Most people worry about the gradual loss of stamina, strength, and mental sharpness that comes with aging. Scientists have been exploring new ideas to tackle these concerns and increase not just our years but also our quality of life. 



An international team has been testing a special approach that raises levels of a natural protein in the body.



Their research was led by Professor Miguel Chillón at the Institute of Neurosciences of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (<a href="https://web.ub.edu/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UB</a>), and it shines a light on what might someday help people stay healthier for a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/organ-aging-can-predict-diseases-decades-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">longer period</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protein-s-kl-and-its-role-in-aging">Protein s-KL and its role in aging</h2>



The protein at the center of this work is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41581-018-0078-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Klotho</a>, and the form used in the experiments is the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26599613/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secreted version</a> known as s-KL. 



Some studies suggest that Klotho may influence a wide range of biological processes by managing signals that affect inflammation and cell aging.



The name Klotho first appeared in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/36285" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">scientific journals</a> in the late 1990s, when experiments showed that a deficiency of this protein made mice look older and more frail at younger ages.



"We have been working with the Klotho protein for some time, due to its therapeutic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-old-are-you-really-new-tool-measures-aging-from-the-inside-out/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential</a> for treating neurodegenerative diseases. 



In this study, we wanted to see whether s-KL could also be beneficial for healthy aging by examining a broad range of factors," explained Professor Chillón.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-differences-between-males-and-females">Differences between males and females</h2>



The effects of s-KL weren’t the same for male and female mice. Males showed clearer gains in lifespan and muscle strength, while females responded more strongly in measures of bone structure, especially when treated earlier in life.



These sex-based differences might be tied to how male and female bodies process viral vectors or express the s-KL protein. 



Hormonal factors could also play a role, suggesting future human trials may need sex-specific <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/curiosity-might-help-you-stay-sharp-as-you-age/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategies</a> to get the best results.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aging-improvements-with-s-kl-protein">Aging improvements with s-KL protein</h2>



Researchers noticed that mice given s-KL retained better muscle tissue composition, with less of the scarring often linked to older age. They also had stronger performance in tasks that tested endurance and coordination.



Weakened bones can be a big danger in older adults, so it was intriguing that s-KL seemed to keep the inner bone structure more intact. 



This finding aligns with earlier <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16436465/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">observations</a> that Klotho influences mineral balance in bone and may reduce the chances of fractures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-timing-may-matter">Why timing may matter</h2>



Mice treated at 12 months old showed more pronounced improvements in longevity and physical health than those treated at 6 months. One reason could be that the aging mice produced higher levels of the s-KL protein after treatment, which may have amplified its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">effects</a>.



This finding raises an important question: Could middle age be a better window for intervention than early adulthood? If so, the timing of s-KL therapy in humans could be just as critical as the treatment itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signs-of-brain-support">Signs of brain support</h2>



Aside from the physical improvements, the investigators measured changes in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory and cognitive ability. 



They detected heightened markers of <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4563705/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adult neurogenesis</a>, which is the process by which new neurons form in mature brains.



There was also evidence that key immune cells in the brain might be working in a more balanced way. This could help remove cellular waste and reduce the chronic inflammation tied to age-related brain diseases.



The researchers used gene therapy vectors that prompted cells to produce s-KL over an extended period. These vectors included genetic instructions, and once inside the mice, the cells took over production of the protein.



The approach was designed to boost s-KL levels in both the brain and other areas of the body. This helped ensure that many of the organs linked to muscle, bone, and memory got the extra support.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-s-kl-protein-and-human-aging">s-KL protein and human aging?</h2>



Although this study was done in mice, the results open the door to potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/defying-time-three-ways-to-slow-biological-aging/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">therapies</a> for humans. 



Age-related decline in mobility, memory, and bone strength all contribute to lower independence and quality of life in older adults. A treatment that addresses these together could shift how we think about aging.



Many current drugs only target one issue at a time, like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/outdoor-exercise-amplifies-physical-and-mental-health-benefits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">osteoporosis</a> or <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-sleep-may-predict-memory-loss-years-in-advance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">memory loss</a>. But the effects of s-KL span across systems. 



