A large new study followed 407,618 adults in six European countries for about 11 years and tracked the incidence of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. 



The researchers examined how closely people stuck to a healthful, plant-based diet and how that related to developing more than one of the health conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-study-matters">Why this study matters</h2>



The project was led by Reynalda Córdova, a nutritional epidemiologist at the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vienna</a>, working with colleagues across Europe. 



Their team centered the analysis on real-world eating patterns and combined two major datasets to see long term effects.



Chronic diseases often show up in pairs or more. When someone has two or more at the same time, clinicians call it <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556462/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">multimorbidity</a>. Reducing the odds of multiple serious conditions can ease pressure on families and health systems.



In public health, preventing even a modest share of new cases matters because risk compounds when illnesses cluster. 



The analysis used the term “cardiometabolic” to group heart and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-extracts-may-help-treat-metabolic-syndrome/">metabolic</a> problems that often intersect with cancer risk. 



By treating the co-occurrence of conditions as the outcome, the study focused on how disease accumulates over time rather than on single diagnoses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-based-diets-were-rewarded">Plant-based diets were rewarded</h2>



Participants came from the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12639222/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPIC</a> study, and the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1001779" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.K. Biobank</a> (a national research resource that invites adults to share health data for science). These two large cohort projects collect data that connects lifestyle and health records.&nbsp;



Diet quality was scored using a healthful, plant-based diet <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">index</a> that rewards vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and coffee. 



Dietary intake of refined grains, sweets, and animal products, on the other hand, reversed the points.



A companion unhealthful, plant-based diet index scores higher for refined plant foods and sugary drinks, reflecting differences in plant food quality.



The models estimated <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/hazard-ratio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hazard ratio</a>, which expresses how much risk changes with each 10-point rise in the score. This was calculated after accounting for age, sex, smoking, activity, and alcohol use. 



Events were counted and sequenced to see whether a first diagnosis was followed by another, which mirrors how disease accumulates in life.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-based-diet-and-multimorbitity">Plant-based diet and multimorbitity</h2>



Across the combined cohorts, 6,604 people developed two of the three illnesses during follow up. 



A 10-point increase on the healthy <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666756825000613" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant diet score</a> was linked to 11 percent lower risk in EPIC and 19 percent lower risk in UK Biobank data.



In adults younger than 60, the hazard ratio was 0.71, and in those of 60 or older it was 0.86. This shows a stronger association in midlife. 



The pattern for the unhealthful plant score was positive in UK Biobank data, and null in EPIC, underscoring that not all plant-rich eating is the same.



“A healthy plant-based diet might <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-diet-shifts-the-hidden-costs-of-what-we-eat/">reduce</a> the burden of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases among middle-aged and older adults,” concluded Córdova.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-healthful-plant-based-diet-defined">Healthful plant-based diet defined</h2>



Scores for the healthy pattern rise with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, and coffee. Less reliance on refined carbs, sweets, and red or processed meat helps keep the score high.



The unhealthful score climbs with sodas, sweets, white bread, and other refined items. Those choices can crowd out fiber-rich foods that support steady energy and metabolic health.



Separating the healthful and unhealthful versions explains why a plant-based diet can help or harm, depending on the mix. Quality matters more than labels, and the scale captures that difference.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-diet-quality-might-matter">Why diet quality might matter</h2>



A Lancet <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2818%2931809-9/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> linked higher fiber intake with lower risk of several noncommunicable diseases and better glycemic control. 



Fiber also feeds gut microbes that produce short chain fatty acids. These organic substances support metabolic and immune balance.



Other prospective evidence ties plant-based eating patterns to lower type 2 diabetes risk across populations. 



A comprehensive <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2738784" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meta-analysis</a> reported that greater adherence to plant-based diets, especially those rich in healthful plant foods, was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.



These mechanisms align with the new results, where lower weight, lower inflammation, and better insulin sensitivity likely explain part of the link. Diet is not a cure, but quality changes can tilt the odds toward healthier aging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-interpret-this-safely">How to interpret this safely</h2>



Self-reported diet is imperfect, and people may change how they eat after a diagnosis, which can blunt associations. 



Differences that are not measured can also shift estimates, so the authors tested many scenarios to check robustness.



The inconsistency for the unhealthful score between EPIC and UK Biobank suggests that context and measurement matter. Food culture, recall frequency, and how outcomes are captured can all influence results.



Even with caveats, the direction and size of the associations fit prior <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-thrived-on-plant-based-diets-not-meat-alone-780000-years-ago/">literature</a> on plant-rich patterns and long term health. That consistency adds confidence without assuming what a single study proves in every setting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-shifts-in-everyday-choices">Small shifts in everyday choices</h2>



The findings do not require strict rules or total exclusion of animal products. They point to a pattern where plants take the lead while animal products and refined items take a back seat.



Small shifts that raise the healthful plant score are realistic and sustainable. Those shifts also track with widely recommended approaches to lifelong health.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhl/article/PIIS2666-7568(25)00061-3/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet Healthy Longevity</a>.



