Music can make a sleepy train ride feel romantic or turn a routine workout into an emotional burst of energy. 



Scientists have long wondered how a string of notes pushes the brain from one emotional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-doesnt-just-hear-music-it-becomes-the-rhythm/">feeling</a> to the next, and why the experience changes when the previous feeling was different. <a href="https://psychology.columbia.edu/content/matthew-sachs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matthew Sachs</a> of Columbia University and colleagues set out to <a href="https://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2025/06/19/ENEURO.0184-24.2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">answer</a> that puzzle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wordless-path-to-emotion">A wordless path to emotion</h2>



Music reliably raises specific <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32898679/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emotions</a> across cultures, making it a useful tool for lab work. Because melodies lack words, researchers can study pure feeling without the baggage of stories or language.



In recent <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1910704117" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surveys</a>, listeners reported at least thirteen distinct emotional colors from songs, ranging from awe to tenderness. Those varied reactions let scientists choreograph controlled “emotional journeys” by arranging passages that lean happy, tense, calm, or sad.



The brain also treats music as a social signal, recruiting regions tied to empathy and perspective‑taking. That overlap makes findings with music relevant to understanding everyday interactions. 



Music’s precise timing helps investigators lock brain activity to exact seconds in a tune. Such temporal precision is important when studying transitions, which can unfold in a blink.



Finally, unlike pictures or movies, songs can be replayed in multiple orders without breaking logic. That flexibility allowed the team to test how a given passage feels when it follows joy versus when it follows anxiety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-changes-emotion-fast">Music changes emotion fast</h2>



Sachs’s group asked professional composers to craft two fifteen‑minute pieces split into thirty‑two “emotion events,” each one lasting about 30‑70 seconds. The passages covered calm, joy, sadness, anxiety, and a mixed nostalgic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/live-music-connects-people-emotionally-and-physically/">feeling</a>.



Two versions of each piece shuffled the same events so that a joyful segment might follow calm in one version but chase sadness in the other. 



This context swap let the researchers isolate the effect of prior mood. Thirty‑nine volunteers lay in an <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/25034-functional-mri-fmri" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fMRI scanner</a>, a technique that tracks blood flow as a stand‑in for neural activity. The scanner’s pulses were timed to the beat so listeners heard smooth audio through special headphones.



After scanning, the volunteers replayed short clips of music online and rated how strongly each clip made them feel the target emotion. Those ratings confirmed that the music hit its emotional marks at the intended moments.



To align brains that never look identical, the team used a <a href="https://web.stanford.edu/~jurafsky/slp3/A.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hidden Markov model</a>, a statistical tool that spots stable patterns and the moments they shift. The model does not assume equal event lengths, matching how real feelings vary.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-mapped-onto-brain-activity">Music mapped onto brain activity</h2>



Activity patterns in auditory cortex and the adjoining superior temporal gyrus stayed steady within an event but flipped sharply at composer‑defined boundaries. Those flips still appeared after factoring out pitch, volume, and harmony, meaning the brain was tracking emotion rather than mere <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-and-repeated-sounds-reorganize-your-brain-networks-in-real-time/">acoustics</a>.



The same temporal‑parietal strip has been linked to social meaning in speech and laughter. Current <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896627317305937" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> add music‑evoked emotion dynamics to its résumé. 



Elsewhere, frontal regions associated with self‑reflection lit up when feelings changed. That response supports prior work showing prefrontal roles in labeling and regulating emotion.



Importantly, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2768874/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subcortical reward hubs</a> showed general arousal but did not map fine‑grained transitions. Those areas may mark intensity rather than shifts in category. 



Together the data sketch a layered system: auditory regions sense change, temporal‑parietal regions label the new state, and frontal areas integrate the experience. That hierarchy resembles proposed models for narrative comprehension.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-emotions-change-how-you-hear-music">Past emotions change how you hear music</h2>



When a happy passage followed another positive passage, listeners’ brains switched to the new state about six seconds sooner than when the same passage followed a tense one. The volunteers also pressed the “happy” button nine seconds earlier in the same‑valence condition.



Context even changed the spatial pattern of activity during an event. Pairs of participants who heard a clip in the same order showed more similar neural signatures than pairs who heard it in opposite orders.



Such carry‑over echoes psychological <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31628982/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">findings</a> that earlier feelings bias how we perceive later stimuli. The study quantifies that bias down to single‑second resolution. 



Researchers call the stickiness of mood <a href="https://econtent.hogrefe.com/doi/10.1027/0269-8803.23.1.7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">valence</a> persistence, and extreme persistence can tip into emotional rigidity. Depression is often marked by this rigidity, trapping individuals in negative states.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treating-emotion-with-playlists">Treating emotion with playlists</h2>



“We know that people who suffer from mood disorders or depression often demonstrate emotional rigidity, where they basically get stuck in an emotional state" said Sachs. 



"Maybe we could take someone with depression, for instance, and use the approach we developed to identify neural markers for the emotional rigidity that keeps them in a very negative state.”



