Heart disease, not suicide or overdose, is the leading killer of people living with serious mental health conditions. This is the conclusion of a sweeping review led by Viola Vaccarino of Emory University.



The experts report that adults with depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety die, on average, 10 to 20 years earlier than their peers - largely because of cardiovascular disease.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-health-and-life-expectancy">Mental health and life expectancy </h2>



The cardiovascular penalty attached to common psychiatric diagnoses is substantial. Depression raises the risk of heart disease by roughly 72 percent.&nbsp;



For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychedelic-use-linked-to-higher-risk-of-schizophrenia/">schizophrenia</a>, the risk nearly doubles - up to about 95 percent. Bipolar disorder increases cardiovascular risk by 57 percent, PTSD boosts coronary heart disease risk by 61 percent, and anxiety disorders are associated with a 41 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular causes. 



These numbers help explain why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-life-expectancy-faces-a-triple-threat/">life expectancy</a> shrinks so dramatically for this population.



Despite the elevated risks, people with mental health conditions routinely receive worse heart care than the general public. Screenings are missed and risk factors go unmanaged. Evidence-based treatments are offered less often and followed up less reliably.&nbsp;



The result is a widening survival gap affecting a vast swath of society: roughly one in four people will experience a mental health disorder during their lifetime.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-illness-and-heart-disease">Mental illness and heart disease</h2>



Mood and thought disorders don’t just coincide with heart disease; they help cause it - and cardiovascular events can in turn trigger new psychiatric illness. That feedback loop runs through behavior and biology.&nbsp;



Higher rates of smoking, physical inactivity, and poor diet are part of the story. So are the physiological effects of chronic stress: systemic inflammation, elevated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/blood-pressure-treatment-efficacy-calculator-revolutionize-measurement-and-treatment/">blood pressure</a>, arrhythmias, and insulin resistance all nudge the cardiovascular system toward failure.



The relationship is equally visible in reverse. About 18 percent of people with cardiovascular disease live with depression; after an acute event such as a heart attack, that figure climbs to roughly 28 percent. 



Nearly one in four stroke survivors develops depression in the aftermath, and around 12 percent of heart attack survivors go on to meet criteria for PTSD. Treating either condition in isolation misses the way each amplifies the other.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-existing-systems-miss-what-matters">Existing systems miss what matters</h2>



The review highlights a pattern of structural neglect. Mental health and cardiology are typically staffed, funded and measured as separate domains, with little coordination between them.&nbsp;



Many cardiology clinics don’t routinely screen for depression, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/witnessing-trauma-may-cause-ptsd-in-a-different-way/">PTSD</a>, or anxiety. Many psychiatric services don’t monitor blood pressure, lipids, or glucose as systematically as cardiovascular teams would.



Access gaps compound the problem. In a 2023 U.S. survey cited by the authors, 54 percent of people who met criteria for a mental health disorder received no treatment at all.



Even in countries with universal coverage, patients with serious mental illness are less likely to receive recommended medications, procedures and follow-up for heart disease. 



Poverty, unstable housing, and social isolation make adherence and clinic attendance harder, turning health inequities into entrenched mortality.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mental-and-physical-health-gains">Mental and physical health gains</h2>



The good news is that several familiar tools carry cardiovascular benefits alongside mental health gains.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exercise-in-a-pill-is-now-closer-to-reality/">Exercise</a> is one of the most effective treatments for depression and also directly improves blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and endothelial function. The review argues it should sit alongside psychotherapy and antidepressants as core treatment - not an optional add-on.



Mind-body practices such as yoga, tai chi, and meditation can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve some risk factors (for example, heart rate variability and stress biomarkers). Evidence that they prevent heart attacks or strokes remains limited, but early signals are encouraging and warrant larger trials.



Integrated care models - where mental health and cardiovascular teams coordinate around the same patient - consistently improve psychiatric outcomes in clinical studies. The next step is proving that these collaborative approaches also cut hard cardiac endpoints like myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality.&nbsp;



To do that, researchers will need to stop excluding people with mental health disorders from cardiovascular trials, a longstanding practice that has left clinicians without robust, disorder-specific guidelines for high-risk patients.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-improving-life-expectancy-outcomes">Improving life expectancy outcomes</h2>



The authors call for changes that are as practical as they are profound. Medical schools and residency programs should train clinicians to recognize and manage the bidirectional links between mental and physical illness.&nbsp;



Health systems and payers need to expand mental health coverage while embedding routine cardiovascular screening and risk management into psychiatric care - and, conversely, embedding mental health screening into cardiology.



