Life expectancy in the United States reveals a deeply fractured landscape. Yale School of Public Health researchers examined records of 179 million deaths between 1969 and 2020, and traced how generational health patterns diverged across regions.



The team chose an unconventional approach - analyzing life expectancy by birth cohort instead of by year - to uncover hidden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unhealthy-habits-can-make-your-heart-age-faster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disparities</a> missed by standard mortality reports.



The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, tell a compelling story of a nation where regional policies, economic conditions, and public health initiatives shape life trajectories in dramatically different ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-expectancy-gains-in-some-states">Life expectancy gains in some states </h2>



California and New York surged ahead in terms of extending lifespans significantly. In contrast, many Southern states struggled to keep pace. This result indicates that the U.S. is a country where the place of birth remains a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/girls-diets-strongly-influence-when-they-begin-puberty/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potent predictor</a> of lifespan.



“For females born in some Southern states, life expectancy increased by less than three years from 1900 to 2000,” said Theodore R. Holford, lead author and professor emeritus at <a href="https://www.yale.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Yale</a>.



“That’s a staggering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/medical-oddity-human-skin-heals-three-times-slower-than-our-primate-relatives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">contrast</a> when you consider that in states like New York and California, life expectancy rose by more than 20 years over the same period.”



Washington, D.C., a region once synonymous with low life expectancy, now exemplifies transformative progress. Between 1900 and 2000, the life expectancy of women in the capital increased by almost 30 years, while the life expectancy of men leapt by 38 years. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-fueled-such-a-stark-contrast">What fueled such a stark contrast?</h2>



Public health policies, economic revitalization, and aggressive tobacco control campaigns reshaped the region. 



California, banned workplace smoking in 1995, slashed smoking rates among workers and teens, and lowered smoking-related deaths. Kentucky, by contrast, chose a different path by resisting tobacco control efforts and continuing to grapple with high <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rats-are-spreading-a-deadly-disease-across-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mortality</a> rates from smoking.



“These trends in mortality and life expectancy reflect not only each state’s policy environment but also their underlying demographics as well,” said Jamie Tam, assistant professor at Yale. 



“It’s not surprising that states with fewer improvements to life expectancy also have higher rates of poverty, for example.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-expectancy-trends-by-generation">Life expectancy trends by generation</h2>



The study’s approach of using an age-period-cohort model allowed the researchers to isolate the impact of generational experiences. 



Instead of year-by-year comparisons, the team followed birth cohorts from 1900 to 2000, revealing how early-life conditions like disease exposure, sanitation, and vaccine access shaped lifespans.



“Looking at mortality trends by cohort gives us a more accurate reflection of the lived experiences of populations,” noted Holford.



“It shows the long-term impact of policies and social conditions affecting the life course of populations, that might otherwise be invisible in year-by-year comparisons of mortality rates from different generations.”



A child born in Mississippi in 1900 faced vastly different health risks than one born in California in 1950. The study’s cohort analysis illuminated how those risks compounded over time, creating distinct health outcomes across states.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-rapidly-or-aging-well">Aging rapidly or aging well</h2>



States varied not only in life expectancy gains but also in how quickly health declined after age 35. Oklahoma and Iowa showed rapid rises in mortality risk, with mortality doubling in less than eight years. 



New York and Florida, in contrast, experienced slower rates of increase, suggesting healthier <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/20-year-study-of-1000-adults-reveals-how-marijuana-alters-dna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aging</a> populations.



Among women, the slowest mortality increase occurred in New York, where it took 9.39 years for mortality risk to double. 



For men, Florida recorded the longest doubling time at 11.47 years. Oklahoma’s women faced the fastest decline, with mortality risk doubling in just 7.96 years - a rate that suggests rapid health deterioration.



“The disparities we see today are the result of decades of cumulative effects on smoking rates, health care access, environmental exposures, and public health investments,” Holford emphasized. “Without conscious policy changes, these gaps will likely persist or even widen.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reinvention-in-washington-d-c">Reinvention in Washington, D.C.</h2>



Washington, D.C., a region once plagued by poor health outcomes, now serves as a case study in urban transformation. 