This points toward the possibility of a more unified strategy to aging - one that works with the body’s existing repair mechanisms rather than replacing them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-s-kl-protein-research">What’s next for s-KL protein research?</h2>



If we can find a viable delivery method, s-KL could make a significant contribution to improving people’s quality of life and helping to build the healthiest society possible.



Scientists continue to explore whether direct protein administration or refined gene-based aging options might work best for humans. They plan to keep studying how s-KL weaves into different biological pathways.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.cell.com/molecular-therapy-family/molecular-therapy/fulltext/S1525-0016(25)00120-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Molecular Therapy</a>.



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Protein discovered that boosts lifespan, muscle, and brain power with just one dose

Most people worry about the gradual loss of stamina, strength, and mental sharpness that comes with aging. Scientists have been exploring new ideas to tackle these concerns and increase not just our years but also our quality of life. An international team has been testing a special approach that raises levels of a natural protein in the body. Their research was led by Professor Miguel Chillón at the Institute of Neurosciences of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UB), and it shines a light on what might someday...

In a new study of peregrine falcons, experts have found compelling evidence that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-grow-more-down-feathers-in-higher-elevations/">birds</a> have a "migration gene." The researchers said their findings add further evidence to suggest that genetics play a strong role in the distance of migration routes.

The study combined satellite tracking and genome sequencing to pinpoint a specific gene associated with migration in peregrine falcons. Best known for their ultrafast diving speeds, which can reach more than 200 miles per hour, peregrine falcons are the fastest birds in the world.

For the investigation, the experts tagged 56 peregrine falcons and monitored their migratory journeys by satellite. The annual flight distances and directions of the birds were tracked in great detail.

The peregrine falcons were found to use five migration routes across Eurasia. According to the researchers, these routes were likely established between the last ice age 22,000 years ago and the middle-Holocene 6,000 years ago.

Using complete genome sequencing, the team identified a gene that was associated with differences in migratory distance among peregrine falcons. This gene, ADCY8, is known to regulate long-term memory in other animals.

The researchers frequently found a variant of ADCY8 in long-distance migrant populations of peregrines. This finding indicates that the variant is preferentially selected because it increases long-term memory to support longer migrations.

Study co-author Professor Mike Bruford is a molecular ecologist from the School of Biosciences at <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk">Cardiff University</a>.

"Previous studies have identified several candidate genomic regions that may regulate migration - but our work is the strongest demonstration of a specific gene associated with migratory behaviour yet identified," explained Professor Bruford.

To predict the potential impacts of global warming, the team looked at simulations of future migratory behavior. "In this study we were able to combine animal movement and genomic data to identify that climate change has a major role in the formation and maintenance of migration patterns of peregrines," said Professor Bruford.

The results suggest that if global warming continues at the current rate, peregrine falcons in western Eurasia have the highest probability of population decline and may stop migrating altogether.

"Our work is the first to begin to understand the way ecological and evolutionary factors may interact in migratory birds - and we hope it will serve as a cornerstone to help conserve migratory species in the world," said study co-author Professor Xiangjiang Zhan.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study of peregrine falcons suggests birds have a migration gene

In a new study of peregrine falcons, experts have found...

Wild pigs in Malaysia are typically known for being environmentally destructive, but a new study from the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a> suggests that they actually play an important role in building <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plants-from-ancient-rainforests-can-be-identified-in-fossil-teeth/">rainforests</a>. The research shows, for the first time, that wild pigs help to promote biodiversity across forest ecosystems. 

While studying the impacts of native pigs in Malaysian rainforests, Dr. Matthew Luskin discovered that their nests may be critical to maintaining diverse and balanced tree communities.

"We've shown that wild pigs can support higher diversity ecosystems and are not just nuisances and pests, thanks to a beneficial effect of their nesting practices," explained Dr. Luskin.

"Prior to giving birth, pigs build birthing nests made up of hundreds of tree seedlings, usually on flat, dry sites in the forest."

