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...

Do you find yourself regularly sleeping in later on the weekends and then, when Monday comes around, you feel tired and not able to adjust back to your early work schedule? 

If the answer is yes, then you’re one of the many people who suffer from social jet lag. Social jet lag describes the mismatch between a person’s internal clock and their daily schedules. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-social-jet-lag/">Social jet lag</a> is most prominent on the weekends when people sleep in, and <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170605085326.htm">studies have shown </a>that social jet lag can increase the risk of heart disease, fatigue and is associated with moodiness and poor health. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a> found a way to measure social jet lag across the United States by using Twitter to monitor sleep/wake schedules. 

The researchers published their findings in a study in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(18)31345-9">Current Biology</a>. 

Twitter allowed the researchers to study sleep/wake schedules country-wide without using specialized activity monitors or surveys that previous social jet lag studies relied on. 

The social media platform also provided a large database and sample of people. The researchers collected Twitter data from 1,500 US counties from the 2012-2013 calendar year. 

Overall, the study included tweets from 240,000 people, and the researchers were able to track Twitter activity changes from season to season and county to county. 

Low periods of Twitter activity were linked to sleep patterns, and Twitter users were more active later in the evening on weekends than on weekdays which is a key marker of social jet lag. 

“When we look at how social jet lag changes throughout the year, we find that the dominant effect by far is the social calendar,” said Michael Rust, a co-author of the study. “It suggests that humans in modern societies, at least people who used Twitter in 2013-2014, have biological rhythms that are somewhat disconnected from the changing hours of sunlight throughout the year.”

Twitter activity and social jet lag varied depending on the season and geographic location. The researchers found that Twitter users on the west coast experience less social jet lag compared to other parts of the country. 

February saw the largest amount of users with social jet lag and the researchers say this confirms the idea that our daily schedules and social commitments have more of an influence on social jet lag than seasonal changes. 

The study provides an important new framework for studying social jet lag and confirms what other smaller-scale studies and observations had found. 

Having a consistent bedtime and being aware of the needs of your internal body clock are both important in reducing the impacts of social jet lag. The researchers next hope to find a way to develop methods for helping people learn about their individual circadian rhythms. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Patterns of social jet lag revealed through Twitter data

Do you find yourself regularly sleeping in later on the...

Mesa Verde National Park is an icon in the American Southwest.  Central to the park is the iconic Cliff Palace, made of native stone walls nestled on a cliff ledge, reaching to round and square towers.  The whimsical shape the ruins cut into the cliff is indeed a palace made out of the desert. Mesa Verde is haunting, a place of great size built in the desert and in turn left to be occupied by the emptiness implied by the desert itself.    

Photos framed in hotel rooms and restaurants, printed on postcards sold in gas stations across the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/winter-rain-southwest-new-zealand/">southwest</a> fail to capture the beauty of Cliff Palace.  Walking through the place guided by a ranger, it almost feels like the ruins protected by an overhanging stone alcove were abandoned a week ago. 

The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/historyculture/cd_cliff_palace.htm">National Park Service</a> reports that the Cliff Palace contains 150 rooms and 23 ceremonial kivas.  There were once amazing artifacts left in Mesa Verde, pottery jewelry and perhaps much else we’ll never know.  Near the turn of the last century, many of the artifacts from the Mesa Verde region were stolen as souvenirs or to sell on the black market.

Mesa Verde was actually part of the impetus to create the Antiquities Act, which allows the creation of National Monuments by the US president. Partially the act was meant to seize control of ruins like Mesa Verde and prevent the raiding of artifacts.  The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/archeology/tools/laws/antact.htm">National Park Service</a> website quotes part of the Antiquities Act passed in 1906 on the preservation of ruins and artifacts

“ "... The examination of ruins, the excavation of archaeological sites, or the gathering of objects of antiquity..." on lands administered by the Departments of Interior, Agriculture, or War be carried out only after a permit to do so had been issued by the Secretary of the department responsible for the land in question. The permits were to be issued only to institutions "...properly qualified to conduct such examinations, excavations, or gatherings..." Furthermore, the objective of these permitted activities was to be "...for the benefit of reputable museums, universities, colleges, or other recognized scientific or educational institutions, with a view to increasing the knowledge of such objects." ”    

The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/historyculture/index.htm">National Park Service</a> says that Mesa Verde National Park was created by Theodore Roosevelt on June 29 1906 to preserve ‘the work of man’ making it the first park of its type at the time.  The creation of a park at Mesa Verde is just the thinnest veneer of its deep history and importance to the region and its people.

