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...

According to the <a href="https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures">Alzheimer’s Association</a>, Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, and around 5.5 million people over the age of 65 have the disease.

The number of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s is growing and although there is no cure, the ability to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dementia-risk-factors-early/">diagnose the disease and risk factors early on</a> could help people create a plan while their faculties are intact. 

Families now are often caught off guard with the costs of care and the burden of controlling finances, property, and making major health decisions for their loved ones. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://medicine.wustl.edu/">Washington University School of Medicine</a> in St. Louis and the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California San Francisco</a> conducted a study examining the potential of MRI scans in predicting dementia risk. 

“Right now it's hard to say whether an older person with normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment is likely to develop dementia,” said Cyrus A. Raji, the lead author of the study. “We showed that a single MRI scan can predict dementia on average 2.6 years before memory loss is clinically detectable, which could help doctors advise and care for their patients.”

There are methods doctors and neurologists can use to predict Alzheimer’s risk such as testing for a high-risk gene ApoE or a PET scan which looks for plaques in the brain. 

However, these methods can be costly and aren’t widely available in many hospitals. 

The researchers collected and reviewed data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. From a large data pool, the team selected ten people who experienced cognitive declines over a two year period and ten people with the same demographics who didn’t experience any declines. 

Next, the researchers analyzed MRI scans of the people selected using diffusion tensor imaging which allowed the researchers to focus on white matter in the brain. 

“Diffusion tensor imaging is a way of measuring the movement of water molecules along white matter tracts,” said Raji. “If water molecules are not moving normally it suggests underlying damage to white tracts that can underlie problems with cognition.

The scans of the people who experienced more cognitive declines had larger amounts of damaged white matter. 

The researchers tried this technique on a larger sample of 61 people and were able to predict cognitive decline with 89 percent accuracy when looking at the whole brain. 

“We could tell that the individuals who went on to develop dementia have these differences on diffusion MRI, compared with scans of cognitively normal people whose memory and thinking skills remained intact,” said Raji. “What we need now, before we can bring it into the clinic, is to get more control subjects and develop computerized tools that can more reliably compare individual patients' scans to a baseline normal standard. With that, doctors might soon be able to tell people whether they are likely to have Alzheimer's develop in the next few years.” 

The researchers presented their findings at the <a href="https://www.rsna.org/">Radiological Society of North America</a> meeting in Chicago this week.
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

MRI scans could be used to predict dementia risk in patients

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading...

The mental process of gathering data to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/sleeping-better-decisions/">make decisions</a> takes at least several seconds, which is much longer than the time needed for individual brain cells to process information. A team of neuroscientists has demonstrated that this imbalance does not prevent us from making accurate choices, indicating that the brain has the ability to retain information that is relevant to decision-making over a long period of time.

Study lead author Michael Waskom is a postdoctoral fellow at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU).

“Humans can accurately integrate pieces of information that they encounter over extended periods of time, which shows that decision making is not fundamentally limited by forgetting or by 'noise' in our memory,” said Waskom.

Study senior author Professor Roozbeh Kiani added, “If the loss of information is not inevitable, meaning we can hold on to information longer than previously realized, we can begin to explore ways for diminishing the mistakes we make in our decisions. What appears as inaccurate decision making due to loss of information may instead be caused by suboptimal strategies, and these can be improved.”

Previous studies of the decision-making process have mainly focused on fast decisions that were based on information gathered over just a few hundred milliseconds. Simulations have suggested that any longer deliberation would have allowed for the interference of memory loss and noise, leading to poor decisions. 

In everyday life, however, we usually take much longer than a few hundred milliseconds to make choices. This means that existing research may not capture how the brain works during this process. Ultimately, previous studies may be underestimating our ability to retain information that is critical to decision making.

To investigate, the NYU team developed a trial during which participants made decisions about the appearance of synthetic images that had variable contrast. After viewing a series of images, the participants had to decide whether their contrast was high or low on average, which required them to incorporate information gathered at different points in time.

Each image in the series was followed by a delay that lasted two to eight seconds, and it took up to 30 seconds before the individuals were shown all the relevant details. Regardless of the duration they had to wait between images, the participants responded correctly, indicating that the passage of time did not interfere with their accuracy. 