At the dawn of the 20th century, women in the capital could expect to live just 63.9 years. By 2000, life expectancy had soared to 93 years - the highest gain recorded nationwide. Male life expectancy jumped from 48.7 years to 86.5 years over the same period.



What drove this metamorphosis? Improved healthcare infrastructure, urban policy changes, and robust public health initiatives fueled the gains. 



Yet, for rural Southern states, the story remained grim. In Kentucky and Alabama, policymakers resisted public health reforms, leaving residents trapped in cycles of poverty and poor health outcomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-poverty-s-impact-on-life-expectancy">Poverty's impact on life expectancy</h2>



While Washington, D.C., and California leveraged economic growth to implement effective health policies, states like Mississippi and Kentucky remained mired in economic hardship. 



Poverty compounded existing health risks, leaving residents more vulnerable to chronic diseases and less likely to access preventive care.



California’s tobacco control measures slashed smoking rates, particularly among younger cohorts. In Kentucky, however, the absence of similar policies allowed smoking rates to persist, resulting in higher smoking-related death rates. 



The data illustrate a stark divide: states with strong economies and progressive health policies saw life expectancy gains, while poorer states stagnated.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-interventions-to-bridge-the-gap">Interventions to bridge the gap</h2>



Targeted public health interventions offer a path forward. Researchers recommend that states with lower cohort life expectancy consider comprehensive tobacco regulations, expanded healthcare access, and environmental health initiatives.



“This research highlights the importance of viewing health through a generational lens,” Tam said. “The benefits of health interventions ripple across lifetimes.”



For Southern states, reversing the stagnation will require targeted investments in public health infrastructure, disease prevention, and health education. 



Without such efforts, the study warns, the gap between states with high and low life expectancy will only widen, locking future generations into predetermined health outcomes.



“Where you are born shouldn’t determine how long you live,” Holford concluded. “But in America, it still does.”



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2833159" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA Network Open</a>.



-----



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Life expectancy in America depends on where you are born  

Life expectancy in the United States reveals a deeply fractured landscape. Yale School of Public Health researchers examined records of 179 million deaths between 1969 and 2020, and traced how generational health patterns diverged across regions. The team chose an unconventional approach - analyzing life expectancy by birth cohort instead of by year - to uncover hidden disparities missed by standard mortality reports. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, tell a compelling story of a nation where regional policies, economic conditions, and public health initiatives shape...

The results of a recent survey indicate that older Americans are wary of the medical use of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-less-damaging-alcohol/">marijuana</a>. While the vast majority of the poll respondents said that they support medical marijuana when it is recommended by a doctor, very few of these older adults currently use medical marijuana.

The National Poll on Healthy Aging, which was conducted by the <a href="http://ihpi.umich.edu/">University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation</a>, obtained the opinions of 2,007 Americans between the ages of 50 and 80.

According to the results of the survey, four out of five study participants approved the use of medical marijuana when it is prescribed by a physician, and forty percent approved the use of marijuana for any reason. 

At least 67 percent of those surveyed said that they feel marijuana has the potential to ease pain, but about 50 percent reported thinking that prescription medications were more effective than marijuana.

Poll director Dr. Preeti Malani is a specialist in the treatment of older patients at the University of Michigan.

“While just six percent of our poll respondents said they'd used marijuana for medical purposes themselves, 18 percent said they know someone who has,” said Dr. Malani. 

“With medical marijuana already legal in 29 states and the District of Columbia, and other states considering legalizing this use or all use, this is an issue of interest to patients, providers and policymakers alike.”

Two-thirds of the poll respondents said that the government needs to do more to find out about marijuana's health effects. Marijuana use, especially long-term use, has been linked to impaired decision making, memory, and ability to perform complex tasks.

When asked about the negative effects of both prescription medication and marijuana, 48 percent thought prescription pain medicines are more addictive than marijuana, and 57 percent believed that such medicines have more side effects than marijuana.

“These perceptions of relative safety and efficacy are important for physicians, other providers and public health regulators to understand,” said Dr. Malani. 

Dr. Malani said that providers should be routinely asking older patients about marijuana use. 70 percent of those who answered the poll said they would probably ask their provider about marijuana if they had a serious medical condition that might respond to it. 

