Did you know that the gender of your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/doctors-are-stressed-at-work-and-at-home-during-pandemic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">doctor</a> could influence your health outcomes? That's right, a new study has uncovered some fascinating – and potentially life-altering – differences between how male and female physicians practice medicine.



This intriguing finding opens up a conversation about the subtle differences in how male and female doctors practice medicine and their impact on patient care



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-female-doctors-and-patient-health">Female doctors and patient health</h2>



Researchers at <a href="https://www.ucla.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCLA</a> meticulously analyzed a massive collection of medical records – over 770,000 in total. This extensive dataset allowed them to spot trends and patterns that might not be visible in a smaller study. They honed in specifically on patients who had been hospitalized, as that's a critical point in the healthcare journey.



The study revealed that patients of both genders had slightly better survival chances within the 30-day period following their hospital stay if their attending physician was a woman. Importantly, this positive effect was even stronger when the patient was female.



Another key finding was that patients, regardless of gender, were less likely to need readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharge when treated by a female physician.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-does-this-mean-female-doctors-are-better">Does this mean female doctors are better?</h2>



The situation isn't as straightforward as simply saying one gender makes a better <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/doctors-are-using-emoji-to-diagnose-patients-in-clinics-and-hospitals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">doctor</a>. It's tempting to jump to conclusions, but this research doesn't support the idea that male doctors are inherently less skilled. 



The research underscores a key insight: male and female physicians often differ subtly in their patient care approaches. These nuanced, perhaps subconscious, differences in doctor-patient interactions and decision-making can significantly affect a patient's health and recovery.



Studies suggest that biases might sometimes creep in. Male doctors, though well-intentioned, might underestimate the severity of symptoms reported by female patients. This misjudgment could lead to less aggressive or delayed treatment, impacting the patient's outcome.



Some experts observe that female physicians might have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-people-lying-doctor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">communication</a> styles better suited to building trust and rapport with female patients. 



Stronger doctor-patient communication could lead to more complete information sharing, better diagnoses, and more effective treatment plans.



Female patients may feel more at ease discussing sensitive or potentially embarrassing health issues with a female doctor. This increased comfort level could make them more likely to share vital details, allowing for better-informed medical decisions and positively influencing their health journey.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-critical-role-of-female-physicians">Critical role of female physicians</h2>



This study opens a fascinating door, but it doesn't give us all the answers. We need to dig deeper to pinpoint the exact reasons why patients, particularly female patients, seem to have slightly better outcomes when treated by female physicians. 



Is it communication style? Implicit bias? A mix of factors? More research is crucial to answer these questions fully.



Sadly, even with their proven skills and contributions, female <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-doctors-and-nurses-need-more-training-in-disaster-medicine/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">doctors</a> often earn less than their male counterparts for the same work. This study is yet another reminder of the incredible value they bring to the healthcare system. 



Closing the pay gap isn't just about fairness; it's about recognizing the critical role female physicians play in improving health outcomes for everyone.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-significance">Study significance</h2>



The deeper we understand the factors behind these findings, the better we can design training and systems to improve patient care across the board. This benefits everyone, regardless of the gender of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/doctors-work-cut-fake-news-online-misinformation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">doctor</a>.



When everyone is compensated fairly, it attracts the best and brightest to the medical field. Ensuring pay equity could mean an even stronger healthcare system for everyone.



“What our findings indicate is that female and male physicians practice medicine differently, and these differences have a meaningful impact on patients' health outcomes,” said Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa. He is the associate professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the study’s senior author. 



“Further research on the underlying mechanisms linking physician gender with patient outcomes, and why the benefit of receiving the treatment from female physicians is larger for female patients, has the potential to improve patient outcomes across the board," Tsugawa concluded.



While your doctor's gender shouldn't be the only factor in your decision-making, this study reminds us that it might carry more weight than we previously thought. If you're searching for a doctor, it's definitely worth considering whether a female physician might be a better fit based on your personal needs.



The study is published in the peer-reviewed journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-3163" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Annals of Internal Medicine</a>.



