Aging brings changes that affect how we hear and process speech, especially in noisy places. But researchers now show that older adults with long-term musical training fare better than their non-musician peers.



This study, led by Claude Alain and Yi Du, highlights how years of musical experience can shape brain function in later life. Their work introduces the “Hold-back upregulation” hypothesis and explores its neural basis using <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lemurs-reveal-surprising-new-clues-about-healthy-aging/">brain</a> imaging.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-older-adults-struggle-with-noisy-speech">Older adults struggle with noisy speech</h2>



As we age, our cognitive and sensory abilities decline. This often leads to the brain compensating by increasing activity and communication between brain regions. But such compensation may require more mental effort and reduces processing efficiency.



This pattern, called the Posterior-Anterior Shift in Aging, shows increased frontal brain activity in older adults. Yet, the extent of this shift varies. Researchers believe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-shows-psilocybin-from-magic-mushrooms-delays-aging-and-significantly-extends-lifespan/">lifestyle</a> factors like music training may influence it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-training-builds-brain-strength">Musical training builds brain strength</h2>



Cognitive reserve is built through lifelong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-aging-how-some-people-live-past-100-years/">learning</a>. It helps the brain stay resilient against age-related decline. This includes things like multilingualism, advanced education, and especially, musical practice.



Music training requires intense coordination of sound, movement, and memory. These demands help strengthen the brain’s sensory and motor systems. The auditory dorsal stream links sound to action and plays a key role here.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-training-helps-adults-hear-better">Musical training helps adults hear better</h2>



To explore the effects of musical training, the study compared three groups: 25 older musicians (OMs), 25 older non-musicians (ONMs), and 24 young non-musicians (YNMs). Each participant completed a speech-in-noise (SIN) task while undergoing fMRI scans. 



They listened to syllables such as /ba/, /da/, /pa/, and /ta/ masked by varying levels of background noise. Older musicians outperformed older non-musicians at higher signal-to-noise ratios (0 and +8 dB), though both older groups performed worse than the younger participants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-paths-of-brain-aging">Two paths of brain aging</h2>



The researchers proposed two possible ways musical training might influence the aging brain. The first is called&nbsp;Bolster Compensation. This idea suggests that musical training strengthens the brain by adding extra neural resources. 



As people age and cognitive abilities decline, these extra resources could help boost brain activity during tasks, compensating for age-related losses.



The second idea is called&nbsp;Hold-Back Upregulation. This theory suggests that instead of pushing the brain to work harder, musical training helps it work more efficiently. It prevents the brain from becoming overactive in response to aging. 



As a result, the brain activity patterns of older musicians remain more similar to those of younger people. This efficient use of brain networks could explain why older musicians perform better on complex listening tasks.



The results supported the second theory. Older musicians showed more efficient brain patterns. Their connectivity strength closely resembled young non-musicians, especially in right hemisphere regions involved in speech <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-are-experimenting-with-new-approach-to-fight-and-stop-human-aging-necrosis/">processing</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-brain-s-inner-workings">Mapping the brain's inner workings</h2>



Using advanced analyses like task-induced functional connectivity (TiFC) and inter-subject spatial correlation (ISPC), the researchers revealed more than just stronger brain links.



Older musicians’ brains did not just work better. They were organized more like young brains. Their neural activity followed similar spatial patterns and had fewer shifts in peak connectivity locations.



In one region (left precentral gyrus), non-musicians showed clear spatial drift in activity peaks, while musicians did not. This suggests that musical training preserves both structure and function.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-musical-training-during-tasks">Musical training during tasks</h2>



The study also measured resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) and found that both older musicians and non-musicians exhibited stronger RSFC compared to younger participants. 



However, this increased connectivity at rest did not correlate with their performance on speech-in-noise (SIN) tasks.



These findings suggest that it is the brain’s reorganization during active tasks - not just its resting state - that plays a key role in shaping behavior. In other words, how the brain adapts while engaged in a challenge may be more important than its baseline connectivity.



There were no differences in BOLD activation (a measure of brain region activity strength) across groups. This supports the idea that spatial organization and connection strength matter more than raw activity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-builds-a-youthful-brain">Music builds a youthful brain</h2>



This work reveals how lifelong musical training may protect older adults from neural inefficiency. Instead of overactivating brain regions, trained musicians preserve a more youthful balance. This is especially true in the dorsal auditory stream.



“Just like a well-tuned instrument doesn’t need to be played louder to be heard, the brains of older musicians stay finely tuned thanks to years of training,” said Dr. Yi Du.



“A positive lifestyle helps older adults cope better with cognitive aging, and it is never too late to take up, and stick with, a rewarding hobby such as learning an instrument,” added Dr. Lei Zhang.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-research-is-needed">Further research is needed</h2>



While the evidence supports the “Hold-back upregulation” idea, the researchers caution that causality isn’t proven. They recommend future work to examine other sources of reserve such as physical fitness or multilingualism. 



