A massive new analysis suggests Americans don’t just differ in what they earn or how long they live - they also differ in how they experience wellness. 



Drawing on more than 325,000 survey responses collected over eight years, researchers found clear regional differences in wellness.



People in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions tend to score higher on “traditional” wellness, which includes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fitness-focused-medicine-physical-activity-reduces-chronic-disease-risk/">physical health,</a> finances, and social support.



Many Southern regions, by contrast, rank higher on “existential” wellness, such as purpose, meaning, and a strong sense of community identity. The pattern lines up with centuries-old settlement histories that still shape local norms today.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-wellness-two-ways">Measuring wellness two ways</h2>



The team worked with data from the <a href="https://news.gallup.com/topic/well-being-index.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index</a> spanning 2009–2016 and grouped responses into two broader composites.



“Traditional” wellness bundles tangible aspects of life - physical and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mental-health-crisis-half-of-the-worlds-population-will-be-affected-by-age-75/">mental health</a>, financial security, and day-to-day social support. 



“Existential” wellness captures the less tangible side - purpose, personal growth, community belonging, and living in line with one’s values.



Separating the two helps explain why some places thrive on paper (jobs, hospitals, income) yet still report a thinner sense of meaning - or the reverse.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-old-map-explains-modern-feelings"><a></a>An old map explains modern feelings</h2>



To test whether regional culture matters in wellness, the researchers turned to the American Nations Model. 



This framework divides the U.S. into historical “nations” based on who settled there first. Think Yankeedom, the Deep South, Greater Appalachia, El Norte, and others.



Each region inherited durable folkways about trust, autonomy, community, and authority. Even after accounting for education and income, these cultural footprints predicted distinctive wellness profiles where people live.



The headline split was clear. Northeastern and Midwestern regions, including Yankeedom, leaned higher on traditional wellness. 



Several Southern and frontier-legacy regions - such as the Deep South, Greater Appalachia, El Norte, and parts of the Far West - leaned higher on existential wellness.



In other words, the balance of “health and money” versus “purpose and belonging” shifts in systematic ways across the cultural map.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wellness-differences-stand-out">Wellness differences stand out</h2>



Statistically, the contrasts weren’t subtle. In within-region comparisons, traditional wellness significantly exceeded existential wellness in Yankeedom.



Existential wellness was higher in the Deep South and especially Greater Appalachia - the largest reversal in the set.



Several other regions showed smaller or no gaps, demonstrating that not every place fits a single mold.



These effects held in mixed-effects models that controlled for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-education-matters-for-healthy-aging-and-longevity/">education</a> and income and accounted for clustering within metropolitan areas.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/existential-wellness_american-nations-settlements_PLOS-One_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/existential-wellness_american-nations-settlements_PLOS-One_1s.webp" alt="Wellbeing across the American Nations: First Settler Effects influence traditional and existential wellness. Credit: David R. Samson, Nathan Oesch, Colin Woodard" class="wp-image-1985865"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wellbeing across the American Nations: First Settler Effects influence traditional and existential wellness. Click image to enlarge. Credit: David R. Samson, Nathan Oesch, Colin Woodard</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-race-and-wellness">Culture, race, and wellness</h2>



The study also looked at Black and Hispanic residents across regions. Patterns generally echoed the broader map. 



Black and Hispanic respondents tended to show higher traditional wellness in Northeastern and Midwestern regions. They also reported higher existential wellness in Southern regions.



Notably, Black respondents showed consistently lower traditional wellness than white respondents across regions. In the Northeast and Midwest, they also fared worse on existential wellness. 



Together, these patterns suggest that material constraints and structural disparities remain powerful drivers.



At the same time, the relatively stronger existential scores in many Southern contexts may reflect the buffering role of community networks and cultural identity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-roots-of-wellness">Cultural roots of wellness</h2>



Culture shapes where institutions flourish (hospitals, schools, civic groups), how people relate to one another (trust, norms of reciprocity), and what counts as a good life (autonomy vs. solidarity, achievement vs. belonging).



Those long-running preferences influence migration, policy choices, and investments that, over time, help set the table for different “flavors” of well-being.



The authors found the pattern persisted even after adjusting for education and income, and they reported model checks to reduce issues like multicollinearity among predictors.



That suggests the American Nations framework isn’t just a clever historical story - it adds real explanatory power to why wellness feels different in different parts of the country.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wellness-policy-must-fit-culture">Wellness policy must fit culture</h2>



If you want to boost <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/simply-looking-at-art-can-improve-your-well-being/">well-being</a>, focusing only on income or clinics may miss what makes people feel whole in a given place.



In regions that already score high on traditional metrics, investing in community identity, public spaces, and opportunities for contribution might move the needle on meaning and purpose.



In places rich in existential wellness but poorer on traditional metrics, policies that improve access to preventive care, stable work, and safety nets could pay outsized dividends.



Put simply, the study argues that wellness strategies work best when they respect the cultural ecologies where people live - strengthening what’s already strong while shoring up what’s thin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-limits-and-a-next-step"><a></a>Limits - and a next step</h2>



This is an observational study using self-reported survey data; it can’t prove cause and effect. The American Nations borders blur in real life, people move, and city-level differences within regions can be large.



Still, with more than 325,000 respondents across 110 metro areas and eight years of data, the signal is hard to ignore. 



The authors call for digging into mechanisms: Which specific institutions or community practices best translate cultural inheritance into day-to-day well-being? 



