For many years, scientists believed that plants sensed heat using proteins active mostly at night. But recent findings reveal something far more complex. 



A new study led by Professor Meng Chen from the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside</a>, shows that during the day, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-roots-could-be-key-to-fighting-climate-change/">plants</a> rely on sugar and a combination of thermal signals to detect warmth and adjust their growth.



The research reshapes long-standing views. The results uncover how plants integrate sunlight, sugar, and internal signals to regulate daytime thermomorphogenesis, the growth response triggered by warmth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-sense-heat-differently-by-day">Plants sense heat differently by day</h2>



“Our textbooks say that proteins like phytochrome B and early flowering 3 (ELF3) are the main thermosensors in plants,” Chen said. “But those models are based on nighttime data." 



"We wanted to know what’s happening during the day, when light and temperature are both high because these are the conditions most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-pressure-has-a-hidden-impact-on-plant-diversity/">plants</a> actually experience.”



Previous models focused on phytochrome B (phyB) and ELF3, both of which are responsive at night. But in strong sunlight, phyB becomes constantly activated, shutting down its heat-sensing role. 



The research team tested Arabidopsis plants under a range of temperatures and red-light intensities, including conditions mimicking midday sun.



The paper shows two clear heat responses. One operates between 12 and 21 °C and depends on phyB. The other, active between 21 and 27 °C, does not rely on phyB. This second, sugar-driven response remains active even under intense light.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sugar-helps-plants-detect-daytime-heat">Sugar helps plants detect daytime heat</h2>



The study reveals that sugar is more than just a fuel. It is a heat signal during daylight. “That’s when we realized sugar wasn’t just fueling growth,” Chen said. “It was acting like a signal, telling the plant that it’s warm.”



Under high temperatures, chloroplasts break down stored starch into sucrose. This sugar then stabilizes PIF4, a protein that drives growth. 



Without sugar, PIF4 degrades. With sugar, PIF4 sticks around, so long as another protein, ELF3, also lifts its repressive control.



The&nbsp;study&nbsp;confirms that adding sucrose to mutant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-finally-learn-what-makes-plants-roots-grow-faster-and-stronger-autophagy/">plants</a> restores growth, even in darkness. This shows sugar acts independently from light and provides a thermal cue during the day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plant-growth-needs-both-sugar-and-heat">Plant growth needs both sugar and heat</h2>



“PIF4 needs two things,” Chen explained. “Sugar to stick around, and freedom from repression. Temperature helps provide both.”



This dual system operates like an "AND" gate in electronics. Both sucrose and the release from ELF3 inhibition are required for full thermoresponsive growth. Sucrose promotes PIF4 stability, while high temperature relieves ELF3's suppression.



When either cue is missing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-for-biological-diversity-2025-bonding-with-nature/">plants</a> fail to elongate properly. But when both are present, like sugar and warmth, PIF4 can trigger auxin-related genes that stretch the plant upwards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protein-blocks-growth-until-it-s-warm">Protein blocks growth until it’s warm</h2>



Interestingly, ELF3 inhibits PIF4 in two ways. It blocks its production and its activity. High temperatures disable ELF3, freeing PIF4 to act. This insight flips older beliefs that ELF3 only worked at night.



The&nbsp;microscopy images and data on page 8&nbsp;reveal that even without ELF3, plants can respond to sugar and still grow taller. But only with both sugar and heat do PIF4 targets like IAA19 and YUC9 become active.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-engineering-stronger-crops">Engineering stronger crops</h2>



“This changes how we think about thermosensing in plants,” Chen said. “It’s not just about proteins flipping on or off. It’s about energy, light, sugar, as well.”



Understanding these systems has practical value. As global temperatures rise, crops need to grow reliably. Knowing that starch breakdown and sugar signaling help regulate growth can help scientists design better, more heat-resilient plants.



Researchers also&nbsp;illustrate how the three thermosensors, phyB, ELF3, and chloroplast-sucrose, work together. This multisensor setup allows plants to fine-tune growth, even under extreme conditions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plants-use-sugar-smartly-to-grow">Plants use sugar smartly to grow </h2>



Plants live silent lives, but their internal machinery buzzes with complex decisions. In the heat of the day, they don't just react, they calculate. 



