Scientists have revealed a new biometric marker: your nasal breathing pattern. This is uniquely yours. According to new research, nasal airflow can identify individuals with 96.8% accuracy. That is on par with voice recognition.



The discovery came from a team at the <a href="https://www.weizmann.ac.il/pages/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weizmann Institute of Science</a>. They created a wearable device that tracks nasal breathing patterns over 24 hours. Unlike short clinical tests, this method captures long-term characteristics.



“You would think that breathing has been measured and analyzed in every way,” said Noam Sobel. “Yet we stumbled upon a completely new way to look at respiration. We consider this as a brain readout.”



The study involved 97 participants and used 24 specific features extracted from their breathing patterns. Each feature remained stable over months, even up to two years. This suggests it comes from the brain’s respiratory <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breathing-rhythms-help-strengthen-memories-during-sleep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">network</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wearable-breathing-pattern-tracker">A wearable breathing pattern tracker</h2>



Participants wore a silicone-encased device on their neck all day. It connected to a nasal cannula with separate tubes for each nostril. This setup recorded every breath in real time, logging airflow asymmetries and temporal pauses.



Researchers used AI models to analyze features like inhale volume and duty cycles. With just one hour of breathing data, they could still identify about 43% of participants during <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a>. When they tested data across months, accuracy remained high: 95% during waking hours and over 70% during sleep.



Importantly, they ruled out motion as a confounding factor. Position sensors built into the device could only identify people with 37% accuracy. The breathing pattern did far better.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breathing-patterns-and-mental-health">Breathing patterns and mental health</h2>



The study didn’t just identify people. It predicted health and emotional traits. Breathing patterns reflected body mass index, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-quality-could-be-the-key-to-better-metabolic-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sleep</a> quality, and mental health. For example, those with higher anxiety scores had shorter inhales and more varied pauses during sleep.



These effects were not linked to illness. All participants were healthy and had no clinical diagnoses. Yet their breathing revealed differences tied to depression, anxiety, and even traits linked to autism. 



“Perhaps the way you breathe makes you anxious or depressed,” said Sobel. “If that’s true, we might be able to change the way you breathe to change those conditions.”



Researchers used a technique called canonical correlation analysis. It showed a strong link between breathing patterns and psychological traits, with a correlation of 0.87 across multiple tests.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breathing-data-predicts-mood-behavior">Breathing data predicts mood behavior</h2>



Using nasal airflow data, researchers could predict BMI with strong accuracy. Tidal volume and exhale volume during sleep both correlated with higher BMI. Interestingly, even nasal cycle features, like airflow differences between nostrils, predicted BMI. That suggests brain-driven breathing control is involved.



In those with higher depression scores, the study found faster airflow and longer exhale pauses during wakefulness. For anxiety, shorter inhales and less stable breathing occurred during sleep. Even those with higher autism trait scores showed longer inhale pauses and more variable patterns during sleep.



These findings suggest that breathing patterns reflect both state (like stress or sleep) and trait (like body composition or emotional tendencies).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-and-challenges">Next steps and challenges</h2>



Despite the promise, the device has limitations. The nasal cannula, often associated with illness, may discourage everyday use. It also doesn’t track mouth breathing and sometimes slips during sleep. Soroka and Sobel plan to improve the device's design.



Still, the potential is big. A nasal breathing pattern reader could someday be used to track well-being, monitor mental health, or guide therapies. “We definitely want to go beyond <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-bacteria-breathe-by-creating-electricity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diagnostics</a> to treatment, and we are cautiously optimistic,” stated Sobel.



Even now, the researchers can identify you by your breathing pattern. Soon, they might help you breathe your way to better health.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00583-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Study shows that our breathing pattern is as unique as our fingerprints

Scientists have revealed a new biometric marker: your nasal breathing pattern. This is uniquely yours. According to new research, nasal airflow can identify individuals with 96.8% accuracy. That is on par with voice recognition. The discovery came from a team at the Weizmann Institute of Science. They created a wearable device that tracks nasal breathing patterns over 24 hours. Unlike short clinical tests, this method captures long-term characteristics. “You would think that breathing has been measured and analyzed in every way,” said Noam Sobel. “Yet we stumbled...