Community-level solutions matter, too. Making exercise accessible and safe, addressing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/smoking-related-deaths-will-surge-by-2030/">tobacco</a> use with tailored support, improving food access and tackling social isolation are public-health interventions that serve both the heart and the mind.&nbsp;



And because the burden is unequally distributed, equity must be a design principle: culturally competent care, outreach in underserved neighborhoods and policies that reduce financial and logistical barriers will save the most lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treat-the-whole-person">Treat the whole person</h2>



Taken together, the evidence reframes a familiar crisis. Mental health disorders are common. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-century-of-progress-in-the-fight-against-cardiovascular-disease/">Cardiovascular disease</a> is common. When they collide, lives are cut short - not by inevitability, but by gaps we can close.&nbsp;



If roughly a quarter of us will face a mental health condition in our lifetime, preventing the downstream heart damage is not a niche priority; it’s a population-wide imperative.



The path forward is clear enough: measure risk where it’s highest, treat depression and anxiety as cardiac risk factors, deploy exercise and integrated care as first-line tools, and build research and reimbursement structures that reflect how tightly the mind and heart are tied. 



Stop treating mental and cardiovascular health separately, and that 10- to 20-year life-expectancy penalty starts to look less like fate - and more like a fixable failure.



The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(25)00165-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Lancet Regional Health - Europe</a>.



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Mental health disorders reduce life expectancy by up to 20 years

Heart disease, not suicide or overdose, is the leading killer of people living with serious mental health conditions. This is the conclusion of a sweeping review led by Viola Vaccarino of Emory University. The experts report that adults with depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety die, on average, 10 to 20 years earlier than their peers - largely because of cardiovascular disease.&nbsp; Mental health and life expectancy The cardiovascular penalty attached to common psychiatric diagnoses is substantial. Depression raises the risk of heart...

Hurricane Harvey made landfall yet again on Tuesday night, this time hitting the state of Louisiana and eastern parts of Texas. So far, Houston has seen over 50 inches of rainfall and <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/hurricane-harvey-slamming-texas/">unimaginable flooding</a>. Louisiana has been on high alert since the storm first hit Texas, urging citizens to take all precautionary measures and preparing evacuation sites with cots, food, and water. 

Beaumont, Texas has seen especially disastrous flooding, with as much as 26 inches of rain in just one day. Rescue operations in Beaumont are in full swing, but the death toll is still rising. 

Port Arthur, Texas is already so overwhelmed from flooding that even evacuation sites are taking on water, with one <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/30/us/harvey-texas-louisiana/index.html">CNN</a> report showing pictures of muddy water almost knee deep in an evacuation center. Port Arthur is in danger of even more flooding as waters from Beaumont could flow towards it. 

Newscasters, journalists, rescue personnel, and government officials have described the flooding from Hurricane Harvey as biblical and catastrophic, as it has set a new record for rainfall dumped on the US mainland. 

There is so much water in Harris County, Texas that one meteorologist, Jeff Lindner, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-texas-harvey-20170829-story.html">remarked</a>: “In four days, we’ve seen a trillion gallons of water in Harris County — enough water to run Niagara Falls for 15 days.”

But how does Hurricane Harvey compare to the worst hurricanes to ever hit the U.S. mainland? To give some perspective, Hurricane Ike, another massive storm that hit the Texas area in 2008, caused billions in damages. But the damage caused by Harvey are already set to surpass the costs of Ike by 12 billion dollars. 

Hurricane Katrina also saw massive flooding in Louisiana. However, the actual hurricane only dropped between six to nine inches of rainfall along the Mississippi River. It was the storm surge with waves cresting at <a href="https://www.livescience.com/60257-harvey-vs-katrina-storm-comparison.html">eight to twenty-five fee</a>t that caused most of the devastation in New Orleans. 

Hurricane Sandy slammed in the New York-New Jersey area in 2012 and cost <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/28/hurricane-harvey-much-less-damaging-than-katrina-sandy-hannover-re.html">36 billion</a> in damages, according to Hannover Ren.

