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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wellness in America depends on culture and where you live

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

A team of researchers has identified ways that human interactions with nonhuman primates may be putting people at risk of infection with new diseases. Zoonotic diseases, which originate in other animal species before infecting humans, are a major threat to human health.  

Zoonotic diseases account for more than 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases, and 70 percent of them are believed to come from wild animals. The similarity between humans and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/small-babies-laugh-primates/">nonhuman primates</a> makes monkeys and apes ideal carriers for pathogens that threaten human populations.

A team led by Tamara Giles-Vernick of the <a href="https://www.pasteur.fr/en">Institut Pasteur</a> and Victor Narat of the <a href="http://www.cnrs.fr/index.html">French Center for National Scientific Research</a> used surveys, real-time data collection, and oral history interviews to investigate the physical exposure of people in southeastern Cameroon to nonhuman primate species. The researchers collected data in 2016 and 2017 that involved multiple villages and hundreds of people.

The investigation revealed that Cameroonian adults have frequent physical contact with primates, particularly with monkeys. This contact is most often through hunting, butchering, preparing, and consuming meat, but also includes injuries sustained from gorillas. 

Of the survey respondents, 85 percent had eaten primate meat in their lifetimes. Overall, the risk of exposure to disease in any given village was found to be directly linked to the relative density of nonhuman primates and their proximity to human settlements.

“National and international authorities should support improved surveillance of humans and abundant monkey species, as well as popular messages to promote safe meat handling practices,” wrote the researchers. “Multidisciplinary social science and ecological approaches should be used to improve surveillance and communications with forest populations about neglected tropical diseases.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</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: S. Rupp, 2018 (CC BY 4.0)

Human contact with primates is promoting the spread of disease

A team of researchers has identified ways that human interactions...

Dr. Christine N. Smith and Dr. Larry R. Squire, both with the <a href="https://www.sandiego.va.gov/">Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System</a> and the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/">University of California San Diego</a>, have discovered how specific memory is linked to the hippocampus, and their findings provide new insight on how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stress-affecting-memory/">memory</a> works as a whole.

Smith and Squire found that declarative memory, the ability to recall facts and events, relies on conscious knowledge of what has previously been learned, thus involving the hippocampus. When a patient’s hippocampus is damaged, conscious knowledge is compromised.

“Our study shows that awareness is a key feature of declarative memory,” Smith stated within their study, published November 20th in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

Smith and Squire built their study off of previously discovered evidence that showed that damage to the medial temporal lobe (MTL), the region of the brain that contains the hippocampus, can cause problems with declarative memory. However, nondeclarative memory, the ability to remember performance and skills, does not seem to be affected by MTL damage. With this being said, scientists are still not certain how the hippocampus works during memory acquisition.

"A central issue for understanding memory and memory disorders is the matter of classification,” Squire said. “What kinds of memory are there, what are the characteristics of each kind, and what brain systems are important for each kind?"

Smith and Squire tested two theories — one that says declarative memory is connected to conscious knowledge, or awareness of what has been learned, and another that states that memory is dependent on how the brain processes information, rather than on conscious knowledge. They tested said theories on five patients, averagely aged 63, each with MTL damage and amnesia. 

Brain scans showed that each patient had smaller-than-normal hippocampus volume compared to six healthy control patients. So, using a method called the manipulation effect, Smith and Squire asked the MTL-damaged patients to point out alterations and changes in familiar pictures. Those with MTL damage were “markedly impaired” in pointing out changes to the pictures. Not only were these patients less confident in their ability to point out change, but they were only able to correctly identify and describe an alteration for 10.8% of the changed pictures. Controls did so for 60.4% of the images.

Furthermore, both controls and MTL-damaged patients focused their attention on parts of the image that were changed, even if they didn’t realize the alteration right away. This shows that the manipulation effect is a function of conscious memory, Smith and Squire state.

"When memory-impaired patients occasionally succeed at remembering a past event (measured in their eye movements), they also consciously remember the event,” Smith said. “When the patients failed to remember (and eye movements showed no recognition), they were unaware of the past event. Our findings suggest that awareness of the past is a crucial and consistent feature of the kind of memory that depends on the hippocampus.”

“Scientists often say that we want to fix the car but it will help to know how the car works. As we learn more about memory, we move closer to being able to detect, prevent, and treat diseases and disorders that affect memory," Squire concluded.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New information sheds light on how memory works

Dr. Christine N. Smith and Dr. Larry R. Squire, both...

How physical activity reduces belly fat. A study published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/about">Cell Press</a> has revealed new details about how exercise burns belly fat in humans. According to the researchers, a signaling molecule called interleukin-6 plays a critical role in the fat burning process.

