Our everyday food choices are often guided by taste, tradition, and convenience. However, beneath these choices lie hidden risks that many tend to ignore. There is growing evidence suggesting that even tiny amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks, and trans fats carry health risks. 



A team of researchers analyzed over 60 previous studies. They looked at how processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fats impact risks of type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and ischemic heart disease.



“Habitual consumption of even small amounts of processed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sunflower-protein-could-change-the-future-of-sustainable-meat/">meat</a>, sugary drinks, and trans fatty acids is linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease and colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Demewoz Haile, the study’s lead author from the <a href="https://www.washington.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Washington</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risks-behind-daily-choices">Risks behind daily choices</h2>



The analysis revealed alarming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meat-consumption-drove-an-evolutionary-leap-in-early-humans/">trends</a>. Eating just one hot dog a day increased type 2 diabetes risk by 11 percent. It also raised the risk of colorectal cancer by 7 percent. 



Consuming a daily 12-ounce soda raised type 2 diabetes risk by 8 percent and ischemic heart disease by 2 percent.



“This current research has shown, yet again and consistent with prior research, that to achieve health gains it is best to avoid or minimize the habitual consumption of each of processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and industrially produced trans fatty acids (TFAs),” said Dr. Nita Forouhi of the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a>.



According to Dr. Forouhi, there is no such thing as a “safe amount” of processed meat consumption.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strong-and-consistent-health-risks">Strong and consistent health risks</h2>



The risks associated with eating processed meats may appear small. However, Dr. Mingyang Song from <a href="https://hsph.harvard.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health</a> explained why they are concerning.



“When we look at the actual data there, it’s really remarkably consistent and remarkably strong, and even in the lower dose of consumption, we can still see an increased risk of disease,” he said.



The study used a burden-of-proof method. This approach weighs evidence from several studies and considers their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meat-protein-boosts-survival-but-plants-boost-longevity/">quality</a>. Though conservative, the method strengthens the results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-processed-meat-risk-remains">Processed meat risk remains</h2>



The study has limitations. For example, the research does not prove direct cause and effect. Dr. Gunter Kuhnle from the <a href="https://www.reading.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Reading</a> pointed out that participants had to recall their diets, which can lead to mistakes.



“Utilizing even ‘the most sophisticated techniques does not really solve the problem that the information about diet is rather limited - which is obviously a big problem in nutritional epidemiology in general,” said Dr. Kuhnle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-these-foods-are-harmful">Why these foods are harmful</h2>



Certain foods contribute to inflammation, which plays a role in chronic diseases. Processed meats often contain nitrites. These compounds convert into cancer-causing nitrosamines inside the stomach. 



Sugary drinks pose other dangers. They deliver large sugar doses rapidly, leading to weight gain and metabolic problems.



Trans fats worsen cholesterol levels. They lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol, leading to heart disease risks.



Unhealthy diets often accompany other risky behaviors, such as smoking or low physical activity. Social issues like low income or limited healthcare access also raise disease risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cutting-processed-meat-keeping-balance">Cutting processed meat, keeping balance</h2>



Though reducing these foods is strongly advisable, moderation is key. Song suggested that cutting back on such items makes sense. Kuhnle agreed and advised maintaining a balanced diet.



That includes reducing sugary drinks, processed meats, and hydrogenated fats, even if trans fats are now less common. “The goal shouldn’t be perfection but rather a healthy and sensible dietary pattern that allows room for enjoyment,” said Dr. Kuhnle.



Good nutrition means not only cutting out unhealthy foods but also eating foods that help your body. Adding fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy options keeps you strong and well.



“Wider research has shown us that overall dietary patterns that include higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fermented dairy products like yogurt are good for health and longevity,” said Dr. Forouhi.



Dr. Kuhnle offered a final reminder. “My general advice: don’t panic,” he said. “Food is not just (a) source of nutrients - it plays a central role in culture, pleasure, family life, and social connection. Reducing it solely to a list of health risks misses the bigger picture.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03775-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Processed meat can cause health issues, even in tiny amounts

Our everyday food choices are often guided by taste, tradition, and convenience. However, beneath these choices lie hidden risks that many tend to ignore. There is growing evidence suggesting that even tiny amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks, and trans fats carry health risks. A team of researchers analyzed over 60 previous studies. They looked at how processed meat, sugar-sweetened beverages, and trans fats impact risks of type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer, and ischemic heart disease. “Habitual consumption of even small amounts of processed meat, sugary drinks,...