Other brain tasks like memory and attention should also be studied. Still, this study adds strong support to the argument for keeping enriching hobbies throughout life. 



For older adults hoping to sharpen their minds, picking up a musical instrument might be a smart place to start.



The researchers are from the <a href="https://www.utoronto.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Toronto</a>, <a href="https://www.baycrest.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baycrest Academy</a>, and the <a href="https://english.cas.cn" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3003247" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS Biology</a>.



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How musical training helps the brain as we age

Aging brings changes that affect how we hear and process speech, especially in noisy places. But researchers now show that older adults with long-term musical training fare better than their non-musician peers. This study, led by Claude Alain and Yi Du, highlights how years of musical experience can shape brain function in later life. Their work introduces the “Hold-back upregulation” hypothesis and explores its neural basis using brain imaging. Older adults struggle with noisy speech As we age, our cognitive and sensory abilities decline. This often leads...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/">University of Cambridge</a> has found that mindfulness training is not always the most effective strategy to improve mental health. The researchers confirmed that mindfulness can reduce <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-tool-can-detect-heat-stress-in-corals/">stress</a>, anxiety, and depression in most, but not all, non-clinical settings.

Mindfulness is generally defined as being aware of what is happening in the moment, and being present in that moment without interpretation or judgement. This practice has become increasingly popular for reducing stress and anxiety.

In the UK, the National Health Service offers mindfulness training to help treat mental health issues such as depression. However, most people who practice mindfulness are taught in community settings such as universities or private courses. 

Worldwide, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted to assess the potential mental health benefits of mindfulness training, but the results are inconsistent. The Cambridge team analyzed the findings of 136 relevant trials, which involved a total of 11,605 participants between the ages 18 and 73 from 29 countries.

The data showed that in most community settings, mindfulness training effectively reduced anxiety, depression, and stress and increased well-being. On the other hand, in more than one in 20 trials settings, mindfulness-based programs did not necessarily improve mental health outcomes.

"For the average person and setting, practicing mindfulness appears to be better than doing nothing for improving our mental health, particularly when it comes to depression, anxiety and psychological distress - but we shouldn't assume that it works for everyone, everywhere," said study first author Dr. Julieta Galante.

"Mindfulness training in the community needs to be implemented with care. Community mindfulness courses should be just one option among others, and the range of effects should be researched as courses are implemented in new settings. The courses that work best may be those aimed at people who are most stressed or in stressful situations, for example health workers, as they appear to see the biggest benefit."

When compared to other "feel good" practices such as exercise, mindfulness training was neither more nor less beneficial. 

"While mindfulness is often better than taking no action, we found that there may be other effective ways of improving our mental health and well-being, such as exercise," said Professor Peter Jones. "In many cases, these may prove to be more suitable alternatives if they are more effective, culturally more acceptable or are more feasible or cost effective to implement. The good news is that there are now more options."

The techniques and frameworks taught in mindfulness have diverse backgrounds, ranging from early Buddhist psychology and meditation to cognitive neuroscience.

"If the effects of online mindfulness courses vary as widely according to the setting as their offline counterparts, then the lack of human support they offer could cause potential problems," said Dr. Galante. "We need more research before we can be confident about their effectiveness and safety."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/">PLOS Medicine</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Mindfulness training can boost well-being, but is not always the best option

A new study from the University of Cambridge has found...

The <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/tropical-birds-handle-heat-stress-much-better-than-expected/">stress</a> hormone cortisol may be a good indication of whether newborn deer will survive, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.psu.edu/">Penn State</a>. The researchers found that levels of cortisol in the saliva of newborn white-tailed deer fawns can be used to predict mortality. 

"We think the hormone offers a way to evaluate factors in the environment that affect fawns, such as disease, but are difficult to evaluate when just looking at a carcass that has been picked over by predators," said Professor Duane Diefenbach. "By then, it's impossible to be certain what truly caused the fawn's demise."

Professor Diefenbach is the leader of the Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Through two studies of fawn mortality conducted in 2000 and 2015, Diefenbach gained a unique perspective on the impact of predators. 

For the current investigation, the researchers analyzed salivary cortisol concentrations in 19 newborn fawns. Study lead author Tess Gingery, a research technologist in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, explained why it was crucial to collect the saliva samples quickly. 

"We know from research performed on adult deer at another university that it takes 20 minutes from the moment the stress hormone cortisol is released from the brain into the body that it shows up in their saliva," said Gingery. "We needed to measure the fawn's 'baseline' cortisol levels, before the stress from capture and being handled kicked in. So, we sopped up saliva with swabs as soon as we could."

There is a lot of evidence that suggests cortisol can be bad for a human's survival, body condition, brain development, and immune system, noted Gingery. The researchers theorized that high cortisol concentrations could also predict the survival of newborn fawns, and the data supported this theory. 

