Let's face it: resisting that extra slice of chocolate cake or those tempting cookies can be a real struggle. We've all been there. But have you ever wondered why some people seem to have an easier time making healthy choices than others? New research suggests that our body mass index (BMI) might play a role in our snacking battles. Being <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-now-affects-more-than-a-billion-people/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overweight</a> changes brain activity and makes it harder to resist unhealthy foods.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-dilemma-of-overweight-individuals">Brain dilemma of overweight individuals </h2>



Canadian scientists from <a href="https://www.queensu.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Queen's University</a> conducted a study to understand how the brain influences our food choices. They used MRI scans to monitor the brain activity of 123 individuals. Participants were presented with different food choices and asked to make decisions.



The researchers discovered that individuals with a higher BMI experienced significantly more mental effort when choosing healthy foods over preferred snacks.



"We examined how brain states change when making natural and regulated dietary choices in an established food task. Individuals with lower weight status could successfully modify their eating behaviours while maintaining similar modes of brain activity. Individuals with higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-can-be-passed-down-from-parents-to-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weight</a> status could not rely on this mechanism," noted the study authors.



The research highlights a concerning prediction: over 18% of the world's adult population will likely be obese by 2025. This statistic emphasizes that many people find it challenging to maintain a healthy diet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-activity-of-overweight-individuals">Brain activity of overweight individuals</h2>



The Canadian study's key takeaway lies in how the brain orchestrates food choices in individuals with varying BMIs. Here's a deeper dive into what the researchers may have observed in the brain scans:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lower-bmi">Lower BMI</h3>



People with lower BMIs likely exhibited a steadier pattern of brain activity during food selection. This stability suggests their brains didn't require a significant shift in function to prioritize healthy options. 



Over time, individuals with lower BMIs might have developed well-defined neural pathways associated with healthy eating behaviors. These pathways act like established highways within the brain, making healthy choices more automatic and requiring less conscious effort. 



Another possibility is that the brains of individuals with lower BMIs might show less activation in areas linked to reward processing when presented with tempting, unhealthy options. Basically, these options might not trigger the same intense pleasure response in the brain, making it easier to resist them. 



For example, for someone with a lower BMI, the brain's reward system might not light up as intensely when presented with a dessert compared to someone with a higher BMI. This dampened pleasure response could translate to a weaker craving and less difficulty in resisting the unhealthy option. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-higher-bmi">Higher BMI</h3>



The study suggests that people with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/excess-weight-in-middle-age-shortens-life-expectancy-by-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">higher BMI</a> exhibited a more significant shift in brain activity during food choices. This heightened activity indicates their brains had to work considerably harder to overcome the allure of unhealthy options and prioritize healthy ones. 



Individuals with a higher BMI might experience a surge in activity in brain regions associated with cravings and reward seeking when presented with unhealthy foods. This heightened response could be likened to a stronger signal on the brain's reward network, making it much more challenging to resist temptation. To counteract the strong pull of unhealthy options, people with a higher BMI might need to activate areas of the brain responsible for cognitive control and decision-making to a greater degree. This increased mental effort might explain why some people find it so difficult to make healthy choices consistently. 



Think of it like applying the brakes on a speeding car. The greater the temptation (speeding car), the harder the brain (driver) has to press the brakes (cognitive control) to resist the unhealthy option and choose the healthy one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cause-and-effect-mystery">Cause and effect mystery</h2>



It's crucial to remember that this research is correlational, meaning it shows an association but doesn't prove that one causes the other. The researchers can't definitively say whether difficulty with healthy choices leads to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obese-higher-taste-satisfaction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weight gain</a>, or whether weight gain changes the brain and makes healthy choices harder. More research is needed to untangle this cause-and-effect mystery.