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Female doctors show significantly better patient health outcomes

Did you know that the gender of your doctor could influence your health outcomes? That's right, a new study has uncovered some fascinating – and potentially life-altering – differences between how male and female physicians practice medicine. This intriguing finding opens up a conversation about the subtle differences in how male and female doctors practice medicine and their impact on patient care Female doctors and patient health Researchers at UCLA meticulously analyzed a massive collection of medical records – over 770,000 in total. This extensive dataset allowed...

Love is most likely one of the most complex nouns in the English language. It brings to mind so many different feelings of its own, and just hearing the word may invoke a wide variety of emotions in different people. However, researchers from <a href="http://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a> have found that love as a feeling holds a lot of similarities between the American people.

In a study published in the <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/spr">Journal of Social and Personal Relationships</a>, researchers had 495 American adults answer a questionnaire about whether or not they thought most people would feel loved in 60 different scenarios. These scenarios included positive, neutral, and negative situations. 

“Whether we feel loved or not plays an important role in how we feel from day to day,” says Saeideh Heshmati, a postdoctoral researcher in Penn State’s <a href="http://hhd.psu.edu/">College of Health and Human Development</a>. “We were curious about whether the majority of Americans could agree about what makes people feel loved on a daily basis, or if it was a more personal thing.”

Their findings show that people feel the most loved when they receive small, non-romantic physical gestures, such as hugging and snuggling up with a pet.
"We found that behavioral actions -- rather than purely verbal expressions -- triggered more consensus as indicators of love," said Heshmati.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, controlling behaviors – such as someone wanting to know their whereabouts at all times – were seen as the least loving.

“Our results show that people do agree, and the top scenarios that came back weren’t necessarily romantic,” explains Heshmati. “So it is possible for people to feel loved in simple, everyday scenarios. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top gestures.”

Overall, the researchers found that behavioral actions were more likely to be seen as indicators of love, rather than verbal expressions. And yes, that even included saying “I love you.” Heshmati explains this by proposing that people might see behavior as more authentic, rather than someone “just saying something.”

Another interesting finding of the study was that men tended to know less about what the majority of the American culture deems loving. Heshmati points out that previous research has shown that men tend to think differently about the concept of love compared to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-couples-women-house/">women</a>. Furthermore, people in a relationship and people with agreeable or neurotic personality traits also had a better idea of the cultural consensus. 

After all this, Heshmati still says that we should be careful in assuming that any one individual may have the same feelings about love as us, even if you’re in a relationship with them. “It may not be wise to go into a relationship assuming that both of you know the same things about feeling loved or that all of the same things will make you feel loved,” Heshmati says. “I think it’s important to communicate these things to each other, which can assist in being more in tune with each other and feeling loved in the relationship.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Physical gestures tend to make people feel more loved

Love is most likely one of the most complex nouns...

While global food demand is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years, drought and water shortages will have a major impact on agricultural output.

Population growth, changes in diets, and increased demand for biofuels are just a few of the reasons agricultural demand is growing, all while global aquifers are quickly being depleted.

Now, a new study conducted by researchers at <a href="http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/">Columbia University’s Earth Institute</a> offers a new solution to meet agricultural demand amid future water shortages.

The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, suggests that redrawing crop distribution maps worldwide could drastically increase output.

For the study, the researchers looked at crop water-use models, and yield maps for 14 major food crops that make up 72 percent of all crops farmed worldwide.

The crops used were groundnut, maize, millet, oil palm, rapeseed, rice, roots, sorghum, soybean, sugarbeet, sugarcane, sunflowers, tubers, and wheat.

The study especially focused on crop distributions that would put less stress on water consumption. 

The new maps would produce enough food for an additional 825 million people and reduce water consumption considerably, at least 20 percent in some countries.

The key, according to the study, is increasing the production of certain nutrient-rich crops like soybeans and tubers, and reducing yields in crops like rice, sugar, and wheat that need more water but have less caloric value.

Crop distribution would vary from country to country, but the results show that it is possible to meet growing demand and reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/buffer-filter-nitrates-groundwater/">water</a> usage worldwide. 

Some of the exciting aspects of this option are that unlike other alternatives, redistributing crops would not require installing expensive new technology. The new maps also wouldn’t risk any loss in crop diversity.

