High in the Dolomites of northern Italy, a quiet forest of spruce trees witnessed a cosmic event. As the moon began its slow passage across the face of the sun, these trees did something extraordinary. They didn’t just react to the solar eclipse - they prepared for it. 



Hours before the eclipse unfolded, the inner signals of the trees began to shift in synchrony, echoing across the forest like an invisible wave.



What if <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trees-are-losing-the-battle-against-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forests</a> could think? What if they didn’t just survive but sensed, remembered, and collectively adapted? These questions are no longer the domain of poetic speculation. A new international study has brought scientific weight to these ideas, revealing a forest’s capacity for anticipation and communication.



Led by Professor Alessandro Chiolerio of the Italian Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.iit.it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IIT</a>) and the University of the West of England (<a href="https://www.uwe.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UWE</a>), and Professor Monica Gagliano of <a href="https://www.scu.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Cross University</a>, the research shows how spruce trees behave not just as individuals but as members of a responsive, interconnected ecosystem.



The trees began altering their bioelectrical rhythms well before the eclipse. This wasn’t passive reaction - it was a coordinated prelude.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-older-trees-sense-eclipse-first">Older trees sense eclipse first</h2>



The researchers placed specialized sensors on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planting-new-trees-brings-hope-for-healthier-babies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> ranging from decades-old elders to young saplings. The trees’ bioelectrical signals - minute voltage changes across their tissues - began shifting as early as 14 hours before the solar eclipse occurred.



Remarkably, older trees were the first to display these changes. They exhibited increased entropy and bioelectrical complexity long before the event, suggesting deep memory rooted in past experiences. 



These ancient trees acted as environmental archives, holding clues from previous eclipses and perhaps other rare events that have repeated over their long lives.



“The fact that older trees respond first - potentially guiding the collective response of the forest - speaks volumes about their role as memory banks of past environmental events,” said Professor Gagliano.



This age-based hierarchy of response shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-trees-are-reaching-new-heights-in-the-mountains/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> are not just passive organisms. Instead, they may actively use memory to shape real-time responses to future events. The old trees don’t simply endure - they teach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tree-signals-sync-before-an-eclipse">Tree signals sync before an eclipse</h2>



Custom-built CyberTree sensors recorded data from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/slow-and-steady-tree-growth-wins-the-race-for-carbon-capture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trees</a> at four distinct forest sites. Trees of different ages and light exposure were included. Some trees were healthy and tall, others young and shaded, and several were even stumps from felled trees.



In one 20-year-old tree, researchers noticed sharp, square-wave-like bioelectrical spikes hours before the eclipse. These signals vanished immediately after the event, creating a clear boundary in the data. 



Older trees showed broader but more persistent fluctuations. During the eclipse itself, bioelectrical activity became less chaotic and more ordered.



“This study illustrates the anticipatory and synchronized responses we observed are key to understanding how forests communicate and adapt, revealing a new layer of complexity in plant behavior,” explained Professor Gagliano.



This coordination wasn’t superficial. It ran deep through the trees’ vascular systems - through xylem and phloem - recorded using electrodes both within trunks and around their circumference. The result was a living, electrical map of the forest’s inner state.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whole-forest-acts-as-one-system">Whole forest acts as one system</h2>



The synchrony wasn’t limited to isolated trees. Researchers applied cross-correlation analysis to examine relationships among signals from different trees. What they found was striking. As the eclipse approached, trees didn’t just change individually. They aligned with each other.



Compared to normal days, during the eclipse the trees exhibited larger deviations in signal symmetry. This meant the forest wasn’t operating randomly. Each tree’s electrical behavior influenced - and was influenced by - others. These shifts showed signs of communication and responsiveness beyond traditional ecological models.



“We now see the forest not as a mere collection of individuals, but as an orchestra of phase correlated plants,” said Professor Chiolerio.



Especially strong synchrony occurred between the oldest trees, suggesting that longevity also brings a central role in networked behaviors. Their signals moved together like synchronized swimmers, responding as one to the cosmic shift overhead.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-trees-align-their-behavior">How trees align their behavior</h2>



To make sense of this synchrony, the team turned to an unlikely ally - quantum field theory (QFT). Trees, they argued, are open, dissipative systems. They constantly exchange energy with their environment, and classical physics falls short in describing their complex coordination.



By using thermal QFT models, the researchers could describe the trees' behavior at both molecular and systemic levels. They showed how microscopic structures like ion channels and water molecules aligned their activity, giving rise to coherent macroscopic behavior.



In this framework, the forest’s response becomes a form of spontaneous symmetry breaking. That is, a small environmental trigger - in this case, the eclipse - produces a large-scale shift in system organization.