Professor Kiani concluded, “Our results are at odds with the predictions of many existing models and favor models that are largely invariant to passage of time. This will focus our search for the neural circuits that underlie real-world decisions.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@gmail.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Making a decision over time doesn’t impact the accuracy, study shows

The mental process of gathering data to make decisions takes...

As travelers become more conscientious, traditional animal attractions are increasingly being rejected. These attractions are being replaced with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/lion-voluntourism-trips-harm/">voluntourism</a> and animal sanctuary experiences. While these experiences appeal to ethical tourists, they can be crueler than they seem.

There has been a clear shift in the way people interact with captive wild animals in recent years. While circuses used to be a grand spectacle, a<a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/183275/say-animals-rights-people.aspx"> 2015 Gallup poll</a> showed that 69% of Americans are concerned with how animals are treated in the circus. Just last year, Ringling Bros. Circus closed their show after 146 years. Americans also showed high levels of concern with other animal attractions such as animal sports and contests, aquariums and zoos.

Travelers now want to visit wild animals in a more natural and humane setting. This new wave of animal tourism provides travelers with a feel-good experience, but these experiences can be marked by the same inhumane conditions as traditional animal attractions.

The elephant camps throughout Thailand, which offer travelers the opportunity to ride, bathe and watch elephants, are a prime example of this phenomenon.

Elephant camps came to rise after commercial logging was banned in Thailand in 1989. Elephants in the country had been trained to work in the logging industry transporting people and logs. The ban left many captive elephants displaced as they could no longer work but were too accustomed to people to be released into the wild. Many elephant handlers turned towards the tourism industry. There are now an<a href="https://cites.org/sites/default/files/eng/cop/17/WorkingDocs/E-CoP17-57-01-A5.pdf"> estimated</a> 200 elephant camps in Thailand alone.

While many of the elephants at the camps came from the logging industry, some have been captured from the wild. A 2014<a href="http://www.trafficj.org/publication/14_An_Assessment_of_the_Live_ElephantTrade_Thailand.pdf"> report</a> by the wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC found that an estimated 79 to 81 wild elephants were illegally captured for sale into the tourism industry in Thailand during a two-year period.

Today, Thailand is home to fewer than 3,500 Asian elephants in the wild and 3,500 to 4,000 elephants in captivity. The Asian elephant is currently listed as endangered with populations decreasing throughout the world. Illegally smuggling elephants from the wild could have negative impacts on elephant populations, especially considering the high commercial value of young individuals.

In addition to concerns on the conservation of elephants, animal advocates point to the inhumane living conditions of elephants at the camps. A<a href="https://d31j74p4lpxrfp.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/int_files/pdfs/taken_for_a_ride.pdf"> report</a> by World Animal Protection found that nearly 75% of the elephants they studied living in Asian elephant camps lived in poor conditions.

The report notes “When not giving rides or performing, the elephants were typically chained day and night, most of the time to chains less than 3m long. They were also fed poor diets, given limited appropriate veterinary care and were frequently kept on concrete floors in stressful locations near loud music, roads or visitor groups.”

A<a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0139092"> 2015 study</a> published in PLOS One found similar results. The study examined the welfare of Asian elephants, Pig-tailed macaques and tigers at tourism venues in Thailand. Eighty-six percent of the elephants were kept on short chains when they were not interacting with tourists and 25.6% were kept on concrete ground which can cause health issues in elephants. Further, over one-third of the elephants were kept isolated from each other. For the highly social species, this can cause severe distress and boredom.

Proponents of elephant tourism in Thailand argue that the camps provide an income for the elephant handlers and a home for the elephants who can no longer be used for the logging industry.

The tourism industry may be able to help the both local people and elephants if it is done right. Travelers’ desire to visit the beautiful giants in person will not dissipate soon. Tourism venues can provide these awe-inspiring experiences and protect elephants in the country by adhering to strict welfare standards.

<a href="https://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/elephant-conservation/travel-guide/elephant-sanctuaries">Responsible Travel</a>, a travel website which promotes responsible tourism, recommends avoiding places where elephants are forced to perform or give rides. The website screens elephant sanctuaries to ensure they are humane before featuring them on their website. Their recommendations mirror the results in the World Animal Protection report which found that the elephants with the highest welfare conditions were living at camps that did not allow rides or performances.

Sadly, responsible tourism is not as easy as avoiding notoriously cruel animal attractions such as circuses and animal contests. Travelers need to conduct thorough research before visiting an animal attraction to ensure they are visiting a truly humane attraction.