However, this is just the first step, according to the researchers. There are still many factors to consider before any of these new maps can be implemented.

“If we think about the economic, social, and environmental aspects of food security in a particular country and work closely with local decision-makers, we can create solutions tailored to the needs and goals of that country's people,” said Kyle Davis, the study’s lead author.

The study results can serve as a tool in helping further research efforts to meet the growing demand for sustainable agriculture. 

--

By <a href="http://mailto:kayandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Global crop redistribution could feed 825 million more people

While global food demand is expected to increase exponentially in...

With the end of Daylight Saving Time marking the opportunity to “fall backward,” many people are happy to have gotten the extra hour of sleep this past weekend.  

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-depression-stress-anxiety/">Sleep deprivation</a> has many well-known negative consequences including reduced cognitive functioning and poor performance at work or school. 

But now, new research explains exactly why sleep deprivation affects memory and our ability to process information the following day. In other words, we finally have some answers that explain why we space out when we haven't gotten enough sleep.

The new study from the <a href="http://www.ucla.edu/">University of California Los Angeles</a> (UCLA) is the first of its kind to show how sleep deprivation interrupts the communication between brain cells which leads to mental lapses. 

For the study, a team of researchers observed twelve UCLA epileptic patients who had electrodes implanted in their brains. 

The researchers had the patients categorize a series of images as quickly as possible while they stayed up.

The longer the patients stayed awake, the task of categorizing the pictures became much more difficult to perform. The longer the task took, the slower the reaction and communication in the subject’s brain cells. 

“We were fascinated to observe how sleep deprivation dampened brain cell activity. Unlike the usual rapid reaction, the neurons responded slowly, fired more weakly and their transmissions dragged on longer than usual,” said  Dr. Yuval Nir, the lead author of the study.  

The results show that sleep deprivation affects the brain’s ability to encode information which interferes with visual input and conscious thought. It takes longer for us to register what we’re seeing or experiencing when sleep deprived. 

The researchers hope their findings will put an emphasis on sleep deprivation and avoiding the troubling consequences it can bring with it. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why we space out when we don't get enough sleep

With the end of Daylight Saving Time marking the opportunity...

According to research from the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a>, embellished drinking glasses often contain high levels of lead and cadmium. The study found concentrations of lead that were more than 1,000 times the limit.

The research team performed 197 tests on 72 new and used drinking glasses, including tumblers, beer mugs, wine glasses, and jars.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/imported-candy-contaminated-foods/">Lead</a> was present in 139 tests and cadmium was present in 134, both on the surface of the glasses and on the rims. When long-term use was simulated on the glasses, paint often flaked and came off the glass. This suggested that the substances may be ingested with sustained use.

The research adds to a growing collection of evidence that people are often unsuspectingly exposed to toxic substances. Lead author Dr. Andrew Turner also led a study to examine the potential danger of playground paints. The evaluation revealed that children are at risk for ingesting paint flakes from play equipment, but Dr. Turner believes that drinking glasses pose an even greater risk.

"The presence of hazardous elements in both the paint and glaze of decorated glassware has obvious implications for both human health and the environment," said Dr. Turner. “So it was a real surprise to find such high levels of lead and cadmium, both on the outside of the glassware and around the rim. There are genuine health risks posed through ingesting such levels of the substances over a prolonged period, so this is clearly an issue that the international glassware industry needs to take action on as a matter of urgency."

The researchers examined the glassware using portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. Over 70 percent of the glass products tested positive for lead, which was found in all colors including decorated gold leaves present on some of the glasses. The same percentage of glassware tested positive for cadmium, with the highest levels detected in red enamel.

The lead concentrations ranged from 40 to 400,000 parts per million, while the levels of cadmium ranged from 300 to 70,000 parts per million. According to the <a href="https://oehha.ca.gov/">U.S. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment</a>, the limit levels for the decorated surface rim area of drinking glasses are 200 parts per million for lead and 800 parts per million for cadmium.

"Given that safer alternatives are available to the industry, the overall results of this study are both surprising and concerning," said Dr. Turner. "Why are harmful or restricted elements still being employed so commonly to decorate contemporary glassware manufactured in China, the European Union and elsewhere? I believe consumers should be made aware of this, while retailers and the glass industry have the responsibility to eliminate toxic metals from decorated products."