Curcumin, derived from the turmeric plant and the main chemical ingredient in curry, may improve exercise intolerance in relation to heart failure. Having been used since ancient times to aid skin and gastrointestinal ailments, more recent studies have found that curcumin could prevent muscle wasting, a side effect of many health problems including <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/walking-reduce-heart-failure-risk/">heart failure</a>.

Decreased ability to exercise is a main characteristic of heart failure, a condition that affects more than 6 million people in the United States. 

This decreased ability is a result of having reduced function of the left ventricle and having higher than normal levels of oxidative stress — an imbalance of two separate molecules that leads to cell damage. Heart failure can also cause a lower than normal expression of antioxidant enzymes in muscles. These enzymes both prevent and repair damage from oxidative stress. Scientists believe that boosting antioxidant enzyme levels could improve exercise performance in heart failure patients.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.unmc.edu/">University of Nebraska Medical Center</a> believe that curcumin can promote the activation of Nrf2, a protein that regulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes. The team ran a study during which they gave several mice that exhibited symptoms of heart failure daily doses of curcumin for 12 weeks, while withholding doses from several other mice experiencing the same symptoms. They then compared both groups to two control groups of healthy mice, one group having received curcumin and the other group left untreated. 

Their findings, published in the <a href="https://www.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/japplphysiol.00654.2018">Journal of Applied Physiology,</a> show that the mice with heart failure that received the curcumin doses expressed both higher levels of Nrf2 and antioxidant enzymes. Plus, all mice that received curcumin (even those who did not express heart failure symptoms) showed better exercise performance. Therefore, researchers believe ingesting curcumin could provide heart failure patients with a “therapeutic strategy” to improve their quality of life.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Curry may improve exercise performance in those with heart failure

Curcumin, derived from the turmeric plant and the main chemical...

A new study published by the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a> has found that running full marathons may significantly increase strain on the heart. A team of experts based in Spain found elevated concentrations of several biomarkers of cardiac strain among amateur runners. 

Measuring the levels of cardiac-specific troponin T or troponin I in the blood can help identify damage to the heart. The researchers compared levels of these two cardiac biomarkers in 63 amateur runners. The team also measured levels of biomarkers for cardiac tissue stress.

The tests were conducted after the subjects ran an endurance race of three different lengths including a full marathon, a half marathon, and a 10K race. Initially, there was little difference in the risk for cardiovascular events between the runners. After the full marathon, however, the strain on the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/weight-lifting-heart-health-benefits/">heart muscle</a> was found to be much greater.

The incidence of cardiac arrests in marathoners is very low, affecting only about 1 in 50,000 runners who compete in races. Regardless, a high proportion of all exercise-induced cardiac events happen during marathons, particularly in men aged 35 and older.

Study lead author Dr. Juan Del Coso is the director of the exercise physiology laboratory at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universidad_Camilo_Jos%C3%A9_Cela">Camilo José Cela University</a> in Madrid, Spain.

“We typically assume that marathon runners are healthy individuals, without risk factors that might predispose them to a cardiac event during or after a race,” said Dr. Del Coso. “But with the growing popularity of long-endurance races, the exponential increase in the number of participants, and the lack of appropriate training in some cohorts of amateur runners, our findings suggest that running shorter endurance races might reduce the strain imposed on the myocardium during running competition.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ">Circulation</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Running a marathon can be dangerous for amateur runners

A new study published by the American Heart Association has...

Over the past 50 years, freshwater streams and rivers in the United States have become saltier and more alkaline due to human activities. A recent study led by the <a href="https://www.umd.edu/">University of Maryland</a> (UMD) has found that fertilizers and other salty compounds are being heavily released into <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/freshwater-insects-eaten-microplastics/">waterways</a>, in an effect that the researchers refer to as the “freshwater salinization syndrome.”

The same team previously analyzed the local and regional consequences of freshwater salinization, and found that salty, alkaline freshwater can release a variety of chemicals, including toxic metals and harmful compounds from soils in drainage basins. The researchers suspect that many of these chemicals travel together throughout watersheds, forming “chemical cocktails” that are much more threatening to drinking water than individual contaminants.

