Stress can be exhausting, making even simple tasks feel like a chore. College life piles on exams and assignments, leaving many people feeling overwhelmed. A new study shows that playing with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rewards-of-dog-ownership-outweigh-the-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">friendly dog</a> for just 15 minutes can lighten that emotional load.



The research was led by senior investigator Dr. Jaruwan Khonmee from <a href="https://www.cmu.ac.th/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chiang Mai University</a> in Thailand and included 122 students.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-help-lower-stress">Dogs help lower stress</h2>



<a href="https://archive.org/details/psychologicalstr0000laza" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stress</a> is a feeling of mental tension triggered by tough situations, and it can drain your energy before you realize it. Over time, stress can harm your mood, focus, and physical health in multiple ways.



College students often juggle challenging courses, part-time work, and new social circles. When responsibilities pile up, anxiety can creep in and catch people off guard.



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2485862/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cortisol</a> is a hormone that climbs when you’re tense and goes down when you’re relaxed. Lowering it can support better heart function and clearer thinking under pressure.



That’s where a quick session of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dog-breed-does-not-define-performance-and-ability/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine interaction</a> steps in to break the cycle. A wagging tail or a nudge from a friendly snout can act like a natural mood lifter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-dogs-helped-students">How dogs helped students</h2>



In this project, students had their heart rates, saliva samples, and stress surveys measured before and after interacting with dogs. The researchers observed significant drops in both physical and emotional stress markers once the session ended.



Compared to just moments earlier, students’ self-reported <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-suffer-from-the-january-blues-just-like-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stress levels</a> decreased by 33.5% after hanging out with the pup. This quick drop demonstrates how a little interaction can go a long way.



Some participants chose to cuddle or chat with the dog, while others offered treats or toys. Even short bursts of play were enough to see a noticeable shift.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-reduce-stress-levels">Dogs reduce stress levels</h2>



“Even brief interactions with dogs can significantly reduce stress levels among university undergraduate students,” concluded the researchers. They noted that stress hormones in the dogs themselves appeared to drop over time, suggesting shared benefits.



Fecal tests indicated that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-and-dogs-share-genes-linked-to-obesity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pups</a> had lower cortisol a week after these sessions. This finding points to the possibility that dogs might also feel relaxed when spending time with attentive humans.



Crucially, none of the six dogs used were certified therapy animals. Their friendly nature alone seemed enough to help students.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-relief-through-genuine-connection">Stress relief through genuine connection </h2>



Researchers have spent years examining the human-animal bond. One <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/089279314X14072268687808" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">project</a> found that petting a calm dog cannot only slow heart rate but also quiet the mind.



A good-natured pup provides social interaction without the same judgment people fear in formal therapy settings. Students can feel understood without having to explain every feeling or worry.



These canine sessions may work in part because they tap into <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/co-regulation-helping-children-and-teens-navigate-big-emotions-202404033030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emotional co-regulation</a>, where two living beings calm each other. It’s less about a clinical approach and more about genuine connection.



That sense of warmth can reassure students who hesitate to seek human counseling. A dog’s presence often feels comforting, making it easier to let go of anxious thoughts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-encouraging-outcomes-for-students">Encouraging outcomes for students</h2>



Not every campus has the resources to bring in certified therapy animals. This study shows that friendly, well-behaved pets might offer help even if they lack formal training.



Some universities have started hosting dog visits during final exams to give frazzled students a break. In many cases, just a few minutes can revive a tired mind.



Researchers stress the importance of ensuring dogs enjoy the interaction. Signs of anxiety or discomfort in pets could prevent the positive effects.



Preparing a calm environment, offering treats, and supervising the sessions can keep everyone happy. It’s a balancing act that respects both human and canine comfort.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-managing-stress-with-dog-visits">Managing stress with dog visits</h2>



Experts want to know if repeated dog sessions can bring lasting improvements. Longer studies might track stress relief over entire semesters to see if the benefits accumulate.



