Many people love their horses like family. New research shows that horses can serve as meaningful attachment figures for humans in ways that look a lot like our bonds with pets and even close partners. 



The study also introduces a survey that can reliably measure how attached someone is to their horse.



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.utu.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Turku</a> and the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Helsinki</a> set out to test, not just assume, the depth of human-horse bonds. They adapted a well-known <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pets-increase-life-satisfaction-as-much-as-marriage-or-close-friendships/">pet</a> attachment tool to fit equine life and validated it with a large, international sample.



The goal was simple: turn heartfelt stories into data that can be compared, tracked and used.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-questionnaire-built-for-the-barn">A questionnaire built for the barn</h2>



The team developed the Horse Attachment Questionnaire (HAQ). It draws on attachment theory, which describes how we form and keep emotional bonds. In this framework, relationships are often described along two dimensions.&nbsp;



Attachment-related <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-rewires-your-brain-circuits-to-fuel-anxiety-and-depression/">anxiety</a> captures worries about being unloved or abandoned. Attachment-related avoidance reflects discomfort with closeness and a tendency to keep distance. 



The Horse Attachment Questionnaire reframed existing pet items so they spoke directly to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/all-domestic-horses-have-ancestors-in-russia/">horses</a>, riding, care, and time spent together.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychology-behind-humans-and-horses">Psychology behind humans and horses</h2>



The researchers gathered answers from 2,287 horse owners across 21 countries. The largest groups came from France and Finland. Participants completed a version of the Pet Attachment Questionnaire rewritten to reference horses rather than pets in general.&nbsp;



This breadth matters. Culture, riding styles, and management routines vary widely. A tool that works across contexts is much more useful than one that fits only a single country or discipline.



The statistical tests were clear. Most statements worked well to describe the human-horse relationship, and the same two-dimensional pattern appeared. Anxiety and avoidance explained how owners differed, just as in studies of human relationships and human-pet bonds.&nbsp;



In other words, the psychology that helps us understand parents and children - or people and dogs - also helps us understand people and horses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-tends-to-feel-what">Who tends to feel what</h2>



The data also point to the kinds of owners who report anxious or avoidant bonds. Younger owners, and people higher in neuroticism, were more likely to score high on anxious attachment. 



These individuals worry about losing closeness with their horse or seek extra reassurance that their horse likes or needs them.&nbsp;



Male owners, by contrast, scored higher on avoidant attachment. They were more likely to keep emotional distance from their horses. These are averages, not judgments. They help explain patterns that trainers, vets, and therapists often sense but cannot quantify.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-and-time-in-the-saddle">Culture and time in the saddle</h2>



Differences between countries emerged too. The model fit slightly better for French owners than for Finnish owners. One possible reason is riding practice.&nbsp;



In this sample, French owners were more often the sole riders of their horses. They may spend more exclusive time with their animals. Finnish owners were more likely to share their horses with others. Those realities might shape how attachment is expressed and recognized.



“Our findings demonstrate that horses can act as meaningful attachment figures for people, much like pets and other humans," said study lead author Aada Ståhl, a PhD student at the University of Helsinki.



"By validating this questionnaire, we now have a reliable way to measure those bonds and explore how they are shaped by factors such as personality and culture." 



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



A validated tool does more than label emotions. It opens doors. “It provides a robust foundation for studying how attachment influences not only the well-being of horse owners but also the care and training of horses,” said study co-author Océane Liehrmann, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Turku.&nbsp;



“Previous work has shown that insecure attachment styles in pet owners can impact the way animals are treated and even their behaviour. Applying these insights to horses could improve understanding of how human psychology shapes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/recognizing-emotions-in-horses-can-improve-their-health/">equine welfare</a>.”&nbsp;



If attachment shapes handling choices, stable routines or training pressure, then measuring it could help prevent problems before they start.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-therapy-to-training-arenas">From therapy to training arenas</h2>



The Horse Attachment Questionnaire could prove useful in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/therapy-horses-are-helping-children-heal-from-trauma/">equine-assisted therapy</a>, where horses partner with clinicians to support human health. 



Knowing an owner’s or client’s attachment style could help tailor sessions and set boundaries that keep both humans and horses safe. Trainers may also benefit.



Understanding whether a rider tends to worry about closeness or to pull back from it can guide communication, goal setting, and feedback. 



