Skipping a meal can feel like an open invitation to raid the fridge later. Scientists have long suspected that memory influences those cravings, but the brain circuitry behind it remained a mystery.



Scott Kanoski from <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Dornsife</a> and his colleagues now say they have cracked part of the code. Their latest study, which was focused on rats, identifies neurons that save a “<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/when-bacteria-get-hungry-they-turn-on-each-other/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meal</a> memory,” recording both what was eaten and when.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-brain-remembers-meals">Why the brain remembers meals</h2>



Each eating episode imprints a specialized <a href="https://arxiv.org/html/2506.01659v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">engram</a>, a physical trace of memory that carries sensory and temporal details. 



When the team monitored rodents, cells in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/ventral-hippocampus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ventral hippocampus</a> lit up between bites, not during chewing, hinting that quiet pauses are prime time for filing the experience.



“These meal engrams function like sophisticated biological databases,” said Kanoski, the study’s senior author. He explains that location, flavor, and time stamp are <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3607652/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bundled together</a> in that brief neural flash.



Human data back up the idea. Remembering a recent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-food-day-fighting-global-hunger/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lunch</a> can trim afternoon snack intake by as much as 30 percent.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-meal-memories-form">How meal memories form</h2>



The researchers tagged the active neurons with fluorescent markers and saw a tight cluster in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/hippocampal-ca1-region" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hippocampal area CA1</a>. Destroying just that cluster erased the animals’ recollection of a prior feeding spot while leaving other spatial memories intact.



Calcium imaging showed the same cells projecting to the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s12276-025-01451-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lateral hypothalamus</a>, a region that governs hunger. Block that highway and the rats forgot where they last ate, then returned to the bowl sooner than usual.



The brain fails to properly catalog the meal experience when attention drifts, noted study lead author Lea Décarie‑Spain. This raises a practical concern for phone‑scrolling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-what-were-really-fighting-for/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diners</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-memory-affects-meal-timing">How memory affects meal timing</h2>



Meal memories don’t just help us remember what we <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-our-brains-tell-us-when-we-need-to-eat-or-drink-neurons-hunger-thirst/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ate</a>, they also influence when we eat again. In rodent models, weakening this memory system led to shorter intervals between meals, while stronger engrams delayed the next eating session. 



The results suggest that our brains rely on memory to set an internal clock for hunger, not just fullness. In humans, this could explain why some people feel hungry soon after eating when their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666322002276" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">attention</a> was divided. 



If the brain fails to register that a meal happened, the hunger signal may reboot on a faster schedule, leading to more frequent snacking. This highlights how memory is just as important as metabolism when it comes to managing appetite.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-meal-memory-fails">When meal memory fails</h2>



People with <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10852764/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dementia</a> often eat back‑to‑back meals because the earlier one never registers. Clinical reports list overeating among the most common behavioral changes in late‑stage dementia.



Similar lapses can occur in healthy adults after a busy day. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666322005025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imagining</a> a meal as larger or more satisfying cuts later cookie consumption, showing the brain’s bookkeeping matters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-distracted-eating-trap">The distracted eating trap</h2>



Modern life bombards us with screens that steal those pause‑and‑encode moments. Lab studies find that people who eat while multitasking consume more calories at the next opportunity.



Kanoski’s team argues that distraction weakens the hippocampal trace. Without a solid record, the hypothalamus treats the body as unfed and restarts the appetite drive.



This might help explain why eating at desks or in front of the TV is linked to unintentional weight gain. When the brain doesn’t register the meal, it leaves the hunger signal switched on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meal-memory-and-hunger-control">Meal memory and hunger control</h2>



Neuroscientists have long known the hypothalamus pushes behavior like a gas pedal, yet what taps the pedal has been murkier. The current work shows that a direct line from the memory hub to the feeding hub times the signal.



The <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4927193/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lateral hypothalamus</a> has a storied past in appetite research, housing neurons that boost seeking and reward. Earlier reviews mapped extensive circuits, but this hippocampal branch clarifies why timing matters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-obesity-care">Implications for obesity care</h2>



Traditional weight‑loss plans emphasize willpower and portion control. The new data suggest that strengthening meal memory could be just as important.



Mindful eating programs already encourage slow, undistracted bites. By reinforcing the engram, such habits may reduce the urge for extra snacks later.