Alison Bryant is the senior vice president of research for AARP, who help sponsor the research.

“Although older adults may be a bit wary about marijuana, the majority support more research on it,” said Bryant. “This openness to more research likely speaks to a desire to find safe, alternative treatments to control pain.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Older Americans are more uneasy about medical marijuana use

The results of a recent survey indicate that older Americans...

Researchers have found a link between the sudden loss of wealth and an increased risk of death among middle-aged and older adults in the United States. The team found that a negative wealth shock has a substantial effect on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/meditation-mental-health-benefits/">mental health</a> and leaves less money available for health-related expenses.

The analysis was focused on 8,714 adults who were between the ages of 51 and 61 at the beginning of the study. The participants were initially evaluated for a sudden loss of wealth in 1994, and then were followed up on every two years through 2014 for the investigation.

The experts defined a sudden loss of wealth as losing 75 percent or more of total net worth over a period of two years. Furthermore, asset poverty was defined as zero or negative total net worth.

The study revealed that less acute shock within two years, such as a 25 or 50 percent loss, was associated with an increased risk of death. Less acute negative wealth shocks that were not fully realized in two years may have been missed by the researchers.


The study authors emphasized that this was an observational study. They also pointed out that they did not control for all of the natural differences that could explain the findings of the study, and that there was no intervention on their behalf for study purposes.


The research team concluded that, with limited years remaining to regain lost wealth in older age, the health consequences of a sudden loss of wealth may be long-lasting. It is not yet known what these potential long-term health consequences are.

The research was led by Lindsay R. Pool, Ph.D., at the <a href="http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine</a> in Chicago.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/">Jama</a>.

--
By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Risk of death increased by sudden loss of wealth, study finds

Researchers have found a link between the sudden loss of...

It might be fair to say that the European-based American culture is uncomfortable with desert.  The very word invokes ideas of wastelands inhospitable to life. Images of vultures circling over people panting the word ‘water’ as they trudge over sand dunes come to mind.  Desertification is seen as an unmitigated negative, with no upside. In her book Refuge, Terry Tempest Williams gives perfect voice to how many who do not know the desert seem to feel when voicing the government’s stance:

“A blank spot on the map translates into empty space, space devoid of people, a wasteland perfect for nerve gas, weteye bombs, and toxic waste.  The army believes that the Great Salt Lake Desert is an ideal place to experiment with biological warfare.” 

The problem with this view of the desert as openly hostile is that it’s full of life, including human life.  It’s important to remember that humans took their first steps in rather arid environments in Africa. The roots of Western Civilization also started in dry places: Egypt and the fertile crescent of the Middle East.  The desert has long been inspiration for zealots and iconoclastic individuals. Those who have learned to know the desert have often found a love for the lean beauty, myself included. 

When big conservation concerns come to mind, many think of rainforest or maybe polar ice caps.  Desert rarely comes to the forefront in endangered places or endangered animals. The sad truth is that we could easily lose the landscape of the American desert, a place of stark beauty and uniquely American as New York City.      

According to a recent report from <a href="https://www.drought.gov/drought/">Drought.gov</a>, 26.1% of the U.S. is in drought, or 30.8% of the lower 48 states.  On maps, a stark red patch hovers over the four corners region of the Southwest, expanding across New Mexico into Oklahoma and part of Texas as well as cutting across the whole state of Arizona.  The red patch signifies extreme drought and covering most of the southwest as well as the southeast, and parts of the Midwest are varying hues of yellow meaning everything from ‘abnormally dry’ to  ‘severe drought’. It’s not breaking news that the southwestern U.S. has been very dry as of late. Anyone that watches the news with any regularity has heard of Californians pulling up orchards because of due to recent drought.  Mostly the concern seems to be with humans, but we are the most mobile, most adaptable and most to blame for the decline of the desert regions many of us call home. 

There is a disconnect between how people who live in cities in the desert go about their lives and the stark realities of the dwindling water they depend on.  Already this year, Grand Canyon National Park has been in level 3 water restrictions, just lifted. The water restrictions stopped showering and even dishwashing at Grand Canyon restaurants.  Meanwhile in other parts of Arizona, water waste is rampant. Outside the mall where the local Tucson REI resides, there is a cascade of artificial fountain water. At the city park where I often jog or take my dog to the dog park, there is also a grassy golf course.  People in Phoenix haven’t stopped using their swimming pools, Las Vegas is still littered with fountains and fake pirate battles on extravagant artificial seas. 

