If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by work, bills, or the latest headlines, taking a moment for mindfulness might offer some relief. 



The practice - simply paying attention to the present moment without judgment - is known to help calm the mind and improve concentration.



“A lot of research has shown that mindfulness can reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/teachers-experienced-high-anxiety-during-the-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">anxiety</a> symptoms,” said Resh Gupta, a postdoctoral research associate with the&nbsp;Mindfulness Science and Practice research cluster.



While many people experience the benefits of mindfulness firsthand, scientists continue to explore exactly how it works and which types of mindfulness best suit different anxiety patterns. 



Some anxieties come and go. Others linger and interfere with daily life. "We all experience anxiety, but it can manifest in many different ways,” noted Gupta. “It’s a tough problem to pin down.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-matching-mindfulness-with-anxiety-types">Matching mindfulness with anxiety types</h2>



At <a href="https://artsci.washu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Washington University in St. Louis</a>, researchers proposed a new framework to better understand how mindfulness interacts with anxiety. 



Their idea, published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, suggests that no single technique works for everyone. Instead, different mindfulness approaches may work better for different anxiety profiles.



The team includes postdoctoral research associate Resh Gupta, psychology professor Todd Braver, and Wendy Heller, a professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Their work was supported in part by WashU’s Incubator for Transdisciplinary Futures.



Braver described the paper as a reflection of the cluster’s broader goals. “There is a growing recognition that these practices can be incredibly useful in enhancing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/houseplants-boosted-psychological-well-being-during-covid-19-lockdown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychological well-being</a>,” he said. 



“But we still do not fully understand the mechanisms of action by which mindfulness can produce beneficial effects. That’s where the scientific research can be so valuable, by helping us more precisely identify why and how certain practices are effective.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-role-of-cognitive-control">The role of cognitive control</h2>



One of the key ideas in the new paper is that mindfulness may ease anxiety by improving what scientists call “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bilingual-children-have-lasting-cognitive-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cognitive control</a>.” This is the brain’s ability to stay on track — to manage thoughts and actions in ways that support our goals.



“Cognitive control is the ability to regulate your thoughts and your actions in a way that helps you achieve your goals,” Gupta explained. “For example, if you know you have to go to the grocery store right after work, you can keep that goal in mind during the workday and turn down an offer to do something else after work.”



Mindfulness appears to boost this mental skill. Neuroimaging research shows that meditation can activate the parts of the brain involved in cognitive control. 



In contrast, anxiety tends to do the opposite. It floods the brain’s working memory - the system we rely on to keep track of tasks and priorities - with worry and distractions.



“Worry occupies a lot of space in the brain’s working memory system,” Gupta said. “This is where your goals are stored.”



That mental clutter weakens cognitive control and makes it harder to cope with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-eats-away-our-brains-cognitive-defenses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress</a>. But mindfulness can strengthen control again and break the cycle of worry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-choosing-the-right-practice">Choosing the right practice</h2>



Not all mindfulness techniques work the same way. Depending on what kind of anxiety someone is experiencing, one approach might work better than another.



For people who tend to ruminate - replaying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pandemic-related-worries-diminish-cognitive-skills/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">worries</a> over and over - focused attention might be the most effective.



“Focused attention teaches you to choose an anchor, such as your breath or a sound,” Gupta said. “You keep bringing your attention back to that anchor every time your mind wanders. Instead of focusing on the worry, you're focusing on the present moment experience.”



Others experience anxiety as physical symptoms, such as a racing heart or tightness in the chest. For those cases, a broader technique may be more useful. 



“For this type of anxiety, a form of mindfulness meditation called open monitoring may be beneficial,” Gupta said. “Instead of focusing on one thing, such as the breath, you can observe all internal and external experiences from moment to moment in a non-reactive, non-judgmental way.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bringing-mindfulness-into-the-community">Bringing mindfulness into the community</h2>



The Mindfulness Science &amp; Practice cluster at Washington University isn’t just focused on research. It also offers programs for students, faculty, and the St. Louis community. 



The programs include talks, workshops, and events that introduce participants to mindfulness exercises taught by trained practitioners.



“We’re dedicated to helping the WashU and greater St. Louis community get access to tools to learn about mindfulness science and practice,” Gupta said.



Braver believes that making a variety of mindfulness options available empowers individuals to find the practices that suit them best. 



