Our usual understanding of sleep starts with the brain and ends with the mattress, yet new evidence points to a far smaller arena. Two hundredths of a millimeter below the surface of a nerve cell, the mitochondria may be counting the minutes we stay awake, then ordering the lights out.



A team working with Drosophila melanogaster shows that the same organelles that churn out ATP, the cell’s energy coin, can also flip the neural switch that starts <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/">sleep</a>. The work was led by Gero Miesenböck of the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mitochondria-track-sleep-need">Mitochondria track sleep need</h2>



Sleep need, or sleep pressure, has long seemed mysterious because no clear molecule tells the brain when enough is enough. 



The new study finds that after prolonged wakefulness, sleep-inducing neurons turn up genes for mitochondrial respiration, hinting that an energy backlog is their signal.



Those neurons sit in the fly’s dorsal fan-shaped body, a known sleep center. As their mitochondria keep running while the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">cells</a> are quiet, electrons spill from the respiratory chain, forming reactive oxygen species that damage nearby lipids.



When these unstable molecules pile up, the only fix is to shut the system down, explained Miesenböck. What this study has revealed is that the sleep homeostat is actually looking at its own mitochondria to estimate the need for sleep, he adds.



The group saw that letting the flies sleep again restored mitochondrial shape and function. That rapid bounce-back suggests repair, not exhaustion, is the goal of the pause.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fly-tests-show-sleep-signals">Fly tests show sleep signals</h2>



The Oxford team kept half their flies awake by gently shaking them or warming cells that promote arousal, actions that do not harm the insects. Both methods produced identical mitochondrial stress signatures, bolstering the link to wake time rather than injury.



Fragmented mitochondria were a red flag. Flies whose <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-night-of-lost-sleep-can-trigger-hidden-health-issues/">sleep</a> neurons carried these “shattered” organelles slept less and failed to catch up later.



When the researchers forced the organelles to fuse, essentially improving their self-repair toolkit, flies slept more and mounted a stronger rebound after deprivation.



A clever optogenetic twist turned the mitochondria themselves into a sleep lever. By engineering a light-activated proton pump into the organelles, one hour of green light lengthened sleep by roughly 25 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-in-cells-triggers-sleep">Stress in cells triggers sleep</h2>



Cell biologists have known for years that electron leak rises whenever the demand for ATP drops, yet the supply keeps flowing. The fly results echo earlier work showing that ROS build-up after forced wakefulness can kill rodents unless the stress is quenched.



The brain appears to treat that oxidative trickle as a countdown. Once a threshold is crossed, sleep neurons fire, the animal rests, and antioxidant defenses patch the membrane lipids.



Other research in mammals supports the idea. A 2023 review calls mitochondrial redox shifts the heart of a homeostatic sleep-regulatory mechanism.



Even the lipid <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5742555/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">phosphatidic acid</a>, which helps merge mitochondrial membranes, affects sleep. Studies show that lowering this lipid hampers fusion and shortens sleep in flies, fitting earlier biochemical models that tie the molecule to healthy mitochondrial dynamics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-similarities-between-flies-and-humans">Similarities between flies and humans</h2>



Fruit flies are simple, but their mitochondrial proteins look much like ours. Ryan Mailloux of McGill University, who was not involved in the study, noted that the findings provide novel opportunities to target these pathways and come up with new, effective ways to treat <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/one-particular-sleep-stage-slow-wave-deep-is-most-important-for-preventing-dementia/">sleep</a> problems.



Fatigue is already recognized as one of the most common complaints among patients with primary mitochondrial disease. That clinical link strengthens the case that mitochondrial distress can translate directly into a felt need for rest.



Work in mice adds another layer: when mitochondria in appetite-boosting AgRP neurons are forced to fuse, the animals eat more; when the organelles fragment, hunger subsides. The parallel between energy balance and sleep hints at a shared metabolic sensor.



“Keeping animals awake itself may add stress unrelated to natural wakefulness,” said Michele Bellesi of the <a href="https://international.unicam.it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Camerino</a>. 



Critics like Bellesi raise caveats, but the Oxford group counters that multiple, gentle methods produced the same mitochondrial signature, suggesting the effect is genuine sleep pressure, not generic stress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mitochondria-may-help-sleep-issues">Mitochondria may help sleep issues</h2>



If mitochondrial redox state is the clock, then drugs that tweak electron flow might reset it. Uncouplers that let protons leak, for example, relieved sleep need in flies by draining excess electrons.