And which levers - health infrastructure, schooling, neighborhood design, civic organizations - offer the highest return in each region?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-place-and-culture-shape-wellness">Place and culture shape wellness</h2>



Where you live doesn’t just shape your paycheck and your hospital bill. It also shapes how you experience a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/creativity-improves-life-satisfaction-and-overall-well-being/">good life</a> - whether that’s feeling financially secure and physically well, or feeling rooted in purpose and community.



The United States’ oldest settlement patterns still echo in those experiences today. 



They remind policymakers that the most effective pathways to human flourishing may look different from Boston to Birmingham to El Paso.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0327972" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.



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Wellness in America depends on culture and where you live

A massive new analysis suggests Americans don’t just differ in what they earn or how long they live - they also differ in how they experience wellness. Drawing on more than 325,000 survey responses collected over eight years, researchers found clear regional differences in wellness. People in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions tend to score higher on “traditional” wellness, which includes physical health, finances, and social support. Many Southern regions, by contrast, rank higher on “existential” wellness, such as purpose, meaning, and a strong sense of community...

Hundreds of millions of people suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) worldwide and the condition can increase the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/snoring-cardiac-issues-women/">cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attack</a>, and high blood pressure. 

OSA occurs when your throat and tongue relax during sleep, obstructing the flow of oxygen. Not only can this produce loud and disruptive snoring, but the flow of oxygen can actually stop altogether.

A person with OSA can stop breathing up to 30 times an hour, according to the <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obstructive-sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20352090">Mayo Clinic</a>. Now, a new study shows that the impact of sleep apnea on blood and oxygen flow to the brain can cause people to become forgetful over time. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/">RMIT University</a> in Australia recently led a sleep study to examine how OSA impacts memory, specifically autobiographical memory which involves recollections of past events. 

The results, published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, show that people with OSA are more likely to have difficulty remembering the specifics of a past event than those who don’t have a problem with obstructed airflow at night. 

“Our study suggests sleep apnea may impair the brain's capacity to either encode or consolidate certain types of life memories, which makes it hard for people to recall details from the past,” said Melinda Jackson, the lead researcher of the study. “Sleep apnea is also a significant risk factor for depression, so if we can better understand the neurobiological mechanisms at work, we have a chance to improve the mental health of millions of people.”

For the study, the researchers compared memory recall between 44 adults, aged 20 to 69, diagnosed with OSA and 44 adults who didn’t have sleep apnea. 

The participants were asked to recall three memories from their childhood, early adult life, and recent events, and researchers assessed how well the participants had recalled the specific details of each memory. 

The memories from early adulthood were the most impacted by OSA and the 44 participants with sleep apnea had trouble remembering names and specific locations. 

When this occurred, the researchers called this an “overgeneral” memory, and a little over 50 percent of the participants with OSA recalled generalized memories.  

OSA also had a more significant impact on semantic memory rather than episodic memory. Semantic memory deals with specifics, but episodic involves events from your past. 

The researchers think that because OSA disrupts airflow to the brain, memory formation is hindered.

“Brain scans of people with sleep apnea show they have a significant loss of grey matter from regions that overlap with the autobiographic memory network,” said Jackson. “We need to look at whether there's a shared neurobiological mechanism at work -- that is, does the dysfunction of that network lead to both depression and memory problems in people with sleep apnea?”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Sleep apnea linked to difficulty recalling memories

Hundreds of millions of people suffer from obstructive sleep apnea...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/index.html">University of Tokyo</a> have found that heat waves may make people more susceptible to the flu. A study in mice showed that their immune response to the influenza virus was weakened by exposure to extreme heat.

While it is known that rising temperatures will contribute to poor nutrition in regions where crop yields will suffer, this is the first time that experts have investigated how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heat-waves-male-fertility/">heat waves</a> may impact flu immunity.

“Flu is a winter-season disease. I think this is why no one else has studied how high temperatures affect flu,” explained study co-author Professor Takeshi Ichinohe.

For the study, the researchers exposed healthy, young adult female mice to either refrigerator-cold temperatures around 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit, room temperatures at about 71.6 degrees, or heat wave temperatures at around 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit.


The study revealed that the immune systems of mice in hot rooms did not respond effectively when they were infected with the flu. The heat inhibited a critical step taken by the immune system when it recognizes the influenza virus and mounts a specific response.


Beyond this effect, however, the heat-exposed mice showed no other significant changes to their immune system. They demonstrated normal reactions to flu vaccines and their gut bacteria remained normal, despite the heat.

“Does the immune system not respond to influenza virus maybe because the heat changes gene expression? Or maybe because the mice don't have enough nutrients? We need to do more experiments to understand these details,” said study co-author and doctoral student Miyu Moriyama.

The study findings may help to explain why individuals often become sick while recovering from a different illness.

“People often lose their appetite when they feel sick. If someone stops eating long enough to develop a nutritional deficit, that may weaken the immune system and increase the likelihood of getting sick again,” said Professor Ichinohe.

“Perhaps vaccines and nutritional supplements could be given simultaneously to communities in food-insecure areas. Clinical management of emerging infectious diseases, including influenza, Zika, and Ebola, may require nutritional supplements in addition to standard antiviral therapies.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com
</a>

Extreme heat waves can weaken the body’s resistance to flu

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have found that heat...

“Many <a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Fox">foxes</a> grow grey, but few grow good,” opined Benjamin Franklin. 