The future for the desert is grim as humans pull water from every river, aquifer and oasis for their gluttonous appetite.  It’s not just that we’re using more water, although we are, it’s that a lot of water is from aquifers and can’t replenish itself on a human timetable.  The Ogallala Aquifer underlying the center of the continent from northern Texas to Southern South Dakota is expansive at nearly 175,000 square miles. A <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">USGS</a> study shows a drop of 15.4 feet in the aquifer systems water level from predevelopment to 2013, and 2.1 feet of the water level drop occurred between 2011 and 2013.  

Adding to the conundrum is <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">climate change</a>.  

In the iconic landscape of Joshua Tree National Park, a haven for climbers and desert rats of all sorts, the namesake Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) is in danger.  Due to climate change the giant, scraggly yucca tree the Mormons named after Joshua isn’t reproducing very quickly.  A study cited by <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/">National Geographic</a> shows that in 30% of the Joshua Trees range in the park there are few or no young trees.  Joshua Trees may be in extreme peril with higher temperatures and increasing droughts. 

Joshua Trees aren’t the only iconic desert plant threatened by climate change either.  It’s hard not to think of saguaros (Carnegiea gigantean), the giant cactus with arms when thinking of the American desert.  According to <a href="http://sweetwatercenter.org/">sweetwatercenter.org</a>, saguaros grow fastest in the wettest part of their range and slowest in the driest part of their range.  Besides growth rates, Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) an invasive introduced from Africa may outcompete native plants under the influence of climate change.  Saguaros and other Sonoran desert plants have evolved over the ages for a specific climate pattern of monsoons breaking up hot dry weather.  As the weather becomes more erratic, known patterns break down, pushing some species past the breaking point. 

If Saguaros and Joshua trees go, many other plants will go with them.  With no plants and less reliable water, the irony is an ecosystem defined by lack of water will be forever destroyed.  River systems like the Colorado are already over taxed. According to the <a href="https://sonoraninstitute.org/">Sonoran Institute</a>, the Colorado River once delivered 17 billion cubic meters of fresh water to the estuary at the top of the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.  Today there is a trickle of agricultural runoff and effluent from wastewater treatment. The Sonoran Institute is working hard to restore the estuary provided habitat for desert pupfish, Vaquita, Colorado Delta Clam and many others being unique to the region.  As we continue to drain the Colorado River faced with drought and lower water tables, the estuary will suffer more.

What can be done to save the American Desert?  I cannot claim to have the answer. I will say what I know is the first step.  You must know the desert, forgo the museum, pass by the library and hit the hiking trails.  Learn the names of the cactus stuck in your sock. Get sunburned. Blister your hands climbing a sandstone cliff.  Fall in love with the desert. No one fights as hard for something they don’t love. Remember the words of Ed Abbey, the great American desert rat, “Love implies anger.  The man who is angered by nothing cares about nothing.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The end of the Great American Desert?

It might be fair to say that the European-based American...

While many people are relieved to see winter change to spring, the warmer weather and budding trees sometimes means a whole season of agony for allergy sufferers. 

You may have even heard the rumor that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stress-sick-allergies/">allergies</a> seem to be getting worse in the United States, and there actually might be some truth to this.

It all boils down to a concept called “botanical sexism” which was first termed by horticultural epidemiologist Thomas Leo Ogren. 

Ogren has been studying the allergy-potential of common horticultural plants for 30 years and has even written several books on gardening techniques for mitigating allergies. 

Botanical sexism involves the process by which urban landscapers, in an effort to keep city streets and sidewalks clear of seeds and flowers, plant only male trees. 

The male trees lack the seeds of their female counterparts but have an abundance of pollen, and as the trees get bigger, their pollen counts increase. 

In an article for the <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/botanical-sexism-cultivates-home-grown-allergies/">Scientific American</a>, Ogren discusses the timeline of male trees dominating city streets. It all started after Dutch Elm Disease wiped out millions of trees across the country in the 1980s. In an effort to replace them, many landscapers opted to plant clonal male trees. 