"Fawns that had higher cortisol concentrations in their saliva had lower survival, but we don't know if the high cortisol concentrations caused higher mortality or not," said Gingery. 

"It could be that elevated stress hormones reflect a fawn's experience with stressful situations rather than causing fawn mortality. For example, a fawn may be starving, which can elevate stress hormone levels, and the lack of food kills the fawn rather than the elevated stress hormone levels."

The findings show that predators are not the only major threat to fawns. According to Professor Diefenbach, it turns out that cortisol levels were higher in fawns tested in the central Pennsylvania study area compared to samples collected in northern Pennsylvania. However, the numbers of predators like coyotes and bears, as well as predation rates, are known to be lower in the state's central region. 

"This research could explain why Delaware - which has zero predators - found similar fawn-survival rates to Pennsylvania in a recent study," said Professor Diefenbach. "Factors other than predation, such as physiological responses like the cortisol we measured, may influence mortality more than predation. As such, the heavy focus on predation in fawn research may be misguided."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17494877">Integrative Zoology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Cortisol levels can be used to predict mortality in newborn deer

The stress hormone cortisol may be a good indication of...

The ancient <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/earths-forests-are-threatened-by-drought-and-human-development/">human</a> culture of the Middle Stone Age persisted 20,000 years longer than previously thought, according to a team of researchers led by the <a href="https://www.shh.mpg.de/en">Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History</a>. The study reveals that tool-making traditions of the Middle Stone Age, which were believed to have vanished from the African record 30,000 years ago, were still used in parts of West Africa up until just 11,000 years ago. 

Tools known as "scrapers" and "points" were assumed to have been completely replaced by a miniaturized toolkit that was better suited for mobile groups of hunter-gatherers. However, evidence of Middle Stone tools found at sites throughout modern-day Senegal show they were being used 20,000 years later than what was expected.

"West Africa is a real frontier for human evolutionary studies - we know almost nothing about what happened here in deep prehistory. Almost everything we know about human origins is extrapolated from discoveries in small parts of eastern and southern Africa," said study lead author Dr. Eleanor Scerri.

To investigate, Dr. Scerri collaborated with Dr. Khady Niang of the University of Cheikh Anta Diop to organize a research expedition to different regions of Senegal. Across stretches of two major river systems, the Senegal and the Gambia, the team found multiple Middle Stone Age sites that all had surprisingly young dates.

"These discoveries demonstrate the importance of investigating the whole of the African continent, if we are to really get a handle on the deep human past." said Dr. Niang. "Prior to our work, the story from the rest of Africa suggested that well before 11 thousand years ago, the last traces of the Middle Stone Age - and the lifeways it reflects - were long gone."

It is not yet clear why this region of West Africa was home to such a late persistence of Middle Stone Age culture.

"To the north, the region meets the Sahara Desert," explained study co-author Dr. Jimbob Blinkhorn. "To the east, there are the Central African rainforests, which were often cut off from the West African rainforests during periods of drought and fragmentation. Even the river systems in West Africa form a self-contained and isolated group."

"It is also possible that this region of Africa was less affected by the extremes of repeated cycles of climate change," added Dr. Scerri. "If this was the case, the relative isolation and habitat stability may simply have resulted in little need for radical changes in subsistence, as reflected in the successful use of these traditional toolkits."

"All we can be sure about is that this persistence is not simply about a lack of capacity to invest in the development of new technologies. These people were intelligent, they knew how to select good stone for their tool making and exploit the landscape they lived in," said Dr. Niang.

The research supports the idea that for most of humanity's deep prehistory, populations were relatively isolated from each other and lived in subdivided groups in different regions.

For a short time, Middle Stone Age populations lived alongside other groups that were already using the more recently developed miniaturized toolkits in a culture that is referred to as the "Later Stone Age."

"This matches genetic studies suggesting that African people living in the last ten thousand years lived in very subdivided populations," said Dr. Niang. "We aren't sure why, but apart from physical distance, it may be the case that some cultural boundaries also existed. Perhaps the populations using these different material cultures also lived in slightly different ecological niches."

About 15,000 years ago, there was a major increase in humidity and forest growth in western Africa that could have linked different areas and provided new passageways for genetic and cultural mixing. According to the researchers, this was likely the beginning of the end of humanity's first and earliest culture.

"These findings do not fit a simple unilinear model of cultural change towards 'modernity'," explained Dr. Scerri. "Groups of hunter-gatherers embedded in radically different technological traditions occupied neighbouring regions of Africa for thousands of years, and sometimes shared the same regions. Long isolated regions, on the other hand, may have been important reservoirs of cultural and genetic diversity. This may have been a defining factor in the success of our 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

Middle Stone Age culture lasted 20,000 years longer than expected

The ancient human culture of the Middle Stone Age persisted...

A diet rich in plant-based foods has been linked to an abundance of healthy gut microbes that are associated with a lower risk of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/water-is-a-powerful-weapon-against-obesity-and-diabetes/">obesity</a>, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The large-scale international study is the first to reveal strong links between gut microbes, diet, and health.

