Drunk,Men,Deny,Drinking,More,Glass,Of,Whisky,By,Pushing

Weight loss drugs are grabbing headlines for their unintended alcohol-related side effects, but not in the way you’d expect. GLP-1 analogues, medications developed to treat obesity, are showing unexpected promise in helping people drink less alcohol.



Imagine shedding pounds and losing the urge to pour another <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohols-hidden-toll-on-the-brain-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drink</a> - all from the same prescription.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-toll-of-alcohol-use-disorder">Global toll of alcohol use disorder</h2>



Alcohol use <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drinking-alcohol-in-moderation-does-not-prolong-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disorder</a> isn’t just about heavy drinking. It’s a relentless cycle, consuming lives and claiming 2.6 million victims annually. That’s 4.7% of global deaths. 



Despite a lineup of treatments - cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational counseling, medications like disulfiram and naltrexone - the odds are grim. Within a year, 70% of those who seek treatment relapse.



Enter GLP-1 analogues. Originally designed to regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss, these medications are now in the spotlight for another reason. Researchers have begun to notice an unexpected side effect: a significant drop in alcohol <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/more-americans-now-link-alcohol-consumption-to-cancer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consumption</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-weight-loss-drugs-and-alcohol-cravings">Weight loss drugs and alcohol cravings</h2>



In a world where cravings often overpower intentions, GLP-1 analogues may offer a way to dial down the desire to drink. These drugs target the mesolimbic dopamine pathway - the brain’s reward circuit. 



By reducing dopamine release in response to alcohol, they may dampen the motivation to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-related-deaths-have-doubled-over-the-past-two-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drink</a>, steering behavior away from the bottle. Curious about this potential dual effect, Professor Carel le Roux and his team from <a href="https://www.ucd.ie" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College Dublin</a> set out to investigate. 



The study involved 262 adults with a BMI over 27 kg/m² (over 59 lbs/ft²), primarily women, with an average age of 46. Participants were grouped based on their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-has-a-hidden-impact-on-heart-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drinking</a> habits: non-drinkers, rare drinkers, and regular drinkers. Then came the GLP-1 analogue intervention.



Four months later, the findings were clear. Among the 188 participants who completed the follow-up, none reported drinking more than before. But their average alcohol intake plummeted from 11.3 units per week to just 4.3 units.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-regular-drinkers-see-biggest-drop">Regular drinkers see biggest drop</h2>



For those who drank regularly, the results were even more dramatic. Their alcohol intake dropped by a staggering 68%, falling from 23.2 units per week to 7.8. 



“This reduction of 68% is comparable to that achieved by nalmefene, a drug used to treat alcohol use disorder in Europe,” noted Professor le Roux.



The findings echoed those in a broader 15-month study led by Maurice O’Farrell, Faisal I. Almohaileb, and Carel le Roux. Their research, spanning January 2023 to March 2024, followed patients treated with GLP-1 analogues in real-world settings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alcohol-intake-drops-weight-loss-increases">Alcohol intake drops, weight loss increases</h2>



The numbers tell a compelling story. Before the intervention, average alcohol intake hovered at 11.8 units per week. By the end, it had fallen to 4.3 units – a dramatic reduction mirrored across all drinking categories. 



Among those who drank less than 11 units per week, consumption decreased from 5.5 to 2.5 units. High consumers saw their weekly intake slashed from 23.2 to 7.8 units.



Both men and women showed significant drops in alcohol consumption. Women’s intake fell from 10.3 units per week to 3.9, while men reduced theirs from 13.4 to 5.8 units. The researchers found no significant difference in percentage reduction between the sexes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-link-between-alcohol-and-weight-loss">Link between alcohol and weight loss</h2>



As for weight loss, the study recorded a mean reduction of 7.7 kg over the four months. That’s impressive - but the correlation between alcohol reduction and weight loss was surprisingly weak (r = 0.24). 



In other words, dropping pounds and drinking less don’t necessarily go hand in hand. However, given the caloric load of alcohol, some degree of weight loss is to be expected. So, what’s the secret?