The study is published in <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-of-the-total-environment/">Science of the Total Environment</a>.
--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dangerous levels of lead found in decorated drinking glasses

According to research from the University of Plymouth, embellished drinking...

If you’re feeling down, a trip outside to reconnect with nature may be just what you need to boost happiness, a new study claims.

Spending time in the great outdoors each day can help to increase personal well-being, the researchers found – no travel required. Just be sure to take time to pay attention to your natural surroundings and how they make you feel.

"This wasn't about spending hours outdoors or going for long walks in the wilderness," said Holli-Anne Passmore, a doctoral student at the <a href="https://ok.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia-Okanagan</a>. "This is about the tree at a bus stop in the middle of a city and the positive effect that one tree can have on people."

Nearly 400 study participants spent two weeks on an “intervention” intended to boost happiness. They were asked to spend time outside each day, document the natural world around them, and explore how the plants, trees and wildlife made them feel.

Each participant was asked to photograph any part of nature that caught their eye, from a bird or squirrel to a week growing from the sidewalk, and write down a short note about how it made them feel.

A second group did the same exercise but with man-made objects like statues and buildings, and a third control group did neither. 

The study participants turned in nearly 2,500 photos and notes. Researchers found that for those in the nature group, simply being aware of their surroundings had participants reporting a happiness boost and a greater connection to their community.

"The difference in participants' well-being – their happiness, sense of elevation, and their level of connectedness to other people, not just nature – was significantly higher than participants in the group noticing how human-built objects made them feel and the control group,” Passmore said.

The study is one of several that the University of British Columbia’s psychology researchers have undertaken to explore how nature is connected to well-being. The researchers hope to add to the scientific documentation showing the benefits of green spaces in urban landscapes.

The study has been published in the <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126">Journal of Positive Psychology</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Feeling blue? Take notice of nature to boost happiness

If you’re feeling down, a trip outside to reconnect with...

From the California drought and wildfires to the string of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-worst-hurricanes/">hurricanes</a> that devastated Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean, 2017 has been full of extreme weather events. While politicians argue over environmental policy, climate change is set to bring even more extreme weather in the years to come.

Two recent reports by the <a href="http://www.nationalacademies.org/">National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine</a> examine disaster readiness and discuss measures that would improve both emergency response systems and the public’s ability to respond and react in the face of a disaster.

The research outline two different categories: the systems used to alert the public during or before an event, and social and behavioral factors.

The researchers argue that improving alert and warning systems is a must, especially because there are so many facets of technology, like social media platforms, that aren’t fully utilized for emergency warning purposes.

Gaining a better understanding of social and behavioral factors can enhance how severe weather events are prepared for and discussed, possibly improving evacuation protocols and infrastructure, among other disaster readiness situations.

The first report focuses on emergency alert and warning systems. Early warning systems like Wireless Emergency Alerts and the Integrated Public Alert Warning System need to match the rapid advances in being made technology.

However, researchers note that any advances made in early warning systems should also take into account social and behavioral sciences.

Facebook, Google, and other social media platforms could be maximized to help inform the public of a disaster, and utilizing private companies and social media will expand the government’s potential to reach more people.  

Another way modern advances in technology could improve alert and warning systems is through improved geotargeting, which could more accurately pinpoint the location of individuals in danger. 

The second report discusses the need for weather enterprises to include social and behavioral sciences to improve weather predicting technologies.

“Weather forecasts and warnings are being made with greater accuracy, geographic specificity, and lead time, which allow people and communities to take appropriate protective measures,” said the report. “As recent hazardous weather events have illustrated, social and behavioral factors -- including people's contexts, experiences, knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes -- shape responses to weather risks.”

The new research has outlined specific steps that the government and public safety official can integrate to better prepare communities for severe weather events. Whether or not the suggestions will be applied, however, remains to be seen.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

More extreme weather events will require improving public safety

From the California drought and wildfires to the string of...

