Most galaxies we see today are quiet, well-structured, and orderly. But not all play by those rules. Some are wild, chaotic, and packed with stars that are forming at a furious pace. 



These rare, chaotic galaxies give astronomers a glimpse of what the universe looked like billions of years ago - and perhaps a hint of what's in store for our own Milky Way.



Astronomers from the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona</a> have taken a detailed look at these unusual chaotic galaxies, also known as luminous and ultra-luminous infrared galaxies, or LIRGs and ULIRGs. 



These are incredibly bright in the infrared spectrum and are often caught in the middle of a galactic collision.



This study, part of a larger project called the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), includes data from space telescopes such as Spitzer, Hubble, Chandra, and GALEX - and now, for the first time, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as well.



The results of the study were presented during a press briefing at the <a href="https://aas.org/meetings/aas246" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">246th meeting of the American Astronomical Society</a> on June 11. 



According to Sean Linden, a research associate at the University of Arizona <a href="https://astro.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Steward Observatory</a>, the findings will be published in an upcoming edition of the Astrophysical Journal. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cosmic-collisions-cause-chaotic-galaxies">Cosmic collisions cause chaotic galaxies</h2>



LIRGs and ULIRGs are not common in the universe close to Earth. Only 202 have been found within 1.3 billion light-years of us. What makes them special is that they are actively merging. 



Two galaxies smash together, forming bizarre structures - double galactic centers, long tails of stars and, most notably, star-forming clumps that are far larger than anything in our galaxy.



"These galaxies are very clumpy, very different from the beautiful spiral galaxies that we see now, such as the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-galaxy-shows-us-what-the-early-milky-way-looked-like/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>," said Linden. "And we know from cosmological simulations that these clumps were the building blocks of galaxies in the early universe."



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/milky-way_andromeda_merger_illustration_UArizona_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/milky-way_andromeda_merger_illustration_UArizona_1s.webp" alt="This artist's illustration shows a stage in the predicted merger between our Milky Way galaxy and the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, as it will unfold over the next several billion years. In this image, representing Earth's night sky in 3.75 billion years, Andromeda (left) fills the field of view and begins to distort the Milky Way with tidal pull. Credit: NASA; ESA; Z. Levay and R. van der Marel, STScI; T. Hallas; and A. Mellinger" class="wp-image-1974007"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This artist's illustration shows a stage in the predicted merger between our Milky Way galaxy and the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, as it will unfold over the next several billion years. In this image, representing Earth's night sky in 3.75 billion years, Andromeda (left) fills the field of view and begins to distort the Milky Way with tidal pull. Click image to enlarge. Credit: NASA; ESA; Z. Levay and R. van der Marel, STScI; T. Hallas; and A. Mellinger</figcaption></figure>



In our galaxy, the largest clumps of new stars weigh about 1,000 solar masses. In LIRGs and ULIRGs, a single clump can hold a million times the mass of our Sun. And there are hundreds of thousands of these clumps in each galaxy.



"You can imagine a million Suns forming in one small, compact region, and within one of those galaxies, there are hundreds of thousands of such clumps," Linden explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chaotic-galaxies-act-as-star-factories">Chaotic galaxies act as star factories </h2>



Galactic mergers are messy. But in that chaos, galaxies give birth to stars at a much higher rate than usual. When two <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxy-collision-2-million-mph-stephans-quintet-captured-unprecedented-detail/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies collide</a>, gas clouds compress, temperatures soar, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a> kicks into overdrive.



"These clumpy structures build up over time until they become incredibly massive, and if we want to understand them and how they actually contribute to galaxies evolving throughout cosmic time, we need to study them in detail," Linden said.



This is exactly what the new JWST data makes possible. Earlier telescopes, like Hubble, had already spotted some of these clumps. But thick clouds of dust made it impossible to see what was going on inside them. 



JWST's infrared vision has now peeled back those layers, giving researchers their best look yet at the internal workings of these star factories.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-chaotic-galaxies-crashed-and-clumped">When chaotic galaxies crashed and clumped</h2>



The universe used to be a more violent place. Billions of years ago, galaxies were packed closer together and collided more frequently. That meant more clumps, more chaos, and more extreme star formation.