The study was focused on a 12-week bicycle exercise intervention, which successfully reduced abdominal fat in obese adults. Surprisingly, however, this positive effect was nonexistent among participants who were treated with tocilizumab, a drug that blocks interleukin-6 signaling. 

In addition, the tocilizumab was found to increase cholesterol levels regardless of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/physical-activity-boosts-mood-bipolar/">physical activity</a>. 

“The take home for the general audience is ‘do exercise,’” said study first author Anne-Sophie Wedell-Neergaard of the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a>. “We all know that exercise promotes better health, and now we also know that regular exercise training reduces abdominal fat mass and thereby potentially also the risk of developing cardio-metabolic diseases.”

Abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk of cardio-metabolic disease,  cancer, dementia, and all-cause mortality. Physical activity reduces the visceral fat tissue that surrounds internal organs in the abdominal cavity, but the underlying mechanisms which facilitate this effect have remained unclear. 

To investigate whether interleukin-6 may play an important role in fat burning, the researchers conducted a trial in which abdominally obese participants were subjected to one of four conditions: intravenous infusions of either tocilizumab or saline every four weeks combined with no exercise or a bicycle routine. 

Using magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers managed to measure visceral fat tissue mass at the beginning and the end of the study. 

Among the individuals in the placebo groups, exercise reduced visceral fat tissue mass by an average of 225 grams, or 8 percent, compared with no exercise. On the other hand,  the tocilizumab treatment eliminated this effect. 

“To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that interleukin-6 has a physiological role in regulating visceral fat mass in humans,” said Wedell-Neergaard. “The signaling pathways in immune cells versus muscle cells differ substantially, resulting in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory actions, so interleukin-6 may act differently in healthy and diseased people.”

The researchers plan to investigate in future research whether large amounts of interleukin-6, potentially administered as an injection, has the ability to reduce visceral fat mass by itself. 

“We need a more in-depth understanding of this role of interleukin-6 in order to discuss its implications,” said Wedell-Neergaard.

“It is important to stress that when you start exercising, you may increase body weight due to increased muscle mass. So, in addition to measuring your overall body weight, it would be useful, and maybe more important, to measure waist circumference to keep track of the loss of visceral fat mass and to stay motivated.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How physical activity reduces belly fat

How physical activity reduces belly fat. A study published by...

Cancer associated with excess body weight varies greatly by state. Researchers from the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/">American Cancer Society</a> have discovered that the proportion of cancers related to excess body weight varies greatly from state to state. For example, 8.3% of cancer cases in the District of Columbia can be attributed to excess body weight compared to 5.9% excess weight-related cancer cases in Hawaii. This new information is telling of obesity rates among the 50 states and District of Columbia.

Farhad Islami, M.D., Ph.D., Scientific Director, Surveillance Research, and the research team calculated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/traffic-fumes-breast-cancer/">cancer cases</a> related to excess body weight among 30-year-old adults in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, between 2011 and 2015.

Their findings, published in <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.5639">JAMA Oncology,</a> show a 1.5-fold difference in both men and women between states with the highest and lowest number of excess weight-caused cancers.

Excess weight is currently believed to be the cause of 13 different types of cancer. Although obesity rates of the U.S. are well known, the stats of obesity-related cancers have yet to be properly investigated until now. Knowing said information could help set forth effective cancer initiatives.

Islami and colleagues discovered that the population attributable fraction (PAF) for men in the U.S. spanned from 3.9% in Montana to 6.0% in Texas. And for women, the PAF was almost double that of men with 7.1% in Hawaii to 11.4% in the District of Columbia. And of course, this number shifted in severity depending on the weight-related cancer. Endometrial cancer, for example, showed a PAF that ranged from 36.5% in Hawaii to 54.9% in Mississippi. Furthermore, endometrial cancer had a PAF of 50.0% or more in 19 states.  

"The proportion of cancers attributable to [excess body weight] varies among states, but [excess body weight] accounts for at least 1 in 17 of all incident cancers in each state,” Islami and the study’s authors write. "Broad implementation of known community- and individual-level interventions is needed to reduce access to and marketing of unhealthy foods (eg, through a tax on sugary drinks) and to promote and increase access to healthy foods and physical activity, as well as preventive care."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cancer associated with excess body weight varies greatly by state

Cancer associated with excess body weight varies greatly by state....

People eat too much in anticipation of a dopamine release. New research from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research has revealed new details about how eating delicious food triggers a rewarding boost of in the brain. The experts discovered that dopamine is actually released at two different times - when food is first ingested and again when it reaches the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stomach">stomach</a>.