Pharmaceutical routes may follow. Kanoski’s group found that serotonin‑2A receptors on the same cells modulate the effect, suggesting a possible drug target.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tips-for-sharper-meal-memories">Tips for sharper meal memories</h2>



Sit at a table without your phone and notice the first and last bite. Tiny rituals like describing flavors out loud can anchor the episode in neural storage.



Pause for twenty seconds after swallowing, allowing the hippocampus its encoding window. Keep meals in consistent locations to help your brain form spatial associations.



Journaling meals shortly after eating may also help solidify the memory. Even a quick voice note could enhance recall and reinforce satiety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions </h2>



The team plans to test whether similar neurons exist in humans using functional MRI. If so, brain‑stimulation trials might help people with overeating disorders rebuild the missing diary.



Nutrition scientists also want to see if high‑sugar or high‑fat foods blur the trace faster than protein‑rich meals. Such work could explain why some diets promote grazing behavior.



The research also holds implications for aging. If meal engrams degrade over decades, reinforcing them early might stave off later metabolic issues.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59687-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Our brain has a 'meal memory' that controls hunger

Skipping a meal can feel like an open invitation to raid the fridge later. Scientists have long suspected that memory influences those cravings, but the brain circuitry behind it remained a mystery. Scott Kanoski from USC Dornsife and his colleagues now say they have cracked part of the code. Their latest study, which was focused on rats, identifies neurons that save a “meal memory,” recording both what was eaten and when. Why the brain remembers meals Each eating episode imprints a specialized engram, a physical trace of memory...

Two previously unknown super-eruptions occurred in Yellowstone. In a new study from the <a href="https://www.geosociety.org/">Geological Society of America</a>, experts are describing two previously unknown super-eruptions associated with the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/reintroduction-of-wolves-helped-yellowstone-willows-recover/">Yellowstone</a> volcanic hotspot. The researchers found evidence that one of these eruptions was the most catastrophic event in the supervolcano's history. 

Yellowstone National Park sits on top of a massive hotspot that fuels the activity of geysers and hot springs. The most recent super-eruption, the Lava Creek eruption, occurred 640,000 years ago. 

Volcanic super-eruptions are much more explosive than the eruptions seen in more recent years. For example, if the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted again, it would have between 1,000 and 2,000 times the force of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

Despite the enormously destructive nature of super-eruptions, as well as their potential to impact the entire planet, relatively few of these events have been documented in the geologic record.

For the current study, the researchers used a combination of techniques including bulk chemistry and magnetic data to connect volcanic deposits scattered across tens of thousands of square kilometers. 

"We discovered that deposits previously believed to belong to multiple, smaller eruptions were in fact colossal sheets of volcanic material from two previously unknown super-eruptions at about 9.0 and 8.7 million years ago," said study lead author Thomas Knott, a volcanologist at the University of Leicester.

"The younger of the two, the Grey's Landing super-eruption, is now the largest recorded event of the entire Snake River-Yellowstone volcanic province." 

Based on the current knowledge of super-eruptions, the Grey's Landing event is one of the top five eruptions in the history of the Earth. The Grey's Landing explosion was 30 percent larger than the previous record-holder in Yellowstone, the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, according to the study authors. 

"The Grey's Landing eruption enamelled an area the size of New Jersey in searing-hot volcanic glass that instantly sterilized the land surface," said Knott. Anything within this region, he added, would have been buried and most likely vaporized during the eruption. 

"Particulates would have choked the stratosphere, raining fine ash over the entire United States and gradually encompassing the globe."

The newly identified super-eruptions both occurred during the Miocene, which refers to the timespan between 23 and 5.3 million years ago. 

"These two new eruptions bring the total number of recorded Miocene super-eruptions at the Yellowstone-Snake River volcanic province to six," said Knott. 

The experts now estimate that Yellowstone experienced hotspot super-eruptions during the Miocene about once every 500,000 years. In the past three million years, the hotspot seems to be slowing down, with only two super-eruptions so far. 

"It therefore seems that the Yellowstone hotspot has experienced a three-fold decrease in its capacity to produce super-eruption events. This is a very significant decline."

Knott said the findings have little bearing on assessing the risk of another super-eruption occurring today in Yellowstone. 

"We have demonstrated that the recurrence rate of Yellowstone super-eruptions appears to be once every 1.5 million years. The last super-eruption there was 630,000 years ago, suggesting we may have up to 900,000 years before another eruption of this scale occurs." 