--

By <a href="http://mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Elephant sanctuary attractions may not be as ethical as they seem

As travelers become more conscientious, traditional animal attractions are increasingly...

One of the biggest concerns with the rise in popularity of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/health-risks-vaping-e-cigarettes/">vaping </a>is that it’s a gateway habit that leads to smoking. 

A report from the <a href="http://www.nationalacademies.org/">National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine</a> published earlier this years stated that younger people were more likely to progress to smoking if they started vaping. 

However, while electronic cigarettes could lead to smoking, there are also studies that show that increases in vaping have led to declines in smoking. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.georgetown.edu/">Georgetown University</a> wanted to resolve these conflicting reports and trends and conducted a study examining vaping and smoking rates among 15 to 25-year-olds. 

The study was published in the journal Tobacco Control.

Data was collected from five national smoking surveys dating back as far as 2004 and as recently as 2017.

The surveys showed when vaping really began to take off in the United States and how it impacted smoking patterns among young people. 

Between 2011 and 2013, vaping was not commonly mentioned on the surveys, however, after 2014 the researchers noticed a surge in vaping. 

Retail sales data confirmed that e-cigarettes sales doubled from 2013 to 2014. 

Smoking began to decline, and these declines were rapid after 2013 for young adults and teens as vaping became more and more mainstream. 

The researchers found the results were consistent with all the data used for the study and even after making corrections to fix potential anomalies. 

Even so, the researchers still say there may be a chance that vaping increases the risk of smoking later on.

“It is possible that trying e-cigarettes is causally related to smoking for some youth, but the aggregate effect of this relationship at the population level may be small enough that its effects are swamped by other factors that influence smoking behavior,” the study authors state. 

Overall, the study results suggest that vaping, at least at the population level, has played a role in declining smoking trends. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rise in vaping popularity linked to decline in smoking

One of the biggest concerns with the rise in popularity...

A new study has shown how early childhood education can have lasting benefits that affect a person's behavior well into adulthood.

Researchers from the <a href="https://research.vtc.vt.edu/">Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute</a> found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-poverty-cognitive-skills/">children from low-income families</a> who had been given an intensive early education were fairer in their treatment of others even 40 years later. 

A study detailing the researchers’ findings was published in the journal Nature Communications. 

For the study, 78 people from the <a href="https://abc.fpg.unc.edu/abecedarian-project">Abecedarian Project </a>were asked to participate in the research. 

The Abecedarian Project is a long-running randomized control study meant to examine the effects of early childhood education that began in 1970. 

For this study, the Virginia Tech researchers followed up with the Abecedarian Project participants and had the 78 members play a series of games to help measure social decision-making processes. 

In one of the games, two players had to split $20 between them. One player had to decide how much money to give the other player, and the other player could choose whether or not to accept the amount. 

If the other player rejected the amount, neither received any money and so players were careful  to weigh personal interests and self-gain with social norms and expectations of fairness.

The researchers found that the players who had access to early childhood education that promoted social and thinking skills were more likely to reject unfair offers, even if the offer was higher in their favor.  

“When someone rejects an offer, they are sending a very strong signal to the other player about the decision regarding how the money should be divided,” said Sébastien Hétu, a first-author of the study. “People who received educational training through the Abecedarian Project were inclined to accept generally equal offers, but would reject disadvantageous and advantageous offers. In effect, they punished transgressions that they judged to be outside of the social norm of equality.”

The researchers also found that participants with an early education planned farther ahead than others. 

“Our research shows that investment in early childhood education, especially in the education of highly vulnerable children from low-income families, can produce long-term effects in decision-making even decades after the educational experience,” said Yi Luo, a co-author of the study. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Early childhood education affects a person’s behavior in adulthood

A new study has shown how early childhood education can...

According to a food safety alert issued today by the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC), romaine lettuce may be contaminated by a particularly dangerous form of E. Coli and is not safe in any form. The CDC is urging people to throw out all romaine lettuce, even if they have already eaten some of it and have not become ill.

“CDC is advising that U.S. consumers not eat any romaine lettuce, and retailers and restaurants not serve or sell any, until we learn more about the outbreak,” the alert states.“This advice includes all types or uses of romaine lettuce, such as whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and bags and boxes of precut lettuce and salad mixes that contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix, and Caesar salad.”