"The universe used to be much more violent and extreme in the past, and it's now settling down," Linden said. "That's why these rare examples of extreme galaxies no longer exist in the local universe, because, by and large, most galaxies have settled down as well."



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/galaxies_interacting_IRAS-09111-1007_UArizona_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/galaxies_interacting_IRAS-09111-1007_UArizona_1s.webp" alt="Two interacting luminous infrared galaxies, designated as IRAS 09111-1007, from the survey. The galaxies already passed through each other once and are coming back on a second approach. Credit: Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey" class="wp-image-1974005"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Two interacting luminous infrared galaxies, designated as IRAS 09111-1007, from the survey. The galaxies already passed through each other once and are coming back on a second approach. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey</figcaption></figure>



Even so, these rare chaotic galaxies offer astronomers a chance to study a phenomenon that has mostly disappeared from the modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/universe-is-expanding-faster-than-science-can-explain-hubble-tension-physics-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">universe</a>. They serve as a kind of time machine - letting us peek into how galaxies like ours might have looked long ago.



"In a sense, you look at the local universe, and it gives you information about what would have happened 10 billion years ago," said Linden.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-the-milky-way-meets-andromeda">When the Milky Way meets Andromeda</h2>



These observations might not just be a look into the past. They could also foreshadow the future. 



The Milky Way is on a slow-motion collision course with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/andromeda-galaxy-shows-signs-of-violent-past-collisions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andromeda</a> galaxy. That merger will happen several billion years from now but, when it does, our quiet and orderly galaxy could roar back to life.



"As Andromeda gets closer and the pressure in the interstellar medium goes up, all of a sudden, the clumps that you will find that the Milky Way is forming will be more and more massive," Linden noted.



The survey also confirmed long-held predictions from computer simulations. Disk-shaped galaxies like the Milky Way form stars in small, scattered clumps. But when galaxies merge, they create larger clumps and more intense star-forming regions.



"We're now finding these massive clumps in the local universe," Linden said. "We are beginning to complete the picture by comparing, for the first time, observations of massive clumps from both the nearby and the distant universe."



These rare chaotic galaxies, once hidden behind thick veils of dust, are now offering scientists a clearer view of how cosmic structures behave under extreme conditions. 



Furthermore, with the help of JWST, researchers are uncovering how collisions and chaos shaped the universe we see today - and how they might shape what comes next.



Information from a University of Arizona <a href="https://news.arizona.edu/news/belly-beast-massive-clumps-reveal-star-factories-bygone-era-cosmos">press release</a>.



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Chaotic galaxies are star factories from another time

Most galaxies we see today are quiet, well-structured, and orderly. But not all play by those rules. Some are wild, chaotic, and packed with stars that are forming at a furious pace. These rare, chaotic galaxies give astronomers a glimpse of what the universe looked like billions of years ago - and perhaps a hint of what's in store for our own Milky Way. Astronomers from the University of Arizona have taken a detailed look at these unusual chaotic galaxies, also known as luminous and ultra-luminous infrared...

In a surprising study from the <a href="https://publichealth.yale.edu/">Yale School of Public Health</a>, researchers have found that during the pandemic in China, more premature deaths were avoided as a result of cleaner air than were lost to the <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/impacts-of-covid-19-are-visible-from-space/">coronavirus</a>. 

After the virus started to spread, the Chinese government issued countrywide travel restrictions from February 10 to March 14 that limited automobile emissions and drastically improved air quality.

The Yale team discovered that the cleaner air prevented 12,125 premature deaths. As of May 4, there were 4,633 deaths from the coronavirus.

"This is a very surprising result. The pandemic continues to be a terrible thing for China and the rest of the world, but the decrease in emissions that accompanied it has actually conferred some positive health results," said study first author Professor Kai Chen. "The question is, how can we have one without the other?"

According to Professor Chen, there are likely similar health benefits from cleaner air in other regions as well. He explained that while the findings cannot be directly applied to other countries due to different severity of and responses to COVID-19, as well as varying air pollution levels and population characteristics, reduced air pollution levels have been detected in the United States, Asia, and Europe due to lockdowns.

The study authors estimated the decreases in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) throughout China. Next, they calculated the number of avoided deaths based on the short-term association between these pollutants and daily mortality. 