Study co-senior author Dr. Andrew T. Chan is a gastroenterologist and chief of the Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit at <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/">Massachusetts General Hospital</a> and a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

"This study demonstrates a clear association between specific microbial species in the gut, certain foods, and risk of some common diseases," said Dr. Chan. "We hope to be able to use this information to help people avoid serious health problems by changing their diet to personalize their gut microbiome."

In the Personalized Responses to Dietary Composition Trial 1 (PREDICT 1), the researchers analyzed detailed data on the dietary habits, gut microbiome composition, and metabolic health of more than 1,100 individuals.

The experts found strong evidence that the microbiome is linked with specific foods and diets, and also that these gut microbes influence metabolic biomarkers of disease. Furthermore, the study showed that microbiome content has a greater association with these disease markers than genetics.

"As a nutritional scientist, finding novel microbes that are linked to specific foods, as well as metabolic health, is exciting. Given the highly personalised composition of each individuals' microbiome, our research suggests that we may be able to modify our gut microbiome to optimize our health by choosing the best foods for our unique biology," explained Dr. Sarah Berry of King's College London. 

According to Dr. Chan, two of the strengths of this trial are the number of participants and the detailed information the was collected. "Studying the interrelationship between the microbiome, diet and disease involves a lot of variables because peoples' diets tend to be personalized and may change quite a bit over time."

The researchers found that participants who ate a diet rich in healthy, plant-based foods were more likely to have high levels of specific gut microbes. 

"When you eat, you're not just nourishing your body, you're feeding the trillions of microbes that live inside your gut," said epidemiologist Tim Spector, who started the PREDICT study.

Some microbes were tied to a favorable blood sugar level after a meal, while others were linked to lower post-meal levels of blood fats and markers of inflammation. The trends were so consistent, the researchers believe that their microbiome data can be used to determine the risk of cardiometabolic disease among people who do not yet have symptoms.

Overall, the team uncovered a panel of 15 gut microbes that are associated with an increased risk of developing common illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

Some of these microbes are so novel that they have not been described.

"We were surprised to see such large, clear groups of 'good' and 'bad' microbes emerging from our analysis," said Dr.. Nicola Segata of the University of Trento. "And it is intriguing to see that microbiologists know so little about many of these microbes that they are not even named yet."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nm">Nature Medicine</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Plant-based diet helps protect against chronic diseases

A diet rich in plant-based foods has been linked to...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.lji.org/">La Jolla Institute for Immunology</a>, researchers have determined that COVID-19 immunity could last for eight months, or possibly even years. The experts report that nearly all <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-compounds-in-muscadine-grapes-block-coronavirus-replication/">coronavirus</a> survivors have the immune cells necessary to fight reinfection.

The researchers analyzed blood samples from 188 COVID-19 patients. Their results indicate that the body's adaptive immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 provide the body with the ability to fight off this pathogen for at least eight months after the onset of symptoms from the initial infection.

"Our data suggest that the immune response is there - and it stays," said Dr. Alessandro Sette.

"We measured antibodies, memory B cells, helper T cells and killer T cells all at the same time," explained Professor Shane Crotty. "As far as we know, this is the largest study ever, for any acute infection, that has measured all four of those components of immune memory."

Previous studies documented a dramatic decline in COVID-fighting antibodies in the months following infection, which has caused concern about the body's ability to defend itself. The new research helps to clarify this data. 

"Of course, the immune response decreases over time to a certain extent, but that's normal. That's what immune responses do. They have a first phase of ramping up, and after that fantastic expansion, eventually the immune response contracts somewhat and gets to a steady state," said Dr. Sette.

The researchers found that COVID-19 antibodies persist in the bloodstream months after infection. Furthermore, after coronavirus infection, the body is equipped with immune cells called memory B cells that can reactivate and produce the antibodies needed to fight reinfection.

The experts looked for memory B cells that specifically recognize the spike protein which is used by SARS-CoV-2 to gain entry into human cells. They discovered that spike-specific memory B cells actually increased in the blood six months after infection. 

In addition, COVID-19 survivors had an army of T cells that were prepared to destroy infected cells more than eight months after the initial infection. 

"This implies that there's a good chance people would have protective immunity, at least against serious disease, for that period of time, and probably well beyond that," said Professor Crotty.

The researchers caution that protective immunity varies dramatically from person to person. People with a weak immune memory may be more vulnerable reinfection, and also more likely to infect others.

"There are some people that are way down at the bottom of how much immune memory they have, and maybe those people are a lot more susceptible to reinfection," said Professor Crotty.

According to Dr. Daniela Weiskopf, it is possible that immune memory will be similarly long lasting similar following vaccination, but further research is needed when the data becomes available.