“People have different options they can choose from, so it becomes easier to find one that best fits your particular temperament, concerns, or current situation,” said Braver. "It’s quite empowering to learn these types of practices, and to feel like we can be in charge of how we use them to improve our quality of life.”



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Practicing mindfulness can quiet the noise of anxiety

If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by work, bills, or the latest headlines, taking a moment for mindfulness might offer some relief. The practice - simply paying attention to the present moment without judgment - is known to help calm the mind and improve concentration. “A lot of research has shown that mindfulness can reduce anxiety symptoms,” said Resh Gupta, a postdoctoral research associate with the&nbsp;Mindfulness Science and Practice research cluster. While many people experience the benefits of mindfulness firsthand, scientists continue to explore exactly how it...

A team of researchers has found that alcohol consumption by a pregnant mother can damage the placenta as early as conception. The study linked early <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-consumption-gene-marriage/">alcohol</a> exposure to issues with the placenta, such as inhibited growth.

The placenta plays a critical role in the health and nutrition of the fetus by providing it with nutrients and oxygen. The placenta also removes waste from the baby's blood. Poor development of the placenta can restrict fetal growth, resulting in complications such as low birth weight.

While the risks of alcohol during the later stages of pregnancy have been studied extensively, the effects of exposure during the initial stages are not as well understood. Dr. Jacinta Kalisch-Smith teamed up with Professor Karen Moritz at the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> to investigate. 

"We wanted to know whether early alcohol exposure could affect the development of the early embryo and the placenta. Using a rat model, we assessed the ability of the embryo to implant into the uterus, and, later, how well blood vessels formed in the placenta," explained Dr. Kalisch-Smith.

This approach allowed the scientists to examine changes which occurred throughout a rat's pregnancy. The study revealed that alcohol consumption between the four days before and the four days after fertilization restricted the growth and function of the placenta.

"We found early alcohol exposure reduced blood vessel formation in the placenta, and this led to fewer nutrients being delivered to the embryo," said Dr. Kalisch-Smith. The placentas of female embryos were found to be particularly susceptible, exhibiting as much as a 17-percent reduction in size and a 32-percent drop in blood vessel formation.

"This has implications for human health by helping to explain, in part, why babies exposed to alcohol in the womb are often born small," said Dr. Kalisch-Smith. "It is important to understand the causes of low birth weight, because it has been shown to be an independent risk factor for diseases later in adulthood, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and obesity."

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dev.biologists.org/">Development</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/George Rudy

Alcohol exposure during conception can impact placenta development

A team of researchers has found that alcohol consumption by...

Soda taxes are becoming more popular in the United States, much to the chagrin of small government advocates. The taxes – which often include all sugary drinks, not just sodas – have caught on in a handful of U.S. cities and counties. 

More than a dozen other countries have debated and in some cases adopted soda taxes or limited on the amount of sugar drinks could contain. Some require warnings on sugary drinks.

New research shows that despite the controversy, the taxes and regulations may help reduce obesity.

A collection of studies and data will be presented today at <a href="https://meeting.nutrition.org/">Nutrition 2019</a>, the annual meeting of the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a>, which is began June 8 in Baltimore and will run until June 11.

Among the posters and presentations at the meeting:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">A <a href="https://cdmcd.co/L9GB5">new study</a> estimates a nationwide, 1-cent tax on sugary drinks could prevent as many as 17,000 obesity-related cancer cases and 10,000 cancer deaths. The research, which will be presented by Christina Griecci of <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> on Sunday, predicts that the tax could bring savings of $2.4 billion on lifetime medical costs.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Tufts researchers also found that a <a href="https://cdmcd.co/5pwrP">tiered tax that charged more</a> for drinks with higher sugar content was the most effective deterrent. Such a tiered tax could prevent 460,000 cardiovascular issues and 60,000 cases of type 2 diabetes over a 10-year span, researchers found. Dr. Yujin Lee will present the findings on Tuesday.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Anna Grummon of the <a href="https://www.unc.edu/">University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill</a> will present a pair of studies that found health warnings can <a href="https://cdmcd.co/3pKKk">discourage people from purchasing sugary beverages</a> and that they might also <a href="https://cdmcd.co/4pEmE">reduce cases of obesity</a>.</li>
</ul>
Those studies are among several at Nutrition 2019 examining average soda consumption, how sugary drinks affect gut microbiomes and inflammation, and the link between beverages and prediabetes in Latino children.