The analysis was based on data from a previous epidemiological study of 272 Chinese cities and mortality data from the China Health and Family Planning Statistical Yearbook 2018.

The study revealed that among the thousands of avoided deaths, about two-thirds were from avoided cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The researchers said the findings illustrate the substantial human health benefits related to cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality that can be achieved when aggressive air pollution control measures are put in place to reduce emissions from vehicles, such as through climate mitigation-related traffic restrictions or efforts to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.

"This unexpected health benefit suggests that if we were to address the climate crisis as aggressively as we are combating the COVID-19 pandemic with strong political will and urgent action, we could prevent the enormous health burdens associated with climate change," said study co-author Professor Paul T. Anastas.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/planetary-health">Lancet Planetary Health</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

 

&nbsp;

Cleaner air during China's lockdown saved thousands of lives

In a surprising study from the Yale School of Public...

Psychedelic drugs may safely treat mental health disorders. Researchers at <a href="https://www.stanford.edu/">Stanford University</a> are exploring the potential of hallucinogenic drugs to provide powerful benefits for mental health disorders. 

Previous studies have shown that psychedelic drugs such as LSD are very effective in treating <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/work-stress-linked-to-depression-and-death/">depression</a> and post-traumatic stress disorders, but the use of these drugs is limited by their side effects. 

In the lab of Professor Ron Dror, researchers are using computer simulations to find a solution. 

"What if we could redesign drugs to keep their benefits while eliminating their unwanted side effects?" said Professor Dror.

The team pinpointed methods that could be used to minimize or eliminate side effects in a broad class of drugs that target G protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs. 

Psychedelic molecules attach to GPCRs in the same way as antihistamines, beta blockers, and opioids. When a drug molecule attaches to a GPCR, changes take place in the cell that can be both helpful and dangerous.

In 2012, Stanford Professor Brian Kobilka shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his role in discovering how GPCRs work.

In the current <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6480/881">study</a>, Professor Dror's team unraveled the mystery of how a drug molecule can alter the GPCR's shape to produce benefits while preventing dangerous side effects. 

The researchers have now created new molecules that behave in this way. Altough the modified molecules are not yet suitable for human trials, they represent a crucial first step toward developing drugs that are free of side effects. 

The research may lead to the development of safe and effective drugs for mental health issues while saving billions of dollars by eliminating the need for lengthy trials. 

"In addition to revealing how a drug molecule could cause a GPCR to trigger only beneficial effects, we've used these findings to design molecules with desired physiological properties, which is something that many labs have been trying to do for a long time," said Professor Dror.

"Armed with our results, researchers can begin to imagine new and better ways to design drugs that retain their effectiveness while posing fewer dangers."

Professor Dror hopes that research on this topic will eventually eliminate dangerous side effects of drugs used to treat a wide variety of diseases, including heart conditions, psychiatric disorders, and chronic pain.

The <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6480/881">study</a> is published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/">Science</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Psychedelic drugs may safely treat mental health disorders

Psychedelic drugs may safely treat mental health disorders. Researchers at...

A new study from <a href="https://tulane.edu/">Tulane University</a> has revealed that <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marsh-plant-stems-shrink-co2/">marshes</a> in the Mississippi Delta may not be able to survive the impacts of rising sea levels. 

The researchers found that coastal marshes have a tipping point, where a small increase in sea-level rise could create a domino effect that is detrimental to marshes across the region.

Over the past century, an estimated 2,000 square miles of wetlands have been lost in coastal Louisiana. 

Scientists are now faced with the daunting task of predicting what will happen to the remaining 6,000 square miles of marsh in the Mississippi Delta.

For the current study, the Tulane team used hundreds of sediment cores collected since the early 1990s to investigate how marshes have responded to sea-level rise over the past 8,500 years.

Study lead author Torbjörn Törnqvist is a professor of Geology in the Tulane Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

"Previous investigations have suggested that marshes can keep up with rates of sea-level rise as high as half an inch per year, but those studies were based on observations over very short time windows, typically a few decades or less," said Professor Törnqvist.

"We have taken a much longer view by examining marsh response more than 7,000 years ago, when global rates of sea-level rise were very rapid but within the range of what is expected later this century."