But according to <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/accuweather-predicts-hurricane-harvey-to-be-the-most-costly-natural-disaster-in-us-history/70002597">AccuWeather</a>, Hurricane Harry could have a $190 billion impact on the U.S. economy. The flooding damage, in particular, in Texas has been unprecedented. 

One of the reasons that Harris County, Texas is so prone to flooding is the disappearing wetlands in place of booming economic development. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/08/why-cities-flood/538251/">Stripping away wetlands in place of pavement </a>also destroys the natural barriers that protect against flooding by soaking up rainwater. More pavement means higher flooding, and a longer time until floodwaters recede. 

The sheer strength of Hurricane Harvey has been inevitably linked the climate change. The warmer waters of the Gulf of Mexico certainly fueled the storm as it slammed into Texas, and lingered longer than any weather predictions reported. It was a deluge of perfect conditions, the severity of which can certainly be linked to climate change. But scientists also point out that climate change was not completely responsible for all of the damage.

"It's important to say that this event — or something close to it — could have happened without climate change," said Adam Sobel director of <a href="http://extremeweather.columbia.edu/">Columbia University’s Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate</a> in an interview with <a href="https://www.livescience.com/60269-did-climate-change-intensify-harvey.html">LiveScience</a>.

Rescue operations will continue as FEMA, the Red Cross, and volunteers work to evacuate victims and provide shelter, food, and clothing for those displaced. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette,</a> <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

How Hurricane Harvey compares to the worst hurricanes ever

Hurricane Harvey made landfall yet again on Tuesday night, this...

A recent study from the <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford University School of Medicine</a> has found that the average age of newborns’ fathers in the U.S. has increased by 3.5 years in the last four decades. This Stanford study was the first comprehensive analysis of all live births reported to a federal data depository in the U.S. from 1972-2015 – encompassing almost 170 million births.

The data was accrued from the National Vital Statistic System, which is an intergovernmental data-sharing program sponsored by the CDC. It records births and deaths reported in all 50 states, as well as self-reported maternal and paternal ages where available. Other data recorded includes race, ethnicity, and levels of education of the parents. Reports are periodically released on maternal statistic from this database, but little information on newborns’ dads has been analyzed.

The researchers found that between 1972 and 2015, the average paternal age at the time of birth increased from 27.4 years to 30.9 years. Asian-American dads were around 36 years old on average, making them the oldest of any ethnicity. Overall, the percentage of newborns’ <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fathers-treat-daughters-differently/">fathers</a> who were older than 40 doubled, and the share of fathers over 50 almost doubled as well.

So why does this matter? Well, according to the authors, a rising paternal age can affect the total number of children a man will have, causing a decrease in population growth – which can affect national and international economies. Furthermore, “every potential dad acquires an average of two new mutations in his sperm each year,” explains Dr. Michael Eisenberg, an assistant professor of urology at <a href="http://med.stanford.edu/">Stanford</a> and senior author of the paper. “And there are associations between older fatherhood and higher rates of autism, schizophrenia, chromosomal abnormalities, some pediatric cancers and certain rare genetic conditions."

However, some of the benefits of this rise in paternal age include data that shows older fathers are more likely to have better jobs and more resources. They’re also more likely to have relatively stable lifestyles and be involved in raising the child.

But paternal ages are not the only thing that has increased in the last four decades, “Maternal ages at birth have been increasing, too,” says Eisenberg. “In fact, they’ve advanced even more than paternal ages have in the same time frame. This may be a consequence of women waiting longer to get married or putting off childbearing as the years they spend in higher education increase and as careers become more central to their lives. The result is that the average age difference between moms and dads has been shrinking, from 2.7 years in 1972 to 2.3 years in 2015.”

These patterns are applicable across all racial, regional, age, and education categories. The authors believe this could be due to the spread of reliable contraception and integration of women into the workforce.

There were also some other interesting data points found in this study. The youngest dad recorded during this 44-year period was 11 years old, while the oldest was 88. However, the world-record holder oldest new dad was a man from India who fathered two children at the age of 94 and 96 with a wife who was in her late 50s. “Unfortunately, they wound up separating,” Eisenberg says. Apparently, not even setting world records is enough to keep people together.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Men in the U.S. are becoming fathers at older ages

A recent study from the Stanford University School of Medicine...