His comment matches growing interest in music‑based interventions. Unlike medications, playlists can be tailored rapidly and have few side effects. 



If clinicians can spot delayed transition signatures in vulnerable patients, they might train quicker shifts through neurofeedback. Past <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19646532/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> shows that people can learn to nudge targeted brain regions with real‑time feedback.



Therapists already use mood‑tracking apps; adding objective brain markers could improve accuracy. Personalized “emotion workouts” might teach flexible switching, similar to cognitive training for attention.



 Beyond clinics, the findings could improve soundtracks in virtual reality or adaptive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/video-games-can-rewind-the-clock-on-cognitive-performance/">games</a>. Systems might adjust musical cues to help users linger in, or exit from, certain feelings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-science-hasn-t-tested-yet">What science hasn’t tested yet</h2>



The study focused on adults in a scanner; children, musicians, or people with disorders may show different timelines. Future projects could compare those groups directly.&nbsp;



Only five emotion labels were used. Real life holds many blended states such as awe or envy that might map differently. Subcortical areas did not show clear transition patterns here, but that may reflect scanner noise or event length.&nbsp;



Higher‑resolution recordings could reveal subtler dynamics. Music is just one trigger; spoken stories, movement, or smell might drive other networks. 



Combining modalities could pinpoint common versus unique pathways. Finally, the team manipulated valence but not arousal. Experiments that cross calm‑excited levels might tease apart the role of energy versus positivity.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.eneuro.org/content/early/2025/06/19/ENEURO.0184-24.2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eNeuro</a>.



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Music rewires the brain to quickly navigate emotion

Music can make a sleepy train ride feel romantic or turn a routine workout into an emotional burst of energy. Scientists have long wondered how a string of notes pushes the brain from one emotional feeling to the next, and why the experience changes when the previous feeling was different. Matthew Sachs of Columbia University and colleagues set out to answer that puzzle. A wordless path to emotion Music reliably raises specific emotions across cultures, making it a useful tool for lab work. Because melodies lack words,...

The recent kidnapping of Sue Endicott, an American woman on safari in Uganda, for a $500,000 ransom has gained a great deal of attention in the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/american-kim-sue-endicott-guide-rescued-kidnapping-ordeal/story?id=62217724">media</a> lately.  Endicott and her guide were rescued, bringing the story to a happy conclusion.  Unfortunately, most of the media coverage looks at the kidnapping as either an isolated instance or a sign of how dangerous Uganda is for <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tourism-light-pollution-sea-turtle/">tourists</a>.  Few delve into the deeper problems in a country full of corruption with many recent kidnappings of locals. The issues are deeper than the instance of one American being kidnapped and involve our own government, our own tourist and tax dollars, as well as problems in the Ugandan government.    

Tourism is big business, especially in Africa.  According to a report by the <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/Africa/Report/africa-tourism-report-2013-overview.pdf">World Bank</a>, 8.8% of the world’s jobs are supported in some way by tourism.  Sub-Saharan Africa attracted 6.7 million visitors in 1990, but grew that number to 33.8 million visitors in 2012.  Income from tourism in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012 amounted to greater than US$36 billion, accounting for 2.8% of the region’s GDP directly.  According to the <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/africas-tourism-potential/">Brookings Institute</a>, Africa is projected to reach $261.77 Billion in tourism profit by 2030.  Uganda is one of the African nations profiting from tourism. 

Uganda is known for its spectacular African wildlife. It is also one of the places where tourists can pay to visit gorillas in the wild.  The <a href="https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-uganda-kidnapping-ransom-20190404-story.html">Los Angeles Times</a> quoted official sources claiming that Uganda made US$1.37 Billion from tourism in 2016, this is one of Uganda’s greatest sources of foreign income.  Gorilla tourism is an important part of tourism in Uganda as a whole. According to a <a href="http://www.igcp.org/wp-content/themes/igcp/docs/pdf/MoyiniUganda.pdf">report</a> from the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP):

“Gorilla tourism, is the single most important asset over which Uganda has an absolute comparative advantage when compared to Kenya and Tanzania.”

It is estimated that if developed to full capacity in Uganda, gorilla tourism is worth $7-33 million annually.  Uganda has bigger problems than catering to tourists, though. The country has been plagued recently with a large amount of kidnappings, usually of women and sometimes children for ransoms.

<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/06/africa/ugandan-activists-parliament-coffin/index.html">CNN</a> reported in June of last year that protestors were carrying mock coffins to protest government inaction over the rise in kidnappings.  In fact, according to police, 42 kidnappings were reported in 4 months. At least one woman was reported to have been raped and killed after her family didn’t pay her ransom.  In total, eight victims of kidnappings died by last summer. A police spokesman told CNN that many people have been staging their own kidnappings in order to get money. Kidnappings of civilians is only one small part of the greater problems of corruption and ineptitude in the government of Uganda.  

