responds to the basic care needs of their infant. So, for example, if it's the mother who still shoulders the burden of changing the nappy, this at least offers an opportune time to engage in direct communication with her infant."

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.apa.org/journals/fam">Journal of Family Psychology</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Falcona

Mothers talk more with their sons if they’re dissatisfied with their partners

Mothers talk more with their sons if they’re dissatisfied with...

The Trump administration has just introduced a plan that may undermine ongoing efforts to shift to energy-saving light bulbs. If approved, the legislation will weaken restrictions on billions of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/incandescent-light-bulbs/">light bulbs</a> - regulations that could potentially reduce carbon dioxide emissions by millions of tons.  

Over the past decade, LED light bulbs have begun to gradually replace the less energy-efficient incandescent bulbs, which were set to be completely phased out next year under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The filing by the Department of Energy (DOE), however, could prevent the new efficiency standards from going into effect on January 1st.

Noah Horowitz, the director of the Center for Energy Efficiency Standards at the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/">Natural Resources Defense Council</a> (NRDC), indicated that the amendment will be met with opposition.

"We will explore all options, including litigation, to stop this completely misguided and unlawful action,” Horowitz said in a statement. "The Trump administration is illegally blocking the improved standards approved by a bipartisan Congress and supported by the lighting industry 12 years ago."

According to a report in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">The New York Times</a>, LED bulbs are a great example of how small technological shifts can make a huge difference. The energy efficiency of LED light bulbs can save consumers an estimated $50 to $100 over their long lifespans of several years. 

"U.S. household energy consumption is down 6 percent since 2010, and this is due in part to the increase in the use of energy-efficient lighting," UC Berkeley Professor Lucas Davis told the New York Times. 

Horowitz's team estimated that bringing efficient bulbs to all six billion light sockets in the United States could save $14 billion in 2025. He explained that these savings are equivalent to the electricity generated by 25 large power plants.

"Energy-wasting incandescents and halogens still make up more than a third of new bulb sales," said Horowitz. "We need standards to ensure every new bulb sold is an efficient one.”

Jason Hartke, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, said that the DOE "flat out got it wrong" when striking the 2007 act.

"Instead of moving us forward, this rule will keep more energy-wasting bulbs on store shelves and saddle the average American household with about $100 in unnecessary energy costs every year," said Hartke. "Wasting energy with inefficient light bulbs isn't just costly for homes and businesses, it's terrible for our climate."

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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/BlurryMe

Trump admin aims to weaken light bulb energy efficiency standards

The Trump administration has just introduced a plan that may...

Vegetarians and vegans have a lowered risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) but may have a higher risk of stroke, according to a new study. 

There are many proposed health benefits to cutting down meat consumption and people are changing up their diets for environmental and sustainability reasons as well. 

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> examined the protective benefits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-diets-nutrient/">plant-based diets</a> as well as the potential risks. 

The comprehensive study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4897">BMJ</a>. 

The researchers reviewed and analyzed data on 48,188 people with an average age of 45 and no history of coronary heart disease or stroke who were part of the <a href="http://www.epic-oxford.org/">EPIC-Oxford</a> study.

Participants were recruited for the EPIC study between 1993 and 2001, and there were 24,428 meat-eaters, 7,506 pescetarians, and 16,254 vegetarians and vegans. 

Throughout the study period, there were 2,820 reported cases of coronary heart disease and 1,072 strokes. 

The researchers ruled out any influencing factors like smoking or physical fitness. 

Pescetarians and vegetarians had a lower risk of coronary heart disease. Per 1,000 people, there were ten fewer cases of CHD in vegetarians compared to meat-eaters over ten years. 

However, even though vegetarians had a 22 percent lower risk of CHD, vegetarians and vegans had a 20 percent higher risk of stroke compared to meat-eaters. 

The higher stroke risk could be linked to lower nutrient levels and circulating cholesterol, but more research is needed to confirm these findings and identify a cause. 

The study is also limited, not by its large sample size or long-term monitoring period, but because the participants were mainly white Europeans.

“Relevance to vegetarians worldwide must also be considered,” Mark Lawrence, a professor at Deakin University, said in an accompanying <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l5272">editorial</a>. “Participants were all from the UK where dietary patterns and other lifestyle behaviours are likely very different from those prevalent in low and middle-income countries where most of the world’s vegetarians live.”