While categorizing a wild animal as “good” or “bad” is ultimately a useless exercise, substitute the word “tame” and Franklin would have been on to something. <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/behavior-foxes-human/">Foxes</a> have been kept in captivity for thousands of years—a fox was found buried alongside a human in a grave in Jordan dated to 14.5 thousand years ago—but never domesticated. 

Those who have attempted to raise wild foxes, even from birth, all tell the same tale. Ask the the protagonist of J.M. Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians, who makes the ill-advised decision to keep a fox in his apartments, which soon reeked of its pungent urine. After a certain point, even with love, care, and socialization, foxes, like most non-domesticated animals, demonstrate their wildness. 

The wariness and cunning that have enshrined them in folklore and legend are bound to emerge. It’s something inherent, something that separates them from the friendly and approachable creatures we typically think of as pets. Certainly, some “pet” animals aren’t fully, or even partially, domesticated. Parrots, while amenable to socialization, haven’t shed all that many of their wild habits...they still scream and bite and become neurotic in captivity under all but the most painstaking care. Sugar gliders, one of the more popular exotic animals kept as human companions, still retain their nocturnal habits (though they can be trained out of them). And of course, reptiles, usually not social in the way that we typically conceive of the term, may in some cases become accustomed to handling and feeding by humans, but still retain nearly all of the qualities of their wild ancestors, even after generations of captive breeding. 

There’s something special that distinguishes truly domesticated animals: dogs, cats, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, rabbits, cows, chickens, ducks, geese and a handful of others. In addition to their calmer, more tractable dispositions, many exhibit a series of strangely similar characteristics across species, particularly in mammals. Floppy ears, curly tails, foreshortened muzzles, and spotted coats: all of these are common in domestic animals. Think of the dangling ears of dogs and rabbits, the curled tails of pigs and certain canine breeds, the flattened faces of some dogs and cats, the spots on cows and the blazes on horses. Darwin noted this curious assemblage of characteristics in his 1868 volume <a href="http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?itemID=F877.1&amp;viewtype=text&amp;pageseq=1">The variation of animals and plants under domestication</a>.

How did such a specific cluster of traits appear in such disparate species, domesticated for different periods of time, from the dog, which may have been domesticated as many as 40,000 years ago, to the rabbit, which may have existed in domestic form for a mere 2,000 years? Until relatively recently, it was believed that these physical traits must have been selected for along with increased tolerance for human contact. That seemed like a relatively reasonable conclusion, especially given the length of time that has elapsed since these species joined us on our evolutionary journey. It’s not like the ancients left us much in the way of domestication manuals. 

That all changed, however, beginning in 1959. That year, Russian scientist Dmitry Belyaev began a series of experiments on foxes that would forever change the evolutionary paradigm. Belyaev, a geneticist, had a decade earlier been fired from his position at the Central Research Laboratory of Fur Breeding due to his adherence to the Darwinian theory of evolution by way of natural selection. The Soviet view on evolution was closer to what is now called the Lamarckian theory—that changes that occur during a single animal’s lifetime are heritable by its offspring. His dissent from that perspective was heretical and he was thus compelled to continue his studies of evolution in secret. Then, in 1953, Josef Stalin died and these restrictions relaxed to some extent. 

In 1959, he was appointed director of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk, Siberia. Assisted by <a href="https://evolution-institute.org/profile/lyudmila-trut/">Lyudmila Trut</a>, he began studies on a group of silver foxes gathered from fur farms in Estonia—then part of the Soviet Union. (Silver foxes are a color variant of the red fox [Vulpes vulpes]. This naturally occurring polymorphism is popular in the fur industry). The provenance of that stock was <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biolinnean/article/103/1/168/2452417">later traced back to Prince Edward Island</a>, Canada, where foxes were first farmed commercially beginning in the late 1800s. 

The original foxes used in the program, while generations removed from their wild ancestors, were by no means tame. In fact, most were fearful, if not downright aggressive when approached by humans—an understandable reaction for an essentially wild animal kept in a small wire cage. Belyaev and Trut began selecting the most approachable specimens—30 males and 100 females—and breeding them back to each other. In the late 1960s, they also began breeding a line of hyper-aggressive foxes and also maintained a population that retained the traits of the original foxes from Estonia. 

By the fourth generation, the approachable foxes had become appreciably more tame, wagging their tails upon the approach of humans. Belyaev and Trut continued mating these friendly foxes back to each other, keeping only the top 10% of each generation and killing the rest, whose pelts were sold as a means of supporting their research.

[caption id="attachment_1867097" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/fox-domestication.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1867097" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/fox-domestication.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="609" /></a> Image Credit: Lyudmila Trut, Svetlana Argutinskaya[/caption]

<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763232/">After another four generations</a>, some of the foxes became affectionate and excited, seeming to desire human companionship. Their friendliness was measured by a formalized procedure that involved testing their sensitivity to touch beginning at the age of two and a half months. The foxes that passed the test—seeking out and clearly enjoying human contact—were dubbed “elites.” Nearly 50% of foxes bred at the institute displayed these characteristics by the 30th generation. By the 21st century, nearly all of them were friendly and functionally domestic. In all, the project has produced some 50,000 foxes over approximately 50 generations.

