When naturalists tally the frogs in a farm pond or the orchids in a mountain meadow they always encounter the same rule of thumb: when you survey a larger range, the more species you find. The relationship seems simple, yet ecologists have puzzled over an odd signature hidden in species distribution data for nearly a century.



As one zooms out from local plots to regional landscapes. the tally of new species first soars. Then, it plateaus, taking off again at continental and global scales. That curious “S-shaped” curve is technically, the three-phase species–area relationship. 



It has appeared in everything from beetles to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-wings-have-a-surprising-effect-on-island-biodiversity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> and from coral reefs to desert shrubs. Until now, no single mathematical framework explained why the curve changes its slope where it does.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predicting-species-distributions">Predicting species distributions </h2>



A collaboration of researchers spanning Portugal, Germany, the United States and South Africa has now filled that theoretical gap. 



The experts combined basic geometry with giant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-are-the-biggest-drivers-of-biodiversity-loss/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">biodiversity</a> datasets to show that the three phases arise inevitably from the way individual species spread their geographic ranges across Earth’s surface.



The team's model not only reproduces the classic patterns, it also generates equations that predict how many species should occur at the precise break points between phases - a feat with direct relevance for conservation planners who must estimate extinctions as habitats are lost.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-range-size-affects-species-distributions">Range size affects species distributions</h2>



Ecologists formalized the species-area relationship (SAR) in the early twentieth century, discovering that a log-log plot of cumulative species versus area usually forms a straight line. Yet when studies started to cover larger domains, investigators found the line was actually composed of three segments.



In the first segment, from local quadrants to perhaps a few hundred square kilometers, adding more land brings a flood of new species because each little patch contains slightly different microhabitats. In the middle segment, spanning thousands of square kilometers, the pace slackens; the same bird species, for instance, occupy most forests inside a biogeographic region. 



Beyond that, when continents are added, evolutionary history enters the picture and the slope shoots up again as entirely different faunas come into view. Empirically describing those bends was straightforward; explaining them from first principles proved harder. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-ranges-of-species">Individual ranges of species</h2>



“We demonstrated that the individual geographical ranges of all species within the studied areas shape the typical species distribution patterns we observe across the globe,” said lead author Luís Borda-de-Água of <a href="https://www.cibio.up.pt/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CIBIO</a> in Portugal.



By mathematically stacking these ranges like overlapping tiles on a floor plan, the team showed that the SAR’s inflection points fall where the average range size of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-temperature-extremes-change-the-distribution-of-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resident species</a> equals the sampling area. At small scales most ranges eclipse the plot, so each extra hectare introduces new species.



At intermediate scales the plot begins to rival range size, so fewer novelties appear. At the largest scales even the widest-ranging species occupy only one continent, restoring the steep climb.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-testing-patterns-and-crunching-records">Testing patterns and crunching records</h2>



To test the idea the researchers turned to the <a href="https://www.gbif.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Biodiversity Information Facility</a>, a compendium of citizen-science sightings and museum records. They extracted roughly 700 million geo-referenced observations spanning birds, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/over-40-of-amphibians-face-extinction-due-to-escalating-climate-threats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amphibians</a>, mammals and vascular plants.



For each taxonomic group they generated empirical SARs and compared them with the theoretical predictions. The correspondence was striking: predicted transition points - where the slope of the SAR changes - matched the observed curves within confidence bounds for all groups.



Borda-de-Água noted that this is a major step forward in ecology because it links a macroecological pattern to a simple, measurable property - range size - without invoking mysterious external factors. 



Senior author Henrique Pereira is a research professor at the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research <a href="https://www.idiv.de/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(iDiv</a>) and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. 



Pereira emphasized the significance of the research. “Discovering fundamental principles in ecology is just as thrilling as breakthroughs in physics.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-stakes-for-a-shrinking-planet"><a></a>Practical stakes for a shrinking planet</h2>



Beyond intellectual satisfaction the model carries weighty consequences for biodiversity assessments. International panels such as IPBES rely on SARs to translate lost habitat into predicted extinctions. 