Knott emphasized that this prediction is far from exact and noted that the continuous monitoring in the region, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, is extremely important. 

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology">Geology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Two previously unknown super-eruptions occurred in Yellowstone

Two previously unknown super-eruptions occurred in Yellowstone. In a new...

A team of leading nutrition researchers and <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-smart-agricultural-practices-will-boost-global-food-security/">food</a> policy experts are calling for urgent action and coordinated efforts to confront the ongoing nutrition crisis in America. 

The team presented a case for strengthening federal nutrition research at Nutrition 2020 live online, a virtual conference hosted by the <a href="https://nutrition.org/">American Society for Nutrition</a> (ASN).

The experts want to raise awareness about the alarming state of American health, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, and to share their vision for advancing nutrition policy.

"The time has come for a national 'moonshot' on nutrition research," said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University. 

"A strengthening of federal nutrition research has significant potential to generate new discoveries to improve and sustain the health of all Americans, reduce healthcare costs, improve health disparities, create new businesses and jobs, reinvigorate farms and rural communities, strengthen military readiness and optimize use of our natural resources."

Tens of millions of Americans are food insecure, and around 40,000 die from diseases related to poor diets every month. 

Sick people outnumber healthy people in America, with half of adults suffering from diabetes or prediabetes and more than half of adults facing excessive weight and obesity. 

According to the experts, nearly three-quarters of young Americans cannot qualify for military service, and obesity is the leading medical reason.

"COVID-19 pulled back the curtain on so many food and nutrition issues," said Mozaffarian. "Food is the number one cause of poor health in America, with hundreds of billions of dollars spent each year on preventable, diet-related illnesses."

The session highlights research that will soon be published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 

The study authors examined the current state of nutrition research and identified strategies to promote further studies and improve food policy across federal organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

"We hope this session, and the forthcoming white paper, will spark a broad national conversation around the critical importance of national nutrition research and the very real opportunities before us," said Mozaffarian. "We don't have time to wait."

The study is published in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn">American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Nutrition research is urgently needed in America

A team of leading nutrition researchers and food policy experts...

Oldest Mayan monument represents a time of social equality. Anthropologists led by the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> have confirmed that a structure they discovered in 2017 is the largest and oldest Mayan <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/prehistoric-monument-reappears-after-50-years/">monument</a> ever found. 

The building has been hidden just below the surface of the ground in Tabasco, Mexico, blending in with the landscape due to its large size and low profile. 

Lidar technology enabled the team to estimate the size of the monument, Aguada Fénix, which measures 4,600 feet long and ranges from 30 to 50 feet high.

After the site was excavated, the experts used radiocarbon-dating on 69 samples of charcoal. They found that Aguada Fénix was constructed sometime between 1,000 to 800 B.C. 

Prior to this, the Mayan site of Ceibal, built in 950 B.C., was the oldest known ceremonial center. 

The newly described Mayan structure is now not only the oldest, but also the largest known in the entire Maya history. Its size exceeds pyramids and palaces that were constructed in later time periods.

"Using low-resolution lidar collected by the Mexican government, we noticed this huge platform. Then we did high-resolution lidar and confirmed the presence of a big building," said Professor Takeshi Inomata.

"This area is developed - it's not the jungle; people live there - but this site was not known because it is so flat and huge. It just looks like a natural landscape. But with lidar, it pops up as a very well-planned shape."

According to Professor Inomata, the discovery marks a time of major change in Mesoamerica and has several implications.

For example, archaeologists have assumed that Mayan civilization developed much more slowly. Up until now, experts thought that small Mayan villages began to appear between 1000 and 350 B.C., during the Middle Preclassic period.

In addition, Aguada Fénix resembles the older Olmec civilization center of San Lorenzo located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. However, a lack of stone sculptures related to rulers and elites, such as thrones and colossal heads, suggests there was more social equality at the time Aguada Fénix was built. 

The researchers said this particular finding highlights the importance of communal work in the earliest days of the Maya.

"There has always been debate over whether Olmec civilization led to the development of the Maya civilization or if the Maya developed independently," said Professor Inomata. "So, our study focuses on a key area between the two."

During the time that Aguada Fénix was constructed, there was a gap in power that followed the decline of San Lorenzo and preceded the rise of another Olmec center, La Venta. 

