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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



-----



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What makes people cool? Scientists tracked down the traits

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

Age really may be nothin’ but a number, as a new study found that our perception of different ages changes as we get older.

Researchers from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> discovered that understandings of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/positive-attitude-dementia-risk/">age</a> are largely skewed among younger generations. 

Their new study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology and is the largest of its kind. 

The researchers collected responses from 502,548 survey participants online, with ages ranging from 10 to 89. 

Some of the major takeaways from the study were that 30,000 people thought middle age started at 30 and that perception of age changes more the older we get. The researchers found that the older a person was, the younger they actually felt. 

The responses also revealed that younger people largely had a negative opinion of aging. 

“I find it interesting that there's a ton of people who have skewed perceptions about aging - mostly young adults,” said William Chopik, a lead researcher of the study. “I think the most interesting finding of this study is that our perceptions of aging aren't static - they change as we change ourselves," Chopik said. "What you consider to be old changes as you become old yourself.” 

Chopik went on to explain that the reason younger people may have a hard time with the realities of aging is that adulthood is often looked on negatively, but the older a person gets, the more positive their experience is in dealing with aging. 

Study participants were also asked about optimal life expectancy and how long they wanted to live. Not surprisingly, the answer varied based on current age. 

Younger and older age groups wanted to live longer, into their early 90s, but those participants in their 30s and 40s said they would prefer to live to see their late 80s. 

The researchers say their study highlights some important factors about perceptions of aging, and the results coincide with theories about how people psychologically distance themselves from old age and older people.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Our perception of age changes over time, study finds

Age really may be nothin’ but a number, as a...

The North Pole nearly reached its melting point over the weekend after a massive storm generated a heat surge in the Greenland Sea. During what should be the coldest part of the year, experts have estimated that the temperature reached over 50 degrees warmer than usual in some regions of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctics-mammal-global-warming/">Arctic</a>.

According to the U.S. Global Forecast System model, the temperature spiked as high as 35 degrees Fahrenheit at the North Pole. Zack Labe, a climate scientist and PhD student at the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California at Irvine</a>, said that the warm air intrusion penetrated right through the heart of the Central Arctic.

Warm air intrusions, which occur when relatively mild air is carried north by mid-latitude storms, were once a rare event in the Arctic. An <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318328090_Increasing_frequency_and_duration_of_Arctic_winter_warming_events">investigation</a> led by Robert Graham at the <a href="http://www.npolar.no/en/">Norwegian Polar Institute</a> found that Arctic warming has become much more frequent and intense in the last few decades.

Graham pointed out that extreme warming events have now occurred four out of the last five winters in the Arctic. He explained that this heightened frequency is directly related to thinning sea ice.

“As the sea ice is melting and thinning, it is becoming more vulnerable to these winter storms,” said Graham. “The thinner ice drifts more quickly and can break up into smaller pieces. The strong winds from the south can push the ice further north into the Central Arctic, exposing the open water and releasing heat to the atmosphere from the ocean.”

Scientists were recently shocked to find an area of open water north of Greenland where the some of the oldest and thickest Arctic sea ice used to be.

In the Arctic, temperatures are rising twice as fast as the global average. The entire area of the globe north of 80 degrees latitude reached an average of 36 degrees hotter than usual this month - the highest mean temperature ever recorded in the Arctic region.

In an interview, Zack Labe referenced a dataset from the Danish Meteorological Institute that dates back to 1958. “No other warm intrusions were very close to this,” he said. “I was taken by surprise how expansive this warm intrusion was.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

North Pole temps rise above freezing in the middle of winter

The North Pole nearly reached its melting point over the...

For residents of Southern California’s Orange County, finding a clean beach is more important than a scenic view or a sandy beachfront, according to a new study. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.osu.edu/">Ohio State University</a> weighed the economic benefits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-reduce-plastic-pollution/">beach cleanup</a> and found that a concerted effort to remove debris and plastics from coastlines could equate to a 46 million dollar boost to the economy of Orange County alone. 

Besides aiding the economy, beach cleanup would also help preserve important coastal landmarks and conserve marine habitats. 

Tim Haab, a co-author of the study, notes that the research is the first of its kind to put a dollar value on beach cleanup and how ocean and beach pollution impact visitors.

The findings were published in the journal Marine Resource Economics. 

For the study, Haab and his colleagues, in collaboration, with the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a> (NOAA) marine debris program, conducted a two-part study that included survey responses of beachgoers and analyzing beach data from California. 

