Being cool can feel elusive and almost mythic - something we “know when we see it,” yet struggle to define.



A sweeping new investigation led by marketing scholars Todd Pezzuti of <a href="https://www.uai.cl/">Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez</a> and Caleb Warren of the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> argues that the concept is far less mysterious than it seems.



Across twelve nations, nearly 6,000 participants independently picked out the same constellation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-type-can-accurately-predict-your-relationship-status/">personality</a> traits when describing a cool person. 



The findings reveal not only what separates “cool” from “good” but also why cool people tend to become catalysts of social change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-cool-across-12-nations">Mapping cool across 12 nations</h2>



Between 2018 and 2022, the research team collected online responses from adults in the United States, Australia, Chile, mainland China, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey.



Participants first confirmed that they understood the slang meaning of the word “cool,” then spent a few minutes imagining someone who embodied one of four labels: cool, uncool, good, or not good.



Afterward, volunteers evaluated that imagined person on a battery of personality dimensions drawn from psychology’s “Big Five” model and Schwartz’s theory of universal values.



Because all responses came from internet users in relatively urban settings, the sample leans toward technologically connected citizens. 



Still, it is one of the most culturally diverse datasets ever assembled to study reputational judgments. The result is a uniquely global snapshot of how people assign social prestige.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-cool-and-good-part-ways"><a></a>Where cool and good part ways</h2>



When the investigators compared ratings, they found considerable overlap: both cool and good people scored high on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-many-facial-expressions-seem-more-social-and-likeable/">likability</a>. Yet important divergences emerged.



In all the places they studied, people consistently perceived cool individuals as more extraverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous. 



Good people, by contrast, ranked as conforming, traditional, secure, warm, agreeable, universalistic, conscientious, and calm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cool-people-aren-t-always-good">Cool people aren't always "good"</h2>



In Pezzuti’s view, the cool profile evokes a kind of charismatic boundary-pusher: energetic, novelty seeking, and unapologetically self-directed.



That explains why cool individuals can inspire fashion trends or launch creative movements - roles that sometimes require bending social rules rather than following them.



“To be seen as cool, someone usually needs to be somewhat likable or admirable, which makes them similar to good people," said Warren. "However, cool people often have other traits that aren’t necessarily considered ‘good’ in a moral sense, like being hedonistic and powerful.”



The cool persona therefore straddles acceptance and transgression: admired enough to influence peers, rebellious enough to feel fresh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cool-traits-go-global">Cool traits go global</h2>



In the mid-20th century, “cool” circulated in small countercultures - from Black jazz clubs to Beatnik cafés. Over the decades, fashion labels, record companies and Hollywood studios harnessed the aura of cool, broadcasting certain looks and attitudes to a worldwide audience.



The new study suggests that process may have standardized the meaning of the term. Even participants who live 10,000 miles apart now recognize the same signature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-traits-linked-to-willingness-to-volunteer-or-donate/">traits</a>. As the authors note, the meaning of cool has crystallized on a similar set of traits and values around the world.



Pezzuti does not see commercialization as a death knell. “Coolness has definitely evolved over time, but I don’t think it has lost its edge. It’s just become more functional,” he said.



“The concept of coolness started in small, rebellious sub-cultures, including Black jazz musicians in the 1940s and the beatniks in the 1950s. As society moves faster and puts more value on creativity and change, cool people are more essential than ever.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-coolness-matters">Why coolness matters</h2>



Because cool people display power and autonomy while earning admiration, the researchers argue that coolness helps establish informal hierarchies. Instead of relying solely on wealth or institutional authority, communities also elevate figures who embody daring and originality.



These individuals, in turn, shape cultural norms by modeling alternative ways to dress, speak, or live. As Pezzuti puts it, “everyone wants to be cool, or at least avoid the stigma of being uncool, and society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture.”



That dual role - both aspirational and disruptive - makes the cool persona uniquely influential. Marketers know this instinctively when they cast charismatic musicians in sneaker ads. Activists harness it when they infuse protest art with edgy style.



The study provides empirical backing for those intuitions: people from Lagos to Los Angeles consistently associate coolness with adventurous independence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coolness-in-the-digital-age">Coolness in the digital age</h2>



The team notes their study excludes rural and offline groups, whose ideas of cool may differ significantly. They also restricted the study to cultures already familiar with the English slang term, potentially narrowing linguistic nuance.



