Music often does more than entertain. It paints images in our minds, builds worlds, and stirs emotions we can’t always explain. A new study shows how even the tiniest human touches in sound can influence this inner world.



The findings from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/music/our-research/cross-disciplinary-research/sydney-music-mind-and-body-lab.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sydney Music, Mind and Body Lab</a>, reveal how subtle shifts in rhythm and tone may fuel imagination in ways technology alone cannot replicate. 



These delicate imperfections - tiny fluctuations in timing or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-and-the-mind-new-clues-about-how-we-experience-pleasure/">volume</a> - can transform repetitive beats into living experiences, sparking imagery that feels real and immersive.



Rather than simply hearing structured sounds, listeners create journeys filled with color, movement, and narrative. The study suggests that the human quality of music holds unique power to trigger creativity and emotional depth. 



The research also shows why live performances, with all their small variations, can feel more moving than flawless recordings, and why imagination often thrives when music carries traces of human touch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-small-musical-shifts-big-mental-impact">Small musical shifts, big mental impact</h2>



Researchers asked 100 participants to imagine a journey while listening to repetitive drumming. Some heard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-use-rhythmic-drumming-to-communicate-in-forests/">drumming</a> with random micro-variations in loudness and timing, while others heard perfectly uniform beats or silence.



Those who listened to music with micro-variations reported richer imagery, longer imagined journeys, and more lifelike scenes. 



They often described environments filled with movement, color, or emotion that felt authentic and dynamic, which suggests these subtle rhythmic details significantly influence how the brain constructs vivid inner experiences.



"What excites me is that these little details in music are something we can all feel, even if we don't always notice them consciously," said lead researcher Ceren Ayyildiz.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-touch-makes-rhythm-alive">Human touch makes rhythm alive</h2>



The study, published in Scientific Reports, relied on computer simulations of drum <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-music-tunes-the-emotions-in-our-memories/">sounds</a>. Researchers created two versions: one with flawless uniformity and another with tiny, natural shifts mimicking human performance.



They then analyzed participants’ mental imagery responses with Bayesian multilevel modeling. The results showed that small fluctuations, often unconsciously introduced by performers, significantly enhance imagination.



These subtle imperfections did not distract listeners; instead, they added depth and texture to the soundscape, making the music feel more organic. Participants reported that the variations encouraged richer narratives, longer journeys, and greater immersion in imagined experiences.



This demonstrates that even the smallest rhythmic nuances can transform sound from a mechanical sequence into something that resonates with the human mind, shaping how people visualize and emotionally respond to music.



"It's not just technical perfection but the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-touch-molecular-basis-elkin1-discovery/">human touch</a> that makes music feel more alive and sparks the imagination," Ayyildiz said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-skills-amplify-imagination">Musical skills amplify imagination</h2>



Listeners with musical training or strong immersion ability experienced even more vivid mental imagery. For them, micro-variations brought authenticity and richness missing from machine-perfect sounds.



"One possible explanation for this finding is that listeners may perceive drumming with tiny random changes - a core component of human music performance - as more natural and organic," said Ayyildiz.



The study highlights how human imperfections in rhythm bring authenticity and create a sense of connection.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-and-sound-variations-aid-therapy">Music and sound variations aid therapy</h2>



The insights also suggest therapeutic and practical applications. "Mental imagery already plays an important role in many cognitive therapies," said senior author Dr. Steffen Herff.



"Deliberately tailoring background music - for example through subtle changes in timing and loudness - could be used to either stimulate or dampen imagination depending on the specific therapeutic target," 



For audio engineers and producers, the study provides a new perspective. Micro-variations are already used in studio production as key aesthetic drivers in many forms of music including electronic dance music and hip-hop.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-expression-drives-connection">Human expression drives connection</h2>



For musicians, especially drummers, the findings emphasize the creative weight of subtle timing shifts. 



"This study demonstrates how the tiny details in rhythmic timing and expression can greatly alter our perceptions of music," said researcher Dr. Simon Barker.



"The relationship between micro-rhythmic variations and imagination, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/physicists-make-bold-claims-that-time-is-an-illusion-question-its-existence/">illusion</a>, and connection are at the core of the art of drumming, and this study is a lovely example of this central aspect of rhythmic expression and communication."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-s-power-comes-from-touch">Music’s power comes from touch</h2>



The study adds to a growing body of work exploring music’s role in imagination, connection, and even loneliness. 



Its message is clear: even in a world of machine-perfect precision, the smallest human variations breathe life into sound, reminding us of music’s timeless power to shape emotion, enrich creativity, strengthen bonds, and nurture a uniquely human sense of presence and belonging.



