Nanoparticles - microscopic specks released by cars, factories, forest fires, and volcanoes - float through every ecosystem on Earth.



Scientists are also designing these particles to precisely deliver <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fertilizer-reduces-plant-damage-caused-by-droughts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fertilizers</a> to crop roots, target pests with pesticides, or serve as tiny sensors that detect plant stress. 



But new research, led by the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside,</a> shows that once those particles enter a plant cell, they can change in unexpected ways and interfere with the plant’s ability to photosynthesize.



The researchers uncovered a chain reaction: inside the cell, nanoparticles pick up a greasy coating and then cling to RuBisCO, the enzyme that jump-starts <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-foundation-of-life-is-at-risk-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photosynthesis</a>. The result is a dramatic slowdown in the plant’s carbon-dioxide intake.



The discovery does not condemn the promise of agricultural nanotechnology, but it does force scientists to rethink how particles are designed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unintended-consequences-of-nanoparticles">Unintended consequences of nanoparticles</h2>



While many agricultural scientists see nanotechnology as a key to feeding a growing global population, even its strongest proponents admit that today’s fertilizers and pesticides are wildly inefficient.



Juan Pablo Giraldo is the senior author and an associate professor of plant biology at UC Riverside.



“Half of all fertilizer applied on farms is lost in the environment and pollutes groundwater," he said. "With the most commonly used <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-attack-bees-in-multiple-ways-throughout-the-body/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pesticides</a>, it’s even worse -&nbsp;only five percent may reach their intended targets. There’s a lot of room for improvement.” 



Nanoparticles can, in theory, deliver cargo directly to a leaf’s interior and then break down safely. Scientists suspected the traits helping particles enter plants might also cause harmful collisions with sensitive proteins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nanoparticles-enter-plant-cells">Nanoparticles enter plant cells</h2>



To test that idea, the researchers exposed Arabidopsis plants - widely used as a model species - to positively charged nanoparticles. 



Using super-resolution imaging and spectroscopy, they watched the particles move through cell walls and membranes. Eventually, the particles reached the chloroplasts, where photosynthesis occurs.



“Nanoparticles, both natural and anthropogenic, are prevalent in many of Earth’s ecosystems, but scientists are only recently starting to understand how they interact with different parts of the environment,” said Lin He of the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Science Foundation</a>. 



Inside the plant’s watery interior, the particles experienced a lower pH and quickly attracted lipids from nearby membranes. This new greasy shell altered their surface chemistry and made them stick tightly to RuBisCO.



“The lipid coatings of positively charged nanoparticles enhance their binding to RuBisCO, and don’t allow it to do its job very well,” Giraldo explained.



RuBisCO is responsible for capturing carbon dioxide and turning it into sugar. Blocking even a fraction of its activity can leave a plant starved for energy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cost-to-photosynthesis">The cost to photosynthesis</h2>



To quantify that effect, the team measured <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-absorb-31-more-co2-than-previously-estimated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CO2</a> uptake in living leaves. Outside the cell, nanoparticles had little impact on RuBisCO activity. Inside the cell - after the particles had acquired lipid coats - RuBisCO’s efficiency fell to roughly one-third of normal.



“This is the first time we’ve been able to compare the effect of a nanoparticle on a protein both outside and inside a living <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-plants-build-their-cell-walls-is-seen-by-scientists-for-the-first-time-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant cell</a>” Giraldo said.



At first, the scientists assumed the particle’s electrical charge might be responsible. Deeper analysis showed otherwise.



“Now we know that it’s not the charge necessarily, but the transformation they undergo as they enter plants, and potentially, other organisms as well,” Giraldo added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-greasy-molecular-puzzle">A greasy molecular puzzle</h2>



The team collaborated with chemists at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> to run molecular simulations of the interaction.



“We each bring in complementary techniques that enable deeper insights into a complex system such as a plant cell,” said co-author Rigoberto Hernandez, a scientist at Johns Hopkins.



His lab’s models showed lipid molecules flocking to the nanoparticle surface and forming a sticky layer that fits RuBisCO almost like Velcro.