Future projects could test whether the six-trait profile - extraverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous - holds in additional societies or emerges in other languages.



Researchers are likewise curious about how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-pressure-is-straining-teen-friendships/">social media</a> platforms, which accelerate the spread of trends, might further synchronize or fragment global standards of cool. Does TikTok broaden identity through niche subcultures or reinforce the six-trait mold by favoring charismatic risk-takers?



For now, the evidence is striking: when people across five continents imagine someone undeniably cool, they picture remarkably similar qualities. 



Coolness, it turns out, may be one of the few cross-cultural constants - an unwritten code that transcends borders even as it keeps pushing boundaries.



The study is published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fxge0001799">Journal of Experimental Psychology: General</a>.



-----



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What makes people cool? Scientists tracked down the traits

Being cool can feel elusive and almost mythic - something we “know when we see it,” yet struggle to define. A sweeping new investigation led by marketing scholars Todd Pezzuti of Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and Caleb Warren of the University of Arizona argues that the concept is far less mysterious than it seems. Across twelve nations, nearly 6,000 participants independently picked out the same constellation of personality traits when describing a cool person. The findings reveal not only what separates “cool” from “good” but also why cool...

The anti-aging industry is a massive business, with a wide range of products available showing varying degrees of effectiveness. But what if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-reverse-wrinkles-inside/">wrinkles</a> could be truly reversed, hair loss stopped, and skin elasticity restored?

Thanks to new research conducted by researchers from the <a href="https://www.uab.edu/">University of Alabama at Birmingham</a>, true age reversal at the cellular level may be a reality in the future. 

The study was published in the journal Cell Death and Disease. 

“Wrinkled skin and hair loss are obvious features of skin aging and aging-associated phenotypic changes in humans,” the research team writes. “We discovered that these aging-associated phenotypic changes could be reversed by restoring mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) content to wild-type level. To our knowledge this observation is unprecedented.”

The researchers knew that mitochondrial DNA depletion was associated with aging and age-associated chronic diseases, but were not sure to what extent. 

To test the relationship between aging, genetics, and mtDNA, the researchers depleted mtDNA in mice using a specific gene mutation. The mutated mice quickly exhibited rapid signs of aging including wrinkles and hair loss. 

The mice were given an antibiotic that caused mtDNA depletion and jumpstarted the rapid aging. 

Once the mtDNA depletion was reversed and mitochondrial function restored, within two months the mice had no wrinkles and shiny, thick fur. The mice were indistinguishable from other healthy mice of the same age, according to the <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jul/20/genetic-researchers-reverse-wrinkles-gray-hair-and/">Washington Times</a> which reported on the study.

The results of the study were so positive that the researchers have good reason to believe that similar gene therapies could reverse aging in humans. 

“This mouse model should provide an unprecedented opportunity for the development of preventive and therapeutic drug development strategies to augment the mitochondrial functions for the treatment of aging-associated skin and hair pathology and other human diseases in which mitochondrial dysfunction plays a significant role,” said Keshav K. Singh, an author of the study, in a statement. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Researchers discover unprecedented method for reversing wrinkles

The anti-aging industry is a massive business, with a wide...

As humans, certain facial expressions or actions have become synonymous with certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magic-mushrooms-depression-emotions/">emotions</a>, like crying and sadness or laughing and happiness.

Emotions are hardwired into our brains, and there are several universal emotions that can be recognized across countries and cultures. Scientists argue that anger, disgust, happiness, fear, sadness, and surprise are six universal emotions we all experience. 

Now, a new study found that while emotions themselves may be a universal experience, how people understand and perceive these emotions differs based on preconceived views and beliefs. 

For example, one person may associate a fist slamming with both anger and sadness while another may find anger and sadness to be completely different emotions. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> conducted the study which was published in the journal Nature Human Behavior, and the results provide new insights into how people recognize and link facial expressions to emotions. 

“Perceiving other people's facial emotion expressions often feels as if we are directly reading them out from a face, but these visual perceptions may differ across people depending on the unique conceptual beliefs we bring to the table,” said Jonathan Freeman, the senior author of the study. “Our findings suggest that people vary in the specific facial cues they utilize for perceiving facial emotion expressions.”

