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...

Scientists are developing sensor-based smart labels that are capable of alerting consumers when food is spoiled or contaminated. The devices have also been used to authenticate wine and tea, and have the potential to detect unsuitable cosmetics or locate natural antioxidants in remote regions of the world. 

The smart labels are paper-based, making them portable and inexpensive. They also feature a user friendly interface and have demonstrated outstanding analytical performance during testing. Silvana Andreescu, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science at <a href="https://www.clarkson.edu/">Clarkson University</a> and lead author of the study.

"I've always been interested in developing technologies that are accessible to both industry and the general population," said Andreescu. "My lab has built a versatile sensing platform that incorporates all the needed reagents for detection in a piece of paper. At the same time, it is adaptable to different targets, including food contaminants, antioxidants and free radicals that indicate spoilage."

According to Andreescu, these sensors are better than comparable devices due to the efficiency of the nanostructures that catch and bind to compounds they're looking for.

"Most people working on similar sensors use solutions that migrate on channels," said Andreescu. "We use stable, inorganic particles that are redox active. When they interact with the substances we want to detect, they change color, and the intensity of the change tells us how concentrated the analyte is."

The scientists have worked with the sensors extensively to detect antioxidants in tea and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cork-vs-screw-cap-wine/">wine</a>. They have found that these products have unique antioxidant "fingerprints" that could be used for authentication purposes. Andreescu pointed out that the portable sensors could also be used to identify natural sources of antioxidants in remote locations such as the Amazon rainforest.

Andreescu’s team recently explored the capability of the devices to detect food contamination and environmental pollutants. One sensor prototype can spot ochratoxin A, a fungal toxin which is frequently found in products such as cereal and coffee. Further research may enable the detection mechanisms to recognize salmonella and E. coli.

Currently, the experts are creating sensors that change colors when food and cosmetics go bad. Andreescu said this technology could ultimately be used to tell consumers when to throw products out.

The findings of this study will be presented today at the 254th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>. A video on the research is available at <a href="http://bit.ly/acssensors">http://bit.ly/acssensors</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New smart labels will tell you when to throw out food

Scientists are developing sensor-based smart labels that are capable of...

Studies are released every day that explore the benefits of physical activity, but rarely does research examine the negative effects of sedentary behavior. New research has found a link between inactivity and the risk of death for frail persons who are middle-aged and older. For people who are not considered frail, on the other hand, inactivity is not as dangerous.

Frailty is measured by a person's overall health, and increases with the number of health problems an individual is facing. Researchers in Novia Scotia set out to examine if a person's level of frailty and sedentary behavior are associated with a higher risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-deaths-climate-changes/">death</a>. To do so, the team used data from the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm">US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey</a> (NHANES).

The NHANES assessed 3,141 adults aged 50 and over from 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. Participants used activity trackers during waking hours and were evaluated using a 46-item frailty index. They were followed up on until 2011 or date of death.

Dr. Olga Theou is a clinical research scientist in the Department of Medicine at <a href="https://www.dal.ca/">Dalhousie University</a> and lead author of the study.

"We found that in people who scored low on the frailty index, sitting time was not linked to risk of death," explained Theou. "Prolonged sitting was associated with a higher risk of death only in vulnerable or frail people who did not meet the weekly recommendation for 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity."

The researchers acknowledged some study limitations such as less activity tracking data for people with higher levels of frailty. This obstacle prevented all participants with severe frailty from landing in the same category for analysis.

"Physicians should stress the harms of inactivity with patients, similar to the harms of smoking, to encourage movement," said Dr. Olga Theou. "Even something as simple as getting up and walking around the house with a walker or cane can benefit frailer people."

The study is published in the <a href="http://www.cmaj.ca/">Canadian Medical Association Journal</a>.
--
By <a href="http://csexton@gmail.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Here’s why it’s extra dangerous to be sedentary as you get older

Studies are released every day that explore the benefits of...

Televisions, tablets, and other tech devices are now being made with quantum dot displays that are setting a new standard for high definition images, but some of the quantum dots contain potentially dangerous metals. A team of researchers set out to evaluate the harm these nanomaterials may cause when the devices are thrown out and exposed to the elements.

"In just the past decade, engineered nanomaterials have been incorporated into so many consumer products," said co-author Yuqiang Bi from the <a href="http://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a>. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has funded us to assess these nanomaterials. They want to know how to predict and manage the risk from these substances." 

The researchers wanted to observe the amount of nanomaterials that would seep out of devices under simulated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/epa-tightens-greenhouse-gas-emissions-rules-at-landfills-2/">landfill</a> conditions. The first step was getting their hands on electronics which contained the nanomaterials.