“Using computer simulations providing a view of the structure and motion at microscopic scales, we resolved how lipids are acquired by nanoparticles in the presence of RuBisCO,” Hernandez said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nanoparticles-for-a-greener-future">Nanoparticles for a greener future</h2>



The researchers emphasize that nanoparticles still hold enormous promise, especially if they can be redesigned to avoid hijacking RuBisCO.



Through the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology, researchers from various fields of chemistry and environmental science have collaborated closely. Together, they uncovered how nanoparticles transform and interact with a protein involved in plant photosynthesis.



“In so doing, they have laid the groundwork for the safer and more effective use of nanoparticles for agricultural and biotechnology applications," said Lin He.



Catherine Murphy, a chemistry professor at the <a href="https://illinois.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Illinois</a> and study co-author, put the challenge bluntly: “This landmark study tells us that we have a long way to go to make nanoparticles that are truly beneficial in the environment,” she said.



“But now that we know the mechanism of action, we can retune our methods to solve these problems.”



Next steps include designing coatings that stay inert in cells or steering particles away from RuBisCO-binding areas. With that knowledge, future nanoparticles could nourish crops, fight <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pests</a>, and measure plant health - without dimming the green engine that feeds the planet.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-025-01944-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Nanotechnology</a>.



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Nanoparticles are threatening the stability of plant cells

Nanoparticles - microscopic specks released by cars, factories, forest fires, and volcanoes - float through every ecosystem on Earth. Scientists are also designing these particles to precisely deliver fertilizers to crop roots, target pests with pesticides, or serve as tiny sensors that detect plant stress. But new research, led by the University of California, Riverside, shows that once those particles enter a plant cell, they can change in unexpected ways and interfere with the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. The researchers uncovered a chain reaction: inside the cell,...

Anyone who has watched sunflowers grow in their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gardening-and-walking-can-help-prevent-mobility-disability/">garden</a> is familiar with how they turn - facing east in the morning and slowly tracking the sun until they are looking westward in the evening. 

Previous research has shown how they do this - the plant’s internal circadian rhythm regulates its behavior. But now, a team of scientists at <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">UC Davis</a> has uncovered why. It appears the reason is closely related to something all organisms must do - reproduce. 

“It’s quite striking that they face east,” said study senior author Professor Stacey Harmer. “It’s better for them to face east, as they produce more offspring.”

The researchers rotated several sunflowers around, moving some to face west and others east. They also planted sterile seeds next to plants facing both east and west with the intent to genotype which group pollinated the seed.

The experts found that the east-facing plants attracted more attention from bees - pollinators vital to sunflower reproduction. Plants facing the rising sun also produced larger seeds and released more pollen - incidentally, much of that pollen from the east-facing sunflowers made it to the sterile seeds. 

The direct sunlight also influenced the shape and structure of immature sunflowers, making them more readily accessible to pollinators.

The reason for the sun-tracking plants’ reproductive success is likely tied to temperature, as the east-facing flowers soaked in more heat, something that must have been attractive to the bees. The warmth likely helped the ectothermic bees thermoregulate early in the morning. 

The study also revealed that sunflowers release more pollen when the temperature is higher. The researchers placed a heater next to westward-facing plants and found that they released just as much pollen as the east facing plants. 

Furthermore, the direct ultraviolet light from the sun’s rays gives off colors only bees can see, making the sun-facing plants even more enticing. To sum it up in Dr. Harmer’s words “It’s better for them to face east, as they produce more offspring.” 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14698137">New Phytologist</a>.

---

By <a href="mailto:rugerpaleo@gmail.com">Alex Ruger</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Sunflowers face east to get more attention from bees

Anyone who has watched sunflowers grow in their garden is...

The pepper genus contains a variety of capsicums that are large and sweet, as well as hot peppers commonly called chilis. These familiar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orangutans-are-starving-from-fruit-shortages/">fruits</a> brighten up fresh produce markets and are used in culinary dishes all over the world. Peppers are native to southern North America and northern South America but have a global distribution today.

