Music often does more than entertain. It paints images in our minds, builds worlds, and stirs emotions we can’t always explain. A new study shows how even the tiniest human touches in sound can influence this inner world.



The findings from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/music/our-research/cross-disciplinary-research/sydney-music-mind-and-body-lab.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sydney Music, Mind and Body Lab</a>, reveal how subtle shifts in rhythm and tone may fuel imagination in ways technology alone cannot replicate. 



These delicate imperfections - tiny fluctuations in timing or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-and-the-mind-new-clues-about-how-we-experience-pleasure/">volume</a> - can transform repetitive beats into living experiences, sparking imagery that feels real and immersive.



Rather than simply hearing structured sounds, listeners create journeys filled with color, movement, and narrative. The study suggests that the human quality of music holds unique power to trigger creativity and emotional depth. 



The research also shows why live performances, with all their small variations, can feel more moving than flawless recordings, and why imagination often thrives when music carries traces of human touch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-musical-shifts-big-mental-impact">Small musical shifts, big mental impact</h2>



Researchers asked 100 participants to imagine a journey while listening to repetitive drumming. Some heard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-use-rhythmic-drumming-to-communicate-in-forests/">drumming</a> with random micro-variations in loudness and timing, while others heard perfectly uniform beats or silence.



Those who listened to music with micro-variations reported richer imagery, longer imagined journeys, and more lifelike scenes. 



They often described environments filled with movement, color, or emotion that felt authentic and dynamic, which suggests these subtle rhythmic details significantly influence how the brain constructs vivid inner experiences.



"What excites me is that these little details in music are something we can all feel, even if we don't always notice them consciously," said lead researcher Ceren Ayyildiz.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-touch-makes-rhythm-alive">Human touch makes rhythm alive</h2>



The study, published in Scientific Reports, relied on computer simulations of drum <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-music-tunes-the-emotions-in-our-memories/">sounds</a>. Researchers created two versions: one with flawless uniformity and another with tiny, natural shifts mimicking human performance.



They then analyzed participants’ mental imagery responses with Bayesian multilevel modeling. The results showed that small fluctuations, often unconsciously introduced by performers, significantly enhance imagination.



These subtle imperfections did not distract listeners; instead, they added depth and texture to the soundscape, making the music feel more organic. Participants reported that the variations encouraged richer narratives, longer journeys, and greater immersion in imagined experiences.



This demonstrates that even the smallest rhythmic nuances can transform sound from a mechanical sequence into something that resonates with the human mind, shaping how people visualize and emotionally respond to music.



"It's not just technical perfection but the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-touch-molecular-basis-elkin1-discovery/">human touch</a> that makes music feel more alive and sparks the imagination," Ayyildiz said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-skills-amplify-imagination">Musical skills amplify imagination</h2>



Listeners with musical training or strong immersion ability experienced even more vivid mental imagery. For them, micro-variations brought authenticity and richness missing from machine-perfect sounds.



"One possible explanation for this finding is that listeners may perceive drumming with tiny random changes - a core component of human music performance - as more natural and organic," said Ayyildiz.



The study highlights how human imperfections in rhythm bring authenticity and create a sense of connection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-and-sound-variations-aid-therapy">Music and sound variations aid therapy</h2>



The insights also suggest therapeutic and practical applications. "Mental imagery already plays an important role in many cognitive therapies," said senior author Dr. Steffen Herff.



"Deliberately tailoring background music - for example through subtle changes in timing and loudness - could be used to either stimulate or dampen imagination depending on the specific therapeutic target," 



For audio engineers and producers, the study provides a new perspective. Micro-variations are already used in studio production as key aesthetic drivers in many forms of music including electronic dance music and hip-hop.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-expression-drives-connection">Human expression drives connection</h2>



For musicians, especially drummers, the findings emphasize the creative weight of subtle timing shifts. 



"This study demonstrates how the tiny details in rhythmic timing and expression can greatly alter our perceptions of music," said researcher Dr. Simon Barker.



"The relationship between micro-rhythmic variations and imagination, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/physicists-make-bold-claims-that-time-is-an-illusion-question-its-existence/">illusion</a>, and connection are at the core of the art of drumming, and this study is a lovely example of this central aspect of rhythmic expression and communication."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-s-power-comes-from-touch">Music’s power comes from touch</h2>



The study adds to a growing body of work exploring music’s role in imagination, connection, and even loneliness. 