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Big health study shows how a plant-based diet protects against disease

A large new study followed 407,618 adults in six European countries for about 11 years and tracked the incidence of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. The researchers examined how closely people stuck to a healthful, plant-based diet and how that related to developing more than one of the health conditions. Why this study matters The project was led by Reynalda Córdova, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Vienna, working with colleagues across Europe. Their team centered the analysis on real-world eating patterns and combined...

A protein discovered in the ringed teeth of a squid's arms may provide a biodegradable and renewable alternative to plastics. The protein can be processed into fibers and films with applications ranging from “smart” clothes for health monitoring to self-healing, recyclable fabrics.

Study lead author Melik Demirel is the director of the Center for Research on Advanced Fiber Technologies (CRAFT) at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State University</a>.

“Squid proteins can be used to produce next generation materials for an array of fields including energy and biomedicine, as well as the security and defense sector,” said Demirel. “We reviewed the current knowledge on squid ring teeth-based materials, which are an excellent alternative to plastics because they are eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable.”

After 100 years of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plastic-belizes-great-blue-hole/">plastic</a> production, the subsequent waste is plaguing our planet, and scientists are seeking eco-friendly alternatives. 

“Nature produces a variety of smart materials capable of environmental sensing, self-healing and exceptional mechanical function,” said Demirel. “These materials, or biopolymers, have unique physical properties that are not readily found in synthetic polymers like plastic. Importantly, biopolymers are sustainable and can be engineered to enhance their physical properties.”

The protein from squid ring teeth (SRT) has remarkable properties that will produce elastic, flexible, and strong materials. These SRT-based materials will have self-healing, optical, thermal, and electrical conducting capabilities. In the textiles industry, the SRT protein could address one of the main sources of microplastic pollution by producing a coating that will reduce microfiber erosion in washing machines.

Multiple layers of SRT proteins may be combined with other compounds or technology for the development of “smart” clothes, which could protect people from air pollution while also monitoring health.

“SRT photonics are biocompatible and biodegradable, so could be used to make not only wearable health monitors but also implantable devices for biosensing and biodetection,” said Demirel.

SRT proteins are easily produced from renewable resources, and the researchers have found a way to make them without catching a squid. 

“We don't want to deplete natural squid resources and hence we produce these proteins in genetically modified bacteria. The process is based on fermentation and uses sugar, water, and oxygen to produce biopolymers,” explained Demirel.

The team hopes that SRT-based prototypes will soon become widely available, but more development is needed.

“Scaling up these materials requires additional work,” said Demirel. “We are now working on the processing technology of these materials so that we can make them available in industrial manufacturing processes.”


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry">Frontiers in Chemistry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Protein from squid could become a sustainable alternative to plastics

A protein discovered in the ringed teeth of a squid's...

Our perceptions of terrorist attacks often do not match the real picture of terrorism in America, and that’s mostly due to disproportionate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tools-combat-fake-news/">media coverage</a> of terrorist attacks, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ua.edu/">University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa</a> and <a href="https://www.gsu.edu/">Georgia State University </a>analyzed terror attacks in the U.S between 2006 and 2015 and found attacks perpetrated by Muslims received 357 percent more media coverage than attacks carried out by other groups or individuals. 

The research was published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07418825.2018.1524507">Justice Quarterly</a>, and results show that the religion of the perpetrator of an attack is a driving factor in how and what is covered by the media. 

These disparities can negatively influence the public’s perception of terror attacks, and the researchers say that people can be misled. 

Using the Global Terrorism Database, the researchers reviewed print and online media coverage of all terror attacks that occurred in the US between 2006 and 2015.  

“We were initially interested in how media label attacks and perpetrators,” said Erin Kearns, the lead author of the study. “But, in collecting the data for that, Allison and I realized that there were large disparities in the amount of coverage across attacks.”

After analyzing the coverage, the researchers found that out of 136 attacks in the US, those perpetrated by Muslims accounted for 12.5 percent but received more than half of the news coverage. 

“While others have looked at differences in framing, this assumed that attacks are getting covered in the first place,” said Kearns. “We see here that this isn't always the case. So, the public may not even be aware of many of these attacks.”

Other factors that influenced media coverage included whether or not the perpetrator was arrested which associated with a 287 percent increase in coverage, if the attack was against the government, and how many fatalities there were. 

For each additional fatality in an attack, there was a 46 percent increase in coverage. 

This is the first study of its kind to examine how the perpetrator’s religion impacts media coverage, and the results illustrate the unbalanced nature of media coverage of terror attacks in the U.S. following 9/11. 

The disproportionate coverage only further drives discrimination and Islamophobia. 

“When people think about terrorism, events like the Boston Marathon bombing and the Fort Hood shooting are what come to mind,” the researchers wrote in their study.  “This is not surprising considering that these two incidents received over a quarter of the coverage in the United States over the last decade. Yet, so much is missed.” 

The researchers made sure to evaluate many different explanations for the disparities in media coverage and in the study, it’s emphasized that the data was limited to print and online coverage. 

A review of broadcast news coverage may yield similar results, and the researchers recommend that future studies analyze TV and radio news coverage to see how terror attacks are covered by the media overall.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Disproportionate media coverage skews perception of terror attacks

Our perceptions of terrorist attacks often do not match the...

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown form of neural communication that transmits itself across <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/brain-patterns-indicate-conscious/">brain</a> tissue. Incredibly, the signals can even jump from neurons in one brain region to another when the tissue has been completely severed. 