The study offers a fascinating glimpse into the complex interplay between brain activity and food choices. It opens doors for future research to explore potential interventions that could help people, regardless of their BMI, make healthier choices with less internal struggle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-activity-from-being-overweight">Brain activity from being overweight</h2>



The study proves several key points:



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-not-just-about-willpower">It's not just about willpower</h3>



For years, we've often been told that healthy eating is a simple matter of willpower. However, this study highlights that our biology plays a much larger role than previously understood. The brain's response to food cues, reward signaling, and the effort required for decision-making can significantly impact our choices.



This knowledge is essential because it can help remove the stigma and self-blame that often surrounds difficulty in maintaining a healthy diet. Understanding that there's a strong biological component can encourage a more compassionate approach toward oneself and others.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biological-component">Biological component</h3>



The research doesn't imply that people with high BMIs lack willpower. Rather, it suggests there may be underlying differences in brain wiring affecting how their brains process food choices. This difference makes resisting unhealthy options require significantly greater mental effort.



This understanding removes judgment from the equation. People struggling with their weight aren't "weak-willed" - their brains may simply be working differently. Acknowledging this biological component fosters empathy and moves the focus away from blame.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-solutions-for-brain-activity-in-overweight-individuals">Potential solutions for brain activity in overweight individuals</h3>



This research paves the way for developing effective and personalized strategies to help people manage their weight. Traditional approaches centered purely on willpower often fall short because they ignore this complex biological aspect.



By understanding how the brain influences food choices, scientists and healthcare professionals can develop interventions that address the root causes of the struggle. These interventions might include things like cognitive training, behavioral therapy, or possibly even targeted medications to support brain processes involved in healthy decision-making.



The study offers a beacon of hope, highlighting the potential for science to revolutionize how we approach weight management and improve dietary habits. It's a shift towards a more supportive and solution-focused outlook.



If you find yourself struggling with cravings, don't beat yourself up. Your brain might be working against you. Don't underestimate the power of small changes. 



Even minor shifts in your eating habits can make a long-term difference. Seek support from healthcare professionals and explore resources for healthier eating.



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Being overweight makes it hard for the brain to resist unhealthy food

Let's face it: resisting that extra slice of chocolate cake or those tempting cookies can be a real struggle. We've all been there. But have you ever wondered why some people seem to have an easier time making healthy choices than others? New research suggests that our body mass index (BMI) might play a role in our snacking battles. Being overweight changes brain activity and makes it harder to resist unhealthy foods. Brain dilemma of overweight individuals Canadian scientists from Queen's University conducted a study to understand...

Energy drinks and junk food may be particularly harmful to teenagers during the later stages of brain development. Dr. Christine Curran of <a href="https://www.nku.edu/">Northern Kentucky University</a> explains that energy drinks can negatively influence neurological function, while Dr. Amy Reichelt of the <a href="http://www.unimelb.edu.au/">University of Melbourne</a> reports that junk food also has detrimental effects on the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-older-people-forget/">brain</a> during formative teenage years.

According to Dr. Curran, the spike in the consumption of energy drinks by teenagers is made even more alarming by studies in animals that reveal the impacts of energy drinks on brain development.

"Our review indicates that we don't know enough about the effects of high consumption of energy drinks and the ingredients found in them at this critical time in mammalian brain development," said Dr. Curran. "Our recent findings in adolescent and young adult mice exposed to high taurine levels indicate there can be adverse effects on learning and memory and increased alcohol consumption in females."

Dr. Reichelt explains that key systems in the brain responsible for inhibition and reward signaling are still developing in teenagers. Because of this, “existing primarily on junk food could negatively affect decision making, increase reward-seeking behavior and influence poor eating habits throughout adulthood.”

The studies are published in a new issue of <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)2472-1727">Birth Defects Research: The Teenage Brain</a>, published by the <a href="https://www.teratology.org/">Teratology Society</a> with John Wiley &amp; Sons. Dr. Michiko Watanabe is the co-editor of the journal's special issue.

"One piece of good news is that exercise might be the answer to steer teens away from certain exposures," said Dr. Watanabe.

The researchers found that exercise may be able to reverse the dangerous effects that junk food and energy drinks have on teenagers.