If analysts know where a landscape sits on the three-phase curve they can apply the correct slope and avoid over- or under-estimating risk. The new equations provide exactly that guidance. 



Suppose a logged forest fragment still covers more area than the average range of its endemic beetles; species losses may be modest. But once destruction pushes the fragment below the first transition threshold, disappearing hectares cause a much steeper decline in species count.



Because the theory is scale-free it can also help conservationists decide whether sampling has been adequate. If observed species richness does not yet reach the slowdown phase, additional survey work is warranted before managers proclaim an inventory complete.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-species-distributions">Shifting species distributions </h2>



The authors acknowledge that species’ ranges are not static. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-action-and-biodiversity-striking-the-right-balance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Climate change</a>, invasive species, and land-use shifts continually redraw distribution maps. 



Incorporating dynamic range models into the three-phase framework will be a priority, as will extending tests to marine organisms and microbes, whose ranges are harder to delineate.



Still, the study offers a rare optimism amid grim extinction headlines. By revealing the geometry behind one of ecology’s most robust laws, scientists gain a clearer lens through which to view and perhaps mitigate humanity’s impact on life’s diversity.



As Pereira puts it, advances like these “unveil hidden patterns that have been shaping life on Earth for millions of years,” providing the knowledge base needed to steer those patterns, responsibly, into the future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59239-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Saving biodiversity: Scientists discover hidden pattern guiding species distributions

When naturalists tally the frogs in a farm pond or the orchids in a mountain meadow they always encounter the same rule of thumb: when you survey a larger range, the more species you find. The relationship seems simple, yet ecologists have puzzled over an odd signature hidden in species distribution data for nearly a century. As one zooms out from local plots to regional landscapes. the tally of new species first soars. Then, it plateaus, taking off again at continental and global scales. That curious “S-shaped”...

Researchers at <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> recently made a discovery that debunks the longstanding theory that European traders introduced tobacco to Pacific Northwest Native Americans in the late 18th century. After studying the remains of pipes and pipe fragments used by the Nez Perce Indians, archaeologists now know the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/first-native-americans/">indigenous people</a> were smoking tobacco at least 1,200 years ago.

"Usually in archaeology we just find little pieces of artifacts, things that you might not think much of," Shannon Tushingham, a WSU assistant professor and director of its Museum of Anthropology, said. "But the information that we can extract from them on a molecular level is phenomenal."

Tushingham and her partner in the study, David Gang, a professor in the <a href="https://ibc.wsu.edu/">Institute of Biological Chemistry</a>, published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They wrote that their newfound data is "the longest continuous biomolecular record of ancient tobacco smoking from a single region anywhere in the world."

It has been previously thought that the Nez Perce Indians and other indigenous groups in the Pacific Northwest only smoked kinnikinnik and bearberry until traders brought tobacco to them in 1790. Naturally occurring tobacco in the region was fairly hard to come by due to the cool climate. However, Tushingham and Gang believe the native peoples were cultivating and growing their own tobacco well before the influence of traders.

Their findings show that the indigenous tribes were not as passive and reliant on nature as some like to believe. Not only did they most likely grow their own tobacco crops, but they also grew their own clams on the coast.

[caption id="attachment_1861382" align="aligncenter" width="643"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/native-americans-tobacco.jpeg"><img class="size-large wp-image-1861382" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/native-americans-tobacco-643x1024.jpeg" alt="" width="643" height="1024" /></a> Nez Perce Chief Lawyer holds an elbow pipe. Image Credit: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, NA 627[/caption]

“This is just another sign of the sophistication of cultures in this area and how they managed plants and animals,” Tushingham said.

Tushingham and Gang hope that this realization will help in regards to native smoking-cessation programs. Since tobacco is much more ingrained into native society than originally thought, treatment could potentially be approached from a different, more effective standpoint.

--

By <a href="mailto:oliviagharvey24@gmail.com">Olivia Harvey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tobacco was part of Native American culture long before Europeans

Researchers at Washington State University recently made a discovery that...