A country's economic health is usually measured by its gross domestic product (GDP), but some experts argue that this value does not account for the benefits of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/wisdom-changes-end-life/">nature</a> such as clean water or climate security. 

An international team of researchers has developed a measurement to represent the value of nature's contribution to economic activity. The new metric, Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP), is currently being tested in China.

Study senior author Gretchen Daily is a professor of Environmental Science at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a>.

"We're basically flying blind when it comes to knowing where and how much nature to protect," said Professor Daily. "GEP tracks the vital contributions of nature to society, informs investments in securing them and helps evaluate the performance of leaders and policies." 

Professor Daily is the faculty director of the Natural Capital Project, an initiative that helps governments and organizations incorporate the benefits of nature into economic and development plans. The project managers use open-source mapping and modeling software to calculate this value.

The research team also used this modeling software, known as InVEST, to inform the GEP equation. GEP is calculated by accounting for and combining all of nature's contributions to society in a single, monetary metric. 

"Over the past 50 years, global GDP has risen by 370 percent. Alongside global economic prosperity, we're seeing the degradation of the vital natural capital that fundamentally underpins human well-being," said study co-author Professor Stephen Polasky.

The GEP metric was pioneered by the <a href="http://english.cas.cn/">Chinese Academy of Sciences</a>. Using Qinghai as a testing ground, researchers at the academy compiled a large amount of environmental data to inform GEP calculations. 

Qinghai province is known as the "water tower of Asia" because it is the source of China's two largest rivers - the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers - which provide water to much of China and other Southeast Asian countries.

Study lead author Zhiyun Ouyang is the director of the Chinese Academy's Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences.

"Qinghai is rich in natural capital, but its GDP alone does not reflect that value," said Ouyang. "Using this new metric, we were able to place a value on important ecosystem services, especially water supply, that Qinghai currently exports to other provinces but receives no credit for in the GDP calculation."

The provinces that benefit from Qinghai's water supply are often wealthier in GDP and poorer in GEP. Leaders in China are now using GEP calculations to develop eco-compensation programs that would, for example, have downstream water users to pay for the protection of the water source upstream. This type of program can help reduce poverty while protecting critically important environmental benefits.

"GEP by itself is just a metric, a number. But when used to inform and drive policies, it can be a powerful new tool for changing the ways we understand and value nature globally," said Mary Ruckelshaus, managing director of the Natural Capital Project. 

"Being held accountable for reporting GEP may incentivize governments to make decisions that protect the natural resources on which we all depend."

The ultimate goal is for countries all over the world to prioritize and protect the benefits of nature to society. The researchers are currently working with the United Nations Statistics Division to develop ways to standardize GEP as a global reporting metric.

"We see a potential future where GEP is reported alongside GDP in all economies," said Daily. "The use of GEP yielding tangible results already - creating jobs and restoring critical ecosystems. Securing natural capital is at the heart of a future in which all of us can thrive."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Accounting for nature's contribution to economic health      

A country's economic health is usually measured by its gross...

A new report from the <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/">UN Environment Program</a> (UNEP) highlights the opportunity for countries to invest in clean energy and sustainable economies during COVID-19 recovery. The investigation revealed that renewable energy is now more cost-effective than ever. 

The experts explained that prioritizing clean energy in economic recovery packages would not only create new jobs, but could also put the world on track to meeting the targets of the Paris Agreement.

"Renewables such as wind and solar power already account for almost 80 percent of newly built capacity for electricity generation. Investors and markets are convinced of their reliability and competitiveness," said Svenja Schulze, Federal Environment Minister at <a href="https://www.bmu.de/en/">BMU</a>.

"The promotion of renewables can be a powerful engine for the recovery of the economy after the coronavirus crisis, creating new and secure jobs."

"At the same time, renewables improve air quality thus protecting public health. By promoting renewable energies within the framework of coronavirus economic stimulus packages, we have the opportunity to invest in future prosperity, health and climate protection."

The UN report, Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2020, analyzed clean energy commitments made by countries and corporations for the next decade. 

Collectively, commitments to new non-hydro renewable power capacity are equivalent to 826 gigawatts by 2030. According to the report, the addition of around 3,000 GW is needed in this timeframe to reach the primary climate target of the Paris Agreement - limiting global warming to under two degrees Celsius. 