They add to a growing collection of studies showing that soda taxes, while unpopular, may be effective – at least in reducing sales of soda and energy drinks. 

Soda taxes have been linked to a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/soda-taxes-healthier-drink-choices/">52 percent decline in sugary drink consumption</a> – and a 29 percent increase in water consumption – in Berkeley, California, and a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/philadelphia-sugary-drink-sales-tax/">38 percent drop</a> in drinking such beverages in Philadelphia.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Paid for by Earth.com.

Soda taxes are controversial, but do they work?

Soda taxes are becoming more popular in the United States,...

Drinking habits account for a large chunk of our daily calories and nutrients. 

One 2017 report found that both adults and children <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-of-our-daily-calories-come-from-sugar-sweetened-drinks-2017-1">drink more than 100 calories a day</a> but finding ways to track beverage consumption on a global scale has been challenging. 

But now, the <a href="https://www.globaldietarydatabase.org/">Global Dietary Database</a> project funded by the <a href="https://www.gatesfoundation.org/">Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation</a> is helping researchers study global diets and discover new links to diets and disease. 

With the Global Dietary Database, researchers from <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> were able to conduct one of the most thorough and comprehensive assessments of global beverage consumption to date.

The results show significant differences in not only what people are drinking, but how these beverage choices might impact health and disease burden. 

For the study, the researchers reviewed data from 1,100 surveys conducted in 2015. 

For sugar-sweetened beverages, the researchers found that Mexico had the highest rates and on average, adults in Mexico drank two and a half cups of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/philadelphia-sugary-drink-sales-tax/">sugary drinks</a> per day. 

Columbia had the highest consumption of fruit juice, followed by the Dominican Republic at nearly one and a half cups per day. 

In China, sugar-sweetened beverages, milk, and fruit juice consumption were the lowest out of all the countries studied. Portugal and Japan also had lower consumptions of fruit juice. 

People in countries where dairy farming is common unsurprisingly drank more milk every day.

“Notably, sugar-sweetened beverage and fruit juice intake was highest in the Latin American region, where both commercial and homemade sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit drinks are widely consumed,” said Lara-Castor. “Milk intake was highest in the high-income region (including countries such as Sweden, Iceland, and Finland) where dairy farming is more widespread and dairy consumption has been traditionally a major part of the diet.”

Milk consumption was highest in Sweden, Iceland, and Finland but lowest in China, Togo, and Sudan. 

“These preliminary data derived from the Global Dietary Database project can help inform nutrition transitions over time, the impacts of these beverages on global health, and targeted dietary policy to improve diet and health,” said Laura Lara-Castor, the lead author of the study.

The researchers will present their beverage assessment at the <a href="https://meeting.nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition Annual meeting, Nutrition 2019</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/Alexander Raths

What are people drinking across the globe?

Drinking habits account for a large chunk of our daily...

Millions of heart disease deaths each year have been linked to not getting enough <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-and-veggie-prescriptions-found-to-improve-childrens-diets/">servings of fruits and vegetables</a>, a new study has found. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> reviewed 2010 diet surveys and data from countries worldwide and compared dietary information to the top causes of death in each country. 

The data was part of the <a href="https://www.globaldietarydatabase.org/">Global Dietary Database project</a>. 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and in this new study, the researchers found that not eating enough fruits or vegetables could be attributed to millions of heart disease deaths and strokes. 

“Fruits and vegetables are a modifiable component of diet that can impact preventable deaths globally,” said Victoria Miller, the lead author of the study. “Our findings indicate the need for population-based efforts to increase fruit and vegetable consumption throughout the world.”

Fruits and vegetables are a crucial part of a balanced diet and are a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and potassium. 

From aiding digestion to lowering the risk of obesity, protecting cells from damage to boosting the body’s immune system, there are many benefits to adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. 

The researchers found that not eating enough fruit results in one in seven cardiovascular deaths each year and one in twelve cardiovascular deaths are due to not eating enough vegetables. 

Each year the researchers estimate that 1.3 million deaths from stroke and 520,000 deaths from heart disease are caused by low fruit consumption, while not eating enough vegetables causes 200,000 deaths from stroke and 800,000 deaths from coronary heart disease. 

There were more deaths attributable to low fruit and vegetable intake in countries in South Asia, East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, where fruit consumption is low. 

Countries in Central Asia and Oceania had high rates of heart disease and ate fewer vegetables.