Aguada Fénix was built on a large plateau and consists of nine large causeways, indicating that it was built for use by many people, explained Professor Inomata.

"During later periods, there were powerful rulers and administrative systems in which the people were ordered to do the work. But this site is much earlier, and we don't see the evidence of the presence of powerful elites. We think that it's more the result of communal work."

The fact that monumental sites were erected when Mayan society had more social equality sheds a new light on the cooperation that went into the construction of Aguada Fénix.

"It's not just hierarchical social organization with the elite that makes monuments like this possible," said Professor Inomata. "This kind of understanding gives us important implications about human capability, and the potential of human groups. You may not necessarily need a well-organized government to carry out these kinds of huge projects. People can work together to achieve amazing results."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/">Nature</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Oldest Mayan monument represents a time of social equality

Oldest Mayan monument represents a time of social equality. Anthropologists...

A massive amount of the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/carbon-capture-and-storage-could-meet-global-climate-goals/">carbon</a> released from burned vegetation ends up in the ocean, where it is locked away for thousands of years. 

An international research team led by the <a href="https://www.uea.ac.uk/">University of East Anglia</a> has found that rivers play a major role in transferring burned carbon and keeping it out of the atmosphere.

The investigation revealed that each year, rivers transport an estimated 18 million tons of dissolved carbon to the ocean.

Study lead author Dr. Matthew Jones is a senior researcher at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at UEA.

"Fires leave behind carbon-rich materials, like charcoal and ash, which break down very slowly in soils. We care about this burned carbon because it is essentially 'locked out' of the atmosphere for the distant future - it breaks down to greenhouse gases extremely slowly in comparison to most unburned carbon," explained Dr. Jones. 

"We know that this burned carbon takes about 10 times longer to break down in the oceans than on land. Rivers are the conveyor belts that shift carbon from the land to the oceans, so they determine how long it takes for burned carbon to break down. So, we set out to estimate how much burned carbon reaches the oceans via rivers."

The researchers analyzed the amount of dissolved carbon flowing through 78 rivers on every continent except Antarctica. They compared measurements at various latitudes and across different types of ecosystems.

The research suggests that rivers are responsible for delivering 18 millions tons of carbon to the ocean on a yearly basis. When combined with estimates of  burned carbon exported within sediments, this number grows to 43 million tons.

"We found that a surprising amount - around 12 percent - of all carbon flowing through rivers comes from burned vegetation," said Dr. Jones.

"While fires emit two billion tonnes of carbon each year, they also leave behind around 250 million tonnes of carbon as burned residues, like charcoal and ash. Around half of the carbon in these residues is in the particularly long-lived form of 'black carbon', and we show that about one-third of all black carbon reaches the oceans."

"This is a good thing because that carbon gets locked up and stored for very long periods - it takes tens of millennia for black carbon to degrade to carbon dioxide in the oceans. By comparison, only about one percent of carbon taken up by land plants ends up in the ocean.

Dr. Jonas said that with wildfires expected to become more frequent due to climate change, even more burned carbon will be flushed out by rivers and locked up in the oceans.

"It's a natural quirk of the Earth system - a moderating 'negative feedback' of the warming climate that could trap some extra carbon in a more fire-prone world."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

&nbsp;

Rivers transport burned carbon to the ocean for storage

A massive amount of the carbon released from burned vegetation...

In a new survey conducted by <a href="https://theharrispoll.com/">The Harris Poll</a>, 80 percent of U.S. adults said they plan to take better care of themselves once the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/global-co2-emissions-fall-by-17-percent-during-pandemic/">pandemic</a> is over. 

This may be partially due to the fact that many people are putting off medical visits. The survey showed that 55 percent of Americans are afraid to seek healthcare under the current conditions. 

In addition, nearly half of survey respondents said they have failed to get preventive healthcare, including wellness checks and screenings, due to the pandemic. For some, the fear of going to the doctor is compounded by an abrupt decrease in household income.

"At a time when healthcare is needed the most, a majority of people are scared to seek it out," said Dr. Wayne Jonas, executive director of Samueli Integrative Health Programs. 

"This not only leaves them without critical immediate care, it also halts necessary preventative care that is vital to chronic disease prevention and management." 

"This change in healthcare access will likely have dangerous repercussions for the long-term health of our country. These are also the same risk factors that increase serious illness from COVID-19."

Even though 49 percent of Americans reported feeling socially isolated, the majority of respondents said they are focused on their mental health now more than ever.