"Even tiny fluctuations can make music more meaningful," said Ayyildiz. "It's a reminder that the human feel still matters."



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/FEh_WfGeCTo?si=4ftg3JG20m5vyTxE
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Here, tiny fluctuations in timing and loudness introduce a human touch that breathes life into the rhythm - the kind of nuance shown to spark richer mental imagery. Credit: University of Sydney </figcaption></figure>



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-12604-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.&nbsp;



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Tiny human touches can make music sound more powerful

Music often does more than entertain. It paints images in our minds, builds worlds, and stirs emotions we can’t always explain. A new study shows how even the tiniest human touches in sound can influence this inner world. The findings from the Sydney Music, Mind and Body Lab, reveal how subtle shifts in rhythm and tone may fuel imagination in ways technology alone cannot replicate. These delicate imperfections - tiny fluctuations in timing or volume - can transform repetitive beats into living experiences, sparking imagery that feels...

Houston’s urban buildup directly contributed to the massive damage caused by category 4 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hurricane-harvey-global-warming/">Hurricane Harvey</a> in August 2017, according to new research from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton</a> and <a href="https://uiowa.edu/">University of Iowa</a>. New data shows that Houston’s risk for extreme flooding, which caused $125 billion in damage and killed 68 citizens, was 21 times greater due to the city’s urbanization.

By way of computer models, researchers found that Hurricane Harvey was able to drop more rainfall (between 40 and 60 inches over four days) and cause massive flooding at a faster pace thanks to Houston’s urban buildup, thus showing that humans can have a direct impact in weather severity on top of climate change.

Furthermore, the study shows that future urban and suburban development planning must consider hurricane risk and recovery. Co-author of the study and Princeton professor of geosciences and the <a href="https://environment.princeton.edu/">Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI)</a>, Gabriel Vecchi, said, “Our focus on the role of urbanization was aimed at providing a fuller perspective of human activities on Harvey's rainfall and flooding. Humans have influenced both climate, through greenhouse gas emissions, and the local environment around Houston through urbanization in ways that we thought could have affected rainfall and flooding from Harvey.”

As Houston expanded and more streets and sidewalks were built, there was less groundspace for rain to be absorbed.

Lead author Wei Zhang, an assistant research scientist at <a href="https://www.iihr.uiowa.edu/">Iowa's IIHR — Hydroscience and Engineering research center</a>, stated, “Given that hurricane winds and rainfall are projected to intensify in the future, and that urbanization along our coasts is also expected to continue to increase, our work highlights the need to understand the risks and to implement appropriate flood-mitigation strategies.”

Through their computer modelling, researchers also found that non-urban areas receive less rainfall during hurricanes than urban areas. They attribute this to “surface roughness,” the effect that happens when winds strike tall buildings, creating friction. This friction creates warm surface air, which rises up into the atmosphere, thus causing more clouds and precipitation.

The study aims to educate city planners and government about the potential weather and climate risks associated with urbanization. If they don’t take these factors into consideration, coastal cities and cities without proper drainage could suffer severe consequences.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Houston's urbanization increased flood risk during Hurricane Harvey

Houston’s urban buildup directly contributed to the massive damage caused...

Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air with high levels of pollutants, according to recent data from the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/02-05-2018-9-out-of-10-people-worldwide-breathe-polluted-air-but-more-countries-are-taking-action">World Health Organization</a> (WHO). 

Air pollution is a leading cause of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-kills-infants/">mortality worldwide</a>, and in 2016 alone, 4.2 million deaths were caused by ambient air pollution. 

As a result, many countries are working on new strategies to improve air quality. For example, in the UK, London implemented a city-wide Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) in an attempt to reduce vehicle pollution. 

But how well do these initiatives work and what is being done to protect children, the most vulnerable in a population, from developing breathing disorders and cardiovascular disease? 

A new study from researchers at <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a>, <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/">King’s College London</a>, and the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a> has revealed that children in London have poor lung capacity despite the LEZs.

“If children's lungs don't develop properly as a result of air pollution it can increase their likelihood of developing asthma, leaving them coughing, wheezing and at risk of a life-threatening asthma attack,” said Samantha Walker, the Director of Research and Policy at <a href="https://www.asthma.org.uk/">Asthma UK</a>. 

The study was published in The Lancet Public Health Journal, and the results call for more stringent traffic pollution regulations. 

Even though there are some improvements within the LEZs, and traffic pollution in general has decreased in the UK, children exposed to diesel pollution are still at risk, especially those that attend schools near busy motorways. 

