Mental illnesses affect one in four people at some point in life. Yet, treatment often remains a guessing game. Traditional drugs target brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, ignoring how the immune system may also affect the brain.



But many patients do not benefit. A new study from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a> may explain why. The research links immune system activity to several neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and schizophrenia.



This work, led by Dr. Christina Dardani and Professor Golam Khandaker, suggests we must think beyond the brain. Immune signals in the blood and brain both appear involved in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-brain-literally-changes-based-on-daily-activities-and-lifestyle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mental</a> illness. This insight could help develop new, more effective treatments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-brain-drugs-fail-for-some">Why brain drugs fail for some</h2>



Most mental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-reduces-the-risk-of-brain-diseases-by-up-to-54-percent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">health</a> drugs act on neurotransmitters. But these therapies fail in about one-third of patients. 



That failure points to deeper biological roots. Immune system involvement is one such possibility. Immune-activating drugs, for example, often trigger depression. Infections and autoimmune diseases are also linked with mental illness.



This new study used Mendelian randomization - a method that analyzes genetic data to find causal relationships. The researchers studied 736 immune-related proteins found in human blood and brain. They examined how these proteins relate to seven mental conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-immune-proteins-in-the-brain-and-blood">Immune proteins in the brain and blood</h2>



The researchers applied a three-tier system to assess causality. They looked at depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, ADHD, autism, and anxiety. 



From over 700 proteins, the team identified 29 linked with these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-the-brain-goes-silent-the-complex-reality-of-mind-blanking/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">disorders</a>. These findings met strict statistical and biological standards.



Among the 29, some were already known drug targets. Twenty of the proteins had drugs either approved or in trials for other diseases. These include ACE, CD40, AGER, TNFRSF17, and SERPING1. Their link with mental illness now opens paths for drug repurposing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-disorders-to-specific-proteins">Linking disorders to specific proteins</h2>



For schizophrenia, the experts identified 57 immune biomarkers. Four met the strictest Tier A standard. Notable ones included AGER, PDIA3, and NAGA. These genes are involved in glycosylation, a process tied to brain function.



Depression had 24 related proteins, including EP300 and FCN1. Bipolar disorder shared some markers with schizophrenia, especially CD40 and DNPH1.



Alzheimer’s disease showed 28 immune-related markers. APOC1 and CR1 were among the strongest candidates. These proteins had already been linked to Alzheimer’s in earlier studies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-risk-of-mental-illness">The risk of mental illness </h2>



“Our study demonstrates that inflammation in the brain and the body might influence the risk of mental health conditions,“ noted Golam Khandaker, Professor of Psychiatry and Immunology.



“The findings challenge the centuries-old Cartesian dichotomy between the body and the mind, and suggests that we should consider depression and schizophrenia as conditions affecting the whole person.”



This viewpoint encourages treatment approaches that account for both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-air-pollution-fuels-alzheimers-and-brain-disease/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a> and body.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-biomarkers-to-medicines">From biomarkers to medicines</h2>



Drug development for mental health has slowed in recent decades. Many trials on anti-inflammatory drugs for depression and schizophrenia failed. 



A reason might be the poor selection of targets. This study narrows the field using strong genetic and molecular data.



ACE plays a role in both schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease and already has approved medications for heart conditions. 



CD40 is implicated in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and its involvement in multiple conditions suggests it could serve as a cross-disorder therapeutic target.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-using-immune-drugs-on-the-brain">Using immune drugs on the brain</h2>



Some biomarkers affect mental health through both blood and brain. For example, CD40 and ACE act in both tissues. But this could lead to side effects if drugs affect the wrong organs. 



CD40 has low tissue specificity, and ACE is mostly active in the gut. These features must be considered before using these targets in new treatments.



Some biomarkers influence multiple disorders. ACE may contribute to both schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s, perhaps by impairing memory. 



CD40 might increase risk for both bipolar and schizophrenia by promoting psychosis. Shared symptoms suggest overlapping biological roots.



But timing also matters. Schizophrenia begins early, while Alzheimer’s emerges much later. The effects of immune proteins may differ at each stage. Future research must examine this complexity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hope-for-treating-mental-illness">Hope for treating mental illness</h2>



The researchers plan to test their findings using health records, animal studies, and clinical trials. They also urge caution. Most data come from people of European ancestry. More diverse studies are needed.