Only a handful of these domesticated foxes have made their way to the United States. In the 1990s, the institute began selling small numbers of foxes to private buyers. Several are housed at the <a href="https://www.siberiancupcakes.com/">Judith A. Bassett Canid Education and Conservation Center</a> in San Diego, which aims to educate the public about these foxes. The <a href="https://lkalmanson.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=category&amp;layout=blog&amp;id=19&amp;Itemid=32">only importer</a> charges $8,900 to transport a fox from the institute in Siberia. (Other foxes sold as “domestic” in the United States are in fact captive-bred wild foxes and are rarely suited to captivity.) 

The Russian foxes are certainly tame and friendly, but they do not necessarily make the best pets. Though the domestication process has reduced the potency of their musky urine, the odor is still powerful and difficult to remove from carpet and furniture, where it will inevitably be deposited. And while the foxes can be trained to some extent, they are hardly as tractable as dogs. They require a specialized grain-free diet and an outdoor enclosure with a high fence and protective structures that prevent them from digging out. 

Fascinatingly, though the only quality that was selected for by the researchers was friendliness, at a certain point, physiological changes began to emerge as well. The ears began to droop in some foxes, limbs, tails, and muzzles became shorter, and skulls became wider. This is consistent with the neotenic characteristics found in other domestic animals—that is, they retain juvenile features into adulthood. The males also had larger gonads and both sexes became sexually mature at an earlier age than their counterparts. And instead of coming into estrus once a year, females became sexually receptive multiple times a year. Increasingly, spotted kits began appearing in the litters as well. These features all appeared to be linked to the genes that code for domestic behavior. That is: these physical characteristics are directly connected to a suite of behaviors.

A number of genetic and blood chemistry studies have attempted to account for the mechanisms that drive the shift toward domestication. A <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-018-0611-6">genomic study</a> zeroed in on one gene, SorCS1, that appears to differ between the domestic, standard, and hyper-aggressive lines. In mice, this same gene has been linked to the communication between neurons, suggesting that it may play a role in how the brain regulates behavior. Other genes that differed between the three groups of foxes have been associated with autism, bipolar disorder, and Williams-Beuren syndrome, a human disorder that causes cognitive impairment and excessive friendliness. The exact mechanisms by which these genes act on behavior as a whole remain to be determined.

Researchers have also found that the friendlier foxes had <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/009130579190080L">higher levels of serotonin</a> in their brains. Serotonin is known to inhibit aggression. They also had lower corticosteroid and adrenaline levels. Both modulate stress responses and lower levels of them suggest reduced adrenal gland function. These glands are often reduced in domestic animals. They develop from the neural crest, a region of stem cells that, during embryonic development, differentiate into a variety of features, among them melanocytes, the cells that control pigmentation. So, the biochemical pathways that determine behavior and those that control physical appearance may in fact be closely linked. 

While much remains to be determined, Belyaev and Trut have thus illustrated that the adorable features that we so treasure in our domestic companions are in fact side effects of having selected for behavior. To put it another way: cuddly came before cute.

--

By <a href="mailto:rtpallardy@gmail.com">Richard Pallardy</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Main Image: Russian domesticated Red Fox, Credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Kayfedewa">Kayfedewa</a>

Few grow good: The strange story of the domestication of the fox

“Many foxes grow grey, but few grow good,” opined Benjamin Franklin....

While the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unstable-polar-vortex-brutal-winter/">polar vortex</a> was yesterday’s news, for much of the United States, the dead of winter means more snow, snow, ice, and more snow.

Many residents are stocking up on salt for their sidewalks, and cities keeping roads safe by sending out plows and salting the streets to prevent the snow and ice from freezing over.

Unlike the salt you would use on your sidewalk, the city trucks you see down the highways spraying the road with a salty solution are treating roads to prevent freezing rather than trying melt the ice after the fact.

It all boils down to the chemical properties of salt and how it reacts with water at its freezing point.

Julie Pollock, an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the <a href="https://www.richmond.edu/">University of Richmond</a>, explained the chemistry of road salting in a recent piece for <a href="https://theconversation.com/salt-doesnt-melt-ice-heres-how-it-actually-makes-winter-streets-safe-110870">The Conversation</a>. 

Sodium chloride (NaCl) is salt no matter which way you shake it, but the salt on the road is less pure and gets its brownish color from mineral contamination.

Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and if the ground temperature is freezing or below freezing, ice and snow will form, but salt lowers the freezing point. Salt solutions lower the freezing point to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

But this rule will only apply if the road is pre-treated with a salt-water solution. Salt that’s dumped on the road after a blizzard won’t melt the ice unless subjected to heat from the sun and cars.

“Subjecting the environment to this salt via runoff can have some unintended consequences including negative effects on plants, aquatic animals and wetlands,” Pollock wrote. “But it’s a cheap and effective way to protect roads from ice due to a simple scientific principle: freezing point depression of solutions.”

Sand is also used to help provide friction for road traffic in colder climates where this scientific principle won’t work.

Road salt can seep into wetlands, rivers, streams, and lakes and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/freshwater-streams-polluted-salt/">pollute ecosystems</a>. Sidewalk salt can also be harmful to pets, and there are some pet-friendly options for sidewalk salt that concerned pet owners can use for their walkways.

However, some eco-friendly alternatives are being explored to replace road salt solutions, and these still use the freezing point depression principle, according to Pollock.

Some of the alternatives include brines and beet wastewater from sugar beet processing. Like salt, the sugar lowers the melting point of ice when sprayed onto the road and beet wastewater has less of a negative environmental impact. What’s more, brines, beet wastewater and even molasses additives could be effective in lower temperature climates.