Study senior author Marc Tittgemeyer is the head of the Institute's Translational Neurocircuitry Group.

“With the help of a new positron emission tomography (PET) technique we developed, we were not only able to find the two peaks of dopamine release, but we could also identify the specific brain regions that were associated with these releases,” said Tittgemeyer.

“While the first release occurred in brain regions associated with reward and sensory perception, the post-ingestive release involved additional regions related to higher cognitive functions.”


The investigation was focused on 12 healthy participants who received either a milkshake or a tasteless solution while their brain activity was recorded. The craving or desire for the milkshake was proportionally linked to the amount of dopamine released in specific brain areas at the first tasting. However, the higher the craving, the lower the level of dopamine released after the food reached the stomach. 

“On one hand, dopamine release mirrors our subjective desire to consume a food item. On the other hand, our desire seems to suppress gut-induced dopamine release,” said study co- first author Heiko Backes.People eat too much in anticipation of a dopamine release

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nanosponges-inhibit-covid-19-by-protecting-healthy-cells/">suppression</a> of the gut-induced dopamine release could cause individuals to overeat the foods that they crave the most. While the theory requires further testing, Backes believes it is possible that people continue to eat until sufficient dopamine is released. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People eat too much in anticipation of a dopamine release

People eat too much in anticipation of a dopamine release....

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder is a disruptive, and sometimes violent, sleep disorder that can cause a person to kick, yell, and even cause harm to themselves or a partner. A new study from the <a href="https://www.aan.com/">American Academy of Neurology</a> has identified several risk factors that may encourage REM sleep behavior disorder.

For those who are not inflicted with the disorder, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/rem-sleep-risk-dementia/">REM sleep</a>, or the dream state, is a time when the brain usually prevents muscles from moving. However, those with the disorder experience a disruption in that brain signal and can act out or react to events occurring in their dreams.

In their study, published December 26th in <a href="http://www.neurology.org/">Neurology,</a> researchers found that antidepressants and/or being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or anxiety can increase one’s risk for developing REM sleep behavior disorder.

"While much is still unknown about REM sleep behavior disorder, it can be caused by medications or it may be an early sign of another neurologic condition like Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies or multiple system atrophy," said the study’s author and member of the American Academy of Neurology, Ronald Postuma, MD, MSc, of <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/">McGill University in Montreal, Canada</a>. "Identifying lifestyle and personal risk factors linked to this sleep disorder may lead to finding ways to reduce the chances of developing it."

Out of an initial 30,097 participants (96% of whom were white), the team found 958 people, or 3.2%, with possible REM sleep behavior disorder, excluding participants with Parkinson's disease, dementia, Alzheimer's disease or sleep apnea, after having the group fill out an initial questionnaire. Researchers discovered that those with the disorder were 2.5 times more likely to be treating depression with antidepressants than those not affected by the disorder.

Furthermore, people with the disorder were 2.5 times more likely to suffer from PTSD, 2 times more likely to have a mental illness, and 1.5 times more likely to have psychological distress. Plus, men were 2 times more likely to experience REM sleep behavior disorder than women. And those affected were 25% more likely to be moderate heavy drinkers, and had slightly less education and a lower income than those without the disorder.

"Our research does not show that these risk factors cause REM sleep behavior disorder, it only shows they are linked," said Postuma. "Our hope is that our findings will help guide future research, especially because REM sleep behavior disorder is such a strong sign of future neurodegenerative disease. The more we understand about REM sleep behavior disorder, the better positioned we will be to eventually prevent neurologic conditions like Parkinson's disease."

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New study identified risk factors for violent sleep disorder

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder is a disruptive,...

Personal sovereignty describes the well defined and respected boundaries that we develop throughout our lives. Now, a new study shows that these boundaries are strongly influenced by different demographic factors like age and environment. 

Throughout our busy lives, personal boundaries play an important role in how we interact with those around us and protect our belongings, personal space, values and even our own bodies from others. 

Someone with well-defined boundaries is thought to be a sovereign individual while someone with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mixing-work-pleasure/">poor boundaries is deprived</a>.  

Sovereignty is shaped from a young age, and family members who respect a child’s growing personal boundaries help strengthen levels of personal sovereignty. 

Studies have shown that someone with a strong sense of personal sovereignty is more likely to have higher self-esteem and confidence. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.hse.ru/en/">National Research University’s Higher School of Economics</a> in Moscow, the <a href="http://ysu.am/main/en">State University of Yerevan</a> in Armenia, and<a href="https://en.xmu.edu.cn/"> Xiamen University</a> in China set out to better understand how environment, culture, society, and age influence personal sovereignty and how psychological boundaries differ across countries. 

