From corporate boards to honeybee hives and ants colonies, groups tend to follow the majority. But biologists and social scientists have found that a vocal minority - sometimes just 5 to 10 percent - can sway the final decision if they’re persuasive, energized, or well-connected. This effect is known as “minority influence.”



A new study shows that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fire-ants-can-teach-us-how-to-create-stronger-materials/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fire ants</a> offer a dramatic, gene-driven version of the same principle. A handful of workers carrying a particular stretch of&nbsp;“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/selfish-dna-transposons-control-early-human-development-not-genes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">selfish DNA</a>” can push their nest-mates to welcome extra queens, transforming the colony’s entire social order.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-selfish-dna-and-ant-colony-structure">Selfish DNA and ant colony structure</h2>



The invasive red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, dominates swaths of the southeastern United States and is spreading on multiple continents. Ecologically and economically, it is one of the most impactful insects on Earth. It also comes in two distinct social forms.



Single-queen colonies (monogyne) recognize and defend one egg-laying monarch. Workers in these nests are intensely territorial, killing any foreign queen that dares enter.



Multiple-queen colonies (polygyne) tolerate several unrelated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ant-queens-turn-to-cannibalism-recycle-bodies-for-colony-disease-control/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">queens</a> and spread by budding - new queens and escorts walk a short distance and start satellite nests.



The social form matters: monogyne nests are aggressive but slower to spread; polygyne nests can carpet landscapes with interconnected supercolonies.



A single gene complex, dubbed Gp-9, largely decides whether a colony embraces one queen or many. The variant known as Gp-9 B promotes single-queen structure; the variant Gp-9 b pushes toward multiple queens.



Only workers with the b allele accept extra royalty - and that gene acts in strikingly “selfish” fashion, ensuring its own propagation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-roots-of-ant-behavior">Genetic roots of ant behavior</h2>



Takao Sasaki, now an associate professor in the <a href="https://www.sas.rochester.edu/bcs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Rochester’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences</a>, teamed with postdoctoral researcher Haolin Zeng and Professor Kenneth Ross at the <a href="https://www.uga.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Georgia</a>. Together, they tested how small a minority of b-bearing workers could tip an entire colony.



Most previous work had examined stable nests already committed to one form or the other. The new experiments created mixed groups from scratch, mirroring the early stages of an invasion when different ant lineages collide.



“Our research may help us understand how other animals make consensus decisions,” Sasaki said.



Using DNA markers, the team first verified each ant’s social-genotype - B B for single-queen preference or B b for multiple-queen preference. They then built experimental colonies of 3,000 workers and a single B-type queen.



Into these colonies they introduced B b workers in varying proportions, from zero to 30 percent, along with test queens carrying either genotype. Continuous video monitored how workers treated potential newcomers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dna-can-shift-the-ant-colony">DNA can shift the ant colony </h2>



With no B b workers present, resident ants killed any stranger queen in the colony within hours, matching monogyne behavior in the wild. But once the minority of B b workers reached roughly 10 percent, the colony’s stance softened.



Those few workers began grooming and feeding extra queens that carried the same b allele, escorting them safely into the brood chambers. 



Over the following days, B B workers joined the caretaking - even though the shift ultimately lowers their own inclusive fitness. The single-queen colony had morphed into a multi-queen society, simply because a genetic minority rewrote the ground rules.



“By looking at their genes, we know their preferences for having one queen versus multiple queens,” Sasaki said. “By manipulating the proportion of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/larger-ant-colonies-drove-the-evolution-of-worker-castes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">workers</a> with certain genes, we can test if and how a minority can convince the rest of the group members.”



Chemical communication is the likely mechanism. Fire ants rely on pheromones to tell friend from foe and to decide which queens belong.



Additional tests showed b-bearing workers alter queen pheromones or change how nest-mates respond to those chemical signals. Whichever the pathway, the outcome favors any queen - and thus any gene - matching the minority’s genotype.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-selfish-dna-shapes-behavior">Selfish DNA shapes behavior</h2>



The study highlights an evolutionary twist known as an indirect genetic effect: one individual’s traits are molded not just by its own DNA and environment, but by the genes carried by its social partners.