"Consumer electronics don't list their ingredients like foods do," explained Bi. "We have to scavenge everything we can find to get ideas about how the electronics are manufactured and which consumer products actually have the nanomaterials." 

The researchers tested devices for the presence of quantum dots and identified a tablet containing cadmium quantum dots. Cadmium selenide, or CdSe, is a heavy metal that is toxic and carcinogenic. The team also discovered a television with indium quantum dots. Indium is much less toxic than cadmium, but the indium nanomaterials require an energy-exhaustive process to produce. 

The researchers wanted to determine whether using the safer quantum materials is worth the expense of energy. 

"Just because a product has quantum dots doesn't mean it poses a risk," said Bi. "That depends on whether the quantum dots can get into the environment."

The researchers focused on what might happen to the products after being discarded. 

"In a landfill, a product's contents are susceptible to leaching into its surroundings," said Bi. "Rainfall in a landfill creates acidic solutions. The metals can get dissolved and, once dissolved, cadmium has a much greater potential to penetrate the groundwater."

The researchers simulated landfill water with acidic chemicals and performed tests to expose the devices to the liquid in various ways. When they measured to see how much cadmium and indium leached into the solution, they found that the cadmium poses much less of an environmental threat than expected. With this in mind, the experts believe it is more beneficial to use the toxic quantum dots along with their eco-friendly manufacturing process.

The researchers are still working to get a more accurate estimate of how much of the materials seeped into the solution. So far, Bi said that they “aren't seeing huge amounts of leaching, especially when we are talking about realistic disposal methods.” The researchers will present their work on August 20th at the 254th National Meeting &amp; Exposition of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New wave of tech devices prompt environmental dilemma

Televisions, tablets, and other tech devices are now being made...

Optogenetics is an elegant science that uses a biological technique to control neurons in the brain and effectively turn them into light switches. It is a common practice that uses light sensitive proteins, like the matter found in glowing algae and other bioluminescent organisms, called opsins and places them in specific neurons using gene therapy techniques. Now, a new study has uncovered how the brain creates the itching sensation, which could potentially help those suffering from chronic itching conditions. 

Itching is an important response in humans and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-first-appeared-earth/">animals</a>, but for those who have skin conditions or liver disease, chronic itching can be seriously damaging to overall well-being. It can even cause scarring if scratching isn’t controlled. 

The study from the <a href="http://www.ion.ac.cn/">Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences</a> has now found a way to isolate the exact pathway from the spinal cord to the brain that creates the physical itch response. 

“In this study, we revealed a long-range neural circuit that is critical for transmitting itch signal from the spinal cord to brain,” said Dr. Sun Yangang, lead author of the study. 

The research found that there are two crucial components to the itch mechanism and processing itch sensations in the brain: parabrachial nucleus (PBN) in the brain and spinal neurons with a chemical known as GRPR (gastrin-releasing peptide receptor). 

The researchers used optogenetics to make the spinal neurons GRPR sensitive to light, and when the light was applied to the neurons, the researchers tracked the itch sensation as it traveled through the spine to the parabrachial nucleus. 

The researchers also found that by turning off the GRPR neurons with light, the itch sensation was suppressed. The findings could ultimately lead to new treatment and therapies for chronic itching conditions in humans. 

---

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Breakthrough could lead to better treatment for itching

Optogenetics is an elegant science that uses a biological technique...

Would you sacrifice one person to save five? This hypothetical question was actually a thought experiment developed by philosopher Philippa Foot called the Trolley Dilemma. The scenario revolves around a hypothetical where five people on a trolley are in peril and you could save them by sacrificing one. Researchers from the <a href="http://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a> and <a href="https://www.upf.edu/en/">Pompeu Fabra University</a> in Barcelona adopted the trolley dilemma to study how language impacts our emotional connection to certain situations that require tough decisions. 

The study revealed that thinking in a different language actually created distance between the dilemma, and the test participants were more likely to ignore certain taboos to make the most logical decision.

In other words, thinking about the problem in a different language, or using a different language to come up with a solution, took emotion out of the decision-making process, and ultimately made the participants more utilitarian. 

The most surprising results of the study were that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/online-food-shopping-healthy/">decision</a> to save five and sacrifice one had less to do with the greater good and more about utilitarianism. 

“We discovered that people using a foreign language were not any more concerned with maximizing the greater good, but rather, were less averse to violating the taboos that can interfere with making utility-maximizing choices,” said lead author Sayuri Hayakawa from the University of Chicago.  