The researchers detailed their findings in a new study published in the journal Psychology in Russia. 

For the study, the researchers surveyed 780 people from Armenia, China, and Russia, chosen specifically because each country has different priorities in terms of values but all of which have a history of socialism.

The study participants belonged to two age groups, adolescents and young adults aged 21. The researchers had the participants answer a questionnaire that determined an individual’s personal sovereignty. 

Surprisingly, the team found that culture and a person’s environment have less influence on personal sovereignty levels than previously thought. But comparatively speaking, definitions of personal sovereignty differed depending on where the participants were raised. 

The participants from China had strong boundaries in regards to their tastes and values, Russians defended their personal boundaries, and people from Armenia were the least concerned of all the participants about protecting or defending their belongings. 

Adolescents had lower levels of personal sovereignty compared to the participants aged 21 and gender didn’t seem to play a major role in sovereignty differences. 

The researchers discovered that while sovereignty increases with age among Russian and Chinese individuals, this was not the case in Armenia. 

Scores were lowest among Female Chinese adolescents and Armenian women but highest among Russian and Chinese women. 

“Contrary to our prediction, the sovereignty level did not differ among the three cultures,” the researchers conclude in their <a href="http://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/pdf/2018_3/psych_3_2018_4_Nartova-Bochaver.pdf">study</a>. “This impressive result confirms the evolutional and adaptive function of the sovereignty trait in everyday lives. It is no surprise that all cultures need and support its development; however, the sovereignty patterns and dynamics differed widely.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Environment, culture, age, and sex influence personal boundaries

Personal sovereignty describes the well defined and respected boundaries that...

Earlier this month, Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill with strong support from both Democrats and Republicans in an effort to give American farmers some reprieve from the ongoing trade war with China.

The $867 billion farm bill includes new subsidies for farmers and legalizes hemp production. Something that could have a huge impact on agriculture across the United States. 

Industrial hemp is widely used in thousands of products. You can find hemp in everything from cosmetics and beauty products, to food and beverages, to fabrics and textiles, to automotive parts. 

According to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidcarpenter/2018/12/20/legal-hemp-in-2019-may-be-a-boon-for-stressed-out-american-farmers/#324e363c8f3b">Forbes</a>, industrial hemp is widely used in over 25,000 products. 

However, production of hemp in the US has been tightly restricted in the past because it was listed as a controlled substance, along with all varieties of cannabis, in the Controlled Substances Act for 50 years. 

Now farmers can freely grow and transport hemp across state lines as per the rules defined into the new bill, and this opens up a wealth of new opportunities for the agricultural industry. 

As climate change-induced drought and extreme weather events continue to strain water resources and limit crop yields, hardy, frost resistant crops like hemp will soon become a staple as more and farmers look for sustainable crop options to meet demand. 

The 2014 Farm Bill allowed some hemp pilot programs, and in 2018, over 3,500 participants in that program had planted more than 77,000 acres of hemp across the US, according to <a href="https://www.votehemp.com/hemp-news/hemp-in-the-farm-bill-what-does-it-mean/">Vote Hemp</a>, a hemp advocacy group. 

Vote Hemp says that the tight regulations of the pilot program were “burdensome” and the new bill lifts those previous restrictions. 

With the new bill, more farmers can invest in hemp crops that have high levels of CBD or cannabidiol, which research has shown has many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-treats-migraines-better/">positive health impacts. </a>

That’s not to mention the economic benefits of CBD collected from hemp, the sales of which could increase to 5.7 billion, according to the cannabis and CBD research group <a href="https://www.brightfieldgroup.com/">Brightfield. 
</a>

“The hemp CBD industry is growing exponentially and presents a real opportunity for rural economic development, with tremendous enthusiasm from consumers,” William Hilliard, CEO of the Hemp growers group Atalo, told Forbes. “Our intention is to attract the best and brightest, innovative farmers and offer them a long-term relationship rather than a spot-market.”

Hemp farmers can also soon enjoy other benefits like crop insurance and acquiring loans through banking services. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why the legalization of hemp spells good news for American farmers

Earlier this month, Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill with...

Scientists have demonstrated for the first time that neuronal cell death in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-benefits-alzheimers/">Alzheimer's disease</a> (AD) may not be a bad thing. Experts at <a href="http://first.fchampalimaud.org/en/the-foundation/champalimaud-centre-unknown/">Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown</a> (CCU) discovered that neuronal cell death may be the result of a cell quality control process that kicks in to protect the brain from the accumulation of malfunctioning neurons. 