The research paves the way for novel therapies. But success will depend on careful trial design, consideration of side effects, and better understanding of immune signaling.



By exploring the full biology of the immune system and brain, this work offers fresh hope for millions of people living with mental illness.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-025-03032-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Psychiatry</a>.



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Mental illness is caused by the whole body - not just the brain

Mental illnesses affect one in four people at some point in life. Yet, treatment often remains a guessing game. Traditional drugs target brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, ignoring how the immune system may also affect the brain. But many patients do not benefit. A new study from the University of Bristol may explain why. The research links immune system activity to several neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and schizophrenia. This work, led by Dr. Christina Dardani and Professor Golam Khandaker, suggests we must think beyond the brain....

New research reveals that listening to music while learning a physical activity can boost brain power. The regions of the brain that process sounds and control movement showed “increased structural connectivity” when people practiced movements while listening to music. 

The Scottish study led by Dr Katie Overy established that regions of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-menstruation-no-effect-brain/">brain</a> advance significantly while people are learning physical tasks with music playing. The transformation of the brain described by the authors took place on the right side.

“The study suggests that music makes a key difference, explained Dr. Overy. “We have long known that music encourages people to move.”

The researchers took right-handed participants and divided them into two groups. The individuals were challenged to learn sequences of movements with their left hands. One group attempted the new tasks with musical cues, while the other group did not have music. 

The researchers evaluated the performance of the teams after four weeks and determined they had mastered the sequences equally well. MRI scans revealed that the music group displayed a noticeable increase in structural connectivity on the right side of the brain. The non-music group showed no change in structural connectivity. 

The study, published in the medical journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/brain-and-cognition/">Brain and Cognition</a> by <a href="http://www.ed.ac.uk/">Edinburgh University</a>, established that brain wiring enables cells to communicate with each other.

The scientists are hopeful that further research will show that music can improve the success various kinds of motor rehabilitation programs. This discovery could possibly benefit stroke victims and other patients who have lost control of certain movements.

“This study provides the first experimental evidence that adding musical cues to learning new motor task can lead to changes in white matter structure in the brain,” said Dr. Overy.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/brain-and-cognition/">Brain and Cognition
</a>

Listening to music during a physical task changes brain structure

New research reveals that listening to music while learning a...

Snakebites are a serious global threat to public health, particularly in rural areas. According to a new study published in <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</a>, snakebites cost Sri Lanka the equivalent of over 10 million dollars in medical expenses each year, with individual economic losses of nearly 4 million. 

The typical victims of snakebites in poverty-stricken rural communities of Asia, <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/wildfires-south-africas-southern-coast/">Africa</a>, and Latin America are young people who have labor intensive jobs. These young adults most often do physically demanding work such as farming, which must be put on hold for recovery from snakebites. 

David Lalloo of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine led colleagues from the University of Kelaniya in the study. The team collected data from a nationwide survey conducted in Sri Lanka in 2013. They used the information to evaluate the annual number of snakebites and deaths from snakebites, and used additional household questionnaires and hospital records to estimate the overall costs of snakebites.

The study established that 79 percent of snakebite victims suffered economic loss. The grand total of individual economic loss in 2013 was the equivalent of 3.8 million dollars. The snakebites also placed a heavy financial burden on Sri Lanka’s health care system, costing 10.3 million USD in one year.

"It is unlikely that these costs will reduce in the near future as there is no indication that the high incidence of bites is declining," said the authors of the study. "Even more concerning is the economic burden that snakebite places on victims and their households... It is highly likely in Sri Lanka that snakebite drives the same catastrophic costs for the poor as many other diseases."

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/">PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases</a>

Image Credit: Gihan Jayaweera, Wikimedia Commons

Snakebites cost Sri Lanka over $10 million per year

Snakebites are a serious global threat to public health, particularly...

Policies that encourage carpooling do in fact drastically reduce traffic, a new study concluded.

In Jakarta, Indonesia, travel delays increased 46 percent during the morning rush hour and 87 percent during the evening rush hour, after a policy requiring three or more passengers in a car was discontinued on important city-center roads, the <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> study found.

"Eliminating high-occupancy vehicle restrictions led to substantially worse traffic," said Ben Olken, a professor of economics at MIT and co-author of the study. "That's not shocking, but the magnitudes are just enormous."