The same insight could inform how barns match riders with mounts, or how professionals coach parents of young riders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-bonds-with-horses">Human bonds with horses</h2>



Horses occupy a special place in human life. They are neither purely working animals nor purely companions. This study treats that uniqueness as a feature, not a flaw.&nbsp;



By adapting established psychology to the realities of equine care, the authors show that our bonds with horses can be mapped with the same clarity we bring to other relationships. 



The message is practical and humane. If we understand the patterns that shape our feelings, we can make better choices for the animals who depend on us - and for ourselves.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08927936.2025.2544420" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthrozoös</a>.



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Horses aren't just companions - they're part of the family

Many people love their horses like family. New research shows that horses can serve as meaningful attachment figures for humans in ways that look a lot like our bonds with pets and even close partners. The study also introduces a survey that can reliably measure how attached someone is to their horse. Researchers from the University of Turku and the University of Helsinki set out to test, not just assume, the depth of human-horse bonds. They adapted a well-known pet attachment tool to fit equine life and...

As the world finally begins to come to terms with our addiction to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-history/">plastic</a>, <a href="https://conservingnow.com/plastic-bag-environmental-impact/">ConservingNow</a> has laid out the commonly understood view on plastic bags. Under the headline, “What We Know” the site lays out some basic facts:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">“Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade – breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits. </li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">A plastic bag can take between 400 to 1,000 years to break down in the environment.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">As it breaks down, plastic particles contaminate soil and waterways and enter the food web when animals accidentally ingest them.”</li>
</ul>
The list continues on, filling the webpage with the sad, simple information of plastic bag use and disposal.  The article ends with a photo of trash heaped in a pile with dirt, probably at a landfill. 

It’s easy to think of disposable, one-time use plastic bags as a waste.  Those cotton or nylon totes with pictures of the globe or a panda or an idealized image of fresh produce are obviously more environmentally friendly than the hundreds of plastic bags clogging the landfills and oceans.  It’s good to remember that although well-meaning people and organizations promote those snappy shopping tote bags, someone’s also making a profit. When you buy a canvas bag from your local grocery store, you are buying a product that someone is selling to you.  When money is involved, there’s often a bias. 

A <a href="https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publications/2018/02/978-87-93614-73-4.pdf">study</a> by the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food released earlier this year counters the assumptions of many when it comes to shopping bags.  The research analyzed eight different types of bags for their environmental impact, including single use plastic bags, organic and traditional cotton bags.  It should be noted that one study in Denmark should not be taken as completely accurate for every country and every situation. Every study has flaws and this one is no exception.  Litter wasn’t considered as part of the environmental impact, which means sea turtles eating plastic bags they mistake for jellyfish was considered a ‘negligible’ impact. The study used the Danish system in which single use bags are assumed to be either recycled or incinerated.  The carbon produced in the production and shipping of the bag, as well as land and water use were considered. Also, only bags available in Danish grocery stores were considered, there was no look at people using their ordinary backpacks to carry groceries for instance. Environmental impact assessments are also complex.  No bag is going to score higher than others in every impact assessed, there are complex and different impacts that every production has on the environment. 

All of this said, the study in the end shows that single use, LDPE plastic bags, (that is the ones most commonly found in supermarkets) had the least environmental impact of all the bags assessed.  Of course it’s more complex than a simple answer. If you’re more concerned about a turtle choking on a plastic ‘jelly fish’ than global climate change, obviously plastic bags are still worse than cotton.  In the balance however, those throw away plastic bags are shown to generally have less impact than a reusable tote, if properly used. 

The Danish study also has end of life (disposal) recommendations for every bag they assessed.  You can minimize the environmental impact of your shopping bag by how you dispose of it. The study recommend that you do what for many is already common practice: you use that throw-away LDPE bag as a small trash bag.  

The breakdown beyond those single use bags shows that next in line for lowest environmental impact is an unbleached paper bag, followed by bleached paper bags.  I remember a time when getting a paper bag instead of a plastic one was considered the environmentally friendly option, even before reusable totes were popular. Next, synthetic reusable bags were assessed as having a lower environmental impact than cotton with woven Polypropylene being better than non-woven PP bags.  

Although plastic one-use bags seem to be the best option initially, for climate change alone, cotton bags must be reused only 52 times to be as good as throw away plastic.  For other environmental impacts however, those cotton bags must be reused 7,100 times, which seems like a tall order if not an impossible one. 