Dr. Watanabe added, "The long list of exercise benefits could motivate teens to get off the sofa.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bad diet and energy drinks hurt brain development in teens

Energy drinks and junk food may be particularly harmful to...

While we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/genes-body-stays-sleep/">sleep</a>, our brain waves must harmonize hundreds of times a night in order to lock in new memories. A new study from the <a href="http://berkeley.edu/">University of California Berkeley</a> reveals that these brain rhythms are not as perfectly timed in older adults, which causes forgetfulness.

In order to create new memories, slow brain waves produced during non-rapid eye movement sleep must sync up with rapid bursts of brainwave activity known as sleep spindles. These brain rhythms are precisely timed in young adults, but the new research shows that this changes with age.

"The mistiming prevents older people from being able to effectively hit the save button on new memories, leading to overnight forgetting rather than remembering," said study senior author Matthew Walker. "As the brain ages, it cannot precisely coordinate these two deep-sleep brain waves. Like a tennis player who is off their game, they're swiping and missing."

Study lead author Randolph Helfrich explained that, when it comes to this overnight brainwave synchronization, “timing is everything.”

“Only when the slow waves and spindles come together in a very narrow opportunity time window (approximately one-tenth of a second), can the brain effectively place new memories into its long-term storage,” said Helfrich.

The researchers found that the older brain’s lack of coordination is likely due to degeneration of the medial frontal cortex, a key region of the brain that generates deep, restorative sleep.

"The worse the atrophy in this brain region of older adults, the more uncoordinated and poorly timed are their deep-sleep brain waves," said Walker. "But there is a silver lining: Sleep is now a new target for potential therapeutic intervention."

In future experiments, the research team plans to apply electrical stimulation to the frontal lobe in order to accelerate the pace of the slower brain waves to catch up with the spindles.

"By electrically boosting these nighttime brainwaves, we hope to restore some degree of healthy deep sleep in the elderly and those with dementia, and in doing so, salvage aspects of their learning and memory," said Walker.

The findings of the study are published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/neuron/home">Neuron</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Disrupted brain rhythms cause older people to forget

While we sleep, our brain waves must harmonize hundreds of...

“Money doesn’t buy happiness” is a phrase you’ve probably heard a thousand times in your life, but is it true? 

In a new study published by the <a href="http://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a>, researchers found that people who earn more money tend to experience more positive emotions focused on themselves. On the other hand, people who earned less tended to take greater pleasure in their relationships and were more able to connect with others.

In this study, the researchers used a survey of a nationally representative sample of over 1,500 people. Individuals surveyed were asked about their household income and answered questions designed to measure their ability to experience seven distinct emotions that are believed to make up the core of happiness. These emotions are amusement, awe, compassion, contentment, enthusiasm, love, and pride.

Participants who made more money reported a greater tendency to experience emotions that focused on themselves – contentment and pride specifically, as well as amusement. Participants who made less money were more likely to experience emotions that revolved around other people, like compassion and love. Furthermore, those on the lower end of the economic scale also reported experiencing more awe and beauty in the world around them. 

“These findings indicate that wealth is not unequivocally associated with happiness,” says Paul Piff, lead author and professor at the University of California, Irvine. “What seems to be the case is that your wealth predisposes you to different kinds of happiness. While wealthier individuals may find greater positivity in their accomplishments, status and individual achievements, less wealthy individuals seem to find more positivity and happiness in their relationships, their ability to care for and connect with others.”

The researchers believe that the differences in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/notice-nature-boost-happiness/">happiness</a> may come from higher-income individuals’ desire for independence and self-sufficiency. Individuals with lower income experienced emotions that helped them form more interdependent bonds with others, which could help them cope in more threatening environments.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Money affects how you experience happiness

“Money doesn’t buy happiness” is a phrase you’ve probably heard...