The current investigation, which includes field observations from Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, emphasizes the urgent need for better pollution management strategies. Study lead author Sujay Kaushal is a professor of Geology at UMD.

“The bottom line of our findings is that when humans add salt to waterways, that salt also releases a lot of dangerous collateral chemicals,” said Professor Kaushal. “It's clear that regulatory agencies need to find new ways to address these 'chemical cocktails' released by saltier water, rather than looking at individual freshwater pollutants one by one.”

Salty, alkaline freshwater is already notorious for contaminating drinking water supplies, urban infrastructure, and natural ecosystems. In 2014, residents of Flint, Michigan, witnessed this type of pollution firsthand when the city switched its primary water source to the Flint River. The river contained a heavy concentration of salt and chemical treatments, which combined to make the water more corrosive and lead began to leach from water pipes. 

For the current study, the team analyzed existing data from rivers in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Russia, China, and Iran. Their findings suggest that freshwater salinization syndrome could be a global phenomenon, with the most conclusive evidence found in both U.S. and European rivers. The trends identified in the study can be traced back at least 50 years.

“Given what we are finding, I continue to be surprised by the scope and magnitude of the recent degradation of Earth's surface waters," said study co-author Gene Likens. “The formation of novel chemical cocktails is causing deterioration far beyond my expectations.”


Professor Kaushal added, “Looking at water quality data over several months in the winter, salt remains high and rarely has a chance to return to baseline before the next storm comes through and more salt is put on the roads.”

“This high salt load not only liberates metals and other contaminants, but there is also evidence that the initial salt pulse releases other salt ions from the streambed and soils, such as magnesium and potassium, which further contribute to keeping overall salt levels high.”

Study co-author Shahan Haq is a graduate student in the Geology program at UMD.

“To me, this study highlights the need to view salt as an emerging contaminant in freshwater,” said Haq. “Salt's ability to move heavy metals like copper from sediments into the water could have dangerous implications for our drinking water and could be toxic to wildlife. Our observations suggest that some rivers are already at risk, especially here in the eastern U.S. directly following road salt applications.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Joseph Galella/University of Maryland

US freshwater bodies are increasingly polluted by human activity

Over the past 50 years, freshwater streams and rivers in...

Researchers have found a significant link between artificial outdoor light and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/insomnia-affects-1-in-4-americans-each-year/">insomnia</a>. Exposure to light pollution was associated with an increased number of prescriptions for sleeping pills, also known as hypnotic drugs.

The effect of artificial outdoor light appeared to be the greatest among older adults, who were found to be more likely to use higher daily doses of hypnotic drugs or used them for longer periods of time. 

Study co-author Dr. Kyoung-bok Min is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at <a href="http://www.useoul.edu/">Seoul National University College of Medicine</a> in South Korea.

“This study observed a significant association between the intensity of outdoor, artificial, nighttime lighting and the prevalence of insomnia as indicated by hypnotic agent prescriptions for older adults in South Korea,” said Dr. Min. “Our results are supportive data that outdoor, artificial, nighttime light could be linked to sleep deprivation among those while inside the house.”

According to the <a href="https://aasm.org/">American Academy of Sleep Medicine</a>, symptoms of insomnia include struggling to fall asleep, having trouble maintaining sleep, or waking up too early. Environmental factors such as noise and light pollution or extreme temperatures can disrupt sleep among most people.

A growing collection of research is reporting on how exposure to excessive lighting at night can affect human health. Whether indoors or outdoors, light pollution can disrupt circadian rhythms, which can lead to many different chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes. 

The current study was focused on data from the 2002-2013 National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) in South Korea. After eliminating any respondents who had been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, the study sample included 52,027 adults who were at least 60 years old. 


To determine an individual's exposure to light pollution, the team used satellite data provided by the National Centers for Environmental Information. The researchers also used health insurance records to evaluate the use of two hypnotic drugs, zolpidem and triazolam, and found that about 22 percent of study participants had prescriptions to treat insomnia.


“Given the recent scientific evidence including our results, bright outdoor lighting may be a novel risk factor for prescribing hypnotic drugs,” said Dr. Min.

He also pointed out that public health officials seem to be less concerned with light pollution than with other environmental pollutants. However, this study provides even more evidence of a link between light pollution and negative health outcomes.