“The exact mechanism of how GLP-1 analogues reduce alcohol intake is still being investigated but it is thought to involve curbing cravings for alcohol that arise in subcortical areas of the brain that are not under conscious control. Thus, patients report the effects are ‘effortless’,” noted Professor le Roux.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



The study had its limitations. Nearly one-third of participants dropped out before the follow-up. Data relied on self-reported alcohol intake, raising the spectre of recall bias. And without a control group, establishing causality remains tricky. 



The short study duration further complicates efforts to assess long-term effects. Yet, despite the limitations, the potential implications are hard to ignore. Imagine a single treatment that curbs both weight and alcohol cravings.



Ongoing clinical trials are already probing this dual effect, with early findings suggesting that GLP-1 analogues may indeed reduce alcohol cravings. The next step? Larger, longer-term studies with more diverse populations.



“GLP-1 analogues have been shown to treat obesity and reduce the risk of multiple obesity-related complications. Now, the beneficial effects beyond obesity, such as on alcohol intake, are being actively studied, with some promising results,” noted Professor le Roux.



If these findings hold, GLP-1 analogues could become a game-changer in treating both obesity and alcohol use disorder. Instead of separate treatment plans, patients may benefit from an integrated approach that targets metabolic health and addiction simultaneously.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-hope-for-a-healthier-life">New hope for a healthier life</h2>



The study opens a fascinating window into the broader potential of GLP-1 analogues. Could a medication originally designed to combat obesity also disrupt the cycle of alcohol use disorder?



If so, the implications could ripple across clinics, reshaping how we approach co-occurring metabolic and psychiatric conditions. 



While the data are promising, the road ahead is long. More research is needed to clarify the mechanisms at play, assess long-term effects, and explore optimal dosing strategies.



But one thing is certain - GLP-1 analogues are no longer just about weight loss. They may just be the unexpected key to a healthier, more balanced life.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://dom-pubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dom.16152" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism</a>.



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Weight loss drugs unexpectedly help people drink less alcohol

Weight loss drugs are grabbing headlines for their unintended alcohol-related side effects, but not in the way you’d expect. GLP-1 analogues, medications developed to treat obesity, are showing unexpected promise in helping people drink less alcohol. Imagine shedding pounds and losing the urge to pour another drink - all from the same prescription. Global toll of alcohol use disorder Alcohol use disorder isn’t just about heavy drinking. It’s a relentless cycle, consuming lives and claiming 2.6 million victims annually. That’s 4.7% of global deaths. Despite a lineup...

Medical marijuana has been increasingly legalized in states across America, and has been a viable prescription drug for years. But there is some concern in the medical community about providers allowing kids to have access to medicinal cannabis as well.

A new study published in the journal Pediatrics analyzes the interdisciplinary provider perspectives on legal medical marijuana use in children with cancer. The findings reflect survey responses from almost 300 providers in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington. 

Pediatric oncology providers received frequent requests for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cancer-patients-medicinal-marijuana/">medical marijuana</a> for relief of nausea and vomiting, lack of appetite, pain, depression, and anxiety. The results of the survey showed that most providers considered medical marijuana more acceptable for use in children with advanced cancer or near the end of life than in the earlier stages of cancer treatment. 

This finding is consistent with the current American Academy of Pediatrics position that sanctions medical marijuana use for “children with life-limiting or seriously debilitating conditions.” The survey showed that only 2 percent of providers believed that medical marijuana was never appropriate for a child with cancer.

“It is not surprising that providers who are eligible to certify for medical marijuana were more cautious about recommending it, given that their licensure could be jeopardized due to federal prohibition,” says co-author Kelly Michelson, MD, a Critical Care physician at Ann &amp; Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Michelson also points out the institutional policies within hospitals may prohibit pediatric providers from facilitating medical marijuana access, due to compliance with federal laws. The survey found that almost one-third of providers received one or more requests for medical marijuana, and the greatest barriers to access are the lack of standards on formulations, dosing, and potency.

However, 92 percent of providers were willing to help children with cancer access medical marijuana – although providers who are legally eligible to certify for medical marijuana were actually less open to endorsing its use.