Data was collected on ocean debris from 31 California beaches and the debris ranged from plastics, trash from rivers, to litter from visitors. 

The researchers also surveyed 4,000 randomly selected Orange County residents by mail and received 1,436 completed responses back. 

The surveys included questions about which beaches residents preferred to visit and what they considered a good beach spot. 

The survey responses ranked clean beaches and water quality much higher than scenic beauty, parking, or sandiness.

These responses were then used to calculate the cost of traveling long distances to a nicer, more desirable beach rather than visiting a closer, dirty beach. 

"A lot of work has been done to quantify the physical costs of ocean debris, but until now we haven't been able to quantify the economic benefit of cleaning up the beaches and preventing the problem in the first place," Haab said.

The results showed that beach cleanup efforts would be cost effective and save residents the money they would spend on extra travel time. 

If beach debris were reduced by 25 percent, the calculated savings would be $29.5 million, or almost $13 per Orange County resident. If 75 percent of debris were removed from beaches, the savings would be $46.5 million, or $42.30 per resident in a three month period. 

The results show the economic value of cleaner beaches, which according to the researchers is an important factor for policymakers. 

 “We put a dollar value on beach cleanup efforts. This is important because it helps government agencies quantify the benefits of efforts to keep marine debris out of our waterways and off of our beaches,” said Christopher Leggett, the study’s co-author. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Cleaning up beaches can boost local economies

For residents of Southern California’s Orange County, finding a clean...

The relationship between maternal health and fetal development is a crucial one for both the mother and her expected baby.

Now, a new study has found that the stronger a woman’s immune system is, the more beneficial it is to brain connectivity in her child, and that the state of a mother’s immune system can impact a child's susceptibility to psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia or ADHD.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.chla.org/">Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles</a> conducted the study with new teenage mothers and published their findings in the journal JNeurosci. 

Adolescents ages 14 to 19 and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-exposure-birth-problems/">pregnant</a> with their first child were asked to participate in the study during their third trimester. 

The researchers specifically focused on the two proteins released by the maternal immune system and their influence on infant brain development. 

The proteins were linked to a neural network associated with several psychiatric disorders. 

The results showed that higher levels of the proteins in the mother correlated with stronger connectivity in the infant's brain and impacted cognitive ability. The team found that a stronger immune system decreased the susceptibility to psychiatric disorders later in life. 

The researchers note that their work showcases the importance of maternal health during the finals week of pregnancy and that the third trimester is a critical time for fetal brain development. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A mother’s immune system impacts a baby’s brain development

The relationship between maternal health and fetal development is a...

A new study has revealed that wind and solar power could supply 80 percent of the electricity demand in the United States.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/renewable-energy-creating-jobs/">Wind and solar</a> job opportunities are projected to skyrocket in the coming years as the world works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. 

The question then for researchers is how to sustainably meet power demand with green, renewable, and clean energy sources without risk of power outages due to the inconsistent nature of solar, wind, and hydro power. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://uci.edu/">University of California, Irvine</a> found that solar and wind power could meet demand for 80 percent of the country’s electricity, and that 100 percent of the demand could be met but using viable storage solutions. 

The study, published in the journal Energy and Environmental Science, notes that solar and wind power are not completely dependable and several weeks worth of electricity would have to be stored up to reliably meet 100 percent of demand. 

“The sun sets, and the wind doesn't always blow,” said Steven Davis, a co-author of the study. “If we want a reliable power system based on these resources, how do we deal with their daily and seasonal changes?”

In order to assess the reliability of solar and wind power as a possible alternative to carbon-based fuels, the researchers collected and analyzed weather data spanning from 1980 to 2015. 

“We looked at the variability of solar and wind energy over both time and space and compared that to U.S. electricity demand,” said Davis. “What we found is that we could reliably get around 80 percent of our electricity from these sources by building either a continental-scale transmission network or facilities that could store 12 hours' worth of the nation's electricity demand.” 

In order to meet 100 percent of the country’s power needs, researchers say that some forms of low carbon power sources would be required to store and transmit enough energy to keep up with demand. 

The cost of building the kind of framework could amount to hundreds of billions of dollars. According to the researchers, it would take a substantial sum to meet the country’s power needs with solar and wind, but it's not impossible. 

The results are promising because it shows that renewable energy sources like solar and wind can sustainably meet power demand above and beyond what was previously believed to be possible. 

