Falling asleep and waking up refreshed is something most of us crave. Yet some people appear to thrive on fewer hours, leaving everyone else wondering how they manage it. A new study involving a healthy older adult suggests that a rare gene mutation might be a key to needing fewer hours of sleep.



The research was led by Dr. Hao Chen from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), whose team investigated a "natural short sleeper" <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-night-of-lost-sleep-can-trigger-hidden-health-issues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trait</a> linked to a genetic variant in the SIK3 gene.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-genetics-influence-sleep-duration">How genetics influence sleep duration</h2>



Scientists who explore patterns of rest have long recognized that people’s genetic makeup can influence how much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a> they need. This latest finding highlights how even a slight genetic tweak might reduce the time required for the brain and body to recover.



Those who qualify as short sleepers function at a normal or high level despite clocking fewer hours in bed. Researchers classify them separately from individuals suffering from insomnia, because these short sleepers typically wake up rested and show no health problems tied to exhaustion.



One older participant reported sleeping around 6.3 hours per night yet displayed sharp cognition and good health. Her genetic profile pointed to a single mutation as the possible reason for her efficient slumber.



These individuals, referred to as natural short sleepers, seem wired to operate on less rest. Specialists are intrigued by how they sail through daily life with no visible drawbacks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gene-mutation-and-sleep-patterns">Gene mutation and sleep patterns</h2>



The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/protein-kinases" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">kinase protein</a> produced by the SIK3 gene relays signals that influence various cellular processes. Scientists suspect that changes in kinase function might play a role in controlling how much time the body devotes to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-can-boost-memory-in-a-surprising-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>.



When Dr. Chen’s team transferred this mutation to lab mice, the animals spent slightly less time resting each day. This observation hinted at a biological mechanism that could be significant across different species.



“Studying human sleep genes not only expands our knowledge regarding the sleep regulatory network, but also may bring the basic research from mouse models to clinical relevance,” noted the researchers.



Brain scans in the test mice revealed that their <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/protein-biology/protein-biology-learning-center/protein-biology-resource-library/pierce-protein-methods/phosphorylation.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phosphorylation</a> patterns changed, especially around the areas that oversee rest and wake cycles. This shift aligns with the idea that sleep is coordinated by a web of signals in the brain that might be influenced by tiny chemical tweaks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-mutations-in-short-sleepers">Genetic mutations in short sleepers</h2>



Scientists have now identified at least five distinct genetic mutations linked to the natural short sleep trait. Each one affects different proteins involved in the brain’s signaling and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>-wake rhythms, hinting at multiple pathways that might influence rest duration.



The SIK3 variant joins others such as <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.1801693115" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DEC2</a>, <a href="https://www.ajmc.com/view/a-rare-gene-mutation-is-associated-with-requiring-less-sleep-researchers-say" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ADRB1</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/387129" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NPSR1</a>, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/14816" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GRM1</a>, each contributing a piece to the sleep efficiency puzzle. Researchers believe that mapping these variants could eventually lead to a full blueprint of how the body regulates its need for sleep.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treatments-for-sleep-disorders">Treatments for sleep disorders</h2>



Researchers think there could be important applications for people who struggle with sleep disorders. Adjusting the pathways linked to this genetic variant might shorten the time needed to feel rested, although practical therapies will likely take time to refine.



Still, scientists caution that these insights do not give an excuse to slash nightly rest. They emphasize that ordinary individuals without the mutation may not reap any benefits from copying a short sleeper’s schedule.



Experts see promise in pursuing treatments that enhance the body’s own efficiency. They hope new knowledge of genetic influences will guide strategies to help those who find it difficult to get restorative rest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-on-short-sleep-genes">Future research on short-sleep genes </h2>



Short-sleep genes have captured the imagination of specialists for years. There is strong interest in mapping out exactly how the human brain resets itself, and why some people get the same benefits in a compressed timeframe.



“These [NSS] people, all these functions our bodies are doing while we are sleeping, they can just perform at a higher level than we can,” said neuroscientist and geneticist Ying-Hui Fu, from the University of California, San Francisco (<a href="https://www.ucsf.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCSF</a>). 



Scientists aim to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37398097/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">uncover</a> the precise factors that grant this group their resilience. Many research teams intend to investigate how broader networks of genes might interact to influence rest. 