[caption id="attachment_1861968" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Cliff-Palace.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1861968" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Cliff-Palace-1024x463.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="316" /></a> Image Credit: Shutterstock/Milosk50[/caption]

The name Mesa Verde itself is Spanish, meaning literally ‘green table’ but referring to the flat mountain (or mesa) on the side of which the cliff houses were situated on, abundant with agriculture at its top.  The National Park Foundation reports that Mesa Verde contains a total of 4,000 known archaeological sites the oldest dating back about 1,400 years to 550 A.D. 

At the earliest date, the elaborate cliff dwellings that the park is known for weren’t yet begun.  The first people in the Mesa Verde area lived in pit dwellings atop the mesa. Eventually the ancestral Puebloan people who lived in Mesa Verde made their way to the sheltered cliff walls where they built the ruins which make them famous today.  The new location for homes made life more tedious for the ancestral Puebloans who had to climb and walk to the top of the mesa or down to the base for farming, hunting or to collect water. Cliff dwellings did offer one large advantage though: they were defensible.  

A paper published on <a href="https://www.academia.edu/8588718/An_Outbreak_of_Raiding_in_the_Central_Mesa_Verde_Region_in_the_12th_Century_AD">Academia.edu</a> reports that there are numerous archaeology sites showing evidence of violence and raids through the Mesa Verde region in last half of the 12th century.  At least nine sites showed mutilated human remains.  It may be that violence in the Mesa Verde region pushed the ancestral Puebloans to build their new cliff homes as cliff fortresses rather than cliff palaces.

Throughout the southwestern United States, cliff home ruins are notoriously hard to access.  In some places foot holds are carved into cliff faces, creating a sort of precarious stairway.  In other places, access seems to have been made only by ladders. It’s easy to see how ladders could be drawn up or pushed over with intruders on them.  Equally one person armed with nothing more than rocks could easily thwart an attacker trying to climb tiny steps carved out of rock. 

Being set into cliffs of the same color as the homes themselves, many smaller cliff dwellings are hard to find and some are probably unknown to archaeologists to this day.  Sometimes only rock blackened by fire smoke centuries before gives away a ruin. Mesa Verde was undoubtedly a dynamic place, connected to others not only by conflict but by trade and culture.

Sea shells from the Pacific Ocean have been found at Mesa Verde and textiles, food or pottery were traded for other goods such as turquoise or cotton.  The people living in Mesa Verde also undoubtedly had connections to other ancient populations throughout the southwest such as those at Chaco Canyon. Today, much of this culture is maintained by modern Puebloan people such as the Hopi and Zuni tribes of the southwest.  

Beyond the archaeological heritage represented by the impressive ruins, Mesa Verde National Park also encompasses 8,500 acres designated as wilderness.  74 species of mammal, 200 species of bird, over 1,000 species of invertebrate even 5 amphibian species and 6 fish species live in Mesa Verde National Park.

Historically, the ruins of Mesa Verde have been seen as a cautionary tale.  People came and built an impressive civilization but in the end were forced to abandon what was essentially over reach due to drought.  There is evidence that drought may have played a role in the eventual abandonment of Mesa Verde, however it’s not the whole story. The ecological richness of the Mesa Verde area may have something to say about the ruins as well.  

In other parts of the southwest, the Ancestral Puebloans left behind homes for a generation or two only to later return and again occupy them.  The Puebloan people still remember Mesa Verde. It seems that the people who once lived in the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings were always willing to walk away, understanding that life in the desert demands as much.  It’s only when western values are placed on Mesa Verde, do we find it a ghost town instead of a living place?

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

The ruins of Mesa Verde offer a rare glimpse and a cautionary tale

Mesa Verde National Park is an icon in the American...

While eating out at a nice restaurant is usually relaxing for most people, for those with food <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-allergies-develop-adult/">allergies</a>, eating out can be a maze of finding an accommodating restaurant and a hazard if food uses the wrong ingredients. 

That’s why people with food allergies, especially life-threatening ones, employ a series of strategies while dining out to ensure that the food they eat hasn’t been contaminated or made with anything dangerous. 