Often in the confusing and hectic place that is our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-aware-die/">mind</a>, we find ourselves faced with unwanted thoughts about unpleasant memories. When this occurs, we don’t always have the ability to ignore these uncomfortable reminders. 

In a new study, scientists have identified a key chemical within the “memory” region of the brain that helps us suppress unwanted thoughts. These findings may help explain why people who suffer from conditions such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, and depression experience constant intrusive thoughts that they have no control over.

“Our ability to control our thoughts is fundamental to our wellbeing,” says Michael Anderson from the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a>. “When this capacity breaks down, it causes some of the most debilitating symptoms of psychiatric diseases: intrusive memories, images, hallucinations, ruminations, and pathological and persistent worries.” Anderson goes on to point out that these are all major symptoms of the previously mentioned mental illnesses.

In this study, a team of researchers led by Anderson and Dr. Taylor Schmitz used a task known as “Think/No-Think” in order to determine a new brain process that allows the prefrontal cortex to inhibit our thoughts. The prefrontal cortex is a region at the front of the brain that is known to play a role in controlling our actions, and acts on other brain regions as well.

The task involved participants learning to associate a series of words with a paired – but unconnected – word. Some examples of this would be ordeal/roach and moss/north. They were then asked to recall the associated word if the cue was green, or suppress it if the cue was red.

The researchers used a combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in order to analyze what was occurring in key regions of the brain when the participants were attempting to inhibit their thoughts. The spectroscopy allowed the researchers to measure brain chemistry along with the imaging being observed through the fMRI.

The results revealed that our ability to inhibit unwanted thoughts hinges on a certain neurotransmitter, which is a chemical in the brain that allows messages to pass between nerve cells. This neurotransmitter is known as GABA, and is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. It was discovered that GABA concentrations within the hippocampus – the key area of the brain involved in memory – determine an individual’s ability to block the retrieval process and prevent thoughts from returning.

“Where previous research has focused on the prefrontal cortex - the command center – we’ve shown that this is an incomplete picture,” explains Anderson. “Inhibiting unwanted thoughts is as much about the cells within the hippocampus - the ‘boots on the ground’ that receive commands from the prefrontal cortex. If an army’s foot-soldiers are poorly equipped, then its commanders’ orders cannot be implemented well.”

The researchers believe that these findings may help determine the mechanisms behind schizophrenia, as well as other conditions that exhibit elevated activity in the hippocampus, such as PTSD, anxiety, and chronic depression. Further studies may one day lead to more effective treatments for individuals that suffer from these debilitating conditions.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists locate chemical that helps suppress unwanted thoughts

Often in the confusing and hectic place that is our...

Researchers have found that the risk of oversharing in conversation, or providing too many irrelevant details, increases with age.

Experiments conducted with a group of 100 participants revealed that the thinking skills needed to appropriately respond to the perspectives of others deteriorate as the years go by.

Experts from <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">The University of Edinburgh</a> and <a href="http://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> used a series of visual and computerized learning tests to evaluate the thinking skills of the subjects, who ranged in age from 17 to 84 years old. 

The team closely examined the participants’ attention skills, or their ability to concentrate on one thing and ignore another. The researchers wanted to see how these skills influenced the ability of an individual to consider a partner's point of view while engaged in conversation.

The experts conducted two listening tests to analyze two different types of attention skills. First, they assessed inhibition, the ability to stay focused and ignore distracting information. Next, they monitored switching, the ability to shift focus between two different sounds and filter relevant information.

The researchers asked the participants to describe one of four objects to a partner who could see only three of the objects. The older individuals were found to be more likely to reveal irrelevant information to their partners.

The team also determined that attention switching skills declined with age, and that the degeneration of these skills directly influenced how the older adults responded to their partner's perspective.

For younger adults, their ability to filter distracting information was what helped them to effectively respond to the perspectives of their partners.

Madeline Long of the University of Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences is the lead author of the study.

"The study identified two attentional functions that influence whether we consider another's point of view and how that changes as we age,” said Long. “This is particularly important for older adults who are more susceptible to revealing private information.

We hope these findings can be used to design targeted training that helps <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/increased-levels-herbicides-adults/">older adults</a> improve these skills and avoid embarrassing and potentially risky communicative errors."