By using sugars to sense their environment, they respond with a quiet precision that helps them grow exactly when conditions are right. This study doesn't just add to our knowledge. It rewrites it.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-60498-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Plants use sugar in ways we never imagined

For many years, scientists believed that plants sensed heat using proteins active mostly at night. But recent findings reveal something far more complex. A new study led by Professor Meng Chen from the University of California, Riverside, shows that during the day, plants rely on sugar and a combination of thermal signals to detect warmth and adjust their growth. The research reshapes long-standing views. The results uncover how plants integrate sunlight, sugar, and internal signals to regulate daytime thermomorphogenesis, the growth response triggered by warmth. Plants sense...

Genes contain all the instructions living organisms need to survive, grow and reproduce. While identifying genes is becoming a rather simple scientific procedure, learning what are the functions of these genes is a more complicated matter. A team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">University of California, Riverside</a> has now discovered the functions of hundreds of genes in algae, many of which are also present in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-grow-plants-in-lunar-soil-for-the-first-time/">plants</a>, where they play similar roles.&nbsp;



The findings could help scientists genetically engineer algae for biofuel production and develop agricultural crops which can better withstand the effects of climate change.



“Plant and algae genetics are understudied. These organisms make the foods, fuels, materials, and medicines that modern society relies on, but we have a poor understanding of how they work, which makes engineering them a difficult task,” said study senior author Robert Jinkerson, an assistant professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at UC Riverside. “A common way to learn more about biology is to mutate genes and then see how that affects the organism. By breaking the biology we can see how it works.”



Professor Jinkerson and his colleagues used a variety of algal mutants and automated tools in order to perform experiments that generated millions of data points. By analyzing this vast dataset, the scientists learned the functional role of hundreds of poorly characterized genes and discovered new functions of previously known genes.&nbsp;



Several of the genes found in algae have counterparts in plants with similar roles, including photosynthesis, heat stress response, DNA damage response, or response to toxic chemicals and predators.



Better understanding how these genes function in algae could help engineer plants that are more resilient to heat or cold stress, have improved photosynthesis capacities, and grow well even in some contaminated soils. Such features which will be increasingly important as climate change advances and threatens the world’s food supply. Moreover, a deeper knowledge of algal genetics will also improve engineering strategies making them produce more biofuels.



“The data and knowledge generated in this study is already being leveraged to engineer algae to make more biofuels and to improve environmental stress tolerance in crops,” concluded Professor Jinkerson.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-022-01052-9">Nature Genetics</a>.&nbsp;



----



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Algae genetics could help engineer more resilient plants

Genes contain all the instructions living organisms need to survive,...

Scientists have made an incredible discovery. For the first time in history, researchers at the <a href="https://www.ufl.edu/">University of Florida</a> have grown plants in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lunar-soil-could-be-the-basis-of-moon-life-support-system/">soil</a> taken from the Moon. The experts have also learned how plants respond to lunar soil on biological and genetic levels.&nbsp;



After trying for 11 years, the researchers finally acquired just 12 grams of lunar soil. They filled tiny pots with a few Arabidopsis plant seeds, added nutrients, and exposed them to light. Much to their surprise, the seeds began to sprout. Through this experiment, the scientists have been able to gather further information.



The researchers noticed that plants grown in lunar soil were smaller and grew more slowly. There was also more variation in their sizes.&nbsp;



The experts used the Arabidopsis plant because its genetic code has been fully mapped. This means that the researchers could learn whether growing in lunar soil affected plants genetically.&nbsp;



“At the genetic level, the plants were pulling out the tools typically used to cope with stressors, such as salt and metals or oxidative stress, so we can infer that the plants perceive the lunar soil environment as stressful,” said study co-author Anna-Lisa Paul.



The experiment also revealed that plant growth may be affected by where the soil was gathered. It appears that plants grow better in less mature soil, which hasn’t been exposed to as much cosmic wind as mature soil.



