Falling asleep and waking up refreshed is something most of us crave. Yet some people appear to thrive on fewer hours, leaving everyone else wondering how they manage it. A new study involving a healthy older adult suggests that a rare gene mutation might be a key to needing fewer hours of sleep.



The research was led by Dr. Hao Chen from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), whose team investigated a "natural short sleeper" <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-night-of-lost-sleep-can-trigger-hidden-health-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trait</a> linked to a genetic variant in the SIK3 gene.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-genetics-influence-sleep-duration">How genetics influence sleep duration</h2>



Scientists who explore patterns of rest have long recognized that people’s genetic makeup can influence how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a> they need. This latest finding highlights how even a slight genetic tweak might reduce the time required for the brain and body to recover.



Those who qualify as short sleepers function at a normal or high level despite clocking fewer hours in bed. Researchers classify them separately from individuals suffering from insomnia, because these short sleepers typically wake up rested and show no health problems tied to exhaustion.



One older participant reported sleeping around 6.3 hours per night yet displayed sharp cognition and good health. Her genetic profile pointed to a single mutation as the possible reason for her efficient slumber.



These individuals, referred to as natural short sleepers, seem wired to operate on less rest. Specialists are intrigued by how they sail through daily life with no visible drawbacks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-mutation-and-sleep-patterns">Gene mutation and sleep patterns</h2>



The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/protein-kinases" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kinase protein</a> produced by the SIK3 gene relays signals that influence various cellular processes. Scientists suspect that changes in kinase function might play a role in controlling how much time the body devotes to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-can-boost-memory-in-a-surprising-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>.



When Dr. Chen’s team transferred this mutation to lab mice, the animals spent slightly less time resting each day. This observation hinted at a biological mechanism that could be significant across different species.



“Studying human sleep genes not only expands our knowledge regarding the sleep regulatory network, but also may bring the basic research from mouse models to clinical relevance,” noted the researchers.



Brain scans in the test mice revealed that their <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/protein-biology/protein-biology-learning-center/protein-biology-resource-library/pierce-protein-methods/phosphorylation.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phosphorylation</a> patterns changed, especially around the areas that oversee rest and wake cycles. This shift aligns with the idea that sleep is coordinated by a web of signals in the brain that might be influenced by tiny chemical tweaks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-mutations-in-short-sleepers">Genetic mutations in short sleepers</h2>



Scientists have now identified at least five distinct genetic mutations linked to the natural short sleep trait. Each one affects different proteins involved in the brain’s signaling and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>-wake rhythms, hinting at multiple pathways that might influence rest duration.



The SIK3 variant joins others such as <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.1801693115" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DEC2</a>, <a href="https://www.ajmc.com/view/a-rare-gene-mutation-is-associated-with-requiring-less-sleep-researchers-say" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADRB1</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/387129" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NPSR1</a>, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/14816" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GRM1</a>, each contributing a piece to the sleep efficiency puzzle. Researchers believe that mapping these variants could eventually lead to a full blueprint of how the body regulates its need for sleep.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treatments-for-sleep-disorders">Treatments for sleep disorders</h2>



Researchers think there could be important applications for people who struggle with sleep disorders. Adjusting the pathways linked to this genetic variant might shorten the time needed to feel rested, although practical therapies will likely take time to refine.



Still, scientists caution that these insights do not give an excuse to slash nightly rest. They emphasize that ordinary individuals without the mutation may not reap any benefits from copying a short sleeper’s schedule.



Experts see promise in pursuing treatments that enhance the body’s own efficiency. They hope new knowledge of genetic influences will guide strategies to help those who find it difficult to get restorative rest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-short-sleep-genes">Future research on short-sleep genes </h2>



Short-sleep genes have captured the imagination of specialists for years. There is strong interest in mapping out exactly how the human brain resets itself, and why some people get the same benefits in a compressed timeframe.



“These [NSS] people, all these functions our bodies are doing while we are sleeping, they can just perform at a higher level than we can,” said neuroscientist and geneticist Ying-Hui Fu, from the University of California, San Francisco (<a href="https://www.ucsf.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCSF</a>). 



