A walk through a park, a moment of quiet under a tree, a glimpse of green spaces from a window - these small encounters with nature might be more than just pleasant distractions. They could be changing people's lifestyle choices.



Researchers from the University of Exeter have found a link between nature and health habits. The study, part of the BlueHealth <a href="https://bluehealth2020.eu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">project</a> funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020, tracked smoking and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-social-drinking-feels-so-different-from-drinking-alone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drinking patterns</a> across 18 countries.



The results were clear. People living in the greenest neighborhoods were 13 percent less likely to smoke and 31 percent less likely to drink daily than those in less <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-green-spaces-are-urgently-needed-across-the-global-south/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">green areas</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nature-visits-reduce-smoking">Nature visits reduce smoking</h2>



The study didn’t stop at measuring green space. It also looked at intentional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cities-in-the-global-south-have-far-less-green-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nature</a> visits. People who made it a habit to spend time in nature - at least once a week - were less likely to smoke. The effect on drinking wasn’t as strong.



“We don’t think it’s simply a coincidence those who are exposed to nature smoke and drink less. A growing number of studies are showing that when people are exposed to nature, they have fewer cravings for substances like alcohol and nicotine,” noted Dr. Mat White from the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a>.



“In part, we think this is because they tend to be calmer and don’t need that 'hit,' which helps them give up smoking, for instance.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-counts-as-green-space">What counts as green space?</h2>



The study defined residential green space as land with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural elements</a> within 250 meters of a person’s home. That includes private gardens, parks, and patches of greenery. Data came from the BlueHealth International Survey, which involved 18,838 adults from 18 countries.



Study lead author Dr. Leanne Martin emphasized that the benefits of nature cut across income levels and educational backgrounds.



“Our finding that nature seems to be beneficial to all in society is hugely important because it goes some way to leveling the playing field in terms of reducing health inequalities,” noted Dr. Martin.



“We've accounted for a wide range of socioeconomic factors in our research and found the benefits are not determined by things like having a higher income or living in more affluent areas. For those people who don’t live in areas with high green space, we’ve found those intentional visits to nature also have huge benefits.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-green-spaces-can-assist-public-health">Green spaces can assist public health</h2>



The study suggests that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprising-mental-health-benefits-of-living-near-green-spaces/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">green</a> spaces could serve as a public health tool. Nature’s calming effect may reduce cravings for cigarettes. The tranquility of a park, the rhythm of a river, or the rustle of leaves could all play a role in easing the urge to smoke. 



But what about alcohol? The study found that while living near green spaces was linked to less daily drinking, the effect was not as strong as it was for smoking. 



Researchers think social habits may be a factor. Drinking often happens in social settings, and those settings might still be present, even in green areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-can-nature-help-you-break-a-habit">Can nature help you break a habit?</h2>



Public health programs could use these findings. Instead of conventional quit-smoking strategies, they could promote nature visits. A weekly walk through a forest or a park might offer the same calming effect as nicotine - without the health risks.



But what about those without easy access to green spaces? The study suggests that intentional nature visits work, even for people in urban areas. Programs could organize nature outings or create small green spaces in city centers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-study-stands-out">Why this study stands out</h2>



Previous studies often focused on one country or one type of nature exposure. This study expanded the scope. It covered 18 countries and looked at both residential green space and intentional nature visits.



Despite the cultural and environmental differences across countries, the findings remained consistent. The link between green spaces and lower smoking rates held up across the board. This suggests that nature’s influence isn’t tied to one place or culture - it’s universal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-just-green-space">More than just green space</h2>



The study lays the groundwork for future research. It opens questions about how much nature is needed to see a health effect. Would a short walk through a park have the same impact as a day spent hiking? Would sitting by a lake offer more benefits than a walk through a garden?



And what about other health risks? If nature can lower smoking rates, could it also reduce other unhealthy habits? More research could explore these questions and refine the role of nature in public health strategies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-green-spaces-and-healthier-habits">Green spaces and healthier habits</h2>



The <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Exeter</a> study offers a simple message: green spaces might help people smoke and drink less. Living near greenery or visiting nature regularly seems to make people less likely to reach for a cigarette or a drink.



For public health officials, the findings suggest a low-cost, accessible intervention. Create more green spaces. Promote nature visits. Make nature a regular part of daily life.



For individuals, the takeaway is even simpler. Spend time in nature. Visit a park. Walk through a garden. It could be more than just a relaxing break - it could be a step toward a healthier life.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1353829225000693?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Health &amp; Place</a>.