Traffic on surrounding roads was also significantly worse on surrounding roads as well after the HOV policy was cancelled.

"HOV policies on central roads were making traffic everywhere better, both during the middle of the day and on these other roads during rush hour," Olken said. "That I think is a really striking result."

Jakarta imposed its HOV regulations in 1992, requiring three passengers in each vehicle on some major roads, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. It suddenly scrapped the policy in 2016, first for a week, then for a month, and then permanently.

The system was criticized in part because of  "jockeys" on the roads -- people charging a small fee to drivers who would let them ride in their cars, bringing vehicles up to the three-person requirement. Commuters would typically pick up jockeys at the edges of the HOV area. Critics questioned whether the HOV policy was reducing the number of vehicles effectively, since it seemed to limit the amount of ride-sharing by actual commuters.

The MIT researchers studied Google Maps data starting in late March, before the policy went into effect, and then continued monitoring its impact into June 2016.

After the HOV policy was abandoned, the average speed of Jakarta's rush hour <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/traffic-noise-birds-stop-singing/">traffic</a> declined from about 17 miles an hour to 12 miles an hour in the mornings, and from about 13 to 7 miles per hour in the evenings, the study said. A person can usually walk at around 3 miles per hour.

"The point of this paper is to show that in a real-world natural experiment, this is what happens," Olken said.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:  <a href="http://web.mit.edu/">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a>

Why axing carpool lane policies causes severe traffic headaches

Policies that encourage carpooling do in fact drastically reduce traffic,...

Researchers have pinpointed a gene that plays a key role in depression in humans and animals.

The gene, known as Slc6a15, can amplify or reduce stress, depending on its level of activity, according to the study by the <a href="http://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/">University of Maryland School of Medicine</a>.

"This study really shines a light on how levels of this gene in these neurons affects mood," said the senior author of the study, Mary Kay Lobo. "It suggests that people with altered levels of this gene in certain brain regions may have a much higher risk for depression and other emotional disorders related to stress."

Lobo and her colleagues discovered in 2006 that the Slc6a15 gene was more common among specific neurons in the brain.

Since the gene was recently associated with depression by other researchers, her lab decided to investigate its role in these specific neurons. They focused on a part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-menstruation-no-effect-brain/">brain</a> called the nucleus accumben, which plays a central role in the brain's "reward circuit."

Neurons in the nucleus accumbens are activated when people eat a delicious meal, have sex, drink alcohol, or have any other kind of enjoyable experience. In depression, any kind of enjoyment can be difficult or impossible, a condition known as anhedonia.

In the new study, researchers studied mice susceptible to depression. When faced with larger, more aggressive mice, they exhibit behavior similar to depression such as withdrawal and lack of interest in food. Levels of the Slc6a15 gene in the D2 neurons of the nucleus accumbens were markedly reduced when the mice were under social stress, the study found.

When the researchers enhanced Slc6a15 levels in D2 neurons, the mice were resilient to social stress.

The study also examined the brains of humans with a history of depression who had committed suicide. Researchers found that the Slc6a15 gene was reduced in the nucleus accumbens of these brains. This indicates that the link between gene and behavior extends from mice to humans, the study said.

It is not yet clear exactly how Slc6a15 works in the brain, but the research could lead to therapies focused on Slc6a15 as a new treatment for depression, Lobo said.

The study was published in the <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/">University of Maryland School of Medicine</a>

Study pinpoints gene that controls depression

Researchers have pinpointed a gene that plays a key role...

A new study reveals that mice who have an inferior sense of smell are burning away calories much faster than those with a good sense of smell. The report, published today in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>, explains the mice were engineered to lack a sense of smell and kept on a high-fat diet. To the surprise of the researchers, the mice with a lessened sense of smell lost a drastic amount of weight.

Researchers initially thought that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/male-pheromone-enhances-sexual-behavior/">mice</a> who lacked a sense of smell were simply eating less, but further analysis showed that they were eating the same amount of food as the mice in the control group. They were able to shed an average of 16 percent of their body weight, the majority of which was from fat. 

"It's one of the most interesting discoveries to come out of my lab," said lead author Andrew Dillin, professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. "What's happening to those calories?"

Dillin explained that the senses of smell and taste are heightened when it is time to eat, and are reduced drastically after feeding. He expected that the lack of smell would lessen the mouse's appetite, which was not the case. 