A person with a severe allergy could end up in the hospital with anaphylaxis just because the food was prepared on a cross-contaminated surface. 

While many restaurants can make or alter dishes to accommodate food requests, sometimes these requests are forgotten or even ignored because the waitstaff and chef are not aware of how serious the problem is.  

New research has found that the more strategies that are used, the better the chances are of avoiding a reaction. 

Members of the <a href="https://acaai.org/">American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI)</a> conducted surveys to find out which strategies people with food allergies used most often and which strategies had the best results as far as reducing the risk of an allergic reaction. 

The researchers asked people from a food allergy network to fill out a 25-question survey that asked what measures were used when dining out. 

80 percent of the survey respondents reported that their number one strategy was talking to a waiter upon arrival at the restaurant. 

Other top strategies included ordering dishes that had few ingredients, double checking with a waiter before taking a bite of the food, researching the restaurant online ahead of time and looking at the ingredients used, and avoiding restaurants with a high risk of contamination. 

The strategies used the least included using a personal allergy card, placing an allergy order separately, avoiding eating at restaurants altogether, going during off hours, or choosing a chain restaurant. 

Interestingly, the researchers found that using multiple strategies while eating at a restaurant had the highest level of success for people with allergies. 

 “We found when those with food allergies used more strategies in a restaurant, the result was fewer reactions,” Justine Ade, the lead author of the study. “People who used an average of 15 strategies when eating out tended to avoid having a severe allergic reaction. Those who did experience an allergic reaction were using an average of only six strategies at the time of their most severe reaction.”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

How to safely eat at restaurants if you have a food allergy

While eating out at a nice restaurant is usually relaxing...

New research shows that sucking on a pacifier before putting it in your baby’s mouth can help strengthen your child’s immune system and lower allergic responses. 

Multiple <a href="https://www.babycenter.com/0_choosing-and-caring-for-your-babys-pacifier_1078.bc">parenting guides</a> and <a href="https://www.fatherly.com/parenting/care-clean-maintain-baby-pacifiers/">baby blogs</a> warn parents <a href="https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/pacifiers">not to use their own </a>spit, but instead say the best way to clean a pacifier is to wash it in hot soapy water for a few minutes. 

However, researchers from the <a href="https://www.henryford.com/">Henry Ford Health System</a> and members of the <a href="https://acaai.org/">American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI)</a> conducted a study with mothers and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-recognize-happiness-emotions/">their infants</a> and found different results.

The researchers presented their findings at the ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting which took place this week in Seattle, Washington. 

“We interviewed 128 mothers of infants multiple times over a period of 18 months and asked how they cleaned their child's pacifier,” said Eliane Abou-Jaoude, the lead author of the study. “We found the children of mothers who sucked on the pacifier had lower IgE levels.” 

IgE stands for <a href="https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions-dictionary/immunoglobulin-e-(ige)">immunoglobulin</a> which are antibodies that the immune system produces. As the immune system reacts to an allergen, it produces IgE antibodies which can cause physical allergic reactions in the form of a rash or swelling. IgE levels are a good indicator that a person has an allergy to something. 

58 percent of the mothers taking part in the study said their child used a pacifier, and of those 41 percent reported that they cleaned their child’s pacifiers with sterilization. 

Washing by hand was the most common way to clean a pacifier according to the interviews and only 12 percent of the mothers admitted to sucking on the pacifier to clean it. The researchers found that infants whose parents did suck on the pacifiers had lower IgE levels. 

“We found that parental pacifier sucking was linked to suppressed IgE levels beginning around 10 months, and continued through 18 months,” said Edward Zoratti, a co-author of the study. “Further research is needed, but we believe the effect may be due to the transfer of health-promoting microbes from the parent's mouth. It is unclear whether the lower IgE production seen among these children continues into later years.”

The researchers theorize that by sucking on the pacifiers, the mothers are transferring helpful microorganisms to their children that can help guard against allergies and improve the immune system. 

“We know that exposure to certain microorganisms early in life stimulates development of the immune system and may protect against allergic diseases later,” said Abou-Jaoude. “Parental pacifier sucking may be an example of a way parents may transfer healthy microorganisms to their young children. Our study indicates an association between parents who suck on their child's pacifier and children with lower IgE levels but does not necessarily mean that pacifier sucking causes lower IgE.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Do this to your child’s pacifier to strengthen their immune system

New research shows that sucking on a pacifier before putting...