Research from the <a href="https://www.unisa.edu.au/">University of South Australia</a> shows that people who use marijuana may actually walk differently from those who do not. The study found changes in the movements of the shoulders, knees, and elbows of cannabis users.

The evaluation focused on 44 participants - half marijuana users and half non-users. The individuals were given screening tests and clinical neurological examinations of movement. They were also given gait and balance tests which involved motion capture systems.

The study revealed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marijuana-use-kidney-function/">marijuana</a> users have stiffer shoulders and more flexible elbows as they walk. The cannabis users also had faster knees capable of reaching higher walking speeds than those of non-users. There were no noticeable differences between the neurological functions or balancing abilities of users and non-users, however.

Study co-author Verity Pearson-Dennett told <a href="http://www.psypost.org/">PsyPost</a>, “The changes in walking were small enough that a neurologist specializing in movement disorders was not able to detect changes in all of the cannabis users. However, many of the participants in the cannabis group were moderate-to-light cannabis users, therefore heavier cannabis users may have greater impairments.”

While the majority of the participants for the study were in their twenties, the authors of the study say that more research is needed “to investigate if the subtle gait changes observed in this population become more apparent with aging and increased cannabis use.” The researchers also want to conduct further analyses to determine exactly how marijuana affects people's movements.

“Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug, with 35% of Australians aged 14 years and over reporting use on at least one occasion,” said Pearson-Dennett.

According to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Center for Disease Control</a> (CDC), marijuana is also the most used illegal drug in the United States with over 22.2 million users. More than half of the states in America have now legalized the use of marijuana, and there is heightened curiosity about the influence the drug has on overall health and well-being. 

The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/index.htm">reports</a> there is strong evidence that marijuana use is linked to increased risk of cancer, stroke, heart attack, and decreased IQ. On the other hand, marijuana has been associated with many positive benefits. Some studies have linked cannabis use to a healthier metabolism and improved lung capacity. In addition, marijuana has been proven to ease pain and nausea during intense medical treatments, relieve arthritis discomfort, and help with a variety of other ailments.

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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

Using marijuana can change the way you walk

Research from the University of South Australia shows that people...

Scientists have identified skeletal remains that belonged to one of the very first known settlers in the Americas. A detailed analysis of a skeleton found in the Chan Hol cave near Tulum in Southern Mexico revealed that human settlement in the Americas may have occurred in the late Pleistocene era.

The appearance of the first humans in the Americas is a timeline that scientists have not been able to clearly record and has been the subject of much debate. The majority of early osteological evidence is fragmentary, yet researchers have managed to find and date well-preserved prehistoric human skeletons in the caves of Tulum.

Wolfgang Stinnesbeck from <a href="https://www.heidelberg.edu/">Heidelberg University</a> led a team of researchers to learn more about the earliest settlers of the Americas. To do this, they meticulously examined the skeleton discovered in the Chan Hol cave. The scientists analyzed the uranium, carbon, and oxygen isotopes found in its bones and in the stalagmite which had grown through its pelvic bone in order to date the skeleton.

The results of the study found that the skeleton dated back to ~13 k BP, or approximately 13,000 years before present. This indicated that the Chan Hol cave was inhabited during the late Pleistocene era and defined the skeleton as one of oldest examples of a human settler in the Americas. 

The researchers pointed out that changes in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/warmer-climate-preview-2080s/">climate</a> over time may have influenced the dating of the skeleton. They said that future research may be able to determine how climate impacted the Chan Hol archaeological record. The study is published today in the journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</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
Image Credit: Tom Poole, Liquid Junge Lab

Humans settled in the Americas at least 13,000 years ago

Scientists have identified skeletal remains that belonged to one of...

17th century mathematician Blaise Pascal introduced the theory that humans often calculate the expected value of a decision by multiplying its value with the probability that it can be obtained. Researchers at the <a href="http://icahn.mssm.edu/">Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai</a> have now determined which parts of the brain are involved in making decisions. This breakthrough may ultimately be used to help treat depression and anxiety.

"For a long time, we thought that representations of value and probability were being evaluated in the same, single part of the brain," explains lead author Peter Rudebeck. "What's exciting here is that we're showing that it's being done in two different parts of the brain, which are separate both functionally and anatomically."

