Americans hear the same advice again and again - eat better and move more. Yet obesity keeps climbing. Almost 40 percent of adults live with it today. Healthcare costs soar past $170 billion each year.



Related diseases, including certain cancers, are rising too. If the answer were only diet and exercise, the trend would have reversed by now.



Scientists at <a href="https://www.uclahealth.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCLA Health</a> argue that something else is driving the epidemic. They point to stress, inequality, and life circumstances that change how the gut and brain work. 



These forces don’t just influence choices. They shape cravings, motivation, and biology itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-obesity-tied-to-social-pressures">Obesity tied to social pressures</h2>



The new review, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, shows how social conditions affect obesity. Researchers call these conditions social determinants of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-childhood-obesity-rate-is-expected-to-soar-by-2050/">health</a>. 



These includes income, education, neighborhood safety, healthcare access, childhood adversity, discrimination, and isolation.



Think of them as the backdrop of daily life, where cheap food options dominate, streets feel unsafe, health care is hard to reach, and stress never fades. 



Each of these pressures pushes the body toward weight gain, shaping how people eat, how much they move, and how they cope.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gut-microbes-influence-brain-cravings">Gut microbes influence brain cravings</h2>



The body has a messenger system linking the gut to the brain. Microbes in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-is-linked-more-to-food-than-fitness/">gut</a> release signals. The brain responds with hormones and chemical shifts. Together, they steer appetite and cravings.



Dr. Arpana Church, who co-directs the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, describes this loop as central. 



“Our findings reveal that tackling obesity requires more than focusing on individual choices - it demands recognizing the powerful role that social and environmental forces play in shaping gut health, behavior and long-term health outcomes," said Dr. Church.



"Reversing the escalating obesity epidemic in America demands a dual approach - personalized, equitable care for individuals and bold, systemic policy reforms that address the root causes."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-fuels-obesity-patterns">Stress fuels obesity patterns</h2>



Financial stress shapes food choices. Families on tight budgets often buy processed meals because fresh produce costs more. 



Food insecurity makes obesity more common in both adults and children. Stress hormones then reinforce those eating patterns.



Neighborhoods also matter. Poorer areas often lack grocery stores, safe spaces, or healthcare. Violence and crime raise daily stress, pushing people toward food for comfort. Structural racism deepens the problem by concentrating disadvantage in certain communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-loneliness-changes-brain-responses">Loneliness changes brain responses</h2>



Isolation adds another layer. People without strong social ties process <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fat-soaking-microbeads-could-be-the-next-weight-loss-breakthrough/">food</a> cues differently. The brain becomes more sensitive to rewards, and food looks more tempting. 



At the same time, the gut microbiome loses diversity. Inflammation rises and cravings grow stronger.



“Research shows that social determinants of health - such as access to nutritious food, safe spaces for physical activity, access to resources such as education, grocery stores, and quality health care - are powerful drivers of obesity risk, underscoring the need to address the conditions in which people live, work and grow,” said Dr. Church.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-rewires-the-brain-and-body">Stress rewires the brain and body</h2>



Stress, poor diet, and discrimination don’t just change behavior - they rewire systems. Brain scans show less gray matter in areas that control motivation and self-control.



Chronic inflammation lowers dopamine, reducing satisfaction from normal rewards. Harmful bacteria flourish in the gut, weakening metabolism and insulin response.



Racism-related stress leaves its mark too. Repeated exposure alters <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-over-matter-brain-boosting-diet-could-enhance-focus-in-children/">brain</a> networks that handle emotions and decision-making. 



It also shifts gut chemistry, promoting inflammation. These biological changes make food an easy, almost automatic coping tool.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-childhood-stress-sets-obesity-patterns">Childhood stress sets obesity patterns</h2>



The review shows that these effects start young. Stress during pregnancy changes fetal development. Children may inherit altered metabolic responses before they’re born. 



After birth, breastfeeding, antibiotics, and early diet shape the microbiome further. Breastfeeding can lower obesity risk in adolescents, especially in disadvantaged families. 