A new study has found that the psychological consequences of the Industrial Revolution are lingering in many communities in the UK and the United States today. Even though this transitional period took place 200 years ago, former coal-mining and manufacturing communities are still contending with deep-rooted personality patterns distinguished by lower <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/notice-nature-boost-happiness/">happiness</a>, well-being, and health.

An international team of psychologists analyzed personality data from 381,916 individuals in England and Wales and from 3,457,270 individuals in the United States. The study revealed that people living in former industrial hubs are more inclined to experience anxiety and depressive moods. These individuals were also found to be more impulsive and more likely to struggle with self-motivation.

Martin Obschonka is an associate professor at <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/">Queensland University of Technology</a> (QUT) from the Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research.

"Our findings show that, generations after the white heat of Industrial Revolution and decades on from the decline of deep coal mining, the populations of areas where coal-based industries dominated in the 19th century retain a 'psychological adversity'," said Professor Obschonka.

The team evaluated individual test scores using the "Big Five" personality traits which include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The researchers further classified the personalities by examining characteristics such as altruism, self-discipline, and anxiety.

"It is our belief that this generational unhappiness and dysfunction is the inherited product of selective migrations during mass industrialization compounded by the social effects of severe work and living conditions," said Professor Obschonka.

"This damaging cognitive legacy of coal is reinforced and amplified by the more obvious economic consequences of high unemployment and economic hardship we see today."

According to the experts, the two factors most likely driving the link between personality traits and historical industrialization are migration and learned behavior.

"The people migrating into industrial areas were often doing so to find employment in the hope of escaping poverty and distressing situations of rural depression - those experiencing high levels of 'psychological adversity'," said Professor Obschonka.

"However, people that left these areas, often later on, were likely those with higher degrees of optimism and psychological resilience. This selective influx and outflow may have concentrated so-called 'negative' personality traits in industrial areas - traits that can be passed down generations through combinations of experience and genetics."

The researchers pointed out that the findings of this study can be used to predict future economic and social conditions across these communities considering that regional personality patterns determine these trajectories. The analysis is published in the <a href="http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp/">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Psychological impact of Industrial Revolution still felt today

A new study has found that the psychological consequences of...

While marijuana has has a reputation as a trigger of psychosis, a cannabis compound may help ease symptoms of the condition, a British study found.

The study, led by researchers from <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King’s College London</a>, adds to a growing list of illnesses and symptoms that may be treated with cannabidiol. The cannabis compound known as CBD has also been shown to have therapeutic possibilities for multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, peripheral neuropathy, arthritis, chronic pain and other conditions.

“Although it is still unclear exactly how CBD works, it acts in a different way to anti-psychotic medication, and thus could represent a new class of treatment,” study lead author Dr. Philip McGuire told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>. 

CBD does not rely on dopamine receptor antagonism, unlike current treatments for schizophrenia. 

The Kings College scientists worked with 88 study participants to look at how the cannabis compound affected psychosis symptoms like visual and audio hallucinations. During the six-week study, some of the patients received CBD while others got a placebo. All of the study participants continued to take their regular medication. 

Those who were treated with cannabidiol reported fewer psychotic symptoms than those who took the placebo. 

It’s not the first study to show CBD’s abilities to ease psychosis symptoms. A review of existing studies showing cannabidiol could have anti-psychotic properties was published in <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924977X13003325">European Neuropsychology</a> in 2014.

The drug may also offer fewer side effects than traditional anti-psychotic medications, the researchers said.

But with cannabis also linked to triggering psychosis, scientists are stressing caution. 

While cases of marijuana triggering psychosis are relatively rare, Dr. Ian Hamilton of <a href="http://www.yorku.ca/">York University</a> found in a different study, strains with high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been found to raise the risk of a psychotic episode. THC is the chemical that causes a high.

A previous study led by Dr. Sir Robin Murray, also of Kings College London, found that regular use of stronger strains of marijuana which contain more THC is associated with a higher risk of psychosis.

However, cannabidiol, which doesn’t cause a high, doesn’t appear to have the same negative effects, scientists said. 