Inhalants are commonly abused <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tobacco-alcohol-biggest-threat/">drugs</a> that help elicit quick highs and are readily available in household products including glue, spray paints, paint thinner, nail polish remover, and even spray deodorants. 

The volatile substances in these products produce strong chemical vapors that can be inhaled directly, “huffed” through a piece of clothing or rag, or inhaled through a bag. 

According to the <a href="https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/inhalants/letter-director">National Institute on Drug Abuse,</a> around 21.7 million Americans ages 12 and over have used inhalants once or more in their lifetimes. 

Inhalants are a particular problem among teens, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, because of how easy they are to acquire and the fact that many people aren’t aware of the dangerous health risks. 

Not only are teens unaware of the consequences, but a large majority of health professionals are also not familiar with the effects of inhalant intoxication, according to a new case report

“The misuse of volatile substances is one of the least known methods to attain an altered state by drugs,” the authors wrote.

The report, which was published in the journal BMJ Case Reports, found that inhalants can cause severe heart problems and may account for an estimated 125 deaths per year in the United States. 

The case report revolves around a 19-year-old man who was admitted to the <a href="https://www.maasstadziekenhuis.nl/english/">Maasstad Ziekenhuis Hospital</a> in The Netherlands after huffing spray deodorant. 

Previously, the man was being treated in a drug rehab clinic for ketamine and cannabis abuse, but he relapsed when he used the spray deodorant. After breathing in the inhalant, he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed.

A team of doctors attempted six rounds of defibrillation but there was no response from the patient, and the man was put in an induced medical coma before being taken off life support, and later, he died. 

The report details just one case, but the authors of the report warn that cardiac arrest after inhalant abuse is common and there have been reported cases dating back to 1975. 

What makes inhalants like spray deodorants so dangerous is the butane contained in the spray. 

“The main toxic substance in deodorant spray inhalation is butane. Butane is one of the hydrocarbons commonly used in propellants in sprayable household products,” the authors of the report wrote. “Hydrocarbons are lipophilic [fat soluble] and therefore easily cross the air-blood and blood-brain barrier. It [butane] dissolves into tissues with a high-fat content such as the nervous system, fat tissue, liver, and kidneys.” 

It’s important for parents, health professionals, and even teachers to understand the dangerous health ramifications of inhalant abuse and to be aware of risk factors. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Inhaling spray deodorants for a high can be fatal

Inhalants are commonly abused drugs that help elicit quick highs...

It can be difficult to focus on one single task without letting your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/digital-media-distract-drain/">mind wander</a> to all the other items on your to-do list. 

Studies have shown that trying to do multiple projects at once impacts our ability to complete a job efficiently, however just thinking about multitasking may actually help improve focus.

Researchers from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> discovered that just the illusion of multitasking improves performance and the ability to complete a task because people are more engaged when they think are doing multiple jobs at once. 

A study detailing these new findings was published in the journal Psychological Science.

First, the researchers set up 30 experiments to test how well people performed a set of tasks. 

For one of the experiments, over 160 participants were asked to watch an educational video and transcribe notes as they watched. 

The participants were split into two groups, and one group was told that transcribing and watching were actually two tasks. The other group was told that they were completing a single task that tested learning and writing ability. 

Members of the multitasking group performed better than the other group. Participants who thought they were multitasking wrote down more words and had better scores after taking a comprehension quiz. 

In another experiment, participants were asked to take notes online and again, those that thought they were doing two tasks at once were able to write more words than those who were doing a single task. 

A third study involved puzzles, and the researchers had participants solve multiple word puzzles at the same time. 

Each participant was presented with two different word puzzles, placed side by side on a screen. Some of the participants were told that the puzzles were part of two separate studies while others were told that the two puzzles were part of the same study. 

The results were similar to the other experiments as participants who thought they were part of two different studies performed better and solved more puzzles. 

Eye-tracking technology used during the experiments showed that participants who thought they were multi-tasking were also more focused and engaged in the tasks. 