“In addition to unclear dosage guidelines, the lack of high quality scientific data that medical marijuana benefits outweigh possible harm is a huge concern for providers accustomed to evidence-based practice,” explains Michelson. “We need rigorously designed clinical trials on the use of medical marijuana in children with cancer.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Is medical marijuana safe for kids with cancer?

Medical marijuana has been increasingly legalized in states across America,...

Research from <a href="https://www.vu.nl/en">VU Amsterdam</a> has found that the best decisions are made using the average of various estimates. Using data from Holland Casino promotional campaigns, experts set out to determine whether it is true that when people make estimates, the average of their estimates is relatively close to reality.

In 2013, 2014, and 2015, Holland Casino visitors could participate in an estimation contest during the last seven weeks of each year. The participant who came closest to guessing the number of pearls in a giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sound-champagne-bubbles-quality/">champagne</a> glass won the amount of 100,000 euros. Over the course of three years, approximately 1.2 million people took part in the contests. 

"For our research, we analysed the three enormous datasets of these promotional campaigns,” said study co-author Martijn van den Assem. “The data showed that averaging all of the estimates yields significant accuracy gains. We also looked at the estimates of people who participated multiple times."

Over 100 years ago, British scientist Sir Francis Galton researched estimation contests that were similar to those held at Holland Casino. Through his own experimentation, Galton surprisingly found that averaging multiple estimates provides a relatively accurate outcome, a principle that is known as the Wisdom of Crowds principle. 

Recent studies have indicated that it is also useful to average estimates that come from the same person. When the research team analyzed the estimates by people who participated in the contest multiple times, they discovered that averages from the same person do work. They refer to this phenomenon as the “wisdom of inner crowds.”

This concept is appealing because it is often easier to make multiple estimates alone than it is to involve other people, and decision-makers have to rely on themselves to make a lot of different decisions. The findings of the study suggest that the best way to reach a good decision is to think it over at different times of the day, with a few nights of sleep in between.

However, accuracy is drastically improved when you take the average of estimates from different people. The experts determined that the average of a large number of estimates from the same person is rarely better than the average of just two estimates from different people. 

"For the quality of estimates, it is therefore better if two people are both engaged in the same two projects than when each focuses entirely on an individual project,” said study co-author Dennie van Dolder.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nathumbehav/">Nature Human Behaviour</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The best decisions factor in a variety of different estimates

Research from VU Amsterdam has found that the best decisions...

Potatoes have become such a food staple all over the world that it can be hard to imagine a time when they weren’t so ubiquitous. 

It is believed that Spanish conquistadors brought the potato back from South America to Spain in the mid-1500s, and it was Sir Walter Raleigh that first introduced the vegetable to Ireland in 1589. 

The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-genetically-engineered-potatoes-approved/">potato</a> became a real mainstay in the early 1700s. Potato crops were abundant throughout Europe, and new research has revealed that this starchy vegetable helped keep the peace for centuries. 

According to a new report conducted by a team of U.S economists from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard</a>, <a href="http://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a>, and the <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/">University of Colorado</a> and published by the <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w24066">National Bureau of Economic Research</a>, the introduction of potatoes helped reduce conflict in Europe for a minimum for 200 years. 

The economists spanned their research from 1400 to 1900, examining conflicts and casualties in  Europe and what impact crops and agriculture had, if any, on discord and civil feuds. 

The results show that the potato greatly reduced instances of civil unrest because there was an abundance of cheap, readily available nourishment.  

Potatoes have more caloric value and were an important food source for poorer citizens, and farming opportunities meant fewer disputes over land. 

“We find that the introduction of potatoes permanently reduced conflict for roughly two centuries. The results are driven by a reduction in civil conflicts,” say the authors in their report. 

The researchers were spurred by the questions surrounding agriculture and its impact on society beyond the obvious economic advantages. 

The report helps give a more thorough examination of agriculture in European history and could pave the way for expanding agriculture in lower income countries today as a means to reduce civil unrest and improve quality of life. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Potatoes helped keep peace in Europe for hundreds of years

Potatoes have become such a food staple all over the...