The study findings suggest that neurons are using an unknown process to talk to one another. The mysterious system is not related to any known communication mechanisms, such as synaptic transmission or axonal transport.

Dominique Durand is a neural and biomedical engineer at <a href="https://case.edu/">Case Western Reserve University</a>.

“We don't know yet the ‘So what?’ part of this discovery entirely,” said Durand. “But we do know that this seems to be an entirely new form of communication in the brain, so we are very excited about this.”


Scientists were already aware of unanswered questions regarding neural communication, including poorly understood neural oscillations that appear as slow waves in the cortex and hippocampus when we sleep.

“The functional relevance of this input‐ and output‐decoupled slow network rhythm remains a mystery,” explained neuroscientist Clayton Dickinson from the University of Alberta, who was not involved in the research. “But it's one that will probably be solved by an elucidation of both the cellular and the inter‐cellular mechanisms giving rise to it in the first place.”


Durand and his team investigated the brain waves in hippocampal samples extracted from decapitated mice. They discovered that slow periodic activity can generate electric fields which activate neighboring cells, enabling a wireless form of neural communication.

“We've known about these waves for a long time, but no one knows their exact function and no one believed they could spontaneously propagate,” said Durand. “I've been studying the hippocampus, itself just one small part of the brain, for 40 years and it keeps surprising me.”


The team was most surprised to find that these electrical fields could activate neurons even when the brain tissue was completely severed, as long as the two pieces of tissue were in close physical proximity.

“To ensure that the slice was completely cut, the two pieces of tissue were separated and then rejoined while a clear gap was observed under the surgical microscope,” wrote the study authors. “The slow hippocampal periodic activity could indeed generate an event on the other side of a complete cut through the whole slice.”


This finding was so radical that the review committee at The Journal of Physiology wanted the experiments to be performed again before they would agree to print the study.

“It was a jaw-dropping moment, for us and for every scientist we told about this so far,” said Durand. “But every experiment we've done since to test it has confirmed it so far.”


The study is published in <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14697793">The Journal of Physiology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Shocking discovery reveals that the brain can communicate wirelessly

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown form of neural communication...

Magic mushrooms are nearing their day in court for Denver, Colorado. A major grassroots movement to legalize the psychedelic has successfully put <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/09/health/denver-magic-mushrooms-trnd/index.html">decriminalization on the ballot</a> and residents will cast their vote in May of this year. 

But contrary to popular belief, Denver won’t be the first place in the United States to decriminalize magic mushrooms. In 2005, <a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/apmush06-15-05.htm">New Mexico voted</a> that you could grow them and even eat them, but you can’t possess dried mushrooms in the state.

If Denver votes to decriminalize, it could be a monumental step forward in making psilocybin, the psychedelic component in magic mushrooms, more accessible as a treatment for a range of mental disorders and diseases. 

Already, significant strides are being made in easing the drug’s classification from a Schedule 1 to something less restrictive, which could help medical health professionals treat the patients they think would benefit most from psilocybin. 

For some patients, magic mushrooms provide relief for diseases and disorders that have proven resistant to traditional treatments. As we have reported, research has found that mushrooms can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magic-mushrooms-depression-emotions/">help alleviate symptoms of depression</a> and a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mushrooms-safest-recreational-drug/">2017 survey</a> showed mushrooms are the safest recreational drug to take.

According to the <a href="https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling">Drug Enforcement Administration</a> (DEA), there are five categories or schedules that drugs, substances and even the chemicals used to make drugs are classified into. A drug’s classification is based on its medicinal use and the potential for the drug to be abused. 

Psilocybin is considered a Schedule 1 among such other drugs as heroin and ecstasy. The DEA states that Schedule 1 drugs are not recognized for any medical use by the US government and there is a high risk of abuse and dependency with drugs in this class. 

For comparison, Schedule V drugs are easily accessible and carry a low risk if used as directed such as Pepto-Bismol or Robitussin. 

So what makes a magic mushroom “magic” and why is psilocybin highly illegal if treatments with it have proven successful in certain cases?

Incidentally, the term “magic mushroom” was coined in 1957 by an editor of Life Magazine when mycologist <a href="https://science.howstuffworks.com/magic-mushroom6.htm">Gordon Wasson wrote an article</a> about his experience with magic mushrooms while traveling in Mexico. The piece was called “Seeking the Magic Mushroom,” and the term took off. 

There are over 100 species of mushroom that contain psilocybin, and it’s the main psychedelic component of the fungus.  Consuming magic mushrooms may result in a hallucination or a burst of euphoria.

When ingested, psilocybin breaks down into psilocin when it comes in contact with stomach acid. When psilocin makes its way to the brain, this is what drives the different sensations people experience. The drug has also been to known to influence how people perceive time. 

Research published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsif.2014.0873">Journal of the Royal Society Interface</a> in 2014 found that psilocin “hyper-connects” the brain. While scientists have long known that psilocybin binds to serotonin receptors in the brain, these researchers used fMRI imaging to show how the compound changed brain activity. 

After analyzing the brain maps of participants who had taken the drug and a control group who took a placebo, the researchers saw psilocin connected regions of the brain that are not normally connected. This hyper-connectedness could be what creates the drug’s dream-like trance. 