“We might perceive sitting in a meeting as a single task, but we may actually be engaged in two tasks - listening to the person speaking and taking notes,” Shalena Srna, the leader of the study, told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6389163/Believing-multitasking-boosts-performance-arent-tackling-jobs-once.html">Daily Mail</a>. “Regardless of whether people actually engage in a single task or multiple tasks, making them perceive this activity as multitasking is beneficial to performance.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Just the illusion of multitasking can boost performance

It can be difficult to focus on one single task...

A new study led by <a href="https://www.uu.se/en">Uppsala University</a> has revealed that the construction and expansion of dams and reservoirs can actually contribute to the issues that they are designed to resolve. The researchers determined that increasing reservoir storage capacity can have unintended long term consequences by worsening <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/water-shortages-reservoir-levels/">water shortages</a>.

According to the study authors, there are two counterintuitive phenomena that should be considered while planning reservoirs: the supply-demand cycle and the reservoir effect.

The supply-demand cycle describes instances where increasing the water supply leads to higher demand, which can quickly negate the benefits of reservoirs. This promotes a vicious cycle where a new water shortage is addressed by further expansion of reservoir storage, enabling more water consumption until the next shortage. For this reason, the supply-demand cycle can ultimately lead to unsustainable exploitation of water resources. 

The reservoir effect refers to cases where too much dependence on reservoirs increases the potential damage caused by drought and water shortage. By continuously expanding reservoirs, the motivation for preparedness and adaptation is reduced, which worsens the water shortage. Furthermore, the abundant water supply supported by reservoirs can generate higher dependence on water resources, which leaves everyone much more vulnerable when water shortages occur.

The study authors argue that increasing water supply in response to growing water demand is not sustainable. They recommend less reliance on large water infrastructure, such as dams and reservoirs, and more efforts in water conservation measures. Most water experts would agree, but yet numerous dams and reservoirs are still being built around the world.

The researchers also propose an interdisciplinary research agenda to identify the long-term effects and unintended consequences of reservoirs and other types of water infrastructure.

The study is published in the journal 
<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-018-0138-5">Nature Sustainability</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Michelangelo Brandimarte

Increasing supply to meet demand contributes to water shortages

A new study led by Uppsala University has revealed that...

As humans, we’re conditioned to avoid bitter tasting foods because it’s our body’s natural way of guarding against harmful substances. Evolution has primed our taste buds to associate bitter with something potentially poisonous. 

Yet, people all over the world drink and love the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-drinkers-live-longer-lives/">bitter taste of coffee</a>, and even people with a heightened sensitivity to bitter flavors enjoy coffee. 

Why do people flock to drink coffee when evolution has worked so hard to keep us away from bitter tastes? 

Researchers from<a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/"> Northwestern University</a> and the<a href="https://www.qimrberghofer.edu.au/"> QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute</a> in Australia conducted a study to examine sensitivity to bitter tastes to see if there was an explanation for this conflict of interest with our taste buds.

The results, published in the journal Scientific Reports, point to a genetic variant as the cause for sensitivity to bitter tastes in some people. 

People who are more sensitive to the particular bitter taste of coffee learn to enjoy drinking it.

“You'd expect that people who are particularly sensitive to the bitter taste of caffeine would drink less coffee," said Marilyn Cornelis, an author of the study. “The opposite results of our study suggest coffee consumers acquire a taste or an ability to detect caffeine due to the learned positive reinforcement (i.e. stimulation) elicited by caffeine.”

The researchers tested the relationship between bitter taste and drinking both alcohol and coffee by reviewing and analyzing data on more 400,00 men and women from the UK. 

Genetic variants that are connected to coffee and quinine, both bitter tastes, had already been identified in previous genome research. 

Coffee was not the only food or beverage that was linked to bitter sensitivity. The researchers found that people were more sensitive to the taste of quinine didn’t drink as much coffee. 

A higher sensitivity to PROP, a synthetic taste related to cruciferous vegetables, was associated with less alcohol consumption, particularly red wine. 

There is still a great deal that we can learn from our genes, especially when it comes to the complexity of taste, but this research helps explain why some people can’t get enough of their daily cup… or cups... of coffee. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why we like coffee even though our taste buds tell us we shouldn’t

As humans, we’re conditioned to avoid bitter tasting foods because...