[caption id="attachment_1873666" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/veggies-map.png"><img class="wp-image-1873666" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/veggies-map.png" alt="" width="650" height="325" /></a> Percentage of cardiovascular deaths attributable to suboptimal vegetable intake. Image Credit: Global Dietary Database 2010/Friedman School of Nutrition Science &amp; Policy at Tufts University[/caption]

In the US, the researchers say that 82,000 annual deaths could be caused by not getting enough vegetables and 57,000 deaths could be due to low fruit intake. 

The researchers recommend that people eat 300 grams of fruit per day and 400 grams of vegetables to help reduce cardiovascular disease risk.

[caption id="attachment_1873667" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/fruits-map.png"><img class="wp-image-1873667" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/fruits-map.png" alt="" width="650" height="325" /></a> Percentage of cardiovascular deaths attributable to suboptimal fruit intake. Image Credit: Global Dietary Database 2010/Friedman School of Nutrition Science &amp; Policy at Tufts University[/caption]

“Global nutrition priorities have traditionally focused on providing sufficient calories, vitamin supplementation and reducing additives like salt and sugar,” said Dariush Mozaffarian, the senior author of the study. “These findings indicate a need to expand the focus to increasing availability and consumption of protective foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes--a positive message with tremendous potential for improving global health.”

The findings were presented at the<a href="https://nutrition.org/"> American Society for Nutrition</a> annual meeting.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Main Image Credit: Shutterstock/Alexander Raths

Millions of cardiovascular deaths linked to not eating enough fruits and veggies

Millions of heart disease deaths each year have been linked...

Allergies are on the rise, especially among the younger generations. 

Research has shown that climate change is making <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-allergy-season-longer/">allergy season worse,</a> but when it comes to the high prevalence of food allergies, a new study shows that junk food consumption is linked to food allergies in children. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.international.unina.it/">University of Naples’ Federico II’</a> found a strong correlation between proteins that are abundant in junk food called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and food allergies. 

AGEs are proteins that bond with sugars and they are present in processed foods, roasted and processed meats, and snack foods. 

While AGEs levels have been linked to diabetes and atherosclerosis, this is the first study to show a connection between AGEs in junk food consumption and food allergies.

[caption id="attachment_1873658" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/food-allergies.png"><img class="wp-image-1873658" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/food-allergies.png" alt="" width="650" height="460" /></a> Image Credit: ESPGHAN[/caption]

61 children aged six to twelve were split into three groups for the study. One group had food allergies, the second had respiratory allergies, and the third group served as the control group with no allergies. 

The researchers monitored the groups of children taking note of eating habits and AGEs levels. 

Although the sample size was small, the researchers did find a significant relationship between high AGEs levels, junk food consumption, and food allergies. 

The team also discovered a potentially new mechanism for determining food allergies using AGEs. 

Over the years, both food allergies and junk food have become more common with people eating more processed foods and food allergy prevalence increasing. 

This study presents a reasonable explanation for this increase in food allergies. 

“As of yet, existing hypotheses and models of food allergy do not adequately explain the dramatic increase observed in the last years - so dietary AGEs may be the missing link,” said Roberto Berni Canani, the lead researcher. “Our study certainly supports this hypothesis, we now need further research to confirm it. If this link is confirmed, it will strengthen the case for national governments to enhance public health interventions to restrict junk food consumption in children.” 

The researchers will present their findings at the  52nd Annual Meeting of the <a href="http://www.espghan.org/">European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition</a>.

--

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

Food allergies linked to junk food consumption

Allergies are on the rise, especially among the younger generations....

A changing climate might help Siberia become livable for humans. The geographic area east of the Ural Mountains headed towards the Pacific Ocean is known as Asian Russia, and it’s not known as being particularly hospitable. This 13 million square kilometer tract of land makes up 77 percent of Russia’s land area, but its population only accounts for 27 percent of the country’s total and is mostly concentrated in the south along the forest-steppe. But could this unforgiving area one day become habitable thanks to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a>?

A research team from <a href="http://ksc.krasn.ru/en/">Krasnoyarsk Federal Research Center</a> in Russia and <a href="https://www.nianet.org/">National Institute of Aerospace</a> in the U.S. examined the climate comfort of Asian Russia using current and predicted climate scenarios. In their study published in <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>, the results showed that large parts of Asian Russia may become habitable by the late 21st century as a result of climate change. A changing climate might help Siberia become livable for humans

“Previous human migrations have been associated with climate change. As civilizations developed technology that enabled them to adapt, humans became less reliant on the environment, particularly in terms of climate,” said the study’s lead author Dr Elena Parfenova, from the Krasnoyarsk Federal Research Center. “We wanted to learn if future changes in climate may lead to the less-hospitable parts of Asian Russia becoming more habitable for humans.”

