Rare earth elements are everywhere - in your smartphone screen, in the MRI machine at the hospital, in the battery of an electric vehicle, and even in oil and gas refining. They are a key ingredient of modern life.



As global tensions rise, so does the competition for access to these minerals. Recent headlines show the stakes: China has halted rare earth exports to the United States, and a deal was just signed to secure U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.



Despite their name, rare earth elements aren’t actually scarce; what’s rare is finding them in high enough concentrations to mine economically. These deposits are scattered unevenly across the globe and often buried deep underground, shaping who controls their production and the global supply chain.



Scientists at <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tufts University</a> are trying to better understand how and why rare earth minerals ended up where they did. Their research reveals how the movement of continents over billions of years helped form - and hide - these valuable deposits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supercontinents-shaped-rare-deposits">Supercontinents shaped rare deposits</h2>



To explain how this mineral drama began, we need to go back in time. Way back. Earth's surface is always on the move. Over millions of years, massive landmasses shift, collide, and break apart, reshaping the planet in the process.



"Most of us are familiar with <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/supercontinents-101-pannotia-gondwana-and-pangea/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pangea</a> - the supercontinent that formed about 300 million years ago and that the current seven continents broke off from to form their present-day arrangement," said Jill VanTongeren, professor and chair of the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences.



"But Pangea is only the most recent supercontinent. Throughout Earth history, there have been at least five major <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/australia-north-america-supercontinent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supercontinent</a> cycles - periods when continents all come together and then spread back out again into different pieces. We think this process happens roughly every 500 million years."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-minerals-begin">Where minerals begin</h2>



As these continents drifted apart, they created rifts - places where the Earth's tectonic plates pulled away from each other. These rifting zones became birthplaces for rare earth element-rich magmas.



"As the rocks are pushed apart, they decompress, causing melting. It's kind of like taking the lid off a soda bottle, and the bubbles rise to the surface," said VanTongeren.



"Those early magmas contain the highest abundance of rare earth and other incompatible elements that then enter the crust, either erupting in volcanic centers or solidifying at depth."



Some of these mineral-rich magmas cooled and stayed near the surface. Others got dragged back down into the mantle or remain buried too deep to mine with today’s technology.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-race-for-control-resources">A race for control resources</h2>



Today, the number of economically viable rare earth deposits is limited. China dominates the market, with nearly 70% of global production coming from its Bayan Obo mine. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/crucial-rare-earth-elements-discovered-coal-mines-united-states/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S.</a> has a smaller operation at Mountain Pass in California, and a few other countries have scattered deposits.



In the late 1990s and early 2000s, China flooded the market with rare earth minerals, driving down prices and shutting down other global producers. That move reshaped global dependence.



In response, the U.S. government took steps to re-establish a domestic supply. Recent investments from the 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Department of Defense aim to restart full operations at the Mountain Pass mine, though it could take up to a decade.



There’s also hope that Ukraine's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-is-on-a-mission-to-map-americas-mineral-wealth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mineral deposits</a> could help diversify supply. But for now, their potential remains unclear.



"Political boundaries and the desire to obtain access to mineral resources have been the source of economic and military conflicts throughout human history," said VanTongeren. "This is likely to continue as the world shifts toward green energy and a greater dependence on rare earth elements in the future."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hunting-for-mineral-deposits">Hunting for mineral deposits</h2>



VanTongeren’s work tracks these mineral stories from source to surface. Her fieldwork has taken her from a ship near Antarctica to platinum mines in South Africa, Morocco’s mountains, and even a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/huge-lithium-deposit-from-volanic-ash-found-in-pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lithium</a> discovery in Maine.



"It's a fascinating area of study partly because it lies at the intersection of science, economics, and politics," she said. Back on the Tufts campus, this intersection takes a more visual form.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tufts-secret-mineral-vault">Tufts' secret mineral vault</h2>



Tucked into the basement of Lane Hall, the P.T. Barnum Mineral Collection offers a glimpse into the Earth’s treasures. It includes thousands of mineral specimens, some collected by Barnum himself. He was an early supporter of Tufts and a major collector of natural history in the 1800s.



"In the late 1800s, it was considered fashionable for many prominent individuals to accumulate their own natural history collections," noted VanTongeren.



"P.T. Barnum was one of the biggest collectors of the time. His collection of animals, plants, and minerals was among the first gifts to Tufts University and part of an endowment to establish Tufts as one of the major natural history museums in the country."



After a fire destroyed the Barnum Museum in 1975, the mineral collection moved to Lane Hall. Now, it’s about to move again - this time to Bacon Hall, the new home for the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-hunt-for-rare-earth-elements">Global hunt for rare earth elements</h2>



VanTongeren hopes this new home will be more than just a storage site. She wants it to become a space that encourages curiosity and exploration, not just for scientists, but for everyone.



