Being cool can feel elusive and almost mythic - something we “know when we see it,” yet struggle to define.



A sweeping new investigation led by marketing scholars Todd Pezzuti of <a href="https://www.uai.cl/">Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez</a> and Caleb Warren of the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> argues that the concept is far less mysterious than it seems.



Across twelve nations, nearly 6,000 participants independently picked out the same constellation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-type-can-accurately-predict-your-relationship-status/">personality</a> traits when describing a cool person. 



The findings reveal not only what separates “cool” from “good” but also why cool people tend to become catalysts of social change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-cool-across-12-nations">Mapping cool across 12 nations</h2>



Between 2018 and 2022, the research team collected online responses from adults in the United States, Australia, Chile, mainland China, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey.



Participants first confirmed that they understood the slang meaning of the word “cool,” then spent a few minutes imagining someone who embodied one of four labels: cool, uncool, good, or not good.



Afterward, volunteers evaluated that imagined person on a battery of personality dimensions drawn from psychology’s “Big Five” model and Schwartz’s theory of universal values.



Because all responses came from internet users in relatively urban settings, the sample leans toward technologically connected citizens. 



Still, it is one of the most culturally diverse datasets ever assembled to study reputational judgments. The result is a uniquely global snapshot of how people assign social prestige.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-cool-and-good-part-ways"><a></a>Where cool and good part ways</h2>



When the investigators compared ratings, they found considerable overlap: both cool and good people scored high on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-many-facial-expressions-seem-more-social-and-likeable/">likability</a>. Yet important divergences emerged.



In all the places they studied, people consistently perceived cool individuals as more extraverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous. 



Good people, by contrast, ranked as conforming, traditional, secure, warm, agreeable, universalistic, conscientious, and calm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cool-people-aren-t-always-good">Cool people aren't always "good"</h2>



In Pezzuti’s view, the cool profile evokes a kind of charismatic boundary-pusher: energetic, novelty seeking, and unapologetically self-directed.



That explains why cool individuals can inspire fashion trends or launch creative movements - roles that sometimes require bending social rules rather than following them.



“To be seen as cool, someone usually needs to be somewhat likable or admirable, which makes them similar to good people," said Warren. "However, cool people often have other traits that aren’t necessarily considered ‘good’ in a moral sense, like being hedonistic and powerful.”



The cool persona therefore straddles acceptance and transgression: admired enough to influence peers, rebellious enough to feel fresh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cool-traits-go-global">Cool traits go global</h2>



In the mid-20th century, “cool” circulated in small countercultures - from Black jazz clubs to Beatnik cafés. Over the decades, fashion labels, record companies and Hollywood studios harnessed the aura of cool, broadcasting certain looks and attitudes to a worldwide audience.



The new study suggests that process may have standardized the meaning of the term. Even participants who live 10,000 miles apart now recognize the same signature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-traits-linked-to-willingness-to-volunteer-or-donate/">traits</a>. As the authors note, the meaning of cool has crystallized on a similar set of traits and values around the world.



Pezzuti does not see commercialization as a death knell. “Coolness has definitely evolved over time, but I don’t think it has lost its edge. It’s just become more functional,” he said.



“The concept of coolness started in small, rebellious sub-cultures, including Black jazz musicians in the 1940s and the beatniks in the 1950s. As society moves faster and puts more value on creativity and change, cool people are more essential than ever.”



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



Because cool people display power and autonomy while earning admiration, the researchers argue that coolness helps establish informal hierarchies. Instead of relying solely on wealth or institutional authority, communities also elevate figures who embody daring and originality.



These individuals, in turn, shape cultural norms by modeling alternative ways to dress, speak, or live. As Pezzuti puts it, “everyone wants to be cool, or at least avoid the stigma of being uncool, and society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture.”



That dual role - both aspirational and disruptive - makes the cool persona uniquely influential. Marketers know this instinctively when they cast charismatic musicians in sneaker ads. Activists harness it when they infuse protest art with edgy style.



The study provides empirical backing for those intuitions: people from Lagos to Los Angeles consistently associate coolness with adventurous independence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coolness-in-the-digital-age">Coolness in the digital age</h2>



The team notes their study excludes rural and offline groups, whose ideas of cool may differ significantly. They also restricted the study to cultures already familiar with the English slang term, potentially narrowing linguistic nuance.



Future projects could test whether the six-trait profile - extraverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous - holds in additional societies or emerges in other languages.