The researchers used a combination of 20 general circulation models (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) and two CO2 Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. RCP 2.6 represented mild climate change and RCP 8.5 represented more extreme changes. Through applying collective means of January and July temperatures and annual precipitation of the two scenarios to Asian Russia, they could determine the effects on winter severity, permafrost coverage, and Ecological Landscape Potential (ELP). 

“We found increases in temperature of 3.4°C (RCP 2.6) to 9.1°C (RCP 8.5) in mid-winter; increases of 1.9°C (RCP 2.6) to 5.7°C (RCP 8.5) in mid-summer; and increases in precipitation of 60 mm (RCP 2.6) to 140 mm (RCP 8.5),” explains lead author Dr. Elena Parfenova of the Krasnoyarsk Federal Research Center. “Our simulations showed that under RCP 8.5, by the 2080s Asian Russia would have a milder climate, with less permafrost coverage, decreasing from the contemporary 65 per cent to 40 per cent of the area by the 2080s.”

Even in the less extreme scenario (RCP 2.6), the ELP for human sustainability would improve by more than 15 percent of the area, allowing for a five-fold increase in the capacity of this area to sustain human populations.

“Asian Russia is currently extremely cold. In a future warmer climate, food security in terms of crop distribution and production capability is likely to become more favorable for people to support settlements,” says Parfenova. “However, suitable land development depends on the authorities’ social, political and economic policies. Lands with developed infrastructure and high agricultural potential would obviously be populated first. Vast tracts of Siberia and the Far East have poorly developed infrastructure. The speed these developments happen depends on investments in infrastructure and agriculture, which in turn depends on the decisions that should be made soon.”

While more land becoming habitable seems like a good thing on the surface, it’s obviously a part of a much bigger problem. Studies such as this show the impact that climate change will have in a future that’s less than a century away. While we contemplate ways to mitigate climate change in the meantime, maybe we should also consider buying property in Asian Russia. 

--

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/Yury Taranik

A changing climate might help Siberia become livable for humans

A changing climate might help Siberia become livable for humans....

A new study from the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a> and <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/?utm_expid=.fHswE8FWRiSIK6F5raFRhQ.0&amp;utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F">King's College London</a> concludes that people with autism show less empathy and understanding of other’s emotions. 

Scientists have long debated about whether or not those with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-brain-connections-autism/">autism</a> have difficulty processing emotion, and if so, how is this difficulty presented. These debates have also centered around alexithymia, a condition that causes “emotional blindness” in many autistic people. Those with alexithymia have a difficult time understanding their own emotions as well as others. However, it has been unclear if autistic people without alexithymia experience the same difficulty.

The study, published in the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10803-019-04080-3">Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders</a>, surveyed 650 adults from the general population. The research team, led by Dr. Punit Shah from Bath's Department of Psychology, and Lucy Livingston of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology &amp; Neuroscience at King's College London, then observed links between autistic tendencies and alexithymia, scoring individuals on a detailed empathy-based test.

A computer model showed that autism and autistic tendencies were the more “dominant” and important links to lack of empathy in comparison to alexithymia.

"These findings provide some of the strongest evidence to date that autism is linked to lower empathy in the general population,” Dr. Shah said. “Although many have associated autism with poor social skills, prior to this study the association with empathy was much less clear. By drawing on large samples and using advanced statistical techniques we hope these robust results can help settle a long-standing debate and will make an important contribution for future autism support."

"Autism being linked with lower empathy is not necessarily a negative thing,” Livingston added. “Empathy is useful in social situations, but it can be a mentally tiring exercise. It is also thought that selective empathy, such as understanding some people's feelings while ignoring others', can lead to negative behaviours such as excluding some groups from society. It may be that lower empathy for those with autism actually has unforeseen benefits that we do not fully understand yet."

The hope is that these findings help the general public and medical professionals understand those with autism and autistic tendencies.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People with autism show less empathy - which may not always be a bad thing

A new study from the University of Bath and King's...