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Living near nature helps reduce bad habits like smoking

A walk through a park, a moment of quiet under a tree, a glimpse of green spaces from a window - these small encounters with nature might be more than just pleasant distractions. They could be changing people's lifestyle choices. Researchers from the University of Exeter have found a link between nature and health habits. The study, part of the BlueHealth project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020, tracked smoking and drinking patterns across 18 countries. The results were clear. People living in the greenest neighborhoods were...

New research published February 20th in the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/hyp">American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension</a> shows that thirty minutes of morning exercise aids in lowering blood pressure for the rest of the day for older, overweight men and women. Furthermore, women who combine their morning <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-improve-thinking-skills/">exercise</a> with brief walks throughout the day will notice healthier blood pressure levels.

“Traditionally, the health effects of exercise and sedentary behavior have been studied separately. We conducted this study because we wanted to know whether there is a combined effect of these behaviors on blood pressure," said lead author Michael Wheeler, B.Sc., a Ph.D. candidate at the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/">University of Western Australia</a> and who is also employed at the<a href="https://baker.edu.au/"> Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute</a> in Melbourne, Australia.

Researchers examined a group of 67 overweight and obese men and women, aged 55 to 80, in order to find out if the positive effects of morning exercise on blood pressure were negated by sedentary behavior later in the day. They also wanted to see if taking walking breaks during long periods of sitting could enhance the morning exercise routine.

To find their results, the researchers had participants partake in three separate scenarios, each separated by at least 6 days. The first was an 8-hour period of uninterrupted sitting. The next included one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes of exercise (walking on a treadmill at moderate intensity), followed by a 6.5-hour-period of prolonged sitting. And the final situation consisted of one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes of exercise, followed by sitting which was interrupted every 30 minutes with 3 minutes of light intensity walking for 6.5 hours. 

The team found that systolic blood pressure — that being the pressure in one’s blood vessels when one’s heart beats — was reduced in both men and women who partook in morning exercise. And when women combined their morning exercise with short walks throughout the day, their systolic blood pressure was reduced even more.

"For both men and women, the magnitude of reduction in average systolic blood pressure following exercise and breaks in sitting, approached what might be expected from antihypertensive medication in this population to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. However, this reduction was greater for women,” Wheeler said.

Researchers believe the difference in the way the two genders react to exercise and short walking breaks may have to do with adrenaline responses to exercise. And because the women in the study were all post-menopausal, they therefore at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The team believes that future studies should zero in on why gender influences the effects of morning exercise and short walking breaks between sitting.

"Having the study participants begin with exercise was intentional because we wanted to focus on the novel aspect of combining exercise with breaks in sitting,” Wheeler added. “However, it means that we cannot say for sure that breaks in sitting alone had no blood pressure lowering effect in men, as any effect could have been masked by the preceding effect of exercise."

Although the team agrees it would be interesting to test this same theory on younger adults and those who are not overweight, Wheeler notes that this discovery is great news for overweight older adults looking to improve their health.

"As the proportion of those who are overweight with higher blood pressure increases with age, adopting a strategy of combining exercise with breaks in sitting may be important to control and prevent the development of high blood pressure,” Wheeler concludes.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Morning exercise plus short walking breaks improve blood pressure

New research published February 20th in the American Heart Association’s...

Social isolation and loneliness pose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-isolation-health-risk/">major health risks to older adults</a>, and research has shown that social isolation is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 

As further proof that social interaction plays a key role in health and well-being, a recent study found that having an active social life and interacting with a wide range of people increases physical activity and emotional well-being among older adults. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> conducted the study which was published in the Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 

Interacting with family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers was linked to being more physically active, having a better mood, and positive outlook, and spending less time sitting around the house.

“Adults often grow less physically active and more sedentary as they age, and these behaviors pose a risk factor for disease and death,” said Karen Fingerman, a member of the research team. “It is difficult to convince people to go to the gym or commit to work out on a regular basis. But they may be willing to reach out to acquaintances, attend an organized group event, or talk to the barista who serves them at their favorite coffee shop.”

More than 300 adults over 65 years old from the Austin, Texas metro area took part in the study.

Every three hours over a week, the researchers asked the participants about their social encounters and activities. 

When the participants reported that they had interacted with a variety of people, the researchers noticed that participants spent more time out of the house and walking around. 