Researchers are likewise curious about how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-pressure-is-straining-teen-friendships/">social media</a> platforms, which accelerate the spread of trends, might further synchronize or fragment global standards of cool. Does TikTok broaden identity through niche subcultures or reinforce the six-trait mold by favoring charismatic risk-takers?



For now, the evidence is striking: when people across five continents imagine someone undeniably cool, they picture remarkably similar qualities. 



Coolness, it turns out, may be one of the few cross-cultural constants - an unwritten code that transcends borders even as it keeps pushing boundaries.



The study is published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fxge0001799">Journal of Experimental Psychology: General</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



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



-----

What makes people cool? Scientists tracked down the traits

Being cool can feel elusive and almost mythic - something we “know when we see it,” yet struggle to define. A sweeping new investigation led by marketing scholars Todd Pezzuti of Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and Caleb Warren of the University of Arizona argues that the concept is far less mysterious than it seems. Across twelve nations, nearly 6,000 participants independently picked out the same constellation of personality traits when describing a cool person. The findings reveal not only what separates “cool” from “good” but also why cool...

Researchers from the <a href="https://mrc.ukri.org/">Medical Research Council</a> have found evidence to suggest the importance of timed meals in regards to health. 

The team is the first to establish that insulin is the primary signal that communicates timing of meals to individual “cellular clocks” within our body, together known as the body clock, or <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/circadian-rhythm-light-melatonin/">circadian rhythm</a>. Knowing this may be the key to helping those experiencing disruption to their body clocks.

Our individual body clocks are synched to the environment around us by way of exposure to daylight and meal times. It’s this synchronization that is vital to maintaining health, and can be thrown out of whack if traveling through different time zones or eating at irregular times throughout the day.

Although it’s known that irregular meal times can disrupt the body clock, how the body clock senses and responds to meal timing was an unknown. So, scientists from the MRC <a href="https://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/">Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB)</a> and the <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/">University of Manchester</a> used cultured cells and mice to identify insulin, a hormone that is released when we eat, as the primary sensor and communication between our cellular clocks. Furthermore, insulin adjusts the circadian rhythm in individual cells and tissues by stimulating production of a protein called PERIOD.

"At the heart of these cellular clocks is a complex set of molecules whose interaction provides precise 24-hour timing,” lead researcher Dr. John O'Neill said. “What we have shown here is that the insulin, released when we eat, can act as a timing signal to cells throughout our body."

The team found that when the mice’s insulin was released at the “wrong” time, that is, when the mice should have been resting, it disrupted their circadian rhythms, thus making it more difficult for them to tell the difference between day and night.

 "We already know that modern society poses many challenges to our health and wellbeing — things that are viewed as commonplace, such as shift-work, sleep deprivation, and jet lag, disrupt our body clock,” said Dr. David Bechtold, a senior lecturer at the University of Manchester. “It is now becoming clear that circadian disruption is increasing the incidence and severity of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes."

"Our data suggests that eating at the wrong times could have a major impact on our circadian rhythms,” said lead author Dr. Priya Crosby. “There is still work to do here, but paying particular attention to meal timing and light exposure is likely the best way to mitigate the adverse effects of shift-work. Even for those who work more traditional hours, being careful about when we eat is an important way to help maintain healthy body clocks, especially as we age."

The findings were published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/home">Cell</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

When you eat is just as important as what you eat, research shows

Researchers from the Medical Research Council have found evidence to...

It is said that nothing is certain but death and taxes.  Unfortunately, both are highly regulated by the government in the United States.  A body slowly becoming part of the land or the sea with little interference seems to be the most natural state of affairs, but for a number of reasons, it’s not always easy to allow your body or the body of a loved one to naturally decay.  

For a burial at sea, an easily obtainable permit from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ocean-dumping/burial-sea">EPA</a> is required, and there are three general activities that are prohibited:
<ol>
 	<li>"Placement of human remains in ocean waters within three nautical miles from shore, i.e., the ordinary low water mark or a closing line drawn on nautical charts across the openings of bays and rivers.</li>
 	<li>  Placement of non-human remains (such as pet remains).</li>
 	<li>  Placement of materials which are not readily decomposable in the marine environment, such as plastic or metal flowers and wreaths, tombs, tombstones, gravestones, monuments, mausoleums, artificial reefs, etc."</li>
</ol>
Some of these rules are fairly common sense, such as not using non-decomposable items. The rule about not burying pets at sea seems extremely arbitrary though, as if the small body of a cat or dog would be more detrimental to the sea than the body of a human. Mainly though, burial at sea is one of the easier ways to allow human remains to quickly be integrated into a natural environment. Some live in landlocked states or prefer the land to the sea, which makes natural burial more complicated.  