The research team focused on two regions of the brain, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). Previous studies have indicated that people whose OFC was damaged by injury or disease have impaired decision-making abilities. Despite these findings, little was previously known about the precise roles of the OFC in the decision-making process.

For the first of two tests, monkeys were set up with a game where they could touch images on a screen to earn rewards. The researchers changed the probability at various times throughout the task and found that the control monkeys and the monkeys with OFC lesions were able to adjust their choices accordingly. The monkeys with VLPFC lesions, on the other hand, were unable to continue tracking the reward probability.

Next, the monkeys played a game where they had to track the value of two rewards. The monkeys with the OFC lesions were the only group that did not acknowledge the value of one reward versus the other

"We've known for a long time that these two parts of the brain are highly interconnected," says Dr. Rudebeck. "Previous research indicates that both send connections to another area of the frontal lobe called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) and functional magnetic resonance imaging suggests that the VMPFC may be where choices ultimately get made."

In a separate set of experiments, the investigators wanted to determine whether VMPFC is involved in comparing different values, and they induced lesions in that region to find out. The tests revealed that animals with a damaged VMPFC were able to make a decision based on probability or value alone, but were much less capable of comparing values.

The study, which is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/neuron/home">Neuron</a>, gives researchers insight as to why people with damage in certain areas of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brains-detect-pitch-meaning/">brain</a> have a harder time making decisions.

"Depression and anxiety disorders are characterized by changes in the way that people process rewards and make decisions. In some cases, changes in decision-making can be so extreme that individuals are unable to lead normal lives," says Dr. Rudebeck. "Determining which parts of the brain help us to make decisions based on the subjective value and probability is therefore a critical step in understanding how these debilitating disorders are caused."

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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

Decisions are made by two independent regions of the brain

17th century mathematician Blaise Pascal introduced the theory that humans...

Remaining active is a big part of both mental and physical health for many individuals, especially as we age – and nothing is less active than sitting in front of a TV. Now, a new study has found that older people who watch more than five hours of TV per day and have only three or fewer hours per week of total physical activity could have a more than three-fold higher risk of losing their ability to walk years later.

This study looked at all types of sedentary behavior, as well as light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity, and found that prolonged sitting and TV watching were two factors that were especially harmful. These factors were only exacerbated by decreased <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/older-adults-work-stay-active/">physical activity</a>.

“TV viewing is a very potent risk factor for disability in older age,” says <a href="https://publichealth.gwu.edu/departments/exercise-and-nutrition-sciences/loretta-dipietro">Loretta DiPietro</a>, PhD, MPH, lead author of the study and Chair of the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at the <a href="https://www.gwu.edu/">George Washington University's</a> Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH). “Sitting and watching TV for long periods (especially in the evening) has got to be one of the most dangerous things that older people can do because they are much more susceptible to the damages of physical inactivity.”

The researchers looked at data from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, which tracked men and women ages 50 to 71 for roughly ten years, recording how much they watched TV, exercised, and did other physical activity. By the study’s end, almost 30 percent of previously healthy participants reported a mobility disability. 

One of the study’s most concerning findings was that participants who watched five or more hours of TV per day had a 65 percent greater risk of having a mobility disability by the end of the study compared to those who watched less than two hours of TV per day. This association was independent of their level of physical activity. Increased levels of sitting and TV watching combined with low physical activity were even more harmful, and resulted in a decrease of ability to walk.

Although younger people may be able to get away with sitting for long periods of time, after the age of 50 this begins to become more of an issue. “We’ve engineered physical activity out of our modern life with commuting, elevators, the internet, mobile phones and a lifestyle (think Netflix streaming) that often includes 14 hours of sitting per day,” says DiPietro. “Our findings suggest that older people who want to remain fit must ramp up their daily physical activity and reduce the amount of time they spend sitting.”

DiPietro suggests that we should begin to incorporate more physical activity into our daily lives. This could mean taking walking breaks from your desk at work, or simply taking the stairs. “To stay active and healthy as you age, move more and sit less – throughout the day – every day,” DiPietro says.

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Watching TV linked to diminished mobility in older years

Remaining active is a big part of both mental and...