Still, ongoing stress and poor diet often outweigh those protections. By the time children reach school age, the patterns are set.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-resources-reduce-risk">Community resources reduce risk</h2>



Dr. Church emphasized that policy shifts are vital. Health care must expand. Schools need <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-foods-can-be-staged-to-look-more-appealing/">healthier meals</a>, and neighborhoods need grocery stores and safe parks. But individuals can still act within limits.



Choosing affordable nutritious food, keeping social connections, and practicing stress relief can all help. Walking outside, journaling, and gratitude exercises are simple tools. 



"At the same time, healthcare providers have a vital role to play, not only by screening for current social determinants of health, but also by recognizing how these factors accumulate and evolve over time, which is rarely accounted for in today’s clinical practice," said Dr. Church.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mindfulness-and-therapy-show-promise">Mindfulness and therapy show promise</h2>



Clinics are trying new strategies. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tai-chi-reduces-inflammatory-risks-in-cancer-survivors/">Cognitive behavioral therapy</a> helps people change eating habits. Mindfulness reduces stress-driven overeating. 



Researchers are also testing probiotics and even fecal microbiota transplants to restore gut health.



“By understanding these influences and tailoring treatment plans to account for biological and psychosocial challenges, providers can offer more personalized plans that improve outcomes, empowers individuals to take control over their health,” noted Dr. Church.



The message is clear: obesity is not only about food or exercise. It reflects stress, inequality, and biology shaped by the world outside. Until those pressures shift, the numbers won’t change.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1542356525007323" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology</a>.



-----



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New study claims obesity is driven by these two factors, not just diet and exercise, upending current beliefs

Americans hear the same advice again and again - eat better and move more. Yet obesity keeps climbing. Almost 40 percent of adults live with it today. Healthcare costs soar past $170 billion each year. Related diseases, including certain cancers, are rising too. If the answer were only diet and exercise, the trend would have reversed by now. Scientists at UCLA Health argue that something else is driving the epidemic. They point to stress, inequality, and life circumstances that change how the gut and brain work. These...

The first early human migration out of Africa and into Eurasia may have been much more widespread than previously thought, according to a new fossil discovery in Saudi Arabia. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History</a> discovered the fossilized finger bone of an early modern human that dates back nearly 90,000 years.

The findings were published in the Journal Nature Ecology and Evolution and provide insight to a previously overlooked geographic region that could help expand our understanding of early humans. 

The fossil was found while researchers were conducting archaeological fieldwork in the Nefud Desert in Saudi Arabia. 

Once an ancient freshwater lake, the Al-Wusta site in the Nefud Desert yielded animal fossils such as freshwater snails, stone tools made by humans, and a small human finger bone fossil measuring 3.2 centimeters. 

It is the oldest fossil belonging to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sophisticated-tools-ancestors-found/">homo sapien</a> found outside of Africa and the Levant (a historical region encompassing what is now Syria), and the first ancient human fossil discovered in Saudi Arabia. 

In order to confirm that the fossil was human and not Neanderthal or another relative species, the researchers scanned the fossil in three dimensions.

[caption id="attachment_1198672" align="aligncenter" width="996"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/migration-Ian-Cartwright.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-1198672" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/migration-Ian-Cartwright-1024x824.jpg" alt="" width="996" height="801" /></a> Image Credit: Ian Cartwright[/caption]

The finger bone, obviously human, was then subjected to a method called uranium-series dating that uses a laser to measure the ratio between tiny traces of radioactive elements. This is how the researchers dated the fossil and found that the finger bone was approximately 88,000 years old. 

Previously, it was believed that early migrations were limited to the Levant and any attempts to go further into Eurasia were unsuccessful. This fossil proves those claims wrong and shows that humans first dispersed further than was thought. 

“This discovery for the first time conclusively shows that early members of our species colonized an expansive region of southwest Asia and were not just restricted to the Levant,” said Huw Groucutt, the study’s lead author. “The ability of these early people to widely colonize this region casts doubt on long-held views that early dispersals out of Africa were localized and unsuccessful.”

The researchers say the discovery puts a spotlight on Saudi Arabia as the region could lead to even more exciting discoveries relating to our early ancestors and their first steps out of Africa. 