"My pie-in-the-sky vision is to set up a mineral gallery with both a permanent exhibit as well as pop-up exhibitions every semester highlighting minerals important for technology, related to other research at the university, or to global events," said VanTongeren.



"I'd like to help bring back Barnum's vision of bringing the beauty of, and an appreciation for, the natural world to campus."



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Global hunt for rare earth elements is underway

Rare earth elements are everywhere - in your smartphone screen, in the MRI machine at the hospital, in the battery of an electric vehicle, and even in oil and gas refining. They are a key ingredient of modern life. As global tensions rise, so does the competition for access to these minerals. Recent headlines show the stakes: China has halted rare earth exports to the United States, and a deal was just signed to secure U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. Despite their name, rare earth elements...

Mangrove forests have a greater capacity to store <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-poop-stores-1-65-billion-tons-of-carbon-annually/">carbon</a> when they are diverse, according to a new study published by the <a href="https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/">British Ecological Society</a>. While analyzing mangrove forests in Hainan Island, China, the researchers discovered that species diversity in mangrove forests improves both biomass production and soil carbon storage. 

Worldwide, there are 70 different species of mangroves and 26 of them can be found in the study area. The research is the first intensive field study of its kind to confirm the positive effect of biodiversity on mangrove biomass and carbon storage. 

The eastern side of Hainan Island was found to have the highest mangrove diversity and  biomass, along with an average carbon storage of 537 tons per hectare. This carbon storage capacity is extremely high compared to the average across the entire island of 328 tons per hectare, and also compared to the global mangrove forest average of 386 tons per hectare.

Areas with higher levels of precipitation and soil nitrogen content were found to have greater mangrove biomass and carbon storage capacity as well. This indicates that mangrove diversity and carbon storage potential are both influenced by soil fertility and climate factors.

"Our findings suggest that mangrove forests with greater diversity also have higher carbon storage capacities and conservation potential. Thus, mangrove biodiversity conservation is crucial for ensuring mangrove forests are able to mitigate climate change," said study co-author Dr. Guanghui Lin. 

"We can increase mangrove diversity through restoration and conservation projects, especially those that promote local native species."

Mangrove forests are made up of trees, shrubs and other woody plants growing in the tidal zones of tropical coastlines. This coastal vegetation provides numerous ecological services including water purification, coastal protection, and carbon storage.

"Worldwide, particularly in developing countries such as China, mangroves have been lost or degraded over the last several decades," said study co-author Professor Xiaoshan. "Restoration of mangrove forests and their habitats are urgently needed not only for preservation of biodiversity but also to increase carbon storage potentials."

In addition, increasing mangrove species diversity will help to improve the resilience of the ecosystems to disturbances like climate change and extreme weather. As a result,  mangrove forests can continue to serve as specialized habitats that support hundreds of species.

The mangrove species found on Hainan Island ranged from 30-meter tall trees, such as Sonneratia and Bruguerria, to shrubs of only a few meters such as Avicennia marina. The researchers surveyed mangrove biodiversity and carbon storage along the entire coastline of Hainan Island, which contains nearly 20 percent of China's mangrove forest area.

The study was limited in that it was restricted to a single, isolated island. The experts are currently expanding their research to include the rest of China and other countries with mangrove forests around the world. "This will allow us to test the relationship between plant species diversity and mangrove carbon storage found in this study," said Dr. Lin.

According to the researchers, their findings highlight the importance of conserving mangrove biodiversity as a nature-based solution to mitigate climate change.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652435">Functional Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Diverse mangrove forests have higher carbon storage capacity

Mangrove forests have a greater capacity to store carbon when...

Experts have had a major breakthrough in the search for potential <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cats-will-hunt-less-wildlife-if-you-feed-them-meat/">life</a> on other planets. A new study from the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> suggests that our galaxy may be filled with millions of planets that have oceans and continents like those found on Earth. 

In order for a planet to be suitable to host extraterrestrial life, it must have liquid water. However, it has been assumed that planets only obtain water through a chance collision with an ice asteroid.

But now, a team of experts from the GLOBE Institute has proposed an incredible new theory. The scientists believe that water may be present during the initial formation of planets. They have found evidence that this was the case for Earth, Venus, and Mars.

"All our data suggest that water was part of Earth's building blocks, right from the beginning. And because the water molecule is frequently occurring, there is a reasonable probability that it applies to all planets in the Milky Way," explained study lead author Professor Anders Johansen. "The decisive point for whether liquid water is present is the distance of the planet from its star."