This study is the first of its kind to show how social engagement gets people out and about, and the research also shows the benefits of interacting with a wide and varied social circle. 

While family and friends are a crucial source of support, the researchers found that acquaintances and strangers were more likely to motivate someone to be more active. 

“Prior research on aging has focused almost entirely on the benefits of social connection with close social ties such as a spouse or an adult child,” said Debra Umberson, a co-author of the study. “This new research relies on truly novel data that capture both the amount and quality of contact with all types of people that the elderly encounter throughout the day -- and the results show us that these routine encounters have important benefits for activity levels and psychological well-being.”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer 

Image Credit: University of Texas at Austin

More social interaction keeps older adults more active

Social isolation and loneliness pose major health risks to older...

Several weeks of acupuncture can help alleviate hot flashes and other disruptive symptoms commonly associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-mindfulness-menopause/">menopause</a>, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> and the <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en">University of Southern Denmark </a>conducted the study and found that just five weeks of acupuncture correlated with less severe mood swings, better sleep, and less excessive sweating for menopausal women. 

The study was published in the journal BMJ Open, and the researchers say that acupuncture could be a viable alternative for women who don't want to try hormone replacement therapy. 

Hot flashes are one of the most common menopausal symptoms, but other sometimes debilitating and uncomfortable symptoms include fatigue, a lowered sex drive, memory issues, and night sweats. 

Hormone therapy is effective but can also come with side-effects that can be just as troubling. 

70 menopausal women were recruited for the study and split into two groups. One group was assigned a five-week course of standardized Western acupuncture with 15 minute weekly sessions, and the second group was not allowed to get any acupuncture done until after six weeks. 

Before the first session and after follow-ups 3, 6, 8, 11, and 26 weeks later the participants filled out Meno Scores (MSQ) questionnaires. The questionnaires had graded scales for the different symptoms of menopause.

The group that was assigned the five weeks of treatment had fewer hot flashes and were able to cope better with less troubling symptoms compared to the other group. 

The study was limited in its small sample size and study period of five weeks of treatments. However, the researchers are confident in the results and say that even a brief course of acupuncture could help ease menopausal symptoms. 

“Not all menopausal women need or request treatment, and we believe this acupuncture intervention is most relevant to women who experience moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms,” the researchers wrote in their study. “Acupuncture for menopausal symptoms is a realistic option for women who cannot, or do not wish to use [hormone therapy].”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Acupuncture found to effectively ease symptoms of menopause

Several weeks of acupuncture can help alleviate hot flashes and...

2019 is shaping up to be a year filled with amazing lunar events including not one but three supermoons, the second of which is scheduled to light up the night sky on Tuesday, February 19th. 

A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its fullest and at its closest point to Earth. This point is called the perigee, and when the moon is farthest from the Earth in its orbit it’s called the apogee. 

The first supermoon of the year was not just a super moon but a “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-blood-wolf-moon-eclipse/">Super Blood Wolf Moon</a>” because of a lunar eclipse that tinted the moon a reddish coppery color. 

Tonight’s supermoon will not be quite as exciting as a lunar eclipse Blood Moon, but it will be fuller and brighter.

February’s supermoon is what’s known as a “Super Snow Moon.” 

A <a href="https://moon.nasa.gov/news/22/the-snow-moon/">Snow Moon</a> was the name given to the second full moon of winter by Native American tribes in the Northern and Eastern United STates, according to the <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">National Aeronautics and Space Administration</a> (NASA).

The Snow Moon has the snowy months of January and February to thank for its name. 

If you’re hoping to get a glimpse of the Super Snow Moon this month, moonrise between 5:30 and 6:30 pm will be your best chance. During moonrise, an optical illusion makes the moon seems larger than it is because of how close the moon is to the horizon. 

<a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/moon/">Time and Date</a> has a moonrise and moonset calculator so you can find out when is the best time in your local area to see the spectacle. The Super Snow Moon will be the second supermoon of 2019 with a third, less impressive supermoon expected in March. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Another supermoon arrives tonight and here’s the best way to see it

2019 is shaping up to be a year filled with...

New research has found that eating more nuts could help improve heart health and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease for people with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fasting-lower-blood-pressure/">type 2 diabetes</a>.

Nuts, especially tree nuts like walnuts, almonds, and pecans, are full of important minerals, vitamins, fibers, and unsaturated fats which can help with metabolism, blood sugar and blood pressure.