During the eclipse, the system’s entropy dropped, coherence increased, and the forest appeared to enter a new state - like an orchestra locking into tempo after tuning their instruments. The forest was not only alive. It was aware.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gravity-may-cue-the-response">Gravity may cue the response</h2>



A mystery remained: how could trees begin responding before the eclipse even started? The usual suspects - light, temperature, and humidity - couldn’t explain it. Trees began shifting their signals when it was still daylight and warm, and the Moon was far from their sky.



The authors propose another trigger: gravimetric tides. These are subtle shifts in Earth’s gravitational field caused by the alignment of the Moon and Sun. During a solar eclipse, especially one aligned with a Saros cycle, these tides peak.



Such gravimetric cues are hard for humans to detect, but not for trees. Their deep-rooted structure and fluid dynamics make them excellent sensors. Older trees, which have lived through several Saros cycles, may recognize this pattern and respond early.



“This discovery underscores the critical importance of protecting older forests, which serve as pillars of ecosystem resilience by preserving and transmitting invaluable ecological knowledge,” said Professor Gagliano.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-conservation-science">Implications for conservation science</h2>



This research expands our understanding of what a forest is. No longer can we see it as a collection of competing individuals. The trees synchronize their internal processes, align responses to stimuli, and likely share information across time and space.



This makes old-growth forests irreplaceable. Logging them erases not just biomass, but knowledge - decades or centuries of stored information that newer trees have not yet acquired.



From the lens of ecological stability, these forests act like community elders. They modulate, anticipate, and respond, ensuring the forest survives sudden changes. Protecting them becomes not only an act of conservation, but an act of safeguarding planetary memory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-hidden-intelligence-of-forests">The hidden intelligence of forests</h2>



To share this finding with a wider audience, the research team collaborated on a documentary. Il Codice del Bosco (The Forest Code) is scheduled for release in Italy in May 2025. It brings the forest’s hidden world to life, showing trees as responsive and intelligent beings.



“Basically, we are watching the famous ‘wood wide web’ in action!” said Professor Gagliano.



The documentary will visualize the forest’s electrical signals, offering viewers a glimpse into a world usually invisible. It represents a step toward redefining how we relate to nature - not as masters, but as fellow participants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-trees-remember-eclipses-and-adapt">Trees remember eclipses and adapt</h2>



The study of spruce trees during a solar eclipse has revealed something profound. Trees do not simply endure. They anticipate, adapt, and align with each other through non-verbal, bioelectrical communication. They exhibit behaviors long thought reserved for animals - coordination, memory, and possibly a form of decision-making.



As we understand this hidden intelligence, our approach to ecology must evolve. Forests are not just lungs of the planet. They are its silent minds - thinking slowly, speaking in signals, and remembering events we cannot see.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Royal Society Open Science</a>.



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Trees sync up their communication signals before a solar eclipse

High in the Dolomites of northern Italy, a quiet forest of spruce trees witnessed a cosmic event. As the moon began its slow passage across the face of the sun, these trees did something extraordinary. They didn’t just react to the solar eclipse - they prepared for it. Hours before the eclipse unfolded, the inner signals of the trees began to shift in synchrony, echoing across the forest like an invisible wave. What if forests could think? What if they didn’t just survive but sensed, remembered, and...

If you think your seasonal allergies are worse than usual this year, you may be right – and climate change seems to be behind it.

Climate scientists have been recording earlier starts to spring, warm winters with more rain and snow, and longer growing seasons, which leads to more pollen in the air longer, they said. For the <a href="https://acaai.org/news/facts-statistics/allergies">more than 50 million Americans</a> who struggle with seasonal allergies, that’s bad news.

“Some research has suggested that the warming trend that we have in our environment is causing the pollen seasons to start a little bit earlier, and extend a little bit longer," said Dr. Stanley Fineman, a Georgia allergist and immunologist, told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/">NBC News</a>. 

That longer pollen exposure means allergy sufferers are battling symptoms longer, said Fineman, is is a past president of the <a href="https://acaai.org/">American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology</a>.

The claims are backed by research into seasonal changes in the United States over the past few years. 

Between 1995 and 2011, the pollen season around the U.S. grew longer by 11 to 27 days, according to a report released by the <a href="http://www.aafa.org/page/extreme-allergies-and-climate-change.aspx">Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America</a>. Increased atmospheric carbon encourages plants like ragweed to grow faster and larger, the report noted. Higher carbon levels can actually make pollen that produces a stronger allergic reaction among people who suffer seasonal allergies, the researchers found.

Warming temperatures can affect the protein composition of pollen and fungal spores, the <a href="https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/climate-change">American Academy of Allergy Asthma &amp; Immunology</a> writes on its website. Changes in weather patterns can also affect how pollen spreads.

Tree pollen is also exploding. A video that captured the massive pollen release of a pine tree in Cumberland County, New Jersey <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/massive-pollen-cloud-released-tree-caught-video/story?id=55040001">went viral this week</a> after it was posted on Facebook.