Because of the culinary and trade importance of peppers, their genomic information is stored in many gene banks with the aim of preserving genetic diversity for future breeding purposes. This genomic information was used in a recent study to trace the historical distribution of the most economically important pepper species (Capsicum annuum) along the trade routes of the world. 

“We conducted a huge genomic scan of over ten thousand pepper (Capsicum spp.) samples from worldwide gene banks and used the data to investigate the history of this iconic staple,” said Dr. Pasquale Tripodi, researcher at the Italian research institute CREA and co-first author of the study.

Collaboration with the gene banks produced genomic information for peppers from 130 countries on five continents. The data were analysed using a method called ReMIXTURE, which was specially developed to assess the genetic similarity between the pepper variants from different regions. 

“The results reflect a vision of pepper as a highly desirable and tradable cultural commodity, spreading rapidly throughout the globe along major maritime and terrestrial trade routes," explained Dr. Mark Timothy Rabanus-Wallace from <a href="https://www.ipk-gatersleben.de/en/institute/about-us/">IPK Leibniz Institute</a>, who co-led the study and who developed the ReMIXTURE method. 

“A large factor in pepper’s initial appeal was certainly its pungency, especially in non-tropical Europe where hot spices were rare and imported black pepper could fetch good prices.” 

There was considerable overlap in the kinds of peppers collected from the different regions. For example, Eurasian peppers were similar to those found in neighboring regions, indicating their spread along trade routes such as the Silk Road. In addition, European and African peppers were similar to varieties found in the Americas, revealing the impact of transatlantic trade between these continents.  

The data also showed that in South America, Mesoamerica, Eastern Europe and Africa, there is a high occurrence of region-unique peppers, giving evidence for selective breeding of the crop in these regions.

This is supported by the finding that certain characteristics, such as pungency, were not distributed uniformly across the globe. Human culture has clearly influenced the spread of peppers with desirable traits.

The research team used the data to check for duplicate accessions between gene banks. They found 1,618 duplications within and between gene banks, which indicates considerable overlap of samples and waste of valuable scientific time. 

“This significant level of duplication should motivate the development of genetic pre-screening protocols to be used in genebanks for documenting the potential duplicate samples upon first acquisition," concluded Dr. Nils Stein, who is the head of the research group Genomics of Genetic Resources at the IPK Leibniz Institute. 

The results of the study are published in <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

It’s in the genes: humans traded peppers along global trade routes

The pepper genus contains a variety of capsicums that are...

A new study from <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard</a> has revealed that a tree’s carbohydrate reserves are crucial to surviving <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pesticides-have-become-increasingly-toxic-to-insects/">insect</a> outbreaks. According to the researchers, the biology of oak trees makes them resilient to even the most severe stressors. 

“Oak trees are planners, in a way,” explained study co-author Meghan Blumstein of MIT. “Some of the food they make during the growing season is used immediately for energy and some is stored in the stems and roots for a rainy day. With stored carbs, they are able to immediately create a new flush of leaves after an insect outbreak.”

In southern New England, a recent multi-year outbreak of an invasive moth killed thousands of acres of oak trees. For the investigation, the researchers focused on the trees that didn't die. 

The experts pinpointed the exact threshold of reserves that were needed for survival : 1.5 percent carbohydrates in their dried wood, or about 20 to 25 percent of their normal storage capacity. 

The researchers found that back-to-back insect invasions from 2016 to 2018 challenged the resilience of the oak trees by defoliating them year after year.

“The trees that died were the trees that were out of reserves,” said study lead author Audrey Barker Plotkin, a Senior Scientist at the Harvard Forest. 

The location of the trees influenced survival as well. The research team found that trees growing along forest edges tended to have more reserves, even at the same level of defoliation, making them more resilient than interior forest trees. 

The Harvard study has produced some of the first direct evidence which confirms that trees can starve to death when insects invade. As new pests emerge and climate change continues, the findings from this research will help improve forest resilience models.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652435">Functional Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Oak trees use carbohydrate reserves to survive insect invasions

A new study from Harvard has revealed that a tree’s...