"As they build their nests, the pigs kill many of the dominant seedlings and inadvertently reduce the abundance of locally dominant tree species, but usually not rarer local species, supporting tree diversity."

Dr. Luskin noted that wild pigs descended from the same species of domestic pigs and both have generally been considered pests by farmers, land managers, and conservationists. "Their negative impacts on natural and cultivated ecosystems have been well documented - ranging from soil disturbances to attacking newborn livestock."

The researchers tagged more than 30,000 tree seedlings in a Malaysian rainforest. After recovering over 1,800 of the tree tags from inside more than 200 pig birthing nests, the experts were able to investigate how tree diversity changed in the areas where pigs nested.

"You could consider pigs 'accidental forest gardeners' that prune common seedlings and inadvertently maintain diversity," said Dr. Luskin. 

"In many regions, there's a focus on managing overabundant pig populations to limit their negative environmental impacts. But our results suggest there may be some positives to maintaining pigs in the ecosystem."

Since the fieldwork was conducted in Malaysia where pigs are native, the impacts of invasive pigs in Australia may not create similar effects, explained Dr. Luskin.

"We're currently in the process of designing new research to study the same pig processes here in Queensland, and we'll also be comparing our initial Malaysian results with conditions in a nearby Malaysian forest that is heavily hunted and where many native pigs have been killed."

"It's an intriguing insight, as pigs have become the most widespread large animal on Earth, so documenting any new ecological impacts has massive repercussions globally."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wild pigs help promote tree diversity in rainforests

Wild pigs in Malaysia are typically known for being environmentally...

Cuttlefish have the capacity to delay <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dealy-instant-gratification-money/">gratification</a>, according to a surprising new study from the <a href="https://www.mbl.edu/">Marine Biological Laboratory</a> (MBL). 

The experts found that cuttlefish can resist a tempting meal and hold out for a better one. Furthermore, the researchers discovered that individual fish who delayed gratification the longest also performed better in a learning test.

The study represents the first time a link between self-control and intelligence has been demonstrated in an animal other than humans and chimpanzees.

"We used an adapted version of the Stanford marshmallow test, where children were given a choice of taking an immediate reward (1 marshmallow) or waiting to earn a delayed but better reward (2 marshmallows)," said study lead author Alexandra Schnell of the University of Cambridge.

"Cuttlefish in the present study were all able to wait for the better reward and tolerated delays for up to 50-130 seconds, which is comparable to what we see in large-brained vertebrates such as chimpanzees, crows and parrots."

The cuttlefish that could wait longer for a meal exhibited greater cognitive ability. The fish were trained to associate a visual cue with a food reward. Then, the conditions were changed so that the reward became associated with a different cue. 

"The cuttlefish that were quickest at learning both of those associations were better at exerting self-control," explained Schnell.

The experts said that the reasons why cuttlefish have evolved the capacity for self-control is a mystery. 

Among humans, delayed gratification is thought to strengthen social bonds. This ability may also benefit tool-building animals, who must hold off on hunting while they construct tools.

However, noted the researchers, cuttlefish are not social species and they do not build tools. The study authors propose that delayed gratification may be a byproduct of the cuttlefish's need to use camouflage for survival.

"Cuttlefish spend most of their time camouflaging, sitting and waiting, punctuated by brief periods of foraging," said Schnell. 

"They break camouflage when they forage, so they are exposed to every predator in the ocean that wants to eat them. We speculate that delayed gratification may have evolved as a byproduct of this, so the cuttlefish can optimize foraging by waiting to choose better quality food."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cuttlefish have a surprising capacity for delayed gratification

Cuttlefish have the capacity to delay gratification, according to a...

A,Queen,Of,Antlion,Resting,On,A,Twig

A new study from the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> has explored how long some animals will fake their own death to evade predators. The researchers investigated whether certain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-lions-have-mastered-the-timing-to-prey-on-chinook-salmon/">prey</a> species may be sitting motionless for unnecessarily long periods, or if they have mastered the timing.

Death-feigning is a fairly common survival tactic among ants, beetles, and other insects. Some animals will even give off a foul-smelling to dodge an attack. Predators instinctively avoid eating dead animals because they may harbor dangerous bacteria.