The study revealed that once sea-level rise exceeds about one-tenth of an inch per year, most Mississippi Delta marshes drown in a few centuries. 

If the rate of sea-level rise surpasses a quarter of an inch per year, the marshes are submerged in much less time - about five decades. 

"The scary thing is that the present-day rate of global sea-level rise, due to climate change, has already exceeded the initial tipping point for marsh drowning," said Professor Törnqvist. 

"And as things stand right now, the rate of sea-level rise will continue to accelerate and put us on track for marshes to disappear even faster in the future."

Despite the grim forecast for coastal marshes along the Mississippi Delta, it is not too late to prevent the worst possible outcomes. 

According to Professor Törnqvist, the most important action is to drastically curb greenhouse gas emissions to prevent sea-level rise from ramping up to rates where marshes will drown within a matter of decades.

The next important step is to implement major river diversions as quickly as possible. This way, some portions of the Mississippi Delta have a better chance for survival. 

However, the window of opportunity for these actions to be effective is rapidly closing, said Professor Törnqvist.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Marshes in the Mississippi Delta are drowning 

A new study from Tulane University has revealed that marshes...

A team of researchers at the <a href="https://www.univie.ac.at/en/">University of Vienna</a> has discovered an ancient great white <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/shark-sanctuaries-offer-little-protection/">shark</a> breeding ground in northern Chile. It is the first undisputed fossil nursery of the great white that has ever been found.

The legendary great white shark is the largest predatory fish on Earth, reaching an average of 15 feet in length. Despite its notoriety, the species is now threatened with extinction as a result of human activities such as pollution and illegal fishing. 

Great white sharks are born and protected in designated breeding areas until they are large enough to compete with other predators. These nurseries are critically important for maintaining stable populations and evolutionary success.

With this in mind, researchers have recently ramped up the search for great white nurseries in an effort to develop new conservation strategies. 

"Our knowledge about current breeding grounds of the great white shark is still very limited, however, and palaeo-nurseries are completely unknown," said study co-author Jaime Villafaña.

The research team analyzed great white shark teeth that were two to five million years old. The fossilized teeth had been uncovered at several sites along the Pacific coast of Chile and Peru.

The researchers reconstructed the fossils and determined that the body sizes of great whites varied considerably along the South American paleo-Pacific coast. 

One particular site in northern Chile contained the highest percentage of young sharks, the lowest percentage of "teenagers," and no sexually mature shark remains were present. 

The discovery of this ancient great white nursery has major implications for conservation efforts because it dates back to a time when the climate was much warmer than it is today and comparable to what is projected with future warming trends. 

"If we understand the past, it will enable us to take appropriate protective measures today to ensure the survival of this top predator, which is of utmost importance for ecosystems," explained study co-author Jürgen Kriwet.

"Our results indicate that rising sea surface temperatures will change the distribution of fish in temperate zones and shift these important breeding grounds in the future."

Warming ocean temperatures will directly impact the population dynamics of the great white shark and will threaten its future reproductive success.

"Studies of past and present nursery grounds and their response to temperature and paleo-oceanographic changes are essential to protect such ecological key species," said Kriwet.

The study is published in the journal <a href="http://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;

First-ever great white shark fossil nursery found

A team of researchers at the University of Vienna has...

Arctic heatwave is breaking records, and it's not even summer yet. A record-breaking <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwave-pushed-species-northward/">heatwave</a> has arrived in the Arctic this month, appearing unusually early and with shocking intensity. Forecasts show that temperatures will remain higher than average next week, and possibly for the rest of the year.

By mid-May, temperatures in the Arctic were the warmest ever recorded this time of the season. 

Last week, the temperature reached 80 degrees Fahrenheit above the Arctic Circle. A little farther south in Siberia, the temperature hit 86.

The Arctic has been warming at a rate that is twice as fast as the rest of the world as a result of climate change. The early appearance of unprecedented temperature spikes indicates that this rate is accelerating. 

According to the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/">Washington Post</a>, the Siberian town of Khatanga recorded a temperature of 78 degrees on Friday. The average high for this day in Khatanga is 32 degrees. 

Above-average temperatures have persisted in Siberia since winter,  and the region is already experiencing unusually large wildfires and shrinking snow cover. 