Raw,Potato,Food,.,Fresh,Potatoes,In,An,Old,Sack

The fungus-like microorganism Phytophthora infestans is a devastating plant pathogen that causes global crop damage amounting to around $6 billion each year and threatens <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-foods-linked-to-drastically-lower-risk-of-heart-disease/">food</a> security. 

P. infestans belongs to a group of organisms called oomycetes and is the cause of potato blight, a disease that results in the decomposition of potato tubers and the subsequent loss of food resources for people. The Great Irish Famine of the late 1940s, during which a million people died of starvation, was exacerbated by potato blight. 

In a study published today in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>, researchers report finding a new type of enzyme in P. infestans that enables the microorganism to break down pectin in the cell walls of plants and infect the cells. The enzyme is from a class of enzymes known as lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs).

The experts also identified the gene that codes for production of the enzyme, and found that disabling this gene rendered the pathogen unable to infect the cells of the host plant. 

The scientists hope this discovery will lead to the development of new techniques to prevent the crop damage that is caused by this devastating pathogen.

“These new enzymes appear to be important in all plant pathogenic oomycetes, and this discovery opens the way for potentially powerful strategies in crop protection," said study lead author Dr Federico Sabbadin, from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/biology/centrefornovelagriculturalproducts/">Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP)</a> at the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a>. 

According to Professor Simon McQueen-Mason, the work was the result of interdisciplinary collaborations between biologists and chemists at York along with plant pathologists at the James Hutton Institute and geneticists at CNRS, with invaluable molecular insights from Professor Neil Bruce (CNAP) and Professors Gideon Davies and Paul Walton in the Department of Chemistry at York.

The research is part of the project <a href="https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FV000675%2F1">New Enzymatic Virulence Factors in Phytophthora infestans</a>. The experts behind the project say that by identifying new virulence factors produced by major crop pathogens, they can pinpoint genes that can serve as targets for precision crop protection strategies.

"New carbohydrate active enzymes, such as the pectin-active LPMOs we recently discovered, may find utility as industrial enzymes. Pectinases are used widely in the food and beverage sector to modify food texture and clarify fruit juices." 

"The York team has a close working relationship with Novozymes (a major producer of industrial enzymes) and will explore this potential with them and other potential industry partners in this sector."

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Discovery of new enzyme could help prevent crop damage

The fungus-like microorganism Phytophthora infestans is a devastating plant pathogen...

A new carnivorous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/corn-plants-use-jumping-genes-to-adapt-to-their-environment/">plant</a> has been discovered in western North America. A team of botanists at the <a href="https://www.wisc.edu/">University of Wisconsin-Madison</a> and the University of British Columbia report that Triantha occidentalis can be found in wetlands from Alaska to California, and inland to Montana.

“What’s particularly unique about this carnivorous plant is that it traps insects near its insect-pollinated flowers,” said study lead author Qianshi Lin. “On the surface, this seems like a conflict between carnivory and pollination because you don’t want to kill the insects that are helping you reproduce.”

In the summertime, Triantha produces tall flowering stems covered with sticky hairs that trap small insects. The researchers determined that these insects provide the plants with more than half of the nitrogen they need. This makes an important contribution to their nutritional needs, as they live in a nutrient-poor habitat.

According to the study authors, Triantha represents the 12th known independent evolution of carnivory in the plant kingdom, and the first time the trait has been discovered in the Alismatales order, a group of largely aquatic flowering plants. The experts report that Triantha appears to be capable of sparing friendly pollinators.

“We believe that Triantha occidentalis is able to do this because its glandular hairs are not very sticky, and can only entrap midges and other small insects, so that the much larger and stronger bees and butterflies that act as its pollinators are not captured,” said study co-author Professor Tom Givnish.

Some other Triantha species, including Triantha glutinosa in Wisconsin, also have sticky hairs that trap insects. In the future, the researchers plan to study more species to see how widespread carnivory might be among the Triantha genus.

“It seems likely that there are other members of this group that will turn out to be carnivorous,” said Professor Givnish.

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

New carnivorous plant Triantha spares friendly pollinators

A new carnivorous plant has been discovered in western North...