Some researchers wonder if these visits spark additional gains, like boosted motivation or a steadier mindset. Others are curious whether multiple short sessions are better than one extended visit. 



Further studies are needed to determine the ideal balance for ongoing stress management.



College life is not about to slow down, but dog visits seem promising for easing at least some of the mental load. Quick, simple sessions can offer a breather when books and deadlines pile high.



These findings encourage schools and organizations to consider how a wagging tail might bring calm to busy people. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0318777" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS ONE</a>.



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Petting a dog might be the easiest way to reduce stress

Stress can be exhausting, making even simple tasks feel like a chore. College life piles on exams and assignments, leaving many people feeling overwhelmed. A new study shows that playing with a friendly dog for just 15 minutes can lighten that emotional load. The research was led by senior investigator Dr. Jaruwan Khonmee from Chiang Mai University in Thailand and included 122 students. Dogs help lower stress Stress is a feeling of mental tension triggered by tough situations, and it can drain your energy before you realize...

The dangers of playing American <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/youth-football-alter-brain/">football</a> has been a hot topic in the news lately, with groundbreaking studies being published on the connection between professional football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Other studies have shown behavioral issues arising more frequently in children who play football, and while these findings are controversial, it is raising a lot of questions about the viability of the sport in the long term.

Now, a new study published in the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama">Journal of the American Medical Association</a> has found that career players in the National Football League (NFL) had slightly higher rates of death than those of replacement players, who had played in only a few games during a short league strike in the 1980s. While the difference was not statistically significant, there was a noticeable difference in death rates between the two populations.

Prior studies have looked at the rate of death in retired NFL players against population norms, which made it difficult to derive any true meaning from the results, as the general population usually lives a radically different lifestyle from NFL players. This study was able to even out the playing field – no pun intended – by assessing career NFL players versus athletes that lived a similar lifestyle. 

The study assessed 3,812 retired players who had played in the league from 1982 to 1992. This included 2,933 regular NFL players and 897 replacement players. Data was collected for any death up to December 31, 2016. Along with the non-statistically significant higher death rate among career NFL players, it was also found that seven career players died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared to zero replacement players. 

While the findings were not statistically significant, and estimates were based on a small number of deaths, this study continues to spur on the conversation regarding the relative safety of American football.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Career NFL players may have a slightly higher risk of death

The dangers of playing American football has been a hot...

What makes a good death? Is it being surrounded by loved ones or waiting until you’re alone to pass away? 

Glenys Caswell, a senior research fellow from <a href="http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">the University of Nottingham</a> with a special interest in death, has attempted to tackle this question in a piece she wrote for<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-some-people-dying-alone-is-not-such-a-bad-thing-heres-why-90034"> The Conversation</a>. 

The subject of dying alone is usually looked at negatively, and people often feel guilty if they are absent at the time of loved one’s passing. 

However, Caswell argues through her years of research and observation on the topic that some people simply prefer to be alone during that time. 

“My own research found that while hospice-at-home nurses believe that no one should die alone, they had seen cases where a person died after their family members had left the bedside,” Caswell writes. “The nurses believed that some people just want to be on their own when they are dying.” 

Caswell has researched, conducted studies, and written several papers on the subject of death and dying alone. 

<a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21582041.2015.1114663">In one study</a>, she proposes that dying alone at home isn’t the shocking tragedy that many news stories make it out to be, but that it shows a purposeful withdrawal from society on the part of the deceased. 

Dying with loved ones near is also cultural, with many in agreement that dying alone is a terrible way to spend one’s last moments. Health care policies, news coverage of celebrity deaths, and representations of death in the media all support these views. 

Yet, some people prefer to be alone, and as Caswell points out, especially when dying. 

“But we all know people who prefer to be left alone when they are ill. Is it so surprising then that some might wish to be alone when they are dying?”

Whether alone or surrounded by loved ones, a person’s wishes deserve to be respected.  