President Yoweri Museveni has been in power in Uganda since 1986 and recently removed legal restrictions limiting the upper age limit of president, allowing him to run again in 2021.  A member of the Ugandan Parliament and vocal critic of the president, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (AKA Bobi Wine), released a <a href="https://bobiwine.com/2018/09/05/bobi-wine-and-robert-amsterdam-to-hold-washington-dc-press-conference/#more-482">press statement</a> through his American lawyer calling on the US to stop military aid to Uganda.  He said that the Ugandan government tortured him and another member of parliament for their opposition of the government.  The statement told American taxpayers that their tax dollars pay for the torture of political advisories in Uganda. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uganda-politics-wine/u-s-should-suspend-military-aid-to-uganda-lawyer-for-critic-of-museveni-idUSKCN1LM2OU">Reuters</a> reports that the US is a major supplier of military aid to Uganda, giving cash, equipment and training.  President Museveni warned against outside influence of his government.

[caption id="attachment_1871053" align="aligncenter" width="650"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/tourists.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1871053" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/tourists.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="313" /></a> Tourists taking a boat trip on Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda, Image Credit: Shutterstock[/caption]

In September of last year, while pressure grew for the US to cut off military aid to Uganda, President Museveni made a speech calling on foreign nations to allow him to handle Ugandan problems, in response to the press release by Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uganda-politics/uganda-warns-against-interference-as-pressure-mounts-on-us-to-cut-military-support-idUSKCN1LP0SE">Reuters</a>.  So far the US has turned a blind eye on it’s indirect involvement in human rights violations in Uganda.  Nothing stands in the way of Museveni running for president again in 2021, the same year that oil production is set to begin in Uganda.  US involvement in this region of Africa is nothing new.

In 1999, <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-03-03-9903030134-story.html">The Chicago Tribune</a> reported that Rwandan rebels kidnapped and killed eight foreign tourists in Uganda to see wild mountain gorillas.  Six other tourists escaped alive. The rebels were specifically targeting American and British tourists, reportedly because of those government’s interference in local issues.  The rebels started by killing rangers and searching camps for tourists. Those killed were hacked and mutilated with machetes and left with notes saying, "Americans and British, we don't want you on our land. You support our enemy." This was the last kidnapping of an American in Uganda until the one that just ended recently, about two decades later.  

It’s still not clear who kidnapped Sue Endicott and her guide.  If there’s an ulterior motive besides the ransom, officials aren’t talking about it.  Endicott in the end was rescued by a joint security forces and it seems the US played a minor role in rescuing her.  It’s not clear if any of the ransom was paid or who may have paid it. What is clear is that the US continues to meddle in Ugandan and African affairs with little regard for the wellbeing of locals or tourists.  It’s also clear that despite the kidnappings of so many local people, it took the kidnapping of an American woman for Ugandan officials to take the situation seriously and for western media to pay attention. All too often we act like the whole of a place like Africa is but the backdrop for our own vacations or volunteer trips.  

Perhaps danger to foreign tourists will make Americans and hopefully officials pay closer attention to our own culpability in maintaining a status quo of dysfunction in Africa.  As for the gorillas Endicott wanted so badly to see, they suffer along with the people. Years of violence impact wildlife and humans alike, allowing in poachers and creating unstable government protections of habitat and wildlife.      

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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer      

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Main Image Credit: Cheryl Ramalho/Shutterstock

Recent kidnapping highlights trouble with American involvement in Uganda

The recent kidnapping of Sue Endicott, an American woman on...

Take a minute and picture your favorite color. Does that color remind you of a happy memory or make you feel a particular emotion? 

These are the kind of questions wrapped up in the field of color psychology as researchers work to understand our complex relationship and connection to different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/color-fruit-evolved-attract-animals/">colors</a>.

The paper company, <a href="https://www.gfsmith.com/">G.F Smith</a>, is taking this research to the next level and has conducted a comprehensive report centered around one main idea: is it possible to find a color that perfectly encapsulates our current global culture and society?

In other words, G.F Smith along with the <a href="https://www.sussex.ac.uk/">University of Sussex</a> are on a mission to find the world's favorite color. 

The <a href="https://worldsfavouritecolour.info/">World’s Favorite Colour report</a> includes survey responses from 25,596 people from over 100 countries as the researchers worked to find color connections that cross cultures and countries. 

Participants in the project were asked about their favorite color and what words they associated with that particular color. Anna Franklin, an expert in color psychology and a professor at the University of Essex led the research. 

Some of the most common words that people associate with their favorite colors were “happy,” “calm,” “bright,” and “vibrant.” 

The researchers found that certain colors had universal appeal in terms of how they made people feel and what emotions they elicited. 

For example, people tend to link red, blue and orange shades with strength, but dark blue, pink, and turquoise were associated with calmness.