<a href="https://theconversation.com/magic-mushrooms-expand-your-mind-and-amplify-your-brains-dreaming-areas-heres-how-28754">Research</a> has also found that psilocin slows down brain activity in some areas, amplifies brain activity often only amplified during sleep and causes a state of expanded consciousness. 

In this state, linear thinking and planning are near impossible, but the expanded consciousness makes <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2014/10/29/brain-psychedelic-drugs/#.XGr_r-hKhPY">out of the box thinking easy.</a>

The psychedelic, brain changing, and even <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lsd-permanently-impact-personality/">personality altering qualities</a> of psilocin have made the drug an exciting research prospect, primarily as a potential treatment for mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

However, its negative reputation and classification as a Schedule 1 have done an excellent job of stymying studies into the psychedelic. That could soon change, though, with the recent push for decriminalization and Denver’s new ballot initiative.

Meanwhile, there are also several studies in progress examining the drug’s impacts, especially when it comes to microdosing. 

Microdosing involves taking a “mini” dose of psilocybin or another psychedelic that is too low to elicit the “trippy” symptoms a normal dose of shrooms or LSD would, but is still enough to yield beneficial results.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microdosing-mushrooms-solving-creativity/">As we have reported</a>, research has shown that microdosing can boost thinking skills, problem-solving, and creativity.

I was able to interview someone who has had great success with microdosing to get a better understanding its useful effects.

“Jim” first started microdosing to help him stay sober after rehab. He reports that the changes to his health and wellbeing were night and day. 

“My anxiety vanished, I slept incredibly well every night, and because of that, my mind began operating on a heightened level I had never experienced before,” Jim said.

Jim was also working on two startups when he started microdosing and said that it helped him explore new ideas, problem solve better, and stay calm and positive. 

“Stress and panic are great impediments to success…the cognitive mind doesn’t function properly in fight or flight mode,” Jim said. “I believe that mushrooms open neural pathways that would otherwise lie dormant, allowing your mind to think in abstract ways, finding solutions and gaining insights that would never come to you if you stay inside the dictated societal norms and never step outside of that box.”

When I asked Jim about the rising interest in microdosing and it’s popularity in <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lsd-microdosing-drugs-silicon-valley">Silicon Valley</a>, he recommended the book Stealing Fire: How Silicon Valley, the Navy SEALs, and Maverick Scientists Are Revolutionizing the Way We Live and Work by Jamie Wheal and Steven Kotler. 

“Microdosing is responsible for 90% of the technology that you use on a daily basis. The iPhone, Google, artificial intelligence, just to name a few,” Jim explained. “I don’t think those revolutionaries meant for these stories to come to light and become examples for why these substances should be legalized, but it’s hard to dispute the results of their experimentation.”

The potential of psilocybin and magic mushrooms as revolutionary treatments for treatment-resistant depression, pain, and end-of-life anxiety for terminal patients is obvious as more and more research is proving its positive effects.  

Kevin Matthews, the campaign director for <a href="https://decriminalizedenver.org/">Decriminalize Denver</a>, told <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-push-to-legalize-magic-mushrooms-for-depression-and-ptsd/">Wired</a> that he has heard numerous accounts of how magic mushrooms benefitted Denver residents. 

“We talk to people all the time who say ‘Mushrooms have saved my life, mushrooms saved my marriage, mushrooms have broken me out of my depression, mushrooms are the only thing that works for my cluster headaches,’” Matthews told Wired. “I had a gentleman who signed the petition the other day who said it's the only thing that works for his wife's polycystic kidney disease. I had never even heard that one before.”

While there are some concerns that decriminalization will lead to a monopolization of the drug by major drug companies, the reality is that you can’t patent psilocybin because it’s found in nature and anyone can cultivate their own magic mushrooms. 

The question remains though, will growing your own mushrooms and using psilocybin as a treatment be legal and widely accessible in this lifetime? 

If Denver decriminalizes magic mushrooms, it may very well motivate other cities across the U.S. to explore the benefits of the naturally occurring plant, much in the way we’ve seen the acceptance of medicinal marijuana grow substantially over the past decade.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Medicinal benefits of magic mushrooms emphasized ahead of Denver vote

Magic mushrooms are nearing their day in court for Denver,...

The debate over whether humans are basically good or evil by nature dates back to the 17th and 18th-century philosophers Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who had opposing theories. Hobbes believed that people are inherently violent, and Rousseau argued that people are fundamentally peaceful. 

In a new report for <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>, British primatologist Richard Wrangham offers a new perspective on the paradoxical viewpoints of human nature.

“The paradox is resolved if we recognize that human nature is a chimera. The chimera, in classical mythology, was a creature with the body of a goat and the head of a lion. It was neither one thing nor the other: it was both,” writes Wrangham. 

“I argue that, with respect to aggression, a human is both a goat and a lion. We have a low propensity for impulsive aggression, and a high propensity for premeditated aggression. This solution makes both Rousseauians and Hobbesians partially right, but it raises a deeper question: why did such an unusual combination of virtue and violence evolve?”