Nearly half of Americans agreed they are struggling to find ways to maintain their overall well-being, including physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

"The pandemic threatens the mental and physical well-being of every American. People are seeking ways to manage their stress, but it isn't enough," said Dr. Jonas. 

"As we adjust to a new normal, we need to foster a robust, patient-centered healthcare system to better promote self-care."

Around 30 percent of individuals reported a lack of energy and difficulty sleeping, and said they are now exercising less.

Many adults expressed a desire for more guidance and support for practicing self-care during the pandemic. 

Lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet, getting more exercise, sleeping on a consistent schedule, and better stress management are strategies that can improve self-care.

On a positive note, many Americans are engaging in creative activities, praying, spending time outdoors, and having meaningful conversations with friends and family more often now compared to before the pandemic. 

"As the country begins our recovery, it will inevitably create questions about the future of the healthcare system," said Dr. Jonas. 

"The findings from this study show the critical need for a system that empowers individuals to maintain healthy habits they formed and emphasizes strategies that support self-care - like good nutrition, exercising, and stress reduction - alongside guidance from physicians."

The online survey involved more than 2,000 adults in the United States and was conducted in May.

The research was funded by the <a href="https://www.samueli.org/funding-priorities/integrative-health/">Samueli Integrative Health Programs</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Most Americans plan to improve self-care after pandemic

In a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll, 80...

A team of evolutionary psychologists at <a href="https://www.utexas.edu/">UT Austin</a> has investigated the behaviors and characteristics that help people climb the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/social-isolation-increases-heart-attack-risk/">social</a> ladder. The experts identified universally valued traits, such as honesty and integrity, that can elevate an individual's social status. 

The goal of the study was to gain a better understanding of the psychology behind who rises and falls within human societies. 

"Humans live in a social world in which relative rank matters for nearly everything - your access to resources, your ability to attract mates, and even how long you live," said study co-lead author David Buss. 

"From an evolutionary perspective, reproductively relevant resources flow to those high in status and trickle slowly, if at all, to those lower on the social totem pole."

The researchers observed 2,751 people in 14 nations to investigate how higher social status is achieved beyond wealth or fame. 

The experts analyzed the participants' impressions of behaviors, gestures, and personality traits to determine which of these factors were held in the highest esteem.

The study revealed that certain qualities such as honesty, humor, kindness, and intelligence were the most widely valued. Certain behaviors, such as making sacrifices for others, also made the best impressions and gains in social status. 

"From the Gypsies in Romania to the native islanders of Guam, people displaying intelligence, bravery and leadership rise in rank in the eyes of their peers," said study co-lead author Patrick Durkee. "But possessing qualities that inflict costs on others will cause your status to plummet, whether you live in Russia or Eritrea."

Social value was found to be diminished when an individual was perceived as being dirty or mean. Individuals who had a reputation for theft, bringing shame on their family, or having a sexually transmitted disease were also the most likely to lose social status. 

According to the researchers, these status-harming actions can lead to a person being ostracized from the group, "an action that would have meant near-certain death in ancestral environments."

"Although this study was conducted prior to the current pandemic, it's interesting that being a disease vector is universally detrimental to a person's status," said study co-lead author David Buss. 

"Socially transmitted diseases are evolutionarily ancient challenges to human survival, so humans have psychological adaptations to avoid them. Lowering a person's social status is an evolutionarily ancient method of social distancing from disease vectors."

The study is published in the <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/psp/">Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Honesty, humor, and intelligence help gain social status

A team of evolutionary psychologists at UT Austin has investigated...

The cleanest <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/cleaner-air-during-chinas-lockdown-saved-thousands-of-lives/">air</a> on Earth has been discovered in a remote part of the Southern Ocean. The atmosphere is so pristine that it seems to be essentially untouched by humans.

A team of experts at <a href="https://www.colostate.edu/">Colorado State University</a> is the first to measure aerosol composition in the ocean region located south of 40 degrees south latitude. 

The study revealed that the boundary layer air over the Southern Ocean is free from anthropogenic aerosols.

Only about 10 percent of all aerosols are man-made, and the rest come from natural sources such as sea salt released in ocean spray.

The researchers theorized that the waters surrounding Antarctica would have the least exposure to anthropogenic aerosols, which can be transported over long distances through wind and dust. 