These are also not without their potential consequences though, which is why some researchers are looking to replace road asphalt with solar panels in the hopes of making self-clearing roads, according to another report from <a href="https://theconversation.com/road-salt-makes-winter-driving-safer-but-what-does-it-do-to-the-environment-87860">The Conversation</a>. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How salt trucks keep roads safe… and some eco-friendly alternatives

While the polar vortex was yesterday’s news, for much of...

Social media is known for being a purveyor of false ideas and fake news.  Unlike traditionally curated news and mainstream media, virtually anyone can post something to social media with little accountability.  <a href="http://www.journalism.org/2018/09/10/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-2018/">Pew Research Center</a> reports that 68% of Americans polled said they occasionally get news from social media.  57% of Americans say they expect news on social media to be inaccurate. Despite the doubt, social media plays a role in shaping our views.  If social media can shape how we think about the world, surely it has real consequences for humans but also for the environment and other species.

<a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2019/01/viral-video-of-endangered-lemur-made-people-want-one-as-a-pet-study/">Mongabay</a> reported on a video of a ring tailed lemur (Lemur catta) that was released in 2016.  The lemur was shown in Madagascar, sitting on the ground between two boys crouched next to it.  The boys pet the lemur on the back. When the boys stopped, the lemur patted its back, as if it were asking to be petted.  The video went viral in April 2016, as can be expected of videos showing cute animals. Researchers monitored responses to the video on Twitter and found that many people echoed the same sentiment: ‘I want a pet lemur’.  

It’s unlikely that the vast majority of people responding to the video will actually act on a desire for a pet lemur, much less achieve that desire.  But there is still concern that videos showing pet lemurs and other wild animals will have an indirect negative impact on lemurs, the environment or other wildlife species.  

I <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/media-monsters-movies-animals-villains/">previously reported</a> on how media can change human perception of endangered species.  Research published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">Plos One</a> shows that people viewing photos of chimpanzees standing next to humans are 35.5% less likely to think of them as endangered, despite the fact that chimpanzees are endangered.  Ring-tailed lemurs are endangered as well.  <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/ring-tailed-lemur-crashe/">Scientific American</a> reports that two studies show Ring-tailed lemur populations to be between 2,000 and 2,400 individual animals.  This is a 95% population decrease since the year 2000. There are now more ring-tailed lemurs in zoos than in the wild.  One of the factors driving the decline of the iconic lemur is the illegal pet trade. Besides actually owning a pet, many tourists contribute to the captivity of animals as cheap attractions.  

Monkeys are used as tourist gimmicks in South America and Africa.  People pay a few coins to get photographed with parrots on the beach in Mexico.  These sorts of transactions are common. Often bushmeat markets dealing in the trade of illegal animal meat will sell more charismatic animals alive to be kept in captivity.  

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-animals-photo-props/">Earth.com</a> previously reported on Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus), the only non-human primate native to Morocco and Algeria being used as props for photos with tourists.  The macaques are highly endangered but still may end up chained and posing for 18 photos a day. Researchers surveyed tourists to Jemaa el-Fna, Morocco found that 88% of tourists weren’t happy with the monkey’s fate.  Yet as the social media study shows, people may act differently online or when they’re not being directly questioned about their actions. Perhaps the full reality isn’t captured in a short video. 

Another primate, more related to the lemur than to monkeys, has suffered greatly from being a ‘cute’ tourist attraction and sometimes illegal pet.  The Slow Loris (Nycticebus sp.) is indeed an adorable and nocturnal primate.  It has giant round eyes common to nocturnal animals adapted to make the most of low light.  The loris also has a blunt snout and little round ears on the sides of a furry face, and the overall impression is that of a living teddy bear with a prehensile tail.  The slow loris is native to southeast Asia, including Java where it is known by a name that translates to ‘fire face’, a hint of something more sinister in the small primate’s nature.  

The slow loris is said to have a venomous bite in local folklore, thus the fire face is a reference to a burning sensation caused by a bite from the loris.  <a href="https://primatology.net/2010/10/19/are-slow-lorises-really-venomous/">Primatology.net</a> reports that the venom of a slow loris is just a myth, saying there is no scientific evidence of venom from the slow loris’ bite.  

This isn’t quite true though.  <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2014/10/when-cute-turns-deadly-the-story-of-a-wildlife-biologist-who-was-bit-by-a-venomous-slow-loris-and-lived-to-tell-the-tale/">Mongabay</a> reports that as of 2014 there have been two medically documented cases of slow loris venom.  Obviously, two cases is far from a conclusive scientific study and a scientific consensus hasn’t been reached on the loris.  Whether or not the bite of the little primate is actually toxic or not, the idea of a toxic bite is bad publicity for the loris.  When captured for the pet or tourism trade, slow lorises generally suffer having their teeth cut out, to avoid them biting a handler.  It goes without saying that getting teeth cut is excruciating and under the circumstances incredibly cruel. Many lorises don’t even survive the process of having teeth brutally cut from their head.    

Ignorance of the exotic pet trade and our use of endangered animals is widespread.  Lady Gaga reportedly planned on having a slow loris in one of her music videos until it nipped her hand.  Only 25% of those surveyed in Morocco were aware that the Barbary Macaques were endangered. As an anecdote, talking with most people, even those interested in the environment have no idea of the plight of Madagascar or its lemurs.  Big roles in animated shows like Madagascar as well as bit parts on social media may play a role in this perception.  People don’t seem to understand that just because an animal is a pet, a tourist attraction or a youtube star doesn’t mean the animal is doing well.  