The research is published in the <a href="http://jcsm.aasm.org/">Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New evidence shows light pollution causes chronic sleep problems

Researchers have found a significant link between artificial outdoor light...

New archeological discoveries are made all the time, but none seem to provoke as much widespread fascination as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-mummy-embalming-practices/">mummies and artifacts</a> of Ancient Egypt. 

Recently, eight ancient Egyptian mummies were discovered near the Great Pyramids of Giza during an archeological expedition tasked with excavating the southeast corner of the Pyramid of King Amenhoth II in Dashur, which is west of Cairo. 

The expedition began in August, and the eight mummies were found encased in limestone coffins. After opening the coffins, the researchers discovered that the mummies were covered by colorful cardboard-like casings painted to look human.

[caption id="attachment_1863254" align="aligncenter" width="483"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/mummies-1.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-1863254" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/mummies-1.png" alt="" width="483" height="610" /></a> Image Credit: EPA[/caption]

Three of the mummies are said to be in excellent condition and the coffins have been sent for restoration. 

The eight mummies are not the only discovery to make recent headlines, as a sarcophagus containing a nearly perfectly preserved 3,000-year-old woman was found in an ancient tomb in El-Asasef, Luxor in Egypt. 

The sarcophagus was actually one of two that were discovered in the area, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6437731/Eight-Egyptian-mummies-lived-3-000-years-ago-discovered-near-Great-Pyramids-Giza.html">Daily Mail</a>. 

“One sarcophagus was rishi-style, which dates back to the 17th dynasty, while the other sarcophagus was from the 18th dynasty,” Khaled Al Anani, the Minister of Antiquities, told the Daily Mail. The two tombs were present with their mummies inside.”

Nearby, yet another tomb buried under hundreds of feet of rubble that took five months to excavate was found with mummies, skeletons, and paintings on the ceiling of the tomb.

[caption id="attachment_1863255" align="aligncenter" width="431"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/mummies-2.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-1863255" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/mummies-2.png" alt="" width="431" height="623" /></a> Image Credit: EPA[/caption]

With each new discovery, from King Tutankhamun to the excavations of the Valley of the Kings, researchers, historians, and archeologists continue to unravel the mysteries of what was once a thriving and far advanced civilization. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: EPA

Eight Egyptian mummies discovered near Cairo

New archeological discoveries are made all the time, but none...

Kids want the newest phones and parents give in, new poll finds. It’s no secret that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smartphone-addiction-social-connection/">smartphones</a> and personal devices are some of the priciest gadgets on the market. These days, a new cell phone can cost more than a decent laptop, and consumers are always keen to upgrade to the latest model phone. 

A new survey from the UK found that many parents will buy the newest phones for their children sometimes even before getting a new phone themselves. 

According to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6437905/One-five-kids-want-new-phone-upgrade-18-months.html">Daily Mail</a>, which reported on the poll, over a third of the parents surveyed have a hard time with continually buying new phones for their children. 

The research was conducted by <a href="http://www.onepoll.com/">OnePoll</a>, and the results show that parents often save all year just to make sure they can afford the latest upgrade when the time comes. 

2,000 parents in Britain took part in the poll, and many reported having children who expected to have a new phone every 18 months. 

Even though some phones can cost upwards of $800 to $1,000, most parents were willing to give in to their child’s demands. 

38 percent of the parents polled said they bought refurbished phones because they can run much cheaper but kept this fact hidden from their children.

While refurbished phones are smart from an economic standpoint, the poll also found that most parents think refurbished phones won’t last as long as a new phone even though refurbished phones can save parents an average of $140. 

Fears of poor quality or that their children would be displeased with a refurbished phone or last years model motivates parents to stick with the newest upgrade. 

“Technology moves at a frightening pace,” Liam Howley, who commissioned the study and who works for a second-hand selling website, told the Daily Mail. “What was once the cutting edge of the industry can find itself next to obsolete within the space of months – and even weeks in some cases. It can be hard enough even keeping up with the latest advances in technology, let alone having the cash to upgrade all your own gear.”

As new phones are only getting more expensive and people devote more and more of their time on their devices, it’s essential, especially for parents, to weigh all the risks, costs, and potential health impacts that come with the newest gadget or phone. 
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Kids want the newest phones and parents give in, new poll finds

Kids want the newest phones and parents give in, new...