The ability to grow a plant in Moon soil has significant implications for space travel and possible off-planet colonization.&nbsp;



“For future, longer space missions, we may use the Moon as a hub or launching pad. It makes sense that we would want to use the soil that’s already there to grow plants,” said study co-author Rob Ferl. “So, what happens when you grow plants in lunar soil, something that is totally outside of a plant’s evolutionary experience? What would plants do in a lunar greenhouse? Could we have lunar farmers?”



Furthermore, the research is vital for the Artemis Program, led by NASA, which aims to return humans to the Moon. Ferl believes the findings will help inform that mission.&nbsp;



This breakthrough is fantastic in its own right. We can be sure the scientific community will continue to build upon these findings.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/commsbio/">Communications Biology</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists grow plants in lunar soil for the first time

Scientists have made an incredible discovery. For the first time...

Blueberries have often been touted as a superfood as they are full of antioxidants, vitamins and healthy plant compounds. Their apparent health benefits include improved blood sugar regulation, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart attacks. And now, a recent study from the <a href="https://www.uc.edu/">University of Cincinnati</a>&nbsp;has found that supplementing the diets of middle-aged people with blueberries may lower their risk of developing late-life <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-dementia-cases-may-triple-by-2050/">dementia</a>.&nbsp;



Previous research led by UC’s Dr. Robert Krikorian had focused on the benefits of berries for people with a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, but their studies had involved older people. For the current study, the experts investigated the potential benefits among middle-aged individuals, in terms of dementia prevention and risk reduction.&nbsp;



Blueberries have particularly high levels of micronutrients and antioxidants, and also contain certain vitamins and minerals. Among the beneficial plant compounds are quercetin and myricetin, flavonols that have been linked to reduction in blood pressure and prevention of cancer, respectively. Blueberries are also very rich in anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that protects the plant against excess radiation, infectious agents and other threats.&nbsp;



These same properties that benefit blueberries also provide benefits to humans, Dr. Krikorian said, such as reducing inflammation, improving metabolic function and enhancing energy production within cells.&nbsp;



Dr. Krikorian explained that about 50 percent of individuals in the U.S. develop insulin resistance, commonly referred to as prediabetes, around middle age. Prediabetes has been shown to be a factor in chronic diseases, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“We had observed cognitive benefits with blueberries in prior studies with older adults and thought they might be effective in younger individuals with insulin resistance,” said Dr. Krikorian, an expert in the UC College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. “Alzheimer’s disease, like all chronic diseases of aging, develops over a period of many years, beginning in midlife.”&nbsp;



In order to find out whether consuming blueberries had any effect on the cognitive abilities of middle-aged people, the researchers enrolled 33 patients between the ages of 50 and 65 from around the Cincinnati area. All the participants were overweight, prediabetic and had noticed mild memory decline in themselves. Dr. Krikorian said this population has an increased risk for developing late-life dementia and other common conditions.&nbsp;



The participants abstained from eating any berries over a period of 12 weeks, and were instead given a daily packet of supplement powder, to be mixed with water and drunk at breakfast of dinner time. Half of the participants received powder that contained the equivalent of one-half cup of whole blueberries, while the other half received a placebo.&nbsp;



The cognitive abilities of the participants were tested by assessing aspects of their executive functioning, such as their working memory, mental flexibility and self-control. Cognitive dysfunction in these areas is often associated with aging and with the development of late-life dementia.&nbsp;



The results of the research, published recently in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/8/1619">Nutrients</a>, showed that those individuals whose diet was supplemented with blueberries had improved performance on cognitive tasks that depend on executive control.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“This was evident as reduced interference of extraneous information during learning and memory,” Krikorian explained.&nbsp;



Patients in the blueberry group also had lower fasting levels of insulin, indicating that they had improved metabolic function and were more able to utilize fat as an energy source.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Krikorian said the blueberry group also displayed an additional slightly higher levels of mitochondrial uncoupling, a cellular process that has been associated with greater longevity and reduced oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to symptoms like fatigue and memory loss.&nbsp;