Linguists and scientists have long-held and understood that speaking and learning a different languages affects the way we think, but this study is the first of its kind to present hard proof of just how language impacts decision making. 

This study not only shows concrete evidence of just how our thought patterns differ when speaking and thinking in a different language, but also presents an intriguing plausibility for those who are in professions where high stakes and tough decisions are a day to day reality. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com </a>Staff Writer

Using a different language to make decisions helps mental clarity

Would you sacrifice one person to save five? This hypothetical...

Choosing whether or not to continue a romantic relationship can be an excruciating dilemma, and the indecision can negatively affect overall health and well-being. A new study has revealed what exactly is being taken into consideration during this decision-making process.

Samantha Joel is a Psychology professor at the <a href="https://www.utah.edu/">University of Utah</a> who led the study.

"Most of the research on breakups has been predictive, trying to predict whether a couple stays together or not, but we don't know much about the decision process - what are the specific relationship pros and cons that people are weighing out," said Joel.

An anonymous survey provided the research team with a list of 27 reasons participants wanted to stay in a relationship and 23 reasons they wanted to leave. The research team used this data to create a second survey which was given to both married and unmarried people who were undecided about the fate of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brand-preference-strain-relationships/">relationships</a>.

The general factors that were being deliberated were similar in both phases of the study. The top three reasons for staying included emotional intimacy, investment, and a sense of obligation. The biggest reasons for leaving included issues with a partner's personality, breach of trust, and partner withdrawal.

While the participants in both dating and married situations gave similar reasons for wanting to leave a relationship, there were noticeable differences in the reasons that members of the two groups felt they should stay. 

Individuals who were dating their partners generally had more positive reasons for staying such as aspects of their partner's personality that they like. Those who were married gave more restricted reasons for staying such as the time invested in the relationship or fear of uncertainty. 

Overall, around half of the participants had mixed emotions, listing both reasons to stay and reasons to leave.

"What was most interesting to me was how ambivalent people felt about their relationships. They felt really torn," explained Joel. "Breaking up can be a really difficult decision. You can look at a relationship from outside and say 'you have some really unsolvable problems, you should break up' but from the inside that is a really difficult thing to do and the longer you've been in a relationship, the harder it seems to be."

Joel pointed out that people have standards about the kind of person they want to be with, but those often go out the window when they meet someone.

"Humans fall in love for a reason," Joel said. "From an evolutionary perspective, for our ancestors finding a partner may have been more important than finding the right partner. It might be easier to get into relationships than to get back out of them.”

The findings of this study, published in <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/home/spp">Social Psychology and Personality Science</a>, may lead to further investigation of this decision-making process. The research may also be used to help improve couple's therapy.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How people decide whether to stay in a relationship or breakup

Choosing whether or not to continue a romantic relationship can...

The current political landscape has caused such a torrent of controversy and tension that one might assume there is very little that can sway either <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/repeal-failed-universal-coverage/">side of the aisle</a>. But a new study has examined how election voter turnout is affected by different environmental conditions and how they impact political views, behavior, and change.

Hot weather has previously been linked to rising tempers, political rebellion, and riots. But according to the new research from the Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology at <a href="https://www.ugent.be/en">Ghent University</a> in Belgium, warm weather has also been found to cause a bump in voter turnout as well. 

"We found that increases in state-level temperatures from one election to another are related to increases in state-level voter turnout, and increases in votes for the incumbent party," said Jasper Van Assche, the study’s lead author. 

Van Assche collected voter information from all 50 states between the years of 1960 to 2016 and compared that to the recorded temperature highs during those times when voting occurred for presidential elections. The researchers discovered that for every increase of 10 degrees Celsius, voter turnout increased by a little over one percent. 

Higher temperatures also played a role in party preference and were a strong motivator for voting for the incumbent party. 

Van Assche postulates that the 2000 election between Al Gore and future president George W. Bush might have had a different outcome if the temperatures were just 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit higher. If that had been the case, Florida would have gone to Gore as he was part of the incumbent party, which would have won him the presidency.

The study also considered other external factors that affect voter turnout and found that temperature’s impact was a singular cause not related to any other factor. 

“There is a large amount of research on voter behavior, but little attention has been paid to the seemingly illogical factors that can influence the way people vote. Future studies could expand our understanding by tapping into smaller levels of analyses (e.g., cities or counties) or by including emotions (such as anger) which might explain some of the effects,” said Van Assche.

The idea that something as small as a few degrees of temperature could have rewritten the course of history merits much further research into the impact of weather conditions on voter turnout. Factoring in temperature may even become valuable in predicting election outcomes.