In the Kara Sea, just north of central Siberia, Arctic sea ice started melting more than a month early this year. The sea ice cover has reached the lowest extent that has ever been recorded in May.

Zack Labe is a graduate student at UC Irvine who studies Arctic climate change.

“Although Siberia is known for wild temperature swings, the persistence and magnitude of warmth over the region so far this year has been astonishing,” Labe told the Washington Post. 

“This week is an example of an extreme event, with summer-like temperatures over parts of Western Siberia thanks to a strong upper level ridge." 

"We can already see this reflected in snow cover data, as there are large negative departures of snow extent stretching across the entire Siberian coast of the Arctic."

Beyond concerns about how much sea ice will be lost this year and the implications for sea-level rise, scientists are also closely monitoring the stability of Arctic permafrost. 

Greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon are released from thawing permafrost that have been stored in the ground for centuries. This will only accelerate global warming, and further intensify its impacts on the Arctic.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Arctic heatwave is breaking records, and it's not even summer yet

Arctic heatwave is breaking records, and it's not even summer...

New research from the <a href="https://www.acponline.org/">American College of Physicians</a> highlights the powerful role of fruits and vegetables in protecting heart health. 

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of disease and death worldwide. 

A healthy <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dietary-supplements-can-help-you-fight-off-covid-19/">diet</a> is a critical lifestyle factor for maintaining a healthy heart, and the new study suggests that some nutritious diets may be even more beneficial than others. 

Mediterranean, vegetarian, and DASH diets are the most widely recommended for cardiovascular health.

The DASH diet is high in vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, and a moderate amount of whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, and poultry. 

The traditional Mediterranean diet includes the same plant-based foods as the DASH diet but also includes high consumption of extra-virgin olive oil and moderate consumption of wine. 

Essentially, both of these diets, as well as the vegetarian diet, are centered around plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables.

In a study focused on middle-aged adults without a known history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the researchers set out to compare a typical American diet with diets rich in fruits and vegetables to examine any <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eat-well-live-longer-a-dash-of-protein-could-add-years-to-your-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">potential cardiovascular effects</a>.

"Participants were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of monitored feeding with a control diet typical of what many Americans eat; a diet rich in fruits and vegetables but otherwise similar to the control diet; or the DASH diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and fiber and has low levels of saturated fat and cholesterol," explained the study authors. 

After the eight week intervention, participants in the DASH and fruit-and-vegetable diet groups had significantly lower concentrations of the biomarkers for myocardial injury and cardiac stress. 

The experts theorize that large dietary amounts of potassium, magnesium, and fiber can partially explain the beneficial effects of the DASH and vegetarian diets on heart health. 

The protection from myocardial injury and cardiac stress may also be explained by the influence of fruits and vegetables in reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, oxidative stress, and inflammation.

According to the experts, recommendations to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables to at least 10 servings per day should be generalized to the overall population, regardless of health status. 

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/journal/aim">Annals of Internal Medicine</a>.

---

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

Fruit and vegetables are very beneficial to heart health

New research from the American College of Physicians highlights the...

Experts map the genetic diversity of mammals on a global scale . Researchers at the <a href="https://www.ku.dk/english/">University of Copenhagen</a> have mapped the worldwide distribution of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/female-mammals-live-longer-than-males-in-the-wild/">mammals</a> in an effort to unravel the origins of their genetic diversity.

Understanding global patterns of biological diversity, including variation among species and their ecosystems, is critical for protecting Earth's wildlife.

Up until now, the lack of genomic data and relevant geographic information has greatly limited the ability for experts to map genetic diversity, which is very difficult to detect. 

In addition to mapping and georeferencing a massive dataset, the Copenhagen team examined long-standing theories about the distribution of genetic diversity among terrestrial mammals. 

The analysis revealed that regions with the richest evolutionary history also contain the highest levels of genetic diversity. 

These areas include the Northern Andes, the Eastern Arc Mountains, the Amazon, the Brazilian Atlantic forest, the jungles of Central America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia.

The researchers determined that these regions have had a relatively stable climate over the past 21,000 years, which contributed to diversity among individual species. 

Study lead author Spyros Theodoridis is a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate.