The researchers conducted a series of experiments to see how emotions were conceptualized and if certain pairs of emotions like anger and sadness were closely related in the brain. 

First, study participants were shown images of human facial expressions of the six universal emotions and the researchers asked the participants which emotions were being expressed. 

Freeman used mouse-tracking technology to follow the participant’s hand movements as they made decisions about the emotions and expressions they were viewing. 

If a participant felt two emotions were conceptually more similar, the mouse movements showed that they would attempt to identify a single facial expression as two emotions like anger and disgust. 

The last experiment involved a technique called “reverse correlation” and participants were presented with a neutral face that had been overlaid with different patterns of random noise. The noise patterns were linked to subtle differences in expression. 

For example, one noise might show a face that looked like it was smiling more than frowning. Participants were then shown two different versions of the face and had to decide which one more closely represented a specific emotion.

The results varied depending on how closely related different emotions were to each participant, showing that our understanding of emotions and expressions is driven by our own conceptualizations and beliefs. 

“The findings suggest that how we perceive facial expressions may not just reflect what's in the face itself, but also our own conceptual understanding of what the emotion means,” said Freeman.

“For any given pair of emotions, such as fear and anger, the more a subject believes these emotions are more similar, the more these two emotions visually resemble one another on a person's face. The results suggest that we may all slightly differ in the facial cues we use to understand others' emotions because they depend on how we conceptually understand these emotions.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Preconceived notions impact our ability to empathize

As humans, certain facial expressions or actions have become synonymous...

A new study from <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> has found that suicide rates are likely to rise as the planet continues to grow warmer. The average global temperature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-warn-global-warming/">increases</a> that are predicted to occur through the year 2050 could result in an additional 21,000 suicides in the United States and Mexico.


Study lead author Marshall Burke is an assistant professor of Earth System Science in the School of Earth, Energy &amp; Environmental Sciences at Stanford.

“When talking about climate change, it's often easy to think in abstractions. But the thousands of additional suicides that are likely to occur as a result of unmitigated climate change are not just a number, they represent tragic losses for families across the country,” said Professor Burke.


A link between suicides and hotter weather has been recognized for centuries, but there are many other factors that contribute to suicide that also vary across the seasons, such as less daylight and lower employment rates.


“Suicide is one of the leading causes of death globally, and suicide rates in the U.S. have risen dramatically over the last 15 years. So better understanding the causes of suicide is a public health priority,” said Professor Burke.

To distinguish between the role of temperatures and other suicide factors, the experts compared historical data across thousands of regions in the United States and Mexico. The team also analyzed the language in over half a billion posts on Twitter to search for evidence of a connection between hotter temperatures and mental well-being.

The researchers found a strong correlation between hotter weather and suicide rates. There was also a substantial increase found in the use of depressive language on social media when the temperatures were hot and oppressive.

“Surprisingly, these effects differ very little based on how rich populations are or if they are used to warm weather,” said Professor Burke.

Using projections from global climate models, the team calculated that a rise in temperature by the year 2050 could increase suicide rates by 1.4 percent in the United States and 2.3 percent in Mexico.

"We've been studying the effects of warming on conflict and violence for years, finding that people fight more when it's hot,” said study co-author Solomon Hsiang. “Now we see that in addition to hurting others, some individuals hurt themselves. It appears that heat profoundly affects the human mind and how we decide to inflict harm.”

The study authors emphasized that rising temperature and climate change should not be viewed as direct motivations for suicide. Instead, the likelihood of situations that can lead to self-harm will increase.

“Hotter temperatures are clearly not the only, nor the most important, risk factor for suicide,” said Professor Burke. “But our findings suggest that warming can have a surprisingly large impact on suicide risk, and this matters for both our understanding of mental health as well as for what we should expect as temperatures continue to warm.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Suicide rates will rise with warming temperatures, study shows

A new study from Stanford University has found that suicide...

Humans and other mammals may be miserable during Britain’s heat wave, but toxic cyanobacteria is enjoying the heat just fine.

Cyanobacteria – also known as blue-green algae – grows when it’s sunny and hot. In fact, new research is finding that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-algae-extinction/">algae populations of all types may explode</a> when temperatures are high as a sort of cooling system for the planet.

But blue-green algae isn’t harmless. Large blooms of the toxic cyanobacteria can be deadly for pets and cause rashes, nausea, fever, headaches and other dangerous symptoms in humans who have been exposed.