Any practical therapy must be precise. Broad uncoupling in humans would waste energy and overheat tissues. Targeting only the sleep-inducing neurons or modulating lipid repair enzymes could offer narrower control.



Wearable diagnostics may also emerge. If circulating markers of mitochondrial ROS rise with sleep pressure, a blood spot or breath test could tell shift workers when to nap before errors pile up.



Finally, the study argues against the idea that sleep is down time. Instead, it is an active rebuild phase commanded by microscopic monitors that count chemical sparks. 



This perspective aligns with aging studies showing that preserving mitochondrial fitness slows cognitive decline and lengthens healthy life.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09261-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Scientists may have just solved the mystery of sleep

Our usual understanding of sleep starts with the brain and ends with the mattress, yet new evidence points to a far smaller arena. Two hundredths of a millimeter below the surface of a nerve cell, the mitochondria may be counting the minutes we stay awake, then ordering the lights out. A team working with Drosophila melanogaster shows that the same organelles that churn out ATP, the cell’s energy coin, can also flip the neural switch that starts sleep. The work was led by Gero Miesenböck of the...

A species of hawkmoth from Madagascar, whose existence was predicted by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace in the 19th century, has recently been recognized as a new species. Known as Wallace’s sphinx moth, the unique creature is considered to have the longest tongue of any <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hummingbirds-can-smell-dangerous-insects/">insect</a>, measuring up to 30 centimeters. The moth is the only insect that can reach the bottom of the nectar tubes of Madagascar’s star orchid.



In 1862, when Charles Darwin first saw the Madagascan orchid, he speculated that it would take a moth with an extremely long tongue to reach the nectar from the orchid’s tubes. Five years later, Alfred Lord Wallace predicted that this creature would be similar to an already known African hawkmoth with a long proboscis.&nbsp;



Both Darwin and Wallace were proven right when the moth that pollinated these orchids was finally discovered in 1902. Scientists initially categorized it as a subspecies of Morgan’s sphinx moth from the genus Xanthopan (the same one the African hawkmoth also belongs to).



However, a research team led by Joël Minet, a professor of Entomology at <a href="https://isyeb.mnhn.fr/en">Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité</a> (ISYEB), has recently found, through examining its physical and genetic differences, that the Madagascan moth is in fact not a subspecies of Morgan’s sphinx moth, but rather a species on its own, which they named Xanthopan praedicta (in the honor of the fact that Darwin and Wallace predicted its existence).&nbsp;



“The taxonomic change we now propose finally gives long-deserved recognition, at the species level, to one of the most celebrated of all Malagasy endemics,” said study co-author Dr. David Lees, a curator of moths at the <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/">Natural History Museum</a>.



The research team discovered 25 morphological differences between the Madagascan moth and Morgan’s moths, including differences in the shape of male and female genitalia, wing shape, and color patterns. Moreover, significant genetic differences have also been found between the two species.&nbsp;Most strikingly though, the Madagascan moth appeared to have a proboscis 6.6 centimeters longer than any of the studied Morgan’s moths.



“Imagine my excitement as I unrolled and measured the proboscis of a male&nbsp;Xanthopan&nbsp;in the Madagascan rainforest, realizing that it was probably the global record holder,” said Dr. Lees.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/antenor/oclc/44695951">Antenor</a>.



---



By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Moth with the longest tongue of any insect is a new species

A species of hawkmoth from Madagascar, whose existence was predicted...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abh0895">Science Advances</a> found that rises in marine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-will-intensify-due-to-thinning-ocean-layer/">heatwaves</a> will significantly amplify the impact of climate change on fish and fisheries. According to researchers led by <a href="https://oceans.ubc.ca/">UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries</a>, global warming could wipe out thousands of tons of fish from all over the world.



By using complex computer modeling, the scientists predicted that in a worst-case scenario, in which no action is taken to mitigate greenhouse emissions, there will be a six percent annual drop in the amount of potential fish catches, and 77 percent of exploited marine species will decrease in biomass.&nbsp;



Due to the combined influence of extreme marine temperature events and the temperature rises related to climate change, fisheries’ revenues may be cut by an average of three percent globally, and employment by two percent, which would imply the loss of millions of jobs.