The researchers used a computer model to identify the building blocks of planets and to estimate how quickly they form. The results suggest that planets are made from millimeter-sized dust particles of ice and carbon, or "pebbles," which are known to orbit around all young stars in the Milky Way. According to the researchers, these particles developed 4.5 billion years ago and accumulated to create Earth.

"Up to the point where Earth had grown to one percent of its current mass, our planet grew by capturing masses of pebbles filled with ice and carbon," said Professor Johansen. "Earth then grew faster and faster until, after five million years, it became as large as we know it today. Along the way, the temperature on the surface rose sharply, causing the ice in the pebbles to evaporate on the way down to the surface so that, today, only 0.1 percent of the planet is made up of water, even though 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered by water." 

Professor Johansen initially proposed this theory ten years ago with a team in Lund, and the new study provides new evidence to support the idea. The theory, called "pebble accretion," is that planets are formed by pebbles that clump together and grow larger.

According to the experts, the water molecule H2O is found everywhere in our galaxy, and this opens up the possibility that other planets may have been formed in the same way as Earth, Mars, and Venus.

"All planets in the Milky Way may be formed by the same building blocks, meaning that planets with the same amount of water and carbon as Earth - and thus potential places where life may be present - occur frequently around other stars in our galaxy, provided the temperature is right," said Professor Johansen.

'With our model, all planets get the same amount of water, and this suggests that other planets may have not just the same amount of water and oceans, but also the same amount of continents as here on Earth. It provides good opportunities for the emergence of life," said study co-author Professor Martin Bizzarro.

If the amount of water present on planets was random, they may look very different. Some planets would be too dry to develop life, while others would be completely covered by water, said the researchers.

"A planet covered by water would of course be good for maritime beings, but would offer less than ideal conditions for the formation of civilizations that can observe the universe," explained Professor Johansen.

The team is looking forward to the next generation of space telescopes, which will create better opportunities to observe exoplanets.

"The new telescopes are powerful," said Professor Johansen. "They use spectroscopy, which means that by observing which type of light is being blocked from the planets' orbit around their star, you can see how much water vapour there is. It can tell us something about the number of oceans on that planet."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The Milky Way may be filled with millions of planets like Earth

Experts have had a major breakthrough in the search for...

Climate change and invasive species are two of the biggest drivers of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/promoting-biodiversity-increases-ecosystem-resilience/">biodiversity</a> loss worldwide. In a new study from <a href="https://wsu.edu/">Washington State University</a>, experts report that rapid evolution can help species adapt to new competition, and that these evolutionary changes affect the way that animals handle climate stress. 

"Our results demonstrate that interactions with competitors, including invasive species, can shape a species' evolution in response to climatic change," said study co-author Professor Seth Rudman.

Evolution is typically thought of as a slow process that takes place over generations, but studies in recent years have shown that plants and animals can make rapid adjustments in response to changes in their environment. Rapid evolution is critical for species to survive climate warming and the increasing issue of non-native species invasions.

Fruit flies reproduce very quickly, which allows scientists to observe genetic changes across several generations in a matter of months. For the current study, the researchers focused on two species of fruit flies: Drosophila melanogaster, which is native to North American orchards; and Zaprionus indianus, which has recently started to invade North America.

The researchers first investigated whether the native flies could evolve rapidly in response to exposure to the invasive flies over the course of a summer season. Next, the team examined how adaptation in the summer may affect the native species' ability to handle the colder fall conditions.

"A cool thing about the way we conducted this study is that while most experiments that look at rapid evolution use controlled lab systems, we used an outdoor experimental orchard that mimics the natural habitat of our focal species," said study lead author Tess Grainger. "This gives our experiment a sense of realism and makes our findings more applicable to understanding natural systems."

The study revealed that the native fruit flies adapted to the presence of the invasive species in a matter of just a few months. This rapid evolution influenced how the flies evolved when cold weather arrived. 

In the fall, the fruit flies which had been exposed to the invasive species evolved to be larger, lay fewer eggs, and develop faster than flies that were not exposed. These findings have laid the groundwork for studying other threatened species that are more elusive.

"In the era of global environmental change in which species are increasingly faced with new climates and new competitors, these dynamics are becoming essential to understand and predict," said Grainger.

"As biodiversity changes, as climate changes and invaders become more common, what can rapid evolution do to affect outcomes of those things over the next century or two? It may be that rapid evolution will help biodiversity be maintained in the face of these changes," said Professor Rudman.

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

Invasive species are driving rapid evolution

Climate change and invasive species are two of the biggest...