To test their theory, the experts collected air samples during the SOCRATES field campaign led by Paul DeMott. 

"We were able to use the bacteria in the air over the Southern Ocean as a diagnostic tool to infer key properties of the lower atmosphere," explained study co-author Thomas Hill. 

For example, the team found that the aerosols which influence the properties of Southern Ocean clouds are strongly linked to ocean processes. 

The study also showed that Antarctica appears to be isolated from the southward dispersal of airborne microorganisms. 

"Overall, it suggests that the Southern Ocean is one of very few places on Earth that has been minimally affected by anthropogenic activities," said Hill.

As the research vessel moved south from Tasmania to Antarctica, graduate student Kathryn Moore collected air samples in the marine boundary layer, the lower part of the atmosphere that directly contacts the ocean.

Study first author Jun Uetake examined the composition of airborne microbes contained in the samples using DNA sequencing. 

The analysis revealed that the particles had natural marine origins. The bacterial composition of the aerosols confirmed that they had not been blown in from distant land masses.

The finding that anthropogenic aerosols do not travel south into Antarctic air contradicts similar studies from oceans in the subtropics and northern hemisphere, where air samples contained microbes that mainly originated in upwind continents.

According to study lead author Professor Sonia Kreidenweis, the air quality directly over the Southern Ocean is so clean that it was difficult to obtain particles to analyze. 

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;

The Southern Ocean has the cleanest air on Earth

The cleanest air on Earth has been discovered in a...

A new study from <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/">Curtin University</a> demonstrates how <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/underwater-vision-has-evolved-in-sea-snakes-for-15-million-years/">snakes</a> can serve as an indicator species to measure the health of local ecosystems, including wetland contamination. 

The research was focused on tiger snakes in urban wetlands throughout the city of Perth. The experts found that these snakes have toxic heavy metals building up in their livers, indicating that the wetlands are highly contaminated. 

While some heavy metals in wetlands occur naturally, the concentrations discovered in Perth's wetlands are too high to be tied to natural sources. 

Study lead author Damian Lettoof is a PhD candidate in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences at Curtin University. 

According to Lettoof, not only were the snakes' livers shown to contain high levels of toxic metals, but sediment samples collected at various wetland sites contained amounts of arsenic, lead, mercury, and selenium that exceeded government guidelines.

"Urban wetlands are almost always polluted, commonly from contaminated stormwater, past or present dumping of waste, and spill events," said Lettoof.

"Wetlands areas are usually situated at low points in the landscape, so unfortunately, a lot of urban run-off ends up in them. Generally speaking, the longer the wetland has been urbanized, the higher the levels of pollution."

"It's important to note that many heavy metals exist naturally in the wetlands sediment and surrounding rocks, in low concentrations, which may cause some heavy metals to leach in to the wetlands environment."

"However, the high concentrations of heavy metals we found in the snakes' livers and sediment samples suggest urbanization and human-induced pollution are the cause, and consequently could be affecting local snake populations."

Snakes residing in Perth's most urbanized wetland, Herdsman Lake, had the highest levels of contamination in their livers.

"Snakes tested from Herdsman Lake also had the highest concentration of the metal molybdenum ever reported in a terrestrial reptile, in the world," said Lettoof.

"Continuous, chronic exposure to contaminants can have a range of impacts on the health and behavior of animals. The contaminated populations could be suffering poorer health conditions, leading to shorter lifespans, higher predation, and ultimately, local extinction with cascading consequences such as reduced local biodiversity."

Tiger snakes are a top predator in the wetlands and have most likely ingested the metals by eating frogs, which are very sensitive to contaminants.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.springer.com/journal/244">Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology</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;

Snakes carry signs of wetland contamination in their livers

A new study from Curtin University demonstrates how snakes can...

Latest climate models show more intense droughts ahead. Experts at the <a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/">University of New South Wales</a> have found that droughts are set to further intensify as climate change alters <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/spring-rainfall-is-an-unexpected-source-of-pollen/">rainfall</a> patterns. 

Based on new climate models from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, the researchers found that droughts will become longer and more frequent in some regions, and more intense in all regions.

Even in areas like central Europe where more rainfall will lead to fewer dry spells, droughts will be stronger when they do occur, according to the study authors.

The researchers used the latest generation of climate models (CMIP6) to estimate the extent of fluctuating rainfall patterns and subsequent drought.