Its message is clear: even in a world of machine-perfect precision, the smallest human variations breathe life into sound, reminding us of music’s timeless power to shape emotion, enrich creativity, strengthen bonds, and nurture a uniquely human sense of presence and belonging.



"Even tiny fluctuations can make music more meaningful," said Ayyildiz. "It's a reminder that the human feel still matters."



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/FEh_WfGeCTo?si=4ftg3JG20m5vyTxE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Here, tiny fluctuations in timing and loudness introduce a human touch that breathes life into the rhythm - the kind of nuance shown to spark richer mental imagery. Credit: University of Sydney </figcaption></figure>



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-12604-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.&nbsp;



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Tiny human touches can make music sound more powerful

Music often does more than entertain. It paints images in our minds, builds worlds, and stirs emotions we can’t always explain. A new study shows how even the tiniest human touches in sound can influence this inner world. The findings from the Sydney Music, Mind and Body Lab, reveal how subtle shifts in rhythm and tone may fuel imagination in ways technology alone cannot replicate. These delicate imperfections - tiny fluctuations in timing or volume - can transform repetitive beats into living experiences, sparking imagery that feels...

Environmental racism describes the disproportionate exposure to pollution, waste, and emissions faced by people of color. 

Historically, in many parts of the United States, air pollution and emissions levels have been higher in communities of color, which means that minority population suffers a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hispanic-americans-air-pollution/">higher burden of disease and death</a> caused by pollution. 

A new analysis from the <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/electric-vehicles/northeast-air-quality-equity">Union of Concerned Scientists</a> found that in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States, communities of color are exposed to higher levels of particulate matter compared predominantly white communities. 

“We can’t talk about the impacts of air pollution without pointing out who bears the biggest burden,” said Maria Cecilia Pinto de Moura, a co-author of the new analysis. “This is a pervasive form of discrimination—and as we work on improving transportation, we need to make sure we’re paying attention to the communities who are hardest hit.”

For the analysis, the researchers focused on particulate matter pollution smaller than 2.5 micrometers called PM 2.5. These particles can enter the bloodstream and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. 

Data from the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> and the <a href="https://www.census.gov/">United States Census Bureau</a> were compared to investigate the impacts of traffic pollution in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia.

African American residents in these states are exposed to 61 percent more particulate matter pollution than white residents. For Asian Americans, the researchers found particulate matter pollution exposure was 73 percent higher, and Latinos face 75 percent higher levels of pollution compared to white communities.

Of the 72 million people included in the study, one-fifth live in areas where PM 2.5 levels are 50 percent higher than the state average. 

“What this study shows is what communities of color across the region have long understood—that they are unfairly exposed to higher levels of pollution,” said Pinto de Moura.  “People of color in the Northeastern states are more likely to suffer the consequences of bad air—lost days of work, emergency room visits, asthma attacks or chronic health problems. That’s a real danger, and it’s true whether or not these families have a personal vehicle of their own.”

The Union of Concerned Scientists is calling for cleaner transportation especially in areas impacted by pollution inequality. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Frank Wagner

In many parts of the US, communities of color face higher levels of pollution

Environmental racism describes the disproportionate exposure to pollution, waste, and...

A new report from the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a> describes how the harvesting of black soldier fly larvae has the potential to "revolutionize the way we feed the world." One acre of these larvae can produce more protein from organic waste than 3,000 acres of cattle. 

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-population-10-9-billion/">global population</a> is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by mid-century, which is an increase of three billion people from 2010. As we approach this population explosion, experts are looking for sustainable ways to feed the world. 

One of the biggest targets is a major shift away from animal proteins by finding meat substitutes. Insect protein is high-quality protein, and there are more than 1,700 types of insects that have been identified by scientists as being edible. 

Jeff Tomberlin, a professor of entomology at <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University</a>, told the Washington Post that the black soldier fly larvae industry could “save lives, stabilize economies, create jobs, and protect the environment.”

A single soldier fly colony can transform a ton of waste, including food waste or manure, into 100 pounds of high-quality protein and 400 pounds of compost.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be doing this at some scale throughout the world,” said Tomberlin.