Embalming is the practice that seems most to interfere with a natural burial.  Modern embalming is down with a small pump that removes blood and replaces it with embalming fluid.  The point of embalming fluid is to delay the decaying process as much as possible. Formaldehyde is the most common embalming fluid, one that has long been the gold standard of short term preservation of bodies at funeral homes.  You may remember the smell of the substance from grade school frog dissections.

Besides keeping bodies looking unnaturally good, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/21/business/despite-cancer-risk-embalmers-stay-with-formaldehyde.html">The New York Times</a> reports that in 2011 the government declared that formaldehyde is a carcinogen.  Unfortunately, no really good alternatives seem to exist for formaldehyde and funeral homes are slow to abandon a product that works so well.  Not wanting your body or that of a loved one pumped full of something that forestalls the body breaking down and may cause cancer is an increasing concern.  According to <a href="https://www.northwoodscasket.com/northwoodscasket/2014/10/27/natural-burial-the-law-are-there-legal-matters-regarding-natural-burial">Northwoods Casket Company</a>, there are now thousands of cemeteries offering natural burials in the US.  Getting around formaldehyde is legal but it takes some planning to do legally.  

Funeral homes are required by law to offer a direct burial option to consumers.  A direct burial includes no embalming and burial in a modest wooden or cardboard container in a cemetery within 24 hours.  After 24 hours, things change. Many states require that a human body is either embalmed or refrigerated after 24 hours. Unfortunately, some facilities are small with limited refrigeration space and thus the default of embalming is fallen back upon.  

Besides formaldehyde, there are other common practices that make it harder for a human body to become part of the Earth again.  

Burial vaults are containers that surround the casket.  Usually a burial vault is now made of concrete. These vaults are used to make it easier to find a grave and not disturb the human remains in a grave when digging adjacent to it.  Burial vaults also keep caskets from sinking or shifting as earth settles. Only two states seem to require burial vaults,Louisiana and Massachusetts, according to <a href="https://www.northwoodscasket.com/northwoodscasket/2014/10/27/natural-burial-the-law-are-there-legal-matters-regarding-natural-burial">Northwoods Casket Company</a>.  Used as an additional barrier, concrete is also another unnatural product, and so burial vaults hamper natural burial. 

Of course, cremation is a way to avoid so many restrictions and ashes can easily be spread into the environment.  According to the <a href="https://www.cremationassociation.org/">Cremation Association of North America</a>, cremations are on the rise.  In 2017, 51.6% chose cremation, and in 2022 that number is projected to be 57.8% in the US.  In Canada, 2017 rates were already at 70.5% and projected to be at 75.1% by 2022. According to <a href="http://www.us-funerals.com/funeral-articles/understanding-cremation-laws-and-how-they-affect-arranging-a-cremation.html#.XLD7_hplChA">US-Funerals</a>, caskets aren’t required by law although a basic container is necessary for cremation.  

If you scatter your loved one’s ashes on public land such as a national park, it’s advisable to ask permission. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/national-parks-endangered-species/">National parks</a> such as <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/ashes.htm">Yosemite</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/scattering_ashes.htm">Rocky Mountain</a> have official permits to scatter ashes.  Even without a permit, it’s unlikely that you’ll be bothered if you scatter ashes respectfully.  I knew a man that scattered his brother’s ashes from the top of Mt. Denali, completing a climbing trip the two had talked about doing together.  

There are also a number of urns now available for ashes with the environment in mind.  There are several companies offering biodegradable urns with tree seeds inside them, and these urns are designed so that the human ashes feed the sapling tree.  Other companies allow your loved ones ashes to be mixed with concrete to be placed at sea where coral can use it to grow on, creating habitat for fish and other marine animals.

Death and decay are the most natural of things.  Every death contributes to new life. Unfortunately, the ideal of keeping a body alive-looking can be destructive in the long term and cut us off from the reality of death – its beauty as well as its ugliness.  

In Tibet, a ceremony called a Sky Burial is traditional.  According to <a href="http://tibetpedia.com/lifestyle/sky-burial/">Tibetpedia</a>, a person is carried into the mountains by the master of ceremonies.  Incense is lit to summon vultures. As the vultures arrive the body is cut to pieces and the birds are allowed to consume the entire body. 

Closer to home, environmentalist Edward Abbey was buried in a sleeping bag in the desert by his friends, illegally on public lands.  Some say a Saguaro cactus stands over the unmarked grave but the location is known only to a few. 