“The Arabian Peninsula has long been considered to be far from the main stage of human evolution,”  said Michael Petraglia, the project lead. “This discovery firmly puts Arabia on the map as a key region for understanding our origins and expansion to the rest of the world. As fieldwork carries on, we continue to make remarkable discoveries in Saudi Arabia.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Once out of Africa, early human migration was widespread

The first early human migration out of Africa and into...

As people become more mature, their personality develops and changes as well. Researchers at <a href="https://www.fau.edu/">Florida Atlantic University</a> are describing how personality maturation is reflected in natural language.

For their investigation, the researchers analyzed more than 40,000 brief samples of text that were collected over the course of 25 years from the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT), which measures the stages of ego development.

The experts also used the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), which breaks down texts into their psychological meaning. The LIWC includes thousands of terms that are classified into categories ranging from first-person singular pronouns such as “I” and “me” to complex words such as “but” and “although.”

The study revealed that, as people mature, their terminology shifts from self-centered words to more complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bonobos-chimps-similar-language/">language</a>. 

The results of the study also indicated that ego development can be understood as a set of qualitatively distinct stages as well as a single dimension. In the earliest stages, language associated with impulse gratification was found to be the most prevalent. This was followed up with language that was predominantly marked by a concern with appearance and then with social acceptance. 

The next stage, which was also found to be the most common developmental stage, was characterized by self-doubt and by gauging the costs and benefits of being in the public eye. After this, a concern for achievement emerges, followed by abstract considerations such as privilege. Ultimately, an even broader perspective on life goals becomes the main focus.

Psychology Professor Kevin Lanning at Florida Atlantic University's Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College is the lead author of the study.

“Building on the empirical analysis of ego level and language will provide us with a deeper understanding of ego development, its relationship with other models of personality and individual differences, and its utility in characterizing people, texts and the cultural contexts that produce them,” said Professor Lanning. 

“If ego development can be scored from everyday language, then the content of text from Twitter feeds to political speeches, and from children's stories to strategic plans, may provide new insights into our state of moral, social and cognitive development.”

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

Everyday language reflects how we change and mature over time

As people become more mature, their personality develops and changes...

The circadian clock is responsible for regulating sleep cycles, body temperature, digestion, and many other important physiological patterns. Neuroscientists at the <a href="https://www.bidmc.org/">Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center</a> (BIDMC) have found that circadian rhythms also influence aggression, which may lead to treatment for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/twice-americans-alzheimers-2060/">Alzheimer's</a> patients who tend to get confused and agitated at the end of the day.

Dementia patients commonly experience sundown syndrome, or heightened aggression as the sun goes down, and experts have speculated that this behavior may be governed by the body's internal biological clock.

Study senior author Dr. Clifford B. Saper is the Chair of the Department of Neurology at the <a href="https://www.bidmc.org/">Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center</a>.

“Sundowning is often the reason that patients have to be institutionalized, and if clinicians can control this circuit to minimize aggressiveness at the end of the day, patients may be able to live at home longer,” said Dr. Saper. 

“We examined the biological clock's brain circuitry and found a connection to a population of neurons known to cause violent attacks when stimulated in male mice. We wanted to know if this represented a propensity for violence at certain times of day.”

The research team observed aggressive interactions between male mice who were defending their territory and male trespassers who were introduced to the cages at different times of the day. The study revealed that the resident mice exhibited a consistent daily rhythm of aggression.

“The mice were more likely to be aggressive in the early evening around lights out, and least aggressive in the early morning, around lights on,” said Saper. “It looks like aggressiveness builds up in mice during the lights on period, and reaches a peak around the end of the light period.”

Ultimately, the experts found that the circadian circuit minimized aggressiveness during the early morning. At this time of day, stimulating the circadian rhythm in the mice prevented attack, while inhibiting it triggered attack. 

Saper explained that controlling the circadian circuit could potentially make animals and people less aggressive.

“Our results in mice mimic the patterns of increased aggression seen in patients during sundowning,” said Saper. 

“This new research suggests this pathway may be compromised in neurodegenerative diseases. Examining changes to this pathway in patients could provide insight into future interventions that could greatly improve the quality of life for patients and caregivers alike.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/neuro/">Nature Neuroscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Aggression may be controlled by our circadian clocks

The circadian clock is responsible for regulating sleep cycles, body...