A company called Symton BSF harvests the larvae of black soldier flies and sells it as food for reptiles and exotic pets. The larvae are fed a proprietary grain blend that will provide the optimal nutrition for the animals that will feed on them. The soldier fly is also very high in calcium, containing 50 times more per gram than crickets or mealworms

Beyond their value as food, soldier flies are also great at eliminating food waste, consuming twice their weight in food in a single day. The maggots could be used to help eliminate a portion of the millions of tons of CO2 that is released from rotting food waste. 

“There’s been a lot of effort put into cricket flour or mealworms for protein ingredients for everything from pasta to cookies to chips,” Tomberlin told the Post, adding that soldier fly protein will likely follow. "When you walk in these facilities in the next 10 years, we’ll look back at this era and say we were just getting started."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Namsom1988

Black soldier fly larvae could help feed a booming global population

A new report from the Washington Post describes how the...

Conflicts on and over public lands date back to the early days of the US. In the early days of conservation in America, defending public lands was a dangerous and thankless business. National Parks were initially managed by the US military, including in some cases buffalo soldiers. In the <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">US Forest Service</a> and other agencies though, rangers didn't have such backing. In his book, The Big Burn, Teddy Roosevelt &amp; The Fire That Saved America, Timothy Egan writes:

"Around mining camps and logging towns, the places where agents for timber trusts set up shop to foil the new national forests, rangers were sometimes threatened at gunpoint or chased from the woods."

Laws and congressional funding tended to be lacking for most if not all federal conservation efforts and foresters, law enforcement agents, and others on the ground suffered for it. 

Due to lack of federal funding, Guy Bradley, a Game Warden appointed by the Florida governor and also deputized by the county in 1902, was paid by the Audubon Society, not the government. Bradley worked alone in a large area in what was a quite wilder and less populous Florida at the time. After only three years of duty as an official Game Warden, Bradley was shot and killed at the age of 35 by poachers intent on making a profit on bird feathers for the hat trade. 

The <a href="https://www.odmp.org/officer/2150-game-warden-guy-m-bradley">Officer Down Memorial Page</a> reports that at their trial, the suspected poachers claimed Bradley fired on them first, despite evidence that he never fired his weapon. The two men were tried for Bradley's murder were found not guilty. 

The case of Guy Bradley shows the tenuous position of government conservation agents in the early years. Agents were assigned jobs but often lacked the resources and full backing of the federal government to carry out their duties to their full extent. 

Conservation was being fought over in Congress. For those like Teddy Roosevelt, the war was one between those who wished to pillage the land, it's archaeology and wildlife, and those who wished to save it as a heritage for all Americans. For those on the ground, it was a fight based on principal that could cost them their lives for low pay and uncomfortable work on the rough edges of what remained of the American frontier.

In the early years of federal conservation, the role of enforcement and use of force is the beginning of a history with a more complex nature than most realize. Before the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/index.htm">National Park Service</a>, the US Army managed Yellowstone, largely as a sort of "fortress of conservation" with the full weight of military power behind it that is implied. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/resilient-yellowstone-forests-fire/">Yellowstone</a>, the first National Park, was established by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872. The park was created before the end of hostilities between Native Americans and the US government in the west, as such it can be seen as a US outpost in hostile territory. Early managers of Yellowstone largely saw Native American groups that had lived in the park traditionally or sought to settle in it seasonally as enemies of the goals of conservation, according to a paper by Isaac Kantor in <a href="https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1267&amp;context=plrlr">Public Land and Resources Law Review</a>. 

<a href="https://timeline.com/national-parks-native-americans-56b0dad62c9d">Timeline</a> reports that when Yellowstone was created, 26 Native American tribes are thought to have lived on Yellowstone, which many considered sacred. Native Americans were forcibly removed and kept out of the park. These same ideas and model of conservation has been carried into parks in other parts of the world.

<a href="https://scholarship.law.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1267&amp;context=plrlr">Survival International</a> reports that 'Pygmy' peoples of central Africa are violently excluded from hunting and gathering lands now protected by conservation laws and law enforcement agents. Such exclusion and militarization of conservation efforts are common in Africa, sometimes directed at well organized criminal elements, sometimes towards native groups with minimal impact on their own traditional lands. A 2017<a href="http://www.conservationandsociety.org/article.asp?issn=0972-4923;year=2017;volume=15;issue=3;spage=243;epage=254;aulast=Kelly"> paper</a> in Conservation &amp; Society notes that at that time, exclusionary parks covered more than 15% of the earth at that time.  