The SIK3 discovery raises big questions about what else might affect daily energy levels and long-term health.



Fascination with short sleepers is unlikely to fade soon. Unlocking the secrets of their genetics could reshape how we view rest, opening a path to solutions for chronic sleep troubles.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500356122" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PNAS</a>.



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Rare gene explains why some people can thrive on less sleep

Falling asleep and waking up refreshed is something most of us crave. Yet some people appear to thrive on fewer hours, leaving everyone else wondering how they manage it. A new study involving a healthy older adult suggests that a rare gene mutation might be a key to needing fewer hours of sleep. The research was led by Dr. Hao Chen from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), whose team investigated a "natural short sleeper" trait linked to a genetic variant in the SIK3 gene. How genetics...

Research has shown that exposure to bullying can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bullying-mental-health-overcome/">trigger mental health issues like anxiety and depression</a> and is harmful to a child’s wellbeing and overall development. 

But a new study has found that children who witness violence in school are also at high risk of developing antisocial behavior and academic impairment.

Students who witness violence in school at age 13 are more likely to have problems by age 15, according to the research.

The study was conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.umontreal.ca/">Université de Montréal</a> in collaboration with research team members from Belgium and France.

Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the study proves how damaging witnessing violence in school is to a child’s development. 

“Previous studies suspected that adolescents who witness violence might be at risk of experiencing post-traumatic psychological problems, but they could not rule out whether the students showing bystander effects were not already having such problems beforehand,” said  Michel Janosz, the leader of the research. 

The researchers wanted to see if there were strong correlations between witnessing school violence in Grade 8 and antisocial behavior, increased drug use, delinquency, social anxiety, and poor academic performance later on. 

4,000 Quebec high school students were involved in the study, and the researchers had a unique opportunity to survey the students and return to see how witnessing violence had impacted the students over the long term. 

“The Quebec cohort was ideal because we had psychological information on the students before witnessing the violence and this really makes a big difference scientifically in terms of rigor,” said Janosz. “There was less interference from confounders and other plausible explanations. Plus, we were able to follow up with the students a couple of years later - a huge advantage.”

The researchers found that witnessing violence was a strong predictor of behavioral issues and academic impairment later on.

Witnessing major violence such as a physical assault associated with drug use and delinquency. Minor violence like watching someone yell threats or insults at another student correlated with increased anxiety, drug use, and depressives symptoms. 

The researchers say that intervention programs in school that target bullying and violence need to include not just the victims and perpetrators but also those students who witness the events as this can be just as detrimental to a student. 

“Most students reported witnessing violence,” said Janosz. “It is clear that approaches to prevention and intervention should include witnesses as well as victims and perpetrators and target all forms of school violence. Of course, actively supportive family and community relationships represent important resources for facilitating coping strategies after having been exposed to events associated that inflict psychological or physical harm. These also prevent emotional desensitization to violence which also contributes to aggressive behavior in youth.”

The research shows that schools need to empower students and provide better resources to avoid the feelings of powerlessness that students can feel after witnessing violence or being bullied.  
--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Watching school violence is just as detrimental as being bullied

Research has shown that exposure to bullying can trigger mental...

A new study from <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a> has found that resting may not be the best way to bounce back after a brain injury. An investigation focused on mice revealed that physical activity could promote faster and greater recovery after brain trauma.

The results of the research provide compelling evidence of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/brain-fight-flight-response/">brain's</a> powerful capacity to adapt in response to trauma. The research also reveals potential treatment strategies that could ultimately result in better mobility following a stroke or brain damage.

Dr. Randy Bruno is a principal investigator at Columbia's <a href="https://precisionmedicine.columbia.edu/content/mortimer-b-zuckerman-mind-brain-behavior-institute">Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute</a> and the study's senior author.

“Lengthy rest periods are supposed to be key to the brain's healthy recovery, but our study in mice demonstrates that re-engaging the brain immediately after injury can actually be more helpful than resting it - an observation that was completely unexpected,” said Dr. Bruno. 

“While these findings underscore the brain's complexity, the nature of which we are only beginning to tease apart, they also provide a new avenue of research into more effective rehabilitation efforts for serious brain injuries.”