--

By<a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com"> Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Weather and temperature can change election outcomes

The current political landscape has caused such a torrent of...

Many people prefer to add water to their whisky yet no one really knows why this makes the drink taste better. But now, researchers explain how a splash of water improves the aroma and taste of whisky by pushing flavor compounds to the surface.

Whisky is a complex mixture of hundreds of compounds. One compound in particular, guaiacol, is responsible for giving whisky its smoky flavor. Chemists Bjorn Karlsson and Ran Friedman of <a href="https://lnu.se/en/">Linnaeus University</a> set out to model the molecular composition of whisky and observe the interaction of water, ethanol, and guaiacol. 

The team used computer simulations to observe how guaiacol behaves in different concentrations of alcohol. The researchers were able to determine that diluting whisky by at least 45 percent boosted the guaiacol to the surface and improved the taste. Diluting the whisky up to 27 percent increased the density of guaiacol at the surface by more than a third.

“Our simulations revealed that guaiacol is present at the air-liquid interface at ethanol concentrations that correspond to the alcohol content of bottled or diluted whiskies,” explained the study co-authors. “Because the drink is consumed at the interface first, our findings help to understand why adding water to whisky helps to enhance its taste.”

At concentrations of over 59 percent, the ethanol interacted more strongly with guaiacol and the molecules were pushed down into the liquid away from the surface. This showed the authors that “the taste of guaiacol is less pronounced at high alcohol concentrations, which explains why dilution of cask-strength whiskies results in a change in the sensory effects of the whisky.”

The findings of the study, published this week in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>, may be used to optimize the flavor of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-abuse-united-states/">spirits</a>. 

“Overall, there is a fine balance between diluting the whisky to taste and diluting the whisky to waste,” said the authors. “This balance will depend on the concentration and types of taste compounds that are characteristic for each whisky. Similar considerations can be used to optimize the alcohol concentration of other spirits including gin, rum and brandy.”

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A splash of water improves the taste of whisky

Many people prefer to add water to their whisky yet...

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that aids in planning, impulse control, and plays a large role in personality development. It was theorized and widely believed that because teenagers and children do not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex compared to adults, they are more prone to foolish risk taking behaviors and outbursts. 

But new research has offered a different explanation for risky and impulsive adolescent behavior. According to a new study, teenage risk taking has more to do with exploration and discovery rather than impulse control and poor judgment. 

The research, which includes thorough reviews of previous studies surrounding development issues, will be published in the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience in October of this year. 

“Not long ago, the explanation for teenage behavior was raging hormones. Now, it's that the prefrontal cortex isn't fully developed,” said Daniel Romer, lead author of the study and research director at the <a href="http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/">Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania</a>. “Neuroscientists were quick to interpret what appeared to be a characteristic of the developing brain as evidence of stereotypes about adolescent risk taking. But these behaviors are not symptoms of a brain deficit.” 

The stereotypically careless <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/underprivileged-teens-drop-college/">teen</a> might just be exhibiting a desire to explore the world and also gaining valuable life skills that will help while transitioning to adulthood. 

Impulse control problems and weak cognitive control can be recognized in young people by age four or five, and these are the teens who are more at risk of taking the typical exploratory behavior of adolescence one step further and could potentially incur injury, become involved in car crashes, exhibit violent behavior and are more likely to get a sexually transmitted infection. 

The research shows that there is growing evidence to support the inclusion of exploratory inclinations in adolescent behavioral studies, rather than just chalking up a teen’s propensity for risks to a cognitive development problem or just stereotypical behavior. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Teenage risk taking found to be an important part of development

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that...

The consequences of climate change are numerous and wide-ranging, but part of what makes it so hard for scientists to fully determine what these consequences might be is how one change affects another. This leads to confusing and intricate domino-effect situations, where the effects of climate change can actually be amplified even further. Now, a recent study by the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>, has found that climate change and habitat conversion to agriculture are combining to homogenize nature. 

This means that as these changes increase, some species within certain ecosystems become more prominent while others die off.

Up until this point, little has been known about how species respond to both stressors: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tropical-trees-weapon-climate-change/">climate change</a> and conversion to agriculture. The study’s authors surveyed birds and plants at 120 site in northwest Costa Rica. These sites included rainforests, dry forests, and farmland.

This survey was done to determine how habitat conversion and droughts induced by climate change affect tropical wildlife. The results showed that different bird species thrive in drier versus wetter areas of the forests. However, in farmlands, birds that also lived in dry forests were found everywhere – even in the wettest areas.