Veterinarians warn people not to let their pets splash in ponds or drink the water during walks. Humans, especially children, should also avoid swimming in ponds with algae. The toxic cyanobacteria can also affect livestock.

Algae blooms – including cyanobacteria – have been discovered in four lakes in Cumbria in the recent heat wave, prompting the government to issue a warning. Swimmers should be cautious at the four lakes – Windermere, Ullswater, Coniston Water and Killington Reservoir – and report any sightings of the toxic cyanobacteria, the UK’s <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/blue-green-algae-remains-present-in-four-lake-district-locations">Environment Agency</a> stated.

“Blue green algae is a completely natural summertime occurrence, however it can be toxic and as such, users of these lakes must remain cautious,” the agency’s Jim Ratcliffe said. “As well as having a negative effect on the appearance, quality and use of the water, it can also move around – you could see it one day, but it may have moved the next.”

The Environment Agency <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/algal-blooms-advice-for-the-public-and-landowners/algal-blooms-advice-for-the-public-and-landowners">published a guide last year</a> on what people should do if they see or are exposed to blue-green algae.

The agency would take samples at affected lakes weekly throughout the summer, Ratcliffe said. Staff will also test the water at any lakes where citizens report seeing the algae.

The algae problem should retreat once Cumbria’s rainy season begins again, the UK government’s statement said.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Toxic cyanobacteria grows in UK ponds during heat wave

Humans and other mammals may be miserable during Britain’s heat...

Scientists are growing an alternative to the bulky plastic carbon monoxide detectors that keep homes safe. Some day in the future, gas-detecting plants that change color to warn us of deadly fumes may be a common add-on in homes.

“Houseplants are ubiquitous in our home environments,” Dr. Neal Stewart of the <a href="https://www.utk.edu/">University of Tennessee</a>, who co-authored the study, told the <a href="http://dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>. “They can do a lot more than just sit there and look pretty. They could alert us to the presence of hazards in our environment.”

Plants are already acting as a kind of air filter in many homes. Houseplants have been shown to help <a href="https://www.earth.com/earth-science-slides/10-best-plants-indoor-air-quality/">filter toxins like formaldehyde</a> out of the air. 

But the researchers working on the new study thinks that with a little genetic engineering, they can do a lot more. By adding more stomata – the tiny openings that allow gases like carbon dioxide into plants’ cells – scientists believe they can turn everyday ferns or peace lilies into gas-detecting plants that can change color to alert their owners to carbon monoxide or harmful bacteria. 

They’ve already seen some success in the lab. A few modified plants have been able to detect flu, mold, radon gas and other substances, changing color or fluorescing when they do.

While more research is needed before any of the plants will be ready for public release, Stewart and his colleagues see a future where homes come equipped with wall panels of greenery – the gas-detecting plants would be most effective in dense groupings, the team noted.

“Through the tools of synthetic biology it's possible for us to engineer houseplants that can serve as architectural design elements that are both pleasing to our senses and that function as early sensors of environmental agents that could harm our health, like mold, radon gas or high concentrations of volatile organic compounds,” Stewart told the Mail.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/361/6399/229.full.pdf">Science</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Gas-detecting plants could act as home health monitors

Scientists are growing an alternative to the bulky plastic carbon...

Social media has leveled the playing field on the internet. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram and blogging networks have given everyday people the same opportunity to share opinions and information as experts, journalists, politicians and celebrities.

And it may be doing major damage to democratic institutions, a new study led by <a href="http://www.ox.ac.uk/">Oxford University</a> researchers claims.

“The manipulation of public opinion over social media platforms has emerged as a critical threat to public life,” the researchers wrote in their <a href="http://comprop.oii.ox.ac.uk/research/cybertroops2018/">new report</a>. “Around the world, a range of government agencies and political parties are exploiting social media platforms to spread junk news and disinformation, exercise censorship and control, and undermine trust in the media, public institutions, and science.”

The study found that political parties in 48 countries were spreading false or manipulative information through social media, a sharp spike from 28 countries in 2016 and 2017. In many cases, the false information related to elections.