Researchers at the <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford University School of Medicine</a> are reporting that people born with a high genetic risk for heart disease can keep their heart healthy by staying in shape. 

The analysis, which is one of the largest observational studies of its kind, has revealed that higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are linked to a decreased risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noise-pollution-heart-disease/">heart disease</a>.

Even in those individuals who had a genetic predisposition, higher levels of physical activity were associated with lower levels of several negative cardiovascular outcomes, including heart attack and stroke.

“People should not just give up on exercise because they have a high genetic risk for heart disease,” said study co-author Erik Ingelsson. “And vice versa: Even if you have a low genetic risk, you should still get exercise. It all ties back to what we have known all along: It's a mix of genes and environment that influence health.”


The research team looked at data collected from nearly half a million people in the UK Biobank databasewho had undergone grip and body strength tests. The individuals had also reported on their levels of physical activity, had worn activity trackers for a week, and participated in stationary cycle tests.

In addition, genetic data from most of the participants was used in the study. The researchers found that individuals who were considered at a high genetic risk had a 49 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease and a 60 percent lower risk for atrial fibrillation with high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness.

Study participants who had the strongest grips and were classified as having an intermediate genetic risk for cardiovascular disease were found to have a 46 percent reduction in risk for atrial fibrillation.

The study authors explained that the results of this research could have important implications for public health, especially considering the fact that little is known about the effects of exercise in individuals who have genetically inherited a risk of cardiovascular disease.

“This is important because of how we advise our patients,” said Ingelsson. “It's basically indicating that you can make some lifestyle changes, be more physically active and it can make a difference to your long-term health.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://circ.ahajournals.org/">Circulation</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Exercise can offset predisposed genetic risk of heart disease

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine are reporting...

Are you a confident person? You may want to stop and consider whether you can be confident the gifts you select are really what your loved ones want. A new study shows that people who are anxious in social settings may be better gift givers than their more confident peers.

“You'd think that secure people with lots of friends and healthy personal relationships would have a better idea of what someone would like as a gift, but that's not the case,” Dr. Meredith David of Baylor University’s <a href="https://www.baylor.edu/business/">Hankamer School of Business</a> said in a press release. "This research shows that individuals who are anxious in interpersonal situations and who have fewer close, personal relationships are better at predicting what a person may like.”

The study reached its conclusions after polling 1,272 people over five separate surveys. It found that those who reported feeling more “secure” is social situations also tend to practice “social projection.” In other words, they unconsciously project their own interests and desires on other people.

More anxious gift givers don’t make the same assumptions based on their own preferences. They’re less anxious to assume they know what others want without giving it plenty of thought.

In other words, social anxiety may actually have an upside, at least when it comes to holidays and birthdays.

“A key takeaway is that secure people (people who have healthy relationships and feel comfortable in interpersonal settings, etc.) should be mindful of their propensity to assume others like what they like,” David said. “Gifts should be thoughtful, and securely attached folks need to take caution when selecting and buying gifts. Importantly, these individuals should strive to put their own preferences aside when considering what others may like.”

The study goes beyond just helping people choose better birthday presents. It could guide marketers as well.

For example, online retailers that list a selection of their products as “good gifts” may be more likely to lure confident gift givers who shop at their store. They may assume that their giftee will like the same stores they do.

The research could also guide hiring managers when selecting candidates for certain roles, David said.

“For example, it is not uncommon that marketers and salespeople must predict preferences of the customers, at least as they relate to new products, pricing promotions etc. Sales and product development positions may be better suited for anxiously attached individuals; whereas financial, technical or market research positions may be a better fit for secure individuals,” she said.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15206793">Psychology &amp; Marketing</a>. 

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Could social anxiety make people better gift givers?

Are you a confident person? You may want to stop...

The Spanish government is kicking off a new campaign to clean up the oceans after a young sperm whale was discovered dead off the coast, its guts filled with plastic and trash.

The whale was discovered on Feb. 27 near the lighthouse of Cabo de Palos, the <a href="http://www.carm.es/">Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia</a> said in a press release.