The captive lion breeding industry has been a black-eye on the South Africa’s tourism industry for years. An industry centered on breeding lions for hunters to shoot in an enclosed area is sure to draw controversy, especially when unsuspecting tourists are deceived into paying to visit the facilities. Now, a committee of lawmakers who oversee environmental affairs in South Africa is calling for an end to the industry.

This month, the committee released their report on a two-day colloquium on the captive breeding of lions for hunting and the bone trade. In the report, the committee calls on the Department of Environmental Affairs to “initiate a policy and legislative review of Captive Breeding of Lions for hunting and Lion bone trade with a view of putting an end to this practice.”

As Earth.com <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lion-voluntourism-trips-harm/">reported</a> earlier this year, there are an estimated 260 captive breeding facilities in South Africa holding around 7,000 lions. 

The report states, “The animals, which are born in captivity are taken away from their mothers within hours of being born so they can be used in petting facilities, where unwitting tourists visit these farms and pay money to look at or touch young lion cubs. They do not know that they are supporting a horrific industry, an industry that even many hunting associations reject as being unethical. The farms often advertise as wildlife sanctuaries to lure in foreign volunteers under the pretence of helping save the species.”

Once the lions become too old to interact with tourists they are sold for canned hunting, where they are hunted in an enclosed space. The lions are an easy target; they are acclimated to humans after spending years as tourist props. Some lions are even baited or sedated to help guarantee a kill. The lions are basically given to the hunters “on a silver platter”, the report explains.

Standing in stark contrast to the commercially bred captive lions are the 3,000 wild lions left in South Africa. These lions mostly live in protected areas where hunting is not allowed. While the international trade in the body parts of wild lions is banned, South Africa is permitted to export a certain quota of parts from captive bred lions each year.

South Africa’s lion breeding industry was in the headlines earlier this year when the government announced that they were almost doubling this annual quota to 1,500 skeletons.

The committee also asks the Department of Environmental Affairs to reconsider the decision to increase the lion bone quota, stating the decision “was informed by commercial considerations, as opposed to science.”

The report is likely welcome news for animal advocates who have been calling for an end to the cruel industry but the report is receiving opposition from others. According to <a href="https://www.thesouthafrican.com/south-africa-mps-end-lion-huting/">The South African</a>, the South African Predator Association warned that if the parliament’s recommendations were enacted it would result in the loss of thousands of jobs. Hunting groups meanwhile have tried to distance themselves from the contentious canned hunting industry.

“This reconsideration is necessary given the huge public sentiment expressed against the increase in lion bone trade quota. The committee’s position is to protect South Africa’s esteemed conservation image, but more fundamentally the Brand South Africa,” the committee concludes in a <a href="https://www.parliament.gov.za/press-releases/environmental-affairs-committee-calls-policy-and-legislative-review-captive-lion-breeding-hunting-and-lion-bone-trade">press release.</a>

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

South African lawmakers call for end to captive lion trophy hunting

The captive lion breeding industry has been a black-eye on...

Pregnant women who use <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-lost-opioids-ohio/">opioids</a> risk a range of health complications with delivery and child development. 

A new study has found that while both opioids and amphetamine use has increased over the years, amphetamines actually pose a much higher risk to pregnant women and their babies compared to opioids. 

The study also found that rural areas have experienced a disproportionate rise in substance-affected pregnancies because drugs are easier to attain. However rural, counties often lack the quality of maternal care required to handle certain delivery problems.  

Researchers from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> conducted the study which was published in the 
American Journal of Public Health. 

“We know from our previous research on maternal health disparities that there are disproportionately higher rates of substance affected births in rural communities,” said Lindsay Admon, the lead author of the study. “When we looked at the specific types of substances driving this disparity, we were surprised to find that amphetamine use accounted for such a significant portion,” 

The researchers reviewed data from a large sample of 47 million deliveries in hospitals across the US over a 12-year period. 

Between 2005 and 2015, the rate of opioid-affected pregnancies quadrupled from 1.5 per 1,000 deliveries to 6.5 per 1,000. Amphetamine-affected births saw a similar rise and doubled from 1.2 per 1,000 hospitalizations in 2009 to 2.4 in 2015. 