In mammals, the cerebral cortex is the largest region of the brain and plays a critical role in many key functions, such as sight, smell, movement, and memory. 

The researchers developed a study with mice that focused on a part of the cerebral cortex called the barrel cortex. This region is thought to be important for sensing and analyzing signals during whisking - when a mouse moves its whiskers to strike objects.

“Mice use whiskers to sense their surroundings the way we use our fingers,” said study first author Dr. Y. Kate Hong.

The team placed mice in a dark box and trained them to search for a nearby object with their whiskers. The experts speculated that this type of detection depended almost entirely on the barrel cortex.

To investigate, the researchers used laser light to temporarily turn off barrel-cortex cells and found that this made it difficult for the animals to perform whisking. When the team permanently removed the barrel cortex, the mice could not perform the task at all during the following day. On day two, however, their whisking  ability made a full recovery.

“This came as a huge surprise, since it suggested that tactile sensation, such as whisker-based touch, may not completely rely on the cortex,” said Dr. Hong. “These findings challenge the commonly held, cortex-centric view of how the brain drives touch perception.”


Next, the team wanted to determine if the animals simply needed a day of rest or if  the repeated exposure to the task is what helped them to recuperate so quickly. In order to find out, the same experiment was conducted. This time, however, the mice rested for three days before being re-exposed to the task.

While the mice did eventually regain some sensation, they recovered much more slowly and not as completely compared to the mice in the first experiment.  

The research suggests that the key to a speedy recovery was re-engaging with the task early without letting a lot of time pass. The poor performance during the first 24 hours may be explained by the disruption that the brain has experienced. 

“The cortex connects to almost every other structure in the brain, so manipulating it may temporarily disrupt connected structures - in essence shocking those areas that would normally enable a behavior,” said Dr. Bruno. “Perhaps this sudden and brief loss in sensation is due to that initial disruption to the animals' abilities - rather than being due to the loss of any information stored in the barrel cortex itself.”

“We tend to immobilize people when they've suffered a stroke; the recovery of seemingly simple tasks - walking, grasping - can be a long road. Our findings suggest that maybe, in some cases, patients could be reintroduced to these activities much earlier in order to speed recovery.”


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Activity may be the best way for the brain to recover from trauma

A new study from Columbia University has found that resting...

A study led by <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> has found that while a good impression makes a big difference in how we perceive others, most of us are willing to adjust our opinions to accept people who have behaved badly or left a bad impression. 

The researchers explained that this level of flexibility in judgement helps to explain how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-running-long-distances/">humans</a> can be so forgiving, and also why they sometimes stay in bad relationships.

“The brain forms social impressions in a way that can enable forgiveness,” said study senior author and psychologist Molly Crockett. “Because people sometimes behave badly by accident, we need to be able to update bad impressions that turn out to be mistaken. Otherwise, we might end relationships prematurely and miss out on the many benefits of social connection.”

The study was focused on more than 1,500 participants who observed the choices of two strangers while they faced the moral dilemma of whether or not to inflict painful electric shocks on another person in exchange for money. 

The “good” stranger usually refused to shock another person for money, but the “bad” stranger was typically more interested in maximizing their profit. The volunteers reported on their impressions of the moral character of both strangers and also on how confident they were about these impressions.

As expected, the participants rapidly formed positive impressions of the good stranger and were highly confident in these judgements. On the other hand, the volunteers were far less confident that the other stranger was truly bad, and were found to quickly and easily change their minds. 

For example, the bad stranger occasionally made a generous choice and the impressions of the participants improved almost immediately - until they witnessed the stranger's next transgression. The researchers believe that this judgement pattern sheds new light on why people sometimes hold on to bad relationships. 

“We think our findings reveal a basic predisposition towards giving others, even strangers, the benefit of the doubt,” said Crockett. “The human mind is built for maintaining social relationships, even when partners sometimes behave badly.”

Study lead author Jennifer Siegel added, “The ability to accurately form impressions of others' character is crucial for the development and maintenance of healthy relationships. We have developed new tools for measuring impression formation, which could help improve our understanding of relational dysfunction.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans are wired to forgive bad behavior, study shows

A study led by Yale University has found that while...