[caption id="attachment_1871070" align="aligncenter" width="631"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/12061508-0-image-a-40_1554830407499.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1871070" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/12061508-0-image-a-40_1554830407499.jpg" alt="" width="631" height="406" /></a> Image Credit: G.F. Smith/University of Sussex[/caption]

Green was connected to the feeling people get when they think about the future and luxury was associated with purples and whites. 

“Colour has always had an intrinsic relationship with our culture and is woven into our consciousness,” G.F Smith Joint Managing Director John Haslam, the G.F Smith Joint Managing Director stated in the report. “The fascinating results and their relevance are shared in the report — inspiring the world to think differently about the role and value of colour in our lives.”

[caption id="attachment_1871071" align="aligncenter" width="634"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/12061516-0-image-a-43_1554830412512.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1871071" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/12061516-0-image-a-43_1554830412512.jpg" alt="" width="634" height="391" /></a> Image Credit: G.F. Smith/University of Sussex[/caption]

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Navy, pink and turquoise are the colors most associated with relaxation

Take a minute and picture your favorite color. Does that...

Air pollution may shorten life expectancy of children by 20 months. A new global air pollution report emphasizes the negative health impacts of dangerous pollutants and the disproportionate burden of poor air quality in Asia and Africa. 

The <a href="http://www.stateofglobalair.org/sites/default/files/soga_2019_report.pdf">2019 State of Global Air (SOGA) report</a> is a collaboration between the <a href="https://www.healtheffects.org/">Health Effects Institute</a> and the <a href="http://www.healthdata.org/gbd">Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's Global Burden of Disease</a>. 

The yearly report is meant to provide the public with a comprehensive overview of the most up to date information on air quality and health for the world’s nations.  2019’s report marks the first time that air pollution’s impact on life expectancy was factored into the findings. 

Understanding how air pollution impacts human health and wellbeing is vital especially as the <a href="https://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a> recently found that 90 percent of the world’s population breathes highly polluted air. 

“The growing burden of disease from air pollution is among the major challenges facing national governments and public health officials, with far-reaching implications for national economies and human well-being,” the report said.

Research has shown that air pollution shortens <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-shortens-life-spans/">life expectancy</a> and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.Air pollution may shorten life expectancy of children by 20 months 

Children are the most susceptible to the life-threatening impacts of air pollution, and the report found that poor air quality can shorten their lifespan by 20 months. In South Asia, air pollution is shortening lifespans by 30 months. 

One of the most significant problems with air pollution is the high levels of PM 2.5 or particulate matter that are smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. 

“Major PM 2.5 sources in India include household burning of solid fuels; dust from construction, roads, and other activities; industrial and power plant burning of coal; brick production; transportation; and diesel-powered equipment,” the report said. 

In African countries, air pollution shortens average life expectancy by two years. 

Air pollution in some countries is such a widespread and toxic problem that governments are turning to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/asian-countries-persistent-air-pollution/">extreme measures like cloud seeding</a> to make it rain or installing outdoor air purifiers. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Air pollution may shorten life expectancy of children by 20 months

Air pollution may shorten life expectancy of children by 20...

City viaduct bridge road landscape.

A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-09426-0">new study</a> from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> has found that flying cars like the ones seen on the 1960s animated series “The Jetsons,” known in real life as electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOLs), would not be sustainable for short-term commutes. However, VTOLs with their helicopter-like vertical takeoff and similar aerodynamic flight to that of an airplane, could potentially be a more sustainable option for longer trips, especially within congested cities.

The study will be published April 9th in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

"To me, it was very surprising to see that VTOLs were competitive with regard to energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in certain scenarios,” said senior author Gregory Keoleian, the director of the <a href="http://css.umich.edu/">Center for Sustainable Systems</a> at Michigan’s <a href="https://seas.umich.edu/">School for Environment and Sustainability</a>. “VTOLs with full occupancy could outperform ground-based cars for trips from San Francisco to San Jose or from Detroit to Cleveland, for example.”

In partnership with Ford Motor Company, the University of Michigan study is the first comprehensive look at the sustainability of VTOLs. The team looked at their energy use, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/greenhouse-gas-emissions-100-companies/">greenhouse gas emissions</a>, and time saved traveling via VTOL in comparison to cars.

VTOLs produce zero emissions during flight, however, their batteries require power plant-provided electricity. But the researchers found that emission levels tied to VTOL travel were 52% lower than gasoline-powered vehicles and 6% lower than battery-powered vehicles.

"With these VTOLs, there is an opportunity to mutually align the sustainability and business cases," said first author Akshat Kasliwal, a graduate student at the School for Environment and Sustainability. "Not only is high passenger occupancy better for emissions, it also favors the economics of flying cars. Further, consumers could be incentivized to share trips, given the significant time savings from flying versus driving."

The Michigan and Ford research team used information available to the public to create a physics-based model that tracks energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions of VTOLs.