ShakeAlert is an earthquake early warning system that has been under development for over a decade, and may result in a U.S. West Coast prototype that could see limited public use in 2018. The system uses a dense network of seismic stations that transfer data to a central processing and alert system. The alert information is then distributed to users as an early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/texas-earthquakes-dormant-faults/">earthquake</a> warning.

In two papers published in <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/srl">Seismological Research Letters</a>, researchers detail the main components and testing platform for this prototype ShakeAlert system – which is currently being tested in California, Washington, and Oregon. 

“Parts of Los Angeles and San Francisco are covered pretty well by regional network stations, but many areas of California, Washington and Oregon are not covered very well,” explains Monica Kohler, a research faculty member at <a href="http://www.caltech.edu/">Caltech</a>. “There's some funding in the works to get some new stations in place, but right now it's not enough to complete the regional arrays that are necessary for earthquake early warning in its most robust form.”

This system was developed using seismic data collected by the Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS), which is a national collection of seismic networks supported by the U.S. Geological Survey. In total, roughly 760 seismic stations currently contribute to ShakeAlert. However, one of the top priorities for improving ShakeAlert is the addition of almost 1000 additional stations on the West Coast.

At the moment, the ShakeAlert system is testing the use of “volunteer” accelerometers – mainly in the Los Angeles area – which detect earthquakes and can be plugged in at a home or business, eliminating the need for a full-scale seismic station. The system’s algorithms also help determine a “point source” for an earthquake, but it’s still a work in progress. “We are working on the ability to incorporate algorithms that can handle very large earthquakes that happen in a way that can't be approximated to a single point,” says Kohler. The current system is not as successful at providing useful warnings for earthquakes that rupture a long section of a fault and evolve over time.

Along with providing earthquake warnings and pinpointing the point source, ShakeAlert is also now testing algorithms that provide data on how severe the ground is shaking for users at their exact location. While the system was developed for the West Coast, a similar system could be used for early earthquake warnings in places such as Hawaii, Alaska, or even Oklahoma. “We have been getting questions along the lines of ‘can we try your system where we live?’ or ‘can we port your system over?’” Kohler says. “The answer in theory is yes, but there have to be these certain key elements in place.”

The ShakeAlert team is currently working to get those elements in place, as well as perfect their current system on the West Coast. Improving and expanding this system may one day save the lives of many people in earthquake-heavy areas.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New west coast earthquake warning system could save lives

ShakeAlert is an earthquake early warning system that has been...

Dutch cheeses such as edam and gouda have been made for hundreds of years using complex starter cultures, and changes in the composition of bacteria strains makes the quality of these cheeses inconsistent. But now, a team of experts from Norway has developed a tool that can monitor these strains of bacteria with high resolution to maintain a better quality of cheese.

When bacterial strains in starter cultures become infected by viruses called bacteriophage, the quality of the cheese is sacrificed. This is a common problem in industrial cheese production, which uses "frozen batch inoculum.” 

Unlike traditional methods which use samples from previous cheese batches as starter cultures, frozen batch inoculum ensures that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-viruses-complex-life/">bacteria</a> will not vary. But while this method prevents unwanted bacterial changes, frozen batch inoculum fails to prevent bacteriophage evolution. Because of this, bacteriophage frequently gain the upper hand on the invariant bacteria.

Helge Holo is a professor of Microbiology at the <a href="https://www.nmbu.no/en">Norwegian University of Life Sciences</a>. Dr. Holo explained that close monitoring could promptly detect quality issues, and measures could be taken to correct these problems right away.

The newly developed tool could identify strains that are most important to cheese quality and those particular strains could be engineered to resist bacteriophage. In addition, other strains having similar influence on cheese quality that have less bacteriophage susceptibility could substitute for those that are more susceptible to bacteriophage, according to Dr. Holo.

For the investigation, the researchers isolated more than 200 strains of bacteria from three commercial starter cultures and sequenced the genomes of 95 of these strains. They then searched for the most variable gene that was present in all strains. 