You might think that organic farming is better for the environment than “high-yield” farming, which uses more intensive techniques thought to cause pollution, water scarcity, and soil erosion. In the face of those factors, organic farming must be more environmentally friendly, right? Well, a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain/">Nature Sustainability</a> has found that this isn’t necessarily the case.

In recent years, there has been mounting evidence that the best way to deal with rising <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/europe-unsustainable-future-agriculture/">food demand</a>, while also conserving biodiversity, is to achieve the highest possible yield out of the land we farm as possible. In this line of thinking, more natural habitats can be left alone, rather than turned into farmland due to lower crop yields.

Past studies have compared the environmental costs of greenhouse gas emission, fertilizer, and water use generated by high- and low-yield farming techniques by land area. But because high-yield farming needs less land to produce the same amount of food, the authors of this most recent study say that the previous approach overestimates its environmental impact.

A team of researchers from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> conducted the study with 17 organizations across the United Kingdom and around the world. They analyzed data from hundreds of investigations into four major food sectors, accounting for significant percentages of global output for each product: Asian paddy rice (90%), European wheat (33%), Latin American beef (23%), and European dairy (53%).

Examples of high-yield strategies in this study include enhanced pasture systems and livestock breeds in beef production, use of chemical fertilizer, and keeping dairy cows indoors for longer periods of time. Although data was somewhat limited, the results of the study suggest that many high-yield systems are less damaging to the environment, and also a lot less land. 

In field trials, inorganic nitrogen increased yields with little to no greenhouse gas “penalty” and a lower water use per ton of rice. The research team also found that greenhouse gas emissions could be cut in half in some systems where yields are bolstered by adding trees to provide shade and forage for cattle. And while the study only assessed organic farming in the European dairy sector, they found that the organic systems caused at least one-third more soil loss and take up twice as much land for the same amount of milk as conventional dairy farming.

“Across all dairy systems we find that higher milk yield per unit of land generally leads to greater biological and economic efficiency of production,” says Phil Garnsworthy, a professor at the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> and co-author of the study. “Dairy farmers should welcome the news that more efficient systems have lower environmental impact.”

However, the researchers do caution that if higher yield are only used to increase profit or lower prices, they will likely just accelerate the extinction crisis that is currently ongoing. 

“Agriculture is the most significant cause of biodiversity loss on the planet,” says study lead author Andrew Balmford, a professor of Conservation Science from Cambridge's Department of Zoology. “Habitats are continuing to be cleared to make way for farmland, leaving ever less space for wildlife.”

For this reason, the authors suggest that high-yield farming be combined with mechanisms that limit agricultural expansion, in order for there to be an environmental benefit. This could be done through strict land-use zoning and a restructuring of rural subsidies. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Organic farming can be harder on the environment than high-yield

You might think that organic farming is better for the...

A new study has revealed that exposure to household cleaning products alters the gut microbiomes of small children. The experts also found that some of these microbial changes are associated with weight gain. 

The researchers investigated the gut flora of 757 infants at the ages of three to four months, following up on their weight when they were one and three years old.  The experts also examined the use of various disinfectants, detergents, and eco-friendly cleaners in their homes. 

The team used data from the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) birth cohort on microbes in infant fecal matter, and compared body mass index (BMI) to growth charts from the <a href="http://www.who.int/">World Health Organization</a>.


The experts found that the gut microbiota of the babies were most notably altered in homes where disinfectants such as multi-surface cleaners were used the most frequently. These infants showed lower levels of Haemophilus and Clostridium bacteria, but higher levels of Lachnospiraceae. 

In addition, the researchers observed an increase in Lachnospiraceae bacteria with higher levels of exposure to disinfectants, yet this association was not found with detergents or eco-friendly cleaners. Previous research that was focused on piglets revealed a similar relationship between the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/gut-bacteria-produce-electricity/">gut microbiome</a> and aerosol disinfectants.

Anita Kozyrskyj is a professor of Pediatrics at the <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/">University of Alberta</a> and the principal investigator on the <a href="http://symbiota.org/docs/symbiota-introduction/project-support/">SyMBIOTA project</a>, an investigation into how alteration of the infant gut microbiome impacts health.