Caswell emphasizes the importance of talking about these sometimes uncomfortable topics. 

Discussing the subject in advance can help stop unnecessary feelings of guilt if family is not present during someone’s passing, and can ensure that a person’s final wishes are met. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Do some people prefer to be alone when they die?

What makes a good death? Is it being surrounded by...

A new report from <a href="http://next10.org/">Next 10</a> has revealed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/california-water-conservation-benefits/">California</a> can easily reach its target of having 1.5 million electric cars on the road by 2025. In 2017, electric car sales were nearly 30 percent higher than the previous year in California. According to the publication, sales need to improve by just 20 percent each year through 2025 to meet the state's goal.

So far, there have been 350,000 zero-emission vehicles sold in California. The increase in sales has been primarily attributed to the rising demand for electric cars, reduced battery costs, and overall lower pricing.

Last week, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an executive order which set an even more ambitious target of getting 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the state's roads by 2030. The directive also detailed the governor's plans of investing $3.75 billion to bring a quarter million vehicle-charging stations to California by 2025.

Brown pointed out that vehicle emissions contribute 50 percent of the state's harmful greenhouse gases and 80 percent of the pollutants that cause smog.

“This executive order aims to curb carbon pollution from cars and trucks and boost the number of zero-emission vehicles driven in California,” Brown said in a statement. “In addition, the cap-and-trade investments will, in varying degrees, reduce California's carbon footprint and improve the quality of life for all."

Both Britain and France have plans to completely end sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2040 in an effort to curb pollution and carbon emissions, while India is considering a complete transition to electric vehicles by 2032. China is also setting aggressive goals to increase sales of alternative fuel vehicles.

F. Noel Perry is a venture capitalist and philanthropist who founded the non-profit organization Next 10.

“The movement around the globe to move away from gas-powered vehicles is very significant and California is at the center of that,” said Perry. 

The full analysis by Next 10 can be found <a href="http://next10.org/zev">here</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

California plans to hit 1.5 million electric cars by 2025

A new report from Next 10 has revealed that California...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hawaii-ban-sunscreens-reefs/">Sunscreen</a> is critical in protecting skin from dangerous ultraviolet radiation, but some types of sunscreen are not good for the environment. Scientists have now managed to produce a biodegradable sunscreen compound called shinorine in the laboratory, which was previously only found in limited amounts in nature.

Synthetic sunscreen components can accumulate in marine environments, where they pose a potential threat to wildlife by acting as hormone disruptors. Shinorine is an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic compounds that is produced naturally by cyanobacteria and marine algae, but it is not particularly easy to obtain.

The shinorine that is currently found on the market varies greatly by region and by season. A team of researchers led by Yousong Ding set out to develop a more abundant source of shinorine by achieving its production in a laboratory.

A strain of freshwater cyanobacteria, Synechocystis, was selected as a host cell for shinorine expression. The team chose this particular organism because it grows quickly and its genetic makeup is easy to manipulate. 

The experts collected a cluster of genes responsible for the production of shinorine from the filamentous cyanobacterium Fischerella, and delivered the genes to the host Synechocystis.


The production of shinorine by the Synechocystis started out slowly - at levels three times lower than Fischerella production. But then, the addition of more material to the gene cluster boosted production to a rate ten times higher.


For the final phase of the experiment, the team exposed cells expressing shinorine alongside control cells to UV radiation. There were no growth differences found using UV-A light. 

When exposed to UV-B light, however, the population of control cells significantly declined. The researchers explained that shinorine acted as sunscreen against UV-B light in the other cells, helping them grow better and survive longer.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://pubs.acs.org/journal/asbcd6">ACS Synthetic Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New breakthrough paves the way for greener sunscreen

Sunscreen is critical in protecting skin from dangerous ultraviolet radiation,...

The practice of mindfulness meditation is a way of separating yourself from your thoughts and emotions, so as not to be controlled by them. The main goal of mindfulness is to become more aware of those thoughts, emotions, and situations that have a strong effect on our habits, actions, and behaviors. 