Scientists aim to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37398097/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">uncover</a> the precise factors that grant this group their resilience. Many research teams intend to investigate how broader networks of genes might interact to influence rest. 



The SIK3 discovery raises big questions about what else might affect daily energy levels and long-term health.



Fascination with short sleepers is unlikely to fade soon. Unlocking the secrets of their genetics could reshape how we view rest, opening a path to solutions for chronic sleep troubles.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500356122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS</a>.



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Rare gene explains why some people can thrive on less sleep

Falling asleep and waking up refreshed is something most of us crave. Yet some people appear to thrive on fewer hours, leaving everyone else wondering how they manage it. A new study involving a healthy older adult suggests that a rare gene mutation might be a key to needing fewer hours of sleep. The research was led by Dr. Hao Chen from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), whose team investigated a "natural short sleeper" trait linked to a genetic variant in the SIK3 gene. How genetics...

PTSD increases the risk of cancer and heart disease. A new study has identified a link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mdma-therapy-ptsd/">PTSD</a> was associated with cancer and metabolic syndrome.

The investigation was focused on 84 individuals who were diagnosed with PTSD as a result of terrorist attacks and other traumatic events.

The study revealed that males were more likely to have circulatory and metabolic complications, while females were more prone to benign and malignant cancers.


Individuals who had a longer duration of PTSD were more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, and PTSD following terrorist attacks was linked to a higher cancer prevalence.

Dr. Andrea Pozza of the Scotte University Hospital in Italy is one of the study's authors.

“An explanation of why victims of terrorism may have a higher cancer prevalence than victims of other traumatic events, such as accidents, may be the intentional infliction of harm on the victim causing a more dysregulated stress response. A challenge for the future is monitoring the physical health of victims over time and understanding psychological and neurobiological processes producing this effect,” said Dr. Pozza. PTSD increases the risk of cancer and heart disease 

“Longer untreated PTSD was associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease regardless of the event type: this suggests the importance of early intervention for PTSD and also education programs for the general population to make people aware about PTSD early warning signs and how to recognize them.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10974547">Journal of Neuroscience Research</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

PTSD increases the risk of cancer and heart disease

PTSD increases the risk of cancer and heart disease. A...

The fur-free movement gained significant momentum in 2018. Major retailers such as Coach, Burberry and Versace announced fur-free policies and the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco banned the sale of fur clothing. Internationally, Norway, Luxembourg and Belgium prohibited fur farming. It seems like fur is out and ethical shopping is in. But will this new trend lead to long-term change?

The use of fur in clothing manufacturing has been an animal advocacy issue for years. Previously, the idea of fur-free advocates may have conjured up images of people throwing paint on fur jackets, but the last year illustrates how the movement has picked up mainstream and industry support.

Fur Free Alliance estimates that more than<a href="https://www.furfreealliance.com/fur-farming/"> 100 million animals</a> are killed on fur farms each year. Fur farming currently comprises<a href="https://faunalytics.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Fundamentals_Fur.pdf"> 85%</a> of the fur trade. In addition to farming, animals can be trapped in the wild for their pelts. Farmed animals, largely minks, foxes, raccoon dogs, rabbits and chinchillas, may suffer from immense stress and health ailments before being culled through practices such as gassing and electrocution. The industry argues that the animals receive excellent care and that fur farms abide by industry regulations to ensure <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wild-animals-photo-props/">animal welfare</a>.

Regardless of the level of care farmed animals receive, there is a growing sentiment that using fur for clothing is wrong. But this sentiment hasn’t necessarily translated to decreased sales. MarketWatch<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/san-francisco-banned-fur-sales-but-americans-are-spending-even-more-on-fur-2018-03-22"> reports</a> that the U.S. was forecasted to manufacture over $352 billion in fur apparel and clothing accessories in 2018, up four percent from the previous year.

The momentum of the fur-free movement may simply be taking time to reflect its change in market numbers. Or some consumers may agree with the movement without following through with behavior changes.