Strangely, organic cotton scored even worse on how much use you need to get out of it to make it environmentally sensible.  Organic cotton bags must be reused 20,000 times for shopping. I encourage anyone interested in lowering their environmental impact to look closely at those reusable bags, how much impact they have depends a lot on what they’re made of, counterintuitively cotton being the worst and synthetics being much better.  If you already have a shopping bag though, throwing it away is the worst thing you can do, reusing whatever you have as much as you can is the most important way to limit your environmental impact. 

It’s never a good practice to base all your decisions on one scientific study, and as I already mentioned, every study is flawed.  <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/291023/scho0711buan-e-e.pdf">Another study</a> released in 2011 by the United Kingdom’s Environment Agency that assessed the environmental impact of different shopping bags.  Like the Danish study, the one done in the UK is based on what is available in the UK as far as bags as well as recycling and trash disposal.  If you live outside the UK, such a study should be examined closely and applied elsewhere cautiously but it’s still quite relevant. 

The UK study came to largely the same conclusions as the later Danish study.  The British study found that most of the environmental impact of shopping bags comes from their production and resource consumption, with transport, packaging and disposal being less important in terms of environmental impact.  This goes a long way towards explaining why cotton, which uses a lot of land, water and fertilizer to produce could be more environmentally damaging than a plastic bag.

Surprisingly, the British study found that reusing throw away shopping bags has less overall environmental impact than recycling them after one use, even if they’re discarded.  This isn’t as applicable in the US as in the UK though because it’s based on a British system of incinerating plastic bags as a source of electricity (replacing fossil fuels like coal) rather than tossing them into a landfill.

<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/britains-lust-for-burning-trash-sends-recycling-goals-up-in-smoke/a-40094211">DW.com</a>, a German news organization, criticized the practice of trash incineration in Britain and across northern Europe.  If incineration continues to increase it means Britain will either have to import trash from other countries to keep incinerators open or else decrease recycling.  Obviously importing trash is an absurd proposal but it’s important to note that recycling is often exported to faraway places to be processed as well. China processed half of the world’s exported recycled plastic, paper and metal in 2016, according to <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/china-recycling-waste-ban_us_5a684285e4b0dc592a0dd7b9">Huff Post</a>.          

The British study didn’t show quite the extreme environmental impact as the Danish study, showing that cotton bags still have the biggest environmental impact in 7 out of 9 assessed categories even if reused 173 times.  It seems a bit more feasible for a person to reuse a cotton bag more than 173 times compared to the Danish study’s 7,100 to 20,000 times (depending on whether the cotton is organic or not). The British study confirmed that synthetic reusable bags have less environmental impact than cotton ones.  

In both studies, paper bags were not shown to be very environmentally friendly.  Paper bags need to be reused several times to lower their environmental impact to that of a single use plastic bag and unlike cotton or synthetic tote bags, paper bags don’t hold up for reuse very well.  I find this interesting because paper bags have long been assumed by environmentally considerate people to be better than plastic. 

The takeaway message for me is not to depend on any one product, whether it’s a reusable bag or reusable water bottle but instead, examine your own usage patterns.  If you have a reusable product, continue using it until it’s completely worn out and then if possible repurpose it, compost it or if need be recycle it. I’ve seen aluminum water bottles crop up in outdoor circles, branded as being environmentally friendly.  I wonder to myself how many people recycled their old plastic bottles to get new aluminum ones? Buying anything new has a negative environmental impact when compared to using something you already have. 

If it makes sense in your life to have a reusable tote, buy a used one if you can, sometimes second hand stores have one, sometimes a friend has an un-used one they got as a gift for donating to NPR or an environmental charity.  Maybe use a backpack or purse you already own instead of buying a new tote just for shopping. In reducing your environmental impact, it’s important to do your research and examine what you can do in your own life instead of depending on choosing between two products.  Also, it’s always good to remember that reusing and reducing your trash is more important than recycling, as recycling is still your last resort. 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Reusable shopping bags may not be the perfect solution to plastic

As the world finally begins to come to terms with...

While exercise is important for maintaining a healthy body weight, boosting metabolism, and improving heart health, it can also even help and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-reduces-cancer-risk/">guard against some cancers.</a>

Now, a new study has found that exercise can help improve the body’s tolerance to extreme cold and maintain body heat for longer periods. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uoguelph.ca/">University of Guelph </a>and <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">the University of Copenhagen</a> conducted the study which was published in The Journal of Physiology. 