In 2014, a team of climate experts around the country recorded observations about changing climate conditions all over the country. They found that the rise of average global surface temperatures were having an effect inside the U.S. 

“Summers are longer and hotter, and extended periods of unusual heat last longer than any living American has ever experienced. Winters are generally shorter and warmer. Rain comes in heavier downpours,” the team wrote in their peer-reviewed <a href="https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/highlights">National Climate Assessment</a>. “People are seeing changes in the length and severity of seasonal allergies, the plant varieties that thrive in their gardens, and the kinds of birds they see in any particular month in their neighborhoods.”

And while much of the focus this time of year is on seasonal allergies caused by pollen, warmer and wetter winters can also lead to more fungal growth. Fungal spores are another irritant. 

“Flooding and severe storms can result in damp buildings and resultant mold exposure,” the AAAAI website said. “In addition to triggering allergic reactions, increased mold spore exposures have been linked to other lung diseases.”

This spring, there has been a huge jump in the number of people who are suffering seasonal allergies for the first time, the organization told NBC.

Symptoms of seasonal allergies – also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis – include itchy, burning or watery eyes; itchy, stuffy or runny nose; sneezing; and itching of the roof of the mouth. In some cases, seasonal allergies can lead to allergic asthma, which can cause coughing, wheezing and inflamed airways. Seasonal allergies can also raise the risk of sinus infections, bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses.

Anyone experiencing symptoms of allergies or allergic asthma should consult their doctor about relief strategies, from home treatment to over-the-counter or prescription medications. 

Allergy sufferers should avoid pollen during the growing season, by exercising indoors, closing windows and using an air conditioner as needed.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Seasonal allergies intense? Climate change may be to blame

If you think your seasonal allergies are worse than usual...

Forests with a diverse mix of plants and trees are more productive than forests with only a single kind of species, also known as a monoculture. 

Mixed forests do better on all five of the Earth’s continents but still, many forest managers are unconvinced, sticking to monocultures. 

That is why researchers from the <a href="https://www.tum.de/en/homepage/">Technical University of Munich (TUM</a>) conducted an expansive international overview study reviewing research on mixed forest productivity in order to aid in future forest management on a global scale. 

“We know of the many advantages of mixed forests,” said Hans Pretzsch, a co-author of the study. “Mixed-species forests are ecologically more valuable as versatile habitats. They mitigate climate change, as they mean a higher carbon sink.”

The researchers reviewed 600 studies that examined why mixed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-thinning-forests-saving-water/">forests</a> were more productive. Of those 600, the researchers filtered out 126 case studies from 60 areas around the world from 1997 to 2016. 

Long-term studies, which the 126 were, make for better research because measurements and data come from years of record keeping which provides a more accurate picture of how environments respond to different factors. 

Many of the studies were conducted in Bavaria, some of which are the oldest forestry experiments in the world. Experimental areas with mixed forests and monocultures in Bavaria were first set up in the 1870s and measurements are still taken today. 

After analyzing the data, the researchers discovered that trees in mixed forests have better access to light, water, and soil nutrients compared to monocultures. The complex network of root systems compliment each other which allows for better absorption with mixed species. 

“This makes mixed stands more resilient during dry years. In addition, they are more stable against pests and visually more appealing,’ said Pretzsch. 

The researchers say that the results show that choosing a combination of tree species creates more resilient and productive forests. 

“Based on these findings, the interactions between the individual tree species will be studied in more detail at the TUM,” said Pretzsch.

In order to do this, the researchers will expand the Bavarian plots to include more than a hundred hectares of mixed stand experiments. 

“This will be highly interesting for science and provide practical decision-making aids,” said Pretzsch. “In light of climate change and the increasing ecological, economic, and social requirements that forests need to fulfill, mixed stands will increase in importance throughout the world.”

--

By <a href="mailto:kayvandette@gmail.com">Kay Vandette</a>,<a href="https://www.earth.com/"> Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

Image Credit: Photo: L. Steinacker/<a href="https://www.tum.de/en/homepage/">Technical University of Munich</a> (TUM)

Mixed forests are more economically and ecologically valuable

Forests with a diverse mix of plants and trees are...

Mistletoe, or Viscum album, is a parasitic plant that latches onto trees to extract water and nutrients. Scientists have recently discovered that the parasitic nature of mistletoe has caused the plants to evolve without specific components that are required for plant respiration.

Study co-author Etienne Meyer is from the <a href="http://www.mpimp-golm.mpg.de/2168/en">Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology</a> in Germany.

“A loss of respiratory capacity has previously been observed only in unicellular eukaryotes, leading to a parasitic or symbiotic lifestyle, said Meyer. “We are reporting the first case of a multicellular eukaryote that lost most of its respiratory capacity.”