“We found that infants living in households with disinfectants being used at least weekly were twice as likely to have higher levels of the gut microbes Lachnospiraceae at age 3-4 months; when they were 3 years old, their body mass index was higher than children not exposed to heavy home use of disinfectants as an infant,” said Professor Kozyrskyj.

Babies living in homes where eco-friendly cleaners were used had different changes in microbiota and were found to be less likely to become overweight as toddlers.

“Those infants growing up in households with heavy use of eco cleaners had much lower levels of the gut microbes Enterobacteriaceae. However, we found no evidence that these gut microbiome changes caused the reduced obesity risk.”


Professor Kozyrskyj explained that the use of eco-friendly products may be linked to healthier overall maternal lifestyles, which would contribute to the healthier gut microbiomes and weight of their children. 

“Antibacterial cleaning products have the capacity to change the environmental microbiome and alter risk for child overweight,” wrote the researchers. “Our study provides novel information regarding the impact of these products on infant gut microbial composition and outcomes of overweight in the same population.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.cmaj.ca/">Canadian Medical Association Journal</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exposure to home cleaning products can cause kids to gain weight

A new study has revealed that exposure to household cleaning...

A recent survey from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> has revealed that sleep issues among adolescents can often be attributed to the use of social media and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/smartphone-manufacturing-brutal-environment/">smartphones</a>. More than half of the parents of restless teens directly blamed electronics for their sleep disruption.

According to the data from the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, forty-three percent of parents report that their teen has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Of these parents, 25 percent say their child experiences occasional sleep problems on one to two nights per week, while 18 percent say that their teen struggles with sleep on three or more nights per week.


The use of cell phones and social media was found to be the number one most frequently reported factor that is disrupting sleep among young people. Homework and other school activities is the second most common contributor to sleep deprivation in teens, while concern over their social lives is the third largest contributor.

In addition, ten percent of parents say their child's sleep problems are related to a health condition or medication. This cause was reported more often by parents of teens who have frequent sleep problems.

“This poll suggests that sleep problems are common among teens and parents believe late-night use of electronics are a main contributor,” said poll co-director Sarah Clark. “Teens' hectic schedules and homework load, as well as anxiety about school performance and peer relationships, also are seen by parents as contributing to sleep problems.”


The respondents shared different strategies they have used to address these sleep issues, including limiting caffeine in the evening, turning off electronics and cell phones at bedtime, and natural or herbal remedies such as melatonin. Over 25 percent of the parents said that their teen has tried some type of medication to get better sleep. 

“Parents whose teens continue to have frequent sleep problems, despite following recommendations for healthy sleep hygiene, may want to talk with a health care provider, particularly when considering which type of medication to try,” said Clark.

“Inadequate or disrupted sleep can have long-lasting health effects that go beyond moodiness and irritability for teens.”

“Sleep-deprived teens may have difficulty concentrating in school and those who drive have an increased risk of auto accidents. Inadequate sleep has also been linked to health problems ranging from obesity to depression.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Teens are losing sleep due to smartphones and social media

A recent survey from the University of Michigan has revealed...

An international clinical study known as the <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01038583">ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly</a> (ASPREE) trial has produced no evidence that daily low-dose aspirin prolongs the number of years that older adults live a healthier, independent life. More specifically, the drug was not found to reduce the risk of dementia or persistent physical disability.

The research was focused on the potential health benefits and risks of daily low-dose aspirin in 19,114 healthy older adults, who were followed for an average of 4.7 years. ASPREE participants could not have dementia or a physical disability and had to be free of medical conditions requiring aspirin use.


Dr. Richard J. Hodes is the director of the <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/">National Institute on Aging</a>. 

“Clinical guidelines note the benefits of aspirin for preventing heart attacks and strokes in persons with vascular conditions such as coronary artery disease,” said Dr. Hodes. “The concern has been uncertainty about whether aspirin is beneficial for otherwise healthy older people without those conditions. This study shows why it is so important to conduct this type of research, so that we can gain a fuller picture of aspirin's benefits and risks among healthy older persons.”


Among the participants who were randomly assigned to take 100 mg of low-dose aspirin per day, 90.3 percent did not have persistent physical disability or dementia by the end of the study period, compared with 90.5 percent of those taking a placebo. Across the two groups, rates of physical disability were similar and rates of dementia were almost identical.

