Marijuana has intrigued people for decades, especially as more places allow it for medical or recreational use. Many see it as a natural product with relaxing properties, yet scientists have been eager to uncover how it might alter the body in subtle ways.



Researchers tracked the cannabis habits of more than 1,000 U.S. adults over roughly two decades. The team included epidemiologist Lifang Hou from <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Northwestern University</a>, who analyzed blood samples at two points to search for signs that cannabis use may shift genetic markers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-marijuana-alters-dna">How marijuana alters DNA</h2>



The epigenome includes chemical modifications on DNA that can affect how genes work. These modifications, such as <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/npp2012112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DNA methylation</a>, do not alter the underlying genetic code but can change how active certain sections of DNA are.



Studies have suggested that environmental factors like diet or toxins can impact these epigenetic markers. New findings now propose that cannabis use may leave an imprint, too.



“We observed associations between cumulative marijuana use and multiple epigenetic markers across time,” explained Hou. The markers appeared in people who reported using cannabis in the short term as well as across many years.



While these associations are intriguing, the study does not confirm that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-use-during-pregnancy-rewires-the-fetal-brain/">cannabis</a> is the direct cause. The researchers emphasize that other behaviors or factors could be partly responsible for the patterns seen in those genetic switches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-response-to-cannabis-and-tobacco">Genetic response to cannabis and tobacco</h2>



One of the most striking findings was a consistent methylation marker that has already been linked to tobacco use. The same signal appeared in cannabis users, hinting that the body may respond to both substances in a similar way at the genetic level.



This overlap raises questions about whether cannabis and tobacco trigger the same biological pathways or if the presence of smoke itself is responsible for the epigenetic shift. 



More studies could help clarify whether these changes stem from the substances themselves or the act of inhalation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-these-markers-predict-health-risks">Could these markers predict health risks?</h2>



Some of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-plant-can-cause-severe-burns-and-dna-damage/">DNA</a> changes tied to cannabis use were previously linked to conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders. While this doesn’t prove a cause-and-effect relationship, it shows a pattern worth paying attention to.



If future research confirms these links, doctors might someday use these markers as early warning signs. They could help flag individuals who may be more vulnerable to certain mental health issues based on their cannabis use history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marijuana-and-dna-methylation">Marijuana and DNA methylation</h2>



DNA methylation patterns have been linked to a variety of health conditions. Shifting these patterns might change how the body manages cell growth, hormones, and even how it responds to infections.



Scientists have hinted that these modifications could affect neurological processes, too. 



Cannabis has long been studied for its possible connections to mental health, so these DNA changes may be relevant to conditions that involve the brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cautious-interpretation">Cautious interpretation</h2>



“This research has provided novel insights into the association between marijuana use and epigenetic factors,” said epidemiologist Drew Nannini from Northwestern University. 



Future research may pinpoint which specific traits or disorders, if any, are most influenced by cannabis-linked epigenetic shifts.



Experts also note that the study relied on self-reported cannabis use. Some participants might have been reluctant to share full details, although confidentiality was maintained to encourage honest responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marijuana-use-and-dna-changes">Marijuana use and DNA changes</h2>



A substantial segment of U.S. adults, <a href="https://library.samhsa.gov/product/results-2019-national-survey-drug-use-and-health-nsduh-key-substance-use-and-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">around 49 percent</a>, try marijuana at least once. For frequent or daily users, scientists are interested in whether these epigenetic signs might grow more pronounced over time.



Observing blood samples taken years apart gave the team a way to compare recent users and those who had used cannabis longer. By tracking the same people, they could see how DNA methylation changed along with reported usage levels.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-different-effects-over-time">Different effects over time</h2>



The number of methylation markers linked to cannabis changed between the two sample points. At year 15, the team found 53 associated markers, while at year 20, that number jumped to 148.



This suggests that some of the epigenetic effects may accumulate with continued use or become more detectable with age. It also opens the possibility that long-term cannabis exposure may affect the body differently than short-term use.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



Some experts suggest that more research in different groups is needed to see if these associations appear consistently. 