A<a href="https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1108/13612020610679321"> study</a> of European consumers found that ethical issues did not have an effect on the consumers’ fashion purchasing behaviors. It isn’t so difficult to see why when you consider the current scrutiny the fashion industry is receiving for other practices such as environmental damage, poor labor conditions, and burning their unused products. The consumer may feel it is too difficult for them to truly shop ethically.

Our current age of “ethical consumerism” may change this dynamic. Millennials, who are largely driving the ethical consumerism age, overwhelmingly reject fur products. A recent<a href="https://mic.com/articles/131649/here-s-what-young-people-really-think-about-wearing-fur#.kZLifkbma"> poll</a> showed that two-thirds of millennials stated they were not comfortable wearing fur. Fashion companies can appeal to the new generation of consumers and gain some PR points buy implementing fur-free policies.

But fashionistas are not the only buyers of fur products. Fur products are popular with people in cold climates. These consumers could play a large role in continuing fur sales despite bans in warm and temperate areas such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. Faux fur products are currently being sold to resemble fur products for consumers who want fashion without animal welfare concerns. Products that are designed to match fur products in warmth and comfort could gain popularity with this segment of the market.

In 2018, the fur-free movement dominated fashion headlines. This coming year will show the effect the movement has on consumer behavior.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Fur-free is in fashion. But will it lead to lasting change?

The fur-free movement gained significant momentum in 2018. Major retailers...

One of the first and most important discoveries man made was fire. Since then, we’ve done everything in our power to attempt to control it and generally stop it from killing or maiming us. In this effort, we discovered <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wash-hands-unhealthy-chemicals/">flame retardants</a>, which we include in everything from our furniture to our clothing. 

With so many flammable objects being a part of our everyday lives, it’s not surprising that many of the items we come in contact with contain these flame retardants. And despite the good they do, some of these compounds have been found to have harmful effects on the environment, and have been replaced by more eco-friendly alternatives.

A new study published in the <a href="https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en.html">American Chemical Society’s</a> journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag">Environmental Science &amp; Technology</a> has found that heat or ultraviolet light may possibly breakdown a “safe” flame retardant into potentially harmful compounds. 

This study found that some brominated flame retardants – such as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) – are guilty of not only having exceedingly long names, but of persisting and bioaccumulating in the environment. This may lead to toxic effects on organisms that come into contact with the compounds, and has led to some international regulatory bodies banning HBCD, which is commonly used in polystyrene foam insulation.

So what can be used in place of HBCD? A polymeric flame retardant (polyFR) is a large polymer that is much less likely to enter cells or accumulate in the food chain. However, despite polyFR being a more environmentally friendly flame retardant, the long-term effect of the chemical is unknown.

In an effort to determine the behavior of this compound, Christoph Koch, Bernard Sures and colleagues investigated whether heat or ultraviolet light could break down polyFR into smaller, possibly more harmful substances. They exposed this compound to heat and UV light, then analyzed the samples with mass spectrometry. 

Results showed that when the researchers irradiated polyFR with UV light for 3 hours, there were 75 different degradation production – eight of which contained bromine. On the other hand, heat treatment for 36 weeks produced only seven degradation products – one containing bromine. 

Because some of the compounds the researchers found were small and brominated, they believe polyFR has the potential to be harmful under these circumstances. But as of now, they do not know whether or not the compound would behave differently when incorporated with polystyrene in foam insulation. Safe to say, further research will be needed.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The downfalls of “environmentally friendly” flame retardants

One of the first and most important discoveries man made...

They say blondes have more fun, but true blonde hair is rarer than you might think, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/mrc-human-genetics-unit/news-and-events/news-2018/hair-colour-genetics-uk-biobank-2018">University of Edinburgh's MRC Human Genetics Unit. </a>

The research, published in the journal Nature Communications, is the largest genetic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/human-body-parts-hair/">hair</a> study of its kind as the researchers examined DNA from nearly 35,000 men and women of European descent. 

The DNA data came from the <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank Study</a> and the researchers conducted genome-wide analyses of different hair colors to find any genetic variants. 

Previous genetic research had found that the red hair is determined by one gene, the MC1R gene, but these studies failed to explain the variants in the MC1R gene and external genetic factors that interact the gene.