“The fact that we could get 80 percent of our power from wind and solar alone is really encouraging,” said Davis. “Five years ago, many people doubted that these resources could account for more than 20 or 30 percent.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wind and solar power could supply 80 percent of US electricity

A new study has revealed that wind and solar power...

The results of a new study from the <a href="https://www.santafe.edu/">Santa Fe Institute</a> suggest that election polls should question individuals on how their friends are planning to vote. The experts found that this strategy can notably improve prediction results.

The researchers compared the results of two different polling methods using data gathered during the most recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/public-health-2016-election/">presidential elections</a> in France and the United States.

They analyzed the outcomes of existing surveys that included questions about an individual's friends along with the traditional questions about themselves. In both countries, responses that were based on the preferences of friends led to more accurate predictions for the election outcome compared to information people provided about themselves.

“It is often assumed that people are biased in their evaluations of others, for instance thinking that your friends have the same opinions as you do,” said lead author Mirta Galesic. 

“We think that's not necessarily true, at least when it comes to people's close social contacts. Our other ongoing research shows that people know their family and friends quite well. After all, they depend on them for cooperation, learning, and all kinds of support."


Galesic said that polls which ask people to comment on their social circles can improve prediction results for several different reasons. First, information is shared about people who are not explicitly included in the sample, such as people who would not usually participate. 

Questions about friends also help researchers anticipate the possibility of social influence. For example, a person who is surrounded by people who are planning to vote differently may be persuaded to switch sides by the time of the election.


Furthermore, questions regarding the poll taker’s social circle allow the individual to be more honest. “People can be embarrassed to admit if they plan to vote for a less-popular candidate, but they are less embarrassed to say it about their friends,” said Galesic. 

The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav">Nature Human Behavior</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Predict elections by asking people how their friends will vote

The results of a new study from the Santa Fe...

A study from the <a href="http://www.apa.org/">American Psychological Association</a> is reporting that high school behavior is a strong predictor of success later in life. 

The researchers found that responsible students who have good reading and writing skills and stay interested in school are likely to have better jobs and higher incomes regardless of their IQ, socioeconomic status, or other personality factors.

“Educational researchers, political scientists and economists are increasingly interested in the traits and skills that parents, teachers and schools should foster in children to enhance chances of success later in life,” said lead author Marion Spengler. “Our research found that specific behaviors in high school have long-lasting effects for one's later life.”

The researchers analyzed data that had been collected by the American Institute for Research from 346,660 American <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/project-wet-healthy-ecosystems/">high school students</a> in 1960. The team also obtained follow-up data from 81,912 of the students 11 years later and from 1,952 of the students 50 years later.

The initial survey documented information on student behaviors and attitudes as well as personality traits, socioeconomic status, and demographic factors. The follow-up surveys measured educational attainment, income, and occupational prestige.

Responsibility in students was found to be strongly associated with educational attainment and prestigious job placement both 11 years and 50 years later. Students with a greater interest in school were also found to have higher incomes 50 years later.


The researchers believe that much of this effect can be attributed to overall educational achievement.

“Student characteristics and behaviors were rewarded in high school and led to higher educational attainment, which in turn was related to greater occupational prestige and income later in life,” said Spengler. “This study highlights the possibility that certain behaviors at crucial periods could have long-term consequences for a person's life.”

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

Behavior in high school linked to career success

A study from the American Psychological Association is reporting that...

When it comes to brand logos and advertising, humans aren’t so different from our primate cousins. A new study found that rhesus macaques, like humans, are influenced by advertising based on sex and social status.

The study, conducted by a team of business, psychology and neuroscience researchers from across the United States, wanted to know if other primates shared humans’ susceptibility to advertising.

“To test this idea, we asked whether rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) show choice behavior that is similar to humans in response to sex and social status in advertising,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0193055#sec002">PLOS One</a>. “Our results show that monkeys form preferences for brand logos repeatedly paired with images of macaque genitals and high status monkeys.”

The macaques even showed brand loyalty, repeatedly choosing brand logos associated with sex or status even when they received no tangible reward.

The researchers studied the behavior of a laboratory colony of rhesus macaques, native to South and Central Asia. The monkeys are social and share a few traits with humans, most notably caring for kin, exchanging information, and sometimes giving up rewards to help one another.

The researchers paired images of high-status and low-status male monkeys or female macaque sexual traits with brand logos. They found that the macaques developed a preference for logos they saw paired with the high-status or sexual images. They didn’t show the same kind of conditioning when it came to logos paired with the low-status males.