The gene singled out by the team was epsD, a protein that is thought to be involved with resisting bacteriophage, which was present in 93 of the 95 strains. Each strain's epsD is slightly different from the others, so the bacterial strain can be identified from the epsD sequence.

The tool is also capable of quantifying the number of epsD sequences from a given strain, which allows experts to determine the number of bacteria of that strain that are present, which is a good indicator of any issues.

"The loss of abundance, or disappearance of an epsD sequence indicates that something has gone wrong," said Dr. Holo. "That could be a phage attack."

Dr. Holo said that bacteriophage are likely the ultimate cause of much of the fluctuation in quality that occurs in cheese cultures. The research is published in <a href="http://aem.asm.org/">Applied and Environmental Microbiology</a>, a journal of the <a href="https://www.asm.org/">American Society for Microbiology</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Using science to make better cheese

Dutch cheeses such as edam and gouda have been made...

Canola oil is marketed as being healthier for your heart than other oils – but it may come at the cost of your brain’s health and your waistline.

A new study by two <a href="https://www.temple.edu/">Temple University</a> researchers has found that canola oil may worsen memory loss in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as damage their ability to learn new skills. It may also cause plaques linked to brain deterioration in people without the disease.

The oil may also be linked to weight gain, the researchers said.

“At this time point we found that chronic exposure to the canola-rich diet resulted in a significant increase in body weight and impairments in their working memory (among mice),” they wrote in their study.

This could be a problem, because canola oil is often offered up as a cheaper, heart-healthier alternative to olive oil, a key staple of the Mediterranean diet, the study said. The diet has been linked to a healthier heart, as well as a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment, the scientists said.

“Canola oil is appealing because it is less expensive than other vegetable oils, and it is advertised as being healthy,” co-author Dr. Domenico Praticò told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/">Daily Mail</a>.

Praticò and his co-investigator Elisabetta Lauretti have studied the effects of extra virgin olive oil on brain health. When they found that there had not been a similar study on canola oil, they undertook it themselves.

They worked with mice that were genetically engineered to develop a disease similar to Alzheimer’s in humans. At six months, when the mice began showing symptoms, Praticò and Lauretti divided them into two groups. One was fed a large amount of canola oil each day, while the control group ate a normal diet.

After six months, the mice fed canola oil were measurably heavier, and their cognitive function was worse.

In the end, when choosing a cooking oil with health in mind, people should stick with olive oil or other oils with provable health benefits, Praticò and Lauretti said.

“While more studies are needed, our data do not justify the current trend aimed at replacing olive oil with canola oil,” the pair wrote.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-17373-3">Scientific Reports</a>.

—

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://www.earth.com">Earth.com</a> staff writer

Canola oil linked to brain decline, weight gain

Canola oil is marketed as being healthier for your heart...

Window blinds can cause serious injuries or even death to young children. A new study from the <a href="http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/injury-research-and-policy">Center for Injury Research and Policy</a> at Nationwide Children's Hospital has found that nearly 17,000 children under the age of six were treated in U.S. hospitals for window blind-related injuries from 1990 through 2015, which is an average of almost two per day. 

Although the majority of the injuries were not serious, other injuries were fatal. The study revealed that approximately one <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-spanked-become-aggressive/">child</a> died per month, primarily from strangulation after becoming entangled in a window blind cord.

All of the following pose serious risks to children: the inner cords such as those found in horizontal blinds, operating cords used to raise and lower blinds, continuous loop cords such as those found in vertical shades, and loops created by consumers after installation. Danger occurs when cords become knotted or tangled, and also when they are tied to a stationary object in an attempt to keep them out of a child's reach.

"There is a misperception that if we just watch our kids carefully, they will be safe. But even the best parent in the world cannot watch their child every second of every day," said senior author Dr. Gary Smith. "A curious child can quickly get entangled in a window blind cord. This can lead to strangulation within minutes, and the parent may not hear a thing because the child often can't make a sound while this is happening."

Children are the most at risk from window blind injuries between the ages of 1 and 4, when toddlers are becoming mobile and are eager to explore their surroundings. They can reach blind cords, but are unable to free themselves once entangled. The majority of the injuries examined during the study occurred while a child was under a parent's care and had been left alone for less than 10 minutes.