In 1916, Woodrow Wilson created the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/index.htm">National Park Service</a>, officially ending or limiting military involvement in the National Parks. Initially, handing parks over to the new service demilitarized their enforcement but the slow creep of militarization in law enforcement has found its way into the National Park Service as well. In the early years of the park service, rangers were largely unarmed but from the beginning there were conflicting duties of welcoming and educating visitors and upholding the law. 

Yosemite became the site of a turning point in the National Park Service. By 1970, Yosemite National Park was already facing enormous congestion. Instead of being a bastion of solitude in which to escape modern city life, crowds and modernity often followed visitors to Yosemite. "Undesirable" elements such as hippies and "dirtbag" rock climbers were often a thorn in the side of the park service. Complaints about loud music, marijuana smoke and public nudity were handled by park rangers. 

In frustration over a rise in panhandling, theft and other minor crimes in the park, a concessionaire who owned Yosemite Park &amp; Curry Company, a company offering lodging and food in the park, hired a private security firm. <a href="https://foresthistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Childers_Stoneman.pdf">ForestHistory</a> reports how the conflict came to a head in 1970 when rangers confronted a large party of young people in Stoneman Meadow after quiet hours. The party was broken up by rangers with clubs, some of the young people being handcuffed and taken to jail. 

After a series of increasingly violent confrontations and riots, the nature of the park service was forever changed. The National Park Service founded a federal law enforcement training center in 1971, the first of its kind. Instead of oral warnings, Yosemite took a zero tolerance approach to enforcement handing out citations. In short, since 1976, rangers have included well armed, well trained law enforcement agents in their ranks. Since that time, law enforcement in Yosemite and other National Parks has become more fraught with tension. Climbers are arrested for staying past the seven day camping limit or for BASE jumping. Sometimes confrontations become nasty. Unfortunately, National Parks and other public lands aren't magical portholes into an unspoiled past void of the problems of modernity.

In 2012, an event all too familiar in modern America happened in Rainier National Park. With unknown motivations, a man shot a female park ranger after she tried to pull his car over. The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/03/us/ranger-shot-and-killed-at-mount-rainier-park.html">New York Times</a> reports that the alleged shooter, Benjamin Barnes was later found in a stream, dead from exposure after a manhunt.

Conflicts such as these in what many see as the hallowed grounds of public lands show that these aren’t refuges from modernity any more than they were unpeopled wilds before Native Americans were evicted. When the authority of the federal government is challenged anywhere, it’s not surprising that it reacts with the same heavy handed tactics in the forest as it does in the street.    

--

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>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Andrew Opila

Conflicts on and over public lands date back to the early days of the US

Conflicts on and over public lands date back to the...

The objective of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) is to achieve access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for the global population by 2030. The largest power deficit in the world is in Sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 600 million people live without <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/renewables-more-electricity-coal/">electricity</a>. 

To expand electricity infrastructure and prioritize financial support in sub-Saharan Africa, current information is needed on the status of electricity access and use. Traditional tracking methods do not provide clear or comprehensive data, which presents significant challenges for achieving SDG7.

A team of researchers from <a href="http://www.iiasa.ac.at/">IIASA</a> and the Future Energy Program at the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) investigated the potential for nighttime satellite images to be converted into spatially detailed maps of electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa. 

The satellite-based dataset produced for the study was found to accurately predict not only where people have access to electricity, but also their measure of light intensity. This could help in determining the amount of residential electricity consumption in a particular area.

"We were able to use our derived indicators to track, within each country, what progress with electricity access has been over the last five years and where critical hotspots of people without access or high latent electricity demand remain," explained study lead author Giacomo Falchetta. "The results revealed large inequalities in progress towards universal access to electricity, both across and within nations in the region."

According to the research, some countries showed strong improvement in electricity access over the last five years, but others showed no progress or even a deteriorating situation. This is particularly the case in areas where the population is growing faster than the provision of access to electricity. 

The published dataset, which can be openly accessed on the IIASA website, will support both policymakers and private firms in their investment decisions and planning.

"Our dataset provides a useful complement that is easily updatable and can help assess progress with providing electricity access, as well as inequalities in electricity use at a fine sub-national scale. This can be an invaluable input to efforts aimed at meeting SDG7," said study co-author Shonali Pachauri.

The research is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/scientificdata/">Scientific Data</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Rakchai Duangdee

Experts use nighttime satellite images to map electricity access in Africa

The objective of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG...