The study also showed that clean energy investments planned for the upcoming decade fall short of the investments made over the last decade by about 1.7 trillion USD. At the same time, the cost of installing renewable energy has hit new lows, which means that future investments will deliver far more capacity.

"The chorus of voices calling on governments to use their COVID-19 recovery packages to create sustainable economies is growing," said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. "This research shows that renewable energy is one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments they can make in these packages."

"If governments take advantage of the ever-falling price tag of renewables to put clean energy at the heart of COVID-19 economic recovery, they can take a big step towards a healthy natural world, which is the best insurance policy against global pandemics."

According to the new report, renewable energy capacity grew by an unprecedented 184 GW in 2019. While this amount of additional capacity is a 12 percent jump compared to 2018, the dollar investment was only one percent higher in 2019.

Improvements in technology and competitive markets continue to drive down the costs of wind and solar power. In the second half of 2019, the costs for electricity from new solar photovoltaic plants were 83 percent lower than a decade earlier.

"We see the energy transition is in full swing, with the highest capacity of renewables financed ever. Meanwhile, the fossil fuel sector has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis - with demand for coal- and gas-fired electricity down in many countries, and oil prices slumping," said Nils Stieglitz, President of <a href="https://www.frankfurt-school.de/home">Frankfurt School of Finance &amp; Management</a>.

"The climate and COVID-19 crises - despite their different natures - are both disruptions that command attention from policy makers and managers alike. Both crises demonstrate the need to increase climate ambition and shift the world's energy supply towards renewables."

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Clean energy should be prioritized during COVID-19 recovery

A new report from the UN Environment Program (UNEP) highlights...

In a recent study from <a href="https://www.su.se/cmlink/stockholm-university">Stockholm University</a>, experts have found that human eggs show preferential treatment when it comes to male <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/heavy-marijuana-use-sperm/">sperm</a>. While it is known that human eggs release chemicals to attract sperm, the research suggests that not just any sperm is chosen.

People invest a lot of time and energy in finding a suitable partner, but the mate selection process may not be entirely under our control. The new study has revealed that different eggs attract different types of sperm - that do not necessarily belong to chosen mates.

"Human eggs release chemicals called chemoattractants that attract sperm to unfertilized eggs. We wanted to know if eggs use these chemical signals to pick which sperm they attract," said Professor John Fitzpatrick.

The research was focused on the interactions between sperm and the follicular fluids that surround the egg and contain sperm chemoattractants. The team set out to investigate whether substances in follicular fluids promote fertilization by specific sperm more than others.

"Follicular fluid from one female was better at attracting sperm from one male, while follicular fluid from another female was better at attracting sperm from a different male," said Professor Fitzpatrick.

"This shows that interactions between human eggs and sperm depend on the specific identity of the women and men involved."

The study revealed that eggs did not always attract more sperm from their partner compared to sperm from another male.

Professor Fitzpatrick explained that sperm have only one job, which is to fertilize eggs, so it does not make sense for them to be picky. On the other hand, eggs stand to benefit from selecting high quality or genetically compatible sperm.

"The idea that eggs are choosing sperm is really novel in human fertility," said study senior author Professor Daniel Brison, the scientific director of the Department of Reproductive Medicine at Saint Mary's Hospital.

"Research on the way eggs and sperm interact will advance fertility treatments and may eventually help us understand some of the currently 'unexplained' causes of infertility in couples."

"I'd like to thank every person who took part in this study and contributed to these findings, which may benefit couples struggling with infertility in future."

The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/loi/rspb">Proceedings of the Royal Society B</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Human eggs are attracted to some sperm more than others

In a recent study from Stockholm University, experts have found...

Scientists at the <a href="https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/">University of Plymouth</a> have found that distress calls from newly-hatched <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-penguins-catastrophe/">chicks</a> contain a wealth of important information. The experts discovered that these calls can be used to predict the behavior, growth, and mortality of entire flocks that contain thousands of chicks.

"By analyzing the calls chicks make in their first few days of life, it seems we are able to predict weight gained and the number of deaths in the whole flock for the whole life," said study co-author Professor Lucy Asher.

"This means we could have a very powerful tool to help chicken welfare. What is particularly useful is that this welfare indicator can be used early on in life, whereas most chicken welfare indicators are taken later in their life when it is too late to make major improvements." 