A new discovery at the Department of Energy's <a href="https://www.lbl.gov/">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a> has revealed that climate scientists should be paying more attention to what happens among plants at night. The experts have found that, in the absence of photosynthesis, plant nutrient uptake is having an effect on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meat-dairy-production-emissions/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> that is not being accounted for in climate models.


Using a land model that they developed and integrated into the DOE's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), the researchers discovered that plants can absorb more carbon dioxide than previously realized. The study also demonstrated that soils lose less nitrous oxide than what has been estimated. 

“This is goodish news, with respect to what is currently in the climate models,” said study lead author William Riley, a scientist in Berkeley Lab's Earth &amp; Environmental Sciences Area. “But it's not good news in general - it's not going to solve the problem. No matter what, plants will not keep up with anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions; it's just that they might do better than current models suggest.”

Over the past decade, humans have emitted an unprecedented amount of carbon dioxide, averaging 34 gigatons per year. Around half of that CO2 lingers in the atmosphere, while the rest is absorbed by oceans and land. The amount of carbon captured by land varies from year to year depending on factors such as land use, fires, drought, and weather.


The Berkeley Lab findings suggest that, by not accurately accounting for what plants do at night and during the non-growing season, climate models may be substantially underestimating the terrestrial carbon sink and overestimating nitrous oxide release.

To test the new model, study co-author Qing Zhu conducted a meta-analysis of 120 experiments that were focused on the short-term nitrogen uptake by plants.

“We also compared observations of nutrient uptake at nighttime versus daytime and across non-growing seasons,” said Riley. “We're pretty confident that the basic mechanisms in the model are correct and this meta-analysis and individual site observations back that up.”

The research team determined that a substantial amount of nutrient uptake occurs in the absence of photosynthesis as plants and microbes compete for nutrients. 

“The amounts vary a lot by latitude, but in the higher latitudes, such as the Arctic, roughly 20 percent of plants' annual nitrogen uptake occurs outside the growing season. That goes up to 55 percent for nighttime uptake in the tropics,” said Riley. 

“That's a huge deal for plants and will facilitate atmospheric carbon uptake, and it's currently completely ignored in most climate models. This type of model improvement will help us better understand implications of future CO2 emissions.”

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants are storing more carbon thanks to nighttime activity

A new discovery at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley...

The ancient residents of Central America knew how to prioritize. Geneticists have found that they first domesticated the cacao tree about 3,600 years ago.

The discovery doesn’t just show that ancient farmers knew what was important. It can also help geneticists and anthropologists trace human migrations throughout the two continents that make up the Americas.

"This evidence increases our understanding of how humans moved and established in America," lead author Dr. Omar Cornejo of <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> said in a press release. "It is important in itself because it gives us a timeframe for asking questions that are perhaps trickier: How long did it take to make a good cacao? How strong was the process of domestication? How many plants were necessary to domesticate a tree?"

Cornejo led a team of 18 scientists from 11 different institutions, including <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>, <a href="https://www.indiana.edu/">Indiana University</a>, <a href="http://www.mars.com/global">Mars, Inc.</a> and the <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">U.S. Department of Agriculture</a>.

The researchers sequenced 200 plants, to spot variations in the genome that could indicate where and when the cacao tree was first domesticated.

They found that the “prince of cocoas,” a variety of Theobroma cacao known as Criollo, originated in the Amazon, near the border of Colombia and Ecuador. However, it was domesticated in Central America, where seeds were probably brought by traders.

The farmers who domesticated the cacao tree selected for flavor, disease resistance, and theobromine, a stimulant, but this meant that the plant kept genes linked to smaller crops.

These insights may be able to help researchers increase cacao tree production without sacrificing flavor, the researchers said.

"What we would like to have is a way to combine plants from populations with high productivity – like Iquitos – with plants of Criollo origin, while retaining all these desirable traits that make Criollo cacao be the best in the world," Cornejo said.