In addition, the individuals taking aspirin were found to have an increased risk of death compared to the placebo group - 5.9 percent of participants taking aspirin and 5.2 percent taking placebo died during the study. The study authors explained that caution is needed in interpreting this finding. 

The higher <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heat-related-deaths-skyrocket/">death</a> rate among the participants taking aspirin was primarily due to a higher number of deaths from cancer. A small increase in new cancer cases was reported in this group, but the difference could be simply due to chance.


“The increase in cancer deaths in study participants in the aspirin group was surprising, given prior studies suggesting aspirin use improved cancer outcomes,” said Dr. Leslie Ford, M.D. “Analysis of all the cancer-related data from the trial is under way and until we have additional data, these findings should be interpreted with caution.”

“Continuing follow-up of the ASPREE participants is crucial, particularly since longer term effects on risks for outcomes such as cancer and dementia may differ from those during the study to date,” said Dr. Evan Hadley. 

“These initial findings will help to clarify the role of aspirin in disease prevention for older adults, but much more needs to be learned. The ASPREE team is continuing to analyze the results of this study and has implemented plans for monitoring participants.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/">New England Journal of Medicine</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study: Aspirin may not help older adults live healthier lives

An international clinical study known as the ASPirin in Reducing...

Ever since restaurants began adding calorie information to menus, some have questioned whether or not it actually impacts what customers decide to order.

But a new study has found that people will in fact choose dishes and appetizers with fewer calories if they have the information in front of them. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> wanted to examine the effectiveness of displaying calorie information on menus in motivating healthier consumer decisions. 

Most people probably don’t know exactly what they are eating in terms of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermarkets-eat-fewer-calories/">nutritional value and calorie information. </a> It also doesn’t help that one-third of all food Americans eat is prepared outside of the home and out of view. 

Some states and cities have laws that require restaurants to list calorie information, but is this an effective measure for driving consumer choices? 

The Cornell researchers tested this question by conducting a randomized field experiment in two full-service restaurants with more than 5,550 participants.  

Diners in the restaurants were assigned to one of two groups, either a control group with normal menus or another group with menus that had calorie counts displayed next to the food items.

The diners had to complete a survey at the end of the meal that asked about diet preferences, exercise frequency, and sociodemographic information. 

If a diner had access to calorie information, the researchers found that they chose meals with around 45 fewer calories than those who received menus without calorie information listed. 

The participants ordered both entrees and appetizers that had fewer calories when that information was displayed on the menu, but dessert and drink orders were unaffected by the calorie information. 

What was surprising was that even the chefs at the restaurants weren’t quite sure of the calorie information in the dishes they prepared. 

“Even if you're an educated person who eats out a lot and is aware of nutrition, there can still be surprising things in these calorie counts,” said John Cawley, a co-author of the study which was published in the journal National Bureau of Economic Research. 

The researchers also discovered that a majority of people were in favor of having calorie information listed on menus. 

“It's clear that people value this information,” said Cawley said. “It's a cheap policy to put in place, and the fact that there is a reduction in calories ordered makes it appealing.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Calorie info on menus leads to healthier meal choices, study finds

Ever since restaurants began adding calorie information to menus, some...

Americans are eating less red and processed meat according to a recent study that has been published in the journal Public Health and Nutrition. 

The study is the first of its kind to look at how Americans decide which foods to eat when looking to cut back on meat for a specific purpose. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-livable-future/index.html">John Hopkins Center for a Livable Future</a> conducted the study which included a consumer survey of 1,112 adults, age 18 or over, in the United States. 

Two out of three participants in the survey said they were working to cut down meat either for health reasons or because it was cheaper. 

“Many Americans continue to have strong preferences for meat, but this survey adds to a growing body of evidence that a significant portion of the population may be purposefully reducing their meat consumption without becoming vegetarian or vegan,” said Roni Neff, the lead author of the study in a <a href="https://hub.jhu.edu/2018/09/12/consumers-cut-back-on-meat-consumption/">John Hopkins Hub news piece</a>. “We hope our findings will be useful for the development of awareness campaigns and other interventions geared toward helping consumers reduce their meat consumption in a way that is good for their health, their grocery budgets, and the environment.”