While much is known about the health benefits of tree nuts, researchers from the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a> conducted a study to investigate the impacts of tree nuts on cardiovascular health for people with type 2 diabetes. Those with type 2 diabetes face an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. 

The study was published in the journal Circulation Research, a journal of the<a href="https://www.heart.org/"> American Heart Association</a>.

The researchers reviewed diet questionnaires that were given to 16,217 people both before and after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The questionnaires were self-reported and asked about consumption of peanuts and tree nuts.

After a follow up on the 16,217 participants, 3,336 had cardiovascular diseases, and 5,682 of the individuals had died.

Eating nuts was associated with some heart benefits but tree nuts but had the strongest link to heart health.

Five servings of nuts per week correlated with a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, a 20 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, and a 34 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease death compared to eating less than one serving of nuts per month.

What’s more, the researchers found that each additional serving of nuts per week lowered cardiovascular disease risk by three percent and cardiovascular disease death by six percent.

Even after accounting for different demographic factors and influencing habits like smoking or weight, eating nuts had a positive impact on heart health for those with type two diabetes.

“Our findings provide new evidence that supports the recommendation of including nuts in healthy dietary patterns for the prevention of cardiovascular disease complications and premature deaths among individuals with diabetes,” said Gang Liu, the lead author of the study. “It seems never too late to improve diet and lifestyle after diagnosis among individuals with type 2 diabetes.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Eatings nuts helps lower cardiovascular risk for those with diabetes

New research has found that eating more nuts could help...

Screen time for young children has more than doubled since 1997. With such fast-paced advancements made in smartphones, portable tablets, and streaming, today’s children have more access and exposure to screens and media than ever before.

Now, a new study has found that screen time for children under the age of two has more than doubled since 1997.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, raises concerns about how much screen time is too much for young children.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.fiu.edu/">Florida International University</a> who conducted the study analyzed data from parent diaries that were part of the <a href="https://psidonline.isr.umich.edu/cds/cdsi_usergd.pdf">Child Development Supplement Panel Study of Income Dynamics</a> between 1997 and 2014.

In 1997, screen time included television, video games, and computers. By 2014, the definition of screen time expanded to include smartphones and tablets.

The results showed that for children under two, screen time increased from 1.32 hours in 1997 to 3.5 hours in 2014. The majority of screen time for children under two in 2014 consisted of television.

Children ages three to five didn’t spend much more or less time in front a screen in 2014 compared to 1997, but television still accounted for the majority of screen time.

The <a href="https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Announces-New-Recommendations-for-Childrens-Media-Use.aspx">American Academy of Pediatrics</a> recommends that children under 18 months avoid screen time all together, and that children 18 to 24 months be introduced to high-quality educational programming.

The experts say that for children two to five, parents should limit screen time to just one hour and watch programming as a family to help explain what is being watched.

Research has shown the importance of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limited-screen-cognitive-ability-kids/">limiting screen time</a>, as too much screen time for young children can have an adverse impact on cognition, development, and increase the risk of obesity, according to CNN.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Screen time for young children has more than doubled since 1997

Screen time for young children has more than doubled since...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> pinpoints the exact locations of two quarries in Wales where the “bluestones” of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stonehenge-built-remains/">Stonehenge</a> originated. The research also reveals how the stones were quarried 5,000 years ago.

It was previously established that 42 of Stonehenge's smaller stones, known as bluestones, came from Pembrokeshire in west Wales. Now, two specific quarries have been identified by a team of archaeologists and geologists.


“What's really exciting about these discoveries is that they take us a step closer to unlocking Stonehenge's greatest mystery - why its stones came from so far away,” said Professor Mike Parker Pearson.

“Every other Neolithic monument in Europe was built of megaliths brought from no more than 10 miles away. We're now looking to find out just what was so special about the Preseli hills 5,000 years ago, and whether there were any important stone circles here, built before the bluestones were moved to Stonehenge.”

[caption id="attachment_1868170" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/stonehenge.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868170" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/stonehenge.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="524" /></a> Stonehenge quarry, Image Credit: UCL[/caption]

The largest quarry was located almost 180 miles away from Stonehenge on the north slope of the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire.

“This was the dominant source of Stonehenge's spotted dolerite, so-called because it has white spots in the igneous blue rock. At least five of Stonehenge's bluestones, and probably more, came from Carn Goedog,” said Dr. Richard Bevins.