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mindfulness-helps-athletes-perform-better-competition/">Mindfulness</a> has surged in popularity over the past several years, with apps, blogs, and meditation classes offering the therapeutic technique. 

Now, new research has found that mindfulness can also help reduce or interrupt cravings for food, alcohol, or drugs, which could be beneficial for treating substance abuse and addiction. 

Researchers from<a href="https://www.city.ac.uk/"> City, University of London </a>compiled together different studies dealing with cravings and mindfulness to see if there was a viable connection between the two. 

The results were published in Clinical Psychology Review and show that mindfulness can be an effective technique for interrupting cravings for drugs and food because it occupies short-term memory. 

Cravings are typically an intense, conscious desire for a substance, and often trigger a behavior to consume.

Because these cravings can lead to addiction addiction, the researchers examined 30 different studies that involved mindfulness as a technique to curb cravings. 

After reviewing the studies, their methodologies, and the results, the researchers concluded that mindfulness fights cravings by interrupting or loading short-term memory. It also provides a way to distraction from the cravings, which reduces the likelihood that the person will act on them.

"The research suggests that certain mindfulness-based strategies may help prevent or interrupt cravings by occupying a part of our mind that contributes to the development of cravings,” said Katy Tapper, an author of the paper. 

The researchers note that further studies are needed to understand the benefits of regular mindfulness practice, and if mindfulness is more effective than other techniques at reducing cravings.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mindfulness techniques can help reduce cravings for food, alcohol

The practice of mindfulness meditation is a way of separating...

Many people who work office jobs find themselves sitting at a desk much of the day, with hardly any opportunity to be active. Population-based studies have found that in the U.S., adults sit for more than seven hours per day. In European countries, it ranges from 3.2 to 6.8 hours of daily sitting. This sedentary behavior has been linked to the obesity epidemic, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

However, other options have become more widely available to the average desk worker. Standing desks and even desks with stationary bikes or treadmills have gained popularity in recent years. Now, a new study in the<a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/cpr"> European Journal of Preventive Cardiology</a> shows that standing instead of sitting for six hours a day could help people <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/consistent-weight-loss-success/">lose weight</a> in the long term. 

In the first systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the difference between calories burned while sitting or standing, researchers from <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/">Mayo Clinic</a> evaluated 46 studies with 1,184 participants. They found that individuals burn an additional 0.15 calories (kcals) per minute more while standing compared to sitting. This means that if a 143-pound adult substitutes standing for sitting six hours a day, they would expend an extra 54 calories per day. This would roughly equate to 5.5 pounds in one year. 

“Standing for long periods of time for many adults may seem unmanageable, especially those who have desk jobs, but, for the person who sits for 12 hours a day, cutting sitting time to half would give great benefits,” says Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, chair of preventative cardiology at Mayo Clinic and senior author of the study.

In an effort to boost public health, moderate to vigorous physical activities have been encouraged to help individuals lose weight and reduce the risk of heart disease. But often people will claim that they lack the time, motivation, or access to the necessary facilities. 

Drs. James Levine and Michael Jensen, endocrinologists and obesity researchers at Mayo Clinic, developed a concept known as NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), which focuses on the daily calories a person burns while doing normal daily activities. 

“Standing is one of components of NEAT, and the results of our study support this theory,” explains Dr. Lopez-Jimenez. “The idea is to work into our daily routines some lower-impact activities that can improve our long-term health.”

The researchers also found that calories burned between standing and sitting is roughly twice as high in men as in women. This is likely due to men having greater muscle mass, as calories burned is proportional to muscle mass activated while standing. They also note that more research will need to be done to determine is replacing sitting with standing is effective and if there may be long-term health risks due to standing for long periods.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Standing instead of sitting at work could help you lose weight

Many people who work office jobs find themselves sitting at...