Lawrence also notes that just because plant-based diets are gaining a lot of attention, it does not mean people have to cut out animal products or meat entirely. 

“Indeed, populations in some low and middle-income countries who consume very low amounts of animal source foods may benefit from being able to eat a little more of these foods to gain additional nutrients necessary to help combat all forms of malnutrition,” said Lawrence. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Alexandra Anschiz

Vegetarian diet lowers risk of coronary heart disease but may raise stroke risk

Vegetarians and vegans have a lowered risk of coronary heart...

Mathematical model shows that environmental tax will not slow economic growth. Scientists have created a new mathematical model that will provide support for environmental taxation without slowing economic growth. 

These environmental taxes are a result of the worldwide “green development” movement in which governments are proposing said taxes on climate-harming products like carbon emissions in order to promote environmentally friendly practices. 

Few studies have quantified the effects of environmental taxes on linked factors involved in green development. So researchers from <a href="http://eng.ujs.edu.cn/">Jiangsu University</a> developed a mathematical model that shows the relationships between environmental taxation, economic growth, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/methane-emissions-epa/">pollution emissions</a>, and utilization of resources like water and fossil fuels. 

They applied their model to real-world data and analyzed the toll environmental taxes had on China.

The team found that environmental taxes can not only help stimulate economic growth, but also decrease emissions and improve resource utilization. Mathematical model shows that environmental tax will not slow economic growth. 

Furthermore, they found that benefits of an environmental tax are heightened by advanced technology, increased consumer awareness, and strict government control.

The hope is that this mathematical model can be applied to other countries interested in exploring the effects of environmental taxation.

Their model and research is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221264">published in PLOS ONE</a>.

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

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Mathematical model shows that environmental tax

Mathematical model shows that environmental tax will not slow economic...

Strategies to keep major cities cool depend on location and precipitation. The urban heat island effect describes when city temperatures are much higher than in surrounding rural areas. Densely packed populations, asphalt roads, high-rise buildings, and traffic all contribute to the urban heat island effect. 

The size and intensity of a city’s urban heat island depend largely on precipitation levels, which is why there is no simple solution to mitigating urban heat island effect. 

In a new study, researchers from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>, <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html">ETH Zurich</a>, and <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University </a>developed a framework that creates custom strategies to help reduce energy use and <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/mapping-temperatures-across-urban-heat-islands/">keep cities cooler. </a>

The researchers designed a simple model that uses population and precipitation data. Summer temperature data from more than 30,000 cities worldwide were included in the framework. 

“There are a few cities -- New York, London, Baltimore -- that are studied intensively, and we don’t know very much about a large range of other cities,” said Elie Bou-Zeid, an author of the study. “With a reduced model that only needs information on precipitation and population, we are hoping to provide a simple framework that can give guidance to any city.”

While high levels of rainfall are linked to rising city temperatures, this effect has its limits. For cities that get around 39 inches of rain each year, city temperatures do not increase much more than two degrees Fahrenheit. 

[caption id="attachment_1877389" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cities.png"><img class="wp-image-1877389" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cities.png" alt="" width="650" height="366" /></a> Cities are marked by colored dots that correspond to the intensity of their urban heat island effect, Image Credit:[/caption]

The team found that wetter cities require different approaches to tackling urban heat island effect compared to drier regions. It has been suggested that planting more vegetation and creating ample green space can keep temperatures down, but in wetter cities planting more trees won’t reduce temperatures. 

“In places that are already wet and vegetated, adding more vegetation is not going to help,” explained Bou-Zeid.

One the other hand, cities with drier climates like those in Arizona could benefit significantly from more vegetation.

The researchers will continue fine-tuning their model to include factors like how seasonal changes impact urban heat island. 

“Our results show that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to reduce city-scale warming,” said Gabriele Manoli, the lead author of the study. “The efficiency of heat mitigation strategies varies across geographic regions, and any effort aimed at greening and cooling world cities should be put in the context of local hydro-climatic conditions.” 

The researchers published their findings in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1512-9">Nature.</a>

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/TWStock

Strategies to keep major cities cool depend on location and precipitation

Strategies to keep major cities cool depend on location and...

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

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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