"As an added benefit this study shows how we can measure chick calls automatically, meaning no extra work for farmers, but more information to help them improve chicken welfare."

Commercial chicken farms rear young chicks in large groups of hundreds to thousands. For the current investigation, a team of animal welfare and behavior scientists captured acoustic recordings of 12 flocks of 25,000 chicks.

In a natural environment, chicks use loud and distinctive distress calls to demand attention from the mother hen when they feel uncertain or unsafe. The researchers found that these calls can be clearly heard above all other noises, including regular chick calls or farm equipment. 

Previous studies linked distress calling to anxiety in baby chicks. But the new research suggests that the distinctive calls are much more significant, serving as an "iceberg indicator" - a single source of a range of welfare information. 

"On their first day in a barn, all chicks are going to call because they are in strange surroundings," explained study lead author Dr. Katherine Herborn. 

"But after that they learn where to find food and water and settle into that new world, so if you are still hearing a lot of distress calling after a few days it could be a sign there is something wrong." 

"With over 50 billion birds being produced each year, tools to support simple interventions at the right time could potentially have big impacts on welfare and quality of life for these birds."

The technique used for the analysis measured the "spectral entropy" of the soundscape. The spectral entropy is the value that describes the complexity of a sound, which can vary from a clear, tonal note all the way to white noise.

When multiple chicks are calling out at the same time, the background noise across the farm becomes more tonal. This provides a computationally simple system for counting distress calls, which could ultimately highlight early warning signals and improve the health of chicks over their lifetime.

"The results of this research show how useful vocalizations can be for monitoring welfare, and especially in an age when animal welfare needs should be central to progress in precision livestock farming," said Dr. Alan McElligott.

The study is published in the <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsif">Journal of the Royal Society Interface</a>. 

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Distress calls from baby chicks predict the health of the whole flock

Scientists at the University of Plymouth have found that distress...

Citrus greening disease is by far the biggest threat to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/citrus-greening-treatments/">citrus</a> industry. The disease has caused widespread damage in Asia, Africa, South America, and the United States, including billions of dollars worth of citrus fruit losses in Florida alone.

Also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), citrus greening is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid. HLB attacks the vascular tissue that citrus trees use to transport nutrients. The trees still appear healthy at first, but gradually become unproductive and die.

Previous research has been primarily focused on trees that were already infected with the disease, so the factors that promote the spread of citrus greening are not well understood. 

In a new study published by the <a href="https://www.apsnet.org/">American Phytopathological Society</a>, scientists in Texas surveyed commercial and residential citrus trees from 2007 to 2017. The team closely monitored the proportion of citrus trees and the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP).

Study co-author Dr. Olufemi Alabi is an expert in Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Texas A&amp;M University.

"Unlike previous studies on citrus greening disease epidemics that were typically initiated in commercial orchards after the disease had been introduced or became widespread in the area, our study commenced 5-years prior to the first detection of the greening bacterium in Texas and continued for 5 additional years," explained Dr. Alabi.

"This gave us the unique opportunity to obtain a holistic picture of the progression of the disease epidemics from its onset in both commercial and residential ecologies."

Even though citrus greening first appeared in Florida in 2005, the infectious bacteria was not found in Texas until 2011, when scientists detected it in psyllids.

Citrus trees remained disease-free in Texas until 2012, which indicates that psyllids could be used for early detection of the HLB pathogen as it invades new areas.

During the decade-long study, the proportion of infected trees and psyllids increased exponentially over time, according to the researchers. By 2017, at least one citrus tree was infected in 26 percent of fields and in 40 percent of residential backyards.

The experts also identified seasonal fluctuations that will provide new insight into the ongoing citrus greening epidemic in Texas. The findings may also help to inform other regions that have not yet been affected by citrus greening.

"Our study suggests that a flatter progression of citrus greening disease epidemics could be achieved through the implementation of strategies to protect new plantings from infection and the continued implementation of the area-wide ACP management program," said study lead author Mamoudou Sétamou.

The research will bring some relief to Texas farmers, who feared that the epidemic would overwhelm the state's citrus industry just as quickly as it did in Florida. 