Larger investigations could help determine whether these epigenetic changes are reversible if someone reduces or stops using marijuana.



Many scientists want to see if these markers correlate with specific outcomes, such as mental health shifts or immune function. It may take time to unravel whether the observed epigenetic changes translate into noticeable health effects.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-023-02106-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Psychiatry</a>.



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20-year study of 1,000 adults reveals how marijuana alters DNA

Marijuana has intrigued people for decades, especially as more places allow it for medical or recreational use. Many see it as a natural product with relaxing properties, yet scientists have been eager to uncover how it might alter the body in subtle ways. Researchers tracked the cannabis habits of more than 1,000 U.S. adults over roughly two decades. The team included epidemiologist Lifang Hou from Northwestern University, who analyzed blood samples at two points to search for signs that cannabis use may shift genetic markers. How marijuana...

A cup of leafy green vegetables a day improves muscle strength, regardless of physical activity, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.ecu.edu.au/">Edith Cowan University</a> (ECU). The researchers found that people who consumed a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-based-diet-lowers-the-overall-risk-of-stroke/">diet</a> rich in nitrates, mainly from vegetables, had significantly better muscle function.

The investigation was focused on data from more than 3,700 participants Melbourne's Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute AusDiab study. Individuals with the highest nitrate consumption had 11 percent stronger lower limb strength compared to those with the lowest nitrate intake. 

Study lead author Dr. Marc Sim said the findings reveal important evidence for the role diet plays in overall health.

"Our study has shown that diets high in nitrate-rich vegetables may bolster your muscle strength independently of any physical activity," said Dr. Sim.

"Nevertheless, to optimise muscle function we propose that a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetables in combination with regular exercise, including weight training, is ideal."

Muscle function is critical for maintaining good overall health, especially bone strength later in life.

"With around one in three Australians aged over 65 suffering a fall each year, it's important to find ways of preventing these events and their potentially serious consequences."

Dr. Sim noted that while leafy green vegetables may be some of our least favorite, they could be the most important. The greatest health benefits were linked to lettuce, spinach, kale and beetroot.

"Less than one in ten Australians eat the recommended five to six serves of vegetables per day," said Dr. Sim.

"We should be eating a variety of vegetables every day, with at least one of those serves being leafy greens to gain a range of positive health benefits for the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system."

"It's also better to eat nitrate-rich vegetables as part of a healthy diet rather than taking supplements. Green leafy vegetables provide a whole range of essential vitamins and minerals critical for health."

Dr. Sim said the next step of his research will be exploring strategies to increase leafy green vegetable consumption in the general population.

"We are currently recruiting for the MODEL Study, which examines how knowledge of disease can be used to prompt people in making long-term improvements to their diet and exercise."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn">Journal of Nutrition</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Leafy green vegetables improve muscle strength

A cup of leafy green vegetables a day improves muscle...

As increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide accelerate plant growth, the soil may not be able to keep up with the pace. Researchers at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> found that when elevated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/active-travel-can-greatly-reduce-co2-emissions-in-the-city/">CO2</a> levels give plants a boost, the soil begins to lose its ability to store more carbon. 

One likely explanation is that plants effectively mine the soil for nutrients they need to keep up with carbon-fueled growth, according to the study authors. The extra nutrients are made available to plants through increased microbial activity in the soil, which releases CO2 that would otherwise remain locked away.

Scientists have widely accepted the idea that plant biomass and soil carbon will increase simultaneously. However, the researchers found that this is not the case. 

"When plants increase biomass, usually there's a decrease in soil carbon storage," said lead author César Terrer.

The team analyzed data from 108 previously published studies on high CO2 concentrations, soil carbon levels, and plant growth. The results showed that soils only accumulated more carbon in experiments where plant growth remained fairly steady. 