The study has been published in the open source journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-018-0168-6">Communications Biology</a>. Funding for the study came from chocolate company Mars, Inc., which is backing efforts to study the cacao tree genome.

--

By <a href="mailto:kcathey@earth.com">Kyla Cathey</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Contributing Writer

Farmers first grew cacao tree 3,600 years ago

The ancient residents of Central America knew how to prioritize....

Microdosing, the concept of taking a small amount of a psychedelic, has been growing in popularity and garnering a great deal of interest in the scientific community. 

In Silicon Valley, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/sep/01/first-ever-trials-on-the-effects-of-microdosing-lsd-set-to-begin">LSD microdosing</a> is the latest trend in productivity, and the habit is said to help sharpen thinking skills and boost creativity at work. 

More and more researchers are studying the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microdosing-lsd-study/">impacts of microdosing</a>, especially because of the reported effects that psychedelics have on depression and anxiety. 

Researchers from <a href="https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en">Leiden University</a> in the Netherlands recently conducted a study, the first of its kind, to better understand how microdosing mushrooms helps with problem-solving skills. 

The results showed that taking a small amount of magic mushrooms helped study participants come up with more original ideas and tackle solutions more effectively. 

36 participants took part in the study, and the researchers gave them a microdose, 0.37 grams, of dried truffles. 

The participants were asked to complete three tasks designed to assess problem-solving and fluid intelligence before and after taking the truffles. 

Specifically, the researchers measured the participants’ convergent and divergent thinking skills which involves finding either one or several solutions to a problem, according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6316307/Tiny-doses-magic-mushrooms-improve-problem-solving-skills-study-claims.html">Daily Mail. 
</a>

The participants were better at coming up with many different solutions and were more creative in their solutions after taking the microdose. 

“Taken together, our results suggest that consuming a microdose of truffles allowed participants to create more out-of-the-box alternative solutions for a problem, thus providing preliminary support for the assumption that microdosing improves divergent thinking,” Luisa Prochazkova, the leader of the study, told the Daily Mail. 

The results are limited due to the small number of participants, but the study is yet another in a growing field investigating the impacts of microdosing psychedelics and the benefits for cognition, focus, creativity, and as a treatment for some forms of mental health disorders. 

“Apart from its benefits as a potential cognitive enhancement technique, microdosing could be further investigated for its therapeutic efficacy to help individuals who suffer from rigid thought patterns or behavior such as individuals with depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder,” said Prochazkova. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study: Microdosing mushrooms boosts problem-solving and creativity

Microdosing, the concept of taking a small amount of a...

Certain moss produces anti-inflammatory chemical similar to THC. The healing properties of cannabinoids are a topic of much debate around the world and within the medical community. 

There have been many studies showing the benefits of the cannabinoids <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cannabis-compound-psychosis/">THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)</a> and CBD. THC produces the psychoactive high in the brain and as such is considered an illegal narcotic.

THC has been shown to help with nausea and inflammation which is why researchers are keen to explore its potential medicinal value. It was thought that the only plant that produces THC is cannabis. Certain moss produces anti-inflammatory chemical 

However, a new study conducted by researchers from the <a href="http://www.ibmm.unibe.ch/">Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the University of Bern</a> shows that a type of moss called Radula perrottetii contains a substance called perrottetinene which is related to THC. 

The study was recently published in the journal Science Advances. 

First discovered in 1994 by a Japanese phytochemist, perrottetinene’s atoms are linked in a similar way to THC and the plant, commonly known as liverwort, was even advertised as a legal high. 

The researchers set out to investigate the pharmacological effects of liverwort to see if it could be a substitute for THC and if it had similar health benefits. 

For the study, the researchers analyzed and compared THC and perrottetinene. Animal models also allowed the researchers to examine how perrottetinene affected the brain and the researchers found that the substance easily reached the brain and activated the same cannabinoid receptors that THC does.

Large amounts of the substance were needed for the study, and the plant only grows in a few areas of the globe. The research took a monumental collaborative effort to isolate perrottetinene and create a way to control its <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=neurotoxin&amp;cvid=6276f24e21734049bd798be2a26e0cea&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">atomic</a> structure at a molecular level. 