The study may begin to answer why advertisements using sex or status are so effective, even when they have little to do with the product being marketed. The findings point to an evolutionary and social component that such ads tap into, the researchers said.

“[O]ur results endorse the hypothesis that the power of sex and status in advertising emerges from the spontaneous engagement of shared, ancestral neural circuits that prioritize information useful for navigating the social environment,” the researchers concluded.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

When it comes to brand logos, sex sells – even for monkeys

When it comes to brand logos and advertising, humans aren’t...

People with low expectations for the world may already know that studies show optimism has its benefits. But they may be surprised to learn that some forms of pessimism can be positive, too.

“Pessimism isn’t just about negative thinking. Personality science has revealed it also includes a focus on outcomes – that is what you expect will happen in the future,” Dr. Fuschia Sirois, a researcher at <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a>, wrote in a recent column for <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-surprising-benefits-of-being-a-pessimist-91851">The Conversation</a>. “While optimists expect positive outcomes will happen more often than not, pessimists expect negative outcomes are more likely.”

There are two main types of pessimists, according to Sirois: those who blame themselves for negative outcomes, and “defensive” pessimists who use an imagined negative outcome to plan for – and work against – the worst.

The self-blamers don’t see many benefits thanks to their pessimism, but those who use their low expectations to plan and motivate themselves reap the rewards.

“Researchers suggest that defensive pessimism is a strategy that people who are anxious use to help them manage their anxiety, which might otherwise make them want to run in the opposite direction of their goal rather than pursue it,” Sirois wrote.

They envision the worst possible outcome, then imagine each thing that would need to go wrong to make that outcome a certainty. This negative thinking may sound demoralizing, but for defensive pessimists, it allows them to put together a step by step plan for avoiding obstacles that might get in the way of their goals – as well as a game plan for their next steps if their low expectations actually do come to pass.

This effect even seems to extend to mood-based performance on tasks.

“When prompted to be in a good mood, defensive pessimists performed poorly on a series of word puzzles,” Sirois wrote. “However, when they were put in bad mood, by being instructed to imagine how a scenario might have negative outcomes, they performed significantly better. This suggests that they harness their negative mood to motivate themselves to perform better.”

These strategies even lead to better physical health. During an illness outbreak, optimists may try not to worry about it. Defensive pessimists do worry – but that spurs them to take actions to prevent becoming ill, such as getting vaccinated or wearing a mask. Pessimists with chronic illness or pain may seek out strategies to ease their symptoms more frequently than others and stick with them.

The key isn’t just low expectations or negative emotions, though. Pessimists must harness those feelings to motivate themselves toward action, Sirois wrote.

“Whereas people tend to use avoidance to cope with anticipated problems when they are feeling anxious or depressed, defensive pessimists use their negative expectations to motivate them to take active steps to feel prepared and be more in control over outcomes,” she said.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Are you a pessimist? Low expectations might be a positive

People with low expectations for the world may already know...

Spring is in the air, and the days are getting warmer and longer. In a few short weeks, bees and butterflies will be on the hunt for nectar to eat and pollen to spread. What better way to help them out than planting a pollinator garden?

A garden can be any size, from a window box or a couple of containers on an apartment patio to a full garden full of flowering plants. Some farmers are even including flowering native plants among their acres of crops to make sure the bees and butterflies that help grow our food have something to eat all year long.

An ideal pollinator garden will include a variety of plants that flower throughout the spring and summer, providing food for bees, butterflies, caterpillars and other insects, and possibly hummingbirds and bats.

Fortunately, planting a pollinator garden is simpler than it sounds. Read on for tips about what to plant and why.
<h3>Pick native plants</h3>
Choosing the rest of your plants will depend on where you live. That’s because different pollinators are native to different areas, and the best food sources for those pollinators are native plants.

“Native plants, which are adapted to local soils and climates, are usually the best sources of nectar and pollen for native pollinators,” the Xerces Society, a nonprofit focused on invertebrate conservation, writes in its <a href="https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/plant-lists/">pollinator plant guides</a>. “Incorporating native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees into any landscape promotes local biological diversity by providing shelter and food for wildlife. Native plants are better adapted to regional climate cycles, do not need fertilizers, and are less likely to become weedy.”

For example, honeybees are not native to North America. They’re domesticated, and were brought to the U.S., Canada and Mexico <a href="https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/newscolumns/archives/OSL/1999/November/111199OSL.html">by European settlers</a>. However, North America is home to more than 4,000 native bee species, and those species have come to rely on different species of plants, depending on where they live.