"We found the new models produced the most robust results for future droughts to date and that the degree of the increase in drought duration and intensity was directly linked to the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere," said lead author Dr Anna Ukkola.

"There were only slight changes to the areas of drought under a mid-range emissions scenario versus a high-emissions pathway. However, the change in the magnitude of drought with a higher emissions scenario was more marked, telling us that early mitigation of greenhouse gases matters."

In many previous studies, projections of future droughts were based solely on average rainfall. This type of research is limited because it fails to account for rainfall variability, which is increasing alongside global warming. 

By combining metrics of average rainfall and rainfall variability, the current study offers new clarity on upcoming climate-related shifts in the intensity and duration of droughts.

The researchers found that the duration of a drought is strongly tied to changes in the average amount of rainfall, while the intensity of a drought is more closely linked to rainfall variability. 

The experts determined that regions with declining average rainfall like the Mediterranean, Central America, and the Amazon will experience longer and more frequent droughts. Meanwhile, regions such as boreal forests are expected to experience higher average rainfall and shorter droughts.

When it comes to drought intensity, however, increasing rainfall variability will drive more severe droughts regardless of average rainfall. Alarmingly, the researchers were unable to locate any region that showed a reduction in future drought intensity. 

"Predicting future changes in drought is one of the greatest challenges in climate science but with this latest generation of models and the opportunity to combine different drought metrics in a more meaningful way we can gain a clearer insight into the future impacts of climate change," said Dr. Ukkola.

"However, while these insights grow clearer with each advance, the message they deliver remains the same - the earlier we act on reducing our emissions, the less economic and social pain we will face in the future."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/19448007">Geophysical Research Letters</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;

Latest climate models show more intense droughts ahead

Latest climate models show more intense droughts ahead. Experts at...

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the <a href="https://www.medschool.pitt.edu/">University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine</a> have engineered fully functional mini <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/exercise-can-help-prevent-the-deer-development-of-liver-cancer/">livers</a> using human skin cells. 

The experts managed to accelerate the development of the livers before transplanting them into rats.

Study senior author Dr. Alejandro Soto-Gutierrez is an associate professor of Pathology and faculty member of both the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the Pittsburgh Liver Research Center.

"Seeing that little human organ there inside the animal - brown, looking like a liver - that was pretty cool. This thing that looks like a liver and functions like a liver came from somebody's skin cells," said Dr. Soto-Gutierrez.

The mini livers, which can be custom-made using a patient's cells, secrete bile acids and perform other functions just like a normal liver.

While it takes up to two years for a liver to fully develop under natural conditions, the livers engineered by the Pittsburgh team matured in under a month. 

The skin cells collected for the study were reprogrammed into stem cells that were manipulated to become various types of liver cells. The experts then removed all of the cells from a rat liver and replaced them with the human liver cells. 

To put their work to the test, the researchers transplanted lab-grown mini livers into five rats who were bred to resist organ rejection. The team evaluated the animals four days after the transplant to check on the status of the livers.

The study revealed that the rats had human liver proteins in their blood serum, which meant the lab-made organs were working. 

Dr. Soto-Gutierrez believes the research is not just a step toward growing replacement organs in a lab, but is also a useful tool in itself.

"The long-term goal is to create organs that can replace organ donation, but in the near future, I see this as a bridge to transplant," said Dr. Soto-Gutierrez. "For instance, in acute liver failure, you might just need hepatic boost for a while instead of a whole new liver."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/home">Cell 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;

Experts create custom-made mini livers using human skin cells

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh...

A report from the <a href="https://www.livingoceansfoundation.org/">Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation</a> (KSLOF) is providing new hope for the future of the world's coral <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/resilient-coral-reefs-north/">reefs</a>.

Researchers have discovered that most of the reefs in New Caledonia are abundant and healthy, even in places that are directly impacted by human activities. 

The analysis was part of the Global Reef Expedition, a series of studies that assessed the health and resiliency of coral reef systems in the western Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. 

Out of 22 research missions, the reefs in New Caledonia were found to be some of the most beautiful and unspoiled.

Dr. Sam Purkis is the chief scientist for KSLOF and a professor at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

"The reefs of New Caledonia are simply spectacular. Incredible diversity. Remarkable morphology," said Dr. Purkis.

"But in New Caledonia, as elsewhere, the reefs are gravely threatened by local impacts and climate change." 