Fish play an underestimated role in the global carbon cycle by transferring carbon from the surface waters to the deep <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-ocean-oxygen-levels-are-affected-by-sea-ice/">sea</a> for storage. A new study from <a href="https://www.rutgers.edu/">Rutgers University</a> has revealed that fish help to sequester 1.65 billion tons of carbon through their feces and other excretions. 

The experts estimate that fish make an enormous contribution of about 16 percent to the ocean's total carbon sink. 

“Our study is the first to review the impact that fishes have on carbon flux,” said study lead author Professor Grace K. Saba. “Our estimate of the contribution by fish - about 16 percent - includes a large uncertainty, and scientists can improve it with future research." 

"Forms of carbon from fish in ocean waters where sunlight penetrates - up to about 650 feet deep - include sinking fecal pellets, inorganic carbon particles (calcium carbonate minerals), dissolved organic carbon and respired carbon dioxide.”

Phytoplankton are tiny plant-like organisms that dwell in the ocean's surface waters, where they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for photosynthesis. In a process known as the biological pump, this carbon is transferred to the depths of the ocean when algal material or fecal pellets sink. 

“Carbon that makes its way below the sunlit layer becomes sequestered, or stored, in the ocean for hundreds of years or more, depending on the depth and location where organic carbon is exported,” explained Professor Saba. “This natural process results in a sink that acts to balance the sources of carbon dioxide.”

According to a report from <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/">ScienceAlert</a>, long cylinders of fish feces can sink or travel thousands of feet in a single day, and the pellets are "oddly resistant to decomposition in the water."

The researchers warn that human disturbances such as climate change and commercial fishing could disrupt the delicate balance of carbon sequestration in the ocean. 

Study co-author Dr. Clive Trueman is an associate professor in Marine Ecology at the University of Southampton. 

"Measuring the amount of carbon that is captured and stored by different kinds of animals and plants is very important as we try to reduce the total amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere," said Dr. Trueman. 

"Disrupting ecosystems that actively store carbon could reverse some of the progress made in reducing carbon emissions. Similarly, protecting these natural carbon capture and storage services maintains our planet’s self-regulating systems.”

“Marine fishes can capture carbon through feeding and then export that carbon to the deep ocean as they excrete. Understanding just how much carbon is pooed into the deep ocean by fishes is challenging, however.  Scientists argue about the number of fishes present in the world’s ocean, exactly where they live, how much they eat, and how much, and where, they poo.”

Professor Saba noted that measuring the amount of carbon that is captured and stored by different kinds of animals and plants is critically important as we work to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19395590">Limnology and Oceanography</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Fish poop stores 1.65 billion tons of carbon annually

Fish play an underestimated role in the global carbon cycle...

While mistletoe is capable of using photosynthesis to make food, this parasitic plant prefers to obtain water and nutrients from other trees and shrubs. According to a new study from <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/">UC Riverside</a>, mistletoe uses an unusual feeding strategy to keep its host alive.

"Plants are autotrophic, they make their own food. Humans are heterotrophic, we eat it," said study lead author Paul Nabity. "Mistletoe are mostly heterotrophic, but they can switch if they want to."

The researchers discovered that when two mistletoe plants invade the same tree, they speed up the process of photosynthesis to obtain nutrients. This allows the plants to share the tree and minimize damage to it. 

"They seem to know when they're attacking the same host, and can reduce the virulence of their attack," explained Nabity.

The Christmas mistletoe is a European species that invades apple trees and other hardwood trees in central California. The current study was focused on a native species of mistletoe found throughout the Sonoran and Mojave deserts that grows on acacia, palo verde, or mesquite trees.

The researchers experimented by removing one of two mistletoe plants from various trees. They found that mistletoe left behind on the tree did not increase photosynthesis, and reduced its water intake in some cases.

"It appears that the remaining mistletoe recognized it was no longer competing for resources," said Nabity.

Birds often feed from a fruiting mistletoe and disperse seeds from the plant into the same host tree. The additional mistletoes increase the parasite load for the tree, yet the infection may not be as severe as it would be with the invasion of multiple unrelated plants.

Nabity explained that communication among mistletoes is possible through a variety of methods. For example, the parasitic plants are connected to a host's xylem, the tissue that trees use to move water and nutrients from the roots, through which they may send messages. It is also possible the mistletoes may "smell" one another.

The chemical compounds produced by plants are released through the pores and then evaporate quickly into the air. The signals that the compounds carry can be received down wind.

Regardless of how mistletoes communicate, Nabity explained that they do not necessarily need to be removed from infected trees.  While the removal of mistletoe may improve the health of an individual tree, mistletoe plays an important role in supporting birds and pollinators. For example, mistletoe tends to flower in winter when nectar or pollen is not yet available from many other plants.