Across generations, humans adapt to a changing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cattle-are-becoming-less-adapted-to-their-environment/">environment</a> by passing down knowledge. Corn plants have their own strategy for adaptation, using "jumping genes" to maintain genetic diversity. 

Jumping genes, which are known as transposons, were discovered in the 1940s by Nobel Prize-winning <a href="https://www.cshl.edu/">Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory</a> (CSHL) geneticist Barbara McClintock.

In a new study, CSHL Professor Doreen Ware and colleagues have published genome sequences from 26 different strains of corn.

The researchers analyzed the genetic diversity found in the genomes of these modern corn plants, including transposons and genes that regulate desired crop traits. This genetic diversity was established as corn plants were bred in different climates throughout the world. 

“Humans have brains. Our main adaptive component is our ability to transfer culture and knowledge, right? And that’s how we deal with our environment. A plant’s strategy is to have a fluid genome. They have a very intimate relationship with these transposons, where they use them to bring in new genetic diversity so that they can deal with these events because they can’t run away. They’re not going to go into the house, and they’re not going to move water to them," explained Professor Ware.

The CSHL team mapped the first corn genome in 2009, and has continued the research ever since. Recent technology made it possible for the experts to locate and study both important crop genes and the nearby regions that regulate their use. 

"We had little access to the regulatory architecture of corn before," said Professor Ware. The most recent analysis reveals how the corn genome was shuffled over time. 

“These genomes provide us a footprint of that life history. Different strains have experienced different environments. For example, some came from tropical environments, others experienced particular diseases, and all those selective pressures leave a footprint of that history," said Professor Ware.

More than 366 million metric tons of corn was grown in the United States from 2018 to 2019. With the new detailed maps of the corn genome, scientists are now equipped to develop crops for a rapidly changing climate. 

“The Midwest is not going to have the same temperature profile twenty years from now," said Professor Ware. "The genomes provide broader insights into corn genetics, and this, in turn, can be used to start optimizing corn to grow in future environments."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Corn plants use jumping genes to adapt to their environment

Across generations, humans adapt to a changing environment by passing...

Researchers at <a href="https://www.qut.edu.au/">Queensland University of Technology</a> have developed electrodes for batteries that can be recharged at a much faster rate. The inspiration for the research is a water-carrying membrane that is found inside of bamboo - the fastest growing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plant-foods-linked-to-drastically-lower-risk-of-heart-disease/">plant</a> in the world.

Professor Ziqi Sun was first inspired for the study when he walked past a clump of bamboo in the Brisbane City Botanic Gardens. His work is focused on mimicking natural objects, such as seashells and fish scales, to develop sustainable energy solutions.

According to Professor Sun, the new study was focused on the multilayer membrane that runs up inside the bamboo stem. This membrane, which is about as thick as a piece of paper, is responsible for the ultrafast transport of water and nutrients. 

Thanks to this tissue, bamboo can grow up to an estimated rate of about 40 millimeters per hour.

Professor Sun said the membrane was made up of layers, with the layers packed very closely together on the side closest to the inner ring of the bamboo, and further apart on the side nearest the center of the bamboo. The layers also have a porous structure on the surface.

“Why does the bamboo have this membrane? It’s not just something for decoration, it must be for some specific function," explained Professor Sun.

Study first author Dr. Jun Mei said the unique structure and its function deserved an in-depth study.

“The membrane is the most important component in the energy storage devices, and it would be very exciting if we could find a potential material candidate for energy storages by learning from the relationship between the membrane structure and the specific function,” explained Dr. Mei.

The researchers found that this multilevel structure enables water and electrolytes to travel through the bamboo in two ways.

The inner layer enables the “superfluidic” travel of the liquid and electrolytes, which means the liquid travels very quickly through the plant. The outer layer allows the liquid to be more quickly dispersed throughout the structure.

The research expands upon previous work that demonstrates the benefits of two-dimensional nanomaterials for the ultrafast transport of ions through a battery.

“Nature has taught us how to design with these kinds of two-dimensional materials, and how a multilevel distribution of the space will be much more helpful for high-performance batteries,” said Professor Sun.