While Charles Darwin recorded a beetle that remained stationary for 23 minutes, the new research has documented an individual antlion larva pretending to be dead for a total of 61 minutes. 

The experts report that the amount of time an individual remains motionless is unpredictable, which means that predators have no concept of how long they should wait on an individual to start moving again. Considering that predators are hungry and cannot wait indefinitely for a meal, the targeted prey are basically wasting time if they fake their death for too long. 

The researchers used computer simulations that utilize the marginal value theorem, a classical model in optimization, to evaluate the potential benefits of death-feigning among small populations of conspicuous prey in the face of predators. 

"Imagine you are in a garden full of identical soft fruit bushes. You go to the first bush. Initially collecting and consuming fruit is fast and easy, but as you strip the bush finding more fruit gets harder and harder and more time consuming," said study lead author Professor Nigel R. Franks.

"At some stage, you should decide to go to another bush and begin again. You are greedy and you want to eat as much fruit as quickly as possible. The marginal value theorem would tell you how long to spend at each bush given that time will also be lost moving to the next bush."

"We use this approach to consider a small bird visiting patches of conspicuous antlion pits and show that antlion larvae that waste some of the predator's time, by 'playing dead' if they are dropped, change the game significantly. In a sense, they encourage the predator to search elsewhere."

According to the model projections, antlion larvae would not gain significantly if they remained motionless for even longer than they typically do. This suggests that over the course of evolution, prey species have determined the optimal amount of time that is needed to fake their death to avoid predation.

"Thus, playing dead is rather like a conjuring trick. Magicians distract an audience from seeing their sleights of hand by encouraging them to look elsewhere," said Professor Franks. "Just so with the antlion larvae playing dead - the predator looks elsewhere. Playing dead seems to be a very good way to stay alive."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl">Biology Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Faking death is a good way for animals to stay alive

A new study from the University of Bristol has explored...

The latch-spring mechanism of trap-jaw ants evolved up to 10 different times independently throughout the world, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.oist.jp/">Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST)</a>

Trap-jaw ants are famous for their powerful mandibles, which close about 2,300 times faster than the blink of an eye. To catch prey and dodge <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/farmers-can-use-flowers-to-attract-predatory-insects/">predators</a>, the ants' jaws accelerate at 100,000 times the force of gravity, and this force up to 500 times their body weight.

The trap-jaw does not rely on muscles to open and close, but instead latches itself open, storing energy like a stretched spring. When released, the jaws snap shut in one strike. The OIST team wanted to know how this complex mechanism evolved from simpler ancestors.

The experts have now discovered that the core mechanism that drives the extraordinary speed of the trap-jaw arose multiple times, followed by the diversification of the mandible shape.

The researchers reconstructed the evolutionary relationships among 470 species of Strumigenys miniature trap-jaw ants. They also observed the jaws in motion using X-ray microtomography, 3D modeling, and high-speed videos.

The study revealed that the trap-jaw mechanism evolved 7 to 10 times independently across the world.

The experts found that only a very small change in form was required to drastically change the function of the jaw from the gripping mechanism to the trapping mechanism. After the new function evolved, the muscles in the head of trap-jaw ants began to dramatically restructure, and their jaws became longer and grew to open wider. 

"Previously, we had thought that all trap-jaws had both divergent form and divergent function, so it was much less obvious as to whether the change in function could occur at the start or whether a lot of changes to the form were first needed as a precondition, but it turned out there are many intermediate forms out there of the trap-jaw mechanism that people just hadn't identified before, some which differ only slightly from the ancestral form," explained Professor Evan Economo.

"One of the central questions in biology is: how does something complex arise from something simple? Structures like the trap-jaw depend on multiple interacting parts to function correctly."