"Several months ago, our studies showed that natural infection induced a strong response, and this study now shows that the responses lasts," said Dr. Weiskopf. "The vaccine studies are at the initial stages, and so far have been associated with strong protection. We are hopeful that a similar pattern of responses lasting over time will also emerge for the vaccine-induced responses."

The researchers will continue to analyze samples from COVID-19 patients and hope to track their responses 12 to 18 months after the onset of symptoms.

"We are also doing very detailed analyses at a much, much higher granularity on what pieces of the virus are recognized," said Dr. Sette. "And we plan to evaluate the immune response not only following natural infection but following vaccination."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

COVID-19 immunity persists for eight months or more

In a new study from the La Jolla Institute for...

According to a new study from the <a href="https://www.agronomy.org/">American Society of Agronomy</a>, harvested fields that are covered with corn residue in the late fall may seem useless, but these husks, kernels, and cobs are actually a valuable resource for cattle grazing. The researchers identified a positive association between cattle grazing corn litter and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/soybean-diseases-cause-major-economic-losses-in-the-u-s/">soybean</a> yields.

The research shows that corn residue can increase farm income and provide affordable cattle feed. Lead author Morgan Grabau studies the interactions between cattle grazing and crop productivity. 

"Corn residue is an under-used resource. Only 15% of the corn residue acres in the central U.S. are grazed," said Grabau.

When it comes to cattle grazing corn residue, many farmers are concerned about soil compaction. If the soil is compacted too much by cattle, future crops may not be able to grow well. 

In the past, Grabau's team has shown that compaction is not too bad during fall and winter grazing. This is because when the soil is dry and frozen, it resists stamping cattle hooves. "My research was focused on the effect of grazing in the spring when the soil is thawed and wet," explained Grabau.

The team investigated two different types of grazing systems. In one system, the researchers let a small number of cattle graze corn fields for 45 days beginning in mid-February. The second system tripled the number of cattle, yet cut grazing time to just 15 days in March. In other words, the total amount of grazing was equal while the time spent on wet fields varied, which could affect how the soil responds to being trampled.

The analysis was based on farmland in Nebraska, where around half of the corn fields are grazed after harvest. The researchers measured various factors that contribute to soil compaction, and also measured soybean yields during the season after cattle grazing. This experiment was repeated over two years.

"Much like previous fall grazing studies, minimal effects were seen on soil properties and yield due to spring grazing, regardless of the number of cattle and area grazed," said Grabau. 

In addition, highly concentrated grazing for just 15 days was found to increase soybean productivity. "This yield increase could be due to more residue removed, causing warmer soil temperatures for plants to grow."

The cattle did cause some soil compaction, but the effects were limited to the surface level of fields. "Compaction isn't permanent," said Grabau. "Soil can loosen up again as it dries and saturates over and over, and microbial activity in the soil also reduces compaction."

The experts found that soybean seedlings were able to establish themselves in the soil after cattle grazing even with some surface compaction present.

"Even when we created a worst-case scenario, grazing in the spring when the ground was wet, compaction was minimal and subsequent soybean yields were not negatively affected," said Grabau. She noted that fall and winter grazing is probably the best solution, but farmers should not be afraid of grazing cattle in the spring.

"The integration of crops and livestock is a beneficial production system. Grazing cattle on corn residue can be a great way to make even more food for human consumption from corn fields, as both the corn grain and plant residue can be used as feed for livestock."

The research was presented at the 2020 <a href="https://www.acsmeetings.org/">ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Corn residue is a valuable resource for cattle grazing

According to a new study from the American Society of...

In a study from the <a href="http://www.uhnllc.com/">Universal Health Network</a>, a team of researchers led by Dr. Catherine O'Brien has found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/meat-and-dairy-consumption-linked-to-higher-risk-of-cancer/">cancer</a> cells can transition into a dormant state when they are threatened by chemotherapy. According to the investigation, all cancer cells, and not just a specific subset, have the ability to rest in this protective state until the threat of treatment is over.

The study is the first of its kind to reveal that cancer cells utilize an evolutionarily conserved strategy to persevere throughout intensive therapy. The researchers have also found that cancer regrowth can be prevented by using therapeutic strategies that target cancer cells in this slow-dividing state.

"The tumor is acting like a whole organism, able to go into a slow-dividing state, conserving energy to help it survive," said Dr. O'Brien. "There are examples of animals entering into a reversible and slow-dividing state to withstand harsh environments. It appears that cancer cells have craftily co-opted this same state for their survival benefit."

Dr. Aaron Schimmer is the director of the Research Institute and a senior scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. He explained that the research shows that cancer cells hibernate like "bears in winter."

"We never actually knew that cancer cells were like hibernating bears. This study also tells us how to target these sleeping bears so they don't hibernate and wake up to come back later, unexpectedly," said Dr. Schimmer.

"I think this will turn out to be an important cause of drug resistance, and will explain something we did not have a good understanding of previously."