For example, although most redheads have two copies of the MC1R gene, there are people with two versions of this gene that don’t have red hair. The researchers wanted to find out what other underlying genetic factors drive hair color variation. 

The researchers found eight genetic variants linked to red hair and nearly 200 genetic differences in blondes and brunettes. 

The lighter your hair is, the more genetic variants you have, according to the study.  

True blonde is also a rare hair color, and the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6563471/Not-dumb-Blonds-complex-DNA-study-says.html">Daily Mail</a> reports that only 12.7 percent of women have pure blonde hair, and only 9.9 percent of men do. 

Surprisingly, many of the genetic differences identified by the researchers correlated with factors other than pigmentation like hair texture and growth. 

“In summary, the very large dataset provided by UK Biobank has enabled us to dissect the complex genetic nature of hair colour,” the researchers concluded. “This forms the foundation for functional analysis linking genetic variation to phenotype and exploring the cellular interactions between melanocytes and other cells in the hair follicle.”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

True blonde hair requires surprisingly complex genetics

They say blondes have more fun, but true blonde hair...

Every year, insect and mosquito-transmitted diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Zika are responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. 

Nearly 40 percent of the Earth’s population is at risk of contracting malaria, according to the <a href="https://www.who.int/whr/1996/media_centre/executive_summary1/en/index9.html">World Health Organization</a> (WHO), and the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a transmitter of many common insect-transmitted diseases, is one of the deadliest animals in the world. 

Now, a new study could pave the way for the development of a type of mosquito birth control to reduce mortality rates and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dengue-fever-modified-mosquitoes/">prevent insect-transmitted diseases from spreading</a>.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> conducted a study examining mosquito egg formation and identified a gene specific to healthy mosquito larvae development. 

The study was published in the journal PLOS Biology.

“We specifically looked for genes that were unique to mosquitoes and then tested for their functional role in eggshell synthesis,” said Jun Isoe, the leader of the research. “We think there are other discoveries to be made using this same species-directed approach.” 

First, the researchers identified and tested 40 mosquito-specific genes to determine the function of each gene. 

Next, the researchers injected the genes with an RNA molecule that inhibited the protein that each specific gene codes in a process is called RNA interference. 

The team injected the RNA molecules into a female mosquito before she fed on a host. Female mosquitoes need a blood meal to produce eggs. Once a mosquito laid her eggs, the researchers monitored the offspring to see if the RNA molecule had affected the eggs.

Only one of the genes had an impact on embryo development after being injected with the RNA molecule, the EOF-1 gene or Eggshell Organizing Factor protein as the researchers called it. 

Disrupting the EOF-1 protein resulted in the death of an embryo because the female mosquito laid malformed eggshells that were not able to support larvae development. 

Not only is EOF-1 specific to mosquitos, but the researchers also found that the RNA molecule prevented healthy embryo development for the entirety of the mosquito’s lifespan.

“This lasting effect makes the EOF-1 protein a very attractive target for drugs,” said Miesfeld. 

The researchers think that disrupting the EOF-1 protein could be an innovative solution to control mosquito populations in regions where mosquito-transmitted diseases pose major health risks. 

“We think this strategy may have a much lower chance of harming other organisms than what is being used today,” said Miesfeld. “Since the days of DDT, we have known that mosquito population control works to reduce the incidence of human disease. This could be a next-generation tool that could be applied to bed nets and other areas frequented by mosquitoes.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: CDC/Frank Hadley Collins

Mosquito birth control could prevent the spread of deadly diseases

Every year, insect and mosquito-transmitted diseases like malaria, dengue fever,...

According to data from the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/">American Cancer Society</a>, there was a steady decline in the cancer mortality rate among Americans over a period of 25 years. From 1991 to 2016, there were approximately 2.6 million fewer deaths from <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cancer-excess-body-weight/">cancer</a>.

The Cancer Statistics 2019 report estimates that this year in the U.S., there will be 1,762,450 new cases diagnosed, and 606,880 patients will lose their lives to cancer.

Since the cancer death rate peaked in 1991, this rate has steadily declined by about 1.5 percent per year - leading to an overall decline of 27 percent by 2016.