The United States is a country with some of the highest levels of meat consumption in the world, and it’s second only to Australia, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-6165377/Two-thirds-Americans-cut-meat-protect-health-survey-reveals.html">Daily Mail. </a>

However, many health officials have been recommending that people cut down on meat, particularly processed and red meat for a variety of health reasons. 

Not only that, but the meat industry is one of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meat-consumption-climate-change/">biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions </a>and cutting back on meat is an easy way to reduce a person’s carbon footprint. 

Regardless, only 12 percent of the survey respondents said their meat choices were influenced by environmental concerns. 

The John Hopkins researchers asked participants about their meat consumption over the past few years and reducing meat consumption correlated with eating less red meat, processed meat, and other meats and seafood over three years. 

One of the biggest drivers of reducing meat consumption was income, as households with lower incomes had the highest likelihood of cutting back meat and finding other alternatives for proteins and meal variety. 

However, meat prices are currently dropping and so meat consumption may increase in the future as a result. 

But the researchers are confident that the study shows that people are working to cut back meat and that public health campaigns about the health risks associated with red meat and high meat consumption are effective. 

“Our survey results suggest that public health messages on the benefits of reducing red and processed meat consumption may be reaching and resonating with many U.S. consumers, but more work remains to be done,” said Neff. “Priorities for meat reduction campaigns should include addressing common misperceptions about meatless meals, and promoting alternatives that consumers enjoy and that are affordable, healthy, and environmentally friendly.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Americans are cutting back on meat consumption, study shows

Americans are eating less red and processed meat according to...

2017 marked one of the most active hurricane seasons on record, as millions were left without power and faced with catastrophic flooding when the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/rapid-intensification-2017-hurricanes/">three major hurricanes</a>, Harvey, Irma and Maria, made <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/extremely-active-2017-atlantic-hurricane-season-finally-ends">landfall in the US, Caribbean, and Puerto Rico. </a>

Last year also saw the inauguration of President Trump and the end of one of the most turbulent presidential election years in history, no matter which party you supported. 

Looking at 2017 alone, it’s not difficult to see why people would say it was a tough or stressful year, and a new poll shows that for many it was one of the worst in recent history. 

A new <a href="https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx">Gallup</a> poll found that 2017 was one of the worst years since 2006, with many people reporting high levels of stress, anxiety, and pain. 

Gallup recently conducted its annual <a href="https://www.gallup.com/analytics/241961/gallup-global-emotions-report-2018.aspx?utm_source=link_newsv9&amp;utm_campaign=item_242117&amp;utm_medium=copy">Global Emotions Report</a> and more than 154,000 people from over 145 countries were surveyed for the poll. 

A large percent of people surveyed (40%) said that they had experienced worry or stress the day before the survey was conducted. 31 percent reported feeling pain, 23 percent said they were sad and 20 percent of the survey respondents reported being angry the day before the survey. 

The Gallup Poll results are based on Gallup’s Negative Experience Index and people are asked about their moods the day before as a way to judge the emotional climate of people across the world. 

According to <a href="http://time.com/5393646/2017-gallup-global-emotions/?utm_source=emailshare&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=email-share-article&amp;utm_content=20180914">Time</a>, which reported on the survey, the Gallup Poll resulted in a Negative Experience score of 30. 

The countries with the highest negative scores were areas rife with violent conflict. The Central African Republic had the highest Negative Experience Index with Iraq, South Sudan, and Chad following behind. 

“Collectively, the world is more stressed, worried, sad and in pain today than we’ve ever seen it,” Mohamed Younis, Gallup’s Managing Editor wrote in the report. 

It was not all bad news though, as many people (70%) said they had been happy, smiled a lot, or felt respected the day before. The Positive Experience Index only slightly decreased to 69 from 70 in 2016.

Paraguay, Colombia, El Salvador, and Guatemala had some of the highest Positive Experience scores. 

Reports in the US are mixed as the Gallup Poll found that it ranked among countries with higher Positive Experience scores, but surveys and polls conducted within the country show that stress and anxiety in 2017 were high. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Gallup poll: 2017 was a year of high stress and pain for many

2017 marked one of the most active hurricane seasons on...

Early this morning, Hurricane Florence began to make landfall along the coast of North Carolina and is now making slow and steady progress inland towards the central parts of the Carolinas. 