For their investigation, the researchers treated human colorectal cancer cells with chemotherapy in a petri dish in the laboratory. The treatment induced a slow-dividing state across all the cancer cells in which they stopped expanding and required little nutrition to survive. The cancer cells remained in this state as long as the chemotherapy remained in the dish.

The cancer cells have adopted a strategy that is used by many mammal species to keep their embryos safe inside their bodies in times of extreme environmental conditions, such as brutal temperatures. When the conditions improve, the embryo is able to continue normal development, with no adverse effects on the pregnancy.

Once the cancer cells have achieved a low-energy state of existence, there is minimal cell division, greatly reduced metabolism, and embryo development is put on hold. 

Dr. O'Brien, who is a surgeon specializing in gastrointestinal cancer, explained that cancer cells under attack by the harsh chemotherapy environment are able to adopt the embryonic survival strategy.

"The cancer cells are able to hijack this evolutionarily conserved survival strategy, even as it seems to be lost to humans," said Dr. O'Brien, adding that all of the cancer cells enter this state in a co-ordinated manner, in order to survive. She had a breakthrough when she remembered a talk three years ago on the cellular mechanisms which drive this survival strategy in mouse embryos.

"Something clicked for me when I heard that talk. Could the cancer cells be hijacking this survival mechanism to survive chemotherapy?"

In collaboration with Dr. Ramalho-Santos, a researcher at Toronto Mt. Sinai Hospital who had initially presented the concept, Dr. O'Brien found striking similarities between the gene expression profile of the cancer cells in the chemotherapy-induced state and the dormant mouse embryos.

Like the embryos, cancer cells in the slow-dividing state were found to activate the cellular process called autophagy. This is a process in which the cell "devours" or destroys its own proteins or other cellular components to survive in the absence of other nutrients.

When Dr. O'Brien tested a small molecule that inhibits autophagy, she discovered that the cancer cells did not survive. Without their protective mechanism, the cancer cells were killed by chemotherapy.

"This gives us a unique therapeutic opportunity," said Dr. O'Brien. "We need to target cancer cells while they are in this slow-cycling, vulnerable state before they acquire the genetic mutations that drive drug-resistance. It is a new way to think about resistance to chemotherapy and how to overcome it."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/">Cell</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Cancer cells hibernate like bears to survive chemotherapy

In a study from the Universal Health Network, a team...

Conservationists widely believe that the popularity of giant pandas, and the protection of their mountainous ranges, creates benefits that extend to neighboring <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/animals-needed-sleep-before-they-even-had-brains/">animals</a>. However, a new study from <a href="https://msu.edu/">Michigan State University</a> has identified several species, including the Asiatic black bear, that experience more losses than gains from conservation strategies designed to protect giant pandas.

"The popularity of giant pandas, as of the popularity of other beloved threatened animals across the world, has generated tremendous advances in protecting forests and other fragile habitats," said study co-author Jianguo "Jack" Liu.

"But this is an important reminder that it can't assume that what's good for a panda is automatically good for other species. Different species have specific needs and preferences."

The researchers used camera trap data collected throughout mountain ranges to investigate how animals were using protected areas, as well as how they are faring under the umbrella of policies used to shield giant pandas.

In 2016, the conservation status of the giant panda officially improved from "endangered" to "threatened." The study revealed that while the pandas are doing well, some of their neighbors are not as fortunate. 

Three of the eight species examined for the study - the Asiatic black bear, the forest musk deer, and the Chinese serow - seem to have suffered significant habitat loss under panda-centric habitat management. 

Giant pandas are very particular about where they live. They require lots of bamboo, a gentle slope, and no contact with humans. The habitats designated for pandas cater to these needs, but do not necessarily meet the requirements of the animals that share these areas.

Study first author Fang Wang noted that earlier efforts at tracking how a broader range of animals fared were handicapped by turning a blind eye to different habitat preferences, and not spotting potentially different habitat trends of other animals. The researchers said that the forests and shrublands in lower elevations next to the habitats that best serve pandas could be better for bears and deer.

"China has made a tremendous achievement in establishing giant panda nature reserves, and now we're learning that one size does not fit all," said Wang. 

"China as well as other countries that face similar conservation challenges have the opportunity to move forward from rescuing single species to protecting animal communities and ecosystems."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/biological-conservation">Biological Conservation</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

The popularity of giant pandas does not protect their neighbors

Conservationists widely believe that the popularity of giant pandas, and...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.rush.edu/">Rush University Medical Center</a>, experts report that unhealthy <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/substituting-plant-foods-for-red-meat-reduces-the-risk-of-heart-disease/">foods</a> may offset the positive effects of an otherwise healthy diet. More specifically, the researchers found that eating foods high in sugar and fat diminished the cognitive benefits of a Mediterranean diet.

Dr. Puja Agarwal is a nutritional epidemiologist and assistant professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College.  

"Eating a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruit, fish and whole grains may positively affect a person's health," said Dr. Agarwal. "But when it is combined with fried food, sweets, refined grains, red meat and processed meat, we observed that the benefits of eating the Mediterranean part of the diet seems to be diminished."