With the takeover of social media as a major outlet for news and information these days, it’s not surprising that it has become the leading destination for consumers to seek out information about plastic surgery. This is especially true of young people, many of whom are looking to improve their appearance for these social media platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat. However, a recent study from Northwestern Medicine has found that the majority of providers advertising cosmetic surgery services on Instagram are actually not board certified-plastic surgeons. 

“This is a very scary finding,” says Robert Dorfman, first author of the study and a medical student at <a href="http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.</a> “Providers – ranging from physicians who are not licensed in plastic surgery to dentists, hair salon employees and barbers – are doing procedures for which they do not have formal or extensive training. That’s extremely dangerous for the patient.”

A board-certified plastic surgeon is a physician who has over six years of surgical training and at least three years specifically dedicated to plastic surgery. Many plastic surgeons also specialize within the plastic surgery discipline. Despite this, many hair salons, dentists, barbers and spas are marketing plastic surgery procedures on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/instagram-photos-reveal-depression/">Instagram</a>, even though they have no physician with the necessary experience.

“A cosmetic surgeon is not necessarily the same thing as a board certified plastic surgeon, and patients need to be made aware of this,” says Dorfman.

Someone who calls themselves a “cosmetic surgeon” could have experience ranging from one-year of cosmetic surgery fellowship to just a few short weekend courses covering cosmetic surgery topics.

The study’s authors believe that the confusing marketing on social media is putting patients at risk of physical harm and even death. A prior study done by Dr. John Kim, a Northwestern Medicine plastic surgeon, found a nearly 300 percent increase in the number of complications from a specific surgery when it was performed by non-plastic surgeons compared to board-certified surgeons.

This new study from <a href="http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern Medicine</a> analyzed the types of providers marketing cosmetic surgical procedures and used popular hashtags to identify related posts. From the top 189 posts with these hashtags, less than 20 percent of the providers had plastic surgeons eligible for membership in ASAPS. Non-eligible physicians made up over 26 percent. Just over 5 percent of the top posts were from non-physicians, including dentists, spas with no associated physicians, and even a hair salon. The rests of the posts were mostly self-promotional or educational.

“As patients increasingly rely on social media to choose their provider, it is critical to understand the ecosystem of online platforms available to patients,” says Dr. Clark Schierle, a plastic surgeon at <a href="http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern Medicine</a>. “It is critical that board-certified plastic surgeons use social media like Instagram as a platform to educate patients about the risks of surgery.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The risk of researching cosmetic surgery on Instagram

With the takeover of social media as a major outlet...

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and is most commonly caused by plaque buildup in the arteries. This constricts blood flow, which leads to heart attack, heart failure, or stroke. Now, a new 16-year study from <a href="http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a> set out to examine how weather could have a possible triggering effect for heart attacks. The research found a direct correlation between cold weather conditions and an increase in heart attacks. 

The study gathered data from 280,000 patients who were treated for heart attacks and matched the corresponding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/weather-temperature-election-outcomes/">weather</a> conditions from meteorological records.

Between the 1998 and 2013, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2811455/">Swedish Myocardial Infarction Registry</a> recorded 280,873 heart attacks treated at a coronary care unit. The study compared these incidences with the weather conditions at the time and grouped together the heart attacks that occurred in similar weather conditions and temperatures.

The results showed that cooler temperatures triggered a higher rate of heart attacks, but the number of heart attacks decreased in warmer temperatures. Researchers found that when the average temperature was below 0 degrees Celsius, there were 4 or more heart attacks per day. 

“Our results consistently showed a higher occurrence of heart attacks in sub-zero temperatures. The findings were the same across a large range of patient subgroups, and at national as well as regional levels, suggesting that air temperature is a trigger for heart attack,” said Dr. Moman A. Mohammad from the Department of Cardiology at Lund University, first author of the study. 

A possible explanation for this swell in heart attacks could be because blood vessels constrict in colder temperatures, which increases blood pressure. 

Because this was an observational study, other outlying factors may have also had an impact on the increased number of heart attacks. 

Even so, the study shows that colder temperatures are a possible trigger for heart attacks, so people at risk of cardiovascular disease and heart problems should take extra precaution during the winter months. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cold weather increases risk of heart attack

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the...