Perrottetinene also appeared to have a stronger anti-inflammatory effect on the brain compared to THC and has weaker psychoactive properties. This makes liverwort a promising plant to study as a replacement for THC. 

“It's astonishing that only two species of plants, separated by 300 million years of evolution, produce psychoactive cannabinoids,” said Jürg Gertsch, the leader of the study. 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: University of Bern/Stefan Fischer

Certain moss produces anti-inflammatory chemical

Certain moss produces anti-inflammatory chemical similar to THC. The healing...

A new study has identified the pathways that a plant’s genes use to direct to nitrogen to different parts based on need and the amount of nitrogen in the soil. 

Nitrogen is a key part of the growth process for plants, and when the amount of nitrogen in the soil is limited, plants can direct nitrogen to its roots, flowers, and seed heads depending on who needs what. 

Around 200 million tons of fertilizer is used every year by farmers to help increase yields, but nitrogen fertilizer can be extremely costly and poses a risk to the environment when fertilizer runoff <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-pollution-open-ocean/">leaches into waterways. </a>

The <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone-is-largest-ever-measured">massive dead zone </a>in the Gulf of Mexico, for example, is the direct result of nutrient pollution from fertilizer runoff into the Mississippi River watershed. 

While researchers know that plants can actively direct nitrogen taken up from the soil, the specifics of the plant nitrogen network has remained a mystery until now. 

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/ithaca-ny/robert-w-holley-center-for-agriculture-health/plant-soil-and-nutrition-research/">Agricultural Research Service Plant, Soil, and Nutrition Research Laboratory</a> recently identified the network of genes and gene regulators responsible for nitrogen allocation. 

The study, published in the journal Nature, could help with breeding new plant varieties that can more effectively use nitrogen which would reduce demand for nitrogen fertilizer for farmers. 

For the study, the researchers used computational and molecular biological methods to identify 23 proteins called “transcription factors.” These proteins have specific roles in sending nitrogen to different parts of the plant. 

Molecular biologist Doreen Ware, a member of the research team, then traced the proteins back the genes that control them and forward to the genes that they regulate. 

“What my team and our collaborators at the<a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/"> University of California-Davis (UC-Davis)</a> have identified are plant gene networks that direct nitrogen to those places where the plant benefits the most when nitrogen is in limited availability,” said Ware. 

The researchers also identified transcription factors that influenced other processes of plant growth. 

Understanding how plants allocate nitrogen could help researchers with plant breeding, and uncovering the network of genes and gene regulators is a vital part of this process. 

“One day we may be able to precisely breed for specific plant types since a plant breeder could know exactly which genes need to be present so that a root vegetable will direct nitrogen to its roots first in times of limited availability or temperature change,” said Ware. “Or, with crops where the important yield is in the seed head such as with wheat or oats, breeders would select plants with genes to direct nitrogen to seed heads first.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: DuPont Pioneer

How plants regulate their own nitrogen use

A new study has identified the pathways that a plant’s...

Col-0 and jazD Arabidopsis plants

Plants have a finite amount of energy that must be properly allocated to ensure growth and survival.

It’s been theorized that a plant under attack from leaf-eating insects will spend more of its fixed energy budget <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-battle-deadly-fungus/">on defense</a>, but as a result, growth is hindered and slows down. 

Researchers from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> genetically modified a plant so that its defense systems were in constant overdrive and observed how this impacted growth. 

A study detailing the new research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

The growth-defense trade-off paradigm states that a plant will allocate resources where they are most needed despite the costs. 

“Our study provides evidence that large investments in defense necessarily reduce the amount of resources that otherwise would be available for growth and reproductive fitness,” said Qiang Guo, a graduate student who was part of the study. 

Plants under stress from herbivores will produce toxins to ward off plant-eating insects, but when those defenses are no longer needed, a plant will use repressor proteins called JAZ to shut down defense systems and preserve energy. 