“Despite air quality improvements in London, this study shows that diesel-dominated air pollution in cities is damaging lung development in children, putting them at risk of lung disease in adult life and early death,” said Chris Griffiths, an author of the study.  

The LEZ introduced in 2008 in London encompassed 8.5 million residents, but the researchers wanted to find out if there were any marked improvements to children's health in the area. 

2,164 children from 28 primary schools across London were monitored for five years for the study. The researchers recorded the children’s health and air pollution exposure. 

After the five year period, the team found that nitrogen dioxide (found in diesel emissions) and particulate matter exposure correlated with smaller lung volume for the children. 

There were only minor improvements in nitrogen dioxide levels after the LEZ was implemented, but particulate matter levels stayed the same. The children who lived within the LEZ showed no improvements in lung capacity or breathing disorders over the five year period, even with the marginal improvements in air quality. 

“It is disappointing that the Low Emission Zone in London has not helped to improve children's lung capacity and shows that a piecemeal approach to reducing air pollution does not work,” said  Walker. “The Government needs to tackle toxic air by putting in place a new Clean Air Act to keep everyone, especially children, safe.”

Unless more is done to meet the European Union’s nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter limits, the researchers say that children will remain at risk of respiratory problems. 

“There is an urgent need to improve our air quality, especially within our congested cities,” said Ian Mudway, a co-author of the study. “Policies such as the Low Emission Zone strive to do this, but their effectiveness needs careful and objective evaluation, not only in terms of whether they improve air quality, but more importantly, whether they deliver better health.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Poor lung capacity in UK children linked to diesel emissions

Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air with high...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a> has found that 62% of 651 survey participants use music as a sleep aid. This is the first online survey used to track the use of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/listening-music-exercise-fight-fatigue/">music</a> as a sleep aid within the general population.

Tabitha Trahan and her colleagues scored the survey based on musicality, participant sleep habits, and open-text responses on what music helps participants sleep and why. They went into their research believing that music may be a cheap alternative to medicinal sleep aids.

Of the 62% of survey participants who said music helps them get a better night’s sleep, those involved described 545 musical artists within 14 musical genres. Those who don’t suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders even stated that listening to music on a daily basis helps them sleep better at night. And younger people who regularly engage with music often use it as a sleep aid, as well.

“The largest ever survey of everyday use of music for sleep reveals multiple pathways to effect that go far beyond relaxation; these include auditory masking, habit, passion for music, and mental distraction,” the study’s authors wrote. “This work offers new understanding into the complex motivations that drive people to reach for music as a sleep aid and the reasons why so many find it effective.”

Participants, who were self-selected and therefore could have influenced the survey with music-loving bias, said via the survey that they believe music stimulates sleep and thwarts internal or external stimulus that would inhibit sleep. Furthermore, the authors of the study, published November 14 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, note that physiological and psychological effects of music on sleep were not taken into consideration within the survey.

Despite the above shortcomings of the survey, the participants provided beginner evidence to show that people use a diverse variety of music to aid sleep. From here, researchers can continue to uncover the scientific reasons why music is such a useful sleep aid for a large percentage of the population.

The findings were published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0206531">PLOS ONE</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Music is a popular sleep aid, new research shows

A new study from the University of Sheffield has found that...

Researchers have found that diets low in carbohydrates can help maintain weight loss, which may be attributed to a prolonged metabolism boost and a higher number of calories burned. 

It has been previously established that energy expenditure declines with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/consistent-weight-loss-success/">weight loss</a> as the body adapts by slowing the metabolism and burning fewer calories, resulting in weight relapse. However, little is known about how an individual's diet can influence this response.


A research team led by Cara Ebbeling and David Ludwig at <a href="http://www.childrenshospital.org/">Boston Children's Hospital</a> set out to better understand the relationship between dietary composition and energy expenditure. They compared the effects of diets varying in carbohydrate to fat ratio on energy expenditure over the course of 20 weeks.

The study started out with 234 overweight adults between 18 and 65 years old with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. Prior to the second phase of the trial, the participants were challenged with a 10-week  weight loss diet.

Overall, 164 participants achieved the target weight loss of around 10 percent of body weight in 10 weeks. These individuals were randomly assigned to follow either a high, moderate, or low carbohydrate diet for 20 weeks.

Each individual was provided with fully prepared meals that had the same levels of protein and fat content. The researchers then tracked the energy expenditure and weight of the participants to compare how the different groups burned calories at the same weight.

After 20 weeks, the total energy expenditure was significantly greater in participants on the low carbohydrate diet compared with the high carbohydrate diet. The individuals on the low carb diet burned 209 to 278 kilocalories a day more than those on the diet that was high in carbs.