Becoming the primary caregiver for a family member can be incredibly exhausting and stressful, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The dynamic is complicated further when one must become the primary caregiver for their spouse. Despite the often overwhelming burdens of caregiving, studies also show that helping and caring for others improves our wellbeing and can be greatly beneficial to mental health.  

Now, a new study from the <a href="http://publichealth.yale.edu/">Yale School of Public Health</a>, <a href="http://www.stonybrook.edu/">Stony Brook University</a>, the<a href="https://umich.edu/"> University of Michigan</a>, and the <a href="http://www.buffalo.edu/">University at Buffalo</a> set out to investigate this dichotomy in caregiving and find the parameters that lead to greater fulfillment and improved well-being to lessen the negative, demanding effects. 

The researchers conducted two studies and observed caregivers whose spouses suffered chronic pain. The first study included 73 caregivers who reported on their tasks and emotional state every three hours. In the second study, participants were asked to write in a diary at the end of the day fully describing their activities and how much they felt appreciated. 

The researchers, led by Michael Poulin from the University at Buffalo Department of Psychology, found that helping behaviors can reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cortisol-indicate-stressed/">stress</a>, but appreciation and recognition for the tasks given is a key part of the equation. 

“Spending time attempting to provide help can be beneficial for a caregiver's mental and physical well-being, but only during those times when the caregiver sees that their help has made a difference and that difference is noticed and recognized by their partner,” said Poulin.

The study found that being a caregiver and engaging in helping behaviors can be rewarding and actually decrease the stresses of caregiving. However, these benefits are only truly felt when gratitude is adequately expressed by the beneficiary. 

Poulin’s study is important in that it shows how to alleviate the some of the stress of caregiving. The findings could also help implement social programs and community resources that help caregivers and their spouses properly communicate and make sure emotional needs are met for both parties. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Draining effects of caregiving alleviated by appreciation

Becoming the primary caregiver for a family member can be...

Calculating the financial return on education is increasingly difficult these days, especially since there aren’t many set ROI (return on investment) measuring techniques that tackle the financial benefit of higher learning and any economic gains that ensue, compared to the costs of schooling. But a new study examined the investment return for higher educated women and how their standard of living was effected in the labor and marriage markets, and examined why so many women are marrying down compared to men. 

“Now women are more likely to get married to a less-educated man. What is the consequence of this?” asks ChangHwan Kim, associate professor of sociology at the <a href="https://www.ku.edu/">University of Kansas</a> and lead author of the study, which was published in the journal Demography. 

The researchers gathered US Census data from 1990, 2000,  and 2009-2011, and examined people ages 35 to 44 years old to study gender-specific changes in the financial return on education. 

The number of educated women has greatly increased in the past few decades and opened more opportunities in the labor market. Previously, this worked in women’s favor, but now there are far more highly educated women compared to men in the marriage market, making it easier for men to marry up. 

“Previously, women received more total financial return to education than men, because their return in the marriage market was high. However, this female advantage has deteriorated over time despite women's substantial progress in education and labor-market performance,” said Kim. 

The researchers found that even with the greater economic advantage that women are bringing to the marriage market, many women are faced with a lower standard of living because the financial contributions to the marriage household are not equal. 

“For less-educated women, the contribution of their husbands has been substantially reduced so that their standard of living has diminished, even though their personal earnings have grown,” the researchers said.

Another way to look at the study’s results, as the researchers note, is that men can marry up easily and gain more from the return to education versus their spouses. The study shows a greater improvement in the standard of living for men than women. 

“When we consider family dynamics, men are getting the benefit from women's progress,” said Kim. 

Calculating the financial benefits of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/continued-education-stay-sharp/">education</a> is important because it can help put the costs of education in perspective for future students. But understanding any possible wealth disparities and gaps by factoring in gender dynamics is an important piece to bear in mind.

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Why are so many highly educated women marrying down?

Calculating the financial return on education is increasingly difficult these...

A massive investigation of more than 135,000 people across five continents has revealed that a diet which includes a moderate intake of fruits, vegetables, and fat is linked to longer life. The research also suggests that excessive consumption of carbohydrates can increase the risk of death. 

The highest benefits were found in people who incorporated three to four servings of fruits, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/labeling-make-vegetables-appealing/">vegetables</a> and legumes into their diet every day. Victoria Miller is a <a href="http://www.mcmaster.ca/">McMaster University</a> doctoral student and lead author of the paper.