“This last finding was exploratory but points to an interesting, potential mechanism for blueberry benefits,” he said.&nbsp;



Dr. Krikorian said that, in future, he would like to investigate the exact biochemical mechanisms whereby blueberry compounds help improve cognitive performance and metabolic function. But the most important conclusion from the current study is that regular blueberry supplementation into the diets of at-risk, middle-aged people may lower their chances of developing late-life dementia.&nbsp;



“The sample size is an obvious limitation of the study, so it will be important to reproduce these findings, especially by other investigators,” said Dr. Krikorian. “In the meantime, it might be a good idea to consume blueberries on a regular basis.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Blueberries may protect our brains against dementia

Blueberries have often been touted as a superfood as they...

Microbes which have developed resistance to common antibiotics such as tetracycline or aminoglycoside are a major source of risk for people worldwide. Scientists have long known that antimicrobial resistance in humans is largely based on their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-gut-microbiome-is-shaped-by-what-we-eat/">gut microbiome</a>, where various microbes carry genetically encoded strategies to survive exposure to antibiotics.&nbsp;



A research team led by the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/">Agricultural Research Service</a> (ARS) has now found that healthy adults who eat a diverse diet containing at least 8-10 grams of soluble fiber each day have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts.



“The results lead directly to the idea that modifying the diet has the potential to be a new weapon in the fight against antimicrobial resistance,” said study senior author Danielle Lemay, a molecular biologist at the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/davis-ca/whnrc/">ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center</a> in Davis, California. “And we’re not talking about eating some exotic diet either, but a diverse diet, adequate in fiber, that some Americans already eat.”



By analyzing a cohort of 290 healthy adult participants, Dr. Lemay and her colleagues discovered that regularly eating a diet with higher levels of soluble fiber (found in grains like barley and oats, legumes such as beans, lentils, and peas, as well as in nuts and seeds) and lower levels of animal protein was significantly correlated with lower levels of antimicrobial resistance genes (AMR) among participants’ gut microbes.



“Surprisingly, the most important predictor of low levels of ARG, even more than fiber, was the diversity of the diet. This suggests that we may want to eat from diverse sources of foods that tend to be higher in soluble fiber for maximum benefit,” explained Dr. Lemay.



On the other hand, people who had the highest level of antimicrobial resistance in their gut microbiomes were found to have a significantly less diverse gut microbiomes compared to those with low and medium levels of ARG. “Our diets provide food for gut microbes. This all suggests that what we eat might be a solution to reduce antimicrobial resistance by modifying the gut microbiome,”&nbsp;said Dr. Lemay.



“But this is still just a beginning because what we did was an observational study rather than a study in which we provided a particular diet for subjects to eat, which would allow more head-to-head comparisons. In the end, dietary interventions may be useful in lessening the burden of antimicrobial resistance and might ultimately motivate dietary guidelines that will consider how nutrition could reduce the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections,” she concluded.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/mbio.00101-22">mBio</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fiber-rich diets reduce antimicrobial resistance in the gut

Microbes which have developed resistance to common antibiotics such as...

Tetra Pak is a Swiss company known for making things like the container you may have eaten yogurt from at breakfast or drank juice from. These cartons are seen by some as sustainable alternatives to plastic water bottles. Unfortunately, the reality doesn’t seem to stack up to this hope. <a href="https://drinkpathwater.com/blogs/news/10-sad-truths-about-cartons-like-tetra-pak%C2%AE-why-they-are-not-a-sustainable-solution-for-bottled-water">Only about 26%</a> of these paks end up being recycled worldwide, due to few facilities being able to accept them.&nbsp;



Despite their over inflated environmental claims, it does seem that Tetra Pak is now truly trying to do something good for the planet. The company is launching The Araucaria Conservation Programme, a restoration project in Brazil’s endangered Atlantic Forest. Partnering with Brazilian NGO Apremavi, the project plans to restore at least 7,000 hectares over a decade.&nbsp;



The project focuses on the Atlantic Forest, a habitat more threatened than the Amazon and one of the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Only 12% of the original forest remains and much of the wildlife has been reduced by hunting. The project aims specifically at the Araucaria Forest within the greater Atlantic Forest, where only 3% of its original land is preserved.&nbsp;



"This initiative is our response to the United Nations challenge to make this the decade of ecosystem restoration," said Julian Fox, Director Nature Programs of Tetra Pak.