"At first it can be hard to see how such complexity can arise through the gradual stepwise changes of evolution. Nevertheless, when we look closely biologists can uncover evolutionary pathways to complexity."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/">PLOS Biology</a> 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

How trap-jaw ants got the fastest bite in the animal kingdom

The latch-spring mechanism of trap-jaw ants evolved up to 10...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.aip.org/">American Institute of Physics </a>(AIP), scientists have developed a model that predicts the probability of plastic debris being transported from one part of the ocean to another. The research is shedding new light on how plastic debris makes its way into ocean garbage patches.

Every day, tons of plastic debris enters the ocean, and most of it accumulates in garbage patches that float on the surface of the ocean. The most well-known floating trash pile, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is estimated to weigh more than 88,000 tons. This is the equivalent of 500 jumbo jets.

The researchers set out to explore which pathways transport debris from the coastline to the middle of the ocean. They also wanted to gain a better understanding of subtropical gyres and how they influence the long-term accumulation of debris.

By analyzing historical trajectories of surface buoys, the AIP team developed a Markov chain model of the oceans' surface dynamics. 

"Surface debris is released from the coast and distributed according to their location's share of the global land-based plastic waste entering the ocean," said study co-author Philippe Miron. 

"To observe the long-term distribution of floating debris, beached debris is reinjected into the system following the same distribution. We call this model 'pollution aware,' because it models the injection, dispersion, and recirculation of debris within the system."

Based on the transition path theory, the researchers set out to identify debris pathways or transition paths connecting a source directly to a target. The team also investigated the connections between garbage patches to predict their ability to retain trash.

"In this work, we focus on pathways from the coast to the subtropical gyres, from one gyre to another, and from the gyres to the coast," said Miron.

"We identified a high-probability transition channel connecting the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with the coasts of eastern Asia, which suggests an important source of plastic pollution there. And the weakness of the Indian Ocean gyre as a plastic debris trap is consistent with transition paths not converging within the gyre."

The experts report that gyres, in general, are weakly connected or disconnected from each other.

"Indeed, in the event of anomalously intense winds, a subtropical gyre is more likely to export garbage toward the coastlines than into another gyre," said Miron.

The researchers confirmed that the North Pacific subtropical gyre attracts the most debris, which has been previously documented. However, they also determined that debris accumulation in the South Pacific gyre  is longer lasting because there are fewer pathways for the garbage to escape and keep moving. 

"Our results, including prospects for garbage patches yet to be directly or robustly observed, namely in the Gulf of Guinea and in the Bay of Bengal, have implications for ocean cleanup activities," said Miron. "The reactive pollution routes we found provide targets - aside from the great garbage patches themselves - for those cleanup efforts."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/journal/cha">Chaos</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Model predicts the fate of plastic debris in the ocean

In a new study from the American Institute of Physics...

Oysters that are exposed to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-will-intensify-due-to-thinning-ocean-layer/">heat</a> and low oxygen conditions early in life are more vulnerable to the same stressors later on, according to a new study from the <a href="https://serc.si.edu/">Smithsonian Environmental Research Center</a> (SERC).

The experts found that in response to repeated  environmental stress, oysters invest more energy in growing their shells than in growing their tissues. As a result, they have larger shells that are less meaty.

"What we all of course want to eat at the raw bar is the oyster tissue," said study lead author Sarah Donelan. "Customers and restaurants might be less pleased if there's less tissue in what looks to be a large oyster."

In the Chesapeake Bay, oysters live mostly in shallow tributaries where oxygen levels can swing drastically during the hot summer months. The researchers explained that these oxygen levels can shift from perfectly healthy in the daytime to near zero at night. To save energy, some oysters react by focusing more on their shell growth. 

Low oxygen was found to have the strongest negative impact on growth. The experts also discovered that early exposure to low oxygen and heat stress led to a drastically sharper decline in tissue growth when the oysters were exposed to these conditions again later in life. 

"Low oxygen and warming waters are a real double whammy for marine organisms," said SERC senior scientist Denise Breitburg. "Warmer water holds less oxygen and causes oxygen to decline faster. At the same time, cold-blooded animals like oysters and finfish require more oxygen at warmer temperatures."

The researchers designed an experiment to investigate whether exposure to threats could shape oysters later in life. Nightly swings of low oxygen were used to put pressure on the shellfish.