The fake news wasn’t limited to established social media giants like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/?lang=en">Twitter</a>. In a fifth of the countries, parties were using newer platforms like <a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/">WhatsApp</a>, <a href="https://telegram.org/">Telegram</a> and <a href="https://web.wechat.com/">WeChat</a> to share misinformation. 

In many of the countries where political manipulation of social media is evident, parties have spent quite a bit of money on psychological studies of the effects of social media on people’s opinions.

“Since 2010, political parties and governments have spent more than half a billion dollars on the research, development, and implementation of psychological operations and public opinion manipulation over social Media,” the study said.

And it’s not just a problem in countries with records of human rights issues, like Russia, the Philippines, Cuba and North Korea. The researchers discovered politicians attempting to manipulate social media users in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Israel and Germany, as well. 

The study included both a thorough review and analysis of existing studies on social media and bias, and a content analysis of news articles that were found using specific keywords. The researchers created a profile for each country, then asked experts in those countries’ politics and current events to review them.

The researchers were able to point to activity by political parties, often with the help of “cyber troops” recruited from Russia, Turkey, Israel, Azerbaijan and other countries, to spread misinformation.

It’s possible it will get worse.

“There are more political parties learning from the strategies deployed during Brexit and the US 2016 Presidential election: more campaigns are using bots, junk news and disinformation to polarize and manipulate voters,” study co-author Samantha Bradshaw told the <a href="http://dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>. 

In other words, don’t trust everything – or maybe anything – you read on social media without verifying it with a trusted source.

—

By Kyla Cathey, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Exploring the extent of 'fake news' on social media

Social media has leveled the playing field on the internet....

A peace treaty in Colombia may have ended decades of violence, but scientists are warning that the pact has also led to mass deforestation across some of the most biodiverse regions in the world.

For 52 years, civil war in Colombia displaced more than seven million people and claimed at least 220, 000 lives. This war ended with a peace deal in 2016, which was a formal agreement between the Colombian government and guerrilla groups including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). 

While the war was ongoing, a region of Colombia known as the Andes-Amazon “biodiversity bridge” was controlled by FARC soldiers and was essentially too dangerous to enter.


The region is referred to as a “bridge” because it links the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/taller-older-rainforests-drought/">Amazon rainforest</a> to the Andes and contains hugely significant ecosystems. The area, which spans three national parks, is home to thousands of exotic species. Some of these rare animals have existed here for as long as 22 million years.


After the FARC soldiers were disarmed, large landowners began clearing the forest at an alarming rate to make way for farms and for the illegal growth of coca crops. In 2017 alone, 219,973 hectares of forest were lost from the region, according to official Colombian sources.

Experts and conservationists from Colombia and the UK are urging the new government in Colombia to formally protect the area and to take immediate action to stop the deforestation and development.


Study co-author Chris Jiggins is a professor of Evolutionary Biology at <a href="https://www.sjc.edu/">St John's College</a>,

“This is a critical moment for Colombia - there are new threats to these areas but there's still some forest left,” said Professor Jiggins. 

“The systematic clearance of trees breaks an important link between the Andes and the Amazon that has played a vital role in the evolution of animals and plants. But if action is taken sooner rather than later we could preserve the area and maintain links between these irreplaceable ecosystems."

Study first author Dr. Nicola Clerici is an associate professor at the <a href="http://www.urosario.edu.co/">Universidad del Rosario</a> in Colombia.

“We are appealing for the attention of international conservation organizations and Governments to funnel both research and development funds and resources to promote and nourish projects focused on the preservation and sustainable management of this strategic Andes-Amazon bridge,” said Dr. Clerici.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1755263x">Conservation Letters</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Chris Jiggins

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Colombian peace treaty ends violence but prompts deforestation

A peace treaty in Colombia may have ended decades of...

A new study reports that having five or more babies may increase a woman’s risk of Alzheimer's disease.

The findings were published in the journal Neurology, which surprisingly found that women who had no children or had had incomplete pregnancies had a lowered risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/twice-americans-alzheimers-2060/">Alzheimer's</a>.

“Based on previous research, we expected that pregnancy with childbirth may be associated with the risk of Alzheimer's disease," Ki Woong Kim, an author of the study told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/18/health/pregnancy-childbirth-alzheimers-study/index.html">CNN</a> in an email. “However we were quite surprised that incomplete pregnancy was associated with the lower risk of Alzheimer's, which we did not expect at the beginning of our research.”