The drop in cancer mortality has primarily resulted from a steady decline in smoking and advances in early detection and treatment. These improvements are reflected in the lower death rates from the four major cancers, which include lung, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer.

By contrast, death rates have slightly increased for liver, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers. Deaths from cancers of the brain, soft tissue, and sites within the oral cavity and pharynx associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) have also been on the rise. 

Over the last decade, the cancer incidence rate was stable among women and declined by around two percent each year among men. The racial gap in cancer mortality is slowly narrowing, but socioeconomic inequalities are widening. Residents of the poorest counties have experienced an increasingly disproportionate burden of the most preventable cancers. 

For example, women in poor U.S. counties are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer compared to women in affluent counties, while men in poor counties are 40 percent more likely to die from lung or liver cancer.

“These (poor) counties are low-hanging fruit for locally focused cancer control efforts, including increased access to basic health care and interventions for smoking cessation, healthy living, and cancer screening programs,” wrote the study authors. “A broader application of existing cancer control knowledge with an emphasis on disadvantaged groups would undoubtedly accelerate progress against cancer.”

The study is published in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15424863">CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

US cancer mortality rates have been declining for the past 25 years

According to data from the American Cancer Society, there was...

Peak <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/12/20/dating-during-holidays-peak-dating-season-almost-here-according-match/964051001/">dating season</a> is quickly approaching and soon dating sites like Match.com and OkCupid will see a surge in people searching through countless profiles to find a prospective match. 

Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day can be wonderful when you have someone to share them with, but for the chronically single among us, these holidays can be an especially difficult time. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/online-daters-matches-league/">Online dating</a> has become an increasingly popular option in today’s digital age, and there are so many apps and websites with millions of users worldwide, you would think that finding a compatible match would be easy as swipe, match, date. 

However, the reality is that people using apps like Tinder and Bumble often find themselves swiping into oblivion with few prospects, lots of messages that lead nowhere, and an ever-growing collection of “matches” that just sit gathering dust as the swipes keep coming. 

As someone who has tried their fair share of dating sites and apps, I’ve always been curious about the science and math behind the scenes, especially the ones that claim to match you with the most compatible people based on your shared interests and what you’re looking for.

Can science find your perfect match? How do the algorithms that determine your rank within the system work, and who or what decides who sees who?  

You may not realize it, but behind the mega-successful dating websites like OkCupid and the apps like Bumble, there’s math, more specifically a series of algorithms that keep the cogs turning so you can swipe to your heart's content. 

“Algorithms learn from users’ preferences,” wrote Ally Marotti, a reporter for the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-app-dating-algorithms-20181202-story.html">Chicago Tribune</a>, in a piece about perfecting your dating profile. “They gather data on users and how they interact, and calculate which profiles will appear in feeds or as matches. If a user tends not to engage with people with tattoos, the app may stop showing that person people with tattoos, for example.”

These algorithms work to take the guesswork out of the equation and can help you meet a lot of people that you probably wouldn’t if you decided to try your hand at dating the old fashioned way and leave it up to chance. 

A <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/ft/2011/07/inside_matchcom.html">Financial Times profile</a>, Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of Match group, discussed the importance of algorithms in making matches. Match group is the parent company of Match.com, OkCupid, Tinder, and Plenty of Fish among other dating brands. 

Ginsberg explained how Match.com’s algorithm, “Synapse,” uses many different factors in a person’s profile to find a match and also learns from the different actions of users on the site. 

This means that for Match.com users, not only will their matches be based on their indicated preferences in their profile, but also on the profiles that users view, who they send messages to, and what they search for. 

Tinder's algorithm claims to weed out inactive users and keep them in the back of the line. Other algorithms may make sure to keep the most popular profiles in a certain area at the head of the queue. 

In Tinder, every user has a ranking called an Elo score, and the fact of the matter is, who sees you and how often you're profile is seen boils down to that ranking. 

“It’s not just how many people swipe right on you," Sean Rad, Tinder’s CEO, told <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3054871/whats-your-tinder-score-inside-the-apps-internal-ranking-system">Fast Company</a>. “It’s very complicated. It took us two and a half months just to build the algorithm because a lot of factors go into it.” 