The researchers developed their own membrane using layers of nanosheets of cobalt oxides and graphene. Each individual sheet was about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair.

Ultimately, the bioinspired membranes showed a superwetting behavior towards organic electrolyte. This means there was no barrier for the contact and entry of the electrolyte from the surface into the inside membrane.

“The study offers a new principle in designing high-performance energy materials,”said Professor Sun. “Most importantly, it paves a way for future materials intervention by learning from the greatness of nature.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/16163028">Advanced Functional Materials</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

As the world's fastest growing plant, bamboo inspires new technology

Researchers at Queensland University of Technology have developed electrodes for...

Two studies published today in the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/jaha">Journal of the American Heart Association</a> conclude that eating more plant foods can be extremely beneficial for heart health, particularly in young <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/adults-are-more-compassionate-when-children-are-nearby/">adults</a> and postmenopausal women.

One study, “A Plant-Centered Diet and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease during Young to Middle Adulthood,” followed the dietary habits and heart health of 4,946 adults who were between 18 and 30 years of age at the start of the study. 

After participants were enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, their dietary choices were assessed according to the A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS). This index categorizes foods as beneficial (fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains), adverse (including fried potatoes, high-fat red meat, salty snacks, pastries and soft drinks), or neutral (including potatoes, refined grains, lean meats and shellfish). Participants’ dietary choices were assessed again after seven years and twenty years.

Throughout the study, participants were not told what to eat, nor were they told their dietary scores. In addition, between the years of 1987 and 2016, the volunteers underwent a total of eight health examinations that involved lab tests and physical measurements, along with assessments of their lifestyle choices and medical histories. 

The findings show that during the 32 years over which the study was conducted, 289 of the participants developed cardiovascular disease. People who scored in the top 20 percent for dietary choices (ate the most nutritious plant foods and the fewest adverse foods) had a 52 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 

Moreover, people who improved their dietary choices during the course of the study were 61 percent less likely to develop heart disease when compared to those whose dietary choices became less healthy.

“A nutritionally rich, plant-centered diet is beneficial for cardiovascular health,” said lead author Yuni Choi of the University of Minnesota. “A plant-centered diet is not necessarily vegetarian. We think that individuals can include animal products in moderation from time to time, such as non-fried poultry, non-fried fish, eggs and low-fat dairy.”

The second study, “Relationship Between a Plant-Based Dietary Portfolio and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Findings from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Prospective Cohort Study," was led by Dr. Simin Liu of Brown University.  The researchers investigated whether the “portfolio diet” was successful at reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. 

The portfolio diet is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in lowering the levels of “bad” cholesterol. The diet involves eating mostly plant foods, such as nuts, soy, oats, barley and assorted fruits and vegetables. It also includes limited consumption of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. 

A total of 123,330 women, who took part in the Women’s Health Initiative study, followed the portfolio diet to varying degrees. When the study commenced, they were between 50 and 79 years old and were free of cardiovascular disease. During the study, which lasted an average of 15 years, the individuals completed questionnaires about their food choices while their cardiovascular health was monitored.

The findings revealed that women who followed the plant-based diet most closely were 11 percent less likely to develop any type of cardiovascular disease. They were also 14 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease and 17 percent less likely to develop heart failure.

The researchers feel that these results are important because they show that people can benefit from incorporating cholesterol-lowering plant foods into their diets even as mature adults.

“We also found a dose response in our study, meaning that you can start small, adding one component of the Portfolio Diet at a time, and gain more heart-health benefits as you add more components,” said lead author Andrea J. Glenn at the University of Toronto.

Although both of these new studies are observational rather than experimental, and make use of correlations that do not indicate causal relationships, researchers feel that the results are reliable due to the robust experimental designs, large sample sizes and long duration of monitoring.

---

By <a href="http://bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant foods linked to drastically lower risk of heart disease

Two studies published today in the Journal of the American...