“There was no known example that life without mitochondrial complex I is possible in multicellular eukaryotes," added co-author Hans-Peter Braun. “So, we were definitely surprised to realize that V. album lives without this complex.”

Mitochondrial complex I is an enzyme complex that is responsible for converting glucose into the ATP molecules that transport chemical energy during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-emissions-plant-respiration/">respiration</a>.

Braun and Meyer were working independently of each other to investigate whether mitochondria in mistletoe had lost genes that encode respiratory complex I subunits. After meeting at a conference, they discovered that they were conducting parallel studies and teamed up to report their findings.

Braun's team found biochemical evidence that complex I is completely missing in the mitochondria of European mistletoe. Meyer’s team also found that there was no activity from complex I or its protein subunits.


In addition, levels of respiratory complex IV and the enzyme that synthesizes ATP were five times lower in the mistletoe compared to a commonly studied laboratory plant. The experts said that this is further proof that parasitic mistletoe have undergone “extreme adjustments” throughout their evolution.

Myers pointed out that further research is needed to investigate the mitochondria of other parasitic plant species in an effort to find out if lowered respiratory capacity is unique to mistletoe.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Image Credit: Hans-Peter Braun, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany

Mistletoe has lost most of its respiratory ability

Mistletoe, or Viscum album, is a parasitic plant that latches...

While <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-airtight-buildings-clean-air/">plants</a> may not have mouths to talk or hands to sign with, they are still able to communicate with each other. In fact, plants have complex chemical systems of communication, with many of their messages coming as chemicals secreted by roots in the soil. These chemical signals are then detected by other plants through their root systems. Secretions made by plants can tell whether or not their neighboring plants are relatives or strangers, and help them direct their growth accordingly.

Now, researchers from the <a href="https://www.slu.se/en/">Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences</a> have reported in the open-access journal <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/">PLOS ONE</a> that corn seedlings that grow close together give off underground signals that affect the growth of neighboring plants. For the study, the researchers stressed corn seedlings and assessed any growth changes that occurred in nearby siblings. 

The researchers brushed corn leaves in order to simulate the touch of a nearby plant leaf, then collected the chemicals secreted by the roots in the seedling’s growth solution. When they transferred new plants into that same solution, the plants directed their resources into growing more leaves and fewer roots than control plants.

[caption id="attachment_1214131" align="aligncenter" width="996"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Elhakeem-et-al-2018.jpg"><img class="size-large wp-image-1214131" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Elhakeem-et-al-2018-1024x649.jpg" alt="" width="996" height="631" /></a> Image Credit: Elhakeem et al (2018)[/caption]

They also tested to see if newly germinated corn seedlings could detect differences in growth solutions from plants that had been touched versus those that were undisturbed. Observations showed that the seedling’s primary root grew preferentially toward solutions from untouched plants, which suggests that the seedling could differentiate between the two solutions.

In the study, the researchers also determined that even small disturbances aboveground can influence changes in the underground communication that causes nearby plants to alter their growth.

“Our study demonstrated that changes induced by above ground mechanical contact between plants can affect below ground interactions, acting as cues in prediction of the future competitors,” says lead author Velemir Ninkovic. 

The authors also stress that other researchers should take these findings into account, as touching plants during an experiment could potentially alter how the plants and their neighbors act during the study.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants talk to each other through the soil to determine growth

While plants may not have mouths to talk or hands...

<div id="titlewrap"></div>
36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United States. The <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/">U.S. Forest Service</a> is reporting that trees are rapidly vanishing in urban regions across the United States. Between 2009 and 2014, approximately 175,000 acres of urban tree cover, which is the equivalent of 36 million trees, was lost annually.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quality-life-megacities-trees/">Trees</a> provide invaluable benefits to urban areas, such as absorbing harmful pollutants and combating noise pollution. Trees also cool the local air temperature, reduce heat islands, conserve water, and help to prevent flooding and soil erosion. Furthermore, urban trees significantly reduce energy costs.36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United States

According to the report, the “estimated loss of benefits from trees in urban areas is conservatively valued at $96 million per year.”

The research team used aerial photographs to assess changes in tree cover from 2009 to 2014 within urban areas and urban communities across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

Overall, 23 states had significant tree cover loss, 25 states had no significant changes, and three states had an insignificant increase in tree cover. 

The biggest difference was found in urban areas, where one percent of tree cover disappeared during the study period. There was also a 0.7 percent drop in the number of trees located in communities surrounding urban areas. The greatest declines were found in Oklahoma, Washington D.C., Rhode Island, Oregon, and Georgia.

The researchers also noted that impervious surfaces, such as roads or cement, increased by almost the same amount as tree cover loss in cities and communities. The researchers estimated that around 40 percent of these new impervious surfaces existed in areas where trees once grew.