“These extreme annual temperatures will be an additional shock to an overloaded system,” explained lead author Dr. William Cheung, the director of UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries.&nbsp;



“We see that in the countries where fisheries are already weakened by long-term changes, like ocean warming and deoxygenation, adding the shock of temperature extremes will exacerbate the impacts to a point that will likely exceed the capacity for these fisheries to adapt. It’s not unlike how COVID-19 stresses the healthcare system by adding an extra burden.”



According to study co-author Dr. Thomas Frölicher, a professor at the <a href="https://www.climate.unibe.ch/#:~:text=Climate%20and%20Environmental%20Physics%20is,seasons%20to%20a%20million%20years.">Climate and Environmental Physics Department</a> at the University of Bern, such extreme temperature events are likely to increase in frequency in the near future.&nbsp;



“Today’s marine heatwaves and their severe impacts on fisheries are bellwethers of the future as these events are generating environmental conditions that long-term global warming will not create for decades,” said Dr. Frölicher.



Scientists believe that some areas will be worse hit than others, including the Indo-Pacific region, the Eastern Tropical Pacific, and some countries in the West African region. In order to avoid significant losses, active fisheries management - such as adjusting catch quotas in years when fisheries are affected by extreme temperature events, or even shuttering fisheries in severe cases when stocks need to be rebuilt - will be of vital importance.



“This study really highlights the need to develop ways to deal with marine temperature extremes, and soon,” Dr. Cheung concluded. “We need to have mechanisms in place to deal with it.”



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Marine heatwaves could severely affect the fishing industry

A new study published in the journal Science Advances found...

The shores of southern Florida are the only coral <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coral-reef-food-webs-threatened-by-the-loss-of-picky-eaters/">reef</a> habitat in the US continental waters. Recently, these corals have been facing a mysterious, lethal, and contagious disease - the stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) - and its causes are not yet understood.



SCTLD first appeared off the southern coast in 2014, and has spread rapidly along the Florida Keys and down into the Caribbean Sea. More than half of Florida’s coral reef, which comprises 45 species spread over 96,000 acres, has already been affected. “It's heartbreaking, and I think the most alarming thing about it is that most people don't know it's happening,” said Michelle Ashton, the communications director of the <a href="https://wildlifeflorida.org/">Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida</a>.&nbsp;



Over 2,000 colonies of infected corals were removed from the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm">Dry Tortugas National Park</a>, located in the western part of Florida Keys, and are now being treated in 20 medical institutions across 14 states. They were placed in large seawater tanks with sunlight-mimicking lamps above them in order to simulate their native environments.&nbsp;



This rescue operation is part of a project initiated in 2018 by the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association</a> and the <a href="https://myfwc.com/">Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission</a>. Although they don’t know the precise cause of the disease, scientists are trying to treat corals with antibiotics, in the hope that they will ultimately manage to save and return them to their wild habitats.&nbsp;



Researchers at the <a href="https://myfwc.com/research/habitat/coral/disease/rescue/">Florida Coral Rescue Center</a> are currently treating 18 species of coral (over 700 specimens), by feeding them shrimp along with antibiotics inside habitat-mimicking water tanks. “We are holding the corals safely and healthy in our care. If they were still in the wild, up to 90 percent of them would have been dead,” said Justin Zimmerman, the director of the Rescue Center.



Large teams of scientists are studying the genetics of the rescued corals, hoping they will manage to cultivate new specimens that will be more resistant to disease and to other threats such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-and-climate-change-are-interconnected/">rising water temperatures and pollution</a>.&nbsp;



Saving Florida’s coral reef is extremely important since they are natural barriers between the open sea and land, reducing the force of waves hitting the coastline during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-will-unleash-more-intense-tropical-cyclones/">extreme weather</a> phenomena such as hurricanes or other massive storms. Moreover, the fishing-and-diving tourist industry, which generates $8.5 billion annually, will also strongly benefit from the presence of a healthy population of corals.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A mysterious disease is destroying Florida’s coral reef

The shores of southern Florida are the only coral reef...

Although they are slow, poor swimmers that sometimes even die of exhaustion, seahorses have some surprisingly speedy qualities too. A new study published in the <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/224/17/jeb236430/272030/Elastic-energy-storage-in-seahorses-leads-to-a">Journal of Experimental Biology</a> has found that seahorses are fierce ambush predators which can spring their heads up in 0.002 seconds to snag and devour their unsuspecting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sea-lions-have-mastered-the-timing-to-prey-on-chinook-salmon/">prey</a>.