More than a billion people worldwide depend on intermittent water systems that turn and off depending on use, need, and the available supply. In some cases, the pipes can be empty for most of the week and only turned on for a few hours. 

There are many benefits to this kind of system, including water conservation when there are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/risk-severe-water-shortages/">shortages</a>. Having empty pipes also prevents leaking. 

But intermittent systems can be problematic and increase the risk of contamination as well as leaving people without water when they need it most.

David Taylor, a professor of engineering at the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a>, has developed a new framework to assess the benefits and challenges of an intermittent water system by factoring in hours of operation, demand, water sources, and damage. 

Having a unified framework that focuses on demand and supply rather than the complexities of the system’s inner workings helps explain why the systems are in use and how an intermittent system can help meet the <a href="https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/">United Nations Sustainable Development Goals</a>. 

Taylor worked with water companies in Delhi to see how intermittent systems meet demand. Working with a detailed hydraulic model of the water systems in Delhi, Taylor quickly realized that these models fall short. 

“These systems are chaotic,” said Taylor. “There are often pipes or valves that are missing from the official charts. We usually don’t know as much as we think we do, and in that situation, fancy models can’t tell us much.”

Rather than focusing on the nuts and bolts, or pipes, in this case, Taylor tried a different approach and created a model under the assumption that he knew nothing about the network. 

The result was a single equation model that links consumer demand and need and shows how system changes impact customer satisfaction. If customer demand is not met, for example, an intermittent system may double its supply time. 

What’s unique about Taylor’s framework is that it shifts perspective from asking how much water is saved or wasted, to how meeting demand or changing supply times increases the risk of leaks or contamination. 

“The model lets you see right away what the effect of altering a parameter is going to be, whether it’s leakage or demand or whatever,” said Taylor. “That enables you to do these back-of-the-envelope calculations and determine whether what you’re proposing is feasible.

The new model could be used to compare and improve existing intermittent systems or create new ones. 

Taylor outlined his model in a paper published in the journal Water Resources Research. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Pixel-Shot

How to determine the value of an intermittent water system

More than a billion people worldwide depend on intermittent water...

EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of 90 million Americans. The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">EPA</a> has just released its review of cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane, which is found in personal care products and other consumer goods – along with the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nitrate-drinking-water-cancer/">drinking water</a> of millions of Americans. What were their findings? That this chemical is “not an unreasonable risk” to the environment or the American public.

In November of 2016, the EPA selected 1,4-dioxane as one of the first 10 chemicals it would review under the Toxic Substances Control Act, which is the revamped chemical safety law passed earlier that year. In 2017, an analysis of water utility tests done by the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/">Environmental Working Group</a> (EWG) found 1,4-dioxane in the drinking water serving roughly 90 million Americans in 45 states. EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of 90 million Americans

Contrary to claims by the EPA, this chemical is not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and there is no legal limit fo 1,4-dioxane contamination in tap water. Also the chemicals found in the water causes huge health risks which leads to many issues or worse death.

“By ignoring the risks 1,4-dioxane presents to Americans, the Trump EPA is again undermining both the spirit and letter of the federal chemical safety law,” says EWG Legislative Attorney Melanie Benesh. “With nearly a third of the country drinking tap water polluted with this chemical and its potential widespread contamination of personal care products, including soaps and shampoos used by children, there is an urgent need for action. But in the Trump administration, safeguarding people from toxic chemicals is not a priority.” Therefore there is a lot of safe drinking water to have in the area and tap water is coming back to being less contaminated. The percentage of americans who are risk is extremely high. EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of 90 million Americans and happens to a lot more than people think.

Even though the EPA has decided that 1,4-dioxane poses “no unreasonable risk to the environment,” it has still classified the chemical as a likely human carcinogen.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Dmitry Naumov

EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water

EPA dismisses risk of carcinogen present in tap water of...

People may be attracted to romantic partners who have a similar scent. New research led by Caroline Allen of the <a href="https://www.newcastle.edu.au/">University of Newcastle</a> has revealed that people are more physically attracted to mates who smell like them. A study focused on body odor samples collected from 30 couples in Scotland showed that romantic partners had natural scents that were much more similar than randomized pairs.

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/couples-arguments-live-longer/">couples</a> participating in the study had all been in relationships for at least six months. On the first day that they provided body odor samples, the individuals were instructed not to wear deodorant. The next day, they were asked to wear their usual deodorant. 