Over the last six decades, invasive species have racked up $389.59 billion (US$298.58 billion) in costs for the Australian economy, according to researchers at <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a>. The study authors say that without better investments, reporting, and coordinated interventions, the price of invasive pests will only get worse.

Costs associated with the management of invasive plants were totaled at US$151.68 billion. The experts found that the costliest plants are ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus), and ragwort (Senecio jacobaea).

Invasive mammals imposed US$48.63 billion in costs, while insects racked up $11.95 billion. The study revealed that feral cats are the single-most costly individual species, followed by European rabbits and red imported fire ants.

The researchers analyzed data from InvaCost, a database developed to provide the most comprehensive compilation of invasion costs globally. 

The team also looked at how much each state or territory had spent tackling invasive species. New South Wales, Western Australia, and Victoria had the highest costs.

The research was led by Professor Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage.

“This is the most detailed analysis to date,” said Professor Bradshaw. “Australia has a long history of invasive species, and their impact is far-reaching, not only for our native animals and the environment but across our agricultural and health sectors as well.”

Study co-author Dr Andrew Hoskins of <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/">CSIRO</a> said it was important to understand the full breadth of the problem, to help prioritize future research and inform policy decisions.

“We captured species not previously detailed in any other nation-wide study of the economic burden of invasives, providing us with the most up-to-date picture of the cost of such species to our country," said Dr. Hoskins.

“This research shows that invasive species are causing serious and growing harm to our ecological, agricultural, and economic systems."

According to Professor Bradshaw, the large and ever-increasing costs of invasive species to Australia’s economy are substantial and also likely to be underestimated.

“We can reasonably assume that without better investment and coordinated interventions, including animal culls, Australia will continue to lose billions of dollars on invasive species over the coming decades.”

“And we aren’t just losing money, for there are many other types of economically intangible costs arising from invasive species that we have yet to measure adequately across Australia, such as the true extent of ecological damage, loss of cultural values and the erosion of ecosystem services, that is the many human benefits we draw from the environment, such as food and water.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://neobiota.pensoft.net/">NeoBiota</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Invasive species have racked up $390 billion bill in Australia

Over the last six decades, invasive species have racked up...

It has long been assumed that THC in hemp can increase due to environmental stress on the plant. But now, a new study from <a href="https://www.cornell.edu/">Cornell University</a> points to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-gut-microbiome-is-strongly-shaped-by-genetics/">genetics</a> as the cause for greater or lesser THC production. 

The research has very real world consequences. Government regulators closely monitor levels of THC in hemp. If plants contain 0.3% THC or less, they’re classified as hemp, if they contain more, they’re said to test “hot.” When plants test hot, farmers can lose entire crops.  

“One of our goals in our research and in fulfilling our extension mission is to reduce the risks to growers as much as possible," explained study senior author Larry Smart.

"With this research, growers should feel some comfort that stresses do not seem to have a strong effect on changing the ratio of CBD to THC.”

To test whether or not environmental stress caused an increase in THC, researchers created five test plots of hemp. The plants were each exposed to a different stressor, such as physical damage, flooding, powdery mildew, or an herbicide. 

The plants were then tested for THC levels throughout a four week trial period as their flowers matured. 

“What we found over the weeks that we were sampling, the amounts of CBD and THC went up proportionately in all of these different cultivars for all of these different stresses," said study lead author Jacob Toth.

The study further proves that genetics, rather than environment, determine the THC content and CBD to THC ratios in hemp, said Smart.

According to the experts, further research is now needed to discover the specific genetic components that make up plants with low and high THC content. This could lead to methods of regulatory testing earlier in a plant’s life, before it actually reaches a high level of THC content.  

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcbb.12880">GCB Bioenergy</a>.

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By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Genetics, not environmental stress, increases THC in hemp

It has long been assumed that THC in hemp can...

Adding colorful foods to your <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gray-wolves-survived-the-ice-age-by-changing-their-diet/">diet</a> may significantly lower your risk of cognitive decline, according to a new study published by the <a href="https://www.aan.com/">American Academy of Neurology</a>. 

The research suggests that eating at least half a serving per day of strawberries, oranges, peppers - and other foods high in flavonoids - can reduce the risk of cognitive decline by as much as 38 percent.