The study could help explain why women are more likely to develop Alzheimer's or dementia later on in life compared to men.

For the study, a team of researchers from <a href="http://www.useoul.edu/">Seoul National University </a>reviewed data from two population-based studies, one from Grease and one from South Korea.

Data on more than 3,000 women with an average age of 71 was included in the research.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that having five or more children correlated with a 70 percent increased risk of Alzheimer's compared to women who had had 4 or fewer children.

The results also showed that women who had had incomplete pregnancies were only half as likely to develop Alzheimer's.

Previous studies have long tried to understand why the risk of Alzheimer's is so high for women.

One plausible theory is that the hormones produced during pregnancy and throughout a woman's lifetime allow for an increased build-up of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, which research has shown decreases cognitive function and leads to Alzheimer's

In the study, women who had children but did not show signs of dementia still tested lower for cognitive function compared to those who had never been pregnant.

Alzheimer's is a serious, debilitating disease that according to the <a href="https://www.alz.co.uk/research/world-report-2016">2016 World Alzheimer's Report</a> currently affects around 47 million people worldwide and 3.4 million women alone in the United States. 

The scientific community has long been trying to target the cause of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's in hopes to cure the disease or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-anxiety-depression-dementia/">improve quality of life</a> for those affected.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Having more than four children may increase Alzheimer's risk

A new study reports that having five or more babies...

Breakups can be brutal. Research has shown that getting dumped or ending a long-term relationship with a romantic partner can <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/relationship-decide-stay-breakup/">negatively impact health and wellbeing </a>for a long time after breaking up. 

So what is the best way to get over a breakup? Film, television, and magazines have all weighed in on this question time and time again, but a new study has identified some of the most effective ways to stop thinking about an ex. 

The answer lies in something called a regulation strategy, and similar to trying to control cravings while stopping smoking or dieting, the key to getting over a breakup lies in trying to control how you think about your ex.

Having romantic feelings for an ex inhibits recovery and using a regulation strategy could help reduce those feelings, according to the study which was published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. 

24 people ages 20 to 37 participated in the research, and all the participants had recently broken up or been dumped by a significant other, according to <a href="http://time.com/5287211/how-to-get-over-a-breakup/?utm_source=time.com&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=social-button-sharing">Time</a> which reported on the study. 

Love feelings for an ex were common among the group and the researchers tested three cognitive regulation strategies to see if they helped the participants move on from the breakup.  

After each test, participants were shown a picture of their ex while the researchers measured the intensity of emotional responses with Electroencephalography (EEG). 

For the first test, the participants were asked to negatively reappraise their partner, remembering the bad habits or annoying traits they didn't like. 

The next strategy also used reappraisal but this time it was love reappraisal where the participants were given mantras to help them accept their love feelings. 

For the third test, participants were told to distract themselves and think about positive things that weren’t related to the ex. 

Each regulation strategy had some effect on reducing love feelings. according to EEG readings which shows that controlling your thoughts or shifting your focus could help with a breakup. 

However, some of the strategies were more effective than others and the negative reappraisal strategy correlated with a negative mood. 

The study provides strategic ways for people to recover from a breakup, however, just like any habit, addiction, or lifestyle change, it takes time and practice to get over an ex. 

“Love regulation doesn’t work like an on/off switch,” Sandra Langeslag, a co-author of the study, told Time. “To make a lasting change, you’ll probably have to regulate your love feelings regularly.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New research reveals the secret to getting over a breakup

Breakups can be brutal. Research has shown that getting dumped...

A new study has demonstrated that children make better-informed decisions when they are younger. The researchers found that, as kids get older, they have a tendency to disregard relevant information that could help them make better <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bigger-picture-thinking-better-decisions/">judgement</a> calls.

Stephanie Denison is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/">University of Waterloo</a> and a co-author of the study.


“It is good for us to know that kids at different ages don't necessarily treat all information similarly when we set out to teach them new things,” said Professor Denison.

Study co-author and PhD student Samantha Gualtieri added: “Children maybe aren't taking all the information we are giving them at face value. They may be thinking about it in their own way and using the data in the way they think makes the most sense, which is important for parents and teachers to understand.”

“Our research shows that children around four-years-old are starting to use these shortcuts, but by six-years of age they're using them at levels as high as adults.”