Here, the selfish DNA in roughly a tenth of the ants drives an outcome (polygyne structure) that benefits copies of that same element, even though it may not help the colony at large.



“This knowledge is important not only for understanding the biology of social insects like fire ants but also for broader insights into the evolution of cooperation and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/survival-of-the-friendliest-social-animals-live-longer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sociality</a> in animals, including humans,” Zeng said.



Because multi-queen colonies bud readily and thus expand invasion fronts, the ability of a genetic minority to flip nest behavior could accelerate the spread of fire ants worldwide. Evolutionary models will need to account for such feedback between genes and group dynamics.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ants-think-like-neurons">Ants think like neurons</h2>



Sasaki frames the findings in terms of “collective cognition,” his broader research focus. Just as neurons exchange signals to create unified thoughts, social insects exchange chemical and tactile cues to make group decisions.



If a small cluster of neurons can trigger a mental state, why not a small cluster of genetically distinct ants triggering a social state?



“The brain is a good example,” Sasaki explained. “Each neuron talks to other neurons. A brain is a cognitive unit. Ants as colonies make collective decisions like brains do.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-help-outvote-majority-rule">Genes help outvote majority rule</h2>



The fire-ant case suggests that minority influence may have a deeper biological foundation than previously realized. In some cases, it’s encoded in selfish stretches of DNA that manipulate social systems like ant colonies from within.



Whether similar elements lurk in other species, subtly guiding flock movements, pack hierarchies, or even aspects of human <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secret-social-lives-pandas-have-their-own-version-of-facebook/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">social networks</a>, remains an open question.



What is clear is that in complex societies, majority rule is never absolute: under the right genetic and social conditions, the few can still lead the many.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501740122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



-----



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'Selfish DNA' in a few ants can change the behavior of the entire colony

From corporate boards to honeybee hives and ants colonies, groups tend to follow the majority. But biologists and social scientists have found that a vocal minority - sometimes just 5 to 10 percent - can sway the final decision if they’re persuasive, energized, or well-connected. This effect is known as “minority influence.” A new study shows that fire ants offer a dramatic, gene-driven version of the same principle. A handful of workers carrying a particular stretch of&nbsp;“selfish DNA” can push their nest-mates to welcome extra queens, transforming...

In recent years, scientists have begun to unravel the structural changes that take place in a woman's brain during <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/vegetable-consumption-before-pregnancy-lowers-risk-of-preterm-birth/">pregnancy</a> and after childbirth.

One study published in Nature Neuroscience showed that brain remodeling persists for as long as two years after a child is born, and the modifications may play a key role in the transition to motherhood.

A new study from the <a href="https://www.sfn.org/">Society for Neuroscience</a> has produced even more evidence that neural modifications help moms adapt. Using a mouse model, the researchers found that motherhood takes over the brain's decision-making regions to prioritize caring for offspring. 

The brain's medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) filters relevant information to help us make decisions. This process often involves choosing between conflicting stimuli that can be very powerful, such as when a mother who is addicted to drugs must decide whether to seek drugs or care for her child.

The infralimbic and prelimbic cortices of the (mPFC) have been shown to control behavior in different ways. The prelimbic cortex has been implicated in the expression of drug-seeking behavior, while the infralimbic cortex is thought to suppress such behavior.

The most effective addiction therapies for new moms emphasize the relationship between the mother and infant. With this in mind, the study authors theorized that there must be a region of the brain that guides a mother to prioritize offspring over drugs.

To investigate, the researchers temporarily deactivated the infralimbic and prelimbic cortices  in mice and then gave them the choice between a room with their pups or a room with cocaine. Prior to this trial, 40 percent of the mice showed a preference for their pups, 40 percent showed a preference for cocaine, and 20 percent were neutral.

The study revealed that when the infralimbic cortex was deactivated, none of the mice chose the pup room and 78 percent chose the cocaine room. On the other hand, when the infralimbic cortex remained active, most mice selected the pup room and none entered the room with drugs.

The researchers concluded that during motherhood, the brain recruits the power of the infralimbic cortex to prioritize caring for offspring over competing inclinations. The study showed that when the infralimbic cortex was shut down, mothers were less protective and nurturing toward their babies.