Regardless of any potential study limitations, the researchers said that the study confirms that dietary composition affects energy expenditure independently of body weight.

The study authors wrote: “A low glycemic load, high fat diet might facilitate weight loss maintenance beyond the conventional focus on restricting energy intake and encouraging physical activity.”  

Additional research is needed to explore these effects further, and may ultimately lead to the development of effective public health interventions.


The study is published in <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Weight loss is easier to maintain on a low carb diet

Researchers have found that diets low in carbohydrates can help...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a> has revealed that people are actually better at remembering names than faces. The results of the research also suggest that we are asking too much of our <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stress-smaller-brain-size/">brain</a> when we give ourselves a hard time over forgetting someone's name. 


The brain relies on recognition to remember a person's face and on recollection to remember a name, and humans are known to be much more skilled in their recall ability.

For the investigation, the researchers designed a test that could measure names against faces on a level playing field. The trial placed equal demands on the participants to remember faces and names in a game of recognition. 

The study revealed that the individuals were consistently better at remembering names compared to recognizing faces. The test scores showed that participants remembered 83 percent of the names compared to 64 percent of the faces.

“Our study suggests that, while many people may be bad at remembering names, they are likely to be even worse at remembering faces,” said study co-author Dr. Rob Jenkins. “This will surprise many people as it contradicts our intuitive understanding.”

“Our life experiences with names and faces have misled us about how our minds work, but if we eliminate the double standards we are placing on memory, we start to see a different picture.”

When the researchers presented the faces and names of famous people, the participants scored about the same level in both categories. 

The study demonstrated that people were particularly bad at recognizing unknown faces, yet even with faces and names that had been encountered before, they were still much better at recognizing names than faces.

“Knowing someone's face, but not remembering their name is an everyday phenomenon,” said Dr. Jenkins.

“Our knee-jerk reaction to it is to say that names must be harder to memorise than faces, but researchers have never been able to come up with a convincing explanation as to why that might be. This study suggests a resolution to that problem by showing that it is actually a red herring in the first place.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/pqje20/current">Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bad with names? People actually remember names better than faces

A new study from the University of York has revealed...

A new study has found that just a small amount of resistance exercise can have a big impact on heart health. The researchers are reporting that lifting weights for less than one hour a week can reduce the risk of a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/yo-yo-weight-heart-attack-risk/">heart attack</a> by 40 to 70 percent.

The study also revealed that spending more than an hour in the weight room did not yield any additional gain, which suggests that it does not take a lot of weight lifting for major heart health benefits. 


Study lead author DC Lee is an associate professor of Kinesiology at <a href="https://www.iastate.edu/">Iowa State University</a>.

“People may think they need to spend a lot of time lifting weights, but just two sets of bench presses that take less than 5 minutes could be effective,” said Professor Lee.

According to the researchers, the benefits of strength training are independent of running, walking, or other aerobic activity. This means that weight training alone can reduce the risk of a major cardiovascular event, with or without meeting the recommended guidelines for aerobic physical activity.

The research team analyzed data of nearly 13,000 adults in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, and measured three health outcomes including: heart attack and stroke that did not result in death, fatal cardiovascular events, and death from all causes. Incredibly, resistance exercise was found to reduce the risk of all three.

“The results are encouraging, but will people make weightlifting part of their lifestyle? Will they do it and stick with it? That's the million-dollar question,” said Professor Lee.

Unlike aerobic activity, resistance exercise is not as easy to incorporate into an exercise routine. While people may have a treadmill or stationary bike at home, they are not likely to have access to a variety of weight lifting equipment. 

Professor Lee recommended a gym membership, but pointed out people can benefit from other muscle-strengthening activities as well.

“Lifting any weight that increases resistance on your muscles is the key. My muscle doesn't know the difference if I'm digging in the yard, carrying heavy shopping bags or lifting a dumbbell.”

Less than an hour of weekly strength training was also associated with a 29-percent lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome and a 32-percent lower risk of hypercholesterolemia.

“Muscle is the power plant to burn calories. Building muscle helps move your joints and bones, but also there are metabolic benefits. I don't think this is well appreciated,” said Professor Lee. “If you build muscle, even if you're not aerobically active, you burn more energy because you have more muscle. This also helps prevent obesity and provide long-term benefits on various health outcomes.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.acsm.org/read-research/journals-bulletins/medicine-science-in-sports-exercise">Medicine &amp; Science in Sports &amp; Exercise</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Just one hour of weight lifting offers major heart health benefits

A new study has found that just a small amount...