"It is unacceptable that children are still dying from window blind cord strangulation," said Dr. Smith. "We have known about this problem since the 1940s. The risk reduction approaches offered by the current voluntary safety standards are not enough. It is time to eliminate the hazard. Safe, affordable cordless blinds and shades are widely available. A mandatory federal safety standard should be adopted prohibiting the sale of products with accessible cords."

Some ways for parents to reduce the risk of window blind strangulation are to use cordless blinds, move furniture away from windows, and talk to adults at other places where children spend a lot of time about taking precautions as well.

The study is published today in the journal <a href="http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/">Pediatrics</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Window blinds pose a strangulation threat to children

Window blinds can cause serious injuries or even death to...

According to new research, women who are exposed to air pollution in the weeks leading up to becoming pregnant and also in the first month after conception run a higher risk of children with certain birth defects, such as cleft lip or palate and heart abnormalities.

While the risk is small, the experts are reporting that the potential overall impact is significant due to the fact that all expectant mothers have some level of exposure to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strategies-air-pollution-china/">air pollution</a> regardless of where they live.

Emily DeFranco is a physician at <a href="https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/">Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center</a> and the <a href="https://med.uc.edu/">University of Cincinnati College of Medicine</a> and senior author of the study.

"The most susceptible time of exposure appears to be the one month before and after conception," said DeFranco. "Public health efforts should continue to highlight the importance of minimizing population-level exposure to harmful particulate matter in the air."

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a mixture of microscopic particles which are so small that they can enter the lower airways and air sacs within the lungs and make their way into the circulatory system. 

For their investigation, the researchers used birth certificate data from the Ohio Department of Health and estimates of particulate matter from 57 monitoring stations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) located across the state of Ohio. 

The team established each mother’s place of residence and linked the corresponding geographic coordinates with the nearest EPA monitoring station to calculate average PM2.5 exposure. Next, they estimated the association between birth defects and the mother's exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter during pregnancy.

Dr. DeFranco explains that observational studies such as this one have their limitations, but that this analysis provides a solid foundation for future research to expand upon. 

The study is published online in <a href="http://www.jpeds.com/">The Journal of Pediatrics</a>.

--

By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Air pollution exposure increases risk of birth defects

According to new research, women who are exposed to air...

A new study has shed light on how the brain processes complex social situations, like recognizing a familiar face. 

The answer, according to regenerative neuroscientists from<a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/"> Harvard Medical School</a>, <a href="https://hsci.harvard.edu/">the Harvard Stem Cell Institute </a>and <a href="http://www.massgeneral.org/">Massachusetts General Hospital,</a> has to do with the hippocampus.

The Harvard study, published in the journal Nature Communications, delves into the little-known role that the hippocampus plays in social recognition and behavior.

The hippocampus is one the brain’s best sorting systems, primarily organizing long and short term memory and helping with spatial navigation. 

This is why it makes sense that the hippocampus aids in differentiating social memories and recognition. This only occurs, as the researchers found, when certain neurons were exposed to oxytocin.

Oxytocin is important in empathy, pleasure, and pair bonding, and when the hormone interacts with the dentate gyrus-CA3 (DG-CA3) circuit in the hippocampus, the oxytocin is a catalyst that switches the circuit's functional mode to social recognition.

“Our results indicate that oxytocin usurps this preexisting neural circuit within the hippocampus that normally regulates the differentiation of similar memories,” said Tara Raam, the study’s first author. “In the presence of oxytocin, the circuit assumes an additional role as a regulator of social cognition.”

The researchers focused on the dentate gyrus based on the idea that its neural scaffold plays a role in distinguishing similar memories to each other, like those that take place in the same areas. The neurons in the dentate gyrus are extremely receptive to oxytocin.

For the researchers, this indicated that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxytocin-improves-autistic-children/">oxytocin</a> was important to the hippocampus and had some role to play, they were just unsure as to what that role was.

The researchers conducted a series of experiments with mice for the study.