The investigation was focused on 288 children who were observed while using numerical and social information to guide their decisions. According to the experts, the younger children were much more likely to use both types of information while making judgments. 

Overall, 95 percent of the six-year-olds relied solely on social information to make a decision, compared to 75 percent of five-year-olds. Only around 45 percent of four-year-olds, however, limited themselves to using social knowledge when weighing their choices.

Adults are also inclined to overlook resources when making judgments, which is probably because it is more time-consuming and draining to cover all of the available information 


“So, while using these shortcuts is actually very efficient, we need to be aware that they can introduce errors,” said Professor Denison. “Therefore, sometimes we should be thinking harder and taking the time to put together all of the information.”

“How much time you spend on processing information might depend on the importance of the judgement or the decision you're making. So, thinking about where you want to spend the time is really important.”

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-experimental-child-psychology">Journal of Experimental Child Psychology</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

Our decisions tend to become less informed as we age, study finds

A new study has demonstrated that children make better-informed decisions...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.chicagobooth.edu/">University of Chicago Booth School of Business</a> is providing practical advice for identifying people we can trust. The researchers have found that individuals who are the most prone to feeling guilty are also the most likely to be trustworthy and have the best intentions.

The study revealed that guilt-proneness is the strongest predictor of trustworthiness compared to a variety of other personality traits including openness, agreeableness, neuroticism, and conscientiousness.

Unlike <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-less-regret-sex/">guilt</a>, which follows wrongdoing, guilt-proneness is an anticipation of feeling guilty that causes people to avoid transgressing in the first place.

People who rank high in guilt-proneness feel a greater sense of interpersonal responsibility when they are entrusted. As a result, they are less likely to exploit trust from others.

The researchers used a series of economic games and surveys to measure trustworthy behavior and intentions. 

Over the course of the games, study participants who were classified as having high levels of guilt-proneness returned more money to others compared to individuals who scored low in guilt-proneness.

In another experiment, participants were primed by reading different passages before engaging in an economic game. Those who read a code of conduct that encouraged responsible behavior were found to be more likely to return money to others compared to participants who read about the importance of looking out for themselves.

“Trust and trustworthiness are critical for effective relationships and effective organizations,” said the researchers. “Individuals and institutions incur high costs when trust is misplaced, but people can mitigate these costs by engaging in relationships with individuals who are trustworthy.”

“Our findings extend the substantial literature on trust by deepening our understanding of trustworthiness: When deciding in whom to place trust, trust the guilt-prone.”


The research stands out from past studies which are focused on what makes people trust each other by offering insight into who is deserving of our trust.

“Our research suggests that if you want your employees to be worthy of trust, make sure they feel personally responsible for their behavior and that they expect to feel guilty about wrongdoing.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp/">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</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

People who are more prone to feeling guilty are more trustworthy

A new study from the University of Chicago Booth School...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.med.upenn.edu/">University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine</a> has found that greening vacant lots can have a positive impact on the mental health of people who live in the city. 

The researchers demonstrated that transforming abandoned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bumblebees-thrive-living-cities/">city</a> lots can reduce feelings of depression among residents.

Across the United States, 15 percent of urban land is classified as “vacant” and is often filled with trash and overgrown vegetation.

For the investigation, 541 vacant lots throughout Philadelphia were randomly assigned to one of three conditions including greening, a trash clean-up, or no intervention.

Before and after the trial, the research team assessed the mental health of 342 Philadelphia residents who lived within a quarter of a mile radius of the vacant lots.

The study revealed that people living close to the lots that were greened had a 41.5-percent decrease in feelings of depression compared to those who lived near the lots that had not been cleaned. In addition, individuals living near green lots reported a nearly 63-percent decrease in poor mental health compared to those living near lots that received no intervention.


“Dilapidated and vacant spaces are factors that put residents at an increased risk of depression and stress, and may explain why socioeconomic disparities in mental illness persist,”  said lead author Dr. Eugenia C. South.

“What these new data show us is that making structural changes, like greening lots, has a positive impact on the health of those living in these neighborhoods. And that it can be achieved in a cost-effective and scalable way - not only in Philadelphia but in other cities with the same harmful environmental surroundings.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen">JAMA Network Open</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Greening empty lots helps reduce depression for city residents

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" 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> some of the most incredible waves in the world, as seen by Landsat satellites.



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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