"Our model represents general trends in the VTOL space and uses parameters from multiple studies and aircraft designs to specify weight, lift-to-drag ratio and battery-specific energy," said coauthor Noah Furbush, a master's student at the <a href="https://www.engin.umich.edu/">University of Michigan College of Engineering</a>. "In addition, we conducted sensitivity analyses to explore the bounds of these parameters, alongside other factors such as grid carbon intensity and wind speed.”

By tracking the VTOLs energy usage, the team saw that it expended the most energy during takeoff and climb. But at cruise speed of 150 mph, the craft was fairly sustainable and would therefore be ideal for long trips.

"As a result, the trips where VTOLs are more sustainable than gasoline cars only make up a small fraction of total annual vehicle-miles traveled on the ground," said coauthor Jim Gawron, a graduate student at the School for Environment and Sustainability and the <a href="https://michiganross.umich.edu/">Ross School of Business</a>. "Consequently, VTOLs will be limited in their contribution and role in a sustainable mobility system."

More research must be done on VTOL cost, noise, and consumer/societal acceptance before the team can conclude that VTOLs are, in fact, the craft of the future.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Dave Brenner/University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability

Could Jetsons-like flying cars be a sustainable option for the future?

A new study from the University of Michigan has found...

As is often the case with major cultural movements, it’s clear in the environmental movement that the status quo cannot be maintained while the goals of the movement are met.  A new major goal of the environmental movement as a means to an end is the reshaping of global economies. 

Economics have to date fueled much environmental destruction and injustice.  In many ways, economics as they are now are merely a conduit of changing nature (and human labor) into money that is collected mainly by the already powerful.  

There isn’t a solid consensus on how economics fit in with the environment.  One side of the environmental movement sees economics as a solution to the environmental crisis while the other side feels that the economic apparatus must be completely destroyed.  Mainstream environmentalism primarily seems to have embraced ideas of economic reform on massive scales as we’ve seen in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-new-deal/">Green New Deal</a> which has been called socialist by its critics.  The criticism of environmentalism as being anti-capitalist or anti-economics is nothing new.  <a href="https://www.hcn.org/articles/reckoning-with-history-critics-of-the-green-new-deal-rail-against-socialism-weve-seen-this-before">High Country News</a> reports that The New Deal and National Forests were once dismissed by critics as socialism.  

The <a href="https://www.nlg.org/the-attack-on-climate-justice-movements/">National Lawyers Guild</a> points out that with the formation of the EPA and other environmental regulations, environmentalism has often squared off against corporate profit.  The point isn’t whether these programs are or are not socialist. The point is that on some level, capitalism is about selfishly consuming ‘resources’ including trees, animals, land.  The environmental movement is opposed to this selfish destruction and consumption and so is opposed to current capitalist economics.

Unfortunately, the government is very invested in economics, even within the realm of conservation.  National Forests, parks, and wildlife are all defined economically. This reductionism is a large part of what has lead to the confrontation between environmentalists, the government and other champions of the status quo.  Jack Turner describes the problem well in his book The Abstract Wild:

“Economists and scientists have conned us into speaking of trees as “resources,” wilderness as a “management unit,” and picas gathering grass for winter because of “incentives.” In accepting these descriptions, we allow a set of experts to define our concerns in economic terms and predetermine the range of possible responses.  Often we cannot even raise the issues important to us because the economic language of others excludes our issues from the discussion.” 

It’s easy to see why economics have come to define so much in our daily discussion.  Talks of the economy overshadow basic moral principles. Time and again, the discussion of allowing immigrants into the United States turns on economic cost versus benefit instead of the moral validity of seeking asylum from violence.  The same is true of much criticism of the environmental movement and even some ideas within the movement itself. Because of the opposing goals of environmentalists and the United States government, a conflict is inevitable.

Protests are on the rise.  According to <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/4/7/17209710/trump-protest-poll">Vox</a>, more people than ever have protested the current presidential administration on a number of issues.  The feeling is that many people are getting frustrated by only voting and letting elected officials decide what to do and are demanding action now.  The environmental movement is included in the frustration. In the face of little government action to really confront climate change, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/students-protest-climate-change-inaction/">students across the world</a> have joined in protesting.  As protests begin to ramp up, the government has started to respond.  

The <a href="https://www.nlg.org/the-attack-on-climate-justice-movements/">National Lawyers Guild</a> reported last month of a rise in laws aimed at attacking environmental activism.  Protests against fossil fuel interests are often attacked under the guise of protecting critical infrastructure.  The National Lawyers Guild reports that since 2017, bills to designate fossil fuels as critical infrastructure and allow greater latitude in prosecuting those who protest them have been introduced 18 times in 12 states.  There are currently 8 states considering such bills now. Lawsuits are also routinely brought against protestors by private companies with the goal of merely tying protestors up in long and expensive lawsuits. 

Meanwhile, law enforcement regularly labels activists as ecoterrorists or extremists.  These labels are used to justify militarized responses from law enforcement and private security firms as seen in the protests at Standing Rock.  This goes beyond the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/environmental-protesting/">crack down</a> I reported on recently on those groups protesting pipelines in the US.  It extends beyond one group and also applies to other countries as well. 