The researchers observed a cell quality control mechanism called “cell competition,” which enables a type of fitness comparison among neighboring cells. The fittest cells then trigger the suicide of the less fit cells around them. It has been recently established that this process of cell competition is a powerful anti-aging mechanism in the body, particularly in the brain. 

“In 2015, we discovered that clearing unfit cells from a tissue was a very important anti-aging mechanism to preserve organ function,” said Eduardo Moreno, principal investigator of the CCU Cell Fitness lab. His team speculated that cell competition may also be involved in neurodegenerative diseases associated with accelerated aging, which had never been tested. 

The investigation was focused on fruit flies that had been genetically modified to mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in humans. The team manipulated fruit flies to express the amyloid-beta protein, which forms aggregates in the brains of AD patients.

The scientists set out to determine whether neuronal death was activated by the process of fitness comparison. In other words, Moreno said they wanted to confirm “that the neurons were not dying on their own but being killed by fitter neighbors.”

“When we started, the current view was that neuronal death must be always detrimental. And much to our surprise, we found that neuronal death actually counteracts the disease,” said study first author Dina Coelho. 

When neuronal death was blocked in the brain of a fly, the insect developed even worse memory and motor coordination problems, died sooner, and experienced faster brain degeneration. On the other hand, when the fitness comparison process was boosted, the death of unfit neurons was accelerated and the flies expressing the AD-associated amyloid-beta proteins showed an impressive recovery. 

“The flies almost behaved like normal flies with regard to memory formation, locomotive behavior, and learning,” explained Christa Rhiner. 

This improvement came at a time when the flies were already strongly affected by AD symptoms, which means that the anti-aging mechanism keeps working well into the stages of Alzheimer's disease. According to Moreno, the findings show that “the neuronal death protects the brain from more widespread damage and therefore the neuronal loss is not what is bad, it is worse not to let those neurons die.”

“Our most important finding is that we have probably been thinking the wrong way about Alzheimer's disease,” said Moreno. “Our results suggest that neuronal death is beneficial because it removes neurons that are affected by noxious beta-amyloid aggregates from brain circuits, and having those dysfunctional neurons is worse than losing them.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home">Cell Reports</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The death of brain cells can actually be beneficial at times

Scientists have demonstrated for the first time that neuronal cell...

With the departure of US Secretary of Defense <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/12/mattis-proved-you-cant-serve-both-trump-and-america/578902/">Jim Mattis</a>, as well as the constant turnover of cabinet members during the Trump administration, another vacancy in the Trump cabinet barely qualifies as news.  Still, it’s worth looking at the legacy left behind as Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke departs as well as who’s likely to fill his shoes. 

Ryan Zinke stepping down is no surprise at all to those who’ve been paying attention.  Earlier I reported on the corruption swirling around him during his tenure. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drilling-oil-sangre-de-cristos/">Corruption</a> has included Zinke trying to use his cabinet position and connections to Halliburton to move forward on plans for his own brew pub in his home of Whitefish Montana.  

An article in <a href="https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/21/ryan-zinke-montana-interior-career-1070944">Politico</a> reports that even when Zinke was a little known Montana Senator he had multiple business dealings, some of which represented conflicts of interest and ethical lapses.  As a Navy SEAL, Zinke also ran into problems when he billed the military for his own personal travel expenses. 

 Zinke’s also been extremely unpopular among environmentalists.  The one act Zinke is most likely to be remembered for is his shrinking of Bear’s Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, actions many feel won’t hold up against <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/patagonia-fighting-trump/">lawsuits</a>.  Interestingly, Zinke’s official <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/people/ryan-zinke/">White House</a> biography lists him as an adopted member of Fort Peck Assiniboine &amp; Sioux Tribes in Northeast Montana; <a href="http://utahdinebikeyah.org/resolutions-of-support/">both tribes signed</a> a resolution for Bear’s Ears National Monument to be left intact.    

A piece in <a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/12/21/18150520/zinke-resignation-resigns">Vox</a> reports that under Zinke’s tenure, the Department of the Interior issued a new interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a piece of legislation responsible for the survival of many bird species.  The new interpretation stated that the act only protected birds from purposeful threats, like hunting, not indirect threats like those from industry. This decision largely takes responsibility of bird deaths away from industry in cases oil spills and other irresponsible acts.  