The Harappa Culture, also known as the Indus River Valley Civilization, was yet another ancient civilization <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/severe-drought-maya-collapse/">taken down by climate change</a>, according to a new study. 

Over 4,000 years ago, the Harappa culture was thriving along the Indus River Valley in what is now modern Pakistan and northwestern India.

Ancient Harrapan cities were sophisticated and archeologists have even found evidence of trading between Harappan cities and settlements in Mesopotamia. 

However, by 1800 BCE, the civilization shifted, and settlements were formed along Himalayan foothills leaving the once sprawling cities abandoned. 

Past studies could only speculate on the reasons for this move, but now, a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/">Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution</a> shows that climate change was most likely to blame. 

The study was published in the journal Climate of the Past. 

The researchers studied sediment along the floor of the Arabian Sea off the coast of Pakistan, specifically focusing on foraminifera shells which are single-celled plankton. 

Finding clues of what the climate was like in the soil is difficult, but the ocean floor is a vast treasure trove of climate records dating back millions of years. 

The foraminifera fossils indicated what season it was when the shell was formed and the researchers could then piece together clues about the climate based on the components of the sediment sample. 

“The seafloor near the mouth of the Indus is a very low-oxygen environment, so whatever grows and dies in the water is very well preserved in the sediment,” said Liviu Giosan, the lead author of the study. “You can basically get fragments of DNA of nearly anything that's lived there.”

After analyzing the sediment samples, the researchers found winter monsoons along of Indus River grew stronger while summer monsoons weakened towards the end of the Harappa Civilization’s time span. 

This would have put stress on agriculture and likely prompted people to move to a dependable source of water. 

“Although fickle summer monsoons made agriculture difficult along the Indus, up in the foothills, moisture and rain would come more regularly,” said Giosan. “As winter storms from the Mediterranean hit the Himalayas, they created rain on the Pakistan side, and fed little streams there. Compared to the floods from monsoons that the Harappans were used to seeing in the Indus, it would have been relatively little water, but at least it would have been reliable.”

The researchers aren’t sure if the Harappans transitioned to the Himalayas in one mass migration or if it was an event that took centuries, but one thing for sure is that climate change had a major hand in the decline of the Harappa civilization. 

“It's remarkable, and there's a powerful lesson for today,” said Giosan. “If you look at Syria and Africa, the migration out of those areas has some roots in climate change. This is just the beginning--sea level rise due to climate change can lead to huge migrations from low lying regions like Bangladesh, or from hurricane-prone regions in the southern U.S. Back then, the Harappans could cope with change by moving, but today, you'll run into all sorts of borders. Political and social convulsions can then follow.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Ancient Civilization forced to relocate due to climate change

The Harappa Culture, also known as the Indus River Valley...

China made <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/china-weaken-ban-rhino-tiger-parts/">international headlines</a> in October when it announced it would be opening up the trade in rhino horns and tiger bones under certain circumstances, replacing a 1993 ban on the trade.

According to the <a href="http://english.gov.cn/policies/latest_releases/2018/10/29/content_281476367121088.htm">announcement</a> made October 29th, rhino horns and tiger bones could be used for medical research and healing. China stated that rhino horns and tiger bones used in medical research and healing could only be obtained from rhinos and tigers raised in farms.

The announcement was met with swift outrage from conservationists, animal advocates and others. Both rhinos and tigers are currently experiencing steep declines in the wild and people worried that opening up a trade in their parts would jeopardize the remaining populations.

“China’s decision to reopen a legalized trade in farmed tiger bone and rhino horn reverses 25 years of conservation progress in reducing the demand for these products in traditional Chinese medicine and improving the effectiveness of law enforcement,” said Leigh Henry, director of wildlife policy, World Wildlife Fund-US in a<a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/in-a-blow-to-wildlife-china-lifts-a-ban-on-the-use-of-tiger-and-rhino-parts"> blog post</a>. “This devastating reversal by China runs completely counter to the image of wildlife champion the world had come to expect with China’s ivory trade ban, which was such a positive development for the world’s elephants.”

Now China has just<a href="http://www.china.org.cn/china/Off_the_Wire/2018-11/12/content_71941870.htm"> announced</a> a temporary halt on the reversal. The government stated the regulation has been postponed for further studying.

“The ‘three strict bans’ will continue to be enforced: strictly ban the import and export of rhinos, tigers and their byproducts; strictly ban the sale, purchase, transport, carrying and mailing of rhinos, tigers and their byproducts; and strictly ban the use of rhino horns and tiger bones in medicine,” the State Council Executive Deputy Secretary-General Ding Xuedong stated during media questions.