Pregnant women who used amphetamines had a higher risk of maternal morbidity, pre-term delivery, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and heart failure as well having a higher likelihood of requiring a blood transfusion compared to opioid-affected pregnancies. 

Incidences of substance-affected pregnancies were higher in rural communities and in lower-income communities, emphasizing a major geographic disparity that must be addressed. 

“Early and adequate access to prenatal care for women with substance use has been shown to improve birth outcomes,” said Admon. “However, geographic disparities have a major impact on the health and well-being of pregnant women and infants. There are significant barriers to obstetric care access in many rural communities, particularly for women with substance use."

Treatment is sometimes challenging when it comes to prenatal amphetamine use, according to the study. In rural counties, health providers are not as well equipped to handle the potential birth complications or health problems a baby may experience after birth including a form of withdrawal called neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Between 2004 and 2014, neonatal abstinence syndrome accounted for $3 billion in hospital costs and the researchers say that more resources should be devoted to low-income and rural communities to prevent and treat substance use pregnancies.

“It is critical that health providers employ universal screening for substance use early in pregnancy,” said Admon. “We need to find better ways to prevent, detect, and treat maternal amphetamine and opioid use. Developing treatment programs that can reach women in the geographic areas most affected by these epidemics is key to improving outcomes for mothers and newborns.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Opioid and meth use during pregnancy is on the rise in the US

Pregnant women who use opioids risk a range of health...

A new report from the <a href="https://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO) has revealed that 2018 is set to be the fourth hottest year on record. According to the experts, 20 of the last 22 years have been the warmest in recorded history.

The study authors pointed out, “The past four years - 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 - are also the four warmest years in the series.” WMO chief Petteri Taalas told reporters in Geneva that the “warming trend is obvious and continuing.”

Estimates from the WMO showed that the planet was nearly 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, or one degree Celsius, above pre-industrial levels for the first ten months of 2018. This conclusion was drawn from five independent data sets.

If the average temperature continues to rise at this rate, the world will be 3.5 degrees Celsius warmer by the end of the century, which is far beyond the 1.5C and 2C climate targets established by the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/paris-agreement-climate-goals/">Paris Agreement</a>.


“We are not on track to meet climate change targets and rein in temperature increases,” said Taalas. “Greenhouse gas concentrations are once again at record levels and if the current trend continues we may see temperature increases 3.5C (6.3F) by the end of the century.”

“If we exploit all known fossil fuel resources, the temperature rise will be considerably higher. It is worth repeating once again that we are the first generation to fully understand climate change and the last generation to be able to do something about it.”

WMO Deputy Secretary-General Elena Manaenkova said, “These are more than just numbers. Every fraction of a degree of warming makes a difference to human health and access to food and fresh water, to the extinction of animals and plants, to the survival of coral reefs and marine life.”

“It makes a difference to economic productivity, food security, and to the resilience of our infrastructure and cities. It makes a difference to the speed of glacier melt and water supplies, and the future of low-lying islands and coastal communities. Every extra bit matters.”

The WMO report is part of a collection of research that will inform UN climate change negotiations at the COP24 summit in Poland from December 2-14.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

2018 is on track to be the fourth hottest year in history

A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has...

According to a new study by researchers at <a href="https://www.canisius.edu/">Canisius College</a> in Buffalo, New York, women actually get better sleep laying beside their dogs than they do when they sleep next to their human partners. 

The purpose of the research, which was focused on interviews with 962 women living in the United States, was to investigate whether having a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dogs-diagnose-malaria/">dog</a> in the bedroom or in the bed disrupts sleep. 

Among the participants, 55 percent shared the bed with at least one dog and 31 percent shared the bed with at least one cat. In addition, 57 percent of the women shared the bed with a romantic partner. 

The study revealed that dogs were less likely to disturb their owners in the middle of the night compared to cats and humans. The experts also determined that both cats and humans were equally disruptive to sleep among the women, and were unable to provide them with the sense of security and comfort they felt with dogs.

Compared to cat owners and women with no pets, dog owners also reported earlier sleep and wake times. “Dog ownership and its associated responsibilities may cause individuals to adhere to a stricter routine,” wrote the researchers. “Keeping to a consistent sleep schedule may be beneficial to dog owners.”