"Genetic diversity within species is a critical component of biodiversity, playing two important roles at the same time. It reflects species evolutionary history and defines their capacity to adapt under future environmental change," said Theodoridis.

"However, and despite the predictions of major biodiversity theories, the actual global distribution of genetic diversity remained, so far, a mystery."

According to Theodoridis, recent efforts to populate public databases with genetic sequences and their locations enabled the team to generate the first global maps of genetic diversity in terrestrial mammal groups.

Study senior author David Nogues-Bravo is an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen.

"The tropics, and more specifically tropical mountain regions, host large amounts of the global pool of genetic diversity," said Professor Nogues-Bravo. 

"These arks of biodiversity are under a high pressure today due to climate and land-use change. The conservation of genetic diversity in these areas should be a priority in on-going conservation efforts."

The researchers investigated how the past 21,000 years of climate change affected current patterns of genetic diversity. They found that regions which had endured less extreme fluctuations in temperature and precipitation have higher levels of genetic diversity. This is likely due to a lower rate of population extinctions. 

Study co-author Damien Fordham is an associate professor at the University of Adelaide's Environment Institute.

"While we show that areas of high genetic diversity tend to occur in regions where climates have remained relatively unchanged during past periods of global-scale climate change, many of these regions are forecast to experience major climate disturbances in the near future," said Fordham. "Unfortunately, this is likely to lead to a loss of genetic diversity in many biodiversity hotspots."

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/ncomms/">Nature Communications</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Experts map the genetic diversity of mammals on a global scale 

Experts map the genetic diversity of mammals on a global...

Body posture not only reflects how you feel but also affects how you feel, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.uni-halle.de/?lang=en">Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg</a> (MLU). 

Good body posture implies that you are <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/women-confident-caring-work/">confident</a>, while slouching indicates a lack of self-esteem. The way you carry your body subliminally influences how you are perceived by others, and a growing collection of research suggests posture influences how you feel about yourself.

Previous studies have found that "power posing," or holding the body in commanding positions, can immediately make a person feel more empowered. 

A study from Harvard even found that two minutes of power posing raises levels of testerone, a hormone that is associated with power and dominance.

"Body language is not just about expressing feelings, it can also shape how a person feels," said study lead author Robert Körner of the MLU Institute of Psychology. "Power posing is the nonverbal expression of power. It involves making very bold gestures and changes in body posture."

The MLU study is the first of its kind to examine the effect of power posing among children. 

According to Körner, children are able to recognize and interpret the body posture of others from the age of five. 

For the investigation, a total of 108 fourth-graders were divided into two groups and assigned opposing tasks. One group was instructed to hold two open and expansive postures for one minute each. The other group was instructed to pose with their arms folded in front of them and their heads down. 

Next, the children completed a series of psychological tests. The participants who had assumed an open posture reported higher levels of self-esteem and indicated they were in a better mood compared to the children who did not engage in power poses.

The effects were even more profound when the children answered questions about school. 

"Here, power posing had the strongest effect on the children's self-esteem," said Körner. "Teachers could try and see whether this method helps their students." 

The results are consistent with previous findings on power posing. However, this concept remains controversial in the field of psychological research.

Some of the effects on mood or behavior could not be replicated, but many other psychological studies have the same limitations. 

"To make our study even more objective and transparent, we pre-registered it and all of the methodology. This means that we specified everything in advance and could not change anything afterwards," said Körner.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/home/spi">School Psychology International</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Power posing gives children an instant confidence boost

Body posture not only reflects how you feel but also...

In a new study from the <a href="https://umich.edu/">University of Michigan</a> (U-M), researchers have found evidence that all living organisms - from bacteria to humans - have a <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/hybrid-lobster-species-discovered-with-new-genetic-test/">genetic</a> memory of their ancestral surroundings that helps them adapt to changing environments.

The study is providing new insight into how plants and animals will respond to today's changing climate.

The research was focused on chickens raised on the Tibetan Plateau and at an adjacent lowland site.

Chickens were first domesticated thousands of years back from a tropical Asian bird called the red junglefowl. By 1,200 ago, chickens were introduced to the Tibetan Plateau where they gradually adapted to the high-altitude conditions. 

In a collaboration with Chinese experts, the U-M team hatched and raised hundreds of chickens on the Tibetan Plateau at an elevation of nearly 11,000 feet. Chickens were also raised at a lowland site in China's Sichuan Province. 