In one of the experiments, the neuroscientists used viruses to delete oxytocin receptors in the dentate gyrus circuit in the mice. After this, the mice could still tell different objects apart, such as a cup they were familiar with or a new bowl.

However, when interacting with other mice, the mice with the removed oxytocin sensitivity became “socially inept.” The mice could not differentiate between familiar faces and new strangers.

The results of the experiments show that the dentate gyrus is crucial to object recognition, but when oxytocin comes into play, it also helps with navigating social situations and behaviors. 

The work is important in understanding the complex systems within the brain and could help explain how disruptions in the hippocampus relate to neurodevelopmental and neurological conditions, for example, PTSD or autism-spectrum disorders. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

How the brain can recognize familiar faces

A new study has shed light on how the brain...

During Teddy Roosevelt’s time as president, he was derided as being a traitor to his race and class; it’s hard to see Trump as anything but.  The one striking similarity between the presidents’ is their apparently shared love of big game hunting.  Much has been made of Trump’s moves to reduce his predecessors’ national monuments and the possibility of attempting to rescind some.  Less attention has been paid to how the standing national parks and monuments are becoming an exclusive place for the rich to vacation.

It seems obvious that lifting bans on importing game trophies such as elephants will mostly benefit the elite with money for African safari vacations.  Certainly Teddy Roosevelt was rich enough to safari in Africa and collect specimens for the Smithsonian.  Likewise Trump’s sons have taken an interest in the kingly pastime of gunning down animals.  Pictures of Eric and Donald Jr. can be found online, posing holding an elephant’s tail and together with a dead leopard among others.  The difference lies in Roosevelt’s naivety in thinking that killing of predators could help other wildlife as well as his dedication to scientific collecting.  Of course Roosevelt did enjoy the sport of killing as well but held to some code of ethics.  For Trump, what’s of utmost importance is that the rich can enjoy killing (or anything else they want) and decorate their walls tastefully with glass eyed heads.  Roosevelt also worked hard to create wildlife reserves, bird sanctuaries, National Parks and forests: the spine of American conservation.  

Trump recently reduced Bear’s Ears by 85% and Grand Staircase Escalante by 50%.  It’s unlikely Trump will completely rescind any national monument but he could try that as well.  What Trump will more likely do is make National Parks less relevant.  More precisely Trump’s secretary of the Interior, Zinke may make National Parks less relevant.  

The National Parks have a problem with the lack of visitor diversity.  As of 2016 less than 2% of visitors at Saguaro National Park were Hispanic.  To clarify, Saguaro sandwiches Tucson AZ to the east and west, a city with a population 44% Hispanic or Latino.  Only 20% of visitors to national parks in the US were minorities, despite minorities making up 40% of the overall population.

It seemed that Obama tried to make more inclusive national monuments.  Obama declared Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park, Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Stonewall National Monument and Cesar E. Chavez National Monument among many others.  These aren’t ‘wilderness’ National Monuments but monuments celebrating the history of underrepresented people in America.  Bear’s Ears was a more typical ‘wilderness’ monument and it did something else fantastic, Bear’s Ears is to be the first National Monument co-managed by Native American groups and the federal government.  This is a heritage Trump’s administration seems to take issue with.    

Now the National Park Service has proposed steep fee hikes.  The proposal would increase from $30 fees for a car at the Grand Canyon to $70 during peak season.  Fees would be hiked in 17 national parks.  Places like Joshua Tree and Yosemite along with most of the iconic western parks (and others) would become prohibitively expensive.  

The reason for the fee hikes Zinke explained, is for better park infrastructure.  I wonder how John Muir or Ed Abbey would feel about that.  For those who may not know; Muir once built a ‘cabin’ with no walls spanning a creek and happily noted frogs jumping through it.  Abbey of course opposed virtually any development in the parks.  Teddy Roosevelt didn’t even support cars in National Parks, would you drive into a cathedral?  These are the men who fought to preserve the land in the first place; why are we so quick to ignore them now?  