"Our study found the lowest risk of death in those who consumed three to four servings or the equivalent to 375 to 500 grams of fruits, vegetables and legumes per day, with little additional benefit for intake beyond that range," said Miller. "Additionally, fruit intake was more strongly associated with benefit than vegetables.”

A higher amount of fat, enough to provide 35 percent of energy, was also found to contribute to a lower risk of death compared to lower fat intakes. A diet high in carbohydrates, on the other hand, proved to be dangerous. Eating enough carbohydrates to provide 60 percent of energy or higher was linked to an increase in the risk of death, although not from cardiovascular disease.

The data for the analysis was collected from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, which followed more than 135,000 people in 18 countries. The study gathered information about the participants’ diets and followed them for an average of seven and half years.

There was no relationship found between dietary fats and major cardiovascular disease, but higher fat consumption was associated with lower mortality. The data included all major types of fats including saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. Saturated fats were associated with lower stroke risk.

Co-author Mahshid Dehghan pointed out that the results of the study contradict “the conventional beliefs about dietary fats and clinical outcomes.” She explained that recent dietary guidelines have focused on reducing fat intake in order to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease without taking into consideration how saturated fat is replaced in the diet.

"A decrease in fat intake automatically led to an increase in carbohydrate consumption and our findings may explain why certain populations such as South Asians, who do not consume much fat but consume a lot of carbohydrates, have higher mortality rates," said Dehghan.

The research, published as two reports in <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/">The Lancet</a>, may help to better inform consumers of their nutritional needs.

"The findings of these studies are robust, globally applicable and provide evidence to inform nutrition policies,” said co-author Andrew Mente. “This is relevant because in some parts of the world nutritional inadequacy is a problem, whereas in other parts of the world nutritional excesses may be the problem.”

The reports will be presented today at the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congresses-%26-Events/ESC-Congress">Congress of the European Society of Cardiology</a> in Barcelona, Spain.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists unveil the best diet for a longer life

A massive investigation of more than 135,000 people across five...

According to a new study from the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congress-Home">European Society of Cardiology</a>, poor sleep can lead to heart disease. Lack of quality sleep may be a sign of a serious cardiovascular issue such as ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Researchers conducted a study of almost 13,000 people to determine if there are distinguishable sleep disturbance patterns associated with each of these heart conditions.

"Poor sleep is associated with cardiovascular diseases such as ischaemic heart disease and stroke but the kind of sleep disturbances that are most risky is not well documented," said lead researcher Dr Nobuo Sasaki. "'Poor sleep' includes too short or too long sleep, difficulty falling asleep, and difficulty maintaining sleep."

In order to investigate the different patterns of sleep disturbance between the two conditions, the researchers analyzed 12,876 residents of Hiroshima, Japan, who were scheduled for a regular health check. 773 of the patients had a history of ischaemic heart disease, while 560 patients had a history of stroke. The remaining 11,543 had no cardiovascular disease.

The team evaluated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rem-sleep-risk-dementia/">sleep</a> habits of the patients using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a self-reporting survey about sleep quality which produces seven component scores. These scores measure aspects of sleep such as sleep duration, sleep quality, difficulty in maintaining sleep, and use of sleeping pills.

The experts calculated a global PSQI score which ranged from 0 to 21 for each patient using the sum of the seven component scores. Higher scores indicated poorer sleep quality. These “poor sleep" ratings were found in 52 percent of patients with ischaemic heart disease and 48 percent of patients with a history of stroke.

"The proportion of people suffering from sleep disturbances is around 1.5-fold higher among patients with previous ischaemic heart disease or stroke compared to those with no history of cardiovascular disease,” explained Dr. Sasaki.

"Interestingly only patients with ischaemic heart disease reported difficulty maintaining sleep and short sleep duration," he continued. "Difficulty maintaining sleep reflects an increase in sleep fragmentation, which refers to brief moments of waking up and causes overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system and adrenocortical axis."

The findings of the study will be presented today at the <a href="https://www.escardio.org/Congresses-%26-Events/ESC-Congress">Congress of the European Society of Cardiology</a> in Barcelona, Spain.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Poor sleep can actually kill you

According to a new study from the European Society of...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
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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...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</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...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</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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https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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...

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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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[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



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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...

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