“The pattern of decreasing tree cover and increasing impervious surfaces indicate a synergistic pattern of loss of environmental benefits (e.g., air temperature cooling by trees) and increased environmental issues (e.g., air temperature increases associated with impervious surfaces),” wrote the study authors.

The experts warned that this emerging pattern will continue unless policymakers make tree cover more of a priority.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/urban-forestry-and-urban-greening/">Urban Forestry and Urban Greening</a>. 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United States

36 million urban trees vanishing every year in the United...

The invasion of Japanese knotweed is challenging scientists who are testing for ways to get the species under control. Experts from <a href="http://www.swansea.ac.uk/">Swansea University</a> conducted the largest-ever field study to find a ways to kill the aggressive plant, and have 19 failed approaches to show for it.

Study lead author Professor Dan Eastwood said that the team began investigating knotweed when there was “a great deal of hysteria surrounding it.”

“Over five years, we tested all 19 of the main physical, chemical and integrated methods of controlling Japanese knotweed in the UK, working with the biology of the plant to inform our treatment approaches,” said Professor Eastwood. 

“Our research tested more methods of control than any other invasive species trial ever conducted, allowing us to replace outdated guidance based on short-term experiments and anecdotal information.”

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invasions-from-alien-species-threaten-developing-nations/">Japanese knotweed</a> grows and strengthens at remarkable speeds, particularly underground, and is notorious for its resilience as it chokes out vegetation in its path. 

Listed as one of the worst invasive species on the planet by the World Conservation Union, the species has become a major problem for homeowners and gardeners in the UK. Relief is not yet in sight, as the findings of this study suggest that the plant cannot be completely eliminated.

“Off the back of the first three years of data we've found that eradication is not possible. Hopefully over the longer term we may move towards that by using new chemicals we're looking at,” said Professor Eastwood.

“But it's not a question of eradication, it's a question of sustained control and management and well informed control and management.”

“Claims made by companies, stating that they could eradicate Japanese knotweed using herbicides in short spaces of time have now been proven to be false, based on our experiments.”

“Furthermore, we have shown that applying the wrong herbicides at the wrong time of the year leads to greater herbicide use and environmental impacts.”

As a result of the study, the experts designed “The 4-Stage Model” to serve as a starting point for the development of more effective knotweed control.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springernature.com/gp/">Springer Nature</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

One of the world’s most invasive species cannot be killed

The invasion of Japanese knotweed is challenging scientists who are...

Researchers at <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a> (WSU) have investigated how smoking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-app-marijuana-use/">medical marijuana</a> affects symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. The study revealed that small amounts of cannabis were effective in lessening the severity of symptoms. 

The analysis is one of the first of its kind to assess how cannabis with different concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) influenced mental wellness when smoked at home.

“Existing research on the effects of cannabis on depression, anxiety and stress are very rare and have almost exclusively been done with orally administered THC pills in a laboratory,” lead author Carrie Cuttler told the <a href="https://news.wsu.edu/2018/04/19/assessing-cannabis-affects-emotional-well/">WSU Insider</a>. 

“What is unique about our study is that we looked at actual inhaled cannabis by medical marijuana patients who were using it in the comfort of their own homes as opposed to a laboratory.”

The research was based on data in an app called Stainprint, which offers users a way to document their mental and physical responses to different strains and doses of medical marijuana. 

The team analyzed information from 12,000 participants who reported on symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression before and after smoking different types of cannabis.

Overall, symptoms of depression were reduced by 50 percent among the volunteers, while symptoms of anxiety and stress were reduced by 58 percent. The experts also found some evidence to suggest that long-term use of cannabis can make depression worse.

The researchers established that one puff of medical marijuana with high-CBD and low-THC content effectively reduced feelings of depression. The same type of marijuana was found to significantly reduce stress after 10 puffs. Furthermore, two puffs of any type of medical cannabis relieved symptoms of anxiety.

“A lot of consumers seem to be under the false assumption that more THC is always better,” said Cuttler. “Our study shows that CBD is also a very important ingredient in cannabis and may augment some of the positive effects of THC.”

Cuttler explained that this is one of the first studies to identify strains and quantities of medical marijuana that can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

“Currently, medical and recreational cannabis users rely on the advice of bud tenders whose recommendations are based off of anecdotal not scientific evidence,” said Cuttler.

The research is published in the <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-affective-disorders">Journal of Affective Disorders</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Just a small dose of medical marijuana combats stress, depression

Researchers at Washington State University (WSU) have investigated how smoking...

<a href="https://www.earth.com/video/garlic-treat-infections/">Garlic</a> makes food better – that’s just a fact. You would be hard pressed to argue that garlic’s contributions to the culinary world are anything less than stellar. But what about it’s contributions to the medicinal world as well?