The government did not state whether the trade in tiger bones and rhino horns would be re-opened after the temporary halt. The announcement was still welcome news for conservationists and animal advocacy groups.

“WWF welcomes the news that China has postponed lifting its ban on the domestic trade in rhino horn and tiger bone, signaling a positive response to international reaction,” said Margaret Kinnaird, WWF’s wildlife practice leader in<a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/in-a-blow-to-wildlife-china-lifts-a-ban-on-the-use-of-tiger-and-rhino-parts"> an update to their blog post</a>. “Allowing trade from even captive animals could have had devastating impacts on wild rhino and tiger populations. This move helps maintain the leadership role China has taken in tackling the illegal wildlife trade and reducing market demand.”

There are currently an<a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15955/50659951#use-trade"> estimated</a> 6,000 tigers living on farms in China, compared to only 3,200 tigers living in the wild. Rhino farms can be found in South Africa which legalized the domestic trade of rhino horns.

Tiger and rhino farming fuels the poaching of the animals in the wild. Big Cat Rescue<a href="https://bigcatrescue.org/tiger-farms/"> states</a>, “Farming has normalized and legitimized the sale of tiger parts and products and has undermined global efforts to stamp out the illegal trade. There is no way to differentiate contraband from a wild born or captive born tiger.”

While the ultimate fate of tigers and rhinos in China is still unclear, China reiterated their commitment to ending illegal wildlife trafficking.

“The Chinese government has been consistent and firm in its stance on wildlife protection. I would like to reiterate that the Chinese government has not changed its stance on wildlife protection and will not ease the crackdown on illegal trafficking and trade of rhinos, tigers and their byproducts and other criminal activities,” Xuedong stated.

--

By <a href="mailto:brianna.grant134@gmail.com">Brianna Lynne</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

China postpones opening up rhino, tiger trade following outrage

China made international headlines in October when it announced it...

Sea level rise, an onslaught of life-threatening storms, and increasing global temperatures have caused society to become more aware of the effects of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/droughts-costly-global-warming/">global warming</a> in recent decades. However, a new study from the <a href="http://english.iap.cas.cn/">Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> shows that global warming has been constant since 1870, the start of the Industrial Revolution.

Researchers found that global warming, that being the influx of CO2 and other atmospheric greenhouse gasses in our air, has never ceased since the late 19th century. The maximum rate of change occurred after WWII and has been at a stable change rate of .08-degrees Celsius over the last three decades.

However, the scientists saw a slowing of the upward trend of global mean surface temperature (GMST) during the first decade of the 21st century. Even though CO2 levels continued to rise between the years of 2001 to 2013/2002 to 2012, scientists have tagged this period in global history as the ‘global warming hiatus’ or ‘slowdown in warming.’

Scientists believe this slowdown happened due to either internal climate variability or external forcing, or perhaps both, an increase in aerosols within the stratosphere during 2000-2010, the negative phase of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) partnered with strong trade winds, an vast heat uptake by the deep ocean, or a lower number of sunspots during the most recent solar activity cycle. Basically, this hiatus is a result of global warming and cooling counteracting each other.

Lead author of the study, the Institute’s Dr. Xingang Dai, said, "Our study suggests that future climate conditions will likely rely on competition between multidecadal cooling and global warming if the multidecadal climate cycle repeats, as was experienced during the second half of the twentieth century.”

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By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Global warming not stopped since the Industrial Revolution

Sea level rise, an onslaught of life-threatening storms, and increasing...

Our <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/stress-smaller-brain-size/">brains</a> contain about 86 billion neurons and as many as 150 trillion synaptic connections – safe to say, there’s a lot going on up there. That’s why it’s not surprising we forget certain things from time to time, whether it’s the name of your new coworker or where you parked your car at the mall. 

Our brain stores this information for us, but when we recall from our memory where we may have parked the car, the brain is usually able to retrieve the information for that specific instance, rather than recalling every single time we parked our car at the mall.

The ability for our brain to actively forget distracting memories has been studied extensively, and research from Michael Anderson of the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> has shown that memory retrieval plays a crucial role in this process. 

“People are used to thinking of forgetting as something passive. Our research reveals that people are more engaged than they realize in actively shaping what they remember of their lives,” explains Anderson. “The idea that the very act of remembering can cause forgetting is surprising and could tell us more about people’s capacity for selective amnesia.”

Although the ability to actively forget has been observed in humans, it has been unclear whether it is present in other species. But in a study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>, Anderson and his colleagues have show the ability to actively forget is in rats as well, and may be shared among other mammal species. 