"The Living Oceans Foundation achieved two important objectives in the country - first, they mapped, using satellite, many of the remotest reef systems in New Caledonia for the first time." 

"Second, the field data collected by the Foundation set a baseline condition for these reefs which can be tracked into the future to understand change."

"We hope that future change takes the form of an improving condition of the reefs, as new conservation initiatives are sparked by the Living Oceans dataset."

In collaboration with local experts and marine scientists, the researchers spent more than a month surveying coral reef systems in New Caledonia. The team also created detailed seabed maps. 

The researchers found that most of the reefs were relatively healthy, with abundant and diverse coral and fish communities. Reefs located the farthest offshore and in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) were in the most pristine condition. 

Closer to the shore, many reefs showed signs of fishing pressure with few large fish. Prony Bay, however, was found to be an exception. This nearshore region had the highest live coral cover of any reef observed in New Caledonia.

"One of our most surprising findings from New Caledonia was coral reefs thriving in unexpected locations, such as Prony Bay," said Alexandra Dempsey, the director of Science Management at KSLOF.

The experts were shocked to find such high coral cover in the bay, where the murky water is contaminated by nutrient and sediment runoff from nearby copper mines and the presence of hydrothermal vents. 

"Corals were surprisingly abundant in what would normally be sub-optimal conditions for coral growth. This gives us hope for the future of coral reefs," said Dempsey. 

"More research is needed, but this finding shows us that at least some corals can adapt to survive in high-stress environments."

The research was funded by H.R.H. Prince Khaled bin Sultan.    

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Coral reefs in New Caledonia provide hope for the future

A report from the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation...

Researchers at the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/">University of Sydney</a> have found evidence to suggest that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/prevalence-of-silent-covid-19-infection-underestimated/">COVID-19</a> is a seasonal illness that becomes more of a threat in low humidity. The study revealed a link between lower humidity and an increase in locally acquired COVID-19 cases. 

The research, which was conducted in Sydney during an early stage of the epidemic, is the first peer-reviewed investigation into a potential connection between COVID-19 and climate in the southern hemisphere.

Study lead author Professor Michael Ward is an epidemiologist in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science.

"COVID-19 is likely to be a seasonal disease that recurs in periods of lower humidity. We need to be thinking if it's winter time, it could be COVID-19 time," said Professor Ward.

In previous studies, experts established that climate influenced the transmission rate of the first SARS coronavirus outbreak in Hong Kong and China, as well as the MERS coronavirus outbreak in Saudi Arabia. 

More recently, researchers identified an association between daily temperature, relative humidity, and COVID-19 transmission.

"The pandemic in China, Europe and North America happened in winter so we were interested to see if the association between COVID-19 cases and climate was different in Australia in late summer and early autumn," said Professor Ward.

"When it comes to climate, we found that lower humidity is the main driver here, rather than colder temperatures. It means we may see an increased risk in winter here, when we have a drop in humidity." 

"But in the northern hemisphere, in areas with lower humidity or during periods when humidity drops, there might be a risk even during the summer months. So vigilance must be maintained."

Professor Ward explained why humidity has on influence on the transmission of airborne viruses.

"When the humidity is lower, the air is drier and it makes the aerosols smaller. When you sneeze and cough those smaller infectious aerosols can stay suspended in the air for longer. That increases the exposure for other people."

"When the air is humid and the aerosols are larger and heavier, they fall and hit surfaces quicker."

The current study was focused on 749 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 between February 26 and March 31. The majority of the cases originated in the Greater Sydney area of New South Wales.

The researchers used the postal codes of the patients and analyzed information from the nearest weather observation station. They looked at rainfall, temperature, and humidity data for January, February, and March.

The analysis showed that there were more case notifications during periods of lower humidity. In particular, a one percent reduction in humidity was associated with a six percent increase in the number of COVID-19 infections.

"This means we need to be careful coming into a dry winter," said Professor Ward, noting that Sydney's lowest average humidity is in August.

"Even though the cases of COVID-19 have gone down in Australia, we still need to be vigilant and public health systems need to be aware of potentially increased risk when we are in a period of low humidity."

"Ongoing testing and surveillance remain critical as we enter the winter months, when conditions may favor coronavirus spread."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/18651682">Transboundary and Emerging Diseases</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

COVID-19 may be a seasonal illness that thrives in low humidity

Researchers at the University of Sydney have found evidence 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

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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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



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The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

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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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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



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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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