Heavy exposure to black carbon is like smoking a pack a day for 15 years. Breathing in black carbon from diesel fumes, coal power plants, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-much-black-carbon-is-left-behind-after-a-forest-fire/">forest fires</a> increases the number of small blood vessels in the lungs, and exposure to high levels of black carbon causes the same amount of lung damage as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day for 15 years. 

Researchers led by <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> professor Dr. Carrie Pistenmaa Aaron observed for the first time the impact that breathing in tiny black carbon particles has on the peripheral blood vessels in the lungs. 

Even small amounts of particles could increase the risk of developing lung disease, which is the third leading cause of death worldwide. Heavy exposure to black carbon is like smoking a pack a day for 15 years 

The results of the study were published in the journal European Respiratory Journal.  

“A few previous studies have suggested a link between air pollution and the pulmonary circulation, but we wanted to evaluate whether there were associations between chronic air pollution exposure and the vascular structure of the lungs,” said Aaron. “We were interested in the lung vasculature as we think it may be related to chronic lung conditions.”

For the study, the researchers reviewed data from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/air-research/multi-ethnic-study-atherosclerosis-mesa-air-study">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Lung and Air Pollution Studies</a> which included information from more than 3,000 people across six cities in the US. 

The participants’ long-term exposure to outdoor air pollutants were recorded, and pulmonary blood vessels were measured with CT scans. 

Important factors like age, height, sex, history of smoking, and medical history were included in the data. 

The 3,000 participants were exposed to .8 micrograms of black carbon per cubic meter every year and 11 micrograms of fine particulate matter. 

While these levels are well below air pollution limits set by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> and the European Union, the researchers still found that black carbon exposure impacted blood vessels in the lungs. 

“Our findings suggest that long-term exposure to black carbon may impact the pulmonary circulation,” said Aaron. 

Because the study was based on cross-sectional observations, there are limits to the conclusions, but the researchers hope to further explore how black carbon impacts pulmonary blood vessels and lung disease risk. 

“No previous research has looked specifically at whether these changes in humans lead to disease, so we cannot say for certain how this may be affecting health,” said Aaron. “However, other studies of similar pulmonary vascular measures on CT and MRI in humans, in addition to a number of studies in animals, suggest that differences in the pulmonary vasculature might make people more likely to develop chronic lung disease.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Igor Grochev

Heavy exposure to black carbon is like smoking a pack a day for 15 years

Heavy exposure to black carbon is like smoking a pack...

Despite numerous protests and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/majority-republicans-climate-change/">polls showing</a> that more and more people agree that climate change is a problem that demands action, many studies can overlook how social networks and human behaviors influence climate change and mitigation strategies. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> and the <a href="https://www.uoguelph.ca/">University of Guelph</a> in Canada have developed a new climate modeling approach that factors in how social processes and human behavior influence global warming and climate. 

Our behavior and day to day interactions have a significant impact on the ecosystem, social networks, and climate. 

It’s well known that human activities are the primary driver of climate change and while countless studies examine how anthropogenic emissions are hurting the environment, very little attention is paid to how climate change influences human behavior. 

In a new study, published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007000">PLOS Computational Biology</a>, the researchers created a mathematical model that incorporates social networks and climate systems into its equations as well as simulates how mitigation efforts influence human activity and behavior. 

“Mathematical models that capture social dynamics and their interaction with climate trends will become increasingly used in climate research,” said Chris Bauch, a co-author of the study. 

If researchers and policymakers alike have a better understanding of how human behavior influences climate change and vice versa, it could help create more effective mitigation strategies. 

The model showed that how soon or late a person hears about a friend’s climate change mitigation efforts has an impact on climate overall. 

For example, when a person sees that their friend installed an eco-friendly air-conditioner or bought an electric car on social media can have an impact on both climate and social systems. 

The slow pace of social learning could increase climate warming projections by more than one degree Celsius. 

The researchers also found that social norms have little impact on preventing rising temperatures, even if climate change mitigation is widespread. 

Instead, the model suggests that raising awareness is key and that speeding up social learning could help with making climate change mitigation more of a social norm. 

“There are pathways for humans to mitigate climate change, but processes driving behavior and norms at the individual and societal level will be essential to all of them, and our longstanding work on coupled human-environment systems applied here to climate change is providing direction in this regard,” said Madhur Anand a senior author of the study. 

--

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: Mark Dixon/Flickr

We know humans influence climate, but how does climate influence behavior?