The study shows how exercise builds muscle strength which can help extend the amount of time a person shivers when exposed to cold. 

Shivering is a natural defense against cold and improves heat production. But eventually, the muscles tire and are no longer able to contract enough to keep up shivering. 

Improving muscle strength adds more shivering stamina and could be important for people who live in extremely cold environments. 

For the study, the researchers exposed a group of mice that had been trained with exercise wheels and mice that hadn’t exercised to cold temperatures. The researchers frequently measured body temperature, changes in weight, food intake, blood sugar levels, and limb and muscle fat tissue as the mice dealt with the cold. 

The mice that didn’t exercise lost more weight and were not able to maintain core body temperature as well as the group of mice that used the exercise wheels. 

The researchers only tested male mice and next plan to see if the results can be repeated with female mice but the study shows that exercise may be a useful tool for people planning to move to cold climates. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise helps improve the body’s tolerance to extreme cold temps

While exercise is important for maintaining a healthy body weight,...

This summer, people across the globe have been <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heatwaves-severe-frequent/">feeling the heat</a>. In North America, summer kicked off with an unusually hot May after which followed long, dry, hot spells making for dangerous wildfire conditions. 

Wildfires even made their way as far as the Arctic circle and a worldwide heat wave drove record temperatures in the UK and parts of Europe. 

Unfortunately, 2018’s hot summer will most likely be the new norm in the coming years, as a new study found that the next five years could get even warmer than climate models had projected. 

Researchers from the <a href="http://www.cnrs.fr/index.html">French National Center for Scientific Research</a> (CNRS), the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> and <a href="https://www.knmi.nl/over-het-knmi/about">the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute</a> created a new system for predicting climate scenarios that veer from traditional simulation methods. 

The results were published in the journal Nature and show that globally, temperatures will be abnormally hot for the rest of 2018 through 2022. 

During the early 21st century, the Earth experienced a kind of lapse in global warming from greenhouse gas emissions. 

This lapse is called the global warming hiatus in the scientific community, but the new study shows that the hiatus is not a predictable event to base future climate conditions on and that temperatures will climb higher and higher in the next few years. 

Florian Sévellec, a CNRS researcher, helped develop a new climate modeling system that used statistical methods of 20th and 21st century climate simulations and then predicted future conditions based on those searches. 

The new method can also calculate simulations in just a few hundredths of a second on a laptop while other modeling methods can take up to a week to get results. 

The researchers found their method was comparable in accuracy and reliability to other methods but the system shows that future temperatures could be abnormally higher than previous estimates based on only carbon emissions from human activities.

The new system predicts that in the next few years, the frequency of cold events will greatly decrease and tropical storm activity will increase. 

The new system shows global averages will be hotter in the coming years but Sevellec plans to fine-tune the statistical method to make regional predictions and estimate future precipitation levels. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Paid for by <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

The next five years are expected to be unusually hot

This summer, people across the globe have been feeling the...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/index.aspx">University of Birmingham</a> has found that the safety of e-cigarettes has been largely overstated and misunderstood. While vaping is indisputably safer than smoking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/try-cigarette-smokers/">cigarettes</a>, it can still cause long-term health issues including lung disease.

Most previous investigations into the safety of e-cigarettes have been focused on the chemical makeup of the nicotine-infused liquid before it is evaporated by heat. In the current study, the researchers demonstrated that this liquid becomes much more potent and damaging to cells after it is vaporized. 

The experts developed a mechanical procedure to mimic vaping and tested the effects of the vaporized chemicals on healthy human cells in the laboratory. The study was focused on dust cells, or alveolar macrophages, extracted from the lung tissue samples of eight non-smokers who had no history asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).


The cells were exposed to different conditions for 24 hours, including plain e-cigarette fluid or varying strengths of the vaped condensate with and without nicotine. Another group of cells was exposed to nothing as a control group.

The condensate was found to be significantly more harmful to the cells than plain e-cigarette fluid. In addition, the impact on the cells increased along with the amount of condensate.

After 24 hours, the total number of viable cells exposed to the vaped condensate was notably reduced compared to the unexposed cells, and condensate containing nicotine worsened this effect.


The condensate caused cells to die and the rate of production of oxygen free radicals was found to be up to fifty times higher. The production of inflammatory chemicals was also substantially increased, particularly when nicotine was present.