A necropsy revealed that the digestive system of the emaciated young sperm whale was filled with about 64 pounds of trash, including ropes, plastic, fishing nets, raffia and a drum.

“The presence of plastics in seas and oceans is one of the greatest threats to the conservation of wildlife throughout the world, as many animals are trapped in the trash or ingest large amounts of plastics that end up causing their death,” said Consuelo Rosauro, who directs environmental programs for CARM. 

The Region of Murcia, an autonomous province on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, is no stranger to the problem of pollution, Rosauro added. The discovery of the whale and other animals harmed by trash shows the importance of clean-up efforts and raising citizens’ awareness, she said.

It’s especially important for regions like Murcia, where the diversity of ocean life runs up against modern living and visiting tourists.

CARM is home not just to sperm whales but also to bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, loggerhead turtles. A project in Murcia monitors how trash and pollution affect the region’s wildlife and conservation efforts.

There are about 5.25 trillion pieces of trash in the ocean, much of it plastic that doesn’t biodegrade, according to <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150109-oceans-plastic-sea-trash-science-marine-debris/">National Geographic</a>. 

Instead, it can be mistaken for jellyfish by hungry turtles, break down into tiny pieces that fish eat, or end up in the bellies of birds that hunt those fish – or it could end up joining the massive Pacific Garbage Patch, now <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-great-pacific-garbage-patch-is-now-twice-as-big-as-texas/">twice as large as the state of Texas</a>. The tiny <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-swimming-waste-plastic/">Henderson Island in the South Pacific</a> alone is awash in plastic garbage.

Wildlife like the young sperm whale can struggle to survive amid the plastic pollution. CARM announced that its new campaign would focus on reducing plastic waste and raising citizens’ awareness. 

And it won’t stop there. Murcia is launching 11 different beach cleanup efforts that will include cataloging and tracking the kinds of trash volunteers collect. A series of 19 presentations will also be offered throughout the province on the problem of ocean trash and how people can act.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Young sperm whale dies, 64 pounds of trash in its system

The Spanish government is kicking off a new campaign to...

Along with many other environmental benefits, green roofs introduce new habitats for wildlife. A team of researchers is reporting that some organisms are making their way onto green roofs by riding along with birds or getting carried by the wind.

Green roofs can be a challenging place for plants to survive with conditions such as extreme temperatures, high winds, and intense sunlight and rainfall. This harsh environment makes it even more critical that certain soil organisms are present which promote nutrient cycling and plant growth.

The research team set out to determine whether soil organisms such as mites, springtails, bacteria, and fungi are introduced to green roofs in their building materials or if they arrive by some other means.

Study co-author Dr. Heather Rumble is a senior lecturer in Environmental Geography at the <a href="http://www.port.ac.uk/">University of Portsmouth</a>.

“We found that while there was a healthy soil community in construction materials, most species died off soon after the roof was constructed due to the harsh conditions,” said Dr. Rumble. “This means that green roof soil species must arrive via another mechanism, such as by hitching lifts on birds or by coming in the aerial plankton.”

For their investigation, the experts monitored a new green roof on the grounds of Royal Holloway from September 2011 to July 2012. They tracked soil microorganisms living in the construction materials to find out if they would colonize the green roof.

As a result of the study, the researchers have made important recommendations. First off, in order to make the green roofs more sustainable, the soil must be engineered so that the biology is well-balanced.

“This is important, because as a completely man-made environment, getting the soil community right in the construction materials could ensure that the roof is sustainable in the long term,” said Dr. Rumble.

The experts also explained that green roofs must somehow be connected to ground-level <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antibiotics-soil-killing-superbugs/">soils</a> so that critical species have easier access. According to the experts, this could be done by combining green roofs and living walls.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/applied-soil-ecology">Applied Soil Ecology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Image Credit: Heather Rumble, University of Portsmouth

&nbsp;

Green roofs offer habitat opportunities for diverse species

Along with many other environmental benefits, green roofs introduce new...

When your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-befriend-stranger-relaxed/">dog</a> rolls over onto its back, it’s almost impossible to resist giving them a good belly rub. But according to one animal expert, this could be an invasion of your pet’s space and while they tolerate the behavior, it's not fun for them. 