North Carolina alone has native bees from more than 500 species, including squash bees, sweat bees and carpenter bees. Squash bees – as their name implies – are a big fan of plants like pumpkin, which are native to that region. Purple coneflower, bee balm and goldenrod are all native to North Carolina and favorites among bees.

Minnesota has about 400 native bee species – or did, the last time species in the state were thoroughly surveyed <a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mbs/grasslandbees.html">nearly 100 years ago</a>. Mining bees, sweat bees and leaf-cutters in the northern prairies, from Canada to the upper U.S. Midwest, feed on native plants like American vetch, scarlet globemallow and Rocky Mountain beeplant – of course. 

Other pollinators – butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, moths, some fly species and others – have also developed preferences. 

The coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest, from Oregon to British Columbia, are home to butterflies like the Oregon silverspot, Taylor’s checkerspot, Fender’s blue and Puget blue, according to the Xerces Society. In that region, bigleaf lupine is a host plant for blue butterflies, as well as a favorite snack spot for bees and hummingbirds. Douglas aster and meadow checkermallow are also attractive to pollinators in the Northwest.

In Florida, blue mistflower, east coast dune sunflower and white wild indigo make good choices. For those with room for shrubs and trees, eastern redbud and flatwoods plum can provide some early nourishment for pollinators each year. In California, redbud and McMinn manzanita are among the more permanent choices, with California poppy, California fuschia and common sunflowers also making good options. 

The internet offers a ton of resources for finding native plants that will keep your local pollinators well-fed and happy. Aside from the Xerces Society guides, the United States Department of Agriculture <a href="https://plants.usda.gov/pollinators/nrcsdocuments.html">keeps a database of pollinator plants</a>, and many U.S. states and Canadian provinces have chapters of the <a href="http://nanps.org/">North American Native Plant Society</a>.

Native plant groups can be found in several places outside of North America, such as <a href="http://anpsa.org.au/">Australia</a> and <a href="http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/">New Zealand</a>.
<h4>Milkweed</h4>
Milkweed has two major benefits: First, despite the name, the wildflower is native to just about everywhere in the mainland United States and much of North America, meaning that it’s easy to find local species and there’s less risk of crowding out other native plants.

Second, milkweed is a vital food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars, which cannot eat anything else, and the butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed each year in the spring. The North American population of the stunning orange and black butterflies has been in decline for years for several reasons. One of those is that agricultural pesticides and development have played havoc on the traveling insects’ milkweed habitat along migration routes.

That makes milkweed an excellent choice for any pollinator garden – and not just for monarchs. Some bees and other butterfly species like it, too. 

When choosing milkweed, it’s important to get the right kind. Try to get a milkweed plant native to your area, rather than the tropical variety available throughout the U.S. The tropical variety <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/01/plan-save-monarch-butterflies-backfires">doesn’t die back in the winter</a>, encouraging monarch butterflies to stay in areas that become chilly in the winter. It also sometimes hosts a parasite that can badly weaken the butterflies.

To order native milkweed seeds, try the seed finder database maintained by the <a href="https://xerces.org/milkweed-seed-finder/">Xerces Society</a>. For other milkweed sources, check out <a href="http://monarchwatch.org/milkweed/market/">Monarch Watch</a>, which hosts a “Milkweed Market.”
<h3>Building your pollinator garden</h3>
The National Pollinator Garden Network launched its <a href="http://millionpollinatorgardens.org/">Million Pollinator Garden Challenge</a> in 2016. The challenge will run until the network registers 1 million gardens or more, whether window boxes or full gardens. 

Why not join in and be counted? 

If you’re an experienced gardener, it’s as easy as adding some region-appropriate plants that provide pollen and nectar to your garden or yard. 

But even inexperienced gardeners can get involved. If you have room for a couple of window boxes or containers, you can grow plants for pollinators.