Some of the eggs from the lowland site were hatched at a higher altitude on the Tibetan Plateau. 

The experts wanted to measure how the change in external surroundings may affect a chicken's phenotype - the characteristics that result from the interaction of environment and genetic inheritance.

The researchers investigated two types of phenotypic changes. "Plastic" phenotypic changes alter gene activity without interfering with DNA, while mutations alter gene activity by modifying the DNA sequence.

The relative roles of these two phenotypic changes have been a mystery, and experts have theorized that plastic changes may be precursors to mutations. 

In the U-M study, the researchers wanted to find out how the chickens readapted when they were reintroduced to ancestral environments. 

The study revealed that plastic changes played a more dominant role when the chickens returned to the lowland compared to when they adapted to the plateau.

Study senior author Jianzhi Zhang is a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

"These findings reveal a mechanism by which past experience affects future evolution," said Professor Zhang.

"Our findings contribute to the recent debate on the relative roles of plastic and genetic changes in adaptation and reveal the importance of considering whether the environment is changing to a novel or ancestral one."

To analyze the relative roles of plastic and DNA-sequence changes, the researchers looked at gene-expression differences between lowland and Tibetan chickens in brain, liver, lung, heart, and muscle tissue. 

The experts found that many mutations were needed when the animals first adapted to the Tibetan Plateau, but plastic changes were required when the chickens were brought back to the lowland.

"In summary, our work uncovers a phenomenon conserved from bacteria to vertebrates that organisms remember their ancestral environments in the form of phenotypic plasticity," wrote the study authors.

The research is published in the journal <a href="https://advances.sciencemag.org/">Science Advances</a>.

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Animals have a genetic memory of their ancestral environments

In a new study from the University of Michigan (U-M),...

In an effort to increase awareness of biodiversity issues, the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/">United Nations</a> (UN) has designated today, May 22, as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB).

According to the UN, more than a million plant and animal species are now threatened with <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/marine-megafauna-extinctions-will-compromise-critical-ecosystem-services/">extinction</a>, and hundreds to thousands of species are vanishing every year.

Biodiversity loss is directly tied to human activities, such as overexploitation of resources, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Humans are transforming the Earth in ways that threaten the survival of plants and animals. But a planet without diverse species is a place that is no longer suitable for humans to live. 

By losing biodiversity, we lose critical ecosystem services that regulate air and water quality and provide food security. Our reliance on biodiversity cannot be overstated. Diverse habitats are involved in every aspect of balancing the complex systems of nature. 

"As the global community is called to re-examine our relationship to the natural world, one thing is certain: despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy, just to name a few," writes the UN.

The UN reports that more than 80 percent of the human diet is provided by plants, and fish provide 20 percent of animal-based protein to about 3 billion people. An estimated 80 percent of people in rural areas across developing countries depend on plant-based medicines for basic healthcare.

Without drastic conservation efforts, biodiversity loss is expected to accelerate through 2050, and the effects will be most pronounced in areas hit the hardest by global warming. But there is still time to change this trajectory.

The UN reminds us that "2020 is a year of reflection, opportunity and solutions." 

"It is expected, from each of us, that we will 'build back better' by using this time to increase the resilience of nations and communities as we recover from this pandemic." 

"2020 is the year when, more than ever, the world can signal a strong will for a global framework that will bend the curve on biodiversity loss for the benefit of humans and all life on Earth."

The theme of this year's <a href="https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day">International Day for Biological Diversity</a> is "Our solutions are in nature." 

--

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 

&nbsp;

UN hosts International Day for Biological Diversity

In an effort to increase awareness of biodiversity issues, the...

Why is it harder to wake up on a cold morning? A new study from <a href="https://www.northwestern.edu/">Northwestern University</a> has tapped into the minds of fruit flies to find out how cold weather affects our <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/does-sleep-help-us-adapt-to-difficult-circumstances/">sleep</a>.

While it is known that temperature has a profound influence on the behavior of people and animals, the connection between neurons that control the sleep-wake cycle and those that respond to external stimuli is not clearly understood. 

In a study focused on fruit flies, researchers have identified a sensory circuit that relays information about cold temperatures to a higher brain center. 