The research is published in the <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Neural changes help guide decisions in motherhood

In recent years, scientists have begun to unravel the structural...

In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.europeanlung.org/">European Lung Foundation</a>, experts have found that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nearly-half-of-u-s-teens-have-been-harassed-by-a-partner/">teenagers</a> who stay up late are more prone to allergy and asthma issues than those who go to bed earlier.

Previous research established a strong link between asthma and the body's circadian rhythm, with symptoms worsening in the early morning hours. The current study is the first to examine sleep patterns and asthma risk among teens.

According to the researchers, the study reinforces the importance of sleep timing for teenagers and opens up a new channel of research into how sleep affects respiratory health.

"Asthma and allergic diseases are common in children and adolescents across the world and the prevalence is increasing. We know some of the reasons for this increase, such as exposure to pollution and tobacco smoke, but we still need to find out more," explained study lead author Dr. Subhabrata Moitra, who conducted the research at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health.

"Sleep and the 'sleep hormone' melatonin are known to influence asthma, so we wanted to see if adolescents' preference for staying up late or going to bed early could be involved in their asthma risk."

The investigation was focused on data from the Prevalence and Risk Factors of Asthma and Allergy-Related Diseases among Adolescents (PERFORMANCE) study, involving 1,684 adolescents living in West Bengal, India.

The participants reported on any wheezing, asthma, or allergy symptoms - such as a runny nose and sneezing. 

The teens were asked questions regarding what time of the evening or night they feel tired, when they choose to wake up, and how tired they feel first thing in the morning. This information was used to classify the teens as being evening types, morning types, or somewhere in between.

When the researchers compared the teenagers' medical symptoms with their sleep preferences, they found that asthma was around three times more prevalent among teens who preferred to fall asleep later at night. The study also revealed that the risk of allergic rhinitis was twice as high in adolescents who went to bed and woke up later.

"Our results suggest there's a link between preferred sleep time, and asthma and allergies in teenagers," said Dr. Moitra. "We can't be certain that staying up late is causing asthma, but we know that the sleep hormone melatonin is often out of sync in late-sleepers and that could, in turn, be influencing teenagers allergic response."

"We also know that children and young people are increasingly exposed to the light from mobile phone, tablets, and other devices, and staying up later at night. It could be that encouraging teenagers to put down their devices and get to bed a little earlier would help decrease the risk of asthma and allergies. That's something that we need to study more."

Professor Thierry Troosters,  president of the European Respiratory Society, commented on the research. 

"We need to know much more about why asthma and allergies are rising in children and teenagers and, hopefully, find ways to reduce these conditions," said Dr. Troosters.

"This is the first study to examine the possible role of different sleep preferences in teenagers' risk of asthma and allergies, and it opens up an interesting and important new line of research. We already know that sleeping well is important for physical and mental health, so we should continue to encourage teenagers to get a good night's sleep."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://openres.ersjournals.com/">ERJ Open Research</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Teens who stay up late have more asthma and allergy issues

In a new study published by the European Lung Foundation,...

A new study has revealed that some features of wireless home security cameras could easily compromise the user's safety. The research shows that it is possible to learn compromising details of a homeowner's activity without even accessing the video footage itself.

Internet Protocol (IP) cameras are installed and connected to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/internet-changing-our-brains/">internet</a> for remote viewing. These wireless security cameras are growing in popularity, with the global market expected to reach $1.3 billion over the next couple of years. 

An international team of researchers set out to investigate the potential privacy risks of a major brand of wireless security cameras. 

The experts analyzed whether an attacker could obtain private information about the activity and whereabouts of a camera's owner by passively tracking the uploaded data without any of the actual video content.

"Once considered a luxury item, these cameras are now commonplace in homes worldwide. As they become more ubiquitous, it is important to continue to study their activities and potential privacy risks," said study co-author Dr. Gareth Tyson from <a href="https://www.qmul.ac.uk/">Queen Mary University of London</a>. 

The analysis showed that the traffic generated by the cameras could be monitored and used to predict when a house is unoccupied.

The researchers also determined that future activity within the monitored home could be predicted based on past traffic data, leaving users at a higher than of break-ins and burglaries.