"Surprisingly, our research showed that although an exponential growth was observed in progression of infected trees in Texas, the annual rate of increase was relatively slower than reported from Florida," said Sétamou.

"This led us to conduct a series of analyses that enabled us to identify potential climatic and cultural factors that may be contributing to the relatively slow spread of citrus greening disease in Texas."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/loi/pdis">Plant Disease</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Texas scientists share hopeful new insight on citrus greening

Citrus greening disease is by far the biggest threat to...

Biological age can provide insights into how well a person is <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/regular-exercise-slows-aging/">aging</a>, including the risk for certain health issues and diseases. However, there is currently no universally accepted method to measure biological age.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at <a href="https://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/">Boston University School of Medicine</a> (BUSM) have demonstrated that a specialized eye scanner can be used to reveal an individual's biological age. The scanner picks up spectroscopic signals from proteins in the eye lens to measure aging on a molecular level.

According to the experts, chronological age does not adequately account for individual variation in the rate of biological aging. 

Study co-author Dr. Lee E. Goldstein is an associate professor of Neurology, Pathology &amp; Laboratory Medicine at BUSM.

"The absence of clinical tools and metrics to quantitatively evaluate how each person is aging at the molecular level represents a major impediment to understanding aging and maximizing health throughout life," explained Dr. Goldstein. 

"The lens contains proteins that accumulate aging-related changes throughout life. These lens proteins provide a permanent record of each person's life history of aging. Our eye scanner can decode this record of how a person is aging at the molecular level."

The researchers believe their findings pave the way for a potentially transformative clinical tool to assess and track biological aging in humans. 

"The framework for clinical implementation of this technology to measure molecular aging is similar to other recently adopted clinical biomarkers, including PET brain imaging for Alzheimer's disease, bone densitometry for osteoporosis and serum blood tests for diabetes mellitus," said Dr. Goldstein.

Numerous metrics have been proposed and tested to monitor human aging, but no marker has been identified that can noninvasively tap into the molecular mechanisms involved. This is an advantage of the eye scanning system, which may ultimately be used for long-term health monitoring.

"Eye scanning technology that probes lens protein affords a rapid, noninvasive, objective technique for direct measurement of molecular aging that can be easily, quickly, and safely implemented at the point of care," said Dr. Goldstein. "Such a metric affords potential for precision medical care across the lifespan."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology">Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

New technology uses eye scanner to measure biological aging 

Biological age can provide insights into how well a person...

A new study from <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/">Flinders University</a> has revealed that Australia's night parrot does not have very good night <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/underwater-vision-has-evolved-in-sea-snakes-for-15-million-years/">vision</a>. The research suggests that these nocturnal birds are no more equipped to see in the dark than parrots who are active during the daytime. 

This only adds to the mystery of the night parrot, which completely eluded humans for decades. There were no confirmed sightings of the birds from 1912 to 1979, and they were thought to be extinct. 

After an unconfirmed sighting in 1979, night parrots were rarely ever seen. It was 2013 before a population was finally discovered in the remote Australian outback. 

Conservation efforts were immediately launched to safeguard the species. In the current study, the discovery that night parrots cannot see well in the dark is raising new concerns about the dangers posed by wire fencing across the Australian outback. 

"Night parrots must be able to find their way at night - to find food, avoid obstacles while flying, and escape predators," said study co-lead author Dr. Vera Weisbecker.

"We therefore expect their visual system to show adaptations for seeing in the dark, similar to other nocturnal birds - New Zealand's Kakapo parrot and owls with enlarged eyes for example. However, we found that this wasn't the case."

Dr. Karine Mardon imaged the intact skull of a night parrot, as well as skulls from related parrots, using CT scanning at the University of Queensland Centre for Advanced Imaging. The team produced 3D models of the skull to compare the night parrot's brain with brains of related parrot species.

"We found that the night parrot has similar eye size to other parrots, with smaller optic nerves. It also has smaller optic lobes, which are visual processing areas in the brain," said study co-author Aubrey Keirnan.

"This suggests that the night parrot may not be great at seeing in the dark: its vision is likely sensitive, but with poor resolution, so that it might not be good at distinguishing obstacles like wire fences or even predators in dark conditions."

The findings raise new questions about the night parrot's ability to survive with low numbers in remote outback of Australia, where fencing is important for stock management.