According to Jill MacKay, an animal expert from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet">Royal School of Veterinary Studies</a> at the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a>, dogs expose their stomachs in submission while playing with other dogs or their owners, as rolling over and showing its belly is a sign of trust. 

However, sometimes the submissive posture is a way to avoid confrontation, which is why it's important for dog owners to better understand these subtle signals and behaviors in their pets. 

Not only will it make your pet happier, but it can make training and avoiding problem behavior easier. 

MacKay will discuss the things we get wrong with our pets in a talk on pet behavior at this year’s <a href="https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/">Edinburgh International Science Festival</a>.

Other problems MacKay will mention include the ways owners mishandle problem behaviors like barking and scratching up furniture. 

Even though owners mean well and obviously want the best for their pets, actions, and behaviors such as rolling over can be easily misinterpreted. 

“It is very common for a dog to lie down, show its tummy and lift its legs in the air, but that is not a request for a tummy rub,” MacKay told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5583311/Dogs-DONT-want-tickled-roll-stick-legs-air.html">Daily Mail</a>. “When a dog does it to another dog it means “I trust you and I think you are a good dog to be around. So when a dog does it to a human they trust, it can then be alarming if that human invades their space and touches their soft, exposed belly.”

MacKay has helpful tips for dealing with issues like barking at strangers and cats tearing up nice furniture. She has even written a book, Animal Personality, that will be released later this month. 

For example, even though it can be a nuisance when your dog barks when he shouldn’t, yelling could only make things more confusing for dogs. 

“The best advice is to ignore and refuse to look at the dog. Dogs love us and want our attention so this is a good way to train them they are behaving badly,” said MacKay of teaching dogs not to bark at visitors or passersby. 

When it comes to cats, it can be hard to train them not to scratch on furniture as it’s a natural instinct. 

“Cats walk into a living room and often the first thing they see is the back of the sofa,” said MacKay. “It is almost like an extra wall, so it’s a good place to mark their territory. Instead of shouting at them, owners should just put a scratching post in the same place.”

We want the best for our pets but as MacKay points out, even a well-meaning sign of affection can be misinterpreted because humans and their pets don’t have the same signals, behaviors and social cues.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Dogs don’t want their belly rubbed, animal expert claims

When your dog rolls over onto its back, it’s almost...

As nations work together to meet the goals put in place by the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trump-decision-paris-climate-agreement/">Paris Accord</a>, there is one major missing component when it comes to reducing carbon emissions: the shipping industry.

Ships carry the brunt of the world’s trade, <a href="http://blogs.worldbank.org/transport/three-reasons-why-maritime-transport-must-act-climate-change-now">moving 80 percent</a> of the all world trade by volume along international shipping lanes. 

The shipping industry is only projected to increase and with it, carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. <a href="https://www.imo.org/">The International Maritime Organization (IMO) </a>has estimated that carbon emissions from shipping could increase 50 to 250 percent in the coming years.

Ship fuel is harmful to the environment and already the shipping industry has a similar carbon footprint to the whole of Germany. 

The editors of Bloomberg recently wrote <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-04-05/greener-shipping-can-help-fight-climate-change">an opinion piece </a>about the problems that the shipping industry needs to address. According to the editors, unless emissions are reduced, shipping could account for 15 percent of the global carbon budget. 

When the Paris Accord was first introduced, international shipping carbon emissions were not part of the conversation. 

That could change when next week the International Maritime Organization will announce a plan for reducing emissions. 

Any plans to reduce emissions could be met with resistance as several countries like Argentina, Brazil, India, Panama and Saudi Arabia are opposed to capping emissions or meeting CO2 targets. 

“Despite this resistance, the IMO needs to be ambitious,” said <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-04-05/greener-shipping-can-help-fight-climate-change">Bloomberg</a>. “Ultimately, the most cost-effective approach would be to put a tax on carbon, and let that guide investment and innovation. But devising and implementing an international carbon-price system won't be done overnight.” 

There are several methods that shipping companies could implement to reduce emissions, but the key is first admitting that shipping emissions need to be taken seriously. 