According to the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chapman/ct-perspec-chapman-migratory-birds-zinke-killing-0913-20180912-story.html">Chicago Tribune</a>, this means that under the new rule, BP would have been forgiven $100 million it had to pay for bird deaths related to the Deepwater Horizon tragedy.  Oil pit waste that once was required to be covered to keep birds out are now open for birds to land in and become poisoned. Wind turbines no longer need to allocate equipment for the safety of birds.

Zinke initially planned to dramatically raise National Park fees, a decision he later backed out of because of lack of support and general outrage.  <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/2294636/zinke-rolls-over-national-park-fees-hike">Outside</a> reports that there were over 100,000 negative comments on the fee hike and quotes Vietnam Veterans of America on the logic of the fee increase, saying it was, “small minded and mean spirited.”  

According to <a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/12/21/18150520/zinke-resignation-resigns">Vox</a>, Zinke was disavowed by 17 former Department of the Interior officials from both major political parties as well as 500 organizations from every US state and dozens of other politicians.  <a href="https://www.wilderness.org/articles/article/zinke-year-one-14-misdeeds-show-why-hes-worst-interior-secretary-ever">The Wilderness Society</a> calls Zinke the worst Secretary of the Interior ever and listed 14 of his misdeeds during his tenure, including opening drilling to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.                 

I for one am glad to see Ryan Zinke depart.  However, I worry about who may replace him. So far it’s largely speculative who the next Secretary of the Interior may be with likely candidates remaining quiet.  Trump’s track record suggests it won’t be someone friendly to the environment.

The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/15/us/ryan-zinke-interior-secretary.html">New York Times</a> reports that Trump accepted Zinke’s resignation in his typical fashion, through tweet.  The president thanked Zinke for his service and promised to announce a replacement within a week.  <a href="https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060110143">E&amp;E News</a> reports that those who are now campaigning to replace Zinke are doing so secretly.

E&amp;E reported that Trump has already met with Deputy Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, a man <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2018/12/20/david-bernhardt-interior-secretary-rifle-trump-zinke/">The Denver Post</a> reports is on a short list of candidates for the Secretary of the Interior. Bernhardt is native to Rifle, a small western Colorado town, known for beautiful waterfalls and world class rock climbing.  It’s also the gateway to some of western Colorado’s best wild (and commercial) caves. Bernhardt has also worked in the Department of the Interior from 2001 to 2009 before being the deputy interior secretary under the Trump administration.  He’s also worked as a lobbyist for oil and gas and has been part of some of Zinke’s worst plans. 

Bernhardt is said to have been one of the main people behind an effort to change the Endangered Species Act to better serve the interest of big business as well as weaken protection of Sage Grouse.  Bernhardt is probably the most qualified candidate for secretary of the Interior but it doesn’t mean he has the agency or the environment’s best interest at heart. 

<a href="https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2018/12/19/denham-interior-secretary-delta-water/">CBS Sacramento</a> reports that former Republican representative Jeff Denham of California is also being considered as a replacement of Zinke.  Denham spent a large part of his tenure serving the Central Valley of California focusing on water. According to the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-denham-interior-20181220-story.html">Los Angeles Times</a>, Denham said he’s expressed his concerns on water issues to the Trump administration and he’s worked on water storage plans in California.  Denham has old ties to Trump as well, including encouraging the federal government to lease the old post office in DC to the Trump Organization, a move that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.  

<a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/421755-five-potential-contenders-to-replace-zinke-as-interior-secretary">The Hill</a> also lists Representative Rob Bishop of Utah as a possible replacement for Secretary of the Interior.  Bishop is currently the chairman of the House Natural Resource Committee but will soon become its ranking member following the loss of the GOP majority in the House.  Bishop worked closely with Zinke on shrinking national monuments and dismantling endangered species protections.

Other possibilities for the Secretary of the Interior include republican Dean Heller of Nevada who <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/patagonia-partisan-conservation-politics/">failed</a> in his re-election campaign despite Trump’s support.  Republican Raúl Labrador of Idaho, who’s retiring from Congress next month, is also a possibility.  Labrador was born in Puerto Rico and if he became the Secretary of the Interior, would be the first person from a US insular territory to do so.  

No matter who becomes the next Secretary of the Interior, we can count on the Trump administration to make it someone bad for the environment.  The only real question is, how long will Zinke’s replacement last? 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

What Ryan Zinke’s departure means for the environment

With the departure of US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis,...

Mistletoe is undoubtedly an icon of Christmas.  It’s that little plant hanging harmlessly over a doorway that encourages couples everywhere to kiss underneath it.  According to <a href="https://www.livescience.com/32901-why-we-kiss-under-mistletoe.html">Live Science</a>, the kissing tradition goes way back, back to a time before <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/color-vision-rudolph-reindeer/">Christmas</a> even existed in fact.  