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001002771730241X">Cognition</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The ability listen and connect in conversation lessens with age

Researchers have found that the risk of oversharing in conversation,...

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep apnea, affecting 25 percent of adults in the United States. This potentially serious sleep disorder is linked to an increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Scientists have now identified specific neural circuits responsible for stimulating the brain during sleep apnea conditions, which may lead to improved drug therapies.

Often characterized by loud snoring, obstructive sleep apnea is caused by partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway. As oxygen levels in the blood fall and carbon dioxide levels rise, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-much-brainpower/">brain</a> is alerted and wakes the individual up to re-establish breathing.

"A person with apnea wakes up and starts breathing again and this cycle can repeat hundreds of time per night, so the person never gets very deeply asleep," said study senior author Clifford B. Saper. "In the morning, they may not remember that they have not had a restful night's sleep but will feel very tired."

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.bidmc.org/">Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center</a> simulated the effects of obstructive sleep apnea in mice by using an enclosure with adjustable atmospheric levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide. They changed the ratio of the gases every five minutes for 30 seconds. 

The team then focused on a subset of neurons, PBelCGRP cells, which are known to activate in response to elevated carbon dioxide levels. The researchers genetically altered these cells in the mice so that the neurons could be activated or suppressed using light or drugs. The activation of these cells woke the mice up and could keep them awake for hours at a time, while the suppression of the neurons allowed the mice to sleep even through elevated levels of carbon dioxide. This demonstrated that these cells are responsible for waking up the brain.

In the final phase of the study, the experts followed the long branches, or axons, of the PBelCGRP neurons to the cells with which they connect in other parts of the brain. When the researchers switched off the neurons’ connection to a key region of the basal forebrain, all sensitivity to carbon dioxide was also turned off.

"Our goal was to identify the circuitry responsible for waking the brain up during sleep apnea, which is distinct from the part of the brain that controls breathing," said Saper. "If we could keep the brain from waking up during apneas and activate only the part of the brain that opens up the airways, people with obstructive sleep apnea would still be able to get a good night's rest."

The fragmented sleep that results from sleep apnea can cause significant impairments to cognition, mood, and alertness. The scientists hope to use the findings of their study to develop more effective treatments for sleep apnea patients.

"The long-term goal of this research is to come up with drugs that will affect specific pathways in the brain," said Saper. "The next step is to see if we can use drugs to prevent the wake-up response while augmenting the opening of the airway. That way, having an apnea won't wake a person up."

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/neuron/home">Neuron</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists identify area of the brain that triggers sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type of sleep...

These days, more people around the world are living alone than ever before. In America, the number of people who live alone jumped from 5 percent in 1920 to 27 percent in 2013. 

There’s certainly something to be said for independence and the ability to pursue one’s own goals without being held back by a relationship. But numerous <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/110/15/5797">studies</a> have shown that living alone can also take a toll on a person’s emotions, self-confidence, and mental well-being. 

Now, a new study has found that people who eat alone, particularly men, are at an increased risk of developing high cholesterol and obesity. 

The study was conducted by researchers from <a href="http://isen.dumc.or.kr/">Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital</a> in Seoul, South Korea and published in the journal Obesity Research &amp; Clinical Practice. 

The researchers monitored 7,725 adults and their living habits, and compared their health with how often they ate alone. 

The study also made sure to adjust for lifestyle factors like age, smoking, and how often someone exercised. 

The results showed that of the participants, men who ate alone had a 45 percent increased risk of being <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/working-night-shift-obesity/">obese</a> and a 64 percent increased risk of developing high cholesterol or a metabolic syndrome. 

Women, on the other hand, were less likely to develop obesity or a metabolic syndrome if they ate alone. 

There are a few reasons why eating alone may have such an adverse impact on health. For example, when you’re alone you might be more likely to choose unhealthy options or junk foods which can raise blood sugar and increase your risk of obesity.  

The results of the study provide a warning for people who do live alone so that they can monitor and avoid associated any health risks.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Eating alone can be bad for your health

These days, more people around the world are living alone...