“The main thing next week is to acknowledge that confronting climate change is too urgent a goal for any sector of the global economy to be given a pass,” write the Bloomberg editors. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The shipping industry is a major source of carbon emissions

As nations work together to meet the goals put in...

Chile has long been known for its fantastic natural areas.  

After a trip to Tasmania where I stayed in a rural house with no electricity for a month, I was picked up at the airport in Denver, Colorado by my brother and was almost immediately dragged to the mall to go shopping.  I remember feeling overwhelmed and depressed as my brother perused shoes and earrings at an endless array of shops. In the midst of the mall I happened upon a vendor selling photos, and a picture of Torres Del Paine in Chile grabbed my attention.  It was at that moment, staring at other worldly, jagged mountains, like viciously broken glass stabbing the sky that I first imagined the beauty of Chile.

It turns out, I was relatively late in figuring out that Chilean Patagonia was a place of awe inspiring natural beauty.  In 1968, Yvon Chouinard (later the founder of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/patagonia-fighting-trump/">Patagonia</a>) and Doug Tompkins (Later founder of The North Face) made an epic road trip in a Ford E-series Van.  The trip was life-changing for the two men, laying the foundation for their later lives. Starting in Ventura California, they drove all the way to Patagonia.  Founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, just 5 years after the epic road trip, Patagonia clothing company got its name from that trip. The Patagonia company logo is the outline of Cerro Fitz Roy, a mountain in Patagonia Yvon summited in ’68.  

Since its humble beginnings, Patagonia clothing company has grown enormously.  Yvon Chouinard, once a climbing bum who lived for months on the staple of dented canned cat food, is now valued by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/">Forbes</a> at a net worth of $1 Billion.  Kristine McDivitt met Yvon Chouinard at the age of 15, when he ran the company Chouinard Equipment in Ventura California, and got a summer job working for the company.  Kris later went on to college in Idaho where she ski raced competitively. Eventually Kris made her way to being the CEO of Patagonia. Somewhere along the way Kris McDivitt became Kris McDivitt Tompkins, marrying Yvon’s friend Doug Tompkins of the road trip to Patagonia.  

Doug Tompkins also had a successful business career, founding The North Face and Esprit clothing companies.  With his first wife Susie, Doug built Esprit into a multinational corporation with over $1 billion in sales. Eventually Doug became dissatisfied with contributing to a gross consumer culture and sold his share of Esprit in the late 1980s.  Doug became more involved in environmentalism, creating the Foundation for Deep Ecology and the Tompkins Foundation. Doug died kayaking with friends in Chile in 2015.

The controversy behind Doug and Kris Tompkins’ legacy is the same as many of those who oppose progress for progress sake.  Over the years the couple successfully opposed a hydroelectric plant, bought over a million acres of land in Chile and fostered the growth of puma populations.  Locals have accused the two of taking land out of production, hurting ranching and taking jobs away. These are common terms of attack against environmentalists.  The land that the Thompkins’ loved has its own answer in transcendent beauty. Over time relationships with locals have improved too, as the Thompkins worked to involve people in the project and hear out the concerns of locals. 

This year, Kris Tompkins donated a little over 1 million acres of land to the Chilean government to be protected as National Parks.  The government of Chile added nearly 9 million acres of its own land creating more than 10 million acres of new parks. With this addition, the National Parks of Chile increased by 38.5%.  

The new land is set aside to protect seasonally snowy mountains, volcanoes, red rock canyons and rivers.  The park land is set to protect habitats of guanacos (basically wild llamas), mountains lions and other iconic wildlife.  Other ongoing work in Argentina by Tompkins Conservation has reintroduced giant anteaters and protected land and wildlife there.

All told, the new land in Chile created two new National Parks and expanded two other national parks and one national reserve.  The expansion of parkland in Chile can offer us in North America some hope as our protected areas are attacked at home. 

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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The inspired conservationists behind Chile’s new national parks

Chile has long been known for its fantastic natural areas....

Researchers from <a href="https://www.southernct.edu/">Southern Connecticut State University</a> have found that using bad language leaves a negative impression on others, even those who are not offended by profanity. According to the analysis, people who swear are perceived as being unintelligent, untrustworthy, and less likeable.