Research that was published in 2017 found that it is not only women who sleep better with dogs. In a study that was funded by small project grant from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, researchers discovered that people who slept with a dog in their bedroom got more sleep than people without a dog resting nearby.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study: Women sleep better next to a dog than with a human partner

According to a new study by researchers at Canisius College...

How do you measure the success of a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/good-guys-movies-violent/">film</a>? Does it really all come down to the money made at the box office? The awards it receives? The reviews and aggregate critics score?

A film's success is often measured by its opening weekend, which is why you see so many headlines about box office flops or bombs. 

On the other hand, reviews, while another popular way to judge the quality and popularity of a film, are subjective and don’t always reflect a film’s impact.

Take Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, for example. Today the film is a much beloved holiday classic, but upon its release, the movie <a href="http://mentalfloss.com/article/90135/how-its-wonderful-life-went-box-office-dud-accidental-christmas-tradition">completely flopped</a> and movie-goers were less than impressed with the hopeful note the movie ended on. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://en.unito.it/">University of Turin</a> developed a new method for ranking films and evaluating the success of a film by specifically looking for how often it's referenced in other movies. 

It’s a method that more accurately shows a film’s influence and the researchers 

“We propose an alternative method to box office takings - which are affected by factors beyond the quality of the film such as advertising and distribution - and reviews - which are ultimately subjective - for analysing the success of a film,” said Livio Bioglio, the lead author of the study. 

“We have developed an algorithm that uses references between movies as a measure for success, and which can also be used to evaluate the career of directors, actors and actresses, by considering their participation in top-scoring movies.”

For the study, the researchers calculated an influence score for 47,000 films listed on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/">IMDB </a>based on how often each of the films was referenced in other subsequent films. 

Each of the 47,000 films was set up as a notch or point in a network of cinema. Depending on how many connections each film point had determined its influence. 

Using this new method, the researchers found that The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, and Psycho were the top three most influential films ever made.

The team published their findings in the journal<a href="https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s41109-018-0105-0"> Applied Network Science</a>. 

Of the most influential films, the top 20 were all made before 1980. 

The researchers applied their influence algorithm to both directors and actors and Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, and Stanley Kubrick ranked as the third, fifth, and sixth most influential directors. 

The study provides a different framework for judging film, television and the arts rather than through popularity or critical acclaim which is something that could be useful for looking at a film’s impact over time.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The Wizard of Oz was the most influential film ever, study finds

How do you measure the success of a film? Does...

After analyzing population and drug trends in Mexico, researchers have determined that there is a threat for the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/young-adult-deaths-opioid-use/">opioid epidemic</a> that exists in the United States to spread across the border. According to the study, opioid use in Mexico has been low, but new legislation and an aging population are increasing the chance for more widespread use of the drug. 

The investigation was focused on published academic literature, federal documents and guidelines, and news reports related to opioid use in Mexico.

The experts found many factors that have kept opioid use low in Mexico, such as the difficulty for physicians to obtain special prescription pads for controlled substances, limits on the number of prescriptions per prescriber, and strict guidelines on opioid storage. 

The high cost of opioids in Mexico is another factor that has helped to keep their use to a minimum. The researchers also noted a widespread perception among Mexicans that opioids are only for terminally ill patients and are illegal.

However, Mexico's population of residents who are 65 and older will more than double by 2030. This means that more people will be diagnosed with conditions that will create a demand for opioids to relieve pain. 

Furthermore, recent legislative changes will make it easier for opioids to be prescribed and national health insurance coverage will include opioids. The study also revealed that pharmaceutical companies are putting pressure on Mexico to boost prescriptions to compensate for stricter regulations and a declining market in the United States. 


Study lead author Dr. David Goodman-Meza is a clinical instructor in the <a href="https://www.uclahealth.org/infectious-diseases/">UCLA Division of Infectious Diseases</a>. He explained that, since the United States is contributing to Mexico's opioid problem, this is a potential joint epidemic.

According to Dr. Goodman-Meza, the U.S. should provide resources for the mitigation of a possible opioid epidemic in the same way the country provides resources for the ‘war on drugs’ in Mexico. For example, a system could be developed to monitor opioid use or drug addiction treatment centers could be established. 

The research is published in the <a href="https://ajph.aphapublications.org/">American Journal of Public Health</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Opioid epidemic may soon spread from the U.S. into Mexico

After analyzing population and drug trends in Mexico, researchers have...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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