The tradition comes from ancient Greece where mistletoe was associated with fertility.  Kissing under mistletoe is said to go bag to the pagan festival of Saturnalia, a festival honoring the god Saturn.  The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia">festival</a> was originally held on December 17 but later expanded with festivities running until December 23.  A sacrifice to Saturn was followed by a banquet and a tradition of gift giving; sounds familiar, right?  In Rome, treaties between warring parties were signed under mistletoe, associating the plant with peace. 

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia">The Spruce</a> reports another origin of the kissing under mistletoe tradition.  <a href="https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-death-of-baldur/">Norse mythology</a> has a place for mistletoe but some of it is decidedly darker than the Saturnalia in Greece.  According to one myth, the death of Baldur, a beloved son, was presaged to his father Odin in a dream.  In fear the gods made all sorts of physical objects, trees, rocks, water, promise not to hurt Baldur. Mistletoe, being a small and inconspicuous plant, was overlooked.  

When the gods thought that Baldur was safe, they celebrated by throwing things at him and laughing as they harmlessly leaped away.  During this festive atmosphere, Loki crept up to Hodr, the blind god with a dart he’d made out of mistletoe, offering it to Hodr to throw at Baldur.  When Hodr threw the dart as part of the celebration, Baldur was killed. After a failed attempt to bring Baldur back from the dead, it was agreed that any passing under mistletoe would exchange a kiss in memory of the dead god.  More interesting perhaps than the origins of the kissing tradition, though, is the plant mistletoe itself.

According to <a href="https://blog.nwf.org/2012/12/12-things-to-know-about-mistletoe/">National Wildlife Federation</a>, there are actually many plants that can be called ‘mistletoe’.  Worldwide, there are as many as 1,300 mistletoe species. According to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/plant/mistletoe">Britannica</a>, all mistletoe species come from three plant families, Loranthaceae, Misodendraceae, and Santalaceae but especially from three genera in the Santalaceae family.  The contiguous US and Canada together are home to 30 species of mistletoe. The name mistletoe comes from ancient Anglo-Saxons, the word ‘mistel’ means ‘dung’ while the word ‘tan’ (later changed to ‘toe’) means ‘twig’.  Dung twig may seem like an odd name for a plant, but it makes a lot of sense if you know a bit about the life history of mistletoe. 

Despite its association with Christmas and smooching, there’s no way around a dark truth, mistletoe is a parasite.  Mistletoe can be found growing on trees throughout the world. The mistletoe I’m most familiar with is a green scaly thing that’s easy to miss on a juniper tree in the high desert of the Colorado Plateau.  In context, this mistletoe actually looks like an overgrown clump of the plant’s own foliage at first glance, perhaps a sign of cancer in the tree. 

When the mistletoe grows berries, it becomes a bit more obvious.  The white berries of mistletoe attract birds which apparently find them tasty.  The seeds hidden in the berries hold a secret that allows mistletoe to disperse to the limbs of other trees so effectively.  

Mistletoe seeds are sticky.  Sometimes a bird gets a seed stuck to its beak and wipes a seed off onto a tree branch where it sticks, reading to grow its roots into the tree and parasitize it.  Other times, the seed passes through the bird’s digestive tract and sticks to the tail feathers of the bird. When this happens, the bird usually wipes the lucky seed off onto a branch, or twig.  This is why ‘dung-twig’ is actually a pretty good name for mistletoe. An atypical mistletoe, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/plant/dwarf-mistletoe">Dwarf Mistletoe</a>, actually shoots its seeds away, hopefully towards another host plant using water pressure.  The life of mistletoe is largely determined by how good of a host plant it’s rooted to. 

Mistletoe sends its roots directly into the host plant, sucking away water and nutrients.  An infestation of mistletoe can eventually kill a host plant. Mistletoe does have chlorophyll, so it makes some of its own food, not taking a completely free ride from its host plant but when that host plant dies, so does the mistletoe, not able to pull entirely its own weight.  Not everything about the life of mistletoe is bleak; it provides life as well as takes it. 

Many birds nest directly in mistletoe, and according to <a href="https://blog.nwf.org/2012/12/12-things-to-know-about-mistletoe/">National Wildlife Federation</a>, 43% of Spotted Owl nests in a single forest were associated with mistletoe.  64% of Cooper’s Hawk nests in northeastern Oregon were in mistletoe. Squirrels sometimes nest in mistletoe also.  Three species of butterfly depend on mistletoe, their caterpillars feeding on the plant exclusively. 