"These results suggest that removal of unused fences should be a priority in areas where night parrots are known to occur," said study co-author Nick Leseberg. "However, we probably can't go entirely without fences - stock needs to be managed with fences, and some forms of predator exclusion could be important for protecting the night parrot."

"We therefore need to be very careful with our fencing strategies, at least by increasing the visibility of wire fences, but alternatives such as low-tension electric fencing could be even better."

According to Dr, Andrew Iwaniuk, the use of anatomical observations to infer the night parrot's behavior was an innovative approach to understand this rare species.

"The species is so elusive that we do not even know how many individuals are left," said Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk. "To conserve the species, it is critical that we understand its behavioral needs and capabilities, but these are nearly impossible to observe."

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;

Night parrots cannot actually see well in the dark

A new study from Flinders University has revealed that Australia's...

Some of the world's largest and most iconic mammal species are vanishing, and the explosive growth of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/humans-could-wipe-out-billions-of-years-of-evolution-among-vertebrates/">human</a> population is to blame, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University.</a> 

Chile’s national animal, the fascinating South Andean huemul, has become a rare sight. Wild yaks, which once ranged in huge numbers across Tibet, have been in a state of decline for decades. Large herds of zebras and wildebeest are dwindling in Africa. 

The researchers determined that the widespread loss of mammals has not been driven primarily by disease, deforestation, or the wildlife trade, but by rampant human population growth. 

The experts said that populations of threatened mammals will never again resemble what they looked like in the past, or even today. 

Study lead author Joel Berger said the time for action is now. He explained that reveling in past conservation achievements will not help to overcome future challenges. 

"We all must realize we're members of a broad, beautiful and living planet, and we must find ways to subsist in this together or suffer more severe consequences than what we already see," said Berger. 

"For many assemblages of animals, we are nearing a moment in time, when, like Humpty Dumpty, we will not be able to put things back together again." 

The researchers analyzed the disruptions and changing roles of mammals in ecosystems all over the world. They also investigated how the nature of ecological interactions has changed and will continue to change.

The study was focused on huemul in Patagonia, takin in Bhutan, wild horses in deserts, and wolves and coyotes in North America. The team wanted to predict ecosystem shifts that will take place as large mammals are increasingly wiped out.

"Even in the remote reaches of the Himalayas, stray and feral dogs, a direct result of human intrusions, wreak havoc on wild and domestic species of high economic value and cultural importance," said study co-author Tshewang Wangchuk, president of the Bhutan Foundation.

The human population jumped from fewer than 1.2 billion people in 1830 to more than 3.5 billion in 1970, and is currently approaching 8 billion. As a result, natural food chains and ecological functions have been permanently altered. 

But, according to the study authors, hope is not lost. Protected areas all over the world are helping to protect endangered mammal species.

"It is not too late and we simply do not have the luxury of time to mourn what we have lost," said Lambert. 

"We need to use our ecological grief to implement action and honor the exceptional biodiversity that remains. This can be done by protecting large tracts of the planet's wild places."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution">Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Iconic mammals are vanishing, and we have no time to grieve

Some of the world's largest and most iconic mammal species...

In a new study from the <a href="https://www.ubc.ca/">University of British Columbia</a> (UBC), researchers have assessed the nutritional quality of prey for juvenile <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/conservation-efforts-are-needed-to-save-california-salmon/">salmon</a> and herring. The experts analyzed the chemical composition of zooplankton off the British Columbia coast.

While experts can easily access information about the availability and spatial distribution of zooplankton, their nutritional quality has remained unclear.

In collaboration with scientists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the UBC team measured the biochemical properties of zooplankton, including essential fatty acids. The experts wanted to investigate the nutritional value of different zooplankton species and examine whether spatial and seasonal variability influenced this value.

"We showed that seasonal changes in plankton food web pathways drive variability in plankton fatty acid composition," said study lead author David Costalago.

"This seasonal shift conferred a higher nutritional value to zooplankton in the summer, indicating better quality prey for juvenile salmon and herring during this period."

"Essentially, juvenile salmon and herring out-migrating from the rivers into the Strait of Georgia late in the season may encounter better food than the bulk of migrants coming out to the ocean in the earlier May-June period."