“The problem is that while these trees and plants are “litter-free,” they all produce abundant allergenic pollen,” Ogren told Scientific American.

What’s worse is that the pollen congregates in the areas where the trees are planted, so people who live in cities with an abundance of male trees risk a high exposure to pollen. 

Ogren suggests that smart landscape management, planting more female trees, and stopping commercial growers from selling male only plants are all ways to help reduce pollen counts. 

“The more female plants in a landscape, the less pollen there will be in the air in the immediate vicinity,” Ogren told Scientific American. “By relying less on males and paying more attention to the allergy-potential of all the plants in our urban landscape, all of us may one day breathe easier.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Botanical sexism with trees making seasonal allergies worse

While many people are relieved to see winter change to...

New research has revealed that judges are just as biased as everyone else in their decisions when traditional gender roles are challenged. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/economic-hardship-racial-discrimination/">Discrimination</a> in the courtroom was found to work both ways, sometimes against men and sometimes against women.

Andrea Miller is a visiting assistant professor of Psychology at the <a href="http://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a>.

“These results show that judges' ideology and life experiences might influence their court decisions," said Miller. “Many judges are not able to factor out their personal beliefs while they are considering court cases, even when they have the best possible intentions.”


The study, which was an effort to address gender bias in one particular state, was focused on over 500 judges in the state's court system. For confidentiality purposes, the court system was not identified.

“The judges who participated in the study did so at great personal and professional risk because they care deeply about confronting the possibility that there might be social group disparities in case outcomes,” said Miller. “This state court system has become a leader in the search for evidence-based solutions to the problem of implicit bias.”

Of the judges participating in the investigation, 68 percent were men, 30 percent were women, and 2 percent were unidentified. Over 500 non-professionals were also recruited to take part in the study.

The participants completed surveys about their beliefs on traditional gender roles, such as stereotypes about what roles men and women are expected to play. The judges and lay people also analyzed two mock court cases, including a child custody case and a sex discrimination lawsuit.

The plaintiff in the sex discrimination lawsuit, who was identified as either a man or a woman, alleged that they were denied a promotion after six weeks of paid leave to care for an adopted baby. The plaintiff wanted an expert to testify about research on sex discrimination.

The study revealed that judges who supported traditional gender roles were more likely than lay people to dismiss the case or rule against a female plaintiff.

In the custody case, the parents were both seeking primary custody of their two children. The mother and father both worked full-time jobs and had an equal amount of conflicts with caring for the children.

Judges and lay people who supported traditional gender roles all gave more custody rights to the mother than to the equally-qualified father. Furthermore, the researchers found that only 3 percent of the judges gave the father more custody time than the mother, which was far more biased than the lay people.

“In both of these cases, support for traditional gender roles was associated with decisions that encouraged women to engage in more family caregiving at the expense of their careers and discouraged men from participating in family caregiving at all,” said Miller.

“Cultural ideas about gender bias may shape judges' decision-making as much as the rest of us. The significant expertise that judges possess doesn't inoculate them again decision-making biases, and we can't expect much change until we see policy reforms that address decision-making procedures in the courtroom.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/sppa">Social Psychological and Personality Science</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Traditional gender bias found to influence courtroom decisions

New research has revealed that judges are just as biased...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> (NYU) have found that people are willing to pay more for unhealthy foods when they are craving them. They also discovered that people will pay a disproportionately higher price for larger portions of the foods that they crave.

Study lead author Anna Konova is a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Neural Science at NYU.

“Our results indicate that even if people strive to eat healthier, craving could overshadow the importance of health by boosting the value of tempting, unhealthy foods relative to healthier options,” said Konova.

“Craving, which is pervasive in daily life, may nudge our choices in very specific ways that help us acquire those things that made us feel good in the past--even if those things may not be consistent with our current health goals.”


Scientists are interested in understanding how our psychological and physiological states affect our behavior as consumers. Food cravings have been found to represent a state of mind that contributes to addiction, eating disorders, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/body-temperature-obesity/">obesity</a>.