Anderson and his team tested this by putting rats into a controlled environment to explore an object (object A) and then removing them for a time before putting them back into the environment to explore a different object (object B). To test whether the rats showed retrieval-induced forgetting, they then repeatedly placed the rats in an environment with object A and a novel object. Because rats love to explore new things, the researchers could clearly see the rats would study the new object intently and not be as interested in the familiar object A.

For the final phase, the researchers put the rats back into the environment with object B and a novel object. They observed that the rats explored both B and the new object equally, showing that by selectively remembering their experience with A repeatedly, the rats actively trained themselves to forget B.

The research team was then able to identify an area towards the front of the rat’s brain that controls the active forgetting mechanism. When the region called the medial prefrontal cortex was “switched off,” the rats lost their ability to selectively forget competing memories. In humans, our ability to selectively forget is controlled by a similar region in the prefrontal cortex.

“Rats appear to have the same active forgetting ability as humans do – they forget memories selectively when those memories cause distraction,” says Anderson. “And, crucially, they use a similar prefrontal control mechanism as we do. This discovery suggests that this ability to actively forget less useful memories may have evolved far back on the ‘Tree of Life,’ perhaps as far back as our common ancestor with rodents some 100 million years ago.”

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How humans are able to selectively forget distracting memories

Our brains contain about 86 billion neurons and as many...

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/daylight-saving-time-necessary/">Daylight Saving Time</a> has ushered in the start of the coldest, darkest months of the year for many areas of the globe. Fall is on its way out, winter is rolling in, and with it flu season, colds, seasonal affective disorder, and even an increased risk of heart attacks. 

During the winter months, when temperatures can dip below zero degrees Fahrenheit in some places, an extra layer may keep out the chill. But here’s why simply covering up isn’t enough to protect against the flu or heart attacks. 

What most likely comes to mind when you think about getting sick in winter is flu and colds. Both are viral infections, and so antibiotics won’t be of any help. Antibiotics would only be prescribed for bacterial infections that arose because of a nasty bout of flu or a cold, for example, congestion from a cold could lead to a sinus infection. 

You can contract the flu any time of year, but cases are much more common in the fall and winter. The flu is incredibly contagious, which is partly why health care providers are so adamant about getting up to date flu shots. 

An adult with the flu can spread the germs within a six feet radius, and you can inhale the flu virus from someone’s cough or sneeze or accidentally touch a contaminated surface. You can also be contagious before symptoms begin and up to seven days after getting sick, according to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/spread.htm">the Centers for Disease Control. </a>

Around 9.3 million and 49 million people are estimated to get sick every year from influenza, and this has resulted in hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths since 2010. 

There are a couple of reasons why the flu is far more prevalent in winter than other times of the year, and one major factor is the increased time spent indoors with other people. 

As we bunker down for the winter, winterizing homes, sealing up windows and staying indoors as much as possible, we increase the amount of time we spend in close proximity with others and with that comes a higher likelihood of catching the flu from someone who is sick. 

Researchers have also hypothesized that the cold weather and lack of sunlight, both common in winter, can compromise the immune system and weaken our natural defenses against infections. 

However, one of the biggest reasons behind the flu’s triumphant invasion during the winter months has to do with the virus itself and its preference for cold, dry climates. 

In 2007, a study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.0030151">PLoS Pathogens</a> revealed for the first time that the flu virus thrives in low humidity, which makes the cold, dry air of winter ideal.

Influenza is largely spread through the air, and the researchers found that winter conditions allow the virus to stay stable for longer. 

“We've always thought the immune system wasn't as active during the winter, but that doesn't really seem to be the case,” said Peter Palese, a co-author of the study in an interview with <a href="https://www.livescience.com/9543-study-reveals-flu-thrives-winter.html">LiveScience</a> “We found that the flu's transmission period is much, much longer when temperatures and humidity levels are low.” 

Your risk of getting the flu isn’t the only thing that increases in the winter. Recent research has found surprising links to cold weather and heart attacks. Cold weather can increase both your blood pressure and cholesterol which are two major risk factors for heart disease. 

“Cold weather sometimes creates a perfect storm of risk factors for cardiovascular problems,” Randall Zusman, a cardiologist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/avoiding-winter-heart-attacks">told Harvard Health Publishing. </a>

Put plainly, cold weather forces your heart to work harder, and for people with cardiovascular disease, the risk of heart attacks is much higher in winter. Cold weather can constrict oxygen flow, and winter sports and even something as simple as shoveling snow puts stress on the heart. 