The researchers found that the bluestone outcrops were formed of natural pillars with vertical joints. This would have made it easier to access the stones compared to the quarries in ancient Egypt, where obelisks were carved out of the solid rock. In the Welsh quarries, the workers simply inserted wedges into the joints between pillars before removing them. 

“The stone wedges are made of imported mudstone, much softer than the hard dolerite pillars. An engineering colleague has suggested that hammering in a hard wedge could have created stress fractures, causing the thin pillars to crack. Using a soft wedge means that, if anything were to break, it would be the wedge and not the pillar,” said Professor Parker Pearson.


The excavations also uncovered the remains of man-made stone and earth platforms at the foot of each outcrop.

“Bluestone pillars could be eased down onto this platform, which acted as a loading bay for lowering them onto wooden sledges before dragging them away,” said Professor Colin Richards.


The team now speculates that Stonehenge was initially a circle of rough, unworked bluestone pillars, and that sandstone blocks were added about 500 years later. The findings also challenge the theory that the bluestones were transported by sea to Stonehenge.

Professor Kate Welham explained, “Some people think that the bluestones were taken southwards to Milford Haven and placed on rafts or slung between boats and then paddled up the Bristol Channel and along the Bristol Avon towards Salisbury Plain. But these quarries are on the north side of the Preseli hills so the megaliths could have simply gone overland all the way to Salisbury Plain.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://antiquity.ac.uk/">Antiquity</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists pinpoint where the Stonehenge bluestones originated

A new study led by the University College London pinpoints...

By hunting small animals, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/diverse-climates-homo-sapiens-thrive/">Homo sapiens</a> were able to rapidly adapt and settle in extreme environments that their hominin relatives did not even touch. An international team of researchers has found that humans hunted small mammals such as primates in the forests of Sri Lanka at least 45,000 years ago.

At the oldest archaeological site occupied by humans in Sri Lanka, the experts found evidence of cut-marks and burning alongside sophisticated bone and stone tools. The study, led by scientists from the <a href="https://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History</a>, highlights the unique adaptability of Homo sapiens. The research also provides the oldest and longest record of sophisticated primate hunting by foragers.


In discussions of early human dispersal, tropical rainforests have not been explored due to the notion that these areas were isolated barriers to humans with dangerous animals and diseases. There was also a misperception of resources being very limited. The monkeys and squirrels in the forest would have not only been difficult to catch, but would have also provided less protein.

Hunting small animals has long been considered a testament to the complexity of our species, but the onset of this activity has not been widely studied. This is especially the case in tropical regions. 

“Over the last two decades, research has highlighted human occupation of tropical rainforests in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Melanesia at least as early as 45,000 years ago, so the potential for human reliance on small mammals in these settings prior to 20,000 years ago seems likely,” said Dr. Patrick Roberts.


The current study has produced new chronological information through the analysis of animal remains and tools recovered from the Fa-Hien Lena Cave, which is the site of the earliest H. sapiens in Sri Lanka.

“The results demonstrate specialized, sophisticated hunting of semi-arboreal and arboreal monkey and squirrel populations from 45,000 years ago in a tropical rainforest environment,” said study lead author Oshan Wedage.

Dr. Noel Amano added, “This was complemented by sophisticated bone tool technologies which were, in turn, created from the bones of hunted monkeys.”

The new study suggests that hunters in the region were primarily focused on monkeys and other small mammals over the last 45,000 years.

Professor Michael Petraglia said, “This 'monkey menu' was not a one-off, and the use of these difficult-to-catch resources is one more example of the behavioral and technological flexibility of H. sapiens.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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: O. Wedage

Humans were hunting small mammals in South Asia 45,000 years ago

By hunting small animals, Homo sapiens were able to rapidly...

In South Africa, an exceptionally high number of young people suffer from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ptsd-cancer-heart-disease/">post-traumatic stress disorder</a> (PTSD) and depression. An international team of researchers found that when students practiced Transcendental Meditation (TM) for three months, most of their symptoms of PTSD and depression were alleviated. 


Study lead author Dr. Carole Bandy is a professor of Psychology at <a href="http://www.norwich.edu/">Norwich University</a>, which is the oldest military college in America. She said that the reduction of symptoms found among the students was both rapid and significant. 

The research was focused on students at the <a href="https://maharishiinstitute.org/">Maharishi Institute</a> (MI) who had all been clinically diagnosed with PTSD. Their symptoms included nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, fear, and hypervigilance. The young adults also reported emotional numbness, anger, violent behavior, and drug and alcohol abuse. 