As Edward Abbey himself wrote of death in his masterpiece, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Solitaire-Edward-Abbey/dp/0671695886/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BRUS83B6C6QP&amp;keywords=desert+solitaire+by+edward+abbey&amp;qid=1555103892&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=Desert+so%2Caps%2C191&amp;sr=1-1">Desert Solitaire</a>, “if my decomposing carcass helps nourish the roots of a juniper tree or the wings of a vulture—that is immortality enough for me. And as much as anyone deserves.”                               

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

A more natural burial is possible, it just takes some planning

It is said that nothing is certain but death and...

A new study published by the <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/">Association for Psychological Science</a> has revealed that people who have a happy spouse are not only more likely to having a longer-lasting marriage, but may even have a longer-lasting life.

“The data show that spousal life satisfaction was associated with mortality, regardless of individuals' socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, or their physical health status,” said study author Olga Stavrova, who is a researcher at <a href="https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/">Tilburg University</a>.


Remarkably, the analysis showed that the life satisfaction of one’s spouse was a better predictor of an individual's mortality than his or her own life satisfaction.

“The findings underscore the role of individuals' immediate social environment in their health outcomes,” said Stavrova. “Most importantly, it has the potential to extend our understanding of what makes up individuals' 'social environment' by including the personality and well-being of individuals' close ones.”

Life satisfaction has been previously linked to diet, exercise, and other behaviors that can affect health. People who have a happy and active spouse are more likely to have an active lifestyle as well. 

According to Stavrova, the opposite is also likely to be true. “If your partner is depressed and wants to spend the evening eating chips in front of the TV - that's how your evening will probably end up looking, as well.”

The study was focused on data from a nationally representative survey of 4,400 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/couples-arguments-live-longer/">American couples</a> who were over the age of 50. For up to 8 years, participants and their spouses reported on life satisfaction and various factors that may be related to mortality, such as frequency of physical activity. 

The couples also completed a self-rated health measure and provided information on their gender, age, ethnicity, education, household income, partner mortality, and any chronic conditions.

By the end of the eight-year study period, about 16 percent of the participants had died. Those who passed away had most often reported lower relationship satisfaction, lower life satisfaction, and having a partner who also reported lower life satisfaction. In addition, the spouses of participants who died were also more likely to pass away within the 8-year observation period.

Ultimately, greater partner life satisfaction at the beginning of the study was associated with lower mortality risk. Stavrova found that partners who reported higher life satisfaction also had higher levels of physical activity that corresponded with participants who had higher rates of physical activity and lower rates of mortality. The findings indicate that partner life satisfaction has important consequences for health and longevity.

“This research might have implications for questions such as what attributes we should pay attention to when selecting our spouse or partner and whether healthy lifestyle recommendations should target couples (or households) rather than individuals,” said Stavrova.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/pss">Psychological Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Having a happy spouse can help you live longer, research shows

A new study published by the Association for Psychological Science...

Scientists on <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08p2j66">BBC's Health: Truth or Scare</a> have investigated whether <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/technoference-smartphones-sleep-productivity/">cell phones</a> are emitting cancer-causing radiation. The experts have found no evidence to suggest that radiation from cell phones is dangerous. In fact, the only known health scare associated with cell phones is distracted driving. 

According to the <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/">National Cancer Institute</a> (NCI), cell phones emit radiofrequency waves in the form of electromagnetic radiation from their antennas. The area of the body exposed to the antenna, which is now built inside of cell phones, could potentially absorb radiation. 

The team behind the current investigation found that previous studies which linked mobile phone use to cancer were typically conducted with mice using “very, very high levels” of radiation.

“It is very difficult to reliably interpret this to what you'd find in an average human,” said Professor Malcolm Sperrin, director of Medical Physics at Oxford University hospitals. “There's no evidence to suggest you should worry.”

Professor Sperrin was asked why brain cancer rates have increased alongside mobile phone use. He explained that medicine has advanced over the years, resulting in more tumors being detected early on. This could make it seem that there have been higher incidences of brain cancer. 

The BBC program also briefly explored other health concerns tied to cell phone use, including infertility and memory loss. However, the National Cancer Institute reports that these findings are not consistent. 

“A broad range of health effects have been reported with cell phone use. Neurologic effects are of particular concern in young persons since the brain is the primary exposed organ. However, studies of memory, learning, and cognitive function have generally produced inconsistent results,” states NCI. “The most consistent health risk associated with cell phone use is distracted driving and vehicle accidents.”