Overall, the researchers concluded that e-cigarettes may be more harmful than we think. They compared the cell damage that was observed in the laboratory to that seen in regular smokers and people with COPD. 

According to the experts, further research is needed to better understand the health impacts of vaping.

“In terms of cancer-causing molecules in cigarette smoke, as opposed to cigarette vapor, there are certainly reduced numbers of carcinogens. They are safer in terms of cancer risk, but if you vape for 20 or 30 years and this can cause COPD, then that's something we need to know about,” said study lead author Professor David Thickett.

“I don’t believe e-cigarettes are more harmful than ordinary cigarettes, but we should have a cautious skepticism that they are as safe as we are being led to believe.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://thorax.bmj.com/">Thorax</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The health risks of vaping e-cigarettes have been underestimated

A new study from the University of Birmingham has found...

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a> have found that eating breakfast before exercise can optimize the benefits of a workout. The study has revealed that breakfast prepares the body to burn more carbohydrates, both during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-improve-mental-health/">exercise</a> and after.

A total of 12 healthy male participants were divided into two groups, one that rested and another that cycled after a breakfast of porridge made with milk. The active group of volunteers exercised two hours after eating.

The experts measured blood glucose levels and muscle glycogen levels after the participants rested or cycled.

The researchers discovered that eating breakfast increased the rate at which the body burned carbohydrates during exercise, and also increased the rate at which the body digested and metabolized food eaten after exercise.

“This is the first study to examine the ways in which breakfast before exercise influences our responses to meals after exercise,* said co-lead author Dr. Javier Gonzalez. 

“We found that, compared to skipping breakfast, eating breakfast before exercise increases the speed at which we digest, absorb and metabolize carbohydrate that we may eat after exercise.”

Study co-lead author Rob Edinburgh added: “We also found that breakfast before exercise increases carbohydrate burning during exercise, and that this carbohydrate wasn't just coming from the breakfast that was just eaten, but also from carbohydrate stored in our muscles as glycogen.”

“This increase in the use of muscle glycogen may explain why there was more rapid clearance of blood sugar after ‘lunch’ when breakfast had been consumed before exercise.” 

Edinburgh pointed out that this study only represents the effect of breakfast before exercise in the short-term. He explained that the team is conducting ongoing studies to investigate how eating breakfast before or after exercise on a regular basis can influence health in the long-term.

“In particular there is a clear need for more research looking at the effect of what we eat before exercise on health outcomes, but with overweight participants who might be at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These are some of the questions we will now try to answer,” said Edinburgh.

“This study suggests that, at least after a single bout of exercise, eating breakfast before exercise may ‘prime’ our body, ready for rapid storage of nutrition when we eat meals after exercise.”


The research is published in the <a href="https://www.physiology.org/journal/ajpendo">American Journal of Physiology: Endocrinology and Metabolism</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Eating breakfast before exercise primes the body to burn carbs

Researchers at the University of Bath have found that eating...

A new study seems to have conclusively proven that hypnopedia, or the ability to learn in your sleep, is impossible. 

It had previously been suggested that it is possible learn <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/yes-you-can-learn-a-foreign-language-in-your-sleep-say-swiss-psychologists-9574112.html">a new language in your sleep</a>. However, what studies revolving around this research really showed was that sleeping can help strengthen new memories, such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-newly-learned-information/">newly learned foreign vocabulary</a>. 

The fact of the matter is that learning new things in your sleep, as helpful as it would be, is just not possible because our brains can’t learn from external stimuli during the different phases of sleep. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://uni.ulb.ac.be/">ULB Neuroscience Institute in Brussels</a> tested sleep learning in 26 participants. 

The results of the new study were published in the journal Scientific Reports. 

For the study, the researchers scanned each participant’s brain activity while awake and during low-wave or non-rapid eye movement sleep.

The researchers used magnetoencephalography (Meg) scanning which shows ongoing brain activity in real time. 

The participants were then asked to listen to a set of random or grouped together sounds. When the participants were awake, they could make out patterns in the sounds but during sleep, the participants’ brains only recognized the sounds but nothing beyond that. 

During sleep, the brain wasn’t able to process or learn the sounds’ patterns. 

“Frequency-tagged responses analysis showed that sleeping participants keep processing auditory information at the tone level, but that auditory processing was not influenced by the presence of statistical regularities in the auditory stream,” the researchers wrote. 