The diet fed to the mouse was so high in fat that two others given the same foods became obese. The mouse without a sense of smell, however, dropped nearly a third of its weight.

"I never expected turning off smell would have such dramatic weight-loss effects," said Dillin.

The team wanted to rule out the possibility that they had killed more than just olfactory sensory neurons in the process of removing the sense of smell in the first mouse. They used a different approach to take away the sense of smell in a second mouse. This mouse lost almost almost the same amount of weight as the first mouse. 

The team turned their attention to fat deposits in the population and discovered that the brown fat deposits were actively burning. The white fat deposits were transforming into brown fat deposits and also began burning.

"The mice with no sense of smell had turned on a program to burn fat," said Dillin.

They did have high levels of adrenaline in their blood which suggests that there may be a link between olfactory sensory neurons and the sympathetic nervous system. Further research will be conducted to test this theory. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/home">Cell Metabolism</a>

Mice with no sense of smell actively burn fat

A new study reveals that mice who have an inferior...

The reality of self-driving cars seems a bit far-fetched even with today's technology. However, a new study has determined that cars are not only capable of driving themselves but also of making moral and ethical decisions.

Researchers have established that human morality can be modeled by machines. Leon Sütfeld led a study which reveals that algorithms can be applied to mimic the moral decisions of humans. This was previously thought to be too complex of a process to be represented by an algorithm.

“Human behavior in dilemma situations can be modeled by a rather simple value-of-life-based model that is attributed by the participant to every human, animal, or inanimate object,” explains Sütfeld.

The team used virtual reality to create situations where participants faced various predicaments. The tests simulated driving through a neighborhood in foggy conditions, and the individuals had to make decisions that could result in colliding with animals, inanimate objects, or other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/summer-heat-people-grouchy/">people</a>. 

The results of the evaluations were analyzed to develop statistical models based on the innate reactions of the participants. It turns out that the decisions made by the drivers could be easily predicted and modeled.

Professor Gordon Pipa is a senior author of the study. He says that the results of this study raise new questions regarding the future of self-driving vehicles. 

Pipa says, "We need to ask whether autonomous systems should adopt moral judgements, if yes, should they imitate moral behavior by imitating human decisions, should they behave along ethical theories and if so, which ones and critically, if things go wrong who or what is at fault?"

The authors of the study express an urgent need for clear cut regulations for autonomous cars before the cars can make their own decisions.

"Now that we know how to implement human ethical decisions into machines we, as a society, are still left with a double dilemma," explains Professor Peter König, a senior author of the paper. "Firstly, we have to decide whether moral values should be included in guidelines for machine behavior and secondly, if they are, should machines act just like humans."

The research was conducted at The Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Osnabrück, and is  published in the journal <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/behavioral-neuroscience">Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/behavioral-neuroscience">Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience</a>

Self-driving cars may soon be capable of making ethical decisions

The reality of self-driving cars seems a bit far-fetched even...

In recent years, it has become increasingly common for women to decide to have a child on their own without a partner. But this has sparked some debate about how well the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/parents-kids-good-people-values/">kids</a> will adapt with just one parent. But a new study has found that there were no differences in parent-child relationships or child development between single-mother-by-choice and heterosexual two-parent families.

However, the study by <a href="https://www.vumc.com/">VU University Medical Center</a> in Amsterdam, did find that the single-mothers-by-choice have a greater social support network.

"Children in both family types are doing well in terms of their well-being," said VU investigator Mathilde Brewaeys. "Single-mothers-by-choice and their children benefit from a good social support network, and this should be emphasized in the counselling of women who want to have and raise a child without a partner." 

Pregnancy without a partner is increasingly popular in Europe, with fertility treatment of single women now available in most countries.

"The assumption that growing up in a family without a father is not good for the child is based mainly on research into children whose parents are divorced and who thus have experienced parental conflict," explained Brewaeys said. "However, it seems likely that any negative influence on child development depends more on a troubled parent-child relationship and not on the absence of a father.”

Unlike unintended single mothers, single-mothers-by-choice make the decision to raise their child alone. 

“Little research has been done on the specific features of these single-mothers-by-choice families and whether there are differences between them and heterosexual two-parent families in terms of parent-child relationship, parental social support and well-being of the children," Brewaeys said

In the study, researchers compared 69 single-mothers-by-choice and 59 mothers from heterosexual two-parent families with a child between the ages of 1.5 and 6 years. Parent-child relationships, mothers' social support network, and children's well-being were compared between family types according to three validated questionnaires.