<a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/02/01/polish-crackdown-ahead-climate-talks">Human Rights Watch</a> reported that Poland moved to limit the rights of environmental protestors before the climate talks there.  This essentially allowed the talks to proceed without any private citizens or environmental groups having a voice on issues that affect us all.  The Polish law forbid spontaneous protests in Katowice during the 2018 climate talks there. Laws like this one and others throughout the world show that although governments and corporations may talk about the threat of climate change and environmental responsibility, they aren’t willing to be held accountable.  Similar actions have been taken at other climate talks. 

During the climate talks in Paris, protestors were placed under house arrest where they reported to police three times a day, according to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-29/climate-protesters-banned-in-paris-security-crackdown/6983870">Australian Broadcasting Corporation</a>.  <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34401931/ns/us_news-environment/t/denmark-frees-nearly-climate-protesters/#.XKoslhplChA">NBC</a> reported that during climate talks in Copenhagen, 968 protestors were detained.        

Those with wealth and those already benefiting from global capitalism are doing their best to either keep the system as it is or rebuild it in a way that continues to disproportionately benefit them.  There is nothing new in those with power trying to maintain that power through actions of military and government. What is new is how much is at stake at this moment. We’re going through a period of unprecedented environmental destruction, not just from climate change but from habitat destruction and development.  Protests are acts of desperation from those who have no other recourse to be heard. Attacking protestors is an act of desperation from those at the top, afraid that change will mean nothing but loss for them. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

As calls get louder, governments crack down on environmental protests

As is often the case with major cultural movements, it’s...

A growing number of women are using <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/medical-marijuana-treats-chronic-disease/">marijuana</a> as a treatment for morning sickness during pregnancy, and a team of researchers at <a href="http://www.auburn.edu/">Auburn University</a> set out to investigate the potential impacts. The experts found that marijuana alters complex connections between nerves in the hippocampus, which is the brain's center for learning and memory.

While previous studies have already tied marijuana use during pregnancy to children born with learning and memory impairments, the current study is providing brand new insight into how cannabis exposure affects the brain of a developing fetus. 

“The findings from this study will serve as an excellent premise for future interventions to restore memory in children exposed to cannabis during pregnancy, and for the first time, identify a specific mechanism by which learning and memory impairment occurs and how this impairment can be ameliorated,” said study co-author and graduate student Priyanka Das Pinky.

A separate study recently found that marijuana use during pregnancy increased by 62 percent between 2002 and 2014. 


“Based on our research and the previous existing findings in the field, it can be said that using marijuana during pregnancy would not be a wise choice,” said Pinky. “However, it is also notable that the observed effect in the offspring can vary according to their age and according to the trimester during which they were exposed to the drug as well as dose and route of administration of the drug.”

The research team exposed pregnant female rats to a synthetic compound equivalent to a dose of moderate-to-heavy marijuana use in humans. Among the resulting offspring, they found that connections between the nerves in the hippocampus were reduced compared to baby rats who were not exposed to the synthetic cannabis.


Further analysis revealed that the root of the problem was a reduction in neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAM), which are critical for maintaining the strength of neural connections.

“It is still very early to come up with a conclusion about the possible safe use of marijuana during pregnancy,” said Pinky. “More research is needed to evaluate the exact mechanism by which NCAM and/or its active form is modulating cellular effects while focusing on target specific drug development for amelioration of the observed cognitive deficits.”

The research will be presented at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics annual meeting during <a href="https://experimentalbiology.org/2019/home.aspx">Experimental Biology 2019</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Marijuana is not a safe treatment for pregnancy morning sickness

A growing number of women are using marijuana as a...

Despite the many claims to the contrary, there is relatively little scientific evidence that proves any substantial and lasting benefits from taking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/multivitamins-heart-health/">vitamin supplements</a>. 

The supplement industry is worth billions of dollars, but a new study shows that when it comes to lowering cancer risk, nutrients from food and not supplements have a much bigger impact. 

In fact, researchers from <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> who conducted the study found that excess calcium intake (over 1,000 milligrams a day) through supplements increased the risk of cancer death. 

The results of the study were published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

“As potential benefits and harms of supplement use continue to be studied, some studies have found associations between excess nutrient intake and adverse outcomes, including increased risk of certain cancers,” said Fang Fang Zhang, the senior author for the study. “It is important to understand the role that the nutrient and its source might play in health outcomes, particularly if the effect might not be beneficial.”

The researchers reviewed and analyzed a nationally representative sample of data from 27,000 US adults aged 20 or older. 

The data came from six two-year cycles of the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm">National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey</a> where participants were asked to recall past dietary information. 

Nutrients from food were calculated using the dietary recalls, and the researchers turned to product information for supplements to calculate the nutrients per dose depending on how often each supplement was taken. 

The researchers analyzed the data to compare cancer-lowering risks of nutrients from food versus nutrients received from supplement intake. 