This goes for both the population of a species overall as well as the treatment of an individual animal.  In 2015, <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/ring-tailed-lemurs-pet-trade/">Scientific American</a> reported that in three years, 28,000 lemurs have been captured for the illegal pet trade.  This is in addition to animals captured for zoos or research. These lemurs are taken from a devastated but once beautiful home to be kept for the audience of a selfish owner.    

In a world of such brutality, we must ask ourselves, how much is a cute image worth in the face of a devastating reality?                    

-- 

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

When social media drives the illegal pet trade

Social media is known for being a purveyor of false...

A new study from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> reports that the time parents spend with their <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/children-physically-aggressive/">children</a> has a powerful effect on their educational achievement. The experts discovered that a child's academic success is much more heavily influenced by the educational attainment of the parent they live with compared to that of a parent who died or left the home.

The researchers also found that the longer the absence of a parent, the less impact his or her education had on the child's success and the greater the impact of the remaining parent.


“In the ongoing debate over what helps children succeed academically, we show that genetics is not the only major factor,” said study co-author Professor Bruce Weinberg. “It is also about the time that parents spend with their children.”


The researchers examined the academic outcomes for more than 22,000 Israeli children who lost a parent before age 18, more than 77,000 children whose parents divorced, and more than 600,000 Israeli children who did not experience the loss of a parent in the home.


The investigation was focused on whether the children passed the “matriculation exam,” a college entry exam that is passed by about 57 percent of high-school students in the country. Professor Weinberg explained that the team started by analyzing children who experienced the death of one parent.

“We found that if a mother dies, her education becomes less important for whether her child passes the test, while at the same time the father's education becomes more important. If a father dies, the reverse happens.These relationships are stronger when the parent dies when the child is younger.”

Study co-author Eric Gould of <a href="https://new.huji.ac.il/en">Hebrew University</a> said in other words, parenting matters. “Student success is not coming just from smart parents having smart kids.”


The study also found that the negative effect of losing a mother can be partially minimized if the child gains a stepmother. In addition, there were no differences in academic success for children whose mothers remarried after their father died compared to those who did not. 

Overall, the effect of losing a parent was worse for girls than for boys. The results for children whose parents had divorced were very similar to those who had experienced the death of a parent. 

“We found similar results in those children who experienced parental death and parental divorce. That provides strong evidence that our results are more general than just for children who suffered a parental death,” said Professor Weinberg.

“Other studies show that highly educated parents tend to spend more time with their children. Our results may suggest one reason why they do: It has a strong impact on academic success.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/toc/jole/current">Journal of Labor Economics</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>,  <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The time parents spend with kids impacts their academic success

A new study from Ohio State University reports that the...

Archeologists uncover residue of beer brewed in the Iron Age. Road work being done to upgrade a 21-mile stretch of road in the UK is uncovering many historical treasures including a woolly mammoth tusk, but the latest discovery may be the most exciting yet. 

Archeologists working to excavate land planned for the widening of the A14 road have found what they believe to be the earliest evidence of beer-making in Britain. 

Excavations have also yielded evidence that ancient inhabitants of the area ate porridge and bread, but the beer discovery is particularly noteworthy. 

The “beer” in question that the archeologists found actually resembles porous lumps of rock, but upon closer inspection, the charred chunks were found to be the remains of an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-wine-residue-found/">early fermentation process</a> likely used to make beer. 

The beer residue dates back to the Iron Age, potentially as early as 400 BC, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6649519/Iron-brew-beer-created-UK-discovered-dating-400BC.html">Daily Mail</a>. 

Lara Gonzalez, an archeologist who is part the road project, discovered the fragments.

“I knew when I looked at these tiny fragments under the microscope that I had something special,” Gonzalez told the Daily Mail. “The porous structures of these fragments are quite similar to bread, but through microscopic study, it’s possible to see that this residue is from the beer-making process as it shows evidence of fermentation and contains larger pieces of cracked grains and bran but no fine flour.”

[caption id="attachment_1867067" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/beer-residue.png"><img class="wp-image-1867067" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/beer-residue.png" alt="" width="700" height="444" /></a> Residue from the beer making-process, Image Credit: PA[/caption]

One beer expert told the Daily Mail that the area in question is well known for its beer brewing and that early Iron Age beer was likely made from fermented grain. 

“It’s a well-known fact that ancient populations used the beer-making process to purify water and create a safe source of hydration, but this is potentially the earliest physical evidence of that process taking place in the UK,” Steve Sherlock, the lead archeologists on the project said.  

Road workers have discovered many exciting ancient artifacts like Roman kilns, a helmet, and several Iron Age settlements. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Archeologists uncover residue of beer brewed in the Iron Age

Archeologists uncover residue of beer brewed in the Iron Age....

Ever wrap up a spin class or beat your personal best leg day record and go to grab a healthy post-workout snack – only to end up with a couple cookies instead?

Whether you stick to a healthy choice or add back on some of those calories you just burned can come down to when you choose your snack, a new study has discovered.

A team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a> wanted to learn more about exercise participants’ post-workout snack choices. 

"We found that there was very little research on this very tangible thing that I think everyone can relate to," said Dr. Karston Koehler, an assistant professor of nutrition and health at the university. 