The study was focused on 138 students, including 101 women. The students were questioned about their own swearing habits before participating in a series of experiments that were developed to analyze how they felt about people who use foul language. 

The study participants read a hypothetical conversation between two 15-year-olds. They were asked to judge the two individuals on various qualities.


“Speakers using profanity had poorer impression ratings on several variables, including overall impression, intelligence, and trustworthiness,” explained lead author Melanie DeFrank.

The researchers used the assessments to determine which swear words were the most offensive to the study participants. “Dang” was found to be the least offensive expletive, while the b-word and the f-word were considered to be the most derogatory.


The experts also found that people are consistently repulsed by the same curse words. On the other hand, an interesting discrepancy was noted in the amount of swearing across the general population - almost the same percentage of people rarely ever swear compared to those who swear profusely.

Around 17 percent of people curse less than five times per day, but around 20 percent of people admit to swearing at least 21 times every day. Regarding how much bad language people are exposed to on a daily basis, nearly the same ratio was established.


People who used profanity in the experiment were perceived as being less honest and less intelligent, and this effect was even stronger when the researchers manipulated the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gender-bias-courtroom-decisions/">gender roles</a> in the hypothetical conversation.

“Speakers swearing in mixed-gender dyads were rated as less sociable, and males swearing in mixed-gender dyads were rated as more offensive,” explained the researchers.

Even when the study participants had not rated specific words as being offensive, they still judged the speakers harshly when they used those expletives.

“Despite people not considering the language offensive, they are still affected by it and use it to judge others, suggesting a subliminal effect,” wrote the study authors.

They said that this finding indicates that “people have become more desensitized to certain swears and even expect them at times.”

The study is published in the <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/jlsa">Journal of Language and Social Psychology</a>.

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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

People who use profanity are perceived as less smart, trustworthy

Researchers from Southern Connecticut State University have found that using...

A research team led by Professor Stephen Wroe of the <a href="http://www.une.edu/">University of New England</a> is describing why Neanderthals had such distinctively shaped skulls. The experts have determined that a protruding face with large nostrils enabled Neanderthals to adapt to cold weather and helped them breathe in more air when they were exerting themselves.

The researchers digitally reconstructed Neanderthal skulls using five European specimens and simulated a wide range of modern human skulls for comparison. The scientists concluded that protruding skulls helped Neanderthals survive the extreme cold climate of the Ice Age.

“Neanderthal nasal passage morphology may represent an adaptation to cold that improves conditioning of inspired air, albeit a less efficient solution to that found in modern humans,” wrote the study authors.

“Our results further suggest that the Neanderthal capacity to move greater air volumes may also represent an adaptation to cold, insofar as it could support a cold climate physiology.”

The experts speculated that the bigger nostrils found in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthals-compassionate/">Neanderthal</a> skulls would have helped them breathe air in and out more quickly when they were running and hunting. In addition, the large nasal passages would have allowed them to warm and humidify cold, dry air before it entered into their lungs.

“An alternative, not mutually exclusive explanation, is that this ability reflects an adaptation to a more strenuous, energetically demanding lifestyle demanding high caloric intakes,” said the researchers. 

Many scientists had previously concluded that the unique design of Neanderthal skulls allowed them to use their front teeth more aggressively. The current study found, however, that the protruding face of Neanderthals was not an ideal shape for heavy biting with the front teeth.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Natural History Museum, Lond

Neanderthal skull shape helped them adapt to cold, inhale oxygen

A research team led by Professor Stephen Wroe of the...

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On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

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</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.



Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.



The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.



Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."



This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.



Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet Archaeopteris: the first modern tree</h2>



The star of this ancient forest is Archaeopteris – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur Archaeopteryx. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.



William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.



Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.



This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified Eospermatopteris, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.



All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-significance">Scientific significance</h2>



Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.



Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."



The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.



Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.



Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.



These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.



The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

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</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

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Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. 



Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. 



These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.



Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. 



For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.



Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. 



Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.



This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. 



With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. 



Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. 



Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. 



Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. 



The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.



Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.



Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.



This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. 



The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a>.



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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



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



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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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[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...

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