Nabity concluded that not only does mistletoe support other species, it may not hurt trees or shrubs as much as previously thought. "Don't remove mistletoe because you think they're all bad."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://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

Mistletoe has a strategy to keep its host plant alive

While mistletoe is capable of using photosynthesis to make food,...

Climate change is driving a new trend that could permanently transform forests across North America. In a new study from <a href="https://duke.edu/">Duke University</a>, experts report that while smaller trees in the eastern part of the continent have increased their seed production, forests in the western region of North America have become less productive. 

Study lead author Professor James S. Clark explained that this continental divide, which is being described for the first time, could dramatically alter the composition and structure of 21st century North American forests.

Droughts and rising temperatures are increasingly impacting many states in the West, and these stressors lead to widespread forest decline. A drop in seed production could limit the ability of western forests to regenerate following these large-scale diebacks.

According to Professor Clark, knowing the contrasting responses occur, and understanding why they happen, will help scientists more accurately predict future changes to North American forests and develop conservation and management strategies to mitigate the changes.

In collaboration with scientists from 48 institutions, Professor Clark analyzed data from trees in the Mast Inference and Prediction (MASTIF) monitoring network. This network includes more than 500 long-term field research sites nationwide.

The potential for forests to regenerate depends upon tree fecundity, or the capacity for trees to produce and disperse seeds in habitats where the chances of survival are good. It is important to measure seed production, or fecundity, to determine how trees will respond to future climate change. However, this ecological process is highly variable and challenging to predict.

Fecundity changes over time based on factors such a tree's size, growth rate, and water or light availability. Seed production is also driven by two indirect climate impacts - the effects of growth that depend on climate and the effects of climate that depend on tree size. 

According to the study authors, these two indirect climate factors are not currently accounted for in models used to predict future change. "It was the only major demographic process driving forest response to climate change that we lacked field-based estimates on," said Professor Clark.

To address the issue, he developed new statistical software that allowed him to combine decades of MASTIF data on size, growth, canopy spread, and access to resources for nearly 100,000 individual trees. The analysis revealed that on a continental scale, fecundity increases as a tree grows larger. However, this seed production only increases to a certain point before it begins to decline.

"This explains the East-West divide. Most trees in the East are young, growing fast and entering a size class where fecundity increases, so any indirect impact from climate that spurs their growth also increases their seed production," said Professor Clark. 

"We see the opposite happening with the older, larger trees in the West. There are small and large trees in both regions, of course, but the regions differ enough in their size structure to respond in different ways."

"Now that we understand, in aggregate, how this all works, the next step is to apply it to individual species or stands and incorporate it into the models we use to predict future forest changes."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Seed production is slowing down in older, larger trees

Climate change is driving a new trend that could permanently...

Air pollution elevates the risk of heart and lung disease over time, even at low levels, according to a study published by the <a href="https://www.heart.org/">American Heart Association</a>. The researchers found that for people aged 65 and older, long-term exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation, and pneumonia.

Study lead author Dr. Mahdieh Danesh-Yazdi is a postdoctoral researcher at the <a href="https://www.harvard.edu/">Harvard</a> T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

"People should be conscious of the air quality in the region where they live to avoid harmful exposure over long periods of time, if possible," said Dr. Danesh-Yazdi.

"Since our study found harmful effects at levels below current U.S. standards, air pollution should be considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory disease by clinicians, and policy makers should reconsider current standards for air pollutants."

The experts analyzed the addresses of 63 million older adults to evaluate the extent of their exposure to particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3). The team also analyzed the hospital records of the individuals from between 2000 and 2016.

In addition, the experts investigated the potential link between the average yearly levels of each of the three pollutants and hospitalization rates for non-fatal heart attacks, ischemic strokes, atrial fibrillation and flutter, and pneumonia.

By conducting statistical analyses, the experts determined that thousands of annual hospital admissions were tied to air pollution. In particular, the researchers found that the increased risk of heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation, and pneumonia were associated with long-term exposure to particulate matter.

"Long-term exposure to air pollution was associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions with cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes on an additive scale among the elderly population of the United States," wrote the researchers.

"Each unit increase in levels of particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone were associated with thousands of additional admissions each year."

"Air pollution should be considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular and respiratory disease. The risk persists even at levels below current national and international guidelines."

In particular, nitrogen dioxide was associated with an increased risk of stroke and atrial fibrillation, while stroke rates were most strongly tied to annual levels of fine particulate matter

Pneumonia was the only health outcome examined that seemed to be impacted by long-term exposure to ozone.