The Kings College study has been published in <a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17030325">The American Journal of Psychiatry</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Study: Cannabis compound may ease psychosis

While marijuana has has a reputation as a trigger of...

You cannot beat a trip to the beach for relaxation and rejuvenation, and just simply being near the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/end-ocean-plastic-litter/">ocean</a> has proven health benefits. A climate by the sea is particularly good for the respiratory organs and the skin, and is also known to strengthen the body's immunity and improve circulation. Before you plan your next trip to the coast, take a look at this list of the most stunningly beautiful beaches in the world.

&nbsp;

Trunk Bay Beach 

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

Conserved within the Virgin Islands National Park, this beach is among the most photogenic places on the planet. Trunk Bay Beach has breathtaking views of white beaches against the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean.

&nbsp;

Pink Sands Beach

Harbour Island, Bahamas

Featuring three miles of pink sand and clear, turquoise water, Pink Sands Beach is a heavenly escape. The ocean is warm year-round, making it is the perfect spot for swimming.

&nbsp;

Whitehaven Beach

Queensland, Australia

This pristine white beach features the purest silica sand in the world. The unique sand does not retain heat so it is comfortable no matter how hot it gets along this stretch of Whitsunday Island, Australia.

&nbsp;

Beach Below the Ruins

Tulum, Mexico

Miles of white sandy beaches stretch out just below the ancient ruins of Tulum, and the views are incredible. This beach is known as a slow-paced, spiritual experience.

&nbsp;

Elafonissi Beach

Crete, Greece

Bright white sand against blue-green waters make Elafonissi Beach one of most gorgeous destinations on any coastline. This small island in western Crete also features black rocks, white lilies, and exotic animals.

&nbsp;

Grace Bay Beach

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Known for peace and quiet, Grace Bay Beach is widely considered the best beach in the world. Grace Bay Beach has turquoise waters and soft white sand that stretches out for 12 miles.

&nbsp;

Tortuga Bay Beach

Galapagos, Ecuador

Tortuga Bay Beach is a well-preserved and isolated beach on Santa Cruz Island. This destination is world famous for its immaculate white sand, volcanic rocks, and exotic wildlife.

&nbsp;

Blue Lagoon
Oludeniz, Turkey

The Blue Lagoon is located on the Turquoise Coast of southwestern Turkey where the Mediterranean and Aegean seas meet. The lagoon is a national marine sanctuary with unique panoramic views of lush green mountains.

&nbsp;

Matira Beach

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Located on “the Romantic Island" of Bora Bora, Matira Beach features crystal clear waters and soft sand. This magical setting in the South Pacific is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, or just relaxing under a palm tree.

&nbsp;

Sunset Beach

Oahu, Hawaii

Known for big wave surfing in the winter, Sunset Beach becomes as calm as a lake in the summer months. The two-mile stretch of wide beach located on the North Shore of Oahu looks like paradise, especially at sunset.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

10 of Earth’s most beautiful beaches

You cannot beat a trip to the beach for relaxation...

As we begin to wrap up the year, it goes without saying that 2017 included one of the worst <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-global-warming/">hurricane seasons</a> of all time. Hurricane Harvey caused massive flooding in Houston Texas, and the Florida Keys and Caribbean were devastated by Hurricane Irma. Hurricane Maria also caused flooding, power outages, and downed buildings in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. 

In all areas affected by the 2017 hurricane season, displaced animals are in desperate need of care and attention. 

The idea of leaving a pet behind during a hurricane may seem unthinkable. Many photos and video clips shared during all three hurricanes included people evacuating with kennels or <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/26/us/gallery/hurricane-harvey/index.html">holding their pets close</a>. 

But sadly, sometimes the realities of evacuation leave little time or consideration for pets and livestock, meaning that many animals were left behind. 

Now, with floodwaters receded and relief efforts underway, many organizations are coming together specifically to help those animals that were abandoned during Hurricane Maria. 