With the increase of park fees, it seems unlikely diversity in the parks will increase.  It seems more likely that the parks will become whiter and richer, the way Trump likes things.  With less people and only one type of person at that, there will be less resistance to further development.  I wonder how long until Forest Service and BLM Lands come under similar management plans?  Or perhaps the idea is with less people outside, more unobstructed mineral extraction.  Trump’s already looking at opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration.  One wonders, if he were alive today, would even Teddy Roosevelt oppose the rule of this government?  

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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

National parks, Trump and the Ghost of Teddy Roosevelt

During Teddy Roosevelt’s time as president, he was derided as...

A new study from the <a href="https://ph.ucla.edu/">UCLA Fielding School of Public Health</a> reveals that around 15 million Americans will have mild cognitive impairment or full-blown <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/roundworms-protection-alzheimers/">Alzheimer’s</a> dementia by the year 2060. This is nearly triple the current number of just over 6 million people that suffer from these conditions.

The researchers analyzed information from the largest studies available on the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The team used this data in a computer model they developed which accounts for the aging U.S population, and projected the numbers of people in preclinical and clinical states of Alzheimer’s disease. 

The analysis showed that about 5.7 million Americans will have mild cognitive impairment and another 9.3 million will have dementia due to Alzheimer's by the year 2060. Of the group of Americans suffering from the onset of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s, 4 million will need intensive, round-the-clock care, according to the study.

Mild cognitive impairment is an intermediate level of dementia that is not yet considered to be fully developed. Study lead author Ron Brookmeyer estimates that about 2.4 million Americans are currently living with this stage of impairment due to Alzheimer's disease.

"Estimates by disease state and severity are important because the resources needed to care for patients vary so much over the course of the illness," said Brookmeyer.

Brookmeyer explained that the findings of this study expose an urgent need to develop therapies to slow the progression of the disease in people who have indications of cognitive decline that could lead to Alzheimer's dementia. 

"There are about 47 million people in the U.S. today who have some evidence of preclinical Alzheimer's, which means they have either a build-up of protein fragments called beta-amyloid or neurodegeneration of the brain but don't yet have symptoms," said Brookmeyer. "Many of them will not progress to Alzheimer's dementia in their lifetimes. We need to have improved methods to identify which persons will progress to clinical symptoms, and develop interventions for them that could slow the progression of the disease, if not stop it all together."

The study, which is the first of its kind to estimate the numbers of Americans living with mild cognitive impairment or preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, is published in the journal <a href="http://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/">Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association</a>. 

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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

Twice as many Americans will have Alzheimer’s by 2060

A new study from the UCLA Fielding School of Public...

A study from the <a href="https://www.utmb.edu/">University of Texas Medical Branch</a> reports that children who were spanked while growing up are more likely to become physically aggressive with romantic partners later in life.

The researchers focused their analysis on 758 young adults who were 19 and 20 years old. All of the participants had been part of an ongoing case study for several years.

For the evaluation, the experts had to determine what was considered corporal punishment and what was considered child abuse. The experts defined child abuse as being hit with either a belt or a board, or having injuries that were noticeable or had to be treated by the doctor.

The individuals were asked to report on how often they were slapped, spanked, or struck with an object as punishment when they were <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/children-practicing-age-6/">children</a>. The participants were also asked about their own tendencies toward violent behavior.

Overall, 68 percent of the subjects reported receiving corporal punishment during childhood. 

The study revealed that enduring this type of discipline increased the likelihood that individuals would be violent with their future partners. One in five of the young adults who had experienced corporal punishment admitted to recent violence against their intimate partners.

Regardless of the extent of physical punishment, spanking alone was found to be enough to increase the chance of aggressive behavior later in life.

Study lead author Jeff Temple told <a href="http://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>, "There's a tendency for adults who have been spanked to say 'I turned out just fine,' so they continue the behavior with their children."

Temple argued that, "There's zero evidence that it enhances children's development, and there is a whole bunch of evidence that it has negative outcomes. Our goal is not to turn out fine. Our goal is to turn out healthier and happier than previous generations."

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.jpeds.com/">Journal of Pediatrics</a>.

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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

Children who are spanked often become aggressive later in life

A study from the University of Texas Medical Branch reports...

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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[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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