The study participants were then asked to rank pairs of odor samples based on the similarities of their scents. During the smell tests, they were given pairs of samples which belonged to real or randomized partners.

The study revealed that the natural body odors of real partners were reported to be more similar than samples taken from random pairs, indicating that people are romantically attracted to others with similar scents. "Our results suggest an affinity for partners with similar rather than dissimilar odours," wrote the study authors.

The researchers also demonstrated that this effect had been altered among women who were taking hormonal contraceptives. On the other hand, the use of deodorants containing similar fragrances did not seem to have any influence on mate selection. This means that our body's natural scent plays an important role in physical attraction. 

"Our study indicates that odor preferences follow the same assortative rule as has been demonstrated for many other partner attributes, including physical traits such as face shape."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/physiology-and-behavior">Physiology &amp; Behavior</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/pink panda

People may be attracted to romantic partners who have a similar scent

People may be attracted to romantic partners who have a...

A new investigation from <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a> has found that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been much less active since President Trump took office. The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/genetically-modified-salmon/">FDA</a> is responsible for protecting the health of Americans by monitoring the safety of food, medicines, and other products.

One of the responsibilities of the agency is to issue warning letters to keep dangerous drugs or foods from becoming available to consumers. According to the study, these letters have now dropped by a third compared to FDA activity under former President Obama. Warnings from the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health have dropped even further, by more than two-thirds. 

Peter Lurie was an FDA executive under both Obama and Trump and is now executive director of the <a href="https://cspinet.org/">Center for Science in the Public Interest</a>.

“Those who think the Trump administration has not succeeded in its deregulatory efforts ought to look at these data,” said Lurie. "Industry may well take the message from this that the cop is not on the beat as often."

Similar declines were discovered among several other FDA activities as well, including the distribution of inspection reports labeled "official action indicated," which have fallen by almost half.

"FDA’s power to enforce its requirements is an important part of how it achieves its public health mission," said Patricia Zettler, who is a former FDA attorney. "If FDA is not using that power, it sends a signal that violations will be tolerated."

Scott Gottlieb was President Trump’s first FDA commissioner. After reviewing the data obtained by Science, he responded in an email. “We were pretty aggressive,” he wrote. “I don’t think you can paint us with a political narrative - that just because we were a Republican administration, somehow we must have ratcheted down enforcement activity. We didn’t.”

The researchers did find one exception to the declining number of warning letters issued. The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), which approves new drugs and monitors existing drugs, has issued 188 warnings during Trump's presidency compared with 116 in the most recent period under Obama. 

Joshua Sharfstein is a health policy researcher at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> who worked for the FDA under Obama. He said that he hopes this report from Science will lead to further investigation into what has caused recent declines in enforcement by the agency. "The FDA’s enforcement role is extremely important," said Sharfstein. “If the FDA isn’t doing enforcement, nobody’s doing enforcement."

The report was supported by the <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/investigative-journalism-fund">Science Fund for Investigative Reporting</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Hurst Photo

FDA enforcement has declined under Trump, report confirms

A new investigation from Science has found that the Food...

Hundreds of schools were closed last week in the southern Malaysian state of Johor after dozens of students became severely ill from pollution. In the industrial area of Pasir Gudang, an unknown source of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/visiting-city-air-pollution-breathing-issues/">air pollution</a> caused vomiting and difficulty breathing among dozens of students. 

According to the state news agency <a href="http://www.bernama.com/">Bernama</a>, at least 100 primary and secondary schools as well as 300 private kindergartens were affected. More than 100 children fell suddenly ill from the toxic air, and some of them reportedly collapsed after exposure.

Johor Chief Minister Dr. Sahruddin Jamal said at the time that all of the children had been taken to the hospital. He told reporters it was not clear what had caused the students to become ill. 

Just a few months ago, a massive chemical pollution spill in the nearby Kim Kim river shut down 111 schools for two weeks. After inhaling toxic fumes, thousands of people experienced issues such as eye irritation, chest pain, vomiting, and shortness of breath. Dr. Sahruddin said that the latest incident has not been linked to the same source. 

State Health, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Mohd Khuzzan Abu Bakar said that the Department of Environment and other agencies are working to identify the cause of the pollution. 