Despite numerous protests and polls showing that more and more...

A new study from <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> shows that no matter the grueling sport, everyone eventually hits the same metabolic limit — the point of maximum exertion at which humans can sustain in the long term. 

More specifically, researchers found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-stone-tools/">humans</a> cannot surpass burning calories at 2.5 times their resting metabolic rate. If one was able to surpass this limit, the body would begin to break down its own tissue to balance the caloric shortage.

"This defines the realm of what's possible for humans," said coauthor Herman Pontzer, an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke. The new study is published in <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

Pontzer and his colleague John Speakman, of <a href="https://www.abdn.ac.uk/">Scotland's University of Aberdeen</a> and the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>, believe that the limit is dependent on the digestive tract’s ability to break down food. Therefore, eating more will not necessarily help one sustain endurance.

"There's just a limit to how many calories our guts can effectively absorb per day," Pontzer said.

To come to their conclusion, the team tracked daily calories burned by a group of athletes who ran six marathons per week for five months. This regimen was part of the 2015 Race Across the USA, which is a 3,000-mile race between California and Washington D.C.

When plotting the data on a graph, the team observed an L-shaped curve that showed how the athletes energy expenditure started high during each event, but dipped and flattened at 2.5 times their metabolic rate for the rest of the race. Urine samples taken after the 20 weeks of marathoning showed the athletes were burning 600 fewer calories per day than researchers expected, thus proving that the body can “downshift” the metabolism to balance sustainable levels.

“It's a great example of constrained energy expenditure, where the body is limited in its ability to maintain extremely high levels of energy expenditure for an extended period of time," said coauthor Caitlin Thurber.

"You can sprint for 100 meters, but you can jog for miles, right? That's also true here," Pontzer said.

The L-shaped curve further proves that human endurance has less to do with the regulation of body temperature, as was previously thought and is more dependent on the body’s ability to digest and absorb calories and nutrients. 

And, as far as the researchers are aware, no one has been able to sustain levels beyond the observed limit. 

"So I guess it's a challenge to elite endurance athletes," Pontzer concluded. "Science works when you're proven wrong. Maybe someone will break through that ceiling some day and show us what we're missing."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/lzf

There is a limit to human endurance, new research shows

A new study from Duke University shows that no matter...

You have probably heard the term “brain waves” on more than one occasion, and while it may sound somewhat abstract, brain waves are actually real and measurable. 

Brain oscillations occur during neural processes that are related to memory, and neuroscientists at the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a> have found evidence that controlling the frequency of brain waves could help improve <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meditation-app-boosts-memory/">memory recall</a> and maybe even improve conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

These brain waves can be controlled in a few different ways, including through sounds and images, as well as non-invasive electrical and electro-magnetic oscillations. Deep-brain electrical stimulation can also be used to control neural oscillations.

“We can modulate memory performance via rhythmic neural stimulation, which can be as simple as flickering a light at a particular rhythm which then is followed by neurons in the brain,” says Dr. Simon Hanslmayr from the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Human Grain Health. “Much more research will be required, but it seems clear that driving brain rhythms in such a way is a promising tool for improving memory – both for healthy people and for patients suffering from conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.”

In the paper published in the journal Trends in Neurosciences, the researchers state that brain oscillations act on specific neural mechanisms that affect the formation, consolidation, maintenance, and retrieval of memories. 

While their findings are encouraging, further research will be needed into how these mechanisms are affected by brain oscillations if we hope to one day develop any effective treatments for memory-related disorders.

--

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/Agsandrew

Can controlling brain wave frequency improve memory?

You have probably heard the term “brain waves” on more...

Our addiction to technology is causing an environmental disaster. As technology becomes faster, smarter and sleeker, we are increasingly tossing aside the old for the new. While playing with our latest iPhones, most of us spend little time reflecting on how our old phone will be <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/recycling-system-major-changes/">recycled</a>, and the long-lasting effects it will have on environmental and human health.

In the last ten years, many of us have gone through at least a few different smartphones- not to mention laptops, TVs, video game consoles and iPads. Sometimes we switch phones due to logistical reasons- our screen cracked or the phone was damaged by water. But in a time when every new technology release is the “next big thing”, we are tempted to ditch our perfectly usable technology in favor of new releases.

This trend is not just occurring in the United States but throughout the whole world. Today, more than<a href="https://www.gsma.com/mobileeconomy/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/The-Mobile-Economy-2018.pdf"> 5 billion</a> people have mobile devices. Disposable incomes in many developing countries are growing, allowing more people to access technology than ever before.