A new study has found that alcohol use prior to cocaine use could drive compulsive and addictive drug-seeking behaviors. 

The study was conducted on rats by a team of researchers from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_University_Medical_Center">Columbia University Medical Center</a> and sheds further evidence to the “gateway drug hypothesis.” 

The gateway drug hypothesis, as described by Denise Kandal, an epidemiologist from Columbia University, is the idea that people who get involved with drugs follow a certain sequence, where some drugs preface other drugs. 

But proving this hypothesis is difficult because of how difficult it would be to gather the right data in advance. But this team of researchers found that by giving rats cocaine and alcohol in a lab setting, they could track the rat’s compulsive tendencies. 

For the study, several groups of rats were given doses of cocaine, released through a lever that the rats operated. One of the groups was given a water bottle of alcohol for two hours before the cocaine was administered for ten days.

One group was not given any <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-treating-alcoholism-depression/">alcohol</a> before cocaine use, and another group of rats was given both alcohol and cocaine at the same time. 

The rats exposed to alcohol before cocaine use showed signs of cocaine-addiction, looking to get the drug even when they received a small electric shock in doing so. 

During periods when the drug was not released, the rats who had been given alcohol were persistent in their efforts to get the drug, pressing the lever 58 times. 

Rats without prior alcohol use were not as inclined to seek out the drug. 

The researchers were able to target what was causing such a strong inclination towards cocaine addiction in the rats who had alcohol beforehand, finding that alcohol breaks down important proteins in the region of the brain that is responsible for reward-based memory. 

The study shows the role that alcohol and nicotine play as gateway drugs, and just how they contribute to compulsive and addictive behaviors with other drugs down the line. 

The researchers hope this will prompt further studies to see if other drugs have similar reactions to alcohol in the brain, and also help fine-tune intervention and outreach programs once risk factors for addictions are identified. 

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By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Alcohol makes the brain more susceptible to cocaine use

A new study has found that alcohol use prior to...

Language is always changing. Vocabulary is often generational, and slang terms can go out of style as quickly as they came in. The drastic differences between the writings of Shakespeare and modern American English beg the question: what exactly guides and determines the evolution of a language?

A new study set out to examine whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-easier-speak-language/">language</a> evolves by a set selective force or random chance. 

The study was conducted by both linguists and evolutionary biologists at the<a href="https://www.upenn.edu/"> University of Pennsylvania </a>and published in the journal Nature.

Researchers began mapping language through the years, similar to the way evolutionary biologists map genomes to see if one particular gene evolved to be dominant over time. 

Experts from both fields worked together analyzing collections of annotated texts ranging from the 12th to 21st centuries, looking for changes to get a better picture of how language evolved. 

The research revealed that some changes in language were guided by selective force, but other changes happened purely by chance. 

“An individual happens to hear one variant of a word as opposed to another and then is more likely to use it herself. Chance events like this can accumulate to produce substantial change over generations. Before we debate what psychological or social forces have caused a language to change, we must first ask whether there was any force at all,” said Joshua Plotkin, the senior author of the paper.

For the study, the researchers examined three well-documented changes to the English language in order to decipher how what prompted these changes. 

One of the changes analyzed was the regularization of past-tense verbs. The research team searched the sample texts for both irregular and regular verbs in past-tense forms, such as “dived” and “dove.”

Many of the irregular past-tense forms we use today are the result of purposeful selection that became taught and enforced. But there are also quite a few verbs whose current past-tense form is just the result of pure chance, or what simply “caught on.” 

The researchers noted that random chance affected rare words and selective force was the guiding hand in changing common verbs. 

The results of the study also found that grammar evolved through happenstance. For example, now we use “do” as in “do they say,” whereas 800 years ago we would’ve said, “say they.”

The study's use of common methods in evolutionary biology is noteworthy and allows linguists to evaluate the evolution of language through the years in intense detail. 

Because of this method, the researchers were able to find examples of random chance in the evolution of language and now have a more thorough grasp on the nature of how language changes. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Despite rules, language often evolves by chance

Language is always changing. Vocabulary is often generational, and slang...

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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



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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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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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



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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



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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



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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



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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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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

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" 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> 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

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" 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> 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...