This study isn’t the first to debunk sleep learning or hypnopedia, but the brain scans add another element to this myth-busting showing how our brains register information, like sounds, while we sleep, but that there’s no context for the brain to process or learn the information. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

No, you can’t actually learn new information while you sleep

A new study seems to have conclusively proven that hypnopedia,...

Halting the aging process by rejuvenating old cells. Scientists have long worked to unlock the secrets of aging and reverse the potential for age-related diseases like dementia, cataracts, and cancer which are caused by deteriorating cells. Previous studies have even found that it may be possible to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aging-systems-reversed/">reverse some symptoms of aging</a>. 

But in 2016, researchers from the <a href="https://www.salk.edu/">Salk Institute for Biological Studies</a> successfully extended the lifespan of mice and reversed damage from an injury. The Salk researchers told the <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/aging-is-reversible-at-least-in-human-cells-and-live-mice/">Scientific American</a> that aging is somewhat malleable like plastic, according to the senior author of the study. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter </a>confirms the theories that aging is possible to manipulate and cells can be rejuvenated.Halting the aging process by rejuvenating old cells 

Cells are thought to deteriorate and speed up the aging process when they can no longer effectively regulate gene expression within the cells and turn genes on and off. Deteriorated cells or senescent cells spread their effects to other cells.

For the study, the Exeter researchers injected hydrogen sulfide directly into the mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, of old deteriorating cells. 

Once the sulfide took effect in the mitochondria, the researchers discovered that the number of senescent cells decreased by half, successfully rejuvenating the cells and improving its ability to regulate genes. 

The promising results, published in the journal Aging, could pave the way for revolutionary anti-aging treatments that reverse or slow down processes that lead to dementia and other age-related diseases. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Halting the aging process by rejuvenating old cells

Halting the aging process by rejuvenating old cells. Scientists have...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley </a>has found that people who suffer from sleep deprivation feel lonely and are less inclined to socially engage with others. In addition, people who are well-rested typically do not enjoy the company of those who have a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-need-sleep/">sleep</a> deficit, further increasing the risk of social isolation among sleep-deprived individuals.

Study senior author Matthew Walker is a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at UC Berkeley.

“We humans are a social species. Yet sleep deprivation can turn us into social lepers," said Professor Walker.

The researchers examined the brain activity of sleep-deprived participants as they viewed video clips of strangers walking toward them. The scans showed powerful social repulsion activity in neural networks that are usually stimulated when people feel their personal space is being invaded. 

Furthermore, in brain regions that normally encourage social engagement, activity was essentially flatlined by a lack of sleep.

“The less sleep you get, the less you want to socially interact. In turn, other people perceive you as more socially repulsive, further increasing the grave social-isolation impact of sleep loss," Walker added. "That vicious cycle may be a significant contributing factor to the public health crisis that is loneliness."


The results of national surveys suggest that nearly half of Americans feel lonely or left out. Loneliness has been found to increase one's risk of mortality by more than 45 percent, which is double the mortality risk associated with obesity.

“It's perhaps no coincidence that the past few decades have seen a marked increase in loneliness and an equally dramatic decrease in sleep duration,” said study lead author Eti Ben Simon. “Without sufficient sleep we become a social turn-off, and loneliness soon kicks in.”


For the investigation, Simon and Walker conducted a series of experiments using fMRI brain imaging, standardized loneliness measures, videotaped simulations, and online surveys. Their findings contradict the assumption that humans are designed to nurture group members that are socially vulnerable for the survival of the species.


“There's no biological or social safety net for sleep deprivation as there is for, say, starvation. That's why our physical and mental health implode so quickly even after the loss of just one or two hours of sleep,” said Professor Walker.

For the online phase of the study, more than 1,000 people viewed video recordings of study participants discussing their opinions and everyday activities.

The observers, who were unaware which subjects had been deprived of sleep, were asked to rate each of them based on how lonely they appeared, and whether they would want to interact with them socially. Over and over again, study participants that were sleep deprived were rated as lonelier and less socially desirable.

To test whether sleep-loss-induced alienation is contagious, observers were also asked to rate their own levels of loneliness after watching the videos. Surprisingly, the healthy observers reported feeling alienated after viewing just a 60-second clip of a sleep-deprived person who was perceived as being lonely.