Wrangham says that the story of how humans evolved to have this unique mix of moral tendencies may also answer the question of why Homo sapiens emerged in the first place. He points to offensive and defensive types of reactions, which he refers to as proactive and reactive aggression.

“To judge from other relevant animals, a high level of proactive aggression is normally associated with high reactive aggression,” Wrangham writes in <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/">New Scientist</a>. “Something different happened in the human lineage. While proactive aggression stayed high, reactive aggression became suppressed. The evidence, I argue, points to self-domestication being the ‘something different’ that made humans special.”

According to Wrangham, fossil evidence suggests that humans started to become self- domesticated by 200,000 years ago, and possibly even as early as 300,000 years ago.

“Language-based conspiracy was the key, because it gave whispering subordinates the power to join forces to kill bullies - presumably, alpha males, since men tend to be more violent than women. As happens in small-scale, traditional societies today, language allowed underdogs to agree on a plan and thereby to make predictably safe murders out of confrontations with intended victims that would otherwise have been dangerous.”

Wrangham explains that the same ability to perform capital punishment that led to self-domestication also created the moral senses. People who would not change their behavior and conform were executed, which means that selection favored emotions and feelings which promoted peace and unity within the group.

“The moral senses of individuals thus evolved to be self-protective to a degree not shown by other primates. The strongly conformist behaviors produced by the new tendencies provided a safe passage through life, and they had a second effect as well. By reducing competition and selfishness, they promoted behavior that benefited the group as a whole.”

The evolution of our peaceful tendencies depended on sophisticated form of communication. According to Wrangham, the development of a high-level language was a major contributor to prosocial behavior.

Richard Wrangham shares more of his perspective on human nature in the book The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A new theory on how humans evolved to be both violent and peaceful

The debate over whether humans are basically good or evil...

A study led by <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/">Binghamton University</a> has found that cold temperature variability is just as important as global warming for projecting the negative impacts of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-summer-weather-severe/">climate change</a>. Cold temperatures are consequences of climate change that are often overlooked. 

The research team investigated the effect of climate change on amphibian health, with an emphasis on their susceptibility to contaminants and parasites. Instead of focusing on the effect of rising temperatures, the researchers focused on the effect of cold and variable temperatures.

The analysis revealed that cold temperatures make amphibians more susceptible to road salt but less susceptible to parasites. Study co-author Jessica Hua explained that the findings highlight the importance of considering cold-temperature variability, and not just warming temperatures, when evaluating the impacts of global climate disruption.

“There is a lot of misconception that global climate change only refers to an increase in warming temperatures,” said Hua. “We feel that the research in this paper is important because it highlights that global climate change is more complex than just an increase in average temperature. In fact, global climate change is also predicted to increase the prevalence of extreme cold temperature events, as well as increase the amount of variation in temperature fluctuations.”

Study lead author Matthew Wersebe from the University of Oklahoma pointed out that many people overlook the impact of climate change on plants and animals.

“We all recognize that climate change is one of the most serious issues facing us today. However, as much as it is recognized as a serious concern for people, the impacts to animal and plant populations is much less front and center,” said Wersebe. “Along with this, many studies only consider warming, or changing patterns of water availability on natural systems, and not the impact of the variability in the short-term that is also expected with climate change. Studies like these are critical to understanding the full impacts of climate change.”

The researchers found that amphibians exposed to constant cold conditions as embryos were more susceptible to road salt contamination, but were able to recover with age. This is particularly relevant because the use of road salt will increase during extreme cold weather events. 

Amphibians exposed to cold temperatures as embryos were also found to be smaller as they aged, and were slower to develop. This actually made them less of a target for parasites because their miniature size made them less attractive. 

“We initially predicted that exposure to cold temperatures would be stressful to developing embryos. As a consequence, we expected that exposure to stressful conditions early in life would make amphibians less able to deal with other stressors later in life (i.e. parasites),” said Hua. 

“We were also surprised because past studies have found that cooler temperatures can increase amphibian susceptibility to another parasite (the fungus, chytrid). In this case, the negative effects of the cooler temperatures on amphibians are driven by the fact that the fungus survived better in cooler temperatures.”

It is difficult to say whether the impact from the cold was harmful or helpful for the amphibians.

[caption id="attachment_1868279" align="aligncenter" width="640"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/wood-frog-embryos.jpeg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1868279" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/wood-frog-embryos.jpeg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /></a> Wood frog embryos, Image Credit: Jessica Hua[/caption]

“In some cases, exposure to cold temperatures was harmful. For instance: exposure to cold temperatures during the egg phase made young tadpoles more susceptible to road salt,” said Wersebe. “However, if we allowed these tadpoles to grow older, we found that exposure to cold temperatures during the egg stage no longer mattered for their susceptibility to road salt (i.e. older tadpoles were able to overcome the negative effect of embryonic exposure to cold).”

“Exposure to cold also made amphibians smaller - this is potentially harmful to amphibian populations because smaller amphibians have fewer offspring and this can over time potentially contribute to populations declines. Amphibian populations are declining globally, so considering the effects of cold temperatures may be important in understanding how to protect this imperiled group of animals.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/20457758">Ecology and Evolution</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cold temperature variability: An overlooked effect of climate change

A study led by Binghamton University has found that cold...