In response to the cold, the body’s blood vessels shrink, which is why it’s especially important to cover up in the winter. 

Even the flu increases the risk of heart attacks as a fever can cause your heart to beat faster, and dehydration (also a risk with influenza) reduces blood pressure. As a result, the flu season is a kind of double whammy in terms of risk factors for heart attacks. 

<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662093/">Studies </a>have also found that pollution is worse in the winter in many areas of the globe, due to the increased use of fuel for energy and transportation as well the low wind speeds and temperature which create pockets of stagnant air during the winter. 

One recent <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180723152550.htm">July 2018 study</a> found that in the eastern United States, although overall emissions are decreasing year round, wintertime pollution has stayed consistent despite declines in summertime pollution. This is due to the fact that cold temperatures allow for more pollution particulate exposure. 

The link between air pollution and cardiovascular disease has been thoroughly studied, and so it’s easy to understand how an increase in wintertime air pollution would correlate with an increase in heart attacks. 

Those most at risk of winter heart failure are the elderly and people with cardiovascular disease. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412016309734?via%3Dihub">One study</a> found that heart failure increased by .07 percent for every one degree Celsius decrease in average temperature over the past seven days. Heart failure risk also rose with an increase in atmospheric pressure, according to the same study. 

The best thing you can do to guard against these common winter health problems is bundle up and dress appropriately for the weather, and stay up to date with flu shots. It’s also wise to keep outdoor activities to a minimum if you're at risk for heart failure, and make sure you’re aware of how cold weather and winter pollution impact your cardiovascular health. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

From flu to heart attacks, here’s why you get sick in the winter

Daylight Saving Time has ushered in the start of the...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> has revealed that male fertility may be threatened by climate change. The researchers discovered that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heat-waves-brain-performance/">heat waves</a> are causing damage to insect sperm that has a lasting effect on future generations. 

According to the researchers, the association between male infertility and heat waves may explain why climate change is drastically impacting species populations, including climate-related extinctions.

“We know that biodiversity is suffering under climate change, but the specific causes and sensitivities are hard to pin down,” said study co-author Professor Matt Gage. “We've shown in this work that sperm function is an especially sensitive trait when the environment heats up, and in a model system representing a huge amount of global biodiversity.”

“Since sperm function is essential for reproduction and population viability, these findings could provide one explanation for why biodiversity is suffering under climate change. A warmer atmosphere will be more volatile and hazardous, with extreme events like heat waves becoming increasingly frequent, intense and widespread.”

“Heat waves are particularly damaging extreme weather events. Local extinctions are known to occur when temperature changes become too intense. We wanted to know why this happens. And one answer could be related to sperm.”

The investigation was focused on male reproduction ability in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, after simulated heat waves. For five days, the beetles were exposed to either regular conditions or to heatwave conditions with temperatures that were five to seven degrees Celsius above the norm. 

The researchers conducted a variety of  assessments to examine any potential damage to reproductive success, sperm function, and offspring quality. After the first heat wave, the amount of offspring that the males could produce was reduced by half. A second heat wave almost completely sterilized the male beetles. 

Following the experimental heat waves, males reduced sperm production by 75 percent, and any sperm produced then struggled to migrate into the female tract and were more likely to die before fertilization.

“Our research shows that heat waves halve male reproductive fitness, and it was surprising how consistent the effect was,” explained study lead author and postgraduate researcher Kirs Sales. 

The researchers also observed some impact on male sexual behavior, with males exposed to heat waves mating half as frequently as the control beetles. Furthermore, the impacts were passed along to other generations. 

“Two concerning results were the impact of successive heatwaves on males, and the impacts of heatwaves on future generations,” said Sales. “When males were exposed to two heatwave events 10 days apart, their offspring production was less than 1 percent of the control group. Insects in nature are likely to experience multiple heatwave events, which could become a problem for population productivity if male reproduction cannot adapt or recover.”

The study also demonstrated that the offspring of affected males lived shorter lives by a couple of months. In addition, the male offspring of impacted beetles were found to be less able to fertilize a series of potential mates and produced less offspring.

“Beetles are thought to constitute a quarter of biodiversity, so these results are very important for understanding how species react to climate change,” explained Sales. “Research has also shown that heat shock can damage male reproduction in warm blooded animals too, and past work has shown that this leads to infertility in mammals.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>. 

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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

Heat waves could have a serious impact on male fertility

A new study from the University of East Anglia has...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The environmental problem we actually solved

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

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

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</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

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</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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-----

Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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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

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"]</div>



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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" 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 the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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