"We are thrilled to be a lead partner of such a pioneering project, connecting a range of stakeholders and merging environmental restoration with carbon capture analysis to help mitigate climate change and recover biodiversity."



The first year of the project is focused on a pilot program of restoring 80 hectares as well as mapping additional areas to be restored in the future. Tetra Pak also plans to certify a larger area under carbon and biodiversity standards as part of its goal to become carbon neutral by 2030.&nbsp;



"Among the proposed methodologies are the planting of native seedlings, the ecological enrichment of secondary forests and natural regeneration. In the long run, the restored areas will be integrated into ecological corridors, contributing to reducing pressure on endangered animals such as the purple-breasted parrot and the pampas deer," said Miriam Prochnow, Counselor and Co-Founder of Apremavi.



"These actions are fundamental for the protection of biodiversity, the restoration of soil quality and the maintenance of water availability in the region."



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tetra Pak will help restore Brazil’s endangered Atlantic Forest

Tetra Pak is a Swiss company known for making things...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-did-the-dinosaur-extinction-influence-plant-evolution/">Plant</a> composition changes in many areas with climate shifts. Not all of the dynamic interplay between climate and plant growth or other environmental responses are fully understood. One of these responses seems to be an increase of peatland vegetation as the climate warms.&nbsp;



In 2018, scientists working on Norway’s Svalbard - one of the northernmost inhabited islands on the planet - bore into the Earth and removed soil samples. Led by Minna Väliranta from the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">University of Helsinki</a>, the team found a thin layer of organic material covering mineral soils.&nbsp;



There was carbon being extracted from the atmosphere by photosynthesis at the top of the soil. The scientists gave this phenomenon of organic accumulation the name "proto peat," which is caused mainly by mosses. As climate conditions continue to warm, mosses are appearing this far north in the Arctic.



“It’s not yet peat in the actual sense of the word, but you could say it’s the starting point for the formation of peat,” said Väliranta, who is part of the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences.



This is all part of a much larger body of work by Väliranta, who is investigating the phenomena of Arctic proto peat in other places. She is also studying the increase of plant life in the Arctic, including proto peat as well as shrubs and other plants. This phenomenon is known as "Arctic greening." The scientists think that Arctic greening in general, (and proto peat in particular), could create carbon sinks in the Arctic.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“If this process that generates proto-peat occurs extensively, an unexpected carbon reservoir, or a plant community that mitigates climate change, may be in the process of establishing itself in the north. This reservoir has not been included in the modelling of ecosystems and the atmosphere, as it has traditionally been thought that no new peatlands are formed,” said Väliranta.



If indeed these carbon sinks are forming, then it is important data that scientists should consider when creating predictive models of global climate.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New carbon sinks may be appearing in the Arctic

Plant composition changes in many areas with climate shifts. Not...

Healthy eating habits can lower the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/obesity-is-the-epidemic-crisis-of-our-time/">obesity</a>, cardiovascular disease and cancer. But, as many parents know, getting children to eat their greens can be a challenge. New research has found that toddlers eat more vegetables if they are rewarded for trying them.



Britt van Belkom of the Institute for Food, Health &amp; Safety by Design at Maastricht University Campus Venlo said it is important to start eating vegetables from a young age. “We know from previous research that young children typically have to try a new vegetable eight to ten times before they like it."



“And so we looked at whether repeatedly asking children to try some vegetables would make them more willing to eat their greens.&nbsp; We were also interested in whether providing a fun reward would make a difference.”



To test this theory, 598 children between the ages of one and four took part in “The Vegetable Box” program in day care centers across the Netherlands. The children were randomly assigned to one of three groups: exposure/reward, exposure/no reward or control (no exposure/no reward).