"It proved much harder than expected to increase both plant growth and soil carbon," said senior study author Professor Rob Jackson. He explained that climate projections do not account for this tradeoff, which means they likely overestimate the potential of the terrestrial carbon sink. 

Each year, plants and soils collectively absorb an estimated 30 percent of the CO2 emissions associated with human activities. It is particularly important to understand how the underground part of the terrestrial carbon sink will change in the coming decades, considering that carbon absorbed by the soil tends to remain stored for a very long time. 

"When a plant dies, some of the carbon that accumulated in its biomass may return to the atmosphere. In soils, carbon can be stored for centuries or millennia," said Terrer.

In 2019, the Stanford team determined that as CO2 levels continue to rise, plants will likely play a far less significant role in drawing down carbon than previously predicted. The new research indicates that the soil will also fall short as a carbon sink as plant biomass increases. 

"Soils store more carbon worldwide than is contained in all plant biomass," said Professor Jackson. "They need much more attention as we project the fate of forests and grasslands to the changing atmosphere."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Soil will release more CO2 as plants hit a growth spurt

As increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide accelerate plant growth,...

Beneficial bacteria can promote heat tolerance in crops and could ultimately be the quickest route to achieving sustainable agriculture, according to a new study by <a href="https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en">KAUST</a> scientists.

Severe heatwaves are becoming more frequent and increasingly damaging to agricultural crops. Some plants have natural heat tolerance, while others acquire heat tolerance through exposure to hot and dry conditions. The process of breeding heat-resistant plants, however, can be time consuming and expensive. 

Experts have been exploring the potential for using microbes to protect plants. The new research demonstrates that root-dwelling bacteria can help their host plants survive extreme conditions, including drought and heat.

"Beneficial bacteria could become one of the quickest, cheapest and greenest ways to help achieve sustainable agriculture," said study co-author Kirti Shekhawat. "However, no long-term studies have proven they work in the real world, and we haven't yet uncovered what's happening on a molecular level."

To investigate, the researchers tested the power of the beneficial bacteria SA187 that lives in the roots of tough, resilient desert shrubs. The team coated wheat seeds with the bacteria and then planted them in the lab, along with seeds that were left untreated. 

After six days, the crops were exposed to temperatures of 44 degrees Celsius, or 111 degrees Fahrenheit, for two hours. Any longer exposure would have killed all the plants, explained Shekhawat. 

The experts found that untreated wheat plants suffered leaf damage and stopped growing. Meanwhile, the treated wheat plants were left unharmed and continued to thrive, indicating that the bacteria promoted heat tolerance.  

"The bacteria enter the plant as soon as the seeds germinate, and they live happily in symbiosis for the plant's entire life," said Shekhawat.

The wheat was relocated and raised in natural fields in Dubai, where temperatures can reach 45 degrees Celsius. In this region, wheat is usually grown only in winter, but the crops treated with bacteria consistently produced yields between 20 and 50 percent higher than normal. 

"We were incredibly happy to see that a single bacterial species could protect crops like this," said Shekhawat.

Genetic analysis revealed that the bacteria produce metabolites that are converted into the hormone ethylene, which primes the plant's heat-resistance genes for action. "Essentially, the bacteria teach the plant how to use its own defense system."

Thousands of other bacteria have the potential to protect plants against threats ranging from drought to fungi, and the team is already testing some of these microbes on vegetables and other crops. 

"We have just scratched the surface of this hidden world of soil that we once dismissed as dead matter," said study lead author Heribert Hirt. "Beneficial bacteria could help transform an unsustainable agricultural system into a truly ecological one."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.embopress.org/journal/14693178">EMBO Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Bacteria can activate heat tolerance in crops

Beneficial bacteria can promote heat tolerance in crops and could...

A new study shows that certain plant characteristics such as generation time can predict how sensitive species are to climate change. An international team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.idiv.de/en/index.html">German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research</a> (iDiv) set out to investigate how plant populations have responded to climate change over time. 