The experts confirmed that attackers could detect when the camera was uploading motion, and could even distinguish between certain types of motion, such as walking or sitting. This information was implied through the rate at which data was uploaded by the cameras to the internet, rather than through the video footage itself.

"Whilst numerous studies have looked at online video streaming, such as YouTube and Netflix, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study which looks in detail at video streaming traffic generated by these cameras and quantifies the risks associated with them," said Dr. Tyson. "By understanding these risks, we can now look to propose way to minimize the risks and protect user privacy."

The findings were presented at the <a href="https://infocom2020.ieee-infocom.org/">IEEE International Conference on Computer Communications</a> (InfoComm 2020).

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Wireless security cameras have unexpected privacy risks

A new study has revealed that some features of wireless...

The Earth's magnetic field can change direction up to ten times faster than previously realized, according to a new study from the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/">University of Leeds</a> and UC San Diego.

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nasa-satellites-are-monitoring-the-sahara-dust-cloud/">Satellites</a> have improved efforts to  measure and track the ever-shifting magnetic field in recent years, but scientists also need to examine how the field has changed and evolved throughout history.

"We have very incomplete knowledge of our magnetic field prior to 400 years ago," said study co-author Dr. Chris Davies. "Since these rapid changes represent some of the more extreme behavior of the liquid core they could give important information about the behavior of Earth's deep interior."

The magnetic field is generated by electric currents that flow in the planet's molten core. The currents are hundreds of miles wide and pass through the crust into outer space. 

The field does not just help to guide navigation systems, but also protects the atmosphere from damaging solar winds and prevents extraterrestrial radiation from reaching the planet.

To measure the magnetic field back through geological time, experts typically analyze sediments, lava flows, and human-made artifacts. However, the rates of changes estimated through these types of studies are not necessarily accurate.

In the new study, the researchers tried out a different approach by combining computer simulations with a recently published reconstruction of time variations in Earth's magnetic field spanning the last 100,000 years.

The most recent estimates report that the magnetic field changes up to one degree per year. However, the new study has revealed that directional variations in the Earth's magnetic field have historically reached rates that are up to 10 times faster.

The research showed that such rapid changes are associated with local weakening of the magnetic field. According to study authors, this means that the changes have generally occurred around times when the field reversed polarity or when the dipole axis moved far from the locations of the North and South geographic poles.

For example, the experts pinpointed a sharp change in the geomagnetic field direction of roughly 2.5 degrees per year 39,000 years ago. The shift was associated with a weak field strength in a confined spatial region off the west coast of Central America.

The analysis indicates that the fastest directional changes are associated with reversed movement across the surface of the liquid core, primarily at lower latitudes.

"Understanding whether computer simulations of the magnetic field accurately reflect the physical behaviour of the geomagnetic field as inferred from geological records can be very challenging," said study co-author Professor Catherine Constable.

"But in this case we have been able to show excellent agreement in both the rates of change and general location of the most extreme events across a range of computer simulations."

"Further study of the evolving dynamics in these simulations offers a useful strategy for documenting how such rapid changes occur and whether they are also found during times of stable magnetic polarity like what we are experiencing today."

The research 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

&nbsp;

Earth's magnetic field shifts ten times faster than expected

The Earth's magnetic field can change direction up to ten...

Dogs may help small <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/experts-identify-the-top-sources-of-empty-calories-for-children-and-teens/">children</a> learn to manage their emotions and develop more meaningful relationships. In a new study published by <a href="https://www.springer.com/">Springer</a>, researchers have found that children from households with pet dogs have improved social and emotional well-being compared to kids without a dog at home.

The experts analyzed survey data from the Play Spaces and Environments for Children's Physical Activity (PLAYCE) study, which involved 686 dog-owning households with children between the ages of two and five. For the PLAYCE study, parents assessed the physical activity and social-emotional development of their children.

After accounting for other relevant factors, the researchers found that children from dog-owning households were 23 percent less likely to have difficulties with their emotions and social interactions. 

In addition, children with dogs at home were 30 percent less likely to engage in antisocial behaviors, 34 percent more likely to share and show consideration, and 40 percent less likely to have difficulty interacting with other children.

Study co-author Professor Hayley Christian is a senior researcher at the <a href="https://www.telethonkids.org.au/">Telethon Kids Institute</a> and a professor at the <a href="https://www.uwa.edu.au/">University of Western Australia</a>.