"The schools were closed to prevent more people from becoming victims of the suspected air pollution here," Khuzzan said at the Pasir Gudang Indoor Stadium last week. “Most of the victims are schoolchildren, who were on the third and fourth floors of their schools. 

"This incident occurred randomly and it changed based on the direction of the wind, making it difficult to identify its source. Nevertheless, the Technical and Scientific Committee has narrowed down the number of possible sources in its investigation."

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad pledged that "stern action" will be taken once the parties responsible are identified.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Shutterstock/umarazak

Hundreds of Malaysian schools closed after students sickened from pollution

Hundreds of schools were closed last week in the southern...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.rochester.edu/">University of Rochester</a> are shedding new light on the brain process which allows us to visually detect and separate moving objects from moving backgrounds. 

The team found that when the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-brain-learning/">brain</a> becomes desensitized to the motion in the larger background, it is easier to distinguish smaller objects moving in the foreground. On the other hand, the brain is less receptive to these smaller objects when it is more sensitive to background motion.

"The human brain cannot possibly process all of the information around us," said study lead author Professor Duje Tadin. "Being less sensitive to things that are less important makes the brain more efficient and faster at accomplishing the more important tasks."

According to the study, the brain can enhance the objects that are the most important, such as pedestrians moving on a busy street, or it can suppress the background to produce the same results. 

Professor Tadin explained that the latter is the more efficient option. 

"Think about trying to have a conversation in a room with high background noise. It is more effective to find a way to turn off the noise than it is to just try speaking more loudly."

When study participants were tested using moving textured patterns, the researchers found that younger adults were better at seeing smaller moving objects in the foreground and worse at seeing background motion. The participants aged 65 and above, however, were found to have a heightened awareness of the backdrop and were not as good at seeing the smaller objects.

The younger adults took an average of 20 milliseconds to pick out the moving objects, while older adults took about 30 milliseconds. 

"Those extra milliseconds could make a big difference," said study co-author Woon Ju Park. "Think about things that matter for your survival." 

Park explained that for an animal in the wild, a split second could mean life or death. 

"If it sees a moving object, that could either be lunch for the animal or something that could eat that animal for lunch. Animals are really good at camouflage, but even the best camouflage pulls apart with motion."

The researchers found that the brains of older adults can be trained to process motion more like young adults by practicing visual segmentation of moving objects. With training, the older participants became less sensitive to the background motion.

"Most of the time when you train something in the brain, things get better," said Professor Tadin. "This is a case where, with training, you get better at seeing objects, while at the same time get worse at seeing the background. This showed us that these two things are really integrally connected, because when we affected one, the other one also changed."

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: Shutterstock

How we’re able to discern moving objects against moving backgrounds

Researchers at the University of Rochester are shedding new light...

A new study published by the <a href="https://taylorandfrancis.com/">Taylor &amp; Francis group</a> has demonstrated the effectiveness of cannabis as an alternative to both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, including opioids. The investigation revealed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-use-increased/">marijuana</a> may also be a valuable substitute for sleeping aids.

The research was focused on 1,000 Americans using marijuana in Colorado, where it has been legalized. The researchers found that 80 percent of individuals taking cannabis for pain reported it as being very or extremely helpful. As a result, 82 percent of the participants were able to stop or reduce their use of OTC pain medications, and 88 percent were able to stop taking opioid painkillers.

Among individuals who used marijuana to help them sleep, more than 83 percent were able to reduce or stop taking OTC and prescription sleep aids.

"Approximately 20% of American adults suffer from chronic pain, and one in three adults do not get enough sleep," said Dr. Gwen Wurm, who is an assistant professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

While OTC medications and painkillers help, they can have serious side effects. For example, opioids depress the respiratory system and overdoses are often fatal.

"People develop tolerance to opioids, which means that they require higher doses to achieve the same effect," said Dr. Julia Arnsten of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "This means that chronic pain patients often increase their dose of opioid medications over time, which in turn increases their risk of overdose."

The experts emphasized that more research is needed to understand the health benefits and potential side effects of cannabis.

"The challenge is that health providers are far behind in knowing which cannabis products work and which do not," said Dr. Wurm. "Until there is more research into which cannabis products work for which symptoms, patients will do their own 'trial and error' experiments, getting advice from friends, social media and dispensary employees."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ujpd20/current">Journal of Psychoactive Drugs</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cannabis may be an effective alternative to pain and sleep medications

A new study published by the Taylor &amp; Francis group...