<a href="https://www.alltherooms.com/w/2017/11/caught-storm-helping-animals-hurricane-damaged-caribbean/">All the Rooms</a> is a company passionately committed to spreading the word about the many organizations helping displaced animals in the Caribbean. 

Rather than working with just one organization, <a href="https://www.alltherooms.com/">All the Rooms</a> has created a comprehensive rundown of all the relief efforts working to help animals affected by the hurricanes. 

For example, <a href="http://humanebroward.com/">humane societies</a> have been working hard to transport displaced pets and rehome them in the United States. A few organizations like<a href="https://www.peta.org/"> PETA</a> and the <a href="http://www.ifaw.org/">International Fund for Animal Welfare</a> provide food and veterinary care to animals in hard-hit areas in the Dominican REpublic. . 

Getting aid to disaster areas takes time, effort, and often relies on donations. Thankfully, <a href="https://www.alltherooms.com/w/2017/11/caught-storm-helping-animals-hurricane-damaged-caribbean/">All the Rooms</a> has simplified and expedited the process for those looking to help get much-needed aid to animals affected by the 2017 hurricane season. 

Check out the All The Room’s <a href="https://www.alltherooms.com/w/2017/11/caught-storm-helping-animals-hurricane-damaged-caribbean/">comprehensive list</a> if you want to learn more.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Helping animals displaced by Hurricanes Maria and Irma

As we begin to wrap up the year, it goes...

Bioluminescence is the chemical reaction that occurs in fireflies and a variety of marine organisms that causes them to glow in the dark. It is most commonly found in organisms living in ocean ecosystems, especially at lower depths. 

But soon, bioluminescent trees may illuminate city streets thanks to a recent breakthrough from researchers at the<a href="http://web.mit.edu/"> Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a>. 

New research resulted in watercress plants glowing almost bright enough to serve as a desk light for three and a half hours and is just the first step, according to the team of scientists.

To create bioluminescence in the watercress plants, the researchers injected nanoparticles composed of special enzymes that are necessary for producing the chemical reaction that causes the glowing effect. 

The enzymes, luciferase and Co-enzyme A, were put in different nanoparticle carriers and injected into a watercress plant. 

Luciferase, which acts on a molecule called luciferin, is the heart of all bioluminescence. 

After carefully treating the plant with nanoparticles, the watercress was successfully bioluminescent. Thought it was not quite bright enough to serve as a desk lamp, the researchers could read partial book passages with it. 

At first, the plant’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/glowing-aurora-north-america/">glow</a> time was around 45 minutes, but this was soon extended to almost four hours.

If the researchers continue their efforts, bioluminescent street lamps and indoor lighting may very soon be a reality and would be an eco-friendly and energy efficient alternative to electricity. 

“The light is ultimately powered by the energy metabolism of the plant itself,” said Michael Strano, the senior author of the study. “Our work very seriously opens up the doorway to streetlamps that are nothing but treated trees, and to indirect lighting around homes.” 

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Image Credit: Seon-Yeong Kwak/ MIT

Glow in the dark trees could soon replace street lamps

Bioluminescence is the chemical reaction that occurs in fireflies and...

According to new research, people have sharper memories when thinking about having a baby or raising their kids.

A new study conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/">Bingham University, the State University of New York</a> found that our ability to memorize information is influenced by evolutionary patterns set in motion thousands of years ago. 

Because procreation was a means of survival for our ancient ancestors, it makes sense that when motivated by the idea of evolutionary success, certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-recognize-familiar-faces/">brain</a> functions would perform at higher levels. 

“Our ability to think and memorize information arises from our nervous systems," said Ralph Miller, a member of the research team. “As our nervous systems are a product of evolution and past experiences, one can reasonably expect that how well we memorize information today is influenced by natural selection that occurred amongst our ancestors long ago.” 

For the study, researchers asked participants to rate words in regards to different hypothetical scenarios. Some of the scenarios dealt with survival, some with raising a child, and a few of the scenarios were unrelated to either.  