“This all bodes well if you sleep the necessary seven to nine hours a night, but not so well if you continue to short-change your sleep,” said Professor Walker. “On a positive note, just one night of good sleep makes you feel more outgoing and socially confident, and furthermore, will attract others to you.”

This research is the first to show that sleep loss and social isolation have a two-way relationship. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lack of sleep can make you isolated and less social

A new study from the University of California, Berkeley has...

A group mentality may have helped humans to evolve. A recent analysis published by <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell Press</a> has found that showing favoritism toward a member of one's own social group may not be the result of learned behavior, but instead may happen simply out of instinct. While this favoritism may ultimately lead to stereotyping or discrimination, it may have originally facilitated human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evolutionary-changes-bipolar-disorder/">evolution</a>.

Yarrow Dunham is an assistant professor of Psychology at <a href="https://www.yale.edu/">Yale University</a> and the author of the review.

“Researchers have found that you can randomly assign someone to a group, and even if they theoretically have no vested interest in that group, they will have persistent favoritism for it, an ingroup bias, across a range of different measures,” said Durham.A group mentality may have helped humans to evolve 

“Many theories attempt to explain inter-group dynamics by capturing the complexity of each group, but I argue that they can be explained with the simpler concept of mere membership, of us-and-them.”


To investigate, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/group-mentality-human-evolution/">Dunham</a> analyzed previous studies that described the neural basis for distinguishing ingroup from outgroup, the ways social groupings affect the friend preferences of preschoolers, and methods for social and self-categorization. 

Dunham found an ingroup bias where people not only tended to like other group members more, but were also more generous among their own group, more easily forgave team members, and more easily cooperated within their group.

Conflicts across different social classes, religions, and even our favorite sports teams share the dynamics of us and them.

According to Dunham, the us-and-them phenomenon can explain most of the observations we have about inter-group dynamics, and the things it fails to explain should become the primary focus of social <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=psychology&amp;cvid=50ecf8af42f34f1db89e7b0890621d1f&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">psychology</a> research.

“Our strong adaptations for group living have made humans so successful as a species over thousands of years; groups give us other people to cooperate with, trust, and learn from,” said Professor Dunham. 

“On one hand, this ingroup bias has made us a deeply cultural, quick-to-learn species of flexible learners. But as soon as more than one group interacts, we see tendencies toward bias in the form of prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes, and this is particularly true in more modern societies in which we're just interacting with all kinds of different people all the time.”

While Dunham's research investigates the roots of ingroup biases in order to identify strategies to help combat the associated prejudices, this type of favoritism may still be helping humans develop as a species. 

“From an evolutionary perspective, I'm not sure ingroup bias is something we would actually want to overcome because it constitutes so much of how we learn as a cultural, social species,” said Professor Dunham.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/home">Trends in Cognitive Sciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A group mentality may have helped humans to evolve

A group mentality may have helped humans to evolve. A...

A new study has found a potential cause of migraines that could explain why women are affected more often than men. The research may ultimately lead to personalized treatments for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-treats-migraines-better/">migraine</a> sufferers.

The investigation revealed that sex hormones have an influence on cells around the trigeminal nerve and the blood vessels that are connected to it. High levels of estrogen, in particular, were found to make these cells more susceptible to triggers for migraine headaches.

Antonio Ferrer-Montiel is a professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the <a href="http://www.umh.es/?lang=EN">University Miguel Hernández</a> in Spain.

“We can observe significant differences in our experimental migraine model between males and females and are trying to understand the molecular correlates responsible for these differences,” said Professor Ferrer-Montiel.

“Although this is a complex process, we believe that modulation of the trigeminovascular system by sex hormones plays an important role that has not been properly addressed.”

To identify the role of specific hormones, the research team analyzed decades of research on sex hormones, migraine sensitivity, and cell responses to migraine triggers. Some hormones like testosterone seemed to protect against migraines, while others like prolactin appeared to make migraines worse. 

The hormones make the cells either more or less vulnerable to migraine triggers by affecting the ion channels, which regulate the sensitivity of the cells.

Further research is needed to determine the role of some hormones, but changes in estrogen levels stood out as playing a big role in making cells more sensitive to the onset of a migraine attack.


Professor Ferrer-Montiel emphasized that this research is only preliminary. The study authors also pointed out the need for studies which focus on the relationship between menstrual hormones and migraines.