Led by Koehler and Dr. Christopher Gustafson, the team split study participants into two groups. Both groups were told that they would be exercising to help calibrate some equipment. One group was told they could choose a post-workout snack before their exercise session, with the options being an apple and a brownie. The second group was not offered the choice until after their workout.

About 74 percent of the people from the group that chose before their workout picked out an apple. Around 55 percent of the post-workout group went for the healthy snack. And while 14 percent of the pre-workout group picked a brownie, that bumped up to 20 percent for the post-workout group.

"If your goal is to lose weight, then I would say our findings support that you're better off making the choice ... not when you're hungry after your workout, but instead before you go to the gym,” Koehler said. 

The study aligns with research that shows meal planners tend to indulge less in junk food in general – not just during their post-workout snack.

"Our study conformed very closely to the ideas in behavioral economics about this present-biased preference (for unhealthier options)," said Gustafson, an assistant professor in agricultural economics. "Using solely that model, I would've predicted that people would be more likely to choose the healthy snack when choosing before they exercise."

The study also found evidence of both compensatory eating – cravings for more calorie-dense foods after exercising – and exercise-induced anorexia. The number of participants who chose the brownie rose in the post-exercise group, but so did the number of people who didn’t want a snack at all.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu10121941">Nutrients</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Image credit: Craig Chandler, <a href="https://www.unl.edu/">University of Nebraska-Lincoln</a>

Why you should choose your post-workout snack early

Ever wrap up a spin class or beat your personal...

A set of clay tablets written 2,700 years ago has given archaeologists a look into the world of Mesopotamia’s ancient doctors.

The tablets were found in modern Iraq decades ago. Now, new analysis has revealed that they were written by a young doctor named Kisir-Aššur. Writing in the Sumerian script known as cuneiform, Kisir-Aššur recorded information about his work, the training he received, a number of medical procedures – and magic rituals.

“The sources give a unique insight into how an Assyrian doctor was trained in the art of diagnosing and treating illnesses, and their causes,” Dr. Troels Pank Arbøll from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> told <a href="http://sciencenordic.com/">ScienceNordic</a>. “It's an insight into some of the earliest examples of what we can describe as science.”

The tablets, which Kisir-Aššur wrote in chronological order, is allowing researchers to work out the timeline of the training received by ancient doctors.

They also give a glimpse of a field moving away from the mystical and into the scientific. While magical cures were likely still common at the time, researchers said, plant-based medicines, poultices and bandages are also described on the tablets. 

Kisir-Aššur also wrote about observing patients with animal bites and stings.

“It is possible that he studied the effects of venom from scorpions and snakes on the human body and that he perhaps tried to draw conclusions based on his observations,” Arbøll said.

Many of the ideas Kisir-Aššur outlined were similar to those developed by Hippocrates, widely considered the father of modern medicine, hundreds of years later.

On one tablet, Kisir-Aššur described an enema used by ancient doctors to treat jaundice: “If a man is ill with bile, ahhazu-jaundice, or amurriqaanu-jaundice, to cure him: kukuru-plant, burashu-juniper, ballukku-plant, suadu-plant, 'sweet reed', urnû-plant, ataʾishu-plant, 'fox-wine', leek(?), 'stink'-plant, tarmush-plant, 'heals-a-thousand'-plant, 'heals-twenty'-plant, (and) colocynth,” the researchers translated. “You weigh out these 14 plants equally (and) boil (them) in premium beer. You leave (the blend) outside overnight by the star(s). You sieve it (and) add plant oil and honey into it.”

The researchers believe that Mesopotamia’s ancient doctors learned their craft on animals and practiced on infants before treating adults. 

“Kiṣir-Aššur copied and recorded mostly pre-existing treatments and you can see that he catalogues knowledge and collects it with a specific goal,” Arbøll said.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

In Mesopotamia, ancient doctors mixed medicine, magic

A set of clay tablets written 2,700 years ago has...

If you think city traffic is bad now, wait until self-driving cars get on the road. A new analysis suggests that while the autonomous vehicles could <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/self-driving-cars-parking/">ease parking congestion</a>, they’re likely to snarl traffic in city centers as they become more common.

The worst traffic could come in areas where paid parking is common, since self-driving cars may be able to cruise at low speeds instead of needing to be parked.

"Parking prices are what get people out of their cars and on to public transit, but autonomous vehicles have no need to park at all. They can get around paying for parking by cruising," said Dr. Adam Millard-Ball of the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">University of California, Santa Cruz</a>. "They will have every incentive to create havoc."

Millard-Ball, a transportation planner and associate professor of environmental studies, worries that self-driving cars may have a similar effect as people circling the “Arrivals” area of an airport parking lot rather than paying parking fees.

That kind of gridlock, beyond just causing traffic snarls for anyone hoping to get from Point A to Point B, could lead to losses in parking and public transportation revenue as well.

As few as 2,000 self-driving cars in downtown San Francisco could slow traffic to less than 2 miles per hour, Millard-Ball said. And the price of gas and maintenance isn’t likely to stop it, he said.

"Even when you factor in electricity, depreciation, wear and tear, and maintenance, cruising costs about 50 cents an hour – that's cheaper than parking even in a small town," he said. "Unless it's free or cheaper than cruising, why would anyone use a remote lot?"

Congestion pricing could be a solution, he said. In London, motorists pay about $15 to enter the city’s center, and Singapore and Stockholm have similar programs. Self-driving cars could be fitted with devices that measure speed, location and other factors, and assign fees accordingly.