The research team set out to understand the impact of craving on our choices and consumer behavior. They conducted a series of experiments in which participants reported how much they were willing to pay for a certain snack food either before or after they had been exposed to the food item.

The study revealed that individuals were willing to pay more for the exact same food item after they had been exposed to it and asked to recall what it tasted like.

The researchers also found evidence that craving and hunger are distinctively different experiences.

“In other words, craving Snickers does not make you hungrier; it makes you desire Snickers specifically," explained study co-author Kenway Louie.

When the food product was relatively less healthy, such as high in sugar or high in fat content, the willingness to pay for the desired item was even stronger. In addition, the participants were willing to pay disproportionately higher prices for increased portions of the snack foods they craved.

“It appears that craving boosts or multiplies the economic value of the craved food,” said Konova.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, Earth.com Staff Writer

Study: People willing to pay more for unhealthy foods they crave

Researchers at New York University (NYU) have found that people...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limit-global-warming/">Global warming</a> is threatening the Arctic region with ice-free summers, and a new study has revealed that a global mean temperature rise of merely one degree Fahrenheit will make all of the difference for summer sea ice in the Arctic.

The researchers found that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius would lead to a 30 percent chance of an ice-free Arctic summer by the year 2100. However, warming by 2 degrees Celsius would make at least one ice-free Arctic summer inevitable.

Study author Alexandra Jahn is an assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado Boulder</a>.

“I didn't expect to find that half a degree Celsius would make a big difference, but it really does,” said Jahn “At 1.5 degrees Celsius, half of the time we stay within our current summer sea ice regime whereas if we reach 2 degrees of warming, the summer sea ice area will always be below what we have experienced in recent decades.”

The team used simulations from the Community Earth System Model (CESM) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) to evaluate warming scenarios ranging from 1.5 degrees Celsius to 4 degrees Celsius. The analysis demonstrated how drastically different the outcome of the each scenario would be for Arctic summer sea ice.

“This dataset allows us to predict how soon we're likely to see ice free conditions as well as how often,” said Jahn. 

“Under the 4-degree Celsius scenario, we would have a high probability of a three-month ice free period in the summer months by 2050. By the end of century, that could jump to five months a year without ice. And even for half that warming, ice-free conditions of up to 2 month a year are possible by the late 21st century.”


Jahn pointed out that, if warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the probability of ice-free summers would drop by 70 percent and could likely be avoided altogether or at least delayed. 

The experts hope that the findings of this study may motivate countries to work harder at achieving the warming target that was set forth at the Paris Climate Agreement of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“The good news is that sea ice has quick response times and could theoretically recover if we brought down global temperatures at any point in the future,” said Jahn. “In the meantime, though, other ecosystems could see permanent negative impacts from the ice loss, and those can't necessarily bounce back.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Arctic could experience ice-free summer by 2100

Global warming is threatening the Arctic region with ice-free summers,...

A new survey has found that the majority of people have forgotten how to relax. 

The constant stimulation of modern life leaves little time for true rest. People are now always “plugged in,” leaving them more fatigued than ever. 

The new research conducted by psychologist Megan Arrol found that even after long weekends, holidays, or vacations, people today feel less rested and some don’t even know how to fully unwind anymore. 

The survey, originally published in the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5559899/Have-forgotten-relax.html">Daily Mail</a>, examined over 2,000 adults who were asked about how often they relaxed, if they felt stressed or worried during the day, and what they did to relax. 

The findings showed that almost 75 percent of those surveyed said they experienced days with no downtime or relaxation. 

The most common reasons for having a hard time relaxing were a hectic job, dealing with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/understanding-money-old-age/">anxiety</a>, having too many things to do, and feeling relied upon. 

46 percent of those surveyed stated that they had trouble relaxing during specific times dedicated to rest, like a vacation or the weekend. 

The survey results are a major cause for concern because rest and relaxation are crucial for our general health and wellbeing. 

“Relaxing, winding down and unplugging from our busy lives is important as it gives our bodies and minds a chance to recalibrate,” Arroll told <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5559899/Have-forgotten-relax.html">Daily Mail</a>. “Just as sleep restores us, so does rest, relaxation and downtime. Also, more than half of the people in the survey stated that not being able to relax had impacted on their sleep, caused further anxiety and even lead to feelings of depression.”