The researchers also discovered major discrepancies in nutritional value among different zooplankton species. 

"Differences in the quality of zooplankton as prey are really important for juvenile salmon. They depend on nutritious food for healthy development," said Professor Brian Hunt. 

"The differences we found in the fatty acid composition of zooplankton species in this study tell us that climate driven changes in the composition of zooplankton communities may be an important factor in salmon declines."

The nutritional quality of prey greatly influences the growth and survival of fish, as well as their ability to reproduce. 

The research highlights a need for monitoring nutrition across marine food webs in the ocean, and for further research to understand the nutritional pathways that connect the base of the food-web to the rest of the ecosystem.

"By determining the availability of high-quality prey for these commercially important groups of fish we can improve estimates of herring and salmon productivity and help inform fisheries management of these species in the region," said Costalago.

"Routine surveying of the plankton throughout the Strait of Georgia, using the tools our study described, may be useful in assessing ecosystem health and guiding management of economically and ecologically important marine populations."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</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;

Nutritional quality of zooplankton changes with the season 

In a new study from the University of British Columbia...

Seagrass is a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and <a href="https://www.grida.no/">GRID-Arendal</a> released a new report today, World Oceans Day, to emphasize the value of seagrass for building resilience to <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-targets-cannot-be-achieved-without-co2-removal/">climate</a> change and natural disasters.

Seagrass meadows can be found in at least 159 countries all over the world. They serve as a barrier to weaken storm surges and filter pollution and bacteria out of seawater, among many other important services. 

Seagrass ecosystems are extremely productive and support 20 percent of the world's largest 25 fisheries. A single acre of seagrass can support thousands of fish and millions of invertebrates.

Despite these enormous benefits, an estimated 7 percent of seagrass habitat is being lost each year. In addition, at least 22 of the world's 72 species are in a state of decline. 

"Seagrasses are the super ecosystems of our oceans, providing an incredible range of benefits to people around the world. Yet, while their flashier counterparts attract more attention, they remain among the most unheralded aquatic environments on Earth," said Dr. Maria Potouroglou, seagrass scientist at GRID-Arendal. 

"The Out of the Blue report showcases the many ways that seagrasses help people thrive and sustain the healthy natural environment that we all depend on."

The biggest threats to seagrass meadows are coastal development, runoff from industry and farms, dredging, unregulated fishing, and climate change.

According to the UN report, seagrass ecosystems play an underestimated role in combating the climate crisis. The meadows serve as incredible carbon sinks that store up to 18 percent of all the carbon absorbed by the ocean - while covering only 0.1 percent of the ocean floor.

"Maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems - which provide food and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of people, support rich biodiversity, and constitute one of the planet's most efficient stores of carbon - is important for healthy marine life and for healthy people around the world", said Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division at UNEP. 

"Seagrasses represent powerful nature-based solutions to the climate challenge and sustainable development. "

The new report reveals that seagrasses are among the least protected coastal habitats. Only 26 percent of recorded meadows fall within marine protected areas (MPAs), compared with 40 percent of coral reefs and 43 percent of mangroves.

"Seagrasses can help us solve our biggest environmental challenges. They purify water, they protect us from storms, they provide food to hundreds of millions of people, they support rich biodiversity, and they efficiently store carbon," said UN Ambassador Ronald Jumeau. "In light of everything seagrasses do for people and nature, protecting and restoring them is vital."

The research was funded by the Norwegian government.

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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;

Seagrass is a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change

Seagrass is a powerful weapon in the fight against climate...

The countries that signed the Paris Agreement have agreed to limit CO2 <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/mangrove-trees-will-vanish-by-2050-without-reduced-emissions/">emissions</a> in an effort to mitigate climate change, but the framework does not establish any guidelines for CO2 removal. According to a team of experts led by <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a>, plans for CO2 removal must be urgently addressed.

Study co-author Dr. David Reiner is a political scientist and lecturer in the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge. 

"Countries such as the UK and France have begun to adopt binding 'net-zero targets' and whereas there has been extensive focus on greenhouse gas emissions and emissions reductions, meeting these targets will require greater attention to the negative emissions or carbon dioxide removal side of the equation," said Dr. Reiner.