The researchers genetically bred a plant so that it was missing a large majority of its repressor JAZ proteins which caused the plant to be in constant defense mode. 

“It kept producing defense compounds, even in the absence of threats. As expected, it showed high resistance to insects,” said Guo. “Unleashing this defense arsenal also provided protection against fungi that target plant tissues.”

Without the JAZ proteins, the researchers noticed that growth in the genetically bred plant slowed down drastically to compensate for the energy trade-off. 

“They have a much slower growth rate compared to their wild type counterparts. We can literally see and measure the deficit in growth rate per day,” said Guo. 

The plants in the study also produced one-third fewer seeds which germinated later than usual. The seeds were smaller and had less nutritional value than wild plant seeds, and the researchers discovered that photosynthesis didn’t play a part in the slowed growth rate. 

“The mutated plant gets the same amount of energy compounds from photosynthesis as its wild, natural counterpart,” said Ian Major, a member of the research team. “However, it consumes more energy than usual. We think the plant is fueling the massive and constant production of defense compounds, which draws resources away from growth.”

Now, thanks to this study which took ten years in the making, researchers have a better understanding of how plants allocate resources and defend against different threats. 

“Our conclusion is that JAZ proteins help plants grow and reproduce by taming their defenses when the threat of attack is low, which conserves energy,” said Major. “Depending on the severity of the threat, the JAZ proteins will dial up the defenses as needed, perhaps like a dimmable light switch.” 

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory

Plant growth suffers when defense takes priority

Plants have a finite amount of energy that must be...

On October 17, Canada became the second country in the world to legalize the recreational use of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/medical-marijuana-ms/">marijuana</a>. Experts are warning that despite the fact the drug is now legal, more research is needed to investigate the long-term health effects of smoking cannabis, which are relatively unknown. 

Aside from its active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana is very similar to tobacco. Dr. Wan Tan and Dr. Don Sin of the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation at the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> report that the negative impacts of marijuana may be underestimated in the same way that the dangers of cigarettes were once unknown.

The authors write: “Whereas many view marijuana as a relatively safe drug, and the numerous health benefits and safety of marijuana, especially when used for medicinal purposes, are touted in various media, others have expressed concern that the overall health benefits of ‘medical’ marijuana have been overstated and the drug's harms understated, as was the case for tobacco cigarettes before 1964.”


For the most part, existing evidence of the effects of marijuana on lung health is conflicting. Some research has found that smoking marijuana causes respiratory symptoms and an increased risk of chronic bronchitis, yet other long-term clinical studies have had unclear results.

The authors of the commentary are calling for more research into the effects of marijuana on lung health and the risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

They conclude: “It is essential that, with the legalization of marijuana, well-designed preclinical in vitro, animal and clinical human studies are conducted to address pressing gaps in knowledge. With further research, the mysteries and myths behind marijuana can be resolved.”

The report is published in the <a href="http://www.cmaj.ca/">Canadian Medical Association Journal</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How long-term marijuana use affects lung health remains unknown

On October 17, Canada became the second country in the...

Carrot extract could be the key to creating environmentally friendly cement, according to a new study by British researchers.

The team at <a href="http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/">Lancaster University</a> used a surprisingly low-tech method to test their theory that carrot extract could make cement stronger while cutting carbon dioxide emissions: a common household blender.

The scientists blended nano platelets extracted from carrots and ordinary cement to create a crack-resistant material up to 80 percent stronger than traditional cement.

“The composites are not only superior to current cement products in terms of mechanical and microstructure properties, but also use smaller amounts of cement,” Dr. Mohamed Saai told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html">Daily Mail</a>. “This significantly reduces both the energy consumption and [carbon dioxide] emissions associated with cement manufacturing.”

The key is in the cellulose.

The fibrous material is what makes carrots so rigid and crunchy, even though the root vegetables are mostly water, Christian Kemp-Griffin, CEO of Scotland-based CelluComp, the company that provided the carrot extract.