Children in the first two groups were given the chance to try different vegetables daily, for three months. Children in the reward group received fun, non-food rewards, such as a sticker or toy crown, when they tried something new.



The knowledge of vegetables, and children's willingness to try them, was also measured. This was done by asking the kids to name the 14 different vegetables they were shown, including tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, onions, broccoli, peas, cauliflower, mushrooms, green beans, chicory, pumpkin, and asparagus.



Consumption was measured by giving them the chance to taste bite-size pieces of six vegetables (tomato, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, radish and cauliflower) and counting how many they were willing to taste.



At the pre-test, children in the control group could identify around eight vegetables, and 10 vegetables in the post-test. All of the children in the two exposure groups could identify around nine vegetables pre-test, which increased to 11 post-test.



In both groups, children were willing to try around five to six vegetables on average, and this number increased to 7 in the reward group. The results show that regularly offering vegetables to toddlers can increase their ability to recognize them, while rewarding them increases their willingness to try them.&nbsp;



“The type of reward is, however, very important – it should be fun but not food," said van Belkom.



This research was presented at this year’s <a href="https://easo.org/congress/">European Congress on Obesity</a> (ECO) in Maastricht, the Netherlands.



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By <a href="mailto:katherinebucko@gmail.com">Katherine Bucko</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Children are willing to try vegetables when they're rewarded

Healthy eating habits can lower the risk of obesity, cardiovascular...

Pollination by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasive-insects-will-kill-more-than-a-million-street-trees-by-2050/">insects</a> is required for 75 percent of our food crops and more than 80 percent of wild plants. The value of crop pollination is estimated at 577 billion US dollars per year worldwide. The best-known pollinators are bees, but many others - flies, wasps, beetles, butterflies and moths - also play important roles.



In recent decades, several studies have identified a significant decline in insect populations due to the loss of habitats for insects. A major cause of habitat loss is the conversion of natural areas into agricultural or urban areas.&nbsp;



But what are the consequences of land use in combination with warmer climates for pollinating insects? And what could be done to mitigate possible negative consequences? This is the focus of a new study from <a href="https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/home/">Julius-Maximilians-University (JMU) Würzburg</a>.



For the first time, the JMU research team revealed how climate and land use shape the diversity of pollinating insects at local and landscape scales across Bavaria.&nbsp;



Based on more than 3,200 identified pollinator species from 179 locations, they find homogenization of pollinator communities in warmer climates. This suggests an overall loss of pollinator diversity under future conditions.



Individual taxa such as bees, flies, beetles, butterflies, and moths showed different responses to warmer and drier climates. The general pattern indicates that landscapes with higher proportions of forest maintain diverse pollinator communities.&nbsp;



"One key finding therefore is that forest in the landscape can cushion the effects of climate warming to a certain extent." explained study lead author Cristina Ganuza.



“The study underpins that in addition to the importance of floral resources and the negative effects of land use intensification, climatic conditions play an increasingly important role for the maintenance of pollinator diversity. For example, the combination of high temperatures and low precipitation negatively affected total pollinator diversity, while bee richness in urban areas was negatively affected by higher mean temperatures," said Professor Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter.



High pollinator diversity is needed for high pollinator performance. However, climate change, in addition to land use, will only allow select pollinator species to survive.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"We conclude that a large proportion of forested land in the landscape could serve as refuge for insects from climate warming," said Ganuza. "This is likely because forests and forest edges provide largely natural conditions which buffer extreme heat and drought compared to more human-influenced habitats."



The researchers also suggest that increased green spaces could help lower temperatures in cities, which would make urban areas more livable for pollinators like bees.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/journal/sciadv">Science Advances</a>.&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

Forested areas may help protect pollinators in a warming climate

Pollination by insects is required for 75 percent of our...

The fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus produce a poisonous substance called aflatoxin, which can infect peanuts, tree nuts, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/increase-productivity-resilience-corn/">corn</a>. Besides degrading corn quality, this substance can also cause significant health problems for humans and animals, depending on the amount and length of time it is ingested.&nbsp;



While aflatoxin contamination occurs each year in the southern U.S. due to its hot and dry climate, it has rarely been a serious problem in the Corn Belt region - an area in the midwestern U.S. covering western Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, eastern Kansas, and eastern Nebraska.