For more information, the National Cancer Institute has published a <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet">Cell Phones and Cancer Risk Fact Sheet</a>.
--
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>

Cell phones don’t cause cancer - but they do cause distracted driving

Scientists on BBC's Health: Truth or Scare have investigated whether...

A leading toxicology expert at the <a href="https://medicine.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter Medical School</a> is reporting that wealthy people do not experience the same effects of pollution as poor people, and that their bodies are polluted by very different chemicals. Professor Michael Depledge explains, for example, that wealthier people may have higher levels of pesticides in their bodies from spending more time on the golf course. 

While briefing MPs on the UK Environmental Audit Committee, the professor also reported that wealthy people are likely to have more mercury in their systems because they eat a lot of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/seafood-lovers-plastic-mussels/">seafood</a>. Poor people, on the other hand, are exposed to toxic chemicals from living nearer to landfill sites.

Professor Depledge told the MPs that he expected “huge resistance” from the chemical industry regarding his concerns. He said that his research may help scientists “get a handle” on the chemical pollutants that different groups in society face.

Across the UK, golf courses have been under more scrutiny and have faced stricter legislation to reduce the use of harmful pesticides. For example, a pesticide used to kill leatherjackets known as chlorpyrifos has been banned in the UK.

Professor Depledge is a member of the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/hazardous-substances-advisory-committee">Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee</a> (HSAC), a team of experts who spoke at the first session of the UK Environmental Audit Committee's inquiry into toxic chemicals in everyday life. The HSAC scientists said they are shocked by the rate of new chemicals appearing on the market.

“One of the challenges is to try to define a chemical environment that we would find acceptable to live in. And once we have done that we need to develop policies that would take us to that place,” said Professor Depledge. “At the moment it is firefighting. Each chemical that comes along - probably there are about 2,000 new chemicals a year coming along - we try to make regulations for them. We can't get through them all.”

--

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>

Wealthy people have different types of chemical pollutants in their systems

A leading toxicology expert at the University of Exeter Medical...

The discovery of human skeletons excavated from archeological sites in northern Bolivia suggests that humans settled in southwestern Amazonia thousands of years before the formation of complex societies. 

Archeologists from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a>, along with an international team of researchers, unearthed the fossilized remains while surveying three forest islands, Isla del Tesoro, La Chacra and San Pablo, in northern Bolivia. 

“These islands are elevated above the surrounding savanna, so they do not flood during the rainy season,” said Jose Capriles, an Assistant Professor of Anthropology. “We believe people were using these sites recurrently as seasonal camps, particularly during the long rainy seasons when most of the Llanos de Moxos become flooded.” 

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pumpkin-spice-thousands-years/">first complex societies</a> in the region formed around 2,500 years ago but researchers know very little about the people that passed through the area in the early Holocene thousands of years prior. 

In this new study, the researchers theorize that humans settled and even attempted early agriculture in southwestern Amazonia up to 10,000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought. 

“These groups of people were hunter-gatherers; however, our data show that they were beginning to deplete their local resources and establish territorial behaviors, perhaps driving them to begin domesticating plants such as sweet potatoes, cassava, peanuts, and chili peppers as a way to acquire food,” said Capriles. 

When the skeletons were first discovered, the way the remains were placed in the ground pointed to an intentional burial which would have been out of character for typical hunter-gathers in the region. 

Instead, the intentional burial is evidence of a more permanent early human settlement. 

“If these were highly mobile hunter-gatherers you would not expect for them to bury their dead in specific places; instead, they would leave their dead wherever they died,” said Capriles.

It is rare to find human or archeological remains from the early Holocene in this region, according to the researchers, making the find all the more noteworthy. 

An earlier study detailing the discovery in 2013 was very limited in its findings because there was very little to go off that could help date the remains or shed light on what sort of people inhabited the area at the time. 

“Because of the lack of direct evidence many archaeologists were skeptical about our findings,” said Umberto Lombardo, an author of the 2013 study. “They did not really believe that those forest islands were early Holocene archaeological sites. The current study provides strong and definitive evidence of the anthropocentric origin of these sites, because the archaeological excavations uncovered early Holocene human burials. These are the definitive proof of the antiquity and origin of these sites.”

The researchers carbon-dated charcoal and shells that were buried along with remains to provide a more accurate time period for when the area was first inhabited and settled. 

The results of the carbon dating indicate that people were living, foraging, and burning fires on the islands between 10,000 and 4,000 years ago. 