But cities need to adopt it now, Millard-Ball said. Once self-driving cars are on the road, it will be hard to convince people to pay that kind of fee. 

"As a policy, congestion pricing is difficult to implement. The public never wants to pay for something they've historically gotten for free," he said. "But no one owns an autonomous vehicle now, so there's no constituency organized to oppose charging for the use of public streets. This is the time to establish the principle and use it to avoid the nightmarish scenario of total gridlock."

Millard-Ball’s analysis has been published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2019.01.003">Transport Policy</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Self-driving cars could cause city traffic snarls

If you think city traffic is bad now, wait until...

Many studies have proven the link between sleep and memory consolidation, showing that sleep helps strengthen newly formed memories. 

Researchers continue to unravel the mysteries of sleep and why we do it, but one of the bigger questions that comes from this research is whether or not we can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/learn-new-information-sleep/">learn new things during deep sleep</a>. 

Sleep is considered unproductive time, and it has been thought that the brain is detached from the physical world during deep sleep. But a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.unibe.ch/index_eng.html">University of Bern</a> in Switzerland challenges this long-held notion. 

In a new study published in the journal Current Biology, researchers were able to show for the first time that while asleep, the brain can learn foreign words and associate their translations with associations stored into wakefulness.

This means that the brain may be capable of storing and processing new information during certain stages of deep sleep. 

The new study is part of an interdisciplinary research project called Decoding Sleep, the aim of which is to understand sleep and cognition. Previous studies have proven that sleep can help strengthen newly learned information and this information is re-played during different sleep stages. 

Knowing this, the Bern researchers felt it only made sense that the brain should be able to process new information during sleep as well. 

To test this hypothesis, the researchers played recordings of a word from an artificial language and its translation in German during the “Up-state” stage of deep sleep of a sleeping participant. 

During deep sleep, the brain cells are active for a brief period called the “Up-state” which is followed by a short period of inactiveness called “Down-state.” Our brain alternates between the two states every half second during deep sleep. 

The researchers played a word pair (the fake word and its translation) during the different states and found that if a pair was played two to four times during the Up-state of deep sleep, participants were later able to recall the word association of newly learned terms while awake. 

For example, if a sleeping participant heard the word “guga” and its translation “elephant” over and over again while asleep, when awake, the participant was accurately able to associate the word guga with something large. 

“It was interesting that language areas of the brain and the hippocampus - the brain's essential memory hub - were activated during the wake retrieval of sleep-learned vocabulary because these brain structures normally mediate wake learning of new vocabulary,” said Marc Züst, the co-first-author of the new study. “These brain structures appear to mediate memory formation independently of the prevailing state of consciousness - unconscious during deep sleep, conscious during wakefulness.” 

Playing the words in the Up-state stage of deep sleep was key, and the researchers say their results challenge the theory that we can’t learn in our sleep. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study shows that we actually can learn language while in deep sleep

Many studies have proven the link between sleep and memory...

Colonization of the Americas actually cooled the Earth’s climate. When Europeans arrived to the Americas in 1492, bringing with them disease and colonizing the land, it jump started a period known as “the Great Dying.” During this time, disease, war, and slavery wiped out 90 percent of the America’s indigenous populations. 

This staggering loss of life left a vast amount of abandoned land in its wake. Now, a new study claims that reforestation after the Great Dying caused temperatures to drop and was a driving factor behind the “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-pacific-little-ice-age/">Little Ice Age</a>,” when winters in Europe were so cold that rivers would freeze over.

Researchers from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/">University College London</a> reviewed population data before and after the Great Dying and compared this with atmospheric CO2 levels at the time to estimate the impacts of colonization in North, Central and South America on the world’s climate.

It’s estimated that by 1600, 56 million people had died due to the colonization of the Americas.

“The Great Dying of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas led to the abandonment of enough cleared land that the resulting terrestrial carbon uptake had a detectable impact on both atmospheric CO₂ and global surface air temperatures,” the researchers wrote in their study, which was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379118307261?via%3Dihub">Quaternary Science Reviews</a>.

The Great Dying was a slow process spurred on by several disease outbreaks of smallpox, influenza, and measles.

As indigenous populations died off, the researchers say that the vast amounts of abandoned agricultural land left behind quickly reforested and this increase in vegetation pulled more CO2 from the atmosphere.

The researchers reviewed 119 regional population estimates and calculated that before 1492, 60.5 million people lived in the Americas.

Disease epidemic data showed that indigenous populations dropped to 5.6 million, a 90 percent decline by 1600.

The team then focused on the abandoned agricultural land left after the large-scale depopulation of the Americas and estimated how land use would have factored into reforestation and climate change later on. Colonization of the Americas actually cooled the Earth’s climate 

“The decimation of Indigenous American populations by re-occurring waves of epidemics combined with societal disruption likely drove large reductions in agricultural activity,” the researchers wrote in their study. “Using indigenous population decline estimates and their per capita land use we can estimate the extent to which vegetation succession in the Americas occurred following the Great Dying in the first century after European arrival, and how this may have impacted resulting carbon sequestration.”

According to the study, atmospheric CO2 levels dropped by 7-10 particles per million which shifted the global climate and caused the temperature to drop on a global scale. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Magasin Pittoresque, 1844

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Colonization of the Americas actually cooled the Earth’s climate

Colonization of the Americas actually cooled the Earth’s climate. When...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

<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">
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</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.

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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...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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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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