Seahorses spend most of their time anchoring themselves by their tails to seaweed or corals while keeping their heads down, close to their bodies. When they sense prey passing by, they are able to lift their heads at an extraordinary speed to catch it. This movement, faster than any muscle contraction known to exist in the animal kingdom, is possible due to an elastic tendon which they stretch using their back muscles. The mechanism allows them to achieve a head speed rotation 50 times faster than that of other types of fish.



The amazing discovery was made by a team of researchers from <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/">Tel Aviv University</a> who used high-speed cameras and laser-scan technology to record the hunting behavior of seahorses. This method also helped in elucidating how their incredibly fast head motions allow the seahorses to eat. The researchers found that the movements were accompanied by a powerful suction flow (eight times faster than those of similar-sized fish) that enabled the seahorses to suck their prey directly into their mouths.&nbsp;



The scientists have also investigated how different seahorse species proceed in capturing their prey by using their specific anatomical traits. “Our study shows that the speed of head movement and suction currents are determined by the length of a seahorse's nose,” said study lead author Roi Holzman, a professor of Zoology at Tel Aviv University.



“From the evolutionary aspect, seahorses must choose between a short nose for strong suction and moderate head raising, or a long nose for rapid head raising and weaker suction currents. This choice corresponds to the available diet - long-nosed species catch smaller, quicker animals, whereas short-nosed species catch heavier, more ponderous ones,” he explained.



Seahorses are not the only aquatic species to exhibit this fascinating spring mechanism. Other so-called “misfit fish,” including alligator piperfish, cornetfish, and shrimpfish are known to have similar abilities.



“The big question applies to the evolution of the spring mechanism, how it was formed and when it developed. I hope our recent study will lead to further studies designed to help solve the riddle of spring fish,” concluded Professor Holzman.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Seahorses may be slow, but they are fierce ambush predators

Although they are slow, poor swimmers that sometimes even die...

Tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) is a subspecies of the large deer endemic to California. By the mid 1800s, the Tule elk was thought to be extinct. The subspecies was only saved by a rancher who found them on his land and preserved the remaining population of possibly less than 30 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-are-shapeshifting-to-survive-climate-change/">animals</a>.&nbsp;



Ironically, there is now a struggle over the coexistence of ranchers and Tule elk; which have grown in number to a population of 5,700 animals in 22 herds. Starting in the 1970s, the elk were reintroduced to the Point Reyes National Seashore; where historically they were the dominant grazer.&nbsp;



Today, the population of Tule elk has grown and the National Park Service (NPS) plans on culling their number against the outcry from activists. Not only is the NPS planning on culling the elks’ population, but a three-mile long, eight-foot high fence prevents their free ranging. The fence is for the benefit of dairy and cattle ranchers who also use Point Reyes for grazing.



Due to the limiting impact of the fence on movement, activists have been providing water troughs for elk unable to reach the vital resource. NPS employees have been accused of <a href="https://youtu.be/ndXyAbe5rOg">dumping out the water</a> left for the animals. 



Many elk are said to have died without access to water for months. Now, the NPS has reversed its decision and is instead providing new water troughs and mineral supplements. <a href="https://www.idausa.org/">In Defense of Animals</a>, ForELK and the TreeSpirit Project have hailed the decision as a step in the right direction.



However, the management of tule elk is still controversial, with the NPS <a href="https://www.ptreyeslight.com/article/park-finalizes-management-plan-update">recently revising </a>its management plan involving culling elk for the grazing of thousands of cows after it was contested in court.&nbsp;



Miyoko Schinner, founder and owner of California-based Miyoko's Creamery, has an animal sanctuary at her home in Nicasio where she keeps hundreds of rescued animals.&nbsp;



“At some point we have to decide: what is the legacy we want to leave? Do we want to be the species that exterminated every other species on this planet, which does not belong to just the human species? It belongs to all species, including the Tule elk, and every single species deserves to live," said Schinner.



"What we are doing today may or may not make a difference tomorrow, sadly, but we are a microcosm of a movement that is going to ripple across America that will change how we treat all wild animals. We must tell the story to all non-believers, to non-vegans that if they are wildlife and animal lovers they must stop consuming animal products.”