“This paper represents the first step in the effort to learn more about the people who inhabited southwestern Amazonia for thousands of years, but we know nothing about,” said Lombardo.

The new study was published in the journal Science Advances. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Early human settlements in Amazonia predate the first complex societies

The discovery of human skeletons excavated from archeological sites in...

A research team from <a href="https://www.ull.es/">Universidad de La Laguna, Spain</a> have uncovered mobility and settlement patterns of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-neanderthals-cannibalism/">Neanderthals</a> by unearthing ancient fire remains.

The team conducted their research at the Middle Paleolithic site El Salt in Spain, which contains eleven overlapping and well-preserved open-air hearths. By studying the micromorphology of the layers of earth inside the hearth structures, the team was able to identify how long Neanderthals occupied a settlement. And lipid biomarkers and isotope analysis showed the team what foods were eaten and what fuels were used.

"Micromorphology combined with lipid biomarker analysis is a powerful approach to investigate anthropogenic combustion-related archaeological contexts from a microstratigraphic perspective which can contribute valuable information on the timing and intensity of Neanderthal occupations as well as the natural setting of the site,” study leader Lucia Leierer said. “These are key factors of group mobility and settlement patterns."

Researchers found that hearths were built on multiple layers of topsoils over different periods of time and burned organic matter such as herbivore excrement and flowering plants. Furthermore, researchers conclude that Neanderthals only stayed at the settlement for a limited time, as evident in the flint, bone shards, and conifer wood charcoal that was brought to the site from another location.

[caption id="attachment_1871691" align="aligncenter" width="656"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/neanderthal-settlement.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871691" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/neanderthal-settlement.jpg" alt="" width="656" height="305" /></a> Neanderthal combustion structure and microscope photograph of organic components of the combustion structure. Image Credit: Leierer et al, 2019[/caption]

It is believed that evidence from the hearths show at least four successive short-term Neanderthal occupations at the site, each being separated by long periods of time — perhaps seasons.

These findings, published in <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS One</a>, could potentially lead to a better understanding of Neanderthal group mobility and settlement.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient Neanderthal hearths unearth settlement patterns

A research team from Universidad de La Laguna, Spain have...

Using an X-ray laser located at the <a href="https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/">Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory</a>, a team of <a href="https://www.usc.edu/">University of Southern California</a> researchers have successfully the first detailed map of two melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2) that guide the body’s sleep/wake cycle, along with other biological processes. Better understanding of how these receptors work could help scientists design better drugs to fight <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-charity-vote/">sleep disorders</a>, Type 2 diabetes, and even cancer.

"It's critical for the brain to take rest and process and store memories that we have accumulated during the day," said study co-author Alex Batyuk, a scientist at SLAC. "Melatonin is the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles. When there's light, the production of melatonin is inhibited, but when darkness comes that's the signal for our brains to go to sleep."

The team used an insomnia drug, a drug that combines melatonin with the antidepressant serotonin, and two melatonin analogs to activate the receptors in order to trace their activity with the lab’s Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray. They saw that both receptors, located in various places throughout our bodies including the brain, retina, cardiovascular system, liver, kidney, spleen and intestine, have narrow channels embedded in fatty membrane throughout the cells in our bodies. These channels only permit melatonin to pass through while blocking serotonin.

Furthermore, the team also saw that some larger compounds only target MT1 and not MT2 — a discovery that can help design drugs specifically for MT1.

They've shared their work in a pair of articles, one exploring <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1141-3/">ligand recognition at MT1</a> and one on the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1144-0">XFEL structures of MT2</a>, in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

"These receptors perform immensely important functions in the human body and are major drug targets of high interest to the pharmaceutical industry," said lead researcher of MT2 work Linda Johansson, a postdoctoral scholar at USC. "Through this work we were able to obtain a highly detailed understanding of how melatonin is able to bind to these receptors."

MT1 plays a large role in controlling the body’s circadian rhythm. However, designing drugs to actively target and mend the MT1 receptor has been a difficult process. Now that researchers have mapped out how exactly the MT1 receptor works, scientists can more adeptly design drugs to travel through these pathways.

"Since the discovery of melatonin 60 years ago, there have been many landmark discoveries that led to this moment," said Margarita L. Dubocovich, a <a href="https://www.suny.edu/">SUNY</a> distinguished professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University at Buffalo</a>, who provided outside perspective on this study. In the early 80s, Dubocovich pioneered the identification of functional melatonin receptors. 