Houston’s urban buildup directly contributed to the massive damage caused by category 4 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-global-warming/">Hurricane Harvey</a> in August 2017, according to new research from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton</a> and <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a>. New data shows that Houston’s risk for extreme flooding, which caused $125 billion in damage and killed 68 citizens, was 21 times greater due to the city’s urbanization.

By way of computer models, researchers found that Hurricane Harvey was able to drop more rainfall (between 40 and 60 inches over four days) and cause massive flooding at a faster pace thanks to Houston’s urban buildup, thus showing that humans can have a direct impact in weather severity on top of climate change.

Furthermore, the study shows that future urban and suburban development planning must consider hurricane risk and recovery. Co-author of the study and Princeton professor of geosciences and the <a href="https://environment.princeton.edu/">Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI)</a>, Gabriel Vecchi, said, “Our focus on the role of urbanization was aimed at providing a fuller perspective of human activities on Harvey's rainfall and flooding. Humans have influenced both climate, through greenhouse gas emissions, and the local environment around Houston through urbanization in ways that we thought could have affected rainfall and flooding from Harvey.”

As Houston expanded and more streets and sidewalks were built, there was less groundspace for rain to be absorbed.

Lead author Wei Zhang, an assistant research scientist at <a href="https://www.iihr.uiowa.edu/">Iowa's IIHR — Hydroscience and Engineering research center</a>, stated, “Given that hurricane winds and rainfall are projected to intensify in the future, and that urbanization along our coasts is also expected to continue to increase, our work highlights the need to understand the risks and to implement appropriate flood-mitigation strategies.”

Through their computer modelling, researchers also found that non-urban areas receive less rainfall during hurricanes than urban areas. They attribute this to “surface roughness,” the effect that happens when winds strike tall buildings, creating friction. This friction creates warm surface air, which rises up into the atmosphere, thus causing more clouds and precipitation.

The study aims to educate city planners and government about the potential weather and climate risks associated with urbanization. If they don’t take these factors into consideration, coastal cities and cities without proper drainage could suffer severe consequences.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Houston's urbanization increased flood risk during Hurricane Harvey

Houston’s urban buildup directly contributed to the massive damage caused...

Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air with high levels of pollutants, according to recent data from the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/02-05-2018-9-out-of-10-people-worldwide-breathe-polluted-air-but-more-countries-are-taking-action">World Health Organization</a> (WHO). 

Air pollution is a leading cause of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-kills-infants/">mortality worldwide</a>, and in 2016 alone, 4.2 million deaths were caused by ambient air pollution. 

As a result, many countries are working on new strategies to improve air quality. For example, in the UK, London implemented a city-wide Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) in an attempt to reduce vehicle pollution. 

But how well do these initiatives work and what is being done to protect children, the most vulnerable in a population, from developing breathing disorders and cardiovascular disease? 

A new study from researchers at <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a>, <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King’s College London</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a> has revealed that children in London have poor lung capacity despite the LEZs.

“If children's lungs don't develop properly as a result of air pollution it can increase their likelihood of developing asthma, leaving them coughing, wheezing and at risk of a life-threatening asthma attack,” said Samantha Walker, the Director of Research and Policy at <a href="https://www.asthma.org.uk/">Asthma UK</a>. 

The study was published in The Lancet Public Health Journal, and the results call for more stringent traffic pollution regulations. 

Even though there are some improvements within the LEZs, and traffic pollution in general has decreased in the UK, children exposed to diesel pollution are still at risk, especially those that attend schools near busy motorways. 

“Despite air quality improvements in London, this study shows that diesel-dominated air pollution in cities is damaging lung development in children, putting them at risk of lung disease in adult life and early death,” said Chris Griffiths, an author of the study.  

The LEZ introduced in 2008 in London encompassed 8.5 million residents, but the researchers wanted to find out if there were any marked improvements to children's health in the area. 

2,164 children from 28 primary schools across London were monitored for five years for the study. The researchers recorded the children’s health and air pollution exposure. 

After the five year period, the team found that nitrogen dioxide (found in diesel emissions) and particulate matter exposure correlated with smaller lung volume for the children. 

There were only minor improvements in nitrogen dioxide levels after the LEZ was implemented, but particulate matter levels stayed the same. The children who lived within the LEZ showed no improvements in lung capacity or breathing disorders over the five year period, even with the marginal improvements in air quality. 