Taking time to relax and unwind can help increase energy, lower your blood pressure and heart rate and reduce stress. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Modern life makes it increasingly difficult to relax, study finds

A new survey has found that the majority of people...

The weekends are often a time for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-new-information-brain/">sleeping in</a>, but studies have shown that overcompensating and trying to catch up on sleep only causes more problems and results in a condition called social jet lag. 

Social jet lag is when your body’s natural circadian rhythm conflicts with your daily routine. 

Now, a <a href="http://news.berkeley.edu/2018/03/29/social-jetlag/">new study</a> has found that students with conflicting biological clocks and class schedules suffered poor academic performance. 

The study, one of the largest of its kind, was conducted by researchers from the<a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/"> University of California Berkeley </a>and <a href="https://www.neiu.edu/">Northeastern Illinois University </a>and recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. 

Over the course of two years, researchers tracked and analyzed the profiles of 14,894 students and their daily online activities. The student participants were monitored as they logged in and out of campus servers. 

The students were then split into three categories depending on when they spent the most time online and what their schedules were like outside of class. 

The researchers found that students with schedules that were out of “sync” suffered social jet lag, and this even resulted in poor grades and an increase in smoking and drinking. 

Forty percent of the students had an internal clock that matched their social schedule and 60 percent of the participants had social jet lag to some degree. 

One of the examples given by the research team was a night owl who had mostly morning classes.

On the reverse side, the results also showed that students with consistent schedules, meaning they didn’t sleep in too much on the weekends and class days and non-class days, were similar were less prone to social jet lag.

“We found that the majority of students were being jet-lagged by their class times, which correlated very strongly with decreased academic performance,” said Benjamin Smarr, the study’s co-lead author. 

The researchers say the findings call for individualized education as the students weren’t simply suffering from sleep deprivation. 

“Rather than admonish late students to go to bed earlier, in conflict with their biological rhythms, we should work to individualize education so that learning and classes are structured to take advantage of knowing what time of day a given student will be most capable of learning,” said Smarr. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Simply getting more sleep won’t fix social jet lag

The weekends are often a time for sleeping in, but...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-driving-climate-change/">Climate change</a> is the instigator behind many international issues currently being discussed, and will only have a hand in even more global problems in the future. One of these problems – according to new research led by the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a> – could be increased risk of food shortages in numerous countries. 

For the study – published in the journal <a href="http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A</a> – the researchers assessed how climate change may affect the vulnerability of different nations in regards to food insecurity, which occurs when the public is unable to access a sufficient quantity of nutritious, affordable food.

The researchers looked at 122 developing and least-developed countries, mainly in Asia, Africa, and South America. They analyzed the difference between global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C – compared to pre-industrial levels – and found that the effects would be worst for most countries at 2°C. However, food vulnerability would increase in both scenarios. 

“Climate change is expected to lead to more extremes of both heavy rainfall and drought, with different effects in different parts of the world,” says Richard Betts, Chair in Climate Impacts at the University of Exeter. “Such weather extremes can increase vulnerability to food insecurity. Some change is already unavoidable, but if global warming is limited to 1.5°C, this vulnerability is projected to remain smaller than at 2°C in approximately 76% of developing countries.”

On average, warming attributed to climate change is expected to result in wetter conditions, which means an increased risk of flooding. But in some areas, agriculture could also be affected by more frequent and sustained droughts. Wet conditions are expected to have the greatest impact in South and East Asia, with the most extreme projections predicting that the flow of the River Ganges could more than double at a 2°C temperature increase. For droughts, the areas expected to be significantly affected are southern Africa and South America – where the flow of the Amazon is projected to decline by as much as 25 percent.

Clearly, the path of climate change seems to be leading to more extreme weather, which could spell disaster for areas already vulnerable to droughts or flooding. 

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Food insecurity risks increase with climate change

Climate change is the instigator behind many international issues currently...

Can what you eat affect how you age? A series of six new studies found correlations between the popular Mediterranean diet and healthy aging. But to fully reap the benefits, foodies must do more than swap butter for olive oil.