After just 15 days of learning Transcendental Meditation, the students showed a significant drop of more than 10 points in their PTSD symptoms. At the beginning of the study, the average group score for the students was 44. By the end, this mean score had fallen below the PTSD threshold of 34. The young people also felt relief from the depressive symptoms associated with PTSD.

“A high percentage of young people in South Africa, especially those living in the townships, suffer from PTSD,” said study co-author Michael Dillbeck. “To become successful students and productive members of society, they absolutely need help dealing with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Our study shows, that after 3 months of meditation, this group, on average, was out of PTSD. It offers a way for others to effectively deal with this problem.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/prx">Psychological Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Transcendental meditation can help relieve PTSD symptoms

In South Africa, an exceptionally high number of young people...

Experts have been looking into ways to improve beef production methods in an effort to reduce harmful <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cowspiracy-film-review/">greenhouse gas emissions</a>. One environmentally-friendly option that is being explored is lab-grown meat. However, a new study from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> has revealed that cultured meat would not mitigate all of the negative impacts of beef production without a widespread shift to carbon-free energy.

The researchers determined that while some forms of cultured meat would be an improvement, others could actually drive higher global temperatures in the long term. The study authors emphasized that the climate impact of cultured meat production will depend on its energy demands and the availability of low-carbon power sources.

“There has been a great deal of public interest in cultured meat recently, and many articles highlight the potential for substituting cattle beef with cultured meat to provide an important climate benefit,” said study lead author Dr. John Lynch.

“We show that it is not yet clear whether this is the case, partly because of uncertainties about how cultured meat would be produced at scale. An important issue in comparing farmed and cultured beef is that the different warming impacts of greenhouse gases are also not well accounted for in the standard measure used in carbon footprints.”

Previous studies have established that agricultural greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for about 25 percent of the Earth's current warming. Replacing traditional beef with lab-grown meat has been widely discussed as a better alternative, but the emissions that result from creating meat in a lab may have been underestimated. 

“Cattle are very emissions-intensive because they produce a large amount of methane from fermentation in their gut,” explained study co-author Professor Raymond Pierrehumbert.

“Methane is an important greenhouse gas, but the way in which we generally describe methane emissions as ‘carbon dioxide equivalent’ amounts can be misleading because the two gases are very different. Per ton emitted, methane has a much larger warming impact than carbon dioxide, however, it only remains in the atmosphere for about 12 years whereas carbon dioxide persists and accumulates for millennia. This means methane's impact on long-term warming is not cumulative and is impacted greatly if emissions increase or decrease over time.”

A model created by the researchers showed that cattle have a greater initial warming effect through the release of methane, but some lab-grown meat techniques would ultimately result in more warming. 

“This is important because while reducing methane emissions would be good - and an important part of our climate policies - if we simply replace that methane with carbon dioxide it could actually have detrimental long-term consequences,” said Dr. Lynch.

“The climate impacts of cultured meat production will depend on what level of sustainable energy generation can be achieved, as well as the efficiency of future culture processes.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems">Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cultured meat may not be the best substitute for conventional beef

Experts have been looking into ways to improve beef production...

A new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> and published in the journal Cancer Research shows that smoking may hinder the immune system’s ability to fight off <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/immune-cells-skin-cancer-treatment/">skin cancer</a>.

More than 700 patients diagnosed with melanoma took part in the study, and the researchers found that participants who were smokers were 40 percent less likely to survive the disease compared to the participants that hadn’t smoked for the past decade or more. 

A smaller experiment with 156 participants yielded important insights into how smoking may inhibit the body’s immune response to cancer cells.

Past research has shown that smoking <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5352117/">negatively impacts the immune system</a>, but this relationship has not been thoroughly understood. 

While the researchers could not officially determine why smoking lowered survival rates or even that smoking caused a lowered immune response, the study shows a definite association between the two. 

“The immune system is like an orchestra, with multiple pieces. This research suggests that smoking might disrupt how it works together in tune, allowing the musicians to continue playing but possibly in a more disorganised way,” said Julia Newton-Bishop, the lead author of the study. “The result is that smokers could still mount an immune response to try and destroy the melanoma, but it appears to have been less effective than in never-smokers, and smokers were less likely to survive their cancer.”