“Those fibers have strength characteristics in them. It’s the building blocks of the strength of a vegetable,” he told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/">Reuters</a>.

It can be extracted from other plant material, but vegetables are easiest, Kemp-Griffin said. 

Adding the carrot extract saved about 88 pounds of cement per cubic square meter of concrete, and about the same amount in carbon dioxide emissions, the Lancaster researchers discovered during proof-of-concept studies.

“Our preliminary results show that adding about half a kilogram of carrot nanomaterial will reduce about 10 kilograms of cement per one cubic meter of concrete,” Saafi told the Mail.

The news could be big for the construction industry, not just because the resulting material seems stronger and less likely to crack. According to the <a href="https://www.iea.org/">International Energy Agency</a>, cement produces about seven percent of global carbon dioxide emissions.

Carrot extract isn’t the only solution, either. The British researchers are also experimenting with cellulose extracted from sugar beets.

Carrot extract could make cement stronger, more eco-friendly

Carrot extract could be the key to creating environmentally friendly...

Cotton, long known as “the fabric of our lives,” starts out as tufts of fiber and seed in the cotton plant. For every pound of cotton fiber or lint, there are 1.6 pounds of seeds. 

According to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/10/17/658221327/not-just-for-cows-anymore-new-cottonseed-is-safe-for-people-to-eat">NPR</a>, there are 40 million tons of cottonseed removed from cotton lint every year. While these seeds are made into animal feed and oils that are safe for human consumption and used in many different food products, the seeds themselves are toxic to humans because they contain gossypol, a toxic chemical.  

Soon though, the cottonseed may be safe for humans and animals and used in everything from flours to hummus due to a new genetically engineered kind of cotton plant.

This week, the <a href="https://www.usda.gov/">US Department of Agriculture</a> approved a new kind of cotton plant that was developed by researchers from <a href="https://www.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University</a>. 

Texas produces the most cotton in the United States, according to the <a href="http://www.cotton.org/edu/faq/">National Cotton Council of America.</a>

The cottonseed is packed with protein and oils, and so it has a lot of potential as a food source. The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/">Food and Drug Administration</a> (FDA) has not yet approved the new cottonseeds, but the Department of Agriculture's new move allows farmers to grow the seed and paves the way for testing and approval. 

Gossypol is found both in the cotton plant’s seed and leaves, and it’s a significant deterrent for pests, but the researchers wanted to make the seeds of the plant safe while keeping gossypol in the leaves. 

Keerti Rathore started working on creating a new kind of plant 23 years ago. Rathore found a way to silence gene expression or switch off the gene responsible for gossypol production in the seeds of the plant while still keeping the chemical in the leaves. 

“This was my first project, and hopefully it's coming to an end, and a good conclusion,” Rathore told NPR.

Rathore has even tried the seeds from his new genetically engineered cotton plant and says that they taste like chickpeas. 

The potential impact that cottonseed could have on food demand is not small, and Rathore explained to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-science-cotton/modified-cotton-could-be-human-food-source-after-u-s-green-light-idUSKCN1MR26Y">Reuters</a> that cottonseed could meed the daily protein requirements of 575 million people. 

In countries where many people routinely don’t get the nutrition they need, but cotton is widely grown like in India, this new cotton plant could provide a buffer against <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/war-urbanization-global-malnutrition/">malnutrition</a>. 

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By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-science-cotton/modified-cotton-could-be-human-food-source-after-u-s-green-light-idUSKCN1MR26Y">Reuters</a>

Cotton plant with edible seeds could offer nutrition to millions

Cotton, long known as “the fabric of our lives,” starts...

What do dandelion seeds and the Wright brothers have in common? They both invented a new form of flight… kind of.

A new discovery from researchers at the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/">University of Edinburgh</a> has revealed that the amazing flying ability of dandelion seeds is the result of a form of flight that has never been seen before in nature. Researchers found that this plant – one of the world’s best natural fliers – utilizes movement of air around and within its parachute-shaped bundle of bristles to help the seeds travel far and wide. These seeds can often travel up to a kilometer or more by only using the power of wind.