According to the <a href="https://xerces.org/2017/08/11/the-secret-life-of-a-mistletoe-butterfly/">Xerces Society</a>, the Johnson Hairstreak butterfly’s caterpillar is perfectly camouflaged in the foliage of Dwarf Mistletoe where it lives in the Pacific Northwest.  Butterflies and native bees also feed on the nectar of mistletoe. The <a href="https://www.anbg.gov.au/mistletoe/butterflies.html">Australian National Botanical Gardens</a> reports that in Australia and Africa, there are entire genera of butterflies that feed almost exclusively on mistletoe.  

Australia’s also home to an interesting bird, the Mistletoebird; <a href="http://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/mistletoebird">Bird Life Australia</a> shows the male bird as a small bird with black plumage and a bright red throat and grey belly.  The female birds are a lighter grey color with no red. The bird lacks the gizzard many birds have, instead having a simpler digestion system adapted to easy to eat mistletoe berries, the sticky seeds of which it spreads to branches.  The bird sometimes also catches insects and eats other plants but it’s pretty dependent on mistletoe as a staple. Interestingly it’s not just the Mistletoe bird or a few butterflies that benefit from the plant. 

A <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241132379_Effects_of_mistletoe_on_diversity_A_case-study_from_southern_New_South_Wales">study</a> published in 2002 carried out in New South Wales Australia showed some ecological benefit to mistletoe.  A survey of birds in woodlands was carried out at the start of the study and species numbers carefully recorded.  Mistletoe was then removed from a portion of the woodlands being studied and the area re-surveyed as well as another area with mistletoe intact.  Interestingly, the area with mistletoe showed a greater number of bird species than the area without mistletoe. 52 bird species were found in the area denuded of mistletoe while 61 species were found in the area with mistletoe.

It’s not clear exactly why more birds would be found near mistletoe, perhaps it’s because of greater numbers of insects feeding on the plant.  Whatever the reason, maybe the ancient Greeks were onto something when they associated a simple parasitic plant with fecundity. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

How mistletoe became an icon of Christmas

Mistletoe is undoubtedly an icon of Christmas.  It’s that little...

Science has long been on the lookout for methods to predict aging and age-related diseases. A person’s chronological age may not always match their biological age, and age-related diseases can speed up mental and tissue deterioration. 

Diet and other lifestyle factors can influence unhealthy aging, but there are also other less understood underlying biological processes that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aging-biological-processes-long/">can impact aging</a>. 

In a new study, researchers from the <a href="https://www.salk.edu/">Salk Institute</a> identified some key molecular signatures across all age groups that predict aging. 

The study was published in the journal Genome Biology. 

“This experiment was designed to determine whether there are molecular signatures of aging across the entire range of the human lifespan,” said Saket Navlakha, a co-senior author of the study. “We want to develop algorithms that can predict healthy aging and non-healthy aging, and try to find the differences.”

The researchers collected and analyzed dermal fibroblast skin cells from 133 individuals aged 1 to 94 with about thirteen people per decade of age to get a large enough representation of the different age groups. 

Dermal fibroblasts, which generate connective tissue and help with healing, were chosen for the study because they are easy to collect from a skin biopsy and previous research has suggested that the cells may contain aging signatures. 

RNA sequencing was used to find any biomarkers of aging and identify which genes were turned on or off within the cells. 

Next, the researchers used custom machine learning algorithms to analyze the RNA sequencing data. 

“We took a ‘kitchen sink’ approach with this project,” said Jason Fleischer, a first-author of the study. “Rather than going into this research with an idea of what we wanted to find, we decided to look at the changes in expression of all the protein-coding genes and let the algorithms sort it out. We used what's called an ensemble machine-learning method to do this.”

The algorithms were able to predict the age of a person from their cells within a range of eight years. 

To test their algorithms, the researchers collected fibroblasts from ten patients diagnosed with progeria, a genetic disease that accelerates aging, and used the machine learning system to analyze the cells. 

The results showed that the cells were at least a decade older than the actual age of the patients they came from, proving that the algorithm could accurately calculate and predict aging. 

“The fact that our system can predict this kind of aging shows that this model is starting to get at the true underpinnings of biological age," Fleischer says.

The study provides a better understanding of biological aging and could help pave the way for treating and preventing age-related health problems like dementia and heart disease. 

“Aging is a driver of so many diseases, including Alzheimer's and other neurologic problems,” said Navlakha. “If we are able to show that the changes we've seen in fibroblasts are connected with aging in other types of cells, we may eventually be able to use these signatures to develop targeted interventions.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Machine learning can help predict healthy aging

Science has long been on the lookout for methods to...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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