"While we expected that dog ownership would provide some benefits for young children's well-being, we were surprised that the mere presence of a family dog was associated with many positive behaviors and emotions," said Professor Christian.

Children who engaged with their dogs often were found to reap the most rewards. Those who joined family dog walks each week were 36 percent less likely to have poor social and emotional development compared to those who did not walk with their dog at least once per week. 

In addition, children who played with their family dog at least three times per week were 74 percent more likely to regularly engage in considerate behaviors.

"Our findings indicate that dog ownership may benefit children's development and wellbeing and we speculate that this could be attributed to the attachment between children and their dogs," said Professor Christian.  

"Stronger attachments between children and their pets may be reflected in the amount of time spent playing and walking together and this may promote social and emotional development."

According to the study authors, the research is limited by its observational nature and does not establish the exact mechanism that links dog ownership to improvements in social and emotional development in young children.

Further research is needed to assess the social-emotional effects of different types of pets, and the potential influence of the attachment that children have to their pets.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://www.nature.com/pr">Pediatric Research</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Dogs improve social and emotional well-being in children

Dogs may help small children learn to manage their emotions...

Scientists have identified two ancient groups of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-warming-is-changing-where-migratory-birds-breed/">birds</a> that shared striking similarities despite the fact they evolved independently of each other in different parts of the world - millions of years apart. The findings reveal an incredible phenomenon in which giant penguins were succeeded by birds on another continent that looked and behaved just like them.

In previous work, scientists described the fossilized bones of the earliest known penguins. The fossils were uncovered in North Canterbury, New Zealand, and represented nine different types of penguins. The species ranged from the small penguins we see today to giant penguins that were 1.6 meters tall, which is the height of a five-foot-three human.

Much later in the fossil record - about 35 million years ago - a younger group of birds emerged in the Northern Hemisphere known as plotopterids. The fossils were recovered from sites in North America and Japan. Like penguins, plotopterids used their wings for swimming instead of flying. The last known plotopterids vanished around 25 million years ago.

For the current study, a research team including <a href="https://www.canterburymuseum.com/">Canterbury Museum</a> Curators Dr. Paul Scofield and Dr. Vanesa De Pietri compared the fossilized bones of plotopterids to specimens of three giant penguin species found in New Zealand.

The analysis showed that plotopterids and giant penguins had many features in common, including similar chests, shoulder bones, wings, and beaks. The anatomy of both species suggests they were strong swimmers that used their wings to propel them deep underwater to find food.

In both groups, there were subspecies that could grow to massive sizes. The largest known plotopterids were even bigger than giant penguins at over two meters long.

Despite the strong resemblance, plotopterids were more closely related to boobies, gannets, and cormorants than they were to penguins.

"What's remarkable about all this is that plotopterids and ancient penguins evolved these shared features independently," said Dr De Pietri. "This is an example of what we call convergent evolution, when distantly related organisms develop similar morphological traits under similar environmental conditions."

Dr. Scofield noted that some large plotopterid species would have looked very similar to the ancient penguins. 

"These birds evolved in different hemispheres, millions of years apart, but from a distance you would be hard pressed to tell them apart," said Dr. Scofield. "Plotopterids looked like penguins, they swam like penguins, they probably ate like penguins - but they weren't penguins."

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14390469">Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Ancient birds looked and behaved like giant penguins 

Scientists have identified two ancient groups of birds that shared...

Nearly half of U.S. teens have been harassed by a partner. Experts at the <a href="https://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/">Boston University School of Medicine</a> have investigated the prevalence of mental <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/parent-risk-factors-child-abuse/">abuse</a> in teen relationships. The study revealed that nearly half of U.S. teens between the ages of 12 and 18 have been stalked or harassed by a partner.

The research is part of the first nationally-representative study of non-physical youth dating abuse.

"These victimization and perpetration numbers are unacceptably high," said study lead author Dr. Emily Rothman. "Unfortunately, they are in line with estimates of similar problems like dating and sexual violence victimization, so they are both shocking and unsurprising at the same time."