Already images and video footage posted to social media show flooded streets and fast-moving currents of water and debris. 

High winds, dangerous storm surges, and catastrophic flooding have all been reported with Hurricane Florence, and residents have been cautioned to leave as soon as possible if they live in evacuation zones. 

Yesterday, over 200,000 people in North Carolina had no power due to the high winds and flooding as Hurricane Florence began to make landfall, according to <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/160000-power-hurricane-florence-lashes-north-carolina-coast/story?id=57791726">ABC News</a>.

The <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/09/14/hurricane-florence-sweeps-across-carolinas-bringing-life-threatening-rainfall/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.8d81de0e115a">Washington Post</a> reported that the number of power outages on Friday had skyrocketed to 500,000. 

Even though the hurricane was downgraded to a Category 1, weather reports have said that the downgrade doesn’t mean Florence will be any less intense.

Instead, residents in the area have been told to prepare for days of rain and potentially 40 inches of rainfall in some areas of North and South Carolina. 

Like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-slams-texas/">Hurricane Harvey</a> last year, what makes Florence so potentially dangerous is the amount of rainfall the storm could produce if it just sits over the Carolinas. 

“It's getting worse,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/14/us/hurricane-florence-south-east-coast-wxc/index.html">CNN</a>. “The storm is going to continue its violent grind across our state for days.”

CNN also reported that more than 200 people had been rescued from the rising waters and storm surges reached as high as ten feet. The hurricane produced some of the highest wind gusts that the state has experienced since Hurricane Helene in 1958. 

Another huge cause for concern with Hurricane Florence is the potential environmental hazards that could arise with flooding and storm damage. As per protocol, a nuclear power plant in Brunswick, North Carolina has been shut down but there are five other nuclear plants in the hurricane’s path, according to CNN. 

There are also risks of toxic pollution from agricultural operations, coal ash pits, and livestock. 

“This one is pretty scary,” Jamie Kruse, director of the Center for Natural Hazards Research at East Carolina University told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/12/hurricane-florence-north-carolina-nuclear-plants-prepare">The Guardian</a>. “The environmental impacts will be from concentrated animal feeding operations and coal ash pits. Until the system gets flushed out, there’s going to be a lot of junk in the water.”

Thousands have evacuated their homes to emergency shelters in North and South Carolina and by all accounts, this is only the beginning of the worst of it. 

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: ESA/NASA–A. Gerst

Hurricane Florence slams Carolinas, remains dangerous

Early this morning, Hurricane Florence began to make landfall along...

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are non-biodegradable compounds used to manufacture a wide variety of consumer products and are pollutants that are found all over the environment. But now, a new study has found that they may cause kidney damage and poor kidney function. 

The likelihood of PFAS exposure is extremely high due to how much of the pollutants have contaminated the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toxic-chemicals-found-in-drinking-water-in-33-states/">environment, water, and atmosphere. </a>

Researchers from <a href="https://www.duke.edu/">Duke University</a> recently conducted a study reviewing 74 studies on PFAS exposure and kidney health to better understand how the pollutants affect our health and wellbeing. 

The results of the Duke University analysis were published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 

Given how prevalent PFAS are in the environment, it’s important to know if they contribute to health problems or increase the risk of certain diseases and health problems.

“The kidneys are very sensitive organs, particularly when it comes to environmental toxins that can get in our bloodstream,” said John Stanifer, the lead author of the study. “Because so many people are now exposed to these PFAS chemicals, and to the newer, increasingly-produced alternative PFAS agents such as GenX, it is critical to understand if and how these chemicals may be contributing to kidney disease.”

Of the 74 studies, the researchers found PFAS exposure correlated with a deterioration of kidney function, derangements in the proximal tubules (the resorptive structure of the kidney), and unregulated metabolic pathways linked to kidney disease.

The researchers also found that children are more exposed to PFAS than adults and in greater quantities. 

“By searching all the known studies published on the topic, we concluded that there are several potential ways in which these chemicals can cause kidney damage,” said Stanifer. “Further, we discovered that there have already been multiple reports suggesting that these chemicals are associated with worse kidney outcomes.”--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Very common environmental pollutants damage kidney health

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are non-biodegradable compounds used to...

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

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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

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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