The same strain of E. Coli, Escherichia coli O157, has infected 32 people in 11 states and 18 others in Ontario and Quebec. In the United States, 13 people have been hospitalized and one patient has developed a type of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/environmental-pollutants-kidney-health/">kidney failure</a> called hemolytic uremic syndrome. 

The CDC specifically warns healthcare providers that antibiotics are not safe for patients who may have E. Coli O157.

“Some studies have shown that administering antibiotics to patients with E. coli O157 infections might increase their risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, and the benefit of antibiotic treatment has not been clearly demonstrated,” the report states.

While experts have enough evidence to tie the E. Coli outbreak to romaine lettuce, the CDC warns that “no common grower, supplier, distributor, or brand of romaine lettuce has been identified.” 

Across the United States, the highest number of illnesses has been reported in California and Michigan. Individuals have also been affected in New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Connecticut. The CDC has a map of all the known cases which can be found <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2018/o157h7-11-18/map.html">here</a>.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a statement that romaine lettuce will be tested for contamination all over the country.

“The quick and aggressive steps we’re taking today are aimed at making sure we get ahead of this emerging outbreak, to reduce risk to consumers, and to help people protect themselves and their families from this foodborne illness outbreak,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. “This is especially important ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, when people will be sitting down for family meals.”

The CDC says that the investigation is ongoing and the advisory will be updated as soon as more information becomes available.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Romaine lettuce is not safe to eat in any form, CDC warns

According to a food safety alert issued today by the...

A new mice study from the <a href="https://sydney.edu.au/charles-perkins-centre/">University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre</a>, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home">Cell Reports</a>, has discovered that low-protein high-carbohydrate diets promote longevity, healthy brain aging, and improvement of memory and learning skills.

Lead author and PhD candidate Devin Wahl said, "There are currently no effective pharmaceutical treatments for dementia — we can slow these diseases, but we can't stop them — so it's exciting that we are starting to identify diets that are impacting how the brain ages.”

To come to their conclusion, Wahl and his team fed mice complex carbohydrates derived from starch, and casein protein, found in cheese and milk. They then studied the mice’s hippocampus, the area of the brain that controls <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stress-affecting-memory/">memory</a> and learning.

Senior author David Le Couteur, Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Sydney, said, "The hippocampus is usually the first part of the brain to deteriorate with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. However, the low-protein high-carbohydrate diet appeared to promote hippocampus health and biology in the mice, on some measures to an even greater degree than those on the low-calorie diet.”

Researchers compared the positive brain health benefits of a low-protein high-carb diet to those of a calorie-restricted diet, which is not sustainable in humans. Calorie restriction has been proven to be one of the most effective treatments in improving brain health and delaying the onset of neurodegenerative disease in rodents. However, the diet proves to be difficult for humans to stick to.

“It shows a lot of promise that we have been able to replicate the same kind of gene changes in the part of the brain responsible for memory that we also see when we severely restrict calories," Wahl said regarding low-protein high-carb diets.

Perhaps by simply eating the right foods — minimal proteins derived from lean fish, soy, plants, and good carbohydrates like sweet potatoes — we can help our brains age healthily and better protect ourselves from neurodegenerative disease.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Low-protein, high-carb diets promote healthy brain aging

A new mice study from the University of Sydney’s Charles...

For the millions of children who have peanut allergies, a new technique could literally be a life-saver. Researchers have demonstrated that it is possible for some people with a peanut allergy to build up a tolerance to protect themselves from a fatal allergic reaction.

The study was focused on 551 individuals between 4 and 55 years old, while the majority were <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/good-nutrition-stress-damage/">children</a> between the ages of 4 and 17. 

As a control, 25 percent of the participants were given a placebo. The remaining patients were given small amounts of peanut protein powder. The doses started out at just half a milligram a day and gradually increased to 300 milligrams, which is the equivalent of eating one peanut per day.

After a year of treatment, two-thirds of participants who consumed the powder were able to tolerate the equivalent of two peanuts per day. Furthermore, 50 percent of those exposed to the powder were able to tolerate the equivalent of four peanuts per day. 

Among those in the control group, however,  only 4 percent were able to consume the equivalent of two peanuts without an allergic reaction. 

Study co-author Dr. Jay Lieberman is the vice chair of the <a href="https://acaai.org/">American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology</a> Food Allergy Committee.