The analysis found no significant differences in emotional involvement or parental stress between family types. Single-mothers-by-choice showed significantly higher scores on the social support they received, but also on wanting more social support.

Also, there were no significant differences in the children's well-being between both family types.

"A strong social network is of crucial importance," said Brewaeys. "So I would recommend that all women considering single motherhood by choice make sure of a strong social network - brothers, sisters, parents, friends of neighbours. And to never be afraid to ask for help.”

Brewaeys will present the results of the study at the 33rd annual meeting of the <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology</a>

Kids from single moms do just as well as two-parent families

In recent years, it has become increasingly common for women...

New research has addressed claims that the stress of fertility treatment causes irreparable damage to marriages. The study assessed the relationships of over 40,000 women who received fertility treatment, and established that this treatment does not increase the likelihood of divorce. 

The study was based on the records of all women who received assisted reproduction treatment (ART) in Denmark between 1994 and 2009. It was confirmed that these patients had been married or living with their partner for at least two years prior to the study. The ages of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-confident-caring-work/">women</a> in treatment were matched to women from the general population to create a control group.

The study followed up on the couples over the next 16 years. Approximately 20 percent of the women ended up separated or divorced. This number was found to be no different in women who had received fertility treatment and women in the control group.

"Our results will be reassuring for couples who have had or are contemplating IVF," said Dr. Mariana Martins, a psychology professor from the University of Porto, Portugal. "Findings on the security of relationships and parenthood can be particularly helpful in supporting patients' commitment to treatment."

Dr. Martins says the results of the study do not disprove the theory that the stress caused by fertility treatment can end relationships.

"We have previously found that subjects who divorce, repartner and come back to treatment are the ones that five years before had the most stress," she explained. "We also know that despite all the strain that this infertility can bring, going through ART can actually bring benefit to a couple's relationship, because it forces them to improve communication and coping strategies."

Dr. Martins pointed out that fertility treatment causes some level of stress for most couples, but it can bring couples closer together as they are both patients in a sense, "even though the male partner often adopts the role of a supportive caregiver.”

"We believe that providing couples with appropriate knowledge and expectations about success rates and the burden that ART can bring to a marriage will make that treatment much easier for most couples," Martins explained. 

Dr. Martins will present the results of the study today at the 33rd Annual Meeting of <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society Of Human Reproduction And Embryology</a> in Geneva.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="https://www.eshre.eu/">European Society Of Human Reproduction And Embryology</a>

Fertility treatment does not increase likelihood of divorce

New research has addressed claims that the stress of fertility...

It is common sense to assume that flushing dangerous chemicals down the drain could negatively impact wildlife down the line. But according to a new study from the <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>, flushing contraceptives and cleaning products is actually turning male fish transgender.

The team of researchers studied freshwater fish at 50 different locations across the UK and found that 20 percent of male fish had feminine characteristics. They also found that the offspring of these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/500-year-old-fish-trap-alaska/">fish</a> were more susceptible to being chemically altered themselves. 

The chemicals in these products and contraceptives, like the birth control pill, work very much like the human hormone oestrogen. The chemicals cause male river fish to have reduced sperm production and even prompte the production of eggs.

Over 200 different chemicals from sewage plants were found to have these kinds of transgender effects, and also altered the fish’s behavior. 

Fish who had ingested these chemicals were typically found to be less aggressive and competitive. 

“We are showing that some of these chemicals can have much wider health effects on fish that we expected,” said Professor Charles Tyler from the University of Exeter. “Using specially created transgenic fish that allow us to see responses to these chemicals in the bodies of fish in real time, for example, we have shown that oestrogens found in some plastics affect the valves in the heart.”

In addition to contraceptives and cleaning products, plastics, cosmetics, and antidepressants were also found to release these kinds of chemicals.

-

By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="http://earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>

Chemicals flushed down the drain are creating transgender fish

It is common sense to assume that flushing dangerous chemicals...

A new study is addressing common misconceptions about the influence of menstruation on work performance. The researchers have found that amounts of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone have little or no influence on the ability to focus and work at an optimal level.

Professor Brigitte Leeners led a team as they evaluated three aspects of perception over two menstrual cycles. The study, published today in <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/behavioral-neuroscience">Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience</a>, established that hormones do not have a significant effect on cognition. 