For Tinder, they say the Elo score measures desirability in the hopes of matching equally desirable couples. 

It's important to note that although some dating websites claim otherwise, dating algorithms have yet to crack the code of human attraction and love, and no amount of math will find you your perfect match. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> and the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a> found that out the hard way after conducting a series of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797617714580">speed dating experiments</a> where romantically unattached individuals were asked to fill out questionnaires rating their own qualities and attractiveness and what they were looking for in a partner. 

Then the participants took part in a speed dating exercise, where people were matched up and given four minutes to make a connection before moving on to the next person. 

After the speed dating was done, the participants told the researchers which people they liked and which they didn’t. 

The researchers then created a machine learning algorithm based on all the data from the questionnaires and the participant's responses to the dates to see if machine learning could predict compatibility. 

After all the analysis and number crunching was complete, the researchers found that machines and algorithms were useless at predicting human compatibility. 

“We couldn’t predict compatibility at all,” said Paul Eastwick, a leader of the study, on the podcast <a href="https://www.gimletmedia.com/science-vs/online-dating-can-science-find-you-love#episode-player">Science Verses</a>, while discussing the results. “It’s very hard to predict how much people are going to like each other once they first meet.”

If you find yourself looking for love and think online dating is the way to go, or if you’ve been a member of every online dating website and still have yet to find a good match, unfortunately, science can’t magically find you a partner.

However, what these algorithms do well is expose you to tons of people while learning from your online dating activity. 

Don’t get too caught up in your rank, or your number of matches because as we’ve learned, these algorithms know very little about actual matters of the heart. 

However, online dating can be a great way to get things started, put yourself out there without looking for an expensive local matchmaking service, and meet different people. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dating in the digital age: Can science help find your perfect match?

Peak dating season is quickly approaching and soon dating sites...

Schadenfreude is a German term that describes the joy people sometimes get from someone else’s misfortune. It’s a complicated emotion and one that psychologists still struggle to identify and understand.

Schadenfreude may arise after seeing a rival fail or watching coverage about an unlikable celebrity whose career takes a nosedive. You might even feel schadenfreude when someone gets what they justly deserve, like a criminal who is sentenced to prison. 

Because this particular <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/27-different-human-emotions/">emotion</a> can be felt in so many different situations, pinning down an exact definition or framework for schadenfreude has proven more than a challenge for scientists. 

In a recent article for <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-does-it-feel-good-to-see-someone-fail-107349">The Conversation</a>, Shensheng Wang from <a href="http://www.emory.edu/home/index.html">Emory University</a> argues that dehumanization lies at the core of schadenfreude. 

Wang and his colleagues conducted a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0732118X18301430">study</a> examining schadenfreude in the hopes of creating a universal model for the emotion that incorporates its complex and multifaceted nature. 

There are three schools of thought on schadenfreude according to Wang. The first views schadenfreude as a form of social comparison. The second holds that the emotion is linked to personal feelings of justice and fairness as people are more likely to feel schadenfreude if they think the person deserves their unhappiness. The third describes schadenfreude as a way to establish social identity in a group because group members can bond over the misfortune of someone outside of that group. 

Wang and colleagues incorporated all these definitions into one multifaceted approach with dehumanization at the center. 

“In our view, the different definitions point to multiple sides of schadenfreude, each of which might have distinct developmental origins,” Wang wrote.  

In the team’s view, schadenfreude is a way to look at another person as “less than human.” 

“Linking schadenfreude with dehumanization might sound dark, especially because schadenfreude is such a universal emotion,” Wang concluded. “But dehumanization occurs more often than most would like to think – and we believe it’s behind the pang of pleasure you feel when you see someone fail.”

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why do people sometimes get joy from another’s misfortune?

Schadenfreude is a German term that describes the joy people...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> have found that most cat owners think that their pets will instinctively hunt birds and mice whether they discourage the behavior or not. While many owners dislike their cat’s tendency to hunt wildlife, they feel either unable or unwilling to control it.