The team will continue their own investigation using preclinical, human-based models. Professor Ferrer-Montiel said, “If successful, we will contribute to better personalized medicine for migraine therapy.”


The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences">Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why women tend to get more migraines than men do

A new study has found a potential cause of migraines...

Teamwork is important for problem-solving, and in today's world of constantly being <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smartphone-addiction-social-connection/">plugged in and connected</a>, people are able to share, collaborate, and tackle problems 24/7. 

At first, this might seem like the most efficient way to get things done. But a new study conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www.hbs.edu/Pages/default.aspx">Harvard Business School</a> found the exact opposite to be true. 

The researchers found that constant connection brings about the least creative solutions and doesn’t foster any real communication or learning opportunities.

Instead, the researchers recommend “intermittent” collaboration, working alone for a good chunk of your time and coming together on occasion to get the best results. 

The results were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

For the study, a trio of Harvard Business researchers asked participants split into groups of three to complete a complex problem-solving task. 

Some of the group members were constantly interacting to mirror today's “always on” access to technology. The other members either interacted occasionally or never interacted with each other. 

The researchers had several hypotheses about what would happen with the group members. 

It was assumed that the group members that worked alone and never interacted with each other would come up with the fewest variations of solutions but would produce the most creative possibilities. 

With the group members that were constantly interacting, the researchers guessed that the groups would produce higher average quality but mediocre solutions. 

Both of these scenarios turned out to be true, but the researchers found that the group members who occasionally interacted had the best of both worlds. The group members were able to take advantage of each other's skills and input but not to such an extent that it became routine for certain members to carry others. The intermittent interaction also allowed for finding creative and high-quality solutions similar to the group members who were always alone. 

The researchers say that several things can be learned from these study results and that businesses looking for optimal problem-solving methods should take a step back from the “always-on” mindset that new technological advancements are enforcing. 

Rather business should allow team members to work together occasionally, as it was often done in the past, and then return to their own jobs. 

“As we replace those sorts of intermittent cycles with always-on technologies, we might be diminishing our capacity to solve problems well,” said Ethan Bernstein, a leader of the study. 

The results also explain why businesses like <a href="https://www.ideo.com/">IDEO</a>, which is known for its excellence in creativity and brainstorming, is so successful because intermittent problem-solving collaborations are part of the business model. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Staying plugged in to work colleagues leads to less efficiency

Teamwork is important for problem-solving, and in today's world of...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a> have investigated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gender-bias-lawyers-courtroom/">gender attitudes</a> across 47 countries to compare the different levels of support for equal rights. The experts found that support for women's rights has spread across the globe since the movement of the 1960s, but it is still not distributed evenly.

Professor Xiaoling Shu and graduate students Bowen Zhu and Kelsey Meagher used machine learning to analyze data involving more than 70, 000 people from the <a href="http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/">World Values Survey</a>.

The researchers compared individual variables that affect gender attitudes such income, education, and religion. They also examined three country-level influences including economic development, women's economic independence, and workforce participation.

Overall, the highest amount of support for equal rights was found in countries where the largest numbers of women participate in the workforce.

The team identified three distinct transitions in gender attitudes, which were associated with national characteristics.


Across the social democratic countries of Finland, Sweden, and Norway that are characterized by high economic development, there were high rates of women's labor force participation and high levels of women's economic independence. These factors promote highly egalitarian views toward both women's rights and dual mother-worker roles.


Liberal and conservative Western countries such as the United States, Germany, and New Zealand are characterized by economic wealth, modest rates of women's labor force participation, fewer women as chief breadwinners, and inadequate maternity provisions. This combination promotes women's equality, but also projects gender-based expectations of intensive mothering onto women.


Former socialist states such as Russia, China, and Romania - which are characterized by far less economic development - foster an ideology that upholds male supremacy.

“Although economic development has liberalized attitudes toward gender equality, it has not led to growing support for women's dual roles as mothers and workers, largely due to the policies of liberal and conservative welfare states which are based on a male breadwinner model and provide little institutional support for working women,” wrote the study authors.

"On the other hand, despite high levels of women as primary wage earners and strong maternity provision in former socialist countries, women's paid employment has not routinely led to beliefs about their equal rights and status with men.”


The study will be presented at the 113th <a href="http://www.asanet.org/">American Sociology Association</a> Annual Meeting.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Support for gender equality has spread, but not evenly

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have investigated gender...

<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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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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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.



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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;



---



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...

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[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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