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Activists win a small battle as the war over Tule elk continues

Tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) is a subspecies of the...

The longest-lived person in history was Jeanne Calment, a French woman born in 1875 who lived 122 years and 164 days. Currently, the world’s oldest person is 118-year-old Kate Tanaka from Japan. 



According to a new study led by <a href="https://www.hec.ca/">HEC Business School in Montreal</a>, the possibility of living such long lives will increase in the future. After analyzing the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-pollution-increases-mortality/">mortality</a> of Italian and French “super-centenarians” (individuals who lived over 105 years), the scientists estimate that some humans could possibly live up to the age of 130 in the next decades.



&nbsp;“As the world population keeps increasing, there are more people reaching 100 and more reaching 110,” said study lead author Dr. Léo Belzile, a statistician at the HEC Business School. According to Dr. Belzile and his colleagues, after reaching 110, the chances of remaining alive stabilize at about 50 percent.&nbsp;



“The more people tossing a coin, with a 50 percent chance of surviving each year after they turn 110, the more we can expect that someone will have a lucky streak and get to the age of 130,” said Dr. Belzile.&nbsp;



Theoretically, no upper mortality plateau should exist. Some animals, such as clams, appear not to age at all, giving humans hope that a reliable cure for aging might soon be discovered. In fact, after two decades of research, scientists have recently <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03415-4?proof=t">decoded</a> the structure of telomerase, an enzyme thought to halt aging in plants, non-human animals, and humans.&nbsp;



“Our findings provide a structural framework for understanding human telomerase disease mutations, and represent an important step towards telomerase-related clinical therapeutics,” explained Kathleen Collins, a molecular biologist at the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a>, who led the project of mapping this enzyme.&nbsp;



Unfortunately, even telomerase ultimately decays, and scientists have not yet discovered a way to halt this process. According to Dr. Belize and his research team, people who reach the age of 108 are likely to live only about an extra year and three months on average. &nbsp;



“People are fascinated by the idea of living forever, but unfortunately very few people reach these very old ages,” concluded Dr. Belzile.&nbsp;



The study appeared in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.202097#d1e1735">The Royal Society Open Science</a>.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

People could soon live to be 130 years old

The longest-lived person in history was Jeanne Calment, a French...

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) are highly mobile, widely distributed sharks that feed on a range of vertebrate prey. They live in diverse habitats in tropical and subtropical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lakes-are-losing-oxygen-much-faster-than-oceans/">oceans</a> throughout the world and are expected to mix and interbreed freely due to their ability to travel widely. 



However, a recent analysis of the genomes of 242 tiger sharks from ten localities around the world has revealed that there are two distinct populations of tiger sharks in the world’s oceans. Conducted by Dr. Andrea Bernard from Nova Southeastern University, the research identifies an Atlantic and an Indo-Pacific population that are significantly different from one another.  



“These results mean that Atlantic and Indo-Pacific tiger sharks, despite their ability to travel vast distances, have not intermingled to reproduce for a long time,” explained study co-author Professor Mahmood Shivji, the director of the <a href="https://saveourseas.com/sosf-shark-research-center/">Save Our Seas Shark Research Centre</a> (SOSF-SRC).&nbsp;



“This long-term separation between Atlantic and Indo-Pacific tiger sharks has resulted in them developing into separate populations, each with its own unique genetic diversity."



The study also found that tiger sharks from Hawaii, one of the world’s most geographically isolated archipelagos, are genetically different from those found in the Indian Ocean. 



The scientists made use of genome-scale analysis at the sites of 2,000 different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which allowed a very detailed look at the differences between tiger shark populations. 



“SNPs repeat across the entire genome,” explained Professor Shivji. “This increases the amount of information for geneticists to work with relative to previous surveys that were limited to small subsections of genetic information.”&nbsp;



The SOSF-SRC uses genetics to gain knowledge and understanding about sharks and rays in the world’s oceans. Its aim is then to apply this knowledge to improve the protection of these species. 



"A guiding principle for our work is to focus primarily on shark species that are of high conservation concern," said Professor Shivji. "We spread our work across both discovery research questions (for instance, understanding how sharks function) and applied conservation research (for instance, understanding interactions between shark migration patterns and fisheries or investigating trade in shark parts). The important point is that all of this information advances our knowledge of sharks and informs conservation.”