Icons of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rock-climbers-high-risk-climbs/">climbing</a> are different from other sporting figures.  There aren’t typically boxes of Wheaties showing rock climbers or popular shoes named after them in multimillion dollar deals.  Unlike when Michael Phelps was photographed smoking marijuana, no one would be particularly shocked to see a rock climber smoking a bong.  Climbing is far from the glamorous life embodied by football or basketball stars and is more of a pursuit of aesthetics. Reputations in climbing often grow by word of mouth or by small scale documentaries shown at outdoor film festivals, not large athletic competitions.  

“The golden age of climbing is replete with these anti-heroes (dirt bags): Pratt, Chouinard, and Beckey are our dirtier, more destitute Magic, Bird, and Jordan,” said one report from <a href="https://www.climbing.com/news/the-wright-stuff-dirtbagging-is-dead/">Climbing</a>.

Yvon Chouinard, founder of the outdoor clothing company Patagonia and former climbing bum, is as much of a climbing icon as anyone.  In his book,<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=sjBAfE-8-fQC&amp;q=ice+axe#v=onepage&amp;q=axe&amp;f=false"> Let My People Go Surfing</a>, Chouinard described buying discounted, dented cans of cat food as a staple for long summers spent climbing.  In the excellent documentary <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1407927/quotes">180 degrees South</a>, Chouinard described climbing Mount Everest in this way, 

“The whole purpose of planning something like Everest is to effect some sort of spiritual and physical gain and if you compromise the process, you're an asshole when you start out and you're an asshole when you get back.”

Climbing has long been a sport without the focus on competition or glitz of many other sports, instead individual development and personal achievement has been the focus.  Surfing has been similar in its focus on the natural environment and an individual. 

The International Olympic Committee is set to change all that.  2020 is set to be the first year that the Olympics will include both speed climbing and surfing as official competitive sports and some worry this could hurt the heart and soul of the sports.  

It’s questionable whether climbing as included in the Olympics can even be called climbing in the traditional sense.  The whole sport as it will be done in the Olympics will be carried out on artificial surface in optimum conditions where weather, rock conditions, and the natural environment will play little to no role. Three versions of climbing will be included in the Olympics and each considered of equal weight: bouldering, speed climbing and lead climbing.  The Official Tokyo 2020 Olympics <a href="https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/sport-climbing/">website</a> sums up the format of climbing as it is in the Olympics:

“Climbers use brightly-coloured hand, finger and foot holds, their climbing skills and all the strength their bodies can muster to work their way up a near-vertical wall… Speed climbing pits two climbers against each other, both climbing a fixed route on a 15-metre wall. In bouldering, climbers scale a number of fixed routes on a 4m wall in a specified time. In lead climbing, athletes attempt to climb as high as possible on a wall measuring over 15m in height within a fixed time. At the Games, each climber will compete in all three disciplines, with the final rankings being determined by the combined results.” 

This is the antithesis of a sport that is based on an interface with a specific physical environment.  Undoubtedly, the hygiene of the Olympic climbers will also be better than that of someone eating canned cat food and living out of an old car.  The whole of the climbing community isn’t universally embracing the inclusion of speed climbing in the Olympics, either.

An <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2104561/international-olympic-committee-got-it-wrong-including-climbing-and-surfing-olympics">Outside Online</a> report quotes Adam Ondra, winner of multiple world cups in climbing, who says he’ll have to think about competing in or boycotting the Olympics.  Owen Wright, a competitive surfer, pushed it further saying, “F**k the Olympics” elaborating that he considers surfing more of an art and form of expression than something to be included in the Olympics.

Surfing at least is set to take place in the ocean in Tokyo, rather than in a wave pool, but the waves are predicted so far to be rather meagre.  At least surfing to the conditions of the actual environment seems to hold with the essence of the sport more than using an artificial environment.  Like many sports, weather is a key factor in the success of a surfer on any given day. 

There are other sports that fit into the sort of lifestyle of climbing or surfing that have been in the Olympics for long periods.  Skiing and snowboarding are the first to come to mind. Ski bums are as common as climbing bums in Colorado and the differences between the two are sometimes minimal.  Many so-called climbing bums make a living teaching climbing, sometimes in a gym, so they can be at their best when they hit cliffs or crags. Likewise, people dedicated to skiing or snowboarding may end up working at a resort making snow, operating lifts, teaching their sport to others just to get as much time as they can doing what they love.  

Similar to climbing or surfing, many consider skiing or snowboarding more of a pursuit than a competition.  Yet, skiing has been part of the Olympics from the start of the Winter Games, and it hasn’t changed the raw experience for someone flying down a hill on a soft bed of fresh powder in Wyoming, Utah, or Vermont.  

Snowboarding even more than skiing was initially something of an outcast in sporting, having a different feel than other sports, similar to attitude of many climbers and surfers.  In the 1970s when snowboarding was in its infancy (and then called ‘snurfing’, as <a href="https://www.history.com/news/how-snowboarding-became-a-mainstream-olympic-event">History.com</a> reports) many ski resorts wouldn’t allow snowboarders to even use their lifts.  Interestingly, snowboarding was first showcased as an Olympic sport in Japan, as climbing and surfing are set to.  The 1998 winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan were the first to include snowboarding. It was initially included to bring more young people to the games, the same types of people that were drawn to the younger X Games.  The same sentiment is echoed by the International Olympic Committee in their inclusion of surfing, and climbing as <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2104561/international-olympic-committee-got-it-wrong-including-climbing-and-surfing-olympics">Outside Online</a> quoted them saying the inclusion of the two sports is “a historic step in bringing the Games to young people.”   