In their study, the research team found that a ring-shaped bubble forms as air moves through the parachute structure of dandelion seeds’ bristles. This increases the drag that slows each seed’s descent to the ground. The scientists have named this air bubble the “separated vortex ring.”

[caption id="attachment_1861062" align="aligncenter" width="480"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/dandelion-seeds.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1861062" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/dandelion-seeds.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /></a> Image Credit: Cathal Cummins[/caption]

The amount of air flowing through the ring – which is physically detached from the bristles and stabilized by airflow through it – is precisely controlled by the spacing of the bristles, and is critical for keeping the bubble stable and directly above the seed during flight. According to the research, this flight mechanism is four times more efficient than what humans can do with conventional parachute design. 

Researchers believe that their study, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>, could lead to the development of small-scale drones that require little to no power consumption. These types of drones could be used for remote sensing or <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-intelligence/">air pollution</a> monitoring.

“Taking a closer look at the ingenious structures in nature – like the dandelion’s parachute – can reveal novel insights,” says Dr. Cathal Cummings of the University of Edinburgh's Schools of Biological Sciences and Engineering. “We found a natural solution for flight that minimizes the material and energy costs, which can be applied to engineering of sustainable technology.”

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By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Newly discovered form of natural flight found in dandelion seeds

What do dandelion seeds and the Wright brothers have in...

Coffee growers in Latin America are facing one of the most severe threats to crops in the last 60 years. Coffee leaf rust is causing billions of dollars in damages and threatening the world's coffee supply.

Coffee leaf rust, or Hemileia vastatrix, is an orange, powdery fungus that causes the plants to lose their leaves, resulting in major production losses. In the worst cases, entire crops have been lost for up to two years.

The disease began to spread rampantly during the 2011-2012 growing season. Since that time, 70 percent of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/coffee-drinkers-live-longer-lives/">coffee</a> farms in Central America have been affected, causing over $3 billion in damages.

Cathie Aime is a mycologist at <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/">Purdue University</a> who studies the systematics of rust fungi. 

“This is one of those rusts that even though it’s been with us for over 100 years, we don’t even understand its entire life cycle,” said Aime. “This is much more difficult than it sounds. For rust fungi, they’re obligate pathogens, so you can’t get pure DNA in meaningful quantities. You can’t grow it in culture or manipulate it in the lab. And they’re microfungi, so you are dealing with extremely small organisms embedded in their host.”

[caption id="attachment_1861058" align="aligncenter" width="700"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/coffee.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1861058" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/coffee.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="566" /></a> Image Credit: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org[/caption]

The British colony of Ceylon, which is Sri Lanka today, was once a major coffee producer until coffee leaf rust wiped out the crop in the late 1800s. Central America coffee crops were threatened by the disease in the 1970s, but the combination of management practices and new resistant coffee varieties kept losses to a minimum.

“Suddenly it is once again becoming of extreme economic importance,” said Aime. “There’s low levels of rust disease evident everywhere, but they haven’t caused the kind of major epidemics, besides Ceylon, that we’re seeing again today.”

Experts are warning that the fungus is evolving, and surprisingly little is known about it. This emphasizes the need for a detailed genetic analysis of coffee leaf rust.

“Sequencing and annotating the coffee leaf rust genome is essential research work in our quest to combat coffee’s No. 1 disease. With this information in place, breeders may draw on it to create varieties resistant to rust,” explained Tim Schilling, CEO and founder of <a href="https://worldcoffeeresearch.org/">World Coffee Research</a>. 

“Dr. Aime and the team at Purdue is doing crucial research in this regard. With her specific expertise in the evolution of rust fungi, Dr. Aime is uniquely equipped to help us develop a solution to this extreme challenge complicating the future of coffee production.”

Cathie Aime and the Purdue researchers recently received a grant from World Coffee Research to study the disease.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Rust fungus outbreak is threatening the world’s coffee supply

Coffee growers in Latin America are facing one of the...

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

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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?

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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

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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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