Tiger sharks are apex predators and are therefore important in the ecology of ocean systems. Even though they are globally distributed, their populations are threatened by fishing and their ecosystems are impacted by climate change, pollution and habitat destruction.&nbsp;



“Overfishing poses a clear danger to sharks. The genetic diversity in overfished species will inadvertently be diminished and they won’t adapt to the fast pace of environmental change,” said Professor Shivji.&nbsp;



“Compared to other fish species, tiger sharks occupy an unusually wide variety of habitats. Given their influential ecological role and their widespread movements that expose them to a variety of fisheries, science-informed fisheries management of tiger sharks is important to achieve global conservation goals.”



Considering the results of the study, scientists will need to manage the two distinct populations of tiger sharks in specific ways in order to preserve their genetic diversity. This will be particularly important as climate change affects ocean ecosystems and tiger sharks require all their genetic resources in order to adapt rapidly. The study recommends that a targeted conservation plan is devised for Hawaiian tiger sharks as well.&nbsp;



“Tiger sharks are part of not only the ocean’s overall health, but also its beauty and wonder. Our ongoing mission at the SOSF is to know more in order to do better by these species and their ocean home. Improving our insights into tiger sharks is ultimately linked to our health and well-being,” said His Excellency Abdulmohsen Abdulmalik Al-Sheikh, the founder of the SOSF.



If our understanding of tiger sharks had remained that populations are similar wherever they are found across the oceans, we might have stood to lose their true diversity and undermined their resilience as a powerful and ancient species.



The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jhered">Journal of Heredity</a>,



---



By <a href="mailto:bosman@truewan.co.za">Alison Bosman</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Tiger shark genomes reveal two distinct populations

Tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) are highly mobile, widely distributed sharks...

An increasing body of evidence links depression with dementia. However, while most studies have pointed to this association in later life, a research team from the <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">University of California, San Francisco</a> has recently found that depression in early adulthood might lead to lower <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/office-air-quality-affects-cognitive-functioning-and-productivity/">cognitive</a> processing within ten years and to dementia in old age.



The scientists used statistical methods to predict average trajectories of depressive symptoms for 15,000 participants with ages ranging from 20 to 89. They used a questionnaire to screen for depression and found moderate or high depressive symptoms in 13 percent of young adults, 26 percent of midlife adults, and 34 percent of the older participants. Among the participants, 1,277 were diagnosed with cognitive impairment after neuropsychological testing, documented use of dementia treatments, or prior hospitalizations related to dementia.



The data analysis showed that the odds of cognitive impairment during old age were 73 percent higher for those who had depressive symptoms in early adulthood than for those who were happier during that period. On the other hand, people diagnosed with depression in later life had only 43 percent more chances to develop dementia than those without depressive symptoms.&nbsp;



“Several mechanisms explain how depression might increase dementia risk,” said study first author&nbsp;Willa Brenowitz, an epidemiologist at the&nbsp;<a href="https://psychiatry.ucsf.edu/#:~:text=UCSF%20Psychiatry%20and%20Behavioral%20Sciences,UCSF%20Benioff%20Children's%20Hospitals%2C%20Zuckerberg">UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://weill.ucsf.edu/">Weill Institute for Neurosciences</a>. “Among them is that hyperactivity of the central stress response system increases production of the stress hormones glucocorticoids, leading to damage of the hippocampus, the part of the brain essential for forming, organizing and storing new memories.”



According to Brenowitz, the greater the depressive symptoms in early adulthood, the lower the cognitive abilities later on and the faster the rate of decline. "Older adults estimated to have moderate or high depressive symptoms in early adulthood were found to experience a drop in cognition over 10 years," she reported.



With more than 20 percent of the Earth’s population suffering from depression during their lifetime, it is highly important to understand its impact on cognitive aging. This study, published in the <a href="https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad210588">Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease</a>, is a first step towards shedding more light on these pressing issues.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Depression in early adulthood may lead to dementia

An increasing body of evidence links depression with dementia. However,...

A new study has made the surprising discovery that Australia’s blue-tongue lizard is resistant to the venom of the deadly red-bellied black <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/modern-snakes-evolved-from-just-a-few-surviving-species/">snake</a>. Possibly as interesting, the large monitor lizards that feed on venomous snakes are not resistant. While the effects of venom on humans has been heavily researched, this is not the case with other reptiles.&nbsp;



"It was a shock discovering that the eastern blue-tongue, along with the shingleback, showed resistance specifically to red black snake venom," said Nicholas Young, a PhD candidate at the <a href="https://www.uq.edu.au/">University of Queensland</a>.