A few tips:
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Try to grow three or four different types of plants that flower at different times of the year. This is where the Xerces Society guides can come in handy – in addition to listing plants native to an area, they also list how large the plants get and what time of year they bloom.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Avoid hybrid flowers. They often have less pollen, nectar or scent that will attract pollinators.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">If you have the space, try to provide a few host plants – plants that provide a place to lay eggs and food for caterpillars in addition to flowers for pollinators.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Try to avoid pesticides in favor of pest control methods like ladybugs, predatory mites, or other bugs that act as natural pest control. When pesticides are the only option, choose the least toxic ones that you can find that get the job done. Local nurseries, garden clubs or native plant societies are a good resource here.</li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;">Put out more than just flowers. Some pollinators also eat rotting fruit or vegetation. Tossing these items (sparingly) into your garden can provide an additional food source. Bees and butterflies also need water and salt to thrive. A <a href="https://gardentherapy.ca/bee-bath/">bee bath</a> is a great way to provide some much needed water in a pollinator garden. You can also use a drip system and a salt lick to help them get salt.</li>
</ul>
Now’s the time to start planning your pollinator garden if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. Start choosing plants now to help feed the bees, butterflies and other pollinators passing through your region.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Prepare for bees and butterflies with a pollinator garden

Spring is in the air, and the days are getting...

You’ve likely heard that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wine-glasses-bigger-drinking/">wine</a> can have some healthy benefits, such as improved cardiovascular health or boosts from antioxidants (in moderate quantities, of course). But new research suggests that drinking wine may also destroy the bacteria that cause bad breath, gum disease, and cavities.

In the past, dentists have often warned that the acidic nature of alcohol can damage teeth. But a recent study published in the <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/journal/jafcau">Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry</a> has found that antioxidants in wine can prevent certain bacteria from sticking to your gums. This bacteria is known to cause plaque, cavities, and periodontal disease.

According to the study’s authors, led by Dr. Victora Moreno-Arribas from the <a href="https://rio.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en/organisations/spanish-national-research-council-csic">Spanish National Research Council in Madrid</a>, this new discovery could lead to the development of “wine-inspired” toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain these beneficial antioxidants. There’s no word yet on whether you’d be able to get these in “pinot noir” or “chardonnay” flavors.

The study’s findings also suggest that antioxidants in red wine are more effective at preventing bacteria from sticking to lab-grown “gum tissue” cells than commercially available grape seed and red wine extracts. “Oral cells normally constitute a physical barrier that prevent infections,” explains Moreno-Arribas. “But bacterial adhesion to host tissues constitutes a key step in the infectious process.”

When these wines are digested in the mouth, the antioxidants are believed to produce molecules that could benefit our oral health. “Delivery methods for these compounds to treat oral disorders should be optimized,” says Moregno-Arribas. “Mouthwashes and chewing gums have been proposed as interesting matrices for the application of dietary polyphenols in the management of oral health.”

So the next time someone tells you to curb your wine-drinking habits, just tell them, “watch your mouth!”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wine may cure bad breath by killing mouth bacteria

You’ve likely heard that wine can have some healthy benefits,...

Researchers at the <a href="http://www.ucla.edu/">University of California Los Angeles</a> have found that children who are raised in neighborhoods with more greenery have improved cognitive function. The experts found significant anatomical changes that suggest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-signal-indicates-listening/">brain</a> development is improved by exposure to nature.

The investigation was focused on 253 school children in Barcelona. The team used satellite data to measure the children's residential exposure to greenspace from the time of birth up until the time of the research.

The experts used high resolution 3D magnetic resonance images to study the brain anatomy of participants, and computerized tests were given to evaluate working memory and attentiveness.

“This is the first study that evaluates the association between long-term exposure to greenspace and brain structure,” said lead author Dr. Payam Dadvand. “Our findings suggest that exposure to greenspace early in life could result in beneficial structural changes in the brain.”

The study revealed that long-term exposure to a greener neighborhood was associated with higher white and gray matter volume in regions of the brain that overlap areas involved with better cognitive function. 

Higher white and gray matter volume was also linked to better working memory and attentiveness among the students. A previous study had demonstrated that children who attended schools with more green space had improved working memory and attentiveness as well. 

The Biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an evolutionary bond between humans and nature. Because of this, greenspaces are recommended for psychological restoration in children. 

Nature also provides children with opportunities for exercises which are thought to positively influence brain development such as discovery, creativity, and risk taking.

“The study adds to growing evidence suggesting that early life exposure to green space and other environmental factors can exert measurable and lasting effects on our health through the life course,” said co-author Michael Jerrett.“These results also might provide clues on how such structural changes could underlie the observed beneficial effects of greenspace exposure on cognitive and behavioral development,” said co-author Dr. Jesus Pujol.

The study is published in <a href="https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/">Environmental Health Perspectives</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Growing up in a greener neighborhood helps brain development

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles have found...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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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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