For thousands of years, garlic has been used to treat human disease. It’s known to reduce your risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, along with warding off the occasional vampire (just kidding, of course). And how do scientists know that it has these effects? Well, that part is a little more complicated.

A review published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/pharmacological-sciences/home?code=cell-site">Trends in Pharmacological Sciences</a> details the difficulties of explaining exactly how garlic impacts our health. Due to the wide range of compounds garlic produces, achieving consistent results from clinical trials can be rather complicated.

Garlic is part of the allium family, which is a group of plants that absorb sulfate from the soil and incorporate it into amino acids and sulfur storage molecules. Thus, garlic’s distinct flavor comes from the sulfur compounds it contains. These sulfur storage molecules can be broken down into roughly 50 unique sulfur-containing compounds, depending on how the garlic is prepared and ingested. 

“These molecules give the plants an ecological advantage when they’re growing out in the wild,” says Peter Rose, a biochemist at the <a href="https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/">University of Nottingham</a> and senior author of the study. “As it happens, they’re also biologically active within mammalian cells and tissues.”

The preparation of garlic is one of the diversifying aspects of its health effects. Pressing it for oil, chopping or mincing, or fermenting garlic in alcohol all yield different sulfur compounds – each with a potentially different effect on our body’s complex biological systems. The complexities of this research also lie in how these compounds are metabolized within our body, as it’s difficult to pinpoint common mechanisms of action for these molecules. All of these complications help to explain why studies of garlic’s effects on humans have had inconsistent results.

“When it comes to human intervention studies, there’s been quite a lot of disparity,” says Rose. “Sometimes the consumption of and exposure to these compounds has biological effects, and other times, it does nothing. I think it needs reinvestigating, just because of the sheer complexity of the diversity of these sorts of compounds and the different distribution of them between different garlic products.”

For Rose and his colleagues, the most interesting aspect of this food-turned-medicine is how its sulfur compounds could affect gaseous signaling molecules such as nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide, which our body naturally produces. These signaling molecules play a vital role in cell communication and maintaining homeostasis. It has been found that altered levels of the molecules are present in many diseases.

Recent research has found a connection between the types of sulfur compounds found in garlic to increased production of gaseous signaling molecules, which could mean that this is the common mechanism through which different sulfur compounds affect our bodies.

“There is a lot of possibility within this area for finding approaches that could reduce the risk of diseases and improve human health, but it all comes back to those fundamental questions of what actually happens to these compounds when we metabolize them,” Rose explains. “There’s a whole spectrum of human work that still needs to be done to further explore some of these weird and wonderful sulfur compounds that we find within our diets.”

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The complicated truth about using garlic as medicine

Garlic makes food better – that’s just a fact. You...

Both medical and recreational <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/older-americans-medical-marijuana/">marijuana</a> have become increasingly legalized on a state-by-state basis over recent years, making their legal use more prevalent across the United States. As most people know, cannabis can affect memory, reaction time, and attention – but the impairment can be tough to assess in a natural setting. However, a new app may have the solution for helping individuals under the influence of marijuana better understand how the drug is affecting them.

Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a> developed a prototype app they appropriately named “Am I Stoned,” which assesses an individual’s impairment through a series of phone-based tasks.

“One of our long-term goals is for the app to improve the safety of cannabis use by making individual users more aware of their impairment,” says Harriet de Wit, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/">University of Chicago</a> and research team leader. “By gathering data from users in the field, the app will also contribute to the overall scientific knowledge in terms of how cannabis affects users.”

The researchers developed this app by assessing the usefulness of numerous tasks for analyzing impairment in a controlled laboratory environment. In a double-blind study, they had 24 healthy non-daily cannabis users take a capsule containing either 7.5 milligrams or 15 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – or a placebo. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana that has a psychoactive effect on users. The participants then completed standardized computer-based tasks known to detect impairment, along with app-based tasks on an iPhone.

[caption id="attachment_1213904" align="aligncenter" width="236"]<a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/app.png"><img class="wp-image-1213904 size-full" src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/app.png" alt="" width="236" height="428" /></a> Image Credit: Harriet de Wit[/caption]

In three of the four computer tasks and one of the iPhone tasks, the researchers were able to successfully detect impairments resulting from THC consumption. The study also found that participants were generally aware of their impairment.

“The effects of THC on performance may be subtle, so we need highly sensitive tasks to detect impairments,” says Pabon. “It is likely that the computer tasks, which took 15 to 20 minutes to complete, were more sensitive to THC impairment because they provided more opportunity to detect a drug effect.”