Today, snowboarding is a wildly popular and important Olympic sport, but I still feel the heart of the sport is individual people recreating outdoors, on mountains, usually not even competing with each other.  Intrinsically snowboarding, skiing, surfing, and climbing are sports about an individual and the physical, natural environment, and the Olympics can’t change that. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Will the Olympics change the nature and soul of climbing and surfing?

Icons of climbing are different from other sporting figures.  There...

A new study has revealed that the process used to filter <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/beer-sustainably-brewed/">beer</a> and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/people-pay-wine/">wine</a> often involves a material that could be contaminating these beverages with heavy metals such as arsenic. As a result of their research, the experts identified strategies that can be used to limit the transfer of toxic metals during the filtration process. 

Exposure to high levels of arsenic or other heavy metals is a threat to human health. Even in low concentrations, these metallic chemical elements can be poisonous, which is why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the amount of heavy metals in foods and beverages.

While some studies have found elevated levels of the contaminants in wine and beer, it has remained unclear how the metals are ending up there. 

A team of researchers including Benjamin Redan theorized that diatomaceous earth (DE), which is used to filter beer and wine, may be responsible for introducing heavy metals. If so, the experts wanted to determine whether altering the filtering conditions could reduce the transfer.

The team analyzed three types of food-grade DE and discovered that they all contained arsenic, as well as smaller amounts of lead and cadmium. When the experts tested DE samples as filters in the lab, they found that one sample increased arsenic by 3.7- to 7.9 times the levels found in the unfiltered beverages.

The study also revealed that the amount of arsenic transferred into the drinks decreased when the beverage was exposed to less DE, when the material was washed off beforehand, or when the pH of the liquid was altered.

The study is published in the <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/jafcau">Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Filtration material may be dumping heavy metals into beer and wine

A new study has revealed that the process used to...

Amazon has launched a new initiative called “Shipment Zero,” with a goal of carbon-neutral shipping for at least half of its products by 2030. On Monday, the company announced its plans to deliver more packages in electric vans and to use more renewable energy, including solar power.

Amazon will also push for its suppliers to remake their packaging. The company, which ships millions of packages each year, has been under scrutiny from activists and environmentalists for unsustainable practices. 

Just last week, <a href="https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/">Greenpeace</a> released a report that criticized Amazon for not meeting its own <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-rise-coal-lags/">renewable energy</a> goals. Greenpeace noted that Amazon's data centers only use renewable energy for 12 percent of daily operations.

Although Amazon has a target of reducing its dependence on fossils and transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy, the company has not fully committed to a deadline. 

For its latest campaign, the online retailer will make its carbon footprint public later this year. This information has never been released to the public before, but Amazon says that it spent the past two years monitoring its carbon footprint and exploring strategies to reduce carbon use across the company.

“With improvements in electric vehicles, aviation biofuels, reusable packaging, and renewable energy, for the first time we can now see a path to net zero carbon delivery of shipments to customers, and we are setting an ambitious goal for ourselves to reach 50% of all Amazon shipments with net zero carbon by 2030,” said Dave Clark, who is the senior vice president of worldwide operations at Amazon. 

“It won't be easy to achieve this goal, but it's worth being focused and stubborn on this vision and we're committed to seeing it through. We believe that lower costs include lowering the costs to the environment we all live and work in every day.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Amazon aims to make half of shipments carbon-neutral by 2030

Amazon has launched a new initiative called “Shipment Zero,” with...

New research published February 20th in the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/hyp">American Heart Association’s journal Hypertension</a> shows that thirty minutes of morning exercise aids in lowering blood pressure for the rest of the day for older, overweight men and women. Furthermore, women who combine their morning <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-improve-thinking-skills/">exercise</a> with brief walks throughout the day will notice healthier blood pressure levels.

“Traditionally, the health effects of exercise and sedentary behavior have been studied separately. We conducted this study because we wanted to know whether there is a combined effect of these behaviors on blood pressure," said lead author Michael Wheeler, B.Sc., a Ph.D. candidate at the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/">University of Western Australia</a> and who is also employed at the<a href="https://baker.edu.au/"> Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute</a> in Melbourne, Australia.

Researchers examined a group of 67 overweight and obese men and women, aged 55 to 80, in order to find out if the positive effects of morning exercise on blood pressure were negated by sedentary behavior later in the day. They also wanted to see if taking walking breaks during long periods of sitting could enhance the morning exercise routine.

To find their results, the researchers had participants partake in three separate scenarios, each separated by at least 6 days. The first was an 8-hour period of uninterrupted sitting. The next included one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes of exercise (walking on a treadmill at moderate intensity), followed by a 6.5-hour-period of prolonged sitting. And the final situation consisted of one hour of sitting prior to 30 minutes of exercise, followed by sitting which was interrupted every 30 minutes with 3 minutes of light intensity walking for 6.5 hours. 