The team interviewed cat owners about their pets' hunting behavior, what concerned them about this behavior, and what actions they felt responsible for. Hunting was mostly viewed as an activity that was beyond the individual's control. However, those who did have the desire to limit hunting did not know how to achieve this without locking their cats indoors, which few owners wanted to do.

Study lead author Dr. Sarah Crowley is an associate research fellow at the Environment and Sustainability Institute on the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus.

“We found a spectrum of views on hunting, from owners who see it as positive for pest control to those who were deeply concerned about its consequences for wild animal populations,” said Dr. Crowley. “However, because hunting is a natural cat behavior, few owners believed they could effectively control this without negatively affecting their cats' welfare.”


Some <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cats-love-boxes-safe/">cats</a> catch multiple birds and small animals every week, while many others stay indoors and rarely prey on animals. Regardless, conservationists are concerned about the impact that hunters among the  UK's 11 million cats may have on declining species such as house sparrows.

Some of the current methods used to prevent cats from hunting wildlife include the use of collars with bells and bright colors.

“Cat owners understandably make their pets' health and well-being a priority, and many feel that cats need free access to the outdoors,” said Professor Robbie McDonald. “At the same time, having such independent pets creates extra anxieties for owners about both their cats' safety while ranging free, and their impacts on wildlife.”

“We are working closely with cat owners and cat welfare organizations. Our aim is to find practical ways of reducing hunting, while enhancing cat health and welfare.”

Robert Middleditch is the chairman of SongBird Survival, the independent bird conservation charity that sponsored the study. 

“We are very concerned about the significant adverse impacts that free-ranging domestic cats can have on our songbirds and other wildlife,” said Middleditch. “We are therefore delighted to have commissioned this important project, and believe that working with cat owners to find practical solutions, while promoting responsible pet ownership, can benefit both vulnerable wildlife and cats.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/publications/journals/people-and-nature/">People and Nature</a>.

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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

Most cat owners think they can’t stop their pet from hunting wildlife

Researchers at the University of Exeter have found that most...

According to the <a href="https://www.sneb.org/">Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior</a> (SNEB), environmental sustainability should be the basis of dietary guidance, whether in establishing national standards or working with individuals. The long-term sustainability of the food system is critical for improving the nutritional health of a population.

The position paper from SNEB is based on recent scientific discoveries regarding the environmental impacts of foods and diets. The authors describe the current issues we are facing, as well as the challenges that we will encounter in meeting future food needs.  

Dr. Diego Rose, a professor in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at <a href="https://tulane.edu/">Tulane University</a> is the paper’s lead author. 

“Based on the best science we have today, it is clear that current environmental problems - including global climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, water shortages, and water pollution--demand urgent attention, threaten long-term food security, and are in part caused by our current food choices and agricultural practices,” explained Dr. Rose.

“The position paper was motivated by the severity of current environmental problems, including global climate change. A number of studies have been published about the difficulty of getting to 2050 with an adequate worldwide food supply due to factors such as population increase and change in dietary habits.”

“The paper was also inspired by the information published in the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's scientific report to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services in 2015, which included a chapter dedicated to sustainability. We wanted to pass this vital information along to others.”

The experts at SNEB are urging for environmental sustainability considerations to be included in future federal dietary guidance. These guidelines should contain specific advice, such as substituting <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meat-consumption-climate-change-2/">meat</a> from animals with other protein foods.

“In discussing dietary recommendations, nutritionists can discuss both the health and environmental impacts of food choices to promote behavior change among consumers,” said Dr. Rose. “People want to know what to eat today, so it is incumbent on those of us who are knowledgeable about nutritional science and education techniques to provide the best advice, based on the available evidence to date.”

The paper is published in the <a href="https://www.jneb.org/">Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior</a>.

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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 

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Why food sustainability must become a key part of dietary guidance

According to the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB),...

The closure of coal-fired power plants has accelerated under President Trump, despite his pledges to end the “war on coal” and replace the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pruitt-clean-power-plan/">Clean Power Plan</a>. In fact, more coal plants have been retired in the first two years of Trump's presidency than the first four years that Obama spent in office. 

In 2017 and 2018, 20 gigawatts of coal-fired plants were shut down, compared to 15 gigawatts during Obama's first term. 