Flavonoids are naturally occurring compounds in plants that are considered powerful antioxidants. The researchers looked at several types of flavonoids, and determined that flavones and anthocyanins may offer the greatest protection against cognitive decline.

"There is mounting evidence suggesting flavonoids are powerhouses when it comes to preventing your thinking skills from declining as you get older," explained study lead author Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University. 

"Our results are exciting because they show that making simple changes to your diet could help prevent cognitive decline."

The analysis was focused on nearly 50,000 women with an average age of 48 and nearly 28,000 men with an average age of 51 at the start of the study. The individuals reported on their diet for 20 years.

The study participants also evaluated their own cognitive abilities over the course of the study, answering questions that indicated whether their memory had worsened enough for them to notice. 

The people that represented the highest 20 percent of flavonoid consumers had about 600 milligrams in their diets each day. Per 100 gram serving, strawberries have about 180 mg of flavonoids, while apples have about 113 mg.

According to the study, the flavones found in some spices and yellow or orange fruits and vegetables had the strongest protective effects. This particular class of flavonoids corresponded with a 38 percent lower risk of cognitive decline. 

Anthocyanins - found in blueberries, blackberries, and cherries - were associated with a 24 percent reduced risk of cognitive decline. 

"The people in our study who did the best over time ate an average of at least half a serving per day of foods like orange juice, oranges, peppers, celery, grapefruits, grapefruit juice, apples and pears," said Dr. Willett. 

"While it is possible other phytochemicals are at work here, a colorful diet rich in flavonoids - and specifically flavones and anthocyanins - seems to be a good bet for promoting long-term brain health." 

"And it's never too late to start, because we saw those protective relationships whether people were consuming the flavonoids in their diet 20 years ago, or if they started incorporating them more recently."

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

Colorful foods help prevent cognitive decline

Adding colorful foods to your diet may significantly lower your...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tomato-fruit-warns-the-rest-of-the-plant-when-attacked/">Fruits</a> from the Mandarin family are popular throughout the world. In Japan, the shiikuwasha and the tachibana are two culturally important varieties, yet the history of these and other mandarin fruits has been a long-standing mystery. 

Now, researchers at the <a href="https://www.oist.jp/">Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University</a> (OIST) have analyzed 69 genomes of the east Asian mandarins. The experts compared the east Asian varieties to those in mainland Asia, revealing an interesting history. 

Wild mandarin diversity originated in southern China, and most domestic varieties have their origins there as well. The scientists discovered that wild mandarins found in the mountains of the area were not one but actually two subspecies. 

Dr. Guohong Albert Wu, who collaborated on the research from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California, explained how different the two are.

"We found that one of these mandarin subspecies can produce offspring that are genetically identical to the mother," said Dr. Wu.

"Like many other plants, wild citrus typically reproduces when the pollen of the father combines with the egg of the mother, mixing the genes from both parents in the seed." 

"But we found a subspecies of wild mandarins from Mangshan, in southern China, where the seed contains an identical copy of the mother's DNA without any input from a father. So, the seed grows to be a clone of the mother tree."

In Okinawa, the scientists looked more closely at an odd citrus that is similar to shiikuwasha, with small acidic fruits that are undesirable to local farmers. Surprisingly, the researchers discovered that this citrus is a new species they called the Ryuku Citrus, or Citrus ryukyuensis. Unlike the citrus in China, this one reproduces only sexually. 

Interestingly, the experts determined that all of the shiikuwasha citrus varieties are hybrids, with one parent being from mainland China and one parent being from the Ryukyu citrus. It seems that one parent was brought from mainland China to the Ryuku Islands long ago, where it mated with a local citrus, producing a hybrid. 

Even more interestingly, all of the Japanese citrus varieties that the scientists looked at turned out to be hybrids. 

The researchers point out that this information could be valuable. If we can understand the history of hybridization, what new varieties of citrus could also be created through hybridization?  

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

History of Okinawan mandarin revealed

Fruits from the Mandarin family are popular throughout the world....

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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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...

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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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