According to Dr. Rothman, previous research shows that harassing behaviors, such as destroying belongings or going through social media accounts, can lead to physical violence. She said that especially now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, non-physical dating abuse needs to be recognized as real and harmful in its own right.

"Adolescents have already been fully aware of how harmful online forms of abuse can be - that it's valid to be interested in that and to try to address it," said Dr. Rothman. "COVID has in some ways made parents, teachers, and other adults more willing to see, right now, that what we do online matters and is fully part of our real lives."

The research was focused on data from the ongoing Survey on Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence (STRiV) study. The team analyzed survey responses from 148 boys and 172 girls who were currently in relationships or had been in the past year. 

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/social-media-mental-health/">Teens</a> reported on whether a partner had ever followed or spied on them, damaged something that belonged to them, or gone through their social media accounts. The adolescents were also asked if they had ever engaged in these threatening behaviors themselves.

The analysis showed that rates of perpetration and victimization were similar for boys and girls. Nearly 45 percent of boys and  more than 51 percent of girls had been stalked or harassed by a partner. In addition, 46.5 percent of boys and 50.6 percent of girls identified themselves as a perpetrator.

Upon further analysis, the researchers found that girls are at a higher risk of being a victim or perpetrator of harassment if they live in neighborhoods with higher rates of violent crime, or use marijuana or alcohol. For boys, the risk of involvement in dating abuse is higher if they have strained relationships with their parents or live in neighborhoods with higher rates of violent crime. 

More research is needed to investigate these associations, but the findings show that dating abuse is shaped by forces larger than the individual, said Dr. Rothman.

"We know from intervention research that the way to prevent stalking and harassment, or sexual and dating violence, is partly about addressing how young people think about relationships, gender norms, and improving their social-emotional skills, but these are also influenced by the context in which they are operating."

"So, addressing racism, poverty, homophobia, misogyny, and disability-related discrimination is part of the solution, too," said Dr. Rothman.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/yas">Youth and Society</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Nearly half of U.S. teens have been harassed by a partner

Nearly half of U.S. teens have been harassed by a...

A new study has revealed that seismic activity can be increased by the impacts of severe storms. An international team of researchers led by <a href="https://www.gfz-potsdam.de/startseite/">GFZ-Potsdam</a> found that in Taiwan, a massive amount of erosion from a catastrophic <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/typhoon-chaba-intensifies-super-typhoon/">typhoon</a> temporarily changed the frequency of earthquakes.

Active mountain ranges like those found in Taiwan are positioned over "thrust faults," where breaks in the Earth's crust contain older rocks pushed above younger rocks. When the pressure becomes too powerful, the rocks break.

Usually, it is the continuous strain of moving crustal plates that causes faults to slip, and the resulting earthquakes cause landslides and erosion. In the new study, experts have revealed that the reverse is also true - landslides and erosion can trigger earthquakes.

Located in the western Pacific Ocean, the island of Taiwan is a hotspot for seismic activity. In 2009, Typhoon Morakot was the deadliest typhoon to impact Taiwan in recorded history.

The storm dumped unprecedented amounts of rainfall across the region. In a matter of three days, three thousand liters of rain fell per square meter. To put this in perspective, Berlin receives an average of 550 liters of rainfall per square meter in an entire year. The water led to widespread flooding and landslides, killing more than 600 people.

The researchers conducted a statistical analysis to investigate seismic activity following the typhoon. The study showed that there were significantly more small-magnitude and shallow earthquakes during the 2.5 years after Typhoon Morakot compared to the years before. Importantly, increases in seismic activity were only observed in areas that had experienced extensive erosion. 

"We explain this change in seismicity by an increase in crustal stresses at shallow depth, less than 15 kilometers, in conjunction with surface erosion," said study senior author Niels Hovius. 

Landslides move enormous loads, while rivers transport the material away from the devastated regions. Hovius explained that the removal of these loads progressively changes the state of the stress in the upper part of the Earth's crust, causing more earthquakes on thrust faults.

"Surface processes and tectonics are connected in the blink of an eye," said Hovius. "Earthquakes are among the most dangerous and destructive natural hazards." 

"Better understanding earthquake triggering by tectonics and by external processes is crucial for a more realistic assessment of earthquake hazards, especially in densely populated regions."