To address this question, the experts collected all of the relevant data available worldwide, which was mostly from Europe and North America. The investigation revealed that plant species with short generation times are more sensitive to climate change than species with long generation times. 

According to the researchers, their work has important implications for predicting which plant species need the most protection and conservation attention.

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to plant diversity. In order to protect biodiversity, it is critical for experts to understand which species are the most urgently threatened and where. 

The iDiv team compiled all long-term studies on plants that measured population growth rates. The experts assessed how climate factors, particularly precipitation and temperature, influenced the growth rate during each study period. 

The researchers then analyzed how specific features of a plant species, such as the length of a generation, influenced its growth responses to climate variation in the past.

"We were able to show that generation duration is a useful indicator value for a species' susceptibility to climate change," said study first author Dr. Aldo Compagnoni. 

For example, the experts found that plants with short lifespans, including those that only live a few years, suffered much more from climate extremes than long-lived species. 

The researchers also clarified that rising temperatures were not the main climate-related factor that limited plant growth. On average, precipitation had a three times greater impact on plant populations than temperature.

"This work helps us identify which species might be climate-vulnerable, even if we have limited information about those species," said study co-author Professor Tiffany Knight. 

"For example, while we have long-term population data for a small subset of plant species on Earth, we can estimate the approximate generation duration for most plant species. This is an important first step towards determining species' vulnerability to climate change at a global scale."

At the same time, however, the experts noted that there are important data gaps that limit the ability to make general predictions on a global scale. The researchers found suitable long-term datasets only for 62 of the 350,000 plant species on Earth, and the vast majority of these were species occurring in temperate zones.

The study authors conclude that to be able to make reliable predictions about the consequences of climate change for all regions of the world and all known species, new population ecology research is needed on woody plant species and plants in the tropics.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants with short lives are more sensitive to climate change

A new study shows that certain plant characteristics such as...

Artificial light is known to disrupt ecological processes such as the nighttime pollination of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-found-beneath-greenland-ice-represent-a-troubling-reality/">plants</a> by nocturnal insects, which could be detrimental to plant reproduction and agricultural crop yields. In a new study from the <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/en.html">University of Zurich</a>, experts have demonstrated that artificial light at night also interferes with insects' pollination behavior during the daytime.

"A 'luminous fog' of artificial light at night is enveloping the locations inhabited by humans, with about 18.7% of the world’s terrestrial surfaces (excluding Antartica) currently being exposed to it," wrote the researchers. "Furthermore, the area experiencing direct emissions from artificial light sources is estimated to expand at about 2–6% per year while already illuminated areas become brighter at a similar rate." 

"In addition to effects on the physiology and behavior of organisms with consequences for mortality, reproduction, species abundance, and community composition, artificial light at night affects species interactions and ecosystem functioning."

For the investigation, the experts used commercial street lamps to illuminate natural plant-pollinator communities overnight on six natural meadows, while six other natural meadows were left dark. The research analyzed the interactions of 21 naturally occurring plant species and their pollinators.

"Our findings indicate that artificial light during the nighttime alters the number of plant-pollinator interactions during the daytime, depending on the plant species," explained study co-author Eva Knop.

For example, three plant species received significantly fewer pollinator visits during the daytime after LED illumination. By contrast, one plant species received substantially more pollinator visits.

Nocturnal pollinator activity was also found to vary in the presence of artificial light. For example, woodland geraniums received the same number of pollinator visits in illuminated and dark meadows, but not by the same insects. Dipterous insects reduced their visits to plants that were lit up during the night, and beetles tended to visit more frequently. 

"Since insects play a vital role in pollinating crops and wild plants and are already endangered by habitat destruction and climate change regardless of artificial light, it is important to study and clarify these indirect mechanisms," said Knop.

The study authors are calling for the ecological impact of light pollution to be researched more thoroughly and for actions to be devised to prevent adverse effects on the environment. 