In older adults, a Mediterranean diet is associated with slower rates of cognitive decline. The study was focused on 5,001 older adults living in Chicago who participated in the Chicago Health and Aging Project, which evaluated the individuals' cognitive health from 1993 to 2012. 

Every three years, the participants completed a cognitive assessment and answered questions about the frequency with which they consumed 144 food items.

The researchers analyzed the diet of each individual, noting how closely the participants adhered to a Mediterranean diet. This diet includes daily consumption of fruit, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, potatoes, unrefined cereals, and moderate wine consumption. 

The team also assessed how much each individual followed a Western diet, including fried foods, red meat, sugary foods, pizza, full-fat dairy products, and processed meats. Based on the data, the participants were assigned Mediterranean diet scores ranging from zero to 55.

Next, the researchers examined the association between Mediterranean diet scores and changes in cognitive function, episodic memory, and perceptual speed. 

The study revealed that participants with slower cognitive decline over the years of follow-up were those who adhered closest to the Mediterranean diet while limiting foods that are part of Western diet. On the other hand, people who ate more of the Western foods did not experience the cognitive benefits of the healthier foods.

"Western diets may adversely affect cognitive health," said Dr. Agarwal. "Individuals who had a high Mediterranean diet score compared to those who had the lowest score were equivalent to being 5.8 years younger in age cognitively."

According to Dr. Agarwal, the results complement other studies showing that a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. The findings also support previous studies on Mediterranean diet and cognition. 

"The more we can incorporate green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries, olive oil, and fish into our diets, the better it is for our aging brains and bodies. Other studies show that red and processed meat, fried food and low whole grains intake are associated with higher inflammation and faster cognitive decline in older ages," said Dr. Agarwal. "To benefit from diets such as the Mediterranean diet, or MIND diet, we would have to limit our consumption of processed foods and other unhealthy foods such as fried foods and sweets."

The study is published in <a href="https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15525279">Alzheimer's &amp; Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Unhealthy foods spoil the benefits of a Mediterranean diet

In a new study from Rush University Medical Center, experts...

A new study from the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> has found that most native species are locally vanishing from the eastern region of the Mediterranean. At the same time, non-native tropical species are thriving. 

Along the coastline of Israel, which is one of the warmest areas of the Mediterranean Sea, most marine species have been gradually approaching the limits of their heat tolerance. The study shows that rising temperatures have now exceeded a tolerable heat threshold, and have warmed beyond what native species can handle. 

The investigation, led by Paolo Albano, was focused on the local extinctions of mollusks, including snails, clams, and mussels. Based on empty shells that have accumulated across the seafloor, the researchers reconstructed the historical species diversity of the Israeli coastline.

The study revealed that shallow habitats at scuba diving depths have been affected most by global warming. Here, the researchers were not able to find living individuals of up to 95 percent of the species whose shells were found in the sediments.

The results of the analysis suggest that most of the local extinctions have occurred in the last few decades. Furthermore, most of the mollusks that were found alive can no longer grow enough to reproduce. The experts said this is a clear sign that the biodiversity collapse will continue further.

By contrast, the warm waters in the Eastern Mediterranean are very suitable habitats for tropical species that arrive from the Suez Canal. These animal can be found in large populations and their individuals are fully fit to reproduce.

"For anyone accustomed to snorkel or dive in the Mediterranean, the underwater scenario in Israel is unrecognizable: The most common species are missing, while in contrast tropical species are everywhere," explained the researchers.

Temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea will continue to rise, regardless of how much carbon dioxide emissions are limited today. This means that the biodiversity collapse will continue to spread to the west and will intensify. 

Intertidal organisms, which are more adapted to temperature extremes, will continue to persist - at least to some degree.

"But the future is dim unless we immediately act to reduce our carbon emissions and to protect marine habitats from other pressures which contribute to biodiversity loss," said Albano. "The changes that already occurred in the warmest areas of the Mediterranean may not be reversible, but we would be able to save large parts of the rest of the basin."

"These results came from the cooperation of scientists with very different backgrounds," said study co-author Martin Zuschin. "In particular, the cooperation between ecologists and palaeontologists is providing unique new views on how humankind is impacting biodiversity."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Native species are vanishing in the Eastern Mediterranean

A new study from the University of Vienna has found...

Noncognitive skills contribute to personal success just as much as cognitive skills, according to a new study led by <a href="https://www.columbia.edu/">Columbia University</a>. An international team of researchers has investigated how cognitive skills influence educational attainment as well as life outcomes. 

Noncognitive skills, or "soft skills," are associated with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dog-personality-traits-change-over-time-but-not-at-the-same-pace/">personality</a> and temperament. These skills are related to inherent traits such as integrity, motivation, and perseverance.  