The team found that systolic blood pressure — that being the pressure in one’s blood vessels when one’s heart beats — was reduced in both men and women who partook in morning exercise. And when women combined their morning exercise with short walks throughout the day, their systolic blood pressure was reduced even more.

"For both men and women, the magnitude of reduction in average systolic blood pressure following exercise and breaks in sitting, approached what might be expected from antihypertensive medication in this population to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. However, this reduction was greater for women,” Wheeler said.

Researchers believe the difference in the way the two genders react to exercise and short walking breaks may have to do with adrenaline responses to exercise. And because the women in the study were all post-menopausal, they therefore at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. The team believes that future studies should zero in on why gender influences the effects of morning exercise and short walking breaks between sitting.

"Having the study participants begin with exercise was intentional because we wanted to focus on the novel aspect of combining exercise with breaks in sitting,” Wheeler added. “However, it means that we cannot say for sure that breaks in sitting alone had no blood pressure lowering effect in men, as any effect could have been masked by the preceding effect of exercise."

Although the team agrees it would be interesting to test this same theory on younger adults and those who are not overweight, Wheeler notes that this discovery is great news for overweight older adults looking to improve their health.

"As the proportion of those who are overweight with higher blood pressure increases with age, adopting a strategy of combining exercise with breaks in sitting may be important to control and prevent the development of high blood pressure,” Wheeler concludes.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Morning exercise plus short walking breaks improve blood pressure

New research published February 20th in the American Heart Association’s...

Social isolation and loneliness pose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-isolation-health-risk/">major health risks to older adults</a>, and research has shown that social isolation is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 

As further proof that social interaction plays a key role in health and well-being, a recent study found that having an active social life and interacting with a wide range of people increases physical activity and emotional well-being among older adults. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">University of Texas at Austin</a> conducted the study which was published in the Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. 

Interacting with family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers was linked to being more physically active, having a better mood, and positive outlook, and spending less time sitting around the house.

“Adults often grow less physically active and more sedentary as they age, and these behaviors pose a risk factor for disease and death,” said Karen Fingerman, a member of the research team. “It is difficult to convince people to go to the gym or commit to work out on a regular basis. But they may be willing to reach out to acquaintances, attend an organized group event, or talk to the barista who serves them at their favorite coffee shop.”

More than 300 adults over 65 years old from the Austin, Texas metro area took part in the study.

Every three hours over a week, the researchers asked the participants about their social encounters and activities. 

When the participants reported that they had interacted with a variety of people, the researchers noticed that participants spent more time out of the house and walking around. 

This study is the first of its kind to show how social engagement gets people out and about, and the research also shows the benefits of interacting with a wide and varied social circle. 

While family and friends are a crucial source of support, the researchers found that acquaintances and strangers were more likely to motivate someone to be more active. 

“Prior research on aging has focused almost entirely on the benefits of social connection with close social ties such as a spouse or an adult child,” said Debra Umberson, a co-author of the study. “This new research relies on truly novel data that capture both the amount and quality of contact with all types of people that the elderly encounter throughout the day -- and the results show us that these routine encounters have important benefits for activity levels and psychological well-being.”
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer 

Image Credit: University of Texas at Austin

More social interaction keeps older adults more active

Social isolation and loneliness pose major health risks to older...

Several weeks of acupuncture can help alleviate hot flashes and other disruptive symptoms commonly associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-mindfulness-menopause/">menopause</a>, according to a new study. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> and the <a href="https://www.sdu.dk/en">University of Southern Denmark </a>conducted the study and found that just five weeks of acupuncture correlated with less severe mood swings, better sleep, and less excessive sweating for menopausal women. 

The study was published in the journal BMJ Open, and the researchers say that acupuncture could be a viable alternative for women who don't want to try hormone replacement therapy. 

Hot flashes are one of the most common menopausal symptoms, but other sometimes debilitating and uncomfortable symptoms include fatigue, a lowered sex drive, memory issues, and night sweats. 

Hormone therapy is effective but can also come with side-effects that can be just as troubling. 

70 menopausal women were recruited for the study and split into two groups. One group was assigned a five-week course of standardized Western acupuncture with 15 minute weekly sessions, and the second group was not allowed to get any acupuncture done until after six weeks. 

Before the first session and after follow-ups 3, 6, 8, 11, and 26 weeks later the participants filled out Meno Scores (MSQ) questionnaires. The questionnaires had graded scales for the different symptoms of menopause.

The group that was assigned the five weeks of treatment had fewer hot flashes and were able to cope better with less troubling symptoms compared to the other group. 

The study was limited in its small sample size and study period of five weeks of treatments. However, the researchers are confident in the results and say that even a brief course of acupuncture could help ease menopausal symptoms. 

“Not all menopausal women need or request treatment, and we believe this acupuncture intervention is most relevant to women who experience moderate-to-severe menopausal symptoms,” the researchers wrote in their study. “Acupuncture for menopausal symptoms is a realistic option for women who cannot, or do not wish to use [hormone therapy].”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Acupuncture found to effectively ease symptoms of menopause

Several weeks of acupuncture can help alleviate hot flashes and...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"]</div>



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...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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



---



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"

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