"As a specialist in reproductive medicine and a psychotherapist, I deal with many women who have the impression that the menstrual cycle influences their well-being and cognitive performance,” said Professor Leeners.

The team worked with the Medical School Hannover and University Hospital Zürich for the study. The analysis was conducted during two consecutive menstrual cycles of 68 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/women-confident-caring-work/">women</a>. 

The results showed that cognitive bias and focus were affected by the higher levels of hormones during one cycle, but were unaffected during the next menstrual cycle. The evaluation also revealed that performance was not influenced by menstruation. 


“The hormonal changes related to the menstrual cycle do not show any association with cognitive performance. Although there might be individual exceptions, women's cognitive performance is in general not disturbed by hormonal changes occurring with the menstrual cycle,” explained Professor Leeners.

Professor Leeners expressed the need for further experimentation on this subject. Despite the success of this study, further cognitive tests would provide a fuller picture of the way that the menstrual cycle affects the brain. Professor Leeners will continue the research in an attempt to expose the reality that menstrual cycles do not have an impact on work performance.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Source: <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/behavioral-neuroscience">Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience</a>

Study: Menstruation has no effect on the brain

A new study is addressing common misconceptions about the influence...

Drinking two alcoholic beverages a day, the average consumed by citizens of the European Union, raises the risk of developing colorectal cancer and other digestive cancers by 21 percent, according to a new study.

Heavy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-light-drinking-damages-brain/">drinkers</a> who have more than four drinks per day, are at increased risk of pancreatic, liver, and gastric cancer, the study by <a href="https://www.ueg.eu/">United European Gastroenterology</a> said.

Those three cancers, along with colorectal and oesophageal cancer, cause almost three million deaths per year globally, the study said.

No EU countries were found to have “light” alcohol consumption (on average, less than 1 alcoholic drink per day per capita), the study said.

UEG is calling for a campaign to provide “clear and consistent information” about the health risks of drinking alcohol.

"One of the main challenges in addressing high drinking levels is how deeply embedded alcohol consumption is within the European society, both socially and culturally,” said Markus Peck, a digestive health expert and former secretary general of the <a href="https://www.easl.eu/">European Association of the Study of the Liver</a>. “Political action like minimum pricing and reducing access to alcohol needs to be taken now to prevent many future casualties. Research then has to follow to help generate data and allow us to fine-tune future political activity".

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.spinkhealth.com/">Spink Health</a>

Drinking increases your risk of digestive cancers

Drinking two alcoholic beverages a day, the average consumed by...

Higher levels of naturally produced testosterone in some elite female athletes give them a "significant" competitive edge in sports that depend on stamina and visual perception of spatial relationships, according to a new study.

At the <a href="https://www.iaaf.org/">International Association of Athletics Federations World</a> Championships in 2011 and 2013, women in the top third of measurements for free testosterone in their blood performed significantly better in the 400 m sprint, the 400 m hurdles, the 800 m hurdles, and the hammer throw and  pole vault, compared to women with the lowest levels of testosterone, the study said.

However, no similar pattern was observed in men with different testosterone levels.

The researchers suggest that their findings should be taken into account when judging eligibility for these events.

Some women naturally produce excess levels of male hormones, a condition known as hyperandrogenism, the study said.

The research was prompted by a challenge of IAFF regulations requiring women with hyperandrogenism to take hormone treatment to lower their testosterone levels before competing. The <a href="http://www.tas-cas.org/">Court of Arbitration for Sports</a> in 2015 ruled that the IAAF regulations should be suspended until is more is known on the topic

Since the new study was observational only, no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, the authors said. 

But the researchers suggest that women could benefit from the boost that testosterone gives to red cell production. The hormone enhances the availability of oxygen in tissues, and to visuospatial abilities, which are critical for throwing events, and possibly for racket, team, and acrobatic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/effects-high-school-football-later/">sports.</a>

The study was published online in the <a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/">British Journal of Sports Medicine</a>.

--

By: <a href="mailto:dbeasley@earth.com">David Beasley, </a><a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.bmj.com/"> BMJ</a>

Naturally produced testosterone gives female athletes advantage

Higher levels of naturally produced testosterone in some elite female...

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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

[sendtonews key="qas3EhyI0Y-2220951-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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