More work is needed to understand what chemicals in tobacco disrupt the immune system’s ability to fight off cancer cells, but the researchers say the results provide another important motivation to help smokers quit. 

“Overall, these results show that smoking could limit the chances of melanoma patients' survival so it's especially important that they are given all the support possible to give up smoking for good,” said Dr. Julie Sharp, head of health information at <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/">Cancer Research UK</a>, which funded the study. 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Smoking may hinder the body’s ability to beat skin cancer

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of...

Through a genomic study of 50 African populations, researchers from the <a href="https://www.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania</a> have found that some of the click-speaking hunter-gatherer populations of East Africa are more closely related to each other than their neighboring populations. The research also shows that this relation is fairly recent.

This evidence provides proof that a few of those who speak languages that utilize “clicks” can most likely be grouped into a single family, which goes against the belief of some linguists that the individual click languages are too different to be grouped together.

The genomic analysis, published February 18th in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, also shows the importance of infectious diseases, immunity, and diet in the shaping of diverse populations across <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/widespread-burn-scars-africa/">Africa</a>.

"It's very rare to have a study of this many groups that are genetically different in terms of ancestry, in their subsistence patterns, and are geographically dispersed as well," said senior author Sarah Tishkoff, a geneticist and <a href="https://pikprofessors.upenn.edu/">Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor</a>. "This allows us to characterize population structure and demographic history as well as to look at signatures of natural selection acting on these populations."

[caption id="attachment_1868031" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/East-Africa’s-hunter-gatherers-share-a-common-ancestry.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1868031" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/East-Africa’s-hunter-gatherers-share-a-common-ancestry.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /></a> Clockwise from upper left: Sabue, San, Hadza, and Sandawe[/caption]

The study, which has been decades in the making and examines African populations that have otherwise remained understudied, looked at the genomes of 840 Africans from hunter-gatherer populations spread across sub-Saharan Africa and discovered 621,000 separate nucleotides in the DNA of each study participant.

Researchers were particularly interested in the relationships between African populations who speak languages identified as Khoisan — a language that uses click consonants.

"Some linguists say it's not correct to place all of these into the Khoisan family, arguing that the Hadza and Sandawe languages are so different from each other and from the San that they really should be in separate language classifications," Tishkoff said. "It's an ongoing question in linguistics and genetics, and we wanted to ask the question, 'Do these groups with click phonemes have a common genetic ancestry?'"

Via their genetic mapping process, the team found that four hunter-gatherer populations in East Africa — the Hadza, Sandawe, Dahalo, and Sabue — clustered together.

"Typically what we see is that populations cluster by geography, but here we're seeing an exception to that," Tishkoff said. "Here you have three groups that either speak a click language, have remnant clicks, or have an unclassified language, and they're showing a common ancestry even though they're spread across different countries."

Researchers could not find a shared ancestry between these four groups and the South African San people, who also speak with Khoisan clicks. However, they were able to find a genetic link between the San and a population of rainforest hunter-gatherers from Central Africa, despite the large geographical distance.

But other hunter-gatherer groups, like the Wata, El Molo, and Yaaku, were seemingly more genetically similar to neighboring agriculturalist and pastoralist groups than to each other.

The analysis revealed that the common ancestry of the Hadza, Sandawe, Dahalo, and Sabue populations dates back about 20,000 years ago, around the beginning of the last glacial maximum during which ice covered large portions of Earth.

"The idea is that this may have changed environmental conditions and introduced a barrier between populations," said lead author Laura Scheinfeldt, a former research associate in Tishkoff's lab, and currently with the <a href="https://www.coriell.org/">Coriell Institute for Medical Research</a>. “What we found was the strongest signatures of adaptation tended to be population-specific.” This means that targets of natural selection differed from group to group and could be responsible for the unique evolution of each population.

"Genes involved in immune responses, diet, and metabolism were the broad categories that we saw coming up over and over again," Scheinfeldt added. "We know infectious disease in general is a very strong pressure, and, when you look solely at how prevalent malaria is, that also explains some of the patterns we see in adaptive signatures. Just that one disease is a very strong selective pressure."

Next, Tishkoff wants to explore how genetic variants may affect physical traits of those who carry them, which could help scientists better understand disease susceptibility. Furthermore, the team will use whole-genome sequencing techniques to discover more relationships between Africa’s many populations. 

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Tishkoff lab

East Africa’s hunter-gatherers share a common ancestry

Through a genomic study of 50 African populations, researchers from...

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?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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