"We conclude that the effect of artificial light at night on plant-pollinator interactions is not limited to the night, but can also propagate to the daytime with so far unknown consequences for the pollinator community and the diurnal pollination function and services they provide," wrote the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Artificial light disrupts plant pollination, even during the day

Artificial light is known to disrupt ecological processes such as...

A new study reveals how climate change is affecting plant growth beyond the effects of rising <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/arctic-permafrost-is-releasing-even-more-co2-than-expected/">CO2</a> levels. The researchers found that rising temperatures are impacting photosynthesis and plant viability.

The experts report that excessive heat reduces the efficiency of enzymes that drive photosynthesis and can hinder plants' ability to regulate CO2 uptake and water loss. They explain that certain aspects of a plant's structure can make it more or less susceptible to heat stress.

Features of the ecosystem, such as the density of plants or local atmospheric conditions, also influence how crop yields will respond to heat.

Study co-lead author Caitlin Moore is a research fellow at the University of Western Australia and an affiliate research fellow at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/">University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign</a>. 

"It's important to have an understanding of these issues across scales - from the biochemistry of individual leaves to ecosystem-level influences - in order to really tackle these problems in an informed way," said Moore.

According to study co-author Professor Carl Bernacchi, there has been a lot of focus on rising CO2 and the impact that it has on plants. "And it is an important factor, because we are changing that carbon dioxide concentration enormously. But it's a small part of the bigger story." 

"Once you throw changing temperatures into the mix, it completely messes up our understanding of how plants are going to respond."

"Take Rubisco, the key enzyme that fixes carbon dioxide into sugars, making life on Earth possible," said study co-lead author Amanda Cavanagh. "Rubisco speeds up as the temperature increases, but it's also prone to making mistakes."

Instead of binding CO2 to sugars, Rubisco sometimes fixes oxygen, initiating a different pathway that wastes a plant's resources. Higher temperatures make this more likely, said Cavanagh. The enzyme will begin to lose its structural integrity and become increasingly ineffective. Heat can also compromise a plant's reproductive capacity. 

When temperatures are too warm, plants open up pores on their leaves called stomata to cool themselves. The stomata also allow plants to absorb CO2, but when they are fully open, the leaves can lose too much moisture.

"Temperature affects the atmosphere above the plant," said Moore. "As the atmosphere heats up, it can hold additional water, so it's pulling more water from the plants."

Cavanagh, who studies the molecular biology of plants, said some plants are more heat tolerant than others, and scientists are searching their genomes for clues to their success.

"For example, you can look at wild Australian relatives of rice that are growing in much harsher climates than most paddy rices. And you see that their enzymes are primed to work more efficiently at hotter temperatures."

One goal is to transfer heat-tolerant genes to rice varieties that are more susceptible to heat stress.

"The world is getting hotter at a shocking rate," said Cavanagh. "And we know from global models that each increase in gross temperature degree Celsius can cause 3% to 7% losses in yield of our four main crops. So, it's not something we can ignore."

"What makes me optimistic is the realization that so much work is going into globally solving this problem."

The study is published in the <a href="https://jeb.biologists.org/">Journal of Experimental Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rising temperatures alter photosynthesis and plant growth

A new study reveals how climate change is affecting plant...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina State University</a>, experts have found that rising temperatures are detrimental to rice yields. Even more recent strains of rice, which have been engineered to cope with environmental stressors like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-will-intensify-due-to-thinning-ocean-layer/">heat</a>, are less successful in warmer conditions. 

The research was focused on the productivity of various types of rice grown on farms in the Philippines. Despite the fact that the Philippines is of the top 10 countries in global rice production, the country also imports a large amount of rice in order to meet demands. 

Study co-author Professor Roderick Rejesus said that teasing out the effects of temperature on rice yields is important to understand whether rice-breeding efforts have helped address the environmental challenges faced by modern society, including global warming.

The investigation was focused on rice yields and atmospheric conditions from 1966 to 2016 in Central Luzon, which is a major rice-growing region of the Philippines. 