Tobacco control measures have succeeded in reducing overall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quit-smoking-blame-genes/">smoking</a> rates in the United States over the past 50 years, but researchers have pinpointed groups that are more prone to smoking than others. The report, which is published by the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/">American Cancer Society</a>, explains that higher rates of smoking in certain subpopulations is one of the biggest challenges in combating tobacco use.

People in lower socioeconomic groups, certain ethnic or gay communities, and those with mental illnesses are among those subgroups that remain more susceptible to smoking. In addition, members of the military and people who work for lower wages are also more likely to smoke tobacco.

The number of college-educated individuals who smoke dropped from 40 percent to only 6.5 percent over the last five decades. However, 23.1 percent of people with no more than a high school level of education are smokers.

While tobacco use has declined in all socioeconomic groups, the largest reductions have been among higher income groups. As of 2016, 25 percent of adults in households beneath the poverty line smoked compared to only 10 percent of adults in higher income households.

Regarding race, the highest prevalence of smoking is found in people of American Indian or Alaskan Native origin. Among individuals who suffer from mental illness, 60 percent of those diagnosed with schizophrenia use tobacco.

Members of the LGBT community smoke more than heterosexuals, which experts believe may be attributed to the social stress of living in a society that can be hostile toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

While smoking rates are still significantly higher in the military than they are among the general population, they declined by at least  25 percent between 1980 and 2011 - from around 50 percent to 24 percent.

The researchers also found a huge discrepancy in tobacco usage across the states. The study authors identified an area from Michigan to Mississippi, including several adjacent states, where smoking prevalence is substantially above the national average. 

“The high prevalence of cigarette smoking among vulnerable populations is one of the most pressing challenges facing the tobacco control community,” wrote the study authors. 

“More attention to and support for promising novel interventions, in addition to new attempts at reaching these populations through conventional interventions that have proven to be effective, are crucial going forward to find new ways to address these disparities.”

The study is published in <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.3322/(ISSN)1542-4863">CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Which groups of people are still smoking?

Tobacco control measures have succeeded in reducing overall smoking rates...

New research from the <a href="http://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a> suggests that most of us view dishonest people as being less capable in life.

“Although arguments can be made that an individual's moral behavior is, or should be, irrelevant to their overall competence, we found consistent support that immoral behavior reduced judgments of people's competence,” said lead author Dr. Jennifer Stellar. 

The research team developed various experiments focused on over 1,500 participants for the study. The individuals were presented with hypothetical characters who were portrayed as being immoral in scenarios such as shoplifting or receiving low morality ratings from co-workers.

The participants were instructed to rate their perception of each character's overall competence or ability to complete a task. In one experiment, for example, the participants rated how good they thought the hypothetical individual was at his or her <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-creating-jobs/">job</a>. 

In every phase of the study, individuals who had committed moral transgressions were consistently rated as being less capable of doing their jobs and were viewed as being generally incompetent. 

The participants had been asked if morality was linked to competence in an early phase of the analysis.

“We found that most people rated immoral behavior in one's private life as irrelevant to determining how good that person was at their job,” said Dr. Stellar. “Essentially, people said they didn't think they would use moral information in that way, but when they were provided with it, they did.”

As the investigation proceeded, the experts found evidence that immoral characters were viewed as incompetent because they seemed to be lacking in social intelligence due to their dishonorable actions.

“Social intelligence is often conceived of as the ability to manage complex social situations,” said Stellar. “It includes characteristics such as taking the others' perspectives, being adaptable, managing impressions of oneself and adhering to established social norms. A person who is socially intelligent would understand when and why a coworker is angry and effectively manage their coworker's potentially destructive emotional response.”

The research is published in the <a href="http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp/">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People who are dishonest are perceived as incompetent

New research from the American Psychological Association suggests that most...

Cape Town, South Africa is set to become the first major city in the world to run out of water, and people are taking to social media to find ways to help. The municipal water supply will be mostly turned off on April 12, a dreaded day that is referred to as “Day Zero.” 