“It is disappointing that the Low Emission Zone in London has not helped to improve children's lung capacity and shows that a piecemeal approach to reducing air pollution does not work,” said  Walker. “The Government needs to tackle toxic air by putting in place a new Clean Air Act to keep everyone, especially children, safe.”

Unless more is done to meet the European Union’s nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter limits, the researchers say that children will remain at risk of respiratory problems. 

“There is an urgent need to improve our air quality, especially within our congested cities,” said Ian Mudway, a co-author of the study. “Policies such as the Low Emission Zone strive to do this, but their effectiveness needs careful and objective evaluation, not only in terms of whether they improve air quality, but more importantly, whether they deliver better health.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Poor lung capacity in UK children linked to diesel emissions

Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air with high...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a> has found that 62% of 651 survey participants use music as a sleep aid. This is the first online survey used to track the use of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/listening-music-exercise-fight-fatigue/">music</a> as a sleep aid within the general population.

Tabitha Trahan and her colleagues scored the survey based on musicality, participant sleep habits, and open-text responses on what music helps participants sleep and why. They went into their research believing that music may be a cheap alternative to medicinal sleep aids.

Of the 62% of survey participants who said music helps them get a better night’s sleep, those involved described 545 musical artists within 14 musical genres. Those who don’t suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders even stated that listening to music on a daily basis helps them sleep better at night. And younger people who regularly engage with music often use it as a sleep aid, as well.

“The largest ever survey of everyday use of music for sleep reveals multiple pathways to effect that go far beyond relaxation; these include auditory masking, habit, passion for music, and mental distraction,” the study’s authors wrote. “This work offers new understanding into the complex motivations that drive people to reach for music as a sleep aid and the reasons why so many find it effective.”

Participants, who were self-selected and therefore could have influenced the survey with music-loving bias, said via the survey that they believe music stimulates sleep and thwarts internal or external stimulus that would inhibit sleep. Furthermore, the authors of the study, published November 14 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, note that physiological and psychological effects of music on sleep were not taken into consideration within the survey.

Despite the above shortcomings of the survey, the participants provided beginner evidence to show that people use a diverse variety of music to aid sleep. From here, researchers can continue to uncover the scientific reasons why music is such a useful sleep aid for a large percentage of the population.

The findings were published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0206531">PLOS ONE</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Music is a popular sleep aid, new research shows

A new study from the University of Sheffield has found that...

Researchers have found that diets low in carbohydrates can help maintain weight loss, which may be attributed to a prolonged metabolism boost and a higher number of calories burned. 

It has been previously established that energy expenditure declines with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/consistent-weight-loss-success/">weight loss</a> as the body adapts by slowing the metabolism and burning fewer calories, resulting in weight relapse. However, little is known about how an individual's diet can influence this response.


A research team led by Cara Ebbeling and David Ludwig at <a href="http://www.childrenshospital.org/">Boston Children's Hospital</a> set out to better understand the relationship between dietary composition and energy expenditure. They compared the effects of diets varying in carbohydrate to fat ratio on energy expenditure over the course of 20 weeks.

The study started out with 234 overweight adults between 18 and 65 years old with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. Prior to the second phase of the trial, the participants were challenged with a 10-week  weight loss diet.

Overall, 164 participants achieved the target weight loss of around 10 percent of body weight in 10 weeks. These individuals were randomly assigned to follow either a high, moderate, or low carbohydrate diet for 20 weeks.

Each individual was provided with fully prepared meals that had the same levels of protein and fat content. The researchers then tracked the energy expenditure and weight of the participants to compare how the different groups burned calories at the same weight.

After 20 weeks, the total energy expenditure was significantly greater in participants on the low carbohydrate diet compared with the high carbohydrate diet. The individuals on the low carb diet burned 209 to 278 kilocalories a day more than those on the diet that was high in carbs.

Regardless of any potential study limitations, the researchers said that the study confirms that dietary composition affects energy expenditure independently of body weight.

The study authors wrote: “A low glycemic load, high fat diet might facilitate weight loss maintenance beyond the conventional focus on restricting energy intake and encouraging physical activity.”  

Additional research is needed to explore these effects further, and may ultimately lead to the development of effective public health interventions.


The study is published in <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Weight loss is easier to maintain on a low carb diet

Researchers have found that diets low in carbohydrates can help...

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

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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

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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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