"This rich dataset allowed us to see what was actually happening at the farm level, rather than only observing behavior at higher levels of aggregation like in provinces or districts," said Professor Rejesus.

The researchers analyzed three varieties of rice planted during the 50-year study period, including traditional varieties; early modern varieties, which were bred for higher yields; and recent modern varieties that were bred for particular characteristics such as heat or pest resistance.

"Taken all together, there are two main implications here," said Professor Rejesus. "The first is that, at the farm level, there appears to be a 'yield gap' between how rice performs in breeding trials and on farms, with farm performance of recent varieties bred to be more tolerant to environmental stresses not being statistically different relative to the older varieties."

"The second is that rice breeding efforts may not have reached their full potential such that it may be possible to produce new varieties that will statistically perform better than older varieties in a farm setting."

According to Professor Rejesus, the findings can be applied to other rice-breeding countries, like Vietnam, because the timing of the release of various rice varieties is somewhat similar to that of the Philippines.

"Plant-breeding institutions can learn from this type of analysis, too. It provides guidance as to where research funding may be allocated by policymakers to further improve the high temperature tolerance of rice varieties available to farmers."

Professor Rejesus plans to assess other agricultural practices and innovations that affect crop yields - such as plants that can be grown during the off season to keep soils healthy - to investigate whether they can mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14678276">American Journal of Agricultural Economics</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rice yields are dropping with climate change

In a new study from North Carolina State University, experts...

In the most detailed study of its kind, researchers at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a> have found that the booming cannabis industry in the United States has a massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/diverse-mangrove-forests-have-higher-carbon-storage-capacity/">carbon</a> footprint. The $13 billion cannabis industry may be a huge success, but the research suggests that this success comes along with consequences for the environment.

The researchers performed a life-cycle assessment of indoor cannabis operations across the country. They calculated the energy and materials used to grow the cannabis, as well as the corresponding greenhouse gas emissions.

The study revealed that greenhouse gas emissions from cannabis production are largely attributed to high energy demands, including electricity production and natural gas consumption. The energy is used for indoor environmental controls, high-intensity grow lights, and carbon dioxide supplies that are used to accelerate plant growth.

"We knew the emissions were going to be large, but because they hadn't been fully quantified previously, we identified this as a big research opportunity space," said study lead author Hailey Summers said. "We just wanted to run with it."

The research builds on previous work by experts at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who analyzed small-scale cannabis operations in California. That particular study was conducted prior to the new laws that legalized medical use of cannabis in 36 states and recreational use in 15 states. 

The CSU team expected to find substantial differences in emissions depending on where cannabis was being grown. The researchers modeled emissions for several high-growth locations around the country. 

The team also created a map that shows relative emissions anywhere in the United States - defined as emissions per kilogram of cannabis flower. 

The experts found that U.S. indoor cannabis cultivation generates greenhouse gas emissions of between 2,283 and 5,184 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram of dried flower. 

The researchers were surprised to find that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems had the largest energy demand, with numbers fluctuating depending on the local climate.

According to study co-author Jason Quinn, the high energy consumption of cannabis is due in part to how the product is regulated. In Colorado, for example, many grow operations are required to be in close proximity to retail storefronts. As a result, a large number of indoor warehouses have popped up in places like Denver.

Ultimately, the CSU team would like to help the industry tackle environmental concerns while legal cannabis is still relatively new in the United States. "We would like to try and improve environmental impacts before they have become built into the way of doing business," said study co-author Evan Sproul. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natsustain/">Nature Sustainability</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Booming cannabis industry is not eco-friendly

In the most detailed study of its kind, researchers at...

Veggie Bowl over Coconut Quinoa

A plant-based diet can significantly reduce the risk of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/many-young-adults-do-not-know-common-stroke-symptoms/">stroke</a>, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health</a>. 

The researchers found that individuals who eat a healthy diet primarily sourced from plants that is rich in leafy greens, whole grains, and beans - with lower levels of refined grains and added sugars - can reduce their overall risk of stroke by up to 10 percent.