"If it's always bad, they can evolve over time to cope with those poor conditions," said Donelan. "But especially for (immobile) organisms like oysters, these fluctuations can be very stressful."

The study was focused on 3,600 young oysters around the age of three months old. The animals were exposed to four possible scenarios, including warmer water, swings of low oxygen, both conditions, or neither condition. 

When the oysters were given a break after 18 days, they were all about the same size regardless of their environments. At this point, there were no significant differences in shell or tissue size among the individuals. 

Two months later, when half of the oysters were returned to the experimental tanks, some effects started to show that may have been dormant.

The oysters that had suffered from both low oxygen and hotter water in the first phase of the experiment started showing signs of strain. Oysters that were facing the challenging conditions for the second time grew their shells more than their tissue. They had half the tissue-versus-shell growth ratio that was observed in oysters who escaped the early double exposure.

The findings raise a new question: why would the oysters not be toughened up by early exposure? Donelan suspects the combination of warming and low oxygen leaves a scar that does not easily heal. "I think that there's likely a physiological change that's irreversible."

The key, said Donelan, is to protect oysters while they are still young. Oysters that were not exposed to the warm water and low oxygen conditions early in life fared much better when they faced the same stressors later on.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19395582">Ecological Applications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Oysters respond to stress by growing less meat on their shells

Oysters that are exposed to heat and low oxygen conditions...

Plants set their circadian clock in the evening to make sure they have enough energy to make it through the night, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/">University of York</a>. The experts identified a metabolic signal that the plants use to set their "bedtime alarm." 

The researchers believe that the newly identified metabolic signal informs the plant on how much sugar is available at dusk so the plant can adjust its metabolism to survive the night. 

Plants use sunlight to produce sugar through photosynthesis, and the sugar is stored up for energy during nighttime hours. It is critical for plants to be able to anticipate the duration of these dark hours so that they do not run out of energy. 

Predicting sunrise and estimating the duration of the night depends on the circadian rhythm, which is a 24-hour cycle that is part of the body's internal clock.

"We think this metabolic signal is acting rather like setting an alarm clock before bedtime to ensure the plant's survival," said Dr. Mike Haydon.

"Plants must coordinate photosynthetic metabolism with the daily environment and adapt rhythmic physiology and development to match carbon availability."

To investigate how sugars alter the circadian clock, the researchers modified the sugar supply of some seedlings and measured their gene expression. They zeroed in on a set of genes regulated by the chemical compound superoxide, which is associated with metabolic activity. 

Most of these genes are active in the evening, including those that regulate the circadian clock. When the experts inhibited the production of superoxide, the evening effects of sugar on the circadian clock genes were also inhibited.

"Distinguishing the effects of light and sugars in photosynthetic cells is challenging," said Professor Ian Graham. "Our data suggest a new role for superoxide as a rhythmic sugar-related signal which acts in the evening and affects circadian gene expression and growth."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants set a "bedtime alarm" that helps them survive the night

Plants set their circadian clock in the evening to make...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca/">University of Toronto</a> has revealed a link between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/frequent-social-media-use-causes-depression-not-the-other-way-around/">social media</a> use and binge eating among preteens in the United States. The researchers found that children who engage in excessive screen time around age 10 have a higher risk of developing a binge-eating disorder one year later.

Binge-eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States. It is characterized by quickly consuming large quantities of food, a feeling of loss of control during the binge, and feeling shameful or guilty afterward. Binge-eating disorder can turn life-threatening when it causes heart disease or diabetes. 

According to the study, each additional hour of social media engagement was associated with a 62 percent increase in the odds that the child would be suffering from a binge-eating disorder a year later. Furthermore, each additional hour of television was linked to a 39 percent increase in the risk of a binge-eating disorder.

"Children may be more prone to overeating while distracted in front of screens. They may also be exposed to more food advertisements on television. Binge-watching television may lead to binge-eating behaviors because of overconsumption and a loss of control," said study lead author Dr. Jason Nagata.

The analysis was focused on data from 11,025 children between the ages of nine and 11 who are part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. 