At this point, the app is not designed to predict an individual’s ability to drive or engage in other activities that could cause harm. But the researchers plan on using what they’ve learned to also develop an app that people can use to assess their own performance. This would involve a person completing tasks while sober in order to provide a baseline that could be used to assess their level of impairment when they are impaired. They also plan on using the findings from this research to improve the sensitivity of the app-based tasks to detect THC-induced impairment so that they can ultimately deploy the app in a more naturalistic setting.

--

By <a href="mailto:certz@earth.com">Connor Ertz</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

New app “Am I Stoned?” helps make marijuana use safer

Both medical and recreational marijuana have become increasingly legalized on...

Trees and other plants have a cooling effect on the environment, and can even help to reduce the intensity of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-green-facades-cool-urban-heat-islands/">urban heat islands</a>. Scientists at the <a href="https://www.tum.de/en/homepage/">Technical University of Munich</a> (TUM) have found that the extent to which trees are effective in combating heat depends on the species of the tree and local conditions.


The city of Munich has an average temperature that is up to 6 degrees Celsius hotter than its rural surroundings. The research team placed sensors and data loggers around the city to investigate the microclimate under the canopies of urban trees.

The study was focused on two contrasting urban tree species, the little-leaved linden and the black locust, in an effort to analyze how the type of tree, its location, and local weather conditions influence the overall cooling effect of trees.

The researchers found that the linden tree was more effective in cooling on mild summer days. However, the black locust needs less water and takes less water out of the soil during extreme heat compared to the linden tree. This, combined with an additional grass cooling function found beneath black locust trees, makes them more effective at cooling overall.

“Tree species such as the black locust that consume little water can provide a higher cooling effect if they are planted on grass lawns,” explained study lead author Dr. Mohammad Rahman. 

“The surrounding soil remains more moist thanks to the trees, the grass dissipates additional heat through the evaporation of water and thus reduces the temperature near the ground.”

For paved surfaces, on the other hand,  better cooling is delivered from the dense shade of linden trees.

“On very hot days, city dwellers have a cooler time on grass lawns under trees with a less dense crown and a lower water requirement,” said Dr. Rahman.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/science-of-the-total-environment">Science of the Total Environment</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Image Credit: F. Rahman/ TUM

Trees with grassy areas help keep cities cool during summer

Trees and other plants have a cooling effect on the...

One of the first studies to examine the medicinal potential of hemp has revealed that the fiber has anti-cancer properties. The researchers, who are graduate students in the lab of Wasana Sumanasekera at <a href="https://sullivan.edu/college-of-pharmacy/">Sullivan University College of Pharmacy</a>, found that hemp may have the ability to fight ovarian cancer.

“Hemp, like marijuana, contains therapeutically valuable components such as cannabidiol, cannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabinol,” explained study co-author Sata Biela. “However, unlike marijuana, hemp's therapeutic ability has not been studied in detail.”


The researchers analyzed an extract known as KY hemp, which is produced from hemp grown in Kentucky. The researchers optimized the sample used in the study by controlling growing conditions in order to eliminate any residue that could contaminate the product.

In one experiment, the experts discovered that various amounts of KY-hemp extract slowed the migration of cultured ovarian cells. The rate of decreased migration was directly related to the dose of the extract, which indicates that the substance could be useful for stopping or slowing down the spread of cancer to other parts of the body, or metastasis.

Additional experiments with cultured ovarian cancer cells showed that KY hemp slowed the secretion of the interleukin IL-1 beta, which produces inflammation that has been linked to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cancer-cases-prevented/">cancer</a> progression. The slower rate of interleukin secretion may be the mechanism that underlies the cancer-fighting effects of KY-hemp.

“Our findings from this research as well as prior research show that KY hemp slows ovarian cancer comparable to or even better than the current ovarian cancer drug Cisplatin,” said study co-author Chase Turner. “Since Cisplatin exhibits high toxicity, we anticipate that hemp would carry less side effects. However, that needed to be tested in the future.”

The research will be presented at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting during <a href="http://experimentalbiology.org/2018/Home.aspx">Experimental Biology 2018</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Hemp could one day be used to fight ovarian cancer

One of the first studies to examine the medicinal potential...

Earth Day is a good time to stop and think about everything the world gives to us – and how we can give a little back. Working for the good of the environment may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t need to be. There are plenty of little ways to help the planet. Here are six easy steps you can try today, plus a bonus challenge:
<h3>1. Buy a water bottle.</h3>
Instead of buying water by the bottle, buy a metal or BPA-free plastic water bottle intended to be used over and over again.

People go through about 480 billion disposable plastic water bottles each year; Americans alone throw out a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-swimming-waste-plastic/">staggering 35 billion bottles</a> each year. Many of these bottles end up among the plastic waste that forms the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Plastic doesn’t biodegrade, but it does break down in the sun, looking enough like food that fish eat it. Then, seabirds and even young whales <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-sperm-whale-dead-trash/">eat the plastic-clogged fish</a>, causing health problems.