"Our findings have important public health implications, suggesting that future nutrition policies to lower stroke risk should take the quality of food into consideration," said study first author Megu Baden.

While previous studies have linked plant-based diets to a lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the same association with stroke has not been well established.

"Many studies already show that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of all kinds of diseases, from heart disease to diabetes," said study co-author Dr. Megu Baden. "We wanted to find out if there is an association between this kind of healthy diet and stroke risk."

For their investigation, the researchers analyzed diet and health data from more than 200,000 participants in the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

The individuals did not have a history of cardiovascular disease or cancer at the time of enrollment, and were followed for more than 25 years.

In addition to lowering the overall risk of stroke, a healthy plant-based diet was found to be associated with a modest reduction in risk of ischemic stroke. This is the most common type of stroke, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked. 

"Many individuals have been increasing the amount of plant-based components in their diet," said study co-author Professor Kathryn Rexrode. 

"These results show that higher intake of healthy plant-based foods may help reduce long-term stroke risk, and that it is still important to pay attention to diet quality of plant-based diets."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://n.neurology.org/">Neurology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant-based diet lowers overall stroke risk

A plant-based diet can significantly reduce the risk of stroke,...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/">University of Sheffield</a> has revealed that legume trees are key to the restoration of tropical forests. The experts have found that trees in the legume family release vital minerals from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-eating-mammals-fertilize-the-soil-in-tropical-forests/">soil</a> and share them with neighboring trees. 

"Our research shows that legume trees not only provide valuable nitrogen through their symbioses with bacteria that live in their roots, but interact with free-living soil bacteria allowing nutrients to be chemically released," explained study lead author Dr. Dimitat Epihov.

"We discovered the abundance of a novel group of acid-loving bacteria, key in liberating minerals locked in iron minerals beneath legume trees, and that those benefits are passed on to nearby trees."

The findings are shedding new light on the role legume trees play in safeguarding the function of tropical forests. The research may also help to inform land managers and policy makers on how best to approach reforestation on degraded land.

The researchers discovered that legume trees overcome the challenge of growing on nutrient-poor soils by accelerating weathering processes. The trees acidify the soil and adjust its carbon to nitrogen ratio, ultimately providing easier access to nutrients.

The microbial changes in the soil favor a type of bacteria that breaks down iron, which releases iron-bound minerals critical to tree growth.

Legume trees are also particularly important in the process of forest recovery because they are able to supply fresh nitrogen into soils. This nitrogen gets broken down by bacteria and utilized by trees locally. 

Study co-author Professor David Beerling is the director of the University of Sheffield's Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation.

"By using advanced genomic sequencing techniques we have addressed a long standing puzzle of how fast growing trees access sufficient nutrients to support their growth from nutrient-poor soils," said Professor Beerling.

"The answer, it turns out, is to exploit specialised consortia of soil microbes whose metabolism allows them to efficiently break down rocks and extract nutrients they contain."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Legume trees play a key role in forest recovery

A new study from the University of Sheffield has revealed...

Wild,Peach,Fruits,In,Early,Summer

In a new study led by the <a href="https://btiscience.org/">Boyce Thompson Institute</a>, scientists have identified genes that could help domesticated peaches become more resistant to the pressures associated with climate change. 

"Our study provides many candidate genes, showing how the peach has adapted to all kinds of environmental stresses and stimuli," said study co-lead author Professor Zhangjun Fei. 

"Breeders can use this information to develop more resilient domesticated peach trees that cope better with temperature extremes, drought and other harsh, changing conditions imposed by climate change."

The researchers analyzed DNA sequences in wild peaches that have adapted over a long time to specific local conditions across seven different regions in China. The experts identified genes that provide tolerance to extreme conditions, such as drought and ultraviolet radiation.

There is an urgent need to make food crops more resistant to climate change, which is causing many plants to become less productive. 