"When we restricted our analyses to individuals who were only exposed to lower concentrations of air pollution, we still found increased risk of hospital admissions with all of the studied outcomes, even at concentration levels below current national standards," said Dr. Danesh-Yazdi. 

"More than half of the study population is exposed to low levels of these pollutants, according to U.S. benchmarks, therefore, the long-term health impact of these pollutants should be a serious concern for all, including policymakers, clinicians and patients."

The study is published in the American Heart Association journal <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ">Circulation</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Low levels of air pollution increase the risk of heart and lung disease

Air pollution elevates the risk of heart and lung disease...

Two out of every five plant species are currently at risk of extinction, and scientists are urgently trying to understand why some plants are more vulnerable to climate stress than others. In a new study from <a href="https://www.idiv.de/en/index.html">iDIV</a>, researchers have found that climate drivers such as temperature and precipitation may have a stronger influence on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alpine-plants-are-threatened-by-glacier-retreat/">plants</a> outside of the growing season than what was previously expected. 

Previous studies that analyzed the relationship between climate and plant vital rates have reported only moderate effects. The results suggest that other threats, such as land use changes, are more of a threat to plant health than climate stress. These conclusions, however, may vary depending on the timing and duration of the research.

"Most researchers assume that plant populations respond to the climate within twelve months and only use this time window in their models to analyze plant responses," said study first author Sanne Evers.

For the current investigation, the researchers analyzed 76 studies performed on 104 plant species that link climate drivers with demographic responses. 

The experts found that 85 percent of all studies accounted for just one year of plant vitals, often focusing solely on the growing season.  

"There are many ways in which climate during the dormant season, or climate that occurred few years in the past, can influence the survivorship, growth, and reproduction of plants. For example, species can grow substantially during the cold season, at least where the cold season temperature does not fall below 5° Celsius," explained study senior author Aldo Compagnoni.

"In addition, it might take multiple years for plants to die after physiological damage from drought has occurred."

The researchers set out to determine which combination of climate drivers and temporal window may optimize the ability to predict climate stress on plants. The team zeroed in on four exceptionally long-term data sets: the montane plants Helianthella quinquenervis and Frasera speciosa, and the arid plants Cylindropuntia imbricata and Cryptantha flava. 

"For these plant species, 15 to 47 years of data was available. And even though they are all perennials, they come from very different habitats with clearly marked seasons," said Sanne Evers.

The study revealed that in many cases, it took several years for plants to respond to climate, and signs of the climate stress were not visible within the first couple of years. 

"Plant responses to climate drivers that are lagged and/or outside of the growing season are the rule rather than the exception," said study co-author Professor Tiffany Knight. "This could be explained by the physiological features of some plants: For instance, in alpine environments, it may take up to four years until leaves and flowers of plants such as F. speciosa reach maturity." 

As a result, the effects of an extreme climate event may only become visible in the number of leaves and flowers four years after that event influenced the formation of these structures.

The study reveals that plant responses to climate stress are more complex than what was previously thought, and the findings have important implications for understanding how plants will be affected by future climate change. 

"Our study suggests that considering climatic predictors that fall outside of the most recent growing season will improve our understanding of how climate affects population dynamics," wrote the researchers.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652486">Global Change Biology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plants can hide the effects of climate stress for years

Two out of every five plant species are currently at...

In a breakthrough study from <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/">Eötvös Loránd University</a>, experts have found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-help-children-improve-their-confidence-and-social-skills/">dogs</a> show signs of self-awareness by demonstrating the ability to distinguish their body from its surrounding environment. 

According to the study authors, dogs have also exhibited other components of self-awareness, including the ability to recognize their own odor and to form personal memories of specific events.

In humans, self-awareness has evolved into an extremely complex form called self-consciousness. Some elements of this mental capacity may have emerged during the evolution of non-human animals, depending on their ecological needs. 

"Dogs are perfect subjects for the investigation of the self-representation related abilities as we share our anthropogenic physical and social environment with them," said study first author Rita Lenkei.

"Thus, it is reasonable to assume that at least some of its forms might appeared in them, too. From these, body-awareness might be one of the most basic ones."

In a problem-solving task, the dogs showed that they could recognize their body as an obstacle, indicating that they understand the relationship between their body and the environment.

Body awareness is one of the most basic illustrations of self-awareness. The researchers used a model that has previously been used to test for body awareness elephants and humans known as the "body as an obstacle" test.

During the original experiment, toddlers were instructed to hand over a mat they were sitting on. The idea was that they could only complete the task if they understood the connection between their own body and the mat. 

Furthermore, to complete the task, the toddlers first had to physically remove themselves from the mat. In other words, their bodies served as an obstacle to completing the task at hand. 