However, a new study led by <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> (MSU) has found that, as climate change continues to alter weather patterns all over the world, including in the Midwest, aflatoxin will become a significant problem in this area too.&nbsp;



“When we ran our near-term climate model scenarios, we found that between 2031-2040, aflatoxin is going to become more of a problem in the U.S. Corn Belt in the Midwest,” said study senior author Felicia Wu, a professor of Food Safety, Toxicology, and Risk Assessment at MSU. “The last time there was a serious problem was in 2012 when we had an unusually hot and dry summer throughout the Midwest, particularly in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana.”



The researchers noted that since hot and dry conditions encourage fungi spores to be airborne and increase their chances of contaminating crops, keeping crops irrigated and storing harvests in cool, dry conditions could reduce the risks of aflatoxin contamination.&nbsp;



In addition, the use of biotechnological and conventional breeding techniques to develop hybrid crops that could withstand droughts, fungal infections, and insect damage could be an essential tool in creating more resilient and healthy crops. Finally, shifting crop production further north or south where the climate is cooler or wetter can also reduce aflatoxin risk.



For consumers concerned about eating field corn that may be contaminated with aflatoxin, Professor Wu suggests several alternatives. “Green leafy vegetables are good for your overall health,” she said. “Chlorophyll has a sandwich molecular structure that traps aflatoxin molecules so that humans excrete them before the toxin can enter our bloodstream.” Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, or cauliflower, and allium vegetables like garlic, onions, or leeks could also help detoxifying our organism and guarding it against contaminants such as aflatoxin.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6435">Environmental Research Letters</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Climate change increases the risk of aflatoxin contamination

The fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus produce a poisonous...

Jungle,In,Vietnam

Many of us have heard that more carbon in the air can be good for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-plants-thrive-under-environmental-stress/">plants</a>. Some scientists believe an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could cause tropical grasslands to grow more shrubs and trees, which would enable these areas to store an increasing amount of CO2.



However, an international team of climate scientists has discovered that an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has minimal effect on tropical forest-savanna transitions. In fact, fire activity and moisture availability were found to be the most important factors for an expanding forest.&nbsp;



"Simply put, we have shown that it does not matter how much CO2 is in the atmosphere if there is not enough water, or there are fires every year, or all the seedlings are eaten by animals," said study lead author William Gosling of the University of Amsterdam..



This means that simply replanting forests will not be enough to fight climate change because other factors created by climate change (drought and fire) will reduce the forest's ability to flourish.



"Our paper is a nail in the coffin of the CO2-is-dominant hypothesis and will hopefully lead to more realistic models," said study co-author Jonathan Overpeck of the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a>. "The idea that you can just plant trees to sequester carbon, and those trees will be safe from a hotter, drier climate thanks to elevated atmospheric CO2 levels - that isn't a safe bet."



The research team gathered past carbon dioxide levels from ice-core records. They used the GENIE-1 Earth system model to predict temperature and temperature variation to carry out the study.



"We combined evidence of past environmental change extracted from sediments recovered from Lake Bosumtwi in Ghana with simulated past climate conditions, and the record of global atmospheric CO2 change obtained from ice cores over the last 500,000 years," explained Gosling.



"What is new from our data is that when you scale up to the landscape scale, the resources available and processes occurring within that landscape are more important than the CO2 fertilization."



Although the researchers recognize the limitations to their study, they hope that future models looking at CO2 fertilization will improve by including inputs such as herbivory and fire activity.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg4618">Science</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:nire518@gmail.com">Erin Moody </a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Carbon dioxide has a minimal impact on tropical vegetation

Many of us have heard that more carbon in the...