Consumers are less willing to pay for organic wine when given more info.From the shampoo we put in our hair to the wine we drink, the ingredients that go into products can seem like an enigma for consumers. That’s why many people will pay top dollar for products labeled “organic” or “made from natural ingredients.” 

While we may put a lot of faith in a label, a new study found that when provided with information about certification standards and organic grape production, consumers are less willing to pay for wines made with organic grapes. Consumers are less willing to pay for organic wine when given more info

Researchers from <a href="https://oregonstate.edu/">Oregon State University</a> conducted the study which was published in the journal PlOS ONE. 

The results of the study highlight consumer perceptions when it comes to organic labels. 

Factors like the amount of sulfites added and the addition of other ingredients separate organic wine and wine made from organic grapes from conventionally made wine. 

What the researchers found was that the more a consumer knows may not help their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-pay-wine/">wine buying choices</a>. 

“Not many wineries will take people through all of the steps of production, but there is a growing tendency to share more details on production, and that might be counterproductive,” said Nadia Streletskaya, the lead author of the study.

For the study, the researchers held auctions, and participants were given $35 to bid on a bottle of wine. The participants were split into three groups. The first group was presented with a bottle but told nothing of the production practices. 

The second group was given information about organic labels and wine made from organic grapes. 

The third group was told about conventional winemaking as well as information about both organic wine and wine made from organic grapes. 

“This is where we found a very strong impact,” said Streletskaya. “Suddenly their willingness to pay for pure organic wine shoots up, compared to organic grape wine and conventional wine. But their absolute level of willingness to pay for organic wine is the same as when no production information is given.”

When the consumers were told about conventional wine practices, they were less willing to pay for wine made with organic grapes or conventional wines. When the participants were told about organic labeling certification standards, the willingness to pay for any wine declined. 

“Wine is a very peculiar product. A lot of people who consume wine don’t really know much about wine, “said Streletskaya. “For example, once people find out something is added that doesn’t make it spoil they aren’t as excited. Another strong possibility for their less willingness to pay is that adding information might make it harder for people to choose a product because they have more information to work through.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Shutterstock/Rostislav_Sedlacek

Consumers are less willing to pay for organic wine when given more info

Consumers are less willing to pay for organic wine when...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that scientists never expected.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-waters-beneath-ancient-craters">Hidden waters beneath ancient craters</h2>



Scientists have made a startling discovery that challenges everything we thought we knew about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturn-moon-mimas-has-remarkably-young-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saturn's moon Mimas</a>. Beneath the heavily cratered surface that earned it the nickname "Death Star" lies a global ocean that formed just 5 to 15 million years ago—a remarkably young age by cosmic standards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cassini-data-reveals-orbital-secrets">Cassini data reveals orbital secrets</h2>



The discovery, led by Dr. Valéry Lainey of the <a href="https://observatoiredeparis.psl.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Observatoire de Paris</a>, emerged from careful analysis of <a href="https://www.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>'s Cassini spacecraft data. By studying subtle irregularities in Mimas's orbit around Saturn, researchers detected the gravitational signature of liquid water hidden 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the moon's icy shell.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-unlikely-ocean-world">An unlikely ocean world</h2>



At only 400 kilometers in diameter, Mimas seemed like the least likely candidate to harbor a subsurface ocean. Unlike other ocean moons such as Europa and Enceladus, which show clear surface signs of internal activity, Mimas displays no obvious hints of the liquid water beneath its ancient, crater-scarred exterior.



"Mimas is a small moon, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath," explained Dr. Nick Cooper from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen Mary University of London</a>, a study co-author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-astrobiology">Implications for astrobiology</h2>



The ocean's recent formation makes Mimas a prime target for studying how oceans develop and potentially support life. This discovery adds another member to the exclusive club of ocean worlds in our solar system, each offering unique insights into the conditions necessary for habitability.



The research, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a> journal, demonstrates how advanced orbital analysis can reveal hidden features of celestial bodies, opening new possibilities for understanding ocean formation throughout the cosmos.



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Scientists discover unexpected young ocean on Saturn's cratered moon Mimas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E0mn5mTvhQ 'Death Star' moon Mimas conceals a 15-million-year-old ocean that...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

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Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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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

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" 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> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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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

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" 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> 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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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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"

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

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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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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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

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

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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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