"The elucidation of the crystal structures for the MT1 and MT2 receptors opens up an exciting new chapter for the development of drugs to treat sleep or circadian rhythm disorders known to cause psychiatric, metabolic, oncological and many other conditions."

From here, the team hopes to map receptors antagonists, compounds that block the receptors. 

"As a structural biologist, it was exciting to see the structure of these receptors for the first time and analyze them to understand how these receptors selectively recognize their signaling molecules," said Vadim Cherezov, a USC professor who supervised both MT1 and MT2 studies. "We've known about them for decades but until now no one could say how they actually look. Now we can analyze them to understand how they recognize specific molecules, which we hope lays the groundwork for better, more effective drugs."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Illustration by Yekaterina Kadyshevskaya, Bridge Institute at USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience

Melatonin receptor maps pave the way for new sleep disorder treatments

Using an X-ray laser located at the Department of Energy’s...

A new study from the <a href="http://www.monell.org/">Monell Chemical Senses Center</a> has revealed that the olfactory receptors used to detect odors in the nose are also present in taste receptor cells on the tongue. The discovery indicates that interactions between <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-smell-spatial-navigation/">smell</a> and taste, which were thought to take place in the brain, may actually be initiated on the tongue.

“Our research may help explain how odor molecules modulate taste perception,” said study senior author Dr. Mehmet Hakan Ozdener. “This may lead to the development of odor-based taste modifiers that can help combat the excess salt, sugar, and fat intake associated with diet-related diseases such as obesity and diabetes.”

The flavors that we perceive come more from smell than from taste. Prior to this study, taste and smell were thought to be independent sensory systems that did not interact until their information reached the brain. However, after his son asked him if snakes stick out their tongues so they can smell, Dr. Ozdener decided to challenge this theory.

The researchers used genetic and biochemical methods to analyze living human taste cells in culture. They noticed that the taste cells contained many key molecules known to be present in olfactory receptors. Next, a technique known as calcium imaging revealed that the cultured taste cells respond to odor molecules much in the same way as olfactory receptor cells.


The study results provide the first evidence of functional olfactory receptors in human taste cells. The findings suggest that olfactory receptors actively participate in the taste system by interacting with taste cells on the tongue.

In additional experiments, the team demonstrated that a single taste cell can contain both taste and olfactory receptors. “The presence of olfactory receptors and taste receptors in the same cell will provide us with exciting opportunities to study interactions between odor and taste stimuli on the tongue,” said Dr. Ozdener.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/chemse">Chemical Senses</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists find smell receptors in taste cells on the tongue

A new study from the Monell Chemical Senses Center has...

Previous research demonstrated that among less active adults, the amount of time spent <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/americans-time-sitting/">sitting</a> is associated with an increased risk of mortality. A new study published by the <a href="https://www.acc.org/">American College of Cardiology</a> has found that the negative impacts of sedentary behavior can often be eliminated through physical activity. 

The researchers set out to investigate the relationship between sedentary behavior or physical activity and mortality. The team analyzed the effects of replacing sitting with standing, physical activity, and sleep.

Study lead author Dr. Emmanuel Stamatakis is a professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Population Health at the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a>. 

“Previous studies have not considered that a 24-hour day is finite and an increase in any type of physical activity or sedentary behavior would displace another activity or sleep,” explained Dr. Stamatakis.

The investigation was focused on nearly 150,000 Australian men and women aged 45 years and older who reported on how many hours per day they spent sitting, standing, and sleeping. The individuals also reported the total time they spent walking or participating in moderate to intense physical activity.

On average, the participants were followed  up with after 8.9 years for all-cause mortality and after 7.4 years for cardiovascular disease mortality. The researchers found that higher sitting times of more than six hours per day were associated with higher all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality risks. However, these risks were mostly found in those did not meet physical activity recommendations. 

With the exception of those who sat more than 8 hours per day, meeting even the lowest requirements for physical activity eliminated the association with all-cause mortality risk. 

“Our results support continued efforts to promote physical activity in those segments of the population that sit a lot for whatever reason,” said Dr. Stamatakis. “In the absence of some physical activity, merely reducing sitting times may be insufficient for better health.”


Replacing sitting with standing was associated with risk reduction in low sitters, but replacing sitting with physical activity was a much more reliable way to reduce mortality risk among high sitters. 

“A possible explanation for this is that among the most sedentary participants, standing may not be sufficient for reducing health risks,” said Dr. Stamatakis. “Instead, substituting sitting for brisk walking may be a better option that is feasible by a majority of adults.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.onlinejacc.org/">Journal of the American College of Cardiology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Physical activity can reduce mortality risk caused by sitting for too long

Previous research demonstrated that among less active adults, the amount...