For the current study, the experts attached a ball to the mat so that dogs would easily understand the request of their owner to pass the object, which would also involve passing the mat.

"We developed a more complex method than the original one to make sure that dogs only leave the mat when it was truly necessary," explained study co-author Dr. Péter Pongrácz. "Based on our results even during their first attempt they left the mat significantly sooner and more likely when it was needed to solve the task, compared to when, for instance, the ball was anchored to the ground."

The results are especially interesting considering that this experiment is linked to the mirror mark test, which was also designed to determine whether an animal possesses the ability of visual self-recognition. While a few animal species consistently pass the mirror test, including elephants and chimpanzees, dogs consistently fail. 

"Based on our knowledge the dog is the first species that did not pass the mirror mark test but successfully passed the 'body as an obstacle' paradigm," said Lenkei. "Our results support the theory about self-representation as being an array of more or less connected cognitive skills, where the presence or lack of a particular building block may depend on the ecological needs and cognitive complexity of the given species."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Study reveals new evidence that dogs have self-awareness

In a breakthrough study from Eötvös Loránd University, experts have...

In urban areas, home gardens are by far the biggest source of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alcohol-humans-evolutionary-advantage/">food</a> for pollinating insects such as bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, flies, and beetles. Researchers at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/">University of Bristol</a> have determined that residential gardens account for 85 percent of the nectar produced in cities and towns. 

The study revealed that just three residential gardens can generate enough of the sugar-rich liquid Nature's ambrosia to fuel thousands of flying bees. By supporting more pollinators, the gardens support greater wildlife diversity.

"Although the quantity and diversity of nectar has been measured in the countryside, this wasn't the case in urban areas, so we decided to investigate," said study lead author and PhD student Nicholas Tew.

"We expected private gardens in towns and cities to be a plentiful source of nectar, but didn't anticipate the scale of production would be to such an overwhelming extent. Our findings highlight the pivotal role they play in supporting pollinators and promoting biodiversity in urban areas across the country."

In collaboration with the universities of Edinburgh and Reading and the Royal Horticultural Society, the researchers was conducted in four major UK towns and cities: Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, and Reading. 

The team examined nectar production in nearly 200 species of plants by extracting nectar from more than 3,000 individual flowers and measuring sugar concentrations.

"We found the nectar supply in urban landscapes is more diverse, in other words comes from more plant species, than in farmland and nature reserves, and this urban nectar supply is critically underpinned by private gardens," said Tew.

"Gardens are so important because they produce the most nectar per unit area of land and they cover the largest area of land in the cities we studied."

Residential gardens made up nearly one-third of the land in the urban areas studied. This is six times the area of parks and 40 times the area of allotments.

According to Tew, the research illustrates the huge role gardeners play in pollinator conservation, as without home gardens there would be far less food for pollinators in towns and cities. 

"It is vital that new housing developments include gardens and also important for gardeners to try to make sure their gardens are as good as possible for pollinators," said Tew. 

"Ways to do this include planting nectar-rich flowers, ensuring there is always something in flower from early spring to late autumn, mowing the lawn less often to let dandelions, clovers, daisies and other plant flowers flourish, avoiding spraying pesticides which can harm pollinators, and avoiding covering garden in paving, decking or artificial turf."

Dr. Stephanie Bird is an entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society, which helped fund the research.

"This research highlights the importance of gardens in supporting our pollinating insects and how gardeners can have a positive impact through their planting decisions," said Dr. Bird. "Gardens should not be seen in isolation - instead they are a network of resources offering valuable habitats and provisions when maintained with pollinators in mind."

The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13652745">Journal of Ecology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Residential gardens play a major role in supporting pollinators

In urban areas, home gardens are by far the biggest...

Mars,Planet,In,Space,Ship,Window,Porthole.,Elements,Of,This

Microbes from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/reed-warblers-use-earths-magnetic-field-to-get-back-on-track/">Earth</a> could temporarily survive on the surface of Mars, according to new research by scientists at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a> and the German Aerospace Center. The team tested how certain microorganisms would respond to Martian conditions by launching them into the Earth's stratosphere.

The study, which is published by <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/">Frontiers</a>, has laid the groundwork for understanding the potential threats of microbes during space travel, as well as the opportunities for resource independence from Earth.

"We successfully tested a new way of exposing bacteria and fungi to Mars-like conditions by using a scientific balloon to fly our experimental equipment up to Earth's stratosphere," said study co-first author Marta Filipa Cortesão. "Some microbes, in particular spores from the black mold fungus, were able to survive the trip, even when exposed to very high UV radiation."