According to the <a href="https://www.eia.gov/">U.S. Energy Information Administration</a> (EIA), almost all of the large energy plants retired between 2008 and 2017 were powered by fossil fuels. The EIA reported that U.S. coal use dropped four percent in 2018, hitting its lowest level in almost 40 years. 

A company called <a href="https://www.industrialinfo.com/">Industrial Info</a> is tracking 15 different decommissionings and demolitions at fossil-fuel power plants that are expected to be launched across the country this year. As a result, the EIA predicts that coal consumption in the United States will decline by an additional eight percent in 2019.

Meanwhile, miners and their families have been holding onto hope that coal would make a comeback under President Trump.


“He's trying to get their votes. He isn't telling them the truth,” Art Sullivan, a coal mining consultant with decades of experience in the mining industry, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>. “And that really disturbs me because these are really good people. These are the people that I have spent my life working with. And if they have the truth they will make the right decisions.”

Climate scientists including Michael Mann of <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Pennsylvania State University</a> are warning that it is up to wealthy nations like the United States to eliminate carbon emissions by 2030 to save life on our planet as we know it. He said that this would require that 80 percent of coal reserves to remain underground. 

“I think there's enough resilience in the (Earth's) system that we can withstand one four-year term of Donald Trump,” Mann told CNN. “I'm not sure we can withstand two.”

“We've undergone transitions like this before. We got off whale oil because something better came along. That was fossil fuels. Now something better has come along and that's renewable energy and there's nothing that can stop that transition.”
--

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>

More coal plants closed under Trump than during Obama’s first 4 years

The closure of coal-fired power plants has accelerated under President...

What drives people to take big risky bets even if the odds are against them? A new study has found that internal bias formed from past experiences plays a large role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bravery-cells-risk-taking/#">risk-taking</a> decisions. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">John Hopkins University </a>who conducted the study set out to understand where risk-taking decisions were made in the brain and how people determine if a bet is worth taking. 

The results, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that a push and pull dynamic between the right and left hemisphere of the brain plays a large role in risk-taking decisions like gambling. 

The researchers also found that past experiences drive risk-taking and your accumulated feelings from past wins or losses impact future choices and nudge you toward your next decision. 

“What we learned is that there is a bias that develops over time that may make people view risk differently,” said Sridevi Sarma, the senior author of the study. 

For the study, the researchers recorded the brain activity of participants while they played a card game meant to illustrate risk-taking decisions. 

Patients at the<a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/16972-epilepsy-monitoring-units"> Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Monitoring Unit</a> were chosen for the study because they each had electrodes implanted in their brains to help doctors study seizures. 

The electrodes showed the researchers what was going on in the participants’ brains in real time as they played the card game. 

Participants were asked to take bets while playing against a computer and for each round, the participant was given a card with a value of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10. 

The decks only had cards with these values, and the participant had to bet that their card had a higher or lower value than the computer's card which was face down on the screen while the participant’s card was face up. 

Bets could be high or low and the researchers found that if a participant was dealt a 2, 4, 8, or 10 card bets were quickly made, but the six card caused hesitation and the researchers saw that past bias helped nudge participants one way or the other. 

Risk-taking behavior depended on gamma brainwave frequency and which region of the brain the brain waves originated from. 

“When your right brain has high-frequency activity and you get a gamble, you're pushed to take more of a risk,” said Pierre Sacré, a co-leader of the study. “But if the left side has high-frequency activity, it's pulling you away from taking a risk. We call this a push-pull system.”

Once the researchers understood the push-pull system, a mathematical equation was developed to help calculate the internal bias of each patient, and the researchers say that their results could help improve brain training methods and with treatments to rewire bad habits. 

“We found that if you actually solve for what this looks like over time, the players are accumulating all the past card values and all the past outcomes, but with a fading memory,” said Sarma. “In other words, what happened most recently weighs on a person more than older events do. This means that based on the history of a participant's bets, we can predict how that person is feeling as they gamble.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Jennifer E. Fairman, CMI, FAMI. © 2019, Johns Hopkins University, AAM.

How the brain nudges you to take a bet or walk away

What drives people to take big risky bets even if...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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