After rating the words in the scenarios, the researchers asked the participants to remember as many of the words as they could. 

The researchers found that words relating to survival scenarios were recalled more frequently than the words that did not. The subjects also remembered more words when the scenario involved raising children. 

According to the researchers this shows that genetics plays a strong role in our thought processes. 

“What is evident is that the specific functioning of our brains, like our height and hair color, is strongly influenced by genes that were selected for among our ancestors,” said Miller. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Our memory is sharper when it comes to survival and our kids

According to new research, people have sharper memories when thinking...

Inspiration can come from the most random of sources. For Howard Stone, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at <a href="https://engineering.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>, the inspiration for his new research project on the layered structure of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coffee-nuts-heart-health/">coffee</a> came from an emailed picture of a layered coffee drink he received unsolicited. Small details can also have big implications, and Stone’s research that followed may help explain the heat- and salinity-dependent flows of Earth’s oceans.

Nan Xue, a graduate student and lead author of the paper, began investigating these coffee layers by preparing lattes in the lab using store-bought coffee and milk. After much trial and error, he found that he was only able to achieve the characteristic café latte layering by staying within certain parameters, such as temperatures and pour rates. This showed that there must be underlying, quantifiable physics that are involved in this liquid structure formation.

“The structure formation in a latte is surprising because it evolves from the chaotic, initial pouring and mixing of fluids into a very organized, distinct arrangement of layers,” says Nan Xue.

Using a panel of light-emitting diodes and a camera – as well as a coffee and milk substitute (dyed water for coffee and salty, denser water for milk) – the researchers captured the movement of fluids within the mixture. They also seeded the concoction with tracer particles, which scattered light from a green laser beam, allowing them to further track the drink’s internal dynamics. 

The results showed that that primary mechanism behind layering is a phenomenon called double-diffusive convection. This occurs when stacked-up fluids of different densities are made to mix their contents, and exchange heat through the movement of their constituent materials. Within a given mixture, lighter, hotter liquids rise, while cooler, denser liquids sink. When the local density in a region within the mixture approaches equilibrium, the sinking and rising stops. Thus, the fluid in that region flows horizontally, rather than vertically. This creates distinct bands, or layers.

Perfecting techniques for creating sought-after layers of liquids flowing into each other has implications that stretch beyond simply pouring coffee. Improving our understanding of the mechanics of this process could reduce costs and complexity in a wide range of applications.

“From a manufacturing perspective, a single pouring process is much simpler than the traditional sequential stacking of layers in a stratified product,” explains Stone. “In one application of this study, we are exploring the physics behind making a whole layered structure with one step, rather than one-by-one stacking of the layers.”

Detlef Lohse, a professor of fluid mechanics at the University of Twente in the Netherlands who was not involved in this study, believes that the results of this research are quite significant. “I think it will have bearing on various industrial flows and mixing procedures in so-called process technology, in which mixing of fluids with different densities by the injection of one into the other is omnipresent,” he explains.

Furthermore, Lohse points out that this study may help better explain the heat- and salinity-dependent flows of water in Earth’s oceans. This may have major implications in climatology and ecology. “The most awesome finding may be that there is perfect analogy between the layering in a cafe latte,” says Lohse, “and the known and extremely relevant layering of water with different temperatures and salt concentrations in the ocean.” 

Who knew? The physics and fluid mechanics of your morning cup of coffee could be deeply connected to the phenomena occurring in our vast oceans.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mixing a coffee drink is a surprisingly complicated science

Inspiration can come from the most random of sources. For...

There are many people who swear that their sore or achy joints are a sure sign that rainy weather is on its way. But a new study from <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/">Harvard Medical School</a> has found that the weather has no bearing on joint pain whatsoever. 

The research was published in the journal BMJ.

The researchers, led by Anupam Jena of <a href="https://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/">Harvard Medical School's Department of Health Care Policy</a>, examined a wide-reaching collection of Medicare records to see if any connection could be found between joint pain and inclement weather. 