Getting enough vitamin K, magnesium, vitamin A and zinc correlated with a lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease, whereas excess calcium from supplements increased the risk of death from cancer. 

The lower risk of death and cancer were limited to nutrients from food and not supplements. 

Dietary supplements had no impact on lowering the risk of death even in participants who reported low nutrient intake. 

There are some limitations to the study as much of the data relied on self-reported dietary recalls, but the results indicate that there is very little evidence to suggest that nutrients from supplements are beneficial to health and nutrition. 

“Our results support the idea that, while supplement use contributes to an increased level of total nutrient intake, there are beneficial associations with nutrients from foods that aren't seen with supplements,” said Zhang. “This study also confirms the importance of identifying the nutrient source when evaluating mortality outcomes.”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Nutrients from food, not supplements, lower cancer risk

Despite the many claims to the contrary, there is relatively...

Cat owners and dog owners will often fight like, well… cats and dogs. But the eternal struggle between these two groups may have just recorded a major victory for the canine aficionados, according to a new <a href="http://gss.norc.org/">US General Social Survey</a>, which has tracked a litany of American trends over the last half-century. 

With last year’s edition being the first to include questions about pets and the relationship between owner and animal, the survey scored results that showed – while pet owners and non-owners have similar levels of happiness – there is a significant divide within the happiness levels of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dog-owners-perceived-attractive/">dog owners</a> and cat owners. 

Results showed that dog owners were twice as likely to call themselves “very happy,” with 36 percent versus only 18 percent for cat owners. Additionally, dog owners also reported seeking comfort from their animals at a higher rate, along with playing with their pets and even considering their dog a part of the family. 

When put in the context of happiness divide between other groups, the results are even more interesting. The difference between these pet owners as more significant than the happiness disparity between middle class and upper class people, and very close to the difference between people who report they are in “fair” versus “good or excellent” health.

If you’re a dog owner, you may want to immediately run to your nearest cat owner friend and shout these results right in their face – but there are some stipulations. Survey data also showed that dog owners are more likely to be married and own their homes than cat owners, so it’s possible these external factors have an effect in their happiness levels too. Although, in this context, it might be an opportunity to remind your cat-owning friend of why he’s still single.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dog owners are happier than cat owners, survey shows

Cat owners and dog owners will often fight like, well… cats...

In the United States, people are saving less for retirement and putting less away in their personal savings accounts compared to past decades.

One study found that 1 in 3 Americans have <a href="https://news.northwesternmutual.com/2018-05-08-1-In-3-Americans-Have-Less-Than-5-000-In-Retirement-Savings">less than $5,000 saved up for retirement</a>, which is a far cry from what experts suggest that people set aside when it comes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-money-old-age/">time to retire</a>. 

There are of course many factors that go into how much people save each month and the underlying behaviors and history that dictate spending and saving habits. 

However, recent research found that insecurity and a low self-image may motivate a person to save more money as a way to help buffer the anxiety that comes with those insecurities. 

Researchers from <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel-Aviv University </a>and the <a href="https://www.polyu.edu.hk/web/en/home/index.html">Hong Kong Polytechnic University</a> conducted the study which was published in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.  

“People who are insecure about their lives and the broader world save as a means of securing their future in anticipation of a possible emergency,” said Yael Steinhart, the lead author of the study.

The researchers set up a series of experiments to assess how self-image and threats to a person’s self-image influenced saving tendencies. 

2,410 US and Israeli citizens took part in the study, and the researchers also reviewed and analyzed data from a survey of 1,200 Netherlands residents. 

For one of the experiments, the participants were asked to play a game of Sudoku on the computer and were told that their score placed them in the top, middle, or bottom third of all the players. 

Participants were then given a questionnaire and asked how much they would save if they were given $1,250. The participants with lower scores said they would save more money compared to the players who had higher scores.

In another experiment, participants were asked about their social circle, a time when they felt good or bad about themselves, and how many friends they talked to each week. 

As part of the questionnaire, participants were asked how much they would save if they were given $500 and the participants who reported more social connections and friends saved less. 

“Friends may substitute for money as a psychological resource and buffer individuals from anxiety about the future,” said Steinhart.

The data showed consistencies between low self-image or experiencing a threat to self-image and a stronger motivation to save more money, and the researchers say that saving may be a way to help alleviate anxieties that are out of a person’s control. 

“Saving constitutes an important measure of economic well-being,” said Steinhart. “A person's welfare should increase as they save more because saving offers a sense of security about the future.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People save more when they feel insecure and anxious

In the United States, people are saving less for retirement...

While scientists are working to create revolutionary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/anti-aging-drugs-human-trials/">anti-aging treatments</a>, new research has found that achieving higher levels of education could also help buffer against cognitive decline. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ub.edu/web/ub/en/">University of Barcelona</a> and the <a href="https://www.dzne.de/en/">German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases</a> found that attaining more years of higher education results in thicker prefrontal brain regions in old age. 