The children reported on the time they spent in front of a screen watching television, using social media, or text messaging. In addition, parents answered questions about the children's binge-eating behaviors.

"Exposure to social media and unattainable body ideals may lead to a negative body image and subsequent binge eating," said study senior author Dr. Kyle T. Ganson."This study emphasizes the need for more research on how screen time impacts the well-being of young people now and in the future."

The study findings are especially relevant during the pandemic. "With remote learning, the cancellation of youth sports, and social isolation, children are currently exposed to unprecedented levels of screen time," said Dr. Nagata.

"Although screen time can have important benefits such as education and socialization during the pandemic, parents should try to mitigate risks from excessive screen time such as binge eating. Parents should regularly talk to their children about screen-time usage and develop a family media use plan."

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/1098108x">International Journal of Eating Disorders</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Social media use linked to binge eating among preteens

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

Global warming is reducing the efficiency of food chains and threatening the survival of larger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/changing-ocean-soundscapes-impact-animals-worldwide/">animals</a>, according to a study from the <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/">University of Exeter</a>.

Single-celled algae called phytoplankton transfer energy to the small animals that eat them. The researchers found that four degrees Celsius of warming reduced energy transfer in the plankton food webs by a much as 56 percent.

Rising temperatures increase the metabolic cost of growth, which leaves less energy available to flow through the food chain. Less energy in the food chain ultimately leads to a reduction in overall biomass.

"These findings shine a light on an under-appreciated consequence of global warming," said Professor Gabriel Yvon-Durocher. "Phytoplankton and zooplankton are the foundation of food webs that support freshwater and marine ecosystems that humans depend on."

"Our study is the first direct evidence that the cost of growth increases in higher temperatures, limiting the transfer of energy up a food chain."

Professor Mark Trimmer of Queen Mary University of London noted that if the effects found in this experiment are evident in natural ecosystems, the consequences could be profound.

"The impact on larger animals at the top of food chains - which depend on energy passed up from lower down the food chain - could be severe. More research is needed," said Professor Trimmer.

Dr. Diego Barneche of the University of Western Australia explained that about 10 percent of the energy produced on one level of a food chain makes it up to the next level.

"This happens because organisms expend a lot of energy on a variety of functions over a lifetime, and only a small fraction of the energy they consume is retained in biomass that ends up being eaten by predators."

"Warmer temperatures can cause metabolic rates to accelerate faster than growth rates, which reduces the energy available to predators in the next level up the food web."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Rising temperatures limit the efficiency of the food chain

Global warming is reducing the efficiency of food chains and...

Coral Reef Fiji Pacific Panarama

Half a trillion corals counted in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists at the <a href="https://www.coralcoe.org.au/">ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies</a> have conducted the first investigation into how many corals there are in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/benefits-of-sea-otters-in-the-north-pacific-greatly-outweigh-costs/">Pacific</a> Ocean, as well as their risk of extinction. Prior to this study, the global number of individual coral colonies was a mystery.

"In the Pacific, we estimate there are roughly half a trillion corals," said study lead author Dr. Andy Dietzel. "This is about the same number of trees in the Amazon, or birds in the world."

The findings are critically important for the conservation of coral reefs, which are severely threatened by climate change.Half a trillion corals counted in the Pacific Ocean

"We need to know the abundance of a species to assess its risk of extinction," explained Dr. Dietzel. "However, there is very little data on most of Earth's wild animal and plant species - not just corals."

Dr Dietzel said that each of the eight most common coral species in the region have a population size greater than the 7.8 billion people on Earth.

While local losses can be devastating to coral reefs, the results of the new study suggest that the global extinction risk of most species is lower than what was previously thought.

With broad geographic ranges and huge population sizes, the extinctions of many types of corals will unfold over a much longer timeframe than expected.

The analysis shows that 12 of the 80 species considered by the IUCN to have an elevated extinction risk have estimated population sizes of more than one billion colonies, noted Professor Sean Connolly.