It is critical to the success of future missions to measure the endurance of microbes under the conditions in space. For example, missions to find extraterrestrial life must be designed to eliminate the possibility that any microbes that are discovered have simply traveled from Earth. 

"With crewed long-term missions to Mars, we need to know how human-associated microorganisms would survive on the Red Planet, as some may pose a health risk to astronauts," said study co-first author Katharina Siems. "In addition, some microbes could be invaluable for space exploration. They could help us produce food and material supplies independently from Earth, which will be crucial when far away from home."

The conditions in Earth's middle stratosphere above the ozone layer are remarkably similar to key characteristics of the environment at the Martian surface.

"We launched the microbes into the stratosphere inside the MARSBOx (Microbes in Atmosphere for Radiation, Survival and Biological Outcomes experiment) payload, which was kept at Martian pressure and filled with artificial Martian atmosphere throughout the mission," said Cortesão. 

"The box carried two sample layers, with the bottom layer shielded from radiation. This allowed us to separate the effects of radiation from the other tested conditions: desiccation, atmosphere, and temperature fluctuation during the flight. The top layer samples were exposed to more than a thousand times more UV radiation than levels that can cause sunburn on our skin."

"While not all the microbes survived the trip, one previously detected on the International Space Station, the black mold Aspergillus niger, could be revived after it returned home," explained Siems. She noted that microorganisms are closely-connected to our body, our food, and our environment, which makes it impossible to rule them out of space travel. 

"Using good analogies for the Martian environment, such as the MARSBOx balloon mission to the stratosphere, is a really important way to help us explore all the implications of space travel on microbial life and how we can drive this knowledge towards amazing space discoveries."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology">Frontiers in Microbiology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Some microbes from Earth could survive the conditions on Mars

Microbes from Earth could temporarily survive on the surface of...

Noise from natural gas pipeline compressors does not deter birds from establishing nests nearby, but ultimately interferes with their reproductive success, according to experts at <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a>.

The researchers conducted an elaborate study that involved 80 new nest boxes occupied by Eastern bluebirds and tree swallows that were equipped with video cameras and recordings of compressor noise. 

"Importantly, the birds did not preferentially select quiet boxes over noisy boxes, suggesting they do not recognize the reduction in habitat quality resulting from the noise," said study co-author Professor Margaret Brittingham. 

"But both bluebirds and tree swallows nesting in noisy boxes spent less time incubating their eggs, had fewer eggs hatch and produced fewer young than their neighbors nesting in quiet boxes."

Natural gas production is rapidly expanding across the United States. Compressor stations that pressurize gas and push it through pipelines to consumers are often located in isolated areas of the forest used by breeding birds.

"The loud, low-frequency noise emitted by natural gas compressor stations travels hundreds of yards into undisturbed areas," said study co-author Professor Julian Avery. "Because shale gas development often occurs in relatively undisturbed natural areas that provide important habitat for breeding birds, it is imperative that we develop plans to manage and mitigate noise."

For their investigation, the researchers took precautions to make sure they were solely evaluating the responses of the birds to compressor noise, and not to other factors.

The experiment was conducted in the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs in central Pennsylvania. 

The team positioned the nest boxes to attract bluebirds and tree swallows to a site with no previous breeding population. Half of the boxes were exposed to natural gas compressor noise before birds returned to the region, while the other 40 boxes served as controls.

"We took a risk initiating the study - we weren't sure these birds would find and occupy our boxes," said Professor Avery. "We hoped that, 'if we build it, they will come.' Bluebirds likely had other nearby spots to nest, and the tree swallows were just returning from Central America. There was no guarantee they'd encounter our boxes."

Study lead author Danielle Williams monitored video feeds from within the boxes to document changes in breeding behavior. 

She found that there was no difference in the number of eggs laid between noisy boxes and quiet boxes or in feeding behavior by the adults. However, in both species, Williams observed a reduction in incubation time, hatching success, and fledging success in the noisy boxes.

The findings demonstrate that natural gas compressor noise causes behavioral changes that lead to reduced reproductive success for eastern bluebirds and tree swallows. 

According to the researchers, the results indicate that natural gas infrastructure can create an "equal-preference ecological trap," where birds do not distinguish between lower and higher quality territories despite reproductive costs.

"That suggests that noise did not increase rates of either depredation or abandonment but instead negatively impacted fitness through reduced hatching and fledging success," said Professor Brittingham. "We never would have known that if we had not done this research."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/condor">Ornithological Applications</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Noise from natural gas compressors disrupts songbird reproduction

Noise from natural gas pipeline compressors does not deter birds...

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.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

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.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

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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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

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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

[sendtonews key="qjvhBOBnY8-2426650-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.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

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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