“This is not a quick fix, and it doesn't mean people with peanut allergy will be able to eat peanuts whenever they want,” said Dr. Lieberman. “But it is definitely a breakthrough.”

In recent years, food allergies have dramatically increased in the United States. According to the <a href="https://www.foodallergy.org/">Food Allergy Research and Education</a> (FARE), the prevalence of nut allergies more than tripled among American children between 1997 and 2008.

Study senior author Daniel C. Adelman told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/">The New York Times</a> that the company plans to apply for FDA approval by the end of the year.

If approved, this would be the first available treatment to reduce the severity of a peanut allergy. Just as the clinical trial demonstrated, however, the treatment would not be effective for everyone.

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/">New England Journal of Medicine</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New treatment for peanut allergies could save lives

For the millions of children who have peanut allergies, a...

Cheating partners are three times more likely to cheat again. A new study from the <a href="https://www.du.edu/">University of Denver</a> (DU) has found that partners who cheat are much more likely to cheat again in other relationships. The analysis, which was focused on hundreds of unmarried individuals, also concluded that people who get <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/factors-predict-cheating-marriage/">cheated</a> on have a higher risk of getting cheated on in the future.   

Study co-author and PhD student Kayla Knopp reviewed five years of data collected by DU research professors. The participants had reported on topics such as whether they had cheated on their current partners. 

The investigation revealed that individuals who cheated in one relationship were three times more likely to cheat on their partner in the next relationship. The study also showed that those who had been cheated on were between two and four times more likely to be cheated on again. 


“The past matters for relationships,” Knopp told DU news writer Lorne Fultonberg. “What we do at every step along the way in our romantic histories ends up influencing what comes next - whether that’s infidelity or cohabitation or a bunch of other relationship behaviors. That history tends to come with them.”

Knopp determined that men and women are equally likely to cheat or to be cheated on. She also found a complex combination of factors, such as the availability of partners, that influence the likelihood that a person will cheat. 

“Regardless of whether you are the perpetrator of the infidelity or whether your partner was, those experiences are substantially more likely to repeat themselves,” said Knopp. “However, there are lots of people who break those patterns.”

“I don't want to suggest that it’s someone’s fault that someone is cheating on them, but I think it’s important to acknowledge that we all play a role in our relationships. For people that find themselves having that experience, it may be worth taking a look at whether they could do something to prevent that from happening again.”

Knopp said that identifying risk factors may help by giving people a little more control to avoid unwanted outcomes in the future. 

“Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater? Serial Infidelity Across Subsequent Relationships” is published by <a href="https://www.springer.com/">Springer</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

Cheating partners are three times more likely to cheat again

Cheating partners are three times more likely to cheat again....

A new study has revealed that good nutrition in early life may prevent stress-induced changes in brain. The researchers found evidence that a nutrient-rich diet reduced the development of learning and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stress-affecting-memory/">memory</a> issues among young mice exposed to early life stress.

In both humans and animals, adversity in early life is associated with long-lasting effects on brain function, which can lead to cognitive problems in later life. 

In addition, the time frame just after birth is critical for brain development. Nutritional deprivation during this period can have a lasting impact on brain function, such as learning ability. 

The body’s processes for stress and metabolism are closely linked, yet the potential association between stress-related cognitive problems and good nutrition has not been thoroughly investigated. 

Dr. Aniko Korosi and colleagues from the <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en/home">University of Amsterdam</a> set out to examine the effects of essential nutrients on brain function among mice exposed to early-life stress. 

To induce stress in newborn pups, the experts greatly reduced the amount of maternal care and attention that was given to them within two weeks of birth.  

The neglected mice showed several impairments by the age of four months, including higher levels of body fat, high stress hormone levels, and poor performance on learning and memory tasks. However, mice that were fed nutrients such as B vitamins and essential fatty acids for just one week performed better at the same learning and memory tasks.

“Our findings indicate that good nutrition during exposure to stress in early life could be protective of brain function, and may even help children cope better in later life,” said Dr. Korosi. “However, much more research is needed to establish whether the mouse data is transferable to humans.”

Next, Dr Korosi's team plans to investigate whether a nutrient-rich diet later in life could help to reverse the consequences of early-life stress.


“An ever growing body of research, in animals and humans, indicates that experiences in early childhood can have very long-lasting effects on our health and wellbeing in the future,” explained Dr. Korosi. “This work is a step towards understanding some of these processes and suggests that we should carefully consider the quality and consequences of our diet and lifestyle much earlier in life.”