The studies looked at six different areas related to the Mediterranean diet:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">What requirements and underlying mechanisms actually define the diet</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Connections between the diet and physical and mental health</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">How the diet interacts with genetics to modify inflammatory responses</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Whether it can be linked to impaired physical function among older adults</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">How a coenzyme Q10 supplement changes the diet’s effects</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Whether the Mediterranean diet can be linked to longer, healthier lives</li>
</ul>
The studies showed generally positive results for those who follow the Mediterranean diet – as long as they properly define it and then stick to it.

"Greater clarity on how this diet is defined, in both interventions and observational studies, will be critical in the aim of achieving a consensus on how to optimally apply this dietary pattern towards maximizing healthy aging," Dr. Michelle A. Mendez and Dr. Anne B. Newman wrote in an editorial introducing the series of papers. Newman is the editor-in-chief of the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/issue/73/3">Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences</a>, which published the series in Issue 73.

The diet focuses on whole grains and legumes – with as little processing as possible – as its staple foods, supplemented by several diverse servings of fresh vegetables and fruits each day. Cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds provide fat, along with moderate servings of fish. Dairy products and red meat are eaten only in very small amounts as a rare treat. 

The researchers used several different measures with study participants to see how well they stuck to their diets.

While the researchers still aren’t sure how and why the Mediterranean diet works so well, they were able to observe a few effects that lead to better health. One of the articles, by researchers at <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University in St. Louis</a>, found that the diet was correlated with lower lipid levels, protection against inflammation and genetic changes that can encourage cancer growth, antioxidant properties, and other positive effects on health.

The benefits may not be restricted to the Mediterranean diet, either. Other diets that follow the same patterns – and emphasis on fresh vegetables, grains and fruits with minimal processing – may also promote good health.

“Recent evidence suggests that the patterns of diet that may be most healthful are plant-based food patterns, where vegetables, whole grains and legumes are the dietary staples, with less meat – but not less total fat – than is typically consumed in developed countries,” Mendez and Newman <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/73/3/315/4917619">wrote in their editorial</a>.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Can a Mediterranean diet lead to a healthier, longer life?

Can what you eat affect how you age? A series...

Major cities must devote a great deal of space to accommodate parking lots, which ultimately increases their carbon footprint and environmental impact. 

But now, researchers from the<a href="http://www.engineering.utoronto.ca/"> University of Toronto Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering </a>have found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/self-driving-electric-taxis/">self-driving cars</a>, or autonomous vehicles (AVs), could significantly reduce the amount of space needed for parking. 

After dropping off their passengers at their destination, AVs would then be able to head to a designated parking space.

According to the new study published in the journal Transportation Research Part B, self-driving cars would be able to make much more efficient use out of less space than traditional parking lots today. 

“In a parking lot full of AVs, you don't need to open the doors, so they can park with very little space in between,” said Matthew Roorda, the senior author. “You also don't need to leave space for each car to drive out, because you can signal the surrounding AVs to move out of the way.”

Parking lots are designed specifically so cars can pull in out of each spot, no car is boxed in and unable to get out. 

But with an AVs parking lot, cars could easily be packed together and move aside to let cars get in and out. 

The researchers wanted to find the optimal size parking lot grids for AVs in order to maximize storage and still make sure that it wouldn’t take too long for any one car to get out. A computer model and algorithm was used to find the best design. 

The results showed with a certain number of cars, an optimal parking lot could fit 62 percent more cars than current parking areas today. The algorithm even showed that square-shaped grids could fit 87 percent more cars. 

Less space devoted to parking lots means a much smaller environmental impact for cities.

“Right now, our downtown cores have giant municipal parking lots next to major attractions,” said Roorda. “AVs could allow us to both shrink and relocate these parking lots, opening up valuable space in cities.”

The new design concepts could also have some unintended negative consequences, such as parking lots far away from major attractions, meaning it would take longer to retrieve your car when you needed it. 

The researchers say that AVs parking lots as a reality are a long way off, but if and when they become commonplace, the researchers have a potentially efficient, eco-friendly, and time-saving solution for parking. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Self-driving cars to alleviate parking headaches in major cities

Major cities must devote a great deal of space to...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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