“Across Central and South America, we are seeing large areas being converted from native forest to agriculture, and droughts are becoming more frequent,” says Daniel Karp, lead author and assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology. “Both of these global pressures are favoring the same species and threatening the same species. This means we may be losing biodiversity faster than we previously thought when we were studying climate change and habitat conversion individually.”

The authors point out that some of the most vulnerable birds at the study sites were those found in wet forests. The birds found at agricultural sites were more similar to those found in the dry forest, which has less of a tree canopy and more grass cover. “Now that we know this, we know what to focus on from a conservation perspective,” Karp says.

Some possible solutions to this issue do exist. In order to help retain high levels of biodiversity, land managers should look to protect areas of wetter forests. Conservation efforts should also be more focused on wet-forest species – such as tanagers, manakins, and woodcreepers – which are more sensitive to habitat conversion and climate change. Furthermore, if private landowners are incentivized to protect wet regions of their land, it could help balance biodiversity as well as food production.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change and habitat conversion eat away at biodiversity

The consequences of climate change are numerous and wide-ranging, but...

In 2015, suicide rates in the United States increased to the highest they have been in 30 years, with 13.3 suicides per 100,000 people. Awareness and prevention have become a major public health issue, as suicide is now the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. There are many programs in place and care options for people suffering from depression and are at risk of suicide, but access to these programs might be harder for rural community residents. 

A study from the <a href="https://www.jhsph.edu/">John Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health</a> discovered an alarming disparity between suicide rates in rural areas compared to urban areas, and their findings revolve around one key component: access to firearms. 

Researchers found that the reason suicide rates were higher in rural parts of Maryland was because of easier access to firearms. 

“The reason that rural suicide rates are higher is because people in these areas are killing themselves with guns," said the study’s leader Paul Sasha Nestadt. 

The study looked at a little over 6,000 suicides in Maryland between 2003 and 2015. Nestadt and his research team found that the rate of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/suicide-mental-illness-middle-east/">suicide</a> in urban areas was 16 deaths per 100,000 people and in rural areas that number spiked to 24 deaths per 100,000 people. The study concluded that the suicide rate was 66 percent higher in rural areas than urban areas. Half of all suicides analyzed used firearms. 

Access to care, geographic isolation, and economic disparity could partly explain this higher percent in rural areas, but the researchers believe it has to do mostly with easy access to firearms. 

"If there is no gun around, many people won't have the means to follow through on those impulses, or would use a less lethal method with a much greater chance of survival," said Nestadt. 

This conclusion is further evidenced by the statistic that around 70 percent of suicides occur within an hour of when the initial suicidal thoughts happen.  

These disparaging suicide rates are certainly troubling, but Nestadt argues that studies like this can also help efforts to show gun shop owners the red flags to look for when selling a guns.

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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

Access to guns linked to higher suicide rates in rural areas

In 2015, suicide rates in the United States increased to...

A recent study reveals that the failure of the Senate to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was due to a divide among Republicans and between parties. Public opinion polls suggest that the outcome of the debate was also heavily influenced by a rise in public support for universal insurance coverage.

The analysis focused on data from 27 public opinion polls distributed by 12 separate organizations. The research finds that citizens who are Republicans are much more divided on health care issues than was previously realized, which makes it very difficult to pass legislation. According to the surveys, 50 percent of Republicans prefer to repeal the ACA and replace it, 14 percent wish to repeal the ACA but not replace it, 29 percent want to keep the law but work to improve it, and 4 percent would like to keep the ACA the way it is.

The polls also show a major divide between Republicans and Democrats regarding the overall future of the bill. The two parties disagree on most policy issues. However, majorities of both parties agree that the number of people covered by Medicaid should not be reduced.

There has been a significant rise in public support for universal coverage since the implementation of the ACA. Public approval of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/president-trump-takes-action/">ACA</a> has gone from 44 percent in 2012 to 49 percent at the time of the debate.

When asked whether or not the federal government should make sure that all Americans have healthcare coverage, six out of ten people say that it should be the responsibility of the federal government. This stance has changed from 42 percent in 2013 to 60 percent in June of this year.

"When confronted with millions losing coverage, the public became more supportive of the principle that the federal government should ensure coverage for these people," explained lead author Robert J. Blendon. "This substantial change likely impacted the outcome of the Senate debate."

The findings of the study are published in the <a href="http://www.nejm.org/">New England Journal of Medicine</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

Survey: Repeal failed because public demands universal coverage

A recent study reveals that the failure of the Senate...

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



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



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



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



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



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The full study was published in the journal Current Biology.



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Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

<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://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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Santiago, Chile in South America

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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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



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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