The research was presented at the <a href="https://www.endocrinology.org/events/sfe-bes-conference/sfe-bes-2018/">Society for Endocrinology Annual Conference</a> in Glasgow.

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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

Good nutrition may help prevent stress-induced damage in kids

A new study has revealed that good nutrition in early...

A new study by researchers at <a href="https://www.indiana.edu/">Indiana University</a> has revealed that an excessive amount of false information was spread by Twitter bots during the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/2016-election-ptsd-symptoms/">2016 U.S. presidential election</a>. These automated accounts were found to play a major role in promoting “low-credibility” content just before it went viral.

The experts analyzed 14 million messages and 400,000 articles shared on Twitter between May 2016 and March 2017. This particular time period covers the end of the 2016 presidential primaries until after the presidential inauguration in January.

Among the Twitter accounts that were identified as bots, just six percent of them were responsible for a great deal of misinformation. This small number of automated accounts triggered the spread 31 percent of the low-credibility information on the network. The same accounts were also responsible for 34 percent of all the articles shared from untrustworthy sources.

One of the biggest challenges in countering the spread of misinformation online is that the automated generation of a story occurs only 2 to 10 seconds before it goes viral.


“This study finds that bots significantly contribute to the spread of misinformation online - as well as shows how quickly these messages can spread,” said study lead author Professor Filippo Menczer.

The researchers also discovered that bots increase the visibility of a message, making it much more likely to be shared on a large scale. 


Study co-author Giovanni Luca Ciampaglia explained, “People tend to put greater trust in messages that appear to originate from many people. Bots prey upon this trust by making messages seem so popular that real people are tricked into spreading their messages for them.”


According to Professor Menczer, the study findings suggest that the amount of misinformation on social networks could be greatly reduced by the elimination of bots.

“As people across the globe increasingly turn to social networks as their primary source of news and information, the fight against misinformation requires a grounded assessment of the relative impact of the different ways in which it spreads,” said Professor Menczer. “This work confirms that bots play a role in the problem - and suggests their reduction might improve the situation.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</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

Study: Twitter bots spread misinformation during the 2016 election

A new study by researchers at Indiana University has revealed...

Currently in the United States, roughly 115 people die each day of an opioid overdose, and over 50 percent of drug overdose deaths in 2016 involved an opioid, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html">Centers for Disease Control</a>. 

There are many risk factors involved with opioid dependence, but a new study found that sexual orientation plays a major role in opioid misuse. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://med.nyu.edu/education">NYU School of Medicine</a> discovered that people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are more likely to abuse opioids compared to those who identify as heterosexual.

The study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 

Previous research has found that members of the LGBTQ community are more at risk for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4872607/">addiction</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/groups-people-still-smoking/">drug use</a> as well as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2040383/">suicide ideation and suicide attempts</a>. 

The NYU researchers were able to examine sexual orientation and drug use by reviewing and analyzing data from the<a href="https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-DetTabs-2015/NSDUH-DetTabs-2015/NSDUH-DetTabs-2015.pdf"> 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health</a>. 

42,802 people were included in the study, and the survey asked questions about opioid misuse and sexual orientation. Survey participants were also asked about drug use in the past year and past month. 

The researchers estimate that 5 percent of adults who identify as heterosexual misused opioids in the past year compared to 9 percent of individuals who identify as gay or lesbian. 

People who identify as bisexual, particularly women who identify as bisexual have the highest risk of opioid misuse. 

The researchers theorize that bisexual women turn to opioids as a coping mechanism due to the stigmas they face within both the heterosexual and lesbian and gay communities. 

“Our study highlights that adults of sexual minority status -- particularly women identifying as bisexual -- are at increased risk for opioid misuse,” said Joseph J. Palamar, the senior author of the study. “With the opioid crisis escalating nationwide, it is important to focus on preventing misuse among groups at highest risk.”

The stigmas that continue to surround sexual and gender minorities leave the most vulnerable members of society isolated and neglected.“Primary care providers, educators, and even parents should consider sexual orientation when assessing those at risk of opioid misuse,” said Dustin T. Duncan, the lead author of the study. “Not only do we need to consider sexual orientation as a risk factor, but we also need to monitor these groups more closely once they've been identified.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sexual orientation linked to a higher risk of opioid misuse

Currently in the United States, roughly 115 people die each...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

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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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