The researchers found that, in order to allocate CO2 removal in a fair way, countries must coordinate their efforts. This may involve a system where countries that do not have the capacity to fulfill their obligations can trade with countries who can assist with CO2 removal. 

Study co-author Dr. Niall Mac Dowell is an expert at the Centre for Environmental Policy and the Centre for Process Systems Engineering at Imperial.

"Carbon dioxide removal is necessary to meet climate targets, since we have so far not done enough to mitigate our emissions. Both will be necessary going forward, but the longer we wait to start removing CO2 on a large scale, the more we will have to do," explained Dr. Dowell.

"It is imperative that nations have these conversations now, to determine how quotas could be allocated fairly and how countries could meet those quotas via cross-border cooperation. It will work best if we all work together."

The first step is to determine the fairest way to allocate quotas to different nations based on factors such as the amount of CO2 emissions tied to each individual nation or the ability of each country to pay for CO2 removal. 

The team modeled several of these different factors and applied them to countries across Europe. While the results varied significantly according to method of assessment, the analysis only identified a few countries that could meet any of the quotas using only their own resources.

"The exercise of allocating CO2 removal quotas may help to break the current impasse, by incentivising countries to align their future national pledges with the expectations emerging from the fairness principles," said study co-lead author Dr. Ángel Galán-Martín from ETH Zürich.

Carbon dioxide removal can be achieved through various methods, such as reforestation or carbon capture and storage (CCS). However, many countries are too limited to implement large-scale CCS and do not have enough space to plant trees.

The researchers propose that, after quotas have been established, that a system of trading quotas could be established. For example, the UK has abundant space for CCS and could sell some of its capacity.

"By 2050, the world needs to be carbon neutral - taking out of the atmosphere as much CO2 as it puts in. To this end, a CO2 removal industry needs to be rapidly scaled up, and that begins now, with countries looking at their responsibilities and their capacity to meet any quotas," said study co-lead author Dr. Carlos Pozo.

"There are technological solutions ready to be deployed. Now it is time for international agreements to get the ball rolling so we can start making serious progress towards our climate goals."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/nclimate/">Nature Climate Change</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;

Climate targets cannot be achieved without CO2 removal

The countries that signed the Paris Agreement have agreed to...

Scientists at <a href="http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/">Tohoku University</a> may be one step closer to unraveling the mystery of the origin of life on <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-southern-ocean-has-the-cleanest-air-on-earth/">Earth</a>. The researchers have discovered that ancient asteroid impact sites may provide important clues as to how the essential building blocks of life formed on the planet. 

The experts found evidence that amino acids emerged at the sites of asteroid crash impacts in the ocean. These compounds make up proteins, which are one of the four main molecular components needed to support all forms of life. 

The research highlights the role of meteorites in transporting life's essential molecules to Earth, and potentially to Mars. 

The origin of life on Earth is the one of the biggest scientific problems that is yet to be solved. Life can be traced back to non-living organic compounds, but there are many conflicting theories about how these building blocks first appeared and how they came together.

The presence of amino acids and other biomolecules in meteorites suggests that they provided a mode of extraterrestrial delivery.

For the current study, the experts simulated the reactions that occur between carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water, and iron when a meteorite crashes into the ocean. Carbon dioxide and nitrogen were used because these gases were present in the atmosphere on the Hadean Earth, which existed more than 4 billion years ago.

The simulation produced amino acids such as glycine and alanine. These amino acids are components of proteins that catalyze many biological reactions.

"Making organic molecules form reduced compounds like methane and ammonia are not difficult, but they are regarded as minor components in the atmosphere at that time," said study co-author Yoshihiro Furukawa.

"The finding of amino acid formation from carbon dioxide and molecular nitrogen demonstrates the importance in making life's building blocks from these ubiquitous compounds."

The fact that an ocean may have once existed on Mars, and that carbon dioxide and nitrogen were likely the major constituent gases of the Martian atmosphere when the ocean existed, suggests that amino acids could have formed there as well. 

"Further investigations will reveal more about the role meteorites played in bringing more complex biomolecules to Earth and Mars," said Furukawa.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/srep/">Scientific Reports</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;

Asteroid impacts created building blocks of life 

Scientists at Tohoku University may be one step closer to...

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



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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



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

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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

Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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