"Since their resistance was so specific to only this snake species, it seems these lizards have evolved a special plasma component -- known as a serum factor -- in their blood."



"This prevents specific toxins in red-bellied black snake venom from clotting the lizards' plasma, which would lead to a rapid death in most other animals. This resistance doesn't mean they're completely immune, but it would give them a greater chance of survival, allowing them to escape or fight back.”



The scientists tested the venom of seven snakes on the plasma of two species of blue-tongue lizards as well as on the monitor lizards or goanas that hunt snakes. Although it initially seems strange that the blue-tongued lizards were the only animals to show venom resistance, there is an explanation.&nbsp;



"You'd think that a goanna would be significantly resistant to the venom of any snake it was hunting and eating, but that isn't the case," said Dr. Bryan Fry, head of University of Queensland’s venom lab.



"Snake venom can only cause harm to goannas if it's injected into its body by the snake's fangs, it can't be absorbed directly through the skin."



"Goannas are heavily armored and their scales act like medieval chain mail, with each containing a piece of bone, meaning venomous snakes' fangs struggle to pierce this armor."



Each reptile - both the blue-tongue lizard and the goanna - have evolved a response to the snake’s bite. It’s just that in the case of the blue-tongued lizard, there is a direct response to the venom itself, while the goanna never has to worry about the venom at all.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



"These two divergent forms of resistance are fascinating examples of evolutionary novelty," said Dr. Fry.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/toxins">Toxins</a>.



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The blue-tongue lizard can resist deadly snake venom

A new study has made the surprising discovery that Australia’s...

New research just published in the journal <a href="https://elifesciences.org/">eLife</a> found that starfish, like us, have a chemical signal that tells them to stop eating. Despite this similarity, starfish feed in a very strange way. The animal everts it’s stomach, pushing the organ out of the mouth, to digest <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wild-seafood-has-one-sixth-the-carbon-footprint-of-red-meat/">food</a> outside of the body cavity.&nbsp;



"Starfish exhibit one of the most remarkable feeding behaviors in the animal kingdom – they evert their stomach out of their mouth and digest large prey externally, and once the prey has been digested, the stomach is withdrawn," wrote the study authors.



While it was known that a hormone similar to oxytocin in humans signals the beginning of eating among starfish, it was not known what called for an end to food consumption.&nbsp;



To investigate, the researchers used the common starfish (Asterias rubens) as a research subject. The scientists injected the feeding starfish with SK/CCK-type neuropeptides, a hormone that inhibits appetite in both humans and insects. When the hormone was injected, the starfish retracted their stomachs. Even when offered their favorite food - a mussel - the starfish refrained from eating.&nbsp;



Dr. Ana Tinoco, one of the lead authors of the study, explained why this finding was interesting.



"The unusual way that starfish feed where they evert their stomachs out of their mouths, makes them a good model to study chemicals that regulate feeding processes."&nbsp;



"Whilst we already knew that this type of hormone was important for feeding, what's fascinating is that the important role of these chemicals in feeding in other animals has been preserved in starfish despite their dramatically different feeding behaviour, lack of a brain and unique body plan."



The study shows that the regulation of eating is conserved among animals, as starfish occupy a unique place as an evolutionary stepping stone between invertebrates and vertebrate animals. The researchers hope that this study may help in the development of new drugs to help treat eating disorders.&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:zachfitzner@yahoo.com">Zach Fitzner</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

A chemical signal tells starfish they’re full

New research just published in the journal eLife found that...

A new study published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2021GL094888">Geophysical Research Letters</a> has found that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-will-force-millions-to-migrate/">warming</a> ocean waters related to climate change have caused a significant drop in Earth's brightness. 



According to observations gathered by the <a href="https://www.bbso.njit.edu/">Big Bear Solar Observatory</a> in Southern California, the Earth is now reflecting approximately half a watt less light per square meter compared to two decades ago, with most of the decrease occurring in the past three years.