The study was published in the journal JNeurisci. 

Besides thicker prefrontal brain regions, the researchers also found that higher education was associated with a higher expression of genes that play a role in neurotransmission and immunity. 

122 adults from Spain took part in the study and individuals who had completed 15 years of formal education had thicker medial prefrontal, anterior cingulate, and orbitofrontal cortices regions. 

These prefrontal brain regions are essential for memory and making decisions. 

Data from the <a href="http://www.brain-map.org/">Allen Institute Human Brain Atlas</a> were also analyzed to examine gene expressions in these brain regions. 

Having a better understanding of how these brain regions and genes respond as a person ages and what factors have the strongest influence could help future aging studies and pave the way for new treatments that promote healthy aging. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Higher education may help buffer against cognitive decline in old age

While scientists are working to create revolutionary anti-aging treatments, new...

Heat waves, drought, and hotter summers are all becoming more frequent due to climate change, and sweltering summer heat waves are often exacerbated by the “<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/urban-heat-island/">urban heat island</a>” effect in cities worldwide. 

The lack of vegetation and moisture in cities, coupled with heat-storing blacktop, concrete, and asphalt roof shingles increases city temperatures compared to surrounding rural areas. 

Dangerous heat waves can increase the risk of heat stroke and heat-related mortality, but the urban heat island effect makes cities even more hazardous during heat spikes. 

But there may be a surprisingly simple solution, according to a new modeling study conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford. </a>

Painting roofs so that the materials reflect rather than absorb heat could go a long way in mitigating the urban heat island effect and help keep cities cooler during heat waves. 

The results, published in the study Environment International, show that cool roofs in cities could reduce peak daytime temperatures by three degrees Celsius during a heat wave. 

For the study, the researchers used a regional weather model and assessed temperature changes across Birmingham and the West Midlands in the UK to investigate how the installation of cool-roofs influenced regional temperatures. 

During 2003 and 2006, when Birmingham experienced particularly hot summers, the model revealed that the urban heat island effect increased temperatures by nine degrees Celsius compared to surrounding rural areas. 

The researchers found that cool roofs could reduce peak daytime temperatures and that the cool roofs had the biggest impact during the hottest part of the day. 

If just half of all industrial and commercial buildings in the area switched to a cool roof, the model projected that temperatures would decrease as much as if all the high-intensity residential buildings in the region had cool roofs. 

Cool roofs could also reduce the risk of heat-related mortality during a heat wave by 25 percent. 

“Climate change and increasing urbanisation mean that future populations are likely to be at increased risk of overheating in cities, although building and city scale interventions have the potential to reduce this risk,” the researchers write in their abstract. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cool roofs can reduce overheating in cities and save lives

Heat waves, drought, and hotter summers are all becoming more...

A new investigation from the <a href="https://www.psychologicalscience.org/">Association for Psychological Science</a> is contradicting the widely accepted theory that digital screen time is harmful to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mental-health-issues-have-increased-teens/">mental health</a> of adolescents. The study, which was focused on more than 17,000 teenagers, failed to produce significant evidence of any relationship between screen time and well-being.

Many recent studies have warned of the dangers associated with TV, gaming, or online activities, particularly at bedtime. The current research, however, found that the use of digital screens even 30 minutes before bedtime did not seem to have any effect on adolescent well-being. In addition, the experts determined that a teenager's total screen time per day had little impact on mental health, whether on the weekends or weekdays. 

“Implementing best practice statistical and methodological techniques we found little evidence for substantial negative associations between digital-screen engagement and adolescent well-being," said Amy Orben, a psychological researcher and lecturer at the <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a>.

“While psychological science can be a powerful tool for understanding the link between screen use and adolescent well-being, it still routinely fails to supply stakeholders and the public with high-quality, transparent, and objective investigations into growing concerns about digital technologies.”

“Analyzing three different datasets, which include improved measurements of screen time, we found little clear-cut evidence that screen time decreases adolescent well-being, even if the use of digital technology occurs directly before bedtime,” explained study co-author Professor Andrew Przybylski.

The Oxford research is different from previous studies because it includes data from the United States, Ireland, and the UK. The team used an extremely thorough approach to analyze how much time adolescents spend in front of screens, including time-use diaries and self-reported usage. 

The researchers were also meticulous in their investigation of well-being among teens, examining measures of psychosocial functioning, symptoms of depression, self-esteem, and mood based on data provided by both young people and their caregivers.

“Because technologies are embedded in our social and professional lives, research concerning digital-screen use and its effects on adolescent well-being is under increasing scrutiny,” said Orben. 

“To retain influence and trust, robust and transparent research practices will need to become the norm - not the exception. We hope our approach will set a new baseline for new research on the psychological study of technology,” added Professor Przybylski.

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

Screen time found to have very little impact on teen well-being

A new investigation from the Association for Psychological Science is...

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

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

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

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 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 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



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The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[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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