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

&nbsp;

Powerful typhoon changed seismic activity in Taiwan

A new study has revealed that seismic activity can be...

In a new study published by <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</a>, experts have found that individuals who meet the recommended weekly levels of physical activity have a lower risk of death.

While the positive effects of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-can-reduce-or-prevent-vision-loss/">exercise</a> were observed regardless of intensity, the benefits of vigorous exercise were slightly higher than those associated with light to moderate activity.

Physical inactivity has been estimated to contribute to as much as ten percent of major chronic diseases that are non-communicable worldwide. In 2013 alone, sedentary behavior resulted in global healthcare costs of about $53.8 billion.

A growing collection of research shows that physical activity prevents a large variety of chronic diseases and reduces mortality. Governments have responded by establishing guidelines for physical activity levels.

In the United States, a minimum of 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity or 150 minutes of moderate intensity is recommended per week. In addition, the U.S. guidelines include muscle strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity at least two days per week.

Even though the guidelines are well-established, however, it has been unclear how these standards relate to a potential reduction in mortality.

To investigate, an international team of researchers analyzed the correlation between physical activity - according to U.S. guidelines - and death from any cause. The experts also examined eight specific causes of mortality including cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, chronic lower respiratory tract diseases, accidents and injuries, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes.

The study was focused on data from the National Health Interview Surveys conducted between 1997 and 2014. 

The research involved 479,856 adults from 18 to 85, who reported on the amount of leisure time they dedicated to aerobic physical activity and muscle strengthening activity each week. This data was linked to national death records over an average of about nine years.

During the study period, nearly 60,000 participants passed away. In addition, only 16 percent met the recommended activity levels. The individuals who engaged in sufficient aerobic activity had a 29 percent lower risk of mortality from any cause, while those who engaged in sufficient muscle strengthening activity had an 11 percent lower risk of death.

Notably, participants who fully met the recommended activity levels - both sufficient muscle strengthening and aerobic activities - were found to have a remarkable 40 percent lower risk of death from any cause.

The study showed that adults who reached the recommended levels of physical activity had a lower risk of death from all eight specific causes. Those who engaged in sufficient muscle strengthening activity had a reduced risk of death from three causes: cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory tract disease.

"Our findings support that the physical activity levels recommended in the 2018 physical activity guidelines for Americans provide important survival benefits," wrote the study authors. "Additionally, in accordance with the guidelines, more physical activity than the minimum recommendation could provide greater health benefits."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/">The BMJ</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

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Recommended physical activity levels tied to lower death risk

In a new study published by The BMJ, experts have...

After the fourth of July fireworks tonight, the moon will steal the show with a lunar <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/total-eclipse-over-south-america/">eclipse</a> just after 11 p.m. The full moon, or the Buck Moon as it is called in July, will partially pass through Earth's penumbral shadow for two hours and 45 minutes. 

In North and South America, the event will begin at 11:07 p.m. ET and last until 1:52 a.m. ET on the morning of July 5. While the best viewing time is expected to be around 12:30 a.m., this depends on your location as well as the weather.

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through Earth's faint, feathered "penumbra" shadow, rather than through the umbra - the region of the planet's complete shadow.

The event will not be as dramatic as a full lunar eclipse, but experts report that a noticeable darkening of the moon's surface will be visible without a telescope. 

The moon will be located opposite the sun at 12:44 a.m. ET, yet will appear full all weekend.

"The Maine Farmer's Almanac first published 'Indian' names for the full Moons in the 1930's," explained experts at <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>. "According to this almanac, as the full Moon in July and the first full Moon of summer, the Algonquin tribes of what is now the northeastern United States called this full moon the Buck Moon."

The July full moon is also called Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, Mead Moon, Rose Moon, and Guru Moon.

This month, you will also have the chance to see Jupiter and Saturn rise together with the moon a couple hours after sunset. The best visibility will be between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. 

Around mid-month, Jupiter and Saturn will make their closest approach to Earth in 20 years. Jupiter will appear incredibly bright on the 14th, and Saturn will look its brightest on the 20th.

Jupiter and Saturn have 161 moons between them, and you can get a glimpse of Jupiter’s four largest moons with a basic pair of binoculars. You can also see at least one of Saturn’s moons with a basic telescope.