<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-bottle-threatens-environment/">Less than half of disposable bottles are recycled</a>, scientists found. Even worse, a high number of those single-use plastic bottles are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bottled-water-contaminated-microplastics/">contaminated with microplastics</a>.

Buying a reusable water bottle is as simple as going to a supermarket or big-box store. Most have them on the shelves – along with water filtering pitchers and systems, for those who live in an area where tap water needs some extra cleaning.
<h3>2. Volunteer.</h3>
Whether trash clean-up days, community gardening groups, water monitoring teams or other eco-minded groups, most places have plenty of opportunities for volunteers to help the planet.

<a href="https://www.volunteermatch.org/">VolunteerMatch</a> is a great place to find environmental volunteering jobs that need doing, along with dozens of other categories. So is the <a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/">International Coastal Cleanup</a> – don’t be fooled by the name. There are plenty of inland cleanups along lakes and rivers. 

Can’t find an opportunity near you? Look around and see what needs doing, whether it’s picking up trash or beautifying empty lots with new plants. Then, get to work. Be sure to contact any affected property owners before planting anything, though!
<h3>3. Drive less.</h3>
A study by <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/">Lund University</a> last summer found that going without a car can be a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/effective-steps-battle-climate-change/">more effective way</a> for individuals to fight climate change than recycling or using more efficient lightbulbs.

If you have a daily commute that public transportation can’t cover or you live in a rural area, going car-free might not be possible.

However, you can still work to reduce your time on the road as much as possible. Run as many errands as possible in one trip. Consider carpooling if you live near co-workers, or discuss working from home one day a week with your employer. Every little bit helps.
<h3>4. Eat less meat.</h3>
The same Lund University study showed that a plant-based diet is one of the most effective ways an individual can fight climate change. Want to give it a try? There are dozens of good resources out there. <a href="https://www.forksoverknives.com/plant-based-primer-beginners-guide-starting-plant-based-diet/">Forks Over Knives</a> offers a great primer for beginners.

If you’re not ready to take the plunge and switch to a completely meat-free diet, though, if everyone adopted <a href="http://www.meatlessmonday.com/articles/cop21-meatless-monday-less-meat-less-heat/">Meatless Mondays</a>, it could help the planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as 1.3 gigatons by 2050.

And that’s not even taking into account the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/">growing body of literature</a> suggesting plant-based diets are healthier.
<h3>5. Tell businesses what they’re doing right, and how they can improve.</h3>
As nice as it would be to believe we can save the world by picking up some trash and changing a lightbulb, there’s a much bigger picture out there. What businesses choose to do – or choose to ignore – can have a much bigger impact than even a committed group of people choosing to change their lifestyles.

That’s no reason to give up! It just means it’s time to reach out to businesses and ask them to help the planet when they can, too.

For example, do you buy from a grocery store that carries only paper bags, or an online retailer that uses as little packaging as possible? Let them know you appreciate it. Make an effort to buy <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eco-friendly-office-supplies/">eco-friendly office supplies</a> or shampoo in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beach-plastic-shampoo-bottles/">bottles made from recycled plastic</a>. 

And when businesses can do better, let them know. Ask your favorite restaurant to switch to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/village-scotland-plastic-straws/">paper straws</a>, and encourage your local sports venues to aim for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/college-sporting-venues-zero-waste/">zero waste</a>. 
<h3>6. Write to your elected officials.</h3>
Like with No. 5, you can get more done by reaching out to people with power than trying to make a few small changes yourself. Ask your elected officials to offer incentives to businesses that switch to greener products, or to remove regulations that keep them from doing so. Encourage tax breaks for homeowners who add solar panels or rain collection systems to their homes.

You can also encourage your city and county officials to adopt greener practices on government-owned properties, such as switching offices to solar energy systems, installing car charging stations and adopting landscaping practices that use less water or prevent pesticide runoff.
<h3>Bonus: Want to take on a bigger task to help the planet?</h3>
Here’s a challenge that can be done a little at a time or all at once, depending on how much work you’re up for: Replace your landscaping with native plants.

Native plants tend to need less work and save water, since they’re already adapted for the location where they’re being planted. Better yet, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/prepare-bees-pollinator-garden/">local pollinators tend to do better with native plants</a> as food sources than with those imported from other areas. Some even rely on specific plants for breeding or laying eggs.

You don’t have to switch all at once, and there’s no need to get rid of your favorite flowers. However, replacing a few water-hungry, poorly adapted shrubs or a lawn for natives can add a small but meaningful boost to the local ecosystem.

—

By Kyla Cathey,<a href="http://www.earth.com"> Earth.com</a> staff writer

Want to help the planet this Earth Day? Here's how

Earth Day is a good time to stop and think...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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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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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

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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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