The coastal city of <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/cape-town-south-africa/">Cape Town</a> is the second largest urban region in South Africa. The population of Cape Town exploded over the past couple of decades, and has now reached over 4 million people. 

Three of the driest years in almost a century, from 2015-2017, added to the already strained municipal infrastructure. Scientists are attributing this intense drought to man-made climate change, and warn that these events will become more frequent.

Piotr Wolski is a researcher in Climate and Hydrology at the <a href="http://www.uct.ac.za/">University of Cape Town</a>. 

“There is the term of ‘new normal’ being thrown about, and in a way there’s a misconception about what this means,” Wolski told <a href="https://futurism.com/">Futurism</a>. “We’ll still have wet years, and we’ll have to cope with floods. But if these droughts are becoming more severe, more frequent, or longer, you have to make the water supply system a bit more robust, more resilient.”

Over the last week, a social media initiative to donate water to Cape Town has gained incredible momentum. What started out as a request for help on WhatsApp by East London resident Talita van der Heever has now become a full-blown phenomenon. 

“My phone doesn't stop ringing,” van der Heever told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>. “Every time someone sends me a message on WhatsApp, by the time I finish reading it it's already moved down another 100 messages.”

Drop-off locations were set up in East London and surrounding towns such as Durban and Johannesburg with the help of a disaster-relief charity called <a href="http://www.giftofthegivers.org/">Gift of the Givers</a>.

Teachers, students, farmers, and volunteers all across the country are collecting and transporting water to Cape Town. According to Gift of the Givers chairman Imtiaz Sooliman, donations are now starting to come in from outside of the country as well.

As this inspiring campaign continues to rapidly expand across the globe, a website and Twitter page have been created for the initiative. To make a donation or to see what you can do to help, visit “<a href="http://water4capetown.org/">Water 4 Cape Town</a>.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cape Town set to run out of water in April

Cape Town, South Africa is set to become the first...

New research from <a href="http://home.dartmouth.edu/">Dartmouth College</a> suggests that we perceive the world the same way that our friends do. An investigation revealed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/friends-synch-brain-waves-happier/">friends</a> have very similar neural response to real-world stimuli such as video clips.

The study is the first of its kind to compare the neural activity of people within a social network as they respond to real-world prompts.

“Neural responses to dynamic, naturalistic stimuli, like videos, can give us a window into people's unconstrained, spontaneous thought processes as they unfold,” said lead author Carolyn Parkinson. “Our results suggest that friends process the world around them in exceptionally similar ways.”

The study was focused on the social connections of nearly 280 graduate students. Based on mutually reported social ties, the experts estimated the social distance between pairs of individuals.

The researchers presented 42 of the participants with videos on subjects ranging from politics to music. While the students watched the videos, the team recorded their neural activity in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. 

The students viewed the same videos in the same order, and were given the same instructions. The researchers found that resemblance in neural response was significantly strongest among friends. Exceptionally similar patterns of activity could be seen across the brain regions involved in emotional response, high-level reasoning, and focusing.

The researchers found that fMRI response similarities could be used to predict not only if two participants were friends, but also the extent of social distance between the pair.

“We are a social species and live our lives connected to everybody else,” said senior author Thalia Wheatley. “If we want to understand how the human brain works, then we need to understand how brains work in combination-- how minds shape each other.”

This research expanded on a previous study by the team, which found that our brains immediately inform us of how important or influential individuals are to us as soon as we see them.

Next, the researchers want to examine how we end up becoming close with people who think the same way we do. They will explore whether we are naturally drawn to these particular people or if we become more similar after the friendship is established. 

The study is published in in <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

Friends literally think alike and perceive the world similarly

New research from Dartmouth College suggests that we perceive the...

A new study of how we as humans learn <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/music-universal-language/">language</a> could have exciting implications for language education and the treatment of language disorders such as dyslexia. 