Data was gathered from more than 11 million primary care office visits between 2008 and 2012, and this information was grouped with daily rainfall totals from <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration</a> weather stations. 

Jena and the researchers looked for patterns in the data including an increase in clinic visits during rainy weather, and if patients seeking care for an unrelated issue asked for help with aching joints if it had rained during their appointment. 

After a thorough analysis, the researchers couldn’t find any link between joint pain and rainy weather.

“No matter how we looked at the data, we didn't see any correlation between rainfall and physician visits for joint pain or back pain,” said Jena. “The bottom line is: Painful joints and sore backs may very well be unreliable forecasters.” 

Jena notes that given how much data the researchers combed over, if there were any indication of joint pain related to weather, it would have been apparent in the numbers, but it wasn’t.

Even if it’s scientifically unfounded, the researchers say the reason people claim to experience more pain during bad weather is that humans are wired to look for patterns. If someone’s knee unexpectedly starts hurting during a rainy day, it’s easy to blame the weather. 

Jena proves that rain has no effect on joint pain, but also makes a point to say that for physician’s, treatment of pain should be the only priority. 

“Pain is pain, with or without rain,” Jena said. “But it's important to know that, at the clinical level, joint pain does not appear to ebb and flow with the weather.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study: Achy joints can’t actually predict rainy weather

There are many people who swear that their sore or...

If you aren’t getting enough <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-deprivation-depression-teens/">sleep</a>, it can have a huge impact on your cognitive function, mood, behavior, and health and wellbeing. But interestingly enough, different people vary in how much sleep they need to be at their best. 

Now, a new study has found that genetic differences could explain why some people need much more sleep than others to function at peak levels. 

The research was performed by scientists from the <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</a>, who used fruit flies that were bred to model the natural variations in human sleep patterns. 

The results show how genes related to sleep variation are also connected to many other biological processes. 

“The involvement of highly diverse biological processes in sleep duration may help explain why the purpose of sleep has been so elusive,” said Susan Harbison, the leader of the study. 

The study was published in the journal PLOS Genetics.

The researchers bred 13 generations of fruit flies, purposely creating flies that slept for 18 hours a day or 3 hours a day. 

“What is particularly interesting about this study is that we created long- and short-sleeping flies using the genetic material present in nature, as opposed to the engineered mutations or transgenic flies that many researchers in this field are using,” Harbison said. 

The researchers then analyzed genetic data from the fruit flies, comparing the long and short sleepers to see if there were any differences between the two. 

After comparing the data, the research team identified 126 differences within 80 genes that were directly associated with sleep duration. 

The differences were connected to developmental and cell signaling pathways, and some of the genes identified were vital to brain development, learning, and memory. 

The results also show that both groups of fruit flies had similar life spans, meaning that there weren’t any extra adverse effects with sleeping for shorter or longer periods.

This study shows why some people may need more or less sleep than others and could help with creating new treatments and therapies for sleep disorders. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Your genes determine how long your body stays asleep

If you aren’t getting enough sleep, it can have a...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes why satellite images and measurements of our planet have become "essential to our survival, offering a new outlook of our world."&nbsp;



Rising sea levels pose one of the biggest societal threats associated with climate change. According to ESA, satellite altimeter missions such as Copernicus Sentinel-6 are essential in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level.



"Unbeknown to many, the island of Crete, Greece, plays an important role in the Copernicus satellite altimetry constellation and on an international stage," reports ESA.



"Satellite altimetry data have to be continuously monitored at the ESA’s Permanent Facility for Altimetry Calibration where different techniques have pioneered the use of transponders to provide the best measurements to validate satellite altimeters in space soon after launch."



Dr. Craig Donlon explains that, by understanding planet Earth through satellite measurements, we are able to find evidence of change.&nbsp;



Video Credit: European Space Agency&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

Satellites have become essential to our survival

[sendtonews key="761m2QQvR1-2035772-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...