All of this technology needs to be disposed of somehow. But our waste management systems have not caught up to the technology craze. Electronic waste is now the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. In the United States, electronic waste accounts for<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/how-do-we-tackle-the-fastest-growing-waste-stream-on-the-planet/"> up to 70%</a> of toxic waste in landfills.

Some of us may use recycling programs to dispose of old technology. But these options require consumers to complete multiple steps. In order to ensure the highest level of user participation, actions should be as easy as possible for people to follow. Many recycling programs need people to send their old technology in the mail. Other programs have people bring their old technology to retail stores or kiosks. Many people may opt to keep the technology stored away or simply discard of it in the garbage.Our addiction to technology is causing an environmental disaster

In 2016, only 20% of the<a href="http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:6341/Global-E-waste_Monitor_2017__electronic_single_pages_.pdf"> 44.7 million metric tonnes</a> of electronic waste was recycled. Technology that is not recycled often ends up landfills and incineration plants. Up to 90% of electronic waste is illegally traded or dumped, destined for developing countries in Africa and Asia. According to the<a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/illegally-traded-and-dumped-e-waste-worth-19-billion-annually-poses"> United Nations Environment Programme</a>, electronic waste is exported undetected by being declared as plastic and metal scraps.

Once in developing countries, locals extract elements such as copper and gold from the waste as a source of income. Extraction methods such as burning cables risk exposing people to hazardous substances, the<a href="https://www.who.int/ceh/risks/ewaste/en/"> World Health Organization</a> warns. People may become directly exposed to lead, cadmium, flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These dangerous substances can also leak into the peoples’ soil, water and food.

The illegal dumping of electronic waste is also depleting our planet of the valuable raw materials used to make modern technology. When technology is not properly recycled, raw materials cannot be reused for future items. Rather, more materials have to be extracted from the earth. The extraction of raw materials currently accounts for<a href="http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:6341/Global-E-waste_Monitor_2017__electronic_single_pages_.pdf"> seven percent</a> of the world’s energy consumption.

These raw materials, including gold and silver, are often referred to as “<a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/tech-supply-chains-risk-links-human-rights-abuses-outside-conflict">conflict metals</a>” as their mining has been linked to armed conflict and human rights abuses.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to coltan- a rare ore used in the production of smartphones, laptops and video game consoles. Mining sites are often in prime habitat for the critically endangered Grauer’s gorilla. Mining activities destroy the gorilla’s habitat and exacerbate poaching pressures.

The electronic waste crisis has no easy solution. The problem spans throughout the world, crossing multiple countries with differing laws. Currently,<a href="http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:6341/Global-E-waste_Monitor_2017__electronic_single_pages_.pdf"> 66% of the world’s population</a> is covered by electronic waste management laws and 188 countries are signatories to an international treaty regulating the export of electronic waste. Yet, electronic waste legislation may not always be properly enforced or strong enough to fully address the issue.

As our addiction to technology continues, the pile of electronic waste is only going to grow. It is estimated that we will generate<a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_A_New_Circular_Vision_for_Electronics.pdf"> 120 million tonnes</a> of electronic waste in 2050 alone if nothing changes.

Legislation alone is unlikely to tackle an issue this grand. A societal shift in consumer behavior is needed. Years ago, people needing to replace their technology often bought used gadgets online or from friends. Today, the idea of going on eBay to buy a used phone instead of upgrading to a newer model is unimaginable to many people.

A recent World Economic Forum<a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_A_New_Circular_Vision_for_Electronics.pdf"> report</a> urges the world to move towards a zero electronic waste circular economy. In this economy, products are specifically designed for reuse, durability and recycling and product lifetimes are extended through refurbishment and second hand markets.

We are fast approaching the fifth generation of mobile networks- called 5G.<a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/5g-phones-what-are-the-first-5g-phones"> Over 30 new devices</a> are expected to be rolled out in 2019 that can access the network. The new 5G technology will undoubtedly result in a wave of consumers. And a wave of discarded technology.

If we don’t come up with a solution to electronic waste soon, we might end up drowning in our gadgets.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Image Credit: Poravute Siriphiroon / Shutterstock.com

Our addiction to technology is causing an environmental disaster

Our addiction to technology is causing an environmental disaster. As...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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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