While many studies have identified genes that enable rice and other food crops to adapt to climate stress, few studies have been focused on major fruit crops. The domesticated peach, Prunus persica, has a global yield of 24.5 million tons per year.

According to the researchers, many of domesticated peach's adaptation genes have been lost as humans bred the plant to focus on traits such as flavor. Wild varieties contain the genetic diversity that is needed to make domesticated peaches more resilient. 

The study was focused on 263 types of wild peaches and landraces, including 218 from the National Peach Germplasm Repository of China and 45 from the Tibetan Plateau. Overall, the team identified more than 2,700 areas of the genome that are linked to 51 local climate factors.

For example, peaches from a region with extremely low winter temperatures had a genetic variant that provides resistance to cold. Wild peaches from a very arid region were found to have multiple genetic variants that regulate their response to drought.

"When a fruiting plant like peach is growing under a stressful condition like drought, its fruit gets sweeter," said Professor Fei. "In this study, we have found the direct genetic link between drought and the sugar content of peach."

Among peach trees from the Tibetan Plateau, the team identified a variant that protects the fruit from the intense UV-B radiation that is found in high altitudes.

"Overall, the genetic information we found could help people breed peach trees that grow in many different and harsh environments, expanding peach's geographic range to new regions," said Professor Fei. 

"Breeders could develop cultivars that thrive on otherwise unused land, bolstering the local economy and bringing more good food to local markets."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://genome.cshlp.org/">Genome Research</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wild peaches are genetically equipped to handle climate stress

In a new study led by the Boyce Thompson Institute,...

Black,Tea,,Herbal,Tea

In a breakthrough study from <a href="https://uci.edu/">UC Irvine</a>, researchers have uncovered an explanation for the antihypertensive effects of tea. The experts report that both green and black tea contain compounds that relax the blood vessels by activating ion channel proteins in the blood vessel wall. 

The discovery was made in the lab of Dr. Geoffrey Abbott, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the UCI School of Medicine. The findings may ultimately lead to the development of new medications for lowering blood pressure.

The researchers identified two flavonoid compounds that each activate a specific type of ion channel protein named KCNQ5. This protein allows potassium ions to diffuse out of cells to reduce cellular excitability. 

The team predicted that since KCNQ5 is found in the smooth muscle that lines blood vessels, its activation by tea catechins would also relax blood vessels.

"We found by using computer modeling and mutagenesis studies that specific catechins bind to the foot of the voltage sensor, which is the part of KCNQ5 that allows the channel to open in response to cellular excitation. This binding allows the channel to open much more easily and earlier in the cellular excitation process," explained Dr. Abbott.

Previous studies have demonstrated that consumption of green or black tea can reduce blood pressure by a small but consistent amount, and catechins were found to contribute to this effect. 

The research has major implications for improving human health. Hypertension is a very common condition that is considered to be the number one modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature mortality, 

Each day worldwide, more than two billion cups of tea are consumed, which is second only to water. The three most popular caffeinated teas - green, oolong, and black - are all produced from the leaves of the evergreen species Camellia sinensis.

In the UK and the United States, black tea is commonly mixed with milk. The researchers found that when black tea was directly applied to cells containing the KCNQ5 channel, the addition of milk prevented its activation. However, Dr. Abbott explained that milk is not likely to interfere with the antihypertensive effects of black tea.

"We don't believe this means one needs to avoid milk when drinking tea to take advantage of the beneficial properties of tea. We are confident that the environment in the human stomach will separate the catechins from the proteins and other molecules in milk that would otherwise block catechins' beneficial effects."

"Regardless of whether tea is consumed iced or hot, this temperature is achieved after tea is drunk, as human body temperature is about 37 degrees Celsius," explained Dr. Abbott. "Thus, simply by drinking tea we activate its beneficial, antihypertensive properties."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.karger.com/CPB">Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Breakthrough study explains why tea reduces hypertension

In a breakthrough study from UC Irvine, researchers have uncovered...

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;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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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;



---



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



---



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



---



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;



---



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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



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

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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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