We’ve all experienced being jarred awake from a deep sleep by an unpleasant, incessant beeping alarm clock. When you start the day that way, it’s hard not to<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-public-health-crisis/"> feel tired and groggy</a> for a good chunk of the morning. 

But new research shows that waking up with a more upbeat melody could help beat morning grogginess and sleep inertia. 

For the first few hours after waking up, people can be confused, clumsy, and unable to react as quickly as they would when their brain is fully alert. 

This disoriented and groggy feeling is called “sleep inertia” and it’s said to be caused by the sudden transition from sleep to wakefulness.  

Sleep inertia can be a pain when you have a morning meeting, a class to get to, or a deadline, but it can also be deadly, leading to car accidents and plane crashes for pilots and drivers who operate a vehicle immediately after waking up. 

The best way to reduce sleep inertia is to allow the body to wake up naturally, but in today’s fast-paced society this is a near impossibility. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University </a>in Melbourne, Australia have a simple solution to reduce morning sluggishness. 

In a new study, published online at <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2019/04/12/607358.full.pdf">BioRxiv,</a> researchers found that highly melodic music provides enough stimulation to counter the negative impacts of sleep inertia. 

“When they wake up, people experiencing sleep inertia may show signs of reduced alertness and reduced cognition, manifesting in inadvertent mistakes. Sleep inertia can last for seconds, minutes or hours after waking,” said Stuart McFarlane, the lead author of the study. “Research suggests that ‘difficulty in waking up’ is a common experience. It's one that many of us share.”

Listening to catchy pop songs by bands like the Beach Boys or the Cure is better than any traditional alarm, the results show. 

For the study, 50 participants reported on their morning routines, how they felt in the morning, how they woke up, and how their day was impacted after waking up.

The researchers found that the participants who listened to highly melodic music were less impacted by sleep inertia and less sluggish. 

A good melody can captivate a listener for longer periods which is why the researchers theorize that pop songs could be an excellent way to engage the brain first thing in the morning. 

“A sound that is perceived as melodic, produces less sleep inertia in comparison to a sound considered to be neutral,” the researchers wrote in their study. 

Simply changing the alarm on your phone to something more melodic might help, and since mobile phones today have more apps and options for changing ringtones and morning alarm sounds than ever before, it would not be a difficult strategy for people to implement into their morning routines. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Waking up to an upbeat song, not a beeping alarm, combats grogginess

We’ve all experienced being jarred awake from a deep sleep...

A three-year project designed to analyze grass pollen may help to provide more accurate <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-bumblebees-buzzing/">pollen</a> forecasts for asthma and hay fever sufferers. The findings from the first year of the study have revealed that pollen that is released by certain species of grass is contributing to increased asthma attacks and intense hay fever.

“I'm a hay fever sufferer myself, and I know that on some days, despite a high pollen forecast, I can be less affected than on other days when the forecast appears to be lower,” said study lead author Professor Simon Creer of <a href="https://www.bangor.ac.uk/">Bangor University</a>. “This led me and others to wonder whether it's the high load of pollen alone that causes the problem, or whether the different grass pollens cause different levels of reaction.”

Currently, pollen counts measure the load of pollen that is present in the air. The pollen created by individual tree and weed species is distinguishable, yet visually identifying different grass pollens has been nearly impossible. 

In the new project, scientists are using a technique called metabarcoding to analyze grass pollens collected over the course of an allergy season. This method enables scientists to automatically identify material caught in a sample of air, water, or soil through its unique DNA “barcode.” As a result, the team can investigate links between certain pollen types and difficult days for allergy and asthma sufferers.

“Bringing a range of specialists together has enabled us to find initial answers,” said Dr. Georgina Brennan. “Our task is now to develop a clearer picture of where the pollen comes from, how it moves through the air and how different types of pollen can be linked to allergies.”

“We are now investigating datasets on hospital admissions and GP prescriptions for certain pharmaceutical products to identify correlations between healthcare data and increases in particular grass pollens,” added Dr. Ben Wheeler of the University of Exeter. “With these new insights into pollen characterization, we are focusing on future implications for pollen warnings and self-care strategies.”


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature, Ecology, and Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Grass can trigger allergy and asthma symptoms when pollen count is low

A three-year project designed to analyze grass pollen may help...

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.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"]</div>



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)



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

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



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



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



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



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



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



---



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"]</div>



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;



---



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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

News coming your way