By using decades of measurements of earthshine (the light reflected from the Earth which illuminates the Moon’s surface), together with satellite measurements, a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.njit.edu/">New Jersey Institute of Technology</a> recently discovered a significant drop in Earth’s reflectance, or “albedo,” over the past two decades.&nbsp;



This 0.5 percent decrease in Earth’s brightness was quite unexpected, especially since it has mostly transpired in the past three years. “The albedo drop was such a surprise to us when we analyzed the last three years of data after 17 years of nearly flat albedo," said study lead author Philip Goode, a researcher at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.



The net sunlight reaching our planet is affected by the Sun’s brightness and the Earth’s reflectivity. According to the scientists, since the recent changes in the Earth’s albedo did not correlate with changes in the Sun’s brightness, they must have been caused by something on the Earth.&nbsp;



Using satellite measurements made as part of NASA's <a href="https://ceres.larc.nasa.gov/">Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System</a> (CERES) project, Professor Goode and his colleagues have identified a significant reduction of bright, reflective low-lying clouds over the eastern Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon appeared to be caused by increases in the ocean’s surface temperatures related to climate change.



In recent years, scientists have hoped that a warmer Earth might lead to more clouds and thus higher albedo, which would subsequently help moderating the warming and balancing the climate. However, the new findings show that the opposite might actually be true. The Earth’s dimming could in fact cause additional solar energy to be captured in the planet’s atmosphere and oceans, and may thus increase global warming and exacerbate climate change.



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Scientists find an unexpected drop in Earth’s brightness

A new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters...

Climate change has caused France’s highest and Europe’s second-highest peak, Mont Blanc, to shrink by three feet since 2017, according to a team of geographical experts performing biennial measurements since 2001. On average, the mountain has been losing 5.1 inches in height each year due to global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-will-unleash-more-intense-tropical-cyclones/">warming</a>.&nbsp;



Located on the border between France and Italy, Mont Blanc is measured every two years in order to help create an accurate model of the dynamics of the ice sheet covering its summit and thus better understand the effects of climate change on the mountain’s structure and its ecosystems.&nbsp;



Since its peak is covered with a permanent layer of snow with a thickness that changes with precipitation levels and wind intensities, the height of the mountain varies from one year to another.&nbsp;



“Since the dawn of time, the altitude of Mont Blanc has varied continuously,” the geographers explained in a news conference in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. However, the changes recorded from 2001 onwards leave no doubt that the mountain is gradually shrinking: while its height in 2001 was 15,783.79 feet, at the most recent measurement in September 2021, the mountain had only 15,773.65 feet.



This Alpine peak is not the only one that has been negatively affected by climate change. In September, 2021, experts from <a href="https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university">Stockholm University</a> <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04353676.2018.1542130">reported</a> that Sweden’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise, shrank by almost 6.5 feet in a single year. In the United States too, record high temperatures have left California’s Mount Shasta (one of the country’s highest peaks) without its usual snow cover.



Although the geographers responsible for measuring Mont Blanc warn that no hasty conclusions should be drawn, taking into account the fact that precise measurements have only been performed since two decades ago, increasingly more scientists are worrying about the dangers to alpine ecosystems the melting of various glaciers pose all over the globe. In order to save these glaciers and other natural structures worldwide, immediate action to mitigate the effects of global warming should be taken at both local and global levels.&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:andrei.ionescu5891@gmail.com">Andrei Ionescu</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

France’s highest mountain is shrinking due to climate change

Climate change has caused France’s highest and Europe’s second-highest peak,...

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</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?



The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was acid rain?</h2>



Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The science behind it</h2>



Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.



While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The crisis at its peak</h2>



During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Environmental devastation</h2>



The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.



By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.



Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Economic impact</h2>



Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The solution: government action and technology</h2>



Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Clean Air Act of 1990</h2>



The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cap-and-trade success</h2>



Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.



The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Technology advances</h2>



Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.



The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today">Why we don't hear about it today</h2>



Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Success doesn't make news</h2>



There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mission accomplished</h2>



The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone">Is it really gone?</h2>



The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.



EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What this teaches us</h2>



The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.



Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.



Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.



This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.



Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sources: This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently Asked Questions</h2>



1. Is acid rain completely gone? No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.



2. How long did solving take? Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.



3. What made the solution successful? Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.



4. Do other countries have acid rain problems? Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.



5. Could acid rain return? Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.



6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"? The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

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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</div></figure>



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

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" 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 Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

[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

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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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

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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"

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

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