According to the experts, through this sensory circuit, cold and dark conditions can inhibit the brain cells that promote wakefulness and activity. The neural network was found to have a stronger effect in the morning. 

Study lead author Marco Gallio is an associate professor of Neurobiology in Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. 

"This helps explains why - for both flies and humans - it is so hard to wake up in the morning in winter," said Professor Gallio. "By studying behaviors in a fruit fly, we can better understand how and why temperature is so critical to regulating sleep."

The study is the first to describe "absolute cold" receptors in the fruit fly's antenna. The receptors respond exclusively to temperatures that are below the fly's comfort threshold of approximately 77 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The researchers traced the neurons to their targets in the brain, which turned out to be a small group of cells in a region that controls circadian rhythm. 

When the cold circuit was stimulated, target cells that are normally activated by morning light were shut down. 

The circadian rhythm of the fruit fly is a daily 24-hour cycle of rest and activity, just like that of humans. 

The detection of external temperature is critical for survival, especially among tiny fruit flies, but humans also seek optimal core temperatures simply for comfort or to enhance sleep. 

"Temperature sensing is one of the most fundamental sensory modalities," said Professor Gallio. "The principles we are finding in the fly brain - the logic and organization - may be the same all the way to humans. Whether fly or human, the sensory systems have to solve the same problems, so they often do it in the same ways."

Study co-first author Michael H. Alpert is a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Gallio's lab.

"The ramifications of impaired sleep are numerous - fatigue, reduced concentration, poor learning and alteration of a myriad of health parameters - yet we still do not fully understand how sleep is produced and regulated within the brain and how changes in external conditions may impact sleep drive and quality," said Alpert.

The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home">Current Biology</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;

Fruit flies reveal why we sleep more in cold weather

Individuals who are socially isolated are 44 percent more likely to experience a major cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, compared to people who are socially connected. 

The German research, which will be presented tomorrow at the <a href="https://www.ean.org/">European Academy of Neurology</a> (EAN) Virtual Congress, has revealed that social isolation drastically elevates an individual's risk of death from all causes.

The researchers also discovered that a lack of financial support increases the risk of cardiovascular events independently of other factors.

The investigation was focused on data from 4,316 individuals with an average age of 59 who participated in the Heinz Nixdorf Recall (HNR) cohort study.

Upon enrollment in the study between 2000 and 2003, participants had no known history of cardiovascular disease. Information was collected on different types of social support.

Levels of social integration were measured based on marital status and cohabitation, contact with close friends and family, and membership in political, religious, community, sports, or professional organizations.

"We have known for some time that feeling lonely or lacking contact with close friends and family can have an impact on your physical health," said study co-author Dr. Janine Gronewold. 

"What this study tells us is that having strong social relationships is of high importance for your heart health and similar to the role of classical protective factors such as having a healthy blood pressure, acceptable cholesterol levels, and a normal weight."

"This observation is of particular interest in the present discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic, where social contacts are or have been relevantly restricted in most societies," said Professor Karl-Heinz Jöckel.

The HNR study followed up on individuals for an average of 13.4 years. During this time, 339 cardiovascular events and 530 deaths were documented among the study participants. 

The researchers analyzed the deaths and heart episodes while accounting for other factors that could have contributed, such as standard cardiovascular risk factors. 

Ultimately, a lack of social integration was found to increase the future risk of cardiovascular events by 44 percent and the risk of all-cause mortality by 47 percent. In addition, a lack of financial support was associated with a 30-percent higher risk of cardiovascular events.

"We don't understand yet why people who are socially isolated have such poor health outcomes, but this is obviously a worrying finding, particularly during these times of prolonged social distancing," said Dr. Gronewold. 

"What we do know is that we need to take this seriously, work out how social relationships affect our health, and find effective ways of tackling the problems associated with social isolation to improve our overall health and longevity," said Professor Dirk M. Hermann.

The study is published in the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14681331">European Journal of Neurology</a>.

---

By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

&nbsp;

Social isolation increases heart attack risk

Individuals who are socially isolated are 44 percent more likely...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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



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

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

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

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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



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

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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



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

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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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

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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



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

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

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



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



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



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



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



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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



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

How the immune system responds to injury

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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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



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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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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