An international team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.ru.nl/english/">Radboud University</a> has demonstrated that plants in salt and freshwater wetlands capture and store massive amounts of carbon dioxide. This means that the restoration of wetlands, such as bogs, salt marshes, and mangrove forests, has very promising potential to help mitigate climate change and slow global warming.&nbsp;



While wetlands only cover about one percent of Earth's surface, they capture and store more than 20 percent of the CO2 that is absorbed by all of the ecosystems in the world. The plants contained in wetlands are able to capture huge amounts of CO2 and store them in the surrounding soil. This creates "carbon capture hotspots," as the researchers have now confirmed.



The experts found that oceans and forests hold the most CO2, followed by wetlands. "But when we look at the amount of CO2 stored per square meter, it turns out that wetlands store about five times more CO2 than forests and as much as 500 times more than oceans,” explained study first author Ralph Temmink. “Peat bogs, salt marshes, mangrove forests and seagrass beds are therefore global 'hotspots' of CO2 storage.”



The secret to these hotspots, the researchers discovered, is that wetlands are built by landscape-forming plants that help each other when they grow close together, and this process boosts their ability to capture CO2.&nbsp;



For example, in raised bogs, peat mosses behave like sponges and retain an enormous amount of rainwater. This makes the mosses grow faster, and they are able to stabilize dead plant material that is held beneath them under the water. Nutrients released from the dead material further stimulates the growth of the moss, which in turn thickens the soil layer that stores CO2.



“We support this study and are very happy with its findings," said Teo Wams. “It shows how important peatland and salt marshes are, and illustrates that we should take good care of these valuable ecosystems. Also, this knowledge helps us to improve management and restoration of unique landscapes."



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/">Science</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

Wetlands are powerful weapons in the fight against global warming

An international team of researchers led by Radboud University has...

A new study led by the <a href="https://www.pik-potsdam.de/en/home">Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research</a> (PIK)&nbsp;has found that substituting 20 percent of meat from cattle with microbial protein (an alternative to meat produced in fermentation tanks) by 2050 could reduce <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coordinated-efforts-needed-to-slow-deforestation/">deforestation</a> and greenhouse gas emissions by half, thus providing significant help in mitigating climate change.&nbsp;



“The food system is at the root of a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, with ruminant meat production being the single largest source,” said study lead author Florian Humpenöder, a postdoctoral researcher at PIK.&nbsp;



An increasing number of forests that store a lot of carbon are currently cleared for cattle grazing, while animal agriculture is also contributing massively to greenhouse gas emissions. This means that the use of nutritious protein-rich biomass with meat-like texture produced from microbes such as fungi during fermentation could be an important step forward in saving forests and curbing global warming.



“The substitution of ruminant meat with microbial protein in the future could considerably reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of the food system,” said Dr. Humpenöder. “The good news is that people do not need to be afraid they can eat only greens in the future. They can continue eating burgers and the like, it’s just that those burger patties will be produced in a different way.”



Dr. Humpenöder and his colleagues included microbial protein in a computer simulation model built to assess the environmental effects of the whole food and agriculture system. By running various forward-scenarios until 2050 and accounting for future population growth, food demand, dietary patterns, and land-use dynamics, the experts found that, if we substituted 20 percent of ruminant meat per capita with microbial protein, annual deforestation and carbon emissions would be halved by mid-century.&nbsp;



“The reduced numbers of cattle do not only reduce the pressure on land but also reduce methane emissions from the rumen of cattle and nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizing feed or manure management,” said Dr. Humpenöder. “So replacing minced red meat with microbial protein would be a great start to reduce the detrimental impacts of present-day beef production.”



According to the scientists, since fermentation-derived microbial protein is made in specific cultures, like beer or bread, this process could be largely decoupled from agricultural production. However, a large-scale transformation towards biotech food would also require a large-scale decarbonization of electricity generation so that its climate protection potential can be fully developed. Further research is needed to find the most efficient methods of using sustainable energy to fuel such green biotechnology initiatives.&nbsp;



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04629-w">Nature</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fungi-based meat alternatives could help save forests

A new study led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate...

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



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



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[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"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA



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



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

The history of Mars is much more complex than we thought

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research



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



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

Cavefish are healthy despite their sedentary lifestyle

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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites capture the world's biggest and fastest waves

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