July will really go out with a bang on the 28th when two meteor showers - the Alpha Capricornids and the southern Delta Aquariids - peak on the same night.

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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

&nbsp;

Lunar eclipse will appear tonight after fireworks

After the fourth of July fireworks tonight, the moon will...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> are describing a method of controlling plant biological processes using only colored light. The researchers have demonstrated that light can be used to switch genes on or off in plants to manipulate the timing of a specific activity, such as flowering or growth.

The experts hope the findings will ultimately lead to advances in how plants grow, flower, and adapt to their environment, which could greatly improve crop yields.

The research was led by Heinrich Heine University and the Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS) in Düsseldorf, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Freiburg and UEA.

"Our team has been working on optogenetics - using light to precisely control biological processes - in plants," said Dr. Ben Miller. "Using optogenetics in plants hadn't been possible before because plants naturally respond to light as they grow. Any genetic switches controlled by light would therefore be constantly active."

"But we have developed a special system which overcomes this problem and allows us to control different cellular processes in plants using light.

"We can now use a red light to cause gene expression at a precise moment, while an ambient white light can be used as an 'off switch' to reverse the process. This can be repeated any number of times."

"We can use this system to manipulate physiological responses in plants, for example their immune response, and perhaps their development, growth, hormone signaling and stress responses."

The research combines optogenetics with synthetic biology, another groundbreaking field of science. The new tool, Plant Usable Light-Switch Elements (PULSE), can be applied to plants growing under normal day and night cycles.

"In the future, this research might mean that we can modulate how plants grow, and respond and adapt to their environment, with light cues," said Dr. Miller.

"For example, we have shown that plant immune responses can be switched on and off using our light-controlled system. If this system was used in crops, we could potentially improve plant defences to pathogens and have an impact by improving yields."

"Using light to control biological processes is far less invasive and more reversible than using chemicals or drugs, so this new system in plants is a really exciting new tool for us to answer fundamental questions in plant biology."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nmeth/">Nature Methods</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

&nbsp;

Scientists control plants using nothing but light

Scientists at the University of East Anglia are describing a...

The viruses that cause COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and many other infectious <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/plant-injection-system-could-rescue-crops-from-deadly-diseases/">diseases</a> were all transmitted from animals to humans. In a new paper, experts are calling for biomedical research to return to the wild to more effectively protect humans from deadly viruses.

Scientists from more than 10 universities and institutions have outlined how biomedical research could be refined with a broader dataset of diverse species and their environment.

For example, understanding how the immune system works in bats and other animals that carry coronaviruses could be very useful for developing treatments and vaccinations.

Study lead author Dr. Andrew Flies is an expert in the <a href="https://www.menzies.utas.edu.au/">Menzies Institute for Medical Research</a> at the University of Tasmania.

"The very first vaccine arose from observing people interacting with animals in a real world environment. Specifically, milkmaids who acquired a mild cowpox infection from cows were protected from the deadly smallpox. That observation led to the idea of inoculating people with non-lethal viruses to protect them from deadly viruses. This type of discovery can only be made by studying new species in variable environments," explained Dr. Flies.

While most biomedical research is currently focused on mouse models in a lab, expanding studies to new species could lead to groundbreaking discoveries. For example, an important new class of antibodies was found in camels. 

"We are really excited to see how our initial group discussions held at the first Australian Wild and Comparative Immunology <a href="https://www.wacimmuno.com/">(WACI) workshop</a> led to publishing a Perspective article in a world leading journal," said study co-author Dr. Jerome Le Nours.

"If we want to evolve our understanding of the immune system, and potentially get ahead of any future pandemics, the research community needs to expand," said study co-author Professor Julie Old. "We need to broaden our scope, and bring new species and new environments into the research paradigm."

Professor Alison Venn said new technology has broken down research barriers to integrating new species and environments into the research cycle. 

"Proactive investment in wild immunology can stimulate discoveries with real-world applications for human and veterinary medicine and conservation," said Professor Venn. "It could help us prepare for the next pandemic."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</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

&nbsp;

Biomedical research could protect humans from next pandemic

The viruses that cause COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and many other...

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[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

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[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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