"As an example, the finger-coral, Porites nigrescens, ranks amongst the ten most abundant species we examined. It's also not considered to be highly susceptible to coral bleaching - yet it is currently listed by IUCN as vulnerable to global extinction," said Professor Connolly.

On the other hand, Professor Michael Bode pointed out that one third of the species examined that had the lowest population numbers are listed by the IUCN as being of Least Concern.

According to Professor Terry Hughes, the study results have major implications for managing and restoring coral reefs.

"We counted an average of 30 corals per square metre of reef habitat. This translates into tens of billions of corals on the Great Barrier Reef--even after recent losses from climate extremes," said Professor Hughes.

"Coral restoration is not the solution to climate change. You would have to grow about 250 million adult corals to increase coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef by just one percent."

Professor Hughes said the study highlights the opportunity for action to mitigate the threats to reef species - and well before climate change causes global extinctions - to make an eventual recovery of reef coral assemblages possible.

"The challenge now is to protect wild populations of corals, because we could never replace more than a tiny percentage of them. Prevention is better than cure."

"Given the huge size of these coral populations, it is very unlikely that they face imminent extinction. There is still time to protect them from anthropogenic heating, but only if we act quickly on reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/natecolevol/">Nature Ecology and Evolution</a>. 

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Half a trillion corals counted in the Pacific Ocean

Half a trillion corals counted in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists...

Shops,And,Passenger,Ships,On,The,Banks,Of,The,Royal

Looking into the past, researchers can see that human populations have not always collapsed in the face of climate change. In fact, a new study from <a href="https://wustl.edu/">Washington University in St. Louis</a> reveals that during the early Bronze Age, people in the central plains of China responded quite successfully to long-term <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glass-bottles-have-an-unexpectedly-large-environmental-impact/">environmental</a> changes.

The experts found that when a new climate emerged, humans turned to innovation, including advancement in agriculture and increasingly complex social structures. Such innovations set the stage for a dramatic increase in the human population around 3,900 to 3,500 years ago.

"In China, especially, there has been a relatively simplistic view of the effects of climate," said Professor Tristram R. Kidder. "Our work shows that we need to have a nuanced appreciation of human resilience as we consider the effects of climate and its effects on human societies."

"We have remarkable capacity to adapt. But part of the lesson here is that our social, political and technological systems have to be flexible. People in the past were able to overcome climate adversity because they were willing to change."

The researchers set out to quantify the types of demographic and subsistence changes that took place over the course of thousands of years in the central plains of China. 

Based on pollen data from a lake sediment core collected in Henan Province, the experts determined that a warm and wet climate about 9,000 to 4,000 years ago shifted to a cool and dry climate during the Neolithic-Bronze Age transition.

The team used radiocarbon dating and archaeological data to analyze what people were growing and eating during periods of significant population surges and declines throughout the time when the climate was stable and when it shifted. 

The researchers discovered that as resources began to fluctuate and become more limited in drier conditions, people expanded the number of plants they cultivated for food. They embraced new diversity, including foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, wheat, soybean and rice.

The time when the climate was changing is also marked by innovations in water management approaches for irrigation and new metal tools.

"Certainly, by 4,000 years ago, which is when we see this change in the overall environmental condition, this is a society with complicated political, social and economic institutions," said Professor Kidder. 

"And what I think we are seeing is the capacity of these institutions to buffer and to deal with the climatic variation. When we talk about changes in subsistence strategies, these changes didn't happen automatically. These are human choices."

According to study co-author Michael Storozum, the fact that climate change does not always equal collapse is an important point in both a prehistoric and modern context.

"Humans have been heavily modifying their environments for thousands of years, often in the pursuit of increasing food production which grants societies a higher degree of social resilience," said Storozum.

"As more environmental scientists and archaeologists work together, I expect that our understanding of what makes a society resilient to climate change in prehistoric and historical times will grow as well."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1748-9326">Environmental Research Letters</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Humans can overcome climate change by being flexible

Looking into the past, researchers can see that human populations...

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.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&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.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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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.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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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

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



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.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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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://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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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.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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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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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&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.

How the immune system responds to injury

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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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.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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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