It’s long been thought that the human capability of language is the result of specific brain components that evolved for language alone. 

But now, researchers have shown that language is learned in ancient brain circuitry that is part of many learning and memory-related tasks, and that these systems even pre-date humans.

“These brain systems are also found in animals - for example, rats use them when they learn to navigate a maze,” said Phillip Hamrick, a co-author of the research. “Whatever changes these systems might have undergone to support language, the fact that they play an important role in this critical human ability is quite remarkable.” 

The study was published in the journal PNAS and involved 16 studies that examined language learning in the brain. 

There are two commonly studied brain systems that are associated with language and learning: declarative memory and procedural memory. 

All studies combined had 665 participants, and the researchers analyzed the different methods and research and combined the results. 

The results showed that our ability to remember words is directly linked to declarative memory, which is also necessary for memorizing shopping lists and learning to drive. 

Adults learning a new language also used declarative memory at first, and then procedural memory in the later stages, which makes sense as children learning the grammar of their native tongue use procedural memory. 

Both procedural and declarative memory are used with other tasks besides language which proves that language learning is not an inherently human trait, nor is there a special brain system devoted to it. 

The results were similar when different languages were studied, and the findings could help pave the way for understanding how the brain learns different languages and help treat language disorders. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Humans learn language using ancient brain circuitry

A new study of how we as humans learn language...

New research has found that when it comes to trusting strangers, our brains tend to gravitate toward those who resemble trustworthy people we’ve known in the past. 

The new study was conducted by psychologists from <a href="https://www.nyu.edu/">New York University</a> and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

If a stranger bears a resemblance to a trustworthy person, then we are inclined to trust them, and if they look like an untrustworthy acquaintance, then we are less likely to trust them. 

“Our study reveals that strangers are distrusted even when they only minimally resemble someone previously associated with immoral behavior,” said Oriel FeldmanHall, now an assistant professor in<a href="https://www.brown.edu/"> Brown University</a>'s Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences and the study’s lead author. 

FeldmanHall compared the response to Pavlov's dog, which was a famous experiment in which a dog was trained to salivate at the sound of a bell because it meant feeding time. The dog then salivated whenever he heard a similar bell tone no matter if it meant food or not. 

We use the same sort of Pavlovian response when deciding whether or not a stranger is trustworthy. 

For the study, the researchers asked participants to play several <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/infidelity-forgive-rebuild-trust/">trust</a> games. Each player had to decide whether or not to entrust their game money to three different players who were represented by a facial image. 

In the game, the money could be multiplied four times, as each player was given the opportunity to share the money back with the original player or keep the money for themselves. 

The players were categorized as highly trustworthy, somewhat trustworthy, or not at all trustworthy, and the participants associated these categorizations with the facial images of the players they were grouped with. 

In a second experiment, the first players were asked to choose new partners, but the new facial images were slightly modified to resemble the original players in their group. 

The changes were not noticeable, but the players continued to opt to play with the strangers who had facial images similar to the highly trustworthy individual they played with during the first experiment. 

The more a player looked like a highly trustworthy player, the more they were likely to be chosen for the game. 

The researchers also examined the brain activity of the participants while they were deciding between players and the same region of the brain was activated during the first and second rounds of the game. 

The study shows the unique way in which our brains base trust base decisions on past experiences and facial recognition. 

“We make decisions about a stranger's reputation without any direct or explicit information about them based on their similarity to others we've encountered, even when we're unaware of this resemblance," said Elizabeth Phelps, the paper's senior author. “This shows our brains deploy a learning mechanism in which moral information encoded from past experiences guides future choices.” 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How the brain decides who we do and do not trust

New research has found that when it comes to trusting...

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?

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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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" 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.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes how cavefish adapted to a sedentary lifestyle over tens of thousands of years. 



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

[sendtonews key="vpljfR2VBX-2560867-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

[sendtonews key="MHyhtebibJ-2200368-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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