"There has been much debate about what noncognitive skills are and how best to measure them. Motivation, persistence, grit, curiosity, self-control, growth mindset - these are just a few of the things that people have suggested are important noncognitive skills," said Professor Paige Harden.

The research supports the idea that inherited genes that affect things other than cognitive ability make an important difference in life outcomes, including educational attainment.

"Genetic studies of educational attainment were initiated with the goal of identifying genes that influenced cognitive abilities. They've had some success in doing that. But it turns out they've also identified genetics that influence a range of other skills and characteristics.," said Dr. Daniel Belsky. 

"What was most surprising to me about our results was that these noncognitive skills contributed just as much to the heritability of educational attainment as cognitive ability." 

Of the total genetic influence on educational attainment, cognitive abilities accounted for 43 percent and noncognitive skills accounted for 57 percent.

The genetics of noncognitive skills were linked to achievements beyond school, including more prestigious jobs, higher incomes, and longer lifespan. Furthermore, genes associated with noncognitive skills had relationships with these life outcomes that were as strong or stronger than the relationships seen with cognitive genetics. 

"These results were important proof of concept," said Dr. Belsky. "They showed us that noncognitive skills genetics have implications for economics and public health similar to the genetics of cognitive abilities."

Noncognitive skills are behaviors and abilities that are not measured by traditional IQ tests but are believed to promote personal success throughout life. The researchers measured these skills using a method called a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The team also applied a new statistical technique to examine the significance of noncognitive skills versus cognitive ability.

"Borrowing a strategy from economists who studied people with the same cognitive ability but different years of education enabled us to associate the variations in how far people go in school above and beyond their association with cognitive test performance. We were able to conduct this type of analysis using a new method we developed called Genomic Structural Equation Modeling, which is a way of combining data from multiple GWASs at the same time," said Professor Michel Nivard.

"This approach allows us to leverage the power of giant genetic databases like UK Biobank to study the genetics of traits and behaviors that were not directly measured in the research participants." 

The researchers used the novel technique to conduct a GWAS of noncognitive skills in data from hundreds of thousands of individuals.

"Our GWAS identified 157 different locations in the human genome that related to noncognitive skills," said study co-lead author Perline Demange. "Our GWAS identified signals from genes that are disproportionately active in brain tissues, similar to what has been found for the genetics of cognitive abilities."

Overall, the genetics of noncognitive skills were associated with a higher tolerance of risks, greater willingness to forego immediate gratification, less unhealthy behavior, and delayed fertility. Noncognitive skill genetics were also linked with personality traits associated with success in relationships and at work, such as being eager to learn, emotionally stable, and more industrious and orderly.

"Genetic influence must always be understood through the lens of history and social structures," said Professor Harden. "These results tell us about what is, not what could be. Nothing about our study should discourage investments in ensuring that all children reach their maximum potential."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ng">Nature Genetics</a>.

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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Noncognitive skills contribute as much to success as cognitive ability

Noncognitive skills contribute to personal success just as much as...

In a new study from <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/">UC Santa Cruz</a>, experts have discovered that groundwater has a much greater impact on ocean chemistry than what was expected. Even though groundwater flows into <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-icebergs-affect-seawater-and-ocean-currents-far-from-the-continent/">seawater</a> along coastlines all over the world, its contribution to the chemical properties of the ocean has been largely overlooked. 

The findings have implications for global models of biogeochemical cycles and for the interpretation of isotope records of Earth's climate history.

"It's really hard to characterize groundwater discharge, so it has been a source of uncertainty in the modeling of global cycles," said study first author Kimberley Mayfield. "It took a large effort by researchers around the world who came together to make this happen."

The investigation was focused on five key elements including lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium. The researchers measured the concentrations and isotope ratios in coastal groundwater at 20 sites around the world, and used previously published data from additional sites.

"Those elements are important because they come from the weathering of rocks, and weathering of silicate rocks accounts for a huge uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over long time scales," explained Mayfield.

According to study co-author Adina Paytan, a research professor in UCSC's Institute of Marine Sciences, groundwater is an important source of inputs to the oceans, but has been easy to ignore because it is unseen and hard to measure.

"This is the first global assessment of groundwater discharge for most of these elements," said Professor Paytan. "This information is useful for our understanding of how weathering of rock is related to climate, not only in the present but also in the past."

The researchers estimated that up to 16 percent of these elements are entering the sea through groundwater. The results also showed that the isotopic composition of groundwater discharge can be different from that of rivers.

"The composition of groundwater discharge is very dependent on coastal geology, whereas river water is more influenced by the interiors of continents," said Mayfield. "It's important to recognize that groundwater makes a difference globally, and now that we have this large data set, people can keep improving it with more sampling and develop better models of global groundwater discharge."

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

Groundwater has a larger impact on ocean chemistry than expected

In a new study from UC Santa Cruz, experts have...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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



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

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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



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



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



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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



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

How does salt makes things taste better?

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

Santiago, Chile in South America

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[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

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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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